#analysis time by me so I can track them in my tags

[fierrochase-falafel]

"All the names are changed to protect the innocent"- an analysis of Marvin's use of names

So y'know how in In Trousers, Marvin is the only named character who actually has screentime and all the women in his life are nameless (ignoring his teacher, Miss Goldberg). It's pretty clear this is, to an extent, a sign of Marvin not seeing the women in his life as people in their own right as he appreciates the affection of no woman actively giving him any, and that he only focuses his attention on unattainable women (such as Miss Goldberg) as a form of compulsory heterosexuality and men (Whizzer).

I do, though, think it's interesting to note that in Love is Blind (in March of the Falsettos), Marvin says "Love reads like a bad biography, all the names are changed to protect the innocent". Marvin's experience of love so far has been women whose names he has left unsaid. Given Whizzer refuses to acknowledge he loves Marvin, and Marvin says he loves Whizzer "sorta, kinda", their relationship isn't taken fully into account as love Marvin has experienced. Marvin does admit he loves Whizzer to Mendel later in the "sorta kinda" conversation, but says he would only concede it if Whizzer loved him back, meaning that he refuses to fully accept that love unless Whizzer said he loved him first: Marvin's inner dialogue does not really see Whizzer as part of his vision of 'love' (albeit ironically the only true romantic love he has experienced). Hence, Marvin's experience of love, at this point, really has had his previous lovers' names changed, perhaps to protect them from people recognising them as having engaged with him at all.

Who this decision is protecting, though, depends on who is innocent. Maybe Marvin had some amount of sympathy for both his high school sweetheart and his wife as being innocent victims of loving him when he didn't love them in return. However, in March of the Falsettos, Marvin does say his wife's name for the first time (I think!) in 'Marvin hits Trina', and he says it not 1, not 2 but 8 TIMES. In quick succession. This song takes place immediately after he gets an invitation to Trina and Mendel's wedding. Trina having her own life makes her no longer 'innocent' as he sees her as having betrayed him, so he addresses her by name repeatedly in anger at this.

I think it's also worth noting that from a point of view of innocence, the first whole name revealed in the musical is that of Whizzer Brown. Whizzer is someone Marvin is very well aware of being sexually experienced, which contradicts the idea of innocence as someone naive to concepts such as sex. He sees Whizzer as someone who is not innocent, and so his name is left in fully throughout. The multiple meanings of 'innocent' to both imply sexual inexperience and having done nothing wrong, can also group together having a lot of sexual experience with being guilty of it. The negative connotations of these together subtly shows Marvin's internalised homophobia and conflicted views on Whizzer and his unapologetic flamboyance. One could also say Whizzer is basically a walking pride flag in how he seems unashamed of his personality and life, and his name is also very obviously on display as such as he has nothing to hide or stash away. Arguably that is innocence, but I don't think Marvin sees it that way. Anyways, this is getting a bit convoluted.

Through this one line, even though it seems strange-sounding and just a pretty odd throwaway at first (atleast it did to me on the first few listens), you get a distinct idea of Marvin's view of what is innocent and what is guilty, and who he deems to be innocent in a world where he sees himself as the highest power. Trina and Whizzer, as individuals who disagree with Marvin's views of what is right on a particular front, are guilty. While trying to hide their names initially when mentioning "his wife", "his child" and "his friend" in Tight Knit Family, his opinion of their lives comes out on top in this love-biography he has in his head. He writes the bad biography (even he admits it's bad, funnily enough), and to him they aren't innocent. Obviously he goes through major character development at the end of March of the Falsettos, and this seems to make his use of names less distinct. He says Whizzer's name more softly, with emphasis on love, and I don't think he says Trina's very much at all, maybe letting go with his anger and view of her as 'guilty'. This is last part is largely conjecture though! I'd love to hear more people's takes on this.

Edit: I just realised! In terms of innocence, Miss Goldberg's name being revealed is probably also representative of her adulthood when Marvin's in school, making her seem more 'mature' to him and thus not innocent (given how childhood often connotes innocence.

#names #falsettos #falsettoland #march of the falsettos #in trousers #marvin falsettos #trina falsettos #whizzer falsettos #whizzer brown #falsettos meta #miss goldberg #in trousers meta #analysis time by me so I can track them in my tags #posts originating from my brain

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

I'm an A-Level student and so many of my classmates use ChatGPT for essays in Law and RS and stuff - like, they sound proud of themselves, as if they're cheating the system and being clever? Just makes me feel very bleak. What are we doing man

Well, the unfortunate news for them is that they are going to struggle if they make it to uni.

This is the big problem with AI - it cannot analyse a single thing. If I were to say to you "What are the features Tumblr users would most want and why?", you are a human being with a brain and experiences and decision-making skills, and you could probably sit and come up with an answer. You would base that answer on things you personally find lacking, or want to see; you would also base it in things you have seen others bemoaning on the site.

For example, I reckon I'd say something like:

The permanent ability to boop people with a cat paw, which is implemented as opt-in. Also customisable, so you can choose whether you want a random cat paw to appear on your screen each time it happens to you. Also a different animation for super boop/evil boop, and maybe more boop options than those two, and maybe also different paw colours.

Actual enforcement of hate speech rules. We all agree to them when we join, so it's perfectly legal to delete someone for spouting Nazi shit AND YET.

No more banning or censoring queer folks' accounts

More ability to adjust the interface for disabled bloggers, e.g. colour and contrast, font, layout, switching off moving GIFs or other animations by default, etc.

Tag editing, it's frustrating having to delete whole tags.

Tag memory! Where have my tags gone??? For a year now I have slightly better luck on desktop, but for the most part, which of my tags are remembered by autofill and which are never, ever offered to me has been wholly divorced from how often I've used them. And my tags are often lengthy and odd, so it's become much harder to use mobile.

No data scraping. This is the anti-cap site thank you. Also on that note, get rid of the For You section and any other algorithmic tracking, because it's just as likely to show you a Nazi blog as an anti-Nazi one as long as you have spent any time at all discussing Nazism.

Better blocking ability, on that note.

Better search function

I could go on, but you get the idea. That's analysis that I've done, based on discussions I have seen and taken part in, and my own experiences.

I just asked ChatGPT. Here's what it had to say:

"Tumblr users have diverse preferences, but there are several features that many users would likely appreciate: 1. Improved Content Discovery: Tumblr is known for its vast array of content, so improving content discovery mechanisms such as personalized recommendations, trending topics, and enhanced search functionality can help users find more of the content they enjoy. 2. Enhanced Customization Options: Tumblr users value the ability to customize their blogs extensively. Providing more themes, layout options, and customization tools can empower users to express themselves creatively and make their blogs unique. 3. Integration of Multimedia Formats: Tumblr is a platform where users share various types of multimedia content, including images, GIFs, videos, and audio. Enhancing support for different media formats, improving media upload and management features, and optimizing the viewing experience can enhance user engagement. 4. Improved Mobile Experience: Many Tumblr users access the platform via mobile devices. Therefore, optimizing the mobile app for better performance, usability, and feature parity with the desktop version can greatly enhance the user experience. 5. Community Engagement Features: Tumblr has a vibrant community, so features that facilitate interaction among users, such as improved messaging, reblogging, tagging, and commenting functionalities, can foster a sense of community and increase user engagement. 6. Content Moderation Tools: Given the diverse content on Tumblr, providing users with robust content moderation tools, including options for filtering, blocking, and reporting inappropriate content, can help ensure a safer and more enjoyable experience for all users. 7. Monetization Options for Creators: Many Tumblr users are content creators who would appreciate opportunities to monetize their content. Introducing features such as ad revenue sharing, subscription-based content, or integrated e-commerce capabilities can incentivize creators to produce high-quality content and invest more in their Tumblr presence. 8. Accessibility Features: Improving accessibility features such as alt text support for images, screen reader compatibility, and customizable text sizes and color schemes can make Tumblr more inclusive and accessible to users with disabilities. 9. Privacy and Security Enhancements: Enhancing privacy controls, data protection measures, and account security features can help users feel more confident and secure when using the platform, which is especially important given concerns about online privacy and security. 10. API and Third-Party Integration: Opening up Tumblr's API and allowing for easier integration with third-party services and apps can encourage innovation and development within the Tumblr ecosystem, providing users with more options and flexibility in how they use the platform. Overall, focusing on improving content discovery, customization options, community engagement, and user safety while also providing opportunities for creators to monetize their content can help Tumblr retain and attract users in a competitive social media landscape."

It's possible that feels alright, on first glance. But take a closer look.

