#RT if you love burgers

[friedlava]

i'm reposting for both

[burgerlabs]

"joke btw, im not into old men" more fer the rest of us ig

[myketheartista]

Do you think if a fan reasonably listed their dislikes and concerns with rvb zero, Fiona, Torrian, or literally anyone else would still come back and light a fire under them? (fiona’s comments have made me a bit annoyed but it’s understandable since some of the comments from fans have been stupid)

Because it’s not about “if it’s not your thing, sorry, you don’t have to watch it. It’s for other people!” It’s about the actual issues in the show that I feel like...the writers aren’t recognizing? And this isn’t me hating on the show really, I’m just confused if they notice the flaws?

This is probably turning into a long post so I apologize in advance, and if it does turn into some sort of hate-rant, I apologize for that too, but I’m mostly just letting my thoughts out on things I’ve noticed that aren’t sitting well with me—and SPOILERS for the new episode if you aren’t a first member, but-

———— sorry I’m on mobile idk how to do a read more if it’s possible

I think I’m allowed to get angry that they killed Tucker. Because even if it’s a fake out and they’re pulling another season 12 where we all thought he was gonna die after Felix stabbed him (because the situation was actually taken seriously and the atmosphere is what assisted the blow in comparison to rvb0’s not-so-great pacing skills) EVEN if it’s a fake out, it’s a shitty thing to do. I don’t care if it comes down to “oh, well Jason was the only one of the OG cast available and bringing back Tucker makes sense because of his weapon” you’re going to 1.) bring back a beloved character we’ve had for 17 years. 2.) KILL said character 3.) probably do it for dramatics and he’ll actually be okay because why would you kill off a memorable character 4.) god, not to mention, and this could just be me being extra bitter, but you killed him off in such a boring way? I know the guy is an idiot, a sim trooper thrown into a war he was never apart of with no fighting skills at all, but it’s Tucker. Make the guy go out in style.

I said the same thing about Carolina and how they’re doing her a disservice. Even though she had began to grow annoying to me in previous seasons (shisno paradox to be exact), I was still ecstatic to see her just like anyone else! Her and Wash! And I’m NOT her creator and I’m NOT someone who understands her character to the point where I feel like I have a right to start telling the writers they’re portraying her wrong, but I truly feel like Carolina is not in character at all. I think the constant usage of Wash’s first name is unusual (she even went as far as to CORRECT One??? Wash’s name is a personal thing and throwing it around makes me feel like he isn’t even worthy of respect at this point. I sincerely hope they aren’t using the first name basis thing as an excuse to say oh!! Look at how close her and Wash are!), the completely? normal?? private conversations she’s been having with specifically One (I’m unsure if it’s because Carolina is working with people who aren’t actually idiots this time around so the setting makes her more comfortable, but I don’t see Carolina as an advice-giver or a pep-talker. Maybe I’m so used to hardcore freelancer Lina that I’m brainwashed but these are really throwing me off), and finally— her reaction to Tucker’s death, and excuse me haha, is a fucking joke.

I’m not elaborating on that. I feel like it should be self-explanatory, to be honest. I could even say her reaction sums up MY reaction, but I’m hoping there might be some aftermath stuff, y’know? Then again, I’m praying he’s not dead because, again, what the actual hell?

But aside from me being annoyed by little writing things I’ve noticed, I’m really enjoying the animation and I’m totally into the characters, but who hasn’t said that? That seems to be the only good thing you hear after long posts that speak negatively of the show. I appreciate the enthusiasm and I completely respect others who enjoy it for what it is! I’m also trying to enjoy it from the perspective of a new fan or even someone who just LOVES rvb for what it is (because HEY any rvb satisfies me, I freakin adored the shisno paradox even if it’s hated on for its writing) buuuut the flaws keeps standing out to me whether it’s the unusually fast pacing, the awkward and very over exaggerated movements (because if we’re being honest, what human moves like this? Am I too rude to ask if we can just have someone speaking and bobbing their head but still have them animated like in PFL?), the delivery of lines (meh, sometimes it’s cheesy, sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s just too fast!), and the unbelievable amount of “surprising” info I’m given without a cool plot twist or SOMETHING to make me actually give a crap about the characters lives and backstories.

Yeah, it’s probably turned into a hate-rant, haha. But I’m legit curious if Fiona is defending Torrian and hyping up the show simply bc it’s a first-time thing! Great! She’s happy and excited and so proud of the thing they’ve created, who wouldn’t be, but it’s severely disappointing to see something so awesome have so many problems that are making it an unenjoyable experience for me. And maybe that’s just me being someone who criticizes too much...which is ironic considering I’ll praise every episode of rvb because I’m being fed content, I’ll praise ANYTHING rvb RT gives me bc I’m so desperate, but rvb0 is uhhhh it’s not cutting it for me unfortuantely.

MY PASSION FOR RAYMOND LIVES ON THOUGH! I love burger man and I love his funny lines and his relationship with everyone and I love how he’s a goofball. I love lots of things about the show and I still think the cast thing with Carolina was funny :) so sorry if I come off as mean because I’m really trying to not let my love for old rvb get in the way, but I dunno, maybe I really cant accept something new? Or maybe I’m just sad something with potential isn’t doing so great :(

[pizzaheavencapemay]

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[itsclydebitches]

I'm not sure the best way to ask this but I'll try, sorry if I send a bunch of anons. I got into a discussion about what constitutes "bad writing" and as a writer who views writing as art, I personally have a hard time actually saying any writing is bad (even when it is literally hard or cringe to read lol). I personally tend to read stories and if there's stuff that doesn't make sense or lacks continuity, I tend to naturally change the story to make sense/be "better" (for myself). (Cont)

It’s a crazy complicated subject, isn’t it? I too view writing (any craft, really) as art. Which, for me, doesn’t mean that writing can’t be bad, but rather I acknowledge that “bad” is a subjective label and there’s no art in the world that’s “bad” to every single person. Which is why censorship can’t exist. The art that one group deems “bad” in an ethical manner can’t have the power to destroy it when another group needs and thrives on that art. (And I’ve spoken before about that careful balance between allowing art to exist/allowing for its creation but making your morals known regarding individual pieces. e.g. “I’m not going to blindly fight against everyone who creates kink art but if you created something that, say, fetishizes a group in an offensive and potentially dangerous way, people have the right to speak up about that.”) 

