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tweakingsql · 1 year ago

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Setting References, Adding constraints

We need to set up some items so that eventually this project will actually run. First off, we need to set up a reference to an existing server where the project will be exported when we're finished.

Under the Solution's name, there is a entry for References. Right-click on that, then select Database References. Change the database reference type to System Database, and select the master database.

Just to be fair, I had trouble with adding the default as below. I kept getting an error SLQ17501, meaning the editor was unable to find the referred to item.

There is an equivalent of SSMS' Crtl+Shift+R, which in the Project menu then Reanalyze Project. And that didn't work. It's supposed to take a little bit like the refresh of the table data into IntelliSense does in SSMS, so I waited. Hours.

Then I deleted the offending item and tried to add it again. Still there.

Then deleted the entire project and started over. At that point, in the error listing, I noticed the project was set for "Build + Intellisense". Clicking the other options confirmed that the problem was in IntelliSense, not the Build.

Next day, I started off with a new and smaller build and planned on using VS to report the issue to Microsoft. And it never came back. Anywhere. Computer Science is in the next classroom, this is working with software, which is a whole different beast. End interruption.

The source table has the one constraint already, which is the clustered primary key. "Clustered" means that the data will be put in the specified order onto the drive. Primary keys have to be non-null and unique, and are often what is used as a foreign key in another table.

This is a table of dates, and there's already date functions and tools built in to SQL. Why add more? Mostly so that we have a simple table to join on for long calculations. You can figure out if a given day is a weekend by looking at the DatePart() function with the first parameter set to DW. But is it a holiday? That is a bit harder to work out. This table does the calculations so they don't have to be repeated endlessly.

First off, let's set the FederalHolidayFlag to default to the character 'N'. We do the right-click on the solution's name, then Add, then New Item. Under Tables and Views we can select a Default Constraint. And it wants a name again.

And VS is helping where it can.

There's a related Check Constraint. Everybody is going to have opinions about where each of the files should be one single step, or if all the related steps should stay together. Make a choice that appeals to you, and realize unless you're the project manager it doesn't matter. I want the practice using the different templates.

The blue squiggle is error SQL70588 - since there's already a data enforcement check on that column, the WITH CHECK part of the statement will be ignored. I'm making a note that the Test Suite needs to look at that.

Document it. Always. Or you will forget.

Why use 'Y' and 'N'? One byte is the smallest column size. The boolean columns do only take up one bit in some byte, but unless you have a lot of booleans (8 or more), it's not much of a savings in space and a tad more work in CPU - probably breaks even in the long run. We could have used 0 and 1 in a tinyint column. It was an aesthetic choice on the part of the Data Architect team.

There are a bunch more constraints we could put in. Which ones matter to you?

#Visual Studio #SSDT #Add database reference #add constraints #t-sql

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pillowfort-social · 1 year ago

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Generative AI Policy (February 9, 2024)

As of February 9, 2024, we are updating our Terms of Service to prohibit the following content:

Images created through the use of generative AI programs such as Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, and Dall-E.

This post explains what that means for you. We know it’s impossible to remove all images created by Generative AI on Pillowfort. The goal of this new policy, however, is to send a clear message that we are against the normalization of commercializing and distributing images created by Generative AI. Pillowfort stands in full support of all creatives who make Pillowfort their home. Disclaimer: The following policy was shaped in collaboration with Pillowfort Staff and international university researchers. We are aware that Artificial Intelligence is a rapidly evolving environment. This policy may require revisions in the future to adapt to the changing landscape of Generative AI.

Why is Generative AI Banned on Pillowfort?

Our Terms of Service already prohibits copyright violations, which includes reposting other people’s artwork to Pillowfort without the artist’s permission; and because of how Generative AI draws on a database of images and text that were taken without consent from artists or writers, all Generative AI content can be considered in violation of this rule. We also had an overwhelming response from our user base urging us to take action on prohibiting Generative AI on our platform.

How does Pillowfort define Generative AI?

As of February 9, 2024 we define Generative AI as online tools for producing material based on large data collection that is often gathered without consent or notification from the original creators.

Generative AI tools do not require skill on behalf of the user and effectively replace them in the creative process (ie - little direction or decision making taken directly from the user). Tools that assist creativity don't replace the user. This means the user can still improve their skills and refine over time.

For example: If you ask a Generative AI tool to add a lighthouse to an image, the image of a lighthouse appears in a completed state. Whereas if you used an assistive drawing tool to add a lighthouse to an image, the user decides the tools used to contribute to the creation process and how to apply them.

Examples of Tools Not Allowed on Pillowfort: Adobe Firefly* Dall-E GPT-4 Jasper Chat Lensa Midjourney Stable Diffusion Synthesia

Example of Tools Still Allowed on Pillowfort:

AI Assistant Tools (ie: Google Translate, Grammarly) VTuber Tools (ie: Live3D, Restream, VRChat) Digital Audio Editors (ie: Audacity, Garage Band) Poser & Reference Tools (ie: Poser, Blender) Graphic & Image Editors (ie: Canva, Adobe Photoshop*, Procreate, Medibang, automatic filters from phone cameras)

*While Adobe software such as Adobe Photoshop is not considered Generative AI, Adobe Firefly is fully integrated in various Adobe software and falls under our definition of Generative AI. The use of Adobe Photoshop is allowed on Pillowfort. The creation of an image in Adobe Photoshop using Adobe Firefly would be prohibited on Pillowfort.

Can I use ethical generators?

Due to the evolving nature of Generative AI, ethical generators are not an exception.

Can I still talk about AI?

Yes! Posts, Comments, and User Communities discussing AI are still allowed on Pillowfort.

Can I link to or embed websites, articles, or social media posts containing Generative AI?

Yes. We do ask that you properly tag your post as “AI” and “Artificial Intelligence.”

Can I advertise the sale of digital or virtual goods containing Generative AI?

No. Offsite Advertising of the sale of goods (digital and physical) containing Generative AI on Pillowfort is prohibited.

How can I tell if a software I use contains Generative AI?

A general rule of thumb as a first step is you can try testing the software by turning off internet access and seeing if the tool still works. If the software says it needs to be online there’s a chance it’s using Generative AI and needs to be explored further.

You are also always welcome to contact us at [email protected] if you’re still unsure.

How will this policy be enforced/detected?

Our Team has decided we are NOT using AI-based automated detection tools due to how often they provide false positives and other issues. We are applying a suite of methods sourced from international universities responding to moderating material potentially sourced from Generative AI instead.

How do I report content containing Generative AI Material?

If you are concerned about post(s) featuring Generative AI material, please flag the post for our Site Moderation Team to conduct a thorough investigation. As a reminder, Pillowfort’s existing policy regarding callout posts applies here and harassment / brigading / etc will not be tolerated.

Any questions or clarifications regarding our Generative AI Policy can be sent to [email protected].

#pillowfort.social #pifo #pillowfort.soc #pfstaffalert #tos #policy #ai #please share #february 2024

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if-whats-new · 6 months ago

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What's New In IF? Issue 28 (2024)

By Brij, Dion, Briar, Jen and Peter

Now Available!

Itch.io - Keep Reading below

If you read the zine, consider liking the post: it helps us see how many people see it! And sharing is caring! <3

~ EDITORIAL ~

The surprises are just never-ending!

The Halloween Issues are successfully behind us. But don’t worry, there’s still more exciting things to come! Check out the Announcements for more information!

We want some feedback!

As we’re starting to get a hand of things, we would love some feedback from you guys! What you enjoy, want more or less off, how we could improve... Anything goes! We even have a nifty form!

Still looking for members!

The Zine Team is growing, but we won’t say no to more free hands looking to make a little difference in the community!

If you too would like to help us out in a more official capacity, please shoot us a message! You can check out the available positions here, but if you’d like to help in any other way, feel free to contact us as well!

We hope you enjoy this new issue!

BRIJ, DION, BRIAR, JEN AND PETER

~ BE A PART OF THE ZINE ~

THIS ZINE ONLY HAPPENS WITH YOU!

Want to write 1-2 pages about a neat topic, or deep-dive into a game and review it in details? Share personal experiences or get all academic?

WRITE FOR THE COLUMN!

Prefer to be more low-key but still have something to share? Send us a Zine Letter or share a game title for Highlight on…!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Came across something interesting? Know a release or an update announced? Saw an event happening? Whether it's a game, an article, a podcast… Add any IF-related content to our mini-database!

EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

~ EVENT SPOTLIGHT : BITSY JAM ~

Fuu, already #85?

Bitsy is a little engine for little games, worlds, and stories created by Adam Le Doux that makes game making look easier than ever! I mean really! You can use it to make a game in your browser just by drawing it! Thanks to the simple pixelated graphics and limited colour palette you can make basically anything from simple short stories to complicated masterpieces.

The first jam (with a yummy theme: Breakfast) took place on April 8th 2017. Now it’s a monthly occurrence, each time with a new challenging theme that the creators themselves (or even possibly you) get to vote on.

Petrichor, temporary, intentionally bad, tomatoes, no dialogue, long distances, secret place, bitsy fest jam, lost media and waiting are just the ten most recent ones. This month’s theme is game manual - the theme can be the core of the game, or just a small reference. Anything really. The main point of this jam is to have fun and make something! (Just make sure that your game is made in one of these: bitsy, mosi or bipsi.)

So why not give it a shot?

