'Harris is right now in that danger zone'

'Congress will act swiftly'

Books Wind and Truth Wind and Truth Read-Along Discussion: Interludes 1 and 2 What did you think of these two nail-biting interludes, starring Kalak and Odium (Todium? Vargodium?) By Paige Vest, Lyndsey Luther, Drew McCaffrey | Published on September 16, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Happy Monday, Sanderfans and Cosmere Chickens! It’s time for another Wind and Truth read-along discussion. Chapters 12 and 13 wrapped up the events of Day One, and so we’re on to the Interludes before we dive into Day Two! Today we’ll be discussing Kalak and… dun-dun-dunnn… Odium. Note that this post will possibly contain full Cosmere spoilers, so beware if you aren’t caught up on all Cosmere content. And please remember, when posting or commenting about these preview chapters on social media, to follow your platform’s spoiler rules. Pattern says, “No spoilers!” Your comments here, however, don’t need to be spoiler-tagged, so feel free to comment as you will down below… Onward to our commentary! Paige’s Summary and Commentary There are no epigraphs on Interludes, of course, so let’s dive right in! Interlude 1 is from Kalak’s POV. As you’ll remember from chapter 7, he chose to stay at Lasting Integrity after Shallan and Adolin (astride Gallant!) left with the Windrunners. In this Interlude, Kalak goes to his quarters and locks himself in, thinking that, after all of his long years of life, he still doesn’t want to die. He wonders if he should have gone with the Radiants and then decides that he needs to hide somewhere other than Lasting Integrity because Thaidakar, “a Herald from another world,” could send someone else after him. He goes into his study to gather his things and… the drapes by the window grab him, tie him up, shove a gag in his mouth, and slam him against the wall. He wonders if this is some art of Stonewards but we know better, don’t we, Sanderfans? If you recall Kaladin’s visit to Zahel in chapter 15 of Rhythm of War, “The Light and the Music,” Zahel used Awakening to manipulate cloth when he was sparring with Kaladin. As we know, Zahel is Vasher from Warbreaker and can use Breath to Awaken objects. Whoever is in Kalak’s chambers obviously has the same ability. I imagine Drew will delve into this a bit more below, so let’s move on. Kalak thinks he recognizes the man sitting at his desk as one of Adolin’s soldiers, a foreigner with long mustaches and a floppy hat. Then he notices a dagger on the desk. A dagger with a gemstone. Kalak the Herald, king and warrior (once upon a time), whimpers. The man tells him not to worry about the dagger and opens a box, which reveals the seon that Shallan had been using, given to her by Mraize. The timid, frightened little creature that Shallan had freed. And she’s a bit different than what we saw before. She pops out of the box, bright and confident, telling Felt, the foreigner, how aggravating her experience has been. She didn’t care for Shallan, it would seem, and faked being a frightened, imprisoned “spren” once Shallan rebelled against Mraize. The seon, Ala, has already revealed Mishram’s location to Iyatil and Kelsier, and Kalak realizes that everything he had discussed in front of Shallan has been relayed to the Ghostbloods. He feels a fool for not realizing who the real spy was. Ala asks Felt if it’s time to use the dagger, but he says they’ll wait as he doesn’t trust the dagger. He notes that Iyatil gave it to him and that he doesn’t work for that “masked witch.” He says that “Lord Kelsier” told him to be careful, so they’ll just sit tight and wait for further instructions. Kalak, though now a prisoner with the threat of death or worse hanging over his head, is actually relieved that at least he didn’t have to make any more decisions. Poor old guy. In Interlude 2, we see Odium. ::foreboding music:: This interlude is titled “The Divided God” and, indeed, we see that Odium is of two minds as he holds the body of a dying child in a backwater called Tu Bayla. There is a famine and a war raging between the kingdoms of Jah Kaved and Aziri; in the chaos, the government has collapsed and warlords rule. Cultivation arrives, manifesting as a woman dressed in green and brown, and Odium begins to speak to her, stating that while there is so much to experience with vast power, there’s also so much suffering. He talks of the pain and misery he finds all around him: “Infinite capacity to see. Infinite capacity to feel. Infinite capacity for agony.” Odium (“That was not my name, he thought. I cannot lose myself in godhood”) is both “thinking” and “feeling” with the thinking side of him understanding that in the grand scheme of things, suffering is bound to happen and that the universe is complicated. The feeling side of him just wants to weep. And he feels rage. He is, after all, the god of passions. And we know that Taravangian also had a great capacity to feel, and holding the shard of Odium seems to have expanded that capacity. Odium and Cultivation talk about how much he essentially wants to make people do what he wants them to do. She stresses how important it is to leave them to make their own choices. She tells him he’s forbidden from taking direct action and he states that he could break the pact his predecessor made which would, of course, leave him open to attack. But Odium says he can basically force people to behave and Cultivation tells him that he knows he can’t do that. “What,” Cultivation said, “do we do instead?”“You want me to say,” he whispered, “that we create systems—teachings, incentives—that encourage the right decisions. That we prevent war by building up societies where people choose peace. We prevent greed by nurturing governments where the greedy are held accountable. We take time, and we steer, but we do not dominate.”