But here we’re not talking about “bad” moral writing, but rather “bad” entertainment writing. Even though, in reality, the two are rarely separate issues. But let’s assume they are for a moment. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that from one perspective “bad” writing simply does not exist. The cringeiest YA novel is going to be some teen’s favorite book. The song that sounds like nonsense noise to you may be another’s anthem. Someone fell in love with that fic, or that drawing, or the lopsided sweater you knit. So right in those examples we can see how “good” art often depends on: 

Your relationships (a “bad” drawing by a child is going to mean something to their mother) 

Your age (people adore books as teens that they later realize were “bad,” but it wasn’t “bad” according to who you were at the time) 

Previous skill level (if you just started knitting and you could barely manage a scarf last year, that sweater is “good” now, comparatively) 

Experience (someone with very little knowledge of animation might be blown away by a show that’s sneered at by someone who consumes the medium regularly) 

What you as an individual prioritize (when people talk about a “good” story one might be referencing the plot, the other might be referencing the world building, the third relatable characters, and everyone has a different list of requirements for what makes a “good” tale) 

Something unidentifiable based on our tastes that, notably, are always changing

So obviously art is subjective. However, when we’re talking about art in the media that’s meant to be consumed by the masses, we need to introduce two crucial elements: 

This is art that (usually) someone paid for, in one manner or another. Producing this art was someone’s job. Thus, there are expectations attached to the experience that help people determine whether it’s “good” or “bad.” If you paid for a show that implied it would have solid continuity and then it failed to produce that, that’s now an issue between a buyer and a seller. Like going to a restaurant, paying for a burger, and getting a sandwich instead. We can argue that they’re very similar foods. We can argue that the sandwich is still a delicious food to receive. We can argue that you have to power to go home to your own kitchen and make a burger yourself if you’re that picky... but at the end of the day you ordered something (or, to be clearer regarding media, were encouraged to expect something) and then didn’t receive it. That makes people mad. Or at best, disappointed. People may naturally be inclined to do the work of the writers tasked with providing their entertainment - making things “better” as you say - but that shouldn’t be a requirement. When I pay someone to make my food it’s not a part of the unspoken contract that I will doctor the meal extensively until it resembles what I thought I was paying for. 

Though subjective, there are types of art that the majority of people tend to prefer. Consistency being a major one. Are there abstract forms of art that deliberately work to confuse or frustrate viewers and do people find that engaging? Absolutely. Do the majority of people want to work hard to follow/understand/explain the story they sat down to watch at the end of a long day? Nope. It’s the safe bet of “Yeah, some people might not care if we retcon this but more people are probably going to be upset that we can’t follow our own story rules.” That consistency spreads to everything, including things like character arcs and endings. If you look at controversial shows like How I Met Your Mother or Dexter, when people say “This was a bad ending” they rarely mean “No one could ever like this conclusion.” Rather, they mean that “The vast majority of us expected something based on what you previously produced and then you failed to provide that. This doesn’t make sense and thus we feel lied to.” 

The purpose of (most) stories isn’t to produce feelings of betrayal, anger, frustration, and disappointment in your audience. So if a story does produce those feelings via all that you mention - lost potential, lack of continuity, numerous mistakes, etc. - then it has failed to do what (most) stories seek to do. Again, not all stories are like this. Many do try to produce such feelings. But for the majority of mainstream works if your audience doesn’t experience feelings of happiness (or catharsis) and satisfaction... then the story is “bad.” In the way that a car that won’t run is “bad.” The car might still look good and maybe you can use it for something else if you put your mind to it, but it has failed to complete its purpose as a car. 

That for me makes a “bad” story. It has failed to function as that particular type of story should. When we sit down to something like RWBY we have certain expectations. They’re produced by what the show has already introduced, its genre, its tone, what RT says during panels, how much money the company has, etc. Expectations like “Characterization will remain logical and consistent” or “If you introduce this concept you’ll come back to it,” or “We’re not going to have a whole bunch of animation mistakes.” Failing to meet these expectations doesn’t produce an objectively bad story - someone out there will like it - but it does produce a “bad” story in relation to what the majority of audience remembers had hoped and expected the story would be. Every story in the world is compared against its potential and the expectations it produces along the way (even if one of the expectations is a story’s ability to creatively undermine expectations: “We thought we were going one way but then there was a twist. Crucially the twist makes sense so that’s still satisfying, even though it’s not what we thought we’d get). How well the story manages that determines whether the majority considers it “good” or not. 

[chadashi]

bh6 on twitter

gogo- has only tweeted twice, once in 2012, her only other tweet was a reply to fred telling him to shut up unprompted in 2015

honey lemon- follows like 1000+ people. spam rts to the point where you consider unfollowing but you’d feel bad cause she’s just so goddamn nice. only tweets harmless inconsequential things like “going to class!!!!!! :-)” and “loved spending time with all my friends today!! <3” likes literally every single tweet you make no matter the subject/context

wasabi- mostly rts current news articles or like recipes and stuff from reputable verified news outlets/blue check marks, will sometimes quote rt with like a “wow!” or “another great article!”, very reminiscent of like your nice and cool normie uncle on facebook. doesn’t really tweet much at all except when he does it’s like an incredibly passionate 20+ thread rant on completely random and incredibly specific topic. 90% of his followers come from the fact that one of his rants threads went viral once and he hasn’t known peace in his life since then. follows a lot of cute cat accounts

fred- involved in comics twt with a pretty large following, generally well-liked until he unknowingly tweets a hot take that gets weirdo fanboys trying to mass report/suspend him but it never works, his account remains pristine and untouched, except for the one time he accidentally deleted his own account at 30k followers

hiro- literally only has twitter for when he gets really bored and decides to start shit on the tl. he’s not like a weird racist troll or anything obvs he’ll just tweet inane bullshit like “if you like burger king over mcdonalds then fuck you” put his phone down and then come back to like 99+ notifs and like 10 angry dms. as a result he’s been suspended like 4 times but he always come back cause goddamn if he just doesn’t love arguing online sometimes. the last time he got suspended was cause he called a flat earther a stupid asshole. he also looks at memes

[oldfolksineurope]

We cannot really explain why these creatures were in a Burger King parking lot near Palm Springs, but that is California. Much of the route we traveled on parts of this trip were old Route 66, so we saw a lot of interesting road side attractions from yesteryear. I bet our younger readers don’t even know about Rt. 66. You can see the beach is beautiful and the weather lovely. If you go to Gloucester, you will appreciate this door of a house in Newport Beach.

