#machine to end war

[alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer]

this is your daily reminder that it's been over 65 years since cuba overthrew batista's US-backed fascist dictatorship and the US is STILL keeping cuba in extreme poverty using an "embargo."

back in the 1950s, using US funds and US-trained soldiers, batista (not castro) removed most of cubans' rights, including the right to strike, censored all media, and used secret police to torture and publicly excute anyone who protested his dictatorship. In a document released by the CIA in 2005, it stated as many as 20,000 people were killed. In return, batista gave control of most of the arable land to the US. during the revolution, this land was reclaimed and redistributed, which means that USAmericans can now sue anyone who "traffics" in this "confiscated" property.

Despite US sanctions being an "embargo," the US also fines foreign companies for doing business in Cuba, meaning it's effectively a blockade. Despite Obama lightening some of these restrictions, Biden has done little to undo the tightened policies from Trump's administration.

In November, the UN called for the 31st time (!!!) for the US blockade to end, supported by 187 countries and opposed only by the US and its bestest buddy (I'll let you guess who).

Cuba has been in economic crisis for years. Monthly income in Cuba is $30-60. There is very little food and it is hard to purchase anything like toiletries, clothes, and over-the-counter medicines. Domestic production is down because they don't have the resources to sustain them. The US has been intentionally impoverishing and starving Cuba for decades, and they continue to make it clear that it is not going to stop.

So, yeah. US democracy is a joke, end the US blockade on Cuba, and fuck genocide joe.

[jakelopezzz]

World Central Kitchen confirmed that seven of their workers have been killed by an IDF strike in Gaza. Israeli forces are deliberately killing these aid workers to cut the crucial supply of food for starving people in Gaza. Being in the frontlines of support for Palestinians comes with a dangerous target on their backs, not knowing if they will even make it out of Gaza alive. Meanwhile, mainstream news outlets are still committed to downplay everything and enable the language of genocide by covering up Israel. Say the attackers name. WHO KILLED THEM? NAME THE OPPRESSOR.

[paintbrushfrog]

Finally finished the last 20! This challenge was very fun :)

Once again credit to @cinnamonsly for the color pallets

See the first 20 here!

See the second 20 here!

[aroacegundamalex]

Lalah and Suletta are the same archetype at the end of the day. One is a tragedy, and the other is a story of love and hope.

Suletta survived because she had someone to catch her when she fell, someone to take her hand when she needed it, and someone to hold her when she broke.

Lalah had a sympathetic boy on the other side of the battlefield, and a man using her like a machine. Char, for all he seemed to care, let Lalah be treated like another cog in the war machine. Let this child be reduced to yet another weapon on the battlefield, the same as any common gun at the end of the day— just with a bit more firepower. The same as Amuro.

Prospera — our Char — treated Suletta like a weapon, referring to her not as her own daughter but as “that girl” but she was far from the only presence in Suletta’s life. When her world fell apart, when she lost her mother, her sister, and her girlfriend in one fell swoop, Earth House was there to embrace her. Miorine was there to fight for her, even in a misguided way.

The closest thing Lalah had was Amuro. A child trapped in the same hell she was, a boy for whom there was no real escape from the war machine he’d been swallowed by. Valued not for his humanity, but for his ability to pilot a new kind of weapon.

The importance of connection is a major theme throughout Gundam, from 0079 to Witch from Mercury. Amuro does not save White Base because Bright slapped him, he gets back in the cockpit because Fraw reached out. Newtypes are the ultimate representation of that— the potential for humanity to grow and change by reaching out to one another.

A better future can only come from an extended hand.

Suletta came to Miorine’s door at her own lowest moment, and the two walked hand-in-hand towards a brighter future.

Suletta had her friends, had Miorine. Had people right beside her to pick her up and support her when her world fell apart.

At the end of the day, all Lalah really had was Char.

[edenprime]

The main galactic power players, post-war:

First of all, the krogan. At the very least, the krogan must get a seat in the council. If a named/old character has to be the one to hold it, it should be Bakara. Wrex should rule a unified Tuchanka. Their help was instrumental in holding Palaven, and as a consequence, humanity and the turians. I can see all three peoples become closer allies. Tension would remain, especially between the turians and the krogan, rightfully so. However, I can see the Hierarchy, under Victus, finally start to pay reparations for the genophage.

An initial offer is made to get turian workers to Tuchanka, to help physically rebuild the planet's main cities. This is completely vetoed by the krogan leadership, obviously. These guys were doing secret operations like a year ago to disable a gigantic bomb they had buried in their planet to destroy them. They agree on raw materials + monetary compensation until krogan population reaches pre-genophage and post-industrialization, but pre-expansion numbers. A surviving Shepard that keeps working as a Spectre would totally mediate the negotiations as an impartial observer. It is also yet another show of cooperation between all three peoples.

