#audio alternatives abound

[takami-takami]

Happy Birthday.

includes— hawks. severe angst. hurt/no comfort.

warnings— very grotesque trauma reaction. emeto. blood. ptsd. i cannot stress enough to be careful and avoid this if it's triggering.

There's a bloodstain on the tip of his shoes.

With ankles dragged back by clinking, weighted chains, Hawks pulls himself through the doors of his sanitized apartment. Keigo steps out the other side.

He blinks. Keigo blinks. Hawks blinks in turn, up and a little to the left of his body.

His home looks familiar, unchanged as it always does. Hand-selected specifically for their one and only golden boy, the commission itself furnished the living room shades of steel and icy blue. It's a garnish on a dish served cold, a pop of color adorning an empty plate.

He never did like the color blue. It clashes with his eyes; but at least it isn't red.

Keigo detests the color red.

Keigo has always detested the color red.

The first is simply a hurdle, they say. A celebratory milestone for budding saviors in his line of work. The death was clean, they congratulated, handshakes abound as blurry bodies in suits pat his back, groping the flesh of his shoulders like proud fathers.

What did you make me do?

What did you make me do, what did you make me do, what did I do—

There's a bloodstain on the side of his shoes.

With a thud and a click of metal doors behind him, the boy is left alone to watch the spinning furniture through bleary, fogged eyes. Wrinkled at the corners, they blink closed and open again, nearly reptilian in motion and blooded just as cold.

His heart thumps heavily, but not swiftly.

For now, the flow of his veins keeps still, a far cry from his swimming vision. It's a dam, an artificial protective mechanism constructed by cognition factors of the brain; but numb is better than the alternative. Numb is better than the spilling rapids that threaten to splash over the edges and overflow.

He supposes it's better, that is. God knows he doesn't know anything else.

Seventeen years old— eighteen, now. Someone should invent a number for how old he feels.

There's a bloodstain on the bottom of his shoes.

They'll have to replace the linoleum tile. He'd rather scrub it clean himself; a mental note.

He clicks his headphones on to divert his attention before he remembers his hero training: associated sights and sounds can attach to memories, so he should distract a civilian as best he can to keep them grounded. This is his favorite song, and he would hate to dirty it by connecting it to an unwanted neuron or two. Frantic, he tries desperately to erase the lyrics, the title, the tune from memory. He tries to preserve its original, untouched state. The audio waves lose their clarity, muddied and corrupted and glitchy; so he taps next far too many times.

The corrective action simply smears the grime along the melody, and he yanks his headphones off for peace of mind.

All that is left to hear is thrumming white noise.

As he stands unmoving, the silence rings in his ears like the consistent drip of a leaky faucet. Eerily, liminally, buzzingly still, it rings in its silence. It is silent in its ring.

Everything is still, everything is the same and there is nothing he can do, nothing has changed but everything has changed and—

Something is sitting on the coffee table.

It's new.

A crisp, white slip of paper, signed and dated courtesy of the Hero Public Safety Commission.

A check.

The water of his blood runs cold, draining rapid off the sides as it begins to rush and overflow.

Entirely without his permission, his scraggly form doubles over and retches, fingertips smearing against the glass of the coffee table before his arms fly out like they're searching for something. Crash and clatter, the deafening sounds ring out, preselected decorations from industry-class interior designers knocked off the glass as he grips.

Hands tap once, twice on the surface, before a palm darts up to cover his gagging mouth. His eyes widen, bloodshot, dashing left and right—

Until he sees it, sitting isolated by the television set.

Still on his feet, he nearly tumbles as he crawls over to grip it with both hands, emptying his guts into the pretty, pristine, perfect, prepackaged and plastic bin.

Someone tucked a bag in it, lining around the inside to keep the object fresh and free of bacteria and clutter and dirt. It's almost rather thoughtful. The film crinkles loud as he vomits.

His knees thud against the tile of the bloody linoleum, emptying and emptying himself in garbled chokes and chunks, until the infection of the bile ceases to rise; until all that's left for him to give is the spittle of his sputtered coughs, the patter of clear tears that plop and mix into the mess below.

Hands trembling along the rim, Keigo hiccups.

All clean.

My nose stings, he thinks, sniffling as he pinches it. It feels like acid. It probably is.

Up he rises on shaky legs, wiping his face with the back of his grimy glove. Plucking the paper from its place on the table, he drops it in the bin. It laughs at him, the inked letters morphing into a cheshire sneer.

He tries to forget its sum, generating random strings of numbers in his head to confuse his neurons— three, seven, five, two.

Once the silence drapes over his shoulders like filthy, clipped wings, he almost misses the sound of retching. It's preferable to the silence; at least, he thinks it could be. God knows he doesn't know anything else.

His dispatch monitor buzzes firm against his thigh— an alarm.

Oh, that's right.

He nearly forgot to clock out.

There's a bloodstain on the inside of his shoes.

[dhr-ao3]

[Podfic] Paris

[Podfic] Paris https://ift.tt/YgX8JVz by PaperCraneAudiobooks Happy 2023! This one-shot takes place in the AVO universe, about 7 years after the end of the main (pre-epilogue) story from AVO. If you haven't read AVO, please do not read this! Spoilers abound! Podfic of Paris by Twin_Flame_Blues. Words: 22, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M Characters: Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Harry Potter, Cho Chang, George Weasley, Theodore Nott, Padma Patil, Blaise Zabini, Luna Lovegood, Pansy Parkinson Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy Additional Tags: BAMF Hermione Granger, POV Hermione Granger, Good Draco Malfoy, Praise Kink, Light Dom/sub, Enthusiastic Consent, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dirty Talk, Good Narcissa Black Malfoy, Podfic, Podfic Length: 45-60 Minutes, Audio Format: M4B, Audio Format: Streaming, Audio Format: Download via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/pFOYPBb April 10, 2024 at 04:20PM

[afiliateglobalhub]

The Power of Small Tasks

Unlocking Online Earnings: The Power of Small Tasks

In the era of digital technology, the internet has expanded into a huge marketplace where people may look into a wide range of options for making money. The idea of doing little chores for money is one of the newest trends in online earning. The gig economy has created a plethora of opportunities for everyone, be it a professional searching for a side gig or a student looking for some additional pocket money.

The Rise of Microtasks

Microtasks are brief, online assignments that should be finished quickly. These jobs might be anything from image tagging and content control to data input and online surveys. These microtasks are used by both people and businesses to effectively crowdsource work, dividing more complex projects into manageable chunks that may be assigned to a wide range of workers.

Platforms for Microtasking

In order to link task seekers and people in need of their services, a number of sites have emerged. Many people congregate on well-known websites such as Amazon Mechanical Turk, Clickworker, and Microworkers, where an abundance of microtasks are awaiting completion. These platforms serve as go-betweens, making deals easier and guaranteeing a just deal for taskers and people looking for their services.

Diversification of Microtasks

The variety of microtasking is what makes it so beautiful. Activities can be divided into many categories to suit a variety of interests and ability levels. There are tasks for audio transcription if that's your thing. Proofreading jobs abound if you have an eye for detail and the ability to identify content problems. Opportunities abound, with graphic design, data analysis, and even virtual help tasks among the many possibilities.

Flexibility and Accessibility

The freedom that comes with earning money through microtasks is one of its main benefits. Microtasks are something you can do at your own pace whether you're a stay-at-home mom, a full-time worker, or a freelancer with irregular work. You can easily include online earning into your everyday routine by selecting projects based on your talents and availability.

Additionally, microtasking is available to a worldwide audience. Participation in the gig economy is now possible for people all over the world because to the internet. With a dependable internet connection and rudimentary computer skills, you may take advantage of these opportunities from almost any location.

Scaling Up with Skill Development

Even while microtasks are frequently straightforward and don't call for specific talents, there is a chance for people to increase their income by learning new skills. Many sites pay extra for more difficult jobs, like graphic design, social media management, and coding. You can access better-paying gig economy possibilities by consistently enhancing your skill set.

Challenges and Considerations

Even with its benefits, microtasking has drawbacks of its own. Individual activities may pay very little, and building up a substantial revenue may take some time. Furthermore, because microtasks are temporary in nature, they could not be a reliable source of income. It is imperative that people approach microtasking with reasonable expectations and look into a variety of venues in order to diversify their sources of revenue.

Conclusion

Many people now find that earning money online by performing little jobs is a feasible alternative because it offers flexibility, accessibility, and growth potential. People can use their time and talents to contribute meaningfully to a variety of initiatives while earning extra money as the gig economy develops. Microtasking is a dynamic and easily accessible way to take part in the constantly growing internet marketplace, regardless of your background or career aspirations.

[anime745]

Soap2Day vs. Roku Channel Store: Which Offers Better Content?

When it comes to streaming content, options abound in the digital age. Roku, known for its diverse selection of channels, and Soap2Day, a website offering free access to a wide range of movies and TV shows, are two popular choices for viewers seeking entertainment. But how do they compare in terms of content libraries, quality, and user experiences? In this analysis, we'll dive into the world of streaming to help you decide which platform better suits your preferences.

Content Libraries

Soap2Day: Soap2Day is a website that hosts a vast library of movies and TV shows, ranging from the latest blockbusters to classic films. It offers a broad selection of genres, including action, romance, sci-fi, and more. While the content library is extensive, it's essential to note that much of the content available on Soap2Day is unauthorized and may infringe on copyright laws. As such, the availability of specific titles can be inconsistent, as they may come and go due to legal issues.

Roku Channel Store: The Roku Channel Store provides access to a diverse range of channels, both free and premium. It features well-known streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, along with niche channels catering to various interests. The content available in the Roku Channel Store is generally legal, licensed, and up to industry standards.

