Hi.
I'm a member of a team consisting of 3 mostly backend devs (I say mostly - because we have some experience but with old stack like jQuery, Backbone/Marionette and similar). We need to build internal backoffice app(s) that will help our product team/our customers to manage the system. It's a new iteration of the system that already exists (and works quite well) but is written in technology (ruby) we no longer have people to work with (and management decision is to get rid of this technology completely). The old version of the system was a set of apps using server-side rendering (mostly rails + padrino).
We're going to build the app (the backend part) in C#. The question is how to organize the frontend. I know we can try with Blazor (thus - use server side rendering approach. Problem is it's a new technology and I have no trust in MS keeping it maintained in the long run having in memory what happened to tools like Silverlight in the past) or stick to SPAs. I watched some videos focused on web stack as of 2024 and what seems they're recommending to use something like bootstrap/tailwind + one of react/angulavue as a framework. Company seems to bet (no 'final' decision in this area) on react. I'm also not sure how these tools like bootstrap and react coexist - perhaps some combination of frameworks work betteeasier. My question is simple - how to start building this system? I think we need something that is stable and will provide us a framework to build pages of 'ready-to-use' components. My priority is not to have fancy system. Also, it's not my priority to have it in something super cool and promising, but rather something that will help us maintaining the system for over next 10 years or more without rewriting everything every few years ('standard' framework migration to newer version is assumed). We might get a dedicated FE guy in the future, but as of today - we shouldn't expect this.
Some additional characteristic of the system

• it's possible that users will have to work with heavy forms (managing thousands of items in the form)
• it's possible that we will have workflows (one user starts the process, another approves at some point, etc)
• it's possible that users will get real time notifications (for sure not something in near future)
• no plans for mobiles - browser only
• depending on the permissions user might have very different set of views available in the app. I assume that backend controls this and frontend just 'executes' according to permissions (flags) delivered by the backend

Many thanks for any answer

I don't know if it has already been discussed but these are some of my musings regarding "PpopRise"
I was just thinking why these groups are not promoted all out, is because tv networks (dang dalawa lang) or one of them have their own ppop groups to promote.
If for example YG owns Mnet, ofcourse puro YG groups i p promote nila. Business is business.
Music Bank/Inkigayo/Mcountdown features idol groups no matter how nugu they are because THATS THE FUNCTION OF THE TV SHOWS, TO GIVE PLATFORMS FOR MUSIC ARTISTS OR IDOL GROUPS. In the Philippines, we have network to promote their own artists (loveteams specially) or whatever flavor of the month starlets they want to promote.
This is why so many haters of SB19 came from network fans too. Coming from the network war era, they are rabid supporters of the network and have this mentality. Kumbaga pinalaki sa network war. So they can't stomach anybody outside their network to have success or to have massive fans.Check out Alt accounts of ABSCBN. The fans are so morbidly controlling too, to the point na muntik na nilang i cancel si Nate noon, for doing Gento cover. (or now sila din nagpalabas ng mga iskandalo ng idols nila, which another topic that has been talked about)
To show a surface level 'fairness to some ppopgroups' may isa isang appearance sa Showtime or ASAP or it needs to be a collab of some sort para bida bida pa din yung starmagic artist. Siempre wala silang treatment na parang Inkigayo, na in depth yung interviews, feature sa group. Yung ngang Ppop festival di pinapalabas sa tv. I remember nung naguumpisa SB19, sa showtOnline lang sila pwede umappear atsaka sa online version ng ASAP yung kila Maymay at Donnie, kasi yung main stage para sa mga loveteams at STar Magic artists.
Which led me to think 'Ppop Rise enemy' is really monopoly of network/recording outfits. Viva has been around since teenager pa lola ko, ABS CBN would rather support concerts for the likes of Daniel Padilla or Maymay sa StarMusic outfit nila cause they are their stars.
We cry for lack of promotions for our talented ppop groups. Then you check award shows, red carpet, tv shows, talk shows, PR people who HAVE CONNECTIONS with advertisers are already reserved for network artist they promote or worse NOT ppop group but their own stable of loveteams.
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PS: this is no way a put down on Bini or BGYo or Hori7on. They didn't invent the system. The Philippines music industry is like a microcosm of the filipino culture and politics. Monopoly, dynasty, padrino system etc. We have so many talented, hard working people pero bakit lima lang yata ang working composers for Ppop? Kasi gusto ng Viva and Star Music isa o dalawang composers lang, tapos sila na sa loveteam, themesong ng drama, commercials at Ppop group. Yung composer sa Hashtag yun din composer ng BGYO. Kaya siempre pare pareho tunog.
Pero kung talented ka naman (I checked out so many Ppop groups, because of this sub. I am liking 1stOne -- sobrang stable at mas magaling sumayaw sa alamat pramis and YGIG, magaganda pala MV's nila, shaba shaba lang naaala ko.) you will have no platform if you have no network. Umpisa ka sa youtube, matatapos ka sa youtube. Kundi ka mag viral, kawawa ka naman. Pag sikat ka na saka ka mag kakaroon ng invitation sa ASAP.
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Long post ahead. Pwede mo naman skip kung di mo bet magbasa ng mahaba.
(Eto na.
Biktima ako ng harassments- ongoing sya.
Nung bagong lipat kami dito sa subdivision, Yung mga nasa paligid magkakaibigan na, magkaregion, so medyo may mga nabuo na silang relationship sa isat isa.
Tanging alam ko lang na pwedeng maging dahilan kung bakit kami o ako naharass ngayon ay nung napuno ako sa bastos dito sa lugar namin. Nag react ako maraming beses. Kasi di sila huminto kahit nung umpisa pa. Parang wala din silang balak huminto. 3 lalake to. Mag ama, senior at siguro 30 na at yung friends nila na may siguro mid 40s na nag abroad at within a year babalik din(alam nyo na kung anong work yun). Malapit lang sila sa bahay namin. Si mid 40s may mga kamag anak dito sa lugar at may kamag anak na contractoforeman(di ko alam kung alin dyan basta sya lage nagmando pag may ginagawa silang bahay) dito sa lugar. Noong bago pa kami, nag garden mother ko na senior. Konti pa lang nakatira sa street nun wala pang nakatira sa ibang lot, at walang ibang tao sa labas noon maliban sa mga nag iinuman. Bilang medyo mabigat pa sya noong time na yun, kailangan nya daw tumuwad kasi di nya kayang umupo dahil sa tyan nya.. same time rin eto sila foreman/contractor nag iinuman at mga tauhan nyang construction worker. Binabastos mother ko, ang sabi, tumatawa ng malakas, sabay sabing, “sabi sayo bata pa yan” tawa ule ng malakas. Bilang anak, nag init ulo ko. Nagalit ako pero wala akong ibang ginawa kundi pagalit na pinapasok ang mother ko sa loob. Ang daming babae sa bahay na yun, ni wala akong narinig na nagsaway. Marami pa silang ginagawa. May time nagreklamo na ko sa guard kasi tinalsikan ng semento sa screen ng bintana namin kahit malayu-layo sa ginagawa nilang bahay. Di mapupunta semento dun kung di lalapit at sadyain. Pinatanggal ng guard yung semento sa kanila. May 1 pa pala pero di ako sigurado dito kasi kapangalan ng aspin naming dala dito yung anak ng 40ish ng mama. Never naman namin pinagtawanan o sinadya nagkataon lang at mas matanda pa nga yung aso naming yun sa anak nya nung lumipat kami dito. Never din naman tinatawag yung aso out of nowhere para mang asar.
Fast forward, madaming nangyari. Bastos pa din-covertly madalas. Pumapasok sa eksena yung may senior at 30ish na mag ama. Ginagawa nila yung style netong 40ish na lalake. Pag umuuwi ako dati magtext o tawag ako sa bahay pag malapit na-may mga times nasa gate sya ng bahay nila nakadungaw nakahawak sa bakal ng gate, may time din sinubdan kami sa labas pag lumilingon ako binababa yung dalang payong-chineck ko sa cctv kung sino nasa likod namin si 30ish pala. Nagtataka ako kasi bahay-kaibigan (na taga malayong lugar) lang ako. Di ako masyado nagbababad sa labas ng bahay para makihalubilo sa iba. Lalabas lang ako dati pag magdilig, magwalis, mag iikot ng aso, magbike at may bibilhin sa labas, mamamalengke. May time yung sa bahay na ng senior may ginagawa. Mas malapit kasi to sa amin. Minsan napuno ako sa ginagawa ng mag ama. Nag react ako, ginawa ko rin ginagawa nila saglit lang kasi ang toxic sa pakiramdam na gawin din yung ginagawa nila. Nung pandemic nagpapaputok na kahit anong oras, kahit hindi ‘ber month.
Mga guard at admin may alam kasi sinabihan ko naman sila pero pinasa lng ako ng admin sa guards at guard wala daw narinig. Ang lapit ng clubhouse at guardhouse sa bahay namin. Mga magulang ko wala din daw naririnig-may cctv copy ako. Lalo ako nadrain-di ko alam paano iprocess-nag decide akong lumipat na lang. toxic sa pamilya since bata ako naging toxic din sa community. May nalipatan ako sa ordinaryong lugar-may pa census-papalista ng kumpletong pangalan. Wala pang 24 hrs ng lipat nun. Napansin ko may ibang ginagawa sa akin simula nung nag renta ako, pare pareho-pa ulit ulit. Covert yung style ng pang harass nila. (Psychological abuse)-katulad ng ginagawa sa ibang church na nakita ko dito na known na may nanggugulo. Ginawa ko nirecord ko mga yun. Kahit lumipat ako ilang beses ganun pa din. Kako di na coincidence yung mga yun. Yung iba pinapakitaan ko ng video na proof nag insinuate nag aassume lang ako kahit narinig din nila yung pinu-point out kung tunog. Yung iba papanoorin, papakinggan pero they want me to shut up about it. Kung narinig ng pinapakitaan ko ng video yung sinubukan kong icapture ng time na yun ng paulit ulit, may mga tao na talaga sa likuran ng mga nangyayari. Nung narealize kong ginugulo pa rin ako, nag decide na lang ako bumalik kasi, sayang lang bayad sa apt kung yung goal kung peace of mind di ko rin makukuha kahit gumagastos ako para sa renta. Pag balik ko may palista ule ng mga pangalan. Dati naman ako dito nakatira. Pag balik ko nagulat ako kasi yung mga ginagawa bago ako bumalik na dadaanan sa tapat ng unit at mag iingay na mga tricycle-motor at mga sasakyan, ginagawa na rin dito sa bahay ng magulang ko mas maingay pa, mas maraming sasakyan. Ang daming nangyari narealize kong protected tolerated supported sila ng marami. Pati father ko sinubukan ipaurong complaint ko sa brgy. Una sa lahat, wala silang pakialam lage sa ginagawa ko, pangalawa, di nya rin alam kung anong nakalagay sa complaint. Kasama nya ang guard nung time na ginawa nya yun gamit ebike ng subdivision. Nagsabi pa sya ng kasinungalingan para lang madiscredit complaint ko. Pag gusto akong ipapacify dito pag nagreklamo puntahan papa ko sya lage kinakausap mag isa. Marami pang ibat ibang ginagawa sa loob at labas ng community. Nung nagpunta din akong ibang bansa, may vehicular noise campaign din.)
(Eto silang mga nasa malapit ang mas madalas naka abang para mang harass. Sila abala lalo sa umaga. Walang work yung iba. Kaya pala ang lakas ng loob behind closed doors, gawain naman pala talaga nila at may mga back up. Very timingly creepily accurate!
Makakabili ba ako ng sasakyan pag gagawin ko rin ginagawa nila? Ayoko pa rin.)
Yung 1 sa mga sasakyan na gumagawa ng ingay sa tapat ng bahay may label ng negosyo ang sasakyan. At ang may ari ay dating commanding officer ng security at investigation agency at 1 rin syang member ng religious group. he seemed pretty proud of it. Never naman ako umattend kahit 1 beses wala rin akong nakaaway na ako nag umpisa ng gulo o trip ko lang, may mga kaibigan ako sa religion na yun pero mababait at maaliwalas naman sila.
Di naman ako adik, never ako sumubok ng kahit anong droga. Wala rin akong loan sa OLA, wala ding unupdated loan, di rin komyunista. Updated ang bayad ng monthly dues at bahay. Hindi ako scammer at hindi rin terorista. Hindi ko sinasabing deserve ng mga yan sa taas na ma-threatened, ma-oppress, pero dito sa Pilipinas, sila madalas biktima ng harassments. Law abiding citizen ako bakit pati sa labas ginagawa?
These are the documented obvious harassments: 1. Firing sounds-not sure what they were using. But they do that anytime they want. 2. vehicular noise campaign - they do this anytime as weeo
https://www.reddit.comZestyc-Ad7451/s/CNkv6W5cos
https://www.reddit.comZestyc-Ad7451/s/eCKzvuJdZ7
https://www.reddit.comZestyc-Ad7451/s/0TqQgtrE1v
Yung aahunan nandito lang din sa profile ko.
1 tao pa lang alam kong member ng church na yun. Yung may label ng negosyo ng sasakyan na nagpapaharurot dito. Curious lang ako (aside from this mag-ama at 40ish na may anak na kapangalang ng matandang aso namin na anak) at aside from his previous job, could he still be connected to a bigger organization?
Pwede bang basta na lang sila mangharass ng “na-refer”, lang o padrino system? Anong pwedeng valid na dahilan? May mga lugar na pwedeng puntahan para umapela?
Yung mga covert harassments may sound crazy pero yun talaga ginagawa nila. Behind closed doors, behind walls, theyre making me feel na ini-invade nila privacy ko. Cctv, phone etc lage na lang may nangyayari. I tried to record as much as possible. Ganyan ginagawa sa law abiding citizen?
Im not sure if these facts are in the Philippines now but these are used by people whose supposed to protect the country & it’s people:
https://www.facebook.com/share/eZS1FRSo7q2vDyPk/?mibextid=GBT002
https://www.rappler.com/nation/190399-pnp-human-rights-app-permissions/?fbclid=IwAR1dEE9lwzPPniwtSxY70Z_Qk-O96lPwVeDBD8GAsj3Pg_zkmCKVyIOIWzM_aem_AZbFStFl3uK2NRVJ8Hn7h3JZcL_adL3dyXSjcOvsL2RLZHxz68XkKtEp6jcYiKyt5Pg
Im a law abiding citizen. Normal na tao lang why do I have to feel the need to fight for my basic rights. This is how it felt like growing up. Walang nakikinig, binabalewala, pinaglalaruan., di pinapahalagahan.
Gusto ko lang masagot tanong ko. Kasi yung dami, even at late nights na ibat ibang sasakyan na nag iingay, di pwedeng basta lang manggaling sa 2-3households yun. May mga die hard friends at kamag anak sila dito sa lugar oo, pati yung mga tauhan nung friend nilang nasa 40ish may kamag anak na contractoforeman dito. Nung umpisa pa lang may mga taga dito talaga kasali, kilala ko ibang mga sasakyan. Pero sinong may normal na buhay ang gagawa ng mga yun ng super late? Guards na panggabi? (Pasted na lang from my other post. Di ko na tinagalog) >> Here’s where the problem is. The guards are strict with everything. This property mgt/developer is known for that. They just dont let any outsider in right away. Even delivery riders. We live here long enough, the cars dont sound like those when they pass by. The inclined road in front of the house is not too high either for them to effort much noise & accelerate. Aside from car engine sound since we moved here, I compared the car noises of the same vehicles when Im not at the house since they started with the noise campaign, very different. Very intentional. There was a time when the construction workers used to work here in this community. There were lots of them as they were building many houses as this was new then. When they would go to work(in this subdivision) they would bring their motorcycles & residents were complaining of motorcycle noises & it’s not even as loud as , again, those. After the complaints, the guards stopped allowing them to bring their motorcycles inside. Their contractors would fetch them with small trucks & bring them to where they need to work, some would walk going inside.
It is very obvious how the firing sounds & these car noises are tolerated & supported by the place. From our right, there were houses but no occupants. the rest-Few surrounding us came here first- they were friends first, they have the same region, have family & friends who live here already & few of there men were rude when we first moved in, which I reacted when it was too much. & few of those work for the developer. 🤷🏻‍♀️I believe we’ve been vilified. & thats the only thing I remembered, reacting to their rudeness. For many people to allow & join these? The vehicles dont just belong to 2-3 households & the residents here complain about anything, everything.
They have cctv everywhere inside the subdivision, the house is just near the guardhouse & clubhouse where most of the security hang around or stationed. & this is not just an isolated few times occurrence-these kept on going for years. I even contacted & spoke directly to them when it all started but they were gaslighting me & didnt even want to see my evidence. 🤨
Neglected complaint or tolerated & supported harassments. I dont know whats their part on all these. If they’re “just” & just doing their job-they would have had it stopped when all from the many harassment started.
Pumunta na ko sa sa barangay. Walang nangyari kasi di sila pinapasok ng mga guard ng 1 beses tumawag ako para magreklamo. Ang nangyari nyan, pumunta na lang OIC ng security para kausapin father ko na mag isa. Sabi ko sasama ako kasi ako nagreklamo. Di sila nakapag usap ng time na yan. Sabi ko sa kanya, kuya sana maayos nyo concern ko-nag walk out sya sabay sabi kunin nya service(pick up na service car ng subdivision) dinala nya na lang kami sa brgy. Ang father panay kontra, wala daw nangyayaring pagpapaputok. Nakakasama ng loob. Noong kausap ko rin pala ang mga tao sa brgy., pinicturan kami ni OIC-nag flash at tumunog phone nya na nakatapat samin ni kuyang nasa brgy. Yung brgy medyo alangan, tiptoe sila at di nagamit power nila bilang taga pag patupad ng batas sa nasasakupan. Depende pa daw sa mga guard kung ipapakita sa kanila kopya ng cctv ng subdivision. Kung di mabigyan, wala silang magagawa? Bakit takot sila dito? Takot nga ba?

