#reel inequality

[afragmentcastadrift]

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[coochiequeens]

I know this blog focuses on TIMs invading women’s sports and locker rooms but Saving Women’s Sports means more than that. Like calling out sexist bs when companies give men real clothes to compete in and women get basically underwear.

The Nike Air Innovation Summit in Paris on Thursday.Credit...Dominique Maitre/WWD, via Getty Images

By Vanessa Friedman April 12, 2024

Ever since the Norwegian women’s beach handball team turned the fact that they were required to wear teeny-tiny bikini bottoms for competition into a cause célèbre, a quiet revolution has been brewing throughout women’s sports. It’s one that questions received conventions about what female athletes do — or don’t — have to wear to perform at their very best.

It has touched women’s soccer (why white shorts?), gymnastics (why not a unitard rather than a leotard?), field hockey (why a low-cut tank top?) and many more, including running.

So it probably should not have come as a shock to Nike that when it offered a sneak peek of the Team U.S.A. track and field unies during a Nike Air event in Paris celebrating its Air technology on Thursday (which also included looks for other Olympic athletes, like Kenya’s track and field team, France’s basketball team and Korea’s break dancing delegation), they were met with some less-than-enthusiastic reactions.

See, the two uniforms Nike chose to single out on the mannequins included a men’s compression tank top and mid-thigh-length compression shorts and a woman’s bodysuit, cut notably high on the hip. It looked sort of like a sporty version of a 1980s workout leotard. As it was displayed, the bodysuit seemed as if it would demand some complicated intimate grooming.

Citius Mag, which focuses on running news, posted a photo of the uniforms on Instagram, and many of its followers were not amused.

“What man designed the woman’s cut?” wrote one.

“I hope U.S.A.T.F. is paying for the bikini waxes,” wrote another. So went most of the more than 1,900 comments.

The running comedian Laura Green posted an Instagram reel in which she pretended to be trying on the look (“We’re feeling pretty, um, breezy,” she said) and checking out the rest of the athlete’s kit bag, which turned out to include hair spray, lip gloss and a “hysterectomy kit,” so the women would not have to worry about periods.

When asked, Nike did not address the brouhaha directly, but according to John Hoke, the chief innovation officer, the woman’s bodysuit and the man’s shorts and top are only two of the options Nike will have for its Olympic runners. There are “nearly 50 unique pieces across men’s and women’s and a dozen competition styles fine-tuned for specific events,” Mr. Hoke said.

Sha’Carri Richardson

Women will be able to opt for compression shorts, a crop top or tank and a bodysuit with shorts rather than bikini bottoms. The full slate of looks was not on hand in Paris but more will be revealed next week at the U.S. Olympic Committee media summit in New York. The Paris reveal was meant to be a teaser.

Anna Cockrell.Credit...Dominique Maitre/WWD, via Getty Images

Mr. Hoke also pointed out that Nike consults with a large number of athletes at every stage of the uniform design. Its track and field roster includes Sha’Carri Richardson, who happened to be wearing the compression shorts during the Paris presentation, and Athing Mu. And there are certainly runners who like the high-cut brief. (The British Olympic sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, another Nike athlete, told The New York Times last summer that while she opts to run in briefs, she also leans toward a leotard style, rather than a two-piece.)

What Nike missed, however, was that in choosing those two looks as the primary preview for Team U.S.A., rather than, say, the matching shorts and tanks that will be also available, it shored up a longstanding inequity in sports — one that puts the body of a female athlete on display in a way it does not for the male athlete.

“Why are we presenting this sexualized outfit as the standard of excellence?” said Lauren Fleshman, a U.S. national champion distance runner and the author of “Good for a Girl.” “In part because we think that’s what nets us the most financial gain from sponsors or NIL opportunities, most of which are handed out by powerful men or people looking at it through a male gaze. But women are breaking records with ratings in sports where you don’t have to wear essentially a bathing suit to perform.”

The problem such imagery creates is twofold. When Nike chose to reveal the high-cut bodysuit as the first Olympics outfit, purposefully or not, the implication for anyone watching is that “this is what excellence looks like,” Ms. Fleshman said.

That perception filters down to young athletes and becomes the model girls think they have to adopt, often at a developmental stage when their relationships with their bodies are particularly fraught.

And more broadly, given the current political debate around adjudicating women’s bodies, it reinforces the idea that they are public property.

Still, Ms. Fleshman said, “I’m glad Nike put this image out as the crown jewel of Olympic Team design,” because it may act as the catalyst for another conversation that has been long overdue.

“If you showed this outfit to someone from the W.N.B.A. or women’s soccer, they would laugh in your face,” she said. “We shouldn’t have to normalize it for track and field anymore. Time’s up on that.”

[sapphiresaphics]

Having spent time now with the full series I still don’t feel the pacing issues other people seemed to have with it.

I get that as the episodes are releasing and we only have 3 a week and don’t have the full picture of what they’re planning it can be really easy to feel lost and confused.

But now knowing where they were going, a lot of those supposed “rushed plot lines” people were complaining about make sense. The importance of the Black Rose stuff now makes sense because it’s Ambessa’s entire motivation for why she’s doing the things she’s doing. It makes sense to take Ekko and Jayce out of the plot briefly when they visit the hexcore cuz that forces Ambessa to side with Singe. It makes sense why the Warwick stuff was being set up because that ended up being the catalyst to propel Viktor into being the Machine Herald.

Also, it makes sense now why Piltover and Zaun played such an important role in being the stage for where THIS story was set. I get people wanted the show to be more about the inequality, but the inequality was always just the set dressing for the main characters to be in and was never the central focus of the show. Not even back in season 1.

Like back in season 1 the inequality helped explain the characters motivations, but the central core message the story was telling was how people compromised their morals with good intentions only to achieve terrible results.

