#BUT yes first and foremost i want to make sure it's accessible to people at *all* even if it might be a bit of an extra hassle

[angorwhosebabyisthis]

I am opening my mouth like a baby bird for the barebones offline version of the rpgsolo stuff .. excited to see :3

i hope you enjoy it when it goes up, anon!! my main issue so far is trying to figure out how tf to format the percentage tables over text on a tumblr post. i could just post screenshots of it, because as it is it formats terribly onto here, but it's critical for it to be screen-reader accessible. i might go ahead and put it in a pastebin to link along with the screenshots; i'd like to get it down in multiple formats and mirrors in case something happens to one version, i Do Not Trust hosting sites these days, but i think that's probably a good start.

[tangents-within-tangents]

Thoughts on Echo as amputee/disability representation

First and foremost, I am not disabled or an amputee and I don’t claim to speak for those communities (and if I was I couldn't speak for everyone). What little I do know mostly comes from this youtube channel (@oakwyrm), this post, and other research I’ve done for my writing (and like one amputee I kinda knew in passing). By all means correct me and add to the conversation, I just have some thoughts I want to share because I haven’t really seen this discussed anywhere

Overview

So Echo is interesting. He is a triple amputee which is pretty rare in media. His disabilities come from extremely traumatic circumstances: injured in a near-death experience, imprisoned and dehumanized as an experiment with no autonomy over what happened to his body.

There are a few moments in the shows where Echo is treated… questionably. Like this bit where Rex uses him as an example of the Separatists' evils to convince the locals to fight back:

To be fair, yeah Echo’s treatment does prove that the Techno Union is not neutral like they claim. The modifications that everyone is gasping in horror at here obviously weren’t made with comfort and accessibility in mind, nor with Echo’s consent. But you still just want to be sure that “They took away his freedom, his humanity, they tried to turn him into a machine” is about using him as a living computer, not the fact that he is missing limbs. 

The Batch is also pretty insensitive toward him and his trauma imo, which is weird considering they've supposedly also faced discrimination for their mutations

Disabled people do have to deal with stuff like this in this day and age so I guess it can speak to those experiences. I think especially him being mistaken as a droid (and Hunter going along with it (bruh)) might resonate with some people. 

Aside from that stuff, Echo isn't really treated any differently as a character/person which is really good (as low of a bar as that is).

We get this moment in CW where Echo contemplates that yeah things are gonna be different now

While also (imo at least) showing that he is still the same person regardless, evidenced by the fact that he just echoed Rex :,) I also think it's significant that he joins the Bad Batch on his own terms and we're given a really emotional scene to specifically show that he's not just like 'lumped in with the other misfits' but that it is his choice to go where he feels his place is.

A lot of people, myself included, are disappointed that TBB didn't have more time to explore Echo's PTSD, but I think the one panic attack scene we did get is really good. Even thought it's minor it at least is an appropriate reaction from a guy who was medically tortured (which is more than I've come to expect from Star Wars shows lol)

And it's really sweet to see Omega showing Echo some empathy and consideration.

It would have been nice to see more of his adjustment period, and other side effects like chronic pain and maintenance, but there’s a lot of daily life stuff the show never had time for (i.e. we don’t know if he removed his prosthetics to sleep, but we also never saw him sleep anyway). His disabilities might take on a background role (much like the character himself sadly) but for the most part they aren’t invisible or erased, nor do they define his character and arc.

Physical Appearance

Okay this one is bit dicey, bc on the one hand, yes complaints that Echo’s paleness (most likely caused by burns from the explosion or chemical burns from the cryo-chamber) is whitewashing are totally valid. But I also think you can draw comparisons to real life conditions that affect pigmentation/complexion (like you know burns). So while I understand why a lot of fanart will depict him with his original skin tone and with hair, consider that there are real people who have to live with temporary or permanent changes to their appearance, and the idea of “fixing" him by making him look more like his old self can be problematic.

It's also interesting to note that Echo could act as a reversal of the 'disabled/disfigured = evil' trope. He's pale and bald and wears black and red, which is so often visually associated with villains, but we all know Echo is the bestest boy™

The Headpiece

Echo’s headpiece is interesting because within the show we don’t actually ever learn much about it (idk if there is more info in books or whatever bc i don’t have them so?). He didn’t have it in CW so we know it didn’t come from the Techno Union and therefore Echo probably had more choice with it. We don’t know its exact purpose but it’s most likely related to his scomping abilities. When he is hacking with his scomp in CW, before he has his headpiece, it’s clearly very mentally straining:

We don’t see him struggling like this in TBB once he does have it (though that could be bc he got more used to it over time). There doesn't seem to be much of an impact when he removes his headpiece in s3 ep14-15, except that he gets stuck in the ports every time he uses his scomp which is not something we’ve seen before: 

There might not be an exact real-world equivalent, but the headpiece is some kind of accessibility aid. It means that someone specifically designed a device to help him adapt to the changes the Techno Union made, as well as a helmet that integrates it. It’s removable and visually very present, much like a cochlear implant would be. (A lot of people actually headcanon it to act partially as a hearing aid, since it makes sense that Echo’s hearing would have been damaged in the explosion, but there isn't really any indication of this in canon.) The headpiece is never really acknowledged in the show, but I think that's a good thing. It's something he needs/wants and it just exists, completely normalized, and that's pretty cool 👍

Legs

Sigh... So from the very first episode of TBB I was really disappointed that the animation team or whoever completely visually erased Echo’s prosthetic legs (I think we all were, honestly, if fanart is anything to go by). It’s one thing when he’s in armor because he would probably want to protect his prosthetics, but we literally see him in his blacks and there is no indication whatsoever that he lost his legs even though it was not left up for debate at all in CW:

Like ??????!?

This is just really strange to me! Idk what went on behind the scenes with this decision but I don’t really see why it would be that much harder to animate or anything since it’s 3D and they've done it before. We do see some pretty sophisticated cybernetic technology in Star Wars canon that mimics real limbs:

But Luke’s fancy hand is technically 20ish years from now, so Anakin and Maul are more of a representation of what level we could expect here

So yeah, for no apparent reason, his leg amputation is effectively, visually and narratively nonexistent. Which is not great 👎

Arm!

The scomp on the other hand (uh lol!) is the complete opposite and I kinda love it!

At first I, like many others, thought it was a bit odd that they didn’t give Echo a prosthetic arm. Losing hands is basically a Star Wars tradition at this point, so robotic arms/hands are well established within the worldbuilding: 

We aren’t necessarily given a canon reason for why Echo doesn't get a cybernetic arm (again unless it's in some lore book I haven’t read, sorry). General fanon explanations I’ve seen are that he either couldn’t because the Techno Union wired the scomp too far into his nervous system, and/or the resources to give him one were deemed too expensive for a clone (what about his legs tho?), or that he chose not to, usually because he thought the scomping was useful. 

Regardless, I actually really love this choice (and it's the whole reason I made this post), because here's the thing: There’s a lot of problematic tropes out there that either erase/cure disabilities or compensate them with perks (like how pretty much any blind character is actually not blind by some sort of magic power). With amputees that is done with robotic arms. The character is still an amputee or course, and there is still value in that representation, if this story from Mark Hamill that makes me tear up is anything to go by:

but for the most part these characters function like anyone else, just with a limb that looks a little different. It’s no more than a video game skin, an able-bodied actor with a green screen glove. It “cures” the disability, or it actually makes the character even stronger than usual: 

It usually makes sense within the world of the story, but the reason it’s not so great in my opinion is that in the real world we just do not have technology anywhere close to that yet. Prosthetics can more or less replace any mobility from lost legs, but not for all the complexities of a hand (and even if they could the average person wouldn’t be able to afford it).

So

I think it's actually really super cool that Echo’s scomp bypasses the canonically-established amputee erasure and functions much like a stump would irl. He integrates it into his movements and everyday life and it’s (as far as I know) a lot closer to an everyday amputee’s experience. 

It doesn’t define his character, it doesn’t hold him back, he lives a full life, the other’s don’t treat him any differently, and he’s still a total karking badass 

The only additional thing is that he sometimes uses it as a weapon (which given his story, I think it’s cool to see him taking back autonomy in a way, and we only see that like twice)

And also the scomping, which could be seen as the 'added/compensating superpower' trope. But narratively it's no different than if he was plugging in with a hacking gadget of some kind (he didn't necessarily "need" to lose his arm for it) and it’s not like Echo is completely defined by this skill. Personally, I think it's well worth the positives of him actually having a visible and realistically impactful amputation. 

I see a lot of posts or comments out there that say stuff like “how come Echo doesn’t get a hand?” or fanworks that do give him one and I just think it’s a bit of a shame. If he did get a robotic hand, it just would have disappeared the same way his legs and Anakin’s arm did (aside from that one time he got yoinked by a magnet). When Echo did “get a hand” in the last two episodes there were comments like “yay he finally got a hand! but it doesn’t even work” but I was actually so relieved that it didn’t! Bc for one thing that wouldn’t make any sense, he grabbed it off a droid, it wasn’t designed to implement with his scomp, that would be really complicated. But more importantly because it again refused to erase/cure his disability! It functioned like a real-world cosmetic prosthetic (useless beyond appearance) which is exactly what he needed it for, so that he could blend in better with his disguise.

And he continually took it off throughout the episode and ditched it at the end. He only used it for the necessity of a stealth mission, he doesn’t feel the need to visually “fit in” in his daily life. 

And, last but very much not least, he made a dad joke and from my intel that is very accurate representation!

TLDR: Echo’s scomp is actually really cool from an amputee representation perspective, especially within Star Wars, and I think that deserves some appreciation 

[knightobreath]

Sacri is a groomer

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zxqi5Fh26KKcggUv-u5ydthhGrX42hPeZJM33AN3qtY/edit?usp=sharing

Okay lets get into this. There's a lot of context missing from this doc.

