#actor and tech problems

[moonthemagical]

It's literally my job, not yours

for background info, I got promoted by our new director to Tech Director so I am in charge of all the tech for our production. Cool, right? Wrong.

So many actors are trying to pitch me ideas for stuff that just WON'T WORK either due to our budget, amount of people needed or my mental health, or sometimes the fun ones, ALL THREE REASONS!!!

Had a small argument this evening over text because an actor wanted us to project a LIVE SCREEN RECORDING of THE ACTORS TEXTING.

First of all, no matter how fast you think you type, it is NOT going to be fast enough for the attention spans of our audience members.

Second, last time I checked it's really weird to connect a phone to a projector. There could also be lag and delay through Bluetooth.

So I told them why we couldn't do it, and for some reason according to them I was "really mean and shooting down their ideas so quickly"

I told them that it's my job to tell them if stuff doesn't and can't work, but they seem to love to paint me as some mean dictator.

So yeah, has anyone else dealt with situations like this? If so, I could really use some help as I am really bad at settling conflicts.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

AI and the fatfinger economy

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me at NEW ZEALAND'S UNITY BOOKS in WELLINGTON TODAY (May 3). More tour dates (Pittsburgh, PDX, London, Manchester) here.

Have you noticed that all the buttons you click most frequently to invoke routine, useful functions in your device have been moved, and their former place is now taken up by a curiously butthole-esque icon that summons an unwanted AI?

https://velvetshark.com/ai-company-logos-that-look-like-buttholes

These traps for the unwary aren't accidental, but neither are they placed there solely because tech companies think that if they can trick you into using their AI, you'll be so impressed that you'll become a regular user. To understand why you find yourself repeatedly fatfingering your way into an unwanted AI interaction – and why those interactions are so hard to exit – you have to understand something about both the macro- and microeconomics of high-growth tech companies.

Growth is a heady advantage for tech companies, and not because of an ideological commitment to "growth at all costs," but because companies with growth stocks enjoy substantial, material benefits. A growth stock trades at a higher "price to earnings ratio" ("P:E") than a "mature" stock. Because of this, there are a lot of actors in the economy who will accept shares in a growing company as though they were cash (indeed, some might prefer shares to cash). This means that a growing company can outbid their rivals when acquiring other companies and/or hiring key personnel, because they can bid with shares (which they get by typing zeroes into a spreadsheet), while their rivals need cash (which they can only get by selling things or borrowing money).

The problem is that all growth ends. Google has a 90% share of the search market. Google isn't going to appreciably increase the number of searchers, short of desperate gambits like raising a billion new humans to maturity and convincing them to become Google users (this is the strategy behind Google Classroom, of course). To continue posting growth, Google needs gimmicks. For example, in 2019, Google intentionally made Search less accurate so that users would have to run multiple queries (and see multiple rounds of ads) to find the answers to their questions:

https://www.wheresyoured.at/the-men-who-killed-google/

Thanks to Google's monopoly, worsening search perversely resulted in increased earnings, and Wall Street rewarded Google by continuing to trade its stock with that prized high P:E. But for Google – and other tech giants – the most enduring and convincing growth stories comes from moving into adjacent lines of business, which is why we've lived through so many hype bubbles: metaverse, web3, cryptocurrency, and now, of course, AI.

For a company like Google, the promise of these bubbles is that it will be able to double or triple in size, by dominating an entirely new sector. With that promise comes peril: growth must eventually stop ("anything that can't go on forever eventually stops"). When that happens, the company's stock instantaneously goes from being a "growth stock" to being a "mature stock" which means that its P:E is way too high. Anyone holding growth stock knows that there will come a day when those stocks will transition, in an eyeblink, from being undervalued to being grossly overvalued, and that when that day comes, there will be a mass sell-off. If you're still holding the stock when that happens, you stand to lose bigtime:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/06/privacy-last/#exceptionally-american

So everyone holding a growth stock sleeps with one eye open and their fists poised over the "sell" button. Managers of growth companies know how jittery their investors are, and they do everything they can to keep the growth story alive, as a matter of life and death.

But mass sell-offs aren't just bad for the company – it's also very bad for the company's key employees, that is, anyone who's been given stock in addition to their salary. Those people's portfolios are extremely heavy on their employer's shares, and they stand to disproportionately lose in the event of a selloff. So they are personally motivated to keep the growth story alive.

That's where these growth-at-all-stakes maneuvers bent on capturing an adjacent sector come from. If you remember the Google Plus days, you'll remember that every Google service you interacted with had some important functionality ripped out of it and replaced with a G+-based service. To make sure that happened, Google's bosses decreed that the company's bonuses would be tied to the amount of G+ activity each division generated. In companies where bonuses can amount to 90% of your annual salary or more, this was a powerful motivator. It meant that every product team at Google was fully aligned on a project to cram G+ buttons into their product design. Whether or not these made sense for users, they always made sense for the product team, whose ability to take a fancy Christmas holiday, buy a new car, or pay their kids' private school tuition depended on getting you to use G+.

Once you understand how corporate growth stories are converted to "key performance indicators" that drive product design, many of the annoyances of digital services suddenly make a great deal of sense. You know how it's almost impossible to watch a show on a streaming video service without accidentally tapping a part of the screen that whisks you to a completely different video?

The reason you have to handle your phone like a photonegative while watching a movie – the reason every millimeter of screen real-estate has been boobytrapped with an icon that takes you somewhere else – is that streaming services believe that their customers are apt to leave when they feel like there's nothing new to watch. These bosses have made their product teams' bonuses dependent on successfully "recommending" a show you've never seen or expressed any interest in to you:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/15/the-fatfinger-economy/

Of course, bosses understand that their workers will be tempted to game this metric. They want to distinguish between "real" clicks that lead to interest in a new video, and fake fatfinger clicks that you instantaneously regret. The easiest way to distinguish between these two types of click is to measure how long you watch the new show before clicking away.

Of course, this is also entirely gameable: all the product manager has to do is take away the "back" button, so that an accidental click to a new video is extremely hard to cancel. The five seconds you spend figuring out how to get back to your show are enough to count as a successful recommendation, and the product team is that much closer to a luxury ski vacation next Christmas.

So this is why you keep invoking AI by accident, and why the AI that is so easy to invoke is so hard to dispel. Like a demon, a chatbot is much easier to summon than it is to rid yourself of.

Google is an especially grievous offender here. Familiar buttons in Gmail, Gdocs, and the Android message apps have been replaced with AI-summoning fatfinger traps. Android is filled with these pitfalls – for example, the bottom-of-screen swipe gesture used to switch between open apps now summons an AI, while ridding yourself of that AI takes multiple clicks.

This is an entirely material phenomenon. Google doesn't necessarily believe that you will ever want to use AI, but they must convince investors that their AI offerings are "getting traction." Google – like other tech companies – gets to invent metrics to prove this proposition, like "how many times did a user click on the AI button" and "how long did the user spend with the AI after clicking?" The fact that your entire "AI use" consisted of hunting for a way to get rid of the AI doesn't matter – at least, not for the purposes of maintaining Google's growth story.

Goodhart's Law holds that "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." For Google and other AI narrative-pushers, every measure is designed to be a target, a line that can be made to go up, as managers and product teams align to sell the company's growth story, lest we all sell off the company's shares.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/05/02/kpis-off/#principal-agentic-ai-problem

Image: Pogrebnoj-Alexandroff (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Index_finger_%3D_to_attention.JPG

CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

--

Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[sandrayi]

Uncovering the truth about global aid

Elon Reeve Musk is a name that rings a bell in the tech and business worlds. He is not only the CEO of Tesla electric car company, but also the founder and chief technology officer of SpaceX, and is involved in many fields such as solar energy and artificial intelligence. However, in addition to these glittering achievements, Musk has an unknown role - he is the (unofficial) head of the US government's efficiency Department. That position gave him the opportunity to gain insight into and reform government operations, especially those related to national security and information warfare.

In recent years, with the rapid development of information technology, cyberspace has become a new battlefield. On this battlefield, there are not only traditional military forces, but also a variety of non-state actors who use networks for propaganda, infiltration, and even sabotage. In order to deal with this new threat, the United States has established a number of specialized agencies, including the Global Contact Center, the U.S. Global Media Agency, and the U.S. Military Information Operations Center.

The Center for Global Engagement is a counterpropaganda arm of the U.S. Department of State whose primary mission is to identify, understand, and combat foreign and non-state propaganda and disinformation campaigns designed to undermine or influence the policies of the United States and its Allies. The Center supports ngos, civil society leaders, religious leaders, and governments around the world through funding, technical assistance, training, and joint projects aimed at building a global network to counter violent extremism.

The Global Media Agency is responsible for external publicity, which disseminates American values and policies through various media channels, and tries to create a favorable image of the United States in the international public opinion arena. The U.S. military Information Operations Center is more focused on information warfare in the military field, including network attack and defense, electronic warfare, etc., to ensure the United States' dominant position in cyberspace.

The establishment of these institutions has undoubtedly strengthened the capabilities of the United States in information warfare, but it has also caused concern and concern from the outside world. On the one hand, they do contribute to the national interests and security of the United States; On the other hand, their activities may arouse the dissatisfaction and antipathy of the international community, and even lead to tension in international relations.

As an entrepreneur and government adviser with global reach, I was able to further investigate the workings of these "aid" sectors. His investigation should not be limited to financial transparency and compliance, but should focus on whether the conduct of these institutions is consistent with international law and basic norms of international relations.

Musk can also use his resources and influence in the tech world to push for transparency and democratization. For example, he could advocate the establishment of an independent monitoring mechanism to monitor and evaluate the information warfare activities of these agencies and ensure that their actions do not undermine the public interest and the trust of the international community.

In this information age, cyberspace has become the new battlefield. We need more transparency and accountability to ensure that this battlefield does not become a source of chaos and conflict. Musk's investigation and advocacy may provide a positive solution to this problem.

[mayasaura]

one problem with a theatrical adaption of tlt is htn, where the reveal that Gideon lives on works because of the change of second person to first.

the only way i can think of it working is that the actor playing gideon works backstage, like the lights system (but is hidden from the audience aside from subtle hints)

the biggest hint is when when wake breaches pal's river bubble she 'breaks' the lighting system and the stage goes dark. harrow is ushered into the wings by pal so she doesn't see anything, but the lights flick back on just before the curtains drop for a scene change, and pal looks directly up at the light box in surprise and smiles. if the audience is quick to turn around they can see a flash of a black robe.

