#also its easier than having to create a new set design/set

[guardian-of-da-gay]

for various reasons I feel pretty confident that in the Knuckles show/Sonic 3 they're gonna reveal that Knuckles and Tails are sharing the attic with Sonic, but honestly? tf they mean this house doesn't have ONE spare bedroom???

[ohnoitstbskyen]

The overwhelming misery of going viral on YouTube

In April of 2021, I posted a short to YouTube - a 60 second video in the format of their TikTok competitor. In the nature of shorts, it was a one-minute, necessarily un-nuanced hot take about a subject I like to talk about: character design. Specifically I made the mistake of lamenting that the character design of female heroes in major games tend to prioritize attractiveness rather than using their body shape to do storytelling about their lives or capabilities.

It did okay, garnering about 38k views in its first month. Didn't set the world on fire, but I got my point out there, and while there were some crappy comments, for the most part people seemed to understand what I was driving at.

The short had eventually climbed to about 100.000 views after a full year of being online, which is respectable, but in the world of YouTube Shorts a fairly middle-of-the-road level of success (these are extremely short videos being served extremely quickly to a huge base of users). Fast forward to November 8th of this year, and... something happens. More than a year after it was originally published, it starts gaining traction.

Slowly at first, a few thousand views, but by the 14th it's gained 80.000 views in a day. On the 16th, 400.000, on the 17th, 680.000. I have no idea why this is happening, there's no influx of viewers from any outside source, there's no topical news event that would make the video suddenly relevant.

I tweet about it, bemused by the sudden jump, but also hinting a bit at the other side of this story.

"There Is No Such Thing As Negative Press"

On YouTube, there is on the systemic level very little difference between positive attention and negative attention. If you create excellent work that brings joy into people's lives, they engage with your video and the algorithm reads that as success. And if you create miserable, hateful content that makes people angry and stokes them to responses of outrage, disgust or jeering, the algorithm reads that as a kind of success, too.

Hate-bait and rage-bait YouTubers operate in that latter space, churning out inflammatory or distressing content, hoping to elicit either reactions of horror, or gleeful cheering from people who like it when their favourite online personality trolls the Other.

But there's another way to garner negative attention, and that is to create content which is not at all designed to bait or elicit a negative response, but whose subject matter nonetheless produces a negative response from a certain kind of person.

That is the unfortunate slip-and-slide I have found myself on.

At the time of writing, the short sits at 6.8 million views, has been gaining on average 2 million views per day, and it still seems to be accelerating. Despite those skyrocketing numbers, however, it only ("only") has around 1300 published comments underneath it.

That is because, after the first couple of million views, I told YouTube to automatically hold all comments for review. That is, YouTube allows users to comment on the video, but those comments are not published until I manually approve them.

The reason I did this is... well, it's easier to show you with some pictures. Content warning, these are unfiltered YouTube comments, so expect casual bigotries.

These are screenshots from the "held for review" tab of my YouTube Studio backend. YouTube in recent years has gotten good at filtering out content like overt racial slurs and the worst of the worst insults, which is nice, but the filtered comments tab is still not a particularly pleasant place to read through right now.

Most of the comments are like what you see above: casually rude, fatphobic, homophobic, transphobic or otherwise unpleasant. Some of the comments are more intense, threatening me with violence, insulting me personally, "I hope your mom gets raped by a [racial slur]," and worse. The worst comments are a small percentage, but as you can imagine, they do stand out in the mind, and a small percentage of a huge number can still be a lot of comments.

And that's the thing. There are hundreds, and hundreds, and hundreds, and hundreds of comments. I scrolled for fifteen minutes and did not see the end of it. YouTube doesn't keep a visible count on how many comments are held for review, but I'd not be surprised if the 1300 comments count would have been doubled if I hadn't stopped it when I did. And since the video is still accelerating, that number is likely to skyrocket as well.

This provides me with the best theory I have as to why the video took off: the YouTube algorithm started showing it not to people who it thought would like it, but to people it thought would dislike it enough to react, to comment. And the more people did comment, the more the algorithm showed it to other people just like those who commented, who were also likely to dislike it.

This causes a feedback loop of negative attention, which the YouTube algorithm (horrifyingly) interprets as a success and an incentive to keep pushing the video.

Moderating this comments section is now physically impossible - I would need a staff of a dozen to handle it, which I can't afford and who I wouldn't want to expose to it, and while this deluge is going on, moderating the comments of other videos becomes next to impossible as well, since the "held for review" tab is utterly monopolized.

One fix for this problem, of course, is to simply disable the comments. But in my experience, doing that only encourages the worst of the commenters to seek out your other content and leave even worse comments there instead. In fact, a couple of dozen particularly irate people have already sought out my other channels to post insults there, adding to the stress and workload of dealing with all this viral "success."

How YouTube Makes YouTubers Worse

This situation is stressful, because humans are monkey creatures with monkey brains that do not like being exposed to a constant stream of rudeness, cruelty and casual bigotry. However rational you try to be about it, however detached and cold, it wears on you. It chips away at your mental defenses and becomes a constant source of low-level stress and misery.

But as far as YouTube is concerned, it's a huge success.

YouTube's systems are all set up this way. They celebrate increases in numbers with cheerful messages and positive green arrows and "helpful" statistics showing just how much things are growing - meanwhile, if you post otherwise positively received work that doesn't attract as much attention, it will give you dour "your content received fewer views due to lower interest this month" messages and greyed-out downward arrows. If you have a video that does really well on the numbers, YouTube will even play a little fireworks animation on its statistics to celebrate.

It's a form of not-so-subtle psychological manipulation. As a YouTuber you are dependent on your statistics to inform your work - if your rent depends on making those numbers go up, you essentially have no choice but to pay attention to them and let them guide your decision making. And so YouTube designs its systems to push its creators towards the behaviour that the platform finds most beneficial: numbers optimizing.

And the thing is, if I went only by the numbers, I would look at the success of this short and go "oh, there's a viable content strategy here!"

I could try and replicate its "success" by creating more content around the same topic, by targeting the same kind of outrage-baiting, by identifying the contentious subjects and trigger points brought up by the angry people in the comments and hitting them repeatedly, hoping to make engagement fall out.

YouTube would reward me for that, quite handsomely, in fact, even as mental health and professional happiness would absolutely crater. I don't have the personality for that kind of content creation, it's not what I want to do with my work, it's not the kind of person I want to be.

But I am not immune to propaganda. I have already changed as a person from doing this job, I know this for a fact. My priorities have shifted, my wants and needs have changed. Not for the worse, I believe, not yet, but the platform is constantly, constantly pushing on me.

It's unpleasant and it's stressful. It's hostile design, coupled with primitive and insufficient moderation tools, coupled with an aggressive algorithm which will go out of its way to ensure your relationship with your audience is toxic, if that toxicity produces better numbers for the platform.

Viral success is often thought of as a desirable thing, something which can launch a career or skyrocket an unknown to success. The reality is, it is mostly just overwhelming. I'm a grown man and I have done online content creation for a long time, and I have learned strategies to manage toxic comments sections over years of experience.

But imagine if something like this happened to a sixteen year old. Imagine if it happened to a teenage girl just starting out making videos. Or a trans person. Or, hell, any person from a marginalized community. I am sheltered by my privileges, but I have seen how dark it gets and how fast it gets dark for people who don't have those extra protections.

Well, it does happen to them, and no matter how rancid, bigoted and horrible the abuse they receive, they will log in to YouTube Studio to see happy fireworks and "Nice! Your video got 20 million views!" with a little green upwards pointing arrow right next to it.

You might have seen articles and thinkpieces around "creator burnout," and I want you to know that a huge part of what burns creators out is the primitive, profit-optimizing, hostile systems that power these platforms and monetize our worst experiences on them as "engagement."

In case you're wondering how much money I've earned from those 6.8 million views, by the way, it's about $20.

YouTube says they're rolling out full Shorts monetization next year, so I guess I just picked the wrong month to go viral.

---

If this story resonated with you at all, do me a favor and leave a nice comment under the work of an online creator you enjoy. It helps more than you might think.

You can tip me on Patreon or Ko-fi if you want to.

[cereovo]

A set of very conceptual notes I drafted a while back for someone asking for advice on learning to draw humans. I'm entirely self-taught so this is less of a tutorial and more of a very rambling set of general principles I follow and ideas that helped while I was learning. I figured I'd post it in case anyone else could get use out of it!

