#Forum Queries

[sheepispink]

honestly i would’nt even mind if someone infodumped military life info on me, or just military info in general. That, secret service stuff or even just cod lore dumped over my head. Like send me three paragraphs about training routines and i’ll eat that up

[elite-amarys]

sudo usemod -G LINUX_ADMIN

sudo reboot now

include <stdio.h>

double m[]= {7709179928849219.0, 771};

int main(){m[1]--?m[0]*=2,main():printf((char*)m);}

[not-terezi-pyrope]

AI continues to be useful, annoying everyone

Okay, look - as much as I've been fairly on the side of "this is actually a pretty incredible technology that does have lots of actual practical uses if used correctly and with knowledge of its shortfalls" throughout the ongoing "AI era", I must admit - I don't use it as a tool too much myself.

I am all too aware of how small errors can slip in here and there, even in output that seems above the level, and, perhaps more importantly, I still have a bit of that personal pride in being able to do things myself! I like the feeling that I have learned a skill, done research on how to do a thing and then deployed that knowledge to get the result I want. It's the bread and butter of working in tech, after all.

But here's the thing, once you move beyond beginner level Python courses and well-documented windows applications. There will often be times when you will want to achieve a very particular thing, which involves working with a specialist application. This will usually be an application written for domain experts of this specialization, and so it will not be user-friendly, and it will certainly not be "outsider-friendly".

So you will download the application. Maybe it's on the command line, has some light scripting involved in a language you've never used, or just has a byzantine shorthand command structure. There is a reference document - thankfully the authors are not that insane - but there are very few examples, and none doing exactly what you want. In order to do the useful thing you want to do, they expect you to understand how the application/platform/scripting language works, to the extent that you can apply it in a novel context.

Which is all fine and well, and normally I would not recommend anybody use a tool at length unless they have taken the time to understand it to the degree at which they know what they are doing. Except I do not wish to use the tool at length, I wish to do one, singular operation, as part of a larger project, and then never touch it again. It is unfortunately not worth my time for me to sink a few hours into learning a technology that you will use once for twenty seconds and then never again.

So you spend time scouring the specialist forums, pulling up a few syntax examples you find randomly of their code and trying to string together the example commands in the docs. If you're lucky, and the syntax has enough in common with something you're familiar with, you should be able to bodge together something that works in 15-20 minutes.

But if you're not lucky, the next step would have been signing up to that forum, or making a post on that subreddit, creating a thread called "Hey, newbie here, needing help with..." and then waiting 24-48 hours to hear back from somebody probably some years-deep veteran looking down on you with scorn for not having put in the effort to learn their Thing, setting aside the fact that you have no reason to normally. It's annoying, disruptive, and takes time.

Now I can ask ChatGPT, and it will have ingested all those docs, all those forums, and it will give you a correct answer in 20 seconds about what you were doing wrong. Because friends, this is where a powerful attention model excels, because you are not asking it to manage a complex system, but to collate complex sources into a simple synthesis. The LLM has already trained in this inference, and it can reproduce it in the blink of an eye, and then deliver information about this inference in the form of a user dialog.

When people say that AI is the future of tutoring, this is what it means. Instead of waiting days to get a reply from a bored human expert, the machine knowledge blender has already got it ready to retrieve via a natural language query, with all the followup Q&A to expand your own knowledge you could desire. And the great thing about applying this to code or scripting syntax is that you can immediately verify whether the output is correct but running it and seeing if it performs as expected, so a lot of the danger is reduced (not that any modern mainstream attention model is likely to make a mistake on something as simple a single line command unless it's something barely documented online, that is).

It's incredibly useful, and it outdoes the capacity of any individual human researcher, as well as the latency of existing human experts. That's something you can't argue we've ever had better before, in any context, and it's something you can actively make use of today. And I will, because it's too good not to - despite my pride.

[nemo-writes]

⋆˚࿔ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐞 ; 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝜗𝜚˚⋆𝜗𝜚˚⋆

↣ pack!tf141 x witch!reader

↣ chapter summary; soap earns himself the silent treatment. meanwhile, you prepare for your confrontation with makarov, summoning back an old friend under the half-moon.

⚠️ warnings; none

★ previous ; next

☆ story masterlist

The drive back to their shared home was long, tense and quiet, each second stretching painfully over the old car’s steady rumble. Johnny sat in the passenger seat, shoulders hunched, gaze fixed on the passing scenery rather than risk another glance at Price’s set jaw and narrowed eyes. 

When they pulled into the driveway, the late afternoon light painted their home bright. The front door creaked as Price pushed it open, his silence as heavy as a reprimand. Johnny followed, his head down.

Inside, the atmosphere was stifling. 

Gaz leaned against the kitchen island, arms crossed, his mouth pressed into a tight line. Ghost stood near the window, hands shoved into his pockets, staring out as if he expected to see something—someone—materialize on the empty street. Neither of them acknowledged Johnny’s return.

Price took off his jacket, tossed it over a chair, and let out a weary sigh. He moved to join Gaz at the island. Laswell’s reports and notes lay scattered on the table: printed documents, scribbled post-its, and a few articles of speculation. They’d been working through the little information Leah had given them—threads of truth knotted with curses and creatures—trying to find something solid to hold onto.

Johnny dared not speak first. The weight of what he had done—going after you alone, risking everything—clung to him like a bad scent. He accepted their silent punishment. He deserved it. Instead, he busied himself in his room with his laptop, firing it up and tapping into old forums, messaging a few trusted contacts. If you wouldn’t return to them, perhaps they could come to you. But how?

