#ineffective teaching methods

[mars-ipan]

i still think the funniest way a fear response of mine was ever shut down happened when i was a kid. my mom and dad had gotten in an argument and she was still angry about it and i have always been very stressed when my mom is angry and i am around it. so in my kid brain i thought “okay i’ll calm her down. what makes her happy” so i went up to her and in my very small voice went “…mom?” and she said “what” and i said “…i love you” and she just sighed and said “don’t say that to me right now” and i don’t think i have ever fawned to her since

[nothorses]

"the public education system is intently evil and all teachers are abusive because it was the worst experience ever for me personally"

guys, look, I'm legitimately sorry that happened to you. that's fucked up. it shouldn't have happened, and it shouldn't be allowed to happen again to you or anyone else. I'm sorry.

public school was hard for me too, at times, and I'm still suffering the consequences for the harsh grading, the arbitrary deadlines, the hours of completely useless-to-me homework. I could name a few teachers who have been pretty fucking terrible. the fact that nobody considered getting me evaluated for ADHD has had an impact on my self image and academic success that I can't erase.

and also.

I grew up in an area where education, in particular, is incredibly progressive-leaning. educators are working really hard to create and try out education philosophies and practices that prioritize kids and their learning, rather than teachers and what they think kids should learn.

My sex ed was comprehensive, and came entirely from school. My gay sixth grade teacher taught me about HIV/AIDs in a useful, accurate way. In high school, I learned about the way orgasms work & I was prepared not to feel shame for normal stuff.

I learned that Communism was not what the USSR actually practiced, and what it really means. I learned about atrocities and, specifically, the genocide of indigenous people committed in/by the US. I learned about the military industrial complex, the school-to-prison pipeline, and I learned about manifestations of racism specific to my local area. I learned about Stonewall, and the intersection of the civil rights movement with gay rights and disability justice.

My creative writing teacher taught us about LSD, and the real reasons we shouldn't do it, after a hilariously ineffective assembly run by some local cops. He spoke gently, carefully, and emphatically about his friends and his own experiences. Later in the semester, he read us a story he wrote about two gay men finding each other in a deeply homophobic environment.

My sci-fi teacher made me feel safe & seen as a kid with "weird" interests. My US History teacher helped me research and put together a 10-page paper on the modern relevance and mission of Feminism. My government teacher made me feel appreciated for the work I put into the class, and the thought I put into what I said in it, even though he disagreed with a lot of it. My sixth grade teacher bought me books to read with his personal money, whichever ones I asked for. My third grade teacher made me feel safe. My science teacher in middle school made me excited for and passionate about science, and saw and nurtured the effort I put into her class.

A lot of stuff sucks, absolutely. But I am seeing new teaching methods being tried out all the time, and I am watching teachers get really excited when I teach their students about the roots of modern graffiti in US black history & to question property laws, and just...

There's hope. there are so many people doing so much work to make things better. so many people agree with you on what education should be, and are trying so fucking hard to put that into action, and so many public schools- not just teachers, but whole schools and even districts- are really doing that work. so much is getting better.

I had more to say, about necessary childcare and trusted adults and outside contacts and time away from abusive family. But like. Please just sit down and listen to more people on this, and please talk to educators and education professionals about what's really going on in this big huge world of philosophy, science, and practice.

[theprettiestchandaleir]

I wanna make a earthspark rewrite au lowky

Some ideas I had for it below (just me rambling of about 1 day worth of me thinking it’s mostly bumblebee currently as he’s the first one I’m redesigning)

1 def adding in Skybounds iron apprenticeship and clan system I feel it be a good thing to add with earthsparks family oriented feel

2 bee gets sent into hiding due to a injury in the final battle (bumblebee with a cane once more heart emoji) as scouting in the shadows is safer then being out in the open with a known injury

3 rubble exist(ed)s and is the actual reason bee doesn’t want to mentor I liked the he wants to get in duty again thing for like one episode and they just kept bringing it up again even though they supposedly solved it and it started pissing me off so this is my fix (Also I’m a sucker for rubbles death haunting bee)

3 bee and Optimus are in a iron apprenticeship 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

4 (VERY) possible starscream redemption

5 bee has a situationship with starscream (this relationship is def not inspired by idw in any shape or form tooottallyyy) and possibly breakdown but I want to give him his oomfi back (knockout) so polyamory idfk yet

6 megop are the only healthy transformer relationship currently (they got over the divorce and are now happily married again/hj)

7 bee try’s to genuinely teach the Terrans more then just fighting (the stuff he never got to teach rubble)

8 sense rubble is here he was killed while bee was actually a autobot in the war after that bee defected for a awhile as he lost trust in the autobot method because he joined to make a future rubble was safe ( he joins back before they leave to earth tho)

9 in reference to the starbee situationship it started when bee defected around that time starscream was kicked out of the decepticons (inspired by prime in a way) and are basically forced to work together to survive for a bit before being picked back up by there respective sides

10 I want the difference between autobot and decepticon to be more grey esp when it came to bee bc him jumping a decepticon for existing was funny but like you also have a situationship with another decepticon I dont wanna hear it faggot 😒

11 breakdown and bee had been best friends before the war started so he had met rubble even during the war as bee wanted rubble to grow up ineffective to the war as much as he could including a bias against sides (he was still warned of the dangers of it but it was ab both sides)

Anyways I’ll stop yapping and think up more story stuff now but you can tell this au is made to cater to me specifically 🥲

[lightandfellowship]

It truly is fitting that the Xehanort game was the one that explored this idea of like. Love and empathy having the potential to turn into corrupting forces. People hurting each other and themselves due to the despair and insecurity born from intense love. Things that ought to be associated with light and goodness (and that usually are in the main games) instead leading to darkness and suffering.

Eraqus with his bright and well-meaning comments to Baldr that are nonetheless ignorant and hurtful (Scala's teachings in general). Vidar's feelings of love and mercy compelling him to destroy darkness and save Baldr for his friends' sake, a normally heroic and selfless desire that would be awarded in any other KH game as others before me have noted, but because this quest is misguided, Vidar's methods too extreme, it turns into a fruitless, failure of an endeavor that ends up causing more death rather than preventing it. Baldr's adoration of his sister, his love for her, twists into an obsessive, self-esteem destroying dependency that leaves a gaping hole in his heart the perfect size for darkness to call home.

Over and over again, examples of the "false light" that the Master of Masters described to Xehanort.

Like yeah no wonder Xehanort turned out like that. He was trapped in a story where—what were ostensibly—acts of goodness and light were either utterly ineffective at preventing tragedy or were easily corrupted under the right conditions. The form of "light" wielded by his instructors and peers, the people who were supposed to protect and guide the world, let him down on such a profound level that his perception of its efficacy and righteousness suffered as a result; he completely lost faith in whatever was masquerading as "true light" in this world...or, you know, that's probably how he viewed it, anyway.