Doc was posted here on twitter, and sacri has also responded.

tl;dr: blaming someone for making sexual jokes in a discord server as a kid when there were adults enabling it is wrong actually, and this doc has some transmisogynistic and wlw-phobic sentiments sprinkled in. the callout is malicious and not actually concerned with protecting minors but rather tearing down a trans woman with an audience.

First and fucking foremost, most of this doc is just airing out the sexual jokes and thoughts of an at the time 14 year old. Am i the only one who finds this disgusting?? the person who compiled this evidence SEARCHED for this shit, and there are SO MANY SCREENSHOTS of a 14 YEAR OLD saying sexual shit. I'm not going to attach any of these to this post because I think the act of sharing them is gross as hell.

Basically the gist of it is, she was around 14 and making a lot of sexual jokes in a public discord with other minors, as well as being in the nsfw part of the server. The crux of the callout is that some of the people she joked around with were 12.

From the doc:

She has known about this and has attempted to use this popularity to get with a 12 year old at the time.

The attached screenshots for this all read as just jokes. referencing minecraft, "mcdonald licence", and clearly ironic use of emojis.

Sacri has involved herself in many inappropriate conversations within the same server. A majority of the members were minors and within the OSC. Regardless if they were jokes or not, Sacri making these jokes in a public server accessible by anyone at any age is highly inappropriate.

from sacri's response:

Not only was I 14, but I was let into the Tony server's NSFW channel that contained minors AND ADULTS!! I did not know the ages of practically anyone there, EVERYBODY was weird. I was just a weird kid who got exposed to weird things. This is barely based in reality at all.

Yes, a lot of what she said was bad. But as sacri explained in her response, she was let into a NSFW space with other minors AND ADULTS. I cannot stress enough that you can't blame a kid for getting let into an adult space and predictably ACTING LIKE AN IMMATURE KID ABOUT IT. The blame for this falls on the ADULTS WHO WERE PRESENT!!! The server moderators and other adults should have stepped in to stop the sexual conversation instead of enabling it. it was THEIR responsibility not that of the kid.

Like, guys. I'm a server moderator. It's part of my responsibilities to keep the sexual stuff to the NSFW channel and to make sure everyone who has access to it is an adult. If I found out that minors, especially those as young as 12, were in there, I'd be horrified.

From the doc:

There is much more recent information that shows their behavior hasn't stopped, even at the age of 17/18 they still involve themselves in sexual topics with minors, however the victims of this more recent behavior wishes to keep this information private

No evidence for this is presented in the doc, and a lot of people reading this forgot about "innocent until proven guilty"

well, the stuff from that actually came to light after the doc was released, and if you want to hear about, listen to this thread by one of the people who was involved (and who didn't want that shit public but people dug it up anyways!). Sacri didn't know the ages of the other people, cut contact with them after finding out, and it was all sorted out privately. This also corroborates with a part of sacri's response.

After that, the doc tries to accuse sacri, a trans woman, of fetishizing trans femininity and ends with claiming her interest in girls is an obsession and that it makes people uncomfortable. This just reeks of transmisogyny, I don't know how else to put it.

Finally, the doc accuses her of racism which from what they put out there, seems accurate enough. She does admit in the screenshot to using the N word at some point. Again, this is at a time when she was 14 and theres nothing presented to back up that she's still like that. The screenshots don't include anything of her saying it just her admitting to have once said it. She hasn't responded to this part of the accusations yet, only talking about the accusations of grooming.

in conclusion, this wasn't made to protect minors. if it was there would be actual concern about the environment she was in at the time of those screenshots, and blame would have been placed on the adults. This was a hit piece.

[prettycottonmouthlamia]

Listen to me right now, genuinely.

You should vote in November. You really should, but I don't really want this post to be about that. I have a pretty profound distrust of the average liberal "blue no matter who" crowd on here. I am not of the belief that you should willingly suspend your capacity of criticism and accountability of people in charge. If that can be extracted out of you, they will not give it back. Democrats are not a party full of people who love you and want to do everything you ask of them: they are a party who support the capitalist system first and foremost, and their interests are more beholden to the system than they are to us.

BUT, speaking as a trans woman right now, I'd personally really not rather see Trump get elected, obviously. If you're the type of person who sits and goes "I don't believe in politics", I want you to really listen to me. I get it. I truly do. American politics suck. Our politicians are chronic liars, they make promises they don't even try to keep. But there is almost one thing they never lie on, and that's the people they intend to oppress and stomp down. Trump wants to legislate and use his executive powers to push trans people out of existence. He can't be allowed to do that.

BUT

BUT. Voting cannot be the only thing you do. A bunch of the blue no matter who posters on here are going to do one of those things come November

Trump will win, and despite any evidence to the contrary, they will blame the like 50 communist bloggers on this website for ruining the election chances of the entire country. It was Russia yet again, somehow.

Biden will win, they will pat themselves on the back for a job well done, and proceed to sit on their hands until they find another reason to blame leftists for the actions of conservatives.

Trans history is full of examples of us being left behind. Your political plan for the future CANNOT just be to show up at a polling booth. You need to do more than that. What you will need to do will change somewhat depending on who is in charge, but I'm begging those among you to start taking action both now and after the elections.

Make sure your trans friends are safe. Check to see if they still have access to their medications. Check to see if they need money to get out of the country. Work to protest regressive and transphobic policies. If you're a lawyer, it's time to get ready to defend the cases of trans people against libelous suits. Plenty of you can do this pro bono.

Build mutual aid groups among your neighors and peers. Show up to a local LGBT organization and see what they need. Volunteer your time and money and often time spare clothes for other people. Educate yourself on our history, educate yourself on political theory, support organizations that help out the homeless directly.

Learn how to defend yourself and others during a protest when it faces police brutality and state sanctioned violence. Learn how to effectively neutralize tear gas, learn how to cover your self up so that you cannot be tracked by the pigs. Learn how to break kettle formations, learn your rights.

Never stop protesting against the people who feel it is their God given right to turn America into a theocratic dictatorship (which is not in the Bible by the way. I feel I should mention this. This is not a Biblical belief, the conservative Christians who tell you otherwise are lying out their ass.) Never stop protesting to stop the exploitation of the Global South by tech companies. Never stop protesting to end the genocide in Palestine. Never stop fighting so that the people of Sudan can be heard.

Just voting does not make you a politically active citizen, or really, a politically active person. It takes work, work that is very easy to burn out on. But if we can't rely on the American government and the Democratic party to do the things we need in order to avert the twenty crises looming over the horizon, then yes, we need to do more as a united people than fucking vote.

[alpaca-clouds]

Why Black Panther Is In All The Solarpunk Lists

If you google for "Solarpunk movies", you will quickly find out one thing: There is no actual Solarpunk movie out there, just a list of a couple of movies that people generally will consider to have some Solarpunk themes. Usually you will find some Studio Ghibli movies there, you will find some movies there that will leave you with more questions than answers, and then you will find the two Black Panther MCU movies there.

If you investigate this further, you will also find a long winded discussion on whether or not Black Panther really can be Solarpunk, because Wakanda has a king and that is very much against the idea of Solarpunk, right?

Which is of course very ironic. Because this usually will come from white people who will be very willing to compromise on almost any other aspect of Solarpunk... Unless it is about Black people.

So, let's look at the Black Panther movies - especially the movies - and see how much Solarpunk there is.

Now, Black Panther is first and foremost Afrofuturism. This is very much about the idea of an Africa that never was colonized and hence had not their development halted by exploitation. And in the story of Black Panther they then got access to Vibranium and in this time that at least Wakanda could develop figured out all the things they could then do with Vibranium. Giving them not only clean energy, but also all sorts of other nifty gadgets. This allows them to become a fairly equal society.

Sure, there is a king, but in general the movie does imply that the inhabitants of Wakanda do all live in fairly equally good conditions, not to say fairly luxorious compared to how other people live. They have the same access to technology, apparently just get their food, and are also living in a society where men and women are equal at the very least.

Now, we do not know a ton about the internal politica of Wakanda. Apparently the country gets mostly run by the king and the chieftons, but we do not know how they get into the position. It mostly seems to be inherited as a position. But is there any other government? Is there any form of democracy? Do people get to vote? Are we assuming just the typical "benevolent king" narrative? How many people even live in Wakanda? That is all the stuff that is never really answered, because the movies are actually not that interested in the specifics of Wakanda - rather than the idea that it represents, and the moral connundrum that comes with it.

Because that connundrum of Wakanda is of course never about Wakanda's internal politics. Wakanda basically says: "Hey, we totally do have a benevolent king and everyone in this country is in fact super happy!" Because that is all the story needs. The moral connundrum is this: Wakanda is rich and safe because when the colonialism of Africa happened, they did not intervene and just held themsevles back, made themselves appear poor and like this did never suffer too much from it - but also allowed others to be enslaved and exploited.

Wakanda's wealth is very much build on them ignoring the plight of all other Black people. And this is the moral that the movie is interested in exploring.

And this is the real question in terms of: "Is this Solarpunk?" And I would argue yes. Because the point is that the movie very much lands on the side of: "Yeah, actually we should do something about this. We should change stuff." And more than anything about the worldbuilding I would argue that this in theory is what makes this movie Solarpunk.

... ... ... That is looking at the movie on its own, because it still has the misery of existing within the MCU, that does not really want to change the status quo of the world too much. So it does not want to change the world into a state that is too different from our real world right now. So, whatever characters might want to change about the world... They won't. Because MCU.

