#older news but still relevant and ongoing
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Determined to use her skills to fight inequality, South African computer scientist Raesetje Sefala set to work to build algorithms flagging poverty hotspots - developing datasets she hopes will help target aid, new housing, or clinics.
From crop analysis to medical diagnostics, artificial intelligence (AI) is already used in essential tasks worldwide, but Sefala and a growing number of fellow African developers are pioneering it to tackle their continent's particular challenges.
Local knowledge is vital for designing AI-driven solutions that work, Sefala said.
"If you don't have people with diverse experiences doing the research, it's easy to interpret the data in ways that will marginalise others," the 26-year old said from her home in Johannesburg.
Africa is the world's youngest and fastest-growing continent, and tech experts say young, home-grown AI developers have a vital role to play in designing applications to address local problems.
"For Africa to get out of poverty, it will take innovation and this can be revolutionary, because it's Africans doing things for Africa on their own," said Cina Lawson, Togo's minister of digital economy and transformation.
"We need to use cutting-edge solutions to our problems, because you don't solve problems in 2022 using methods of 20 years ago," Lawson told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a video interview from the West African country.
Digital rights groups warn about AI's use in surveillance and the risk of discrimination, but Sefala said it can also be used to "serve the people behind the data points". ...
'Delivering Health'
As COVID-19 spread around the world in early 2020, government officials in Togo realized urgent action was needed to support informal workers who account for about 80% of the country's workforce, Lawson said.
"If you decide that everybody stays home, it means that this particular person isn't going to eat that day, it's as simple as that," she said.
In 10 days, the government built a mobile payment platform - called Novissi - to distribute cash to the vulnerable.
The government paired up with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) think tank and the University of California, Berkeley, to build a poverty map of Togo using satellite imagery.
Using algorithms with the support of GiveDirectly, a nonprofit that uses AI to distribute cash transfers, the recipients earning less than $1.25 per day and living in the poorest districts were identified for a direct cash transfer.
"We texted them saying if you need financial help, please register," Lawson said, adding that beneficiaries' consent and data privacy had been prioritized.
The entire program reached 920,000 beneficiaries in need.
"Machine learning has the advantage of reaching so many people in a very short time and delivering help when people need it most," said Caroline Teti, a Kenya-based GiveDirectly director.
'Zero Representation'
Aiming to boost discussion about AI in Africa, computer scientists Benjamin Rosman and Ulrich Paquet co-founded the Deep Learning Indaba - a week-long gathering that started in South Africa - together with other colleagues in 2017.
"You used to get to the top AI conferences and there was zero representation from Africa, both in terms of papers and people, so we're all about finding cost effective ways to build a community," Paquet said in a video call.
In 2019, 27 smaller Indabas - called IndabaX - were rolled out across the continent, with some events hosting as many as 300 participants.
One of these offshoots was IndabaX Uganda, where founder Bruno Ssekiwere said participants shared information on using AI for social issues such as improving agriculture and treating malaria.
Another outcome from the South African Indaba was Masakhane - an organization that uses open-source, machine learning to translate African languages not typically found in online programs such as Google Translate.
On their site, the founders speak about the South African philosophy of "Ubuntu" - a term generally meaning "humanity" - as part of their organization's values.
"This philosophy calls for collaboration and participation and community," reads their site, a philosophy that Ssekiwere, Paquet, and Rosman said has now become the driving value for AI research in Africa.
Inclusion
Now that Sefala has built a dataset of South Africa's suburbs and townships, she plans to collaborate with domain experts and communities to refine it, deepen inequality research and improve the algorithms.
"Making datasets easily available opens the door for new mechanisms and techniques for policy-making around desegregation, housing, and access to economic opportunity," she said.
African AI leaders say building more complete datasets will also help tackle biases baked into algorithms.
"Imagine rolling out Novissi in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast ... then the algorithm will be trained with understanding poverty in West Africa," Lawson said.
"If there are ever ways to fight bias in tech, it's by increasing diverse datasets ... we need to contribute more," she said.
But contributing more will require increased funding for African projects and wider access to computer science education and technology in general, Sefala said.
Despite such obstacles, Lawson said "technology will be Africa's savior".
"Let's use what is cutting edge and apply it straight away or as a continent we will never get out of poverty," she said. "It's really as simple as that."
-via Good Good Good, February 16, 2022
#older news but still relevant and ongoing#africa#south africa#togo#uganda#covid#ai#artificial intelligence#pro ai#at least in some specific cases lol#the thing is that AI has TREMENDOUS potential to help humanity#particularly in medical tech and climate modeling#which is already starting to be realized#but companies keep pouring a ton of time and money into stealing from artists and shit instead#inequality#technology#good news#hope
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ojima loredump from a couple years back i wrote for my staff
i can finally post more of these now yay. tw for ojima things
so ojima, as you may recall, was one of the OTHER people who was abused by a parent! hes also the youngest of three boys with his two older brothers being four and eight years older than him respectively! his family was pretty well-off financially and his dad had a pretty prominent position in the business world, so from the outside looking in, all was pretty good! except that by the time ojima was born, his parents' marriage was already in a rapid downward spiral and his brothers were already regularly seeing the fallout from this in the form of physical and verbal abuse. ojima was supposed to be the sort of "patch" that was meant to fix their marriage because his mom thought that having another kid would force ojimas dad to be more responsible/caring/present etc, except obviously that did not happen because having a new baby in the house just made things way more stressful. his parents ended up staying together regardless, but their relationship was constantly in turmoil and for the first few years of his life ojima grew up in pretty much the same environment as his brothers: abusive and socially high-pressure
enter ojimas uncle, his dad's brother and another fairly relevant man in the world of business. hes super friendly and the boys love him and hes fun to be around and ojima in particular is attached to him because when hes out with uncle kenji, theres no fighting or yelling or hitting and everything is cool and hes only three so he has no concept of the fact that this dude is getting……..a little bit too comfortable around him! so things eventually get to the point where his uncle is taking ojima on outings without his brothers present, and from there, things escalate, and ojimas relationship with his uncle very quickly becomes sexually abusive. ojima is THREE of course so he has no idea how fucked up this is but understands that he does not like it and does not want to be around his uncle anymore except that things dont stop there and nobody really finds out about it for another two years despite it being ongoing.
so at age five ojima is talking to his oldest brother, who is now thirteen (his name is tetsuya!) and has a total meltdown. he knows hes not supposed to tell people about what he does with his uncle but hes completely losing it and he trusts his brother. tetsuya, who actually understands whats happening and is pissed, thinks it wise to go to their dad, which does not end well! dad is pissed that theyd make accusations like that about his brother and refuses to indulge the idea that ojima could be telling the truth in any way. what ensues is his dad doubling down on the psychological abuse that ojima is going through at home, and for lack of a better term, basically gaslighting him into thinking that hes lying and everything is fine, despite the fact that shit with his uncle is STILL ACTIVELY HAPPENING at this age!
so by around age six, ojima has his first experience with blacking out. between what his uncle is doing, what his dad is doing, the fact that he cant even trust his own mind anymore and the pressure of having to present all this as being totally fine because of his family's social status, something in him just snaps and he completely dissociates. hes suddenly in this world in his head where nobody can hurt him, nothing bad can happen, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, he is completely in control. of everything. ojima has never, ever been in control and its something he becomes practically addicted to because its the only way he can feel safe. it goes from dissociating once at a particularly bad moment to dissociating constantly to escape how shitty his life is. when ojima turns ten, his brother moves out and its absolutely devastating for him because thats one of the only two people in the world he can trust. from that point he pretty much never sees him again. tetsuya does literally everything in his power to get ojima and their middle brother (his name is toshiharu!) out of that environment, but hes eighteen and hes not their parent and their dad has a lot of sway, so it doesnt amount to anything meaningful. ojima is told that his brother left because hes a shitty person and he hates their family and eventually he learns to internalize that and blames his confession and his supposed destruction of their family for tetsuya leaving and never coming back. the many many attempts for tetsuya to contact ojima and toshiharu go interrupted by their dad and the two dont speak again.
things basically continue with ojima being abused at home and at his uncle's until he turns fourteen, at which point the next big milestone is that toshiharu moves out and reconnects with tetsuya, and now the two are full steam ahead on getting ojima out of that environment. except that its still basically useless because they have no legal say over him and their dad is really powerful so everything is still mostly the same except that ojima is completely alone. hes dissociated a good 90% of the time at this point because hes just incapable of handling the absolute shitstorm of things happening to him. hes in a living hell and maladaptive daydreaming is basically his only escape and the only thing that keeps him going. because of this, hes seen as weird and stupid by other kids at school and is treated like shit there too. theres pretty much nothing left in his life that could be considered good or redeeming except for the two things he enjoys: daydreaming and drawing.
contact with his uncle starts to break off around age fifteen when his uncle starts losing interest due to ojima being older now. ojima gets tremendously fucked up over this, and while hes relieved that its not happening, his brain is so torn at this point that he gets caught in a sort of spiral of wondering why hes no longer desirable and why people keep leaving him, even when they're bad people that ojima doesnt want in his life. in this time between age fifteen and age seventeen, things start to improve slightly because his uncle isnt touching him and his dad isnt constantly brainwashing him to get him to forget about his uncle touching him so for this brief gap of time, he can almost live comfortably. he starts doing some freelance illustration work because his dad wants him to get a job and it turns out hes pretty damn good at it, and he enjoys it a lot, so he spends a lot of his time illustrating. hes mainly motivated by the fact that he wants to give other kids like him a beautiful and vivid place to escape to, so he depicts all these fantastical and whimsical worlds in kids' books to give them that same sort of escape that he needed. his brothers are still desperately trying to get in contact with him/get him out of their old house, but its been years by this point and all he knows is that they both decided to completely abandon him one day and never look back, something that he entirely blames himself for.
despite things getting a bit better for him, ojima basically never grows out of the daydreaming and it takes over his life to some degree, which honestly? its debatable whether its good for him or not. on one hand, its extremely disruptive to his life and is not a healthy coping mechanism by any means. on the other hand, it was literally the only thing that got him through the past ten years alive and continues to be his only escape from the shitty life he has. anyway ojima is sixteen now! the physical and psychological torment from his dad starts to transition into a more familial/patriarchal pressure at this point - tetsuya and toshiharu are gone and severed, which means ojima is the son thats going to take over his business one day. suddenly his dad is treating him like a grown man when hes ever only been treated like a doll for his entire life - now hes being taught about business and social policy and world affairs and all these things he isnt interested in and doesnt understand. he really just wants to draw and dissociate and pretend nothing bad is happening to him. except even though hes not being tormented anymore, things are not good! because he has, obviously, absolutely massive amounts of trauma that he is not coping with. instead of ever dwelling on this or addressing it, which arent really options for him anyway, he goes deeper and deeper into his own headspace to escape it and pretty much locks himself away in this dissociative world to ignore everything that isnt his own art.