In his eyes, better to turn to darkness for his goals because at least it's good at getting shit done and not pretending to be something it isn't, assuming you're strong enough to bring it to heel and not let it corrupt you. And Sora wasn't around yet to prove him wrong, to prove that true light and goodness still exist in the world and you don't have to throw everything away and start over...

So yeah out of all the potential KH games that could've introduced (debatable)/explored this topic I'm glad it was the Xehanort one because it just makes so much sense for his character and where the series is at now, especially with the Lost Masters arc on the horizon featuring: the Master of Masters, a villain (question mark) seemingly motivated by light and light alone.

[nohoperadio]

I picked up Anki again earlier this week after getting graph envy from @robustcornhusk's posts about it the other day, and I'm bearing in mind (because I sense it's going to be helpful to bear this in mind) the factoid I remember reading (not going to try to source it rn so by all means be incredulous) that even though the data shows spaced repetition etc to be effective it has the drawback of feeling ineffective relative to other study methods.

And I can totally see why that is, the whole system is kind of trying to create an anti-"flow state" in a way? In that like, you naturally get a little dopamine hit when you get a question right, but spaced repetition is set up so you're getting as few chances as possible to demonstrate what you're already good at, and focuses as much as it can on questions that make you feel stupid. Once you gain confidence in something Anki loses interest in it; and the stuff that just doesn't seem to stick for whatever reason, Anki keeps drilling you on it more than anything else. It sounds weird, but you could almost describe it as a teaching method that strives to minimize positive feedback as much as possible? Like it kind of is exactly that! I'm sure others have said this before but it never really clicked for me until this round of trying it.

And I think this is good to be clear! When I'm trying to learn something and I'm just winging it I have a bad habit of spending way too much time going back over stuff I'm already confident in and avoiding the stuff I find hard because feeling dumb is unpleasant. It's helpful to have an automated system for forcing me to stop indulging that aversion.

[bumblingbabooshka]

'Learning Curve' is an interesting episode because how Tuvok deals with the Maquis isn't just a Tuvok Thing but also reflects how Starfleet treats its (mostly teenaged) cadets. Tuvok's tactics are very militant: Don't speak unless you're spoken to. Getting in your face to intimidate you (though he doesn't yell). What was that? Speak up. Look at me when I talk to you. Run 40 laps for disobeying and if you talk back, you get 10 more. 10 more. 10 more. No stopping for water. Clean the floor with a toothbrush for 26 hours. Tuvok was an instructor for 16 years and they were obviously more recent than not because his first stint in Starfleet led to him quitting after his first mission as an ensign. Tuvok also (as shown in the episode) isn't someone who deviates from rules and regulation.  "My methods are sound and time-honoured. I insist on strict adherence to rules and protocols. I never waver from that approach. I have always been successful in honing each cadet into a Starfleet officer." Maquis are walking out on him? He tells them they're being insubordinate. Dalby is being a problem? He says "dragging him in front of a disciplinary board" (Chakotay's joking suggestion) is "Perhaps the best approach." He's rigid in his commitment to upholding these rules even when they're obviously ineffective. All this to say that Tuvok's methods are (I think) harsh and militant, I don't think they're harsh because Tuvok made them that way. Even when that Bajoran man is made to remove his earring, it's because it's against Starfleet code. There's no consideration about what it means to have it removed. It's against code, so it must be removed regardless of its personal/cultural meaning. It's interesting then that the episode doesn't criticize Starfleet. It (rightfully) criticizes Tuvok's rigid adherence to Starfleet code and how it prevents him from connecting with the Maquis and earning their respect, but I think it would have been interesting to take the opportunity to perhaps think about whether or not Starfleet code SHOULD be followed, especially with how highly Janeway talks about it in the beginning. Tuvok was an academy instructor for almost two decades, so Starfleet obviously didn't see anything wrong with his method of teaching. Given Tuvok's disposition, if he'd received orders or criticism from Starfleet about how he taught, he would've changed it. Janeway's "We'll show them why we do what we do" could have been interesting if maybe we considered that Starfleet's methods AREN'T always effective or logical to follow and a character like Tuvok (Unemotional Vulcan) would've been a great character to explore this with. The scene in the mess hall where Chakotay punches Dalby for being insubordinate really isn't that different from Tuvok forcing Chell to run 40 laps because he's talking too much. They both even have a moment where the person they're intimidating responds too quietly and they tell them to speak up. They both do this in front of others to embarrass them and threaten to continue their punishments indefinitely unless they comply. HMM sure seems like these militant organizations aren't as different as one might think and that there's something interesting to be said about how that reflects on Starfleet, which champions itself as inherently more moral and ethical. The closest the episode comes to actually conceding that The Starfleet Way isn't always the uncontested best way is going 'Maybe we can bend a rule or two sometimes, to save a man's life' but what we NEED to be doing is interrogating the system. Like for one it's insane to me that there's no follow up scene about the Bajoran earring thing. I would have loved to see Chakotay and Janeway debating about it. And hey, maybe in the end we could have shown Tuvok truly changing by having him propose some new measures to improve Voyager that he got through speaking with and learning from the Maquis (which Chakotay catches and we end on him teasing the Vulcan about it).

[deadgoatproject]

Do Europeans (and do Ukrainians) criticize for low foreign language skills?

Today, I found a post of a non-European who complained about how the Spanish criticized foreigners for nor speaking Spanish. It reminds me of posts about how Europeans hate when Americans are not bilingual or are not speaking their mother tongue.

As an Eastern European, specifically, as a Ukrainian, I personally give no sheesh whether you speak Ukrainian or not. However...

First, not all Ukrainians speak English/Spanish/French/German etc.

You cannot simply come here and expect us to speak English fluently. Elder generations speak English badly, my generation (um...actually, I am not gen Z according to our generation theory...I am Y...uummmm...however!) also refuses to speak (but learns), the youngest gen Alpha cannot speak English yet. Why? Because we cannot practice it, we have no extra money to travel all around the world (even before the war, ye know), and as an English language teacher, I have to say the methods of teaching English in Ukraine are...particularly ineffective. Same situations with less spreaded languages.

Second, we want you to speak Ukrainian.

It is a common situation (especially before the war) when a foreigner surely learns French or German but thinks English will be enough in Ukraine. You may say that is because Slavic languages are hard to (at least) speak, but many of you choose russian to learn. Moreover, there are absolutely brainless and somehow pragmatic people (yeah, Chinese, I am speaking about you) thinking it is enough to speak russian in Ukraine, the mother language of Ukrainians does not matter.

