#anti-designer breeds

[searchingwardrobes]

DOG LOVERS! Please, please do NOT buy a "blue," "silver," "Isabella" or "hairless" dachshund. These are not "rare" coats, these are dogs suffering from a disease called color dilution alopecia. It leads to hair loss and painful skin rashes, lesions, and sores. There's no cure.

Reputable breeders will not breed a dog with cda. Sadly, this is becoming a new, trendy "designer" dog because people think the blue-coated puppies are cute and unique. You can find these puppies for sale online for hundreds of dollars more than a dachshund with a standard coat.

Please spread the word! No puppies should be bred to suffer just for a trend.

You can read more about it here.

[bunjywunjy]

The anti-pit bull crowd’s favorite argument is “pointers point, retrievers retrieve, pit bulls kill” as proof that pit bulls are genetically designed to be dangerous dogs. What’s the best counterargument for this argument?

have those people ever met a pointer or retriever?? they might be genetically predisposed towards a certain behavior but they still have to be trained into it to be competent.

if you take a random golden retriever into the woods and expect it to fetch a dead duck for you just because of its breed, it's gonna go roll around in the mud instead.

pitbulls aren't natural killers any more than any other dog in their size class is.

plus, all dogs are domesticated predators and can be trained to kill! pitbulls are NOT different or more dangerous because of their breed!!!

[felinefractious]

Final (hopefully) Notes on Moonpaw

So first off I’d like to specify this is not a Warriors blog.

The Warriors series was hugely important to me during my childhood so there’s a definite nostalgia factor there. I no longer read the books but I still interact with the material and community.

There is a hefty overlap between the cat genetics + phenotype community and Warriors fans. A non-insignificant portion of my followers are involved with the series to some extent.

As such the subject will occasionally come up. Going forward these instances will be tagged as #wc bullshit, even if the circumstances or nature of the discussion aren’t negative. It’s just better to have one consistent tan people can block.

But ultimately this is not and will never be a Warriors blog.

Now onto the matter at hand.

Let’s summarize.

Moonpaw is the protagonist of the upcoming series of Warriors. The official website recently released her design as well as her parents, which has caused a buzz within the community for multiple reasons.

She is labeled as a chimera in her description, which the authors represent with a split-face pattern. A notable aspect of her story is going to center around this and how unique and special this makes her…

Which only demonstrates the authors poor understanding of the subject, as the split-face pattern is a normal presentation of tortoiseshell coloration and something which would certainly have occured numerous time within the clans population prior to now.

One of the authors thought mackerel referred to a green-hued cat, though. So.

It is possible for Moonpaw to be a chimera in the same way it is possible for any character to be or have been a chimera, there is no singular way for chineric cats to look and phenotypically normal cats can be chimeric and it’s just not detected because no-one knows to look for it.

But the split-face in itself isn’t suggestive of being a chimera, this is a widely perpetuated myth.

The belief that split face = chimera may be a relatively benign misunderstanding but it’s somewhat concerning how devoted to this misbelief some people seem to be. It’s okay to be wrong, it’s okay to not have known something. If you’re given new information accept it, don’t come snapping back with “Why does it matter?”

It’s a slippery slope to try and decide what degree of misinformation is acceptable to spread and the way some people react to almost as if it’s a personal slight to be told is teetering dangerously close to anti-intellectualism, especially during a time where misinformation in general is on the rise a la AI.

Don’t get me wrong, deliberate information can be fun to play with because it involves some degree of understanding that it isn’t true. Goncharov is an excellent example of “Yes, and” and sometimes I’ll assigned completely fabricated breeds to followers cats as part of a game.

This is different than sincere ignornance.

And we’re already seeing the inevitable conclusion of this behavior, I’ve seen swaths of misinformation about chimerism stemming from this which are not as benign as the initial split-face misbelief.

Chimerism occurs when two zygotes fuse into one organism… and that’s all chimerism is.

Chimerism is not a and is not related to any disability. It is actually so benign that we don’t know how common it actually is because most remain undiagnosed because there’s no inclination to test for it.

In instances where it is tested for this usually isn’t due to any medical complication for the individual, rather reproductive anomalies seem to be the most common instigator for testing, such as someone failing a parental DNA test.

So of course Moonpaw could be disabled but in the same way literally any character could be disabled. There’s been nothing in her design or the rest of the source material we’ve seen thus far that indicates she’s canonically disabled. Her chimerism is irrelevant to this subject.

Chimerism is also not inherently an intersex condition, although it absolutely can be. Intersex conditions occur when there are chromosomal, hormonal or anatomical variations that deviate from the narrowly defined social norm of one sex or another.

Ezra is a well-known chimera who with 96% XX and 4% XY chromosomes in blood but 100/% XY chromosomes in skin which means Ezra is intersex… but if the zygotes that fused were both XX or XY the individual would not be intersex due to their chimerism, though.

Discrimination of intersex people is a real problem.

But it has nothing to do with Moonpaw as a chimera.

Of course Moonpaw could be intersex, the same as any character could be intersex. Moonpaw can even be intersex as a direct result of her chimerism, as is the case with Ezra! But being a chimera in and of itself isn’t an indication that she’s intersex, it is entirely possible for her to be a chimera and still be endosex.

So once again there is nothing present in the canon we’ve been presented with thus far to indicate she’s canonically intersex, and if she is intersex then her chimerism may or may not be relevant.

And finally… the inbreeding issue.

I’d like to emphasize that Moonpaw being inbred was not a deliberate choice made by the authors and is not intended to represent individuals born from a consanguineous union. The cast of these books are tremendous and they fail to keep track of the family tree, frequently resulting in related characters being paired essentially due to sloppy record keeping.

So with this in mind nothing has been included in the canon thus far to indicate Moonpaw canonically experiences any adverse effects due to her lineage.

Anyways, it seems that people learned about the Habsburg family in 9th grade and that they had health kssues attributed to inbreeding and that… is where their knowledge on the subject ends, I guess?

The problem with inbreeding from a strictly biological perspective is that recessive traitd are retained and perpetuated. This article from BBC Earth does a pretty good job of breaking down the jist of the issue in a language that’s pretty accessible to the layperson.

Speaking of the Habsburg I’ve seen Moonpaw’s situation related to them a few times so I plugged Moonpaw’s family and the Habsburg family into a calculator to see how similar their COI (coefficient of inbreeding) is.