then ojima turns SEVENTEEN and the world flips. his brothers finally manage to get their case in front of a judge and the ojima family business SINKS LIKE A ROCK. his parents are in jail, and hes suddenly out on his ass. his brothers scoop him up pretty fast and do their best to piece him back together, but ojima is absolutely fucked in the head by this point. he lives with tetsuya and toshiharu and continues working because he loves to work, but he seriously struggles to rebuild the relationship he once had with them because in his understanding, they hate him. thats what hes been told for years. they live in this very tense situation where his brothers desperately want to help him, but they are also traumatized and they do not know what to do for him because hes just an absolute mess. ojima bounces around the idea of therapy for a while and frequently registers for therapy/drops out/registers/drops out repeat repeat repeat because he knows his broken and he knows he needs help, but going to therapy means actually thinking about his past and what happened to him and he cant do that. its terrifying and it hurts and he just wants to be in his own headspace. it leads to a lot of very emotional conversations with his brothers who still just dont know what to do but desperately want to get him help somehow.
and then the killing game starts
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Harder, Softer, Harder

MDNI
Dabi x gn/afab Reader
Dabi helps after you're hit with a sex quirk Contains: consensual sex/non consensual situation I wanted to keep these as consistent to the same story as possible, hence Dabi leaving with two girls even if this one is written as more canon/slightly broken introverted Dabi. (I’m still amused by the idea of him being an absolute slut in the Shigaraki fic though.) Typically, I don’t assign jobs/quirks to the reader unless it’s relevant to the story. This isn’t a crucial part of the plot but a record store reader seemed like so much fun. After seeing High Fidelity too young to understand it, all I got out of that movie was that I wanted to work in a record store when I was older. For obvious reasons, my mom laughed at me and I never ended up with that job. But it seems sooo cooollll. So, record store reader. Maybe you’re there full time or just work there part time for fun or something. [wc: 2.2k]
This is part of an ongoing series: shigaraki version - bakugo version

It was supposed to be a quiet night. The wind lightly blew warm summer air over your skin as you walked through the shopping district with one of your best friends. You were leaving a small cafe and planned to visit a few shops next. Everything would have been fine, if not for -
A sudden commotion draws your attention to the sidewalk as you’re walking out the door. Out of nowhere, you can’t see. Everything is dark and you would almost assume it’s in your head if not for the screaming and shoving surrounding you. Instinctively, you and your friend grab each other, ducking to the ground in an effort to find clear air. Ten seconds feels like an eternity but just as quickly as it came on, the darkness dissipates.
A man rolls off the sidewalk in front of you and you immediately know it was him. Having never seen his face before, you connect the dots: he’s the sex quirk villain that's been all over the news lately. He has to be. He has the face of someone you’d imagine looking through the window of a locker room. He winks at you before running across the street towards some dumpsters in front of an alleyway. That brief interaction makes you sick to your stomach.
Sick isn’t all you feel.
Your insides twist in a familiar way, aching. Empty.
Fuck.
Before you can dwell on it, a familiar figure in the crowd catches your eye.
His hoodie blocks most of his face, but you’d recognize those eyes anywhere.
“Dab-” you begin to shout before he cuts you off.
“Hey, quiet,” he looks around, “I gave you that name in confidence. Not to yell in public.” His eyes continue shifting, but he sees that no one notices him in the chaos.
“You doing alright?” he asks.
“We’re… fine,” you reply, “both of us got hit with that quirk though.”
You stare up at him expectantly. He does know what that villain's quirk does, right?
“Your friend here have anywhere to go?”
“Yeah, she needs to get to her boyfriend’s apartment.”
“Alright,” he says in a gravelly voice, putting an arm around each of you, “let’s get out of here before heroes anyone else shows up. Lead the way.”
The walk drags on forever, for how short it seemed earlier in the night. You can’t help but notice how much warmer Dabi feels against your body. It’s like every part of you is drawn to him. He only has an arm around you but you can’t help but want more.
He follows the directions you give to get your friend to her destination. Her boyfriend is already waiting outside the building to take her in. Once you see that she’s safely taken care of, your mind begins to wonder. Dabi never said he’d help you, he’s just escorting you…somewhere?
“Where to next?” you ask.
“Don’t you need to…” he trails off, his intense eyes looking you up and down.
“Yeah,” you answer, trying to hide how flustered you are by quickly turning the direction of your own living space.
He follows.
Honestly, you don’t know him all that well. You know his name is Dabi (or Touya, as he sometimes changes it up when putting in special orders) and he’s the cute regular at your work. You could list all of his favorite songs, but you have no clue where he lives. What he does throughout the day.
Fortunately, you don’t live far.
Unfortunately, it’s proving to be the longest four blocks you’ve ever walked in your life. With every step, you notice the way your pants brush against you. Turning you on even more than you thought possible for such a mundane situation. It doesn’t help having a hot guy close. And god, you can’t stop staring at him.
Of course you always found him attractive, but today he’s irresistible. There’s something sweet in the way he smiles. How he looks at you like you’re the only person alive. The way he casually moves through the world as if he's unaware of how insanely attractive he is. It's effortless.
Dabi takes your arm, wrapping it around his to make sure you don’t lose your balance in the street. You look woozy, he’s decided.
The first time you ever talked to him, he was looking for a specific album, which happened to be your favorite band/musician. The two of you talked for half an hour about music before you offered to order the record for him to pick up later. Since then, he’s come in once a week like clockwork to look at the new arrivals and talk about music. Lately, he’d been bringing you coffees after you yawned once at work. When you brought it up, he brushed it off like it was no big deal and never spoke of it again.
All green flags so far though. He seems sweet so you don’t have many apprehensions about bringing him home with you. Besides, he’s your best option and you’ve secretly wanted this for a while anyways.
Before you know it, you’re walking through the door to your own home. Work crush in tow.
Good thing you cleaned up a bit earlier today.
“I like the space,” he says, as you hang your keys by the door.
“Thanks,” you reply awkwardly. It’s nice enough, you think to yourself. Not really noteworthy. He must just be making conversation.
For how much you couldn’t keep your eyes off him and how painfully turned on you are, seeing him in your living room is still, well, nerve wracking. He seems too beautiful to actually be here, yet there he is. Staring at you with his hands in his pockets. Wearing a slight smirk while he waits for you to invite him into your bedroom. Or your couch.
Deep breath, he knows why he’s here.
“So,” he starts while walking closer to you, stopping less than a foot away. “Still feeling fine?”
Nope. Your face is flushed and you’re overwhelmed.
He knows that too, he can tell by the way you squeeze your legs together. How your breathing is different than usual. But he’s not just going to come out and say it. You never really asked for his help, as much as he’s willing to give it. He can be confident, to a point. But he’s waiting for you to approach him.
The coffee. Showing up every week, specifically during your shift. His arm around you while you walked here. Standing closer than friends typically do, but not fully closing the distance.
He’ll bring himself to you, knowing exactly what you need, but you’ll have to be the one to reach out for him if that’s what you want.
And you do.
You want him.
So, you reach for him.
He’s so close already, his face just above yours as he looks down at you. Gently, you run your fingers up his neck.
He freezes at the touch.
It's what he wants, really. He’s been waiting for this moment since he walked into the record store and met you. But comfort is a feeling he can’t quite place. Your hand softly caressing over his jaw. He can’t feel much on the scarred area, but it’s the meaning behind it that counts. He doesn't hate it, it's just a lot at once.
“Are you okay with this?” you ask, his face still blank as he stares at you. “It doesn’t hurt, does it?”
“Yeah, I’m fine” he smiles, shaking himself out of it, “can’t feel anything there anymore.”
“Oh,” your fingers trail over the soft skin of his cheek down to his upper lip, “how about here?”
“Yeah, that I can feel.”
You can’t help yourself, you have to ask…
“What about…” your eyes shift down.
“You trying to find out?” he laughs.
“I mean, you did come home with me after I got hit by a sex quirk.”
“Yeah, yeah," he rolls his eyes. "Come on. Which room is you?”

Since you met Dabi, you've dreamed of this. You could never have imagined it happening in real life, but it's finally happening. You haven't even had time to celebrate touching him, now he's in your room. Hands on your hips, guiding you to the bed. Pushing you playfully onto the mattress before climbing on top of you. He leans in closer, nose brushing against yours. You take it upon yourself to close the space between the two of you. Bringing your lips to his, focusing mostly on the parts you know he can feel.
He tenses, but kisses you back. It's interesting watching his typical nonchalance crack away.
He continues kissing you, slightly awkwardly. Pausing slightly whenever your touch becomes too affectionate. He’s loosening up though.
His warm hands slide up your shirt, resting against your ribs. Occasionally squeezing as he becomes more comfortable with the closeness. Eventually, he takes your shirt off entirely.
You do the same, pulling his hoodie off to grip his t-shirt underneath.
At this point, you’re so horny it’s painful and kissing him is only making it worse. In desperation, you grab his hips and slam them into you hard for any relief.
His eyes light up.
This, he can understand. He's comfortable with roughness. It's not like he spends every night fucking his hand thinking about it, but when he does he imagines it more like this.
“Like that, [y/n]?” he huffs teasingly, pounding down into you, harder than you'd managed to earlier.
You only manage to gasp in response.
It’s like you opened Pandora’s box, giving him permission to live out his fantasy. This sparks his confidence again.
He pulls your bra strap down, flicking his tongue over your nipple. Eye contact never wavering while you melt into a puddle beneath him.
“Dabi, fuck,” you moan at his touch.
The pressure in your gut builds as he continues to rub against you. Both of your pants begin feeling increasingly in the way. You yank his belt undone, shoving his tight jeans down with it. His dick springs forward, tenting his underwear.
Looks like you’re not the only horny one.
“Like what you see?” his husky voice asks. He sounds self-assured, but based on everything else you’ve seen this evening you know there’s a bit of a question in there.
“Mhmmm,” you reach out to grasp him through the fabric.
Continuing to follow your lead, he pulls your pants off as well. Tossing them to the floor of your bedroom. His hand is softer than you expected when he slides into your underwear. Rubbing intensely against your clit while he kisses you deeply. You’re about to pull the last of his clothes off when his other hand grabs your wrists to pin them above your head.
