Human rights: Food for an unfairly imposed thought ‘HR and UN reform 2’
HRR680
[My Readers are roughly 98% about economic, social and cultural rights --rarely about civic and political rights. In Reader #672, I made one of those exceptions when I quoted Frederick Spielberg talking about UN reform. Today, I am sharing with you a piece by ambassador Fernando Ayala that called my attention because, in so very few words, captures stark realities of the world we live in. I hope you agree with me].
[TLDR (too long didn’t read): If you are reading this, chances are you care about HR. This Reader is about how we continue to be governed at the global level by five powers that monopolize the use of force. For a quick overview, just read the bolded text]. Traducitraduire los/les Readers; usautiliser deepl.com

1. The United States, Russia, NATO, Israel and other rich countries feel entitled to violate the United Nations Charter and the principles of international law when it suits their interests. This has been the case since the end of World War II and the establishment of the organization whose Charter has become a sort of global Constitution governing the 192 States that make up the international community. In the countless invasions and wars from the second half of the 20th century to the present day, the first casualty --apart from the truth-- are the specific articles of the Charter that regulate the use of force and sanctions.
   
2. To authorize a war, the provisions of the Charter must be complied with and coercive measures must be approved by nine of the 15 countries that make up the Security Council. But that is not enough. The five permanent members, i.e. China, the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Russia, have veto power, which means that if 14 countries approve punitive measures, it is enough for one of the big five to oppose them for the resolution not to be implemented. This is what has happened throughout the history of the organization and is the reason why neither the United States nor Russia asks before attacking or invading a country. Even NATO, under Washington's command, bombed what was left of Yugoslavia for three months in 1991, in violation of international law. What sanctions can be taken against any of the big five when they violate the UN Charter? None, that is the reality of power and the weakness of international law.
   
3. Different are also the reactions and results of ‘invasions and attacks’. In 1979 the Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan to protect a Moscow-friendly government and had to withdraw 10 years later. The United States did so in 2001 in search of Osama bin Laden and remained in the country for two decades. The British invaded twice in the 19th century. They all had to withdraw in defeat, with many dead, and the Taliban continues to rule in Kabul. Then came the ‘liberating wars’ driven by the White House in search of non-existent weapons in Iraq (2003) or to establish democracy in Libya (2011) and in Syria (2014). Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi were eliminated, but neither stability nor democracy have reached those countries and Bashar al-Assad continues to rule in Damascus, protected by Moscow, in what is left of his territory. On the contrary, the Middle East is today much more unstable and has become the cradle and refuge of terrorist organizations dreaming of establishing an Islamic Caliphate.
   
4. In other words, the violation of the United Nations Charter by those who carried out these measures brought neither democracy, human rights nor greater stability to the region. On the contrary, it has destroyed countries with hundreds of thousands of victims, billions of dollars required to rebuild them, more than a million refugees and the tragedy continues.
   
5. What differentiates the aggressions is how world public opinion treats violations of state sovereignty and the rights of peoples. The most emblematic case is that of Israel and the occupation and settlement of territories contrary to international law and the provisions of the United Nations Charter, which have established that annexations are invalid.
   
6. The condemnations of the international community are of no use as long as the United States protects Israel in the Security Council. Russia is doing the same with Syria. Failure to respect international legality is the main cause of the weakening of the multi-lateral system and represents a growing threat to world security. For this reason, a profound reform of the functioning of the United Nations is required, especially of the Security Council, which continues to respond to a post-war structure of confrontation between two military alliances in circumstances in which one, the Warsaw Pact, ceased to exist more than two decades ago with the disappearance of the Soviet Union.
   

Bottom line

1. We will thus continue to be governed at the global level by five powers that monopolize the use of force and abuse the international structure, where the rest of the countries are only spectators.

Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City
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So when me and my mom went to the city of Toronto today, I paid attention to the city itself. Seeing how diverse of an area it is, not just in its people, but in the look of the land as well. How you had the bigger city are, but also the more country side-esque regions, as well as how big the city really was and I thought to myself "wow, Toronto would make for an awesome and unique setting for a video game" and I even joked about it to my mom. But it got me to thinking, What If it was made into a setting for a video game? And if so, would it be a good setting? So, I wanted to ask my fellow gamers and Canadians, would The city of Toronto in Canada be a good setting for a video game? And what type of video game would that setting be best suited for?

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Q: What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.
The primary use of this PC will be for professional 3D modeling, rendering, and motion design work, specifically in the field of architectural visualization (ArchViz) and product viz.
I will use software like Cinema 4D (C4D), 3D Studio Max (3DS Max), and Unreal Engine. edit: + Renderers Corona (CPU based), Redshift (GPU based)
​
Q: What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?
$3000 AUD
​
Q: When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
As soon as I know whats compatitble
​
Q: What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc\)
CPU: An upgrade to a high-end processor capable of better handling the workloads of 3D modeling, rendering, and motion design.
Antipated GPU: Future intention to upgrade to an RTX 4090 when I have the budget.
Power Supply: Power requirements for the new AM5 CPU and the future RTX 4090.
Cooling System: Suited cooling system
Case: Most likely a larger mATX case
​
Q: Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?
Australia. Preferably no Amazon, smaller local companies like Scorptec, CentreCom, JW Computers
​
Q: If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated
Samsung 980 PRO 1TB NVMe M.2 SSDCorsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) 3200MHz DDR4RTX 3090 TUF
​
Q: Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?
Generally avoid overclocking
​
Q: Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)
No
​
Q: Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?
Mini or MicroATX, no RGBs
​
Q: Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?
No
Current PC specs:AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-Core Processor 3.70 GHzAMD AM4 X570 ROG Crosshair VIII ImpactNZXT KRAKEN X53 - 240MM AIO LIQUID COOLERCORSAIR SF SERIES SF750 — 750 WATT 80 PLUS PLATINUMSamsung 980 PRO 1TB NVMe M.2 SSDCorsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) 3200MHz DDR4Asus GeForce RTX 3090 TUFNR200P case