[choicesficwriterscreations]

June MC of the Month: Dr. Casey MacTavish Carrick

Please welcome our fifth MC of the month! Each month, we will highlight one MC or OC that is currently on our Meet My MC / OC List. The MC / OC is selected randomly on the Wheel of Names, and eligibility requirements can be found here. We accept MC / OC profiles on an ongoing basis. Please feel free to send yours in!

This month's MC of the month is...

@jerzwriter's Casey MacTavish Carrick.

Learn more about Casey and her creator, Elsa, below.

In your words, tell us what you like most about your MC. 

There are many things I love about Casey. First and foremost, she’s genuine.  What you see is what you get; she has no time for games or being fake.  She wears her heart on her sleeve, and even though that has burned her in the past, she refuses to allow it to change the person is.  She’s passionate about her beliefs and does not back down.  She is very serious when she needs to be - at work, when dealing with a crisis, or engaged in activism - but in her personal life, she’s playful, quirky, and not afraid to make an idiot out of herself (or others) to have some fun.  She really tries to live every day to its fullest, even when it’s difficult to do so.  

Do you feel your MC is like you at all? How are you alike or different?

In some ways, yes; in others, no. We’re both passionate about our beliefs and fight for them. We were both activists from a young age, and that's an important part of our lives. We try not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the journey more than the destination. And the people we love mean more to us than anything else. most. 

However, Casey has her shit together to a level I have never been able to achieve. lol She’s a doctor, and I barely passed my science classes. And her husband is FAR superior to any of my exes (if I had what she does, I'd make sure they never became exes). lol What can I say? Fictional men written by women are just better. 

What is most important to your MC? What is their motivation in life?

People matter the most to her. It was her motivation for going into medicine and what has driven her activism.  She can’t witness problems and gross inequity and not attempt to do something to solve them. She believes if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. 

She almost lost her mother as a young child, and she almost lost her own life as a resident, and again in her 30s, so she values every day and lives with the understanding that we all have expiration dates.  There is no day but today - and she uses that to push herself. 

Her career is very important to her, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the people she loves.  She is fiercely loyal, and when she loves someone, she loves them for life.  Tobias and their girls are her world, and they have plenty of family - real and found - surrounding them.  

Casey wants to leave the world better than it was when she entered it.  She has worked tirelessly for equity for all. As a proud bisexual woman, she has fought for women's and LGBTQ rights. Growing up in a diverse community, in a city that has residents living in both extreme poverty and excessive wealth, she loathes inequality. As such, racial and social justice issues, as well as equal access to healthcare are important issues to her. She is appalled that people die in one of the wealthiest nations in the world simply because they don’t have insurance.  That becomes her biggest mission. 

What are their biggest pet peeves/dislikes? 

Pretentiousness. She’s not a fan of affluence, and she's automatically suspicious of people who have too much. That’s a struggle for her and Tobias initially because he is extremely wealthy. It took a lot of work, and some changes and compromises, for them to rectify that.

Intolerance. People who feel the need to control how others live their lives incense her. She has no use for people who espouse racist, misogynistic, and homophobic views.

Hypocrisy and phoniness.  She’s a genuine soul, and she expects the same in return.  She can usually sense when someone is inauthentic, and she will do her best to keep such people out of her inner circle.  

If your MC could change one thing - anything - what would it be? 

She would change the world.  She would rid it of many -isms. More than anything, she’d like to see a world where people are truly judged by the content of their character, not by their race, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic standing.  She knows the world is an unfair place, and it’s distressing to know how it is almost impossible to change it, but it doesn’t mean she won’t try.  But, if she were given a magic wand, she knows exactly what she’d do with it. 

What is your MC’s favorite quote or song?

“Love is a combination of care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect, and trust.” - Bell Hooks - This is her guiding principle.  Love is not a noun, it’s a verb, and when we love people or things, we need to give them our full commitment and dedication.  One cannot be lazy about love. To whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48) Although she was raised in the Catholic faith, Casey really had no use for organized religion and considered herself agnostic by the time she met Tobias.  Three things made her begin to believe in something greater: her near death after the chemical attack, the love she shares with Tobias, and the birth of their first child, Samantha.  She NEVER becomes a bible thumper, nor does she believe there is one "true" religion. She considers herself more spiritual than religious, but this bible quote resonates with her.  Especially after she and Tobias were sure they would share a future together.  Given his level of wealth, she insisted this would be how they would live and raise their daughters. She has a zillion favorite songs, but the four songs that she and Tobias selected for their wedding will forever hold a special place in her heart.  They are All of Me by John Legend, Spend My Life With You by Eric Benet, Every Time I Close My Eyes by Babyface, and You Make Me Feel Brand New by The Stylistics.  Is there anything else you’d like to share about your MC: (It can be why you created them, how they’ve inspired you, or you could write a little blurb as if it is coming from your MC - an acceptance speech. :) ) 

Casey’s sunny demeanor leads most who don’t know her well to believe she has had a charmed life.  But that's not true. Casey made a decision to have a bright outlook - whenever possible - because of the struggles she faced.  Nearly losing her mother at a young age, seeing her family struggle under the mountain of medical debt, and coming to terms with her sexuality were all defining moments of her younger years…. And each one played a part in the anxiety that remains an issue for her throughout her life.  These struggles all left scars but also helped her become the woman she is today. 

Her unlikely romance with Tobias Carrick faced challenges at first, but once they realized that they both accepted that they had found “the one,” they were all in for life. They’re alike in many ways… outgoing, flirtatious, full of life, and, yeah, horny. Lol, But their differences complimented each other.  Tobias is so self-assured, and he helps Casey build her confidence.  Casey’s authenticity helps Tobias get in touch with his authentic self, and together, they live their very best lives.

To learn more about Case, please see her character bio and Casey & Tobias's masterlist.

[janetfraiser]

☕️ outdoor cats who are allowed to freely roam

First and foremost: I understand this is a cultural shift that appears to be taking off in the USA and is not reflected across the world. I never want anyone to feel guilty for their choices, particularly ones in the past. If you've always had outdoor cats or your family, I'm not saying you're a bad person! I grew up loving my grandmother's cats who were indoor/outdoor, and front declawed! This is just food for thought.

Letting your cats outdoors has no benefits. Indoor/outdoor cats have the same risks as an outdoor only cat - a few hours outside is enough to run into all these issues.

Indoor cats have a life span in the double digits. Outdoor cats are lucky to live past 5 years old.

Cats kill billions of animals every year. Indoor/outdoor cats in particular will kill animals not for food but for fun/enrichment. They can't help themselves. You ever watch a cat start wiggle butt moving at a shadow? They are made for hunting. Here's another link to more sources. Or another outlining how cats are large contributors to small mammal or bird extinctions.

The number varies wildly but the statistics all point to millions of cats killed every year by cars. Some are as "low" as a few million, some sources say over 20 million.

Outdoor cats are exposed to many many diseases and bugs daily. Some are minor issues and some are deadly. Even something as minor as fleas can contribute to a cat's death. Vaccines are great but are never 100% effective. There is still always a risk.

A fence does not contain a cat. Even if it did, other animals can get in.

You might love your cat but other people don't. Cats can be trapped, poisoned, or killed by other people. If they're lucky, animal control might pick them up if they think they're lost. If you did your job, the cat has ID on it to find you. If you didn't, they might be put up for adoption or possibly put down.

Cats get into everything. Animal poisons, garden chemicals, etc can be deadly.

Temperatures vary all the time. Cats have adapted well to warm and cold environments, but as the globe's climate changes, the weather swings get more and more extreme. Frostbite and hypothermia are deadly.

Cats can live 100% fulfilled lives indoors. You have to work a little harder to make it happen, but you can fulfill their enrichment needs. Minor edit to include: supervised outside time with a harness is great!

Cats are an invasive species across most of the globe. Yes, their natural prey is birds and small mammals but it was never supposed to be like this.

If you let your cat outside and it's not spayed or neutered, you best bet your cat fathered kittens or will come back pregnant. If they have access to each other, they're going to make babies. If money is an issue and you live in the US, check this out. Kittens have the worst survival rate of living outdoors with a generous survival rate of 25% of kittens living past 6 months.

That's all I've got for now but there are more reasons, I'm sure. Please! Keep those babies inside!

send me ☕️ + [topic] and i’ll tell you my opinion on it!

[soulofamy]

ive gone back and forth on what i think the outcome will be on amy and her relationship with viola and i think after spending a lot of time really dissecting soulcalibur 6 and what lines are filled in for amys story, heres what i think is going to happen.

first and foremost, yes i am going to assume that amy and viola are the same person, no one is going to shake this belief, if you are here to try and convince me amy and viola are sisters or that viola is amys clone, you are wasting your time. and yes i am also going to assume that, just like in the old timeline, amy is going to lose her memories and become viola. the only differences will be that this time we know how it happened and this transformation will have more to do with the main story. that is a discussion for another time though. anyway

i have always believed that viola is eventually going to get her memories back and remember her time as amy. but i have thought a lot about what that realization will mean for her. because while her central identity as amy is extremely important, as it is where she started and it is also raphaels main motivator (please give him something else to do alongside being amys groupie bamco i am literally on my hands and knees begging), it is also quite possible that amy has spent over half of her life as viola. we dont know when exactly viola came to be but if the difference between sc4 and sc5 is 17 years, theres literally nothing stopping us from speculating that amy has had her memory gone for that entire timespan. it could obv be shorter but my point is, amy had a very big and eventful chunk of her life go by AS viola so i can imagine there is a big clash of identities as amy wonders which one she should be embodying going forward.

i think at first, when her memories come back, she will be a LOT more distressed than she thought she would be. to remember raphael and how he took care of her to then realizing that raphael died all those years ago to then coming to realize that his body became soul edges marionette who was bent on killing her and her best friend. i imagine she would have no idea what to do with all this information. it would also depend on WHEN she got those memories back too, whether it would be before or after zwei killed graf dumas, etc.

in a world where graf dumas was able to come to his sense and be raphael for her again, i imagine that she would be furious with him for what he put himself through but she would ultimately, after a little time to process, be happy to have her father back. especially if he apologized for it all.

as for her name, i think she would continue to allow zwei and the rest of schwarzwind to call her viola but she would go back to introducing herself as amy. she chose that name for herself in the first place, she refuses to let whoever is responsible for her memory loss strip her of that.

she would go back to using albion as her primary weapon over her orb. i can totally imagine post amnesia!amy fighting against zwei with albion and him having victory lines against her along the lines of "you fight even better with a sword" or "and i thought you were good with that orb!" or smth along those lines

as for what happens to the orb, i am actually not really sure. canon suggests the orb might possibly be sentient and want to protect her, like it did when the pack of wolves cornered her in the forest. but canon also suggests that the orb is why viola couldnt access her memories before and it was keeping her from the truth so i truly dont know what to expect from her relationship with it going forward

idk if all this makes sense or not, im really curious to know what other people think

[kayetra-spade-queen]

I found out Ben and Dainsleif was voiced by the Mr. Yuri Lowenthal. Imagine their relationship as probably teacher and student.