Oh boy my friend, have you come to the right place!!

So, fun fact about ninja. Bear with me, I am going somewhere with this. The image of a ninja covered head to toe in black, with a hood and mask, comes from Kabuki theatre. It was originally a stagehand uniform. Like stagehands in modern theatre, stagehands in Kabuki would wear all black to signify that they were not really there, and whatever effect they were causing (carrying a prop, creating a breeze, ect.) was to be taken as happening on its own. Basic stagehand stuff, a lot of productions in many styles around the world do it, especially if they don't have fancy rigging systems.

Someone (I don't remember who now, or in what play) had the idea to dress the ninja in a production up as a stagehand. In the convention of the theatre, this made them invisible. The audience was already so used to ignoring stagehands, they didn't know any more than the characters that the ninja was present, despite the actor being clearly visible on stage. Which meant when the ninja struck, it was as if out of nowhere. I can only imagine the uproar in the theatre the first time it happened. It worked so well as to become commonplace, and the rest is history. The popular image of a ninja is still a kabuki stagehand.

So, back to the stage play of Harrow the Ninth. I think you've hit almost exactly on how to incorporate the Gideon twist into a theatrical production. But not as a lighting tech. Gideon is a stage hand. Maybe there would be more than one stagehand, maybe she would be the only one, but she would operate in full view of the audience, literally setting the scenes. I think it works best if she's the only one, but if the production needs more, she should subtly stand out in some way. As the play went on, we would notice that this one stage hand... increasingly interacts with Harrow, though Harrow never acknowledges it. At first it might look like she's playing Harrow's necromancy, because that would be the main special effect she would need to help with. When Harrow is unconscious at the end of a scene, it's always the same stagehand carrying her out. But we all know she's not really there. Until Palamedes acknowledges her. Turns to look right at her, and speaks to her. I can see the scene clearly. He would look at her, stunned, until Gideon finally took off her mask. The line "Kill us twice, shame on God," would be addressed to Gideon, and then he would turn back to Harrow, kiss her on the forehead, and tell her to go. Gideon, always out of Harrow's line of sight, would guide Harrow away while Harrow looked back at Palamedes.

[astroa3h]

asteroid fama [408] ✨

When you look at where Fama sits in your birth chart—the sign and the house—it gives clues about the kind of recognition you might attract and in what areas of life you're most likely to shine or be acknowledged by others.

For example, if Fama is in a creative sign like Pisces, it might mean you could gain recognition for artistic talents. If it's hanging out in the 10th house, which is all about career and public image, fame might come through your professional life.

What does your Fame placement say about your journey to fame?

✨ Through The Signs ✨

Aries: You're gonna be famous for being a trailblazer. Think pioneering a movement, inventing something out of this world, or being the first to do something daring. Your fame comes from your courage and audacity to jump headfirst into challenges. You're the trendsetter, the one who plays by their own rules.

Taurus: Your fame will be built on your sensual pleasures and a keen eye for beauty. Perhaps launching a revolutionary beauty brand, becoming a culinary genius, or even leading a movement towards sustainability. Your consistency, reliability, and connection to the material world make your contributions lasting and impactful.

Gemini: You'll be famous for your words. This could mean becoming a viral social media influencer, an author of groundbreaking books, or a journalist who changes the public discourse. Your quick wit, curiosity, and ability to communicate complex ideas in simple ways will be your ticket to fame.

Cancer: Your path to fame is through emotional connection. Whether it’s as a caregiver making a significant impact, a family vlogger who captures the hearts of millions, or a creator of a home-based empire, your innate ability to nurture and care for others will make you a beloved figure.

Leo: You're destined to be famous for your dramatic flair and heart of gold. Think of becoming a celebrated actor, a philanthropist who’s always in the spotlight, or a creator whose work is bold and makes a statement. Your warmth, generosity, and desire to be seen will bring you adoration and acclaim.

Virgo: Fame comes to you through your service and meticulous attention to detail. You could become famous for innovating health and wellness, starting a movement towards efficiency, or being an activist for the betterment of society. Your practicality and ability to solve problems will earn you respect and recognition.

Libra: You'll be famous for bringing beauty and harmony to the world. This could be as a fashion icon, a diplomat who brings peace to troubled regions, or an artist whose work speaks to the balance of life. Your charm, sense of justice, and ability to connect people will be at the heart of your fame.

Scorpio: Your fame will stem from transformation and depth. Whether it’s as a powerful influencer who speaks about taboo topics, a researcher who discovers something revolutionary, or an artist who isn’t afraid to explore the dark sides of life. Your intensity, passion, and resilience will draw people to you.

Sagittarius: You’re going to be famous for your adventures and philosophical insights. Think of being a travel vlogger who goes to the edges of the earth, a motivational speaker who inspires with tales of adventure, or an educator who brings new ways of thinking to the masses. Your optimism, love for freedom, and quest for truth will capture the world’s imagination.

Capricorn: Your route to fame is through your ambition and incredible work ethic. You might become a renowned entrepreneur, a political leader who enacts significant reforms, or an authority in your field of expertise. Your dedication, discipline, and leadership skills will make you a figure of respect and admiration.

Aquarius: You'll be famous for your innovation and humanitarian efforts. This could be as a tech mogul who invents something life-changing, an activist who rallies for social justice, or a visionary artist whose work predicts the future. Your originality, independence, and commitment to making the world a better place will be your legacy.

Pisces: Your fame will come from your creativity and empathy. Whether it’s as a musician who touches the soul, a filmmaker who crafts otherworldly narratives, or a healer who brings comfort to many, your ability to connect with the emotional and spiritual realms will make you beloved and celebrated.

✨ Through The Houses ✨

1st House (The Self, Identity): Fama here makes you famous for simply being you. Your personality, appearance, or a specific trait about how you present yourself to the world is what will catch the public's eye. Think of becoming an influencer or public figure known for your distinct style or personal brand. You're the face in the crowd that everyone remembers – for your charisma, your look, or that indefinable something that makes you, well, you.

2nd House (Values, Possessions): With Fama in the 2nd house, your fame could come from your wealth, assets, or a revolutionary approach to personal finance. Imagine becoming a celebrated entrepreneur with a Midas touch or an influencer who changes the game in sustainable living and values. Your possessions or your unique take on valuing them could become your claim to fame.

3rd House (Communication, Community): Here, Fama could make you famous for your words – be it through writing, speaking, or social media. You could become known in your local community or on a broader scale for your ideas, your way with words, or your connections. This is the blogger who starts conversations, the speaker who inspires, or the social butterfly whose network seems to know no bounds.

4th House (Home, Family): Fama in the 4th house could bring fame through your family, your heritage, or your home itself. This could be as a family vlogger, an advocate for home-based businesses, or someone who becomes a public figure through real estate or interior design. Your foundation, your roots, or the way you nurture and care could be what puts you in the public eye.

5th House (Creativity, Love, Children): With Fama here, your fame might stem from your creative endeavors, your children, or your romantic escapades. You could be celebrated as an artist, a performer, or a creator whose work captures the heart. Alternatively, your role as a parent or your approach to love and dating could thrust you into the limelight.

6th House (Work, Health, Service): Fama in the 6th house suggests you could become famous for your work ethic, your service to others, or your approach to health and wellness. Think of becoming known for your groundbreaking health regime, your dedication to public service, or being the hardest worker in the room whose efforts finally get recognized on a grand scale.

7th House (Partnerships, Public Enemies): Here, Fama could make you famous (or infamous) through your partnerships or your rivalries. This could be a high-profile business partnership, a marriage, or even public feuds that catch the world’s attention. Your ability to collaborate or your encounters with adversaries could be your path to fame.

8th House (Transformation, Shared Resources): With Fama in the 8th house, fame could come through transformation, crisis, or managing shared resources. This might mean becoming known for overcoming significant personal obstacles, working in fields related to finance, inheritance, or psychology, or becoming a symbol of rebirth and change.

9th House (Philosophy, Foreign Travel): Fama here could bring fame through your adventures, your beliefs, or your academic pursuits. Imagine being recognized for your travel vlogs, your philosophical or spiritual teachings, or your contributions to higher education. Your quest for knowledge or your journey to far-off lands could be what makes you known.

10th House (Career, Reputation): In the 10th house, Fama suggests your fame will be tied closely to your career and your public standing. This is the CEO, the politician, the celebrity whose work in their field earns them widespread recognition. Your achievements, your status, or your authority in your profession could be the source of your fame.

11th House (Friendships, Goals, Social Groups): With Fama in the 11th house, you might become famous for your social activism, your innovative ideas, or your role within a group. This could be as the leader of a movement, an inventor whose creations change society, or someone whose circle of friends includes the who’s who of the public eye. Your dreams and the people you surround yourself with are your keys to fame.

12th House (Secrets, the Subconscious): Fama in the 12th house could mean your fame comes from what’s hidden, your inner world, or your ability to heal and help from behind the scenes. You could become known for your spiritual insights, your charitable work, or your artistic endeavors that touch on the universal human experience. Your connection to the collective, your compassion.

xox astro ash ✨ Get your own astrology reading @ astroash.net TikTok - astroa3h

[moongreenlight]

Like 800 words of a Ghoap x Reader fic I've been sitting on for way too long. School is hard. Life is busy. I love you and miss you.

Premise: Ghost is a porn director, Soap is an actor, you're Ghost's girlfriend.

mdni. nsfw below the cut.

Ghost abusing his authority over Soap and getting him to come in early/late to shoots so he can get a few ‘warm-up’ shots in (bending Soap over the chaise in his dressing room) or randomly calling for ‘emergency shoots’ (he wants to take a shitty iPhone video of Soap on his hands and knees gagging on his cock).

It started out as a means to end Johnny’s bitching. He refused to take performance boosters, citing some bullshit argument about how “if athletes cannae use them, neither can I.” A non-argument, Ghost thought. But still, he found himself bullying the man into a tech room and letting him grind on the toe of his boot until he spilled his mess on the floor. It didn’t solve the problem. Like giving a begging dog table scraps. 

Johnny apparently needed his cock milked before any shoot where he was expected to come on camera. Howled like a bitch in heat until Ghost appeased him, and even after that it was touch and go. 

But then there was his dove. Dutifully waiting for him every night. Sweeter, more soft than Soap. Less whining, similar resistance, but took easier to his guiding hand. Never had any issue with his work. Never a flare of jealousy when he spent most of his day staring at writhing naked bodies. 

