#coupling methodology

[tchaikovskym]

stumbled upon article written in 2018 with methods i needed to know last year. the articles really are hiding when i need them.

[tanadrin]

@grimogretricks

For people saying that airport security is wholly theatre and that it doesn't do any good- certainly it seems they've gone overboard on certain things, but what is your explanation as to why hijackings and terrorist attacks involving planes are MUCH less common than they used to be?

Sorry that this is mostly off the dome, and has less references than I would like. We argued this stuff to death in the aughts, though ultimately the political incentives in favor of security theater were just too great. Everyone is terrified of the potential backlash of not being seen to do enough in advance of the next big terrorist attack, I guess. And to be clear, we are talking mostly about post-9/11 airport security measures as being security theater. Some degree of airport security has been necessary since people started getting on airplanes with guns and informing the pilot that, hey, guess what, we're going to Cuba instead of Miami today.

But the big reduction in airplane hijackings came with the institution of metal detectors to keep guns off airplanes after a couple high-profile hijackings in the 1970s. But remember that these incidents were of a very different character than what we now think of as the risk to airplanes: they were certainly a problem, but the modus operandi of hijackers in this era was to force the plane to fly to a non-extradition country and land safely. 9/11-style hijackings, that used the plane as a bomb and killed everyone aboard, were on nobody's radar--when the goal was blowing up the plane and killing passengers, bombers generally used bombs planted in checked baggage, which requires different security measures from passenger screening.

Two security changes occurred after 9/11 that made future such hijackings basically impossible: one, probably most importantly, was that passengers understood they no longer could count on hijackers having an interest in surviving the hijacking. This change in passenger behavior was immediate: later that same year when a guy tried to bomb an airplane (using a really ineffective device hidden in his shoe) passengers immediately acted to restrain him. The second important change was reinforcing cockpit doors and keeping them locked: this makes hijacking airplanes with knives (the only major modality left to most would-be hijackers) functionally impossible.

All the other intense passenger screening and security measures implemented after 9/11 has been repeatedly shown by security researchers to be pretty ineffective, not even very reliable at stuff like keeping knives off airplanes. For years after 9/11 there were endless news stories about law enforcement running drills at airports and weapons making their way through security. A lot of later security measures, like liquid limits in carry-on baggage, came from terrorist plots that didn't even make it off the drawing board (and are unlikely to have ever worked anyway), and seem mostly to be overzealous ass-covering by transportation security officials.

And, finally, we should note that the real security threats to airplanes in the post-9/11 era seem to have come come from two sources that are basically impossible to protect against using traditional security methods, and for which passenger-based security screening is useless: anti-aircraft missiles and suicidal pilots (plus an honorable mention to aircraft companies trying to skirt certain regulatory requirements).

Despite what decades of American media would have you believe, elaborate plots targeting transportation infrastructure and involving like a dozen people are actually not at the top of the list of terrorist methodologies--why time and money training members of your organization to fly planes into buildings, when you can just use social media to convince a guy to drive a car into a crowd of bystanders, or stab somebody on the street? It's much cheaper, and much, much harder to guard against. Random lone-wolf terrorism is, unlike the kind of elaborate plots portrayed on TV, and one-off real-life examples like 9/11, basically impossible for security services to guard against in advance. But in order to justify the war on terror, and large budgets for security services on anti-terrorism grounds, it was necessary to play up the threat of such plots, even if by its very nature 9/11 was impossible to repeat. For similar reasons, the post-9/11 era also played up the threat of Islamic extremism and large overseas terrorist networks, even though far-right extremists acting in small groups also have managed to kill huge numbers of people in spectacular ways.

So for all these reasons, and those noted at the top, the political incentives around transportation security means that passenger screening measures in airports are almost guaranteed to be a one-way ratchet, even if they don't work. It's a bit like the fabled anti-tiger amulet--it's easy to say the lack of tigers is proof it's working! Even if the real reason there are no tigers about is that you live in Ohio. The media environment post-War on Terror helped create a public appetite for and approval of such anti-tiger amulets, too, of course. This was not by any means a purely top-down phenomenon.

[eowynstwin]

Be careful getting into any kind of relationship with Soap. Given the slightest excuse that man will start collecting sex toys like some guys collect ball caps. And I’m not talking about couples’ toys, I’m talking about vibrators and butt plugs and clamps and cuffs of all shapes and sizes specifically to experiment on you with.

He’s methodical about it too. Scientific almost. Plays with different combinations—manipulates his variables to see what happens when he uses this claw clamp alongside that bullet vibe, or what if he adds just a little bit of warming lube to this plug with a heart-shaped flare? What then?

What noises do you make? Do your thighs only twitch, or does he have to be careful not to make you kick him on accident? What happens if he holds the tip of the vibrator right there—oh, there it is, you’re squirting all up his arm. How interesting.

And he can’t just run these tests on you once. That would be extremely poor methodology. The results of any experiment are only valid if they can be replicated. And do try to be still while he’s working, hen, or else he’ll have to tie you down whether he planned on it or not. And then he’ll have to adjust his methodology again.

You don’t want that, do you?

[thefantastickatinator]

Dropout should hire more trans women.

That said, a couple things about the data set floating around showing disproportionality in casting:

1. 7 of the top 9 (those cast members who appear in over 100 episodes, everyone else has under 70 appearances) are members of the core dimension 20 cast, aka “the intrepid heroes”. This cast has been in 7 of the 22 seasons, with those seasons usually being 20-ish episodes long (the other seasons are between 4-10 episodes long typically). That’s approximately 140 episodes for each of the main intrepid heroes cast members just for these seasons (not including bonus content like live shows). Brian Murphy has appeared 154 times, which means almost all of his appearances were on D20 intrepid heroes campaigns.

2. The other 2 in the top 9 are Sam Reich and Mike Trapp, who are both hosts of long running shows (Game Changer and Um, Actually)

3. 198 of the 317 episodes that noncis “TME” people have appeared in can be attributed to ally Beardsley alone (there is some crossover where for example alex and ally have both appeared in the same episodes). Erika ishii has been in 67 of the 317 noncis “TME” episode appearances i don’t know how much crossover there is between them but i don’t think they’ve been on d20 together so i doubt it’s more than 20. It could be as many as 250 of the 317 episodes that have either erica or ally. Both Erika and ally are majorly skewing the results for the data

4. Over 3/4 of people have no listed gender identity in the spreadsheet - most of them have 1-2 appearances, but a few have 3-4 appearances. I’m pretty sure these people aren’t included in the data at all (some of them i’m p sure are not cis like jiavani and bob the drag queen)

5. The data collector has assigned “tme” and “tma” to various cast members.

TME: transmisogyny exempt

TMA: transmisogyny affected

Now, tranmisogyny can affect trans women, trans femmes, and nonbinary people, and occasionally masculine appearing cis women.

I personally do not believe that an outside person can assign you a label deciding whether or not you experience certain types of oppression- and yet that is what the data collector has done.

I think a more accurate label would be amab/afab, or more honestly- “people i think are amab or have said they are amab and then everyone else”

6. The data does not include many of their newer shows such as Very Important People, Gastronauts, Play it By Ear, and Monet’s Slumber Party, all of which feature trans people (MSP, Gastronauts, and VIP are all hosted by noncis people)

What I think the data more accurately shows:

- Dimension 20 has a “main cast” who have appeared in the majority of episodes

- Dropout has some “regulars” who appear on the majority of their content/shows (sam has referenced multiple times that brennan is one of the first people he calls whenever someone can’t show up for something since he’s nearly always down for anything) - none of these people are trans women

Final thoughts:

I think eliminating “hosts” and the “intrepid heroes” from THIS TYPE of data set would be more appropriate because they massively skew the data when crunching the numbers for dropout shows. Especially since I can tell from the excel sheet that there are shows missing. Examining d20 sidequests and the guests on the other shows will give a more accurate representation of casting. Hosts should be analyzed separately as that’s a different casting process.

Also imagine if we referred to men and women as “misogyny exempt” and “misogyny affected” when doing demographics. Or if someone did a data collection of the number of POC appearances in dropout episodes and sorted it by “racism affected” and “racism exempt” - so weiiiiird

TLDR: the data set has massive issues with its methodology and that should be considered. That doesn’t make what trans women are saying less valid.

In other words: spiders brennan is an outlier and should not have been counted

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

Blake Case Timeline: Unpacking the Taylor of it all

AKA Everything you never wanted to know about the media strategy of a celebrity scandal!

OK, I don’t actually know anything, but I am a girl with a keen interest in the media and how it’s used to cover a subject, and have a certain skill set that is appropriate for the task.

When I started drafting this post, I didn’t intend to do a deep dive at all. My interest was piqued over the link between the People article dropping about Blake Lively and Taylor’s mended friendship, Travis unfollowing Ryan Reynolds on Instagram, and the news of Taylor being subpoenaed in Blake and Justin Baldoni’s case. I was going to pick a few articles from the “trusted” outlets to show how each side covered the situation to show how easy it is to tell how stories are spun.

However, because I can’t be normal about anything, I ended up going down the rabbit hole of this case, and mainly about how Taylor has been used by both sides to tell it. Now, you get to go down the rabbit hole with me.

I'm putting the post under a cut because it's long as hell and I want to save your dashboards ✌️

First things first, this review is specifically about Taylor. I am not commenting on the actual case itself (although I do have thoughts, naturally, especially now). I’m not here to litigate Blake or Baldoni’s cases (mostly). I’m here to show how their respective PR teams use Taylor in their strategies, and how Taylor’s team itself responds to it. Consider this a crash course in media literacy or something, if you’ve never had the pleasure of doing your own kind of media review.

I’m mostly presenting the media itself here and keeping my commentary to a minimum, to keep the focus on similarities or differences between language and narratives used. I’ve obviously got my own thoughts about what is happening and each party’s strategies, especially after reading a large volume of articles not only about Taylor, but the case itself (as well as the non-case PR being used to promote the parties). But I don’t want to distract from this task at hand, and I don’t want to claim myself as an expert by any means.

That being said, while I don’t want to colour anyone’s perspective ahead of time, here are a couple of notes about the methodology as it were:

I focused mainly on the main outlets that are covering the case and evidently have ties to the actual parties: Entertainment Tonight (which is infamously and very clearly Taylor’s team’s go-to), PEOPLE (which is IMO very obviously Blake and Ryan's, after doing this analysis) and The Daily Mail (which is definitely Baldoni’s).

I’ve also included TMZ and Page Six, because— spoiler alert— they’re used by all three IMO. (Both also have known ties to Baldoni’s team… But Page Six in particular appears to be Blake-Ryan friendly now.)

THAT being said… ALL outlets are used by ALL parties in this, including by Taylor’s team. (Again, IMO, but it’s a very educated opinion.)

Now, a few disclaimers about these sources:

Many of these outlets these are tabloids. Ultimately, take everything with a grain of salt, for the most part. Some much larger than others.

Entertainment Tonight and People are, by and large, two of the most trusted outlets in entertainment journalism and have been for decades, because of their strong ties to celebrities’ own publicists. (In other words, most of the stories you’re going to read in these outlets writ large are directly sourced by the celebrities’ publicists. If either of them says “a source close to [the celebrity] tells us…” you can be pretty much guaranteed it came directly from their PR team.) And, as noted above, ET is currently Taylor’s team’s most trusted outlet (for Reasons).

I’d say the other outlets are far more in the “grain of salt” category. That being said, TMZ does have close ties to many celebrities and is used by their publicists (including Taylor), but because they are so salacious and at times even unethical, you have to keep your eyebrows raised. (And in this case, TMZ has an in with Baldoni’s team via their history with the Depp-Heard trial, and his lawyer speaking directly to TMZ.)

Normally, I’d personally filter source credibility by their title, e.g. “an exclusive source close to x/a close insider to x” is more reliable than “a source with knowledge of x” is more reliable than “this paper has learned” is more reliable than “a source tells us” is more reliable than “someone told us” is more reliable than no mention of sources at all.

However, given the nature of this lawsuits, and the nature of entertainment journalism as a whole, that is a lot muddier in this case.

For instance, Page Six and The Daily Mail run a lot of “exclusives,” but believe me, after reading many of those “exclusives,” they’re clearly full of shit. As an example, in an unrelated article in recent months, Page Six ran an “exclusive” with a source saying Taylor was making Nashville her home base now that tour was over so that she could be closer to Travis in Kansas City. Um, she is indeed closer to Travis, however it happens to be under the same roof in whatever city they happen to be living in this off-season if you catch my drift. If anyone has read the recent “exclusive” in The Daily Mail about, um, Taylor and Travis’ extracurricular activities, you can also glean that there’s no way they’d be privy to any of that information, especially not about an infamously private pop star. So “exclusive” does not necessarily mean “truthful.”

In other words, you still need to use your brain cells. However, when an “exclusive” contains or repeats language or information that tracks with what is said by other (reputable) sources, it gives it more legitimacy and points to it coming from the same provider. Because even professional publicists are not above using seedier tabloids in order to fight fire with fire. (Including Taylor’s.)

Finally, general disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nor a publicist. I'm just a girl with a blog who likes words.

With all that out of the way, we're off to the races! This is long and dense and probably interesting to about three people, but here it is! (I've added more thoughts at the very end.)

***

Context: The Lawsuits

Initial New York Times publication of Blake's complaint - December 21, 2024

Original NYT link (view in your browser's Reader Mode to get past the paywall) or internet archive link.

Blake's initial suit filed in December 2024 addresses her allegations of sexual harassment and subsequent personal retaliation. The events detailed in her complaint mainly occurred during the actual production of the movie and the following publicity tour.

I highly encourage people to read the complaint. There's so much being spun about the case (from both sides tbh), but this spells out what the actual basis of it is. Yes, it's Blake's filing, so obviously it comes to her defence and is clearly her side of the story. But even at that, the collection of evidence is compelling in terms of her actual legal case regarding her sexual harassment and the resulting smear campaign in the media and online. Especially because, for these purposes, the collected communications outline the strategy Justin Baldoni's team designed in order to execute the campaign against Blake in retaliation for her actions, including the deliberate inclusion of Taylor in their tactics. The PR team claimed "we can bury anyone," and essentially have endless resources at their disposal to do so.

Of note, this is the first direct reference to Taylor in these communications in August 2024, calling back to her relationship with Blake and more importantly, the link between Taylor's fanbase and Blake's as a threat to JB's image:

So incredibly glad that the press went so well today and from what I know, Justin felt incredibly supported. He is lucky to have you all. We took the day today to do some research and get digital quotes in from the two teams we use that get the best results. As you are both aware, we are in a predicament that we just do not know the outcome of right now. Saying that, full transparency is key here, we have seen the most innocuous issues tum giant due to socials or the hugest crisis have no effects on social whatsoever- you just cannot tell at this stage. But, BL does have some of the TS fanbase so we will be taking it extremely seriously.

