#gw meta

[radiashen]

see the thing is the ghosts in xianzhou luofu is more about leftover desires. aspirations unfulfilled, burning still. unfinished business stuff. because the grief is carried by the living. forever. while in jarilo-vi the ghost /is/ the memory. the echoes that linger. that is the voice of the person you loved calling you from the dark alleyway do you answer it? is it really still the person you loved if it's whatever's left of them stuck in a broken record between the snow? what if you want to hear them anyway? anyway yeah im normal whyd you ask

[gaywatch]

Hi! I was curious whether you'd read ariaste's unhinged gomens 2 meta (https://www.tumblr.com/ariaste/724311712381222912/the-magic-trick-you-didnt-see-being-an-analysis?source=share), and if you had any thoughts on it? I personally found it to be a very fun read, and even if I don't think I agree with all of it, I found certain points extremely compelling.

I looked it over yesterday (the day before? it was a long weekend thanks Neil) and I love the enthusiasm but agree with very little. A lot of it involves pure speculation asserted as objective fact, correlation without causation, and they even bring back the weird fan argument from season four of Sherlock that it must have been bad on purpose as part of some grand scheme. The Big Trick they build towards is fundamentally based on an assumption--unless I missed some vital exposition somewhere (which is always a possibility, lol) we have no idea if Metatron has access to the Book of Life. So while that idea can spin off to some really interesting places, and it would be cool if Metatron was manipulating certain things to make sure events play out the way God wants, there's currently no real weight to the theory.

One small thing they noticed that I think is interesting, though, is the book Muriel was reading at the end. The Crow Road is apparently about a guy who sorts through a bunch of papers his uncle left behind and starts piecing together a mystery. This is a good detail because we can draw reasonable possibilities from hard facts. Muriel has just picked up a reading habit ---> she has just inherited a bookstore where Az lived and kept notes/journals ---> Muriel could feasibly stumble across Az's journal, naively think it's just a bit of fiction, and wind up putting clues together that contribute to unraveling a real mystery. The idea also fits tonally with the show itself--Muriel only making a significant discovery accidentally-on-purpose is exactly the type of humor and irony that Good Omens gravitates towards. What that mystery could be is anyone's guess, and her holding up that book could easily be for some innocuous reason like 'they needed to have her reading something so Neil suggested one of his faves,' but it's a pretty reasonable idea.

[plsleafmelon]

waiting for a banner is always the most painful part about gacha games T-T

[a-gay-little-cat]

it's been a minute since i played guild wars but I've been so excited to pick it back up with a new character and leveling and playing it with my friend and it's making me shake like a small dog thinking about the story and the game again,!!

[two-reflections]

I feel you. This is why I usually refer to Vulkan He'stan as He'stan rather than by his ceremonial name. Which, to be fair, the Salamanders books and other Salamanders often do too! Here's an excerpt from Chapter Three of Firedrake by Nick Kyme:

He’stan felt Tu’Shan’s presence beside him, rather than saw him. The Chapter Master had a singular aura about him, a sense of the indomitable that He’stan had never felt in any other Salamander. He had been young when he’d assumed the mantle of Regent, but it was one he wore with great nobility and distinction. No two greater champions of the Chapter existed in the current decaying age of the universe. He’stan felt great pride but also profound sorrow at that revelation.

‘The ice will recede, the mountains will weep, Deathfire shall speak her rumbling refrain once more,’ He’stan said. He’d removed his battle-helm, a beautiful piece of his artificer armour rendered with saurian affectations and artistic flourishes. Underneath it, his face was sombre and grave. ‘I am the bearer of Vulkan’s Spear and I wear Kesare’s Mantle,’ he said. ‘Upon my left fist is the Gauntlet of the Forge, but it is nothing matched against our mother’s fiery heart. What is the will of a Forgefather or a Regent compared to that?’

It was at He’stan’s request that they’d come to one of the viewing galleries in Prometheus space port. The long chamber was dark, illuminated by brazier coals. The flickering light revealed the icon of the Firedrakes as they pulled the shadows away, only for it to be swallowed as the darkness reasserted itself again a few moments later.

‘Aye, we are humbled by her savage beauty, Lord He’stan.’ Tu’Shan clapped a firm hand upon the Forgefather’s shoulder.

James Workshop, we need to talk.

Why THE HELL are the Primarch and Forgemaster of the Salamanders both named Vulkan? Why is Vulkan in charge of the search for Vulkan with the Spear of Vulkan to bring Vulkan back to be Vulkan’s commander this is SO CONFUSING! WHICH VULKAN ARE WE REFERRING TO AT ANY GIVEN TIME! WHY??

(Yes I know naming people after primarchs makes sense in universe but THIS is goddamn CONFUSING)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Zuckerberg in the dock

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in PITTSBURGH on May 15 at WHITE WHALE BOOKS, and in PDX on Jun 20 at BARNES AND NOBLE. More tour dates here.