“Yes.” Odium then gets angry. He blames his predecessor, Honor, and Cultivation for the state of the world, saying that they had eight thousand years to fix things. He says that he can do better. She tells him to calm the Everstorm and restore peace. He insists that wouldn’t fix it and that it wouldn’t be fixed until there was one god. Cultivation warns him from that path, saying it destroyed his predecessor. He states that he destroyed Rayse and tells her to leave him. Knowing that she’ll work against him, he tells himself that he is Taravangian and that he holds Odium… that he won’t let it rule. But then he goes on to think about his mission in Karbranth—only now, he’s determined to save them all. So, Sanderfans… What are your thoughts on these interludes? We know that Shallan is intending to hunt for Mishram, but now she’s going to be racing against Mraize and Iyatil to do so, since they know of her plan thanks to the seon spy. What will become of Kalak? Will Felt kill him, trap his soul, and let him fade into oblivion? How about Taravangian? Can he really hold the shard and not allow Odium to control him? Does anyone really think it’s possible to control Odium? I personally don’t—I think that Taravangian’s mind is already corrupted by Odium—but tell me what you think in the comments! Lyndsey’s Commentary: Characters and Relationships Interlude 1, Kalak: Appropriately enough, the herald in all four arches is Kalak (Kelek), patron of the Willshapers. His attributes are Resolute/Builder and his role is Maker. Seeing as how the interlude unfolds from his POV, I don’t think there’s much more analysis that needs to be done here. Interlude 2, Odium: Nalan (Nale), Herald of Justice, patron of Skybreakers is present in all four arches. His attributes are Just/Confident, and his role is Judge. I believe that Nalan appears here because Toadium is debating the prospect of “justice” on a grand scale, but that’s just my best guess. Kalak Eyes closed, he tried to remember the man he’d once been, the hero who had fought for thousands of years. His life seemed a blur, a wash of grey and brown, a fresh painting left out in the storm. It’s hard to form any sort of psychological analysis on a character who is, for all intents and purposes, immortal. How could we, as simple mortals, possibly understand the mindset of someone who has lived for thousands of years? Yet this is the thing that Sanderson (and many other authors before and most certainly after him) has attempted to portray. There’s something alluring about immortal characters. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know that I’ve always wished to leave something behind me, to not simply disappear when I’m gone. And if there were an option for you, yourself, to continue on? Would you take it? This is prevalent in so many types of fiction, including but not limited to vampires (which I think is part of the reason that they’re so continually alluring). I have to admit that I was a HUGE fan of the Highlander TV show in my youth (yes, I know about the remake in the works and I have mixed feelings about it), so this is a subject that I may have done more thinking about than most. Who wants to live forever, indeed. The Heralds in Sanderson’s work deal with all the issues that we’d expect from characters who have outlived so many of their loved ones, and they’ve paid the price for their longevity. Most of them are barely hanging on to their sanity… if they are at all. And in this chapter, Kalak is confronted with the very real possibility of his existence ending. He clearly wants to continue living, and who can blame him for that? But Kelsier and his Ghostbloods have other plans for him, which I’m certain Drew will get into below. Taravangian/Odium (I also like to refer to him as Toadium) Quick note that this interlude takes place in Tu Bayla, which is here. That was not my name, he thought. I cannot lose myself in godhood…Odium wept for them, and—having formed a body from his infinite essence—held one little boy close. And: I can see to the ends of the cosmere. I can see the lives of people great and small. I had thought this wonderful, with so much to experience, but now I find only suffering. And: “I am the very substance of passion, and where a person suffers anywhere in this miserable galaxy, I feel it. That is the burden of this power.” Hoo boy. Lots to unpack here. Taravangian was always willing to do whatever it took to do what he saw as protecting his people, and now that definition of “his people” has broadened to the entirety of the Cosmere. I see some interesting parallels here between his ideas about creating harmony in the universe and Thanos in the MCU. They both have good intentions, theoretically: saving people and removing strife. However, their methods of achieving said intentions are problematic on so many levels. Can you save half the universe by killing the other half? Sure. Can you save a kingdom by hiring an assassin to eliminate other world leaders, thereby distracting them from your own country? Yup. Is it ethical to do either? Depends on your perspective, doesn’t it? It’s the classic trolley problem played out on a universal scale. (For those unfamiliar, see the wiki article here.) I’ve often said that I appreciate Taravangian as a villain because he exemplifies the “I don’t see myself as a villain” trope, and his ascension to godhood has heightened this. He now has access to near omnipresence and omnipotence (with some limitations), and seeing what he does with them is going to be fascinating. (And horrifying, I’m sure.) Are there any right answers to this dilemma? Well, he sure thinks he has one: By directly intervening on such a granular level, he risked creating a society where no one learned, and where society did not progress. By supernaturally forbidding warlords, he would also stifle scientists and artists. By removing the capacity for violence, he would also