Hi everyone, nice to meet you if you are reading this post.
Recently, I have been reading a lot of Japanese history and it has really inspired me to plan an RP. I was lucky enough to live in Japan for a while and I am missing the place, so now seems the perfect time to get writing. I want to create a roleplay set in feudal Japan. I really love world building and we can tailor the roleplay to whatever your interests are but a lot of Japanese myths and monsters are cool so I figured why include a few of those. This world would have light elements of fantasy but mostly on the fringes!
As for story, I like the idea of a girl who works at a tea house or roadside inn having her life turned upside down when a lone samurai or ronin comes to stay. After some twist of fate and quite a bit of happenstance, the two are forced to set off on a quest together. This unlikely pairing will provide a lot of exciting moments and hopefully a few romantic ones as well.
As for the adventure, well that is up to you! Want a dangerous romp through the war-torn midlands of Japan - where bodies line the fields and huge armies battle for superiority? Or how about heading to Kyushu and the south - where the sun and humidity make you sweat within minutes, where travel is hard because of the stinking swamps and mass lack of roads? Or journey to the untamed north, where legends or riches are countless but no maps lead the way. A wild and cold place where few except the strong can survive...
Trying to sell this isn't my strong suit really but I am open to any ideas around this setting! If you like anything about what you hear, please contact me! One thing I should say is I am only really interested in females to roleplay with, personal preference. The roleplay doesn't have to be not safe for work but it can be, please get in touch and I can add you on discord if you are interested or I can happily answer any questions you have. I would love to find a long-term roleplay partner and hopefully a friend who I have a good amount of chemistry with. Thanks a lot :)

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https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4898748

A Taiwanese student living in the U.S. uploaded a social media post alleging she was assaulted by a woman in the New York Public Library and racially discriminated against by security guards...
The assault caused her to hit her head on the corner of the bathroom wall. She bled profusely, and her friend immediately asked a security guard for help.
Huang said that her friend prevented the assailant from leaving the scene. When Huang asked five security guards for help, she said they only seemed to try to "cover for each other."
According to Huang, the security guards sought to calm down her friend and allowed the woman to leave the building without any attempt to stop her. Huang wrote that she felt she had been "indiscriminately attacked" and had suffered "racial discrimination" from the security guards. Huang was taken to a hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Although her injuries were not serious, she said this type of incident can leave psychological scars that "last a lifetime."
Huang wishes that no other Taiwanese or Asians are treated like this again. She called the Overseas Emergency Assistance phone number of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) to file suit against the New York City Library for endangering public safety or to obtain related compensation.
However, "all I got was a phone call from an immigration lawyer," she said, expressing her disappointment with MOFA and BOCA.

Ugh, seriously, more crimes against Asian Americans? You know, I was actually supposed to go to NYC today; maybe it's a good thing I didn't. It's quite pathetic how we aren't even able to feel safe in our own countries of residence anymore. If I go to the supermarket or something tomorrow there's a very real chance this - or worse - could happen.
And it looks like whether you're in a red or blue area doesn't matter. The major blue cities like NYC, LA, and SF have all these issues, yet look at what Ron signed recently. You don't have to support the Chinese government, or even be Chinese, to be affected by this idiocy as Asian Americans. To the racists, we're all evil spies that are going to destroy America and must be eradicated. If we're not safe in the red zones or the blue zones, and if we're not safe in areas where there are many of us or few of us, which areas will be left?
Sigh... Look, I would like to be optimistic, and I'm pretty sure many of you would like to as well, but honestly it's getting harder and harder to these days, with all that's going on. And honestly, it's probably contradictory as a result of naturally implying indifference to these serious crimes against Asian Americans, and Asian America.
(Now, I know this is a Taiwanese source reporting on an incident involving a Taiwanese victim, but your opinions on the Taiwan issue shouldn't even be relevant here. To the racists doing these things, we're all one homogenous monolith that needs to be "cultured". I can't even believe I have to be saying this, but considering the responses of IRL people I've talked to about this... sigh.)

