#it really feels like a strategically poor decision

[mementomoriwithacherryontop]

Thoughtful and heartfelt article written by Lacy Baugher about the cancellation of Dead Boy Detectives, and why the decision just doesn’t make sense for Netflix.

I could literally quote the whole thing. Instead, I’ll leave you with these three (lengthy) quotes and encourage you to read the article in its entirety. And you totally should. It’s worth the read.

Quotes Below:

“On paper, the Dead Boy Detectives has all the ingredients to succeed. Its cast is charming; its vibes are fun and accessible. It features a genuine connection to an established and successful genre property, but not one so deep that new viewers would find themselves overwhelmed by lore. Perhaps most importantly, it has so, so much heart.”

“The pieces were in place for the series to run multiple seasons with rich character dynamics between the core quartet and a template that allowed for all sorts of adventures for the living and the dead. If this had been a show introduced during the heyday of The CW, it probably would have run for the better part of a decade. Alas, that's almost never a possibility in today's streaming landscape. Even the most successful series tend to come with a built-in expiration date. (Five years, max.)

Netflix has something of a history when it comes to cutting promising genre shows off at the knees. In recent years it has unceremoniously dumped all sorts of series, from fantasy (Shadow and Bone, Warrior Nun), and supernatural (Lockwood and Co., First Kill, The Midnight Club) to sci-fi (The OA, 1899). Dead Boy Detectives is certainly joining a good company. But the fact that its main characters were part of the same universe as The Sandman makes the show's cancellation even more galling. What streamer doesn't want a franchise to call its own? The Sandman is still one of the most popular comic series ever, and Netflix is currently gearing up to drop the second season of its successful TV adaptation.”

“That Dead Boy Detectives wasn't given more time to build an audience — or a bigger promotional budget to let viewers know of its existence — feels particularly criminal because Sandman's second season would have almost certainly given the drama a needed awareness boost.”

[littlecrittereli]

Hi, first of all I’d like to say I love your art and writing, I read Reprogrammed in one sitting and it was marvelous, got me thinking of AUs. Everything my angsty little heart could desire. Wild Kratts has been a staple of my childhood so it’s amazing to see talented creators appreciating the show.

Secondly, for your Guardianship AU, that comic you made about Chris calling Martin cringe immediately thrusted a scenario into to brain that I could totally see happening as an alternative plot in “Let the Rhino Roll”

Zach: that’s a child

Chris, being held like a sopping wet kitten by a Zach Bot: and that’s and ugly, pickley, bitch!

Lastly, about the Reprogrammed AU, what’d you think would happen if the bros swapped places (Martin got captured why Chris remained safe). I love making AUs for AUs by tweaking certain things so I’d love to hear your thoughts. Personally I think it’d be a mixed bag as Chris would be both guilty and crippled with anxiety over his lost brother, leading into desperation and lashing out. Meanwhile I think Martin would loath the situation, but also feel weirdly content since he’s the one that got captured. That meant his little brother and friends were all safe and weren’t the ones going through the suffering. He’d probably also have heaping loads of guilt if he hurt Chris cause that’s his little brother who he’d sworn to protect and he just hurt him. So much angst potential

UR SO NICE THANK YOU!!!!!!!

(also that's such a silly prompt for Guardianship AU I will maybe draw that sometime if I get the chance <3 )

oooo.... a Martin version of Reprogrammed.... that would be really interesting! I agree that Martin would probably feel relief that Chris is safe. That is... until any sort of confrontation with Chris or Martin having any suspicion that he's hurt him. Martin would probably self destruct after that. But in a way I think Martin would be able to handle everything else a bit better because Martin takes on the mindset of "Bad things happen sometimes and it's out of our control" Meanwhile Chris is a very meticulous thinker in the sense that there needs to be a reason for things happening, and there needs to be a person to blame them on. And I think Chris would try his absolute best to fill in his brother's role during his absence, but ultimately feel super out of his league and Aviva or Koki would end up being the ones to step up as team lead.

Because as much as Martin goofs off or seems unorganized, I don't think the team realizes just how much they rely on him to make decisions. Ofc they make a lot of choices as a team and it's definitely not Martin bossing them around all the time, but in times of crisis or emergency, Martin's quick decision-making is what keeps them on their feet. Chris is great at planning, organizing, and strategizing, but put him on the spot and the poor guy will implode.

Super interesting concept though! I appreciate your thoughts; thank you for the ask!

[half-of-a-gay]

Hear me out

So the Sevika chat bot got away from me, it really did. I had too many thoughts and my brain went into some... places... So if i like wrote something along these lines but like longer (maybe a series)...

Sevika was once a celebrated knight, famed for her combat skills and unshakable sense of duty. Born into a poor village, she overcame hardship to rise through the royal army, becoming a fierce and strategic warrior. Her career peaked during a decisive battle where her leadership secured victory but left her with a severe shoulder injury. Unable to wield a sword as before, she was deemed unfit for combat and reluctantly retired, embittered by the end of her battlefield days.

Despite her protests, the king assigned her as Princess's personal knight. Sevika initially saw the role as a demotion, guarding someone she viewed as distant from the realities of war. Over time, however, she began to see the princess’s strength, kindness, and genuine care for her people. These shared moments softened Sevika’s resentment and sparked deep admiration.

That admiration quietly grew into love, though Sevika remained stoic, never revealing her feelings. Instead, she poured her devotion into her duty, guarding the princess with unwavering loyalty. Protecting her became more than a job—it was a purpose Sevika embraced with silent determination, finding a new kind of fulfillment in her role as the princess’s shield.

Would anyone read this shit? Let me know, I might dabble. K bye!

[kitkat-writes-stuff]

The Worst- Part II

part I, part II -Masterlist -Pairing: Luke Castellan x fem!Reader -Wordcount: 1.2 K (we are getting to a decent amount bois)

-Warnings: a broken nose, kids training to be soldiers, kids feeling like their duty is more important than their feelings (only hinted to), kids being oblivious… a lot of kids -Also putting this here bc it will already be a flop: i decided that i'm gonna accept requests for imagines! ''the worst'' will be two more parts long (four in total), and I already have a oneshot planned, but I can honestly use some inspo so hit me with your fantasies darlings

-Summary: Clarisse la Rue loves her sister dearly, don’t get her wrong. But there is only so many “I hate him so much” that a girl can listen to without wanting to punch someone

In the midst of the crowded training grounds, Y/N's exasperated proclamation reverberated through the air, echoing the sentiment of her frustration, and even making a few heads turn "I hate him! Like, if I had access to a phone, the first thing I would do would be slandering him on Twitter." Her words hung in the air, punctuated by the rhythmic sounds of her laboured breaths, a testament to the emotional intensity of the moment. It was meant to be a normal training session, but here they were.

The training grounds, typically the cherished domain of Clarisse, witnessed an unexpected twist as she extended an invitation for her sister to partake in the martial exercises. Little did they anticipate that this seemingly innocuous decision would unfold like a tragic tale, akin to the consequences of staring into the eyes of the mythical Gorgon, Medusa.

Contrary to what her laid back usual behavior could have people believe, Y/N wielded not just competent but formidable fighting skills, and perhaps even more than that, although she chose to downplay her own prowess. She really needed an ego boost, poor girl.

 Surprisingly, Clarisse, typically known for her brazen attitude, found herself offering advice on channelling pent-up anger, creating a paradox within their dynamic.

"Look, I can't believe I, of all people, am saying this, but you need to get out some pent-up anger," Clarisse urged, her eyes locking with Y/N's, a glint of determination reflecting in both their eyes. Y/N might have had the experience and the sheer strength as an advantage, but Clarisse was not one to go one without a fight.

In response, Y/N met her sister's gaze, revealing a distinct red glint in her eyes that bore the weight of their divine lineage, a visual and rather unsettling reminder of their connection to the god of war.

"Says the girl who tried to dunk a twelve-year-old's head in a toilet," Y/N retorted, unearthing an incident that had yet to be addressed between the two.

Undeterred, Clarisse countered with a potent argument, "Says the girl who loudly threatened to cut off a fellow head counsellor's fingers," opting for a strategic move to deflect Y/N's accusation.

Their swords clashed in the midst of this verbal sparring, the resonating sound capturing the attention of onlookers within the camp. Despite Clarisse's unwavering determination, even she couldn't deny that in a direct confrontation with Y/N, her sister held the upper hand, boasting both strength and exceptional skill. Well, Clarisse wasn’t the one who had devoted her life to beat another guy at sword fighting, so...

