theworldgate

[theworldgate]

#sugar and _orange_ juice #reblog #poll #I'm pretty sure this is UK pancakes because who would do just lemon juice on USA ones?! #Sorry sugar and lemon but you know what I mean #food #though if it is US ones I had peanut butter and bananas one time and it was good? #(albeit I couldn't finish because the entire thing was about the size of my head)

[theworldgate]

I agree that they definitely don't look "right" based off other images of Cybertrucks I've seen.

Like, the point on the windows is too extreme, and the bodies don't seem to have that burnished texture of "lol who needs to coat the metal bits of cars".

Oh, also the wheels aren't consistently scaled, I think? (The front wheel of the rear car seems a bit too big?)

And the white debris in the foreground lacks any clear provenance.

#reblog #picture #cybertruck #car crash #probably not real?

[theworldgate]

The adhd urge to use parenthesis in every sentence (because every thought comes with additional bonus content)

#reblog #text #really the bigger issue is the multi-layered nested parantheses... #actually adhd

[theworldgate]

Okay, so, wild speculation time but: I think Nashi could appear in Duskmourn: House of Horror. Like, in a major role.

Now, I, obviously, do not wish harm upon Tamiyo's beloved ratperson son, but also I think there are a bunch of factors that make it make sense for this to happen. [Edit to add: uh wait hang on we got some Duskmourn art in the [admittedly too long] I spent writing this?! Really?!]

Like, enough that I'm going to stick a "read more" in here.

Anyway, to start off: Wizards probably does need some established characters to Experience the Horrors. Like, there's the idea of horror as corrupted familiarity - already-known characters can be a source of said familiarity. It's why all those Pokémon creepypastas exist[1]. Also every set has at least some tie, at the very least thematically, to the larger plot (yes even Zendikar Rising). This, obviously, doesn't necessarily mean Nashi, specifically, has to be there, but it is relevant context for all the rest of this.

Nashi is teen-coded [I do not know quite how old he's meant to be, and him being a Nezumi might complicate it, but he is still A Teen in every important respect]. Now, I am no Modern Horror Expert (tm), but a lot of those stories do focus on teen characters and... in terms of the present timeline we have Nashi, Kellan and. Uh. Shadowblayde-with-a-y? Like there are not that many Teen characters, especially with the recent timeskips. Like, Rat might technically be 19 at the youngest now. And, speaking of Rat, well, with apologies to her fans, I think we're still close enough to War of the Spark for Wizards to be nervous about introducing a new character to be the token teenager [in the main story. There might be other Teenaged Horror Protag/Victim creature cards in there].

Nashi also just starred in a story in a set with 43 other Legendary Creatures [not including Commander exclusives, or Loot], despite not getting a card himself. This might just be because Wizards let Akemi Dawn Bowman write whatever for her OTJ side-story, but there might well be a reason they brought Nashi back here. (I mean, it's a good story, and sometimes Side Stories are just there, but I'm assuming relevance for the sake of argument.)

"A Long Way From Home" further established Nashi's power as cameras - indeed, his entire thing as telling stories through cameras. The very limited information we have for Duskmourn includes the set logo. Which has freaking scanlines. Also cameras and found footage and people attempting to record the horrors for posterity are all modern horror staples [I would do a list but it would get long]. Again, Nashi is the clearest link to these tropes 'normally', and he's just about reckless enough that him getting involved doesn't seem particularly OOC.

Finally, Nashi uses his OP camera powers to steal an "elixir" described thusly: "The liquid was deep red and unmistakably metallic. There was no writing on the bottle, but Nashi's nostrils flared when he picked up its scent. The magic was abhorrently pungent, and the stench made his eyes water.".

I don't think anyone has managed to ID this incredibly suspicious potion. He presumably went ahead and drank this stuff, or otherwise still has it. I would not be surprised if it actually had some ties to the horror plane/plane horror and drinking this mysterious red liquid is part of how you end up on/in Duskmourn (like, it has the urban legend feel to it, and the power, or other desired thing, at an extreme and unpredictable price implemented by an almost cosmic force is also a big horror thing that falls outside of the Innistrad remit). Like this is pure speculation, to be clear, but it also really fits the vibe imo.

SUPER DUPER BONUS POINT

Kaito confirmed for Duskmourn! I mean. Kaito was mentioned in Nashi's story, because Nashi still has very complex feelings about the "Kaito didn't save my mom" thing. So it's a point in favour! But also, like, I feel as if Nashi would be in that type of art if he was appearing, so...