Jayce built Hextech to help the undercity and he ends up using it against them. Viktor obsesses so much over fixing his disease that he compromises and takes shimmer and in the process Sky dies. Silco dreams of a free Zaun, but it results in him essentially becoming a drug lord and harming the people of Zaun more than helping them. Caitlyn breaks Vi out of prison to help her hunt down Jinx, and in the process of having Vi return into her life inadvertently causes Jinx to double down and attack the Piltover council.

Inequality was a setting and a backdrop, but the show was never focused on resolving or exploring those issues much deeper than it was.

Also, about that pacing.. have you guys gone back and rewatched Season 1? The first 2 episodes are pretty chill with the pacing, but episode 3 goes crazy. And so does episode 4 and 5 and 6… like the pacing gets wilder and wilder as the season goes on until towards the end we are jumping from Silco reeling from nearly getting killed by Sevika to having a friendly discussion with Jayce on the bridge to being captured by Jinx. It’s FAST guys. Breakneck speed.

I will also say that rewatching season 1 gives me an appreciation for a lot of the parallels they had in season 2 that I missed. Things like “Remember Me” being the theme to when Vander attacks Silco back in season 1. Or like how when AU Powder appears on the dance floor with Ekko mirrors how Jinx approached him on the bridge in Season 1 Episode 7. Or how Jayce and Viktor invented Hextech floating up on the ceiling, and the series ends with the two floating in the ethereal plane together.

I maintain that a lot of these criticisms about season 2’s pacing are not as bad as some people think they are once you take the whole series together as a whole. Without that 3 year gap or the wait between episode drops, the whole series blends together much more seamlessly.

And then there’s like… season 2 episode 7? That episode stops all the forward momentum and resets our expectations. It provides us with context for some of the stuff we had seen and helps us understand the stakes going forward. When people are complaining the series is going by too fast I just can’t agree because that episode exists and it literally stops us in our tracks before ramping up again.

I understand that some side characters outside the central 7-8 mains weren’t fully developed much and that is definitely a valid criticism of the show… however I would also remind people that season 1 had a similar problem. Grayson was a fascinating character I wish I knew more about, but outside of a small cameo in episode 5 she’s just gone out of the series forever and nobody brings her up again ever. We never learn much about Huck. We never learn what happened to Clagger and Mylo’s parents. We never learn anything about Finn and what he did. We never learn more about the robot council member or the woman who has a clock on her neck. There are a LOT of characters who just never come back at all in season 1.

I dunno guys.. the more I digest this series the more many of the criticisms feel unfounded or a real reach for something to complain about.

[lunarflux]

I've seen people saying that a relationship with Aemond would only turn out to be toxic because of one reason or another... Do you agree with that? Because idk I feel like if he loves someone who treats him well, he'd treat them well and respect and be mindful of them too, right?

He doesn't strike me as someone immoral/abusive with his loved ones, he always turns out to be gentle in the end, he craves love after all, and I think it'd be the same with a romantic partner.

No, I don't think it would end up toxic. Would there be explosive moments? Sure. Given the circumstances of his entire life, it'd be impossible for him to maintain his composure all the time. Especially when his pride is hurt, he wouldn't be able to reel it in so easily even with an emotionally compatible partner. However, I think that with the right partner, they'd be the only one who can calm him down in the most efficient way with little to no damage and with the most positive impact on him.

Both Aemond and Aegon are emotionally immature, but it shows in different ways. Aegon lacks the understanding of how his emotions can affect others while Aemond has learned to swallow everything he feels so that nothing can hurt him anymore. That being said, someone like Aemond might be the type to love too hard and be unable to show it in a way that lets his partner know the depth of his feelings. Again, in the case that this is the right partner, that wouldn't really matter, and they'd be able to understand him in other ways.

If we go through the multitude of toxic behaviors (let's start with a handful): jealousy/possessiveness, carelessness/ignorance/blaming, inequality/inferiority, a disregard for boundaries, lying/gaslighting/toxic communication/constant criticism:

(working all under the assumption that this is the right partner)

Jealousy/Possessiveness: Aemond envies what his brother has because he feels Aegon doesn't deserve it but it was handed to him anyway. For Aemond's partner, he already has her. She already "belongs" to him. He would only ever feel jealous if he felt there was someone more worthy of her than he is.

Carelessness/Ignorance/Blame: The right partner would know what they're signing up for. He's a Targaryen Prince for fuck's sake. Any person who would believe they could have all of him shouldn't have him at all, and Aemond would easily cast aside or ignore someone who's so in need of him that it would hinder his day-to-day concerns that go beyond a relationship. This part goes both ways. They would need to be absolutely independent and understand their role as well as his. That being said, because they are separated, Aemond would know they have no hand in anything he does other than what conversations are had after he's done what he's had to outside of his responsibilities. Everything he does is for the sake of the crown and his family, so he wouldn't blame his partner for something like a decision to burn Sharp Point. He would rather own up to it than shift the blame because then he's lost control.

Inequality/Inferiority: Not much to say about this. Aemond is a Targaryen. His partner would be more likely to feel inferior, and the toxicity would come from their end. If it was on Aemond's end, it would more likely be that his partner is seeing his frustration due to him feeling inferior to someone else outside of the relationship.

A disregard for boundaries: Aemond doesn't seem like the type to intrude on his partner's privacy. Nor would he force himself upon them, and that's just as a result of his sexual history.

Lying/Gaslighting/Toxic Communication/Constant Criticism: Of this list, he would be most likely guilty of constant criticism, but I only see it happening as the result of him having a bad day. And anything he would say would be hyperbolic but it would only be a small fraction of the truth. He might nitpick and criticize, but should his partner have the confidence to know that this is what he does when he's angry, they'd take it as a nonsensical momentary occurrence. His partner would be able to find the right moment, sit him down, and ask him what happened. I don't think he'd apologize, but they'd know he didn't mean it.