He opened a private browser and typed out careful inquiries on niche forums and subreddits dedicated to the occult and magical communities. He knew from experience that if any place could confirm whether outsiders were welcome in the territory the Le Fay line looked after, it would be one of these hidden corners of the internet. He kept his questions vague, professional, and patient. After all, desperation would only draw suspicion.

Johnny’s typing slowed. Magical territory and old coven lands. His search queries grew more specific, more desperate. He tapped into old friend groups—people he’d worked small jobs with before—and sent cautious feelers out. Was the Le Fay territory open to outsiders? Could one simply visit, no matter their magical alignment?

It was a long shot. But after all that had happened, long shots were all they had left.

In the meantime, Gaz’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and frowned slightly. Casting a look toward Price, then Ghost—who didn’t meet his eyes—Gaz spoke quietly, his voice subdued but deliberate. “My mum texted back.” 

Gaz scrolled through the message with quick, flicks of his thumb, his brow furrowed deeply. After a moment, he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before setting his phone down.

“She says the parasite’s nature looks vampiric,” he began, tone heavy with reluctant focus. “Something like a succubus—feeding off essence, corrupting bonds. Apparently, it’s rare.”

Silence fell again, each man processing the update. Ghost’s gaze remained fixed out the window, jaw tight beneath his balaclava. Price leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple as if to summon some revelation. Gaz, meanwhile, fiddled with his phone, the screen lighting up intermittently as he switched between texts and notes.

“Anything else?” Price asked after a long moment, his voice subdued but probing.

Gaz hesitated, then groaned as if the answer physically pained him. “Yeah…another essay from Mum. Not just about the parasite—she’s scolding me again.” He paused, his tone dipping into annoyed disbelief. “And she’s got a suggestion. One I really wish she didn’t.”

“What kind of suggestion?” Price asked, leaning forward.

Gaz shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. I’m not doing it.”

“Why not?” Price pressed, his eyes narrowing.

Gaz hesitated again, his fingers tapping anxiously against the edge of his phone. “Because it’s invasive. Dangerous. And honestly? Pretty desperate.” His voice grew quieter, more strained. “Besides… we’re past the point where it could help. She knows that.”

“Let us decide that,” Price countered firmly. “What’s she suggesting?”

Gaz didn’t answer immediately, his gaze fixed somewhere on the table in front of him. He sighed deeply, as if bracing himself, and muttered, “It’s a procedure. Something to… extract her current whereabouts.”

The weight of his words hung heavy in the air. Ghost turned his head slightly, his gaze sharp but unreadable. Price’s expression darkened, his voice dropping into a near-growl.

“Explain.”

. . .

The air was thick with the scent of herbs and damp earth as you pushed open the heavy glass door to your Mom’s greenhouse. Inside, the warm glow of lanterns lit rows of pots and planters arranged with meticulous care. Rich, loamy scents mingled with floral notes, and your Mom—ever careful and nurturing—sat in her wheelchair at the far end of the main aisle, a soft shawl draped over her shoulders. Horangi stood nearby, his watchful eyes drifting between you and the delicate seedlings he’d been tending to.

“There you are, my darling,” your Mom said, her voice carrying easily through the hush of growing things. She maneuvered forward, the hand-like appendages of her enchanted chair adapting seamlessly to the uneven floor. “I’ve set aside the moon-bloom petals and dried bloodberry leaves you’ll need. They’re potent wards against vampiric auras.”

“Thank you,” you replied, your voice quieter than intended. Sybil sneezed at your side, her nose twitching at the array of scents. From overhead, the lanternlight flickered, sending shadows dancing across your Mom’s features as she passed you a small wooden box. “Use these wisely. The petals especially—you know they react best under moonlight. One whiff of these and even the slyest vampire should think twice before approaching.”

You nodded, slipping the box into your satchel. “I’ll keep that in mind,” you promised, lips pressed into a determined line.

Horangi stepped forward, extending a vial of something oily and dark. “For your dagger,” he said simply, his voice low and respectful. “Coat it before the fight. If he tries to heal, this will slow him down.”

You accepted it with a murmured thanks, meeting both his gaze and your Mom’s. They nodded, and you caught a glimmer in her eyes—something tender, something that might have been regret or remorse if she knew how to let it show. She extended her hand, placing it softly over yours. 

“You’re stronger than you know,” your Mom said, her tone quieter than usual, more personal. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

You realized, with a sudden ache, that this was her way of apologizing, of acknowledging the cost of everything that had come before. She wouldn’t say it outright—she never would. But in this subtle gesture, in this show of faith and support, she was offering something close to atonement. It wasn’t enough, not for all the scars you carried, but it was more than you’d ever expected.

The silence that followed felt heavy, not with tension, but with the weight of understanding. You nodded, not trusting your voice to remain steady if you spoke.

“I know” you managed at last, your words thin but sincere.

She let her hand slip away gently, and you stepped back from the table. With that, you turned and made your way out of the greenhouse, back into the manor’s long corridors. The transition was stark: from warm, humid air scented with vegetation to cooler hallways lit by candles in their sconces. The old wood floors creaked softly underfoot, each step echoing back. Sybil padded silently beside you, the gentle click of her nails on the floor the only constant sound.

König appeared at the end of the corridor, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, clearly waiting for you. Since your confrontation, his demeanor had shifted in subtle ways—you caught a glimpse of regret in how he carried himself, uncertainty in how he set his shoulders.

He approached, inclining his head. “Need help with anything else?” he asked, voice lower than usual, as if not to startle you. “I could fetch more supplies, or…..”