Hellooooo, I'm in a situation that I strongly feel is affecting my growth. It puts me into a stressed out state. My godfather thinks that I should share, so I will. I am only 14. I understand that's young but i just happened to get into my religion at 13. My mom introduced me to my padrino after being in search for more help and I immediately felt the connection. My mom did not feel the same way, which is perfectly okay. Couple months later, my mom is introducing me to a family friend who worked with her mother. I feel that she's trying to get me to switch houses and take control of something that she shouldn't get control over. She has talked about my godfather and brong him up when meeting the family friend. It was after he gave me a reading and cleanse I didn't not know I was receiving until the moment had come. We been in many arguments over this but of course I am just 14, so I do still listen/respect her. I'd just like to see how others would react in a situation like this. I am also a hothead so staying calm is tied down to a minimum but I am working on that because it's not how I'd like to be. Any advice??

This long post is in response to a recent post, but more so to a youtube video referenced in that thread on Olokun direct.
Olokun Direct (crowning) does not exist in the Lukumi/ Regla de Osha tradition, and anyone who has undergone it has possibly been defrauded. (ineligible to entity a lukumi igbodu)
This post will go into detail as to why, and what criteria, if any, must be met for an Olokun direct ceremony to be accepted in the future.
Further, this post is not an appeal to authority. this post is not correct because of who i am.. Instead, I will provide my explanation, and allow my words to stand on their own merit. Those who desire to do their own research or Fact-Check me.. I sincerely hope that you do because that is what our community needs. We need more critical thinkers in this religion.
That being said, I will post the video link here so that any claims I make about the video can be confirmed or rejected... I do not want to be accused of creating a straw-man argument.
By What authority Does ANY initiation in Lukumi occur? The Yoruba people (the modern term for the ethnic groups from where our tradition arrives) poetically say that there are 401 orisha.. 200 on the left and 200 on the right. This is likely a symbolic number as Missionaries and Anthropologists have estimated there were at least 600 being actively worshipped in the 19th century.
Of those, how many have FULL initiation rituals in Cuba? Less than 20. while there are probably over 50 orisha in Cuba actively preserved and worshipped, less then 20 of them enjoy what we would call 'Full Initiation' (direct).
The reason for this is simple... Those Lukumi (Yoruba) people forcibly enslaved and brought to Cuba preserved what they had.. under the conditions that they had them... and none would dare make something up.
Being that the majority of Lukumi people brought over to Cuba where Oyo, Egba/Egbado and Yesa... it makes sense that the customs and practices to survive most saliently in Cuba reflect these specific geographic origins.
Olokun is one of the most popular Orisha in the entire Lukumi religion. No one can deny the influence this orisha had, even during the time when African-born men and women were still alive in Cuba. Of ALL those whose names we know... who were instrumental in establishing Ocha worship in Cuba... we literally have only one strong candidate to have been brought to Cuba and had Olokun initiated, and that is ña Inez, Yenye Tolokun. She was not the only one who brought Olokun to Cuba.. I believe Apoto is also credited with bringing Olokun to Cuba, but she was not initiated to Olokun. And while several Babalawo assisted in the Olokun Masquerade, NONE of them have ever been described as Olokun initiates.
What does this mean? this means, that as far as we know, the only person who would have been in a position to pass this ceremony on (Crowning Olokun)...DID NOT CROWN ANYONE INTO OLOKUN... which means, nobody in Cuba witnessed it.. and as a consequence.. the act, knowledge and procedure of crowning of Olokun NEVER materialized in Cuba. this is a fact.
Egun has an initiation ceremony and is VERY prominent in Oyo.. and yet.. did not survive in Cuba.. think about that..Why isn't anyone running to make an Egun direct in Lukumi? How come the people taking out "angel de la guarda" aren't asking if Egun is their main initiation? Because we pick and choose which inventos we want to fabricate.
Please imagine for a moment, how many dozens if not hundreds of Cuban Alagualaguas (elders).. who, if they believed it could be done, would have done it. Imagine, denying your own child this, just because you don't want anyone to know the secrets.... Its absurd... they didn't do it, because the PROCEDURE is absent.
So, in 2016, it is my understanding that the first ever Olokun directs were done in Cuba. Were they done for the Children of prominent Lukumi elders? NOPE. Were they done because Orisha gave a mandate and divine revelation? NOT AT ALL. IT as a hand-full of Americans, with American $$$ who convinced a group of Cubans to do it.
Where did they get the ceremony from? From a notebook they discovered under their late Grand-father's bed?
As an aside - i take this exact approach to any ceremony, ritual or orisha... Any Modern innovation, tratado etc.... that has no support in history, I consider invalid, a waste of time, and even out-right fraud... if it cannot be shown to have arrived to the present day by UNBROKEN LINEAGE. That being said, that is how i believe Olokun MIGHT become a valid direct initiation in the future for Lukumi -

1. Get initiated by a respected and knowledgeable elder of Olokun in YORUBA-LAND (I guess Edo would work too, but... i have my reasons for not preferring that)
2. Study the requisite number of years necessary to be granted authority to become an initiator of Olokun
3. GET PERMISSION from Yoruba elder to adapt it to the Lukumi structure (not likely to happen)
4. GET Approval from the Lukumi Elders to do so

The fact that all these Olokun-direct folks have been unwilling to go to an authentic source for the ritual should tell you EVERYTHING you need to know. Instead, resorting to fancifully written tratados with lots of guesswork.
Now, to the video.. Here are all the mis-directions, errors and biases i noted in the video:

1. The Title: The video lies to you from the beginning. The title is misleading. The title suggests that a PRIESTESS of Olokun is being interviewed... yet, when you listen to the video, she's not even initiated yet, much less eligible to be called a priestess - Not a great start.
2. Background of interviewee - again going to the credentials of the interviewee - a person who only started their Orisha journey in 2020, has otherwise no background in orisha tradition, and makes no effort to demonstrate any objective research done on the subject. Instead, she appears to be taking her boyfriend's word for it.
3. The man hosting the interview appears to at first ACKNOWLEDGE that Olokun direct is not done in Lukumi when he says that he told his own godchildren: I want you to do it direct, even if it means losing you and you going to Africa to do it. (Paraphrasing)
4. Interviewee states "we have the resources now to do it". but does not explain those resources or under whose authority it was granted.
5. Constantly calls Olokun 'HE' when EVERY Olokun de Santero i know of (i.e. the only one that would birth Olokun at Ocha) is female. The Olokun of Apoto/monserrate (by extension fermina)/Yenye Tolokun - those lineages give a female Olokun. Does she even know who her ocha godparents are yet? If she does, she sure gave them NO CREDIT or acknowledgement in the video... It seems like the Ocha priests don't have much say in this Ocha. (the gender is not a big deal, really... but, the fact that it shows where the source of information is coming from is very telling).
6. NOT Even Asking for Oshun - OK.. so, this one is not a slam dunk. She said she got her Angel de la Guarda taken out BEFORE ikofa.. and, I don't think she said what odu came out then. I only recall her referencing Osa-Roso.. and i'm not sure if that is her kofa odu or the one where her angel de la guarda was taking out.. IF Oshun was not even asked in Osa Roso, and Olokun was asked before Oshun in that odu... then, that goes to show... We went to VERY different schools. That would be absurd. Ochun and Orula eat together in that Odu.. and i'm assuming at least one babalawo in that plante would have known that.
7. The mis-information on Osa Roso in general, the mis-characterization of Obatala

So... If after reading this and fact-checking me... you still want to get crowned Olokun direct.. or if you want to be that special padrino that's King for a day to say you did one... that's on you..
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https://youtu.be/moNDD8NRvSA?si=0PnxGZlTLKB9WMvi

My boyfriend of seven years and I are finally officially planning our wedding. Although we aren't engaged yet, we want to plan in advance especially considering the costs. He did mention that he would propose on our 10th year, so we are building up our funds currently. For now, we are still looking for venues, photographers and videographers, mariachi and bandas, catering, and everything in between. This post is also to help me write things out to see how much more planning we have to do. Here's what we've talked about so far:
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• Guest List - Our current guest count was bigger than we thought it was, around 81, 104 for wiggle room in case some people bring plus ones. Most of our guests will be family and the rest are friends from college and high school who have been waiting for this moment. We might add more people in the future but I would rather have a "small" intimate wedding with close ones we still talk to. is 100 people considered a lot?
• Wedding Venue - Our dream is to live in a novela on our wedding day. We want to have a venue either at a ranch/farm or somewhere that has a barn-style venue. We live in Georgia so it may not be hard, but it'll be hard in the Atlanta area. If anyone has any recommendations let me know. We have no budget yet so we may be flexible once we save up. We want to have hotels or accommodation nearby since most of his family is traveling from out of state and some of our friends live a couple hours away. Hopefully, we find one where we can stay late, like maybe 2 in the morning, and have alcohol. Are there venues that actually allow you to stay that late?
• Rings - He got me a ring for my 15 / Quinceanera, and I absolutely love it. It's a white center stone in the middle with two sapphires (my birthstone) as side stones. In the middle where the gallery is, there's a heart. The tiny details are what I love about it and he wants to get a similar ring for me. He is very adamant about spending money on diamonds. Although I appreciate the gesture, I really encourage him to spend it on a moissanite instead. Even though he tells me no, I'll let it slide as long as he's sure about it. I believe his budget is around 2-2.5k. I showed him my pinterest board on what style and shape rings I'm into, and he has a very good grasp on that. I also plan to surprise him with his wedding band so hopefully, it's something he'll love.
• Dress and Suit - I plan on having something flowy with Mexican embroidery. I don't plan on getting a ballgown or mermaid silhouette. I'll probably have to get one custom-made if I don't find one to my liking. I'm not sure if It'll be sleeveless or not, I'm very self-conscious of my underarms and my arms in general. My boyfriend might want to go as a charro or I'll also suggest a nice suit with embroidery to match so he can wear a cowboy hat and boots. Or he could change at the venue into the suit now that I think about it.
• Padrinos - We don't have a set list of who would be padrinos for what, but we're fairly certain some of our family members are more than willing to help out with things.
• Music - I'm certain my side of the family will be expecting a mariachi, so with every party and Mexican restaurant I go to, I go mainly to see how the mariachi plays. So far I have one in mind and even got their business card. If we do have a cocktail hour, I'm making a playlist on my Spotify which I currently use to study. It's mainly going to be used as background noise as family mingles and settles in. We're still not sure if we'll be going out and getting a banda, but if we do, we're looking. As for DJs, we're not sure where to start other than going to family parties to see them live. So far we've had misses.
• Catering - We of course want to have our delicious Mexican food for everyone to enjoy. We are just not sure if we want to have a big budget for catering and offer a buffet, hire a taco stand, or make the food ourselves. It'll be a lot if we did it ourselves and I want my family to enjoy the days leading up to it and not be stressed if we made enough or if they get fatigued from making so many batches of food. I also want to have an antojitos station for small snacks and fruit cups for in-between cocktail hour, food, and cake.
• Decoration - I plan on DIYing as much as I can, even the centerpieces. I love being crafty, so the majority of the decorations I have in mind can be DIYed and done in advance in the next 2-3 years. I plan on having custom-made papel picado from a Mexican vendor as well as Talavera flower vases from a Mexican pottery shop for centerpieces. And yes, I do plan on letting guests take the centerpieces lol.
• Wedding cake - we're not too sure about wedding cake, but we are looking forward to sampling and rating the cake flavors together when the time comes.
• Video/Photographer - There's a videographer who does stunning movie-like productions based in Texas but I'm wondering if that's too extra for our size of a wedding. Usually, when we hire photographers, such as in my 15era, it was kind of mediocre I would have rather have a friend take the photos and I'll edit them myself.

If there's anything I missed or any suggestions please let me know, I want to be super prepared and make sure we save up enough money. Things could change in the next 2 years so I would rather be safe than sorry. Also, does anyone know about how much I should expect to spend on a wedding this size with everything I just mentioned? I want to be realistic and see if we can afford it or stick with a backyard wedding at my future in-laws' house.

