#relative risk vs absolute risk

[kramlabs]

[snapscube]

i don't know if you said so on your recent Web of Shadows stream, but what are your thoughts on Insomniac's more casual style of web swinging vs. the more difficult, physics-based web swinging? I've been avoiding Spider-Man 2 footage, so I haven't seen any web swinging, but I'd love if they could incorporate some risk/reward aspect to make swinging more engaging.

i think there's been a big push from spider-man game fans to re-contextualize Insomniac's web swinging as underwhelming and too casual that's kinda unnecessary and does it a big disservice. THAT IS NOT TO SAY that there haven't always been people who don't prefer the very low skill floor and relatively low skill ceiling of those titles, and that's also not to say that it isn't a fair assessment when looking at swinging mechanics in a vacuum. something like Web of Shadows ABSOLUTELY has a lot more rewarding moments of web swinging because of its higher skill floor, and when you really get a feel for the mechanics you can pull off some crazy stuff that it feels like insomniac's take isn't even dreaming of.

HOWEVER, i reiterate, this is all totally true and not exactly in Insomniac's in favor when examined in a vacuum, but in reality these mechanics DON'T exist in a vacuum. they're very important yes, they're how you're gonna spend a majority of your time in game yes, so it's important that they have a baseline level of fun and satisfying enough risk/reward to sustain an entire playthrough, or maybe even multiple. but Insomniac's swinging mechanics are in service of a game that not only does MORE with its open world than many others previously, but also does pretty much everything else a LOT better. Insomniac's take feels a lot more like it's in service of creating a much more approachable Spider-Man sim, where you don't have to necessarily "figure out" the swinging mechanics as much as you might in WoS or in SM2 (PS2) because there's a lot of content they want you to be spending more of your time on, and they need you to feel like you are playing an extremely capable and seasoned version of Peter.

playing through even just the opening of Web of Shadows on stream this week really drove home how much the world just feels so empty in comparison. the swinging was admittedly more fun at times!! but that kinda ended up being the saving grace of an experience that otherwise is feeling very bare-bones. and ultimately, as much as i PERSONALLY like mechanics with a bit more physicality, and i don't necessarily think that needs to be at odds with a larger amount of other content, i think my point is that i don't necessarily consider the swinging a FLAW of the Insomniac games, just a representation of the design philosophy of this take. and the design philosophy happens to be one i really appreciate. they want you in there DOING stuff, sure swinging around idly is fun and it's a great way to get you from point A to point B in a more exhilarating fashion than a lot of games even come close to, but these games have a much wider target audience and i don't know how much the average person cares more about the physicality of swinging as much as they care about it being an easy way for them to..... *sigh* feel like spider-man while traversing a larger set of activities.

THAT BEING SAID.... the improvements so far in Spider-Man 2 look SO SO SO GOOD and they will come MUCH appreciated. It looks so much faster. I straight up might turn on fall damage for my playthrough, which IS a new option they added. it's gonna rule.

[elumish]

keeping in mind the strategic/operational/tactical failures discussed in your earlier post, what would be the major failure point of the worldbuilding in iron flame? feel free to spoiler tag. is it the nature of the enemy and the common public narrative about that?

Okay so even though I finished Iron Flame fairly recently, I have also read a lot of books in the interim, so this may be a little general and may not get every detail totally correct. I'll stick all of my thoughts under a Read More, so if you don't want Fourth Wing/Iron Flame spoilers, just skip this post.

Strategic: To be totally honest, I didn't have a huge issue with the strategic-level worldbuilding of the Empyrean. I think the question of why dragons take part in this whole thing and also why dragons vs. griffins are totally neatly divided by country borders that are relatively new is not clear and sort of a problem, but I could mostly suspend disbelief there.

It definitely is not the most well built out/robust strategic worldbuilding, but I was basically fine with it. My feeling basically boiled down to "it didn't make me actively annoyed so I lived with it and can't currently think of a major issue." Also I like dragons.

Operational: Okay! So!

I found the entire organizational structure/setup of this entire world absolutely baffling to the point of being incomprehensible.

This probably doesn't need to be said, but I will anyway: a major goal of a military is to have as many trained fighters as you can. Attrition is one of the biggest issues faced by militaries (other than logistics) and the more people you are starting with, 1) the more you can do in general and 2) the more people you can afford to lose.

This means that you really want as close to 100% of your potential fighting force to survive training. Even if you only view people as cannon fodder, literally the point of cannon fodder is to put them in front of the cannons, not kill them in training.

I know the argument presented in the series by Violet is that it inures them to death so they can keep going when their teammates die, but that is terrible for a military. Yes, people need to be able to keep going when their teammate dies, but the training system has them killing each other. They are incentivized to kill each other! And so this school is literally training them to commit friendly fire incidents. Do you know what happens in a military that trains its soldiers to commit friendly fire incidents? They all kill each other and can't work effectively as a team. And being inured to that? That's just PTSD! You are just fucked up!

So having this military school system where they need to kill each other to win makes for a dramatic story but is an absolutely awful military training setup.

But also these are (or should be, if they had a non-awful system) highly trained members of the military, which makes them extremely valuable and also extremely expensive. People who fail out should just get stuck in a different part of the military instead of basically being killed.

And actually to that point, this whole setup would make much more sense if they had the equivalent of basic training and then had people specialize, the way they do in the real military. You absolutely want your military forces to be interoperable, and they are not even a little bit in this world.

Also why the hell don't these people use more ground forces? The number of dragon riders is limited to the number of dragons, but you can just have as many infantry as you can logistically sustain. Set up an effective border defense.

If you look at the traitor people (I can't remember what they're called right now), sticking them in the elite fighting force school also doesn't make any sense. I know they gave some in-universe reason for it, but especially because of the incomprehensible "if more than three of them are near each other then we can't magically surveil them" system if they were actually viewed as a security risk, they shouldn't have been allowed anywhere near the military, much less in the dragon forces.

They're a literal flight risk! There is absolutely nothing keeping them from defecting en masse. They can't be surveilled when they're together! Also they could commit friendly fire attacks! None of it makes any sense!

I also never really understood why they were keeping the real enemy a secret and why there was such a concerted effort. It didn't seem like the military leadership/king got any real benefit from maintaining a massive conspiracy to...kneecap their own military force.

The funny thing is that since finishing Iron Flame I've read basically all of Rebecca Yarros's other books, which are basically all contemporary romance, and she writes a lot of military-adjacent books, and they generally don't have this problem. Her husband was (is?) in the military, and she seems to have a decent understanding of it, so I'm not sure why she threw that all away for this.

Tactical: Okay so this is a lot related to the issue of "why are the trainees incentivized to kill each other" but Violet's ability to poison her way through her sparring didn't make any real sense if they was any point to the sparring. She should have just been made to spar with some instructors. And also they should have had some real fighting training. Though again that's more an operational issue.

Violet definitely had a lot of Plot Strings (the plot "coincidentally" moving her to the right place at the right time to do something only she could do): especially, that she (the person who happened to have the father who knew all of the plot-relevant things for some reason) happened to get magically soul-bonded to Xaden (the person leading the group that happens to know the truth about everything). I understand the whole situation with her mother, but her mother didn't control the soul bonding.

