#which suggests that it was not descending specifically that was the problem

[remcocoa]

one big takeaway for me is that jonas has looked very comfortable descending

[sixosix]

religion's in your lips

third year to timeskip!hinata x fem!reader, a tad suggestive

It’s Shoyo’s fault.

You don’t join Shoyo’s outings often; most of them are volleyball-related anyway, and you didn’t want to get in the way. But right now, it’s just the third years, and Shoyo had begged so sweetly with round eyes that you would be cruel to even think about denying him.

Kageyama sits on your other side, stiff and polite, jostled here and there by Shoyo pressing up against you. Tsukishima, Yamaguchi, and Yachi sit on the other side of the table. Conversation is light and comfortable. They don’t exclude you even when talking about practice matches and lineups—Yamaguchi asks you about your own club ever so often, too.

Yamaguchi claps his hand, forcing everyone’s attention on him. Except Shoyo, who’s busy tracing stars on your hand. “Do you guys want to watch a movie this weekend? I heard they’re releasing a sequel of the one we watched back in first year.”

Yachi emits a wordless sound of excitement, easily agreeing. Kageyama and Tsukishima begrudgingly agree at the same time, then sneer at each other. Then they all turn to you and Shoyo.

Shoyo grins. “Sorry, I got plans already.”

“You get a girlfriend, and suddenly you forget about us,” Yamaguchi mourns. Shoyo laughs while you get flustered and assure them that you’re not keeping your boyfriend hostage. Kageyama says that they know Hinata is the one doing it.

“You’re going to watch our match next week, though, right?” Shoyo asks you in a low whisper, as the other three dutifully settle in their own world.

“You don’t even need to ask, Shoyo,” you tell him. “Of course.”

Shoyo’s eyes brighten impossibly, face split into a grin. He looks like he wants to push you down onto the floor to kiss you in front of his friends, but he doesn’t. You knew he wouldn’t.

It’s Shoyo’s fault.

Really. Seriously this time. Specifically, Hinata Shoyo from third year. He’s changed from first year, gained more confidence, but he’s still shy and soft-spoken with you, which you expected from someone as sweet as him. It set your expectations for him and what your relationship would look like in the years and years that you’ll spend with him: bearing that first love kind of shyness.

It takes about two years to prove you wrong.

When Shoyo came back from Brazil, the first thing he did was kiss you breathless in front of everyone in the airport.

His strong arms around your waist, pulling you up—which you had to think ‘thank God’ for because your knees have definitely buckled. You don’t think too much about it, because he’s been gone for two years—two!!—and you’ve missed each other too much.

But when Hinata’s mouth descends to your jaw, you have to push him by the chest and exclaim (albeit weakly), “Shoyo—there are still people behind us!”

Shoyo blinks and pulls off, his eyes fogged over with heat that makes you have to look away, having to remind yourself that you’re in public and you do not want to beg for him to continue. Thankfully, his friends yelling his name seems to have snapped him out of it.

But his palm never left your side, splayed over your hip like a mark.

It gets worse at his homecoming party thrown by his teammates back at Karasuno. You’re familiar with them, and they’re familiar with you, so of course, it wasn’t a problem when Shoyo was pulled away to greet everyone. You made friendly conversation with Sugawara-san, caught up with Nishinoya, and joked around all night with Yamaguchi and Tsukishima.

“You called each other every night?” Yamaguchi’s brows have shot up all the way to his hairline.

You smile. “I mean—isn’t it normal for people in a relationship?”

Tsukishima shrugs. “Hinata loves you as much as he loves volleyball, I’m not surprised.”

Yamaguchi considers it. “Hmm, I guess.”

“Hinata’s waiting for you,” Kageyama mutters from behind you, appearing out of nowhere. His brows are stitched together, and his mouth is pulled in his ever-permanent Kageyama pout. “His staring is pissing me off. Can you go get him?”

“He’s not a dog, Tobio,” you chide lightly but grin all the same when you turn to your side and see Hinata Shoyo’s eyes drilling holes into your head.

He’s not mouthing anything. Shoyo stays seated on the loveseat, looking entirely isolated from the crowd around him. His eyes say it all: come here.

Helpless to his whims, you obey.

“Shoyo,” you murmur as soon as you reach him.

He pulls you to his lap. “Baby.”

You freeze. He’s never called you that before—his expression isn’t shy at all, too, just expectant. Heat crawls down your body as he tugs your back to his chest, resting his chin on your shoulder. Shoyo’s own warmth is a burning sensation. You feel lightheaded.

“Ah—well, um.” You pinch your arm. “Are you feeling okay? Did you drink?”

“There’s no alcohol here.”

“I’m pretty sure I saw Sugawara-san holding a bottle.”

“Ah, well. Sugawara-san.”

You understand. What you don’t understand is what happened in those two years to have Shoyo’s hand crawling on your thigh, a scorching mark on only that part of your skin. To have Shoyo’s breath on the nape of your neck without him flushing and flinching away. To have Shoyo have this air of confidence around him that’s usually in volleyball suddenly translate to you.

“Did you miss me this much?”

“You have no idea, don’t you?” The implications are clear: I could show you how much, if you want.

Still, this development is very sudden. You squirm on his lap, but Shoyo doesn’t relent. He keeps you there, a puddle in his hands. Nobody is watching—or maybe they’re just being respectful, but you feel flustered facing this side of Shoyo in public.

“Shoyo,” you warn. “Not here.”

It’s Heitor’s fault.

Ever since Hinata had met Heitor and Nice and witnessed how unapologetically intimate they were with each other, Hinata became envious. He wanted that, too. He wanted that with you.

“Well, why wouldn’t you?” Heitor asked when Hinata lamented to him.

Hinata made a pitiful noise, like a deflating balloon. “I don’t know. I think she just thinks I’m too cute to take that seriously.”

Heitor laughs. “Shoyo. Trust me. You’ll drive your girl crazy if you’re confident with it.”

It’s Heitor’s fault, and Hinata is eternally grateful for it, seeing your wide-eyed face beneath him like this. He loves it when he surprises people, but yours might be a different kind of thrill that he’s already addicted to.

[milkteasweetheart]

『just like heaven, introduction』

this part contains the introduction.

housewardens x reader

author’s note: i depict nrc as an actual college, so first years are 18, second years 19, etc.

summary: crowley has the bright idea of a bonding experience, specifically in the form of a dream potion.

characters: riddle rosehearts, leona kingscholar, azul ashengrotto, jamil viper, vil schoenheit, idia shroud, malleus draconia / platonic mentions: dire crowley (ew), grim

genre: romance, fluff, smidge of angst

warnings: female reader, reader is yuu, reader is around ace and deuce’s height, sappy, marriage, mentions of potential children, some suggestive themes

「introduction: dire crowley (derogatory)」

It’s not a very peaceful evening.

It started with Crowley’s bright idea of a bonding experience. That is, gather the students that overblotted (and the overworked, underpaid regular joe that got dragged into solving them) and spritz a potion that will make them see each others dreams. What kind of logic does this birdbrain operate on?

“It will help you understand each other, which will reduce conflict! And since I am oh so generous, I’ve already brewed the potion required for this occasion.”

(Y/N) had the strong feeling that Crowley just wanted to get rid of the problem of overblotting the easy way, instead of actually getting help for the housewardens (and Jamil).

When asked how it works, Crowley talked in circles to the point that it’ll be easier to just go with whatever bullshit he’s come up with instead of pulling teeth any further.

So, that leads to the Ramshackle’s lounge. Grim had willingly left to spend the night in Heartslabyul with (Y/N)’s best buddies, Ace and Deuce. “I don’t wanna hang out with those weirdos! I got better things to do!” She could only hope he’d behave for the sake of Trey.

The rocking chair and coffee table had been pushed away next to the walls to make room for the beds Malleus had kindly summoned. (Y/N) will definitely ask him if she could keep one. They’re very comfortable.

