#so he was essentially making up his own numbers to put in the machine

[woolieshubris]

girl ur machine learning AI used a faulty dataset cuz u didnt clean the input beforehand. thats what a data scientist does.

also. i can promise you- people already struggle to describe what graphs they want out of a dataset- a robot cannot understand the nuances and the context of what the graphs should be. and a data scientist understands graphing, statistical analysis, and human language.

you mean to tell me companies should use the same black box algorithms that literally drove a CEO to be assassinated??? come the fuck on man

"aren't you afraid AI is gonna replace data science :(((" girl no thats the first field they tried to automate and it went so poorly that now there are degrees for it . like data science is 90% fixing fuckups that the AI/machines already made. and the fuckups are going to slowly get more and more specific and niche and then they'll need data science even more . like. machines cannot deal with human errors. human errors require a human to fix them lmao

[aingeal98]

Cass or Tim for the ask game

Gonna do Cass because she gets favourite blorbo privileges

three facts about them from my personal headcanons

-The dip in the Lazarus Pit removed a few of her latest scars. She's still covered in scars, it's not enough that anyone would notice, most of them look at Cass and are horrified by the bullet exit wounds covering her skin. But Cass knows what each scar is from, and the loss of even a few of them hurts her afterwards for reasons she doesn't quite understand. She got stabbed through the chest by her brother and yet there is no evidence of it. Some nights she gets tempted to scratch at where the scar should be, digging into her skin until she catches herself and snaps herself out of it.

-Her favourite music genre is metal and rock. She doesn't care about the differences between the genres despite Stephanie as a fellow Metallica fan eagerly trying to explain it. Cass just likes "Mosh pit music."

-Due to being homeless as a kid she got used to sleeping anywhere and everywhere. Her favourite place to curl up and hide was inside a washing machine, normally ones that were old and abandoned. She stopped as she got older but the washing machines in the manor are huge so she started doing it again when she felt low. This has given Alfred several near heart attacks when he goes to put clothes in and finds his grandchild curled up fast asleep.

a reason they suck

Batgirl issue 37 is one of my favourite issues and highlights some of the reasons I find Cass a compelling character but it also does objectively show one of the ways she sucks. Projection can be helpful or it can make you too self absorbed so you end up making bad choices. In this case it was the latter.

a reason they are great

Literally everything that makes Batman cool and compelling but with none of the downsides. Her downsides are different from his due to not having the narrative protection of being the white male lead. Her downsides are also deliberately and competently written. For further information see my entire blog.

a reason I relate to them

Autistic, mentally ill, used to be suicidal, awkward socially but enjoys violence not for malicious reasons but purely for the fun of it (I like boxing and martial arts.) Just everything about how she expresses herself and thinks and interacts with other people it's like wow. For a character with such a ridiculously comic book fantasy backstory she sure is incredibly relatable in down to earth ways!

(what I consider to be) the top tier otp/ot3 for that character

Stephcass. Steph is the Lois to Cass's Clark, the MJ to Cass's Spiderman. But Steph is also a vigilante in her own right and that adds extra flavour. If DC would give me one of those six issue mini runs they're so fond of I could do so much with it.

five things that never happened to that character that I believe should have happened

-Her Batgirl run should have had a proper conclusion not pushing her towards character assassination evil turns

-She should have become Batman.

-She should have been a part of the family from the beginning of the New 52 era. An essential part, closer to everyone than Jason and with more years in the family than Damian.

-She should have gotten to kiss Steph by now but I'll accept it if DC makes it happen this year.

-She should have gotten one final confrontation with David Cain where he comes back to life for 24 hours to remind DC of why her original run hit so hard and center her more on those themes than on being random Batgirl number 2.

five people that character never fell in love with and why

-Kon El. He's a good friend but she's a lesbian.

-Tai'darshan. He was a valuable part of helping her understand what she liked and didn't like romance wise but unfortunately he fell on the "didn't like" side in the end. Also she's a lesbian.

-Zero. He was her first fun civilian romance and while it wasn't serious it was nice while it lasted. It never would have been able to get serious though for multiple reasons. One of which being that she's a lesbian.

-Tim Drake. Shockingly being a lesbian is not the only main reason for once. Here it's also due to them being adopted siblings. While he loves Cass and was canonically mildly attracted to her at times during the early days, by the time they became adopted siblings they'd been through enough that any potential had fizzled out into pure platonic sibling menace energy.

-Harper Row. Being a lesbian is not an issue here at all actually. The issue is that in Harper's universe Cass killed her mom and in Cass's main universe she killed someone else and never met Harper until the world rebooted. Cass is not emotionally mature enough to wade through all that for a relationship. Especially when she can choose to wallow in guilt and stare awkwardly and painfully at Harper when Harper doesn't notice instead.

[toastling]

TOH Pokemon AU: Amity

Hi again, here's some more battle bonding Pokewitches. Now that I've committed to treating this as a proper AU as opposed to *just* a Pokemon team building exercise, let's see how Amity adapts to this new Pokeworld we're creating.

As before, details are under the cut. This could get lengthy.

Boiling Grimer -> Boiling Muk - The First Partner

Remember how I said most witches in the Boiling Isles will receive their first Pokemon at Hexside? This is much like how a witch carves or selects a Palismen in the show proper, and up until that point, while a witchlet may have some experience with raising Pokemon from their parents or community, they generally don't receive one of their own their own until school.

After a half a school year of academic study and prep to learn your type specialty, you are presented the opportunity to go out and catch a Pokemon of your own, or can select from a number of standard Pokemon of a particular type hatched and raised there on school grounds. Every school has a different selection of Pokemon for each type, and all types are represented. Instead of being locked into one school of magic, under Belos, pretty much all trainers are mandated by law to specialize in one type. This is what the Titan wanted, he says, in order to draw out the most potential from Pokemon and Partner one must know their type religiously and never stray from its path. Only he has the right to have no set limitations.

I also said before that for most witches, usually, that first Pokemon they choose ultimately ends up becoming their palisman. Since this is the type they're locked into forever going forward, and that was their first partner, the bond is deepest, strongest. A Palisman Pokemon is not such by nature, a Pokemon only becomes a Palisman when the bond matures and solidifies, when the two become one in heart, mind, and body. But do note I said usually. This is not the case for Amity Blight.

Boiling Grimer and Boiling Muk are Poison/Ground type Pokemon. They are the sludge, slime, grime, and muck of the ground built upon the corpse of a dead Titan, and obviously, they are the stand-in for the Abominations. In this AU, the Abomination Track is essentially the Poison Typing as a whole, and the flagship creature for this type on the Isles is the Grimer line. It is said that Grimer is the descendant of the first life to ever be born of decaying flesh of the Titan's body, and that this shows in its form. That it has persisted as that primordial muck for thousands of generations because it had no need to really change. It is versatile, amorphous, and can be either curative or toxic depending on its mood. The rot of the Titan can make one ill and diseased, or it can give rise to an entire society of new life, and so too can Boiling Grimer, on a smaller scale.

Her father, Alador, is one of the most talented Poison Type Masters on all the Isles, a Professor of Poison who works tirelessly for a company that bears his name to unravel the secrets and innovate the future of Poison Pokemon on the Isles both natural and artificial. He uses their abilities to inspire machines and devices and has made many breakthroughs. And much like in the show, Amity fell in love with Poison the same way she fell in love with Abominations.

She did not receive her Grimer in school, but from her father as a child, to put her on the fast track for success - a suggestion of her mother's. So she went into school already experienced and knowledgeable in the type she was pursuing, and always assumed that her Grimer would end up her palisman. But... try as she might, it never happened. Though she loves it and she loves Poison Pokemon, and this very much is her one true passion in Pokemon Battling, her insistent clinging to an image of who she thought she had to be prevented her from ever fully connecting with her Grimer to pull out its fullest potential. Even though she evolves it into a Muk, even though she repairs her relationship with Willow, she falls in love with Luz, she rebels against her mother - the connection she craves isn't made.

This isn't to say her Muk or expertise in Poison Types are anything to scoff at. It is only to say that her mind and her image of herself were not her truth. There was a disconnect between who she was and who she was trying to be that her Pokemon could sense that prevented them from ever achieving that perfect bond. Instead, her Palisman came from the most unlikely of places, a Pokemon met in a chance encounter and immediately bonded with her when she finally broke down and realized she didn't know who or what she really wanted from her future. When she let go of a dream that was never hers, and gave up on turning her Muk into a Palisman, she immediately and unexpectedly found herself fused with a Pokemon that seemed to understand her perfectly from that moment on. And that Pokemon was

Boiling Purrloin -> Boiling Liepard - The True Palisman

Boiling Purrloin is not a Dark Type Pokemon. It is not a Poison Type Pokemon, either. Much to Amity's surprise, when she first achieved that perfect battle bond she'd sought for so long, it was with the Ghost/Fairy Type Boiling Purrloin. A Purrloin she, fittingly, would go on to name Ghost. As opposed to predominantly purple and yellow, Boiling Purrloin is predominantly white and a deep, faded blue. It is immensely clever, intelligent, sneaky, and something of a trickster by nature, like any good fae creature would be.

When she first encounters Ghost, it is a long abandoned and solitary Pokemon. Its original partner had found themselves in the same position as Amity, trying desperately to fit a mold they were never made for and to turn their Purrloin into their palisman. And just like Amity, no matter how hard they tried, it never happened. But the difference is that while Amity turned that frustration on herself and her friends, she would never in a million years ever think of laying a hand on her Pokemon or blaming it for her own inadequacies. Ghost's former 'partner' had no such qualms, and rather than sit around and take that abuse, Ghost had simply walked out.

It was on its own for many years after that, under the care of the Bat Queen - a large and unique Swoobat in this AU - until chancing upon Amity at her lowest point. Ghost watched intently, fully expecting the latest failure to have Amity turn on her Grimer and curse or even harm it for failing to meet her expectations - but what she saw was something entirely unexpected. She saw acceptance. And though it was a somewhat resigned and bittersweet acceptance, it was acceptance nonetheless.

When Amity finally verbalized that maybe she had been wrong, that she had no idea what it was she truly wanted from her life, that everything had been so crazy since Luz arrived and she found new friends and stood up to her mother and she was less sure than ever if she wanted to truly commit to Poison Types for the rest of her life, if she could meet the expectations of her father - when Ghost saw a witch at the end of the rope but willing to change, not willing to give up but rather experiment and try something new, she immediately walked up to Amity and caught her attention with a meow.

Ghost was curious to know the heart of this witch for herself, and invited Amity to pat her head. And when she felt the kindness and love with which she reached out and touched her, and Ghost felt all the hope and pain and love and heartache coursing through Amity quite literally firsthand, a bond was forged immediately that will go on to prove itself unbreakable, and Amity and Ghost found themselves immediately fused in a perfect bonded palisman state. Though it only lasted a moment before the shock set them both apart again, it was all that either party needed to know.

This girl was the partner they'd been looking for all along. Maybe they didn't know what their future had in store for them, but maybe together, they could find out and make sure that it was a good one.

Boiling Misdreavus -> Boiling Mismagius - The Fire Witch

On the Isles, Misdreavus is not purely a Ghost Type, but a Ghost/Fire Type Pokemon, like Litwick's line.

Before a permanent Type is chosen, a witch is allowed, both before and in the early days of school, to experiment with as many types as they like until they find their One True Type, as the Emperor likes to put it. So long as they settle on one and release or return any Pokemon not pursuant to that type before their second year of schooling, a witch is free to see where it is exactly their truest talent lies. So if you remember that Fire Spell from The Knee, this Pokemon represents Amity's experimentation with Fire Type Pokemon.

Her focus was always on her Grimer and remained there after the fact, after her struggle to tame and connect with the Fire Type, even though it proved successful, suggested to her that maybe this wasn't to be her path in life. But she had raised her Misdreavus well enough that it remained with her long after the training session on The Knee as something of a reserve member, and after Luz came in and started breaking down barriers with multi type training, and after finally finding her palisman in Ghost, Amity returned to her Misdreavus and saw it through to an evolution into a powerful and witchy Boiling Mismagius. It is now a core member of her Pokemon team.