My partner and I walked the Camino together. Leading up to it, I was busy with work right until the last minute. I did some light training, and we worked together to plan out our daily routes and pack efficiently. Whereas I didn't have much time to do research beforehand, she did read about other people's experiences and managed to form some expectations. I entered the Camino with barely any.
This post covers my personal experience and reflections, based on notes I took during the journey and now that it's over. Scroll to the end for the tips I wish I'd known before starting the Camino; they might end up being helpful for anyone planning a similar route. Keep in mind, these are just my personal experiences, and your mileage may vary (literally and figuratively).
We walked the Camino Frances route starting from León, which ended up totalling about 311 km (193.2 miles). We walked that in 13 days, so that’s an average of just under 24 km per day (14.9 miles per day). For us, that pace proved to be the perfect balance of challenge and progress. It meant that we could complete the Camino within our designated time frame of two weeks, but also that we wouldn't be pushing ourselves too hard too soon. Along the way, we stayed in a combination of shared and private rooms to get some privacy every now and again and rest from the constant physical and mental presence of other pilgrims.
Our first overnight stop was at Urbanizacion Camino Santiago, located just outside Villadangos del Páramo. After a gruelling first day, which happened to be during the tail end of a heatwave, we opted for a private room there. Here, we discovered the concept of the “menú del día”, which we highly recommend taking advantage of at any restaurant along your route. It's an affordable and convenient way to fuel up after burning so many calories throughout the day. For around €12-14, you'll typically get a satisfying starter, main course, and coffee. But I wouldn't recommend stopping at this particular spot as there was hardly anything around. It wasn't until later that we realized that Villadangos del Páramo was only another 1.3 km (0.8 miles) away. If you're passing through, head there instead, as it has useful amenities like a supermarket and restaurants to choose from.
Our next stop was San Justo de la Vega. This leg of the journey was where we finally left the roads and started to see the beautiful scenery we'd been looking forward to. Passing through Villares de Órbigo was particularly delightful. But I wouldn't stop at San Justo de la Vega if you can help it. We found every amenity to be closed and the sole accommodation in town, to put it mildly, subpar. We had planned to leave at 06:30 but were unable to do so because no one at reception was awake. This mishap served as a reminder that private rooms might not always be the best option, but thankfully, this wasn't the case for the rest of our trip.
The next town we passed through was El Ganso, via Astorga. Astorga was the first place that truly felt like a truly worthwhile sight to see, thanks in part to Gaudi's incredible palace there. This is also the last significant town until Ponferrada, which is over 50 km (31 miles) away. So, if you need anything from the supermarket, be sure to stock up while you have the chance. El Ganso was perhaps the quintessential Camino town that matched our expectations—quiet and almost deserted at times. I distinctly remember reading my book in front of the albergue and hearing the echo of a dry leaf rolling down the street, which perfectly summed up the peacefulness of that town.
Our next stop took us to El Acebo de San Miguel, which included the ascent to Foncebadón, followed by the highest point on the Camino Frances—Cruz de Ferro—and then some of the descent to Molinaseca. As expected, this leg was tough. Despite the hot day, the altitude brought grey skies and a chilly mist, making it perfect for hiking. It was also the first time we had to put on more clothes due to the cold. But the views were interesting and unique the whole way. El Acebo was a charming town built entirely on a slope, and the strong winds were suggestive of its high altitude. But overall, it was a rewarding stop on our journey.
Something we didn't expect was that some of the most challenging parts of the hike for us would be the descents. Not only were they steep, but the terrain also made them even more difficult. The descent from El Acebo was one of the most challenging parts of the entire hike because the ground was covered in sharp rocks that shifted with each step. Unfortunately, this is also where my partner rolled her ankle, so be careful in this area. It took us four hours to complete the descent because of the injury. Before starting the Camino, I had pictured descents as opportunities to move quickly and make up for lost time. But in reality, they required just as much focus and effort as the ascents.
Our next stop was Camponaraya, which required us to walk through Ponferrada, a larger city rather than a town. This is the place to stock up on supplies you've been needing. After leaving Ponferrada, we accidentally came off the trail for the first time and had to figure out how to get back on track. This was the only time that happened during our journey, so either this part wasn't well-signposted, or we simply made a mistake. It's worth mentioning that while getting turned away from a full albergue isn't a common occurrence, it happens, and it can be demoralizing after a long day of walking. We tried to stay at Fuentesnuevas (a place that doesn't even exist on Google Maps), but were turned away and had to walk at least another 5 km (3.1 miles). In the end, we managed to secure the last room at a hostel in Camponaraya. If we had arrived just half an hour later, we might have been forced to walk even further. And by that point, neither of us had the energy to cover more than 30 km (18.6 miles) per day.
There's a lot of talk about what's "easy" and what's "hard" on the Camino, but it's important to remember that it attracts a diverse range of people. What might work for one person might not work for someone else. There's this debate about whether or not hiking boots are actually the best footwear. I chose to wear hiking boots for all 13 legs of the journey and only wished for flatter shoes during one leg (from Villafranca del Bierzo to Vega de Valcarce, due to a slanted concrete path). In a total of 311 km, I never rolled an ankle. But my partner wore HOKA sneakers without ankle support and ended up rolling her ankle. But she still stands by her choice of footwear because they were lighter and worked well for her on almost every leg (except for the descent from El Acebo). We also found that what one of us found to be the hardest leg (the second day versus the penultimate day) was completely different for individual reasons. The Camino is personal. Everyone's experience will be unique.
Our next destination was Villafranca del Bierzo, and the views along this leg were stunning and some of our favorite on the entire hike. Villafranca del Bierzo itself was exceptionally picturesque, and we had the best menú del día of our entire journey at the restaurant El Padrino. But the restaurant is very local, so so don’t count on getting a table if it’s peak time and you’re don’t have enough Spanish at your disposal. We stayed at Albergue de la Piedra, which was one of the best albergues we encountered during our trip. The owner was very kind and accommodating.
Our final stop before entering Galicia was Vega de Valcarce. This was by far the easiest and most uneventful leg of our journey, consisting mostly of concrete and roads. But Vega de Valcarce was a charming town, and we stayed at our favourite albergue of the trip, Albergue El Paso. Here, we could finally relax and unwind, and again, the owner was incredibly hospitable.
Fonfría was our next stop. To get there, we had to pass O Cebreiro, the final peak on the Camino before entering Galicia. The ascent to O Cebreiro was the most physically challenging part of our entire hike. Climbing up that winding hill, while rewarding, required a systematic and meditative approach. Reaching the top felt like a major achievement. In Fonfría, we stayed at Albergue A Reboleira, which was another fantastic albergue.
Sarria was noticeably bigger than the towns we had passed through before and made for a good opportunity to have a larger and more expensive meal at one of its many restaurants. The walk to Sarria was tough, and while the town itself wasn't unimpressive, it didn't stand out compared to other places we had been. But if you do end up in Sarria, be sure to have breakfast there. It may be a while before you find another place to rest and eat along the way.
For us, the atmosphere of the Camino shifted in Sarria. Up until this point, it had been everything we had hoped for—peaceful, beautiful and filled with long stretches of solitude. And when we had encountered other hikers, we exchanged friendly "Buen Camino!" greetings. It felt special and communal. But what we discovered in Sarria was that many people who want to say they officially completed the Camino (where the rules state that you must walk at least 100 km (62.1 miles) to have your journey recognized) start at Sarria because it marks the first point from which you can reach that minimum. There's also no requirement to carry all of your belongings in a rucksack, so some people have their bags transported to their next destination. For me, this takes away from the experience, but for others (e.g. the elderly), it may make a huge difference when walking 20 km (12.4 miles) per day.
In any case, Sarria marked a shift in the Camino's atmosphere. There were stands selling stamp pressings for €5, and the sheer number of people starting their Camino in Sarria slowed down our pace. Between Sarria and Portomarín, don't expect to find a quiet restaurant or café. Everything is packed and chaotic. The first place we could find a seat had an overwhelming number of people, and getting served amidst the jostle and queue-cutting was challenging. Finding accommodation in towns after Sarria also proved to be a significant challenge due to the increased number of hikers. Call ahead and book a room for the night to avoid the disappointment of getting turned away from multiple albergues (as happened to us later in Palas de Rei). This change in atmosphere at Sarria caught us off guard. The Camino for us was a personal and internal journey. Some people may enjoy listening to other people's music from a Bluetooth speaker mixed with loud group conversations because it makes for a lively atmosphere. But personally, I don't enjoy that, and after Sarria, it felt impossible to escape.
We arrived in Portomarín, and thankfully, the density of people had thinned out as others veered off in different directions. We stopped at the first available place we could find. Portomarín had a strange energy to it, with its bridge being the clear highlight. Seeing locals dancing on a Sunday night, however, was pretty wholesome and restored good feelings from earlier in the hike.
We left Portomarín at 06:30, the first time on the trip when we needed our head torches because it was still dark. The atmosphere of walking through the forest in the early hours was fun, especially since there were now fewer people on the trail again. We reached Palas de Rei eight hours later and tried several albergues, but they were all full. One particular owner went out of their way to call other albergues in the area to see if there were any available beds, but they all reported being fully booked. They suggested trying the "municipal" (a public sector albergue) as a last resort. We were lucky enough to secure some of the last beds there, so we were thankful, but I did get bitten by bed bugs multiple times.
The next day, we hiked to Boente, and it was the first time since Sarria that we felt the essence of the Camino again. Boente had a similar charm to El Ganso, being such a tiny town. We had a great night's sleep at Albergue El Aleman. I'd recommend it to other pilgrims for sure.
The following day, we made our way to O Pedrouzo. This walk was particularly hard for me personally, perhaps because I knew the end was near. O Pedrouzo felt like a stopgap on the journey, lacking any notable features. We also had a rough experience with the albergue, which was over-crowded with too many beds shoved into one room.
The final hike to Santiago de Compostela was filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment. When we finally reached the cathedral, it dawned on us that we had completed a 311 km journey. Time seemed to slow down as we made our way through the city, fully aware that our adventure would soon come to an end. The feeling of reaching the end was incredible.
In the end, the Camino was a challenging but overall rewarding experience. There was the physical challenge of walking 311 km across varied terrain, as well as the mental challenge of staying in shared rooms multiple nights in a row. As a light sleeper and as someone who values their personal space and cleanliness, this was the cost of the unique landscapes I had come to see. The beauty of the pilgrimage and the feeling of personal accomplishment from completing it were worth it. Walking the Camino with my partner actually brought us even closer, showing us that we could endure long periods of problem-solving together, even at times when we didn't feel like it. You can't really put a price on that.
So what I would say is: get a good idea of what the pilgrimage is like before you set off. Don't romanticise it, but don't expect it to be absolute hell either. Keep an open mind along the way and be open to change your plans on the fly. Don't expect the beauty to come from mind-blowing landmark after mind-blowing landmark. It's more subtle than that; it's in the journey itself. And the walk isn't “easy” or “hard”. It's about challenging yourself in a realistic and useful way. Form expectations, keep them in check, appreciate the highs because they don't last forever and embrace the lows because you can't control them.
Here's the best advice I can offer to those thinking of doing the Camino for two weeks:

• Learn some Spanish. It'll make a huge difference on your trip. Throughout the entire Camino, only a handful of people in the service industry could speak English. The majority only spoke Spanish. Knowing even just 50–100 words will enhance your experience.
• Find a pace that works for you and stick with it, taking into account the changing elevation. There's no point trying to push yourself to walk 40 km (24.9 miles) in one day just because someone online said it was a reasonable distance. Adjust your plan based on your body's needs.
• Bring cash. Draw out about €100 at a time to mitigate the risk of theft. In the 13 days we were on the hike, we never felt unsafe, but it's better to be cautious. If you're traveling alone, be extra vigilant with your belongings.
• Start your day early, at 06:00, and aim to finish your daily hike before the peak heat of the day (usually around 15:00 or 16:00 in Northern Spain in the summer). You'll be able to walk further and more comfortably when the temperature is lower.
• Don't rely on Google Maps. The opening hours of establishments may not be accurate, and the plotted route may not always align with the actual Camino route. Keep your distances and timings flexible.
• Plan for rain even in August in Northern Spain. Bring waterproof shoes and a rain poncho to protect yourself and your belongings.
• Bring a sleeping bag, even if you plan to stay in albergues. Some places may only provide a thin sheet or basic duvet, and others may have bed bugs. A sleeping bag will give you the best shot at a consistently comfortable night's rest.
• Block out sound with earplugs or headphones. People from Southern Europe may be more accustomed to playing music or videos out loud in confined spaces or having loud phone conversations, which can disrupt your peace and quiet. Protect your need for solitude and rest.

Organised crime is one of the most fun career paths you can take in the whole game. I almost always end up going into a crime family and making a living exclusively by killing and stealing. Through many playthroughs, a lot of trial and error, and, eventually, succes... well, I like to think I've gotten good at it.
Anyway, here's a beginner's guide to organised crime:
First off, it's pretty much a requirement for your character to have crime as their special talent. If you have God Mode, you can select it before starting your life. Otherwise... good luck. It's not impossible, just unlikely, and you can theoretically do without it.
Then, during the 14-18 year old period, you need to commit crimes or you won't be admitted into any syndicate. Murder works best but I suggest burglary since that's more profitable and, if you have the skill required, less risky. Train robbery is just... a bit excessive, but that can give you even better odds.
Before we go further, you need to familiarise yourself with the command structure. It goes as follows: Associate, Soldier, Captain/Caporegime, Underboss, Chairman/GodfathePadrino. You need to have been in your rank a certain amount of time for every one of them before you can advance.
You can enter a crime syndicate (18 is both the minimum age and the recommended one) by going to Occupation->Special Careers->Organized^{♫AMERICA, FUCK YEAH♫} Crime. There, you'll be greeted with 6 options: Irish Mob, Latin Mafia, Mafia (the Italian Mafia), Russian Mafia, Triad (Chinese gangs) and Yakuza (Japanese gangs). Unless, of course, your character is in Italy, in which case the Sicilian Mafia is the only one. By clicking on of these you can see their notoriety, which is usually a good indicator of their money. The Italian and Russian Mafia typically score highest here. For your first time, however, I'd recommend the Triads.
You'll also see a button. Click it to join the selected syndicate (duuh).
Once you've done that, you'll be an Associate, the lowest rank. In fact, you're technically not even part of the crime family just yet. At this stage, you'll be paid 10% of your contributions to the syndicate.
You have 2 stats: Standing and Notoriety. Standing is a measure of your usefulness to the family, while notoriety is a measure of how violent you are. You want to maximise both of these.
Stealing cars is a great way to get money. Rarer cars in particular can sometimes be worth upwards of 2 000 000 so keep an eye out for Bugattis, Ferrarris, Paganis etc. Small tip: closing and opening the game will reset the list of cars
Extortion, on the other hand, is a surefire way of gaining more notoriety (and standing, for that matter), as you can whack (kill) those who refuse to pay. Just make sure to demand 25 000 so that they'll always refuse. Shaking them down and scaring them are also good ways of getting more money. Again, make sure to increase these two stats as much as possible.
You also need to know about what I call 'recognition': sometimes, after making a big contribution (generally, that means over 25 000) or whacking someone, you'll be ordered to report to the family. After you do, your boss will congratulate you in some way, which will increase your standing and your relationship to the family's other members.
You must also learn about informants (also known as rats), pathetic little cockroaches with nothing better to do with their life but snitch. If a fellow organised criminal (yes, I made that term up) wants to spend time with you, that's a sign they might be a rat, especially if you're not their boss (worry about that later) and your relationship isn't the best. You can report them by going to Family->[Informant's name] and exposing them. You can't have absolute certainty, however, so don't report everyone!
After 1-2 year(s) of being at the very bottom, you'll be offered the option to become a made (official) member by pulling off a hit.
Once you've done it, you are now a Soldier. You'll get back around a fifth of your contributions and will now be the boss of a few associates. If you carry on doing your best, after 1-4 years you'll be promoted to Captain.
This is where things get a little tricky. Most of the time, you need to wait 12-13 years before being promoted (although that's sometimes 10, 8 or even 6). But... there can usually only be one Underboss, meaning you'll have to kill them in order to advance, which is extremely risky. They may magically survive and attack/kill you, or the family can find out and, you guessed it, kill you. You can also befriend them and pull of a traditional murder to avoid these risks. Buying an expensive car and doing a drive-by is, in my experience, the safest option.
After you become the Underboss, wait one year and then whack the Chairman, then request a promition. Or... you can just wait for them to die. That might take a while, I'm warning you.
Also, on the off chance that there is more than one Underboss, you need to get rid of the competition.
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And, just like that, you're the Godfather, Chairman, or Padrino of your syndicate. I'm so proud of you! 5 minutes ago you didn't even know how to join a crime family and look at you now!
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Do make sure not to get murdered, though. That can happen.

I have high notoriety I standing and I am top earner in the Mafia Family I'm in and I bring them in tons of money my character is now under boss at 30 why has he not been promoted to Don/Padrino now. Is there an age limit? I used to be able to kill off the leader and get instant power but now it seems that the next Underboss if I kill them the Captain even gets the position after they're dead. I skips me.
Update: Finally did it by only killing the Padrino, I had to go back in time because I was testing how many people I had to kill a couple times (which forced me to start over to keep my standing and notoriety up) before it would let me, now in an ironic twist of faith, I was dating the Padrino, she cheated on me, during an age up so I killed her. I then went to do business as usual. I then got promoted the next age up.

This is merely a reference to the different Oshi No Ko character accounts I've observed, with some commentary.
Holy shit there are a lot.

Akane

Akane_Kurokawa	The OG. The Mod. The one who really needs to fix their sleep schedule. Down bad for Kana
Akane-Kurokawa	A unicorn
Akane_Kurokawa_†	This one is very down bad for Aqua.
Akane_Hoshino	Downbad for both Aqua and Ruby? Pretty sure isn't supposed to be a sibling
Akane_Kurokavva†	Impersonates the mod, usually when a subscriber milestone is reached. Pay attention to that double V.
Akane_Kurokawa-
Akane_Kurokawa_-	Likes pizza.
Akane_From_Alabama†	Is also down bad for Aqua, but also related to him.
Ghost_of_Akane	An Akane who jumped. Primarily communicates via emoticons. Images have their colour inverted. Very affectionate with stars. Appeared after Akane was eliminated from the Best Girl poll.
Kurokawa__Akane	Very fucking horny. Alt of Just Lunch.
Smol-Akane† Smol_Akane	Is smol. very cute. Why has access to guns. Adopted by Frill She previously killed Purple Guy only to be possessed by him. Frill did remove the possession by transferring him into the corpse of Ai, create Purple Ai. She is dating Smol Kana
_Akane_Kurokawa†
akanecco_2323	This one is a reference to Akane's insta handle in the series.
Aikane_Kurokawa	They just deleted their account what the fuck
Learning-Kurokawa	Posts long message to educate people on the subject matter (actually just copy pastes the first google result)
_kurokawa_akane†	Suspeneded now this one was a dog. Woofed a lot. Its Nero.
_Akane_Kurokawa__†
akanake_kurokawa
4kane_Kurokawa†
Barking_Kurokawa†
__Akane_Kurokawa__
Evil_Akane_Kurokawa	Idol, not an actor. Former member of Evil B-Komachi but was fired for some drama
Sayahime	Who?
Revolutionary_Akane	A communist-esque revolutionary who wishes to bring equality to the sub by doing something to the Akane group chat that the rest of this lot are in?
AkaneKuro_	A very nice young lady
Akane_Uchiha	An Akane who is part of the Uchiha clan and has awakened the Sharinagan. Wears a head protector to cover her eyes for incase she spontaneously goes insane and uses it on everyone. Desires the Mangekyou but doesn't know how to get them yet, so watch out kiddos
Akane_Kurokawa_V1	A robot from Ultrakill. Can't talk and is actually very shy. Its pretty cute.
Akane_vi_Britannia	Very Naughty GirlTM who needs to learn to be more helpful
Crowkane_Kurocrowa†	Birds. They aren't real
Akane_Kurokawa_pinup	Akane but Lewd apparently. Whats the difference between this one and Kurokawa__Akane then?
Dragonic_Akane	dwagon
Akane-of-the-Deep	A cosmic entity who destorys universes to return them to nothingness. Counterpart of Kana-of-the-Stars, which is a bit weird when you remember that Stars is dating a Ghost of Akane. She struck a deal with Evil Ichigo to enlist him in said destruction of universes.

