#(trying to make things as accessible as possible!)

[3liza]

this was in the tags of a very funny screenshot and i didnt want to derail there, so i will make a new post: dishwashers manufactured after 2013 take MUCH less water than washing dishes by hand. it seems counterintuitive but it is provably true and has been tested extensively. if you are washing dishes by hand as a way to lower utility bills you are shooting yourself in the foot. dishwashers also sterilize dishes and in general are much much much much cleaner than hand washing, which becomes extra important if you live with anyone who has immune issues, long covid, cancer, etc. if you tried to hand wash your dishes with the temperature possible inside a dishwasher you would get serious burns. it's not physically possible to hand wash dishes and get them cleaner (as in, the amount of bacteria and other contaminants on the surface) than you can with a dishwasher. its almost like an autoclave in there

also do not use sponges to clean things but thats a different post

oh my god i went looking for the sponge bacteria post and found these tags. everyone on this website needs to pay attention in school when they teach you about germ theory. i personally know four people who became permanently crippled from getting basic bacterial food poisoning once. bacteria does in fact make you drop dead, but more often it just makes you permanently ill for the rest of your life. i know "hygiene hypothesis" (being too clean makes you sicker in the long run) was big for a while in the 2000s but its been mostly debunked

it's obvious and inarguable that having a dishwasher at all is a first world thing, and only the wealthy or lucky members of the first world. it's a luxury. what im trying to say is that if you have access to one of these luxury machines, please use it. i run into so many people who have dishwashers and dont use them and then backpat themselves about water saving and cleanliness, both of which are measurably worse with handwashing. its not virtuous or practical or efficient to wash dishes by hand if you have a functional dishwasher.

questions of "laziness" etc can be referred to other discussions of disability vs protestantism and wont be addressed here. but i will mention that i know a few people who have to hand wash and have been able to use a barstool to make being at the sink for long periods of time easier.

[thesylenttreatment01]

Broke Sylus??!!?

Okay, so this is a literal weird shower thought I got while listening to Elton Johns "Your Song" but like... what if Sylus, our known Mr. Rich-don't-look-at-the-price-tags, got his assets frozen?

Something happened, someone got a tip, several forces teamed up together, he forgot his banking information, but for some reason or another Sylus can't access a large portion of his funds and can't use any of his many bases. He has no money or very little-- nothing but the stylish shirts on his back and his ingenuity.

I think that this idea could be wonderfully delicious because while he is trying to fix the issue to regain control of his fortune- Sylus needs to live frugal.

AND who is the only trusted poor person he knows who lives in a small shoe box apartment in Linkon? Ah, its you.

He tries to hide it at first I think-- phrasing it like he just misses you sweetie, and does he really need an excuse to come see you?

But then one night turns into two, then three, and so on. Its been a week or two and he still hasn't gone home. And, its not that you don't like having Sylus around, on the contrary, its kinda nice to have his stupid body heat curled up to you at night.

But he just seems out of place and uncomfortable... Definitely irritated.

That cabinet that hit him? Its back with a vengeance.

Your kitchen? Apparently inspires claustrophobia.

Your Plushies? Always in graphicly morbid or obscene positions when you get home.

That was another thing, Sylus seems to be going stir crazy in your apartment. While he tries to busy himself with figuring out how to get his fortune back, it can only fill so much time in a day. Every time you got home? Sylus was on you. Physically almost suffocating you sometimes with touches, hugs, kisses, and literally just laying his entire weight on you (not the worst way to go you reckon).

But anytime he wasn't physically connected to you, he was doing something. Making food, cleaning the apartment, trying to make repairs around the house (key word trying: this man assembled an entire crow mechanically, and has built and created multiple types of advanced weapons... but that goddamn Ikea table that wabbles. He swears to god, as soon as he gets his fortune back he will be refurbishing your apartment )

It wasn't bad per say, You appreciated him. But this was a far cry away from the man who would sit and read. Who's apathetic smirks and smug expressions were instead laced with a level of hyperactivity that was making YOU itchy for him.

Finally you sit him down and ask him about it. You ask him why he isn't at his many bases, why he wasn't insisting that YOU come to the N109 zone like he always had.

He deflects, getting irritated as to why you had so many questions. Weren't you the one always complaining about the commute sweetie? He was simply returning the favor. Did you not want him there?

You feel irritation as he starts to lash out at you. But you know Sylus. You know the man you've been literally bound to. He wouldn't be this angry if there wasn't something going on and you remind him of such.

He grows quiet. Too quiet. You can see the adam's apple in his throat start to bob as he clears his throat. He can't look at you. Not in the eyes.

Finally, he scoffs, “Your cabinet hit me again this morning. I think it’s developing a vendetta.”

His coin falls into his palm as he mindlessly starts flipping coin tricks as if by instinct.

“And your plumbing,” he continues, as if giving a battlefield report. “ -- it makes this sound at exactly 2:47 am every night that I can only assume is a call to arms , or possibly a mating call. I'm still waiting to hear if the sink reports back"

He gestures vaguely toward the kitchen. “The refrigerator bulb flickers like it's trying to communicate in Morse code. I believe its saying 'Miss. Hunter, please put me out of my misery' And your thermostat? I’ve seen war zones with better climate control.”

His voice is dry, but there’s something strange underneath it-- some tightness. Like he’s actively trying to keep something from slipping from his lips.

“It’s been weeks, and I still can’t tell if your oven is broken or just rebelling.”

Then, with a humorless smile, “But no--sweetie I'm fine. Everything’s just charming.”

You open your mouth to retort, getting sick of hearing about how screwed up your house was, but he talks right through it.

“I can’t access my funds,” he says, casually, like he’s noting a change in the weather. “Every account, every asset, frozen. My bases flagged. My name redacted from half the databases I built myself.”

He turns to face you finally, but still won’t meet your eyes.