Overall the issue on a character level was more of a "wow this person just happens to have/be exactly what we need at this time" (the prince! who was just there! until he was extremely plot relevant coincidentally just when we needed him!) but each character was mostly believable taken in isolation.

[inchidentally]

'what if the competition between Lando and Oscar turns bad?' between my landoscar post and comments on other SM content it made me want to get weird in notepad again

I'm tagging @481boxboxbaby and @twinkodium who've asked but I'm sorry if someone's asked to be tagged and I missed it! also tagging @huntscunt who's tags put this idea in my little head

(caveat that I'm a casual fan who happens to have been around F1 fans all my life so this is just my not remotely official perspective lol)

just to state I think it's a given that we're all so excited for McLaren's future with these two is that Lando and Oscar feel like generational talents. and they're also very different as drivers and every race is exciting to watch even just for them. also the fact that Oscar was the jolt of competition that Lando needed.

and honestly I'd be more worried about their future harmony if they hadn't already had so many highly competitive and charged moments in their first season together:

Oscar came in at a surprisingly even level with Lando apart from the obvious difference in experience. he's taken risks that have on balance landed decently on the side of ballsy/respectable vs total failure and the time spent as reserve driver hadn't deteriorated any of his ability. so it was fair to worry for a while if Lando would take the competition as motivation or frustration esp after the disparity between him and DR in 2022.

I really liked the sort of respectful if tentative camaraderie Oscar and Lando showed each other when the car was an absolute tractor. but I liked it even more the fact that the turnaround at McLaren by Silverstone saw them both still in such a good place while being very competitive. that was I think the start of us seeing that Oscar wanted to prove himself a real team player and good teammate by starting the habit of showing up consistently for Lando's podiums/qualis.

the pit lane ding-dong in Monza was definitely the biggest test they've had - and that a lot of teammates will ever have - and the whole thing was handled really well all around. Andrea did the right thing of being big bad boss and Lando was quick to say that it was prob down to misjudgement (which is what I always thought) and that they still respect each other the same. I wasn't as active then so I can't remember if Oscar was asked for a response but I do remember my friends/family telling me that it was impressive how that didn't cause any major damage between the drivers since that's a pretty major incident to happen so early in a new partnership.

side note here to say that the ppl around me who've been watching F1 since the 90s overall feel like the hothead in-fighting with teammates seems to be fading/getting less intense with the younger generations. maybe it's because alpha male mentality seems cringe to gen z or because awareness of mental health is way more prevalent. Gasly and Ocon are relatively young drivers but even there the situation is pretty rare and because of hanging onto childhood grudges. I don't get the impression that any of the people around me feel like the Norris/Piastri partnership is likely to blow up or generate bitterness just because they're competing so closely ??

it's fair to say that Oscar has seemed genuinely happy to acknowledge that Lando is the McLaren brand representative and the established fan favorite within the sport as well as the team's fanbase. he's extremely mature for his years and incredibly well-balanced in terms of ambition. he's almost tailor made as a perfect compliment to Lando. EDITED TO ADD: see Oscar's almost lifelong friendship with Logan Sargeant as an example of Oscar having duked it out on track with someone for years while remaining close friends the whole time. and this was Oscar interrupting his own victory radio message to say how awfully he felt for Logan crashing out early. and that this is what Oscar felt about his and Lando's partnership toward the end of the season.

EDITED TO ADD:

Silverstone is a perfect encapsulation of how Lando has felt about Oscar from the very start and this was so beautiful to say.

Lando has measured himself by Lewis Hamilton-level goals since karting. Oscar wants to qualify well and win races. Lando was brought into F1 extremely young coming off of huge expectations and has placed enormous pressure on himself since as early as his second year in F1. Oscar has taken a business-like approach to his career since he was 14 and his calm sense of focus and determination comes from focusing on the race ahead and not letting much else in.

Lando's emotions being driven by his superstar destiny/status and Oscar's ability to have calm perspective even during a race is as solid a foundation as you can get in an F1 partnership honestly. they'll absolutely have the same conflicts that all teammates do and the media and DTS will explode those out of all proportion (both of which I ignore anyway). but I really can't see Oscar suddenly flying off the handle or holding grudges and I can't see Lando becoming a driver who suddenly wants to sustain a bad relationship with his teammate after all these years. Oscar is very clearly not the type to develop a crazy ego and Lando genuinely has more of an insane high self-expectation complex than that big of an ego.

even setting aside the parasocial widely felt agreement that they seem to genuinely like and respect each other, neither of them are alpha types and they're not both superstars jostling for publicity and they didn't come up together with a ton of existing history. idk it's just not on the F1 cards that they become icy or resentful.

so while I know no one can see the future and they're both relatively young and could change I don't really feel apprehensive?? and it's way too early to know if either of them will split from McLaren or when. especially if the car stays competitive with RB and Merc then it's the best place for both of them for the foreseeable (and prob most likely since competitive openings elsewhere look to be scant for the next 5ish? years but pls correct me if that's wrong!).

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side side side note: I personally would not want to see Lando at RB. I know he's itching to try that car but unless RB and Max change drastically before then, Lando would positively shrivel up there. he's a superstar and he needs to be someplace he can be a superstar. it's also why I'm glad Carlos and Daniel moved along bc that's why those friendships are still so strong. we saw what had begun to happen when Lando was eclipsing Daniel and I don't even want to think about Carlos and his family if Carlos was teammates with a dominant Lando.

[go-to-two]

I don't mean to sound bad but if the industry is as bad as those a part of it make it sound...was it the best move to leave at this time? In a purely professional sense - wouldn't it have been more prudent to stay in a (relatively) stable series regular role even just for a few more years while the industry right sizes?

Ehhh, this is when you'd have to weigh risk vs reward. Someone like me leaving a job without a steady plan in place would be very different from someone like Jesse or Tracy doing so. I assume they'd both have a solid safety net, and they both have good connections for other opportunities. So while the timing could absolutely have been better for them to leave, perhaps whatever factors influenced their decisions made it worth it. It worked out just fine for Jesse, and I have no doubt it will work out for Tracy as well.

[dueling-jesters]

i actually think its really cute how Black Spy seems kinda open with his sexuality meanwhile White Boy,the "put-together" one, has this incredible closeted vibe. something magical is about to happen

I've always seen it as both initially being closeted, both trying to appear as straight as possible.

I think Black Spy puts a lot of effort into appearing to be attracted to women, especially if he thinks someone is making a move on him. It's so unnatural for him that he comes off as too exaggerated, as if he's trying so hard it becomes obvious he's playing an act. Whenever he attempts a romantic interaction with a woman, it *always* goes wrong for him. Even after a failed attempt at a relationship with a woman, he builds a robot to appear to have a girlfriend of some sort, and it still doesn't work out. Perhaps, eventually, he becomes more comfortable in expressing his true self... At least, as much as he can in an unaccepting environment. Perhaps in subtle ways, such as flagging in bars, i.e., the pool table title illustration.