I also recommend checking out:

Drawing East Asian Faces by Chuwenjie

How to Think When you Draw (lots of good tutorials in this series)

Pose reference sites such as Adorkastock

Transcript and some elaboration under the cut:

Img 1 - Drawing a face

The two most important elements (at least for me) when drawing a face are the outline of the cheek/jaw and the nose*. I often start with a circle to indicate the round part of the skull, then add a straight like and a 'V' to one side [to create the side of the face and the jaw]. The nose creates an easy template for the rest of the face's features to follow (eyebrows at the top of the nose bridge, eyes towards the center of the bridge, ear lines up to eye) and the placement/direction and overlap with other features is a very simple way to indicate dimension. [A sketch of a face that has been adjusted by moving its parts to create 3 different angles. The following text is underneath:] -Different 3/4th views can be created just by adjusting the position of and amount of overlap between the facial features. - The top of the ear usually lines up with the corner of the eye. Think of how glasses are designed [specifically, how the arms run from the eyeline to the ear] [I go on a tangent in these next few paragraphs] *One thing I see many artists do - not just beginners - is learn how to draw A Person. As in, one singular person with one set of bodily proportions and one set of facial features. It's an issue that runs a bit deeper than 'same face syndrome' because sometimes these artists can draw more than one face, they're just not very representative of [the diversity present across] real people. Part of the reason I'm talking more about how to think about approaches to drawing - rather than showing specific how-to's - is because there is no one correct or right way to draw a person. The sooner you allow yourself to explore variety - fat people, old people, people of color, people with [conventionally] 'unattractive' features - the easier it'll be! Artists often draw their own features honestly and without [harmful] caricature, so it's always a good idea to look at art made by the kinds of people you're trying to draw if you're ever unsure about how to handle something. In general, it's far more important to learn how to interpret a variety of forms than to learn how to replicate the Platonic Ideal of the Human Body.

Img 2 - Stuff that helped me

Jumping into drawing humans (faces or otherwise) straight from photo reference can be overwhelming. The trick is to simplify forms into shapes - but even this concept is sort of abstract and it may be hard to know where to begin. Good news - Thousands of other artists have already figured it out. [When starting out] I needed to learn from photo reference AND artists I admired in order to improve. [When looking at stylization you are inspired by] ask yourself: WHY does this simplification work? How can I translate it into a different pose? Instead of copying what you see in a photo reference exactly, try to focus on the general forms first. My two biggest style inspirations for humans while learning to draw them were Steven Universe and Sabrina Cotugno's art. SU gets a lot of hate [in this instance I was specifically referring to a time on tumblr when the art was knocked for 'losing quality'] but its style does a great job of simplifying anatomy in a way that still portrays a diversity of bodies + features. [Extremely simplified drawings of Lapis, Steven, and Amethyst] SU characters are still identifiable- and still read as 'human' - even when reduced to just a few lines!

Img 3 - Things I keep in mind while drawing side profiles

- Eyebrows + eyes close to the 'edge' of the face - Forehead needs enough room for a brain - Eye is > shaped from the sides - Mouth kinda halfway [between the nose and the chin] but closer to the nose - Skin/fat exists under the jaw [and connects to the neck] - neck is about one half the width of the whole head - the back of the skull always sticks out a bit further than you might expect - Sometimes less is more - contours exist on every face, but drawing them in may make your character seem much older than they're supposed to be. However, it's a good idea to use them when you *want* your character to look old! These are very general notes- every face is different and has different proportions [and playing around with them creates unique and interesting character designs]

[mariacallous]

The European Union today agreed on the details of the AI Act, a far-reaching set of rules for the people building and using artificial intelligence. It’s a milestone law that, lawmakers hope, will create a blueprint for the rest of the world.

After months of debate about how to regulate companies like OpenAI, lawmakers from the EU’s three branches of government—the Parliament, Council, and Commission—spent more than 36 hours in total thrashing out the new legislation between Wednesday afternoon and Friday evening. Lawmakers were under pressure to strike a deal before the EU parliament election campaign starts in the new year.

“The EU AI Act is a global first,” said European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on X. “[It is] a unique legal framework for the development of AI you can trust. And for the safety and fundamental rights of people and businesses.”

The law itself is not a world-first; China’s new rules for generative AI went into effect in August. But the EU AI Act is the most sweeping rulebook of its kind for the technology. It includes bans on biometric systems that identify people using sensitive characteristics such as sexual orientation and race, and the indiscriminate scraping of faces from the internet. Lawmakers also agreed that law enforcement should be able to use biometric identification systems in public spaces for certain crimes.

New transparency requirements for all general purpose AI models, like OpenAI's GPT-4, which powers ChatGPT, and stronger rules for “very powerful” models were also included. “The AI Act sets rules for large, powerful AI models, ensuring they do not present systemic risks to the Union,” says Dragos Tudorache, member of the European Parliament and one of two co-rapporteurs leading the negotiations.

Companies that don’t comply with the rules can be fined up to 7 percent of their global turnover. The bans on prohibited AI will take effect in six months, the transparency requirements in 12 months, and the full set of rules in around two years.

Measures designed to make it easier to protect copyright holders from generative AI and require general purpose AI systems to be more transparent about their energy use were also included.

“Europe has positioned itself as a pioneer, understanding the importance of its role as a global standard setter,” said European Commissioner Thierry Breton in a press conference on Friday night.

Over the two years lawmakers have been negotiating the rules agreed today, AI technology and the leading concerns about it have dramatically changed. When the AI Act was conceived in April 2021, policymakers were worried about opaque algorithms deciding who would get a job, be granted refugee status or receive social benefits. By 2022, there were examples that AI was actively harming people. In a Dutch scandal, decisions made by algorithms were linked to families being forcibly separated from their children, while students studying remotely alleged that AI systems discriminated against them based on the color of their skin.

Then, in November 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT, dramatically shifting the debate. The leap in AI’s flexibility and popularity triggered alarm in some AI experts, who drew hyperbolic comparisons between AI and nuclear weapons.

That discussion manifested in the AI Act negotiations in Brussels in the form of a debate about whether makers of so-called foundation models such as the one behind ChatGPT, like OpenAI and Google, should be considered as the root of potential problems and regulated accordingly—or whether new rules should instead focus on companies using those foundational models to build new AI-powered applications, such as chatbots or image generators.

Representatives of Europe’s generative AI industry expressed caution about regulating foundation models, saying it could hamper innovation among the bloc’s AI startups. “We cannot regulate an engine devoid of usage,” Arthur Mensch, CEO of French AI company Mistral, said last month. “We don’t regulate the C [programming] language because one can use it to develop malware. Instead, we ban malware.” Mistral’s foundation model 7B would be exempt under the rules agreed today because the company is still in the research and development phase, Carme Artigas, Spain's Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, said in the press conference.

The major point of disagreement during the final discussions that ran late into the night twice this week was whether law enforcement should be allowed to use facial recognition or other types of biometrics to identify people either in real time or retrospectively. “Both destroy anonymity in public spaces,” says Daniel Leufer, a senior policy analyst at digital rights group Access Now. Real-time biometric identification can identify a person standing in a train station right now using live security camera feeds, he explains, while “post” or retrospective biometric identification can figure out that the same person also visited the train station, a bank, and a supermarket yesterday, using previously banked images or video.

Leufer said he was disappointed by the “loopholes” for law enforcement that appeared to have been built into the version of the act finalized today.

European regulators’ slow response to the emergence of social media era loomed over discussions. Almost 20 years elapsed between Facebook's launch and the passage of the Digital Services Act—the EU rulebook designed to protect human rights online—taking effect this year. In that time, the bloc was forced to deal with the problems created by US platforms, while being unable to foster their smaller European challengers. “Maybe we could have prevented [the problems] better by earlier regulation,” Brando Benifei, one of two lead negotiators for the European Parliament, told WIRED in July. AI technology is moving fast. But it will still be many years until it’s possible to say whether the AI Act is more successful in containing the downsides of Silicon Valley’s latest export.