remove the capacity for mercy. And: “There is a spectrum of choice that can be allowed,” he said. “No society can persist with complete freedom, and growth can happen within limits. I can make it so that free will exists to an acceptable state, while also preventing famines.” Now HERE’s a really fascinating moral debate. Can limitations on freedom create a better society? Well, the existence of laws would certainly indicate that to be so. Society enforces limitations on freedom in all sorts of ways, thereby creating a more equitable and safe society for all. But Toadium appears to be planning to remove free choice entirely, by removing the very ability to even think of or do certain things. Is this crossing the line? Or is it an acceptable loss in order to remove the possibility of violence, bloodshed, and death? Does it lessen the impact of kindness, to remove the capacity for violence? Does that even matter when what’s at stake is human life? I leave it to you in the comments to debate. Because I honestly don’t have an answer. Drew’s Commentary: Invested Arts and Theories Our first set of interludes comes out of the gate hard with some eye-opening Cosmere and Investiture implications. Nearly straight away in the Kalak interlude, we get a potential bomb dropped on us: Without Ishar holding some of it back… it would have destroyed him long ago. Somehow (almost certainly through Ishar’s uniquely powerful command of Connection), it seems that Ishar is directly helping the other Heralds by shielding them from the insanity that plagues them all. This is a huge revelation, to be honest, as it not only has direct impact on the current conflict on Roshar, but also opens up potential utility for all long-lived people and Cognitive Shadows across the Cosmere. Vasher and Hoid are notably dealing with their long lives, and the crushing weight of memory, by storing memories in Breaths. That’s a fairly accessible source of Investiture, and less traumatic to acquire than some, but it’s still a limited resource. However Ishar is helping out the other Heralds, it might be something anyone with sufficient knowledge of Connection could do. It makes you wonder if, somewhere on Scadrial, a certain spiked survivor has been directing his minions to keep an eye on Ishar… “Well hello, Herald,” said a man sitting at Kalak’s desk. “If you don’t mind, I have a few questions.” Because he’s certainly having his agents keep an eye on Kalak! All this time, Felt has been a Ghostblood. It seems so obvious in hindsight (he is from Scadrial, after all) but this caught me off-guard. On top of his apparent loyalty to Kelsier—specifically to Kelsier, not to Iyatil or Mraize—Felt has a secret arsenal of Invested power. He may not be an Allomancer or Feruchemist, but he sure has a stash of Breaths and knows what he’s doing when it comes to Awakening. Immediately, the drapes from the window beside the door seized him, wrapping around him like two grasping hands, pulling him tight. They’d been cut into strange shapes. No wonder Felt was such an effective scout and soldier that Dalinar took him on important missions like the trip to the Valley. But that’s not all we get in these interludes, oh no. No no no. We get Odium. We get the Divided God. It has been a burning question in the Stormlight fandom since the day Rhythm of War came out: Does Taravangian’s boon/curse still hold? In my mind, this interlude shows that it does—to an extent. Ascension has clearly changed the game, but Taravangian is still wrestling with what’s essentially a split personality. He is challenged by the powerful emotions that allowed him Connection to the Shard of Odium in the first place, and the “capacity to save humankind” that gave him such tremendous powers of thought and intuition. He may be uniquely dangerous as a Vessel for Odium, but that doesn’t mean we have some Mega-Moriarty situation here; he isn’t a ruthless, coldhearted mastermind. However, that doesn’t make him less dangerous, but rather unstable. He may have difficulty managing his long-term plans, but this could make him more capable of short-term, catastrophic decision-making. And, hmm, would you call ten days “short term” for a Shard? I’ll leave you with this tidbit from Vargodium: “Because you killed your father, and now worry the same will happen to you.” What do we think? Is he talking about Adonalsium, or something more personal that he plucked from the depths of Cultivation’s presence in the Spiritual Realm? Fan Theories Lyn: Over on Reddit, there hasn’t been a ton of discussion on chapters 12 and 13. Not as much as in previous chapters, anyway—though I expect there will be a TON for this week’s chapter. I would like to point out this theory that caught my eye though, by TheBigFreeze8: There are a lot of parallels between Vin and the mist and Kaladin and the wind. Both have a unique connection to their chosen, uh, gas, to the extent where it even seems to respond physically to them in unique ways.If a shard can invest some of its power as mist, why couldn’t God themselves invest some of their power as wind? Reddit comment of the week for me goes to this one—I’m simply linking to it here because you all need to go over to see it for yourselves and upvote it. We’ll be keeping an eye on the comment sections of posts about this article on various social media platforms and may include some of your comments/speculation (with attribution) on future weeks’ articles! Keep the conversation going, and PLEASE remember to spoiler-tag your comments on social media to help preserve the surprise for those who choose to wait for the full release. See you next Monday with chapters 14 and 15! (Also, go and check out Lyn’s FB author page for a little special something that she’s going to be giving away this week…) The post <i>Wind and Truth</i> Read-Along Discussion: Interludes 1 and 2 appeared first on Reactor.