We want you to speak Ukrainian. We do not really care how bad you speak. We will surely (try to) understand you and correct if it is necessary. Our language is unique, and we want not only all the Ukrainians to speak it but also foreigners to learn.

btw how did I learn English...? well...I am a philologist of English and Chinese languages, and I have a bachelor degree (yet).

теє-то, кулєги, поширюйте допис, я пітнів і без перекладача писав, як справжній профі!

[autumngracy]

Literacy Crisis: How Decades of Teaching Practices Left Children Behind

Reading Reset is an investigative series shedding light on the potential origin of the state’s poor reading proficiency, its impact on children, the criminal justice system, and possible solutions. Georgia is confronting a reading crisis decades in the making. By the time students reach fourth grade, only one in three can read proficiently, according to a 2025 state assessment. Critics say failed teaching methods, a lack of teacher preparation, and ineffective early interventions are to blame.

[0-eclipse]

Editorial: Assault Lily - Ludvico Private Girls' Academy 101

Legion Ironside and Toda Eulalia Kotohi (far left), illustrated from "Assault Lily: The Fateful Gift". Image credits: Pokelabo (apparently this one in-house artist goes by K-san?)

Ludvico! The center stage of Main Story Chapter Two, which we're finally starting over here. Once again, you likely noticed that just in those three first parts alone, there was already a mountain of references that they don't really bother to explain. In fact, there's so many of them that i'll actually leave off the rest of them to another post, so for now, let's get ourselves familiar with what might be the single most important Garden in all of Assault Lily.

Ludvico Private Girls' Academy - the basics

As I mentioned in my previous post, Ludvico is one of the "Three Great Gardens" tasked with the defense of the Tokyo region, the other two being Odaiba Girls' School and Irma Girls' School for the Arts. Their National Defense Lines encompass Tokyo's westside down to its southside, and they notably cover a little more territory than the other two, due to the reputation that the Garden once had in its hayday. Their campus is located in the massive and beautiful Shinjuku Gyo-en National Garden.

As a Garden

Tokyo is known to be a particularly secure area, with the trifecta of Area Defense Systems, the Three Great Gardens, and other defensive measures such as the Light Walls and the like making it a relatively safe place to live. Because of this, it is said that until the Odaiba Counteroffensive came around, Tokyo's Gardens weren't very proactive in deploying for battle.

Ludvico, however, was the exception to this, which certainly gave it a better reputation than its peers. In fact, one of the primary reasons that girls enroll into Ludvico is out of admiration for the one Garden that would spearhead the defense of Tokyo whenever needed. By the way, admission into the Garden is said to be not too difficult, despite adopting a similar method to the highly militarized Sagami Girls' School. Because of this, they welcome new students in large numbers.

Although it now adopts the Neunwelt Tactic as a primary combat discipline, Ludvico still actively teaches their students Duelist tactics, that is, the one-on-one approach to battle that was once widely adopted, but is now mostly regarded as obsolete. In fact, when Dueling was still the primary method of combat for Lilies, Ludvico was considered the single strongest Garden in Tokyo due to their Lilies' proficiency in it. But unfortunately, Dueling grew increasingly ineffective over the years, causing more and more of these once top-class Lilies to meet their end in combat, and eventually leading Ludvico to lose this title. That being said, because their Lilies are now taught both the Neunwelt and Duelist battle tactics, Ludvico's Lilies possess, on average, a very high degree of tactical knowledge and literacy.

The Garden's history is said to be "weaved with tales that pertain to time", resulting in a strong emphasis on education in more metaphysical Rare Skills, such as "Z", which allows a Lily to rewind time in a localized area, "Phantasm", which reads multiple future timelines and telepathically comunicates to surrounding Lilies the best possible future outcome, and "Hawk's Eye", which gives the user an out of body, omnidirectional view of their surroundings.

It is standard practice for Ludvico Lilies to wield the Second Generation CHARMs Dainsleif Carbine or the Gungnir Carbine, these are non-transforming CHARMs that prioritize ease of use, with the Dainsleif Carbine in particular being created at Ludvico's request. A notorious feature of these CHARMs is their adjustable hilts/stocks, ensuring that any Lily is able to use any individual CHARM without any issues.

The Dainsleif Carbine (left) and the Gungnir Carbine (right). Image credits: Azone International.

Ludvico has a long standing rivalry with one of the other Three Greats: Irma, particularly as it pertains to their school traditions and their approach to the battlefield. While both employ the Top Legion system, they greatly differ in their makeup, with Irma favoring an exceedingly rigid and immutable formation, which Ludvico sees in rather low regard, while Ludvico themselves highly favor maleability, which Irma sees as flawed, particularly as it pertains to the Neunwelt Tactic. This is merely a friendly rivalry, however, and the two Gardens are generally in good terms with each other, and will often come to the other's aid if needed.

The single most important thing about Ludvico as an institution is its affiliation with G.E.H.E.N.A. I mentioned this in my last post, but they're not just a pro-G.E.H.E.N.A. Garden, they're the pro-G.E.H.E.N.A. Garden in the entirety of the Kanto prefecture, which means even the likes of Herensuge come second place to them. They even have a G.E.H.E.N.A. research facility, named Ludvico Labs, directly annexed to their campus. As a result of their influence, a good percentage of Ludvico students hold pro-G.E.H.E.N.A. views, and their most loyal Instructors are shown to be particularly callous and unfeeling towards the Lilies they see fit to be test subjects.

Culture

Ludvico is notoriously a Christian missionary Garden, which means that (going by the definition of "missionary school" I found in Japanese spaces, don't quote me on this part) unlike Yurigaoka, where Christian traditions are merely adopted into the school's cultural motifs, Ludvico Lilies are actively taught the Christian faith and practices. The Garden Instructors are recognized as Nuns, and most notably, all students of Ludvico are bestowed a baptismal name when entering high school, always in reference to a Christian saint, for example, Ludvico's current top Lily, Ichinomiya Michaela Himari, was baptised with the name of the famous Saint Michael.

Much like the other members of the Three Greats, Ludvico also has its own tradition of a sisterhood pact, named the Schwester System (Schwester being German for "sister"). This system is much closer to the Schutzengel's Oath of Yurigaoka, where it can only be taken between a senior and a junior, and the older Lily assumes a role of guidance and mentorship. Though unlike Yurigaoka, a Lily may only have a single Schwester.