The parade was about to commence and all of the tributes gathered in the holding tunnel to prepare themselves. The District 6 entourage arrived at their chariot on time and walked down the tunnel. Jack was surveying the competition and felt intimidated by the career tributes up front. The side eye given by Andrei (2) and the vacant, empty stare of Vista (3) certainly didn’t help matters. He complained about the nut costume looking similar to Olivine (1)’s ballerina costume while Cat commented on the tightness of her bolt costume. Phoebe assured them that they were more than the costumes and just had to deal with them. She added that if the costumes are poorly received, that would be all the comeuppance Sasha needed.
Thankfully, Sasha wasn’t present, having passed out drunk an hour ago. Morrana met them at the chariot and advised them to play into the absurdity of their costumes. Cat said she had some ideas and asked what Jack thought. Jack wasn’t listening as he was watching some more tributes enter the tunnel. He shuddered at the sheer size of Wolvthorne (7) and chuckled watching Wren (5) slap her district partner Terry (5) and get reprimanded by her mentor Ashley Chen (victor of the 13th Hunger Games). However, he was perplexed by the arrival of the District 4 tributes coming from the opposite direction. Cat snapped him back to reality and asked what was going on. He pointed towards the District 4 tributes and swore one of them looked familiar.
Gill led his mentees down the tunnel to their chariot. Pearl was overwhelmed by the mix of emotions displayed on the tributes’ faces. She felt sorry for little Logan (11), who was struggling to hold it together. She glanced at the tall John (9), who yelled “What are you looking at!” at her. Mortimer, who was ignoring everyone at that point, asked if he had a problem. The two were about to butt heads, but Gill and Tris Plummer (victor of the 8th Hunger Games) pulled the two apart. The three arrived at their chariot and reunited with Minerva. She asked the two if they were ready to which both said yes. In a sudden change of character, Mortimer thanked Minerva for the tattoo work, describing her new addition as “worthy of the Kraken”. Pearl asked if she could get a sneak peek before the show to which Mortimer obliged. When he opened his shirt, he happened to look up behind him and spot Wolvthorne (7) giving Mortimer a hard stare. He didn’t hear Pearl and Gill’s compliments to the stylist as he returned the stare.
Gill snapped him out of it, reminding him not to make enemies too early. Mortimer simply pointed him out, asking his mentor if he looked like the Wharf Village troublemaker Adrian Carrack if he was buff. Gill squinted and annoyedly said, “Wow. The resemblance is uncanny.” Pearl said she lived in the Anchor Square, but claimed the name sounded familiar. Gill explained he was one of the bad apples he mentioned earlier. He was described as a tall muscular ginger boy with freckles and three front teeth missing. Mortimer commented how he would occasionally steal from the more affluent families as well as his boat and constantly hit on his girlfriend while also giving himself credit for two of the missing teeth. Pearl recalled Adrian’s identity, claiming to have seen him skulking around both the Slippery Shell and The Brine, guessing that’s how Gill knew of him. Mortimer commented how he wouldn’t mind killing Lionel (1) in the games as well, but Gill warned him not to antagonise him during training.
The parade finally began and the tributes’ chariots rolled out. Surprisingly, the District 1 sported elegant ballroom costumes Ulysses Blanco himself considered mediocre, but gave props for Olivine and Lionel (1) trying to sell it. He was greatly impressed with the District 3 costumes, which resembled smartphones but considered the despondency of the tributes’ faces a buzzkill, commenting on Shoya (3)’s flimsy hand waving. When District 4 was revealed to the world, Pearl and Mortimer stood proud and strong as the audience ate up their outfits. Pearl waved her hand and flipped her hair around, wowing the audience with her grace. Mortimer twirled his fake trident in the air and tipped his crown to the ladies in the audience. Suddenly, Mortimer ripped his shirt off, exposing the newly polished Kraken tattoo with a new open treasure chest tattoo on his chest with the tentacles attached as if holding it. The crowd went wild for the art etched on his skin, even more so when Pearl leaned against him and pointed at the Kraken.
Soon enough, the District 6 chariot rolled out and reception towards Cat and Jack’s costumes were mixed at best. At first, Cat and Jack simply smiled and waved but weren’t receiving much love. Suddenly, Cat asked Jack to trust her and to get on his shoulders. Jack hesitantly relented and allowed her to climb on. The audience were confused at first, but noticed the bolt costume perfectly lined up with the nut costume as if it was being inserted in the other. Jermaine Blanco admitted they utilised their painfully mediocre costumes well. However, at the end of the parade, the title of Blanco Fashion Magazine’s Best Dressed was awarded to District 8 for their bright and colourful mix and match outfits.
In the District 4 apartment, Minerva felt slightly dejected by her loss but was reassured by Pearl that the audience still enjoyed her work. Gill poured her a drink and ordered some Capital cake. Mortimer thanked Minerva for the improved look of his tattoo, wishing his girlfriend Meridia thought of it sooner. He caught himself after blurting this out. Everyone had confused looks on their faces. Pearl deduced Meridia was the one who drew the initial tattoo. Mortimer’s silence confirmed this, Gill exclaiming, “I knew it!” Mortimer felt embarrassed and stormed off to his room, Minerva yelling that she had good steady hands. Pearl asked Gill how her partner could ever nab a girl with his sullen and abrasive attitude. Gill knelt down and explained that Meridia is the only girl who was kind to him and only one he let in. Gill further explained that she assisted in taking care of Mortimer’s father and usually spent time with him after work hours, despite her father’s protests. Before Pearl could ask more questions, the Capital cake arrived. Pearl walked to Mortimer’s door and apologized for putting him on the spot, asking him to come and join them. After several minutes, he obliged.
Two stories above them, the District 6 entourage returned to see a disheveled Sasha standing in the middle of the room. She blamed Morrana and Phoebe for the near disastrous parade performance. Jack insisted this was all her fault, accusing her of laziness while Cat simply stood with her fists balled up. Sasha raised her hand, but Cat was quicker and slapped Sasha clean across the face. Cat yelled at Sasha, going into detail of how much at fault she was over the preceding events, citing Jack’s laziness point and bringing up her alcoholism. She praised Morrana for stepping up to care for them, give them advice, and make them feel at home. All this while Phoebe watched on with a proud smile on her face. Cat finished it all off by declaring they will be more than happy to complain about her any chance they got. Sasha didn’t dare to try again as Phoebe and Jack stepped closer to Cat. Sasha snatched a whiskey bottle and left the room, crying “Good riddance you little brats!”