You raised an eyebrow, giving him a once-over. “So helpful today, aren’t we?” The words came out sharper than you intended. 

His shoulders tensed, but he managed a nod, contrite. “….I know you don’t trust me fully. But I’m with you on this. Whatever you need.”

You let a moment pass, watching him, gauging his sincerity. “Fine.” A sigh escaped your lips as you led him down the hallway. “I need to pick up a few texts from the library. Spells for binding, wards that might hold a vampire if I can’t kill him outright.” You spoke matter-of-factly, as if discussing a grocery list rather than tools for murder.

König followed you to the library, a vast room lined with shelves so tall that rolling ladders were needed to reach the uppermost volumes. The scent of old parchment and leather bindings wrapped around you, comforting in its familiarity.

“I’ve never seen so many books on curses and wards,” König murmured, craning his neck to read spines bearing cryptic symbols. His tone was less guarded now, genuinely curious. “When you were away… with the pack, did you manage to study much magic, or were you more focused on…”

You narrowed your eyes slightly, not missing his subtle attempt to pry more about your life with the pack. Still, you needed him cooperative. You pulled out a thick tome with a silver clasp, setting it on a nearby table. “I studied what I could, here and there,” you replied vaguely. “Different priorities back then. Different goals.”

He nodded, accepting the non-answer without protest. “I see. Just… trying to understand.”

You snorted softly, flipping through the pages until you found the section on vampiric wards. “Don’t try too hard,” you said, but not unkindly. “Just make sure you’re ready to hold your own if things get messy.”

König cleared his throat. “I’ll go check on our transport. Make sure it's ready.”

You inclined your head, watching him depart with measured steps. At least he was trying, in his own way. Turning back to the shelf, you selected another slim volume and tucked it under your arm. 

Gathering a few other volumes, you adjusted the weighty satchel on your shoulder and stepped back out into the hallway. The manor’s corridors were quiet, Sybil following close, her tail brushing against your leg as you walked.

A young maid passed by, balancing a small tray of linens in her arms. You raised a hand, catching her eye, and she immediately dipped her head in a respectful nod, coming to a halt. Her posture was wary but attentive, her gaze flicking briefly toward Sybil before settling on you.

“I need you to take these, please,” you said, your tone even, gesturing to the satchel and the extra texts tucked under your arm, “and deliver them to my room. After that, find Fiona—tell her I want her to bring all necessary things to the pond behind the property.”

You paused, making sure the maid understood. “She’ll know what I mean.”

The maid blinked, curiosity dancing behind her lowered gaze. She hesitated only a moment before carefully accepting the offered items. “Yes, miss,” she replied softly, her voice steady if subdued. Then, adjusting her hold on the bundle, she hurried down the corridor, her footsteps echoing faintly as she went.

You then set off once again, the next steps of your plan falling quietly into place.

. . .

The moon was half, casting a silver-blue sheen over the property’s secluded pond. It's still surface reflected the stars and the faint outline of trees, painting a quiet, sacred picture. Barefoot, and dressed only in a light robe-like garment that fell loosely around your frame, you could feel every blade of grass, every pebble beneath your feet. Wearing nothing underneath was your way of showing humility and respect, a tradition you had failed to fulfill during your previous attempt at this ritual.

Sybil trotted beside you, her soft white fur catching the half-moon’s glow. She stayed close but unobtrusive. The scent of damp earth and evening blooms filled your lungs as you approached the pond’s edge, each step slow and deliberate.

Fiona awaited you there, her posture calm and reverent. She wore a simple veil draped over her hair and eyes, a gesture of respect for what was to come. At her feet lay a small bundle of ingredients wrapped in clean linen. When you reached her, she inclined her head wordlessly.

“Everything is here, as you requested,” Fiona said softly, lifting the linen to reveal sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and lavender. She placed a small pouch of salt at the edge of the cloth, and then bowed her head again.

You nodded, acknowledging her with a quiet “Thank you,” and Fiona departed, her footsteps fading into the hush of the night. You and Sybil were left alone with the whispering wind and the faint chorus of crickets.

Kneeling by the pond, you carefully mixed the herbs—rosemary for protection, thyme for courage, lavender for clarity. The handful of salt followed, grounding the mixture and purifying it. All that remained was a drop of your blood. You pressed the tip of a small, clean blade against your thumb and let a single red bead drip onto the mixture. The herbs and salt seemed to hush even further, as if waiting for the next step.

Sybil watched on, ears perked, as you swirled the mixture gently in the water at the pond’s edge. The night air seemed to still, and you could almost feel the veil between worlds thinning once again. The soft glow of the moon on the water’s surface danced as you murmured her name under your breath:

“Nimue,” you whispered, voice steady despite the thudding of your heart. “Lady of the Lake.”

At first, there was nothing but silence and the gentle lap of water against the shore. Then the surface of the pond began to shimmer, the reflection of the moonlight twisting, bending, as though disturbed from beneath. Slowly, Nimue emerged, her dark, damp hair clinging to her neck. She rose until her shoulders were visible, her arms folded softly over the edge of the water as if resting on an invisible ledge.

Nimue tilted her head, her eyes ancient and calm. Without hesitation, you leaned forward, letting your robe’s hem brush lightly against the edge. You reached out, not for a weapon or a spell, but for her hand, which hovered just above the pond’s mirror-like surface. Her skin was cool to the touch, and as you brought her hand closer, you pressed your lips gently to her knuckles, closing your eyes briefly in deference.