White Spy, on the other hand, might be bisexual, and therefore, it's not as difficult for him to pretend to be attracted to women. There's actually a sense of genuineness in his edeavors. However, he might not have his heart set on any particular woman but rather for his enemy. Take, for instance, when he agrees on one of the causes for his dreams of Black Spy being his own repressed sexuality. (This could have also been a case of projection, as Black Spy was the first to even mention it whilst in disguise.) The tension he feels may build up over time, eventually coming to his undoing. He's so put-together on the surface, but once confronted with his attraction, he might become a total mess. Perhaps the opposite may be true for Black Spy.

It may start out as a Distaster Gay vs Distinguished Bisexual situation, slowly growing into a Distinguished Gay vs Disaster Bisexual one. Only relatively speaking. They're both absolute messes of men.

The two may be stuck between wanting to be themselves and express their true feelings towards each other and not wanting to be outed to their embassies and society at large.

It becomes more difficult with the added layer of them not only falling for a man in a homophobic society but for a man working for the enemy. Even if their environment becomes more accepting over time, they'd still be at risk of being charged for treason over their relationship.

[dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram]

Do you believe it's morally right for us, strangers to and fans of celebrities, to discuss their private lives? Is it fair game for us to do so since they're putting themselves in the public eye. Is it simply a matter of a line that shouldn't be crossed. Harmless talk about who they're dating being ok vs. their medical history not. Think Kate Middleton who had to make a video about her cancer diagnosis, probably before she was ready to, simply to quell conspiracy theories and maybe to get ahead of the medical breach that would leak her diagnosis. Where does talking about a celebrities sexuality and their sex lives land on that line of what's acceptable to talk about and what's not?

This is what I meant when I said that I'm understanding all my anons through the lens of anxiety at the moment.

Because the first sentence has been rolling around in my head ever since I read it - 'is it morally right to discuss celebrities private lives'. I think that framing - suggesting as it does the options that either something is righteous or people should not engage in it - reveals a huge amount of what is a problem in fan behaviour.

One of the impacts of this black and white thinking is shown in the next sentence. If someone's starting point is that everything that they do must be right - then if someone doesn't like what they do - they need to be proven wrong. The idea that some kind of action of celebrities could make everything we do 'morally right' - allows for the complete erasure of any discussion of harm or consent.

To suggest that some topics of discussion could be harmless is absurd to me - we have no idea about people's lives - we have no idea about the impact that our words might have.

I think a lot of the problem comes from starting in the wrong place - if you start thinking your actions must be righteous - you will very quickly have to insist that other people are wrong and minimise harm.

Instead I'd suggest a different model - where very few things are absolutely morally right or morally wrong. Rather than getting into a more full discussion of what this would mean in all circumstances - I'll focus on what it means for discussion of other people's lives - particularly celebrities.

To me the key thing is acknowledging that discussing other people's lives, even to a relatively small audience, could do harm (to the person you are talking about or to other people). And only proceeding if you accept the risk of that harm. My suggestion is that the ethical way of proceeding is not to insist that you are perfect and could not possibly harm anyone - but to acknowledge and accept that there is risks to what you do and (if appropriate) think about how you might minimise those risks (most obviously by limiting the audiences you talk to).

There's lots of other things I could say about this - but I just want to make a couple more points. I think the Kate Middleton case is an important example - this speculation is far more likely to do harm if it's right than if it's wrong. If nothing had been going on and she had just been recovering from surgery and having a break - the impact on her would have been minimal. It was because she was dealing with a serious health issue that it will have caused so much additional stress (and the same is true if any of the speculation about what might be wrong was true).

I've made this point before - but the same is true with Harry and Louis. Larries are far more likely to have done harm to them if we have been right, than if we have been wrong. It's not enough when thinking about the ethics of what we do to think 'but what if we're wrong' (although I do think that's important). It's also important to think 'what's the worst impact that this could have if I'm right.'

This is also my approach to wider fandom - I think it's important to acknowledge that we could be doing harm and we wouldn't know. I was thinking this with the meeting in airports/being outside hotels discourse. Most of the time that's going to be fine - but there is also always a risk that it will ruin an artists day or have an impact on their mental health. Anyone who has themselves been too stressed to deal with other people - can imagine how dealing with a lot of strangers who want things from you might make things worse (and if it is it's very unlikely an artist would feel free to say that). I think whatever fans do we need to do with an understanding and acceptance of the ways that it might be harmful to the artist.

[mephestopheles]

Y'all I am so fucking angry today. I am fuming. I am looking at apartments around me because my mother is trying to downsize, I can't afford nor do I particularly wish to move in with her, transit would become more obnoxious and I like my space. So she wants a space that is on one level and has similar amenities but someone already there to fix things if they fuck up.

Look, she's never lived in an apartment. She has no clue what the realities of living in an apartment are, and she's insulated enough she might be able to avoid some of the shit, but not all of it.

I know where I live is not the only place suffering a housing crisis. I know there are places that have insane rents. Nova Scotia and especially cape Breton has a very big issue, rather, a few.

One, we're mostly rural with spots of town/city and the rural is enough that the government considers the whole island rural. Which is hilarious depending on where you actually live. I'm 5-10 minutes from most amenities, and there are places that are an hour or two from similar amenities depending on which part of the island you're coming from. But that makes transportation entirely on cars, with little access to buses if you're out of the main routes.

This also means large apartment complexes are few and far between. There are some places with two or three units, and most are converted houses if that.

Two, there is a big racism issue here, and a pretty substantial classism issue. And the two make things worse. So much worse. From a systemic perspective, they both play into each other a lot but I'm an outside observer for a lot of things and I'm doing my best to unpack my own inherent biases.

In 2016/2017 there was a bit of a boom to the university here where they accepted a lot of overseas students. This is a good thing. the university did not have adequate housing established for all of the students that came. This is not good. This hurt the students, put them at risk for being taken advantage of, far away from home, and potentially homeless because they couldn't move into residence.

Landlords around here got fucking greedy. Average rents around here in 2016 was around $650-700, 800$ for a two bedroom apartment, and that was pushing it and generally that was all inclusive. My first apartment was $650 utilities included, I only had to pay for wifi.

But these landlords were starting to charge that for rooms. They started buying up houses as they could get them, for relatively cheap and turn them into "student" housing, unofficially. Jack the rents up and charge a fortune to these students who came over here to get a "recognized education" which is another shitty part of the racism equation*. So rental prices across the board started to increase and folks started to get ideas about the apartment side hustle business that sprouted.

*Before anyone gets the idea that I'm against immigration, my issue is not the influx of students. My issue is with severe lack of accountability and planning on behalf of the university for how many students they were accepting vs how much housing they had available on and off campus. Much like those who currently live here, I want those who come here not to be placed in a vulnerable position and exploited by housing or by institutions that will not or cannot help them due to other systemic issues also brought on or influenced by systemic racism.

This also disproportionately affected those on social assistance, as really shitty landlords would renovict places or let them turn to shit so they would get compensated by the government to fix the property.

Some of the places that remain cheaper, are so far outside of the transit sections that it becomes dangerous. Like walk on the shoulder of the highway and hope you're not going to get hit, dangerous.