~ ENDED ~

The Halloween Jam has officially ended and the winners have been announced! Check out the results here.

~ ONGOING (VOTING) ~

The voting for ECTOCOMP 2024 has officially started! To vote and participate as a jury, you must do so by giving between 1 to 5 stars on each entry page of the jam. The voting period ends on November 30.

The 7th edition of inkJam is in motion and you have until the 15th November to vote for your faves. The winners will be officially announced the following day.

~ ONGOING (SUBMITTING) ~

Disabled Rep VN Jam has a very simple premise but a very important message.

Once upon a time, a game jam was held to create stories around the theme of fairy tales… and that game jam is the Once Upon A Time VN Jam. It’s running from October 1st to January 31st.

Concours de Fiction Interactive Francophone 2025 is for all French-speaking enthusiasts. Submissions are accepted March 3rd 2025.

Are you perhaps a fan of more somber, melancholic themes? Then check out the Dying Year - Visual Novel Jam! You have until the end of the year to participate.

The Black Visual Novel Jam is all about working with creative professional developers who work in visual novels to bring more Black stories to life. The goal is to create a space where Black creators can show their unique storytelling through visual novels.

Bare your teeth and sharpen your claws because the Monstrous Desires 2024 Visual Novel Jam is here! Dedicated to the love of entities, horrors, and monstrosities, this jam will be full of romantic Visual Novels (VN) that heavily focus on a monster may it be original or from classics, folklore, modern media, etc.

The October Bitsy Jam is here! The theme is game manual and you have until November 11th to submit your projects.

~ OTHER ~

Jams are a great way to find new games! Don’t be afraid to check out submissions from previous years as well. There might be some gems hiding between them!

~ NEW RELEASE ~

The corpos are after you. The cops are, too. Even your ex has crawled out of the grave to try and get you back. Meanwhile, the fate of the galaxy itself rests on a knife’s edge, and only you can bar the doors of hell in Whiskey-Four (CScript)

In Between Two Worlds (CScript) join forces with a rogue smuggler to uncover the truth of a mysterious cult and foil their plans—but who can you trust in a time of uncertainty and darkness?

It’s natural to hold onto the memory of someone you loved and lost. But when does remembrance turn to fixation? When does clinging to the past begin to warp your present and future? Find out in That Which Surrounds. @blank-house

Blood Moon Rising is a text-based IF where vampires kidnapped your father. Now you need to get him back to safety at all costs.

You wake up in a dark forest, all alone. Who are you? What’s going on? Play The ritual (bitsy) and find your way inside the forest and discover the truth about the mysterious ritual that brought you here…

In Monstrous Brew play as Mae, a cute pastel witch, finding refuge in her bakery. What will she do when a feather flutters into her hand, foreboding a her death?

As always, don't forget to check out the submitted entries to the events mentioned in the previous pages. They deserve some love too!

~ NEW RELEASE (WIP) ~

Godsbane: Book One (CScript) Since the day of your birth, everything was nothing short of perfect. So why do you still see this face? Why does it burn so much? @speechlessturtle

Love After Death (Twine) Your past is in the past. And your future is with your lover. No more stress. No more tears, rage, helplessness, or feeling powerless. But isn't it going a bit too smoothly?

In Unneeded Script (Twine) you died in a car accident. Now, it's time to try again in a fantastic setting, but oh wait! You are a villain! Good luck! @unneededscript-if

In When Love and Law Collide (CScript) you are a newbie police officer. And as a police officer, your mandate is simple. Apprehend those who don’t follow the law. But what if you get caught in the rivalry between two warring clans - and two people who make you ignore the laws and follow your heart? @biinthecity

Addy (Ren’Py) - Welcome to Nowhere Tech, transfer student- where you'll meet people, make choices, make mistakes, and make even more mistakes.

Hana's got some skeletons in her closet. For the past few years the hustle and bustle of the city has served as a great distraction, but the time has come for her to view the reality of what happened to her in MINE MEMORY.

~ UPDATES ~

College Tennis: Origin Story (CScript) released Chapter 6 to the public. @collegetennisoriginstory

Cyberpolice (CScript) added the Romantic part of Stillwater one night stand scene to their demo.

Remnants of the Past (Twine) released Chapter 3 of Act 2. @remnantsofthepast-if

The Ballad of the Young Gods (Twine) released Chapters 2 and 3. @childrenofcain-if

Vice Virtue (Twine) added new content to Chapter 1. @dam-peace

Only Flesh and Blood (Ren’Py) updated the demo. @gauloiseblue

The Bureau - Halloween special (CScript) is here. @morbethgames

Crystal Lambs (Ren’Py) released Chapter 4.

Dice & Dungeon Masters (CScript) added new content to their demo.

Hooves & Hearts (Twine) released Chapter 1: Rudolph and Dasher.

~ OTHER ~

The author of The Sword of Rhivenia (CScript) is also back with a remake! Be sure to check out the demo.

The VNture podcast is back with another episode! This time talking about spooky scary monsters.

The wait is over and the Reincarnation Of The Archdemon (CScript) demo relaunch is here.

Chronicles of Taldun: The Remainder Expanded Edition is out. There’s a lot of new content, so be sure to check it out!

As always, we apologize in advance for missing any update or release from the past week. We are only volunteers using their limited free time to find as much as we can - but sometimes things pass through the cracks.

If you think something should have been included in this week's zine but did not appear, please shoot us a message! We'll do our best to add it next week! And if you know oncoming news, add it here!

~ MAYBE YOU NEXT? ~

We did not get a submission this week. But if you have an idea for a short essay, or would like a special space to share your thoughts about IF and the community...

Shoot us an email!

~ HIGHLIGHT ON ~

A couple of games that we thought were cool.

Sanguine Sky by @sanguinesky-if (CScript)

HEYYYY! for the game highlight, may I please mention "Sanguine Sky" by the amazing @ sanguinesky-if ??? I swear this IF is so lovely, and the ROs always have my heart racing. Not to mention the amazing writing!

//submitted by anon//

Flight by Cidney Hamilton (Twine)

You moved overseas for love. But was it worth it? A short piece of hypertext fiction about leaving a toxic relationship.

//recommended by the Team//

Your favourite game here?

Do you have a favourite game that deserves some highlighting?

An old or recent game that wowed you so much you spam it to everyone?

Tell us about it! And it might appear here!

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD, OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN...

Have something to say? Send us a message titled: Zine Letter!

Did you miss our Small Talk portion of the Zine? Then you have a reason to celebrate because we’re bringing it back!

You’ve read it right! The interviews are back thanks to our new Team members: BRIAR AND PETER! Welcome to the Team guys, we’re happy to have you! There’s already an interview in the works and we can wait to share it with you!

And we will be interviewing... *insert drumroll here*

LEIA TALON!

Fantasy romance writer, author of the newly released Ink and Intrigue, Their Majesties' Pleasure and The World Tree Chronicles book series.

Send us any question you'd have for her and we’ll ask her for you! Whether it's general or ultra specific, tell us what you'd like to know!

As we end this issue, we would like to thank:

our awesome anon!

For sending us their game Highlight!

As always, huge thanks to all you readers who liked, shared, and commented on the last issue!

What might be tiny actions are huge support and motivators to us!

Thank you for cheering us on this journey

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We’re also currently working on a Meet the Team post, so be excited for that!

And see you again next week!

BRIJ, DION, BRIAR, JEN AND PETER

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2024-ISSUE 28

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botgal · 11 months ago

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Update on AB 3080 and AB 1949

AB 3080 (age verification for adult websites and online purchase of products and services not allowed for minors) and AB 1949 (prohibiting data collection on individuals less than 18 years of age) both officially have hearing dates for the California Senate Judiciary Committee.

The hearing date for these bills is scheduled to be Tuesday 07/02/2024. Which means that the deadline to turn in position letters is going to be noon one week before the hearing on 06/25/2024. It's not a lot of time from this moment, but I'm certain we can each turn one in before then

Remember that position letters should be single topic, in strict opposition of what each bill entails. Keep on topic and professional when writing them. Let us all do our best to keep these bills from leaving committee so that we don't have to fight them on the Senate floor. But let's also not stop sending correspondence to our state representatives anyway.

Remember, the jurisdiction of the Senate Judiciary Committee is as follows.

"Bills amending the Civil Code, Code of Civil Procedure, Evidence Code, Family Code, and Probate Code. Bills relating to courts, judges, and court personnel. Bills relating to liens, claims, and unclaimed property. Bills relating to privacy and consumer protection."

Best of luck everyone. And thank you for your efforts to fight this so far.

Below is linked the latest versions of the bills.

Below are the links to the Committee's homepage which gives further information about the Judiciary Committee, and the page explaining further in depth their letter policy.

Edit: Was requested to add in information such as why these bills are bad and what sites could potentially be affected by these bills. So here's the explanation I gave in asks.

Why are these bills bad?

Both bills are essentially age verification requirement laws. AB 3080 explicitly, and AB 1949 implicitly.

AB 3080 strictly is calling for dangerous age verification requirements for both adult websites and any website which sells products or services which it is illegal for minors to access in California. While this may sound like a good idea on paper, it's important to keep in mind that any information that's put online is at risk of being extracted and used by bad actors like hackers. Even if there are additional requirements by the law that data be deleted after its used for its intended purpose and that it not be used to trace what websites people access. The former of which provides very little protection from people who could access the databases of identification that are used for verification, and the latter which is frankly impossible to completely enforce and could at any time reasonably be used by the government or any surveying entity to see what private citizens have been looking at since their ID would be linked to the access and not anonymized.

