#while acknowledging the actual sources of said info

[icyplatinum]

So let me get this right.

A trans woman was harassed constantly for a while from what I heard were mostly transphobes and transmisogynists.

Said trans woman and multiple other people reported that harassment to tumblr staff. Tumblr staff proceeds to ignore said reports. Trans woman lashes out at staff as they’ve done nothing to mitigate the harassment she’s facing on their platform.

Tumblr CEO personally gets involved to get her account nuked because she made an obviously non-serious post about wishing that said CEO would die in an exploding hammer car accident.

Tumblr CEO then says that there is no transmisogyny at Tumblr staff because he himself doesn’t think it’s transphobic. He then proceeds to not acknowledge that the trans woman who‘s account he nuked was harassed and that Tumblr staff simply allowed it to happen due to the fact that she was a trans woman. Oh he also either already contacted the FBI & police to investigate said trans woman or threatened to despite what she said not being an actual death threat in the slightest.

The trans woman‘s backup account get‘s nuked as well despite Tumblr staff never really banning alt accounts for trolls or harassers showing a clear double standard again and showing that this seems to be a personal thing for the CEO.

CEO then continued having a meltdown talking about how good and trans-inclusive the totally not transmisogynistic staff members are and how some of them are trans themselves while continuing to not address the actual issue at all.

CEO then says nighty night while still having not addressed the actual issue at hand.

I think I got most of that right but I haven’t known of Predstrogen before this drama so most of the info is not from direct sources (except the CEO meltdown he did that all *very* publicly). If I‘m wrong on any point here please correct me.

[nereidprinc3ss]

hi, I'm a huge fan of your work, and I just saw that you had the link to decolonize palestine on your intro post (since you just posted a new one). I had read the website before, as a jew (who had been told different information but wanted to double check my info) and I found some of it really questionable. so I decided to research it a bit. obviously, feel free to do your own research, I actually encourage it, but here is a tumblr post that seems? to pretty well explain how wildly antisemitic that website is (i did not fully vet the post, but given what I know of jewish history, it seems to fit). I'm all for being pro-palestine and there are a ton of good resources out there, however, this website does not seem to be one of them.

obviously, it's up to you if you want to keep it or not, or even outright ignore this ask, but there has been a lot of misinformation going around, and in case this was your main source of information, I wanted to let you know that you should maybe cross reference it.

https://www.tumblr.com/arandomshotinthedark/743280738106998784/decolonize-palestine-is-a-terrible-source-that?source=share

Hello!! I read that post and some of the comments and reblogs as well as other posts by the original poster and while it does seem like the decolonize Palestine might have source issues and skip over sections of history I don’t think the post or blog you linked is any more reliable of a source. In the comments/reblogs alone I found posts which discredited major points it made, clarifying that “pink washing” is actually a term INVENTED by pro Palestine Israeli activists and that BDS discredited the Boston branch for the mapping project which is a separate thing from BDS. Those two facts, one of which the OP acknowledged in reblogs but did not change in the original post because it was “still in the realm of bad” make me hesitant to trust 100% of their information, and also because stuff like ancestral heritage/who can claim what as their homeland is contentious and Im not equipped/qualified to discuss it or evaluate it by any means. I took a look through that blog and found some of the ways it talked about Gaza and the genocide to be suspect. Specifically when they said they see the appeal of Israel because Judaism is the “dominant culture” there. They said photos of the atrocities happening in Gaza are just a way to make you angry so you’re more susceptible to Hamas propaganda and that they discourage “higher thinking.” They didn’t seem to indicate any solidly anti genocide stances which makes me think they are no more unbiased than decolonizepalestine is, just in the opposite direction. What went implied but unsaid is that anti-Zionism=anti-semitism, with which I disagree when your anti-Zionist views are based on your human rights views. I do think some anti-semites have embraced this as an opportunity to be flagrantly anti Jewish but this is not the full story of anti Zionism and is not true of most anti Zionists.

Regardless it seems like maybe that’s not a perfect website to link because it erases some relevant history but I just thought I’d let you know that blog to me is quite dog whistley. Also to anyone who might be considering it Im not interested in fighting in my inbox and I simply won’t engage. Pls do send alternative suggestions for links I could put there maybe to better sourced sites or a compilation of vetted fundraisers!! Thank you

[cadaveerie]

the things i'm the most and least excited about for Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

includes DATV spoilers from the trailers and articles

i might continuously edit this post until the game actually launches as we receive new info!

all of these have been confirmed by the devs, except for those in which i clarify the opposite (ie: those that i write with a "possibly", which have probably been only suggested). if you want the source for any of these specifically let me know!

and a big shoutout to felassan for answering my question, because i started wondering if i just made up the 'pause during cutscene' thing, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out where I'd heard that lol

anyway, here it is!

GENERAL

no EA app or online mode/internet to play the game

pause during cutscenes

interruptible and resumable banter

no micro-transactions

CC

the character creator!!! - more diverse bodies, better (and darker. and better dark) skin tones and afro-textured hair!

change of voice pitch for Rook!

trans Rook! they/them Rook! and the ability to express that in-game!

b-bulge slider.......? t-tittie slider?????

different lighting options in character creator :]

in-game name suggestions for rook :]

nudity :D:D:D SEXOOO

PURPLE ROOK!!!!! (sarcastic/charming, like hawke. im gonna be insufferable to solas specifically)

CHARACTERS

"not that skeleton, but we're not saying no skeletons" as an answer to whether we can romance manfred (..... the fuck. idk what that means but... im game)

bi/pan romanceable companions! - it makes me happy, especially as someone non-binary and genderfluid. i'll die on this hill

paraphrasing: “the most romantic game yet”..... mmmm… yes….

the companions overall... i rly like both the designs and what we know of them

"are there companions gifts again" John: "(...) you very well might find things in the world that certain companions would appreciate!"

John: "Not going to get into specifics on interactables, but there is more to do in the Lighthouse than conversations with companions. The Lighthouse does have a kitchen, and your companions acknowledge it/use it both narratively and ambiently. Some maybe better than others."

more focus and intentionality on the companions' stories and relationships! yay!

inquisitor presence :D

maybe solas and inky? - not confirmed that they'll interact, but pleaaaase let them. no matter if it's a romance, friendship or hateful relationship, i need to see a reunion

the relationship between solas and rook! - from what they'd said it looks like they're gonna have a fun dynamic!!! i hope that it's kind of a bad relationship but that at some points there can be some appreciation, or respect. i think they said that it could be change, depending on you

cameos!!! - we know there will be some. confirmed morrigan cameo! my bets for others are on dorian (and mae), fenris (copium), zevran (copiumx2). and maybe these are reaches but... perhaps cassandra? leliana? illario? alistair? sten? either way im looking forward to it!

700 characters (wtf)

140,000 lines of dialogue (wtf x2. almost double of Inquisition's (80,000))

DREADWOLF WOLF FORM! DREADWOLF WOLF FORM!!! *scratches his belly*

LORE

visiting places we have never seen before like Tevinter, Antiva, Anderfels, Nevarra, Rivain, etc

more thedas deep lore!!! - elven gods! and this hasn't been confirmed, but since we'll go there... will there be tevinter lore? anderfels lore? rivain lore? antivan lore? titans lore (my theory is because of Harding)!?

