#there’s more context to all of this but

[untitledgoosegay]

I agree with the vast majority of the commentary here, but I'm feeling complicated about the screenshotted tags' proposition of ecotourism as a solution. It's definitely an option, but tourist economies have their own consequences and problems -- just ask Hawai'i about that.

I saw this post and idk it made me feel some type of way. I may get flack for this but idc I feel it must be said. Poaching is a lot more nuanced than “bad people kill animals.”

Poaching, especially in Africa, is a byproduct of colonization and poverty. Although poaching existed prior to European colonizers, it was not done at a scale and frequency that would threaten wildlife populations. Poaching exploded under colonial rule where things like ivory, pelts, hunting trophies, and in some cases, land were prized and sought after by European settlers. This led to an initially boom that devastated local animal populations and cause some tribes to become very reliant on poaching as a means of subsistence.

Additionally, due to poverty, people are still being driven to poach animals, even endangered animals because it’s a more profitable way to support oneself and community, and predatory animals can be poached because they threaten and devastate local livestock. Anti-poaching measures rarely take into account the human and economic drive behind poaching. You’re shooting and killing poachers but what about their families and communities that they support? Are those animals in a better place when there more people waiting to hunt them? Anti poaching measures don’t actually care about eliminating poaching, if they did they’d come from the angle of human and economic development and community improvement. Because let’s be real, if those people living in their poor, rural, undeveloped, undereducated*, regions with not many opportunities turn to poaching, it’s not from a moral standpoint, they’re chasing survival.

African governments be corrupt af, keeping all the money for themselves and leaving masses in poverty then erect some anti-poaching laws to please smug westerners as if they aren’t driving people into desperation. And then poaching rings take advantage of this desperation, much like a gang would, and supply them with guns and a promise of a better life. And bam, you have a poaching problem. So long as you have people in desperation, poaching will still be a problem.

Like many social issues; drugs, violence, crime; a closer look and you’ll find that poverty and lack of opportunity are at the bottom of it...

[roseworth]

based on a convo with my brother

[neon-sunsets]

okay. let’s talk about jayce’s monologue, since people are calling him ableist.

for context, not that it matters: I have a significant mobility disability and a progressive chronic illness which, even when managed, can kill me. I’m not in exactly the same boat as viktor since my disease isn’t terminal, but I’ve had very similar experiences to him. this shapes my perception of him and of this storyline.

this is the monologue:

You’ve always wanted to cure what you thought were weaknesses. Your leg. Your disease. But you were never broken, Viktor. There’s beauty in imperfections. They made you what you are. An inseparable piece of everything I admired about you.

first, it should be noted that “what you thought were weaknesses” is not the same thing as “things that are good.” jayce is not saying that viktor’s disease is or was a good thing. what he is saying is that he admired (loved) everything that viktor was, which included the things viktor thought made him a burden or a problem. remember also that jayce almost doomed the world because he couldn’t let viktor die; he would never imply that viktor dying was a good thing.

the next question, then, is whether viktor sees himself as a burden or not. I think it’s implied that he does — it’s certainly not unrealistic to think that viktor might have come to view himself, or at least his disease, as a burden and a flaw. disabled people often view ourselves that way either because of internalized ableism or because society constantly tells us that we’re burdens and that our bodies are abnormal and wrong. viktor displays behaviors that indicate internalized ableism, including hiding the fact that he’s coughing up blood from jayce the first few times it happens and generally refusing to be in the public eye in a way that is self-effacing and not just him being private. yes, he says in act 1 of season 1 that he believes in himself, but he does also call himself a cripple in a dismissive way in that same scene; also, he doesn’t have the disease at that point. arguably the entire scene where he runs despite clearly being in pain is an example of his internalized ableism, but that’s another post.

more evidence for viktor’s perception of himself being negative is that he clearly has a sense that he doesn’t deserve to be loved (specifically by jayce, but maybe also in general). we see this when he asks jayce why he’s still persisting in saving him. we see this with his generally self-effacing behavior. we see this with the fact that in all of season 1, the only person he allows to touch him is jayce, and that the only person he actively touches in the entire show is jayce. viktor is reserved and not good with his emotions, which is a huge part of his arc this season. all of these behaviors point to him having a negative self-perception.