[mythoughtsguy]

Introduction and things I will be thinking about

Hello. I have never written a blog/post/thing before so this will be very all over the place but I want a place to document my thoughts so others can see them and laugh/hate them. 

Who am I:

I am a 19 year old college guy (collegeing it up rn). I am white and American and my father is 2nd generation Sicilian so I identify most with Sicilian after white because who would call themselves an American with a straight face. Americans have some culture but American rituals are not something my family practices a lot unless its like thanksgiving or something. Like we cook burgers on grill. Americans only do this. Nobody else, nope, noooope. real.

I am on the green part of the politics square. If you call me a liberal or a neoliberal lock your doors.

I look like a mix between nick from new girl and timothee chalamet. I think. 

I play music and video games.

I am taken. Not single. sorry.

I am online.

I drive a car, its a pretty good car. It has over 120,000 miles but its a Honda Civic so ill be fine.

I want to write on this more. I will remain anonymous for as long as I want but I do hope people see this. That way I can see people I follow on twitter rt or post about something I say and go HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH or …. One of the two. 

What will I be thinking about:

People I like.

People I dont like.

Internet music.

The afterlife and how I want it to be.

Highway Derby Idea.

College.

The Ideal Life.

My bucket list.

Shows and Movies.

Video Games.

Undertale/Deltarune/TobyFox/Gaster

This list will be updated whenever I have more ideas.

Love you bye bye

[deyzalee]

Dear God,

Thankful and blessed today. I drink my medicine with the help of Papa,went back to sleep again. Mama called for we have errands to do. My friend Bebang called because I will be vaccinated. We went to Barangay to submit the quarantine form. Me, Mama and Papa went to Wesmincom. I waited but Dr. Punzalan told me that he will just call me if ever there is still available vaccine. So he told me that I will go to ZCMC. We went to ZCMC Psyche department and I was able to talk to Dr. Calisang. I requested a medical report but he told me to use the medical certificate that he gave to me. We ordered jollibee cheese burger via drive tru. We went to SSS to pay for the contribution. We bought medicines at Mercury San Jose branch. We went back again to Wesmincom. Unfortunately, I was not able to vaccinate because I m on standby only. And there is no available of Pfizer vaccine according to Dr. Punzalan. So we went home. I chatted Sir Ric to ask for the travel ticket going Abu dhabi but he didn’t send to me. I input the details of my medicines that I need to bring AUH on MOHAP website. I m hoping to receive a positive feedback. I ate dinuguan with rice and cake. I scrolled on my social media account. I searched and call few hotels in Manila. We are a bit worried because some hotels need RT-PCR test. I know that you will provide us with the best Oh God. I played with my nephews and niece. I kissed Justin and Jako. We played with Amy and she put herself inside my yellow luggage and she’s fit on it. We laugh so hard. I made milk for Justin and tea for myself. Went back to the room and read few pages of the Bible and Quran. In a while, Me, Justin,Jako and Amy will pray to you Oh God. Thankful for all the people who help us today. Have mercy on us Oh God. Remove sickness and evil doings in our life. Guide us to the right path. Thank you and I love you God.

[theepitomeofsimplicite]

Hi everyone! As many of you may already know, Amsterdam is like a place I feel like home. This city is well… gold! Lacking for better words to say this simply 😉 As I was chatting via Instagram with the lovely Chloé (@chloe_mrnr), who is going to visit for the first time the Venice of the West, I was giving her my own Amsterdam city guide so I might as well share the tips with you all.

Amsterdam Centraal

Amsterdam Canal View from Amsterdam Centraal

Ok, so where would you like to start the city tour? If you are arriving by train (like me most of the times), then you are getting off from Amsterdam Central. Make sure to head outside to be mesmerized by the train station architecture once out there and you will quickly grab a sight on beautiful canals, the white and blue tram railing by, and among other things a handful of tourists. Your eyes will also intercept from a distance the church of Saint Nicholas and some covered gallery shops.

Keep walking over the canals and see from a distance the Saint Nicholas Church

Inside of Saint Nicholas Church. Free entrance!

Look at these colorful buildings hanging over the canal!

Amsterdam Centraal from a short walking distance away, admire this architecture!

Then, as you are walking further away from Amsterdam Centraal, there is the notorious Red Light District area with funky empty shops by day but at night fall, this neighborhood gets seriously busy. I still recall the awkwardness I felt when I visited this area with my mom the first time a few years back where she was describing each woman behind those recognizable red light windows as they were lacking of something she would call “normal”. I couldn’t help than laughing at this precious moment with her by having her refusing to be convinced that women are made of a variety of shapes and colors just like the sweet skittles we enjoy so much. Euhh sorry for this poor comparison, ok then I’ll skip there! Shall we?

Amsterdam is very simple to navigate through: walk, hop on the tram, or do as the Dutch; bike everywhere! The city is divided into 4 areas and I’ll start clockwise from the North West.

The North West:

Toki is a fav local coffee shop (but don’t you worry! There is business there. I just happened to take a photo when it was closed).

The street of Haarlemmerdijk is where there is lots of tiny independent designer boutiques along with delicious bakeries that have window glasses where everyone can drool over the artful pastries, delicious sandwiches, and you gotta check out all the variety of fresh Dutch bread. The locals can be proud of their breads but also the coffee is quite remarkable. One of the locals’ fav is Toki (Binnen Dommersstraat 15, 1013 HK Amsterdam), where I’d meet up with friend Kimberley (@theotherway) for coffee and cake!

