#2020 Reign Convention

[black-fist-order]

Holyshit. Well here's a conspiracy theory for ya.

I've been wondering why Trump has allowed Elon free reign to upstage him and do what he wants. I'm sure he has to know the public has been calling Trump Elon's lapdog. And then there's the Time cover with Elon sitting behind the presidential desk. Trump should be fuming, but during Elon's press meeting in the White House, Trump just sat there like a castrated sad clown while Elon's kid told him to shut up.

But why? Why would Trump let himself be upstaged and mocked - especially by a child? He already won the election. He doesn't need Elon's money anymore.

But then Jess told me something Elon's kid said during an interview with Tucker Carlson.

When asked if Trump would win the election, the kid says "yes" and then says "they’ll never know."

https://gizmodo.com/elon-musks-kid-keeps-saying-weird-stuff-about-trump-2000563118

During the election, I knew something was up when Trump began accusing Kamala for cheating in Pennsylvania. That's very specific. And historically, he only blames others for things he's doing.

As a programmer, I know anything is hackable. An 11 year old girl at the hacking convention DefCon in Vegas was able to hack into a voting booth in 10 minutes. And that was back in 2018!

And while the voting machines aren’t connected to the internet per-se, it only takes 10 minutes to pop in a USB and get out. And it just so happens there was a bomb threat in PA where they emptied the building. But it wasn’t just one building, it was 67!

Of the 67 locations, 56 were in 11 counties that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 election, including the eight most populated. Those high-population Democratic counties include voting locations for Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Phoenix, Arizona; Atlanta, Georgia; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna179006

Hacker kids do this stuff for the fun of it. Imagine if they were getting paid millions of dollars?

And now, Musk has surrounded himself with these kids who have notoriously gained access to federal records, our records, with ease.

Four hours before election results were called, Elon announced that Trump was the winner and he had an "app" to prove it.

And then, there's this... Trump is a complete idiot and actually said this out loud after the election...

"He (Musk) knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers. Those vote-counting computers," Trump told the crowd. "And we ended up winning Pennsylvania like in a landslide."

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-elon-musk-voting-machine-2017657

"They will never know."

Trump even said repeatedly before the election, "I don't need your vote." It's a weird brag that indicated he had already won.

I had been saying Trump was going to cheat long before the election. But the comment was instantly shot down by both sides. Conservatives thought we were being hypocrites, and progressives thought we should be above Trump-style conspiracies and gracefully accept the outcome.

Looking into this now, I'm not surprised I wasn't the only one. The internet is all over this stuff.

https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/1i5uovx/donald_trumps_voting_computers_comment_sparks/

Will this info ever come out? Will it even matter? I have no doubt Elon's guys are at the top of their game, and the only way this will ever see the light of day is if one of these guys talks.

But for right now, it's obvious to me why Trump is letting Elon do whatever he wants.

Because all it would take is for Elon to turn to a camera and say a few words to the world, "I helped Trump steal the election."

Boom.

[blueiscoool]

Three Roman Graves Uncovered in Portugal

Three burials dating to the 5th or 6th century AD have been unearthed in the ancient Roman city of Ossónoba in Faro, southern Portugal.

The Ossónoba’s first archaeological evidence dates back to the 4th century B.C., when the Phoenicians settled in the Western Mediterranean. The city was then called Ossónoba From the 2nd century B.C. until the 8th A.D. the city was under Roman and Visigoth dominance being afterwards conquered by the Muslims in 713.

A team of archaeologists from ERA Arqueologia discovered ancient Roman structures and the remains of a man, woman, and child while conducting excavations over a 5,000 square meter area that will eventually house a real estate development.

The excavations, which took place before a construction project, revealed the grave of a man whose skeleton was complete and who would have been between 39 and 45 years old, as well as a young woman under the age of 25, and a baby who would have been no more than six months old, according to archaeologist Francisco Correa.

Francisco Correia, the project’s head archaeologist, said in a statement that the discoveries were made in an old truck repair workshop and are believed to date from the 5th or 6th century.

The tombs appear to have been looted in the past to steal “small bracelets, necklaces, and rings,” according to anthropologist Cláudia Maio. The tombs indicate that the people may have had “some economic status” as they were not simply placed in open graves but instead buried in carefully built graves.

The proximity of the three people’s graves seems to indicate that they were family members, though the team cannot be certain of that. “But we cannot say anything for sure,” the anthropologist said.

To learn more, the researchers hope to be able to provide more precise answers through DNA tests and isotopic analysis techniques used to determine population movements and dietary habits from chemical traces in ancient human remains.

This latest archaeological discovery did not come as a surprise to archaeologists, who had already led similar works which resulted in the discovery of a Roman game artifact believed to date back to the first century AD in 2020.

“We know that we are in an area with archaeological potential where there is a 17th-century convent (of Santo António dos Capuchos) to the west, and to the east lies the area where the mosaic of the Ocean God (Deus Oceano), now a national treasure, was found,” he said.

What did come as a surprise to archaeologists was the location of the tombs.

“Based on previous studies, this would have been an area that was possibly residential or more linked to industrial activities. There are many traces of salterns. Largo da Madalena would have been the entrance to the urban area of the city of Ossónoba. The identified graves are in the Figuras area, near Teatro Lethes, close to the Ermida de São Sebastião and the Pavilion of Escola D. Afonso III. This area is almost within the urban fabric,” the archaeologist explained, adding that this illustrates both the “growth and decline of Ossónoba.”

The graves of the man and the woman “were sealed with limestone slabs,” believed to be reused parts from “some of the most emblematic buildings that would have been here in the area,” he believes.

According to the project manager of ERA Arqueologia, who was co-responsible for the work, in addition to the graves, hundreds of small pieces were also discovered which suggest that there may also have been a mosaic there.

The researchers also recovered Roman artifacts in the area, including ceramics, bone dice, nails, pins, a spoon, possible evidence of a dye factory, and coins minted during the reign of Constantine the Great, between A.D. 306 and 337.

Cover Photo: Roman mosaic of the god Oceanus, part of the ancient city of Ossónoba, the modern town of Faro, in Portugal.

By Leman Altuntaş.

[klbmsw]

Robert Chapin- THIS!!!!!!

oStndeospruy80uAhl3129mce 3611a5i3airgFftc8h4atm t 1 :0r4bic70M  ·

Holyshit. Well here's a conspiracy theory for ya.

I've been wondering why Trump has allowed Elon free reign to upstage him and do what he wants. I'm sure he has to know the public has been calling Trump Elon's lapdog. And then there's the Time cover with Elon sitting behind the presidential desk. Trump should be fuming, but during Elon's press meeting in the White House, Trump just sat there like a castrated sad clown while Elon's kid told him to shut up.

But why? Why would Trump let himself be upstaged and mocked - especially by a child? He already won the election. He doesn't need Elon's money anymore.

But then Jess told me something Elon's kid said during an interview with Tucker Carlson.

When asked if Trump would win the election, the kid says "yes" and then says "they’ll never know."

https://gizmodo.com/elon-musks-kid-keeps-saying-weird...

During the election, I knew something was up when Trump began accusing Kamala for cheating in Pennsylvania. That's very specific. And historically, he only blames others for things he's doing.

As a programmer, I know anything is hackable. An 11 year old girl at the hacking convention DefCon in Vegas was able to hack into a voting booth in 10 minutes. And that was back in 2018!

