#stocking density

[farmerstrend]

Understanding Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) in Broiler Production

Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) is a critical metric in broiler production, measuring the efficiency with which feed is converted into body weight gain. A lower FCR indicates better feed efficiency, as less feed is required to produce a unit of weight gain. Understanding, calculating, and optimizing FCR are essential for maximizing profitability and sustainability in broiler production. How FCR is…

[rystiel]

guhhhhh i wish i got merch so bad but i didn’t get there early enough to wait in line before the show & i was with people who did notttt give enough of a fuck about dan and phil to be spending another hour in line after the show at like 10pm

[gangasemwal2025]

"Is IBM Stock a Good Buy in 2025? A Deep Dive into Its Value"

Is IBM Stock a Good Buy in 2025? A Deep Dive Published on April 24, 2025 by DailyZingMindBazaar With IBM’s stock price at $229.626 as of April 24, 2025, investors are asking: Is IBM stock a good buy? After a robust Q1 2025 earnings report and a 13% stock gain in Q1, IBM’s focus on AI and cloud computing makes it an intriguing option. However, tariff concerns and a high valuation raise questions.…

[pardonmystardust]

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[mostlysignssomeportents]

The enshittification of tech jobs

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me at NEW ZEALAND'S UNITY BOOKS in AUCKLAND on May 2, and in WELLINGTON on May 3. More tour dates (Pittsburgh, PDX, London, Manchester) here.

Tech workers are a weird choice for "princes of labor," but for decades they've enjoyed unparalleled labor power, expressed in high wages, lavish stock grants, and whimsical campuses with free laundry and dry-cleaning, gourmet cafeterias, and kombucha on tap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhUtdgVZ7MY

All of this, despite the fact that tech union density is so low it can barely be charted. Tech workers' power didn't come from solidarity, it came from scarcity. When you're getting five new recruiter emails every day, you don't need a shop steward to tell your boss to go fuck themselves at the morning scrum. You can do it yourself, secure in the knowledge that there's a company across the road who'll give you a better job by lunchtime.

Tech bosses sucked up to their workers because tech workers are insanely productive. Even with sky-high salaries, every hour a tech worker puts in on the job translates into massive profits. Which created a conundrum for tech bosses: if tech workers produce incalculable value for the company every time they touch their keyboards, and if there aren't enough tech workers to go around, how do you get whichever tech workers you can hire to put in as many hours as possible?

The answer is a tactic that Fobazi Ettarh called "vocational awe":

https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/

"Vocational awe" describes the feeling that your work matters so much that you should accept all manner of tradeoffs and calamities to get the job done. Ettarh uses the term to describe the pathology of librarians, teachers, nurses and other underpaid, easily exploited workers in "caring professions." Tech workers are weird candidates for vocational awe, given how well-paid they are, but never let it be said that tech bosses don't know how to innovate – they successfully transposed an exploitation tactic from the most precarious professionals to the least precarious.

As farcical as all the engineer-pampering tech bosses got up to for the first couple decades of this century was, it certainly paid off. Tech workers stayed at the office for every hour that god sent, skipping their parents' funerals and their kids' graduations to ship on time. Snark all you like about empty platitudes like "organize the world's information and make it useful" or "bring the world closer together," but you can't argue with results: workers who could – and did – bargain for anything from their bosses…except a 40-hour work-week.

But for tech bosses, this vocational awe wheeze had a fatal flaw: if you convince your workforce that they are monk-warriors engaged in the holy labor of bringing forth a new, better technological age, they aren't going to be very happy when you order them to enshittify the products they ruined their lives to ship. "I fight for the user" has been lurking in the hindbrains of so many tech workers since the Tron years, somehow nestling comfortably alongside of the idea that "I don't need a union, I'm a temporarily embarrassed founder."

Tech bosses don't actually like workers. You can tell by the way they treat the workers they don't fear. Sure, Tim Cook's engineers get beer-fattened, chestnut finished and massaged like Kobe cows, but Cook's factory workers in China are so maltreated that Foxconn (the cutout Apple uses to run "iPhone City" where Apple's products are made) had to install suicide nets to reduce the amount of spatter from workers who would rather die than put in another hour at Tim Apple's funtime distraction rectangle factory:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/18/foxconn-life-death-forbidden-city-longhua-suicide-apple-iphone-brian-merchant-one-device-extract

Jeff Bezos's engineers get soft-play areas, one imported Australian barista for each mini-kitchen, and the kind of Japanese toilet that doesn't just wash you after but also offers you a trim and dye-job, but Amazon delivery drivers are monitored by AIs that narc them out for driving with their mouths open (singing is prohibited in Uncle Jeff's delivery pods!) and have to piss in bottles; meanwhile, Amazon warehouse workers are injured at three times the rate of other warehouse workers.

This is how tech bosses would treat tech workers…if they could.

And now? They can.

Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Katherine Bindley describes the new labor dynamics at Big Tech:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/tech-workers-are-just-like-the-rest-of-us-miserable-at-work/ar-AA1DDKjh

It starts with Meta, who just announced a 5% across-the-board layoff – on the same day that it doubled executive bonuses. But it's not just the workers who get shown the door who suffer in this new tech reality – the workers on the job are having to do two or three jobs, for worse pay, and without all those lovely perks.

Take Google, where founder Sergey Brin just told his workers that they should be aiming for a "sweet spot" of 60 hours/week. Brin returned to Google to oversee its sweaty and desperate "pivot to AI," and like so many tech execs, he's been trumpeting the increased productivity that chatbots will deliver for coders. But a coder who picks up their fired colleagues' work load by pulling 60-hour work-weeks isn't "more productive," they're more exploited.

Amazon is another firm whose top exec, Andy Jassy, has boasted about the productivity gains of AI, but an Amazon Web Services manager who spoke to Bindley says that he's lost so many coders that he's now writing code for the first time in a decade.

Then there's a Meta recruiter who got fired and then immediately re-hired, but as a "short term employee" with no merit pay, stock grants, or promotions. She has to continuously reapply for her job, and has picked up the workload of several fired colleagues who weren't re-hired. Meta managers (the ones whose bonuses were just doubled) call this initiative "agility." Amazon is famous for spying on its warehouse workers and drivers – and now its tech staff report getting popups warning them that their keystrokes are being monitored and analyzed, and their screens are being recorded.

Bindley spoke to David Markley, an Amazon veteran turned executive coach, who attributed the worsening conditions (for example, managers being given 30 direct reports) to the "narrative" of AI. Not, you'll note, the actual reality of AI, but rather, the story that AI lets you "collapse the organization," slash headcount and salaries, and pauperize the (former) princes of labor.

The point of AI isn't to make workers more productive, it's to make them weaker when they bargain with their bosses. Another of Bindley's sources went through eight rounds of interviews with a company, received an offer, countered with a request for 12% more than the offer, and had the job withdrawn, because "the company didn’t want to move ahead anymore based on the way the compensation conversation had gone."

For decades, tech workers were able to flatter themselves that they were peers with their bosses – that "temporarily embarrassed founder" syndrome again. The Google founders and Zuck held regular "town hall" meetings where the rank-and-file engineers could ask impertinent questions. At Google, these have been replaced with "tightly scripted events." Zuckerberg has discontinued his participation in company-wide Q&As, because they are "no longer a good use of his time."

Companies are scaling back perks in both meaningful ways (Netflix hacking away at parental leave), and petty ones (Netflix and Google cutting back on free branded swag for workers). Google's hacked back its "fun budget" for offsite team-building activities and replacement laptops for workers needing faster machines (so much for prioritizing "increasing worker productivity").

Trump's new gangster capitalism pits immiserated blue collar workers against the "professional and managerial class," attacking universities and other institutions that promised social mobility to the children of working families. Trump had a point when he lionized factory work as a source of excellent wages and benefits for working people without degrees, but he conspicuously fails to mention that factory work was deadly, low-waged and miserable – until factory workers formed unions:

https://www.laborpolitics.com/p/unions-not-just-factories-will-make

Re-shoring industrial jobs to the USA is a perfectly reasonable goal. Between uncertain geopolitics, climate chaos, monopolization and the lurking spectre of the next pandemic, we should assume that supply-chains will be repeatedly and cataclysmicly shocked over the next century or more. And yes, re-shoring product could provide good jobs to working people – but only if they're unionized.

But Trump has gutted the National Labor Relations Board and stacked his administration with bloodsucking scabs like Elon Musk. Trump doesn't want to bring good jobs back to America – he wants to bring bad jobs back to America. He wants to reshore manufacturing jobs from territories with terrible wages, deadly labor conditions, and no environment controls by taking away Americans' wages, labor rights and environmental protections. He doesn't just want to bring home iPhone production, he wants to import the suicide nets of iPhone City, too.