Imagine if in an alternate universe where Ben received a vision (any element you can think but I think it'll be dendro because it's green) Dain wasn't so pleased about it but he trains Ben anyways because yes

HOLY SHIT- HELP- YOU'RE RIGHT-

Ok- first and foremost, I think Ben would receive a Hydro vision than a Dendro one.

I know it's weird since my Ben had a Heart of Tandem with nature capabilities, but hear me out;

I found a note made by someone from Hoyolab that the element of the vision is usually associated with the user's personality or what they endured to get their vision.

Anemo - hardworking

Geo - perfectionist and/or calculative (also hardworking, but not to the extent of an Anemo would get)

Electro - black sheep

Dendro - obsessed

Hydro - charismatic and/or a huge sense of justice

Pyro - passionate and/or stubborn

Cryo - loss of loved ones (Chongyun is a bit of an exception due to can't handle heat)

This'll gonna be a whole thesis by the time I finished writing this-

For the reason I think Ben would get a Hydro vision was because he is indeed charismatic (although had a bit of an ego, but let's put that aside for now), and he also had a great sense of justice. The nation of Hydro is the nation of justice, and that doesn't include the fact that the Opera House is a theater stage and a courthouse as well, which symbolizes the both natures of the element they represent to the people who possess the element of Hydro.

Although it would be funny if Ben was initially wasn't happy with the element he got, and would want to have a Dendro vision instead of Hydro. But to even get a Dendro element, you have to have an obsession over something and fight it to the end goal. Ben doesn't have that, fame isn't his obsession (at least not anymore), and he doesn't necessarily have anything that would make him make it his prime focus like how Baizhu is trying to attain immortality. Ben's not like that.

You can argue that Ben's obsession could be of keeping everyone in the universe at peace and that's completely valid. It's just that Ben's personality as a whole overshadows that, similar how Noelle would've gotten an Anemo vision due to her hardworking nature, but because she's a perfectionist, it was overshadowed, and she got a Geo vision instead.

Still, I think Ben would've accept the vision anyways; who wouldn't? Manipulating elements and using them as a weapon to fight? Not to mention it's still accessable in all of his alien forms (to some extent). But I'm low-key sure Ben would mostly use it if he's human and wasn't able to turn into an alien at the time so he won't have to just keep getting the hit without fighting back.

Now about Dain, I would really love them to have a mentor-student relationship as well, it's an interesting concept indeed. I did once thought of Ben would've met the Abyss Sibling (in my case it's Aether cuz I have Lumine as my Traveler), but since we don't know how much time passed between the Abyss Sibling and Dain's split to the Traveler's starting venture, I would rather kept that by the time Dain and Ben met, Dain was no longer the Abyss Sibling's travel companion for the sake of it. And at the time, Ben hadn't received a vision yet.

It would be hella conflicting for Dain by the time Ben actually got a vision, because Dain still had no trust for the gods.

The only reason why Dain still had a relatively ok relationship with Ben was because Ben was pretty neutral about archons and Celestia, and he only got the vision because his will reached the heavens.

I have 2 weapon choices for Ben; polearm and claymore. It'd be hilarious if he had the sheer strength especially in his human form to carry around a claymore.

And since Dain looked like he's a sword wielder, I think it'll be great if he taught Ben how to properly wield a sword. The size of the sword isn't a problem, they're swords at the end of the day. Learn the basics, implant some new techniques yourself with and/or without your element, you're good to go.

Although Dain would still disappear more often and would visit once a blue moon since he's still chasing after Abyss Heralds and still seeking for the Loom of Fate. Ben would have plenty more time to implant his own techniques more than learning the basics of swordsmanship (but that does not mean he doesn't learn them altogether).

And about Khaenri'ah, Dain would definitely told Ben (and maybe Rook, Max, and maybe Azmuth for extra spice) about it, but he won't be very specific or too in detail about it, and would definitely tell Ben to "find out yourself".

Although Dain is distrustful of the gods, that doesn't mean Dain have to push his narrative onto Ben (because we all know that Khaenri'ah started the cataclysm by tampering with the power of the abyss *eyeing Rhinedottir*, which lead to Celestia to intervene because the abyss is spreading to the other nations).

As for if Ben would try to investigate about it himself, that really depends. He can't really abandoned his duties as the protector and peacekeeper so he can have an expedition, but he would be interested in finding out. If Ben actually decided to go through with it, it might be because he was pushed by Gwen, maybe even Azmuth (although unlikely).

In short, Dainsleif and Ben would be a great mentor-student duo, Ben would be cool with a vision (although he would really want a Dendro one, but it is what it is), and Ben would be interested in finding out about Khaenri'ah at some point if he was pushed enough.

[julia-bunncat]

A huge analysis of the 3rd trial | DRV3

Well! As I promised in the previous post (although since then I’ve already finished the fourth chapter – the saddest for me at the moment 😢) , today we will talk about the 3rd chapter of DRV3, Korekiyo Shinguji’s role in it, and in more detail:

a} I’ll tell you about my experiences during the direct playthrough; how hard it was for me to solve Angie and Tenko’s murder [I didn’t spoil the details for myself deliberately, only knew about the «seesaw effect» meme] b} I’ll analyze the class trial and Kiyo’s behavior in it; c} of course I’ll share my thoughts on improving Korekiyo’s arch, because actually every fan knows this truth – the writers failed their task to create an adequate, worthy story.

After all, I have no regrets; the goal of «find something useful + figure out every detail» has been achieved and to me it was paramount, because (if someone didn’t know and hasn’t read one of my posts) I plan to create my own universe where most of DRV3 cast are survived.

That’s the end of the intro! I warn you that the following text will be as full as possible of spoilers... and yes, it will be huge. Again. Just get ready for it.

☄ I’ll start by stating my attitude to what is happening during the 3rd chapter BEFORE murder (but I won’t go into too many details here, because for the most part, again, I plan to dedicate this post to Korekiyo). First and foremost, I want to say that Monokuma. is losing. his grip. Earlier I managed to spoil myself the thesis that once again chapter’s motive is sucks, but I didn’t know exactly what the problem was... Now it’s clear. As with the 1st chapter, the motive is not being used – the murder generates either additional conditions (like time limit) or the students' personal complexes / psychoses (Kaede has the desire to «save everyone», Korekiyo has the goal to collect «friends for sister»). If only the Monocubs had come up with that motive, I would understand and forgive… But no, despite the «revolt» against their father’s principles, it seems that they didn’t abandon his original idea to shove this useless Necronomicon – after all, at the end of the execution Monokuma is upset; he say: «Seems like a waste, though. You guys sure you don’t wanna use it?».

It leads me to believe that the writers have once again decided to avoid logic in “favor” of some gags. They wanted to introduce an aesthetic creepy freak into the story – they did it, nothing else matters. And this is actually upsetting to me – in theory, the events could have been staged in such a way that the motive is used either indirectly or directly. It’s such a waste….

Now, a few words about Angie and the main event – formation of the student council-sect. I remember Korekiyo talking about it as a natural phenomenon in their situation – in times of despair, people cling to faith as never before thingslikethat… Moreover, I agree, it (as well as the Monocubs’ revolt) is something truly unique. It must be admitted that in no other Danganronpa nobody even tried to do something similar.

…But in what shock and (no other words come in mind ;^) horror I was, watching the accession of the cult of Angie’s God. Those who have studied at least a little bit about sects, understand – it’s not really about despair. A sect is always either money or a cult of personality (sometimes all together), and in the case of Angie – God (Atua) it’s herself. It would be more appropriate to listen Kokichi’s assessment of event: «She uses the situation to take the school under her and make us dependent on “Atua”». His opinion is even more confirmed by the fact that Angie became active just after the guys checked the Flashback Light (with group funeral) and what they saw confused them really.

This sequence of actions actually makes her dangerous. I heard a fact that many fans was genuinely considered Angie as the alleged murderer of chapter three… And you know, I WILL agree to this without any hesitation! Perhaps, at least that way, what happens in this chapter would have made some sense.

Also, in the last post, there were a number of criticisms and aversions to Angie that came from my lips. And I'd like to add something to my remarks, yeah, because even though Angie has taken to enslaving the minds of her classmates very intelligently and promptly, she is still full of contradictions (which breaks down theories about her genius). I’ll outline these contradictions so as not to sound hollow:

1} Angie's motivation for using the Necronomicon is simple – she doesn't believe in resurrection, but she does believe that someone who has died can come back, since they actually didn't die at all (their body could have been replaced by a first-class replica). At first, she backs up her conviction with comments like: «Well, the more people, the more fun it will be in our paradise! Shuichi, don't you have any sympathy for the dead? #shameonyou» BUT! when it comes to a new Flashback Light the next day + the question of “who shall we resurrect” arises, Angie changes her mind without a bit of mercy. The resurrected man is no longer a welcome friend – he is a victim in case an inconvenient time-limit-type motive is reintroduced. Is this a contradiction? Or hypocrisy? Let's just not decide.