Every point made is vague, and disconnected from any real life examples. In the very first point, it thinks we want better search functions (yes!) but also more algorithmic recommendations (no!). It wants us to have personalised recommendations AND better security, in fact, which are incompatible - but an LLM doesn't and can't know that. Monetisation of the platform is something that has historically faced appalling backlash from users, and this thing is suggesting ad revenue sharing and subscription services.

Because, its suggestions are generic suggestions. These are not Tumblr-specific. No mention of queerphobia, no mention of Nazis, and absolutely zero understanding of what the specific users on this site actually want.

... all of which is to say...

It's what is academically known as descriptive work. It lays out some facts, but there's no depth, no analysis, no interpretation of those facts at all. Why would we want third party integration? What apps are we calling for? Give examples. Would that aid ad-blocking? Search functions? In that case, wouldn't third-party integration be tackling the symptoms and not the cause? Shouldn't we work better ad-blocking and search functions into Tumblr at a base level?

And in school - even up to A Level - that's okay. You won't get top marks for that, because it's all too vague and too descriptive, but it's fine. School-level assignments tend to be more broad and less applied, too, which LLMs fare better with.

But in university, you start with descriptive facts, and then you are expected to analyse. If you cannot analyse, you run a very real risk of failing. Which means if you've spent your GCSEs and A Levels not bothering to learn those analytical skills and letting ChatGPT do the work for you, you are going to face an extremely uphill struggle when the expectations of study increase.

So, to round off, try not to get too discouraged. You know you aren't doing it, which means you are the one actually learning and developing and growing. Others will learn eventually, and probably more painfully. You do you!

#asks #chatgpt

[hughessdemon]

F1 x HOCKEY || did y’all see that ? . Y/N driver x Jack Hughes au

A/N : I might give Y/N her name soon so if y’all have recommendations send them now !!

-

-

-

BREAKIG NEWS !!! y/n ex Jack Hughes center and alternate captain of the NJ devils hockey team spotted at the paddocks of Mclaren along with his two best friends Anaheim Duck , Trevor Zegras and Montreal Canadian , Cole Caufield . Jack in town to support Y/N today or here to watch the game for fun ?

-————————————

————-

- when I heard Jack was at the paddocks of Mclaren with Z and C , my mind went blank as I walking the longer way to avoid the media and Mclaren pad . Why is he here was going wild in my head , he never showed interest in Motorsports really none of them did since you were kids - it seemed to bug but you noticed he got his tooth fixed , chuckling at the idea of him being there , you needed to put on your professional behavior and and get ready for qualifying today especially… against Mad Max even though he’s gonna get to p1 anyways .

——

Location : MONTREAL,CANADA

yourusername :

liked by lewishamilton, scuderiaferrari , and 460,037 likes

tagged : carlossainz , lewishamilton , charlesleclerc , maxverstappen

yourusername : qualitative analysis today …. I hope I beat the man on the floor today 😗🧎🏽‍♀️

view comments

Lewishamilton : 😂😂 smooth operator

jarchives: omg isn’t Jack there to support her ? Are they back together omg ???

scuderiaferrari: that’s our girll 🚨🫶🏽

Zegrasxebras: 100% avoiding Lando today since her ex is at the paddocks today 💀💀

francisca.cgomes: come see me lovely ❤️

lilymhe: 😍😍

tap to view more

“Hey you Ferrari girl !!” You heard Gasly calling you out as he was entering the Ferrari garage , giving you a head pat as you went in to give Kika a big hug welcoming her to the Ferrari pads ~ you might’ve been the youngest being born in 02 but they always treated you well and protected from the horrendous things on media days , enemies on tracks but family off track is a way you can describe it .

they’re always there especially Charles and Carlos and Pierre , you were most close to them you saw them as your brothers in cars. Your brothers were in NHL they had no idea what it was like being in Motorsport especially one that’s more dominated by men …. They never really cared about your passion growing up so you weren’t close to them at all . Quinn was friends with your older brother Bryan and Luke was your best friend in middle school but ever since you moved out to Miami for the tracks and traveling you got to barely speak to him , seeing him through his social media was a way . Not to mention you dated Jack from 8th grade up to 11th grade then again from 2020-2021 as you both reconnected… you broke up due to him not actually caring for you and schedules as you were never off season for summer like him . But to see him become the Center and Captain for his team suprised you despite his poor attitude and lack of understanding people .

— the qualification was postponed for a bit due to the heavy rain, they were preparing to change tires for the wet tires . Changing gears as well , as you were about to walk away to your car, you saw Jack standing up on the paddock looking down at your number 43 - his half number …. you carried that numbers as it was both good luck to you guys - getting situated in the car wasn’t hard like the first few times during winter test when the car was so bad , it was unexplainable painful to ride , Jack running through your mind still , he never was at your games like you were - you had show off today for once .

1.2.3 red lights off and go !!!

you were right behind max , you had no issues with max but with Hamilton trying to overtake you was pushing you to the point , you pass overtook max 💀- it just qualification you didn’t budge because you probably wouldn’t win against max after that 😗-

“Congratulations lil red !!” Riccardo patting up your back , smiling at you making it less terrifying to face Max right now , you might be not be racing him this year, but you were happy for him and his mental state he seemed much better . Talking a bit to Daniel you were being called back to the pads for interviews along with Charles strutting behind you - you saw Lance with Z and the hockey boys , it all made sense ofc they were friends with Lance … Lance mf stroll , rolling your eyes as Max greets you with a ball coming straight at you . Definitely a way to seek revenge max …. bet , so you chased him into the pads ..

few hours later …..

- you were back at the hotel with Lewis , yes Lewis , you heard me right . We both had an on and off relationship for the past two years … it’s complicated especially with our age gap but end of the day we both know we have each other and understandingly feel calm in the presence of each other’s arms . Tommorow is the big day , not wanting to do anything tonight more , you both ended up falling asleep early , with the bogus of being woken up at 6 am the next morning. ———-

authors note : if you want more like this please comment I literally need to know your opinions!!

#jack hughes #jack hughes nhl #jack hughes blurb #jack hughes game #jack hughes x reader #jack hughes imagine #nj devils #jack hughes insta edit #quinn hughes #lewis hamilton x you #ferrari #y/n f1 #lewis hamilton #charles lecrelc #pierre gasly #carlos sainz #max verstappen #daniel riccardo x reader #trevor zegras #cole caufield #formula 1 #Landon Norris #lance stroll #f1 x you

[voidsentprinces]

Shadowbringers took Emet-Selch from ARR Lahabrea levels of mustache twirling, Saturday Morning Cartoon villain. All monologue and evil laughter while his evil boobs malevolently boobed down the Post-Stormblood's darker breast boobily and changed him into an actual character. And the first Ascian who actually spent time with us in a more meaningful way. Flipping them from one note, evil that must be defeated. To one we came to understand and a group that connected to our character's literal past reincarnation that we do not recall.

Additionally, atmospherically, Shadowbringers brought us to Post-Apocalypse that wasn't 28 Days Later, Mad Max or Rapture-esque. While pulling from all those series. Its a world 100 years after the Apocalypse was averted but still causes the world to live in its shadow.

This expansion seems to be the beloved darling of the community. Even topping Heavensward in most regards. But, also, personally, I feel like Shadowbringers is only good Shadowbringers for the last three levels of it. And rest is just so much set dressing and putting together the A-Team. For lack of a better comparison, 70 - 79 is our Avengers Infinity War. We get the band back together, fight off the big bad and actually almost win. But then we lose and we lose HARD and we spend a handful of quests somewhat wandering aimlessly until we resolve to go after the one who took victory away from us. That lead up, to me, is alright but the story didn't really HIT, outside of my long winded story analysis reasons, until we reach Amaurot.

Even its Post-Patches seemed to struggle to figure out what to do. Having Elidibus bounce hither and thither without the Scions really trying to stop him because, "We don't know what he is up to." which was counterproductively frustrating to me. You are literally not stopping and banishing the villain so the plot can happen. Alisaie literally kept tabs on the Warriors of Darkness because we were focusing on dealing with Nidhogg. Why the hell couldn't they have kept tracked and harassed Elidibus at least? But no, the sky starts to shower stars and then it is go time. And while To the Edge and the Seat of Sacrifice are awesome. My suspense of disbelief that our Scions would just shrug and only off screen keep tags on lesser Ascians and then just be like, "I dunno fellas, this here Elidibus is tricky." strikes me as dense. Like, this is denser than a dead star. They let things happen for the sake of it happening.

Bottomline, there is some wiggle room here. Shadowbringers may be the community's darling. But I wonder if, its just because we remember the super highs of Amaurot to Seat of Sacrifice. And kind of brush things like; the Ran'jit fights, the Supernatural problem of Lucifer's Cousin's Roommate being the big bad in Lunar Primals, Thancred's treatment of Ryne and Speedrunning him some redemption in the Amh Araeng second half.