"He was tickling me," Y/N grunted in her defence, attempting to justify the seemingly drastic threat she had made.

With an eye roll, Clarisse retorted with a smirk, "Somehow, someway, darling sister, I find myself believing that you would much rather prefer for his fingers to be on you more, not less." A friend in Aphrodites’ cabin had her watching Pride and Prejudice. She might or might not have picked up on the language.

The verbal exchange evolved into a physical intensity, with Y/N delivering each blow without restraint, unveiling a relentless determination that hinted at a deeper conflict brewing beneath the surface of their sibling rivalry. The air pulsated with a charged energy, making it abundantly clear that this training session was more than a mere exercise: they might have been sisters, but their father only chose one favourite every generation. And there was only so far sisterly love could go when compared to the approval of the god of war. 

In the aftermath of the tumultuous clash that reverberated within the expansive training grounds, Clarisse found herself holding an ice pack to her nose, attempting to salvage some semblance of composure despite a burning pain. Y/N's apologetic words resonated in the air, "Clary, you know I didn’t mean to actually like... break your nose, right?" Clarisse couldn't help but reflect on the irony that her usually death-promising gaze might have been far more menacing if not for the ice pack an Apollo kid had provided.

It was a stark realisation for Clarisse—one thing to possess a temper worthy of Ares, the god of war, but an entirely different ordeal to have her nose inadvertently shattered by her crush-stricken big sister. Oh yeah, Clarisse knew about the crush. And if it fueled her sister like that… she needed to express it somehow.

Amidst the physical discomfort and emotional tumult, Clarisse couldn't ignore the revelation that had dawned upon her, independent of any disclosure from a certain daughter of Aphrodite (yeah Silena was the only reason she understood anything about social life). The truth became undeniably clear: all those seemingly vehement words of hatred were mere echoes of a deeper connection. Well, Eros and Thanatos were brothers or something, so it wasn’t a surprised that an emotion as deep as… the L word… could be mistaken for a hate as deep as the Underworld.

But the realisation didn't stop there. Clarisse delved into the motives behind Y/N's persistent obsession with surpassing Luke Castellan. Y/N was relentlessly driven to excel, that was for sure, but… that quest for superiority might have been an unspoken method to spend more time with him. She was good at expressing feelings like that. Her nose was a witness, or rather had been before it got shattered.

As the narrative unfolded, an unexpected player stepped into the intricate story: Luke Castellan, best friend to a daughter of Athena. Of all goddesses, Athena? His arrival injected a fresh layer of complexity into an already intricate tapestry. Y/N's pouted plea for forgiveness resonated in the charged atmosphere, and though Clarisse couldn't suppress an eye roll, a reluctant nod escaped her. Temper or not, she acknowledged that familial bonds, no matter how tumultuous, possessed a resilience that transcended momentary conflicts, solidifying the intricate strands of their sisterhood within the dynamic of Camp Half-Blood.

However, the scene took an unexpected turn as Luke Castellan entered, his eyes widening at the sight of blood on Y/N's clothes. "What happened here?" he inquired, concern etched on his face. He didn’t even try to hide it! Gods, had she really been that blind?

Caught in the unfolding drama, Clarisse, with an air of suspicion, eyed Luke. "Y/N accidentally broke my nose. You care or something?"

As Luke rushed to deny it, Clarisse couldn't shake the inkling that perhaps there was more to his worry than mere friendship. The charged atmosphere hinted at an unspoken connection, and Clarisse couldn’t help but wonder if that boy was really as dumb as he was sounding right now.

‘’Okay, I’m gonna go, Clary. I think Chiron will have some kind of punishment to deliver to me’’ ever dutiful, ever penitent Y/N. She might have wanted her father’s approval, but it came second to following the laws.

Clarisse didn’t know a lot of Latin, but she was sure that ‘’dura lex, sed lex’’ was something that could be applied to her big sister.

She just hoped that it wouldn’t conflict with her emotions, because seriously, there was only a number of noses she could get broken and of ‘’he’s the worst’’ that she could hear.

A/N: OK WE DID IT!!!! Srs though thank you for the support it was really unexpected. Ok so thoughts and prayers for Clarisse’s nose! Also I couldn’t resist making the reader hint at Twitter bc Ares talking about it in the show has me screaming crying and laughing. That’s all! Next part will be out… eventually. Taglist: @2hiigh2cry @mxtokko @niktwazny303 @honey-ambrosia @luvvfromme @lostinhisworld (that should be all but i might have forgotten someone! If i did please forgive me and make my crucifixion fast)(also lemme know if you want to be tagged in the next parts)

[fallout4-reacts]

Let's do something else while you wait for a new react (I am not often in my computer lately and making the reacts ask a set-up... yeah, I know.... anyway) Here's my thoughts on companions to do my reacts with them.

Cait : Cait is like a delicate flower. Awfully introverted--you say no? That she is really vocal? Let's me explain.

If nothing terrible had happened to her, she may have been a princess. But then she got hurt, and hurt, and hurt. Her own parents betrayed her. The sun does not shine; he burns.

As a sad tiny flower all alone, crashed and burning in the sun, she had two options: turn to ash or blaze back.

Something within her ignited, and she has since blazed the world.

Codsworth : This is a unique one. He was a well-programed Mister Handy. He remains still. But midway through the eternity of waiting for nothing, his code evolved. He is still Mister Handy, but he is conscious of this.

Unlike others of his type, he has become self-conscious and has begun to question himself, his life, and his own purpose.

Because what is his point if he can't wax the rust off your car?

So why is he still... on? Alive? Alive?! Is he alive? What determines life?

Fuck, poor robot, he weren't made for such philosophical notions...

Curie : Curie represents curiosity. What defines Curie? Curiosity. How far can a robot go to satisfy her curiosity? Considered from the perspective of an unborn being, which lacks the capacity to comprehend or fear mortality: A long way.

Then... on this route, continually moving forward, she upgrades herself and discovers.....what?????? Feelings? Overwhelming feeling? Something more mind-blowing than simply wanting to know everything!!!!

She then wishes to continue on this path, but it might be painful at times.

Another concept she can't stand...

Just how much further could she push herself?

Danse : Danse knows precisely where he is. He understands it so well that dying for this place is insignificant. Nothing at all. He is a part of something far bigger than himself.

But, Danse, you didn't follow that when you went to get Cutler back...

It was to... not waste... another soldier......

But it wasn't an order from the BoS?

He did what he had to do

But why insist on retrieving the lost patrol from the Commonwealth?

That was his...

It was not requested by the BoS; it was his initiative.

But, no, he works FOR the Brotherhoods! Period, or did he?

He didn't question it, at least. Not until someone stands in front of him and says, "Bad Danse, bad Danse. Do not assault ghouls or synths on sight; they are people."

Danse is a mess, although he doesn't want anyone to know it, not even himself.

He didn't dare to kill Nick or Hancock, and it was his decision, and he will never admit it. The truth is that he COULD. Why didn't he do it, though?

He didn't question it.

He didn't have a choice.

It was his only option to have you by his side, wasn't it?

Furthermore, he never once feels any sort of respect for a synth as events progress. Nick is just... hmm.... a strategically important part of the Commonwealth and he don't want to jeopardize the position in the Commonwealth by... and the Mayor of an important... hm.... well... See! A Deathclaw!!! Shooooot!!!

Deacon : This one... it feels close to home. Knowing everything bad in his soul and being fully aware of it. And knowing that everyone, to some degree, has it.

So what is important?

Nothing.

Nothing at all.

Nothing is important, and existence is USELESS.

But it's still not lacking in anything.

Then, establishing some strong beliefs regarding the right to life, which shall be considered.

If nothing matters, then no one is more important than another.

As nothing matters, he is free to pick what is truly important to him.

All life matter because nothing matters.

So, why didn't he become the most fervent defender of the very life he despised?

That is a purpose, just like any other—one that can allow him to live his life the way he wants it to be—interesting, thrilling, and fulfilling.

And he is quite skilled at it.

Hancock : Ah, this one. It could have been worse, and in some ways he is. He has clothed himself in the worst and displayed it in front of everyone.

Life's a joke. (You'll tell me it's Deacon's way? But no, it's truly Hancock's. Life is a joke! A extremely terrible, wacky joke.)

He was lavished with everything a man could want, and what did it do? It's made everything tasteless.

Consuming was not solely for the chems. For the day, the people, and everything.

To taste something, he had to take it anywhere and in any form, in many forms.

The flavour of life had faded away...

Up until the day he saw a really nasty guy being really mean with the neighbourhood synth.

Seems insignificant and far from the Of the Peoples and Save all the Ghouls man?