2} Theory with replicas. At the first sight of the wax figures of the four dead, Shuichi is irrevocably convinced that this is impossible. He reasonably and inspiringly explains to Angie (who believes in spiritual and otherworldly things) that no matter what works of art the figures are, even Ultimate Talent cannot replace the soul… But how does Yonaga react? Right, she contradicts her own words again. Or to be more precise: She doesn't even try to defend her own beliefs in any way. No one can be resurrected because the replicas don't exist? Whatever! God said the ritual had to be done anyway! It will work – but the logic and danger of realising the motive...? Pfft, who needs them?!

Things might not look so dumb if it turned out that Angie was trying to cover up her plan to kill someone (from the student council, for example) in that way... But in the end, she dies by accident and in a very stupid position. Don't. Be. Like that. DR screenwriters. PLEASE.

☄ Now for some personal impressions of what happened during the investigation and the process of solving the mystery. If I remember correctly, Korekiyo and Celestia are the only unicums who have risked killing someone in the middle of an investigation. Celes did this by confusing things from the start by running from floor to floor… When Shinguji, on the other hand, took a risk in every sense of this word. Firstly, he brought suspicion on himself by using a katana from his own lab (and not on purpose – Monokuma set it up so that there was nowhere else to get a long enough sharp object). Secondly, all the time before the murder he admired the Caged Child séance, longed for it and finally persuaded his classmates to try it out.

In all fairness, by listing all this I'm not trying to say that Kiyo is a lousy blackened –  on the contrary, he even manages to turn some mistakes to his advantage. For example, the use of a katana from his research lab is justified by the clever creation of a locked room mystery. After all, Korekiyo is not a member of the student council (Angie only let them into the lab) or a master lock picker. Moreover, the way he created the locked room is quite handy. If it weren't for the gilding on the hilt of the katana, it would be harder to guess the exact purpose of the «upside-down figure + katana» combination.

More than once Korekiyo has been saved by his cunning, his diligence (sawing floorboards in three rooms at night is not like picking flowers xD) and his ability to think ahead. He created a safety cushion for himself by provoking another classmate (namely Himiko) to choose a new killing place for him, then framing that very classmate. By taking the risk of killing Angie, he helped himself by learning from Monokuma beforehand that (logically) only the killer who "got there first" would be punished. Shinguji could have got away with it many times, especially since the trials are based on the principle of "until I hear an unbreakable argument from you, you won't charge me".

But I'm getting a little carried away, ahah! All in all, despite the fact that I'm actually praising Kiyo here, his trial didn't seem all that complicated and confusing to me. Thus, I pretty quickly got to the bottom of the spinning-the-wax-figure trick, found correlations of the evidence and used them correctly to spot weaknesses in the arguments. Difficulties began closer to uncovering the essence of “seesaw effect”. For example, it's still astonishing to me how Korekiyo came up with the idea of navigation by touching SALT in complete darkness.  Yes, he had prepared a straight line in several layers beforehand and remembered by heart how the circle was drawn, there was nothing to confuse it with... But he crawled, knowing that his stressed classmates were all around him, jumped on the floorboard with all his legs, managed not to fall in himself and STILL SANG!! What’s amazing human being!

By the way, the atmosphere at the séance was indeed tense to the point of creepiness. I knew what was going to happen – I had to be ready for it... But that viscous, crawling feeling of discomfort wouldn't let go no matter what :'D My bestie and I were still completely silent during the chants – just try it, there is no substitute for this experience 😨😂

I will continue to discuss the trial further, for on the purely technical side, it has a number of oddities for me:

During the investigation of Angie's case (i.e. before Tenko's murder), there's a scene in Shinguji's lab that still haunts me, even though it could easily be written off as conventional. When Maki and Shuichi go to the lab to check if the katana is definitely missing, Kokichi runs in after them to get a sheet for a séance. This is the same sheet in which Korekiyo will later carry the sickle to kill Tenko. Question: at what moment did he manage to hide this sickle in it?? If he did this before the séance, then sending Kokichi for the sheet was a monstrous mistake ;^ (although it's not that Ouma is a fan of solving murderers, no matter how disgusting they are to him – that would spoil all the fun) However, it was virtually impossible to do this during the preparations, because an abrupt leaving (to Maki's lab) would have raised a lot of suspicion, and no one had told us about such an event. One last variant is that he's been hiding the sickle under his clothes all this time, but... how? Don't you need special clothes for that?? Kiyo's uniform fits snugly over his body. Your theories? xD

I've noticed a tendency that very often it was Korekiyo who (indirectly) provoked the guys into discussing very pointless topics :'D (which I don't think is the best tactic on his part – blackeneds in general become more active at their trials). For example, when, making excuses on the subject of an offer to hold a séance, he recalls the "possibility" of entering the chosen place by crawling under the floor and because of this suspicion falls on Kibo with his new function. Everyone ends up wasting extra time, even though it is already obvious that Kibo's flashlight is BLINDINGLY BRIGHT – it would have been visible without any slits in the floor, in fact, as well as other light sources. Or this alternative theory that Tenko may have been killed when Himiko lifted the cage... although the blood was visible when Kiyo removed the sheet (which was also covered in blood) and Himiko literally toppled the cage on adrenaline alone, immediately bursting into tears?? In general, moments where the teenagers start tо stall make the trial seem more natural, but personally, as a player, I found it a bit annoying 😅

‌Well, one last point from the “we would have saved a lot of time without it” section – a lie feature. Honestly, before this I had no idea how to win a debate without using it (although I think the game mechanics provide a way out)... But not in the case of the third trial, no. A reminder for those who haven't replayed it in a while – when the trial comes to a bit of a standstill, Maki supports Kaito's spontaneous theory: «Tenko's killer was inside the cage the whole time». In other words, the murderer in her own case is Chabashira herself, she also threw the sickle under the floor after the deed + allegedly there was even a reason to commit su*cide. To refute this theory, Shuichi has to lie that Tenko died instantly... But... Why, when he could just retell Maki's words during the investigation? Tenko didn't die instantly, yes, but from the pain shock she couldn't move and therefore couldn't throw the sickle (especially so hard that it wasn't under her, but in another corner of the room). Seemingly another convention, but still quite hard to ignore x)

Despite my admiration for Korekiyo's mental capacity in such precarious circumstances, in the end I concluded that our anthropologist had created both an ingenious mosaic and a complete mess xD In theory, he might have won if Kokichi hadn't sneaked into the next room and discovered the trap there. He might have won if not for Kibo's function to reproduce his memories in the form of images... If Himiko hadn't chosen the very room where Angie died... If Maki hadn't noticed a piece of duct tape under the corpse (because Shuichi obviously wouldn't have dared to examine the dead girl's body himself like that – including to avoid disturbing the crime scene). But the main problem here is not the unpredictability of classmates and a series of unfortunate accidents, no. Kiyo, as a murderer with a very interesting talent, has one unforgivable sin... I would like to discuss it a little later.

When Kiyo decides to confess to killing Tenko (although he could have done it a long time ago, lol, he apparently VERY much enjoys hearing detailed and reasoned evidence), the cast begins to divide into two teams: "let's vote right now, recognising Kiyo as Tenko AND Angie's murderer" and "we can't vote right now". The latter team includes Kokichi...

And you know, already figuring out his true motives and attitude towards the killing game, I often wondered: “How does Kokichi feel about murderer-Korekiyo..?”. The answer was found, thanks to the following dialogue:

...now I finally saw that Kokichi was a little bit angry with Kiyo for being a hated murderer. Just because he voted to continue discussing Angie's case doesn't mean he believes in his innocence. On the contrary, he probably just wants to humiliate Shinguji = to lead others to destroy him morally (and he succeeds in doing so).

☄ After all, shortly after this scene, Korekiyo's having a nervous breakdown. He trembles, stammering, ready to almost spit bile... And then he releases his "defence mechanism".

So, now I announce a special category called "Interesting notes from interactions with Sister" o/ (quick note: only during the trial, because after that... everything goes down the drain)

❧ So that's where Kiyo's self-teacher kink is coming from..? To this phrase he replies «Y-yes, you're right. I'll teach them».

And it makes sense, if we think back to the hcs that Miyadera could have replaced Kiyo's parents, i.e. to be his main mentoring, educational figure... Now, copying her whole personality, her behaviour, whole experience with her, Korekiyo also tries to resemble the teacher and gradually experiences real pleasure in educating others. Which is why, when he befriends Shuichi after FTEs, he offers to be none other than his disciple. This is the only form of intimate communication available to him, ugh.

❧ I wondered for a long time: why Kiyo was so afraid of being declared as a culprit...? Shouldn't he, on the contrary, be coolly calm, because his execution / his death, would only be a transition to another life in which he could be reunited with his sister? But no, he's blatantly panicking :(

And sister's next phrases (even though she is addressing Shuichi)

prompted me to think of two things at once:

1) Kiyo isn't afraid of being culprit, but being blamed, because he remembers from childhood the consequences of his mistakes – the need to apologise to his sister over and over again, literally begging for her forgiveness and understanding. Even on "Argument Armament" he confirms my point with the phrase «You're all wrong, not me!» (which sounds like a rather childish statement :'D)

2) Whatever true love he speaks of, all he feels for his sister is fear. He wants her to let him into her arms when they reunites, but how is that possible if he has already made a mistake, if he has failed to realise his main goal? He fears death because his sister's punishment awaits him beyond it – and his execution, in fact, proves this directly. have always been of the opinion that the second part of it is an illusion on all sides. It would be logical to think of it not as something real, but as a representation of Korekiyo's subconscious; something that symbolically emphasises the gravity of his crimes.

