#Lost execution site

[sofikul-1]

Lost execution site of the Salem witch trials. WHY did it vanish from records? #history #salem

Video link:

#salem #halloween #witches Discover the chilling history of the Salem Witch Trials with our informative and thought-provoking video. We take you back to colonial Massachusetts in 1692, chronologically dissecting the frightful series of hearings and persecutions that ended with 20 innocent individuals being executed on the grounds of witchcraft accusations. Explore the complex factors, including fervent religious beliefs, sustained social conflicts, financial challenges, and possible instances of mental illness, that contributed to this era of widespread panic and hysteria. Together, we analyze the role of Chief Justice William Stoughton's court practices that disregarded basic legal rights and heavily depended on spectral evidence. This video highlights the aftermath of this dark chapter, noting the governmental response and subsequent legal updates designed for safeguarding the rights of the accused. With us, learn about the recent breakthrough led by Prof. Tad Baker's team that shed light on the long-missing execution site linked to these trials. Understanding the enormous influence of the Malleus Maleficarum, a notorious treatise on witchcraft from the 14th Century, is key in this discourse. This influential document deeply impacted identifying practices, prosecution methods, and punitive measures during the trials. We acknowledge the Salem Witch Trials for serving as a historical reminder of the importance of tolerance, justice, and the treacherous impact of mass hysteria and religious extremism on a community. Dive into this dark piece of American history with us and comprehend its far-reaching implications and lessons. Don't forget to engage with our content by liking, commenting, and sharing. Your support means the world to us! Click 'SUBSCRIBE' for more insightful historical content! #SalemWitchTrials #AmericanHistory #MalleusMaleficarum #Justice #HistoryLesson Watch More of My Videos And Don't forget to "Like & Subscribe" & Also please click on the 🔔 Bell Icon, so you never miss any updates! 💟 ⬇️ 🔹🔹🔹 ➤ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMSwQY1s9Qv8iAKjODrLRog 🎼 Playlist:➤ Mysteries of Humankind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkJZkmPkRSA&list=PLs1ze38yKZj--VGvEsURb0Vm0fode7dBG 🎼 Playlist:➤ White Noise for paranormal Lovers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSUaQ3RRukw&list=PLs1ze38yKZj82Om4Qn1z1K9j-jfRyVQq1 🎼 Playlist:➤ Halloween https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuumqAmF2hU&list=PLs1ze38yKZj-7wTbZWdoc8rAuCYsI4zZj ► All Rights Reserved. Re-uploading of our work to other channels is strictly prohibited. My Profile & CONNECT WITH ME 💟 ⬇️ #💠 Tiktok: tiktok.com/@mysteries.of.the.dark Disclaimer: 👇 The content presented in our videos is intended solely for entertainment purposes. While we may draw upon facts, rumors, and fiction, viewers should not interpret any part of the content as factual or definitive information. Please enjoy responsibly.

[antirepurp]

in a perfect world frontiers would've leaned more heavily onto the elements of exploration and combat, taking the wonder rise of lyric wanted to create with the way it places the player into ancient ruins and abandoned facilities to learn more about them, and replicating the love that went into unleashed's werehog gameplay that gave us a fleshed out combo system and a competent beat-em-up. alas sega is a coward, and in this essay i will -

[fujosh1dreamer]

There are a few things I wanna talk about in the newest helluva episode Mastermind, but firstly...

Im gonna throw myself off of a cliff this is so sweet... holy sh*t.

Now onto to the painful stuff...

Loona getting myzzled and staying that way the whole trial is the most ef'd thing for the whole episode. Talk about disrespectful, if Blitz had died she wouldn't have been able to say she loved him.

Then there's this whole scene that was extremely painful to watch. Both Loona and Moxxie are looking away as Blitz is about to be executed so he's only able to make eye contact and feel comfortable in his final moment by Millie. She's the only one who doesn't look aways even though he is her best friend and it must be unbearable.

THISSS MAKES ME ANGRY!!!!! It's on site when I see Stella again, talk about emotional abuse.

Then there's the stuff after the trial that just breaks my heart into a million pieces.

Let's talk about how stolas despite clearly still being angry is willing to die for blitz, only at the end of the episode to tell him "always" as if the decision wasn't difficult. It was.

There there's the look he gives to Blitz and Loona when they hug, and she says she loves him. There must be sooo many thoughts running through stolas's brain. He's thinking about how Blitz almost lost this, about how imp really is his family, he's probably thinking about his own daughter, and he probably thinks this is all his fault.

It's going to be devastating to see the low stolas is going be at both literally and emotionally.

[buttercuparry]

Please read the post in full and do not skip!!

We all have our dreams and desires, but currently for many people, dreaming alone has become a luxury for the world is hellbent on denying them their humanity.

It has been well over a year of Palestinian genocide and people lost their homes, their families and even their dreams. One such story is of my friend Mahmoud Abu Hamam ( @ma7moudgaza2 ) who was an engineering student and dreamt of completing his degree and starting a life of his own. However at only twenty years of age, the dream of his life was taken away from him and he now spends his time in a tent, cold and often hungry, trying to communicate with people and requesting them to pay attention to his campaign. The only thing Mahmoud dreams of now, is for an end to this occupation, to this genocide so that he may live in a warm house and sleep in a warm bed. He hates that to the world he is just a number, to be talked about broadly in debates and that no one knows him or tries to see him as a person. He hates that he is just another fundraiser on a social media site and how the world cannot see that he has been reduced to this one identity on the internet, because of the violence of the occupation. As of now even his campaign is not going well and today he received only THREE DONATIONS. Mahmoud is heartbroken over it and doesn't know what to do or what is left of him. So please do something for Mahmoud. The world failed his dream for no fault of his own and now he feels like the world will fail his campaign as well. Please do not grow complacent. BOOST AND DONATE. NO DONATION IS TOO SMALL!

Currently at $14,207. He needs to reach $15,700. Please help.

Paypal

Vetting #149

Tagging for reach 🙏🏽

@timetravellingkitty   @jezior0 

@neptunerings @brokenbackmountain @khanger

@transmutationisms @sylvianritual @imjustheretotrytohelp @sunflowersmoths 

@maaszeltov @heliopixels @zigcarnivorous @armysurplus 

@executing @venus-is-in-bloom @lesbianmaxevans 

@trans-to-the-misogyny @brutaliakhoa @furiousfinnstan @paparoach 

@celadonwanderer @girlinafairytale @2tbssd @forgetfulrecord 

@lesbianmaxevans @fading-event-608 @repulsion @noncathartic @gusherbug 

@autisticmudkip @tiredguyswag @briarhips @three-croissants 

@fly-sky-high-09  @maoistyuri @noble-kale

@heydreamchild @nthflower @galactic-mermaid @c-u-c-koo-4-40k @ramshackledtrickster

@a-shade-of-blue @roadimusprime @lamngen @thatsonehellofabird

[trans-axolotl]

"Much ink has already been spilled on Harris’s prosecutorial background. What is significant about the topic of sex work is how recently the vice president–elect’s actions contradicted her alleged views. During her tenure as AG, she led a campaign to shut down Backpage, a classified advertising website frequently used by sex workers, calling it “the world’s top online brothel” in 2016 and claiming that the site made “millions of dollars from trafficking.” While Backpage did make millions off of sex work ads, its “adult services” listings offered a safer and more transparent platform for sex workers and their clients to conduct consensual transactions than had historically been available. Harris’s grandiose mischaracterization led to a Senate investigation, and the shuttering of the site by the FBI in 2018.

