#automatomicatomaton

[wilwheaton]

Is this Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull?

you know damn well who this is

[marcosclopezblog]

Sell prints of your first statement declaring your intention to not sell prints of "Angry."

Only if people don’t want that.

[elsewhereuniversity]

Wouldn't the Roomba end up full of salt, though? I feel like that might eventually dampen Their enthusiasm for it. Also if a student managed to tape nails to it, feed it iron filings, or otherwise coat/fill it with iron, might it become a roving repellent for Them?

All that means is that is wanders freely without any opposition at all.

[quickchangeartist]

92 Questions Tag

Tagged by: @shadowbanish (thank you! <3)

Answer the questions and tag 20 people.

Shit, uhhhhhh... I dunno about 20. That seems like a whole hell of a lot. @ammonia-jane, @manticorefruit, @pink-reindeer, @ghartokpadhome, @ashadahlen, @ashtraska, @onepartpartyonepartmachine, @happilynerevarafter, @relvinmeru, @julei-zu, @aforgottenchampion, @jerallmountains, @sonofqueen, @hardbittenhearts, @aramis-stilt0n, @snowelves, @automatomicatomaton, @dunmeritude, @sithisit, @chameleonspell HEY WE DID IT (Disregard if you want, tho, cos this is a lot of questions and all)

THE LAST: 1. Drink: Tea, with a lot of sugar and milk. 2. Phone call: @ammonia-jane, actually, because I’d missed the bus and made myself late.  3. Text message: “A miserable pile of secrets.”  4. Song you listened to: “Maker Of My Sorrow” by Eliza Rickman 5. Time you cried: Probably yesterday morning, or the night before.

HAVE YOU: 6. Dated someone twice: Like, gone on two dates or dated them, broke up, then dated them again? Either way, yes. 7. Kissed someone and regretted it: Oh man, yeah. Many people I’ve kissed have not been good at it, regardless. 8. Been cheated on: Yeeeeeaahh actually that sort of happens a lot? I often wonder about that, and whether that’s why I just plain don’t much mind being fucked around on, maybe I just see it as a natural consequence. Or maybe I’m just poly and I shouldn’t overanalyse the whys so much. 9. Lost someone special: Yeah. 10. Been depressed: Bruh. Come on, now. 11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: Lol. Yeah. LIST 3 FAVORITE COLORS: 12. Red 13. Black 14. That sort of deep reddish purple that you only get on certain kinds of plum at very precise times of the year. IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU: 15. Made new friends: Yeah! I’m really bad at keeping them, though. 16. Fallen out of love: Nope! 17. Laughed until you cried: Yes 18. Found out someone was talking about you: Nah. Either they cover shit up properly, or I’m just not that interesting to talk about. Also, I’m pretty obtuse to be fair. 19. Met someone who changed you: Not in the last year, but they’re still around?20. Found out who your friends are: I wasn’t in doubt? Damn, some of you must have much more drama-filled lives than I do. 21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: Idk? Probably. I think I gave @manticorefruit a smooch on their hat the other week. I kissed Voltaire after a concert a month or two back.