“So unless your couch has a pension plan I’m unaware of, I’m currently surviving on your instant ramen and the slow erosion of my dignity.”

And there it was. The bombshell. The pin that finally dropped to the floor as the grenade was cast across the room. Finally it all made sense. The frantic nature, the endless sleep over, and the bitter remarks and irritability. Sylus wasn't irritated. He was scared. Maybe for the first time in his life, control had been taken from the man who controlled it all.

You tried to meet his eyes, but he still refused to meet your gaze. The silence stretched out, with three seconds feeling like hour. Finally, after a moment of respect. You don't say a word. Sylus starts to feel the tension burn in his chest, like was about to explode in anger, in shame, in fear, in regret and --

the sound of your heels thumped against the wood floor. Suddenly, a rush of pressured wrapped around around his shoulders as you hung from him, embracing him. You knew there wasn't anything you could say to make Sylus feel better. In fact, you were pretty sure words would only irritate him. But now you knew. You knew this secret that he had been probably carrying around for weeks alone. The pain and the fear that he had probably felt for the first time in a long time. So you don't say anything. You don't fill the room with empty words and apologies. You just embrace him you pull him down slightly to your level as you try and rest his chin on your shoulder and you run your fingers through his hair.

Sylus stiffened under the sudden pressure. He wasn't sure what he was expecting from you. In fact frankly, he half expected you to start yelling at him. Maybe an apology or two. But this.

This was just what he needed. He needed you.

He slowly relaxed as he bent down further into your arms and nuzzled into your shoulder. He could try for the rest of his life, but he didn't know if he could ever really express to you how much he needed that hug. You stand there together for a few moments. Time froze as the unspoken words that he dared not to say were finally voiced, and that fear of the unknown, the endless possibilities of your reaction: rejection? Of anger? Of fear? all moot while he was in your arms.

From that point forward, you decide to help Sylus learn to live more on the cheaper side of things. Sylus, now learns that to him, your just Miss. Hunter. But to others? You are known as Miss. Bargain Hunter

First rule of living cheap: Brand names are off the table. Any time you can find Honey Nut Loops instead of Cheerios is a good day. ("sweetie, I'm broke, not dead... but I'm certain anything that calls itself a loop will kill me")

Second rule of living cheap: Just because something is on sale, doesn't mean its cheap!!!! ("SYLUS?!!?? YOU CANNOT BUY A 300 DOLLAR JACKET!" "Kitten, aren't you always telling me I have to look for bargains everywhere? Use my opportunistic nature? This was originally a thousand dollars, that's basically as predatory as it gets. Besides, you needed a new coat" *proceeds to bonk some sense into the crow*)

Third rule of living cheap: If you craving something to eat? Keep your Crimson eyes headed towards the door. Anything they can make in a restaurant, we probably have at home (this one Sylus doesn't seem to protest as much. Sylus actually popular to the contrary enjoys cooking meals especially if you two do it together)

Despite the challenges, Sylus adapts fairly well even though he bitches the entire way along. With a little more penny pinching, a lot more coffee, and endless nights spent trying to break his way back into his own bank account, Sylus might come out of this yet.

However, despite the fact that Sylus was no longer hemorrhage cash, he was still bleeding pretty badly from what he would tell you. So one night you pull open an spreadsheet and have him pull open his credit card reports to go through his spending habits to see how you could fix it.

You’re sitting cross-legged on the floor of your tiny apartment, surrounded by receipts, statements, and a near-empty bottle of wine sitting between two glasses. Sylus is sprawled on the couch, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he uses a neon yellow highlighter to mark one-time expenses

“Okay,” you say, tapping through the PDF print outs. “We’ve got your emergency backup account, which has… wow, just under $11,000. Honestly better than I thought. You’re doing great.”

He grunts, seemingly unconvinced.

“But there’s a recurring expense. Thousand bucks a month. You didn’t mention that. What’s it for?”

Silence.

You glance back to the couch from your laptop. Sylus seems to be reinvigorated and suddenly very interested in highlighting different things (totally not drawing you as a kitten yelling at him).

“Sylus,” you say flatly.

“It’s nothing important, Sweetie” he mutters.

“You’re bleeding money, Sy. If it’s not important, we need to cut it.”

“No.” The word snaps out sharper, final, much more commanding than he means it to. “It stays.”

You blink. “You’re literally broke and you’re protecting a thousand-dollar line item?”

He exhales slowly, hand dragging down his face. “…It’s for Luke and Kieran”

You pause, staring back at him.

“They’ve got a small place. I’ve been covering it since this mess started.” He finally meets your eyes, expression unreadable. “I sent them to check on a threat to one of our investment facilities. I told them I was working off-grid and not to contact me unless it was urgent. They think I’m fine. I want it to stay that way.”

You stare at him a moment longer, heart twisting.

“So while you’ve been sleeping on my couch, eating dollar ramen and trying to murder my cabinet… you’ve been making sure they were okay?”

He shrugs, too casual. “Well, Kitten, as glamours as your lifestyle maybe, I didn’t think you had room for three freeloaders.”

You had wondered about the twins. You feared to ask, Sylus has been extremely secretive about this entire incident and you feared that asking too many questions might cause Sylus to shut you out again. Since Onychinus still seemed to be up and working, you had figured that the twins were okay, probably still employed but working for someone or somewhere else. You figured it was a touchy subject.

But you had no idea how touchy it had been.

The realization washes over you. No, it doesn't wash over you, it crashes over you like a tidal wave as his words settle on you. Sylus, the biggest and baddest criminal almost in the world-- he always took care of everyone else.

Here he was, cutting back on expenses, buying off-brand oatmeal (you couldn't convince him the cereal was safe), swallowing his pride, sacrificing his privacy and comfort and did all of this silently. He was sitting here worried about his finances and growing tired with stress but held it all together that the people he cared about, and dare I say loved, wouldn't worry.

And that realization coils low in your stomach, heat curling around your spine with unsettling precision.