Everyone applauded Cat’s bravery and Phoebe ordered some room service. Cat and Jack sat down on the couch with some fruit punch and discussed the parade. Jack claimed to have seen the District 4 male before, during the fated smuggling operation he was arrested for. Cat asked if he thought the boy recognized him, but Jack was unsure. He didn’t want an alliance with him, claiming he appeared untrustworthy. Cat shrugged and pointed out he was able bodied and would be a more viable option compared to Districts 1 & 2. She suggested they approach and talk to them during training after they watch them for a bit. Jack hesitantly agreed. With a new plan in order, everyone in the District 6 apartment relaxed and enjoyed the remainder of the day.
The next morning, all of the tributes dragged themselves out of bed to prepare for their training session. There was an incident at the penthouse apartment when Jassy (12) tripped over her partner Neutron (12) and slammed her head on the floor. Her mentor Andrew “Corpse” Beckford (victor of the 10th Hunger Games) put a bandage on her head and gave her aspirin. As soon as everyone gathered in the training room, Training Master Feldman gave the routine rundown and twirled his water cannon. All of the mentors gathered in the mentors lounge at the corner of the room, conversing with each other. When he was listing reasons for him to use it, he noticed Horace (10) concealing a middle finger directed towards him. Feldman sprayed him and warned all tributes of offending him. He eventually dismissed the tributes.
Jack and Cat both gravitated towards the survival station and began working together in the shelter building section. The two spent the first hour crafting a tent while simultaneously surveying their surroundings. A half hour before lunchtime, they were quizzing themselves in the plant identification section. Cat was spying on Carnelia (11), who had successfully started a fire, taking in her technique. She had to avert her eyes as soon as the muscular Laurel (7) began staring her down from the second fire station. She asked Jack if he found any potential allies, claiming District 7 was off the table after Laurel’s disapproval of her watching the same tribute. Jack claimed he had only been watching the District 4 male, finally learning his name to be Mortimer. He explained he had now recognized him as part of the District 4 crew who had smuggled Tobias Stephens and some warmweed into their district. Cat asked if he did anything noteworthy, but Jack shook his head saying he was quiet and strangely the only one not immediately putting his hands on the contraband. Cat asked where he was, volunteering to talk to him. Jack pointed at the chemistry station, where he was spotted using a dropper of glowing green liquid on a petri dish. Cat admitted to being surprised by someone as big as him spending time in that particular station.
Jack asked if her therapy skills told her anything about the other tributes. Cat made only two observations: Ryetta (9) was most likely the weakest tribute and Wolvthorne (7) was arguably the most dangerous. Jack asked how they would find allies to combat him. Cat suggested she talk to Mortimer. Jack objected at first, but Cat pointed out how he must be skilled at chemistry, otherwise he wouldn’t be there at the station. She added that from a therapeutic standpoint, she found him fascinating and difficult to read. Jack relented and also made clear his intentions to practice camouflage. She told him to look after himself and then walked over to Mortimer. Jack stayed put for a few more minutes before transitioning to the camouflage station. He first attempted a tree background and had trouble with the intricate details of the bark. He tried a few more times and slammed his fists in the wall in frustration. Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned to see Ryetta (9). She offered to show him some tricks to which he begrudgingly accepted. She worked with him until he was able to successfully blend in with the tree.
The first station Pearl set her roots in was the aquatic station. She started off by swimming laps, enjoying the solitude of being the only tribute there. While she was timing her breaths, Andrei (2) walked into the station and slipped into the pool. Pearl didn’t notice his presence at first, but was able to pick up his splashes as he freestyled towards her. Pearl didn’t want to be alone in the station with a career, so she climbed out of the pool and discretely went to the craft table to practice fishing lures. As she fashioned a makeshift fishing pole, she watched Andrei as he struggled to keep form. He hit his head on the pool’s tiled wall while doing the backstroke. Pearl involuntarily giggled to herself, but unfortunately for her, Andrei heard her. He hopped out of the pool and marched towards her, asking if anything was funny. She muttered out a meek apology before trying to leave. He followed her at first, but was dissuaded when he noticed Feldman watching from the mentors lounge with his water cannon visible. Andrei backed off while Pearl retreated to the plant identification simulator. Coincidentally, she arrived seconds after Jack had left, so she had the entire station to herself. She excelled at the memory simulation for an hour, but was unable to surpass Carnelia (11)’s high score. During lunch break, she visited Gill and began to converse with him about training. Gill told her she was off to a good start, but urged her to choose a weapon to try. Pearl didn’t feel safe going to any weapon station with the careers nearby, notably Andrei. She decided to find Mortimer and ask him to accompany her. Gill said it was a good idea. He commented on how strange it was that he hadn’t approached the weapons station either.
Mortimer’s day was relatively uneventful. He started off in the newly implemented yoga studio doing some stretches on the mat. He paid no heed to the confused looks of some of the tributes and mentors but was surprised and relieved to have Peggy (8) join him in the studio. She tried asking for an alliance, but he silently rebuffed her. After a relaxing stretching routine, Mortimer made his way to the chemistry station. He spent the next few hours at this station, brewing some experimental potions. He also used his time analyzing Olivine (1) and Nikita (2), both of whom were in the archery station. When Wolvthorne (7) entered the axe throwing station, Mortimer diverted his scanning eyes to him. He watched his masterful target practice all the while inching his way closer to his first successful healing potion. Suddenly, he heard, “Who are you looking at?” Mortimer nearly dropped his flask and looked up to see Cat standing on the other side of the table. Embarrassed and annoyed by the surprise, he asked what she wanted. Cat guessed he was watching Wolvthorne, claiming to not blame him as she considered him the greatest threat as well. Mortimer was confused by the out