GRAPHICS and CUSTOMIZATION

possibly a camera mode

beautiful textures!

beautiful landscape!

very nice hair physics! (big improvement)

gear customization + transmog

enable/disable helmets for cutscenes

COMBAT

I rly like the subclasses… they feel so…. gothic

combat looks more dynamic overall!

combos with the companions!

finisher animations!

mages can move while attacking apparently?

and they^ can use staffs, daggers and orbs :0

parry + shield toss :0

and i'm just excited to see how it actually feels while playing and how everything progresses!

things I'm kinda sad/disappointed about. just a little

only can bring two companions along (probably a 3 party total?)

probably no trans, they/them or they/x companions? :( (im assuming there will be characters that are trans (mae) and go by them/them or multiple pronouns, but i mean companions specifically)

only 7 companions. i was a little disappointed at first but tbh im fine w it now haha

they haven't talked about rook as a character much so im a little worried about that, their personal journey, their dialogue etc :')

that rook doesn't seem to have different beginnings depending on his origin :( not a huge deal but tbh i loved that about origins

can't choose multiple pronouns :( perhaps it's possible? they've explicitly said that you can go by he, she or they, but i don't think that implies multiple at the same time. it can't be that hard to program it so that it randomly changes between two or more pronouns, right? idk about game development so i dont actually know, sorry if i'm ignorant

this is suuuper nitpicky but in relation to the graphics.. i kinda wish the skins looked slightly.. different? idk how to put it, but they look kind of smooth? maybe too much? i just wish they had a little bit more texture, it kinda looks like they have a beauty filter, imo, and i think it would look better if they look slightly differently

and i have mixed feelings about how the characters are stylized overall. like... y'know, the whole "cartoony" discourse. at first i didnt like it at all, but since we've seen more im way more on board. still... i kinda feel like some things could look a bit nicer

idk how i feel about how the darkspawn look. like it's not a huge deal to me either, but... i just wish they looked different. lol. they do look a little bit goofy

and idk if i like the... veiny/nervous system looking-thing in demons either? like, i like it in theory but tbh in practice im not too sure

the remake of the warden's logo :((

that's it!

tbh im just happy about most things they've said and shown so far. i think a lot of these things are a good sign. also, things like the "not ea app necessary" make me inclined to believe that this is something they've had to fight for (cause you know, if ea could choose they'd do things their way) and that's something i appreciate a lot. that's why i think this and a lot of other choices and changes they've made in relation to the last game, are good signs that they've listened to our feedback in a lot of things! and i hope this reflects in the entirety of the game. i hope it's the case. idk i'm positive about this game! a little scared ofc, because i care and i want it to be as good as possible, but excited nonetheless!

are there things i didn't include but that you are excited about? what are you looking the most forward to, overall? i'd appreciate to see your excitement and know what you like the most!

[manic-sapphic]

just some rambling thoughts on spop s5e3 corridors, don't mind me~

prime is such an egocentric moron, it's lowkey hysterical. dude's narcissistic to the point of perceiving himself as omnipotent - which is ironic, since that directly contributes to his downfall, as it renders him incapable of seeing actual threats to him - even when they're right in front of his face.

i mean, he literally called out catra for caring about adora after that creepy little exhibitionist dinner party, and later he even acknowledged that catra was seeking to protect her, yet he still tasked catra with being the one to get info from glimmer, and displayed the current known location of adora’s ship on a giant friggin screen so that she got a chance to take a real good look. and all after searching for catra while possessing one of his clones and straight up finding her exiting the teleportation room! like c'mon man, i thought you said you knew shit lol

no wonder she couldn’t help laughing in his condescending face. like dude you knew all of this, but you’re out here surprised that this is how i repaid you?? HAH! like you’re sooo great that how much it all meant to me still couldn’t possibly have made me a threat to you? ~LmAo you dumb as hell~

and i kind of read it as the first example of the truth in entrapta’s words to prime during the series finale — “you don’t understand what makes us strong, and that’s why you’ll never win." the fact that prime simply can't comprehend the sheer strength one can gain just from experiencing powerful emotions such as love is not only what allows adora to save catra, but it's a weakness they all learn to exploit well enough to be the ones to take him down after centuries of being considered unstoppable. cause sure, prime’s official weakness is magic, but what’s a more powerful source of magic on etheria than love?

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for persisting in an immoral occupation?

Hello. I (100+ M, vampire) have been an assassin and leader of a gang for a few decades now. I try to stick by my own morals, and tend to avoid accepting jobs whose targets are weaker, less influential, or entirely innocent compared to the client. I also refuse to kill children. I use this method as a compromise with myself, so that I can have one good meal every month or two, while minimizing harm as well. Over the years, I have primarily specialized my gang as a hub for illegal potion and medicinal trade, shelter for the impoverished and endangered, and a source of income for the desperate. I am rather infamous as a serial murderer, so very few people actually attempt to join, and even fewer dare to start any trouble. This also makes my gang a hospitable place for those looking to escape domestic abuse, which many of my present followers are.

This is not the immoral occupation which I have mentioned in the title, however. I am ashamed to say that in addition to my upstanding illegal activities, I am also a police officer. Specifically, I investigate homicide cases, including those of my acquaintances, rivals, and even my own.

I will admit that in the past, I have misused police authority to blackmail other criminals into allowing me to feed on them. It was a difficult time for me, and I acknowledge this was wrong. However, I am specifically inquiring about my present wrongdoings, so I would kindly request that you do not factor this particular fact into your primary evaluation.

The reason for my hesitancy to quit my job as a policeman... is primarily the fact that I have been put on my own case. I have a very firm grasp on what is known about me, and I am able to feed misinformation and sway the present work towards catching me very easily. It is also easy to influence the outcome of other cases, which I have done on occasion. Framing people for something to get a "free" arrest is not uncommon, and misusing this power has allowed me to quietly encumber or otherwise get rid of some potential threats to me or my following. Blind eyes are turned, particularly if they have committed other crimes or been arrested before. Overall this double involvement results in a lot of opportunity, particularly for maintaining appearances, keeping my allies out of trouble, and dealing with any threats (I and my gang are not particularly strong or well defended).

That being said, I have been considering quitting. It is taking a toll on me. My coworkers are just horrible, my job requirements lead to a lot of cruelty that i am directly responsible for, and it isn't important to my survival anymore (as mentioned, I originally became a cop so that I could find a way to eat without being caught and arrested; 50 or so years ago it was much less forgiving to be a vampire than it is today, and the only way to legally break the law is to enforce it).

My concern, my hesitation, is that if I retire as a policeman and solely focus on my gang, I and the people I wish to protect will lose a valuable informant and double agent. I am struggling to conceptualize which is more selfish: continuing my work as a cop, and hurting innocents in the process? Or losing an important source of information and security for those I have sworn to protect?

WIBTA if I continue my work as a policeman, siphoning information to protect the people I care for, despite the costs to the innocent?

[tea-with-evan-and-me]

https://globalnews.ca/news/721965/emma-roberts-allegedly-arrested-in-montreal-in-domestic-violence-investigation/

I find it interesting how no Emma Roberts fan will acknowledge this article, which received their info from the police, that states that the police took statements from witnesses, Emma, and Evan, and based on those statements as well as the injuries they observed took Emma into custody. They always only bring up the TMZ article which uses Emma's team as a source (who wasn't there) that they were "said to be hitting each other" as a way to "prove" that Emma wasn't in the wrong. It makes me wonder if they are aware of the information from the global news article or chose to ignore it because of how incriminating it is for Emma. The Huffington post in their report had also stated that they had received info that Emma had attacked Evan. I just think it's interesting that the TMZ article and other articles where Emma's team try to save face are spread around more than the articles that just state what the police said.

unfortunately, this is a prime example of how emma's fans cherry pick information, quotes, and photos that ''substantiate'' their false claims while blowing past and completely ignoring the facts that disprove their crackpot theories. it's very clear the ''hitting each other'' quote was from emma's team and was meant to muddy the waters and make people believe that it was just a mutual fight, and that it had no clear victim. how is being arrested for biting and bloodying anyone "an unfortunate incident and misunderstanding"? just ridiculous.

everything they use in argument could be explained even if it were true, though we know it isn't. they were "hitting" each other? well, evan is a much bigger, stronger person and a man. if he was laying hands on emma to hurt her, i'm sure he wouldn't have been the only one with visible injuries. it stands to reason he would defend himself, so even if emma's little leg bruises were from him.. if all she had was some minor bruising randomly on her legs, i think it's pretty clear he wasn't actually trying to harm her, but disarm her. common sense would tell anyone reasonable that if a man evan's size initiated a physical fight and was hitting on emma roberts, a tiny emaciated little woman with extremely pale skin, HE would not have been the one visibly injured and HE would have been arrested. that didn't happen.

