#it’s blackout fwiw

[applejee]

this spencer reid whump fic has me soooooooo enraptured i haven’t even watched a single episode since i started reading

[vidavalor]

Lindsay isn't just Heaven. She's Lucifer.

Going to mention here that this has discussion of abuse, including sexual assault and PTSD and recovery, in case you do not wish to read further.

So, Maggie & Nina are blended parallels of Crowley & Aziraphale, right? They're each a bit of both of them. Story-wise, personality-wise, paralleling-wise, vibe-wise, etc., right? So then can we talk about how Lindsay isn't *just* representing Heaven's abusive relationship with Aziraphale but also then how a blended parallel means that Crowley has a Lindsay, too? And that the show seems to suggest pretty heavily that it's Lucifer/Satan?

S2: Crowley triggers a blackout in the area that brings down mobile phone networks in London, trapping Maggie & Nina in the coffee shop and keeping Lindsay from being able to reach Nina through an electronic device. When the connection is restored, Nina is overwhelmed by the torrent of abuse sent to her through that device and we get confirmation that Nina's partner is emotionally and verbally abusive. This mirrors...

S1: Crowley brings down every mobile phone network in London, which keeps him from reaching Aziraphale (his Maggie) for a time to tell him about the antichrist... but it *doesn't* keep his abusive partner from reaching him through an electronic device (his car radio) and then abusing him in a metaphorical-to-human-rape demonic assault. It's mind control. It's forcible and against Crowley's will. It's literally taking away his own sense of bodily autonomy and control of himself while he's driving (the epitome of navigating your own surroundings under your own power)-- and he's driving the car that is an extension of his consciousness, no less.

FWIW, this is *really* why Crowley has a complete meltdown over Aziraphale wanting to drive The Bentley in S2. It's a much more light-hearted group of scenes but the themes of a sense of autonomy for Crowley are still there. ("*We* don't have a car. The Bentley is *my* car.") Trusting Aziraphale to drive the car when Crowley can feel every bit of it and has no control over what Aziraphale is doing is analogous to a rape survivor with PTSD, who is now in a healthier relationship, having to learn how to trust that person enough to relinquish some control-- both in and out of bed-- to build a life with that someone. To be vulnerable around them and learn to trust that they can feel safe doing so and that everything will be okay. It takes time, no matter how much you trust your partner, and Crowley does trust Aziraphale.

See, Crowley? He's qualified.

[kaija-rayne-author]

Review of Dragon Age Veilguard 6.1 in series.

39 hours in, 37 hours playtime.

Obligatory disclaimer, you can skip to the cut if you've read it.

Something came to my attention. I need to make it crystal clear that I utterly love the diversity in DAV. It's fantastic. I'm also a heavily left leaning, non-binary, queer as fuck reviewer, editor, and author.

I'm on media blackout while I play this, so I'm only getting second-hand info on how awful it is right now in the DA Fandom. Please be safe and take care of yourselves. Arguing with incels and white supremacists is completely pointless. They sea lion worse than an actual sea lion. Your mental health is important.

Though, every single time the anti-queer brigade comes out for a new DA game, I sit there thinking 'have you bozos ever played any DA game, like, ever?' My guess is nope.

Spoilers for Dragon Age Veilguard

Part 5.2 here.

I've played for a while today. I'm stuck in bed due to the embolism, and goddess do I need the escape from reality right now.

Met Inky again. The scars I gave her in CC didn't show up. Saw Solas again. Still doesn't look like himself.

I still really hate how everyone talks about him. Like he's evil for trying to keep the Evanuris from breaking free. And fix the world of the mess he made. Y'know, the veil that, according to the Lore, should be full of holes and strangling the magic and life out of THEDAS. But oooo, no, he's such a bad dude. And they all know the point of his ritual by now.

Guess the devs just wanted to hammer home the everyone hates Solas angle?

Sucks to be Sollavellan playing this game, let me tell you. It’s disappointing, irritating, or infuriating by turns if you actually understand Solas.

Have decided Neve is a bitch I don't want anything to do with. Wasn’t sure at first, but she’s arrogant, suspicious, and just unpleasant. No thanks.

Also, whoever wrote some of these conversations with characters you might end up in a Romance with needs to read some bloody Romance. Sheesh. I think it should almost be a requirement if you're going to write Romantic material that you should be a regular if not even an avid reader of it. It's known as the hardest genre to write for a reason.