After making supper with the aid of Jamil (and Azul, who butted in, which caused Jamil to glare side-eye daggers at him) and Vil, who wanted to oversee the process to assure the food they made was healthy. Before embarking on this culinary mission, (Y/N) had tasked Riddle to distract Leona from picking a fight with Malleus so that Ramshackle could be spared for another day. Riddle had seemed excited for some reason, and took his mission seriously after giving a small, blushy nod. 

「Riddle: The prefect trusts me to keep peace. I won’t disappoint!」

The meal went by… strangely. Jamil and Azul kept slipping each other snide remarks, and so did Leona and Malleus. (Y/N) had long considered carrying around a spray bottle, and these people did not help the growing need for it. Idia wisely stayed out of it. His strategy to survive the night was to keep his mouth shut and avoid conversation with anyone else other than the prefect. When Riddle attempted to make conversation, Vil would change the subject. When Riddle eventually managed to hijack (Y/N)' attention, Vil looked at him with a freezing stare.

「Vil: Foolish ventriloquist doll potato. She's got better things to talk about.」

Despite the tension, Ramshackle had not fallen, and so the headmage descended upon them with a potion in a fancy perfume bottle.

“What are the ingredients in this, if I may ask?” Vil sensibly asked the incredibly suspicious headmage, who skillfully evaded the question with the command for the students to get comfortable.

Each of the overblotted students were confident that their dreams were not that bad. Sure, letting others see what they desired wasn’t ideal, but they can surely control what they’ll see, right? Right. 

[perfecttenth]

Usually not much can be said about the character design in Kinnikuman. But in the case of The Man and The One, the contrast between their designs is top-notch. 10/10.

The most obvious contrast is between their attires. The Man was designed to resemble the Ancient Greek god Zeus, and the Greek influence can primarily be seen in the golden laurel wreath that's a part of his helmet and the white toga. The golden helmet, jewelry as well as his cape fittingly give him a regal appearance, as Zeus was regarded to be the king of the gods of Mount Olympus. It overall results in a Western style.

The One on the other hand was specifically designed to have a more threatening aura than even Shogun, and his spiked armor accomplishes just that. His armor resembles those of the samurai and generals of feudal Japan, with his helmet looking nearly identical to the kabuto-type helmet, of which some tended to be adorned with horns. His style comes across as martial and Eastern, accentuated by the war fan he wields.

Partially as a result of their attires, their silhouettes on their own also contrast one another: The Man's form is wider and shorter with rounded edges, The One is a bit slimmer and taller, with his silhouette being edgier due to the spikes and horns sticking out.

There's also the colors. The Man's palette consists of the saturated primary colors pink, yellow, blue plus white. Meanwhile The One's colors are much paler and desaturated, with only monochromatic shades of red. His bright red eyes are the most saturated part of him, corresponding to The Man's blue ones.

Even their names contrast each other. The God of Harmony giving himself the name "The One" with his descent makes it feel like he's further reinforcing the binary between the two of them when comparing it to The God of Mercy's group-based title "Perfect Zero". The Japanese spelling of their name are only one kana off from each other too, "Za Wan" (ザ・ワン) vs. "Za Man" (ザ・マン).

When you look at the way The One used to look when he was first submitted as Hermoz, it all feels like very deliberate choices. Personally I would've preferred it if they had kept the asymmetrical helmet and horns, but it might have been unbefitting for a choushin design, being perfect beings and all.

The dynamic these two have is also great. I hope we get to see these old men bicker some more over the course of the story. They're defined by having opposite views on the matter of choujin: It was The Man who suggested the creation of the choujin race to fill the 108th god seat back in heaven and held up his hope in them, descending in order to save and train them himself, when The One gave up on the choujin almost immediately and lead the group of gods who advocated for their erasure.

This is also reflected in how they see themselves, and by extent the rest of the gods who descended: The One regards himself to be a choushin on the same level as the other gods, but The Man only ever calls himself a choujin, seeing himself as an equal to the mortal choujin, despite both him and The One being ex-gods.

The Gordian Knot metaphor lays out their differing views the best. The Man patiently attempted to untie the knot with his own hands, making more progress than any of the other gods, but The One chose to simply cut the un-untieable knot in half with his fan. It's similar to how he used the Capillaria Rays as a tool to eradicate the majority of choujin, a bold and drastic solution for their constant infighting that shows his contempt for them. Nowadays, The Man's approach to handling the choujin in the form of directly teaching them over a long course of time is starting to be seen as the right decision, with him believing that choujin have resolved the issue and have grown on their own.

This does not mean that The One's unconventional way of problem-solving is wrong, as his reformation plan to redefine what it means to be a choujin and demote the unqualified to human status in order to equilibrize the universal energy imbalance doesn't feel all that unreasonable considering the direness of the situation. Whether it is his idea or The Man's idea of effectively using the circulatory Friendship Power system that will be realized we'll have to see.

Everything about them is coming together so well and I can't wait to see how their plans for fighting back against the God of Time's forces are going to work out.

[earlgreytea68]

I'm going to descend into Fall Out Boy stuff for probably a while but before I do, I just wanted to put down some musings on AI. Sorry.

You, like me, are probably already sick to death of talking about AI. In my field, it feels like the only thing people want to talk about, not only because I'm a teacher but because I'm also an intellectual property lawyer focused on the technology space, so it's just endlesssssssss.

First I should say that I've been so far completely underwhelmed by AI. Like, yeah, sure, I get that it's amazing and I'm probably spoiled by tech wizardry or whatever but if AI is so great I think all the algorithms in my life should be better at recommending things to me (I gather TikTok has the best at that but I'm not on TikTok). Westlaw's AI is so incredibly terrible that the database has gone downhill ever since they tried to make me pivot that way and I'm constantly being like, PLEASE GIVE ME THE OLD WESTLAW INTERFACE WHERE I USED MY OWN ACTUAL BRAIN AND GOT THE THINGS I WANTED EFFICIENTLY WITHOUT ROBOT INTERFERENCE.

I tried out ChatGPT because I wanted to know what the fuss was and I put one of my old exam questions in and it gave me four sentences in response, one of which was just a flat-out wrong statement of law, and considering I would have expected around a thousand-word analysis of that exam question, four basic and only half-right sentences was just not super-impressive to me.

But I gather that it's getting better all the time and that the harder you work on what you ask it for and keep refining your prompt then the better the output is, or whatever. I also gather that asking it for text output is probably super-different than asking it for visual output.

I'm talking about this now because I went to this symposium and there were panels on AI and honestly, the more I hear *tech* people specifically talk about AI, the more I want to light myself on fire. Like, one of the topics was whether the AI using everyone else's copyrighted works as input without the creators' permission was copyright infringement. The tech people were like, "No, not at all, because the output doesn't actually use their work, it's just training the machine, it's just an algorithm." But then the tech people in the next panel were like, "But of course we should get to own all of the output of the AI because it's using human creativity." And I'm like, ...this feels contradictory to me? Like having your cake and eating it, too? It can't NOT be infringement because it's all machinery but also you get to own all the output because it's not just machinery.

Like, sometimes I think if AI were really just about, Idk, algorithms helping us out, we wouldn't have to talk about it in IP symposiums. The reason we're talking about it is because OBVIOUSLY people are going to start claiming ownership over the things AI creates and so we're going to end up in a world where humans (corporations) own what humans create AND they own what machines create and all of that is so much more stuff owned than ever before and I don't think any IP scholar looked around and thought that the problem with our creative landscape is "not enough stuff is owned."