Excerpts Wind and Truth Read Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson: Interludes 1 and 2 Read new chapters from the new Stormlight Archive book every Monday, leading up to its release on December 6th By Brandon Sanderson | Published on September 16, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Brandon Sanderson’s epic Stormlight Archive fantasy series will continue with Wind and Truth, the concluding volume of the first major arc of this ten-book series. A defining pillar of Sanderson’s “Cosmere” fantasy book universe, this newest installment of The Stormlight Archive promises huge developments for the world of Roshar, the struggles of the Knights Radiant (and friends!), and for the Cosmere at large. Reactor is serializing the new book from now until its release date on December 6, 2024. A new installment will go live every Monday at 11 AM ET, along with read-along commentary from Stormlight beta readers and Cosmere experts Lyndsey Luther, Drew McCaffrey, and Paige Vest. You can find every chapter and commentary post published so far in the Wind and Truth index. We’re thrilled to also include chapters from the audiobook edition of Wind and Truth, read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. Click here to jump straight to the audio excerpt! Note: Title art is not final and will be updated as soon as the final cover is revealed. Interlude 1: Kalak Kalak locked himself into his secure building in Lasting Integrity. He checked the locks three times, then sighed, closing his eyes. The Radiants were gone. He’d survived so, so many things, but this escape felt narrower than the others. He couldn’t help thinking that the payment for his frighteningly long life was coming due. Even after all this time, he didn’t want to die. He put his back to the door, breathing hard. Should he have gone with them? Eyes closed, he tried to remember the man he’d once been, the hero who had fought for thousands of years. His life seemed a blur, a wash of grey and brown, a fresh painting left out in the storm. These days he felt only panic, indecision, and a crushing darkness. Always nearby, always threatening him. Without Ishar holding some of it back… it would have destroyed him long ago. But he’d survived. He’d survived. What if the Ghostbloods sent others? Thaidakar wanted him. Thaidakar, a Herald from another world, a creature who was resourceful and brutal. I need to hide somewhere else, Kalak thought. Yes. I will gather my things and… and I will go. He rushed into his study, opening the door and stepping through. Immediately, the drapes from the window beside the door seized him, wrapping around him like two grasping hands, pulling him tight. They’d been cut into strange shapes. What was this? Some art of Stonewards? He panicked, but the cloth—moving on its own—filled his mouth. Like a constrictor from the old world, it bound him, tied around him, then slammed him against the wall and held him there. He whimpered. “Well hello, Herald,” said a man sitting at Kalak’s desk. “If you don’t mind, I have a few questions.” He was a foreigner, with long mustaches and a short stature. Pale skin, his hands laced before him. A floppy hat rested atop the desk. Kalak thought he recognized the man. A member of the caravan? One of Prince Adolin’s soldiers? Oh… oh no… A dagger with a gemstone affixed to the crossguard lay next to the hat. The foreigner glanced at it, then smiled. “Oh, don’t focus on that. We won’t be needing it, will we?” Kalak whimpered again. The stranger picked up the box that Shallan had relinquished to Kalak, the one that held the seon. The creature liked to hide inside, timid and— The stranger rapped on the box, and the ball of light popped out. “We good, Felt?” it asked with a feminine voice. “Should be,” Felt replied. “Finally!” the spren said. “You have no idea how aggravating that experience was.” “You did well,” Felt said, leaning back in Kalak’s chair. “I heard Shallan and Adolin talking, worried about the trauma you’d undergone by being ‘in prison.’ ” “Domi!” the spren replied. “If I had to listen to one more lovers’ spat between those two—let alone one more makeup session—I would grow a stomach so I could vomit.” The ball of light swooped over to where Kalak was held against the wall. The spren’s entire air had changed from a frightened and abused creature—with dim light, and a symbol flickering at the center—to a glowing, confident sphere. Storms… this was the thing they’d used to communicate. It knew everything they’d discussed. The real spy hadn’t been Shallan. He felt such a fool. He, more than any, should have realized the potential for spren to turn against you. He struggled weakly in the strange bonds. “I was about to interrogate him, Ala,” Felt said. “There might not be a need,” Ala replied. “I’ve already relayed the information on Mishram’s location to Iyatil.” “And Lord Kelsier?” Felt said. “I don’t work for that masked witch.” “Him as well,” Ala said. “Obviously.” The spren hovered around Kalak’s head. “Do we use the dagger?” Felt considered it, saw Kalak’s distress, and frowned. “No. I don’t trust it—Iyatil gave it to us, and Lord Kelsier said to be careful. I think we wait to make sure the mission goes as planned. Mraize and Iyatil might contact us for more explanations. So we sit tight, keep this one company, and bide our time.” “I’m ready to be done with this world.” “It’s not so bad,” Felt said, idly playing with the dagger that could—if used correctly—end Kalak forever. “Once you get used to everyone being a foot taller than you are. Be patient, Ala. Only a fool assumes they know everything, and Kalak might yet have a part to play.” Kalak squeezed his eyes shut, trembling, his heart beating rapidly. But a part of him… a part of him was relieved. It seemed that one way or another, further decisions were out of his hands. Interlude 2: The Divided God Odium knelt, holding a dying child. This was Tu Bayla, considered a backwater by other nations—a place where foreign armies clashed, rather than ruining their own lands. Azir had fought Jah Keved—or Alethkar, when it held Jah Keved—here dozens of times over. Few thought of Tu Bayla; when mortal, Odium never had. Yet it had its own wonderful traditions. The people raised a strain of domesticated mink as hunting companions, and nearly everyone had one as a pet. They named their daughters after stars and their sons after flowers. They loved to sing, and had the greatest variety of instruments on all of Roshar, though few outsiders ever got to hear the beautiful music. Now they died. A famine had struck the land, initiated by the passing Everstorm destroying crops—exacerbated by the ending of trade between Azir and Jah Keved, who were now on opposite sides of the war. Most importantly, in the chaos, the government had collapsed and warlords claimed any supplies for themselves, using them as leverage to rule. So many children died here, unseen. And Odium… That was not my name, he thought. I cannot lose myself in godhood. Odium wept for them, and—having formed a body from