Moonpaw has a COI of 11.62% which is about the same degree of relatedness as first cousins while Charles II of the Habsburg family had a COI of 25.20% which is the same degree of relatedness as half-siblings.

So if Moonpaw were to display characteristics of inbreeding they would most likely be hypertyping (essentially extreme preservation of family traits), recessive traits (which may be benign) or inherited disorders such as PK Deficiency.

Other characteristics of inbreeding in cats that we’ve seen come through the clinic include pectus excavatum, abnormal testicular and lymphatic tissue, bilateral or unilateral cryptorchidism, or non-severe structural abnormalities such as a syndactyl digit or additional, small tail vertebrae.

So there’s no reason to believe Moonpaw would resemble the mother from Barbarian (2022) and real people born of incest don’t actually look and act like that either. It’s a horror movie myth and acting like it’s an accurate representation does a disservice to those genuinely born into and disabled due to such circumstances.

Side Note: Jokes about incest aren’t funny and stereotypes about inbreeding in rural areas are deeply rooted in classism.

A final note that the inbreeding is entirely unrelated to the chimerism, there is no evidence that inbreeding increases the likelihood of chimerism occuring. So logically and canonically her chimerism and her inbreeding exist completely independent of each other.

So TL;DR

Moonpaw could be a chimera but the premise that her split-face is indicative of being a chimera is based in misinformation.

Moonpaw being a chimera is not and is not related to a disability.

Moonpaw being a chimera can cause her to be intersex but her being intersex is not a given based solely on her being a chimera.

Moonpaw is inbred due to author negligence but the way people visualize the effects of this are grossly sensationalized.

Moonpaw being inbred and Moonpaw being a chimera are unrelated.

Chimera, disability and intersex headcanons are awesome for any and all characters indepent of canon. Go wild!

[blueboyluca]

Hello and welcome to this blog for Luca the Schipperke, Marceline the Papillon and Topaz the Borderpap. We live in northern tropical Australia on the lands of the Larrakia people. My name is Grace and my pronouns are she/her/hers.

You will find photos and posts about the dogs under #Luca, #Marceline and #Topaz.

Other tags of interest: #dog books – all book content goes here including quotes, photos and reviews #dog agility – agility training videos and anything related to the sport #video edit – all my edited dog videos #street dogs – dogs from around the world I’ve seen on my travels #dog history – dog stories from history #old dog photos – photos of dogs from the past #dog thoughts – my rambling thoughts about dogs

Some posts where I share my dog thoughts: Quality over quantity Respecting my dog as an individual My dog is a dog and he does dog things Spending time with dogs Be better when I know better Stella If you let a dog into your heart it will make itself at home What has your dog taught you? Pessimism in dogs The closest thing I have to religion is dogs Dogs need access to off-leash spaces I am baffled by people who claim their dogs have some kind of hierarchy Punishment first Why did you get a dog at that particular time in your life? Leadership and dogs Children are for people who can’t have dogs The future of dog breeding Dogs are unique Changing your training Community pet hub Ethical frameworks Deradicalisation Small feelings Dog-shaped niche Dog training affirmations Nobody's dog is cared for perfectly

Sometimes I write dog poems (or dog song parodies): Little Boy Blue Not Perfect Maybe I could give you warmth You are a special kind of alive Luca dog on a voyage to the nursing home That Puppy Feeling In the morning she makes the tea

I also occasionally post things of a more informational nature: Living with a schipperke Schipperke history Schipperke coat colours Living with a schipperke (again) Engagement building through play Managing Luca’s reactivity Living with a schipperke (once more, with feeling) Reflections on reactivity Why I’m against greyhound racing in Australia Designing a dog park Introducing Luca and Marceline Fussy Eater Why I hate dog buttons Dog book recommendations Emotionally intelligent dog media

And some other miscellaneous posts that I like: Photo recreation 1 Photo recreation 2 Blue Boy Blues, an album by Blueboy Luca "Why Not Visit?" Edit 1 "Why Not Visit?" Edit 2 Luca’s Theme My bikejoring set up Dog–human co-evolutionary partnership My dogs as Björk songs My dogs as Björk albums Luca’s Spotify playlist Marceline’s Spotify playlist Topaz’s Spotify playlist My pitches for Designer Dogs

Please note that my dogs are primarily self-interested amoral creatures, and their behaviour is reflective of their environmental conditions. They are also anti-fascists who support the liberation and celebrate the diversity of all people. They value animal welfare and advocate for least intrusive, positive reinforcement-based interactions between humans and animals. My dogs invite good faith communication and do not tolerate bad faith engagement. My dogs are explicitly pro-abortion and tell me so every day. Know this when you interact with their media on this blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

[racefortheironthrone]

Kinda of random but what do you think of Alan's Moore comments about people liking comic book movies could lead into fascism? Seems like bitter old man territory but what do you think?

I think it's fair to say that fascism has been something of an obsession of Alan Moore's and a recurring although not omnipresent theme in many of his works.

While Miracleman is technically an expy of Captain Marvel, I would argue that the series is Moore's most extended commentary on Superman instead and especially the idea of the ubermensch. In Miracleman, our protagonist is initially thought to have been made into a superhero by a benevolent enlightened scientist, but eventually we learn that Miracleman is the product of an Operation Paperclip Nazi science project called the Zarathusa Project designed to create the literal Nietzschean Ubermensch, complete with a fixation on "blond gods" and a eugenicist breeding program. A superhero fight in the midle of London causes mass civilian casualties on the scale of an atomic bomb going off. Ultimately, Miracleman effectively overthrows Thatcher's government and rules as an enlightened despot before eventually leaving Earth for space.

Likewise, I think Watchmen is Moore's most extended commentary on masked vigilantism and thus on Batman. In Watchmen, the phenomenon of vigilantism is repeatedly associated with right-wing politics: Hooded Justice is a German circus strongman who has pro-Nazi politics; Captain Metropolis wanted his superhero teams to target "black unrest," "campus subversion," and "anti-war demos;" and the Comedian is a brutal nihilist who ultimately joins the U.S security state where he cheerfully follows orders to assassinate JFK and Woodward and Bernstein, commit atrocities in Vietnam, kill protesting hippies, etc. Finally, there's Rorschach, Moore's most famous mis-interpreted creation - Rorschach is a paranoid conspiracy theorist who's an anti-communist, anti-liberal, militant and militaristic nationalist, homophobe, misogynist, and avid follower of the John Birch Society-like New Frontiersman.