Prior to this, the job market around here was absolute shit, and a lot of folks were working out west, so the industries were slowly dying out. And even this is a weird mix of classism because most jobs available are call centres or retail. Anyone working a trade left to go out west, because the ones operating the trades around here weren't yet willing or ready to retire.

The combination of isolation, a lot of money, fast paced work with very few social outlets, brought a lot of drugs here and opened a lot of folks up to medicating to deal with the very real social isolation and the need to stay awake to earn more overtime, or prove yourself to the crew. Couple that with making more money than you've ever seen before and access only to lose it because the jobs started drying up and then covid started closing things. Plenty of folks lost their homes due to sudden loss of income, opioid and other drug dependency issues, and suddenly the issues surrounding houselessness around here skyrocketed. Becoming terrifyingly high after 2022.

Fast forward to 2020 and beyond, you have a housing market now influenced by our of towners (note, I am specifically not mentioning persons of colour as the vast majority of our of towners are those who have moved here from Ontario because their buying power goes so much further here, it's mostly white middle class suburban boomers) buying up properties sight unseen and creating a buying war on the otherside of this terrible equation.

Now it's 2023, and the government and the banks are doing the same fucking thing it did the last times house prices and inflation started and hiked interest rates up. It's not addressing the issues because the issue is fixed costs and and profiteering not extraneous spending

I got my place on 2021, and lucked into a really nice place with a really good rate. But the average two bedroom is almost double my current rent. In three years. Less than.

When searching for a place for mom, I found one that is 2000sq feet, two car garage, no utilities included, and unfurnished. Lawn care and snow removal were included but it's $3000 a month for a place I can't ever afford.

You can't tell me that someone isn't just pawning off the mortgage for both sides of the duplex. I was looking at duplexes for sale and most are $420,000.00 at the lowest I've seen.

Folks were selling their homes around here for 200k plus above what they would normally even consider. When I was first deciding to move to my current apartment I was looking at houses near where my new office was going to be, and there was a gorgeous little house 3 bedroom, full backyard for 64k. I showed it to @striving-artist and yeah that kind of price was a little low for around here but not "hey what's hiding in the basement" low.

All of this to say that there are not nearly enough places to rent, let alone rent safely. The prices are obscene for where some of these places are located.

And now we're dealing with climate weather a fuck tonne which is affecting everything that covid didn't outright punish.

I am so angry.

[mariyekos]

Future FFVII Rebirth Essays

Okay now that I've finally finished FFVII Rebirth, here's a list of some essays about the game I've either partially written, or want to write in the future!

Titles are absolutely subject to change, they're just what come to mind right now. Each bullet point has the title of an essay and a little bit of elaboration into what they'd be about. Most essays will cover far more than what is in the bullet blurb, but for now I wanted to jot down some of my ideas before I forgot them, so details are relatively sparse and lean towards the nonspecific. This also doesn't even cover all of the essay ideas I've had while playing through the game! But it's long as it is, so I figured I'd cut it off at what I have here and include the rest in a reblog or separate post.

Warning, this includes spoilers for both the OG FFVII and events/changes in the FFVII Remake Continuity (Remake/Rebirth)!

A (Not Really) Dying World: The impact of the removal of the Midgar Black Pit and the introduction of other greenery in FFVII Remake and Rebirth (basically, Remake/Rebirth Gaia does not appear to be in such dire straights until sky stuff happens, which changes how the planetary threat appears, being moved from a dying planet which is on the edge of destruction even without Sephiroth's involvement to a planet that's mostly at risk because of Sephiroth, with the slow death of the Planet being a far lesser/evident threat.)

Shinra: A threat to the Planet, or a threat to humanity? (Heavily connected to the essay above and the Dyne essay below. Revolves around how much of the weight of Shinra's threat is shifted to them causing human strife and suffering, rather than the way they are killing the Planet and the impact of Mako Reactors)

Changes to Corel Prison (potentially combined with a larger essay on tone in FFVII, see below. I still can't believe Corel Prison isn't a prison anymore. Also the town of Corel is now separate from what became the prison which is. A choice! Changes the narrative.)

On Dyne and Marlene in the OG vs Rebirth (why the change in Dyne's motivations matters on a larger scale, potential reasons for the removal of the threats to Marlene, and how this impacts Barret's character)

It's Okay for the Protagonists to Sometimes be Bad People: how imperfections and weaknesses can strengthen a character arc, and the Remake continuity's avoidance of painting party members as 'the bad guy'. (Basically the Remake/Rebirth introduce several new scenes solely there to remind you the protagonists are good people, change some scenes to remove a character being acknowledged as having made a mistake/potentially being a bad person, and remove ambiguity present in the OG in order to make Shinra explicitly (and sometimes more) to blame.)

Apathy and Action in FFVII: The tonal shift between the OG and Remake Continuity (the characters in the OG FFVII are WAY more apathetic, complacent, or depressed. Remake and especially Rebirth make far more of them angry and active against Shinra, which dramatically changes the tone for better or for (imo often) worse.)

Bombastic is Not Always Better: The importance of quiet moments in the narrative, and how low points can serve to drive highs even higher. (FFVII Rebirth removes several moments in the OG where the characters stop to discuss what's going on, where to go next, or how they're doing, and while it means the ending is high energy for a very long time which can be exciting, it loses out on some of the intimacy of the OG. Different people like different things, but I've always been someone who relishes the quiet moments and find they make me like the big ones more, because we have a chane to process what's at stake.)

For the Love of God Minerva Someone Please Talk to Cloud: Cloud's mental state in the Remake Continuity vs the OG (Cloud has SO MANY MORE breakdown moments in the Remake Continuity, and most of them are far more obvious/severe than the OG. This both changes the mystery of the breakdowns (which is fair to do bc most players know about Sephiroth), and also makes the fact that Rebirth removed many of the 'Cloud are you okay' scenes WAY WORSE. Cloud is not okay and it makes way more sense for them to ignore it in the OG where it's small and infrequent than it does in Rebirth where he's having major problems very frequently which hurt the main cast (except where it matters in the OG!))

Preserving Mystery in a Remake: Is there any point when the players know what's coming next? (Yes. Yes there is. You don't need to get rid of all the mysteries present in the OG just because some players might already know the story (this is not about stuff they're changing, but things they're keeping the same but exposing early). Also the other option for this title is "A Game for Newcomers and Veterans Alike: No it's not, if it was you would've bothered to keep some things mysterious and clearly you were too giggly to do that to the detriment of several story events and even plot points.")

FFVII Rebirth and Gameplay at the Cost of Atmosphere (part one of this is already written, but this is about how sometimes minigames or new mechanics introduced to spice up gameplay can disrupt or even completely upend the atmosphere of a scene, much to its detriment.)

FFVII Rebirth and Story Padding at the Cost of Atmosphere (this would be part two to this series, covering some new scenes which were added to Rebirth that did not match the tone of the rest of the scene and sometimes completely pulled me out of the emotional impact that existed in the original. At times I think the writers wanted to have a different emotional impact/tone than the original, while other times it seemed like completely tone deaf padding where the writers wanted something to happen so they shoved it into a place where it sort of fit in theory but did not fit in practice.)