Setting aside my views on ownership, though, I've been trying not to be a kneejerk crotchety old person about AI. The tech people at the symposium kept saying it was just a tool that people would use to aid them, like a typewriter or PhotoShop or whatever, and that people always freak out about new tools possibly killing human creativity, and that doesn't turn out to be the case. So I keep trying to keep an open mind. Maybe I'll really like writing with AI! Maybe it will be awesome! But I can't shake the fact that I don't even like Word to suggest autocompletes to me when I'm writing a fic, because I feel like it's putting ideas in my head about where the story or sentence or dialogue is going that isn't what I intended. I especially hate that little thing on the side that tells you that your document is "54% good" or whatever and then wants to edit you to within an inch of your life. All of it makes me think that maybe it's a great tool for writing a cover letter or a resume but I don't want it going through my fics telling me to take out the run-on sentences that I have intentionally added to suit the mood of the character. Like, those aren't accidents. I know how to write sensible sentences, I do it all the time for work. Not everything should sound like work. "The next generation of content creators are all going to use AI," this tech person confidently stated, and I thought, Well, I'm going to get left behind obviously because I cannot imagine using AI to write my fics, OR in a few years I WILL be using AI to write my fics and thinking how silly it was that everything in the fic used to come straight from my own brain.

I get that their argument is that the AI isn't going to write the fic for me, it's just going to help me, the way spellcheck helps me. After all, what they say is that it's not going to supplant the market for artists, that there will always be demand for human creativity. But they say this while simultaneously admitting that the movie studios have already begun to use AI-generated scripts and scores and even actors. "So far," the movie studio reps announced, these are not as good as human-generated ones. But it's pretty clear to me that they think they eventually will definitely be good enough for them to cut the humans out of the equation. And anyone who thinks, "no, no, that won't happen, employers totally value human labor," has apparently never had a job, because employers definitely do not value human labor lol. And sure, I'm sure there will always be creators who will be able to get paid but these will be the big-deal creators with the connections, and it's not like we don't already have income inequality in the creative space and people's ideas being stolen when they have no power because of this inequality. I'm sure that problem won't be massively exacerbated when a corporation can see someone's work they like, feed it into AI, and have what they want produced in that person's style with zero effort or money paid.

The tech people talk about AI with so much hope, and I want to be on board, I want to hope for good stuff. I think it sounds like it could help people with the things they find difficult and challenging, that, for people to whom writing doesn't come easily, it would be a huge help to shape their sentences. For people to whom art doesn't come easily, it would be a huge help to give them a template. I want that to be how I think about AI. It *should* be a great tool for this stuff.

But then I think about how the problem with every tool is the humans using it. That tools are always relatively neutral and benign, it's the humans who use them for ill. That it was a straight line of less than two decades to go from "here's a great way to connect with friends and family!" to "here's how we turn the world's leading democracy into a fascist dictatorship." And yet tech people still talk about having hope. I want to live in their world. But I can't help but live in this world, where I look at all this "promise" of AI and I think, Great. So great we came up with this so we can do something absolutely nightmarish with it in the next few years.

Sigh.

[hyperbolicpurple]

Many academics cherish an irritating myth: that Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel is an error-strewn and racist endorsement of European imperialism. One mention of Diamond's name is enough to get everyone in earshot to regurgitate their favorite streams of invective against his books. A 2013 article in Capitalism Nature Socialism by David Correa, entitled "F ** k Jared Diamond," decries the aging geographer as a "racist", a "hack", and the "darling of bourgeois intellectuals"—and that’s just on the first page. Others lambast Diamond for using "geographical determinism" to excuse Europeans for the bloody consequences of the conquest of the Americas.

... One historian, to popular Twitter acclaim, suggested that the main problem with Diamond is that "[h]e uses geography to explain horrible things done by colonialism, which makes this stuff natural and not anyone's fault." This is a catastrophic error, reflecting a basic, likely wilful misreading of Diamond's work. As I have noted before, his explicit aim is to explain the rise of Eurasia, and specifically Europe, without reference to inherent European biological and cultural advantages. He explicitly condemns popular histories that emphasize biological and cultural superiority as racist. Guns, germs, seeds, or steel did not make it inevitable that Europeans would invade the Americas and annihilate native populations. I mean, why would Diamond even want to argue this? But it reflects a strain of GGS ripostes that have seized the academic imagination since the book's publication.

... No doubt some crude right-leaning histories, for instance, Jeffrey Flynn-Paul's Not Stolen (2023), attempt this historical gambit, but Diamond does not. In no way does he dance around the question of agency in the destruction of native populations. On page 15, for example, he writes that "the aboriginal inhabitants of Australia, the Americas, and southernmost Africa, are no longer even masters of their own lands but have been decimated, and in some cases even exterminated by European colonialists" (15). Two pages later, he adds that "many other indigenous populations—such as native Hawaiians, Aboriginal Australians, native Siberians, and Indians in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile—became so reduced in numbers by genocide and disease that they are now greatly outnumbered by the descendants of invaders" (17). That's right—genocide and disease, working in tandem.

... Diamond's critics would like to have it both ways. On the one hand, they refuse to concede that Europeans had any significant technological or military advantage over Native American civilizations, because that would connote some kind of intrinsic superiority of the former over the latter. On the other hand, however, they want to show that deliberate European manipulation and control over Indigenous peoples led to population decline—a level of imperial mastery that could only have been maintained with some sort of military disparity. Diamond's explanation is much simpler: Europeans won initial victories because of guns, germs, and steel (plus horses, literacy, and ships) and then, after establishing their own colonial regimes, induced further depopulation through impoverishment, coercion, and outright murder—yes, he calls it genocide. Europeans committed horrific crimes that were not inevitable and germs enabled them to do it.

... I’ve spent years reading and rereading Diamond’s work, and I’ve found next to no evidence that he even implicitly attempted to give cover to apologists for European empire. I don’t understand why he would have tried to do this: it is the racists and Eurocentrists that he set out to quash in the first place. As you’ve seen above, the claim that Diamond’s work is based on “junk” data appears to be exaggerated, if not altogether specious. If his data (say, on population sizes and losses) is off, it’s off by moderate percentages, not orders of magnitude, and is more likely just uncertain—the critics don’t know either. The only way to avoid speculation about the history of the pre-contact Americas is to say nothing at all. ...

Finally, some good fucking justice for Jared Diamond.

[dongzhou3kingdoms]

Dangers of bad history

This is not about Reddit (though it involves it) so even if you hate Reddit drama, please read.

As a western 3k community, we are extremely fortunate in that the three kingdoms era or the Later Han is limited in terms of toxic ways it is used. Though we do see them: The age-old "there be women, this ruins my historical immersion" rubbish in gaming circles which is a wider problem beyond the 3kingdoms (though Koei Tecmo should be ashamed of playing into that with rtk14), Chinese people claiming Taiwan is theirs because in 230 Wu sent ships across the seas and people using the bigoted attitudes towards eunuchs of the era and the novel to warn of the "dangers" of trans rights. But compared to some other periods of history, we get it fairly light though the implications of such ideas spread are dangerous and must be opposed

This week we have seen how easily distorted history to suit a bigoted agenda (Japan bad) can, when done with some skill, be convincing, even as others argue it was bad history. A user, seemingly unaware of the problematic aspect (has since defended it when pointed to it), has been Google translating them and is utterly convinced of their accuracy as articles, putting them into two subreddits: Dynasty Warriors and Three Kingdoms. People who hadn't seen the anti-Japan issue have been enjoying them with 100 upvotes this morning across the two subreddits. Does it not show archaeology and quotes from eyewitnesses? Does it not show the statistics of peasant revolts in Wei? (spoiler alert, no). Something so academic must be correct, some new members have even suggested Wei Economy one should be a paper or worthy of a PhD

Unaware that say slave society was being written by a person who, in another forum post, argues the family inflicting a slave society and a primitive barter economy on the Chinese people was also arguing the Cao's weren't Chinese but Japanese descendants.  

This turns the threads from the very questionable and biased attempt at history into something much darker, one the Reddit poster and upvoters have walked into without being aware. The people of Wei were forced into a slave society of untold suffering by a family who aren't Chinese. Meanwhile, the heroic Shu-Han upheld the best of China including their fantastic administration. Even before 190 CE, Japan and its people were causing harm to China thanks to the Cao tombs. 