Tech workers are workers, and they once held the line against enshittification, refusing to break the things they'd built for their bosses in meaningless all-nighters motivated by vocational awe. Long after tech bosses were able to buy all their competitors, capture their regulators, and expand IP law to neutralize the threat of innovative, interoperable products like alternative app stores, ad-blockers and jailbreaking kits, tech workers held the line.

There've been half a million US tech layoff since 2023. Tech workers' scarcity-derived power has been vaporized. Tech workers can avoid the fate of the factory, warehouse and delivery workers their bosses literally work to death – but only by unionizing.

In other words, the workers in re-shored factories and tech workers need the same thing. They are class allies – and tech bosses are their class enemies. This is class war.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/04/25/some-animals/#are-more-equal-than-others

[serpentface]

DOMESTICATED/TAMED POULTRY IN THE WARDI SPHERE

Left to right: Tanne pheasants (hen and cock), kukuriku cuyba rooster, ibis (pink coastal population), and ansiba bwe duck.

---

Tanne pheasants are the only animals that were domesticated within this region (barring some tame captive-bred species that could be Debated as domesticated), though they have largely been displaced by the hardier, faster-growing and prolifically laying chickens within the Wardi sphere. The etymology of tanne is uncertain, being a probable adaptation of the Chenahyeigi 'tarrne' for the same species (which is mildly difficult to pronounce in Wardi; a trilled r followed by a consonant is awkward), which itself is probably an adaptation of a now lost word in a proto-Wardi language.

They are kept at higher frequencies in highland conditions, as they are more cold tolerant than the chickens (and the highest densities of wild tanne are located here, where they have fewer competitors and predators). Their cold tolerance does give them unique value in the lowlands, as they tend to bear rare but devastating tlat piladne winters (unusually cold + snowy winters causing mass livestock deaths, or singular cold snaps + blizzards with similar effects) substantially better than chickens or ducks.

Cocks are white with red bare skin, a fringe around their face, and iridescent black tail feathers. Other less common color morphs are white with black spots + iridescent black wings, and some populations are all black. Hens are better camouflaged with speckled brown bodies, with color morphs ranging from a light tan color to a deep red-brown, or occasionally black.

It is difficult to distinguish domestic and wild male tanne (except for rarer color morphs), as they tend to be identical save for the tail trains of wild tanne being much longer on average. Hens are much more distinct, as their color is more variable and most of the domesticated stock have red faces like the males (while wild hens usually have gray faces).

The males are regarded as notably beautiful and are sometimes kept as purely ornamental birds (their territorial calls are also generally considered quite lovely, being a melodic warbling hoot). Their iridescent tail feathers are used for ornamentation and dancing shoes. They are also sometimes used in cockfighting, though their duels are usually briefer, less deadly, and less physically impressive than those of roosters.

---

The kuriku cuyba is the landrace chicken type common in Wardi lands. Kuriku is the word for 'chicken' and derived from onomatopoeia (the rooster says "ku-ku-ku-ri-ku!"), cuyba refers to the black tail.

They are fairly small with a tall stature and muscular legs. Cocks have a large comb, thick curved spurs, and trailing tail feathers. Hens have similar builds with reduced combs and shorter tails. This landrace comes in two main color morphs- a tan-brown type shown here, and a similarly patterned white variant. All are characterized by a black lower back and tail.

They are the most common form of poultry here, being hardy, adaptable to a wide variety of environmental conditions, and capable of mostly fending for themselves. They are used for both meat and eggs but show greater selection for egg production, being relatively prolific layers for a landrace type. Hens are kept to be continuous sources of food via their eggs, and are infrequently slaughtered. A hen is a standard gift from a prospective groom to a woman's family to formally initiate courtship (though female ducks/pheasants are sometimes used instead), being of near-ubiquitous value- they can be raised basically anywhere, will continually provide eggs, and can just be eaten if you don't really need a live chicken around. This is a first indication that the groom has adequate resources to be a good potential husband (if you can give away even cheap livestock as a mere show of interest without any guarantee of a return on your investment, it demonstrates you warrant serious marriage negotiations), though is purely ceremonial for wealthier families in which a gift of a chicken isn't even slightly a big deal.

The roosters aren't usually actively selected for aggression, but are notably aggro all the same and are known to pick fights with animals larger than themselves, making them Okayish guardians against small, ground-based threats, and also liable to be kicked to death when they decide to face up against a khait. This also makes them notably valuable for cockfighting. This is a common spectator sport and opportunity for gambling, and has at least slightly ceremonial functions in some summer holidays, especially the solstice and various harvest festivals. Roosters that aren't intended for breeding and/or fighting will usually be castrated and subsequently eaten once they reach full weight. The majority of chicken in the Wardi diet comes from these capons, in part because they are more disposable than good cockerels or valuable egg-laying hens and in part because their meat is regarded as the all-around best.

---

Ibis are not domesticated, but they are markedly easy to tame and can be kept captive or otherwise easily harvested for meat and eggs. This species is naturally all-white with black wing tips, but those with diets rich in crustaceans (primarily coastal populations) develop a distinctive pink hue. Populations occurring deeper inland along rivers have few carotenoid sources in their diets and are usually white. There are typically cultural distinctions made between pink and white ibis, though the two are the same species. (Irl there would be argument over whether they should be classed as separate subspecies, as pink and white populations have some genetic distinction and hue has Some impact on mate selection among the pink ibis, though mate fitness mostly seems to be determined by other means.) (This species is almost exclusively found along coasts + very pink in the rest of its range, and the development of white inland ibis is likely a result of them expanding into habitats held by a now regionally extinct river specialist ibis).

They accommodate very well to urban settings, where they feed on refuse and are considered somewhat of a pest via shitting on everything. Some flocks remain in sufficiently large towns and cities year-round. Coastal ibis breed on shorelines, salt marshes, and estuaries in the spring. Many migrate short distances in the dry summer and autumn- some flocks move into cities to feed on refuse, some take advantage of prey availability in drying rivers (with lower water levels making prey more accessible), but most remain in close proximity to the coasts (particularly in areas with large salt marshes). Inland ibis cluster around seasonal wetlands and shallow waterways for breeding in the spring, and similarly disperse elsewhere in the summer to take advantage of drying waterways. Inland ibis populations more commonly migrate to/form fixed populations in towns and cities than coastal ibis do, so city ibis tend to be white.

There are a few different strategies for rearing tame ibis. Some flocks who maintain a consistent roost are merely accommodated to human presence so that they can easily be harvested for meat and eggs, and are often compelled to stick around by regular feedings of food waste. Some wild chicks are captured and their wings are clipped, where they will be subsequently raised along with ducks (as they can generally thrive in the same places ideal for duck husbandry without competing for food). They can be raised very effectively in rice paddies, though areas suitable for rice farming are limited. They almost never breed if their wings are clipped to the point of complete inability to fly (they will only build nests in trees), and getting them to breed/nest is still a crapshoot even if they're clipped in ways allowing for short flight. Fully captive flocks usually have to be replenished by the capture of wild birds, rendering their care a costly investment for little reward compared to just hunting wild ibis.

There is a strong cultural preference for eating pink ibis in the Wardi sphere, in large part due to the annoying, garbage-eating urban pests being mostly white. There's some pragmatic elements to this, as pink ibis do tend to be more palatable than white ones (as their coloration is the result of a crustacean-based diet, making their meat sweeter and milder than their often Strongly fishy white counterparts).

---

The ansiba bwe duck is a landrace that developed in contemporary Erubinnos, probably the oldest poultry breed here, and the most common domestic duck type in the region. The name just means 'good duck', and is sometimes just used as a descriptor for domestic ducks in general rather than this specific type. They stem from one of three separate domestication events of ducks in this setting (none of which are mallards, for fun). The ancestors of the ansiba bwe were domesticated fairly close by in the wet subtropical Lowlands region east of the Blackmane mountains.

The landrace here has three common color morphs- one that is tan-brown (shown here), one that is a rich red-brown, and one that is white. Drakes almost always have an iridescent black head with a white neck ring, hens are usually uniform in color. The small crest on the head is present regardless of sex.

They are the most valued for meat of any captive poultry here, producing a large carcass with good fat content, especially rich if finished on grain-based feed. They do not lay eggs as anywhere near as prolifically as the chickens, though still produce enough to be valuable as a continuous food source. They also sustain themselves very readily if granted access to water, and need little supplementation to their diet outside of the winter.