[anothersebastianblog]

I share opinions of people that completely different to mines id say daily probably (about his rs, his friends etc)./// Okay… Then please explain how you see a loving couple on all of those pap walks. Because I see a man who is so over all this shit that he literally can’t smile with his eyes anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think this is a contract, as in actual papers were involved. But I do believe what DM and Enty said about this being a set up with some pretty strict boundaries and how they don’t even consider themselves GF/BF to other people. I think he enjoyed his time with her to being with but he is Seb and his relationship last maybe about 18 months to 2 years and then he gets bored and moves on. He looks like he getting a little bored. They badly interacted at the wedding, yes he was there, we know, but in multiple videos and pictures from multiple people all throughout the night, they hardly even acknowledge each other. She had his jacket for like 2.5 seconds and then put it on the back of her chair. But other than that they were like a couple who had been in a fight and were putting on a pleasant face for the crowd.

I don’t see lovey couple from them. I see friends who are traveling together and just enjoy not being alone. What goes on behind closed doors… who knows. But he sure as hell doesn’t act like he did with previous GF’s and yes people change but not that much. Your love language doesn’t just change and Seb’s is definitely physical touch (you can tell by how he acts with past GF’s, friends, family, and fans.)

I’m saying all this with the utmost respect for you and your blog and just trying to get someone else spin on this situation. Cause how I see it is not ✨endless love✨ it’s more ✨2 years and onto the next✨

And I’m not a hater btw, I just don’t think they have good chemistry. ✌🏻❤️

Ok so i am trying to reply in the most complete way i can but i am sure other anons will be able to add their interesting thoughts/points to mines.

The most important thing that is important to not forget about is we absolutely don’t know them (vali for both sides) and that we see just 2% of their lives. This is why I can’t understand why you draw so many conclusions in that ask with statements that seem the one and only truth.

On our side we act following the easiest path: two people are seeing together, kissing each others, walking hand in hand, hang out with each other’s families because they are together, as a couple.

Important: none of us ever said they are gonna last or that they have been the most important person for the other in their love life. I feel like some people pretend to think we said that to make us look stupid or something. We very well know seb’s love life history, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t think these two are dating.

If i was you i would NEVER believe DM and Enty, every time I heard that from someone i go 😳. They have gossip pages just like this one with the difference that at least we concentrate our energy on ONE person and take time to analyse details, while they chose to speak about EVERY celebs, taking infos from non verified sources AND fans. They don’t directly follow the celeb in question they just report the infos sent. Sebastian is not Kim K, if he is getting married you will firstly know about it and DM will know it after you from some fans. Not from a PA or an insider. This is valid for every infos about him. And remember Enty is also 4738292 time worse than DM. (If you believe what they said about seb and annabelle i have to think you also believe the drug addiction rumours….)

He doesn’t smile in “all of those” pap walks (3…)? He is a normal person, i myself don’t smile 24/7. Especially if the pap walk wasn’t planned or if he agreed on it but still didn’t like doing it. You said he doesn’t act like with previous gf… too easy saying it that NOW because the others are GONE. People said that about ale as well (remember the ibiza pap walk?) and yet he seemed VERY happy in her bday video. So we should fall in the conspiracy theories hole and think he was acting in that video? So PR? Just wondering.

About the wedding… this is the part that surprised me the most: with the most respect, i feel like people who genuinely think what you wrote is the truth just can’t accept facts. We saw 3 videos of them, 4 seconds each. That’s not nearly enough to say they didn’t interact! And btw we didn’t even have a situation in which you would expect pda/interactions they way you wanted to see: they didn’t need to acknowledge each others because they already know the other one was there, they know each other and have been in a rs for 1.5 years.. they are 40 not 16.

The jacket thing…. Pls. You saw two pics and still decided to form a complete thought and narrative about it. You don’t know how many seconds she wore it and it is absolutely not an important detail that proves something (for both sides btw) but still funny that is being used as a proof.

Idk what to tell you but some people (Not necessarily you) like to think this way because it’s the easiest option if they want him single (and unhappy apparently).

The easiest option is the correct one most of the times, imo. And if he is that unhappy he should leave her, or else that worst bf ever badge is there ready for him.

Maybe you will find this too harsh (not my intention) but I honestly am a bit tired (not about you specifically, thanks for sending your opinion) when i see that people WANT to believe in something and in order to do that they make up stuff and draw conclusions from absolutely nothing.

[dumbdomb]

images of the transcript provided from the video featuring incidents where the host, savannah, or writer, alex, is acknowledged. it's unclear why only one writer is referred to in the video, which could imply that alex was the only one writing this script. i don't think it equates to these two people being the only people involved in the making of or researching for this video.

Staff info blurbs and images from Complexly.

The total time of this video, Actually Understand Hormone Replacement Therapy, is 16 minutes and 58 seconds. One writer is mentioned in the scripted video, and the host is credited in the description. I'm not sure how either people specifically identify, other than being transmasc (not necessarily trans men, but likely nonbinary - as implied in this video and the use of they/them for both). I'm not aware of anyone else involved in this video, including research for it.

my personal opinion is that the video would've been much better suited to being portrayed as a miniseries rather than trying to cram everything into 15 minutes. there was so much information about hormones used as hrt for cis people, in non-trans related care, that would've been extremely useful and more familiar to many people who would be watching an "hrt basics" introductory video. it felt very short and closed off to any expansion on the topic while openly recognizing that it is a broad field of experiences and treatments. the intention to remove stigma around hormones, in regard specifically to trans healthcare, is apparent and could've been an opener to even more content on this subject! a series could explain more, be more inclusive, allow space for updates in our collective scientific knowledge to be addressed later on, involve more representation and guest hosts, etc... i can't help but wonder if there was push back to anyone on the team making a video like this at all, as it seems to be approached from a defensive point of view - already expecting backlash just for speaking about this topic.

if the provided info in scishow's hrt video (sourced from World Professional Association for Transgender Health's Standards of Care 8th edition published in 2022, University of California San Francisco's Transgender Care 2016 guidelines - pending this years 2024 revision, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition 2022 revision, International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision in 2022, National Health Services UK, folxhealth, National Institute of Health - National Library of Medicine - National Center for Biotechnology Information) is not accurate and current then where can people find good info?

These were listed as cited sources from SciShow:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/26895269.2022.2100644

https://transcare.ucsf.edu/guidelines/feminizing-hormone-therapy

https://transcare.ucsf.edu/guidelines/masculinizing-therapy

https://transcare.ucsf.edu/guidelines/gender-nonconforming

https://www.folxhealth.com/library/what-physical-changes-to-expect-on-estrogen-hormone-replacement-therapy-explained-by-folx

https://www.folxhealth.com/library/what-physical-changes-to-expect-on-testosterone-hormone-replacement-therapy-explained-by-folx

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547863/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10355117/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10072899/

https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/40/1/97/5123979?login=false

i am genuinely interested in more accurate and current information to understand hrt. my message here is not hostile in any way, i am providing info for those who may be unaware of scishow's video and including my own opinion on said video. i am honestly inquiring for more legit information that i, and anyone else who is interested in understanding hrt, can learn more about - as this video is being reviewed and claimed as antiquated and harmful, or unsafe.

my opinion, which i stated above, on this video being an introduction can still be viewed as such by us now. we can use the conversation around this to include more unbiased information for anyone who wants to understand the science better! that is my underlying intention in writing out this long post. like, let's learn together and help each other do more accurately informed research on hormonal healthcare! yay?! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

The fact that that scishow hrt video kind of quips outright about no one on the writing team taking feminizing hormones is what baffles me like was that not embarrassing to say? I feel like if a big science youtube channel made a video about a more general health topic and half way through implied that there were no women on the writing team you'd be like. "okay why are you joking about that. That kind of calls into question the accuracy of the information you're presenting and also the kind of workplace that is going on behind the scenes". But when it's specially about trans stuff they can just be like yeah we didn't speak to any trans women about that first part lol.