Content Quality

Soap2Day: The quality of content on Soap2Day can vary widely. While you may find high-definition versions of some movies and TV shows, the source of the content is often questionable. Some users report encountering low-quality streams, buffering issues, and playback errors. Additionally, Soap2Day's content may lack subtitles or alternate audio tracks, limiting accessibility for some viewers.

Roku Channel Store: Streaming services in the Roku Channel Store typically provide high-quality content. Major platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ offer content in various resolutions, including 4K Ultra HD. These services prioritize user experience, offering features like closed captions, multiple audio tracks, and adaptive streaming to ensure smooth playback.

User Experiences

Soap2Day: Using Soap2Day can be a mixed experience. On the positive side, Soap2Day is accessible without the need for a subscription or payment, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious viewers. However, the user interface and navigation can be less user-friendly than dedicated streaming platforms. Soap2Day is ad-supported, so users can expect to encounter ads during their streaming sessions. Additionally, the legal gray area surrounding Soap2Day raises concerns about privacy and potential risks.

Roku Channel Store: The Roku Channel Store offers a user-friendly experience. Roku devices come with a simple and intuitive interface that allows users to navigate channels easily. Most channels in the store offer user profiles, personalized recommendations, and smooth playback. Roku also provides customer support and ensures that users have a secure and stable streaming environment.

Legal Implications

Soap2Day: Using Soap2Day to stream copyrighted content without proper authorization may violate copyright laws in your country. Engaging in such activities can have legal consequences, including potential fines and legal action from copyright holders or anti-piracy organizations.

Roku Channel Store: Streaming from the Roku Channel Store involves using legal and licensed services, ensuring that you are on the right side of copyright laws. You can enjoy content without worrying about potential legal repercussions associated with unauthorized streaming.

Conclusion

In the comparison between Soap2Day and the Roku Channel Store, the latter emerges as the safer and more reliable option for streaming content. While Soap2Day offers a vast library of content, its legality is questionable, and the quality and user experience may be inconsistent. Roku, on the other hand, provides access to well-established streaming services that prioritize content quality, user experience, and legal compliance.

Ultimately, the choice between Soap2Day and Roku's Channel Store comes down to your preferences and priorities. If you value legality, content quality, and a seamless user experience, the Roku Channel Store is the better option. However, if you are willing to accept the risks associated with unofficial streaming sources and prioritize cost savings, Soap2Day may be tempting. Regardless of your choice, it's crucial to be aware of the legal implications and potential risks involved in your streaming habits, and always consider supporting content creators through legal means.

[akikoyamane]

State No. 3

状態 No. 3（2022） for any number of performers

任意の既成楽曲を複数同時に演奏する Play several freely-selected ready-made pieces at the same time.

photo: Fumiaki Fujimoto premiere performance [AUDIO]

commissioned by Kanagawa Kenmin Hall premiered by Tatsuki Narita, Inae Jeong, Takuya Otaki 10th Sep. 2022 Kanagawa Kenmin Hall

初演時プログラムノート

ひとつの状態持続に焦点を当てて構造を廃し、状態そのものを鑑賞・観察することを目的とした作品群の一曲。最初の動機として、一歩コンサートホールを出た時に現代の高度消費社会に溢れる聴覚現象を捉えるために制作を始めた。これまでNo.1「パチンコの実機をプレイする」、No. 2「任意の既成楽曲を騒音とともに演奏する」をそれぞれ舞台上で実践してきた。今回初演するNo.3は「任意の既成楽曲を複数同時に演奏する」というひとつの状態のみを提示するテキストピースである。

特定の作品の引用ではなく、どの作品をどれだけ重ねるかは演奏毎に決められるため、重ね方には無限のパターンがある。自律した既成楽曲を代替可能な編集対象として取り込む作品は多く存在するが、ここでは「ひとつの状態」つまり上部にある構造ではなく何かが「重なっていること」そのものの体感が目的であり、持続の内側に分け入るという点において作曲家ラ・モンテ・ヤング作品との共通点、その影響を有する。都市やメディアをはじめ現代の日常空間で頻繁に遭遇する、複数の自律したBGMなど人が作った音楽（特にピッチ感、リズム感において中心への求心力をくっきり有したもの）同士が無作為に重なる環境や刺激、消費形態について。ホールという集中可能な空間にひとつの状態を持ち込み、直視する。

This piece is one of the series of works that focus on a sound texture, abolishing structure in order to observe the state itself. As an initial motivation, I started this work to capture the aural phenomena that abound in today's high consumption society when one steps out of a concert hall. So far, No. 1 "Play an (some) actual pachinko machine (s) by one or more performers" and No. 2 "Play any ready-made piece(s) of music with noise" have been performed on stage respectively. This No. 3 is a text piece that presents only one situation, "Play several arbitrary ready-made pieces at the same time".

In the score, since it is not a quotation from specific works, but rather a decision is made on a performance-by-performance basis as to which pieces to layer and how, there are infinite patterns of layering. While there are already many works that include autonomous ready-made music as an alternative editable material, the purpose here is to experience "one state," that is, the "layering" texture rather than a structure. I feel empathy with and am influenced by the works of La Monte Young in terms of entering into the inner sound (drone, one state). Concert halls are the space in which it is possible to concentrate and look directly at a single state of being.

[SCORE]

Anyone can perform this text score. The copyright(s) of the “ready-made piece(s)” used must be taken into account and treated accordingly depending on the performance. You are very welcome to send me reports and recordings.

back to CONCEPTUAL PIECES

[malec-ao3feed]

[Podfic] The Haunting of Lightwood Hall

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/xdOhklj by bonibaru A mysterious death shakes the foundations of one of the Clave's oldest families, and the handsome but standoffish Lord Alexander Lightwood is a prime suspect. Spirits are restless and secrets abound - can the psychic Magnus Bane solve the mystery without putting his own heart at risk? Words: 44, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Shadowhunters (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood, Jace Wayland, Maryse Lightwood, Isabelle Lightwood, Sebastian Verlac, Lydia Branwell, Aline Penhallow, Raphael Santiago, Camille Belcourt Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Regency, Slow Burn, Protective Magnus Bane, Protective Alec Lightwood, Romance, Light Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Regency Romance, Murder Mystery, ghost story, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Past Character Death, Minor Character Death, The Main Characters Don't Die, But It's A Ghost Story So, You Know At Least Someone Has Died, Because that's how you get ghosts, Podfic, Podfic & Podficced Works, Podfic Length: 6-7 Hours, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming, Read by the Author read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/xdOhklj

[theggning]

I Hate the Alternate Ending of Blind Betrayal, and Here's Why!

DISCLAIMER THE FIRST: Massive spoilers for Fallout 4 abound. This post discusses Blind Betrayal, a quest with suicide as a heavy theme. Content warning applies.

DISCLAIMER THE SECOND: This post discusses cut OFFICIAL content from Fallout 4 that has since been repurposed into multiple mods. I am not criticizing any modders or their implementations of this content. Mods are fun and people can enjoy whatever the hell kind of game experience they want with whatever mods they want.

I am ONLY interested in discussing the original cut content as Bethesda had written it, and how it would have impacted the story and lore of Fallout 4.

So, yeah, it seems there was originally going to be another way to conclude Blind Betrayal (BB).

As described in this Kotaku article (citing this post by Tumblr user tentacle-explosion,) there are unused audio files of Danse’s dialogue that show an alternate ending to his pivotal quest. These lines are the only evidence we have of this ending (suggesting that it was cut fairly early on, as no other actors/characters seem to have recorded for it.)

From what we can tell, in this alternate ending of BB, Danse comes up with a possible way out of the sticky situation re: his identity as a synth. According to the Brotherhood Litany, he is able to challenge Maxson’s authority as Elder via combat. If you agree to this idea, you go with Danse to challenge Maxson. The Paladin and the Elder duel one another, Danse wins, and Maxson dies. Then Danse names the Sole Survivor the new Elder-- or with a hard charisma check, you’re able to convince Danse to take the job himself. It is unknown how the main plot would have progressed beyond this point, as there is no other evidence of what being (or influencing) the Elder would have been like or what choices it would have given you.

There is understandable disappointment in learning that this ending was cut. Choices in games are great, and it could have been fun to have multiple different options for how to resolve the quest. In many gaming circles, people complain that this theoretical ending is superior to the one we got and shouldn’t have been axed. The Kotaku article calls it a “way better” ending, and you’ll see many players lamenting that it wasn’t implemented, saying Bethesda was bad at writing for cutting it, etc.

So why did Bethesda get rid of the Elder ending of BB?

In December 2020, after the Fallout 4 Cast Reunion, Danse’s voice actor Peter Jessop answered questions in a private signing session on his Instagram. Peter Jessop is an extremely kind and gracious man, an avid gamer, and a huge fan of Fallout. During the stream, he reflected on the alternate ending and remembered recording the lines, but stated the content was ultimately cut because Bethesda decided it was lore-breaking.

Peter Jessop is right. Bethesda was right. The Elder ending of BB is a bunch of dumb nonsense. It sucks, I hate it, and I’m glad they got rid of it. And now I’m going to tell you why!

SIDENOTE: King Shit of Fuck Mountain

There is no wrong way to play a single-player video game. If you are having fun, then you are accomplishing the task for which the game was made. Good for you! Play it on easy. Play it on hard. Mod it. Speedrun it. Make up an intricate roleplaying scenario. Perform “challenge” runs. Kill everybody you see. Ignore the story and run around collecting wheels of cheese. Games are meant to be fun and there is nothing wrong with enjoying a game however you damn well please. This is especially true for RPGs like Fallout, which are designed with player freedom in mind.