I think it’s important to really consider how jayce perceives viktor and how viktor perceives himself. I don’t think this season handled everything perfectly, but I think they handled this very well. viktor has been written with a fullness and complexity that most disabled characters don’t ever get. him being morally grey doesn’t mean he’s “problematic” or “bad representation.” obviously I’m only one disabled person, but I really love jayce and viktor and I think their story is beautifully written.

[pearleisuma]

In light of Iskall and Stress’s decisions to leave Hermitcraft, I ask all the fan-content creators to PLEASE NOT DELETE STUFF ASSOCIATED WITH THEM RIGHT AWAY. ESPECIALLY FICS. We don’t know the full context, and plus, it’s a part of Hermitblr History. At the very least, if you don’t want to be associated with their content, orphan the works or repost them anonymously. Heck, send them to me, just so we have an archive! Hermitblr has been so good about separating the ccs from the characters, so let’s not let interpersonal conflicts between the ccs majorly affect our enjoyment of the characters, especially with what little we know.

Edit 1: Everyone please take care.

Edit 2: Due to the way asks with Media work, if you send me fanart of Stress or Iskall, I will make it a separate post so as to not include or reveal your user. Alternatively, I can make a Google Form? Lmk.

Edit 3: WE OFFICIALLY HAVE A GOOGLE SHEETS MASTERDOC!! I’m working on formatting it so things are easier to find. Add images, links to both the original and your Wayback Machine Archives, credits, and more! I’ll get working on an anonymous google form.

[frogeyedape]

Fact check: where the fuck did these numbers come from. See

Overall, 25 099 patients (52.3%) were aged 19 to 30 years, 10 476 (21.8%) were aged 31 to 40, and 3678 (7.7%) were aged 12 to 18 years. When stratified by the type of procedure performed, breast and chest procedures made up a greater percentage of the surgical interventions in younger patients, while genital surgical procedures were greater in older patients.

3215 patients (87.4%) aged 12 to 18 years underwent GAS and had breast or chest procedures

405 patients (11.0%) aged 12 to 18 years underwent genital surgery.

Above quotes are for data collected for 2016-2020.

The followup study (which i believe op references) addresses the gap in cisgender affirming care vs trans & gender diverse (TGD) affirming care:

Gender-affirming health care aims to align an individual’s physical gender expression with their intrinsic gender identity. An example is breast reduction for cisgender males with gynecomastia. Recently, there have been increased legislative efforts restricting gender-affirming health care specifically for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people.1 Proponents of these efforts express concerns that TGD minors may be too commonly using gender-affirming surgical procedures. Given stringent clinical standards for gender-affirming care,2,3 use of gender-affirming surgical procedures by TGD minors is expected to be low. However, there are limited national data; while 1 study provided national estimates, it did not capture minors under the age of 12 years and did not exclude procedures with clinical justifications outside of gender affirmation.4 Therefore, using a national dataset, we evaluated the extent to which TGD minors and adults received gender-affirming surgical procedures in 2019. Additionally, in line with a recent publication from bioethicists to acknowledge that gender-affirming care is used by people of all genders,5 we provide a novel characterization of the relative use of 1 gender-affirming surgery—breast reductions—by TGD and cisgender populations.

Note the following quote is for a single year in the US, 2019.

The rate of undergoing a gender-affirming surgery with a TGD-related diagnosis was 5.3 per 100 000 total adults compared with 2.1 per 100 000 minors aged 15 to 17 years, 0.1 per 100 000 minors aged 13 to 14 years, and 0 procedures among minors aged 12 years or younger (Figure 1). Of gender-affirming surgical procedures identified among adults and minors, 1591 of 2664 (59.7%) and 82 of 85 (96.4%) were chest-related procedures, respectively. Of the 636 breast reductions among cisgender male and TGD adults, 507 (80%) were performed on cisgender males. Of the 151 breast reductions among cisgender male minors and TGD minors, 146 (97%) were performed on cisgender male minors (Figure 2).

Fact check: there were 151 breast reductions in (insured) minors in the US in 2019, of which 146 (97%) were for cisgender male people. Among minors, the only surgeries identified as for gender affirming care specifically, 82 of 85 (96.4%) were chest-related procedures.