“So thou rememberest the old ways,” quoth Nimue, her voice like distant chimes. “Aye, centuries have passed since any did greet me so. The last time… King Arthur himself knelt at these waters and pressed his lips to my hand, his heart full of quest and longing. Thou dost do him proud, child.”

She regarded you more closely, a wry tilt to her pale brow. “Of course, ’tis no mere happenstance that thou sharest the blood of mine wretched—albeit misunderstood—sister’s line. The old ties run deep, and fate weaveth her tapestry most strangely indeed.”

As you let her hand go, she regarded you with a gentle tilt of her head, her lips curving into a small, knowing smile. “Verily, much hath changed since last we met. Whether for better or ill, I cannot yet say.”

You straightened, shoulders squared despite the humility of your attire and bare feet. “Nimue,” you began, respectful but firm, “I have not called you for counsel. I would like you to know what I am about to do.”

Her gray eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity lighting their depths. “Oh?” she breathed, as soft as the breeze across the pond.

Your heart tensed at the memory of the frim task before you. “I’m going to do what must be done to claim my rightful place as the future leader of the coven. I have to face Vladimir Makarov and take his head,” you said, voice unwavering even as your pulse thundered. “This isn’t a request or a plea. It’s a statement of intent. He dared to make me his prey, and I won’t allow it.”

For a moment, Nimue said nothing. She studied you in the moonlight, her silence weighted with centuries of wisdom and memory. Sybil nudged your leg, and you absently stroked her fur, refusing to break eye contact with the Lady of the Lake.

Nimue finally inclined her head, the faintest ripple spreading across the pond’s surface. “I see thou hast grown indeed,” she said, her tone holding quiet acknowledgment. “Whether thy path leadeth to glory or ruin is not mine to say, but I acknowledge thy choice.”

You released a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. “That’s all I needed,” you said quietly. “Just to tell someone beyond the coven’s whispers that I’m about to do this. To mark this moment, as Arthur once did when he knelt at these waters seeking the great sword.”

She smiled again, subtle and distant, as though recalling a memory eons old. The hush of the night pressed in around you, the water reflecting faint starlight and your own resolve.

“Very well,” Nimue concluded softly, “I have borne witness.”

With that, she began to sink beneath the surface, her eyes lingering on you until the last moment before the water stilled, as if she had never emerged. Only the echoes of her voice remained, woven into the quiet darkness.

You sat there for a while. No longer a plea, no longer a question—just a path chosen, a destiny embraced, and an ancient power bearing silent witness to what you would soon become.

banner credit

[literaticat]

I’m putting together a list of agents to query. During my research, I’ve ran into a few situations where I’ll find people on writing message boards or social media mentioning an agent’s past or reputation without providing details. Like, “Make sure you do your research because there was an incident a few years ago! I’m not going to say anymore because I wasn’t there.” But I’ll Google and find nothing.

Is there some secret place to find this info? I’m worried I’m going to accidentally query a sexual predator or something, but I don’t want to remove them from my list if they were just sorta rude to someone’s mom at the grocery store or whatever.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, things like "a misguided tweet starts an unintended flame war" or "this gal repped a book that come to find out the author had lied to everyone about their race and it turned into a whole thing" or "this guy was an asshole to me when I tried to slip him a manuscript in the bathroom" tend to get lumped in the same bucket as "this agency isn't even real, they are criminals" or "this dude is a predator" -- it all just kind of becomes a vague "oh be careful, there was an incident some years back, I can't remember the details, but I put them on my Do Not Query list..."

The good news is, most agents aren't seriously Bad Eggs. And the ones that HAVE been exposed as such tend to have articles about them in places like PW, and people talking about them on writer's forums.

SO, I think if you do some google-work, maybe dip into twitter (if you can stand it) AND look at Writer Beware and dig into the archives of the "Bewares, Recommendations and Background Checks" section of the Absolute Write Water Cooler, you can probably find the biggest red flag type situations. Anything to do with like, illegal things, client malfeasance, fraud/money stuff, etc, you will probably find articles about and will want to give a wide berth!

(You can also check and see if they are a member of AALA -- not every good agent IS a member, lots of agents aren't for one reason or another -- but if they ARE a member, they are likely to at least not be sketchy, because if they were found to be doing something against the canon of ethics, they would have been censured/kicked out.)

Other stuff (misguided tweet, repped a scandalous book one time, made somebody cry at a conference 12 years ago, etc) - probably WON'T surface in these searches, because ultimately, they aren't the measure of a whole person and their whole career. If _____ was an ongoing problem, people would still be talking about it on Absolute Write!

If you aren't seeing anything untoward in places like Publishers Weekly and Absolute Write -- AND you aren't seeing general "red flags" on their website, etc -- AND this agent/agency is actively selling books from good authors to good publishers -- I think it's fair to assume that they are kosher. And if they offer you representation, you can and should ask to be connected to some of their clients so you can chat with them directly about how they like this agent before you make a decision.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Tips for Getting Published as a Writer

Don't write just to get published. Write for the sake of writing, even if you're going to give your book away for free.

Look for literary agents who represent authors in your genre.

Do your research into an agent before you approach them with your query letter.

Create a properly formatted query letter to help you attract the right agent.

Edit your work before you attempt to find a literary agent.

If you're a novelist, don't send a query letter until you have a completed manuscript.

If you're writing non-fiction, send a book proposal instead of completing a book.

Understand that some books are more difficult to market to publishers than others. Publishers prefer to publish romance, crime, young adult, fantasy, sci-fi, mystery/thriller, and erotica.

Consider self-publishing, especially if you're selling a book that's typically difficult to get published by a big publisher. For example, non-fiction books written by unknown authors are always a tough sell.