And then there's V for Vendetta, which I would argue is Moore's attempt to create a masked vigilante superhero with his own anarchist politics. In this story, the vigilante isn't a crimefighter but rather a revolutionary who seeks the overthrow of a fascist state and the creation of an anarchist utopia.

Moreover, his more recent comments about comic book movies being linked to fascism are arguably just part of his much longer-running commentary that superheroes as a concept are at the very least proto-fascist.

Having read a lot of Moore's work and interviews on the subject, I don't find his critique compelling. I think his definition of fascism is far too loose, I think his lens on the superhero genre is overly narrow, and I think his mode of analysis tends to neglect the vital area of historical context.

Definitions

So let's start with Moore's definition of fascism. I think Moore tends to really over-emphasize the whole idea of the Nietzschean ubermensch and the use of force to solve problems, and more recently he's been on this weird kick of saying that nostalgia and a childlike desire for easy solutions leads to fascism. I have several problems with this definition:

the first is that, as I've talked about in the past, fascism is a very complex historical phenomenon that can't be boiled down to a single idea, and in particular the idea of the ubermensch is a pretty small part of the German case (and even then how do you balance it against Nazism's more anti-individualistic aspects, like the mass party and the mass party organization).

the second is that the idea of a larger-than-life individual using physical prowess to solve problems is not unique to fascism. After all, during the 30s, you also had the Soviet Union promoting the heroic ideal of Stakhanovitism and the depiction of the heroic male factory worker in socialist realism. More importantly, the idea of a "larger-than-life individual using physical prowess to solve problems" is basically the same description for any number of literary figures from pulp cowboys to the Greek heroes of the Iliad and the Oddessy to the epic of Gilgamesh.

the third is that I think Moore's definition overlooks the actual drivers of the rise of contemporary fascism. Anti-semitism, racism, homophobia and transphobia, misogyny - all of these are real social and cultural forces that are actually motivating people to join the ranks of the alt-right, to commit massacres, to riot at the Capitol, and so forth. It is incredibly self-involved to think that superheroes and superhero movies are worth discussing in the same breath. At the end of the day, they're harmless entertainment compared to the real political issues that need to be tackled.

Moore's Model of Superheroes

Here's where I'm going to say something that's going to be a bit controversial - I don't think Alan Moore has read widely enough in the superhero genre to make an accurate assessment of its relationship to fascism. If we look at his comics work, and we look at his writings, and we look at his interviews, Moore's mental model of the superhero really only includes two figures, Superman as the representative of the superpowered ubermensch and Batman as the representative of the masked vigilante crimefighter. Notably, Moore hasn't really touched the last of the Big Three - Wonder Woman, a superhero with a strong legacy of radical left-wing politics. I do think we have to mention, given Moore's somewhat troubled history when it comes to issues of gender, that Moore's model of the superhero doesn't include any female superheroes (or for that matter, any superheroes of color or queer superheroes). (EDIT: I should clarify - Promethea is Moore's version of Wonder Woman, but she doesn't really come up in his discussions of fascism, and her thematic profile has more to do with Moore's interests in magic.)

And other than Captain Britain, Moore never worked with any Marvel character and basically ignores them.

To me, this is like having a career as a painter and never working with colors. Moore's model of the superhero leaves out the Fantastic Four and how their flawed psychologies revolutionized the industry and the whole idea of the superhero-as-explorer, it leaves out Spider-Man and the idea of the superhero-as-everyman whose central struggle is about work-life balance and altruism, and most importantly it leaves out the X-Men and the idea of the mutant metaphor.

If as a critic you're going to make grand pronouncements about something as morally evil as fascism, I think it really is incumbent on you to have read and analyzed widely rather than cherry-picking a couple of case studies. Especially if you have something of a tendency to mis-characterize those case studies by ignoring historical context.

Historical Context

So let's talk about Superman and Batman and their emergence in the 1930s. One vital bit of context is that the U.S experienced a significant crime wave in the 1920s and 1930s as Prohibition encouraged the rise of organized crime and then the Great Depression spurred the rise of kidnapping and bank robbery gangs. Moreover, municipal police forces tended to be wildly corrupt, accepting bribes from organized crime to let them operate with impunity, while not letting up in the slightest in their brutal oppression of workers and minorities.

In this context, I think the idea of vigilantism - while it has an undeniably racist legacy dating back to Reconstruction - is not purely a conservative phenomena. It's also an expression of a desire for help from somebody, anybody when the powers that be are of no help. And at the end of the day, unsanctioned use of force can equally be traced back to left-wing self-defense efforts from the Panthers back to the Communist Party's streetfighting corps to unions packing two-by-fours on the picket line - so I don't think we can simply equate punching a bad guy with racist lynch mobs and call it a day.

So let's talk about Superman and the ubermensch. I think Moore has a bad tendency to focus on his nightmare scenrio of a godlike being tyrannizing and destroying hapless humanity, while minimizing the actual ideas of Siegel and Shuster. He tends to take their use of the Nietzschean as a straighforward invocation instead of the clear subversion it was intended to be - rather than a blond god who imposed tyrannical rule with horrific violence, Siegel and Schuster made their Superman a dark-haired Moses allegory, who rather than solely fighting crime acted to stop wife-beaters, war profiteers, and save the life of death row inmates, and whose secret identity was of a crusading journalist who uncovered corrupt politicians.

To be fair, Alan Moore admits that Superman started out as "very much a New Deal American” - but because this kind of does near-fatal damage to his argument, he quickly minimizes that by saying that Superman got co-opted and thus it doesn't count. This is some No True Scotsman bullshit - Moore knows that his example just imploded so he tries to wriggle out of it by arguing that Superman sold out to the Man. If we go back to the actual historical evidence, we can see that at the outset of the Red Scare, the Superman radio show went on a crusade against the Klan, and throughout the conservative 1950s, Superman was used to propagandize liberal values of religious and racial equality:

So much for selling out.