Kishimoto Lucia Raimu (left) and her Schwester, Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie (right). Image credits: Sadamatsu Ryuuichi

When taking the Schwester's oath, both Lilies will exchange the medalhas ("medallion", in Portuguese) that are habitual for Ludvico Lilies to wear. Seemingly any kind of pendant counts as a medalha, as the series has shown Lilies exchanging medallions, rosaries, flashy diamond necklaces and even an anime character necklace. A Lily will normally directly approach the one she wishes to become Schwesters with, however, during the Easter festival held yearly by the Garden, it is a common tradition for a senior to leave her medalha inside an easter egg, giving the privilege to whoever finds it to ask them to become their Schwester.

Like Yurigaoka's Schutzengel System, the Schwester's oath can be annuled, and a Lily may do so unilaterally.

Ludvico's has a singular standard uniform, bearing a germanic-inspired design, it's a full set consisting of a blouse, ribbon, corset, skirt and long boots. The legwear is the single article of clothing left to the students' discretion, though Legions are permitted to wear a jacket with a unique design:

Toda Eulalia Kotohi (left) wearing the standard uniform, Ichinomiya Michaela Himari (middle), wearing the Temple Legion's jacket, and Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie (right), wearing Legion Ironside's jacket. Image credits: Iizuka Haruko and Pokelabo.

Speaking of which:

Legions

Not unlike the other Three Greats, Ludvico also adopted a Top Legion system, theirs titled the "Temple Legion". They were unique in the fact that, while most Top Legions usually appoint the Garden's strongest Lilies for a permanent lineup, usually lasting the school year, the Temple Legion did not have a fixed list of members at all. Instead, before every deployment, the Garden's strongest Lilies at that particular point in time are appointed to join the Legion. This means that, apart from the fixed roles of captain and vice captain, each deployment saw the Temple Legion in a different lineup, based on which Lilies were seen as the strongest at that particular moment. While one would assume this highly variable lineup to result in nothing but chaos, it was very much effective, as the Temple Legion ranked amongst the Legions in Tokyo that rarely ever saw defeat.

Much like Odaiba, the Temple Legion was, for the longest time, the only active Legion in all of Ludvico, as the Garden forbid the creation of Independent Legions for any reason. All Lilies in the Garden would then be trained with the goal of one day being strong enough to be selected for the Temple Legion, with their unique jacket becoming something of a symbol of honor that all Ludvico Lilies aspire to wear, and as a matter of fact, even the number of times a Lily is selected to join the Temple Legion was seen as a status symbol in and of itself.

Following the fall of Ludvico, the Garden's upper administration ceased to be, and as such, the Temple Legion can no longer have members appointed to it, remaining inoperative as of the writing of this post. Though its lineup was variable, Ichinomiya Michaela Himari was fixed as the appointed captain, with Tachibana Teresa Nagisa as her second in command.

Now, I'll keep this as spoiler free as I can, but if you'll recall, Ludvico is about as pro-G.E.H.E.N.A. as it gets, and as a Top Legion, the Temple Legion is selected by and acts on the will of the Garden's higher echelons. But as it turns out, being under the direct rule of such a nefarious organization was against what one Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie stood for. And so, completely disregarding whether the Garden would approve of it or not, she set out to create a Legion of her own, the very first Independent Legion in Ludvico's history, which she titled "Ironside". The Garden, of course, didn't approve of this, as they never intended to adopt the Instructor-approved system in the first place. So, without any Instructor or administrative system to answer to, Ironside is about as independent as a Legion can get, pretty much acting at their own discretion, separate from Ludvico's standard protocols, or their wishes in general. And while Ironside's formation and even their mere existence was in defiance of Ludvico's traditional ways, some saw this as a first step for Ludvico's return to glory, since if you'll remember, Independent Legions are seen as a demonstration that a Garden's Lilies are powerful on average, rather than only the select few of a Top Legion.

Legion Ironside possesses 10 members: Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie, Kishimoto Lucia Raimu, Amamiya Sophia Seren, Kuroki Francisca Yuria, Seto Veronica Ichika, Saeki Julia Karen, Takatori Natalie Towa, Lee Christina Susu, Matsunaga Brigitta Kayo and Hasegawa Gabriela Tsugumi.

The fall of Ludvico

As it has been heavily alluded to in Last Bullet up to this point, Ludvico has almost completely collapsed, the campus was severely damaged, a lot of instructors died, the Garden's upper administration and their Top Legion are no more. In short, Ludvico is pretty much a zombie Garden right now, unable to function in any official capacity, but what caused all of that?

Now, this is sort of impossible to discuss without getting into spoilers, as it's literally the climax of the very last stage play of the Ludvico saga, but i'll try not to be too specific as it pertains to details.

Like I've mentioned just before, Legion Ironside was formed in opposition to Ludvico's affiliations with G.E.H.E.N.A.. This put them directly against the Garden's Instructors, not only because of their allegiance to G.E.H.E.N.A., but also because they were very interested in Kishimoto Lucia Raimu, as we very quickly learn that she is special, not only due to her innately high Skiller Value, but she seems to display special abilities that G.E.H.E.N.A. is very keen to get their hands on.

During their final confrontation, the Instructors disabled the protective barrier that surrounds the Garden, and sure enough, the Huge begin to pour out in large numbers. As such, the Temple Legion and all other Ludvico Lilies had their hands completely full with defending the Garden, and as a matter of fact, we even learn later on that their efforts weren't enough on their own, and a pair of Legions from another Garden had to step in and help them. All the while Legion Ironside was stuck fighting not only Ludvico's Instructors, but also a Gigant-class Huge that had previously appeared in the region.

Suddenly, however, one Instructor attacks and brutally kills all the others, I won't go into detail as to who or why, but the important part is that this Instructor was a Lily who was Boosted beyond belief, making her an unstoppable juggernaut, and she wanted to get her hands on Raimu and her unique abilities in order to further her own agenda. During her confrontation with Ironside, the Gigant-class continued to attack, aided by swaths of Huge that had gathered around it.

Eventually, this Instructor is finally defeated, a combination of Ironside's efforts and her own Magie flowing out of control, and the Legion is finally able to take down the Gigant-class. While the day is saved, we learn that the live Huge that were held as test subjects in G.E.H.E.N.A's Ludvico Labs broke free, and they would go on to wreak havoc in Ludvico's vicinity, to the extent that it eventually took multiple Gardens to deal with them. Likewise, with the protective barrier down, all the Huge that suddenly surrounded Ludvico caused extensive damage to the Garden facilities. This, coupled with the murder of the Garden's Instructors left Ludvico completely crippled for all intents and purposes. We know of only one Instructor who was willing to stand against G.E.H.E.N.A., and without any upper administration to select members for the Temple Legion, Legion Ironside, being completely independent, was left as the only Legion able to operate in any capacity.