“Backpage being gone has devastated our community,” said Andrews. The platform allowed sex workers to work more safely: They were able to vet clients and promote their services online. “It’s very heartbreaking to see the fallout,” said dominatrix Yevgeniya Ivanyutenko. “A lot of people lost their ability to safely make a living. A lot of people were forced to go on the street or do other things that they wouldn’t have otherwise considered.” M.F. Akynos, the founder and executive director of the Black Sex Worker Collective, thinks Harris should “apologize to the community. She needs to admit that she really fucked up with Backpage, and really ruined a lot of people’s lives.”

After Harris became a senator, she cosponsored the now-infamous Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA), which—along with the House’s Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA)—was signed into law by President Trump in 2018. FOSTA-SESTA created a loophole in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the so-called “safe harbor” provision that allows websites to be free from liability for user-generated content (e.g., Amazon reviews, Craigslist ads). The Electronic Frontier Foundation argues that Section 230 is the backbone of the Internet, calling it “the most important law protecting internet free speech.” Now, website publishers are liable if third parties post sex-work ads on their platforms.

That spelled the end of any number of platforms—mostly famously Craigslist’s “personal encounters” section—that sex workers used to vet prospective clients, leaving an already vulnerable workforce even more exposed. (The Woodhull Freedom Foundation has filed a lawsuit challenging FOSTA on First Amendment grounds; in January 2020, it won an appeal in D.C.’s district court).

“I sent a bunch of stats [to Harris and Senator Diane Feinstein] about decriminalization and how much SESTA-FOSTA would hurt American sex workers and open them up to violence,” said Cara (a pseudonym), who was working as a sex worker in the San Francisco and a member of SWOP when the bill passed. Both senators ignored her.

The bill both demonstrably harmed sex workers and failed to drop sex trafficking. “Within one month of FOSTA’s enactment, 13 sex workers were reported missing, and two were dead from suicide,” wrote Lura Chamberlain in her Fordham Law Review article “FOSTA: A Hostile Law with a Human Cost.” “Sex workers operating independently faced a tremendous and immediate uptick in unwanted solicitation from individuals offering or demanding to traffic them. Numerous others were raped, assaulted, and rendered homeless or unable to feed their children.” A 2020 survey of the effects of FOSTA-SESTA found that “99% of online respondents reported that this law does not make them feel safer” and 80.61 percent “say they are now facing difficulties advertising their services.” "

-What Sex Workers Want Kamala Harris to Know by Hallie Liberman

[mariacallous]

At noon ET on Monday, the US presidency changed hands, and one of the largest governments in the world rearranged itself in service to the petulance and vulgarity of the nation’s new president.

At the Pentagon, a portrait of a general who Donald Trump had found insufficiently deferential to him in his first term was removed from a wall; photographs of the empty spot circulated on social media. Trump was set to sign a bevvy of executive orders, pledging to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement, to revoke policies promoting wind energy and electric cars, and to exert executive powers to speed up the construction of oil pipelines.

He was scheduled to revoke federal acknowledgement of transgender identity for the purposes of civil rights law, declaring in his inaugural address that “there are only two genders”. And Reproductiverights.gov, a federal web site aimed at helping women navigate abortion access, immediately went offline.

CBPOne, an app used by migrants to the US to manage their interactions with immigration officials, went dark when Trump was sworn in. An announcement posted on the programs website said that all existing appointments had been cancelled, leaving tens of thousands of people in the lurch. The press has reported that the new administration plans a series of high-profile raids in major cities this week, in search of immigrants to deport.

Latino businessowners in Chicago reported lost revenue as their clientele stayed home out of fear; a friend from college, a New York City public high school teacher, shared the instructions from her school administrators on how to protect her students in the event of an Ice raid. Meanwhile, Trump’s aides said he would issue an order ending birthright citizenship for the US-born children of immigrants, a move that would create a class of hundreds of thousands of un-Americans and move the concept of US citizenship from a legally protected status to something more akin to an inherited one.

It is not clear what authority, exactly, Trump has to do this; birthright citizenship, after all, is enshrined in the United States constitution. Like much of the inauguration’s declarations, the statements may be for show – grand pronouncements that will be muddled and eroded by the reality of policymaking, the grind of bureaucracy, the whittling-down of lawsuits.

Stephen Miller, the longtime Trump adviser and anti-immigrant crusader, has planned, according to the New York Times, a sort of shock-and-awe approach, hoping to issue as many executive orders and pursue as many maximalist policy changes as possible within the first days of the administration, hoping to terrify and exhaust the opposition. As is always the case with Trump, his statements are much grander than his actions. That doesn’t mean that his actions will not hurt people.

Trump returns to power with more loyal followers and more skittish, deferential and frightened enemies. The Republican party has been reshaped in his image, and so have the courts: just last summer, the US supreme court, including all three of Trump’s first-term nominees, voted to make him virtually immune from criminal prosecution for acts taken in office.

He has pledged to pardon all the convicted January 6 insurrectionists, and to halt prosecutions of those not yet convicted. And he is likely to use his authority over federal law enforcement to pursue civil and criminal proceedings against his enemies. On his way out the door, Joe Biden made a point of pre-emptively pardoning lawmakers who had investigated the January 6 attack, to protect them from Trump’s reprisals. The Democrats are weak, fractured, embittered and scared; the same consultants whose advice lost them the 2024 election are now telling them to defer to Trump, abandon resistance, and shift to the right. So far, many of them appear to be listening. The others are pointing fingers at one another.

Right now the money is on Trump, and the money is substantial. The three richest men in the world – Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg – all sat in the front row at Trump’s inauguration. (His cabinet members were in the second.) The men are there to court lucrative government contracts and discourage regulation of their businesses, but they also appear willing to commit themselves to Trump’s ideological project, especially with regards to gender, and to wield the massive communications platforms that they control to further his culture war agenda.

Bezos has intervened at the Washington Post to tilt the editorial slant in Trump’s favor; Zuckerberg has removed many sex, sexuality and gender protections from the content moderation policies of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads. Musk, meanwhile, is reportedly slated to be given an office in the West Wing, though he has no official government job. Speaking at a rally of Trump supporters held at an arena after the official inauguration ceremony, the billionaire effusively thanked the crowd in his mealy South African accent. Musk then jerked a flat hand from his chest into the air, in a gesture that resembled a Nazi salute.

There is something broken in the soul when such spectacles can no longer shock you. But I confess that they no longer shock me. America is ruled, now, by men who are extremely psychologically transparent: their resentment and greed, their desperate, seeking needfulness, their insecurity and rage at those who provoke it; these things seep off these men, like a stench. They are evil men, and pathetic ones: mentally small, morally ugly. They are relentlessly predictable.

Here is another prediction: these men will not succeed in all their schemes. They will not deport as many people as they say they will; he will not change the law as much as they pledge to; they will not, cannot, capture the institutions as completely, or bury dissent as successfully. They cannot do everything they aim to do. Because politics is not over; because our institutions are not all collapsed; and because the existing institutions are not the only methods of resistance and refusal.

The Trumpist movement that ascended to power on Monday is relying on a tired, defeated America, one too diminished to do anything but submit to their demands and schemes. But the American spirit is indefatigable: it loves freedom and equality, abhors tyranny, values minding your own business and hates, above all, to be told what to do. When Trump was last in office, Americans found, at the end, that they did not like it. They will not like it now, either, and that dislike, however tardy, will have political consequences.

[beemovieerotica]

What is up with Congress going "What Trump and Elon are doing is illegal!!!" And then still obeying them and letting them continue to do said illegal shit like ??? Do they just not give a fuck? Is it ragebait publicity and what's going on is actually normal ???