Trope-Heavy Characters in the PS1 Era vs PS5 Era: How adding in new character scenes without adding new character traits can make a character seem bland (tl;dr I feel like Rebirth did a disservice to Yuffie's character, and Cait Sith is on thin ice. When a character only has 15 lines and 13 of them are about how they want materia, I think it's fair to assume that while liking materia is their main character trait, they probably care about other things too, but just didn't have the time/space to say it. But when a character has 150 lines and 130 are about materia, they seem bland/like materia is basically their only character trait, because they did have the time to talk about so many things but didn't. If you want to flesh out a character by giving them more lines, you should make sure to give them something substantial. Don't be afraid to go more into their (in this case Yuffie's) life, fears, and desires! The bits we got were good but they were to few in comparison to materia and motion sickness scenes)

[stargazeraldroth]

Aaahhh I’m! So glad you (and a few others!) liked my little Underverse AU idea! It means a lot to me, and seeing the idea blossom is so much fun- Thank you so much for making me smile so big!!!

I’m definitely with you on the whole “Ink wouldn’t endanger the AUs” thing, and it always rubbed me as off in the original Underverse… No hate meant to Jakei, of course! What they’ve done is amazing, their animation and art is absolutely gorgeous, and I can tell that they put a lot of heart and love into their creation! It’s just not something up my alley, you know…? Though 0.7 slaps, Ink/Fresh/Cross vs Error, Ink vs Fresh, and Fresh!Ink vs Error is my favorite sequence of events… So much fun, heh.

Anyways! I feel like a lot of avenues could open up with the idea you’ve laid out, here- I will say that I imagine this as a relatively nice (or doing his best to be!) Ink who doesn’t have any darker intentions, because I feel like that hurts more? Though obviously that’s open to interpretation!

But, like. How would Core!Frisk feature into this- I’m a sucker for platonic!Core and Ink, so I can’t help wondering what they’re thinking of everything going on. Have they been trying to help Ink, and maybe warn him that things are going south? Have they had to decide that they can’t risk the Omega Timeline getting involved with all of this, and been forced to watch a friend fall into a toxic trap? Do they care at all? They’re an interesting character to me, so I can’t help wondering!

And! Cross! My poor, misguided boy… I feel like he has a lot of potential to go a lot of different ways- Because once Blue and Dream’s betrayal becomes known, and they release XGaster, does he have a realization that he betrayed Ink, if only in a less personal way than they did? He hunted through the AUs and damaged them, knowing it would hurt someone who thought of him as a friend- What would he think of that? And depending on if you want brotherly!Cross and a Ink, I think it could go a lot of ways.

Error is a mixed bag, to me- He could absolutely be a yandere himself, and in that scenario, I could see him using Ink’s betrayal as a “ha, don’t you see I was right?” sort of moment. Because the people Ink cared for went behind his back in such an awful way, but he’s never done that, now has he? Alternatively, Error being the only sane man and going “well damn, I don’t like the guy, but that’s kinda fucked up” has some interesting potential in making him the overall… Hero? Or at least hero-aligned, since he might be trying to help Ink, now.

(Also, I just feel it’d be very funny, if he realized Blue and Dream caused the destruction of an AU and went “HEY WHAT THE FUCK THATS MY JOB-)

There’s just! So much to think about! And I’m so glad you enjoyed thinking about it! Make sure to take care of yourself, and thank you again for reading and thinking about my little idea!

I live for my brain to be consumed by AUs, I don't think there's even a logical side to my brain anymore /j.

Before I get more into this response, I wanna say that I'm not trying to bash Underverse either. I really do enjoy the series! I feel like Underverse is a big part of the AU community and I love that, it's just... I wish I could love it more, if that makes sense? I'm not placing any blame on Jakei, but I'm a firm believer that Ink's portrayal in Underverse has significantly contributed to the misconception of his character and the sheer amount of villainization (again, you know who you are). I think my favorite episode was actually 0.6, if I'm remembering correctly. That's the one with the Dream/Cross vs Killer/Nightmare battle, right? So many good cuts of Nightmare. 0.7 was good too, with all those juicy fights. Yum.

I don't really see Ink as a naive, wholly good character. I don't imagine him anywhere near as evil as other people do (y'all know who you are), but I don't see him as pure good either, like what I might imagine for Dream or CORE. However, I am very fond of the idea that Ink's been influenced by Dream and the others, and so he's better… but still not entirely good. He's still generally neutral and all, but he does make more effort to be considerate of others and have a better grasp of morals. Maybe this is a niche interpretation but he's my top comfort character, dammit. I'm gonna do what makes me feel happy and warm.

(I say as I torture him in numerous AUs)

Anyway, I do imagine this Ink to be nicer (or whatever word you wanna substitute that with) than the canon Underverse!Ink. Like I mentioned in the last one, I'm a stickler for the idea he wouldn't endanger AUs, buuuut... now that I'm thinking about it, wasn't part of his motives the Creators gradually leaving? Ink needs his paints to be "alive", if you will, and he won't get those if the Creators are gone. So if he becomes desperate, afraid of being forgotten (again), then... maybe he'd make a small exception? Perhaps? It's... for the greater good! I'm not gonna deviate from what I originally said too much, but I'm a sucker for angst- I'm sure there are some people here who can verify that statement.

I honestly didn't think of CORE very much when thinking of the idea. I know they're important to the story, I just... don't think about them very often lol. I'M SORRY CORE I STILL LOVE YOU-

From what I remember, CORE hates the concept of "the greater good". They're very against the idea of there being things as part of the grand scheme of the Multiverse, I believe. So they're going to be at a standstill here: obviously, they're not okay with Ink being manipulated, nor are they okay with what Dream and Blue were doing. But at the same time, they can't just risk the Omega Timeline. It's essentially the last safe haven in the Multiverse, in terms of being shielded from potential threats (let's just ignore Nightmare manifesting for a moment). As much as they despise the ideology of a greater good, they know they can't rush into this with their usual attitude. They know from experience that things don't always go the way you want, that people- no matter what your intentions may be- will be affected by what choices you make. (Maybe that can lead to some CORE backstory acknowledgment crumbs-)

Regardless of what choice CORE makes, I believe they would care about them still. They're just a little baby, just a little kid, give them a break!

I feel like Cross is becoming the primarily neutral character of this lol. I feel like he would have a lot of mixed emotions about the situation. On one hand, he could still be bitter towards Ink while also feeling guilt for his own betrayal. Depending on how emotionally damaged and exhausted he is, Cross might just feel pity and not much more. I think his dynamic with the other two Stars, especially Dream, would also come into play at this point. If he feels this awful about their betrayal, then... how does Ink feel...? I would ideally want the development of Cross and Ink becoming more brotherly with each other, but that's just personal bias.

And now, Error. Error, Error, Error... one of my favorite AUs. One of my skrunkles. My blorbos. My brainrot babes. There are things that I can't help but include when making an AU, and Errorink- or at least Errorink crumbs- is one of them.