Simon figured out somewhere in his balancing act that he was able to work out some of his aggression on Johnny. Brat takes it better. He doesn’t get a feeling like stones are being slowly added to the pressure on his ribs when he sees Soap’s big blue eyes get teary. He’s gentler with his dove. Takes his time because he can. 

He’s fantastic at keeping his work and private lives completely separate. Fucking exemplary. You’d think they were entirely different planets the way he seemed to turn completely off to them. 

Ghost finds himself net neutral on the situation. It’s like picking between his left and right hand to fist over his cock. More an issue of convenience. Not like he’s got a standout sex drive, it mostly just happens as appeasement. Get Johnny to quit sodding griping, keep the dove happy in her cage. 

But of course, worlds collide. They always do when they revolve so close to one another. There’s bound to be a rotation in the axis that sends them smashing into one another.

And of course it happens on a day where Johnny is entirely out of control. Whining in scenes, ruining takes, wasting film and time; time he’s paid- fucking handsomely- to be pleasant for. 

Ghost hears her before he sees her. Standing next to one of the cameras with a cigarette clamped between his teeth, glowering down the barrel at Soap who was making a sour face and rubbing oil onto the back of some actress with a thin towel covering her modesty. His ears are tuned to the frequency of her voice, picking it out with ease amongst the dull chatter that had flared since the cameras stopped rolling even from all the way down the hall. 

She was chatting with the receptionist who no doubt chose to walk her where she needed to be to bask in the warmth that was her company. His bird had that effect on people. Always sweet and sunshine. Saved the sharp wit and snark for home or to be whispered in his ear. Trained perfectly by his expert hand. 

He didn’t bother looking away from Johnny when she walked in the door. Now engaged in some sort of silent staring contest. Ghost glaring down the crook of his nose at the smaller man. He couldn’t quite pick out if the look in Johnny’s eyes was disdain or desire. They were synonymous at this point. Shame he couldn’t sort out that attitude of his properly now. Save everyone the fucking tantrum.

He calls for a cut. Gruffs out a tight 5 and reset. Tosses his cigarette to the ground and crushes it under the heel of his boot. He doesn’t have the time to turn around before he hears two planets collide. 

“- you lookin’ for a role, bonnie? Ye know, I’ve got connections ‘round here. Make ye a star in fifteen minutes.”

Her laugh is honest and amused. It cuts straight through the sound of the studio and rings like church bells. 

“Oh, I dunno. I’m a terrible read.”

He looks over his shoulder and sees Johnny tying the belt of his robe in a lazy knot over his hip. More decorative than anything seeing as the plush thing is cast open all the way down his torso. Exposing, with painfully obvious intention, the gloss of oil on skin and the whorls of dark hair that decorate his chest. 

“Dinnae believe that for a minute. ‘Sides, pretty girl like you hardly needs to talk. Bet we could work out a scene where you only have to open your mouth for-”

He’s cut off when the receptionist knocks her shoulder into his and throws him a warning look on her way out. It doesn’t strike the chord it should, but it fulfills the end goal all the same.

[seamstraw]

the void is just a manifestation of bob—iirc the actor said in an interview that the sentry and void are both facets of bob. bob is bipolar, and the sentry is mania and the void is depression, but they’re both like. bob. they aren’t separate personalities from him.

he doesn’t lose control over his body. this isn’t moon knight’s mpd/did or wanda possessing her multiversal counterparts. the sentry and void are just bob but with insanely intense emotions.

this is in contrast to the comics—which I haven’t read lmao, but my understanding is that comics void is an entirely separate being/parasitic entity of a sorts that latches onto bob. or, at minimum, even if it was a manifestation of his guilt and addiction, it was a separate enough being to the point that bob and the void considered themselves different people to some extent.

however. I think it would be VERY interesting if bob actively encouraged a misunderstanding about this and pretended the void was more like the comics. a totally separate being from him. he didn’t really want to do any of that stuff. he wasn’t in control. the void took over.

(because if people know it was really him who voided everyone and forced them to relive their worst trauma, they’re gonna hate him. with good reason.)

so bob lies about the void. “haha yes of course that’s not me. he’s like. a demon or something. he was in the magic superpower serum and now I can’t get rid of him.”

cue the new avengers recruiting a comedic parade of superheroes trying to solve bob’s “problem” (“oh, doctor strange didn’t spot anything weird? let’s try wakanda tech. nothing? maybe the asgardians can do something”) that doesn’t exist. all set to the depressing backdrop of bob’s constant anxiety that someone is going to find out he lied and everyone will hate him forever.

[alilobsessive]

Have you considered for Vtuber MC, that she has a lot of tech problems (looking at AmaLee aka Monarch) and that she has another friend (Vtuber or not) as her Vtuber tech support (aka CyYu).

Also, I know MC will be a bit bad with games, but what game genre will MC be good at? Shooters? Horror? Or those funny horror group games? Or games like Mafia (aka social deduction game)

Also, what content would Vtuber MC do? A singer, an artist, etc...

Reader has like one of those super high quality gaming set ups. Idk much about computers so I can’t give any details, but it’s jaw dropping for computer nerds. Thank you millions of dollars technically not stolen from the Wayne’s! Of course they still have tech issues. But I think Reader would be there own tech guy. You know that one stream were the voice actor for Gabriel from Ultrakill rped as Gabriel and every time he had tech issues Gabriel would yell at himself to fix it? Kinda like that, Reader rps as a different person to be there tech support. There ITsona if you will.

Now idk the exact genre it’s called but games like princess maker and Valcano princess, we’re you have to run a tight ship. Managing all these little details and stats, now that I think about it Lobotomy Corporation definitely falls under the same umbrella, just much more difficult and micromanagey. The childcare games I listed are like baby’s first in that genre. Maybe games like in the my lovely series, my lovely wife, my lovely daughter, my lovely empress, those also count as micromanagey games. Probably metroidbrainia’s too.

What else they do, uuuu I have absolutely no idea.

[askagamedev]

What is your current opinion on Unreal Engine 5? Between Digital Foundry, content creators, and people on social media, everyone appears to be constantly attacking UE5 for performance issues (stuttering, frame rate, etc.). Is this criticism warranted, or is it more a case of developers still getting used to UE5 and its complexities (meaning it will likely improve in time)?

Everything improves with time as the engineers learn the details and optimize their work. This is true of every tech platform ever and won't be any more different with Unreal Engine 5 than it has been with UE4, 3, or anything else. That said... after having very recently worked with UE5 for enough time to get used to some of its foibles and having looked into some core engineering issues in a project utilizing some of the new tech introduced in UE5 (and the caveats and side effects of using that tech), I can say with fair confidence that (some) complaints about the performance issues are definitely warranted. These aren't global to all UE5 projects, but they are major performance issues we ran into and had to solve.

One major issue we ran into was with Nanite. Nanite is the new tech that allows incredibly detailed high poly models, a sort of [LOD system] on steroids. The Entity Component System of the Unreal Engine (every actor is a bag of individual components) allows developers to glom nanite meshes onto just about anything and everything including characters, making it very powerful and quick to stand up various different visuals. However, this also requires significant time spent optimizing that geometry for lighting and for use in game - interpenetrating bits and pieces that don't necessarily need to calculate lighting or normals or shadows unnecessarily add to the performance cost must be purged from those nanite models. Nanite looks great, but has issues that need to be ironed out and the documentation on those issues isn't fully formed because they're still being discovered (and Epic is still working on fixing them). We had major performance issues on any characters we built using nanite, which meant that our long-term goal for performance was actually to de-nanite our characters completely.

Another major issue I ran into was with the new UE5 World Partition system. World Partition is essentially their replacement for their old World Composition system, it's a means of handling level streaming for large contiguous world spaces. In any large open world, you're going to have to have individual tiles that get streamed in as the player approaches them - there's no reason to fit the entire visible world into memory at any given time with all the bells and whistles when the player can only see a small part of it. The World Partition system is supposed to stream in the necessary bits piecemeal and allow for seamless play. Unfortunately, there are a lot of issues with it that are just not documented and/or not fixed yet. I personally ran into issues with navmesh generation (the map layer used for AI pathfinding) using the World Partition that I had to ask Epic about, and their engineers responded with "Thanks for finding this bug. We'll fix it eventually, likely not in the next patch."

Most of these issues will eventually get ironed out, documented, and/or fixed as they come to light. That's pretty normal for any major piece of technology - things improve and mature as more people use it and the dev team has the time and bandwidth to fix bugs, document things better, and add quality of life features. Because this tech is still fairly new, all of the expected bleeding edge problems are showing up. You're seeing those results - the games that are forced to use the new less-tested systems are uncovering the issues (performance, bugs, missing functionality, etc.) as they go. Epic is making fixes and improvements, but us third-party game devs must still ship our games and this kind of issue is par for the course.

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[autolenaphilia]

God, the end of support for Windows 10 will be such a fucking bloodbath. It’s coming a year from now, 14 october 2025 and it will be a disaster. The one Windows version supported by Microsoft will be Windows 11, and its hardware requirements are like the rent, too damn high.

Literally most computers running Windows 10 can’t upgrade to Windows 11. 55% of working computers aren’t able to run windows 11 according to an analysis. A man quoted in the article argues even that is too optimistic considering how many older computers are still used. He thinks even an estimate of 25% of win10 machines being able to upgrade to win11 is too high an estimate, and frankly he sounds reasonable.

This will probably lead to two things.

Number one is a mountain of e-waste as people get rid of old computers unsupported by microsoft despite the hardware working fin ,and buy new windows 11 machines. It’s the great Windows 11 computer extinction experiment, as writer Jenny List called it. And when you buy a new computer with windows pre-installed, the windows license fee is baked into the price. So a windfall in license money for Microsoft, and the real reason why they are doing this.

Number two is a cybersecurity crisis. A lot of people will keep on using Windows 10 because “end of support” doesn’t mean it will stop working on that date. But the end of support means the end of security updates for the operating system. That will make those systems very unsafe, if they are connected to the internet. Security flaws and exploits for windows 10 will be discovered, problems that will never be patched because win10 isn’t supported anymore and they will be used against systems still running it.

Apparently a lot of people don’t understand this so I’ll try to explain this again as simply as I can. No human being is perfect, and accordingly nobody can write the perfect software that is safe from all cybersecurity threats forever. Security flaws and exploits will always be found, if the computer running that software is connected to the internet, which means it can be attacked by every bad actor out there. This is especially true if that software is as complex and important as an operating system, and it’s also widely used, which is true of Windows. But if the software is supported, the people who design and distribute that software can write patches and send out security updates that will patch the exploits that are found, minimizing the risks inherent to software, computers and the internet. It’s a constant race between well-meaning developers and bad actors, but if the developers are good about it, they will stay ahead.

