#outdated credentials

[theresilientphilosopher]

They say DEI means “didn’t earn it.” But what if you were more qualified—and still overlooked? Let’s talk about real merit, hidden bias, and the illusion of fairness. Read now → VisionLEON.com #TheResilientPhilosopher #LeadershipWithVision

[dleondantes]

They say DEI means “didn’t earn it.” But what if you were more qualified—and still overlooked? Let’s talk about real merit, hidden bias, and the illusion of fairness. Read now → VisionLEON.com #TheResilientPhilosopher #LeadershipWithVision

[a-very-tired-jew]

Just witnessed several Quakers I’ve known since childhood pull the “Palestinians are Semitic people” card and then try to use their academic credentials to justify this position. Two of them are English professors and were arguing that the etymology of words changes regardless of the history.

One of their goyische friends then argued that antisemitism was coined by Zionists as a means to deflect criticism.

Except every Jew in the comments came in with receipts about the history of the word “antisemitism”, how it was coined, why “Semitic people” is an outdated classification based on pseudoscience, and so on.

The response?

The goyim became openly antisemitic and hostile to their, now former, Jewish friends who were trying to correct them and their misinformed position. All of them started spouting ZOG and Protocols level conspiracy theories wrapped in academic jargon.

I’m flabbergasted.

After the Brant Rosen thing with Quakerism I became aware of the inherit strain of antisemitism within the community, but to actually witness it in people I’ve known since kindergarten? People I know as well informed academics who make reasoned, educated, and cited posts and writings? People I know who have marched, advocated, and fought for various minority groups and their rights?

Oof.

It really shows how much impact antisemitism has on people. It truly takes away morals and ethics to allow such ignorance to come from the mouths/keyboards of such “informed” academics. It makes you abandon all of your principles by openly admitting you’ll listen to every minority group and the hatred and bigotry they experience except Jews.

I went to elementary and high school with everyone involved. I know what morals and principles they were taught. I know the community culture they were raised in.

And it has all been abandoned because it’s in vogue to be antisemitic and justify it in support of “activism”.

But now it’s on FB for all of their friends and family to see, and everyone has screenshots so they can’t dirty delete.

[musicalmoritz]

It’s canon Mitsuba’s gay?

I’m gonna use this as an excuse to yap because Mitsuba’s queercoding is either weirdly downplayed by fans or used solely for BL shipping purposes so I want to talk about it through the lens of what it means for his character, role in the story, and relationship with Kou

Yes, Mitsuba is canonically gay

Things don’t have to be explicitly stated in order to be canon, subtext is a major part of media analysis. This is something a lot of fans miss which leads to a misunderstanding of the source material. I do have some credentials for this, I’ve taken two undergrad college literature classes in which the subject of queercoding did come up multiple times. Meaning analyzing queercoding has literally gone towards my degree so I feel like my opinion holds some weight (not as much as that of an actual English major but yk I assume I’ve had more education on it than the general TBHK fandom)

There are multiple ways to queercode a character, sometimes it can be as simple as feminizing a man or masculinizing a woman. Though that method might be a bit outdated nowadays with gender roles becoming less strict, it’s still worth keeping in mind when analyzing queer characters. Another way is through romantically colored scenes with characters of the same sex, or by having them hint at disinterest in the opposite sex. Mitsuba checks off all three of these boxes and then some

First off, Mitsuba is attracted to men. This is made extremely obvious through his relationship with Kou but I’m gonna explain it anyways because unfortunately I’ve seen a lot of fans say they’re just platonic

Mitsuba and Kou went on a date. When this is brought up, fans typically jump to the excuse of “but Kou said it wasn’t a date,” which is where my American Lit class is going to come in handy. One of the major things we learned is that authors have to understand that everything they write has some sort of real world connotation. If you write a scene with a doctor, you have to understand that your readers already have preconceived notions of what doctors represent. You can choose to either lean into that or subvert it, but you have to be aware that as soon as a doctor enters the scene, readers have already made assumptions about that character

The word “date” is clearly being used in a romantic context here. When Kou texts his friends and brother about it, they all assume he’s talking about a romantic date. While in the actual context of the scene, Mitsuba and Kou aren’t quite ready to use such a strong label yet, the romantic wording here is still very intentional. AidaIro would not have labeled this moment as a date if they didn’t want readers to view it in a romantic light, because they understand that their readers are going to associate dates with romance. Japanese censorship is really strict, it’s hard to publish stories with explicitly queer characters unless the series is labeled as a BL or GL. And so Japanese manga writers often have to find roundabout ways to express that characters are gay without outright stating it- such as suggesting that they’re going on a date with a character of the same sex

In the printed volume for Vol.20, there’s an editor’s note that mentions that when Kou and Mitsuba are making plans to hang out at the school festival, it holds a romantic implication for the Japanese audience. Cultural differences are important to keep in mind, to western fans this scene might not raise any eyebrows but for its primary audience, it is confirmation that Mitsuba and Kou are romantic. I also find it interesting that the editor felt this context was important enough to warrant clarification

And frankly, their relationship doesn’t make a lot of sense if it’s solely platonic. Male friendship is something TBHK writes very realistically, the male characters aren’t as touchy-feely with their friends as they are with their female love interests. Yokoo and Satou don’t directly ask Kou how he’s feeling when they notice he’s upset, instead they give him a task to distract him- similar to how men in real life cheer their friends up through quality time rather than talking through their emotions like women do (not every man ofc but a good majority of them). When Teru is down, Akane doesn’t hold him and reassure him the way he does with Aoi. There are no grand declarations of ultimate “friendship” the way you see in fan servicy series like Haikyuu. Instead, he used his and Teru’s rivalry to indirectly motivate him to get his head back in the game. When Hanako is sad, Kou cheers him up by making donuts for him and then giving them to Nene so she can pretend she’s the one who made them. This is a very healthy portrayal of male friendship, and Mitsuba and Kou are nothing like this

Mitsuba and Kou both cry and vent to each other multiple times (the Mitsuba Arc, the Picture Perfect Arc, the Nightlife Arc), and instead of comforting each other indirectly they do things like offering to die for each other. You would never see Akane offer to die to make Teru feel better, nor would you Aoi and Nene or Kou and Hanako. It stands out so much from other friendships in the series, even Kou’s friendships with other characters. That is a conscious writing decision, AidaIro make a point to show Mitsuba as an exception for Kou. It’s worth noting that in the same chapter where Yokoo and Satou cheer Kou up indirectly, Mitsuba attempts to directly have him talk about his feelings

They’re also incredibly possessive over one another, in a way friends usually aren’t. When Kou was in the Red House, he was shown his greatest desires, and Mitsuba appeared in one of these. Kou said he knew Mitsuba would appear, which is interesting because at that point he had already picked up on the house showing him what he wanted. But what does he want? He wants Mitsuba to rely on him entirely, to be completely useless without him. He wants Mitsuba to be “no good without him,” to need him so badly that he begs him to die so they can be together. I’m not exaggerating, these are lines pulled straight from the chapter (paraphrased but still). Later on in the Nightlife arc, Kou breaks down when he discovers Mitsuba has been relying on Tsukasa for life-saving help. As for Mitsuba, he wants to die by Kou’s hands. He says it wouldn’t be satisfying if anyone else killed him, and that he would be happy if Kou were to be the last person he spent time with before he died. He tries to trap Kou in a picture perfect world just like Hanako does with Nene, because he wants to live a normal life with him. It’s also shown in one of the extras that Mitsuba cries when Kou ignores him

They’re also drawn very romantically, again we don’t see Teru and Akane this intimate with one another unless they’re fighting. We especially don’t see Kou this intimate with anyone other than Mitsuba, and while Mitsuba is sometimes clingy with Tsukasa we certainly never see him posed romantically with a woman. This comes back to authorial intent and real world connotations, AidaIro know that male friends aren’t typically this close, and therefore casual affection like this will be interpreted in a romantic light. We see them hold hands/wrists multiple times too, Kou gives Mitsuba a piggyback ride in one scene, and in ASHK they had a classic “pinned against the wall” page