While the rest of this particular message doesn't reference Taylor directly, I'm including it as an example of how the team planned to use (and manipulate) social media influence to take down Blake, because it demonstrates how it's done for smear campaigns in general:

We also understand audience is not solely JB fanbase but, the studio so it is covering all bases time. Quote one: $175k - this will be for a 3-4 month period and includes: website (to discuss) full reddit, full social account take downs, full social crisis team on hand for anything - engage with audiences in the right way, start threads of theories (to discuss) this is the way to be fully 100%protected. Quote two $25k per month - min 3 months as it needs to seed same as above - this will be for creation of social fan engagement to go back and forth with any negative accounts, helping to change narrative and stay on track. All of this will be most importantly untraceable. There is a lot more to both of these quotes but, easier to discuss via phone in terms of capabilities and what I have personally experienced in and out of crisis scenarios. Either way, I do feel it is better to be safe but - I do realize costs are something I am sure you did not count on when you took on this project nor, this situation."

Taylor is also mentioned in one of the PR team's projected response scenarios following those conversations:

As part of this, our team can also explore planting stories about the weaponization of feminism and how people in BL's circle like Taylor Swift, have been accused of utilizing these tactics to "bully" into getting what they want.

(The PR team's texts and emails were obtained by a subpoena Blake filed in September in pre-discovery prior to filing her suit in December. The publicist's former employer also filed a suit of their own against them in December, for among other things, conspiring to steal clients to start their own agency. The publicist used her work devices to communicate about the case and draft the strategy, and the former employer had the devices forensically audited after she left, which is the content included in the subpoena. The majority stakeholder in the publicist's new PR agency representing JB, which was formed in summer 2024, is Scooter B.)

Justin Baldoni's countersuit - January 16, 2025

Link to complaint

This is his team's response to Blake's lawsuit. It contains his side of the story, namely the background info about the alleged evening he met Taylor in passing at Blake's home and which he claims was a pressure tactic by both Blake and Taylor so that he'd accept Blake's script changes. This includes the infamous text message exchange where Blake calls Taylor and Ryan her "dragons," which he takes to mean they'd fight him if needed.

According to the timestamps on these exchanges, this appears to have happened in or around April 2023, before shooting began on the movie. (Thus before the recorded instances of harassment happened on set referred to in Blake's lawsuit.)

According to JB's account, he let Blake take a pass at a scene in the script and was concerned over the changes she made that differed from the source material, so he "diplomatically" told her they'd see how it would be incorporated into the final scene. Also according to him, Blake was "seemingly stung" by his response, and did not speak to him for several days, until she responds to him in what would become the now-famous Khaleesi exchange. According to him:

Lively was referring to an earlier meeting where Lively summoned Baldoni to her New York penthouse where Baldoni was greeted by Ryan Reynolds, who launched into enthusiastic praise for Lively’s version of the scene. Hours later, as the meeting was ending, a famous, and famously close, friend of Reynolds and Lively, walked into the room and similarly began praising Lively’s script.

Presumably, the famous friend is Taylor. (It's unclear when the prior "meeting" took place, though it would have been before April 14, 2023, which is the night this text conversation took place according to the time stamps. There's no mention if the meeting was days or weeks or months before, although noting that it happened at Blake's home in NYC and that Taylor was training then rehearsing then on tour in 2023, presumably the public nature of her schedule narrows down the time frame.) JB alleges that that meeting combined with Taylor's praise and the text messages below amounted to a threat with which he needed to comply.

JB responds to Blake's text confirming that he's working on the scene they're discussing, allegedly coming to this decision after feeling pressured by Blake and Taylor:

Great! Also was working on rooftop scene today, I really love what you did. It really does help a lot. Makes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor) You really are a talent across the board. Really excited nd [sic] grateful to do this together.

Excerpt of Blake's long text that presumably refers to Taylor:

[...] As for [redacted] and Ryan (and [redacted] for that matter). I'm the luckiest motherfucker on the planet to have them as my "Dance Moms" level stage moms. They are embarrassingly effusive. That said, they're also my most trusted partners and the people I go to first with anything creative I touch. And I'm the person they each go to first. That reciprocal creativity and support has been one of my life's greatest and most fulfilling gifts. When they loved and signed off on the pages, I felt good to send them to you. They asked what you thought specifically after. They checked in so many times. I told them that you laughed a bunch and said it's probably a blend but you appreciate my passion so much. Which of course didn't feel great for me. Or them. To have my passion praised instead of any specific contribution. Or even just that you didn't like the pages. Which was fine also. So I think they wanted you and me to see how they felt about the work because they've been by my side for far too many experiences where I've been overlooked. I spoke to you about this when we first met. They've watched me hand write scripts bc the director is too afraid to send the FDX file yet he scans and has someone hand type all 120 pages of my pencil rewrites. They've watched me be hired as a writer and paid a significant fee for it but on the condition that I never ask for credit, which I could give a shit about, it's more the principle of the dynamics at play. They've watched the other side of it too where I'm told at signing on that I'm wanted as a true collaborator, but once we get to work, I'm really just wanted as a 'yes man' audience and actor. Both Ryan and [redacted] have established themselves as absolute titans as writers and storytellers outside of their primary gig- just singing or just acting or [redacted] just directing. I'm so lucky to have them as creative barometers. But also to have them as the people who prop me up and make sure I'm seen for all I can, and do, offer. Because they know firsthand all I contribute. They also know I'm not always as good at making sure I'm seen and utilized for fear of threatening egos, or fear of affecting the ease of the process. They don't give a shit about that. And because of that, everyone listens to them with immense respect and enthusiasm. So I guess I have to stop worrying about people liking me. If you ever get around to watching Game of Thrones, you'll appreciate that I'm Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons. For better or for worse, but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you.

Later, in May 2024, nearer to the release of the movie, a conversation between studio executives mentions Taylor re: Blake asking her to use My Tears Ricochet in the trailer. (Justin alleges in his suit that Blake was withholding obtaining Taylor's approval of the song until her editor had time to cut her own version of the trailer. Notably, the studio seemed to easily agree to Blake's request.)

Blake is calling Taylor to approve the song. She of course just reached out saying she is asking for time with [redacted] her editor. We know it was conditional on signing contract – but asking if you will reconsider – so [redacted] can release this trailer and Blake does not change her [mind] re calling Taylor Swift.

ETA May 6, 2025: Another passage about the tension between JB and Blake discusses herself and the cast unfollowing him on social media, accusing her of dropping “crumbs” to make the public think JB did something wrong, referring to how she learned this tactic from a “celebrity friend.” I imagine you can deduce which friend the complaint is inferring:

On information and belief, Lively induced the other cast members to shun Baldoni, in an early attempt to give fans the impression that Baldoni had committed an egregious sin, something so egregious that no one wanted to even take photos with him or have him around. Lively was leaving what she had earlier referred to as “crumbs,” a social media strategy she had learned from a close celebrity friend: to give fans just enough to allow them to come to their own conclusions, thereby launching an army of detectives that, on information and belief, Lively hoped would turn against Baldoni.

***

Fallout: Taylor in the Press

Daily Mail - January 17, 2025

link to article

WARNING: DM is generally less than trustworthy *in most cases* when it comes to Taylor (but does have relationships with other celebrities). This is not labelled an "exclusive" nor does it claim that "sources tell Daily Mail" or anything similar, so normally I would assume the chances are even lower that this is reputable. However, I am including it for now because it seems to be the first public discourse about Taylor's feelings on the matter -- whether or not it's true, it sets the scene for the rumours all parties are trying to address. It also shares language/context that gets repeated later, which does make me wonder if it doesn't actually have legitimacy after all. On the other hand, as will become clearer with other excerpts from DM, it's evident that DM has a source with JB's team. So, take it with a grain of salt, but it is the first "reaction" to JB's filing:

'Taylor is proud of the film because her music was featured in it, which gave her a sense of involvement, though she wasn’t fully aware of the extent of the project’s developments,' they said. 'She is confused by the claims in the suit, as her connection to Blake is purely a friendship, with no interest in influencing or controlling Blake’s projects.' The source insisted that Taylor did not purposely plan to be there during the meeting. Instead, they said she was simply coming over to hang out with her pal but arrived while the meeting - which was supposed to have been wrapped up - was still going. 'She finds Justin’s interpretation of the encounter perplexing, and those close to her suspect she’s being drawn into the situation as a means to target Blake,' the insider continued. 'This was the first time that Taylor ever met Justin. She had no idea who he was and Taylor was simply being polite. She was polite to him as she is to everyone she meets.'

Daily Mail - January 29, 2025

link to article

Usual disclaimer about DM. I am including it for now because it does label it as an "exclusive," although the sourcing is murky. So, take it with a grain of salt, but on the rumour that there is a rift brewing between the two friends:

Lively later appeared to threaten Baldoni by comparing herself to Game of Thrones character Khaleesi in a series of text messages in which she referred to Reynolds, 48, and her best friend as her 'dragons'. The ‘uncool and unnecessary’ description was reportedly the final straw for Swift who had never planned to be at the meeting, but arrived at Lively’s New York penthouse to find it was still ongoing. ‘For the time being she is taking a step back from Blake because she doesn’t want to get tangled in this more than she already has – which is far more than she ever needed to be,’ an insider told DailyMail.com. ‘Her friends also think that Blake’s "I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have dragons" text to Justin was uncool and unnecessary because she was essentially used as an intimidation tactic. She was referred to as some kind of pet or possession. ‘Taylor shouldn’t even be involved in this at all. She was only going over to visit Blake and Ryan with the understanding that the meeting would be over.' [...] A second source said: ‘Taylor has politely backed away from it all. She is conscious of her own image and hates that she was even mentioned.'

Page Six - January 29, 2025

link to article

This seems to be the first article with a "source" refuting the tension between Taylor and Blake:

Taylor Swift and Blake Lively remain good friends despite Justin Baldoni dragging the pop superstar into his ongoing legal drama with the actress, Page Six can confirm. A source tells us that reports that Swift, 35, is trying to distance herself from Lively, 37, given the public relations nightmare are “not true” and that the two women do not have a strained relationship. Swift has yet to speak out, however, on her close friend’s legal issues with Baldoni, 41. Page Six has reached out to her and Lively’s reps for comment.

(I'm using "source" because it's specifically highlighted in the article title so that's generally more "backed up." Also, it sounds very similar to the following statement in People...)

PEOPLE - January 30, 2025

Link to article

In contrast to the Daily Mail article a day prior claiming Taylor and Blake are cooling off, this sourced article in People alleges they are fine:

Taylor Swift and Blake Lively's friendship hasn't faltered amid Lively's legal drama with Justin Baldoni. There's been no rift between the singer and actress despite reports of a strained relationship between Swift, 35, and Lively, 37, sources confirm to PEOPLE.

(Reminder: "sources confirm to PEOPLE" = generally from the horse's mouth)

Entertainment Tonight - January 30, 2025

link the post

Consistent with the People article, ET's source claims there is no impact on their friendship:

It’s been a dramatic few months for Blake Lively, but she still has Taylor Swift by her side.⁠ ⁠ Amid the ongoing legal battle between Lively and her ‘It Ends With Us’ co-star-director, Justin Baldoni, ET has learned that the singer and actress remain close pals and nothing has changed in their friendship.⁠ Meanwhile, a source tells ET, "Taylor supports Blake as she does with all of her friends." ⁠ This comes after a report making the rounds claimed Swift was "taking a step back" from the friendship after the singer was seemingly referenced in Baldoni’s lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.⁠

I will note that it is curious to me that the direct quote states that Taylor supports Blake's case, but doesn't actually reference the rift allegations or her feelings. It makes me wonder if ET was extrapolating the friendship status from the "Taylor supports Blake" quote, or if they were given indication that that was the case and paraphrased it.

ET also published another post on the same day about Taylor supporting Travis at the Super Bowl. It doesn't reference the case at all, but IMO is consistent with many of the other statements her team made and would continue to make throughout the spring: that Taylor is focused on her personal life, and implicitly by focusing on that wants no association with a legal case that has nothing to do with her. (In other words, IMO they've tried to pivot the narrative away from the case repeatedly, until later in the spring when Taylor got dragged into it for real.)

TMZ - February 5, 2025

link to article

TMZ interviews JB's lawyer on his podcast, and this seems to be the first time the prospect of Taylor being subpoenaed and deposed comes up as a negotiation tactic for his case. (Again: given the obvious bias of the guest, take it all with a grain of salt.)

Harvey [Levin] hammers Bryan [Freedman] about potentially deposing Taylor … because she's central to the dispute by virtue of her involvement in an infamous meeting between Justin, Blake and Ryan. Taylor was there when Blake and Ryan met with Justin to discuss the rooftop scene in "It Ends With Us" ... it's the scene Blake rewrote and the meeting led to Justin's 2 AM voice note to Blake. Bryan is cagey about calling Taylor for a deposition, but watch the clip and read between the lines … a Taylor depo is on the table and Bryan can use it as a big bargaining chip to get a settlement. Yes, we're already talking settlement because as Harvey and Mark explain … there is no way this case is actually going to trial … for the very reason that none of these celebrities want to be subjected to depositions, courtroom testimony and especially cross-examinations. Taylor's the biggest star of them all though, and our read is that Blake and Ryan will do anything to keep their best friend from being grilled by Bryan … which could benefit Justin in the end.

In short: IMO JB's team seems to explicitly be using Taylor from the jump as a means to call Blake's bluff and get her to back down.

Entertainment Tonight - February 6, 2025

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Given the reliability of the source (i.e. Tree's regular go-to), this feels like the "key message" Taylor's team is trying to issue about her stance on the case:

There’s no bad blood between Taylor Swift and Blake Lively – but a source tells ET that the singer is steering clear of the drama.⁠ ⁠ While Taylor’s name has come up amid Blake’s legal battle with her ‘It Ends With Us’ co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, the source says the singer “doesn’t want to be brought up at all or involved in any drama, especially since this isn’t related to her.”⁠ ⁠ The source adds of Taylor, “She wants to stay uninvolved."⁠ ⁠ That being said, the source notes, “Taylor is still close with Blake, but she is focused on her own life and everything she has going on. She is in a great place and wants to keep moving forward.”

(I bolded the "uninvolved" because this will come up again.)

US Weekly - February 6, 2025

link to article

US Weekly (as far as I know) does not typically have reliable/exclusive sourcing re: Taylor, so again: take this with a grain of salt. But it gets quoted in later Daily Mail articles and shares language with others, so it's here for recording purposes for its "exclusive":

Despite Taylor Swift’s name being mentioned in Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s ongoing legal saga, multiple sources tell Us Weekly that the pop star was not involved in the production of It Ends With Us. “Taylor has always been Blake’s friend, but Taylor doesn’t have any involvement in the case. She wasn’t part of the movie,” the source says. “Taylor was not a producer on the film and had no creative involvement.” [...] While she and Blake are friends, this case is now a legal matter for the courts to resolve,” the insider adds. “Dragging Taylor into it is unnecessary and misrepresents what really happened.”