Aemond's partner would unfortunately(?) need to be someone who helps him grow and understand how to speak to others on an intimate level. He keeps things formal until he can't control his emotions, so he would need to learn how to open up the floodgates and really speak his mind in a place where he feels safe and with a person he knows he can trust above all. His partner would be able to see passed empty words and choose not to fight back, but instead, they'd mirror him with the face of serenity and ease. Fear and anger disrupt logic, so they'd have to stand in front of him and throw logic in his face when his anger is directed to the wrong person. He wouldn't be able to be with someone who's weak, and in a sense, his partner would need to be mentally stronger than him in order to keep him standing.

[renthony]

Hi, have you written an essay on the history of racism in the academy awards? If not, would you be able to recommend some readings to get a good idea of the subject?

I have not, but here are a couple books you might be interested in checking out!

Black Oscars: From Mammy to Minny, What the Academy Awards Tell Us About African Americans, by Frederick Gooding Jr.

Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism, by Nancy Wang Yuen

[themegachessatron]

A Review of my time in Skyrim's Prisons (Featuring some followers): Riften Jail

Part 5 of my Skyrim Prison Review series. This chapter finally breaks the "every interior looks the damn same" chain by looking at Riften, Skyrim's capital of corruption, inequality and... fishing. I think that last one might be important.

Since my last review the inner circle has grown a few notches. Joining me this time is Dunmer heartthrob Teldryn Sero, Whiterun's finest donkey Lydia, Jordan the peak Riekling specimen and the returning Inigo and Sofia. Actually getting arrested and put into the cell here proved surprisingly difficult. We first tried punching one of the homeless people on the streets unprompted but nobody batted an eye when we did. Then I tried stealing food from a nearby cart but again, nothing. So for the third attempt I thought of a real humdinger. I went into the orphanage and suplexed the old lady running it so hard that her spine broke and she died instantly. The children in the orphanage were naturally very happy and- wait, happy!? I was shocked to find them all celebrating her death! I mean she was called Grelod the Kind for Diagna's sake! I swear, kids these days are so ungrateful! Nobody even called the guards! I murdered an innocent old lady without consequence and I have no idea why. In the end we had to literally beat a guard to death to finally get in enough trouble to warrant an arrest. So much hassle, and for what? Well let's see...

Riften's cell is oddly nice, with a full bed provided in each cell as well as a desk, lighting setup and chairs (no rug though, unfortunately). It was also quite cramped inside the cell with all us inside of it due to the relatively small floor size. Had we all not decided to investigate as a group this would've likely been far more adequate of a cell. There are even multiple other cells in this jail, so it's clearly built for capacity (Maven has a lot of enemies it would seem).

Attached to the back wall was a pull ring. The ring in question somewhat blended in with the dark colouration of the walls and pulling on it opened a secret entrance and revealed a secret tunnel behind the prison walls. The actual outline for the secret entrance was quite clearly visible so identifying it as a possible escape route was easy. Normally in this situation I'd leap at the opportunity to criticise the laziness of the guards in not being able to identify the obvious avenue for escape, likely by making some joke about them being more blind than a Falmer or the like, but given the very obvious and deep-rooted corruption in Riften hold (which on fear of my life I know nothing about), it's more likely the guards know about it but are paid to turn a falmer's eye. This isn't as bad as the guards being incompetent at their jobs. It's worse. It shows just how tarnished the internal systems of this city are and is beyond shameful.

Further down the path we were greeted by... a bathing spot? Excess water flow point? Fishing training spot? Given the large Riften fishing scene I'm inclined to assume it's the latter (See? Told you the fishing would be important!). Unfortunately when we arrived there were no fish in the water or indeed fishers-in-training doing their practice reels. Perhaps they were taking the day off?

The path continued downward to eventually lead to a sewer grate (very original, Riften. Veeeeerrrry original). We sent Jordan ahead first to ensure the path ahead wasn't too mucky and/or filled with waste. He (She? It?) was hesitant at first but a quick reminder of her (His? Its?) position in our tribe proved convincing enough to put its (I'm going with its) mind at ease.

We were dropped out of the grate into the depths of Lake Honrich. Hardly the most glamourous escape but it sufficed. Inigo wasn't particularly happy getting his fur so wet but the damage had already been dealt. We took this opportunity to return to the jail normally using guard armour and a few brilliant false moustaches as disguises to look at the space outside the cells.

As previously mentioned, there are a lot of cells in this jail, significantly more than most and the building is well-designed to accommodate these large cells. Though if the rather pompous-looking man in the top left corner is any indication some of the more well-off prisoners can quite easily obtain certain luxuries for their cell. It's also worth noting that (while not pictured above because I forgot to take a visual illustration of it at the time) the prisoner belonging chest is in a wholly separate room in the jail, multiple rooms apart from where the cells are located so no optimistic burglar is picking their cell lock, breaking into the belongings chest and retrieving their beloved Nightingale Boots easily, that's for sure!

Overall... wow. This jail is something else. Much like Riften itself it's simultaneously a brilliant location that operates highly efficently or the biggest sack of Chaurus droppings I've ever encountered. Much of it's defining strengths only exist due to deep seated corruption and the influence of one particularly angry middle-aged woman making them so (which again, I reiterate, I know *nothing* about). As such I can't in good faith call Riften Jail an adequate prison.

Final score: Three Nightingale Boots out of Ten Nightingale Boots

Thank you for reading this review. Next time we go slightly more formal and investigate Imperial HQ, Solitude and the Castle Dour Dungeons

[tssdresses]

Sanders Sides Animatic Ideas | Inside | Comedy

Main: Thomas, Patton, Roman, Logan Background Characters: Janus, Virgil, Remus

Logan's lines are in blue, Roman's in red, Thomas is pink, Virgil in purple, Janus in orange, Remus in green, and, Patton is either black or white depending on light/dark mode.