On the other hand, Batman is a tougher case, given that his whole deal is being a masked vigilante who wages an unending war on crime to avenge his murdered parents. So is Batman an inherently fascist figure, a wealthy sadist who spends his time brutally beating the poor and the mentally ill when he could be using his riches to tackle social issues? I would argue that this version of Batman is actually pretty recent - very much a legacy of the work of Frank Miller and then the post-9/11 writings of Christopher Nolan, Johnathan Nolan, and David Goyer - and that there have been many different Batmen with very different thematic foci.

For example, the early Batman was as much a figure of horror as he was of superheroics - he fought Frankensteins and Draculas, he killed with silver bullets, etc. Then in the 40s and 50s, you got the much more cartoony and light-hearted Batman who pretty much exclusively fought equally oddball supervillains in such a heightened world of riddles and giant pennies and mechanical T-Rexes that I don't think you can particularly describe it as "crime-fighting." Then in the 1960s, you have the titanic influence of the Batman TV show, where Adam West as Batman was officially licensed by the Gotham P.D (so much for vigilantism) and extolled the virtues of constitutional due process and the Equal Pay Act in PSAs and episodes alike. You can call the 1966 Batman a lot of things, but fascist isn't one of them.

Conclusion

I want to emphasize at the end of the day that I'm a huge Alan Moore fan; I've read most of his vast bibliography, I find him a fascinating if very odd thinker and critic, I've even tried to read his mammoth novel Jerusalem (which is not easy reading, let me tell you). At the same time, it's important not to treat creators, even the very titans of the medium, as incapable of error. And in this case, I think Alan Moore is simply wrong about fascism and superheroes and people should really stop asking him about it, because I don't think he has anything new to say about it.

[murdermepeacefully]

Billy Lenz Headcanons

Working on my first Dead Dove fic ever, and figured I'd do some headcanons for the lovely canon character in it~ Most of them ended up on the spicy side, so....sorry about that!

As before, these are of course my own personal opinion, but feel free to reblog, add onto them, ask questions about them, or add them to the ones you accept yourself! I absolutely love hearing from others on their thoughts.

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

Things based on the movies: Note: While I know the movies do not all feature the same Billy, I do pull from the 1974 film as well for some of these.

Definitely has a thing for eyes in general. [Think imagery, eye contact, etc. Tends to notice someone's eyes before anything else]

Collects false eyes due to this. [Especially antique ones or ones with unique designs.]

Not a huge fan of Christmas time, but can still enjoy some parts. Definitely likes the lights, cookies, candy, and Santa Claus parts, but not the tree or gift giving parts.

Doesn't stay in childhood home, but instead moves to random houses. Can end up in non-sorority houses as a result.

Prefers the attic wherever he ends up, but absolutely finds a way to sneak around the entire house.

Tends to go for older houses so any creaking from him moving through the house can be excused as just 'the house settling'

Things based on Fandom content and interaction:

Keeps his collection of fake eyes in a jar and shakes it like marbles, but will sort them by color, style, or other categorization method if he wants to just focus on something for a while. [Thanks to @fingersinmyhair for this one! 💕]

Carries one in his pocket if he goes out as a comfort item.

Wears PJs/PJ-Adjacent clothing a lot. [Think sweat pants and oversized sweaters/sweatshirts]

Random Just Because Ones:

Very much likes drinking in the scent of those he's infatuated with/curious about.

Likes to steal little things from them to put in his hideaway.

Spicy ones 🌶️🔞

He absolutely loves biting/licking/drinking the blood of partners, during sex or not.

He will lick the bite if you show signs of it hurting, as if in apology.

He gets turned on by being the one in control/on top.

If you're fucking you best believe he's fucking you hard, pulling your hair to arch your head to the side so he has access to your neck and shoulders for biting and leaving marks.

Likes pulling his partner's hair in general tbh

ABSOLUTELY would give you a necklace of bite marks along your collarbone

Will mastrubate using your clothes if he can get away with it [Prefers shirts/dresses/etc to underwear, however, so he can imagine he's fucking you while you wear it.]

If there is an anti-breeding kink, he has it.

He does not like being on the bottom, but on the off chance that he is, it's a much softer, sweeter sort of fucking. Lots of gentle reassurances and kisses and the like, more nibbling than full on biting. Likely works out a signal for his partner, be it a word or a gesture, for when he wants to top and start speeding things up.

Hardcore into sexting/phone sex, but absolutely expect him to jerk off while on the phone with you or send video of him doing it.

Would absolutely get one of those O ring gags that force the wearer to have their mouth open, especially if their partner is a drooling, whimpering mess while wearing it.

[intogenshin]

capitalism does breed innovation in Fontaine

I find it very funny (positive) that Genshin in Sumeru is like “capitalism is bad” and then in Fontaine they’re like “but...” and they give credit where it’s due —it does sneak lukewarm criticism, but they’re not trying to push an agenda (at least not one unfounded)

Chiori’s quest is all about the unregulated competition of free market, the miracle of capitalism. It’s not even subtle, just a representation of it, like it’s very in your face about it.

It also confirms my suspicion that the local entity acting as police force (matra/gardes) are an allegory for the role of the state in terms of how it interacts (or not) with the market under capitalism.

Interpret the relationships between designers in Chiori’s quest as the market: was it regulated in any form? Uther didn’t hold back in the dirty tricks he used against his competitor (these are characters in a story, so of course his motivations are more personal than just profit), especially using the power of public opinion against Chiori’s brand (which I find hilarious, considering why mob mentality was addressed in Alhaitham’s sq - but that’s a different conversation). At the same time, Chiori has an agreement with Chevreuse that allows her to deal with these issues independently so that the Gardes don’t interfere. It’s pretty much a nod to self regulated market.

Fontaine might have gotten its name possibly from the novel The Fountainhead, written by a woman with a boner for capitalism and anti-socialism, where the climax of the story happens in a court that the protagonist defends his 🗽freedom🗽 in and it’s basically an allegory for free market (a dumb one, but an allegory at that). So I promise I’m not pushing ideological nonsense into a gacha game on my own, I’m an innocent bystander.

In contrast, much of Sumeru’s narrative argues for solutions based on collectivism and integration. It comes across as a society where you can see the walls of the capitalist promise collapsing. It is also a capitalist society where market is regulated: Dori is a caricature of the market working against the regulations of the state, choosing to carry out illegal business instead. The matra in this case are representative of the state.