It's been more than a decade in the making, but Facebook – or, if you prefer, Meta – is going on trial for antitrust violations, with the highest possible stakes and the worst possible evidence (for Facebook).

The Big Tech On Trial blog was started to follow the Google antitrust case, the biggest antitrust case of the century, which was barely noticed by most of the press. Partly that was down to the 40 year period in which antitrust was not enforced, a prolonged induced coma that caused the press's antitrust muscles to waste away. Partly, it was because Judge Amit Mehta was comically deferential to Google's demands for secrecy about the trial and its exhibits, which added complexity and obscurity to the proceedings. Despite this, the DoJ prevailed, and Mehta ruled that "Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly." Now, Google faces break-up, and Trump's DoJ has confirmed that it will seek nothing less:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/technology/trump-google-search-antitrust.html

The Biden administration may have been run by a president who'd spent his career kowtowing to giant, predatory corporations, but the left of the Democratic coalition forced him to install the most skilled and aggressive antitrust enforcers in generations:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/04/10/solidarity-forever-2/#oligarchism

They racked up an impressive series of wins, but too many of their cases were unfinished when the Democrats lost the election through a series of unforced errors that have left the country – and the world – teetering on the brink of a whole Bronze Age prophesy's worth of omnishambolic polycrises. There are so many important and good things imperiled by the Mad King presidency, and the DOJ and FTC's groundbreaking antitrust cases are certainly among them.

In some ways, this is normal. Vicious, criminal corporate bosses have long employed a delay/deny/defer strategy to draw out the antitrust cases against them, betting that a change in government will let them off the hook. This worked for Amway, which drew out its FTC prosecution for being a pyramid scheme until Richard Nixon resigned and was replaced by Gerry Ford, who had been the congressman to Amway founders Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos. Ford ordered the FTC to let Amway off, so the FTC crafted the "Amway rule," which defines a list of of ruinously exploitative and dishonest tactics that are nevertheless legal. Every pyramid scheme since has been designed to fit within the confines of this rule. Whenever you hear from an old classmate hoping to sell you "leadership coaching," essential oils, tights, or any other gewgaw, know that they are the progeny of Gerry Ford and the Amway rule.

This delaying tactic also works for antitrust. When the DoJ sued IBM for its monopoly tactics, the company spent billions procuring delays. The case lasted for 12 years, from 1970-1982, and in each of those 12 years, the IBM spent more on outside counsel to fight the US government than the DoJ spent on all the lawyers fighting all the antitrust cases in the country. They called it "antitrust's Vietnam," and (unlike the actual Vietnam war) it paid off. After Reagan was elected, he ordered the DoJ to let IBM off the hook, and the company lived to monopolize another day.

Microsoft pulled off this gambit too, drawing out the proceedings and appeals after it was convicted of illegal monopolization. They delayed the process until GW Bush was elected, and then Dubya ordered his enforcers to drop their opposition to Microsoft's appeal, and the company got off scot free.

So the big question now is, "Will Trump let Facebook walk?" There's not really any question that Facebook is guilty as hell, but Trump is practitioner of "boss politics." He's made it clear that, guilty or not, he is willing to protect you if you suck up to him. He's created several channels that corporations and individuals can bribe him: there's the Trump memecoin, a virtual tipjar for the Oval Office. There's his bizarre gambit of suing companies he wishes to demand fealty from (like Disney), inviting the companies settle the suits for tens of millions of dollars more than is reasonable, as a way to legally shuffle eight-figure bribes into the president's personal bank account.

Appropriately enough, Trump inaugurated his bribery program with his inauguration, soliciting million dollar "donations" to the inauguration fund from corporate leaders seeking favors from his government. Big Tech bosses – including Zuck – broke all land-speed records in the race for their checkbooks. But Trump isn't an "honest politician" (in the Heinlein sense of "he stays bought"). Last week, Trump lopped $733 billion off Apple's market cap, which was a hell of a way to thank CEO Tim Cook for his $1m "donation."

Zuck's got other ways to bribe Trump, of course. His pivot-to-culture-war-bullshit announcement – in which he declared an end to Meta's "feminine" use of fact checkers and moderation policies – was a naked gift to Trump, a guarantee that Trump and his henchmen could lie about anything from Haitians eating dogs to gay barbers being members of fearsome international terrorist gangs without threat of moderation or correction on Meta's platforms. For a compulsive liar like Trump, any relaxation of fact checking is a naked bribe:

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/economy/article/2025/01/12/mark-zuckerberg-wants-more-masculine-energy-and-less-diversity-policy_6736961_19.html

So, will Trump's FTC take Facebook down? It's hard to say. On the one hand, Trump claims to have fired the two Democratic FTC commissioners, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter. A unanimous Supreme Court ruling makes it clear that the president doesn't have the legal authority to fire FTC commissioners without cause, and Bedoya and Slaughter still consider themselves to be on the job, though they've been locked out of the building and their email:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humphrey%27s_Executor_v._United_States

