#please keep spreading this post

[5ummit]

Centreoftheselights just shared the new 2024 AO3 stats.

In less than two days their post has already received 16 MILLION views and 80 THOUSAND retweets/quote tweets, with every comment I've seen taking the data at face value and using it to draw conclusions, much to my horror.

While OP did change the title of the "new works" column to "works gained" so that they're at least not blatantly lying now (the bare minimum), the wording is still very misleading. More importantly though they continue to use the same extremely flawed methodology and continue to bury and obfuscate those flaws and what the data actually represents. Nowhere on the chart or the details provided on the main page does it even say that only publicly available works are counted... and that's not even the biggest problem!

This data is, yet again, garbage and absolutely should not be used to determine the current size and popularity of a fandom (inarguably the main reason for it existing).

AO3 Ship Stats: Year In Bad Data

You may have seen this AO3 Year In Review.

It hasn’t crossed my tumblr dash but it sure is circulating on twitter with 3.5M views, 10K likes, 17K retweets and counting. Normally this would be great! I love data and charts and comparisons!

Except this data is GARBAGE and belongs in the TRASH.

I first noticed something fishy when I realized that Steve/Bucky – the 5th largest ship on AO3 by total fic count – wasn’t on this Top 100 list anywhere. I know Marvel’s popularity has fallen in recent years, but not that much. Especially considering some of the other ships that made it on the list. You mean to tell me a femslash HP ship (Mary MacDonald/Lily Potter) in which one half of the pairing was so minor I had to look up her name because she was only mentioned once in a single flashback scene beat fandom juggernaut Stucky? I call bullshit.

Now obviously jumping to conclusions based on gut instinct alone is horrible practice... but it is a good place to start. So let’s look at the actual numbers and discover why this entire dataset sits on a throne of lies.

Here are the results of filtering the Steve/Bucky tag for all works created between Jan 1, 2023 and Dec 31, 2023:

Not only would that place Steve/Bucky at #23 on this list, if the other counts are correct (hint: they're not), it’s also well above the 1520-new-work cutoff of the #100 spot. So how the fuck is it not on the list? Let’s check out the author’s FAQ to see if there’s some important factor we’re missing.

The first thing you’ll probably notice in the FAQ is that the data is being scraped from publicly available works. That means anything privated and only accessible to logged-in users isn’t counted. This is Sin #1. Already the data is inaccurate because we’re not actually counting all of the published fics, but the bots needed to do data collection on this scale can't easily scrape privated fics so I kinda get it. We’ll roll with this for now and see if it at least makes the numbers make more sense:

Nope. Logging out only reduced the total by a couple hundred. Even if one were to choose the most restrictive possible definition of "new works" and filter out all crossovers and incomplete fics, Steve/Bucky would still have a yearly total of 2,305. Yet the list claims their total is somewhere below 1,500? What the fuck is going on here?

Let’s look at another ship for comparison. This time one that’s very recent and popular enough to make it on the list so we have an actual reference value for comparison: Nick/Charlie (Heartstopper). According to the list, this ship sits at #34 this year with a total of 2630 new works. But what’s AO3 say?

Off by a hundred or so but the values are much closer at least!

If we dig further into the FAQ though we discover Sin #2 (and the most egregious): the counting method. The yearly fic counts are NOT determined by filtering for a certain time period, they’re determined by simply taking a snapshot of the total number of fics in a ship tag at the end of the year and subtracting the previous end-of-year total. For example, if you check a ship tag on Jan 1, 2023 and it has 10,000 fics and check it again on Jan 1, 2024 and it now has 12,000 fics, the difference (2,000) would be the number of "new works" on this chart.

At first glance this subtraction method might seem like a perfectly valid way to count fics, and it’s certainly the easiest way, but it can and did have major consequences to the point of making the entire dataset functionally meaningless. Why? If any older works are deleted or privated, every single one of those will be subtracted from the current year fic count. And to make the problem even worse, beginning at the end of last year there was a big scare about AI scraping fics from AO3, which caused hundreds, if not thousands, of users to lock down their fics or delete them.

The magnitude of this fuck up may not be immediately obvious so let’s look at an example to see how this works in practice.

Say we have two ships. Ship A is more than a decade old with a large fanbase. Ship B is only a couple years old but gaining traction. On Jan 1, 2023, Ship A had a catalog of 50,000 fics and ship B had 5,000. Both ships have 3,000 new works published in 2023. However, 4% of the older works in each fandom were either privated or deleted during that same time (this percentage is was just chosen to make the math easy but it’s close to reality).