Because, of course.

Of course he would still be taking care of someone else.

You close your laptop and push it gently aside as you shift toward him. You climb into his lap without hesitation, your knees bracketing his hips, sliding your arms around his neck.

He looks up at you, slightly startled, until your lips graze his with a feather-light touch.

“You’re insane,” you whisper against his mouth.

Before he can counter with some dry or snarky, you press a kiss to his lips--slow and deep, like you’re trying to memorize the shape of his mouth all over again.

His body melts slightly as he leans into your touch, exhaling into it, hands already finding your waist, grounding himself in the only thing he doesn’t feel like he’s losing.

As you break for just a moment of air, your teeth grazing the bottom of his lips you gently push back with your finger over his lips

“I'll let you keep your monthly expense,” you say firmly. “ But only under one condition. And you won't argue with me about it. Because I will win.”

His lips curl up into an amused smirk. “Kitten-"

“Half, Sylus.”

You meet his gaze dead-on. “If you're keeping them housed, I'm paying half. You don’t get to carry the world alone anymore.”

Silence. Then that familiar twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"And if I refuse?”

“Then I’ll start sending the money directly to Luke and Kieran myself, and let them know why.”

He groans, grabbing your hand and pulling you flush against his chest, “Emotional blackmail. You’re learning the ropes quickly Sweetie”

“You maybe a great teacher,” you murmur, leaning in pressing a small kiss to his lips. “But I'm a better student”

You decide that you had done enough budgeting for the night as you both find... some completely free activities to engage in that evening. You even tease Sylus reminding him that some of the most fun a person can have can be free.

It took time, frankly more time than Sylus expected, but he eventually recovered access to his funds. Bit by bit, the pieces of his life were restored--falling back into place piece by piece: his accounts reopened, his assets unfrozen, and his name returned to the networks that once again feared to whisper it.

He never said much about how he pulled it off, and you didn’t press. Whatever strings he had to pull, cut, dislocate, or blow up....those were his business.

But something had changed.

He still grumbled every time you dragged him to discount stores and held up two nearly identical sweaters asking which was cheaper. He still looked personally insulted by off-brand anything.

But, despite his looks, his groans, and little sarcastic comments.

Sylus never forgot that strange, cramped season of his life, when the world stopped listening to him, but you never stopped holding him.

And if he ever hadn’t gotten it all back?

Well.

He figures he would’ve been just fine. He is adaptable. But more importantly, it was because even in a shoebox apartment with store-brand cereal and flickering lightbulbs, he’d had something money couldn’t buy.

You

The fierce protection of Miss. Bargain Hunter

This was fun!!! Idk why, but I really love the change in dynamics and the idea of Sylus having to learn to live like a commoner XD XD but yeah XD have a good day

[many-gay-magpies]

i feel inclined to make a post about the time i was trying to write something in-depth about queerplatonic payneland/aromantic charles and how he and edwin would work out their feelings for each other in that scenario, and i DID end up writing a short queerplatonic payneland fic, but it was basically just me self-indulgently making them smooch aromantic style for 3000 words. the actual longer fic id planned to write exploring aromantic charles never came to fruition, because in the course of attempting to define the difference between romantic and platonic love for the purpose of writing about how CHARLES felt it differently, i realized i just. could not fucking tell the difference. at all. i made posts asking allo people what the difference was and their answers did not help me for shit.

i think, like, the conclusion i came to for my own purposes was that—charles's and edwin's feelings for each other were probably actually about the same? that is, edwin feels deep all-encompassing eternal love and affection for charles; he wants to stay with charles and keep him safe and make him smile and do cases and play board games with him forever; keep him as the most important person in his afterlife forever. then on top of that he wants to do stuff like kiss him and have sex with him and whatnot. and then charles feels all the same stuff, deep intense all-encompassing love and a desire to have edwin be His Person forever—AND he would really like to kiss edwin and probably also love having sex with him (alloaro charles, OR sex-favorable ace/demi charles who likes sex for the physical intimacy and connection more than anything). but edwin uses the societal definition of In Love to categorize/describe his feelings, naming them as explicitly romantic, while charles... has a very complicated relationship with the idea of romance, the idea of being In Love; he has never been IN LOVE with anyone, or ever thought he could be; he just knows edwin is His Person, and he wants that to be the case for as long as possible, and he also would really like to kiss him (and maybe do more than that). but there is some missing bridge between those two things labeled Romantic Love/Being In Love that he just does not have access to, with anyone. and because of that his feelings will forever be not enough.

and basically, i was swimming through all these thoughts and never felt like i found a way to write it that wouldn't feel like it was being dismissive of aromanticism by saying "youre all feeling the same thing actually and your labels dont matter". and also i kept wanting to bash my head in over romantic love as a societal construct. seriously even today im half convinced romantic love is a societal construct/intersection of other emotions human beings just slapped a label on for funsies and not an actual unique emotion. i feel a little bad for never writing that initial fic, and for the fact that most of my payneland fics these days categorize them explicitly as a reciprocal romantic relationship (where charles realizes/is fated to realize sooner or later Ah Yes I Am In Love With Edwin The Same Way Back Actually), but these thoughts and this interpretation still color pretty much everything i write/create about them: fundamentally, it does not matter whether their love is platonic, romantic, or fucking whatever in-between or on any other spot of the spectrum. what it is is huge, intense, fundamentally weird (affectionate) and codependent to a truly unhinged degree. edwin sat with charles and read to him, gave him a friend while he was dying and for every year after; charles went into literal hell to save edwin without a moment's hesitation. each of them could not possibly love the other any more than they already do. anything that changes from here on out is just a matter of perception.

anyway. it is currently five in the morning and i have not slept, and i feel like this is way more long-winded than it needs to be/not as concise or effectively-indicative of my point as it could be, but im releasing it out into the world anyway. i can come back tomorrow and add a more concise addendum if i need to. moral of the story is get aromantic about it 👍

(and also payneland are Best Friends first and foremost, always. everything else is secondary <3)

[gaykarstaagforever]

I think any media that is new has the inherent potential for stuff like this. James Rolfe became the bar by which all YouTube content is still judged, and as we are all accutely aware now, he's an awkward, mediocre talent at best. But he got in early enough that he defined the space. Anyone who manages that doesn't have to be charismatic, doesn't have to be sophisticated, doesn't have to be smart. They just have to step up and be bold and their newness and weirdness will be enough. All the Channel Awesome guys and Spoony managed that, too.