Furthermore (and supporting op's point):

In this cross-sectional study of a national insured population in 2019, there were no gender-affirming procedures conducted on TGD minors aged 12 years and younger, and procedures on TGD minors older than 12 were rare and almost entirely chest-related procedures. Additionally, when considering breast reductions among cisgender males and TGD people—a surgery that can be considered gender-affirming among both populations—most were performed on cisgender males. Thus, these findings suggest that concerns around high rates of gender-affirming surgery use, specifically among TGD minors, may be unwarranted. Low use by TGD people likely reflects adherence to stringent standards of gender-affirming care.2,3

When you look up gender affirming surgery it says 'a broad range of procedures that help transgender and non-binary people transition to their gender identity'.

Seems 97% had the same procedure.

[theminecraftbee]

... how're you feeling?

you know what this is a kind ask thank you anon. context for those who do not have it is that hermitcraft made an official statement that there has been “complaints from the community” that were found credible about iskall. he and stress have resigned. we don’t have any other context but gauging by reactions of the other hermits this seems to be quite bad.

as for how I’m feeling: not good but I appreciate you checking in. I am not going to talk about this on this blog as a rule. I do not like working through this sort of thing publicly, and my blog has never been a place I like letting “discourse” into (for lack of a better word). I also don’t want people speculating in my direction about it because frankly that’s just going to make us all spiral much worse. when we know more we’ll know more. I will tag related posts with at least iskall’s tag for blocking.

anon most of that paragraph wasn’t directed at you though asking me how I’m feeling is very kind of you <3

[just-a-ghost00]

Their energy towards you now

This reading is meant for romantic connections that are currently in a separation, whether you have been in a relationship or not. When I talk about separation, I mean that you and this person are having minimal to no contact, whether they live near you or far from you. If you do interact, it is not in a romantic context. This separation can be on a mutual accord or happened progressively over time.

Group 1

6 of cups

What caught my attention about this card was the hourglass. It was beautifully drawn and surrounded by the water spilling from the cups. It gave me the impression of someone wishing strongly that their feelings toward the other could turn back time. But this is something that is not one sided, because the two rows of cups were spilling water that is interconnecting around the object. They are being nostalgic about the times spent together and the memories you shared. And they may be feeling like you are too, which both comforts and saddens them. I got a feeling like this person is wondering : if we’re both regretting what happened and missing each other, why are things still the same?

Ace of cups

On this card, a cup is sheltering a flower in blooming. Out of that flower is rising a water droplet that kinda looked like a pearl. Not only does this person like you but they are cultivating those feelings. They nurture them, water them, like they would a flower. Those feelings are precious to them because they were shared. Despite everything that happened, they still love you as if it were the first day. They don’t want them to disappear. Because if they do, then you will fade into their memory. I feel like this person is sometimes crying over your absence at night. They feel like the situation is out of their hands but they hope that, if they keep loving you, if their love is strong enough, you’ll come back around.

4 of wands

The wands are kinda placed like a fence and at their feet lie two halves of a pomegranate as well as a maple leaf. It made me feel like this person still wishes to protect the foundation that you had built with them, whether this took the form of a friendship, a partnership or more. After all this time, they still perceive you as their one. As the person they wish to build a future with. They still think of this being a possibility. They still wish to work toward that goal. Not only that but they also want to support you more than anything and be by your side. I feel like this person wants to protect you from the world and keep you to themselves.

High Priestess

A woman is having her back on the quarter of a moon. Around her lays a snake. When nighttime comes specifically, this person is filled with desire for you and intentions of transforming this connection. Most of these person’s feelings and thoughts may be subconscious or repressed. Even if they’re aware of the attraction they have for you, this person doesn’t wish you to know. This is something they want to keep to themselves for now. A part of them is afraid you wouldn’t understand them. Another just wants to lay low and observe what your reactions are, to gain knowledge and heal.

3 of wands

What you may also not suspect is that this person wishes to close the distance and come to you. They may be planning a travel near your home or a way to get into contact with you again, reignite the flame. This person wishes for this separation to end and pick up where you left the connection in hopes that something good will come out of it. For those of you that live at a distance from one another, I’m getting the impression you may have felt it coming but were not sure of your intuition. You may hear about it soon, either through someone else or in an indirect way. For instance, this person may post on their social media about one thing but their post will make you feel like something is brewing.