And while the voting machines aren’t connected to the internet per-se, it only takes 10 minutes to pop in a USB and get out. And it just so happens there was a bomb threat in PA where they emptied the building. But it wasn’t just one building, it was 67!

Of the 67 locations, 56 were in 11 counties that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 election, including the eight most populated. Those high-population Democratic counties include voting locations for Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Phoenix, Arizona; Atlanta, Georgia; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Hacker kids do this stuff for the fun of it. Imagine if they were getting paid millions of dollars?

And now, Musk has surrounded himself with these kids who have notoriously gained access to federal records, our records, with ease.

Four hours before election results were called, Elon announced that Trump was the winner and he had an "app" to prove it.

And then, there's this... Trump is a complete idiot and actually said this out loud after the election...

"He (Musk) knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers. Those vote-counting computers," Trump told the crowd. "And we ended up winning Pennsylvania like in a landslide."

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-elon-musk-voting...

"They will never know."

Trump even said repeatedly before the election, "I don't need your vote." It's a weird brag that indicated he had already won.

I had been saying Trump was going to cheat long before the election. But the comment was instantly shot down by both sides. Conservatives thought we were being hypocrites, and progressives thought we should be above Trump-style conspiracies and gracefully accept the outcome.

Looking into this now, I'm not surprised I wasn't the only one. The internet is all over this stuff.

Will this info ever come out? Will it even matter? I have no doubt Elon's guys are at the top of their game, and the only way this will ever see the light of day is if one of these guys talks.

But for right now, it's obvious to me why Trump is letting Elon do whatever he wants.

Because all it would take is for Elon to turn to a camera and say a few words to the world, "I helped Trump steal the election."

Boom.

[venus-is-in-bloom]

not starting discourse on the post itself bc i want it to spread unbothered... but like, ok, so you think pride is "important"... is it important because it, say, stops the police from beating and arresting us for being gay or trans? obviously not, since they do that just fine the moment we try to protest the imperial war machine being operated in our nations or funded by our nations. in fact, the same cops who brutalised a sister of ours for protesting a war convention are marching alongside us at pride, proudly acting as if they're our allies.

is it because pride gives us publicity, and publicity equals support? that's interesting, because down here in auckland, aotearoa, in february of 2020, the lgbt+ community divested from cops and corporations in order to do a more authentic pride march not beholden to the interests of the powerful. there were thousands of us there, filling the streets. you know what the media said about that? nothing. they reported as if there had been no pride march at all that year. so as soon as we oppose the way things are, our "publicity" goes away.

is pride important because, as you might say, "the first pride was a riot"...? because even though it might not be revolutionary today, it was before? if you look at the actual stonewall riots, or listen to the words of people who were there—i recommend miss major speaks for one of the most prominent voices today—you hear that pride is not at all related to the stonewall riots. at most it co-opted them. the riots were about police brutality and violent repression that was racist as well as homo- and transphobic. on the other hand, the pride flag was invented by a white us army veteran, the pride marches are organised with the blessing of governments worldwide, and police brutality not only around but within pride events reigns unchecked today as it did in 1969, having only slightly changed its targets.

if pride is really so powerful just because people show up en masse and make ourselves visible, then why is it that when people show up en masse for palestine, to oppose genocide, to ask our governments to divest from israel and to sanction the state that bombs and purges civilians in the most brutal of ways, it does nothing? not a peep from our government down here in aotearoa, not a peep from the u.s. government, nothing. our voices have no power and we are being shown that in real time. we are being shown that the "power" of pride is a sham.

if they let us have our rights, let us have our community, let us have our marches, it's not because we have some sort of power. we are like a circus of dancing animals. as long as we behave, we get to have our little display... but this illusion fades like morning mist when we run up against the leash, when we tug on the unbreakable cord of our masters' will.

we could celebrate. after all, even though many of our cousins and fellows are being brutally killed with the support of our governments, at least we have what we want, and shouldn't we be grateful for that? shouldn't we be grateful that our generous masters see fit to grant us the same rights they take away from gay palestinians, the same futures they rip from the bodies of trans children in the drc? those are our kin, our fellow human beings, but do we care?

all i am doing is taking a moment this year to question if our celebration, if our acting joyful at this historic moment, would serve a different cause from ours. if it would enable our unfaithful governments to proclaim that nothing is wrong and they are worthy of our support. if it would show that we are complicit in their pinkwashing. if we could instead spend our energy on protests and organising for our true community, which is not local, not restricted to us and our neighbours nor to the global north, but international.

[tramngo]

"Love the Skin You're In": A Dive into #BodyPositive on Tumblr

In a society filled with unattainable beauty standards and polished perfection, the body positivity movement serves as a light of hope, challenging conventions while appreciating differences. But where can this movement actually thrive? This blog will explore the colorful weave of body positivity on Tumblr, a digital safety where people come together under the hashtag #bodypositive to redefine beauty on their own terms.

A Digital Revolution of Self-Love

The internet environment provides powerful feminist spaces through hashtags, boosting confidence and challenging conventional beauty norms. #Bodypositive epitomizes this trend, which promotes self-empowerment and rejects limited beauty standards (Reif, Miller & Taddicken 2022). However, worries remain about self-objectification and sexualization in selfie culture.

Inspiring Diversity: Self-Presentation on Tumblr

In the colorful tapestry of Tumblr, the #bodypositive hashtag serves as a beacon of inclusivity and self-expression (Gibson 2017). Here, individuals of all backgrounds and identities converge to challenge societal norms and celebrate the beauty of diversity. 

This movement, which gained momentum as early as 2012, has become a cornerstone of digital activism, fostering acceptance, empowerment, and a sense of belonging within the so-called Fatosphere (Meleo-Erwin 2011). By sharing their stories and selfies under hashtags like #effyourbeautystandards and #beautybeyondsize, users resist the fat stigma, promoting acceptance and reframing societal constructs of beauty and body image. It's a digital revolution fueled by authenticity and solidarity, where every post is a testament to the power of self-love and collective action (Afful & Ricciardelli 2015).

However, despite its progressive aims, the body-positive movement is not without criticism. Engagement with body-related hashtags may unintentionally prolong self-objectification and encourage postfeminist ideas about self-improvement via looks (Sastre 2014). Furthermore, the depiction in these hashtags frequently favors normative and conventionally beautiful bodies, excluding people who do not meet these restricted criteria.

2. Exploring Community Dynamics: Reactions and Engagement

In Tumblr's thriving digital environment, the #bodypositive movement generates conversations, promotes connections, and inspires change (Caso et al. 2020). As users share their selfies and stories under this empowering hashtag, the platform becomes a melting pot of diverse perspectives and experiences. But what truly sets Tumblr apart is its unique community dynamics. Unlike other social media platforms where popularity often dictates visibility, Tumblr offers a level playing field. Here, every post, regardless of the number of followers or reactions, has the potential to resonate and spark meaningful interactions.

User engagement on Tumblr goes beyond mere likes and comments; it's about building connections and amplifying voices. Through reblogs and comments, users not only express solidarity but also contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding body positivity. This collective interaction creates a ripple effect, spreading messages of self-love and acceptance far and wide (Solomon & Kurtz-Costes 2017). In this space, every voice matters, and every contribution adds to the rich tapestry of the #bodypositive movement.

Celebrate Your Unique Beauty

The #bodypositive movement on Tumblr is more than just a trend—it's a powerful community of individuals redefining beauty standards and embracing self-love. In a digital landscape often dominated by unrealistic ideals, this vibrant space offers a refreshing alternative where diversity is celebrated and authenticity reigns supreme. By sharing stories and supporting each other, users are not only promoting acceptance but also sparking a revolution in how we perceive our bodies.