[txttletale]

bundletober #12: greetings from ______

alright technically this counts as 'earlier' than yesterday. tomorrow i swear to fuck i'll put this up at a normal time. and also reblog all of the last couple ridiculously late night bundletobers. but anyway today i'm looking at greetings from ______ by c.r. legge, a clearly wise and intelligent user of the classic 'two initials' naming schema.

so the coolest fucking thing about this game is that it's a map-making / worldbuilding game that can be printed out and folded into the shape of a brochure. how fucking cool is that! what an incredible, inspired use of format. its colours are ugly and weird in a very 70s way, which gives it a wonderfully dated travel brochure feel. A+ for layout.

the game is pretty simple: you start with a 6x6 grid, put each player somewhere on that grid, and then take turns moving to new squares and describing what's there. there's a really ingenious use of space here--the game uses a set of descriptors to prompt you, and while in the one-page version of the game they're all inelegantly piled into a big unappealing square, in the brochure version they surround the map on all sides, outlining the edge of one side of the brochure. it's a really neat touch that pushes the brochure version of the game out of being a format gimmick and into being, imo, the superior version of it.

if i have one criticism of greetings from ______, it's similar to what i said about locum tendons yesterday--that when you use precious space in your single-page rpg's layout to make a table to roll on, that table better be all hits. i see what c.r. was going for, with the table (designed to be rolled on with 2d6) putting less remarkable landmarks on the numbers that are easier to roll. but the job of a table should be to prompt you to say something you might not have otherwise--"a place where people live" is a boring and bizarrely vague result.

i think this table could have leaned heavier into being more evocative and vague or more specific and interesting. it's in an akward middle space between the two. that said, the concept of walking around the map creating things and saying what's there is really good and the layout makes it a real standout. if i ever run this, i'll probably try and narrativize it a bit--this seems like it would be a standout game to play in epistolary format, in-character travels and postcards flying back and forth. honestly something i might consider hacking for the next time i need to worldbuild for a longrunning campaign!

so yeah despite my criticisms i think it's fair to say any game which i'd consider hacking has done something very very right with its design--or at least, very very interesting.

greetings from ______ can be purchased as a digital download through itch.io

[driftingmoonmenace]

Guard Dog AU Lore

Some of this has already be mentioned in my previous lore post and asks, but I've broadened more on the world setting and stuff!

Eventually I'll make another post going into more detail about the story and more about Y/N and Sun/Moon interactions and feelings but this is what I got for now!

I'll put it under the cut since it's a little lengthy!

The AU is futuristic and has a lot of Biopunk/Cyberpunk dystopian overtones, with technology that is more advanced than today’s modern technology. Despite its advances there is a lot of societal unrest. The general public is suffering because of how capitalistic its society has become and mega-corporations basically run the world. 

Most cities are a very dense concrete jungle, with neon lights and hologram ads everywhere.

A major branch of technology and scientific research has made a lot of progress using robotics and DNA for creature creation. Their ultimate goal is to create super-soldiers for military and authoritarian use. To help rapidly grow their department and data, they’ve teamed up with mega corporations and other research facilities globally, and have allowed them access to their base data findings for their own use to so that they can explore and discover more ways to broaden their projects. It has been several years at this point since this decision has been made and many new methods have cropped up since. 

Most of these creatures vary in shape, size (though most are much larger than humans), and theme, and also vary on how much of them is a blend of organic and robotic augmentations. To everyone they are simply known as ‘Creatures’ and don’t have an official name. Most of them are sentient and intelligent enough (levels of intelligence vary between them, though none are made to be super intelligent) but overall they retain an underlying feral nature. This way it's easier for them to fight each other without question of ethics between them and easier in some ways to control, so them being more animalistic is by design.  

By allowing companies to invest and create within the scientific branch, they’ve come up with a way to capitalize on it for entertainment purposes, further funding their research and lining their pockets with more money. They have created a new form of entertainment which is ‘Creature Cage Fights’ or better known as its official league name CFE (Creature Fighting Entertainment). Similar to wrestling and illegal animal fighting, these creatures are pitted against each other to fight within large stadiums and whomever knocks out their opponent, or renders them unable to continue the fight, wins. CFE is the main umbrella league and places globally are able to form their own mini-leagues under CFE. 

People are able to spectate in person or television and have the ability to place official bets (similar to horse racing). This idea of making them for entertainment allows these creatures to be normalized to the public and for further studying their fighting capabilities to gather research. Companies and people of wealth have also taken to sponsoring or hosting fights to make a profit.

There are ‘Death Matches’ where creatures must fight until either one (or both) die. These kinds of fights are deemed ‘illegal’ and not televised, yet the police and higher people of authority turn a blind eye and allow them. Death matches are typically hosted by the rich and tickets are sold to other rich people to spectate and place bets. These fights are really only used as a way to make money, profits being split between the hosts and companies who lend their creatures out to these fights. 

Fazbear Entertainment, like many other companies all over the world, have joined the scientific branch to get in on this new form of entertainment that’s rapidly growing in popularity globally with people of all ages and cash in on big profits. So far FazCo has made several creatures of their own. These include: Freddy, Chica, Roxy, Monty, and Sun & Moon. 

Sun and Moon, who are more heavily robotically augmented (though still partially organic) compared to the others, are unique in that they are dual AI who both share a body and a ‘brain’. Being able to seamlessly switch between the two and both having their own preferred fighting style. Both AI can come together to create a third form, Eclipse, which has a different fighting style than their own individual ones. Instead of creating a new separate AI or ‘person’ when this happens, this form is instead both AI simultaneously co-piloting the mind and body together. 

The idea of their creation was to have a creature that is able to have multiple different fighting styles and able to switch between them to keep their opponent unaware and on their toes. This feature is actually a huge secret that Fazco has been keeping. The public and other fighters are completely unaware that they are dual AI, as all of their marketing and paperwork is labeled ‘one entity’ named Eclipse. 

The only way to tell which is which is their eyes changing color and the differences in demeanor. When Sun is in control, both eyes are white. He comes off more playful and upbeat, almost ‘puppy-like’. He’s also more excitable and has a seemingly endless amount of energy. When Moon is in control both eyes turn red. He’s more laid back and less energetic. He’d rather be a gremlin and chill (maybe take a nap) than bound all over the place like his counterpart. When both AI come together to become Eclipse, the left eye is white and the right eye is red. Eclipse has a blend of both of their personalities harmonizing into one. 

In a fight Sun, Moon, and Eclipse are completely different in how they act compared to how they are in their downtime. Sun is more performative and wants to make the fight into a spectacle and woo the crowd, taunting his opponent and making them into a joke. He much prefers it than actually fighting while Moon is the opposite.. Moon is more violent and bloodthirsty when he fights, rather than playing around. Eclipse, while they do show off and taunt to an extent, they’re more calm and cunning, fighting efficiently with heavy hits to end the fight quickly. 

The major underlying fact no matter what situation they’re in, is there will always be that feral blood-lust fight/kill instinct at play in the back of their mind. Both are more than capable of killing if they want or need (human or creature a-like), and its ferocity shows whenever they’re irritable, angry, or upset. 

To satiate the general public and quell their fear of public safety when it comes to creatures, CFE decided to officially give these creatures ‘handlers’. One to two fellow humans who help train them, bond with them, accompany them at all times, and ‘keep a leash’ on them to show that they are under control.

The job of a ‘Handler’ is a dangerous one (and the fatality rate is high, unbeknownst to the public) but it also has its perks that make it all that more tempting. The pay is well above blue-collar average, with all-expenses-paid for traveling, hotels, and other miscellaneous job related things. There’s the obvious spotlight of being a creature handler to a successful championship winner that also has its perks, though it’s not too uncommon for some handlers to avoid it as much as they’re able to.   

FazCo is based in a large underground facility on the outskirts of a city where their research development and creatures are kept, the building being under heavy surveillance. Handlers are required to live in a section of private living quarters on-site, though they’re able to leave the facility at any time and must be chaperoned in order to do so. This acts as an extra precaution in case of any information leaks. Handlers are also on-call 24/7 and can be flown out anywhere globally at a moments notice, so having them live at the facility makes it easier. 

At FazCo handlers have a few job requirements such as training and ‘bonding’ with their creature for a certain amount of time per week or preparing for upcoming matches through supervised fighting simulations. Having a handler that is able to keep a creature under control (with whatever means necessary) and making sure both perform their best during matches is the highest priority.

Y/N, having grown up poor their whole life in a bad neighborhood with nothing to lose, jumps on the opportunity of a newly listed ‘Handler’ job. A quick successful interview has them sign a very hefty NDA contract with FazCo and from there they’re immediately moved to the facility. They’re told that the previous handler had quit (though the truth is they were killed) so FazCo was looking for someone new to assign to Eclipse.

Y/N is actually unsure of how to feel when they first meet Eclipse. There’s excitement and awe but there’s also the growing fear in their gut that Eclipse may be too much to handle for them. The pay and job perks with a comfy living situation is really the only thing keeping them there at first. 

Sun/Moon/Eclipse are capable of simple speech, small one word answers and short sentences, and have a general understanding of what’s being said or going on around them. However they aren’t very trained to be aware of their strength or how fragile a human can be so they are more dangerous than other creatures. They have killed multiple handlers in the past through aggression or ignorance.

[ungrateful-cyborg-moved]

Social media comparison

Alright. I've tried different new/alternative platforms lately in hope to find something I really liked, and there are very promising ones. I didn't try everything, of course, but this is a kind of overview of my journey so far? Or just my thoughts on the matter.

