I hope you voted.

If you haven't voted, I hope you are planning to vote.

There are a lot of things I could say about the decision, but one of the things that I will say is... aren't you fucking exhausted of Donald Trump? Wouldn't it be great if you never heard of him ever again? I think that would be fantastic.

If we all vote for Harris, and Democrats down ticket, that day is one step closer to reality. And I want that. I feel like if you do, you would, too.

Please vote.

Finally starting to migrate away from Twitter/X. Someone gave me a BlueSky code so I'm on there yet, just finished making it a bit more comfortable and customized. Follow me there, won't you? https://bsky.app/profile/pyrostinger.bsky.social

I may make other things... looking at itaku and cohost maybe. We'll see.

Hey folks. Happy New Year.

I think the thing I would want everybody to pay attention to is to try not to be too cynical about things. Find something to be passionate about, and go for it. May this year be better than the last.

I'm going to post a story later today.

Get hype.

I don't want to keep making political journals, but I have kinda gotta draw my own personal line in the sand here. There are some folks in the last journal that I wrote that, understandably, were like "No, we should work with Republicans because we need them to pass legislation and to heal the country" and then Trump's election-losing got seditious. Literally.

I mean, if you haven't been paying attention, Trump and his cronies have been filing lawsuits in all the swing states they lost, trying to get chunks of ballots thrown out because they were "illegal", which is to say too many Black and brown folks voted. There was, indeed, a racist component to the sedition, with objectors specifically wanting to target counties that had high concentrations of Black people for recounts/throwing out ballots. But while racism was definitely a part of it, the main part was sedition, and the only good things about all those lawsuits was the crash course in legal terms (laches, natch), and their failure rate (1 win, 51 losses, last I checked).

Then, there was the Texas lawsuit. Trump happily and eagerly jumped on board, and so did 126 Republican congressionally elected officials and 18 other Attorneys General. Now, it got thrown out, because duh, but that should be a marker. That is 60% of the Republican delegation in Congress. That's a chunk of state governments. That's... really bad. And these folks are the ones that Democrats in Congress are supposed to work with.

Please, excuse my hesitation that they "should."

Show sympathy to Trump voters!

No. I will not. Even understanding that there are at least 70 million Trump voters in these United States. And if they're actually accepting reality and not off in some fantasy land where Biden and the Democrats did a whole bunch of election fraud in broad daylight, then they need to accept that Trump, come January 20th at noon, will no longer be president. And finally, finally, the nation can start healing from the damage that Trump has caused.

Because he did cause some damage.

And to the millions of Trump voters? Nah. I have no sympathy for y'all. I'm sure you're upset that your president didn't win, and that's normal. I have some sympathy with that, because in politics there are winners and losers and the winners get to make policy. But considering that our guy's policy is to attempt to make life better for everyone while Trump explicitly governed like he was a president of just the people that voted for him, nah. I ain't got no sympathy for Trump voters. Your guy lost, but Biden isn't going to be petty and deny any benefits that he attempts to implement from Trump voters.

Also, like, if you wanna come at me with "Biden's gonna put conservatives into gulags!" then I'd ask you how you came by that information. Because there's no indication from Biden that he plans anything of the sort, so you reading from whatever fever dream you have that Biden's gonna lock you up says more about YOU than it does about Biden. Hell, if he did, I'd fight for you to be released, because that shit is inhumane and shouldn't happen to people for their political beliefs, no matter how wrong they are.

So. Tomorrow is Election Day, or particularly this year, the day we start to count the votes. I am hoping that most of you have already either mailed it in or voted early, and more importantly that you followed all instructions to make sure your ballot will be counted. It's quite important this year, since it seems like this will be the election to determine whether or not we have any form of democracy at all for future elections.

Framing the debate like this seems apocalyptic. And probably way too overblown. It's just an election, right? Doesn't matter who you vote for, they're all the same, you may be saying right now. I don't think that's true. I don't think that's ever been true, but there are certainly some politicians that are counting on you to think that.

There is a not-insignificant portion of this country that does not vote. According to Wikipedia (link), only 55% of the voting aged population voted in the election in 2016. Now there are a bunch of factors that lead a person not to vote, and it doesn't help that some people are entirely disenfranchised by certain political actors (Republicans) that don't want a lot of people to vote. Regardless, here we are again, and I am here to make a late breaking appeal to those who are registered to vote and have not voted yet: Vote for Biden. And, for that matter, vote for Democrats.