So, join the conversation, celebrate your uniqueness, and love the skin you’re in. Because on Tumblr, and in life, your story matters, and your voice can inspire change.

Reference list

Afful, A & Ricciardelli, R 2015, ‘Shaping the online fat acceptance movement: talking about body image and beauty standards’, Journal of Gender Studies, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 453–472.

Caso, D, Schettino, G, Fabbricatore, R & Conner, M 2020, ‘“Change my selfie”: Relationships between self‐objectification and selfie‐behavior in young Italian women’, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, vol. 50, no. 9.

Gibson, M 2017, ‘Single post | website’, website, Home | YoursTruelyMelly, viewed <https://yourstruelymelly.wixsite.com/website/single-post/2017/07/06/Body-Positivity-Creating-a-Space-for-the-Representation-of-Marginalized-Bodies>.

Meleo-Erwin, ZC 2010, ‘“A beautiful show of strength”: Weight loss and the fat activist self’, Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 188–205.

Reif, A, Miller, I & Taddicken, M 2022, ‘“Love the Skin You‘re In”: An Analysis of Women’s Self-Presentation and User Reactions to Selfies Using the Tumblr Hashtag #bodypositive’, Mass Communication and Society, vol. 26, no. 6.

Sastre, A 2014, ‘Towards a Radical Body Positive’, Feminist Media Studies, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 929–943, viewed <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14680777.2014.883420>.

Solomon, HE & Kurtz-Costes, B 2017, ‘Media’s Influence on Perceptions of Trans Women’, Sexuality Research and Social Policy, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 34–47.

[vicrunk]

Is Blogging Still Relevant in the Age of TikToks and Instagram?

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital media and communication, the question of blogging’s relevance looms prominently.

Living in today’s era where our media consumption habits are dominated by the instant gratification of TikToks and the visual allure of Instagram, blogging, which once reigned supreme as the platform for personal expression and information sharing, appears to have lost some of its ✨sheen✨.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s dive deeper into these three platforms and explore their developments and growths, and where they stand in the invisible ranks of the Internet today.

Let’s turn back the time and celebrate the births of blogging, Instagram and Tiktok!

Every day, I wake up and reach for my phone almost immediately. While scrolling through the Instagram reels and TikToks sent to me by the people I know, I sometimes pause and just wonder aloud, ‘How did these apps even come about?’.

Well, silly questions like this never bothered me before – everyone’s had their existential crises. But the lingering question of ‘How did the apps that we use today come into existence?’ kept me up some nights, so I knew I had to get to the bottom of this.

As we all know, blogs are the oldest of the three. Justin Hall is the founder of the first blog called ‘Links.net’ all the way back in 1994, though he referred to it as a “personal homepage” instead (Rioja 2020).

The term ‘weblog’ was later introduced in 1997, followed by the shortened version – ‘blog’ – in 1999, the term we are more familiar with today (Rioja 2020). In the early 2000s, blogging became a famous online activity as more blogging platforms and websites came to life, increasing Internet surfers’ accessibility to the blogging industry (Rioja 2020). By 2010, blogging had permeated the general public and became mainstream (Rioja 2020).

As the years pass and technology advances, the blogging experience we know of today was conceived.

Instagram – the ‘middle child’ of the three – was conceived in 2010.

However, did you know that Instagram’s first life began way before then, and was originally called ‘Burbn’ instead as a nod to the founder’s love for bourbons (Langrio-Chafkin 2012)?

Long story short, just like Instagram today, Burbn was also a photo-sharing app that allowed users to share locations (Garber 2014).

However, it was found that most of Burbn’s users left the location check-in feature untouched but went wild with sharing and posting pictures (Garber 2014). This led the founders to shift their focus on Burbn’s photo-sharing abilities and scrapped almost everything else. After months of research and experimentation, Burbn was reborn as Instagram in 2010 (Garber 2014).

Lastly, introducing TikTok, the youngest of these three platforms. Despite its greeness, TikTok has arguably one of our generation’s largest and most active user bases.

In 2016, Chinese company ByteDance introduced a Chinese app called Douyin and its counterpart app called TikTok, which was launched internationally (Anderson 2020). When ByteDance merged Musical.ly (a lip-synching video-creation app) with TikTok in 2018, many more people downloaded TikTok, and the numbers only increased after Vine was shut down (Anderson 2020).

Today, TikTok is viewed more as a creative platform than a conventional social media platform, where users can break away from traditional visual styles, narratives, and online customs of the past to create and share short-form videos as they desire.

The rise of Instagram and TikTok over the recent years has introduced new forms of content consumption and creation that shifted the digital landscape.

Understandably, most Internet users nowadays prefer the two apps over blogging for several reasons, such as the ability to share visual and short-form content, a more mobile-friendly experience, and algorithm-driven feeds which curate the posts and videos according to the user’s preferences.

So… Does this mean that blogging is dead?

Simply put, no.

While it may seem like TikTok and Instagram are dominating the media world nowadays, each platform, in fact, still has its own user base due to its distinct features. Although blogging may not seem as prevalent as it used to be, people still enjoy consuming and creating blogs, especially if they prefer reading longer and more informational written posts.

Safe to say, blogging is definitely still relevant in today’s age of TikToks and Instagram. As long as the passion for reading and writing persists, blogging may never see the face of extinction 💪

---

References

Anderson, KE 2020, ‘Getting acquainted with social networks and apps: it is time to talk about TikTok’, Library Hi Tech News, vol. 37, no. 4, pp.7-12, <https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-01-2020-0001>.

Garber, M 2014, Instagram was first called 'Burbn', The Atlantic, viewed 2 October 2023, <https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/07/instagram-used-to-be-called-brbn/373815/>.

Langrio-Chafkin, C 2012, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, founders of Instagram, Inc., viewed 2 October 2023, <https://www.inc.com/30under30/2011/profile-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-founders-instagram.html>.

Rioja, A 2020, The evolution and history of blogging: where it began and where is it now,  Alejandro Rioja: SEO, Online Marketing and Ecommerce, viewed 2 October 2023, <https://alejandrorioja.com/history-of-blogging/>.

[nothingelsetodobutfight]

Revolutions don't happen in the streets, and just because you don't hear anything doesn't mean people aren't planning and working towards methods of resistance. We wouldn't be successful if we filled D.C. like Occupy wall street 2011, or if we took over Seattle like CHOP (Capital Hill Occupy Protest) in 2020, whether leaders are abducted off the streets or we are openly beaten and sprayed until we disperse, they are not abiding by the geneva conventions and there is no reign on the power they have allowed their soldiers (police, swat, national guard, you name it) to wield. It's beyond fucked up. Never suggest we throw lives against a meat grinder. There is little to gain in activism at this point beyond networking. The best chance we have is small silent groups and I agree, use of the right to bear arms while we have it.

I am afraid that media has you all believing 'it's over, it's not being talked about' and believe you me, if I have ever been more ready to kill I don't know. But survival instinct is kicking in and the best I can do is not take out my anger on innocents.

You Americans are aware that they can’t arrest ALL of you…right?