People couldn't notice, even without that important context, it was bad history and so were open to some very nasty propaganda. Just by using a little bit of history to make it seem academic and accurate, a nasty construction was built to push an anti-Japan agenda. It is very cleverly done, it builds itself credibility by referring to historical sources and quotes, by providing pictures of the tomb bricks, and using that kernel of truth and seeming truth to gain authority to then tell its tale. 

The quotes would be accurate, for example, key eye-witness Fu Xuan in the Jinshu was used to show the crushing 80% Wei taxes via a line he said. To use Jordan Paper's translation "From those who use government stock, the government receives eighty percent and the soldiers twenty. From those who use their own stock or are without stock, the government receives seventy percent, the soldiers thirty."

However Fu Xuan was talking in 168, after Wei had fallen and decades after Cao's had control of policy, about recent problems and as part of the 5-point plan to deal with droughts. His advocacy for the low tax was to return from 70-80% (share owed related to if things like grain and oxen had to be loaned to farmers) to 50-60% of the Wei dynasty (also advocated returning to Wei intensity of farming while fixing issues with Wei farming policy like the need for more drought officials). He was also talking specifically of garrison farms, not wider tax policy. 

But one line won't show the nuances or the wider point and that allows the narrative to build. To turn into talking about Wei by removing the date of advice, ignoring the wider reforms suggested, and deliberately muddling general tax policy to garrison farming (or landlord share) policy. Who can doubt it was 80?% It is a direct quote from the texts and you can build the narrative around it of suppression via this "fact". Which by being based on a historical quote, seems convincing.

Or statistics. The Wei economy post has a list of peasant revolts Cao-Wei suffered. Who can argue with statistics? People aren't going to know who the people listed are, and they aren't going to know the circumstances of revolts but this person has names, placed and dates, it is surely authoritative. Thus weighting appeal and weight to the argument. 

A harder argument is the truth of uncertainty: we are missing a lot of revolts, and our records only will have covered certain ones that reached the national level or involved an official whose life got properly recorded rather than the many thousands of officials who didn't. Even a relatively well-recorded revolt like the Yellow Turbans is a muddle in the sources and there are debates about all sorts of things involving them. Including peasant or gentry leadership. But we can tell the exact reasoning and background of all these revolts that are less well recorded? No, no we can't.

I don't know if Chen Ce (for example) was a refugee leader, a local strongman, a bandit, a leader of a self-defence group, non-Chinese, from a rich or poor background, whether he was rebelling or simply always independent in an area that had not unified beyond any one leader yet. So I will not claim any such "facts" and certainty but the more certain "peasant" revolt sounds better and thus can be used as a statistic that people often won't query. 

This seeing bad history and accepting it, as it has been, could lead to even worse things if they can not tell "Hey this sounds one-sided and off" and it is why learning history, how to spot what might be rather off, how to sort out facts from the narrative they are being twisted into and be aware of propaganda matters. It has allowed people to embrace a narrative that, to them, simply suggests Wei was a horrible regime and Shu-Han an impressive one. But one that is set up to claim the Japanese were involved in the suffering of the time, oppressing the people of China and holding China back. All without realizing the dark context to which they upvote and with the mods having no idea of the kind of material being spread in their forums. 

It is why we should keep trying, even if it only reaches bit by bit, to put out there the history, to help people learn how to read history. To help give the tools so they can be aware of potential dangers of things that look and sound smart that, instead, can carry a dangerous undercurrent. That will lead them to support things that, the full implications of, they are not aware of and be unable to have alarm bells ringing, telling them "this needs double checking" when there are dangerous lies around.

[john-frog]

Today is Wednesday you know what that means? Another frog post, today we are looking at the continent of Batrachia, the second largest continent and home to two frogs, Dendrobates spp. and Phyllomedusa bicolor.

Batrachia

Batrachia is, as mentioned above the second largest continent and also the middle continent, in between Bufia and Incilia. It is quite dry evem though warm equatorial currents hit its East side, that is due to the mountain chain present here that even though it is not so high, it causes some Rainshadow effect what leaves the interior of the continent dry, with the predominant biomes being that of savanna, steppe, xeric shrubland and arid desert. While there are some forests in areas that encounter warm currents such as the rainforests of the East coast, mediterranean climates from the tips of the continent, the Western and Northern temperate forests.

The leaf frogs(Phyllomedusa spp.)

Giant leaf frogs are frogs from the Genus Phyllomedusa, specifically from the species P. bicolor. They are known for their skin secretions that are used by indigenous people in the Amazon Rainforest who claim that the poison grants strength or even cure diseases. One of their main characteristics is the extreme size difference between males and females of the species whith the latter being the double of the male's size. Being the largest species in the continent plus the adaptability already present on the other species from this genus on Earth this frog has a predisposition for taking available niches due to the aforementioned Adaptive radiation, exactly what happened here.

Cannibal giant leaf frog(P. gigas) 

This phyllomedusid is slightly larger than their ancestral, however their key difference is not physical but behaviorial. These frogs are very active and aggressive, hunting ivertebrates but principally other frogs including their own species such as the males, who are smaller than females. Other than this predacious behaviour no other customs have chnaged much.

Diver giant leaf frog(P. hydrica)

This and the following species have changed behaviorally in quite a drastic way... The Diver giant leaf frog descended from the trees onto the many rainforest's rivers, evolving adaptations for their new life as semi-aquatic predators. Webbed feet is such an adaptation, being used for better underwater propulsion. Another adaptation for a semi-aquatic life-style is not physical but as all other species from this genus, behaviorial. For this new way of living these frogs, as mentioned before have forgone climbing trees and live mostly near water, coming to land from time to time. As they live close to the water they don't have the need of laying eggs in leaves above water, instead laying eggs directly onto the water with a foam-nest for protection of the eggs.

Ground giant leaf frog(P. grada)

The last but not less important species, the Ground giant leaf frog exploits a niche that the other frogs on the continent don't, large terrestrial frogs. This niche isn't occupied by any other frog as the poison dart frogs are not large enough to compete with the Giant leaf frogs and so this niche was free to be taken. Thus this frog predates upon many animals on the soil including other frogs. Their egg-laying behaviour is somewhat a mix of both previous species, being able to lay eggs above water, hanging on leafs glued together and underwater too, among plants and protected by a "foam".

The new dendrobates(Dendrobates spp.)

Dendrobates spp. is a genus of small frogs native to the Amazon rainforest well known for having their potent poison being used by indigenous people in their blowdarts, which has led to this genus being commonly called as Poison dart frogs. They get their characteristic poison from the invertebrates they consume, what exactly is unknown but it is suggested that some mites and other invertebrates. This selective feeding of only these toxic animals is, added to their diminute size a problem that this genus encountered when adaptive radiating into new species. Yet they suceeded and here are some of the new species from this genus.

Leaf poison dart frogs(D. saltatorius)

The first species we take a look at is known as Leaf poison dart frogs, this is due to their green coloration that somewhat resembles a leaf. They have pactically doubled in size compared to their ancestral species, D. auratus which had an average of between 2-3 centimeters in Snout-to-vent lenght. This comparatively larger size is due to both the great lack of predators and for better locomotion, as their small size grants small jumps, which are not great in an arboreal environment that demands changing from tree to tree in order to reach new hunting grounds. Eggs of this species are laid inside of small water pools formed in the "cups" of bromeliads, where the tadpoles will feed on algae and mosquito larvae, plus any other small animal that may find itself in the pools.

Dead leaf poison dart frog(D. terrestris)

In the same way the Leaf poison dart frog is inconspicuous when sitting on leafs the Dead leaf poison dart frog becomes camouflaged among dead leafs in the ground. They are the descendants of D. leucomelas that-as all other new dendrobatids- doubled in size due to relative lack of predators. These brown-colored frogs live in social groups-which is quite unusual for frogs. Such armies are comprised of 6-10 individuals and will fight with other armies over territory. This species can be found on the monsoon forests that are the frontier between rainforest and savanna, in such locations the frogs aestivate to avoid the summer heat.

