#zero sum

[kaito-module-of-the-day]

Today's KAITO module of the day is:

ZERO-SUM by sayu!

[51kas81]

Mitch Pileggi in The X-Files S4.E21 Zero Sum (1997)

[sataniccapitalist]

Life is a zero-sum game. That's why it sucks

The Unconsented Zero-Sum Game

The zero-sum nature of life: why not everyone can win

The unfairness of it all: no one chooses to participate, yet we're all forced to play

The difference between life and other zero-sum games: the lack of consent and awareness

[sarahwatchesthings]

Skinner getting a panty shot like Ripley at the end of Alien. 🤘

[bald-heaven]

Mitch Pileggi in The X-Files S4.E21 Zero Sum (1997)

[sxyx]

their releases are quite frequently

[akashicrecordtelevision-com]

The Smile - Zero Sum (Official Music Video)

Radiohead identifies with the androgynous not because its members assume traits from both genders, but because they negate gender altogether. Because Radiohead identifies with the androgynous, its music takes precedence over gender.

[wordpress-blaze-227378189]

Final Fantasy XIV - Recollection EX Trial: Quick Gamer’s Guide

Hello, gamers. I know you’ve missed me, and I’ve missed you. I’ve missed you so much that I decided to come back with a banger…

The Recollection EX(EXTREME) TRIAL Pocket Guide

Now, this guide will NOT be totally in depth. This is meant to be a quick guide that is meant to help you with quick notes, so you don’t have to skip through a video during the fight.

If you are totally blind to this fight, I highly recommend you watch Hector’s video. (Screenshots are also courtesy of Hector’s guide, please watch the video!)

Also, please keep in mind that these are early strategies as of May 2025. Someone may come up with better strats in the future. Who knows? So keep that in mind.

Without further or do, let’s get to it!

If you don’t know clock spots, you better learn ‘em :).

First attack: Thorned Catharsis – Raidwide Damage

Shock –

Go to clock spots

Four players are going to get point blank aoes – move out of the way

Other four players are going to get donut aoe – stand perfectly still

Alexandria Holy

Spawns Four Towers

Donut Aoe players take the towers

Spector of the Lost

Tank buster

Tethers will spawn on two players, tanks need to take

Escelon’s Fall

All players in clock spots

DPS IN

Single Swap

First two symbols different

Players stand still for first two hits, then swap which role is in and which row is out. Then can stand still for next two hits

Double Swap

Two of the same symbol back to back

Swap after First Hit and Swap after the 3rd hit

Stock Break

Multi-hit Party-wide

Hits four times, be sure to mit/heal

Blessed Barricade

All support go to the West

All DPS go East

Then AD Phase

Lv 100 Roseblood Drops that need to be burned down

One Support and One DPS will be tethered to East / West add

Also a three person tower will spawn on each side

The player will the tether can rotate their add so the sword is facing away for the arena.

Sword of the add pointed outside of the arena. That is side that they are going to cleave.

Other players hop into tower on their side

The player with the add will be in the range of the cleave, need to quickly dodge after. This repeats over and over again.

3 sets of three-man towers

Four tethers were eventually every player will get tethered.

Once ADD phase is over,

The boss’ shield will be broken and will cast Perfumed Quietus. Ultimate attack, heal/mit

Roseblood Bloom - 1

Stage will transition. Be aware whenever stage is in new form.

A circle will spawn in the middle of the ring.

Will cause a dot, do not run directly through the middle of the arena at this time.

Certain attacks will cause the red viney areas to become unsafe.

Alexandrian Thunder II

Three conial cleave that rotation.

Go behind the attack and rotate with boss

Alexandrian Thunder

Every player will be targeted. Spread. Red areas will be safe until the attack goes off.

!!!!!Thorned Catharsis – Raidwide!!!!

Roseblood: 2nd bloom

Do not be in middle

Safe spots more limited

Thunder Slash

Rotating Aoes

Go off in same order that they appear.

Also, telographed in/out aoe

If flowers are on the outside, then the aoe will be inside will get hit.

If flowers are on the inside, then the outside will get hit.

When Thunder Slash goes off, both attacks will go off at the same time.

Focus on the in/out

If OUT is safe first, go to the side with the two inner safe tiles.

If IN is safe first, go to the side with the safe two outer safe tiles.

Spector of the Lost – Tank buster tethers

Roseblood 3rd bloom

Find the title, in the middle of the two red inner tiles. Will be new north for this mech.

Go to color pairs relative to this new north.

Bud of Valor

Four outer tiles will be counted as towers.

Emblazon targets four players

ALL SUPPORT OR ALL DPS

With Roseblood drops.

When attack goes off, players will make safe tiles red and thorny.

To solve:

Which ever players that do not have the targets of the rosebuds will soak the towers.

Which ever players do must stand like chart:

Players that dropped aoes, walk off the red ones to safe spots.