I've tried Pillowfort, Bluesky, Mastodon (didn't last long enough to have much of an opinion, it simply didn't click), Dreamwidth and Cohost (as of today, can't post there yet).

My comparison under the cut:

► I appreciate that they're algorithm free, whether it's because they truly believe in an Internet rid of the most invasive of them or because it's too expensive to implement on a brand new platform or some other reason. Only the future can tell, but for now it's nice.

► Pillowfort: beside the post formatting that I find extremely comfortable, my favourite thing is probably communities. I feel like this is the strongest "pro" in favor of Pillowfort because this is where they truly distinguish themselves from other social media.

Communities, in a way, remind me of forums. They're however easier to take in hand since you don't have to deal with as many options and choices. In my opinion, communities on Pillowfort are a bit lacking in functionalities though. I think more tools to easily organize them would help, like a widget or something to link stuff so you can create and animate events within said communities.

(I also feel like Pillowfort would gain from not being dark blue. We have more than enough dark blue websites, and it doesn't go well with the warmth invoked by its name in my opinion, but that's a minor detail and just a matter of taste.)

► Bluesky: basically Twitter but better. No algorithm, for a start. The curated feeds are nice. They're a bit like communities on Pillowfort since they can be moderated but from a non-mod user, it's even easier to post in them: you just have to use the right keyword for your post to appear there. Well, if the mod left it open to all rather than chose to vet who can or cannot post in it. Lots of flexibility and control over your timeline overall.

I don't like the 300 characters limit, however. Never liked it with Twitter either. It's not really conductive to conversations, and the general design tends to make the website feel rather impersonal. It's really more like parallel talking than community building.

Overall I think it's a good tool to promote your (visual) art or website, etc. but not great for hosting conversations past commenting briefly what others are doing. I mean, you can make threads but it'll never be as good as Pillowfort or Tumblr for this.

► Dreamwidth: I'll start with saying that Dreamwidth isn't a social media, it's a journaling platform and I haven't used it much yet. Had in plan to post my headcanons about my muses there and stuff like that so I did spend some time trying to figure out how it works.

First, there is a lot of options to let you have complete control over who can see what. Like, a lot.

You can entirely personalize what your journal will look like. It's a bit easier than having your own website—since I reblogged a post about that yesterday—because you don't start from 0, so it might be a good option if you don't feel comfortable jumping into Notepad++ to start coding. You can just change a thing here and there, or nothing at all, or almost everything. It's pretty old school though, so for those completely unfamiliar with early/pre-web 2.0, it might not look very appealing at first. However, I'd say don't let that stop you! If anything, it's a good opportunity to learn a bit of code without pressure.

You can also create communities, which as you might have guessed is very important to me. When creating one, you can set up whether everyone can join, everyone can ask to join but has to be approved by a community admin or to limit the access to those you have personally invited. Like for your own journal, communities are completely customizable, and Dreamwidth allows adult content.

I'm not sure you can top DW communities in terms of functionalities—aside from making a forum—but it's not as intuitive as Pillowfort (though in exchange you get more customization). You're also more limited regarding image hosting (see here). That said, hosting services exist, many are free, and that's without mentioning that you can post on Twitter and the like and use the picture link in your DW posts. I don't think many will only use Dreamwidth anyway.

► Cohost: I was expecting nothing when I registered earlier today, but this is an overall good surprise: it's Tumblr, but better.

More control of what you see. More user-friendly UI. It's not fucking blue. Adult content allowed. You can change your main blog page and make it private.

The only two downsides I'd mention here would be that you can't customize your blog page appearance and you have to wait for one or two days before being able to post. Although if it means less bots, I'd rather wait.

And this ends my rather non-exhaustive tour of the social media/blogging/journaling platforms. If you catch any mistakes let me know. I didn't dive deep, this was just me sharing my thoughts.

(As far as I know, they all allow adult content and give you tools to not see it if you don't want to.)

[igglemouse]

The sun cast its golden hue over my new town of Oasis Springs as it brought in the hopes of a new day. The simoleons from yesterday a reminder of my success and also what might be possible for me here.

But while I considered my last food sale a financial success it was certainly a failure socially. My mystery guy did not stop by which had me wondering if perhaps I had failed my first impression. Maybe that's not it? Perhaps the waffles left a lingering ill taste on his lips and he's decided my little offerings are just not enough?

Or...maybe he's taken?

I chomp down on my waffle with that thought bouncing through my head. That was far more likely, wasn't it? He was very handsome and I could tell he was brimming with confidence, the odds of a man like that being single? Very very low.

Later in the day, after a shower and some cleaning, my phone rings and it is someone I've met through my food stand but it's not the person I hope. It's Daniella, the girl I met yesterday who came by a little too late for a plate.

After introductions she tells me that she wishes to be my guide for the city. Hinting and teasing at private parties that she can drag me into and perhaps I'm far too eager to tell her I'm down for it because the mysterious tone she takes on after that kind of worries me.

Honestly, I was just being nice. A girl needs friends, doesn't she?

I head outside and set up. Calling out the usual. Waffles, tortillas, brownies, three dishes that were becoming an early staple of mines.

If only the air wasn't different. Less hurried, less eager, and less people. Perhaps it was too dry and just a little too hot but the result? Ninety-six simoleons.

The weight of my daily gains was both light and heavy. I didn't quite reach my goal but I was thankful for every simoleon made. It was a reminder that success would not be achieved in a straight line and that there would be ups and downs along the way.

The sizzle of my pan brings me solace and a promise of a future to come. The simoleons will be there. I'll work hard, I'll learn a new recipe every day, I'll get better and better to where my skills cannot be declined.

I am a student of flavor and my latest design, simple sliders, are sure to help me have my best day. After all, they are small, easy to plate, and even easier to eat. Perfect dish for a food stall, someone can drop their simoleons off on the table and take one to go. If only they are good.

I take a bite, letting the flavors dance around in my mouth. When it comes to any sandwich it's about creating the perfect mix of meat, bread, veggies, and condiments and I think I've hit the spot. It's a small confirmation of my work but not the final one. That test will come with my customers, of course.

The day stretched on with the promise of little which was expected. I figured I would sit down and find something to eat. Maybe even go to a bookstore and pick up recipe books? Something like that, have a quiet night in and prepare for tomorrow.

The ping of my phone presented another idea. The gym. With the curious man whose been lingering on my mind. When he asks I tell him maybe but we all know my curiosity and quite frankly my desire to see him again will not allow me to decline this invitation.

I'm just surprised he was able to find my number?

When I arrived at the gym I wondered how I had ever missed it. It stood large and looming over the busy street, the other businesses clearly benefitting from the crowd that it drew.

Once inside I met our mystery guy and he wasted little time leading me upstairs, claiming that a session would begin soon and he did not have time to waste.

The session? Yoga.

Fortunately, the class was small. Two others, including him, and he of course took a mat behind me. I laughed inwardly but a man will be a man I suppose? If he's going to admire the female form then I suppose I'd rather it be mines than the girl next to him at least.

Either way, the session starts and reluctantly and clumsily I follow the instructor. She starts with easier poses of course. Breathing exercises, she called them, which were more about relaxing and finding your mental center.

Eventually she would move on to more difficult ones. Stretching out legs and balancing on one foot. Nothing impossible for a beginner but I do think we both looked like fools trying to keep up.

We end on the flat of our backs, eyes closed, and letting our muscles find their natural states. Yoga is a lot harder than it looks but I admit it does feel very rewarding? Perhaps it is something I could get into? Especially if our mystery man is into it...

When I first step foot in this gym my first thought was how chilly it was inside. I almost wondered if I should have brought a coat! Now, I'm thankful for it, the cool air was far more welcome after our little workout and I was thankful that it kept my brow from glistening with any sweat as Pascal (that's his name by the way, so no longer a mystery guy to me) pulled me over for a conversation. A 'get to know each other' conversation, by the way, and thankfully in Selvadoradian so that saves him having to hear my terrible accent.

"So why this?" I ask. "Why yoga?"

"Orders of the captain," he says casually, as if I'm supposed to know what that means. Is he a sailor or... "He says it helps with the flexibility, prevents injuries, and helps with mental focus. All important on the field."

The field? I was still confused until I thought on it a moment longer. He's talking about a sport.

"I kick a ball for a living," he assists, that confident tone of his pulling me in closer.

So this is who I sat across from, Pascal Alcocer, a name that in itself seemed to carry a significance to it. At least to him. To me it was but another name. I think he liked that, he liked that I was ignorant of who he was. Perhaps it's why he's interested in me.