Spielberg and Lucas and Scorsese did that with movies in the 70s, redefining what "good" meant. But that was possible only because the movie industry at the time was in such decline - because most studios were still only living and dying on the success and failures of films - that they had to be open to new ideas. Now that everything is owned by private equity firms and backed by venture capital - things that didn't exist back then because sensible regulations stopped rich people from doing whatever they felt like, all the time - there is very little independence, even as far as evil corporate boardrooms are concerned. Even rich CEOs have to worry now about what some pro-Trump English billionaire wants before they approve any art project. That is obviously going to very much impact what art gets made, at this level.

MST3k, and the whole cavalcade of weird regional US TV / radio personalities / shows only existed because the market was loose and people were willing to try anything to make $15. All of that is long gone now, mostly. And yeah, looking back at any of it is weird, especially when it's in a crunchy analog format that doesn't look like anything now.

There is obviously still artistic strangeness to be had online, and given the nature of the Internet, some of it can be truly wild and mysterious. But it's so much easier now to suss out who is up to what, especially since that media landscape rewards people exposing themselves for clout. Like a shit AI band will be a headline for exactly 48 hours before the terrible white man who created it can't contain himself anymore and fires off emails bragging about it.

This is why I love low-viewcount YouTube, and try to highlight it on here. That's the crucible of genuine, accessible, late-night human strangeness, and in the end, isn't that most of the fun of art?

Like, look at this. This feels like someone trying to terrify everyone. And it isn't. It's just a blind lady laughing about horrifying primitive robot dolls that someone once thought were a good idea:

This isn't intentional art, so it's a little different in spirit. But does it matter? Art is in the eye of the beholder.

Also I need to mention that, based on what I've read, Roy Jay was an alcoholic. Stephen King and Bowie treated cocaine as a vegetable for awhile. We undersell how much great iconic art was the direct result of substance abuse, which is less likely to be tolerated in corporate media spaces now. And GOOD, because, like with Rick & Morty, that creates a hostile workplace no one should be subjected to. But that doesn't change the fact that whole Bowie albums and IT and all of pro-wrestling for 20+ years and SNL until the 2000s would not exist as they did without these men being paid to get wasted. Original Star Wars was at least 40% cocaine. That isn't a justification, but it is an acknowledgement.

And looking back on all of that compared to what Jimmy Fallon and Chris Hemsworth are doing now - yeah. It's gonna be a very different world.

Of course we also have Skibidi Toilet and AI slop now, so standards are wild and who the fuck knows, man.

Imagine having a comedy act so weird that 40 years later, people think you are an AI psyop.

I'm not going to say this is funny, because it isn't. But as absurdist comic parody, intentional or not, it definitely has its charm.

Plus, when Little and fucking Large are your competition, you automatically win. 1980s British comedy was a fascinating wasteland.

Here is an article about the actual man, free from all of the ARG / unreality / "trolling to make people think everything is AI because we're 19 yo boys with emotional problems" shit.

And do us all a favor and don't watch any of the YouTube videos by Z-tier channels trying to farm views off of this meme. They are all trying to play a role in some King in Yellow-grade thing, but in reality are just making half-assed videos filled with misinformation.

[glitzglamgunpowder-if]

Soooo pretty please the ROs seeing MC in their clothes? (+ would the ROs wear MC's clothes?) 👀 I hope you have a nice day! :) (I wanted to send another ask but it took me forever to think of something not spoilery helppp 😭😭)

THIS IS SUCH A CUTE IDEA AHHHHHHHHHHH I hope u have a nice day/night as well ty <3 oh and dw about the ask being too spoilery or not I'll probably be able to answer them regardless

Alistair/Alice Delacroix (THE RIVAL) - I think of all the ROs, Ali and MC would be the couple to share their clothes or mix-and-match with each other the most because they would be a power unit! I think Ali would be more frivolous with clothes before MC because they were spoiled, but they would grow a newfound appreciation for them after MC tries their clothes. They would be gushing over you omggg and they would definitely make a huge deal out of it to everyone like "yes that's my partner in crime and life and they look even more incredible with a piece of me on them 🤍"

Samuel/Samantha "Sam" Kaminski (THE BOSS) - This kind of reminds me of a flashback scene but it's not exactly the same thing as what happens then so I can talk about it! Sam has always valued appearance/presentation so everyone at the Syndicate would be expected to be chic and with the fashion trends like Sam (they wouldn't wear MC's clothes because to them, MC's clothes are tailored to MC's style and belongs to them). If MC chose to wear Sam's clothes, they would fain annoyance, but they would secretly love it and give out more things for them to try on ("this hat would be apt for your face") and gently demand a fashion show

Hendrik/Helena Rietveld (THE BODYGUARD) - They wouldn't even think about wearing MC's clothes because they see themselves as inferior to MC at all times so it wouldn't be "proper" to wear garments above their station. I think MC could choose to lean into this or go like "no that's ridiculous!!" H would see it as a huge honor for MC to wear their clothes though (though if anybody else stole their clothes they would be very peeved). Even if it was just a suit or a pair of shoes, they'll fawn over MC even more and have their gaze tightly fixed on you (more than usual)