I'm rambling now, as a whole. Did you enjoy Shadowbringers? If not why? Vote your answer and leave your opinion in the tags if you'd like.

Note: I am aware that the Post-Patch production was stunted by the COVID Pandemic. Still, I'd like your opinion about anything you felt lacking. Even with that dead whale hanging over the entire thing.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Down in the (link)dumps

On September 27, I'll be at Chevalier's Books in Los Angeles with Brian Merchant for a joint launch for my new book The Internet Con and his new book, Blood in the Machine. On October 2, I'll be in Boise to host an event with VE Schwab.

Back when I was writing on Boing Boing, I'd slam out 10-15 blog posts every day, short hits that served as signpost and public notebook, but I rarely got into longer analysis of the sort I do daily now on Pluralistic. Both modes are very useful for organizing one's thoughts, and indeed, they complement each other:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/05/09/the-memex-method/

The problem is that when you write long, synthetic essays, they crowd out the quick hits. Back in May 2022, I started including three short links with each edition of Pluralistic, in a section called "Hey look at this" (thanks to Mitch Wagner for suggesting it!):

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/01/reit-modernization-act/#linkdump

But even with that daily linkdump, I still manage to accumulate link-debt, as interesting things pile up, not rising to the level of a long blog-post, but not so disposable as to be easy to flush. When the pile gets big enough, I put out a Saturday Linkdump:

https://pluralistic.net/tag/linkdump/

All of which is to say, it's Saturday, and I've got a linkdump!

First up, a musical interlude. I've been listening to DJ Earworm's amazing mashups since 2005 and while I've got dozens of tracks that shuffle in and out of my daily playlist, the one that makes me wanna get up and dance every time is "No One Takes Your Freedom," a wildly improbable banger composed of equal parts Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, George Michael and Scissor Sisters:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaboIeW1A_4

I defy you to play that one without bopping a little. I think it's the French horn from "For No One" that really kills it, the world's least expected intro to a heavy dance beat.

Moving swiftly on: let's talk about fonts. I remember when Wired magazine first showed up at the bookstores I was working at in Toronto, and my bosses – younger men than I am now! – complained that the tiny, decorative fonts, rendered in silver foil on a purple background, was illegible. I laughed at them, batting my young eyes and devouring the promise of a better future with ease, even in dim light.

Now it's thirty years later and I'm half-blind. Both my my decaying, aging eyes are filmed with cataracts that I'm too busy to get removed (though my doc promises permanent 20:20, perfect night-vision, and implanted bifocals when I can spare a month from touring with new books to get 'em fixed).

Which is to say: I spend a lot more time thinking about legibility now than I did in the early 1990s, and I've got a lot more sympathy for those booksellers' complaints about Wired's aggressively low-contrast design today. I'm forever on the hunt for fonts designed for high legibility.

This week, Kottke linked to B612, a free/open font family "designed for aircraft cockpit screens," commissioned by Airbus. It's got all the bells and whistles (e.g. hinting) and comes in variable and monospace faces:

https://b612-font.com/

B612 arrived at a fortuitous moment, coinciding with a major UI overhaul in Thunderbird, the app I spend the second-most time in (I spend more time in Gedit, the bare-bones text-editor that comes with Ubuntu, the flavor of GNU/Linux I use). A previous Thunderbird UI experiment had made all the UI text effectively unreadable for me, causing me to dive deep into the infinitely configurable settings to sub in my own fonts:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/UserChrome.css

The new UI is much better, but it broke all my old tweaks, so I went back into those settings and switched everything to B612, and it's amazeballs. I tried doing the same in Gedit, but B612 mono was too light for my shitty eyes, so I went back to Jetbrains Mono, another free/open font that has 8 weights to choose from:

https://www.jetbrains.com/lp/mono/

Love me a new, legible font! Meanwhile, a note for all you designers: the received wisdom that black on white type is "hard on the eyes" is a harmful myth. Stop with the grey-on-white type, for the love of all that is holy. This isn't 1992, you aren't laying out type for Wired Issue 1.0. Contrast is good, actually.

Continuing on the subject of software updates: Mastodon, the free, open, federated social media platform that anyone can host and that lets you hop between one server and another with just a couple clicks, has released a major update, focusing on usability, especially for people unfamiliar with its conventions:

https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2023/09/mastodon-4.2/

Included in this fix: a major overhaul to how you interact with posts on servers other than your home server. This was both confusing and clunky, and the fix makes it much better. They've also changed how sign-up flow works, making things simpler for newbies, and they've cleaned up the UI, tweaking threads, web previews and other parts of the daily experience.

There's also a lot of changes to search, but search still remains less than ideal, with multi-server search limited to hashtags. This is bad, actually. Thankfully, we don't have to wait for Mastodon devs to decide to fix it, because Mastodon is free and open, which means anyone with the skills to code a change, or the money to pay techies to do it, or the moral force to convince them to do it, can effect that change themselves:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/23/semipermeable-membranes/

Case in point: Mastoreader, a great new thread reader for Mastodon:

https://mastoreader.io/

Every time that guy who owns Twitter breaks it even worse, a new cohort of users sign up. Not all of them stay, but the growth is steady and the trendline is solid:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/11/of-course-mastodon-lost-users/

It's the right call: while there are other services that promise that they will be federated someday, promises are easy, and there's world of difference between "federateable" and "federated." As GW Bush told us, "Fool me twice, we don't get fooled again":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/06/fool-me-twice-we-dont-get-fooled-again/

One big difference between the kind of blogging I used to do in my Boing Boing days and the long-form work I do today is the graphics. When you're posting 10-15 times/day, you can't make each graphic a standout (or at least, I can't). But I can (and do) devote substantial time to making a single collage out of public domain and Creative Commons graphics every day:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/25/a-year-in-illustration/

I am not a visual person – literally, I can barely see! – but my daily art practice has slowly made me a less-terrible illustrator. I got in some good licks this week, like this graphic for the UAW's new "Eight-and-Skate" work-to-rule program:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/21/eight-and-skate/#strike-to-rule

That graphic was fun because all the elements were from the public domain, or fair use. I love it when that happens. I've spent years amassing a bulging folder of public domain clip art ganked from the web and this week, it got a major infusion, thanks to the Bergen Public Library's Flickr album of high-rez scans of antique book endpapers. 86 public domain textures? Yes please! (Also, the fact that Flickr has one-click download of all the hi-rez versions of every image in a photoset is another way that it stands out as a remnant of the old, good web, not so much a superannuated relic as an elegant weapon of a more civilized age):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bergen_public_library/albums/72157633827993925

Speaking of strikes: there are strikes! Everygoddamnedwhere! After 40 years in a Reagan-induced coma, labor is back, baby. The Cornells School of Industrial and Labor Relations' Labor Action Tracker is your go-to, real-time observation post as hot labor summer turns into the permanent revolution. As of this writing, it's listing 968 labor actions in 1491 locations:

https://striketracker.ilr.cornell.edu

There's no war but class war and it was ever thus. Brian Merchant's forthcoming book Blood In the Machine is a history of the Luddites, revisiting that much-maligned labor uprising, which has been rewritten as a fight between technophobes and the inevitable forces of progress:

https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/

The book unearths the true history of the Ludds: they were skilled technologists who were outraged by capital's commitment to immiseration, child slavery, and foisting inferior goods on a helpless public. You can get a long preview of the book in Fast Company:

https://www.fastcompany.com/90949827/what-the-luddites-can-teach-us-about-standing-up-to-big-tech

Merchant also talked with Roman Mars about the book on the 99 Percent Invisible podcast:

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/blood-in-the-machine/transcript/

If that's piqued your interest and if you can make it to Los Angeles, come by Chevalier's Books this Wednesday, where Brian and I are having a joint book-launch (I've just published The Internet Con, my Luddite-adjacent "Big Tech Disassembly Manual"):

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/chevaliers-books-8495362156

Where is all this labor unrest coming from? Well as Stein's Law has it, "anything that can't go on forever will eventually stop." 40 years of corporate-friendly political economy has lit the world on fire and immiserated billions, and we've hit bottom and started the long, slow climb to a world that prioritizes human thriving over billionaire power.