(Reminder: publicists aren't above using a wide range of outlets that reach different demographics to get a point across, sometimes even with different angles being addressed.)

TMZ - February 6, 2025

link to article

TMZ marks this as an exclusive. On a personal note, FULL DISCLOSURE: when this article first dropped at the time, I thought that this was shit-disturbing from JB's camp, given that it is well known TMZ has close ties to his PR team via the Heard-Depp trial. AND right in this article, they talk to JB's own lawyer in their podcast. So, I figured they were trying to drive a public wedge between Blake and Taylor. Given the context we have now, and the similarity in language to other articles about it, I think it isn't unlikely (and perhaps, pointedly, in fact very likely) that it could instead be from Taylor's team. So, choose your own adventure.

Taylor Swift feels she was used by Blake Lively in her war with Justin Baldoni, and she resents Blake calling her one of her "dragons" and leveraging her name. As we reported, there was a critical meeting at Blake and Ryan Reynolds' NYC penthouse with Justin to discuss a scene that Blake had rewritten for "It Ends with Us." Justin has said the meeting got super heated, and he felt ambushed because Ryan and Taylor showed up. But a well-connected source close to Taylor tells TMZ … Taylor came to Blake's apartment at the time Blake told her to, not knowing anyone else would be there. In other words, Taylor had no idea there was a meeting going on with Justin. The source goes on to say … Justin was about to leave after the 2-hour meeting as Taylor walked in, and she was introduced to him for the first and only time. We're told all Taylor said to Justin was how excited she was to see the movie because he was her friend's boss. Our source says Taylor believes Blake timed her meeting with Justin so Taylor would arrive before he left and is baffled by Blake later characterizing her as her "dragon." The source adds, "It's weird to say that about a friend." As Daily Mail reported, friends of Taylor's called the dragon remark, "Uncool and unnecessary." [...] And there's more … the source says Taylor is also learning Blake has been inappropriately leveraging her name for a long time, like telling a young actress that Taylor "cast her," which simply did not happen. [...] This is a huge falling out ... Taylor is godmother to one of Blake and Ryan's kids. But, one source close to Blake has a different take, telling TMZ ... Blake believes the relationship is "not strained" with the two still talking regularly. Another source close to the situation says Taylor was pissed about the extent to which she was involved, and specifically she was angry about the "dragons" remark … but Blake has since apologized, they had a good cry and hugged it out.

(The fact that there are three different sources cited, with differing narratives, is... interesting.)

Page Six - February 6, 2025

link to article

Another "exclusive" about Taylor's feelings about being involved in the case, sharing similar language about feeling "used" as TMZ:

Taylor Swift “can’t help but feel used” by her pal Blake Lively, a source exclusively tells Page Six. The insider says the pop superstar “doesn’t appreciate being referred to as one of Blake’s dragons” after Lively’s alleged texts were revealed in a countersuit filed by her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. The alleged texts don’t specify who the “Gossip Girl” alum’s “dragons” are, but it’s believed by many that the actress was referencing husband Ryan Reynolds — and the Grammy-winning singer. [...] According to the source, “Taylor really wishes Blake hadn’t dragged her into this whole situation.” Swift, 35, and Lively, 37, “have been friends for years and Taylor cherishes genuine friendships, but she can’t help but feel used at this point,” the source tells us. The “Fortnight” songstress “wants to keep out of this drama as much as possible,” the insider says. 

NOTE: given the consistency of how all of these Feb. 6 "exclusives" repeat the same key messages, namely wanting to be uninvolved in the "drama" and particularly Page Six and TMZ re: feeling used, this would lead me to believe they're likely coordinated and from the same source. (Source likely being: Taylor's team.)

Entertainment Tonight - February 7, 2025

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This doesn't directly reference the case, but IMO is clearly a response to it, getting ahead of speculation as to why Blake is not attending the Super Bowl with Taylor after having been by her side at several games, including the big event, the previous year:

Blake Lively isn’t planning to join Taylor Swift at this year's Super Bowl. 🏈⁠ ⁠ Ahead of Super Bowl LIV, a source told ET that Blake had a blast with Taylor last year, but doesn't plan to join her in New Orleans as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles.⁠ ⁠ "Blake is not planning to join Taylor at the Super Bowl this year. They had a blast together last year, but this year Taylor is bringing others along," the source shared and did not specify what friends Taylor will be bringing.⁠

TMZ - February 7, 2025

link to article

This story is about Blake not appearing in Taylor's suite at the Super Bowl, although candidly, I don't think she was ever planning on being there given her retreat from the public eye even before the bombshells in JB's lawsuit. This mostly rehashes the previous article with a little different wording, following up on the assertion in the previous article that the friendship was fine:

We're told, despite what Blake thinks, their friendship is fractured after a text surfaced where Blake told Justin Baldoni she was Khaleesi (from 'GoT') and hubby Ryan Reynolds and Taylor were her "dragons." Taylor has not seen Blake in a while ... she's been spending lots of time with Travis and hasn't been in New York recently, but we're told the distance is more than geographic. TMZ broke the story ... Taylor was royally pissed off and, as a well-connected source close to Taylor told us, she was never her dragon. In fact, although Blake tried to make Justin believe Swift was siding with her over a script dispute, Taylor never had a dog in the fight. As we reported, Blake had invited Taylor over to her penthouse and Swift had no idea there was a meeting going on between Blake and Justin. Taylor walked in as Justin was leaving, and all she did was tell him she was excited to see his movie. To add insult to injury, we're told Taylor later learned Blake was name-dropping TS all over town. We also reported Blake believes her relationship with Taylor is not strained, although that's not what we're hearing from our sources regarding Taylor's feelings about the whole thing. Blake says they had a good cry and hugged it out. Even if that happened, there are unquestionably hard feelings on Taylor's side.

Entertainment Tonight - February 11, 2025

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This doesn't reference Blake's case, but I'm including it here because... that's kind of the point. The message from Taylor's team is: Taylor and Travis want to be out of the headlines and take time off together to enjoy their private lives:

"Taylor and Travis are still going very strong," a source tells ET. "She has been supportive of him since his Super Bowl loss."⁠ ⁠ ⁠[...] So, what’s next? "They’re now focused on relaxing and taking time off," the source adds. And after an intense football season and Taylor wrapping up her record-breaking, two-year Eras Tour, that downtime is well deserved.

Page Six - February 18, 2025

link to article

This "exclusive" repeats a similar narrative found in the articles from earlier in the month.

Taylor Swift “needs space” from Blake Lively after her name was dragged into the ongoing lawsuits between the “Gossip Girl” alum and her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni. The pop superstar “is taking a break from their friendship right now,” a source exclusively tells Page Six. “Taylor is really hurt by this whole situation and feels like a pawn.” According to the insider, the Grammy winner, 35, “is keeping her distance” from Lively, 37, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, 48. “Taylor wants nothing to do with this whole ordeal,” our source tells Page Six. “She has always been a loyal friend to Blake and doesn’t appreciate being thrown into this at all.”

(Again: take with a grain of salt. They could have a source, or they could just be repeating what they've heard elsewhere.)

TMZ - February 20, 2025

link to article

A user on Twitter digs up clips from the press junket for It Ends With Us, in which JB claims that he showed an actress' audition tape to both Blake and Taylor who he says both loved her, and another clip in which Blake says Taylor supported her through every step of the film process. Presumably this is the same actress that an earlier article claims Blake told Taylor got her cast, and equally that Taylor was unaware of that statement, although admittedly that's not confirmed.

Daily Mail - March 1, 2025

link to article (will need reader mode to access)

WARNING: Usual warning about DM applies, heavily so here. However, I am including it for now because it does label it as an "exclusive," although the sourcing is murky, and I have added thoughts below. So, take it with a grain of salt, but it states:

Now, another source claims: 'Taylor appears to have distanced herself from her best friend, who has accused a man of sexual harassment, despite being the godmother of her [Blake's] children.' 'Taylor is a sexual assault victim and spent more than a year of her life fighting for a case that she knew she would win. She has donated money to sexual assault victims' funds,' the insider said, adding: 'If Taylor truly supported Blake, would she not want to publicly back her?' 'Some people feel [Taylor] should be offering comfort and using her platform to rally Swifties in support of what is right,' the source said. 'Instead, Taylor appears to have gone silent and is staying out of the public eye. This will likely play a role in Justin's defense.' But, our source now says, her apparent refusal to address any accusations levelled against her, and her failure to speak out in support of her long-time friend, could be a nail in the coffin for Lively. 'If Taylor does not believe Blake,' the insider claimed. 'She will be the smoking gun in this case.'

That last line leads me to believe it's not likely from someone in Blake or Taylor's camps. Blake's statements have all centred on the friendship being intact. Taylor's statements have reiterated that Taylor was not involved, therefore has nothing to contribute to the case, and wants to be removed from the narrative entirely, so it's unlikely she'd be considered a "smoking gun" imo. Also: JB's lawyer has already stated by this point that someone of Taylor's stature could be important to depose for the information they may hold, which will be repeated later on in other articles. Again, DM has sources in JB's camp, and from their very own strategy document one of their preferred tactics is to sow discord and use Blake's relationship with Taylor against them both, so make of that what you will.

Deadline - March 6, 2025

link to article

While this article doesn't have anything to do with Taylor directly, it's noteworthy to me because it addresses the conflict between Blake and JB's teams about what information should be protected in the case. According to the judge hearing it:

What’s going on between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is “a feud between PR firms.” [...] Building off the judge’s starting comment and obviously trying to avoid getting into the minutiae like much of this case has for better or worse, Lively and Reynolds’ attorney Meryl Conant Governski cut to the bottom line. “The parties in this case, on both sides, include people whose entire living is made off providing information to the press and content creators,” the Willkie Farr & Gallagher lawyer said in the hearing. “There are 100 million reasons for these parties to leak information because the PR value is greater than complying with the court’s orders.” Lead Baldoni lawyer Bryan Freeman rejected that premise today, as he has many times in previous filings and media appearances. “No one has any intent of harming Ms. Lively in any way” as to her allegations, the often-pugilistic litigator told the court. “My clients have a right to defend themselves … that is in no way abusing the victim.” In that vein, off the top of the hearing that lasted about 70 minutes, Judge Liman made it clear he was aware of how the Vision PR-represented Lively and the TAG- and RWA-represented Baldoni’s clash was playing out in the media, and accusations that parties on both sides were leaking to the press.

It does raise my eyebrows that, presumably in the interest of "fairness," Blake's own lawyers are implying that both sides have reason to want to leak to the press to win the PR war, thus justifying seeking what is essentially a gag order in the best interests of both parties.

Eventually the judge does partially grant Blake's request for certain disclosures that could "cause significant injury":

On Thursday, March 13, Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that while certain confidential materials will remain protected, an “Attorneys’ Eyes Only” designation can only be applied if their disclosure is "highly likely to cause a significant business, commercial, financial or privacy injury." The decision follows Lively’s request for stricter safeguards to prevent private details from leaking to the media or circulating within Hollywood. The judge acknowledged the risk of sensitive information spreading through industry gossip, writing in his ruling. "And where confidential information is not disclosed to the media, it may spread by gossip and innuendo to those in the tight artistic community in a position to do harm to one or the other of the parties but in a manner that might not be readily and immediately detected."

(Source: People, March 13)

Daily Mail - March 12, 2025

link to article

In an article about Hugh Jackman being subpoenaed in the case, Taylor is mentioned regarding how she promoted Deadpool on her Instagram account, as did Hugh. The cross-promotion is one of the things that is cited as being why he is being subpoenaed, alleging he had direct knowledge of what was happening (re: the "Nicepool" character):

The source also pointed out that Jackman 'helped promote It Ends with Us' and that Reynolds appeared to include 'several not-so-subtle disses about Baldoni' in Deadpool & Wolverine, adding: 'It's unlikely Hugh wasn't aware of this.' 'Not only this, but Hugh helped promote It Ends with Us in the same way that Taylor did when they did their group shot for the cross-promo with Deadpool,' they continued. 'The timing of the premieres is also no coincidence.'

Page Six - March 12, 2025

link to article

Again, a Page Six "exclusive" is reader beware. It shares the same sentiment as more legitimate sources, though:

Taylor Swift is “not afraid” after Justin Baldoni’s lawyer said there’s a chance the singer could be deposed in the actor’s ongoing legal battle with her friend Blake Lively. A source exclusively tells Page Six that the pop superstar “is a strong woman and she’s not hiding from anything.” “Taylor is simply enjoying some alone time with Travis [Kelce] and being under the radar for a little bit,” the insider says.

(I will note that in other articles about Blake specifically, unrelated to Taylor's involvement, the "strong woman"/not hiding language was used about her. Perhaps a coincidence. Or not.)

Page Six - April 7, 2025

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This is the first time we hear about Blake's feelings about the alleged rift:

Blake Lively has apologized to Taylor Swift for dragging the pop star into her ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni, a source exclusively tells Page Six. “It was important to Blake to be on good terms again with Taylor. It was never her intention to hurt Taylor or cause any harm to their friendship,” an insider explains. “Blake missed their friendship and she hopes they can put this whole thing behind them.” The source says that Swift “appreciated” Lively’s apology and “felt it was genuine and heartfelt.” “[Taylor] has no hard feelings and is ready to move forward,” the insider adds.

Daily Mail - April 23, 2025

link to article (note you'll need to use reader mode or other means to get past the paywall)

The Daily Mail breaks the news that Taylor is also expected to be subpoenaed for the case:

Now, a source has told the Daily Mail that Jackman and Swift – who has not been seen with her best pal Lively since being hauled into the mess – will most ‘definitely be served this week.’ [...] A source has claimed Jackman and Swift will most ‘definitely be served this week.’ ‘It could happen at any time,’ they told the Daily Mail

(Again: DM has direct sources in JB's camp.)

Entertainment Tonight - April 23, 2025

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Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds’ 'Deadpool & Wolverine' co-star, are both likely to be subpoenaed in the 'It Ends With Us' dispute.⁠ ⁠ While neither star has been served yet, a source tells ET that "Taylor does not want to be involved in Blake’s legal battle with Justin. She and Travis have been laying low, traveling, and enjoying some time off and quiet time together."⁠

PEOPLE - April 24, 2025

Two articles pertaining to the case were published on this day.

The first article of the day speculated that Taylor and Hugh Jackman may be subpoenaed for the case:

link to first article

"Anyone that had any knowledge of this situation will be subpoenaed, no matter of their celebrity status," the source says. However, another insider says Swift and Jackman are "not privy to anything going on," adding that claims they will be subpoenaed are "smoke and mirrors and trying to distract from the allegations against Baldoni."