Davrin is curt and dismissive, though his bond is higher than some. Amazing voice, a bit blocky for my taste but he's a tank so it works.

Emmrich is a darling. I love Taash, and game version of Lucanis is pretty cool. Haven't really settled on one, since there's no such thing as polyam in Dragon Age despite only 30% of the dating population being monogamous. Cowards.

I'd say I'll be glad when a polyam mod comes out, but unless this game gets better, I highly doubt I'll be playing it again. It’s probably taking me longer than it really needs to because I'm doing puzzles and searching for everything simply because I highly doubt I'll play it again. If I even end up finishing it.

FWIW? I've played DAO twice, DA2 once, and DAI 4x. Soooooo.

They made the memorial gardens in Nevarra so beautiful. I've always enjoyed cemeteries. They're usually so peaceful.

I don't even have all areas on the maps opened up yet, so there's probably a decent amount left.

It could be because I'm playing it pretty fast, but it's weird seeing the percentages of Steam players getting the achievements drop lower and lower. I think only 25% actually got the 'finished getting a team together' achievement. I've never been sure if that means people have quit or not.

Part 7 is here.

[quoigenicfromhell]

Fwiw I think it is gross to tell someone who says they're traumagenic they're actually endogenic, or vice versa honestly.

In the past I have seen posts where I recommend systems who start having symptoms of a dissociative disorder seek therapy or psychiatric help. Whether or not you identify as endo or not, having memory blackouts or trouble functioning to the point of losing jobs, friends, etc is not good.

I still don't think it's cool to tell someone they're traumagenic when they say they aren't. That's something they have to decide on, in the end. So, same kinda thing. I wouldn't take kindly to someone dangling my childhood trauma in my face as proof that we're traumagenic the same way someone will not take kindly to someone telling someone else their trauma wasn't bad enough to give them a dissociative disorder. Internet randos know nothing. This is known

[wygolvillage]

fwiw im mostly participating in the "tumblr blackout" to have a really solid excuse to convince myself to stop using social media for a little bit because its a hard habit to kick. also its like seeing a group of people kicking a guy who like. killed your mom or whatever and youre like. well. might as well join

[dizzymoods]

#The assumption that native Americans care only about being seen is a big Assumption #It’s breaking my heart that this is the fucking movie people are going to decide isn’t worth seeing because of the production company’#Because learning about ONE goddamn moment in Native history from ONE Native nation could make a difference in the lack of understanding of#Native sovereignty. Like Native lawyers literally lose important cases based on the ignorance of judges on Native Law#idk if I’m making sense but like where tf was this energy for fucking any other paramount movie#it’s not about liberal politics of being Seen for fucks sake

My post is about how capital and empire are entwined in ways we don't normally think about, in this case movie production. It tries to explain how a company releasing a film about indigenous murder while it funds indigenous murder is not contradictory.

The identitarian and representational politics im talking about is in reference to this phenomenon. That's why i qualified it with liberal. There is nothing wrong with identity politics or representation but they are easily weaponized by liberals to show "progress" has been made even as they aid and abet the fascism that erodes such progress. Consumption, in this context, has no material benefit. Paramount also has a storied history of producing anti-indigenous movies, so I'd be wary of this movie even if paramount didn’t donate a million to israel.

This film, about indigenous genocide, is relevant because it is being released at a time when Israel is genociding an indigenous population and the company which produced the film is funding that genocide. I don't think paramount is releasing any other film about indigenous people right now so why would anyone be talking about other paramount releases?

Indigenous media, across the globe, is vast and vibrant. ive written about and taught the Zapatistas use of new media; ive lectured about the Navajo using movie dubbing and subtitling as language preservation; when i teach Third Cinema i include Grupo Ukamau; and ive taught the history and politics of Palestinian cinema in Gaza, the West Bank, and throughout the diaspora. All of these histories are hardly indicative of the scope and longevity of indigenous cinema. Indigenous people don't need Scorsese to tell their history.

I hope people learn more about indigenous americans. But i don’t think just watching a narrative interpretation of a nonfiction book by a major studio is going to teach much. I think it’s more helpful to read indigenous authors and to befriend indigenous people.