Common poison dart frog(D. vulgaris)

Both D. terrestris and D. vulgaris are found primarily on the ground, with the latter being less widespread compared to the former even though it receives the name of Common poison dart frog. This species is one of the least changed, both behaviorially and physically, with the most noticeable change being their size.

Water poison dart frog(D. hydricus)

The last frog species we will see today. Descendant from the subspecies D. tinctorius azureus they sport generally a blue coloration used in camouflage underwater as they are the only semi-aquatic species of the genus. They show Countershading, having a dark blue on their backs and lighter tones on the belly and limbs. These Poison dart frogs are the least toxic as they dont feed so much on their previous prey, now foraging underwater and near the water's edge. Curiously this species has tadpoles that can endure slightly brackish waters, and larvae populations that live near the ocean display the behaviour of swimming downstream into brackish waters when evading predators. Though the larvae can resist salt levels in the water of up to 1225 ppm(parts per million) the adults cannot outstand that much salt around them.

[iamthekaijuking]

The thing about synapsid jaw evolution is that we have a pretty good idea of how the bones transformed, but when it comes to life appearance and functioning of all these forms we can only guess - I`ve read a lot and still haven`t found a more or less definitive answer of what the ears of e.g. a gorgonopsid should really look like.

Jaw articulation is hard to see in screenshots, but the hips are a problem indeed. Maybe they`re not even synapsids but some sort of mammal-imitating reptiles, kinda like how some mesozoic crocs were trying to get into mammal niches?

As for Tobi I fail to see why it is less wyvern-like than Magnamalo. Sure it has that snake-like head, but the fart tiger seems far more aberrant to me.

As for pangolin scales and mammalian feathers, the scales look rigid enough even without beta-keratin. And a hypothetical pango-feather most likely wouldnt have the complex structure of a real one - merely a superficially feather-like form, no separate barbs or anything, just good enough for gliding. Though this is all unnecessary if we assume the dino-hipped beasts aren`t real synapsids like a said above...

Finally, I was thinking that maybe pronated hands are important and they indicate common ancestry among most flying/bird/brute wyverns. Maybe they all descend from a single unusual group of maniraptorans that radiated really hard into increasingly aberrant forms after the K-Pg? They`d be burrowers like you suggested, evolving the powerful pronating hands without flight feathers as well as much more flexible bodies and tails than other dinosaurs. Even wyvern pseudofingers could originally appear to help with digging.

Speaking of pseudofingers, what if they and the neighboring fingers eventually had the biochemical pathways for their development so entangled that a simple mutation could replace one with the other? That would explain some wyverns having extra fingers. Or maybe some pseudofingers just became indistinguishable from the real ones, possibly by co-opting some of the genes involved in their formation.

But this is all just idle speculation of course, I`m not trying to prove you wrong or anything.

(I’m actually going to post this one if you don’t mind because there’s some particularly interesting bits to talk about)

Fair enough, soft tissues do have a hard time showing up so yeah maybe the ears were different.

The Crocodylomorphs you might be thinking of are notosuchians. They were notorious for many of their convergently mammal-like features, and one of my UHC friends, Dr. Masiaka (mentioned in the UHC Kushala vid) actually thinks this is where fanged wyverns lie.

As for Tobi, I tend to ignore it not just because of its aberrant nature and you are right in your assertion that it’s just as wyvern-like as magnamalo. I suppose it’s just that I have a hard time fitting it into any particular group on my flying wyvern tree. I guess it could go near the base with the common ancestor of flying wyverns, but even though it lives similarly to my purposed FW ancestor it also looks nothing like it. Maybe future games will give us a new monster that can bridge the gap and make me restructure my tree. I know Somnacanth, and more recently Giasmagorm has done that for my piscine and elder tree, which will come out soon.

I think it’s worth mentioning that the whole beta keratin problem specifically refers to bishanten (and maybe garangolm) and not any other monster.

I’ve been pretty vocal about my displeasure of bishanten as a monster hunter design due to its deranged combination of monkey and bird features. I could make a way better tengu monster than monhun B team.

Pronated hand ancestry theory actually seems pretty interesting.

And the idea of the biochemical pathways for fingers and false-fingers is an interesting one. While I doubt that the pathways for fingers and certain wrist bones would become entangled, pathways for phenotypic expression is also something that I don’t know a whole lot about, so my statement could be wrong. It definitely gave me something to think about for a bit.

[burning-sol]

oh yeah i forgor the terrible shit i came up w/ for char yesterday. wit fren. we did little generator prompts and then i completely brainrotted and suggested a bunch of story. cw for a cult, death, mention of substance abuse, yeah.

there's not a lot of specifics but basically the setting is a sort of rural town which has a an established cult that nobody really likes but presumably cant rlly do anything abt. my character has lived in the town all their life and basically THE main part of their story is that when they were younger, they were playing with their friend in the woods, and they came across this old well, but when they were playing they accidentally knocked their friend into the well and they DIED and my char was too scared to tell anyone abt it. people tried looking for the child but the specific place was so far out of the way that no one found the body, and the cult was already an established disliked group so they quickly blamed them for it, but couldnt do anything abt without any proof, and so my char was basically let off the hook but now they carry a terrible fucking guilt.

flashforward when they're older. they're having significant problems because they're frankly very sickly mentally ill, and struggling in their day to day. a recruiter from the cult comes around to do their shtick, and long story short my character gets pulled in. they get some free acommodations but they dont ENTIRELY trust the place, so they're still somewhat independent, but slowly their guard gets lowered and they start growing more dependent. they're basically being flooded w/ so much affection that they end up pretty deep in, and they've been emotionally constipated all their life, so they spill their guts to one of the members, and for once in their life they feel like there's a lot less weight bearing down on them.

PROBLEM. shortly after they hear stories from inside the cult that someone had tried to leave b4 but had been pretty blatantly blackmailed and forced to stay. and my char quickly realises. oh SHIT what am i gonna do? nothing bad has happened yet, so they dont act on anything yet, but they're WORRIED now. of course things eventually start going downhill, and they REALLY wanna leave, but oops you can see what's coming, they're being threatened w/ being exposed if they try which would obviously turn out BADLY. so when my character starts getting so SO desperate, they do the only thing they can think of and go back to the well. it is frankly very horrifying and traumatising when they descend into it and fish out the remains of their childhood friend, probably having panic attacks and being sick, but they know if they cant make this evidence disappear forever then they're going to be stuck in the cult.

BUT IT GETS WORSE, because after undergoing their horrifying ordeal, they return to find out someone TAPED them. so not only was that devastating effort all for nothing, now they're trapped for fucking ever. luckily that doesnt end up being the case but yeah you know. they spend the next however long being in complete utter misery as they're at the whims of this group who can expose them for their crime at any time. but tldr, the same person who recruited them vents to THEM abt shit they've been through. namely that they're an addict and while the cult had been providing them substances that's kept them placated until now, they'd abruptly decided to stop doing that. so now they're actually sober and reflecting on how shitty the whole situation is and how much soul destroying guilt they have knowing that they've basically destroyed so many other people's lives.

they're definitely not a good person, and yeah they pulled my character into the cult, but my character has hit rock bottom. my character is like "no, we DONT have to stay here. we can get out. but i need you to help me. please get the incriminating tape of me and we can leave together. i am desperate, i dont care what you've done, please jsut help me". and then they probably go through whatever it takes to get out and just leave. no, they probably dont help anyone else get out (tho maybe they do spark some hope in other ppl), but they're finally out of that shitty town. and they can live their own lives.

we came up with this all within probably an hour or less. so the fact it's basically a complete story is a bit surprising. usually i struggle w/ characters stories. i guess it helps that this is a pretty simple premise.

[world-cinema-research]

A bout de souffle (1960) By Michael Bump

A bout de souffle (1960) 

A bout de souffle is a film about a perry criminal named Michel. Michel kills a police officer. While on the run he hides out in Paris with his American girlfriend named Patricia. Michel is infatuated with Patricia while she is reluctant to trust him. Patricia discovers that the police are after Michel when she becomes aware of his crime. She turns Michel in to the authorities and he is killed trying to run away. Most of the film is dialogue between Michel and Patricia. The film is exciting, and jazz music plays with the emotions of the scene.  