[1] Point adapted from Supereyepatchwolf, who used the phrase "dissolution of our world's boundaries" from... uh, I'm not sure where, Googling gets stuff about demon summoning (like... results about it in those words, thanks 'AI'), and a video he referenced didn't seem to use it in the first several minutes but using "normalcy" as part of said boundaries. (ngl, I like "corrupted familiarity" better).

#magic the gathering #magic story #mtg #text #duskmourn #okay so for context I wanted to write up the legends of OTJ and checking the story made me go “wait... oh no”

[theworldgate]

So, I realised that I never actually saw any links to @seananmcguire's "DVD Extras" for her Outlaws of Thunder Junction side-story, so I'm sharing it here.

(I mean, it was like 2 weeks ago, but just in case anyone else missed it first time round...)

#magic the gathering #mtg #magic story #seanan mcguire #link

[theworldgate]

Okay, so, I want to be clear on two things.

JK Rowling absolutely does not want trans women involved in public life, and would very happily fund a challenge to their rights if such a thing could be changed without primary legislation (which in turn would, I think, entail leaving the European Convention on Human Rights). And actually even if so, see below:

This specific crowdfunder is not directly about the Equality Act 2010. It's a challenge to a Scottish-specific piece of legislation about aiming to get 50% women on various public boards that, in the guidance, counts as women 'biological' women, and trans women with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) [which comes from the Gender Recognition Act 2004].

The challenge to the Equality Act definition of 'sex', to make it the above, has, unfortunately, been achieved by other means. The Equality Act defines a "woman" as a "female of any age" without defining female as far as I can tell - I think the intent was for 'female' to be broadly construed, but organised UK transphobia [1] has, for the moment, won the "biological sex" argument (with that being legal sex assigned at birth) for at least some contexts. [this being the case is part of why I'm writing this up, though - it's what made me go "hang on, wait, that can't possibly be right, but if it is I want to get my Regina George gif ready"] The protected characteristic of Gender Reassignment, which includes people intending to undergo Gender Reassignment or part of the process thereof, remains, though there's increasing pushes to the effect that the exception where discrimination is permitted if necessary and proportionate to achieve a legitimate aim in fact introduces a legal duty to discriminate where you can conjure up such a 'legitimate aim'. That doesn't mean that they're successful, though, there are absolutely cases where that's impossible, and ultimately wholesale removal of rights would require primary legislation. It also isn't directly touched by this lawsuit (only indirectly as it builds up the body of precedent for the narrow definition of sex in the Equality Act).

Also I think with all that I should add in the good news of the worst Prime Minister in British history failing in her attempt to bring in a Bathroom Bill, after a cross-party filibuster (which also was by means of talking at extreme length about animal rights - the ferret names bit has to be seen in that context). (It looks like the bill is set for a debate on the 19th but... also so many Scottish National Party Private Members' Bills are going ahead [as a way to make up for Lindsay Hoyle screwing their Opposition Day???] that I'd guess that it's unlikely to be reached on the running order, especially with the specific grievances the SNP has with the UK government on this exact issue [they're the Scottish Government being challenged by the lawsuit]).

Back on topic...

It's also worth noting that the Scottish Government originally had a broader definition of 'woman' - FWS are seemingly challenging the partially successful outcome of an earlier push for a judicial review [cw: I'd say the wording of the successful review is, itself, transphobic] and the several unsuccessful challenges to it not excluding trans women with GRCs. I imagine they also object to the judge ruling, in accordance with the Equality Act, that the protected characteristic of "gender reassignment" includes people without GRCs (though it also rules that... uh... the Scottish Government can't include the other protected characteristic because... reasons?[2])

With an "I am not a lawyer" caveat, I do not rate the chances of success in narrowing the definition further highly, given the UK's obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. Also because seriously that's just... actually the narrowest legal definition of 'woman'.

Like, just read that link I CW'ed, it is not like there wasn't a sympathetic judge there, if they couldn't find a way, there isn't a way. The challenge won't succeed.

Still sucks that, the organised transphobes are so flush with cash, though [like, it's probably tens of millions in crowdfunders alone since 2018].

tl;dr: Situation is not good in the UK rn, this crowdfunder is bad, but not bad in the way the screenshotted tweet says, and it is, imv, exceptionally unlikely to succeed [further]. Trans people do still have legal protections, even if these have already successfully weakened by organised UK transphobes (like I said, situation not good). Please stop contributing to JK Rowling's immense economic, social, and cultural capital.

