#yippee!! i also got my melody ^^

[kurov1864]

Purson dating hcs!!

I love this lil guy fjdskhfkjds

Before we start, I just want to mention that this probably would not be 100% accurate because I think that Purson is just the cutest lil guy ever, and this would probably show in my writing :D

- Purson is... something

- Mysterious and cold at first, but once he starts talking he just won't stop. The first time you talked to him it caught you way off guard, causing you to laugh in his face (The gaap moe-)

- Yeahh, probably not the best first impression

- You guys got it sorted out, though you never stopped liking that cute trait of his

- Once you two started dating, Purson became a lot more comfortable talking around you

- He gets shy easily as well, so PDA is probably a no-go. Unless it's something like holding hands or occasional hugs, if you asked him for a kiss out in public, he would freeze up and then heat up like a supernova.

- Honestly, I think he would be the type to get shy in private as well? Definitely more relaxed than in public, but he's just not used to this dating stuff

- You love taking advantage of this, always teasing and flirting to see him get flustered

- I can see him being super supportive in his own way as well. Whenever you're feeling down, he would gently take your hand and lead you to some place quiet and isolated, cuddling up with you and patiently waiting to see if you feel like venting. If you don't, that's fine too. Just know that he'll always be with you, a silent yet comforting presence.

- Purson definitely has a mischievous streak though, and he would drag you along with some crazy pranks (Like sticking a post-it note on the back of Kalego-sensei, which although both of you got caught, it was so worth it to see his victory smile when he thought he'd succeeded). That doesn't mean that he wouldn't prank *you* though, so be prepared to get jump-scared every once in a while.

- Oh and you remember how I said he gets flustered easily? He's also not the type to back down easily.

- Then comes the competitions. You both would compete to see who can make the other person more flustered, all while blinding the misfits with cheesy love lines and annoying the ever-living heck out of Kalego.

- Personally, I feel that Purson's love language would be quality time

- You don't even have to be actively engaging with each other, just being in the same space, maybe with an arm or a leg over each other, doing your own separate thing and that would be enough to make him content

- This also means lots of little dates!! Picnic dates, music dates, movie dates, cooking dates, it really doesn't matter as long as he can spend some good one-on-one time with you, preferably alone without people.

- Don't forget that he's an aspiring musician. If you can also play an instrument? Perfect! You two would have duets all the damn time, despite the fact that Purson enjoys trumpeting at his own pace. Doesn't matter if your instrument usually doesn't pair well with the trumpet, you two will make it work, forming an unorthodox yet beautiful melody. If you can keep up with his ridiculously fast pace? That's even better. Now he can truly let himself go free, not that he minds slowing down for you.

- Oh, but don't worry if you can't play anything. Purson isn't as shallow as to not like you just because you can't do anything music-related. In fact, he might like it even more! Now he can surprise you with stupid cheesy love songs (yippee!)

- Sometimes you might need to comfort him about his insecurities and troubles though. We all know that Purson not only has social anxiety but also is self-conscious and sometimes conflicted. Whenever he starts to overthink about everything, ranging from how much he talks, to if he's making the right decision, choosing both music and family, to even if his wings are too small, you better be there to help him through it. Purson seems like the type to self-isolate, (a direct opposite to his love language if you didn't notice), so when he gets anxious and depressed pull him out of his loneliness and comfort him!!!

- Of course, you also need to identify when you can do that,,, since he also needs time to think. If you accidentally cross his boundaries one too many times without apologizing, you'll probably be given a stern talking to by the misfits (yes, including Iruma, as your brother and Purson's first friend he has a duty to guide both of you onto the right track). It'll take some time to track him down, and you might even have to end up talking to an empty room without any response but don't doubt that he hasn't heard your apology (And you better damn well apologise properly, not just a single sorry). Purson's just taking some time to think things over.

- When you reveal that you're human,,, that would really come as a shock to him. He'll contemplate it for a while, before ultimately deciding that it really doesn't change things between you and him. In retrospect, if he knew that humans existed, he probably would've connected the dots long ago. After all, he's really observant, and has already taken note of you and Iruma's shared quirks. (It just makes you all the more lovable in his eyes though)

- BUT, because of this, he'll definitely be rushed to do more research on humans. Stuff like customs, physiology, and once he finds out from Balam that humans are generally weaker than demons and you don't possess wings? You better buckle in for a lot of fussing and interrogating, because this man is going to (unintentionally) grill you for every single detail about humans. This is all so that he can ensure that he didn't and doesn't do something that would offend or hurt you in any way, and oh boy he would become way more protective of you around others. Your juniors want to speak to you? They can do it while he's by your side. You're participating in a sports/magic class? He'll be hovering nearby whenever possible, a protection spell on the tip of his tongue and his wings ready for takeoff.

-

Honestly, Purson is such a cutie.

[masterfuldoodler]

favorite(s) half•alive song and why?

This is actually harder to pick then I thought it would be, ohhhh. Okay here goes.

6. Summerland. I am a big summerlover, favorite season! The song hypes me up about summer so much, and gets me excited about it! I'll sing it randomly, it's a song I can really groove to. I like the poetry of the lyrics! The way he describes nature, and people works well with my brain. I wanna dance all night with all my friends too.

5. All My Love (Imperative). I like the music design, lots of fun sounds! The build up for the chorus and the energy is so great! I can really feel with the song and that's makes it so fun for me! Having little "shouting" moments is something I like I have found lol. Also love the lyrics! It's the kind of song I really want to wrap around me and get into.

4. Hot Tea. The lyrics and melody mix perfectly to capture this feeling of yearning. I'm a big fan of tea, and the way he uses the metaphor is so pretty! Holding you close like a warm cup of tea, such a gentle moment, mundane but beautiful.

3. TrusT. This one has slowly been growing on me and climbing up my favorites. I love the beat drops in this song, they're amazing. The light airy beginning to the song and then plunging us into this struggle between anxiety and trust. I love the lyrics, they are so pretty and hit the nail on the head. I am a normal amount of insane about the bridge and final chorus, that part is really what makes it so high up for me. It is so so good, I've listened to it so many times. And every time I gotta pause and go a bit crazy. The piano cords, and the drums ramping up, the slow build as he gets more desperate. And then fully plunged into his struggle!

2. creature. This song is so awesome on multiple points. Love the lyrics and meaning, it is beautiful! The melody is great. I love the build up for the chorus, and the instrumentation works perfectly to fit his words in moment. It feels giant and grand and all consuming. It's just such a beautiful song! I love how soft his voice gets for this song, and then loud and proclaiming! Objectively, I think this one should be first, but it's gonna go second place for now.

1. still feel. Top song yippee! It's very basic of me but there's a lot going on. I've got some nostalgia for this song, it was my introduction to them, and I haven't quite found anything like it. It inspired my art and pushed my style out of the box a bit. I've drawn a lot for this song. I love everything about this song. The lyrics are so neat, the meaning to song! I love the verses and bridge and chorus. The way the music shifts for the chorus. The clockworky ticking in it? The noises in this song are so yummy. The loving build up and the ending is so big and fun! I always have such a good time when this comes on. I wanna sing to it and dance. creature might be the better of the songs, but this is my kinda song. I love a groovy song.

I hope this was fun to read! I'm not sure I explained this well lol or if the terms I used for things were correct. I am but a simple music listener. And if you want, y'all should check these songs out!

[moonlight-coffeebean-147]

Update, Future Plans, & Twst in Tomodachi Life Pt. 4 - IDK Anymore Edition

Couple things.

One, the ask box is still open and am still openly accepting questions ^^.

Two, gonna be a bunch of doodle dumps in the future, but I will say, the next one is Usagi related ; ). The only reason I haven’t done anymore refs after Usagi’s yet is… I legitimately don’t know who to start with 💀 Recommendations are appreciated ^^.

Three, I’m actually going to be messing around in the Sims 4 for a bit. Which means… Twisted Wonderland in the Sims 4✨. Gonna take a bit since there’s gonna be A LOT of custom stuff I have to do. But now that I’m in the process of learning Sims 4 Studio & Blender I hope things will go smoothly. Expect a Sims 4 related post in the future.

Fourthly… yippee more Tomodachi Life stuff… I don’t know what’s going on in this game anymore 💀

The Newest Couples

First off is Castella and Lilia… this is by far one of the funniest to me because canonically I believe Castella is like be lowkey intimidated by Lilia. Why Lilia went for this pathetic freak (affectionate) is beyond me. But what happened before this odd couple…

FUCKING SEBEK AND JAMES GOT MARRIED. THIS GAME IS BECOMING SELF AWARE 😭😭😭😭 I’ve poked fun at the game for being semi accurate, but this is a whole other level. This was another sequence where this was the hardest I’ve laughed.

Last couple, though they aren’t married rn, Smitty & Tino. I feel like this is both a crack ship yet oddly adorable. It is very much a funny contrast visually between them, Smitty being an adorable cherub and Tino being a literal stick. I do know it would require a lot of patience to get past Tino’s inferiority complex and trust issues. Though I feel Tino being around a nice guy like Smitty who couldn’t say a harsh word about anyone is would do him good. After all, for Tino it is LEAGUES better compared to the verbal beatings he’d get from his father. Overall… oddly cute.

The Children

Yes these motherfuckers had kids. It’s by far the most cursed part of this entire thing and why I really hope they let you make the miis gay in Tomodachi Life 2. Because this is what happens when you gotta make one of the characters with the girl model 😭. Also with these names…. I just winged it okay 💀 Without further ado, in… somewhat of an order we got

Aurora Draconia, daughter of Usagi Yoshinari & Malleus Draconia

The child to one of the only normal sounding couples. She shares a birthday with Lilia. If she were a real character I imagine her to be sassy like Usagi heh. But she definitely has her father’s looks.