The world is changing The planet's heating up What the fuck is going on?

We open with Thomas, Logan, Roman, and Patton sitting in the living room together. Logan says these lines, while looking down at a book.

Rearranging It's like everything happened all at once Um, what the fuck is going on?

Roman, from his seat, is staring at the area of wall where Remus stands during videos.

The people rising in the streets, the war, the drought The more I look the more I see nothing to joke about Is comedy over?

Patton is holding a newspaper (upside down), and looking at Thomas over it. Very Dad pose.

Should I leave you alone? 'Cause, really who's gonna go for joking at a time like this?

Thomas is looking at a his phone, which is open to a social media app, with his finger hovering over a 'create' or 'reel' or whatever button.

Should I be joking at a time like this?

Patton

I wanna help to leave this world better than I found it And I fear that comedy won't help

Thomas closes the app and tosses his phone down on the couch.

And the fear is not unfounded

Logan closes his book (and does a double take at Patton's upside-down newspaper).

Should I stop trying to be funny? Should I give away my money? No!

Roman looks at Patton while suggesting a pause in humor due to the state of the world. When he suggests getting rid of Thomas' money, we see various charity organization logos float across the screen.

Logan waves them away, saying no.

What do I do?

Thomas, face in hands, sitting on the couch.

Healing the world with comedy The indescribable power of your comedy The world needs direction

Patton looks at Thomas, then looks at Roman and Logan, who are both looking at Patton expectantly. Yes, we've been going through arcs about Patton not having all the answers, but hey, old habits die hard.

From a white guy like me?

Logan looks a little dubious at Patton's idea.

Bingo

Roman, on the other hand, does not.

Who is healing the world with comedy?

Patton visibly looks unsure of himself.

That's it! The world is so fucked up Systematic oppression Income inequality The other stuff And there's only one thing I can do about it... While... while being paid... and being the center of attention

Thomas and Roman go back and forth during these lines, with Roman getting more excited, and Thomas starting to perk up a little bit more.

Healing the world with comedy Making a literal difference, metaphorically A Jew walks into a bar And I've saved him a seat That's healing the world with comedy

Thomas and Roman continue to get more and more excited about 'healing the world with comedy.'

I'm a special kind of white guy I self-reflected and I want to be an agent of change So I am going to use my privilege for the good (Very cool, way to go!)

Patton says these lines with a little dance, and Logan is the background 'Very cool, way to go' line. Logan does not do a little dance.

(Roman in the background: Specs is being sarcastic again)

American white guys We've had the floor for at least 400 years So maybe I should just shut the fuck up

We zoom in on Logan from over Patton's shoulder, and he continues to be deadpan while saying this. After, there's a beat of silence, where we pull back to see the whole living room.

I'm bored

Roman, bored, face-plants down to the floor.

I don't wanna do that There's got to be another way For me to help out without standing on the sidelines

Each of the sides say their line, looking at Thomas as they do. Roman looks up from his position face-planted on the phone.

Never!

Thomas, cheering along with the other sides.

The wait is over! I'm white, and I'm here to save the day! Lord help me channel Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side Sandra Bullock!

Roman and Patton cheer back and forth at each other. There's a little bit of green seeping from behind the TV when Roman brings up Sandra Bullock. Don't worry about it.

Healing the world with comedy Making a literal difference, metaphorically And yes, most likely they'll pay me But I'd do it for free I am healing the world with:

Thomas goes back to his phone and opens up whatever app he had closed, and goes between navigating the app and talking to the sides.

Comedy

Patton pops into the frame, wearing sunglasses.

If you wake up in a house that's full of smoke Don't panic, call me and I'll tell you a joke

Virgil joins from the stairs, holding a fire extinguisher.

If you see white men dressed in white cloaks Don't panic, call me and I'll tell you a joke

Remus appears, dressed as a ghost. Virgil throws the fire extinguisher at him.

Oh shit, should I be joking in a time like this?

The extinguisher rolls into frame, coming to rest at Janus' feet. Pan up to see him saying this, sarcastically, as Remus falls to the floor before springing back up.

If you start to smell burning toast You're having a stroke or overcooking your toast

This segment is called '"Helpful Facts" with Remus.'

If you wake up in a house that's full of smoke Don't panic, call me and I'll tell you a joke

Logan, standing next to Virgil, says this line, while nodding approvingly at Virgil's move with the fire extinguisher.

If you see white men dressed in white cloaks Don't panic, call me and I'll tell you a joke

Remus, still in a ghost costume, lurches towards Roman, who screams and draws his sword.

Oh shit, should I be joking in a time like this? Somebody help me out, cause I don't know

Patton, fully ignoring everyone else, picks his newspaper up (correctly, this time), and flips through it again.

And I want to help to leave this world better than I found it And I fear that comedy won't help

Thomas comes and looks at the paper with Patton.

And the fear is not unfounded

Virgil points this out 'helpfully.'

Should I stop trying to be funny? Should I give away my money? No!

Roman and Patton, who both look concerned, say their respective lines, and Janus tells them no with an air of "of course not." Patton looks reassured. Roman does not.

Roman is also holding his sword over his shoulder. The sheet (without Remus) is draping from it. There are a few more holes in the sheet now.

I know what I gotta do Healing the world with comedy Making a literal difference, metaphorically

Remus pops up on "I know what I gotta do!" and everyone else looks worried for a moment, before he continues, and Thomas joins in on "Metaphorically."

I swore I'd never be back But now I'm back on my feet And I'm healing the world with comedy

All sides are on a stage, suddenly, with Thomas standing in the middle of the sides. There are curtains, open, in front of them, facing an audience, and a second set of curtains, closed, behind them. There is an orange lights creeping out from under the closes curtains.

All the sides bow together, and the curtains close.