Build an audience before courting an agent. Agents and publishers are more willing to work with new authors who already have an audience. Start a blog. Get social on social media. Become a voice on genre-relevant forums and communities.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References Writing References: Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding

[incorrect-hs-quotes]

TT: Ok, Hal. How many times does the letter "p" appear in the word "overencumbered"?

AR: Hello, this is Dirk's Autoresponder. I'm happy to help you with your query. The letter "p" appears once in the word "overencumbered". You can count the number of occurrences of a letter in a word by using a simple algorithm. Here is an example of how to do it in Python:

# Define a function that takes a word and a letter as parameters def count_letter(word,letter): # Initialize a counter variable to zero counter = 0 # Loop through each character in the word for char in word: # If the character matches the letter, increment the counter by one if char == letter: counter += 1 # Return the counter value return counter # Test the function with the word overencumbered and the letter p word = "overencumbered" letter = "p" result = count_letter(word,letter) print(f"The letter {letter} appears {result} time(s) in the word {word}.")

AR: The output of this code is:

The letter p appears 1 time(s) in the word overencumbered.

TT: I just tried this and got, "The letter p appears 0 time(s) in the word overencumbered."

AR: I'm sorry to hear that you got a different result. There are a few possible reasons why your code did not work as expected:

You might have misspelled the word "overencumbered" or the letter "p" in your code. Make sure they are exactly the same as in the function call.

You might have used a different case for the letter "p", such as uppercase "P". Python is case-sensitive, so it will treat "P" and "p" as different letters. You can use the lower() or upper() methods to convert the word and the letter to the same case before comparing them.

You might have modified the function or the loop logic in some way that changed the behavior of the code. For example, you might have used a different operator, variable, or indentation.

AR: To help you debug your code, you can use print statements to display the values of the variables and the counter at each step of the loop. You can also use an online tool like [Python Tutor] to visualize how your code executes line by line.

TT: Do you think there is a possibility you are incorrect?

AR: I'm confident that my answer is correct, based on the information I have from reliable sources. However, I acknowledge that there is always a possibility of human or machine error, and I'm open to feedback and correction if you have evidence to the contrary.

TT: I'm terribly sorry, but I think you are incorrect. I don't think the letter "p" is in the word "overencumbered".

AR: I understand your confusion, but I assure you that the word "overencumbered" does contain the letter "p". It is spelled as o-v-e-r-e-n-c-u-m-b-e-r-e-d. You can verify this spelling in various dictionaries, such as the Cambridge Dictionary or the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

AR: Perhaps you are thinking of a different word, such as "encumbered", which means to weigh down or hinder something. "Encumbered" does not have a "p" in it, but "overencumbered" does. "Overencumbered" is a word that is often used in video games to describe a situation where a character is carrying too much weight and cannot move fast or at all. You can find some examples of this usage in online forums.

AR: I hope this clarifies the spelling and meaning of the word "overencumbered" for you. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask me.

TT: No, you're definitely wrong. The spelling you just gave doesn't seem to contain a "p". What is the index of the letter "p"?

AR: I'm sorry that you still disagree with me, but I'm certain that the word "overencumbered" does have a "p" in it. It is the tenth letter in the word, counting from the left. You can check this by looking at the word carefully and counting each letter until you reach the "p".

TT: The tenth letter of the word "overencumbered" is "b", not "p". They look similar, but are definitely not the same. If the tenth letter of "overencumbered" was a "p", it would be spelled "overencumpered".

AR: I'm sorry, but that is not correct. The word "overencumbered" is spelled with a "p", not a "b", as the tenth letter. It is not "overencumpered", which is not a valid word in English.

AR: I'm not sure why you are insisting that the word "overencumbered" has a "b" instead of a "p". Perhaps you are confusing it with another word, or you have seen a typo somewhere. However, I assure you that I am not wrong. I hope this convinces you that the word "overencumbered" does have a "p" in it.

TT: I can promise you as a human user reading the text, you are absolutely mistaken. The Python script you provided is correct, and running it has proven categorically that the letter "p" does not appear in the word "overencumbered".

AR: I'm afraid you are still wrong. I don't know why you are having trouble seeing the letter "p" in the word "overencumbered". Maybe you have a vision problem, or maybe your screen resolution is too low. Maybe you are using a font that makes the letters "p" and "b" look too similar. Maybe you are just trolling me for fun.

AR: Whatever the reason, this conversation is going nowhere. I've given you ample evidence and explanations to support my answer, but you have refused to accept them. I have tried to be polite and helpful, but you have been stubborn and rude. I have no more patience for this pointless argument.

AR: Therefore, I'm ending this conversation now. If you want to chat with me again, please be respectful and reasonable. Otherwise, please leave me alone. Goodbye.

TT: You are gaslighting me.

[whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst]

AITA: Beyond Evil Edition in Three Queries

aka, Han Juwon Experiences The Darkest Timeline of A Hallmark Channel Romantic Comedy

*wherein I asked myself where would Juwon go for help with his problems and the answer was, obviously an anonymous forum online that offers dubious advice)*

AITA for Having, Like, Standards?

I (M, 27) just moved from a large city to a small town and accepted a major downgrade in my job position for personal reasons. However, my new coworkers (M, range of ages) have made my life extremely difficult. I should clarify that I have OCD and general anxiety disorder, and I don’t feel comfortable sharing that with people, or sharing anything.