AB 1949 is nominally to protect children from having their data collected and sold without permission on websites. However by restricting this with an age limit it opens up similar issues wherein it could cause default requirements for age verification for any website so that they can avoid liability by users and the state.

What websites could they affect?

AB 3080, according to the bill's text, would affect websites which sells the types of items listed below

(b) Products or services that are illegal to sell to a minor under state law that are subject to subdivision (a) include all of the following:

(1) An aerosol container of paint that is capable of defacing property, as referenced in Section 594.1 of the Penal Code.

(2) Etching cream that is capable of defacing property, as referenced in Section 594.1 of the Penal Code.

(3) Dangerous fireworks, as referenced in Sections 12505 and 12689 of the Health and Safety Code.

(4) Tanning in an ultraviolet tanning device, as referenced in Sections 22702 and 22706 of the Business and Professions Code.

(5) Dietary supplement products containing ephedrine group alkaloids, as referenced in Section 110423.2 of the Health and Safety Code.

(6) Body branding, as referenced in Sections 119301 and 119302 of the Health and Safety Code.

(c) Products or services that are illegal to sell to a minor under state law that are subject to subdivision (a) include all of the following:

(1) Firearms or handguns, as referenced in Sections 16520, 16640, and 27505 of the Penal Code.

(2) A BB device, as referenced in Sections 16250 and 19910 of the Penal Code.

(3) Ammunition or reloaded ammunition, as referenced in Sections 16150 and 30300 of the Penal Code.

(4) Any tobacco, cigarette, cigarette papers, blunt wraps, any other preparation of tobacco, any other instrument or paraphernalia that is designed for the smoking or ingestion of tobacco, products prepared from tobacco, or any controlled substance, as referenced in Division 8.5 (commencing with Section 22950) of the Business and Professions Code, and Sections 308, 308.1, 308.2, and 308.3 of the Penal Code.

(5) Electronic cigarettes, as referenced in Section 119406 of the Health and Safety Code.

(6) A less lethal weapon, as referenced in Sections 16780 and 19405 of the Penal Code."

This is stated explicitly to include "internet website on which the owner of the internet website, for commercial gain, knowingly publishes sexually explicit content that, on an annual basis, exceeds one-third of the contents published on the internet website". Wherein "sexually explicit content" is defined as "visual imagery of an individual or individuals engaging in an act of masturbation, sexual intercourse, oral copulation, or other overtly sexual conduct that, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value."

This would likely not include websites like AO3 or any website which displays NSFW content not in excess of 1/3 of the content on the site. Possibly not inclusive of writing because of the "visual imagery", but don't know at this time. In any case we don't want to set a precedent off of which it could springboard into non-commercial websites or any and all places with NSFW content.

AB 1949 is a lot more broad because it's about general data collection by any and all websites in which they might sell personal data collected by the website to third parties, especially if aimed specifically at minors or has a high chance of minors commonly accesses the site. But with how broad the language is I can't say there would be ANY limits to this one. So both are equally bad and would require equal attention in my opinion.

#california #kosa #ab 3080 #ab 1949 #age verification #internet safety #online privacy #online safety #bad internet bills

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zahri-melitor · 11 months ago

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Here's a list (please add on with additional suggestions) of websites I refer to regularly for DC comic book information:-

My preferred ones:

DC Database: yes it's a Fandom wiki but we all use it as it's the biggest and most comprehensive.

DCU Guide: My go to whenever I'm trying to work out character timelines. It tends to lag a bit with fairly recent comics appearances.

Comic Vine: I mostly use Comic Vine as a confirmation that I've got EVERY appearance for a character tracked down; it's one of the few that doesn't differentiate between periods so it can be useful in totaling up ALL appearances even if someone only appears as a flashback or background group detail after Flashpoint.

League of Comic Geeks: my favourite way of tracking my reading, but also very helpful for looking up what came out when, what issues have been collected in which trades and how many editions have been published, what has been reprinted, and other fiddly topics. Pretty essential assistance when buying comics.

DC Events Crossover History: honestly this wikipedia page is the most useful one I know of for actually figuring out the publication order of DC crossover events, as it also lists a lot of the smaller crossovers not just the big headliners. Helpful to guide long range reading and working out which of these events to pick up.

Comic Book Reading Orders: want to read a big event that contains a lot of tie-ins? Confused where to start? You want CBRO. It's not perfect (I've argued with their order on a number of occasions) but they get it more right than any other website I can think of and tend to preference grouping storylines together over strict publication orders or the arrangement in trades. If you want to blow your mind, go check out their Countdown to Infinite Crisis reading order, which not only contains 250 separate listed issues, but also diverts you to read another event during it. (Infinite Crisis itself is a measly 98 issues in comparison).

#DC reference materials

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justinspoliticalcorner · 4 months ago

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Arno Rosenfeld at The Forward:

The Heritage Foundation plans to “identify and target” volunteer editors on Wikipedia who it says are “abusing their position” by publishing content the group believes to be antisemitic, according to documents obtained by the Forward. Employees of Heritage, the conservative think tank that produced the Project 2025 policy blueprint for the second Trump administration, said they plan to use facial recognition software and a database of hacked usernames and passwords in order to identify contributors to the online encyclopedia, who mostly work under pseudonyms. It’s not clear exactly what kind of antisemitism the Wikipedia effort, which has not been previously reported, is intended to address. But in recent months some Jewish groups have complained about a series of changes on the website relating to Israel, the war in Gaza and its repercussions. In June, a panel of Wikipedia editors declared the Anti-Defamation League a “generally unreliable” source of information about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, limiting when the organization can be cited in Wikipedia articles. And there was an outcry this fall among some Jewish scholars and pro-Israel activists over edits to Wikipedia’s entry for Zionism to add references to “colonization.” [...] The Heritage Foundation sent the pitch deck outlining the Wikipedia initiative to Jewish foundations and other prospective supporters of Project Esther, its roadmap for fighting antisemitism and anti-Zionism. The slideshow says the group’s “targeting methodologies” would include creating fake Wikipedia user accounts to try to trick editors into identifying themselves by sharing personal information or clicking on malicious tracking links that can identify people who click on them. It is unclear whether this has begun.

[...] Allegations of bias Wikipedia has long faced claims from conservatives that it has a liberal bias. Chaya Raichik, the Orthodox former real estate broker behind “Libs of TikTok,” has assailed Wikimedia’s spending on diversity programming, for example. And a June study from the right-leaning Manhattan Institute found a “mild to moderate tendency” for Wikipedia to more negatively describe some conservative public figures. Several prominent Jewish groups have also expressed concern that Wikipedia is tilted against Israel. A World Jewish Congress has released a report in March said the site’s articles about the Israel-Hamas war were biased in “terminology, framing and lack of context, one-sided sources and critical omissions,” while Aish.com, an Orthodox news website, said in November that it had been “hijacked by digital jihadists.” In May, the Los Angeles Jewish Journal ran a cover story titled “Wokepedia?” that described “seven tactics Wikipedia editors used to spread anti-Israel bias.” The article said that the term “anti-imperialism” had been added to the Hamas page as one of the Palestinian terror group’s ideologies, and the term “antisemitism” removed. Neither term is currently on the Hamas page; editors frequently discuss and change the content of controversial articles.

Radical right-wing organization The Heritage Foundation’s Project Esther is planning to identify and target Wikipedia editors as part of its project to combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism. In reality, such a campaign would serve to intimidate Wikipedia for its alleged pro-Palestinian bias.

#The Heritage Foundation #Project Esther #Project 2025 #Israel Apartheid #Censorship #Wikipedia #Gaza Genocide #Israel/Hamas War #Palestine #Wikimedia Foundation #Antisemitism #Tom Olohon

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linkons-most-wanted · 1 month ago

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Decoherence reaction 💫🍎

I had my gems and stamina saved, so of course I had to get both memories immediately and watch them today 🥺 There will be spoilers below but Tumblr mobile doesn't respect the "keep reading" content break so I'm gonna try to make sure this is long enough and spoiler-free before the break. 😅

While I kinda wish the event had a mini game, I love how beautiful and thematic it is. Having moments in the main timeline that sort of quietly mirror the myth timeline is always just, yes, yum.

Alright, from this point, DECOHERENCE SPOILERS BELOW.

Okay, first off, this myth is so sci-fi and I LOVE that we're getting something futurey! I also love the medieval and fairy tale vibes, it's just great to get the variety and I think Caleb's such a good character for it.

Science!

First off, the name of the myth Decoherence, specifically references the concept from Quantum Mechanics. I'll dig deeper into it and get the verbatim quotes as I add the myth to my lore database, but for now, recall how the experiment summaries mention issues of quantum entanglement between them and planet-ending consequences if their energy is allowed to resonate too much. Caleb mentions an "interference module", and in quantum physics, Decoherence describes when "interference effects are artificially or spontaneously suppressed". Note here that "interference" in quantum mechanics means that one particle can affect the other. So, poetically, decoherence describes the way that the modifications are preventing MC and Caleb from being together.