"You've never heard of me? Truly?" he seems sincerely confused. I just stare at him and shake my head. Revealing that I'm really no big fan of sports ball. Oh, don't get me wrong, fútbol as it is called back home is massive but it simply never pulled me in. It's just a bunch of people kicking a ball around in the end.

"I'm sorry," suddenly I feel ignorant. Here is this great athlete, presumably, setting out time to get to know me because he feels like I should already know him. "I just don't watch-"

"No! Please! Frida, is it?" I nod and bite down on my lip, my name seemed to slip so naturally from his lips. "It's refreshing, actually."

I am sure it is. If he's a big time athlete I can imagine he has women buzzing around him daily. Throwing themselves at him, begging for a moment of his attention and wanting a lot more. The more I think about it, the more I dislike it. Dating a man like this would be stressful, wouldn't it?

As I think about it he tells me more about himself. He's a young player with a lot of promise, a 'midfielder', he tells me. That word is filled with pride. I have no idea what it means but I can tell just by how he says it that its a special role on the team, perhaps like that of a sous chef? Either way, he says he plays for Oasis FC which again has little meaning to me beyond the fact that he plays for a professional team but he assures me he's not the big deal some make him out to be.

"I still have lots to prove. I don't quite have that big contract yet but everyone thinks it's a matter of time," he leans back as he says this, realizing that he's spent most of the time talking.

"Sounds like a lot of pressure," I say finally.

He gives me a stern nod and waves away that thought entirely. "I'd rather have the expectations to be great than be regarded as a failure...so, what about you?"

"Oh," where do I go from there? "I just opened up a stall and hope to see where it goes?" Watcher that sounds so lame in comparison. "I just enjoy cooking I guess and-"

"You are adorable, do you know that?"

Well that has me chewing on my lip again and has my face feeling a little warm.

"I-I like you too..."

I find the comfort of a bar soon after, too restless to head home and needing a drink to think on the night I've had with Pascal. First impression? I was impressed.

Sure, the man was so full of confidence that it was bordering on cockiness but I have a feeling that it takes pure arrogance to become a professional athlete.

It was also very clear that was into me. After all, he sought out my number and invited me to a gym and made sure he had a good look of me. Should that make me happy or should I worry that he's a teeny bit pervy?

I don't know. The good thing about a drink is that it allows me to not overthink any of what happened and look forward to seeing him again which, according to him, will be sometime tomorrow...

Episode List - Next

The wonderful public gym lot is by @streneesims

[motocorsas]

hey everybody, i've put together a digest/summary of an article Mat Oxley published in Roadracing World back in January. i have notes on everything each manufacturer has been working on in the off-season, though the article doesn't cover the qatar and sepang tests.

ktm's carbon fiber chassis:

save weight

save large amounts of production time, allowing for more experimentation

stiffness is easier to measure and experiment

miller testified that the grip is better (though binder disagrees), and more power would complement the build

ktm's carbon fiber swingarm is "almost indestructible compared to the aluminium swingarm we used before!", says technical manager Sebastian Risse. the article notes that the manufacturer is also set apart from other factories because of its commitment to make and use bespoke parts, with its own suspension system instead of one modeled on Öhlins parts.

aprilia's aero improvements:

follow a similar model to ducati, using ground-effect devices to generate grip at high lean angles. the wheel covers and swingarm-mounted ducts essentially create a downward suction while the bike is pitched over, reducing sideforce and improving grip.

the gas tank is under the seat for some reason?

braking still needs work though -- the RS-GP has come far in the last 2 years, but struggles more at stop-and-go tracks and favors sweeping, curvy ones. chief engineer Romano Albesiano does note that the bike performed well at Spielberg last year, meaning the braking has been improving, but still has a long way to go. "the way the ducati slows down is unbelievable. we cannot stop like that, even though we use bigger discs. i don't know if ducatis stop by using aero or what..."

honda:

mir says he's "very happy". okay.

he says that front grip has finally improved and that the longer bike allows for more feeling.

the bike is lighter and functions well on used tires

yamaha:

since the engine is an inline 4 and not a v4, it delivers power differently, and often worse.

less power = less aerodynamic downforce = more wheelies = more drag = even less acceleration

the new aero gives less wheelie and new engine produces higher top speed

top speed isn't at all enough to bring the team to the front, but mathematically, yamaha was able to produce higher speeds than any other team during testing. now what they need is to improve rear grip and power delivery; the latter of which will likely require switching to a v4.

ducati:

secret weapon isn't power or top speed, it's traction. the bike is better than any other on corner exit because it can generate so much grip

aero is obviously part of the magic, so the new bodywork design may explain the improvements

pecco asked for more maneuverability

2022 bike was better on entry but would shake on exit, 2023 is the opposite. pecco wants best of both worlds

ducati has a reputation of just winning based off pure power, but that's obviously not the whole story. all these bikes are powerful, but delivery and traction are really the name of the game. hopefully the new concessions rules will allow other teams to try and work up to ducati's level, likely by testing insane new aero as much as possible.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

September 4, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Sep 05, 2024

Long tonight, folks, but it’s been quite a day. And even still, I did not mention the day’s horrific shooting at a Georgia school.

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris announced a series of proposals to help entrepreneurs create small businesses. Like President Joe Biden, she and her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, argue that small businesses and entrepreneurs are the “engines of our economy.” In a statement today, they noted that “small businesses employ half of all private-sector workers in America—creating 70 percent of net new jobs since 2019—and do trillions of dollars of business every year.”

The Biden administration has boasted of the record number of new businesses created since Biden and Harris took office. There have been 19 million new business applications in that time. Harris said she and Walz are setting a goal of 25 million new business applications in their first term. Their plan, they say, is to “kickstart…more young, small, and innovative firms.”

To make this happen, they propose raising the deduction for startup expenses from its current level of $5,000 to $50,000, noting that the average amount a new business spends to get set up in its first year of operation is $40,000. They also propose funding a network of new and existing “federal, state, local, and private incubators and small business innovation hubs” that will make it easier for small business and local suppliers to get technical assistance, funding, customers, and so on. 

They also promised to make low-interest and no-interest loans available for small businesses, to protect and expand the support of the Affordable Care Act for small business owners, and to guarantee that one third of federal contract money will go to small businesses. They promise to make it easier for small businesses to file taxes, reduce excessive occupational licensing requirements, and urge state and local governments to cut the red tape of burdensome regulations by streamlining them across jurisdictions. 

Harris and Walz said they are committed to making the investments that will build the economy while also paying for them and reducing the deficit. “They also know,” their statement said, that “we need to support America as a locus of innovators, entrepreneurs, and workers coming together to create a better future.  

Harris calls this a New Way Forward, but it is curiously close to the old Republican reforms of the Progressive Era, when entrepreneurs joined forces with workers and farmers to demand access to capital and a fair economic playing field after decades in which a few wealthy industrialists stacked the system in their own favor. When we look at that era, as well as the New Deal reforms of the 1930s, we tend to emphasize reforms designed to benefit workers and farmers, but members of those groups always allied with entrepreneurs shut out of the system by wealthy industrialists. The demand for securities and exchange law in the 1930s, for example, did not come from western farmers, but from entrepreneurs who knew they could not break into the system if established businesses made up the rules amongst themselves.

Harris recalled that Republican reform impulse when she said we must make the tax system fairer. She called for rolling back Trump’s tax cuts and implementing common-sense tax reforms for corporations and the richest Americans. She calls for setting a minimum income tax for billionaires, the corporate tax rate to 28% (it was 35% before the Trump tax cuts), and quadrupling the tax on the stock buybacks that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest Americans.

She emphasized that no one earning less than $400,000 a year will pay more in taxes under her plans, and called for a tax rate of 28% on long-term capital gains for those who earn more than a million dollars a year. This is up from the current 20% rate, but less than the 39.6% rate Biden proposed in his 2025 budget. 

A Fox News Channel host applauded some of Harris’s ideas, saying, “When a political candidate comes up with what I think is a good idea, I have to call it a good idea. And a fifty thousand dollar…tax credit for startups or small businesses, coupled with less red tape, I’ve got to say, that is a good idea, regardless of her other tax ideas.” 

This was a nice endorsement of Harris’s policies, coming as it did after yesterday’s assessment by economists for the Goldman Sachs Group saying that the nation’s economic growth would take a hit if Trump wins, but will grow under a Harris presidency if she also has the support of a Democratic House and Senate.  

In her statement about economic policy, Harris called out Trump for supporting “himself and the biggest corporations” and noted that sixteen Nobel laureates have said that Trump’s policies would ignite inflation and trigger a recession by mid-2025. That recession, economists project, would cost more than 3 million jobs, explode the deficit, and raise costs. Harris pointed out that Project 2025 would cut funding for the Small Business Administration and make it harder for small businesses to get access to money. 