Meet Kimberley! (@theotherway)

Kimberley is one of the very first Dutch women I met during my first visit to the Netherlands! Let me just start by saying that she set a very high standard for other Dutch folks haha. She is one of the sweetest and kindest person I know. I still recall meeting her over in Eindhoven de Burger (5, Kerkstraat, 5611 GH Eindhoven), where she had waited for me (Sorry!) then surprised me with the world renown Dutch Stoop waffles from Albert Heijn (a typical Dutch grocery store should you need anything) and some other goodies. I still have so many stories to share about our meet ups but let’s save it for some other post 😉

Kimberley street style is always impeccable! I wonder how she does it?!

I love strolling these streets, wouldn’t you?

A great place for a brunch is The Breakfast Club (Haarlemmerplein 31, 1013 HR Amsterdam) where Kimberley likes her pancakes haha. I also recommend strolling through the street of Haarlemmerplein where there are those tiny boutiques and lots of greens and flowers sprouting here and there in front porches of the apartments. I think it’s an Amsterdam signature landscape.

The Breakfast Club for brunch is delicious!

The Breakfast Club

Sorry, I couldn’t help to creep snapped a photo of these Dutch girls as they wore the exact same things as I was and found that twinning was funny (striped top, jeans, and Celine trio) 😉

Other great coffee spot is Café Thijssen (Brouwersgracht 107, 1015 GD Amsterdam) but also great for late night bites. This is where I met up on the terrace with friend Nikki (@sartreuse). After shopping, you may get great pizzas at de Pizzabakkers (Haarlemmerdijk 128, 1013 JJ Amsterdam).You must check out the Movies (Haarlemmerdijk 161, 1013 KH Amsterdam)! Aside from catching a movie, you can have a romantic dinner too!

Meet Nicki (@sartreuse)

de PizzaBakkers is a fav local place!

And the pizzas are delicious at de PizzaBakkers 🙂

at The Movies

At the Movies is a place for movies but food too!!

Some interesting architecture

The North:

In the Northern area, it’s easy to find A’dam Toren (Overhoeksplein 23-B, 1031 KS Amsterdam) because it’s a very tall modernistic building. There, take the elevator which has cool light shows (each elevator gives a different experience) all the way to the 20th floor and the observatory deck offers a sweeping 360º view over Amsterdam and the river and if you ain’t afraid of heights and seeking a thrilling experience then you can try to get on the red sensational swings where you get to be propelled in the air over the edge of the building. A tad bit scary in my opinion! There is good ambiance there for night out with drinks and clubs. Downstairs though, there is the Butcher for burgers and fish chips with a beautiful bar setup right in the middle of an arcade. For culture, nearby there is the EYE Filmmuseum (IJpromenade 1, 1031 KT Amsterdam).

Sweeping view of Amstedam from A’dam Toren penthouse

Not afraid of heights, then try out these swings at the A’dam Toren! It’s the highest swing in Europe!

The Butcher’s Fish n Chips and yummy burger

The Butcher Bar overlooking at the river has an arcade there

The East:

On my last trip, I went to this English place for brunch at Bakers & Roasters (Kadijksplein 16, 1018 AC Amsterdam) to meet with Kimberley and Silvana (@saisonlune). In need for green space, there are Hortus Botanicus (Plantage Middenlaan 2a, 1018 DD Amsterdam) and the Oosterparkbuurt. Oh check out the Skylounge for a great view and a great drink (Oosterdoksstraat 4, 1011 DK Amsterdam). After a visit to the park, there is time for shopping at the Waterlooplein Market  (Waterlooplein 2, 1011 AL Amsterdam).

Bakers & Roasters

Bakers & Roasters’ crumble eggs and green juice are delicious. Very friendly staff!

Oosterparkbuurt is very relaxing

WaterloopleinMarkt

WaterloopleinMarkt has lots of jewelry, interior decor, and more!

The South:

Park Museumsplein

Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum

This is the cultured area where we have many museums to visit like Van Gogh Museum and the beautiful Rijksmuseum. Don’t forget to take a break in between and stroll around the Park Museumsplein for a break. Are you now ready to shop, then go to Albert Cuyp Market (Albert Cuypstraat, 1073 BD Amsterdam).

  Ok, now the real break to me is here at the Sweet Cup (Lange Leidsedwarsstraat 93HS, 1017 NH Amsterdam) where they make the best coffee in town in my mind. But then, others might say the Bocca Coffee (Kerkstraat 96HS, 1017 GP Amsterdam) is better maybe because the baristas are hotties. Hmmm I don’t really know why would some people think this place serves coffee best haha.

Bocca

Bocca coffees

Wait, there is far more so if you need to stay over the night, the Hoxton (Herengracht 255, 1016 BJ Amsterdam)!! There is great breakfast with yummy avocado toasts and carrot juice, and some cool kitchen to host parties like this wine tasting tour I once attended.

The Hoxton Bar

The Hoxton brunch!

If you are in the mood for shopping in quirky boutiques in this area, go along de 9 Straatjes (Wolvenstraat 9, 1016 EM Amsterdam). But I also personally like to stop by my fav designer spots such as Loves Stories for the sleepwear, and Filippa K for the essential wear.

When dinner time is ringing, I’d go to San George (Stadhouderskade 7, 1054 ES Amsterdam). The staffs speak loud Italian and the pasta is just beyond words can describe. See the pics for yourself! But I also recall my double date with Silvana here at Caffe Restaurant Panini (Vijzelgracht 3, 1017 HM Amsterdam) a while ago.

San George pastas are delicious!

The West:

The Breakfast Club Brunch!

Some of my favorite things to do in Amsterdam are if you haven’t already noticed eat and drink hahaha which may explain the weight gained. To satisfy my taste bud, thanks goodness there is Foohallen (Bellamyplein 51, 1053 AT Amsterdam) where anyone can find whatever he or she desires (sushi, small bites of tapas, sandwiches, beers, wine, cocktails, tacos, and even ramen). I last went with my frenchies Jo, Adrien, and Yohann. If you like thrifting and need art works for the interiors, I’m sure you will like de Hallen (Hannie Dankbaarpassage 47, 1053 RT Amsterdam).