There’s no better time to protest, this is end-stage capitalism and it’s only going to end in one way

The revolution needs to be NOW or Trump is going to recreate WW2

It’s time to flip over the monopoly board

The power lies in the masses, and as much as I hate the lack of gun control in the States you guys have a right to bear arms, use it

[yourreddancer]

election was hacked

Robert Chapin

tnpdsrooeSug1mmaFuAteayrMm  8ch14 5c628720i88a 274104rlt:f13b97  · 

Holyshit. Well here's a conspiracy theory for ya.

I've been wondering why Trump has allowed Elon free reign to upstage him and do what he wants. I'm sure he has to know the public has been calling Trump Elon's lapdog. And then there's the Time cover with Elon sitting behind the presidential desk. Trump should be fuming, but during Elon's press meeting in the White House, Trump just sat there like a castrated sad clown while Elon's kid told him to shut up.

But why? Why would Trump let himself be upstaged and mocked - especially by a child? He already won the election. He doesn't need Elon's money anymore.

But then Jess told me something Elon's kid said during an interview with Tucker Carlson.

When asked if Trump would win the election, the kid says "yes" and then says "they’ll never know."

https://gizmodo.com/elon-musks-kid-keeps-saying-weird...

During the election, I knew something was up when Trump began accusing Kamala for cheating in Pennsylvania. That's very specific. And historically, he only blames others for things he's doing.

As a programmer, I know anything is hackable. An 11 year old girl at the hacking convention DefCon in Vegas was able to hack into a voting booth in 10 minutes. And that was back in 2018!

And while the voting machines aren’t connected to the internet per-se, it only takes 10 minutes to pop in a USB and get out. And it just so happens there was a bomb threat in PA where they emptied the building. But it wasn’t just one building, it was 67!

Of the 67 locations, 56 were in 11 counties that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 election, including the eight most populated. Those high-population Democratic counties include voting locations for Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Phoenix, Arizona; Atlanta, Georgia; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna179006

Hacker kids do this stuff for the fun of it. Imagine if they were getting paid millions of dollars?

And now, Musk has surrounded himself with these kids who have notoriously gained access to federal records, our records, with ease.

Four hours before election results were called, Elon announced that Trump was the winner and he had an "app" to prove it.

And then, there's this... Trump is a complete idiot and actually said this out loud after the election...

"He (Musk) knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers. Those vote-counting computers," Trump told the crowd. "And we ended up winning Pennsylvania like in a landslide."

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-elon-musk-voting...

"They will never know."

Trump even said repeatedly before the election, "I don't need your vote." It's a weird brag that indicated he had already won.

I had been saying Trump was going to cheat long before the election. But the comment was instantly shot down by both sides. Conservatives thought we were being hypocrites, and progressives thought we should be above Trump-style conspiracies and gracefully accept the outcome.

Looking into this now, I'm not surprised I wasn't the only one. The internet is all over this stuff.

Will this info ever come out? Will it even matter? I have no doubt Elon's guys are at the top of their game, and the only way this will ever see the light of day is if one of these guys talks.

But for right now, it's obvious to me why Trump is letting Elon do whatever he wants.

Because all it would take is for Elon to turn to a camera and say a few words to the world, "I helped Trump steal the election."

Boom.

[darkmaga-returns]

Christiana Figueres, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, oversaw the Paris Agreement with an iron fist. This was never about a socialist program of wealth distribution, but was about changing the whole economic system into a Technocracy.

What is not clear about her statement?

“This is the first time in the history of mankind that we are setting ourselves the task of intentionally, within a defined period of time to change the economic development model that has been reigning for at least 150 years, since the industrial revolution. “This is probably the most difficult task we have ever given ourselves, which is to intentionally transform the economic development model, for the first time in human history.” (Christiana Figueres, Feb. 2015)

The plan is to grab all the resources on planet earth, not to re-distribute them. Get your eyes off of communism, socialism and Marxism and you will see this clearly. ⁃ Patrick Wood, Editor.

At the height of the covid lockdowns and mandates a massive portion of the global economy was shut down, leading to supply chain instability, huge job losses and a stagflationary crisis. However, climate change propagandists argued that the event was actually a positive for the planet when it was revealed that emissions fell by 5.4%. They asserted that the covid lockdowns were a practice run for what they called “climate lockdowns” – Presenting a plan for scheduled disruptions to global economic activity as a means to slow the effects of climate change.

Globalists also presented climate lockdowns as a kind of collective social punishment in the event that populations refused to cut carbon output on their own. As World Economic Forum “Agenda Contributor” Mariana Mazzucato argued in 2020:

“Under a “climate lockdown,” governments would limit private-vehicle use, ban consumption of red meat, and impose extreme energy-saving measures, while fossil-fuel companies would have to stop drilling. To avoid such a scenario, we must overhaul our economic structures and do capitalism differently.

Many think of the climate crisis as distinct from the health and economic crises caused by the pandemic. But the three crises – and their solutions – are interconnected…”

After a public uproar over the notion of extending pandemic lockdowns into climate lockdowns, the establishment media would go on to “Fact Check” the issue and assert that it was a “conspiracy theory.” They lied.

The pandemic lockdowns would eventually be exposed as pointless; a disastrous drain on the global economy that did nothing to prevent the spread of the covid virus. But as we witnessed with most of the restrictions instituted during covid, the goal was never to protect the health of the populace. Rather, the goal was to acclimate the populace to an exponentially increasing list of violations of their basic freedoms.

One organization that has a distinct interest in diminishing economic activity for the sake of preventing global warming is the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In a recent ‘call for global climate action’ the IMF states that restrictions on economic activity and general emissions activity would have to far surpass those enforced during the pandemic in order to get to their stated temperature target of less than 1.5°C.

[studioalbums]

Bad Bunny

Bad Bunny—born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio in 1994 in San Juan, Puerto Rico—has emerged as one of the most transformative and boundary-breaking artists of the 21st century, reshaping Latin music and global pop culture with a fearless blend of sound, style, and social commentary. Raised in a working-class family, Bad Bunny’s journey from uploading songs on SoundCloud to dominating worldwide charts is a testament to his relentless innovation and commitment to authenticity.

From early on, Bad Bunny defied genre conventions. His music fuses reggaeton, Latin trap, hip-hop, rock, and even punk influences, creating a sonic palette that is both rooted in Puerto Rican urban culture and boldly experimental. His breakthrough came with hits like “Soy Peor” and “I Like It” (with Cardi B and J Balvin), where his raw, emotive delivery and poetic lyricism set him apart in a scene often dominated by formulaic sounds.

Bad Bunny’s artistry is marked not only by musical innovation but also by a fearless exploration of identity and social issues. He challenges toxic masculinity and gender norms openly—embracing androgynous fashion, speaking out for LGBTQ+ rights, and giving voice to marginalized communities. His songs often address themes of love, heartbreak, social injustice, and Puerto Rican pride with poetic nuance, making his work deeply resonant on both personal and political levels.

His albums—X 100PRE (2018), YHLQMDLG (2020), Las Que No Iban a Salir (2020), and El Último Tour Del Mundo(2020)—have redefined Latin urban music. El Último Tour Del Mundo notably became the first all-Spanish-language album to top the US Billboard 200, signaling the mainstream breakthrough of Latin music beyond linguistic and cultural barriers. The record’s eclectic soundscape—from hard-hitting trap to moody rock ballads—showcases Bad Bunny’s refusal to be boxed in.

Beyond music, Bad Bunny has used his platform to amplify Puerto Rican issues—such as the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and protests against governmental corruption—demonstrating a deep sense of responsibility to his homeland. He embodies a new kind of global artist: unapologetically rooted in his culture while addressing universal themes of resilience, freedom, and transformation.