Ship A: 50,000 x 4% = 2,000 removed works Ship B: 5,000 x 4% = 200 removed works

Ship A: 3,000 - 2,000 = 1,000 "new" works Ship B: 3,000 - 200 = 2,800 "new" works

This gives Ship A a net gain of 1,000 and Ship B a net gain of 2,800 despite both fandoms producing the exact same number of new works that year. And neither one of these reported counts are the actual new works count (3,000). THIS explains the drastic difference in ranking between a ship like Steve/Bucky and Nick/Charlie.

How is this a useful measure of anything? You can't draw any conclusions about the current size and popularity of a fandom based on this data.

With this system, not only is the reported "new works" count incorrect, the older, larger fandom will always be punished and it’s count disproportionately reduced simply for the sin of being an older, larger fandom. This example doesn’t even take into account that people are going to be way more likely to delete an old fic they're no longer proud of in a fandom they no longer care about than a fic that was just written, so the deletion percentage for the older fandom should theoretically be even larger in comparison.

And if that wasn't bad enough, the author of this "study" KNEW the data was tainted and chose to present it as meaningful anyway. You will only find this if you click through to the FAQ and read about the author’s methodology, something 99.99% of people will NOT do (and even those who do may not understand the true significance of this problem):

The author may try to argue their post states that the tags "which had the greatest gain in total public fanworks” are shown on the chart, which makes it not a lie, but a error on the viewer’s part in not interpreting their data correctly. This is bullshit. Their chart CLEARLY titles the fic count column “New Works” which it explicitly is NOT, by their own admission! It should be titled “Net Gain in Works” or something similar.

Even if it were correctly titled though, the general public would not understand the difference, would interpret the numbers as new works anyway (because net gain is functionally meaningless as we've just discovered), and would base conclusions on their incorrect assumptions. There’s no getting around that… other than doing the counts correctly in the first place. This would be a much larger task but I strongly believe you shouldn’t take on a project like this if you can’t do it right.

To sum up, just because someone put a lot of work into gathering data and making a nice color-coded chart, doesn’t mean the data is GOOD or VALUABLE.

[unknown-cold]

I want to talk about the people who are overlook Caitlyn's trauma and the suffering she went through in two seasons, to the point where it's really annoying and suspicious, honestly.

There are people who unironically believe she deserved the worst in season 1 alone. S1 when she did nothing wrong at all. On the contrary - she's trying to do a lot of good, she's being selfless and compassionate. On the other hand, characters who did commit crimes are being excused.

The artist is: @roosdrawsthings on Instagram and @RoosDrawsThings on Twitter/X

Like some people see her as privileged and as someone who suffered enough not like Vi and Jinx (she only lost her mom, she had a funeral when Zaunites don't) so she can't be a victim and feel pain and lost. This is so fucking stupid!

rich people can also be in grief and a target for manipulation. They are human beings too, a shock that has nothing to do with social status or job. And here are the reasons I think people so easily villainize Caitlyn:

Before that there is something important I have to talk about there’s also such a problem with people viewing things as either completely right/good or completely wrong/terrible and with people not able/willing to admit when they’re wrong or when someone has changed their mind.

Opinions are mistaken for facts. Differing viewpoints are attacked with ferocity. Hateful things are said about fictional characters who are supposed to bring us joy/comfort. It’s freaking ridiculous and has become such a massive problem in several of my top fandoms and I’m exhausted.

So back again to Caitlyn their reasoning is she comes from a privileged upbringing, is part of the oppressive higher social order and is a member of the police force that frequently harasses the citizens of Zaun. All of these come together to make her appear as someone that we as a progressive and morally just society are meant to frown upon and judge, cause those types of people are often to blame for many of the issues in our society.

With those pieces in place they see her as this inherently morally wrong person who needs to be dragged through the fire in order to redeem herself. They hold her to an almost impossibly high standard and will tear her apart if she even slightly steps over the lines they have laid out for her. That's why they like to paint her as genocidal war criminal for releasing The Grey and choose to ignore the obvious that she used it strategically rather than flood the whole city like Jinx did(who btw will get endless passes and excuses for her actions cause she is the "true victim" of the story). Jinx is not the only victim on the show.