Eevee -> Espeon - The Bonds Made Manifest

When she was still just a baby and she and Willow were the best of friends, Amity had alongside her Grimer another prized partner who very well could have become her palisman in another life: Eevee. She and Willow had found a pair of Eevee entirely by chance and went on to form an immediate connection and take them home. Though Willow's parents had no issue, Amity had to deal with Odalia.

After Alador gifted Amity a baby Grimer he had hatched, Odalia Blight had locked Amity in on becoming a Poison Specialist like her father before her, fully intending on making her even more powerful and respected than him. So her daughter coming home with a Normal Type was obviously not going to stand.

It was only when Alador intervened and spoke of Eevee's malleable nature and his theory of environmental factors up to and including its trainer determining how it evolves, and his personal pet theory of a Poison Type Eeveelution being possible to engineer that she finally relented. Alador specified it wouldn't be easy, and he had never had the time to experiment for himself, but he always planned to one day see if he could encourage a new Eeveelution by steeping an Eevee in the ways of Poison and keeping it around himself, a Professor of the type.

Believing her husband may be on to something, as he often is in these matters, she elected to let Amity keep her Eevee and see how it developed. And so the three grew up together - Amity, Grimer, and Eevee. But Eevee never evolved. Alador simply reminded the innate difficulty in trying to achieve something new that nobody else had, but the excuse began to wear thin for Odalia over time. Though she never outright said it, it was clear in the way she acted that she much preferred Amity focus on her Grimer over her Eevee. And after breaking off her friendship with Willow, that was exactly what Amity did.

Then Luz happened. Oh, Luz... there was just something about that girl that Amity couldn't quite put her finger on. The way she was so confident in being able to do anything a witch could do, to be able to achieve a perfect battle bond, despite the fact that all she had when she first showed up was a very clearly underleveled and underpowered - though admittedly very well cared for - Eevee. Who was this girl with no talent or battle sense that vexed her so?

Well, her lifelong soul mate, as it would turn out. So imagine her surprise that as their rivalry turned to friendship, and that friendship became a crush, Amity's previously long sidelined Eevee - a Pokemon she had now, since befriending Luz, begun training and spending time with again when out of Odalia's sight - spontaneously evolved into an Espeon one day, all on its own. She went to sleep having an Eevee, and woke up to find an Espeon.

What more fitting Pokemon to represent her bond with and blossoming feelings for Luz - the literal and metaphorical light of her life - than an Espeon? A Pokemon that only evolves via friendship under the warm, illuminating rays of the Sun. Just as Luz has an Umbreon that embodies her hidden depths and her love for her girlfriend Amity, Amity in turn has an Espeon that embodies her inner strength and determination and her love for her girlfriend Luz.

Add onto that the extra layer of that initial Eevee having been found with her very first friend, Willow, who would later go on to be Luz's first friend on the Isles and whose relationship Luz would end up mending Amity with, and it all feels rather poetic, doesn't it? More than any dreams or aspirations Grimer represented, that Eevee was the embodiment of love and companionship, of the two people who meant more to Amity than anyone or anything else her life could ever give her.

Because of Luz's influence and the friends she's made and patched things up with through her encouragement, Amity is now as close with her Espeon as she is with Ghost or her Grimer. As she is with her entire team, honestly. She no longer believes in the "One True Type" doctrine of the emperor. She's now beginning to believe, just like Luz, that perhaps there is room in her heart for a perfect bond with more than just one Pokemon or specific Type of Pokemon on the Isles.

Boiling Croagunk -> Boiling Toxicroak -> Ribbilute - Double Toxicity

Ribbilute? What's that? Well, it's the third stage evolution of the Croagunk line, exclusive to the Boiling Isles, of course. Ribbilute's name is a combination of Ribbit, Resolute, and Pollute, and all three together speak to the Pokemon's nature as a strong, loyal, resilient, and toxic fighter. The entire line is Poison/Water as opposed to Poison/Fighting as Luz would be familiar with, but no martially capable.

Amity is a born fighter. Not just physically, but emotionally, growing up the way she did with the family she has. Ribbilute is exemplifies this aspect of her. She was skilled enough to best The Golden Guard, the premiere witch of the Emperor's Coven, for Titan's sake - and one of her favorite things to do seems to be use Abomination magic to make herself some truly Might Mittens. That is Croagunk's whole deal.

With a Water typing speaking to its fluid movements, Boiling Croagunk and its evolutions are a lot like Vaporeon in their cellular makeup, able to disappear into water at will... but with the added effect of poisoning entire lakes when just a single specimen does so. They are frighteningly, virulently toxic creatures, and Croagunk was the first Poison Type that Amity caught on her own as opposed to being gifted by her father. It has always been her secondary as a result, and was intended to be her next palisman candidate if she could never quite achieve it with Grimer... but Ghost showed up and beat it to the punch.

That doesn't make it any less important to Amity, though. Ribbilute is her knight in toxic armor, fiercely protective of her since she was young.

After being forced to give up on her Eevee by her mother, Amity's relationship with Grimer changed. She never blamed it or hated it, but she could never be as close with it as what she wanted of it demanded of her. Because Grimer was as much a set of chains on her future and obligation as it was her trusted partner. Eevee is a naturally cuddly and affectionate Pokemon, and with how her family was as a child, she didn't get much in the way of affection from them physical or emotional.

Croagunk was there for her through all of that and understood that. Croagunk protected her and bonded with her in ways Grimer couldn't, through no fault of its own, or even of Amity's own. It was her rock, and it's not hard to see that the way she carries herself and fights with her own two hands of feet are all perfect mirrors of how a Boiling Toxicroak moves.

She evolved Croagunk much quicker than Grimer, but the evolution into Ribbilute took a bit more time and growth on her part. Ribbilute is a lot like Crobat in that it is a final form achievable only through a close friendship with one's Pokemon, and while the trust was always there, and Toxicroak was always Amity's #1 champion and defender, the closed-off bully she became put under the pressure of walking in Odalia's shoes prevented her from being the kind of partner her Toxicroak could really connect with in a way that would let it reach its fullest potential.

It was only when Luz came into her life that things finally started changing for the better, and by the time Hooty finally got them to ask each other out, Toxicroak finally had a partner it could reach its full potential with, and Ribbilute finally became hers. It is a remarkably fierce and powerful Pokemon, known to Poison and Burn in equal measure with just about any move it used, its skin covered in a caustic, toxic film that would harm anybody it did not trust, inflicting them with either a Burn or Poison simply for brushing up against it.

But for those it cherishes and respects? That same film can be used to create an elixir whose healing properties are unmatched. Poison Type in the Isles is a double-sided Type capable of ending or restoring life in equal measure, very much unlike the Poison Type Luz knows back on Earth. The Poison Type on the Isles could be said to not be the original Poison Type, but rather a unique variant created by virtue of being born of the decaying, liquefying flesh of a dead Titan, a godlike Pokemon in its own right. When given will as a Poison Pokemon, this rot can heal or harm at that Pokemon's discretion, making it capable of endlessly versatile creation or destruction alike.

Ribbilute is an irreplaceable member of Amity's team and a reminder of where she came from and what she, with a little love, is truly capable of. Of all the Pokemon on her team, Ribbilute is the most likely Pokemon to act as the first partner to fuse with both her and Ghost to create that forbidden "Mixed Magic" Pokewitch that Emperor Belos fears so much. But given what it represents, that Espeon isn't very far behind, either.

Boiling Teddiursa -> Boiling Ursaring -> Boiling Ursaluna - The Moon

The last member of Amity's team, and the most symbolic of the bunch, representing Amity's association with the Moon and Eclipses. Boiling Teddiursa and Ursaring are a Fighting type, which turns into Ghost/Fighting as Ursaluna.

Amity Blight is, if nothing else, a fighter. While Ribbilute represents one aspect of that in its fluid adaptability and loyalty to its loved ones, the scrappy indomitable nature of Boiling Teddiursa and its evolutions speak to another side of that fighting spirit. So dedicated and determined is it that even death cannot keep it down, and if it is ever mortally wounded with unfinished business, reaches the end of its lifespan and has an intense bond with its trainer, or if a Dusk Stone is given to it after its friendship is maxed, the Pokemon becomes a Moon Eclipsed and attains new power as the Isles' legendary and feared 'Ghost in the Moon'.

It's no accident just how many of Amity's Pokemon evolve via friendship or how much of their power, and by extension her power, is locked beyond the requirement of a strong bond. Her name literally means friendship, and it is her bonds with others that ironically free her the most and help her be the Pokewitch she was always meant to be. Boiling Ursaluna is just another aspect of that.

If Amity were be to be boiled (heh) down to two main types, they would have to be Ghost and Poison. The mystical and mysterious and alluring, and the dangerous and amorphous and toxic, together in harmony. She can be as dangerous as she can kind, and all of her Pokemon represent this in one way or another. Boiling Ursaluna is very much her powerhouse, the last line of defense, the Big Brother that watches over her entire team rivaled in sheer power and battle experience only by Ribbilute and a fused Amity and Ghost.

[www-internetangel-com]

Could you elaborate on Aventurine not owning a casino? I saw the tags and I'm not sure if you have yet

Oh sure thing. You're gonna get some other useless but related information too though. And I've just woken up so I'm hoping this makes sense.

Also, disclaimer, I'm talking thematically here and also reference him being passively suicidal.

So, first of all, casinos are all maths. A lot of the games you play are just probability and such. Yes, even slot machines. And while Aventurine is a very intelligent man who would know how they work, I don't think it works thematically for him to own one. Knowing the rules of the game doesn't ruin the experience of playing it, but being in complete control of the game isn't really something he would want, I don't think? A lot of card games are strategic in nature (hell, card counting is literally just probability and risk assessment) and rely on reading people. Aventurine looks more for influence over others, not outright control, and the illusion of a casino owner doesn't work for him. Not in my mind anyway. And owning the casino itself would essentially eliminate any risk of being a player. While Aventurine would look for safety in influence, I think he's like a lot of people going through traumatic experiences and wouldn't feel comfortable in control -- you need something to fight against to feel comfortable.

So here I want to talk about some things from the game that make me believe this. Firstly, his ultimate animation. Did you know there are a few types of roulette wheel? Well now you do! Aventurine's wheel doesn't actually match any wheel I've seen (it appears to have 32 slots with a rate of 31/1 on green, and American and European wheels have 38 and 37 slots respectively).

The way I interpret his ultimate is always having it land on green (or, in this case, the crown, as its the only slot with a design that is unique to the others, even if the numbers don't match up to it being "green" because that would usually be on 0 and 00 spots). The house edge on a European wheel, which I know more about, is roughly 2% while an American wheel is 5%. So I imagine using a wheel like this is meant to represent that Aventurine places strategy on his luck. Yes, landing on green would be incredibly lucky, but specifically choosing wheels with a lower house edge is also a strategic gamble. His famous voiceline here (yes, "bust... or maybe I'll take it all!) also makes me believe this is all calculated, because the planning behind what games to play, the background knowledge of the game itself, the ability to do quick equations on the spot -- that all works as his character. He is quite literally in the strategic department of the IPC, of course every choice he makes is completely thought out. But there's also the caveat of the planning not being perfect. Again, you have to account for random chance.

This also reflects in a couple of things in game that... I cannot be bothered to grab screenshots for, I'm sorry! But its a commonly known fact that Aventurine frequently bets his life and puts himself into the thick of situations... if he can plan around it. Aventurine wouldn't do that without reason. I think the image that some people have of him being an impulsive gambler is also just a façade to have people underestimate him. People forget he is a high ranking member of the IPC that, again, is known to be an amazing strategist. A lot of his actions in the game act as if he was playing at a table; he reads his opponents, he makes guesses on how they will react to certain situations, he reads the room as conversations happen, and he's highly adaptable to when something goes awry. There is constant danger to everything he does in these situations. Its what helped him survive for a long time. And I honestly don't think he minds the risk when 1. its planned out and 2. it is definitely a side effect of having a traumatic life, and he probably views either outcome as a win.

Although this is a serious topic, I think its an extreme that reflects a lot of his philosophy. What risk/reward payout do you get when you're in control? What is there to prove when there is no risk? What strategy is there to owning a casino itself? There's floor planning, removing the observation of time, and other design features, sure, but its static. There's no change. There's barely a risk when your competitors will be doing the same thing. There's no way to change things when this is, essentially, the meta of casino ownership. And then a lot of casino profit itself comes from marketing and selling the idea of a rich life through means of hotels, merchandise, expensive beverages -- its just not him, you know? Its boring, you're removed from anything interesting, and you're going to be untouchable as somebody who owns it all.