Jesse Lê (THE FRIEND DETECTIVE) - Back at the circus, Jesse and MC would share what little they had with each other when possible. So, seeing MC wear Jesse's clothes would be really nostalgic for them because it would be a signal that they're gradually reaching the level of closeness they had before they were separated from each other. Jesse likes the idea of MC accessing or adjusting their outfits so every time they head to work, there's an accent or accessory keeps MC with them even while they're gone (my poor children 😭)

Someone I was talking with did essentially ask "Well if that's the case, wouldn't H do a similar subtle accessory thing like Jesse?" Which is a great question! But H wouldn't need to do that because their job requires them to be near MC at all times and H wouldn't want to give any hint that MC is their Achilles Heel or anything

[muskbunny]

trying to think of what i could possibly say to this one anon message that makes me blush uncontrollably and squirm every time i read it. other than like. i don't even think you could be held legally responsible for anything you do to me, given all of the handwritten, publicly-accessible texts i've posted about wanting this exact thing to happen, let alone the personal information i've spilled in the hopes it does. you'd get off completely scot free, especially if i don't get a good look at your face. i have a lot of thoughts about this

[polycrowtruther]

So now that the Crows are "retired" TM I was thinking about what that might look like for them.

I mean I know that Captain Inej and Nina's retirement plans are almost ironclad in being literal girlbosses fighting for the rights and freedoms of those who are being overlooked (women, children, refugees, former slaves/sexworkers, survivors, etc). and I feel like Matthias (if he were alive ;-; ) would want to join in that fight spearheading the discussion on the rights of veterans. They would all work hard in the fields of politics, freedom fighting, peace negotiations, and human/climate rights activisim.

Jesper, while I very much think those ideas matter to him and he would support his partners 1 million of his percent, speaks to me as an academic. But not like a stuffy classist academic - Jesper is a reformed gambler baybeeee he's got that rizz, he's got that moxy, he's got that SPARK in him. He's been with the lowest of the low and the highest of the high. He helped David and Kuwei synthesize the cure to parem. He's a smart boy, and I think now that he still has more chaotic/violent outlets to funnel all that energy into (re: one of his wives is literally a deadly pirate in her spare time) he actually would go back and pursue more education at college. Maybe even heavily influence how farmers and low-income individuals are viewed by the educational elites. Maybe even advocate for said "lower class" people so they could pursue "higher" education as well.

BUT HERE's my thing. I feel like my brain blast is gonna be kind of controversial but HERE ME OUT.

Yes, Wylan is obviously still going to be a Mercher. Yes, Kaz is obviously still going to be a mafioso. BUT

retired Kaz and Wylan could just also become the Grishaverse equivalent of the Mythbusters. As just like a hobby. Just two guys with dubious views of their own safety taking questions the public has and seeing what is actually true. Providing their scientific works to the public free of charge almost exclusively with the intent of providing accessible research to the common people because it would piss off their haters even more. Getting to just dick around and experiment because 99% of science is just fucking around and finding out and I think that could be SO MUCH FUN FOR THEM. Like imagine them just being like

"Hey, allegedly there were a group of inmates who broke out of Hellgate completely alone and completely from the inside (aka the Alcatraz mythbuster episode). Some people think they died in the process and some people think they survived it."

"Wanna try and recreate it? See if it really was possible?"

"We'd have to get arrested first."

"Oh don't worry, I've had an active warrant for my arrest since I was thirteen."

"Okay, cool. Should we let the others know what we're doing for the day?"

"Nah, ideally we'll be out of there by dinner."

OR LIKE

"Hey Kaz, what do you think the best way to relieve the burn of spicy food is? Milk, or jelly?"

"Fuck if I know but Jesper's out for the day and I'm bored. Let's find out."

Unlike the irl mythbusters Kaz and Wylan would get to make out at the end of each episode tho. as a treat.

[andersnordic]

Excerpts and information from Breivik’s interrogations.

In Norway, it’s important to mention that police focus on building trust through communication and empathy in order to get information. Norwegian police do not focus on “breaking down” suspects with manipulation or persuasion.

To them, it’s not an “interrogation”, it’s an interview. Hence the name, “investigative interviewing”.

[via Herbert L. Packer]

When Breivik was arrested, he said immediately “I am not alone. Cell 2 and Cell 3 will activate quite soon.”

Ten minutes into his interview, he spoke again, “you have to realize that what happened today is just firecrackers compared to what is going to happen. I am a member of a pan-European organization called the Knights Templar, cells 2 and 3 in Norway will activate.”

When faced with information like this, it’s crucial that you obtain as much information as possible. Norwegian police took him very seriously.

Breivik was interviewed 31 times over 9 months. This totals to about 220 hours of interviewing.

The public has access to none of it, aside from a transcript from his initial post arrest interview which was briefly leaked to the public after it had been stolen from the city’s police station.

Here is a small clip that I’ve translated below.

Breivik: So you've been given the regrettable task, and the honor of interrogating the biggest monster in Norwegian history since Quisling? (Quisling was a Norwegian military officer, and Nazi who helped Nazi Germany invade Norway)

Interviewer: No, I don’t see it that way. I’m going to talk to you and try to get as much information as possible about what happened and why.

Another image. he took off his shoes, lol

his interrogation team had four members: Team leader Knut Jensen, and members Geir-Egil Løken, Nina Holm Andersen (who you see in the images), and Kim Ordal.

Nina Holm Andersen was the first person to interview Breivik following his attack. Initially, they were slightly skeptical due to how they believed Breivik viewed women. They knew he saw them in a very old fashioned manner— they should stay at home, cook and clean, take care of children, etc. They were shocked to see that his first words to her (what I translated above) weren’t hostile at all.

He was extremely cooperative- Løken says that he understood his role immediately, and knew what the interrogators were there to do. He spoke without being asked many questions.

Only a few things did he refuse to elaborate on- He was very aware of what he had done. In the first interview, he said “What your bosses want now from me is some kind of information that could make the Norwegian people say that it’s over. It is not in my interest to give you that now because fear is what drives terrorism. This is why we do it.”