❧ /foreword/

Once I was lucky (or maybe not so, ahah), to meet Chinese and Japanese Korekiyo fans on Twitter who were able to communicate with me (and their audience) in English. That's how I came to know one of the most horrifying facts: the Chinese and Japanese FD of Danganronpa don't consider Korekiyo's sister as abuser. What's more, they're sometimes even angry at this opinion; for them, Ane-Kiyo (an alternative name for our "Miyadera") is the main victim... And you know, I was so worried at first! «What if I'm getting my favourite character wrong?». «What if the English translation is so shoddy that it can't be trusted?».

But it's hardly that serious. Eventually, I found the reason for this mismatch of beliefs for myself.

English fd has several arguments. The most important of these, as far as I know, is the list of requirements that Korekiyo's sister makes in the trial: «You musn't raise your voice / musn't stutter / musn't waver» and so on. For a Japanese fd, however, there is no problem with it... And _that makes sense_, as these requirements are more indicative of a strict upbringing than a full-blown abusive relationship, which is confirmed by the fact that AneKiyo's tulpa enjoys being a teacher who teaches ignorant children [screenshots above]. Strict upbringing in Japan and China – especially in traditional families – is not uncommon + Japanese fans are convinced that the "sister behind the mask" has nothing to do with the life-in Korekiyo's sister at all (which is difficult to confirm or deny in any way, as we can only take the meagre bits and pieces that the game offers us at face value). In other words, no one is right or wrong in this situation – it's just a matter of cultural differences. 

My personal impression: Kiyo's sister made the same demands on him as she did on herself, firstly because she was terminally ill, and secondly because she was the eldest and the role model. Roughly speaking, these attitudes + the fact that she had a loving, obedient brother at her side simply kept her from going mad from the pain she was experiencing. Of course this doesn't excuse her actions – it just makes her more psychologically understood. There is essentially no reason to go to extremes and see her as some kind of cruel tyrant. Even the way the tulpa makes Shuichi apologise – in a gentle, ingratiating tone – illustrates her preference for confusing and covert manipulation rather than shouting and pressure. 

❧ It's interesting that when Kiyo (based on his voiceline) is already almost crying because he feels cornered, and can't afford himself to make a mistake in front of Sister... She calmly tells him to give up and admit defeat, even though she seemed to be on his side and defending him the whole time. Kiyo himself is surprised by such an advice, agreeing very timidly, with a shaky «O-okay...».

I think this is a direct demonstration of the indifference the Sister sometimes showed towards Kiyo's failures / worries when she was alive. This meant that Miyadera could actively support him for a while, but as soon as her brother made a mistake, she would coldly dismiss his feelings, to which Kiyo could only reply: «Okay...».

☄ And now... I can freely move to scenes that take place after the trial, before the execution (and this is one of those cases where it would be better if it didn't exist at all, or only existed in a few sentences).

TW: mention of incest and analysis of incestuous relationships.

❧ Yes, I'm starting with the most dysmoral stuff. After some thought about "why would Miyadera need this all in all", I came to the only plausible conclusion. Kiyo was probably the first one to fall in love with her (especially if she restricted his contact with other people = was the only person close to him) and she took advantage of that: а) out of despair that death is near and she has no friends or anyone else, has no choice; b) because a lover is even easier to control – he will be completely at her mercy.

I've made similar theories before. The only thing that wasn't clear before the direct playthrough was: "Why do many fans also see hints of sexual abuse from Miyadera..?" But now I have a bit of a guess...

Yes, we see the "no physical connection" note, but any way you look at it, Kiyo's words sound TOO provocative. If it had been, let's say, a simple hug, nothing would have stopped him from saying it directly (and that would sound just as "romantic"), but no... And the illustration itself seems designed only to confuse. On the other hand... Where basically could they have made love if the sister lived in the hospital? .-. And probably very often was in a weakened / critical condition?¿

Moreover, during the same monologue, Shinguji utters an intriguing line:

They called. What "they" he is talking about...? The parents? Doctors? But if "they" were so outraged, why didn't anyone try to limit the communication? Or is this a hint that attempts _were made_, but Shinguji siblings always found a way to "find each other again", unwavering feelings, all stuff..? Honestly, it sounds like clichéd phrases from novels that are hard to take for granted. I don't even have any assumptions here.

Another thought-provoking formulation

❧ «I had to kill». So Korekiyo with his own mouth calls it coercion – and again, related to his sister. It is as if he is admitting: "Yes, I had a sick, lonely sister. One day she died. If things had been different – I would never kill...". But that doesn't change the ambiguity of his words, does it? Moreover, I would venture to say that it is precisely this position that scores a few points in favour of his haters. For Shinguji, the quest to "gather 100 female friends" was a noble gesture, but for all sane people it remains an unwarranted horror, as it is unlikely that his sister would have directly asked him to do such a thing. There is no evidence,

[except these words, I guess]

...to support this, besides the tulpa – as a projection of Korekiyo's unconscious – can't be trusted with everything. Therefore, the only conclusion to be drawn is that Shinguji has invented such a goal out of despair caused by her death...

And in fact, he confirms it, yeap.

All of the above only convinces me that the quest. to gather. a hundred. female. friends. should. never. have. existed. This concept destroys everything from logic to the personality of Korekiyo Shinguji (or rather, those little particles are left of it). And that should be the fiction of his story.

Oh. Another line provoking the question "why is it..?". 

❧ Yes, it's clear that Kiyo's understanding of love is distorted by the negative background of his relationship... But I would have described it in detail: in fact, Miyadera just never recognised him as anything more than a "little brother" or a "convenient, ephemeral lover". She didn't think they were similar in any way; that they could understand each other... An unbreakable, cold distance, full of endless illusions.

❧ But here I come to those Korekiyo's explanations that make me blaze as much as the "Shinguji is a maniac" concept. 

So... At first, Kiyo claims that his goal wasn't to escape from the academy. In fact, it makes sense – there is no one and nothing waiting for him on the outside, all that he needs is inside him...

! Meanwhile, during the trial and just before it ends !, he remains nervous, panicky, angry and hysterical, afraid of being blamed (we've already confirmed this).

But then Kiyo suddenly contradicts the "I had no intention of escaping" thesis. 

He declares that leaving the Academy would be a nice bonus for him, as he'd still be able to collect friends for his sister – he's just blighted by greed.

...What?!

So you're saying he behaved that way during the trial because he was still hoping to win..? That he has covered up the evidence behind him in order to get out of the academy..? (although, again, he DOESN't HAVE TO DO THAT – he can die in peace: his sister is happy, life after death continues!!)

I don't understaaaand 😫 It's so outrageously cynical! The facts add up to an unbearably illogical, contradictory mass, which in turn spoils the fans' attitude towards Korekiyo again... It breaks my heart.

☄ As you can see from the tone of the previous paragraph, I'm not going to end on a very positive note. A few hundred words ago, I promised to outline Korekiyo's main sin (read writer's)... So, I think it's about the circumstances under which Korekiyo decided to kill.

«Caged Child» séance.

An anthropologist who genuinely honours tradition... An anthropologist who's frankly delighted to have the opportunity to conduct a super-rare séance and communicate with the dead... Suddenly destroys everything that is part of his life's work in such a devil-may-care way? Are you _serious_?? Nothing could be more cynical than that. EVEN IF, as we know, the real reason for this attitude is love for his sister and the desire to give her 100 friends, this is no excuse, as anthropology and sister are still two closely linked things for Kiyo. It was Miyadera who encouraged him to develop their shared passion. It was Miyadera who made him a special uniform for field work. To betray anthropology is to betray his "true love", and how Kiyo can allow that to happen when he's so obsessed with this imposed love?? Doing this to your own brainchild is terrible.

And now, Korekiyo's last words:

By golly, if only the writers had left out those few rather deep, good lines – it would have been much better. I can't claim to be a literary genius, but the recipe sounds pretty simple to me:

We have a younger brother whose most important, closest person, who has built his life around her own leadership, is his ill older sister. The sister dies, the brother loses his mind in despair, and a little later gets involved into a killing game.

The organisers can erase his memory of his sister's death (provided he doesn't have a tulpa), or leave him with a tulpa and manipulate his mind with motives. Whether from chapter two or three – any motive will work. The main thing is to remind Korekiyo of how much he misses his sister, how much he misses the control he's so used to and/or the warmth, the voice, the visual embodiment of her.

This provokes a murder. Kiyo kills ONCE and NOT with an important anthropological séance, showing his respect. He tries to hide his direct involvement in the crime and panics at the trial because he has been taught – you cannot be wrong, Sister would not approve of your mistakes. One way or another, mistakes were made because of haste – his guilt is proved.

And well done o/ We get a character who resorts to killing because he can't deal with the death of someone dear to him and who had also abused him all his life. Touching – check ✔️ Empathy – ✔️ Cruelty – still ✔️ It's not so hard! .-.

But okay xD I hope you enjoyed reading this long analysis along with my still fresh impressions! ^^ I can't tell you how much I miss Kiyo continuing to play... But I have to move on, because the further I go, the more useful I find it. Thanks for your attention and have a nice day everyone – let's love Korekiyo Shinguji! 💖

[losergames]

– rules of engagement

DO NOT send racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist etc. asks and messages. they will be deleted and you will be blocked.