of left field accurate assumption and told her to mind her own business. Cat apologised and made her intentions clear to him. She asked for an alliance with her and Jack, commenting how he had seen him before. Mortimer found Jack in the corner of the camouflage station and stared back down at his work. He guessed he told her about the “exchange program” the two districts had. Cat confirmed this. She also relayed Jack’s description of his demeanour and hesitance to gorge on warmweed. Mortimer simply stated he wasn’t a junkie. Cat defended herself, “I didn’t say that. I mean, based on the station you’re in, I assume you know how to separate the SHC and the TBA.” Mortimer stared at her with wide eyes, asking how she knew that. Cat introduced herself and said she was a therapist working under Phoebe’s tutelage. She asked if they could have an alliance, arguing that they could be a great team against Wolvthorne and their careers. Mortimer was surprised for a moment, but refused the offer, claiming that trusting people in a death game was for fools. Cat put her hands up and apologized for bothering him and to find her if he changed his mind. Before she left, she said, “By the way, I recommend boiling the moldroot before mixing it with the plasma.”
Mortimer continued his attempts at a healing potion, each time met with failure. He sat annoyed with himself for a few moments. He then recalled Cat’s suggestion and decided to try it. He was surprised to see the finished potion successfully clear the training dummy’s discolored skin. He sat in disbelief for nearly an hour when Pearl walked up to him. She came to check on him, asking what he learned. Mortimer showcased his successful healing potion, choosing to neglect Cat’s recommendation. Pearl asked if he could accompany her to the weapons station because she wanted to practice a weapon and didn’t feel comfortable going by herself. Mortimer groaned and relented, replying how he needed to pick up the trident anyway. The two spent the remainder of the training session in the trident section, with Mortimer giving Pearl some pointers on the proper swing. He became aware of Cat entering the sword station next door and waving to him. He ignored her and continued to instruct Pearl. The two sparred with each other after the proper stance was established. It took until the final five minutes of training day before Pearl was able to nab her first win.
The next day, the training assessments began. Unfortunately, a thunderstorm cut off the power as Lionel (1) entered the assessment room. The Capital’s finest technicians were in a scramble to fix the power while Lionel proceeded to showcase his swordsmanship. The fix was predicted to take longer than expected, so Head Gamemaker Grimstone was ordered to commence with the assessments as planned and simply have the activities and scores be announced later on. It wasn’t until three hours before the tribute interviews that all of the scores were announced. The highest score was 11, which was awarded to Wolvthorne (7) for his deadly axing skills and brute strength. Lionel (1) and Nikita (2) both scored 10 for their swordsmanship and archery skills respectively. Mortimer scored a 10 as well for his trident skills and his unexpected chemical gifts. Pearl nabbed a 5 for her lackluster attempts at the trident, but impressive underwater breath holding time. Jack scored a 6 for his camouflage skills and decent shelter construction. Cat surprised the gamemakers by scoring a 7 for her impressive campsite construction and decent 7/13 sword duel score.
Back in the District 4 apartment, Gill Henderson congratulated Mortimer for his high score, making him a Powerful Pina Paradise. Pearl felt dejected over her low score, but Gill assured her that what mattered is that she tried her best. He also disclosed that Dolan (D4 tribute of the 12th Hunger Games) had a lower score of 3. The three began discussing the interviews and Gill asked them what they would say. Pearl suggested she disclose some waitress stories and maybe divulge some behind the counter secrets. Gill appeared satisfied by this answer, but reminded her to continue playing into her cuteness like at Darius Dock. Mortimer begrudgingly asked if sob stories were really necessary, admitting his life wasn’t as interesting. Gill argued that it was interesting, reminding him of his smuggling pastime. He warned him that both hosts are provided information by the Capital’s top journalists and peacekeepers. Mortimer said, “So, my personal life will no longer be personal.” Gill sadly confirmed and suggested he use his life story to his advantage and lean into the fact he was caught smuggling. Mortimer admitted how as much as he didn’t want to, he had no choice as he knew the importance of sponsors. He dismissed himself to his room to change. A stunned Gill asked Pearl why the sudden change in character. Pearl recalled spotting Cat talking to him, but was too far away to hear their conversation.
Phoebe was happy her tributes scored very well for her district and ordered Capital cake for them. Jack felt relieved for his 6, but expressed how nervous he was for the interview. Phoebe did remind them this was their last chance to make an impression before the arena. Jack complained how easy it would be for Cat as she had a bounty of therapy stories to pull from. Cat told him to not sell himself too short as he did have his girlfriend to talk about. Jack felt better hearing this. He changed the subject, asking if she convinced Mortimer of an alliance. Cat said he rejected the offer but had a strong feeling he would reconsider. When asked to elaborate, Cat explained how she corrected his healing potion and how it led him to a 10. She theorized that behind the standoffish persona was a smart and compassionate man who needed help in more ways than one. Phoebe patted her on the back, claiming to have taught her well. Jack cautiously hoped she was right as he wasn’t planning on confronting the careers or Wolvthorne (7) by himself. Cat jokingly responded, “When all else fails, just do what Oslo did. There will be no lions to stop you.”
The three ate a light dinner before Morrana arrived with their new outfits. She told them the great news of her promotion to Hunger Games designer after Sasha’s suspension from the Hunger Games fashion industry after drunkenly admitting to neglecting her duties. The four celebrated with some fruity nonalcoholic drinks. Jack excused himself and went to the bathroom. He pulled his tiny contraband pouch from his shoe and contemplated taking it. Against his better judgement, he swallowed its contents and flushed the pouch down the sink before rejoining the others.
The interviews came later that evening. Artemis and Luther were giving their opening monologue, quipping back and forth. Luther kept his fingers crossed for this year to give them their next Golden Victor. Artemis played off this, revealing there to be a newly erected council of gamemakers and President Rain himself who would together discuss whether the victor is Golden Victor material. The first round of interviews started off as normal. District 1’s tributes were strong if not slightly cocky. Andrei (2) bragged about his swordsman skills and said he couldn’t wait to cut down certain tributes. He refused to elaborate, claiming it to be a surprise. Vista (3) was a nervous wreck, rattling on about her job of scrapping tech, thus making the audience uncomfortable and wishing the interview over.