Back to Chiori’s sq, it does make an interesting point about the meaning of wearing fashion (we replace fashion with any good or service in the market) and how the consumers of a product give value to it. Chiori’s brand suffers a smear campaign that claims her clothes are worn by prisoners in Meropide, but it doesn’t go into it, instead choosing to highlight the virtues of those who succeed in the capitalist market: unlike her ex-partner who gave up in the industry and chose to go for conventional designs, Chiori chose to stand by her innovations despite all the risks and setbacks. She’s described as brave and committed to her dreams, unlike this bitter man who started the same as her but gave up. Capitalism is a game that only the bravest and most hardworking talented individuals win, after all 🙄

I have no complaints about the ideological exploration of capitalist theory, and it does good in using a character like Chiori who comes from a background where she was intended to serve the aristocracy exclusively and under strict tradition, so she finds the 🗽freedom🗽 of Fontaine more fitting for her goals.

I am, however, frustrated with the refusal to address more interesting topics within the narrative itself. Chiori’s quest goes briefly into it, but only as a mention: the cost of this freedom, the class inequality between the surface and the underground. Chiori’s brand fell in popularity precisely because people believed prisoners liked it.

Genshin still refuses to address the issue of ex-convicts staying in Meropide after finishing their sentences due to the prejudice they face in the “overworld”, and this is something the aq itself introduced (it is that deep, it’s not my fault). The overall existence of people living in the underground is quite awkward. It’s that tradition Genshin has of introducing very interesting topics and then never touching them, it’s getting boring.

I do hope this is a matter for a future event involving Kaveh, whose mother currently lives in Fontaine. Achieving a market in which innovation is appreciated in art is his dream, after all, but this contrasted with the reality of the cost in austerity kind of corroborates that his dream is an impossible ideal. He rejected Sachin’s research once, so I doubt he’d willingly accept this at all, he’s an idealist, but if there’s any reason to explore this part of the narrative in Fontaine he’s a strong one.

Since Sumeru is failed capitalism and Fontaine is idealistic capitalism, I hope Natlan turns out to be actual socialism.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

batman recommendation anon!

i've been looking to get back into comics lately so i'd be up for a bigger series

i prefer a more serious tone but typically try to avoid gore simply for the sake of it

i don't know if this is canon to the comic books, but i like the kind of partnership between catwoman and batman in some of the movies

oh, ideal! this is such helpful information, thank you!

bearing in mind that these are some personal preferences, my taste is what it is, more recs are welcome but nobody give me shit about my shit:

Batman: Year One (Frank Miller and Mazzuchelli, 1987) - this is a short, 4-part series that locked down the new official origin story for Batman after Crisis on Infinite Earths. it's pretty serious but not gory, following Bruce and Gordon as joint protagonists as they each struggle through their first year protecting Gotham. Selina is also present whooping Bruce's ass before they ever become Batman or Catwoman, and if you want to see more of her side of things there's a Catwoman mini-series (Mindy Newell, J.J. Birch, and Michael Blair, 1989) that takes place alongside the events of Year One (warning for that one dealing much more heavily with the violence Selina was facing as a sex worker!). also I don't know how important the art is to you but I LOVE the art in year one, it's so moody and evocative and really makes the most of an extremely minimalist palette.

for serious, self-contained stories you really can't do better that Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's triptych of the Long Halloween (1996), Dark Victory (2000), and When in Rome (2004). the Long Halloween is iconic for a reason, taking you on a tour through Gotham's rogues gallery early in Batman's career when costumed villains are just starting to overtake the old mob families with a newer, much more unpredictable breed of crime. the story is fairly simple - an unknown killer strikes each month on a holiday, and Batman, Gordon, and Harvey Dent are on the case - but sweeping and atmospheric. the sequel, Dark Victory, sees young Dick Grayson added to the Bat-family, and When in Rome follows Selina on a solo adventure to Italy seeking out information about Carmine Falcone. you only need a broad strokes understanding of Batman lore to follow along with the plots here, and Bruce and Selina's relationship in here is interesting and tense because they only know each other as Bruce and Selina, while Batman and Catwoman are still unsure how much they're on the same side. also I just really like how Loeb writes Selina, especially when she gets to be the star in When in Rome.

for a story that is part of the larger Batman narrative at the time but can be read as a standalone, I like Heat (Doug Moench and Russ Heath, 1993)! It's a 4-part story from Legends of the Dark Knight, a series whose rotating cast of writers and artists could introduce a brand new Batman story every few months. Heat is a pretty grounded crime story, featuring Batman, Catwoman, and Gordon all chasing a cat-themed serial killer while Gotham is in the grip of a crushing heatwave. aside from the costumed vigilantism of it all it's a relatively grounded story, with Catwoman dealing with the fallout of being a suspected murderer and Gordon having to quell racial tensions that arise in the city when the serial killer is suspected of being a Black man.

skipping WAY ahead in time, can I tell you about Their Dark Designs (James Tynion IV, Tony S. Daniel, Danny Miki, and Tomeu Morey, 2020). TDD runs from Batman vol. 3 issue #86-94 and is SUCH a fun story, centering on old plans that the Batman's fab four - Catwoman, Joker, Riddler, and Penguin - made in the early days of their crime careers coming back to bite everyone in the ass and rock Gotham to its fucking core. Bruce and Selina's relationship is very central, as she's officially made the leap to be more hero than anti-hero as she works alongside him, and it's very grounded in well-known characters while still serving up just a heap of premium bananagrams comic book bullshit. the plot is convoluted but a lot of fun, I had a great time with it and I infamously don't care for modern comics. this is important: you will be tempted to read what comes immediately after this. it's Joker War, and it's very bad. do not say you weren't warned.

lastly, if you want to get Catwoman-heavy I cannot recommend Catwoman: Lonely City (Cliff Chiang, 2022) nearly enough. although it takes place in a Gotham 20 years after Batman's death, Selina is still heavily influenced by her relationship with him and spends much of the series trying to puzzle out the legacy he left behind. it follows her fresh out of prison in a Gotham where Mayor Harvey Dent has outlawed costumed vigilantes and criminals alike, and you get to see Selina fighting to rebuild her life when the entire world around her has changed. you get middle-aged versions of classic characters - Selina, Dent, Barbara Gordon, Killer Croc, the Riddler - and some sparkling original characters - Edie Nygma, my beloved!!! - taking on a world after Batman, once again requiring very minimal knowledge on behalf of the reader to just sit back and enjoy the world. also, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that Cliff Chiang's art if fucking gorgeous.