[onenettvchannel]

BALITANG INTERNASYONAL: Eiffel Tower temporarily shuts down due to unforseen strike

(Written by Adrien Agreste / TF1 Info reporter for OneNETnews)

PARIS, FRANCE -- Paris' very own The Eiffel Tower, an iconic representation of Paris and French culture hits the spotlight, where they grab the world's attention. However, it is not for the incredible panoramas, nor the architectural wonder in the point-of-view, but for an unforeseen closure caused by a strike among its French-based workers.

Reaching a towering height of 324 meters, the Eiffel Tower has magnetized tourists globally, attracting millions annually to behold its regal charm and sweeping views of the City of Light. From romantic proposals to family excursions, the lattice iron structure has been witness to numerous cherished occasions, cementing its position as a requisite destination for voyagers from all corners of the earth.

Yet, amidst its magnetic allure, the Eiffel Tower finds itself embroiled in a labor discord (but not on the actual chatting-based platform, nor the American-animated series of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'). Staff members, voicing grievances regarding salaries, working conditions, and job stability, have mobilized for industrial action, halting regular operations. The timing of this unrest is poignant, aligning with the centenary of the founder's demise in the early New Year of 2024, further accentuating the tower's significance in the French populace's collective psyche.

Travelers anticipating an ascent to its zenith or a close-up view of its intricate metalwork now face disappointment, encountering barriers and closures. While some had meticulously planned their journeys months ahead, others are now hastily re-arranging their own schedule, heeding advice to delay their visits until the strike reaches a full legal resolution.

The repercussions of the closure extend beyond the Parisian cobblestones, striking a chord with tourists and authorities alike, acknowledging the Eiffel Tower's symbolic value, not solely as a tourist magnet but as a cultural cornerstone. As one of the world's most identifiable landmarks, its closure acts as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of labor rights, tourism and national identity for the aforementioned people in France.

Negotiations to mediate the conflict are underway, with governmental bodies and local union representatives immersed in talks to seek a resolution that caters to the workers' concerns while mitigating the impact on visitors. Nevertheless, as the strike endures, uncertainties loom regarding the broader implications for France's tourism sector and its reputation as a hospitable destination.

In the interim, tourists like you must be strongly advised to stay informed via official social media channels, and explore alternative attractions like Roubaix in a different French city, as they navigate the vibrant Parisian streets. While the Eiffel Tower may currently be overshadowed by the said labor discord, its legacy as a symbol of tenacity and human innovation remains unwavering, a tribute to the enduring fortitude of the French people.

FILE PHOTO COURTESY: Lewis Joly via Associated Press BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna

SOURCE: *https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67827438 [Referenced News Article via BBC News] *https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/paris-ile-de-france/paris/greve-a-la-tour-eiffel-les-visiteurs-appeles-a-decaler-leur-venue-2926905.html [Referenced News Article via France 3 Info - Paris] *https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/12/27/eiffel-tower-closes-as-workers-strike-on-100th-anniversary-of-founder-s-death_6380413_7.html [Referenced News Article #1 via Le Monde] *https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2024/02/19/eiffel-tower-closes-as-staff-go-on-strike_6539005_7.html [Referenced News Article #2f via Le Monde] and *https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiffel_Tower

-- OneNETnews Team

[paradisetemporarilymisplaced]

omg please drop all of your haircare knowledge, asking for a wavy/curly friend

HELLO YES I LOVE TALKING ABT THIS

So once upon a time I spent weeks on end on naturallycurly.com reading about wavy hair care specifically. I had just moved to Colorado six months before and my hair was Not loving the climate shift - the higher altitude results in dryer air and my hair was unmanageable and gross 100% of the time and I was sick of it. This article in particular was unbelievably helpful and it formed the basis of my research.

Here’s my before (spring 2019) and after (spring 2020):

(I have not really been styling my hair and/or taking selfies since then because. Pandemic. Not much point in going to that much effort just to work from home lol)

Below the cut are more specific tips for washing/styling, featuring linked articles, tutorials, and products. I do want to acknowledge that these are adapted from the methods Black women have been using to care for their (type 4) hair for generations - the methods largely work for 2&3 hair types too, but with some modifications (e.g., white people don’t generally need to add extra oil to moisturize their hair between washes). If you’re going to buy products, buy from Black-owned companies whenever possible! Ecoslay and Inahsi are two of my favorites.

Some general tips:

Know the general state of your hair. Is it dense or thin? Are the strands coarse or fine? Is it damaged from color and/or heat? If it’s dense and/or coarse, you’ll want heavier products to penetrate the strands (like gels). If it’s thin and/or fine, you’ll want lighter products to not weigh them down (like mousses). If it’s damaged, you’ll want heavy stuff with a lot of protein to get it healthy.

Protein and moisture are key to balancing your hair. Protein deficiency/excess moisture results in hair that’s too soft and doesn’t hold a curl, while moisture deficiency/excess protein is when your hair feels crunchy without anything in it. Odds are if you’ve been using sulfate-heavy products you’ll need a heavy dose of both. My hair was so protein-starved that I had to do two gelatin treatments to build it back up but I haven’t had to do anything like that since

Ingredients: cut out sulfates and silicones. Sulfates dry out your hair and silicones coat the strands and weigh it down. Ingredient labels are your friends - sulfates are pretty easy to spot (e.g., sodium laureth sulfate) and silicones usually end in ‘cone’ (e.g., dimethicone). Some people also avoid heavy oils and butters (e.g., shea butter) but it really depends on how thick your hair is and how tight your curls are. I generally avoid them because they weigh down my looser curls but others with tighter curl patterns find them moisturizing and helpful. When in doubt, plug the ingredient list into Curlsbot to see what's curl friendly and what's not.

You do not need fancy products. I've linked some of my faves in here but there's plenty of inexpensive stuff available at drug stores. @coffeecurlygirl on Instagram has some highlights where she's reviewed curl-friendly drug store products. I am also American, so product availability may be different in other places. Curl Maven (based in Ireland) is a treasure trove of product information for Europe, as well as an excellent source for curly hair care in general.

Washing:

The most important part of washing your hair and scalp isn’t the cleanser, it’s the friction. Some people find success with cowashing, which is when you use a conditioner to wash your hair. This moisturizes your scalp and prevents your hair from drying out with the cleansing agents. Others like having something more cleansing and use a sulfate-free shampoo (usually containing something like sodium olefin 14-16 sulfonate). I tend to switch cleansers whenever I wash - I like the As I Am Dry and Itchy Scalp cowash, Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle shampoo, and a medicated shampoo & conditioner 2 in 1 deal. (My scalp is dry 100% of the time, it’s a struggle.) I also recommend getting a shampoo brush to really scrub it in there.

Conditioning is probably the most important step in your routine. Again, knowing your hair is really important here! Conditioners come in a huge range of heaviness. I have relatively thick hair and I like heavy conditioners. You want one that you can apply to your hair and practically feel it detangle itself. I like Giovanni conditioners best - the Deeper Moisture and Tea Tree Triple Treat are both good. You want to avoid your scalp because that’s where buildup happens, so apply to the length of your hair and squish it in (tutorial) from the bottom to form your curl clumps and ensure it penetrates each strand.