And there is something else I want to talk about it, and it's modern liberal spaces, especially among young people. Most people have become obsessed with putting people in little boxes and making assumptions based on that alone. They are unwilling or incapable of seeing people as PEOPLE instead of just labels. It's like re-inventing the racism wheel all over again. We put labels on people and decide if they're good or bad, we don't look at what they do or listen to what they say because that's harder. It's easier to just discriminate against someone based on how they were born. And then the irony is people will accuse Caitlyn of discriminating against others when actually they're the ones discriminating against her, based on her background. It's just a maddening endless cycle of hate.

They also don't quite realize that not everything in the show is meant to be an allegory for real life political turmoil. The concept of a privileged society oppressing another through force has been done in many stories and while they may have been inspired by real events that doesn't mean they were intentionally sending a politically driven message to the masses.

Caitlyn's haters also brush over her trauma a lot too, not only of her mother's death and wanting to avenge it. But to also wanting to kill the person who kidnapped her and almost killed her twice. She hasn't had the time to really process it all and all those wounds are fresh in early season 2 so of course she ends up going dark for a time.

Caitlyn went through grieving, angered, depressed, vulnerable, and... alone. Not a single voice of reason or support around

• Father? Also grieving and distant.

• Childhood friend? Disappeared.

• Vi? Pushed away.

And that’s the vacuum Ambessa mentioned when talking to Vi. People still didn’t understand that? Wow, I guess not everyone throughly watches the plot of series, I suppose.

So in the end Caitlyn for me has one of the best arcs, if not the best, while not being a clown, like Jinx (I like Jinx tbh, but least be real guys). Some people just hate it. Some envy it. Bc much of Cait's hate is simply irrational. Just ugly whining babys out there.

They are literally make Caitlyn the only villain in Arcane. There's Jinx who committed acts of terrorism and murderer. There's Silco's right hand ( I mean Sevika) happily enforcing his rule through violence. There's Silco himself, who tried to kill an entire family and forced the children to work in the Shimmer factories and he suppressed his people himself so that they would obey him, and there is Ambessa the character who committed the most evil acts in the show. And Viktor, who wanted to kill and control all the people of the two cities of Piltover and Zaun. But no, it's Cait that is the worst 🤡

Make it make sense.

[vomittedsoap]

Christmas Poll

Ten days until Christmas!!!!!!! I'm so excited so here's a poll.. which has probably been done before but i'm doing it again.

FIND HMS EREBUS POLL HERE

You can choose based on who you think would be the best santa... OR you can choose on who would end up as Santa for the sake of everyone else's enjoyment, whether they like it or not. (and share why in the tags or replies i wanna discuss ehehe)

FYI both Jacko and Neptune get their own costumes by default.

[Heather and Gibson excluded just bc i dont think it would be them and i want to whittle down the choices]

[thespookiestprincessofthemall]

[sysig]

Smooth cover (Patreon)

Bonus alt:

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 55 Stress Posting

Greetings, dear void. It is time... FOR A HAKURI PoV CHAPTER! And more JP-EN yapping from me than usual because honestly, this chapter was cool, but it was mostly set-up for whatever's going to happen next week. There's not much to muse on without trending towards pure speculation rather fast. Plus I finally got access to the JP version so I've been despairing at how far I have to go to actually learn the damn language...

But hey! Another color page next week! Hokazono-sensei's really suffering from success isn't he? Kagurabachi's getting the top-tier marketing push now that it managed to get over 1M copies in circulation with only 4 volumes out. Maybe we'll start to see the same level of CPs as Akane Banashi soon!

Samura and the Makizumi

Who the hell are you?

Does whatever he's got going on explain the female bearer's super young appearance...? The EN TL leaves it vague here, but JP is pretty specific that his body is that of a child but he isn't one in truth.

Why the adult in a child's body thing at all though? Why mimic Samura like that too? And why are we getting that packaged with a lazy-yet-competent commander archetype? Something about the combination of traits for this character just rubs me the wrong way. The cognitive dissonance worked -I'm interested in him and his situation- but it's unpleasant to deal with. This introduction felt unexpected in a bad way. I bet I'll be a minority on that though so I'll keep my rubbish opinions about him to myself. Maybe.

I have a theory on why Mini Samura is copying our favourite blind fighter guy at least. The official name for the squad in Japanese is 神奈備御庭番-座村親衛隊 [Kamunabi oniwa-ban - Samura shineitai]. The professional EN TL will parse all that much better than I can, but I just want to point out something fun. The last word (親衛隊) means "elite guards"/"bodyguards". Most of the time. It can also mean "groupies" or "ardent fans". So take that and stuff it in your back pocket in case the squad doesn't job here.