Foodhallen

Ramen & Beer!

Back to The Center:

Jordaan District (Rozengracht 76I, 1016 NE Amsterdam) I think is really cool! The narrow canals and streets there are filled with indie boutiques, cozy pubs and hipster eateries. At Noordermarkt square market there are stalls that sell jewelry, clothes, antiques and even organic food. But this is not just for the hipsters, there are also galleries in the area for innovative contemporary art. Other attractions include the Houseboat Museum and the Amsterdam Cheese Museum. Hmm must have Gouda cheese! But I also like Waterlooplein Market (Waterlooplein 2, 1011 AL Amsterdam) for more second hand stuff and quirky finds. And if you are hungry (like me, I’m hungry all the time!!!), Cut Throat is a barber shop brunch & Bar (Beursplein 5, 1012 JW Amsterdam) where the beau gets his hair done while I get food and drinks haha.

At Cut Throat

Cut Throat Brunch

If you can’t get enough of Amsterdam yet, supplemental guides can be found below just for you my friends:

Handy Guide: iamsterdam

Handy Book for the foodies: The Amsterdam Gourmet 

Amsterdam Hi everyone! As many of you may already know, Amsterdam is like a place I feel like home.

[mobikefed]

ALERT: Dangerous dogs injure 450 Missouri bicyclists annually; Your messages supporting Missouri Dangerous Dogs Bill needed by Mon Apr 5th

Dangerous dogs injure 450 people bicycling annually in Missouri, are the sixth-leading cause of cyclist injury, and cost $2.8 million in medical care and lost wages. Most of the most serious injuries are caused by loose, running dogs--not dog bites. 

Dogs love to run - but when they are allowed to chase people bicycling on a public road, it is not safe for the dogs or for the people bicycling. Your brief message to the Missouri House Committee will help them understand the importance of this this bill, which is narrowly targeted to close this loophole in current Missouri law

But a loophole in Missouri's current Dangerous Dogs law means that dogs that bite fall under the law--but dogs that run loose and cause a fall or injury are not considered as dangerous dogs.

If you bicycle, you know that loose dogs running and chasing--even running in front of your wheels--is a serious concern and very, very dangerous.

This year the Dangerous Dogs Bill, HB 992 sponsored by Rep. Jamie Burger of Benton, is focused like a laser on solving that problem.

HB 992 had a very positive hearing on Monday, March 29th. But before the bill is voted on in the Missouri House committee--most likely Monday, April 5th, at noon--it would help if the House Committee could hear from hundreds or thousands of people who bicycle in Missouri who would like to see dangerous dogs in Missouri controlled.

Here is how to submit your comments in support of HB 992:

Submit your comments by emailing Committee Chair Lane Roberts and cc:ing HB 992 sponsor Jamie Burger. Please also cc: MoBikeFed.

Email list: Lane.Roberts@house.mo.gov, Jamie.Burger@house.mo.gov, director@mobikefed.org

Write a brief, positive message letting Rep. Roberts and committee members know that you support HB 992. Include your own story of the danger caused by loose dogs, if you have one.  (More ideas for your message below.)

Sample Written Testimony in support of HB 992, the Missouri Dangerous Dogs bill

Keep in mind that a brief, positive message is best. Below are some ideas to include in your message--but pick and choose from them. You don't need to include them all.

Chairman Roberts and Crime Prevention Committee Members,  

Briefly introduce yourself, explain who you are, where you live, and any organizations/businesses you represent or belong to.  

You might briefly explain why cycling is important to you and to your community or part of the state.

People who bicycle on public roads in Missouri--both remote rural roads and roads in cities and towns--can be harassed and injured by dogs allowed to run loose. HB 992 will help address that situation.

  Say that you support HB 992 and that dangerous dogs are a serious safety problem for people who bicycle in Missouri. HB 992 will help address the issue that dogs that repeatedly run loose and cause people bicycling to crash, cannot be addressed under Missouri's current dangerous dogs statute.  

If a dog bites someone, the situation can be handled under the dangerous dogs statute.  But if the dog causes a person bicycling to crash--even causing very serious crashes on multiple occasions--the current law does not allow law enforcement officials to take needed action to solve the public safety issue.  

MoBikeFed's Legislative Fact Sheet in HB 992 is below.  You could include a particularly important statistic or data point in your letter.  

Remind the legislators that HB 992 is laser focused on just one goal: Changing Missouri's current dangerous dog statute so that it applies to all injuries caused by loose dogs, not only bite injuries.  

If you can, give personal examples or examples from your family, friends, or acquaintances that show what a serious problem dangerous and loose dogs are to people who bicycle in Missouri.

Testimony in favor of HB 992 will be helpful if submitted before the next committee hearing--currently scheduled for noon on Monday, April 5th, 2021.

MoBikeFed Legislative Fact Sheet for HB 992: Loose dogs causing injury (Rep. Burger)

Below is the information from MoBikeFed's Legislative Fact Sheet for HB 992.  If you prefer, you can download the Fact Sheet as a PDF file: 2021 Dangerous Dogs Bill, HB 992 - MoBikeFed Legislative Fact Sheet (pdf)

Dogs running out in front of bicyclists injure 450 Missourians annually—counting only those injuries serious enough to require an emergency room visit. This is one of the top six causes of injury to people who bicycle.

Missouri Representative Jamie Burger of Benton, in the Missouri bootheel, is HB 992 sponsor. HB 992 provides penalties for dog owners who let their dogs run loose to attack and injure people bicycling on public roads

Just the out-of-pocket medical costs for those emergency room visits total $1.4 million annually. Including time off work, follow-up medical bills, and other related costs we estimate the total cost of those injuries at $2.8 million annually.

An unfortunate loophole in current Missouri law means that owners of dogs that bite are held responsible, but if dogs cause injury in some other way, for example, by running loose in front of bicycle riders, the same law does not apply.