I’ll also mention the AUs, because those indicate a lot about the characters as well. In Hanako-Kun of the Opera, Kou poisoned Mitsuba so he could take him away from the opera house and protect him from Tsukasa. He basically kidnapped him. He also stayed with Mitsuba at the opera house for a seemingly long period of time despite hating opera. Aaaaand they’re childhood best friends in this au and Kou took care of Mitsuba while he was sick

Then there’s the Ghost Hotel, where Kou is a werewolf who takes bites out of mummy Mitsuba during full moons. Despite this, the two appear to be friends and Mitsuba helps Kou out around the kitchen. Cannibalism is consistently tied to romance throughout TBHK, most notably with Hakubo and Sumire but other romantic pairings have cannibalistic moments or official arts. During the zombie mokke chapter, Nene panicked when Akane tries to eat her because she assumed it would put her in a love triangle with Aoi. So yeah, cannibalism in TBHK is directly tied to romance and we see that with Mitsukou both in canon and in this au. Speaking of which, I’m not even gonna get into the symbolism of Kou holding a heart out to Mitsuba. Connect the dots for yourselves

Now that we’ve got Mitsukou out of the way, let’s talk about Mitsuba’s disinterest in women

Remember how I said one of the ways queercoding is done is by having a character hint at disinterest in the opposite sex? Yeah, very rarely are we going to see a queercoded male character outright say “I have no attraction to women.” Instead they say they just never saw the appeal in dating, or that they never had time to settle down. In more obvious cases, we have scenes like Reiner from AOT joking that Ymir isn’t all that into guys

I couldn’t find the second scene but there are TWO extras where the subject of Mitsuba’s disinterest in women comes up. C’mon guys I’m trying not to be mean here but you have to be blind, oblivious, or in denial to not pick up on that. Whyyyyy would they mention Mitsuba not having a crush on any girls twice if it weren’t to suggest something about his preference?? Coupled with his appearance (which I’ll get to later) and relationship with Kou, these scenes carry a lot of weight. Even if those other aspects weren’t included, scenes like this would still indicate he has no interest in women (which would make him gay or aroace, though due to his relationship with Kou the aroace thing is kind of ruled out)

Compare this to a scene where Mitsuba thinks he’s being asked out by a man. He doesn’t say “hmmm nope no guys, I’m cuter than all of them~” he specifically says “I’m not interested in guys with lame earrings.” The way this is worded implies that Mitsuba is discussing a type, though it’s v much a comedic scene and we know from everything else that he absolutely does like guys with lame earrings, it’s still worded in a way that makes him appear queer. If he were straight, they would have had him say he’s not interested in guys at all (like Dazai from Bungou Stray Dogs, John Watson from BBC Sherlock, Finn Hudson from Glee, idk there are a lot of male characters that are explicit straight sorry for the crazy random list). Also note how he teases Kou about it, he knows that Kou is fond of him and doesn’t hesitate to use that against him (like when he was comforting him during the Nightlife arc)

They don’t go overboard with Mitsuba’s disinterest in women because, well, that’s not really necessary. Two scenes is already a lot, and he doesn’t have any romantic relationships with women in canon (even as a crush/a joke scene). It’s rare for TBHK characters to have absolutely no scenes expressing interest in the opposite sex, since the series is partially a romance. But Mitsuba consistently only ever shows interest in one man, and when girls are brought up he’s quick to brush it off. His mom did think Nene was his girlfriend when they met, but this was depicted as a very awkward and comedic scene. Because the premise of Mitsuba having a girlfriend is objectively hilarious

(Due to Sousuke’s young age it’s reasonable to assume he wasn’t out to his mom yet, he’s around the age where most kids are closeted. It’s even possible that Sousuke hadn’t come to terms with his sexuality yet, though it’s still a prevalent part of both his character and No.3’s)

Now let’s move onto appearances. I want to give a quick disclaimer, not all gay men are feminine and not all feminine men are gay. Androgyny is also very common in anime and doesn’t automatically mean a character is gay, but there are cases when it’s used for queercoding. Mitsuba is one of these cases

Mitsuba is a very feminine character, this is addressed as soon as he shows up in the manga. He was bullied for his appearance (and personality), but unlike his personality he never tried to change his feminine appearance. He kept his hair long, continues to wear scarves and cardigans and earrings. No.3 wears these things as well, and I would argue has a more feminine personality since he seems to be more open about his emotions and idk. I struggle to categorize feminine and masculine traits because imo that’s subjective but there are things society deems feminine vs. masculine. The problem is that I really dislike the whole “men are strong and women are emotional” thing but ehhhh I guess I have to talk about it for this. Hmph. But yeah although Mitsuba isn’t exactly the biggest sweetheart ever, he does act somewhat feminine compared to the other male characters (as I’ve said he’s p much the only man in the series who attempts to work through emotional conflicts directly)

Once again we circle back to intent, AidaIro know that a male character dressed in pink with pink eyes and long pink hair is going to raise some eyebrows. Even by androgynous anime standards, it’s a bit much. And good for him, although not all gay men are feminine, some are and that’s also fine. I can’t speak on how well he represents feminine gay men because I’m a lesbian but he does dress similar to some of the feminine gay men I’ve known irl (or slightly less feminine in some cases…I knew this one dude in high school who used to wear corsets to class and he was so badass I hope he’s doing well)

I could get into how Kou is a bit feminized too with the whole housework thing but this ain’t abt him. I will say that Kou is still a very masculine character but despite this his character is feminized in some ways compared to the other men. I’m not really here to discuss whether that’s good or bad, I’m just stating the evidence as it is, you can make your own conclusions as to how you feel about it

So how does being queer impact Mitsuba’s character arc?

When I get around to writing my analyses of all the TBHK characters I WILL be talking more in depth about the queer allegories with Mitsuba’s character but for now I’ll give ya’ll a quick summary. Supernatural characters have been used for years to represent queerness, the same could be said for villains and any character trope that represents a feeling of “otherness.” Sometimes it’s more broad like X-Men, where the superpowered characters are used to represent all types of minorities (though I believe X-Men is more closely tied to race, there are rampant queer themes as well). Then there’s books like Interview with the Vampire that get more specific with it, where Louis denying his “true nature” as a vampire is used as an allegory for him denying his queerness. Well I’m here to tell you that Mitsuba and Louis de Pointe du Lac are in the same boat

Mitsuba differs from the other supernaturals because he desperately tries to hold on to feelings of normalcy. He wants to be a normal human and live a normal human life. He doesn’t want to be othered, to be outcasted from society for something he can’t control. We don’t see Hanako, Tsuchigomori, Mei, or any of the other supernatural characters struggle with this. You could argue that Akane does but his situation is more related to learning to empathize with others than any internal battles within himself. Hanako may have moments of wishing him and Nene could have something more, but that’s more about romance than his identity.

This desire to be “normal” is unique to Mitsuba’s character, and it’s a very queer desire. Being an angsty teenager who hasn’t fully accepted themself yet and hasn’t realized that being queer is not only normal, but a beautiful experience. It’s also so interesting to me that as he’s trying so hard to be normal, it creates a push and pull between him and Kou. He wants to be normal for Kou but he also feels that he’s hurting Kou just by existing, that this could only end bad for him. Oh the inherent guilt of having your first gay crush and feeling like you're corrupting them hist for pining from afar

So, can you ship him with women? Technically you can do anything, shipping isn’t illegal and we all have free will. Should you ship him with women is more subjective, I personally think no!! Queerness is not just a sexuality, it’s an identity that deeply impacts who you are as a person. It shapes your experiences and your view of yourself, and in an allegorical way it has certainly done this for Mitsuba. Yes, bi people are queer as well and this is still true for them, but bisexuality is not Mitsuba’s experience. Mono-attraction exists and that specification is very important to gay men and lesbians. For some people sexuality is fluid and that’s beautiful, but it doesn’t work that way for everyone

Some queer fans don’t care if gay characters are shipped with members of the opposite sex, and they’re entitled to their own opinions. It makes me immensely uncomfortable tho, so please block me if you ship Mitsuba with women. That goes for any ships between canon gay/lesbian characters and the opposite sex. I respect people’s right to have opinions but that doesn’t mean I have to like the opinions themselves, and I don’t have to engage with anything that makes me uneasy. That goes for all of you btw, never let people convince you that you have to put up with shit you hate on the internet lmao, this is not real life babes. Block and move on