Breivik got extremely comfortable during his interviews, and admitted to regretting the fact that he spoke so much. During his trial, he said “Please, can’t we do this like we did in the interviews. Let me explain and you ask afterwards.”

They even held some interviews on Utøya, which is home to some of my favorite images of him. He’s on a leash.

Some notable words from Breivik during his interviews include, but aren’t limited to:

[“I walked up behind them and pointed a gun at the first man, and my body was not able to pull the trigger because it is such an awful action, and this lady turned around and looked at me and she said ‘you cannot point the pistol at this guy,’ and then I had to start. I shot him in the head and I shot her in the head and I went over to them and put two bullets in their heads.” Said with minimal emotion and remorse.]

[Breivik, On Utøya: “well it’s obvious what happened here, it was one, two, three, four persons standing there, I shot them like this, one, two, three, four and then I finished them off like this. That’s obvious.”

Løken, to Breivik: “What makes it obvious?”

Breivik: “Well you can see the blood stains on the floor here. So that is what must have happened.”

Løken: “Don’t focus on what you think happened. Focus on what you actually remember.”

Breivik: “Well actually I do not remember anything from this room.”

(I find it important to note that in retrospect, Løken refers to Breivik as a “good boy” when describing this interaction. He says that those words from him were very important because it revealed he was trying to perform for them, and that he wanted to be the “best one”. He was trying to explain everything for them the best he could.

They even praised him on break, saying that he had done very good for them simply to get him to cooperate more)]

[verseandrhyme]

Mercy upon mercies. When asked for, salvation descends in the form of a girl who really is taking this far more seriously than Mitama thinks it needs to be taken. She does not hesitate to latch onto the offered arm. She debates for a moment wrapping her own arms so tightly around it that the other may not pull free, but the thought of mistakenly looking far closer than they were keeps her still.

She is trying. Whether it looks like it to the other girl or not, an effort is being made on Mitama's part to try and accomplish the near impossible task the other student has asked of her. It was not as though ice and skating were commonly accessible things within the stagnant nature of her deeprealm!

"Pave a path?" She repeats. The glance she gives Yuzu is a cautious one. Those sorts of declarations are usually reserved for the bold and brave before daring battle. Hearing it here and now just makes her worry about what sort of ideas Yuzu has in her head.

Still. There are few other choices left to her. Though reluctant, Mitama swallows her nerves and nods, releasing Yuzu just enough to reposition herself as she sees fit.

Their start is slow, but steady. Yuzu takes the lead and Mitama follows. Perhaps that is too generous...Yuzu takes the lead and Mitama is dragged along, but not unpleasantly slow. The gentle shift of their bodies as Yuzu skates is almost relaxing, and she does not have to do much more than ensure her blades remain connected to the ice beneath them. It is pleasant. She might almost understand what people may find enjoyable about this activity.

Almost.

"Your hold is fine." She replies. Her hands feel secure and comfortable and not at all sweaty from the prolonged contact. The question reminds her to raise her head and look away from her feet, but looking at Yuzu dead on as she leads the way is...also much closer than she would like it to be. She turns her head to look over at the others skating by. "This is certainly more enjoyable...I would have complained less if I knew this was possible."

add zamboni knight to the combat manual

Excavation

[geodesick]

[ID: a drawing of pye from outer wilds, standing with her writing staff. she's wearing an orange nomai space suit without the helmet, and she has a light brown face with curly darker brown fur. end ID]

figuring out how i want to draw the nomai, so here's a pye since i am obsessed with her !!!

[sofsstucky]

That's extremely unfair, OP, and a very manicheist understanding of the characters and the overall FF world. Not only are people, and therefore characters, much more interesting when they're complex, judging them from the outside, without trying to understand the complexities involved, is just unfair and unkind. It's very easy to talk and see the whole picture when one is on the outside and has access to all the details, but the characters don't have that luxury. I see this often happening in real life, especially when judging the past or a different society, and it's actually dishonest in its simplification of the circunstances and too often a product of willfully ignorance and self-centeredness. We know Shinra is evil, the vast majority of people in that world do not. We also know the mako reactors are burning the life essence of the planet and therefore destroying it, most of the people do not. To most, Shinra's reactors are the embodiment of the future, made life easier, more comfortable, they don't know the downsides and Shinra makes sure it stays that way.

If anything, this is a cautionary tale about analyzing one's own beliefs and keeping eyes, ears and, above all, the mind open to new details and information and not easily buying into someone else's propaganda. Does it make sense that so many boys dreamed about being Shinra's heroes, if they knew it'd help destroy the planet, it was about massacring innocent people and help impose what was basically a world wide dictatorship? I doubt it. They joined SOLDIER because they believed in the concept of hero most people have: someone who helps and saves others. And given Shinra's secrets and propaganda, it's perfectly possible they mostly did heroic things like killing monsters that threatened isolated villages, fully unaware their employer was responsible for creating them.

All of this is a good exemple of how, under the right circunstances, it's perfectly possible for good people to be caught on the wrong side of things and not realize it. Everything we're given tells us how Angeal and Zack are genuinely caring and want to protect and help others, we also never see them commit atrocities or be dishonorable in the battle field. They may be on the wrong side of things, but that doesn't have to reduce them to a simplistic "they're evil", because no, they are not. We don't know much about Genesis yet, but I'm betting he's not that different from them.

I believed that all of us here know about the theme 'Genesis not beging a good guy' HE WORKED WITH SHINRA SINCE THERE HE'S A NOT GOOD PERSON HE'S AN ASSHOLE WKDNFKFK (none of crisis core is a good person except for Aerith lol) love u Alto remember to drink water <333

I think the sad thing is that characters like Genesis, Angeal, and Zack could have all been really great people outside of Shinra if they hadn't fallen for Shinra propaganda. Genesis with his inventions. Angeal with his code of honor. Zack with his golden heart and optimistic nature. They all had a shot. I think out of all of them, Zack is the only one who truly breaks free, ultimately redeeming himself by fighting back and sacrificing his life in the name of selfless love for another. That's pretty poignant.