Everything in you wants as much of him as possible.
“Need you to fuck me,” you whine into his ear.
He smirks, pulling his dick out himself. It’s thick. Making you wonder how you’d never noticed it before in the tight pants he wears. How does he hide that?
Without letting go of your wrists, he lines himself up with one hand. Rubbing his tip between your lips before pressing into you. He’s certainly not being gentle, but you can tell he’s holding back.
He pauses.
Wide eyed, for a moment he looks more surprised than you that this is happening. Regaining composure, he begins to move his hips.
It’s everything you’ve needed all evening and then some.
“Fuck, you’re taking me so good,” he groans down at you.
Some combination of the heat building in you all night, the stretch of him, and his praising voice sends you over the edge. You’ve never cum so fast in your life but there’s a first for everything. Dabi looks pleased with himself.
He fucks you hard through your orgasm. Pressing your hands into the bed. Your head is spinning as the quirk wears off; you feel detached from everything but him. His eyes are nearly glowing as they stare down into yours.
His hands loosen around your wrists, sliding away from your arms onto the bed. You find yourself chasing them, slipping your fingers between his. His movements stiffen and he glances away.
It’s interesting. He had no apprehensions around burying his dick in you but holding hands makes him nervous.
You’ll save that one for another day.
Instead, you run your fingers over his arms. Feeling the smooth scars as you make your way to his shoulders. His movements become less constrained. He fucks into you hard and smooth, building the heat in your body once more.
Your pleasure crashes over you like a wave again, leaving you gasping while you grip his white t-shirt. Pulling him into you. Your hips angling to bring him as close as possible while you feel yourself squeeze around him.
“You feel amazing,” you whisper in his ear, “you’re so fucking perfect.”
At that, he can’t hold back any longer.
His breathing becomes more erratic. Hips slamming harder into you until he gives one final thrust, filling you with cum. Head drooping as he groans into your neck.
You run your hands through his hair, letting him relax while you both catch your breath.
The neck of his shirt hangs loosely over his shoulder, oops. You can’t help but kiss the area above his collar bone sweetly. Even if you know he can barely feel it. He tenses and you realize it was too much, pulling away.
“Don’t stop,” he whispers.

m.list
#dabi smut#dabi x reader#my hero academia smut#dabi#my hero academia x reader#mha dabi#bnha dabi#touya x reader#dabi todoroki#bnha touya#touya todoroki#mha touya#touya todoroki smut#my hero academia
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ILAN_PROFILE'S COMEDY / SLICE OF LIFE CARTOON GUIDE
Looking for Cartoons to Watch? Need a Guide for Animated Shows? Are you a Beginner or a Pro in watching TV shows? THIS ARE ALL THE COMEDY / SLICE OF LIFE CARTOONS I RECOMMEND!
About Each Section:
WATCH THIS: Shows I think are a MUST Watch for anybody getting into cartoons
NEW CARTOONS: Ongoing shows premiered in the past 2-3 years
STILL RELEVANT: Older shows / Already finished shows that still get a lot of attention nowdays
BONUS MENTIONS: Other Shows I havent watched that much of or arent as widely known as the others above
STORYDRIVEN: Fully serialized shows with lot of conitnuity
SEMI-EPISODIC: Shows with an ongoing story but also have self contained arcs
EPISODIC: Shows with minimal continuity, you can watch basically any episode
DISCLAIMER: I tried to limit myself to only 1-2 shows of each IP, UNLESS each of them feels too different from one or another (Like The Looney Tunes Show vs the classic Looney Tunes Cartoons) or you need to watch all shows together to get the full narrative (Ben 10 -> Alien Force -> Ultimate Alien -> Omniverse)
#Regular Show#Craig Of The Creek#Big City Greens#Bluey#Simpsons#Spongebob#Total Drama Island#Looney Tunes Show#Looney Tunes#Gumball#The Amazing World Of Gumball#We Bare Bears#Phineas & Ferb#Tom & Jerry#We Baby Bears#Ivandoe#Kiff#Hamster & Gretel#Tiny Toons#Patrick Star#Wander Over Yander#Villainous#Fairly Oddparents#The Loud House#Dexter's Lab#Uncle Grandpa#Clarence#Teen Titans Go!#Bojack#South Park
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It's closer to "beta reading for each other"! (At least for our editing process, which is fairly linear. The writing process is much less so and can look a lot like "multiple cursors in the same document", especially if multiple of our guys are actively participating at the same time and not just making comments from the back to whoever is actually doing the writing, because we've only got the one pair of hands. XD Compensating for that with very thorough outlines, and the complete willingness to "write shittily first edit later" in the initial stages of a project -- where our priority is to get our ideas sorted out and jotted down, we know we'll smooth out any issues later, so it really doesn't matter if we move back and forth between sections a lot.)
With the difference that, where a beta-reader would only make suggestions because it ultimately isn't their work -- in our WIPs, regardless of the specifics of who wrote what, the final version will be our text, so we're truly merciless in the editing. Especially with WIPs that are >10k (so we have to go over the text a lot not just for editing, but because we need to refresh our memory of events to keep things coherent and consistent), our diverging preferences can show up like... the same word/clause/sentence keeps getting edited back and forth between the same 2-3 things, until/unless there's a clear winner in terms of how it flows with the rest of the text (and if there isn't, whoever is around for polishing the work immediately pre-publishing gets to pick what goes in the final version).
Have you noticed your style change over time?
Hi!! Thank you for the ask. <3
We haven't really noticed that, no -- we're aware our older fics don't read quite the same as our more recent ones, but we don't tend to notice the changes happening in real time and would struggle to pinpoint exactly what changed.
Part of that is plurality-related. We don't all write the same to begin with -- actually part of our editing process now, especially for longer projects, consists of getting as many of us rereading the text as possible (separately over a period of time and/or together at the same time), so we can smooth out differences where needed or (more rarely) exaggerate them when warranted (e.g. for added character flavour in subjective narration). In the past we didn't go through that Collaborative Smoothening step, and we did a lot less editing to begin with (we same-day wrote-and-published a lot), so many of our older works are more clearly One Guy's Writing. We can usually tell who based on the way they're written, but this isn't style evolution so much as like... us writing differently at baseline.
Part of that is that we have two types of approach to writing: either we write so rarely that too much time passes in-between for us to remember our previous writings clearly, or we write so often that any overall changes are too gradual for us to notice. Nowadays it's more the latter -- with the MelloNears, we've been writing/editing at least a few words every single day since November 1st, in mostly the same two AUs/series, so we're not really seeing the style evolution that is probably taking place because we're standing too close to see the big picture.
[fanfic/author ask game]
#saltposting#lilbittymonster#writing post#plural on main#I feel like that tag is warranted here dfhgds. Also thank you I did have a good bedtime!#Realising writing this that our ability to actually *keep* working on longer pieces entirely depends on the fact that we *all* work on them#otherwise they fall by the wayside as others of us get interested in other things#and/or the guy who started the WIP drops off our front rotation. And then we forget and never pick up the WIP again.#If we're all invested in something we have a much better chance of actually seeing it through even when it takes a long time!#Doesn't apply only to writing but collaboration is a skill we've been much more purposeful about developing in recent years#and it has really come in handy for our creative projects! ^-^ (*to escape an empire* our beloved. *sweet atonement* verse our beloved.)#So this is probably why our older (published) stuff was mostly same-day written-and-posted. We tend to rotate fronts on a daily-ish basis#often overnight. But back then we had no clue about any of the inner workings involved. We just knew:#“if I don't finish this today I probably won't ever pick it up again!#But I really want it out there so I'm going to keep at it for 20hours straight & fuck sleeping”#Now we're aware enough that we can purposefully leave each other (notes on) specific sections because we know broadly who's better at what#or who will enjoy writing which bits/WIPs more! And that's interesting to think about#because we hadn't consciously noticed this but it is definitely making a difference in how we approach writing in general#and how consistent we are capable of being with it -- we are generally good at forming routines due to autisms but not with arts/crafts#e.g. our willingness to/enjoyment of crochet is heavily dependent on one (1) guy who used to be here 80% of the time#and now has gone basically missing except for like 1-2 days a month. Our crochet projects are languishing. Writing is not like this#largely because we all enjoy at least *some* aspect of it and can then utilise this for any of our ongoing projects#(or a brand new project if the mood strikes. Sometimes you just have to lol.)#so we do dabble in writing every day! Even if sometimes all it ends up being is like *somebody opens document and reads WIP*#“Woah this is insane. Y'all have written a fucking banger.” *touches virtually nothing / maybe writes down one (1) idea / closes document*#It still helps keep the project fresh in our mind and relevant for our brain. Which helps with overall consistency. Yay. :3#So uh. I went on a tangent there in the tags and kind of Thinking At You by now but hopefully that was enlightening dhjshdfq.
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Yeah Blake’s liner notes seem more personal this time around. “my longtime producer Scott”, including the boys, the note about Larry & Carol Large, leaving out the ones he had to suck up to before-ACM, CMA, CMT, NBC. The professional thank yous this time also are either long term ongoing affiliations like Opry/Ole Red/Colin or more heartfelt thank yous like to country radio for always having his back. I think Blake is putting it out there what his personal priorities are and who/what he is really grateful for. He doesn’t have to play the game to the extent he did before nor does he want to. He still wants success but on his terms and not engaging in the bs that some older artists (like his ex) still feel the need to do to remain relevant. I’m happy for Blake!
Oh and forgot to add. He always thanks “Gwen Stefani” to acknowledge her professionally as well as personally and to make sure trolls don’t have an in to claim he was referring to Gwen Sebastian if he just said “thank you Gwen”. Ugh remember when some country media outlet claimed one of their duets was with Gwen Sebastian? It felt like intentional shade not just an error.
I think I remember some country news site tagging Gwen Sebastian instead of Gwen in a post about Nobody But You when it first came out. I guess it could be an honest slip of the finger but people commented to point out the mistake, and I don't recall if they ever corrected or deleted it.