The above is a really helpful site to keep bookmarked during this time. At present, there are seven groups who have filed legal complaints regarding the executive order on birthright citizenship, four groups that have filed complaints on DOGE's right to operate, multiple individuals fighting the orders on various trans rights, and the Society of Friends is fighting back against the order that would allow ICE to invade houses of worship. Some of the entries have updates regarding pauses / restraining orders to Trump's demands.

These are all non-Congressional entities - unions, churches, activist groups, Jane and John Does - that are taking a stand, and they're worth supporting.

On the other hand...

Democrats in Congress are laser-focused on 2026...and they're not going to help with much else. They have explicitly stated that they are dropping "culture war" issues - they won't be engaging on trans rights or mass deportations, because according to exit polls, it was a big reason they lost the election. The average American does not care about trans people or immigrants. People want two things: 1) Cheaper gas. 2) Cheaper eggs. They do not read the news. They have no idea that Obamacare and the ACA are the same thing. They genuinely believe life was better under Trump because they got a check for $1000 in the mail. Our civics education and political literacy is in the fucking toilet.

So Congressional Democrats are bending to the right to accommodate the oblivious centrist voter, and my faith in them has expired. I don't trust the people on Capitol Hill - I'm an ex-Californian who had to watch as a 90-year old Dianne Feinstein shambled her way around Congress and refused to make way for younger politicians who don't have dementia. So I'm very strongly of the opinion that Washington will continue to be run by old money, lobbyists, and geriatrics, and the actual fights are going to be won at a local level, where we'll be working to make individual cities and states into havens. We are already essentially a patchwork of safe states versus not - I anticipate we'll see the lines bolden even more in the next few years, and I'm focusing my political energy on my immediate neighborhood and city for the time being.

[ancientcharm]

Zenobia of Palmyra was known as the «Warrior Queen of the East»

According to the Historia Augusta, Zenobia was: “wise in counsel, tenacious in planning, firm with soldiers, generous and harsh when necessary.” “She rode a horse and walked with her soldiers for three or four miles.” She was cultured and erudite. In addition to her native Palmyrene Aramaic, she was fluent in Latin, Greek and Egyptian Aramaic. Palmyra is the name given by the Romans to Tadmor, an ancient city located in the Syrian desert, in present-day Homs province.

Zenobia was the second wife of one of Rome's allied kings, Septimius Odaenathus. When the Persian king captured and executed the Emperor Valerian around 260, Odaenathus aligned himself with Valerian's son and successor, Gallienus. After defeating the Sassanid Empire of Persia, favoring Roman interests, King Odenathus brought Palmyra to unprecedented power.

But around 267 Odaenathus was assassinated along with his eldest son, Hairan, son by his first wife. Zenobia's cousin Maeonius was accused and she sentenced him to death. Zenobia succeeded her husband and ruled Palmyra as regent; her son, Vaballathus, was 1 year old.

After consolidating her control over Palmyra and its surrounding territories, she launched a series of military campaigns . Zenobia and her army, with general Zabdas, conquered Egypt. The Roman prefect of Egypt, Probus Tenaginus, and his soldiers attempted to drive them out, but Zenobia's army captured and beheaded Probus. Zenobia declared herself queen of Egypt and minted coins in her name.

At that time, her kingdom extended from the Nile to the Euphrates.

Aurelian, who had ascended the throne in 270, was determined to restore order to the Roman Empire, which had been in chaos for nearly 40 years. After pacifying the western borders (the so-called barbarians had been raiding for decades), he began a campaign against Zenobia, culminating in the siege of Palmyra in 272 ; according to Roman historians, this campaign was the most difficult that Aurelian had to face during his entire reign.

'Queen Zenobia Addressing Her Soldiers' (1730) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

The Roman army marched on Palmyra, where Zenobia held out. According to the Historia Augusta, Aurelian offered Zenobia terms of surrender but she escaped to seek support; she was captured before crossing the Euphrates and Palmyra's brief empire came to an end.

'Queen Zenobia's Last Look Upon Palmyra' by Herbert Gustave Schmalz, 1888. This painting shows Zenobia, handcuffed in gold, looking imposing; the painter represents her as a warrior displeased at having lost her kingdom - instead of showing her crying or looking at the ground - and the Roman soldier who escorts her, coming down the stairs, looking at her thoughtfully.

According to Trebellius Pollio, Zenobia was taken to Rome in Aurelian's triumphal procession in 274. And according to the Greek historian Zosimus, her son, then eight years old, died during the journey to Rome. But Zenobia's ultimate fate remains uncertain; some sources claim she was executed; Other sources claim that Aurelian ordered her to be escorted to a villa near Hadrian's Villa, where she spent the rest of her life.

In Roman chronicles, she was portrayed as an ambitious and dangerous queen but also as worthy of admiration for her bravery and political skills.

In Syria, Zenobia became a national and patriotic symbol.

Roman theatre in Palmyra

World Heritage Site

[donutdisturblivball]

after rewatching nimona four times since its release (because yes, this movie is just that good), i caught a few little details that just make the whole experience so much better. so, incoming SPOILER ALERT, don’t read this if you haven’t watched the movie yet. speaking of, why the fuck haven’t you?? go watch the movie (and read the comic while you’re at it, some sites offer it for free), then come back and enjoy.

1. When the Squire gives Ballister his sword, he clearly realizes something’s wrong with it. He’s trained with it for so long that he knew that something was off just by holding it. This detail is something you wouldn’t pay much attention to when you first watch the film, but it’s there to make you realize something is a little off, especially when the Squire attempts to show him the video, but it also has plausible deniability so you could chalk it up to being something else (ie. the Squire wanting a picture with Ballister).

2. This sneaky line from this sneaky bitch.

3. Nimona tells us exactly how the movie ends. (Sorta. In a sense. The phoenix rises from the ashes and overthrows the government.)

4. You can see Nimona sneaking into the jail where Ballister is being kept.

5. Mini Ballister and Ambrosius! I think a few others have pointed this out before, but I only noticed it upon my second rewatch. (A little surprised younger Ambrosius didn’t have the Asian bob. That’s like a right of passage.)

6. Nimona’s train backstory versus her flashback.

7. During Nimona’s nightmare on the couch, she turns into a wolf, and then a cat. In her flashback, as the villagers attack her, she turns into a cat and then a wolf. It could be because having her turn into anything else would be too big for the couch, but if this is intentional, then it means Nimona was having a nightmare of that day.

8. This. Visually, the sparks are sorta similar, and in both instances, Ballister has lost something irreplaceable. I think this one might be a reach and may not be intentional, but my mind connected the two scenes and wouldn’t let go, so.

Honorable mention: the gay and trans flags above Ballister and Nimona respectively in that one scene. iykyk. I didn’t add it because 1. I think many other people have brought it up and 2. the mobile app is limiting me to 10 images. Anyway, I love this movie and its comic SO much and I’m so glad that it made it to our screens from the box of scrapped movies that could have been great if people (namely, executives) gave them a chance. There is so much love, care, and passion put into this movie, and you can really sense that this was made for its audience and its author, for its story and not only for the money it could make. This movie is metal as fuck, so GO STREAM IT!!

[digitalagepulao]

My sincere Black Myth: Wukong review

Full disclosure! This is from a recent but earnest fan of JTTW as the original novel, as well as all the social, cultural and religious layers of it. I've seen my fair share of adaptations and derivative media, from shlocky to silly to grimdark to cutesy. I'm a bachelor in visual arts, with an interest in the field of game development since high school. I am also, white and brazillian, and have talked with other jttw fans, both Chinese and not, on this game. If any of these are for some reason motive to not read further, then fair enough. Hope you have fun and continue to enjoy the game, do not let me or my opinion stop you!