Non-bite dog injuries are actually more common among people who bicycle than bite injuries.

Non-bite dog injuries are actually more common among people who bicycle than bite injuries.  Because they generally involve a serious crash of some kind—whether hitting the dog or swerving to avoid it--non-bite dog injuries to people bicycling are, on average, more severe and more costly than dog bite injuries.

HB 992 closes the loophole by making dog owners responsible for injuries caused by their animals, whether by biting or any other way. We strongly support HB 992.

Loose dogs and bicycles—facts:

Nationwide, dog-bicycle crashes and bites/attacks represent about 1% of bicycle crashes and injuries.  

Nationwide, all bicycle crashes and injuries cost Americans about $14 billion per year. So the 1% of all crashes/injuries resulting from dog/bicycle encounters represent about $140 million annually in injury costs nationwide.  

49% of dog/bicycle injuries are bites, 51% are other causes—chased by a dog, hit a dog, swerved or tried to avoid a dog.  

The most severe injuries were among those who swerved/tried to avoid a dog, or hit a dog. Bites resulted in less serious and less costly injuries, on average.

Dangerous Dogs and Bicycles - Information Sources

Missouri emergency room visits:

Injury MICA data from Missouri emergency rooms, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.  

Percentage of bicycling injuries related to dogs, percentage of injury due to bite vs other causes, relative cost of bite vs non-bite injuries:

Injuries to Cyclists due to a Dog-Bicycle Interaction by RT Loder & AP Yaacoub AP. In Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 2018 May;31(3):170-175.  

Total cost of bicycle injuries nationwide:

Estimated total costs from non-fatal and fatal bicycle crashes in the USA: 1997–2013 by  Thomas W Gaither, Thomas A Sanford, Mohannad A Awad, E Charles Osterberg, Gregory P Murphy, Bruce A Lawrence, Ted R Miller, Benjamin N Breyer.  In Injury Prevention, Volume 24, Issue 2.

  Improving safety for all road users is one of the four major objectives in MoBikeFed's Vision of Bicycling and Walking in Missouri. Helping support passage of important safety bills like HB 992, the Dangerous Dogs Bill, is one way we work towards achieving that objective.

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support help make our Vision into reality!

  Photo credits:

Running with Beagles: John Holt on FlickR, license: CC BY 2.0

Bicyclist on rural highway: MoBikeFed

Jamie Burger: Missouri House of Representatives, official photo

File: 

2021 Dangerous Dogs Bill, HB 992 - MoBikeFed Legislative Fact Sheet, 1 April 2021

[shanie-the-toyaddict]

Hahahahahahha feeling the love in applebees 😅😅😅😅

Wait are you actually at an applebees? Like restaurant gosh i miss my applebees our town got rid of ours like they did everything else😢😢😢 about 6 years ago it was the best!

Your so welcome! Hey any shane photo is the best ps: wish they did more with that frickin raw underground god i miss that

Will do babes

💕

LOL, no not actually at an applebees. Just making a joke. And yes, Shane is gorgeous. As much as I post about Sami, Shane will always be my favorite. I mean, I *am* “Shanie” afterall, I’d be remiss to let someone else take over!. I should do a picspam of some of my best photos. Haven’t done one of those in a bit. About the Applebees, though. We have a dearth of chain restaurants in this town. I think, outside of local chains, it’s just Ruby Tuesday’s which, btw, I got a giftcard to for christmas. Not sure why my parent’s picked RT’s but I’m happy. I could go for one of their burgers. Take out, of course. Thanks for the love and support. I’m just all with the warm fuzzies tonight! >HUGS<

[birdinky-blog]

Motels, Diner Talks and Stars (Madwife one shot)

The entire day had been spent on the road.

Despite the urgency of their journey, Sweeney had insisted on stopping somewhere for the night. “Even gods need to take breaks, ” he had said, exiting off the highway. Obviously, Laura wasn’t happy about this sudden change of pace. Sweeney pulled into the parking lot of dingy little Motel 6 that had been advertised on every sign for the past 15 miles. She stayed outside while he went to talk to the receptionist with a couple of crumpled up 20 dollar bills.  Laura smoked a tasteless cigarette and rested against the hood of the stolen automobile; she watched Shadow’s light disappear into the distance leaving her world -yet again- dark.

The diner across the road from the motel was bright, warm and smelled of everything Laura would have wanted if she was hungry, or alive. Sweeney busts in and picks a booth right next to the large window looking out to the road and the motel, behind him Laura follows him like a ghost (which would not be too far from the truth). The place was just like the ones she remembered visiting as a kid, with walls covered in American memorabilia, even  an old fashioned pinball machine sits in the corner. Fuck, being dead sucked. She could tell the room was probably full of color with all the hanging Americana posters and neon lights, but her eyesight was failing her more and more each day she remained a decaying dead girl. She wonders if everyone can smell her rotting self, mixed with the Febreze she sprays herself down with before entering enclosed spaces- Sweeney always had a good laugh about this little fact.   

The waitress that serves them matches the restaurant’s look, with a little blue dress and white apron and hair tossed up in a clumsy bun. She’s young and pretty, the kind of pretty that gets sucked right out of you after getting married to some small town asshole and pushing out a few kids. But for right now she’s young and pretty and rushing around the space with a notepad. “What can i get y'all?” She says when she finally reaches their table. Sweeney, who had been looking through the rather large menu sitting on the table, looks up and gives a cheeky smile obviously now noticing the girl.

“I'll take your burger and fries darlin,” he says and gives her a wink. The girl’s fair face turns a lovely shade of red and Laura’s eyes roll so far back they might as well have gotten stuck there. The waitress fills up their glasses with water and quickly rushes to help the next table.

“Do you always have to be so fucking gross?”  Laura snarls.

“Wow, someone really thinks they have room to talk about what's gross?” Sweeney gestures towards her abdomen, where her stitches were mostly undone underneath her jacket, exposing more rotting pieces of her. She rolls her eyes again. “Beside what’s wrong with a little flirting?” Sweeney says as he pulls out a rolled cigarette from behind his ear and lights it.