Clarifying is also something you want to do every so often. You’ll end up with some buildup on your hair no matter what so this is when you need an actual cleanser to break it down. You can get clarifying shampoos (Bumble & Bumble has one but I’ve never used it) but honestly you just need a normal sulfate shampoo. I use Suave Daily Clarifying (do not use it daily) which is like a dollar and will last forever.

After clarifying you should deep condition to restore moisture to your hair. My favorite these days is Jessicurl, but when I first started out this whole thing I needed something super protein-heavy so I used Curl Junkie’s Repair Me. In the middle of the road is something like Inahsi which is relatively balanced between moisture and protein. It all depends on what your hair needs. Apply after washing, let it sit on your hair for 30-45 minutes (use a shower cap and ideally a heat cap for max effectiveness). Rinse and style as usual.

Don’t use a normal towel to dry your hair. Terrycloth is a one-way ticket to Frizz City. You can buy microfiber towels made specifically for hair but you can also just use a tshirt. Also don’t rub your hair when you dry it, instead squeeze the water out from the bottom to preserve your curl pattern and prevent frizz.

You probably don’t have to wash your hair as often as you think. I wash my hair once or twice a week and it gets the job done. It takes much longer for curly hair to get gross and oily than for straight hair - my sister’s hair is stick straight and she has to wash every day.

Styling:

The products you use are much less important than the technique. Youtube is super helpful for demonstrations of how to apply products - reallife+curlygirl has my favorite channel for this.

Leave in conditioner is a must. I recommend finding something that’s intended to be a leave in, but some people just leave in some of the conditioner they used in the shower. Same deal, apply only to your ends, not the scalp.

After the leave in, here’s where the fun begins! Apply your styling products when your hair is soaking wet (like, immediately after your shower). I like to use a curl enhancer (eg Ecoslay’s Orange Marmalade or Uncle Funky’s Curl Magic) and then a gel over top (pretty much any drug store brand works - Aussie, LA Looks, etc.). Squish it in like you did your conditioner and use a lot of water. I legit have a mixing bowl that I keep in my shower and fill partway with water when applying so I can scoop in more water as needed. Squish until you can’t really feel the product anymore and then you’re good.

Plop your hair to set the curls (tutorial). Let it sit for 15-20 minutes. If you’re feeling extra you can add more gel once you take it down.

Diffuse dry (tutorial). DO NOT use a hair dryer without a diffuser, the direct heat is too intense and won’t give you good results.

Your hair will probably be a little crunchy after you’re done. Wait however long you want/can (at least until your hair has cooled down and it’s 100% dry) and then scrunch it out. No ramen noodle hair and your curls have set!

This can all be super overwhelming but is super worth it. You can see how much it's benefited my hair and I have no regrets. Most of these tips are things that have specifically worked for me, but if you want a more general (and better explained) quick-start guide for curl care, Curl Maven is a fantastic resource. There are a zillion places on the internet to get information, but I strongly recommend just sticking to a few: Naturally Curly, reallife+curlygirl, and Curl Maven are the best I've found and seem to cover the most ground. There's also a thriving Instagram community but proceed with caution - big Mormon mom energy over there, for whatever reason.

Finally, while the curls are great, the biggest change I’ve seen has been in the overall health of my hair. Washing less means my hair doesn’t get dried out as quickly, and even when I don’t style my hair (leave-in only and air dry) my hair still has some volume which is nuts. You don’t have to do all the styling every time you wash to get the benefits.

Hope this is helpful! Godspeed, my friend.

[claudeleine]

Did it ever occur to anyone that Wanda’s Roma background in the comics was BUILT on racist stereotypes? Similarly to M’Baku but also several others. And maybe that’s why the show runners stepped away from that..?

okay, so i think what we have here is someone who skimmed the original post in question (paragraph 2) and likely didn’t ready any of the links attached because that first message has been addressed already... but for anyone else in the same boat:

from gavia baker-whitelaw’s article:

Wanda and Pietro's Romani heritage was canon for decades (including in their non-mutant backstory), although this depiction often had problematic undertones. Wanda is literally a mysterious foreign witch, a damaging stereotype that acquired more nuance in later comics. But instead of updating Wanda and Pietro as modern Jewish/Romani superheroes (much like how Black Panther's charismatic M'Baku started out as a villain named "Man-Ape"), Disney whitewashed them. This casting choice was divisive in 2013, when The Atlantic highlighted the negative connotations of casting a white blonde actress as Scarlet Witch. Roma people are a marginalized ethnic minority, and Disney chose to erase their presence from the MCU.

...This rewrite was rather tone-deaf, because it involved Wanda and Pietro volunteering for neo-Nazi experiments. In the comics, their original parents were Holocaust survivors. Whedon also ignored the most obvious solution to Wanda and Pietro's non-mutant backstory: Django and Marya Maximoff, their Romani parents from the comics.

white washing characters is never the best solution. it doesn’t address the issue in so much as it just sweeps it under the rug. as well as perpetuating the idea that white is some unproblematic neutral that ppl can just default to. like can you imagine if in an attempt to “fix” how m’baku is portrayed in the comics, they just...put a white guy in the role? you can’t just remove a characters racial or ethnic background. no one is saying that her comic background hasn’t been problematic, but this isn’t the way to remedy that.

@scarlet--wiccan has an amazing post about the erasure of this whole family’s ethnic identity in the fox x-men films (x).

@villyns also has a good post outlining some examples of the mcu white washing rather than actually fixing the problem (x).

and here’s a decent article on white washing in media and why it’s a problem (x), quote from this article below:

Making a movie is not an easy feat; there are many things to take into account and even more people that you have to please, but there are also standards and morals to uphold. Whitewashing, blackface, brownface or yellowface is not just about denying jobs to minority actors, appropriating the stories of these groups, perpetuating stereotypes or keeping them invisible, it is about undermining their value as human beings and turning them into stepping stones, props, for white artists.

as for the second part. i think that’s entirely possible, actually. it’s done a lot to characters, where they won’t explicitly state their ethnicity but give them attributes from one (often stereotypes) and make them a caricature without making it, like i said, explicit. take the concept of jewish-coded villains in media. no one from disney has ever said that mother gothel in tangled is jewish, but it’s been pointed out by everyone that she’s jewish coded through stereotypes, ones specifically often used for “evil” witch-type characters, which is no coincidence: large, hooked nose, curly hair, greedy, etc. edit: hollywood uses coding like this often for racial/ethnic groups and the lgbtq+ community.

the maximoffs in the mcu and xmcu have never been explicitly made romani, with disney going so far as to change their parents romani names (django and marya) to oleg and irina. the name changes were unnecessary, except to distance the maximoffs from their original romani identity. the mcu changed their origins stories and cast non-romani actors to portray the maximoffs, and considering they went as far as to remove their jewish heritage as i mentioned before, it’s not a stretch that this is all an attempt to veil their romani background too. while they often joke about stealing and fortune tellers and poverty (the wv halloween episode really put it all in one place, but they’ve been doing it forever in the xmcu and mcu), i wouldn’t say this is an attempt to make them romani as much as it is to use a romani-esque caricature, to use it as a sort of “aesthetic” for the twins without acknowledging that it’s an ethnicity. the aspects they choose to keep are often either negative or painted in a negative light. i think the fact that el*zabeth ols*en continuously uses the g-slur to talk about wanda and costume design, speaks to that. 

and even if the mcu came out and said, “oh, our wanda is romani,” that wouldn’t change the fact that she’s played by a non-romani actress (who continues to use anti-romani slurs, despite knowing she shouldn’t) and that so far, they have not explicitly stated in the mcu that she is.

from gavia baker-whitelaw’s article:

Wanda and Pietro's whitewashing feels like an attempt to "neutralize" them. It frames their ethnicity as a problem to be avoided, rather than an opportunity to celebrate an under-represented group. This also meant that Marvel could cast famous white actors instead of sourcing an unknown Romani actor, during a period when the MCU was visibly uninterested in racial diversity.