One of the most tangible expressions of that vibe shift is the rise and rise of antitrust. The big news right now is the (first) trial of the century, Google's antitrust trial. What's that? You say you haven't heard anything about it? Well, perhaps that has to do with the judge banning recording and livestreaming and not making transcripts available. Don't worry, he's also locking observers out of his courtroom for hours at a time during closed testimony. Oh, and also? The DoJ just agreed that it won't post its exhibits from the trial online anymore. You can follow what dribbles of information as are emerging from our famously open court system at US v Google:

https://usvgoogle.org/trial-update-9-22

If the impoverished trickle of Google antitrust news has you down, don't despair, there's more coming, because the FTC is apparently set to drop its long-awaited suit against Amazon:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ftc-poised-sue-amazon-antitrust-163432081.html

Amazon spent years blowing hundreds of millions of dollars of its investors' cash, selling goods below cost and buying up rivals until it became the most important channel for every kind of manufacturer to reach their customers. Now, Amazon is turning the screws. A new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance details the 45% Amazon Tax that every merchant pays to reach you:

https://ilsr.org/AmazonMonopolyTollbooth-2023/

That 45% tax is passed on to you – whether or not you shop at Amazon. Amazon's secretive most favored nation terms mean that if a seller raises their price on Amazon, they have to raise it everywhere else, which means you're paying more at WalMart and Target because of Amazon's policies.

Those taxes are bad for us, but they're good for Amazon's investors. This year, the company stands to make $185 billion from junk-fees charged to platform sellers. As David Dayen points out, Amazon charges so much to ship third-party sellers' goods that it fully subsidizes Amazon's own shipping:

https://prospect.org/power/2023-09-21-amazons-185-billion-pay-to-play-system/

That's right: as Stacy Mitchell writes in the report, "Amazon doesn’t have to build warehousing and shipping costs into the price of its own products, because it’s found a way to get smaller online sellers to pay those costs."

Now, one of the amazing things about antitrust coming back from the grave is that just the threat of antitrust enforcement can moderate even the most vicious bully's conduct. Faced with the looming FTC case, Amazon just canceled its plan to charge even more junk fees:

https://www.reuters.com/legal/amazon-drops-planned-merchant-fee-ftc-lawsuit-looms-bloomberg-news-2023-09-20/

But despite this win, Amazon is still speedrunning the enshittification cycle. The latest? Unskippable ads in Prime Video:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-22/amazon-prime-video-content-to-include-ads-staring-early-2024

Remember when Amazon promised you ad-free video if you'd lock yourself into shopping with them by pre-paying for a year's shipping with Prime? The company has fully embraced the Darth Vader MBA: "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it further."

That FTC case can't come a moment too soon.

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

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/23/salmagundi/#dewey-102

#pluralistic

[utopianparadoxist]

Hi! I'm most interested on reading your version of HS extension(?) continuation? re-adaptation? Ever since I first saw your analysis on Dirk and Jake I've considered you with amazing grip of the characters and the HS universe over all, Dirk is one of my fav characters of all time (if not the), and there is nothing I'd want more for him than a happy ending, the epilogues were truly heart breaking for him (even though I was more than willing to see where they were going with him in HS^2 in hopes of seeing him reach a happy end) Homestruck was and still is one of my fav properties ever and I'd love to see more from you, I'm sorry you had a hard time but I'm really glad you're back, here and in a better headspace. That said, I guess I'm just somewhat confused on in you have something written already or if it's in the works or from where in the timeline you're continueing from ? Maybe you have like, a master post with your list of essays and fics?

I also loved your youtube videos btw

Thanks! It means a lot to read this. As to your question:

The main project I've been managing since the Epilogues got posted is Pumpkin Path/Pumpkin Track, a sequel to the Meat and Candy epilogues focused primarily on Pumpkins and Vegetables as an alternative form of fan consumption.

The first installment of this arc is THE APOCRYPHON OF JAKE ENGLISH (2019), which follows Meat Jake immediately following Ultimate Dirk's desertion of Earth C. Brain Ghost Dirk declares Dirkjake cancelled and (trigger warning) self-destructs, unleashing the inner barriers in Jake's psychology that he always used his inner Dirk voice to maintain.

Thus Jake's own mind begins to lead him down a rabbit hole of speculatory metaphysics, esoteric spiritual symbolism, and esoteric magic theory that ultimately leads to his ascension to Ultimate Self as Prince English: Himself wearing Dirk's shades and orange hat and essentially larping as a Prince in imitation of Dirk proper.

Through the power he gains from this, he blasts off from Earth C and tracks down Ultimate Dirk for a no holds barred 8eatdown in which he reclaims their lost love and makes Dirk his prisoner with chains of love and mercy, cancelling his ability to die and comitting to becoming the vill8in of Homestuck, as well as its Her8, if it means he can keep Dirk safe and alive.

In the process he finally establishes Dirkjake as indisputable endgame canon, and becomes the equivalent of the I AM Christian God, the new existential equivalent to Lord English himself, with a will that predominates completely over everything else in Paradox Space. There may be some surprises that happen along the way, too.

Now, That much of the story has been written and published since 2019. You can read it on A03 right now and always could. In fact, I'd encourage you to do so and @ me, as well as maybe tag it with #Pumpkin Path, #Pumpkin Track, or just straight up #Homestuck for all I care. I want eyes on this thing, and I wanted them 4 years ago.

That said:

I am now nearing completion on the follow-up to the Apocryphon as an intermission piece between the Epilogues and Pumpkin Track proper, with what is essentially ACT 1 of Pumpkin Track: W(1)LDSCR1PT-B4R0QU3STUCK, a high-drama spectacle driven continuation of the plot of the Epilogues centering on a confrontation between Ultimate Jake English and Meat Jade Harley, who must duel for the right to decide if Dirk Strider dies.

In the process of their battle and Jade's necessary Ascension to Ultimate Selfhood in order to Rise uP to the level necessary to compete against a being like Prince English, deeply hidden truths will be unveiled; about the lives of Jade and Jake, about the moral logic that rules Earth C, and about the very nature and purpose of Paradox Space itself.

If I have it my way, if all goes as I Hope, then nothing in Homestuck will ever be the same once it's posted. The Apocryphon was setup. Now it's fucking Sh8wt1m3, and I can't w8.

The first half of Wildscript is written and has been being beta'd for several months, and I have a full outline written for the rest. Anyone who gets their eyes on the thing seems to come away pretty excited. Sometime in the near future, I'll post the first four Chapters of Wildscript on Ao3 or some other platform, and update the rest as I go. And once Wildscript is finished, I have future Acts and Intermissions planned for the foreseeable eternity, tackling off the top of my head: Ultimate Ascensions for Rose and Kanaya, Vriska and Terezi, Roxy and Calliope, Jane Crocker, and Nepeta Leijon and Tavros Nitram as they lead the twin charges of Nepetaquest 3033.

There is no endpoint to my ambition for the future of Homestuck save simply: 8. The only question is whether the fandom wants to come along for the ride with me in the long run. I think Hope Remains that we'll have a great time here if they do.

If not, I hope they have even more fun elsewhere.

Let's rise.

#homestuck #dirkjake #Jake English #Dirk Strider #optimisticDuelist #Pumpkin Path #Pumpkin Track

[vacantgodling]

re. about

you may call me: ren, renjamin, rimz, r.a.a, or vacant

refer to me with he/him pronouns (masculine nicknames like ‘king’ & terms of endearment like ‘dear’ or ‘sweetie’ are also good. just nothing overtly feminine like ‘queen’ is the gist)

i am 26 and my birthday is october 2

i am black, transmasc, neurodivergent, and queer (achillean or yknow gay if you want to be specific. i’m a fag ok.)

as a psa: i don’t care if minors follow me but i’m not your parent so proceed at your own risk.

aside from writing i like: playing video games (mostly overwatch, my special interest for a ridiculous amount of time. but also, legend of zelda & the sims), drawing (when it’s not annoying me), gothic literature & older books with flowery prose, the colors pink, black & gold, history, anime (older anime+demon slayer really), and i’m learning japanese (to the best of my ability. むずかしです)

re. wips

find a list of all my wips HERE! i work on them sporadically when inspiration strikes. find a wip sampler where i show off a piece of prose from the work to give you a sense of its vibe HERE!

if you’re interested in being on my taglists, fill this form out!

my 2023 year in review!

also, for ease of access: current tag games i’m doing (i want to keep track of it this year)

last line tag 2024

wbw 2024

ask games 2024 (general)

tcol character tournament!

re. connect

here are other places you can find me:

bluesky || cohost || pinterest

my partner yves and i make stories together, which is here -> @mothgrudge (i also rb a lot on @babylonsfalling)

i have a discord so if we’ve spoken feel free to ask for it (however i don’t really do servers. maybe one day, but for now no)

maybe this year i’ll work on an actual website & i’d love to make a youtube where i just talk about shit so… maybe, we’ll see...