Now to the review proper <3

First things first, let the obvious not remain unsaid. This game, is supremely gorgeous. In every sense of the word, and I mean this fully, it's a work of art. The sound design, the character concepts and execution, the animations, the voice acting, the visual effects, the UI design, the cinematography, the 3D scanning of actual historical artofacts and heritage sites throughout China, and everything beyond and between, are phenomenal, full stop.

This was never a debate, I'm sure, but I don't think I can in good conscience not praise them for their work. It's no news that Asian talent, not just in China either, have been often hired to supplement projects on the West, and we can all agree it's about time they got to shine in their own AAA project. My issues with the international game industry notwithstanding, I hope this brings some much needed acknowledgment and appreciation for Chinese culture and arts, both traditional and modern!

Now, from this point on, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS, so proceed with caution!

(word count: +1.8k)

I also deeply enjoy their choices in arcs to revisit. Some like the Flaming Mountain arc are classic picks to adapt but still a very good match to the whole Six Senses throughline. I don't think you can do a JTTW 2 electric bogaloo without bringing up Niumowang and his family in some way (um, put a pin on that), but the other arcs like Yellowbrow or Black Wind Mountain aren't as explored imo, so it's nice to see them being given a bit of a spotlight.

(speaking of the Yellow Ridge arc, whoever made the executive decision of Lingji Bodhisattva being a Xaanxi singer is, genius!!)

I'm also kind of in love?? with Bajie's design and role in the story overall?? Gameplay wise he sticks around just enough to not feel lonely, but not too long to be a nuisance or overstay his welcome. He's no Atreus (GoW) or Ellie (TLoU) of course, but he doesn't need to be, and most importantly, he isn't trying to be, which I feel is admirable of the devs. Given the visible inspirations from the recent God of War games, it would have been easy to lean a bit too hard on it, but I'm glad they didn't overreach.

Him having a more complex love life is also a nice touch imo. It explores more his womanizer ways in an interesting way, and I appreciate it. I love when people complicate the pig! Also, the way he treats Xiaosheng (Destined One) like a nephew?? The scene on the Huaguoshan throne??? I'M GONNA CRY!!!

I think, I've run out of positive things to say.... time for the spicy takes.

I, kind of detest the premise by default. I'm not a big fan of "Superman is Dead" plots, cus it's usually either done for shock value, or taken so lightly that the weight is totally lost. I have such a love-hate situationship with the introduction cutscene because of this. On one hand, it's phenomenal cinema, and seeing Wukong stand up to the Heavenly armies in glorious 4K high fidelity graphics is delicious. On the other hand, the whole debate they are having has me going "?????", not because I don't get it but just, why?? Why did this have to be the premise?? (put another pin on that)

Also the set up and call to adventure is kind of blergh.

Now is as good a time as any to talk about the gameplay. It's, okay. If you enjoy trying to figure out the most stylish combos, or to mash buttons, then you'll definitely have fun. I was sorely disappointed that I pretty much have been going through the bosses rather easily. Chapter 1 it was mostly the struggle of learning the controls, but I never stuck to a boss for longer than seven tries (Whiteclad Noble, the snakeman that you are). Chapter 2 I only struggled on Tiger Vanguard, because I was sorely underleveled and had missed a pathway to explore before him. After that I second tried him. Chapter 3, I have and I'm not joking, gotten halfway through first or second trying every boss.

Mind you, this is not being some godtier gamer or whatever, I'm pretty average and only a recent player of soulslike games too (maybe playing Lies of P made too OP, but I sincerely doubt it lol). No, this is me saying that if you do explore the game and not rush through it, you won't struggle nearly as much as some people have and still are. Most of the final chapter bosses can be trivialized with the chapter's Obsession Realm gimmick artifact, which isn't in itself a bad thing, just feels like an odd choice personally.

Which leads me to, the level design. So far? Preeeeetty lame! It's very pretty and fancy, but so chockful of invisible walls that it feels stiffling and discourages exploration. I can never tell what is meant to be a path or just fancy scenery, and I never know when a jump will get walled or send me to my death by fall damage. When it's not being confusing, the level design is either a bunch of looping circles, or straight lines. And so far, besides a few interactables and loot, there is not much else to look at. That is, bad level design, plain and simple.

Also, the animations are glorious, but what is the point if I can't see the enemy?? That camera is my true nemesis, and I mean that. the fact that a boss can be beyond my field of vision at ANY POINT when I'm locked on and it strifes sideways, is dreadful. GameScience, FIX IT. It is also, very hard to tell what parts of a boss will damage me if I collide with them or not. The Kang-Jin Long fight was baffling on a design point of view, same for Captain Lotus-Vision. Some clearer hitboxes would be swell.

This is the point where I say my main issue with the game lies: it's very pretty, and adoringly crafted, but it lacks substance design wise. I feel like it needed to cook more, the level design polished more so I wouldn't get lost every five minutes, and clearer.... well, everything. Mechanic explanations, level progression, gimmicks, etc. It all needed to be less murky and convoluted to understand.

It also needed more meat in between bosses. I have yet to run into common enemies that give me actual trouble, so it ends up being just a jolly waltz from boss to boss. Boss rushes are fun and great, but not as the base game experience (for me at least). I had to stop one boss away from completing Chapter 1 cus I was just so exhausted. And I had been playing for like, an hour and a half?? That left a sour taste in my mouth, I'll be honest.

Okay, I'm gonna pick open those pins now.

#1 the Flaming Mountain Arc. I'm gonna be very real here chat, that was so cringe. What do you MEAN, Red Son wasn't Demon Bull King's biological son, and Princess Iron Fan was forced to drink from the Childbearing River??? And Red Son hates him????When I watched that cutscene, I had to pause and walk away for a moment, legitimately. This plotbeat is SO WILD to me, I got nothing to say. Just, why??Soooo bizarre. And that the Flaming Mountain Keeper has such a presence in Iron Fan's life is also, weird?? Not bad weird, just Weird, but that's like a nitpick more than an actual criticism. Ping Ping is fine though, I like that Bull has a daughter with Princess Fair Fox, that's cute and interesting. Wish she was in a better plot and adaptation but lol

And #2, the premise. Now we are getting to the meat of it all.

The underlying premise of the whole plot, including the true ending, is flawed by default. The premise runs on what is sometimes called as a "conspiracy theory plot", as in, "what if the gods were bad actually??". It's reddit movie theory content in very short terms, and while it had a place during the 00s grimdark years pre-Marvel, it's become quite a jaded and boring take nowadays. Now you may say that it comes from a genuine desire to show distrust and critique to insitutions and the powers than be, and I can see that.

There is a hiccup in that though.

In JTTW, Wukong is the Mind Monkey because of the religious text and subtext of the stories. Its interwoven in the whole thing, and makes it cohesive. It still offer critique and mockery to institutions, without entirely invalidating their foundations. Not only for genuine fear of prosecution, but because, shockingly, religion and belief is a major component of human society in general. But going back to my point, JTTW is *already* a critique of institutions and the power that be. Adding further layers into it feel like angst and edginess just for the sake of it, and that feels hollow to me.

To go further, this intent also clashes with their own plot. See, they bring up that Wukong's Mind, his Sixth Sense, died. Thus they need another Mind to guide his other senses and reform him, so that he may be reborn.