First, let's consider the idea of Error being a yandere himself. This can either be a romantic yandere or a platonic yandere, personally I prefer the romantic one for Error. Generally speaking, even without the yandere trait, I do believe that Ink is the only Error considers "on his level". They're equals- one can never truly defeat the other. Error could definitely use the betrayal to his advantage, and try to tell Ink that he was always right about those anomalies. They took advantage of his trust, and now look at what's happened. But him? He'd never betray Ink in such a way. He's the only one Ink can trust. This could lead to some major angst when Error destroys the AUs, maybe also lead to Ink shutting down and considering giving up. And then Error can kidnap him (again)! Fun!

Now, we'll consider the one where Error isn't a yandere. This is probably the most generally favorable and can be a breath of fresh air amidst the two (three, if you wanna play with X-Gaster a bit) yanderes going after Ink. You know the situation's bad when Error- ERROR- is considered sane compared to you. I do like the idea of them being reluctant frenemies here; Error doesn't really like Ink, but damn, did he really deserve all of that? Especially if Error knows how much Ink truly depends on the Creators. I like the idea of them forming an unstable partnership for the time being. And who knows? Maybe, in this case, Error is one of the people keeping Ink from really hitting a breaking point.

I wonder what that would be like, Ink hitting a breaking point. Imagine all the juicy angst. Ink questioning if any of this even worth it, if trying to keep a Creator active was worth it. If he's worth it. Dream and Blue would frantically reassure him that he is worth it, no one wants him to fade away, but he just... doesn't really believe them. After what they did, how can they expect him to trust whatever they say?

Also, also! I am 100% supportive of the idea that Error takes offense to other people doing his "job". I absolutely LOVE that idea. I like to imagine that's what Ink does in AUs where the Balance is actually important, when Error's being lazy and doesn't wanna do anything. He's like "Hm, I guess I'll just find someone else to destroy the AUs" and suddenly, Error's working.

There's honestly so much that can be done with the concept of platonic yandere Dream and Blue being in Underverse. See, Ink never needed to worry about being forgotten or Creators leaving the Multiverse, because he's got me. I make so many AUs I should be getting paid for it.

[dukeswonderousmenagerie]

So as i understand it, Lupin and Jigen are on opposite sides, Runner vs Gunner, but theyre running that smuggling operation in secret together

How are they making that work? Does Jigen pretend to shoot at Lupin once in a while? How’s he dealing with people who really are out to kill Lupin?

To say the pair are caught in the middle of a bad situation is an understatement. With Gunners running the place and runners being basically shot on sight no better then what they do to the zombies outside the wall, it’s not a pretty predicament to be in, especially if you’re friends with either side. But if your like Jigen and Lupin, who time and time again have been pitted together more the once in the hopes that their loyalty for each other would falter and one would ultimately finish the other, it’s basically a Tuesday. However while the game of “Spot the similarities” between the two situations is one of the easiest games you can play, in this case, it’s more high stakes.

Because to put it plain and simple, if Jigen didn’t have to work for the gunners he absolutely wouldn’t have. After all, why would you work for the same group of people, who branch from the original section of military that killed your niece? However as we know in todays society, higher ups get benefits, in this case, extra rations, protection, things of that sort. And while he certainly doesn’t want too, he knows he has to for his remaining family. His sister knows the strain of living inside the Q-Zone, much less the strain of working under the boot-heel of a guard who’s duty it is to keep you “safe” but who would rather much go on a power trip. But she doesn’t want to leave. She cant leave. She still has one kid left that she has to watch out for, and even though he’s getting older and despite the fact that people can be scary, the idea of living with a kid of any age outside of relative safety sounds even more paranoia inducing.

Now let’s add Lupin to the mix.

Lupin COULD have gotten a job within the QZ, lord knows he has the skills to do whatever he wants. But he didn’t WANT too. He found the QZ too constricting, too suffocating, too authoritarian for his tastes, especially after the section of the city was subjected to martial law. And knowing Lupin he doesn’t like to do things at half measure. So when the runners were formed shortly after the QZ was founded, Lupin “jumped” (hehe) at the chance to be apart of it, the ability to get out and about, to have fun once again “stealing”. However as time went on and the military started cracking down on what they suspected was “black marketing” it just became all the more fun for him.

“just like back in the old days!”

However this caused a small rift between Jigen and Lupin. Because while Lupin knows why Jigen never leaves the QZ Zone and Jigen knows why Lupin ALWAYS leaves the QZ Zone, they both didn’t really come to an agreement about each others choices with it. Lupin has tried in the past to convince Jigen to leave the QZ with him; to take his family with them and that they can find someplace with a bit more freedom, however Jigen didn’t want to take the chance. He didn’t want to risk putting his remaining family in any more danger. 

In the same breath Jigen had tried multiple times to convince Lupin that leaving the QZ zone was too dangerous and that he should stay within the walls. But he also knows that to do that to Lupin would be the equivalency of clipping a birds wings. Lupin needs to move he can’t be stagnant for long periods of time. So he ultimately allowed Lupin his freedom and a place to stay if he needed it (his sister being a nurse helped alot) as long as Lupin tried not to drag him in on his schemes. This quest for “the cure” is the first time in a long while that Lupin and Jigen have been on a “real” adventure together. Up until that point, most of their interactions were sparse, to save each other from the impending consequences should anyone find out about the two of them.

The smuggling operation is really hush hush and no one truly knows how it works due to the secrecy that comes with it. And the secrecy is for good reason. It’s to protect everyone involved. As for how Jigen deals with people actually and actively trying to kill Lupin. Needless to say he hates it, of course he hates it, he despises having to meet his bestest and most closest friend in secret, he hates having to tip-toe around everything, he hates having to pretend he doesn’t know Lupin, or worse pretend to take shots at him while also simultaneously trying to keep his charge from actually killing him.

He himself can never truly and intentionally harm Lupin, but the moment people start to get suspicious is when he knows times up and he has to choose.

[magic-is-something-we-create]

I wanna know about magic ink! I love magic inks. What does it do? Where does it come from? Who can use it/have it? Is it legal? Illegal? Hidden? On shelves? Can you use it for purposes not advertised? :OOOOOO

Hi!!! Happy WBW!! Thank you (and @dragon-swords-prophecies and @authoralexharvey) for asking about the tattoos/ink <3<3<3

Fair warning, this got a little long cause I love talking Ehlverse alchemy :D

The magic ink that the Shadow uses for her tattoos is a potion made with Dark Mage blood (to let her a) bind people to her will and also sometimes b) control their minds from afar) that's been applied and mixed in a very specific way to make it last a super long time!!

Alchemy and Enchantment in the Ehlverse are basically just a way to borrow a magic you can't personally use - most things in that category are made of at least a little bit of blood or other body part (most commonly hair or donated bones), since magics and the people who wield them are inextricable from each other. And the only thing necessary to classify something as a Potion/Alchemical in nature instead of an Enchantment is whether that magic is primarily applied to an object vs. to a person.

So, like, magical ink that you use with a quill on paper? That's Enchanted.

Magical ink used as a tattoo to give someone a certain magical power? That's Alchemy.