Creation and destruction

But it goes a layer deeper. MC and Caleb's power is "from the same source" and their powers are Destruction (destructio) and Creation (creatio) respectively. Creation and destruction are two sides of the same coin, and many religions and belief systems venerate both gods/concepts of creation and destruction. For example, part of what Yin & Yang represents is creation and destruction.

Notably, the "energy signature" of Caleb in CN is 新生 which is more directly translated as "rebirth". I think this is a notable nuance because then both A-01 and X-02 have had "rebirth" energy, which foreshadows their rebirth into the main timeline. I trust the localization in tha I agree that "Creation" is clearest in setting up these themes, but I think it's worth noting that it can also be understood as "rebirth", especially since MC specifically mentions feeling a "sense of rebirth" (iirc during her vision at the end, but I'll have to double check).

Primordial chaos

So, what is the shared source of creation and destruction? Primordial Chaos itself. Creation and Destruction cycle around each other, sustaining life as we know it, and whenever they are truly combined, all that can exist is the infinite void but also infinite potential. I'm pretty sure it's early in this myth that MC/A-02 mentions thinking that she and Caleb are perhaps destined to always orbit around each other--this is a reference to the cycle of creation/destruction, which is also explicitly mentioned in the excerpts from the Philosian history book.

And not only that, but when MC and Caleb have their shared fate of destruction at the end of the Loneroad Together kindled scene, we see a celestial phenomenon begin at their location--something akin to a star exploding. But then MC has a vision right after of new stars being born, and a voice saying "let's go home". So, we see that when Creation and Destruction are united, the world ceases to exist--but the cycle still continues and the world is reborn from the chaos/void again.

It's subtle, but I think this supports the idea that the writers are setting us up to see Philos and Earth as a time loop. By having the events of Philos be in the "future" but also happen "before" the main timeline, you set up the idea of a loop/ouroborus. Caleb/X-02 "remembers" earth but is also heading to earth. The main story also has specific mentions of the Traceback II being caught in an "endless loop" as it attempts to get to Earth.

Power exchange

What I also think is so beautiful about this story is that both MC and Caleb here are vessels for that power. Either can hold the power of creation or destruction--it's not specifically gendered. Though Caleb ends up carrying the more "taboo" power of destruction, he started with the power of creation, and it's specifically because he had that creative, compassionate power that he decided to take on MC's fate of carrying the power of destruction.

We're in this together

On a very personal level, I love that this iteration of MC refuses to let him die by himself. She understands that their fates and their powers are fundamentally interconnected. It's absolutely no criticism of the story, but both of Zayne's myths and Xavier's Shooting Star myth have this theme of the LI abandoning/leaving MC in order to save her, and ugh, it kills me. (They made me cry, they're such good stories, but whyyyyyy) So I loved that MC here was like "absolutely not, what kind of life will I have if I lose my only friend?"

Comparing to other myths

Overall, I think this myth was exactly what we saw on the wrapper. Especially with one of the Kindled moments being pretty clearly the end of the story and them dying together (I say this as someone who's very familiar with the tropes here, not that it should have been obvious to everyone) I got the setup and the arc that I'd expect.

It's an interesting contrast to the other myths, which I felt like kept me guessing more. It may just be the bias of tropes I'm familiar with, or that they kept the story more straightforward here (but it's still very impactful, don't get me wrong).

Notably, we now also have both Sylus's and Caleb's myths seeming to depict Philos's end-of-days, which hints at parallel timelines and perhaps that the 6th LI's Philos myth will also be apocalyptic.

What's in a name?

I immediatley had the sense that something was getting lost in translation when MC names Caleb in the first part of the myth. In EN, they decided to have her basically come up with an anagram that took me like, waaaay too long to figure out: "Calming, encouraging, bright... Caleb".

In CN she just says the name, 夏以書, Xia Yishu. (In simplified CN it's 以昼, Yizhou, per the wiki.) Notably, 夏 (Xia) is the character for the adjective form of summer (!!!) which relates to that being such a key theme for them.

以昼, the simplified CN name, translates as "daytime", literally "by day". (書 can also mean "day" but it has more alternate translations so the machine translation struggles with it)

So, as she stands out in the daytime summer sun for the first time, she names him, "Summer Day" 🥹 Just.... MY HEART.

Brother, where art thou

Saving the best for last--when I first finished the myth, I was surprised there weren't any brother/sibling references. Then I went "hmmm I bet there" and sure enough, here's how Caleb introduces himself to MC the very first time he talks to her:

CN: 我是X-02,你的哥哥。 MTL: I am X-02, your brother.

哥哥 of course being gēgē, i.e. "older brother".

When they're talking about why he wants to take her places, he says this:

CN: 哥哥就是要帶妹妹去她想去的所有地方。

MTL: The brother wants to take his sister to all the places she wants to go.

妹妹 being mèimei, i.e. "younger sister"

Notably, the CN also mentions the AI can only "strip keywords" it knows about--the EN is a little more vague, I think Caleb says it can only "erase memories" it knows about. So, the CN sets it up more clearly that the AI system gives her the two keywords to erase. And those are X-02 and... you guessed it... gege. Brother.

So towards the end when in EN he asks "what does 'friend' mean to you?" yeah, he's asking "what does 'brother' mean to you" 🥺

What I especially like about the brother/sister titles in this myth is that they're clearly symbolic--they're from the 'same source' but they weren't raised as 'siblings' in any meaningful way. (neither of them really had a childhood to speak of.) There's instead this more interesting question of, "with this intensity of love/bond, are we family? what does that mean to us?" and that's a theme that runs throughout their relationship. Notably, I'm of the opinion that couple is a family--so I love the way this theme explores naivety, love, devotion, etc.

Final thoughts (for now)

I'll be eagerly awaiting Farewell Dreamscape as we progress through the event, and will probably have more thoughts when that's out!

For now, I'm looking forward to diving deep into Homecoming Wings as I add it to the lore resource and looking for all the connections there.

Until then...

...Let's go home. 💫💕

#love and deepspace #lads caleb #lnds caleb #love and deepspace caleb #caleb love and deepspace #caleb x mc #caleb ultimate weapon #A-01 #X-02 #decoherence #lads decoherence #fallen cosmos #caleb fallen cosmos #lads #lads lore #lads lore analysis #love and deepspace lore #love and deepspace analysis

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shewreckz · 1 year ago

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Hey your art is pretty whimsical and radical my gender non specific broseph, per chance would thou be able to enlighten us on how you draw such bodacious fine art? Like how you draw bodies and fave and what have thee. (Fr tho your art really cool and I'd like to see how you make it)

okay i have whipped up a quick little visual of my thought process while drawing!! it might not be the best cause im not the greatest at teaching but if anyones curious ^_^

first lets start with how i draw bodies

a lot of people like to do the "skeleton" method which is where you draw lines and circles to plan out where the limbs should be. honestly i really dislike doing that because i like to always have volume and shape in mind when drawing bodies, but if it works for you thats great.

instead i separate the body into different pieces, kinda like an articulated doll. i think it helps visualize all the moving parts in a 3d space and makes posing and perspective a lot easier. i can also always add the detailed anatomy on top of this basic model like you see on the left. its always important to work from simple -> complex. drawing a pose while being too worried on anatomy will really hinder your drawing process.

to improve doing this it really just takes practice and observation. i could be here all day talking about proportions, and how many heads high a person is, and each specific muscle group, but i reccomend you go and watch videos and study professional artists on your own. as someone who has been drawing and studying these things for so long, i barely think about how many heads high a person is when im drawing a body. its kind of like learning how to play and instrument or driving a car. it becomes second nature eventually, but you have to apply those skills and work through that period of time where youre still trying to program it into your brain.

after you get a hang of the basics you can take this basic model and draw all types of body shapes with it. i say its always important to play around with making your body types diverse. its not only fun to do but helps make all the characters you draw unique and recognizable. (dont be like vivziepop).

dynamic posing can be the hardest thing to master for a lot of people. the best way to learn how to pose is to not think about it too much and just doing it. for example in my figure drawing class we had to sketch out gesture drawings from a picture in 15 seconds. excercises like that help a ton in making you feel more comfortable when drawing from a reference. you should definitely reference a LOT when it comes to poses, it helps build this visual database so that eventually you can get to the point where you can just draw accurate and dynamic poses from memory. after getting to this point eventually you kind of start thinking of your canvas as this tangible 3d space and considering your characters in 3d space helps make the poses feel a lot more realistic and interesting.

ok now a quick little tour into how i draw different faces yaaaayy!!!1!1!1

main thing with my art is that i LOVEEE drawing dynamic face shapes i think its so important to avoid drawing the same slim faces over and over. shape language plays a big role into this. like for example the face on the middle is more square, the one on the left is more oval and the one on the right is more circle. shape language helps communicate so much about your character without even saying a word about them and just helps differentiate people from a glance.

facial features also play a huge role into making your faces different. these are all drawn from the same exact face shape but look like entirely different characters by adding variety in the features. different noses, eye shapes, lips, etc. can make such a huge difference

i think before any of that its important to learn the anatomy of the face though. again im not gonna go into how many eyes wide a face it or how far the nose is from the mouth but like its always important to learn the fundamentals before stylizing stuff. again the face is a 3d space and if you dont consider your face a 3d plane the features will kind of just look like theyre floating on your characters face like soup...theres a lot of great resources and tutorials online take advantage of those!!! and reference from artists you like too it helps a ton.

and then you mix that all together and Boom you have cool and interesting faces. you will best that same face syndrome in no time if you take my advice Trust...

anyways yeah thats the soda design philosophy hit that like button if you liked it or douse me with tomatoes and kick me off the stage if you think i give bad advice ill leave the decision up to you

#soda's art #art tutorial #errmmm yeah idk how to be a teacher im sorry

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literaryvein-reblogs · 3 months ago

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hi! can i ask you have a certain research workflow for your writing materials?