For one, that is such a convoluted way to do a reincarnation plot, it feels complicated just for novelty sake. Secondly, Wukong being the Mind Monkey, as I said, implies a tie to the underlying themes of the Journey as a person's path to enlightenment. If enlightenment itself is flawed because the gods are flawed/evil, then both themes are clashing. By making a "what if the gods were evil all along" plot while also going by the laws and order of said gods, then what are we even fighting against? What is the point of this whole rebellion between Erlang and Wukong??

my friend @ryin-silverfish said it best a while back, and I'm paraphrasing here (do pitch in or correct me if needed! <3), but the issue with these conspiracy narratives is the inherent anti-religion of them. They don't believe in anything, and thus they cannot properly retell the story of JTTW through a postmodern lense, because they refuse to engage with the religiosity that runs throughout the story.

It also leaves a sour taste in my mouth, because this game will likely be many people's first genuine experience with the JTTW mythos and story, and I tend to be concerned for how much this will "sour the pot" in the conversation. The novels are sadly innacessible enough as it is; the sheer size of them scare many people away, not even to mention the amount of underlying cultural context you'll miss out without proper footnotes and commentary. Most people will not engage with them directly, and certainly not most gamers.

While the narrative of someone embodying Wukong's spirit is not new in itself, I do find that it coexisting with such a poor premise and spin on it will be a sore first experience for new fans, and I can only hope that them meeting fans of the OG novels won't cause much friction in the fandom (we have enough as it is imo).

It also concerns me that, sadly, people and gamers in particular, get too swept up in the ooh-aah beauty of flashy sfx and highly detailed graphics, and fail to notice some of the underlying issues in game design. As I said, this game is a work of art, but it has flaws, and I don't think people are speaking of them enough. No, the issue is not "lack of diversity" or whatever the hell.

It runs deeper than that, and it's an issue I've come to see in recent movies as well. I'm aware it might just be different cultural expectations of the pacing and span of a story, and it may as well be! But I think if there was more care given to the bones of a media, it would bring much needed longevity and weight to these wonderful artworks.

All this said, I wanna see what acolades this game gets and see what the devs are cooking up with the DLCs (they said at one point the game was supposed to have 12 chapters and my god, that game would be TOO LONG. So glad it didn't get like that!), and further more see how this ripples in the eastern game dev scene. While this is a flawed game with a flawed story, it can be the first on a genuinely wonderful wave of new creations, not just by GameScience, and overall I'm hopeful for what might come next!

[autumngracy]

"Trump is better for the economy, though!"

Aside from almost every major economist agreeing that Trump's economic plans would actually make things far worse than they are now, this man can't even manage his campaign's, his businesses', OR his personal finances.

Case in point, here a list from Public Opinion of his failed business endeavors:

"Trump's companies have filed for bankruptcy at least six times. This is no exaggeration. Digital World noted this in its SEC filings. This excludes additional business failures that might not have declared bankruptcy, but closed owing vendors, employees and others."

"For the record, here are some of Trump's noteworthy business failures."

Trump Airlines — Trump borrowed $245 million to purchase Eastern Air Shuttle. He branded it Trump Airlines. He added gold bathroom fixtures. Two years later Trump could not cover the interest payment on his loan and defaulted.

Trump Beverages — Although Trump touted his water as "one of the purest natural spring waters bottled in the world," it was simply bottled by a third party. Other beverages, including Trump Fire and Trump Power, seem not to have made it to market. And Trump's American Pale Ale died with a trademark withdrawal.

Trump Game — Milton Bradley tried to sell it. As did Hasbro. After investment, the game died and went out of circulation.

Trump Casinos — Trump filed for bankruptcy three times on his casinos, namely the Trump Taj Mahal, the Trump Marina and the Trump Plaza in New Jersey and the Trump Casino in Indiana. Trump avoided debt obligations of $3 billion the first time. Then $1.8 billion the second time. And then after reorganizing, shuffling money and assets, and waiting four years, Trump again declared bankruptcy after missing ongoing interest payments on multi-million dollar bonds. He was finally forced to step down as chairman.

Trump Magazine — Trump Style and Trump World were renamed Trump Magazine to reap advertising dollars from his name recognition. However, Trump Magazine also went out of business.

Trump Mortgage — Trump told CNBC in 2006 that "I think it's a great time to start a mortgage company. … The real-estate market is going to be very strong for a long time to come." Then the real estate market collapsed. Trump had hired E.J. Ridings as CEO of Trump Mortgage and boasted that Ridings had been a "top executive of one of Wall Street's most prestigious investment banks." Turned out Ridings had only six months of experience as a stockbroker. Trump Mortgage closed and never paid a $298,274 judgment it owed a former employee, nor the $3,555 it owed in unpaid taxes.

Trump Steaks — Trump closed Trump Steaks due to a lack of sales while owing Buckhead Beef $715,000.

Trump's Travel Site — GoTrump.com was in business for one year. Failed.

Trumpnet — A telephone communication company that abandoned its trademark.

Trump Tower Tampa — Trump sold his name to the developers and received $2 million. Then the project went belly-up with only $3,500 left in the company. Condo buyers sued Trump for allegedly misleading them. Trump settled and paid as little as $11,115 to buyers who had lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Trump University or the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative — Trump staged wealth-building seminars costing up to $34,995 for mentorships that would offer students access to Trump's secrets of success. Instructors turned out to be motivational speakers sometimes with criminal records. Lawsuits and criminal investigations abound.

Trump Vodka — Business failed due to a lack of sales.

Trump Fragrances — Success by Trump, Empire by Trump, and Donald Trump: The Fragrances all failed due to being discontinued, perhaps as a result of few sales.

Trump Mattress — Serta stopped offering a Trump-branded mattress, again likely due to slacking sales.

Truth Social — This existing Trump business owes big money, and may well be breathing its last.

And then of course is his long history of stiffing contractors, restaurants, and even entire cities for their event venues he used for his rallies—as well as some of his own followers—

—such as the case where he promised a greiving hispanic American family that he would pay for the burial of their daughter, Vanessa Guillén, a servicewoman who had been brutally murdered by a fellow soldier at Fort Hood in 2020, but later told his chief of staff not to pay for it after learning it would cost $60,000, reportedly saying "It doesn’t cost 60,000 bucks to bury a fucking Mexican!"

[izvmimi]

cw: streamer au! you and hawks have a popular channel and you have some special guests! fluff! reader and hawks are married. 'dove' as a nickname. written for @pastelle-rabbit.

“Did you finish setting up the microphones, dove?” Keigo asks, while you’re just about to adjust your PC setup. The stream begins in five minutes, and while it’s not the first time you’ve gone live with your love, it’s the first time that you’ve had guests on your streaming site, and this is highly anticipated enough that you expect a higher turnout for today, and commensurately likely more trolls. You’re used to Keigo’s trolls as a top-ranking hero, but Izuku’s trolls are a whole different beast.

“Yes!” you sing out to him. After the final adjustment, you shoot a glance to Izuku and his wife who are poised very politely on gaming chairs you got just for them; his hand is holding hers, the thumb caressing the back of her hand while she crosses her legs at the ankle. She looks distressed and you stifle a giggle. Horror and gore are the themes for your stream today and from what Izuku has told you, she’s a screamer, but so is Keigo, so the two will be squawking like birds for the remainder of the night. 

You can’t wait.

“Are you guys comfortable?” you ask. The chair arrangement is a little more complex to make sure everyone stays huddled around your huge monitor, but you’ve figured it out.

She nods slowly, and Izuku grins. “We’re doing perfect!”