Group 2

Page of cups

This person has developped feelings for you but they may still be thinking about the past or afraid that their past will have an influence on your connection, which may be one of the reasons why you are in separation at the moment. They feel emotionally linked to you and wish to come towards you. However, something is holding them back. They may be afraid that the past will repeat itself or that you may not understand them, share the same point of view about the connection. They however still care about you and feel positively towards you.

10 of wands

They have a lot on their plate. A lot of worries about what the future holds, about whether a reconciliation is possible. They may also be busy with a lot of other responsibilities, which may burden them and interfere in how they feel towards you. I feel like this person is tired of being played with and bearing the weight of their feelings. Though they like you a lot, the fact that they cannot express their emotions freely is taking a toll on them. This person is also tired of being held back by their past trauma, of having to fight to feel loved and cared for. They may be feeling like they've given more than they should have and may be waiting for you to make a move, if you wish for the connection to progress.

Black Numen

Despite their feelings, this person kinda has lost hope about your connection working out. The fact that nothing is happening in the 3D and that they don't see the changes they hoped for may be adding to their disappointment and sadness. Again, I get a feeling that a lot of other things are happening to this person and it really tires them out. They may be in a phase of doubt where they are not sure whether how they feel towards you is enough to keep the connection alive. They may also doubt your intentions towards them and feel like you tricked them. Overall, I just get the feeling that they just wish to be at peace with this connection, whether it's with or without you. They want to be freed of this feeling of confusion and waiting for things to unfold.

The Sun

In another context, this card may have been a positive one but I feel like here this card is showing that this person is slowly retreating their energy and focus from the connection and trying to move one without you. The character one the card is walking towards the left. This person is determined to get back to a state of hapiness, even if that means cutting ties with you, because they feel like this has been going on for too long and isn't going anywhere. They feel like there ain't nothing much they can do about it so they might as well focus on themselves, like they used to before they met you. I feel like they don't hold any grudges or resentment towards you. They are grateful for your shared experience but they are in an energy of prioritizing themselves.

Queen of cups

This person intends to nurture themselves and love themselves first, however they still care about you and appreciate you. They have decided that they will leave the outcome of this connection up to fate and in the meantime, they will fill their own cup and learn to become one with themselves. I get the message that even if you're apart and even if it turns out you won't be together, this person will always hold a place for you in their heart because your connection is special and precious to them. They will always think of you fondly and speak about you with a warmth in their voice because what you have shared is unforgettable in their eyes. Deep down, they will still keep the hope that you can be united again, but they will no longer chase after it. Should you want to come back, they will leave the door open.

Group 3

Hermit

During your separation, this person has thought a lot about you, the connection, what they wanted out of it, what they felt like they could bring to the table. They've really pondered about the meaning of your encounter, the importance you had to them and the lessons they could learn from this experience. And it feels like they have had an epiphany. They realized a lot of things that they may have repressed in the past and really came to terms with it. I get a message of someone looking at the sky and the stars, wondering what the other is up to, whether they are thinking about the connection as well. I feel like this person never lost hope of coming back to you and the whole time, they were only thinking of you and the future.

White Numen

While in separation, they hoped that you would come rushing to them. But realizing that you didn't, they started to question their methods and their feelings. And they understood that if they wanted to see a change, they had to make a difference. They had to create the reality they wanted to see and be the author of their own story. This person understood that, yes of course you had your role to play, but they also had their own script to follow to ensure the play would get its happy ending. Basically, they learned that it takes two to tango and that for a relationship to work out, both parties need to be walking in the same direction and find a common ground they can build on. This person is creatively inspired and the puzzle pieces are starting to assemble in their mind's eye. They now know where they stand and where they want to go.

Ace of cups

Their feelings for you have been renewed. As you were no longer in contact, they realized the value of your affection, how good you were to them. They found out that they missed you dearly and that they took you for granted. Now, they want to give your connection another chance. They wish to reconcile and reciprocate your feelings. They want to get into contact with you again and put an end to the separation. They may be thinking of ways to reach out to you without you freaking out or rejecting them right away. They are hopeful.

Chariot reversed

Though they want to come back to you, they feel a little scared to do so. They don't just want to mindlessly rush into this, without thinking of the consequences and without being sure of your position as well. They just don't want to be disappointed. Another thing I am picking up on is that this person is being delayed. Things and people are trying to get in the way of your reunion right now. Part of it is related to this person's fear of rejection. But not just that. For some, I am getting that this person planned to travel towards you but their trip got delayed or canceled for some reason. Think of traffic disturbances, a flight being cancelled because of a natural disaster, them having to postpone their travel because of financial issues or family matters. Their work could also be a factor in this situation. Their boss could have refused their request to get some time off of work for example.