Kana

Kana-Arima	The Mod. Down bad for Akane. Even more down bad for Baking Soda.
Smol-Kana	Is smol. Got kidnapped by Armstrong and turned into a Roomba, but was freed. Likes Backing Soda a lot. Dating Smol Akane
Evil-Smol-Kana	Is Evil and Smol. Arrived after crawling through a cardboard box? What the fuck is deal Ichigo seriously. A box. Was kidnapped by Senator Armstrong and turned into a terminator-esque killer cyborg.
Evil_Kana_Arima	Is "Evil." Actually very wholesome. Married to Evil Aqua. Dislikes Akane and Baking Soda and prefers Bell Peppers instead. Oblivious to the flaws of those around her. Has a Fart sniffing fetish. Also shes the founding titan, and also dead, but that's not important. She sniffs farts. Laugh at her. Now.
Kana-Arima_	Much more toned down compared to the rest of the Kanas. Likes Baking Soda still.
Kana-of-the-Stars	Cosmic entity. Primarily communicates through emoticons and the occasional ASCII art. Uses fancy text. Dating Ghost of Akane which is weird when you consider her counterpart is Akane of the Deep. Likes Baking Soda but there isn't enough to satisfy them. Also apparently she created the fucking universe but prefers considers galaxies her magnum opus?
Learning-Arima	Similar to Learning-Kurokawa but much rarer. However, this one seems to use better grammar and slightly less plagarised content. Extreme obsession with baking soda
SmoI-Kana	Appeared while Smol-Kana was kidnapped. Disappeared after she was freed. Unknown affection for Baking Soda
Arima-Kana	Technically another Smol Kana, but this one likes Bell peppers, not baking soda. Still likes Smol Akane, but seems to be willing to settle for Aqua instead
Tsurugi_TokyoBlade	Best girl who needs to really learn to calm down a bit
Kana_Gojo	A Kana who has the powers of Gojo, and also white silver hair. Very cute
Kana_Arima_V2	Another Ultrakill character, this time its V2,
Arima_Kanan	A genderbent Kana. Still crushing on Aqua, though genderbent so its Sapphire. But what about the other 2 Female Aquas?
Ice_Kana_Arima	A Kana who when abandoned, decided to harden up and close off to survive. Basically Kuudere Kana instead of Tsundere Kana.
Kana_Arima_ERA	Kana covered in ERA. Self explanatory, but the person who made the account doesn't even like Kana so?
Crow_girl_kana_arima	Birb Kana
Princess-Kana-Arima	Queen of the Kana Kingdom, she drugs her soldiers with Baking Soda to enhance their abilities
TheGreatKhana	Joining Princess Kana is the Great Khan! Khana. Leader of many armies. Probably
-Kana-Arima-	A very normal Kana. So normal she hasn't realised there are other Kanas yet. Poor girl.
Arima_Kana_	She's a Fairy Knight. Nuff Said.
Kirai-Arima-Kana	She's a serial killer who loves watching stars just wink out. Scary

Ai

Hoshino-Ai	The mod. Quite rare to see.
-Ai_Hoshino-
AIdolofthemojave	An Ai who lives in Falloutesque post apocalyptic world
Ai-Hoshino_†
Ai_Hoshino__
Ai_Hoshino_ERA	This one is actually active. Survived Ryousuke's stabbing by wearing ERA. Down bad for Gorou. ERAi is such a missed opportunity.
Airi_hoshino	Born of incest between Aqua and Ruby. WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE THIS NAME.
DeceasedAi	Is Dead
Love_Ai_Hoshino	The other active account. Incapable of loving, even for her children. Its actually kind of tragic. Doesn't stop her from being downbad for Gorou though. Uses old reddit.
Hashino-Ai	Simps for other Ais
Hoshino_Ai_Alter	The "Inner" Ai or something. Has black hair and red eyes.
Evil_Hoshino_Ai	"Evil" Ai. Appears with inverted images. Incapable of not loving.
Smol-Ai	Is smol. Very cute. Has T-Rex arms. Is the reincarnation of Ai, child of a Ruby and an Akane? What
Evil_Smol_Ai	Is smol and Is Evil. Is also the reincarnation of Ai. Child of Evil Aqua and Evil Kana from the future. Apparently E Kana died, and in order to bring her back, formed a pact with the eldritch, to save her, but corrupted her memories leading to her thinking Memcho was her mother, and killing Evil Kana. God damn.
The-Purple-Ai† The_Purple_Ai	Ai's Dead Corpse possessed by the spirit of Purple Guy, transfered into here by Frill Shiranui to remove it from Smol Akane. Purple guy has since been removed and Ai is now living?
idol_ai_hoshino
Male_Ai_Hoshino	Self explanatory, needs to be more creative though
Ai-Hoshino-Android	Skynet has returned in the form of Ai Hoshino. Still looking for John Connor. SkAiNet might be ERAi's creation making this one her granddaughter
Ai_BKomachi
Ressurected_Ai	A revived Ai with no memories of her past and possibly eldritch influences
HomunculusHoshino-Ai	Ai Hoshino but a Homunculus. Shocking, I know. Rather than being killed by Ryousuke, its her children who were killed. She then proceeded to sacrifice the entire population of France via an idol performance to resurrect her kids. But why would you use the French as the basis of your children. Have a thought as to the quality man.
2fles_sseR_iA
Evil_Undead_Ai
Ai-Hoshino-Prime	Ai's soul and will so powerful, it broke her flesh prison and became a star. Its an Ultrakill reference. I think
Ai-mechanicus	A robot? Cyborg? Ai that serves the 40K country thing. I dunno I don't play 40K, but they like Frieren so they're cool.
LegionAi_ONK	Another 40K thingy mabob I think. They server the legion. Is that a 40K thing?
Jurassic-Ai	Rawr. Dino Ai best Ai
VampAire-Hoshino	First there were the smols, then the evils, and now we're infested by filthy bloodsuckers. What have we come to.
_Ai_Hoshino	This one is really into Aqua. Sexually. Keep it in your pants
reincarnatedidoltao	Ai, reincarnated into Hu Tao. Or maybe its the other way around. point is they share the same VA. I think

Ruby

Ruby-Hoshino	The Mod. Gex with Mem Cho and everyone else too. Negative towards Incest. Unknowing supplier of my sausages
BigGeteStar-Ruby	Is enslaving Saiyans?
Evil-Ruby-Hoshino	Is "Evil." Preaches to forgive and forget. Not Wholesome though. After some negotiations we have come to an agreement Very wholesome. Even adopted two children. Uses inverted images. Likes cats more than dogs.
Smol-Ruby	Is smol. Has delusions of grandeur, believing she is the reincarnation of Amaterasu and may or may not wish to take over the world. Dislikes incest. Is an alcoholic
Evil-Smol-Ruby	Is smol and evil. Worships a Lamp. Is she a moth?
Hoshino_Ruby	A fighting game enthusiast. I'm pretty sure this is actually the oldest account by almost 2 years.
RubyHoshi	Positive towards incest though may just be joking.
Ruby_hoshino16	Why 16.
Sweaty_Ruby	Likes Incest a lot. And I mean a lot.
_Hoshino-Ruby_	Likes Incest. A lot.
Aquas-Stuff	Is the ol' "Aqua: I'm doing stuff" meme. Another incest joke.
Ruby-Goku-Hoshino	Goku but reincarnated as Ruby after falling off a cliff. Im wondering about gender dysphoria rn
Ruby_Zamasu_Hoshino	Its the Goku account idea, except then Zamsu did a body swap and ended up in Ruby's body
Hoshino-Morganite	Ruby but a boy
hoshino_agate	Also male Ruby, but this one is smol
Neo_Ruby_Hoshino
Love_Ruby_Hoshino	No one panic, BUT I THINK THIS ONE IS NORMAL. Claims to be the daughter of Love Ai Hoshino. Claims.
RubyHoshino-	Just another Ruby account
Ruby_Alternative	Alternivately, look at this Ruby. She is an otherworldy monstrosity creates by TF2's Medic based on a Ruby. The strongest and final of his experiments, she spends most of her time as a chef at the Smol Daycare.
Homunculus-Ruby	HomunculusHoshino-Ai's resurrected daughter, formed from the Sacrifice of the entire French population. Oddly doesn't call Ai mama, but rather by her name
Ruby-Arima	Shes not down bad for Aqua. Finally some creativity 🥳 Its for Kana instead
Ruby_of_the_Night	I mean, being a vampire is one thing, and I can even overlook snacking on your brother. But doing it without his consent? Now that's just rude
Ruby-Sukuna	You know, I'm starting to question that "One in a Million" Thing. This is like the fourth person to eat one of Sukuna's fingers and survive.

MEM Cho

Mem_cho	The Mod. Claims to be an Angel. Several view as a Devil.
Mem-cho
Evil_Mem_Cho	Is "Evil" Uses inverted images. Became an idol in High School instead of waiting until 25 like the old fart.
Smol-Memcho	Is smol. Exists in two comments. One of which is asking for a leak sauce.
memmem_cho_o	Lived for a mere 3 days.
LowQuality-Mem-Cho	A bastion of sensibility in these trying times. Uses diacritics with the letter repeated to achieve a very creative corruption
TheFastestMemAlive†	The Reverse Flash travelled back in time to turn himself into an anime girl, specifically MEM Cho. Do you know how many people would kill for this?
El-Memcho	A member of a drug cartel. Possibly the leader
Mem-Sukana	This Mem decided to eat fingers. For some reason. Fucking cannibals.
Schizo-Mem	If you see this one please ignore. She is the hallucination of The_Crow_Girls Disturbed Mind

Aqua

Aquamarine_Hoshino	The Mod. Please report all sightings to 555-0123-456
Aqua_Hoshino_R	Reincarnation of Ryousuke rather than Gorou. Very murderous.
Aqua_H0shino†	From Alabama.
Aqua_Hoshino
Aqua-Hoshinoo
Aqualad_submarine
Aquaman_Hoshino
Aqumarine-Hoshino
Hoshino_Aqua
AquaHoshiiino
Neo_Aqua_Hoshino
Transmigrated_Aqua
Evil_Hoshino_Aqua	Is "Evil." Quite Wholesome. Does not desire revenge and loves acting and Kana. Uses inverted images,
Prowler_AquaHoshino	wait what
Smol-Aqua	Is smol. Very wholesome. Has a Death Note, but usually doesn't know the name of his desired targets.
Italian_Aqua-Hoshino
SubmarineHoshino	So many water jokes
Touki_Hoshino	From Tokyo blade, needs to stop letting Tsurugi do all the fighting for him
Aqua_Vegeta_Hoshino	Same joke as Ruby-Goku-Hoshino. Reincarnated Vegeta after he fell off a cliff and died
Evil-Smol-Aqua	Another Smol Aqua, but Evil. He blinds his enemies (and himself) with the power of Light mode new reddit (old reddit is still better) Also loves the stars and space. He too worships a lamp. I'm like 80% sure hes a moth
LeAqua-Hoshino	Lebron James but Aqua, plays ball
Hoshino_Sapphire	Aqua but a girl
Hoshino_Howling and also Hoshino-Howling	Another female Aqua
Lapis_Hoshino	A third genderbent Aqua
Evil_Saphire_Hoshino	INverted Genderbent Aqua who also can't spell their name
Smol_Sapphire	A child genderbent Aqua who enjoys a good stabbing
Aqutanbutoncrack	Despite his name, its actually a pretty normal person. Huh. Everybody point and laugh at him
Water_Hoshino	A literal glass of water
Homunculus-Aqua	HomunculusHoshino-Ai's resurrected child, formed from the sacrifice of the entire French population. His dreams are plagued at night by their cries
Evilaqua7384	A very edgy child. Please osmoene find this kid an adult.
Aqua_hoshino4	4. Really? 4? A very horny Aqua.
Gleeplorp_Hoshino	An Alien Aqua. At least, I think it's an Aqua
Werewolf-Aqua	God damn furries
Aqua_Er_Padrino	He's the inheritor to a Mafia family following his Ai's Death. I wonder if he Knows El-Memcho

Gorou

GorouAmamiya	The mod. Simps for Miyako like a normal person
DeceasedGorou	GorouAmamiya but dead
-GorouAmamiya-	Another Gorou but he's a massive degenerate and incest supporter
-DeseacedGorou-	-GorouAmamiya- but dead and unable to spell
Evil_Gorou_Amamiya	A money obsessed doctor
Fem_GorouAmamiya	Gorou but a woman. Should've been MPregGorou but sure

Crows

Crow__Girl	Fumo obsessed incest shipper
The_Crow_Girl	A mostly sane mother of 1
Chica_Cuervo	This one is spanish and unrelated to the other crow girls.
Crowkane_Kurocrowa†	Birds. They aren't real
DRIP_CROW005†	The Coolest of them all
DRIP_CROW_REBORN	Drip crow is back! In the form of a delicious plushie!
A_Crow001†	Caw
Crow_Guy_1	Only caws for AKane
A_Crow002†	Caw Caw
A_Crow003†	Caw Caw Caw
A_Crow006†	Caw Caw Caw Caw Caw Caw
Crow_004	Caw Caw Caw Caw
Crow__010	Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw
Rajang_Crow	Quack
Swol_Crow	Dayum son, look at those gains!
CAWWW_of_the_Crows
Crow_girl_kana_arima	Birb Kana
CrowGirI	Hah! She can't spell!
Evil_Crow_Girl	She's actually a Raven. Why is she called Evil Crow then?
Crowned_Girl	I don't think she can spell. Also a mass murderer but I don't care about that. She can't spell

Minor Characters

Frill - There are three accounts. Frill-Shiranui who exists in a single comment, and FrillShiranui, who adopted Smol Akane and has great powers apparently (and got together with Minami before she passed). The third is FriII_Shiranui
Gotanda - Taishi_Gotanda, Gotanda_Taishi and Evil_Taishi_Gotanda. They might as well all be the same fucking person.
Miyako - Miyako_Saitou is a tired, single parent of two, constantly trying to fend of incest and Oshi-no-miyaKo^† wants to fuck Aqua. Mama_Miyako is a new one and is very similar to number two. Evil_Miyako_Saitou is a jaded old lady who is very bitter about past experiences.
[REDACTED] - This lot can go fuck themselves. No respect. I think there's 12 of them, and only 2 haven't been banned.
Sarina - Sarina_Tendoji recovered from her illness and was adopted by ERAi. She enjoys feasting on crows. Evil_Sarina_Tendouji had a caring mother. She also plots world domination. Smol-Sarina gets lost. A lot. Very confused child. Older_SarinaTendoji live to adult hood and now is an idol at 20. I think.
Raida - Raida_Sumiaki handsome devil who creates the slanders. Sumiaki_Raida is his alt. Probably.
Taiki - There exists four of them: Taiki_Himekawa, HimekawaTaiki, TaikiHimekawa, Himekawa_Taiki. I cannot tell them apart. 2 of them want to fuck Ruby though, and at least one is down for Kana.
Goa - These accounts are pretty dead. GoaONK and The_Actual_Goa
Ichigo - Ichigo-Saitou is the multidimensional traveller responsible for all this mess, creating the schizoverse. Evil-Ichigo-Saitou instead of going fshing and travelling the multiverse, decided to go farming. At the end of his life ended up in a contract with Akane of the Deep to help destroy the universe.
^† Indicates the account has been deleted or suspended.