Their range in captivity is limited due to their reliance on water sources- they Can potentially forage enough to sustain themselves without access to a permanent body of water, but can't be bred at any useful scale this way. They are also reliant on fleeing to water to escape land-based predators, being both slow walkers and somewhat poor fliers (they will typically only fly short distances). As such, they're mainly kept in villages alongside permanent bodies of water or manmade reservoirs. As with Ducks In General, they can be reared very effectively in rice paddies, and as such have the largest populations in Erubinnos (with its substantial permanent wetlands and singularly high density of rice farming).

[kcrossvine-art]

Hi fellow adventurers!! Welcome to chapter 2! We're going to be attempting a nice lil fruit-focused quiche/frittata/pie thing. And yes, tomatoes are fruits.

Who says you cant eat totally normal things in a dungeon with definitely no monsters in them? 

You know what that means; Man-Eating Plant Tart!

(As always you can find the cooking instructions and full ingredient list under the break-)

MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS

SO, “what goes in to a Man-Eating Plant Tart?” YOU MIGHT ASKThe way its prepared in the show is akin to a frittata, but the crust is borrowed from quiche world.

Eggs

Whole milk

Bell peppers

Persimmons

Cherry tomatoes

Pitted green olives

Thinly sliced OR shredded sweet potatos

Salt

Pepper

In the show they use leftover hotpot stock, slime, and mashed up fruit as the batter ingredients. Fruit mush is easy to work with but I couldn't find any stand-in for slime that would cook correctly into what they made in the show, and the hotpot stock is just not thick enough to carry the base. It is too many watery ingredients at once. Needing a thickening agent, both gelatin and agar agar were tried. It was edible but the texture was… gelatinous. Regular egg and milk will serve for our purposes.

The next complication was the crust- so in the show its made with the skins of fruit, straightforward yeah? Well. You see it also has to be 1. Thick enough to bake without burning 2. Harden through cooking to be sliced and held and 3. Inedible. Lotus leaves? Plantain leaves? Really thin gourds? I couldnt find any historical basis for a savory food cooked in this method, or similar method, with an intentionally inedible crust. I could find a few dishes which used leaves as their crust, but none that hardened during cooking and even less that used fruit skin. I chose sweet potato skin for its visual match and texture. It is edible, and it is not a fruit.

I hope youll forgive me for these 2 major deviations as i wanted to keep it looking how it does in the show while also ensuring it tastes good.

AND, “what does a Man-Eating Plant Tart taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASKFluffy, airy, savory, salty.

The density of the eggs is offset by the crisp fruits

And the saltiness doesnt overpower the remnant fruit-sweetness

(If you eat the crust) the sweet potato brings this nice muted, smokey, flavor

Spongecake-esque in consistency

Would pair well with cranberry or strawberry juice

Would also pair well with a mellow hot sauce?

. You can use heavy cream instead of milk for a creamier batter . Roast the fruit longer to remove more liquid if too wet (and vice versa if too dry) . Smoked paprika, pepper flakes, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder would taste good in the mixture

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"A mixture of mashed up and cut up Man-Eating Plant fruit, slime and scorpion soup is poured into a pan lined with the flattened peel of the fruit and cooked before garnishing with some more fruit. Described as salty by the group."

From start to finish this recipe took 3-ish hours? Shredding the potatoes took the longest, so if you get them bagged itd be cut down. A very filling recipe and a good way to sneak veggies/fruits in if you have a hard time getting enough of those essential nutrients. The best advice i can give is to add salt/seasonings at every stage of the process, to build up layers. It makes a difference flavor-wise (even if its just salt). I advise against reheating if possible. The filling will make the crust soggy over time.

If you want to be closer to the cooking of the show, you could double the fruit amounts and mash them together while halving the amount of egg and milk. I hadnt tried due to budget reasons, but it should work with some finangling. I'll pass the final verdict off to you guys with how todays recipe turned out <333

What would you rate this recipe out of 10? (with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.) Did you love it, did you hate it? What're your thoughts on what I could do better, and what would you have done instead?

🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁

Ingredients:

3 Eggs

13oz whole milk

2 bell peppers

2 small persimmons

140oz cherry tomatoes

12oz pitted green olives

34oz thinly sliced OR shredded sweet potatos

Salt

Pepper

Method:

Heat oven to 420f and grease a 9-inch pie pan.

Thinly slice (or shred) your sweet potatoes and squeeze out any excess moisture. Coat in olive oil, salt and pepper.

Press sweet potato mixture evenly into and up the sides of the pie pan.

Blind bake for roughly 25 minutes or until lightly golden-brown. No worries if the edges get crisp.

Remove pie pan from oven and set aside.

Core and chop up your bell peppers and persimmons. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Line out on a baking sheet, evenly spaced, and roast for roughly 20 minutes or until softened. (you can do this at the same time on a separate rack from the pie crust if you have room)

Remove the stems from your cherry tomatoes, and drain/dry your green olives if canned.

Bring a frying pan to medium heat with olive oil. Add the green olives and sautee until their skin texture starts dimpling. Add the cherry tomatoes and continue sauteeing for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Once the bell peppers, persimmons, cherry tomatoes, and green olives are all done, set aside to cool until just above room temp.

Lower the oven temperature to 350f.

In a mixing bowl combine your eggs and milk, add salt to taste. If you want other seasonings nows a good time!

Once uniform in color and texture, add your cooked fruit. Stir until evenly distributed.

Pour mixture into the potato pie crust.

Bake for roughly 40 minutes. The filling should be mostly firm, but wiggle *slightly* when you shake the pan.

Remove from oven and let rest for roughly 15 minutes before serving.

[vulchak]

So. I watched the live action Lilo and Stitch. (Completely unrelated but Jack Sparrow is one of my favorite Disney characters, anyway-) The original is my favorite 2d Animated movie. I wanted to wait a couple days just to get my thoughts in order but I think the notes I took while watching are more accurate to how I feel about this insult to animation, storytelling and character

It got long so TL;DR, This whole movie feels gutted. Gutted of the themes, of the atmosphere, and of the heart. A downright insult to the original. How this badly acted, lit, and animated thing is getting good reviews is beyond me. It doesn't hold up neither as a remake, nor as a movie in its own right

Right off the bat the pace is 5 times quicker than the original. Nothing has time to sink in, I feel like I'm watching the movie at double speed

And they've moved things around for no reason, Stitch is shown first, then Jumba is brought in, which just dampens the impact of both their introductions

Jumba sounds 20 years younger and way more boring than he should, he sounds like a stock random guy, not an experienced and unhinged genius. His grammar is fixed but his accent is also gone which just makes him sound less unique. I don't blame the VA, he did great as the Lego Joker but he was just miscast here

The grand councilwoman is done so dirty already. In the original she sounds genuenly hopeful Stitch can show signs of goodness and be spared. Nope, here she's so monotone it's like she's obligated to ask him to say something

She doesn't ask for an expert, Pleakely comes running in himself. In a cowboy hat for some reason. She also has a bizarre amount of modern slang like "crikey" and "you're kidding" which feels extremely out of character and forced

She also gets Stitch's biology wrong? "Water increases his molecular density" the fuck it doesn't, HIS OWN molecular density is great, which makes him sink. He's dense, that's the point. Water doesn't affect him he just can't swim cause he's heavy

She doesn't seem to care about her own people because she doesn't tell no one to back away from Stitch's ship when he engages hyperdrive. Which in the original was also a built up dangerous thing he did, here it's blink and you'll miss it. We don't even see him properly escape anything. The guns just blow up the door, we see him running down a hall for 2 seconds, next time we see Stitch he's on the ship, that's it

Pleakley is excited to go to earth and Jumba is the one who SUGGESTS it, he basically blackmails the grand councilwoman, saying he'll capture 626 in exchange for his lab back. Pointless changes that only serve to make the story less impactful and more childish. And this whole thing goes by in 5 minutes, in the original I swear it was at least twice as long. (Edit: I checked, it is twice as long)

The social worker scene, completely different, no "my friends need to be punished" line. Overall just, worse version of the original, not much to say

Nani is now outright stated to be studying to be a marine biologist instead of the subtle environmental storytelling of her being a champion surfer from the original. Not a bad idea? But it should've been more subtle, so far it feels like this movie thinks you're stupid and need to be told everything, despite supposedly being "the more mature version for adults"

David is cringe now and that's his whole joke. He's not really endearing anymore

Stitch wrecking his own spaceship is just stupid

Lilo and Nani's argument and subsequent make up talk have absolutely zero impact compared to the original. The constellation thing is cute I guess

When Nani is being shoved out the room so Lilo can make a wish, she didn't even fall on Lilo, and Lilo's wish is worded much worse than the original. More long winded. Stitch coming out from the crash site is SO UGLY compared to the original

If I had a nickel for every movie that's got a blue CGI character crashing a wedding and Uptown funk in the soundtrack I'd have two nickles. Which isn't a lot but at least SONIC 2 WAS A GOOD MOVIE

Lilo meets Stitch. MISSED. THE POINT. OF THE SCENE. ENTIRELY.