Now, to argue the counter: but Aventurine would feel safe and secure in this situation and he's finally at the top where he can't be hurt. I feel like Aventurine has this need to prove himself. Again, his means of survival. If he isn't able to prove his ability, then he may feel endangered. I do want him to feel safe and secure, I'm sure any fan of his characterisation would, but it just feels too far removed from the text we're given as players.

If you excuse a comparison to the DSMP for a second, its sort of the opposite effect of c!Quackity. He made a casino because he never felt like he could control his life, he never ended up on top, he was always taken advantage of, and he had a need to prove himself as a powerful person. Some of those traits would fit Aventurine, but not all of them. While he never had control of his own life (and I have a few things I could unpack with that but this is about casinos specially), and while he does need to prove himself to others, the need to prove himself is a survival trait and that's what makes me think being in charge would be seen as a threat. Hence the difference here. I love both of these characters because, well, the way they have themes around gambling can be read in many ways and show the nature risk in our own lives.

I hope this makes sense. I can expand on anything later if you wish.

[boonesfarmsangria]

Phil Sharp

All Points East 2025  will be welcoming The Maccabees for their first show in eight years on Sunday 24 August.

In 2017, The Maccabees said an emotional, euphoric goodbye with three sold-out nights at Alexandra Palace.

After a final performance of their breakout hit ‘Pelican’, they stood together on stage for the final time, waving back at a sea of adoring fans, all pouring their own goodbyes into the moment. It was an ending that has stayed with all who witnessed it, equal parts joyful and sad. At their creative, critical and commercial peak, they were leaving behind everything they had known in their adult lives. The end of crafting four increasingly accomplished and acclaimed albums, with each passing record reflecting the experiences of the fans who had grown up alongside them. The end of The Maccabees.

It was a farewell so resolutely final that each member threw themselves with full commitment into countless new endeavours: music, art, books, film scores, production, broadcasting and so much more. No matter how many times the question was asked in the years after, each member felt the same thing. It was the end. But not all goodbyes are necessarily forever. And so today comes the news that The Maccabees have reunited to headline All Points East in Victoria Park, London on August 24th 2025 – it also coincides with the 10-Year Anniversary of their final record together; the critically acclaimed, Number 1 album ‘Marks To Prove It’.

Not only will The Maccabees be Sunday night headliners – the bank holiday weekend being the perfect time for such a celebratory occasion – but they are also collaborating with All Points East to deliver an essential bill of artists that they love, both old and new.

The first small turning point on the road to All Points East can be charted back to guitarist and founding member Hugo White’s wedding in February 2020. He wanted to put together a covers band as part of the celebrations. Guest spots were divided out between an illustrious list of close friends and musical peers including Adele, Florence + The Machine and Jamie T. It was mooted that The Maccabees could maybe play ‘Pelican’ at the party to make it really special, but Hugo wasn’t entirely sure if singer Orlando Weeks would accept the invitation. They hadn’t all been together, on or off stage, since that last moment at Alexandra Palace.

For Orlando, it was about participating in a landmark life moment for his friend; as he puts it “I didn’t go because it was The Maccabees playing together again, but because it was a beautiful gesture to be invited and to contribute to the spirit of the day. What I wanted, band aside, was to find a way to be in each other’s lives in some way.’’

Having played almost every venue of every size in London as the band developed, the opportunity to headline the leading festival in the Capital in such good company, in the City they all grew up in, was eventually too good an opportunity to pass up.

Having immediately sold 30,000 tickets for their final Alexandra Palace shows shortly after its announcement, demand for tickets is expected to be huge. Fans who sign up to the mailing list at www.themaccabees.co.uk will gain access to a pre-sale which opens at 10am on Wednesday 30 October. Remaining tickets will then go on general sale from 10am on Thursday 31 October.

Felix White adds, on the pertinence of the show itself, “In the intervening years we’ve been to All Points East a lot, separately. It’s become a bit of a landmark festival for us, always checking who’s on the line-up. I’d go and have a great time throughout the day, but there was always this pinch of regret watching headliners that we could’ve done it ourselves one day too. I thought that moment had passed, and it was something I was prepared to come to terms with that I was always going to miss. I think we’re all kind of shocked and excited that we get to do it together again.”

Hugo White was inspired, in part, by watching The Strokes at last year’s All Points East: “I could see that they were enjoying it , realising how great what they had created together was. Being a band, you are usually in a mindset of, ‘We can do better’ and you’re always chasing something else. This is an opportunity to realise that whatever we had in that moment was pretty special and get to enjoy it again. It’s a chance to appreciate everything, and especially how it impacts other people and created a community.

[jacksgreysays]

35. things you said that made me feel real + Shikako/Gaara, royalty!AU

Anonymous asked: "welcome to the show," Kankurou and Shikako, chaotic political intrigue with a hefty dose of theater

First off, here are all eleven mentions/instances of the Shikaara royalty!AU that I could find because gods know I never came up with a title for that AU and thus have never tagged them for my own convenience: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. But if you don’t want to read those (most of them are three sentence fic, so it’s not too long, but I get it) then just know that Gaara, youngest prince of Wind, and Shikako, a daughter of a minor noble from Fire, literally bump into each other during Crown Princess Temari’s coronation and the tabloids turn their meeting into the fairy tale romance of the ages.

Okay now that that’s done: Anon(s) I’m also sorry for bundling your prompts together, but this time it’s because they were LITERALLY RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER in my inbox and also, the juxtaposition is SO FUNNY TO ME and also, also, adds additional nuance to both of them that I now cannot untangle them in my mind.

Well, I mean, I COULD. And you would theoretically get a very sweet, serene, straightforward Shikako and Gaara fall in love with each for real during the quiet moments behind what the rest of the world sees as their whirlwind romance via tabloids. Then a separate Kankurou and Shikako being bros and, essentially, grifting [insert number and which countries] daimyo(s) with some kind of stage performance as the cover/distraction while the actual mission is something else entirely. So not exactly The Producers, but a little bit? Also, a little bit like Ask Box Three Sentence Fic 8.2

BUT, what I think I like best about combining the two prompts is that the conflict of the narrative is built in with the softly budding, earnest Shikaara romance having to compete with the wilder, flashier PR scam that Kankurou and Shikako are running. Which does then get into the worldbuilding of: hey, actually, how much privacy do members of the nobility have and what is their duty to their countries and is publicity only good publicity when you control it?

HOWEVER, I’ll be honest, what REALLY got me into wanting to combine these two prompts is that, well…

In response to the first prompt (things you said that made me feel real) my brain immediately went to:

“Do you trust me?” she asks, hand outstretched. Gaara can hear the noise of the press, even muffled as they are by the door separating the green room from the stage. He doesn’t have a very good relationship with the press, his older siblings are more charming, more practiced, he mostly just wants to hide away from all the prying eyes. Though he supposes that’s what got him here in the first place. “Do you trust me?” Shikako repeats, hand still reaching out to him, and it’s now that he notices how it’s trembling, slightly. That she, too, doesn’t like the limelight. That she had also just been looking for a quiet place to hide, during their fateful meeting weeks ago. He puts his hand in hers, matching her grip in an attempt to ameliorate both of their nerves. “Yes,” he says, before they jump into fray together.

And then, because I will always, ALWAYS be in love with Chapter 95 (which even kicked off my whole recursive fic writing in the first place) my brain glommed onto the magic carpet-esque sand platform after the fight and what I’m saying is:

Shikako is Aladdin and Gaara is Jasmine, which ULTIMATELY makes Kankurou the Genie which I think is great :D

And so the second prompt comes in with Kankurou in the Genie role, just doing his best to make this PR machine work in their favor so that he can prove that being a royal doesn’t have to mean being miserable all the time (and also so that he can abdicate his place as first in line after Temari in relative peace)

Because if you really think about it—Gaara is second in line for an entire country (for now, though if Kankurou has his way, he’ll probably be bumped up to first). And, yes, his place will probably drop if/when Temari has kids. BUT, that’s a lot of responsibility. And I don’t exactly know HOW active/how much authority royalty actually has in this world. If it’s more figurehead-ish or if they actually do have executive power in the government. But either way, I don’t think he would have complete freedom over who he gets to be with, in the sense that he still has to do what is best for his country.

BUT, what if Kankurou can make it so that what is best for Wind IS to have the fairytale romance with Shikako and to make it real? (ie, good morale boost/PR for the country, kind of like what was going on with Princess Diana, RIP, and Charles’ relationship but actually good instead of being behind the scenes awful)

So then you have to bridge the gap between literal second (first?) in line for an entire country and the daughter of a minor peerage from Fire. I think I made Fire a five clan oligarchy made up of the canon four noble clans plus the Senju, which—finally my garbage taste in trash manhwa is paying off!—would probably make each of those five clans duchies. And if the Akimichi has the rank of Duke/Duchess, then the Yamanaka and the Nara are their subordinates which means that they are either Marquis/Marquess or Count/Countess.

Add on top of that, Shikako isn’t even her father’s heir. I mean, she could be if she wanted to fight Shikamaru for it, but she suuuuper doesn’t want it or to fight him for it. So… she might not even have a title at all, technically?

I mean, depending on how wild I want to get with the “prequel/backstory” of the royalty!AU (ie, Naruto’s Princess Diaries meets Anastasia fairy tale of realizing that he’s actually the long lost prince of Uzushio because of a grand adventure to meet the Duchess Tsunade) she may have been awarded a title for her “service.” But it still wouldn’t necessarily match Gaara’s second(/first) in line for the Wind monarchy.

Hence why Kankurou has to be the Genie and gas up Shikako’s reputation in Wind a la Prince Ali Ababwa. So you can see how that much chaotic energy and masks on masks and rumor manipulation would be the opposing force of Gaara and Shikako serenely, earnestly falling in love.

Then again, if we REALLY need like… an actual bad guy… I suppose there is the whole… just me scavenging from the Gaara Hiden novel again … Sand council arranging Gaara’s marriage with Hokuto of the Houki family (who would be a high ranking Wind noble in this world). Or maybe I do use the Akatsuki as international terrorist group and technically Shikako is a known associate of one of their members thing? But… I don’t particularly like that plot… so… probably not.

ANYWAYS, just imagine Kankurou having to somehow make the flashiest fairytale romance of the century with two quiet nerds who would much rather not be in the spotlight, please and thank you. He is a stage manager struggling to herd these two cats. Sure, he’s got Jinzo on the Wind side, but he’s also going to need so much of Ino’s help to wrangle Shikako. HE’S DOING HIS BEST WITH WHAT HE’S GOT, OKAY?

Thank you for the prompts, anon(s), I had fun!

[solarsonicsoda]

Rebbie's Wrestling Show Reviews - RevPro: Live in Southampton 29 (1/4/2024)

April Fool’s Day, Bank Holiday Monday, and RevPro Live in Southampton 29! It was a big day on 1st April 2024. Me and my dad made our way down to The 1865 for an evening of wrestling greatness just 24 hours after Revolution Rumble 2024, where Luke Jacobs would win the titular match! Before the show, we perused the merch tables which had quite a lot to choose from! I ended up picking up a signed print from the Grizzled Young Veterans. I’m a big fan of GYV, as well as a fellow Liverpool FC fan, so I simply had to. Shook their hands and they recognised us from roughly 30 minutes before when we had both been in the same Forbidden Planet shop looking around. My dad actually had to point them out to me after I walked straight past them somehow. I was also able to get a photo with them, which was awesome. Lovely blokes! We then stood back and got ready for the show.

As Francesca kicked things off, David Francisco got on the mic to express his frustrations. He’s sick and tired of being a Contender, essentially a trainee of RevPro, a position he has held for well over 2 years. He takes off his Contenders shirt, revealing his Chaotic Neutral tee, and says he’s stepping away from being a Contender whether management likes it or not. The crowd are absolutely chuffed to hear this, and he gets a great reaction. As he storms out, he runs into the Contender he beat for a spot in the Rumble, Joshua James.