She looks away from him and turns her gaze at the waitress again. Laura use to be pretty like that, perky tits- alive. She wondered how revolting she looked now, and how obvious it was that she was dead and slowly turning to mush. She never saw herself as the type to get self conscious, she was beautiful in life and she always knew it, because that's what she had been told.  

Flash to her mom brushing her hair when she’s just a girl, her mother telling her how pretty she was. Flash to her friends being jealous of her, hating her because all the boys loved Laura.

“Oi!” Sweeney says his large hand snapping in front of her face, “someone’s gonna think you’re really dead if you keep staring off like that dead wife.”

She blinks a couple times, “We shouldn’t have stopped,” Laura suddenly says “Shadow is somewhere out there with god knows who and we’re fucking around getting food. He could be dead!”

“Wednesday wouldn’t allow that, at least not yet,” Sweeney says somewhat seriously. The diner becomes silent for a second, and for that still moment Laura wants to cry. She wants to cry like a little girl in her mom's lap, hard sobbing, but her tear ducts rotted away days ago and crying in front of Mad Sweeney was the last thing she wanted to do anyway. She had been so close to Shadow, so close to getting back what was rightfully hers. Her Husband. She thinks about what Sweeney had said before Shadow had been abducted.

Hurts when someone takes what's yours, doesn’t it?

“Why wouldn’t Wednesday let you into that god meeting or whatever?” Laura asks, unsure if she should be bringing something like this up, “aren't you like a god too?”

Sweeney looks up, surprised at her sudden interest in things surrounding the topic of gods. He takes another drag from his cigarette, “let's just say the others don’t necessarily feel I’m like them,” he looks out the window and lets out a deep breath, “people use to fear me and want my favor, because I was the final factor that decided their fortune.” He drops the cigarette in Laura’s untouched water, “Long story short the children of those people decide they don’t need luck or don’t want to put out some milk and bread for a fellow and before you know it, they forget,” he pauses and meets Laura’s eyes, “and you change with them.” There’s a hidden sadness in his voice, something deeply rooted in his soul, even Laura can’t help but notice it.  

For some reason she feels like there is more than what Sweeney is letting on, but she mulls over the information she’s given, and for once, actually tries to understand the leprechaun. Although it is hard for her to think of him as some ancient god and not her drunk murderer. He looked no older than his mid to late 30’s but it was his eye’s that gave it away, the eyes of someone who has seen too much.        

“When I was a girl I used to believe in all kinds of things,” Laura says suddenly, feeling something rising in her chest, “I use to carry around this journal, I brought it everywhere with me and I filled each page with all kinds of creatures and monsters I made up in my head,” why was she telling him this? “I was convinced they lived in my backyard.” She had been avoiding Sweeney’s eyes, but when she finally looks up, expecting a laugh or tease, she finds him intently focused on what she is saying. Laura quickly looks out the window and fiddles with a loose string attached to her jacket, trying her best to not let his burning gaze get to her.

“What happened to that girl?” He asks. His voice low.

“She grew up.” Laura says sternly. “She went to college and worked in a job she hated and let her life swallow her whole, because that's all life is in the end.”

The waitress eventually drops off Sweeney’s order and the two sit silently as he munches away at his burger and fries. They pay and head back to the motel still not sharing anymore words. The conversation they had at the diner was different than anything they've talked about before, and Laura wasn’t sure how to feel about it. When the pair get to their room, Sweeney immediately goes to the bathroom and takes a shower. Laura, not needing to rest, sits on the a small sofa next to the one window in the room and lights one of Sweeney’s rolled cigarettes.

She thinks about Shadow, and how far away he might be and how dark the sky looked. Then she thinks about the way Sweeney looked at the waitress. She thinks about the way he smirked and (for some reason) she wonders if he could ever look at her that way. Laura shakes the thought away and chuckles to himself, maybe she did need some type of rest.

Mad Sweeney eventually finishes his shower and lays in one of the beds, his giant frame taking over the mattress. In the silent room all that can be heard is the gentle rumble of the old fashioned heater, Sweeney’s breathing and Laura’s absence of breath.

“Ginger Minge?” Laura’s voice breaks through the silence.

“Hm?” He answers.

“If you need someone to believe in you… well I believe in you if that makes any difference.” The words seem to tumble out of her, unexpected and terrifying. Her belief in him hangs in the air and for a moment Laura assumes he must have fallen asleep. But just when she is about to turn back towards the window to finish her smoke, a voice emerges from the bed.

“Thank you Laura.”

There’s something about hearing her name that rattles every dead cell in her body. She had never heard her name leave his lips before. For a while she was convinced maybe he just didn’t know her real name. She suddenly gets that urge again to start sobbing, but instead she finishes her smoke and turns off the lamp beside her, filling the room with darkness. She listens to the steady, slow breaths of a sleeping Sweeney and watches the sky and she notices that with the absence of Shadow’s light, she could see the stars.  

[formeryelpers]

Flappy Jack’s Pancake House, 640 W Rt 66, Glendora, CA 91740

People love Flappy Jack’s. The people in line didn’t look upset. Diners looked happy when the huge plates of food arrived.

It feels like all of Glendora is waiting here on weekends…and it probably attracts people from neighboring cities too. The line is crazy…but they do give you a buzzer. We waited 45 minutes on Sunday around 11 AM and when we left, the line was as long as ever. You could wake up early and probably beat the crowds.

The menu is lengthy and includes egg dishes, eggs benedict, pancakes (many kinds: bacon, chocolate chip, cream of wheat, blueberry, Hawaiian, peca, buckwheat, etc.), omelettes, skillets, waffles, soups, salads, crepes, burgers, wraps, sandwiches, etc. They even have a fitness menu and gluten free items.

* Two pumpkin nut pancakes (limited time), two sausage links, and two eggs ($11.29): The pancakes were fluffy, soft, and moist with a light pumpkin and spice flavor, plus a few walnuts for crunch. Pretty tasty! Too bad they didn’t serve it with whipped cream. The poached eggs were fine and the sausages didn’t taste like Farmer John’s. They were better than Farmer John’s.