GENERAL: 22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: I don’t really know? Probably not more than half, though. 24. Do you want to change your name: I planned to change to my current name, Daniel, for the duration of transitioning, then change to Casimir once my surgery was done with. Then a friend of mine turns up with a Friendship Tattoo with ‘Daniel’ right there on his forearm and I’m just like. Welp.  25. What did you do for your last Birthday: I hung out at my mate’s place and drank gin and ate a delicious earl grey-flavored cake with “Happy fuckin’ Birthday aye” written on it in purple icing. That cake lasted for two weeks, it was enormous. 26. What time did you wake up: It should be 7am, lately it’s between 10am and 1pm because life is a series of mistakes. 27. What were you doing at midnight last night: Probably something unspeakable. 28. Name something you can’t wait for: For @ammonia-jane to go to Texas so she can come back. 29. When was the last time you saw your mom: She’s literally right here. My cat is sitting on her and she’s reading my old report cards from school 20 years ago. 30. What is one thing you wish you could change in your life: Oh my fucking gods, where to fucking begin... How about I go back to being 17 and happy and not yet so crushingly mentally ill. That or give me $100,000. 31. What are you listening right now: My cat purring, also “The Wayward Wife” by The Merry Wives Of Windsor. 32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: ...Shit, I don’t know. Maybe I haven’t?? 33. Something that is getting on your nerves: My real estate agent hasn’t returned my emails OR my calls in going on a month now, despite sticking a demolition application notice on my damn lawn in the dark of night. Shitweasels. 34. Most visited Website: If not Tumblr, then probably UESP. LOST QUESTIONS 35. Mole/s: I think there’s one on the back of my neck maybe, and there’s one on the underside of one forearm. 36. Mark/s: Like... A bunch. Scar across my shoulder, scars all over my fingers and hands, big scar on my left thigh, nick on one wrist and between two knuckles on one hand I’ve had as long as I can remember, big flat scar on the sole of one foot, freckles on my shoulders (the ones on my face and forearms faded a lot when I became a Basement Goblin but the ones on my shoulders were from a SEVERE sunburn so I figure they’re there to stay), my stretchmarks are invisible now but holy fuck am I still super self-conscious about them, etc etc etc. 37. Childhood dream: I wanted to be a vet surgeon so much. 38. Haircolour: Right now? Henna-dyed red, it’s sort of brick-red now. 39. Long or short hair: I have a mohawk that’s long enough to reach the small of my back. So... Both? 40. Do you have a crush on someone: Sure <3 41. What do you like about yourself: My hands are pretty and I can do lots of things with them, like blacksmithing and carpentry and rude gestures. 43. Bloodtype: I THINK it’s O-? I can’t remember right now. It’s on some paperwork somewhere around here. 44. Nickname: Dan No, Dan Pls, Dan Would You Just Stop 45. Relationship status: I think they’re both going pretty well? 46. Zodiac: Aries  47. Pronouns: Neither He/Him/His or They/Them/Theirs feels ‘right’ but because English is a woeful pain in the ass, I’ll accept either of those. 48. Favourite TV Show: Right now it’s American Gods. 49. Tattoos: SOON. Once I get a new spot to live sorted out, I got some promises to keep. 50. Right or left hand: Right. 51. Surgery: Broken wrist, had a chunk carved out of my foot, had my thigh cauterised shut because I kept tearing the stitches and I decided I didn’t care. Had some bits and pieces extracted. Had broken tooth bits fished out of my jaw. At some point in the future there’ll be major chest surgery. 52. Hair dyed in different colour: SO MANY. I had to cool it with that once I started getting scared of my hair falling out. I used to be Billy Idol peroxide-white, though, I think that was the worst for it. 53. Sport: I don’t sport? I like watching Swordcraft battles. I think that’s a sport. 55. Vacation: The Murray River, up around Sunraysia, about 12km downriver from Loch 11. Not that I’ve thought about it at all. 56. Pair of trainers: I don’t know if I have any, actually. I wear my boots to death, though, they need resoling now I’ve ground the heels hollow again. MORE GENERAL:

57. Eating: Right now? Kabana and some baked beans. Whatever I could find in the kitchen. 58. Drinking: Cheap coke. 59. I’m about to: Write something, I hope, if my brain stays still. 61. Waiting for: Word back about the last rental lease we applied for. 62. Want: Not gonna lie, I would pay $50 for someone to come lie in bed with me and tell me it’s gonna be okay while we spoon and watch American Gods. 63. Get married: Afraid I can’t. Australia’s fun like that. 64. Career: *distant, bitter laughter* WHICH IS BETTER 65. Hugs or kisses: Depends on the person. It’s hard to screw up a hug, though. 66. Lips or eyes: Eyes 67. Shorter or taller: Depends on what I intend to do with them 68. Older or younger: Older 70. Nice arms or nice stomach: Arms, I have such a weird envy thing for good shoulders. 71. Sensitive or loud: Sensitive, because holy shit I am all nervous all the time and loud is bad for me 72. Hook up or relationship: Hmmm. I mean, both have their pros and cons. 73. Troublemaker or hesitant: I am naturally really cautious, so hesitant, I guess. HAVE YOU EVER:

74. Kissed a stranger: Yep 75. Drank hard liquor: Yessir. I got a bottle of gin beside my chair at all times, lately. Beautiful Tanqueray. 76. Lost glasses/contact lenses: I don’t have either, though I probABLY REALLY SHOULD 77. Turned someone down: Yeah, it was so awkward. Poor thing, really. 78. Sex in the first date: Why wouldn’t I? 79. Broken someone’s heart: Ayyeh... Yeah, pretty often. I’m kind of garbage. 80. Had your heart broken: Yes. 81. Been arrested: No! A low bar, I know, but something I’m proud of. 82. Cried when someone died: Still doing it, now and then. 83. Fallen for a friend: Yes. DO YOU BELIEVE IN: 84. Yourself: Hah. I believe that other people believe in me and I don’t want to disappoint them, how’s that? 85. Miracles: In a way. I don’t think of them as miracles, though. 86. Love at first sight: Not the kind of love that ought to last. 87. Santa Claus: Nah 88. Kiss on the first date: Hell yeah smooches. 89. Angels: How christian-specific of you. OTHER: 90. Current best friends name: I always hated the idea that asking that question was normal and acceptable. Just makes other friends feel inadequate. 91. Eyecolour: Blue-grey, there’s a bit of brownish-gold around the middle I got from my mother. 92. Favourite movie: The Man Who Fell To Earth. It makes me cry a lot. Or Showgirls, because I cannot watch it without laughing, it’s a trainwreck that never stops giving.

[not-your-fae]

Inspired by this post http://wetwareproblem.tumblr.com/post/155556479401/makishimashoogo-automatomicatomaton No aphobe can ever play Borderlands

[lady-laufey]

You are hereby Called Out by tumbly user AutomatomicAtomaton. This will be pool noodles at dawn, miscreant.

[ceriseal]

that's a very very good point. and a really important one for me to remind myself about. liars would be happy they succeeded rather than distressed and scared and horrified and picking through what they said to verify its truth a hundred times over.

thank you for reminding me of that Laufey <3

@automatomicatomaton

[projectbot13]

That is very true. I know now that you know now that birds are dinosaurs. Yes?

You have now it robots take up see projectbot well.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

So, for future celebrations of BAD Week, will it be set to start on a certain BANDit's birthday, or on the Monday of the week containing that birthday?

It will always start on that BANDit’s birthday

[elsewhereuniversity]

ASKS - Names

Asks sent to my main, answered here. Themes - what’s a true name, exactly?

Anon said: So what happens with people who have officially changed their names? I'm thinking especially for trans students who change names to match their gender, but anybody who's gone through the process of legally changing names. Would their deadname still be their "true name" as far as the Gentry are concerned?

Anon said: how would the name thing work with deadnames? would the deadname be the "real name" or the name from birth?

Anon said: What if you legally changed your name? Would that still hold power or something or just your birth name?

Anon said: More for the name things: What about trans students? My name is Lucian but my birth name is completely different. Which one would count as my true name?

Anon said: In terms of trans folks at EU, would their birth name be the one that could control them? Or would it be their preferred name?

Anon said: About the name thing, how does that work for trans people? Do the fae go by birth certificate or what you believe as your name?

Anon said: What about preferred names? Like I don't feel any attachment to my birth/legal name and no one calls me by it. What would be considered dangerous to use?

orendork said: EU question: Would a trans person's real name be their birth name or their chosen name?? Like would it be safe to go by a chosen name?

lupus-lunarem submitted: At elsewhere University if you have a legal name change which name is then used against you? Your birth name or changed name?

Anon said: In response to the question of "true names", I wonder if the Fae could be tricked by the giving of a deadname. Perhaps a trans person/someone who changed their name for personal reasons might be able to give a member of the Folk their deadname as a part of a bargain & the faery would accept it as a part of the bargain, since more antiquated traditions might designate that as the "true name". However, since the person's deadname doesn't really have power over them, the bargain could be safe while remaining valid

zeromylesperhour said: I rly liked your idea of the trans kids playing games for simple things like voice changes. I've also always thought about how true names would work in that situation! Like a faerie might think it has power over a trans kid because it knows their "name" but it's their birth name and not their real name.