The Juicy Tidbits podcast revealed a notable backstage story that took place during the opening monologue. Pearl walked back and forward nervously backstage, prompting Cat to go over to her and assist her in calming her nerves through breathing exercises, introducing herself as a friend of Mortimer. Jack felt immense relief as he had been avoiding her and Phoebe once the warmweed started to kick in. Mortimer skulked in the background picking at the appetizers, watching the interaction with fascination, shutting down Ryetta (9) when she tried talking with him. Fortunately, Cat's breathing exercises worked so when Shoya (3) was applauded, Pearl was ready to jump on to the stage, nearly doing so before she was introduced.
When Capricorn Luther introduced Pearl, she pranced onto the stage wearing a flowing blue dress that started with darker shades at the top with them becoming lighter as they descended down the dress. Artemis complimented the design of the dress, Pearl returning the favor by praising her zebra print dress and Luther's antelope suit. Artemis wondered where her manners came from, calling her the nicest tribute from District 4. Luther attributed this to her waitress job and asked how long she had been working. Pearl explained she waited tables for The Brine ever since she was eleven, assisting her parents in pulling in more customers of her age demographic. Artemis asked whether they find themselves rivalling the Slippery Shell, despite not selling liquor. Pearl confirmed The Brine was labelled as a liquor free zone, which is why it came close to their high revenue. She commented on the lengths her parents went to keep her from the negative influence of alcohol. She went on to share some lighthearted waiting stories, most of them comedic by nature. The audience were entranced by Pearl’s youthful spark and fascinated by the ongoings of the restaurant business in the districts. Luther asked Pearl what she felt about her partner, remarking how he seemed like an interesting character. Pearl agreed he was different from the teens she interacted with, but still regarded him as a good man. She said he could’ve easily snapped at any time, but showed restraint, telling her there was a misunderstood soul under there who needed help in more ways than one. Artemis opened her mouth but caught herself and closed it. A couple analysts spotted this and speculated that she nearly repeated the controversial question she gave Mihika (D10 female tribute) the previous year. Luther thanked her for her time and wished her luck, dismissing her to moderate applause.
Artemis appeared excited to interview the next guest. She described him as a mystery man sporting a sexy frontal tapestry. Mortimer entered the room wearing a seagull grey three piece suit with a capri tie and his once wavy hair gelled and combed back. Audience members noticed an ever so slightly upbeat step in his walk as opposed to his slow trudge. Artemis welcomed him to the stage, saying he made quite the entrance at the train station. Mortimer quipped, “While it wasn’t my choice, I’m still happy to entertain.” Luther decided to get to the point and bluntly asked why his girlfriend Meridia was the only person he interacted with in District 4 besides his father, whispering to the audience she was the one who etched the tattoo. Mortimer said she followed him around for a couple weeks, asking to help him and he let her as he started to fall for her. Artemis remarked, “Makes me sad that her father and half of District 4 thinks you’re a hoodlum.” Mortimer retorted that enough people have screwed him over for him to share common courtesies. Luther diverted the topic to his impressive training score, wondering where his chemistry skills came from. Mortimer said, “Before you bring it up, I will say it outright” admitting to assisting in the smuggling of fish and hooks across the Orkney Stretch in exchange for warmweed, joking “Getting caught wasn’t the highlight of my day either”. He assured everyone he didn’t ingest the drug himself, but learned to separate the SHC (medical component) from the TBA (psychoactive compound) through trial and error, feeding the SHC to his father to relieve his pain. Artemis read a document, stating his father Edward Beckett was a former Faroe Island Base engineer who fractured his back in a work accident and was medically discharged. Luther asked what he would do if he won the games. Mortimer pondered over this and declared he would give his father the proper care he needed and prove to Meridia’s father and all of District 4 he was more than a delinquent with a chip on his shoulder. Artemis said she was rooting for him, dismissing him to rapturous applause, cementing him as a new favorite.
After a mediocre interview with Terry (5), Artemis and Luther welcomed Cat to the stage, using her full first name Catalina. Cat revealed herself, wearing a sparkling amber dress with laced high boots, tiara, and a pair of glasses she specifically requested. As she sat down, she told everyone to call her Cat. Artemis first asked what the glasses were for, Cat playfully saying they made her look smart. Luther brushed past the “How is the Capital?” pleasantries and brought up her job back home. Cat explained to the audience she was a therapist working at her mentor’s Kento Rehabilitation Centre under her tutelage. She considered Phoebe an amazing role model and attributed her people reading skills to her. She even added how her games inspired her to practice the sword. Artemis asked her to tell them something about Phoebe nobody else knows. Cat disclosed that Phoebe’s platinum blonde hair is in fact natural, despite the rumors spread in District 6 and the Capital. She proceeded to highlight her occupation by relaying some patient stories, choosing to not reveal any names for confidentiality purposes. Audience members noticed she never portrayed her patients in a negative light, understanding her compassion for the lowly members of District 6’s society. Artemis commented how her initiative and compassion must attract some cute boys. Cat mentioned how she regrets never asking out one of her coworkers. Luther said she could do so if she wins. Cat made clear she would receive her therapy licence and improve the rehabilitation centre first before worrying about “relationship quarrels”. Artemis remarked, “Go get the bag sis!” Luther dismissed Cat to great applause, many calling her a dark horse.
