#big studies get debunked all the time

[risaceofhearts]

Just to be clear, because this can easily be taken out of context, I was not saying that this isn't very important or otherwise unreliable because of these kinds of comments. But it's also important to make sure you keep these kinda things in mind, especially when writing about science.

I really appreciate the tldr from @aethersea because they use a less "Americans are stupid" tone. I personally would think that implying people are stupid is counterproductive. Implying that a study is unreliable because it was done with cows even more so.

Like they said, the study was debunked. That happens. THAT is what should make it not a valid source. There's nothing inherently flawed (that is being pointed out here) about the fact that it was a study about cows.

Anyways i don't know how much sense I'm making. Correspondence about science is so important and it's so important that it's done in a way that doesn't turn people (further) away from scientists!

You know how sometimes you catch someone in a lie, and so they tell an even bigger lie to try and cover up the first lie they told?

Well, that’s happening right now.

Last winter, a handful of celebrity doctors went on mainstream news networks to assure us that Omicron was “mild.” They carpet-bombed us with articles and tweets, doing their best to brainwash everyone.

They were wrong.

In the end, real science junked that idea. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that Omicron killed more people than previous variants, even when adjusting for other factors. Another study by doctors at Massachusetts General and Harvard Medical found that Omicron was just as deadly. In fact, “the risks of hospitalization and mortality were nearly identical.” As it turns out, the entire idea of “mild” Omicron was based on an old, flawed idea known as the law of declining virulence, developed by a doctor who was studying tick-borne disease in cows. It was debunked decades ago.

Most epidemiologists know that viruses don’t magically evolve to become milder. Virus evolution is random and chaotic.

In some cases, viruses evolve to become more deadly.

A handful of actual scientists tried to explain all this last winter, including disease experts at Johns Hopkins. A handful of other established experts spoke out against this myth. As a microbiologist at Penn State told Politifact, “You can’t just say it’s going to become nicer.” They were largely ignored, because everyone already sort of believed the misinformation. If they knew it was based on a study about cows, they probably would’ve thought twice.

This year, the makers of “it’s mild” are back.

They’re selling “immunity debt.”

We should be skeptical.

Schools and daycares are sending letters home to parents talking about this “immunity debt.” They’re saying that healthy children are getting sicker, even dying, because they weren’t exposed to enough germs over the last two years. Newspapers and TV stations across the country are running with it, proposing it as a “possible reason” for this year’s explosion in pediatric hospitalizations. Meanwhile, major medical organizations have sent a letter to President Biden urging him to declare an emergency over an “alarming surge of pediatric hospitalizations” due to a range of respiratory viruses, including Covid.

A lot of people are drinking the “immunity debt” kool-aid.

After all, Americans have believed for generations that getting sick is “good for you.” We think our immune system behaves like a muscle. We worry that if we’re not giving it a workout, we’ll get weak.

It’s a myth, just like the law of declining virulence.

Here’s why.

[tia-shay]

Astro Observations 2.0

Thank you all for 222 followers! <3

Take these observations for what they are: personal observations.

Super duper long because I love you all. :)

Aries moons tend to always be on the move. Often times, these natives have something energetically "off" at home which results in them not even wanting to be there. They're the type to always be at work or at their friend's place. May have parents they want to get away from. At least one of their parents leans toward a more masculine energy.

You cannot be in your feelings when you talk to a Virgo moon. Their love language is literally telling you all the ways you can improve yourself. It's not necessarily that they're trying to make you feel some type of way, they genuinely don't think there's anything offensive about it. They're naturally attracted to "fixer-uppers" and they love a good project. Only problem is, people are not your projects and your loved ones are allowed to be flawed.

On the note of Virgo moons, they also have a tendency to be permanently unimpressed. My mom has this placement and my sister and I always wanted grand reactions to the stuff we did as kids, but we never got them. Even to this day, my mom is the queen of giving absolutely nothing extra energetically lol. They literally look like this emoji --->😐. Unless they have fire placements, they tend to be the definition of stoicism.

I've been studying the relationship between Scorpio moons and their mothers for a while now because it is such an interesting dynamic. I noticed in the past, that Scorpio moon natives may experience a rather controlling mother figure, but I've recently noticed that this controlling nature goes both ways. Yes, their mother has control over them and their actions, but they have just as much control over her too. They're almost like puppets to each other. It's an incredibly intriguing dynamic that honestly leaves me speechless. Makes you wonder, in these specific situations, "Is anyone here truly the victim?"

We've talked about how moon signs can manifest and what your mother may have taught you, but what I have yet to touch on is how your moon sign reflects your mother's pregnancy experience. I've studied this a bit and I think my mom is the perfect example! My sister and I have opposing moon signs: Cancer and Capricorn. I've spoken to my mom in-depth about both her pregnancies and here is how she describes them:

-Pregnancy with Cancer moon: she was overweight, gained 50+ lbs during her pregnancy, used food to cope with her abusive relationship, was on bedrest, too depressed to do or go anywhere, spent most of her days in the house crying.

-Pregnancy with Capricorn moon: she was in amazing physical condition, gained less than 20 lbs during pregnancy (10 lbs of that was baby), had endless energy, worked out every day, worked overtime at her job, was broken up from my dad, lived alone, was in her bag.

Opposite moon signs and two completely different pregnancies!! Crazy, right?!

I've heard the theory that Capricorn moons are the eldest child, which is true in many cases. However, in my experience as a Capricorn moon, I'm the youngest and my eldest sister is a Cancer moon. But that doesn't debunk my "big sister" energy lol. My sister has always referred to me as her "big little sister" and when we were younger and my mom left us home alone, she always left me in charge. My Cancer moon sister was known for her big emotions and ability to quickly lose control. This dynamic has always been funny to me. Ex. We had a tornado watch (super rare where I live) and my sister was running around the house screaming and crying. While I was calmly in my bedroom playing dolls keeping it kosher. 🤣

God really did give his toughest battles to Virgo, Scorpio and Capricorn moons. No one else is doing it like us! We came equipped with everything we needed to handle ALL the bs in our families.

Don't scorch me fire moons, but where is the personal accountability? I've seen water signs talk their way out of some situations, but the way a fire moon will dance around the truth really needs to be studied. I made this observation before and a Sag moon came for me which is how you know it's true. 😭

Moon sign compatibility is so real y'all. As an earth moon, I mainly form deep connections and bonds with other earth moons and *some* water moons. The other elements just don't do it for me. Even with my fire placements & degrees, I still struggle to understand fire moons.

I've read before that Leo moons have a tendency to be selfish, which I concur depending on the situation. But I think the reason why some of them act like this is because often times, they are either the only child or the favorite child. So they literally don't know what it means to compromise or not get their way. I've only met 2 Leo moons (that I know of) years apart and they both had the same tendencies and personality. Let me know if you've had a more positive experience with this moon sign!

Fixed moons may have mothers who are very controlling over their lives. Their mothers have a “fixed” idea of what their child’s life should look like. They have a tendency to have a puppet & puppeteer relationship. I’ve noticed that because of this, these natives tend to have one area of their lives that their mother can’t control and they spiral out of control in that area. Kinda like a “look mom, you can’t control me in EVERY way” type thing. The most common areas I’ve noticed this in is their sex lives and drugs/alcohol use.

Of course the above note is based on personal experience. I’ve heard quite a few mothers of fixed moons say to other people: “I made them do this” “there was no way I was gonna let them not do this…” like the kid has no choice in the matter.

Okay, enough about moon signs. For now...

This may not be too popular with the astro girlies buttt I believe we have a tendency to attract the versions of signs we speak into existence. For example, when I first started studying astrology, I was sick to my stomach to see that I was a Sagittarius rising because I had back-to-back experiences with Sagittarius suns stabbing me in the back, so I told myself they were the worst. In time, I wanted to accept all of my chart which included my own Sag placements. I had to heal my understanding and perception of them to see them differently. Now, I attract the funniest and kindest Sag suns! It all started with me. This is your sign to heal your trauma with that placement. 🤍 (yes, this is also a message to myself). What you see won't change until you change what you see!

If there's anything a mutable rising is gonna do it's change their physical appearance.

Earth risings, rising at earth degree, or chart ruler in earth house: these people are less likely to take bold chances and risks with their appearances. Not really the type to dye their hair crazy colors, although they are quick to get visible tattoos.

Virgo in big 6 appears naturally put together. They don't really have to get ready because they stay ready. And they expect the same from you, especially if you're their romantic partner. This is amplified if they have Libra or Leo placements.

I’ve noticed Virgo suns and risings are much less likely to wear makeup. I see them with it maybe once a year and even then it’s like one coat of mascara and some highlighter. One thing I have heard a lot of Virgo women say is that they literally don’t know how to do their makeup which may factor into why they don’t wear it. Virgo moons however do tend to wear makeup.

Aries and Scorpio placements are very protective of their loved ones. One wrong look in their direction and they're ready to pounce.

Gemini-Sagittarius axis: if there's one thing these placements are gonna do it's laugh at absolutely nothing for an extended period of time.

Taurus and Libra placements, do you really need that new blouse? Or that new stationary knowing dang well you have more than enough? No, put it back. Aht! PUT IT BACK. And keep your receipts, so when you get home from that impulsive purchase, you can bring it right back where you got it from.

Something about Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn placements in dark academia that really does something to me chile...dark academia was made for us!

Saturn rules teeth. Saturn placements and aspects can describe your teeth’s appearance and health. Saturn aspecting Jupiter may have larger teeth. Aspecting Mercury may result in the native having smaller teeth or possibly getting veneers. Saturn aspecting Venus can manifest as the native receiving many compliments on their teeth/smiles. In the case of harsher aspects, the native can feel their teeth directly hinder their perceived beauty.

I’ve noticed people with prominent Gemini/Virgo/Mercury placements are much more likely to have gaps in between their front teeth. Often times, this is a result of their teeth being on the smaller side.

Virgo placements (esp. moons) can have naturally “perfect” teeth that don’t require braces. But upon closer inspection, you can see their teeth are not perfect, but rather, the imperfections are so minuscule you have to truly look to find them.

Libra Suns typically go for either the relaxed look (very natural appearance, not much makeup) or all the frills (makeup, couture, luxury). I have yet to see an in between. Libras with Scorpio/8th house influence enjoy darker colors and go for a much more relaxed look. More likely to portray a dark feminine embodiment of Venus or a more natural feminine. Especially if they have Virgo placements.

Aries suns (males and females) are the BIGGEST sweethearts and I don’t see enough people praise them for their pure hearts. 🥹

DO NOT under any circumstances copy, paste, reword, rewrite, translate, or repost my work.

All Rights Reserved to astro-enthusiast.

[tokutaiseichan]

B's-LOG October Issue's Tokyo Debunker Character Interview Translations

It's finally done~~~!!!! Me and @kurosagileo worked hard on it so I hope everyone can enjoy it too! Also big thanks to @tzutako for providing the raws of the interview!

Credits:

Translation: @kurosagileo (Frostheim, Vagastorm, Sinostra), @tokutaiseichan (Jabberwock, Hotarubi, Obscuary, Mortkranken) Raw Provider: @tzutako

FROSTHEIM

Jin

Incantation: Bianerus Effect: Commands have compelling power over others.

Q: What is your favorite subject? A: People who don’t understand Anomalous Information Studies have no right to talk about anomalies. That’s all. 

Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: …. If you’re talking about the mission, contact Tohma.

Q: What’s your favorite place on campus? A: The dorm balcony. Having a smoke there is especially nice. 

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: Should I go to my vacation home in Niseko and take a nap? …. It’s not impossible. Hey Tohma, get the helicopter.

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Tohma

Incantation: Argeas Effect: Vibrations can be transferred to distant places through materials like walls and floors.

Q: What is your favorite subject? A: I’m very sorry, but nothing in particular. Darkwick’s subjects are a bit unique, so I can just barely keep up.

Q: What is good about your house? A: It’s thoroughly cleaned and furnished to be pleasing to the eyes. Also, the elegant Frostheim students, perhaps.

Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: With the assistance of a uniquely talented master and the perceptive juniors, there are no concerns at all. The captain isn’t feeling well? No, that won’t be a big deal. 

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: If I get an R&R permit approved…… let’s see. For example,  how about going out to a nearby mountain and going trekking. That’s surprising? Hahaha…… Of course I mean it. 

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Luca

Incantation: Iggnaim Effect: Invokes an invisible barrier.

Q: What is good about your dorm? A: The atmosphere is similar to my hometown and it’s comfortable. And then, the air on the premises is so clear that at night there are times when you can see the Aurora. If I’m here, I feel like my soul is in harmony with nature. 

Q:  Do you have any concerns with missions? A: Actually, I want to be sent on a higher ranking mission. I train every day to make that wish come true. Definitely someday…… I will be able to subjugate a demon with my hands. 

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: I want to go to a restaurant that Kaito said “All the Japanese boys like.” If I remember correctly…… it was called Jiro style ramen. Since there’s not a restaurant like this in my hometown in England, I’m really looking forward to it. 

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: From the day I transferred to this school, Kaito was my first friend and has been a really good friend to me. I’m also very grateful to Tohma for all the help. Now, all that’s left is for Jin to fulfil his duties, but….

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Kaito

Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown

Q: What is good about your house? A: Hm…… my house, on the surface, is a symbol of authority! Or that’s what’s said. Honestly, commoners like me feel out of place… they’re all always trying to get the upper hand, I can’t stand it. 

Q:  Do you have any concerns with missions? A: Nonono, firstly I’m concerned that the mission itself even exists!? I just want to live a peaceful and fun school life!!

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: Um… wait a sec. I think it was featured in Men’s An’a*, but…. ah, yeah yeah! The number 1 for classic dating spots ranked…….. the Tokyo Skytree!!! [*Possibly a parody of An An magazine]

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: Hm…… the captain and vice captain honestly feel like they live above the clouds….. Rumor has it the two of them are colluding with Darkwick, I heard they’re doing something nasty. Eh? Luca? …… I don’t know that bastard with an unrivaled face. 

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VAGASTORM

Alan

Incantation: Yagsal Olbasa Effect: Specifics unknown. It seems to be a very dangerous ability.

Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: ……The path he chose, will it lead closer to the truth? I keep asking myself that.

Q: What’s your favorite place on campus? A: A fishing spot. Since it’s in the forest, no one usually comes there. How do you get there from the main building……? ….. I won’t know until I go back to the dorm.

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: Mount Hotaka. Ah, it’s in the Northern Alps. It’s definitely far from here, but…… I’d take the car so it’s not a problem. 

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: We’re just some random people who obtained power by chance. But, clawing their way up like their life depends on it…… those guys have that kind of nature. 

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Leo

Incantation: Haxs Effect: It can enhance hearing, allows far away sounds and sounds being shielded to be heard.

Q: What is your favorite subject? A: No~thing. You just have to memorize the textbooks. It’s so easy it’s boring. I had high hopes because it was supposed to be specialized study of anomalies. 

Q: What’s your favorite place on campus? A: The bath. When I enrolled, there wasn’t even a bath in my dorm’s shower room. I had to use my own money to remodel. It’s honestly ridiculous, right? 

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: The club. Since I entered Darkwick, I haven’t been able to go out at all. I’m so stressed I’m gonna go insane. 

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: No matter how you look at it, Cap is a himbo. Eh~, Sho…….. he’s my slave, I guess♡ 

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Sho

Incantation: Spurno Effect: Unknown

Q: What is your favorite subject? A: Nothing really……. ah, but Anomalous Combat is still better. Since I get to move my body, it’s a good stress reliever, y’know?   

Q: What is good about your house? A: What’s good about it? …… Since there’s a garage, bike maintenance is easy. That’s it. 

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: There’s a famous restaurant in Nakame that’s famous for its delicious broth. It seems like a creative Japanese restaurant. I’d like to go there once. 

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: Ah…. Leo’s the kind of guy you just can’t get rid of. How should I put it… we’ve just been hanging out together for some reason since middle school. Mido-senpai…… I never know what he’s thinking. That guy, he’s the type that doesn’t have enough words, right? 

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JABBERWOCK

Haru

Incantation: Bahnti Effect: Can freely reduce gravity effects on his own body.

Q. What is good about your house? A. You can feel healed and refreshed by numerous adorable anomalous animals! You'll even get a full hospitality service from Jabberwock's very own handsome ghouls!! What do you think, dearest customer? Would you like to come and try?!

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. Hmm... I don't mind going for missions but there's no one to watch my kids while I'm gone. Even when I tried using an automatic feeder, the less domesticated critters just won't get used to it...

Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. That reminds me! Recently Ren told me that I "looked like someone who wanders around Don Quijote late at night." When I looked it up, apparently it's a store chain that sells various useful appliances! Now that's music to my ears~ 

Q. What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Both Ren and Towa have a nice build so I think it's better if they try to make use of it. If they make the most out of those muscles, they'll be much more reliable... Hm? This sound......... Oi, Towa! Hoooold your horses~~~~~~!!

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Towa

Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. ~~~~? ~~~~!

Q. What’s your favorite place on campus? A. ~~~~𝅘𝅥𝅮

Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. ~~~~~~~~𝅘𝅥𝅮

Q. What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. ~~~~𝅘𝅥𝅮 ~~~~!!

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Ren

Incantation: Raothtas Effect: Specifics unknown. According to Ren himself, it's a rather useless power.

Q. What is good about your house? A. Nothing. It smells... and it’s gross too... I'm the one who wants to ask if there's anything good to say about this sorry excuse of a dorm. 

Q. What’s your favorite place on campus? A. At Darkwick, the only place where I can just lounge freely and do my own thing is my room... Well, it's nothing out of the ordinary; I'm just playing some mobile games and watching some movies...

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. I have a lot: Sagara is being too loud, Sagara is being too pushy, and Sagara is being too. Damn. Loud.

Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Anywhere as long as that clown isn't there is great...... Oh, right. There's also this movie theatre in Shinjuku called Musashinokan. I want to go there... Huh? I'm going alone of course. Isn't that obvious.....

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SINOSTRA

Taiga

Incantation: Malab Effect: Unknown

Q: What is good about your house? A: Ah~? It’s getting money out of greedy small fry customers and unskilled dealers, isn’t it? Gyahaha!

Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: Whenever I go on one, I get hungry right away…

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: Macao. 

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: Lulu gets so angry every day, I could never get bored of it~ …… Ah~? Shinjo? Who the fuck is that? 

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Romeo

Incantation: Tiris Effect: Can turn objects into bombs.

Q: What is good about your house? A: This casino that can barely keep running has no good points. At best, it’s just a place to make a little money

Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: Hmph, that WTWUT, isn’t it obvious!? Wall to wall useless trash!

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: When I have some free time, I want to go to South Korea. Ha……. if I don't earn more, there won’t be enough funds for that……….. 

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: I’m fed up with my boss. No matter how often I say the same thing, it’s a WOE. Ha? “Waste” “of” “effort” obviously. Then, as for Shinjo, I’ll be giving him a thorough education from now on, and we’ll see how he turns out. 

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Ritsu

Incantation: Acimo Effect: His body becomes as hard as steel and heavier.

Q: What is your favorite subject? A: There’s something to learn from every subject, but my best subject is, of course, Anomalous Law. Instead of the basic Six Codes, the subject deals with special cases, like how the Anomalous Investigation Institute and Darkwick regulations handle legal proceedings surrounding anomalies. 

Q: What’s your favorite place on campus? A: There’s no location in particular, but the restaurant on campus called the Mystery Diner is a good choice. Since it is always deserted, it is a good location for client meetings. 

Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: If I get permission to go out, I would like to go to the opera. Before entering this school, I often went to the New National Theatre in Tokyo with my mother. Bizet’s “Carmen” is recommended for beginners. Do you understand French? 

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: I have come to the conclusion that it is futile to try to change the violent behavior of the captain, Taiga Hoshibami, as well as the vice captain, Romeo Scorpius Lucci. From now on, I will defend them and certainly win the Laurel Crown. 

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HOTARUBI

Subaru

Incantation: Talnandio Effect: It's said to be a power that allows him to communicate with the "Tsukumogami" that resides in objects, but...?

Q. What's your favorite subject? A. Favorite subject... I guess you could say I like Anomalous Biology the most. Professor Hyde's lectures are always so interesting, I can't help but to be all ears whenever he talks...

Q. What’s your favorite place on campus? A. Lately I've been enjoying my lunch at the second floor terrace of the main school building. It's an easier place to stay for me compared to the ever-crowded cafeteria.

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. Hotarubi normally doesn't really have many chances to go through difficult missions so I don't really... Oh, but if I must say, perhaps I rely too much on Haku... I feel awful for being such an undependable captain.

Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Shibuya...... I suppose? I've been living all my life in Tokyo but the truth is, I've never been there. Not even once. O-oh, no! Please don't mind me! I really just mean that I hope I'll get the chance to go some day......! I'm… not too good with crowds.

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Haku

Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown

Q: What is good about your house? A. Let's see... It feels humid everyday thanks to the rain and the building is so old that it’s probably on the brink of collapsing. Haha... I guess it's always easier to complain, huh. Despite everything, this place does give me a sense of tranquillity. Perhaps because the atmosphere is similar to my family's home.

Q. What’s your favorite place on campus? A. Can I choose a place from our dorm? Then I'd recommend the open-air porch of our guest room. Enjoying a cup of hot tea while your eyes feast on Hotarubi's esteemed garden一it's one of a kind experience.

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. I don't really have any particular complaints... scratch that. There's one. Our dorm is a little understaffed. Well, I guess there are some who can help out—but asking them would be a little troublesome. We already have someone who can keep this place lively, you see.

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Another difficult question, huh. Let's see... Subaru is a very capable leader. His only flaw is that he always tries to carry everything by himself. As for Zenji... how do I say this... being around him cheers me up. I'm grateful to him for that.

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Zenji

Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown

Q: What is good about your house? A. I'm so glad you asked! As a matter of fact, our esteemed Hotarubi house is an ensemble of chic, peaceful, and artistic boys and girls!

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. Uh-hmm? Let's see... Concerns, concerns... if I must say something then I suppose it's how Haku seems to like working all by himself? Oh, but it won't be a problem! I'll simply put more work to help him...... from the shadows, that is.

Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Of course! Immediately to the left side as you start ascending Natsume-zaka from the Waseda intersection一there, proudly stands a black granite monument inscribed with the words "The Birthplace of Soseki Natsume"... It's my dream to be able to touch that monument.

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. If I were to describe Subaru as anything then... he's someone with a heart of glass... On the contrary, I can't help but notice Haku's tactless conduct. He ought to learn to be more mindful if he's going to call himself my manager.

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OBSCUARY

Edward

Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown

Q: What is good about your house? A. There are a lot. For starters, it's far removed from the boisterous campus and nobody dares to interfere with these grounds. But the best part is how there's no sunlight. I'm a vampire, you see. So a dorm that is always engulfed in night time is a comfortable place for me to live in.

Q. What’s your favorite place on campus? A. My own room would be the best place, after all. I can watch Youtube anytime and the Nishikawa bed that Rui picked is exceptionally cozy. What do you think? Would you like to try sleeping on it with me?

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. I have no such concerns since I don't go on missions. Cough cough..... Aah, pardon me. The cold I caught last month still hasn't gone away, you see. Will it be okay to excuse myself soon?

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. I'm envious of how those two are so young and full of energy. When I was around their age, I....... oh dearie me. It's quite an old tale so I have completely forgotten about it.

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Rui

Incantation: Unknown Effect: By blowing a kiss, he can send a wave of energy with anesthetic effect一temporarily relieving pain and fatigue of the target.

Q. What's your favorite subject? A. Ehh~~~? I haven't been going to classes though~~~...... I don't even remember what subjects they’re teaching here. I try not to go to the campus building as much as possible, after all.

Q: What is good about your house? A. Most of the room interiors are hand picked by yours truly so I can recommend all of them~.... Ah! But only cute girls are allowed to stay the night!

Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Hmm~.......... If I can go out without worrying about curfew then I'd like to go shopping at Daikanyama and then go home after enjoying a pleasant meal at Yebisu Garden Place Tower~☆ Well, I can't really go out into crowded places though, so everything is just a pipe dream! Ahaha!

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. It's such a pain how Ed barely has any life skills to save himself. I'm practically nursing him at this point......... As for Lyca~..... Huh? That one is pretty much like taking care of a kid.... Oh, c'mon! What do they take me for?!

ーーーーー

Lyca

Incantation: Ramsochisa Effect: Allows him to know the location of his target and follows them no matter where they go一provided that he recognize their scent beforehand.

Q. What's your favorite subject? A. Hmm.... I don't really understand but everything is so fun!

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. I told everyone that I'm fine doing missions on my own but they keep worrying about me.

Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. .... I want to see Neros. I still don't know where he is though...

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Exactly what I call them: a Moth-Eaten Casanova and a Blond Gigolo. I'm a human too so why won't they put me in the same house as Suba and his friends?!

ーーーーー

MORTKRANKEN

Yuri

Incantation: Agnihaet Effect: Hyperstimulates his brain cells so that it allows him to solve complex calculations and logically process informations in a matter of seconds.

Q: What is good about your house? A. Hmph! Other than the fact that it houses this genius doctor, Yuri Isami, do you really think there’s any other redeeming qualities about this house… No, about Darkwick at all?! Of course not!

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. Thanks to all those brute germs from other houses destroying each and every anomaly, I never have enough specimens to use for my experiments!

Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Now that we’re talking about it, it’s almost time for me to buy clothes for the next season. Where am I going to buy them? Why, at the Nihombashi Takashimaya Shopping Center of course!!

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Are you referring to Jiro, assistant and patient to the genius Yuri Isami? Well, he still needs a lot of training, you see. He lacks knowledge, skills, experiences, and education. That is to say, he’s 100 years too early to become a doctor of my caliber.

ーーーーー

Jiro

Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown

Q. What's your favorite subject? A. Anomalous Medicine, I suppose. But since I specialize in infectious disease, I usually research papers and materials that aren't included in the curriculum on my own.

Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. If I were told about the mission schedule in advance, I can prepare to increase my medication dosage from the day before. Oh, but everything will be fine as long as Yuri is there to give me immediate treatment if something happens.

Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Nowhere in particular. Or rather, I don't really know where I should go.

Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Okay... The only other ghoul is Yuri, though. He's my attending doctor. If it wasn't for Yuri, I may be as good as dead now. I feel grateful to him, to put it simply.

[sophieinwonderland]

Debunking r/systemscringe's DID Lies!

For those who aren't aware, r/systemscringe is an ableist hate subreddit, and is one of the greatest sources of misinformation about dissociative disorders and plurality on the internet.

Today, I'd like to go over some of their most prominent excuses for fakeclaiming DID and OSDD systems, and why those reasons are contradicted by actual research by actual psychiatrists.

"Alters Can't Talk To Each Other"

This is one of the most easily-debunked lies I've seen to excuse fakeclaiming. It can take a few different forms. But generally, when a system talks about speaking to their alters, r/systemscringe users will say that it's impossible and that DID doesn't work like that.

This isn't just a little false. It completely contradicts all known research into DID.

Hearing voices of alters is directly mentioned in the DSM-5 as a symptom.

This isn't even uncommon. Voce hearing is more common in DID than in schizophrenia, experienced in about 80% of cases of dissociative disorders.

Now, it does need to be noted that just because 80% do, that doesn't mean it's true of everyone. 20% is still a big number, and systems who can't communicate internally are still valid.

But the fact of the matter is that most systems can communicate this way.

"You Need (Years of) Therapy to be Able to Communicate With Alters"

Failing the first one, another popular claim is that alters can't possibly communicate without therapy. Usually, people will claim this requires "years" of therapy to build communication.

So is this true?

Turns out, not in the slightest. In fact, in a study comparing DID voice hearers to schizophrenic voice hearers, it was found that 90% of the DID voice hearers started hearing voices before the age of 18.

This is in comparison to a Schizophrenic group that consisted of 28% without maltreatment and 38% with maltreatment that started before the age of 18.

Given that DID notoriously takes years to get correctly diagnosed with and most patients aren't diagnosed until adulthood, it should be obvious that most of these 90% didn't have to undergo years of therapy before being able to hear the voices of their alters.

"Alters Can't Be Friends"

Let's be 100% clear here. Dissociative Identity Disorder is absolutely a disorder. It couldn't be diagnosed if it didn't come with some level of distress or impairment. That's a fundamental part of the criteria.

But when that same study I posted above asked the DID and Schizophrenic groups if they would miss the voices if they were gone, a huge 69% of the DID group said they would.

The truth is that DID is more complicated and nuanced than "having alters bad."

Sometimes the distress or impairment has less to do with the other alters and more to do with the other dissociative symptoms, such as the DP/DR and the amnesia.

And sometimes, you can have positive relationships with some alters and negative relationships with others. And yes, there is that 31% who say they wouldn't miss hearing their alters if they no longer heard them. That's valid too.

But this does show that a majority of DID systems do feel a close attachment to the other alters in their systems.

"Systems Can't Control When They Switch"

Like above, this is nuanced. The truth is some systems can't control switching. Others can only control it some of the time. And some have full control.

There has actually been a study on a DID patient voluntarily switching in and MRI machine:

This study literally couldn't have been done were it not possible to voluntarily switch.

"Fictives Aren't Real"

Okay, now let's tackle one of the biggest lies to justify fakeclaiming. Fictional introjects or "Fictives" are alters or headmates based on fictional characters. r/systemscringe and other fakeclaimers love to fakeclaim systems for being fictive heavy or even having any fictives at all.

And like most of r/systemscringe's claims, this is nonsense. Here is one account of fictives from 1988.

Furthermore, in the book The Haunted Self, which is responsible for the Theory of Structural Dissociation of the Personality, one case study is referenced of someone who had many fictives based off of Start Trek characters.

This also serves to debunk other reasons for fakeclaiming I've seen from r/systemscringe. That a system has too many fictive, is all fictives, or that their fictives all come from the same source. Because as we see above, this is a very real documented presentation of dissociative identity disorder.

Closing:

I'm likely not done with this post. I plan to add to this list of misinformation that I've seen repeatedly peddled by the hate subreddit and used to justify attacking systems. There is A LOT there!

But here's the bottom line. r/systemcringe is a hate sub peddling division and bigotry against systems... often for normal system things that have been well-documented in academic literature.

If you're here from r/systemscringe, I'm sure you've seen all or most of the above lies I debunked above posted there. And if you're a system, I would ask you why you would stand by a subreddit that so blatantly spreads misinformation about other systems with the intent of hurting them? With the intent of hurting people like you?

Because if you think that they're your friends, I have watched them turn on systems that joined in with their fakeclaiming so many times, and fakeclaiming fellow members of that subreddit. And I can promise that they will turn on you too.

Click here for my debunk of their claims that endogenic systems are a "conspiracy theory."

[jikookuntold]

A Word With Jikookers

“The masses have never thirsted after truth. They turn aside evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error, if error seduces them. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim.” Gustav Le Bon, The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind

You might have known that most of my posts go under categories like analysis and reviews, and I usually don't address hates and haters in this blog except a few times that I had to respond to some anonymous asks, which is now turned off.

I'm aware that no Jikooker likes to be policed by other Jikookers, I hate that too. I hate woke Jikookers so much, and this is not about policing you guys or telling you what to post about. But, as someone who reads tweets on army Twitter on a daily basis and follows almost every drama between shippers, I'm aware that antis sound so bold and brave recently for no specific reason, and this is expectantly triggering most Jikookers to fight back.

Haters get hit tweets by "comparing" moments, shading members, bringing back their old and frequently debunked theories, and fabricating the dumbest stuff to give themselves some sense of winning against the loud and clear truth of Jikook. If there was any competition, they had lost it many times since 2017, but this breed is not going to admit their defeat, and you can never convince them no matter how strong your logic and evidence are. 

I did that a few times, yes. I convinced several hardcore Taekookers that their ship is not real, and if there is one duo in BTS that might be romantically involved, it's Jikook. They admitted that to me after facing the evidence and facts that were hidden from them, but it didn't last long. Just a few days of interacting with their Tkkr fellas was enough to get brainwashed by more appealing theories and call me a liar and manipulator lol. This chain will never break, looking at the community of shippers in 1D made me sure about that.

It's not that they are trying to convince you (us, Jikookers), they are trying to convince themselves, the newcomers who have no clue about what goes on, the Tkkrs with some brain cells left who start to lose faith, and any weak mind out there is their target. It's already a lost battle for them, and they know it well. All they want is fewer losses.

But it's not just that, besides their attempts to keep their community big and in the majority, they are doing their best not to let you feel satisfied or winning (in the competition they made inside their minds). You need to knw that this is a mental war against Jikookers, and it's not just done by Tkkrs, all the breeds of Jikook-antis are on it these days, that's why I'm addressing them as antis and not just Tkkrs. For example, the other day, a JJK akgae tweeted something like 'jikookers are mad because JK likes girls', but in the quotes and replies, she had admitted that she was annoyed by Jikookers celebrating Jikook's new military photos. 

It's clear who is mad here. They deliberately and blatantly lie and project to belittle you, trigger you, and reach some level of satisfaction by affecting you mentally. So, don't let that happen, don't give them what they want. I already said there's no battle or competition, but don't let them win this mental war against you.

Why So Serious?

Joost Meerloo, in his famous book 'The Rape of the Mind,' says: “Logic can be met with logic, while illogic cannot, it confuses those who think straight. The Big Lie and monotonously repeated nonsense have more emotional appeal than logic and reason. While the people are still searching for a reasonable counter-argument to the first lie, the totalitarians can assault  with another.” Although we are not fighting a totalitarian regime lol, this is the exact reason that arguing with antis is pointless. They use 'theories' to debunk the 'moments', and call the real moments 'delusional and fake' while celebrating total lies.

 

Debunking lies is necessary, and everyone should do that as long as they are armed with perfect and mouth-shutting evidence. Otherwise, you should avoid it because nothing is more damaging than doing a bad defense. And these debunkings and defendings don't have to turn into arguments.

Joost Meerloo, in the same book, talks about a solution: “We must learn to treat the demagogue and aspirant dictators in our midst with the weapon of ridicule. The demagogue himself is almost incapable of humor of any sort, and if we treat him with humor, he will begin to collapse.”

Yes, you can debunk, correct, educate, and even argue in an unserious manner. Shipping is not that serious, anyway. Good humor is not insulting, we don't want to drag down or set anyone up. Spreading facts and truth positively and debunking lies with humor and ridicule is all we need to do instead of endless fights and anxious clapbacks.

This post was supposed to be a word, but it turned out as a long and boring essay of information that I'm sure most of you already heard so many times. But it doesn't hurt if we get reminded sometimes to think more deeply and get a better view on what we are dealing with.

[rottenzombrainz]

Tokyo Debunker FriendFic (Zenji + Ed)

Beginning notes:

my second fic in my tkdb FriendFic series! based off a pairing @aayakashii mentioned in an ask response >w<

I also sprinkled in some Kirisaki brother content because I love them and you should too!!

Ed might be a little ooc, he's one of the characters I don't study under a microscope...

sfw(obvs),spoilers for Zenji's lore and Ed's too ig

Jiro was on his way to Obscuary, unknowingly being watched over by his dear older brother. It's quite dangerous around Obscuary, after all. Zenji wanted to make sure he was safe.

The dark eerie forest surrounding the dorm was extremely off-putting... but somewhat inspirational too. Maybe Zenji will write his next ballad about this place?

"Edward. Where's Rui? I need to pick something up from him."

It was just like Jiro to so fearlessly stride through the dingy woods, walking with purpose as he made his way to get some herbs from Rui. The charming reaper was usually tending to the garden at this time...but he was nowhere to be found... however, there was another familiar face occupying the garden.

Jiro spoke coldly as he crossed his arms.