[firelightfoxes]

i saw a post recently that made me want to state my opinion on something.

i do not hate doodles. in fact, i would say i'm pro doodle. as long as the doodle is bred or acquired ethically, i have 0 problem with them existing.

obviously doodles can have problems much like many other breeds. many. most of them. but that doesn't mean they shouldn't exist! and uninformed/uneducated buyers will unfortunately always be a thing. it doesn't mean that whatever they're buying shouldn't exist.

i don't anymore, but i worked in the animal industry (pet retail, shelter, and veterinary) for about 3 years. i NEVER saw a doodle that was as awful as so many people paint them to be. i'm not saying they don't exist! just anecdotally, i interacted with plenty of doodles that were totally fine. not my cup of tea as far as dogs go, but non problematic. in fact, most of the nervy messes i can remember were purebreds (looking at you schnauzers). that does not mean i think that schnauzers should not exist or that we should witch hunt the people who breed or own them.

in my experience working in rescue, i very rarely saw any dogs that could've been a poodle mix (think curls or furnishings) - and when i did, they wouldn't last more than a day there before getting adopted. people like doodley dogs! i understand this may differ regionally, but where i'm located, we don't have an overpopulation problem of doodles. we DO have a very clear overpopulation of pitbulls and bully breed mixes.

but back to the point. people hate doodles for all sorts of reasons - they're designer dogs, they're a fad, they're bred for money, their coats are bad, etc etc. okay fine, you're entitled to that - but you CAN'T hate doodles for those reasons unless you also hate all the other breeds or mixes (sport mixes!!!) that fall under the above criteria as well. doodles aren't special. they're not different. they're just another type of dog and people like them. popularity isn't a sin. lots of breeds have had their time in the spotlight and yet their owners aren't verbally flogged for having them.

i'm pro rescue and adoption. i'm pro ethical breeding. i have a rescue mutt from a shelter and i have a purebred dog from a breeder. and i believe that doodles fill a niche in a lot of homes that other breeds don't. hence their popularity. if you hate doodles, i think you should really try to think deeply about WHY. like, i'll most likely never own a doodle because they're not what i want in a dog - and if you groomed them and thought they were always annoying and you dislike them - fine! but when you think that every single doodle is the scourge of the earth and people should be ashamed for owning them, you need to sit down and think about that, because chances are you've fallen prey to some sort of anti-doodle propaganda without truly examining the facts.

[headspace-hotel]

I will say, your views on the lack of accessibility wrt ecology and sustainability also applies to the issue of getting people to expand their horizons reading-wise. I've been thinking about this wrt this long rant-y article I stumbled on about how Book Twitter's insularity was breeding a major anti-intelectualism but the only hint of a solution they had was "Maybe we should start being meaner to these people," even tho that behavior's is what makes them double-down IMO.

If it's talking about how people on book twitter are like "YA fiction is the only books worth reading and classics are boring and everything else is about divorce and stuff" i'm afraid the seeds to that were in the ground long, long ago

most americans in particular have a garbage high school experience where classics are taught in terms of one "correct" interpretation of the text, without appropriate historical context, and there is little room for criticism or actual novel thoughtful analysis or just...the personal petty opinions that are 100% inevitable. I think people get spiteful about classics because they were too often exposed to the idea that if you don't like a "classic" book it means you're just stupid or you don't understand. Which is not true; sometimes you just hate a book for reasons that are your own

YA book twitter is Like That because of a very real and destructive subset of readers that were/are equally annoying about "classic" books or whatever sort of book they deem intellectually superior. YA fiction frequently falls into both of the most commonly pointlessly maligned literary genres: fantasy/sci-fi and romance. Children's fiction, or any book designated as being "for children," also attracts this kind of disdain. How quickly we forget our history.

The people that enjoy this sort of book have been primed for aggression and defensiveness because of endless pointless attacks on the kind of reading material they prefer, designating it intellectually inferior.

And some people really do have a stick up their ass about people reading for pleasure in general.

[civilotterneer]

I'm always down for asks! Though I make no promises to have all the answers. I'm pretty sociable so feel free to interact!

I don't really intend to frequently post NSFW, but if I do, I'll always community tag cover it. Please see Tags of Note below for more details on what you may want to mute.

I sometimes post non-furry stuff, which'll typically be of something I made in Blender or is a 3d printing project. Usually a spaceship design I made and am proud of or a miniature I printed and painted.

I've also got an alt where I do most of my reblogs so this page can stay clean: @civilotterneerredlines

Master list of my larger projects can be found at the end of this blurb.

Wanna know more?

Master List:

Laundry Day - Funny lewd comic about CIv doing laundry

Tags of Note:

#uncivilotterneer - horny posting, and NSFW. This blanket terms all lewd posts.

#speedo - posts where characters are shirtless or wearing very little, like a Speedo, but not with sexual intent.

#sandwich time - the anti-horny post. Send me an ask if I ever get too lewd or horny to reset me and have me post a sandwich render instead of being lower-brained.

#Civ - Civ! My main fursona and primary character

#Lye - Civ's housemate, a cat necromancer

#ask - posts with asks from people

Fun facts:

I am a practicing civil engineer-in-training. I originally got a degree in environmental engineering, but civil speaks to me more now (they're very similar degrees so it's in fact possible to switch post-college). I'm focusing my work in wastewater and water treatment, with a healthy amount of site grading and water/sewer pipe networks for the city.

I swim just about every day I can, which is pretty close to daily. Thus my fursona's an otter to reflect that. Plus I'm just a silly little guy sometimes.

Ich lerne Deutsch, aber Ich bin nicht sehr gut.

I enjoy tabletop games a ton. Big fan of DND/Starfinder and I'm currently running a Starfinder campaign. I also play a bit of MTG, but more often I play Star Wars Armada, which I paint and homebrew for.