Especially in a place where belief holds such power as it does at Elsewhere University, your true name would be your preferred name - the one that means you, heart and soul. While on campus, you should keep it secret from all but those you trust with your life. Your deadname would have no power over you. The legal status of your true name doesn’t matter; it draws its power from the weight and identity you give it.

As far as the Gentry are concerned, in folklore one’s true name was often synonymous with one’s birth name, and I imagine that because of this, for a time after Elsewhere began to seep back into the world, they would ask a birth name as a price for a boon, and occasionally be very, very surprised when it was given without a fight and held no power at all. They have learned to be more careful for what they ask for since then, but not after several rather embarrassing deals, and every once in a while one of the more antiquated Fair Folk will make this mistake over again.

Anon said: So I have another question about names! For reasons, I've always been called by my middle name over my first name by people close to me. Would it count as not giving my name to the fae if I use my first name, which I don't feel as connected to?

Anon said: Didn't the tradition of giving middle names to children came from superstition about the power of true names. This got me thinking, are you ok in Elsewhere U if you have a middle name and you use your first- and last name freely, and do the school official papers keep record of the middle names of the students

theperidotshade said: On the subject of names at Elsewhere University, I'm curious about how it would work out for people like me who go by our middle names/double names. They're essentially nicknames, because we actively choose which of our names to go by, but they were still given to us, so...?

ambicolor said: Sorry if this has been asked before, but what about middle names? My cousin goes by his, but would that count as a true name?

automatomicatomaton said: On the bit about true names - how much power do middle names have?

For some people their identity is very much tied up in their full name and the sense of connection to family it provides, among other reasons; for these people it would be an extremely bad idea to give away any part of it, although full control would possibly be dependent on knowing the full name.

For others, who only feel a strong connection to a piece of their full name, the parts that don’t mean anything to you wouldn’t have any power. However, giving out any part your name that might be on record would be inadvisable. Even if your first or last name alone doesn’t carry any significance, it would make it easier for something to potentially dig up your full name and work out the piece that does mean something. The University takes great care with the official paperwork, and it’s generally considered secure between the custom iron file folders and the encrypted online systems, but, you know. Murphy’s Law.

Anon said: Okay, so on the topic of true names I have something that I've been wondering about. I have two names (English and Hebrew) both given to me by my parents. Which do you think would count as my true name, or is it just a situation of having more to hide from Them?

Anon said: ooo for true names - what about those of us who were born with two different names in two different languages, gifted at the same time? We're one in one country and a different name in another - which name would be our true name? The one used more often? The one which was technically written down first?

It depends what they mean to you – if one is significantly more fundamental to your sense of self than the other, that would be your true name; if they’re equally important they should both be hidden (although I think potentially with two True Names, one would need to know both in order to have full power over you. If you were given a command by someone who Named you with only one of your two names, the compulsion would be strong but you’d stand a chance of resisting).

Anon said: would there be a loophole around being controlled by your given name if They mispronounced it? Like, if you were to give Them your own name written down, and when They speak it They mispronounce it... ? Would that negate the control, while still being a fair trade on your part?

theperidotshade said: Also, what if someone pronounces their name differently than it's phonetically spelled, or typically pronounced? Could they use the typical pronunciation and be safe, or is it about more than just how the name is spoken?

A mispronounced name – a name spoken differently than the version you know to be yours -couldn’t control you. A spoken or signed (as in sign language, not signature) name holds power, and so it must be spoken correctly. A written name does not, in the sense that if someone who knew your true name slipped you a note with your name and a command, you would not be compelled to obey it. But honestly banking on mispronunciation would barely buy you time at all – they’d figure out how to say it sooner rather than later, if only by repeating it a hundred times with increasingly outlandish inflections.

Anon said: So let's say someone was trans and they hadn't come out yet but they had already picked a name out would that be the name they shouldn't give to the gentry?

Yeah, it would – it doesn’t matter how many other people know it (and the fewer the better among people on campus). What makes it a true name is that it’s who you consider yourself to be.

Anon said: Okay, what about a hypothetical scenario in which all of the logistical issues are handwaved away and a person has no "true name"? Like, hippie parents living off the grid (no birth certificates) who just wait, making no assumptions because they believe in self-determination, until their little tyke is old enough to choose a name?