"You can just go in the cellar and grab what you need, no need for Rui's blessing. I'm looking for him as well... I'm not feeling well."

"Oh, I remember you. Zenji Kotodama, isn't it?"

Jiro cocked his head.

"If you're not feeling well, you should see someone at Mortkranken or the infirmary. I'm busy right now but if you tell me your symp-

Ed's crimson eyes stared directly into Zenji's. Could he see him too? Or perhaps he was mistaking Jiro for his big brother?

Jiro's brow furrowed at Ed's words and interruption. Just as he was about to correct him, Rui came jogging over.

"Big J! Hey! You haven't been waiting for me long, have you? My bad~"

Ed smiled brightly at Rui's presence and opened his mouth to speak. Rui flashed him a scowl.

"Ed, can you clean your own room? Just this once? I need to help out Big J!"

The lethargic vampire sighed, eyes flashing back to Zenji.

"Fine, fine. I'll just have our other guest keep me company."

"My my, it's not often I see such a kind soul stay in this mortal plane post-mortem. Will you keep me company for a little?"

Rui rolled his eyes before gesturing Jiro to come with him. Zenji bid goodbye to his little brother as he left. He felt comfortable leaving him in Rui's care, Rui is a good man. However... Zenji didn't feel the safest with the sanguine-sucking captain of Obscuary.

Zenji swallowed his fears and took a step forward.

"But of course! Who would I be if I passed up such an opportunity to mingle with the esteemed captain of Obscuary?"

"Great. I have this YouTube video I wanted to show Rui... but it seems he's too busy to indulge in me. "

Zenji lit up at the mention of "YouTube".

"You enjoy watching online videos? That's simply wonderful! Oh, do I have the channel for you!"

Ed's head cocked to the side.

"Really? How about we talk more in my room. I don't like being outside like this, even if it is always night here."

Zenji nodded, following Ed as he turned into a bat and flew into his room through an open window.

Ed's room was... atrocious, to say the least. Zenji had never seen such a filthy and unkept place. The stench alone could kill him all over again. And what's that weird liquid in that jar over there?

"My apologies, it's been a few days since Rui's cleaned the place"

The unsteady poet nodded, forcing a smile on his face. Ed patted the spot next to him on his bed as he pulled out a large tablet, holding it far from his face as he squinted and slowly tapped at the screen.

"Ah, here it is! Isn't this adorable? It's a cat playing the piano!"

"Oh my! This is the cat's pajamas!"

He turned the tablet towards Zenji, showing him the aforementioned video.

"'The cat's pajamas'? Now, that's a phrase I haven't heard in a while..."

"Yes! Language changes and evolves, just like the people who speak it. But I believe nothing holds a candle to the lingo used decades and centuries ago!"

Ed smiled in agreement before going back to tapping away in his tablet.

"My new dear friend, if I may, I'd love to show you the YouTube Channel I mentioned before. It's one of pure creativity, and unfortunately overlooked talent!"

"Oh? Please, do show me!"

The vampire happily handed over his tablet to Zenji who began typing away at the device in a similar manner to Ed.

"Zenji Kotodama Official?"

"Yes! This is where I post all of my best works! My dear friend Haku records and uploads them for me. Kudos where kudos is deserved!"

Ed hummed in intrigue as he browsed through Zenji's most popular uploads. His best one had 20 likes. He tapped on one of Zenji's music videos, Zenji hovering over his shoulder to gauge his reaction.

"Oh my! This is wonderful!"

"Is it not? I pour my heart and soul into my work! I'm over the moon that you enjoy my art!"

The pleased nightstalker nodded as he began to watch another one of Zenji's videos.

"Ah, yes... Your passion reminds me of how tasteful music was back in my day. I need to show this to Rui and Lyca, they'll love it!"

Zenji stood up and spun around with joy.

"Your kind words humble me, new dear friend. Shall we continue basking in the joy of inspired art?"

Ed let out a yawn as he placed his tablet back onto his bedside cabinet.

"Perhaps another time. I'm feeling quite tired, I had a very busy day after all. It's not often I go outside."

"But of course! Get your well-deserved rest, new dear friend! I will return at a later date- when you are feeling more energetic."

The vampire nodded, lazily waving goodbye to Zenji as he phased through the window. Just in time too, Jiro seemed to have finished up getting what he needed from Rui.

Zenji walked with Jiro until he reached the grounds of Mortkranken. He watched with pride as his brother diligently carried boxes of herbs before turning around and making his way back to Hotarubi.

"You were out for a while. Did you get swept away by inspiration again?"

"No, dear Haku! I made a new friend today. The esteemed captain of Obscuary!"

Haku greeted - or more so asked in place of a hello- once Zenji returned to Hotarubi.

"Oh really? Good for you. I'm glad you're back, I was getting worried."

"Oh, Haku! Your concern brings my heart great joy, dear friend!"

"Mmh-hm. I need to go help Subaru with something. Wanna come with?"

Zenji shook his head.

"No, not this time. I have to create a new song in ode to my visit to Obscuary."

"Alright then, good luck."

Haku waved as he left the room, leaving Zenji to his art and practice.

Ending notes :

as of finishing this fic up, it's 5:09 am. So if anything sucks, blame it on the fact that it's so early for me!

You may have already noticed, but I kinda like to embody the "main character" of this FriendFics through my narrator. I had fun writing similar to Zenji :D

If you have an idea for one of these FriendFics™, don't be afraid to send in an ask! I really enjoy writing these

[communistkenobi]

what are some of your favorite nonfiction podcasts?

the big one I recommend is just king things - two marxist academics go through the books of Stephen King in publication order. extremely funny and insightful podcast, very accessible (like this is not a theory podcast or anything, it’s very laid back and casual), and I really appreciate their approach to literary criticism.

game studies study buddies is by the same hosts as just king things but this is a theory podcast. Each episode they go over and discuss a book from the field of game studies (ie the academic study of games). I very much recommend you listen to this if you want to like passively absorb critical/leftist theory. The hosts are academics, one of which teaches about games regularly as a professor, so it kind of feels like someone is teaching you about a text. I find it fairly accessible, I learn a lot about games, and as I said they very frequently structure their discussions with left wing theory. I find them very insightful!

blowback is very good, it’s about the imperial history of the United States. a history/journalist type podcast. this can get extremely heavy and difficult to listen to given the subject matter so I would not binge this (I usually listen to it when I’m doing a physical activity) but it’s a really good source of historical information and has helped me develop my political understanding of modern western imperial history. each season covers a different event: S1 is the invasion of Iraq, S2 is the Cuban Revolution, S3 is the Korean War, S4 is the invasion of Afghanistan

ALAB (all lawyers are bad) is good with some caveats. It’s a podcast by a bunch of lawyers who spend a lot of time on twitter discussing how horrible lawyers are, usually either focusing on specific high-profile lawyers (Kavanaugh, Dershowitz), specific american legal regimes (anti-BDS legislation, sanction law, etc), or specific trends in the legal system that causes structural problems (eg lifetime judgeship appointments with no mandatory retirement age). They also sometimes do random funny lawsuits or cover legal responses to events like Jan 6th. A mixed bag in terms of focus but mostly it’s hating on American law and the legal system. This is a critical recommendation because it’s a bunch of lawyers dudes riffing and some of their analysis can be stupid/bad, they say stupid shit that comes off as “anti identity politics” at times, etc. I’m pulling from memory because it’s been a while since I listened to them so I’m sorry if this is overly vague/general. The best way to describe it is chapo-adjacent if that means anything to you lol

and finally the podcast knowledge fight. this is a podcast dedicated to covering and debunking Alex Jones. in all honesty I don’t find this podcast super valuable in terms of analysis, like they are only really focused on debunking the claims Jones makes and explaining why they’re factually wrong. Which like that’s a good thing to do, I’m not saying its bad, but I don’t really need to be convinced Jones is lying about everything lol so I don’t personally find it super useful/insightful. If you have to interact with Alex Jones fans regularly (like family members) then maybe that will be more valuable for you! Totally depends. however the reason I bring them up is because I DO recommend the series of episodes they have titled formulaic objections - in this series they go through all the deposition material from the sandy hook lawsuit against Alex Jones (the one that cost him a billion dollars in damages and court sanctions lol). They play clips of the depositions throughout these episodes, which are so fucking insane to listen to. Like listening to a bunch of employees of an insane fringe right wing media organisation being questioned by lawyers for hours on end is so entertaining lmao. This lawsuit is about the sandy hook school shooting so a warning about the subject matter, it can get dark at times, but on the whole it’s extremely fucking funny to listen to. And the hosts provide a lot of context for what’s going on in the lawsuit, talk about it, and also they debunk the shit Jones lies about in court that you may not know about, so I find that part of it really good.

[welcome-to-green-hills]

Hey mystery! Time to flex the big brain of yours with a science question. I’m sure that you’re familiar with the recent change in ages for Sonic and co. All of their ages were removed. So my question to you is how old would Sonic and his friends be since he’s now meant to be seen as TEENAGER?

Hello, my dear!❤️✨

This is a very interesting question. And I say that because it's a very... controversial (?) topic in the fandom at the moment. For those of you who are not familiar with the matter, the ages for many characters on their Sonic Channel bios were removed back in October (Bevan, 2022). Even characters like Vector and Rouge, who have notoriously been viewed as adults in canon, do not have a defined age anymore. This was a decision made by SEGA of Japan (SoJ) to keep the characters ambiguous with ages. For some characters, we can still infer that they’re strictly teenagers, like Sonic (Game Informer, 2022. 05:00 to 05:08). Maybe a little bit older, but not by much. It could range between 13-years-old to 19-years-old. It’s really up for interpretation with some fans, especially since the actors for the Sonic series are focusing on deeper voices.

Disclaimer:

I am more than happy to answer this question, but I’m afraid that I’m very limited on how I can answer this. Ages displayed throughout the series has always been a fickle thing. And that’s okay! I’m assuming that this ask is geared towards Game!Sonic rather than Sonic Wachowski, since his canonical age is 13-going-on-14 (Fowler, 2020). If this ask is geared towards me debunking the "age argument," then you might get a different answer. That, and I'm not gonna buy into the B.S. that comes from it.

The problem here is that I'm being asked to apply scientific logic to a fictional character. That's all well and good, but I'm limited in resources. That, and I'm making assumptions on how physiological traits work with an anthropomorphic animal. I'm basing my conclusions on human physiology. While this may seem logical for the ask, I don’t necessarily know how “fair." This would be considered more of a headcanon rather than a scientific explanation to your question. If there was more of an understanding of the Sonic characters’ anatomy, then I would be comfortable with giving a strong answer. They best that I can supply is a hypothetical scenario that might supply a content answer. “Content” meaning that’s it’s fine, but gives me enough wriggle room to debunk/empathize in the future.

I must also stress that an average does not mean the "perfect model." No singular person is the same. There is no such thing as normal. When I say that something is of average comparison, I'm translating it to a general starting point. I need a base to go on in order to build on top of my reasoning and data.

References:

For this ask, I will be looking at cranial structures and comparing them to both human, anthropomorphic animals (Sonic). Data that is generated to answer this ask comes from existing games, interviews with game developers, and anthropological research.

The methodology and techniques that I’ll be referencing comes from “Bare Bones: A Survey of Forensic Anthropology” by, Michael Warren et al. (2012). This is an excellent book that provides techniques and disciplines to criminologists, anthropologists, and physicians. The Smithsonian: National Museum of Natural History provides a sample of "Forensic Anthropology 101" in their free educational service HERE. I’ll also be referencing different case studies found in cultural anthropology journals. Hyperlinks will be attached in the in-text citations for view.

Methods:

I can answer this question using basic forensic techniques. There are a few different ways to determine an individual’s age when examining skeletal anatomy:

Cranial anatomy

The pelvic girdle (pelvis)

Femur

Mandible

Most archaeologists and forensic anthropologists will answer that the pelvic girdle is the best indicator for identifying an individual's age. The pelvis girdle consists of three main bones: hip bone (ilium, ischium, pubis), sacrum and the coccyx. With this, we look at the level of maturity of bone growth to make an educated guess. This can be identified by the bone's state of fusion. Depending on the identification of the individual, the pubis may fuse or grow robust. If the femur is present with the pelvis girdle, then the collected data becomes stronger. The femur is measured in height from the neck to the head, then the shaft alone to provide an idea of one's stature. All of these together create a plausible stature for one's growth and maturity.