[1] I refrain from using the term "TERF" because a. it feeds into the push to redefine "feminist" or "supporter of womens' rights" as "campaigner against trans women being allowed to exist in public life" and b. also elides the bit where quite specifically anti-feminist groups would also support this stuff. I use the term "organised" because there's a whole bunch of groups and front groups and the like - it is very organised and that is part of what allows the disproportionate influence. Further on point a.: trans rights are womens' rights. Oh also 'TERF' does introduce unnecessary controversy but the accuracy and [ironically] role in laundering transphobia are the bigger issues.

[2] I have no idea why the Scottish Government didn't challenge this further - my guess would be that they figured the intended switch to a declaration basis for GRCs would be sufficient to make it not really matter, and then the UK-wide Tory government invoked their right to veto. Which, like, legally they could do - legally the UK-wide government has a fairly blank cheque - but it was also very much a nuclear option that had never been done before.

another reminder to stop buying/watching/reading anything JK Rowling associated

#reblog #long post is long #transphobia #jk rowling #factchecking into the night #oh shit I spent 2 hours writing this huh #uk politics #I am not a lawyer #I should probably add an 'I am cis' disclaimer here #trans rights

[theworldgate]

via indiarosecrawford

Frog Paints a Water Lily Pond 🪷🎨🐸

𝑓ₒᵣ ⲕᵢ𝑛𝑔 ₐ𝑛𝑑 𝑐ₒ𝑡𝑡ₐ𝑔ₑ

#reblog #video #art #puppetry? #video wizardry

[theworldgate]

I can't tell whether this conversation inevitably thus happening is a point in favour or a point against the concept, but, for consideration:

(I honestly cannot say how sorry I am for this. Like. Literally, not sure whether it's 100% sorry or 50% sorry or -100% sorry or what, but this thing leapt into my head and I feel compelled to share it)

New planeswalker: So who's the leader of the gatewatch?

Chandra: Well we dont really have a leader, its more like-

Ajani: Chandra.

Kaya: Chandra.

Liliana: Chandra.

Chandra: But i dont wannaaaaaa

I fucking love the idea of Chandra just being named Guildpact leader purely by default. Ajani is waaaay too hung up on his self-imposed redemption arc to take up the mantle, and Kaya would absolutely refuse after her experience having a leader role thrust upon her before. Liliana absolutely Would Not, and would laugh in the face of anyone who proposed she take it.

🎉✨️Congratulations to Chandra Nalaar, the leader of the Gatewatch✨️🎉

#reblog #magic the gathering #mtg #homestuck #incorrect quotes #yes I did straight-up inspect element the Homestuck website for this #also fun story the colour picker site I used to get Chandra's colour code calls it “Mango Tango” #I mainly picked it arbritrarily but man that sealed the choice #okay ftr it would be joint Chandra/Nissa because both would want Nissa to be co-leader in this scenario but w/e #there ain't no rule requiring that the Gatewatch be led by a PW. Or any GW rules in general.

[theworldgate]

Had a dream where mini golf was added to the Olympics. And one of the Olympic mini golf athletes lost the gold because she hit the windmill.

And she tweets with a picture of the windmill and the caption “bout to go through my Don Quixote phase” and honestly I think that’s the funniest thing my brain has ever come up with.

#reblog #laugh rule #text

[theworldgate]

Well, this is a must-read

Spoilery thoughts below!

So, it looks like Jace and Vraska... plan to purify the multiverse and start a whole new one? (well, definitely start a whole new one, it's sort of ambiguous how much of the old one needs repurposing)

Which... to be clear this is definitely a case of, like, insular thinking where three people [Ranna is involved too!] sort of feed off of one another until "cleanse the multiverse and start anew" seems reasonable rather than utterly batshit. (like, to be clear, it is a very fine line Ms Lührs has trodden here, because there's both romance and oh my god this is not a good situation you need to talk to, like, people other than your spouse and your mom Jace!)

I imagine people will take the "oh man this means uncontained threats" thing as a thing we're meant to agree with (or think outweighs the good of Planeswalking not being for a select few). Also the tearing down starting anew etc etc because there are always people who treat visionary heel-turn villains as having a point even when they aren't the POV character.

I do hope that WotC rope Nissa into the wider story, though.

Like, on both those points we know that she takes the exact opposite stance [or, at least, is likely to, based off past behaviour for some of it].

This isn't headcanon, Zendikar Rising was driven by Nahiri doing the great rebuild plan on Zendikar, and so we have a canonical riposte from Nissa!