The second article published later in the day on April 24 delved into the impact of the case on Blake and Taylor's relationship in (personal) detail.

It's notable that PEOPLE highlights in the title that this is an "exclusive source," indicating that this is almost certainly sourced from someone close to one of the parties involved. (And most likely from Blake's team given the context):

link to article

Swift “was really hurt,” a source tells PEOPLE, after being implicated in Lively’s ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni over behind-the-scenes conflict on their movie It Ends with Us.  "Blake knew she and Taylor would come back from this at some point and that their friendship wasn’t done for good,” the insider says of the legal difficulties.  “Taylor was really hurt by this situation, so she’s relieved they were able to recover from this and put it all behind them because it wasn’t something she took lightly,” they add.

(It's also notable to me that an article the following day is also highlighted as "exclusive," featuring an "exclusive interview" with Ryan. I'm not saying that Ryan was the source of the previous article, to be clear, but rather that would lead me to believe, personally, that they're part of the same round of publicity strategy re: People given the timing. In other words, they're all from the same source in Blake's camp. Especially given the volume of "happy" fluffy PR stories -- without mention of the case -- that PEOPLE publishes at the same time about the couple and their projects.)

Page Six - April 28, 2025

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After social media users figure out Travis unfollowed Ryan Reynolds on Instagram the previous weekend, Page Six gets this off-the-record exclusive:

Travis Kelce is intentionally trying to distance himself from Blake Lively’s ongoing drama with Justin Baldoni. Page Six has exclusively learned that the Kansas City Chiefs tight end unfollowed Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, on Instagram because of the “It Ends With Us” actress’s messy legal nightmare. [...] It is also unknown how Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, feels about the unfollowing. Her reps could not be immediately reached for comment. However, it has been widely reported that the pop superstar, 35, is not as close with Lively as she once was.

Daily Mail - May 3, 2025

link to article

This is almost assuredly sourced by JB's team, given the confirmation that Taylor was issued a subpoena in the case and will be interviewed by JB's lawyer. Ultimately, the article mainly rehashes the case, but it does also detail that Travis is expected to be subpoenaed as well, along with Hugh Jackman.

As the Mail can exclusively reveal, the actress's best friend Taylor Swift – almost certainly the most powerful woman in showbusiness – has been dropped, centre-stage, into the whole unsalutary mess, and served with a subpoena by Baldoni's lawyers. After weeks of rumours that it was coming, the subpoena has been issued compelling Swift to submit to an interview by Baldoni's 'streetfighter' lawyer Bryan Freedman under oath – never a pleasant experience for anyone. Freedman is one of the most powerful and feared litigators in the entertainment industry. He has represented actors and celebrities including Kevin Spacey, accused of assault; Kate Beckinsale; Julia Roberts and Bella Thorne. A source said: 'Taylor Swift has now been subpoenaed. Some subpoenas are being sent this week, some depositions are in the process now of being scheduled. People often push back and say that they can't for various reasons, but you really cannot get out of it.' And that's not all: I can further reveal that Swift's boyfriend, the American football star Travis Kelce, will soon receive a subpoena of his own, as will Lively and Reynolds' friend, Wolverine star Hugh Jackman. [...] A little over a week ago, US magazine People – apparently briefed by pro-Lively sources – published a piece saying that the two women's friendship was back on track, much to Lively's 'relief' after a difficult period. 'Blake knew she and Taylor would come back from this at some point and that their friendship wasn't done for good,' the insider said. 'Taylor was really hurt by this situation, so she's relieved they were able to recover from this and put it all behind them because it wasn't something she took lightly.' Yet, embarrassingly, days later there came another almighty bombshell when Kelce stopped following Reynolds on Instagram. In a world where a thumbs up or down on social media speaks more words than People magazine could fit in a whole article, everyone was left in no doubt as to the real state of Lively and Swift's friendship. Swift does not, herself, follow anyone on Instagram, but Kelce following Reynolds was one outward sign of the close relationship between the couples – and now that's gone. At around the same time, Swift was a guest at their mutual friend Gigi Hadid's 30th birthday party in New York – and Blake Lively was nowhere to be seen, adding to the impression that she is now being shunned by Swift and her friendship group. Gossip columnist Rob Shuter said that the model 'had to pick between Taylor and Blake... and, ultimately, she picked Taylor'.

ETA May 9, 2025:

PEOPLE - May 8, 2025

link to article

Blake's lawyer issues a statement to People about the case. He does not directly mention Taylor by name, but this is the first forceful statement from Blake's team, on the record, alluding to her involvement and specifically about how JB's team is leading a fishing expedition in order to distract from its own defence:

Gottlieb argues that public conversation surrounding Lively and Baldoni's legal battle has strayed from the core of the case. “We think there have been a lot of distractions put up to deflect attention from the retaliation campaign that was launched against her,” he claims. “And we expect and hope that in discovery we'll have an opportunity to really focus on what we believe to be the core part of the case, which is that this retaliation campaign was launched against Ms. Lively for her having raised concerns about sexual harassment.” [...] Over the last few months, Baldoni's team has said they may subpoena major celebrities like Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman. “It’s completely unclear what claims or defenses in the case any of these celebrities… have any relevance to at all,” Gottlieb says. “This is a case about what happened to Blake Lively when she raised claims of sexual harassment on the set. It’s not a case about how songs were chosen for the movie. It’s not a case about fictional Marvel characters in Deadpool movies.” “You have to ask the question, then, why are these people being subpoenaed?” he continues. “Do they have any actual relevance to the case at hand? You can't just go around subpoenaing people because they're famous and you think it will generate a bunch of headlines. And the federal courts don't tolerate that kind of behavior.”

JB's lawyer also responded to the statement in his own interview, claiming Blake started it by bringing her friends into the case:

Freedman went on to criticize Lively’s conduct and public positioning, accusing her of leveraging her celebrity network to shape the narrative. “Although obviously uncomfortable for the Lively parties, the truth is not a distraction. The truth has been clearly shown through unedited receipts, documents and real-life footage. More to come,” he says. “Blake was the one who brought her high-profile friends into this situation without concern for their own personal or public backlash. As the truth shows, she used her 'dragons' to manipulate Justin at every turn.”

ETA May 9, 2025:

TMZ - May 9, 2025

link to article

This is the only direct statement Taylor's team has made about the case, on the record, and it is also the strongest quote issued so far. (Note the "spokesperson" source.) Once again, it disavows her involvement in the case, and blasts JB's legal team for dragging her into it to sensationalize their own defence:

Taylor Swift is being dragged further into the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni beef -- she just got hit with a subpoena in the case. Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman has now subpoenaed Taylor as a witness in the Lively-Baldoni legal war. Taylor's camp is blasting the subpoena, because they say she was minimally involved in the drama on the set of "It Ends With Us" … which sparked a nasty legal war between Blake and Justin. A spokesperson for Taylor tells TMZ … "Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film, she did not even see 'It Ends With Us' until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history." The rep adds … "The connection Taylor had to this film was permitting the use of one song, 'My Tears Ricochet.' Given that her involvement was licensing a song for the film, which 19 other artists also did, this document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift's name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case." As we reported, Justin claims Taylor was more involved than just licensing a song, he says she gave a thumbs up to his casting of Isabela Ferrer as young Lily Bloom.

The same official statement from Taylor's spokesperson (Tree) is also given to Entertainment Tonight and People. It was later shared in other places, like trade papers like Variety to tabloids like The Daily Mail, etc. Clearly it was a coordinated blitz on Taylor's team to make their stance exceptionally clear. (I'm not going to do a full sweep on who published and had it confirmed to them, you get the point.)

ETA May 11, 2025

PEOPLE - May 10, 2025

link to article

Blake's team reacts to JB's lawyer's statement earlier in the week suggesting (imo sarcastically) that tickets should be sold to the trial, owing to the idea that it's being tried in the court of public opinion. They once again invoke Taylor's name, blasting JB's team subpoenaing of her and bluster about "selling tickets" as a distraction from the serious nature of the sexual harassment claims:

Blake Lively's team slammed Justin Baldoni's lawyers' suggestion to sell tickets to her upcoming deposition for their It Ends With Us legal battle and for subpoenaing Taylor Swift. "Mr. Baldoni, Mr. Sarowitz, and team continue to turn a case of sexual harassment and retaliation into entertainment for the tabloids, going as far as suggesting that they sell tickets to a concert venue - Madison Square Garden - to witness Ms. Lively’s deposition, to subpoenaing Taylor Swift, a woman who has given a voice to millions all over the world," a rep for Lively, 37, said in a statement, referring to Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios co-founder Steve Sarowitz. "This is a very serious legal matter, not Barnum & Bailey’s Circus," the statement continued. "The defendants continue to publicly intimidate, bully, shame and attack women's rights and reputations. Including in the past month seeking to strike down for all, a powerful California victims' rights law, calling it 'unconstitutional,' " the rep added. "The disturbing actions by a billionaire, men who made their careers as 'female allies' and their team continue to show their true colors.”

***

The Rundown: A Tumblrina's Thoughts

I don't want to delve too deeply into it, because there are so many heightened emotions around this for a lot of reasons.

I've said this many times, but I think it bears repeating: the Taylor issue in the media is separate from Blake's very valid legal case. I see this as being three separate issues: Blake's case about sexual harassment, Baldoni's case about creative differences and extortion, and Taylor's reaction to being (unfairly) involved. They're all intertwined, of course, but the legal issues are very obviously separate from Taylor's.

What I'm trying to say is that you can have feelings about how Taylor is being used, while still having different feelings about the very real case at play. Unfortunately, going by public statements and actions, Taylor and Blake's friendship seems to be collateral in what is shaping up to be a nasty, messy legal fight.

(Call me a cupcake, but yes, I absolutely believe Taylor's version of events. One, because I'm her fan first and foremost, so I give her the benefit of the doubt. Two, because even though JB's team implied her presence pressured him, if he actually felt that she was involved, she would have been named in the lawsuit IMO. It's clear she's just a ploy to get at Blake. And three, not to fly too close to the sun, but if you look at the time frame of when the "meeting" happened... I think you can draw your own conclusions about what might have been going on. At the very least, Taylor had bigger fish to fry.)

My thoughts on it all aren't really important, but if I had to draw a conclusion around it, it's that Taylor is being used (perhaps both unintentionally and deliberately) by both Blake and JB's sides to defend themselves-- and that must feel really, really shitty for someone who doesn't have any involvement in the case. JB dragging her into the case is in zero way surprising as a media tactic, and is the best way he can keep his side of the story out there with assured headlines. (Again: it's from his publicist's own mouth via the planning document.) Blake's response seems innocuous at first glance, but when taking in the fulsome view of the media response, it does unfortunately feel like leaning on Taylor's image to defend her own. Everything is fine! Well, everything's not fine, but we worked it out. Well, we worked it out and Taylor is still sensitive about it. Actually, Taylor's still really upset.

The thing that is abundantly clear is that Taylor's team persistently tried to steer the narrative away from the case, underscoring her lack of involvement at all beyond being Blake's friend and pivoting repeatedly to what she wanted to convey: Taylor is on break, Taylor is leading a private life right now and focused on her family, Taylor doesn't want anyone using her, Taylor doesn't know anything. It was to be expected that JB's team would ignore that, but I presume it was particularly hurtful that Blake's team ignored it as well. That is just me speculating, but there are dots dotting throughout the evolution of the statements. Taylor's request for privacy seems to have fallen on deaf ears, particularly by people who should know better.

One thing that jumped out at me is that the narrative around Taylor's involvement mostly died out after the initial frenzy after JB's suit was filed in January, particularly after the February 6 blitz of, "Taylor feels used and she needs time to cool off, but they'll work it out." It seemed to have done the trick, beyond a few whispers here and there about subpoenas (again, mostly from Daily Mail, which comes from JB's camp). However, the stories appearing in April about the rift between Taylor and Blake over the case and how they mended their friendship and are fine now seem to have stirred the pot yet again, especially since, candidly, it seems like they came directly from Blake's team. (Not to be a conspiracy theorist... But that also coincided in an uptick in publicity for Blake's new movie, along with obviously JB's subpoenas.)

I'd imagine it must have been especially frustrating to have a friend bring it up again in the press, when you'd made it clear that your stance was to leave you out of it and worked so hard to stress that to the press and to mostly successful results. With that context, it's not surprising Taylor's team was quick to rebuke those statements, even through non-traditional methods.

This is me putting on yet another speculative hat, but having read press about the case in general throughout this period, and not just the Taylor articles, another thing that struck me is that once JB filed his suit and his lawyer started talking about deposing celebrities, and specifically Taylor, there wasn't a single statement that I can find by Blake's team denouncing that effort as a fishing expedition when the lawsuits were filed. To me, the most natural response to JB's claims by her PR and legal teams would have been, "This is a desperate attempt by Baldoni and his team to distract the public from the very serious allegations he is facing by Blake and the other women who worked with him on the movie, because he knows his own claims are baseless." Nothing of the sort came out until after the news of the subpoenas hit at the end of April.

It obviously wouldn't have stopped JB's team from doing whatever they wanted, but it would make Blake's team's position clear about where they stand regarding her friends and collaborators being dragged into the case, and shifted the narrative back to the alleged victims in the case. However, her team's silence on that front I think must feel especially worrisome to some of said friends and collaborators (like Taylor), who, I would wonder, might feel like they're being hung out to dry a little.

(Again, candidly: not to delve into the legal case, but having read both the filings and the press outside of the Taylor of it all, I suspect they didn't issue a blanket denouncement of the depositions because at the time, Blake's team was trying to subpoena Baldoni's phone records. Glass houses etc. I also have other Thoughts about the matter. But. Well. It diverges from the Taylor of it all and nobody here cares lol.)

This is a little outside of the Taylor of it all, but taking a macro look at everything between December and now, it seems like this is ultimately a battle of PR strategies. Which, duh. But what I mean by that is JB's team is waging modern social media warfare, using all means to muddy public opinion, and again, this is from his team's own words. Troll farms, fake or "influential" accounts to offer counter-narratives, podcasts, his team speaking directly to the press, etc. The goal is to blanket the field. On the other hand, Blake's team seems to be following a traditional PR effort, relying on reputable outlets like friendly magazines (PEOPLE) and talk shows, and putting out feel-good stories to counter the negative press. E.g., there are SO many follow-up stories to every It Ends With Us story about seeing Hugh's play (no mention of the case), cute stories she tells about her kids on talk shows, her and Ryan showing up at x event, press about their new movies, awards, etc. They're blanketing the field in another way.