Thorned Catharsis – Raidwide

Bud of Valor

Support West / DPS East

3 players all from one role are going to be targeted with donut shock attacks

Escleon’s Fall 2

Brain Dead EF2

Spread donuts

Everyone else stacks middle

Players in donuts: when countdown finishes rush to mid

DPS in

Then Support

**STOCK BREAK – STACK MARKER AFTER***

Roseblood 4th bloom

Emblazon – two ground AOEs

Four players will get rose markers.

Need to go opposite two ground aoes

Rest of players will spread around the ground aoes.

Marker players can not touch red areas.

All players go to center and stack for Encircling Thorns

When purple circles disappear, support will be tethered to DPS, need to break.

ALEXANDRIAN BANISH III – Stack, marker will appear on heal. Support go WEST DPS go East. DPS run into red zone.

*********Thorn Catharis********** raidewide

Escelons’ Fall

Half room cleave will appear, as soon as cleve goes off, get ready for first round of Escelons’ fall (DPS first)

As the third Escelon’s fall goes off, add will spawn with half cleave. Resolve EF first then move to dodge cleve.

Stock Break -- **STACK**

Roseblood: 5th bloom

Valorous Ascension – Two raidwide damage

Thunder Slash

Pay attention to if in or out first

Go three tiles clockwise to dodge second attack,

Determine in or out based on previous attack.

Spector of the Lost – Tank buster

Roseblood 6th Bloom

LB3!!!!

Congrats, you’ve made it through the fight!!

If you've enjoyed this guide or found it usual, leave a like and share with a friend! Also, I would love to know all about your EX experience, leave a comment below.

Until next time,

-J4

Source: Final Fantasy XIV - Recollection EX Trial: Quick Gamer’s Guide

[soul-our-punk]

What are we even doing here?

The more people who understand there are ways to meet your needs, and not at the cost of someone else's needs, the better. Particularly if they don't hold bigoted views which lead to silly things like going out of your way to prevent someone else from having their needs met. Making the world worse for someone because you don't know how to make it better for yourself. Life's hard enough without wasting your precious time, energy, and creative force on how to afflict your neighbor.

For my part, I like to think there are more people in the world who like the concept of mutual aid and are merely making do with the current capitalistic-zero-sum game until something better crystalizes--in spite of the system shouting so loud about itself, good or ill, in an effort to make it difficult to hear alternatives. Which is why I believe "solidarity over charity" is such an approachable proposition, regardless of the generation to which you have been ascribed by whomever does the sorting. I mean, Peter Singer was talking about this in the 70's. You have an obligation as a member of society to take measures to preserve wellness and uplift the vulnerable--give until giving any more would cause you harm. You get to decide where that dividing line is based on your finances, energy levels, social support network, available time, mobility, etc. As long as you set that line earnestly, then you are fulfilling the obligation which entitles you to the benefits of other member's solidarity.

The thing is, we're cornered. Restricted in analyses of all the options we could use to compose more humane systems. Isolated from what we could become, by a constant stream of shock doctrines induced by manufactured-disasters. So, mutual aid remains considered a coping strategy, rather than a cultural driving force for fundamental change, for the time being. Though, there's the rub, in that if there is always a new disaster, there is always a perceived need of relief prioritized over sustainable growth, which means the mutual aid has to become a political driving force to get ahead of the source of constructed woes.

I say that while also being painfully aware that discussion of any ideology beyond the current paradigm is defined by capitalistic expectations. Alternatives are invariably framed as monstrous inevitabilities in the supposed disastrous event of dismantlement, at least until they're cut open and adapted to fulfill a material component requisite to quell dissenting voices. "We can have social programs, yes, but it's not socialism, socialism is bad. Capitalism is good, which is why you have these social programs. Ignore other countries that have been providing more of these benefits for much longer, and devote more relative resources." Every other ideology is either fodder to be exploited for some new way to market what we have, or is dismissed/reviled for significant lack of traits that we already have in the devil we know. Which is very convenient for finding more fodder. Why would we want any system we make from here on anything like capitalism? We have to keep in mind that we are not looking for a better release appeal to make before an intractable captor. We are looking for the strategy that will attract enough confidence from fellow captives. To disenchant the captivated of the all consuming capitalist notion that virtue is derived from the free market's advertised high proficiency value generation.

What value? It definitely lets select groups pool resources, making their coffers more "valuable" in a fiscal sense, but where is the Value in that for a society? If its only claim to fame is that it can move numbers around faster and wont judge you for neglecting people's needs, then what does it actually do for us collectively that another system can't? Capitalism's whole premise relies on you not having enough, on you believing that there is not enough out there, that the only way you can have enough is to get there before someone else gets it and you're left with The Zero-Sum. But why would we take that on blind faith? What if there is a way to play the Positive-Sum game and we're just sitting on that because we assume its a fantasy?