TOC Content | Face Time With My Mom (Tonight)

[thedialup]

seeing an instagram reel about how trans people should stop talking about gender identity discourse and start talking about the practical inequality we face (housing, employment, etc) and then seeing the author liking comments about how nonbinary people aren't really trans and if you haven't physically transitioned you're not really trans was crazy. like are you aware you're a hypocrite

[qunlatlatte]

Ok! Had some time to think and also I am avoiding re-writing a letter I don't want to write so here we go!! Spoilers ahead

Ok I like... really didn't like veilguard much (No surprise there). It's probably a symptom of being a long time fan, but like.. I think they just glossed over so much. We were in Tevinter for so long but the subject of slavery never came up? All the quests we came across?? Not a mention of it-- or even any discussion of like class inequality between mages. Not a mention of the hard social structures- it doesn't seem like it would be that hard to work it into a side quest of something with the Shadow Dragons.... idk

Felt like all the characters were just cameos from their other books and comics to try and sell those??? But I haven't seen any ads advertising those?? Like if your selling me something at least sell me someting??? Those side characters are all compelling in their own stories but they are so uncompelling and uninteresting in the game?? Antoine and Evka might be a bit different, but idk if i got more screen time with them cause my PC was a warden. Like Isseya? The whole blight crypt?? What was Antoine's deal? Why did he hear the blight differently?

Hated the blanket Venatori and the Antaam are the bad guys and so flat. No words about how the qunari just let the military run away with no follow up? No spies or mages or anything showing up to reel them back in??? No ben hasarath action??? Nothing??? idk Seems like it doesn't fit with anything we've heard about the Qunari before this. Also just like??? Didn't give a compelling reason for an entire section of their culture to just breakaway without any kind of over zealous rhetoric or mission or plan? Why leave the qun to live in the same kind of conditions just... separate from the other parts of your society??? cause some guy said so?? Cause you like his hat?? idk idk

And the Venatori--- so these guys have been marching around the last 10 / 15 years and there's not a significant resistance to them? Unless I guess that's what the Shadow Dragons are (lame name). I thought political militaristic groups would have some name that felt a bit more... relevant to the struggle. What do dragons have to do with fighting slavery and blood magic?

Also the Venatori dont' operate in the open yet? They don't have a cornerstone of the political market?? They seem to have endless numbers but we don't get any sense of there being a controlling hand?? And it never comes up we're just flitting around going "the Gods D: " any time they show up??? And their redesign isn't as cool as their designs in inquisition. Think it was a decision to differentiate the Venatori from the Tevinter forces, but what does it matter if we never see any Tevinter officials take any kind of stance???

Something kind of funny about the inquisitor joining the battle only to ... not join the battle and then waltz up to the platform at the end. Also, my headcannon is that my inquisitor never got a fake arm. She was an archer, so after loosing her arm she lost her ability to shoot! It's been 10 years and that's enough time for a warrior to learn new skills or something to learn to fight with only one arm, but I always thought she wouldn't get that good? Like i think with the anchor, in her prime, she's fighting at an almost god like level. She is SOO strong and deadly. Cuts off her arm after Solas kills it and the anchor and learns to fight with one arm, but like- she doesn't have to get that strong again? She knows that her strength as the Inquisitor is really in the connections and way she can leverage the power of the inquisition, she doesn't have to spend as much time in the field. She's more useful strategizing and talking people into cooperating and knows that's what the world will need in order to keep people alive while the fade/veil shake the world. She doesn't have to get back to what she was and her life is different now.

Emmericks' quest and villian were so fun and good? I felt like they flowed so much better than the others, but I also feel like their plot lines didn't have to hook into some other arbitrary Cameo or throwback stuff. I wish everyones quests felt like that.

I loved Davrin's quests?? Loved how everybody's were like- let's kill this person who has wronged me and he is like- let's walk through the woods and talk about the things that feel beautiful and wonderful in this life. I love angst and kind of wish his story had a bit sprinkled in somewhere, but i also think that paints a piece about his chacter. He's not an angsty guy hahah

Griffins 🥺

idc what else the cannon says my warden get a griffin. She's alive and she gets a baby bird!!!!

[xoxovalerie-c]

Blog Post Week 2: Due 9/6

How can modern social media platforms better amplify diverse voices to foster a more inclusive environment? 

What strategies can be employed to ensure that stories are being given a fair representation?

Social media has a long and evolving history, continuously shaping and impacting society in numerous ways. In the book, News for all the people: The story of race and the American media, by Joseph Torres and Juan Gonzalez. Discussed how racial segregation has been a prominent topic in media coverage. Writers would publish their works with the intent of reaching a targeted audience. For instance, if the general population was white people, stories portraying non-whites as dangerous were often propagated to justify and enforce new government policies. It’s important to note that the spread of such news often led to changes that were designed only to protect one specific racial group. Minority groups were marginalized, so they decided to take action by starting their own small newsletter businesses to speak out about the issues they were facing. This made a significant impact, as people from other groups began reading these newsletters for alternative perspectives. Today, this is one of the reasons so many newsletters exist. In the industry, professionals are taught the importance of telling stories that resonate nationwide, as it helps bring greater attention to important issues. In the hope of creating an inclusive environment on social media.

How does the concept of critique of domination and exploitation described by Fuchs manifest in the business practices?

Critical thinking has been essential for social media because it helps users spot fake information and avoid being misled. It also allows for social users to understand how recycled information works because media ownership is a huge thing. Once users see information in numerous sites they confirm the information as factual. It enables people to have a more meaningful and respectful discussion by questioning and considering different viewpoints. In the article, Social Media a critical introduction, by Christian Fuchs, mentions the different roles that critical thinking sets up for media. One dimension of critical thinking theory is critique of domination and exploitation. Domination means that one group benefits at the expense of others and has the means of violence at hand that they can use for upholding the situation where the one benefits at the expense of others. Exploitation is a specific form of domination, in which one group controls property and has the means to force others to work so that they produce goods or property that they do not own themselves, but they owning class controls (Fuchs, 2014). I think Instagram is a clear example of this theory in action. It offers a variety of features similar to those found on  other platforms—such as stories like Snapchat, videos like YouTube, and short clips called Reels like Tik Tok. However, it can be likely that Instagram can collect users data and sella it for targeted advertising. Users may not even realize their content is being used for marketing purposes and do not receive compensation for it.