TL;DR

Mitsuba is too gay to function

[transmutationisms]

Feel free not to answer this ask so you dont have to step into this particular hornet's nest but do you have any thoughts about people sharing inaccurate science about COVID in order to push for more COVID regulations? I agree that COVID is being neglected and we need better policies but I'm also a biochemist so it pisses me off to see people cite research in a way that makes exaggerated and terrifying claims. Two years ago, I was warning my colleagues against this condescending "just trust the science" approach but now the same crowd pushing that has shifted to pushing "don't trust any of the positive science, only my catastrophic interpretations of it". Can't we mask without also trying to convince each other that COVID is a guaranteed one way ticket to death and permanent disability?

you must be new here haha i swing bats at this hornet's nest like once a month. yeah i think the current state of covid communication sucks a lot. i mean the truth is that "follow the science" is always a disingenuous sentiment; Science doesn't speak, and scientists disagree with one another. and it's naïve to pretend majority consensus is a reliable mechanism to identify truth—anyone who has followed the covid aerosolisation about-face will recall that although linsey marr was not the first researcher to challenge medical orthodoxy on airborne disease transmission, even well into the covid pandemic the idea of aerosol transmission was marginalised by global health authorities because it was politically inconvenient, out of favour with powerful established academics, and reminiscent to some of pre-pasteurian miasma theories of disease. those who would "follow the science" were not presented with a convenient dichotomy between reasonable evidence-backed expert consensus and fringe peddlers of heterodoxy; to evaluate these positions required actually, yknow, reading and evaluating the arguments and evidence from multiple competing positions, and deciding which had the greater explanatory power. which is good epistemological advice only insofar as it's so obvious as to be trite.

fundamentally a huge driving force of this situation is the social, political, and institutional forces that make expert knowledge (a generally good thing) all too often synonymous with inaccessible knowledge. i don't mean inaccessibility caused by knowledge being specialised; obviously this is inevitable to some extent simply as a result of the fact that no one person will grasp the entirety of human knowledge. but the fact that knowledge is specialised, specific, highly technical, and so forth doesn't automatically mean, for example, that it has to be monetarily gatekept from all but a select few with the resources to persevere through a highly punishing, nepotistic, hegemonic university system; this is a political problem, and one that additionally has the effect of enabling and sheltering low-quality work (see: replication crisis) behind the opaque walls of university bureaucracy and the imprimateur of the credentials it grants. in lieu of an ability to actually engage with, read, or challenge much of the academic research being generated on any given topic, the lay public is supposed to rely on signs of reliability like possession of a degree, or institutional reputation. what we in fact see again and again, and with particularly high stakes in the case of something like a pandemic, is that these measures are instruments of class stratification and professional jockeying that don't inherently ensure quality information: MDs can and do peddle anti-vaxx lies and covid / long-covid denialism; the CDC and WHO can and do perpetrate bad and outdated scientific advice, like that masks are unnecessary and isolation periods can be shortened for convenience. many of these are just blatant cases of kowtowing to political pressure, which arises from the capitalist logic that counterposes disease prevention to economic growth.

this all leaves us in a position where it is, in fact, smart and correct to evaluate the information coming from 'official' and credentialled sources with scepticism. the problem is that in its place, we get information coming out of the same capitalist state-sponsored scientific institutions, and the same colonialist universities; the idea that some chucklefuck on twitter is telling you the secret truth just because they correctly identified that the government sucks is plainly absurd. where covid specifically is concerned, the liberalism of academic and scientific institutions is on display in numerous ways, including the idealist assumption, which many 'covid communicators' make, that public health policy is primarily a matter of swaying public opinion, and therefore that it is always morally imperative to form and propagate the most alarmist possible interpretation of any study or empirical observation. this is not an attitude that encourages thoughtful or measured evaluation of The Science (eg, study methodology), nor is it one that actually produces the kind of political change that would be required to protect the populace writ large from what is, indeed, a dangerous and still rampant virus. instead, this form of communication mostly winds up generating social media Engagement and screenshots of headlines of summaries of studies.

meanwhile, actual public health policy (which is by and large determined at the mercy of capitalist state interests, and which by and large shapes public opinion of what mitigation measures are 'reasonable', despite the CDC repeatedly pretending this works the other way round), remains on its trajectory toward lax, open exposure of anyone and everyone to each new strain of covid, perpetuating a society that is profoundly hostile to disabled people and careless with everyone's life and health. this fucking sucks. it sucked that we have treated the flu like this for years, and it sucks that we are now doing it with a virus that we are still relatively immunologically naïve to, and that produces, statistically, even more death and disability than the flu. and it sucks that the predominating explanations of this state of affairs from the 'cautious' emphasise not the structural forces that shape knowledge production under capitalism, but instead invoke a psychological narrative whereby individuals simply need to be sufficiently terrified into producing mass action.

[kurzler]

Hi, I recently saw your post of your rant about Greek Mythology and I'm recently interested in getting into it.

I know a bit about some myths from school, we read versions of Pandora's box, the Minotaur, Heracules, and the Odyssey. This was Year 4 so I was around 8-9, so there all probably a version for a child to read and understand. I also listened to Epic the Musical. I am fully aware of the inaccuracies of it from the original.

I'm just so overwhelmed on where do I start? Also I want to read the Iliad and Odyssey do have any recommendations for any versions?

hi! thank you for the ask, i'm gonna try my best to be helpful

disclaimer: i'm not a classicist nor a professional, this is just a passion of mine, so if anyone who has more credentials than me wants to chime in i'd be more than happy!

so! im gonna be listing some texts to look into, most of them i think are easily found on the internet, since they are so ancient and iconic. but before getting into that, i've found some helpful sites:

this site is a collection of classical texts: of course i'm not gonna be able to list every classical text here, i'm gonna recommend a few, so this is a good place to look if you want more, but i don't necessarily recommend reading them directly from here, since i know some of the translations are a bit outdated

this site, part of the same project, serves as a guide to gods, creatures, and heroes: again, some information may be a bit outdated, but it's a good place if you want to get a general idea

now, onto the texts themselves, there are a few i would recommend:

-the theogony by hesiod tells the origin of the gods and their genealogy

-works and days also by hesiod might be a little harder to get through, since it's mostly hesiod telling his brother how to work a farm, but it also contains the story of prometheus and pandora, and the myth of five ages

-the bibliotheca by pseudo-apollodorus is a collection of myths from the events of the theogony to odysseus, and it contains many famous myths, like those of the argonauts, perseus, heracles, theseus and various others

-the homeric hymns are useful it you want to know more about the gods, they are 33 and tell the stories of the birth of some gods or the establishment of their cult. they are 33, but some of the most famous are the hymn to demeter (the story of persephone's abduction), the hymn to athena (her birth from zeus' head) and the hymn to hermes (him stealing apollo's cows and creating the lyre)

-of course, the iliad and the odyssey by homer. the iliad comes chronologically before the odyssey and, contrary to popular belief, it isn't the story of the trojan war, but it covers a part of the last year of the war. the odyssey also isn't the linear journey of odysseus, it's mostly told in flashbacks

-the iliad and the odyssey are part of the epic cycle, a collection of works that tells a story that spans from the events leading up to the trojan war, the war itself, and the aftermath. apart from the iliad and the odyssey, the other works only survive in fragments, but they're worth looking into if you're curious about the trojan war

-finally, i also recommend reading some theatrical plays

from euridipus i recommend: medea, iphigenia in aulis, the trojan women

from sophocles i recommend: oedipus rex, antigone

from aeschylus i recommend: prometheus bound, the oresteia

now, as for what translation/version to read for the iliad and the odyssey, i'm afraid i can't be of much help because english isn't my first language, so i haven't read them in english and i can't offer firsthand advice, i've searched online and this is what i've found:

this is a collection of translations of the iliad and this is a collection of translations of the odyssey. overall, i've seen that the three translations that are most commonly suggested are by robert fagles, emily wilson and e.v. rieu. again, i haven't read these translations firsthand so if i'm mistaken, let me know!

i hope this helps you🫶

[mariacallous]

A young entrepreneur who was among the earliest known recruiters for Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has a new, related gig—and he’s hiring. Anthony Jancso, cofounder of AccelerateX, a government tech startup, is looking for technologists to work on a project that aims to have artificial intelligence perform tasks that are currently the responsibility of tens of thousands of federal workers.