There are now two minutes until the stream starts, and Keigo slips into the chair right beside you and kisses your cheek, his other hand deep in a bag of chicken chips which he brings to your mouth.

You indulge him with a bite, and he grins, then whispers if you want him to be your chair this time, and while Izuku grins politely at the two of you, you can sense yourself warming in the face.

“We have guests,” you remind him. Keigo throws a glance at Izuku who immediately waves his hands.

“Pretend we’re not here.”

“What do you mean we’re not here, we were in-”

You start the stream and Izuku’s wife falls silent, immediately switching to camera ready mode. “Welcome guys and thanks for coming back to our channel! As promised, we have special guests today! -” Deku and his wife wave politely to the camera in million-watt smiles, “- and we’ll be continuing with our horror themed stream!”

Keigo chews loudly and waves at the camera. “I’ll be here!” he motions a salute to the screen. As expected, you can already see the influx of his fans filling the chat, painfully polite in their thirst since the last time he reminded them on screen he was happily married.

“Ooh can we have streamer nicknames?” Izuku’s wife asks.

“Sure, what would you like to be called?” you offer. She looks around, then up at the ceiling, then her eyes light up.

“Hm… BLOODCRUSH.” She says with dramatic glee. The rest of the three of you blink rapidly, but no one argues. 

“Bloodcrush it is!” you announce as she kicks her feet. Izuku gives her a mildly concerned look, but then rubs her shoulder affectionately. The chat starts to rile up with comments in support of new nickname Bloodcrush (bloodcrush x deku otp, bloodcrush fighting!) to her delight while the less savory ones are promptly ignored.

“I think the rest of us will just go by our hero or streamer names, is that okay?” Keigo says, stretching out in his chair and resting his arm around the shoulder of your gaming chair, pose relaxed.

“So what game are we playing?” Deku starts per your loosely prepared script. 

“RAID AND EXECUTION,” Hawks announces, excitedly. You laugh as the story intro video begins, and Hawks claps his hands dimming the lights while Bloodcrush looks stunned to her husband then to you.

“Raid and what?”

“Oh, that sounds awesome! I’ve heard of this one!” Deku chirps, and immediately his info-dumping begins. “So from what I’ve read, this game is set in the early 1400s in the Caribbean where a group of pirates are lost at sea and encounter a group of enchanted beings, most likely zombies, and you’re meant to survive as long as possible when they’re active at night, and raid the villagers during the daytime or else you’ll run out of resources and die, not to mention the game mechanics heavily rely on you using context clues of the environment in order to determine if a settlement is nearby and-”

Hawks and Bloodcrush both scream as the first zombie shows up on screen armed with a machete and cleanly slices the head off of your avatar.

‘Ooh, that was fast,” you say, frowning as the “Game Over” screen shows up on the monitor. The chat explodes with comments telling Deku to shut the hell up which makes him frown.

“Just trying to provide context,” he grumbles. You start up the game again and instead of jumping right off the ship and walking right onto the island, you pause and look for clues. Hawks encourages you to explore the bottom of the ruins first, which has you find a rusty machete of your own as well as some 14th century hardtack, and Bloodcrush leans in and asks you if there’s any way you can find a musket or other gun.

“Baby, I think muskets weren’t invented till the 15th century,” Deku says, and she pats his cheek gently, whispering only mildly threatening, “I didn’t ask you for historical accuracy, honey.”

“Here, I think we found one!” you exclaim and Hawks gives you a high five while Bloodcrush raises her eyebrow at him. 

While you begin arranging your inventory, Hawks repeats some questions in the chat for their guests.

“So, herofootfetish69 has a question for you, Deku.”

Izuku pales while you and his wife unintentionally bursts out laughing from how nonchalantly Hawks reads the username, then your avatar inadvertently falls off a cliff and dies.

“Man!” you exclaim as you restart. Bloodcrush laughs even harder as she points to new resources that you can pick up while you’re repacking your knapsack.

“They ask, do you have time to play video games when you’re supposed to be protecting the city?” Hawks asks, then giggles.

“Why am I being heckled?” he frowns. “Yes, heroes have time off too.” He pauses. “Hawks is literally on this stream!”

“Hey, I think if you alternate the musket and the dagger, you might have a chance with those zombies,” Bloodcrush murmurs. Someone in the chat tells her that she has a better chance with the dagger alone. “Never mind, just do that.” 

“Next question for LoveDove!” Keigo presses a kiss to your forehead, then reads off, “gains4fame asks, how long have you and Bloodcrush known each other?”

“Not long!” you say, “but I think we’ve become fast friends!”

Bloodcrush’s eyes light up and she playfully bops you on the shoulder. Hawks offers an affectionate awwww, and hugs you while Deku rubs his wife’s back. 

In the process of your husband hugging you, you’re shot by an arrow.

“NO!” you and Bloodcrush scream in unison, then look at each other and giggle.

“Next question from chickenchipenthusiast-” Izuku pauses, then reaches for the extra bag Hawks has brought, “not sponsored by the way,” he reminds everyone, “for Hawks - how do you choose your guests on the show?”

Hawks shrugs. “When I called, you picked up.”

Izuku sighs in defeat.

“We’ll move on to the next question. For LoveDove again - do you think you’ll get better at these games?”

Hawks bristles but you laugh. “I’m having fun and so are you, aren’t you?”

chickenchipenthusiast writes: exactly!

You get your first kill of a zombie on the island and you and Bloodcrush share double high fives in delight. 

The chat fills with overwhelming support and the stream continues late into the night, the chatter amongst you guys never ending and the subscribers ticking higher and higher all night.

[nostalgicmiscellaneous]

Lol as someone who actually works in the industry: you guys are very, very naive if you believe a tumblr blog would tell you secrets about the behind the scenes of Bridgerton for a bubble of specific fans, and even less that someone who actually have access to executives would be around telling so many incorrect stuff that can be proven wrong with some clicks. And would tell you about the actors that way, while working for Netflix. It's hilarious because production is segmented, there are different crews as well, and it simply wouldn't have production/executive inside information if it worked close enough to the actors day by day to know them, and they wouldn't work with all of them to know them personally, repeatedly in the way it says, as the teams are the same for a long time and they all have made their opinions on actors very clear. It's so stupid that it made the mistake of telling you all it doesn't work with crew. They really don't know how a production of a show works and it's funny to see anyone believing it. Then again, only Kanthony and Benophy fans do.

Not only that, contradicting not simply Netflix's news of profitability and success of Season 3, but in fact, actual market news and data releases, Investments prospects, and investors reports, plus licensing, that anyone with any inside information would know it's done publicly and show the actual success and profit delivered by Season 3. To even try to say it lost money, Lol. The data is there, if you worked in a exec. position, even management position, you wouldn't say something so ignorant.

Critically, official certified critics, and audience numbers averaged above Season 2 and on par with Season 1, and you can also check the aggregate of that on RT, IMDB, sites that reunited and average the score. Audience is measured not only by Netflix, but Luminate and Nielsen. Data that is ALSO PUBLIC. And that showed the successful amount of views, specially recovering audience that Season 2 had lost. It was also superior to QC. Netflix also ranks #6 ( above Season 2, again) as their most viewed seasons. Another public information.

It becomes evident you're dealing with a fan of Anthony and Kate and Sophie and Benedict when it spills target hate for particular actors, with nonsense that is so painfully clear from a fandom member, a mere angry fan trying with a insane agenda.

That's the problem when someone has an agenda against some actors and some fictional characters, a TV show, specifically a season. They throw away logic and believe anyone.