"Broken doesn't mean weak... Broken doesn't mean that there isn't beauty or redemption." "Broken doesn't mean a life is not worth living,"

And in the Brother's War, we sort of get an adjacent perspective to opposing the "literally three people deciding to do everything" side of things, and also something that could foreshadow putting more weight on the potential for connection than the dangers inherent in the Omenpaths (emphasis mine):

.....friends and strangers from multiple planes assembled just as the disparate people of Dominaria had come together, overcoming their divides and forging a united front. There was something beautiful in that. Something worthy. Something vital that Nissa had not considered. The struggle against the Phyrexians wasn't simply pushing back against the sick plans enacted by a singular megalomaniac like Nicol Bolas, nor was it a task for Planeswalkers to undertake alone. All beings who hoped for any kind of future faced a choice: allow the Phyrexians to transform every plane into the bleak, charred wastelands Nissa witnessed through Gaea's eyes, or fight alongside others who may once have been enemies. Honoring their differences. Forging new bonds that would prevail and endure.

It would further be a thematic tie to how Aftermath focused on Nissa and Nahiri - Nahiri resolving to close off Zendikar (I think if Jace offered her an in to remake Zendikar entirely... I have no idea how she would respond, probably the deciding factor would be that Jace woul insist on there being Planeswalkers), Nissa... well okay Nissa wants to make it back to Zendikar, but the big image of hope for the Omenpaths is her and Chandra stood in front of one.

Plus, like. Maybe Jace does need reminding that there are people other than his mom and Vraska. And, okay, he might not count Nissa as the same Nissa given his inconsistency in counting himself as Jace, but Chandra was never compleated!

(and speaking of, Jace probably needs the punch in the face that Chandra will provide, ngl. Like, Chandra would think this plan is stupid, and she would be right to do so, and she would also be right to employ fist-logic further)

Anyway, I need to go find a hat to eat given how convinced I was that the shady guy who beaned Proft with the lead pipe wasn't Jace, but, in my defence, it looks like Jace has explicitly gotten loads of practice in acting in the meantime and so was putting on a character.

#magic the gathering #mtg #link #long post is long #the symbols hol dall the power #discussion

[theworldgate]

A minor Evil Boop investigation

You can Evil Boop yourself!

It seems to be the exact same as a regular auto-boop.

Here's the messaage I got when I did it:

And here's the regular message for comparison:

The notification you get in your activity is the same:

I do not know whether or not an evil boop counts as a boop because, while I'm not a massive Boop Recipient and so may be able to keep track, the Evil Boop only worked the first time I tried it, and gave me error messages all the other times.

Like, I don't think the issue was trying to send a second Evil Boop, the Boops are just a bit buggy on desktop browser [Firefox] - see posts passim - and there's a limit to how many attempts to self-Boop I'm willing to make.

#boop #evil boop #meta #tumblr #april fools

[theworldgate]

Huh, I was wondering how I got one of them...

YO APPARENTLY ON DESKTOP THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED AN EVIL BOOP

Hover over the boop button and let it spin thrice and click

#I hope OP didn't mind being the recipient of the Test Evil Boop from me... #boop #evil boop #meta #tumblr #text #reblog #it doesn't look like the revenge button works though

[theworldgate]

I did the thing

Right, time for bed[/playing Duel Links to the wee hours if last night was any indication].

(also, yeah, the 400 boops from 300-ish to 700 took a bit over 2 hours, the 300 from 700 to 900 took under 1, and I think I was less focused for that stretch. The switch to the app for the last 120 or so was a big help.)

#boop #boop-o-meter #meta #tumblr #picture

[theworldgate]

I think it matches the boop button on the blog [on some views] - I've seen White Paw on someone with the full complement of badges.

note about the boops: i THINK the color paw you get might be based on how many boops the other person has sent out? booped mine a few times and it was orange every time

#reblog #text #mera #tumblr #boop

[theworldgate]

Important #BoopHack

So, uh, on my laptop, I have, like, a 10-30% Booping Success rate, and so it really does take ages to accrue a decent Booping Number.

The app on my phone seems to work way more consistently. And you can boop back after you get more than, like, 10 boops.

So, if you have a phone you are willing to use the tumblr app on, uh, that may be the way to go.

I'm not sure if I could manage the full 1000 on phone alone (hypermobility in my fingers = pain rapid onset), but man it has boosted my chances of reaching it by midnight.

#boop #tumblr #meta #lifehack #text #probably a bit late but hey

[theworldgate]

Ooh, exciting, my quest to break the Boopometer continues, and at 700 you get a new colour! Quite fetching, tbqh.

Now, back to the booping.

#boop #meta #tumblr #april fools #boop-o-meter #picture

[theworldgate]

The tumblr userbase rn:

#team fortress 2 #boop #tf2 #well okay by “tumblr userbase” I mean me #also I did scan the first tf2 tag I used to see if anyone else made this joke first #didn't find anyone else doing it somehow? #april fools #meta #tumblr #tf2 soldier