For his part, Trump has doubled down on the idea that the United States is a failing nation. For the past week he has been telling a story about a residential building in Colorado taken over by a gang from Venezuela. But it appears the story is entirely made up. Similarly, Trump on Friday said at a right-wing Moms for Liberty event that public schools in America kidnap children and operate on them to change their sex. This is bonkers, but it is bonkers in a way that deliberately demonizes Trump’s opponents.

Trump’s vision of the United States is one of darkness and carnage. As Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz said today, “It is a deliberate effort by some people to make them believe that our political system is broken. To make them believe that things are pessimistic. My God, every time I hear Donald Trump give a speech, it’s like the next screenplay for Mad Max or something. They are rooting against America.”

That bleak version of the United States, it turns out, echoes the talking points Russian handlers gave to their operatives working in the U.S. in an effort “to steer the U.S. public opinion in the right direction.” The Russians directed their U.S. employees to emphasize the following “campaign topics”: “Encroaching universal poverty. Record inflation. Halting of economic growth. Unaffordable prices for food and essential goods”; “Risk of job loss for white Americans”; “Privileges for people of color, perverts, and disabled”; “Constant lies of the [Democratic] administration about the real situation in the country”; “Threat of crime coming from people of color and immigrants”; “Overspending on foreign policy and at the interests of white US citizens”; “Constant lies to the voters by [Democrats] in power.” 

The target audience of the campaign was “[Republican] voters,” [Trump] supporters, “Supporters of traditional family values,” and “White Americans, representing the lower-middle and middle class.” The focus was in particular on “[r]esidents of "swing states whose voting results impact the outcomes of the elections more than other states. 

This information came out today when the Departments of Justice, State, and the Treasury announced sanctions against 10 individuals and 2 entities, and criminal charges against two employees of RT, a Russian state-controlled media outlet, who allegedly funded a company in the U.S. to hire right-wing social media influencers to push Russian propaganda before the 2024 election. 

While the indictment does not name the Tennessee-based company the Russians funded, it appears to be Tenet Media, a company registered by Liam Donovan and Lauren Tam, who is associated with The Blaze and Turning Point USA, as well as RT. The two appear to be married. The indictment alleges that the company’s two founders knew they were working for the Russians, but suggests the six commentators—Lauren Southern, Tim Pool, Tayler Hansen, Matt Christiansen, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, all staunch Trump supporters—did not know where their massive paychecks originated. After the story broke, five of the commentators denied any knowledge of the source of the company’s funding; some insisted their words were entirely their own. 

One of the videos the company pushed at the request of the Russians was what appears to have been right-wing host Tucker Carlson’s visit to a grocery store in Russia where he praised the low prices (which even the company’s founders thought “just feels like overt shilling”).

Separately, the Department of Justice seized 32 internet domains that “the Russian government and Russian sponsored actors” have used to influence the 2024 election. In a malign influence campaign called “Doppelganger,” these domains produced fake articles that appeared to be from major U.S. news sites, to which influencers and fake social media profiles on Facebook, X, Truth Social, and YouTube then drove traffic. 

Russian operatives called in bold type for Russia “to put a maximum effort to ensure that the [Republican] point of view (first and foremost, the opinion of [Trump] supporters) wins over the US public opinion. This includes provisions on peace in Ukraine in exchange for territories, the need to focus on the problems of the US economy, returning troops home from all over the world, etc.”

One of the documents produced in the affidavit justifying the seizure of the internet domains called for trying to stir up a conflict between the U.S. and Mexico in order to distract from the fact that the U.S. economy is “very healthy” under Biden.

Tonight, in an interview with Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity, Trump appeared to think he is running against Joe Biden. An internal email leaked to the press from the Trump campaign showed managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles warning staff not to communicate with the press and suggested anyone doing so would be fired.

Today, Steph Curry of California’s Golden State Warriors basketball team and former representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president. “Endorsing Kamala Harris is important for me and my family,” Curry said. “Knowing Kamala and having been around her, I understand she's qualified for this job."

“There was never a doubt that the courageous Liz Cheney would endorse Vice President Harris,” conservative judge J. Michael Luttig wrote, “because  Liz Cheney stands for America.  She is the very embodiment of country over party and country over self.  And she fears no one—least of all the former president.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[filmorgue]

As the girls enter the building, they were struck by a weird surge of power. This place is radiating with magic which could probably go without saying.

F: Noice, where should we start?

D: I'll like see those archives, point me towards the books

R: I rather just mingle round to be honest

F: Shouldn't we tour the place first

D: Eh, there's plenty of time for that later

R: Yeah, but if that's what you want to do. I won't stop you

D: We can always meet back here when we're done

F: Umm o-okay

D/R: Sweet byeeee!

They smiled and wave back before parting ways. Flint just stood there confused and a little overwhelmed.

F: Geez, made new friends and they already abandon me. Nice

?: I hope I'm not interrupting something, Ms. Lockwood?

Shocked, she let out a gasp before spinning around to confront the mysterious man. The sharpness of his features gave away his true nature - he was a vampire. Despite his alluring eyes, there was an intimidating aura about him.

F: Y-you know my name?

L: As your headmaster, it'll be very unprofessional if I didn't. Don't you think?

F: Headmaster? Wait, you're Luis Van Hellstring?

He gives a slight bow

L: At your service and Mr. Hellstring would suffice. It's also been brought to my attention; you are late. Cutting it close already I see

Flint blushes away and scratched the back of her neck. Clearing her throat before speaking.

F: I-I'm sorry sir. It won't happen again I swear

L: *chuckles* That's quite alright Ms. Lockwood. As long as you're here now, I see no point of punishing you. I don't partially hold grudges anyways

F: Good to hear, I guess

L: So are you ready to complete orientation. Seems like the others rather keep to themselves. But no matter, I hope you don't mind sparing an old fossil a couple minutes of your time

F: Not at all, please after you sir.

L: Thank you

As he effortlessly glided past her, a mischievous smirk played on his lips. In that fleeting moment, she couldn't help but envy his ability. Lost in her thoughts, she realized that their first destination seemed to be the cafeteria.

L: At the cafeteria, many students enjoy lounging around. Our talented culinary team is here to cater to all tastes. You're welcome to hang out even after hours, just remember to clean up after yourself and avoid starting any fires (I know easier said than done). Let's show some gratitude to our hardworking staff

F: Exciting! Very noisy though

L: It can be a bit crowded. Right this way. We'll start from the lower level

Van Hellstring escorts Flint through the crowd of people, leading her down the corridor towards the Observatory. The corridor opens up into a spacious room, resembling an arena at its center. The lighting casts a slightly subdued glow, creating a captivating atmosphere.

L: The observatory, commonly referred to as "The Pit," serves as a tranquil setting where students return to hone their magical abilities, particularly witches and sorcerers. Occasionally, students engage in friendly duels with their peers, and the observatory also hosts tournaments and challenges for all to partake in and compete for prizes

F: Wow, that sounds fun but..what if someone gets really hurt?

L: We, as staff members, prioritize the safety of our students. I can confidently guarantee that we always have highly skilled paramedics available and responsible observers present at every event. We encourage our students to act responsibly and avoid endangering themselves or their peers. Any reckless behavior will lead to immediate dismissal.

Flint sensed the tension in the room and in Hellsting's voice. She pondered if there was a specific moment he was referring to, but she decided not to inquire. With a nod of her head, she trailed behind him as they made their way back upstairs towards their next stop.

L: Welcome to the enchanting archives, or rather, one of the numerous libraries we possess. It is meticulously designed to house an extensive collection of books and passages on magic, encompassing the history, present, and even the future of various species. The entire structure is a haven for book lovers, with shelves upon shelves filled with captivating literature. However, we do take extra precautions to safeguard the more 'sensitive' books. Trust me, it's for everyone's safety, although I must admit, the secrets they hold are truly fascinating.

F: Umm, alright (not ominous at all)

Chapter 5 "Tour"

Rhiannon @sadraccoon061 , The Starnes Twins @invisiblequeen, Xen @xstardustbatsx (tagging everyone so ppl can get custom to the cast again. Sorry it's been awhile)

previous/next

[samkat10423]

Port District

In one of her posts, Hancyan said that the area down by the port was a tourist destination. So, I decided to add to that idea.