First of all he's supposed to go "Haaaiii" after he heard Lilo way hi to him first. How the fuck does he know to say hi when all she did was scream? Second, he's tiny, Lilo picks him up. He's supposed to be so dense adults can barely hold him, how the hell is Lilo just, carrying him around? And if it's water that makes him heavy for real. Then that's just stupid

Also love how no one is freaking out about it, the lady working there casually leashes him and sounds so disinterested. Every person in the movie (except Lilo she's doing very well) sound like they don't wanna be there

They're giving Nani less to do and making her worse. In the original, they were at the dog shelter because she heard Lilo's wish and wanted to make it come true. Now its the neighbour taking Lilo, and not even to the shelter, not to adopt a dog, they just kinda. Do. Without Nani's permission which is another problem

Cobra being CIA and involving the authorities as a whole is. Dumb

Oh so Nani came up with the name Stitch. Wonderful. One stupid decision after another

"I read her text messages." People in present day still keep diaries there was no need to change that. Hello fellow kids ass line

Nani being mean to Lilo after losing the job and making it very clear it's Lilo's fault, instead of comforting her and going along with her bug imagination. Way to ruin the best big sister in your history, Disney

They turned the "Ohana means family" scene comedic. WHO THE FUCK THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA AND WHICH SLUG-BRAINED MORON APPROVED IT?

Nani being a jackass again. "We were left behind" that's exactly what you say to your grieving 6yo sister about the parents who tragically passed, Nani, way to go. Makes it sound like they ditched them on purpose

Telling us about the room full of trophies instead of showing us. This movie is for babies in a way the original never was

Stitch spelling out he has no family instead of the again, much more mature and subtle dialogue of the original

The teaching Stitch hula thing was alright I guess

Nani doesn't even see Stitch being a record player is lame. Followed up with a fart joke

Remix of Hawaiian Rollercoaster ride is worse than the original in both sound and placement. It was a personal moment for the family. To take their minds off the bad day of not finding jobs. Now it's just. Full of tourists, and Nani teaching/being at her job

Also Stitch being the one to ask to go in the water first. Goes against the story, he's supposed to be shown it's OK first, by being taken in by Lilo. But no, just sees a dog, decides he wants to. FUCKING STUPUD

Whole hospital insurance thing seems so showhorned in. Not having a job was reason enough for that contract

And Stitch not being directly blamed for it. Again. Zero. Impact. They've literally turned this into a stock "CG character stuffed into a plot with live humans" movie. And it's disgusting to watch

Jumba is turning into a villain. Lame. His dynamic with Pleakely is also fucked

The hammock scene is again just. A worse version of the original, I don't know what to say at this point. This whole movie is somehow so fast and so sluggish at the same time, it's impressive how bad the pacing is

Stitch doesn't even see the ugly duckling book, doesn't talk to Lilo, doesn't go to the woods with the ducks just. Goes to his crate??? For some reason??

And LILO finds HIM. NAH, missed thr entire point, AGAIN

Wedgie joke, butt joke. More completely unnecessary childish humor

The portal gun is an alright gimmick but. Meh. And no song playing over it. So immediately less memorable scene. Elvis as a whole is very absent from this movie

NAH WE AIN'T DOING A LIAR REVEALED WITH STITCH, WHAT EVEN IS THIS MOVIE

Stitch himself feels like a non character in his own movie somehow, he's just there to be a dog, a cute CG character to sell merch. So many of his important scenes are missing or so watered down it barely feels like the same character

Reference to the other experiments is neat but thats not how 627 is made, you can't just turn one experiment into another

Cobra being the one who turns and helps them. Stupid. He was supposed to be a good guy the entire time

The climax is so anticlimactic compared to the original too. Painfully obvious they were out of a budget

Lilo having to leave Stitch to drawn should hit hard. It doesn't. That thing spent the whole movie being annoying, stiffly animated, and frankly I don't care if it drowns. That's not Stitch. It's a badly made imitation

Oh and now they're recussitating him. With jumper cables. And he threw up the important family photo. This isn't Lilo and stitch. In writing, acting, or soul. And I swear they're reusing voice lines for Stitch in some scenes

The reason for Stitch staying before was such a beautiful simple solution. He was adopted, as a pet, he's Lilo's. But now. Overcomolicated, stupid, and again, the councilwoman used to geneunly want to give Stitch a chance and let him stay. Now she seems much more reluctant and it doesn't work as well. The mosquito thing didn't come up, Stitch doesn't let his antenna and extra limbs out for Lilo to see

David is being so fucking stupid- they turned one of the best Disney men into an annoying stock moron. Oh and Nani doesn't have a job and can't be in charge of Lilo. Sure putting her with the neighbours and letting Nani go study is fine, I guess? But it isn't nowhere near satisfying and misses the entire point of Nani's character

Not sure if there's anything past the credits, I didn't watch those.

[mercillery]

ANDREW KREISS RELATIONSHIP OVERVIEW

WARNINGS: GENDER NOT SPECIFIED + MENTION OF ABLEISM + OOC? + NOT PROOFREAD

NOTES: Andrew mains let me put you in my pocket and take care of you. And quit your jobs too, I will provide for you all.

Being in a relationship with Andrew is an adventure in patience, understanding, and love. Sure, love is a given in any relationship, but with Andrew, it's essential to navigate his unique quirks and preferences with a touch of extra care.

For instance, Andrew dislikes sunlight, so when it comes to planning dates, be prepared for moonlit strolls and stargazing rather than sunny picnics and beach outings. If you’re a sun worshipper, it’s time to stock up on moonblock instead.

Crowds? Forget about it. Andrew thrives in the quiet corners of the world, where the population density is low and the ambiance is serene. He’s the quintessential introvert, the kind who’d rather have a cozy evening at home than a bustling night out. If you’re the life-of-the-party type, this might require some adjustment.

When you first start dating, don't be surprised if he stumbles over his words or gets flustered over the simplest things. A casual brush of your hand against his might send him into a blushing frenzy. He might awkwardly laugh at things that aren’t jokes or offer you a flower he picked up without realizing it's a bit wilted. It's all part of his charm, though.

Andrew’s awkwardness comes from a place of inexperience rather than indifference. He genuinely wants to give you all his love and affection, but he’s not quite sure how to go about it. He’s learning, slowly but surely, how to open up and let someone into his world. Please be patient with him.

The early days of your relationship might be filled with small, tentative steps. Once he’s actually comfortable around you enough, maybe he’ll invite you to the cemetery, showing you his world in a way that’s meaningful to him. Don’t be surprised if he seems more at ease there, where he’s surrounded by the familiar. It might seem unconventional, but for Andrew, it's a big step toward letting you into his life.

His awkwardness is part of what makes him so endearing. Every hesitant smile and gesture is a sign of his growing affection for you. He's new to all of this, and it feels weird to him, but in the best way possible. As he becomes more comfortable, you'll see glimpses of his true self—a kind, thoughtful person who’s just been waiting for someone to understand him.

I think it should be flat-out obvious that Andrew is not one for grand displays of affection. Don't expect sweeping romantic gestures or elaborate declarations of love. He shows his feelings through small, meaningful actions that speak volumes about his deep affection for you. You might find a single flower left on your pillow, a delicate token of his feelings. Or, during difficult moments, he'll be there, quietly holding your hand, offering comfort and support without saying much.

Andrew has a way with words, but he prefers to write them down rather than speak them. You might receive handwritten notes from him, filled with poetic descriptions of his emotions and how much you mean to him. These notes are treasures, capturing his heartfelt sentiments in a way spoken words often can't.

His love language is all about acts of service and giving thoughtful gifts. He'll go out of his way to do little things that make your life easier, whether it's fixing something around the house, cooking a meal, or simply being there when you need him. These acts, though seemingly simple, are his way of showing how much he cares.

As for gift giving, receiving gifts from Andrew is always special because they're never random. Each gift is chosen with care and has a personal significance. It could be a book he knows you'll love or something that reminds him of a special moment you shared.

Having been the victim of ableism and cruelly labeled the “white-haired monster” because of his albinism, Andrew struggles with the painful memories of his past. These experiences have left deep scars, making it difficult for him to trust and open up to others. However, he trusts you and is comfortable enough to lean on you for emotional support, finding solace in your presence.

Andrew’s past is a heavy burden he carries, and it’s not easy for him to talk about it. The wounds from being ostracized and misunderstood run deep, really deep. That being said, he’ll seem distant or reluctant to share his feelings. But with your gentle encouragement and unwavering support, he slowly begins to open up. It’s a gradual process, marked by small breakthroughs and quiet conversations where he reveals his inner turmoil. Your compassion acts as a balm for his wounded soul, helping him to heal bit by bit.