I have 2 3D printers, one FDM and one Resin. I'm typically printing game pieces for Armada, which a roommate and I are currently using to make a Star Trek, UNSC, and Covenant faction for the game. I also 3D print mini's for DND, and my roommate group paints them. The FDM is the favorite child, though its older so maybe that's unfair. (I'd like to note that she's now in her rebellious stage and tends to malfunction more now. The resin's now the grade A student)

I've got two pets: one's my mutt Lady (she's a rez mutt with mixed aussie, german shep, sheep dog, herder, and about every other breed on the rez), the other's my snake Striker (lesser morph ball python).

Base model originally by https://x.com/GalileoGB?t=A570ht3M6JPpeOog-Rn3Kg&s=09

Ref Sheet (Not updated for model changes):

[nayeonline]

Why 'GLITCH' - KWON EUNBI Is The Greatest Song Ever Made

One of the most common arguments against k-pop that isn’t ‘it’s cringy’ is that it is the peak of capitalist pop culture, and the whole affair was solely designed to manufacture idols the teenage girls of South Korea (and now the wider world) will become obsessed with, and where there is obsession, there is money. Lots of money. For years there have been discussions in the online community about if k-pop has stopped being about the music; about what idols we think only debuted because they are attractive, as opposed to talented; about the companies that buy views and sell a hundred different versions of their groups’ albums to drive up sales. We say that all of this makes k-pop annoying, repetitive, and a vacuum for creativity, but then we scroll away and retweet the next twenty Wonyoung fancams we see. I’m guilty of this too, we all contribute to this system by buying the albums and liking the fancams and watching the music videos, because k-pop is fun and interesting and all encompassing. But sometimes, I get so caught up in the repetitive, standardised releases that I’ll tune into a comeback and it will absolutely floor me. K-Pop capitalism may not usually breed innovation, but this time it had. I was listening to ‘Glitch’ by Kwon Eunbi -  the greatest song ever made. (Yes, I’m being hyperbolic, modality makes for a boring essay)

Let’s begin with Kwon Eunbi herself. As I am sure you are aware, Eunbi was the leader of IZ*ONE, and since the group’s fateful disbandment in 2021, she joined Woollim Entertainment as a soloist. Eunbi is of course a highly talented and skilled dancer, but for me her real star quality comes from her voice. It is so unbelievably unique in its formation. Her tone is thin and soft and delicate, but her vocal power is incredible. This dichotomy in tone and power gives Eunbi’s vocal performance an almost uncanny edge, it has an aura you can’t quite place. In some songs, like her debut title track ‘Door’ this can be a hindrance - the listener is left wanting a more fuller tone to match the power of her range and the 1920’s-esque jazz instrumentation, but since her debut, Eunbi’s songs have evolved in such a way that every element of the production highlights and celebrates this quality, instead of trying to cover it up as ‘Door’ does. ‘Glitch’ epitomises this concept.

Generally speaking, mainstream K-pop production is rarely spectacular; a catchy bass line, some trappy percussion, synth melody in the chorus with a more subtle 80’s disco feel is the go to for many a kpop producer. ‘Glitch’ definitely involves elements of this, but employs them in a far more intentional manner. The song opens with an 8-bit video game-esque melody that briefly teases the chorus, then transitions into an extremely minimalistic bass driven verse mainly led by the vocal melody. The opening melody returns with some new snappy percussion, the layers build, the vocals get more frantic and fast, and the listener realises unlike most kpop songs that begin working up to the hook in the pre chorus, ‘Glitch’ has been building its layers since the first second. The synths stack up, the percussion quickens, everything is going a mile a minute and with Eunbi’s spoken ad-lib “It’s definitely uncertain, that’s who I am” the listener holds their breath for what they assume to be the inevitable and-

The wind is utterly knocked out of you. That full to the brim chorus you were expecting is not here, instead we get this bass beat that evokes a glitchy (ha) speaker, and Eunbi’s ethereal vocals. Anti-drops have existed before this song, but I reserve that this is the peak of the sub genre.

The song continues to add layers of production, the verses and pre choruses bringing more and more urgency as they go on. The most frustrating part to your average anti-drop song is that by the end of the song you are in the same place that you started in - they are so afraid to build as the song goes on. ‘Glitch’ is not fazed by this pitfall. The bridge is ethereal and half time, and the listener is struck with the feeling that something is brewing. Eunbi whispers “disappear”, and the wire snaps. Everything explodes in a technicolour paroxysm, and what was a vibey down beat song becomes wondrously anthemic. The release we have been building since that mesmerising introductory melody is here, and before you know it, it’s gone. Replaced by a lilting, indistinct melody that fades in and out of existence, leaving the listener in pure awe.

If you were to cut a single part out of this song, it would not work. That is the genius of ‘Glitch’, to listen to only a single part of it is to misunderstand the song; it is impossible to condense. In the sea of kpop songs manufactured to be in 30 second sound bites that go viral on TikTok along with the point choreography, ‘Glitch’ uses every second of its 3:45 runtime expertly and efficiently. And yes, I am aware that there was a #Glitch_Challenge, but I like to imagine that this was a feeble attempt at marketing from Woollim Entertainment, rather than something in the forefront of the minds of the highly talented producers. (They were Corbin (NEWTYPE) and TAK.)

If it hasn’t clicked yet, I really fucking love this song. I love its construction, its instrumentation, and of course I love Eunbi. She is such a powerhouse and her discography is so amazing. My favourite release from her is the ‘Lethality’ mini album, which includes ‘Croquis’ the mesmerising sonic sequel to Glitch that is also produced by Corbin and TAK. If you have never listened to ‘Glitch’ before, or you heard it once or twice when it came out a couple years ago, I would heavily encourage a listen; it truly hasn’t aged a day. And for the initiated among you, go check out both ‘Croquis’ and Eunbi’s latest comeback, ‘The Flash’. Or go stream her whole discography because it definitely deserves a listen. Thanks for reading, and if you have any K-pop related topics you want me to cover, or albums you want me to review, let me know in either the comments/reblogs, or in the requests section of my blog.