I hate that this country is pretty much a two-party system, since it seems that only two parties have the machinery and organization to elect people up and down the ballot. I don't know whether it's interest in putting up people for the smaller offices or if they're just all vanity projects, saying you ran for president even though you had no chance of winning. I don't know. But, we work with the system we have. At present, if you're at all interested in civil rights, in the right of people to determine their own bodily autonomy, in more people being able to participate in this democratic experiment, then there is only one choice. Vote Biden, and vote Democrats down the ticket.

If, however, you are appalled at what Trump has done, with the kids in cages and with the 545 children whose parents were not able to be located, if you are tired of this virus running rampant across the country and filling up hospitals with sick patients, with constantly grim notices of death tolls rising, then vote Biden, and vote Democrats down the ticket.

If you want the system to be fairer, if you want everybody to have a shot at making a success of themselves, if you feel that the elite have too much power, then vote Biden, and vote Democrats down the ticket.

If you care about other people at all, vote Biden, and vote Democrats down the ticket.

I said before that if you voted for Trump in 2016, that I got it. I can understand. If you vote for Trump in this election, then I get that, too. It's obvious to me that you're more concerned with owning the libs than any coherent policy strategy. I understand that you're not concerned with your fellow person, but only out for yourself. You do not care about, or choose not to see, the suffering of others. And if you have voted, or are planning to vote Trump in this upcoming election, than I don't want you consuming my creative endeavors. Unwatch me. Block me. Go away.

I've enabled comments on the previous journal. Do not say some bullshit, because I do not want to hear it.

Oh right, there is no sports right now because coronavirus. Leastways, not in America.

I haven't said anything about this situation. Nothing about COVID, nothing about the protests, nothing. Hell, I've only recently started using my Twitter account again, so if y'all are wondering where in the hell this is coming from, consider it me being, I guess, less realistic about my profile. I have a platform. It is tiny, and even though it seems like I'm shouting into the void whenever I do something like this, I'm going to say something because I just cannot stay silent anymore.

To anybody who knows even a tiny bit about me, this will be very obvious as to where I stand. But I just want to clarify: If you are an American citizen and you voted in the last presidential election for Trump, I can kinda understand it. After all, Clinton was demonized by the right and the left, plus she had the unmitigated gall to be a woman, plus she had a history. And there are some folks that are so, so willing to use that history against someone when it becomes convenient. In addition, if you ignored the race-baiting, the flagrant incuriosity, the sexual assault allegations, the lack of empathy, and maybe a few other things that I'm forgetting right now, Trump seemed like an okay guy, probably better than that bitch Hilary, and he was from outside the government, which is totally a good point for one of the most difficult jobs in the country and probably one of the most difficult jobs in government. He'll learn on the job! The office will change him! So on and so forth.

Sorry, I'm tired. I'll try to be less sarcastic from here forward but no promises.

Point is, if you voted for Trump in 2016 and are hesitating on pulling the lever for him again, please fucking reconsider. There is literally one obvious answer in the 2020 presidential election, Biden, even though he ain't great and is prone to make really dumb mistakes and gaffes and whatever. He's also an old guy that has a lot of history, but hell, he's doing better. People change, every now and again, so it's possible, even when they're old. But you know, once he's in office, it's our job to keep his ass accountable.

If you're at all upset over the murder of George Floyd, also know that there are local elections that have greater impact on these kinds of things like police accountability and the general lack of it. Inform yourself. Vote. For the love of fuck, vote.

As for me, I don't generally make too much of a stink about who I am because who the hell am I? Well, I'm a black man. I could be perceived as threatening to any police officer who decides that I look threatening that moment. I could be shot, I could be killed, I could be just fucking dead because. And honestly, I don't feel like becoming a martyr. If you're not black, if you're not a minority (and lord knows there ain't many of us in furry), you won't know the constant low grade fear I have just living my everyday life. Of noticing things, and thinking about why they happen. That woman who got up when I sat across from her on the train: was that because of COVID? Or was that because even with the mask on, I'm still large and black? I don't know. I can't know. And really, I don't want to know.

I'm scared. I'm tired. Please, fucking do something. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture. It just has to be something. I don't want to be scared anymore.

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. Still working on some stories. Hopefully I'll have something before the end of the month.

Stay safe out there.


Also, you should watch this entire video (link), but I cued it up to the last 40 seconds or so.

Edit: cleaned some wording up. Also, if nothing else, watch this entire video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9_qGOa9Go

Canada day, which was the third, and American Independence day, which was the 4th.

So. FA is back.

I'm not... super excited about it. This site doesn't hold any special significance for me. It has the largest watchlist of the sites I frequent, mostly because all the artists are here because all the clients are here because all the artists are here and so on and so forth.