Anyway, this chapter is why we met the Makizumi [巻墨] a few weeks ago in chapter 50. Yes, it's the same kanji as "Masumi" that they were introduced as. I'm not sure why since my Japanese is, uh, not great. But it's not an EN translation error. The original JP indicates that Uruha says ますみ [masumi] in Ch. 50 via the Ruby next to the kanji. This time, however, the Ruby over their name in the spread says まきずみ [makizumi]. At least it's not truly a new name I suppose? The meaning -Rolled Ink- stays the same regardless.

At any rate, these guys are definitely all going to live and fight another day. Because named teams full of elite personnel formed for a specific purpose have great survival and success rates in this series. Yup. (Maybe being ninja will make the difference? Somehow???)

Who trained these guys, I wonder... Samura's hella scary for an "assistant master".

Samura getting annoyed that his disciple joined the fight...! It's sweet of him to care and still treat Uruha like an apprentice in some ways. They're both war veterans who have seen and experienced too much, but some dynamics don't change with the passing of time.

I appreciate that the villains and their tactics are well-thought out. Adjusting to fight a blind man with super senses isn't done as well as one would like in many series, sadly. They often get to style all over their enemies because they're underestimated, then are treated like a sighted person with a gimmick thereafter. But the Hishaku ain't about that and have actively planned against him by scrambling his smell and hearing while also sending Mr. Hatshaku and his undetectable trees. Very smart on Hokazono-sensei's part!

This is just so awesome! The spreads of Chihiro and Hiyuki meeting and parting again in ch. 29 are two of my absolute favourites in the series so far, so to see it again (kinda) makes me happy.

Samura cut part of Uruha's topknot here. He played it that close, huh. It's pretty cool that Samura has a wild fighting style that his allies have to adjust around. Normally blind fighters are super precise but Samura's just slicing and dicing anything that's living and ready to kill! But if you're that good then I guess it's worth training a few people to be able to compliment your moveset so they can safely support you.

Samura and Uruha aren't in perfect sync, and Uruha's still willing to take risks and throw himself into danger. But he's more than capable of being an asset in this fight without guaranteeing he'll become a burden later (unlike a certain someone...).

Uh Oh

He's so cute with his big ol' eyes and pensive expression.

Did Chihiro whip out his phone while keeping Hiruhiko pinned to the seat with his foot!? Anyway, this is only the second time in the series where he hasn't appeared in even a single panel. So we get to spend a whole chapter getting exposition via Hakuri!

I'm gonna take some time to yap about him because it's been nearly three weeks since he showed up a lot and I missed him terribly.

Stop, stop, STOP!!

Note: Hakuri's line in the panel before (...俺だけじゃないか" ["I'm the only one."]) doesn't directly match up to Kyora's final line from Ch. 43 (私だけだ... 私だけが全うできなかった ["I'm the only one... who failed to fulfill my duty."]), so it's not a direct reference even if the TL makes it seem like one. Hakuri's sentiment is different- his is "I can't be the only one" vs. Kyora's "I'm actually the only one". There are just a lot of characters who are convicted in their beliefs in this manga!

So much for getting to recover in 30 minutes, I guess.

Really cool that we see the mask "assembling"! It's only been shown intact when he activates the storehouse sorcery up to this point. So it's a neat visual representation of his resolve coming together during the time crunch as well. Hakuri is nothing if not dedicated to hurting and throwing himself into danger for the sake of others. Even after Healer Lady set up a flag for him to become useless or worse if he does so here. Oh, Hakuri...

He's helping Chihiro because he wants to make the world a safer place. Plus his whole thing after Ice Lady is that he'll "never let a life slip through [his] hands again". It's exceptionally noble and heroic of him! But is it worth potentially derailing the plans via brain damage or permanent ability loss?

Hakuri's not gonna die, obviously. I'm also 50/50 on him losing access to his sorcery at all, much less permanently. But something's going to get fucked up here and it'll probably be his fault. Again. He's gotta learn how to value himself the hard way, apparently. All we can do is wait to see what price will be paid for Hakuri's reckless disregard for his own well-being. (I'm not sure how I feel about this, but what if Hakuri gets Healer Lady killed? He could go 2/2 on women who were kind to him dying because of his actions right in front of him. Man that would suck.)