There is an RPG playstyle I like to call King Shit of Fuck Mountain: a naked power fantasy in which your protagonist is the most powerful person ever, even beyond normal RPG plot significance. Through brute strength, incredible charisma, or having completed tons of quests for world-breaking artifacts and weapons, your character wields godlike influence, able to control people, factions, and the fabric of the world itself. A game enables KSoFM gameplay when it allows the player limitless freedom to gain as much power as they like with zero consequences to plot or storytelling.

A great example of this is the Dragonborn in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. If the player chooses to pursue every questline in the game, one single person can become Harbinger of the Companions, Archmage of the College of Winterhold, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, Nightingale and Guildmaster of the Thieves’ Guild, hero of the Imperial/Stormcloak army, the chosen one of like, 11 different Daedric princes, a bard, a Blade, and otherwise just, absurdly goddamn powerful in completely unrealistic ways. And that’s not counting DLCs. A fully-kitted-out Dragonborn is King Shit of Fuck Mountain.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with playing KSoFM if you like to. But I’m not a big fan of this style, personally. Sure, my first Skyrim character became KSoFM while I was figuring out the game, but after my first playthrough I preferred my characters become coherent figures in the story of the world. I pick one or two character traits and things that my Dragonborn is good at, focus on them, and make them part of some overall story. My honorable Imperial paladin werewolf is in the Companions, and hunts vampires on principle. My Argonian sneaky archer is a gleeful thief, but would never jive with the College or the Dark Brotherhood. I like creating protagonists who fit into these settings immersively. I don’t care about power fantasies or being in charge. I don’t WANT my character to be all-powerful, because that ruins my immersion and my little story.

Additionally, in a plot-driven story-focused game like Fallout, KSoFM tears the narrative apart. Skyrim is fairly light on story, so the Dragonborn can be the leader of the Companions and the Dark Brotherhood and whatever other factions without any of them noticing or caring. But FO4’s themes, faction drama, and the main thrust of the plot don’t work at all if the Sole Survivor is able to become too powerful or too influential. The Sole Survivor cannot become the leader of every faction, solve every problem, or eliminate every inconvenient bend of the conflict because it makes the lore of the entire setting implode. Thus, the game forces you to choose between factions. You cannot be with the Minutemen and the Nuka-World Raiders. You cannot be with the Railroad and the Institute. And you cannot become Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel.

So if you’re the kind of person who loves playing KSoFM, if you like plots that your character can “solve” with relative ease, or if you just think it would be super cool for your Sole to become Elder regardless of surrounding storytelling, then you might think the Elder ending sounds super cool. You are absolutely allowed to disagree with me here. Install all the mods and write all the fic and have all the headcanons you like. I respect that. There is no wrong way to enjoy a single-player video game. Have fun!

But if you’re a big nitpicky pedantic lore nerd like me, a fan of cohesive storytelling, or if you just want to hear how the Elder ending of BB absolutely fucking ruins Maxson, Danse, the Brotherhood of Steel, and the entire plot of FO4 from a narrative perspective, read on!

1. The Synth Thing

The Elder ending requires the stupid plot contrivance of the BoS forgetting about Danse’s synthhood.

One of the biggest problems with the BoS as an institution is their strict and dogmatic beliefs, which include a widespread dislike of non-human species. Perhaps more than any other non-humans, the BoS hates synths. Synths are, in their eyes, machines given free will, a violation of the sanctity of human life and the ultimate example of technology run amok. To them, synths are not sympathetic, they are not slaves, and they are not victims of circumstance. They are weapons that left unchecked will destroy all of humanity for a second time. Synths are anathema to everything the BoS stands for, and finding out that one of their most beloved and trusted Paladins is one is an earth-shattering blow to their integrity and sense of security.

It is completely absurd that the BoS would allow a synth within their ranks, particularly as they are waging war against the Institute, who created synths in the first place. It is even MORE absurd that they’d allow one to influence their Elder, or even worse, to become Elder. It completely undermines their mission in the Commonwealth, and the core tenets of their extremely rigid beliefs. No matter the Elder, no matter the Litany or obscure BoS law, no matter how valuable the Sole Survivor is as a soldier or how much influence they wield. Danse is a synth. He’s the enemy. He is physically the embodiment of everything they hate.

Not only wouldn’t they trust a synth in general, but the BoS specifically believes that Danse is an infiltrator for the Institute. Even Danse believes that he is a danger, that the Institute may be able to take control of him and use him as a weapon. Sure, we know none of this is actually true, or possible, but the BoS don’t know that. And given how quick they are to order Danse dead without even the possibility of surrender, I don’t think there’s any charisma in the world that’s going to convince them otherwise.

According to Peter Jessop, this, ultimately, is the reason why the Elder ending was cut. He talks about it around the 11:30 timestamp in his Instagram stream, linked above:

“We recorded an ending where you keep Danse alive and you take over the Brotherhood. But there was a question of content… there’s no way the Brotherhood, once they knew he was a synth, would let him be even the right hand of the person in charge.”

Bethesda correctly recognized the incredible narrative contrivance for the BoS to shrug off the reason they’re trying to execute Danse in the first place. Whatever other beefs I have with this ending conceptually, they all come in second to just what a big dumb leap it is to get beyond this first and most important problem.

2. The Complete Death of Conflict

The Elder ending of BB destroys the conflict of the quest, and potentially the conflict of the entire game.

Greed is a poison. There is no such thing as a perfect ideal or a perfect organization. Power corrupts. Humanity has the choice to build back better. War never changes. The Fallout games are full of themes, depicted by the characters and quests and factions we play out.

Blind Betrayal is rightfully praised as one of the most powerful quests in FO4. Not only is it well-acted, but it puts the player in a very difficult position. The BoS has given you clout and glory and free power armor and lots of firepower, but now you see the price: unquestioning obedience. You are ordered to execute your friend and mentor Danse for the mere fact he is a synth. Are you going to follow that unjust order? Are you willing to give up your principles on command? Or is this where you can no longer stay quiet and stay in line?

To be honest, I’ve always thought the fact you can talk Maxson out of killing Danse but still remain with the BoS in good standing was a cop-out. BB goes 90% of the way to forcing you to choose between a companion and a faction, and then chickens out at the last second to let you have both, if your charisma is high enough.

(I believe this has the fingerprints of Skyrim’s development on it-- Bethesda’s writers got nervous about doing another Paarthurnax choice involving the fan favorite Brotherhood of Steel. That’s right. Danse is the Paarthurnax of Fallout. Frankly, I understand why they chose not to go there, but damn, wouldn’t it have been wild? You want to run with the BoS? Then kill your friend and feel the burn. THIS is what it means to follow orders without question.

As for me, I’d pick Danse every time and sleep soundly without the company of shitty bootlicking dieselpunk LARPers- but I digress.)

Anyway, you know what would have REALLY been a copout? If the game asked you to make a difficult thematic storyline choice, and you solved the problem by just not choosing at all.

You are supposed to feel uncomfortable when Maxson orders you to kill Danse, because the game is telling a story about how it is maybe a bad thing to thoughtlessly follow orders without question. It is asking you to think about what the BoS is, what they are doing, and how they are going to run things, if you choose to let them “win” the Commonwealth. It is pointing out that there is no room for gray in the BoS’ black and white. That a good, loyal man may die because of the way he was made, through no action of his own. That soon, you’ll be killing other people on command. The Railroad. Fleeing Institute synths and scientists. Others, down the line. It all depends on who’s giving the orders. Are you going to follow those orders?

Eesh, that sounds thought-provoking and unpleasant and difficult! Let’s just skip it by killing Maxson and making ourselves the boss. Now we get to tell everybody else what to do!

It’s unknown what powers the Elder ending would have granted the player, or how it would have interacted with the other factions. There is speculation that you’d have been able to ease back on the BoS’ dogmatism, or change some of the later events of the game. For instance, perhaps you could talk the BoS down from attacking the Railroad, sparing popular characters like Glory and Deacon who must die in the normal BoS storyline. Perhaps you could have made the BoS a kinder, gentler faction and directed them to run the way you want them to.

If this was indeed the case, then the Elder ending would not only suck the gravitas out of BB, but torpedo the entire main plot.

If you can get rid of any and all downsides to siding with the BoS, why in the hell would players side with anybody else? With the player given total power, the BoS becomes a perfect faction with no drawbacks, no weaknesses, no tough decisions to be made. Screw slumming it with the Railroad or the Minutemen, let’s take over the BoS. Free power armor and a giant robot! Forget the whole intolerance thing, I hereby proclaim the BoS No Longer Problematic! Now to force all the factions to get along, completely removing all conflict and nuance from the plot!

That’s some real anticlimactic “tell Legate Lanius to go home and then he does it” bullshit right there. King Shit of Fuck Mountain!

Look, it might be nice if there was a perfect path like that to take through the game. It would be cool if our characters could be that powerful and the game was that tailored to our individual choices. On the other hand, “I change all the factions to suit my exact liking” might be a fun idea for a fanfic, but it’s an incredibly boring plot for a video game. “I get to make everything in the world exactly how I want it” is Minecraft, not a story-driven RPG with a complex and intricate plot.

It would be great if complex conflicts could really be solved that easily and effortlessly, but hey, you know what? War never changes.

3. The Assassination of Arthur Maxson (Literal)

Arthur Maxson’s death is too significant and fundamentally disastrous for the Elder ending to make any sense at all.