The interior features several dining areas but no counter seating. There are murals and Route 66 themed items on the walls. The service was fast and attentive and we felt comfortable there. Each table has condiments and several flavors of non-dairy creamer. My coffee mug was refilled many times.

Mr. Froyo enjoyed his six egg white omelet (The Arnold) with fresh fruit. We agreed that Flappy Jack’s is better than average. Is it worth waiting 45 minutes for? I don’t think so. Early bird and lunch specials are offered on weekdays.

4 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[cinematicallusions]

A Quick Essay on Wonder Woman (2017)

Note: There will be spoilers, you have been warned

 I enjoyed this movie.

I feel like I have to say that first, unfortunately - There has been so much pressure put on Wonder Woman, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot. That it has to be a success. That Wonder Woman has to be a good role model for girls. That Gal got the role because she is pretty, and not because of her acting abilities. That Gal isn’t the right role because of her political beliefs. That she’s too skinny. 

That a movie with a female lead has to be feminist.

That much pressure is absurdly unfair. There’s a famous saying (now backed by data) that black men have to work twice as hard to get just as far (as a white man). How unfair it is that for women of color (I’ll include Gadot for that) it seems to be four times as hard!

What’s scary is that if Wonder Woman was bad, future movies of her would have been axed. Which is nuts because all the Superman movies post-Reeve’s Superman II have been horrible, or milquetoast at best, yet they keep pumping them out. That’s unfair.

But Wonder Woman wasn’t bad. So far it’s raked over $100M at the box office, the most important metric (the only color Hollywood cares about is green). It has 8.3 on IMDB and 93% on RT. Little girls line up to pose with cardboard Gadot at their local theatre, grown women recognize in their hearts that this was them when they were younger (and even now). The movie exceeded expectations, and I can let out a sigh of relief.

It did suffer from some fundamental problems - a simple plot, too much orange/blue, really dark in some scenes, prop goofs (THE TANK AND THE WATCH. AM I TAKING CRAZY PILLS - and no trench whistles), bad CGI, and bad acting. But it’s a comic book movie about a daughter of a greek god from an island of all women and she has a lasso of truth and fights in WWI against Germans and also Ares and in the comics she also has an invisible jet. Cut them some slack! There’s bigger things at play. The victories outshine the goofs, for they are home-runs.

For instance, the third of the DC trio finally has her own theme music (Superman’s got his John Williams theme, Bat’s got two -his Danny Elfman theme and the Hans Zimmer one) by Hans Zimmer and played by Tina Guo (girl power!) It seems trivial but it’s important that she gets what’s hers.

Secondly, the fact that we even have a Wonder Woman movie is way overdue, the last representation of Wonder Woman being on the silver screen by Lynda Carter ( I almost typed Mary Tyler Moore). The ‘90s and ‘00s were not kind to women on screen, let’s be real. Gal has a presence on screen.

Thirdly, the diversity of the supporting cast. I love Said Taghmaoui in anything he is in, and Eugene Brave Rock had a great character (even though there’s no reason he would be on the Western Front). A short night scene between him and Wonder Woman solidified the world and helped develop her understanding of the world of men.

Lastly, the controversy. All good products are polarizing - you have to be wary, as a creator, if your baby is received lukewarmly. “It was nice, it was fine…” are death sentences. There will be debates on whether Wonder Woman was feminist enough. Why there were women-only screenings. If a sex scene with a man was necessary for the plot and the movie. It’ll be tough. But creating these kinds of conversations are important.

Philosophically, I think it’s interesting that in comics, physical violence is often a catalyst for social justice issues. (see also, Luke Cage, X-Men, Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Incredible Hulk*). I mean, how fantastic is it to be a black man that is bulletproof. To crush people who have gassed your family. To punch Hitler in the face. To finally say, “That’s it, I’ve had it up to here with the status quo,” and step out of the trenches and do something about it. It’s a cathartic release, and we relish seeing justice delivered because it happens so slowly on our timeline.

The legacy of the movie is cemented, I believe, as a success. There’s going to be memes and gifs and it will be cited in articles and studies (also, I think Chris Pine single-handedly brought back the Hemingway fisherman turtleneck).

Little girls have a Lawful Good role model to look up to that looks like them, that empowers them, that tells them they can do anything and be anything.**

  *The Hulk is the quintessential guy that everyone can identify with when they’re mad. He literally overpowers anything that oppresses him. Don’t we all wish we had that power!

 ** Ironically, after my friends and I got out of this movie and went to go get burgers, a guy from the table next to us came over and sat down uninvited and began what I call “chill-bro harassing” where he began to talk up one of our girls and when she told him to leave he acted upset like it we were the ones being rude. Then his other friend came over and began to talk her up too. It’s like, dude, we all just came out of WONDER WOMAN DO YOU WANNA DIE?

[lostradiosignal]

10-20 for the ask meme!! -Asri

10: The word that I use all the time to describe something great?Both Kit and I (Wesley) use “Dank.”

11: Favourite song?Links 1 2 3 by Rammstein and Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen -WesleyIch tu dir weh by Rammstein and Language I: Intuition by The Contortionist -Kit

12: The question you ask new friends to get to know them better?We’ll both ask about music and body modifications.

13: Favourite word?Angel. -WesleyOmnipotence. -Kit

14: The last person who hurt me, did I forgive them?I’m still salty as hell. -WesleyI don’t know. -Kit

15: Last song I listened to?Ich Will by Rammstein.

16: TV show I always recommend?Bob’s Burgers. -WesleyLaw and Order: SVU. -Kit

17: Pirates or ninjas?Both of us are for ninjas.

18: Movie I watch when I’m feeling down?Coraline. -WesleyInterview with the Vampire. -Kit

19: Song that I always start my shuffle with/wake-up song/always-on-a-loop song?We always wake up to Language I: Intuition by The Contortionist. Kit likes to listen to Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order and I’ll listen to Come On Eileen on repeat.

20: Favourite video games?Bendy And The Ink Machine, for k!n reasons, for both of us. Kit also likes Un//de//rt//al//e.

Thank you for asking!!