And if you reveal your own issues to him, Andrew gives you his full attention. He wants to be there for you just as you have been there for him. He may not always have the right words to say, but his presence and understanding are more than enough.

He might not be an expert in comforting others, but he genuinely tries his absolute best to make you feel better. His attempts might be awkward or clumsy, but they are always heartfelt. Whether it's sitting quietly by your side, offering a reassuring touch, or simply listening without interrupting, Andrew’s efforts show how much he cares.

He understands how much it means to have someone there during difficult times because he's been on the receiving end of your support. He wants to reciprocate that same level of care and understanding. His empathy runs deep, and even if he struggles to find the right words, his actions speak volumes. He might bring you a small token of comfort, like a warm cup of tea or a favorite book, as a way to show he's thinking of you.

In those moments when you need a shoulder to lean on, Andrew's there, providing a quiet, steady presence that offers a sense of calm and security. He knows the value of having someone who listens and understands, and he strives to be that person for you. His dedication to your well-being is evident in the way he prioritizes your needs and makes an effort to be there for you, just as you have been there for him. He wants to make you feel the same way you make him feel when he opens up about his own issues: understood, valued, and better.

If you ever want to surprise Andrew and watch him melt, gift him iris flowers. He has a special fondness for irises because someone once told him that iris will turn into a rainbow and carry kind souls to heaven.

So when you give him iris flowers, it’s not just a gift; it’s a gesture that genuinely touches his heart. The fact that these flowers come from you, the person he loves, makes the gesture even more meaningful. You’ll see his eyes light up and a smile spread across his face as he gently takes the flowers.

Andrew might hold the irises with a reverence that speaks volumes about how much this gesture means to him. He might even get a bit emotional from the simple yet profound act of receiving these flowers from you, evoking a deep sense of love and gratitude. In his quiet, heartfelt way, he’ll thank you, stumbling over his words as he tries to express just how much this means to him.

Your relationship is built on these little moments, these quiet acts of love that speak louder than any grand proclamation. It’s a partnership where both of you bring out the best in each other, healing wounds and creating a bond that’s deeply personal and profoundly touching. And if anyone asks, you can always joke that your love story started in a cemetery with a guy who’s more comfortable with the dead than the living—but who learned to cherish the living soul who loves him.

[clairewritesfanfics]

Could you do the variants with a superhero reader who’s got like shapeshifting powers but stretched to like the max of what shapeshifting can be, like they can heal their wounds, create weapons from their body, increase their muscle density at will, kind of like Eve’s powers but instead of being able to change the atoms of everything except living beings they can only change their own body, I think also like her powers the reader’s powers would use up calories, so to defeat them (or kidnap them lol) you’d either have to tire them out, destroy their brain or figure out some kind of power dampening device so they can’t just change their shape and gtfo of there, and they’re functionally immortal cause they can just change their body to be younger whenever, or just alter their dna so they don’t age altogether. If it’s not too much trouble, maybe they can also have slightly skewed morals, usually they won’t kill but if they think someone is too much of a threat or if they hurt someone they care about they get pretty violent, sometimes even prolonging the persons suffering more than they need to and while they won’t stand with their loved ones if they say, try to take over the entire earth for the Viltrum empire, they will given up the greater good if it means they’ll get seriously hurt or die. (sorry if this doesn’t entirely make sense I’m running on like two hours of sleep typing this)

He’s going to take his time with you. No one has ever gotten his attention the way you have. You’re so strong! Not as strong as him, but enough to be a better playmate than that idiot Eve. You can heal yourself without needing to be half-dead, make rifles out of your own arms, withstand their hits–YOU ARE THE BEST. 

NO GOGGLES, shiesty, sinister

You’re good, he’ll admit. Definitely more powerful than 90% of this planet’s defenders. Maybe he’ll actually have some fun before he takes your head. 

mohawk, omni-mark, prisoner, full mask, maskless

What a nuisance. He didn’t come here to play. He’s on a mission. He didn’t have someone like you in his timeline, someone who actually forces him to put extra effort. Very well. He will fight you head on and take you as a prisoner. His empire is in need of breeding stock, and your genetics are just what they need.

flaxan, target, viltrumite

Dear Readers, if you have any questions or further requests, feel free to send them now because i will be closing my ask box this upcoming Sunday. MASTERLIST | request rules | ask box

[subterraneanna]

I've been scanning and restoring some pieces of original Star Trek: TOS film and wanted to share this before and after from a deleted scene in the episode "Elaan of Troyius":

At nearly 60 years old, the film is in bad shape, exhibiting substantial scratches and color shifting. The magenta/red tint is a good example of dye fading, a sign of deterioration likely due to the film stock it was shot on.

Prior to 1950, color motion picture film was shot in Technicolor, which required a large, cumbersome camera to simultaneously expose 3 separate strips of negative film that then underwent a proprietary dye imbibition process to create a full color image. Though visually stunning and remarkably color-stable, it was a complicated, expensive process reserved only for high budget productions. In 1950, Eastman Kodak introduced Eastmancolor, the first 35 mm “single-strip” color motion picture negative -- in short, a film that was easy to shoot and process, and compared to Technicolor, only used a 1/3 of the film stock. Suddenly color film was an affordable option for studios and its popularity took off. Eastmancolor was composed of a single strip of negative film surfaced with 3 layers of light-sensitive gelatin emulsion. During development, a chemical reaction produced magenta, yellow, and cyan dyes on their corresponding layers, which were superimposed to create a full color image. Unfortunately, these dyes were unstable, something that wasn't apparent until aging films began to lose their color in the following years.

The Star Trek image above is pink because its yellow and cyan dyes have faded away, leaving just the magenta layer. The information may be lost, but digital restoration can improve what's left. But because the yellow and cyan greatly contributed to the overall density of the image, basic color balancing still produces a lower contrast version compared to what the original must have looked like. The missing richness and depth seems most apparent in the skin tones, but hand painting some of the color can bring a little life back to it, as I've done here. It's a challenge because, as far as I can tell, the only remaining footage or still shots of this scene show some level of dye fading. Fortunately, now that the film is digitized, restoration can be an ongoing project. If you own any color motion picture film negatives or prints, the sooner you get them scanned the better. In the meantime, helpful storage information can be found here.

It's been a while since I've shot any film (film major), so it's nice to see it again, even if it's chopped up into single frames. I have a small collection of them so I'll post more restored images as they're completed. BTW @cheer-deforest-kelley has a great post on how this film went from the editing room floor to the hands of fans.

[stickdoodlefriend]

What I think each Batfamily member eats in a day:

Bruce: anything Alfred prepares. Something super dense in protein and fats that follows his detailed nutrition plan to support his vigilante activities. Taste is secondary. He burnt off his tastebuds years ago during a training exercise.

Jason: Diners or takeout. Balances it with a fruit. He knows the best places in Gotham where it's cheap and filling where he can eat his weight's worth of food and no one is glancing at his laptop where he is definitely NOT orchestrating any illegal activities. He does know how to cook a few basic things like eggs but he's got things to do and he'll cook when he has peace. Except. It's him so he doesn't do peace. Now if you throw him in the tundra or a difficult terrain? He'll be able to find something and grill it to cook it properly but otherwise, he's not going to bother.

Tim: he lives in a houseboat. He never considered the kitchen in his renovation and now the stove got replaced with a Bunsen burner to test samples he found on a crime site so he has no place to cook anymore. The cupboards are just makeshift armory and have like first aid kits, menus for takeout even though the delivery driver has sworn not to waddle in the middle of the marina with Tim's noisy neighbors and Tim's sketchy house that just looks slightly off to a civilian but Tim tips well so what can the poor lad do. There's only one cupboard dedicated to food and it's Zesti cans, Dick's nutrition drinks because Dick swears by them, and dog treats for strays and to bribe Titus. I don't think he ever learnt how to cook but he will figure it out if ever ends up in that situation where he needs to.

Stephanie: ramen with veggies and eggs thrown in for nutrition, Mac and cheese, anything basic with a skillet. She had to take care of herself when Crystal couldn't and her father didn't. She is highly self sufficient so she learns by watching Barbara or any YouTube tutorials for nutrition packed foods that taste good and are easy to make.

Cass: a pan to her is better as weapon to take down a mob. Food though is a rare indulgence she gets to keep so she goes to different places to try out different dishes. She doesn't cook but she likes to watch Steph hum while she's cooking and her body sways-dances contentedly to 90s punk rock.