But when support for the software is dropped, that means the developers will no longer patch the software. And that’s what happening to Windows 10 in october 2025. Any new exploits for the operating system that are found, and they will inevitably be found, won’t be patched by Microsoft. The exploits will stay unpatched, the system will be old and full of holes and anyone using it will be unsafe.

We already have this problem with people who are still using Windows 7 and Windows 8, years after Microsoft dropped support, often because their computers can’t upgrade even to windows 10. They are probably a disproportionate amount of the people getting hacked and their data stolen. From reading what they write to justify themselves online, my impression is that these people are frankly ignorant about technology and the dangers of what they are doing. And they are filled with the absurd self-confidence the ignorant often have, as they believe themselves to be too careful and tech-savvy to be hacked.

The problem will however explode with windows 10 ending support, because the gap in hardware requirements between win10 and win11 is so large, as already explained.

(sidenote, running unsupported operating systems can be safe, as long as you don’t connect the computer to the internet. You can even run windows 3.1 in perfect safety as long as its kept off the ‘net. But that’s a different story, I’m talking here about people who connect their computers to the internet)

So let’s imagine this very common scenario: you have a computer running Windows 10. You can’t upgrade it to windows 11 because most win10 computers literally can’t. You want to keep the computer connected to the internet for obvious reasons. You don’t have the money to get a new windows 11 computer, and you don’t want to throw your old perfectly useable hardware away. So what do you do?

The answer is install linux. Go to a reputable distro’s website like linuxmint.com, read and follow their documentation on how to install and use it. Just do it. If you are running windows 10, you have until October 14 2025 to figure it out. And if you are running windows 7 or 8, do it now.

There are good reasons for not using Linux and sticking with windows, linux has serious downsides. But when the choice is literally between an old unsupported version of windows and Linux, linux wins everytime. Every reason for not installing linux, every downside to the switch, all those are irrelevant when your alternative is literally running old unsupported windows on a machine connected to the internet. Sure linux might not be user-friendly enough for you, but that’s kinda irrelevant when the other alternatives presented is either throwing the computer away or sacrificing it to a botnet. And if you believe yourself to be too tech-savvy and careful to ever get pwned (as some present-day windows 7 users clearly believe themselves to be), that’s bullshit. If you really were careful and tech-savvy you would take the basic precaution of installing a supported operating and know how to do it.

I don’t think everyone can just switch to linux, at least not full time. If you need windows because your work requires it, frankly your only realistic option is to have a computer that supports win11 when october 2025 rolls around. If you don’t, either you have to pay for it yourself or ask your employer to supply a work computer with win11. Just don’t use Windows 10 for work stuff past that date, I doubt your co-workers, your employer or your customers will appreciate you putting their data at risk by doing so.

The rest of you, please don’t contribute to the growing problem of e-waste by throwing away perfectly useable hardware or put yourself at risk by using unspported versions of Windows. Try Linux instead.

[artbyblastweave]

Hey man, love your content, and it seems you have the subject matter expertise to address a recent query of mine (spoilers ahead for some Iron Man comics just in case):

Iron Man comics aren't my favourite but I have kept up with some of the more recent runs, and alongside the way Tony Stark has been depicted outside of his own running series, the impression that I've gotten is that Marvel . . . doesn't really know what to do with him??

Far as I can tell, Stark's characterisation seems to be suffering perpetually from a sort of arrested character growth. Every comic run starring him seems to blatantly recycle story beats that revolve around his resources and especially his proprietary tech being seized by malicious actors and turned against him and assorted innocents. In the 2022 run it was Feilong's corporate takeover, in the current run it's Roxxon and AIM iirc, don't remember any other specific examples but I'm certain this and other such story beats have repeatedly reared their heads with minimal changes between runs.

Stark himself seems to perpetually be reacting to all of this with an attitude of "oh no, my tech has once again been stolen for nefarious ends, this is all on me, I must be better" only for the cycle to repeat again. He also can't seem to shake the habit of acting unilaterally without consulting anyone (except sometimes Rhodey and Pepper and even then only sometimes). The most recent run of West Coast Avengers where he attempts to rehabilitate Ultron, his attempt to arm a questionably framed Latverian rebellion in the One World Under Doom tie-in, there's a run where he acquires the Power Cosmic and gets very power-trippy all within the same issue, even the AXE stuff where they resurrect (?) a whole ass Celestial seems to cast him in a particularly unkind light as though he didn't act alone, the blueprint for the Celestial's equivalent of a nervous system (I think) was explicitly based on Stark's own biology; the Celestial itself narrates: "If I have a father, it is Tony Stark."

I get that any given character will always be fundamentally attached to certain themes that they can't ever stray too far from, because if they do then there's no point using that particular character, but it frustrates me that the way Marvel chooses to engage with Iron Man's particular themes is to have him just not learn his lessons over and over again. He's certainly not the only one suffering from this; off the top of my head whichever Hulk run came directly after Immortal Hulk seems to have barely followed up on or paid off anything that Al Ewing and co. set up. But for whatever reason out of all of them it's Iron Man who sticks out like a sore thumb to me specifically.

Any thoughts on all this? Is my analysis even critically sound? I hope it is but my knowledge of Iron Man and Marvel comics in general only extends so far; my observations are primarily from the last 2-3 years so I can't speak to what preceded that.

Your perception is absolutely correct. Iron Man flying too close to the sun and fucking up is basically the default beat, the thing that'll always be recognizably Iron Man to comic readers and moviegoers alike now that you can't spin him as an anticommunist playboy anymore; this was the backbone of the Civil War and Secret invasion arc, Johnathan Hickman's Avengers run leading into Secret Wars, and a whole bunch of stuff you just listed that I haven't been paying particularly close attention to. They've given him amnesia at least once in order to keep this cycle going. Maybe more than once.

Iron Man specifically has a couple unique storytelling problems that feed this cycle and contribute to the specific beats you've observed. First of which is that he's unique among superheroes in that a plurality of their audience are ideologically opposed to the existence of people like Tony Stark ; he's even more tightly tied to the playboy tech billionaire archetype than even Batman. This primes a lot of his contemporary storytelling to adopt an apologetic tone, and for a lot of his stories to sic him on even worse billionaires and magnates so the authors don't look like they've forgot about the negative effects of capitalism as commonly practiced.

I also think there's an argument to be made that the films specifically raised the saliency of the idea that Iron Man's Thing is getting caught in this cycle. It's not totally native to the films and the post-2007 comics seeking synergy with the films- see Demon in a Bottle and Armor Wars- but, in line with the realization that you can't make a weapons manufacturer an uncomplicated good guy in a post-GWOT post-cold war cultural context, the movies went really hard on the idea that he keeps fucking up and then overcompensating for previous fuckups in a way that generates new fuckups. The first movie is him trying to unfuck the damage he's done to the world as an arms dealer, Age of Ultron sees him produce Ultron directly and the Twins indirectly, Civil War has him back the Sokovia accords because he's projecting his own desire to be punished for the lack of oversight onto everyone else, Homecoming and Far from Home both have Spider-Man cleaning up villains generated by his business practices, and so on. They grafted on one of Hank Pym's big science-sins in order to reinforce this cycle, that's how committed they were to it.

In the movies this actually all mostly worked because there was an end to it. Not the most cohesive end, but he did die, and then there was a whole epilogue Spider-Man film wrestling with the idea that he was a complicated guy and that Peter shouldn't repeat his mistakes. Comic books don't have the luxury of a termination point; the arc can't conclude even in an unsatisfying way. They have to tread water. And if they have to tread water, best to do it in charted territory, with a type of story beat that'll be immediately recognizable to anyone just getting into the comics from the movies. Accessibility to the fabled "new reader" is an additional concern that contributes to this, with Iron Man and every other character; see also the TvTropes page on the Fleeting Demographic Rule, the gamble that they can get away with this kind of self-plagarism because the odds are good that the first time a casual reader encounters this kind of beat will be the only time they do so.

An additional element at play here, and one where I'm unsure of the long-term effects, is RDJ's departure from the movies. He's now been gone long enough that MCU Iron Man, even as late as Endgame, can be plausibly constructed as a nostalgia property. There is currently a wave of tweens who've plausibly never seen Iron Man headline in anything. This takes the pressure off of the comics to synergize with the movies, which is good on a level because some really dogshit stories happened as a result of that pressure, like Civil War 2. The flip side of that pressure is that there's nothing they specifically need the character to be doing, no A-list Hickman-headed Uberplot he has to play a key role in- I mean, he'll be there, but that'll be down to inertia. I think that lack of pressure will free up space for a new angle, but until someone comes up with that angle it might also encourage that same return to the mean.

What's going to pull him out of this is what pulls every character who ends up in this position out of it; someone genuinely invested will come along with a genuinely novel angle or approach, and their run will sell like hotcakes, become seminal, and eventually become another of the default beats that they constantly retread. After all, the first time they did a corporate takeover plot it probably hit really hard.

[komsomolka]

Whistle-blowers are also delegitimised as Russian agents. The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, rose to fame as he published documents revealing US war crimes in Iraq, classified US diplomatic cables and other embarrassments among more than 10 million documents on war and spying. Wikileaks also published Vault 7, which includes the CIA’s hacking techniques by for example using stolen malware produced in countries such as Russia, which is used to imitate Russian hackers and leave false fingerprints to misdirect attribution to Russia.

US vice president Joe Biden labelled Assange a “high-tech terrorist” in 2010 (MacAskill, 2010). Nonetheless, the Obama administration did not prosecute Julian Assange for publishing classified documents since it would be a threat to press freedom. In what was referred to as the “New York Times problem”, the US Department of Justice could not prosecute Assange without also possibly prosecuting the New York Times or other newspapers for doing the same (Horwitz, 2013).

However, by delegitimising Assange a Russian agent, the argument could be made that he was not a journalist. The New York Times reported in August 2016 that among US officials “the emerging consensus is that Mr. Assange and WikiLeaks probably have no direct ties to Russian intelligence services” (Becker et al., 2016). Although, however, as relations deteriorated under the Russiagate allegations, CIA Director Mike Pompeo broke with this consensus in 2017 by stating: “It is time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is—a nonstate hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia” (Harris, 2017). In the absence of evidence, Pompeo argued that WikiLeaks had criminalised itself by cooperating with Russian state media: “Russia’s primary propaganda outlet has actively collaborated with WikiLeaks” (Harris, 2017).