DO NOT send asks regarding a characters agab. they will be deleted. it is incredibly weird, intrusive and personal.

this blog and story are intended for +18 audiences only. please do not interact with the content if you are a minor.

most importantly – please be mindful and approach with care and thoughtfulness before sending an ask. thank you! 🏁

– intro :^)

hello and welcome to the Chop Shop development blog! i’m becky and use she/her pronouns. i am a black hobbyist writer and artist.

– what is chop shop? what's it about?

Chop Shop is a crime-focused action in development. this story revolves around a pc looking for more satisfaction in different aspects of their life and an infamous criminal gang they join to help boost cars.

please be mindful that Chop Shop is first and foremost a crime and action game - it is not a romance game. whilst there are opportunities to engage in relationships with characters, romance is not a sole focus.

– what is your update schedule?

my plan is there is no update schedule! i currently intend to release a chapter every time i have finished another one further down the line – e.g chapter 2 is released after i’ve finished chapter 4. but, i’m sure there will be snags along the the way lmao. 

– how many chapters will there be?

chop shop has been planned for 10-12 chapters! but again that could change as the project develops.

– i can't find the demo, playlists, cast descriptions etc.

you can find everything in the navigation. if there is something more specific or not accessible please let me know.

– can i make fanart? edits? playlists? etc

yes! i am currently tracking the tags #chop shop and #chop shop game so i can see em!!

- can i write fan fiction?

yes! i encourage the creation of fan fiction and i actively wrote fan fiction myself before developing this game.

however, given the complications of being a solo-developer, i will not be reblogging fan fiction to this blog. i do not want my writing and the game itself to be influenced by outsider writings and ideas.

– can i send in asks?

yes you can! please abide by and be mindful of the rules stated above.

when submitting an ask, i would strongly prefer for you to not use the terms 'LI' and 'RO' when referring to the crew as it gives people the wrong impression. you can address the group as 'the crew' or 'main cast'.

– why haven't you answered my ask? do you answer nsfw asks?

probably because i don't want to. while i am happy to answer asks, please be reminded that you are not entitled to a response.

i am happy to answer asks about nsfw content that i deem appropriate. asks regarding specific scenarios and interests with your personal pc/mc will be ignored. again, DO NOT send me questions about any characters agab. it will be deleted.

– why is the blog +18? do you post nsfw content?

i have planned for Chop Shop to include explicit content and do not want minors following the blog. i will be doing my best to monitor my followers and consequently you will be blocked if you are a minor follow the blog.

i may occasionally post and rb nsfw content. again, if you are under 18 please do not follow my blog.

if you do not wish to see nsfw content please blacklist the tags: #n*fw and #nsft

– i can't see your blog on mobile/ your blog isn't loading on the mobile view

i block minors or any blog that looks like a bot. if you don't have a profile picture you will most likely end up blocked.

- who is the player character?

the player character is an AutoLuxe Insurance Services employee. they are looking for a new direction in life and stumble across a criminal car-theft gang.

the following is customisable:

name (suggestions are provided)

gender (man, woman, person. this does not determine their agab)

pronouns (choose from pre-set options. this does not determind their agab)

appearance (skintone, eye colour, hair colour, hair texture, hairstyle, facial hair)

background and previous work (pre-determined history and employment that will change skills and affect gameplay)

– how old is the player character/main character?

the player character is 29-31 years old. the pc grew up with the character KJ [30] and would not be anywhere outside of the range stated. please do not headcanon the pc to be younger or older.

– will [character] become a romance option?

no. the main cast are the only characters that will be 'romanceable'. please keep in mind that this game is not romance orientated and does not focus on relationships.

– are there any poly routes available?

there are no polyamorous routes/ relationships available in this game and i am not planning on adding any later on. though Aimee is polyamorous, there are no other main characters that are.

🔗 – NAV | INTRO | PINTEREST | KO-FI

[vethbrenatto]

Journey to Whitestone: Thoughts

As a C1 tie-in naysayer, I wanted to give my thoughts on on the episode and going to Whitestone.

The Highs:

Overall, I enjoyed the episode and I think that’s kind of a baseline for me. If I didn’t enjoy the show still, I wouldn’t be watching. I thought the past characters were fun overall, even if I did feel that the focus on Vox Machina, particularly before going into the dreamscape, sidelined Bells Hells a bit. One of my favorite scenes was Ashton and Percy because it felt like a real inclusion of the BH characters rather than a shift of focus from BH to VM. I think Ashton and Imogen were standout characters in sticking to their character and how they would truly interact in this situation.

I think Matt played high-level Vox Machina NPCs well, and I didn’t consider anything out of character. I think there are many ways Vox Machina could be have come off and they still wouldn’t have been out-of-character- I think Vex could have sided with Percy in the decision that protection of her family (and the city) is first-and-foremost over saving an individual life with a risk so high and it would have been just as in character as her guilt over Laudna being the Vex-Sun-Tree-Body and her yearning to help right that wrong. I think Keyleth and Percy could’ve been chummy and friendly as they were in C1 in their meeting and it would’ve been just as in character as their formal greetings we saw Matt portray. Vex, Percy, and Keyleth’s formality makes sense to me in their natural progression as leaders- this is a facade (not the right word- but a temporary mask?) they put on in order to be professional. It asserts confidence around the people they rule and the people who seek their counsel. I am sure that behind closed doors when it’s just VM and friends, they’re still as goofy as before, and you could see that in Percy’s little cracked smiles around Gwen. I think, contrastingly, Matt played Pike right on the money that as she hasn’t ascended to that sort of role (she’s a leader in the church, but she was that even in Campaign 1, and she still acted this way) and the importance of decorum is lost on her. (And I love her for it)

I was also a big fan of how quickly Matt opted out Keyleth. I think this is smart as she’s the VM character they have the most access to and establishing her as easily available would have bad consequences on future story. (As Matt said, no Keyleth Uber, and as I hope, minimal Keyleth phone-a-friends.)

I am a big fan of the Laudna dreamscape idea. I know it would mean leaving Marisha sidelined for longer, but I’d love for this to be a couple-session journey (I saw someone relate it to the Happy Fun Ball) where they have to battle through this. It would really cement death as an obstacle. I’m still pulling for Laudna-comes-back-wrong even with the Spirit Realm twist.

The Lows:

While I enjoyed the session, I wasn’t over-the-moon excited. I think it comes back to what I outlined in another post, which is “Is this necessary?” Could this have happened without Vox Machina and I’m inclined to say: Yes. There was nothing about this session that made me feel like this had to have been done by VM. The only part that feels actually relevant is the location and Laudna’s connection to it, but the people I think could have all been replaced. 

What Bells Hells really needed was a powerful divine caster and material components. The caster didn’t need to be Pike and the components didn’t need to come from Vex. 

What did seeing Kynan add to the story? How is it relevant to our protagonists, the Hells? And what does direct access to Vox Machina mean for the future of the campaign- will these be the people they go to in times of great turmoil? Will they be inclined to come back now that they know how many high-level individuals they have met and received help from before? These are the kind of questions that I think of while watching the session. 

I like tie-ins to have purposes and I just don’t feel purpose from these connections. 

I have seen minimal discussion about the Hells’ course of action in the last session and much discussion about Vox Machina and their actions. Percy was right vs. Percy was wrong, Vex would do this or that, etc. etc. And to me that says that a lot of the session wasn’t about the Hells at all, which is fine for a session, but I just hope this stays minimized and we don’t get many more sessions where I feel like we’re more focused on what VM is doing than what the Hells are.

[opinated-user]

LO so clearly just uses buzz words to make herself look better and those that she criticize look worse.

Rebecca Sugar is a nazi sympathizer because of SU, but that's not how that word works. Sure SU is about fixing conflicts with talking rather then violence and the diamonds do have an authoritarian gov, but they are in no way nazis or coded as such. So clearly RS isn't a nazi sympathizer--that would require the diamonds being at least coded as nazis.

Meanwhile it is no secret the sith are nazi coded, yet lily isn't a nazi sympathizer for writing a whole story about how actually the sith are the good guys and ends it with them having a utopian empire where they can kill you without trial with their secret police like cop sith fighters.

Essence of Thought is a violent terf because they made a video critical of LOs interactions with minors. According to lily saying that a trans women could be sexual predator=terf. But that isn't what the word means. Terfs are specifically people who want to exclude trans people from anything, don't belive trans women are women, restrict or want to restrict access to gender affirming care and see all trans people as predators.

EoT was critical of 1 trans woman for her own shady behavior. Yes, terfs do see trans women as sex predators, but thinking 1 specific trans woman is an abuser is not the same as thinking all trans women are inherently dangerous.

Meanwhile LO has dragged multiple trans people through the mud, while also at times using their wrong pronouns. She also says queer is a slur and ignores that that train of thought was started by terfs.

She has even admitted to calling her detractors terfs on purpose because it annoys them. She is mudding the waters by slapping anyone she hates with as terrible a word as possible. Yet everyone calling her antisemitic or racist is taking her actions out of context, and slapping insulting labels on her (which is unforgivable when it's done to her).

i want to concentrate on that last parragraph for a second, anon, because that actually encapsulates perfectly the level of selfishness that LO operas with. just like she misuses the term nazis because she knows it's more impactful than "fascist", she also misuses terf. terf it's not an insult to thrown around willy nilly and for no reason nor a "buzzword," it's the name for an actual problem of a real group of people who use a specific kind of rethoric to justify hatred. a terfs are just as real as a disease and we can't spread treatment about that disease if we use keep using the same name for everytime someone sneezes. at some point there has to be a distinction so people know how to talk about that disease, what that disease implies and how we can prevent. by LO calling that to anyone who criticized her for being a creep, she's also saying that she doesn't care about protecting any trans women, trans people or anyone but herself. she comes first and foremost, everyone else second, and that applies just as well on the kind of words she uses. the problem of her doing this is that inevitably is going to cause trouble for her audience too, who will get out with a false idea of what a terf is or how to recognize one. this is beyond irresponsible, it's disgustingly malicious of a misinformation to do just so she has an "insult" that is bad enough.