re. navigation

talking -> musings and personal thoughts

about renjamin -> insight to me / who i am

ren analysis -> when i get meta about my wips

ren mix -> a treasure trove of my music taste

ren polls -> any polls i make

ren reads -> for my ramblings and analysis as i try to get back into books

friends tag -> talking with friends or boosting my friends work

others work -> boosting other writeblrs work

hall of fame -> praise / things that make me happy that i want to keep

ren writing -> all of my writing in one place

ren poems -> all of my poems in one place

short stories tag -> micro or flash fiction bits and bobs

ren art -> all my art

q eh you eh -> queue

sex mention -> tag for any sexual content.

worldbuilding -> all of my worldbuilding notes across all my wips

ren hot cakes -> specifically for my overly opinionated opinions

to read -> others works that i need to get around to reading

rens ocs but sims -> for when i make my ocs in the sims lol

ren plays -> me talking about video games but it’s usually overwatch

ren is jopping on main -> for the rare occasions where i talk about kpop

character stats -> when i decide to compare and contrast my ocs to see trends

#writeblr intro #about renjamin

[amethystina]

I was tagged by @a-very-fond-farewell! Thank you so much darling 💜

1. Last song: Shishen Take On the Challenge from The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity soundtrack (which I paid a small fortune to get my hands on so you bet I've been listening to it almost non-stop ever since. The music is SO FUCKING GOOD OKAY)

2. Favorite color: Purple — which I feel should come as a surprise to no one xD

3. Currently watching: The Killing Vote, because I apparently need more dramas where the Korean public is allowed to vote on whether or not to execute people. Quite enjoying it so far! The characters are a hoot xD And I'm curious to see what they do with the Kwon Seok Joo dude.

I also just started The Guest because I want to watch it before they remove it from Netflix but BOI. That's not one I'll be able to binge, that's for sure. Horror is great but also, well, terrifying x'D

Though, I must say, I might have to take a detour and rewatch the Along With the Gods movies. I've been meaning to do so for ages and seeing Kim Dong Wook in The Guest makes the urge even stronger. Because, let me tell you, I'm SO EAGER to rewatch the movies and observe the characters now that I've seen the twist at the end of the second movie. A twist I figured out before I actually reached the reveal, sure, but I don't think that's a bad thing? Like, for real, guys. The AUDIBLE GASP I let out when I realised what the twist was going to be and then got to sit there and see it slowly dawn on the other characters? BEAUTIFUL. And it CHANGES SO MUCH. Like, I need to rewatch them because so much of what I thought I knew is now a lie! Circumstances have changed! My initial analysis might be wrong! Characters I thought I knew are now completely different! I need to do more research! I NEED TO KNOW.

(This is what happens when your brain works like mine. And one day I might tell you all about why Kang Yo Han is such a fascinating character to me, because, let me tell you, I've rarely seen a character remain so solid in his characterisation even through the kind of reveals we're given in the drama. It's fucking SPECTACULAR)

4. Currently reading: Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (I do it in bursts because it's not the kind of book I can just binge, okay? x'D), We Have Always Lived In the Castle by Shirley Jackson (I would have finished this LONG ago if it didn't give me so much anxiety (but in a good way?)) and Eld by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergman Elfgren (though I should probably start over on this one since I was very distracted when I read the first chapter)

5. Last movie: No Regret, because why not dabble in older Korean LGBTQ+ content? It was a ride, that's for sure xD And the next movie will be The World to Come (also one I want to watch before it's removed from Netflix)

6. Sweet/spicy/savory: Either sweet or savoury — it depends on my mood, really.

7. Relationship status: Married! :D

8. Current obsession: I'm not sure if I have one right now? Though I am hoping to get back on track with that diorama thing soon. I've almost collected all the materials I need! I just need fake foliage (preferably red) and I'm going to try and buy that either tomorrow or on Saturday.

9. Last thing you googled? Why my phone kept taking only green photos. And everyone kept telling me I shouldn't have unlocked the bootloader (which I don't think can be done by accident and I sure as hell haven't done it intentionally) so in the end I just restarted it and now it works just fine xD

10. Selfie: I don't really take selfies but here's a cropped version of a drawing WIP of mine.

If you know, you know ;)

(... LOOK, the suspender-pulling had to happen eventually, okay?)

11. Currently working on: Chapter 5 of A New Dawn (Begins With Us) and, after that, it'll be either chapter 37 of Who Holds the Devil or maybe the sequel to Gravitational Pull which I'm STILL struggling to find the time to work on. I'm also working on, like, six different drawings simultaneously. Because why make things easy for myself?

Tagging: Whoever wants to do it! Tell me about yourself! :D

#Amethystina Does Tag Games #I feel very all over the place right now x'D #And I have read so few books this year :/ #That's such a bummer #I should look into that #I kind of miss reading a shitload of silly romance #And I also want to draw a lot #But then there's writing too #So many hobbies #So little time

[cephalopodvictorious]

If your comment on knock off versions was a joke, disregard this. If not, I'm arguing: Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins was published in 1989. How The Grinch Stole Christmas was published in 1957. If anything was a knock off version of the other, it definitely wasn't that the Grinch is cribbing. And I don't actually think their themes are that similar, nor are the villains, despite superficial similarities of "people celebrate their winter religious holiday despite interference from monsters." The goblins want to eat Hershel, not stop Chanukah. Overall, looking past the lighthearted children's stories, the two reflect extremely difficult cultural fears. Christians are worried their traditions are becoming less meaningful in an era of increasing commercialism. And like, sure, it's not like we don't feel that way about Chanukah, but also Jews (and HatHG) remain worried that we will all be killed and there will be no one left in the places we lived who can continue our traditions.

You're right about the dates, and the "knockoff" bit was a half-joke made over my morning coffee. Mostly I'm talking about social role with regards to "popular kid's stories around the holiday" (where I live, at least) but I'll push back about your analysis of the themes

The goblins invade the synagogue and refuse to allow the villagers to celebrate Hanukkah, even in their own homes. Herschel comes to town and sees that they're too afraid to celebrate, and if they try, they are attacked by goblins. They are very much a stand-in for real antisemitism.

I'm focusing more on that discussion about how a "Grinch" is someone who doesn't like christmas, an outsider's perspective, and how that story had been weaponized by "war on xmas"/secular xmas believers against non xtians.

I know what Seuss has said about why he wrote it, and I know that he said that it's about commercialism, but in the modern context, consider:

It is a story about some visibly distinguishable as "other" who isn't human and who hates Christmas for no reason other than that it's loud and ubiquitous, so he tries to ruin their holiday and stop them from celebrating, but their love of the holiday runs deep and he is swayed into joining them through their displays of unwavering faith, and now he celebrates Christmas.

And in the context of that post I left the tags on, someone was telling Jews that they define a "Grinch" as "someone who hates Christmas". I've heard this take for years, often from completely well-meaning people, that any refusal to celebrate xmas makes us inhuman creatures with hearts described as "two sizes too small".

We live in the times of "a war on xmas". I have twice this year been told that I'm "a bit of a Grinch" because I think that mid-November is too early for all the radio stations to play nothing but xmas music, and for responding to "merry christmas" with a trite "happy hanukkah" (to someone who knows that I'm Jewish, again, in November). They genuinely believe that my refusal to participate is me trying to stop them from celebrating, and I'm infringing on their right, and that if I just appreciated joy and opened up my (tiny) heart I could know true happiness. They genuinely feel that they're oppressed.

This is to say nothing of the fact that while Seuss said it was based on him and his own disdain for commercialism, this is also from a man whose racial sensitivity track record is. not great to say the least, and while I'm not saying it was deliberate, I am saying that unconscious biases exist.

#which is not to say that the story is antisemitic or Islamophobic! I am saying that people USE it that way against us

[formulatrash]

Idk how many notifications you get normaly, but maybe you've seen that I've scrolled down a few tags on your blog (lucas di grassi and daniel abt 🫣), which brings me to my question: are friendships in motorsports (especially in fe) actually legit? (I don't mean that they hate each other in reality, just that the fans view may be a bit off on the reality of it, idk how to say this really 😂) There's obviously the famous jeandre, or robin and antonio, daniel and mitch, robin and sam, lucas and daniel...

the good news is they are totally legit friendships. Audi wanted to bin Daniel for ages before they found an excuse to do it and Lucas threw a fit every time to keep him because he liked him so much (Daniel was also performing really well so I've never quite understood what Audi had against him) and they legitimately hang out both at tracks and away from them, even now. they're wildly chalk and cheese but somehow formed a really strong bond and honestly care about each other a lot - Lucas once said to me they were the perfect balance because he can be technical while Daniel is a people person and that sounds extremely right, as analysis.