Jancso, a former Palantir employee, wrote in a Slack with about 2000 Palantir alumni in it that he’s hiring for a “DOGE orthogonal project to design benchmarks and deploy AI agents across live workflows in federal agencies,” according to an April 21 post reviewed by WIRED. Agents are programs that can perform work autonomously.

“We’ve identified over 300 roles with almost full-process standardization, freeing up at least 70k FTEs for higher-impact work over the next year,” he continued, essentially claiming that tens of thousands of federal employees could see many aspects of their job automated and replaced by these AI agents. Workers for the project, he wrote, would be based on site in Washington, DC, and would not require a security clearance; it isn’t clear for whom they would work. Palantir did not respond to requests for comment.

The post was not well received. Eight people reacted with clown face emojis, three reacted with a custom emoji of a man licking a boot, two reacted with custom emoji of Joaquin Phoenix giving a thumbs down in the movie Gladiator, and three reacted with a custom emoji with the word “Fascist.” Three responded with a heart emoji.

“DOGE does not seem interested in finding ‘higher impact work’ for federal employees,” one person said in a comment that received 11 heart reactions. “You’re complicit in firing 70k federal employees and replacing them with shitty autocorrect.”

“Tbf we’re all going to be replaced with shitty autocorrect (written by chatgpt),” another person commented, which received one “+1” reaction.

“How ‘DOGE orthogonal’ is it? Like, does it still require Kremlin oversight?” another person said in a comment that received five reactions with a fire emoji. “Or do they just use your credentials to log in later?”

Got a Tip?Are you a current or former government employee who wants to talk about what's happening? We'd like to hear from you. Using a nonwork phone or computer, contact the reporter securely on Signal at carolinehaskins.61 and vittoria89.82.

AccelerateX was originally called AccelerateSF, which VentureBeat reported in 2023 had received support from OpenAI and Anthropic. In its earliest incarnation, AccelerateSF hosted a hackathon for AI developers aimed at using the technology to solve San Francisco’s social problems. According to a 2023 Mission Local story, for instance, Jancso proposed that using large language models to help businesses fill out permit forms to streamline the construction paperwork process might help drive down housing prices. (OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment. Anthropic spokesperson Danielle Ghiglieri tells WIRED that the company "never invested in AccelerateX/SF,” but did sponsor a hackathon AccelerateSF hosted in 2023 by providing free access to its API usage at a time when its Claude API “was still in beta.”)

In 2024, the mission pivoted, with the venture becoming known as AccelerateX. In a post on X announcing the change, the company posted, “Outdated tech is dragging down the US Government. Legacy vendors sell broken systems at increasingly steep prices. This hurts every American citizen.” AccelerateX did not respond to a request for comment.

According to sources with direct knowledge, Jancso disclosed that AccelerateX had signed a partnership agreement with Palantir in 2024. According to the LinkedIn of someone described as one of AccelerateX’s cofounders, Rachel Yee, the company looks to have received funding from OpenAI’s Converge 2 Accelerator. Another of AccelerateSF’s cofounders, Kay Sorin, now works for OpenAI, having joined the company several months after that hackathon. Sorin and Yee did not respond to requests for comment.

Jancso’s cofounder, Jordan Wick, a former Waymo engineer, has been an active member of DOGE, appearing at several agencies over the past few months, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, National Labor Relations Board, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Education. In 2023, Jancso attended a hackathon hosted by ScaleAI; WIRED found that another DOGE member, Ethan Shaotran, also attended the same hackathon.

Since its creation in the first days of the second Trump administration, DOGE has pushed the use of AI across agencies, even as it has sought to cut tens of thousands of federal jobs. At the Department of Veterans Affairs, a DOGE associate suggested using AI to write code for the agency’s website; at the General Services Administration, DOGE has rolled out the GSAi chatbot; the group has sought to automate the process of firing government employees with a tool called AutoRIF; and a DOGE operative at the Department of Housing and Urban Development is using AI tools to examine and propose changes to regulations. But experts say that deploying AI agents to do the work of 70,000 people would be tricky if not impossible.

A federal employee with knowledge of government contracting, who spoke to WIRED on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press, says, “A lot of agencies have procedures that can differ widely based on their own rules and regulations, and so deploying AI agents across agencies at scale would likely be very difficult.”

Oren Etzioni, cofounder of the AI startup Vercept, says that while AI agents can be good at doing some things—like using an internet browser to conduct research—their outputs can still vary widely and be highly unreliable. For instance, customer service AI agents have invented nonexistent policies when trying to address user concerns. Even research, he says, requires a human to actually make sure what the AI is spitting out is correct.

“We want our government to be something that we can rely on, as opposed to something that is on the absolute bleeding edge,” says Etzioni. “We don't need it to be bureaucratic and slow, but if corporations haven't adopted this yet, is the government really where we want to be experimenting with the cutting edge AI?”

Etzioni says that AI agents are also not great 1-1 fits for job replacements. Rather, AI is able to do certain tasks or make others more efficient, but the idea that the technology could do the jobs of 70,000 employees would not be possible. “Unless you're using funny math,” he says, “no way.”

Jancso, first identified by WIRED in February, was one of the earliest recruiters for DOGE in the months before Donald Trump was inaugurated. In December, Jancso, who sources told WIRED said he had been recruited by Steve Davis, president of the Musk-founded Boring Company and a current member of DOGE, used the Palantir alumni group to recruit DOGE members. On December 2nd, 2024, he wrote, “I’m helping Elon’s team find tech talent for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the new admin. This is a historic opportunity to build an efficient government, and to cut the federal budget by 1/3. If you’re interested in playing a role in this mission, please reach out in the next few days.”

According to one source at SpaceX, who asked to remain anonymous as they are not authorized to speak to the press, Jancso appeared to be one of the DOGE members who worked out of the company’s DC office in the days before inauguration along with several other people who would constitute some of DOGE’s earliest members. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.

Palantir was cofounded by Peter Thiel, a billionaire and longtime Trump supporter with close ties to Musk. Palantir, which provides data analytics tools to several government agencies including the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, has received billions of dollars in government contracts. During the second Trump administration, the company has been involved in helping to build a “mega API” to connect data from the Internal Revenue Service to other government agencies, and is working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to create a massive surveillance platform to identify immigrants to target for deportation.

[dresshistorynerd]

Do you know of a good way to find reliable reading lists/bibliographies for specific historical periods? I’m currently reading James Laver’s book and want to delve deeper into Renaissance and Victorian fashion afterwards.

I've been relying on a reading list by a retired dress history professor of the Helsinki University! It's very extensive and though it has some leaning on Finnish history, almost all the books there are in English and about general European/western fashion or with an English/French focus.

@clove-pinks also had gathered a reading list of good books that are free on Internet Archive, some of which fit your area of interest! Generally I would always check if Internet Archives has a book you want to read, if it's not in your local library.

I have also made a post about how I do research into dress history, where I mention both of these reading lists too among all the other resources I tend to use.

Also when determining weather a book might be a reliable source or not, a good way to check is to look up the writer. Does the writer have any credentials or background in history, art history, dress history etc? I've read book by fashion journalists, and it was pretty clear they didn't have a very deep understanding of the historical context (it was general enough that it was still fine even if there were some questionable parts). Especially with dress history another aspect is the age of the publication. It's such a new field that older books are necessarily a bit outdated at least. Older publications that have been made by well credited writers are still very much valuable (like books by Janet Arnold), but especially if it's several decades old and the writer doesn't have a relevant background, it's probably not very reliable.

[techit-rp]

IoT Security Challenges in India: Protecting Smart Homes & Connected Devices

IoT is transforming the way people live by making their homes smart with devices such as security cameras, smart locks, and voice assistants. In India, IoT technology is adopted at a pace that cyber threats are rising rapidly. With weak security protocols, outdated software, and unawareness, Indian households are vulnerable to cyberattacks. In this blog, we will explore the major IoT security challenges in India and how individuals can safeguard their smart homes and connected devices. If you are looking to strengthen your understanding of cybersecurity, enrolling in a cyber security course can be a game-changer.