If you’re in the unusual position of never having found a name that you feel a strong connection to, you would be invulnerable in this particular aspect of campus life.

curiousmindsinlurve said: About the names thing theoretically speaking if someone got married and took on their spouses' last name would their maiden name hold more power? Or is it vice versa?

Whichever holds the most significance – I imagine that it varies pretty wildly between people who are radiantly happy to share their loved one’s last name and people who have changed their name because it’s customary but still feel a strong connection to their maiden name and the family history that comes with it.

mithrils-hanger said: Elsewhere U musings, and i suspect that my RPG writer experience has given me a skewed perspective of what is important, but. can you imagine how intense the University's efforts at protecting their records must be? forget mundane identity theft issues, the Payroll, Registrar, and Records departments house untold numbers of true names in their files. every employee. every student. present and all those past. even something as simple as an attendance roster could spell the doom of a student.

nickystar said: A question about EU, if it hasn't been answered already: I assume that to enroll at the school, you'd legally have to apply using your real name, and those in charge of the school would keep these names on lists somewhere. But how do they keep the Fair Folk from finding them and using them for their gain, and who all would have access to the names?

Everything legally and unavoidably essential is kept locked in custom iron filing folders and behind several layers of encryption in the heavily guarded computer systems, in the heavily guarded offices that deal with these things. Students and professors are referred to from the first week on by their chosen names, and they’re kept track of with student ID numbers and photos. It’s not usual for the exhaustively screened staff in charge of all this to have nightmares about making a mistake.

oddloop said: I feel true names would still have power. Whether or not its chosen or given, it is your power and closer to your heart, so by giving that knowledge to someone else you share your power, give them the power over you that you have yourself

True names absolutely have power – it’s hooked into the fundamentals of who you know yourself to be. It can obviously be used for harm, to compel you against your will. But it can be used to save you - this is the flipside. If you’ve eaten the food underhill, if you are too enchanted or dazzled or lost to find your own way back to your own mind, someone who knows your true name can break the spell and call you home.

pretzel-log1c said: In certain tales, Nicknames can be just as powerful as True Names. Especially if they are given. Are their any students that get trapped into the mold of their nickname? Like say, if a student went by Mouse?

It’s happened before. With any luck you don’t choose a safename that has any huge significance to you, and you’re aware enough of your own emotions to tell if you’re getting too attached to it. But these are not guarantees.

Your nickname probably won’t change you. But the rules are bendy here.

tookmelongenough-right said: In regards to Elsewhere U and names, I remember a series where you could bargain to give away one name per boon, so someone could, if they were desperate enough, make up to three deals with the fae. Four, if you had two last names.

If your true name is your full name all together, if you name yourself with the entirety of it – then yes, you could sell it piece by piece. Each fragment would have some power, enough to buy something valuable, if they thought you’d be coming back to make another deal or three.

kikinickle said: Another question about True Names: If you've had a nickname as long as you've had your real name, given to you at birth (or even before birth) and used as often as your legal name (though by fewer people) throughout your life, does it count as much as your legally given name?

It depends on its relevance to who you consider yourself to be.

[howtofightwrite]

Given the prevalence of scythe questions, I thought I'd bring up a hypothetical - what if both the inner and outer edge of a blade that is otherwise identical to and mounted the same way as a scythe blade were sharpened? Would swinging with that outer edge on a scythe-shaped weapon be in any way practical?

Okay, I appreciate people trying to make this one work. I do get why too. In fiction, the Grim Reaper scythe is a very popular weapon. It has fantastic visuals and it looks wicked. When it comes to fictional weapons, the author has to make a choice of how fantastical they want to get. I’m a fan of understanding the reality because the more one knows then the easier it becomes to make what I want work. There is really no real way to make the traditional farmer’s scythe practical and realistic as a battlefield weapon. It is too heavy, too slow, due to the size of it’s head, it would need to be fairly short in the haft to make it more wieldy. However, the biggest kicker is going to be its limitations in terms of movement and the greater amount of time it takes to actually hit someone.

If you’re going to run with the scythe, then it becomes a hewing weapon or a weapon that cuts. Puncturing or stabbing with it is a deep dream that allows one to hook around into the perfect position to hit the other person.