So in short, Ludvico's collapse was an inside job, caused by G.E.H.E.N.A. and the Garden's own Instructors, all for the sake of securing a single Lily they deemed valuable. And furthermore, the Instructors didn't lose their lives because of the Huge's attack, but they were viciously killed by one of their own, which is why Sachie says this:

"So that is what they stated in the Commitee's official report..."

Essentially alluding to the fact that the official story that was circulated paints the fall of Ludvico as a mere incident, and G.E.H.E.N.A's involvement was, unsurprisingly, covered up.

Ludvico Private Girls' Academy and the Assault Lily franchise

Legion Ironside and Toda Eulalia Kotohi (far left), as portrayed in "Assault Lily: The Fateful Gift". Image credits: Nakamura Yukari (Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie)

I mentioned all the way at the beginning of this post that Ludvico might be Assault Lily's most important Garden, and while they're certainly a very big player in-universe, I actually meant this in a meta sense.

You'll notice that all of the Ludvico stage plays are titled "Assault Lily x Ludvico Private Girls' Academy", and that is because Ludvico is not only a Garden in the Assault Lily universe, but they're also the name of the theatre troupe that performs all of their stage plays. As a matter of fact, Ludvico precedes Assault Lily as a franchise, going back as early as 2004, while Assault Lily in its current form dates to the early 2010s.

Furthermore, Ludvico's primary draw as a theatre troupe is that all of their screenplays, while differing in story and character backgrounds, are always set in the same setting of "Ludvico Private Academy", and their characters' names and personalities remain the same across the different stage plays. In fact, many characters you know, like Sachie and Kayo, were originally created by Ludvico, being merely adapted into the Assault Lily universe.

The very first Assault Lily stage play performed by Ludvico happened in 2016, almost 9 years ago. The story goes that Mr. Obanazawa Ken'ei, the author of Assault Lily, who was until that point completely unfamiliar with theatre, attended one of Ludvico's performances a year prior, and was so utterly moved by what he'd witnessed that he wasted no time approaching Ludvico's Director, Sakuragi Sayaka, for a collaboration. Interestingly, Assault Lily was still in its infancy back then. The doll line had already been out for a while, but story-wise only the Team Hitotsuyanagi novel had been released. Yet, instead of just making an adaptation of what already was out, they decided to create a whole new Garden, a whole new set of characters and a whole new original story. And voila, in 2016, Assault Lily's very first foray into the visual arts came to be, starring not the already established Hitotsuyanagi Riri and her team, but the brand new character of Kishimoto Lucia Raimu, beginning a completely new storyline for the Assault Lily world.

And it absolutely was the start of something special, they went on to make four stage plays (plus a recap and a bunch of live events) following the Ludvico storyline. And even after Bushiroad acquired the rights for the series, Ludvico continued to be a cornerstone of all Assault Lily stage performances, in and out of universe. The Ludvico saga was completely remade in 2021, and multiple new series of stage plays were birthed from there onwards, always with Ludvico's Sakuragi Sayaka behind the screenplay, and always featuring Ludvico's actresses in some capacity.

Hoshimori Sana, who portrays Amamiya Sophia Seren since 2016, and Kuo Shenlin since 2020. Images sourced from @ sana_hoshimori on Twitter.

Nishimoto Rimi, who portrays Ichinomiya Michaela Himari since 2018, and Futagawa Fumi since 2020. Images sourced from @ assaultlily_st on Twitter.

From their first collaboration in 2016, a total of 15 screenplays, spread throughout 20 stage plays have been performed so far, with even more set to happen this year. And it's not at all an understatement to say that currently, the stage plays are the singular driving force of the entire Assault Lily universe, even more so than the anime and Last Bullet are, as they continue to be the main avenue through which that world and the many stories within it are pushed forward.

Ludvico Private Girls' Academy might be the single most important Garden in Assault Lily because personally, I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that were it not for the spark that these girls lit in a tiny white cubiculum of a stage 9 years ago, this franchise would likely not have grown to the massive extents that it did, and I, on the other side of the world, would likely have never even heard about it to be making this post here today.

[realinspirations]

Breaking the Stigma: Celebrating Failure as a Catalyst for Change

 In a world driven by way of success tales and achievements, failure often wears a cloak of shame and defeat. Society tends to have fun victories and milestones at the same time as brushing failures below the rug. Yet, the maximum transformative and galvanizing memories aren't of unbroken fulfillment but of individuals who stumbled, fell, and rose once more stronger and wiser. Failure, contrary to famous perception, is not the stop of the street; as a substitute, it is an important a part of the journey. Embracing failure as a stepping stone leads not only to eventual achievement however to deeper self-attention, resilience, and innovation.

Embracing failure as a stepping stone learning from setbacks and building resilience

Redefining Failure

Failure is frequently misunderstood. It is visible as a mirrored image of incompetence or inadequacy. However, failure, in its truest form, is simply the gap between expectation and outcome. It is the remarks that some thing did no longer work as intended — a sign that there's room for improvement. Once we forestall viewing failure as a private flaw and start seeing it as a herbal part of studying, we liberate its hidden ability.

Great minds for the duration of records have attested to the fee of failure. Thomas Edison, whose hundreds of failed attempts subsequently caused the invention of the lightbulb, famously said, “I even have not failed. I’ve just discovered 10,000 methods that won’t work.” This attitude separates folks who reap greatness from folks that give up too quickly. It is the capability to peer failure not as a useless end but as a vital detour that teaches, shapes, and refines.

Learning from Mistakes

Every failure incorporates a lesson. It tells us what doesn’t work, where we went incorrect, and what needs to change. These lessons, whilst internalized, emerge as powerful equipment for personal and expert growth. Whether it is a failed examination, a collapsed commercial enterprise, or a broken relationship, the aftermath of failure gives insights that no textbook or mentor can offer.

Failure fosters essential thinking and encourages us to investigate our approach. It builds humility and reminds us that fulfillment isn't always guaranteed by way of effort alone, but additionally by way of studying, adapting, and persevering. For students, failing a take a look at might spark a recognition about ineffective examine conduct. For marketers, a failed venture can also highlight flaws in the business model or advertising and marketing strategy. In every case, the revel in sharpens one's potential to evaluate, pivot, and improve.

Cultivating Resilience

One of the maximum profound presents of failure is resilience. People who have failed and risen again increase a mental durability that can't be acquired via smooth sailing. Resilience is the muscle built by way of repeated setbacks and the courage to attempt again. It’s what allows individuals to preserve going in the face of obstacles, complaint, or discouragement.

Resilience doesn’t suggest being unaffected by means of failure; it approach being capable of get over it. It’s okay to sense sadness, frustration, or unhappiness after failing. What subjects is the ability to process those emotions, mirror, and eventually flow ahead with renewed dedication. This emotional adulthood is crucial no longer most effective for personal achievement but additionally for management, teamwork, and life in popular.

