#i am getting on my soapbox for this

[bazzybelle]

As the Easter Season comes up, I have a small reminder to give everyone.

Please, for the love of God, do EXTENSIVE research before going to get a bunny. A bunny is NOT an appropriate pet for a child. They are a massive commitment and require freedom, expensive care, and a lot of patience.

If you are one of those people who will go buy a bunny for Easter because it's cute (without doing proper research), you can go fuck yourselves. You are part of the problem of hundreds of bunnies being abandoned year after year.

I say this as someone who has a bunny and loves bunnies more than people at times.

Some things to consider:

- Bunnies can live up to 12-13 years. With bunnies becoming more popular and people learning how to properly care for them, the age keeps going up. When we first got our bunny, the minimum age was 6 years.

- They are animals who like to run and explore. They require SIGNIFICANT room to be comfy. Do not keep them in a cage!

- They require SPECIFIC veterinary care from a doctor who specializes in exotics. And even at that, you need to advocate for your bunnies. It is also important to get them fixed ASAP as it will prevent health problems in the future.

- THEY ARE PREY ANIMALS!!! They are hardwired to think everything wants to eat them. They will not be comfortable with you picking them up and snuggling them! I have had my bunny for almost 10 years. He has only JUST started snuggling up to me and only in SPECIFIC circumstances. It is EXTREMELY rare for a bunny to come up to you right away. It takes weeks of bribing them with treats and toys, getting down on the floor with them, and just giving them space and patience to explore and grow to trust you.

- They require A LOT of care and maintenance. This means brushing, clipping nails, bunny proofing everything (because they are masters of chaos and will chew everything).

There's a lot more I can say about bunnies. If you've read all this and are still considering adopting one, do your due diligence. There are PLENTY of resources available online. They are A LOT, but they can also bring so much love and joy into your life.

Bunnies are forever, NOT just for Easter.

[too-fond-to-be-fearful]

Been thinking recently about the goings-on with Duolingo & AI, and I do want to throw my two cents in, actually.

There are ways in which computers can help us with languages, certainly. They absolutely should not be the be-all and end-all, and particularly for any sort of professional work I am wholly in favour of actually employing qualified translators & interpreters, because there's a lot of important nuances to language and translation (e.g. context, ambiguity, implied meaning, authorial intent, target audience, etc.) that a computer generally does not handle well. But translation software has made casual communication across language barriers accessible to the average person, and that's something that is incredibly valuable to have, I think.

Duolingo, however, is not translation software. Duolingo's purpose is to teach languages. And I do not think you can be effectively taught a language by something that does not understand it itself; or rather, that does not go about comprehending and producing language in the way that a person would.

Whilst a language model might be able to use probability & statistics to put together an output that is grammatically correct and contextually appropriate, it lacks an understanding of why, beyond "statistically speaking, this element is likely to come next". There is no communicative intent behind the output it produces; its only goal is mimicking the input it has been trained on. And whilst that can produce some very natural-seeming output, it does not capture the reality of language use in the real world.

Because language is not just a set of probabilities - there are an infinite array of other factors at play. And we do not set out only to mimic what we have seen or heard; we intend to communicate with the wider world, using the tools we have available, and that might require deviating from the realm of the expected.

Often, the most probable output is not actually what you're likely to encounter in practice. Ungrammatical or contextually inappropriate utterances can be used for dramatic or humorous effect, for example; or nonstandard linguistic styles may be used to indicate one's relationship to the community those styles are associated with. Social and cultural context might be needed to understand a reference, or a linguistic feature might seem extraneous or confusing when removed from its original environment.

To put it briefly, even without knowing exactly how the human brain processes and produces language (which we certainly don't), it's readily apparent that boiling it down to a statistical model is entirely misrepresentative of the reality of language.

And thus a statistical model is unlikely to be able to comprehend and assist with many of the difficulties of learning a language.