Bad Bunny’s cultural significance lies in his role as a catalyst for change, not only in music but in how Latinx identity is expressed and perceived worldwide. By blending genres, breaking fashion norms, and speaking truth to power, he has expanded the possibilities of what it means to be a Latinx artist in the 21st century. His work resonates far beyond the dance floor, marking him as a vital voice in contemporary culture—one who celebrates complexity, challenges convention, and invites listeners into a world where diversity and self-expression reign supreme.

X 100pre (2018)

YHLQMDLG (2020)

El Último Tour Del Mundo (2020)

Un Verano Sin Ti (2022)

Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana (2023)

Debí Tirar Más Fotos (2025)

[denimbex1986]

'The world of cinema, much like any other realm of artistic expression, is constantly evolving. For a decade and a half, superheroes reigned supreme at the box office, drawing in massive crowds and reaping substantial profits for studios. However, in recent times, a new phenomenon has emerged that challenges the long-standing dominance of the superhero genre. With the release of Barbie and Oppenheimer in what has been dubbed the Barbenheimer double feature and the subsequent success of both movies, it has become increasingly apparent that the allure of superheroes is no longer as potent as it once was. Both DC and Marvel are at a critical juncture. While Marve Studios' foray into television has been disastrous, DC is developing a whole new universe called DCU that spans film, TV, animation, and gaming.

The Barbenheimer phenomenon: A glimpse of changing tides

In a curious turn of events last month, millions of moviegoers opted for a unique cinematic experience by embracing the Barbenheimer trend, wherein they indulged in a double feature of the films Barbie and Oppenheimer. This began as a joke, I am certain, but soon evolved into something huge. Both films were directed by auteurs who have distinctive voices, and it appears audiences had been waiting for films like that. A recent survey conducted by film tracking service The Quorum highlighted the significant impact of Barbie on revitalising theatre attendance. 11 per cent of the surveyed audience admitted to having difficulty recalling their last theatre experience prior to Barbie. Equally intriguing, another 11 per cent revealed that Barbie marked their maiden return to a theatre since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

All this signifies a shift in audience preferences, suggesting a growing appetite for variety and depth in storytelling. No longer content with the conventional superhero formula, audiences are seeking films that resonate on a personal and emotional level, something most recent superhero films have not been able to do.

Decoding the success of Barbie

Directed by the talented Greta Gerwig, Barbie offers a fresh take on a beloved toy franchise, propelling the titular character, played by Margot Robbie, on a journey of self-discovery. The character's realisation of imperfections in her previously idealised appearance triggers a transformation that resonates with viewers of all ages. With themes of empowerment, societal standards, and self-acceptance, Barbie strikes a chord in today's world, where discussions about body positivity and individuality are at the forefront of cultural conversations.

What truly sets Barbie apart is its ability to transcend the confines of a single genre. By blending elements of adventure, drama, and self-discovery, the film caters to a diverse audience, encompassing individuals who seek narratives that challenge conventions and reflect the complexities of real-life experiences. The star-studded cast, including Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and an ensemble of renowned actors, further adds to the film's allure, proving that the era of relying solely on superheroes for box office success is giving way to a more nuanced cinematic landscape.

The enigma of Oppenheimer

In contrast to the high-octane action and dazzling visuals commonly associated with blockbuster films, Nolan's Oppenheimer offers a dialogue-driven exploration of the life of J Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy. The film's source material, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin, provides a rich backdrop for this historical biopic.

Nolan's reputation as a director who turns his movie releases into big events played a pivotal role in the film's success. He also has the ability to craft immersive visual and aural experiences on the silver screen and has garnered a loyal fan base that eagerly anticipates his every project. no matter what it is about. The fact that audiences embraced a 3-hour, dialogue-centric film attests to their growing appetite for fairly inaccessible films if they are made well and offer a grand experience. The star-studded ensemble, featuring Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr, and more, further bolstered the film's appeal, underlining the demand for stories that transcend the traditional superhero mould.

Superhero fatigue

The decline in the box office performance of recent superhero films, exemplified by the massive box office bomb that was The Flash (Disclaimer: I liked it), underscores a growing sentiment of superhero fatigue. Once the undisputed kings of the box office, superheroes now find themselves facing a critical juncture. The oversaturation of the genre across various media platforms, coupled with formulaic stories, has diminished the novelty and excitement that were once synonymous with superhero films. I noted the other day in my review of DC's latest Blue Beetle that the problem with the superhero genre is not of quantity as much it is of quality. "Too many superhero movies were made earlier too (say, around 2014), but back then, these concepts were fresh and not done to death. Now, nearly every movie is about saving the world or the universe (or even the multiverse these days)," I wrote.

(Incidentally, I loved Blue Beetle, but as optimistic as I am, I am well aware that barring a miracle the movie is doomed at the box office. The reason is not just superhero fatigue, but also because it was not promoted as well since actors' union in Hollywood, SAG-AFTRA, is on strike and the stars of the movie could not attend events like premieres.)

Anyway, the audiences, now more discerning than ever, are seeking something other than spandex-clad superheroes shooting waves of crackling light or some such bad guys. The success of Barbie and Oppenheimer highlights a collective desire for stories that challenge conventions. The superhero genre, while still relevant and beloved, must evolve to meet these changing demands.

A paradigm shift in cinema

As Barbie and Oppenheimer rake in impressive box office earnings, the cinematic landscape is undergoing a profound, and frankly much-needed, transformation. I grew up on a steady diet of DC and Marvel and I love superhero movies. For me, a well-made flick on Batman or Spider-Man is like reliving the best of my childhood. But the era of superhero dominance may be waning, replaced by a thirst for films that are fresher, more thought-provoking, more emotionally resonant, and more artistically daring. The Barbenheimer phenomenon is not merely a double feature; it's a manifestation of evolving audience preferences.'

[frary-us]

I’m jealous of all the lucky fans who will get to attend LMSR2. I’m so glad Toby is able to be there, because I just don’t think the convention would be truly successful without the adored Francis/Frary/Frash and Mother & Son/Catherine & Francis. And I think the pricing for Toby’s events on Dream It Conventions’ website support his incredible popularity with the fans.(x  x  x)

Look like another chapter of Tobelaide

[tramngo]

How RuPaul’s Drag Race Succeeded in Social Media World Domination

Ten years ago, it might have seemed unlikely that RuPaul’s Drag Race would dominate social media. The show, while undeniably sensational, has managed to catapult drag culture into the mainstream and become one of the biggest television shows.

For those unfamiliar with the phenomenon, binge-watching the eleven seasons available on Netflix (and NowTV for AllStars) is highly recommended. This blog will explore the factors behind the show's incredible success.

The Meteoric Rise of RuPaul’s Drag Race

Since its premiere in 2009, RuPaul’s Drag Race, created by World of Wonder, has become a cultural juggernaut (Lovelock 2019). The show features drag queens competing for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar.” Over the years, it has expanded into a business empire, spawning numerous spinoffs, smartphone apps, thrice-yearly fan conventions, and international versions in Thailand, Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands (Parrot Analytics 2019).

RuPaul’s Drag Race represents the high watermark of mainstream success for global drag culture. It has normalized the idea of the drag queen in the American mediascape and turned the art form into a lucrative enterprise  (Brennan & Gudelunas 2017). However, drag’s journey to financial success and cultural acceptance has not always been straightforward.