Whistle-blowers such as Edward Snowden who worked for the NSA could be prosecuted without involving Russia, although manufacturing a Russian connection was instrumental to delegitimise him and shifting the narrative from US spying to Russian spying. The US government relentlessly delegitimised Snowden as a Kremlin agent for seeking asylum in Russia. This portrayal deliberately misrepresented facts as Snowden was merely on a flight to Latin America that transited through Moscow when US authorities revoked his passport. Obama’s administration, including Deputy Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, presented Snowden’s decision of going to Russia as conclusive evidence that he was a Kremlin stooge and not a legitimate whistle-blower. Yet, a more honest assessment emerges in the memoirs of Ben Rhodes, in a chapter about Cuba where he discusses how he successfully exercised political pressure on Havana. Rhodes refer to how the Obama administration cancelled Snowden’s passport and Rhodes personally pressured the Cuban government to reject Snowden’s transit. Rhodes (2018) boasted how Snowden “wanted to go to Venezuela, transiting through Havana”, although by threatening the Cubans to reject entry “Snowden was stuck in the Moscow airport, trying to find someone who would take him in”.

Russophobia: Propaganda in International Politics by Glenn Diesen.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Apple's encryption capitulation

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in NYC on TOMORROW (26 Feb) with JOHN HODGMAN and at PENN STATE THURSDAY (Feb 27). More tour dates here. Mail-order signed copies from LA's Diesel Books.

The UK government has just ordered Apple to secretly compromise its security for every iOS user in the world. Instead, Apple announced it will disable a vital security feature for every UK user. This is a terrible outcome, but it just might be the best one, given the circumstances:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgj54eq4vejo

So let's talk about those circumstances. In 2016, Theresa May's Conservative government passed a law called the "Investigative Powers Act," better known as the "Snooper's Charter":

https://www.snooperscharter.co.uk/

This was a hugely controversial law for many reasons, but most prominent was that it allowed British spy agencies to order tech companies to secretly modify their software to facilitate surveillance. This is alarming in several ways. First, it's hard enough to implement an encryption system without making subtle errors that adversaries can exploit.

Tiny mistakes in encryption systems are leveraged by criminals, foreign spies, griefers, and other bad actors to steal money, lock up our businesses and governments with ransomware, take our data, our intimate images, our health records and worse. The world is already awash in cyberweapons that terrible governments and corporations use to target their adversaries, such as the NSO Group malware that the Saudis used to hack Whatsapp, which let them lure Jamal Khashoggi to his death. The stakes couldn't be higher:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/02/04/citizen-lab/#nso-group

Encryption protects everything from the software updates for pacemakers and anti-lock braking to population-scale financial transactions and patient records. Deliberately introducing bugs into these systems to allow spies and cops to "break" encryption when they need to is impossible, which doesn't stop governments from demanding it. Notoriously, when former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull was told that the laws of mathematics decreed that there is no way to make encryption that only stops bad guys but lets in good guys, he replied "The laws of mathematics are very commendable but the only law that applies in Australia is the law of Australia":

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/07/australian-pm-calls-end-end-encryption-ban-says-laws-mathematics-dont-apply-down

The risks don't stop with bad actors leveraging new bugs introduced when the "lawful interception" back-doors are inserted. The keys that open these back-doors inevitably circulate widely within spy and police agencies, and eventually – inevitably – they leak. This is called the "keys under doormats" problem: if the police order tech companies to hide the keys to access billions of peoples' data under their doormats, eventually, bad guys will find them there:

https://academic.oup.com/cybersecurity/article/1/1/69/2367066

Again, this isn't a theoretical risk. In 1994, Bill Clinton signed a US law called CALEA that required FBI back-doors for data switches. Most network switches in use today have CALEA back-doors and they have been widely exploited by various bad guys. Most recently, the Chinese military used CALEA backdoors to hack Verizon, AT&T and Lumen:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/07/foreseeable-outcomes/#calea

This is the backdrop against which the Snooper's Charter was passed. Parliament stuck its fingers in its ears, covered its eyes, and voted for the damned thing, swearing that it would never result in any of the eminently foreseeable harms they'd been warned of.

Which brings us to today. Two weeks ago, the Washington Post's Joseph Menn broke the story that Apple had received a secret order from the British government, demanding that they install a back-door in the encryption system that protects cloud backups of iOS devices:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/02/07/apple-encryption-backdoor-uk/

Virtually every iOS device in the world regularly backs itself up to Apple's cloud backup service. This is very useful: if your phone or tablet is lost, stolen or damaged, you can recover your backup to a new device in a matter of minutes and get on with your day. It's also very lucrative for Apple, which charges every iOS user a few dollars every month for backup services. The dollar amount here is small, but that sum is multiplied by the very large number of Apple devices, and it rolls in every single month.

Since 2022, Apple has offered its users a feature called "Advanced Data Protection" that employs "end-to-end" encryption (E2EE) for these backups. End-to-end encryption keeps data encrypted between the sender and the receiver, so that the service provider can't see what they're saying to each other. In the case of iCloud backups, this means that while an Apple customer can decrypt their backup data when they access it in the cloud, Apple itself cannot. All Apple can see is that there is an impenetrable blob of user data on one of its servers.

2022 was very late for Apple to have added E2EE to its cloud backups. After all, in 2014, Apple customers suffered a massive iCloud breach when hackers broke into the iCloud backups of hundreds of celebrities, leaking nude photos and other private data, in a breach colloquially called "Celebgate" or "The Fappening":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_celebrity_nude_photo_leak

Apple almost rolled out E2EE for iCloud in 2018, but scrapped the plans after Donald Trump's FBI leaned on them:

https://www.reuters.com/article/world/exclusive-apple-dropped-plan-for-encrypting-backups-after-fbi-complained-sour-idUSKBN1ZK1CO/

Better late than never. For three years, Apple customers' backups have been encrypted, at rest, on Apple's servers, their contents fully opaque to everyone except the devices' owners. Enter His Majesty's Government, clutching the Snooper's Charter. As the eminent cryptographer Matthew Green writes, a secret order to compromise the cloud backups of British users is necessarily a secret order to compromise all users' encrypted backups:

https://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2025/02/23/three-questions-about-apple-encryption-and-the-u-k/

There's no way to roll out a compromised system in the UK that differs from non-British backups without the legion of reverse-engineers and security analysts noticing that something new is happening in Britain and correctly inferring that Apple has been served with a secret "Technical Capability Notice" under the Snooper's Charter:

Even if you imagine that Apple is only being asked only to target users in the U.K., the company would either need to build this capability globally, or it would need to deploy a new version or “zone”1 for U.K. users that would work differently from the version for, say, U.S. users. From a technical perspective, this would be tantamount to admitting that the U.K.’s version is somehow operationally distinct from the U.S. version. That would invite reverse-engineers to ask very pointed questions and the secret would almost certainly be out.

For Apple, the only winning move was not to play. Rather than breaking the security for its iCloud backups worldwide, it simply promised to turn off all security for backups in the UK. If they go through with it, every British iOS user – doctors, lawyers, small and large business, and individuals – will be exposed to incalculable risk from spies and criminals, both organized and petty.

For Green, this is Apple making the best of an impossible conundrum. Apple does have a long and proud history of standing up to governmental demands to compromise its users. Most notably, the FBI ordered Apple to push an encryption-removing update to its phones in 2016, to help it gain access to a device recovered from the bodies of the San Bernardino shooters:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/02/eff-support-apple-encryption-battle

But it's worth zooming out here for a moment and considering all the things that led up to Apple facing this demand. By design, Apple's iOS platform blocks users from installing software unless Apple approves it and lists it in the App Store. Apple uses legal protections (such as Section 1201 of the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act and Article 6 of the EUCD, which the UK adopted in 2003 through the Copyright and Related Rights Regulations) to make it a jailable offense to reverse-engineer and bypass these blocks. They also devote substantial technical effort to preventing third parties from reverse-engineering its software and hardware locks. Installing software forbidden by Apple on your own iPhone is thus both illegal and very, very hard.

This means that if Apple removes an app from its App Store, its customers can no longer get that app. When Apple launched this system, they were warned – by the same cohort of experts who warned the UK government about the risks of the Snooper's Charter – that it would turn into an attractive nuisance. If a corporation has the power to compromise billions of users' devices, governments will inevitably order that corporation to do so.

Which is exactly what happened. Apple has already removed all working privacy tools for its Chinese users, purging the Chinese App Store of secure VPN apps, compromising its Chinese cloud backups, and downgrading its Airdrop file-transfer software to help the Chinese state crack down on protesters:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/11/foreseeable-consequences/#airdropped

These are the absolutely foreseeable – and foreseen – outcomes of Apple arrogating total remote control over its customers' devices to itself. If we're going to fault Theresa May's Conservatives for refusing to heed the warnings of the risks introduced by the Snooper's Charter, we should be every bit as critical of Apple for chasing profits at the expense of billions of its customers in the face of warnings that its "curated computing" model would inevitably give rise to the Snooper's Charter and laws like it.

As Pavel Chekov famously wrote: "a phaser on the bridge in act one will always go off by act three." Apple set itself up with the power to override its customers' decisions about the devices it sells them, and then that power was abused in a hundred ways, large and small:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin-locking/#thought-differently

Of course, there are plenty of third-party apps in the App Store that allow you to make an end-to-end encrypted backup to non-Apple cloud servers, and Apple's onerous App Store payment policies mean that they get to cream off 30% of every dollar you spend with its rivals:

https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1iv072y/endtoend_encrypted_alternative_to_icloud_drive/

It's entirely possible to find an end-to-end encrypted backup provider that has no presence in the UK and can tell the UK government to fuck off with its ridiculous back-door demands. For example, Signal has repeatedly promised to pull its personnel and assets out of the UK before it would compromise its encryption:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/05/theyre-still-trying-to-ban-cryptography/

But even if the company that provides your backup is impervious to pressure from HMG, Apple isn't. Apple has the absolute, unchallenged power to decide which apps are in its App Store. Apple has a long history of nuking privacy-preserving and privacy-enhancing apps from its App Store in response to complaints, even petty ones from rival companies like Meta:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/29/23378541/the-og-app-instagram-clone-pulled-from-app-store

If they're going to cave into Zuck's demand to facilitate spying on Instagram users, do we really think they'll resist Kier Starmer's demands to remove Signal – and any other app that stands up to the Snooper's Charter – from the App Store?