A statistical model might identify that a learner misuses some vocabulary more often than others; what it may not notice is that the vocabulary in question are similar in form, or in their meaning in translation. It might register that you consistently struggle with a particular grammar form; but not identify that the root cause of the struggle is that a comparable grammatical structure in your native language is either radically different or nonexistent. It might note that you have trouble recalling a common saying, but not that you lack the cultural background needed to understand why it has that meaning. And so it can identify points of weakness; but it is incapable of addressing them effectively, because it does not understand how people think.

This is all without considering the consequences of only having a singular source of very formal, very rigid input to learn from, unable to account for linguistic variation due to social factors. Without considering the errors still apparent in the output of most language models, and the biases they are prone to reproducing. Without considering the source of their data, and the ethical considerations regarding where and how such a substantial sample was collected.

I understand that Duolingo wants to introduce more interactivity and adaptability to their courses (and, I suspect, to improve their bottom line). But I genuinely think that going about it in this way is more likely to hinder than to help, and wrongfully prioritises the convenience of AI over the quality and expertise that their existing translators and course designers bring.

[riding-with-the-wild-hunt]

with my whole heart i truly think elwing/eärendil is the most sweepingly romantic ship in the legendarium. like. what if we were the only two people like us ever in the whole world yet by fate and chance and tragedy we found each other. what if we built a home and a life at the ends of the earth and against all odds it was good. what if we knew no help was coming. what if we chose to live anyway. what if i flew through the storm to find you. what if i knew you and held you even in another shape. what if you told me not to follow and i did. what if i let you make the choice for us both. what if you gave up even the touch of the world you loved so we could stay together. what if we saved that world but not for us. what if our love--for each other, for the world--was so strong that it rent the fabric of the universe. what then.

[eddiegettingshot]

personally i loveee how there are rarely any discussions around hen or michael or karen as complex queer characters (which they are CANONICALLY) but this white man shows up for five minutes and has the personality of a rock and people are...like this about him

right lmfao!!!

[benbamboozled]

INFURIATING that for like the entirety of Jason’s time being dead IRL the only person invested in giving him and Dick an actual relationship was…

CHUCK DIXON.

I MEAN.

“Little Wing”?

Dick Grayson kills the Joker?

Spirit guide/hallucination?

JEEZ.

INFURIATING.

Sources are Nightwing (1996) #106, Joker: Last Laugh #6, and Nightwing Secret Files #1.

(Technically Scott Beatty also worked on Nightwing: Year One and Joker: Last Laugh but ISN’T credited on Nightwing Secret Files #1 so I’m inclined to think that Reminding Everyone That Jason Todd Existed was one of Chuck Dixon’s babies until Judd Winick came in with his Under the Hood plans.)

[potionofinstantdamage]

old wounds

[queenofbaws]

tags so good i had to take a screenshot of them and send them to myself so i can find them later (the ashley/hannah parallels)

🥹

*sniff* i'm so flattered omg heheheheheh

seriously though!!! idk if i'm just not looking in the right places or what, but i see so few people bringing up the parallels between the two of them despite how CRAZY they make ME slkdfjksd

they're both presented as girls with huge, embarrassing crushes that lead them to sometimes not make the best choices; both a little geeky and on the meeker side; both fully capable of turning around and lashing out at the people who wrong them; and, coincidentally, they're both really close to josh

idk. idk!!!!!! i just think that, of all the blackwood kids, ashley would be the most likely to sit and really stew over what happened to hannah (and by extension, beth) because that prank could've been played on her. it wasn't. but it could've been. and i think it would've gone exactly the same way, honestly. the others feel guilty because of the parts they played, but ashley? oh, oh i think most of her shame comes from understanding how easily it could've been her out there in the snow

[yaburnae]

people conveniently like to leave out the bit where nesta tried to go after feyre in acotar when they talk about her not doing anything for the family. the fandom discourse is sooooo funny.