Social Media Strategy: Engaging and Expanding the Fandom

A major factor behind the show’s success is its savvy use of social media. Drag Race contestants are encouraged to cultivate a strong social media presence. RuPaul frequently directs viewers to participate in the program through hashtags, and audiences eagerly support their favorite queens online (Sim 2024).

This strategy has paid off. The official RuPaul’s Drag Race YouTube generated 73.1 million and Facebook a further 47.5m views over the past 12 months. In the past year, one of the most highly watched video on the official Facebook channel generated 2.8m views (Favoured 2024). The constant stream of content, including makeup tutorials, behind-the-scenes footage, and live interactions, keeps fans engaged and invested (Feldman 2020).

Celebrity Endorsements and Mainstream Success

The show’s mainstream success is also bolstered by celebrity endorsements. Stars like Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Khloe Kardashian, and Dita Von Teese have made guest appearances, further elevating the show’s profile. These endorsements bring new viewers to the show and generate buzz on social media platforms. 

Additionally, Drag Race’s critical acclaim, including multiple Emmy wins, has helped legitimize it as a significant cultural phenomenon. The show’s success at award ceremonies has further amplified its visibility and popularity.

The Future of Drag in the Social Media Era

The sixteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race premiered on January 5, 2024, continuing to push the boundaries of drag culture and its representation in mainstream media (Nolfi 2024). Its success is a testament to the power of engaging, entertaining content and a dedicated fanbase that keeps the momentum going on social media. Celebrity endorsements and an extensive online presence have further amplified its reach.

The show’s producers understand their audience and deliver exactly what fans want, leveraging the unique selling proposition of drag culture for all it’s worth. As drag continues to evolve in the social media era, it will be crucial to balance its newfound mainstream visibility with its roots in radical self-expression and resistance to dominant power structures.

RuPaul’s Drag Race has succeeded in social media world domination by embracing the power of viral content, strategic social media engagement, global accessibility, celebrity endorsements, and the entrepreneurial spirit of its contestants. The show’s ability to adapt and innovate in the ever-changing digital landscape ensures that its reign is far from over.

Reference list

Brennan, N & Gudelunas, D 2017, ‘Drag Culture, Global Participation and RuPaul’s Drag Race’, The Boundaries of Reality TV, Palgrave Macmillan.

Favoured 2024, ‘How has RuPaul’s Drag Race succeeded in social media world domination – Favoured.’, Favoured UK, viewed 2 June 2024, <https://favoured.co.uk/how-has-rupauls-drag-race-succeeded-in-social-media-world-domination/>.

Feldman, Z 2020, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race: How social media made drag’s subversive art form into a capitalist money maker’, King’s College London, viewed 2 June 2024, <https://www.kcl.ac.uk/rupauls-drag-race-how-social-media-made-drags-subversive-art-form-into-a-capitalist-money-maker>.

Lovelock, M 2019, ‘Reality TV and Queer Identities: Sexuality, Authenticity, Celebrity’, QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 211–214.

Nolfi, J 2024, ‘“RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 16 cast revealed: Meet the new queens’, Entertainment Weekly, viewed 2 June 2024, <https://ew.com/rupauls-drag-race-season-16-cast-revealed-8407797>.

Parrot Analytics 2019, ‘The global audience race for RuPaul’s Drag Race’, Parrot Analytics, viewed 2 June 2024, <https://www.parrotanalytics.com/videos/the-global-audience-race-for-rupauls-drag-race/>.

Sim, B 2024, ‘Watch the “RPDR” queens vote for who they’re most likely to block in this exclusive S16 E11 preview’, Out, viewed 2 June 2024, <https://www.out.com/gay-tv-shows/drag-race-s16ep11-preview#rebelltitem1>.

[milkboydotnet]

The World is Watching and Must Take Action to Stop the Murders of Working People! Solidarity to the Philippines!

The World is Watching and Must Take Action to Stop the Murders of Working People! Solidarity to the Philippines!

The labor rights situation in the Philippines has become so appalling that even traditional bodies like the International Labour Organization (ILO) are forced to respond. During the 105th Session of the International Labour Conference in June 2016, the Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) adopted conclusions regarding the application by the Philippines of the ILO Freedom of Association Convention (ILO C087) and “noted with concern the numerous allegations of anti-union violence and the lack of progress in the investigation of many such cases…” and among the recommendations was to “accept a direct contacts mission in 2016 in order to follow up on the foregoing conclusions.” A mission was concluded in February 2017.

But the rights violations continued and did not taper, and during 108th International Labour Conference in June 2019, the CAS noted with concern the numerous allegations of murders of trade unionists and anti-union violence, as well as allegations regarding the lack of investigation in relation to these allegations, and again pushed for a mission to the Philippines for 2020. The High Level Tripartite Mission never transpired during the presidency Rodrigo Duterte, and only after he left the office was the HLTM allowed to proceed. The ILO HLTM is expected to be conducted on January 23-27, 2023.

During the years of continued attacks against workers, different trade unions and workers associations in the Philippines mustered courage, forged tighter ranks, heightened resistance, and systematically gathered information, data and cases on multiple violations and threats to the full enjoyment of the Freedom of Association, including murder of trade union leaders, harassment of workers and red-tagging conducted by State forces. The reports have been the basis for the ILO to include Philippines among the top 20 concern list, while the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) also noted the Philippines as among the top 10 “worst countries for workers” for consecutive years.

With Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of the former dictator, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., now in power, the enablers and perpetrators of the human rights violations in the Philippines remained in power. The cabal of President Duterte are again in major positions of power, such as Eduardo Año who was recently appointed by President Marcos Jr. as the National Security Adviser.

The reign of terror and impunity of State forces are continuing. The complaint against 17 police personnel who were implicated in the murder of Emmanuel Asuncion on March 7, 2021, alongside eight other activists in the Region IV of the Philippines in what is now known as “Bloody Sunday” has been dismissed. The workers movement have documented 56 cases of murder of trade union leaders and workers, many of whom remains unsolved, without the perpetrators brought to face justice.

The notorious National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) persists on its framework that any campaign and advocacy mounted by working people and civil society for their rights and welfare are terrorists in nature, especially opposition against the destructive Neoliberal policies that have pauperized the working people. With such a framework, even collective bargaining between unions and employers are now treated by the State as part of terrorist plots, with State forces directly meddling and intervening. This has become a boon for employers, and transnational corporations (TNCs) operating their supply chains in the Philippines, who would rather have no collective bargaining at all and keep wages and benefits of their workers to a bare minimum to maximize their profit-taking.

Many countries in Asia-Pacific are reforming their labour laws, including India, Indonesia and Pakistan. Workers in these countries have criticized the changes as pro-business and anti-workers, and increases the precarity of the working people, through greater liberties given to employers to hire-and-fire workers. Those amendments have been met by robust opposition from the workers. To quell any resistance, the State, the elite in cahoots with the TNCs in these countries may very well employ the same practice of the Philippine government. The government of these countries are also known to have strong anti-terror laws and can use the practice of NTF-ELCAC in the Philippines to bring labor rights under the ambit of fighting terror.

Brother and sisters, all working people in the in Asia-Pacific must come together to protect our rights. While we advance our struggles within our national boundaries, we unite with fellow workers everywhere as we recognise the common struggle of workers against capitalist exploitation. Working class solidarity is necessary to fight the onslaught of imperialist neoliberal policies that have exploited the working people for superprofits, plundered the resources of the world, and heaped the most brutal repression against worker’s and people’s. We must take stock of what is happening in the Philippines, and through unity and solidarity, advance the struggle for a better world for all working people!