Melody & Benjamin Geant, daughter and son of Billy Geant & Cater Diamond

Billy and Cater were the first ones to start this madness. This was also the inspiration for a shitpost doodle that I may show in the future. Basically it was poking fun at how Melody was essentially a mini girl Billy 😂. Hell, both of them ended up taking a lot from Billy’s looks lol. In my mind Melody would take a lot after Billy while Ben would somewhat take after Cater a bit… idk, I still find it super funny how they both ended up to be Billy lookalikes.

Benvolio & Ophelia Inque, son and daughter of Elias Inque & Neige LeBlanche

They would both be the theater kids… all I’m saying 😂. I’ll feel like out of the both of them Ophelia would inherit more of Elias’ dog traits. I’m mostly saying that because Benvolio definitely got Neige’s looks…. Why the hell am I trying to apply logic to this 😭

Elphaba Hamilton, daughter of Silver Vanrouge & Theodore Hamilton

It’s hard to say for this lass since she was a product of one of the more wtf couples… besides the next one. I do feel like she’d be a little sleepyhead though.

Esme & Quasimodo Flamme, daughter and son of Floyd Leech & Rollo Flamme

The actual most wtf couple… how did they make two kids 😭 Esme would take more after Rollo, Quasimodo would follow Floyd’s style more… that’s all I’m saying about these two lol.

Shenzi Bucchi, daughter of Kalim Al-Asim & Ruggie Bucchi

I don’t know much to say about her since I haven’t played the game in a good bit. But I do know that Kalim and Ruggie are at least a couple I’ve seen actually shipped by fans.

And finally,

Marina Ashengrotto, daughter of Deuce Spade & Azul Ashengrotto

Once again, haven’t played the game in a good bit… but she’s the most recent child. I also know that Deuce and Riddle were a couple, then got a divorce. Deuce ended up with Azul in the end.

Miscellaneous

Will provide commentary if I feel the need.

The game knows lol

…I have a mod that changes the book gift to a “glock” (that’s what it’s called in game)… so I just see shit like this every once in a while 😂 (Nako’s gonna use that on me when he sees the outfits I put him in 💀)

Yuu-Core

Help. By the way that’s Tino on the right before he got his hair colored. Tino is actually somewhat fascinated yet intimidated by Billy, but I’ll go over that once I get to his ref and doodle dump

Accurate fights ft. Floyd & Riddle + Silver & Sebek

Context: Leona at this point was rejected at least three times by Trey and over all was just not having good luck in the pursuit of a partner… He was super upsetti spaghetti at lunch.

Bonus: Mii News

The funniest thing about this game

This one… was legit Billy making a videogram trying to invite people to his home to be his friend on live Mii News… poor baby 😭 he was legit bribing people with pancakes.

Usagi is the shortest out of all the lads (besides Grim), so this checks out. The perfect prey >: )

…Need I say more?

And finally,

I feel this would be a very Smitty thing to say 😭

This isn't even half of the screenshots I have for this game.

Pt. 5 will be the outfit showcase… send help 😭

Ocs (besides Usagi who belongs to moi) belong to @twistedtummies2

[homoeroticjunoincident]

slightly more put together review of PLUS by autechre:

DekDre Scap B: 3/10. least favorite. this is the only one of the album that manages to drop down from ‘hm! weird noises’ to ‘autechre please stop making these wretched sounds’. would rather sit in silence than listen to it. also it feels disorganized but that’s not rare with autechre

7FM ic: 6.5/10. could summarize this with the word ‘wacky’ or the phrase ‘kalama musi’ (fun sound(s)). the sounds are interesting and i can chew on them like chewing gum. it’s enjoyable! but not significantly good. it’s another one that feels disorganized to me. cool n good but also kind of whatever

marhide: 5/10. some new noises with this one! nice. why is their fan in the back.? <- from while listening. okay this is okay. these are just Noises. ok

ecol4: 5.5/10. oooo this synth is nice (percussion could be better but also the synth is the main focus it’s whatever i guess). it’s Interesting the synth is Interesting and the percussion is a cool accent but also it’s kind of giving me a headache?. kind of Nothing kind of Swagever not putting this on my playlist to listen to later. has some better parts. mostly ok

lux 106 mod: 7/10. i really like this synth it’s nice! first that stands out to me, i think. actually goes on the playlist <- from while listening. solid 7. it’s very calming, a good breath of fresh air from all the percussion focus, i like the melding synths, almost roiling. it reminds me of water, it’s very blue. niceys

X4: 8.5/10. this is the one that stood out to me on the first listen as really good. it’s got good accent synths/bass but the percussion and the screeching ish noise (<- also melody!!!!! it’s a really good way to do melody i think. very crunchy!!) is the real focus. i like them! they’re nice and fun! chewable even. like chip! ‘literally the sounds of a robot dying. this slaps’ - my true and beautiful mutual npdkondraki. we get more bass (?) here as well as more of the fabric covered rock noises but i think they’re done better here. both melody and percussion. it’s like if they made your fucky washing machine sound good <- ideas dreamed up by the utterly deranged. there are also some drainer noises /positive somehow. melody accented with the autechre noises we all know and love (yes all of us. everyone). except the melody IS using strange noises and IS done in The Autechre Way which is a positive!! songs that make me go yay yippee. why is this So Water and So Electronic at the same time /positive. i like how it evolves to more. dungeon noises, like distant knocking on rock walls …… and the hints of melody at the end are SO GOOD!!!! i really do love the water noises sprinkled throughout theree…. epiku

ii.pre esc: 9/10. songs that make you go HOLY FUCKING SHIT when you start playing them. there’s more of a melody focus on this one, like lux 106 mod, and the high, almost string instrument noises are genuinely haunting and so so beautiful. best described as ethereal and otherworldly and suchlike. they’re the main focus but i do like how All of the noises are done, but that’s just autechre. it’s one of those songs that makes me remember autechre knows what melodies are. wonderful.

esle 0: 9.5/10. feels like an extension of ii.pre esc that’s just a bit different, in the best way possible. i’d say it goes even harder on the high haunting melodies, maybe, with a bit more of beautiful accenting… it’s just. guh. beautiful like a sunset. reminds me of minecraft music but even Better. if it’s not the perfect song it is very close. to be honest

TM1 open: 5.5/10. here we go back to some of the earlier sounds, this is more reminiscent to the end of X4. less melody focused but still. very chewable. damp rock music. ‘tm1 open is like . fish music’ - my true and beautiful mutual npdkondraki again ^_^ erratic, but not in a bad way

[miaogo]

So I saw the movie today (fnaf movie spoilers ahead)

.

.

.

.

I really enjoyed every single bit of it, that intro (the pixel one) was absolutely beautiful (also what a banger honestly) I really loved the parallels to the games and books:

For example, the guy that got killed by the cupcake (honestly a menace) had a shirt with the "midnight motorist" minigame on it (I was so happy when I noticed that)

Also I'm a firm believer that the Schmidt's are a direct parallel to the Emily's

(I could be severely mistaken with this btw)

I mean also the "my dad couldn't handle it" (something of those sorts [I watched the movie only twice today so I can't still quote it perfectly]) really parallels the books and also kinda the games.

+ William stopping at Mike's surname? It might be either because he recognised it as the surname of one of his victims or actually knew this was "Henry's" kid.

The unused animatronics being ones from the books was amazing too.

Also the mattpad cameo? Really unexpected but really liked (it's thanks to him that I got to know this franchise in a more serious way[not counting some mentions I had heard before] .

Vanessa, I think that she might have been using another name other than her "original"

I mean William changed his so that he could "distance" himself from the missing children

So Vanessa might have done the same to separate from William (as she should honestly)

Also I think it's implied that Vanessa actually did keep in touch with William, since he seems to have told her to keep Mike away from the truth.

Really liked Williams charactization in this movie, he felt like no one could catch him, he was so sure of himself but gets proven wrong and gets to rot away for idk how long (in movie universe+if it's eternity he deserves it)

Also springlock scene (yippee)

Also I loved the animatronics behaving like kids (mostly) , because that's what they actually are , they are" just poor little souls that got forced to take that role"

yes that is a living tombstone reference, i loved their song being in the credits (also the puppets melody too! I hope that if there is a sequel that the puppet is there [maybe it's mike's brother])

Anyway I'm gonna use some things I liked about the movie to characterise my own version of the characters.

[yevnevlyrics]

Odorouze/Let's dance - Yorushika - Translyrics!

💃 yippee yippee yippee

Ahh, with my clear as transparent heart

Cant help but laugh, i cant believe the world we lived that life in

Ahh, what did i ever choose music for

i'm laughing, i just cant believe the person i was then

And all i wish to convey

This song, and these words i'm trying so hard to say

Fizzling out, flying high, taken by the wind, one with the sky

So, gone with these sentimentalities, useless, but i guess its no fault of mine

If you even still can hear, and if you still at all wanna know

Hey, at least youve got nothing to hide

Even if just one more time, let's dance all night

Ahh, living here, human, i'm done

Its alright, you humans are so dumb, and ive just had enough

Ahh, like when i flaunted that dumb new guitar

I guess I wish i could still laugh at me from back then

All i still wish to convey

winter nights, summer cries, our words that broke all to say

Burning out, floating up high, ashes of our feelings in the sky

I want these feelings i thought we'd lost long ago, to give up on ever finding mine

If you wish we'd never met, or if you would just rather forget

Hey, dont make yourself wait any longer

Because these memories can't last, till dawn let's dance

Ahh, you know its the end when im giving up on music

My memory, even fading it's gotta describe you perfectly

Then im sure theres nothing else left that i needed to do

Thats all i wanted to do

Since the days i knew you passed, nothing that matters is gonna last

you seem to be running away too fast, hey, let me set this to a melody

You're out of excuses for me,

your memory's all i can see

forget it, dance with me one last time!