Hi, here is a great explanation on secondary research, with a 5-step tutorial: The Research Process, which I try to follow.

If you want my longwinded answer...

It depends on the topic. But this is more or less what I do for the requested posts:

Collect information I can find related to the topic (my old files, bookmarks, a quick internet search...)

Integrate all (or most) of that in one post (always interesting to see where the different sources overlap, disagree etc.)

Reformat the post (bullet points & numbered lists, might include a bit of my thoughts/opinions ... but on the most part, it's basically just copied & pasted, especially when I'm not that familiar with the topic)

Link to the sources I used (sometimes posts don't save properly when my connection fluctuates so I appreciate when people point out missing/broken links, which I'll edit as soon as I see the messages)

Might include a photo (like the one above & then I link to the photo in the Image Description)

Add tags (because tumblr keeps reminding me when I don't, so I usually just copy & paste from my previous posts)

Add to queue (or "schedule" because I keep accidentally clicking the "shuffle queue" & it messes up the queue)

But on a more serious note, these posts really are just surface-level secondary research, mostly internet research, done really late at night or on lazy weekends, in an overly-caffeinated state. So please do research more for your writing projects. These may just be useful as starting points or to get a few ideas/inspiration, maybe. This blog is ever-growing & there are many research databases I don't have access to (+ considering my limited/lack of knowledge on certain topics), so all the additional information & corrections are always appreciated and won't just be helpful to me, but everyone who uses these references as well!

(As for the non-requested queued posts, that's just me going through my bookmarks and old files. Just been clearing them out as another ongoing little side project for me that I started last year. Okay, I should stop talking now. Bye for now, dear anon.)

#anonymous

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superlinguo · 2 years ago

Text

Hello Grambank! A new typological database of 2,467 language varieties

Grambank has been many years in the making, and is now publically available!

The team coded 195 features for 2,467 language varieties, and made this data publically available as part of the Cross-Linguistic Linked Data-project (CLLD). They plan to continue to release new versions with new languages and features in the future.

Below are maps for two features I’ve selected that show very different distribution across the world’s languages. The first map codes for whether there are prepositions (in yellow), and we can see really clear clustering of them in Europe, South East Asia and Africa. Languages without prepositions might have postpostions or use some other strategy. The second map shows languages with an existential verb (e.g. there *is* an existential verb, in yellow), we see a different distribution.

What makes Grambank particularly interesting as a user is that there is extensive public documentation of processes and terminology on a companion GitHub site. They also have been very systematic selecting values and coding for them for all the sources that they have. This is a different approach to that taken for the World Atlas of Linguistic Structures (WALS), which has been the go-to resource for the last two decades. In WALS a single author would collate information on a sample of languages for a feature they were interested in, while in Grambank a single coder would add information on all 195 features for a single grammar they were entering data for.

I’m very happy that Lamjung Yolmo is included in the set of languages in Grambank, with coding values taken from my 2016 grammar of the language. Thanks to the transparent approach to coding in this project, you can not only see the values that the coding team assigned, but the pages of the reference work that the information was sourced from.

#language #linguistics #typology #grammar #grambank #wals

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if-whats-new · 6 months ago

Text

What's New In IF? Halloween edition! Issue 27 (2024)

By Brij, Dion, Bex and Jen

Now Available!

Itch.io - Keep Reading below

If you read the zine, consider liking the post: it helps us see how many people see it! And sharing is caring! <3

~ EDITORIAL ~

One Issue just wasn’t enough!

Halloween might be over, but not at WNIF! So here it is, u a second Halloween edition Issue! Next to the regular WNIF stuff we included a recommendation section full of the best games to play in this time of the year, so be sure to check it out.

We want some feedback!

As we’re starting to get a hand of things, we would love some feedback from you guys! What you enjoy, want more or less off, how we could improve... Anything goes! We even have a nifty form!

Still looking for members!

Due to the severe changes in the Zine team, we are once again looking for free hands with a couple of hours to kill, and minds, looking to make a little difference in the community!

No Small Talk for some time!

We hope you have have a fa-boo-lous time reading this issue!

BRIJ, DION, BEX AND JEN

~ BE A PART OF THE ZINE ~

THIS ZINE ONLY HAPPENS WITH YOU!

Want to write 1-2 pages about a neat topic, or deep-dive into a game and review it in details? Share personal experiences or get all academic?

WRITE FOR THE COLUMN!

Prefer to be more low-key but still have something to share? Send us a Zine Letter or share a game title for Highlight on…!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Came across something interesting? Know a release or an update announced? Saw an event happening? Whether it's a game, an article, a podcast… Add any IF-related content to our mini-database!

EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

~ EVENT SPOTLIGHT : BITSY JAM ~

Fuu, already #85?

So why not give it a shot?

~ ENDED ~

The 6th Spooktober Annual Visual Novel Jam is over, the winners have been announced and you can check out the results!

The Revival Jam 2024 is also over and the results are out!

Strip IF to it’s bare bones and all it become beautiful text. That’s what The Bare-Bones Jam is about. You can now check out all 14 submissions!

Phantasia Jam is a three month-long game jam to create a fantasy narrative game, with the theme of “Hidden Magic”. There’s 17 submissions to check out.

~ ONGOING (VOTING) ~

All entries for the Halloween Jam have been submitted and you can now vote for your favourites!

~ ONGOING (SUBMITTING) ~

Disabled Rep VN Jam has a very simple premise but a very important message.

Once upon a time, a game jam was held to create stories around the theme of fairy tales… and that game jam is the Once Upon A Time VN Jam. It’s running from October 1st to January 31st.

Concours de Fiction Interactive Francophone 2025 is for all French-speaking enthusiasts. Submissions are accepted until March 3rd 2025.

Are you perhaps a fan of more somber, melancholic themes? Then check out the Dying Year - Visual Novel Jam! You have until the end of the year to participate.

The October Bitsy Jam is here! The theme is game manual and you have until November 11th to submit your projects.

~ OTHER ~

Jams are a great way to find new games! Don’t be afraid to check out submissions from previous years as well. There might be some gems hiding between them!

~ NEW RELEASE ~

Trick-or-Treat (Twine) is all about virtual trick-or-treating, grab your costume and have fun! @softest-punk

The Traded Groom (Unity) is a romance story where you marry a man you’ve never met. @maneki-mushi

Lydia’s Labyrinth (Ren’Py) is a choose your own adventure where you try to get to the end of the labyrinth. @doublefreegames

The end of an obsession is a fictional sequel work to It gets so lonely here.

The Virus Game HALLOWEEN is here.

In Ghostship Delgado (Amstrad CPC) you find yourself on the quarter deck of a mysterious, seemingly abandoned historic ship…

As always, don't forget to check out the submitted entries to the events mentioned in the previous pages. They deserve some love too!

~ NEW RELEASE (WIP) ~

Camp Maple Wind (Ren’Py), you saw your sister die there 18 years ago and now you decided to return as the new camp counselor. @tailorfae

Dusk and Dawn (CScript) is a urban fantasy inspired by CYOA’s like Slayers V4. You’ve failed college, what do you do now? @tuskhansworld

Circus Eyes of God (Twine) is a horror interactive fiction where you decide to join a mysterious circus. @circuseyesofgod-if

In Tether (Twine) your an interpreter for a new lord under the occupation of another country. Will you rebel? @runcriedthecrawlingif

Return back to your hometown where you and your friends used to be team of detectives until the incident.... in Return to Misty Cove (CScript) @fluorescent-if

In Red River Academy (CScript) you and your group of friends are murdered in cold blood. But you were brought back, is this a second chance at life? @bratlinwrites

You step out for some fresh air, only to find yourself lost and stranded in the forest overnight in Fickle Solitude (Twine)

In Ice Cream For Love you are a bearfolk ice cream maker. However the newest dietitian-in-training has problems with your product. @atelierursine

In Demon Daycare (Ren’Py) you’ll have to baby the adult demon prince Belphegor. Hope the money is good!

~ UPDATES ~

Devil's Liminal (Ren’Py) released Chapter 2.

Crown of Exile (Twine) Vinia Path is released on Patreon. @ramonag-if

Tales of Wocdes: The Silver Protector (Twine) heritage features have been updated. @tales-of-wocdes

College Tennis: Origin Story (CScript) added halloween bonus to Ko-Fi. @collegetennisoriginstory

Sins of the Crown (CScript) added new content to their demo. @pariahinteractive

The King's Hound (Twine) released a rewritten demo. @the-kingshound

The Mighty Shifter (CScript) released Chapters 4 & 5. @miss-briar-novels

Lucid fate (Twine) released Chapters 3 & 4.5. @lucid-fate-if

Eldritch Tales: Inheritance (CScript) released the final part of Chapter 2.

Saturnine (CScript) added new content to their demo. @satur9-if

Shattered: Oblivion (CScript) reworked their prologue.

Strings of Fate (CScript) released partial Chapter 3.