Dick: whenever he gets time, he meal preps the quickest meals ever. Stuffs everything he made in the freezer for like three-six months if not longer because he'll forget. Is it probably expired? Maybe, but his stomach has withstood much worse. He'll have a bunch of nutrition bars and those meal replacement nutrition drinks stocked. He's used to cooking in bulk and the lesson in cooking is: if it tastes bad, you aren't adding enough herbs and spices. Luckily for him, he can store dried herbs and spices in airtight containers and use them for months.

Duke: home cooked meals with food that ISN'T seasoned by a former MI6 British butler. These are family meals made with love and care. He is living his life.

Damian: when he first came to Gotham, he ate whatever Alfred made though he did complain like a fussy kid. He still eats everything and values the high nutrition density but he will sneak in extra pepper and salt and make requests occasionally for halwa to sate his sweet tooth.

Barbara: no one taught her how to cook and she and her father ate takeout while he went through his case files and she listened on the police scanner and called in the tip lines to help solve cases pre-batgirl. She learnt how to cook during college because surviving on a diet of just pizza and ramen wasn't sustainable as Batgirl and she values being able to do things for herself. After becoming Oracle, she pushed harder to learn how to cook very well but even if she knows how to cook now, she is still bad at avoiding takeout (if she's not forgetting meals in favor of working that is).

[inmyglowupera]

Mindset Shift #3: You Need to Learn How to Plan and Cook Your Meals—There’s No Way Around It!

Did You Know?

Studies show that for the same number of calories consumed, people eating processed foods are more likely to experience weight gain compared to those eating whole foods.

Here’s why this happens:

Thermic Effect of Food (TEF):

• Whole foods like lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables require more energy to digest, absorb, and metabolize.

• Processed foods are often pre-digested (e.g., refined carbs), meaning your body spends less energy breaking them down, storing more as fat.

• A study published in Food & Nutrition Research (2010) found that a meal of whole foods increased energy expenditure by 50% compared to a meal of processed foods of the same calorie count.

Satiety and Nutrient Density:

• Whole foods are richer in fiber, protein, and water, which keep you fuller longer.

• Processed foods are often calorie-dense but nutrient-poor, leading to overeating.

Blood Sugar Spikes:

• Processed foods often cause quick spikes and crashes in blood sugar, triggering hunger and cravings sooner than whole foods would.

Learning to Cook Can Be Daunting, But Here’s How to Start:

Start Small: Focus on mastering 2–3 simple recipes you enjoy. Build confidence by perfecting these before moving on to more.

Meal Prep Basics: Plan meals for the week, batch-cook staples like grilled chicken or roasted veggies, and keep your pantry stocked with essentials like spices, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Keep It Simple: Use minimal ingredients and techniques at first. For example, a stir-fry with fresh veggies, protein, and a simple sauce can be quick and nutritious.

Get Curious About Food:

To make better food choices, it’s important to read labels and understand nutritional information. Here’s how:

Start with Ingredients: The fewer the ingredients, the better. Avoid items with a long list of unrecognizable additives.

Watch for Hidden Sugar and Sodium: Processed foods often sneak in sugar under names like maltose or high-fructose corn syrup. Check for sodium content, especially in packaged meals.

Focus on Nutrient Density: Look for foods high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats while being lower in refined carbs.

Be Wary of “Low Calorie/Low Sugar/Low Fat” Options:

Many “low” options can have unintended consequences:

1. Increased Hunger:

• Artificial sweeteners or fat replacements often leave you unsatisfied, leading to overeating.

• A study in Obesity Reviews (2010) showed that artificial sweeteners might increase appetite in some individuals.

2. Insulin Imbalance: Sugar substitutes can trigger insulin release even without calories, causing blood sugar instability.

3. Hidden Additives: Low-calorie or low-fat foods often replace natural fats or sugars with artificial additives that don’t support your health.

Reframe your mindset about cooking: it’s not a chore—it can be a fun meditative self-care experience.

Cooking engages all five senses, requiring focus on the present moment, which can have a calming effect on your nervous system. Here’s why:

1. Sensory Stimulation:

• The aroma of spices, the sound of sizzling pans, the texture of fresh ingredients, the sight of vibrant colors, and the taste of the final dish all ground you in the moment.

• Sensory activities like these can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and reduces stress.

2. Mindfulness in Action:

• Cooking requires concentration on specific steps—chopping, measuring, mixing—which can act as a form of mindfulness, quieting racing thoughts.

• A study in Frontiers in Psychology (2014) found that mindfulness-based activities, even in small doses, improve mood and reduce anxiety.

3. Creative Outlet: Experimenting with flavors and presentation can turn cooking into a form of self-expression, which enhances mental well-being.

4. Sense of Accomplishment: Completing a meal, especially one you’ve planned and cooked yourself, fosters a sense of pride and satisfaction, boosting confidence.

All of this to say, making time for cooking and learning how to do it is not an option to lead a healthy lifestyle. Find cooking influencers who inspire you to try new recipes and offer advice for beginners. Get a beginner friendly cooking book with recipes you like and make it a journey to complete as many recipes during the year. You’ll soon recognize the common patterns in cooking and will be able to trust your abilities to nourish yourself in no time!

[redflagshipwriter]

Cupid is Wanted for Questioning Chapter 4

Masterpost

Their strange bonding episode hung in a waiting breath. Father came by to confirm that they were alive, not laid low by their falsified digestive ailment.

“We are alive,” Damian said from the squashy chair, trying to verbally push the meddler out the door to his bleak office job. “We shall survive.”

“I think we can pull through one day in your well-stocked mansion,” Brown concurred nasally, from her tactical posting underneath a cushion. The device muffled her voice. She dug her arm out to point with her long fingers at the side table which Alfred had already stocked with beverages and nutritious rations.

Father touched the doorframe and his brow furrowed. “Alfred has appointments to keep. You’ll be alone for hours. Are you sure you don’t want me to stay home?”

Brown pulled the pillow down just enough to reveal her eyes. “You let the two of us fight crime together,” she pointed out.

His lips twitched. “You didn’t have a cold then,” Father protested, but his mood seemed a little lighter. He took his phone out. “Call or message me anytime, okay? If you need anything at all or if your condition worsens. I’ll keep the volume on.”

Damian snorted. “Good day,” he said firmly. He narrowed his eyes in an attempt to convey that he was prepared to get up and physically push Father from the house if necessary. 

Father left.

An hour later, Pennyworth left as well on his worthy and unknown pursuits. As soon as the dust had settled from his departure down the gravel driveway, the two detectives were on the move.

Several minutes later, they were in the room with the ancient viewing device. Brown had clearly done her research. She expertly operated the device. Damian hung back and allowed her to be the leading expert on old person activities, as she was significantly more advanced in age and deserved his respect on that count. She did something arcane that made the device spin rapidly inside the driver, black tape whirring from one side of the VHS to the other.

“You have ancient wisdom,” Damian complimented her.

She side eyed him. “Thanks, D.” 

He scowled at her from underneath his plush blanket cape. There was no call for such rudeness. 

Unfortunately it was impossible to perform a binary search with the device, as they didn’t know what would show on screen at all. Therefore, they started by finding the footage of Damian’s encounter.

Damian held his breath as the villain came into focus. He bobbed and weaved through the crowded cafeteria, ostentatious and dramatic in his movements. It was, perhaps, playful? He seemed to be dancing. No one looked at him. Upon more than one occasion, Damian would swear on his mother’s honor that the fool had jangled through another person. Density shifting, perhaps?

“That guy?” Brown pointed at the potential villain himself.

Excellent!

“Can he be seen by anyone on footage, or is there something about your perception that aligns with mine?” Damian burst out. “We must make a copy and show it to another person to gather information.”

“Roger that, baby Boss.” Brown snapped a photo of the screen. 

“I do not command infants,” Damian corrected her. “And this is no cherub to be controlled by any charm you or I might possess.” He scowled at the screen, lost in thought. The cupid shot their foolish arrow, smirked, and disappeared. 

“I can’t believe Jason didn’t notice that,” Brown muttered. “That’s so far up his alley. If anyone should have run after Cupid shooting bullets or asking for a boo, it would be him.”

Damian opened his mouth to correct her that the mall was very far indeed away from the alleys of Crime, but realized in time that this was perhaps some jest or metaphor. He shut his mouth to hide his ignorance. 

“Wait.” Brown scrambled for the remote.

He went tense. “What is it?” Damian demanded. He stood up. His blanket fell down.

“Rewinding- look.” Brown stopped the video and jabbed the screen with a finger. “This kid, red sweatshirt.”

Damian squinted. The child was alone, dirty, and in the middle of stealing a wallet from a uniformed police officer when Brown had paused the video. “I do not think it is advisable to pursue him, but if you are insistent then we can go to his home and give him a very stern lecture about target selection. If he has one.” 