Innovation Through Trial and Error

Innovation prospers on failure. Some of the finest innovations and discoveries have been the results of mistakes or surprising consequences. Penicillin, as an instance, was determined while Alexander Fleming by chance left a petri dish open, and a mildew killed the micro organism. Similarly, Post-it Notes were born from a failed try at growing a amazing-sturdy adhesive. In every case, failure caused innovation because someone noticed potential in the mistake.

In the sector of technology and startups, failure is often part of the subculture. The concept of "failing fast" is recommended — the concept being that the quicker you become aware of what doesn’t paintings, the faster you could refine and improve. This trial-and-blunders method is a cornerstone of clinical progress, software program improvement, and entrepreneurial achievement. Embracing failure as a aspect of the innovative system opens doors to new ideas and breakthroughs.

Changing the Narrative

To truly embody failure, we want to exchange how we talk about it. Instead of asking, “Did you fail?” we would ask, “What did you learn?” or “What will you do in a different way next time?” This shift in language fosters a boom mind-set — the perception that abilties may be developed through dedication and difficult paintings.

Educational institutions, offices, and families all play a function in shaping attitudes toward failure. When failure is stigmatized, people worry taking risks or stepping outside their consolation zones. But whilst failure is normalized and treated as a studying opportunity, human beings are extra inclined to try, test, and innovate.

Encouraging environments wherein failure is regularly occurring — even celebrated — cultivate creativity and long-term success. Teachers who permit students to make mistakes without harsh judgment, managers who view failed projects as opportunities to mentor, and parents who support as opposed to scold a child’s missteps all contribute to a tradition that values increase over perfection.

Personal Growth and Self-Discovery

Failure has a way of stripping away illusions and forcing introspection. It reveals our vulnerabilities, limits, and fears — but additionally our strengths, values, and purpose. Many human beings discover their genuine passions and callings handiest after experiencing failure. A job loss may also set off a person to pursue a long-forgotten dream. A failed dating may encourage deep self-paintings and restoration.

This manner of self-discovery is valuable. It builds man or woman and authenticity. People who've faced failure and grown from it are regularly greater empathetic, grounded, and clever. They understand what it method to warfare, and they carry with them a experience of humility and gratitude that best comes from having been knocked down and having gotten back up.

Moving Forward with Courage

To include failure does not imply looking for it out, however instead being unafraid of it. It means giving your excellent effort even when success is not guaranteed. It means taking calculated risks, speaking up even if uncertain, and trying again after falling quick.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the selection that some thing else is more essential. In this case, the pursuit of boom, excellence, and self-success outweighs the fear of failure. When we start to see failure not as a verdict however as a technique — a stepping stone — we become freer, extra creative, and more resilient.

[steveezekiel]

UNDERSTANDING MINISTRY LEADERSHIP 1

7 DON'T have anything to do with godless myths that old women like to tell. RATHER, TRAIN YOURSELF TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE.

8 TRAINING THE BODY HELPS A LITTLE, BUT GODLY LIVING HELPS IN EVERY WAY. GODLY LIVING HAS THE PROMISE OF LIFE NOW AND IN THE WORLD TO COME."

1 Timothy 4:7,8 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

• The text of this teaching is an admonition given by Apostle Paul to Timothy the first bishop of the church of Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:7,8).

- Most of challenges faced or encountered in life by a believer or minister are meant to be a training for godliness; to shape and change and smoothen the rough edges, the defects that may be found in the life of the believer or minister.

- Effective leadership would be a mirage If you are not properly trained or groomed or allowed to go through, the circumstances and challenges of life.

- Those challenges and problems are the things that would mould and shape you into the right person who is suitable for the purposed assignment.

- A sport man or woman without a proper training would surely not be a candidate for winning a gold medal in any tournament: (1 Corinthians 9:24,25,27).

• Discipline is needed for the training. A sport person, an athlete or whoever, would discipline himself or herself, denying the self, the body, a number of things, pleasures and food that would not help his or her body and whatever, in order to be physically fit for whatever tournament ahead, that they may win medals.

- The muscles of a sport person who trained not would be flabby or feeble—weak and ineffective. Likewise a believer or a minister who lacks a proper spiritual training, exercise, would have a flabby or feeble spiritual muscles.

- Apostle Paul said he discipline himself:

24 DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT THOSE WHO RUN IN A RACE ALL RUN, BUT ONE RECEIVES THE PRIZE? RUN IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU MAY OBTAIN IT. 25 AND EVERYONE WHO COMPETES FOR THE PRIZE IS TEMPERATE IN ALL THINGS. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 THEREFORE I RUN THUS: NOT WITH UNCERTAINTY. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 BUT I DISCIPLINE MY BODY AND BRING IT INTO SUBJECTION, LEST, WHEN I HAVE PREACHED TO OTHERS, I MYSELF SHOULD BECOME DISQUALIFIED" (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NKJV).

• The pattern or method of training:

I Word intakes or a taking in of the Word of God—acquiring of knowledge.

- One of the major ways through which a believer or a would-be leader or minister would be taught and trained is through the consistent taking in of the Word of God.

- Someone who believed he or she had the call of God on their lives should have a strong craving for knowledge. It is one of the basic qualities that a believer or minister or would-be leader in the ministry should possess.

- Your level of Word intakes determines your exploits in the ministry work. The reason being that, the knowledge of the Word of God makes wise and strong: "A WISE MAN IS STRONG, YES, A MAN OF KNOWLEDGE INCREASES STRENGTH" (Proverbs 24:5 NKJV).

- The knowledge of the Word of God makes you have the understanding of God, and It is those who know their God, who understands Him, and are always strong and do exploits: " . . . BUT THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR GOD SHALL BE STRONG, AND CARRY OUT GREAT EXPLOITS" (Daniel 11:32 NKJV).

- Consequently, as a believer or a minister, strongly desire knowledge and invest in acquiring It.

- Invest your money, time, or what have you, to equip yourself through the Word of God. Buy books, listen to teachings, attend seminars or school of ministry, both online and physically.

• Note: in knowledge acquiring, you connect to your choice; the right proven ministers of the Word who speak the Word that are relevant to your situation. You should connect with the messages of those whom you are stirred to follow.

- Some so-called spiritual teaching are not edifying, they are for those with itching ears, who wanted to listen to teachers or ministers who teach or tell them what they want:

3 FOR THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE, BUT ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN DESIRES [and not according to God's desire], BECAUSE THEY HAVE ITCHING EARS, THEY WILL HEAP UP FOR THEMSELVES TEACHERS; 4 AND THEY WILL TURN THEIR EARS AWAY FROM THE TRUTH, AND BE TURNED ASIDE TO FABLES" (2 Timothy 4:3,4).