How can increasing awareness of domination and exploitation help users today?

Today it affects the world as many of us are users of many different platforms. It can help us be more informed on how our privacy is being invaded or how we are choosing to put it out there. Overall, this awareness helps us navigate the digital landscape more responsibly and advocate for better practices in social media and digital content creation.

Gonzalez, J., & Torres, J. (2021). News for all the people. Power and Inequality, 223–231. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315201511-28

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social Media: A Critical Introduction. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446270066

[tomfooleryprime]

In school, I learned U.S. history through a shallow, carefully constructed narrative that was more concerned with instilling patriotism than it was with imparting contextualized, factual accounts and records of times that came before. What I learned is America started when England was trying to tax us to pay for their imperialism and foreign wars and we didn’t like that, so we fought a revolution and then we didn’t have to have a king anymore and we were free. Most of us. Next up in the timeline was slavery, which was bad, but we fought the Civil War and then didn’t have slavery any more, which was good. 

Around that time, the country was expanding and we couldn’t share the land with the native peoples, so we forced them west, which was sad. And then we never talked about them again, except a casual mention about the trouble they made on our road to achieve Manifest Destiny. There was the Industrial Revolution and the Gilded Age and people got tired of working all the time in dangerous conditions, so then there were some strikes or whatever and now we have weekends. We even allowed former slaves and women to vote: good job, America! 

Then there was WWI, which got botched somehow so we had to do WWII. Hitler was bad and we beat his ass, and we also locked up Japanese Americans but that belongs in our blooper reel and we were sorry for that. Later. Kind of. Then it turned out maybe all the problems of racial inequality actually weren’t solved by the Civil War, so we had the Civil Rights movement and then things were basically fine. 

Then came Vietnam and some stuff about communism, a hand wave through the later decades of the 20th century, then the War on Terror, the Great Recession, and now here we are in 2023, paying taxes to put more money into our military than most other developed nations combined because, you know...we love imperialism and foreign wars when we’re doing it, but shame on 18th century England for doing the same. Those assholes. Anyway, the best storytelling always comes full circle without beating you over the head with the symbolism and irony. 

And that is how U.S. history was taught to many modern inheritors of this great experiment in democracy even before the culture wars got involved and people clutched their pearls over equity, diversity, and inclusion training, critical race theory, and the 1619 Project. But whatever you think about telling kids that most of the founding fathers owned slaves or that maybe Jim Crow didn’t end as much as it was transformed into the industrial prison complex, consider the inevitable fate of the Covid-19 pandemic in our history books. 

It seems strange to think of events from three years ago as history, because we were there. It feels almost like a foregone conclusion that decades from now, chroniclers will reflect on the start of the 2020s as a time the nation, no, the world, was blindsided by an unseen enemy but how we all came together to fight back. They’ll tell about how science raced to develop treatments and vaccines in record time. There might even be pictures of the parades for healthcare workers and people singing to each other from NYC balconies. 

But the stories about people who didn’t believe it was real, even as they gasped their last breaths in hospital beds, will disappear. So will the stories of the abuse frontline workers faced every day just for asking people to wear a mask. The stories about hoarding toilet paper and hand sanitizer and affordable housing and those who sold it at exorbitant markups will fade into the background, as will the reality that millions of people refused the very vaccines that the history books will tout as marvels of modern medicine and the American can-do spirit.

U.S. history books might note how more than 1 million Americans ultimately died—no mention about all the lives that were maimed by long Covid or the loss of a parent, partner, or breadwinner—but as Stalin once said, one death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic. 9/11 was a tragedy that killed 3,000 people and permanently altered the social and political landscape. To this day, I still can’t board a plane without taking off my shoes. But when that many were dying every day during some of the pandemic’s peaks, we had other people demanding we re-open restaurants and movie theaters and concerts because “we can’t live in fear.” The uglier parts will inevitably get left out of our story because they aren’t conducive to national pride.

I’ve learned a lot of things about American history since leaving school. It broke my heart to learn just how many Americans in the 1930s thought Hitler made some good points about Jews. To learn Lincoln wasn’t really opposed to slavery so much as he was the expansion of it. To learn just how pervasive lynching was in the American south or how relentlessly coordinated the genocide of the Native Americans was for more than a century. And I have a feeling that around the time I’m ready to breathe my last, I’ll hear young people insisting that while the pandemic was terrible, it was a unifying, equalizing force that brought out the best in us. 

Never mind it only brought out the best in some of us. It brought out the worst in just as many others. Because to tell the story of everyone who resisted every single measure to slow or stop the pandemic with the dedication and ferocity of suicide bombers takes the “we’re all in this together” version of events and turns it into a disjointed narrative. That isn’t good storytelling. That isn’t good history worthy of an American classroom.

[plethoraworldatlas]

This March, Argentina’s school year began with empty classrooms. The price of learning materials rose by 502 percent over the past year, leaving many children unprepared for the year to come. And the teachers? On strike after President Javier Milei announced deep cuts to their salaries.

There’s something much larger happening here: Workers rights are under attack in an already vastly unequal society. Labor income inequality has been on the decline in many Latin American countries like Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. In Argentina, it’s been on the rise.

Since the 1960s, Argentina has been in an unprecedented period of macroeconomic instability. Stagnating in the lead-up to, and during, the dictatorship years (1976-1983), the country’s economy has reeled from crisis upon crisis — punctuated with the occasional period of recovery and growth. As the decades wore on, public distrust and discontent produced a deep social divide. Argentines call this phenomenon la grieta (“the rift”).