[bookishfeylin]

Ok I know I’ve said this many a time before BUT. The way the narrative has no problem with Tamlin's abuse, but rather his seeming lack of a good reason for it, hence why Rhysand's abuse is excusable (he has reasons and HAS to abuse Feyre for the greater good) while Tamlin's isn’t (he does not have reasons and therefore is not abusing Feyre for the greater good). The way Tamlin is unwittingly and seemingly accidentally given canonical reasons to act as he does, with nearly every conscious abusive choice he makes having a legitimate concern behind it. The way this is almost barely touched on in the narrative because it undermines the differences between him and Rhysand and makes it so that they BOTH are abusive (because once you acknowledge they both have reasons to act as they do, the conclusion is no longer ‘Rhysand's abuse is ok because he had reasons but Tamlin's isn’t because he had no reasons,’ but ‘They’re both shitty and abusive and Feyre needs to dump them both for thinking it’s ok to abuse her if they have ~good intentions~.’) The way it’d be a stronger testament to the themes of this series if both of them were simply called out and if Feyre ditched both rather than the text running in circles around itself. The way, the minute you think about this series for longer than two seconds, it all falls apart because of the endless hypocrisy. UGHHHHHHHHHHH

[emberglowfox]

Heyyyy, I stumbled upon your blog just a few hours ago and I'm already hooked, but I am wondering about something.

So, if your Link is transmasc... uhhhh how did his top surgery go down? I don't think "ye olde medieval fantasy land" Hyrule has anyone (alive by the setting's present day) with the tools or skill to do it the modern way, and I also don't imagine magic methods would leave scars.

Sorry if I'm overthinking this, I'm just genuinely curious if there's an answer.

honestly, there's any number of answers to this. i tend to go with whatever's funniest to me (i've seen lots of "shake r stick to remove tits" jokes in the tags of that rauru drawing, which make me laugh) but i take it you're looking for a serious answer here, so i'll take off my jester cap for a moment.

i see this question a lot: "how would he have top surgery in an old time-y setting? they didn't have surgeries like that back then", and i feel like this kind of disregards the fact that this is a fantasy setting. sure, surgeries like that didn't exist in our ye olden times, but we also didn't have giant murder robots stomping around on tentacle arms, or fairies that can make a crop top deflect a sword, or so on. maybe he got purah or robbie to do it with sheikah tech! maybe, due to the fact that there are huge monsters stomping around everywhere attacking people, hyrulian medical technology is far more advanced than we realize, and they have even cosmetic surgeries (done somewhat differently, obviously, but still). maybe he got a great fairy to do it with magic, and just asked them to leave scars because it looked cool and/or he wanted to be openly transmasc. maybe, as some comics have joked, he just did it himself with the master sword, because he's built like that.

okay, i'm getting into joke territory again, but i'm sure you see my point. zelda, and most fantasy, plays by its own rules-- why do we have to return to the 'standard' rules of realism to place trans people in it? why not have fun and get creative with it, you know?

TL;DR: i don't really have a set headcanon 'this is how link got top surgery' in mind when i draw him, but there's basically infinite ways it could have happened by nature of fictional fantasy.

[postsforphil]

submitting mysteries by the yeah yeah yeahs for phil (seems like his alt rock vibe)

there's something about this song that i think 18-22y/o phil particularly would really enjoy. just the certain pettiness that comes with that age ig, but also the energy of "i can't imagine not coming back to you but also idk who i hate more me or you" is so,,, it's fitting, is what i'll say. i like this submission

[sleepless-in-starbucks]

MODERN DAY DORIAN GRAY RETELLING WHERE DORIAN AND BASIL ARE BROTHERS???? NETFLIX WHAT THE FUCK

[riality-check]

inspired by a conversation around the thought: “after the bathroom breakup in s2, what if steve becomes very uncomfortable around nancy when she’s drunk?” and then this happened. tw for mentions of alcoholism (not any of the characters in the story) and have fun!

Steve watches Nancy drape herself over Robin on the couch and take a long sip from her solo cup. He doesn't drink anymore, not since Starcourt, so he's made a habit of being the designated driver. With that comes tracking everyone's drinks. 

No designated driver Steve ever knew back in high school did that, but he thinks it’s the bare minimum. 