The weak GOP rump on the Commission are far from the best America has to offer. On his first day, Trump FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson killed a swathe of investigations and enforcement actions, walking away from the FTC's fights on things like "surveillance pricing" and "predatory pricing." In their place, Ferguson instituted a snitch-line where FTC employees could rat each other out for "wokeness":

https://prospect.org/politics/2025-01-24-executive-action-reaction-day-4/

But despite this, Ferguson has also indicated that he will selectively carry on the unprecedented work of Biden's FTC. For example, he affirmed that his FTC would continue to use the Biden era merger guidelines, which put far stricter limits on corporate mergers than we've seen since the 1980s. And he's publicly declared that he will fight Meta to the bitter end, praising the FTC lawyers on the case as "some of the best" in the agency:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-17/ftc-has-the-resources-to-take-on-big-tech-chairman-says

Writing for Big Tech on Trial, antitrust litigator Brendan Benedict lays out the stakes and odds in the case:

https://www.bigtechontrial.com/p/zuckerberg-on-the-stand-the-trial

One thing is clear from Benedict's excellent, comprehensive piece: there is a lot of extremely damning evidence against Meta. Some of this evidence comes from company insiders, like the whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, whose tell-all memoir of her decade running Facebook's foreign policy team is filled with stomach churning revelations about top management's deliberate, ugly, vicious disregard for its users and the world:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250391230/carelesspeople/

Meta did Wynn-Williams a huge favor by forcing her into arbitration and securing a legally binding order requiring her to cease publicly commenting on her book, a move that triggered massive, worldwide interest in her book (it's why I picked it up!). This, in turn, led to Wynn-Williams being invited to testify before Congress, where her revelations about Zuckerberg's shameless, endless sucking up to the Chinese government and Xi Jinping caught the interest of Trumpland stalwarts like Josh Hawley and Chuck Grassley:

https://www.techpolicy.press/transcript-former-exec-sarah-wynnwilliams-testifies-on-facebooks-courtship-of-china/

Assuming this political will persists, Trump's FTC will have to prove that Meta deliberately set out to create and maintain a monopoly. In this regard, they will be greatly aided by the best possible witness for the prosecution: Mark Zuckerberg and his giant, flapping fucking mouth. Zuckerberg has repeatedly, explicitly confessed, in writing, in economic and legal terms, to pursuing a growth strategy based on blatantly illegal anticompetitive actions. As Careless People makes clear, Zuck is an arrogant, out-of-touch crank who cannot stop tripping over his own dick.

The first hurdle the FTC will have to clear is the "relevant market" question. For a company to be a monopolist, it has to dominate a given sector. So what's Meta's sector? In its courtroom filings, Meta claims that it competes with the entire internet and on that basis, it is a minor player indeed. Market definition is a thorny problem in Big Tech antitrust cases, because the companies are such sprawling conglomerates that they can claim that they compete with just about everyone:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/12/10/borked/#zucked

But those claims are greatly undermined when the company itself contradicts them, in writing. Back in 2011, Facebook told advertisers that it was "now 95% of all social media in the US."

Zuckerberg – the company's founder and CEO, who controls a majority of its voting stock – then proceeded to pen a series of memos affirming the company's deliberate monopolization strategy. For example, in justifying his decision to purchase Instagram – a company with 12 employees – for $1 billion, Zuckerberg described how "network effects" would keep Facebook from competing with Insta, so he planned on buying the company to capture those network effects and create a market where competitors' "new products won’t get much traction."

Other memos describe the company's deliberate plans to create high "switching costs" to make customers' departure as painful as possible, ensuring that companies with better products will struggle to attract users:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/28/talking-hard-work-blues/#hostage-takers

As if that wasn't enough, Zuck sent another memo contrasting Google+ with Instagram, writing, "One thing about startups though is you can often acquire them. I think that is a good outcome for everyone." This was just a restatement of Zuck's longstanding – and again, written – rule of business, "It is better to buy than to compete."

Things are not looking good for Meta. Having failed in a series of increasingly desperate maneuvers to get the case dismissed, the company has fallen back on gambits like writing Trump a check for a million bucks – and hiring Mark Hansen, the trial judge's former clerk, as its courtroom counsel.

Meta is a repeat offender. In 2019, Facebook paid the largest-ever corporate penalty of any kind, $5 billion, for lying about its users' privacy. The reason that settlement was so large? The company had already admitted to lying about user privacy and had made a legally binding promise not to do it again (they did it again) (and again) (and again).

Wynn-Williams called her book "Careless People," but there's plenty of evidence that Zuckerberg's offenses are deliberate, not carelessness. That evidence comes straight from Zuck's own keyboard, in memos where (for example) he discusses "using M&A to build a competitive moat around us on mobile and ads…[let's] spend $1-2 billion over the next couple of years on acquisitions."