Fizzling out, flying high, with all you have take to the sky

Our feelings we could never word, together we didnt need words anyway

Please think of me as a friend if you also wish this wouldn't end

Hey, you've got nothing else left to hide

So before we're truly free

I'll ask once more if you will dance with me?

　　　

[flipitkickit]

okay yippee

It's mostly akikoha/vbs focused but everyone is assigned something. Basically a world where being some kind of creature or whatever is normal, and plain old humans are pretty rare. Akito is mostly sheltered from magic his whole life and for school is sent off to some expensive private human-only school. He only finds out it's real after Kohane dies and appears one day as a ghost and casually tells him she'll be back to life in a few weeks. Silliness ensues. Okay now time to list everyone's stuff :3 cards are there just to show my general inspo for stuff. They'd probably look/dress different in canon

Also Akito believes he's an only child in this au. Ena was disowned or something for being a dragon and probably lives with honami/maybe Minori now

Ichika - part sheep, magic user, also some kind of star being or whatever (It's Okay to Take Things Slow)

Saki - not sure yet, might make her a vampire but that feels kinda boring (Dozing Off During Art Class)

Honami - maybe like a mermaid/some other kind of sea creature (The Courage I've Gathered)

Shiho - part wolf (Shortened Distance at the Cultural Festival)

Minori - angel (For "Your" Sake)

Haruka - something based off Luxurious Night

Airi - I like the idea of something based off of In Order to Create Better Livestreams/Unchanging Indomitable Spirit. Maybe like forest fairy Airi?

Shizuku - OKAYOKAY I originally had no ideas for her but now I have 2. Number one is that she's a dollmaker and created the doll Mafuyu's ghost lives in (Inviting Hands). Number two needs a little more explaining. So in this fic I read (Lost and Found) where Honami is a water spirit/her colorfes card and when I was looking at Shizuku's cards I got reminded of that. Basically from what I remember if there's a body of water large enough you're able to basically like pull her out of it. Does this make sense. Probabky not (What Is Traced by This Fingertip/Butterflies From Long, Yet Never Forgotten Days)

Kohane - half sheep (After the Climax) (also I like the idea of her in-canon outfit being the one in her With My Own Words card (or at least something similar))

An - some kind of plant magic wielder. Ive had the idea of like half-plant (specifically half-sunflower) an for like a year now (Gentle Memories)

Akito - human (Coordination in Progress! (both the untrained and trained))

Toya - part bird (From Now on and Always)

Tsukasa - something related to stars, also a vampire. I also like the idea of him having black bird wings like Toya (Together With a Little Star/Star Melody)

Emu - nobody knows what the hell she is or where she came from. Time traveler. Also a fairly popular photographer. (A Fleeting Reunion (both inspo and what she'd look like in canon))

Nene - mermaid (After Party With Fireworks)

Rui - immortal. resident weirdo who keeps almost accidentally exploding his house/other people (Tickled Curiosity/An Abrupt Ordeal/I Can't Afford to Lose)

Kanade - vampire (Burning Determination)

Mafuyu - ghost possessing a marionette/doll (Inconvenient Masquerade)

Ena - dragon (Salamander MV)

Mizuki - half-rose plant person, magic user. (Encouraged by Kindness/Trust You)

I have a massive headache and I'm so sleepy rn so this probabky makes no sense but whatevs akikoha forever

this seems so cool... salamander ena my love <3 this concept is so sick, better than any of the aus I've come up with. for shizuku you should go with the second one cause that fits her name and design more

[fukounaboy]

HOLY SHIT-! AdADYADQGF

Finally my brain lets me send an ask bleugh-

(idk what's wrong with it it just. Stops whenever I think about you D':)

Anyways!!! I have no idea what stage mental illness i am at this point but I think I've pretty much lost all morals so that's ah.. fun-?

I've had about 2 major mental breaks since I've last spoken to you so that probably why-? Eh! Who cares~

What was I going to say again..

OH YEAH!!!

I MISSS YOUUUUUU!!!! I CHECK YOUR TWT EVERY SO OFTEN AND STUFF AND I HOPE YOUR DOING WELL!!! <3

Still completely obsessed and insane about you so dw!! Im pretty sure I have forgotten how time works since I've been in my room for about 4 months now with the same walls and sheets and sounds and I haven't been outside and I sleep about 15 hours a day so tbh it still feels like we spoke yesterday-

Hm.. some life updates maybe?? Don't even know if you'll read this but yk-

Back in my flat, i got bullied and kicked out of the refuge I was in and am now here with my mum and stepdad? Bleugh.. but! I am hoping to flee again sometime soon? About 11 hours away to fuck knows so safe to say I won't be anywhere here again (yippee!!!)

I have headmates now!!! There's ÉlLolli, around 8 - 11 years old, nicknamed melody (or mello for short) and uh.. oh!! She kins my melody (hence the nickname) which is cool!! And ah. Shes fucked up to say the least? Pretty sure she formed through my medical trauma-

And rhythm!! Melody actually sorta created him..? I think she wanted a brother and boom! Next thing I know (well actually it took a while but) there's just some 6 year old just. There

He's actually uh. Musickin-? Songkin? Forgot the word- but basically a personification of the KARMA(a)DARMA album! Yay!!

Anyways enough about that-

I love you. And I haven't stopped loving you <3

It doesn't matter what you feel about me at this point.. your mine

Hope you are well!! Or happy at the very least-? Well I've said this a million times by now but-

I love you <3

WHEYYSFSYETEYYAYyayetuYEYYTYSGAYTAYEYAYTESTAYY!!!!!

Hihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihuhuhihiihihihihhii :3

Hhhhh same- /lh

I'm. Very sorry about that :(

AAAAA I MISS YOU TOOOOOOHRVRHRGRJRGRHGRHRGRHRBRHRVRHRGRHDGDH

IM DOING UHHHHHHHHH

IM DOING.

I'm v much doing.

Urgehegdhgdhebh same :3

Also. Same.

Aaaaaaa I hope you get to flee again soon!!!

N I hope you get v v far away this time :3

N I hope youre v safe wherever you go bc ily 💛

Yeye ik! /lh

I talked to Mello for a bit but my brain absolutely melted so uh

I only talked to her for like- a second-

V sweet tho :3

I've heard abt Rhythm- I've never talked to him tho :')

He seems like he's v sweet too :3

Ooh musickin!

I think it can be both musickin/songkin actually-

Oooh uh isn't the Karma(a)drama album by that uhhhhhhhh abuseken guy?

Like

Uh lemme see

HEHEHEHEGHEGRHH I WAS RIGHT

Need to listen to that album it looks v neat

Anyways ily2 <33333333 I also haven't stopped loving you either :3

I love you too :3

I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

[pjsk-writin]

So ive been trying for prolly ~2 years to name my unit and i think i finally got it??

Melody Train

MeloT for short (get it? Because its pronounced similarly to melody? I hate my sense of humour lol this is so bad dear god)

Uh tbh idk if its good or anything but ill stick with it for now since it does relate to their sekai and kindaaa their music style if you really wanna argue

also my 100cm blahaj plushie came in RAAH!!

my dad hid it tho bc its like an early bday present

- 🦈

OOOO THATS SO CUTE OMG i heart it!! and YIPPEE BLAHAJ PLUSHIE thats so funs

[tiredgremlintime]

Arc-v Month Day 3: Duetto of Duelist and Spirit

@arcvmonth

ok so I’m going to talk about three decks! Performapals, melodious, and lyrilusc!!

So performapals! The first arc-v deck I wanted to play

As the zexal era in duel links was drawing closer to its end, I knew arc-v world was next, and I was excited, I was super excited to play Yuya and try out Zuzu, I knew I wanted my first deck to be Yuya’s, especially the performapals focus one, with odd eyes and some magicans of course since Yuya is one of my favorite characters, I tried to study his deck by watching the anime, yes, I was and still am unhinged thank you. So when arc-v world dropped, I couldn’t really play Yuya’s deck. See the problem with duel links is that when new decks come in, some of the cards from said deck is from older boxes, which meant spending a bunch of gems, until last month I couldn’t have Yuya’s deck, considering how EXPENSIVE he was, thankfully I could still play his deck, I just couldn’t bring it online. it was performapal focus! Just like I wanted! Sure it probably wasn’t THAT good but it was fun :). Thankfully, thanks to the campaign that happened last month I can now FINALLY play his deck and main Yuya! Fully compatible, fun to play, AND can be brought online, yippee!!! Even though I have to play with LESS performapals, I still get to play with some! So there’s that atleast! I’m just happy I can finally play my boy :)

Now with that knowledge, you may be wondering, since I been struggling to actually play as Yuya this past year, who else did I play in arc-v world? Who’s deck did I fully have? All the cards and such? Well that’s a pretty easy answer, which leads us to our next point!