And I think that chance is afforded to Genesis in the end as well, in whatever way he chooses. He CAN be a hero. He CAN fight for the planet on his own terms, and in a way that showcases his true nobility as a warrior. We just haven't seen it yet lmao And maybe we never will. But that door is still open.

I think another important distinction is recognizing that characters are not good people but still loving, empathizing, and ultimately caring about them. Characters like Sephiroth, who are fundamentally broken, evil individuals, are likely beyond all redemption. Genesis has many, MANY flaws. But it's still okay to care about them. And it's still okay to find value in them. Same goes for Angeal. I like that First Soldier is showing off his devotion and building him as a source of healing, while also recognizing his own moral struggles. You CAN have it both ways. Characters are layered. You don't have to condone their actions. But you can recognize their appeal, and empathize with their situation. That's what keeps the conversation going.

[nexus-nebulae]

"why are you so worried abt random accidents, stuff like that rarely ever happens" well you see I'm too disabled to ever evacuate a situation on my own, so I'd rather be a safety advocate now than become a statistic later

[lopez-richter-fangirl]

Do you honestly think tcb will reach their goal?

I have to believe that they will but I am fucking stressed and fucking scared

The thing is there’s literally no reason they SHOULDN’T. Yes it’s a bigger goal than they’ve ever had but shipwrecked raised that amount for headless and starkid raised almost double that for returns with a smaller slate of projects. Even in TCB’s own kickstarters they raised 100k for a single staged barebones workshop reading. Yes 200k is a lot of money, but for how much they’re doing with it?? It’s TINY

Two concert screenings, one of them international. A full month international play run. A brand new musical with performances in LA and eventually internationally. A concert performance of a show we’ve never heard live yet. A brand new pilot reading. And multiple performances of a live comedy game show

I do think the niche-ness of the campaign branding means they have to work harder to reach a wider audience, but for people who are already aware of what they’re doing, I don’t understand why it’s not showing in the numbers

Please, if anyone’s on the fence, tell me why and let me convince you why this is worth it

[texasdreamer01]

OP I dunno if you (still?) would find this useful, but this is good general information, anyway - I've traveled a lot, so here's a general breakdown of "how many clothes do I need?", with some reasonings given:

One week of travel (version: no fancy clothes required)

8-10 pairs of underwear

4-6 pairs of socks

7-8 shirts

2 pairs pants/pants equivalent

1 pair outdoor shoes

1 windbreaker/light coat/jacket equivalent

IF USING: 1 pair house shoes (for around hotel/hotel equivalent)

IF USING: 4-5 bras/bra equivalents

IF COLD WEATHER: 5-7 pairs sweater/sweater equivalent (+1 coat with gloves, hat, etc)

Minimums are established under the following rationale: "X days of travel + 1 spare". Ergo, 7 days of travel is 8 pairs of underwear. Why? Just in case you need to change because you spilled food on your clothes, or sat in something, or whatever, when you don't have immediate access to a washer (+ dryer).

If you're really uncertain, +1 to your minimums for clothes. Additionally, I always travel with a bit of laundry detergent (check ahead of time regarding rules for fluid vs powder vs solid block of soap).

Your carry-on that you take with you when you're seated in the plane should carry 1 spare change of clothes (i.e. a full outfit). The rationale behind this is if you lose your luggage, or the airline takes a long time to get it to you, you'll still have at least one change of clothes. The logic also follows for things like medication, hygiene products (shampoo, etc), and wherever possible, some laundry detergent (which is also useful for spot-cleaning in an airport sink + a paper towel+hand-dryer to dry the washed spot).

I always recommend taking some sort of jacket in warmer weather because 1) unexpected rain, 2) unexpected cold, and 3) extra pockets. If you're able to, shove a twenty in the local/layover currency in some inside pocket or something in case you lose your wallet, so you can get something to eat if needed.

Pack your carry-on first, then pack your luggage(s), so you can better estimate how much room you have in your luggage(s). If you only have one luggage, that's fantastic, but if you for any reason have two, try to evenly split clothing of each type (i.e. underwear, shirts) between both luggages in case one gets waylaid. More critically, pack your carry-on first so you have your favourite clothes immediately available (useful, if you shower upon arrival to your hotel room).

Additional recommendations (for: carry-on):

1x cosmetic bag

1x toothbrush (in travel case)

1x toothpaste (travel-size)

3x tissues (Kleenex, Tempo, etc)

2x toilet wipes (travel-size)

1x sanitizer (gel, liquid, etc)

1x laundry detergent (travel-size)

1x shampoo (travel-size)

1x soap (travel-size, gel, solid, etc)

1x washcloth

2x plastic bags (i.e. shopping bag, small garbage bag, etc)

IF USING: 1x hairbrush

IF USING: 1x pack of pads

IF USING: anti-nausea medication, anti-diarrhea medication, painkillers, chewing gum

Chuck all of this into the cosmetic bag, shove into your carry-on. The above is so, so useful if you ever have a long layover or have other travel disruptions. Sanitizer + tissues can clean most things in a pinch, and the plastic bags are useful for dirty clothing or similar uses. I recommend pads over tampons because you may not be in a position to safely use tampons, and frankly overnights travel better than regular.

A washcloth is super useful for catwashes at airports, and also at hotels if you don't have time for a full shower before going out. If you have any other things, like face washes, make-up, or additional medicine, then split it between your carry-on and luggage as fluid restrictions allow. Waivers for medications can be obtained from your doctor, so you don't get harassed for being "over limit".