I was 19 when this happened.. I am really into photography.. it is an art expression of mine and I am recognized in my community for it. I had/have been in museums, have had my own gallery shows, have sold photographs for thousands of dollars, and even have a book published. Said book was published when I was 18, so my family, even the ones who live in Mexico, knew of my success. I dont do photography commercially, just artistically. So it is not everyone's cup of tea but it is popular.
I am the ONLY person of that side of the family to be born in the USA, my family lives here, so I was the only one able to go represent my family. in mexico, it is common for people who can't afford their own wedding to have people gift them things for it, like sponsors, as a gift, or as "padrinos". My cousin Carmen, who was the favorite despite her nasty attitude towards everyone in the family, asked my mom if she would sponsor her wedding rings, and put my grandmother and aunts who are already in poverty into debt.. they did not know how much my cousin had spent on their credit cards until after everything was over... My mom said yes, gave her money to buy the rings, and sent me to mexico as a representative of the family... keep in mind i was never asked to do anything except be the ring bearer.
​
I arrived to mexico with my FILM camera and some FILM. meaning this camera i brought was not digital and none of my pictures would be instant. I do the entire process my self when it comes to film. I chemically process film, chemically print, digitally scan, and all that jazz.. it is not only a long process for me but also a pricey one as well. At the moment i was living in Arizona, so the resources were either scarce or extremely expensive for a college student like me going through an abusive relationship .
​
the night before the wedding, I heard her crying telling everyone how she was going through with the wedding despite the groom cheating on her with my cousin karen, a bridesmaid. which explained a lot.. my aunts were always angry towards her but never the groom, since we dont have a lot of men married into the family, Pablo was important to them. Pablo had also been disrespecting my aunts and my grandmother for a long time.. telling them to clean better, how he didnt like their food, called my cousins fat, and constantly made my 13 year old cousin uncomfortable. he was a walking red flag-- the fact that my cousin was going through with this for appearances and putting everyone into financial ruin for the sake of saving face made me hate the fact that I was part of this wedding. I took pictures of the other side of my family i had not seen in years, of my moms home, etc. My cousin booked her own professional wedding photographer, one for the ceremony and one for the pictures after the ceremony and one for the reception.
with her permission, I took pictures of my family during the event, of her, and some of the wedding as well as the getting ready process. some of the pictures of her brothers, my aunt, the whole day. I did not stress about taking many pictures. again, i didnt like the groom or the bride. I was uncomfortable the entire wedding, but I did tell her I would try my best to send her the images. That was my bad. but I guess she wanted every picture possible.
​
when i got back to Arizona, I got back to an abusive boyfriend who I had to flee from and run back to arizona. I had ONLY developed the wedding pictures as well as some from christmas, they had not yet been digitized, and kept them somewhere in the apartment we shared. At the moment, I wasn't thinking about the pictures, and i was thinking about my safety.. so i grabbed things and left to california. my ex boyfriend kept the film as leverage and i never got them back. I never got back to my cousin but did explain in person years later after recovering from everything what had happened. .
fast forward to a few months ago, i found some rolls and developed them and there were some film with the wedding in there. I digitized them quickly, and considered making them a beautiful book, but the groom starting gaslighting me about other things regarding american money, assumptions about financial stability in my own family, and my relationship with men... completely out of pocket and based on just my instagram where i share about my travels funded by my millionaire bf.
so im sitting here.. staring at these images, and thinking that i dont owe them anything. He's a prick to me and my family, their wedding was for apperances, i dont believe in their marriage, and he's the reason why my mom's side of the family doesn't talk to each other. I feel for her, the pictures are beautiful and she had no photographer booked during the getting ready process, but I didn't agree to anything, either. she didn't ask me to be her photographer, only wanted the pictures i took and demanded them later on and still asks about them after i told her what happened in arizona... which she showed no sympathy towards.. the pictures were also mostly MOSTLY of my grandmother, aunts, and cousins as well as children of the house... so... am I the asshole? happy to answer any questions.

​
I was 19 when this happened.. I am really into photography.. it is an art expression of mine and I am recognized in my community for it. I had/have been in museums, have had my own gallery shows, have sold photographs for thousands of dollars, and even have a book published. Said book was published when I was 18, so my family, even the ones who live in Mexico, knew of my success. I dont do photography commercially, just artistically. So it is not everyone's cup of tea but it is popular.
​
I am the ONLY person of that side of the family to be born in the USA, my family lives here, so I was the only one able to go represent my family. in mexico, it is common for people who can't afford their own wedding to have people gift them things for it, like sponsors, as a gift, or as "padrinos". My cousin Carmen, who was the favorite despite her nasty attitude towards everyone in the family, asked my mom if she would sponsor her wedding rings, and put my grandmother and aunts who are already in poverty into debt.. they did not know how much my cousin had spent on their credit cards until after everything was over... My mom said yes, gave her money to buy the rings, and sent me to mexico as a representative of the family... keep in mind i was never asked to do anything except be the ring bearer.
​
I arrived to mexico with my FILM camera and some FILM. meaning this camera i brought was not digital and none of my pictures would be instant. I do the entire process my self when it comes to film. I chemically process film, chemically print, digitally scan, and all that jazz.. it is not only a long process for me but also a pricey one as well. At the moment i was living in Arizona, so the resources were either scarce or extremely expensive for a college student like me going through an abusive relationship .
​
the night before the wedding, I heard her crying telling everyone how she was going through with the wedding despite the groom cheating on her with my cousin karen, a bridesmaid. which explained a lot.. my aunts were always angry towards her but never the groom, since we dont have a lot of men married into the family, Pablo was important to them. Pablo had also been disrespecting my aunts and my grandmother for a long time.. telling them to clean better, how he didnt like their food, called my cousins fat, and constantly made my 13 year old cousin uncomfortable. he was a walking red flag-- the fact that my cousin was going through with this for appearances and putting everyone into financial ruin for the sake of saving face made me hate the fact that I was part of this wedding.
I took pictures of the other side of my family i had not seen in years, of my moms home, etc.
My cousin booked her own professional wedding photographer, one for the ceremony and one for the pictures after the ceremony and one for the reception.
with her permission, I took pictures of my family during the event, of her, and some of the wedding as well as the getting ready process. some of the pictures of her brothers, my aunt, the whole day. I did not stress about taking many pictures. again, i didnt like the groom or the bride. I was uncomfortable the entire wedding, but I did tell her I would try my best to send her the images. That was my bad. but I guess she wanted every picture possible.
when i got back to Arizona, I got back to an abusive boyfriend who I had to flee from and run back to arizona. I had ONLY developed the wedding pictures as well as some from christmas, they had not yet been digitized, and kept them somewhere in the apartment we shared. At the moment, I wasn't thinking about the pictures, and i was thinking about my safety.. so i grabbed things and left to california. my ex boyfriend kept the film as leverage and i never got them back.
I never got back to my cousin but did explain in person years later after recovering from everything what had happened. .
​
fast forward to a few months ago, i found some rolls and developed them and there were some film with the wedding in there. I digitized them quickly, and considered making them a beautiful book, but the groom starting gaslighting me about other things regarding american money, assumptions about financial stability in my own family, and my relationship with men... completely out of pocket and based on just my instagram where i share about my travels funded by my millionaire bf.
​
so im sitting here.. staring at these images, and thinking that i dont owe them anything. He's a prick to me and my family, their wedding was for apperances, i dont believe in their marriage, and he's the reason why my mom's side of the family doesn't talk to each other. I feel for her, the pictures are beautiful and she had no photographer booked during the getting ready process, but I didn't agree to anything, either. she didn't ask me to be her photographer, only wanted the pictures i took and demanded them later on and still asks about them after i told her what happened in arizona... which she showed no sympathy towards.. the pictures were also mostly MOSTLY of my grandmother, aunts, and cousins as well as children of the house...
​
so... am I the asshole?
​
happy to answer any questions.

Please, feel free to add any events below! Check out the Visitor's Guide for more things to do around town!
Looking to meet up with people? Check out Meetup St. Louis.
​
Be sure to continue scrolling past the Weekly Events for Trivia Nights, Live Music, Sporting Events, Local Comedy, and more!
​

• Bellefontaine in Bloom
  • Spring 2023
  • Join others for a brisk spring walk through Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum! In the months of March, April, and May, Bellefontaine offers a two-hour walking tour of the cemetery and arboretum. This 2-hour walk will be led by one of their Master Guides who will convey highlights of the cemetery grounds, horticulture, and a variety of intriguing figures who call Bellefontaine their last address. Particular attention will be paid to the Horticulture side of the cemetery while in different levels of bloom during these spring tours.
• Chess at the Brewery
  • Every Wednesday
  • Local meetup group of chess players that meet at breweries on Wednesday nights. They rotate locations each week.
  • See their Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/chessatthebrewery/) for the location this week.
• Compton Heights House Tour
  • May 13 - 14, 2023
  • The historic homes throughout the Compton Heights neighborhood will open their doors to the public. There will be 12 homes on the self-guided tour, which runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and tickets are good for both days.
  • The first stop of the tour is the Magic Chef Mansion (3400 Russell Blvd.), where you will receive your brochure detailing the 2.7-mile urban trail. Here, you can also enjoy light snacks, beer, wine and soft drinks in the biergarten.
• Family Night with Fredbird
  • Wednesdays
  • Join others at Cardinals Nation Restaurant & Bar for Family Night with Fredbird on select Wednesday evenings this off-season! Bring your family down for games, prizes, and meet Fredbird from 6:30-7:30pm.
• Ferguson Farmers’ Market
  • Every Saturday
  • Enjoy live music and special events in a festive family atmosphere, and discover a wide variety of edible delights, including homemade jelly, farm fresh eggs, honey, spices, and meats. You’ll also find an ever-changing array of gift and specialty vendors, selling everything from cut flowers and bedding plants to hand-painted artwork and small-batch soaps.
  • If it’s homemade, handmade or fresh and tasty, you can buy it at the Ferguson Farmers’ Market.
• Food Truck Friday in Tower Grove Park
  • May 12, 2023
  • Join Sauce Magazine’s Food Truck Friday all summer long in Tower Grove Park at the West End & Gurney Picnic sites. More than 20 trucks park will be part of one of the most beloved outdoor food events in St. Louis.
• Grapes in the Garden
  • May 12, 2023
  • The Missouri Botanical Garden invites residents and visitors to taste more than 250 wines, both domestic and international, at Grapes in the Garden on May 12.
  • Attendees will receive a souvenir tasting glass and festival program highlighting the wines served, and wine specialists from Schnucks will be available to answer questions and guide your sampling adventure. There will also be live music throughout the event.
• Japan’s National Children’s Day at The Magic House
  • May 13, 2023
  • As part of the Passport to the World cultural program series, you can celebrate Japan’s National Children’s Day at The Magic House. On this important day, families in Japan fly carp-shaped streamers called koinobori to symbolize strength and success for their children. Come celebrate the children in your life on May 13!
• Jesus Christ Superstar at The Fabulous Fox Theatre
  • May 9 - 21, 2023
  • Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage.
  • With lyrics and music by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”, “Gethsemane” and “Superstar”.
• Karaoke Wednesdays at HandleBar
  • Every Wednesday
  • Browse the catalog and find your favorite songs to sing! Songbookslive.com/stlredcarpet
• Karaoke Wednesdays at Mack's Bar & Grill
  • Every Wednesday
• Landmarks Downtown Walking Tours
  • Every Saturday
  • Landmarks Downtown St. Louis Walking Tours: History, Culture, Architecture, and Exercise: What could be better on a Saturday morning?
• Laumeier Annual Art Fair
  • May 12 - 14, 2023
  • Held over Mother’s Day weekend, the Laumeier Annual Art Fair is a three-day, outdoor event, where you can shop for one-of-a-kind artwork, savor tasty food and drinks, enjoy live music and entertainment and get creative with hands-on activities.
• Maifest at Grant's Farm
  • May 12 - 14, 2023
  • In May, Grant’s Farm will host Maifest. The celebration will feature dance performances, German cuisine and Anheuser-Busch products for guests aged 21 and older.
• Mother's Day Brunch at Cardinals National Restaurant & Bar
  • May 14, 2023
  • Celebrate Mother’s Day with Brunch at Cardinals Nation on Sunday, May 14th from 10am-2pm! Brunch includes admission to the Cardinals Hall of Fame & Museum, plus for those over 21 add bottomless Mimosas and or Bloody Mary Bar for $15.
• Open Mic Night at Schlafly Bottleworks (Maplewood)
  • Every Wednesday
  • Join others every Wednesday evening and showcase your talents with our Open Mic Night! Open sign up begins at 6:30PM with music starting at 7:00PM. They welcome original material, covers and spoken word! Grab a beer, then play and listen every Wednesday! There are no cover charges and no drink minimums to attend.
• Qfest St. Louis (16th Annual)
  • May 4 - 10, 2023
  • QFest St. Louis uses the art of contemporary gay cinema to spotlight the lives of LGBTQ+ people and to celebrate queer culture. The event will excite, entertain and enlighten audiences of all identities.
• Soulard Farmer's Market
  • Wednesdays - Saturdays
  • Soulard Farmers Market is located at 730 Carroll Street in St. Louis, Missouri, a half mile north of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The market is open Wednesday through Saturday, year round. They feature locally grown and shipped in goods, including: produce, meats, cheeses, spices, gourmet kettle corn, flowers, baked goods, and general merchandise. There are also several different eateries that have many food options, which allows customers the convenience to grab a quick bite to eat and a drink while shopping.
• South Grand Brew Hop
  • May 13, 2023
  • On May 13, you can enjoy tastings from 4 Hands Brewing Co. and Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. at establishments along South Grand Boulevard. The South Grand Brew Hop features seven participating venues: Apotheosis Comics & Lounge, CBGB, Grand Spirits, Padrino’s Mexican Restaurant, Pizza Head, Steve’s Hot Dogs and Terror Tacos.
• St. Louis Wine Walk at Ballpark Village
  • May 13, 2023
  • Ballpark Village is hosting a festival-style wine-tasting event.
  • The St. Louis Wine Walk features wine tastings, food pairings, photo opportunities, live music, games, local vendors and more.
  • If you don’t want to imbibe, sign up for the foodie package, which includes seven food samples and access to nonalcoholic wines.
• Sunrise Yoga at Kiener Plaza
  • Every Tuesday
  • Awaken your body and bask in the morning sunlight! This gentle yoga practice is designed to energize and align your body and mind through movement and breath. Bring your own mat/towel and water bottle.
• Thursday Nights at the Museum
  • Every Thursday
  • Kick off your weekend at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park! Each Thursday Night at the Museum will be the most fun, engaging, uplifting, thought-provoking, perspective-shaping night of your week. And there are drinks.
  • Join others starting at 5:30pm for happy hour and pop-up activities, such as brief tours, games, and performances. The main stage comes to life at 6:30pm, light appetizers and drinks are available for purchase until 7:00pm, and the Museum’s exhibits are open until 8:00pm for you to explore!
• Tower Grove Farmer's Market
  • Every Saturday
  • Join others every Saturday of the 2023 Tower Grove Farmers Market Season. They'll have over 100 vendors with local produce, meat, flowers, eggs, honey, prepared foods, art, jewelry, live music, and so much more.
• Twilight Thursdays Concert Series
  • Every Thursday in the month of May
  • May ushers in another fantastic season of Twilight Thursdays at the Missouri History Museum! This popular, free outdoor concert series takes place on the North Lawn and brings a lineup of spectacular shows from local musicians and bands. Grab your blankets and lawn chairs, pack your picnic basket, and listen to music under a beautiful Forest Park sunset. Some of the area’s best food trucks will also be on hand each week.
• Webster University Film Series
  • Running until May 28
  • The Webster University Film Series, St. Louis' cinematic alternative since 1979, is a nationally known and recognized year-round film exhibition program. The Midwest's premiere hosting venue for American and foreign features, documentaries, classic and experimental cinema, and national and international artists presenting their work, the Series represents a genuine cinematic alternative in the St. Louis community.

​

Sporting Events This Week	Attractions Around the Area	Comedy This Week
St. Louis Cardinals schedule	Anheuser-Busch Brewery	Funny Bone Comedy Club
St. Louis Blues schedule	City Museum	Helium Comedy Club
St. Louis City SC schedule	Gateway Arch	The Improv Shop
St. Louis Battlehawks schedule	Missouri History Museum
St. Louis Billikens schedule	National Blues Museum
Gateway Grizzlies schedule	St. Louis Aquarium
Gateway Motorsports Park	St. Louis Art Museum
St. Louis Ambush schedule	St. Louis Science Center
	St. Louis Zoo

​

Trivia Nights
Location	Date/Time	More Information
Anheuser-Busch Biergarten	Tuesdays 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm	Trivia Details
Bar K	Tuesdays at 7:00 pm
City Foundry	Thursdays 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Joey B's on the Hill	Mondays 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm	Trivia Details
Nick's Pub	Mondays
Felix's Pizza Pub	Tuesdays at 8:00 pm	Trivia Details
Schlafly Brewpubs (Any Location)	Tuesdays 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm	Trivia Details
Rockwell Beer Co	Tuesdays	Trivia Details (Reservations required)
The Mack	Tuesdays at 8:00 pm	Trivia Details
The Pat Connolly Tavern	Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
The Post	Wednesdays 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm	Trivia Details
Pieces Board Game Bar & Cafe	Wednesdays	Trivia Details
HandleBar	Thursdays at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm	Trivia Details
Steve's Hot Dogs	Tuesdays 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm	Trivia Details

​

Live Music This Week
Music Venues	Live Music Around Town
Blueberry Hill Duck Room	1860 Saloon
Chesterfield Amphitheater	BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups
Delmar Hall	Broadway Oyster Bar
Enterprise Center	City Foundry
The Fabulous Fox Theatre	Gallery Pub
The Factory	Game 6 Honky Tonk
Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre	Gaslight Lounge
Off Broadway	The Heavy Anchor
Old Rock House	Jazz St. Louis
The Pageant	Joe's Cafe
Red Flag	The Lot on the Landing
St. Louis Music Park	McGurk's
St. Louis Symphony Concert Calendar	SoFar St. Louis Secret performances around town
Stifel Theatre	Venice Cafe
	Yaquis on Cherokee

​

Recurring Outdoor Activities
Big Muddy Adventures – STL Riverfront Adventure	Big Muddy Adventures was established in 2002. They are the first professional outfitteguiding company providing access to the wild wonders of the Middle Mississippi and Lower Missouri Rivers.
Gateway Arch Events	There are a variety of things to do along the Mississippi River.
Hidden Valley Ski Resort	Ziplining, scenic chairlift rides, and hiking trails opened during the summer. Skiing, snowboarding during the winter.