A bout de souffle (Breathless) was directed by Jean-Luc Godard. Godard was inspired by the American Hollywood gangster films. Breathless was Godard’s first feature film. Many critics felt that Godard’s style of filming pushed the conventions of filmmaking at the time. Specifically, the handheld camera angels and “jump-cuts” for which he became famous for. Godard also pays homage to other directors that came before him. Being that it was Godard’s first film, he could not afford some of the equipment needed to shoot certain scenes. There is continuous dialogue throughout the movie which is reminiscent of other old gangster movies. During that time, many people embraced the film. Young directors looked at the film as a revolution to the film industry.  

Noteworthy events that were happening in the world when this film was released was first, the entire world and the superpowers were focused on stopping communism and creating the most nuclear bombs. February of 1960 France tested its first nuclear bomb in the Sahara Desert. Another event that happened during 1960 was the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. The world had only ended the second World War 15 years prior. There was massive hysteria around the world because people were worried about nuclear conflict with Russia and other communist powers. France and the United States were allies and it makes sense that the movie would have two people from those nations as love interests.  

The film is movies fast. It almost feels like one long perpetual scene. I found myself rooting for Michel to get away from the police. I wanted him to make Patricia leave with him so they could start anew elsewhere. This film was good at making one root for the bad guy. It helps one understand that we all do not intend to do bad things, sometimes we just get caught up in the wrong situations. Michel does give off the notion that he has been a swindler for quite some time. It was just a matter of time before his evil deeds caught up with him. He falls in love with a woman and the almost successfully pulled her into his underworld. Godard wanted to show that you cannot run away from your problems, they will always catch up to you, no matter how well you hide. Michel was destined to be killed in the end. Patricia, the one he gave his heart to, was the one that turned him in. I think that was proof that she was in love with him.  

This film is unconventional because it was unlike what people were used to seeing at that time in France and in the world of cinema. The style of filmmaking set the stage for future gangster-love sagas that came after it. This film was revolutionary to how action-romance films are made today.  

There is a direct line through "Breathless" to "Bonnie and Clyde," "Badlands" and the youth upheaval of the late 1960s. The movie was a crucial influence during Hollywood's 1967-1974 golden age. You cannot even begin to count the characters played by Pacino, Beatty, Nicholson, Penn, who are directly descended from Jean-Paul Belmondo's insouciant killer Michel. 

“À bout de souffle remains, as Raymond Durgnat suggested in 1988, "vivid witness to its era, in a manner transcending journalism and nostalgia alike". (1) Beyond all the surface icons of the hip late '50s – sunglasses, cool jazz, Seberg's endlessly imitated short haircut and tomboyish dress sense – there is something much deeper about that time which strikes a chord with today's audiences.” 

“The original À bout de souffle may not seem half as disturbing, confronting or difficult as Godard's strange, nominal remake. But in 1960, its casual violence, disconcerting style, open-ended philosophising and raw invention had an immediate impact which was just as powerful and unsettling. These are qualities well worth rediscovering at any point in cinema history.”  

http://www.filmcritic.com.au/reviews/a/aboutdesouffle.html

[aikoiya]

Dragon Forms & a Little Bit of Wyrmling Pediatrics

I imagine that dragons have 3 forms. Their natural, full dragon state (4-legged in the case of elder dragons), a small, human-like form, & a sort of in-between form. The largest being their dragonus form.

Make no mistake, a dragon can never truly look human unless they are skilled enough in dracomancy, as to become a true human facsimile is something that doesn't come naturally for a dragon.

Even the small form they take is basically them as a human-shaped & sized dragon. In this form, they have no muzzle, instead bearing a humanoid face, however, beyond that, they are draconic. They have the scales, the wings, the tail, the horns, the claws, the talons, the fangs, everything. This is their draconian form.

On the other hand, the in-between form is twice as big as the small one & despite having a humanoid bodyshape, they bear a more dragon-like visage than the draconian form, just on 2 legs. Especially in their head shape. This form has many of the benifits of the other 2, if to a lesser extent. A similar maneuverability to their small form, but a strength more in line with their large form. They also frequently switch between walking on 2 legs & 4 very often. This is their dracolithe form.

As mentioned before, each form has it's advantages & disadvantages. The dragonus being power, draconian being enhanced swiftness, flexibility, & maneuverability, & the dracolithe being a mix of both, but again, to a lesser degree.

Of course, every type of dragon has their own features. Such as wyverns & longs. So their appearances when in these forms do reflect what they are. Arm wings & 2 legs for wyverns & deer-like horns, no wings, a strip of hair down the spine, & sometimes whiskers if they're longs or ryus.

---

On the other hand, most draconids (half dragons) can't take full-dragon form unless they're descended from an elder dragon &, even then, they can't do so until they reach the age where dragons are fully mature.

So, like, 100 years of age. (Citation needed.)

They are in a midway point between draconian & human form at birth (or hatch depending on your hc) & do have access to a purely human & purely draconian form upon taking their first breath even if it takes time & practice to do so, but they need to reach dragon teen years before they can take on dracolithe form.

(Worldbuilding/Note: Not being able to take on either full human or full draconian form by age 3 usually indicates a bit of a developmental issue, but it's normally nothing that could harm the wyrmling medically & just means that it could take them longer to do so. Parents should also note that the difficulty is not a direct symptom of a developmental problem, but rather a side-effect of one & said problem won't stop the wyrmling from being able to eventually take on the problem form unless there is a severe imbalance between human & dragon dna which could actually lead to real medical issues, so pediatric shaman dragons suggest that it's best to keep an eye out just in case. However, consistent difficulty with transforming into both at age 3 is a much higher possible indication that the child has some sort of medical problem & should definitely be monitored.)

Again, draconids naturally take on a draconian-human mix form as that is their default, though they are also able to take on both full-human & full-draconian form right off the bat with enough practice & with enough experience, both draconian & human forms will become like second nature to them. However, it takes increasingly more work & practice to take on dracolithe & dragonus forms.

The aging only gives them access to these forms, not automatically allow them to become them whenever.

While draconids don't naturally have quite as close of a connection to the elements as their draconic parent, supplementing that with their element's mantic parallel can alleviate quite a bit of that. It just takes more work.

Another benefit to being draconid is the access to human-specific magic which has it's own benefits as humans are industrious by nature & so their magical abilities reflect this.

[wildearthpetfood]

Grain-Free vs. Grain-Inclusive: What Should You Choose?

Choosing the proper pet supplements diet for your dog is crucial for their health and well-being. One of the most debated topics among pet owners and veterinarians is whether to opt for grain-free or grain-inclusive dog food. This article delves into both options, providing insights to help you make an informed decision for your canine companion.

Understanding Grain-Free Dog Food

Grain-free dog food excludes wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, and rye. Instead, these diets often use alternative carbohydrate sources like potatoes, legumes (peas, lentils, chickpeas), and tapioca. The primary reasons pet owners consider grain-free diets include:

Allergies and Sensitivities: Some dogs may have allergies or sensitivities to certain grains, leading to skin issues, digestive problems, or other health concerns.

Ancestral Diet Beliefs: The notion that dogs, being descendants of wolves, thrive on diets similar to their ancestors, which were predominantly meat-based with minimal grains.

Perceived Health Benefits: Beliefs that grain-free diets may lead to better digestion, healthier skin and coat, and increased energy levels.

Understanding Grain-Inclusive Dog Food

Grain-inclusive dog food contains wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, and rye. These grains serve as carbohydrate sources and provide essential nutrients. The reasons for choosing grain-inclusive diets include:

Nutritional Benefits: Grains offer fiber, vitamins, and minerals that promote a balanced diet.

Digestibility: Many dogs can efficiently digest grains, benefiting from the nutrients they provide.

Cost-Effectiveness: Grain-inclusive diets are often more affordable than grain-free alternatives.