How tragic to realize that the whole time you were suffering an obscene Sallie Mae loan, there could have been a non-tuition option. How mortifying to learn the medical bills that were artificially inflated by the relationship between the hospital and your insurance could have been handled by the taxes you already pay. The rent that serves as your proof of earning the right to live, assuaged with universal basic income. The chronic anxiety, stress, and aggression born from a machine of impersonal jobs that can leverage social class and basic needs to claim a third of your life for the least possible compensation possible; replaced with all the possibilities of a well rested mind and body.

Why would we as a collective people ever opt-in to the gamified social hierarchy?

What are we even still doing here?

[california-112]

Wait I thought Skinner was trying to protect Mulder?

[grrlmusic]

The Smile - Zero Sum (Official Music Video)

[lifewithaview]

Mitch Pileggi in The X-Files (1993) Zero Sum

S4E21

Mulder is contacted by a local police detective who thinks he has an x-files type case for him to look into. A U.S. postal worker who had sneaked into the washroom for a cigarette was killed by numerous bee stings, though there were no bees to be found. Before Mulder can even begin to look into the case, someone is going around erasing the evidence in the washroom and even some of the blood samples taken from the victim. The person doing the erasing however is Assistant Director Skinner who seems to have made a pact with the Cigarette Smoking Man.

*Gillian Anderson, who appeared in more episodes of The X-Files than all other cast members, took one week off from the series to film her role in The Mighty (1998). The writers decided to create another story centered around Skinner and his involvement in the deal made with the cigarette smoking man to cure Scully's cancer, as alluded to in Memento Mori (1997).

[51kas81]

Mitch Pileggi in The X-Files S4.E21 Zero Sum (1997)

[marlenapinsandneedles]

I want to punch Walter Skinner a lot in seasons 1 through 3 for being mean to Scully and Mulder so much but seeing all he goes through in season 4 to try and save Scully is so sad. He loved them so much.

[palephx]

For those wishing to engage me on the topic, I do NOT believe in a "Two-State Solution." I think anyone hiding behind that particular fig leaf is disingenuous and/or facile. However, this is not going where you think it is. I despise Netanyahu. He wraps himself in the Israeli flag even more frequently than Trump with the US one.

I don't discuss the 2SS, because it stems from the tedious homily that, "Good fences make good neighbors." The Israelis have been great fence-builders...until exactly a week ago. I have very little idea how that happened, and we may never know. Obviously, we're not much better informed, seven days later. I am immensely concerned that the current Prime Minister and the IDF are cloaking themselves in the unassailable vestments of the Holocaust and antisemitism, as it seems clearer that they're about to reenact that atrocity, with zero sense of irony, at all.

Additionally, I'm not saying that I completely disbelieve every news anchor, particularly when they're interviewing Jews but not Arabs, unless they're an academic or NGO. I just don't trust or like the WAY they're talking, or how a corporation like Comcast, for example, is editorializing.

When you know a fair amount on a particular subject—not just because you've been "indoctrinated" about it since early childhood—but because you stayed curious and investigated things that you didn't agree with, then you're keen to a lot of nuances. Specific vocabulary, leading questions, and production decisions about guests and so-called "expert testimony." These are just a few, and not really my point.

I suppose you could say I'm for the "Zero-State Solution." Unity, not division; freedom to travel and work, not a jam-packed ghetto where one people technically aren't occupiers anymore, but can still flip off the power whenever they want.

These inequities are grotesque, and most assuredly cannot be resolved in the short term...but that doesn't mean that no one should try, at all, ever.

I realize that I, myself, am presently over-simplifying, but this is for the sake of speed and clarity. We have already run out of time.

Antisemitism, as well as anti-Muslim sentiment, should be fought everywhere, every day. Yes, Hamas wants to "kill all Jews, everywhere, every day," but they are currently trying to cloak themselves in pity for apartheid, which is also wrong, everywhere, every day. I am not debating evil. When everybody is wrong, then I'll limit my hostility to a selfish, radical subset of people who kidnapped infants and shot grandmothers. Just here, and for today.

Tomorrow, I'll wake up and reconsider that. And the next day. Wherever I am, and with whatever I can understand.

[onlyhurtforaminute]

ZERO SUM-ABJURATION

[belovedindierock]

Announcing the New Album Cutouts

We lovingly submit our latest 45 minute (?) record Cutouts 

to be swallowed up by the fast running stream, down into the giant ever growing river and on to the sea

in a beautiful world we are melting and go running nailed down

somewhere lurking form a line falling over zip tied

foreign spies foreign spies

The Smile

Released on 4th October 2024 on XL Recordings, Cutouts is now available to pre-order HERE on various formats including limited edition white and standard vinyl, CD and limited edition purple cassette.

Two new tracks from the record are out today accompanied by videos created by Weirdcore - WATCH or LISTEN to Foreign Spies and Zero Sum.

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