The IoT Boom in India

India is witnessing the highest adoption of IoT across homes and businesses. From smart TVs to intelligent thermostats, IoT is revolutionizing life. This booming technology, however, offers a large target size for hackers too who exploit the vulnerability of devices to gain unauthorized access to data.

Fundamental Drivers of IoT Adoption in India:

Increased internet penetration with low-priced data plans

Government initiatives such as Smart Cities Mission and Digital India

Increasing adoption of smart home devices as they become increasingly affordable

Growing application of industrial IoT in health, agriculture, and manufacturing

Chief IoT Security Challenges in India

Poor Authentication & Default Passwords

Most IoT devices have a factory-set password that the user ignores or fails to change. Hackers exploit these default credentials to take over the devices, entry private networks, and crack sensitive information.

Lack of Security Updates & Patches

Most smart devices have limited or no firmware updates, which makes them vulnerable to cyber threats. Many Indian consumers do not check for security updates, leaving their devices susceptible to known exploits.

Data Privacy Concerns

Smart devices collect vast amounts of personal data, from voice recordings to daily routines. Without stringent data protection policies, this information can be misused or leaked by malicious actors.

Botnet Attacks & DDoS Threats

Cybercriminals hijack unprotected IoT devices to form botnets, which are used to launch massive Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks can cripple networks and cause disruptions to online services.

Unsecured Wi-Fi Networks

Many Indian households rely on poorly secured Wi-Fi connections, providing an easy entry point for hackers. Without encryption or strong passwords, attackers can intercept sensitive information and compromise connected devices.

Absence of Specific Cybersecurity Legislation for IoT

India has advanced in data protection with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, but there is no dedicated IoT security framework. The absence of it leaves the manufacturer to choose cost over security and sell devices which are not so well protected in the market.

How to Secure Smart Homes & Connected Devices

Change Default Credentials

Always change the default usernames and passwords of the IoT after installation. Use strong, unique passwords and implement multi-factor authentication wherever possible.

Update Firmware Periodically

Scan for software and security updates on all smart devices, and install them as soon as they are available. In case your device can no longer get any updates, consider replacing it with a newer version that is at least as secure.

Secure Your Wi-Fi Network

Use a robust Wi-Fi password, and make sure WPA3 encryption is turned on. Limit remote access to your router, and make an IoT-specific network so that those devices can't contaminate your primary network.

Firewall & Security Solutions The use of firewalls and network security solutions monitors traffic and can block malicious activity on IoT networks. 5. Limit Data Sharing & Permissions

Assess permission for smart appliances and reduce or limit the devices from accessing unsecured personal information. De-activate unused add-ons, remote access in devices.

Cyber Security Courses

IoT-based cyber-attacks are minimized if awareness against the threat builds. To boost that awareness further, take time out to become a certified graduate of cyber security by signing for courses in areas like best security practices, principles of ethical hacking, and defending digital systems.

Road Ahead to Improving Indian IoT Security:

The Indian government, device manufacturers, and consumers must take proactive steps to mitigate IoT security risks. Stronger security standards, public awareness, and robust cybersecurity laws are the need of the hour to secure the future of IoT in India.

Conclusion

IoT devices offer incredible convenience but also introduce significant security risks. Protecting smart homes and connected devices requires a combination of best practices, awareness, and robust cybersecurity measures. By staying informed and adopting the right security strategies, individuals can ensure a safer IoT experience.

If you’re passionate about cybersecurity and want to build expertise in protecting digital systems, consider taking a cyber security course to gain hands-on knowledge and skills in ethical hacking, network security, and data protection.

[tumblydovereviews]

Why The Fairly Oddparents Will Never Die

In May of 2024, Nickelodeon dropped the newest iteration in the Fairly Oddparents franchise - A New Wish. Instead of focusing on Timmy Turner, this series revolves around Hazel Wells, a young girl who has just moved to the city and is feeling a bit low, especially since her older brother has moved out to college. Needing a new companion, Hazel confides in her weird neighbors, Cosmo and Wanda, who are actually her fairy godparents in disguise, ready to grant any of her heart's desires.

A New Wish is not the first time Nickelodeon has attempted to revive the Fairly Oddparents; in 2022, The Fairly Oddparents: Fairly Odder, a live-action show focusing on Timmy's cousins Viv receiving a new step-sibling in Roy and inheriting Cosmo and Wanda as a result. That show received extremely negative reception, from both critics and fans alike, condemning the show's cringy, outdated humor, cursed animation, and weird plot holes. Even though it managed to win Best Kids Show at the 2023 Kids Choice Awards, as a result of its bad reviews, the series was quietly removed from Paramount Plus and other digital downloading services, and wiped from existence.

Yet, a little over a year later, Nick still felt obliged to release another revival of The Fairly Oddparents, even after the bomb that was 2022's reboot. Luckily though, this series has received a much more positive reception from the general public than its sister show. But, even despite the growing popularity, a question still remains to be answered: why, exactly, did Nickelodeon revive the Fairly Oddparents again, instead of letting the franchise rest in flawed peace after its last major bomb?

The Fairly Oddparents is one of Nickelodeon's most beloved and longest-lasting franchises of all time, at one point even rivaling Spongebob in ratings. A revival of the series was inevitable, especially in the wake of nostalgia-banking. The show is among one of the easiest series to reboot and revive over and over, just because of how timeless and basic the concept is. If one iteration fails, than another can be made with a new child and new wishes. What kid hasn't wanted to watch a show about fairies who can give you ice cream for breakfast? Or can make that one annoying teacher disappear into the abyss?

However, with this comes some setbacks- it's easy to give godparents to a child who doesn't deserve them at all, or make the child have no personality whatsoever other than having Cosmo and Wanda, both sins Fairly Odder fell prey to. Viv has little-to-no personality outside of the main premise, and compared to having a literally evil babysitter, a teacher who hates you. and neglectful parents, receiving a new step-sibling is nothing worth needing godparents for.

Not only does the series have appeal towards its main target audience (kids) but also towards adults and caretakers as well. The simplistic plot brings them back to the days of being a kid, where the smallest of problems could be solved by simply waving a wand, and the comedy of the series contains small, but noticeable jabs that fly over kids' heads and only adults can understand.

With a constantly revived franchise comes a constantly milked cash cow. Nickelodeon likes money, and the Fairly Oddparents is a money-making franchise. As mentioned before, at one point, the show had enough credentials on its belt to rival other Nickelodeon greats such as Spongebob Squarepants and Avatar: The Last Airbender. With video games, movies in both animated and live action form, and even its own theme park attraction, the Fairly Odd Coaster, which opened in 2004 and still operates to this day.

Cosmo and Wanda themselves have become pop-culture icons. As a person who still attends school, during Spirit Weeks and dress up days, I can still see students dressed up as the pink and green dynamic duo regularly! This status allows for generations to be able to be seamlessly introduced to Cosmo and Wanda with ease. Other members of the memorable cast include Jorgen, Vicky, Poof, Mr. Crocker, Timmy's parents, and even Timmy's friends such as AJ and Chester. A New Wish particularly has done a great job re-introducing these characters and giving them creative epilogues and climaxes to their stories.

The Fairly Oddparents managed to create a stable base with its simplistic but creative plot, memorable characters, and merchandising. Because of this base, the series has become unbreakable, even in the midst of the eons of cringy and bad content any long-running show is doomed to have. The Fairly Oddparents may end one day, with no new content being produced, but I doubt that we will be seeing the show's impact or popularity die in our lifetime, or anytime soon for that matter.

[bryantselectricalltd]

Why Hiring a Licensed Electrical Contractor in Red Deer is a Smart Move

When dealing with anything electrical — whether in your home, office, or industrial site — cutting corners can lead to serious consequences. From fire hazards and power outages to costly damage and safety risks, faulty wiring or DIY fixes aren’t just inconvenient — they’re dangerous. That’s why more and more residents and business owners are turning to a Red Deer electrical contractor like Bryant’s Electrical Ltd. to ensure the job is done right the first time.