Early in Facebook's history, Zuckerberg gave a speech explaining that he didn't want to sell Facebook because "Having media corporations owned by conglomerates is just not an attractive idea to me." Apparently it got more attractive after Zuck started to buy companies by the bushel.

This coincided with Meta increasing both the "ad-load" and the "unconnected posts" (boosted content from accounts you don't follow) in its products. Meta doesn't charge its users money, it charges them attention (which it then sells to advertisers and publishers) The (attentional) price of using Meta products has skyrocketed, at the expense of quality – a textbook proof of monopolization.

The timing of the release of Careless People and the trial couldn't be better (for us – not Meta!). I'm in the middle of Careless People right now (look for my review soon), and I agree with the Trashfuture panel who talked about how validating it was to have my longstanding suspicions that Facebook's many catastrophic blunders had to be the result of a deliberate decision to trade its users', customers' and society's wellbeing for its own profits:

https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-3c2y8-1879998

Much has been made of Facebook's role in multiple genocides, starting with the Rohinga genocide in Myanmar. The company's maneuvers since then are a mix of Wynn-Williams's "carelessness" and actual malice. Facebook's traumatized moderators call themselves the company's "tonsils" – a sacrificial organ whose role is to absorb pathogens and protect the body corporate:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/19/tonsilitis/#mod-traum

Meanwhile, the company touts its laughably bad "genocide filters":

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/23/false-genocide-negative/#metacrap

Even as it bullies and threatens watchdogs that monitor its moderation systems:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/11/20/sovkitsch/#adobserver

Facebook is a company that spent most of its history in a race to become too big to jail, seeking to shape regulations to keep smaller companies from growing to be competitive threats. This is why Zuckerberg has been such a vocal critic of Section 230, a law that people mistakenly view as a gift to Big Tech:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/03/25/facebook-has-a-facebook-problem/#played-for-zuckers

The company has curried favor with the world's dictators, creating a wave of "Facebook politicians" primarily drawn from the far right, including the brutal dictator of Cambodia:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/25/nationalize-moderna/#hun-sen

But in becoming too big to jail, the company also became too big to care (convenient for a firm whose executive ranks are filled with people who are manifestly lacking in any empathy). Thus the world's dominant social media platform has become a place where anyone who talks publicly about their cancer diagnosis will be bombarded with ads for snake-oil fake cancer cures that will drain their wallets and keep them from seeking life-saving therapy:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/13/youre-still-the-product/#targeting

Thus we have a company where insiders routinely use Meta's extensive commercial surveillance apparatus to casually stalk their romantic interests and anyone else they want to know more about:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/07/14/who-watches-the-zuckmen/#pecksniffs

Thus we have a company that systematically defrauded the entire media industry with its "pivot to video," creating a wave of bankruptcies in news organizations around the world, a mass extinction event we're still reeling from today (and then the company tried to do it again, with the disastrous "pivot to metaverse"):

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/18/metaverse-means-pivot-to-video/

Thus we have a company that threatened to walk away from the EU before it would obey the trading bloc's privacy laws:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/22/uncivvl/#fb-v-eu

(Ironically, the company insists upon the utmost secrecy when it negotiates with regulators, because nothing is more important than (Meta's) privacy):

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/27/viral-colonialism/#ico-schtum

Meta's own employees are clearly keenly aware of its toxic nature. It's not just Sarah Wynn-Williams: departing Facebookers' "badge posts" – where they publicly take stock of their careers at Facebook – are a litany of recriminations and regrets:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/12/12/fairy-use-tale/#badge-posts

How will this case go? Well, it's hard to say. The judge – James Boasberg – just rejected a bid by Meta to keep its exhibits secret from the press and the public, seemingly having learned a lesson from Mehta's mistakes in the Google case.

And Meta has undergone spasms of antitrust fervor, like when Apple cut off third-party commercial surveillance by mobile apps, even as Apple spied on its own customers to fuel targeted ads. This prompted Zuckerberg to go on the warpath, telling anyone who'd listen that Apple was a dangerous tech monopoly and that the government really ought to do something about it:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/08/29/chickenized-home-to-roost/#chickenizers-come-home-to-roost

Yup.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/04/11/it-is-better-to-buy/#than-to-compete

[fomedeana2]

Siglas do Ed Tumblr

PI =peso inicial (sw - start weight)

PA = peso atual (Cw - current weight)

MF = meta final (Gw - goal weight)

NF= no food (jejum/sem comida)

OAMD = one meal a day (uma refeição por dia)

TMAD = two meals a day (2 refeições por dia)

Ana = ano re xia

Miar = vo mi tar

Mia= bu li mia

AM= auto mu ti la ção (Sh self hurting)

AS= auto sabotagem

⭐Ing - passar fome

Binge - descontrole

Lf - low food day, pode ser um dia só de consumo de produtos diet ou a metade do limite de rotina