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Hi there. If you have already answered questions about this I apologize for the repeated question. The question is what is your opinion on the interviews for the cast? In jacob’s recent podcast interview released yesterday he mentions that AMC ‘butt clenches’ (essentially stresses out/panics) when he has to be interviewed because he sort of says anything (whatever he feels. He stays engaged and on topic but he is tired of being asked the same questions in interviews repeatedly). It was also mentioned that Naomi (who ran the old podcast and had him on the one yesterday) was told by AMC people to not bring up race but Jacob mentioned he didn’t mind bringing that up because its important and it’s not a repeated simple interview question he’s had so many times before and it is relevant to his character Louis in the realm on the show. She has been in contact with Sam and Eric for a interviews with them as well. My point is to bring up the podcast interview style is that it appears there is a rift between fans on what they prefer interview style. It is not our call but I have seen various opinions. I have seen many fans say that the fan style of YouTube interviews with the cast and fans is insulting (because why do these specific fans get ‘chosen’ to interview the cast and they don’t even ask substantial or interesting questions- their words not mine) and severely disliked meanwhile Naomi’s podcast from AMC was dropped and they believe that she actually asks substantial thought provoking questions. There are petitions to bring back the podcast from season one because in many interviews the cast get asked the same questions and many fans did not like the fan style YouTube interviews with the cast. Again the promotion isn’t our call/decision but I’m curious your take on the repeated interview questions and opinions on different interview styles? I always enjoy any new interviews of the cast because we get to see their interpretations of the characters. But I would enjoy more promotion from AMC in general as well as diverse interview styles
So would I!!! Gimme all the promotion and in all the different styles!! I love to listen to podcasts:)))
I said it before, I had hoped the podcast would continue for the second season. The criticism I had - and that still stands - is that Naomi did not seem to have the background of the books. Which led to a lot of expectations for certain developments which... well. Didn't help, fandom-wise, let's put it that way^^
Anyways. Jacob has never been shy to address things. He has also always addressed racial issues when he felt like it, he has addressed the reinvention of Louis, repeatedly. I have those videos bookmarked:). And he and Sam have addressed the racial commentary the show does, repeatedly, too, there’s lot of interviews?! I just listened to the podcast and... well. Jacob being Jacob, in the bestest of ways :) He's blunt. He's warm and funny. He's... open. Jacob has been very blunt about the Loumand relationship, while it was still ongoing, for example. I can see AMC cringe a bit at that moment (which, coincidentally is why Assad stayed so "current" in his commentary).
But the thing about the questions and race was not about IWTV?! It was the instructions and “same questions“ and re race re Game of Thrones.
And Jacob said he is now older and it puts things into perspective. And it makes me feel as if his manager likely relayed this rule he used to have because of that experience on GoT. (That is a normal thing, just like “no personal questions“ rules some obviously have!)
He also says that AMC was a bit “butt clenched“ because he has run out of “self-censorship“ - and honestly, I love it, but I get why networks might not be too happy about it. Sam also has commented on gag orders they got re content?! (And as said, I bet some people would have preferred if Jacob hadn’t been as blunt about Loumand…)
The "same questions all the time" however is a usual thing every actor has to go through (as they say and comment on as well?!). It's a gauntlet run for promotion. It happens every season. And as much as I can understand it being exhausting... that's part of the job. There's some that manage different questions, and the cast has expressed their delight in those interviews.
Naomi asked questions that may have been more in-depth in some aspects, but as said before, some other questions were quite... well, canonically unfounded. She lacked - or intentionally seemed to lack (to represent the show-only audience?!) - the information background. She shared that with a lot of interviewers of other interviewers, who do not know the chronicles.
I think that is why people like Autumn Brown and Maven of the Eventide get interviews right now. And, to bring that back into people's minds - it was JACOB who recommended Autumn to Rolin... and so it was Jacob that started this development. It might be good to remember that when hating on these interviews.
I for one hope Naomi will continue to do interviews with them :) That would be lovely 🥰
For those who have not listened to the podcast yet!!!
#Anonymous#ask nalyra#amc iwtv#iwtv#amc interview with the vampire#interview with the vampire#podcast#jacob anderson#couples therapy#naomi ekperigin
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Manwha recs
I said I'd recommend some of these and sorry they took awhile. There's a lot more I want to recommend, but thought I'd just throw up the ones I've been thinking of recently. These range from niche to famous for fans of their genre to famous to basically anyone that reads manwha.
If you have questions, let me know! If you read any, also let me know what you think!
MC = Main Character, ML = Male Lead (aka main love interest)
I Was Reborn As His Highness The Prince's Little Evil Dragon
m/m, fantasy romance, transmigration, omegaverse, ongoing
I'm not normally into omegaverse, but it works very well here because the MC is basically clueless.
Summary: The MC is a pro gamer who thinks he was reborn into a video game...only to find out he was reborn into an omegaverse fanfic for the video game. He knows the bare minimum about what omegaverse is and is constantly having to question if the canon he knows is still relevant, all while having the fate of turning evil and fighting against the person he's closest to hanging over his head.
Characters: What I like: MC is great, he's not hung up on the plot the way a lot are, and over time he becomes more and more like a dragon. ML is manipulative, possessive, and possibly the real villain of the world, and has been basically gaslighting the MC into believing he's an innocent little omega for most of their time together. The world building is pretty cool, too, and most of the supporting cast is great. There's also multiple conspiracies happening and an antagonist who may be another transmigrator or a regressor or something.
Warnings: Non-con (it's debatable how much of the sex is consensual, but the very first time the ML and MC have (non-penetrative) sex is DEFINITELY non-con), manipulation, abuse, attempted incestuous rape (doesn't go anywhere). And not really a warning, but it seems to still be up in the air whether the main ship is alpha/alpha or alpha/omega and I know some people are really opinionated on that (I can give my theory to anyone who wants it).
What makes this unique: The MC has a mix of knowledge and a complete lack of knowledge and for a male character in an isekai is adorably naive, but in an understandable way. The dragons are very cool and the possible Big Bad is also intriguing. The ML comes across as actually very powerful and extremely (oddly) clever, we're not just told he is.
Let's Hide My Little Brother
m/f, fantasy romance, transmigration, ongoing
Okay, so...the ML is not trans, but he still has a VERY trans story. He was raised as a girl, not knowing for awhile that he was actually a boy, and then forced to continue pretending to be a girl when he found out the truth and wanted to live as a boy. He had a lot of hangups and insecurities because of it, and continued to have some "feminine socialization" aspects to him. He's normally referred to as a "crossdresser" by readers, but it goes a lot deeper than that to me.
Summary: MC is transmigrated into the cannon fodder older sister of a main character of a very dark BL novel and she basically takes her brother's place, except they both work much better in the new positions they've taken and she ends up getting the yandere villain from the original story obsessed with her, instead (but a lot less violent and horrible towards her).
Characters: I'm reading the novel, too, the translation of which is far ahead of the manwha, and the MC has gotten incredibly frustrating at this point, but early on she's pretty cool and to be honest I think most people are reading for the ML. The ML is great: twisted, manipulative, and uncaring towards most people, super OP, but also very vulnerable in certain ways. Supporting cast ranges from great to frustrating to annoying. This also has the benefit of the MC just outright telling the ML all about the transmigration fairly early on.
Warnings: Gender dysphoria, arguably homophobia (this is part of a subgenre of "girl gets reborn into a gay novel and then suddenly everyone is straight" transmigration stories, but since the original novel never existed It's Complicated), violence, confinement, non-consensual touching/kissing/etc, child abuse, genocide (past, but it comes up a lot and there's some really grim stuff related to it)
What makes this unique: The ML is very non-standard for an OI work. The MC gets some closure for her original world/life so she can move on and focus on her current world. The "spirits" that give power to the ML and MC are very Fae-like and seem neither good nor bad.
Move, I'm Deciding the Ending
m/f, fantasy romance, game system, transmigration, ongoing
I love this one too much for what it is, but it hits most of my favorite tropes and subverts some of my least favorite ones. (game system is a type of trope where the MC's get access to video game-like functions, most often prompt screens for quests and inventories and the like)
Summary: MC transmigrates into the villainess in a dark fantasy dating sim rpg, decides to try to bring down her evil family and help the heroes to save the world, in order to get back to her own world.
Characters: MC is very clever and, partially because of the game system, not too set on the original plot. She has two potential MLs and the most likely endgame one is my fav, he's previously a red (black?) flag yandere in the game, but to her he's edging into orange flag territory. He's incredibly powerful and their interactions are pretty hilarious. The original female lead is wonderful, she's BFFs with the MC and it's huge yuri bait, and the crown prince she's probably going to end up with is also surprisingly decent for a crown prince in a manwha.
Warnings: In-universe slavery and indentured servitude (MC and most other major characters totally against these), colorism (darkest skinned characters are former slaves and from "less civilized" "tribe"), child abuse, mentions of partner violence and confinement and lots of other dark stuff in the original plot, some body horror, probably some other stuff I'm forgetting.
What makes this unique: The original MC is neither a white lotus nor a naive, weak little thing and the friendship between her and the MC is so cute. The MC feels guilt and remorse for the harsh backgrounds that had so casually been given to a lot of the characters. She's also not hesitant to make changes or "steal" what should have gone to the characters. The enslaved characters the MC freed are not love interests and she instead basically adopted them and sees them as her kids.
B-Class Guide
m/m, modern guideverse, complete
The difference between this and most guideverse manwhas is it basically turns being a guide or esper into having a corporate job and has lots of hilarious bureaucracy/workplace bullshit parts to it. (Guideverse is a sort of scifi world where some people, espers, have superpowers and other people, guides, can purify the corruption they build up when they use those superpowers, generally through sexual contact)
Summary: After a bad breakup, MC, a B-Class (think mediocre/nothing special) guide transfers to a more active/dangerous branch of work and finds out he's basically the only person who can comfortably guide a powerful S-Class esper (extremely powerful and rare). The esper (ML) naturally gets obsessed with him and drama ensues.
Characters: MC is great, he's sort of disillusioned and frustrated with work and just wanted to avoid drama, and so is very pissed he's involved in more. ML is a red flag yandere, possessive, obsessive, willing to risk his own life or kill others for the MC. Supporting cast ranges from typical coworkers to the most asshole of bosses.
Warnings: Dubcon/noncon (pretty much standard guideverse type), manipulation, threats of suicide, violence, psychologically abusive ex-boyfriend.
What makes this unique: The office culture hilarity. That the ML makes threats and then carries them out in such a blase manner. The MC's frustrated, burnt out personality. The portrayal of Espers who are often said to be inhuman/lacking morals and stuff, but often that's just an excuse for sexual assault in Guideverse stories, but in this case that shows up in both mundane and serious ways.
I Can See Your Stats
m/m, fantasy romance, transmigration, game system, monster fucking, ongoing
Both hilarious and stressful, beautiful and violent. Really original worldbuilding.
Summary: MC is a transmigrator who left his family while young to go live in a secretive mage city (the transmigrator part is sort of extraneous, just that the world has a ton of them and they all end up going to live in the mage city). When his family all dies, he comes to inherit their title and take responsibility for their city, but it's a complete wreck of a place made even worse by the fact that a dragon is going to destroy it.