Gabe Kidd def. Joshua James in 10:14

Fun smacking scrap, with a whole lot of chanting to start. Great sport for Josh James! This one had lots of wild chops and slaps, and was a pretty good slugfest! Kidd gets the win after a good showing by James, the big man being put away by a Kidd piledriver. It would take “War Ready” two attempts though, with his knee buckling on the first. Kidd won, but James was the one who left under his own power, and Kidd appeared to respect him for his effort.

3.5 STARS OUT OF 5

Oskar Leube vs. Mike D Vecchio ended in a double countout in 9:55

Absolutely wild big man clash from two monsters! Leube is a exciting big man and Vecchio impressed me greatly in my first exposure to him. The “Belgian War Machine” is absolutely massive, his shoulders are about as wide as he is tall, and the things he does despite such a superstar look were incredible. The speed with which both men hit the ropes was insane, and Vecchio hit flips and the like it was nothing. All his offense was off the chain, leaping halfway across the ring and chopping like he wanted to go through Leube. Despite a small slow period in the middle, this one was electric and it’s a shame it ended how it did. Both men obliged the fans though and kept fighting until RevPro officials tore them apart. I want to see these two go at it again.

3.5 STARS OUT OF 5

Robbie X def. Aigle Blanc in 15:56

Cruiserweight clash! This one took a small amount of time to grow on me, but by the end this one was an awesome time. Just two great high-flyers giving it their all for the Southampton faithful. It was frenetic, it was fast, and it was a good time for all. A Canadian Destroyer followed by an X-Clamation get the win for Robbie X.

3.5 STARS OUT OF 5

Luke Jacobs def. Shigehiro Irie in 13:12

One more match before the break and it’s a big one! The number one contender to the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship takes on “Beast Mode”. This one didn’t quite live up to my loftiest of hopes, but it was a pretty good big man clash in the end. Lots of meaty chops, big power moves, and even a stark reminder from Irie to “never give up”! We were sure to “Get Shiggy with it” as we chanted, but Jacobs would get the win in the end by making Irie tap-out to the crossface. I guess sometimes you need to give up…

3.5 STARS OUT OF 5

With that, it was time for intermission. We took this one easy and eagerly awaited the second half.

Anthony Ogogo def. Sha Samuels in 11:17

The Guv’nor is here whether we like it or not to take on the East End Bookie. This was a decent match of beloved babyface against hated heel, but it all came to an end when Ogogo hit that devastating right hand. Bosh.

3 STARS OUT OF 5

Ogogo got on the mic here to berate the crowd and laud over us all his accomplishments in RevPro, such as defeating RKJ and Samuels, as well as eliminating Oku from the Rumble. He wants the RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship, and tells Oku and his “Irish slag” Amira to listen up and give him the match. That’s not very nice. But Oku’s not at home! Here comes the champ, and he tells Ogogo to watch his mouth, reminding him that the last time he made a feud about nationality, he “accidentally made Cody Rhodes solve racism”. Huge pop for that one! Oku says if he wants a match he has it, and that they can do it right now. They brawl in the ring but a right hand knocks Oku out cold. Could the champion be in trouble?

Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) (c) def. Sunshine Machine (Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper) for the RevPro Undisputed British Tag Team Championships in 16:49

The new champs are here to take on the ever-popular Sunshine Machine! Some words are exchanged and once we made an acceptable amount of noise, the GYV decided to oblige us all and put the titles on the line! This was a good fun tag clash between two of the UK’s best teams. Mambo’s mastery of the ropes was on full display, as was the lethal speed of Drake and his flying dropkicks. It’s back and forth, with both teams looking to be victorious on occasions until Mambo is planted with a Doomsday Device and a double Ticket to Ride facebreaker for the win. Grit your teeth.

3.5 STARS OUT OF 5

Post match, GYV offer a handshake which a frustrated Sunshine Machine weakly accept. They aren’t happy. Francesca heads into the ring to ask them what’s next for them. Mambo is still pretty out of it, so TK Cooper gives his answer. He sarcastically thanks Francesca for rubbing it in with her question, saying he hasn’t seen her do this anywhere else on the show. Another big pop in the promos here, we loved that. Cooper says they never win in Southampton (they have technically won 2 out of 7 here but shhhhh, one was an elimination 8-man tag though). He concludes they need to go back to the drawing board somewhat, and they take their leave.

Josh Alexander def. JJ Gale in 18:31

It’s the hometown boy versus the international star from Canada. Loud chants of “He’s one of our own” to kick things off. This was a pretty good clash between two top draw wrestlers. Gale gave his absolute all to put away the more experienced Alexander, hitting multiple dives and a whole bunch of his signature offense, but he’s never able to connect with that Gale Force. Alexander himself dishes out all sorts of punishment like rolling German suplexes, an ankle lock, and a powerbomb onto the knee, but Gale weathered through it all. When the straps come down and that brutal C4 Spike is hit by Alexander though, that’s all she wrote for Gale. 

3.5 STARS OUT OF 5

Final Thoughts After JJ Gale takes his moment main-eventing in his hometown, Francesca is here to say goodbye. We all join in to help along with the website name as the show comes to an end! Overall, it was a pretty fun show with some solid storyline advancement, and it maybe just needed a truly great match to reach the top tiers! Lovely stuff! I think for me this one has to be 3.5 STARS OUT OF 5 for me

[willsherjohnkhan]

Rogue Male: A Sherlolly Story

Chapter 4: Identified

***

LONDON

Returning to England, making his way to London, and meeting up with Mycroft were all risky decisions. But they were necessary ones, for they gave him the upper hand on those that pursued him.

England was home, and London his domain. It was here he had his own vast network to assist him with whatever he was likely to need in order to apprehend the other members of Moriarty’s criminal organisation.

*

It didn’t take long after slipping away from The Diogenes Club for Sherlock to become aware that he had been tracked down. His shadow skilfully followed his every move. Whoever they were, they were remarkably adept at keeping well out of sight.

This simply would not do. It made Sherlock doubly determined to discover their identity, exposing them, if for no other reason than to assess the level of danger his shade posed, to himself and the public in general.

The question was, how best to get them to reveal themselves.

***

LONDON UNDERGROUND

Without warning Sherlock ducked into the Hollborn Underground Station, quickly buying an all-day pass before inserting the ticket into the machine and gaining access to the platforms. Once through he immediately made his way to the escalator that took him to the Central London Line.

Luck was on his side as a train had just pulled onto the platform.

While passengers on the train disembarked, and those waiting on the platform moved forward intent on getting onboard, Sherlock used the brief interlude to scan the crowd in search of his quarry. But to his growing frustration they remained irritatingly elusive.

The train was about to leave the platform when Sherlock jumped onboard, only to immediately turn around and hop off.

He ran for the stairs that would get him to the Piccadilly Line. As he began his descent he had the satisfaction of hearing someone having to force the train doors and leap out just as the train took off.

A brief glance over his shoulder was enough for Sherlock to identify his pursuer.

“Gotcha,” he murmured triumphantly as he made his way hastily down the steps.

*

His name was Parker, a short, stocky, yet powerfully built man, essential in his line of work. He was a garrotter by trade, and a member of Moriarty’s inner circle.

He was definitely the type you should be prepared for. Knowledge of your opponent was an invaluable asset.

With the distance between them and Sherlock’s longer stride that allowed him to reach the platform first, giving him a few precious moments to decide which car to enter, and find somewhere to sit.

The innocuous babble of schoolchildren that crowded around him, either sitting or standing, was only made bearable by the fact that they kept him shielded from the frantic searching gaze of his pursuer, who was forced to abandon his search in order to get on the train just as it took off.

Sherlock had no intention of staying put for long, but he also didn’t want to reveal his whereabouts if at all possible.

*

The obvious advantage for getting on the Piccadilly Circus Line was that it would take him to the Baker Street Station. But there was great risk in doing so, but as things stood at the moment, this was the best and quickest option. Sherlock could only hope that his run of luck thus far would continue.

When the train began to slow as it pulled into Baker Street Station, Sherlock was relieved to see the platform overrun by a mass of schoolchildren.

A number of passengers on the train began making their way towards the doors, all bracing themselves for the inevitable impact as the unruly hoards of children forced their way onto the already packed train car.

Sherlock made certain to be right in the middle of the mayhem, giving as good as he received in the pushing and shoving in order to get off the train as quickly as possible.

*

His luck held, with Parker this time unable to make it out of the door before the train left the station.

Using the few precious minutes before Parker could catch another train back, Sherlock made his way to a locker he had at the station. From it he retrieved items he had left instructions for a member of his Homeless Network to leave there: a backpack loaded with supplies for living off the grid, and a sleeping bag.

Then, using a public phone he rang a former client, who had offered his assistance should Sherlock ever require it, and made arrangements for where he was to be picked up.

***

ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LONDON

Sherlock unfolded himself from the cramped confines of the man’s mini, and headed off without a backward glance.

His plan, to remain concealed from prying eyes for as long as possible, in order to give him the time he needed to get his plan of action up and running.

To that end he immediately left the road and headed over to some overgrown woodland that would help to keep him hidden and well out of sight.

Time was of the essence, for he knew that with their resources Moriarty’s operatives would soon track him down. So he needed to keep one step ahead of them for as long as possible, and use what time he had to set a trap.

***

[emptymanuscript]

Ok, I'm only 11 minutes through this video, so... I guess allow for something in the final 7 minutes to change my mind but:

The more I watch of this, the less "Writing with AI" this seems to be.

I've been watching some of these videos and the first issue I keep seeing is the idea that these people are Writers who are writing with AI.

I feel like this video is particularly good at showing the basic issue. He puts in a prompt of what he wants and the computer spits out some number of words. He's less WRITING and much more COMMISSIONING a book.

He's paying much less to the entity writing the story and exercising much more control over the story than the human alternative. But in the end, I think COMMISSION is the proper verb for what he is doing, not WRITE. So I think I'm going to start using that language.

The other thing I think this video shows particularly well up to where I've stopped to post this is just how much of the process is coming out of the machine. It's even clearer over multiple videos but as a single video where you can just see it relatively quickly, this is good for demonstrating that you can commission essentially the entire process. From ideas, to structure, to text, to editing, to copy writing, and promotion.

I suppose there's nothing inherently wrong with that. And I suppose it's nice that any and all parts of the process are available. But it does require the question: what exactly is the commissioner doing in this process? If the commissioner starts from square one and uses the process all the way up to the end, what of themselves and their own work have they provided?

Again, I don't know if it particularly matters if we're not drawing it as a case of alternatives. If it didn't take from the work of others to generate this stuff. If it didn't take pay from artists and send it to corporate accounts instead. If it didn't then provide money to the commissioner as author of the work in competition with people who did the work. I don't know if I would care. The problem is that it DOES exist in this web of alternatives. These ifs are all false.

So it is commissioning a product - which the commissioner pays for in subscription services - and turning around and selling that product under the essential claim that it is the commissioner's own work done "with the help of AI" not BY the AI.

Looking up a book on Amazon that I remember him mentioning as done with AI in another video of his:

The Curious Sandpiper Paperback – June 21, 2023 by Jason Hamilton (Author)

A Heartwarming Tale of Discovery and Returning Home

In this charming children's book, a curious little sandpiper embarks on an adventure. As the sandpiper meets exciting new characters like the turtle, the dolphin, and the seagull, she explores the wonders of the ocean world. But the little sandpiper soon realizes how much she misses her mother. With the help of her new friends, the sandpiper finds her way back home.

Written as a passion project to create a personalized story for his own daughter, the author has crafted an unforgettable tale of discovery, friendship, and the comfort of returning home.

Paperback, 39 pages long, selling for 14.99.

Nothing about AI at all. He is portrayed as the sole author.

Again, would this matter if he just did it for his daughter? I think it could be cool but also it's like crafting isn't what he did here. He commissioned the crafting of it. As a present, eh, yeah, so what. We buy gifts for our loved ones as a regular thing. Not an issue in my point of view. I think it's even ok to say he helped create it. He did. It wouldn't exist without him. But he's not doing it for just his own daughter as a gift. It's a revenue stream for him on Amazon in competition with other people who actually did a lot more of the traditional work.

So is that ok?

I am less sure. I'm not against making money. I'm not against using whatever fair advantages you have. If you got it, flaunt it, baby, flaunt it.

The problem for me really centers on "fair."