There is no insider, you have actual market information and investors/ experts that are not even Netflix connected telling you the success of season 3. Anyone who works for the industry would know that. Lol

There is no inside information of actors from that person. All cast and crew, and connected workers, and adjacents from media, PR and more, have their words and testaments to the cast and crew openly at their socials, dismantling their obsessive nonsense, contradicting them. I contradict them, lol, as i've actually met some of them and know their work ethics and behavior.

And most importantly, the so-called ''insider'' is not even from or in the UK…yes, i know exactly what i am talking about. But for now, i wont publish. For now.

Just be aware of bullshit and propaganda with fanwar nonsense. You're dealing with someone who is simply a discontent Kanthony & Benophy fan, and a Simone fan and hater of other actors in the show ( VERY OBVIOUS THE TARGETED HATE), connected ( lol very much connected) to a blog who has adopted the name of "Anti" since the start, who hates Polin. Some people just want to create a narrative, and while they say that Benedict is the most popular and wanted character for the GA, try to justify an eventual less number say it would be S3 fault, when S3 actually revamped the numbers from S2 and had incredible profitability ( again, public data).

But be aware that we know with 100% certainty, people like that do not work for Netflix. They don't even have a clue what a netflix contract is and how it works.

Also, a warning: People should have their faces and real names on when they say things, responsibility is a must, don't you all agree? Sometimes people think they are protected under the anonymity of a tumblr url to lie their hearts out and become desperate later when they have to own personally, with their actual faces and real names, and social reputation, the stupidity of their words.

And in a more fundamental sense, grow up. Tomorrow, someone else can simply create a blog telling the opposite about your favorites, their work, their seasons, it's a game nobody wins when fans act that desperate and stupid, lying and manipulating.

Or worse: perhaps someone with actual information can start posting, and you wouldn't like what they have to say…reflect on that.

[ofmdrecaps]

09/04/2024 - 09/05/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Rhys Darby; Taika Waititi; Nathan Foad; Samba Schutte; Leslie Jones; Kristian Nairn; Madeleine Sami; Vico Ortiz; Eliza Cossio; OFMD Rewind with AOC and Astroglide; Articles; Fan Spotlight; Cast Cards; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Today's Taika;

Hey crew, multiple 2 day recaps coming tonight. Sorry for the delay.

== Rhys Darby ==

Rhys is going to be starting up a substack (similar to Patreon). He's really excited about it as you can tell-- Gizmo Darby is not so excited however.

Source: Rhys' Tiktok/Instagram

== Taika Waititi ==

Taika out in Paris with Rita <3

Source: Instagram

== Nathan Foad ==

Nathan off to see Matthew Maher at Rose City Comic Con and giving us all the feels on the way!

Source: Nathan Foad's Instagram Stories

== Samba Schutte ==

Heyyy! Samba's going to be at the Dream Theatre in Los Angelos on Oct 5th, 2024! You can get comedy night tickets on their website!

Source: Theatre of Hearts Instagram

Really cute story Samba shared about a fan on twitter btw!

Source: Samba Schutte's Twitter

== Leslie Jones ==

Leslie's coming to Colorado Sept 13! For all our OFMD Colorado crew, you can catch her at the Union Colony Civic Center in Greeley! For tickets, visit her site!

Source: Leslie Jones' Instagram

== Kristian Nairn ==

Kristian on his way to Rose City ComicCon!

Source: Kristian Nairn's Instagram

Hey UK Crew! Kristian's got a signing set up for Oct 3 at the Forbidden Planet London Megastore! You can RSVP here if you're interested!

Source: Forbidden Planet Instagram

More Kristian News-- his book is being featured on Amazon and there's a great article highlighting it in The Washington Post! "Beyond The Throne as one of [Amazon's] Best Books of September"

Source: Kristian's Instagram

= Wee John Wednesday Notes =

Some fun OFMD News: He's gonna try to do a WJW Live at Rose City Comic Con in Portland this upcoming weekend (and drag some other cast members into it if he can).

Kristian shared some awesome gifts people gave him! (He said you do not have to bring gifts to meet him but he will always love them, but don't feel bad if you don't please!) Some I recognized from various artists we know (but there were a lot more):

@smudgeandfrank

@/samanthareiofficial

@/unclear_atypicality

@/bairnecessitiesco Kristian has a website with his books on it-- but he's got some limited edition Guitar Picks he's got on sale, there's only 100 available. He is also getting a WJW put up soon! Not available quite yet though.

Website

T-Shirt

LE Guitar Picks

Other fun things:

Kristian loves Rabbits!

He's getting some rune tattoos in Portland when he visits Rose City Comic Con!

Wanna watch it? It's available on Instagram!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kristian Nairn (@kristiannairn)

Source: Kristian Nairn's Instagram

== Madeleine Sami ==

Deadloch S2 is being filmed in Darwin!

Source: 'I Love Darwin' Facebook Page

== Vico Ortiz ==

Source: Vico's Instagram

== Eliza Cossio ==

One of our dear writers, Eliza Cossio is being featured on a podcast! You can listen in here!

Source: Eliza Cossio's Instagram Stories

== OFMD Rewind with AOC ==

Our friends over at @adoptourcrew are working together with @astroglideofficial and doing a Full Rewatch of OFMD together! It starts Sept 12 @ 2:30PM PDF / 5:30PM EDT / 10:30PM BST!

Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter

== Articles ==

Thank you @adoptourcrew for sharing these great articles!

Most Controversial TV Show Cancellations

Yahoo Article

Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Cast Cards =

Thank you to the ever-dedicated @melvisik for keeping up with these Cast Cards! Catching up tonight with several, please check them out below!

David Van Dyke - Visual Effects Supervisor (VFX Supervisor).

Stephen W. Shriver - Lovely stunt double to Fred Armisen!

Emily Buntyn - Casting Associate!

Kendell Wells - CJ's stunt double that whipped Taika in the balls!

Morgan Smith - Executive in Charge of Casting!

Stephen Bralver - Nathan's stunt double, possibly the one who 'lost his shoes' in Nathan's story at the San Jose Con!

Chris Denison - Stunt Water Safety, probably the person who makes sure our lovely cast stays safe in the whilst submerged.

Steve Aizzo - Rhys' Stunt Double!

Source: @melvisik's Twitter

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies. Love Notes are brief tonight. I just wanted to remind you that kindness is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself and anyone else. It's not free, but it costs a lot less than most things. No matter how hard things have been, no matter how much kindness you've received, kindness continues to be one of the greatest world-changers and you're still trying to be kind, and I am so proud of you for that. You are so very lovely, don't forget that <3

Source: StayCloseToYourself Instagram

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

Just some dancing... these two are too cute! Gifs courtesy of the darling @fandomsmeantheworldtome and @ marv3lic1ous!

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

Natlan Archon Quest 5.1 Thoughts and Theories

Compared to the last archon quest, this was a major step up for me in all aspects. There was a sense of grandness to it all, especially with the music and animation. Also, I'm so weak for Capitano you guys. His voice 😍🥵 alright I'll stop. But my Capitano agenda is far from over.

Spoilers below

Boy oh boy did I enjoy seeing everyone rally together to fight the Abyss. And the Abyss I felt was a pretty legitimate threat. (side note: i'm glad they didn't make us wait for the next patch to see the actual battle). The map was consumed by Abyssal power, reminding me of that one Enkanomiya event. And people died. You'd get to sites with people and everyone would be gone. It was lowkey chilling and Genshin really has stepped up in terms of how dark it wants the story to be. Chasca's sister, Chuychu, didn't make it. Their final words to each other were really heartfelt and it was sad to watch them say goodbye.