But Marvel Studios wanted to have its cake and eat it, too. While Wanda is now white and Sokovian, her role isn't completely divorced from its Romani origins. It can't be, because everything in the MCU is informed by the comics. That's how we end up with El*zabeth Ols*n describing her Age of Ultron costume as "kind of this g*psy, vagabond feel"—terms that usually wouldn't come to mind for a simple black minidress and maroon jacket. Wanda's Romani heritage remains visible through veiled references and superficial costume choices, sidestepping any hint of meaningful representation.

from jessica reidy’s article:

Today, some Roma do call themselves witches, and serve as healers and spell-casters in a community, but make no mistake, being a witch is a job like any other. I was trained by my grandmother, I studied hard, I started a business, and I take bookings in my Google calendar. This is the context that most people miss when creating (or, in this case, adapting) Romani witch characters like Wanda Maximoff, and while the Scarlet Witch has plenty of magic, she does not need to fall into the stereotype, nor have her identity erased.

Representation matters. Wanda’s Romani ethnicity has been well-stated in the comic books, sometimes capturing the discrimination and violence that Roma face, and other times falling flat and stereotypical. Marvel also owes us, as Roma are often rendered as mentally unstable thieves, such as Dr. Doom, Wanda and Pietro’s community, and Wanda herself, and the entertainment giant capitalizes off of these stereotypes, reinforcing them all the while.

Every opportunity we get for accurate and positive representation is essential to us because it shapes the way people understand us.

linking the post i made again, because it has a list of articles and posts i’d recommend really taking the time to look through and engaging with them, as well as following folks like jessica reidy and @scarlet--wiccan​ on social media for more info from romani folks. 

[iamafanofcartoons]

One of my archenemies on r/RWBYcritics came of retirement recently, and they must’ve taken more crazy pills during their 2 month absence. They believe that team RWBY are war criminals that killed thousands of people and held Atlas hostage. Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t they almost everyone, while Ironwood was only trying to evacuate Atlas? Literally the only people who were shown to have (possibly) died in the evacuation were the 9 randos that fell into the void. How is that genocide?

If you exaggerate, twist , or take out of context the actions of women main characters? While downplaying or ignoring the actions of male antagonists? Its certainly possible. You mainly have to make use of willful ignorance, bias, and refusal to pay attention.

Here,

This was from somebody who refuses to watch RWBY, claims only to read fanfiction of RWBY, and gets all of their info from secondhand sources that are inaccurate.

This individual tried to ask for context, for explanation, for clarification. It got downvoted to 0.

Cinder's killing of civilians in the Atlas Control Room and the people in the void are ignored in order to blame RWBY. Cinder literally explained to Salem that Team RWBY saved thousands.

We see in the early part of V8 that the population of Mantle far exceeds the population of Upper Atlas. Furthermore, the people of Atlas were picnicking behind hard-light shields that salem was able to destroy, while the people of Mantle were willing to work with the Happy Huntresses. Its important to point that May said "Atlas has its armies, Mantle only has us"

Everyone keeps claiming that Ironwood had protected Mantle, but other than battle robots that were threatening civilians but could be taken out by anyone? The only "Huntsmen" protecting Mantle was Penny, whose father lived among the people, and it should be noted was more than willing to help Team RWBY stop Ironwood. The Polendinas called Mantle their home.

But rather than acknowledge that, I'm going to assume your "nemesis" accused Ruby Rose of gaslighting Penny. Its a major accusation that the R/RWBYCritics embrace, to where one of the critics actually drew fanart of that.

Let's also point out that Ironwood kept repeatedly demanding to sacrifice Mantle even before Volume 8.

Team JNPR had Jaune go through the portals repeatedly in order to alert the people of Mantle and Atlas that the portals would help everyone evacuate.

Ruby was perfectly fine with letting Ironwood take Atlas away ONLY SO LONG as the people of Mantle were evacuated. That's why she tried to save EVERYONE. Cinder literally said that RWBY saved thousands.

Ironwood could have shot Cinder, even in his state. But Ironwood has a flaw that Ruby does not. Ruby simply wants to save as many people as she and others can. Ironwood simply wanted to be responsible for saving people, and refused to allow anybody to help unless they obeyed him and his plans.

Ironwood simply wanted, as he always has, to be the biggest man in the room. He got Ozpin fired from his job because Ozpin wouldn't agree with Ironwood. Qrow and Glynda have also called out Ironwood on his lack of intelligence. So when somebody defies him, Ironwood cannot understand why. Its why Watts, Cinder, and Salem, play him like a fiddle.

But the IW fans have repeatedly hated Team RWBY long before v7.

Defying Cordovin for being fascist? "They're thieves" Cordovin being racist to Blake? "Blake is a terrorist like Adam" Damaging the Mecha? "Weiss should have gone to Atlas and spoken to IW and calmed him down, when Ozpin could not"

The hate for Team RWBY came mainly whenever they defied Ironwood at any point. Vexed Viewer got furious when Nora spoke back to Ironwood and criticized him. While Yang and Blake were accused of being terrorists for asking Robyn to stop taking back the Mantle Supplies that Ironwood was robbing from Mantle using his brute force. Robyn not only agreed to stop, but agreed to help Ironwood. She only tried attacking Clover when the man not only defended IW abandoning Mantle, but threatening to put her under arrest with the plane's route being a military base led by a paranoid james.

And of course Critter has accused Ruby of being a murderer or something (I forgot which comment thread) for cutting off Tyrian's tail after he tried to kill her friends, take out her eye, and poison her uncle.

If a female main character does anything to a man that resembles violence or defiance, they're hated. That misogyny and pro-fascism belief is concerning, but embraced but many.

There is a block button on reddit that works, unlike Youtube's failings. I suggest you use it as liberally as possible.

I recommend taking a look at this in the meantime.

RWBY V8 has its flaws, without question. But the bad faith criticisms of V7 and V8 disgust me with the reckless abandoning of the truth in favor of exaggeration and misinformation.

It did a better job of explaining things than I could.

[immaturityofthomasastruc]

I think I came to realize a fundamental issue with the love square. One that's existed all the way back during Adrien's initial development after Felix.

If you look at the general timeline (which is pretty long so research is definitely needed) and see where things are changed and where they stay the same, you start to notice where the favoritism of the show actually lies. I think @imthepunchlord mentioned this before, but it's obvious that every facet of the love square was changed except for Chat Noir.

You can even see it in the PV where the changes for each character were made. Felix is basically (and as of episode Felix is confirmed to be in the eyes of the writers) an entire character that was scrapped for vague, inconsistent reasons. He was replaced by fine in concept but cardboard in execution Adrien. Marinette/Bridgette is much more upfront in her love and clearly doesn't struggle in voicing this. We don't see or have much info on how she got on with he class but let's assume that it's similar to how it is in the show. The only real change we can account for is the primary source of "comedy". Instead of putting effort into actual jokes, they sacrificed logic and character growth. Notice how in the show whenever the fake reveals happen, all her issues and anxiety conversing with Adrien magically suppress themselves unless the writing decides to be a dick. Honestly, her arc and relationship with Felix should always remain inverse to their relationship as super heroes. But then there's the other identities.