Melodious! The deck that gave me confidence again

Now, I really like Zuzu! She’s one of my favorite arc-v characters! Back then though since I was still watching arc-v season 1, she was just a character I liked. Now when arc-v world dropped and the new tier list dropped melodious was actually tier 1! Unfortunately I missed that era cause it lasted like 2 months and it took me 3 months to get Zuzu, but when I DID get her my brother encouraged me to built her deck! I did and she became one of my dl mains! Melodious might have been tier 3 but I was playing GREAT with it online, this deck actually helped me re-gain the confidence to duel online! I’m forever thankful to this deck for helping me gain pvp courage, even if the deck isn’t consider powerful anymore. And this deck also made me love Zuzu even more! So another great thing this deck did for me!

so those are my two arc-v decks in duel links! How about tcg wise? Well this leads to the next and last deck I’m going to talk about in this post

Lyrilusc, baby’s first irl deck

SO, I’m going to talk about this more later, but spring last year I started to really like Lulu, like she was becoming a fav of mine, to the point where I made a daily doodle blog for her, but during this stage where I started to really like her, my brother got the synchro storm box, the newest Yugo box! So we opened it up together, and as a result I got a LOT of lyrilusc support from it, I actually got almost all the cards I needed for the base deck! Because of this my brother suggested that my tcg deck should be lyrilusc, I was a little nervous but also excited about this, so I agreed! It took a long time for the deck to be built however, because believe it or not playing Yugioh actually cause a LOT of money!!!! I didn’t really think I get to actually play the deck, but then Christmas approached, and one of my brother’s gifts for me was the rest of the cards I needed for lyrilusc tri-birgade!!! One of the best versions of the lyrilusc deck is to play it with tri-brigade, so that’s the deck I now own!! Now that it’s officially summer I can finally take the time to learn the deck, I been wanting to play with this deck for awhile so now I’m really excited to learn! I can’t wait to see how far I can go with this deck I was gifted!

So yeah that’s it for my arc-v decks! Thank you to anyone who read this far!!

[calliecat93]

ST: The Next Generation Watchthrough Season 3 Episodes 1-3

Evolution: We’re at Season 3 folks, yippee~! We also have Dr. Crusher back! I’m kind of annoyed that they don’t os much as mention what happened with Pulaski, but considering everything,t hat may have been best. I’m just gonna assume that she took Crusher’s job at Starfeet Medical and Crusher decided to go back to the Enterprise to be with her son. Which I’m glad that the episode touches on the fact that Crusher doesn’t really connect with Wesley anymore and how she’s concerned that he’s more wrapped up in his studies and Ensign duties than… you know, being an actual kid. Whatever one feels about them axing Crusher last season, they at least acknowledged and worked with it now that she’s back. The issues with Wesley in the first two seasons is how he was an intelligent kid who felt like he got things handed to him and bolstered up despite having done nothing to earn it. S2 was a bit better, but the issue still lingered, just less in our face. But here? Wesley accidentally causes the problem with a nanite project he was working on getting loose and he tries to fix it without anyone finding out while also dealing with his mom being back and hovering over him after being without her for a year. I would like to point out that he made the choice to be without his mom so him going ‘how wold you know? You haven’t even been here.” is kind of his own fault, but I DO understand that he’s frustrated and it’s an understandable reaction from a tired, guilt-ridden teenager. That’s probably what I liked best, Wesley feels more like an actual kid who screws up and makes bad decisions but is good-intentioned and trying to both be responsible and make it right, which I think the other two seasons didn’t fully have. He doesn’t get punished or even scolded for almost causing the destruction of the ship and everyone on it, but he doesn’t get praised for admitting the mistake that he caused or directly save the day either like in The Naked Now and he did ultimately admit responsibility after talking to his mom so fair enough. The episode is overall a good one. There’s good tension and pacing with the nanite threat, Crusher comes back and gets right back to where she left off, Wesley has probably his best focus episode thus far, there’s the gap between mother and son showing them not ignoring the ramifications, the crew maintain their competence and managed to resolve the issue peacefully, and overall it’s a decent way to start off the season. A standard episode, but still promising for what’s to come. 3.5/5

The Ensigns of Command: We have Data on a planet to evacuate an upcoming invasion who do have the right to the planet due to a treaty… but the citizens won’t budge. We have a tense situation here. We have a bunch of stubbornness on both sides. The Sheliak’s DO have right tot he planet, but that doesn’t make it right to slaughter a bunch of innocent lives for no reason. But the colony leader won’t listen and refuses to go without a fight despite the land not being their’s and having the Federation ready to get them to safety. We have Data having t try and convince the colony… but he’s not really trained as a negotiator so… yeah. It’s nice to have Data in a role that he isn’t used to and him having to figure out how to navigate the issue especially with how he still struggles to understand human nature in a case where he very much needs it. The method he uses to finally convince them was not one I expected from Data, but damn it was an effective one and I loved how he got to get creative! I love it! Even his reverse psychology gambit was a good one even if it didn’t fully work cause the idiot leader is too good of a speaker, but the final attempt sure as Hell did the job. Picard’s attempts to negotiate with the Sheliak to buy time for evacuation were also freakin’ great especially at the end and I’m already liking him so much more than the first two seasons. The girl though who’’s really into androids? Yeah, while I give her kudos for trying to help Data and re-activating him after the leader took him out, I didn’t like her. She may like androids but it really seems that’s all she sees him as. And that just rubs me the wrong way. Also Dat saying he has no feelings of any kind… I really don’t get why the show is insisting on that cause that’s not true jut because it’s not the ‘normal’ way, thought he ending has Picard more or less point out that Data’s statement isn’t really accurate who who knows? Ultimately it’s an episode about how, as Data puts it, things can be replaced but lives cannot. Some fights aren’t worth the loss of life, and this was one of those cases. Also diplomatic negotiations and treaties aren’t a fun process haha. 3.5/5.

The Survivors: Well… that went nothing like I expected. Things start out kind of same old, same old. We have a couple being too stubborn to leave their home despite hostilities and the crew can’t convince them otherwise… then Troi gets some strange repeating melody stuck in her head. You know how addictive Earworms can be? Well imagine it never being able to stop and going over and over and over… and Dear Lord poor Troi didn’t deserve any of this. Marina Sirtis conveyed Troi’s growing desperation and pain because it just won’t stop extremely well. This and a hostile vessel raise a lot of questions. Why is all of this happening? It’s all connected to the elderly couple… and the reveal is utterly shocking and horrifying. I’m reluctant to even go into detail because I don’t want to ruin the surprise for anyone who may have not seen it. But lets just say that it’s not simple pride keeping that couple from leaving even when the danger returns. Oh not even close. This episode was freakin’ great. It’s pretty good but when we get the big plot twist? It flips everything on it’s head and the actor delivering the big revelation… the performance is utterly gut-wrenching. Their actions are sympathetic and the guilt and grief is so evident and heartbreaking, a being driven to despair that caused them to commit probably one of, if not the, most unforgivable act that one can commit. It’s an utter tragedy, plain and simple. IDT an episode of TNG has hit me this hard, I legit teared up. Just… damn. 5/5.

While I didn’t really watch the show as a kid, I did see scattered episodes her and there because my mom watched it 24/7. Seasons 1 and 2 of TNG just… din’t feel right. They weren’t bad, they just didn’t have that feel that I remembered from what I had seen. Now though? I’m starting to get that feeling again. The episodes, while not ground-breaking or anything, maintain quality and it doesn’t feel like it’s trying to replicate TNG or struggling to escape it’s shadow anymore. If this is indeed the season where the show truly found it’s groove, then I am excited for the other 23 episodes~!

[kayura-sanada]

Melody of Memory is literally a little filler cash grab game and the most enjoyable parts of it are not the (few) story beats but playing the songs with the team you favor (SDG, TAV, RAX or Riku + 2 Dream eaters, lol). The few story parts ultimately add up to only more setup for "Phase 2" and, in light of the most recent UX-Update, even more baiting towards that game and the "distant past". Apprentice Xehanort is also totally gaga in the scene where he sends Kairi into the ocean of worlds, 1/2

2/2 , talking to her 4year-old self as if he would talk to a fellow scientist or at least an adult, babbling about stuff a child that young can't possibly hope to understand. After Kairi "wins" against Xehanort thanks to Sora he repeats those words and frames it like a clue as to where to find Sora. He admits that he hurt her and all those she cares about, yet firmly insists he's still a part of her heart too. With Dark Road also running Nomura's really trying to make Xehanort more sympathetic.

Well, in the cutscene before the Final (music) battle Kairi does fight, or rather attack (she's very aggressive due to anger), Master Xehanort somewhat semi-competently and he even compliments her grown skills but the tide turns once Xehanort summons his Keyblade, the whole scenario indicating he wasn't actually fighting seriously before. Things do get somewhat muddy though as this "Xehanort" is implied to be a memory construct of Kairi's own heart, not the real deal (who is dead atm).

"Quadratum" is supposedly the city of Yozora while the Nameless Star originates from that world too. People theorize she might be the girl seen in the Verum Rex-video Yozora and his two side-kicks are trying to save. And lol yea, of course Xehanort monologues, there are implications that there was even more going on behind the scenes during KH 1/COM/Days and 2. Union X also toots in the same horn with its newest update, introducing a whole "species" of Darkness called "ultimate enemy" by Brain

-----

Oh, dear lord. Okay, I know you likely told me all this so you could get my opinions, so here they are, in no general order, and I apologize because my levels of salt increase SO MUCH over the course of this, lol:

1) What do you mean, the music game isn’t plot heavy and is a DDR version of Chain of Memories? What? Crazy. :P

2) How wonderful; the story had more Xehanort in it. Yay. Hurrah. Yippee.

3) “The ocean of worlds” Remember when it was just The Realm Between? Remember that? And there wasn’t an ocean, and Destiny Islands was just a beach? Ah, the good old days.

4) I’m sorry, are we suddenly saying Xehanort monologued to four year old Kairi? And of course she gets all of this now? Am I the only one who hates Sudden Answers From The Past? Because I do. I really, really do. That shit needs build-up.

5) Oh, my god, he’s actually doing it. He’s trying to make Xehanort sympathetic. Amazing. Astounding. How? HOW?! Suddenly the torture he put several teenagers through means nothing?! I absolutely cannot anymore.

6) Oh, so now Kairi is linked to Xehanort’s heart. Of fucking course she is. She was, like, the one character not linked to either his or Sora’s hearts, so of course she’s now linked to both. I hate this. Please end my suffering.