Is this fair?

And my gut says this is the Amazon/Uber/AirBnB ploy. This is a way to undersell the competition so that they can't compete and then up the prices once there's no alternatives but to play their game.

But that is just a gut feeling. I have no proof of intent. And it is borrowing problems from the future. So let's just stick to now.

Just as it is now, is it fair for someone to commission a product to sell as their own? I don't think that's actually different from products generally. People make products for corporations. It's not even that it is being done by tech. That's pretty much capitalism in a nutshell. Tech is used. BUT there is an assumption in how things are made.

We EXPECT that cars are made on an assembly line. That there is a process of safety inspection. That there are people doing set tasks. And that there are consequences for NOT doing what is supposed to be done.

I'm well aware that the process of writing a book does not match societal expectations of book writing very well. I would certainly argue that what is generally considered the most important element - the fundamental idea that the story is about - is actually one of the least important elements.

But, again this video hits a nerve. When he is having the AI pitch story ideas to him, he's utterly dismissive of an actually fantastic idea:

When the last lifeguard on a post-apocalyptic beach falls for a mysterious swimmer who never leaves the water, she realizes he's part of a genetically engineered race trying to reverse rising sea levels.

That's actually not only one of the better ideas it pitches, it is just a damn good start of an idea, period. Because it sets up so much more than the plot. This idea sets up world building, tone, and thematic elements as well. I don't just know this is an apocalypse, I know what the apocalypse feels like, that it is a bit silly and irreverent, this is a place where the radioactive super-mutants still put on their palaka alohas and go catch some sun and waves. It's a love story, yes, but it is a lovers from different world's love story - not just WILL they vs. WON'T they but the actual question of CAN they? Is it even possible given their inherent differences. Plus some monster fucking potential. It also proposes some fairly serious mysteries: how is the post-apocalyptic world able to keep its fun on (culturally)? Why would an aquatic race want to reverse rising sea levels which would actually give them more usable places to live and work. These aren't faults in the idea, as he thinks, these are potentials for making a story stand out as unique. Weird isn't a problem for ideas. BORING is the problem for ideas. The last thing you want is a sort of shrug and that'll work, I suppose. You WANT an idea to stop you and make you think about it.

But anyway.

We expect an author to have come up with the idea for a book, to have written the book, to have edited the book, and to have cleared the hurdle of acceptably capable story to somebody beyond themselves. Yes, even in self-publishing, we expect that the author has gotten some kind of feedback and help from other people, even if it is just beta-readers, to make it palatable to future readers. And he hasn't necessarily done any of that. He's the beta reader. He comments that the prose is better. That's his judgement call about his own commission. AND he doesn't make any of that clear in the copy writing. Nothing around his book on its Amazon page indicates that AI was even involved, let alone may have done the majority of the work.

So, for me, that isn't playing fair with the audience or the competition. It is fundamentally failing to fulfill expectations while failing to notify the customer and charging the same market price of the competition that is fulfilling their expectations. You're not doing the same thing but acting as if you are. It's a mismeasurement because the metrics can't be the same. It is essentially the same difference as "usda certified organic." The label has meaning and differentiates the product from its competition by announcing it has a standard applied. Except, in this case, the majority of texts available for purchase are the organic ones while this is the sneaky hydroponically-fed, lab-grown meat put on the same shelf without distinguishing it from the rest. I think the customer is entitled to know that. I think the competition should be in a position to push back and say that this product is not the same as ours. It can be produced more cheaply (at our expense) and more quickly (again, at our expense) so it shouldn't be considered the same or priced accordingly unless it can prove that it has the same quality as far as the customer is concerned.

Which may not matter. It might be MP3 vs blu-ray music disc. If it's good enough, easy enough, cheap enough, customers may not give a shit if it is inferior quality. Quality is not the end all, be all of the market place. People might be ok with that. Sucks but such is capitalism. But they should have to be ok with all of it. It should be a complete debate, not one where that choice is hidden from view.

He's definitely doing work. It's just not writing work. It's OVERSEER and MIDDLE-MAN work. He's an exacting COMMISSIONER who is fiddling with the product every step of the way.

Which I wouldn't begrudge him if, again, it wasn't within a web of other things. If he was doing all this just for himself with no tacked on effects, I wouldn't care. That's just not the world we live in.

The problem is that he is essentially paying these companies a subscription fee to produce these commissions which he then goes on to sell. And those that succeed (as well as those that fail) are now examples within the system. Essentially, he is paying the corporations to develop a system for their enrichment. He pays them $20 a month or $60 or whatever. We pay him a fraction of that back in buying his books at $15 and maybe subscribing to his program as a patreon or whatever. So in the end, the money all flows up. AND, eventually, the companies have a good model, designed by his (and his students) trial and error work, of how they can simply have the computer spit out a product which they don't need him for anymore.

Will it be as good? Maybe not. Will it be good enough? Eventually. It's been reduced to a matter of time and sophistication at this point. It's when, not if. Because they can produce a book in a matter of minutes once the system is good enough. Look at how fast it produces text in the video. That's being able to do in an hour what I can do in a year. Pretty much the definition of unfair competition. Especially since they can simply import the competition. He doesn't do it here but he did in another video of his I watched. He had the AI analyze a back cover blurb and then produce one to match the analysis. Nothing I couldn't and don't do. It's simply that he didn't do it, the computer did, way faster than I ever could. The AI can copy paste everything digitized, which is pretty close to everything, and just take what works and pump it out in minutes and then flood the market to let "natural selection" determine its next move.

That's part of the choice being made. Part of the model of consumption. Do I trust the market to choose wisely? No. But it should at least be able to choose. We should at least be able to say copyright and trademark doesn't apply because it isn't protecting human work. We should at least be able to ethically argue that this will cost jobs without necessarily replacing them in the long run. We should be able to argue the ethics and fairness of being charged by this man for a product he didn't actually create.

And it should work for the other side as well. He might actually be argued to deserve a greater cut of the proceeds. He is doing a publisher's job, commissioning the book of a writer he expects to make a profit on with a product of theirs he expects to make a return on investment on. They're usually entitled to much more of the profits than the writer is. So maybe he should be charging more. Maybe this is the new job AI can make, great book editors whose STABLE of commissioned works you buy because they have great taste and have the skills and know how to fulfill it on a consistent basis. Just, again, we should be able to have that discussion and not have it hidden as the same choice.

/rant for now

[thetechempire]

In addition to pursuing developments in virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse, Mark Zuckerberg has set Meta, Facebook’s parent firm, on a precarious course to become a leader in artificial intelligence (AI). With billions of dollars invested, Zuckerberg’s calculated approach toward artificial intelligence represents a turning point for the entire tech sector, not just Meta. However, what really is behind this AI investment? And why does Zuckerberg appear to be so steadfast in his resolve?

Let’s examine why Zuckerberg chose to concentrate on AI and how Meta’s foray into this technological frontier may influence the future.

1. AI as the Next Growth Engine

Meta’s AI aspirations are in line with the larger tech trend where AI opens up new business opportunities. AI technologies already support important facets of Meta’s main operations. Since advertisements account for the majority of Meta’s revenue, the firm significantly relies on machine learning to enhance its ad-targeting algorithms. This emphasis on AI makes sense since more intelligent ad-targeting enables advertisers to connect with the appropriate audiences, improving ad performance and increasing Meta’s ad income.

Meta is utilizing AI to improve user experience in addition to ad targeting. Everything from Facebook and Instagram content suggestions to comment moderation and content detection is powered by AI algorithms. Users stay on the site longer when they interact with content that piques their interest, which eventually improves Meta’s user engagement numbers and, consequently, its potential for profit.

2. Taking on Competitors in the AI Race

Other digital behemoths like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are putting a lot of money on artificial intelligence, and they are fiercely competing with Meta. Meta must improve its own AI products and capabilities if it wants to remain competitive. For example, Amazon uses AI to improve product suggestions and expedite delivery, while Google and Microsoft have made notable advancements in generative AI with models like Bard and ChatGPT, respectively. By making significant investments in AI, Meta can become a dominant force in this field and match or surpass its competitors.

AI has also become a potent weapon in the competition for users’ attention. For example, TikTok’s advanced AI-powered recommendation algorithms, which provide users with extremely relevant content, are mainly responsible for the app’s popularity. In the face of new competition, Meta is able to maintain user engagement by utilizing AI to improve its recommendation algorithms.

3. AI as a Foundation for the Metaverse

The development of the metaverse, a virtual environment where people can interact, collaborate, and have fun, is one of Zuckerberg’s most ambitious ideas. AI is essential to realizing this vision, even though metaverse initiatives have not yet realized their full potential. Avatars powered by AI can move and make facial expressions in virtual environments more realistic. Users and virtual entities in the metaverse can interact more naturally and intuitively thanks to natural language processing (NLP).

To make interactions more interesting, Meta, for example, employs AI to help construct realistic avatars and virtual worlds. AI may also aid in the creation and moderation of material in these areas, opening the door to the creation of expansive, dynamic virtual worlds for users to explore. Zuckerberg is largely relying on AI because he sees it as the bridge to that future, even though the metaverse itself may take years to become widely accepted.

4. Building New AI Products and Monetization Models

Meta is becoming more and more interested in creating patented AI products and services that it can sell. Meta is developing its own large language models that are comparable to OpenAI’s ChatGPT through products like LLaMA (Large Language Model Meta AI). In order to gain more influence over the AI ecosystem and perhaps produce goods and services that consumers, developers, and companies would be willing to pay for, Meta plans to build its own models.

There may be a number of business-to-business (B2B) opportunities associated with LLaMA and other proprietary models. For instance, Meta might provide businesses AI-powered solutions for analytics, customer support, and content control. Meta may be able to access the rich enterprise AI market and generate long-term income by making its AI tools available to outside developers and companies.

5. Improving User Control and Privacy

It’s interesting to note that Zuckerberg’s AI investment supports Meta’s initiatives to increase user control and privacy. AI models can assist Meta in implementing more robust privacy protections and managing data more effectively. Without compromising user privacy, artificial intelligence (AI) can be used, for instance, to automatically identify and stop the spread of hazardous content, false information, and fake news. By taking a proactive stance, Meta can balance its own commercial goals with managing public views around data security.

6. Protecting Meta from Industry Shifts

Zuckerberg’s “all-in” strategy for AI also aims to prepare Meta for the future. Rapid change is occurring in social media, and the emergence of AI-powered platforms might upend the status quo. Zuckerberg is putting Meta in a position to remain relevant and flexible as younger audiences gravitate toward more sophisticated and interactive internet experiences.

As user preferences shift, AI might assist Meta in changing course. As trends change and new difficulties arise, this adaptability may prove crucial in enabling Meta to continue satisfying user needs while maintaining profitability.

7. An Individual Perspective and Belief in AI

Lastly, Zuckerberg’s motivation also has a personal component. Zuckerberg, who is well-known for having big ideas, has long held the view that technology has the ability to change the world. He sees an opportunity with AI to develop more dynamic, intuitive systems that are in line with human demands. His dedication to AI is not only a calculated move; it also reflects his conviction that sophisticated AI can have a constructive social impact.

Zuckerberg has expressed hope that AI will improve how people use technology in a number of his public remarks. According to him, AI has the potential to influence how people interact in the future in addition to being a tool for economic expansion.

Looking Ahead: What Could This Mean for Us?

With Zuckerberg spending billions on AI, Meta’s future, and the tech industry as a whole, advancements in AI have the potential to completely change the way we work, live, and interact online. We might soon have access to new technologies that will change how we utilize the internet, social media, and the metaverse. Better online safety, more individualized content, and possibly even new revenue streams inside digital platforms are all possible outcomes for users.

It is unclear if Zuckerberg’s AI approach will succeed, but Meta’s dedication to AI represents a turning point in digital history. It’s about changing an entire industry, not simply about being competitive. And it’s obvious that Zuckerberg has no plans to look back with this amount of investment.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #657

Top Ten Looney Tunes Characters

So the next couple of weeks we’re going to be doing a little theme, subtitled “I Can’t Believe I’ve Not Already Done This, I’ve Been Writing These Stupid Lists For Nearly Thirteen Years Jesus Christ What Am I Doing”. Basically, I’m going to do a few character focused lists, and they’re going to start with a focus on the Golden Age of animation. This week: Looney Tunes! Or Merrie Melodies. Y’know, the characters now owned by Warner Bros, until they decide to delete them to save tuppence on a bus fare or something.