Anyway - most potions are like the classic "drink a vial of this and get magically powered or healed", but those only last as long as it takes for your metabolism to run its course. Tattooed potions are a relatively new concept to the Ehlverse (brand-spankin' new in the time of Millennium Saga, when we first see these magical Whispers tattoos) simply because before tattoo guns were figured out, the effort to make a big enough tattoo to get any effect at all was not worth the effect itself.

But magical tattoos aren't necessarily illegal or regulated! I imagine they're quite common by the time Whispers (the WIP) takes place, even.

... Unless they're ones made with mind-altering intent, like the ones the Shadow uses. Because everything regarding mind control or the violation of another person's will is incredibly illegal and highly regulated across the Ehlverse.

Even then, the ink itself isn't the regulated bit - the ingredients are. But the Shadow has a wealth enough of connections and resources, she doesn't need to worry about that. Not only can she bypass import regulations and the like, but she has plenty of Dark Mages in her debt that she can just... take blood from, if she wants. And that's the key thing to the ink.

She does actively keep other people from figuring out how to do tattoos the way she does, though. Simply because she doesn't trust anyone else in the world to use it in accordance with her (admittedly skewed, but still sometimes good-leaning) moral/ethical compass.

In short, she's okay with possessing people to do her own dirty work without risking her own body + magically binding them to oaths that will rip their mind apart if they break their promises, but she doesn't trust anyone else not to use it for things she deems worse than bodily autonomy infringements and terrorism. So she and her closest allies are the only people who know how to make it and apply it to last for a lifetime, and she absolutely refuses to give that knowledge to anyone else.

[drbucho]

7 Calisthenics Workouts|How To Start Calisthenics For Beginners? 2023 — Dr Bucho

Calisthenics Workouts originated in ancient Greece and resurfaced in the early nineteenth century, Now Getting More Attention In the Fitness world due to its flexibility and Versatility

Calisthenics is a type of physical exercise that focuses on improving strength, flexibility, and endurance through bodyweight movements. Calisthenics, as opposed to traditional weightlifting, which relies on equipment such as barbells and dumbbells, uses movements such as push-ups, squats, and pull-ups to provide a full-body workout. Because of its simplicity, versatility, and effectiveness, this approach to exercise has grown in popularity in recent years.

Calisthenics is suitable for people of all fitness levels because the exercises can be modified to suit a variety of skill levels. This means that you can begin with simple movements and gradually progress to more difficult exercises as your fitness improves. Furthermore, calisthenics requires little to no equipment, making it an ideal form of exercise for those who want to exercise at home, outside, or anywhere a person wants You

Calisthenics Workouts Vs. Weightlifting Workouts

Calisthenics and weight training are two popular forms of exercise that are often compared for their effectiveness and suitability to different fitness goals. In this article, we’ll compare both methods and highlight their key differences and similarities.

Calisthenics Training:

Calisthenics is more difficult than weightlifting because you must use smaller muscles to stabilize yourself during the movements.

Uses primarily bodyweight exercises to develop strength, endurance, mobility, and coordination.

Suited for improving athletic ability and control over one’s body.

Good for those who want to become strong relative to their body weight.

Develops muscle mass as a byproduct, rather than the primary goal.

Weight Training:

Weight training often focuses on bigger muscle groups, so smaller ones are often ignored or forgotten about.

Uses external loads, such as free weights, cables, and machines, to strengthen the body.

Ideal for building maximum muscle mass, power, and absolute strength.

Suited for athletes in sports like football, baseball, and track and field.

A person who lifts heavy weights can move more overall load and will have a bigger and stronger appearance.

Overall Each method is superior to one another, The best form of exercise will depend on your individual goals and preferences. If you’re looking to improve athletic ability, control, and body stability, the calisthenics workouts would make a great impact on your body. And if You want to build maximum muscle mass and power, there is a Weightlifting training method that can help you achieve your goals. In the end, it depends on the individual’s target goal, if You want to go for Calisthenics training this article is for you. Before discussing the workouts, we would like to Put forth the queries that most people have related to calisthenics training.

You may progressively increase your strength and endurance without running the risk of being hurt by starting out with shorter sessions. You can adjust your workouts as you advance by lengthening their duration and frequency. Give yourself enough time to recuperate so you can finish your exercises safely and correctly. As your fitness level increases, you can try to cut down on rest periods.

These exercises can all be done up to four times a week on different days. You only need three to four workouts per week. Additionally, it’s important to hydrate, eat well, and get enough rest to support recovery and optimize performance. If you experience pain or discomfort, wait longer to recover or seek medical advice if necessary.

7 calisthenics workouts Exercise routine

The following exercise circuit should be completed three times, with a three-minute break in between each circuit repetition and a 30-second break between each exercise set.

1. chin-ups

Reps

As many as possible

Standing before a bar for a workout.

Put your hands in a tight, slightly closer-than-shoulder-width grasp and grab the bar from underneath.

Bring your head above the bar by using your biceps to pull yourself up.

2. Dips

Reps

As many As Possible

Once your upper arms are parallel to the floor, slowly lower your body. If you are unable to complete at least five reps on your own,

you should kneel or stand in the open loop while wearing an elastic exercise band attached to the dip bars.

You can use the bench or chairs if you don’t have dip bars.

3. Crunchs

Reps

As many as possible

4. jump squats

Reps

As many as, it is possible for you but keep in mind to take a break from every exercise

5. Pushups

Reps

As many as possible

Get down on your knees and position your hands just outside but underneath your shoulders.

Set yourself up in the “plank” position by extending your legs and supporting your body up with your arms.

Avoid letting your back slump or your bottom poke up into the air.

Your chest should almost touch the floor as you lower your body by bending your elbows close to your body.

As your upper torso is at the lower pushup position, your upper arms should form a 45-degree angle.

When you are in the lower position, pause, and then swiftly push yourself back up to the beginning position.

Throughout the entire action, keep your core, or abdominal region, flexed.

6. Mountain Climbing

Reps

For a minute

Squat down to put your hands on the ground while standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.

Now quickly extend your legs behind you to finish in the pushup posture.

Quickly rise up after jumping your legs back up so they land between your hands.

7. 30 seconds of jump rope

Reps

For 30 seconds or more based on your ability

Hold your hands roughly the same distance from your body’s centre line while holding the jump rope handles in your hands.

Jump one to two inches off the ground to clear the rope by rotating it with your wrists rather than your elbows or shoulders.

Keep your knees slightly bent and your toes pointed downward as you jump.

In conclusion, both calisthenics and weight training offer unique benefits for fitness and athletic performance, depending on individual goals and preferences. Regardless of which training method you choose, the most important thing is to work at a consistent pace, gradually increasing the intensity and duration of your workouts over time. This will help you achieve your goals while minimizing the risk of injury. Remember to take recovery time seriously, and make sure you eat well, hydrate, and get enough rest to support your training. With dedication and proper planning, you can achieve your fitness goals and feel confident and strong.