- Some believers do not want the teachers of the Word who would rebuke them through their Teachings: "PREACH THE WORD! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, REBUKE, exhort, WITH ALL LONG-SUFFERING AND TEACHING" (2 Timothy 4:2 NKJV).

WHOEVER would rebuke them with teaching, they would not want to listen or read the books of such a minister.

- Read the books and listen to the teachings that would edify you, move you closer to God, and not trashy messages.

- Take time to read the Bible, the Word of God, extensively. You cannot walk intimately with God without the knowledge of His Word. The primary way to know God and have the understanding of Him is through His Word—the Bible.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

- If you are having any ailment in your body as you read this piece, I declare your healing now in Jesus' name.

- The affliction comes to an end and it will never rise again in Jesus' name.

Peace!

TO BE CONTINUED

STEPS TO SALVATION

• Take notice of this:

IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).

a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).

b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).

c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

- If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!

[redwindowpane]

During my high school production of Romeo and Juliet our costume coordinator wanted me to wear wear a ring and they decided to make it out of. A Nut??? Like for a car??? And the nut had to be filed down to fit my big finger. So as the nut was being filed down I would try it to see if it would fit.

It had been like three consecutive hours of grinding and I decided to just shove the nut on there. And it fit! Kind of. It got about half way down the knuckle and it felt like it COULD fit. So I extended my finger and shoved it directly into my gullet. Raw Dogged it. And once I had it good and slobbered I slipped that nut on and it fit like a glove. Well. Like a really tight glove made of metal.

The thing about shoving a nut onto your finger is that if it doesn’t fit well it’s really hard to get off. It constricts the blood flow to the rest of your finger and makes it swell up like a sort of flesh balloon. I tried a couple of methods of getting it off. Brute force did not work. Soap and water were ineffective. No lubricant was strong enough. Holding my hand above my head to reduce the swelling also does not work, but I will continue to do it for the rest of the night. After about half an hour of trying to remove the nut I decided to ask for help from an adult.

My theater teacher looked at me. And she looked at my nut. And I saw in her eyes an emotion I’ve only ever seen in my mother. It’s like this profound disappointment but also a complete lack of surprise. She is not able to do very much to help. She decides to take me to the urgent care. It is a very long car ride.

On the way to the urgent care my teacher calls my mother to tell her about my predicament. I do not hear her reaction. Once we get to the urgent care, they take one look at my bloated finger and tell me to go to the ER. My teacher and I wait for my mommy to pick me up at the urgent the urgent care. We speak very little. When my mother arrives, she and my teacher share what would be a beautiful moment of connection if it was not based in my dumbassery.

My mother and I also do not speak much. She drives me to the ER. I explain my situation to the women at the front desk of the ER. My mother judges me silently. Because my emergency isn’t that urgent, we’re told to wait in the lobby. It’s this little room that’s separated from the rest ER by a large wall of glass. Because I have to constantly hold my arm above my head, and because the walls are made of glass, every time I try to lean back in my chair my nut clunks against the glass and everyone in the lobby looks up at me and the nut fastened to my finger. My face is red with shame. I do my best not to meet my mothers eyes.

When I’m called into the ER, the doctors aren’t sure what to do with me. Apparently, Nut-On-Finger is not a condition they have to deal with very often. Because our local hospital is a teaching hospital, the doctor invites several students to spectate. He tries several methods to remove the nut, including: ice bath (to reduce swelling), pulling real hard (hurts), pulling real hard + lube (still hurts), and threading a piece of string under the nut to… help? Somehow? This also is not very helpful. After about an hour, we’re left with three options: cut nut off with hacksaw (bad), sedate me and break the finger (also bad), and inject my finger with lidocaine and pull real hard again. I choose option 3.

In the end, it take two doctors, three hundred milligrams of lidocaine, and several minutes of twisting, willing, and yanking to extricate my digit from its nut prison. The nut is removed with a wet pop and cheers from the medical students. My finger has become pallid and gray from several hours without blood flow, and the threads from the nut have left deep gouges is my finger. I am elated. My mother is less than enthused.

Over the coming days, I will (deservedly) be made fun of relentlessly. I am left with a large scar below the knuckle of my left ring finger. I have gained very little from the experience, except for this story, which I now give to you.

[maaarine]

I listened to this Dutch podcast where they ask why the reading skills of children in The Netherlands are so poor according to international testing (waarom lezen Nederlandse kinderen zo slecht?)

it's a question that's often posed in Belgium as well, where kids also suck at reading, both in the Dutch-speaking north and French-speaking south, so it's not a question of Dutch being inherently hard to wrap your head around

there are very practical factors that can explain differences in performance between countries

for instance, the UK scores high in those tests, in part because children simply start learning how to read earlier (4-5 years old vs 6-7 elsewhere)

but beyond that, an argument that I've heard from various sources is that the method being used to teach pupils is at fault

one thing that happens is that there's a total disconnect between what research on cognition says is a good teaching method, and which methods schools actually implement

you'll have older teachers that keep using the method from the good old days even though it's been shown to be ineffective

and you'll have plenty of teachers who are terrible at their job and should never have picked that profession, which is a big problem given how crucial the competence of teachers is to the process (more important than the size of classrooms)

in the podcast, they also point to the fact that reading in a school context, where you're constantly interrogated about what you're reading, encourages a superficial "scanning" for information instead of a deep meaningful immersion in the text

so because the teacher is likely to ask some dumb shit like "what color is the cat in the story?", kids develop a habit of picking out the factual details to answer such questions, instead of aiming for a more holistic overview of the meaning of what they're reading

and the fact that there's a strict reading technique being taught at all, that they're told to think mechanistically of the structure of sentences, and to break them down into components, actually sucks the fun out of reading, and leads to an aversion in children, who end up never reading at home, thus never improving

I love how exemplary this reading problem is of the way schooling turns pleasurable activities into chores, how it walls in curiosity by imposing a one-size-fits-all technique, and how it teaches kids to just... pass the test, with little regard to a greater purpose

[scromulus]

During my high school production of Romeo and Juliet our costume coordinator wanted me to wear wear a ring and they decided to make it out of. A Nut??? Like for a car??? And the nut had to be filed down to fit my big finger. So as the nut was being filed down I would try it to see if it would fit.

It had been like three consecutive hours of grinding and I decided to just shove the nut on there. And it fit! Kind of. It got about half way down the knuckle and it felt like it COULD fit. So I extended my finger and shoved it directly into my gullet. Raw Dogged it. And once I had it good and slobbered I slipped that nut on and it fit like a glove. Well. Like a really tight glove made of metal.