International League for Peoples’ Struggle – Asia-Pacific January 23, 2023

[thevisibilityarchives]

George R.R. Martin's Curious Collection of Grotesqueries (1996 - present)

Disabled

With the premiere of House of the Dragon, HBO had its work cut out for it. Not only did it face direct competition from Amazon’s unprecedented Rings of Power –a monumental production of costly proportions with a five-season pre-order – it also had to contend with the reputation of its predecessor, Game of Thrones. GoT set a new bar for what a TV production could be, paving the way for RoP. More than that, its final season underperformed in a way not previously seen in a critically acclaimed television series.

Series finales are a tricky business. No matter how carefully handled, it seems that series with large fanbases are unlikely to come away with endings that fulfill the whims of everyone. Lost, Mad Men and The Sopranos saw notable complaints from fans regarding their endings. The GoT series finale proved a different monster with a critic's score of 55% on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score even lower in the 30s. This was a notable fall from grace for a show consistently met with widespread acclaim for the bulk of its run until its tail end, in which its source content ran dry, and the creative reigns landed in the hands of two inexperienced showrunners.

For five consecutive seasons, the show stunned audiences, smashing streaming records and captivating audiences as it brought the high-fantasy tropes of dragons, battles, and strategized politics, to the late-night universe of corseted boobs, morally grey characters, and the darkest parts of humanity. 

Whereas Amazons Rings of Power could be enjoyed by most of the family, Game of Thrones was undoubtedly a series to watch after the children were put to bed, a welcome change for those who grew up playing D&D and then enjoying what Skinemax had to offer in the wee hours of the morning.

 Author George R.R. Martin’s writing of A Song of Ice and Fire (the series on which GoT is based) reflects the dynamism of our world, a complex tapestry in which nothing so simple as “good” prevails over “evil”. It is a world in which the “good” guy can die, the “bad” guy can be a knight in shining armor (or a powerful woman demolishing gender norms), and every expectation of conventional storytelling you have based on ratings can be upended. 

To date, research shows the greatest drawing point for both fans of Thrones and ASOIAF readers has been Martin’s writing of the characters themselves: a lush and seemingly endless array of diverse beings far beyond what high-fantasy readers were used to from 20th-century authors. 

A 2020 study for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the USA analyzed the correlation between character arcs, deaths, and their relationships with readers. In this, the study found that the number of named characters within the series was nothing short of monumental, however, due to Martin’s habit of axing them off (pun intended), their deaths often occurred at the right time for the reader or watcher’s brain to develop a connection with a new character. Characters who were overall favorites (with rare exception) of course, tended not to die (Jon, Arya, Tyrion, etc.)

Other reasons many people tend to cite for their love of the series? It’s a realistic portrayal of morality, the inclusion of sexuality, a feasible depiction of racial diversity (there is work to be done yet on House of the Dragon, but that is a post for another time), war strategy, and for book readers, Martin’s well-written descriptions of food do often make for good home cookbooks. 

As a master of crafting personable characters who are complex and layered, with the capacity to be beloved and hated (looking at you Bobby B.), Martin introduced us to a new era of high fantasy writing that was bolder, brasher, and more suited to the 1990s and emerging millennium. With the passage of 30 years, perhaps faults can be forgiven then as we recognize the ways in which so few of his disabled characters achieve this masterful crafting, and question what excuse there is for House of the Dragon, and the creative liberties taken in its writing during the Era of Inclusion and Intimacy Coaching.

This essay will examine the way three particular characters fall into different stereotypes often bestowed upon the disabled community. Each character has been picked from a different part of the ASOIAF universe and as such may not be known to the reader: extra background will be given for context. 

              Larys Strong (House of the Dragon/Fire & Blood)

                                                   The Clubfoot

The first spinoff to land on HBO to much fanfare has been House of the Dragon, an adaptation of Fire & Blood, which retells the bloody civil war between two factions of the Targaryan clan which all but ripped apart Westeros some 167 years prior to the events of Game of Thrones.

For those completely unfamiliar with the narrative, the war is initiated when King Viserys I (for all intents and purposes the polar opposite of Daenerys’ brother), failing for years to produce a male heir, names his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne. Despite Viserys’ intentions, the power of the patriarchy rules from the shadows as everyone from his new wife (and daughter’s former best friend) to his advisors and those he formerly considered friends conspire to install his new (drunk and disorderly) son on the Iron Throne in Rhaenyra’s place.

Two separate factions arise. On Rhaenyra’s side The Blacks, composed of Rhaenyra, her children, her husband-uncle (Targaryans, remember) Daemon, their cousins the Valeryons, and a camp of other royal families. The Greens are led by Alicent Hightower (who has assumed her maiden name upon Viserys’ death more or less), her father and Hand of the King Otto Hightower), her son King Aegon II (who is a lot more like Dany’s brother), Helaena (think a goth Luna Lovegood), Aemond (if Annie from Attack on Titan was a guy), Ser Criston Cole (the head of the Kingsguard and Rhaenyra’s ex-beau with an obnoxious grudge), and Larys Strong. 

Larys is known by book readers by another name: Larys Clubfoot, and this is how he is visually introduced on the show, limping into the godswood the very picture of the scheming disabled villain who has graced many a James Bond film. 

CTEV or Clubfoot is a common deformity that in our modern world is of course rectified with earlier onset treatment. Larys walks with a cane and from the onset is presented in juxtaposition to his brother, Harwin Strong: a handsome and charming man who becomes an eventual illicit lover to Rhaenyra. Larys has no lovers the object of desire to none. In his introductory scene as he limps into the godswood he is something like a creature of prey to the young Alicent, approaching her with a proposal as he offers her help for a price of which the cost will not be apparent for some time to come. 

Larys becomes one of Alicent’s most important council members, brokering information for her as well as executing covert assassinations of her enemies. In Fire & Blood, nothing he does is seemingly with any purpose, his reasoning left only to the gods themselves. He is a man shrouded in mystery and given that the text is more of a biased history book than anything, this makes sense. 

The show, frustratingly, also seems to take this approach to its detriment, and this also contributes to limiting him as a character. Unlike Varys whose machinations were often contributed towards “the greater good” and Littlefinger who sought to manipulate his way to the top for his own sake, Larys’ scheming ambles towards extremes for little reason, and what reason we are provided sets him over the edge into the territory of a freak-show caricature rather than a well-rounded character. 

Feet. 

It’s feet. 

He’s doing it for Medieval feet pictures, or some version of them. The cost we were speculating on? The wolfish leers he teased Alicent with weren’t promises of something so simple as royal bastards he could manipulate her with, but a desire to simply gaze at her perfect arches while he touches himself and spills the secrets of her enemies. 

The choice of writing a character with a disfigured foot as having a foot fetish is such an alarming choice it borders incredulity, particularly given that it was clear so much discussion was considered about diversity, sexism, and sexual assault in the writer’s room. 

In almost all scenes Larys practically creeps in corners like an Andy Samberg Saturday Night Live skit. This is not to dismiss or perpetuate the oft-promoted idea that people with disabilities don’t have desires, kinks, or fetishes as detailed by speakers like Dr. Danielle Sheypuk and by sexual psychologist Dr. Justin Lehmiller. 