Where the Wan-Goddard house used to be, is the Drea Salon. I plan on making a family of designers named Drea, so in my town history, the old owner of the property died and the city fathers decided to foreclose on the property and put it on the auction block to try to recover back taxes. Realizing that there was a dearth of skilled stylists in town, the Drea family decided to use all of their savings to purchase and renovate the property, and bring some much-needed fashion to Sunset Valley. And this is the result!

This lot came with the town and other than change out some of the interior furnishings for stuff from that Storybook set - and add a couple of mud-bath tubs from Around the Sims - I really didn't do anything to this lot. Oh! I did arrange the tattoo chairs to look like they were part of a barbershop, but nothing major.

Next door was a house. But since there are more houses in this town than I will have sims to stick in them, I decided to change it into a commercial lot - in keeping with the tourist-trap thing.

This is another lot from that Magic Kingdom Disney world, called the Crystal Arts and Music Studios. The ground floor has a bunch of musical instruments, and the 2nd floor has some artist easels. Anyway, it was originally on a much smaller lot, so I had room to add stuff. Like the parking for buggies and bicycles, the planters and the small stage in the back, and all the rest of the landscaping. The building itself was sort of a pinky brick color. Again with the Pepto-Bismol theme the creators of that world seemed to like so much. So, I aged it up a bit to better fit in with its new surroundings. On that tiny stage in the back, I used that "singing spot" that I think I got from @danjaley, plus some instruments. That little table with the umbrella came from Around the Sims 3 and is a foodstand.

Then next door - where Claire Ursine's lot was in the original town - is my firehouse. There was a pretty little park there, but since there is another park right across the street, I moved the one that was here elsewhere in town. Mostly because I really wanted my firehouse down in this area and didn't have anyplace else where it really fit.

Then - where the Frio lot was in the original - is this little lot. I haven't done anything to it yet, but I plan on using that industrial kitchen set and making it into a restaurant. Right now, it's a little tearoom - although to make sharing easier, Hancyan left the interior of the build almost empty. So, that works perfectly for me.

This is the final lot on this side of the street - and the only residence now. It did have wood siding, but I changed it to brick. Again, to fit in better with the area. I have 2 sims lined up to live here. The owner is a naive dude in the science track who took in a young, homeless "lady" who was wandering aimlessly around town. Unknown to him, she has "sticky" fingers and is on the run from the Pinkertons.

And this area of town is now done! I did build a tiny Asian eatery using that one store set down by the port. But I'll show that to you on another post. I've also started creating sims for this town - something I HATE doing, since I have to go into the hated CAS. And, I remodeled the Goth residence - getting rid of the graves since none of those sims have died yet. In fact Gunter's father is a little boy in this town. I do have to create some more "dead" sims for the town cemetery to replace all the Landgraabs and other sims that wouldn't have been around when the town was founded. Oh well. Gives me a reason to use some of that period stuff.

[rascalentertainments]

Okay first of all I’d like to apologize for not sending this in sooner, because I went to finally clear all the tabs from my computer and realized I??? Didn’t press the “ask” button to actually submit these questions??? But here they are, late but I hope they still work!

(If you’ve answered some of these before, feel free to skip them)

What were the symptoms of Asha’s father’s death?

Was Sakina pessimistic after her husband’s death as well?

Will Asha’s wish be turned into a wish orb?

Asha is 18 in this rewrite, so if she stayed in Rosas, would she give up her wish?

Did Sakina give up her wish? Or did she refuse?

What about Sabino?

Does Valentino have a separate design, or are you sticking with the concept art you showed?

What wish gets destroyed for Star to realize that Rosas is actually kind of fucked up?

Are you changing around the order of any songs?

How old are the seven teens in this rewrite?

How is Star’s stand-off with Amaya different than one with Magnifico?

Who taught Amaya magic?

They created wish magic, you say? Do they know that taking a wish robs people of their drive?

When did Amaya adopt Sabor?

Would Sabor ever warm up to Magnifico?

If the traitor isn’t who we think it is, then it’s probably not Simon. Can you give us any clues?

Sneak peak!

No Star before has ever changed into a human before? Why is Star the first?

How old is Star if he hasn’t got a name for himself yet?

Are you adding anyone new other than Flazino?

Bazeema x Safi, you say? Are you thinking of any other ships?

Will you be making a poster for Wish Granted?

How are you showing the songs in your rewrite?

Is anyone dying in your rewrite?

Would you consider this more of a rewrite or an AU? Like, could this be a Disney movie, or more of taking the concepts and turning it into your own thing?

Hope you enjoy!

OH MY GOD, THERE'S SO MANY QUESTIONS, SAPH! 😂 Let's get started!

Similar to Simon, he started to feel more lethargic as years went on, but he usually powered through it like Sabino. However, something else took his life, which lead to the rest of the family fleeing Rosas. That's a gonna,be a big reveal on what happens to him!

At first she was, but Sabino convinced her not become bitter, because it would set a bad example for Asha growing up. Unfortunately it happened anyway, but not because of an influence. So Sakina does the best she can for the family and Hamlet by making clothes for others that need it. Its the closest she can get to her dream.

Both yes and no. 😆 Asha does indeed have a wish and Magnifico does try to take it from Asha as a bargaining chip. However, he's gonna find out that he can't exactly do that. "wink wink"

If it meant her family would be safe, then she begrudgingly would. She would want to find a way to get her own wish back along with everyone else's and now be on a time limit because she could start feeling the symptoms at any given time.

Sakina originally did, but she regretted it after she found out what happened to her husband. She's glad that they ran away before Asha was old enough to give her's away.

Same for Sabino. He had the wish since was a boy and thought the king was finally going to grant it, only to find out years later he had no intention of doing so.

Valentino does have a separate design! He has a similar outfit and horns like the piece of concept art I used, but his face and fur color will be different. Canon!Valentino's face is unsettling...

Flazino's wish gets destroyed, along with a woman who's implied to also know about the Hamlet. Star ends up finding the wishes at one point, and he can feel their joy, hope and dreams. So once those two wishes were crushed, he felt the pain they felt. It reminded him of feeling so alone in space. That's when he fully understands Mags is a monster that must be stopped.

Not really. Its easier for me, lol. The most extra I'm doing is putting "A Wish Worth Making" near the end to close out the movie. And "Knowing What I Know Now" will be used after the traitor is revealed and that same traitor will end up joining the rebellion instead. There MAYBE a villain song added though! (Not TITTIG, I can't save that one)

They're all about nearly year apart from each other, since they looked different ages in the movie. So in order, Simon and Dhalia are 18, Dario and Hal are 17, Safi and Bazeema are 16, and Gabo is 15.

While Star's stand off with Mags is more about their power differences and how they few wishes/humans, Amaya knows how to get into Star's head. Amaya basically tells him he can't be human, ever. She's very good at using her words amps weapons when she doesn't have magic, so her other tactic is to convince Star even if he stays on Earth, he could never be good enough for Asha, always being viewed as something inhuman. (Think of that scene from Shrek 2 with the Fairy Godmother) It REALLY gets to him and starts to question himself of what he even is anymore.

Much like Magnifico, she was self taught! And by combing their magic, they grew in power!

Absolutely, that benefits them in fact. If the wisher loses drive, they lose motive to do anything else, including having any desire to stop them and their plans.

Back when the couple was traveling the world and before they reached Rosas. When they arrived in the country, Amaya found him alone in the forest as a cub and took him. He was a lost animal that needed to be raised and grow into a beautiful yet dangerous animal like he was meant to be.

.....A little bit, when Sabor is actually thanked for finding the true traitor and he gets to eat Mouse!Star, he does start to see he's not all bad.

You're right, its actually a different character, BUT I CAN'T GIVE SPOILERS! I want to, honestly cause its such a big part I'm excited to show! The hint is its another teen, so that leaves 6 other suspects. OR it could be somebody from the Hamlet! 😯

Here's one from Chapter 5:

18. No other star nomad has had a desire to visit Earth. They enjoy it as a tourist attraction and not much else. Star is the first one that we know of that has had the desire to actually GO to Earth. Him and his cousins, lol.

19. He turned 18 a month before the story starts, but he's never really decided on a name. There's just so Mich variety to choose from that he's indecisive.😂

20. Aside from giving the Rosas citizens and Hamlet people some personalities, the cast stays the same. That way it won't feel over crowded.

21. Possibly Flazino x Dhalia. Though it might end up being one-sided. It could change though! 😉

22. YES!!!! I WANT TO SO BADLY!! It will most likely be for when the story us half way through and with Chapter 5 still being written, we're only 1/3 in. But I already have ideas for one! 😁

23. I'll make a separate postings for them featuring the rewritten lyrics, instrumental backgrounds and possibly some art! 😉 Each song will help the story along, just like the first three did! The one I'm really trying hard to remake is "Knowing What I Know Now" cause it was the closest to sounding the best.