This is looking to be like one of the developments I was hoping for at the end of the Rakuzaichi arc. Hakuri does NOT chill when it comes to saving lives. Being borderline suicidal about this is his way of atoning for his and his family's sins, in my mind. But is it better to risk your life every time, or let people get hurt -possibly die- to keep doing greater good in the long-run? It's a common question raised in super hero comics, and I hope we get to see it explored with Hakuri (and Uruha) here. I'm really interested in what Hokazono-sensei has to say about it and the dissonance it would cause in Hakuri's character.

Arc Soothsaying

This is just a supposition, and I've been wrong so many times that I'm kind of hesitant to put this out there, but here goes. I know I can be as cringey as I like in your ambivalent embrace, kind void.

I think... I think... Hakuri's growth this arc will be specifically learning to value himself enough that he's able to act against his ideals.

Recall how Hakuri was the one to point out that Uruha knew the value of his life in Chapter 48 when he would have charged right in. And now he's with Samura, the guy who fights and kills to preserve himself despite it going against his Buddhist beliefs. Hakuri's constantly pushing himself to the limit, refusing to let other people get hurt for his sake. He won't let himself be the only one risking his life even if there's no strategic value for him to act- even if it would most helpful for everyone if he ran to safety. So I think he's going to have to put saving his own life above anything else later this arc and it's going to be terrible for him.

It would compliment the theme of negative self-image that's been set up with Chihiro too. They're both heroic, though it usually comes across in completely opposite ways (Chihiro's in his villain era right now, for one). And both of them have a lot of work to do when it comes to learning how to love themselves. Hakuri to understand his own "value", Chihiro to understand he's not a monster.

Learning more about the Bearers, Kunishige, and what happened in the Seitei war will almost certainly help Chihiro to realize he really isn't so different from the heroes he idolizes. As for Hakuri, it's hard to say right now. Uruha's going to be important to his growth I'm fairly certain. But we haven't even met all the Bearers yet so I don't want to start thinking in absolutes about who will help who and in what way.

We also have to wait and see what becomes of Hiruhiko after this encounter. He's obviously meant to be a counter to both Hakuri and Chihiro; how that manifests, exactly, is something I'm looking forward to seeing. It'll give more insight on how we can expect them to develop. Chihiro and Hiruhiko are pretty blatant right now with their outlook on what it means to kill and such, and there's set up for Hiruhiko to clash with Hakuri over what it means to be an equal and a friend.

For Chihiro and Hakuri... too early to say. Need to see what happens at Senkutsuji. My instincts are saying a rift of some kind will form between them over killing, equality, and/or their self-sacrificing tendencies but I'm always wrong, so. Just waiting and watching on that for now.

Anyway. Thanks as always, void. Here's hoping our boys don't have to suffer too much in the coming weeks/months. Except Hiruhiko. He can suffer enough for all of them.

[dribs-and-drabbles]

The Great Thai Communal Wardrobe Advent Giveaway!

I've currently collected/documented 45 items of clothing (and accessories) that have reappeared in various Thai series over the past four years - these are only the ones that have been discovered, I'm sure there are more.

These 45 items are spread over 38 shows and are worn by 78 different characters (mains, sides, and random extras).

At the most, one item has been worn by 8 different people in 6 series, several have been used 3-5 times, but the majority have only appeared in two different shows (so far!).

There has been one recent show which has featured 15 items of clothing which have been worn in other series! The next highest number is 11 in a show which aired last year. And then the 3rd and 4th spot go to a show from two years ago (with 10 items) and one from this year (with 6).

I have currently ordered all the items by the number of times used and then by air date (with the highest and earliest first), but once I start posting them I will add any new discoveries to the end of the list (from 46 onwards).

And I'd like your involvement to post them!

Between now and Nov 15th send me an ask or a DM with one of the following requests to either have the item dedicated to yourself or you can gift it to another blog. (Anon is also fine but I'd suggest using an obscure emoji so you can identify yourself).

You can request:

A random number in the list (1-45)

The name of a particular show

A specific character or actor

Something funny or stylish or that I think you might like

A specific item (if you have a pretty confident idea of one that exists)

And a specific date you would like your post published if you have one (I'm mainly trying to decide what order to publish them all in)

A point to note: I've already published number 3 and number 6 (although the latter is now wrongly-numbered 😥 so I might consider editing the original post...again).

