THE CRADLE OF PROPHECY

As usual, the occupation forces destroyed medical warehouses where medicines and vital supplies were stored, causing a complete lack of healthcare and an exorbitant rise in the prices of the remaining medicines, if any could be found.

Like, a cop in the United States can pull you over for any reason. Which is a nice way of saying no reason, because literally anything can be used after the fact as justification. A cop can say its cuz you looked at him, or didnt look at him, or it looked like you were holding something, or looked like you were driving too perfectly for it to be natural. It's insane.

There are apparently no circumstances where a cop can't just kill you. The line the courts have applied is "reasonably believed" you were a threat, but that's such a nebulous nothing limit that people get shot for reaching for their license, having their phone in their hand, you're running away with no weapon, not being able to follow conflicting commands, like anything. And cops are almost never charged, because every court is going to believe he could "reasonably believe" he was threatened. Fuck, if you give me enough time, I can make any situation seem juuuuust plausibly threatening enough to pass that bar. It's insane.

A cop can just rob you. Like tell you to give him your wallet, take all the cash out, and just walk away with it. Exactly like you would imagine getting robbed in an alley would go, except no one can help. And he doesn't even have to hide it, he just drops it in a box at the station and they put it in their bank account. It's legal. You can't prove it wasn't drug money. I can't prove any money wasn't at some point drug money. It's insane.

If a cop just walks in your front door and says "I'm here to kill you and your entire family" YOU ARE GOING TO PRISON IF YOU STOP HIM. There is no positive defense for assaulting a police officer in the United States, and doubly so if you kill him. You have effectively no defense against a homicidal cop, which happens same as any other job. Unless for some reason you have cameras all thru your house and clearly caught the audio of him saying that he's there just to kill you, you have zero chance of not going to prison, probably for life. And that's assuming you aren't killed "resisting arrest" while being taken into custody. It is a crime, in this country, for you to defend yourself under any circumstances if the person you're defending yourself from is a cop. That's insane.

You don't have civil rights if a cop says so. You have the right to have a gun, right? A lot of states have open carry. A cop can shoot you if he sees you have a gun. Doesn't matter if you have a license and everything. So you effectively don't have the right to bear arms if a cop can shoot you for exercising it. You have the right to protest. Unless a cop tells you to stop. He doesn't need a real reason to tell you to stop. And if you don't stop, you can be arrested or shot. So you don't really have the right to protest, do you? A cop cant just search your car or house, right? Unless he claims he heard something, or smelled something, neither of which can be proven. So a cop can search whatever he wants, as long as he pretends there was a "reason". So you dont have protection from unreasonable search and seizure, do you? These are no longer rights- they're things the cops allow.. for now. But legally, those rights have already been found to not actually be rights, because any random cop can decide to take that right from you, for any reason. It's insane.

Diné Weaver Venancio Aragón

"From researching historic twill patterns in museum collections to dyeing wool with Kool-Aid, Diné (Navajo) weaver and instructor Venancio Aragón interlocks research and experimentation to expand the visual and technical vocabularies of Diné weaving. Working on the Diné upright loom, Aragón is part of a generation of Diné weavers who reinterpret ancestral knowledge through experimentation, carrying the medium forward on their own terms. As he stated in our interview with him, “I am not a purist.”

Based in Farmington, New Mexico, Aragón is trained in cultural anthropology and Native American and Indigenous studies, currently teaching at Diné College, the Navajo Nation’s tribal college. Before transitioning to full-time weaving and teaching, Aragón worked as an interpretive park ranger at the Mesa Verde, Aztec Ruins, Bandelier, and Petroglyph National Monuments, where he led tours and developed public education initiatives. He was born to the Tó’aheedlíinii (The Water Flow Together People) clan and born for the Naakaii (Mexican people). His maternal grandfather is of the Tsénahabiłnii (Sleeping Rock) clan, and his paternal grandfather is of the Naakaii (Mexican people)."

So a while back I asked Twitter/bsky “Hey transfemmes (or anyone vaguely adjacent) what’s a non-medical thing you wish someone had told you sooner in your transition that you know now?” And got the following answers:

-For Black transfemmes in particular - Everyone’s care tends to be different, but for mine (between 3c/4a depending) I wash and detangle 1x/w with argan oil shampoo/conditioner and curly detangler brush, sleep in silk bonnet. Knowing roughly what hair type you have will help you find more care, find what’s closest from the following, but you may be between!