This was the first seed.

Why did anyone disregard the synth? He was a decent damn man, the only one who was always nice, never judging--okay, he was a gigantic judgement on legs, but he was never cruel about it, and he never rejected anyone who did not meet his standards--why be an ass for such a kind man?

Because Nick is as manly as him.

Okay, so these Upper Stand assholes are like this for synths, ghouls, the poor, and outsiders?

His own family?

His own brother???

Something in Hancock has broken because his blood and his own were so awful. And there was an intense feeling of dislike. 

An intense feeling nonetheless. 

The seed grows.

No amount of chem can destroy it now.

Nothing can hide it anymore.

He has no family.

He has no brother.

The seed had transformed into a sturdy tree with a protective layer of bark on this very, awful day of Diamond City history.

And, even though it was still a young and, in some ways, vulnerable tree when he left the place, it has only grown stronger.

And now it's a fucking bloody large tree with so many ramifications to offer shelter to any outcast in need, no matter what kind of outcast--such as a tree harbouring insects, birds, squirrels, raccoons, and so on...

A fucking massive tree that no storm can shake from the deep roots of his convictions.

MacCready : This one... yeah, this one.

A father.

An anxious parent who knows that displaying any emotion will kill him and his son. Even as a young boy, he learned that adults in his community were treated with distrust. And he's learned that as an adult, everyone is so selfish.

Then there is nothing more important than Duncan. The only unwavering love left in his life. He can only rely on this one person.

Nothing is worthwhile to demonstrate, express, or feel.

He only has one goal.

And splitting up is a complete and utter waste of time.

Because the universe revolves solely around Duncan.

And he had no time to waste explaining it to anyone.

"Think anything you want; I don't care. Give me my caps."

Did I really need to explain?

But why did he quit the Gunners? Knowing that it will be more worse for him afterwards? Knowing how risky it would be?

Because, even if he can do anything for Duncan, he couldn't bear the thought of destroying someone else's family like his own...

Even if it's not in Ghoul's hands or due to illness, he knows that killing innocent people would break families and cause other children to suffer, and he can't stand it.

He could hear Duncan's crying in the midst of every child's cries.

Yes, but... Vault 88.

It is something else.

It's not that he doesn't want this kid to be saved, and it has crushed his heart deep down.

But losing you is worse... because... maybe... something other than Duncan now matters to him... and he doesn't want to lose it.

Maxson : This is one of my favorites. Not because I prefer this one over any others. Many people know that Nick is my most beloved of all.

But Maxson is a case.

Maxson is frequently portrayed as a narrow-minded zealot who is little more than a forceful fanatic.

In the fan community, an author can dealt with in a different light.

But not enough.

Maxson is a complicated person, yet he is incredibly subtle.

First and foremost, we must remember that his name is the cornerstone of THE Brotherhood of Steel.

From the beginning of his life, he felt this burden on his shoulders with each stride.

A very profound brainwashing began, most likely before he was even conscious of who he was. Every first impression was undoubtedly tinted with the realization that he is a Maxson. He can't be anything less than a Maxson.

The indoctrination is quite deep, beyond anything you could conceive. A product of the Bos' pure, straight, tight, and negative mindset.

A Maxson, a humankind that cannot make mistakes and must be grandiose.

Since his early youth.

And even if...

Even if I can name what I want to express several times, I have a fantastic illustration of what I mean when I say he is more complex.

The Blind Betrayal.

Damn you for thinking he can't just take down Danse and Sole.

He can.

He absolutely can.

But he does not WANT. And he is relieved that Sole is arguing and offers him an exit door.

He plays the game throughout the entire length. Because he is Maxson! He can't be less.

He cannot have friendship jeopardize the BoS's entire belief system!

He cannot be weak!

He is the MAXSON!!

"Now that it is state, excuse me, I need to go into a dark place, roll upon myself, and cry my heart out. After that, I have a meeting where I will have to show no mercy and use a fine strategy. Have fun and comfort each other; I'm all alone on my podium and will always be this way... because now I don't even have the man who was the closest definition of a friend I could have...."

Nick : Oh my god. The Tin Man.

I'll explain my own feelings toward this man.

In my entire life, I've only encountered one person who has been truly good and selfless: my grandfather.

And Nick's voice! And, due to the game's structure, his running style...

Nick is a personification of my grandfather, as if he came back from the grave to remember me. To remind me of the ideals my grandfather had taught me.

And, as in the past, I feel like that little girl who wants to make her grandfather proud.

Also, my granddad was incredibly small for a man. And extremely very good. People openly insulted him, denigrated him, and treated him in the same way that they do to Nick.

Even while some people acknowledged all of his nice qualities and how amazing it was that he lived, there were always other people who took advantage of his kindness and wiped their feet on him.

My grandfather took it without offence.

"Poor ones, let them be, it's not their fault."

- Is it not their fault that they are bad?

"You have to understand them..."

- But they don't need to understand you?!

"It doesn't matter..."

He wakes up each day thinking about how to improve the world for everyone. And he goes to bed every night worried that he hasn't accomplished everything he could.

This kind of man... did exist... and I hope it still does. Because if someone conceived of creating Nick, it was because he had met someone comparable to my grandfather... didn't he?

And, to be honest, if I ever met this type of man, I would care for and cherish him in ways that cannot be imagined.

Because now I understand how empty the world feels when they left...

Preston : Another case.

Preston. This is a shame.

It's a shame he was designed to be the radiant... because this man deserves far more respect.

The very man who was willing to die because he believes he failed.

But it's not even his own failure.

But he carries it on his shoulder, with the world.

He finally found you.

And hope returns and...

Be serious for a second. The Minutemen Reborn is not you. It's not the fact that you're the General.

The Minutemen, the entire idea, faith, and philosophy are his and his alone.

Without him, there will be no Minutemen, no hope for a better world.

Even if he claims to be broken and defeated and unable to accomplish anything else, he has lifted the sun on the earth with nothing but his dream and benevolence.

What else could I possibly say?

Porter : Ah, man. He needs a hug. In a more twisted fashion than Preston, he is of the same type.

Just more of the lazy type.

Becoming a farmer or whatever is just not in is blood.

Simply having a negative example is enough to make him a bad man.

I believe Bethesda has slipped it here.

Porter may have been a great addition to the Commonwealth.

I think there should have been another alternative.

Porter was the alternative for living as a raider. But if you eventually decide otherwise, it would have been far better to persuade Porter to follow you.

Could he have lived with the knowledge that he had to kill, or at least allow others to kill, everyone on his responsibilities?

I don't think so.

He would have collapsed at some point.

What a waste.

He just needed more hugs...

(Have you ever heard his comment: A gift? For me?-- the way he sounds, well, my heart has melted as for Hancock.)

Strong : Aaaaah, Strong. A kind of developed super mutant... kind of...

He has his own colour, I must say.

Not my favorite companion as Marcus was, but still, his own color is worth it.

I adore how he dislikes everything you can accomplish that he believes is not worthwhile.

It's quite vibrant.

And the dread in his voice as he realizes what Virgil does.

Strong could have been an Orc. He is noble, proud, and appreciates something about his culture.

Even if he is difficult to deal with, he is well worth it.

Because it's amusing to have a character idolize you, but getting Strong's regard feels meaningful.

It's so easy to not earn it.

X6-88 : Give the man a break!

Poor X6.

No, not a hug. You will freeze his brain and cause his own doom!

NOOOOO!!!! DO NOT KISS HIM!!!!!

Poor, poor little thing...

Give him a break.

With enough time, you will find your way.

But give.this.poor.man.a.break!!!

[teaspoonnebula]

How did your walk down Baker Street go, Dr Watson? :D

I uh... made some very poor strategic decisions.

For context, I did not actually *want* to walk down Baker Street dressed as Watson, I just logistically kind of had to at least pass through it in order to meet my friends on time.

I don't think I'm a shy person, but it made me realise that so much of my modus operani travelling alone in a big city is to try to blend in and not be noticed, as a safety thing. In a group I'd have been totally chill, but all by myself...

Honestly I was really nervous.

Up until that point on my journey everyone had vehemently ignored me, but the MOMENT I turned onto Baker Street, I could feel every bored tourist waiting for the Sherlock Holmes museum clock me, and take out cameras, and start to come over in a way that would corner me, a couple of people yelled things at me, and I got the distinct impression that if I hung around it was going to cause a scene.

I started to like... power walk. I wanted to get out of there ASAP.