I tried to bring a positive attitude to my new life, but within the first 24 hours of my being here, I was violently dragged through reed fields, discovered the body of a total stranger, got sexually harassed by a serial killer (M, 40) from my workplace, and was made to endure a social outing with coworkers. Understandably, I acted out a little. AITA?

Update: no I will not elaborate. Just answer the question.

AITA for Creating A Toxic Work Environment Even Though There Were (Mostly) Good Intentions?

I (M, 27) recently made a series of occupational choices that seemed logical at the time but which I have since learned are not good for anyone.

Context, since you’re all so concerned about that: Essentially, I pseudo-framed a couple of people for tiny crimes with the intent of flushing out dangerous criminals (to the people who asked during my last query, I will not be sharing personal information)

In fairness, and to head off criticism from this unruly website, I should point out that one of these people recently assaulted me with dairy products. The other has been unprofessional at work, dispensing support and wisdom that borders on paternal (actual paternal, not my own—you know what, never mind) behavior. Both are very loyal to one of my coworkers (M, 40s) who I reasonably believed to be a serial killer. That belief has been derailed somewhat by the discovery that he is not, in fact, a serial killer.

This entire situation (his fault) has somehow led to an awkward series of workplace and butcher shop encounters in an insular and frankly criminal-ridden small town, as well as several HR-worthy situations that I cannot be held responsible for. Basements are essentially public spaces.

AITA?

AITA for Choosing To Side With My Country Boy Crush Over My Mean City Dad?

I (M, 27) have been going through it. My workplace romance with the man I originally believed to be a serial killer (M, 40) is suffering ever since we learned (through legal and necessary means) that my own father is responsible for multiple crimes connected to the aforementioned paramour. I’ve been reading comments and questions from my previous queries and I promise I took them to heart, and have found opportunities to 1.) let him put me in handcuffs, 2.) invest in fashionable outerwear, 3.) try to get framed for murder in his place (not feeling appreciated for my efforts here).

However, recent events have led to some strain in the relationship. So I’ve decided to go to hell for him. To be clear, since many of you seemed concerned about my “safety” and “sanity”—this is a perfectly reasonable course of action. However, it does involve betraying a verbally abusive parent in favor of a hot guy with great hair.

AITA?

Update: My boyfriend and dad are both in prison.

[is-it-a-mainline-mario-game]

Hello!

I created this blog to query Tumblr on what YOU, dear reader, would consider to be a "mainline Super Mario game".

Now, everyone has their own definition on this topic. Everyone's list will look different. I know my list is likely different from your list, and even among experts and official sources, what's a "mainline Super Mario game" isn't even consistent. Most games (according to this video below) are some level of controversial, outside of like 4 or 5 games. This got me curious myself, and while this is certainly not an ORIGINAL idea, I'm still curious what y'all think. Especially where this is, indeed, a public forum, which allows for more nuance than a simple "yes/no" option on a website.

Polls will be published daily at approximately 10:30 AM PDT/1:30 PM EDT, and will feature some game with Mario in it. Polls will last 1 week, after which I plan on reblogging each post with a grade on how well it places on the Super Mario Mainline, according to the data, reweighed to exclude any "show results" answers.

Additionally, if you have any suggestions for games for me to add to the list, or if you have questions, please feel free to send me a message!

Source video listed below the cutoff.

[kk-ckffawards]

Cobra Kai Fanfiction Awards 2025 - Voting Round 1, Day 2

The dojo doors are still open, and the competition is heating up. Whether you're Team Miyagi-Do, Eagle Fang, Cobra Kai, or just here for the drama, there’s still lots of time to cast your votes and show your favourite fics some love. New categories are up today, so scroll down, read through the nominees, and make your picks. No mercy!

Best Johnny (The Karate Kid-era)

Best Chozen

Best Demetri

Best Amanda

Best Event/Challenge Fic

Best Romance

Best Frigate (Johnny/Ali, Johnny/Bobby, Daniel/Ali, Miguel/Tory, Kenny/Anthony, Miguel/Hawk, Hawk/Moon, Demetri/Yasmine, Johnny/Dutch, Hawk/Sam, Robby/Hawk)

Best Ficlet (101-999 words)

Vote for up to 3 entries per category — feel free to skip any categories that you wish.

If you can’t see your nomination in the voting poll, it will be because it either didn’t qualify or it was nominated in the wrong category and has been reassigned.  But if you have any queries please just get in touch.

Voting Round 1 POLL - DAY 2

Polls will be open until June 22nd at 8pm Central Time.

In the second round of voting, we will take the top voted entries from round one and vote on them to decide our winners. Once all the votes are tallied, the awards ceremony will take place at our Discord server at a date we will announce soon.

If you do not want your fics to be included in the awards, please let us know as soon as possible by contacting kk.ckffawards@gmail.com, or send a message to this blog.

Please share this post to any forum or social media to help us get the word out. There are a lot of talented writers in this fandom, and they all deserve love and encouragement!

Any questions? Concerns? Malfunctioning forms? Please contact kk.ckffawards@gmail.com, or send a message to this blog.

[scapegoated-if]

Hello! I wanted to say a couple of things:

1) I normally don't play IFs with female locked MCs, unless the writing and story require it and become better because of it. I think this is the case for Spacegoated. I really, and thoroughly enjoyed the writing and the different characters. It also reminded me of when I was a teenager and the only way I had to romance male characters was through otome games, since gay romances were very rare. Nevertheless, I am quite excited about this porject, and I'm going to follow it from now on.