-Buy a pumice stone for your feet bc moisturizer alone isnt enough

-Go to an esthetician and ask for your eyebrows “cleaned up a bit”

-“More companies make different undershades of orange concealers, incl pinkier ones, at all price points. They can be used for all pigmentation, dark eye circles, shadow from hair growth etc. Your horomonal chemistry changing means softer scents smell different w long wear now!”

-“If you a newbie, neutral shimmer that matches your lids swiped up to your brows + light mascara brightens up the face w/out requiring a ton of skill/cash”

-“Use Lotion! Using a mild college girl scent will be good for your confidence and will ensconce the impression of "busy girl"”

-“You don't need as aggressive shampoo/conditioner/holding product. Trim your ends or your hair won't get longer. Cute hairpins + scrunchies are widely avail at walmart, daiso etc and can help pull together a casual look, and specialty designs can be found via Etsy”

-“Consider buying even one simple hairband for keeping hair/bangs out of face even when hair is in the awkward short-long stage while you do stuff like clean. “

-If you have curly/coiled hair texture look for larger silk scrunchies as smaller ones tangle in our hair easier!!

-“look, sad-lil babytrans asciicat, you'll never figure out how people have money to do all the things to be so pretty - don't even sweat it, just buy a bunch of cheap skater skirts and feel free to lose yourself in the joy of wearing them.”

-“Glasses help a lot to feminize the face. As always, there are exceptions but delicate round glasses help this. Take a lot of pics to find your favorite angles, raise your head and/or try not to slouch in your pics, posing and posture is everything”

-“one of my biggest self love discoveries: just take the damn selfie. even if you feel gross, just take it - you'll like it in a few weeks. also it's okay to have favorite parts of your body. take pics of it often”

-“That nothing more transformative for my self-image than just doing makeup/changing what kind of clothes I wear. First time I properly got to wear a dress in public, and later when I first did my own makeup, it really hit and stuck that I am a woman. And not a bad-looking one.”

-“if you not super confident with makeup, but want to start wearing it, it's ok to start small. try glosses. practicing simple eyelining. a dash of mascara. "less is more" is a great rule for makeup in general, and it's ok to take time to find a look that best suits your face”

-“Snug period undies usually have a wide gusset and extra layers of material, making them a good (and much cheaper) alternative to gaff undies for tucking”

-“Ask a fashionable friend with a sense of style you admire to go clothes shopping with you, to help you find items that fit your frame. Barring that, keep in mind that high waisted pants and dresses are typically a good place to start”

-“poise and posture and movement are a huge part of presentation and can be incredibly empowering but also really painful”

-“- eye cream. invest in the future

- non-comedogenic lotion (especially after shaving) for less ingrown hairs/happier skin

- eye makeup BEFORE foundation

- halter necklines are very kind to strong shoulder silhouettes

- crossover dresses have more play in fit than many options”

-“Accept well meant advice, but never let anyone tell you what is and isn't 'ladylike'. Also, Venus razors with those thick moisturizing blocks are magic when it comes to shaving any part of your body.”

-“Glasses are huge. Go bold; folks are gonna notice you anyway, it might as well be for something you chose. Get a haircut, even if you're growing your hair out. Hairdressers are wizards, and the shaping can make you look more feminine even if your hair's still shorter.”

-“I am cis but I come to you from years in the large women's shoes trenches, that you do not suffer as I have: Nordstrom Rack. Watch the calendar for the Large Shoe Event they have like twice a year. Zappos and its outlet 6pm are also pretty good, and Rothy's has extended sizes. Toms and Madewell also go up to size 12. Toms is known for the simple canvas flats but they also have cute,high-quality leather sandals and booties!”

-“if something gives you gender euphoria, DO IT, and do it a lot! you’ll quickly lose the initial rush of euphoria, but it will help you feel centered and whole. for me, nail polish and comfy dresses were super helpful for feeling feminine all the time”

-“curly/coily-haired cuties most likely already know but sleeping with a bonnet has been a game changer. as a straight-haired girlie, it keeps my hair from tugging as i toss and turn in my sleep, from getting sweaty, and my scalp doesnt get sore like sleeping in a bun/pony does”

-“the big ones for me:

1. you dont have to do makeup most days

2. you dont have to dress hyperfemme

3. washing your hair every day is not good

4. if you're confident enough, people wont question your gender”

-“This is so basic (and not directly trans related) but no-one ever told me to use body lotion as a kid. I distinctly remember asking friends how to deal with body acne, and I got tips for exfoliating, but I guess they just assumed I knew lotion was a thing already”

-“if a piece of costume jewelry or metal hardware in a piece of clothing doesn’t agree with your skin you can put a layer or two of clear nail polish top coat on the offending object”

(Source) August 2nd, 2026.