The mandible is touch-and-go. I’ve shared in the past that teeth can provide an idea of an individual’s weight, social/economic status, stature, left/right dominance, and types of bite when chewing food. The state in which teeth grow in can give us an indication of age. This is just as good as observing one's age with a pelvis girdle. If not, maybe a bit better! However, this only works if there's a certain amount of teeth present and a record of growth is present. We look at an individual’s molars and premolars in order to determine a rough estimate in age. On average, wisdom teeth come in between the ages of 17 to 25 (Renton et al., 2016). Some are late bloomers, others are early birds. X-Rays can help us identify where the teeth are currently and provide a projection of when they'll appear. As long as there is recorded data on how teeth grow and when they come in, it's easy to determine how old someone is.

Finally, we have the calvaria. For the sake of sanity, I will be referring to this as the “cranial cap." This is the top crown of the head with four major bones that shapes the skull. These bones feature the frontal bone, two parietal bones, and one occipital bone. Along the top of the cranial cap we see these squiggles that separate the bones. These are called “sutures.” Sutures can be defined or barely visible due to the state of mend. Through maturity, these bones mend together to create one bone rather than four. These are not signs of damage done to the head, these are signs that show the state in which a child is growing (Warren et Al., 2012). Sutures are a result of an infant's cranial cap fusing together after being birthed. To put simply; the less defined they are, the older that one supposedly is.

OBSERVATION:

As explained in the “Methods,” section, the cranial cap and mandible appear to be a more logical choice when determining Sonic’s age. I am fortunate for the small crumbs given to me from Sonic CD (1994) and Sonic Unleashed (2008). Both of these provide a good picture of Sonic’s biological estimation on age range. I will not be referring to Evan Stanley’s interpretation of his skull. I do not feel that this is necessary, nor canon. This is Ms. Stanley’s interpretation of Sonic anatomy and fan art.

Mandible

Right before it's initial release, Sonic Unleashed's opening cinematic was meant to have a darker tone. Initially, the beta version of the scene depicted Sonic being electrocuted in his super form as he's infused with Dark Gaia energy. This scene was also meant to show his skeleton during the painful transformation. Screenshots of the scene are available online. One particular shot shows enough of Sonic's mandible to identify canine, incisor, premolars, and molars. The image above shows that at least ONE wisdom tooth (third molar) is present. Other signs of third molars is not visible due to angle of shot.

In the animated short titled "Night of the Werehog," we're given a good shot of Sonic opening his mouth and showing his fangs. Way in back are three molars (Image has been brightened and highlighted for view). Since one confirmed wisdom tooth is present in the shot, we could infer that Sonic is at least 17-years-old. Not fifteen. Seventeen is the average age for when we see wisdom teeth begin to grow in.

Cranial anatomy/Cranial Cap

In Sonic CD (1993), there is a particular scene where Sonic is electrocuted once again. [Fun Fact: one would not be able to see Sonic's skeleton if electrocuted, you'd see his nervous system instead.] Once again, players are able to see Sonic's entire skeletal system. The problem with this example is that it's pixelated art. Pixel art can range from being detailed works of art, or simplified icons that have symbolic meaning. The skeletal anatomy that we see of Sonic in the CD title is not enough for me to draw a conclusion on how old he is. It's merely a representation of a shock taking place.

For a better representation of a cranial cap, we should refer to the beta version of Sonic Unleashed once more. Sutures on Sonic's skull are a tad harder to make out in the image due to how saturated the scene is. A wonderful example of seeing Sonic's cranial suture can be seen at a side profile. The one closes to the sphenoid bone (eye socket) is a cranial suture. Again, this one is up for debate since the quality of the photo is poor. For the sake of sanity, we'll claim that this is a suture.

Examining the suture, we see that it's less defined. This does not mean that the sutures disappear completely. As we grow older, the bone fuses. If Sonic were younger, then the sutures would be more defined. Here, they've fused quite finely. This leads me to believe that he is out of the child phase (1yr to 12yrs) and into Adolescence (13yrs to 17yrs).

Femur & Pelvic Girdle/Pelvis

Generally, there's a model that can be used to display what a mature individual looks like compared to an adolescent when observing a pelvis girdle. Here, it's a bit harder for me to make an assumption because there's a lacking model of what adults and adolescents look like for anthropomorphic animals. This is a query that I've faced when trying to examine Sonic's skeletal anatomy. Of course, measuring a femur and weighing the density of bone could provide some insight on Sonic's estimated age (Shipman, 2018).

In a real world, that would require lots of money and an actual subject that is the equivalent to Sonic's height and weight (canonically, Sonic is 100cm tall and weighs 35kg). You'd then have to figure how much the bone density changes when someone stands up, sits down, lies down, and so forth. Plus, I don't know Sonic's level of body fat to even begin doing a simple calculation. It's a bit of a headache the more that this is tackled upon. That is a lot of data to collect for a talking blue hedgehog.

Measurements of the femur to the pelvis are fine and dandy, but the data is inconclusive. A simple measurement could be off by a single year or three. Once more, it's kind of hard to capture a crisp picture of the pelvis girdle and femur. I feel that gathering data from this perspective is inconclusive.

Discussion:

I must stress that this isn’t meant to be as in-depth or taken seriously. I must also stress that many social groups around the world have different approaches and cultural definitions to what it means to be a teenager. This is a common topic that I try to educate people about when it comes to cultural norms and social practices. Most western cultures consider that teenagers starting at 13yrs of age and ending at 17yrs of age before becoming a legal adult at 18yrs. Some western cultures even extend the age gap to 13yrs to 19yrs. Cultural and social teachings of how we define what is and isn’t a teenager could easily be defined as “adolescence.” We refer to this as adolescence, it allows us to have an extended age gap of 13yrs to 19yrs (Ember et Al., 2017). It all narrows down to how these practices and beliefs are taught within one’s community.

Some fans headcanon Sonic and his friends are growing older, others younger… or even stick with the Western interpretation of him being 15-years-old. Sonic's age has always been ambiguous, meaning that it's not narrowed down to a specific number. The query that I've faced is that there is a lack of official material that displays this easily. The information that I have shared in this post works on a plausible theory that he's older than 15. However, gaming manuals have almost always made it a point hat hes 15/16 (Sonic Heroes Game Manual, 2003). The point now is that he's a teenager. He will always be viewed as a teenager in this canon. To me, Game!Sonic is definitely older. He clearly shows characteristics of being an older version of himself (the strongest supporting evidence here being his teeth), but still within the range of being classified as a "teenager."

My goal here is to not enforce one way of thinking. The most that I can do is supply the data and leave you, the reader, to make your own conclusions. I hope that this answers your question, my dear.

[the-golden-vanity]

Thoughts on B.R. Burg's Sodomy And The Pirate Tradition:

All right, this isn't going to be a big, put-together essay, just scattered thoughts, since that's what I'm capable of right now.

This book and its writer are real "queer studies" OGs, and its attitude is very much of that initial post-Stonewall, pre-AIDS gay liberation era. It's a book with attitude and confidence, and with the historical facts to back it up. For an academic text (a style of writing I never got along well with), it's a very fun read.

On to the fun facts!

In spite of how common tavern wenches and dockside whores are as characters in pirate fiction, there was only one brothel in Port Royal in 1680! (This is less surprising than it sounds—with the exception of religious freedom colonies like Maryland and Massachusetts Bay, Britain's American colonies during this era had male:female ratios averaging between 5:1 and 2:1, and the women of the colonies tended to be the wives of male colonists.)

If you spend a certain amount of time in Age of Sail/pirate fandoms, you will come across the idea that pirates had a rule or tradition against oral sex. While it's true that all the written records we have of shipboard sodomy at this point in history are about hand stuff or penetration, Burg argues sensibly that this was less due to any formal prohibitions, and more due to the general unwashedness of Age of Sail seamen. (Which... fair.)

While the pirate institution of matelotage gets talked about online as something like "pirate gay marriage", Burg makes it sound like something closer to pirate indentured servitude. However, he does give examples of matelots and their masters who did become uncommonly close and emotionally bonded, and does mention "pirate marriage" as a separate thing that also happened.

From the less-distant past, it was interesting to see which of the stereotypes about queer men that existed at the time of writing were seen as necessary to debunk, both in relation to pirate society and in relation to contemporary gay subculture—namely, the perceived prevalence of sadomasochism and of effeminacy among queer men.

These were some of the things I found most interesting about the book, but there's plenty more I'd like to talk about it with other people who are either curious about it or who have read it. Let me know you thoughts!

[angelsinluv]

there's always so much shit on bloggers who don't post proof just because a bunch of loser ass anons want it to feed into their insecurities on why the fuck they fail.

a teacher can give you a study guide, give you all the answers but its up to YOU to apply what you're given to succeed. you think all these successful big and small businesses, self made models, celebrities, and shit succeeded once and it was all up from there? hell no. i guarantee their career went up and down. their orders sold out then suddenly went stagnant n they were scared for their lives because they quit their 9-5 so they can fully commit, models got casted for one season and 0 the next, businesses get shut down, no one refused to take their offers, fucking da vinci took a break from mona lisa for 14 years because shit got in the way, walt disney had to eat dog food because he was in financial ruins and yall shit cry and throw the fuck up because the 3d shows you the opposite and you REFUSE to persist so you complain on the internet, putting the blame on others INSTEAD OF TRYING AGAIN.

you can cry about how ugly and stupid you feel to a friend and they can hype you up, tell you you're not, give you fashion and makeup tips and make you feel like GOD for the next few days and then what if you feel sad again??? lift yourself up. TAKE THE GUIDANCE AND KEEP GOING you can't keep crying to others and complaining and expect to be babied every single time. this behavior would not pass EVEN outside of the law. you'd get kicked to the curb so fucking fast. with the law, you can get things without doing any physical action yeah but this isn't an excuse to be lazy if you don't want to change self and take a leap of faith.

NO BLOGGER IS SAYING THEIR LIVING A LIFE WITHOUT STRUGGLE we ALL say that this shit is a journey dude. WE ARE HUMAN.

i will say this again. it doesn't MATTER IF YOU ARE SHOWN PROOF. if someone has a low ass self concept, self esteem, don't have any self love or discipline, they WILL MAKE excuses to debunk the proof. "you were already rich, you're just lucky, it was just a coincidence, it was just a misunderstanding" etcetc it can go on. we are not going to put our privacy at risk for strangers who don't want to put in the effort like we all do.

its un fucking fair to us who are willingly dealing with haters on anon just so we can put out advice BECAUSE WE WANT TO

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

Hello! I apologize in advance for my terrible English 🙈

Could I get a matchup for TokyoDebunker?

(And if possible, if you consider that there is a character from Demon Slayer, Fullmetal Alchemist, My Hero Academia or Mystic Messenger that you think could make a matchup, would you add them too? Although only if you wish! The Tokyo Debunker match in itself is enough ❤️)

Pronouns: she/her

Sexuality: Bi

Zodiac/MBTI: Sagittarius, INTJ

Appearance: Short, curly dark brown hair. Brown skin, freckles on my cheeks, slim body, Latin American features, dark eyes, 53 kg and 5'5" tall.

Personality: Introverted, occasionally moody, although once I gain confidence I can be more relaxed and somewhat playful/childish. My social battery is short-lived, so I like to spend time alone. Would you say I'm like a cat? because I prefer to be the one who gives signs of affection when I have the initiative than to receive them suddenly. Whenever I start a task I commit to finishing it even though I no longer want to continue, I am a little disorganized for some things, but also very organized for others... I don't know, I think it depends on my state of mind how organized I can be. I may be a little lazy too, but I'm not one of those who promise something they can't deliver.