My plan is to post two a day from Dec 1st in the run up to Christmas, like an advent calendar, so I've set the deadline for requests early enough to give me time to organise the posts (since work does get in the way sometimes).

And if you do spot any more shared clothing across series, do let me know!

Tagging some people in case you're interested and to help me spread the word: @grapejuicegay @celestial-sapphicss @twig-tea @rocketturtle4 @waitmyturtles @respectthepetty @chickenstrangers @ranchthoughts @slayerkitty @colourme-feral @blmpff @telomeke @nothingsbetterthancoffee @lurkingshan @ephemeral-hiraeth @thegalwhorants @hughungrybear @i-got-the-feels @icouldhyperfixatehim @dragonsareawesome123 @sparklyeyedhimbo @first-kanaphan @italianpersonwithashippersheart @shouldiusemyname @gabrielokun @ghoststookournightmares @morathicain @nongnaopat @lamonnaie @natalias-pierogi @mysterygrl20 @nahaluk @callipigio @multifanofmultifandom @dramarec @cangse-sanren @williamrikers @justafriend-ql @heretherebedork @forcebook @non-binarypal7 @aprilblossomgirl @morkofday @brazilian-whalien52

[bbeeohazardd]

i hate tumblr, bc i'll go to reblog a really good post about something important, and then one of the reblogs on the post between the original and someone reblogging an important link is always fuckin "if you don't rb you're evil!!!!" reblog bait and i'm so unbelievably tired man

like, JUST AUGH

[SHAKING YOU] IF YOUR ACTIVISM RELIES ON SHAMING PEOPLE AND CAUSING FEAR IT ISN'T GOOD ACTIVISM

ALSO, BEFORE I GET IDIOTS YELLING AT ME, THIS ISN'T ME SAYING ACTIVISM IS BAD, LEARN TO FUCKING READ

[matex3]

happy new year gang 🔥 throws berrybox at you and runs away

click for more quality i guess

ill try posting berrybox daily now so uh yes hello

[lifesshort-imshorter]

My Sunday PSA for ADHD:

I am *constantly* seeing people talk about accidentally doubling up on their meds because they can't remember already taking them - or skipping them altogether just in case they did take them.

Seriously, guys, please think about getting the timer caps for your pill bottles. This has been a lifesaver for me when I grab my bottle to take my meds, remember I need to do something, set it down, and then when I see the pill bottle again I can't remember if I even opened the damn thing. This has happened enough that I can't count the times, and even if I could I wouldn't tell you because really, brain? C'mon.

This thing tells you exactly how long it's been since you opened the bottle and helps to keep you on track. These come in multiple sizes to fit virtually any pill bottle you already have, but they also come with their own bottles (and labels!) on the off chance they don't - and you can find them online easy enough.

Best part is these things can work for multiple people for different reasons. Got a forgetful parent or grandparent and want to make sure they're safe with their meds? Great gift. Have a teen in the home but you smoke weed and want to keep an eye on it? Perfect nug jar. Just curious about how long your adhd meds last before productivity goes down? Perfect timer.

Have teen children and worried they're going to access your Vicodin from that dentist appointment? Have a high fever and can't remember how long it's been since you took your last Tylenol? On day three of a depression streak and can't remember doing anything but staring at the wall? Can't remember how long it's been since your last birth control pill? Great purchase.

Just keep them in an area you are frequently and stop worrying (I keep my adhd meds right next to my computer, and my morning meds next to the sink in the bathroom). Get rid of the am/pm pill containers that no one remembers to fill anyways. Trust me, it is worth it.

In case I've inspired anyone, these are the ones I have, but there are other brands and styles out there from different sites if you don't support Amazon.

Even if it's not for you, please share so that other people see.

[kitthenameless]

Periodic reminder about alt text / image description and how important it is!

For anyone who doesn't know, alt text is what makes images accessible for anyone using a screen reader, which can include blind people as well as people with other vision issues, migraines, dyslexia, or other disabilities.

You can add it to your images by clicking the three dots in the bottom right corner and then clicking "update image description." Then describe the image, including visuals and/or text. You can even use websites like this text extractor to make it easier.

If you want more info, including tips for what to write, I have a longer post here!

[yansurnummu]

I want to preface this by saying this is all totally inconsequential and kinda funny but genuinely the worst part of that random ass text post I made blowing up is the amount of ppl in my notes assuming I'm a CoD player

[atomograd]

r/maine Moderator Thread about the Lewiston Shooting.