Hero, villain, leader, monster, tortured soul, brutal dictator, immature twerp, bearded sex hunk. However you personally interpret Arthur Maxson, there is no denying that he is a venerated, popular, beloved figure in the BoS. He is the blood heir of the organization’s founder, a powerful warrior, a brilliant tactician, and a charismatic negotiator. He is responsible for reuniting the East Coast BoS with the Outcasts, leading the new, stronger BoS with a sense of shared purpose. There is a damn good reason his name is Arthur and he named his ship The Prydwen, echoes of King Arthur and the legends of his glorious kingdom of Camelot. Arthur Maxson is so beloved that many view him as a demigod, a messiah sent to lead the BoS into a mighty and prosperous future.

So I’m sure nobody’s going to be upset when some wasteland jackass recruited a month ago stumbles in with a synth, kills him, and takes over his job. Right?

It doesn’t matter that it’s “honorable.” It doesn’t matter that it’s done “by the book” via obscure BoS rules. There is no codex or litany or rule so binding that it’s going to overcome the cult of personality around Maxson. There is no way that the BoS is going to accept the death of Arthur Maxson, a man whose reverence borders on worship, especially not when he is immediately replaced by a wastelander, or a synth.

The death of Arthur Maxson removes the unifying glue that’s been holding the BoS together since mending the rift with the Outcasts. Maxson’s death eliminates the one person that both sides of that conflict agreed could steer the organization in the right direction. Some level heads may try to keep the focus on the mission and the Brotherhood tenets, but Maxson loyalists will never forgive the new Elder for his death, and that amount of passionate righteous anger will not be quelled by appeals to the rules. The new Elder’s war on the Institute is basically over before it begins, when the forces splinter and start infighting over the change in leadership.

And this is if the new Elder lives long enough to actually give any orders. I give them around 24 hours after the duel before some angry Maxson loyalist “accidentally” pulls the trigger and “tragically” empties a clip into their back.

24 seconds, if it’s Elder Danse, the dirty synth abomination.

4. The Assassination of Arthur Maxson (Figurative)

The Elder ending of BB falsely pretends that Arthur Maxson is the biggest and only problem with the BoS.

In the Elder ending, as written, the conflict of BB is considered completely and totally solved by the death of Arthur Maxson. The core problem, that Danse is a synth and considered an enemy by the BoS, has not gone away. But by getting rid of Maxson, this apparently no longer matters. Nobody else is going to take offense to Danse’s nature or protest his presence. Nobody else is going to attack him or try to follow through with Maxson’s prior orders. Nope, that meanybutt guy who gave the order is gone, and everybody else is going to welcome Danse back into the fold like nothing ever happened.

I touched on this a little bit on an ask about Maxson a few weeks back, but a lot of people seem to believe that the FO4 Brotherhood of Steel is the way they are purely because of him. That he is the one making them treat non-humans as second class citizens at best, and enemies to be slaughtered at worst. That it’s his fault the BoS is so vehemently against synths and the Institute. That he is the one influencing their imperialistic tendencies, and treating the Commonwealth like territory to be conquered and people to be ruled over by their betters.

He’s not. That’s the Brotherhood of Steel, guys.

The charitable, altruistic, virtuous BoS that many of us met for the first time in FO3 were outliers. Lyons’ group was literally disowned by the rest of the faction because their kindness to wastelanders had gone so far astray from the “core” tenets. The BoS as a whole has always been exclusive, isolated, and seen themselves as “superior” to the average wastelander. They have long disliked or outright hated non-humans (and even Lyons’ BoS in FO3 use ghouls, feral or not, for “target practice” if they get too close!) The rigid dogmatism of the BoS is not something that Arthur Maxson started, but has always been part of their fabric.

Now, it’s true that Maxson is absolutely going hard on the BoS tenets, and extremely dedicated to upholding them. His BoS are the way they are and act the way they act because he believes that this is the way it should be. Is it possible that a different leader may be a little more flexible? Absolutely. Could a skilled Elder eventually show them the benefits of a softer approach and a more generous worldview? Totally. Is getting rid of Maxson and replacing him going to make that happen overnight, or going to make the rest of the BoS who supported him shrug and follow suit?

Nope.

Blaming Arthur Maxson for everything unsavory about the Brotherhood is unfair to him and also foolishly ignoring the deep, massive problems that are far older than he is-- problems that plenty of its members wholeheartedly believe are not problems at all. Getting rid of Maxson does not make the BoS kinder or gentler. Even pretending Maxson isn’t as personally beloved as he is, any new Elder who steps in and starts trying to fundamentally alter the way the BoS operates and what they believe in is going to face some major, immediate pushback.

Like, a full clip of bullets in the back type of pushback.

In the face if it’s Elder Danse, the godless freak of nature.

5. The Un-Redemption of Paladin Danse

Last, and my personal least favorite!

At first glance, Paladin Danse is a steely jackboot, a die-hard Brotherhood loyalist who fully and firmly believes in their cause. Many immediately dismiss him as a humorless brute, or completely ignore him because they think that’s all there is. But if you spend any time with Danse at all, you’ll notice a sort of weariness in him. He is tired, overworked, and his years of service are starting to weigh on him. He has watched friends, comrades, and mentors die in horrible and gruesome ways, and he suffers from PTSD. Though he has always been told that his own sacrifices, the sacrifices of his brothers and sisters have been” worth it,” he’s starting to question if that’s true.

After telling of the incident where he personally executed his best friend Cutler, who’d been turned into a super mutant, the Sole Survivor is able to console him:

Player Default: You did the right thing. Danse: {Somber} It's what I was taught. I don't know if it was right.

This line is an excellent summary of Danse’s entire character arc. He learns to question whether to believe what the Brotherhood has taught him, or to believe in himself. His gut feelings. His sense of justice and his own ideas of what’s right and wrong.

(In the interest of not turning this into an essay about Danse’s character, I won’t even get into how this also applies to his beliefs about his worth as a person. But keep in mind, that dimension is there, Danse just covers it up by making everything about the Brotherhood.)

During Blind Betrayal, after getting the orders to execute him and hearing Haylen’s plea for mercy, we may expect Danse to be ready to fight back or flee. But when you confront him in the bunker at Listening Post Bravo, he’s compliant and suicidal. Danse is so deeply poisoned by the BoS’ rhetoric that his own feelings or will to live don’t factor into the conversation. He demands that you follow your orders and execute him, because he believes, as the BoS does, that all synths are dangerous and must be destroyed.

Danse: {Stern} Synths can't be trusted. Machines were never meant to make their own decisions, they need to be controlled. Technology that's run amok is what brought the entire world to its knees and humanity to the brink of extinction.

{Confident} I need to be the example, not the exception.

Through various dialogue options, if your charisma is high enough, you are able to talk Danse off the ledge. He is able to consider, at least, that the BoS’ merciless judgment of him is wrong and that what he was taught isn’t right. He is a thinking, feeling, self-aware synth, and that makes him as much a person as any human. Danse is no danger to humanity-- and maybe, most synths aren’t either.

Danse is an example, not an exception.

Later on, if you manage to get him out of BB alive, Danse shows further acceptance of his nature. His approvals about synths begin to soften slightly (or many of them do, at least… it’s not perfect.) He is still struggling with his identity and reconciling it with his former hatred, but his dialogue suggests that he’s on the road to being more open-minded and understanding. Along with this, Danse learns that he has value as a person beyond the Brotherhood. He no longer needs to define himself with BoS beliefs or judge himself by how useful he is to them. He learns that he is worth caring about, worth being friends with or being loved because of who he is-- not what he is, in any regard.

[SIDENOTE: Many players, myself included, are frustrated that Danse’s arc leaves off sort of midstream there. Due to the open-ended nature of the game, we don’t get a real conclusion to his arc-- even though much of his idle dialogue doesn’t change and he still espouses pro-BoS sentiments ( an unfortunate by-product of writing for a video game) there is every indication that he’s started down the right path, but understandably has a ways to go.

Also, Peter Jessop agrees with us.]

Meanwhile, in the Elder ending, Danse doesn’t get a redemption. His entire character arc, actually, hits the skids and does a total 180.

He never leaves the BoS. So scratch the need for Danse to ever think about himself as separate from them. He never needs to question what they’ve taught him or whether they’re right or wrong. He never needs to find any worth in himself beyond his use to the BoS. Why would he? He might be the Elder. The BoS is all he needs to care about anymore. The BoS is all he ever needs to be, ever again.

And I think, most horrifying of all, this Danse never needs to change his mind about synths. On the contrary, one of the surviving dialogue files includes Danse’s speech to reassure the rest of the BoS of his stance:

Danse: I want to make one thing clear to everyone. This body might be synth, but my heart and mind belong to the Brotherhood. The Institute is still a tremendous threat to the Commonwealth. They possess technologies that need to be confiscated or destroyed. And even if that means I have to pull the trigger on my own kind, I’m willing to make that sacrifice.

Elder ending Danse doesn’t grow more understanding on the nature of synths. He doesn’t accept that synths are people, or anything more than technology run amok. He won’t even accept that for himself. Elder Maxson wasn’t wrong about synths-- they’re the enemy and they need to be destroyed.

But, see, he was wrong about Danse. It’s okay for Danse to exist in spite of his nature. It’s okay for him to never fully accept his own personhood, and to outright deny it to his kind. Because his body is a machine, but he’s different from the rest because his heart and mind belong to the Brotherhood.

He’s the exception, not the example.

CONCLUSION:

The Elder ending of Blind Betrayal is dumb, contrived, stakeless, character-derailing powergaming crap at its finest and I’ll happily dance on its grave.

People give Bethesda a lot a shit for their writing-- whether it be stuff they left out, stuff they left in, or stuff that they never, ever could have made work due to the limitations of writing for a video game. Plenty of it is well-deserved, or at least worth a discussion. But from the minute I found out about its existence, I have always wanted to extend a congratulations to Bethesda for cutting the alternate Elder ending of Blind Betrayal. It was a good choice. A very good choice to cut a very dumb plot that would have fundamentally altered the story they were telling, and characters that I’ve grown to love. I think the writers deserve some credit and a hearty handshake for the wisdom of this decision.