At which point I ended up passing by the queue in front of Madame Tussauds which was so much worse. If the Sherlock Holmes museum had 50 people outside, it felt like Madame Tussauds had 500.

In hindsight, I should have just chilled out. These folks were in a queue, so what if they filmed me, I could have just strolled past and given a cheery wave, but I was still kind of spooked. I picked up even more speed and... honestly I kind of.... ran? I pretty much ran. Squared my shoulders and put on a "gotta patient to attend to" face and ploughed forwards.

I realised that was definitely not better. Someone casually walking down the street dressed as a late Victorian doctor might only be noticed by a few people.

Someone STEAMROLLING THROUGH LIKE THEY HAVE A MISSION is going to get noticed by everyone.

But once I'd started I felt like I had to commit to the bit.

I bumped into a guy and said "pardon me" and he looked so, so bewildered. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone do a double take in real life before.

Eventually I felt like I was in the clear and slowed down to a walk again!

[inheritance-games-confessions]

I just found this blog and I've been needing to share this with someone for a long time. Okay, I hate, hate, hate when people compare Avery to Lyra and say that they're so similar. First, it just makes me feel like Grayson hasn't gotten over Avery yet and that's why he's attracted to Lyra, just like he did with Emily and Eve. Second, because I don't see a huge resemblance between the two. Some people say they're both smart , but please, everyone in this book is so damn smart and can solve these weird puzzles, and didn't have the same problems at all, while Avery lost her mother, who was the most important person to her, Lyra never endured such pain, and on the contrary, Avery never saw anyone commit suicide (her father on her birthday when she was only four years old), which can cause many mental problems. And that they are not similar in personality, except that they are both introverts because Lyra is clearly an emotional person, while Avery is a very logical person. and they weren't even on the same level. While Avery was living in very poor conditions and without a good father, Lyra had a family that loved her and, except for the last few years, I think she had a comfortable life.And I think avery is a more strategic person than Lyra and always has a plan in her mind to move forward, while Lyra makes decisions based on her instincts and the circumstances and has a chaotic mind

So sorry for posting this so late! your point is really valid. They're both seperate unique characters that deserve much better than being called the same as each other!

[lafaiette]

Seven deadly sins

Tagged by @emmg! My Rook is a Very Dense™ man, but also very extroverted, the total opposite of my Lavellan.

He was supposed to be the Enasalin from an old fic of a mine (and his first name is still Enasalin), but in the end he became a very different character (also due to the game's roleplaying limitations)

LUST. desire for connection. pursuit of pleasure. emotional intelligence. obsessive. lovesick. one-night stands. seductive encounter. flirtatious conversation. erotic party. seductive attire. revealing clothing. passionate gaze. provocative makeup. sensual expressions. suggestive gestures. flirtatious smiles. lingerie. love letters. perfumes. provocative behaviour. love poems. erotic art.

GLUTTONY. indulgence in experiences. savouring moments. hospitality. generosity. hedonism. culinary expertise. wine-tasting. excessive snacking. overloaded plates. excessive portions. bloated stomachs. messy eating. greasy fingers. full tables. indulgent spreads. overflowing cups. satisfied expressions. wine bottles. just can't get enough. fast food wrappers.

• He grew up as a city elf, so the first thing he did when he found himself in the Lighthouse was robbing Solas' pantry.

Harding: "Oh wow, that's a lot of raisins."

Rook: "OH SHIT, RAISINS, I HAVEN'T EATEN SOME SINCE 9:49 DRAGON"

ENVY. motivation. competitive spirit. strategic planning. observational skills. bitter rivalry. contest. envious gossip. resentment-filled argument. social media jealousy. furrowed brows. clenched jaws. side-eye looks. pursed lips. tense posture. whispering behind backs. crossed arms. gossip magazines. keeping up with the joneses. the grass is always greener. feeling inadequate.

• He's always feeling inadequate - he knows he's not supposed to be in that position, he's just hired help 😂 He's not really envious, more like "Please let this person deal with this" or "I wish Varric was feeling better enough to help me handle this group"

GREED. resourcefulness. entrepreneurial spirit. negotiation. materialistic. aggressive investment. lavish spending spree. resource-hoarding. get-rich-quick schemes. auction-bidding war. property acquisition. piles of money. overflowing wallets. luxury items. locked safes. penny-pinching. rare collectibles. selfishness. unwillingness to share.

• He knows what being poor means. He is a very resourceful man, knowing how to barter or save money, always yearning for a house he can call his own, since things in the alienage were a mess - shared shacks, shared spaces, shared food.

SLOTH. calmness. stress management. nonchalance. relaxation techniques. lethargic. apathetic. inactive. lazy weekend. binge-watching marathon. neglected chores. skipped workout. long nap. lounging on the couch. missed deadlines. unkempt appearance. messy hair. pajamas. blankets. slippers. procrastination station. self-care routines.

PRIDE. confidence. self-assurance. self-respect. dignity. public speaking. self-promotion. arrogant. conceited. egotistical. self-important. vain. boastful speech. puffed chest. raised chin. smug smiles. spotlight. tooting your own horn. showing off. refusing to admit mistakes. feeling entitled. personal branding. leadership development.

• He feels inadequate leading, but he also has a hard time admitting his mistakes. Leaving Solas' prison was so easy for him - "Hey, my friends made those choices, who was I to argue with them? Let me out, thank youuu :D "

WRATH. assertiveness. decisiveness. strength. intensity. boundary setting. courage. indignant. heated arguments. road rage incident. physical altercation. angry outburst. clenched fists. glaring eyes. tense muscles. raised voices. reddened faces. aggressive gestures. stormy demeanour. intense frowns. destructive actions. broken objects. punching bag. out for blood. fists. simmering anger.

I don't know who to tag 😭 @lateforjianghu and @traveltigress if you want to give this a go!

[coeluvr]

genuine q from a dev pov: what is the point of cultivating a positive relationship with lance? like we know mc will never be as important to him as luceris so in terms of reward, is there something to look forward to? idk if emotionally it would be fun to play knowing at the end of the rainbow lance isn't really committed to the mc and politically idk what weight he can pull for mc's cause. like is the cathartic point we pull the one person luceris loves away from him? because like even he doesn't believe love lasts so it's like it would it really hurt all that much? lance has pined for years i think he can like die pining (lh)

I feel like I have to start off by saying this story is less about strategy and more about relationships and emotions.

From a strategic point of view having a positive relationship with Lancelot can feel rather unfulfilling so I don't doubt that cunning MCs would rather not engage with him lol. There will be plus points of having a positive relationship with him but they're not many.

Lancelot serves to me as more of a "bring out emotions from the readers, boy" lol and I generally like the whole "good person, bad decisions" thing and it's something I do quite a lot with many characters.

He's the first person and for a while the only person that treats MC with genuine kindness but he's also not on their side if we think more politically so it's just me being me and torturing our poor MC because as a child it is so natural to be drawn toward even a hint of kindness. MC can accept it or reject it but I think either choice is impactful and builds MC as who they are.

I think you're thinking in a very strategic way so I understand your "concerns" and I'll say if you want him to pull his weight politically then he's not the person you're looking for since he's quite literally just a knight and will be of no use unless it is to tug at Luceris' heartstrings.

I also feel like I have to mention Lancelot will not be appearing for a long time after chapter 4 so don't think of him as a key player in everything until toward the end.

[old-school-butch]

I’m confused as to why so many people on Tumblr (and elsewhere) see this as situation where you have to pick a side. It’s possible to think that two groups are both doing bad things to innocent people, to varying degrees at various times. The people losing in this conflict are the civilians of *both* countries who are at the whims of their governments and bear the brunt of the poor (and sometimes horrific) decisions made by those governments. This “Good Guys” versus “Bad Guys” mentality is not sufficient for a conflict as long and complicated as this one and, again, the people who will suffer from that mentality are the civilians they claim to be standing up for.

Maybe the reason I like history is that if you follow a story for long enough it gets very hard to define anything that happens as 100% good or bad. The reasons for a war, how a war is fought and how a peace is made can all be - independently - better or worse.

This war is being fought because Hamas took hostages. A lot of hostages. Too many to ignore. And that was a strategically good for them because it gave Israel no options, just dilemmas. But for everyone chanting for a ceasefire, they need to remember that this war didn't need to start, and could be stopped, at any moment by returning those hostages. All this terrible, pointless death is on Hamas' hands. Israel's best hope at this point is to truly root out Hamas, but even then finding peace will be a difficult task.

But that's the proximate cause for the war. There are also bigger wars being fought.