The Debate: Grain-Free vs. Grain-Inclusive

Pet owners and veterinarians have discussed the choice between grain-free and grain-inclusive diets. Key points in this debate include:

Nutritional Adequacy: Grain-free and grain-inclusive diets can be nutritionally complete if formulated correctly. Ensuring that the chosen diet meets the dog's specific nutritional needs is essential.

Health Concerns: Recent studies have raised concerns about a potential link between grain-free diets and canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a heart condition. The FDA has been investigating these reports, but definitive conclusions are yet to be made.

Allergies and Sensitivities: True grain allergies in dogs are relatively rare. More commonly, dogs may be allergic to specific proteins like beef or chicken. Therefore, eliminating grains may not always address the root cause of allergies.

Wild Earth's Approach to Dog Nutrition

We prioritize your dog's health at Wild Earth by offering nutritionally complete, plant-based dog food. Our formulas are designed to provide all essential nutrients without common allergens in traditional pet foods. Here's why you might consider choosing Wild Earth:

High-Quality Protein Sources: Our dog food contains 31% protein sourced from sustainable and digestible ingredients like yeast and potato protein. These proteins are not only high-quality but also environmentally friendly.

Superfood Ingredients: We incorporate superfoods such as chickpeas and sweet potatoes, which are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. These ingredients support your dog's immune system, vision, and overall health.

Allergen-Free Formulas: Our recipes are free from common allergens, making them suitable for sensitized dogs. We avoid meat byproducts and filler materials, ensuring your dog receives only the best nutrition.

Sustainability: By choosing plant-based ingredients, we reduce the environmental impact of traditional meat-based pet foods.

In-Depth Questions and Answers

What are the potential health risks associated with grain-free diets?

Answer: Recent studies have Wikipedia suggested a potential link between grain-free diets and canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a severe heart condition. The FDA has been investigating these reports, focusing on diets high in legumes like peas and lentils. While a definitive cause has not been established, consulting with a veterinarian before making dietary changes is essential, especially if considering a grain-free diet.

How can I determine if my dog has a grain allergy or sensitivity?

Answer: True grain allergies in dogs are uncommon. Symptoms may include itching, skin irritations, ear infections, and gastrointestinal issues. To determine if your dog has a grain allergy, consult a veterinarian. They may recommend an elimination diet to identify the specific allergen. It's important to note that other ingredients, such as specific proteins, are more common allergens in dogs.

Are there benefits to plant-based dog food compared to traditional meat-based diets?

Answer: Plant-based dog foods, like those offered by Wild Earth, provide several benefits:

Allergen Reduction: They eliminate common meat allergens, which can benefit dogs with sensitivities.

Sustainability: Plant-based diets have a lower environmental impact compared to meat-based diets.

Nutritional Completeness: When adequately formulated, plant-based diets can provide all the essential nutrients for a dog's health.

It's crucial to ensure that any diet, whether plant-based or meat-based, is nutritionally balanced and meets your dog's needs.

How does Wild Earth's dog food compare to other brands in terms of protein content and quality?

Answer: Wild Earth's dog food contains 31% protein sourced from high-quality, sustainable ingredients like yeast and potato protein. This protein content is comparable to, or even higher than, many traditional meat-based dog foods. For example, Orijen Regional Red Dry Dog Food contains 38% protein, and Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Dry Dog Food contains 34% protein. We focus on providing digestible and sustainable protein sources without meat byproducts or fillers.

Conclusion

Choosing between grain-free and grain-inclusive top rated dog supplements depends on your dog's specific health needs, potential allergies, and personal preferences. It's essential to consult with a veterinarian to determine the most suitable diet for your canine companion. We are committed to providing high-quality, nutritionally complete, sustainable dog food options at Wild Earth. Our plant-based formulas are designed to meet your dog's nutritional needs while minimizing environmental impact. For more information or to explore our products, please visit our website or contact us directly.

[thecaitychronicles]

The Caity Chronicles: The Bees

Buz buz bitches! I’m back, and finally over the emotional damage caused by the events I will be sharing with you all today.

Let me paint a picture for you. It’s August 2023. I return home from a bachelorette weekend for my dear friend. Sure the weather was absolute shit and we all drove through a hurricane to get back home, but the hoopla was worth it! The reality I came home to, however, was a harsh reminder that the fun was over.

My wall is crying! No, dearest reader, I’m not on drugs. My bedroom wall had streams of tears running down pooling at the floor, which is of course carpet. I grabbed towels, lined them up against the wall, and led them into a pot to drain.

I called my HOA emergency line. Note: my HOA has expressed their dismay before for my calling the emergency line for non-emergencies, to which I often reply “then answer your non-emergency line once in a while.” My HOA is not good. My HOA is trash. I hate my HOA.

When the issue was explained, they responded that they would send someone out to check the roof in a week or so. This displeases me.

Eventually the walls dry their tears and I don’t notice any other incidences for a while. Are there ugly wet stains on my ceiling from the leaks? Sure. But that’s a future Caity problem.

Fast forward to the first weekend of March 2024. I notice the stains are growing on my ceiling due to Southern California’s famous shitty weather *holds up sarcasm sign.* I make a call to my HOA emergency line and leave a message. I send an email as well, to start a paper trail.

The next morning, Milo (my cat) wakes me up with a specific meow that tells me he sees something amiss. (Yes, I know that sounds like a crazy cat lady statement. And it is.) I roll over to find where his attention is focused.

*Drip* *Drip* *Drip*

Oh good. Another leak. Not against the walls this time. In the middle of the ceiling.

I grab the biggest pot I could find and placed it under the drips. Not even three hours go by until I have to replace the pot before it overflows. I ring the HOA line again and leave another message with a certain tone to suggest “hey I might be serious this time so get your ass out here and fix this!” They reply to my original email saying “oh yeah, sure, sure, we’ll be right there… on Monday.” It’s Sunday. I am, once again, displeased.

I placed a tarp down to catch what the pot can’t while I’m away during the day. When I return home, I find a wee li’l pond in my room (see photo for reference). Once sent to the email chain, I get an almost immediate response looping in an HOA member of higher status noting “oh hey, I think this might be serious.” NO SHIT BARBARA!

The roof-fixer-upper people come out the next morning and I show them the inside damage. They go up to the roof for less than 3 minutes before rapidly descending the ladder with fear in their eyes.

“Miss, you’ve got bees.” While sure this sounds better than chlamydia… I was naive to the recovery period of a case of the bees.

Turns out, bees had made their way in between the roof and ceiling, opening up more airways for moisture to get in and cause a leak. (Now my intro makes sense, huh!)

“Yeah we can’t do any roof repairs until the bees are gone.” Wonderful.

I call up the HOA, let ‘em know I’ve been diagnosed with an itchy case of the bees so they can send out the bee-removal folk. The squad arrives and showed me the picture of what exactly scared away the repairmen (see photo for reference). Hives on hives on hives. You’d think Beyoncé was throwing a concert up on the roof! (Get it? Bey-hive? No? Psh. Uncultured.)

Once the slabs of honey and bees are gone, the scaredy-cat roofie people return to assess the damage. Eventually they fix it over the course of a week. But I’m left to my own devices when it comes to the ceiling repairs.

The following process takes more than 3 months to complete:

Water mitigation

Mold and mildew testing

Demolition

Dehumidifying/air purifying

Dry check

Water mitigation

Mold and mildew testing

More demo

Repair

Repaint

My bed needed to be moved to the living room. For two weeks I couldn’t access my closet. My room looked like Dexter is about to slay one of Miami’s latest predators (see photo for reference). Milo’s world is upside down. This displeases us both!