The thing about shoving a nut onto your finger is that if it doesn’t fit well it’s really hard to get off. It constricts the blood flow to the rest of your finger and makes it swell up like a sort of flesh balloon. I tried a couple of methods of getting it off. Brute force did not work. Soap and water were ineffective. No lubricant was strong enough. Holding my hand above my head to reduce the swelling also does not work, but I will continue to do it for the rest of the night. After about half an hour of trying to remove the nut I decided to ask for help from an adult.

My theater teacher looked at me. And she looked at my nut. And I saw in her eyes an emotion I’ve only ever seen in my mother. It’s like this profound disappointment but also a complete lack of surprise. She is not able to do very much to help. She decides to take me to the urgent care. It is a very long car ride.

On the way to the urgent care my teacher calls my mother to tell her about my predicament. I do not hear her reaction. Once we get to the urgent care, they take one look at my bloated finger and tell me to go to the ER. My teacher and I wait for my mommy to pick me up at the urgent the urgent care. We speak very little. When my mother arrives, she and my teacher share what would be a beautiful moment of connection if it was not based in my dumbassery.

My mother and I also do not speak much. She drives me to the ER. I explain my situation to the women at the front desk of the ER. My mother judges me silently. Because my emergency isn’t that urgent, we’re told to wait in the lobby. It’s this little room that’s separated from the rest ER by a large wall of glass. Because I have to constantly hold my arm above my head, and because the walls are made of glass, every time I try to lean back in my chair my nut clunks against the glass and everyone in the lobby looks up at me and the nut fastened to my finger. My face is red with shame. I do my best not to meet my mothers eyes.

When I’m called into the ER, the doctors aren’t sure what to do with me. Apparently, Nut-On-Finger is not a condition they have to deal with very often. Because our local hospital is a teaching hospital, the doctor invites several students to spectate. He tries several methods to remove the nut, including: ice bath (to reduce swelling), pulling real hard (hurts), pulling real hard + lube (still hurts), and threading a piece of string under the nut to… help? Somehow? This also is not very helpful. After about an hour, we’re left with three options: cut nut off with hacksaw (bad), sedate me and break the finger (also bad), and inject my finger with lidocaine and pull real hard again. I choose option 3.

In the end, it take two doctors, three hundred milligrams of lidocaine, and several minutes of twisting, willing, and yanking to extricate my digit from its nut prison. The nut is removed with a wet pop and cheers from the medical students. My finger has become pallid and gray from several hours without blood flow, and the threads from the nut have left deep gouges is my finger. I am elated. My mother is less than enthused.

Over the coming days, I will (deservedly) be made fun of relentlessly. I am left with a large scar below the knuckle of my left ring finger. I have gained very little from the experience, except for this story, which I now give to you.

[dragon-communion]

....Your theory about Morgott and PC wrenching out his runes+Rune is incredibly interesting. I wonder now if anyone ever tried managing the "horns growing ludicrously and negatively affecting various bodily functions" or malformed limbs issue with the... Well, whatever you'd call the method Melina teaches us to level up even when she's not there. Like I'd bet there's no getting *rid* of whatever the excess Crucible energy is growing, Marika would have beaten us to it if there was a way to Stop It, but maybe it could be used to rewrite it into healthy grows/limbs?

I can't help but compare the process the Perfumers tried to pruning. And I think part of the reason that that pruning is wildly ineffective is because it (poorly) treats the symptoms, not the cause.

Something about omens attracts spirits against their will, as seen in their attacks and the implications of the omenkiller set. I think part of the reason that's such a problem is because it actively interrupts the cycle of rebirth inherent to the Erdtree, and also every other god in the Lands between. Fia is actually a really cool relevant case study- let me outline the basics.

Golden Order: Erdtree burial. Return to the roots, physically being digested by your god. Souls become part of the tree, and are reborn through dripping sap to become new people.

The Serpent: Living sacrifice. People of any and every nation are fed to the great serpent, physically and spiritually digested, and reborn as man-serpents.

Deathbed Companions: Surrogate mother. Rather than returning to the cycle of a god, the soul is kept and nurtured by a deathbed companion, until she can give birth to the dead individual. The advantage of this is not joining the great flow of souls through a god, and perhaps expediting rebirth that way/keeping individuality intact. That is also why it's heresy- the companion is functionally usurping the role of a god.

Omens: Vessels. They give no birth. They attract (and possibly inadvertently catch and contain) wandering souls, preventing them from returning to any cycle. They allow for no rebirth. Instead, they communicate with and utilize the spirits at their disposal, suffering nightmares and conjuring spirits as a kind of attack. This is why they are "omens", and this is why they terrify the Golden Order, since their very presence can stop rebirth.

The problem with Omens is that they're basically mini-trees, if that makes sense. They're full of life and the potential for growth, they absorb souls. But there's nowhere for that growth and those souls to go. Something about them is stuck. So it just... bursts out, cancerous, instead of bleeding off any of that energy with dripping amber or baby-buds or anything. Omens don't bear any kind of fruit, they just keep growing until their bodies seemingly self-destruct from all of it, kind of similar to Godwyn and his endless replication.

Whatever's wrong with the Omens in the Lands Between, pruning horns was never going to solve it, and some sort of "rune-letting" might help, but I think it'd also be more of a stopgap than a long term solution because they're just Constantly Absorbing. Us draining Morgott is a bit of an extreme circumstance, I think. It's hard to say for sure if the process is at all replicable, but I'll be interested to see if there are more Omens in the DLC, and find out why they might look different or be more functional.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: The Free Press

Published: Feb 11, 2023

Many parents saw America’s public education system crumble under the weight of the pandemic. Stringent policies—including school closures that went on far too long, and ineffective Zoom school for kindergarteners—had devastating effects that we are only just beginning to understand.

But, as with so many problems during the pandemic, COVID didn’t necessarily cause these structural breakdowns as much as it exposed just how broken the system was to begin with.

How broken? Consider the shocking fact that 65 percent of American fourth-grade kids can barely read.

American Public Media’s Emily Hanford uncovers this sad truth with her podcast, Sold a Story. She investigates the influential education authors who have promoted a bunk idea and a flawed method for teaching reading to American kids. She exposes how educators across the country came to believe in a system that didn’t work, and are now reckoning with the consequences: Children harmed. Tons of money wasted. An education system upended.

Guest host Katie Herzog talks to Emily about her groundbreaking reporting to ask how it all went wrong—and what we can do to make things right.

==

The people who can't teach kids to read are adamant that they need to teach intersectionality and Marxian power dynamics.