Edblr - público Ed no Tumblr

Edtwt - público Ed no twitter

Esqueci de alguma? (Comenta ai que eu coloco na lista)

[nunu0kcal]

Abreviação do edtwt

ah pedido de : @oioisrw <3

ed/t.a : transt0rn@ aliment4r/E4ting dis0rd3rs

sw/pi: peso inicial

cw/pa: peso atual

gw/mf: meta de peso, a meta de peso que você deseja atingir

Mia : bulim@i4

Ana: 4n0rexi4

pr0ana: pró-an0rex1a / incentiva outras pessoas com an0rexic4

tdee: gasto energético diário total

omad: uma refeição por dia

b/p / miar : c0mpulsã@ aliment4r e 𝗉U𝗋𝗀1n𝗀 e 𝗏0𝗆𝗂𝗍4𝗋.

Bc: bodycheck, uma foto do seu corpo

c/s: mastigar e cuspir

med res /high med: consumo médio de calorias.

wannarexic: alguém que finge ter um t.a para chamar atenção. (Fontes que vi o pessoal falando)

high res / high intake: alto consumo de calorias.

TMB/BMR : taxa de metabolismo basal , as kcal que seu corpo queima sem fazer nada.

NF : no food

ednos: T.a não especificados de outra forma, o que significa que você não tem um tipo específico de t.a

Recovery : pessoas em recuperação do t.a (resumidamente )

(Lembrete! : se eu estiver errada em algum me corrigem:D)

[ladymirdan]

*me picking up a box of Sisters at the Warhammer store, flipping the box around a bit*

GW Guy: “oh that is a fun box, lots of options. What loadout are you thinking about giving them?”

Me:”I havent really decided yet. I don't go after meta or playability really, I mostly just go by what looks fun to paint.”

GW Guy:”Oh I know. I have seen your Havocs.”

Me:”Whats wrong with my Havocs?”

[feletida]

I must say tho that Ynnari problem isn't just eldar problem. It's a meta and worldbuilding problem which was explained before:

PRIESTLEY: On the contrary - in the 'history' of the Imperium I always imagined there were a number of eras during which human space was divided or where societies diverged and different moral or ethical values prevailed - however - GW always tended towards 'Waagh the Emperor' - for such is the nature of the business - so the portrayal of the Imperium as one, simple idea became the things that it was possible to promulgate through the business as a whole. Trying to make the message more sophisticated or varied wasn't something the business wanted or was capable of handling, I'm afraid. To be fair - it was successful as it was - and remains so I understand.

[other-cullen-ficrecs]

In a way I'd consider them worse. You can say no to Morrigan and she doesn't stab you for it. (RIP Sir Jory)

The fanbase: All the mage love interests betray you!

Me:

Because sure, with Solas:

But you can, at least, learn about and disagree with Anders's plan. And Morrigan...

[the-irken-pony]

THSC Meta Voice Potential Backstory + Additional headcanons

Because my first post about them was long enough and also because there's a lot more headcanon than actual lore meat this time around.

Edit:

[ID: The "So that was a fucking lie" meme. End ID.]

I do go a bit in-depth with explaining some of them at the end, but I'm starting with the headcanons themselves. I want to focus on the headcanons rather than having the long explanations dominate the entire post. It's a bit of a different format than I usually do, but it's one I want to try out. (That and not all of them have explanations beyond "vibes" so I'm giving myself some leeway there.)

Starting with the "shock twist" headcanon: I do genuinely believe them to have once been a stick figure who lived in the THSCverse like Henry, Charles, Dave, etc., rather than having always been a disembodied string of text.

They were most likely a superpowered stick figure like Henry, but they probably had weaker, downgraded versions of their current timeline-stopping abilities (the FAILs).

Their other abilities (eg conjuration) arose as a result of their integration into the fabric of their reality, rather than being part of their default abilities.

They used to be a gadgeteer, and still engage with gadgetry off to the side.

Said gadgetry profession may be directly related to their disappearance, or their merging with their reality. No solid headcanon on what caused whatever happened to them but I do have a potential idea.

They had a criminal history before Henry, and have a kleptomania problem of their own.

They don't age, at least not anymore. They stopped after they integrated into the game.

Their attachment to Henry is in part because Henry is the only one who can actually see them anymore.

Road rage

As for explanations behind them, I’m breaking it into sections since it’s. long.

Gadgetry

First off, I wanna discuss their affinity for gadgetry (smth that @/stickthinks brought up in their THSC live blog that I've been fixated on ever since).

While the meta voice knows more about the various people and locales seen throughout the game than any one person in the universe feasibly could, their knowledge isn't limitless. Many of their comments seem to be guesswork rather than actual knowledge. Furthermore, for how much they seem to know, their attitude toward people in general is rather... blasé, and doesn't seem to be too partial to who Henry aligns himself with.