Now as for why Nick Valentine isn’t romanceable--

[theradioghost]

I don't know if you're still doing podcast recs, but if you are, I really like dramas, horror, sci-fi, honestly anything that gives you the feels (especially if it has lgbtq+ rep). I am not much of a comedy person though unfortunately. The only podcast I finished was tma and I really loved it.

The recommendations are always on tap here, whenever my askbox is open! You might wanna check out:

Archive 81, for a found-footage horror about mysterious archives of tapes full of encounters with otherworldly horror, dark rituals, cults, and a long-suffering archivist with the same name as the show creator who plays him, which despite all that could not possibly be more different from TMA and yet easily matches it as one of the best horror stories I have ever enjoyed. The sound design on this show is basically unparalleled – where TMA has fairly minimalist sound design, A81 goes all out. Quite a few lgbtqa+ folk also.

I Am In Eskew, for a surreal, Lynchian horror about the city of Eskew, where it’s always raining and the streets are never the same twice, as narrated by a man who is trapped there and the woman hired to find him. Take the most viscerally disturbing episodes of TMA as a baseline for how intense this show is, then imagine the Spiral built a city and invited all the other fears over for a party. Also right up there as one of my favorite horror things ever, and recently ended, so you can listen to the whole thing right now.

Within The Wires, for a found-footage scifi dystopia, telling stories from an alternate-history world. Three of the four seasons focus on lgbtqa+ leads, and the first season, a set of instructional meditation tapes provided to a prisoner in a shadowy government institution, is still some of my absolute favorite creative use of medium and framing device ever.

Kane and Feels, for a surreal noir-flavored urban fantasy/horror hybrid, about a magically-inclined academic (and sarcastic little bastard man) named Lucifer Kane and his demon-punching partner with a heart of gold, Brutus Feels. They share a flat in London, they bicker like an old married couple, and they fight supernatural evil. This show WILL confuse the hell out of you and you will enjoy every second of it.

Alice Isn’t Dead, for a weird Americana horror story about a long-distance truck driver, criss-crossing the US in search of her missing wife. Along the way she discovers that both of them have been drawn into a dangerous secret war that seethes in the empty and abandoned expanses of America, and that inhuman hunters have begun to follow her. Also finished! And as the title kind of gives away, the lesbians do not die!

Janus Descending, for a sci-fi horror miniseries about two scientists sent to survey the remains of a dead alien civilization on a distant planet, only to learn all too well why the original inhabitants have disappeared. You hear one character’s story in chronological order and the other in reverse, with their perspectives alternating, which is done in an incredibly clever way so that even technically knowing what will happen it still holds you in suspense right to the end. Also, it made me cry, a lot.

SAYER, for a sci-fi horror with a touch of dark comedy, and probably the single best use of the “evil AI” trope I have ever seen. Tells the story of employees of tech corporation Aerolith Dynamics living on Earth’s artificial second moon, Typhon, in the form of messages from their AI overseer SAYER. The first season is great, the second season is okay, and the third and fourth seasons are fucking amazing.

Tides, for a really interesting sci-fi about a lone biologist trapped on an alien world shaped by deadly tidal forces. It’s different from just about any other sci-fi I know, focusing more on the main character’s interactions with and observations of this strange new world, where she’s very aware that she is the alien invader. (Also I don’t think any of the characters are straight.)

Station to Station, for a thrilling sci-fi mystery where a group of scientists and spies on a research ship (the ocean kind) discover that the time-warping anomaly they’re studying might be causing people to vanish from existence. Corporate espionage and high-stakes heartbreak abound. (And once again I’m not sure anyone is straight.)

The Strange Case of Starship Iris, for Being Gay And Doing Crime IN SPACE! Or, decades after a war with an alien species leaves humanity decimated and under the control of totalitarian leaders, the lone survivor of a research mission joins up with a ragtag crew of rebels and smugglers to figure out why the very government she worked for tried to kill her, and to stop them from inciting a second war. 100% lgbtqa+ found family in space heist action and it’s glorious in every way.

Unwell, for the horror-ish Midwestern gothic story of a young woman who returns to her hometown to help her estranged mother after an injury, and discovers that there is something just a little bit wrong, not just with her mother, but with her mother’s house, and with the whole town. Subtle and creepy. The protagonist is a biracial lesbian, one of the other major characters is nonbinary, the cast in general is super diverse.

The Blood Crow Stories, for an lgbtqa+ focused horror anthology! The four seasons so far have been the stories of an ancient evil stalking the passengers of a WWI-era utopian cruise ship, a dark Western mystery about a group of allies trying to stop the mysterious killer known only as the Savior, a 911 operator in a cyberpunk dystopia who starts getting terrifying phone calls from demons, and strange and deadly goings-on at a film studio in the golden age of Hollywood. Everyone is Very Gay and anyone can die, especially in season 1.

The Tower, for a melancholy experimental miniseries about a young woman who decides she’s going to climb the mysterious Tower, from which no one has ever returned. Quite short and very, very good.

Palimpsest, for a creepy, heartbreakingly sad and yet incredibly beautiful anthology series. Season one is the story of a woman who suspects her new home is haunted, season two is a turn-of-the-century urban fantasy about a girl who falls in love with the imprisoned fae princess she’s been hired to care for, and season three is about a WWII codebreaker who begins seeing ghosts on the streets of London during the Blitz.

Mabel, for a part-horror, part-love story, the kind of faerie tale where you feel obliged to spell it with an E because these are the kind of faeries that are utterly inhuman, and beautiful, and dangerous. Anna, the new caretaker for an elderly woman, leaves messages for her client’s mysteriously absent granddaughter Mabel. An old house in Ireland has a life and desires of its own, few of them friendly. Two women fall in love and set out for vengeance against the King Under The Hill. Creepy, strange, and gorgeously poetic.

Ars Paradoxica, for a sci-fi time travel Cold War espionage thriller. Physicist Dr. Sally Grissom accidentally invents time travel, landing herself – and her invention – in the middle of a classified government experiment during WWII. As the course of history utterly changes around them, she and what friends she can find in this new time must struggle with the ethics of what they’ve done, and the choices they’ll have to make. An aroace protagonist, Black secret agents, time-traveling Latina assassins, Jewish lesbian mathematicians, two men of color whose love changes the course of time itself, this show says a big fuck you to the idea that there’s anything hard about having a diverse cast in a period piece and it will break your heart, multiple times. Also finished!

The Far Meridian, for a genre-bending, poetic, at-times-heartwarming-at-times-heartbreaking story about an agoraphobic woman named Peri who decides to begin a search for her long-missing brother Ace after the lighthouse in which she lives begins mysteriously transporting to different places every day. I can never forget an early review that described this show as “the audio equivalent of a Van Gogh painting.” Suffice to say it is beautiful, and fantastically written and put together.

What’s the Frequency?, for a Surrealist noir horror mystery set in mid-20th-century LA. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I can really explain what goes on in this show, but it features a detective named Walter “Troubles” Mix and his partner Whitney searching for a missing writer. Meanwhile, the only thing that seems to be playing on the radio is that writer’s show Love, Honor, and Decay, which also seems to be driving people to murder. Fantastically weird, deliciously creepy.

Directive, for a short sci-fi miniseries about a man hired to spend a very, very long trip through space alone, which doesn’t seem all that sad until suddenly it hits you with Every Feel You’ve Ever Had, seriously I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t say anything more but listen to this and then never feel the same way about Tuesdays again.

Wolf 359, for honestly one of the best podcasts out there, containing all of the drama and feels, seriously this show ended over two years ago and I still cry literal tears thinking about it sometimes. It has definite comedic leanings, especially in the first season which reads a bit more like a wacky office comedy set in space, but it takes a sharp turn towards high stakes, action, and feelings and that roller coaster never stops. Take four clashing personalities alone on a constantly-malfunctioning space station eight light years from earth, add some mysterious transmissions from the depths of space, toss in some seriously Jonah-Magnus-level manipulative evil bosses, and get ready to cry.

or, may I suggest Midnight Radio? It’s a lesbian-romance-slash-ghost-story completed miniseries about a late-night 1950s radio host in a small town who begins receiving mysterious letters from one of her listeners, and I have been assured by many people and occasionally their all-caps tweets that it provides ample Feelings! (also I wrote it.)

[precuredaily]

Where do you watch the futari wa precure (and max heart) episodes? I can only access the eng dub version of it so far

Well I actually have all of Precure downloaded to my hard drive, because that’s the kind of hoarder I am.

That being said, I can point you in the right direction in a number of ways:

The first series is actually available legally if you live in the US or Canada. You can watch it on Crunchyroll or VRV, and you can buy it on Amazon at $2 per episode or $18 for each quarter of the series (yes this is prohibitively expensive, I don’t recommend it). Unfortunately, the version available to all of these platforms is extremely low quality as it heralds back to the early days of digital anime distribution. Gigantic subtitles, a visible delay between speech and text, and grainy audio.

If you want to become a digital archivist like me, everything is available in some way, shape, or form by torrenting. Nyaa is the most popular torrent hub for Japanese content. Torrenting can be a little confusing for first-timers but once you know what you’re doing it opens up a whole world of possibilities. Here is a batch torrent for the first series (with optional English audio if you like), and here’s one for Max Heart. Also, better copies of the movies than what’s included in that batch: MH1, MH2

Alternatively, you can download the shows directly without the middleman of torrenting from KRDL. Here’s FWPC and here’s Max Heart.