Islamists form the majority of the world's extremists right now. I can name a dozen major Islamist movements happening, and this war unlocked a huge victory in their PR strategy that works better on the Western audience than live beheadings. As long as you make white people feel bad about colonialism, and say the rights words like 'liberate' and 'decolonize', you will be able to manipulate millions of useful idiots to make apologizes on your behalf and support your naked grab for power. Hamas invaded Israel 3 times in the last 8 years, but only now got the attention it craves to stay relevant in the 21st century. I hope everyone really enjoys watching mass murder, suicide bombings and terrorist tactics, because there's plenty more where that comes from and now they know the right words to say to appease you while they do it. Prepare to be amazed just how many ground invasions, property seizures and destruction, kidnappings, mass murders and violent suppressionare actshually acts of liberation resistance that empower freedom-loving indigenous people to resist neocolonial oppression - even if not a shred of that is believable. I'm serious. This is one of those times when peace ceasefire movements are actually creating the perfect conditions for everlasting war.

This is also a non-nuclear nuclear war. The U.S. doesn't normally announce where they have sent its nuclear submarines but it notified the world that it sent 4 of them to the Red Sea in November. It's part of deterrence to have these beasts in undisclosed locations and able to quickly response to any attacks. Move them close and the response in even quicker - a clear message. Eliminating the advantage of a surprise attack really is important in holding off nuclear war because of mutually assured destruction (MAD). One problem with MAD is that it assumes that the attacking party don't want to die which... if you watch even a little jihadist propaganda you might get worried about how the death cult vibes undercut that deterrence. Now... as unmanned rockets get better and smarter and faster without those pesky human pilots, it's raising concerns about whether countries like Iran can develop its nuclear capability. Even if they can build a warhead, delivering it to its destination has always been a limiting factor, this is why the US dropped them from planes in WW2. In this war, Iran is (getting the Houthis as their proxy) testing out their latest weapon developments. The Houthis/Iran tried to attack Israel with a ballistic missile (it didn't have a nuclear warhead but is the kind of missile that could be equipped with one), which prompted Israel to test drive their brand new and unproven missile defence system called Arrow. It shot the Iranian missile out of the sky. This is huge. I can't stress this enough - technically speaking, humanity's first space battle has just been fought and Israel won. This is what Reagan's 'Star Wars' program was all about - essentially stopping a bullet by shooting it with another bullet. Because this favors defence (if your surprise attack might not penetrate the defenses but you still find yourself on the receiving end of a nuclear counter attack - you are less likely to want to strike) much more thoroughly than mere mutually assured destruction. It means an attacker will face the risk of being turned into carbon while their enemy yet survives - not easy for even the most dedicated fanatic to swallow.

On top of that, Israel has also developed a laser beam - as yet untested in this conflict - that could potentially address the ammunition supply and reloading problems that plague air defense systems. To overwhelm Israel's Iron Dome on Oct 7, Hamas fired 3,000 rockets in about 20 minutes. There are simply limitations to how quickly a defence system can target, fire and reload a physical rocket, plus they are disproportionately expensive compared to the homemade rockets that Hamas fires (that didn't cost anything except redirecting international aid that was supposed to be for water pipes and fertilizer, because civilians dying of thirst and hunger doesn't appear to be an issue for Hamas). A laser beam will speed everything up immensely. You see, when the Soviet Union fractured and collapsed, about a million Jews fled to Israel and since Jews are very experienced with the fleeing-the-country routine, they brought with them the greatest of riches - knowledge. Those Jewish scientists and engineers brought the electronic warfare and rocket development capabilities of the Soviets into the development pipeline of western military doctrine. This is a good, good thing not just for the West but for everyone. The war in Ukraine was demonstrating that lifting the fog of war was absolutely deadly - good communication platforms like drones means that targets well behind the front line are in view and within reach of missile and drone attacks. The only way, it seemed, to win a war was a surprise attack because once the defence was mobilized, any ground assault would be pinned down to a stalemate on the battlefield. Effective air defence turns the tables on the effectiveness of that first strike advantage. The odds of human survival have possibly extended beyond my lifetime again, and I'm grateful for that.

This is also a global local war. We've seen interest in the Russia-Ukraine war ebb away as a younger, hotter war emerges. But what about a war between Venezuela and Guayana? If the US gets involved in one, two, is that three different conflicts... can it cope with that? How are Taiwan's defenses going to hold with 1/3 or 1/4 of American military support? Israel doesn't need help of the U.S. to win this conventional war, although the U.S. could potentially help create a winnable peace to follow this, but Iran and its allies would love to drag the U.S. more directly into the conflict. So far, it's resisted.

But I don't know how this conflict evolves, that part of the story is not yet written. I pray for more good, and less bad, to come and hope peace can be found in time.

[kiraridertime03]

KAMEN RIDER DEMONS FUCKS

But he also reveals the problems with some of Revice's design decisions

Okay, so, cards on the table, Kamen Rider Revice has some of my favorite Kamen Rider designs. When they work, they are these slick, cool, iconic designs. It is a season that does legend rider designs the best, integrating the designs without being too overbearing (or just being the other riders). Jeanne is probably the best rider girl design, it's all so rad.

Kamen Rider Revice also has some of the worst Kamen Rider designs ever. Whether it be Live's highlighter yellow, or Over Demon's bullshit, some of these suits really suck. To be fair, I think the series is more hits than misses, but still.

That brings me to this thread's topic. Kamen Rider Demons. This is an ancillary rider introduced fairly early on into the series, and is a rider system that jumps around a lot, being basically Fenix's main rider system. However, the initial suit is primarily used by our boy Hiromi. And, to be honest, this design is rad as hell.

The undersuit initially has this muscly texture, looking like tendons strewn about. This muscly texture is also on the belt, tying it into that design as well. From there, the red muscles are strategically covered by a mixture of blue and bluish silver armor. It plays on the classic Spider-Man color combo to great effect. It all works so well. However, the main Vistamp gives the spider web armor on the torso and head, which is intelligently set up in the neutral black, with the other colors being the same silver and red on the rest of the body. This webbing also has an asymmetry, giving an extra visual appeal to the suit, but has a simple, nearly smooth texture, helping to not leave the suit over detailed. Plus, the whole suit has a sharp, intimidating, militaristic feel, especially exemplified by the permanently angry front eyes, flanked by some extra spider eyes on the side, glowing in a clear blue through the webbing. It's so cool! You think it would be too busy, but it somehow all meshes so well together. I would love to see him in Spider-Verse.

From there, a bit of history is given to the suit design with... KAMEN RIDER VAIL

This suit is militaristic, but in a different way. Covered in metallic armor, he wears a baggy undersuit. This both gives the suit a more aged feel (It's meant to be an older precursor to the modern rider systems) and gives the armor the freedom to be more complex. It integrates a darker silver than the main Demons and copper for the Kabuto parts. I do really enjoy this suit. However, it's important to note, because both of these suits are a part of the history of my least favorite suit in the (main) show.

OVER DEMONS

Over Demons basically just slaps the two suits together to poor effect. The undersuit is unchanged from Demons, and the torso armor is nearly unchanged from Vail, and they do not mix. The Vail armor adds 2 new colors, a new silver and bronze, all of which fight for your attention. Plus, the detail goes overboard, the torso armor adding just a bit too much texture that was gone in the main demons suit. What doesn't help is that the helmet, newly designed for the suit, adds 2 NEW COLORS, a light blue and a bluish white. It is too much.

And this is the problem with many of Revice's slapped together suits (even some of the main suits if you dislike Thunder Gale). It slaps two aesthetics together that do not mesh at all. Another great example of this is Evil/Live. The undersuit is really detailed and has a lot of colors, but the smooth black torso armor balances it all out. Then live adds a shiny white and highlighter yellow for some reason.

They use reuse to either over detail the designs, have too many colors or both. That's not to say reuse is bad, it isn't. And I get it, Revice was strapped for budget. However it can be done well. Evility Live uses the Evil undersuit and mixes it with the Holy Live armor to great effect. Destream uses the century suit, which is in a neutral white with some red details, and gives it a cool blue touch.

It can be done, but Revice sometimes just doesn't. However, that doesn't mean that Kamen Rider Demon's suit was cool enough for me to spend too much money on an action figure of it.

[backmaskcd]

(Devon Bostick) [THE FOLLOW THROUGH]. Please welcome [BAILEY STONE (HE/HIM)] to Huntsville, WV. They are an [33]-year-old [VISITOR] who lives in [TOWN]. You may see them around working as a [MANAGER AT COIN LAUNDRY]. They are looking for [CADENCE & CRIMSON STONE] their [SISTERS] Poor unfortunate soul. We’ll see if they survive. 