his infinite essence—held one little boy close. Cultivation appeared behind him, wearing clothing that evoked the woods—green and vibrant brown, dark hair in tight curls. “I have infinite capacity,” Odium whispered, his voice ragged. “I can see to the ends of the cosmere. I can see the lives of people great and small. I had thought this wonderful, with so much to experience, but now I find only suffering. Infinite capacity to see. Infinite capacity to feel. Infinite capacity for agony.” “Yes,” Cultivation said softly. Odium was a person divided. One side thinking, the other feeling. The former understood that with his vast powers and knowledge, he would of course have to accept certain drawbacks or complications. The latter just wanted to weep. “This is a curse,” he said, holding the dying child close. “I should be able to help them. Save them!” “You are forbidden,” Cultivation said, “from taking direct action against any who are not fully given to you.” “Because of the pact my predecessor made,” he spat. “I can break it.” “In so doing, you would be vulnerable to outside attack,” she said. “The powers bind us to our promises, particularly those made and sealed with a formal oath.” She crouched by him. “You promised to teach me what it is to be a god,” he whispered. “I am,” she said. “I know the pain, Odium, and why it must be. Tell me you don’t. Tell me you can’t understand.” The logical side of him asserted control, shoving down the side that simply wanted to rage. “I understand,” he admitted. “Assuming these were fully mine, and I were allowed, it would not be enough. I could wave my hand, heal this boy’s body—but I’d return in several weeks and find him starving again, because the systems that caused this suffering are still in place.” “Yes.” “So I change the systems,” he said. “I strike down the warlords who hoard resources! I force them to share, to not hurt one another. I make pain impossible.” “And in so doing…” “I create a country where there are no consequences. Is that so bad?” “You tell me,” she said in her infuriatingly calm way. Yes, it would be bad. He could see all the permutations of time, as well as attempts by other Shards like himself to do this very thing. By directly intervening on such a granular level, he risked creating a society where no one learned, and where civilization did not progress. By supernaturally forbidding warlords, he would also stifle scientists and artists. By removing the capacity for violence, he would also remove the capacity for mercy. The child died. He saw the soul briefly before it vanished to a place beyond his touch. “What do we do instead?” Cultivation said. “You want me to say,” he whispered, “that we create systems—teachings, incentives—that encourage the right decisions. That we prevent war by building up societies where people choose peace. We prevent greed by nurturing governments where the greedy are held accountable. We take time, and we steer, but we do not dominate.” “Yes.” He carefully rested the child’s body on the ground, then stood to face Cultivation, who rose to meet him eye to eye. Anger made him tremble. This divinity he held, it had so much emotion he could barely steer it. “I blame you,” he hissed. “For the boy’s death?” Cultivation said. “But I just showed you that—” “I blame you,” he said, “because you should have done better. Eight thousand years, and you should have fixed this. All three of you.” “You can see the circumstances that prevented that.” “Your fault still. I can do better.” “Odium… do not make this mistake.” “The problem,” he said, “is not these people. You shift the blame to them with elementary theological arguments.” “Elementary,” she replied, “in the same way that gravity is elementary. Basic, because it is the foundation. People must be allowed choice.” “There is a spectrum of choice that can be allowed,” he said. “No society can persist with complete freedom, and growth can happen within limits. I can make it so that free will exists to an acceptable degree, while also preventing famines.” “You could do it now,” she said. “Calm the Everstorm. Make peace between nations. Restore trade.” “And in so doing, set them up for another war in a few years? Learn your own lessons, Cultivation. These people will not get along because they have different forces manipulating them. Honor’s touch lingers, and your own meddling—invisible to most—creates so much tension and strife. It is worse in the greater cosmere. So many gods who are cowards.” “Because we give people choice?” “Because you killed your father, and now worry the same will happen to you. Like the warlords here, you consolidate power so that no one can kill you.” He stepped toward her, raising a fist, the emotions making a tempest of rage inside him. “I am the very substance of passion, and where a person suffers anywhere in this miserable galaxy, I feel it. That is the burden of this power.” “It is why,” she said, “I called yours the most dangerous and difficult of them all. You can be the one who—” “I know their anger, Cultivation. Do not lecture me. Oh, I taste it. Every moment. And I also know there will not be a way to soothe that agony, not until…” She held his eyes. He saw in them the depths of eternity, as he was sure she saw in his—for these forms they wore were but cloaks across a vast essence that was itself infinite. “Not until what?” she demanded. “Not until there is but one god,” Odium whispered. “Do not go down this path. It destroyed your predecessor.” “I destroyed my predecessor,” he said. “Leave me. I am finished with your ‘lessons.’ ” She did, stalking away and vanishing—leaving him with the knowledge that she would work against him. She had already been planning to do so, pulling on threads for millennia to get what she wanted. She had raised him up because the old Odium was becoming too violent, too willing to destroy everything as the emotions raged freely. This had been her only choice to prevent a much greater cataclysm. The divided one knelt, and let himself feel. He was not Odium. He held Odium. He would not let it rule. He was not Odium. He was Taravangian. And he had an important mission, the same that he’d given himself years ago when he’d seen the threat to Kharbranth—then had moved to save it. He was the one who could both see the coming danger and be willing to stop it. He was Taravangian, the divided one—and he could save them. All of them. Excerpted from Wind and Truth, copyright © 2024 Dragonsteel Entertainment. Join the Read-along Here Find All Excerpts From Wind and Truth Here Listen to Interludes 1 and 2 MacmillanAudio · Interludes – WIND AND TRUTH by Brandon Sanderson, narrated by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer Buy the Book Wind and Truth Brandon Sanderson Book Five of The Stormlight Archive Buy Book Wind and Truth Brandon Sanderson Book Five of The Stormlight Archive Book Five of The Stormlight Archive Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget The post Read <i>Wind and Truth</i> by Brandon Sanderson: Interludes 1 and 2 appeared first on Reactor.