Robin and Antonio are also legit friends and genuinely hang out/are borderline obsessed with each other. this essential early content when Robin and Simona de Silvestro were teammates exposes them fully. it's genuinely extremely hard to get them to stop talking to each other to conduct an interview, in media pen.

I'd say almost all the FE drivers are friends on some level - even some relatively unlikely ones like Lucas and Seb. there's a few that really can't stand each other (Nelson and Lucas, ***** and ******) but mostly they genuinely get on and do hang out with each other during race weekends. the friendships you see more of are the ones that go beyond the track.

but yeah, they're a friendly bunch. there's nothing faked about the actual friendships. the only genuine cover I've ever seen was ******* trying to pretend their drivers didn't absolutely loathe each other on a very petty level in seasons 7 & 8.

#fe asks

[lamonnaie]

bad buddy fandom getting-to-know-you meme!

Thanks for the tag @fiercynn !! This is a really lovely idea :)

note: i consider "fanworks" to pretty much everything people create related to a fandom, including but not limited to meta/analysis/discussion, gifs, fanvids/edits/fancams, filk, fanart, fanfic, fan food, fan crafts, etc. please include this note with the meme unless you have a different definition!

name and whatever you want to share about yourself hi i'm mars, i use she/her pronouns, i live in australia and i've been into thai/asian bl for a little over a year now. i mostly just lurk and mass rb on tumblr lol, but i'd definitely like to get to know more people !!

when did you watch bad buddy/join the fandom? I was actually trying to track down the exact date recently (i failed), but i watched it for the first time around mid-september 2022, ended up binging it in a day and been a part of the fandom since

favorite ship(s) patpran <3

favorite character(s) pat !! he's one of my favourite characters from any media ever. I just love how selfless he is and how he transforms through the show, and how bright he is but knows when to stand his ground. i could wax poetics about him fr <3

favorite episode(s) Whenever i watch/rewatch bad buddy i tend to binge it so i can never distinguish betweens episodes lol. In general, ep 12 is definitely one of my favs because i feel like it ties things up nicely and i like seeing them happy :) i can probably give a better answer for favourite scene...

favorite scene(s) ...which is why it's great that this is the next question!

In no particular order: the staircase proposal scene, the bus stop roleplaying scene, the post-curtain bench hand holding scene (specifically that one face pat/ohm makes which imo is the single most most heartbreaking frame in the entire show), the ep 12 post-credits scene (wait was it actually post-credits, i don't remember ajksdjf), the screaming on the rocks at the zero-waste village scene, and the rooftop kiss (ofc)

Basically i just like to see them happy (most of the time) :)

one thing you would change about the show if you could the whole making-it-up-to-wai arc was not it for me. WHY was pran the one apologising and going after him??? still makes me mad to this day, but i think i'd have a lot more animosity towards wai if ep 12 didn't exist (also all the wai redemption arcs in fanfics have made me warm up to him :P)

what are your some of your favorite fanworks made by other people? ahhh so many!! joy of stanning a show that's finished is that it stays going through fanworks, but also now there's too many that i absolutely adore to remember in the moment, sp here's some:

we both know you're my only dream (fic) by @fiercynn: one of my favourite fics ever that i constantly go back and reread whenever i'm having a bad day (or not)

yield strength (fic) by @dulosis: the physics analogies do something to my brain /pos

10 things i hate about you (fic) by @nobodynobodyno: this one's so cute and i reread it all the time

this fmv to tujh mein rab dikhta hai by @transpat: desi moots, iykyk. but fr this holds such a special place in my heart, the lyrics are so patpran and the editing and clip choice is just *chef's kiss*

this fmv to dandelions: IT'S SO GOOD. all the parallels, the dialogue overlaying is just perfect, and the TRANSITIONS (the one at 1:28 especially)

every single one of @hereforlou's art: i'm literally obsessed, i don't always see everything on my dash so i'll literally check their tumblr every couple days. is this stalker behaviour? possibly, but if you've seen their art i think you'd understand.

Also special mention to this one gifset of the staircase proposal scene which was my first ever exposure to bad buddy, it made me watch the show to begin with, but i didn't rb it when i first saw it so now it's lost to the times 😭😭

I have an insane amount of fanfic i wanted to put here but for the sake of length of this post, i restrained myself ajskdjf

(if you create fanworks) what are your favorite fanworks that you’ve made? i do not (yet 👀)

a song that makes you think of bbs (the ones in the show don’t count lol) pretty much every fmv/edit that i've rewatched a couple times set to a song will make me thing of bbs lol, so some are tujh mein rab dikhta hai and dandelions from above, emily by Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler because of this amazing fic, and gorgeous by Taylor Swift because of this gorgeous edit (y'all please go watch it it's amazing).

idk anything else you want us to know? It's the perfect timing for this because these are my nails right now ):)

honestly not super sure who of my mutuals are bbs moots so i'm just gonna tag some people, feel free to ignore this if you've already been tagged/don't want to do it! :)

@nobodynobodyno @dropthedemiurge @justafriend-ql @cornflowershade @hometothecanyonmoon @7nessasaryevils

If you see this and you want to do it, this is is me tagging you as well !!

#bad buddy #bad buddy fandom meme #bad buddy the series #me #lamonnaie stuff

[fierrochase-falafel]

The Cave of 10,000 gods as Hua Cheng's epic gamer moment (spoilers)

The more I think about it, the symbolism of Hua Cheng making all those dianxia statues right in the middle of Tonglu, Jun Wu's domain, is genuinely so epic-

Jun Wu was a man who through the bitterness and resentment of his own plight, set Xie Lian's fall from grace in motion and made him believe he was worthless, powerless and unworthy of simple dignity. His anger was the reason Mount Tong'lu erupted every so often with a new supreme according to Mei Nianqing, his anger was the reason for monsters coming out of the Kiln and causing chaos. Yet within the Kiln, there's a whole gazillion statues in reverence of the god Jun Wu was made so insecure by: in a place formed and shaped so heavily by hate, there's a cave signifying love. Compared to the whole mountain, it's small, but it was enough to keep Hua Cheng going. That small amount of faith, friendship, belief, love, connection is what drives TGCF in general, and what makes Xie Lian stick to what he believes is right rather than giving in to the deluge of pain and anger. The combined power of hualian and them being in love is what overpowers Jun Wu in book 5, and the Cave of 10,000 gods is a literal testament to that love.

Everything Hua Cheng did in the Kiln is basically the equivalent of giving the middle finger to Jun Wu in retrospect, even if he didn't know the full extent of it. Saving the humans by sacrificing his own eye, the effective opposite of what Jun Wu did when calming the Kiln by sacrificing the live humans. He jumped down from heaven, Jun Wu's corrupt domain. He made several statues for the 1 god that irks Jun Wu the most because he chose to not go out murdering people and Jun Wu wants the satisfaction of knowing anyone else - especially Xie Lian - would do the same as he did. He emerged a supreme that even Jun Wu had to admit was a force to be reckoned with. Everything about Hua Cheng's time in the Kiln is even more iconic in hindight; such a satisfactory win against Jun Wu by none other than Hua Cheng, it's perfect.

#hua cheng #jun wu #xie lian #mei nianqing #tgcf meta #tgcf #hualian #tgcf book 5 #analysis time by me so i can track them in my tags #posts originating from my brain

[destinationtoast]

How to address non-binary characters in fandom stats about gender

@once-a-polecat asked a thoughtful and interesting question in response to my post about Canon gender representation & shipping:

So, I know this is a VERY small number of characters (statistically speaking), but how do you deal with, or plan to deal with, the increasing numbers of characters who are non-binary in canon? (Jim Jimenez in OFMD, or Desire in Sandman for instance.) If you’re documenting how prevalent it is that fans introduce gender diversity to binary characters at some point you have to address the question of canon characters who do not have a binary gender. And I understand how much of a tricky question this is because it’s less easily traced across fandoms and some characters may not have a binary gender in ways that do not track with Western human society (they may have culturally significant genders or be non-human beings etc…), but small numbers and diverse types of genders gets difficult for data visualization purposes.

I wanted to give a long-ish answer (or really, to discuss a number of possible answers, all of which sometimes apply but aren't complete on their own), and I also wanted to open it up to others for ideas, so rather than reply in the notes, I'm replying here.

One answer is to say that I'm limited by the data I have available about canon (e.g., in that past 2018 work I was pointing to about Gender representation in canon vs. fanworks, I was working with someone else's movie data set, which didn't contain any data about canon nonbinary characters). That raises a question for future analyses -- does anyone know of a reliable list of canon nonbinary characters that is kept up-to-date? How good is Wikipedia's List of fictional non-binary characters, e.g.? Also interested in lists of canon trans characters.