If you don’t need everything saved to your computer, phone, tablet, or whatever device and prefer digital streaming, there’s options! I happen to run a facebook page called Super Hero Showtime where I upload all of Precure, as well as a bunch of other stuff. Max Heart and the movies are available there.

Lastly, there’s a bunch of, shall we say, less ethical anime streaming sites out there. KissAnime is the big one. These kinds of sites are supported by ads and they’re not very selective about who they let on their platform, so NSFW content abounds, and ads that contain malware are not unheard of. Have a good adblocker when you come here, but here’s FWPC, Max Heart, movie 1, and movie 2.

[aahsoka]

So having been on tiktok for a bit I wanna talk a little about it.

What I like

It’s actually rather entertaining to scroll through up to 30 second videos one after the other. Sometimes the humor falls flat or it’s not your taste, but the algorithim is quite good at recommending the kind of content you will like.

I joined right when there was a big trend going around about sharing your culture, and soon after a Blackout trend where non-Black creators stopped posting for a day & spread/supported videos by Black creators. So I ended up with a fairly diverse fyp or “for you page”. It also quickly gathered that I am bisexual, so I get plenty of lgbt+ content. There’s some art mixed in there, some cosplay, some historical costuming/seamstresses, lots of avatar jokes lately, musical theatre content, fashion, girls in bikinis on rollerskates (in outer space), commentary on political issues, body positivity, all the kinds of stuff I like. To get a feed that caters to your interests you just have to watch & like videos you’re interested in & eventually it gets a feel for what you’ll watch and what you won’t.

Theres a trend where people say which ‘side’ of tiktok they’re on and I get ‘science side of tumblr’ flashbacks but I’ve mostly avoided the “straight” and conservative sides of tiktok. I would be considered a part of “woke”, “alt” (as in alternative) and lgbt+ tiktok (there are separate ones for each letter of the acronym). Possibly also “theatre” and “cosplay” tiktok. These categories are nebulous and you’re usually part of multiple communities; its just as arbitray as ‘science side of tumblr’ was.

The format reminds me of snapchat a little, and I love to talk to myself on video & post dumb thirst traps for my friends (none of which I’m attracted to so idk what my goal is there) and make stupid jokes. So this app is kinda perfect for my attention seeking side & hyperactive tendencies. Its very easy to consume on a short attention span, though not as easy as vine was.

Being in quarantine, its a way for a lot of people to engage in hobbies that involve community. Cosplay is pretty popular, as its a fun way to show off a costume & dress up & have fun without having to attend a convention. I enjoy the way lip synced audios can be used to emulate the character someone is dressed as; that’s something you couldn’t really do unless you were really good at impressions. Its a nice succinct way to show the process of creating a cosplay as well.

Those who enjoy theatre, but cannot perform in shows at this time, are able to create mini-monologues & sketches as well as sing parts of their favorite songs. Its an avenue through which to perform without putting anyone at risk of the virus. It’s also an easy way to show off your talents without having to go through the audition process & actually get cast in a show as a prominent enough role that someone will notice it.

It’s a convenient format for discourse and educational videos. Nice, short, easily digestible tidbits that stay in your mind. This extremely catchy song, for example: “Black neighborhoods are overpoliced, so of course they have higher rates of crime, and white perpetrators are undercharged, so of course they have lower rates of crime. And all of those stupid stats you keep using are operating off a small sample size. So, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up”.

As well as other videos where people take the time to explain historical events, satirize racist arguments to demonstrate why they are wrong, talk about prevalent tropes in movies, teach a few signs in ASL, share facts about their culture, etc, etc. I have found there are quite a lot of people there from unique and fairly unknown cultures and backgrounds- and this is a place where they’re able to share their culture & existence with people all over the world. There are a thousand different viewpoints. Their videos are doing far more for diverse representation than any other platform, I’d argue, as everyone is extremely visible on the app. (‘Their’ as in the creators, not the app itself).

I also have enjoyed coming across new artists on the app. It’s really fun to watch the process they go through, as most art videos deal with the whole creation of a piece. It’s inspiring. I have also come across a painter who’s work I’m in love with, and a woman who makes and sells the CUTEST ceramic mugs, and I need to purchase some stuff from them both.

Now onto the bad:

Unfortunately, the app doesn’t have much in the way of a filtering or warning system. I talked about that tiktok of the kids coming across human remains? That was just on people’s fyp. Just popped up. No warning. No reason for it to still be up. Traumatizing.

You can click on a video and say ‘not interested’ (I do this to literally every video I get where some girl is thirsting after kylo ren 🤮..... like I want the star wars videos just not THOSE videos). However, it doesn’t seem to know exactly why you weren’t interested, because I still get those videos from time to time. There’s no content filter where I can blacklist the kylo ren or any other hashtag.

There’s some very shitty content. There are racist conservatives. Misogynistic teen white boys. Really weird thirst traps. Videos where people lip sync to something with a straight face and tag it with #acting. Harmful body image trends. I thankfully stay very clear of this, but this kind of content makes me worry for the minors on the app. The one’s who don’t have enough of a concept of self yet to realize they don’t need to be able to do the newest pointless beauty trend to be beautiful, to realize it’s ok for them to be gay, to realize how predatory some adults can be, etc etc.

It is extremely easy to come across minors on the app who don’t look like teens. One time I went to a girl’s page and it said she was FIFTEEN. I’m usually good at guessing ages but something about this app messes that up. I wish there was a way to separate people under 18 and adults. Where I don’t have minor’s thirst traps popping up on my fyp. Where pedophiles don’t get a chance to curate that fyp intentionally. If anyone reading this has kids, I highly recommend they make their tiktok private or only viewable to friends.

Just like any site, there are plenty of bigots. Lots of racist comments. Plenty of transphobia. Any hatred you’ve seen elsewhere, of course it exists on tiktok. I have actually zero clue if you can report people & if it works. Most people seem to send a video commentary to their haters or duet a video of a racist pointing out their racism. I’ve heard of creators blocking people, however. I remember a tiktok of a Black woman who’s video somehow went fairly viral in Poland and now she gets a lot of racist comments from this large group of random racisf Polish followers she has and its extremely time consuming to block them all, as there’s no mass block feature.

The rumors about what works with the algorithm and doesn’t abound. I’ve heard well lit videos get more views. Many people suspect they have been shadowbanned for speaking out about current events. TikTok will remove the audio from videos sometimes if they deem it controversial enough. Most of us know they were criticized recently for intentionally keeping Black creator’s videos from being seen (a catalyst for the Blackout, actually). Or you may also recall when it was criticized for widely removing lgbt+ content. Those creators are fighting to be seen the same amount as straight cis white creators are allowed to be seen with no effort.

The effects some trends could have on teen girls. So many of them are already so uncomfortable in their own skin simply because of societal standards, but the absolutely meaningless challenges people come up with on tiktok make it so much worse. One trend was based around whether your finger touched your lips when you put it in your nose. Or if you could get your clasped hands around the back of your legs and over your butt (if they get passed, you have a flat ass, if they get stuck, its big). These completely arbitrary signifiers of the things you need to have in order to be pretty, are far more ridiculous that anything I have seen yet in my life. I worry about little girls taking these ideas to heart. There is a very kind body positive community on the app & I hope more people can find that.

There’s also that thing where they steal your data. Like most apps. But apparently they got a lot more invasive than usual, so I would look into it before making an account; if you want to do that.

I think the apps users can be great & its a pretty intuitive set up. It certainly deserves its popularity solely as a creative form of social media. That being said, its owners are so so insidious & do the worst things. Just like all other social media, its controlled by the worst kind of people. Who can never figure out how to effectively get rid of nazis or keep kids safe from adult content.

These are my less serious gripes with the app:

1) Lip syncing

When people lip sync and don’t do any kind of skit, joke, etc, just look as if they’re saying what someone else said; I hate that. I have to go back and find the original tiktok so I can like it instead. You literally did nothing interesting by ripping off someones audio and moving your lips along to it. So many people on this app are creative and so many others lack any semblance of creativity.

Also people are too easily impressed by lip syncing to kinda-fast songs. I lip synced to like....10 seconds of the devil went down to georgia and two people praised my lip syncing abilities. Like, I can also sing and talk fast, out loud, isn’t that more impressive? more skillful? The fiddle playing in that song is impressive, not the fact I can lip sync ‘the devil went down to georgia, he was lookin for a soul to steal, he was in a bind, cause he was way behind.’ Have you ever seen someone play Johnny’s fiddle solo????? It’s insane!!!

Rather than see someone lip sync to the verse in Stressed Out 2x faster than normal (which is, extremely simple and the song was overplayed and ingrained into our collective consciousness) and go WOW what about someone.....doing the verse out loud. You can litterally just mouth random words and look like you’re saying the right ones. It’s driving me crazy lmao. I’m set to become a God of tiktok because I have a repertoire of fast songs and rap verses memorized. It’s not even an uncommon skill to speak or sing quickly, people literally make rap music for a living! Listen to it maybe.

2) “Acting”

I am begging you to stop making me sit through those horrible POVs. I cannot take another girl not quite fake crying towards the camera as she lip syncs the words from a song that apply to the random situation she decided she was in. I cannot take another boy who thinks its sexy to stare into a camera and smirk in every single situation he creates.

Back to lip syncing, making facial expressions along to words isn’t really acting. Try saying the words out loud perhaps? The inflection you use with your lines is a pretty big part of acting. Like you can lip sync all you want, just stop tagging it with #acting.

3) Comedic timing, or lack thereof

You don’t need the entire intro to sit there looking at the camera waiting until the first line starts and you can lip sync to the part that’s the joke. You could cut off at least 15 seconds. Brevity is the soul of wit.

When your joke involves both reading text on screen and listening to the song for the punchline, if it isn’t done prefectly, its so difficult to follow. I can’t read a paragraph in 5 seconds. Paraphrase.