10 of pentacles

Even if obstacles are stending in the way of your connection, this person is determined to put in the work to see it prosper over time. They are aware that it may be difficult and take a lot of time to flourish, but they are confident that it has the potential to grow into something valuable, that will last. This person feels lucky that they have you and the connection. They see the value in what you share and they intend to protect it and guard it against anyone or anything that would try to keep you apart. This person may be envisioning a partnership with you, whether that is on a professional level, on a friendship level, a familial level or romantic level. They want you to be a part of their legacy and their inner circle. And if they have to start from scratch to ensure that, they will without any hesitation, because they know it is worth it.

[gracetheconfused]

LAYER ONE: THE OUTSIDE

- Name: Grace (I have 2 first names) - Eye Color: Brown - Hair Style/Color: Black to chocolate brown - Height: 5'3" - Clothing style: I work in scrubs. Going out it's loose shirt or sweater, leggings or jeggings, and really comfy sneakers or a Birkenstock slippers - Best physical feature: Skin (thanks, Korean skincare)

LAYER TWO: THE INSIDE - Your fears: Everything I've worked hard for being taken away - like my house, family, job, etc - Your guilty pleasure: Not going to work -Ambitions for the future: Get a masters degree in something useful

LAYER THREE: THOUGHTS

- Your first thoughts waking up:  Do I have to work - What you think about most: My family, my cats, how I want to have money but not work, food

- What you think about before bed: Almost nothing. I fall asleep almost too easily these days. - You think your best quality is: I've gotten to be such a patient person. When I said I was patient then, I'm so much more patient now having gone through loads of bullcrap through the years.

LAYER FOUR: WHAT’S BETTER?  - Single or group dates: Group - To be loved or respected: Respected - Beauty or brains: Brains - Dogs or cats: Cats!

LAYER FIVE: DO YOU. - Lie: Yes - Believe in yourself: Yes - Believe in love: Yes - Want someone: No

LAYER SIX: EVER? - Been on stage: Yes - Done drugs: Yeah  -Changed who you were to fit in: Of course

LAYER SEVEN: FAVORITES

- Favorite colour: Teal, lavender - Favorite animal: Cats - Favorite movie: Bohemian Rhapsody - Favorite game: The Witcher 3, Dishonored, Resident Evil, Dying Light. There's so many.

LAYER EIGHT: AGE - Day your next birthday will be:  Sunday - How old will you be: There are clues all over but I'm not gonna flat out disclose it - Does age matter: Need context on this. Most of the time, yes.

LAYER ONE: THE OUTSIDE

- Name: Angelique - Eye Color: Brown - Hair Style/Color: Jet black with strawberry blonde to pale blonde tips (ombre) and underneath my bangs - Height: 5'3" - Clothing style: I can’t describe it. I can go from very boyish (beanie, tank tops and skinny jeans, baggy sweaters/jackets and a pair of converse/vans shoes) to super girly (black stockings, dress, scarf, boots, checkered skirts). But in general, I wear mostly black clothes and I like being punk/goth-ish. - Best physical feature: Eyes? u_u (I don’t know)

LAYER TWO: THE INSIDE - Your fears: Being alone– no friends, no family, no nothing. - Your guilty pleasure: CHEESE -Ambitions for the future: To be an animator (which is most likely not gonna happen because I’m currently in the medical field and has no money to go to an art school) and to have many dogs.

LAYER THREE: THOUGHTS

- Your first thoughts waking up: That I need to work my ass out because I feel fat, like always and not only when I wake up. - What you think about most: Family, my future plans, my plans for the day

- What you think about before bed: Often, I don’t think about anything before going to bed ‘cause I’m always tired and sleepy so I would instantly knock out and fall asleep. - You think your best quality is: Maybe my being sooo patient and understanding regardless of being hurt. I always consider other people’s feelings before mine. And I don’t like half-assing.