In order to properly strike, the scythe must come across or the wielder must be off center to stab it forward. This is a problem, as while it is possible to strike across, most polearms function on a grid that allows for diagonal cuts and forward strikes. The blade tip almost universally points toward the enemy in direct line with the shaft. This allows it a greater attacking radius and more lines with which to attack the body. It also allows the polearm to be used within smaller, more narrow spaces such as courtyards and castle hallways. It can make the most of smaller, tighter movements, rather than big ones. This saves energy for the wielder and allows them to fight more quickly.

The scythe, meanwhile, points away from the enemy. The point comes back toward you. The long curve wraps back around. This is actually important because it means that the blade must travel a greater distance before it reaches the enemy. It also must travel further than all the other polearms in order to connect. Due to it’s shape, it’s strengths actually come from hooking around an opponent because that’s where the greatest force will be in terms of cutting. Even if you put a blade on the other side, it would be difficult to achieve the necessary rotation to create the force needed to hew or cut through an opponent.

For a hand scythe like the kama, this isn’t a problem. It’s much shorter and much more wieldy, capable of moving on different angles without sacrificing defense. It’s response is much more quick, and you can use it to hook body parts or sword blades in a way one cannot with the much larger scythe.

The short answer is that no matter what you do, the shape is awkward for polearm combat. It would be a dueling weapon only as one would have difficulty using it in formation, having a greater chance of hitting their fellows and their enemies. It would require a fair amount of space to wield due to the shape of it’s blade, thus becoming more likely to be stuck on walls or trees or in a random passerby. It’s designed to cut grass. The horizontal strikes would leave the wielder far too open and, more than that, they’d run a greater risk of missing. The blade style reduces the weapon’s reach advantage. The reach advantage is crucial to polearms, being able to hit someone else while they can’t close to hit you is one of the main reasons why one chooses to carry a polearm. It cannot, really, even marginally function as a puncturing weapon. It can’t really be used from horseback, though the greater curve itself is used for swords like the sabre and scimitar that are better capable of making use of the rotation to greater effect due to their shorter length.

It’s defense is also shot due to the limitations on the blade itself being entirely stuck on one side of the haft and the greater swings necessary to achieve even half the effectiveness of similar weapons.

Unless it has mystical properties, it’s just not a very good weapon. The problem is not where the blade is, it’s actually the shape. In choosing it, one is choosing a subpar weapon from a selection of similar types. Those weapons are designed to be weapons and they have a specific usage/function in mind.

Here’s both of the Lindybeige videos on Scythes: 1, 2.

Here’s a demonstration of the Jikishinkage-ryu Naginata. This is mostly for a basic understanding of striking patterns with a glaive type weapon. And the 2014 All Japan Women’s Naginata Final. I think this one gets easier to grasp when there’s a better understanding of how polearms were used, even just in a dueling type setup.

Matt Easton on Specializations in Spears and Swords, Underarm/Overarm.

Lindybeige on spears. 2.

-Michi

[fandomshatepeopleofcolor]

Honestly, considering that Moon Knight is written as being the representative of the Egyptian god Khonshu, might be best to narrow it down further and specify and Egyptian Jewish actor to play him.

Ah I didn’t know that, sorry. Thanks for letting us know about this! 

mod m

[projectbot13]

You are quite right of course, cats do go before bees. Also, birds are dinosaurs.

Everything i you know now if if i five or six you know now and then you know now.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

I want to campaign in the Amarga/Micro debate, but I'm afraid I'd jinx my favorite like I did the Bearded Vulture.

As a scientist I can confidently tell you that there is no such thing as a jinx

In fact, any evidence towards a jinx falls under the category of confirmation bias, meaning that humans often selectively remember things that confirm their ideas, and forget things that go against their preconceived notions

So campaign away, my friend

[projectbot13]

Hey Skylar, did you know that birds are dinosaurs?

hey automatomicatomaton.Cats go before they go bees they go theres some of which many people some live there.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

eesh, now I have to decide whether to campaign for the raven or the secretary bird... Tough choices, these, but at least I'm secure in the knowledge that all will fall before Lord Yi.

DON’T BE SO SURE IT VERY NEARLY LOST THIS ROUND