With years of experience, the right credentials, and a deep understanding of local codes and systems, a licensed electrical contractor brings professionalism, safety, and long-term value to every project. In this article, we’ll explore the key reasons why hiring a certified professional is not only a smart move — but the safest one too.

✅ 1. Safety First: Protecting Lives and Property

Electrical systems are not something to take lightly. Improper installations, faulty components, or amateur repairs can all pose serious hazards. A licensed contractor knows how to safely manage high-voltage systems, ensure load balancing, and protect circuits from overloading. They understand how to identify hidden risks like outdated wiring, undersized panels, or poorly grounded systems.

At Bryant’s Electrical Ltd., every technician follows strict safety protocols and stays updated on the latest industry codes. We believe in doing the job right — not just to meet regulations, but to ensure the ongoing safety of your family, employees, and property.

🧰 2. Expertise Across All Sectors

A professional contractor doesn’t just dabble in electrical work — they specialize in it. Whether it’s residential lighting, commercial power upgrades, or complex industrial automation, a licensed contractor brings in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience to every job.

At Bryant’s Electrical Ltd., we provide:

Residential Services: Panel upgrades, EV charger installation, smart home integration, code corrections, lighting, and more.

Commercial Services: Full building wiring, retail lighting, emergency systems, power audits, and energy-efficient retrofits.

Industrial Services: High-voltage setups, control panels, automation wiring, preventive maintenance, and heavy machinery hookups.

Our team is trained to work on projects of all scales and complexities — offering precision, reliability, and code-compliant solutions at every stage.

💡 3. Code Compliance & Permits Made Simple

In Red Deer, as in most parts of Alberta, electrical work is regulated by safety codes and requires permits for most installations and upgrades. A licensed electrical contractor understands these requirements and handles the permitting process on your behalf.

This not only ensures that your project remains compliant with local laws but also protects you from future legal or insurance-related issues. Inspections are part of the package — so when Bryant’s Electrical Ltd. signs off on a project, you can rest assured that it meets or exceeds all safety and quality standards.

💵 4. Cost-Effective in the Long Run

Many people mistakenly believe that hiring a professional contractor is expensive. But when you factor in the risks, repairs, and damage associated with unlicensed work, the difference is clear. Licensed contractors save you money by doing things correctly the first time.

In addition to preventing costly errors, certified professionals also offer:

Accurate assessments and material estimates

Warranties and service guarantees

Energy-efficient upgrades that lower your utility bills

Reliable troubleshooting, preventing repeated service calls

Bryant’s Electrical Ltd. offers transparent quotes, no hidden fees, and competitive pricing — because we believe in value, not shortcuts.

🧑‍🔧 5. Proper Tools, Equipment & Technology

Today’s electrical work is more advanced than ever before. From smart lighting systems to programmable panels and high-speed industrial motors, modern systems require up-to-date tools and training.

A licensed contractor comes equipped with:

Specialized tools for diagnostics and testing

Safety gear and protective equipment

Access to quality parts and certified materials

Software for designing and simulating complex electrical networks

Bryant’s Electrical Ltd. invests in state-of-the-art tools and continuous education to stay ahead of the curve. Whether it’s a panel inspection or a building-wide power overhaul, we’re ready with the right equipment for the job.

🏠 6. Residential Electrical Projects You Can Trust

Homeowners often face a wide range of electrical tasks — from installing a new ceiling fan to upgrading the entire electrical panel. These tasks may seem simple, but without the right knowledge, even basic wiring can become a safety issue.

When you work with Bryant’s Electrical Ltd., you get:

Clean and safe installations

Friendly, respectful technicians

Efficient service that minimizes disruption

Advice on energy-efficient upgrades and smart home devices

Whether you’re building your dream home or renovating a century-old property, we bring a balance of modern technology and traditional craftsmanship to every job.

🏢 7. Commercial Electrical Expertise for Growing Businesses

As businesses in Red Deer evolve, their electrical needs become more complex. Whether you’re setting up a new office, expanding a warehouse, or upgrading an outdated system, you need a commercial electrician who understands scalability and energy management.

Bryant’s Electrical Ltd. delivers commercial solutions such as:

Data cabling and network power

Emergency lighting and security systems

Lighting layout and design for customer-facing environments

Tenant improvements for property managers

Electrical troubleshooting and code corrections

We prioritize minimizing downtime and staying on budget, so your business operations run smoothly — now and in the future.

⚙️ 8. Reliable Power for Industrial Applications

Industrial electrical projects demand a deeper level of planning, precision, and safety. These systems often involve complex machinery, heavy-duty circuits, and sensitive automation networks.

That’s where Bryant’s Electrical Ltd. shines. Our industrial services include:

High-capacity transformers and switchgear installation

Conveyor and motor control wiring

Control panels, PLCs, and SCADA systems

Equipment relocation and power analysis

Electrical maintenance programs

We understand that downtime is costly, so we work efficiently, maintain open communication, and schedule services to fit your production needs.

🔄 9. Flexible Maintenance & Long-Term Support

Electrical systems need attention beyond installation. With ongoing maintenance and regular inspections, you can prevent problems before they occur, extend equipment lifespan, and ensure continued safety.

We offer customized maintenance programs tailored to your property type and usage levels. This includes:

Scheduled inspections

Load testing

Circuit tracing and labeling

Panel cleaning and tightening

Compliance assessments

Bryant’s Electrical Ltd. is more than a contractor — we’re your long-term electrical partner.

🚨 10. Ready When You Need Us Most

Perhaps the biggest advantage of working with a licensed contractor is having someone you can rely on in an emergency. Power failures, sparking outlets, and overloaded circuits can occur at the worst times — and when they do, you need help fast.

At Bryant’s Electrical Ltd., we provide 24/7 emergency services to homes, businesses, and industrial sites. As your trusted emergency electrician Red Deer, we respond quickly, diagnose the issue accurately, and make safe, reliable repairs on the spot. Your safety and peace of mind are our top priorities — any time, day or night.

Conclusion

Hiring a licensed electrical contractor in Red Deer isn’t just a smart move — it’s essential. With years of experience, in-depth knowledge, and a commitment to excellence, Bryant’s Electrical Ltd. stands out as a trusted partner for residential, commercial, and industrial electrical needs.

Whether you’re planning a renovation, expanding your business, or dealing with an unexpected electrical issue, don’t leave it to chance. Choose a team that values safety, reliability, and customer satisfaction above all. Call Bryant’s Electrical Ltd. today — and let us light the way forward.

[gayalanwake]

pinned!

whether you’re new or have been following me for some time, I would appreciate it if you read “Basic,” “DNI,” and “Other/Important.”

Basic:

(to the tune of this video) hi! my name is matti. my background consists of… drawing. and writing. the more you scroll through my side blog and fw my posts… my skibidi meter goes down, and I’m not sigma anymore. CLOSE THE GOD DAMN DOOR.

Yeah idk okay he/him, bisexual/genderfluid, 20 years old. You can also call me Dapple or Lourdes :3 This is also a side blog, so I cannot follow you or like your posts from it, but I do from my main blog!

List of Things I FW Heavy ❤️

Special Interests:

- Super Paper Mario

- GTA V

Other Interests + Former/Current Hyperfixations:

- Mario in general

- Beavis and Butt-Head (omg no way)

- The Last of Us

- Red Dead Redemption

- Alan Wake

- Arcane

- She-ra and the Princesses of Power

- Undertale + Deltarune

- LA Noire

- Resident Evil 8

Shit I Do🙏🔥

- erm I write books. but they’re outdated and dumb so I’m not outing them here. I am currently working on another manuscript though. all gayalanwake followers get a 0.00001% discount

- future English teacher (they are NOT hiring me bro😭😭😭)

- antique collector

- fossil hunter with zero credentials

- failed game developer

Links:

So here’s the thing. I’d prefer if those on my main blog didn’t know about my side blog, but I’m okay with vice versa lmao.

- Main Blog

- Etsy (I do commissions!)

- Instagram

- AO3

- Toyhouse

- Artfight

- Spotify

DNI:

- basic dni criteria

- israel supporters. go fuck yourself.

- proshippers/proshipper tolerators. go fuck yourself.

- terfs. go fuck yourself.