24. Now that's a secret! 🤐

25. A bit of both! Its basically how I would've written a Disney movie, so its leans towards more rewrite.

Wow, thanks so much for these MANY great questions, @wings-of-sapphire!! Sorry it took me so long, it was a lot to answer this time! I appreciate you writing these out though! 😁 (I'll tag your other channel just in case @signed-sapphire)

[stardivingsea]

Here’s two things worth noting about the pattern of canceling shows after one season that really Pisses Me Off, especially in regards to queer lesbian shows, Pink Ladies and REMOVING IT FROM THE PLATFORM.

Rise of the Pink Ladies final episode was released less than a month ago. A fun convenient fact - most contracts with streaming residuals begin to collect those residuals a month or so after release. In that first month, most the money is going to the streaming service that funded the show and not the artists. Taking it OFF the platform in that time robs the designers, crew, writers, whomever put their passion and energy into making the show of their well deserved credit and payment for those services.

Removing something from a platform also never gives it a chance to have its time in the public consciousness— or the chance that it will become a part later.

Interestingly, fact two is that it is cheaper to make subsequent seasons than it ever will be to start new shows from scratch. The set is already made, the artwork created, all the beginning work has been put in, and an audience has already been built or is starting to build. The crew has had time to become a cohesive unit that knows the ins and outs of every quirk that comes with each tv show. And with a HISTORICAL show, almost everything from the 1950s had to have been made, thrifted, or rented. Most of those purchases and sets are still there; they wouldn’t have to be rebought or rebuilt.

Deciding it’s already failed is cruel knowing that continuing would be easier.

Creativity should be allowed to take chances. It should be allowed to exist. I know that lots of the creatives on Pink Ladies were queer or poc … and that almost certainly factors into it. Stories, diversity, and its production are stifled when streaming services decide on money and initial viewership as the bottom line of any choice they make.

Somewhere, someone decided that our audience is not sustainable or worth advertising to, is not even worth keeping around, and that’s the real danger.

[sasukimimochi]

MDZS PROJECT MASTER POST!

Hi everyone!

I've changed the way that this is set up by using google drive to outsource each section bc my post was breaking, this new setup makes it easier to edit and of course the post i'm using can continue to be used without breaking.

The hyperlinks attached to the titles are generally the "first chapter" or "part" for the AU or the source for the information about the AU. some of them don't have a lot of info so they're just linked to their original posts, but the big ones have larger sources on google drive!

BEFORE YOU START READING, make sure you're looking at my original post so you can see the most up to date version.

See the full post without all the fuss here on google drive.

MASTERPOST UPDATED LAST: [ 10/5/23 ]

.✦"Ghost of Mine" / GOM - RATED EXPLICIT [ACTIVE] CH 20/?

See the full section and art list here. (you can also read about RHFF & TWPT there).

GOM SPINOFFS:

"Rose Hips and Flushed Fingertips" / RHFF [working on in bg]

"The Wild Plum Tree" / TWPT [working on in bg]

.✦“Son of the Yiling Laozu” / SOTYL - Rated Mature* [Inactive] *(Rating may adjust to Explicit if i deem it bad enough, but i'm just not sure all of what is gonna be in it despite having a good chunk of outline done).

See/Read more about SOTYL here.

.✦“Clash of Immortals” / COI - Rated Explicit [casual updates]

See/Read more about COI here.

.✦“In My Blood, Stardust Blooms” / IMBSB - Rated Mature* [casual updates] *(Rating may change depending on if i don't add anything explicit).

See/Read more about IMBSB here.

.✦“The Dead Keep Walking” / TDKW - Rated General* [casual updates] *maybe Teen if gross things are described, tbh more likely to be teen but not sure.

See/Read more about TDKW here.

.✦"Possession of the Burial Mounds" - Rated Explicit [casual updates] *Rating may change (rn its explicit for dark themes/"spice".)

PBM is a short project revolving around wwx becoming "wrong" during his 3 months missing in burial mounds.

Music playlist!

.✦Salt & Vinegar - Rated ??? [inactive]

Prompt

.✦He's Definitely Sober - Rated ??? [inactive]

Prompt

.✦Breaking Dawn - Rated Mature [Casual Updates]

Shattered Reflections (Origin story)

Breaking Dawn isn't quite modern, but it is later than mdzs time setting. No summary written yet, but all you need to know is that werewolves exist in this universe.

.✦The Night We Met - Rated ??? [Paused]

(Merxian/Traveler!Lwj AU) + Merxian/Merji AU (unnamed) - might tie this to Merxian/Traveler!Lwj au.

MerJi/TravelerJi WIP / Wangxian Prompt 1 WIP MerXian sketch / MerXian 1 (nudity & wips) MerXian 2 (sfw)  / MerXian 3 (B&W) Wangxian Prompt 1 cont. sketch Stay with me (prompt 6 + art) Deleted Scene for prompt 7 Allure of decency MerXian sketch (referred to in prompt 6 and 7) Deep Sea MerXian Edit (along with the Ao3 link for the ficlet collection).

I created these two mermay au's for mermay prompts i wrote. You can read the prompts on Ao3 as well.

Music Playlist here.

.✦Suns Out, Buns Out! - Mature

BunXian Design (link to ficlet) BunHuan Design (and ficlet)

Random Wangxian/mdzs things:

Emoji writing prompts He's a biter ficlet for @/Jiaoji (canon-themed mdzs with divergance) Ao3 "fluffles" collection, where you can find all my ficlets together (minus The Night We Met and other au's that are to be posted individually).

-

[nick--knack]

A while ago I said I was going to make a post about my favourite tank and, well, here it is. A post about none other than the Burstyn-Motorgeschütz.

Having been invented in Austria-Hungary during 1911, the Motorgeschütz was ahead of it's time. it's draft design was more advanced than some tanks seen during world war 1, and one could argue that it was the very first tank to ever exist...

Backstory

The idea for the Motorgeschütz first came around when a man named Gunther Burstyn was invited by his cousin to go on a torpedo boat trip during his service in 1903. Burstyn was impressed by the boats speed, power, and armour, and this led him to the idea of creating a 'land torpedo boat' powered by a gasoline engine. He figured that such a vehicle would need to be able to travel off-road and over trenches if it were to be used in battle.

Later on he attended an engineering school where he visited an Automotive Exhibition in Vienna in 1906. There he saw the Austro-Daimler Panzerautomobil which was essentially just an armoured car. Burstyn saw the potential in the vehicle, but he saw the wheels as a big limitation because wheels made it easier for one to get stuck in mud and harder to drive over ditches and trenches.

Once he finished his engineering school and got promoted, he stayed in Trento between 1906 to 1908 where he discovered 'plate chains' used on heavy guns to reduce ground pressure. This gave him the idea 'hmm, what if we wrapped this stuff around several wheels at a time to even out the weight of the vehicle?'

Finally, with all these things in mind Burstyn set out to draw up the first blueprints of the motorgeschütz in 1911 and eagerly send them off to the Austro-Hungarian war ministry with high hopes that his invention will catch their interest.

The Design

Now when it comes to the design of the Motorgeschütz, it's quite hard to describe because of how vague it's blueprints were. Hell, you could even say that it's unknown which side was the front of it since it was never explicitly stated where the driver sat.

The only parts of the blueprints that weren't too vague were the arms of the Motorgeschütz. The arms at the back were operated by the crew member at the rear, and the arms at the front were operated by the crew member in the turret.

While arms would've indeed make it easier to get over obstacles and drive over trenches as shown, it also came with some complications of its own. Arms lifting the vehicle would cause it to shift it's weight risking the possibility of losing traction and getting suck in muddy terrain.

Results and Conclusion

The Austro-Hungarian war ministry turned Burstyn's idea down 3 months after he had submitted it, stating that they didn't see enough potential in it to be worth the investment. Not only that, but they also pointed out that the blueprints for the vehicle were far too vague. They stated that if Burstyn wanted his motorgeschütz to be made, he would be the one to pay for it which obviously he couldn't.

Burstyn wouldn't give up that easily, though, because right after this he approached the German war ministry to file a patent... only to be turned down again. A couple last-resort attempts that involved going to the press to have news articles written about his invention were made but alas, it failed to draw in support.

Austria-Hungary ended up going to war without a single armoured vehicle in 1914, and without a single tank overall for the rest of the war. Had the motorgeschütz been built, it certainly would've given the country more of an advantage in WW1 but it's hard to say if it would have enough of an impact to change the outcome entirely.

Now why is this tank my favourite tank? Because I think it looks funny :))) that's all.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed my ramble.