There is something obscenely disturbing however about an able-bodied man portraying a disfigured character with a fetish related to that disfigurement which for all intents and purposes drives him to commit heinous acts–patricide included–that takes his characterization from one of Martin’s carefully crafted portraits to a questionable caricature whose 21st century writing ultimately lay in the hands of people who should have known better. 

               Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones/ASOIAF)

                                                         The Imp

Ask people about their favorite character from Martin’s high fantasy epic, and undoubtedly Tyrion will come up among the top three. As of 2021, community polling site Ranker still lists the character as the top ranked based on live voting results.  Beloved among book readers and show viewers alike, his character stands to date as a marvel of modern writing, brought to life by none other than Peter Dinklage in a powerhouse performance for eight relentless seasons. 

There’s a lot to praise here. There’s the fact that Martin wrote such a poignant character with Dwarfism who stands as a point-of-view perspective and is popular enough to feel relatively safe from beheading all things considered. He is a man equal parts charming and pitiable, enviable and intelligent. Had he been born in a different body he would be granted a much different life, and it is his disability that serves as a barrier despite all the privileges the last name “Lannister” bestows on him (which is a lot). 

Through the richness of Martin’s writings, there seep flaws in his characterization notably absent from the television show, which depict what can only be described as the best sides of him. He is “prettied up” of course in the way all actors are in a Hollywood show, his rougher aesthetic smoothed away by the handsome presence of Dinklage. Other aspects of his behavior however make no appearance, from cruder actions that make him appear more morally dubious to Martin’s fixation on forcing him to perform odd tricks and feats like some Florida carnival act, to his almost-rape of Sansa and the murder of the character Marillion. 

“Waddling” is a word often used to describe Tyrion’s gait, his POV chapters packed with allusions to the stiffness of his hips, and the aching of his joints. For those with physical disabilities, there is no mistaking or ignoring the reality of chronic pain or discomfort: life inside a tortuous iron maiden that all at once does not allow you to sit still yet punishes movement. Yet for no other characters are similar measures taken.

For instance, when Jon Snow loses the use of one of his hands, every other sentence isn’t dedicated to describing it, nor Ned Stark’s broken leg. Some descriptors yes for Martin is, as mentioned, a master of his craft, yet in Tyrion, there is an excessiveness to it, a level to which it is as though we are made not to forget he is different. 

Throughout the series he plays into the role further of the carnie, doing things like flips and mid-air twirls. The physical characteristics neglected in favor of Dinklage’s good looks reinforce the fact that in the books, he must rely upon the power of coin for a woman’s (temporary) love, unlike his brother Jaime who practically has half the women in the kingdom swooning after him. Even gold diggers after the Casterly Rock goods are suspiciously absent, as though Tyrion is so abhorrent none but the whores will have him, and so in equal parts, he becomes a character who we fall in love with while falling short of the true measure of all a disabled character can be.

                                               Patchface (ASOIAF)

                                                     The Lackwit

For the unread, Patchface may be a new character. He doesn’t make an appearance onscreen but is alluded to in a brief Easter Egg during Season 3 of Game of Thrones in a song sung by Shireen Baratheon.

Prophetic characters are a narrative theme throughout the series, appearing to sometimes guide major POV characters in what will inevitably be their most consequential decisions. Daenarys, Cersei, Jon, Stannis, and Arya all encounter characters entangled directly with prophecy, and Patchface appears as one of these curious figures whose overall purpose is more or less unknown but hinted at as something bigger in the grand scheme of things. 

So named for the colorful tattoos marking his skin, Patchface was freed as a Volantine slave by Steffon Baratheon, the father of Stannis, Renly, and Robert during a trip to Essos that resulted in tragedy. Recognizing the young boy’s brilliance, Steffon intended to bring him home to Storm’s End as a court jester for the boys. Upon his return, a storm wrecked his ship in the bay, killing him and his wife. From the ramparts, his sons watched as the returning fleet was demolished and in the ensuing days, the boys were forced to face the fact that they were orphans when naught but carcasses came to shore. 

Patchface was the only survivor, his formerly recognized brilliance replaced with cognitive and intellectual impairment from a mixture of trauma and oxygen deprivation. Henceforth he lost all memory and the ability to speak in coherent sentences, instead only communicating in short snippets sometimes regarded as prophetic by those who listened at the right time. 

Occasionally, his words alluded to the watery depths, and he was designated as the court jester for Storm’s End, eventually becoming a play friend to the young Shireen Baratheon. In some ways, Patchface’s existence (and by existence, that of Bran’s) can be seen as an extension of That Magical Cripple. 

Narratives centered around disabilities have often depicted people in a state of overcoming or possessing some type of superhuman ability that somehow makes them magical. Similar to the Magical Negro trope, they use this ability to the benefit of those around them, rather than themselves, selflessly repairing a thankless world because it’s not enough to simply be. They do not learn or better themselves in any way, but rather, aid the hapless and needy around them with superhuman abilities. It is not enough to exist as a person with a disability, especially within a quasi-Medieval world whereupon they are seen as a boon to society. Rather, they must possess some ability to furthers the progress of a hero beyond themselves.

In the case of Patchface, his prophetic abilities come to a head on a cliffhanger. A Dance with Dragons leaves off where Season 5 of Game of Thrones saw its conclusion: Jon’s confrontation with the mutineers at The Nights Watch led by Alliser Thorne, spurred by his decision to investigate the goings on at Hardhome. Patchface alludes to visions of “the crows…white as snow” and “the dead are dancing”, possible allusions of wights and White Walkers while at Castle Black. If there is one thing we have learned in the ASOIAF universe, it’s that heeding the advice of the eccentric’s omens may save lives. Aside from that though, who really is Patchface? What real desires does he have? After all, even people with cognitive disabilities want for something, as any caretaker regardless of the decade can tell you.

Throughout his series, George R.R. Martin weaves a rich tapestry of characters of many different colors, rich hues, and vibrant features. For the many complaints arising in a more inclusive culture that demands more of authors now than ever, we can recognize for what it's worth, he did a good job for a white man writing high fantasy in the 90′s when his predecessors had never deigned to feature a skin tone duskier than tan, a sexuality that wasn’t heterosexual, or a suggestion of life that wasn’t based on Christian morality. 

And yet for all this, Martin’s portrayal of the lives of disabled people is a one-dimensional portrait that turns them into a 1940s-style Freak Show in Juno, Florida. Lovable characters like The Imp, and reprehensible characters like The Mountain are painted as tropes defined by their physicality and the nature of their disabilities–lest we forget them and it is clear this bias extends to showrunners and directors currently working on House of the Dragon almost 30 years later.

As nature is a spectrum so is representation, there can be good, bad, and all manner of in between, and while we can find love and cringe-worthiness in the depiction of these characters, so can we find hope for the future disability in fantasy alongside racial and sexual diversity as well. 

Catch up on Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon via HBO or any of its streaming apps, or better yet, rent it for free at your local library along with the accompanying materials.

Citations:

https://uproxx.com/tv/how-much-did-lotr-the-rings-of-power-really-cost/

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a41547050/rings-of-power-season-2-news/

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/game_of_thrones/s08

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2006465117

https://www.sexandpsychology.com/blog/2019/9/6/sex-and-disability-intellectual-disabilities-and-the-right-to-sexuality/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PwvGfs6Pok

https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-game-of-thrones-characters

https://open.spotify.com/track/43sz4PFPSPqCzJVRnsgPXT?si=78ec2e67ed1949c5