I also don't think the language of the original tweet is trying to advocate for a full blackout of the film. The tweet encourages people to watch the film but in a way that doesn't give money to paramount. im not advocating for people to skip this movie either; i don’t think one tumblr post is enough to affect a successful consumer boycott. fwiw, i already bought an imax ticket before finding out this news and i don't see a point in either selling the ticket or skipping my screening.

One of my longest standing #thots on film criticism is that the text itself is sometimes not sufficient enough as a critic of a film.

There is no cognitive dissonance here. Paramount made Killers of the Flower Moon to make money and to make someone’s producer son an Oscar nominee. They don’t care about the Osage murders. They care about the profitability of it. At the same time Israel is necessary, as a glorified US military base, to maintain US hegemonic power and thus economic power, which Paramount benefits from. So of course Paramount supports Israel and its subsidiaries like CBS Entertainment Group are going to cut zionist propaganda.

This also demonstrates again that liberal identity politics and representation don’t mean anything materially. A movie might make you feel seen (whatever that means outside of narcissistic consumption) but beyond that it’s just pretty shadow puppetry.

[bcofl0ve]

I'm assuming Ol' Wifebeater Depp is no longer part of the Pirates franchise? Because my love for Austin (and watching everything he does) is strong, but maybe not THAT strong. 😬

yeah i dont think disney is ever going to put him in shit again, he can go on his merry way with his flop french films. like- i too would be irked if austin worked with him but i don't think he'll have any involvement here. people are critical of disney for a mirage of reasons, most of em pretty valid but. the house of mouseTM is powerful. if they want that association gone, it's gone and there's little doubt in my mind they'd put it on a press blackout list too.

i followed the press tour for the last star wars trilogy closely bc i was a hugeee fan of that and my sw twt username for a while was literally "disneysnipers" lololol. born from a running fandom joke about how mickey mouse was gonna take oscar isaac out cold for going so hard in the sand for finnpoe- to the extent that he outright said he tried to push disney on it and was rejected. and there was always oscar v john discourse bc in other words, john stuck to the house of mouse media training and neverrr talked about That to the extent oscar did. (and fwiw i was never someone that faulted john for this, i thought people giving him shit about it were being dramatic. and that faulting a black actor. who was already getting shit from racist star wars fans, for not wanting to jeopardize his relationship with a major studio was icky.)

all that to say they're a fuckin machine. if, *if* austin does end up signing onto this i'm not worried about the "depp association" really at all. i get the sense that the reason they're even wanting to reboot pirates at all is to breathe new life into an IP that has been somewhat tarnished by depp. i mean, it has a ride at disney world and land! its clearly somewhat of a darling to the mouseTM that they don't want to have to throw out forever.

[screampotato]

Fwiw, I'm still clicking on Reddit links from Google and being stymied by the blackout, 8 days on. The latest was r/duolingo. Some people have the bit between their teeth and they're not letting go of it!

[sunflowerdigs]

Fwiw, it's possible to have both disliked the copaganda of the final blackout episode (and the poor writing choices...yikes) but still have thoroughly enjoyed Angela Bassett and Rockmund Dunbar's acting. They could probably read the dictionary together and I would enjoy it. So while, writing-wise, 5x03 was far from my favorite, there were things about it that were enjoyable, imo.

[promisedyouforever]

yearly weather whinging

Yup! Time for me to complain about take note once again of how f-ing cold it is.

This time, it’s so cold that our power district has instituted rolling blackouts to save energy.

FWIW, this is Fahrenheit. -18F is -28.9C.

The wind chill is about -45F. Exposed skin gets frostbitten in 10 minutes. School and uni were cancelled due to the cold.

BTW, anti-freeze can stop being effective at this temperature, so remember to park your car facing away from the wind.

It’s nothing, just Mother Nature trying to kill us all again. Have a good day. ❄❄❄❄

[fierceawakening]

Yeah. Even if Kavanaugh isn’t guilty of the assault (fwiw I think he is), his responses to the whole kerfuffle still reveal a temperament that’s completely inappropriate in a judge.

And responding to “is it possible you might have behaved horribly during a blackout and not remember it?” by repeatedly asking “have YOU blacked out?” sounds somehow like both a 4th grader and an alcoholic in denial at the same time.

I think Mr. Molyneux thinks that raping someone is a normal part of getting a little tipsy. Obama has never sexually assaulted anyone

[kaija-rayne-author]

I'm doing a series of reviews as I play Dragon Age Veilguard. One or two posts a day, whenever I can play.