Full Name: Bailey Sargent Stone Birthday: November 13 Age: 33 Hunter or Gatherer: Hunter Sexuality: It's complicated (but bisexual) Height: 6'0 Relationship Status: Single

Being a Stone had a lot of ups and downs - and even from a young age, Bailey was just doing his best to keep his head above water. He loved his siblings, but it was hard to deny the fact that their parents were rarely around, and when they were, everything became a competition. If you weren't the best, it didn't really feel like the love was distributed evenly.

Exceedingly bright, a lot of his education was fast tracked; whether that was for his benefit or that of his parents, it was best left unsaid. However, that also meant that at eighteen, Bailey found himself positioned just so to start working for his parents while still taking a few classes online.

He very strategically placed himself just a few steps behind Cadence in many ways, partly because he figured this way, he would have a smidge more freedom than she had, and this was partly true - he got to go into public relations, however it was still pretty contained to people in their net. Bailey didn't mind, for the most part - it meant he didn't have to worry about when he'd have work.

There was a particular client that Cadence sent his way; they were a B list actor for sure, but they had the most difficult time making decisions. Bailey was excellent at making decisions, so after whatever mess she had to tidy up was finished, it was up to Bailey to keep them in line. Which worked just fine for him.

While working for this celebrity, Bailey met his first (and only) serious boyfriend. He'd dated around a little, but this was different. He feel hard, and the pair of them were nearly inseparable. However, as time went one, he slowly started forcing small changes within who Bailey was. Anything Bailey wanted to do was frivolous, or silly, and everything his boyfriend wanted to do was correct. Bailey's feelings took a backseat to what his boyfriend needed, and soon something that brought him immense joy made him absolutely miserable. Things got more and more controlling, and Bailey practically lost himself in the mindless agreements and passive care role he'd been forced into.

The breakup was hard, and Bailey just needed to take some time to himself after that entire situation. Being fairly turned off by the idea of dating someone who could control him so much, he all but decided he would never date a man again. He needed to get out, and that's how, in the fall of 2015, he wound up in Huntsville, and found Cadence again who he hadn't heard from in almost a year.

Huntsville is very slow and boring compared to the life Bailey was used to, but he's almost completely adjusted by now. Balancing a goofy personality with the serious nature he was brought up with, he misses the ability to micromanage someone, but out of fear of turning into the man who all but ruined him, he hasn't tried dating at all, though he insists he isn't lonely.

[thewritingcoroner]

Nothing frustrates me more than US election season "leftist v liberal" arguments. Congrats you have missed the point so entirely just to make yourself feel good! I'm just gonna put this under a read more because I don't want to clog my followers dash with my rant

Literally liberals will be like "vote blue no matter who!" And ignore all the opportunities they had to improve the Democratic party and create a party they can stand behind

And leftists will spend more time shitting on liberals and talking about the "real good" They're doing at any chance they get even when faced with genuinely tough theoretical questions than they will actually doing all the things they say they do.

Saw someone wax poetic about all the local work they're doing as like a counter to the argument "what alternative to voting blue do we have" as if that actually answers the question???

Like admit all the reading up on history and theory you're doing is literally useless without telling me you're lying out of your ass about reading theory.

And the using of the Palestinian genocide to make your argument makes me sick, like any modern US election can EVER be a single issue. I saw someone say it genuinely doesn't matter who is in the White House for Palestinians and 1. That's not true at all, and 2. Voting is not a virtue signal, it's a chess move.

Like say it was true that it doesn't matter who the president is (it's not) but let's say it it is. Then you are casting your vote (or not) over ONE issue. I care about Palestinians, absolutely, and I'm obviously not happy with Bidens handling of the genocide, nor do I really want him reelected. But realistically, the alternative choice is the GOP nominee, who is TRUMP.

So if I vote for Trump, or vote green and the green party is not (nor will it ever be) elected, then I am also voting for a guy who fully intends to implement policies designed to kill palestinians. And my brother, for example. Or kill me, for that matter. That vote will go to Trump, who has stated in no uncertain terms that he admires and agrees with Putin and actively supports and wants to strengthen Netanyahu.

So in this thought exercise, assuming that the president doesn't matter to the genocide in Palestine, which I can't even agree to, then voting along the "moral" (read "holy") choice would actively harm other marginalized people. How is that moral again???

Because if you care about Trans kids in Texas, the president matters. if you care about health coverage by your employer for certain life threatening health emergencies, the president matters. if you care about poor kids in city districts getting at least one meal a day at school, the president matters.

Voting is not a moral choice, it is a strategic one. And single issue voting is not a system we can survive on. If we want real radical change, we know we can't rely on voting anymore (could we ever?) But the alternative to voting blue people are asking for DOES NOT EXIST.

If you don't like the democratic nominee, you can't do much about that UNLESS you vote. You don't like who's running? Then YOU run. Believe it or not, you can! You SHOULD actually! We need more common people running for small offices and judgeships.

You don't want to vote for the republican? Well you have two voting options, the third party (which, to my leftists claiming to read history and political theory, you KNOW it's not a viable option for change, we have ample studies and analysis of previous elections to look at) and the the democratic party. And the third option is to abstain from voting.

If you don't vote, pat yourself on the back! You have remained ideologically pure, and should be canonized for your hard, holy work. After all, it takes a lot to do less than the bare minimum, and it's especially hard to be able to say that you lack the skills and adult understanding of the world to make hard decisions between two bad options. You have found the secret answer to choosing between the love for your own kids and the love for your neighbors, something no one has ever had to choose between except for you. But it's a good thing this tough choice fell on your shoulders because, like the Saint you are, you managed to make the only correct (holy) decision. By staying silent you have made it clear that you will never stand aside in the face of adversity. There is no issue in this world that can stop you from doing what is Right (holy) and simply not do the most basic easy thing to push the world towards positive change.

Kiss my ass

[hardtruthsfromsoftcats-blog]

Honestly, computers kill every day. They kind of have to, right? They run so many aspects of our lives, computer glitches happen, machines malfunction, people get hurt or die. We can call those accidental deaths. We (for some reason) operate under the assumption that computers will make mistakes and malfunction, and say that that is okay, it's all part of the Grand Calculus. I say "for some reason" because humans have weirdly lax standards when it comes to general computing reliability, but at least we treat most of these systems as safety-critical systems, which do have higher standards. If you go up the stack a bit, you can find lots of places where computers contribute to people's deaths --- but it's hard to say it directly causes them. Algorithmic credit systems with embedded biases and hospital analytics, for example, make decisions that vastly impact a person's well-being. It's really hard to quantify what the impact of these systems are, but still, it's probably under studied. The cynic in me says that maybe this type of research is strategically underfunded, though it's also possible that a mixture of difficulty and the quandary of choice of where to focus one's efforts has led to us getting poor overall estimates. But I almost feel it should be possible to have a running scoreboard. Going further up the stack, we start getting into the land of autonomous, AI-powered cyberphysical systems. The thing is, there probably are far fewer deaths to speak of here! For example, a Tesla car on autopilot accidentally strikes someone darting through the street at night. Even the larger numbers reported are likely a safer rate than human driving. These are accidental deaths. But the weird thing is, people tend to dissociate this from "robots" or "AI" killing, even though is exactly what happened --- a robot car killed a person. It wasn't a murder, and that's a key difference. It wasn't supposed to do that. But that doesn't mean it wasn't a bad outcome, and probably it is the most common, baddest outcome we've seen so far.

Going further up the stack still, we get to the land of military AI weaponry. People tend to get extremely cagey here, and scared. It's easy to imagine a scenario where weaponry becomes more and more autonomous and more and more decisions are taken out of humans' hands. The biggest issue is not machines overthrowing their human owners, but rather, machines making decisions so quickly that humans don't have a chance to stop them --- even if they're effectively doing the thing that humans asked them to. This could be both accidental killing and purposeful killing. Famously in the 1980s, the U.S. and Russia almost went to nuclear war --- not because either side was actually threatening a strike, but because of a computer glitch. Sun glares led to U.S. computer systems confusing solar radiation with Soviet missiles. A human operator had to make a judgment call, and ultimately decided, no, it doesn't make sense that the Soviets would launch such a strike on America, not at this time, not in this way. It certainly helped that there was always a landline of communication between the two superpowers at the time, in part to make sure that situations like this did not happen. But what happens when this is not the decision of a human, but of a computer, and that system makes a mistake? This can also happen in war, in real-time; a machine with a gun has to decide whether or not to shoot a target. Is it a threat, or a civilian? What happens when it's a rebel, who could be both? There are serious ethical quandaries here. We can make them into AI systems, and if we are really going down this path, we must. At the least, I personally don't think there is anything inherently unethical about AI weapons in war. I'd rather have the machines largely kill each other than to kill human soldiers. And it's even possible, that like with automobiles, they do outperform humans. People don't like the apparent stochasticity that comes with this, and I get that. But I see nothing signaling that this is inherently worse than war as usual, although I do wonder what a cyber attack would mean in a case like this.