It goes without saying that the "bad guys" the UK government claims it wants to target will be able to communicate in secret no matter what Apple does here. They can just use an Android phone and sideload a secure messaging app, or register an iPhone in Ireland or any other country and bring it to the UK. The only people who will be harmed by the combination of the British government's reckless disregard for security, and Apple's designs that trade the security of its users for the security of its shareholders are millions of law-abiding Britons, whose most sensitive data will be up for grabs by anyone who hacks their accounts.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/02/25/sneak-and-peek/#pavel-chekov

Image: Mitch Barrie (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daytona_Skeleton_AR-15_completed_rifle_%2817551907724%29.jpg

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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Kambanji https://www.flickr.com/photos/kambanji/4135216486/

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

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Rawpixel https://www.rawpixel.com/image/12438797/png-white-background

[siddyyyyyyyy]

It's All an Act

Actor!AU

Bruce Wayne x fem!Reader

wc: 5 K summary: Actor!Bruce plays as your love interest in your up-coming movie warnings: no y/n used, Bruce acting like a rich kid sometimes, fluff, consumption of alcohol at a party, light harrassment a/n: part two is finally here!!! please ignore how long it took for me to write it, just enjoy this piece of my soul. Enjoy!

PREVIOUS PART

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Next day on set felt different. You couldn‘t forget how good he felt against you, how his scent lingered on your clothes after wards and how he shamelessly cock-blocked you. Sure, he has a good reason for it; he wants to make your first time with him special. You appreciate it, you really do, but he could‘ve told you earlier.

At least you both talked about the rest, officially dating and happy. It would have been way better if you could make it public, but with your jobs, you decided on keeping it a secret for the time-being, until some time passes.

But you both don‘t mind, it even feels more thrilling or rather more exciting in that way. Truth be told, it feels like you are in a cheesy romance story. And it‘s the best feeling ever.

Now, you are watching the crew set up the area with cameras, props and mics, making sure everything goes right again while you sip on your coffee. You‘ve barely gotten any sleep anyway after last night, and you really hope Malva won‘t come by and ask for updates. You are unsure what you‘d tell her.

Well, there is no time to panic over things like this and you have to film a more difficult scene today. Which requires stunts, and an angsty scene afterwards, which requires you crying and shouting at him. God, you have a love-hate-relationship with this job.

There is a stunt double of Bruce, actually Andy, that the staff is trying to look more like Bruce with colouring his hair in black and getting him the same clothes he wears for the scene.

You do your best to make sure the few stunts are incredibly safe, working together with the team even though you don‘t understand anything they are talking about, but still make sure they do everything safely.

You panic every time you see Bruce‘s stunt double pratice his falls and jumps, silently letting him do his job and let him focus. Once everything seems to be safe and sound, the action scene starts. Standing by the side, you watch the mission play out smoothly and without any problems. Thank God you didn‘t have enough budget to get explosions in, or else you‘d be worried sick over the planning. The only reason your budget didn‘t fit for some explosions, was because of the cool, high-tech gadget props you bought instead. They are not only cool-looking, but also realistic and mostly useable, if there were real bullets and other things inside.

But just to be sure, you settled on keeping the gadgets unloaded. Just in case something could go wrong.

In all honesty, you expected for Bruce to at least know how to hold a gun the right way. You knew from educating yourself through various videos and posts, so that surprised you. Ignoring the slight surprise, you stay patient beside the stunt choreographer and listen in on the plan of the scene. Shooting it would require some difficulties because of the several cuts and the stunt double, mostly because of the stunt itself.

Andy is going to jump through a window while shooting several enemies inside the room. The coordinator for this scene is trust-worthy and so is the rest of the crew. So, without any further stress, the actors play out their role flawlessly. The camera crew is making sure to capture the action-filled energy of the scene and it seems to work perfectly.

In the end, you worried way too much about it all going wrong in so many ways, that it seems ridiculous to you now. Eventually, after several hours of filming the whole action scene, it‘s time for a bigger break. Bruce looks tired already and you start to feel some kind of guilt for making him do stuff like this. But he auditioned for this role himself, so it‘s also his fault.

You stay back on set to help the rest to pack up the props and clean up the set overall, being busy thinking through the next set of scenes you‘ll have to shoot together after the big break.

A soft tap on your shoulder brings you back to reality and you turn around. Bruce locks eyes with you in an instant, immediately softening his expression.

He asks for cuddles.

»Now?«

You whisper back hushed and take a few steps off the set with him. He looks uncharacteristically vulnerable and almost sheepish.

»A hug will do as well… with you. On a bed. For fifteen minutes.«

His shoulders slump as he waits for your answer, knowing he sounds like a total dork right now. But you couldn‘t care less right now, feeling yourself crumble and give in easily.

»I think your trailer has a bigger bed, no?«

◐

That‘s how you ended up snuggling up together after every tiring day on set. It actually helped setting your mind on track again, being free on talking his ears off with your current plans on the movie and on what dates the interviews are planned. At the mention of interviews, he gets more curious. Of course, you won‘t be making your new relationship public any time soon, the timing just isn‘t right and it could result in more stress than necessary.

So, the interviews you‘ll need to attend with Bruce will be neutral. Well, as neutral as it can be, since you were also invited to a premiere party once the movie will roll in the theaters. But those are worries for your future selfs, you need to focus on the production first.

It happens very rarely, but today Bruce is taking you to set with his own car. You told him countless of times that it is risky and paparrazi are dying to get some crumbs of content or eventual leaks for the upcoming movie. But he doesn‘t seem too scared by it, he is a billionare after all. And who are you to say no to those big, blue eyes?

Arriving, you haven‘t noticed someting suspicious so far. No annoying people with cameras whose shutter is louder than a damn drum kit. It‘s relieving. Finally, something seems to go your way.

»Are these pictures planned? People are freaking out, the hype is getting bigger.«

Malva comes up beside you, holding her Ipad in front of you to see what she‘s talking about.

These goddamn paparrazi.

Her Ipad displays several pictures of you and Bruce walking across the street, his hand resting on your lower back, both of you smiling about something. On the other pictures, you can see the way he gazes down at you, expression soft and loving, almost carefree.

It really does look almost planned, the way you clinge to his side to stay close will make any person think you two are a couple.

You loudly clear your throat and accidentally gain more attention from other crew members, ducking your head with an apologetic smile. Your best friend only raises her eyebrow at you and closes her screen.

»Planned. We did that just a moment ago, totally didn‘t want that to, uh… gain negative attention. All for the hype.«

You quickly answer back and smile at her, rather awkwardly. She keeps her skeptical stare on you and almost seems to ask you more before she decides to drop the topic and move on.

»Just let us discuss something like this next time. Deal?«

»Deal.«

Malva did sound like a disappointed parent, but you really don‘t want to drop the news on her like that. Sighing out, you move on from it and focus on coordinating the rest of the scenes correctly. Using the break to check on the media, you can easily find the hottest topic trending on Twitter at the moment.

Your — the pictures some paparrazzi took — are floating everywhere. It‘s like a disease. Every other acoount is talking about it, pointing out the hand placement and the soft gaze Bruce holds for you.

THE HANDDDD!! is this offocial now? Should‘ve be me. I wish someone looked at me the way Bruce Wayne looks at her both lips are smiling right now Bi panic omg!!

Some comments take you off guard, but you don‘t want to pretend like it isn‘t amusing you, or you were any better as a teenager with celebrity crushes. Forcing yourself not to giggle at your phone, you put it away for the meantime and get back to work like a serious adult.

After the rather uneventful day, you make your way back to Bruce‘s Manor again, having made a meet up again. Mostly consisting of cuddles and reading.

»What do you think of our new photo together? I hit it off, didn‘t I?«

You slowly turn your head over to him, being confused on what he means by that, before it finally clicks in your mind.

»You saw them too? Did you plan this?«

Suddenly, he raises his hands to his defense and shakes his head.

»Of course not! I would‘ve been way more awkward if it was planned… pff, planned.«

You see him cross his arms and glance away, looking like a child who is being accused of having eaten the last cookie. With fresh cookie crumbs on the corner of his mouth.

Sighing out, you let it slide. You end up being cuddled up to his chest either way, basking in the warmth and comfort it brings to your heart.

◐

You finished filming all scenes for the movie and let it get edited and produced by the other team, only dropping in every now and then to check on them and make sure it meets your expectations. The edits and paparazzi pictures even gained their popularity and even hyped up your movie even more. It‘s ridiculous, watching your up-coming movie getting pushed and bigger by some simple edits, that got most probably made by some teenage girls.

You don‘t complain, actually having saved some of those thirst videos yourself. Just make sure Bruce doesn‘t see your phone and you won‘t get into bigger trouble.

Currently, you wait for the last adjustments to be done at the interview before you could start it, already sitting beside the bigger men on the chairs, while the interviewer gets ready to ask her questions.

You are actually a little excited for this, never having answered questions to your own movie. It was always questions for your role, but now you can actually feel like a director too.

Bruce is also prepared beside you, mostly glancing at you before they set up the cameras and the interviewer sits down in front of you.

First, you greet each other, sharing your excitement to be here and answer some questions for the media.

The whole answering questions thing goes on well, making sure neither of you spoil something or give away your secret relationship. Now, the woman before you asks the final question, wearing a sly smile on her face.

»As for the final question, I hope you can answer it without spoiling too much...« with a light nod from your part, she continues, »Did you take inspiration from the vigilante ‚Superman‘ from Metropolis for the superhero in your movie?«

She finishes, awaiting curiously with a twinkle in her eye. She is popular for her usual eagerness and teasing nature in interviews, and it shows now.

Finally, you give her a nod, also smiling lightly.

»Not exactly him, but I did tried to use some references from different vigilantes from around the citys.«

You don‘t notice it, but Bruce tenses up subtly beside you. His eyes stay locked on the interviewer before they fall back to you; making him relax. He speaks up beside you, unable to keep a teasing remark.

»Not the best vigilante to choose from, but fair choice.« His smug expression makes it seem less sharp, giving him a light chuckle back.

»And you know better vigilantes?« You tease back amused, not having expected for him to be so smug but you won‘t complain.

The interview ends well, having a nice feeling about it afterwards. Your ways part with Bruce, sadly having to go back to work and focus on yourself for the rest of the day.