When I was a kid – and this definitely isn’t true nowadays – classic animated shorts from the forties and fifties were regularly shown on TV. Not only that, in the eighties Warners put out compilation movies, such as 1982’s 1001 Rabbit Tales. As such, I was really familiar with the characters and the overall tone and, I dunno, lore of Looney Tunes. I loved this, because just by being a kid and watching cartoons, I was receiving an education in the history of animation. I can’t begin to tell you how useful this was when Who Framed Roger Rabbit rolled around and I could recognise not just Porky and Daffy, but Betty Boop and Droopy and all the other classic characters.

There’s always been a bit of a rivalry between Looey Tunes and Disney’s Silly Symphonies; maybe rivalry isn’t the right word, but the two often stand in contradiction to each other. I reckon if you actually watch enough of them it’s not as pronounced as it is in our popular imagination, but basically Disney’s lot are kind of jovial nice-guy comedies; the Warner Bros version is anarchic and destructive and crazy. I can’t see Disney ever making What’s Opera Doc? or Duck Amuck (on the other hand, Donald Duck is a borderline sociopath).

Anyway, all this is just meandering preamble to me ranking all the Looney Tunes character, with a subtle hint that future weeks may see characters from other beloved animated stables. Th-th-th-th-that’s all, folks!

Daffy Duck: who else could it be? Daffy is a candidate for the greatest animated character of all time. He’s a selfish, vainglorious, egomaniacal force of nature; he’s a self-referential meta joke machine; and he’s just utterly insane. He’s a disrupter, coming in and trashing everything. He’s the sort of guy who talks big then gets a comeuppance, but we root for him all the same; he also often takes on even worse guys who deserve a bigger comeuppance. He has a fantastic voice courtesy of Mel Blanc. And look, there’s no getting around it; Duck Amuck is a contender for the greatest animated short of all time. Daffy rules.

Marvin the Martian: I can’t make the big claims for Marvin that I make for Daffy or Bugs (spoiler alert for number three). Marvin is just, to me, really funny. His design, with his faceless black head and massive Roman plume on his helmet; his strained voice, like a put upon accountant; and the way his stories escalate with increasing levels of absurdity. He’s a funny guy with a cool design. I just love him. Fun fact: he’s dressed like the Roman god Mars. Do you get it? Mars.

Bugs Bunny: Bugs, like Daffy, is a disruptor, but unlike Daffy he’s rarely in it for himself; he’s usually just absolutely sticking it to the man. Yes, he’s funny, with his carrot munching and his “what’s up doc”-ing. But he’s been described as a genderfluid trickster god to sit alongside Loki, and that’s not too far from the truth (how often does he dress up as a sexy woman to befuddle old Elmer?). He subverts and destroys almost every convention he comes across, and it’s sublime. Ain’t he a stinker?

Wile E. Coyote: silent, dogged pursuit sounds intense and serious – like Michael Myers in Halloween – but it’s, well, daft. The way Wile E. builds his elaborate Acme death traps, unleashes them at the right moment, but then utterly fails, sending him crashing cataclysmically into a canyon wall or plummeting down a chasm to create a beautiful O-ring of dust, is so iconic it essentially defines an entire genre of animation.

Elmer Fudd: shhhh, be vewwy vewwy qwuiet. He’s hunting wabbits. Fudd is, arguably, the greatest comic foil; a stupid, self-important idiot, representing the status quo, the power dynamic that needs disrupting. When you’re the fall guy you need to be able to take the punches, and his big, bald, face – like an elderly baby – can roll with the punches. Plus, and it’s no small thing, his performance is terrific, his voice iconic. Kill de wabbit!

Tasmanian Devil: there’s little nuance here, no in-depth characterisation to dissect; nor do I think he’s some kind of archetype that defines animation. Yes, there’s great vocal work being done from Blanc, and also in his design and animation. But basically he’s just this crazy, uncontrollable, all-devouring force of nature. So wildly funny he, somehow, got his own sitcom, a fact as weird as he is.

Yosemite Sam: like Elmer or Marvin, he’s basically a foil, essentially a villain, designed to get his britches burned by Bugs or whomever. Unlike Elmer Fudd, he’s a much more aggressive and angry figure, violently shooting off his guns and basically being a big jerk; it’s quite funny, his accent and his mannerisms really strong. And his design is incredibly, a shortarse cowboy whose entire face is basically one enormous orange tasche. Yee-haw!

Foghorn Leghorn: I say, I say, I say, there’s something really appealing about a rooster who’s also just, like, a big unit. A sheer massive dude. He comes in, like a know-it-all, dead smart and all. And the big thing – the thing that really makes it art, that makes him an all-timer – is that voice. Just a Texan legend. Pay attention, son.  

Porky Pig: I’m pretty sure he’s headlined cartoons, but really Porky is a classic support act; the headliner’s best friend. He excels in being the smarter, more level-headed sidekick to Daffy, sensitively coming up with better solutions and being ignored, just to stoically accept whatever chaos is unleashed. Again, you’ve got a great design and voice, but also arguably the most iconic, defining catchphrase in – I dunno, is this hyperbole? – all of animation. “That’s all folks” is just a commonplace piece of modern culture. That’s pure Porky.

Witch Hazel: there are so many supporting characters, so many minor villains or randos in Looney Tunes. And that’s without acknowledging the likes of Tweety and Sylvester, or the slightly more problematic Speedy Gonzales (I’ve heard arguments pro and con) and the frankly very problematic Pepe le Pew. But I’ve always loved Witch Hazel; mostly her design, a vast green head, huge body, and teeny tiny spindly legs. And the way she always shoots off in a cloud of hairpins. She’s a delight.

My big worry with this list is that I might have made some egregious error about the history of Looney Tunes. Never mind, eh? Let’s just pretend Daffy wrote it.

[scnsualforalphas]

It was that distinctive characteristic that made their dynamic so unique, to the point where Luca knew only the fewest people would understand that it was far more than simply Daniel dominating him at home and treating him like a personal sex slave. It was both for a lack of patience on his part in explaining it to those that didn't matter, as well as out of a protective instinct over his boyfriend, that he therefore chose to strictly limit the number of people who even knew about what their relationship looked like in private. But those that were in the loop knew that indeed Luca got as much out of this as Daniel did, if not more sometimes. He knew plenty of men with a submissive streak who probably would've said and done anything to get the chance to be used and fucked by the absolute perfect fuck machine that Daniel was, with that perfectly chiseled body, enormous cock and unending sex drive. But the pleasure Luca got out of their dynamic wasn't just limited to countless orgasms as he got his brains fucked out and filled with his man's seed day and night. Serving his lover, bringing him pleasure and being a good fuckdoll for Daniel was an essential need for Luca. Serving Danny was as much his love language as pounding him was Daniel's. And he never felt their mutual love as strongly as when the other was inside him, that humongous dick buried deep inside his tightness, the warm cum of the previous loads still coating his insides as well as glistening all over his face and body.

The innocence in Daniel's tone was going to be the death of him one day, Luca knew, as it drove him crazy in the best way. Maybe it was the overwhelming pleasure of the other's thick length buried balls deep inside him that made it hard to think, but whatever the reason, Luca simply couldn't wrap his head around how it was possible for a man to be so genuinely and authentically sweet and at the same time, be the most virile and sexually hungry beast imaginable. "Y-Yes...", he groaned breathlessly, silently grateful that Daniel was putting the food aside, making it easier to focus on just his lover's carnal hunger for the moment. "Yes, Daddy... I love it", he admitted what both of them obviously knew anyway.

He let out a heated whimper at the question, not even meant to directly respond to Daniel's words but a result of feeling the oversized dick slide out of him a bit and fill him back up - or rather, feeling himself bounce on his man's thick length. For a moment, he wondered if Daniel even grasped the irony of suggesting Luca use his dick like a toy, only to turn the tables immadiately and have the smaller male be used like a human fleshlight, his bouncing motions fully born from Daniel's own strength. But despite his lover using him like the fuckdoll he was in their relationship, that didn't mean Luca was any less passionate, any less hungry and eager to match his muscular lover's stamina even after the several rounds they'd already gone by this point. He made sure to put his own strength into his motions, bouncing with even more eagerness on Daniel's fat length, moaning inreasingly loud and needy as his perfect soulmate began choking him and groping his supple ass, wasting not a split second to obey Daniel's commanding words and meeting his gaze that was full of need, blissful lust and devotion. "Please, Daddy", he whimpered, and the desperate need in his tone resounded like he was begging for his life. "Fill my pussy again... Please, I need your load so bad", he whined, as if he had not already been receiving what felt like a gallon of Daniel's seed tonight. "I'm yours... Your pretty little faggot fuckdoll... Forever and always yours."

It was true that Daniel treated Luca like his personal sex slave at home, ordering and encouraging the other to tend to his needs in the most subservient manner- but what made their dynamic in this so different from the cliche was that Luca very much got as much out of it as Daniel did. Daniel repaid his lover in a surplus of orgasms and a devoted sense of attention even when he was at his most dominant- not to mention he unknowingly fulfilled a host of his lover's other desires. Daniel was at his happiest when he was inside Luca and they both knew it. He smiled as the other fed him neat forkfuls, his hands resting on each side of Luca's ass, humming happily and he couldn't help but roll his hips up into the other's tight heat between servings. It seemed one of those movements hit a particular sweet spot for the other when Luca blurted out and Daniel smirked, "Yes, baby?" he asked innocently, his tone sugar-sweet and not at all indicative of the fact that he had full control over the smaller male or that he was balls deep inside him, "Did you like that?" he asked again, smiling and taking the food stuff from Luca's hand and setting it aside, he'd had enough to replenish himself for the time being.

He gave each side of Luca's ass a loud, sharp and simultaneous spank, grinning up at the other on his lap, "You want me to fuck you again? You wanna use Daddy's cock like a toy?" he hummed, already lifting the other's hips with a soft grunt and bringing them back down, forcing the other to start bouncing on his cock, "I think the answer's 'yes'," he decided on Luca's behalf as he guided the other into what was their umpteenth round within the few short hours he'd been home. For some, it would be incredibly astounding that any human could be this inherently carnal and sexual, but for Daniel - and as Luca understood better than anyone - it was only natural. This was his love language, this was what he was made to do. That being said, it would be obvious to Luca that Daniel had very much missed him, despite only being gone for a few hours, and both he and his body seemed to need to fuck to the point of complete exhaustion to soothe that feeling. Daniel craved connection more than anything, and that just happened to manifest itself into him acting like a well oiled fuck-machine.

"That's it, baby, ride me just like that," he panted, curling his toes as Daniel's slicked, tight heat brought him right back to the realm of indescribable pleasure, the food and their other human needs once more completely forgotten in the wake of their lust. Daniel's hands ran all over Luca's body, feeling and groping every lithe inch. "Mine, mine, mine ...." settling with one hand around Luca's throat and the other gripping one of his fat, jiggling ass cheeks and he got that look in his eye- the one where he seemed to cross over from human to animal and he started to pound up into Luca with such speed and force that it seemed he wanted to do nothing more than completely destroy and ruin the other, "Such a pretty little faggot fuckdoll- Look me in the eyes while I put another load in you."

[distinguishedfacecupcake]

The Urban Dictionary of palang pintu kereta api Indonesia

Oral sexual intercourse is one of a person's favourite pastimes, and the thought of autofellatio - that is, having the ability to administer oral sexual intercourse to oneself - is attractive to most Adult men (even if they may be loath to admit it). You will discover probable not many Adult men who definitely have not created at the very least one particular half-hearted attempt to see if their mouths could achieve their penises, but The issue discourages most who try out it. (And all those who have not practiced very good penis care may possibly discover the up-shut look at the organ that this supplies for being a wake-up call to acquire far better treatment of their junk.) For people who want to create further makes an attempt, There are membuat palang pintu kereta api a variety of ideas which will boost the probability of success.™

Get ready appropriately upfront.

Bending your body this sort of that one's own mouth can envelop one particular's own penis means Placing the body able to which it's most probably very unaccustomed. Just as one will not roll out of bed and straight away operate for any mile, one ought to thoroughly put together to interact in autofellatio.