Text Your Life (Ren’Py) added Chapter 2 Day 1 to their demo.

The Good People (Na Doine Maithe) (Ren’Py) released the first five chapters of Shae and Maeve's routes. @moiraimyths

Tri City Monsters (Ren’Py) released Chapter 3 for Akello. @tricitymonsters

Bridge Ices Before Road (CScript) added new content to their Prologue. @bridgeicesbeforeroadif

Aphni's Quartet: Nightbloom's Veil (Twine) released Chapter 2. @marblesstorystudio

The Brightest Stars (CScript) added the first part of Chapter 3 to their demo. @brightest-stars-if

Weeping Gods (CScript) added new content to their demo. @jcollinswrites

~ OTHER ~

The Kickstarter for Keyframes has started, and even though the main goal has been reached there are still some stretch goals! @blankhouse

The ChoiceBeat Zine Issue 12 is out. We thank them for mentioning our Zine! Go check it out!

Amare Fortnightly Bulletin Issue 27 is here for all your romance needs! @amaregames

Never Gives up Her Dead has released a deluxe version of their game.

The People's House has been officially submitted for publication.

If you think something should have been included in this week's zine but did not appear, please shoot us a message! We'll do our best to add it next week! And if you know oncoming news, add it here!

~ MAYBE YOU NEXT? ~

We did not get a submission this week. But if you have an idea for a short essay, or would like a special space to share your thoughts about IF and the community...

Shoot us an email!

~ HIGHLIGHT ON ~

A couple of games that we thought were cool.

Your favourite game here?

Do you have a favourite game that deserves some highlighting?

An old or recent game that wowed you so much you spam it to everyone?

Tell us about it! And it might appear here!

H/T = Horror/Thriller H = Halloween themes S = Supernatural C = Creepy

~ RECOMMENDATIONS (COMPLETE) ~

Halloween Scrooge (H) by Vanade of Hamilton Hour (Ren’Py)

A short Halloween spin on A Christmas Carol... and you can flirt with the ghosts! //submitted by anon//

Killer Chat (H/T) by @rosesrotofficial (???)

After asking too many murder-related questions online (for your book), you get an invite to a... serial killer chatroom?! What the fuck?

A Zombie Head Went Missing at the Party Full of CUTE MONSTER GIRLS!? (S) by MaroonDrops (???)

Half gorgon Jade Mason finds herself dragged to a party full of monsters, she doesn't have high hopes.

Therapy with Dr. Albert Krueger (H/T) by dino999z (Ren'Py)

Has work been feeling more tiring than usual?

Your mood, confusing and uneasy?

Then it sounds like you need our newly patented ★DREAM THERAPY★!

A Series of Interactive Stories Where No Matter What You Do You Are Immediately Killed by a Werewolf (S) by Luke Burns (Twine)

The name just says it all.

AL - A Choose Your Own Adventure (H/T) by Gabriel Cornish (Twine)

You are a student going on their first date in a long, long time. Only problem is your apartment is trying to kill you with your own clutter!

Spooble: A Search Engine Story (H/T) by All the bees (Unity)

Are babies supposed to do that?

Cal's Costume Conundrum!! (H) by amarvelous (Ren’Py)

Which costume is the best? Cal needs to know! Infiltrate her siblings’ Halloween party, interview the guests, and crown a winner!

Restore, Reflect, Retry (H/T) by Natalia Theodoridou (CScript)

This is a haunted game about a haunted game. You've played this game before. You may not remember, but the game does.

Model Employee (H/T ) by Nth Circle (Unity)

If you want to get ahead in your career, you gotta be willing to take some risks.

Contrition (H/T) by akfedeau (Twine)

As a priest, it’s your job to listen to your parishioners’ darkest secrets and absolve their guilt. But when a sinister stranger comes to the confessional one Halloween night, you realize it’s your soul on the line.

Quoth the Raven… (C) by gamedevillibrarian (???)

Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Raven', with some spooky ambiance. What else do you need?

Hallowmoor (H) by Mike Snyder (Twine)

Your quest: infiltrate Castle Hallowmoor, find the potion, and make it out alive.

Keeper’s Curse (H/T) by CParadis777 (Godot)

Stranded on a remote island after your Lightkeeper duty has ended you must ration and scavenge for supplies while awaiting your delayed relief crew.

Dicentra (H/T) by caffeine (Ren’Py)

You play as Basil, a young boy lost in a forest of watchful trees and unfriendly guides.

Tales from Castle Balderstone by Ryan Veeder (Inform7)

This is Castle Balderstone, and tonight is the night when the greatest spook-crafters convene to share their hair-raising handiwork with each other.

Muertos by Medley Games (Twine)

You are a lost undead wandering the Aztec afterlife, only to come across a strange city.

Dawn of the Damned (H/T) by Melancholy Marionette (Unity)

Anxious to attend your job interview at Aurora Antiques, you arrive to discover a room full of melancholy mannequins. One, in particular, captures your interest, drawing you closer.

Seance (S) by Alex Rose (???)

A murder case has gone cold, and the NRPD has asked you to help them solve it, on account of your abilities as a psychic medium.

~ RECOMMENDATIONS (WIP) ~

Samsara (H/T + S) by Amelia (???)

After being killed by the same hands in every past life you decide to take your killer's life instead. //submitted by anon//

Parasitical (H/T) by @parasitical-if (CScript)

You grew up under the masked faces of their Exalted, under the stories of Earth past. Rusted metal and cracked plastic; His bone and His flesh. Conflicting worlds, conflicting times, and soon, it might all come to a head.

Seven days in Purgatory (H/T) by @sevendaysinpurgatory-if (CScript)

Seven days in Purgatory is a psychological thriller ripe with philosophical musings and sensuality.

Taste, hear, think, feel, love… Run. //recommended by Dion [team]//

Did we miss your favourite game? Don’t worry, there’s still a chance! Fill out this form and we will include it in our regular Highlight on.... section!

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD, OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN...

Thank you for keep updating! I really don't want to miss any IF updates but it's hard to find everything. So thank you for all the effort.

@waywardartisanoafhound-blog

Have something to say? Send us a message titled: Zine Letter!

As we end this issue, we would like to thank:

our awesome anons! For sending us their game recommendations!

And a special thanks to Bex [team] for all the work she’s done for the zine.

And as always, huge thanks to all you readers who liked, shared, and commented on last week's issue! What might be tiny actions are huge support and motivators to us!

Thank you for cheering us on this journey!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It come with sad news that me (Bex) is having to leave the Zine….for now at least.

I joined back in August and honestly it was crazy time, especially with the sad passing of Marjorie. I honestly enjoyed what we’ve made of it and don’t regret it in the slightest. Life has sadly go in the way of me and I just don’t have the time to continue you this on. I’m hoping the New Year will bring peace and with it me back to the Zine.

Love you all ❣

And we will see you next week in our traditional colours!

BRIJ, DION, BEX, JEN

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2024-ISSUE 27

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my-deer-friend · 8 months ago

Note

I have a stupid question. How do you find out about current history scholarship and research? I am sick of reading books I've read a hundred times and were published decades ago. Is there like a forum or something where historians share research or lectures or things?

Not stupid at all!

The key is 1) knowing which sources provide the most up-to-date information, and then 2) using the appropriate strategy to access them.

Conference and lectures

Conferences are where you find the most cutting-edge research – usually work that has not been published yet, or is still in progress. Accessing conferences can be both expensive and difficult (if they're limited to people with certain affiliations, for example), but there are also conferences that are free for the public, and ones run by groups like the Organization of American Historians that are reasonably priced for the digital attendance option. You can browse conference programmes (here is the OAH's 2024 version) to at least find the names of academics relevant to your field of interest, which will help with the kinds of searches you will want to conduct below.

Finding these is a mix of luck and effort. You can set a search alerts on various platforms, literally just do a search for "[topic] academic conference", find relevant organisations and subscribe to their newsletters for updates, or do some browsing on social media. I found History Symposium (free, current, deep-dive history lectures and a virtual conference) because of something shared here on Tumblr. Following the Instagram account of the Powder House in Charleston keeps me updated on their history lecture programming (which host virtual talks including showcasing new research on the US colonial era). Then there are institutions like the Royal Museums Greenwich who publish a range of high-quality historical content on their YouTube account (they have a good series on black history and the Transatlantic slave trade, as well as a fascinating recent lecture by a historian on the queer history of the British navy, which I also found here on Tumblr).

Academic journals

Journals are where you get the most recent published academic scholarship. A journal article generally is a fairly narrow/focused exploration of a topic that adds something new to the ongoing academic conversation (e.g., a new discovery, a new analysis of existing material, a new theoretical perspective, a challenge to a previous author's work).

Other useful kinds of journal content are book reviews, as well as "review" articles, which summarise and synthesise recent research in a field – as well as newly arising questions and research directions.

Getting your hands on articles requires two steps: 1) finding the research, and 2) accessing the research.

Finding articles

For better or worse, the best generalist search tool for journal articles is Google Scholar – it allows you to search across hundreds of databases and independent publishers for relevant content.

If you're a member of a university library (not necessarily staff or student – check if your library allows external membership), it will have its own search tool which allows you to find material in the databases and journals that the university is subscribed to. Individual databases, archives or publishers (think JSTOR) will also have their own internal search.