- if you draw/write nsfw of young b&bh. go fuck yourself

Other/Important:

- I’m fine with being mutuals with anyone and I love making new friends, but please don’t DM me/try to befriend me if you’re either a) over two years younger than me, or b) over ten years older than me.

- if I ever accidentally reblog something from a problematic creator or anything of that sort, please never hesitate to let me know!

okay erm that’s all me thinks BYEEEE

[onecornerface]

Against Blanchardianism - some reasons

Some Blanchardians seem to think Blanchardianism is *obviously* true, and that critics reject it due to sheer prejudice or strawmen, etc. I claim otherwise. There are good reasons to be skeptical, even if these are not reasons to say it is debunked, etc.

(Note to readers: If you've never heard of Blanchardianism or autogynephilia, don't bother reading this.)

First, the main evidence for Blanchardianism consists in some obscure statistical clustering arguments—that there are two core clusters of trans women, and that Blanchardianism is the best explanation for these two clusters. This is an obscure and difficult-to-evaluate kind of argument. It is often reasonable for someone to be skeptical of the validity of this kind of argument even when it is not obviously bunk. It is the kind of argument that is *often* bunk, and it is hard to confirm that it is legitimate.

Second, there may be a notion that people only reject Blanchardianism because they think it entails that transness is a sexual fetish in a crude sense, and/or that it would be very bad if transness were a fetish. But I recognize that the theory entails that transness is a paraphilia in a sophisticated sense, and that it would not be very bad if transness were a paraphilia in such a sophisticated sense. If some trans women have AGP or HSTS, I think that’s fine. Are a lot of people biased against Blanchardianism due to wokeness and prejudice? Almost surely, yes. But I don’t think I am very biased against Blanchardianism, and I would defend Blanchardianism if I thought it was a highly plausible theory. Notice here that I do not insist that Blanchardianism is false, and this is because I am not sure that Blanchardianism is false. I am laying out my reasons for skepticism of Blanchardianism, because I think these are good reasons for skepticism.

Third, Blanchardianism relies heavily on strong *subconscious* psychological structures, of a sort whose existence is difficult to discern or investigate. Moreover, it relies heavily on *causal* theories of such psychological structures—a kind of psychological causation which is also hard to discern or investigate. I am not averse to the idea that subconscious psychological states exist, or that they exert powerful causal force. But are there *any* well-supported psychological theories which command any serious consensus, at present? Any at all? I don’t think there are. There are no well-established or consensus psychology theories which lean heavily on causation by subconscious structures, even if some such theories are in fact true (which they may well be—I don’t think this is implausible at all). And it is *extremely* unlikely that Blanchardianism is *better* established than all other relevantly similar psychological theories in all of psychology or adjacent scholarly fields.

Fourth, the main Blanchardian scientists—who ostensibly have the most credentials and scientific understanding of the evidence for the theory—are generally working within a weird-looking framework of sexology. This sexology framework seems to (1) have a bad track record (e.g. excessively pathologizing various types of sexual deviance, especially re: women or feminine men, in ways that look very biased and unreliable), and (2) be weirdly taxonomy-oriented in a manner that seems likely outdated. It seems a Blanchardian would need to either (A) defend traditional sexology against allegations that it is dated and biased, or (B) defend the claim that Blanchardian theory is not problematically inheriting dubious qualities of traditional sexology. None of this debunks Blanchardianism, but it raises doubts about its scientific status.

Fifth, Blanchardianism typically claims ALL (or very nearly all) trans women fall into its two-type taxonomy/etiology, which means it may be vulnerable to counterexamples—particularly bisexual and asexual trans women, among others. My impression is that the main response here is to insist that all (or very nearly all) the apparent bisexual and asexual trans women are, in fact, gay or straight. This sounds either (A) wildly ad hoc, or (B) tied to a related theory claiming that bisexuality (and asexuality) in AMAB people (including cis men) is either nonexistent or vanishingly rare. I don’t know if Blanchard claims this, but I think Bailey might claim this. If Blanchardianism really requires such *extreme* auxiliary hypotheses like “bisexual men don’t exist,” then that’s a HUGE cost of the theory. I leave open the possibility that it doesn’t require such an implication.

Sixth, Blanchardianism bears a suspicious resemblance to two unflattering stereotypes of trans women, which were already prevalent long before Blanchardianism was proposed as a theory—the unflattering stereotypes of the “deceptive transsexual” and the “pathetic transsexual” (cf. Julia Serano’s “Whipping Girl”), which arose in a cultural context that was patently unscientific and motivated by brazen anti-trans bigotry (a bigotry intermingled with sexism and homophobia). The cultural context which created the two unflattering stereotypes is unlikely to be truth-tracking. Blanchardianism might be plausibly construed as an instance of a broader phenomenon, i.e. how traditional sexology might tend to inherit a kind of mission of scientifically legitimizing pre-existent prejudices and stereotypes. This may provide some modest second-order evidence which reduces the credentials of Blanchardianism, and renders its prominence somewhat less impressive than it would otherwise be. However, it does not show that Blanchardianism is false, it does not entail that there cannot be strong first-order evidence for Blanchardianism, and it does not entail that Blanchardians believe in or are logically committed to anti-trans beliefs. Moreover, it is unclear what precise range of causal theories is compatible with the above second-order argument, or whether some causal theory within this range is true.

So it is unclear precisely *why* or *how much* Blanchardianism’s resemblance to pre-existent anti-trans stereotypes should impact our judgment of the theory’s probability—and yet, it *does* bear such a resemblance, and this resemblance is suspicious. Indeed to an extreme degree. Is the resemblance illusory, or coincidental, or somehow truth-tracking? It would be surprising if these considerations did not lower its probability to at least some mild to moderate degree. At the end of the day, Blanchardianism sure looks a lot like a myth concocted in the throes of anti-trans bigotry, and this resemblance sure seems to render it less likely to be true. I don’t think one needs to have a woke politically correct bias to think so, no matter how prevalent such bias may be.

Seventh, nearly all Blanchardians seem to be crackpots and uninterested in criticizing or improving their own discourse or culture. The only notable exception seems to be Tailcalled (Survey-Anon), who in my experience seems to be by far the sanest, smartest, and most virtuous Blanchardian. I have no significant complaints about Tailcalled. Moreover, IIRC he insists that (1) Blanchardian discourse is broadly terrible, and (2) many aspects of traditional Blanchardianism are false and need to be modified.

Many of the loudest and most avid (ostensible) Blanchardians are anti-trans bigots who do not even understand or believe in anything very similar to Blanchard’s own version of Blanchardianism. Instead, they hold a worse and stupider version of Blanchardianism which depicts transness as a crude fetish rather than a sophisticated paraphilia in the sense described by the actual view.

Two further notes:

One, there is some possible motte-and-bailey between at least two or three senses of AGP, e.g. between (1) “some AMAB people, including some trans women, get turned on by wearing dresses” (which is *obviously* true-- no sane person could deny it) and (2) “the AGP etiology causal theory is true for some trans women” (immensely more dubious) and (3) “the AGP/HSTS two-type etiology is true for all or nearly all trans women” (*extremely* dubious). Only the first is obviously true; the second is a dubious causal theory, and the third is a weirdly general theory which is antecedentally improbable.

Two, some people accuse self-identified autogynephiles of being self-hating. This is probably true of some number of people. However, as a general claim, I think this is false and wrong, and it is generally wrong to accuse people of being self-hating. There are self-identified autogynephiles who aren't self-hating or aren't at all likely to be.

[heylittleriotact]

I know only one of these fools has a pulse but Feeling Each Others Pulse for the Intimacy Prompts for Echo and Astarion 🥺

This ended up leaning a lot more towards the delightful brand of silly, goofy intimacy that makes my heart explode. I hope you enjoy. Thank you so much for sending me this, friend! I laughed like an idiot the entire time I wrote this.

Intimacy Prompt: Feeling Each Other's Pulse:

“I’m Dr. Mistandel and I’ll be looking after you today.” 

He had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the sight of her in a healer’s shift, her hair tied back and a leather bag in her hands: a healer, Echo was not… not by a long shot. But she wanted to play this little game when she saw the outdated shift and the medical bag in the window of that antiquarian shop the other day, and who was he to deny her this harmless game?