A day after the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., released a whistleblower report on failures by the Secret Service’s failures in the first assassination attempt on the 45th president.  The report found the Secret Service intelligence units were absent from the Butler, Pennsylvania rally on July 13. The intelligence units are teams of Secret Service agents that were paired with state and local law enforcement to handle reports of suspicious persons. ?? NEW – Following the latest assassination attempt on ??@realDonaldTrump?, I’m releasing a comprehensive Whistleblower Report on the multiple failures of Secret Service & DHS – including new allegations & numerous unanswered questions due to USSS stonewalling pic.twitter.com/Rxcim9N05U— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) September 16, 2024 Hawley also found that the hospital where Trump was treated was poorly secured. Hawley’s report said the hospital site agency failed to answer basic questions regarding site security.  The report further highlights that neither the Secret Service, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, nor the DHS, provided answers about who made decisions to deny counter sniper coverage to the rooftop where the Pennsylvania shooter shot Trump.  The report also says neither agency would publicly name the lead site agency for the rally.  The agencies did not answer about reports that the Secret Service denied the Trump campaign requested resources.  Hawley is a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and is among members of Congress to personally survey the Butler, Pennsylvania site.  The senator shared the report with the House Task Force investigating the July 13 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a shooter grazed Trump’s ear with a bullet.  This is a breaking news story and will be updated. The post BREAKING: Hawley Drops Whistleblower Report on Secret Service Failures in First Trump Assassination Attempt appeared first on The Daily Signal.

by Victor Davis Hansen, @VDHansen Just two months after the failed Trump assassination attempt of one Thomas Matthew Crooks, we witnessed today yet another foiled one by Ryan Wesley Routh—a would-be assassin and anti-Trump/radical pro-Ukraine War social media addict. Somehow he too once again got within relatively easy shooting range of ex-President Trump. Is there a continued pattern here of lax Trump Secret Service protection, coupled with a general social media and televised climate that equates Trump with Hitler and lowers the bar of the assassination? That is, are we sending unambiguous messages to would-be assassins that a) lots of Trump-hating people would welcome an assassination attempt and canonize the wannabe assailant; b) it would not be that difficult to pull an assassination off given security laxity and incompetence; and thus c) we will likely witness a series of such unhinged attempts? On August 14, almost exactly two months ago, I predicted the following: If Donald Trump all summer has been compared by his enemies to Hitler and his murderous Third Reich, and if a 20-year-old would-be assassin and murderer with ease took up a sniper’s position to kill Trump—without a notified Secret Service or other law enforcement attempting to abort the shooter’s attempted assassination—what signal does that send to other would-be assassins for the next 80 days of the 2024 campaign? Is the message that if a 20-year-old amateur sniper can brazenly and visibly for nearly an hour breach all Secret Service security perimeters to shoot eight times at the president, hit him in the ear, kill one innocent bystander, and wound two others, then almost any future, more-experienced serious shooter could match or exceed the ability of that disturbed amateur to get close enough to Trump to fire more than eight shots at his head? And that shooting Donald Trump in many leftist quarters would subsequently earn the unhinged killer eternal fame, applause, and immortality? And that if there are such anticipated rewards and perceived opportunities, then we may well see more attempts on candidate Trump’s life? ————————- And here is just today’s example of the usual leftwing daily vitriol equating Trump with some sort of existential enemy that must be somehow stopped—expressed on both television and social media: After the would-be assassination attempt, the Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted this: “Extreme MAGA Republicans are the party of a national abortion ban and Trump’s Project 2025. We must stop them.” Jeffries is spreading untruths: Trump has never supported a national abortion ban and has consistently distanced himself from the Heritage Project 2025. And after such deliberately lying what exactly does the House Minority Leader mean by “We must stop them”? And after today’s failed assassination attempt, Rachel Vindman, wife of Alexander Vindman of Trump first impeachment notoriety, and sister-in-law to current Congressional candidate Eugene Vindman, posted “No ears were harmed. Carry on with your Sunday afternoon.” What does Ms. Vindman mean? Another weekend, just another attempt to kill Trump, so no big deal? And also, just today on MSNBC Democratic activist Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis ranted (to the silence of the network’s host Jonathan Capehart), “Let’s not pretend that Donald Trump isn’t exactly like Mussolini, exactly like Hitler…You nice Christians, kind, loving Jewish people – we’re not these people. We’re not these people. And we’re not going to get what we want if we elect this fascist, authoritarian weasel.” So, what does the Reverend suggest to Americans that they