Now, the asari... would they get any sort of penalty for hiding the Athame beacon? Would it all get swept under the rug due to corruption? Would it be purposefuly "forgiven" due to the galaxy-wide destruction? Let's be real - if they had revealed the secret as soon as the Alliance and its allies started building the Crucible, they would've defeated the reapers much sooner. Hell, maybe Thessia would've been spared - it's attacked after the Crucible plans are found on Mars, with enough time to spare to give Alliance officials (including one very annoyed human spectre) the information.

Even if they didn't know that the beacon held information on how to destroy the reapers, it was known that a weapon of prothean origin was being built, and they had information that came straight from the protheans. If the matriarchs had any common sense, they'd start offering asari help to rebuild say...the Citadel. The keepers were basically reaper tech, right? So it stands to reason that they would've died with them, too. Now, if the others had any common sense they would refuse the generous offer and get their hands on it first (when both humans and turians call dibs, Done-With-Your-Shit Shepard says it should be the asari, under strict council supervision).

Salarians! They did not withhold crucial information, but they actively tried to sabotage the biggest war alliance by trying to ruin the cure for the genophage, and withholding support when they didn't get their way. To save face, the STG could try to make it seem like it was the Dalatrass acting alone, have her replaced, and profusely apologize. They are not formally penalized, but their political influence is definitely diminished. Again, the krogan are now among the most influential species, and the humans and the turians didn't get any help from the salarians, either. The asari chose to stay impartial in that mess, and look how it turned out for them. As such, they'll both need to keep a low profile until things have significantly cooled down.

The quarians would have no interest in joining, I believe. They'll be high on the thrill of getting their planet back. They'll need to completely reorganize their entire society, so galaxy-wide politics would take a backseat for a while. They are used to self-sufficiency and ostatrization for everyone else, so I can't see them being too keen on them, too.

Unfortunately, I don't think the "secondary" species/worlds would get much more influence or power. Some of them, like the volus and the elcor contributed a non-insignificant ammout to the war effort. However, allowing the volus into the council would be a conflict of interest: they are a client race to the turians, so unless they became completely independent for a long while, they wouldn't get that seat. Since elcor made a similar contribution, it would be unfair if they got it and the volus didn't, so no more seats for anyone. The drell don't even have their own planet, and the overall contribution from them and the hanar was not significant enough to change much of their status. Of course, all of these are excuses. The big power players are just not keen on sharing, just like before. After all, politicians will be politicians, and a sense of unity only goes so far.

[petrenocka]

Gabriel and V1 are the same. They are things that inflict violence. Things that kill, that destroy. They were created like that.

Even in his rebellion against the Council, Gabriel remains what they made him: still an executioner, he can only ever slay sinners, carve up their bodies and parade the disembodied carcasses in front of masses.

The greatest soldier of Haven, and the peak oh Humanity's military technology. An angel that ends rebellions, a machine that ends wars.

At the end of the world, with their masters dead and gone, still they can only kill. Even when there's nothing left, it'll be each other. Without reason.

It's what they are.

[newobsessioneveryweek]

Some more of my Sherman Yang design so I can remember what he looks like :]

I had almost finished this and then my electricity cut out and so did my laptop :] and I didn't save :]] So I had to redo the last two drawings :]]]

[homeskllet]

skytober day 18 - ally

machine ghost is such a swag npc.

[jewishcissiekj]

I could've fixed her (TCW)

[blluespirit]

I sort of like the thought that Zuko and Aang take the Sun Warriors' warning not to tell anyone about the dragons a little more seriously… and they keep it between them. Of course, they trust Sokka, Toph and Katara. Of course they know they wouldn’t tell anyone, but now three people (including Iroh) know the truth about Ran and Shaw. And that’s three too many when you’re trying to keep a secret.

(and there are other people at the temple as well - like Haru, Teo and The Duke - who, while trustworthy, aren’t as close to them as the others, and when it comes to secrets with as much consequence as this one, you can’t afford to take any chances.)

Furthermore, the culture within the Fire Nation since Sozin’s rein has been warped. The culture is not to respect the dragons as the original firebenders, it’s to conquer and kill them. It’s the ultimate proof of your strength as a firebender. All it takes is one mistake before rumour spreads, and people go looking for the ultimate hunt. It’s not something Zuko or Aang can risk.

Whether Katara, Toph and Sokka (and Suki) ever find out the truth is up to you. But post-war, after Zuko returns from a strange, poorly explained trip with a dragon, and eventually develops the ability to use rainbow fire, either the others have some questions about Aang’s knowing look, or they are finally let in on a monumental secret.