Jack was the next to be called onto the stage. He stumbled out from under the curtain wearing a basic black and white suit and buckled shoes with the golden chain and top hat being the standouts. While wandering onto the stage, he nearly fell forward but fortunately caught himself. He sat on the chair and told Artemis and Luther to call him Jack. Artemis remarked how much a coincidence it was for two tributes in a row to have nicknames for themselves. Luther appeared slightly suspicious of Jack being unable to keep his head still, noticing it slowly nodding back and forth. He asked him about his life back home, bringing up his refinery work in the hovercraft warehouse. Jack simply stated, “It gets hot in there.” The audience was put off by his demeanor and began to whisper amongst themselves whether he was high despite his previous moments of clarity. Artemis, who was also having second thoughts, diverted to the topic of his girlfriend Tyre. Jack tiredly said she was the only light in his bleak existence. He called out his parents for always being absent and leaving him to his own devices to go get high on warmweed. Luther asked if this was the reason he smuggled warmweed to the Orkney Stretch with the older kids before getting caught. Jack bitterly said someone had to put food on the table, catching his drooping head while saying that statement. Artemis expressed her hopes that he could make it back to Tyre and be together. Jack gave her a death glare and told her he didn’t believe she cared whether he died or not. He boldly stated that if she wanted him to be with Tyre so badly, then he wouldn’t have been reaped in the first place. The second he finished that statement, he threw up all over her shoes, narrowly missing Luther’s. The crowd began booing him and calling for his death in the games. Luther quickly dismissed the boy as he was carried away by peacekeepers. A quick investigation unearthed the flushed pouch and a blood warmweed count (BWC) of 0.05%.
The rest of the interviews went along swimmingly, with Wolvthorne (7) becoming a Capital favorite. Things also became emotional when Mishti (10) cried about missing her pet dog. While Head Gamemaker Grimstone expressed his hopes for a successful games, the tributes returned to their apartment.
Gill congratulated Pearl and Mortimer on their interviews, favorably comparing them to the previous year. Pearl had hopes this would translate to more sponsors, but Gill told her there was no guarantee and it was up to the Capital. Mortimer responded, “Where have I heard that before?” Gill was slightly offended and asked what he meant. Mortimer said he did nothing to help his dad after his accident on the Faroe Island Base. Gill claimed he tried, but he didn’t have jurisdiction outside of the application process. He added that he did offer him independent compensation out of his own pocket but was angrily turned away. Pearl added how her father also wanted to help, calling Mortimer arrogant and selfish. Mortimer tried to object, but Gill warned him to be careful of his words. He claimed to know more about what he’s going through than anyone, citing his former Azores Island Base employed father, once disapproving father-in-law, and self-bestowed status de facto man of the house as proof. Gill then declared, “I admit I haven’t endured the same trials as you, but don’t you dare say I don’t have even a hint of what is going on inside that head. I know exactly who you are, boy! Because you’re me!” Mortimer and Gill stared each other down for what felt like an eternity, the latter standing in absolute shock and silence before responding with, “What a pair we are.” He stormed off into his room and never came out for the remainder of the night. Pearl asked if he would be okay, Gill answering that he’s done all he could for him. Pearl thought there was still hope for him, remembering that he didn’t shut his girlfriend Meridia out.
Back in the District 6 apartment, Phoebe was berating Jack for lying about having warmweed. She revealed he made an absolute fool of himself and was now the least liked tribute of the year. Jack, who was now in withdrawal, tried to apologise in between puking fits. Phoebe said he destroyed his chances of sponsorship and hoped he didn’t ruin Cat’s. Cat pleaded with her to calm down and knelt beside Jack. She patted his back as he returned the last of his dinner. When he was finished, he apologised to everyone and expressed how difficult it was to stave off warmweed. Phoebe’s demeanour softened and assured him she understood more than anyone. Cat told him that regardless, she will be more than happy to fight by his side in the arena. Jack thanked her before retiring to the bathtub. Phoebe expressed her worries about him experiencing withdrawal in the arena. Cat said that he had something she didn’t in her games: someone to watch over him. The two embraced, Phoebe saying she will miss her terribly if she doesn’t make it. Cat promised she would fight her hardest to ensure one of them would make it out. The two were unaware of Jack listening in from behind the cracked door of his room.
The next morning, all tributes were escorted to the holding rooms located in the underbelly of the arena. This year’s arena attire consisted of dark lycra suits with the district numbers on the right breast with black plimsolls for their feet. When Minerva entered Pearl’s holding room, she spotted her staring at her teal blue district number. Minerva assured her everything would be alright and that she believed in her. Pearl shrugged, saying it would be nice to give the Capital another fourteen-year-old victor. Minerva exclaimed, “That’s the spirit!” reminding her she had an excellent ally to help her along. The two gave a final embrace before Pearl entered her tube. Mortimer was visited by Gill and the two were silent for half of the allotted two minutes. Mortimer said he thought everything over and admitted that they were in fact very similar. He commented how he probably should have at least accepted his help. Gill expressed how glad he was for them to have worked things out, commenting how the two could’ve been good friends. Mortimer swore he would try to win, but asked him to promise to kick Adrian Carrack’s ass for him. The two shook on it and Mortimer stepped into his tube.
Phoebe visited Cat in her room, stepping in to see her doing breathing exercises. The two immediately embraced, both shedding some tears. Phoebe lamented not having her good friend let alone her best therapist leaving her. Cat promised she would use everything she taught her to bring herself and Jack to the end. She added that she had someone else who will help her out, hinting at Mortimer. Phoebe promised to take care of her patients and keep an eye on her brother. Cat thanked her and stepped into the tube but not before she said “Avskedslärare’, which in the old Swedish tongue translated to “Goodbye teacher”. As for Jack, he was visited by Morrana. He seemed resigned to the fact Phoebe didn’t visit him, saying he didn’t blame her. Morrana assured him she would’ve come if it were allowed. Jack lamented his newfound infamy, stating how he would have to do something great to redeem himself. Morrana told him he had nothing to prove and that he should focus on trying to win regardless of what other people thought. Jack sighed and thanked her for trying, but he remained unconvinced. He promised to do right by Cat and help her make it to the end. He hugged Morrana, thanking her for stepping up. He stepped into the tube. When all tributes were in the tubes, they all rose into the arena.