Likes and dislikes: I like tranquility, spending time at home, desserts, reading romantic novels, horror/thriller/suspense/romantic comedies/musicals. I also like to give gifts to my loved ones and spend quality time with them. I also enjoy visual novels and interactive stories. Skin and hair care, videos of people putting on/removing makeup and trying on clothes. I don't like insects, noisy places, disloyal people (I value loyalty a lot!) and liars. Alcohol and other substances are a definite no.

Hobbies: True crime shows, reading, listening to music, watching anime, board games.

Thank you very much in advance and I will cross my fingers hoping and wishing that you accept my request 🤞🏼🙈, kisses and hugs ❤️

Hi Anon! Thank you for your request! Sorry it took a while. I hope you like your matchups!

In Tokyo Debunker, I match you with...

Luca is surprisingly, a really good match for you considering you can be moody. He has mood swings at times as well but he’s usually able to keep a level head and is more than happy to help when you’re in any kind of mood.

Completely understanding when it comes to you preferring to initiate affection. He would never cross your boundaries so whenever you feel like affection, just let him know.

Definitely has a bit of a hidden sweet tooth. He likes desserts but doesn’t have them a whole lot so it’s nice getting to go on café dates with you so he can try all of your favourites.

Tranquillity is a big thing for Luca. He doesn’t get a lot of downtime between his study and his research into demons so when he does get a break, he enjoys relaxing somewhere quiet with you.

In the same vein, he really enjoys reading for leisure instead of for study. Please give him lots of recommendations! He’s always looking to expand his reading horizons.

In Demon Slayer, I match you with...

You and Giyu are a good combination of introverted and playful. It may not seem like it to strangers, but he’s got a light side to him when he’s around people he trusts.

When you’re in a more childish mood, Giyu can feel a bit lost as to how to interact with you. He’s not great with kids in general but he’ll learn to loosen up when you embrace your childish side.

Will get rid of any insects for you. Giyu’s not particularly scared of bugs but he’s happy to have them out of his home, especially if it makes you more comfortable.

Much like Luca, Giyu enjoys tranquillity. Usually that means isolating himself but as long as you don’t mind his quiet presence, he’ll happily spend his downtime in companionable silence with you.

This man is a rom-com lover at heart, he just doesn’t know it yet. Please introduce him to your favourite romantic novels and watch his face light up when he’s talking about the latest scandal he’s reading about.

In Fullmetal Alchemist, I match you with...

For Riza to be in a relationship, both parties have to be completely committed to each other. There’s no room for anything else in her life considering her line of work.

She’s quite an organised person so it might take her a while to grow accustomed to your disorganisation. But once she comes to terms with the fact that that’s what works for you, she’ll happily let you do your thing.

Riza doesn’t get to spend a lot of time as home but when she does, she loves that you’re there for her. She enjoys being in a safe space with the person she cares about most more than anything.

Much like her need for commitment, there’s no room for liars or disloyal people in her life so she’s glad you hold the same values. You have a very honest and open relationship.

Board game nights are a staple! Whether it’s just you and her or the whole Mustang Gang join in, it’s a fun way for Riza to let her hair down to end the week, no matter how stressful it’s been.

In My Hero Academia, I match you with...

If there’s anyone who understand having a short-lived social battery, it’s Jiro. She enjoys being around her friends but needs her alone time as well.

Completely fine with you preferring to initiate affection. She’s not a super touchy-feely person to being with so it’s all good with her that you’d rather be in control of that aspect of your relationship.

Music is what brought the two of you together. Jiro has a super wide music taste so send her song recommendations and prepare to jam out together when you get the chance.

All of UA is a noisy place, especially when her friends are around so Jiro does what she can to take you on dates to quiet cafes and parks. She enjoys the change of pace as well so it’s a win-win.

I feel like Jiro enjoys watching skin, hair, makeup, and fashion videos as well. There’s something about them that intrigues her even thought they’re so different to what she’s usually into.

In Mystic Messenger, I match you with...

Cat-like you say? Oh, Seven’s all over that! You two are cat buddies through and through. He loves your cat-like tendencies and thinks you’re all the more cute for them.

Much like Riza, Seven has no room in his life for disloyal people and knowing that you feel the same alleviates his fears somewhat. He knows he can count on you to stay loyal to him.

You think you likes spending time at home? You clearly haven’t met Seven. If it were up to him, he’d never leave the house again. He’s got everything he needs there, including you.

A rom-com fiend. Please share your favourites with him, he’ll love every second of it, no matter how cheesy it gets. Just be prepared to have to deal with a sappy Seven for the next few days.

On the other end of the spectrum, he also really likes true crime, especially listening to true crime podcasts. He likes being able to talk about his theories with you when you’re watching, listening to, or reading the latest case together.

[thenightling]

Debunking a pop culture myth about Parapsychology

Many people mistakenly associate TAPS AKA Ghosthunters or Ghost Adventures and similar shows with parapsychology. They are paranormal investigators, yes, but they are not what many would consider parapsychologists. TV paranormal investigating is usually exaggerated for the audience, dramatized, hammed up, and full of over-reactions that you would not see in a real-world paranormal investigation. You won't find a seasoned, seventy-year-old paranormal researcher wearing a headset and going "Woooooah! What was that?! What was that?!??" because of a few clicks and pops. You won't find a legitimate paranormal researcher ranting that it is definitely a demon like The Church Leady from Saturday Night live. The Warrens are NOT a good example of parapsychologists. They were self-trained "Demonologists" who were known in paranormal research communities as charlatans who knew how to sell a story. The late Hans Holzer is a fine example of a legitimate parapsychologist. I studied Parapsychology back when SCI (The Stratford Career Institute) still offered it as a course. It's not what meany would expect. There were five text books and several modules on subjects like theoretical physics and basic psychology (Note: A parapsychologist is not a licensed psychologist). The study of parapsychology is NOT the belief that every supernatural claim is true. it is the scientific analysis and investigation of claims of the supernatural. And the majority of it is debunkings. You learn about things like Cold Readings and The Rainbow Ruse. The Ideomotor Effect, confirmation bias, and how mental illness or grief can play a big part in accidental false claims of the supernatural. Not all false supernatural cases are the result of a phony psychic with wires and remote controls hidden in her seance room. Sometimes it's the result of a very religious person suffering from schizophrenia or paranoid delusions. Bipolar disorder, histrionic personality disorder (which I think is an antiquated term), and even lucid daydreams and sleep paralysis can lead to accidental false claims of the supernatural. (Most orbs are just dust particles, by the way.) A lot of the paranormal investigations done off-camera are closer to what Harry Houdini did when he debunked fake psychics with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the believer) at his side, seeing out evidence of the supernatural and debunking the false claims when they could. Earlier today I complained, on Facebook, about the annoying trend of about fifteen years ago when Creepypastas (scary short stories) were passed off as fact in a cruel game to see what "real paranormal" websites would fall for it and who could get the most sites to believe their stories were true. I got a reply of "If they fell for Creepypastas passed off as true than parapsychology is a joke and that proves it's not a real science." That's not really fair. Parapsychology is heavily theoretical when it's not out-right debunking. And tricking someone into thinking you are telling the truth- giving someone the benefit of the doubt, doesn't mean the study shouldn't exist. Attempts to replicate how telekinesis would theoretically work has helped with the creation of devices and prosthetic for the disabled. Imagine if law firms were disbanded because a defense attorney was tricked into thinking their client truly was innocent. And medical doctors have to rely on what their patients tell them much of the time. And yes, medical doctors can be tricked. The TV show house brought this up often, that patients will deliberately or accidentally leave out important facts that are important for their diagnosis. And there are many disorders and syndromes that are heavily reliant on the claims of the patient for diagnosis. The scientific exploration of the unknown should never be dismissed out of hand when all of science is still changing and evolving as we speak. After all, cryptozoology is how the Duckbilled Platypus was discovered.

Legitimate Paranormal research organizations include the ASPR and the SPR.

[starlightswordfight]

PLANET HEADCANONS TIME. WE ARE NEVER GETTING OUT OF HERE

can't wait for the garden site to update while I'm not looking and immediately debunk EVERYTHING that i'm about to write

ALSO THESE FIRST FEW MIGHT BE A LITTLE HEAVY. REFERENCES TO REAL WORLD ISSUES (ENVIRONMENTAL, WORK CLIMATE, ETC) EVEN IF IT'S NOT THAT EXPLICIT. I WILL PUT WHERE IT GETS MORE LIGHTHEARTED AGAIN!! IT WILL BE IN BIG TEXT LIKE THIS

it's (mostly) nothing you'd see that isn't already in pikmin lore somewhere but better safe than sorry

– that all said, karut is a very small planet. I don't have a lot for this one. the population just is very low!! tiny. and knowing that it's a sister planet to koppai canonically makes things a LOT more interesting

– my personal hc! is that civilization on both of those planets was initially only on karut. the climate or the living conditions on karut may have been extreme enough for most people to leave for koppai instead. were things always like that? no. dw about it

– and the resources present on koppai are so much more plentiful! and the environment is still perfect for life! and for hundreds of years they thrive there!

– until they don't

– as karut restabilizes, slowly, with those who stayed behind completely changing their tactics and becoming very heavily focused on planning now, koppai begins to deteriorate in some aspects, the most glaring issue being the rapidly impending food crisis. the people responsible for managing those resources (govt, anyone directly involved in resource management jobs) are still working off of centuries of nonrenewable practices, including a complete Lack of agriculture where it matters

– all this to say that pikmin 3 was already subtly making the case for "hey! you guys wouldn't have had to do this if you just relied on renewable methods of using the things you need for survival!!" which I was so genuinely going to do my ap research project on when I was in high school but I never did the class because I failed seminar

– basically karut is to koppai what earth is to mars and you can't run from an issue that you exclusively caused and it's gonna follow you and Boy Did It Follow

– genetically koppaites and people from karut look very similar also!! rounded ears, lightweight suits unless you're Player Character in the rescue corps, things like that. they also have similar styles and forms of expression, with minor differences!

– the h in hocotate is for hustle culture

– going to interpret hocotate as another criticism of similar environmental issues just from a different angle. I am certain that the writers were Not going for that whatsoever and I'm reaching so hard my arms are falling off but I don't care

– hocotate is already implied to be more heavily industrialized in some places, judging from the scenery we see. i don't know if it's exclusively corporate heads like the freight president that have such an intense focus on profit over all else (though in that case specifically there HAS to be because the company is in DEBT) (but also olimar sees managers as soulless but i digress), but i could easily see there being a heavy consumerism thing going on over there

– environmental studies, or careers, or the environment itself, is valued, but not considered as important as business and the advancement of civilization by the people in charge of those businesses that could actually take big steps to preserve it, and much faster. blame is, of course, put on hocotatian citizens when things start getting bad

– bringing previous hcs into this! this is why olimar is not a biologist or in a similar field despite knowing so much about it for a freight employee by the way. job outlooks are lower, or at the very least the positions are HEAVILY discouraged because they aren't as steady anymore as some others. it wouldn't be a stable source of income like the one he has now would be, and he basically got stuck. I mention this because it happens to a LOT of people here

– there are ongoing discussions and movements around it now, and around the work culture of the planet that causes predicaments like olimar's and louie's to happen so fucking much, but it was BAD before and definitely still has a long way to go. it's kind of at that point where people there are just now realizing that "oh, hey, this is like. fucked. to be honest"

– ocobo's storms, specifically, involve water-centric natural disasters. it is hurricane central in that bitch. the other florida of the pikminverse

– planet tagwa is actually near ocobo, and their orbital pathways are similar! kinda like Another sister planet deal perhaps

– both planets have several moons and let me tell you high tide gets CRAZY

– life is adapted to be more aquatic in nature; think like splatoon but not as obvious maybe (I have never played or watched someone play splatoon once in my life). marine species that the person is similar to depends on the region of the planet they live on. this applies to ocobo and tagwa

– they also have similar struggles with water quality, with slightly varied causes. tagwa's water supply is undrinkable due to the salinity levels being too high, as a result of rising global temperatures. meanwhile ocobo's constant storm problem make it incredibly difficult to regulate the water there, despite how much of it they have. this issue is worsening Also because of rising global temperatures. this is not either of their faults, it is just Happening

– pnf-404 has a big dent in the earth. just a good chunk taken right out, adventure time style

– past unsustainable human activity violated the majority of its planetary boundaries, and this led ultimately to the ending of human civilization. whether it resulted in travel somewhere else or in dying off is up in the air

– nature, as it does, regulates itself in every system. once harmful input from people on a mass scale stopped, it was able to bring itself back to working and even thriving conditions, though this took a very long time

– the new life has adapted around formerly very hostile conditions, which is the reason it's so strange and unheard of on other planets, even to those with biology interests such as olimar. things that previously could not be even dreamed of from the wildlife are now not only possible, but the norm

– many many plants adapted to gain consumer-like traits, and vice versa. the pikmin are bizarre when comparing it to real life species or to other planets in pikmin, but on pnf-404 they're actually completely ordinary

– sea urchin pikmin are real too !! sea urchin pikmin that I NEVER FUCKING POSTED expect that soon maybe

OKAY WE'RE NORMAL AGAIN NOW. DISCUSSION IS MUCH LIGHTER FROM HERE OUT

– sozor is one of the least industrialized planets, if not the least, by a long shot!! there is no major "separation" from wildlife (things like wildlife bridges/crossings and designated protected habitat areas are abundant), and its environmental protection policies are very strict.