Characters: MC is very cool, he's got a very weird attitude because he grew up in a pretty fucked up place. The game system is actually like a coping method of dealing with telepathy and clairvoyance. The ML is so hot, he's a violent dragon who is going to destroy the place because he can't find his destined mate, but keeps getting drawn to MC. Supporting cast varies, there's a few who are really great.
Warnings: Dubcon, violence, gore, prejudice, religious extremism, abuse, I'm probably forgetting some....
What makes this unique: The dragon and mate worldbuilding is very unique (major spoilers though), the MC is a total pervert and it's hilarious, the ML is also a pervert and totally into the MC. The conflict between the two as lovers-who-are-also-enemies for most of what's translated is fun.
Villains Are Destined To Die
m/f, fantasy romance, transmigration, game system, ongoing
This is an incredibly well-known one, and one of the few like it that is actually physically published in English, even.
Summary: MC is transmigrated into the "hard mode" of a reverse harem fantasy game, she has to live through the prologue and try to make one of the potential MLs fall in love with her, but while struggling to improve her family life and get love, she finds out about greater conspiracies and the potential end of the world.
Characters: MC is, for the most part, a very interesting character. She has a MAJOR stumble with one of the potential MLs (mentioned in warnings) which makes her less great, but except for that she is using the game system and her knowledge very well. ML is one of the best in this genre, he starts off highly questionable, but once they're no longer strangers he's so supportive and awesome. The rest of the cast is flawed but interesting, the MC's family was highly abusive and most of them are kind of coming to terms with that thanks to her.
Warnings: Slavery and the MC being incredibly shitty towards a slave character (honestly probably the worst part of the entire thing and it always makes me a little hesitant to rec this), dubcon, mind control, violence, massive amounts of abuse (the original villainess is one of those "fake daughter" tropes and the ML is one of those "abused and neglected Crown Prince" tropes), lots of betrayals, I'm certainly missing things.
What makes this unique: Again, just top tier ML for OI media. The MC is mostly clever and willing to do whatever is necessary, but also cares about the world and people in it (for the most part). The actual way the world state exists (spoiler) is also fairly unique (or was before others started doing it).
Villains Behind the Curtains
m/f, fantasy romance, transmigration, finished
The manwha isn't as dark as the novel and glosses over some stuff, especially the very end, but it's still enjoyable.
Summary: MC is reincarnated into a very dark novel where her villainous mother brainwashed another, extremely powerful villain into loving the MC since they were children and the MC is trying to free him from it while also trying to help out the heroes and protect her siblings.
Characters: MC is a little naive, but she's missing a ton of information and no one realized just how much was being hidden. ML is very yandere and basically would rather not be freed of his brainwashing if it meant he wouldn't have the MC anymore. MC's siblings are awesome, and the original leads are also still great people. MC's mother is a complete monster, of course, but her backstory ends up being pretty cool and original.
Warnings: Massive amounts of child abuse, dub-con or non-con (there's a lot of brainwashing and manipulation going on), suicide, I'm probably forgetting some. (If you read the novel, just know it's even worse on consent stuff and the ML is significantly creepier)
What makes this unique: The ML being an actual villain instead of just a misunderstood tsundere. The MC being mostly helpless against the situations she's in but still bothering to try. The really great sibling relationships where they all care and worry about each other. The mother and father's backstory (spoilers) is unique and cool, not just a regurgitation of dead-spouse-and-surviving-spouse tropes, but feels like it could be an entire book on its own. Also the main villain is a powerful woman who isn't just like a jealous love rival or whatever.
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News of the Day 3/17/25: Deportation, Fascist Style
Paywall go bye-bye.
I promise one of these days I'll get back to just sharing links with less diatribe. Not today, apparently. This matters, and I have Thoughts.
If you've been following along with the news about Mahmoud Khalil and feeling vaguely uncomfortable, I'm actually a bit proud of you. Not that you need the approval of a stranger on the internet. But it means you're facing up to conflicting political impulses and you're trying to balance them, not go all gung-ho but see a bit of nuance. That can be uncomfortable, but it's also a sign of maturity and growth. (If you're not conflicted, that's fine too, you may just not feel those conflicting impulses. We all run into this problem in different ways on different issues.
If you're not familiar, Khalil was one of the student leaders in the Columbia University's pro-Gaza (& yes, in some but not all cases, probably pro-Hamas) protests. He was on a student visa at the time, now on a green card after marrying an American. He's made some pretty upsetting pro-Hamas remarks, and I can see why Jewish students would find the atmosphere he and his group created hostile.
Which isn't to say they shouldn't be permitted at the school. It's also not to say Jewish students don't have a point when this is a residential campus and the school they have a right to feel safe at, too. Those are balancing acts; that's why they're hard. But part of being an American means we don't have the state deport people because they say hard things, certainly not in this bluntly chilling way. That's not who we are, or if it is, it's not who we should want to be.
I encourage you to read what Mona said above. Watch the video of how he was detained. And think about if this is really the kind of thing we want happening to American residents, whether we like hem or not.
For counterpoint: the LA Times argued Khalil violated the terms of his visa so could be rightfully deported (X), and Sec. State Rubio himself explained why foreign student protesters should be deported here (VIDEO), starting around 1:23.
More on Khalil’s case:
The Guardian: “Mahmoud Khalil’s case is setting up an epic first amendment battle with Trump.”
The US DOJ is also investigating if Columbia University hid other students sought by the US government.
A Columbia graduate who was a student journalist during the protests describes Khalil’s case. (X)
‘Rules aren’t clear anymore’: Trump crackdown on student protesters sends shock waves across US universities. (X)
And anti-semitism investigations on campuses generally:
Trump administration demands extreme control over Columbia policies to restore cancelled funding.
In response, Columbia U. revokes degrees, suspends and expels students involved in Hamilton Hall protests. (X)
Sec. Ed McMahon warned 60 colleges that they could face penalties from ongoing investigations into anti-semitism on their campuses. (X)
A well-connected NYU parent is trying to get students deported from that school over anti-semitism. (X) This is an older story from February, but still relevant IMO.
Trump admin focus on campus anti-Semitism is a pretext, argues Jonathan Chait. (X)
Columbia University faculty are divided on how to handle Trump funding cuts and protests to Trump administration.(X) Interestingly though not surprisingly, humanities and social science faculty are in favor of continued resistance, while lab science faculty more reliant on government funding want to find ways to cooperate with the Trump administration.
Trump says pressure on Columbia is only the beginning for college campuses. (X) The tagline sums it up: “The president has launched a campaign to remove noncitizens who protested against Israel — and bend university administrators to his will.”
More on deportations under Trump:
Trump had promised to open massive immigration detention center on Guantanamo Bay. Trump recently closed the deportation facility, after his admin spent $16mil to transport and house a small number of detained immigrants.
Trump resumed family detention for immigrants awaiting deportation.
He’s also considering using the 1798 Alien Enemeies Act to deport people more quickly, without due process. (X) The Guardian has a good explainer of what the bill does.
A federal judge blocked Trump's use of the law, (X) but Trump deported them anyway. Because of the timing of when the plane took off, it’s unclear if he actually violated the actual order, though he certainly did for the judge’s verbal instructions in court.
ICE deported a mixed-status Hispanic family as they try to access medical treatment for their daughter's cancer. (X)
Congress forced mayors of so-called sanctuary cities to appear before a hearing. Quelle surprise! "Congressional hearing on 'sanctuary cities' filled with half-truths, exaggerations".
Trump wants to use IRS to track down immigrants. It could stop them from paying taxes.
Republican legislation would block Chinese nationals from studying in the US, over espionage concerns.
Trump administration considers new travel ban that could hit 43 nations. (X)
Trump administration had previously ordered non-citizens to register with the federal government. Now a US Rep. is introducing a bill to repeal the WW2-era law enabling the registry, pointing to its connection to Japanese internment camps during WW2. (X)
Trump administration also launches a large ad campaign encouraging undocumented people to self-deport, and launches an app to track how many are leaving. (X)
Things are also heating up at the border:
3,000 US troops ordered to Mexican border, to prevent illegal crossings.
Pentagon to deploy Stryker brigades, aviation batallion to patrol the US-Mexico border. (X)
Trump's freeze on funding for resettling recent immigrants leaves new refugees scrambling to adjust in the U.S. For instance, Lutheran Services in Iowa is shutting down their operations and firing 30 workers next month, because of the Trump administration's failure to release grant money. (X)
Blocked from entering US by Trump's policies, migrants at US-Mexico border return to home countries. (X)
And taking a longer view:
"I study refugees, and here are the facts on the history and impact of refugee resettlement in the US ."
Census data: big cities are growing in population for the first time since COVID, thanks to immigration. (X)
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WIP Thursday
I’m unsure which WIPs to post snippets of. I’m always writing new stuff and working things that I’m planning to continuing and editing. The writing feels like a compulsion but is also therapeutic for me. It’s a curious conundrum 🤔
I was tagged by @avastrasposts and @frenchiereading I love you two ❤️
Anywho, this week, I’m just going to name ongoing or pending fics I have. It’s a long ass list but if you follow me, you should have an idea that I am a master of none and will write whatever idea sticks in my noggin. Behold!
Current ongoing fics (on Tumblr):
Nights in Coruscant - Din Djarin
Coasting through the Rainbow - Javier Peña
A Safe Place for Us - Dieter Bravo
Our Journey through the Star Ocean - Din Djarin
Weddings 101 with Dieter - Dieter Bravo
Fire and Fury - Pero Tovar (DDDE)
Security Logs - Frankie Morales
Therapy for the Well-Adjusted - Marcus Pike
Uncomplicated Mi Amor - Javier Peña
Come live with me Angel - Benny Miller
Current fics on AO3 (might be on Tumblr one day, you’ll also need to be a registered user to read them):
Front Office Adjunct - Dave York (Dark)
Foul Play - Javier Peña (kinda Dark)
Caught in the Magic of You - Marc Spector
Fifty-Six Wildflower Lane - Frankie Morales (Dark)
WIPs that are in Nerdie’s notes floating around:
Viridesicant Seduction - Ezra
The Green Shop of Memories - Marcus Moreno AU with magic (maybe Nerdie looked at her Harry Potter books too long, thought she was in the coven with the witches from “The Acolyte” and chose to pull a modern day fantasy out of thin air) 👀 Also @secretelephanttattoo ‘s glorious fic Afterword is to blame.