LAYER FOUR: WHAT’S BETTER?  - Single or group dates: I like both :) - To be loved or respected: Respected. - Beauty or brains: Brains. - Dogs or cats: Dogs  

LAYER FIVE: DO YOU. - Lie: Yup - Believe in yourself: Most of the time, no. - Believe in love: Yes - Want someone: Tchyeah.

LAYER SIX: EVER? - Been on stage: Yup - Done drugs: Nope.  -Changed who you were to fit in: Yeah, when I was younger but not anymore. Growing up, I guess I learned how to care less (or to not care at all)

LAYER SEVEN: FAVORITES

- Favorite colour: Teal - Favorite animal: Owls - Favorite movie: 21 Jump Street  - Favorite game: The 3rd Birthday

LAYER EIGHT: AGE - Day your next birthday will be:  Sunday - How old will you be: 23 (hella old) - Does age matter: It used to matter to me but not anymore.

[hellalugosi]

just kinda thinking...

is the sentimentalist in the room with us right now? ...maybe they are

and the natural world? perhaps we might also say that of a daytime sky

he's suggested something blue and gold in-show as well

now where have I seen that color combination before

oh

blue skies and everything, huh

hm, and what was being discussed elsewhere one minute and thirty seconds before that decor suggestion?

ok

(sources and rambling under the cut)

1. Season 1, Episode 4

2, 4, 8. Season 2, Episode 6

3. Prince Lestat - Anne Rice

5. Peeled Lemon with Slices - David Hockney

6. Golden Age Wallpaper - Ai Weiwei

7. Set photo of Daniel's apartment

So anyway, everyone's probably already seen the Book!Loumand Trinity Gate ceiling (#3 included here) getting connected to Daniel's place but it might be interesting to also round up some data points from within the show itself that may further support "Armand influenced that apartment/that is the former Loumand NYC home/that is perhaps even a former DM NYC home" theories.

It's intriguing that the tapes' delivery is brought up so late in Season 2, perhaps trying refresh this thread in the audience's minds. This isn't the first time the vampires' access to Daniel's life has been questioned and the short timing between the lines in #8 and #4 is striking with #4's potential implications. And if we're really examining these plates of corn, we might also note the wallpaper's design features a theme of surveillance and control, which is certainly a choice for one's living room in general, all the more so with Armand's known behavior, and more than a little interesting in the context of potential decades of stalking.

Is any of this a smoking gun for anything in particular? No! But it sure does seem like something sus is afoot.

And it's interesting for a possible sentimentalist to suggest the colors of a possible past home as the interview neared its end. What might he have hoped to recapture?

[kivishipps]

x OC fics ≠ x reader fics

Okay guys, I’ve given the gentle reminder as many times as I can without seeming passive aggressive, as a result this is your not-so gentle reminder. Stop tagging your x OC works as x reader for the love of all that is divine. This isn’t a threat, it’s not some long article about how you’re a deadbeat or whatever; The simple fact of the matter is the tagging system was created to help readers find EXACTLY what they are looking for with [relative]ease, and that can’t be if YOU are making them sift through content that has fuck all to do with what they are looking for.

Now there are a couple of assumptions I’ve made seeing some of you guys’ posts. Most of them fall under the writer being insecure and thinking their work will not be seen if they don’t use the x reader tag and I am here to tell you that is simply untrue. I know plenty of people who actively seek out x OC works, and while I am not among them as being called by the name of someone I am obviously not in fiction breaks the immersion for me, this should NOT discourage you from being transparent in your posting.

“It’s called block and move on.” No, it’s called be a good human being and stop evading responsibility for a messy system that doesn’t HAVE to be messy, and thus is so only because you’re making it that way. You are not a singular. There are other people JUST like you doing the same thing further perpetuating the convoluted channels.

Overlooking how self serving it is, it’s also very inconsiderate concerning people that simply struggle to find stories in some already dead or dying fandom. You have no reason to tag it as an x reader unless it is, an x reader.

It’s obnoxious, and frankly, rude.

Again, I’ve given a couple of gentle reminders already but some of you are failing to respond so allow me to put it in words geared more for… I don’t know, hardier audiences I suppose. As always thank you for your time and I hope you have an absolutely wonderful rest of your day[genuine].