A key foundation to the appeal of the love square should be how inverse their relationship is to their civilian lives. But through either incompetence or outside meddling, they refuse to develop all sides at once like they should and instead only develop 2. Marinette's civilian life as the guardian and Chat's superhero life becoming lonely. This was stupid, because now you have two parts of the love square oblivious to any changes in their partnership/relationship. Adrien just isn't close enough to Marinette by this point to notice, again because of status quo bullshit, but Chat Noir just refuses to divulge to Ladybug his issues, which is even more stupid writing because 4 seasons in he should know better. This is what happens when stagnation is a go to writing choice. While Ladybug still rejects Chat Noir's advances, she does it in a way to not hurt his feelings too bad and doesn't dissuade him from trying again the next day (or minute in terms of the episodes). In the PV you see Chat Noir show hurt from his rejection (acknowledging that initially he only wanted her love for the kiss to break the curse but was supposed to genuinely fall in love later) and Ladybug show annoyance at his constant advances.

This post is super long but to simplify, it should've gone like this:

Ladybug <- Chat / Marinette -> Adrien to

Ladybug -> Chat / Marinette <- Adrien

with the gradual dissolving of issues like unwanted touches and constant distractions during battle (Chat) and overly obsessive behavior, not encouraged by bad friends (Marinette), and putting the love interest on a pedestal while acting out in jealousy (Chat/Marinette).

Long as post. This is my TedTalk. Thank you for reading.

Don’t worry, I get it. It’s a complicated subject to talk about.

The whole idea behind the Love Square was that all four sides would grow the longer Marinette/Bridgette and Adrien/Felix got to know each other, with or without the mask. 

But like you said, because both Marinette and Adrien are growing increasingly isolated, there’s even less development than there was before. It could easily be remedied by focusing on the other sides like Marichat or Ladrien, but they never focus on how deep their bond supposedly is unless the plot needs them to. I’m going to talk more about this in my Love Square analysis, but you still make a great point, anon.

[turq8]

Okay, I’m on my 4th (5th?) rewatch of OFMD, but I tend to get distracted easily and I really wanted to note down all these little details to maybe write some meta, so here are my notes for episodes 2-5 from that

Ep 2:

-Izzy wants the hostages to sell them, but it's probably a bad idea for Stede to do that bc they're witnesses to his crimes. But he already sent someone back to the ship so maybe that ship has sailed (lol)

-when Buttons first meets Izzy, he tells him exactly how many men they have and where they are, but later in ep 8 when Calico Jack is asking about Blackbeard, he's noticeably cagier about answering; did he learn not to tell strangers potentially important info?

-during the hearing, Stede hallucinates Nigel talking about how he might have children that will "never see Papa again" and that's what sets Stede off about how he's killed someone... Shortly after that he says he doesn't feel bad about killing Nigel, and when someone suggests that he's feeling guilty about something else, we see a flashback of him looking in on his children the night he left

-obviously Black Pete talks a big game about working for Blackbeard but I literally don't think we see Ed recognize/acknowledge him once lmao

Ep 3:

-is this (& the bit at the end of ep 2) the extent of what we see of Blackbeard's ship?? Where the fuck IS it for the rest of the season?

-there's just skulls everywhere lmaooo that's so dramatic

-what exactly is the backstory for Olu & Jim? Bc Jackie says Olu is the one who suggested Jim as a server, and that was before Jim killed her husband and then they both ran and joined Stede's crew. Plus in ep 7 Olu says he's known Jim for like a year, and I don't think Stede's been sailing for that long, bc Jim writes that they've been in disguise and on the lam for 28 days in ep 2. What happened in the previous several months??

-"I explicitly told him 'Blackbeard desires his company'" IZZY HANDS YOU FUCKING LIAR, YOU SAID NO SUCH THING

-Jim and Olu are arguing about how he dragged them out before they could get their family dagger back, Lucius brings them said dagger, they say "now THIS. Is a good friend" very pointedly to Olu, kiss Lucius, and then hit Olu with THIS look:

That's a hell of a message.

-everyone except Lucius screaming while Jim's "nose" is pulled off is always funny

Ep 4:

-the date they use on Stede's gravestone for his birthday is his historical baptism date lol

-Fang HISSES at them before telling them to get back to work

-I've seen a couple posts discussing what a terrible listener Stede is but I don't think anyone's mentioned Mary's "I hate the ocean, I literally said that the other day" when he's already started having the boat built as an example

-I love Ed giggling at all the trinkets as he goes through Stede's cabinet lol

-Izzy pleading with Ed to focus while Ed's distracted by the trinkets. Ed's brain literally never turns off (he noticed the clouds that morning, and then later has Lucius start counting down for 147 minutes- until dusk because he’s been working the plan the whole time) and he never stops moving, he's always fidgeting. His big frustration and source of boredom is that he's not being challenged anymore because being Blackbeard is too easy. That's ADHD babes

-As an addendum, I think the stillest we see him is when he's watching over Stede

-At literally the first possible opportunity to separate himself from "Blackbeard", he introduces himself as Ed

-Gnossiennes No. 5 starts playing just before "Do you fancy a fine fabric" and I have passed away, the musical director(s) were really on their shit because this also plays at "what makes Ed happy" 😭

(also it continues playing until Izzy comes in looking for Ed)

-Ok, so they go into the secret closet. There's the part with the actual closet, but behind them when they come in, we see a wardrobe and possibly more space to the right given how the light is coming in. 

In Ep. 6 when Ed has his panic attack, he goes through the secret door and then the next time we see him is in the bathtub, but I can't imagine he would have left the secret passage to go there if it was somewhere else on the ship. Ergo, the bathtub is behind the secret door. Where am I going with this? In Ep 2, Jim knows Stede has a bathtub -> Jim knows about the secret passage.  Does the whole crew know about the passages, or just Jim (and Olu presumably)?  Food for thought for season 2.

-I don't see enough discussion about how Ed's fog trick is literally some Sherlock Holmes shit. More master strategist in season 2 please!!

-okay wait, everyone's on about how 1717 wasn't even a leap year, but I think even more importantly is that it's literally been months since the leap day and Ed would have been watching the moon cycle the whole time, so it's weird that he got tripped up on that. also we can literally check what phase the moon was on for September 1 1717, and it was just about 1st quarter which is a full week from full lol (I suspect the sources I'm using are on the Gregorian calendar, but the English colonies used the Julian calendar until 1752, and when they made the switch they added 11 days, so Sept 1 of the Julian calendar is Sept 12 on the Gregorian calendar.  Then again, France and Spain (and their colonies) switched in 1582, so who the fuck knows what calendar Blackbeard would have been using.  Either way though, the moon definitely isn’t full.). I have now officially put more thought into this than the writers did.

-Anyway Ed just builds a lighthouse rig out of a lantern, a mirror, a beam, some rope, and some booze bc he's brilliant??

Ep 5:

-In the flashback to Ed's past, you can see his dad passed out at the table- FORESHADOWING

-Ed wants to go to this fancy party so, so badly and it makes me want to cry a little

-Ed! In purple! With bows in his beard!

-"How do I win this interaction" that line is so telling

-3 different times in the show, people come up to Stede and say "there's a rumor going around about you". First is Nigel in ep 1, about Stede running off to be a pirate; second is in Ep 5, when they ask if he's Sir Godfrey; third is in Ep 10, when his old acquaintances ask again if it was true he became a pirate, but this time it's in awe instead of derision. Not sure exactly what that means but it feels important.

-"Would you be willing to palpitate my wife?"

Stede and Ed, who have no idea what phrenology is: 😳

-This ep is Frenchie at his absolute best

-"I killed a Prussian once" impulsive blurting out, Ed has ADHD example #374

-Ed can play the harpsichord (?), where would he have picked this up?