[mochibdsm]

on sleeping on the floor

There’s this type of bedroom image that comes to mind. It belongs on a Pinterest board, titled Cozy or Hygge or something. There are candles and string lights and plants and soft fabrics and mugs and books and that sort of thing. It makes you sigh contentedly like you just took the first sip of a warm drink on a cold day. And to make sure you really buy into the peaceful aesthetic, there’s a pet at the foot of the bed, fast asleep. 

And that’s an important part of this image—here is your faithful companion who’s just happy to be close by, almost blending in to the decor, a peaceful and sleepy background detail, there, but out of the way. Four legged or not.

I suppose I describe why I sleep on the floor as wanting to be that first and foremost. It is less being a part of an ascetic image from my point of view, but being part of quite the opposite from Mistress’. That is the lens I try to look through. 

… 

Currently, bedtime looks like this.

I see to final tasks, and am to be ready to be leashed for the night. I unfold the fluffy blanket that lives on the floor at the foot of the bed, which mostly get called my slave furs. I turn down the bed, lay out the turndown card, and fill the humidifier.

At 9:45, I strip out of my Uniform (uniform code says I sleep nude; she likes easy access) and wait in Inspection Position (standing, legs spread, hands clasped behind head, head/eyes straight, back straight). She comes in and inspects me, tells me I did well on my evening tasks (generally), and releases me from position. I offer her lotion and apply it for her, then get into Leashing Position (kneeling on the floor at foot of bed, knees apart, big toes crossed in back (right over left), leash across both palms, hands resting on thighs, hair/head out of the way, collar o-ring in front, back straight).

She leashes me for the night, and then it’s time for sleep.

So the floor thing is bathed in other protocol. It isn’t just sleeping on the floor. It has to be taken in context. Just sleeping on the floor does not hold much meaning for me in particular—it’s powerful, as sleeping is something you spend a significant portion of your time doing—but it’s ultimately one piece of a bigger picture, one line in a contract well over two thousand words. 

I want it to be a reflection of my life during my waking hours, not an image I take up at night with echos throughout the day. I want to sleep on the floor because it feels like the right place in my life of submission, at the end of a day of serving, not as an activity to force the feeling. 

… 

People are skeptical of this, but: the floor really isn’t that uncomfortable. Granted, still my opinion. 

The bedroom is carpeted, and I have my fluffy blanket I wrap both under me for a bit more cushioning, and over me as a blanket. I ball it up under my head as a pillow, or frequently add an actual pillow, because there is admittedly strain on my neck.

The floor for me is a symbolic place, not an item of physical discomfort. I’m allowed to be comfortable there. It’s not really a masochism thing—asceticism at best. Yes, it’s simple.

But it’s not that the floor is an inferior place because it’s less comfortable, necessarily—that’s a part of it, but not all of it—but because it is lower, it is humbler. Importantly, it means that my place is defined by her place. I don’t have my own place. During the day, during time with her, I don’t have a distinct spot I go to, I don’t have a pillow I kneel on; my place is on the floor at her feet, wherever she is in the world.

And so, the same thing at night. 

… 

Pieces of this have been incorporated over time. I’ve been sleeping on the leash nightly since May 2019 or so. The floor, nightly since May 2021. 

The leash came much earlier, yes. Like my collar, Mistress has made each iteration of it herself, rope work to match. She gifted me this latest version on Valentine’s Day (2021), the biggest difference being a little more length. Yes, I got a longer leash for Valentine’s Day. Ha. 

The leash is kind of an extension of the collar, to me. The collar is the ownership symbol she put on me, kind of meant to be an identifier even when I am away from her. It says mine. But the leash is connection, the bridge. Two ends, not the claspless circle around my neck. The leash, in the moment, says with. 

During the day, the leash is invisible. It’s there, in protocol and everything else, logistically in needing to notify her if I’m leaving the house—even for the mailbox—and especially in needing permission to go most places. But I’m not going to be physically leashed all day, because we are not together all day. 

But at night, I get the physical leash. It attaches to the bed—to her place. At night, there is, physically, with, even from the floor, which reminds me, with, loved, but not equal. 

… 

I think I have just about shaken the falling sensation. 

When you sleep in an elevated bed, a possibility is that you will fall. I am a restless sleeper, and I will curl up on the very far edge of the bed, because it’s where my body guides me. I have, often, woken by falling, or almost falling, out of bed. 

Once I started sleeping on the floor, my mind still had this boundary, this amount of rolling over I could do before it thought I had gone too far, and I would bolt upright with the sensation of falling, scrambling to catch myself.

But I wasn’t falling. I had just strayed a little on the floor. 

Still, the phantom falling, like a more physical, middle of the night, fast asleep version of the type some get when trying to fall asleep, took several months to go away. Now, it’s rare, and I stray pretty far from the foot of the bed sometimes, moving back when I wake and notice. There’s plenty of floor in the opposite direction, and it’s not like anyone else is using it in the middle of the night (except for the cats, who rage their 3 AM wars on top of me either way). My slave fur cocoon mostly moves with me. The way I wrap myself up in it, I’ve never woken up out of it, even if I’m approaching the opposite wall. 

Occasionally, I stray the other direction, and manage to roll myself partially under the bed. I can’t really fit under there on my side, my default falling asleep position, but at some point I may end up partially under it on my back. And, y’know, slam my head into the tubular steel when I move (and yes, that’ll hurt for a couple of days, masochism crowd; no, I don’t recommend it). I’ve gained some awareness of if I have rolled myself under there, though, to warn me, but it’s not perfect. 

However. I have shaken the falling sensation, because my mind realizes there is nowhere lower to fall, and has relaxed about it. How’s that for symbolism? 

[newsytv]

There is no getting around the fact that lead acquisition is expensive and time-consuming. You have to spend money to get people to see your lead generation form, whether you're engaging in referral marketing, affiliate agreements, pay-per-click platforms, or social media contests. However, just because someone views your lead generation form does not guarantee that they will convert. Once you've caught their attention, you want to be 100% certain they'll fill out your form.

Along the road, as I worked with clients to improve their lead generation forms, I saw what works and what doesn't. Here are five suggestions for improving lead form conversion rates based on that experience.

1.Make a unique lead generation form for each campaign.

Using the same landing page and lead form for each campaign is one of the most frequent errors I see in lead generation funnels. Yes, this saves you time when creating landing pages, but your conversion rate may suffer as a result. Users must view a landing page and lead form that are specifically related to the campaign from which they originated.

Say I'm looking for a junk removal business. When I click on an advertisement, a landing page discussing moving services, which the business also offers, appears. Even though the business could have assisted me, I click away since I assume it's not a good fit even if this isn't relevant to me. That company has seriously wasted some advertising funds.

2. Employ best practices for lead form design

Since the design is "just a form," it is simple to ignore it, but aesthetics are important. You're asking individuals to provide you with personal information, and if the form is well-designed, they will be far more likely to comply.

Here are some guidelines for creating lead forms that work best:

As few fields as feasible should be used to provide you with the data necessary to qualify leads (shorter forms have higher lead form conversion rates). Make sure your forms are responsive by testing them on various mobile devices. To improve readability, use plenty of white space, and adhere to accessibility standards.

Included wording in bold or in a color contrast above the form to describe its purpose. Include a big, colorful CTA button that says "Submit" at the bottom.

3. Pay attention to the user's worth

People typically fill out lead forms in order to receive anything in return. An estimate for your services, a free first-class ticket, or a discount could be included. Perhaps it's a customized, one-on-one product demonstration. Or perhaps it's an eBook or a tape of a webinar.

The worth of whatever it is they are converting on needs to be highlighted. This is your time to persuade users to click Submit despite their reservations. That entails putting the value front and foremost. There are numerous methods for doing this: On the landing page, draw attention to a case study that illustrates the outcomes of what they are about to get.

Offer a sample of what they will receive, whether it be a page from an eBook, a little video clip, or something in between, if at all possible. To emphasize the value, place a headline just over the lead form.

[ellesmarzinskiwriting]

Writing Prompt #3

What are your thoughts about the varying strategies for reducing food waste due to cosmetic imperfections? 

Personally, I feel like these strategies are very important and aid in educating consumers about food waste while making it aesthetically pleasing.

What are your thoughts?

Something that came to mind is the company, "Imperfect Foods". They offer an online grocery service that delivers produce straight to your door. The caveat is that all the produce is "imperfect" and therefore priced cheaper than the more aesthetically pleasing products.

Which of these did you think is the most effective?

Some companies go over the top in their designs and can sometimes feel performative. Less is more especially when your company is trying to limit waste. I like Imperfect Foods and their strategy of being very simple in their design.

(I left the last class early for an appointment and did not see the options to review)

Would knowing more change your thoughts about the solution?

Yes for sure. I think everyone becoming more educated on the root cause of food waste would surely aid in finding a solution.

How do the existing solutions feed into the system? Do they fit well?

Sometimes it seems a luxury to buy from farmer's markets or deliver "imperfect" food options. Some people can not afford to make these decisions that should be more accessible (or the norm.). When in reality, it is often easier and more efficient to go to Walmart and buy an apple than drive to get an organic "imperfect" one.

If not, what changes are needed first and foremost?

Making all food accessible and reducing the limits companies hold on wasting products (ex: donating all food not sold in a day to a food shelter)

What are some ways you can nudge people to think about the following issues in the marketplace?

If I was selling "imperfect" produce, I would try to make my marketing tactic where it would be normalized. I would not want to overly highlight the fact that they are "ugly" or "weird". I would try to package all potatoes together in one bag/box so consumers would buy them all and not discriminate between the different styles.