[doctorsiren]

Horrifying images created tonight during WILD conversations in the server 😨

If I had to make them, then you all have to see them 😁🫶

[lilislegacy]

aww, i’m getting war flashbacks 🥰

this is both my most successful post on tumblr and my least favorite post of all time. simply because of how much pure hatred i got for it. i received sooo many asks and messages insulting me and telling me to get off the app. someone literally sent me an ask and told me to shoot myself. (that was fun!) it was before i was an experienced poster, and therefore didn’t know how much i need to justify some statements

people were mad about two things:

1) that i implied that percy would drink. which i understand, because of gabe. and i can admit that yes, he probably does have an aversion to the smell of beer and might not drink it. but also i think it’s ignorant to think we can predict percy’s behavior—literally one of his defining traits is being unpredictable. and oftentimes, the assumption relies on him associating drinking with bad people, but sally drinks wine on a daily basis and he’s completely good with it, so that idea doesn’t really hold up. anyway, yeah, maybe percy wouldn’t drink. i can totally see that. but also percy deserves to be a normal college kid and not let his past trauma define his potential experiences. if he was with annabeth and his friends, i can totally see him having a drink or two and letting loose. i just want him to be allowed to be a normal irresponsible teenager/young adult for once. sue me 😭

2) i referred to him as a frat boy. and wow did that get taken out of context. which is definitely my fault, for not clarifying. i didn’t mean he’s actually a frat boy, because obviously new rome isn’t gonna have greek life lol. i also wasn’t implying that he’s stupid or superficial or an asshole. i just said that because in heroes of olympus, when percy is around jason, there’s a lot of sizing each other up, joking around, and heavy bromance going on. like i can’t even count how often percy says “bro” and “dude.” which is very frat boy. and i think if percy was in a college setting, not stressed or in near-death situations all the time, and around more people like jason, there’s a good chance he would be a more fun and easy going person than what we often see. when percy is actually comfortable in his environment (which isn’t often) he seems to be more extroverted. but idk maybe he would be shy? who knows. it was just a little thought

so anyway, definitely not my best-phrased post. i would do it differently, now. but its fun remembering how much pure anxiety this post filled me with as angry people rained down hell on me 😂

imagine being someone at new rome university and not knowing percy is the same guy as “percy jackson, son of poseidon, two-time hero of olympus, former praetor” because the thought doesn’t even cross your mind. like… he’s percy. he’s a total frat boy. on a normal night, he walks into a party, refers to everyone as bro or dude, socializes with every living (and not-living) person in the room, makes at least 50 sarcastic comments, plays 12 rounds of beer pong, drinks way too much, and then skates around campus on his skateboard yelling “I LOVE NEW YORK” (which makes no sense, because they’re in california) until someone calls his girlfriend to come get him.

and then one day there’s an attack, and frat boy percy is all of a sudden a fighting machine. he’s yelling battle cries alongside the praetors frank zhang and hazel levesque as they lead everyone into battle. (why is he with the praetors? and why…. why in the world do the praetors seem to be following his lead?) his sword slashes through armies of monsters faster than you’ve ever seen. he’s controlling the entire river surrounding the camp, creating huge waves as tall as skyscrapers that crash down all around him, wiping out monsters and causing mass destruction to his enemies’ ranks. the sky is suddenly dark above you, ice-cold water droplets are slashing through the air, and the wind is blowing so aggressively that it’s making it hard to stand up steadily. because he’s somehow created a hurricane.

and he looks terrifying. you can feel the power radiating off of him. he’s like a god. or maybe a monster. it’s hard to tell. you’re a little scared of him, to be honest. but also in total awe, because it’s extraordinary. he’s extraordinary.

frat boy percy is not who you thought he was.

[krysmcscience]

I have some questions about karaoke night, Alex Hirsch. Very Important Questions. Which I will happily scream at a poor hapless baby triangle who can have no answers for me, and possibly also does not have object permanence yet.

Follow-up that is I guess suggestive, but let's be real here, Bill's a fucking triangle:

Dude slipped right into his birthday suit, lmao

this is so stupid :D

Anyway, I don't care what anyone says, this brilliant individual knows what's up - Bill is absolutely way more of a monsterfucker than Ford could or ever will be, full stop.