7) How wonderful that he apologized to her, the one person whom we could argue benefited from his bullshit, because she got to meet Riku and Sora. Has he fucking apologized to Riku and Terra and Ventus and Vanitas yet? And by apologized, I mean groveled? Because that’s where that fucker should start. And by the way, this is one of those instances where I’m going to remind everyone that a person’s apology - even a person’s redemption, which this fucker still isn’t even close to - doesn’t necessitate forgiveness. ‘Cause he sure ain’t getting that from me. I draw the line at someone purposefully torturing young teenagers multiple times over the course of decades. Guess I’m the weird one now.

8) Oh, sweet! Kairi’s aggressive! But wait? Isn’t that... something a person with darkness in their hearts would do? Isn’t she full of light? So... being aggressive and angry and rashly violent is something that can be considered good and light now? Please tell me we’re acknowledging that light can be destructive, too! For god’s sakes! (I know that’s not where Nomura’s going; that would be good writing and the man has abandoned any semblance of that.)

9) I’m crying Kairi was ‘doing well’ until he pulled out his Keyblade. Dude wasn’t even trying. /applauds/ Thanks for the Girl Power™ yet again, Nomura. Damn, do you hate women.

10) “a memory construct of Kairi’s own heart” aaaaaaaaaand I’m out, peace*

11) You can’t buy my give a damn about Yozora, Nomura’s deliberate cash grab for Final Fantasy lovers even though he stripped every actual FF character from the original KH3 game. Hey, shocker! 👋 I don’t care.

12) Oh kill me if it’s another damsel in distress FF character. Please.

13) Other stuff going on behind the scenes, huh? This is giving such strong Fable III vibes, let me tell you. “The man you hated was cruel and selfish and murderous, but he was just acting that way to stave off a much greater evil! That makes him sympathetic!” Shove off, Nomura.

14) “Ultimate enemy” nope I’m out again bye * = I did indeed actually leave my computer and just. take a walk. for my sanity. Which I’m now gonna do again. Bye.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Pluralistic: 05 Mar 2020 (New Pinkwater, RIP Jim Tyre, Right to Repair and covid, Radicalized is a bestseller, African Whatsapp modders)

Today's links

Daniel Pinkwater wrote a new novel! Yippee for "ADVENTURES OF A DWERGISH GIRL!"

Warner Chappel discoved a new form of copyright fuckery so dense it blew a wormhole into another dimension: From the people who fraudulently claimed to own "Happy Birthday" for decades.

RIP, Jim Tyre: The free internet just lost one of its most dedicated defenders.

Decentralizing the web is a human problem: The web needs stewards, not owners.

Right to Repair is the right to resilience: Independent repair is how we keep things going during emergencies.

Keyless car fobs can be defeated with a cheap RFID cloner: Car manufacturers wontfix a showstopper bug. Again.

Bookstores, libraries, human thriving and mental health: Books are great, even if the science behind their greatness is thin.

Copyright experts' panel on fair use removed from Youtube: A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?

Radicalized is out in paperback: Just hit every one of Canada's national bestseller lists, too!

African Whatsapp modders are outcompeting Facebook: Adversarial Interoperability is how you beat digital colonialism.

This day in history: 2015, 2019

Colophon: Recent publications, current writing projects, upcoming appearances, current reading

I'm coming to Kelowna, BC today! I'll be at the library from 6-8PM with my book Radicalized for the CBC's Canada Reads. It's free, but you need to RSVP (and most of the seats are gone, so act quick).

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/cbc-radio-presents-in-conversation-with-cory-doctorow-tickets-96154415445

Daniel Pinkwater wrote a new novel! (permalink)

Well, this is amazing news. Daniel Pinkwater has a new middle grades novel coming out in September: ADVENTURES OF A DWERGISH GIRL!

https://tachyonpublications.com/bestselling-author-daniel-pinkwater-returns-in-classic-form-with-the-illustrated-middle-grade-adventures-of-a-dwergish-girl/

Molly O'Malley is a clever, adventurous girl. She is also a Dwerg. Dwergs are strange folks who live very quietly in the Catskill mountains, have lots of gold, and are kind of like dwarves (but also not!).

Molly isn't interested in cooking and weaving, as she is expected to be. So, she sets off to see the world for herself. Which means a new job, a trip to New York City, prowling gangsters, an adorable king, a city witch, and many historical ghosts. More importantly, it means excellent pizza, new friends, and very quick thinking.

Now someone is pursuing the Dwergs for their gold. Can Molly O'Malley save the day?

IOW: this is a book with every single thing I love about Pinkwater novels. Reading Daniel Pinkwater – as a kid and as an adult – was hugely important to my development as a writer and a human being. Meeting another Pinkwater fan is always a sign that you are among good people.

Warner Chappel discoved a new form of copyright fuckery so dense it blew a wormhole into another dimension (permalink)

I've seen some next-level copyfraud fuckery in my day, believe me, but Adam Neely's tale of Warner Chappell's copyfraud reaches a new height of absurdity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM6X2MEl7R8

This is sleazy even by Warner Chappell standards, and they're the crooks who fraudulently claimed ownership over Happy Birthday for decades.

https://vimeo.com/172715640

Buckle up for this one, as it is an onion of bizarre, bad-faith corporate behavior, with each layer peeling back to reveal another, even weirder and more terrible one. It starts with a garbage lawsuit against Katy Perry for including a piece of background music in her song Dark Horse that was similar to another very generic lick in an obscure Christian rap song called "A Joyful Noise."

No one claimed that Katy Perry lifted the brief snatch of music from Joyful Noise. Rather, the case turned on the precedent set when Martin Gaye's heirs sued Robin Thicke over "Blurred Lines," arguing that the song had a similar vibe to Gaye's. Gaye's heirs should not have won that suit. But they did. And it opened the floodgates to nuisance suits targeting the likes of Perry and her publisher, Warner-Chappell. They lost the suit and got hit for $2.8m.

This isn't even the fuckery part, by the way.

Enter Adam Neely, who created a massively successful viral video defending Warner Chappell and Katy Perry, arguing that the suit was garbage. The video was so successful he went on national media to discuss the case and was even asked to sign onto an amicus brief.

Let the fuckery begin:

Warner Chappell has claimed copyright over Neely's video, claiming that a few seconds of music that he used was the "melody" of Katy Perry's song.

Further fuckery:

In the case, Warner Chappell argued that this specific musical phrase was not the melody, and was rather some incidental background sound.

Fuckery extreme:

The Warner Chappell claim was not automated. A human manually claimed this phrase of music as Warner-Chappell's, despite:

a) Them having disclaimed ownership of it in a lawsuit,

b) Losing that suit and being told by a court that it wasn't theirs.

Fuckery to the max!

But the musical phrase they claimed ownership over was from "A Joyful Noise," the song they lost two point eight million dollars over, having claimed that their song was not confusingly similar to it.

The two musical phrases – the one from "Dark Horse" and the one from "Joyful Noise" – were so similar that Warner-Chappell's own copyright enforcers mistakenly claimed copyright over the wrong one!

2020 folks. Don't forget to tip your servers, they work hard.

RIP, Jim Tyre (permalink)

My old EFF comrade Jim Tyre just died.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/rip-eff-special-counsel-jim-tyre

Jim was a tireless civil liberties litigator, a titan of First Amendment law whose entree to tech law was defending people who criticized censorware companies who wildly overblocked what schoolkids could see. He was also incredibly garrulous, funny, a born raconteur whose encylopedic memory served him well both as a storyteller and a litigator.

Jim worked on the 2600 DMCA case, he defended Ed Felten when he was threatened by the RIAA, he fought ICANN, and he was key to our longrunning suit against NSA over mass surveillance.

Jim always worked offsite. He lived in LA and had eye problems that rendered him nearly completely blind. But he kept a stash of cash at the EFF offices so he could contribute to every whip-round for a baby gift or a wedding present.

He was a true mensch.

Decentralizing the web is a human problem (permalink)

My old EFF colleague Mai Sutton just published a smashing primer on competition, interoperability, and stewardship and the world of tech:

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200228/22053744006/defeating-tech-giants-with-open-protocols-interoperability-shared-stewardship.shtm

After delivering a good backgrounder on the history of the wars between shared protocols and proprietary technologies, Mai delves into the thicket of laws that have cropped up to prevent technologists from adding interoperability to existing technologies.

This has led to a new online enclosure, with "Google" becoming synonymous with "search" and "Facebook" synonymous with "social media." These businesses once competed, but today, they preside alone, over protected territory.

But some of that is changing. Between legislative proposals, new standardization efforts, the Decentralized Web movement and its protocols, and a reinvigorated threat of antitrust enforcement, there's some hope that the web will reopen and redecentralize.

Ultimately, Mai writes, this has more to do with how we view the web than how we use it. If we think of the online world as a shared space for humanity then the technologists who keep it running are stewards, not owners.

(Image: Dietrich Ayala (https://hacks.mozilla.org/2018/07/introducing-the-d-web/) and Open Clip Art (https://openclipart.org/)

Right to Repair is the right to resilience (permalink)

Writing in Wired, Kyle Wiens makes the crucial link between the Right To Repair and resilience, especially during moments of disruption to global supply chains.

https://www.wired.com/story/opinion-the-right-to-repair-will-help-us-endure-outbreaks/

It's no coincidence that farms and farmers have been leaders in Right to Repair: when you're isolated and you're not allowed to fix your stuff, it means that you can neither nip down to the shops for a replacement, nor easily have an authorized repair tech come to your place.

Covid can put everyone – even entire nations – into the position of that isolated farmer. As Long Beach port is denuded of shipping containers, as air- and rail-links are broken between parts of the country, the stream of parts, replacement units and technicians stops.