From the comments:

"State Police Tip phone numbers and hotlines (207) 509-9002 (and) (207) 213-9526"

"Police are looking for a Blue Chevy Suburban with Maine plate 6625ZD."

"Live developments on Youtube from News Center Maine here.

Information from the original press release and Reddit thread below the cut. Please refer to the updated reblog of this post with victims' fundraisers and more information.

Current Information

10:30 AM Press Release Update

18 people's lives were lost and 13 people were injured in the attack. There are no reports about the victim's identities yet.

Lewiston, Lisbon, Bowdoin continue to follow a shelter in place order.

Mr. Robert Card is considered armed and dangerous, do NOT approach.

If you see anything suspicious, call 911.

You can call 988 for free and confidential counseling.

Information as of 2:00 AM

The next scheduled time for a press release from the Maine State Police is 10:30 AM at Lewinston City Hall.

The shooter has not yet been identified with certainty. However, a person of interest was identified as Robert Card. He is not considered a suspect as of yet. He is considered armed and dangerous and will be brought in for questioning. Do not approach him.

Portland Tactical Team is now on the ground in Lisbon Falls.

Officials have stated they are currently only looking for a single shooter.

A vehicle of interest has been spotted about 8 miles from Lewiston.

At least 16 people have been killed, but counts were reported as high as 22. 50+ people have been injured. It has not yet been reported who the victims are.

Officials have stated they will not announce specific numbers tonight.

The shootings took place at a bowling alley and at Schemengees Bar & Grille Restaurant.

All municipal buildings will be closed on Thursday, and all events cancelled. Many schools will be closed on Thursday as well. All affected individuals will receive a text or email from their school by tomorrow morning.

A reunification centre was set up at Auburn Middle School.

Lewiston is currently under a shelter-in-place order. If you are in Lewiston, please follow all recommended guidelines and stay inside.

Maine State Police

From the Maine State Police, posted Midnight to their Facebook and Twitter.

"Caution to the public.

A shooting incident with multiple casualties has occurred in multiple locations in Lewiston. Police are currently searching for Robert R. Card (04/04/83) of Bowdoin. Card is considered armed and dangerous. If seen people should not approach Card or make contact with him.

The shelter in place order stands in Lewiston. A vehicle of interest was located in Lisbon and we are now also asking residents in Lisbon to shelter in place as law enforcement works in that area to locate Card. We ask anyone who sees anything suspicious to call 911.

For people who have questions about loved ones a reunification centre has been set up at Auburn Middle School which is located at 38 Falcon Drive in Auburn."

Other official/major news sources

Maine State Police: official Facebook, official Twitter

Governor Janet Mills statement: via Facebook

Press-Herald live story: link

Bangor Daily News live story: link

News Center Maine live story: link

The Lewiston Sun Journal: link

Credit to u/daxelkurtz for this information.

Other Information

u/WhatT0Do12 was so kind to provide their post about what comes next after trauma: link

Live scanner in the area: link

Please consider donating blood at the Red Cross tomorrow or when it's safe: link

Please use this thread to respectfully discuss the shooting and remember the victims. Keep the rules in mind and be respectful.

Last updated 10:45"*

* 10:45 AM, EST, October 26, 2023.

[thebluebygracieabrams]

when will people understand tumblr is my safe space and if i wanted to see news i would just look it up on the three news apps downloaded on my phone

[thespookiestprincessofthemall]

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[uninformedartist]

Chai's actions are going to be wonderful fuel for the stans to use against the critical community. Just FUCKING perfect opportunity to have people like Ayy Lmao to slander all of us and we get harrassed!

Think about we stand with Kendraws who has been slandered as a pedo by the stans.

Now a prominent figure in this community is a proshipper

The story writes itself. Thanks a fucking lot Chai. I recommend we all prepare to put out statements when the Stans go after us.

So A TW on this post:

One bad apple can be used as an excuse to discredit all the critical community has to say. I remember there was a nasty person who got Raphielle to confess on his r*pe ship between Val and Angel and a lot in the fandom discredited what Raphielle said because of this person.

So lol prepare the statements, but we got to move on, not accociate with bad apples and slowly they'll drift off. I know one such apple ahm Raysquid left the critical community after their constant harassment of critics, HH fans, staff and spreading misinformation left and right.