​

Por falta de un caballo, perdimos a nuestro padrino This is why we don’t go off alone

XXX MARZO MDXIII
[Meta] I would like to credit Deadshot for the rolls that inspired this story, again I have taken what has been given and woven it into a cohesive narrative. I continually strike to write insight into the minds of men who are part of horrific crimes, and did devastating and abhorrent actions. I do not condone or support the actions of Spain in the Americas. I recognise that I will likely never fully understand the cultural impact of colonisation on native peoples all around the world. I will strive to continue writing my Cuevá inspired characters with a full sense of character and opinion. [/meta]
----
Ninguané in just a year had seen the Spanish of Castilla del Oro grow at a rapid pace. Under the gobernador Pedrarias Davila’s guiding hand the resources and wealth from across the Atlantic had streamed in. He did not understand how the old Castillian had secured the interests of his Queen across the sea but her eyes were felt everywhere. It had started with the improvements to the docks, which were built on the backs of Cuevá people, and Cuevá wood. Things had grown further with the forging of the road between the foreign cities, a lot of which was designed on Ninguané’s own understandings of his peoples hunting paths. Everywhere they were busy, and always behind the Castillians came a man or woman from his people, by chain or by silk they always walked in the shadow of their foreign master.
Thankfully Ninguané’s own family had been spared, the people of Panáma were untouched by the ownership of these white men. Instead the Chief’s son had made his way to Pedrarias’ and de Bobadilla’s side, helping where he could and making himself useful. So it came that together he, de Bobadilla from Medina, and the genius engineer Francisco de Montejo were called to Pedrarias’ offices for the undertaking of an expedition. The Cuevá tribal prince stood amongst the aged Castillian’s like a fresh picked daisy amongst brambles, his youth and dress drawing eyes from the slaves of the manor.
Pedrarias opened the proceedings, his age clear on his face with deep lines and a beard that grew into a sharp silver hook.
“We have now secured the frontiers, we have three cities, and we have forged a path to the South Sea. I believe the Casa is impressed with us, and the resources from Genoa indicate that we have a voice in the Court of Juana. Well we cannot let this go to waste, we must forge onwards and consolidate our affections in her heart.”
The newest Castillian, de Montejo spoke up, younger than Pedrarias and de Bobadilla but older still than Ninguané he cut a middling figure, but brilliant.
“It is too early for me to consider anything except the roads at this time. Nevada-Guillermo and I have to assess the progress and impact of the provisions moving back and forth.”
Ninguané recognised the man use his Spanish name, for apparently Ninguané Hïdrá Tigrí was too foreign on their tongues and so they had butchered his name into a double Spanish one. He didn’t mind, except for the fact that it made literally no sense to his people and caused a lot of confusion. He shifted his weight at the mention though and looked between the men.
“el salvaje, and yourself will not be going, you are neither explorers, nor conquistadors…”
The reply from Pedrarias was swift and dismissive, his eyes going to de Bobadilla.
“I understand your intent Gobenador, I will take my knights and ride…”
The elder man raised his hand to silence his in-law.
“You will ride west, in search of Tolla, and you will be escorted to the border of the colony by our salvaje friend here. Thoughts?”
“It is an audacious plan but it makes sense, if we can find this mythical city, we may yet replace Cuba and New Galicia?”
Here Ninguané at last found his voice and even though he was young he was the most expert on this topic.
“Riding west will take you into the lands of the Coclé peoples, not those of the Cuevá and you will find them less hospitable and less prepared to negotiate than mine.”
De Bobadilla nodded, perhaps thankful for the information.
“Well on that, I shall bring a compliment of knights and my sword.”
----
XII MAYO MDXIII
Ninguané looked at the body of de Bobadilla, three arrows plunged into his back like exposed spines. His eyes darted madly around searching for a way to escape from this nightmare.
~~~~
Despite the orders Ninguané had not departed back to Pedrarias on reaching the del Oro border. Instead de Bobadilla, conscious of the new Coclé lands they were entering, had commanded him to proceed with the expedition. They had forged ahead for many weeks finding a large peninsula southwest of Panamá, and rounding it, de Bobadilla believed he had found the path to Tolla. Ninguané had his doubts but did not raise them for concern of being accused of undermining the man’s great achievements. He was as far from home as he had ever been and while there had been some interaction with the local people of this land, they had not appeared to come closer yet.
They had stopped for the night to rest and recover after breading the western most edge of the peninsula. Amongst the set up of camps and tents, de Bobadilla had ordered a count of supplies and the results were less than auspicious, there was a missing pair of Cuevá porters, and a deal of missing rations. The Knight-Commander had been furious and his orders were swift, the nearby Coclé village was to be burned to the ground in retribution. It was again here that Ninguané had witnessed just how his people had been broken; with fire and steel and relentless fury.
The expedition had made short work of the nearby tribe, Ninguané had already secured their location in early discussions. They had rode hard to cross the distance and that night the conflagration had burned the traces of them from the face of the land. A great scar in the sky of smoke was all that remained by morning, they had decided to press on, leaving the ruins as a sign to those who would oppose the Castillians. Ninguané had not been permitted to join the fight, instead he had been given a sword and some steel pauldrons to defend the camp, and when word reached him of what had occurred he had known why; the children born to this tribe in the months later would not look like their mother’s husbands. The expedition had moved on the next day and by nightfall they were resting again, de Bobadilla growing ever more arrogant and determined this was the way to Tolla.
As they sat and ate their rations, Ninguané tending a roasting boar he had hunted, a new animal to his lands but one that was delicious, he could feel his heart tossing his chest, the Spanish were kind to him, even spoke to him over the roast and after a time they told him to put on a more Spanish styling. It had seemed a mockery at first, but the seventeen year old had fit the style. While they had initially laughed at him, soon they laughed with him and there amongst the fire pit he was called on to kneel before de Bobadilla and say the pledge that would make him a Knight of Calatrava. The Knight-Commander taped his shoulders, slapped his cheek, and kissed his forehead welcoming him to the brotherhood. Then as they stood there in celebration, the first arrows flew through the air, and one of the other knights took one through the throat.
Blood sprayed over the steel on Ninguané's chest and he could feel warm droplets on his cheeks as de Bobadilla's hand reached out to grab him. The man did not look fearful, instead he looked oddly at peace and as the second and third arrows punctured his back the Spaniard gave his final words.
"Llévalos a casa"
A thousand thoughts surged through the princelings mind, what had he meant, who was them, and where was home....
----
XXI MAYO MDXIII
By the return to Panamá the joy of the expedition had been burned away as quickly as that Coclé tribe, and de Bobadilla was given a burial at the la Ciudad de Panamá near the church. It had been on Ninguané and the Knight-Commanders second in command to ride to Pedrarias and report what had happened, both the success initially and the failure. The old man’s sadness at the death of his in-law was overtaken by his fury, and soon enough plans for a more martial expedition were being drawn up.
Word had made it to Nombre de Dios that survivors on Bermuda had been found and a new administrator would be coming shortly to assist Davila. It had not improved his mind at all. At the same time word had come that de Montejo would be returning to Cuba sooner than expected. The resources coming with the new Administrator reflecting the favor found in the Spanish court, and Genovese investment. Fortifications, and a governors mansion would soon be established. del Oro would continue to grow, much as the Gobernador's rage continued to fester.
----

Summary

The expedition to find Tolla, the mythical city of gold in the west has collapsed, gobernador de Bobadilla is dead with only middling progress made on the venture to the south-west. Ninguané the tribal prince of Panamá has ingratiated himself with the Spanish and been knighted, though such memories are short lived. Pedrarias, infamous for his temper and retribution prepares for a much more forceful march west to honour his late in-law.
De Montejo the engineer will be returning to Cuba, and a new Administrator will be joining del Oro after surviving Bermuda. Bringing with him resources sufficient for a governors mansion and fortification.

This post is based on the 12 layer MEGA ICEBERG. Shout out to H3H3_PLUS for putting that together!
This was too large to fit into a single reddit post so you can find Layers 1-7 in my other reddit posts:
Layers 1-4
Layers 5-7
If you find any corrections let me know - Enjoy!

LAYER 8

Barefoot Brothers Drive

Have you ever wanted to take drive barefoot, video tape it, and make money doing so? Then C-Man, and his website, https://www.barefootbrothersdrive.com/, is your ticket! In October of 2021 a peculiar ad surfaced on YouTube with this exact business offer. A man named Liam would take up the offer, and call into the Podcast discussing the drama that happened because of it. Eventually C-Man and Liam would confront one another on the Podcast, and it would be revealed that Liam was trolling the entire time. As an act of good faith, Love would make a website called https://www.barefootbrothersdrivesmotorcycle.com/ that contained a single video of Love riding a motorcycle in his barefeet. The site is still active, but the video is no longer available.
Ads on YouTube Liams Side C-Mans Side Liam & C-Man Call Liam Was Trolling Loves Motorcycle

Ben Affleck's Back Tattoo

Back in 2019 Ethan showed Hila Ben Afflecks back tattoo, and she declared it to the the worst tattoo of all time. This became a re-occurring segment on the show where Ethan would show Hila bad tattoo's to see if they could find an even worse tattoo. For years Ben Afflecks tattoo would reign supreme as the worst tattoo, but eventually it would be de-throned by none other than Ed Sheeran.
OG Tattoo Moment Bad Tattoo's More Bad Tattoo's Beef n' Ched Now vs. Later Even More Bad Tattoo's MORE Bad Tattoo's Adam Levine Ed Sheerans Victory Elon Tattoo

"This Smells Like my Butthole" candle

In January of 2020 Gwenneth Paltrow began selling a 'Smells Like My Vagina Candle'. They bought one to smell on the show, and it just smelt like a nice candle. Ethan thought it would be funny to create a 'Smells Like My Butthole' candle, and soon after they began working with a company to make this come to life. In December of 2020 the candle would be sold, raising $8,000 for prostate cancer.
Vagina Candle Discussion The Candle Arrives Making it Selling the Candle The Candle Arrives MoistCritical Smells the Candle

GERD Gang

Ethan has GERD, Gastroesophageal reflux disease, which causes stomach acid to repeatedly flow backwards into the tube connnecting your mouth to your stomach. This causes him to hack and cough fairly often on the show. But Ethan is not alone, and many in the comments shared the sentiment of having GERD. They were declared GERD Gang!
Ethan Coughing GERD Gang Unite!

DD Megadoodoo

This is referring to a viral moment from a news anchor who was caught stumbling to pronounce someone's name live on the air. For some reason all that she could muster was DD Megadoodoo. This became a popular soundbite that is often used when Ethan incorrectly names someone on the Podcast..
The Moment

808-HOT-MEME

A phone number that fans can use to call into the Podcast. It has come and gone multiple times over the years. The last time it was used was in 2022.
Previous Number 808-HOT-MEME Lines Re-Open Re-Open AGAIN Last Mention

Swami

A security guard at the studio who has made multiple appearances on the podcast. Swami's confusion when in on camera is always a beautiful sight to behold.
First Mention Food Competition Shoot to Kill (Members Only) Swami in BTS Last Mention of Swami

Vape God NFT

In March of 2021 Ethan and Crew got into the NFT game. Each member of the crew got their own custom NFT. The Vape God NFT is a one of a kind minted NFT that had an entire episode dedicated to it's sale. A bidding war broke out and in the end it sold for 33 ETH ($60,769.50 at the time).
First Mention Bidding War Episode Moment of Sale

Gatsby

An early gag that originated with Ethans obsession with watching video's of people doing crazy things in mobility scooters, which led to Ethan wanting to get a mobility scooter of his own. There would be a stream where chat got to choose what scooter Ethan should buy and The Gatsby would be the victor! For a brief period of time guests would ride the scooter onto the set at the start of the show, however this was short lived due to Bobby Lee being an absolute maniac. which would end up being The Gatsby. Many skits would include The Gatsby, but it has begun to appear less and less over the years.
First Scooter Videos First Mention of Buying Looking to Buy Office Debut Lovebot vs. Gatsby Ethan Entrance Hila Entrance Casey Neistat Bobby Lee Rage Room Destroy the Studio Bobby Lee Rewatch The Hogwarts Express

Wendy Williams Fartgate

Wendy Williams has been suspected of farting on her show more times than I can count. She denied ever farting, and this was dubbed Wendy Williams Fartgate
Wendy Williams Rips Ass Again... And Again And Again... And AGAIN

LAYER 9

Dan had Hair

Yes, it may be hard to believe but Dan actually had hair for a very long time on the podcast. Although it was almost always hidden beneath a hat or beanie, you can see here in an early episode - Our boy's got the goods.
Dan's Hair

Mr. Beast cease and desist

When Mr. Beasts feastibles chocolate were first hitting the shelf they tried them on the Podcast. This led to a Zilly Zonka bit that required Love to make a fake website so that Ethan could get ZONK'D. At the time they joked about the website getting a C&D, but a few months later that's exactly what happened.
Zonk'd Joking About It It Happens

Mobility Mary

In the height of Ethan's love for mobility scooters he came across what is perhaps the most famous scooter vigilante - Mobility Mary! She had a YouTube channel where she would film herself cruising around in public on her scooter to record evidence of people mistreating her as a handicapped person. Unfortunately it would be revealed in recent years that Mobility Mary has passed. Ethan and crew attempted to get her scooter, but unfortunately missed the mark on that one.
Mobility Vigilante People HATE Mary Iconic Soundbites 2019 Back on the Radar She is Died Unable to Get Scooter Additional MM Scooter Lore

Braco

The stare of Braco is a magical thing. Look into his eyes, child. He is waiting for you.
Ethan and Hila Video 👀

Belle Delphine Spit Jar

In the summer of 2019 Belle Delphine was all the rage, and she sent the H3 Podcast a special surprise - A jar of spit. Throughout the years it would be smelt because they are disgusting, and when they moved to the new office a mystery revealed itself - The spit simply disappeared from its jar.
Box Arrives Her Video Opening the Jar Discussing the Spit Checking up The Spit is Gone?!

Ghost Stories

In the early days of the Podcast Ethan and Hila would always ask their guests if they had any paranormal experiences that they would like to share. Fans loved this segment but Ethan, being extremely skeptical, really didn't care and always found the stories bullshit. Ethan would eventually explain that this was the reason for them stopping.
Post Malone Markiplier and Ian Hecox Ethan's Mom Steve-O Internet Comment Etiquette Hugh Mungus Video Game Dunkey & Leah Dr. Disrepect Rhett & Link Shane Dawson VSauce3 Deadmau5 Bobby Lee Epic Meal Time Ninja Why They Stopped Asking

Zach's Lawn Shit

Zach once had to shit so bad he pulled his car over while driving and shit on some dude's lawn. He would later admit to taking a picture of said lawn shit.
The Shit An Alpha Move Brief Mention Zach Arrested
*The episode of Zach talking about taking a picture was on After Dark #46, which was famously removed from YouTube by Keemstar. Because of this I cannot provide a link. If anyone has a mirror I'd love to get it added!

I Gotta Pee So Bad

On episode #106 of the Podcast Ian declared to the world I Gotta Pee So Bad. It was the start of the Ian soundbites and has become one of the most famous soundbites on the Podcast.
The Moment Ethan Said it Too

Inspired by the Howard Stern Show

It has been mentioned multiple times that Ethan has taken a lot of inspiration from the Howard Stern Show, and many of the members of the crew love the show as well.
Earliest Moment Zach

Dr. Faddel Deleted Segment

It was long suspected that Jimmie Lee has Hysterionic Personality Disorder, and so they decided to have a doctor call into the Podcast to diagnose him LIVE ON AIR! This would prove to be a bad call on the doctors part, and he has since gotten in huge trouble for doing this. It is presumed that the segment was deleted for this reason.
Edited Episode

Ian the Intern Powerpoints

In the earlier days of the Podcast Ian was known for creating detailed PowerPoints about various topics. While this segment didn't last too long, they are hilarious, and hold a special place in many long-time fans' hearts.
Adidon Aliens, Cults, Hip Hop Kanye West Lil Nas X Jay-I and the March of the Musical Machines

LAYER 10

Patrice Wilson Countdown Stream

Patrice Wilson is a music producer who wrote Rebecca Black's song Friday (along with many others). In the early days of the Podcast Ethan would often rag on him for being a creep. In November of 2017 Patrice would post a livestream with a countdown to December 1st with h3h3 in the title. Ethan would show this to Post Malone on Podcast #39, and afterwards fans would point out that the live stream has began to change. This led to a whole series of creepy events that would genuinely freak Ethan out.
Showing Post Malone Scene Changes to Curtain In a Cemetary Ethan Calls the Police Ethans Debrief

The BacH3lor

Ethan and Hila are long time fans of the Bachelor series, which led them to create a series of segments called the BacH3lor. Ian would be the bachelor looking for love, and he would immediately break the rules and drama would unfold between Ethan and him. There were only 2 segments before the show was cancelled. They tried again later with Trish as the BacH3lorette. It once again failed, and was dubbed a cursed segment. Ironically, both Trisha and Ian found their current SO's through these segments, but not at all in the way they were suppose to.
Ian Round 1 Ian Round 2 The Wildcard Ian's Ultimatum Trisha Round 1 Season 2 Cancelled

Shoenice

Shoenice is a YouTuber best known for eating really weird thinks (ie: Stick of deodorant, raw bacon, etc.). The relationship between Shoe and the Podcast has been a rollercoaster and whether Shoenice likes or hates Ethan and the Crew truly seems to depend on the day. He's been brought onto the pod multiple times in the past, but lately has not been mentioned much.
Shoenice Hates Us He's a Lunatic Caller Met Him Calling out Ethan and Hila Eating Raw Bacon Video About H3 First Call-In The Aftermath of the Call In Speculating on the Aftermath Defending Ethan Call In #2 Timed Out Eating the Fika Fish

Anal Fissures