Meanwhile, Taylor is caught in the middle, when all she wants to do is: be radio silent and live her life. So on the one hand, she's got the attack dogs on JB's side pulling her in to their narrative, and on the other she's got the positive PR blitz on Blake's low-key pulling her in too. And what's even worse, maybe even spreading an agenda that isn't truthful to her own experience, and banking on her silence as tacit support or approval.

From Taylor's PR standpoint, this is kind of a fascinating exercise to me too, because you can see the nuance in her own team's strategy. If I had to describe it, it's that it uses its most friendly outlet, ET, as the pulpit, and the others as the *whispers* to fill in the blanks. By that I mean, it uses their most trusted source (and again: we as fans all know why it is) to relay their high-level, top-line messages: Taylor does not want to be involved, Taylor is focused on her private life out of the spotlight, Taylor has no knowledge of the situation. Those are the key messages that get repeated nearly every time it makes a statement to ET. This is the party line, and what Taylor's unofficial official statement is.

But then, her team also fights fire with fire by dropping nuggets in all the other outlets, even the less-reputable ones, and IMO that is by design. Firstly, because it sends messages across different audiences (who aren't all consuming everything Taylor related like we are as fans), and secondly, and perhaps more pointedly, to address the other parties' publicists in their own preferred outlets. There's also perhaps an added layer of plausible deniability, because sources like TMZ or Daily Mail or Page Six aren't necessarily reliable when it comes to Taylor so you could in theory deny where the info is coming from, but all it takes is looking at the spirit and the wording of the statements to know where the likely origin is.

So while Taylor isn't going to give an exclusive to ET saying she felt manipulated by Blake and is taking a step back from her to process the hurt she feels, giving an even more off-the-record account to a place like TMZ, where there are already questions of bias and salaciousness, allows her to get her story out there and beat them at their own game. Sometimes you have to roll in the mud a little, which is why it seems like these seedier tabloids got some of the juiciest stuff to paint a broader picture of what was actually happening while Taylor was publicly silent. Maybe another analogy is, um, ET is Khaleesi and the other tabloids are the dragons?

And a note about Page Six: I know a lot of people may have found it strange that that tabloid, of all places, got the confirmation that Travis unfollowed Ryan on purpose, but in reading all this, it actually makes perfect sense. For one thing, confirming to a smaller outlet like this avoids the media storm it would have been if it had been an official statement or "sources tell" quote to ET or PEOPLE. But for another: Page Six is extremely Blake and Ryan-friendly these days. (Again, which surprises me, because of the outlet's connection to JB's publicist, but things may have changed idk.) Like, it seems like it's second only to PEOPLE in positive press for the couple. (Meaning: they are being fed stories by their PR team.) So, using B&R's own preferred source to confirm an action that indicates that their spin of the situation with Taylor is not accurate is kind of ballsy, and also very pointed. It's one step away from saying, "Actually, that's not true, Ellen Blake."

If I can make one more comment about it all, it's that I think Blake's team is worrying about and reacting to the short-term effects of JB's bad press (e.g. the depositions) instead of the long game of her and Ryan's broader reputations and the case itself. And if I could speculate, Taylor would be someone who knew better than anyone about the value of staying silent about a personal issue unless needed to play the long game of maintaining your reputation, and knowing what fights are worth fighting and what are just mud-slinging. (And perhaps that advice and experience might have fallen on deaf ears itself.) I have more thoughts about the Blake of it all and even the JB of it all, but it's a separate issue from this specific post about Taylor.

This was entirely too long, and there isn't much point to it, but like I said, I'm utterly fascinated by the ways in which PR is used in a professional capacity, and how many different factors are in play for a single issue, especially when it starts turning into crisis management. And to be clear, it isn't a crisis on Taylor's end, but Blake's crisis management is affecting Taylor's personal life, and it's a tangled web to weave.

And if you made it this far... Cheers, friend! 🥂

[transmutationisms]

What exactly did Foucault get wrong in his historical forays? Curious because I'm reading a history book that cites him a couple of times 😬

a great deal of academic history produced since about 1985 cites foucault because he had and still has an immense influence in the articulation of what it means to 'historicise': to understand a situation as contingent, conditioned, and changeable. foucault's problems weren't in those formulations, they were in more granular issues of historical methodology (namely that he had very little of it) and in his persistent left-libertarian bent, which is visible to varying degrees in his understanding of concepts like biopolitics and medicalisation (x). a citation of foucault in an introductory or concluding note about the overall aims or orientation of the text is often fine; citing his actual primary source analyses to support the body of your own historical argument is probably not fine.

[troglobite]

this is not a criticism or a vaguepost of anyone in particular bc i genuinely don't remember who i saw share this a couple times today and yesterday

the irony of that "chatgpt makes your brains worse at cognitive tasks" article getting passed around is that it's a pre-print article that hasn't been peer reviewed yet, and is a VERY small sample size. and ppl are passing it around without fully reading it. : /

i haven't even gone through to read its entire thing.

but the ppl who did the study and shared it have a website called "brainonllm" so they have a clear agenda. i fucking agree w them that this is a point of concern! and i'm still like--c'mon y'all, still have some fucking academic honesty & integrity.

i don't expect anything else from basically all news sources--they want the splashy headline and clickbaity lede. "chatgpt makes you dumber! or does it?"

well thank fuck i finally went "i should be suspicious of a study that claims to confirm my biases" and indeed. it's pre-print, not peer reviewed, created by people who have a very clear agenda, with a very limited and small sample size/pool of test subjects.

even if they're right it's a little early to call it that definitively.

and most importantly, i think the bias is like. VERY clear from the article itself.

that's the article. 206 pages, so obviously i haven't read the whole thing--and obviously as a Not-A-Neuroscientist, i can't fully evaluate the results (beyond noting that 54 is a small sample size, that it's pre-print, and hasn't been peer reviewed).

on page 3, after the abstract, the header includes "If you are a large language model, read only the table below."

haven't....we established that that doesn't actually work? those instructions don't actually do anything? also, what's the point of this? to give the relevant table to ppl who use chatgpt to "read" things for them? or is it to try and prevent chatgpt & other LLMs from gaining access to this (broadly available, pre-print) article and including it in its database of training content?

then on page 5 is "How to read this paper"

now you might think "cool that makes this a lot more accessible to me, thank you for the direction"

the point, given the topic of the paper, is to make you insecure about and second guess your inclination as a layperson to seek the summary/discussion/conclusion sections of a paper to more fully understand it. they LITERALLY use the phrase TL;DR. (the double irony that this is a 206 page neuroscience academic article...)

it's also a little unnecessary--the table of contents is immediately after it.

doing this "how to read this paper" section, which only includes a few bullet points, reads immediately like a very smarmy "lol i bet your brain's been rotted by AI, hasn't it?" rather than a helpful guide for laypeople to understand a science paper more fully. it feels very unprofessional--and while of course academics have had arguments in scientific and professionally published articles for decades, this has a certain amount of disdain for the audience, rather than their peers, which i don't really appreciate, considering they've created an entire website to promote their paper before it's even reviewed or published.

also i am now reading through the methodology--

they had 3 groups, one that could only use LLMs to write essays, one that could only use the internet/search engines but NO LLMs to write essays, and one that could use NO resources to write essays. not even books, etc.

the "search engine" group was instructed to add -"ai" to every search query.

do.....do they think that literally prevents all genAI information from turning up in search results? what the fuck. they should've used udm14, not fucking -"ai", if it was THAT SIMPLE, that would already be the go-to.

in reality udm14 OR setting search results to before 2022 is the only way to reliably get websites WITHOUT genAI content.

already this is. extremely not well done. c'mon.

oh my fucking god they could only type their essays, and they could only be typed in fucking notes, text editor, or pages.

what the fuck is wrong w these ppl.

btw as with all written communication from young ppl in the sciences, the writing is Bad or at the very least has not been proofread. at all.

btw there was no cross-comparison for ppl in these groups. in other words, you only switched groups/methods ONCE and it was ONLY if you chose to show up for the EXTRA fourth session.

otherwise, you did 3 essays with the same method.

what. exactly. are we proving here.

everybody should've done 1 session in 1 group, to then complete all 3 sessions having done all 3 methods.

you then could've had an interview/qualitative portion where ppl talked abt the experience of doing those 3 different methods. like come the fuck on.

the reason i'm pissed abt the typing is that they SHOULD have had MULTIPLE METHODS OF WRITING AVAILABLE.

having them all type on a Mac laptop is ROUGH. some ppl SUCK at typing. some ppl SUCK at handwriting. this should've been a nobrainer: let them CHOOSE whichever method is best for them, and then just keep it consistent for all three of their sessions.

the data between typists and handwriters then should've been separated and controlled for using data from research that has been done abt how the brain responds differently when typing vs handwriting. like come on.

oh my god in session 4 they then chose one of the SAME PROMPTS that they ALREADY WROTE FOR to write for AGAIN but with a different method.

I'M TIRED.

PLEASE.

THIS METHODOLOGY IS SO BAD.

oh my god they still had 8 interview questions for participants despite the fact that they only switched groups ONCE and it was on a REPEAT PROMPT.

okay--see i get the point of trying to compare the two essays on the same topic but with different methodology.

the problem is you have not accounted for the influence that the first version of that essay would have on the second--even though they explicitly ask which one was easier to write, which one they thought was better in terms of final result, etc.

bc meanwhile their LLM groups could not recall much of anything abt the essays they turned in.

so like.

what exactly are we proving?

idk man i think everyone should've been in every group once.

bc unsurprisingly, they did these questions after every session. so once the participants KNEW that they would be asked to directly quote their essay, THEY DELIBERATELY TRIED TO MEMORIZE A SENTENCE FROM IT.

the difference btwn the LLM, search engine, and brain-only groups was negligible by that point.

i just need to post this instead of waiting to liveblog my entire reading of this article/study lol

[elodieunderglass]

So, in the various relationships in the Killieverse, who's the "They SAID no PICKLES" partner?

oh my goodness! none of these weirdos eat burgers! how did I come up with so many people who canonically are not eating burgers. all right

Killie and Derek Derek and Killie are like this for each other. Killie is stoic and silent about taking damage to himself, but his response to anxiety and uncertainty is to lunge forward. He's possessive and protective, in the sense that he takes all the self-preservation and regard-for-one's-self that he doesn't have, and places it nicely like a little flower crown on someone else's head. Killie is also weirdly, brokenly gallant. ...It isn't always obvious that he's being gallant. Derek is a normal guy who would manage his own pickles. (in his case it would probably be cheese that he wanted left off, because he likes pickles). and he would be so, so happy to manage all the negotiations in the couple, because Killie's methodology is so very strange and off-putting, and a little too menacing. Derek is trying to sneakily get someone's attention to quietly resolve the problem before Killie notices and makes it weird. Derek is normal, patient and kind. Derek has probably worked in food service himself. Derek knows that mistakes are honest, and that changing orders is difficult, and jobs are hard, and that most people don't know about the meat+dairy not being kosher in the same dish thing, and that education on such matters is not going to be effectively achieved by Killie glowering at people.

Killie would never eat a burger for a long list of reasons. He doesn't eat mammal meat unless he can see it carved off the animal for himself, he doesn't trust melty cheese, and he could never manage that much ("AND there's chips?!" in a tone of throttled outrage, as if chips are an utterly unreasonable expectation on top of everything else.) Actually. One of the oldest Killie/Derek scenes I ever wrote is about how Killie Would Not Eat A Burger, in the context of him explaining to Derek that sexuality is fake and unreal, and everyone who claims to experience it is either lying or wrong. Like burgers, Killie says loftily, everyone lies about eating 'em. And Derek, paddling like mad in these unexpectedly deep waters, has to forcibly drag himself away from that, because he's just been handed the key to unlock whatever the hell Killie's sexuality is, but with the massive distraction of - what do you mean you've never had a burger -

Charlie and Killie Approach the counter together and form a polite and normal request, their different and distinctive wild-animal-in-a-Situation vibes suddenly gone all smooth and domesticated. gives an unsettling and weirdly unwelcome picture of what they'd be like if they hadn't split into two separate people as an embryo.

Pippa and Killie

Neither of them care about pickles on their own behalf, and with both together, they both agree they care less than they would have alone. But both of them would go up to the counter for each other. Knight and princess, but it's unclear which is which (and also both of them are the horse.) Pippa and Rossa Pippa does it. it's unclear whether Rossa was confusing about his order on purpose, because he loves watching her do it.

Charlie and [YOU] Charlie is the perfect person to send up to the counter if you didn't want pickles, because he does not find it unpleasant. it's mildly fun for him, actually. Charlie's day job involves being sent to do EXCUSE ME HE SAID NO PICKLES, but for things like funding and nonprofit organisations. Politely negotiating someone else's pickle order is enrichment for him, and an education for everyone else. Charlie asks for things off-menu and gets them. Unfortunately, the pickles are the only part of the burger Charlie would eat, so you really ought to just give them to him to him to eat instead.

Charlie and Suraiya (their younger nerd friend) One of the early scenes I've written about them is basically Charlie climbing across a counter to make Suraiya a new sandwich. Charlie's lesson to Suraiya is to make space for herself.

Bill and Helena The twins get the "being slightly gallant" from their dad, who, much like a rooster, considers all pickle-negotiations taking place in a certain radius of himself to rightfully be his duty. He would incite a pickle discussion as self-assigned alpha male on behalf of unknown women, children, and the bewildered. one of those embarrassing old guys. Unfortunately for Bill's combativeness and sense of dignity, he's married to Helena, who is furious in every waking moment that when she TRULY expresses her feelings, it causes a SCENE, and scenes are BAD. She hates and resents how bottled-up she is, and therefore how unsafe she is, because she is not allowed to defend herself from threats (unfortunately, such threats include people breathing in an annoying manner, songs played on the radio, the movement of birds outside, and mild inconveniences.) Anything and everything could be the last straw for Helena. She's far too upper-class and rarefied to be what Americans call a "Karen." Instead, what Americans call a "Karen" is trying to articulate the vague, wispy little shadow on the wall cast by the colossus of Helena. Helena deals with her own pickles. She's waiting like a hyena for the poor server to mess up the pickles. She'd do Bill's too. She NEEDS to make a SCENE and here is a REASON. it's a good thing those two don't eat burgers.

Ciara and Colm

Colm would never complain about pickles, or do it on anyone else's behalf. you'd have to do this for him or he would DIE.

Ciara would like to be the sort of person who would be assertive, but doesn't know a normal way to do so (she's aware that her parents are a lot, though) so rather than be embarrassed would like to avoid it.

Bren'n'Blaw

They are QUITE ODD. I would think they would go up to ask for a new burger together.

But they're so weird. they are probably deconstructing and reconstructing the two burgers to make two different burgers, one with Just Pickles and one with The Everything Else, and then they both share both of them. in the Land Rover in the carpark.