This is installment one.

Can't remember if I mentioned that a lovely person gave me a copy of DAV. And I'm so very grateful I can play close to release. So I can do an unbiased review series.

Something came to my attention. I need to make it crystal clear that I utterly love the diversity in DAV. It's fantastic. I'm also a heavily left leaning, non-binary, queer as fuck reviewer, editor, and author.

I'm on media blackout while I play this, so I'm only getting second-hand info on how awful it is right now in the DA Fandom. Please be safe and take care of yourselves. Arguing with incels and white supremacists is completely pointless. They sea lion worse than an actual sea lion. Your mental health is important.

Though, every single time the anti-queer brigade comes out for a new DA game, I sit there thinking 'have you bozos ever played any DA game, like, ever?' My guess is nope.

I'm seven hours in. (2 in CC so 5 playtime.)

Spoilers for DAV. Dragon Age Veilguard

Five hours in... I can confidently say welp, it's a game. It is indeed a video game.

I don't hate it? Most of it? Can't say I love it, either.

Background and environment folks did a fantastic job. And I was pretty sure they would. That part feels like Dragon Age. Except for the floaty spaceship thing in Minrathous. Intentionally not saying what it's supposed to be, because they do tell you.

Baddy design is as bad as I feared. If not actually worse.

I totally called it on several points, which gods escaped, for one. The fact that those 'demons' were gonna give me a headache, too. And the whole Solas Varric sitch.

CC is pretty good. Nothing ground breaking, but people should be able to make a character they like? You can make a good redhead.

I like the new codex design. I still preferred DAO for that one. Aaaannnnd I've already caught a couple editing errors in the text.

Extremely thrilled that my non-binary ass can be non-binary.

Yes, you can actually make a (slightly) pudgy character.

That is still not Solas. And you can't try to tell me I'll probably like him once I see him in game, anymore. I don't. He does still move the same, so they got that right. Still has the subtle humour, too, which, since Weekes wrote him, makes sense.

They were right, the characters do look better in game.

AND THAT IS STILL NOT A FUCKING DARKSPAWN.

My youngest kid just glanced at my screen and did a double take with a 'Ma? Why are you playing Fortnite?'

From the mouths of babes. He's right in that Fortnite player age bracket, FWIW. And no, he has no interest in playing Dragon Age. No matter how much they made some of it look like Fortnite.

Not feeling any of the romanceables, yet. But I've only met Neve, Lace, and Bellara. Alas my poor bisexual heart. None of the women do it for me. That may change, it's still very early as per in-game events.

I'm going to stick with it to see if it'll actually catch me up. Because it sadly has not, yet. By an hour in on my first playthrough of DAO, I was head over heels for Alistair. By 1 hour into Awakening, Anders had me. By hour 3 in DA2? Anders and Isabela both had me. By seven hours into DAI? I was very much in love with Solas, though I was playing a guy because I wanted to Romance Dorian first. (Still really loved Dorian.) But yeah, that bloody elf had me first, and I think it was at the first damned scene with him in it. Which is roughly an hour or so in?

I'm intensely curious about the story, and it's why I was so desperate to play it. So unless it somehow utterly offends me, (worse than those not-fucking-darkspawn and what-the-actual-fuck-are-those-demons already have) I'll finish it. Unless I lose interest. It's at least worth playing so far. I don't feel like I wasted the seven hours.

Fighting is reasonably easy to adjust to. And it'll be more fun when I get the hang of it. (For me, I usually don't have a lot of trouble picking up new fighting systems in games.)

Oh, and it took Astarion BG3 half an hour. 🤣

Please no spoilers if anyone responds. As I said, only seven hours in.

In case you're interested, here's my predictions piece.

And here's the second part in my ongoing review as I play series.

[dekored]

Seeking anecdotes: Converting gas water heater to tankless electric.

Hi All

Wife and I are considering the conversion. We have rebates available to us through California to help offset some of the costs and I already have a supplier in mind.

Instead, I’m hoping to hear from those of you who have done the conversion or walked away from the idea after conducting your research.

Aside from the headache of the job being done, has it been worthwhile? How have your gas and electric bills changed? Any other blind spots you had that you’d be willing to share?

FWIW, my utility operator is not PG&E, which fellow Californians know is a pain in the buns, so I don’t need to worry about losing power due to rolling blackouts in summer.

Thanks in advance!

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