What they DO show a vested interest in is the various gadgets that Henry uses. The first example is actually the first two instances of the Teleporter in the remastered Breaking the Bank and in Escaping the Prison. In Breaking the Bank, they state that the teleporter uses new technology and is optimistic about its potential, and assume the fail in EtP is Henry not knowing how to use it.

[ID: Fail screen for Breaking the Bank’s teleporter option which reads “it’s emergent technology. I’m sure it will get better!”]

Their first hint of actually knowing how stuff works comes from the Opacitator, in which they mention a Beta Testing phase; both words are specifically capitalized, implying that this is a formally named stage of development (I mean I would hope so).

[ID: fail screen for the opacitator fail which reads: “you’d think something like that would come up in the beta testing.” The words beta testing are capitalized. End id.]

Where it's really revealed to have in depth knowledge is in the Wormhole Rifle fail, where we get its iconic info dump moment, where it gives a detailed run-down of the mechanics and makeup of the gun.

ID: the fail screen for the wormhole rifle, which is a wall of text in a small font. It reads:

“I'm surprised you weren't able to get down there with that amazing portal technology. It's pretty strange how those portal guns work. I mean it combines the top scientific processes of our time. the portal gun contains a flux quantum generator which propels energy blasts with energy volumes of 4.23 GW with an average speed of 25 m/s. this speed is most effective because it allows the energy to be conserved while still maintaining a speed that is appropriate. The external plastic coating on the portal gun is constructed of a high polymer fireproof carbon fiber. this prevents the intense energy of the portal gun from burning the hands of the user. The intense energy causes intense heat. Oh by the way if you want a medal/achievement click here. I've heard that scientists still do not know what happens if two portals are placed on top of one another. The last time that was attempted... Well I'm sure you heard about it on the news.” End ID.]

What's interesting is that it mentions that there actually WAS an attempt to place two portals on top of each other, but doesn't go into detail about what. This could either imply that they simply consider it common knowledge not worth repeating, or it could imply that the subject is uncomfortable enough that they'd rather avoid it. The latter option could be an indication that they were actually present for the attempt.

Going further, they may have even directly worked on the Jetboots. The fail message is specifically a production note.

ID: fail screen for the jetboots option, which reads “jetboots production notes: find lighter material to construct boots out of.” End ID.]

Their Original Form, And Why They Changed

The reason I wanted to go over that one first is because it ties into some other stuff. For instance, it proves that they’re more tied to the THSCverse than to our world. Especially given that, in the wormhole rifle info dump, they specifically say “it combines the top scientific processes of our time,” when the concept of a portal gun is still completely fictional in our world.

Additionally, they question our apparent inability to distinguish visually near-identical stick figures (indirectly acknowledging the player as not a stick figure by proxy).

[ID: fail screen for the Toppy option which reads “they could tell you don’t look like Henry. What, you think all stick figures look the same??” End id.]

Thus, it’s reasonable to conclude that the meta is not only originally part of the THSCverse, but also that it is, itself, a stick figure (unless it became something else after their “ascension”.

As for other arguments proving their mortality, or pseudo mortality, they allude to three very notably organic behaviors:

1) they take a bathroom break during the calculator fail in std, suggesting a need, or at least the capacity, to eat food and drink fluids.

[id: fail screen for the calculator option, which reads “sorry, I was in the bathroom. What’d I mi— Where’d… Where is everyone?” End id.]

2) they mention having a nightmare similar to the g-inverter effects, proving that they used to sleep, if they don’t continue to do so.

[id: fail screen for the g-inverter option which reads “pretty sure I had a nightmare like this.” End id.]

3) they complain about their ears hurting from the Sonic pulse fail—direct proof that they can feel pain, even if they can’t die from injury.

[id: fail screen for the sonic pulse option, which reads “That hurt my ears! >:C” The “>:C” is a drawn, angry frown that is right side up. End id.]

As for what happened to turn them into what they are now, I don’t have any solid ideas, just a possible suggestion. It ends off its info dump by mentioning an experimental attempt at putting two portals on top of each other, but trails off and dismisses itself with an assumption that Henry “heard about it on the news.” This could be its usual nonchalance, or it could be the exact opposite: discomfort. It's possible that they were there for the attempt, and the incident was traumatic in some way (either through the process of changing into what we know them as now, or the change itself).

Adjusting to New Powers

Even with the notion that they weren't always in this form, it's worth noting that they seem fairly competent with actually triggering a fail. We don't get any fails triggered on accident (the fake fail in EtP is deliberate as they directly reference the fact that you won't be able to read it all at once), nor do we get particularly awkward cutoffs (the closest being the Shovel fail, which is only there to give you enough time to stop the car). However, the specific style of the fail screens changes with each game, implying some amount of experimentation. This is amplified in the Breaking the Bank remake, in which the fail screen sound effect changes for each fail, which could suggest unfamiliarity on their part.