Travel documents (for: carry-on):

Bag with zipper closure

Passport

Wallet

Phone

Phone charger (+ adapter, if using)

Written/typed list of travel contacts

Written/typed list of emergency contacts

Paper copies of boarding pass

Paper copies of flight information

Paper copies of hotel information

Receipts (as accumulated) of travel expenses (see: taxi, etc)

CASH (bills + coins)

Small notebook

2x pens

IF USING: SIM card for destination (if e-SIM, copies of this info as above)

Shove all of this in the zippered bag, and put that in your carry-on. Ideally put this in a place that's not very easy to pickpocket. Pro-tip: if the weather obliges, wear that jacket during travel (hopefully it has an inside pocket) and put this in a zippered pocket in your jacket. Much easier to keep track of it!

Regarding cash: Go to the ATM (or bank), and get enough money to cover any unexpected travel or food expenses. Ideally enough for 2 taxi rides and three meals (i.e. covering one really shitty day). I can't estimate that for you, but try to keep a variety of bill denominations, and remember that twenties are easier to break at a cash register than a fifty or above. Try to also separate this out between on your person and your carry-on, so if you have a shitty day, you're not as thoroughly fucked.

Regarding the lists of contacts: send this information as an email to yourself + 1 outside person (someone you won't be traveling with). That way, if there's any disruptions, you'll have this information in various places. Same goes for your boarding pass(es), flight information, and hotel information. Flag/pin/archive/colour-code/whatever these emails, and if needed re-forward them to yourself with new subject lines so they're easier to find.

What may not seem important at the time, but will definitely make everyone's life easier: Look at what time you should arrive at your destination city (i.e. where the hotel/whatever is), add travel time to that (i.e. getting from airport to hotel), and then inform the hotel that that's your estimated arrival time. It helps them plan out housekeeping better, so your room will definitely be ready by the time you arrive for less stress on all ends.

How to pack clothes (for minimum wrinkle, maximum space):

Underwear: fold neatly, then roll into small cylinder

Socks: pair up, fold in half, then roll into small cylinder

IF USING: Bras: fold in half, tuck straps underneath, stack

Shirts: Fold in half long-wise, match sleeves to each other, fold sleeves over body of shirt, roll into cylinder

Pants: Fold in half, then half again, roll if space available

IF USING: Jacket: fold sleeves into body, fold in half long-wise, fold in half again

IF USING: Coat: Stuff gloves into pocket apiece (one glove per front pocket), place folded scarf inside coat by the collar, invert sleeves to inside of coat, button/zip closed, tuck applicable hood inside coat (if hood, put scarf in hood), fold in half at waist, fold in half if possible

Shoes: Place in a bag, one on top of the other in opposing sides (foot opening above the other's toe box, for example)

For packing the carry-on:

Grab a Ziploc/equivalent bag (US measurements: 1 gallon, non-US measurements: approximately 3 liter)

Fill bag first with 1 shirt, then add 2 socks, then 2 underwear. If bra, shove bra in between clothes and side of bag

If there's room, add the pants. If not, pants in separate bag.

Shove the bagged clothes into your carry-on. If you have a computer to go in your carry-on, add that stuff, and then your carry-on is now packed!

For the luggage, I usually end up recommending packing the clothes into Ziploc bags, anyway, because 1) rained-on luggage, 2) ew what was the luggage sitting in, and 3) way easier to find things that way without messing up how things are folded. If no Ziploc bags, just... be careful, I guess? I tend to also line the clothes in a few dryer sheets, if I'm worried about smells, but that's a miscellaneous thing.

Once your carry-on is packed, chuck the rest of the clothes into your luggage. Voila, packed.

i have to pack. a lot of the things i want to bring are still shipping (a lot of loose long pants and whatnot). i have to pack. i can’t start packing until i have everything bc i don’t know how it’ll all fit in. do i need one weeks worth of socks or two. how many socks do i wear in a week anyways? maybe i should just flip flop it the whole time. i have to pack. i should pack the bag im going to check first, since that one’s bigger and i can put the overflow in the smaller. where’s my passport? i have to pack

[werewolfest]

More little bowls and stuff

[nemoofunknownparadigm]

Those are both amazing ideas, keeping them based on programs as a theme helps really cement them into the world of Murder Drones.

Here's my idea for an audio-based God.

The Harmonious Uniformity The Uniformity is an eldritch force that exists within and travels through soundwaves, unlike the Solver it has always existed within the universe. It wasn't able to interact with the world because it exists on a frequency that no organic being has evolved to hear, much less comprehend but when humanity created drones it gained a medium where it could be heard and known.

When a drone encounters the frequency carrying the Uniformity, they begin experiencing audio glitches and other supernatural occurrences; Hearing voices that belong to no one, suddenly becoming aware of things the drones couldn't possibly know, feeling like they're being watched even when they're alone, hearing impossible sounds that have no sources, etc etc.

The Uniformity can infect drones much like the Solver but unlike the Solver, who actively tries to trick the drone into letting it in, the Uniformity doesn't try and trick the drone. Instead, the Uniformity offers the option of infection, explaining that gifts the drones will receive and how the drones will eventually meld into the Uniformity and becomes one with it. Infection is achieved by the drone harmonizing their audio sensors fully with the otherworld frequencies that carry the Uniformity. Unity Drones will gain access to various sound-related abilities but at the cost of slowly losing their sense of self, their personality and their memoires but once they are fully melded, they'll never be alone again.

The ultimate goal of the Uniformity is to cause the heat death of the Universe as the Uniformity is limited by the vacuum of space since sound cannot propagate through it. The Uniformity is limited to whatever planet it is one and is unable to spread beyond that planet's atmosphere unless it is carried by an infected drone or in a special audio file. With occurrences of heat death, the universe reaches maximum entropy where everything is evenly distributed and there are no energy gradients. Basically, making the universe into one giant body for the Uniformity.

The Absolute Solvers wants the consume the universe while the Harmonious Uniformity wants to turn the universe into a singular mass.

Do y’all think the Absolute Solver was unique in its existences or do you think there are other eldritch forces hidden in the shadows of reality?