My advice is to start your search as narrowly as possible, and then expand out slowly if you don't find anything relevant. So, for example, I might start my search with "same-sex relationships london 1780s", and if nothing comes up, I might broaden it out to "england" or "late eighteenth century", and so on.

The other thing to do is follow citations (i.e., who referenced what?). You can travel "backwards" through the literature by looking at the reference lists of books or articles you already have (in other words, which works the author used to base their research on).

But you can also travel forwards – the "cited by x" link below a reference on Google Scholar is your friend, because it shows you who used that particular source in their (by default, more recent) work.

Accessing articles

Unfortunately, a lot of academic research is gatekept by the academic publishing industrial complex – not by academics themselves, to be clear. This results in those ludicrous charges for single papers:

(And $30 is hardly the upper limit...)

But hope is not lost! You still have some options if you're willing to do a bit of work.

1) Sometimes, if you're lucky, the article will be freely available online. In Google Scholar, for example, check for the "PDF" or "HTML" link to the right of the title:

Some entire journals are freely available (usually called "open access") – one example is the Journal of the American Revolution. You can also search on DOAJ for open-access-only articles and journals.

2) I've also occasionally found the article just by googling "[article name] pdf". Some scholars will make these available for free on their personal websites, for example.

3) You can also try contacting the scholar directly through a platform like Academia.edu. Find the article there, and check if there is a "request full-text" option on its page (or, even, if the full text version has already been posted).

4) For slightly older articles, try searching on JSTOR, which gives anyone with an account free access to 100 articles a month. (I say "older", but there's even scholarship from 2024 on there these days.)

5) If all else fails, definitely do not type "sci hub" into your search engine and check there. That would be bad and naughty and very, very sexy of you. I repeat, do not do this. 🤫

Academic books

Books are not usually a great source of super-current research, both because the format doesn't lend itself to it and the publishing cycle can be very long, but they can be an excellent source for a decently recent and detailed overview of the topic. Note that you specifically want academic books here (not the ones in the "history" section of your local chain bookstore).

If you've done some digging in journal databases, you should have a good sense of which authors are writing about the topics you're interested in. Find their websites or social media feeds and subscribe to get updates on their latest work. For example, historian and Tumblr darling Joanne Freeman has a website with links to her books, lectures and podcast, as well as other media. The Museum of the American Revolution has a "Read the Revolution" speaker series featuring newly published books on relevant topics (and they're certainly not the only museum or public institution to do this). Their newsletter will keep you updated on the upcoming sessions, and the website often has a free recording of the talk available.

The prices can be quite extortionate, so again, see if you can find a free version online using the methods above. You might also have some luck finding the book on Archive.org (which might allow you to loan it out for free for an hour at a time) or Google Books (which sometimes shows you a decently large preview). Definitely do not type "libgen" into your search engine and try to download the book form there.

In summary...

There's a lot out there. A bit of persistence and a lot of searching (on databases, social media and the internet in general) will open up a huge spectrum of intereting and relevant resources!

#history things #academia #historical studies #gradblr #amrev #18th century history

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argumate · 1 month ago

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timeiscyclical said: @argumate The US doesn’t do targeted assassinations (although I’m not completely clear on why they don’t, since it’s proven effective for other countries, and the US has long since proven that they have no morals in this area). As for drone strikes, those numbers aren’t available to the public like they used to be under Obama, so it doesn’t make sense (to me) to add them to his overall numbers. Not only that, but it was my impression that we were counting deaths of those leader’s citizens, not people from outside either the US or USSR. If we were counting international deaths, almost certainly the president with the highest death toll would be George W Bush. As for his support of vaccination, in his first term, he continued the same policy as all other presidents before him, so I don’t think it’s really pertinent. In his second term, he’s in the process of rolling back vaccines, and if he succeeds, I’d agree that certain child mortality numbers should be added to his total.

(on the topic of comparing Donald Trump and Joseph Stalin on various metrics)

hmm are you sure the United States doesn't do targeted assassinations? isn't that the purpose of the infamous "kill list"?

I know there was some controversy over whether Osama bin Laden was to be captured or killed, but:

U.S. President Barack Obama has called the decision to kill U.S. citizen and terrorism suspect Anwar al-Awlaki "an easy one", and shares counterterrorism views with Brennan, the principal architect of the criteria used when making suspects targets in the database.

Trump of course is most well known for this guy:

although he was most definitely not a US citizen, although I consider the Katyn massacre to be a good reference point for Stalin, and the victims of that were not citizens of the USSR in any meaningful sense of the term.

George W. Bush gets a high death toll for invading Iraq and Afghanistan but if we're considering public health policy he might even end up on the positive side of the ledger thanks to PEPFAR, which Trump of course has cut; personally I think Trump will not be the worst president in US history if he doesn't start a war (unless he attempts to end the democratic process, which he certainly seems inclined to do), but he could end up with a higher death toll even than George W. Bush if we take PEPFAR into account

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1800pain · 1 year ago

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GENDER, SEXUALITY, & PRONOUNS HOARD TEMPLATE.

A really fucking big Notion template by yours truly

I was requested by a follower of mine to create a gender hoard. So obviously, I did everything and more. You can look at my personal gender stash if you want ideas on what to make yours look like.

Genders!

Sexualities!

Pronouns!

Templates within templates

Views. Too many of them. My head hurts.

And an about me?

I took the extra effort and sanity to be pretty in-depth about explaining things for people who are new to this sort of thing. There's a note at the top of the page called "Notes for template users" that I HIGHLY recommend to read to understand if you're new with Notion.

Does it look long? Yes. Is it actually long? Technically no. What I did was added a lot of views for the database so that you can pick whatever you like and just delete the rest. Just be sure you do it properly so you don't accidentally delete anything you actually want to keep.

The entire thing is meant to be pretty modular, meaning you're free to add and delete shit as you will, and you can also insert this into another template if you feel. It's pretty adaptable, so go ham. The only thing I will say about this template is that it wasn't made with DID/OSDD in mind, so there isn't say, categories for alters or specific labels etc for that, but you can fix that with just a few clicks.

You probably already know the next thing I'm going to say...

Endogenic systems/non-traumagenic systems and their supporters are not allowed to use my templates, full stop.

Bigots and assholes aren't allowed to use my templates. Eat shit and die.

You can edit it as much as you like as long as you do not redistribute any version of the template as your own.

I honestly didn't put a place for credit, which is fine because I don't require anybody credit me. If you do keep the credit (or make one in this case), you can move it anywhere you want.

It's 1 AM. I'm going to sleep now.

Also, I'm not really sure how to sort out these sorts of lists, so I just kinda put in the bare minimum after doing a few Google searches. If I get anything wrong or misrepresent something, it isn't my intention to be an asshole just because.

I'm exhausted. Good night.

Link: https://1800pain.notion.site/Gender-Sexuality-Pronouns-Hoard-Template-4cfac5f1336b4fcdb7d00f4be3f41b0b?pvs=4

EDIT: AHHHH I also forgot and I don't know where to put it—I added some references for pronouns/pronoun dressing rooms since I thought those were awesome and cool! Alright, that's all, I'm off to dream about men.

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spsummer-polymechs-exchange · 18 days ago

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so... what's a tag-set, anyways?

[This is an explanation of what tag-sets are for! See HERE for how to nominate tags!]

Tag-sets are like mini-databases for tags. For the purposes of this event, we'll be using our own custom tag-set for relationships! Since this event is based around polyships, there's a lot of relationships that don't have canon tags on ao3. (By "canon tag", we mean that ao3 doesn't autofill it during dropdown.)

To fix this problem for when sign-ups roll around, we'll be using our own tagset! You can find it HERE!

FAQ below the cut:

-- But why?

We need these because ao3 sign-ups don't allow you to enter custom tags--meaning we'll run into issues of people requesting pairings that don't "exist" according to ao3. That's why we need this custom database!

-- Is this just for niche ships?

Since we're using a custom database instead of ao3's own, we have to manually enter everything! This means that ships are ARE canon tags will still need to be nominated. Make sure to get prison mechs in there if you want them!

-- What about characters? / What's a Solo tag?

Some of you may have noticed that we mentioned there is no spot in sign-ups for characters. This is correct! Instead, the characters dropdown is being used for people to select what gift type they would like. For reference, this is how things are looking at the moment:

Pretty funky, right?

Because it's set up like this, you're going to need to put your characters into the relationship box as well. For example, if you'd like a fic about Nastya/Ivy/Aurora, but with a character focus on Nastya, you'll want to add your polyship tag, but also the "Nastya Rasputina (Solo)" tag as well!

You'll notice the solo tags in the tag-set at the moment are only centered around the Mechanisms themselves. If you'd like a solo tag for an album character, you should nominate it!

-- Huh, okay, but what does "DNE" mean?

If you see a relationship that says "(DNE)" at the end, don't worry about it! That's a backend tagging thing that we, the mods, have to worry about. DNE stands for Do Not Extract, which is just a fancy term that we slap on the end of the relationship tag so it doesn't move to the wrong fandom! Sometimes, when ao3 sees a tag it doesn't know, it will shove the tag into the wrong fandom. That means we have to wrangle it into the right fandom by adding a little DNE on the end. TL;DR, don't worry about it unless you're a mod!

If there are any remaining questions, don't hesitate to shoot us an ask in the inbox, or send us a message on Discord!