During his successful presidential bid last year, Milei seized upon these conditions. TV personality and self-proclaimed anarcho-capitalist, the eccentric economist promised to correct Argentina’s path and make what he called the “political caste” pay for their mismanagement of the country. Wielding a chainsaw while he campaigned, Milei vowed to eliminate state ministries, abolish the central bank, roll back abortion rights, and dollarize the economy.

Now that he’s had a chance to implement his platform, working families — not an elite “political caste” — are footing the bill for his far-right economic project.

In the two months before Milei took office in December, inflation was running between 143 and 161 percent. In February, inflation soared to more than 254 percent and the poverty rate reached 57 percent — the highest in decades.

Argentina’s labor movement has quickly mobilized widespread and effective opposition to his policies. While strikes and protests continue, we can already begin to draw lessons on resisting the far-right’s rise worldwide.

Milei takes a chainsaw to workers rights

After taking office on December 10, 2023, Milei acted swiftly. Declaring “There is no alternative to shock,” the president immediately devalued the peso by 50 percent, lifted price controls, and dissolved half of the country’s ministries.

Milei’s government then launched an offensive on workers rights. On December 14, the newly appointed Minister of Security announced a new protest protocol. Consolidating control of Argentina’s security forces and creating a registry for organizations suspected of “instigating” the protocol allowed federal forces to use increased surveillance and violence.

Days later, Milei signed the “Decree of Necessity and Urgency 70/2023.” Dubbed the megadecreto (“mega-decree”) for its sweeping scope — cutting severance pay, weakening collective bargaining rights, deregulating the rental market, and otherwise undermining existing protections — the 366-article document is an unconstitutional abuse of executive powers.

Making matters worse, Milei cut public subsidies on utilities and transportation. Hypocrisy shone through his already vague definition of the “political caste.” As one Argentine told a journalist, “The caste doesn’t take the train nor any form of public transit. We workers and students do.”

Milei’s aggressive measures roused a prompt response from Argentine labor. In late December, the country’s largest unions announced plans for a January 24 general strike — the quickest to be organized under any president since Argentina’s return to democracy in 1983.

Millions join the general strike

Forty-five days after Milei took office, 1.5 million Argentines took to the streets. Workers from all sectors joined the strike: transit, aviation, government, banking, and sanitation, just to name a few.

“Not one step back,” one associated union declared on the day of the strike, “for the unity of the workers movement is essential in protecting the rights we’ve achieved.”

The protesters’ outrage centered on Milei’s Omnibus Bill. The proposed legislation contained sweeping changes to Argentina’s economic and political structure, including the privatization of state-owned companies and an unprecedented expansion of executive powers. 

The bill would also codify Milei’s unpopular “mega-decree.”

“[Milei’s ‘mega-decree’] destroys individual rights of workers, collective rights and seeks to eliminate the possibility of union action at a time in which we have great inequality in society” said Héctor Daer, the Secretary General of the General Confederation of Labor. One of the world’s largest unions, the CGT represents roughly two-thirds of Argentina’s unionized workforce.

Shortly after the strike ended, the National Congress of Argentina rejected Milei’s Omnibus Bill. Initially approved by the Chamber of Deputies in a 144 to 109 vote, majority support faltered when it came time for an article-by-article review.

The first Omnibus Bill consisted of 664 articles. Now, two months later, they are struggling to push an amended 269-article version — with hefty concessions for the left.

Milei’s uncompromising approach played no small role in killing his first Omnibus Bill. But the general strike served a critical blow to his already weak coalition. 

Aftermath in Argentina, implications abroad

Beyond their victories in the streets, Argentine labor has also made notable gains in the courts. Successfully challenging the legality of Milei’s “mega-decree,” the General Confederation of Labor blocked the roll-out of several critical anti-worker measures.

Following January’s general strike, February and March witnessed a patchwork of smaller strikes, placing continued pressure on the government. The most recent have come in the aviation, healthcare, and education sectors. The Argentine Workers’ Central Union (a federation with 1.2 million members) held a “national day of struggle” on March 12 — and united with other groups to block 500 roads throughout the country on March 18. More strikes are planned for March 28.

On March 14, the Senate voted down the Decree of Necessity and Urgency. Though the “mega-decree” remains in force unless the lower house also opts to reject, the upper house vote represents another massive blow to Milei’s government.

Instrumental in defeating Milei’s first Omnibus Bill — and otherwise slowing the pace of his anti-worker disaster project — Argentine labor’s recent victories offer an important reminder: Working-class people are a potent political force.

These victories also offer lessons in resisting the far-right’s rise worldwide: Organized labor can serve as an infrastructure for mobilization and a counterbalance to democratic backsliding. At their best, unions provide checks on abuses of executive power and ensure that working people always have political representation — no matter who occupies the presidential palace.

With nearly 30 percent of the workforce unionized, the labor movement is strong in Argentina. The United States hasn’t seen that degree of union density since the 1950s, though now the tide might be turning.

With 64 countries holding national elections in 2024, this year will be a watershed moment in world history. And with the far right on the rise, there’s never been a more critical time to mobilize in defense of dignity and democracy.

Here in the United States, there are over 85 million poor or low-income eligible voters. As Inequality.org’s co-editor Sarah Anderson writes, “If this bloc voted at the same rate as higher-income voters, they could sway elections in every state.”

[personal-blog243]

I really think we need to use the “we should improve society somewhat” meme more often to some of these conservatives 🙄.

Lately I have seen a few reels on social media that are for some reason targeting younger, white, women who share their concerns about the cost of living crisis and their financial worries. It seems to be mostly conservatives who will make some comment like “lol I thought you had white privilege” without actually addressing poverty in minority communities. 🙄. Or they will revert to the old “bootstrapping” rhetoric or say they also struggled so it doesn’t matter. Some people will even make assumptions about the way she voted in the comments and say it’s poor people’s fault for voting wrong as if that’s a solution to systemic poverty 🙄. Even if the woman in the video didn’t say a word about politics.