4) self deprecating artist audio

the audio thats like ‘this wont get views’ ‘I suck’ ‘you probably won’t see this anyway’ LOVE YOURSELF

It sucks when people dont enagage with your art but it sucks worse when your value in yourself and you art is based solely on receiving that validation. Please find a healthy medium.

Also you’re asking for pity, and you don’t want that. You want people who genuinely love your art for what it is.

5) editing videos is really hard how do you make such cool & smooth transitions????

please help me I don’t understand

Finally

here’s my account if you’re interested

[snowingforest-blog]

Thumbnail Blaster Review and Bonus

Welcome to my Thumbnail Blaster Review and Demo YouTube first became popular as an on the net platform regarding musicians to generate some sort of name for themselves and achieving extra views was, and still is definitely, the ultimate goal regarding video content creators. Back in thumbnail blaster , people would use deceptive title, tags, and thumbnails to a great extent to obtain more views and now days Google and yahoo has won this battle with spam by simply integrating new voice and image identification technology to get an idea regarding precisely what a video is about when compared with what the subject material creator promises in the particular title, tags, and description. This helps to offer people who have a much far better consumer experience in order to something up on YouTube. Online video media content creators are nowadays up against having to basically make quality video tutorials that people will appreciate and to get more views, this has to be observed by sufficient people to find the appropriate person who will introduce the idea on his net site, at least share it on Facebook or myspace. Legally consequently, Google's leading goal will be user working experience over this content provider's watch count up, however some industry experts claim the new changes in order to the algorithm will lead to old videos, that folks have already observed, attract more attention than new versions and could actually create it tough for the particular user to find fresh new content in search benefits intended for popular search phrases. So, how does a video clip content creator this year beat the latest changes for you to the YouTube Algorithm? Make Videos Like Never Prior to Create a Following Comment The Way into the Top Away from Site Search engine optimization Know The particular Difference Between Junk And even Optimization Generate Video tutorials Much like Never Before With YouTube's 92 Billion web page opinions a 30 days plus soaring, a video must be unique for it to pick up reputation. Planning a video clip and server scripting are now a must along together with picture quality. By comparing the particular movies with millions involving views into the lesser involving the tribes, you can see that high definition and exceptional lighting are two typical traits shared by this just about all viewed videos. This kind of doesn't entail you possess to get an high priced HD camera to find more views. Dailymotion possesses a set of formatting tickets, again to aid provide a better person experience. yt: crop=16: nine yt: stretch=16: dokuz yt: quality=high Use these kind of tags to eliminate window boxing and poor video level of quality if you do not have access to HI-DEF equipment. Pay attention to your video's thumbnail options careful to not be flagged for spam. "OMG" deals with are popular thumbnail models just providing it is what will be within it. The. 25. 5 various plus. 75 points on your movie used to help be what determined the thumbnail selections when uploading. With so much maltreatment, Yahoo came up along with the bright plan in order to use the three lengthiest movies from your online video and semi-randomly picking a point in the three schedule points. Audio tracks and impression root record names happen to be also added in the formula to better give ideal thumbnail alternatives. Spammers cannot just add a quick photo flash at typically the halfway stage of his or her videos to get even more opinions. Build a Next As with Twitter, Twits, and MySpace, Youtube . com is also a social networking system. Being mixed up in community is a must for brand-new and even old video information inventors looking to turn into popular on YouTube. Create your channel around a specific niche market that has a good mid-sized level of opposition. Visit similar channels together with comment on their video clips with sincere compliments as well as queries. Treat your subscriber's video clips the same technique so you are not necessarily to work as a dormant range in their request give. The old SUB4SUB approach is still being used and has cultivated directly into its own community or perhaps niche. If your market is teenagers, go intended for it! Be careful definitely not to be called out and about being a spammer because typically the idea of, "You subscribe to me and I will certainly subscribe to you" is often frowned upon by people of a professional background. YouTube picks upwards in seriously repeated reviews plus auto-marks them like junk e-mail so just work with a SUB4SUB profile impression and be active on this SUB4SUB channels in the Youtube . com community. Set aside a day to work about building the following with other social networking sites such while Facebook, Twitter, plus Bebo. This expands your own right away to those who don't have a channel on Youtube . com which often surprisingly enough tends to make up for the vast majority of web site's 92 billion guests every single month. Comment Your Approach For the Top Uploading a good video 2 times a few days and commenting with your customers movies and stations the working day before is an excellent tip of thumb. Being consistent on doing so is usually the work area of the full thing. However, by doing this anyone brand yourself using your clients and build a attention among them which starts off the particular snowball effect associated with even more landscapes together with subscribers when they think and share your video clips. This is why you want to help stay within your niche. When leaving comments, end up being sincere about what anyone model. Never just declare a pair of words and get away from. This totally defeats the purpose and is also not really planning to make people want to know who else left said remark. Leave comments people wish on their videos in addition to share the particular comment upon Facebook and Twitting in order to make it show right up as a "linked comment" on top of this brief review feed. Each moment the fans from Twitter or maybe Twits clicks in it, often the comment is moved time for the top rated of the comment nourish. Be creative in your own reviews and it may possibly get thumbed up furthermore gaining more and whole lot more fascination towards the article author of mentioned comment. This ultimate goal here is in order to compliment the online video media owner's work which brands the username and channel now when your video tutorials turn up in their subscription give, it will probably be hard to avoid. Off Web page Optimization Below is more "work" of which has to be completed in order to maneuver your videos to this best of search effects. When people are looking for anyone, it is best to help be easy to find. Just applying a lot of tags consumers are searching for just isn't going to slice the particular cake. Google wants to see back links on well-known internet sites leading to the video to support your says of everything you have because your title. Should a well-known web site has a hyperlink to your video using the particular phrases in your title, it gives PAGE RANK things for that phrase after a certain amount of moment. However, when you go around posting not related hyperlinks, probabilities are it will always be taken out and wouldn't count up since some sort of back hyperlink anyway as a result of time component threshold. Post your movie to other web-sites related to your niche and also participate in forum chats together with post your video clip because a good hyperlink when it is in connection with often the debate. You have to maintain it related and it need to add value in order to the discussion. If the links get taken off, that will have a invert effect on your lookup results placement so become sure and respect often the terms and conditions involving forums that will allow back links to movies and net sites. Know The Change Between Spam And Marketing The fine line among spam and optimization is critical to breaking through often the bulk amounts of videos on YouTube if persons interested in your stuff will even know this is out there. For anyone who is Fred, plus your personal station (Lucas) says your age is usually 33, it is highly unlikely you will have called out for lying about your age when an individual created your account. If anyone are like many various other Youtube . com celebrities and the explanation abounds with advertising your own personal social networks together with Tee shirt, jersey sales instead of describing the video, you may well not get referred to as out and about either. However, chances are you are usually not necessarily a Youtube . com movie star and if you abide by suit, it is merely a new matter of time ahead of you are forbidden through the site. When picking a title for your video clip, you must be creative and apply thoughts that are proceeding to get results from yahoo and google at the same time. Decide on a good search name you wish to be found simply by (that best describes the video) and use this in your title. Engines like google like wide variety so put in a few support words towards your phrase. For example: Target term: Remote Control Garden Mower A superb title would likely be: Remote Control Yard Mower vs. Steep Hills Write a brief description while using target phrase merely once towards the top nevertheless not really since the first term. Be organic and talk to your viewers. This tags for the online video media need to be specific to your own target term with together with without quotations. By way of example: "remote control garden mower" out of the way control garden mower. After the calendar month of positive person allergic reactions, you will observe your online video media climbing the charts. For competitive keyword phrases, your movie has in order to produce lots of positive viewer reaction before it will eventually show up on best of search engine results and gradually on Google as a good online video media result. Patients, tough work, and reliability happen to be a must. You will want to add videos on a regular basis most with a little different targeted phrases pertaining to your niche. The idea is a lot regarding work. Yet , when a person get your first movie up to a , 000, 000 views, you can be hooked in YouTube, wearing Vimeo T-shirts, and even making tutorials to help others.

[arnoldneal32-blog]

Utilize These Internet Affiliate Marketing Tips To Grow Your Business

If you are experiencing like you want to start making extra money and begin creating a revenue stream for your self, then affiliate internet marketing is what you need to get involved with. This short article can assist you get going with stepping into internet affiliate marketing mainly because it has a good amount of suggestions you can use towards achievement. When you are performing affiliate marketing online you immediately think of introducing quite a few banners and ads to the site but usually you need to stay away from undertaking that. When you appear to have tons of ad banners packed to your web site it appears fairly ugly and makes folks not considering going to your site again. Affiliate marketing is a very rewarding way to generate income. As an alternative to in fact having the items, you refer individuals to get them and make up a commission off of it. One particular fantastic way to do this may be to post your site or merchandise on a community forum or weblog to obtain one of the most folks possible. To increase the success of your internet affiliate marketing, use time management software to history your distinct tasks. This will assist you to examine the time period that you spend on the many various tasks one does, and get rid of potential bottlenecks. It may be shocking to understand how much time you waste on simple stuff like checking out your e-mail. Obtain an internet affiliate site which offers actual-time statistics so it will be easy to find out how well the promotions you are working are going to do. It will be possible to find out the amount of visitors are making their way to their site from your own, how many buys were actually produced, the amount of sub-online marketers plus your full income month to month. Base your overview and marketing of your item on your personal experience. In case you have not attempted the item oneself, request a person who has to help you write an assessment. Seek out feedback and discussion posts in regards to the item on-line. When you see a great deal of adverse impressions in regards to the items, perhaps you must not market it in any way. You can find plenty of affiliate internet marketing material on-line available for free, so never forget to sign up for several notifications and e-zines. You might be not really planning to duplicate the goes other individuals are making or perhaps to adhere to somebody else's pathway verbatim, but you will find some great motivation. Use textual content-based links that supply info. After all the negative advertising efforts abounding on the Internet, people try to find candor from internet marketers. Sober, textual backlinks place the concentration of your concept on offering useful details to the followers. Advertisement links that audio very promotional or use difficult-offer tactics change customers off of and dog breed distrust. Inform buyers accurate stories about why your products can truly help them, and they can purchase. Viewers will feel better about helping you to be successful when you are translucent regarding your affiliations. Even so, if they sniff cover-up or deceit, they'll know adequate to circumvent your link in order that you are not able to get referrer credits. Be honest and available. 먹튀 Generate your readers' support and you'll get them very happy to just click your weblink. When you find a way to learn affiliate marketing online, it may be a dream occupation. You get to do business from home, established your own hrs, can never be laid off, and so are in charge of your fate. Since you've read this report, you know what you can do to achieve internet affiliate marketing achievement.