#spsummer polymechs exchange

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kiragecko · 7 months ago

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Names Used: Cass Summary

(See the other posts HERE.)

(See these charts, and others, in a screen-readable format HERE.)

In many ways, Cass’ use of names is very simple. You get a codename or a civilian name.

The complexity comes from the fact that, usually, you don’t get a name at all.

Cass ONLY uses names when there might be ambiguity. While these tendencies lessen as she gets more comfortable with speech, she remains much less likely than others to use names all through the comics.

If she's talking directly to a person, she might use their name to get their attention, but is much more likely to just ask a question or make a statement, assuming they’ll be able to tell she’s addressing them.

She will refer to a third person by name, if needed, but is still more likely to point to something related or just stare at the person she's speaking to until they figure it out.

Fascinatingly, she does not usually even THINK of people by name unless she's recalling information from the Bats' databases. So if she sees a crime on the street, she is very unlikely to think about any of the people involved by name, even if they say them. She'll use pronouns, and if there's too many people for pronouns, she usually stops referring to them at all - she's much less likely to have an internal dialogue in crowds, instead switching entirely to the moment and body reading.

BUT, if she is meeting an ally for the first time, or following a suspect that she found by using Babs' system, she'll often think their full name and alias to herself.

(An early exception to this is Commissioner Gordon. I'm not sure if it was a different authour, Cass just considers Babs' dad to be a special case, or if it's related to hearing about the crime through the news, but when Gordon gets shot she is CONSTANTLY thinking his name while she tries to figure out what happened (Batgirl 12, Mar 2001).)

For every one time Cass says Babs or Bruce’s names directly to them, they say her name between 5 and 8 times. (Babs is 114 to Cass’ 24, Bruce is 55 to Cass’ 8).

Meanwhile, Tim and Steph don’t even manage to use her name TWICE as often. (45 to 27 and 29 to 17, both add up to 1.7 times as often.)

Alfred has a similar fraction to Babs (14 to 3, which is 4.7 times as often), and Dick is also similar (12 to 3, 4 times as often).

Damian and Cass have one appearance together, and both address each other 3 times, while Jason and Cass never talked in the preboot.

Cass likes teasing people, but rarely does it through nicknames or other references. These are the only times I’ve recorded Cass using something other than a codename or civilian name:

Tim – she calls him ‘Bait’ twice (I’m not sure when), and indirectly refers to him as a ‘Little Kid’

Babs – she calls Babs ‘Baby’ once after she starts watching soap operas to get better at colloquial speech (Jun 2004).

Bruce – she uses a few teasing references to Batman, like ‘Ultimate Loner Superhero’ and ‘Creature of the Night’, after her comic ends (ie. after Apr 2006)

Alfred – she describes him as ‘A … Friend of the Family’ to her civilian friend Brenda, while trying to convince Brenda that he wasn’t a client and she isn’t a sex worker (Apr 2005).

That’s it.

So on to the details!

With almost everyone, Cass is more likely to use a codename than a civilian name.

With Damian –

uses a codename directly 3 times (100%)

Bruce –

codename directly 7 times (88%), indirectly 27 times (82%)

name directly 1 time (13%), indirectly 4 times (12%)

Babs –

codename directly 18 times (72%), indirectly 13 times (77%)

name directly 6 times (24%), indirectly 4 times (24%)

Dick –

codename directly 2 times (66%, one as ‘Nightwing’, one as ‘Batman’), indirectly 10 times (100%, all ‘Nightwing’)

name directly 1 time (33%)

Tim –

codename directly 14 times (52%), indirectly 17 times (85%, never as ‘Red Robin’ for either, only ‘Robin’)

name directly 11 times (41%), indirectly 2 times (10%)

Jason –

codename indirectly 1 time (50%, as ‘The Second Robin’)

name indirectly 1 time (50%)

Steph –

codename directly 7 times (41%, 2 were ‘Robin’, the rest ‘Spoiler’), indirectly 7 times (47%, all ‘Spoiler’)

name directly 10 times (59%%), indirectly 18 times (53%)

Alfred –

name directly 3 times (100%), indirectly 2 times (67%)

(Reminder: Babs and Bruce are in the VAST majority of Cass' 73 issue run, as well as a variety of other appearances. Steph and Tim are major parts of her life, who she's interacted with a BUNCH. Alfred is less frequent, and Dick, Damian, and Jason have few on panel interactions with her, but the low numbers here are generally NOT because of a small amount of sources. She just doesn't use names.)

Cass rarely switches between multiple forms of civilian names. People are either their full given name OR the nickname they were introduced with. ('Tim' and 'Dick' get nicknames, everyone else ('Barbara', 'Bruce', 'Stephanie', 'Alfred', 'Jason') is full given names.) As I mentioned before, if she’s introduced to them by full first and last name (often through their computer profile) she may think of them that way for quite some time, before switching over to just a given name.

Steph was ‘Stephanie Brown’ from Batgirl 20 to 53 (Nov 2001 to Aug 2004), when she switched to ‘Stephanie’.

(Steph is the only exception to the ‘given name OR nickname’ rule. After her death, Cass starts switching between ‘Stephanie’ and ‘Steph’ (Oct 2005). While this corresponds with a sharp drop in writing quality, it may still be meaningful.)

Bruce was ‘Bruce Wayne’ in 24, ‘Wayne’ in 27, and not ‘Bruce’ until after the series ends, but he’s a different kind of exception. Cass only knew him as Batman until later in Batgirl 24, and only uses ‘Wayne’ when talking to someone else who doesn’t know he’s Batman. At no point does he suggest she use his name, or she express interest in doing so. It’s only much later that she starts seeing him as a person separate from the costume.

And that's everything about this girl's speech. Basically, if you're writing her, try to remove everything but the very heart of what she's trying to say. Describe her body language. If it's from her perspective, stay very in the moment. Don't use names unless you have to, and keep them very basic.

Timeline of Cass’ speech and socialization:

Batman 567 (July 1999) – Cass introduced, has just learned to speak her first word – ‘Stop’ - which she says to her father

Batgirl 4 (July 2000) – her vocabulary has grown to around a dozen words – very simple things like ‘Me’, ‘No’, ‘Shutup’, ‘Yes’, and ‘Ssh’.

Then a telepath downloads language into her brain, reorganizing things to make it fit. Cass is very pleased, until she discovers that her fighting ability is one of the things disrupted.

Cass now THINKS in words, as well. Before this point we had NO internal narration.

Despite understanding language now, she still struggles to use it, as her mouth and throat have no practice forming the sounds

Batgirl 7 (Oct 2000) – Cass first thinks of someone by name – ‘Shiva’. She also goes shopping for clothes and nail polish with Babs, and they tease each other. (Babs: “Hm. Black. Interesting choice. Thanks … but I don’t wear lipstick.” Cass, looking over the sunglasses she’s trying on with a shit-eating grin: “Don’t … DATE … either. Maybe … SHOULD.”)

Batgirl 9 (Dec 2000) – Cass first refers to someone by codename – ‘Oracle’ and ‘Batman’.

Batgirl 12 (Mar 2001) – Cass first thinks of an ally by given name – ‘Barbara’.

Batgirl 20 (Nov 2001) – Cass gets Steph to read a note for her, and they team up.

Batgirl 24 (Mar 2002) – Cass actually learns Batman’s civilian identity. By accident. Because he’s been accused of murder. She continues to only think of him as ‘Batman’.

Batgirl 28 (July 2002) – Steph convinces Cass to train her while Bruce is mysteriously missing. (He’s wanted to murder.) (Steph: “Pretty please? I’ll be your best friend?”)

Batgirl 30 (Sept 2002) – Cass first actually addresses Babs by given name – ‘Barbara’.

Batgirl 38 (May 2003) – Cass and Steph fight. Cass ignored Bruce’s orders to stay away from Cass, but DOES agree with his assessment that Steph isn’t good enough to be in the field. (Cass: “Still … friends?” Steph, leaving: “Friends don’t turn their backs on each other.”)

Batgirl 39-44 (Jun – Nov 2003) – A terrorist/freedom fighter starts flirting with Cass, and she’s not sure if she’s intrigued or uncomfortable. She ends up going out on a date with Superboy to explore her feelings. They realize that they are NOT attracted to each other, and happily part as friends. She continues to struggle with her feelings about flirtation and attraction, but lets them go underground after the terrorist/freedom fighter dies.

Batgirl 51 (June 2004) – Cass starts watching TV (specifically soaps) to improve her casual speech. She starts saying things like, “You bet ya sweet patootie, Baby!”

Batgirl 58 (Jan 2005) – Cass starts keeping an audio journal, because she wants to ‘learn to … think better in words, because … all I’ve ever known is “movement.”’

Batgirl 61 (Apr 2005) – Cass is visiting diners by herself and trying to carry on conversations with the owner. She’s also trying to navigate ordering without being able to read the menu.

Batgirl 63 (Jun 2005) – Cass is going out to dance, and flirting with interesting guys. She’s also experimenting with fashion and self-expression.

Robin 150 (July 2006) – Cass now speaks perfectly, is leading the League of Assassins, and tries to murder Tim. From this point on, Cass’ growth needs to be inferred - we don't get a well written Cass back until January 2011.

#cass cain #batgirl #black bat #orphan #gecko's lists #batfamily #figuring out what to include here was HARD #because it's really simple #except for all the negative space

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