Steve goes over it in his head. They’ve all been here two hours. Eddie took a beer from the fridge, and Steve hasn't seen him have anything since. Robin’s only had three drinks, same as Jonathan, but Jonathan had a joint on top of that. Argyle hasn't had anything to drink, but he's on his third joint. 

Nancy, though? This is cup number six. She’s been pouring her own drinks, too, and Steve knows she has a very generous pour.

He just watches. Watches how Nancy props her feet up on the arm of the couch, watches how she reaches up to play with Robin’s hair. Listens to her giggle. 

Watches as she keeps drinking from that solo cup. 

Knows that she's gonna get up to get another one soon. 

He takes a breath. Then another. 

He still feels nauseous. 

"You okay, man?" Eddie asks from next to him on the floor. 

Steve doesn't take his eyes off Nancy, who's moved on to playing with Robin’s hand instead. "I’m fine." 

"You don't look it." 

Steve clenches his jaw. Unclenches it. Breathes again. "Can you just - will you - could you just make sure Nancy doesn't have any more for a little while? Make sure she doesn't go in the kitchen, or hide the drinks from her or something?" 

He can see, out of the corner of his eye, the confused look Eddie gives him. "It’s your house, dude. what you say goes."

“I know," Steve says. He watches Nancy slowly sit up and feels his stomach drop. "Just - please, can you?" 

Eddie doesn't respond for a moment, and Steve starts getting himself together enough to stand. 

But then Eddie puts a hand on his shoulder and stands up. "Sure thing, dude." 

Steve watches as Eddie makes his way to the kitchen before Nancy even stands up.

And he wonders, though it's not his place, why Eddie only had one beer if he's got such a reputation for being a stoner. Steve remembers that when he used to smoke, weed hit him a little harder than all those beers he shotgunned back in high school.

Eddie comes back from the kitchen with a smile on his face, though Steve can tell it's a little tense. 

"All done," Eddie whispers, sitting back down next to Steve. "Hid the vodka behind the fridge, the wine under the table, and the beer in the top cabinets where she can't reach." 

"Thanks," Steve says. He’s still watching her, watching her come back with a smile still on her face and no cup in hand. 

Finally, he feels like he can breathe. 

"Haven’t had to do that in a long time," Eddie continues. 

For the first time, Steve looks at him. "Do what?" 

"Hide booze," Eddie says with a shrug. "It’s a good thing the good hiding spots are pretty much universal across houses." 

Steve doesn't know what to think of that. He never did that, not even when his mom started having wine before noon. 

He wasn't brave enough to risk that. Still isn't, it seems.

[volfoss]

it is beyond infuriating how anne rice seems to insist on marius being a positive force in anyone's life ever. like she can't fully commit to exploring the fact he groomed armand and has repeatedly taken away his consent for what marius thinks is best (take the end of TVA as an example) and just kind of flatly puts it in the narrative. there's not really much interest in how these horrific events make marius come across as the worst because EVERYONE loves him. for gods sake, lestat learns from armand exactly what marius did to him in TVL and then proceeds to go find marius and be super friendly to him in the same fucking book. even armand and pandora, two of the people who have MORE than enough right to hate him, do not. it doesnt feel like shes trying to explore the toxicity of the abusive dynamic he traps them in, it just is there. and like yeah ofc the toxic vampire romance series but i think that this should be handled with more care. and it is not ever really framed in a way that she is interested in exploring how marius should easily be one of the most horrific characters in this series because it kind of feels like sa/rape/grooming/other things of that sort are just put there to further plot and not to really get the respect that they deserve in a medium.

[isfjmel-phleg]

Putting "I need this and other articles on [topic]" in your ILL request for a specific article will not get you Secret Extra Articles That You Don't Have To Put In The Work To Find.

You will get the article you requested. And probably some reference assistance. But you always always always have to do your own research.

[graythegreyt]

Why is it so hard to convince yourself to take ibuprofen but when you do it's like being cured from one bajillion ancient curses.... who allowed this....