In the midst of all this, I keep finding dead bees on the floor- carcasses from the absent colony. I scoop them up in my hand so they don’t end up as kibble. As I walk toward the door to toss them outside, I notice one wiggling. Ah shit. Poor lil guy is alive and in a cluster of all his dead cousins. My bad! I walk toward the fullest, bloomiest bush of flowers outside to set him down. Mind you, I’ve never been stung by a bee. Bees and I have always had the understanding that as long as I provide quick transportation from one perdy flower to another from time to time, I shalln’t be stung. Well this fucker clearly didn’t get the memo because when I gently nudged him towards the petal, he backed that ass up INTO MY FINGER! Not cool, bee. Not. Cool.

My enemies at this point include bees, the HOA, and ServPro.

“What did ServPro do, Caity?” I will tell you, audience! They gave me more runaround than a three legged dog! Their scheduling department was shit, saying “yeah that person is busy, we’ll have them call you back after lunch.” And by 5pm when I call back “oh… yeah… so they left for the day, but we’ll have them call you back first thing in the morning.” Bullshit! I don’t trust you, Susan from reception!

ServPro reps came and went over the next few weeks. I quickly learn why teachers used to separate me from my friends once I hear giggling from Daniel, Max, and Julio. These fuckers are watching Instagram videos in my room! Hey! Boys! *snap snap* Back to work! Plus now I have to get on a work call.

Daniel and Julio oblige. Max, on the other hand, feels this is a good time to go to the bathroom. My bathroom. No kids, not number one. Max needed to drop a heavy ass load. A putrid cloud wofts my way as the door opens. While the effort to mask the smell with my lavender-scented Febreeze was appreciated, it sure as shit wasn’t effective. I snarl my nose in disgust, prompting my coworker on my Zoom call to text me “fix your face.” …Mom always said I shouldn’t play poker.

It is now nearing the end of May, and I’m anticipating my family’s visit at the end of June, all the while still hopping over my mattress to get to the kitchen. ServPro is apparently back logged in repairs and suggests far-into-the-future dates for Daniel, Max, and Julio to return. I don’t have time to schedule “sometime next week.” No, Craig from repairs, we will not be patiently awaiting your coworker’s callback any longer. This nightmare has gone on for months! Give me my closet back! And if you don’t care about my wellbeing, think about the children! (Yes, still talking about my cat.)

Well kids, the Karen voice worked. The Dexter tarps came down. The walls and ceilings insulated and boarded up. The walls repainted the specific Behr “Meditation Time” green, and the baseboards recovered with the “Stormy Haze” gray. Even the home insurance payments have been completed.

Could this perhaps be the end of it all?

August, 2024. *Buzzzzzzzz*

I look outside my bedroom window. Beyoncé must be back. The queen is rebuilding.

MOTHER OF !$&@- roll credits.

[sunset-peril]

how wolflike are the wolfbred? Do they do smelling rituals? Or accurate pack dynamics? Do they have a knot??

*holds ask gently* I'd say fairly wolflike! Enough that it causes problems with the other tribes, while still physically remaining part of the Hylian tribe (albeit as a "sub-tribe" like the Sheikah), being capable of Hylian speech, and (for the most part) adapting to Hylian culture.

With the exception of some Ancient Wolfbred with Zonai genetics (that's another story), they're furless aside from fur-like hair on the backs of the ears, and your typical Hylian head hair/body hair.

They greet each other and inspect things by scent, if that's what you mean. Unless the back of my brain has any surprises for me, they don't have any smelling "festivals". There are some descriptions/images of some additional social behaviors here if you're interested.

"Accurate pack dynamics" is a tricky one, as some modern research has suggested we understand wild wolves incorrectly. If you're asking if they have an Alpha/Beta dominance structure, no, they do not. I based their structure partly on what my canine social structure lectures suggest wolves behave like based on recent research, which is a deference-based society (not dominance based) with a family unit structure (adult parents/older individuals leading). The Elder Circle runs the tribe, while a family unit generally interacts and performs activities together (with the oldest pair of parents leading). Of course, they're still Hylians, so interpret that as you wish.

Of course, past their genetic modifications and being descended from Wolf Link/Twilight Princess Link, biologically they're still Hylians, so they're not fully wolf-like. In fact, their "wolfiness" is more in behavior and social structure than much else. Link, for example, passes completely as a Hylian after about a year in service as Zelda's bodyguard. You would have to be looking specifically for Wolfbred traits (their dewclaw-like thumbs, slight snouts, ears with full range of motion, and their forehead markings matching TP Link's) to know he wasn't Hylian, due to him knowing the language and culture of Zelda's home and using them instead of his own language/culture.

A knot? Do you mean like a mating tie??? *canine reproductive anatomy flashbacks*

If so, I wouldn't know that one. I haven't really bothered with determining their reproductive anatomy because I don't plan to make any steamy/smut/NSFW content. All I've done on the reproductive physiology aspect is: their breeding season (March-July), breeding season behaviors for males, the current rate of reproductive failures (miscarriage/stillbirths) in the tribe (extremely high), among other similar things since those details are plot relevant.

I hope that answers your questions! Thanks for asking :D

[magpiejay1234]

Jacob rewatch also made finally get the whole Ansem SoD/Subject X.

Superficially, this is supposed to give some pathos to Ansem SoD, and set up a red herring that he, like Xemnas, might betray Master Xehanort. He doesn't, obviously, but those red herrings were probably intended go on for longer.

The actual events state that Ansem SoD is seeking Subject X is seeking memories about War of the Foretellers, which strongly implies she is Skuld, since other Dandelions only became important after the War, and player character already reincarnated as Xehanort's caretaker (though that is a later retcon of course).

Ansem SoD suggests Ansem DiZ already probed her memories, and found those suppressed memories to further his research (we know he did search her memories, but didn't find much, and there isn't much that indicates Apprentice Xehanort did either).

However, in KH2, at least in the Final Mix version (not sure about other versions), Ultima Weapon's recipe is in Ansem's Mansion, and we already discussed how later games, including KH3, imply Ultima Weapon was an earlier attempt to remake x-blade, at least to create a light-exclusive version of it (with No Name presumably being a dark elemental means to copy x-blade).

My assumption was that Ansem DiZ figured this during his research after CoM, but SoD implies this might have started during the human experimentation period. So DiZ might have unearthed an old recipe (presumably used by MoM), and extrapolated the remaining parts.

The problem I have with this, despite being implied to be case way back when, it puts way too much emphasis on Keyblades once more, even though we more or less know they won't matter that much after the MoM arc, and DiZ's experiments were about hearts (and by proxy, body & soul), not magical artifacts (since apprentices already had their own magical weapons to defeat, and pacify Heartless for more experiments).

****

Another problem with this, is that back in Days it was implied that Saix, and Axel became apprentices basically the day before Xehanort betrayed DiZ (basically confirmed to be the case in KH3), but not for Subject X specifically, rather all the other human experimentations. X was just their way of learning something was wrong, but obviously back in the Days' backstory their lost their hearts, and eventually their purpose.

However, with the Saix-Lea scene, KH3 seems to imply Axel only bonded with Xion as a replacement of Subject X who is presumably Skuld, because she looked superficially like her, much like how Roxas looked like Ven (despite their divergent character progression, which is another can of worms).

In addition to wimping DiZ's past crimes, this also makes me suspect that Sora, and possibly Riku, will also be retconned to being Ephemer, and one of Skuld's sister's descendants, and Xion's black hair was just some sort of recessive trait Sora had.

****

I guess I should also talk about how in BBS Volume 2 trailer, HPO sequence was supposed to have Kairi in it, and they were supposed to search Ansem DiZ's yet uncovered secrets (presumably his knowledge of Ultima Weapon, and its relation to x-blade would have been part of it).

Nonetheless, since Kairi is stuck with Lea in KH3 at this point, having him, and SoD talk about Subject X would be both excessive, and remove a lot of the red herrings about her identity.

Similar situation with Nameless Star, and MoM's name reveal I guess, though compared to what people believe, since Sora means nothingness/emptiness/sky, and is a decently non-rare name, MoM telling his name is Sora to Xehanort without the face reveal is as useless as him telling his name is Skylar Void (Dark Road made a recurring joke about this apparently, with Xehanort assuming the Xehanort people talking about is a different guy).