On a much lighter note, the cutscenes of Mavuika and the six heroes using their powers was soooo freaking cool, especially with the music. Side note, I'm glad they didn't shove the Traveler in as the final hero since this wasn't their fight technically. I loved seeing Mavuika use all her abilities and create that giant starburst thing in the sky to fight the Abyss. It gave me major Endgame vibes ngl. I was having a blast. This quest also made me really love Mavuika. She cares so deeply about her people and home that she'd sacrifice herself to save it all. It's a heavy price, but she's willing to pay it. Aside from Mavuika's selfless nature, she also looked epic when she fought the Abyss in the sky.

The new characters in general I really enjoyed, especially Ororon. I do like his design and I love how his voice tone changes from serious to almost childish when talking to Citlali. And his lore is really fascinating since he has an incomplete soul. Citlali gives me major Faruzan energy, but she has a beautiful design and she's pretty relatable imo with her awkwardness. I liked her a lot. Xilonen had a lot of charisma imo. Although I haven't figured out how to use her on the field during her playable segments.

And Capitano. My gosh did this man become very interesting. Not only is he Khaenri'ahn, but apparently his face is rotting from living for so long AND he knows Dain. He's a lot more tragic than I initially expected, having lost everything and everyone to the cataclysm. And out of all the Harbingers, alongside Childe (maybe Arlecchino with the HoH), he's definitely one of the more altruistic ones. His methods were extreme, but at the end of the day, he wanted to save Natlan, having lost so much already. Capitano was willing to put aside his own pride with his plan and listen to Mavuika's, helping her and the others defend their home. He even gave her all his soldiers to have for reinforcements. He's not driven by evil the way Dottore is or is vengeful to a destructive degree like Scaramouche. He's honorable and driven by the pain of his past. Vengeance too probably, but he didn't wipe Natlan clean to save it.

The lore was also fascinating. To talk to the Lord of the Night was really cool and I loved getting to know more about Teyvat as a whole. Btw, the "sky is fake" claim is finally proven true.

Overall, I was very satisfied with this Archon quest and could honestly watch a whole show on Natlan trying to fend off the Abyss. It reminds me of the Long Night but significantly better executed on almost all fronts (music still slapped).

Going forward, I definitely think we will see Mavuika die but either it won't be in the typical way or she will return in another form like Furina. Given how she's playable, Hoyo will find the loophole. But yeah, Mavuika will have to pay a heavy price. And it appears Capitano will as well. He still has his "final foe" to face and Ronova apparently sent him on his journey. Of course, the price for messing with death your own life, which Mavuika will have to pay. It seems like whatever Capitano is asking of the Lord of Night also will either lead to his own demise or some sort of demise. Either way, both characters are going to be facing a heavy price. I'm really excited to see the final face off with the Abyss and what will become of both Capitano and Mavuika.

The sky being fake caught my eye specifically because the edges of the hole and the void are reminiscent of the power used by the unknown god in the beginning of the game. Could the unknown god reside out in that void? Did she have a hand in creating Teyvat? Is Teyvat even a "real" world or is it something else entirely? So many questions. I look forward to getting answers and I love the small detail of the hole being covered by smoke. it would cause mass hysteria if one moment, you were fighting for your very home and then another bombshell about the sky being fake is thrown at you.

My only major nitpick is that the Natlan archon quest is almost beat for beat Fontaine's with some exceptions of course.

You got:

big existential, life threatening event that has been steadily building up for years and years

a Fatui harbinger who offers aid because they got their own stakes in this (said Harbinger is also Khaenri'ahn)

the archon has to die because they used powers that are kinda taboo

there are minor incidents prior to the actual existential event

said event has been known about by the archon for hundreds of years and preparations have been made

the day is saved by the archon (or dragon) flying up into the sky and using their awesome power to save everyone

supporting characters die protecting others (Silver and Melus you were the real ones)

The archon quest is still fantastic, but the overall formula was very similar. (it was also weird to not hear Kinich or Kachina but I get the reason).

Anyways, what did you guys think and are you excited for the next chapter???

[adobe-outdesign]

Been getting into Neopets again, so may I request your thoughts on the ghost color please?

It’s so simple, but I love the absolute HAUNTED expression that a good amount of the pets get when painted :D

Ghost is one of those very old colours that kind of suffers for its age, because it's... kind of boring? The concept is great, and I do like the way all ghost pets turn the same shade of teal with red eyes—it's very consistent both in terms of the colour itself and in terms of things like NPC characters and whatnot. I also like how the pets' expressions become more sad and spooky.

However, the execution beyond that tends to be lacking, as that's literally all there is to the colour beyond just a faint glow. You'd think that they'd make the pets semi-transparent, give them tails or wispy elements, stuff like that, but instead every pet is just "teal base with red eyes, glow, spooky expression". It's not terrible or anything, and once again it has a lot to do with how old the colour is, but it does feel pretty underwhelming.

You might think some of the blandness was caused by customization, but even pre-customization all the ghost pets were just drawn in their default poses. Sometimes the old art would give them a more exaggerated expression, but beyond that, they were still pretty boring.

However, just this year TNT released a bunch of "eerie" styles for this color with actual unique poses, and I have to say, these are a lot better. The dynamic Halloween styles they did were pretty good as a whole, but they also didn't feel all that necessary. These ones definitely were, as they don't just give the pets unique poses, but also take advantage of the new art to give them wispier, more ethereal appearances. Sure, most of them were sampled from art already on the site (the Flotsam above is based off a user shopkeeper), but if it works, it works. This does mean the styles are pretty inconsistent with the original art and expressions and aren't always on-point in terms of linework and whatnot, but there was so little there to begin with I can't imagine anyone complaining.

Favorite Species:

Techo: The Techo is a really good example of a pet design getting better over time. The pre-conversion art was literally just the default Techo—it didn't even have a different expression. Come customization, and they at least tweaked it to have smaller pupils and eye bags, which combined with the new art looking less overjoyed by default at least gave it a fun personality. Finally, with the eerie style, they redrew it to have what can only be described as a completely zoinked-out expression with irises around the pupils. It also now sports a floating pose with great shapes and flow, and some creative choices like more wispy elements and a complete lack of legs. It's really good.

Usul: The ghost Usul was always a bit unusual in that even pre-customization it always had flowing, raggedy ears and a slightly ruffled tail to match—a unique attribute that I really wish they had applied to more ghost pets with manes and long fur. With customization, the design actually got a bit worse—the eye bags were lost, it kept the same generic expression, and the tail didn't match the ears as much. However, with the new style, they fixed that completely; ears and tail now match perfectly and even the mane has been given the same ethereal look, with the pose and expression really standing out.

Hissi: This one's kind of cheating as I usually try to aim for pets that have both a good default base and a good style. The post-customization ghost Hissi, however, is as bland as can be—even the pre-customization ghost Hissi was absolutely nothing. However, the style is really good. I love the pose and the grabby hands, and the way big chunks are taken out of the body in an almost Wraith-like way.

Least Favorite Species:

Grundo: There are, strictly speaking, uglier species to pick from (pets with a lot of yellow, like the Tonu or Kiko, really don't work), but the Grundo gets this spot for being the blandest of the bland. Not only is there nothing interesting or unique about the design post- or pre-customization, but it doesn't even have a fun expression. In fact, it doesn't even have different eyes from a regular Grundo, because Grundo eyes are solid red by default, thus making it just look completely normal. Hopefully we'll get a style for this one one day that gives it something unique to work with.