Throwaway account.
My(65f) niece(25f) rents out my basement suite as her house is currently under construction. Her mom/my sister lives in another country. For the sake of simplicity we'll call my niece Chloe, and my sister Amy.
Now, the living arrangement was agreed upon by all three parties so that Chloe wouldn't have to pay a ridiculously high rent rate, and because Amy wanted me to be nearby to take care of Chloe. About a year ago Chloe became a partner at a renovation business, and 6 months ago broke up with her (now ex) boyfriend - G.
Here's where this gets complicated.
About 2 months ago, Chloe started to bring home a man. They came home together at night, and left together in the morning. I'm not a huge fan of him as he often stays up at night drinking, being loud, and also smokes inside the basement suite (we did not agree to have smoking of any kind when Chloe moved in). Honestly I'd prefer if he stopped coming around because I can smell the smoke from upstairs in my room, but she's an adult and what she does with her life and her choice in partners is up to her.
But then a few weeks ago I found out that the man that she's been bringing home isn't another random boyfriend, he's one of her business partners at the company. To clarify, there's two other partners at the company. One that's a younger fellow, and the other that's a little older AND has a wife + two kids. She's been bringing home the one that is married.
He and Chloe also both contracted COVID during this time and have still been drinking + smoking, which now has my worried about my health as I can smell the smoke and am in riskier age group for COVID.
Obviously all of this has set off huge alarm bells in my head. Not enough to confront her since it's her life, but I felt like it was my obligation to let my sister know what's going on. So after talking to my SECOND sister (June), I called my sister (Amy) and let her know that her daughter (Chloe) was bringing him home.
Amy called Chloe and asked her what she was doing bringing home a married man and getting involved in the scandal. Chloe was understandably livid at me for telling her mom.
A week later Amy came into town (this was a planned trip to oversee the construction of the house), not because of this madness). Amy and Chloe talked. Chloe told her mother that her partner wasn't coming over because they were fooling around. He's coming over because... (1) their business isn't doing well and there's people looking for him, so he can't be at home. And (2) because he had COVID, he didn't want to go home and spread it to his family.
Amy believes Chloe.
The thing that bothers me though, is that Amy is now going around telling my family (including people that knew nothing about this story) that I've been spreading lies about her daughter and telling them what I said and 'what actually happened'. I understand that Chloe would be extremely upset at me. I can't believe my sister's blaming me for keeping her informed though.
AITA?
-edit-
Couple points of clarification.
(1) Parts of Chloe's story don't add up. She was bringing her partner (not boss) around long before he had covid. She also sends her mom a large sum of money every month so either the business is doing fine or is sinking because of how much she takes out of it.
(2) Chloe did not arrange the living situation. Her mom did and has been paying a massively reduced rent amount under the table. I did not ask them to pay rent and offered for them to stay for free - Amy insisted that she pay to have her daughter there for convenience and to have family close by.