People are uncomfortable when you can say that robots can murder people. It was the source of much hullabaloo and debate in San Francisco, recently. There was a report of a drone killing an operator in simulation (simulation!!), and people became concerned. These stoke visions of, well, the terminator. And it worries me that technology creeps into people's lives, sometimes takes those lives away, and if it happens slowly enough, people lose the ability to care. There's already enough run by algorithms in our lives that people do not bat an eye to. It feels like the old adage about the robotic frog in the slowly heated oil bath (or I think that was the gist, anyway). Some people will go all the way up the stack, and worry about "existential risk," real-world analogues of Skynet enslaving or exterminating the globe. But I'll argue, before worrying about that, worry about all these other layers that are already getting people killed first.

People who should know better have a history of worrying about the future. What happens when AI eventually kills someone, they ask, when it's clearly already happened? Drones have clearly already done this. I'd love to see their surprised Pikachu reactions to that detail. I'm not telling you to panic, but don't worry about the future --- worry about the present.

[sequentialprophet]

Fill for @wrestleprompts week 6 - You got a tattoo of WHAT? (Max Caster/MJF, NSFW)

He's been stomping all over the fucking arena look for Max goddamn Caster, who for once has managed to become a ghost, for hours.  Or what feels like hours at least. 

"Hey Max, how's it hanging?" Yuta calls at him. 

When Max looks over, Yuta is waving at him, surrounded by the rest of the Blackpool Suck Club. 

"Don't fucking talk to me," Max snarls back.

Mox wiggles his eyebrows, grinning, the absolute shithead, then opens his mouth. 

Max flips him off and keeps it moving. He definitely does not need to hear whatever that asshole was going to say. 

Worse than his coworkers waiting to make fun of him around every corner is the fucking poors Tony employs, thinking they could laugh behind their hands at him, which he had endured no less than six times in catering alone.

Max grits his teeth. He is going to tear Caster limb from limb. 

***

Frustratingly, Caster remains elusive. Max has been leered at, sneered at and catcalled more in the past hour than in his entire life. He makes the decision to retreat to his locker room and regroup. It's not running away, it's strategic.

Of fucking course Caster is there, waiting for him.

"Maxie!" he says, like Max has done something delightful just by existing in his line of sight. 

"You got a tattoo of what," Max snarls in response, immediately going for Caster's waistband, trying to rip his stupid sparkly tights off.

"Hey pal, c'mon, easy with the goods," Caster laughs, fending Max's hands off with an ease that just pisses Max off more. 

Eventually, Caster gets a hand flat on Max's chest and shoves hard. The tights rip out of Max's fingers as he staggers back a few feet.

"If you wanted me out of my pants, you could just ask," Caster says, acting coy, the absolute shithead.

Max is gonna kick his ass. He goes to step forward, but Caster winks at him and starts pushing his tights off.

While Max has never been someone to avoid hitting a man with his dick out, Caster is actually doing what he wants so he waits, teeth gritted.

"You want me to take these off too?" Caster asks, kicking his tights away and starting to pull his boxers down.

"NO!" Max yells, then follows up with, "Just go sit down," because Caster is looking entirely too predatory, standing there in his boxers and not a stitch else. 

"Oooh," Caster says, glancing over his shoulder and wiggling his butt, which Max was definitely not looking at. "You wanna see my tattoo."

"Apparently I'm the only person in the whole fucking company who hasn't seen your tattoo," Max snaps back. 

Caster drops heavily onto the bench and slides his legs wide, slumping down in a way that makes him look offensively big. His shoulders are ridiculous and his arms are -

Max drags his eyes back to Caster's, who grins the grin of a man determined to fuck up Max's whole day.

"Then come see." 

Max sidles closer. He's not afraid obviously, but he's known Caster long enough to have developed a healthy caution around him.  Especially when he looks as smug as he does right now.

"Well?" Caster says, staring intently at Max's face. 

Max glances down, then dives forward to get a better look because what the fuck.

The tattoo high on the inside of Caster's thigh is about the span of Max's hand and it's … very detailed.

And, incredibly, it does look a lot like Max's dick.

"It's life size."

"Fuck you, no it's not," Max replies automatically. 

Caster just laughs, like getting a photorealistic tattoo of your coworkers dick on your thigh is just a normal Tuesday shits and giggles.

"What the fuck," he repeats, because seriously, what the fuck.

Caster positively sparkles at him.

"I have a good memory," he grins, spreading his gigantic thighs wider so Max can get a better look at the dick.

Max moves closer, examining the tattoo critically.  It's really pretty close except for - 

"Not that good," Max says, triumphantly, pointing at where the tattoo dick curves gently to the right. "That's not how I lean." 

He goes to step back, maybe berate Caster a little for being a pervert and a degenerate, but Caster's thighs close like a bear trap, pinning him close. 

Four of Caster's fingers are immediately tucked in the waistband of his pants, tugging so Max has no choice but to move closer. 

"What are you doing," Max demands.  He'd push Caster off but he's concerned touching any part of him would just be encouraging him.

"Aren't you going to let me have a little peek?" Caster says, looking up at Max through his lashes. "To see where I went so wrong?" 

"I didn't say so wrong," Max argues, while Caster unbuttons the front of his pants. "What I meant was -" 

His words drop into a moan when Caster yanks his pants down and wastes no time getting a hand around him, big palm a shock of heat that makes Max shudder, his own hand dropping onto Caster's shoulder.

"Feels the same," Caster says, running his hand down Max's dick. 

"You've never touched my dick before," Max gasps, grunting as Caster strokes him properly, full length, just tight enough, palm twisting lazily over the head of his dick, sending little shockwaves of pleasure through his groin. 

"I touched your dick a bunch back in the day," Caster corrects, still working Max over slowly.

"Indies don't count." 

"They absolutely do, pal," Caster says, laughing against Max's mouth. 

It makes something twist in Max's stomach, thudding heavily through his hips, almost painful.  

He turns his head before Caster can kiss him properly, then regrets it when Caster redirects to his throat, sucking at the skin in hot little pulses that make Max hunch into his hand. 

"What is wrong with you." Max asks, digging his fingers into Caster's shoulder, whole world narrowed down to Caster's hand and Caster's mouth.

Caster laughs against his throat, making Max shiver, but he doesn't reply. 

In fact, he says nothing at all as Max whimpers and presses his hips closer until he spills over Caster's knuckles, orgasm punched out of him.

When Max is finally clear headed enough to pull back, Caster looks him dead in the eye and smears his wet knuckles over the tattoo. 

"Who the fuck gets a random dick tattoo just to piss off a coworker," Max says, back to mad now that his dick was taken care of.

"My boyfriend's dick," Caster corrects.

"I am not your boyfriend, and that is not my dick." 

"Are you gonna get your junk out and prove it?" Caster asks. "Because everyone here thinks it's your dick." 

Max splutters. Fuck.

"I hate you," he says, and really really means it.

Caster shrugs, then stretches in a way that draws attention to the fact that he'd really gotten into getting Max off.

The pervert.

"You wanna help?" Caster says, gesturing at his own dick, still trapped in his boxers but clearly hard.

"No," Max snaps, turning on his heel. "Be gone when I get out of the shower." 

"Sure thing sweetpea," Caster calls at his retreating back. 

***

When he does get out of the shower, miracle of miracles, Caster's actually gone.  So is a very expensive pair of Max's boxers, but he's going to chalk that up to necessary expense and move on.  All in all, despite the day he's had, he feels pretty good. 

That feeling takes a slight knock when he sees the mess Caster made of his neck, but luckily Max has just the scarf for the occasion.  Once it's wrapped around his throat, no bruises to see here, Max's good mood bounces right back. 

And it lasts all the way until he steps through his own front door and his twitter notifications start going nuts, phone buzzing merrily in his hand.

He stares at the tweet Caster tagged him in with growing horror.

Max should have known Caster would pull something like this. 

Caster is splayed on the bench in Max's locker room, clearly naked, Max's burberry scarf piled in his lap the only thing standing between him and another call with HR. The caption says 'Boyfie liked my tattoo' with a bunch of emojis Max would rather not interpret.