do with such a Hitlerian weasel? And we should remind Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, for yet the nth time, that Donald Trump did not call for a “bloodbath” (he was talking about the economic consequences to the U.S. automobile industry of mandating EVs, and outsourcing automobile plants and jobs to Mexico). Nor did he claim that white supremacists were good people at Charlottesville—but, as the liberal Snopes fact checked, just the opposite: “I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists, because they should be condemned totally.” These serial assassination attempts, unfortunately, occur in a weary context of Russian collusion, laptop disinformation, state ballot removal, and lawfare. And they are starting to reflect a larger environment of justifying extra-legal means to achieve the ends of ending Trump’s presidency and later reelection by any means necessary. So, it is all that hard over the next fifty days for President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas to extend adequate Secret Service security for ex-president and Republican presidential nominee Trump—which some congressional Democrats, led by January 6th Committee co-chairman Benny Thompson, had sought to stop entirely in April of this year? And can we just stop with the demonizing of Trump as a Hitler/fascist/bloodbath/weasel/dictator that must be stopped—before we see third, fourth, and fifth such assassination attempts? The post The Deadly Get Trump Climate Continues…. appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Actors who work with one another for months or even years are bound to catch feelings. Whether they're onscreen siblings or each others' love interests, their character chemistry manifested in real life, too! But some actors like to keep their love lives private, keeping things a secret until years later. From the forbidden love of "Brangelina" to the strange pairing of The Brady Bunch' Source

Learn how to plant cauliflower in your cool-weather garden this fall. Cauliflower can be used as a healthy substitute for starches or in cauliflower recipes. In this article: Ideal Climate Soil Requirements When to Plant The Site and Spacing Water and Fertilizer Needs Blanching Pest Control and Disease Prevention Harvesting and Storing RELATED: Fall Harvest Crops | 23 Vegetables To Grow This Season Ultimate Guide on How to Plant Cauliflower this Fall Planting Cauliflower this Fall In the winter months, I miss my garden bursting with produce. Last year I grew a couple of things but decided to branch out and try some new things this year. Last year one of my most successful winter crops was cauliflower. Use the “All Year Round” variety and this tutorial to learn how to plant cauliflower this fall. I substitute cauliflower for potatoes when I'm feeling a little thicker around the middle from a more indoor time when it's cold out. And can I tell you a secret? I may just like the cauliflower better with most things. But don't tell the potatoes that. Ideal Climate Cauliflower belongs to the cabbage or cole family (Brassica oleracea). Like most cole crops, it requires cool weather and grows best when daytime temperatures are between 65 and 80 F. The trick to growing cauliflower is consistently cool temperatures, so when you plant one in your homestead timing is of the essence to catch the temperature which is most suitable for it to flourish. Soil Requirements Cauliflower grows best in soils rich in organic matters and plenty of calcium. Moist, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.5 and 6.8 is required for optimum growth and to discourage clubroot disease. When to Plant During the fall season, you can directly sow cauliflower seeds in your garden if the soil temperature is between 65°F and 75°F and where the weather will remain cool. Plant cauliflower in autumn for a winter harvest where winters are mild and frost-free. The time from planting to harvest is 85 to 130 days for cauliflower grown from seed, and 55 to 100 days for cauliflower grown from transplants. The Site and Spacing Plant cauliflowers where there is adequate sunlight. Like most vegetables, cauliflower needs at least 6 hours of full sun each day. Any partial shade will reduce head size. Sow cauliflower seeds ½ inch deep and set them at least 24 inches apart in the row with 30 inches space between rows. Cauliflower may also be planted with ‘companion' plants to help them flourish like beets, celery, herbs, onions, and potatoes. Avoid pole beans, strawberries, and tomatoes. Water and Fertilizer Needs Do not let the ground dry out, cauliflowers require evenly moist ground to grow. It is best to perform a soil test first to determine fertilizer and lime application. However, in the absence of a soil test, 2 to 3 pounds of 8-16-16 fertilizer applied uniformly over 100 square feet of the garden area is suggested. Work the fertilizer thoroughly into the soil about two weeks before planting time. RELATED: 8 Cauliflower Nutrition Facts and Benefits that Will Surprise You Blanching Blanching is often done as cauliflower plants begin to mature and the head or curd starts to form. This is to protect the heads from rain and too much sun, and to ensure the curd will be white and tender at harvest. Start blanching white cauliflower varieties when the head gets to be about the size of an egg. How to blanch: Draw three or four leaves over the head and secure them with a rubber band. Check regularly. You can untie it to peek and tie it back if needed. Pest Control and Disease Prevention Cauliflower can be attacked by cutworms, cabbage loopers, imported cabbage worms, cabbage root maggots, aphids, and flea beetles. Control pests with fine mesh row covers, handpicking, and spraying with BT (Bacillus thuringiensis). Root rotting is a common disease with cauliflowers. Prevent root rots by keeping the garden free of debris and avoiding handling plants when they are wet. Immediately remove and destroy infected plants to prevent it from spreading to other seedlings. Harvesting and Storing Knowing when to harvest cauliflower is important. The head is usually ready in about a week or so after blanching them. Mature cauliflower heads can range in size from 6 inches to 12 inches across. Harvest when the buds are still tight and unopened. Use or preserve right away. Watch this video from The Ripe Tomato Farms on how to plant cauliflower in fall:  That's all for our cauliflower planting guide. Have you planted cauliflower before and have some tips we missed? Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comments section below. What other fall vegetables are you growing this season? Let us know in the comment section below! Up Next: 32 Cauliflower Recipes and Ideas for Healthy Eating 11 Fall Vegetables You Should Start Planting Now What Do Worms Eat? | Worm Farming 101 Fellow homesteaders, do you want to help others learn from your journey by becoming one of our original contributors? Write for us! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Welcome to the Dogington Post’s “The Weekly Roundup” where we scour the internet for the funniest posts about our furry friends. To start the year, we present you funny dog posts from Sep 08 to Sep 14 that will paws-itively make you through the rest of the week! If you’re having a ruff day, then these posts will surely have you barking in joy. When they get a little too excited about singing: Can’t stop laughing.. @casperandpam pic.twitter.com/rinlkdD7WP— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) September 8, 2024 When you watch “Emily In Paris” and this is what you feel like: when i watch emily in paris i feel like a dog who's owners left the tv on for them while they go run errands— disgraced congressman (@m3333g4n) September 12, 2024 When they’re TOO big to not be paying rent: i love my dog but this mf gotta pay rent pic.twitter.com/iW64rcEoHF— dinosaur (@dinosaurs1969) September 8, 2024 When you make use of the label maker: I used the label maker pic.twitter.com/zda9TaXKzx— Dee (@figgled) September 11, 2024 When you accommodate their size: Dad got a new porch because the old one was rotten. He asked for a dog door and the contractor said he got the biggest one because I'm a horse. pic.twitter.com/nVeHvmJLXn— Bear (@bear_stbernard) September 7, 2024 When they’re the only one on shift: she’s the only one on shift tonight pic.twitter.com/GaD0Uj81zn— apple (@missmilkton) September 11, 2024 When somebody complains about the good boys and girls’ ratings: On this day eight years ago, the following Twitter exchange occurred. pic.twitter.com/bSTaailAmF— Know Your Meme (@knowyourmeme) September 12, 2024 When you’re a dog parent and you can’t come to any social gathering: I’m sorry I can’t come. My dog expects me home by a certain time.— One Ordinary Girl (@audri_em) September 12, 2024 When they look like they’re about to serenade you: Tonight will be the night that I will bark for you https://t.co/awvN5XRpyt— Jonquilyn Hill (@jonquilynhill) September 11, 2024 When they’re too afraid of thunder and lightning: The ‘people’ in question: https://t.co/wH6QUTpPWS pic.twitter.com/WSkHyXp0GG— sorrel (@Sorrelish) September 8, 2024 When they sigh a little too loudly: me watching my dog take a deep sigh like her life just so fuckin hard pic.twitter.com/EkTJsOZcy3— Seaux Leaux (@PHaithfulGem) September 14, 2024 When life imitates art: Cute dog yoga pic.twitter.com/yerVmV0afR— Doglover (@puppiesDoglover) September 14, 2024 When you cheat on them and they exact their revenge: pic.twitter.com/DQJNHjHkrz— Doglover (@puppiesDoglover) September 14, 2024 When they hear about the “news” of people eating dogs: THEY'RE EATING THE DOGS pic.twitter.com/lQqMW5l8pT— Tarquin (@Tarquin_Helmet) September 11, 2024 When they complain about food: https://twitter.com/Yoda4ever/status/1833469986255585553 When they try to make you forget their mistake: Let's just hug, it's all in the past pic.twitter.com/gP2b8ewvF0— B&S (@_B___S) September 9, 2024 When they’re sleeping on the job: Guard dog on duty.. pic.twitter.com/SC55NI1r3v— ?o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) September 9, 2024 When you teach them a lesson! @shaynarose3 #fyp #fypシ #fypage #boxer #puppy #puppytiktok #boxerdog #training ♬ original sound – Shayna Rose When you find the best paw-sidential candidates: @jerabu4 New candidates entering the arena THIS 2024… Who’s policies will dominate the polls this time!? #election2024 #vote #candidate #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Jerabu When you have deep conversations with them: @pubity I actually understood every word #RoadTo15Million #Pubity (Johnny Taylor (AppalachianSpaceNerd) via ViralHog) ♬ original sound – Pubity When there’s one trick, but two different dogs: @pubity Wait for the 2nd dog’s attempt #RoadTo15Million #Pubity (Jazmyne Hutchinson via ViralHog) ♬ original sound – Pubity When you see this hooman “walking” her dog: @dan60611 Crying #dogwalk #dog #tiktok #fyp #funnyvideos #funnydogs ♬ original sound – Dan O’Shea When communication is key! @margiemack501 ♬ Carmen Habanera, classical opera(1283412) – perfectpanda When you finally find evidence of people eating the dogs: @nanarodriguez9 ♬ original sound – skyden17 If you just can’t get enough of our weekly roundup, you can check out last week’s batch of posts!

Melania: Watch Out for the FBI