A key principle of resilience is to put resources at the edge, replacing hub-and-spoke models with point-to-point, peer-to-peer ones that infuse the system with redundancy. Neoliberalism hates redundancy and equates it with wastefulness.

https://twitter.com/doctorow/status/1228326004508151808

But redundancy is the key to graceful failure-modes. Limiting repairs to authorized service centers works well (reliable, and certainly great for shareholders), but it fails very, very badly. Right to Repair is how our hospitals, schools, infrastructure maintenance, first responder and other vital services will keep the lights on if things go horribly wrong. Resiliency may be bad for shareholder value, but it's vital to human survival.

Keyless car fobs can be defeated with a cheap RFID cloner (permalink)

Toyota, Hyundai and Kia keyless ignition fobs can be cloned by attackers who get within a few inches of your pocket (say, at a conference), thanks to implementation errors that the auto-makers made with their Texas Instruments DST80 security systems.

https://www.wired.com/story/hackers-can-clone-millions-of-toyota-hyundai-kia-keys/

All you need is a Proxmark RFID scanner, which retails for about $300. That's more than the range-extenders used to steal cars from out front of targets' homes, but unlike those attackers, fob-cloners can start and stop the car as often as they like.

https://hackerwarehouse.com/product/proxmark3-rdv4-kit/

The researchers who did this work come from KU Leuven and the University of Birmingham. Their paper is great:

https://tches.iacr.org/index.php/TCHES/article/view/8546/8111

The attack on its own does not let you start the cars. All it does is disable the immobilizer that stopped people from hot-wiring the ignition system with a screwdriver.

"You're downgrading the security to what it was in the '80s." -Flavio Garcia, University of Birmingham.

The implementation mistakes by the car companies are embarrassingly basic. Kia and Hyundai's implementation only has 24 bits of randomness ("a couple milliseconds with a laptop"). Toyota uses a serial number as a seed, then transmits that serial number in the clear. The companies, naturally, are saying it's no biggie. Toyota claims the attack requires "a highly specialized device that is not commonly available on the market." This just isn't true. I found it with literally one search.

None of the vendors have offered to fix the problem for drivers who bring their cars to garages.

It's depressing, but at least now you know whether you can trust your car's security.

"It's better to be in a place where we know what kind of security we're getting from our security devices. Otherwise, only the criminals know." -Flavio Garcia.

Bookstores, libraries, human thriving and mental health (permalink)

I love Lydia Smith's hymn to the mental health benefits of books, libraries and reading (even if I think the science is less than convincing)

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/transformation/how-books-and-bookshops-improve-our-mental-health-and-why-we-must-protect-them/

Reading fiction definitely stretches your empathy. For a novel to work, you have to be invested in the lives of people who don't even exist. The death of the yogurt you digested with breakfast this morning is technically more tragic than the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. The yogurt was really alive and now it's really dead. Romeo and Juliet neither lived nor died. Fiction reading is varsity-level empathy!

I agree that the traditional fiction arc – adversity met and overcome – can lighten a dark day. I turn to Kim Stanley Robinson's "Pacific Edge" whenever I'm blue for that reason. I even played a small role in getting adapted for DRM-free audio.

https://boingboing.net/2015/01/15/audio-edition-of-pacific-edge.html

(Pacific Edge was just reissued as a "Tor Essential" in an omnibus with the other two "Californias" novels, sporting a fabulous intro by Francis Spufford. Run, don't walk!)

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250307569

It's also utterly true that books are a path to resilience and self-reliance, filled as they can be with how-tos, analysis and technical knowledge. As the Whole Earth Catalogues used to have it, "Access to tools and ideas."

(It must be said that the net is infinitely better at this than print books, provided you can get online. The use of a time-transported town library to jumpstart post-industrial civilization during the 30 Years War in Eric Flint's 1632 is delightful)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1632_(novel)

Libraries, of course, are the last place in our civilization where you are welcomed because you are a human being, not because you are an ambulatory wallet. Librarians, resist the urge to call people "customers." They're "patrons." That's far more dignified (and accurate).

And working in a bookstore is certainly therapeutic, for certain values of therapy. It can be a grind, but OMG is it ever great connecting people with books that you love and watching them fall in love, too. Generally I'm in accord with the essay. I just don't think the studies cited are of very high quality and/or recency.

It's OK to say, "I love bookstores and libraries because they're fabulous" without having to provide evidence for that fabulousness.

Copyright experts' panel on fair use removed from Youtube (permalink)

NYU law school's Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy held a symposium on copyright and the net with a panel on "when one song infringes the copyright of another and to prove if the accused song is 'substantially similar' enough to be illegal."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVQTz65Bq70

The video of the panel was taken down from Youtube after multiple copyright complaints from rightsholders who claimed that the brief clips, chosen by America's leading copyright experts as being fair use, were infringing.

https://www.law.nyu.edu/centers/engelberg/news/2020-03-04-youtube-takedown

These clips weren't just fair use; they'd been chosen by top legal scholars to illustrate what fair use was.

The rightsholder reps who issued the takedown claims for these videos did so manually – that is, these complaints were not automatically generated.

In the grand tradition of copyfraud fuckery, when the law professors appealed, the rights enforcement dimbulbs (trained on xeroxed procedures in three-ring binders) reasserted their claims, putting the law school at risk of losing its Youtube account.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/05/warner-chappell-copyfraud#warnerchappell

The law profs knew they had the law on their side, but they weren't ready to appeal, because if they lost their appeal, they'd get a Youtube "copystrike," which could also cost them their accounts. And since there were multiple claims, they weren't sure if they'd get multiple strikes by appealing. Youtube's docs don't make this clear, and going through Youtube channels yielded nothing but radio silence.

Now, these are eminent law professors at a top university, so they were able to make some insider calls to Youtube, who lifted the complaints altogether and reinstated the video. But no one ever clarified the multiple-claims/multiple copystrike procedure.

Moral: When it comes to Youtube, it doesn't matter if you're a nationally recognized copyright expert. You can't argue with anonymous, hamfisted rights-enforcer assholes to assert your speech rights. The only way to guarantee those rights is to know someone on the inside.

Radicalized is out in paperback (permalink)

My book Radicalized, a collection of four science fiction novellas, just came out in paperback!

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250229250

It's quite a week for the book! It's a finalist for Canada Reads, one of Canada's national book prizes, and the paperback immediately hit all of Canada's national bestseller lists!

I'm especially delighted to make the indie stores' bestseller list:

https://www.cbc.ca/books/the-bestselling-canadian-books-for-the-week-of-feb-23-29-2020-1.5484366

It's headlining the Toronto Star's list:

https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2020/03/04/toronto-star-bestsellers-for-the-week-ending-march-4-2020.html

And there's one more national bestseller list that it's hit, but I can't name it until later this week, when it's published. But yeah, it's a hell of a week!

African Whatsapp modders are outcompeting Facebook (permalink)

Whatsapp is more popular than Facebook in Africa – but unauthorized, souped-up, third-party mods of Whatsapp are more popular still.

https://qz.com/africa/1804859/fake-whatsapp-app-more-popular-than-facebook-instagram-in-africa/

African software developers have modified the Whatsapp app to make it suitable to local users. The mods are transmitted from person to person, and sideloaded onto mobile devices.

The king of mods is GB Whatsapp, which allows for multiple accounts on a single device, ups file-transmissions from 16MB to 50MB, and includes privacy features like masking when you're online. GB Whatapp alone has more African users than the Facebook app.

All these mods communicate with users of the stock Whatapp system and with each other. They're tremendous examples of #AdversarialInteroperability, where hackers give users better, situation-appropriate tools without asking an incumbent's permission.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability

They really cleanly illustrate how Adversarial Interop defeats network effects by using it against incumbents. The fact that Whatsapp is the most popular app in Africa is an ADVANTAGE for Whatapp modders: they get to treat every Whatsapp user as a potential customer. These mods also show how Adversarial Interop is key to technological self-determination. Rather than meekly submitting to digital colonialism, modders ignore the choices and preferences of a massive US firm and its shareholders and deliver local solutions for local people.

Facebook's response is predictable. Mods violate our terms of service. Modders are crooks. Users caught using mods face bans.

Modders just tell their users to sign up with secondary phone numbers to avoid bans.

Colonial American industry enjoyed a huge advantage over UK rivals because it disregarded UK patents and copyrights, allowing American firms to leapfrog the former colonial masters. Now that it is a net exporter of tech, it expects foreign countries to respect its rules.

This day in history (permalink)

#5yrsago Justice Department issues "scorching" report on Ferguson's Police Department https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/03/ferguson-cops-routinely-block-public-from-filming-them-doj-says/

#5yrsago Matt Haughey retires from Metafilter https://metatalk.metafilter.com/23626/Sixteen-Years

#1yrago The NSA has reportedly stopped data-mining Americans' phone and SMS records https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/04/us/politics/nsa-phone-records-program-shut-down.html

#1yrago Jibo the social robot announces that its VC overlords have remote-killswitched it, makes pathetic farewell address and dances a final step https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2019/3/4/18250104/jibo-social-robot-server-shutdown-offline-dead

#1yrago BATHDOOM: A Doom level based on a terrible bathroom remodel https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/eveknn/the-hot-new-doom-mod-is-a-nightmare-diy-bathroom-renovation-bathdoom

#1yrago The People's Republic of Walmart: how late-stage capitalism gives way to early-stage fully automated luxury communism https://boingboing.net/2019/03/05/walmart-without-capitalism.html

#1yrago History is made: petition opposing the EU's #Article13 internet censorship plan draws more signatures than any petition in EU history https://www.change.org/p/european-parliament-stop-the-censorship-machinery-save-the-internet

#1yrago London councils plan to slash benefit payments with an "anti-fraud" system known to have a 20% failure rate https://news.sky.com/story/thousands-face-incorrect-benefit-cuts-from-automated-fraud-detector-11651031

#1yrago America is not "polarized": it's a land where a small minority tyrannize the supermajority https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/05/opinion/oppression-majority.html

Colophon (permalink)

Today's top sources: Carl Sondrol (https://twitter.com/sondrol), Naked Capitalism (https://nakedcapitalism.com/), JWZ (https://www.jwz.org/blog/), Danny O'Brien (oblomovka.com/)

Hugo nominators! My story "Unauthorized Bread" is eligible in the Novella category and you can read it free on Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/unauthorized-bread-a-near-future-tale-of-refugees-and-sinister-iot-appliances/

Upcoming appearances:

Canada Reads Kelowna: March 5, 6PM, Kelowna Library, 1380 Ellis Street, with CBC's Sarah Penton https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/cbc-radio-presents-in-conversation-with-cory-doctorow-tickets-96154415445

Currently writing: I just finished a short story, "The Canadian Miracle," for MIT Tech Review. It's a story set in the world of my next novel, "The Lost Cause," a post-GND novel about truth and reconciliation. I'm getting geared up to start work on the novel now, though the timing is going to depend on another pending commission (I've been solicited by an NGO) to write a short story set in the world's prehistory.