“No, no.” Brown waved that off. “I think he knows what he’s doing. What I want you to see is this.” She restarted the video. Damian watched as the urchin slipped the wallet into his pants pocket, turned, and visibly startled before whirling around to look at the crowd again, looking stressed. 

Damian furrowed his eyebrows. Why? Why had he jumped, he was only facing a shop window–

“He saw the villain’s reflection!” 

“That’s it!” Brown crowed along with him. “Yes!” She pumped the air. “He sees Cupid’s reflection after you point him out. Cupid is invisible to you, but just look.” She traced the urchin’s sightlines. “He can clearly see something, he is watching what would have been Cupid’s expected path through the crowd.”

“You do not receive enough credit for your wiles,” Damian complimented Brown. Her eyes glittered with victory, pleased by his approval. “This means that I am not the only witness.” Damian clenched his fist. Vindication. “Is there a way to identify this person and track them down for an interview without opening our investigation to other parties?”

Brown sucked in air through her teeth. “If we put the still into the Batcomputer, someone else will catch it the next time they’re bored and going through the recent files. Bruce, Tim, maybe Dick. So that’s out. I know there’s privacy workarounds, but I definitely don’t know them…” She grimaced. Her tone turned a little hopeless and morose. “Neither one of us has a personal system we can access, unless there’s something you have access to…?”

She trailed off.

Damian hid a wince. She was covertly referring to his mother. “No,” he lied. If Mother realized that he was investigating on his own, she may retain the information to use in her battle of wills and wits with Father and share it at a personally opportune time. “So we require assistance from one of the more established figures.”

Grim indeed.

Resources outside of Gotham would hardly be helpful. 

Every option was terrible.

Todd was extremely trickable and would not tattle on them, but he also would not notice a woman being shot with love in front of his addlepated face, so there was no purpose in asking for his assistance. 

Richard could achieve it, but he would shoulder his way into the investigation. 

Pennyworth was an expert with the surveillance systems and could surely hide their work from Father, but his time was too valuable to use on tracking a mythological demon such as Cupid. 

Cain and Thomas did not possess any more Batcomputer proficiency or resources than Brown and Damian had.

Father was unthinkable, he was extremely bothersome and blundering and smothering.

Damian sunk to the bottom of a lake of despair. He forced himself to the surface long enough to make his most important stance clear:

“Drake is obviously the last resort among last resorts.”

“Oh, for sure,” Brown agreed, fire in her eyes. “He got Santa. He doesn’t get Cupid.”

“We may have to…” Damian fought the urge to make a face of disgust. “Go to the top, as it were.”

“You might have to fly with the other birds,” Brown said. Her tone said that she was sympathetic. Her demeanor revealed the lie: she was amused by his turmoil. Wretch. “Barbara will do that for me, but it’ll make it one of her operations. Can your ego handle that?”

Damian bristled. “I had defeated the weakness of egotism as a toddler,” he spat. Honestly. “I can work with anyone, no matter how loathsome or quarrelsome.”

Brown squinted at him. “...You mean as a hypothetical, because Barbara is an absolute delight.”

He gritted his teeth. “A guiding light to all who know her,” Damian lied, because he understood the ghastly necessity of diplomacy. 

“You’re going to wear down your molars doing that,” Brown informed him. “Alright. I’ll tell her that you want to fall at her feet in supplication.” At his appalled expression she shrugged and put her hands up. “She has done all the free favors for me that I’m going to get! We don’t have anything that she wants, and we definitely don’t want her ire.”

“That is correct,” Damian agreed. He was already so weary. He felt as though he might legitimately have been struck low by a physical illness. The concept of lowering himself to request benevolence from the witch in her electric tower made his stomach twist with nausea. Would she once again attempt to ruffle his hair? He may yet weep. “Very well.” Damian took a deep breath. “We will fall upon her mercy.”

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The future of Amazon coders is the present of Amazon warehouse workers

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in BURBANK with WIL WHEATON TONIGHT (Mar 13), and in SAN DIEGO at MYSTERIOUS GALAXY on Mar 24. More tour dates here.

My theory of the "shitty technology adoption curve" holds that you can predict the future impact of abusive technologies on you by observing the way these are deployed against people who have less social power than you:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/11/the-shitty-tech-adoption-curve-has-a-business-model/

When you have a new, abusive technology, you can't just aim it at rich, powerful people, because when they complain, they get results. To successfully deploy that abusive tech, you need to work your way up the privilege gradient, starting with people with no power, like prisoners, refugees, and mental patients. This starts the process of normalization, even as it sands down some of the technology's rough edges against their tender bodies. Once that's done, you can move on to people with more social power – immigrants, blue collar workers, school children. Step by step, you normalize and smooth out the abusive tech, until you can apply it to everyone – even rich and powerful people. Think of the deployment of CCTV, facial recognition, location tracking, and web surveillance.

All this means that blue collar workers are the pioneering early adopters of the bossware that will shortly be tormenting their white-collar colleagues elsewhere in the business. It's as William Gibson prophesied: "The future is here, it's just not evenly distributed" (it's pooled up thick and noxious around the ankles of blue-collar workers, refugees, mental patients, etc).

Nowhere is this rule more salient than in Big Tech firms. Tech companies have thoroughly segregated workforces. Delivery drivers, customer service reps, data-labelers, warehouse workers and other "green badge," low-status workers are the testing ground for their employer's own disciplinary technology, which monitors them down to the keystroke, the eye-movement, and the pee break. Meanwhile, the "blue badge" white-collar coders get stock options, gourmet cafeterias, free massages, day care and complimentary egg-freezing so they can delay fertility. Companies like Google not only use separate entrance for their different classes of workers – they stagger their shifts so that the elite workers don't even see their lower-status counterparts.

Importantly, almost none of these workers – whether low-status or high – are unionized. Tech union density is so thin, it's almost nonexistent. It's easy to see why elite tech workers wouldn't bother with unionizing: with such fantastic wages and so many perks, why endure the tedium of meetings and memos? But then there's the rest of the workers, who are subjected to endless "electronic whipping" by bossware and who take home wages that look like pocket change when compared to the tech division's compensation. These workers have every reason to unionize, living as they do in the dystopian future of labor.

At Amazon warehouses, workers are injured at three times the rate of warehouse workers at competing firms. They are penalized for "time off task" (like taking a piss break). They are made to stand in long, humiliating body-search lines when they go on- and off-shift, hours every week, without compensation. Variations on this theme play out in other blue-collar sectors of the Amazon empire, like Amazon delivery drivers and Whole Food shelf-stockers.

Those workers have every reason to unionize, and they have done their damndest, but Amazon has defeated worker union drives, again and again. How does Amazon win these battles? Simple: they cheat. They illegally fire union organizers:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/31/reality-endorses-sanders/#instacart-wholefoods-amazon

And then they smear unions to the press and to their own workers with lies (that subsequently leak):

https://pluralistic.net/2020/04/03/socially-useless-parasite/#christian-smalls

They spend millions on anti-union tech, spying on workers and creating "heatmaps" that let them direct their anti-union efforts to specific stores and facilities:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/04/21/all-in-it-together/#guard-labor-v-redistribution

They make workers use an official chat app, and then block any messages containing forbidden words, like "fairness," "grievance" and "diversity":

https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/05/doubleplusrelentless/#quackspeak

That's just the tip of the iceberg. A new investigation by Northwestern University's Teke Wiggin draws on worker interviews and FOIA requests to the NLRB to assemble a first-of-its-kind catalog of Amazon's labor-disciplining, union-busting tactics:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23780231251318389

Disciplining labor and busting unions go hand in hand. It's a simple equation: the harder it is for your workers to form a union, the worse you can treat them without facing labor reprisals, because individual workers' options are limited to a) quitting or b) sucking it up, while unionized workers can grieve, sue, and strike.

At the core of Amazon's labor discipline technology is "algorithmic management," which is exactly what it sounds like: replacing middle managers with software that counts your keystrokes, watches your eyeballs, or applies a virtual caliper to some other metric to decide whether you're a good worker or a rotten apple:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/11/26/hawtch-hawtch/#you-treasure-what-you-measure

Automation theory describes two poles of workplace automation: centaurs (in which workers are assisted by technology) and "reverse-centaurs" (in which workers provide assistance to technology):

https://pluralistic.net/2021/03/19/the-shakedown/#weird-flex

Amazon is a reverse-centaurism pioneer. Take the delivery drivers whose every maneuver, eyeball movement, and turn signal is analyzed and inevitably, found wanting, as workers seek to satisfy impossible quotas that can't even be met if you pee in a bottle instead of taking toilet breaks:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/20/release-energy/#the-bitterest-lemon

Then there's the warehouse workers who are also tormented with impossible, pisscall-annihilating quotas. Some of these workers are fitted with haptic wristbands that buzz to tell them they're being too slow at picking up an item and dropping it into a box, pushing them to faster, joint-destroying paces that account for Amazon's enduring position as the most worker-maiming warehouse employer in the nation:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/05/la-bookseller-royalty/#megacycle

In his paper, Wiggin does important work connecting these "electronic whips" to Amazon's arsenal of traditional union-busting weapons, like "captive audience" meetings where workers are forced to sit through hours of anti-union indoctrination. For Wiggin, bossware tools aren't just a stick to beat workers with – they're also a carrot that can be used to diffuse a worker's outrage ahead of a key union vote.