Furthermore, their ability to interact with the world and the game itself is slim to nothing until Fleeing the Complex, in which they access a command line. They also learn to interact directly with the player via pop ups. They do get a little carried away, though.

[id: the fail screen for the slingshot option. The text has been replaced with a blue pop-up window reading “whoa! How did this happen?” The button is labeled “shrug”. The pop up window is split in half, with its left half on the right edge of the screen and its right half on the left edge of the screen, as though wrapping around to the other side. End ID.]

Their abilities get more advanced in Completing the Mission, in which they access a transform menu, have a voice clip, speak in text outside of a fail screen, and even summon objects into the world.

[ID: Henry Stickmin trapped within a holding cell on the Toppat clan orbital station, holding a Bobby pin. Henry stares at an out-of-place lock on the metal cell door. Narration text reads “> Fine!? You want a lock? >THERE! There’s your lock!” End ID.]

Criminal History + Kleptomania

The fail screen in Midnight Surprise alludes to some past that we don’t actually see. The closest we get are the Explosives fail in BtB and C4 fail in ItA.

[id: fail screen for the midnight surprise fail. First line reads “ah, just like old times.” Second line, in smaller text, reads “that was a poorly thought out plan…” end id.]

In general, they’re nonchalant about Henry’s crimes and sometimes try to give pointers to help out. Its comment on Henry’s failed bribery attempt even suggests they’ve committed briberies before, and multiple times.

[ID: the fail screen for the bribe option. Text reads “Strange… That usually works.” End ID.]

As for their kleptomania, the multiple collectible-based achievements in the series aren’t just collectibles found in isolation of one another, they’re usually things that belong to someone else (Assemble the Crew may be an exception depending on interpretation, but a crewmate is seen in the Toppats’ vault so it could count as stealing). Additionally, they don’t serve any benefit beyond ticking up the achievement progression.

It’s worth noting that this is all done through the player’s hand and is entirely optional, but given that various fails give achievements, including via interactions with the fail screen text itself, we can most likely assume that the meta voice is at least partially responsible for divvying out achievements. Weak evidence? Perhaps, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

There’s also the pickpocket fail in which they cheer on Henry’s decision to take all of Isaac Binderson’s “loot”—immediately after questioning whether he really needed to.

[ID: fail screen for the pickpocket option. First line reads “did you really need all that?” Second line, which is written with much smaller text, reads “No loot left behind!” End id.]

Road rage

Half joke

[ID: The fail screen for the Hijack option, which reads: “AND you forgot to signal. Sheesh!” End ID.]

But also not

[id: fail screen for the shoot option, which reads “eyes on the road man!” End ID.]

[the-irken-luxray]

More doodles of the meta voice/fail text. Torn between keeping coming up with an actually unique design for them and keeping them as a generic stick figure ghost but no mouth. Except I've been struggling with coming up with an actual design for them.

I like the latter option because it's almost... symbolic? Iconic, but also generic; emotive and witty yet unable to be seen or heard by anyone... But that's a ramble for another day.

IDs under the cut

ID: A variety of doodles of a fan-made personification of The Henry Stickmin Collection's fail text, drawn in light blue (except in one case, where they are drawn in black for easier visibility). The persona is a mouthless but otherwise generic stick figure that is free floating, as though they are a ghost or phantom. All images have a watermark for the-irken-luxray.

ID 1:

The fail screen for the wormhole rifle option from Stealing the Diamond, which reads:

"I'm surprised you weren't able to get down there with that amazing portal technology. It's pretty strange how those portal guns work. I mean it combines the top scientific processes of our time. The portal gun contains a flux quantum generator which propels energy blasts with energy volumes of 4.23 GW with an average speed of 25 m/s. this speed is most effective because it allows the energy to be conserved while still maintaining a speed that is appropriate. The external plastic coating on the portal gun is constructed of a high polymer fireproof carbon fiber. This prevents the intense energy of the portal gun from burning the hands of the user. The intense energy causes intense heat. Oh by the way if you want an achievement click here. I've heard that scientists still do not know what happens if two portals are placed on top of one another. The last time that was attempted... Well I'm sure you heard about it on the news."

Five doodles of the fail text persona surround the screenshot, meant to be the fail text at various points in time. The top left holds a hand to its chin; the top right holds up a finger with their eyes closed, as though explaining the complex topic presented in the screenshot; the mid-left lays on their stomach while kicking their legs, as though excitedly rambling the info presented in the screenshot; the mid-bottom points to the word "here" in the screenshot; and the bottom right has their eyes closed while waving a hand dismissively in the other direction.

To the right of the screenshot and five doodles is a motion-blurred sketch of Henry Stickmin (drawn in black, to distinguish him as being physically present). A speech bubble pointing to Henry contains the Bugs Bunny "For the love of god please help me" meme.

ID 2:

A fail screen for one of the timeout options in Infiltrating the Airship, showing a closed metal door. The fail text reads: "Ok, ok! No more quick time events!" and, in smaller text, "How's your head by the way?"