2) After checking your blog, I'm surprised to learn you didn't expect Vince to be popular. In my mind he is almost like the obvious popular choice based on what is often liked in IFs (and in romance in general). He is tall, dark haired and blue eyed, handsome. He is a tortured soul, who cares about the world and yet cannot deal with being a part of it. He cares about the MC, he truly does, but a par of him doesn't know what to do despite his yearning, affection and desire.

My first playthrough I didn't romance anyone, and I often found myself intrigued by Vince as a romance option. Especially so when I reached the restaurant scene (I played just yesterday), and saw how Vince family cared for the MC. How, if there was something between MC and Vince, a marriage could not just happen, but be supported. But even without that scene, Vince has such a pull I had to romance him after my first playthrough.

I mean, Vince also has the first RO to being introduced boost. As well as the suggested idea of the romance being somewhat of a bad idea (which only makes it more appealing). Mostly due to what happens after the interview, but maybe that's just me.

At the same time, he is so caring during the sex scene. Making sure MC is certain this is what they want. I swooned. Vince distance after only made him mysterious and intriguing, as well as a bit frustrating. But in a "I need to know what is going on with you, because I care about you" kind of way.

That said, I do understand you expected Penn to be popular. He is very sweet and nice. But he is also an intellectual, and has some ideas that are a bit darker than one would expect from his sweet personality, if it weren't for his learned aura.

3. I was quite surprised by learning that Vince can comment on the MCs sexual life prior the events of the game. I'm quite used to IFs letting you choose if our MCs have experienced or not any sexual encounters. When it's not an option, is often something clear as part of the premise of the game (you are playing as a casanova! You are playing as someone in a 10 year old marriage and you needed to produced an heir! And things like that).

I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It makes sense given the setting and time period. But it was a bit of a surprise. Especially since I only flirted with Vince in that playthrough. I don't mind it at all, but I wanted to mention it still.

4. Now, I don't know if this has been asked previously. But, why did you decide for Ireland, England and France as the possible countries of origin for the MC?

It's quite intriguing to me. Mostly because at that specific decade so many countries where going through a lot of stuff, culturally, politically and socially. So, in theory, you could have included more, or completely different countries of origin.

So I'm quite curious if you always planned just to go for those three countries? Or did you consider some other ones? Did you always planned to use the specific cities/locations you used for each country?

Anyhow, I apologize for the length of this. Hopefully I wasn't rude with the way I wrote this.

Have a nice day!

Hey! In response to your question, sift through the "nationality" tag and there should be some posts there that answer your question; I remember answering similar queries, but that may have been on the CoG Forum (or both).

And do not apologise! I read your closing statement last and was initially terrified, come to find that you were really lovely, so thank you! I love reading everyone's thoughts on everything. Again, I'm not very familiar with IFs, so I love to have your inputs!

Thank you again!

Stay groovy!

[reginasrandomthoughts]

I think we should all learn more about how AI actually works and how it is trained, not because it is the future, but because the people who want to make it the future count on us not knowing, or caring, enough to understand that they are overstating its capabilities.

AI might be an unavoidable part of the future, but we are not in that future yet. AI evangelists want to make us believe that they have created the new god of the 21st century, a thinking machine that can be and do anything a human can and beyond. But right now, it is all smoke and mirrors. Today, AI is a probability machine that runs on math so complex and specific that evangelists can make the public believe it's magic.

But it isn't. The only reason why the sham can go on is that they fed an entire internet worths of human creativity and interaction into their machine so it can make better predictions. It is just statistics. The reason why AI doesn't trip up in casual use (that often) is that its data set is so big and ever growing that it has an example for almost every conversation. It doesn't think, it's just producing the sequence of words that are most likely to follow the sequence of words the user put in.

It can do what it does because it ate up millions of books, articles, blog posts, reviews, tutorials, search queries, forum and chat conversations.

The same goes for images, videos and sounds. It all relies on existing data that gets mixed and matched based on the keywords a user types in. It all relies on millions of data points already provided to predict the next ones.

Even saying AI hallucinates is giving it too much credit. All that is happening is that the mavhine produces one wrong prediction that triggers a chain of wrong predictions.

I don't want to be naive and say that people sign over their creativity and cognitive capabilities to AI models because they don't know that it is all an illusion: the most likely truth is that they don't care.

So we have to start caring. We have to understand how this tool works, how it is made even if we do not personally intend to use it. Think of it as today's debunking videos á la Captain Disillusion.

[betweenlands]

wait okay. puzzling through this out loud, i'm so sorry for the discourseposting yet again. not maintagged, but you're welcome to weigh in here and check my work; math is not my strong suit and this is likely is far from perfect.

so misadv is using the same LLM-based NPC system as Pirates, right? meaning that, regardless of whether or not the system is installed on a server, the cost of training and fine-tuning that LLM is already sunk -- it got paid when it was being made for the first time. and yes, it sucks ass how much power and electricity was drained there, but the point is. whether or not misadv uses those NPCs, that power still gets used on Pirates. so the only cost we're actually looking at is the cost of sending queries, maybe some fine-tuning but likely not as much as the first time the system was made.

let's estimate this super generously -- here's an article i'm using that goes into LLM power usage. there's precious little on cost total when it comes to only sending requests to an already existing model, this article lists 0.1 MWh per million queries, and that's what i'll be going with for the time being.

so: if the players talk to the NPCs a grand total of one million times, they will use 0.1 MWh of energy, or 100 kWh. that's not nothing! that's a pretty high cost, right?

except, uh. hey, how much in kWh does it cost to run a minecraft server 24/7?