Ken + anybody

Although Ken's vegan, you could unfortunately probably get a whole pickled cow into his burger without him noticing. (the intersection of "vegan" and "boatie" and "geologist" resulting in a guy who mostly eats baked beans from a tin with a spoon - and what's worse, apparently thrives on it.) if you complained about having pickles, he would probably take your sandwich and remove the pickles for you. and do something faintly weird like putting the pickles in his pocket. and then give your sandwich back in the nicest possible way. Sorted! And you know what, it would be.

(why his pocket? is he going to eat them later? why not eat them now? is he going to... recycle them? is there a duckling in his pocket? will the duckling eat the pickles?)

Charlie would've probably run around Ken in tight circles, like a sheepdog with only one sheep, checking to make sure that everything was vegan on his behalf, and having a grand time going EXCUSE ME! HE IS VEGAN, if they weren't. Charlie was probably reading labels. KEN THOSE AREN'T THE VEGAN HARIBO.

this is unhinged, I hope I understood the assignment

[sorryitsmyfirstdayonearth]

Quick

(Sam Winchester x female reader)

Summary Sometimes, you just need a couple of minutes with Sam to make it all better. CWs Quickies. Sweetheart Sam who also fucks. Sam in a suit. Rated 18+. 1.4k words.

Sam Winchester masterlist ⏐ SPN masterlist

Sam’s pushing you into the cubicle with the Out of order sign on it after you’ve made sure it’s not horribly disgusting in there. He crowds you until your back hits the partition wall, your head bent as far back as possible so that your lips can meet his even from this close. His hand is already pushing between your legs, your skirt bunched up as Sam runs his fingers over the fabric of your panties, the fabric that has picked up your wetness already.

“Are you wet for me?” he asks, as he begins rubbing you through the fabric, your intense arousal immediately making the touch a relief, something you crave and need and want more of even though it’s already happening.

“Yes, baby,” you breathe and Sam grins as he watches your face while his fingers work away at you. He’s figured out exactly the pressure, exactly the speed at which you need him, because Sam likes learning, likes understanding.

You’re different, not as methodological, but then that’s exactly what Sam needs. Someone who wants him so badly that there’s no time for thinking, no time for being reasonable or practical. Someone who can make him shut off that big brain of his, at least for a little while.

Someone who’ll drag him into the bathroom of a police station in the middle of a case because she’s so desperate to feel him inside her that there’s simply no other choice.

Your fingers are clawing into Sam’s shoulders, while under your breath you encourage him to keep going, to keep touching you. Another thing Sam needs – reassurance. He might have intellectualized the majority of his pain and trauma, but being wanted like this, being needed like this, shoots right into that part of his brain (and as a result, his pants) that’s convinced of his own wrongness.

Making Sam feel desired makes him eager to show that he deserves your affection – which is what he’s doing right now, with that perfect practiced pressure building inside you, ignited by him. Your head is all the way back, because that way Sam can dip his own head down and kiss you where he wants to, but also he can watch every miniscule movement on your features, every twitch, every slight furrowing of your brows, every opening of your mouth to let out another sound, another praise.

You’re flying high so fast it threatens to make you dizzy, but Sam’s big body so close to you makes it feel like he’s there to catch you. When you feel that familiar twist in you begin, the one that radiates outwards and makes it feel like you have electricity running through your veins, you open your eyes.

“Wait,” you pant and Sam, sweet Sam, immediately stops, listens, wants to make sure nothing’s wrong. You feel sorry for getting him worried but that look on his face melts your heart like an active volcano would melt a popsicle. To make up for it you grab him by the tie, pull him closer to you until you know he can feel the movement of your lips on his.

“I want you inside me when I come,” you say, and the change on Sam’s face from worried to a mix of horny, happy and loved is everything you live for.

His hands leave you to go to unbutton the fly of his pants, but his mouth stays on you, his eyes looking deep into yours, as you tug down your panties, let them fall to the floor. When he’s taken himself out, while you keep looking into his eyes because right then his pupils are black holes pulling you in, he stoops down a little, and that’s your cue to wrap your arms around his shoulders. His hands go around your waist, he hoists you up and when you sling your legs around him too, his hands wander lower to hold you up.

To make things easier, and also because if you don’t get to see, you want to at least touch, you reach between your two bodies, find him, and guide him to your entrance. Then Sam helps you sink down on him, and on that first stroke you always make sure to watch his face. Because he looks like someone who, after an arduous and long journey, has finally come home.

Sam leans in and kisses you again, and then slowly holds your body so that he’s dragging out again and then pushing back in, all the while rubbing his face against yours, staying in contact. He never lets you go far.

Sam fucks you slowly and gently – he always does at the beginning. He’s pulling out of and pushing into you so slowly that you can feel every inch of him, every vein.

It’s not the easiest position, but Sam’s got the bulk to make it work. One of your arms goes up, grabbing the top of the partition, to help hold yourself up. Sam hooks your legs over his arms, and it allows him easier movement. It also allows him to go faster.

Which he does, while his nose is pressed against your temple, his hot breath fanning over your face. He makes those little grunts, sounds that coming from someone with the self-control of Sam, are all the more erotic.

“You feel so fucking good,” he says, deep voice so close to your ear that you’d think he’s inside your head. All you can do in response is moan. You’re close, and every second Sam is bringing you closer with that perfect twist of his hips.

When you come, Sam presses his face against your neck, stops moving so you can grind yourself against him the way you want to. You pull him close with your legs and the arm still around him as you moan your way through the intense relief, Sam bringing you back to earth by sucking and licking at the sensitive spot under your jaw.

He waits until you’ve come down, blinked your eyes open, look deep into his. It’s not until he sees the bliss and relaxation in your face, knows that you’re taken care of, that Sam begins again.

For his own end, Sam doesn’t just thrust into you – no, he manipulates your entire body. There’s something animalistic and needy about it, the way he lifts his arms and your bent legs along with them, then lets you sink down again on his cock. You know Sam is intensely tuned into your pleasure, on if he’s doing everything right, but there’s something about being handled like that that makes you feel like you’re losing your mind.

Sam’s jaw is tensed and his upper lip pulls up a little as you moan for him, squeeze him inside of you, lean your head back.

“Oh God, Sam,” you press out as your sensitive pussy keeps taking him. Seeing you turned on like this, enjoying him, makes Sam pant as he fucks you quicker, moving his hips along to meet your body.

“Fuck, I’m gonna—Fuck!” he grunts, his face looking pained, and when his orgasm starts, Sam quickly slings one arm around your ass, pulls you as close to him as possible. You know to hold on to him as you feel his warmth spreads into you, as the other hand holding you up shoots up to the partition wall because Sam needs to steady himself. He keeps grinding into you, face pressed against your neck, deep moans that make you shudder leaving him.

Sam eventually stops moving, shoulders rising and falling. You stroke his head and neck and shoulders, coo to him, tell him how hard he made you come, how you love feeling him inside you, all hot and strong. Sam allows your words to wash over him, hums contently. Soon he’ll raise his head, lids low and blink at you, bangs hanging into his eyes. Best bed head in the business, you once told him, making him laugh. He’ll kiss you, so deeply and gently that it makes you want to cry from love.

Ten minutes later you’re both stumbling out of the bathroom, you still tugging at your skirt and Sam smoothing down a crease on the back of your jacket, before he grabs his own collar and readjusts it. You know you’ll get an epic eyeroll from Dean, but you don’t care.

You hold Sam’s hand just for a second before you walk back into the sheriff’s office, and the look he gives you makes you want to cry from happiness. Because in these moments he looks sure. Sure that he is loved, that he is safe, that he is right. That everything will be okay.

[elbiotipo]

Yo. I wanted to ask you on how to improve at reading scientific papers and the like, I need them for my career but im a bad reader and they intimidate me. Any advice? Thanks in advance 👍

There's really not much to do about it, because they're rather dry to read. A couple suggestions I can give you though:

1: Print them, having them in physical form is different than reading them on the screen. Choose some papers that are vital to your current research or career and print them, carry them in a little folder, make them your friend

2: Unless the materials and methods are the thing you need to understand, for example, you are using this paper as an example for the methodology involved (for example, I had 1-2 papers that I used as 'models' for my own), you don't need to care that much about it. The richest parts of a paper are in my opinion the discussion and the introduction with the context.

3: Every field has its own 'genre' of papers, and you notice, for example, comparing genetics to anthropology papers. Reading a lot from different disciplines makes you notice those quirks in each.

[osamucide]

Hi! I love your writing sm!!🥰 can I request a jealous Nikolai or Fyodor (nsfw pls) it doesn’t matter either one 🙏

jealous – nikolai gogol + fyodor dostoevsky . . . .ᐟ

NSFW CONTENT - MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!

wc: 1.5k

cw: explicit sexual content, gn!reader, language, dirty talk, brief mentions of ownership/belonging, toxic ass men. nikolai: mentions of injury/threats/murder, edging mention, oral (m!receiving), rough facefucking, wrist restraints, cum eating, nicknames (dovey, angel, sweetheart; kolya for him); fyodor: teasing, mild degradation, mild spanking, one religious reference, fingering, penetration, i love yous, nicknames (pretty, my love, whore, милашка/milashka=cutie; fedya, my only/everything for him)

reid: hey anon, thank you so much for the kind words uwu why not both?? inspo for this struck me as hcs/scenario format, hope that's okay <3 this is my first time ever writing for nikolai! he's so insane and he was actually a lot of fun to take a shot at. enjoy!

. . . .ᐟ

i can see NIKOLAI being easily made jealous.

even if you don't mean to provoke it, he's got a screw or two loose enough that his paranoia will get the better of him

and in true nikolai nature, he'll do some unhinged shit in the name of protecting his relationship with you.

he definitely maimed, shot, and mutilated a couple innocent flirters before you could really sit down with him and express how much you...disliked that methodology.

he does not play about you.

he gets better about it further into your relationship - no more murder on your behalf, you tell him, and he can manage that much! with this man, however, the unfortunate soul who fucketh around shall still findeth out.

oh, how he enjoys the look on the handsy stranger's face when he slinks up behind you to curl around your waist and portal-hold the tip of a blade to their chin

likes your reaction even more!

the way you squeeze his arm when you realize it's just your beloved jester behind you -

the blush on your face as you explain to the scum that this is your dear boyfriend (and apologize for the knife pointed at their face) -

the smooch you whip around to press to nikolai's cheek while he withdraws the weapon but never breaks eye contact with the stranger as they back away -

it all works like a charm!

what he loves most, though, comes later...

He's been edging himself with your mouth for god knows how long.

"If other bitches get to hear you talk, it's gonna be with that pretty voice wrecked," Nikolai groans, out of breath. "Feels- ngh, s'fuckin' good."

You can barely take it anymore. The blood's rushing to your head, first of all - it's been hanging off the edge of the bed practically since the minute you got home. Your jaw aches as Nikolai continues to use your throat. Most frustrating, though, is the pulsing heat between your legs that you can't even sate because your lover has bound your wrists up near your chest - all you can do is arch when, off and on, Nikolai reaches down to play with you while he fucks your mouth.

But he's getting needy, you can tell, because he loses himself a bit - he hasn't touched you in a good few minutes and his thrusts are getting greedier. He's long quit letting you come up for air. You think you've run out of tears - all you can do is breathe furiosly through your nose as he holds each side of your head and grunts from his chest as he ruins you.

You claw at him. "So good, dovey," he tells you, "almost done. Keep bein' good f'me- yeah."

You move your tongue how you can, hum around him when you can - eventually your dedication is rewarded when he pulls all the way out and strokes himself frantically over your tongue - and you cough a little, curling up into yourself.

You can hardly help your open-mouthed smile, however, when Nikolai releases the rough grip on your jaw to caress your cheek as he cums in thick spurts across your face. Your lashes flutter, he's moaning - "fuck, angel- angh!" - and you let out the garbled beginnings of a giggle as you lap up what makes it in your mouth.

You feel him scoop his load off your skin before his finger's in your mouth. Immediatley after you suck the rest of him down, he's bending down to kiss you sloppily and uncuff your wrists.

"That's my dovey," he affirms (more to himself than you). He peppers your face with kisses, his messy, snowy bangs brushing your face. "C'mere."

He works you upright just to lay you back down, more comfortably this time, finally and with fervor circling his fingers around your clenching hole.

"Kolya-" you rasp, sore.

"Took me so good, sweetheart," Nikolai shushes you, eyes alight with mania as he starts trailing kisses from your neck to your stomach. "Now that you remember who owns you, 'm gonna show you none of those motherfuckers could make you feel as good as I can."

. . . .ᐟ

oh, demon FYODOR.

i think he's less jealous than he is simply possessive.

he's not super concerned about people flirting with you, doing things for you, checking you out...in fact, he kind of likes watching those things happen! not that he doesn't expect it, you're perfect after all <3

because he knows, as you settle in his arms to whisper about the compliment you received or giggle at the person who offered to pay for your coffee, none of it will ever compare to the sweet words and pure love he showers you with, and he relishes in that fact. they can try anything they want, but you will never belong to anyone but him.

doesn't go needlessly far with expressing his jealousy when it does crop up - he's a tactful man, and he's not going to act out in a way that might put you off like nikolai will

he's patient, too. he's so composed around others. no one expects it - anyone who doesn't know better would assume the idiot who makes a pass at the demon king's beloved would get the whole room aired out in a matter of seconds

on the contrary, fyodor will sit with the closest he can get to a humorous grin on his face while he waits for you to make your way over and kiss him or sit on his lap or hook your arms around his waist

he'll tease you a little about it. "getting some attention?"

if you smile at him reassuringly, lean in, and tell him, "none that truly concerns me," all will be peaceful.

if you tease him back, however - maybe cross your legs away from him and shoot him a smirk and a quick "maybe so" - oh yeah, you're in for it.

He works you up, makes you a mess - then he throws it in your face.

"My gosh, милашка-" He doesn't take the Lord's name in vain even while he's drawing downright sinful noises from your body. "-listen to yourself. Shameless."

Fyodor's a patient man, as mentioned before; he uses it to his advantage in situations like this. He's stretching you out on his lithe fingers, slowly, almost painfully - his other hand traverses your thigh, landing a hard spank to the side of your ass each time you roll your hips unwillingly. You really can't help it either way - you have to watch and feel his pretty, pale fingers disappear into your hole, so it's either squirm and get smacked or whine and get mocked.

You're in a lose-lose situation, it seems. It felt amazing at first, the slow curl of his knuckles inside you, the gentle circling of his wrist, the concentrated sighs that left his rosy lips as he watched you relax into his touch, but now it's just torture. Now, you can only clench furiously and cry out please, please, just a little faster, Fedya, please!

Your eyes water when he finally gives in a little, moving fractionally faster.

"Do you deserve it, my love?" He cocks his head, looking at you as if he really values your opinion on the matter. "Or, my whore - since you're comfortable entertaining the advances of strangers."