– EVEN STRICTER NO GAMBLING POLICY DON'T ASK WHY DON'T EVEN WORRY

– the culture is not a collective one. people on sozor are very individualistic, which I adopted from that one giant post that compiled the information we know about the castaways and the planets which I will link here somewhere [I CAN'T FIND IT BUT I'LL ADD IT WHEN I DO]

– ohri is either the florida or the australia of the pikminverse planets and you are just going to have to trust me when I say that

– one day the environment is going to reclaim it and they will have no one to blame but themselves

– the climate can be hard to predict. ohri is really really good at not being the expected temperature in a given season, and it just does this whenever it wants to be so honest. it gets a little hectic

– it's referenced on the garden site that ohrians tend to be tougher and I fully think that it's because of the environment. even socioculturally, a lot of facets of life like academics and work are a lot more intense or high-stakes. people on ohri on average are said to go above and beyond, setting records galaxywide, but the planet also reports very high levels of stress, right up there with hocotate

– on the opposite side of things! ooji's population is considered one of the happiest!!

– ooji gets a lot of its income through agriculture; it's what's been holding the economy up. research into other prominent fields such as environmental studies and botany have encouraged those working in agriculture to shift to more sustainable practice

– giya is a melting pot. a good deal of different people end up there at some point for one reason or another

– this is especially true for koppai! and given the abundance of koppaite text utilized by the rescue corps, which started ON giya, I Think there's a deeper correlation there but I could not for the life of me work that out for you yet

– okay so the colony canonically has? walls?? but WHY?? DOES IT HAVE WALLS????? is evil shadow skull out there waiting to get their asses or something???? climb up to the top to see what's out there and Ope, Here Comes The Lich

– if any of you have watched adventure time I'm picturing this as like an islands scenario. like a "oh, the place is mostly safe, we just uh were Not allowed to leave for a very long time though." safety vs freedom was probably historically something that got grappled with a lot while the planet was still being settled on, and while people CAN and actively do leave and come back now, the walls are still there

– also dogs are everywhere it is inevitable very awesome no escape

– why is everyone on nijo bird coded why is everyone saying this WHAT is HAPPENING around here

– summer and winter stretch out very long for that planet, and look vastly different. summer has very little dark nighttime, and in winter you will rarely see the sun

– the gravity on nijo is lighter on average than it is in other planets! this allows for less force to be needed during takeoffs for flights, however it also causes reduced friction, so pilots on nijo have to be more careful

– the reduced weight of many objects also implies that architecture and general tools are made of different material than we have, with a density that won't allow it all to just float off. these things when taken to other planets are MUCH heavier there

– temperatures on siguray are extreme in every way they can be, not unlike most deserts. when it's hot it is scorching and when it's cold it is frigid

– day and night tends to cycle like that

– wind, uh. wind would be a huge problem. sand everywhere

– due to how hectic the weather can get on such a short notice, many who do not Have to be out and about are encouraged to stay inside. alternatives to schooling, for example -- remote learning programs -- are prominent on siguray for the people's safety

– there is such a focus on material objects with people from siguray (treasure collecting, geology, archaeology) because those types of studies and businesses and the like are heavily normalized on a planet like this. there isn't far much else happening in most areas, so it's not only normal to have a sort of interest and expertise in that, but it is expected that you do

– koppai and siguray have a consistent trading relationship. certain koppaites in particular will especially trade out treasures for food items (dobbs) (dobbs in particular)

– koodgio's culture is art and expression-centric, though artistic voice has been dwindling more over the years and becoming more commercialized. art by some is viewed as product rather than passion, and this has a detrimental effect on the artists there

– ogura has a lot of water on it!! marine biomes are heavy in this world. yes I'm doing this exclusively to write for an oc do not even worry about it

– ogura also has two moons because I think that's awesome

– the brightness, in comparison to earth, would be around what it is on pluto! ogura's light is a lot gentler and dimmer due to a greater distance from their respective star. the mellow light is easy on the eyes, but also makes the planet colder on average, and everyone bundles up far more as a result. buildings got more insulation or whatever it's called

– this has the very unfortunate effect of BLINDING EVERYBODY when they go to OTHER PLANETS

– both the research task force HQ and the interstellar federation main location are on mihama

– mihama is at the closest point to the center of the galaxy. not that the other planets "orbit" it, I don't think that's possible, but the varying solar systems IN that galaxy tend to lap around and be at a point around mihama in some way

– when I picture mihama I picture it to be very dark. could not begin to tell you why. daytime is dim and short

[courtofmatchups]

You're out here doing the lords work, and I need to thank you for scratching the itch in my brain lol. Good fortune for you and your loved ones, may the lines you encounter always be short, and may you have endless creativity. Hell yeah, brother.

Could I ask for a Tokyo Debunker matchup? I'm willing to do a trade, too, if you're interested! I've only written for a few characters between Obey Me and tkdb, but I'd def love to repay the kindness.

So, hi. I'm Birds, or Birdy. She/her, bisexual/maybe ace? gray-ace? one of those, at least.

Appearance: 5'9, pale, super wavy dark blonde/light brown hair, and hazel eyes. I have a deceptively cute round face and big glasses. i've been told that I give off a naturally sweet and impish impression because of that. I'm also fairly slim, but there's definitely a layer of chicken nugget insulation for warmth and comfort.

MBTI/Zodiac: INFP and Gemini

About me: I tend to spend most of my time in my head, and I can easily come off as ditzy or standoffish. I have inattentive ADHD and I'm really introverted, so typically I try not to speak up unless I have something worth saying. I keep a few close friends and tend to unload all of my thoughts from the day on them (and as quiet as I am, I talk a mile a minute when I'm excited or explaining something interesting.) Multiple people have told me (to my face c':) that they were shocked by how intelligent I actually am. And yeah, maybe math and spelling aren't my thing, but for the most part, my silly goose hat is a choice. I have trouble speaking my thoughts out loud, so I'm a big fan of burying my negative emotions as deep as possible until i'm a walking shell of a person, self-sabotaging, and using swear words or memes to express myself. But what I lack in, like, everything else, I make up for by being as good of a friend as possible. I love making the people I care about laugh just as much as I love messing with them and I'm willing to make myself look like a fool to make them smile.

Hobbies: Writing, reading, sewing, and then whatever little hobbies I pick up and then forget about in a week. A fun fact about me is that I once spent over 8 hours on the phone my best friend doing nothing but discussing our oc's.

Likes: spooky/whimsical things, fairy lights, making my loved ones laugh and/or roll their eyes, small, comfortable nooks to hide in, music (any genre, it's just gotta match the vibes), dating sims, fandom history (putting together a legit presentation on the history of zines in fan studies rn), and holding hands c:

Dislikes: Loud places, bright lights, speaking to people without being able to prepare myself, not having headphones somewhere on me, people who go out of their way to be mean, objectively dumb opinions being said confidently, and any perceived wrong done to my loved ones

Qualities I look for: Patience and physical affection. I'm a forgetful mess and I'm mean enough to myself without someone else getting frustrated with me, and casual affection like hugs and hand holding give me something to ground myself with. They'd need to see me as a partner and best friend rather than Conventionally Attractive Girl, too. My Manic Pixie has been Dream Girl'ed more than enough.

Thank you again!

It seems to me you've captured the heart of...

Haku Kusanagi!

I could see a few others being potential matches, Like Alan or Haru, but I feel like Haku would be the best match for you. Hear me out: I feel like he'd be initially drawn in by your silly and whimsical nature. Haku likes being around sharp and witty people. He's pretty easygoing and will tease you, but he doesn't go out of his way to be mean. He does tease you about being in the clouds at times, but he does like that dreamy side of you. He's not too picky about appearances when it comes to partners, so even more reason he's a great match for you.

As for your tendency to yap about anything that interests you, you can bet that he would like to see you get so animated about the things you like, but you might need to slow it down so he could understand what you're talking about. He will tell you though.

Haku doesn't really have a set preference for hobbies, he just enjoys making memories with his partner, so any hobby either of you choose to do would be a fun and stimulating experience.

Haku is also pretty emotionally intelligent, so he'll be able to help walk you through the emotions you're feeling. He's a patient man, and will understand if you mess up for one reason or another. He'll also help if that happens. And don't worry about physical affection, he will shower you with that in the event you're feeling down and cannot articulate your feelings in a way other than "I need a hug right now."

All in all, I see a happy relationship between the two of you

[uwukillmenowowo]

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥 [Tokyo Debunker X F!Reader]

[ 5 | Quiz] 『❓』

Key's for the story: Insert - Narrative - And then she stared at her reflection in the mirror [Insert] - Author speaking - [Eyyy there- wazzup readers] "Insert" - Talking - "Hey there!" [But can also be air quotes] 'Insert' - Thinking - 'Dame he's cute...' "Insert" - Whispering - "I- I messed up..." [But can also be an emphasis on a word/phrase, or flashback] (Insert) - Inner mind..? - (Deadass doesn't know how to explain it here) *Insert* - Action - *Sighs with their head down*[INSERT] - Magic - [OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!] or [IGGNAIM!]

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫: [ 4 | Academy] 『🖤』

━━━✦❘༻🔮༺❘✦━━━

[Book 0] The Academy of Ghouls

[Chapter 5] Time for the Dorm Quiz!