[secondbeatsongs]

for anyone too young to know this: watching The Truman Show is a vastly different experience now, compared to how it was before youtube and social media influencers became normal

before it was like, "what a horrifying thing to do to a human being! to take away their autonomy and privacy, all for the sake of profits! to create fake scenarios for them to react to, just to retain viewership! to ruin their happiness just so some corporate entity could harvest money from their very humanity! how could anyone do something so evil?"

and now it's like, "ah, yeah. this is still deeply fucked up, but it's pretty much what every influencer has been doing to their kids for a decade now. probably bad that we've normalized this experience"

[mistxmood]

this is the funniest outcome ever

[Image description: digital art of Bill Cipher, tangled up in electrical wires. He has a nervous expression, as he holds up a ripped wire and says: "Oops!" There's a glitchy effect behind him. End ID.]

[arueshalaetablebuildingsociety]

One thing to note is that this doesn't factor-in non-occupant fatalities, which would very likely increase all brands numbers significantly.

But one thing I noticed is that this article presents interesting data and then draws an absurd conclusion from it; namely, blaming the drivers "taking safety features out of context."

This is unethical journalism in its most textbook form. Here is why:

- Tesla is not the only brand that over-advertises safety features, even though they are one of the easiest examples to point to thanks to Elon's ridiculous publicity stunts like shattering the "shatter-proof" windows.

- Tesla Drivers are not a unique demographic of people. As a subdemographic of Executive Car owners (High end Lincolns, Audis, BMWs, Mercedes), they might trend towards more "faith in technology" than their counterparts, but not so much that it would explain a doubling of fatal accidents as measured by occupants of the vehicle. That level of attribution is ludicrous.

- Teslas have several known safety flaws and several correlating high-profile fatalities.

The doors tend to lock closed in the case of a power failure, which may only be released via an unmarked switch with a location varying across models but almost always requiring some disassembly of the dashboard. In the dark or other low-/zero-visibility situations like being underwater or having the cabin fill with smoke, this is effectively a death sentence for the driver and all passengers.

The batteries ignite readily and combust vigorously when exposed to moisture in the air thanks to the Lithium used in their construction, and resist traditional firefighting methods due to the whole "combusts in reaction to the presence of water or moisture" issue.

Crucial operational and safety features such as gear shifting are relegated to purely touchscreen controls, which is insane on the face of it. Touchscreens are an interface which require precise inputs and can't by their very nature guide you in supplying those inputs. Their surfaces warp and distort under prolonged exposure to heat (like might be found in the interior of a car in warm or hot weather), distorting the input in unpredictable ways even if it is entered correctly. They process a large amount of data in collecting the input to generate the output, leading to memory leaks, latency, and crashing. And the monitors that supply their display tend to degrade in a way that generates more heat over time, degrading the performance of the touchscreen if not causing outright failure by saturating it with false inputs.

All of these issues would have to be accounted for before one could begin to make assumptions about "Operator Error" if there were literally any standard of ethics being applied.

And I'm going to jump back to touchscreens for a second:

August 21st, 2017:

On an exercise with an exhausted crew, the USS John S. McCain experiences a loss of steering and propulsion control, causing it to deviate into the path of the Liberian-flagged Tanker Ship, Alnic MC. The resulting collision killed 10 sailors on the USS John McCain and crippled the ship.

What caused this collision? The US Navy officially blames the Captain, in a Certified BuOrd Moment™ [for those unaware: the Bureau of Ordnance was the body behind the insane failures and even more insane coverup of the Mark 14 Torpedo, notable for its proclivity to blame crews and captains for failure in handling the torpedo even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary].

But what was a more proximate cause was the Touchscreen Controls for the ship's steerage and engine power. The TOUCHSCREEN CONTROLS for the STEERING and ENGINES. In a throwback to the Mark 14, crews had no ability to access the manuals for the equipment (the only manual available was written entirely in Norwegian), very little if any training in using the equipment, and no training on what to do if the equipment failed.

So when a "feature" none of the crew were aware of was unwittingly discovered, the ability to decouple one of the shafts (driveshaft but for a ship) from the touchscreen controls, the crew encountered a situation where they wholly relied on a single poorly-understood system to avert disaster.

And then the Bridge Touchscreen crashed.

There's a whole lot more to this story, such as the "big red button" and the whole extent of crew fatigue, and I highly recommend the Lions Led By Donkeys bonus episode about it; but the overall moral of this story is don't put any function on a touchscreen that would create a hazard to the operator or any bystanders if the touchscreen failed.

holy shit

i knew teslas were bad but "literally twice as deadly as the average vehicle" is something else