[minimumwage-employee]

i am GENUINELY SHELLSHOCKED at the new inanimate insanity episode

it was amazing???? SO. GOOD???

also taco was there so thats always a win

but yeah i giggled and screamed and jawdropped to my heart's content i had a great time

[battleangel]

I stand against capitalist pigs, racists & ongoing genocide 🐷

[jakelopezzz]

We have been witnessing the most atrocious violations of human rights through Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. For the past the 75 years, the apartheid state's occupation of Palestinian land destroyed the lives of millions and continues to do so as it reaches its peak these past 5 months. Experts and institutions have been speaking up about the alarming neglect of humanitarian standards this war has brought up, while the world's supposed superpowers just stands complicit as they enable Israel's existence. Just this day, US President Joe Biden finally called an immediate ceasefire in Gaza after the death of 7 World Central Kitchen workers due to an Israeli airstrike. At the same time, the UN Security Council has adopted a resolution calling for Israel to be held accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. As much as the tides are turning against Netanyahu and Israel in general, these actions would have prevented the 30,000 people killed and over 1 million people displaced if its taken into action way before this war escalated. These supposed heroic narratives of the West will not change the fact that they sustained Israel's capacity to serve their interests and maintain their grip in the Middle East. Right now, as the events are getting worse and worse, we must stand and unite in solidarity, stronger THAN ever, to put an end in the 75 year colonial apartheid, that is Israel, and to dismantle the root of this imperialistic terror, that is Zionism.

Let us continue to work in all spaces of community to support not only Palestinian's struggle, but also every single nation in the world controlled and destroyed by the West, by imperialism. Fight the twisted indoctrination of hate in social media, educate as much as you can, continue to share the news that the Western mainstream news outlets purposely neglecting, boycott the brands and companies that supports the genocide in any way, and most importantly, share words of solidarity and encouragement for Palestinians, reminding them that the spirit of community is still guided by eagerness to fight for a better world for all of us.

No one will be free until all of us are free. Free Palestine.

[y-rhywbeth2]

Does anyone know if you can go to Avernus with Karlach if you're playing Durge and are destined for the feral ending? Does the game stop you from doing that, or can you go and then the game still gives you the same epilogue?

Actually, if a Durge wants Toril safe from their depredations under Bhaal's thrall and is willing to lock themselves in jail... why didn't they just ask Helsik to drop them into the middle of the Blood War or something anyway, if they know she can do that? It probably wouldn't stop Bhaal just driving them to find a portal back to Toril at some point, but it's more secure than a prison cell.

[livetogether--diealone]

everyone hyped up about the italian sport newspaper frontpages praising lewis while i'm sitting here eating my own hand scared because I know that lewis or charles is going to be buried by the same ones at the first change of wind

[sundayswiththeilluminati]

It’s Week 3 and I promised I’d commit to my theory for Season of the Seraph’s story arc if hubris didn’t come knocking for me before then, so time to put my money where my digital mouth is. I’ve seen folks talking about the first part of this theory, but not the second, so here goes: 1) Clovis will try to make himself the new Warmind and 2) in the process breach the Ascendant Realm and open the way for Xivu Arath.

Clovis, by the way, gave away the game like two minutes in because he can’t keep his dang mouth shut. Clovis couldn’t resist a good smug gloat. He gave it all away when Ana said god, fine, hop on this disk and we’ll go. He said, “Once I am in control, all will be as it should be. The Warmind will rise again.” 

As it should be? That line stopped me cold. Clovis hated that Rasputin was in charge. He couldn’t believe he, the genius Clovis Bray the first, was expected to take orders from a jumped-up calculator he used to own. A restored Rasputin is not “as it should be” in Clovis-land. What is “as it should be?” It’s Clovis, so that’s easy: the way things should be is with him in charge. He doesn’t say, “Rasputin will rise again.” He says, “The Warmind will rise again.” Clovis is going to get all the subminds together except put himself at the center instead of the Rasputin core Ana has, and try to make himself the new Warmind. All of which would just be fun to watch as we wait for Red to break him, but: there’s Xivu Arath to deal with. 

We’re all worried about Xivu getting into the warsats. I don’t think she wants them at all. In the Judgement of Kelgorath lore she doesn’t order Kelgorath to go get her some warsats. She says: possess the Warmind. Xivu Arath has plenty of weapons already. What she needs, as Mara points out, is a way in. Mara comments in the encounter dialogue that moving an army through the ascendant realm is very hard. But Xivu did it over Torobatl. How? Sav showed her the way: she did it by getting someone on the other side to build her a gate.