━━━✦❘༻🔮༺❘✦━━━

{Your POV}

~~~~~

After both Haku and professor Nicolas left, it was just me and professor Hyde. "Do you remember the anomaly you encountered on the train?" I tilted my head. "Anomaly..?" The professor gave me a surprised look. "Wait, no one gave you the brief yet? How'd you get here?" I hummed and explained. "Um... A monster attacked me on the train, then a a red haired boy... I believe his name was Taiga? Yeah, he showed up."

The professor nodded. "Right." Then I continued to explain, "Then he attacked me too for some reason, but Haku saved me..." Professor Hyde became even more surprised. "No way, Taiga did what? Sory, gonna have to pretend I didn't hear that part... So then you rode the Galexy Express all the way to our hallowed halls of learning without a clue, huh?" I nodded.

"Well, if you've seen that much, this won't take long. All the weird stuff you just described? They're all what we call anomalies." I asked more about what anomalies were. "There are things in this world that defy the rules society has deemed common sense. The kinds of things people call the occult or paranormal phenomena or cryptids. We're a global organization that searches out anomalies so we can study and regulate them. Darkwick Academy is our cover, as well as our training facility. In other words, we're the Japan branch of a heroic organization that defends world peace from the shadows."

I just blinked twice and nodded slowly. "Okay..." At least half of what Professor Hyde said went over my head... But having seen the anomalies he was describing with my own eyes, it was difficult for me to refute it. 'It's hard to believe but I guess this means that anomalies are the same as phantoms...'

"And not only am I a professor at Darkwick, I'm also one of the world's leading anomalous researchers~ I'm sure you've figured this out already, but I'm brilliant, so just lay back and spill all your secrets." 'I'd... rather not' I thought and sweatdropped. "Come on now, no need to be nervous! Let's get down to business." Professor Hyde sat back and called out merrily.

"Hodge! Podge! It's counseling time!" That's when two floating hands came in, holding a typewriter. 'Surprisingly... that's not the most shocking thing I've seen.' "I'm going to ask you some questions. All you have to do is answer truthfully. Don't overthink it." I nodded and the floating hands started typing. 

"Your said you encountered an anomaly covered head to toe in flowering plants, correct?" I nodded, "Yes, I did." "Did you see it's eye?" "An.. eye..?" I thought back to when I met the flower monster. "Yeah... It had one big eye where its face should have been." "Did you make eye contact?" He asked to which I nodded again. "I see... That's a shame. Hodge, Podge, write "Confirmed""

The sound of the letters being inscribed into the paper echoed throughout the quiet room. I laughed nervously. "Hmm? Oh sorry, are they distracting you? They like to people watch. The right hand with the red ribbon is Hodge. The left hand with the black lace glove is Podge." I just nodded again. "Don't worry. We just want to understand what happened to you." The right hand with the ribbon waved and me and I waved back. Meanwhile, the left hand tapped its index finger on the table somewhat impatiently.

"All right, let's take a peek inside your noggin next, shall we? Hopefully it didn't mess around in there too much. Take a look at these questions and pick the answer that vibes with you most. Just go with your first instinct."

[This does not really affect the main story. But I'm getting you Frostheim because of Kaito and Luca. But I personally got Jabberwock.]

Some photos were shown: The Tokyo tower, gothic setting with candles among red roses, friends holding up champagne glasses, clear blue skies among free green grass, wisteria trees, an aurora over a lake, and an hourglass. 

For this I chose: The Tokyo Tower

The next was asking my greatest fear: People thinking I'm boring, People thinking I'm ignorant, People thinking I'm a failure, People thinking I'm a bad person, Being surrounded by constant conflict, Being abandoned and alone, and Being powerless.

For this I chose: I'm a failure

Next, Which animal best represents you: An eagle, A lion, A tiger, A wolf, A cat, A bunny, and a snake

For this I chose: A lion

Which birthday gift would you want the most: Custom-made birthstone jewelry, Money, Tickets to my favorite museum, Handmade scrapbook of memories with friends, A plane ticket to my happy place, Luxury car, or something practical from my wish list.

For this I chose: Custom-made birthstone jewelry

How do you want people to remember you: Powerful, Open-minded, Trustworthy, Brave, Unique, intelligent, or successful.

For this I chose: Powerful

If you could have any superpower, what would it be: Shapeshifting, Never have to sleep, Time travel, Extreme luck, Make people follow my orders, Elemental powers, or Gravity control.

For this I chose: Shapeshifting

On a Saturday night you can be found...: Writing or drawing, Learning a new skill, Fundraising for a cause I'm passionate about, Boardgame night, Walking along the beach with a friend, Hosting a party with an exciting theme, or unwinding at a hip bar.

For this I chose:  Learning a new skill

What is your greatest flaw: I'm a perfectionist, I'm obsessive, I'm manipulative, I'm a pessimist, I'm anxious, I'm self conscious, or I'm complacent.

For this I chose: I'm a perfectionist

What food makes you happy: Pizza, Steak, Wine and cheese, Cookies shaped as cats, Pancakes with cream and fruits, or dessert with tea.

For this I chose: Steak

"All done!" Professor Hyde said as he grabbed all the photos and notes. in one hand and peered at the typewriter on the table. He read the words rapidly appearing on the paper and whistled. "Interesting, so you value success, huh? You're self-confident and relentless in the pursuit of your goals. In my experience, you'd do well in Frostheim House." I blinked twice. "Frostheim..?"

"Oh, they're going to draw it for you now. Don't waste any time, these two............. Looks like they're done." Then, Hodge and Podge gave me a card. "That's a Frostheim Warding card. It's their gift to you!"

I awed at the beautiful scene on the card. "It's beautiful!" The picture was far more impressive than I had anticipated, considering how quickly it had been drawn. Hodge extended its palm toward me, as though requesting a handshake. Wanting to show my gratitude, I  gripped the floating extended hand, and gently shook it.

We then got up and left. "Let's walk and talk. Wouldn't want to keep the chancellor waiting." I nodded as we walked out of the room. "I'm surprised that the cut on my leg is gone thanks to that medicine." I mentioned. "Hmm. Professor Nicolas knows his way around a mortar and pestle. Embarrassing in a fight though." I giggled. "Does he get in fights often?"

Professor Hyde shrugged. "You saw Taiga fighting that anomaly, didn't you?" I nodded. "It's pretty common for encounters with anomalies to result in a bit of a scuffle. The Warding Card Hodge and Podge made for you is handy in times like that." I hummed. "This card?" I asked and held up the blue card. "You got it. Each one has a different when you carry it with you. They give you certain advantages in combat. Not that you'll be fighting any anomalies, but FYI." 

"What's this picture?" I asked as my finger traced over the stairs. "It's a painting of the house I said you'd do well in. All students here have to belong to a house. When they go on missions, they usually form teams with other students from the same house. *Tch* Not that any of them actually do what they're told."

'Yup- This practically is Night Raven's College...' I thought and sighed. "By missions... Is that where they go looking for anomalies, like you said earlier?" "Investigate, capture, manage, research... the whole bag" Professor Hyde explained. "Students do all that? Impressive." I awed.

"Ahaha! Being here might change you definition of elite" I chuckled internally, comparing Taiga and Haku to Tsunotaro and Lilia. "And here we are, the very place from which our mighty lord chancellor rules over it all." I bit my lip as we entered. "Your humble servant has returned, chancellor."

Over Professor Hyde's shoulder, I caught a glimpse of a winding spiral staircase and an opulent chandelier. The chancellor's office exuded an air of dignity that turned outsiders away at the door. 'It's much more beautiful than Headmage Crowley's office! Bigger too!' I awed and looked around the place. "I brought the witness. Come over here." I nodded and stood beside Professor Hyde. "Um.. Hello..." I greeted.

"You're late!" My jaw dropped as I saw a boy with a cat eared hat. 'THAT'S THE CHANCELLOR?!'  "A-A-A kid?" I questioned in shock. We were almost the same height after all. The small boy with his hands on his hips and his cheeks puffed out stood glaring up at Professor Hyde. "I did a counseling session with her first. We won't get far without knowing the cause, will we?"

"But I'm the chancellor! You're supposed to consult me first!" I sweatdropped and almost gasped. 'He really is the chancellor?!' I took in a deep breath and continued to watch his and Professor Hyde converse.

"Right, right, my bad. Here's the results." "Not an inch of you thinks it's your bad, does it? Honestly, it's like you make my life difficult on purpose..." Muttering to himself, the boy took the papers from Professor Hyde and turned his back to us. "That's the chancellor of Darkwick Academy. Not what you expected, eh? He may look like he just graduated from diapers, but hes actually-" "I can hear you, Professor Hyde." "..... a very important person." I giggled at the professor's nervous remark.

"It's wonderful to meet you, [Y/n]! My name is Cornelius. Welcome to our humble Darkwick Academy!" I nodded and bowed a bit. "Nice to meet you. I must say, you're very young for a chancellor, aren't you?" The chancellor chuckled. "Aren't you sweet? I get that all the time!" I hummed and thought, 'I guess the staff at elite schools are just as unique as the students... At least he isn't like Headmage Crowley...'

"Meow! meow!" 'And this is a lot of cats...' "Hush, everyone! I have some important business with our guest." The chancellor smiled as he spoke to the cats. "Break time's over- back to your posts. Go on, off you trot!" "Meow! Meow!" Upon the chancellor's command, he cats dashed up the staircase and, one by one, leapt through the window. "All right, that's them dealt with. Please, take a seat." I nodded and sat down. "Thank you..."

"I'll head out too, then. The materials on the anomaly are over here, Chancellor." "All right, thank you!" The chancellor thanked professor Hyde. "He's a little long-winded, but hand in there. Bye-Bye!" Professor Hyde waved to me with his hands folded behind his head, then strode unhurriedly from the office. "Honestly, that man just does not know when to shut his mouth... Anyway, had a rough time of it, haven't you? Let's take a look at your counseling results... Wonderful! No psychological interference." 

"Sorry... What exactly is this meeting for?" I asked, tilting my head. The lack of explanation was making me increasingly anxious. "Ahem... Well.... this is awfully difficult to say..." All of a sudden the chancellor stared at me with a serious expression.

"You've been cursed, and in one year's time, you will die."

𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫: [ 6 | Cursed] 『😈』

[loser-female]

Hi! You mentioned there are online tutorials/sites for learning Comp Sci and OSINT - any recommendations? Thanks!

Hi! You got lucky that today is the day I check my inbox lol. So. For comp-sci: - CS50X from Harvard is a public avaiable course on youtube I'd 100% recommend. These are the undedited (so far) lectures of 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LPJfIKxwWc&list=PLhQjrBD2T381WAHyx1pq-sBfykqMBI7V4&ab_channel=CS50

This gives you all the basics you need to understand how coding and pcs in general works. (I had comp sci in my university course)

- Freecodecamp is a website full of FREE tutorials on several programming language. Advice: learn python. You will understand later on.

- The rest really depends on what you actually want to learn and why - each programming language has its own purpose and application. OSINT: -There is this full course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwA6MmbeGNo&t=205s&ab_channel=TheCyberMentor (But you can find more on youtube.) - Bellingcat's resources: https://www.bellingcat.com/category/resources/ -IntelTecniques: https://inteltechniques.com/ - Osint Newesletter: https://osintnewsletter.com/

But here is the catcher: if you plan to do osint it heavily depends on where you live. I'm in Europe, so it means I'm under GDPR, therefore I must abid to stricter regulations than a US OSINT analyst. A lot of data that might be considered public domain in the US(big one: conviction records) are not in europe, and you won't be able to access it unless you are a registered private investigator at least (but in my case it's rare that I go after people, that's not a part of any task I might encounter at work). Not only that, but a lot of the avaiable tools are designed to work only with specific countries in mind for various reasons and there is a big bias on US-based investigations. If youre' not in the US I recommend you reach out to your local OSINT or cybersecurity professionals association, they usually have resources and specific information, a lot of times for free. Also keep in mind: OSINT has a lot of different applications and it depends on what you're doing with it. Journalists might work more with satellites and images (a thing I know nothing about), debunkers will definitely understand social media more, if you do business intelligence you will look more at news sites, trademarks and deposits and so on to reach your conclusion. You did your course... Now what? I recommend getting on CTFs, like tracelabs that I've linked above, but there many of them (osint dojo for example) or Kase Scenarios. These are safe environments to practice on (except for tracelabs since it deal with actual cases of missing people and it can lead to... not so good leads, allow me to leave it there) You should also understand how intelligence (as the discipline) works. There are several resources, but my favourite is definitely Psychology of Intelligence Analysis. It's a series of declassified training documents from CIA analyst Richard Bauer, that was based on Daniel Kahneman (yes, the "thinking fast and slow" author, and I also do recommend this book) research on euristics. Intelligence is fundamental because OSINT might be helpful to gather the data, but the data then needs to be processed, analysed and you also need to get a conclusion from that analysis. Studying intelligence will help you avoid a lot of pitfalls that happens when you do an investigation, such as not understanding when you know enough, if you're being a victim of your own bias, if you're missing something or if you're going with the right approach. But I have to admit that the best of training I've received so far is from my local OSINT association because I've been able to train with people that work(ed) in the military, get their advice and have a deep understand of the work itself (and the reason why I have decided to actually make cyber threat intelligence my job, even if I work for a private company and I have no interest in working for the government). And yes ethics is a big thing for the OSINT community.

I hope this is helpful enough!