Ideally, a man demands to invest not less than a few days "limbering up" before an try. Participating in any number of stretching routines that require bending the again can assist. For example, a man might sit Together with the soles of his toes touching and his knees distribute out, clutch his toes with his arms and Carefully bend his head and back again as close to the feet as possible, then return to his starting up situation. Do do not forget that The theory is to maneuver Carefully. If at all possible, have a few yoga classes as one way to help limber up.

Prepare thoroughly that day.

When trying to suck oneself, the bending is of course planning to put a lot of strain on the belly; consequently, It truly is a good idea not to take in or consume for a couple of hrs before starting on the process. A person must also try and rid the bowels and bladder of content material before beginning.

When fifteen or 20 minutes from commencing, a man need to have a warm bathtub to be able to take it easy the muscles. He may also want to engage (diligently) in a handful of uncomplicated stretches even though lying in the tub.

Take it lying down.

Most Males are more likely to accomplish autofellatio achievement in a very prone situation in lieu of standing or sitting down. A man should lie together with his head on the pillow (or numerous pillows, according to his consolation stage), then flip his legs at the rear of his head, with his toes landing driving his head. (As generally, he really should transfer cautiously continually and stop when there is discomfort concerned.) Some Males may perhaps discover it less difficult To accomplish this by first transferring their legs and hips up a wall, supplying them a lot more guidance, right before flipping them forward. A person may well then scoot forward so which the wall delivers some back guidance. Along with the hands within the buttocks, Carefully go the penis nearer towards the mouth.

Persistence is vital.

Hardly any men are limber ample to properly carry out oral intercourse on on their own The 1st time out. Currently being persistent is essential; if the first endeavor is actually a failure, the tenth will not be.

As mentioned above, autofellatio provides a man a whole new perspective on his machines; using a prime-drawer penis wellbeing product (health specialists suggest Man1 Person Oil) tends to make the Resource glimpse much more inviting, equally with the autofellator also to any lover he can have. Dry, flaky organ pores and skin can discourage everyone from putting an organ in their mouth, so a product which has a significant-finish emollient like Shea butter is needed to keep the skin easy and healthful. Furthermore, vitamin C inside a cream may help with collagen generation and penile tissue firmness, that makes the member extra palatable.

It can be great to know how to make a person orgasm at will providing you with complete power in excess of how much time sexual intercourse lasts for. You understand that by possessing your guy beneath your Management provides the facility to attain everything you desire.

A mans head is effective in a different way to some womans, a lady ought to really feel fantastic to have sex correct? nicely a person requirements intercourse to come to feel good! they are the entire reverse. So by both failing to enjoyment your gentleman proper, or by missing the talents to make him sense fantastic, what will he do? Very likely locate it in other places and you should steer clear of that whatsoever expenditures dont you??

Here's three ways for making your person ejaculate.

1. A terrific way to come up with a male explode is to employ certain sex positions that make him ejaculate fast. There's two positions that do the trick each and every time. A person is you on all fours, The mix of observing your body On this posture And just how it feels inside of signifies most Guys only last some seconds.

2. Yet another way to produce a man orgasm should be to dress up for him mainly because Guys are really Visible about sexual intercourse this functions a treat. Go approximately mattress right before him and get ready then when he cones up and pulls back the handles his eyes will come out, he is going to be erect promptly and ejaculate in seconds. You recognize a person watches porn, nicely this sets what his expectations are. The quantity of Grownup films attribute the woman within a bath robe and pyjamas? So The purpose is expectation is key.

three. This can be the best way to make a person orgasm, actually it could reach this inside thirty seconds. Is fellatio (oral) and this when finished using this little suggestion can make any gentleman climax. Okay all you should do is keep the sucks small and quick, Never attempt to acquire him deep just suck the really idea of his penis which is the most sensitive Section of it. You'll be stunned at how fast you can make a man orgasm by performing this.

You will find loads more methods and methods but of all of them fellatio will ring his bell (pardon the pun) louder than anything. So When your person had trouble ejaculating or you merely intend to make a man orgasm more rapidly then It is really fellatio that you might want to grasp.

Think about possessing your man actually begging on his knees for more intimate action from you. When you grasp the information above and may Regulate your mans most internal sexual wants, guess what?? He is going nowhere!! What will be on his brain all day long long?? Uncomplicated.. the considered what will almost certainly materialize when he walks through the doorway to his lady. To make sure that leaves you with one particular endeavor at hand (perfectly and mouth) and that is to be so seductive and understand The brand new competencies you need.

You are aware of there are lots of strategies to know these new skills you require. You could possibly question a colleague? but hey that might be uncomfortable to admit your failings to somebody you realize right? you can sit up all night time on Google on the lookout for cost-free ideas about the subject, but then your missing out and what's your man undertaking although you happen to be undertaking this "exploration"?

There's a sure hearth way to master, and learn quick and that's by clicking the connection beneath and looking at the tutorial. Actually at the moment there's no better or more rapidly way to know what you have to Obtain your person permanently under your Regulate.

[sugar-petals]

can you give us more thoughts about domestic yoongles? the taemin's one (wich I love) just made me miss the cat boy so much ;o;

i have a phd in househusband yoongi so let me fire out some ideas for ya.

myg at home headcanon

🐱 word count. 1.9k | fluff, slice of life, slight nsfw mentions, x reader, bullet points

The doorbell sound is a recording of Yoongi imitating a doorbell. He’s such a meme. Ceci n'est pas une pipe.

Seemingly, he teaches himself a new recipe every week. To perfection. Yoongi is very particular about sticking to the recipe and wielding his kitchen tools in the right way. He collects knives, olive oil, and still hates cutting onions.

He separates sleep time, work time, and couple time as the holy trinity. For each, he switches his mood.

Blushes easily no matter for how long you’ve been together.

Establishes his own radio show where he DJs at one point.

Yoongi keeps an extreme track on the garbage schedule. He knows exactly what is due when. Separating the trash is a must. That includes sorting out fake friends trying to get between your relationship. Your social circle as a couple is extremely deliberate.

Yoongi deems himself a terrible host for guests. Unless Hoseok is there to drag him out, it's true he rather stays in the kitchen or at the barbecue preparing the menu courses rather than making small talk. He leaves the hospitality bits to you, however you want to go about it.

What he lacks in conversing with guests, he makes up in bed, God is absolutely fair.

He sings and hums pretty often and has his own vernacular of extraterrestrial uwu noises. It's an alphabet that you have to yet decipher but it's incredibly cute.

Self-made paintings everywhere around his house. 

Yoongi hasn't gone clubbing since grammar school. The most he does is going to a restaurant at lunch with very close friends. And always in a work context. His private life is so secluded from everything else and paparazzi just don't spot him anywhere, Dispatch thinks he must live abroad.

Very well, he does consider his big ole house a separate country. It's a living organism with a studio, gym, trophy room, small-size basketball court, and vastly equipped kitchen. A home theater as well, he likes American movies (like Inception) and Korean action genres, and you can stream whatever you fancy in there whenever you like. 

Yes, he has underwear with cute little bears on.

There's even a little pond in the backyard. Yoongi, Pisces he is, likes fishes after all. Sometimes he sits at the edge of the 'Little Ole Min Lake (LOML)' and stares into the water for literal hours with his chin parked on his palm.

His fridge is so high-tech and futuristic, even Yoongi is rendered clueless by its AI sometimes. The washing machine, too.

Yoongi watches RuPaul’s drag race. What did you expect? He finds it so humorous.

Owns lord knows how many comic collections.

Favorite holiday destination: New York.

Christmas is basically 50% you unveiling new music equipment to him in the garage and Yoongi almost fainting at the sexiness of it. The other 50% is spent holding hands and orgasm after orgasm until the new year since you loose track of time.

Goes on long rants why he’d marry you again every weekend.

Making you presents is his specialty. Always accompanied with a hand-written note. He writes a lot of things by hand for you in general. Texting, basically never. Always on paper.

No sex without a blanket and socks on. Yoongi gets cold very very easily and just doesn’t like showing skin. You buy him a heated blanket for his birthday, he even uses it in his studio chair.

Chronically addicted to making out.

Matching black outfits and glasses.

Laughs at even your worst jokes or phrases you didn’t expect you even uttered.

Yoongi owns the phoniest, most secretive-looking black car ever and nobody knows about it. Even he forgets he owns it, in fact he genuinely acts like it just doesn’t exist. Hilarious. And that guy has a level 1 Korean driver's license. Which allows him to drive trailers and busses and fucking trucks, and construction machines, let that sink in.

It's really a genius curse. Yoongi being put to the test will always deliver but he won't choose to execute his full skillset if he doesn't have to. Well, pragmatic. He's not as phony as he thinks he is, which is even more hilarious.

He uses that behemoth of a car so scarcely because he'd rather have things delivered to his doorstep and he's stingy with gas. Also, he doesn't like traffic and driving because of the traumatic shoulder accident and his tendency to space out. Translation: You drive that thing... that monster... it really is an impressive, fast, and scary machine. 

If someone devious ever even remotely manages to invade his privacy and get past the doubly-installed security system, he has enough money to deal with it no matter what.

If it concerns your privacy, he's a red belt. And owns Jin's number if a taekwondo master is required. Jimin's if it needs someone with kendo skills.

If Yoongi needs someone to go on a complete rampage, Jungkook lives just down the block. He can sprint to Yoongi's bunker I mean mansion within 45 seconds. 30 if it's very urgent. 20 if the reward is an instant ramen splurge with Yoongi's black card.

He has a sexy, glamorous sword collection hanging on the living room wall anyways, so. Who the hell is dumb enough to mess with him and his expensive lawyer in the first place.

But just in case, who knows... Yoongi settles matters shruggingly, anonymously, and with cash and he's too exhausted for violence, but don't underestimate his deter-min-ation and network for emergencies. Also, he is Agust D after all.

He will bonk a naughty burglar or kidnapper across the head with a wooden cooking spoon or take him down by throwing a basketball if the situation requires it. Damn, his reflexes are so fast, a feral cat in motion. So, lean back and sip on your drink of choice. Things are cared for.

If Yoongi is the one being kidnapped or a highly skilled stalker invades the property at night when he's fast asleep (nothing can wake this man during certain hours, strong REM right here): Don't forget that honeyboy is a Dodgers fan. There are signed baseball bats everywhere in this damn house.

In that sense, your parents visiting you here for the first time thought you were an undercover thug couple. Not to worry mom and dad, you both just like sports very much okay.

Yoongi walks around in all black clothes and the rooms are all seemingly dark. Even if you live together, you don't know his skin care routine. It's clear to you he's some sort of vampire.

Since Yoongi always forgets to remove his makeup, you made it a habit to wipe it down when he's about to pass out. He won't lie, he enjoys that kind of affection.

Holly is your resident child. You're essentially a family.

He insists to tackle this by himself, Yoongi sees his therapist monthly. Not shifting responsibility is something he's stubborn about and he pours his emotions into writing. You will do conversation about deeper stuff, but he says it's mostly up to him and his own mind. He dislikes burdening you or opening up too much and it's something to respect rather than force him about. If he wants to share a thought, he will. It doesn’t mean he can’t trust you or sucks at communicating (we know that he’s direct). Yoongi simply can’t put that much pain in such few words nor should you alleviate it for him.

Calls from the manager faze Yoongi as much as Jimin is bothered by gravity. If he’s busy kissing your body slow mo, who the hell dares to disturb his worship. 

This man had so many let-downs and interpersonal catastrophes in his life, he's super discerning with people. Because he rolls that way, during their first meeting Yoongi uses his psychology certificate on your friends. You see him squint at them, he listens very closely. After they pass the vibe check aka meow radar, he befriends them, too.

Yoongi doodles Grammy trophies everywhere to manifest them.

Yoongi shaves his legs.

All the sex toys he’s ever bought are black. Gotta vibe in style.

He spends ridiculous amounts of time in the studio but he's yours for the remainder of the night, breakfast, and he makes a lavish lunch and dinner.

Um, consider his head parked between your legs. The Hongkong line was not a joke.

Doesn’t mind you squishing his cheeks whenever and for how long you like. 

Every other weekend he gets flowers, vouchers, and gifts — not because of fans, they don’t know where his house is, but because he donates so much.