Algorithmic management isn't just software that wrings more work out of workers – it's software that replaces managers. By surveilling workers – both on the job and in social media spaces (like subreddits) where workers gather to talk, Amazon can tune the "electronic whip," reducing quotas and easing the pace of work so that workers view their jobs more favorably and are more receptive to anti-union propaganda.

This is "twiddling" – exploiting the digital flexibility of a system to "twiddle the knobs" governing its business logic, changing everything from prices to wages, search rankings to recommendations, in realtime, for every customer and worker:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

Twiddling combines surveillance data with flexible business logic to create an unbeatable house advantage. If you're an Amazon shopper, you get twiddled all the time, as Amazon replaces the best matches for your searches with paid results. If you buy that first product result, you'll pay an average of 29% more than the best match for your search:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/06/attention-rents/#consumer-welfare-queens

Worker-side twiddling is even more dystopian. When a nurse is assigned a shift by an "Uber for nurses" app, the app checks whether the worker has overdue credit card bills, which trigger lower wages (on the theory that an indebted worker is a desperate worker):

https://pluralistic.net/2024/12/18/loose-flapping-ends/#luigi-has-a-point

When it comes to union-busting, Amazon's found a new use for twiddling: lessening the pace of work, which Wiggin calls "algorithmic slack-cutting." The important thing about algorithmic slack-cutting is that it's only temporary. The algorithm that reduces your work-load in the runup to a union vote can then dial the pace of work up afterward, by small, random increments that are below the threshold at which they register on the human sensory apparatus. They're not so much boiling the frog as poaching it.

Meanwhile, Amazon gets to flood the zone with anti-union messages, including mandatory messages on the app that assigns your shifts – a captive audience meeting in every pocket.

Between social media surveillance and on-the-job surveillance, Amazon has built a powerful training set for algorithms designed to crush workplace democracy. That's how things go for Amazon's warehouse workers and delivery drivers, and the shelf-stockers at Whole Foods.

But of course, the picture is very different for Amazon's techies, who enjoy the industry standard of high wages and lavish perks.

For now.

The tech industry is in the midst of three years' worth of mass layoffs: 260K in 2023, 150k in 2024, tens of thousands this year. None of this is due to a shortfall in profits, mind: Google laid off 12,000 workers just weeks after staging a stock buyback that would have funded their salaries for 27 years. Meta just announced a 5% across-the-board headcount cut and that it was doubling its executive bonuses.

In other words, tech is firing workers not because it must, but because it can. When workers depend on scarcity – instead of unions – as a source of power, they dig their own graves. For well-paid, scarcity-based coders, every new computer science graduate is the enemy, eroding the scarcity that your wages depend on.

Amazon coders get to come to work with pink mohawks, facial piercings, and black t-shirts that say things their bosses don't understand. They get to pee whenever they want to. That's not because Jeff Bezos is sentimentally attached to techies and bears personal animus toward warehouse workers. Jeff Bezos wants to pay his workforce as little as he can. He treats his tech workers with respect because he's afraid of them, because if they quit, he can't replace them, and without their work, he can't make money.

Once there's an army of unemployed coders who'll take your job, Jeff Bezos doesn't have to fear you anymore. He can fire you and replace you the next day.

Bezos is obviously incredibly horny for this. Like most tech bosses, he dreams of a world in which entitled hackers can't call their bosses dumbshits and decline to frog when they shout "jump!" That's why Amazon PR puts so much energy into trumpeting the business's use of AI to replace coders:

https://www.hrgrapevine.com/us/content/article/2024-08-22-amazon-cloud-ceo-warns-software-engineers-ai-could-replace-your-coding-work-within-2-years

It's not just that they're excited about firing coders and saving money – they're even more excited about transforming the job of "Amazon coder," from someone who solves complex technical problems to someone who performs tedious code review on automatically generated code barfed up by a chatbot:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/01/human-in-the-loop/#monkey-in-the-middle

"Code reviewer" is a much less fulfilling job than "programmer." Code reviewers are also easier to replace than programmers. A code reviewer is a reverse-centaur, a servant to the machine. Every time you hear "AI-assisted programmer," you should substitute "programmer-assisted AI."

Programming is even more bossware-ready than working in a warehouse. The machines coders use are much easier to fit with surveillance technology that monitors their performance – and spies on their communications, looking for dissenting chatter – than a warehouse floor. The only thing that stopped Jeff Bezos from treating his programmers like his warehouse workers is their scarcity. That scarcity is now going away.

That's bad news for Amazon customers, too. Tech workers often feel a sense of duty to their users, a "vocational awe" that drives them to put in long hours to make things their users will enjoy. The labor power of tech workers has long served as a check on the impulse to enshittify those products:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/25/moral-injury/#enshittification

As tech workers' power wanes, they don't just lose the ability to protect themselves from their bosses' greediest, most sadistic urges – they also lose the power to defend all of us. Smart tech workers know this. That's why Amazon tech workers walked out in support of Amazon warehouse workers:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/19/deastroturfing/#real-power

Which led to their prompt dismissal:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/04/14/abolish-silicon-valley/#hang-together-hang-separately

Tech worker/gig worker solidarity is the only way workers can win against tech bosses and defeat the shitty technology adoption curve:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/13/solidarity-forever/#tech-unions

Wiggin's report isn't just a snapshot of Amazon warehouse workers' dystopian present – it's a promise of Amazon tech workers' future. The future is here, in Amazon warehouses, and every day, it's getting closer to Amazon's technical offices.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/13/electronic-whipping/#youre-next

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[serpentface]

A wild khestli bull showing his half-shed winter coat and middling, cringe ossicone (it's going to have to get darker fur if he wants to attract any ladies).

While commonly described as the 'Bylaean horse' by accounts of horse-familiar foreigners due to its similar shape, three toes (with a vestigial fourth on the forefeet), and use as livestock, the khestli is not an equid and is from a separate family of odd toed ungulates altogether. Khestli are the only representatives of this family left alive, surviving in isolation in Bylaea and two of the smaller major Urswali islands. These animals likely dispersed to these islands over a former landbridge that was lost to rising sea levels. The remnants of this same landbridge were used at a much later date (in tandem with canoe sea-travel) by the paleolithic humans and elowey who would eventually form the Bylaean and Urswali peoples.

Khestli are larger and bulkier than any wild horses, growing to an average of 3.5 ft at the shoulder and typically weighing around 250-300 lbs. They grow very thick, shaggy winter coats to contend with harsh winters, and protect themselves through buggy summers by coating themselves in mud.

Wild khestli fare best in wet lowland environments with an abundance of leafy vegetation, being found at the highest density in Bylaea's marshy west, and lowest in its eastern highland temperate rainforests. Unlike horses, they have no front incisors whatsoever (though retain cuspid teeth) and rely wholly on their powerful and dexterous lips to pluck leaves and aquatic vegetation. They fare well in marshy environments, being surprisingly powerful swimmers and well supported when walking through mud via widely splayed, three toed hooves.

Bulls are distinguished by possessing a singular ossicone 'horn', which is a bony protrusion with a full cover of skin and fur. This horn is a display feature used to signal health and vigor during courtship. The size of the horn is of some importance, but female choice appears to revolve more heavily around the darkness of its fur, which may suggest higher testosterone levels and better overall health. (This particular bull is on the younger side, his horn may darken by the time he's old enough to be a real contender). Horns are not involved in intraspecific conflict whatsoever. Full blown fights between competing males are rare (with most displays being heavily ritualized), but when they occur they are primarily fought by biting and slashing with their large, well developed cuspid teeth.

Khestli have been domesticated, and are used as livestock (with various levels of dependency) among all Bylaea's peoples. They serve similar functions to horses, being used for milk, wool, and meat. The heaviest use of domesticated khestli is among the Rodi-Byla people in the east- this group predominantly occupies the least favorable terrain (highlands and temperate rainforest) for these animals, but their intensive agricultural practices and clearing of large swaths of forest has made the areas around their settlements very favorable for the captive stock's survival.

Khestli wild range on the map.