I was surprised in Season of the Hunt by the extent of control Xivu displayed. I thought her unlikely to go for subversive powers like Oryx’s Taking or Sav’s manipulation. But she’s a lot smarter than I gave her credit for. Her Wrathborn contagion is effective, coercive, and quick-spreading. It makes sense metaphorically: violence is a kind of disease, an insidious way of thinking that spreads and snares people till they see everything as a conflict to be settled by force. Xivu invaded the Cabal by infecting Caiatl’s co-ruler Umun’arath, general of the Cabal legions. Driven further and further into obsession with the conflict Xivu Arath makes herself synonymous with, Umun’arath invoked her in the rituals of warfare - the same ones Eris and Eido were discussing - opening the way for Xivu’s armies to pour into the skies over Torobatl. 

For Xivu to repeat that trick in our solar system, she needs another Umun’arath. But Umun’arath was a singularly convenient target: the military chief of the war machine of a huge conquering interstellar empire, or in other words, someone you might call...war-minded. When scouting our solar system Xivu probably heard the name “Warmind” and thought hell yeah, that’s my ticket in. Except it’s not, because Rasputin’s a) not coherent right now and b) not fundamentally the personality she needs. That’s what we’re already exploring this season: at his core Rasputin was never a martial system. He was a pretentious art nerd who got drafted. They made him a Warmind. Xivu Arath needs someone coterminous with war for its own sake, with conflict as the apex of existence, with the supreme violence she represents. And ironically it turns out the Warmind Rasputin is not sufficiently war-minded. 

But Clovis is.

Clovis Bray already sees life as endless contest and conflict via his pseudo-evolutionary legacy bullshit. He’s Xivu’s dream target. When you first see her forces attacking him Clovis is like “they want my precious braaaaaain!” and Osiris goes, “no, they want him. Brought to submit.” That’s exactly what Clovis wants of Rasputin (and to a lesser extent Ana and Elsie): brought to submit. He’s neck deep in Darkness on his own, no convincing needed. And he’s a coward. If Clovis hasn’t cut a deal yet with either Xivu or the Witness to ensure “humanity’s” (his) survival in exchange for his allegiance, he will as soon as he has the reins. After all, let it not be said that he left humanity to fend for itself, right?

So that’s her plan: Xivu Arath attacks the warsat infrastructure to force us to go to Clovis and give him access to Red’s enclave. She waits while we do all the hard work of laying out the subminds to conjure back Rasputin. Clovis inevitably betrays us to slot himself in instead and take control, rousing Rasputin’s entire apparatus of violence to impose his own command on the solar system, helped along by the Wrathborn contagion already brewing in his subconscious. In doing so he invokes such immense rites of war that he opens the way for Xivu to step through. It’s Torobatl all over again...except I don’t think trying to “become the Warmind” is going to work out the way Clovis thinks. 

Clovis still doesn’t understand what Rasputin is, and he still doesn’t understand - as he doesn’t understand with any of his kids - that Rasputin is no longer as Clovis designed him to be. Even Ana hasn’t fully gotten there yet. Both Brays are still thinking of Red as a sort of jigsaw puzzle to be pieced back together. But assembling himself was the first thing Rasputin ever did. Ana still hasn’t cracked the real reason “plug engram into Exo, receive Warmind” isn’t working: because Rasputin is a distributed intelligence. He lives in connections, literally and metaphorically - between warsats, between worlds, with Ana, with humanity. He’s a creature fundamentally built on network and communication. Rasputin is already still out there. He’s in that engram, but he’s everywhere else, too. He’s still in the warsats. He’s talking to us through the Sleeper nodes. He’s going to fight Clovis for control of that Exo Frame; that’s why the frame has red eye-lights in all the season art even though Clovis uses blue ones. 

And in the larger paracausal sense our entire solar system still bears the marks of the Warmind’s influence. He’s synonymous with the Golden Age. The same way Oryx conjured back Savathun and Xivu Arath by recreating the shapes they made, Rasputin will be conjured back by the shape he traced out in a huge web of connections and actions and effects on others that Clovis, an isolated point, fundamentally doesn’t understand. So Clovis is going to pull his little coup, possibly smashing that engram along the way, and he’s going to think it’s working, too - right before Rasputin cracks him open like an egg, because the Warmind never left. I think this season ends with us fighting Clovis in full Wrathborn mode while Xivu Arath’s armies stand ready just on the other side in the Ascendant Realm, hammering to get in, and Rasputin will deliver the final blow from inside - or maybe not, since killing Umun’arath completed the ritual last time, maybe we just wedge Clovis into his own Pillory engram - stopping Xivu from getting her beachhead and leaving her angry but stranded in the Ascendant Realm. 

Hopefully. Either way I can’t wait to see what happens.