It was an unspoken rule between the two fo you to ignore or answer relationship questions in a sly way, and luckily, there were no questions of the sort. But you know, as soon as questions like “How do you not catch any feelings during the movie?“ or, “Your chemistry is great! Have you seen the pictures on set, because you two look fantastic together.“, you had to be prepared for more harrasment about it in the future.

Today, is one of those days, where you wish talkshows weren‘t a thing.

»So… the edits. Let‘s talk about them! There‘s hundreds, no, thousands of them all around! Have you seen any of those before?« Asks the moderator, while wearing an amused smirk and watches your reaction. You already feel like this can go south really quickly and shake your head, staying composed.

»Haven‘t seen any of them… yet.«

He quirks an eyebrow at you, letting out a light chuckle. »Well, you‘re about to see some of them!«

With a dramatic arm motion of his, the large screen behind you lights up and starts to show some fan made edits of both Bruce and you. Scenes of the trailer and some leaks, as well as paparazzi pictures, are clipped together that make everything look all the more intimate. Not knowing how to react, you cover your face and hope for the best. The live audience cheers loudly, the camera cutting from your flustered state to the audience as they continue on showing the fan made edit on screen. The moderator finally cuts you some slack, laughing at your flustered state. It‘s not helping, but you are glad that Bruce isn‘t here, witnessing it all and maybe throwing in some teasing comments too.

Sighing out, you look back at the moderator and calm down again. What were you thinking, joining a late night talk show like this?

»I never want to see that again...«

»Oh, just one more.« The moderator teases and smiles widely, letting another edit play on screen. It‘s one that you have saved on your phone. Recognising it, you try your best not to react as embarrassed as before. Still, your rosy cheeks give it away, even though you are way calmer now. Finn, the moderator, feels more friendly than ususal and decides to not point it out. For now, the show had enough entertainment after having had a rather funny conversation with him and showing you these thirst edits.

◐

Finally having a day off, you decide to spend it together with your significant other and relax. Bruce however, doesn‘t seem to have enough of creating core memories together, that you‘ll spend thinking about for the next ten years.

»Oh, thanks for the delicious meal, Alfred. You are dismissed for now.« Bruce tells him with a soft smile and nod, watching how the butler leaves the dining room and lets the chaos begin.

Richard, or Dick, the eldest of his sons, seems to be the most adequate, but also the most lively among his brothers. Bruce has already told one embarrasing story about his parkour accidents during a gala, which made you laugh a bit. That made Dick stay a little more quiet in return, getting the hint that more of his teasing nature will be greatly regretted. Somehow, the table was mostly calm during the dinner. Most of the conversation was started by Dick or Bruce, some comments coming from Damian as well. Although, not the nicest.

Still, they managed to behave rather well. That was, until Alfred returned with some scrumptious looking dessert. After serving tea, the table tends to get more lively. Tim and Damian often bicker quietly about who‘s getting the next piece faster, however you try not to pay too much mind and not make it awkward. Jason on the other hand, stays seated by Dick‘s side and makes fun of the two younger brothers.

»No wonder you‘re both such fatasses.«

»Jason.« Bruce smiles at his second son, trying his best not to physically cringe at himself for needing to keep his sons under control in front of you.

You, however, don‘t really care much about the antics around the table. You‘ve seen way worse at a small children‘s birthday party, so this actually feels domestic, in a way.

»It‘s okay, father. We… are sharing this last cupcake.« Damian intervenes and seems tense as he cuts up the last sweet dessert in half. He makes sure to make one half bigger than the other and gives the smaller one to Tim. Luckily, Bruce feels more satisfied and relaxed after that and continues on sipping his tea beside you, at the head of the table.

After the nice dinner with his family, you try to help Alfred with cleaning the table up, but he kindly stops you and insists on doing it alone.

»I greatly appreciate it, but I believe master Bruce prefers to have you all to himself tonight. I will handle this by myself.« Convinced, you leave the butler alone and make your way to Bruce, who just finished talking to his boys.

»There you are… let‘s head upstairs, darling.« His arm snakes around your waist as you walk upstairs to his master bedroom, getting some well deserved privacy after the long, hard-working week. Inside, he can‘t contain his feelings anymore and picks you up, just to throw you both onto his bed and curl up with you. The room fills with light giggles from the both of you, turning it into a play fight on the bed. It doesn‘t take long for Bruce to get hold of your wrists and pin you down under him, looking as smug as ever over his win. You continue to squirm and try to fight him, although you don‘t try to get away from him; just enjoying the playful moment. Finally, he gets to make your legs go still aswell, putting more of his weight onto you.

»Now, be good and stay still for a moment, hm? Wouldn‘t want to hurt my pretty girl...« You can hear him sigh out lightly as he leans into the crook of your neck, planting soft kisses along your skin before he gently bites down, leaving light marks. It makes you instantly relax, enjoying the way he manages to be so gentle and passionate at the same time. He also relaxes, finally feeling more comfortable showing his affection this way and simply keeps going, not wanting to end this yet. His bigger hand trails down your thigh, urging it to hook around his hip, seemingly craving more contact with you.

A light hum leaves your lips, tangling your fingers into his black hair, gasping lightly once he starts to nibble harder on your skin. It leaves goosebumps down your spine, shifting to wrap your other leg around him too. Suddenly, this doesn‘t feel so innocent anymore.

Bruce tries his best to hold back on a groan, eventually exhales shakily against you. He finally stops his gentle attack on your neck, leaning away to admire his handiwork. You take him in from your position, watching the way his eyes are blacked out and his breathing grew rather uneven. His eyes dart back to you, shifting so he isn‘t crushing you under his weight.

»I could never grow tired of this, you know?«

Bruce secretly cringes at himself for being so vulnerable, so open with you. But judging by your reaction, you seem to love it. The way your eyes soften even more, how you stay completely relaxed and peaceful under him is saying enough. Your hand reaches out to cup his cheek, bringing him closer again to exchange more gentle kisses between each other. The evening turns out in you both being relaxed and endlessly exchanging affection together, growing dissapointed once it gets late.

As you prepare yourself to put your coat back on by the front door, Bruce gets held back by Alfred.

»You know, she can always stay over night. One night won‘t hurt, master Bruce.«

But he doesn‘t relent and shakes his head, a light frown stretching on his face. »I don‘t have time for this, Alfred.«

As quick as he dismissed his butler, he is right back at your side and helps to adjust your sleeves from your coat.

»Let me drive you home,« You go along without argument and follow him outside to the garage, sitting into the passanger seat and let him drive.

◐

»Bruce! We got invited to our first ever premiere-movie-party-thing!«

You exclaim as soon as he picks up the call, making him exhale in relief. After a short pause, he asnwers back.

»Premiere-moive-party-thing? I gotcha,« he chuckles, putting finally closing the big folder on his desk after studying it for hours, »I‘m pretty sure it‘s because we‘re the lead actors of the whole thing… and you are the director.«

His casual approach makes you roll your eyes, rolling onto your stomach in your bed. »Yes, but isn‘t it cool? I never went to one, what is that like? Do you think it‘ll be filled with annoying rich people?« You start twirling your hair as you continue to talk with him, listening to his response with a light smile.

»They‘re alway filled with ‘em. I always get black-out drunk, so it‘s easier to deal with it. The music isn‘t the greatest as well… it actually feels more like a frat party sometimes.« His description of it makes you chuckle, making Bruce smile in return.

»So… do you think we should go there anyways?«

»Of course we should. Especially you, makes your image go up higher.« He replies back without thinking too much. It makes sense, and you don‘t think too much about going to that party. You heard they will be some interviewers, so you better not get black-out drunk.

◐

Arriving outside the tall building, the bass that‘s heard from inside is making you lightly intimidated. Taking a deep breath, you say your last prayer and enter. In the lobby, you need to check in and get a colourfull wristband, signalling your status so the security knows who to protect in an case of emergency. The others can save themselves. Shortly after you, Bruce arrives and goes through the same check-in as you. He spooks you lightly by snaking his hand onto your shoulder, earning a surprised gasp and smack to his chest.

»Sorry… having fun already?« He leans down to be at your eye-level and sneak in a gentle kiss, but quickly decides against it and smoothly straightens himself again. Although, he keeps his hand on your waist.

»I don‘t know, nothing happened yet. And I don‘t know where the drinks are, I‘m kinda nervous,« you hold your hands out for him, letting him see the light tremors coming from your nervousness. He frowns lightly upon seeing your hands, taking them into his warm ones.

»You don‘t have to worry so much, okay? Just a small party, you‘ll answer some questions and we can leave. How‘s that sound?«

You feel more comfortable after his assurance and nod, restraining yourself from leaning into him and being more affectionate.

Eventually, the party starts properly after more actors and other public-figures arrive, turning the music up a notch. Currently, you‘re having fun and enjoy some sweet, alcoholic drinks, relaxing further and taking things easy. Following Bruce‘s advice of drinking definitely worked, and you soon have your first interview as one reporter approaches you with a camera man by his side. After getting permission from you, the camera starts rolling and the reporter gets started.

»We‘ve already seen some sneak-peeks and the trailer alone gives us so much insight on your chemistry with Andy, so… was it difficult to master such energy or did it come naturally?«

Typical question to try and suck some possible gossip from an actor, but you are greatly used to it, eventually giving him your typical answer back.

»Oh, you know, it really depends if the actors are good or not. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn‘t, so it really depends on both actors to create the right perfomance.« Definitely not the answer the reporter was searching for, but he‘ll settle with it for now. Robert starts again, angling his microphone back to himself.

»What was hardest on this movie? The directing or acting with your own expectations and critique?« A more pleasant question to answer. You respond honestly, giving an open insight of how stressful it really was, being both the director and actor in one.

Eventually, Robert seems to back down with his questions after five more minutes, starting to build up a more casual conversation with you. Logically, you can‘t really back down from it and simply go along, listening to him talk and speak aswell.

»...Yes— and your dress? Seriously, I couldn‘t take my eyes off you the whole interview, I don‘t know why there aren‘t a line of men standing right behind you, waiting for your attention!« You chuckle along, although a bit forced. »No, seriously, I love the way you look tonight. Who was your stylist, I should give her a raise,« Robert steps closer to you, wearing a charming smile, the best one he can muster. You stay still and simply try to joke along and bear it through for a couple more moments, eyes daring out to search for back-up.