This latest security kerfuffle concerns me. It concerns me because apparently this exploit could have been fixed a lot earlier, and it exposes yet another security flaw that FA has that wasn't patched ahead of time. It allowed somebody to mess with the site and skim passwords. People could, yet again, access private information. For what it is, FA has had repeated problems and not a lot of track record of being open about them.

So here we are, yet again.

I don't want people to watch me here. I don't really want to post things here. I'm on SoFurry, which has been a lot better security-wise. It's not like I get a lot of response here period. Or anywhere, for that matter. Not that I'm fishing for comments or anything but just...

I'm not telling you what you folks should do. You guys are gonna do what you want. I'm not even sure that I have a definite answer for myself. I guess I was just speaking out loud.

Edit - How do you even shut down notes any damn way? Notes disabled

So. My last three stories haven't... really garnered any comments. Or favorites. Now, I know I have watchers, so... is there a reason why nobody seems interested in the stories?

Is it content? That I understand.

Just lemme know if you haven't commented (or faved or whatever), how come?

No spoilers here, of course.

I found this really, really interesting article on it, and I wanted to show everybody.

if you're looking for my opinion, I really liked the movie.

Anyway, the article in question: http://www.the1585.com/dorksawaken.html

This latest fiasco has made it easier for me to uproot from FA. Honestly, the only thing that FA has over the other sites (SF, weasyl) is audience. And even then, I don't post that much and I post icky text files ewwww so nobody cares ('cept possibly you, watchers). I think the next thing that I post I'm probably going to hold off from posting on FA for at least a good week or so.

In all honestly, has FA gotten better, or are we all here just because everybody else is and we're all too lazy to leave? Because... it is not a well-run website.

Not from me. From  sullenlust!

Details here http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6829246/

$5 commissions from  kanis88. Check out his stuff, he's pretty good. Commission journal in question: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6603257 He's also apparently selling his LoL account if you're into that.

...yet.

The recent... kerfluffle affects me least, because hey, not an artist, and I doubt random art thieves on IMVU are uploading my stories, as I don't even have the notoriety for that. Having said that, I haven't been the biggest fan of Dragoneer for some time, and the fact that he sold FA is weird, and who he sold it to is weirder still. Having said that, I invite you to read this Weasyl journal on why IMVU would even want FA and what this new partnership actually means.

Slightly related, but did you know FA had another owner? Because I didn't. Don't know how well his claim will hold up but... there ya go.

edit - I forgot some words.

An artist  soulspoison is about to strike out on her own, and needs a bit of boosting and support. If you can't do monetary, some kind words would help immensely.

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6510818/

The cop who killed Eric Garner, Daniel Pantaleo, wasn't indicted today.

I'm not mad, I'm just numb. This doesn't mean the feelings I had about a week ago aren't valid, oh they very much are. I still feel them. But that part has hardened considerably.

It's because i'm angry almost to the point of incoherence about Ferguson. It's twenty-fucking-fourteen and I could still be shot if I look at a cop wrong. And when I'm shot, I'll be labeled a thug and a gang-banger, and any pictures of me that look vaguely gang-related and vaguely threatening are going to be paraded out by certain segments of the media to make me seem like a thug. Any bad thing anybody has to say about me will be promoted to demonize me, and if I'm lucky, the cop that kills me will get a trial. If I'm lucky.

I can't own a gun. Not that I would want one, but if I were to get a gun and the police come after me for whatever reason, then I'm dead. I can't go around like these crazy white people, hauling around fucking rifles to "exercise their second amendment rights" while shopping in a fucking Target. Hell, I reach for my fucking wallet in an encounter with the cops, then I'm dead. I can't have a toy gun, neither, for any fucking reason, because somebody might be threatened and call the cops on me and then I'm dead.

Ferguson, and the non-indictment of Darren Wilson, just cements the fact that the police don't care for me, and society doesn't care about me, and no, racism isn't dead. Racism is far from dead. Racism is alive and well, it just got a new outfit.

EDIT - Watch this video

Being fired sucks, a fact to which I can attest. So why not support a fur who just got the ax for (to me) dubious reasons. http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/6067840/

Psst! I'm also on Weasyl and SoFurry under pyrostinger! You can find me there.

I'm kinda short on cash and Patreon is becoming A Thing. Here's a question. If I actually figured out Patreon and set one up, would any of you support it? Not calling for any hard and fast amounts yet... just... would you?

EDIT - For those who don't know, Patreon is a service where you can pay people every time they put out a work, meant for creative types. For more info, click here

Basically, medical bills + other stuff equals hey, selling stuff! Buy some here https://www.shapeways.com/shops/bobbiethejean

 starwonder needs some help because things have left her in a money crunch. Help her out, maybe, and get some art in the meantime! Or just donate.

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5639884/