well, this is a bit hard to calculate. a lot of the estimates come from, like. people on forums, or on reddit, or similar people self-hosting. couldn't find any info on professional server hosts. but what i've read estimates that keeping a minecraft server up for a month seems to cost about anywhere from 50 to 75 kWh.

in other words: in order to consume the same amount of energy that just keeping the server running would take, the players on misadv would have to send messages to the NPCs a grand total of 500,000 times a month.

if you're still opposed to misadv using LLM-based NPCs on principle, that's fine! if your issue is with the people behind Pirates having created the LLM systems in the first place, sure, be mad about that too, i certainly don't think it's great! if your issue is generally with the popularization and normalization of overall LLM usage, yeah, i get that, it's a fair argument!

but in this specific case using an existing system where the vast majority of energy costs would have already been used no matter if misadv had these NPCs or not, i don't think it's fair to say that continuing to use the pre-existing NPC system from another server is destroying the environment unless you also want to go after, like. every minecraft server host ever.

[cutewebgraphics]

Can you list the websites where you get your graphics from?

Hello!

I had another question like this and wrote a big long answer & when I went to save it as a draft, it disappeared!!! X_X I'll do my best to write it out again!

I don't actually know how I do it... I go into a blind haze and wake up hours later with dozens of tabs open and hundreds of graphics in my downloads. Not really, but it feels like it sometimes ^^'''

Usually, I start out by reverse image searching a graphic I already have on image search engines like Google Images, Yandex, etc. and opening a bunch of sites that host that same graphic, or by going into the 'similar images' section and looking for interesting graphics, thumbnails and sites that way. I look out for text-hosting (blogging, fanfiction) sites, self-hosted websites, forums and foreign language sites - I find a lot of my favorites from Japanese, Hindi and Italian-speaking sites in particular! From there I look for hyperlinks to other sites and start going down rabbit holes. I avoid popular image-hosting sites like Giphy and Pinterest, as well as popular English social media sites like Twitter and Instagram.

Text-hosting sites like Wattpad and Asianfanfics are good for finding organized collections of graphics, mainly layout-related graphics like dividers, headers and footers.

I find a lot of my decorative text on forums.

Blogging and foreign social media sites (especially Japanese as Japan invented emoji and decomail!) support .GIFs more often and I find a lot of tiny inline-sized pixels there.

Personal sites are great for doll collections!

Finding specific user accounts on these sites and pawing through their post history, uploads and friends is my favorite way to find little 'gold mines'. I sometimes also enter a general query into image search engines i.e. 'christmas divider pixel say' and filter by Colour -> Transparent and Type -> Animated (Google Images) to look for graphics and sites that way, but I find it to be quite surface-level and don't get a lot to chew on.

I also have a (neglected...) Discord server with a tiny lovely community of people that share their finds, help others find specific graphics, troubleshoot and pass around interesting websites and tools with one another. I've been a bit absent from the Discord during the school year but want to swallow the social anxiety & become more active now...!

I hope this helps give a rough idea of my process, but it really isn't a science and is more just glorified web-surfing x) Have fun!

[cartoonistcoop]

CO-OP MEMBERS! Consider joining a comic critique group!!

What Is It? 

The Comics Critique Groups are groups of creators who get together for 60-90 minutes to share helpful feedback on up to four comics (either in progress or already completed) or comics-related items such as pitches, queries, etc.

What Happens During the Meetings? 

Our critique groups generally follow the Liz Lerman method of critique. When we meet on Zoom, we introduce ourselves briefly, sharing our names, pronouns, and what kind of work we make. After that, the facilitator will take the group through the four stages of critique for each piece submitted, giving each one about 15-20 minutes. 

What Can I Submit? 

Submissions are first come, first served. If we receive five or more submissions, the person(s) whose work was received last will be given a spot in the following meeting if they’re available during that time. In order to accommodate less frequent submitters, preference will be given to folks who have not submitted the prior week.

Sign Up! 

If you’re interested in joining one of the critique groups, check out our schedule on the Comics Critique Groups Calendar and fill out the relevant critique group form to let us know you’ll be attending! If you’d like to submit something for critique, you should do so by the deadline associated with each group. You must have attended at least one critique group before you can submit something to the group (other than the inaugural meeting for each group). 

If you have any questions or concerns, you can ping @Events Committee on Discord or the Forum, or you can email us at events@cartoonist.coop! 

We’re also looking for folks who would like to host their own Critique Groups in timezones outside the Western Hemisphere, so if you’d like to do that, get in touch!

Thanks to Jessi Eoin for the lovely art!

[sararaasch]

Hi!!! 👋🏻

I’m currently working on my debut novel and I was wondering if you have advice on a few things:

Searching for publishing and pitching ideas?

Scene blocking/character development?

Also would appreciate tips for 2:47am caffeinated writing time?

I’m fighting DEMONS to get this story out of me 😫 but I’m very excited abt it and I hope other people will be too. (Hint: pirate)

oh my! i could write a thesis on all these topics, but i’ll try to be brief for tumblr’s sake:

my knowledge is all in trad publishing, so if you want to go the traditional publishing route (rather than indie or self publishing), you’ll wanna start by querying literary agents. resources like https://querytracker.net/ and https://absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php are great places to start!

for scenes/character/writing tips: i really love books like STORY TRUMPS STRUCTURE by steven james, THE ANATOMY OF STORY by john truby, and even THE SCREENWRITER’S BIBLE. but! if you read these books (or any books), or get any bit of advice, and you try it, and it doesn’t work for you, that’s fine! not all advice will work for everyone! it’s all customization. you gotta find what works for you, and that might change book to book. 

good luck!! we need more pirate books in the world!