Common Tongue (Moment’s Silence) - Din Djarin
Drinks after Work - Tim Rockford (He’s gotten most of my horny vibes as of late, what’s a few more? Also coworkers to lovers? Also they’re in their mid-forties. The vibes say so, so it shall be written.)
Honey and Sugarplum - Jack Daniels (Him and that damn Stetson. The brim is wide like him.)
No title - Oberyn Martell as a sex worker? (All vibes. Could stay as is, could have an older virgin reader or just an older reader who wanted to explore some stuff)
No title - Poe Dameron talking you through giving yourself an orgasm. (Vibes and also Zoom?)
No title - Marcus Acacius fic (The plot? convoluted and doesn’t have Marcus in the orgy because he wasn’t invited. Frankly he doesn’t want to be there and it’s not hot without him. But is still plot relevant, sneaky stuff, plans and an assassination or two. It’s Rome baby, just a Tuesday evening before we hit up the bath house.)
No title - trying to rework an m/m fic I’ve been trying to write since January. Why did I need a time skip in there? Also don’t worry about feelings. It’s buns out. But also feelings because, we care kinda. Well about seeing tears and knowing we did that. This is why it needs to be reworked, maybe with different characters. Theme will stay the same though.
So you know, a few things. Just a couple. 🤭
Does anyone believe when I say it might be a problem? Who does all this at the same time? Ugh…😭
Peeps who might be interested: @inept-the-magnificent @megamindsecretlair @soft-persephone @soft-girl-musings @angelofsmalldeath-codeine
@maggiemayhemnj @magpiepills @morallyinept @lotusbxtch @bitchwitch1981
@mysterious-moonstruck-musings @for-a-longlongtime @lady-bess @westside-rot @fhatbhabiee
@sin-djarin @syd-djarin @julesonrecord @perotovar @djarinmuse
@alltheglitterandtheroar @rosecentaur1916 @pedroshotwifey
#pedro pascal characters#fanfiction#pedro pascal fanfiction#wips#wip thursday#so many wips#too many thoughts#pedro pascal#Nerdie might be a little neurotic
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Since I did it for Abe, I might as well also introduce you to Cavan. An OC of mine that serves a more plot relevant purpose in the narrative I've constructed with @british-hero.
So here you go, a few (slightly darker) facts about Cavan:
He was the second Larger Seagull engine to be made, making him the second oldest of his class;
As a result of his shared older brother status, Cavan took it upon himself to be a gentle guide for his younger siblings (a teaching style that contrasted heavily with his older brother, Bartholomew's, firm hand stance). He felt responsible over his kin, and did everything in his power to teach them and encourage them in their self-discovery journeys, with varying degrees of success...
Despite his nurturing and well intentioned nature, Cavan's constant attempts to placate conflict and keep everyone positive often made things worse, as he came off as either too forceful in his efforts to keep everyone smiling, or downright condescending because he didn't seem to be listening to what troubled his siblings;
Things between him and Edward were not very good at the beginning, as his constant struggle with Bartholomew to get their youngest brother to settle down post rude awakening (something which was ultimately the railworkers's fault), only seemed to infuriate the new-build. This resulted in an incident that ended with Cavan derailed and damaged due to a struggle for control over a double-heading task;
Cavan was originally the engine assigned to go to Sodor on loan, but after his accident he pleaded with his owners to let Edward go in his place. Seeing as his youngest brother seemed so unhappy being constantly put down or forced into uncomfortable situations, he thought maybe being given some responsibilities would help Edward mature a little without his siblings constantly pressuring him to fit a mold. He was ultimately correct in his assessment;
When the Furness Railway covertly sold off the Larger Seagulls to help them avoid the cutter's torch, Cavan wasn't very lucky. He was bought by a group who had some rather troubling plans for him and several other engines that they'd acquired through various (and often illegal) methods;
During his time in the Ring, an underground organization of modders that pitched heavily modified engines against each other for entertainment purposes (think robot wars crossed with dog fighting), Cavan was used mainly for test runs (as a training dummy). He was battered to such an extent that his wheels and tender were taken for scrap. Leaving him immobilized and rather miserable. Luckily he befriended another engine who took it upon herself to look after him;
After being rescued and taken to Sodor by happenstance, he was reunited with Edward. The two reconciled and opted to start over (deciding that focusing too much on the past wouldn't do either of them any favours), and while Cavan's damage was far too extensive to turn him into a working engine again, he suggested the fat controller reconfigure him into a portable generator. So long as he could still be useful, he didn't mind needing to be pushed or pulled by other engines to wherever he may be needed;
Cavan has a rather odd fascination for birds (especially seagulls). His favourite past time is bird-watching, and he can identify a bird by sight or sound alone. This of course means he's most happiest when serving as a backup generator at the harbour or, occasionally, near Henry's Forest;
While not as eccentric as Abraham, Cavan is often referred to as the Crazy Bird Engine by many engines who've found his interest for birds to be exceedingly peculiar. The ongoing rumour is that he's amassing an army (which he has done nothing to discredit as he would definitely not mind having an army of feathered friends);
Cavan seems envious of Harold to some extent, as he wishes he were able to fly. Nothing seems more freeing to him than souring through the air with no clear destination in mind.
#Thomas and Friends#TTTE#TTTE OCs#Cavan the Old Seagull#Cavan's story ties in with the one I've written for two canon engines#those being Edward (obviously) and Diesel 10 (I'm sure you can figure out how)
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Note: Reasons to Be Cheerful has had weirdly huge formatting issues for the past six or so months, so if that version is a mess, this link should work better.
"Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), the Sunshine State’s largest power utility, employs all the people you might expect: electricians, lineworkers, mechanical engineers — and a few you might not. For over 40 years, the company has kept a team of wildlife biologists on staff. Their task? Monitoring the giant carnivorous reptiles that reside in one of the state’s nuclear power plants.
Saving the American Crocodile
What sounds like a low-budget creature feature is actually a wildly successful conservation story. It goes like this: In 1975, the shy and reclusive American crocodile was facing extinction. Over-hunting and habitat decline caused by encroaching development had pushed its numbers to a record low. By 1975, when it was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, there were only 200 to 300 left.
Three years later, in 1978, workers at the Turkey Point nuclear power plant in Homestead, Florida happened upon something that must have made them gasp: a crocodile nest along one of the plant’s 5,900-acre “cooling canals.” Rather than drive the crocs away — perhaps the easiest solution — FPL hired a team of biologists and implemented a Crocodile Management Plan. Its goal was unconventional: provide a suitable habitat for the crocs within the workings of the nuclear power plant, allowing both to coexist.
Over the course of the next 30 years, FPL’s wildlife biologists monitored nests, tagged hatchlings and generally created a hospitable environment for the reptiles. As it turned out, the plant’s cooling canals provided an ideal habitat: drained earth that never floods on which to lay eggs directly adjacent to water. Over the years, more and more crocs made the cooling canals home. By 1985, the nests at Turkey Point were responsible for 10 percent of American crocodile hatchlings in South Florida. In 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service downgraded the American crocodile’s status from endangered to threatened, singling out FPL for its efforts.
The program continues to this day. To date, biologists have tagged some 7,000 babies born at the plant. In 2021, there were a record-setting 565 crocodile hatchlings at the Turkey Point facility.
"Reconciliation Ecology"
Turkey Point’s efforts are an example of what is known in the conservation world as “reconciliation ecology.” Rather than create separate areas where nature or animals can thrive in isolation from humans, reconciliation ecology suggests that we can blend the rich natural world with the world of human activity. Michael Rosenzweig, an emeritus professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona, was a leading force in establishing this concept. The author of Win-Win Ecology: How the Earth’s Species can Survive in the Midst of Human Enterprise, Rosenzweig has pointed out that although human encroachment has typically been considered a threat to biodiversity, the notion that the world must be either “holy” or “profane,” ecologically speaking, is simply not true.
“In addition to its primary value as a conservation tool, reconciliation ecology offers a valuable social byproduct,” writes Rosenzweig in his first chapter. “It promises to reduce the endless bickering and legal wrangling that characterize environmental issues today.”
-via Reasons to Be Cheerful, May 5, 2022. Article continues below. All headings added by me for added readability.
Dr. Madhusudan Katti, an associate professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University, was inspired by Rosenzweig when he did his postdoc at Arizona State. Katti has now been in the field of reconciliation ecology for two decades and teaches classes on the subject. “To me it’s finding solutions to reconciling human development with biodiversity conservation,” Katti says.
This common ground between development and conservation can be consciously planned, like FPL managing a crocodile habitat at a nuclear power plant or the state-sponsored vertical gardens and commercial farms on high-rise buildings in Singapore. Other examples include the restoration of the coral reef around an undersea restaurant in Eilat, Israel, or recent legislation in New York City requiring patterned glass on high-rise buildings, making windows more visible to migratory birds. Other planned examples of reconciliation ecology can be more individually scaled: a rooftop garden in an urban setting, modifying your garden to earn a “backyard bird habitat” certification from the Audubon Society, or even just mowing your lawn less often...
Reconciliation Ecology: Nature's Already Doing It Without Us
But there are countless examples of “accidental” incidents of reconciliation ecology, as well. One of Katti’s favorites is the kit fox of California’s San Joaquin Valley. “The kit fox was one of the very first species listed on the Endangered Species Act,” Katti says. Its decline was caused by habitat loss through agricultural and industrial development, as well as the extermination of the gray wolf population, which led to an increase in coyotes. So kit foxes adapted and moved to new habitats. One of these was the city of Bakersfield, California.
“Bakersfield, surrounded by oil pumps, would be the last place you’d expect to find an endangered species,” Katti says. But researchers think kit foxes have migrated to Bakersfield because they actually have more protection there from predators like coyotes and bobcats. “The kit foxes have figured out that if they can tolerate the human disturbance and live with people, then they are safer from all these other predators,” he says.
Living in the city has led to some interesting behavioral changes. In the wild, for instance, a female kit fox gives birth to her young and raises them by herself in a den. But in the city, researchers have observed multiple females raising their litters together in the same den. “It’s like a form of cooperative breeding,” Katti says. “That wouldn’t happen in the wild.” ...
The Big Picture: How We Think about Conservation
Reconciliation Ecology isn’t just we humans welcoming animals like crocodiles and foxes into our environments, though. It’s also living with nature in a way that most Western societies haven’t done since the Enlightenment. “In recent years, there’s been a recognition that the ‘fortress conservation’ model — keeping nature separated from humans and not thinking of or valuing human-inhabited landscapes — those ideas are outdated,” says Katti.