(A quick aside, because I'm about to talk about limitations: I'm incredibly grateful for the AO3 tagging system, and everyone who makes it work! In part because it allows me to do far more complex stats about all this stuff than any other fandom platform -- or other media platforms, period. And because it gives us all some pretty outstanding sorting and filtering superpowers. Hallelujah! Okay, now onto some limitations. :) )

Another possible answer is to say that my stats are about how people tag things on AO3. So for the most part, I just follow however people are tagging things on AO3 -- and if AO3 users start tagging more ships as "Other" as they often do when a canon nonbinary character like Jim Jimenez or Desire is involved, some of my tag-based stats will pick up that kind of thing (even though I'm currently investigating F/F and M/M specifically, about which more below, I do often include more shipping categories than that). However, this is also only somewhat satisfying, since tagging practices differ between fandoms and change over time (e.g., I *think* more people used to tag some ships involving nonbinary characters, like LaFontaine/Perry from Carmilla, with gendered tags like "F/F" rather than with "Other" -- though maybe that particular example was just because L/P was often a background ship). And I know the use of "Other" can also be touchy; it can be frustrating to lump together human-only ships like Oluwande Boodhari/Jim Jimenez with ones like Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote, for one thing. (And AO3 could even change some of these tagging options in the future, which might make such data even less useful.)

Another answer is to say, "Nonbinary characters are usually just noise, statistically, because there are so few of them -- I can ignore them most of the time." (Which you nodded to in your question, though you didn't suggest being so dismissive about it. :) ) There are some times when I make those kind of omissions or oversimplifications, though I avoid it when possible. For the purposes of my upcoming "F/F vs. M/M" analysis, this answer and the previous one both come into play -- my initial goal is to look at how explicitly queer fic differs between fanworks tagged "F/F" vs. "M/M." Which will unfortunately miss a whole bunch of queer fanworks featuring nonbinary characters. But I am going to simplify things by initially focusing on those two largest and most explicitly queer ship tags.

A final answer is to say that I've tried to make up for limitations in my other work by explicitly seeking out and analyzing gender diversity in some of my stats, like my analyses of Trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse characters on AO3. [Edit: and then I addressed the possible visualization complexities by looking at each of the common tags -- like "Nonbinary Character" -- separately.] At the same time, because I don't know which characters are trans or nonbinary in canon, those stats have been vague about which gender diversity is coming from canon vs. from fandom -- see my above question about good lists of canon gender diversity. (Also, this doesn't capture types of gender diversity that aren't reflected in the tags.)

Finally, a shoutout to @centrumlumina who does a fantastic job hand-labeling the gender and race of all the characters for the annual top AO3 ships analysis. I am in complete awe. Canon race and gender are both things I wish were easier to analyze/find data about -- but at least for the characters in the top 100 ships each year, Lulu has provided a great data source!

Thanks for the question -- curious to hear if/how others think about this topic.

#gender representation #fandom stats #gender diversity #nonbinary #data viz #is hard #when categories are complex and/or numerous #questions for the tumblmind #toasty replies #toastystats #all the thinkiness #long post #oops I've been forgetting to use that tag lately #I'm not sure how many people still filter “long post” now that tumblr has “Expand” #but I try to remember #op #50

[sleepy-seal]

Welcome back to another installment of: TMAGP & Treats!!!!!!!!

While I'm here I will say: I am so so so sorry that I fell behind. I assumed that the once-a-week updates with making a single baked good would suffice as it's not like I'm doing this daily. I underestimated not only how taxing it would be to ask for ingredients from my parents, but also to keep up with the schedule. The pressure to mull the episode over and connect the dots enough to string together a coherent analysis has pretty much axed any way of doing this efficiently. Like a wise woman once said, you can have it right, or you can have it fast. With all that said, I think I'm ready to get back on track once more and do weekly installments. I will just have to make some adjustments. Now, here's the treat of the week!

This week (pretend it's on the day ep 6 was relwased okay) was Chocolate Crinkles!!!! Now without further ado, here's my thoughts:

- as is the nature of my recent surgery, i have to be cautious with what i eat, but i think i can make an exception with these

- 4 HOURS???? THIS NEEDS THAT LONG TO CHILL BEFORE GOING IN THE OVEN??????

- whatever i'll have enough time to think about the episode

- oof. sam you really need your rest

- A NEW PERSON? ALREADY

- well my money is on you sam so i really hope you stick it out

- HELLO???

- needles is a kickass name i'll give them that

- an act of affection you say? an act of love? maybe obsessi

- MARKED?????

- i have a feeling that we're going to be seeing needles again

- SAM STOP

- YOU ARE GETTING THE DESIRE TO KNOW THATS REALLY BAD

- i'll tell you what he'll do really well in the institute. if it was still around

- CELIAAAAAA

- you've only been here for like 1 episode and i love you already

- don't get attached huh?

- LMAOOOOO

- okay let me finish making the dough for the treat and i'll start compiling my thoughts

FINALLY THOUGHTS:

first of all, i love celia so so so much. aside from the insistence from alice that sam has a romantic crush on her giving me a knee-jerk uncomfortable reaction as an aromantic myself, i really love her. i never really made the connection between her and the celia from tma until i double checked the tag on tumblr, but it is nice to see lowrie back! i am interested in how this will culminate. i really do love celia though. she's silly in a lame way. she's my favorite character. clap for her Now.

second of all, sam. sammy. samama khalid. my buddy boy my friendo. you have Got to stop fucking around and finding out. first, it was actively seeking out information and digging when he shouldn't. then it was signing the response 121 form. and now it's this reaction to when the case was abruptly cut off with no clean ending. he wants to know more. the warning signs are there, but i'm hoping that he's still able to get out of there when he can.

unfortunately, this is all the thoughts i wrote at the time. i was planning on writing more, but sadly i ran out of steam by the time the cookies were done, and by then i just went to bed and didn't end up completing TMAGP & Treats in time. i will promise to make up in the future though!!!!

#tmagp #tmagp spoilers #tmagp & treats

[strangertheories]

the people in your ask box giving their reasons for not liking ronance is like. yes, you do you, but they are literally proving your point because what is it about a random f/f ship existing that makes people wanna argue against it ??? but yeah the anti ronance tag is truly a wild place.

This response is quite long, hence the read more! I kinda got off track and it goes into a discussion of canon vs headcanon and speaks a bit about Byler too.

If I were to be generous to Ronance antis, I think a lot of people are frustrated that there is a new canon bisexual character who's been introduced to the show but a lot of the fandom are ignoring her for a headcanon. And in general, members of this fandom and Ronance shippers are quite harsh against Rovickie and I don't think they'd be as harsh if it was an m/f pairing. Because it's the only canon gay pairing so far (I know it hasn't happened yet but it clearly will), people are expecting it to be this perfect romance like Jopper or Lumax but in eight minutes of screen time which is just impossible.

However, I think turning this defensiveness of people who ship Ronance is a bit unfair. So far, Vickie is just not an established character; she's barely had any screen time and she exists only to be Robin's girlfriend. At the moment, it feels a bit like pandering/fan service (although a lot of people make that criticism in bad faith because they view queer relationships as inherently woke or political which is bullshit). I can see the potential in the pairing and I guarantee I'll love them by the end of S5, but I've just not seen them interact as much. I am allowed to think that without it being problematic; just because a queer ship is canon representation doesn't mean I have to like it.

I also think it's quite obvious a lot of people in this fandom haven't had any fandom experiences before. A very frequent response I get to shipping Ronance that I don't respond to (because I can't be bothered to reply every time) is that Nancy canonically likes Jonathan and that Robin canonically likes Vickie. Or that there's no proof that Nancy's gay.

The thing is, I'm not shipping Ronance because I think they're going to canonically get together, I ship them because I like their dynamic both hypothetically and in many on screen interactions they had. I just prefer rivals to lovers than two very similar girls (I know talking a lot doesn't make them the same person but it's all we've really seen of Vickie so far) getting together. When I ship a ship, it's not because it's the most canon, it's because it's the best dynamic.

I see this response to people who ship pairings like Will and Lucas where people will get annoyed because they act like Will hypothetically liking someone other than Mike is erasure which is so odd because I doubt anyone shipping that pairing actually thinks it will be canon, they just think it would be an interesting pairing to explore.

Or how when people try to convince you to ship Byler, they try to convince you why it'll be canon and not why it'll be good (I'm not talking about responding to Byler antis who tell you that it won't happen or talking to fellow Byler shippers, Byler proof and analysis is very valuable). This also applies in reverse when an anon tried to prove that Byler won't be canon...in response to me saying I like friends to lovers.