Two doodles of the personified fail text overlay the drawing (drawn in black instead of blue for better visibility). The first is wiping away a tear and holding their other hand to their stomach as though they were laughing hard, and the second one shows mild concern for Henry (who is unseen).

ID 3:

A screenshot from Infiltrating the Airship with Henry glaring at the camera while holding the teleporter. A doodle of the fail text persona holds out a thumbs up. Text with an arrow pointing to the doodle reads "knows there's like an 80% chance of some shit going wrong".

ID 4:

A fail screen for the G.A.B.E.N. option from Infiltrating the Airship, which reads:

"error: stack overflow

"System.IO.FileNotFoundException:

"Could not find file C:\Program Files\HL3\G.A.B.E.N..dll

"Dump cache;"

Next to the screenshot is the fail text persona, but with smaller, circular eyes that are filled with television static. The stick figure is glitched in multiple places and has a chromatic aberration/"3D glasses" effect.

ID 5:

The fail screen for the Dark Energy Bomb option in Infiltrating the Airship, which has no fail text. Two doodles of the mouthless stick figure are to the left. The first holds up a hand with a bent finger, looking distraught. The second lowers its hand while looking away, looking sympathetic as well as distraught.

Text below reads "(was going to make a joke but a 10yo's dad just fucking died)"

ID 6:

Three miscellaneous doodles of the fail text persona. The left has its hand below its chin in a thinking expression. The middle has its eyes closed and is shrugging. The right is looking downward and pointing at something beneath them.

End ID.

[critter-time]

I have. So many thoughts about this podcast.

OK. OK. ok. I’m normal.

I’d imagine voncid uses charlie’s voice, along with inhabiting the rest of his body, but with his ever-so slight accent, just so we know it’s him. And i mean, with or without Charlie's essence sharing a body with Voncid, Luca is grieving a friend and a new partner, and has to look Voncid, who killed him, and the man he's grieving in the eye. Also, he’s reckoning with Voncid committing murder.

HOWEVER, if we do get a canon Getalong Vessel, Voncid is going to be a complete and total wreck.

We’ve seen how he reacts to a perceived moral transgression, i mean, think about the Mr. Simmons incident and his failure to save Madeline.

“I corrected him. Like a dog.”

Voncid tends to be incredibly harsh on himself, calling himself, (iirc) a failure and weak for doing his best. Imagine how he’ll be with Charlie yelling that in his ear.

The angst is DELECTABLEEEEE.

Ghost wax season finale spoilers

Ok first of all Charles Baybridge my BELOATHED.

Also ep 41 intro confirmed to be Charlie and the cypher(? Or is it the vile observer)

i think pip calling Luca her little brother as they're both injured broke me. I don't think I can come back from that. Also Luca realizing Charlie betrayed all of them.

Also new incantation moment, body and blood, twist and roar, what once there was will be once more. (Poor Charlie. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴.)

And then Owen desperately trying not to lose Azem and even being willing to sacrifice the world to keep his memory alive. And Azem telling Owen to let him go, to use his essence as fuel to be able to save the rest of the people he loves. And Owen trying to bargain with Charlie for just five more minutes even as he apologizes for not being able to save him, just so that he can let Azem go instead of reflexively consuming him as Charlie kills him. Augh

Also ghost bee supremacy, neat little way to get rid of our villain

In conclusion: ACK. I need to relisten and also recommend it to all my friends

[ghostinthegallery]

GW is sending some hilariously meta mixed signals here. They claim the Imperium are not the good guys, not the main characters, much as the Emperor claimed he was not divine, meanwhile every single piece of official Guilliman art has him looking like Blueberry Jesus.

[yomeritoo2]

GUIA PARA NUEVOS EDTUMBLRS

Sw = starting weight (tu peso inicial)

Cw = current weight (tu peso actual)

Ugw = ultimate goal weight (tu meta de peso más extrema)

Gw = goal weight (pequeñas metas de peso, por ejemplo, gw1 50kg, gw2 45kg, ugw 40kg)

Lw = lowest weight (tu peso más bajo)

Hw = highest weight (tu peso más alto)

Binge = atracon

Fast = NF ("no Food", ninguna comida, Ayuno)

Liquid Fast / lq fast (es masomenos como el ayuno, pero se puede consumir calorías liquidas)

Omad (one meal a day) = alimentarse solo una vez al día y ayunar durante las demás horas del día.

Mono = comer solo un tipo de comida, por ejemplo: comer solo manzanas o lechuga durante un día o más.

(El mérito de esa publicación no es mío. Una chica brasileña la encontró en polonês y hizo la traducción para el portugués. Lo único que hice fue traducir del portugués al español. Infelizmente no pude etiquetar a la chava, pero eso no significa que no esté agradecida con ella. Obrigada, pelas informações, meu bem! 🦋)

Les dejo el enlace de la publicación original ⬇️