In fact, in Katti’s classes on reconciliation ecology, he embraces the notion of reconnecting people with their land if they have been unjustly separated from it. “The term reconciliation also applies to all the colonial legacies where both nature and people have been harmed,” Katti says. “For Indigenous communities, the harm done to ecosystems, it’s happened together. So you can talk about addressing both. That’s where a lot of my thinking is at the moment.”
A hopeful version of this sort of reconciliation is happening in California where colleagues of Katti’s who are tribal members are re-introducing “tribal burns” in some areas. Controlled burns have been a part of many Indigenous cultures for millenia, both as a way to prevent devastating forest fires, but also to encourage the growth of certain plants like hazel that are used for basket-weaving and other crafts.
“The notion that people don’t belong there and ‘let nature take care of itself’ doesn’t really work,” Katti says. “That’s the legacy of Western European Enlightenment thinking — a divide between human and nature. That is a real faulty view of nature. People have been part of the ecosystem forever.”
-via Reasons to Be Cheerful, May 5, 2022
#a bit older but still ongoing/relevant and still very cool#florida#crocodile#reptile#ecology#environment#sustainability#endangered species#united states#california#kit fox#nuclear power plant#reconciliation#colonialism#the enlightenment#conservation#human beings#good news#hope#urban ecology
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Kurt Bardella at Kurt Takes:
The triumph of MAGA media in the 2024 elections has provoked an ongoing conversation about the future of so-called legacy media.
News influencers like Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Megyn Kelly, Charlie Kirk, Ben Shapiro, Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, etc., held more sway with the electorate than names like Anderson Cooper, Lester Holt, David Muir, Norah O’Donnell, Wolf Blitzer, Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes, Lawrence O’Donnell, etc. Since election night/week, ratings for cable news outlets like CNN/MSNBC have cratered, while Fox News has grown. The prognostication about the future of legacy media has been grim for some time now. Ratings have declined, and big-name talents (and budgets) are in decline. However, the electorate doesn’t have to rely on traditional media (newspaper, radio, TV) to remain informed—there are more options than ever. It begs the question: Is there a way to save legacy media and cable news? The short answer is no—not if you want things to return to their former state. But is there a way to appeal to the current generation of 25–—to 49-year-olds? Yes, of course, there is. [...]
As an outside observer, I see that many legacy media outlets are bending over backward to try to keep the audience that they’ve traditionally had. Still, that universe of viewers is getting older and smaller with each passing day. At some point, you must decide to forge ahead, embrace the future, and start programming for tomorrow's audience, not yesterday's audience.
Walk down the street, through Target, at the gym, and notice how almost every adult under 60 has earbuds in. Watch your kids on the couch with their iPads on their laps, and observe how they swipe constantly on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube. This is how the world absorbs content. Now ask yourself, is the product you’re putting out into the world crafted in a way that reaches people where they are? Is it interesting, entertaining, informative, authentic, formulaic, repetitive, redundant, dull, or forgetful? Is there personality to your programming, or would the casual viewer not notice the difference between what’s on at 9 a.m., 2 p.m., or 8 p.m.? From a personnel standpoint, the media world is very cyclical, much like the political world. Everyone works for everyone at some point. But if you’re investing in the future, you must realize the solution isn’t in the past. Doing things as they’ve always been done won’t attract new viewers, and it won’t help you compete against those outside the traditional media structure who have tailored their presentation to the world as it is, not as it was.
NewsNation contributor Kurt Bardella wrote on his Kurt Takes Substack on the state of the legacy media and its relevance (or lack of one) for the younger generation.
#Kurt Bardella#Legacy Media#Mainstream Media#Media Bias#Substack#Kurt Takes#Conservative Media Apparatus
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emptied headed
As I grow older (wiser?), I've noticed what things people fill their heads with.
To an addiction at times. I know you've all seen the facebook/instagram/tiktoc/etc addicts. And it all appears to be strange to us, as its a new form (new form to us blue hairs) of keeping ones mind busy.
I was at one time really into facebook.... as it was a priority in my daily activities. I left a few years ago, and came back to it about 6 months ago. I did it so I can keep up with the EH community. Now I'm back, and I scratch my head..... more than half of the folks contributing, I have no idea who they are. Other than they appear to be younger than I. It is keeping me up to speed though.... Everyone else "requesting friend" I cut off. I may/may not friend family.... doesn't really matter, I see most regularly.
I habitually, but not prioritized, spend the first 2-3 hours of my day... checking out youtube, Lincoln Journal Star, email (bring a trailer), comments on this tumblr account, facebook, and the EH forum site (I have to check in there, as I guess I'm still a monitor of that site).
From there currently I go down stairs and do my physical therapy excercises. I can do the first part of my day within 30 minutes, but usually longer.
Do I need to do this... actually no, and if I have something happening during this regularly scheduled activities... I'll skip it.
My PT, I'd skip out willingly, but I don't. I feel its important, even though I see no progress.
Its not easy just sitting, doing nothing, not even reading, not watching tv.... to do absolutely nothing. Staring off at a corner of your ceiling in silence.
I can't do it.... at best a few minutes, but when I do, I'm usually thinking about something else other than the corner of the ceiling. I'd guess pretty much everyone is this way.
And because of this... we all have something filling our heads to different degrees of importance. Some relevant, some not so much. All entertaining to a point. Ad nauseum..
Now not to piss anyone off.... hell, I'm bad at youtube viewing somedays... 99% of the youtube shows I watch have absolutely no value other than entertainment, but skip staring at a corner on the ceiling. I also will listen to at least one podcast per day.
But I've noticed more and more folks at least my age, becoming hooked on entertainment of choice, whether I like it or not..
Patti loves to watch old Andy Griffith shows, pastry cooking shows, and game shows (old and new). Buddy Jim watches westerns in his shop, and likely within the house when he can. Buddy Rob also likes his gun smoke, and Perry Mason. Larry Dawson, loves all of this, and maybe more (professional?).
Other than the age of my youtube shows, and these folks watching reruns..... most likely no difference at least in general. What is really going into our heads....?
I really think if comes from days before radio/tv. In my life time, I've witnessed the gift of story telling. If someone has a good story, people love to listen. And listening to good stories, can be addictive to a point. Remember, as a kid, and the story was over.... and you wanted more. Now as an adult, and you run across someone that can tell a good story.... whoa, don't stop, I want to hear more.
Is this addiction because you feel good, or thrilled, laughter, anger, scared.... your mind wants more, as some chemicals are mixing about in your head. Unlike a lot of folks, I enjoy a good scary movie, and I know there is a chemical rush of some sort that goes with this.
I found out just recently, that more folks read this ongoing blog, than I ever thought. At best I was guessing 1 or 2, just out of being polite. Guess I'm filling folks heads with ????? No body is leaving here smarter, I promise ....
I have games I also entertain myself with pretty much daily.... Majong, hearts, spider hearts, and solitaire. Solitaire is the best game while listening to podcasts.... I find myself wanting more podcast and more solitaire every time.
I'd guess games can take up to 90 minutes of my day...
My goal daily is to be productive. Even at times if its only one minor item that takes a few minutes (currently being productive is governed by how I feel pain wise). At least I feel I'm being productive. If I have something going on in the shop.... its hard to stop. I can if all is going well, and I'm not tired..... go all day.
Human mind is a curious thing. Naturally not wanting to be idle. I like to read, but wont make time for it anymore. I have about 12 books partially read. I really need to get them done. But my pride (contradicting all of the above comments) won't let me..... as its not productive????
Guess I'm a slow learner. .... Well as a matter of fact I am. I still think when doing anything physical, I'm in my 40's, but if I help with groceries, (BOY i HATE TO ADMIT THIS), I really struggle with some of those bags of groceries.
Patti will be watching one of "her" shows... and I'm about to pull my hair out, as the show was just on last week.... I almost know the script by heart. She's happy, am I being such a dick.
So I mosey on down stairs and do something other than watch Andy Griffith... I'm happy, she's happy.... good enough I suppose.
In this day and age, is being empty headed even a thing, with all the input we receive all the time? I've got "Alexia" right next to my bed, and she tells me when to wake up.
Maybe its too much? My head don't hurt from being over filled....
No idea....
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ILAN_PROFILE'S ACTION / SUPERHEROES CARTOON GUIDE
Looking for Cartoons to Watch? Need a Guide for Animated Shows? Are you a Beginner or a Pro in watching TV shows? THIS ARE ALL THE ACTION / SUPERHERO CARTOONS I RECOMMEND!
About Each Section:
WATCH THIS: Shows I think are a MUST Watch for anybody getting into cartoons
NEW CARTOONS: Ongoing shows premiered in the past 2-3 years
STILL RELEVANT: Older shows / Already finished shows that still get a lot of attention nowdays
BONUS MENTIONS: Other Shows I havent watched that much of or arent as widely known as the others above
STORYDRIVEN: Fully serialized shows with lot of conitnuity
SEMI-EPISODIC: Shows with an ongoing story but also have self contained arcs
EPISODIC: Shows with minimal continuity, you can watch basically any episode
DISCLAIMER: I tried to limit myself to only 1-2 shows of each IP, UNLESS each of them feels too different from one or another (Like The Looney Tunes Show vs the classic Looney Tunes Cartoons) or you need to watch all shows together to get the full narrative (Ben 10 -> Alien Force -> Ultimate Alien -> Omniverse)
#Ben 10#Ben 10 Alien Force#Ben 10 Ultimate Alien#Ben 10 Omniverse#Teen Titans#Young Justice#Spiderman#Spectacular Spiderman#Danny Phantom#Samurai Jack#Pokemon#Pokemon XY#Pokemon Sun & Moon#Rise of TMNT#Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles#OKKO#OK K.O.: Let's Be Heroes#Arcane#Invincible#Xmen '97#My Adventures With Superman#Unicorn Warriors Eternal#Moon Girl#Ark#Castlevania#Harley Quinn#Monkey Kid#Scissor Seven#Marvel#Transformers
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Retrospective 2023 (3)
Haven't looked at numbers in a minute, and since my presence online has been super inconsistent (especially here) recently, I have no idea how this will end up looking. I've updated this sheet a couple of time during the year, but not in a way it tracks old numbers... Because Tumblr has a limit of 20 images per post, I won't include the graphs here, like I did last year, but in this doc (for those interested). Also, I realised I didn't even do celebration posts for milestones this year... And there were quite a few ;-; sorry
For the relevant projects, I've also included a more detailed recap of what's been done this year. All of it is under the cut.
The projects are ordered in date of release.