Thanks for reading and Thanks for visiting Dr Bucho , Get the latest updates, Blog Posts, Food, wellness, Mental Health, news, admissions, and latest posts on our website, and stay up to date with us

[catierambles]

One thing I always find interesting and have no good answer for in thr scope of eugenics you just outlined... what about genetic conditions that impact health as part of their presentation but not solely. Example - Downs Syndrome. It's not hereditary I know but in addition to having developmental impacts it increases the risk that the person will have epilepsy, congenital heart defects, thyroid conditions and poor immune function. In Iceland the rate of abortion when suspected is so high it's almost been eliminated. Is that eugenics? Is it ethical? It's intriguing because where is the line between a focus on trying to reduce poor health and improve quality of life vs removing people from our society on thr basis of a disability

Chromosomal afflictions are a trickier topic because it has nothing to do with the genetics of that persons family. A chromosome decided to go on a bender during development. The mom and dad could have completely "clean" genetics (illnesses and genetic disorders), but their child could be born with Downs or Sickle Cell, or any other number of disorders.

It's...muddled

On one hand, you do have to think about how long that child is going to live and the quality of that life, depending on the severity of the chromosomal abnormality. On the other, it can be seen as "breeding out" a disability. Even though you're not, because you can't "breed out" a chromosomal abnormality.

I was talking to my mom about this and I gave the example of:

Man A has a familial background of heart disease. He's lost relatives to it, not many, but some.

Woman B has absolutely no history of any kind of genetic illness in her family. They're all healthy as horses. No cancers, diseases, diabetes, nothing.

They're chosen to have a child. Her egg meets his swimmers, either the "natural" way (but only if they consent) or through artificial insemination/surrogacy. That child may still get heart disease later on in life, but their chances are so extremely reduced that it's almost negligible.

Like I said, I know we can't eliminate these things, but can we at least try to drop the chances as close to zero as possible?

Going back to your original question....like I said it's muddled when it comes to chromosomal disorders.

You can't "breed out" chromosomal disabilities, you can with genetic predispositions. Which was what my post was about.

If the markers for Downs Syndrome or any other chromosomal abnormality are found in a fetus, the parent has the choice to carry to term, or to terminate the pregnancy. That is their choice and they should never be judged for making that extremely difficult choice, no matter what it happened to be. Is it eugenics? No, because eugenics is selective breeding to get a certain outcome in an offspring. Think dogs and how they were bred to look a certain way, and now reputable breeders are picking and choosing bloodlines to breed out illnesses caused by unethical breeding. Is it ethical? That's tough to say because everyone has a different opinion on what is and is not ethical. There are some universal truths, yes, but stuff gets foggy when it comes to specific circumstances.

[unpluggedfinancial]

Bitcoin vs. Gold: Understanding the Digital Store of Value

For centuries, gold has been regarded as a reliable store of value—an asset that maintains its worth over time, providing a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. But in the last decade, Bitcoin has emerged as a new contender, offering an entirely digital alternative in a world that’s increasingly online and decentralized. As investors grapple with the future of money and the nature of wealth preservation, it’s worth comparing these two “store of value” assets side by side. How does Bitcoin stack up against gold, and what role might each play in a modern portfolio?

1. Scarcity and Supply Dynamics:

Gold: A finite resource, gold’s rarity is central to its value. Mining more gold is labor-intensive and costly, ensuring that new supply enters the market at a relatively stable, if slow, pace. While the total amount of gold in the Earth’s crust is theoretically limited, new discoveries can still expand the available supply incrementally.

Bitcoin: Bitcoin’s scarcity is built into its code—only 21 million coins will ever exist. This programmed scarcity means there is no guesswork about future supply. The inflation rate of new Bitcoin entering the system is known and decreases over time due to its halving schedule. In other words, Bitcoin’s scarcity is absolute and transparent, lending it a level of predictability that gold cannot easily match.

2. Divisibility and Fungibility:

Gold: Although gold can be divided, doing so involves physical effort, melting, or complex assay processes to ensure purity. Small gold bars and coins exist, but fractional ownership down to extremely fine units is impractical.

Bitcoin: Bitcoin is almost infinitely divisible—one Bitcoin can be broken into 100 million smaller units called satoshis. Transferring tiny amounts doesn’t diminish the integrity of the asset, making Bitcoin far more flexible for microtransactions, portfolio adjustments, and everyday use if ever widely adopted as a currency.

3. Portability and Accessibility:

Gold: Storing gold can be costly and inconvenient. Gold bars and coins are heavy, require secure storage, and pose logistical challenges when crossing borders. Transferring gold ownership on short notice can be complicated and often involves third parties or secure shipping services.

Bitcoin: Being entirely digital, Bitcoin can be sent anywhere around the globe at any time—no armored trucks or vaults needed. A single private key can give you access to your holdings, regardless of your geographic location. This near-instant transferability and borderless nature give Bitcoin a unique advantage in our increasingly globalized world.

4. Security and Authenticity:

Gold: Verifying gold’s authenticity often requires expert assessment. Fakes, alloys, and adulterated bars are a concern for investors. Protecting physical gold necessitates insurance, secure vaults, and sometimes third-party custodians, introducing counterparty risk.

Bitcoin: Security in the Bitcoin world is maintained by a decentralized network of nodes and miners verifying transactions on the blockchain. Authenticity is guaranteed by cryptographic proofs rather than human inspection. While users must protect their digital keys from theft or hacking, the asset’s authenticity itself is never in doubt.

5. Market Behavior and Volatility:

Gold: Historically, gold’s price fluctuations have been relatively moderate, especially during times of economic stress. Its value tends to rise when markets are fearful and inflation is on the horizon, making it a “safe haven” asset. That said, gold markets are not immune to downturns, but their volatility is generally lower than Bitcoin’s.

Bitcoin: As a younger and more speculative asset, Bitcoin has demonstrated higher volatility. Prices can swing dramatically in short periods, influenced by regulatory news, investor sentiment, and market adoption trends. While this volatility presents potential for high returns, it also carries greater risk and may not yet fit the profile of a classic “safe haven.”

6. Regulatory Landscape and Cultural Acceptance:

Gold: Gold’s role as a store of value has been deeply ingrained in cultures worldwide for millennia. Its legitimacy as a hedge is broadly accepted, and it is regulated within stable frameworks nearly everywhere.

Bitcoin: As a newer technology, Bitcoin is still finding its place on the global financial stage. Regulatory environments vary widely by country. Some governments embrace it, while others restrict it or remain uncertain. However, growing adoption by major financial institutions and widespread media coverage continues to legitimize Bitcoin in the public eye.

Conclusion: While gold enjoys the gravitas of centuries-old tradition and relative price stability, Bitcoin brings a new dimension to the concept of a store of value—one rooted in digital scarcity, divisibility, and instantaneous global transfer. Both assets can serve roles in a modern portfolio: Gold offers a stable, time-tested hedge against inflation, while Bitcoin provides growth potential and a bet on the future of decentralized finance. Choosing between them isn’t always a matter of “either-or,” but rather understanding their unique attributes and deciding how each might support your long-term financial goals.

Ultimately, the conversation isn’t about which asset is “better” in absolute terms. Instead, it’s about identifying which qualities best fit your investment strategy and vision for the future—whether that’s the enduring weight of gold in your hand or the digital elegance of Bitcoin in your wallet.

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