[daveg65]

205 - HomePod Update Woes and Tips - With Jeff Gamet and Guest Kelly Guimont

The latest In Touch With iOS with Dave he is joined by Jeff Gamet and guest Kelly Guimont. We all have HomePod upgrading woes to 15.5.1. Tons of great tips for Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, HomePod, and AppleTV. You can now add an Apple Account card to the wallet but not if you have 2 Apple ID’s. Our frequent guest Andrew Orr has a new gig with AppleInsider. We discuss his first story about an AirPort comeback and more. 

The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com


Direct Link to Audio

Links to our Show

Click this link Buy me a Coffee to support the show we would really appreciate it. intouchwithios.com/coffee 

We have a brand new way to support the show become a Patreon member patreon.com/intouchwithios

Website: In Touch With iOS

YouTube Page

In Touch with iOS Magazine on Flipboard

News

Live-Action 'Speed Racer' Series Coming to Apple TV+

Apple sets new deadline for in-app account deletion requirement

Apple Music now available as built-in audio player on Waze

Apple Releases tvOS 15.5.1 for Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K

Used iPods Likely Not Worth Keeping as Collectors' Items Despite Uptick in Value After Discontinuation, Data Shows

Apple Announces 2022 Pride Edition Watch Bands and Watch Face

Google Maps' Historical Street View Imagery Now Available on iOS

Wallet App Now Supports Apple Account Cards on iOS 15.5 but doesn't work if you have 2 Apple IDs. We review our experience with this. 

Our friend and frequent guest Andrew Orr is now writing for AppleInsider and we want to congrat him on his new gig this week. Why not discuss his first article. iCloud Time Machine for Mac & new AirPort routers pop out of rumor mill - but hurdles abound

Topics

Beta this week. 15.6 Beta 1 continues, 

HomePod updates: there always seem to be issues ith HomePod working properly we review our experiences Apple Releases HomePod Software 15.5.1 With Fix for Bug That Could Cause Music to Stop Playing we also talk about the rumors of a return of the HomePod. 

How the HomePod can be Apple's new iPod: Fun, popular, and simple

Tips

We have a tips session and provide tips for Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, HomePod, and Apple TV.

Apple Watch

Manage notifications

open up the Apple Watch app on iPhone and scroll down to the Notifications section from within My Watch. Goto the list of apps that are currently installed on your Apple Watch. Use the toggles provided to allow or disallow certain apps sending you notifications. You will want to repeat this process when you begin downloading third-party apps. Delivery quietly is another opton. 

Power and Reboot

The power button on the Apple Watch sits below the Digital Crown. Hold it in for three seconds until the Apple logo appears, signifying that the Apple Watch is turning on. The home screen will now appear.

Hard Reboot. Sometimes your watch can not just run right, An alternate to reboot is a hard reboot, Press and hold the Digital Crown and side button together until you see the Apple Logo, 

FindMy on Watch

iPhone

Customize spotlight search settings > Siri/Search Refine Notifcations so the are set for you. 

Brittany Smith's video on notifications: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50SOriIy9dU

Using PIP and how you can turn it off. Settings > General > Picture and Picture. 

Our Host

Dave Ginsburg is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users and his wealth of knowledge of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Visit the YouTube channel https://youtube.com/daveg65 follow him on Twitter @daveg65.and the show @intouchwithios

About our Regular Contributor

Jeff Gamet is a podcaster, technology blogger, artist, and author. Previously, he was The Mac Observer’s managing editor, and Smile’s TextExpander Evangelist. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram as @jgamet and YouTube https://youtube.com/jgamet

About Our Guest

Kelly Guimont is a podcaster and friend of the Rebel Alliance. She appears on The Incomparable network as well as hosts I Want My M(CU) TV. You can also hear her on The Aftershow with Mike Rose you can find her on Twitter and Instagram @verso

Kelly mentions these 

http://loud-fast-keep-going.cast.rocks/

Find her on Glass https://glass.photo/

Oreo Ritz https://www.oreo.com/ritz

Here is our latest Episode!

[wheniamorange-blog]

Practical Things You Can Do For Someone Who Is Dying

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List those things you dislike about the job (i.e. relationships, tasks, etc., NOT "it doesn't pay enough".) and compare them to your temperamental strengths and weaknesses. Nor do they use their job knowledge to develop the essential skills of contributions, innovation, communication, and collaboration. What is the use of Group Policy? That's ridiculously brilliant, and complete overkill for use indoors, but it can help make the screen, which is still very glossy, usable in extreme situations. How can a Virtual Office Help Home Workers Succeed? Can You Find Enlightenment in the Trunk of Your Car? Although it is not possible to fix some marriages, the majority of them can be. This medication is manufactured by Ajanta pharmaceuticals, a trustworthy, reknown pharmaceutical company that produces generic medications of the highest quality at their local FDA approved facilities. I really could not look for a spot to park my car, on the new appointment using a company. 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[what-the-flux]

Hey finally I can work on personal stuff again. And now a post for those that were wondering what Euphix looks like under the mask, and insight into why he’s called “Sonosmith:”

Euphix’s vocal cords, along with much of his throat and parts of his jaw, have been removed or drastically altered and replaced by a highly specialized magitech vocal synthesizer. This allows him to change up the pitch, octave, frequency and volume of his voice. His “normal” default voice is a sonorous, robotic baritone.

His holoforge, while still able to create hard light projections, is specially created to also emit harmonic frequencies that can be changed depending on his needs for offense, defense or other situations. He pairs this emitter with his versatile vocal synthesizer and creates chords that harmonize with the frequencies and notes of his holoforge, amplifying its sonic effects. In essence, he "hums" when he fights and depending on the frequency (and how good the hearing is of those around) this is often audible and to some may even sound musical.

Alternatively he can create dissonant effects with either the emitter or his vocal synthesizer, attacking with sonic "screams" or noise to disorient. As a result of his implants he cannot open his mouth terribly wide, but he doesn’t need to.

The antennae implants on his ears are designed to pick up wide-band audio frequencies and transmissions, a select sound filter and also have integral aural amplifiers as well as dampeners for when he has to turn up his volume. They’re also used to “ping” signals to his network of golemites, as well as pick up their specialized frequencies.

Substantiated rumors abound that he had a hand in helping develop the technology used for the telecommunications array in Rata Primus, but good luck ever getting any real info out of him.

Yes, he is a fantastic singer and musician.

---------------^~vv~^~~^~------^~----------------------------------

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[draft-zero]

DZ-82: Dramatising Given Circumstances in Watchmen

How can writers dramatise Given Circumstances?

In this final podcast release of last year’s run of LiveSoLation episodes, Chas and Stu are joined by Uber-geek Mel Killingsworth (who else?) in an epic exploration of how Dave Gibbons’ and Alan Moore’s seminal graphic novel WATCHMEN is adapted differently in Zack Snyder’s 2009 film and Damon Lindelof’s 2019 HBO television show.

For this podcast release, we focus on a single craft tool: GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES. Traditionally an acting tool, we look at how it is also a useful writing tool: how is your story world different to your audience’s lived world and how best to communicate that?

In terms of WATCHMEN (as you will hear), there is so much given circumstances to convey — in terms of alternate history, superhero rules, political rules, character backstory, character worldview — that is done excellently in both the movie and the TV show that this becomes a masterclass in exposition.

We also touch on narrative structure and tone: how presenting the exact same information in a different order or through a different tonal lens can change how it lands for an audience. ie this diagram --

But this is explored much more fully in the very-visual companion YouTube videos. Subscribe to our YouTube to be notified when they’re released! http://www.draft-zero.com/youtube

While this episode may not be for the feint of heart, we feel it is one of our best. Hope you do too.

Spoilers abound. Audio excerpts used for educational purposes. Thanks to Chris for wrangling this into shape!

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:02 - Watching the Watchmen

00:06:13 - Summaries

00:17:07 - Given Circumstances

00:38:39 - The Characters

00:51:07 - Theme & Characters

01:02:13 - Narrative Structure & Theme

01:27:07 - Worldview

01:33:47 - Dr Manhattan

01:51:50 - Wrap Up

LINKS

Watch: Watchmen (2009) screenplay by David Hayter & Alex Tse

Watch: Watchmen (2019) created by Damon Lindelof

Read: Watchmen illustrated by Dave Gibbson and written by Alan Moore

RELATED EPISODES

DZ-37: Excelling at Exposition (Part 1)

DZ-38: Excelling at Exposition (Part 2)

Thanks to all our patrons, especially Thomas, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Theis, Sandra, and Khrob.

Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners. We are @stuwillis and @chasffisher on twitter. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out this new episode of Draft Zero