Forewarning, those stats are not a good representation of IF/Tumblr popularity. The numbers should not be taken as a baseline for comparison. There are many different factors that resulted in those, most of them being out of everyone’s control. I am only comparing myself to Past-Me.
2021 Releases
Status: Complete.
No major updates, since the game is complete. Only some maintenance fixes. The source code of older versions is also available on my GitHub.
Stats:
5.475 total plays (+1.7k-ish)
30 ratings (+5), with an average of 4.4/5 (+0.1)
Inside 316 collections (+108)
Almost 2.3 views/play (+0.1)
Unsurprisingly, the interest for MtP is going down. The game is complete, has not and will not have new updates. It would surprise me if it would gain any traction at this point. I expect the additional plays not to pass 600 by the end of 2024.
2023 Milestones:
5k plays
30 ratings
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
Status: Hiatus
I wanted to have an update for this project in 2023. It didn't happen. There is actually quite a bit of work to do in the code, which I had started but didn't complete.
Stats:
40.326 total plays (+12k-ish)
97 (+28), with an average of 4.6/5 (-0.1)
Inside 2.679 collections (+913)
About 2.0 view/play (+0.1)
For a year without any update, I am honestly surprised so many people still played the game this year (average of 30 plays/day). I'm very grateful about it, nonetheless. Hopefully, I'll have something to show for this year!
2023 Milestones:
30k + 40k plays
75 ratings
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
Status: Hiatus
This was another project I had planned to complete this year and... didn't. I managed to write a bit for the game, but nothing that would warrant an update.
Stats:
2.203 total plays (+760)
13 ratings (+2), with an average of 4.3/5 (+0.1)
Inside 126 collections (+38)
Went to 2.9 view/play (+0.2)
There were a few jumps in interest in Exquisite Cadaver this year, especially considering there were, once again, no updates (especially at the start of April). But nothing very substantial... I'm honestly pretty happy peeps still enjoy the game, because the whole thing is a bit strange xD
2023 Milestones:
2k plays
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
2022 Releases
Status: Completed
Absolutely nothing has been happening with this game, not even a bug fix or anything. When I get back to this project, it will be for a complete re-haul. Which won't happen in a long while.
Stats:
3.205 total plays (+790-ish)
19 ratings (+4), with an average of 4.3/5 (=)
Inside 293 collections (+90)
About to 2.2 view/play (+0.1)
2023 Milestones:
3k plays
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
Status: Completed
There was a plan to fix the issues in the game AND add new content. But, if you've followed me this year, you've seen... nothing happened! Honestly, a whole re-code of the game is needed at this point.
Stats:
1.458 total plays (+785)
16 ratings (+6), with an average of 4.5/5 (+0.3)
Inside 103 collections (+59)
About 2.1 view/play (=)
The lack of blowing up stands on two things: the game is not that good... and I don't really have an intro post peeps can share...
2023 Milestones:
1k plays
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
Status: Ongoing
Out of all the WIPs I have, this one got the most progress. It got two major updates during the first half of the year (one of which included a maze!). The second had been spent working especially on Chapter 5 (it's a chunker) and starting Chapter 6 (for MelS). We are trying to wrap up the project for 2024.
Stats:
9.379 total plays (+6.4k-ish) (so close…)
56 (+28) ratings, with an average of 4.8/5 (=)
Inside 783 collections (+444)
About 1.9 view/play (+0.1)
A pretty decent growth for the game, though it is not always consistent. Most interest in the project happens during updates (duh), with some dozen returning players weekly. I don't think it will ever reach the level of CRWL, but it is doing pretty well considering the genre.
2023 Milestones:
5k plays
50 ratings
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
Status: Completed(-ish)
Until the first anniversary of this project (coinciding with the EctoComp once more) this game was in French only. Since last October, it was re-written to include more rooms inside the house, and a proper ending beat. It was then translated into English, and the whole thing was recoded. There are still a few kinks I need to handle, but it is essentially complete.
Stats:
252 total plays (+181)
1 rating with 5 stars (=)
Inside 13 collections (+7)
About 4.9 view/play (-0.7)
Unsurprisingly, there was little to no interest in the game. The page was visited a bunch of times, but few people clicked (probably because it was in French. Since the translation, more users have checked out the game and played it. I don't really expect much more interest from players, unfortunately...
2023 Milestones:
100 + 250 plays
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW Oh... it doesn't have a page... omg.. stpid me.
Status: Completed
This year, the game was re-edited, translated to French, and recoded - a proper remaster including sound! And another game I can call complete and shelved!
Stats:
605 total plays (+270-ish)
10 ratings (+3), with an average of 4.8/5 (+0.1)
Inside 31 collections (+17)
About 3.2 view/play (+0.1)
I am not shocked to see this, honestly. It's a short meme game around a gimmick mechanic that gets old pretty quickly. Still, some interest made in late last June (somehow???) and when I published the remaster in autumn.
2023 Milestones:
500 plays
10 ratings
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
Status: Ongoing
At the start of the year, I updated this game to add a tiny bit of content (a few passages) and ensured it could be played on mobile. And published a template from this UI.
There was more content written for the game, as well as mechanics coded, but nothing is coherent enough (or devoid of bugs) to be playable.
Stats:
500 total plays (+333 !!!)
4 ratings (+4), with an average of 5.0
Inside 39 collections (+28)
About 3.0 view/play (+0.5)
Combined a tiny demo with a pre-set character, a not super popular genre, not much to do or little replayability... and you get this. I'll just check back when the game is actually complete :P Honestly, I'm just glad some peeps caught the inspiration for P-RIX.
2023 Milestones:
500 plays !!!!
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW (oh and it has both an intro post and an IFDB page now!)
2023 Releases
Now that we are going into the new releases, there is less comparing, and more putting down the base.
Status: Completed
Biggest high of this year! Released the game in January, won the comp in March, was interviewed shortly after, remastered the whole thing during the summer break (which included a total re-haul of the UI, an English translation, and increased content). Hands down my best game of the year.
Stats
967 total plays
7 ratings, with an average of 5.0
Inside 68 collections
About 3.1 view/play
Lots of views on the game page without plays for the longest time, because, up until the remaster, the game was only available in French. Things picked up then the remaster was uploaded (though it coincided with the IFComp). The game is also not available for mobile play due to its interface...
2023 Milestones:
Won the French Comp!
100 + 250 + 500 plays
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
Status: Hiatus
The first Act of the story was created for the SeedComp! (which didn't win anything because I organised it, and it would have been unfair :P ). There was a plan to complete the game after the SeedComp! was over, but that didn't pan out. I have notes for it, though a re-write of Act 1 may be necessary...
Stats:
633 total plays
5 ratings, with an average of 3.6
Inside 46 collections
About 2.6 view/plays
While bummed by the average, Not surprised. The game is incomplete and plays on the noir codes, which are... something (also the twist is silly). I'll pay a bit more attention to it when the game is actually complete :P Also... It never got an intro post....
2023 Milestones:
100 + 250 + 500 plays
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
Status: Complete
Released for the SpringThing in the Main Garden, this game was supposed to be updated by the end of last year and... it ended up needed a lot more work than expected. I am still working on it. This was my attempt in experimenting with Twine, creating a parser with a non-parser program. It... didn't work all that well as a conventional parser, but it worked pretty well for other peeps.
Stats:
650 total plays
5 ratings, with an average of 5.0
Inside 56 collections
About 2.8 view/plays
Honestly, not bad considering this is a weird parser, that worked eh and still has some issues. I won't ever expect it to blow up, honestly, but it's nice to see a play or two popup on my screen sometimes.
2023 Milestones
100 + 250 + 500 plays
PLAY | INTRO POST | RATE | REVIEW
Status: Complete-ish
Created for a French Jam where I could not choose the program, the game was then upgraded and translated into English for the Text Adventure Literacy Jam a few weeks later. It was my first proper parser game (and made with Adventuron). I still need to fix some issues and typos with the English version, and retranslate back into French...
Stats: The game has currently two pages: French and English
160 (58+88) total plays
4 ratings, with an average of 5.0 and 4.0
Inside 4 collections
About 2.8 view/plays
No surprise here. Parsers are not popular on itch. (I should maybe add it to the textadventure.co.uk website....)
PLAY FR - EN | INTRO POST | RATE FR - EN | REVIEW
Assets and Other Tiny Games
Loads happened with this sections this year, with the addition of 5 new templates, and a whole Guide for SugarCube.
In January, the Setting Template was added - with the Space-Tech UI one following at the end of March, the VN-lite UI one in July, the Character Creator in November, and the Title Page UI in December.
The Guide was released in two periods, with a pre-release before the summer, and a complete one mid-december (which included a download point).
As of last month, all templates are also available on Github, and the Guides are all "playable" on itch.
CScript to SugarCube Guide/Folder
105 downloads (114 plays)
4 rating at 5 stars
Inside 36 collections
Get it here.
Tweego Ready to Use Guide
425 downloads (51 plays)
1 rating at 5 stars
Inside 6 collections
Get it here
Note: this guide got its own page in November of this year, despite being available since 2022
SugarCube Guide
1.300 "plays" (76 download)
11 ratings at 5 stars
Inside 102 collections
Get it here
Templates
2105 downloads
25 ratings, with an average of 5.0
Inside 274 collections
Get them here
After the release of Le Jeu de la Dévotion in late December 2022, I've been participating in other game jams with tiny entries. While one did get a bit more interaction than even my larger piece (Collision, wtf), little really happened to warrant a proper section (they are really tiny!).
And so these were released:
April 2023: À la Campagne [English]
June 2023: Clarence Street, 14, Collision, Intersigne [English + French]
Aug 2023: Le Diner [English]
Oct 2023: In the Blink of an Eye [English + French]
Nov 2023: Tower of Sleep [English] <- BINKSI :D
Dec 2023: Dévoiement [French]
2023 Overall Graph
Ok I lied, one graph:
Compared to last year, the graph is less very high peaks and very low down time (with a slow increase), but a more consistent base (higher than last year) with some moderate peaks for releases (namely Harcourt's and DOL-OS). The downloads have boomed, but that's because of the templates...
The increase of overall small releases (with jam/comp entries) probably helped in this staying a bit consistent (though I could do a better job at hyping up releases before and after they happen here and in other places). It would probably have looked much different if my release focus was somewhere else (like CRWL).
And that's it for stats (I'm skipping the follower/note counts)! The 2024-plan is next!
#manonamora#retrospective#2023#year in review#games#indie dev#assets#twine#interactive fiction#interactive games#I can't tag all the projects anymore#because Tumblr has a limit of 20...#milestones#stats
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