In a time long before anal prolapses were even mentioned, a conversation around anal fissures would begin to unfold. Zach would pipe in and discuss the surgical process of fixing anal fissures. This would turn out to be entirely incorrect, and Zach would apologize for the misinformation.
Medical Information Zachs Apology

Leonard Katzman

Ethan's grandpa. He left Ethan's grandma when Ethans dad was very young, and went off to become a pretty famous film producer. He never re-connected with Ethan's father.
Ethan's Dad Talking About It Discussing with Theo Von Ethan See's Him For the First Time

Creedance Clearwater Curse

Zach has a phobia against the band Clarence Clearwater Revival. He believes that hearing their song or mentioning their name gives everyone bad luck. He is completely serious, and the crew often makes gags out of it.
First Mention Crew Discussing the Curse Halloween Special On Leftovers

Lil Tracy Beef

Back when the song Old Town Road was the most popular song on the planet a discussion arose around whether it was stolen from Lil Tracy. Ethan said no, and that Lil Tracy needs to stfu and deal with it. Lil Tracy then wrote a series of negative tweets at Ethan. It's all made even funnier that every time he is brought up Ethan never remembers who he is.
Did Lil Nas X Steal It? Lil Tracy Tweets Ethan Forgets Lil Uzi Vert Confusion Lil Tracy Strikes Again The Guy I Have Beef With? What Was Our Beef?

Fatburgs

Before Ethan got a bidet, he used to swear by flushable baby wipes at the end of his poops. But one day he learned about fatburgs - A buildup of sewage that happens all over the country. A large contributing factor to this is flushable baby wipes. It turns out flushable does not mean decomposable, and they build up into these horrific creatures. He has since sworn off baby wipes and spreads the good word to anyone still using them.
Baby Wipes Eric Andre

The Regula Shmegula

After Ethan Bradberry fell off he began making videos about... Coffee? Honestly just watch the first video, this one cannot be explained with words. Ethan and Hila later go down th Bradberry hole to discuss further what the hell is happening.
The Rawest of the Raw Down the Bradberry Hole Looking at Views

Goof Gang

As mentioned earlier, the Podcast takes a lot of inspiration from The Howard Stern show. Good Gang is a play on words for Howard Sterns Wack Pack - A group of interesting personalities that often appear on the show. It was something they mentioned in the earlier years of the pod, such as with Shoenice, but the term itself never really stuck.
In Reference to Stern Discussing names Shoenice Zach Says it About Jimmie Lee

Sharky's Giftcard

In the early days of the podcast Ethan let Ian use his car for a day. In response, Ian got Ethan a $40 gift card to Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill. This gesture of good faith spiraled into an absolute fiasco, and as a running gag the crew often gives Sharky's giftcards as gifts to each other.
The Fiasco Explained The Giftcard Incident Ian's Giftcard Ian's Birthday

LAYER 11

The Drunk Stream

On Podcast #29 Ethan, Jacksfilms, and Erik all got quite drunk, and Ethan mentioned his Podcast with iDubbbz where he said some derogatory terms. He not ony mentioned these terms, but did not censor himself when saying them. The episode has since been edited for obvious reasons, and Ethan has apologized many times for his remarks. This is best showcased on the Gokanaru episode.
The Edited Episode Ethan Apologizes

Bert Kriescher Lost Episode

A very early episode of the Podcast was actually with Bert Kriescher, but the footage got mysteriously corrupted and it was never aired.
Mentioning Him Discussing with Bert

Blocked on Twitter by OJ Simpson

In June of 2019 Ethan couldn't stop watching OJ Simpson on Twitter. He relentelessly dug into OJ for being, you know, a murderer, and eventually got blocked by him. The popular soundbite Hey Twitter World, this is Yours Truly came from these videos.
Watching OJ Please Stop Watching OJ Ethan gets blocked

n****** f******

Ethan has had a storied past with some dark moments. In an early episode with iDubbbz they had a discussion about how a racial slur is just a word and they should be able to use it... And so they did use it. And they used a gay slur afterwards. Not a good moment. The episode has since been edited for obvious reasons, and Ethan has apologized many times for his remarks. This is best showcased on the Gokanaru episode.
The Edited Episode Ethan Apologizes

Chet Hanks Threats

Chet Hanks has been an often talked about and criticized on the podcast, and eventually Chet had enough and started sending threatening DM's to Ethan.
Andrew Santino White Boy Summer Joker Impression Chet Hanks Threats Highlight
The clip itself was on H3TV #1, which has since been removed. I have linked to a clip of the moment instead

Bill Burr Episode 1

Notoriously considered one of the worst episodes of the Podcast. This was still pretty early on in Ethans career as a Podcast host and he was still getting his footing. Bill Burr is known be a tough interviewer, and Ethan could not hold up. This led to a lot of awkward moments between the two, and Ethan discusses the effect that it had on him later. Bill Burr has since come back on with much better reception.
Bill Burr Episode 1 Bill Burr Returns Ethan's Thoughts

Triller Lawsuit Lost Episode

Early on in the Triller Lawsuits and episode was made that was nixxed by Ethan's lawyers. It has never been released.
First Mention

The Wildcard's Identity

Back during Ian's time on the BacH3lor he famously began talking to a girl who was not on the show. She was dubbed The Wildcard and would inevitably be the reason Ian pushed to get the segment cancelled. It has since been revealed that Sam is the wildcard, and they have been dating happily since.
Ethan Outs Sam

LAYER 12

John William Kirby Kelley

Back in 2019 Ethan and Hila got swatted multiple times. It would later come to light that the man behind this was some dude named John William Kirby Kelley. He would be sentenced to 33 months in prison.
Talking About Getting Swatted Reading the Article About Him

Cody Padrino

A co-host on Jeff Wittiks Podcast JEFF FM. Ethan made some jokes about him that he took very personally, and would make a video of him driving by Ethan's House and threatening Ethan. Jeff would later apoologize for his behavior.
Jokes About Cody He Comes to Ethan's House Jeff Apologizes Jeff as a Guest

VoiceFlamingo-R

A user that posted about Ethan on /conspiracy stating that he thinks Ethan is using an FBI confirmed pedophile symbol on social media.
Reacting to the Post

This might be a long one. I didn’t grow up in the religion. Some might say it’s always been my calling to join. As I got older, events, people, places, things happened to bring me closer. I’ve always had a special relationship with the dead.
I did have my angel de la guardia pulled and there was no doubt in my heart whose daughter I was. At this point, I had a padrino. Unfortunately, things went south with him for many reasons. It all came to an end with one major event. I never felt in my heart comfortable working with him. I also felt he was using my abilities for his own gains & not to teach me. When I walked away (gracefully & respectfully), I did so knowing I had Oya & my muertos’ blessing. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I wasn’t afraid. I felt protected.
All this being said, I’ve felt alone since then not knowing where to turn to find someone i can trust. It was an ugly experience that made me walk away. I miss the religion.
How does one find a new community ? someone they can trust ?

This might be a long one. I didn’t grow up in the religion. Some might say it’s always been my calling to join. As I got older, events, people, places, things happened to bring me closer. I’ve always had a special relationship with the dead.
I did have my angel de la guardia pulled and there was no doubt in my heart whose daughter I was. At this point, I had a padrino. Unfortunately, things went south with him for many reasons. It all came to an end with one major event. I never felt in my heart comfortable working with him. I also felt he was using my abilities for his own gains & not to teach me. When I walked away (gracefully & respectfully), I did so knowing I had Oya & my muertos’ blessing. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I wasn’t afraid. I felt protected.
All this being said, I’ve felt alone since then not knowing where to turn to find someone i can trust. It was an ugly experience that made me walk away. I miss the religion.
How does one find a new community ? someone they can trust ?

During a debate on HBO's Real Time last October, host Bill Maher declared that Islam is "the only religion that acts like the mafia, that will f***ing kill you if you say the wrong thing, draw the wrong picture, or write the wrong book."
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Maher was apparently referring to Islam's "blasphemy" laws, which ban on pain of death any "insult"—as found in a statement, a picture, a book—to Islam and especially its prophet, Muhammad.
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While Maher has been criticized for his "Islamophobic" assertion, he and others may be surprised to learn that the similarities between Islam and the mafia far exceed punishing those who say, draw, or write "the wrong thing."
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In what follows, we will examine a number of these similarities:
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We will begin by looking at the relationship between Allah, his messenger Muhammad, and the Muslims, and note several parallels with the relationship between the godfather, his underboss, and the mafia.
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Next, we will examine the clannish nature of the mafia and compare it to Islam's tribalism, especially in the context of the Islamic doctrine "Loyalty and Enmity." For example, in both Islam and the mafia, members who wish to break away, to "apostatize," are killed.
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We will consider how the mafia and Islam have both historically profited from the "protection" racket: Islam has demanded jizya from non-Muslims under its authority/territory and the mafia has demanded pizzo from people that fall under its jurisdiction.
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Finally, we will consider what accounts for these many similarities between Islam and the mafia, including from an historical perspective.
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1. Allah and Muhammad/Godfather and Underboss
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The padrino of larger mafia organizations and families—literally, the "godfather" or "boss of bosses"—has absolute control over his subordinates and is often greatly feared by them for his ruthlessness. He has an "underboss," a right-hand man who issues his orders and enforces his will. The godfather himself is often inaccessible; mafia members need to go through the underboss or other high ranking associates.
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Unlike the Judeo-Christian God ... Allah is unreachable, unknowable, untouchable.
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Compare this with the relationship between Allah and his "messenger" Muhammad (in Arabic, Muhammad is most commonly referred to as al-rasul, "the messenger"). Unlike the Judeo-Christian God—a personal God, a Father, that according to Christ is to be communed with directly (Matt 6:9)—Islam's god, Allah, is unreachable, unknowable, untouchable. Like the godfather, he is inaccessible. His orders are revealed by his messenger, Muhammad.
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If the Judeo-Christian God calls on the faithful to "come now, let us reason together" (Isaiah 1:18), Allah says "Do not ask questions about things that, if made known to you, would only pain you" (Koran 5:101). Just follow orders.
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2. A "Piece of the Action"
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The godfather and his underboss always get a "piece of the action"—a "cut"—of all spoils acquired by their subordinates.
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So do Allah and his messenger, Muhammad. Koran 8:41 informs Muslims that "one-fifth of all war-booty you acquire goes to Allah and the messenger" (followed by Muhammad's family and finally the needy).
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3. Assassinations
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The godfather, through his underboss, regularly sends mafia men to make "hits"—to assassinate—those deemed enemies of the family.
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So did Allah and his messenger. One example: A non-Muslim poet, Ka'b ibn Ashraf, insulted Muhammad, prompting the latter to exclaim, "Who will kill this man who has hurt Allah and his messenger?" A young Muslim named Ibn Maslama volunteered on condition that to get close enough to assassinate Ka'b he be allowed to lie to the poet.
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Allah's messenger agreed. Ibn Maslama traveled to Ka'b and began to denigrate Islam and Muhammad until his disaffection became so convincing that the poet took him into his confidence. Soon thereafter, Ibn Maslama appeared with another Muslim and, while Ka'b's guard was down, slaughtered the poet, bringing his head to Muhammad to the usual triumphant cries of "Allahu Akbar!"
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4. Circumstance is Everything
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While the mafia adheres to a general code of conduct, the godfather issues more fluid orders according to circumstances.
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This is reminiscent of the entire "revelation" of the Koran, where later verses/commands contradict earlier verses/commands, depending on circumstances (known in Islamic jurisprudence as al-nāsikh wal-mansūkh, or the doctrine of abrogation).
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While other religions and scriptures may have contradictions, only Islam rationalizes them through abrogation—that is, by giving prominence to later verses which are seen as the "latest" decision of the deity.
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Thus, whereas Allah supposedly told the prophet that "there is no compulsion in religion" (Koran 2:256), once the messenger grew strong enough, Allah issued new revelations calling for all-out wajihad till Islam became supreme (Koran 8:39, 9:5, 9:29, etc.).
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While other religions and scriptures may have contradictions, only Islam rationalizes them through abrogation—that is, by giving prominence to later verses which are seen as the "latest" decision of the deity.
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5. Clan Loyalty
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Loyalty is fundamental in the mafia. Following elaborate rituals of blood oaths, mafia members are expected to maintain absolute loyalty to the family, on pain of death.
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Similarly, mafia members are expected always to be available for the family—"even if your wife is about to give birth," as one of the mafia's "ten commandments" puts it—and to defend the godfather and his honor, even if it costs their lives.
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Compare this to the widespread violence and upheavals that occur whenever Allah or his prophet is offended—whenever non-Muslim "infidels" blaspheme them. Or, as Bill Maher put it: "Its' the only religion that acts like the mafia, that will f***ing kill you if you say the wrong thing, draw the wrong picture, or write the wrong book."
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Islam's "Loyalty and Enmity" doctrine (al-wala' wa'l bara')—which calls on Muslims to be loyal to one another even if they dislike each other—is especially illustrative. Koran 9:71 declares that "The believing [Muslim] men and believing [Muslim] women are allies of one another" (see also 8:72-75). And according to Muhammad, "A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him…. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in faith: his blood, his wealth, and his honor"—precisely those three things that mafia members respect among each other. This is why Muslims like U.S. Army Major Nidal Hassan, whose "worst nightmare" was to be deployed to fight fellow Muslims, often lash out.)
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6. Death to Traitors
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Once a fledging mafia member takes the oath of loyalty to the mafia—including the Omertà code of silence and secrecy—trying to leave the "family" is seen as a betrayal and punishable by death. Any family member, great or small, is given authority to kill the traitor, the "turncoat."
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According to Islamic law, if born Muslims at any point in their lives choose to leave Islam, they are deemed "apostates."
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Compare this to Islam. To be born to a Muslim father immediately makes the newborn a Muslim—there are no oaths to be taken, much less any choice in the matter. And, according to Islamic law, if born Muslims at any point in their lives choose to leave Islam, they are deemed "apostates"—traitors—and punished including by death. Any zealous Muslim, not just the authorities, is justified in killing the apostate (hence why Muslim families that kill apostate children are rarely if ever prosecuted).
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In the words of Muhammad—the messenger ("underboss") of Allah ("godfather"): "Whoever leaves his Islamic faith, kill him."
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7. Distrust and Dislike of "Outsiders"
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Aside from loyalty to the family, mafia members are also expected not to befriend or freely associate with "outsiders"—who by nature are not to be trusted, as they are not of the "family"—unless such a "friendship" helps advance the family's position.
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Similarly, the second half of the doctrine of Loyalty and Enmity—the enmity (al-bara')—calls on Muslims to maintain distance from and bear enmity for all non-Muslims, or "infidels."
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Thus Koran 5:51 warns Muslims against "taking the Jews and Christians as friends and allies … whoever among you takes them for friends and allies, he is surely one of them." According to the mainstream Islamic exegesis of al-Tabari, Koran 5:51 means that the Muslim who "allies with them [non-Muslims] and enables them against the believers, that same one is a member of their faith and community," that is, a defector, an apostate, an enemy.
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Similar scriptures include Koran 4:89, 5:54, 6:40, 9:23, and 58:22; the latter simply states that true Muslims do not befriend non-Muslims—"even if they be their fathers, sons, brothers, or kin." Koran 60:1 declares, "O you who believe! Do not take my enemy and your enemy [non-believers] for friends: would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the truth [i.e., while they deny Islam]?" And Koran 4:144 declares "O you who believe! Do not take the infidels as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah ["godfather"] a clear case against yourselves?"
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8. Deception and Dissimulation
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As mentioned, close relations to non-mafia individuals that prove advantageous to the family (for example, collaboration with a "crooked cop") are permissible—as long as the mafia keeps a safe distance, keeps the outsider at arm's length.
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Compare this to Koran 3:28 which commands "believers not to take infidels for friends and allies instead of believers… unless you but guard yourselves against them, taking precautions." According to the standard Koran commentary of Tabari, "taking precautions" means:
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If you [Muslims] are under their [non-Muslims'] authority, fearing for yourselves, behave loyally to them with your tongue while harboring inner animosity for them … [but know that] Allah has forbidden believers from being friendly or on intimate terms with the infidels rather than other believers—except when infidels are above them [in authority]. Should that be the case, let them act friendly towards them while preserving their religion.
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After interpreting Koran 3:28 as meaning that Muslims may "protect" themselves "through outward show" when under non-Muslim authority, Ibn Kathir, perhaps Islam's most celebrated exegete, quotes Islam's prophet ("underboss") saying: "Truly, we smile to the faces of some people, while our hearts curse them."
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Similarly, a few years ago, Sheikh Muhammad Hassan—a leading Salafi cleric in Egypt—asserted on live television that, while Muslims should never smile to the faces of non-Muslims, they should smile, however insincerely, if so doing helps empower Islam, especially in the context of da'wa.
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The idea of hating "outsiders" is apparently so ingrained in Islam that another leading Salafi cleric, Dr. Yasser al-Burhami, insists that, while Muslim men may marry Christian and Jewish women, they must hate them in their heart—and show them that they hate them in the hopes that they convert to the "family" of Islam.
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(For more on the doctrine of "Loyalty and Enmity," including references to the exegetical sources quoted above, see al-Qaeda leader Dr. Ayman Zawahiri's comprehensive treatise by that name in The Al Qaeda Reader, pgs. 63-115.)
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9. "An Offer You Can't Refuse"
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Although the novel-turned-movie, The Godfather, is fictitious, it also captures much of the mafia's modus operandi. Consider, for example, that most famous of lines—"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse"—spoken by the Godfather to one of his "godsons," an aspiring actor and singer. After being turned down by a studio director for a role that he desperately wanted, the godson turned to his Godfather for aid.
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As the movie progresses, it becomes clear that the offer that can't be refused consists of nothing less than violence and death threats: after the Godfather's messenger to the director asking that the actor be given the role is again rejected, the director awakens the next morning to find the bloodied and decapitated head of his favorite stallion in bed with him. The godson subsequently gets the movie role.
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Throughout history, converting to Islam has been an "offer" that countless non-Muslims could not refuse.
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Throughout the context of the entire Godfather trilogy (which captures well the mafia's approach to business) making someone "an offer they can't refuse" means "do as I say or suffer the consequences," possibly death.
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Compare this to Islam's threefold choice. On Muhammad's orders, whenever Muslims conquer a territory in the name of Islam, its non-Muslim inhabitants are given three choices: 1) convert to Islam ("join the family"), 2) keep your religious identity but pay tribute (jizya, see below) and live as an "outsider," a subjugated dhimmi or 3) execution.
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Throughout history, converting to Islam has been an "offer" that countless non-Muslims could not refuse. In fact, this "offer" is responsible for transforming much of the Middle East and North Africa, which were Christian-majority in the 7th century when the jihad burst forth from Arabia, into the "Muslim world."
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And this offer is still alive and well today. For example, several older and disabled Christians who were not able to join the exodus out of Islamic State controlled territories opted to convert to Islam rather than die.
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Like the mafia, then, Islam's offer to conquered non-Muslims ("outsiders") is basically "join our 'family,' help us and we will help you; refuse and we hurt you."
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10. The "Protection" Racket
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Once the mafia takes over a territory, one of the primary ways it profits is by collecting "protection money" from its inhabitants. While the protection racket has several aspects, one in particular is akin to an Islamic practice: coercing people in the mafia's territory to pay money for "protection," ostensibly against outside elements; in fact, the protection bought is from the mafia itself—that is, extortion money, or pizzo. Potential "clients" who refuse to pay for the mafia's "protection" often have their property vandalized and are routinely threatened and harassed.
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Compare the collection of pizzo with the Islamic concept of jizya: The word jizya appears in Koran 9:29: "Fight those among the People of the Book [Christians and Jews] who do not believe in Allah nor the Last Day, nor forbid what Allah and his Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth, until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued (emphasis added)."
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In the hadith, the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad—in our analogy, the "underboss"—regularly calls on Muslims to demand jizya from non-Muslims: "If they refuse to accept Islam," said the prophet, "demand from them the jizya. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay jizya, seek Allah's help and fight them."
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The root meaning of the Arabic word "jizya" is simply to "repay" or "recompense," basically to "compensate" for something. According to the Hans Wehr Dictionary, the standard Arabic-English dictionary, jizya is something that "takes the place" of something else, or "serves instead."
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Simply put, conquered non-Muslims were to purchase their lives, which were otherwise forfeit to their Muslim conquerors, with money. As one medieval jurist succinctly puts it, "their lives and their possessions are only protected by reason of payment of jizya" (Crucified Again, p. 22).
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And to top it off, just as the mafia rationalizes its collection of "protection money" by portraying it as money that buys mafia protection against "outsiders"—when, as mentioned, the money/tribute serves only to protect the client from the mafia itself—so too do Islam's apologists portray the collection of jizya as money meant to buy Muslim protection from outsiders, when in fact the money/jizya buys protection from Muslims themselves.
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Conclusion: Mafia—What's In a Word?
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What accounts for all these similarities between Islam and the mafia? One clue is found in the fact that the very word "mafia," which means "hostility to the law, boldness," is derived from an Arabic word, mahya, which in translation means "bragging, boasting, bravado, and swaggering."
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This etymology is a reminder that Sicily, birthplace of the mafia, was under Arab/Islamic domination for over 200 years. Aside from a borrowed etymology, could some of the mafia's modus operandi also have been borrowed from Islam? Isolated on their island, could native Sicilians have co-opted the techniques of social controls that they had lived under and learned from their former overlords—albeit without their Islamic veneer?
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The mafia is not the only historical example of a non-Muslim criminal organization to be influenced by Islam. For example, the Thuggees — whence we get the word "thug" — were a brotherhood of allied bandits and assassins who waylaid and savagely murdered travelers in India, often by first feigning friendship. Although they were later associated with the Hindu cult of Kali, the original Thuggees were all Muslim. As late as the 19th century, a large number of Thuggees captured and convicted by the British were Muslim.
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The similarities are clear: Along with assassinating his opponents, including, as seen, through treachery, Muhammad also personally engaged in banditry, ransacking the caravans of enemy tribes.
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And if the words "mafia" and "thug" have Arabic/Islamic etymologies, the words "assassinate" and "assassin" are derived from a Medieval Islamic sect: the Hashashin, who pioneered the use of political assassination—with promises of a hedonistic paradise for the assassin who almost certainly died—in the name of Islam.
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At any rate, when HBO personality Bill Maher recently proclaimed that Islam is "the only religion that acts like the mafia, that will f***ing kill you if you say the wrong thing, draw the wrong picture, or write the wrong book," he was barely touching on the similarities between the mafia and other criminal organizations, and Islam.

[least useful]

superstar mode ($4.99)

• “exclusive theme”
• boring
• 5 bucks for a new color of your screen
• not that exciting

politician ($4.99)

• you can be a school board director
• you can be a mayor
  • minimum age of 25
• you can be a prime minister
  • minimum age of 35
• you can run for chief minister
  • minimum age of 25
• you can run for district governor
• provincial governor
• you can be a president
  • minimum age of 35
• if you live in china, you can’t run for any offices
• there's not all that much you can do

business ($4.99)

• allows you to start up any company
  • as long as you have enough money to start up the company
• allows you to acquire any company
  • as long as you have a certain amount of money
    • you bid on how much you’ll buy the company for
• you can make billions (possibly even trillions)
• 24 different industries
• somewhat difficult to succeed
• you have to be somewhat meticulous
  • annoying

musician ($4.99)

• you can join a band
  • you can join as a keyboardist, bassist, drummer, guitarist, or singer
• you can perform at concerts
• you can have relationships with your bandmates (romantic or platonic)
• you can audition as a solo artist for a record contract
  • you can audition as a saxophonist, bassist, cellist, guitarist, pianist, singer, or violinist
• repetitive
• you can play different genres (pop, rap, christian, rock, country, etc)

challenge vault ($4.99)

• allows you to win new accessories
• allows you to play all challenges
• fun
• too expensive

[somewhat useful]

pro athlete ($4.99)

• you need experience playing whichever sport you want to join in either high school or college to get in to said pro league
• you can win championships
• you can join a pro football league in the united states
• you can join a pro basketball league in the united states
• you can join a pro women’s basketball league in the united states
• you can join a pro baseball league in the united states
• you can join a pro hockey league in the united states
• you can join a pro soccer league in britain
• you can join a pro soccer league in spain
• you can join a pro soccer league in italy
• you can join a pro soccer league in germany
• you can join a pro soccer league in brazil
• you can join a pro rugby league in britain
• you can join a pro rugby league in australia
• you can join a pro volleyball league in the united states
• honestly, it's fairly fun

street hustler ($4.99)

• you can become a scam artist
  • 16 different scams
    • you can improve your skills
    • beginner, intermediate, and advanced scams
  • the most fun street hustle
• you can become a street performer
  • you can be a mime, ventriloquist, flatulist, breakdancer, sword swallower, juggler, fire eater, or a living statue
  • you can practice your skills
• you can become a panhandler
  • you can beg for money
  • you can use your pet (even exotic ones) or your kid (even if they're an adult) as a prop
• you can become a busker
  
  • you need an instrument
  • allows you to master things you may have otherwise not been able to master
  • you can perform songs for individual people
  mafia ($4.99)
  
• Mafia, Irish Mob, Latin Mafia, Russian Mafia, Triads, and Yakuza
  
• you can rise the ranks and become godfathechairman/skippepadrino
  
• you can become a rat
  
• you can extort businesses
  
• increased chances at successfully stealing cars
  

god mode ($7.99)

• lets you mess with your appearance and stats
  • only before starting your life
• special talent
• royalty
• switch to your child’s live

[most useful]

actor ($4.99)

• there's a lot you're able to do
• easier to get roles if you get the acting talent using god mode
• you can audition for a film role
  • you can have a supporting, bit, or lead role
  • the film can be a romantic comedy, a comedy, a thriller, a romance, a musical, a horror movie, an indie movie, an action movie, a fantasy movie, a bollywood movie, a drama, or a childrens movie
• you can audition for a tv show role
  • you can have a regular, lead, recurring, or ensemble role
  • the show can be a sitcom, action, docudrama, crime, drama, fantasy, or children’s
• you can get a talent agent
• you can try to become an extra
• probably the most fun of all of the job packs

boss mode ($11.99)

• gets you all the job packs
  • actor, mafia, musician, politician, pro athlete, street hustler, business
• gets you all future job packs
• good if you want to get 3+ job packs or if you are looking into getting a future one

the in-app purchases i've found to be the most useful

unlimited age downs ($9.99)
can allow you to sell your company before it loses its value

• you can undo up to 20 years of your life!!
• you can sell stock before it loses its value
• helpful if you have a bad business year, make a bad investment, or get killed bc you can just undo it
• even though it costs $10, I think it's fairly useful
• I've used it so many times that had I not bought it, I would have spent so much more money

bitizenship ($7.99)

• gets rid of ads (rly nice)
• unlimited generations
• interact with bosses
• exotic pets is also fun

investor expansion pack ($4.99)

• gives you access to a financial advisor
  • this financial advisor may have famous clients
  • they will get a percentage of your investment
    • usually 8-20%
• gives you access to the financial news
  • I don't find this to be particularly important as it really only tells you what happened last year, and won't help you make any future investments
• gives you access to asking for someone's opinion about the market
  • you can ask friends, parents, siblings, children (when they're adults), and significant others
• gives you access to the bond market
  • government bonds
    • the coupons have a percentage which tells you the amount of money you will get back after however many years are in the parenthesis next to a country's government bond (usually 3, 5, 10, 15, or 20)
  • bonds can default
    • if this happens, exit out of the app and reopen it
    • invest in things that are low on the risk bar so it doesn't happen as much
    • if you make an investment for a smaller amount of years, they're less likely to default
  • local bonds
    • these are a good investment since they have virtually no risk (although i've found that these are much more likely to default than government bonds) and they mature faster
  • corporate bonds
    • these tend to have the most risk and the highest coupon percentage
    • these are the ones most likely to default
• gives you access to crypto
  • if you have access to unlimited age downs, i would suggest always aging up one year and seeing which coins/tokens did well/didn't do well and aging back down and investing in the ones that did do well
  • if you don't have access to unlimited age downs, it's a good idea to go to college when you're older and make lots of friends so that you can ask for their opinions (you should also be doing this when you're young like between 15 and 25 because your friends should also be willing to give you information on the topic). they'll likely be able to point you in the right direction. all in all, though, if you don't have unlimited age downs, it would be better not to invest in crypto, since there's a good chance that you'll lose a large sum of money
• gives you access to funds
  • I don't really use this one, but like as I said before, you can just age up and see what funds do well and then age back down and invest in them
• gives you access to investing in local companies
  • these ones are fairly risky, i wouldn't suggest investing in them
• gives you access to the stock market
  • i would suggest always consulting either a family membelover or a financial advisor before investing, but don't let that stop you from investing in stocks. there's good money to be made in this area
• not too expensive (compared to other bitlife packs)

DISCLAIMER: I want to proceed this post by saying I am still just a student in this, though I've been close to the religion my entire life, and waited 40 years before getting initiated, ( I come from the street and know hustle when I see it, And here in Oakland, California in the 1970s a large part of the religion was in disarray with lots of hustle and lots of wars between the Iles), only receiving my Elekes 8 years ago, And my warriors just yesterday. This is strictly my opinion, and observation, and nothing more. THANKS!

After spending some time with my unofficial padrino and my official Madrina, during some conversation, I realized that a trend I have seen developing since I was young, is still strong in the Bay area. Many of the godchildren of prominent padrinos and madrinas, Get what they need from them, and then move on, rarely to be seen at the Ile, or the botanica, which gave them their first Diloggun, Elekes, Guerreros, or Santo. One Baba in particular, is one of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met in or outside of the religion, and is getting on in years, dragging things twice his weight around his botanica, with some of the backyard, and surrounding areas going to waste and looking badly in need of a paint job or a cleaning. Not once have I seen ANY of his godchildren, (many live nearby) helping him, or seeing to his well-being. I remember this vibe from back in the day.
One of the reasons I didn't get involved in this until I felt I was truly ready is because of what I felt was a tourist attitude by a lot of people, like they're just visiting, they get what they need and move on, often. Often some of them make great money and have great futures, but rarely do they come back and pay homage to their godparents, and see to their needs as they grow old.
I'm not trying to virtue signal here, I've been a selfish person a lot of my life and I have no halo to hit anybody with, but this seems very wrong, and also bad for the religion and practice, as an example for people that are new to this observing us in our practice.
I know a few people that immediately upon getting their Ocha, who immediately took to making and combating Hechizos (spells), often for money, and acting a lot more like "brujos for hire", then Santeros with a lineage and responsibility.
Have any of you seen this, or how do you feel about this?
I appreciate you all taking the time to read this, and listen to me rant like I know something (which I don't) It just affected me emotionally and I wanted to share it. Thanks!. MB