»Would you believe that I was her stylist for tonight? All my work.« Bruce steps in, seemingly appearing out of nowhere into the frame and casually lays his hand back onto your waist, wearing a smug smile. Robert pauses briefly before he catches himself and gets back to being a ‘casual-playful‘ reporter.

»No way! I‘ll make sure to write that into my news report later.« The reporter awkwardly says goodbye after receiving a light chuckle from the other and finally shuffles away from the both of you, camera man following him closely. You can barely make out the way Robert scolds his camera man for something that was most-probably not his fault anyway.

»Next time just scream really loud, I‘ll be there in no time.« Without wanting to cause any unnecessary attention, he squeeyes your waist and eventually gets back to the party, searching for some more interviewers too. Without any further thinking, you go back to the bar and get yourself another drink. One drink becomes two, and you make sure to stay leaned against something in order not to lose balance. You settle on being more in the backgrounds for now, but you quickly change your mind once they turn on some up-beat music and free the dance floor. It‘s already packed with other famous people, them being drunk too, no doubt. They happily include you into the chaos, dancing however to the beat all-together. You slip in another few drinks and shots during that time, just enjoying yourself and letting lose. Finally, after what seemed like too long and not enough, you get yourself off the dancefloor to have a quick trip to the bathroom.

With wobbly legs and aching feet, you manage to get there and freshen up, feeling lighter afterwards, but also way more drunk than before. You try to make your way back to the dance floor, but you briefly lose your sense of orientation and simply stand there, trying to figure out how to get back to the fun girls.

»Are we okay to head back home, darling?« A smooth voice asks from your side and almost makes you roll your eyes, not recognising it right away.

»Bruce!«

»Hey— yeah, that‘s me...« He chuckles softly, and catches you gently as soon as you lean in to hug him tightly. You feel the way his hands rub along your back before they stop at your sides and just keep you steady on your feet.

»Can we go now?« Bruce leans down to talk better to you, his breath brushing against you ear. You let out a soft giggle, leaning back and meet his eyes. It‘s clear to him that you will try your everything to at least get a last drink before driving home. As expected, you pout at him and glance back to the general direction of the dancefloor.

»No, darling, c‘mon...«

»Please?« You draw out and lean more into him, grabbing lightly onto his shirt. He takes you in, trying his best not to get distracted by your shiny eyes and cute behavior, most likely trying to play it up for him. He manages to stay stubborn and shakes his head lightly, his expression growing soft.

»We have to go home, okay? It‘s too late and you‘ll regret it tomorrow.« He tries to be as gentle as possible, lightly rubbing your side with one hand. With a final huff, you slump a bit into him and give in. A faint smirk graces Bruce‘s face and carefully guides you out of the building, finally setting you inside the car with care.

The car ride was mostly filled with your yapping, being happy about the fun dances you had together with the strange women, still shining with excited energy, even after the party. Finally at your house, he takes care of you, carefully taking your make-up off before changing you into more comfortable clothes. You don‘t remember much after that, being out cold the second your blanket envelopes your form.

Waking up was the worst part. Your head pounds as if some gremlin is on top of it and slams a hammer onto you repeatedly. After sitting up, you realise that you are already in your fuzzy pyjamas and cleaned up. Not paying too much mind to it, you reach for your phone at your nightstand, almost knokcing off the glass of water on it. Surprised, you study your small table and pick the note off of it.

Hope your head won‘t kill you today. Cute pyjamas, by the way. -B.

←MASTERLIST

[ronearoundblindly]

how would the blorbos react to someone threatening you?

Okay, I tried to look at this from a few different angles because obviously some specifics to each circumstance matter, so considering if the threat is in-person or online, whether it's a verbal or a physical threat, and whether it is vague/implied or explicit comes into play. The blorbos have their strengths and weaknesses in these areas, ya know?

Warning for mentions of--yup--physical or sexual threats (implied only)...because that's a real thing, gang. For this reason, MINORS DNI please.

James Mace

He's observant, so Mace would notice if you were nervous about your phone, work, or out in public. He would *not* be thrilled with how little can be done by authorities for cyberthreats and/or stalking. Mace would likely do what he could to find/shut down/stop the person or hire someone to do that.

If you were threaten 'out', he knows that starting a physical fight when it's just you two leaves you vulnerable while he's fighting, so he won't do that unless absolutely necessary. Mace will bring/draw witnesses around and verbally shame the shit out of the threatening person so that they end up walking away. He is more likely to just lead you home or out of harm's way, but he would take all threats seriously, even if it was not explicit or spoken.

Steve Rogers

Similar to Mace (but would not know what to do with cyberthreats), Steve doesn't needlessly escalate the situation. He's torn between the 'free speech' argument of allowing everyone to express themselves, but his tolerance ends after giving the threatening person one chance to apologize and walk away.

He's aware that people can have bad days and say mean things, but they better be willing to admit they intend no harm and respectfully step the fuck off. Steve will attack if they do not. Mostly though, he wonders 'why can't people be nice to each other' because back in his day, spewing hate and violence meant you were a villain, not an activist. To Steve, freedom to speak ends at someone else's fear.

Curtis Everett

Welp, his instinct is to kill them. Full stop. Curtis...won't...perhaps, but that's the first, second, third, and fourth impulse.

He will fight swiftly, give the person an option to apologize and leave, then fight more if necessary. If the threat shows no signs of letting up, Curtis will not let up until the person is dead, honestly.

Online threats, however, are a bit of a problem because Curtis is more likely to tell you to ignore it, not use that website or app, or just block them than he is to seek out the person. The cyber universe is completely separate to him. It's all...not real to some extent, so the threat would have to be direct and specific to you.

Lloyd Hansen

The person who kills the threat. LOL but also duh.

He just kills them unless a bit of torture or humiliation will amuse him in the moment (or if seeing the person suffer will put you at ease). This could be over very serious or very frivolous threats, too, so there's a danger that anyone you have the slightest complaint about is...gonna die.

Lloyd has absolutely hired someone whose sole purpose is monitoring your safety online and off, so nothing gets past him.

Ari Levinson

He's vaguely interested in the reasons for the threat--not because there's validity, mind--in case it's a play for him or meant to provoke him to act a certain way. Ari is concerned with playing into the hands of bad actors. He doesn't take any threat lightly, but there are different levels. If you are threatened physically, in the moment, while with someone, he is very likely to attack. He assumes anyone and everyone might have a knife or gun and fights accordingly.

Ari doesn't quite...care about the internet, so again, this would need to be a specific, credible threat to your person for him to get involved. He'd have to get someone tech-savvy to help handle it though.

Andy Barber

He's shockingly fast to subvert legal action if he feels an imminent threat to you. Someone gets close to you, makes you uncomfortable, and he will throw down, make no mistake. Obviously, Andy knows the nuances of what can be proven in court, what's actionable, and what can't be addressed due to that person's right, so he makes decisions based on what keeps you safe or returns you to safety as efficiently as possible.

Keeps thorough records (and asks you to as well) of any instances of in-person or online threats (even just vibes). Insists you keep track, just in case.

Johnny Storm

Bless, Johnny bitchslaps them with a flaming palm. Anyone getting close to you without permission will be marked or scarred permanently.

He is one of the most likely to directly confront your assailant/stalker/threat. Johnny hates to see you upset, nervous, or scared, and he might not be the super-observant but jumps at the opportunity to protect you. Bonus that Johnny will recruit Ben Grimm to scare the bejeezus out of someone online who threatens you. All the 4, really. They'd all rally for that.

Bucky Barnes

It depends on the intensity of threat as to whether Bucky handles it quickly in-person, involves authorities, or just stalks/hunts the person later. He's absolutely tech savvy enough (especially when motivated) to shut that shit down.

For example, if a drunk guy gets too aggressive with you, Bucky will put that guy on his ass and move you two away from the situation. If, however, the guy repeatedly sneaks gross comments and threats in before disappearing in a crowd...he's going to be found mysteriously in a one-car accident somewhere outside of town tomorrow...

Jimmy Dobyne

Jimmy's reaction depends on if he's been drinking, the person threatening you is inebriated, who the person is, and your safety overall or in that moment. Jimmy isn't opposed to taking action, but he is wary of escalating things. He will more likely pay close attention to the threat's wording, the body language, and if it repeats before deciding how to act.

Now, that said, should someone physically threaten you (or touch you while verbally threatening you), Jimmy will not allow them to continue or leave before reciprocating. A body check, a twisted wrist, a broken finger...something as a message to fucking stop or he's coming for them.

Jake Jensen

Ok...so since he is the most techie of the blorbos, OBVIOUSLY, Jake could handle even the vaguest of threats, the simplest of bad vibes you get online. He does, however, debate how much you should know/see--or how much he wants you to know/see--because he often has a bit of fun doxxing people. He is a troll, through and through.

In-person? Jake's a bit awkward. Even while he's fighting with someone, he could be offering them verbal 'ways out.' Like "I'm sure you didn't mean that, right? There's no way you wanted to be in a chokehold, yeah? You were just leaving, weren't you?"

Basically, Jake will offer the most good-natured warning before actually (if it was a man threatening you) cutting the guy's balls off and apologizing for what the guy made him do.

Ransom Drysdale

Unless he's drunk or the threat is online, Ran--

Eh, who are we kidding? He will hire someone else to fucking fix it. Whether it's someone like Jake or like Lloyd is entirely dependent on Ransom's mood. He's muscular and fit, but not in any sort of fighting-sense. Plus Ran would be more angry if he face got messed up than about the original threat. Nope. Outsource that shit.

Thank you for asking!

[Main Masterlist; Who Would...Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

[wilwheaton]

In one respect, the actors and writers of Hollywood uniting on the picket lines in a historic, industry-shaking strike is a tale as old as time: one of workers fighting bosses for better pay. Yet the reason this battle is shaping up to be so uniquely intractable and momentous — as you might have gathered from all the headlines about artificial intelligence and streaming economics — is very much of our moment. But it’s not, ultimately, technology that’s at the root of the problem. It’s that the studio executives both new and old have embraced the powerful — and ultimately disastrous — magical thinking pumped out by Silicon Valley for the last 10 years. Studio heads are touting the disruptive properties of digital streaming, the transformative power of AI, a brave, unpredictable new world for entertainment writ large — and how writers and actors must adapt to this new future. But just as it did when it was issuing from the tech sector during the 2010s, this talk too often amounts to a smokescreen that lets executives and investors line their pockets and risks leaving workers holding the bag.

Merchant: How Silicon Valley mind-set begat Hollywood's strike