Currently reading: Just started Lauren Beukes's forthcoming Afterland: it's Y the Last Man plus plus, and two chapters in, it's amazeballs. Last month, I finished Andrea Bernstein's "American Oligarchs"; it's a magnificent history of the Kushner and Trump families, showing how they cheated, stole and lied their way into power. I'm getting really into Anna Weiner's memoir about tech, "Uncanny Valley." I just loaded Matt Stoller's "Goliath" onto my underwater MP3 player and I'm listening to it as I swim laps.

Latest podcast: Disasters Don't Have to End in Dystopias: https://craphound.com/podcast/2020/03/01/disasters-dont-have-to-end-in-dystopias/

Upcoming books: "Poesy the Monster Slayer" (Jul 2020), a picture book about monsters, bedtime, gender, and kicking ass. Pre-order here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626723627?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_medium=socialpost&utm_term=na-poesycorypreorder&utm_content=na-preorder-buynow&utm_campaign=9781626723627

(we're having a launch for it in Burbank on July 11 at Dark Delicacies and you can get me AND Poesy to sign it and Dark Del will ship it to the monster kids in your life in time for the release date).

"Attack Surface": The third Little Brother book, Oct 20, 2020.

"Little Brother/Homeland": A reissue omnibus edition with a very special, s00per s33kr1t intro.

[flamboyant-king]

Hello, have the scripts for comics I wanted to make when I first started using Lewn, got L!Azura, Taku got brave bow+, and Joji ‘retired.’ But, you know, my hands can only draw so much.

So this is context for comics and relations at the moment, in case yall are lost since I didn’t DRAW THESE.

--Jeorge meets Lewyn--

(Game context: During a grand conquest, my units were dying left and right because of poor placement. Lewyn was trapped behind a wall so he would only defeat the units that spawned right in front of it. Jeorge got closest to the fortress, but he couldn’t kill the Corrin standing there in one hit. So I used his turn to break down the wall and Lewyn hath been released.)

Jeorge: [running towards the fort] Where the Hel is everyone.

[aims at Corrin]

Jeorge: Damn. [Stops in front of a wall] Her defense is too high.

[melody playing from behind the wall]

Jeorge: ...Lewyn?

Lewyn: How are you, Jeorge?

Jeorge: Have you been hiding there this whole time?

Lewyn: I can’t believe you think that lowly of me.

Lewyn: The area you’re standing in is empty because of me.

Jeorge: [patting the wall] Well, I need more than one area cleared by you.

[one brick pushed out and the wall crumbles]

Lewyn: Now, why did you go and do that...

Jeorge: [pointing behind to Corrin] Get rid of her, please. 

Lewyn: Only because you asked so nicely~

[meanwhile]

--New Bow--

(Game context: I gave Taku brave bow because... Idk seemed like a good idea. he’s like not fast at all but I was giving him a lot of bows)

Gordin: KOUHAI! TAKUMI KOUHAI!

Takumi: I told you not to call me that.

Gordin: Then what do I call you?

Takumi: MY NAME.

Gordin: Okay! I have gift for you, from senpai to Takumi!

Takumi: Brave bow?

Gordin: You said that you’re fighting for two. That means twice as many arrows!

Takumi: Oh...thanks. I’ve never really used this before.

Gordin: [GASP] THAT MEANS I HAVE TO TEACH YOU!

Takumi: No, you do--

Gordin: I AM YOUR SENSEI, YOU ARE MY STUDENT! 

Takumi: He’s not listening...

--New Training--

Gordin: [pacing about] This is all so sudden. From senpai to sensei in a blink of an eye. 

[turns around]

Gordin: Since you know all the things Mr. Jeorge has taught me, that means I have to teach you my own methods!

Takumi: Yippee?

Gordin: [rubbing chin] The leaf thing is outdated. That means I must make a new curriculum.

Gordin: Shoot through here. [okay hand]

Takumi: What?

Gordin: It’s just like a target except with the risk of injury.

Takumi: I’m not doing that.

Gordin: Do you have confidence in your aim!

Takumi: I do but the risks are to--

Gordin: DO IT!

[shoots arrow right into gordin’s palm]

Gordin: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Takumi: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Gordin and Takumi screaming in the background]

Niles: [behind a tree] Ah, so Jeorge was actually a babysitter...

--The Real Doubler--

Lucius: What are you two doing? You’re lucky Leon came and got me!

Leon: If I didn’t get you, Niles would have just let them stand there screaming for hours.

Niles: And I would be laughing for all those hours.

Gordin: [sobbing] I’m sorry Takumi, I’m a terrible teacher. How can I teach without my good hand!?

Takumi: Eh...you were just excited to help me. I really appreciate you giving me your bow. Maybe we can train together when you’re all better.

Takumi: As equals, not student and...sensei.

Gordin: That sounds nice. But if I can’t teach you won’t be able to shoot double the arrows.

Kravice: [offscreen] That’s where you’re wrong!

Kravice: [on Legendary Azura’s ride] Sup guys, guess who finally learned the importance of dancers!

[a day, maybe, later]

--Aether Keep Rearrangement--

(Game context: Aether Keep editing is fun, just nothing but traps.)

Lewyn: Hello, Jeorge, enjoying your “break?”

Jeorge: Barely. I still hold the job as representative, so I still have to deliver messages to other realms, assist in gauntlets, and defend this place from invaders.

Lewyn: At least it’s cozy up here. [counting on his fingers] Got an inn, a park, places to shop, hot springs, and a library. What’s really missing is somewhere to eat.

Jeorge: It’s far from relaxing. The set up of this place changes constantly. Not to mention the traps.

Lewyn: What tra-- [Lewyn promptly falling through a trap door]

Jeorge: Lewyn!

--

Lewyn: [freaking out] WHY IS THAT THERE!? WHY IS THAT JUST THERE!?

Jeorge: Blame Kravice. He says it’s ‘fun.’

Kravice: [offscreen] I actually said ‘funny.’ 

Kravice: [on Azura’s ride] I get a lot of great snap shots with all my set ups.

Kravice: [turning around the tacticians tablet revealing a photo of Lewyn on top of Jeorge] Who do you think would benefit more from this? Anna or Nina?

Lewyn & Jeorge: >:^\

[A week or so later]

--Quadrupler--

[four arrows in the target]

Gordin: And in one swift motion you’ve shot 4 arrows into your foe’s back!

Takumi: I honestly thought my hands would be too small to hold all the arrows.

Gordin: If I can do it, so can you! [jazz hands]

Kravice: [offscreen] Taku!

Kravice: [Azura safely lands her horsey] I need you to come with me!

Takumi: You...need me for something?

Kravice: I’m gonna nab me another Michalis, so I need some fliers

Takumi: But we learned last time that arrows have no effect on him.

Kravice: [sparkle] That’s why we have Azura.

--XD--

[in the skies]

Ryoma: Takumi, you’ll have to take care of Michalis.

Takumi: But why? You’re more suited for this.

Ryoma: Look around you, Takumi, this is the only viable option.

[cuts to Michalis covered in arrows with hp bar at exactly half] 

Takumi: Even with Azura’s boost and all these arrows, I barely got him to half HP

Azura: <:^) Cheer up, okay. [gives taku another turn]

Takumi: [zoom in on stats] :0

Takumi: [turns to azura] XD

Azura: ....Okay, maybe tone it down a bit. [that finger pinch thing]

(game context: I have a video of a damaged taku getting danced by azura and it’s just exactly this)

--New Rep--

[Krav barging through the front doors, triumphant]

Kravice: Oh baby! I can’t believe my strategy actually worked! Good job out there, Taku!

Takumi: I...I gotta go! [runs away, redfaced]

Kravice: Compliments really do drive him crazy...

Alfonse: Kravice, I have urgent news.

Kravice: Okay? What is it.

Alfonse: Jeorge is stepping down as our representative.

Kravice: WHAT! BUT WHY!

Alfonse: He said...he’s tired of you.

Kravice: ...ouch...

Alfonse: We need a new representative. Someone who can bring up morale and encompasses the spirit of our castle!

--Camus’s Tit--

Kravice: [pacing the tactic’s room] I started learning to strategize for him and now he’s bailing like that!

Alfonse: I don’t think your tactics are the only reason. 

Kravice: I’ve done nothing but give him the worlds!

Alfonse: Well you’ve also killed him over two hundred times and fatally injured him twice that much

Kravice: But that’s less frequent now that I’m strategizing!

Alfonse: To be honest, Jeorge tolerated you much longer than I could’ve under your orders.

Kravice: What are you trying to say, Al.

Alfonse: You are...you...should really consider finding a new representative.

Kravice: Fucking! Camus’s Tit!