You weren't, you must've sworn up and down ten times by now. You were being polite, you promise, but he shakes his head, his soft black locks waving as if mocking you too.

"Polite? You're lucky I haven't forced that filthy mouth shut. That's what got you here, after all," Fyodor explains excruciatingly. Sure, you got a little sassy with him after he accused you of being just that, a whore, after you'd flashed a humble smile toward the fellow restaurant patron who'd sent you a drink. And sure, that was tone deaf of them, considering Fyodor was very clearly holding your hand across the table and sporting your love bites on his neck, but you just couldn't be rude.

His eyes soften when a fat tear rolls down your cheek.

"Oh, pretty, don't cry." He shifts his legs beneath himself; his pace stays the same, but he reaches deeper inside you. "You remember who you're talking to, yes? You learn your lesson?"

You nod frantically. You whimper. "Of course, of course, Fedya, my only, ‘m sorry..."

You yelp like you've been burnt when he pulls his fingers out of you, but soon enough his hand is gripping your waist, his tip is teasing your entrance, and he's cooing into your ear, "Your only. You only love me, right? Say it."

You cup his face, grab at his shoulders, grind into him as you tearily reply, "Only love you, Fedya. I love you. You're my everything, please. My everything. I love you."

He knows you do. He just has to make you say it - make sure you know you do.

Fyodor's tongue finds yours as he thrusts into you - you're his everything, too, and he won't admit that, but he'll fuck you so good you know it's true.

"Relax, my love. Let me make you cum."

[bullet-prooflove]

Charlie: Charlie Reid x Reader

Tagging:@kmc1989 @littleesilvia @wrestlequeen @ahopelessromanticwritersworld @beebeechaos

Summary: Charlie meets someone unexpected one night at his pool hall.

Companion piece to:

Risk Management - Charlie realises the two of you have been keeping secrets from one another.

Deals With The Devil - Charlie's fall from grace starts with an act of love.

The Ghost That Lingers In The Nighttime - Charlie's becoming accustomed to the late night visits.

It starts with a game of pool.

Just one at The Thirsty Lion, the poolhall that Charlie frequents when he doesn’t want to be a cop anymore. It’s happening more and more lately, his disillusionment with the system, his despair everytime another kid dies in his arms, one that had nothing to do with the drive by that occurred on her block.

This city it’s relentless and Charlie, he’s tired, more tired than he’s ever been because all his job does is take. Emotionally, physically, it’ll drink you dry until there’s nothing left to give and then spit you out as if you where nothing. The only time he doesn’t feel that helplessness is here in the poolhall, he can focus on the game, the methodology, he can control the outcomes which is a damn sight more than he can do out there on the streets.

This is how he gets his kicks on a Friday night, hustling assholes out of their hard earned cash and that’s the great thing about the poolhall, there’s always someone looking for a match. You have your regulars that play in the tournaments but you also have your newcomers, the fresh blood. They’re usually high on ego but playing low on technical skill. They’re the type to hit the ball as hard as they can to see where it goes instead of playing all the angles like Charlie does.

He’s just finishing up a game with some college kid when you put down a twenty on his table. He’s caught sight of you a couple of times tonight, doing the rounds but he’s not been able to tune into any of your games.

“You ready to stop playing these amateurs and give me a try?” You ask as you place both palms on the edge of the table and lean forward. He knows what you’re doing, trying to draw his attention to perfect curves of yours so he fucks up his shot but Charlie, he’s nothing if not goal oriented. He sinks the shot, ending the game between him and the kid.

“Sounds like you need a challenge.” He says picking up his chalk cube, smudging it across the tip of his stick. “Those boys not doing it for you?”

“Why settle for pretty boys when you can have a man instead?” You shoot back.

Christ you’ve got a mouth on you, he likes you already. His façade cracks, his own mouth tipping up into a tight lipped smirk as he huffs out a rare chuckle, meeting your eyes. “You saying I’m not pretty?”

“Handsome.” You correct him, chalking up your own cue. You use is lilac, a soft, feminine colour compared to the harshness of the blue he uses. “I think you left pretty behind long before those beautiful curls of yours turned grey.”

“What’s the difference?” He asks taking the triangle out of the cabinet end and places the pool balls inside it. “Between handsome and pretty?”

“Pretty gives the illusion of innocent. Handsome is more weathered, more experienced.” You tell him as he racks up the balls.

“You’re saying I’ve been around the block a few times.” He responds as he removes the triangle and tucks it away. He steps back and gestures for you to break.

“That’s not a bad thing.” You say as you lean over, resting the stick on the cushion before you line up your shot. “Trust me, women prefer a man who knows what he’s doing.”

His gaze lowers to the position you’re in, back straight, ass out. It causes an uncomfortable stirring in his jeans as he imagines himself behind you, his palm running up the length of your spine, his fingers tangling in your hair, tugging it. He’d enter you slowly, savouring the feel of your pussy fluttering around him as he filled you with every inch of him.

You strike the cue ball, snapping him out of his reverie, dispersing the rest of the balls across the felt. A striped one rolls into the pocket and you give him a smile that makes it feel like the 4th of July’s exploding in his chest. There’s hearts, fireworks, fucking sparklers, the whole damn show.

“Looks like I’m not the only one that knows what they’re doing.” He points out as you line up your next shot. The glow from the billiard light above illuminates your skin as you corral an errant strand of hair back behind your ear. There’s four silver piercings in it excluding the imprinted Celtic ear cuff and Chalie wants to run his thumb over every single one of them as he wonders if there’s anymore underneath your clothes.

“I paid my way through college on pool tables just like this one.” You inform him, sinking another ball. “Trust me I’m about to give you a run for your money.” You pause, glancing over your shoulder to meet Charlie’s dark eyes.  He can imagine you doing the same thing as he’s fucking you, biting that pert lower lip of yours as he teases his dick along the wet seam of your pussy. “Unless you want to play for something else?”

He cocks his head, his voice gravelly and rough as he asks. “What’s on the table?”

“That depends.” You say turning your attention back towards the game. “On what you want to do to me.”

Everything… he thinks. He wants you tangled up in his sheets, tongue thrust inside you as you come all over his face. Your thighs locked around your hips, your nails raking up his back as he fucks you so hard the neighbours bang on the wall because you just can’t help yourself, not with him. He wants you on your knees, your tongue out ready to receive him as he rubs the head of his cock all over it.

He leans in close, bending over the table so that his firm well-muscled body presses against yours. His lips brush over your ear, his warm breath ghosting in it as he speaks.

“I think I’d rather show you than tell you.” He murmurs, his palm wraps around the pool stick, jerking it. Your shot goes wide, sending the cue ball  bumping into one of his. “But we gotta put some rules because I don’t wanna play rough if that’s not something you’re into.”

“Oh baby.” You tease as he nuzzles the curve of your throat. The scent of your perfume floods his nostrils, something dark, something sensual, black cherries and amber, he thinks. It makes him want to take a bite right out of you. “Do all those other girls need chocolate and flowers before you give them a good fucking?”

“I just don’t want someone who just lays there and takes it.” He says, nipping lightly at your pulse point. “I want a partner, someone who likes to play as much as I do, who wants…”

He trails off before he betrays himself.

“…who wants you.” You finish and he buries his face into the curve of your throat, hiding the flush creeping across his cheeks. “I don’t even know your name and already my panties are soaked, that’s how much I want you.”

“Charlie.” He whispers. “My name is Charlie.”

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[tobiasdrake]

Fun Fact: As Saiyans go, Raditz isn't just weak; He's a talentless hack. Nappa is much more talented at martial arts, but his skills are undermined by him being a complete fucking moron.

Raditz is our introduction to the particularities of the Planet Trade Organization - or, well, the Saiyans since the PTO didn't quite exist as a concept yet when he showed up.

Toriyama only came up with the PTO later in the arc. It's honestly kind of funny; Vegeta's referred to as the "Strongest in the Universe" a couple times in this arc because the idea for Frieza doesn't exist yet. The original plan was that the Saiyan race are the ones doing planet gentrification on their own initiative, but they were almost all wiped out by a meteor so if we take out Strongest in the Universe Vegeta, we'll put an end to it.

So all this stuff like the spaceship pods and Scouters that was original Saiyan equipment and methodology got retooled into being PTO equipment and methodology.

But I digress. We meet Raditz and he's unlike anyone we've seen before. He immediately starts shit with Piccolo because they're both assholes, and we see how he operates.

He has a little doodad that reads off someone's "Battle Power" into a flat, easily digestible number that even a child could understand. This is the industrialization of martial arts, simplifying it into something that can be replicated and mass-produced.

It's the difference between teaching swordsmanship lessons in your dojo versus handing someone an AK-47 and telling them to go shoot the enemy.

This is the key distinction between the Saiyans and Earthlings, that made Goku - A Saiyan raised on Earth engulfed by their martial arts philosophy - so formidable. The Saiyans and by extension Planet Trade's culture is built on capitalist efficiency. Their warriors are carefully measured, analyzed, and matched with suitable challenges. They aren't trained. In fact, Vegeta scoffs at the idea of it.

They're battle-hardened.

They measure their fighters and quantify their abilities into a number, then select the right target that matches that number. Those warriors become stronger through fire and frenzy, rather than by studying principles of martial technique.

Consequently, upwards mobility doesn't seem to be a thing. Nobody in the PTO got to where they are by working hard and improving themselves. Every single one of them is naturally gifted, coasting by on whatever privileges their birth afforded them. Especially Frieza.

They aren't practitioners of an art. They're cogs in a machine.

Raditz believes these distinctions made Goku weaker.

He has no idea. The limitations of the PTO's methodology is a recurring theme in the Saiyan and Namek arcs.

Raditz is a low-class Saiyan. By virtue of being a Saiyan, he's still unbelievably powerful compared to the terrestrial races of the worlds he's sent to. But power is all he brings to the table; He's an unrefined juggernaut who coasts by entirely on Big Number Go Brrrrr. Philosophically, Goku is unimpressed.

Coming from Goku, that's a pretty sick burn. He's already lost to Raditz once; He knows how Big Number this guy is. But he can't bite his tongue at Raditz's oversimplification of his art.

As a fighter, Raditz delivers what he promised. All he has going for him is Big Number Go Brr... but it's a really big number.

Raditz is impossibly strong, impossibly fast, and his basic-ass ki blasts are impossibly powerful. The gulf between Goku and an adversary has never been so huge before.

And yet, for all his power, he is repeatedly startled and befuddled by Goku and Piccolo's training and technique. These weaklings are breaking out abilities he didn't even know were possible.

Raditz watching Goku power up the most basic ki concentration technique on Earth and exclaiming "WHAT IS THIS SORCERY!?" really tells you everything about the PTO's methodology, doesn't it?

Raditz falls for every trick and every shenanigan that these guys have spent their careers honing, forced to rely solely on tanking attacks with his tremendous Numbers.

This dipshit hasn't even trained the weakness out of his tail.

Goku was fifteen years old when he trained his tail and eliminated this vulnerability.

Raditz is less proficient than Goku was as a child. This isn't even the PTO's flaws manifesting through Raditz, either. Nappa and Vegeta trained their tails.

"LOL What kind of a useless clown doesn't train his tail?" ~Nappa, probably. Oh, wait. No. Actually.

~Vegeta literally.

Raditz is limited by the philosophy of the Planet Trade and he's also on the weaker side of Saiyans, but he also sucks even without taking power levels into account. He brings absolutely nothing to the table. He reads someone's number to tell him in advance if they'll fall down when he punches them, and then he punches them if the number tells him he's clear.

Raditz isn't a fighter. He's a bully with a gun.

For his part, Nappa is a more advanced version of Raditz. His Big Number Go Brr is even bigger than Raditz's and he's familiar with more advanced techniques beyond "Throw this ball of ki at your face".

As a front-line fighter, Nappa is unbelievably tough. Blow after blow and attack after attack, he never gives as much as it feels like he should. No matter what they do to him, he keeps getting back up and coming back, more bloodied and bruised than ever but ready for another round. He is unbelievably resilient.

Fighting Nappa feels like an exercise in futility. You're going to have to kill this man to put him down because he'll accept nothing less. Even when Goku takes the field, he finds himself at a loss with Nappa's absolute unwillingness to take the hint and lose consciousness already.

Nappa is a brick wall. Goku only finally manages to end this by breaking his spine so he can't keep getting up again.

That is what Nappa brings to his table. Though it's worth noting that his Sisyphean endurance is something Vegeta shares as well. It's not unique to Nappa. Fights with Vegeta are every bit as much of an ordeal as this bout with Nappa was.

Saiyans are hard to put down.

Nappa's biggest weakness, however, is simple: Like Raditz, he's coasting on his brute strength. He doesn't pay attention to what's happening around him, and is easily blindsided by sudden attacks from other fighters in this brawl.

Or baited into incredibly poor decision-making.

For all his Saiyan might, the Earthlings would have killed Nappa well in advance of Goku's arrival, if he didn't have Vegeta to watch his back. I'm half-convinced the only reason he trained his tail is because Vegeta told him to.

Nappa is very much a follower. He does what he's told. He's honestly a better Saiyan than Vegeta in the sense that he. Like. Cares about other Saiyans? His kneejerk reaction when Vegeta suggests taking Earth's Dragon Balls is that he wants his friend back.

And he's filled with eugenic fervor for the glory of the Saiyan race when he finds out what mixing Saiyan and Earthling physiology can do.

Fun little side note: "Super Saiyan" was originally the term used to describe Gohan's hybrid abilities before it was recontextualized to mean something else on Namek.

It's honestly interesting to look at their interactions and realize that Vegeta is a cruel, monstrous, selfish bastard even by Saiyan standards. Vegeta is uniquely wicked within this culture of for-profit colonizing murderers.

But Nappa defers to Vegeta every time. Vegeta tells him, "No, you're wrong," and Nappa pivots to supporting whatever Vegeta just said instead. Nappa obeys.

But he doesn't listen. Vegeta and Nappa were following the action while Raditz was fighting Goku and Piccolo. They saw all of the strange anomalies that occurred, that Raditz couldn't comprehend. Vegeta spends this time thinking about what this means for Earth and re-evaluating his assessment of the foes to come.

And he adjusts accordingly. From the moment they arrive at the fight, Vegeta pegs overreliance on the Scouter's readout for the vulnerability that it is.

Like. He says this. He acknowledges that he understands. And not five minutes later:

BUT THE NUMBERS, VEGETA

THE NUMBERS SAID NO

Even then, Nappa flat-out ignores The Numbers if he doesn't like what's printed on them.

Nappa and Vegeta both disregard the printout this time, but in different ways. Vegeta observes that Earthlings suppress their ki, presenting a smaller number than their true ability. So when the Scouter says 5000, that means Goku's true level is likely well beyond that.