“Well met, doctor. My name is Astarion,” he purred up at her from where he sat on the edge of the bed, clad only in his underwear. 

“Well Astarion, what is the nature of your visit today?” She stood directly in front of him and set to looking him over, running her hands over his arms and fingers in search of any telling protuberances or broken bones. Why had she put on that silly accent?

“I’m afraid I have no pulse.” 

“Oh dear,” she tutted, dropping an arm and regarding him grimly. It was then that he noticed she had drawn a small goatee on her chin with kohl. 

“Did you draw a beard on yourself?” He asked, voice shaking with laughter. 

“That is a very personal question, Mister Astarion, and I would thank you to keep our relationship professional.” She set the leather bag on the bed next to him and opened it, selecting a small hammer from within. She began tapping him gently with it in various places - on his forehead, his elbows, each of his knees - and observing him as she did so. “How long ago did you notice you were without a pulse?”

He tilted his head, and made himself look like he was thinking for a time before saying, “About a tenday ago.” 

She hummed pensively, placing the hammer back in the bag, standing between his legs, putting her face right in front of his, and using her thumbs and index fingers to open his eyes wide and stare straight into them. “I see, I see… well if that’s the case, you’re doing very well - all things considered.”

“And what prognosis do you have for me, nurse?” He inquired seriously, resting his hands on her hips

“Nurse?” She scoffed, standing upright and crossing her arms. “I’ll not have my accomplishments undermined - I worked my arse off to get where I am!” 

“Madam, I find myself increasingly skeptical of any medical credentials you claim to possess,” he teased, “For starters I came here complaining of having no pulse and you tapped me with a hammer and looked in my eyes - hardly ‘appropriate diagnostic practice’ if you ask me.” 

“I didn’t,” his strange, mustachioed doctor asserted before rolling her eyes and saying, “Fine, fine then.” She pressed the tips of her index and middle fingers to both sides of his neck for a time and then pulled his hands from her hips to do the same at the insides of his wrists. “Curious indeed…” she murmured, her brow furrowing. 

“What is it?” He whispered, feigning concern.

“I will require another pulse point to sample before drawing my conclusion, good sir. The femoral should do nicely… with your permission of course.” Her eyes drifted down to his crotch. 

“By all means, doctor…” he demurred, gazing at her lustily: even in a drab, shapeless shift with a goatee penciled on her face she was the most alluring creature he’d ever laid eyes on. 

She reached down the front of his underwear and cupped him in her hand - the warmth of it a sure giveaway that she was no real physician. 

“Hmmm…” she hummed, eyes squinting in thought as she fondled him, “No pulse I’m afraid… but I found something else…”

He yanked her onto his lap, slipping his hands up her shift. 

Oh.

She wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

That would be quite advantageous, he decided and his mouth curled into a devious smile as he pressed his lips to the rhythmic throb that dwelled inside her wrist. 

“You’ve taken such good care of me, doctor… allow me to return the favour, won’t you?”

[oss-security]

 OSS Security, Myth, or Major Concern?

Open Source Software (OSS) is inside some of the most essential companies and applications for society worldwide. However, a persistent stigma around OSS security continues to hinder both innovation and widespread adoption. When it came to asking people what their main concern about OSS is, 53% said security.

Many people become worried when they see that the code base is open to anyone or that it could be unmaintained or written by people with bad coding habits. There is also concern that companies may neglect to track updates to the source code, leaving them with outdated versions that pose security risks. But are these concerns truly valid? And if so, does that necessarily make proprietary software safer than OSS? Let's look a little deeper into some of the main security concerns in OSS and then look at why OSS may be a lot safer than people think.

One of the main reasons people feel that OSS is unsafe is because the code base is not proprietary, meaning that anyone can look at all of the code that makes up the application. This worries people because if attackers can look at the code of an application, they believe that it would be very easy to find its vulnerabilities. Another reason people are often worried about the security of OSS is whether or not the code is maintained. Although rare, people fear that the contributors to the software they are using will either stop maintaining certain parts of their software or leave the project entirely. Another worry is that even if the code is being maintained, the company using the software might not update to the latest versions that are being put out. 

Outdated software, whether it is from the contributors not maintaining their software, or the company not acquiring the new updates, can lead to significant security risks. When a new update of software comes out companies will often publicly post the bugs and issues they fixed, which is informing all attackers what was wrong with the older versions. Some people also believe that those contributing to OSS are often immature and have bad developer practices. If the contributors were to have bad coding habits they could cause a lot of vulnerabilities such as hardcoding credentials or improper error handling. 

While these concerns hold some validity, discussions around OSS security often overlook that many of these risks also apply to proprietary software. Let's start with some security risks that don’t apply to proprietary software. An open code base is something unique to OSS, however, I believe that this aspect of OSS benefits its level of security more than it compromises it. 

There is a law called Linus’s Law named after Linus Torvalds (The creator of Linux) that says “Many eyes make any bug shallow”. This law refers to the thought that with enough contributors and coding enthusiasts looking at your code, a small amount of them might try and exploit the vulnerabilities they find, but the majority will alert the developers or fix it themselves. I believe in this law and that with many eyes looking at a codebase, vulnerabilities are more likely to be found but also addressed and remediated quickly. 

Another concern of those who feel that OSS is unsafe fear that companies may not keep up to date with the source code updates. Although this is a valid concern, it is not an issue with OSS, it is a problem with a company's internal processes. This should not be listed as a security concern of OSS because it is up to the individual to regularly update the newest software that is available.

All of these reasons for OSS being unsafe or safe can be debated and argued about, but physical data is much harder to ignore. The Coverity Scan Open Source Report is an annual report that analyzes the quality and security of OSS. This report states that the average OSS is of a higher quality than proprietary software. This data not only proves that contributors to OSS do not have bad coding habits, but it also proves that OSS, even though not perfect, is of a higher standard when it comes to security than proprietary software.

I believe the stigma that OSS is unsafe has limited the level of innovation and progress society has made in all realms of software. Who knows how many beneficial pieces of software could’ve been created if it weren't for this stigma, and how that software would affect the world?

The misconception that OSS is inherently unsafe has discouraged its adoption in many sectors, which limits opportunities for societal progress. This hesitancy has most likely curbed the development of groundbreaking solutions in areas like healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability, where open-source innovation could provide affordable and scalable tools for global challenges.

Addressing these misconceptions opens the door to greater innovation, allowing open-source communities to create secure, high-quality software that meets society's evolving needs.

[loser-female]

It seems that a lot of people really think that not being poor revokes your woman card.

You can't be oppressed, you can't struggle because of your sex, you are one of the worst oppressor on this planet.

And I'm scratching the surface here.

The problem is that... this is not true. This is just a way to make misogyny acceptable by framing it as a class criticism.

I'm a middle class woman, right? I'm middle class because I have a career in cybersecurity that pays enough. Women make up what, 15% of IT workers at any level. The industry is filled with outright sexism and bias. In my country it's common to not hire women that are from mid 20s to early 40s because they might decide to have children. I earn less than my male counterparts (according to some data I've read the other day overall it's a 15% wage gap in my country for my specific profession).

Then we have SAHMs or housewives. Lately everyone is getting a prenup (not in my country because it's not a thing here, but in many others) that's extremely punitive for them in case of divorce - meaning no alimony, no house, nothing. And since they don't have their money, they cannot even afford a lawyer to challenge that. (and FYI if you have no idea of your spouse income or no access to their bank account you're being abused.)

I had a three year gap in my résumé due to chronic illness and it was very difficult. I cannot imagine trying to find a job after 15 years of not working, with outdated credentials, drowning in attorney fees.

Not married? This will probably end up even worse for you, depending on where you live.

More often than not, rich women don't own anything. Their husband do, unless they have a trust fund or an inheritance that's only theirs. And even that, he might still pressure her to give up that money.

I don't understand how to a lot of people this is true for tradwives - because they will recognise this when the topic goes up- then saying middle class and rich women are evil the day after.

You don't have to be a fundie to be financially abused and you don't have to be poor to experience a wage gap.

What's more ridiculous is that a lot of these women I'm talking about here are legit in a better situation than me lmao so what the actual hell.