TL;DR: I'm not gonna ship Rovickie over Ronance just because it's the canon queer relationship. I ship based on whatever pairing is the most interesting to me instead of which one is the most attainable. I understand that lots of people like it and I'm cool with that, but sending me long asks explaining that Rovickie/Jancy are canon isn't going to change my mind on Ronance.

Also a lot of Ronance antis are Nancy antis and that's a whole thing that I've responded to before (check my post index under the Ronance section and go to Ronance and boy drama or the follow up or just click the words there).

#stranger things #ronance #byler #nancy wheeler #robin buckley #fandom #anti rovickie #<- not trying to be more explaining why i personally like ronance more #anti jancy #again im not against the ship im just explaining that i don't automatically ship what's canon

[jjkeremika]

all or (Formula) n(One)

chapter five: Australia Grand Prix

ch1; ch2; ch3; ch4

description: “Now there’s that scarlet Ferrari! Car number 139 with the special insignia handwritten on display. A MKA that says, ‘this car is ready to race.’”

“Not just to race, Martin, but to win. To rebuild a car to that standard—to be so confident that it’s at least as good as previous with so little time…”

“Honestly, Alex, some races it just makes me wonder if maybe the signature is more of a good luck cast than a proper sign off.”

tag/disclaimer(s): written as camera angles and commentary between F1 radio hosts (Alex, Martin, guest Julian); eremika (Ferrari racer! eren jaeger x engineer/mechanic! mikasa ackerman); friends to lovers; formula one au

*Race day; Australia Grand Prix*

“It’s a beautiful day in Melbourne at Albert Park, home for the 2024 Australia Grand Prix. I’m Alex. I’m here with Martin and, today, we are joined by Julian, a former tech and analyst.”

“Julian, thanks for joining us today. Really excited to have a deeper analysis of the cars based on your experience.”

“Thanks so much for having me, Alex and Martin. Thrilled to be here and I already know we’ll have much to discuss during today’s race as both the McLaren and Ferrari are back in service this weekend after a full week of repairs.”

*camera follows Zeke as he walks around the McLaren garage.*

“There is Zeke Jaeger now, walking over to that repaired chassis.”

“I get a thrill whenever I see him, Martin! A top driver who was dropped after a great season, one who fully believed he would have to retire early due to the lack of a seat. Look at him now in that orange jumpsuit.”

*Camera follows Zeke as he walks around the orange chassis, talks to some McLaren engineers*

“It’s hard to believe he’s not counting down the number of races he has until Flock is set to return. I mean, you can just see that he is feeling the pressure to perform to keep that seat. Especially after the last racing weekend.”

“Well,” Martin laughs, “McLaren might have to make a decision on which driver they’d rather seat.”

Alex chuckles, “My money’s on the Jaeger brothers staying in those vibrant cars for this season.”

*camera shows Eren Jaeger in the Ferrari red jumpsuit wandering the paddock, talking to Mikasa and some other mechanics.*

*zooms in on Eren and Mikasa laughing, looking at each other. Eren instinctively leans closer to her.*

“That all depends on how they operate. Now, Julian, based on your expertise, do you think these cars will be running smoothly this weekend after that significant crash?”

“It’s hard to say, Martin, you’d really have to see the data on how the cars performed during testing. But based on those Ferrari sprint and qualifying results on Saturday, it’s really hard to believe that MKA Ferrari is not in racing condition.”

*camera zooms in on Eren as Mikasa helps him don the headgear and helmet. Eren’s talking to her. She’s chuckling. inaudible*

“Quite amazing, really, how Ferrari managed to repair the car like nothing even happened in such a tight deadline.”

“Well, the rumor in the paddock is that Mikasa spent days and nights in the garage with Eren on the car.”

“She must’ve signed the chassis one of those nights. Look at that signature.”

*camera follows as Eren starts to climb into the driver’s seat. Camera panel includes the MKA in black ink on the bright red chassis*

“Really gets me excited just seeing it,” Julian chimes in. “It’s almost like a good omen that Eren’s about to have a good time on that track.”

“I bet all drivers out there are jealous, honestly!” Martin continues. “As a former driver, it feels like a sign of a stable, fast car that really lets them express themselves out there.”

“Ferrari must be feeling confident today. Let’s hope it translates into a great race result after yesterday’s epic comeback in qualifying, where we saw Eren Jaeger pushing that repaired chassis all the way to a top grid place of third.”

*Camera pans over Eren who waves to the crowd from inside the car. Crowd cheers*

“Can’t forget, Martin, that that grid place might move up a slot depending on race control’s decision about Ackerman’s potentially illegal move yesterday.”

*camera zooms in on Levi Ackerman gearing up and walking towards his car*

“Right you are, Alex! Yesterday we saw Levi Ackerman beat his teammate and former two-time championship winner Reiner Braun in qualifying—achieving first pole position in qualifying for the fiftieth time in his career—but only after what appeared to be manufacturing a racing start from the very end of the pit lane.”

“Ah, yes, that did seem like an interesting move from the experienced driver,” Julian mentioned. “From past qualifying’s we’ve seen a grid penalty of up to ten seconds issued for similar instances—if that the stewards decide it’s a worthy act to punish before the race.”

*camera settles on Reiner Braun in the Redbull seat. Crowd cheers*

“Listen to that crowd as the camera shows our Formula One world champion Reiner Braun. Two years in a row. Starting in second position for the first time this year.”

“Still a great spot to be in, on that front row. And if Ackerman is penalized before the start of the race, he’ll be back on pole position in no time.”

*grid line up starts to show alongside live view of drivers getting ready in their cars. lining up for the formation lap*

“As we gear up for the formation lap, let’s review the grid order. For our top two, as mentioned, we have yet another Redbull 1-2, but with Levi Ackerman in leading pole position and Braun in second.”

“In third we have the youngest Ferrari driver Eren Jaeger, who was DNF last race. Definitely gearing to win some massive points in today’s race.”

“Right beside him and locking out that second row in fourth is his teammate, Porco Galliard, in the second Ferrari.”

“But he better be prepared to defend because that’s Erwin Smith in the McLaren chasing his position in fifth. Only half a millisecond ahead of Jean Kirstein in the Mercedes, who sped his way into sixth place.”

“Quite the buffer between the Jaeger brothers this time with Zeke Jaeger in seventh, proudly sporting that McLaren right behind his old teammate.”

*cars pull into their starting positions following the formation lap. the lights turn on in ascending order*

“With still no word from the stewards, it seems we will see Levi Ackerman leading this race!”

*lights turn off. cars start towards the first corner*

“What a brilliant start from Eren Jaeger in the MKA Ferrari! forcing his way into the leading row around the outside as the Redbulls approach the first corner,” Martin exclaims.

*Braun overtakes Ackerman around the inside and manages into the lead. Virtually simultaneously, Jaeger overtakes Ackerman around the outside and cuts right between the two Redbulls*

“Braun hugs the inner rim as they round the first corner and just barely manages to stick his nose in front of his teammate. Just barely keeps that lead around the second corner.”

Alex chortles in amusement. “And while Ackerman was busy focusing on the two-time world champion, Jaeger cut around the outside, found the inner corner and cut in front!”

“And we are also hearing from race control right now that Ackerman will serve a 15 second penalty for a fake start during the qualifying yesterday.”

“We are seeing Reiner Braun set the race pace, a usual sight to see—“

“But Jaeger is awfully close to that Redbull. Only a 0.1 second gap, Martin.”

“A damaged car has got to be even more careful breathing dirty air. Look at how that Jaeger is avoiding driving directly in the exhaust of that Redbull,” Julian comments. “That’s a driver who understands how the car will work.”

*drones follow the Redbull lead and chasing Ferrari. the ferrari car is close behind, but slightly to the side of the navy blue car.*

*camera flashes to Ferrari team watching the race from the garage. Focuses on Mikasa watching intently*

*returns to the live drone view of the Redbull and Ferrari cars. The redbull manages to stay ahead in each turn. About to enter lap 2*

“DRS is now enabled. Will Jaeger finally be able to take that pole position?”

“Braun had a bit of a lock up going into turn 13. Jaeger took the opportunity to push on that throttle into the inner lane.”

“Coming out of turn 13, they’re wheel to wheel! Jaeger manages to keep the inside and you’re watching Ferrari take the lead of the Australian Grand Prix! Eren Jaeger! First opportunity offered up. first opportunity taken. and the man who didn’t finish the last Grand Prix leads this weekend.”

“I mean look at the way that Ferrari just speeds right on by that Redbull, turns at the apex and without even needing DRS on the getaway—but taking it anyway!”

#eren jaeger #eremika #eren x mikasa #mikasa ackerman #jjkeremika #formula one au #attack on titan eremika