(context: That was my ingame name for a bit pshs)

--

[nowaki’s castle]

Nowaki: Hello--

Camus: [one(1) boob exposed] I have come with greetings from afar.

Nowaki: [slowly closes door]

--

(watching from afar)

Alfonse: I don’t think--

Kravice: Why do you take things so literally! 

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

I didn’t write a script for these next parts but here’s what was gonna happen:

Sentimental stuff, Jeorge passes the torch of representative to Taku, Krav approves, big ol ModFam moment and Party.

Month or so later, Jeorge starts getting bored just relaxing in the Aether keep and wants to travel still. He finds out he’s going to be in a gauntlet, and since Taku is representative at the moment, he’s the one to assist Jeorge in the gauntlet. You all know what happened with the gauntlet. <3

Jeorge comes back out of retirement but only for guantlets and just scouting worlds. He has an attachment to gauntlets pssh. Taku vows to protect him from getting hurt. They agree to be equals and protect each other when Jeorge decides to join battle.

For now, Jeorge chills in the Aether Keep with the Reserves (Lucius, BK, Lewn, L!Azura, etc) aka: units I use when I have to because they’re actually kind of built. Although, I’m using Lewn more and more because of his stupid infinite.

That’s how the plot/timeline is going so far. I have so much story to tell but agh my hands, but I hope these scripts are good enough context for why character focus and groupings are shifting and stuff.

[karlawithakay]

I was lured into buying toys

Sooo..to start off, I am already twenty four years old running to twenty five and I was lured into buying toys, toys that Mcdonald's has recently released---the ADVENTURE TIME collectibles! Yippee yaaayy! I mean how couldn't I?

So here they are!

Finn the Human. My boyfriend actually got me my first toy as an apology hahahaha

Finn is actually a miniature maze with 6 mazes to choose from.

Jake the Dog.

Among them, Jake is my favorite. He's a mini tic-tac-toe games which means I need to play it with somebody. Hint: it's gonna be Kit, my boyfriend. Hahaha!

Marceline the Vampire Queen and Lumpy Space Princess

Marceline has three buttons which plays different guitar melodies. Mix it up altogether and voila! You're a maestro of your own tune. Meanwhile, Lumpy brings you back to a nostalgia since she is water ring toss toy.

Beemo. This cutie comes with puzzle pieces which flips into beemo's emoticons. Check this out

Princess Bubblegum and Ice King. These two are both little pinball games that can fit it your pocket. Isn't that neat?

And the last one,

Lady Rainicorn. It comes with a multicolored color pencil and few sheets to color on, hence a handy coloring toy.

All in all I have eight which means having collected them all and also no tummy was harmed during the collection process. 😂😂😂

[thesweatycollectiontyrant]

The Act

What could go wrong with Liza Minnelli in a star vehicle role? Hopefully nothing? I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Here’s The Act.

Background Info

I know absolutely nothing about this show other than that it stars Liza Minnelli, so this should be a fun ride. Also, as of right now, I am unable to find a score to follow along with, so that makes it even more fun. Here’s a synopsis I found on Samuel French (which offers performance rights):

Liza Minelli took Broadway by storm in this "concept musical" about a Las Vegas nightclub performer named Michelle Craig, a has been movie star now trying to make a comeback. All the terrific Kander and Ebb songs are sung by Michelle, making this an amazing tour de force for a performer. 

Writers

John Kander and Fred Ebb wrote this musical. They also wrote mega hits such as Chicago, Cabaret, and the ever-performed (by high schools in my hometown area) Curtains. 

Character List

Couldn’t find descriptions, but here are the characters.

MICHELLE CRAIG (Mezzo-Soprano) 

LENNY KANTER (Spoken) - 

NAT SCHREIBER (Spoken) - 

DAN CONNORS (Spoken) - 

ARTHUR (?)

CHARLEY PRICE (Spoken) -

MOLLY CONNORS (?)

This is the most pitiful list I ever did do. Sorry y’all lol

Who’s Singing?

The Original Broadway Cast Recording features Liza Minnelli as Michelle Craig, Christopher Barrett as Lenny Kanter, Arnold Soboloff as Nat Schreiber, Barry Nelson as Dan Connors, Roger Minami as Arthur, Mark Goddard as Charley Price, and Gayle Crofoot as Molly Connors.

Let’s Do This

So it took me like three weeks to get the score for this show but I FINALLY have it so we can do this.

Similarly to how I did 35MM, I’ll be going in the order of the licensed version/score. Songs will be out of order from the cast recording, but they’ll all be present. Like Liza’s stage presence. VERY present.

This opening number, “Shine It On” hath begun and I’m halfway through it and had to pause it so I can just say what is happening right now in this moment. I don’t know how I feel right now. The ending is crazy fun and Liza is just doin her thang with her backup singers.

Next is a nice ballad, that in my opinion, is my favorite thing to hear Liza sing. It’s called “It’s the Strangest Thing”. I just love her jazzy voice on some of these phrases. The (kind of) wacky vibrato she has at the end of some lines, all of it. It just makes me smile so much. I love Liza’s voice on this song with everything in me.

Next is “Bobo’s” which is yet another number where Liza sings a Liza song. Really jazzy, really fun. This could probably be considered a patter song in some spots. Also, Michelle’s (Liza’s) songs are consistently being put in the Tenor clef (not the actual C clef, nerds, the treble clef with the 8 underneath, a la Madame Leonora Armfeldt, or Desiree in The Glamorous Life.) At this point in the recording, I wish I had a script to follow along with so I could understand what’s really going on and if this has any significance to the story, or if it’s during the meta part of the show, like literally any Kander and Ebb show. Just when you think it’s almost over and there’s literally an ending, the song starts again. Yippee. Bobo’s better be a really special place.

“Turning” begins with a pseudo-quote of Simple Gifts and a nice little chorale of *more than likely* ensemble ladies. Then Liza comes in with trumpets and the rest of the ensemble. Don’t get me wrong, I love Liza and I think she’s a very electric performer, but there’s something stagnant about the structure of the show (through listening to the recording) with her just singing these dance numbers.

“Arthur in the Afternoon” (a number from this show that I’ve actually heard of)  begins with Liza completely ignoring the melody for a recitative-style intro beat drops with some techno instruments playing a “You Can’t Stop the Beat”-esque beginning pattern. Michelle begins to sing about how she has coffee the morning, brandy in the evening, and Arthur in the afternoon. That’s all to be said about this ingenious number.

^ me so far and the cast recording of The Act is the feathers

“Little Do They Know” happens and the ensemble complains collectively about how the audience only cares about Liza - I mean Michelle. No, I definitely mean Liza. This song is actually really fun! The end harmonies are really cool and actually interesting.

“The Money Tree” is introduced at a slow, swung, mozying tempo and Liza’s low E. It stays pretty much like that.There a nice big moment at the end with some nice belting on Liza’s part. I feel like these songs are really good choices for auditions or cabarets, but that the show simply doesn’t work onstage. So I’m actually quite a big fan of this song. It’s fun and picks up at the end and gets more interesting as time goes on. I still need some convincing though.

“City Lights” which happens to be what they performed at the Tonys, is just another big number. Kind of a love letter to big cities. It panders. This show seems like it panders. I really wish I enjoyed it (kind of). Dance break happens with random scatting by the ensemble that I’m lowkey obsessed with.

“There When I Need Him” is a beautiful ballad Liza sings. What’s interesting to me is that the character who sings this song is labelled as Mike in the score, but it’s definitely a song Michelle sings. It really is beautiful.

Next is “Hot Enough” this song starts off SO fun. It’s really funny to me because my friend Zach and I have an inside joke where we impersonate Carol Channing and Liza Minelli, and we also conclude prayers to Stephen Sondheim at the dinner table preceding our meal with Kristin Chenoweth’s “YEAH” during her performance of “My New Philosophy” at the Tonys. So at the beginning of this number when the ensemble begins it with YEAH I can’t help but smile and imagine that they’re using finger guns when they say it.

Then there’s a pointless “Little Do They Know” reprise, but is it really pointless tho? I mean if they’re complaining along with me about Liza singing every dang thing, then amen. (disclaimer: yes I know she’s a star vehicle; I’m trying too hard to be funny. you’re welcome and i’m sorry)

“Walking Papers” is a nice little number that reminds me a lot of “Roxie”. We love originality. There is a melody on this very page. Liza don’t even know. But she goin off. Michelle and Ensemble are kind of doing a call and response bop thing. it go OFF. Check this one out.

“My Own Space” is yet another ballad. Bye.

Audition Songs

“There When I Need Him” - Michelle Craig, F#3-B4

Considering there’s literally no context gathered from this song in the plot, this would be great to bring into an audition. Not too hard for the pianist to sightread, despite the handwritten-ness of the score. Nice melody.

“The Money Tree” - Michelle Craig, Eb3-C#5

Fun song to sing at a cabaret or audition. Reminiscent of “Crazy” by Patsy Cline.

To Wrap It Up

Look, y’all. This show has fun music. It’s written for a star vehicle performer. But even shows that have star vehicle performers (Dear Evan Hansen, Legally Blonde) have songs where other people sing the solos. I get it, it’s the metatheatricality of it all, but there’s gotta be a reason why this wasn’t a huge success and is completely forgotten when you think of Kander and Ebb’s and even Liza’s successes. It’s got a couple nice songs here and there, but it’s mostly boring and largely fluff. I want to get my hands on a script soon. Maybe I’ll edit the post after I read it and I’ll have an epiphany that this show is completely brilliant, and then I’ll eat my words. Hopefully I’ll have the patience for that. ALSO no one does this show. It’s completely underproduced. However, Samuel French still offers rights for it. If you’re interested, you know where to go. And make sure you sprinkle it with some Zazz.

Get it.