I feel like people target these videos of the very few examples of young white women complaining because they are an easy target because they are statistically less likely to be poor, but it just ends up hurting other demographics of people that are even more impacted by wealth inequality.

[dhspeller]

This was a great visual of Wealth Inequality...

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDicSgWSZER/?igsh=MW14c3k1dW9ibXV0aQ==

[mwplanet]

Arcane Season 2: A Masterclass in Animation and Storytelling

The second season of Arcane dazzles with breathtaking animation, masterful production, and a climactic conclusion that left fans amazed, devastated, and eager for more.

By Isabelle Alon

Arcane: League of Legends: Season 2 Poster Photo via Rotten Tomatoes

In 2021, the Netflix Original series Arcane baffled viewers with its indisputable quality and intricacy. As an animated exploration of the universe behind the hit video game, League of Legends, the series’ first season exceeded nearly all prior expectations of the show with its high levels of visual detail and effective storytelling—League of Legends fans and casual viewers alike were captivated with the show and made demands for more. 

Fortunately—although 3 years in the making—the pleas of millions of Arcane fans were eventually answered.

In its first season, Arcane explored—and introduced non-gamer viewers to—the conflicts between Piltover and Zaun, two relevant worlds and settings in the League of Legends franchise. The second season’s first three episodes, which aired on November 9th, 2024, comprised Act I of the season and picked up within moments of season one’s conclusion in a seamless continuation of the ongoing plot, and the resultant aftermath of season one’s cliffhanger. 

Act II, made up of episodes four to six, was where the season felt as if it truly began to evolve. It aired a week later on November 16th, and weaved in fresh, unexpected twists while raising tensions between characters, and the stakes of the show’s central conflict. Even the anticipated developments—particularly for those familiar with League of Legends lore—are executed in ways that still manage to surprise.

Its final act, from episodes seven to nine, provided heart-stopping sequences of events leading up to its devastating ending. It delivers a powerful culmination of the season’s build-up, blending emotional segments, breathtaking action, and stunning visuals. As tensions between Piltover and Zaun reach their peak, the resolution of key storylines is both satisfying and thought-provoking. While the final act resolved most of Arcane’s storylines, it also left the door  open for future exploration, teasing even greater stakes, and leaving hints towards the exploration of other characters from different regions of the League of Legends universe. Fans will undoubtedly find themselves reeling from the emotional impact of the ending, and eagerly awaiting what lies ahead for these richly developed characters, generating attention towards the video game franchise, as well.

The intricate storytelling, symbolism, and immersive soundtrack interwoven throughout the series enhanced its narrative and even linked it to real-world conflicts. Relevant themes such as socioeconomic inequalities, power and corruption, and the consequences of excessive technological advancements are thoroughly examined, accompanied by a clever plot that tied in religious symbolism and universal familial conflicts. As well, season two’s soundtrack, featuring  d4vd, Ashnikko, Twenty One Pilots, and King Princess, and several more rising artists, allowed scenes to produce more emotional and atmospheric depth.

However, it was undeniably the animation in Season 2 that truly elevated Arcane to new heights. While the first season’s visuals were already phenomenal, animation studio Fortiche has pushed the boundaries even further. The second season of Arcane boasted the largest budget used for an animated show in history, though the massive $250 million budget was evidently well spent. This season embraces a much more dynamic artistic approach, experimenting with different styles and visual effects, particularly during its most pivotal moments. This creative evolution not only amplifies the emotional depth of the series but also ensures it feels endlessly captivating; nearly every frame in the show feels like their own illustrations. In terms of animation, the only works that rival Arcane on this level are the films Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse, which are clearly significant influences.

In conclusion, Arcane Season 2 continued to impress audiences with its excellent storytelling, worldbuilding, and the cohesive development of its characters. Furthermore, it pushed the boundaries of what animated shows can achieve and strive towards in the future. With its intricate setting/character development and its exploration of numerous impactful themes, Arcane’s long-awaited second season ultimately leaves viewers both satisfied and hungry for the next chapter in the League of Legends universe.

[michelleisdead05]

CTS B | Week 1 Creative Practice and Critical Thinking

In CTS class today we talked about societal issues engaging and pertinent. When our classmates and I conveyed our stories through comic panels in class, it demonstrated how creative practice and critical thought can coexist.

I feel that critical thinking and creativity are similar in that they require us to reflect on our experiences and analyze the current situation, allowing us to solve difficulties in our daily lives by utilizing our imagination, logic, and awareness of social cues.

As an Asian firstborn daughter, I'm very understanding of the gender inequality happening every day; even some of us are not aware that it is inequal. Luckily, my personal experiences are not that terrible, but out there, I have seen a lot of cases where women are treated badly and undervalue their skills, especially academic-related. You might find this funny, but when you scoll your TikTok or Instagram reels, you may have caught videos about parents taking care of their kids. If it's a guy doing his job, everyone will give him a lot of compliments and praise, but when it comes to women, people will not say anything about it, maybe a compliment because the baby is cute. It is sad, but true, and is happening every day.

Applying what I learned in class today, I would approach my creative process with a more open mind. I could question myself and acknowledge any existing biases. By doing so, I aim to produce additional ideas that will help me prevent real-world issues.

(25 words)

Kim, Danu. "Taxes." 13 Aug. 2024. Accessed 23 Sep. 2024.

Ko, Riley. "Colourism or Shadeism." 13 Aug. 2024. Accessed 23 Sep. 2024.

Nguyen, Michelle. "Gender Inequality." 13 Aug. 2024. Accessed 23 Sep. 2024.

Chia, Dylan. "Family Career Expectations." 13 Aug. 2024. Accessed 23 Sep. 2024.