[transqueer4singlemoms]

There’s no way people genuinely think suburbs are good?? Have you ever BEEN to a suburbs based town or city? Newsflash it sucks donkey balls. Literally terrible. It’s sanitized to all hell, no room for community, self expression, or really anything for that matter. They’re actively anti-community. They go out of their way to make breeding grounds for isolated nuclear families which are only enforced by society so you have a reason not to end it all after a long 12 hour shift at your minimum wage job. Did I mention how brutally car centric American suburbs are? Jesus Christ you can’t go anywhere without a car. Not the gym, not to work, not to “downtown” (a strip mall with a giant mega chain store). Everywhere. Fucking. Place requires a car. If you don’t have one well I guess you’re FUCKED. No social life for you. Also why the fuck is the only community organization the HOA?? An organization designed by rich stuck ups to bully you into keeping house prices high and no other reason. Why is the only interference by a governing authority the one that artificially keeps house prices high? I’m not even gonna talk about all the racism that happens Im not even qualified. What shitty little antiques of the era of worshipping the American Dream

[not-from-your-town]

Propaganda Magazine. (1990). Soundgarden Flower Gathering. pp. 16-18

Chris Cornell and the other three members of Soundgarden are part of the new breed of “Zen” rockers who wear their hair long, clothe themselves in “Nirvana” T-shirts, and choose to create enlightened sounds. They wear anti-yuppie threads like torn jeans and cut-offs that don’t pay much attention to designer appearance.

[cyberpunkonline]

The Intriguing Intersection of Grand UFO Conspiracies and Cyberpunk Media

Introduction

As subcultures with countercultural leanings and an insatiable thirst for what lies beyond the known, the grand UFO conspiracy theories and the cyberpunk genre share an intriguing relationship. Both captivate their audiences with tales of hidden agendas, shadowy organizations, and elusive truths. This essay aims to dig deep into the interplay between these two fascinating realms by discussing notable examples across various media forms such as films, television series, books, and anime.

The Allure of Conspiracies and Dystopia

Before diving into specific examples, it's crucial to understand the appeal that draws people towards conspiracy theories and cyberpunk. UFO conspiracy theories paint a picture of a world where clandestine operations are at play, knowledge is withheld, and the public is deceived. Cyberpunk, on the other hand, portrays near-future dystopias with grim landscapes, where technological advancements often come at the expense of human connection and morality. These themes overlap, creating a narrative breeding ground ripe for cross-over stories and theories.

Films that Blur the Lines

"Blade Runner" & Project Blue Book

Although Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" doesn't directly delve into UFOs, it plays on the idea of life beyond Earth with its bioengineered beings, known as Replicants. The film's hidden agendas and secret projects remind us of real-world government initiatives like Project Blue Book, designed to investigate UFO sightings.

"The Matrix" & The Men in Black

"The Matrix" captures the essence of hidden truths and the battle to reveal them, much like the general sentiment in UFO conspiracy circles about 'The Men in Black.' These government agents are rumored to suppress UFO eyewitnesses, an idea that resonates with the Matrix's human-suppressing sentient machines.

TV Shows that Touch the Nerve

"The X-Files"

No discussion of this topic would be complete without mentioning "The X-Files," a show that masterfully combines elements of UFO conspiracy theories and cyberpunk. FBI agents Mulder and Scully navigate a world of deceit, much like a cyberpunk protagonist would, questioning what is real in their quest for the truth about extraterrestrial life.

"Black Mirror" & The Majestic 12

"Black Mirror" delves deep into technology's dark side, but some episodes subtly touch upon themes that UFO enthusiasts would find interesting. The secrecy surrounding advanced technology in the show mirrors the conspiracy theory of the Majestic 12, a rumored secret committee of scientists and military leaders supposedly managing extraterrestrial affairs.

Books and Literature

"Neuromancer" & The Roswell Incident

William Gibson's "Neuromancer" isn't about UFOs, but it was revolutionary in defining the cyberpunk genre. It embodies the cyberpunk ethos of anti-authoritarianism, a sentiment also shared by those who believe that the Roswell Incident was a cover-up.

Anime Crossovers

"Serial Experiments Lain"

This anime explores complex themes of reality, identity, and the internet. While not explicitly related to UFOs, its narrative could easily be interpreted as an allegory for the quest to understand what governments might be hiding about extraterrestrial life.

"Cowboy Bebop"

An iconic example of a cyberpunk-infused world, "Cowboy Bebop" includes an episode titled "Boogie Woogie Feng Shui," which subtly incorporates themes of ancient alien theories, a staple in UFO conspiracy thought.

Conclusion

The overlapping themes of hidden truths, anti-authoritarian tendencies, and unexplained phenomena make the relationship between UFO conspiracy theories and the cyberpunk genre a particularly rich subject matter. Both tap into the human desire to uncover suppressed knowledge and challenge the status quo, whether it's government cover-ups about extraterrestrials or dystopian futures shaped by technology.

And now, don't get us started on how the UFO conspiracy theories have surprising similarities with Faerie myth pre-Roswell. That's a rabbit hole for another time.

- Raz

[tessathegamefreak]

info on Kaneko?

Of course, I will gladly provide info on Kaneko!

To start, Kaneko is the fusion of @nintendoneko64’s OC Neko and my Fix-ItFelixJrAU!Kane Candy.

For reference here’s:

Full body sketch on DA

Digital drawing on DA

And a bonus drawing of @redscorpiocat’s EJ petting Kaneko

To understand at FFJAU!Kane Candy, he is Turbo if he didn’t try to delete Vanellope and he instead became the glitch of Sugar Rush. As the same case is with FFJAU!Turbo, FFJAU!Kane Candy still suffers from PTSD and he is very reserved socially, but he has made progress in separating himself from his past.

In the same way that FFJAU!Turbo does in fusions, Kane also brings the element of his PTSD into his fusion, making the bond slightly tensed. The reason Kaneko has an arm more than the Dib and FFJAU!Turbo fusion Cassette is because Kane’s preferred anti-social lifestyle actually conflicts with Neko’s excitable personality. Though the fusion isn’t so dangerously unstable, it’s not the most compatible either. The bond is just right there in the middle of stable and unstable.

Functionality wise, the upper arms are controlled by Neko, while the lower arms are controlled by Kane. It should be noted that both the hands on the lower arms only have a total of 4 fingers, thumb included. As for the features of Kaneko’s cat ears and tail, they are designed after the American Shorthair breed of cat.

It should be noted that Kaneko leans more feminine in their fusion. If she were to have a voice actress, it’d probably be Tress MacNeille- preferably her Dot Warner voice.

Any questions? :3