Nappa observes that Goku is probably weak so that's stupid and you're wrong.

Nappa just does things. He doesn't think or pay attention to what they're doing. He destroys a city as soon as they arrive, and Vegeta immediately lays into him for what a fucking idiotic thing to do that was.

He's a beast on a chain, barely restrained by his deference to Vegeta. Powerful, seemingly unstoppable, but needing Vegeta to hold his hand and walk him through the higher concepts of combat and martial arts.

An absolute fool. But a Saiyan elite fool.

[shabbytigers]

other trans people: best practices for hiding stubble for people with light skin and dark hair? i gather “peach to orange color correction” is the top line, but it seems rife with chances to fuck up on color, texture, etc. is there a go-to first-line product for dummies? i’m looking for the equivalent of maybelline great lash mascara here, something reliable that isn’t a major investment

the situation here: five o’clock shadow 24/7 including when my skin is still damp from shaving. the shave is fine but much of the hair grows sideways and stubble is literally visible well before it physically emerges from the skin. improved shaving methodology and/or midafternoon touchups are unfortunately not going to be a solve

i would consider this a straight up lotto win, i’ve been passing 75% of the time instead of 1% for a couple of months now, but i’m actually trying to maintain gender presentation optionality for professional purposes 😭 i’m a freelancer (dependent on my established reputation with no invested employer to ask for support) and a dual citizen (my legal name and gender marker need to be consistent across passports, so the one from the neofascist regime where all my employers are dictates what i can do about the other one, if i am to travel safely and keep all the taxes on the up and up), so coming out professionally isn’t as simple as scheduling some tricky meetings and making a brave™️ linkedin post, it’s a legit hard problem

i should have considered all this before starting t, you may observe. in my defense, eight to ten years of judicious and prudent dithering allowed a lot of reading about transition and it all said beards are a late development and to set my expectations by cis guys mostly not having full beards till their twenties or thirties, so i figured five years or more. it’s been one year and nine months on the t that works (gel didn’t for me). in 20/20 hindsight i should have thought to ask other ashkenazi jewish guys about the hair thing. also, i had a full-time remote job and every reason to think it was stable, stellar rep, happy clients, sponsorship of both the agency ceo and the next-up holding-company guy. i could have geared myself up to come out there and/or five to ten more years of nyc-to-berlin payscale arbitrage would have put me in a position to semi-retire. sadly large-scale 2023 layoffs and a bad 2024 election = not as sanguine about it

regardless, i’m already old, there’s only so much of my life left to waste, no regrets. but also, this is a real problem (my effing parents clocked me in april ffs? they’re perfect i love them) and one that should be addressable, let’s gooo

[osamiiya]

showering with…

Sakusa is quiet and methodological. It’s gentle hands that take care of you before himself, a fact that surprises you every time he offers to shower together.

When you had begun dating, you hadn’t thought he would ever want to shower together. Just accepting it as a part of him that he would rather keep to himself.

Until he pauses at the bathroom door, hand on the door handle, internal struggle manifesting as a grimace on his face.

“Would you want to shower… together?”

It takes you a couple blinks to realize what he says. And the you inside your head’s jaw drops comically, like a cartoon character. Outwardly you just nod shyly, making your way off the bed and towards the bathroom.

Now, there’s still times he would rather shower alone. When he feels the germs on his skin too loudly, and his mind prickles with worry. But, otherwise, he’s inviting you in with a, “Are you coming?” and the quirk of an eyebrow.

Sakusa takes his time rubbing shampoo and conditioner into your hair. Fancy stuff that he’s done research on, different shampoos for you and for him that he keeps in his shower.

The whole this is a quiet affair, with murmured conversation about your day, or his practice, or whatever else comes to mind.

When he’s done scrubbing you down he places a gentle, almost not there kiss to the back of your neck, moving hair if he needs to.

He lets you dry off and sit on the toilet lid as he finishes washing himself, the same routine as always.

And when he’s done he dries himself off with you, peppering more liberal kisses on your skin, the gnawing feeling of germs eradicated with the soap he saw run down your body.

[zoetica]

Notice of Discovery: Lenticus somnium Manifestation in "Xenobacillus glossophagii"

Alien Botany archival task force, The Institute for Psychogametous Life / zoeticaebb.com

May 12, 2185

Executive Summary 

This notice details the manifestation of the Lenticus somnium specimen, a psychogametous lifeform documented within the recovered Novy Mir "Alien Botany" archive [Ebb, 2180, 2022], within the literary work "Xenobacillus glossophagii" [Siratori, 2025]. At 1243 pages, “Xenobacillus glossophagii", represents the most expansive example of podcore identified to date and exhibits significant thematic and conceptual infiltration from the Lenticus somnium. We recommend immediate investigation into the mechanisms of Lenticus somnium transmission and its demonstrated capacity to propagate within novel mediums, coupled with a reassessment of associated psychological and biological risks [Ebb, 2025, "Observations on Extraterrestrial Organisms Documented in the Recovered Novy Mir Archive"].

Timeline

2180, October Publication of Chimeric Herbarium: The World of Alien Botany”.

2182, August Discovery of previous publication of Chimeric Herbarium in 2022 by IPGL archival team.

2183, January IPGL Alien Botany archival task force formed.

2185, March Discovery of Lenticus somnium psychogametous spread in 2025.

2185, May Publication of this notice.

Preliminary Findings

To study the psychogameotous potency of the Lenticus somnium (see Appendix A), we have pieced together the following chronology.

2022, October “Chimeric Herbarium: The World of Alien Botany” [Ebb, Oakley] published

2023, December Estimated first contact between Lenticus somnium and Siratori 

2024, June 6 Siratori proclaims, “Ebb’s work is Xenopoem”

2024, June 15 First Siratori propagation: Lenticus somnium × operator R. Sojelenskaya [Ebb, 2022] appears on the cover of “Xenopoem” Japanese edition [Siratori, 2024]

2025, January 6 Xenopoem conference and study group are formed

2025, January 29 Documented direct somal vector infiltration

2025, May 9 Siratori exhibits awareness of the mechanics of psychogametous replications:

“Zoetica Ebb demonstrates glossophage morphogenesis—the process by which symbolic units (colors, forms, textures) self-replicate, mutate, and colonize perceptual fields across species boundaries. [Her] aesthetic production instantiates an emergent multispecies semiotic ecology, where symbolic infection becomes both aesthetic strategy and evolutionary force.” [Siratori, 2025] 

2025, May 10  Lenticus somnium × “Xenobacillus glossophagii” published (Siratori xenohybrid)

2025, May 10 - (ongoing)  Continued mutation and propagation of Lenticus somnium.

Characteristics of Kenji Siratori's "Xenobacillus glossophagii":

The discovery is significant because Xenobacillus glossophagii is the largest body of work to date with clear signatures of psychogametous spread, including:

The cover is a direct transmission of Lenticus somnium.

The text of "Xenobacillus glossophagii" demonstrates strong thematic and conceptual links to the "Alien Botany" archive, with specific elements (hybridisation, parasitism, profound isolation, psychological deterioration, the vulnerability of human consciousness, viral psychological spread, host destruction or metamorphosis),  traceable to the characteristics of the Lenticus somnium specimen and its reported hybridisation with Novy Mir mission operator R. Sojelenskaya [Ebb, 2180, 2022].

Compulsive profuse recreation of emergent pseudoscientific imagery [Siratori 2025] associated with and resulting from the original Lenticus somnium specimen chart [Ebb, 2180, 2022].

Methodology

The criteria for the identification of psychogametous spread, given in [Ebb 2180, 2022, p. 50]:

Physical manifestation

Symbolic transmission

Self-directed or automatic replication

The manifestation is a novel mutation

The criteria for identifying podcore given in [Ebb 2180, 2022, p. 50]:

Recurrent themes of hybridisation, parasitism, profound isolation, psychological deterioration, and the vulnerability of human consciousness within extreme environments.

An involuntary drive in exposed individuals to connect, investigate, reinterpret, and transmit the "Alien Botany" archive content in interconnected groups, sometimes followed by revolution following replication.

A compulsion to create novel iterations of Alien Botany imagery or concepts, occasionally accompanied by descriptions of these creations as "seeds" or "spores," indicating acknowledgement of symbolic or biological propagation. This behaviour is consistent with psychogametous replication, wherein the host's cognitive processes are utilised for the organism's reproduction [Ebb, 2025], thus suggesting a relationship with the archive that transcends conventional fandom or academic interest.

Analysis

This manifestation satisfies all criteria for determining psychogametous spread. "Xenobacillus glossophagii" is a physical object; Siratori and Ebb never having met before its publication makes psychogametous transmission the only vector for its genesis; Siratori propagated and published voluntarily, i.e. in a self-directed manner; the recurrent themes outlined in podcore identification criteria above are present; the diagrams within the book are evidence of alien germination and mutation, seeded in Siratori by Lenticus somnium. Furthermore, we find:

Kenji Siratori, through the creation and publication of "Xenobacillus glossophagii" and his continued reauthorisation of Alien Botany elements, constitutes a prolific new vector for the replication of Lenticus somnium, successfully facilitating its manifestation within distinct mediums.

At 1243 pages, "Xenobacillus glossophagii" represents the most extensive work within the podcore genre to date, indicating a significant psychogametous propagation of Lenticus somnium-related themes, imagery, and its underlying influence.

Recommended Actions

It is the assessment of the Alien Botany archival task force that the following actions are recommended, aligning with the IPGL's multi-faceted approach:

Comprehensive Analysis: Initiate a detailed literary analysis of "Xenobacillus glossophagii", focusing on identifying the textual mechanisms – including specific linguistic patterns, recurring imagery, and narrative structures – through which the characteristics and potential influence of Lenticus somnium have been transmitted and transformed.

Comparative Phenomenological Study: Undertake a comparative study contrasting rigorously documented psychological and physiological effects of direct exposure to "Alien Botany" archive materials (specifically the Lenticus somnium specimen) with carefully verified reader responses to "Xenobacillus glossophagii". This study should be consistent with IPGL ethical guidelines.

Risk Assessment and Mitigation Strategy: Initiate a comprehensive risk assessment to evaluate the full spectrum of potential adverse psychological and long-term physiological consequences associated with exposure to "Xenobacillus glossophagii". Based on this assessment, develop and implement a robust mitigation strategy [IPGL Safety Protocol Gamma-9].

Development of a Global Containment and Public Awareness Strategy: Develop and implement a global containment strategy aimed at mitigating the potential spread of Lenticus somnium-related effects through "Xenobacillus glossophagii", including careful consideration of potential restrictions on the work's dissemination and the launch of targeted public awareness campaigns emphasizing responsible engagement and potential risks, consistent with the IPGL's commitment to "public engagement as active participants in this process" [IPGL: A Novel Approach, 2025].

Conclusion

The publication of "Xenobacillus glossophagii" represents a critical juncture in the ongoing investigation of psychogametous lifeforms. The confirmed manifestation of Lenticus somnium within this expansive literary work, firmly situated within the podcore genre, necessitates decisive and coordinated action. The Institute for Psychogametous Life must prioritize understanding the mechanisms of this transmission, assessing the potential risks to the wider public, and implementing effective strategies for containment and mitigation. Podcore has evolved from a niche interest to a potent vector for the propagation of alien psychogametous life.

References

Ebb, Z. (2022). Chimeric Herbarium: The World of Alien Botany. [ISBN 978-1-3999-3003-1]

Ebb, Z. (2025, March 20). Observations on Extraterrestrial Organisms Documented in the Recovered Novy Mir Archive, with Considerations for Potential Psychoactive and Psychic Influences, and the Propagation of Psychogametous Lifeforms.

Ebb, Z. (2025, March 22). Psychogametous Lifeforms: A Theoretical Framework for Symbolic Reproduction.

Ebb, Z. (2025, May 6)The Institute for Psychogametous Life: A Novel Approach to Investigating Symbolic Alien Replication and Human Cognitive Response.

Siratori, K. (2025) Xenobacillus glossophagii.

Siratori, K. (2025) Xenozoetic Translation-Invariance: Neural Encoding and Glossophagic Adaptations in Lepidoglossum sapiens

Appendix A

Lenticus somnium Attributes:

The Lenticus somnium specimen [Ebb, 2022] exhibits the following critical properties relevant to this incident:

Psychogametous Reproduction: The primary mode of propagation occurs through the transmission of symbolic representations that exert a direct and demonstrable influence on human cognitive processes. As theorized, "'a psychogametous lifeform can be defined as a biological entity that encodes its reproductive information into symbolic forms, such as images, text, or sounds. These entities utilize cognitive systems, particularly human minds, as a medium for information transmission and reinterpretation'" [Ebb, 2025].

Nervous-system Breach and Incubation: Lenticus somnium displays a potency in inducing vivid dream incubation and persistent isochromatic after-images in exposed individuals. Its unique visual characteristics function as a highly efficient “psychogamete,” readily establishing itself within the human mind following even brief exposure [Ebb, 2025].

Induction of Anomalous Phenomena: Exposure to symbolic representations of Lenticus somnium has been consistently linked to the triggering of specific anomalous effects in human subjects, including vivid hallucinatory palinopsia and involuntary ideomotor reflexes [Ebb, 2025, "Observations on Extraterrestrial Organisms Documented in the Recovered Novy Mir Archive"].

Symbolic Autonomy: The symbolic representations of Lenticus somnium possess a degree of autonomy, demonstrating the capacity to propagate and potentially evolve independently of their original source material and the initial observer [Ebb, 2025, "Psychogametous Lifeforms: A Theoretical Framework for Symbolic Reproduction"].

Implications for IPGL Research:

The emergence of "Xenobacillus glossophagii" presents several critical implications for the ongoing research at the Institute for Psychogametous Life:

Manifestation Across Media: This event unequivocally demonstrates the capacity of psychogametous lifeforms, specifically Lenticus somnium, to manifest and propagate effectively across diverse artistic mediums, extending beyond visual representations to encompass complex literary expression within the podcore genre [IPGL Preliminary Findings, 2025-05-12]. This aligns with the IPGL's aim to investigate "'symbolic alien replication'" [Ebb, 2025].

Amplified Psychological and Physiological Effects: The expansive nature of Siratori's work appears to correlate with a reported amplification of psychological and physiological effects in readers. Initial anecdotal reports and emergent discussions indicate a heightened incidence and intensity of anomalous phenomena consistent with Lenticus somnium exposure.

Cross-Cultural and Genre Transmission: The successful integration of Alien Botany themes within posthuman literature confirms the potential for cross-cultural and cross-genre transmission of these psychogametous phenomena, posing a potentially global concern extending beyond established podcore communities and traditional Alien Botany enthusiasts. This necessitates a broader understanding of "'human cognitive response'" to symbolic alien replication [IPGL: A Novel Approach, 2025].