Namjoon often drops by and cleanses the area with his crystals.

Yoongi is a photography major so you can ask him to take professional, ceiling-high black and white shots of you.

Feeding each other food lovingly. Man, this guy got lips.

He set up a library just for you, in the exact historical aesthetic you like the most. Send him the link to any book you want, it's basically in the online shopping cart already. As I said, he wants to make you presents like every week.

Sometimes he sits on the other end studying English videos and vocab while you read. And yes, he's already 95% fluent but pretends being merely intermediate. He knows technical terms even native speakers have never heard of.

He collects pajamas and earrings.

Swears on the phone.

Namjoon being the horniest member is a cover-up story. Yoongi masturbates almost unreasonable amounts of times, by himself and in your arms when going to bed. Not gonna lie, it’s a sight to see his hands at work. He’s almost equally obsessed with fingering you once you ask him.

Yoongi was the one asking you to move in and almost had a nervous meltdown before meeting up with you to tell you just that. 

He’s the little spoon and of course a sleeping burrito to hold tight.

Finds you equally attractive in any state or styling. Yoongi practices what he preaches, he always reacts the same and says the same. 

Jams out to outrageous beats Namjoon sends him by dancing in the studio. You walk in on him every time. Was embarrassed at first, now you dance along.

Has bought you a life-sized Yoongi pillow and customized you a giant Shooky to hug when he’s not at home over night.

Owned a wine cellar until he quit drinking. Turned it into a piano room instead.

Only you know Yoongi has a serpent and dagger tattoo.

Scrubs the bathroom religiously.

The house smells like restaurant food and his extravagant perfumes half of the time.

Sometimes he has to remind himself he’s married to you and not his coffee machine. He shall be forgiven. You can’t complain that he doesn’t love you enough, nor is he ever not adorable when drinking his latte.

Never wears short sleeves. It can be scorching and he’ll wear a jacket. 

Tell him and the cap stays on during sex.

He grows his hair out and puts it in a low bun. The bangs remain.

Yoongi has installed the most fire-proof building in the entire city it seems. That he wanted to be a firefighter when he was young definitely shows. Figures the house has to be protected from heat: His blasting studio music and Yoongi himself are just way too sizzling.

Still melts into a puddle when you kiss his nose.

Couple sunrise watching. 

© submissive-bangtan 2017-2021. all rights reserved. do not repost or translate. all depictions fictional.

[petruchio]

the original percy jackson series is an indictment of the modern school system, and asks its readers, young children, to look beyond the structural limitations which it imposes on them.

from the start, percy’s relationship with school--whether that be public or private--is a central theme of the novels. in the first chapter of the entire series, he’s quite up front about how he cannot function within the current school system:

“I had to try harder, even if this was my sixth school in six years and I was probably going to be kicked out again.”

and this is no accident!! especially knowing that rick riordan, prior to writing percy jackson, was a public school teacher. to know that he watched his own child struggle within this system, and wrote the books as a response to a system which made his son’s learning disabilities so extremely difficult to manage. that he then, in his books, invented a world in which rather than being framed as something detrimental, adhd and dyslexia are framed as beneficial. rather than being something that must be fixed by the system, they are something to be celebrated, even admired.

there’s one scene that always sticks out in my memory from the battle of the labyrinth as one of the scenes where i’ve always felt that riordan essentially gives up any pretense of metaphor and speaks directly to the reader: the scene with annabeth and the sphinx. (for context, annabeth is asked repeatedly to mark her answer down on a paper so it can be read by a machine, and the sphinx asks her various trivia facts)

“These aren’t riddles,” Annabeth said.

“What do you mean?” the sphinx snapped. “Of course they are. This test material is specially designed—”

“It’s just a bunch of dumb, random facts,” Annabeth insisted. “Riddles are supposed to make you think.”

“Think?” The Sphinx frowned. “How am I supposed to test whether you can think? That’s ridiculous! Now, how much force is required—”

“Stop!” Annabeth insisted. “This is a stupid test.”

i think it’s pretty obvious the point that he’s making in this scene! that standardized testing forces us to simply memorize facts rather than critically think, that teaching to a test is not teaching people how to learn, and that simply forcing people to accumulate a certain number of “correct” answers does little to actually help our students. and furthermore, that even students like annabeth, who can technically memorize the answers and do well on this test, are still being left behind because they aren’t being taught how to think. and others, who might not be able to perform within this standardized method, will be left behind.

but we can even draw this theme out farther within the novels. the gods themselves in a way serve as a broader metaphor for this broken system as well. the intensely stratified and codified system of the gods, along the refusal to recognize huge swaths of children who don’t fit into the prescribed hierarchy, seems a near perfect allegory to a lot of how much of the public school system functions. in a sense, you could make the argument that the various gods function as school subjects, as boxes to be put into, as particular talents that must be cultivated, and thus divided. it is only when they all finally come together that victory can be achieved. whether that victory is, in the literal sense of the novels, winning a war, or in a more metaphorical sense, critical thought, interdisciplinary learning, and teaching in a way that actually serves the various needs and backgrounds of all students.

the whole arc of the percy jackson series is about inclusion. it’s about disillusionment with a system that forces only a small number of people into particular boxes where they superficially appear to fit, and which leaves the rest behind. in the end, it’s about forcing the system to not only acknowledge, but to actively serve those it now tries to forget about. 

what could be a more perfect indictment of our school system than the hermes cabin? pushing anyone who doesn’t fit into a neat box into an already overcrowded and resource strapped community which does little to help them or improve their learning. and to that end, what could be a more perfect solution to all of this than the one that percy proposes? the only solution to this system is one which demands that everyone be recognized, that everyone be offered a seat at the table, and that everyone be loved.

[kichimiangra]

The Second Story:

Back in the ye olde days of the internet there was a little website called "Quizilla.com". It was a website where users could make and post their own quizzes! There were plenty of classics like "What kinda of flower are you?" or "What type of goddess are you?" And plenty of ye olde "What Hogwarts house are you that isn't a quiz with four answers per question that are painfully obvious which house is each question?" alongside multi part story oriented quizzes, choose your own adventures, and fanfiction. Seeing my sister start an account it seemed like a cool place to post things as a creative outlet, and as such I started my second long term story "Open Element". The name is nonsense and stupid I know.

Open Element was heavily heavily inspired by the manga Fushigi Yuugi by Yuu Watase and some mess I had put together in kids pix on our first family computer when fucking around with all the stamps. The Story was about a girl from earth named Mokida getting, you guessed it! Isekai'd into another world!

In this story she lands on a pirate ship being run by a pirate whose given name is lost on me but her true name was Undine so we'll go with that for now. Mokida meets Undine who is in the middle of her crew holding a bloody coup and ready to overthrow her. Undine smashes some heads, showing that she is a skilled fighter and offering Mokida a place on her ship once the crew backs down. That very evening Mokida gets a change to express that she's been Isekai'd and Undine's friendliness towards her changes, leading her out on deck, saying some foreboding things and then pushing Mokida off of the ship into the ocean.

Mokida wakes up sometime the next day washed up down a river that the ocean deposited into and tries to crawl up on land only to meet a Centaur named Tori who has nooo personality. I'm not gonna talk much on Tori because I was at this observational age where I was noticing that in the Shoujo manga I read often the male love interests where what I considered 'boring', so in an attempt to make the story professional I too went out of my way to make Tori, Mokida's love interest, Boring as fuck. The fact he's half horse is the only interesting thing about him. Tori wants nothing to do with Mokida as she sees that somehow she has been turned into a Mermaid and mermaids are dangerous. She tries to explain that she's been isekai'd and Tori remembers a recurring event every 100 years where girls from another world get isekai'd to his world so he decides to allow her to ride his back as he takes her to the Temple of the elements to dump her off.

Shortly along the way she learns of the legends of the event and before they can go to the temple they need to collect those with Spiritual energy. Unlike Fushigi Yuugi's 'Seven Celestial Warriors' the Isekai'd girls simple need something like... enough followers where a Spiritual power amount as a group is meant. So like if the number is 100 SP you can have 100 1SP followers or 10 10SP followers or like a 50, a 30 and a 20, etc. So the characters decide to go around and try to find SP volunteers.

The description is bare bones but in full reality I don't remember much of Open Element's plot as it died with Quizilla and not even the Wayback machine could find it. I remember it did not have a planned ending or goal, it was mostly just characters I loved adventuring around and doing things. It wasn't until I started drawing this that I think I figured out what this story was about. What, Like The Land of Many Words I was working through.

Because the main characters where somewhat dull, Tori because on purpose and Mokida because she was essentially the player in a choose your own adventure story, I ended up gravitating towards the side characters. Some of them would go on to bigger and better things.

-Mitsukai Ochiba the fallen angel would go on to be a major character in The Chronicle of Greed story.

-Shuffles the Clown would be the only character to have a fully finished plot line that I can't remember.

-The Hellions would go on to be part of the Chronicle of greed as well.

My favorite character though was Soshi Kumadori, the one I chose to draw for this tribute. Within Open Elements world people getting Isekai'd was just a fact of common knowledge, the belief that nobody of the world was inherently FROM there if you go back far enough in the generations. Before being recruited Soshi lived among a traveling theater group of people who perform Kabuki. Soshi can be described best in modern terms as a 'woman-hating trans woman' as well as a powerful Spiritualist who fought with dual steel fans. At the time my only experience with a gay character in media was Nuriko from Fushigi Yuugi (Who was described as gay throughout the manga but by modern standards is easily a trans woman) and so I was under the impression that part of being a gay man was wanting to be a woman? We live we learn. So Soshi was a gay man who hated women so much he wanted to be a woman to be with men? Basically. And for a splash of ironic comedy Soshi, when using their Spiritual Power for combat would swap genders Because I liked gender benders~

As I wrote, Soshi and Mokida become closer and I was more interested in writing interactions between them than Mokida and Tori. Closer to the end you could say it was the Mokida and Soshi show really.

This is where I think the Purpose of Open Element came from.

(Spoilers for Fushigi Yuugi)

Nuriko was my favorite character of Fushigi Yuugi, eventually giving up on her love for Emperor Hotohori, but also giving up on her identity as a woman for a little while. Near the end She even cuts her hair to look more like a man to main character Miaka and this is where it hurt the most; shortly after, Nuriko dies. There had been a joke among FY fans that Miaka is such a mary sue she turns gay men straight, but there was something beautiful to me about how much Nuriko was willing to give up because she had fallen in love with Miaka. A love that she knew she could never steal away but wanted to be viewed as a man, as someone Miaka could love, where Miaka didn't turn her straight, Miaka was just the exception.

I wasn't a fanfiction type at that age, and would sooner create my own story with black jack and hookers to get the ending that I wanted to see. I think as I developed it, Soshi became my Nuriko and most of the story was pushing Soshi and Mokida together because I wanted a world where Nuriko didn't die and got to live together with Miaka because Tamahome was boring.

I didn't realize this until I was drawing this and thought "Wait, did Soshi have a beauty mark on her cheek?

No She didn't but Nuriko did.

So basically the whole thing was a Fushigi Yuugi fanfiction with the serial numbers scratched off poorly lol!

Something of note though, I mentioned a gimmick of Soshi was that she was normally male but would switch to female when using her Spiritual Power for battle. Years later when I was in high school Yuu Watase would make a prequel to Fushigi Yuugi, called Genbu Kaiden where the main character's love interest is a man but would change into a woman when using his celestial warrior powers for combat. It's crazy how that went full circle.

Today is January 23rd, 2024 and the anniversary of my first long term attempt at webcomic that I started when I was fourteen. Despite having shelved it long ago back in college, I still privately celebrate it every year in my heart as a personal milestone, as the comic in question; "Faeries Bible" was the first time I committed to a single project for any long period of time, running for 7 years with 150 pages plus 2 short 10-12 page spinoffs.

I don't do something every year but decided to indulge myself by drawing a tribute, not of Faeries Bible characters specifically, but a tribute to all the stories and OCs that came before it from the time I was 11 to the time I was 14, at the point I stopped calling each story my first, my second, my third, etc. story. There were many ideas that never left the concept phase, but these were the ones I stuck with long enough to be considered stories.

So this year I decided to indulge some old (fictional) friends.