-Every line of the drawing scene is perfect

-there's been so much written about it already, but the turn when Ed realizes that they're laughing AT him, not WITH him is amazing

-Lucius is so powerful in that scene with Izzy

-Stede is also so powerful in the gossip scene, his pettiness knows no bounds and he completely destroys the reputations of an entire room of people just because they made Ed upset

-the way the scene ends with Ed staring at Stede, and then when it pans out from the ship Ed is STILL staring and you get the sense that he has barely taken his eyes off of Stede

-If I loved the moonlight scene less, I might be able to talk about it more

-Gnossiennes No. 5 again 😭 that's their love theme. It starts the moment Ed looks back up at him and I've seen someone point that out as the *moment* Ed falls (whether or not he actually realized it then)

-God I just want to dissect every second of the little nod to himself, deep breath, step forward, slight lean in and then pulling back and all but running away when Stede doesn't reciprocate because FUCK

[latuuart]

The TodoFam Discourse

So I tried to sum up every information that I could gather from the Todoroki Family story in the manga and everyone's analysis here. And I came to this conclusion:

Endeavor Didn't Love Touya (or Any of His Children) as Unconditionally as a Parent Should

Endeavor saw that Touya has a quirk more powerful than his own, thus thought Touya had a greater potential in accomplishing his ambition: surpassing All Might. Touya, being a pure child that he was, only wanted his parents' affection and making them happy, just like how a normal child is.

The TodoFam was NOT fine before Shouto's quirk manifested. The 'Todoroki Family used to be a happy family before' take is so wrong in many level. Endeavor bought his wife, -

- trained Touya to the point where his entire self worth was based around whether he could be ‘useful’ or not to his father, completely neglected Natsuo, and then when he decided the first three kids weren’t able to accomplish his ambition, he neglected the three of them and abused Shouto also Rei to the point where Rei had a severe mental breakdown. We can't forget Touya’s ‘I used to crawl to Natsu-kun every day and ask him why I existed’ or Natsuo’s ‘I had to listen to Mum and Shouto crying’ or Shouto crying on his mother’s lap terrified of becoming like Endeavor, just because of ONE panel of Touya seemed happy training with him.

We don't know the extend of Endeavor's training towards Touya yet, from the most recent manga chapter we've just reached fragments of Touya's backstory from Endeavor's persective which if I recall till now never once showed the extend of his abuse, even to Rei and Shouto before (while we know that there were physical abuses going on from Shouto's narrative but Endeavor's narrative never showed those bad parts.)

Endeavor's flashback about Shouto and Rei:

With Touya too, Endeavor flashes back to happier times, at least in his perspective. He wants to think that there was a noble motivation for any of that he has done thus rewrites the past in his own mind by not focusing on the bad stuff. It's actually kinda a very human thing even if it's wrong.

Even if latter revealed that Endeavor once loved Touya or his family (in his twisted way), it would not be relevant in the events that had happened after that. He still became an abuser later on. Just because life seemed good to Endeavor back then, his family still suffered because of him.

Also, many are blaming Touya for exposing his abuser and downplaying his pain and trauma, some even accusing him of LYING just because then revealed Best Jeanist whom he said was killed by Hawks turns out is still alive. BUT that doesn't mean he's lying, that Best Jeanist died info is from Hawks. Hawks is the one that informed him that it was Best Jeanist's corpse, so it's actually Hawks that's lying to Dabi (which is completely reasonable and smart), but NOT Dabi, Dabi is only informing what he knows and telling 'the truth that he knows'.

The only reason why the public in the BNHA universe are still doubting what Touya has said because they don't get to see what we, THE READER, have seen. They don't know about Endeavor's past abuse and Hawks lying to Dabi about Best Jeanist corpse, while WE know better and supposed to able to decide whose words should be trusted better. Really, some people act like they live in the BNHA universe while they don't.

Finally, some people choose to talk only about how Touya deepens the pain that Shouto and the other family members have but not even acknowledge the source of that pain in the first place, which is Endeavor. Despite Touya's wrong way on how to revenge his abuser (and I stand that his crimes are his own responsibility), I will not disregard his pain and accuse his trauma as a lie.

[lokeanwelcomingcommittee]

Hi there

A little while ago I attempted to work with Loki through my altar. I was giving him daily offerings of juices or water and I carved his name into a red candle that I’d occasionally burn. I felt like it was going well at first.

I told a Wiccan friend of mine and he told me it was a horrible idea as I never worked with any deity before and it’s a very intense thing. He told me he’s been a practicing Wiccan for about 6-7 and still doesn’t feel ready to work with a deity. He also told me it’s dangerous as I could’ve summoned a demon that was pretending to be Loki. I decided to stop working with Loki out of fear so I lit his candle until it burnt out, taking apart my altar once that happened.

However, I’ve felt very draw to Loki again. I’ve been burning dragon’s blood incense as a way to acknowledge him on the daily. I feel I’m ready to start trying to work with him again but I’m not sure what to do. I’ve been seeing a lot of beetles/ladybirds lately and I have a strong feeling it’s a sign.

I need advice on specifically what to do, like what should I use on my altar? How do I know that both Loki and I are ready to communicate? Do I have to be careful of impersonators? If it’s not Loki who’s sending signs how do I find out who is?

I don’t have access to any pengalims or tarot decks but I can buy things like incense and candles, possibly crystals. I do have a few rocks and the table that my altar is on can be written on with whiteboard marker

Thank you!

Hey anon. There's actually more than a few asks somewhat similar to this in the inbox, and a few good existing posts on the subject, so I'm going to start by linking those:

"Do I have to 'work' with Loki to be a Lokean or can I just worship him? And is it safe for beginners to worship deities?"

"Is deity work/worshipping dangerous in some way or do i need some sort of protection (spell jars etc.) before starting to work with Loki?"

"So, uh, what religion are Lokeans, anyway?" (an older post and as it says, non-exhaustive, but good examples of variance in approach)

A good condensed "starter" post (links to the FAQ for further info)

The #basic informational tag is a really good place to poke around in as well for the more general "how to start" suggestions. To get back to the main "is it safe" question, though, the summarized version is that it's really not much different than a lot of things in life: it depends exactly what you're doing. Just venerating a deity isn't going to require that, but "deity work" is a broad enough term that I don't know what you or your friend specifically mean with regards to that term and in the end, decisions about protection or ultimately your relationship with Loki will fall to you. That said, you're expressing the desire to start trying again here and doing the daily incense thing already, so probably the best additional advice I can offer is that you don't have to rush anything. There's nothing wrong per se with incense or cool rocks or other tools/accoutrements, but there's absolutely no requirement to have them unless later on you personally run into a situation where it's a need. By that of course I also don't mean that you should feel limited to something that only comes up in medieval sources or is common amongst devotees, or that "need" needs to be anything more than "I'd like to learn more about X and need Y to do it;" my point is more that there's actually no specific checklist, shopping or otherwise, to start. There are some great examples in the first two linked posts up there of contexts or work where there's more to think about and possibly do on that front, and our communication and discernment megapost has a lot of good information on everything from ways to communicate to keeping yourself safe. Signs are another one of those things that we can't really interpret for you, but the info in those tags should be helpful in giving some ideas for following up on it yourself if you'd like. But really, what you do is up to you, which I know might seem kind of like an unhelpful answer, but realistically I just hope it takes some pressure off. Like, right now, it sounds like you're doing daily offerings, thinking and learning more about how a relationship with him might work in your life, and considering adding things like an altar and communication techniques to your practice. I obviously have a limited amount of knowledge here, so you may well be able to add to that summary, but honestly, it sounds... like a pretty solid plan that you might not have even known you had, with plenty of room for flexibility. Not a bad start IMO, and maybe a phrasing that gives you some suggestions for focus-- less "you have a lot to do," and "you've got a lot of choices," maybe. In any case, best of luck, and if you have more specific questions feel free to let us know. -Mod V