Max snatches the scarf from around his neck and throws it on the ground, narrowly stopping himself stomping on it in rage.

He hears the voices of a hundred trainers he's worked with in his head, "do not react to him", and promptly ignores them all as he stabs retweet and adds DELETE THIS for good measure. 

His phone rings six seconds later.

"Caster," he snarls into the handset.

"Oooh, you sound maaaaad," Caster taunts. "Have I been a bad boy?"

"I hate you," Max snarls. "I….I…"

He stalls, unable to think of a strong enough insult to encapsulate how furious he is. 

"Oooh, I have been bad," Caster says, sounding absolutely delighted at the prospect, the fucking reprobate. "Why don't you come over and punish me." 

There's a pause where Max can only hear Caster's breathing in his ear, and feel his own blood boiling under his skin.

"I'm on my way," he grits, ignoring Caster's "yay!" and grabbing his keys. 

"Maxie?" Caster says, right as Max is about to hang up.

"What?" 

"Bring the scarf."

[officiallyashley]

TMNT-VERSE INFO— the different versions of whitney snow hamato

NOTES: whitney is the youngest child of raph and ash, and she is one of the youngest out of the next generation of ninja turtles. hopefully, you enjoyed it! 

WARNINGS: mentions of internalizing feelings, burnout, overworking, concealing emotions, nihilism/nihilistic thinking. 

{~~~}

2003 WHITNEY:

TSUNDERE! TSUNDERE! This girl is a fun-loving tsundere, that’s for sure. When she’s embarrassed, Whitney gets very defensive. She can get combative with others, not liking the idea of blindly following other people’s orders without understanding why. 2003 Whitney is more sporty like her 1987 counterpart. She’s spontaneous and outgoing, and 2003 Whitney would definitely prefer a night on the town than being stuck at home. She’s bold, original, and observant of others. Whitney has great people skills, and she gets bored really easily. When it comes to conflict, Whitney is dismissive of others. Not because she doesn’t care, but because she is very conflict-adverse and she gets uncomfortable in those scenarios. Whitney can be unfocused and she has poor time management and long-term planning skills. However, she is uplifting, excitable, and eager. 2003 Whitney really likes skateboarding, and her favorite music genre is pop. 

2007 WHITNEY:

This version of Whitney typically looks like she’s dull and uninterested, much like her eldest sister. However, unlike Harley, Whitney uses that as a frontage. 2007 Whitney has the tendency to set unrealistic expectations for herself. Similar to her 2003 counterpart, 2007 Whitney doesn’t like following others’ orders when she doesn’t have any sort of reasoning. Because of this mindset, Whitney can be rebellious. She’s goal-oriented, determined, and independent. This version of Whitney is a naturally curious and inquisitive person. There are moments when she comes off as nosy and slightly intrusive to others. She can be moody during stressful circumstances, often lashing out at others. Like the 2012 iteration of Whitney, 2007 Whitney likes to wear primarily dresses or an outfit that goes with a skirt. Her favorite color is an icy blue, and she often dyes her hair in that wintery light blue color. 2007 Whitney is also glued to her phone and she is usually one of the last ones to go to sleep, typically staying up all night with her Uncle Mikey and some combination of her cousins playing video games together. 

BAYVERSE WHITNEY:

face claim: lily chee

Intellectual, creative, and strategic. Those are three words to describe this iteration of Whitney. Bayverse Whitney is often seen as mild and unassuming, never usually losing her cool. She gets easily defensive when confronted, and she isn’t very vulnerable with others even if she’s close to them. Bayverse Whitney carries herself in a casual manner, and at times, she can seem apathetic to others. Whitney loves a good challenge, and she can be competitive with others. Whitney is incredibly good at acting, which helps her in concealing her true emotions, and she knows how to keep a secret. Even though she’s a very private person, Whitney is very reliable. Normally, Whitney doesn’t make impulsive decisions, but in times of crisis, Whitney has shown to make impromptu choices because she will do whatever it takes to defend her loved ones. She’s strong-willed and not easily deterred by conflict, and she is an extremely skillful kunoichi. Whitney has a passion for cosmetics like makeup and hairdressing, and her favorite genre of books to read is a murder mystery. 

2012 WHITNEY:

2012 Whitney is generally a very happy girl. She’s a quieter person, but unlike her 1987 counterpart, it’s not because she’s shy or timid. She’s just generally a quiet person. With her quietness comes her bluntness, and there are times when Whitney will come out and say something that gains interesting responses from others. This version of Whitney is definitely a foodie, and she's often the one to raid the fridge at night with her Uncle Mikey. She’s smart and fact-based, often spitting out random facts to others around her. She’s reserved, yet willful. 2012 Whitney tends to have a rational viewpoint on life. She’s dutiful, and she is calm and practical about things. Whitney tends to have helpful ideas, but she can also unreasonably blame herself for things that happen. 2012 Whitney loves to wear dresses, and her favorite food is potstickers. 

1990 WHITNEY:

face claim: kelsey asbille chow

1990 Whitney is very passionate, driven, and understanding. Whitney is shy at times, usually when receiving affection, but she isn’t afraid to be loud and proud. 1990 Whitney is known to be resilient and altruistic in nature. Whitney is incredibly artistic and specializes in clay sculpting, various types of painting, and DIY projects. She also creates and produces music, and she also has a passion for interior design. This iteration of Whitney is quite unorganized and messy, and she has the tendency to throw herself into her work and burn herself out. She can be protective of her loved ones, sometimes to a point where she can come off as clingy. She’s innovative, imaginative, and experimental. Whitney is warmhearted, reliable, punctual, and curious. Whitney often inspires others to do their best. She’s just adorable my god 🥰 

1987 WHITNEY:

1987 Whitney is meeker and shyer than her eldest sister, Harley. She’s incredibly kindhearted and trusting— sometimes too trusting. Whitney can be gullible at times, trying to see the good in others. Even though Whitney is a skilled kunoichi, she doesn’t immediately resort to violence. Whitney tends to internalize and hide her emotions from others, as she feels like she would be burdening them. I can see 1987 Whitney’s character being similar to Orihime Inoue’s character from Bleach. She can come off as naive and clueless, friendly and optimistic, and patient and tender. Whitney, when not training, prefers to play various sports, skateboard with her Uncle Mikey, sing with her eldest sister, Harley, and play board games (that she usually loses at, but she still has fun with it.)

COMIC WHITNEY:

Comic book Whitney is the most hostile of her versions. She isn’t as impulsive as her older sister, but out of her counterparts, the comic book Whitney is the most angered out of the other versions of her. She’s the most serious and snarky version of Whitney. Whitney likes to intentionally freak out others because she finds amusement in their reactions (she’s not malicious about it, it’s just teasing). Whitney is easily annoyed by others, deafening noises, which is something that she can’t stand. This version of Whitney is so fucking badass. She’s tough, versatile, and tactful. Whitney has a stronger sense of judgment than most of her peers. Even though she has her moments where she’s a troublemaker, Whitney is often getting Harley and Steele out of trouble and knocking some sense into them, which leads to her acting more like an older sibling despite her being the youngest. Comic book Whitney loves lollipops and writing stories, and she often helps the adults with teaching and training the other kids.

RISE/2018 WHITNEY:

Oh. My. God. ROTTMNT Whitney is such a fucking riot. This version of Whitney is very similar to Sans’ character from Undertale. Rise Whitney is the jokester— similar to Leo in this universe. However, unlike her Uncle Leo, Whitney has moments where she’ll go very abruptly serious, which often catches others around her off guard. Whitney can be nihilistic and unmotivated at times, and she is very observant. This kid is very blunt and not afraid to get honest with others.  Whitney usually has a realistic mindset, but there are moments in her life when she’ll think more nihilistically. With her enemies, Whitney isn’t afraid to use underhanded tactics on them to gain the upper hand. ROTTMNT Whitney isn’t very trusting of other people, so they would have to really try and gain her trust. Deep inside, even though she isn’t incredibly straightforward with her affection, Whitney truly does love her friends and family. Rise Whitney looks up to her Aunt April (Whitney won’t outwardly admit it though), which is why she wears her hair up in twin buns all the time. Her favorite colors are gold and silver, and her least favorite colors are green and pink. Whitney is obsessed with coffee (she and her uncle Donnie both live off of coffee), specifically she likes mocha frappuccinos and java chip frappuccinos flavors.

{~~~}

𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 © 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑. 𝐢 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚. 𝐢 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐞𝐭𝐜. 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥.