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#logically I know it was corporate problems and the episode was at least in part a Fuck You to network execs who fucked over dabb&co but like
0pin0n-custard · 2 years
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Thoughts on Obi Wan Kenobi Episodes 1-2
**SPOILERS**
I have so many mixed emotions about Kenobi so far.
Dislikes
Disney has this chronically corporate problem where when one media property is successful, they copy and paste it into other properties and ruin everything. They saw how popular The Mandalorian was, and then proceeded to butcher The Book of Boba Fett with it.
I feel like that’s what they’re now doing with Kenobi. From the reluctant child-rescuing to the general vibes of the second episode, it feels like they’re trying to recreate the magic of The Mandalorian rather than allowing Kenobi to be its own property.
I’m not saying the show is doomed to be bad because of this. I want to keep an open mind, and see where it goes. I just hope that Disney let Kenobi be Kenobi.
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I do NOT like how they’re portraying Princess Leia so far. She feels like she’s more of a plot tool than an actual character. Depending on what the scene needs, she alternates between unnaturally intelligent and insightful, and blissfully ignorant and impulsive. She behaves more like an extremely eloquent 6 year old rather than a 10 year old.
A naive part of me was hoping that Kenobi would be more of a season-long character study as supposed to a plot-driven one. Leia’s existence in the show feels a bit ham fisted. It comes off more like really elaborate fan service rather than a logical story-telling decision.
Again, I’m hopeful that her character becomes more defined and consistent as the show progresses; this is just my impression based on the first two episodes.
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God has this show been predictable. Painfully predictable.
From the first scene with the Inquisitors, I knew that Reva would kill the Grand Inquisitor to overthrow him, and that it would happen in order for Obi Wan to escape and otherwise doomed situation. It’s an obvious conclusion based off the Sith-killing-each-other-for-power trope.
I would have been a lot more accepting of it, and the predictability of the show as a whole, if the creators hadn’t treated it like some massive plot twist.
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How did Obi Wan not know that Vader was alive?
Like, I get it- he did chop off three of Anakin’s limbs and leave him burning in lava. I would expect him to die too, but still. Vader is basically the poster child of the Empire; he enforces what the Emperor commands. Even as a hermit on Tattooine, Obi Wan likely would have heard mention of Vader and figured it out.
Likes
The acting is fantastic. Ewan McGregor is absolutely phenomenal- no surprise there. Moses Ingram does a great job as Reva; I’m not sure how I feel about Reva as a character yet, but I think that Moses brings a lot of energy and depth to the character. Despite the problems I have with Leia’s character, Vivien Lyra Blair has far exceeded my expectations for a child actress. Even side actors are great. It was wonderful to see Jimmy Smit return as Bail Organa.
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The clone veteran scene was *chef’s kiss.* That’s the kind of world building I wanna see! And having Obi Wan donate to them? A perfect example of non-verbal character building.
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I love that the show doesn’t shy away from the fact that Obi Wan is off his game. The fight choreography is awesome at depicting that. Subtle decisions like having Obi Wan recoil in pain after punching someone really sells the 10-year time skip.
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I cannot express enough how much I appreciate the darker tone of the series. There are definitely moments of forced Disney humor, but overall, it recognizes that this is the darkest time in Obi Wan’s life.
Hopes for Future Episodes
I really hope they integrate at least a little bit of The Clone Wars into the series. I feel like in Episode 1, when Obi Wan was having a nightmare, a few voice lines from the Kadavo arc could have really helped world build. Obi Wan’s time on Tattooine is really similar to his time on Kadavo; he has to keep his head down and allow people like Nari to die, because he knows that speaking up will cause more harm to more people. Integrating experiences like that into the series will make my nerd heart happy.
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I know this seems weird, but I hope that the show slows down on the explicit world building and fan service. I don’t want the Organas (Leia included) to be recurring through the entire show. I want this series to focus on the titular character and his grief, his trauma, and his duty to protect Luke from Vader. Basically, more angst, less adventure.
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I don’t care if it happens in this series or a different one, but I want more insight into what it was like for clones after Order 66.
In Conclusion
I want more.
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vinxwatches · 6 months
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watching disenchantment season 1
the parts of it i have seen i remember thinking seemed pretty nice. i don't remember what it was, just that it seemed interesting. the artstyle, simpsons styles, isn't too appealing, but if it's good it'll survive a weak artstyle (it's not like the lower decks looked amazing. not bad but not amazing). lets have a look
netflix opening. yes it's a surprise. i pirate basically everything. no job no income, no income no subscriptions, that's my rule. also fuck big corporations. so far i've never been disapointed with their stuff, but in general i don't disappoint easily and it's not like i watched a lot of their stuff. still they are pretty good about lgbtq+ stuff which makes them one of the less shit companies.
ok yea no like 10 seconds in and i know i'll like the princess. i am, in fact, increadibly easy to please. ok yea no i love the vibe 3 min in. oh how i love some lawful evil. "take of those clothes and come down wearing something princesslike" are not safe words with someone who's confident and doesn't like you. ok, thei visual gags fucking rock. ... this is a lot of notes for less then 6 minutes in. this'll be a good one.
ok that gate is neat and something i may steal for my dnd game. a gate that's a gate into a different realm, damn, it's probably not something i can visually describe well enough to make work.
ok, that's more digs at religion then i'd expect from a show like this. i mean i love it but i can imagine a lot of people didn't.
punching your way trough a glass in lead windows? look elfs and demons i can suspend my disbelief with, but doing unrealistic things with real things is just more immersion breaking.
ok, racist antelope was not a one off joke, it was a two off joke. honestly amazing.
ending of the first episode was on the weaker side, and we don't even have a status quo yet. oh well. still a great episode. i hope they can keep the jokes going.
is mermaid song a genre? because i always really like it.
oh, is the status quo going to be trying to kill the guy and failing? if so i'd love it but i wouldn't guess it.
weak endings seem to be a trend, or at least happened both times now.
ok, you made me lol with a dad joke.
i love the jokes based in history. like yea lemons were probably rare in northern europe seen as they grow further south. sure trade did always exist, but fruit is hard to transport, but bringing them back after crusades? yea, makes sense. also that drug looks like ginger.
ok, the exorcist has some great animation jokes. an exorcist with good aftercare... i mean that does already make him better then most modern exorcists, even with the attempt to kill her to get the demon to leave her, that's nothing special.
yea ok that concludes it this show sucks at endings. the rest of the episode makes it worth it but damn do they suck.
not a fan of Elfo's useless "i want to be with her" thing. it's just creepy. like haha stuck in the friendzone, but no, if you follow someone around not because you can just want to back them that's just creepy.
ok, so this episode is really about that. now to see if it's a moment of change or to acknowledge a problem and yet try to return to the status quo. welp, i'm afraid it's the latter. yet somehow the strongest ending... doesn't mean a lot but maybe shit'll get better with time.
"how dare you bring logic into gods house" fucking love it. also i just noticed that episodes are named chapters, which is just neat. is season 2 named book 2?
i'd love it if she picked up witchcraft. don't expect it, would love it.
"i'm bad at everything" except swordfighting in the last episode, getting things organized, and cleaning up a multi murder scene with but 1 (serious) error.
ok, ep5 easily the strongest ending. not strong, but not weak. and yes now i'll be listing the quality of all endings. because i saw a glimmer of a pattern at the start and now i can't stop. because i'm normal like that /s
damn ep6 starts with a delightful tune on the violin.
ok, there seems to be growth in their relationship. i wonder if it'll stick. also endings continue getting better.
ok, fun twist, also man how do you think you're going to get out of this web of lies my guy? like i lie often, or at least used to, got less stuff to lie about nowdays, and lies need to stay small, believable and concentrated. if you're late for work you don't make up a story about family drama, you lie about local traffic that has no way of coming back up in a much later date and they have no reasonable way of knowing.
damn Tes is a lot of fun. hope we'll see her again.
damn how they re-use characters is really neat. making them deeper characters then they were.
"i'll play you a sad song on the words smallest lute" i mean funny... and googled it to make sure, and no the violin is post medieval period. nevermind then.
damn, not even half way trough season 1 and we seem to be near a finally. mid way big change?
main character death? i don't buy it. damn, i saw that twist coming. oh, did not see that choice coming. like it makes the most sense, but character never make that choice. it's always moving forward and returning to the status quo. they did the exact opposite and now i'm hooked.
damn, that title though (ep10). very happy opening, and then that end. "it took all season" i love such meta jokes.
oh damn, this was well planned out, the kingdown/city was designed for this. amazing. and damn that was foreshadowed
the shows title takes on such a massively different meaning. it started, in my mind, like "oh you think this story is enchanting? nah, we're the cynical joke show. this story is disenchanting" but oh no, it's something completely different.
the room they walk into is supposed to be creepy, with red-ish walls and darker and tall furniture... while i'm sitting in my room. with a black floor. 2 silver and 1 red wall, up to the ceiling black wardrobe, and i'm just thinking "oh that room looks nice". am i the villain? no, but i'm probably at least somewhat goth. including swears in regular phrases to seem ominous also doesn't do much when that's just how it talk too.
damn that's one hell of an episode, setting up where things are going to go while also moving the story a lot. i'm sure that wasn't the last we saw of those 3, probably 4 even.
ok, dealing with the problem of evil, and calling god out for the vileness that is inherit in the character growth excuse.
"emotional support demon" now who came up with it first? the click (the youtuber) or this show?
damn the infernal stronghold looks really cool. the book of people send to hell includes a lot of popes. nice.
not really a twist, it was really obvious, but still nice.
i love the chewing out of god. yes i'm easily pleased sue me.
what the fuck happened between ep 12 and 13? how is everyone alive again? the thing it had wrong was that it was the wrong episode as 13. the site works great, but it often has errors like this. i need to check that the episode is titled the same as the site says it's called.
oh, i like her new look and outlook.
it's a surprisingly good resolution with some more nice mysteries.
damn i really love ex queens exit. it's just so not standard and with a lot of depth to it. a lot of depth we never saw in her before but makes total sense with what we did know, and it's a really heart-warming breakup, something that needs to be normalized more.
neat interpretation of a classic mythological creature. and not a minute later we're taking the other half of those stories. but i really like what they did with it.
damn that's some cliffhanger. what's up with the damn musicbox?
also the 3d in this show stays surprisingly good. the blending between 2d and 3d is far from flawless, but it still allows them to do a lot of cool visual stuff.
and damn that reveal of ogre matters.
not a fan of the circus being thieves. not a good stereotype to continue. also not a fan of my suspicion that they'll double cross. and i was correct. old media or new they keep coming back to this.
do like the twist, but the stereotype is still bad.
cool underwater scene, but you'd both have drowned.
ok, going for a joke ending that made me lol. well done.
name the play "the king & me"? like the untrustworthy story? odd choice.
having to work trough emotional problems? great lesson, great to touch on. i'm also currently binging the show to escape my emotions so i fail to properly apricate it.
looks like a dragon, looks more like an airship.
don't get me wrong i love steampunk, but i prefer when the types of magic words stay separated. or if the steampunk world is dead dwemer style, that one also works.
OH. that's an ending and an half. of all the characters i could believe this would be the one as they can die having fulfilled their purposes in the plot.
talk about a witch-hunt. the kings last action? nope, the queens. fuck
i was thinking of doing the whole show in one post... lets not
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m39 · 9 months
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Doom WADs’ Roulette Bonus Round: Perdition’s Gate
You know Final Doom, right? That compilation of two WADs (TNT: Evilution and Plutonia Experiment) that was published by id Software and sold for real money? People usually think that this is the only instance of WADs being commercially released?
But what if I told you... there is another.
B12: Perdition’s Gate
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Main author(s): Tom Mustaine/Wraith Corporation
Release date: 1996 (day and month unknown)
Version played: Original with the ZDoom patch
Required port compatibility: Vanilla (ZDoom with the patch)
Levels: 32 (standard 30 + 2 set)
Yes, there were another two commercially sold WADs, both published by WizardWorks and created by Wraith Corporation and Tom Mustaine: Perdition’s Gate and Hell to Pay. Today, before properly kickstarting the Cacowards 2006 roster of WADs, we will focus on the former WAD that I just mentioned.
Perdition’s Gate started off as a creation of Tom and Bob Mustaine (Bob is Tom’s father). The former one called Shawn Green, asking him if this MegaWAD can be a part of the Final Doom. At first, Tom heard a positive answer, but shortly after that, he received the opposite of that. I wonder what happened? Was the floppy disk holding Final Doom too small to hold three WADs at the same time? Or maybe one of the WADs that became a part of this compilation took its place? We can only think.
So after that happened, Perdition’s Gate was offered to WizardWorks and they agreed to publish it. With help from Wraith Corporation (who were working on their own WAD called Hell to Pay), this WAD was finally released in the year 1996.
Now, folks, before I’ll start, I’ll try to review this WAD like it was typical stuff released in 1996 on the Internet (partially because it became abandonware at this point). Also, bear in mind that I played this WAD using a ZDoom patch that changes the names of the maps (this version of which I’ll use in the review), add some music and condenses the plot happening in the WAD from the text on the next level screens to some additional intermission type of ones.
So, without any further to do, let’s dive in.
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The plot: After God-knows how many years of demons (that are actually aliens) attacking a shit ton of planets due to first fighting another ancient race of aliens who had teleporters (which includes a small visit to Earth in its ancient times), it is now four years after the events of the Classic Doom duology. Of course, the UAC chucklefucks hadn’t learn anything from what they did in the past and started making teleporting bullshit again. It all morphs into the typical fix shit created by the UAC type of plot.
For a MegaWAD from 1996, Perdition’s Gate looks rather good. It may not look as great as some of the WADs from 1996 that I played in the past like Dystopia 3 or All Hell is Breaking Loose for instance, but when compared to the WADs from Final Doom, I guess it looks as good as them, maybe even slightly better than those. I don’t know, I played these WADs years ago and I barely remember how they look.
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The only major problem I have is how around half of the levels in the first episode don’t use the new textures. The new techbase textures look really dope in my opinion, so it really hurts when it's not used in the base portions of the maps.
The music (created by Tom Mustaine and L.A. Sieben) is also good. At least one of the tracks might be slightly too loud but overall, they are fun to listen to. My favorite ones were Pacemaker, Ruby Sutures, Pluck, ControlCV, and the one without a name that appears in Storage Areas.
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Perdition’s Gate doesn’t really feel that complicated. While there are maps that have a high chance of making you stuck intensively looking for that one switch you missed (Devil’s Masterpiece being the biggest example), none of them came close to being complete moon-logic-filled bullshit. Give the WAD makers a couple of years; you’ll see what the moon logic is (Eternal Doom everybody? Herian 2?).
And while they are moments that by this point are frowned upon in Doom WADs (at least by me) like slow lifts (in like two maps), fighting in tight corridors, and pop-up monsters among other shit that was fine in the 1990s, I am somewhat forgivable of these moments since the WAD creators were still experimenting with what works and what doesn’t. And like I just said, in the 1990s, things that I mentioned were much more tolerable than today when you chronologically play WADs from the Top 100 WADs of All Time list and Cacowards rosters.
And without counting how the maps look, this WAD has some stuff that makes some of these stand out.  Secondary Complex for instance has a reference to the original E1M3, with the room going dark after grabbing the key and getting ambushed by monsters.
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Before exiting Central Portal, you can purify the neighboring teleporter by blowing up a bunch of Imps with teleporting barrels.
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The first half of the second episode has for most of the time a gimmick of using the Overseers’ (that’s the race demons fought in the past) teleporters, where you end up on other planets to grab a key. In The Old Fortress, you even end up back on Earth, next to the same teleporter you purified four maps ago. Even the secret maps reference this gimmick, where you first end up defending a planet of living rocks before the demons focus back on you.
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Later in Computer Center, you will notice a plain room where the exit is before transforming into a massive structure.
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Also, the last level, Escape, is better than MAP30 from both Final Doom WADs since it’s not another Icon of Sin map (even though there are still summoning enemies in there); you just have to run to the exit in two minutes (which is enough time for this map).
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Now changing the subject, if I had to describe how hard Perdition’s Gate is, I would say that it is somewhere between Evilution and Plutonia. While it does kick more ass than the former, it’s nowhere near the insanity of the latter. And despite having cheap difficulty spikes like being surrounded by hitscanners after teleporting among other things I mentioned earlier, I respect this MegaWAD for making tough maps without needlessly shoving hundreds of monsters at the screen to make it happen.
I think I experienced only one or two bugs while playing this WAD. The first one was in Last Stand, where some Hell Knights went waist-deep into the pillars they were standing on.
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The second bug is related to the ZDoom patch. I feel like every second launch the new backgrounds for the map summary (along with the ending background) don’t change.
There is probably more stuff about bugs, but these are the only notable incidents that I encountered.
There is also a moment which more of a case of this WAD not aging well rather than an actual bug. It’s in Radioactive Sea, where the last area of this map visually breaks apart.
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Perdition’s Gate has problems but overall, it’s just a fine WAD. It has a few highlights but I feel like most of the time it’s just an above-average WAD that got one chance for a million to earn money. I can’t be really that harsh for this WAD since it’s basically made by a father-son duo, but three are still other WADs released in 1996 that were better and more interesting than this one; not to mention that you had to pay for it.
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If you want more stuff about this WAD, check Dean of Doom's review on it:
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As for future reviews, after one day of a break after uploading this review, I’ll start making content related to the Cacowards 2006 roster of WADs.
I’ll see you all soon.
Bye!
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tomatograter · 3 years
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What are your Thots on jake’s pq route?
I already wrote some about it in this post where I discuss the problem with taking dirkjake as a literal parallel to tavris (Mainly, that it’s inaccurate to both situations and misrepresents the dynamics at play) but it’s been long enough since release that I feel like I can talk about it without that criticism being taken as a personal witch hunt. TL;DR: As a general rule of thumb I don’t cite Jake’s PQ as part of his characterization, and I think basing your Jakewriting on it will only lead you astray.
I liked a lot of the Pesterquest routes and the alphas were among some of my favorites, but I think when you play the four of them in sequence Jake’s really... stands as the odd one out. It’s almost as if he’s afforded way less sympathy from the get go for some indiscernible reason, or like MSPAR took a day to say ‘I can’t stand this kid in particular’ after dealing with waaaaaaaay more mindboggling troll customs or stupid dangerous situations that tested their patience and their limits. When it comes down to it, it’s mostly an issue of framing.
Let’s go with the “Just the Alpha routes” example, because I think that makes the overall context clearer and the response/reactions it gathered (or the lack thereof) easier to understand. The alpha kids were the last 4 Pesterquest episodes. They were also afforded entire volumes just for themselves, which cemented our expectations on “oh, they’re going to really dig into unexplored territory!” and for the most part, that’s what we got! It was really nice to see the internal mechanics of Jane as someone raised within a corporate echochamber, Roxy as a grieving, isolated kid, deprived of all human contact, and Dirk as a nerdy doomsday prepper haunted by private flashes of himself as a supervillain. It all works! Those are things the alpha kids were dealing with on the background of the broader Homestuck story, things we were only hinted at as the *larger* problems played out. It makes you understand their point of view. Except on Jake's route, where nothing about his life seems to be relevant at all? 
With Jane we get discussions about HIC and her family, with Roxy beautiful passages about a mother they never met and growing up alone— Same for Dirk, who gets a whole brother zapped from an alternate timeline. But on Jake's route there's not even an expansive dialogue path dedicated to Grandma English, Skaianet, the rebellion, or the giant red ship that came and murdered her in the night and then bombed his house, leaving him trapped inside his only surviving tower. No understanding passage realizing that this kid has had to fend for himself in an island full of Actual Giant Alien Monsters trying to eat him alive, or that he cremated his guardian specifically to avoid attracting predators to the scent of fresh blood drying on her mutilated corpse at the age of an actual toddler. The text refuses to dig into any of the psychological implications or impact an environment like this could have on a kid, which is even weirder when you consider MSPAR has met and helped Vriska get out of a similar situation. The whole thing with Jane in the previous volume has just happened, even, while Jake's particularities go unremarked. He was just supposed to deal with it. And that's because a choice was made to portray all of Jake's problems in this route as sort of... single handedly Dirk's fault? Something he should have Just Dealt with?
There's not even a hint that Jake knows Hal exists. Which is important! Jake can pick out Hal from Dirk based on *verbal cues*, and the fact that he considers Hal a barrier between him and his "real friend" getting to communicate with one another is a whole point of contention (and even comedy) in the story proper. Instead of examining Jake's isolation, or grief, or how he literally locks himself in his room and plasters it with cinematic posters to pretend he's just the main lead of a wacky adventure movie in the face of the immense shitshow outside, we get brobot acting nonsensically and threatening to break into Jake's room to beat him up. 
A general reminder on brobot: He was programmed to scout the jungle and deal with predators so Jake could a) Be allowed to safely leave his room (something he simply didn't do before age 13 out of sheer terror, and we know this because dirk and jake talk about it on his birthday conversation, when he first gets brobot) and��
b) Learn how to defend himself in the case of a surprise attack, with different combat settings adjusted to his level. The brobot has a novice mode Jake feels patronized by, but pushes him up levels quickly enough. In Homestuck proper, the brobot only enters "stalking mode" after Hal gets pissy with Jake for finding him out, and forcefully switches the setting on to make Jake work for the Uranium inside it. When you take Hal out of the picture, this plotline makes no sense! Jake's route is set way before the Alphas even think of entering the game, so this particular event hasn't even happened. Jake goes on to text Roxy and she turns the stalking setting off remotely anyways, so even if brobot was programmed to murder Jake in his sleep, or jump him inside the safe zone of his room (he's not) he has literally no reason to be acting like that when he's been set to Baby Buff Up Mode.
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(Brobot does end up spontaneously pulling himself apart to give Jake his reward after this)
Which brings me to my other problem with the general framing of this volume; the alpha kids don't feel present in Jake's life as friends at all. It's all "romantic options" and "shipping discourse" and MSPAR making these silly logic jumps to justify insisting on this line of query, and all it does is completely flatten out anything of interest having to do with Jake as a Person, to build up an image of Dirk as being suspicious and shady for his volume and more or less come to the conclusion that Jake sucks because he just Cant Choose Who To Date Between All His Friends! And that's why jake is just like tavros… and dirk is just like vriska! Or something. 
And just as a reminder, here's Jake talking with Roxy so I don't have to explain why that feels like a weird choice to me. (click to zoom)
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And then there's the endings. On the vriska ending, MSPAR just ends up weirdly angry at jake for being such a piss baby and not getting that he's tavros and dirk is vriska so he had to… uh… take all his anger out on this 13 year old alien girl he has never met and teach her a lesson to prepare to do the same on dirk, or something. And on the other ending Jake mentions his pen pal, is zapped to meet jade, they have some non-committal greetings and then a cosplay party where Jake insists that he totally likes Lara croft not because she's a femme fatale and he relates to that, because he's never ever in his life thought of anyone being interested on him. Or Something. He likes Lara croft for normal reasons only. He wears really tiny shorts and does sexy poses because he's not aware at all of how other people find him attractive. He's just too dumb to get this, or the shipping thing, or that he's tavros and Dirk is vriska (who the hell are these people?).
Jake feels like an afterthought in the grand scope of events. Sidelined on his own episode. This volume is busy with rehashing age old fandom arguments that have little to do with his character, because said arguments were started and maintained by bored teens engrossed on fighting online instead of analyzing Homestuck; we introduce vriska for no interesting reason at all (thank god at least Jake has enough decency to say he's not into hitting on 13-year-olds, because that would have been particularly rancid.) And aside from catchphrases and old slang sprinkled liberally into his dialogue like a fog making machine, none of the motivation for the character is there. What does he want? What does he fear? Why does he act like the way he does? What would accommodating him look like? What would helping him look like? We get this on Jane's volume, Roxy's volume, and Dirk's volume. To really heart-wrenching and dramatic results, too. You get to know who they are, where they live, what they want, what they fear, what might help them get better, but Jake is just sort of There. He's a burden. MSPAR either ends this volume berating him for not doing what they want or finding him weird and confusing and like they don't know each other at all, and the fact both of those were marked as dubiously bad ends in the game files speaks for itself, I think.
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sandalaris · 4 years
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ooooh how about jackie and hyde for the parent ask! :)
Future parents Jackie and Hyde! (Full disclosure, I’ve not seen every episode of That 70′s Show, but I’ve seen most.)
who panics over everything? Hyde has silent freak outs that are more vague in nature, but encompasses the entirety of “everything.” But on the surface it definitely seems like Jackie is the one with the most panicked moments. The fact that she can’t hire a nanny is an added stress for her. Not because she doesn’t want to deal with her kids, but nannies are experts and she wants the absolute best for her children. It takes a comment from a friend for her to suddenly realize she has what might just be something even better, the Formans. Red and Kitty don’t mind, it’s nice to have the house full of little ones again (that aren’t theirs).
who lives on google and webmd to look up everything the baby does? Eric actually starts it (assuming a time bumb for canon here) when their first born gets whooping cough. Jackie had the frazzled mom part going on but for the most part was handling the whole thing fairly well after a visit to the doctor and being told what steps to take. Donna doesn’t help by falling down the WebMD rabbit hole and sharing her findings with the group (she just thought the stuff she was reading about was cool and wanted to share). That’s enough to send Jackie into a bit of a panicked spiral that Hyde has to calm down by pointing out that he didn’t receive any medical attention growing up and the kid’s got at least half his genes. They’ll survive the freakin’ plague. (The physical health of his kids is the one area Hyde is not worried about.)
who’s on the fence about vaccination? At one point or another they each were, but at different times and for different reasons. Jackie is determined that her children deserve the absolute best and those anti-vaxxers get to her at first, before Donna gives her some actual research on the topic and she changes her mind. Hyde full on believes that the medical system is a scam and isn’t too sure that vaccines aren’t just ways for doctors to make more money. But he also doesn’t buy that vaccinating kids does any damage to them either and is more reluctant to pay money to those greedy pharmaceutical corporations.
who bothers the doctor at 3 AM? I’m going with neither. Hyde doesn’t trust the system enough (hospitals are fine, but doctors, man) and while at first Jackie wants to run to the ER with every minor bump or scrape, they both trust Kitty more. If you were to ask who bugs the RN at 3 am… Jackie with the physical stuff and Hyde with the psychological. He’s deathly afraid he’s going to screw his kids up mentally, and while he goes to Red a bit more often, especially when he knows deep down he’s being paranoid, when he’s got a legit concern he goes to the person who can honestly tell him if his kids are alright.
who nudges the other in the middle of the night to go handle the baby? Jackie does. Hyde will straight up shake her awake if he doesn’t want to get up for whatever reason, but Jackie likes her sleep, and usually has to work early the next day, and Hyde is cool with stumbling into the nursery in ass crack of dawn to check on the baby.
who pretends to be asleep when the baby is screaming? While new parents, they both rush to the baby every time it lets out anything resembling a noise of distress. After a bit, Hyde becomes the default for when the baby is screaming. He just likes handling the baby at these times, calming them down and soothing them with a low voice and gentle bounce, although he’ll never admit that part out loud. Jackie fully backs his claim that he’s just better at it, but draws the line at him even implying she’s in anyway bad at taking care of her baby. (In his defense, it was suppose to be a tease about Jackie not being perfect at everything. He didn’t realize how it sounded until after she was already fuming mad.)
who takes pictures and videos of everything? Jackie. They have boxes filled with albums filled with photos at anything even hinting at a milestone and many things that aren’t. They don’t get looked at much, but Jackie feels better knowing they’re there. 
who accidentally drops the baby? (let’s be real: it happens) Hyde did it when Jackie wasn’t home. It’s one of the only times he rushes to the doctors without so much as a complaint, and he swears their friends to secrecy (the ones who were there.) The baby was fine, and Red will sometimes use that as an example of why Hyde’s a good dad when he comes to him with his worries.
who has more trouble adjusting to parenthood? Hyde. Neither had good examples growing up, but Jackie took to it with a determination to be the best damn mom she could be. She knows she can do it if she just puts her mind to it. Hyde’s own home life left him with the belief that he’d be better off not becoming a parent and before Jackie, stuck pretty strongly to that belief. If it wasn’t for the support of Jackie, the Formans, and all his friends, he’s pretty sure he wouldn’t be doing half as good a job as he is. (He’s doing just fine, btw.)
who falls asleep with the baby on their chest? Hyde. And you bet your ass Jackie got multiple pictures of it.
who plays airplane with the baby and ends up with puke on their face? (alternatively: in their mouth) Kelso. Hyde plays airplane when the kid is older and asks for it, and Jackie doesn’t see the point of her doing it (”That’s what dads are for”). Neither of them were happy to come in to find Kelso making engine noises while “flying” their baby around the room. (”What they hell are you doing, man? Put my kid down.”)
who gets overwhelmed the easiest? Jackie’s determination to be the best mom she can be means she’s a little less forgiving of herself for when she screws up. She’s got a lot of confidence in herself, but no one’s perfect and having a career and a family and social life takes it toll and sometimes something’s gotta give. Loudly. Hyde’s overwhelmed moments are a little quieter. It’s not that he doesn’t get overwhelmed, he’d just rather deal with it privately.
who scalds themselves when testing the bottle temperature on their wrist? Hyde. In his defense, he does most of the bottle feedings.
who dresses the baby up in funny outfits? Jackie, which Hyde absolutely hates. “It’s cute! And really fashionable right now!” “I don’t care! You’re not dressing my kid up like fucking cartoon character!”
who rocks the baby to sleep while singing to them? Jackie tries but it didn’t work. She’s found putting on a record helps though. She’ll never admit to Hyde that the baby likes Aerosmith. When it’s really late at night and everyone’s asleep, Hyde will sometimes sing to the baby when they’re getting a little fussy. The fact that he sings what he secretly considers his and Jackie’s song is a fact that he will take to his grave.
who accidentally adds too much soap to the bath so the baby ends up in a sea of bubbles? Hyde didn’t bother to measure and just dumped like half the bottle in. The oldest loved it though and it became a tradition on nights when Jackie has to work late. Just as long as they get everything cleaned up before mom gets home they’re good. (Jackie totally knows. She thinks it’s adorable.)
who lets the baby try/eat/drink anything and everything they have? They both do to an extent. Hyde read like all the parenting books while Jackie was pregnant with their first kid and knows babies explore the world with their mouths. And Jackie asked Kitty to make sure beforehand but figures letting her kid try some of the things she’s having won’t hurt (within reason).
who is the baby tamer? (AKA who is the one that can calm the baby down with no problems whatsoever) Fez. Kids cry and scream sometimes for no reason, which Jackie and Hyde learn the hard way. They do pretty well, but sometimes Uncle Fez is the only one who can calm the kid down. They keep waiting for him to get tired of it, but he loves being needed/being good at something. When his marriage with Lori falls apart and he’s about to be deported, filing the necessary paperwork for a work visa seems so logical. Fez gets to stay in the country and Jackie gets that nanny she’s been wanting.
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precuredaily · 4 years
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Precure Day 164
Episode: Yes! Precure 5 16 - “Komachi Abandons Being a Novelist!?” Date watched: 8 December 2019 Original air date: 20 May 2007 Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/5aTOPye Transformation Gallery: https://imgur.com/a/6k6SzS0 Project info and master list of posts: http://tinyurl.com/PCDabout
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honestly this is true
Oh Nuts, what have you done? You’ve gone and hurt Komachi’s feelings with your bluntness and now all the other girls are upset at you. Meanwhile, Despariah has started making moves in Nightmare. How wil this end for our heroines?
The Plot
Komachi shares a draft of her novel, Pirate Hurricane with the other girls, and they all love it. Coco suggests she have Nuts read it, because he’s a voracious reader and might offer some good feedback. However, he returns and says he doesn’t understand what she was trying to say with the story and if the author has to explain the meaning, then it’s not very good. Okay he actually says “It’s worthless as a book.” Harsh. This upsets Komachi and she leaves for the day, while the other four scold Nuts for his rudeness. He maintains that he didn’t do anything wrong by giving his asked-for opinion, and feels no need to apologize. However, Coco can tell that he’s angry at himself for hurting her and wants to make amends.
Over in Nightmare HQ, a meeting between Bunbee, Arachnea, and Kawarino gets interrupted by Despariah herself, making her first full appearance:
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She explains that the Palmier Kingdom should be in despair, but they cling to hope because of the Dream Collet, so they need to crush Precure, retrieve the collet, plunge the kingdom into despair, and then she will be satisfied.
The next day, Nuts receives a visitor at his shop: a tall girl riding a motorcycle who looks like an older Komachi. This is Akimoto Madoka and she has come to deliver some mamedaifuku from their shop at the behest of her younger sister, Komachi. Some banter between him and the other girls clues Madoka into what’s going on, and she takes Nuts’s side, explaining that Komachi is the type to sulk after having her feelings hurt, and that if she can’t handle this level of criticism, she won’t make it as an author. Nozomi, Karen, Rin, and Urara take objection to this, insisting that she’s really talented, can improve her writing with hard work and practice, that she resembles the main character in her story who never gives up, and that she can pull through because her feelings are that strong. Madoka says she’ll pass that encouragement on, but Nuts asks to go see her in person, so she brings him to the Akimoto residence and summons her sister.
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Their reunion is awkward and Komachi berates her own work and herself for daring to feel happy about it. Nuts tries to encourage her by saying “Are your dreams so worthless that you’d sell them away for nothing!?” which is not a particularly helpful statement. The other four girls emerge from the bush they were hiding in to chew out Nuts again, and he tries to explain that he’s not mad at her, but before he can explain himself, they all get sucked into the pages of Komachi’s manuscript. They awaken on the deck of the pirate ship in the story, as Arachnea taunts that they’re all going to drown at sea and it will be an unhappy ending. She creates a Kowaina out of the ship’s mast and rigging, and the girls transform. However, the monster is very fast and manages to tie them up in ropes and thrash them around, flinging them into walls and floors and even the water. Mint blames herself for creating this world, but Nuts says she should be angry at being used, and that nothing will change if she just blames herself. He reiterates that she’ll improve at writing if she keeps practicing. Arachnea isn’t interested in this conversation and the monster whips around again, causing Nuts to drop the Dream Collet. He hurries to retrieve it but Arachnea lunges towards him at breakneck speed. It doesn’t look good... until Mint jumps in and retrieves him at the last second!
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She insists that her story is not a tragedy and she determines what the ending is! She blocks Arachnea and the Kowaina with Mint Protection, Dream kicks at her while Lemonade uses Lemonade Flash to distract her, Rouge binds the Kowaina in its own ropes, and Aqua uses Aqua Stream to destroy the monster! Arachnea beats a retreat while muttering that the story is lame.
When they return to Komachi’s house, Nuts tells her that her story has lots of room for improvement, but he likes the main character, finds the idea good, and says that she can bring out the story’s potential if she keeps polishing it. Komachi vows to rewrite her story and invites Nuts to read her next draft.
The Analysis
The core of this episode is about how to deliver and respond to criticism. Nuts may be well-meaning in his remarks but his tone is very curt and tactless. Komachi takes his comments deeply personally and feels that she is a failure as an author. The reality is that, as an aspiring author, Komachi needs to get used to criticism, and that critique of a work isn’t inherently an outright condemnation of the work or the author. Since this is evidently her first attempt at writing a more serious work than a school essay, it’s inevitable that there are going to be a lot of problems structurally, narratively, in the pacing, tone, etc. Her peers all find her work to be good, because they’re not used to picking apart more long-form and complicated stories, but their praise makes her overconfident, and that’s when Nuts comes along and tears her down. I can completely understand why she’s hurt. I know I’ve poured my heart out in writing before only for it to come back marked up to hell and have lots of comments about flow, redundancy, and things like that. Having your hard work torn apart like that can hurt. But when done right, it’s a necessary part of helping you to improve your skills. At the end, Komachi realizes that her work has value and takes ownership of it, refusing to let Arachnea dictate the ending for her, which I love.
That’s another note: Nuts, at the start, was not being a very good critic. He basically said “It’s bad and I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish.” He didn’t give her much guidance on what to improve, and he didn’t really recognize this until confronted. He knew he hurt Komachi, he wanted to make amends, and during the climax he was able to say “If you keep practicing, you’ll get better at writing” and finally at the end he told her aspects of the story that he liked, and areas she could improve upon. That’s how you go about criticism, and that’s what I try to do in my reviews is to say “I didn’t like this because X and I think it would be better if Y.” Sometimes I may not have a better idea, but I’ll at least try to justify my dislike. Nuts has to fight his own visceral reactions in order to help Komachi improve as a writer, and that represents growth for him. He cares about people, he’s just bad at showing it, and Nuts and Komachi’s relationship through these two seasons will be another big one to explore and watch develop. I like his body language throughout. He keeps his arms crossed or in his pockets, he’s usually looking down, he knows he screwed up but he’s too proud to admit it. At the end when he finally talks to her and gives her positive feedback, he can’t look her in the eyes, because he’s still embarrassed, but his eyes are pointed up. It’s progress.
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Next order of business is Akimoto Madoka. She looks a lot like her younger sister, which is to be expected, but she’s taller, has a fuller figure, has lighter colored hair, and her hairstyle is more practical than Komachi’s mullet, as Madoka just wears a typical bob cut.
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Madoka has a very easy-going personality, really embodying the “cool older sibling” trope. She’s first introduced riding a motorcycle, and she instantly bonds with Nozomi and co, while being unphased by Nuts’s initial rudeness. She is very astute and quickly picks up on the strife between Nuts and Komachi. The only time she seems to get at all upset is when the gang is making a big commotion, and that’s because they all got sucked into Komachi’s story. She serves as a good foil for her somewhat timid sister, and knows how to push her in the right direction. She’s an enjoyable character who I’d like to see recur. I believe she makes a few subsequent appearances but I don’t remember how often, so we’ll experience that together.
Let’s change sides and talk about Nightmare! This is our first full look at Despariah, and wow is she something. She wears a white mask resembling a traditional Japanese doll, her long golden hair is styled in an edo fashion, shaped like a fan with four tendrils emerging from  gem on her forehead, and two side locks that come down to her waist. She wears a dark colored dress with a kimono collar, and huge shoulder pads. Her shoulders are extremely broad while her waist is very narrow, giving her inhuman proportions. She commands your attention and you can tell she’s in charge. There’s still some mystery to her appearance even here, because she’s only seen sitting at her desk, and most of the time she’s distorted by the effect of the screen she’s displayed on within Nightmare HQ.
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brutal
I appreciate how she cut into the corporate bickering and explained, in no uncertain terms, where the problem was with their operation, despite having already conquered the Palmier Kingdom and supposedly plunging them into despair. Bunbee needs some hand-holding to follow her logic, but it comes down to defeating Precure and retrieving the Dream Collet so she can gain immortality and crush the hope of the rest of the world. She means business.
Arachnea’s plan this round was pretty inspired, especially compared to some of her lesser hits like luring the girls into the sewer for no reason. Sucking them all into Komachi’s book and using her own created world against her? That’s twisted! And she really hammers in the idea that she is in control of the narrative now and they’re all going to drown, trying to attack Komachi’s self esteem at the same time as literally attacking her. I respect that, in the sense that you respect a good villain plot, because it’s better than pure physical attacks. Also there’s a moment, where Arachnea sees the Dream Collet on the ground, that she LUNGES and it’s pretty incredible.
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All of these elements combine to make another fantastic episode. I had forgotten just how strong the first half of Yes 5 was, and I’m really glad to be revisiting it for this project. They’re doing a good job at balancing out a lot more main characters than in previous shows, even if it’s at the cost of memorable supporting characters. However, there’s room for diversity in this franchise, so a different spin on the idea is fine. It’s working very well so far, after all!
Next tine on Precure Daily, Rin has a crush! Also it’s time to sell a Precure-branded toy that otherwise has absolutely nothing to do with the show. Look forward to it?
Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: 1 Kettei!
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sol1056 · 6 years
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a bunch more asks waiting their turns so politely
These are all various asks about the likelihood of a remake, a rewritten season, or a spinoff. 
1 could we get an alternate version 2 is a rewrite for S8 a viable option 3 would they change the ending for a spin-off 4 are single-episode edits possible for S8 5 will S7 reactions affect S8 6 how will DW get us to watch S8
Behind the cut.
With the shitstorm that vld became, would dreamworks ever take pity on us and remake some seasons of voltron that turned out like crap, or not even air, just release them as alternate versions on dvd? Im questioning the possibilities, not the probabilities, bc Im really not optimistic about that, I just wanna know if a show can do that and what would it take for the company to snap their fingers and be like "lets do it" (besides having money)
It’s not like frequent reboots don’t have precedent in other franchises; hell, comics do it on the regular. It’s also much cheaper to do a series of graphic novels or full novelizations geared towards an older audience. The problem there is that Dreamworks isn’t a comic book company or a publishing house; that part of the franchise would have to be farmed out to someone else. 
My guess --- if another remake is ever a possible option --- it’d be several years down the road. The first version would be set aside as, say, the Y-7 version for kids and family, and then you’d find a new angle for the next version. 
If DW got the impression there was a massive older crowd (say, 25-45) who would’ve eaten up a more mature, somewhat darker, version? Sure, why not try to grab that audience? I mean, look at the Castlevania series: it’s not pulling any punches on making clear it’s for adults. That would also require a different business model, since what adults like to buy for themselves is very different than what kids want. Skip the cake toppers, for starters. 
do you think given the reaction to VLD S7, is a rewrite for S8 a viable option? I feel the fandom is divided about the general reaction to S7. If JDS and M can just [focus on the fanbase segment] that liked it, why [bother trying to fix it for those] that didn't?
Given what I’ve been seeing in terms of data from the season... I think they aimed to please everyone and ended up pleasing no one. 
Pretty sure I’ve said something to this extent before: when you can’t please everyone, the answer isn’t to split the difference and piss everyone off. The answer is to pick your audience and give them the best damn story you can. The rest will sort itself out.
Let me put it this way: there are enough people who didn’t like S7 for the crummy animation, the OOC dialogue and actions, and the nonsensical storyline overloaded with a host of new characters that stole time from the actual protagonists. And there are also enough people who didn’t like S7 for queerbaiting the audience, killing off three out of four queer characters, and sidelining the one remaining queer character. There may be some overlap between those two sets, but taken together, those two sets are pretty much the dominant majority of the fan base. 
I don’t know if that makes a rewrite a viable option, but it should be making a few execs think twice about letting the EPs/staff carry on in the same direction. I mean, you want a series to end on a high note, not an ‘omg that had such potential but boy did it self-destruct in the last two seasons’ note.  
So if DW wants to do a Voltron spin-off, would they consider changing the ending to VLD to give Shiro the things he earned so this spin-off wouldn't be dead out of the water?
That would depend entirely on whether they’ve gotten the message that Shiro’s current status isn’t good enough for a significant part of the fanbase. If all they’re hearing (or all they choose to hear) is that it’s great to sideline one of their protagonists with no in-story explanation whatsoever, what’s to tell them there’s anything that needs addressing?  
Additionally, if the entirety of the issue is Shiro --- and everyone else is just fine, thanks --- I’m not sure that’d rate as enough to warrant changing so much. More likely any spin-off would start some X length of time between, and we’d get an implied intermediary backstory (or even a mild retcon), and go from there. 
Truth is, whomever gets the spin-off will (I really hope) be a better writer and not have to deal with intrusive newbie EPs. Even then, they’d be kinda limited on what they could do, given the spin-off does need to make sense placed against the first series. Then again, VLD hasn’t respected its own premise or continuity for the past few seasons, anyway. 
So I guess there’s always the option to start with an episode that retells VLD’s ending... Kinda awkward, but not unheard of, to basically retcon a previous series out of existence.  
I have no doubt DW is looking into what went wrong with this season. I know it might be a little to late to fix all of Season 8, but do you think they would have at least maybe the last few episodes changed to give a better ending to the show - or at least more respect to Shiro as a character?
Normally I’d say no. I mean, episode 1 should have characters making choices that in turn impact episode 2, and those choices prompt the events in episode 3... but that’s a logic VLD threw out the window somewhere between S3 and S4, and it’s only gotten worse since then. 
In which case, oh sure, why not? It wouldn’t make any less sense than what they’ve already got planned, if S7 is any indication. 
Could the reaction to season 7 cause any change the execs minds going into season 8? 
One problem: this is a Dreamworks production, but it’s not a DW-owned story. It’s a franchise: there are other players involved. There are the two guys who first butchered GoLion into Voltron, Toei whose story got that embutcherment, Netflix as the distributor, along with Playmates and Lion Forge and other contracted partners. There’s a lot more people at the table than just DW. 
It’s one thing for the EPs to say they messed up, and apologize. It’s quite another for Dreamworks to admit publicly their lousy (or nonexistent) oversight allowed the situation to happen. 
Legal would have apoplexy, for starters. What wins you a franchise is often showing you have the confidence (if not sheer chutzpah) that you can do this job justice like no other. And then you hit S7 and must admit you hired people who made a complete hash of it? 
If there’s anything that will cost the EPs any future roles of a similar position, it’s that they’ve put DW in a very uncomfortable position. Caught between a furious fanbase and overly-interested co-owners, someone --- or several someones --- are treading very lightly right now. They’re not going to forget the EPs are the ones who precipitated the whole mess. 
I think we are in a unique situation where the fact that the EPs were vocal about [changing] VLD ... could be a blessing for us & DW. [But we know it] was changed, & DW's part seems to be more negligence than direct fault like the EPs. So DW can drop it or fix it, and a rewrite would be worth us sticking around, while restoring DW's name.
Again, that depends on whether DW is in a position that they can do so. I assure you they’d throw the EPs under the bus at the first opportunity, because that’s how the corporate world works. So their failure to do so is either because they don’t see the EPs’ actions as untenable (as far as we know), or because doing so would expose DW corporate to greater retaliation from elsewhere. (It could also be part of the agreement that these particular EPs are in place for the duration of the series’ production, too. Sometimes that happens.) 
I still can’t get over the fact that the EPs were so blunt about having already had a script fully written when they asked to revise. From the Studio Mir leaks, we can guess at least some of the animation was already in production at least a year ago, or earlier. That’s a lot to redo. 
Here’s something that only just occurred to me, when I listed the co-partners in this franchise: the Koplar brothers. These are the geniuses who figured they didn’t need to know Japanese to make GoLion into an american production; turns out they were geniuses on some level ‘cause it was a hit, anyway. They went on to produce Voltron: Fleet of Doom (1986), Voltron: the Third Dimension (1998), and Voltron Force (2011). If there is anyone at the table who’d be likely to have nostalgia goggles, it’d be the Koplars. This has been their ongoing story in one way or another for over 30 years. 
Originally, the EPs said they weren’t tied to nostalgia; they weren’t going to redo the story as it was, but the story as they remembered. (I’d argue this actually indicates a stronger set of nostalgia goggles, but eh.) Their determination to get rid of Shiro has always felt like nostalgia goggles to me. Perhaps the Koplars were the greatest supporters of Keith as BP --- since that would respect the pattern they’ve followed, over and over, in all the iterations. 
Considering the Koplar’s somewhat litigious background over Voltron ownership, they may’ve had the ability to overrule. So... if you want to bench Shiro, you pitch your work with the execs who are most likely to agree with you. And if you can do that in the window between the previous VP of TV retiring and a brand-new external hire coming on as VP... welp, you got permission, and the new VP may’ve signed off, not realizing the impact. 
Which would put DW over a barrel, in some ways. If DW could’ve overruled their partners, the EPs never would’ve been able to make that end-run in the first place. 
How do u think DW will try to get us to watch s8? They & the EPs have shattered our trust and the show is so messy its almost unsalvageable. 
Stay to see X point's resolution? Yeah, we stayed many seasons for nothing, next. 
We have more rep? Ex. blonde girl is autistic... So we should be scared for her too??? 
There's more queer rep? Yeah, we heard that one already. 
Unless everyone responsible is fired and a new crew runs the next seasons?
I don’t know. I would hope the answer is ‘by giving us a story that makes sense, and creates closure for all the protagonists, and not just by making two of them emotional rewards for two other characters.’ 
At this point, there is only one thing that’s going to make Dreamworks change course: if the fallout from VLD impacts its other projects. If the majority of the VLD fanbase up and announced it would be boycotting She-Ra or Fast & Furious or Trollhunters on the grounds that DW screwed up so badly with VLD that it cannot be trusted... Then you’d see movement. If the PR got so bad from so many upset and angry VLD fans that major news outlets paid attention and started writing articles about the situation, that would also put a black mark beside Dreamworks’ name -- and then you’d see movement. 
With the VLD toys a failure (for whatever mismanaged reasons) and a financial model set entirely on toys, fixing VLD now would be throwing good money after bad. Unless, of course, there’s an impact beyond just this single series. 
Until Dreamworks can see the impact in some concrete sense, they have far more to lose from their partners than they have to gain from their fanbase. It’s just how it is, with corporations in late capitalism. 
You want to make an impact? You tell Dreamworks ahead of time, and then you follow through: pick a week and go silent. Nothing about VLD, here or on twitter or anywhere else. No reblogs on She-Ra updates. Ignore the podcasts. Don’t click on the articles. That stuff’ll be there when the week is over, after all. Show DW what it’s like when a fanbase checks out, by doing it. It’s a short-term boycott, but the reason groups do boycotts is because they work. 
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diamond-song42 · 6 years
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Pone Reviews 66: School Daze, Part 1 and 2 IT'S HERE! Welcome back to Pone Reviews. I have been so excited to share my thoughts on our new season opener with you. I won't leave you waiting: Here's my take on "School Daze!" To start, the moral. "Everything is unique, so the way we teach must be adapted to be unique as well." The episode stresses this with friendship specifically, but it's really applicable to any subject. Learning "by the book" isn't a great way to learn for many people. The simple classroom format with blackboard lectures and workbooks can go over people's heads. That's why each subject that is taught should be changed depending on the subject. Look at the School of Friendship curriculum, for example. It's hard to instill kindness when it is on paper and not hands-on. Teach it with cute animals! Laughter is similar. Can't do enjoyable activities like games and magic tricks when you're just reading about them. The whole situation reminds me of how traditional colleges don't mesh with some people when trade schools, beauty schools, or liberal art schools would do the trick. And I appreciate that the show is up to the time. They're not shunning traditional education: They're showing that different things work for different people and different teaching methods work for different subjects. Thanks, show! Now, the plot. Turns out the world is more than just Equestria... let's open a school! I'm going to get really philosophical here, guys. If anything, I believe this episode is actually a political commentary on racism. Chancellor Neighsay was insistent on going by the book, which is understandable with his organization basically being the all-mighty school dictator. His big problems were rooted in how he saw the yaks, dragons, griffons, hippogriffs, and Changelings. Neighsay believed the non-pony creatures were lesser than the ponies and thus undeserving of the same lessons. He partially based his decision to close the school on how the five non-pony students "attacked." Of course, the leaders were pissed, but he stood by his opinions. Neighsay's behavior brings to light a sad but real truth our world faced (and still faces). I am having trouble formulating words to describe this situation as it is such a strong subject. What was our nation's mindset that we thought lesser races weren't full people? It is an especially important message in this political climate. Somehow, we still think we have the right to be cruel to people of other races, genders, and sexualities. If anything, we should treat the character of Chancellor Neighsay as a reminder not to be that way again. We *can't* go back. As the song said, friendship always wins. It's moments like these that remind me how much I love and appreciate this show. (Seriously though, if you are a white supremacist, get the hell off my blog. I don't want trash like you near anything I create. Back to the review.) Here are some more moments from this episode that are going into the yearbook: *Ocellus. Every time Ocellus was on screen. She is a gem and must be protected at all costs. She is so pure. I love her so much. This blog might be converted to an Ocellus appreciation blog. *Gotta hand it to the students for thinking of the Castle of the Two Sisters. It's isolated and has tons of areas to live in. Also the students running away together has to be one of the sweetest things I've ever seen in this show. *DANG STARLIGHT! That pep talk was incredible. Mad props. *"STAIRS!" Silverstream is basically a bubble child. You know Cameron from the Total Drama series? She's the female equivalent of him. Her finding out about all these outside things may be a bit annoying to some, but I find her enthusiasm absolutely delightful. *Maurice LaMarche as Chancellor Neighsay everypony! For those unaware, Maurice is a voice acting god. He has done roles in animations like "Pinky and the Brain" and "Zootopia." So seeing him here is a great surprise. And he'll be back! Don't suppose we could get Rob Paulsen to do a role alongside Neighsay next time? *THE MOVIE IS CANON, FOLKS. THE MOVIE IS CANON. *The Gallus puppy dog eyes kill me. PWEEZ GWAMPA GWUFF *Gotta get an appearance from our favorite grey Pegasus... what was her name again? *The students' plan to reappear during the Friends and Family Day party is... actually pretty good. I like logic and the logic makes sense. Good on ya. *PUKWUDGIES! Another Harry Potter creature emerges in the Poniverse. *Love the busts of the Pillars of Old Equestria. They essentially formed the Mane 6's partnership - it would be right to give them some love at the school! *Oh, what up, Pharynx! I love the look on his face - he's just as confused as the rest of us. *CUPCAKES ARE BEST CAKES!!! And here are some moments from this episode that are getting an F: *Gotta love how Twilight says that the school is for every creature when Yona, Silverstream, Ocellus, Gallus, and Smolder ARE LITERALLY THE ONLY ONES OF THEIR SPECIES ATTENDING THE SCHOOL. (Spike doesn't count as he isn't a formal student.) *"They're gonna think I'm an egghead!" You admitted yourself in "Read It And Weep" that you're an egghead! *Is Grampa Gruff the grandfather of every griffon? We know he's at least Gilda's grandfather, but Gallus calls him Grampa, too, making Gallus and Gilda either siblings or cousins. It's all so confusing. *Poor Thorax being the only foreign leader who cares about peace. *Is Sandbar an orphan? He was the only significant student without an escort. *"Not even a princess can do whatever she likes when it comes to shaping young pony minds." Yeah, but... you're an all-powerful princess. Isn't that kinda the point? *How did that school building get put up so fast OH SCREW THIS *Fluttershy, I love you, but your gullibleness never ceases to amaze me. *The FRIENDSHIP School exercises corporal punishment! Also, they're fighting after what seems like a few days. Maybe it doesn't take that short of time for lessons to sink in? *Geez, Twilight shot back from her grief unusually fast. It's almost a bit unsettling. *Though the fight says a lot about how the Mane 6 aren't getting across to the students, it is a little brash to fight in a friendship school. *Chancellor Neighsay might be a big priss, but some of his points regarding the other creatures are valid. The Changelings, though they've been reformed for some time here, have only been nice for a little while in Equestria, not to mention Chrysalis is still on the loose. Meanwhile, Flash Magnus and the Royal Legion fought dragons in the past, with the dragons attacking first. And the yaks literally DECLARED WAR after the ponies didn't quite get their traditions right. *Twilight's kinda right - party cannons in a classroom might not end well. To close it out: An educational episode with outstanding political messages and adorable Changelings. Excuse me while I buy all the Ocellus merch. 4.5 out of 5 rainbows 🌈🌈🌈🌈% Thanks for reading my first Season 8 Pone Review. Come back Saturday for another throwback episode featuring a map adventure! Let's do this, Season 8! Diamond out!
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entactagn · 3 years
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“Transsexing is an act of healing”
again I know Hayward has delimited a scope for this (above) --
but it seems insufficient. and i don’t know how exactly we’d differentiate transgressive potentiality from regenerative animation
dysphoria / euphoria — not sure how this maps on — not all transgressive potentialities are euphoric, not every response to dysphoria is regenerative …
and dysphoria is not always localized in/on the body — obviously that’s the intensity we’re trained to see : looking in the mirror, at the jawline, which can be cut, but also the shoulders, the feet, the hands, the entire build of the body — in the latter case dysphoria is a response to what seems immutable — not ever available for healing or regeneration — a structural impossibility — 
and, to speak autobiographically, i’d say too that dysphoria can act more like an absent or retroactive cause than a symptom properly speaking — as in, healing (an “act”?) might have to take place before the symptom can make it to the surface — not always as articulate as “being in the wrong body” — sometimes too it’s just “wrong” — a sense of wrongness — and sometimes even that can’t be felt as such except in retrospect —
especially if dysphoria is dissociative — it seems like that may be a more common symptom but it’s one that can only be apprehended as such when you’re not enveloped in it — not feeling real only comes out as the problem when you come to and your reality starts to lay its film out (on the eye, in the nose) — layers sift out — where before everything was muted, behind glass, etc. — dissociation is like that --  it’s less like regeneration and more like coming up for air —
i think that’s actually what Hayward means by regeneration though: regeneration of the senses — via the flesh, “meat” (???) — why meat? — dead meat, meat market, white meat (an alternative to “flesh,” which seems more specific to racialized embodiment, at least in critical discourse -- “meat” has a feminist political resonance -- men treat us like meat, therefore we’re this kind of subject: visceral corruption, fakeness and hence disposability, subject to avid devoration and just as vicious disgust-- a ripped apart, flayed, delinked, tender (smooth) or tough (muscular) object of consumption -- also the animal studies angle obviously: “trans women” the other other white meat -- in short: meat is feminizing where flesh is racializing -- trans women is in quotes bc both Jules and Torrey point out the false presumption in that term that white trans women and trans women of color necessarily share a coherent set of experiences, much less a coalescent political subjectivity)  — marked out by transition —
anyway though: if dysphoria is dissociative (disabling but not in a way that’s apparent to anyone else and maybe not to yourself either: they/you just think you’re shy, or you’re overcompensating, or you’re abrasive — whatever your particular disorder/cope is) then the response to it is not quite regenerative bc regeneration presumes something cut off and i guess in dissociation you are cut off from some kind of relationality, some kind of reality — yet it doesn’t seem cut off until you’re healing (so to speak) — 
i guess i just mean to appreciate Hayward’s emphasis on a kind of regeneration without wholeness (originary or teleological) — and at the same time wonder if transsexing, as a revelation of dysphoria, (maybe through euphoria: maybe just through changed conditions), puts wholeness more radically in question — bc not only can it operate without any presumption of ideal wholeness (as origin or destination) — a suspension — but it may also depart from or involute the timeline that connects origin / destination — insofar as the symptom comes out after its regeneration  
i am also thinking here about Arielle Scarcella (a lesbian youtube terf / trump endorser) and how she thinks that young trans ppl trick themselves into being trans and then get dysphoria from the transition process — obviously her political aim is retrograde but dysphoria is complex -- it may not seem to exist before an alternative is lived
again i have to insist: dysphoria isn’t actually an individual symptom anyway — it’s a response to interpellation, to an unbearable form of subject formation, a refusal or inability to respond to the incitements to inhabit your assigned sex  — 
assignment is not anatomical but normative — a developmental projection only loosely tethered to the genital trait it claims anchorage in — only loosely in part bc the genital only rly becomes a sex organ later, after genitalization or at puberty (pick your poison)
so there is an impasse or insufficiency in modeling the individual trans body onto the individual starfish body — and to say that “regeneration” is about healing that body — this is more fully addressed in the spider article but it’s important to stress that regeneration is kind of impossible without some kind of “building-out” (as Hayward puts it) — an architectural support — a relational field — and regeneration also means exposing yourself to further damage — not just “redressing harm” but accepting (or not accepting — just putting up with, living with) a certain level of vulnerability to harm in order to move out of the unbearable —
dysphoria isn’t an individual condition and it’s also not as acute as the “cut” in the song — it may also be accretive, built up — it may be a chronic condition, or an episodic susceptibility — dissociative episodes — recurrent
as for euphoria: a diff question — futural — infinitizing — also self-evaporating — rather than reparative — euphoria associated with falseness — false pleasure, false elation, false looking forward to an increasingly abundant future — false anticipation of the endlessness of growth — a speculative mood — yet weirdly too it can be what allows you to feel your happiness at all — as in: euphoria is “wellbeing” but that’s background unless something picks it up and makes it overwhelming — sometimes you’re happy and you don’t know it — and euphoria takes you by surprise when it comes into relief — the relief of how much better it feels — an art of living that’s not just bearable but feels perfectible and extensive — (delusive or nonendless as that feeling may turn out to have been)
i suppose you could say euphoria and dysphoria exist in some kind of dialectical relationship — i don’t think that’s the logic, because they’re more intermittent (not a spiraling momentum, necessarily) —  but you could say that the infinitizing tendency of euphoria confronts dysphoria not just as a corporeal (anatomical) limit but also as an external screen — that is to say, the screen of others’ perceptions — as that which defines corporeal limits — 
again whiteness is crucial: as transparency, individuating possibility of infinite self-extension — all trans bodies are subject to some degree of overdetermination from without (the dysphoric overdetermination of cis criteria) — but obvs race changes how the body is sexed — so too how it’s transsexed, transspeciated  
last point: transspeciation for Hayward is a condition of biochemical transfer -- Premarin, an estrogen taken from horse urine -- what this opens up for question though is the synthetic -- what kind of transfer is that? esp. when it’s supposed to be bioidentical?
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callmedrviper · 6 years
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Okay, I know this is all my headcanons and me being an idiot and reading too much into a kids cartoon, but has anyone else ever thought about how terrible it would be to live in the Swat Kats’ society? Here’s just a couple of examples:
The corruption and nepotism rampant in the Enforcers. Everyone knows about the whole origin story of the Swat Kats and what Feral did to save his own tail, but lieutenant Steele is so incredibly incompetent that there’s no way he could have made the lieutenant rank on his own merit. Then there’s Felina, the only female officer EVER shown on the show. While the real reason is probably early 90s sexism in cartoons, the fact that she is the only female and just happens to be Feral’s niece also helps highlight the benefit of family ties within the Enforcers’ ranks. (Never mind the fact Feral BASICALLY ADMITS THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT’S HAPPENING AND WHY HE CAN’T THROW HER OFF THE FORCE EVEN THOUGH HE RECOGNIZES HE SHOULD.) She’s most definitely not the first Kat to benefit from this kind of nepotism if logic follows.
The fact that the Enforcers seem to be completely unchecked in their operations and can get away with using deadly force no matter what the situation is. As much as Feral likes to complain about the damage the Swat Kats do, it certainly doesn’t stop him or other Enforcers from using heavy, military grade weapons within city limits putting civilians in the line of fire. Heck, the fact that the Swat Kats exist helps prove how unregulated they are. Had an independent investigation or if Jake and Chance had sued the Enforcers for what happened, they might have been cleared or at least not have been forced into poverty like they were. If the Enforcers were regulated more tightly, then the first example I gave above might not have even been a problem to begin with.
Treatment of the mentally ill and citizens convicted of crimes is DEPLORABLE. Just look at Mad Kat’s introduction, or more accurately Mad Kat’s host’s introduction. Ringtail was being kept in an insane asylum (an institution that no longer exists in our ‘world’ thank goodness) because he ‘went mad’ after a new comedian took his place. And what does the guard who’s supposed to be keeping an eye on him do? That’s right, he WATCHES THE COMEDIAN WHO REPLACED RINGTAIL RIGHT OUTSIDE RINGTAIL’S CELL EVEN THOUGH RINGTAIL BEGS HIM TO TURN IT OFF! Ringtail is literally trying to hurt himself in his cell because he can’t stand to be reminded of why he’s there in the first place. And not only does the guard not turn it off, he MOCKS Ringtail for getting so worked up about it! This treatment of the mentally ill is what got those kinds of facilities shut down in the real world and many survivors are still living with the damage from the abuse to this day. Then there’s anyone who’s been convicted of a crime in MegaKat city. It’s very obvious that this world has strict, black-and-white views on ‘good’ and ‘bad’. And if you fall even slightly in the ‘bad’ category, you might as well kiss your dignity and any hope of fair treatment goodbye. Look at the conditions at the maximum security prison Rex Shard was at before the whole crystal thing. They fully admit in the episode that the prison is getting it’s funding from prisoners mining gems from the surrounding mountains. And while they say ‘volunteer’, the fact that the warden is actually taking the money made on the gems left over from paying basic prison expenses for himself and not for improving conditions within the prison or helping the prisoners really gives me the impression it’s much less ‘volunteer’ than forced labor. And no one other than Callie questions this for one second. Also, the warden does say ‘the prisoners’ and not ‘the volunteers’ so it sounds more like he’s forcing at least a majority of them to participate in this. THEN they even reveal in the next sentence that the warden is actually using a prisoner to test out a piece of equipment that is brand new and no one knows how safe it actually is in the mine right then and there. (Greenbox never once actually answers Callie or Manx on whether or not his machine was safe. He just skirted the issue by saying it was ‘real simple to use’.) So we have a someone convicted of a crime being used for basically intense, manual, slave labor now given a potentially dangerous device and sent into a freaking MINE- one of the most dangerous places for someone to be-, and really? NO ONE CARES. Not even Callie! She’s ready to leave and seems to have already put the whole thing behind her the next scene we see her in. No one cares that this warden is risking citizens lives and health, just because they were convicted of a crime and serving their time.
There doesn’t seem to be a union or worker’s rights or even occupational safety regulations for the more ‘blue collar’ industries. I have two reasons for saying this. First is actually the fact that Jake and Chance constantly have to put up with Burke and Murphy dumping HEAVY SCRAP METAL AND SPARE CAR AND OTHER VEHICLE PARTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE. This doesn’t seem like much, but hear me out. Jake and Chance not only run the salvage yard, but they also are car and vehicle mechanics and work within the garage using a variety of hazardous chemicals (oils, battery fluids, paints, etc.) plus welding and other power tools. If something like a fire or a violate chemical reaction were to occur in the garage, they would need an exit from the building and not one that takes them the long way around and delays their escape. The area immediately outside the garage should be clear BECAUSE of these hazards and need for an escape. Also, that pile of metal could disrupt air flow and ventilation depending on where it is that day and could cause a build of hazardous fumes and or vapors within the garage depending on what’s being done. See what I mean? If there was a worker’s union or occupational safety regulations, Jake and Chance could report this behavior and have it stopped or Burke and Murphy fined or even fired. But it keeps happening throughout the show. The second example is the mining industry displayed in Caverns of Horror. The miners had to call in the Enforcers-the freaking military!- just to get something done about the fact MINERS WERE DISAPPEARING WHILE THEY WERE WORKING! Once again, a union or worker’s rights or safety regulations would have made this largely unnecessary as they would have more power to stop the operation and get an investigation into the safety of the mine before resuming work. But they couldn’t do that, and they even risked their jobs just because they weren’t going to continue work in a mine they felt unsafe in. All of this signals to me that working citizens really don’t have a lot of protections in this society.
We never really see issues like homelessness or poverty within the city being addressed. This is a little more just me nitpicking, but almost every program or project Manx directs the city’s funding towards are ones that benefit more of the middle or upper classes of the city (the ones who can afford to spend money at museums or spend the money on public transportation, or large corporations that would then ‘give back’ by renting the property), or benefit other areas which do need the funding but don’t directly affect someone’s life (scientific research, military weapons research, etc.). There are some that in theory could help bring jobs into the city, but even these are rare and seem more focused on a specific demographic that isn’t the homeless or ‘uneducated’ citizens. Again, this is more me nitpicking given it is a kids’ cartoon and that kind of stuff isn’t very interesting, but...eh.
The whole environmental issues I mentioned before. This world just does not seem like a great place to live to me. It’s either all developed or barren with very few natural environments left. Plus, the chemical pollution that even the society I’m rambling about recognizes as a problem. (How is cancer not a common thing in this world? Or maybe it is and we just never hear about it...)
Those are just a couple of examples I could think of.
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cobblecord · 4 years
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A Call for More User Control Over the Streaming UX
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Will Streaming Heed the Lessons that Cable Didn’t?
We all know that streaming has come a long way over the last 20 years and OTT video usage continues to increase. However, there are some glaring consumer pain points that should be addressed sooner rather than later. If not, percolating dissatisfaction could bubble up and undermine the considerable ‘user good-will’ that streaming services have generally been afforded. It's time for streaming services to start giving consumers more control over their user experience before it comes back to haunt them.
Consider what’s happening to the Traditional TV Providers, that didn’t heed the call for more consumer-centric approach, until it was too late – and obviously, pushed people into the awaiting arms of OTT. Clearly, the user interfaces and smart use of data on the part of the online streaming giants is far superior to that of the Traditional Pay-TV world. But the increasingly frequent lament we all hear is that users (or viewers) spend more time searching for something to watch than actually watching. And the new OTT launches from Apple, Disney, WarnerMedia, NBC, etc. on the horizon promise to amplify the problem.
If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the results of a recent PwC survey that showed almost 90% of consumers are dissatisfied with content discovery and recommendations. That certainly doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement for the multitude of content recommendation AIs many streaming services have put so much stock in.
Now that streaming has become fully mainstream and the embarrassment of content riches continues to explode, giving users the option to take (at least some of) the reins seems like a logical next step in the industry’s evolution.
Lean Back or Look Forward?
During the early development of video streaming app ecosystem, most of the players decided that the overarching UX approach should give users some straightforward controls (like add to watchlist, basic search and very simple filtering), but largely reinforced the ‘lean back’ nature of video viewing, particularly with apps created for the TV screen.
The assumption was that viewers would want to be served up content while they sit back and passively receive it, essentially recreating the traditional TV viewing experience. Netflix has practically spun its programming recommendations and auto-play features into a veritable product-design art form. Of course, they’ve done quite well with that approach to date.
But the streaming landscape has changed dramatically over the last few years, and the new flood of content choices has made the lean-back model a source of increasing frustration rather than assistance. The endless rows of scrolling content artwork, the seemingly arbitrary arrays of content categories and obscure micro-genres, the limited and confining search and filtering functions, and the infernal auto-play trailers (my personal pet peeve) are really starting to grate on the nerves of streamers.
And of course, the more people stream, the more of an annoyance it becomes. This sad state of affairs is especially irritating to the self-determined millennial generation, who value freedom, control, flexibility and ultra-customization above all else.
Borrowing from the Past to Shape the Future
In a perfect world, relevant content would be easily discovered and displayed to the right person at the right time across the countless walled-gardens of apps. That’s surely a goal to work toward, but there are various corporate conflicts and technical hurdles that have slowed its progress (which is another story for another day).
In the meantime, I’m suggesting to simply give users more control within each individual app or service as an incremental way to improve streaming’s overall experience. Addressing the ‘content fatigue’ issue quickly is key to keeping OTT’s momentum going.
I believe that this is a product-design challenge more than a technology one. We need a shift within the very product-driven culture of Streaming Tech to a more user-empowered approach – specifically when it comes to the content selection and curation process.
Many long-standing online companies have been perfecting the use of interactive customization and filtering tools for decades. In fact, they are some of the basic tenets of the internet and e-commerce. The streaming world could easily borrow from some of the tried and true, ‘lean-forward’ techniques of these businesses, such as online retail, publishing and travel. Granted, translating these concepts to the TV screen using the clunky remote control as a navigation device surely doesn’t lend itself to ease of use. But it’s not an insurmountable hurdle.
Imagine if you could harness the multiple-criteria filtering capabilities of Zappos, the self-curation controls of Flipboard and the sorting capabilities of Expedia to help you determine exactly what you’d like to watch on an average Saturday night. Here are a few ways to start the ball rolling toward more user-empowered Streaming UX.
Customizable Home Screen Displays - The ability for a user to organize and personalize the home screen of an app/streaming service to their taste. For instance:
-- Want to always see New Releases in the top row? And Nature Documentaries below that because that happens to be your thing? And so on… -- Users should be able to arrange the content rows that are displayed and at what levels.
-- Don’t want to see the Recommended Rom-Com row, just because you watched that one Hugh Grant movie six months ago? -- Let users easily remove certain categories or micro-genres from the display to create a more focused, less cluttered screen.
Ramp Up the Filters & Sorting Capabilities – Think about how much time could be saved if you were able to punch in multiple criteria to surface exactly what you were in the mood to watch. Then sort the results by various components. And those controls were front and center (or at least easy to find).  For instance:
-- Want to see Comedies made in the 90’s? And drill down to those starring Sandra Bullock. Then sort by director? -- Those options should be a few clicks away.
Some services have attempted to address this with predictive or related search functionality, which I’ve found to be middling at best, and way off-base, at worst. Amazon borrows from their e-commerce roots to allow for multi-layer filtering of video on their desktop and mobile experiences, but they haven’t carried it over to their TV app.
Features Checklists - Giving people the ability to turn certain features on or off within an app should be as easy as subscribing or unsubscribing to an e-newsletter. For instance:
-- Want to disable auto-play trailers (or at least have the option to mute their volume), stop next episode auto-plays completely, turn on credits-skipping and closed captions for all titles in one fell swoop? -- Imagine if each streaming service had an easy-to-use personalization screen or module that allowed you to check or uncheck a few boxes to enable or disable these options, just like you would with parental controls.
Some services do allow for a degree of feature control on an asset basis. For example, on Netflix you can skip credits and intros while you’re binging an individual show. Others have enabled very lightweight customization buried deep within the user profile sections on their websites or mobile apps. But so much more could be done.
Emerging platform aggregators (like Apple and Roku) may have plans to enable some feature control on a platform level, which could be helpful. However, most subscribers watch streaming services across multiple platforms and devices, so giving users more control on a service level is a better solution.
Of course, a major counter-argument to user-empowered streaming UX is that streaming services need to promote and curate their best titles. They’ve invested millions (even billions) into original titles and high-stakes libraries to drive awareness, trial, retention and increasingly important brand equity. I totally get it and I believe that they absolutely should (and must) highlight their best wares.
But the right to showcase top content and the option of user personalization are not necessarily mutually exclusive. There is enough screen real estate to go around, if smartly engineered and cleverly carved up. I’m sure that there are ways to solve for it, given all the smart technical, product and creative talent there is in the industry.
And let’s not forget that this type of customer-centric thinking will actually help the streaming services in the long run. Personalization contributes to customer stickiness and higher retention rates, which will become increasingly important as new high-profile players enter the space and the streaming wars begin in earnest.
Nothing But Choice
OTT is on its way to becoming the dominant way of watching video, and the last thing we need is to stall or jeopardize its progress by not helping users get a handle on, what is essentially, too much of a good thing – content.
At core, OTT streaming is about customer choice and empowerment. It’s about options and personalization. It’s about transparency and control. What it’s definitely NOT about is expecting newly liberated consumers to go back to the type of one-way relationship that Traditional Pay TV Providers forced on them for many years, when there were no other choices.
Now, for better or worse, there is nothing but choice (I, for one, think it’s for better). Services that focus on giving users the tools to navigate this newfound choice will be the ones that have an advantage that will translate into streamers’ hearts and minds. And most importantly, into happy, loyal subscribers.
By: Virginia Juliano
Virginia Juliano is the Founder & CEO of CobbleCord (www.CobbleCord.com), a disruptive startup that helps people cobble together personalized bundles of both free and paid streaming services. Its patented process uses customer content, device, internet and price preferences to craft a custom list of services for each user, empowering them to find the best streaming solution to fit their needs and get the most from streaming.
For this article and many other insightful pieces on the #OTT space, get a FREE digital subscription to OTT Executive Magazine and instantly download the Spring 2019 Issue: https://OTTexec.com/magazine.
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team-crtq · 7 years
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RWDE Flaws Quickie
Quartz here again. Last time I tackled the show itself and now I’ll be tackling the other side of team CRTQ’s purpose as well as the fact that we use a different tag for criticism than the normal one: Problems with the RWDE tag.
RWDE is the tag used primarily for criticism and sounds like a neat idea (in fact, our #crtq tag was made for this purpose), there are SO many problems with the RWDE tag that it has become a bigger problem with the show than the actual flaws of the show. And I’ll take you throw a quick rundown of them.
1. Criticism or Hate
A huge problem with the RWDE tag is that the tag can’t decide whether or not it’s a tag for criticisms about the show or it’s a tag for hate about the show. Constantly when I went into the RWDE tag to debate, I would keep getting the defense of “It’s not criticism, it’s hate” and vice versa.
Here’s the thing though: Criticism and hate are NOT mutaully exclusive. You CANNOT be critical and hateful at the same time. When you are being critical, you are trying to be as objective and neutral as possible to give a balanced critique. When you are being hateful, you bitch about everything you can find and even make up stuff to bitch about. These two things DO NOT go together. This gets especially bad considering the fact that quite a bit of the hate is trying to masquerade as criticism under the excuse of being “harsh” when in all actuality the intent is not to improve the show or medium but to attack the writers, the fans or the show itself. And this is a problem because actual criticism of the show gets buried underneath a pile of bitching and other assorted nasty things.
To know which is which, try the following test: If the intent behind the post is to improve the show or improve the medium and the tone and wording support this (like admitting to stuff they did right or trying to be neutral), it’s criticism. If the intent behind he post is to attack and harm and the wording and tone support  this (like blowing things out of proportion, directly insulting the creator or fans or making up flaws through misinformation), then it’s hate.
2, Arrogance
The RWDE tag suffers from a very severe case of arrogance and pride, saying constantly that they can do better and that their way is better. To this date (04/30/2017) only 1 person in the RWDE tag has attempted to make an improved version of the show and it is only a fanfiction and it is an abject failure. That’s only 1 person: The rest of the RWDE tag think they can claim to do better without proving it.
But it’s not as though they would do any better: Much of what the RWDE tag complains about is personal opinion and not objective improvements on the show. They demand that there be an LGBT character introduced as soon as possible despite the fact that means said LGBT character would be shoehorned in or messily written as well as fuck up the balance of character screentime. They demand that characters like Jaune essentially be removed from the story without knowing that Jaune and others serve an important role in the story as well as in the narrative. They demand that ships get together without seeing that it’s not the right time or that two characters might not work well together or that two characters haven’t had enough onscreen romantic chemistry. All in all, they’d fuck it up to an immense degree.
And then there’s the sheer audacity when the people in the RWDE tag say shit like “they’re dishonoring Monty’s memory” or “Their pissing on his grave” as though they knew Monty personally enough to know what the man would want and not his close friends and family (Neath Oum). This gives off the feeling that they think they know him better despite having never met him personally, let alone as long as the likes of Miles and Kerry. Or that they’re using Monty as a way of getting what they want but I decide to believe in the less damning one.
As a side point: Many people in the RWDE think and act like they are above criticism. They act as though because they criticize, they can’t BE criticized themselves. Not only is this damaging as hell to actual criticism but it’s also arrogant as hell to think you get to do something but others can’t. One RWDE poster even outright said they were a better person than Miles Luna because he “Queerbaits” (I’ll get to that topic next) and he can’t take criticism. Then they immediately block the person that criticized them, attacks the writers personally and also queerbaits in their work. All in all, it makes them and by extension criticism of the show look terrible.
3. Representation
Another major problem with the RWDE tag is that the tag demands representation from RT from everything, saying that since they don’t have network restrictions and they said there is an LGBT character in RWBY so they demand them as soon as possible. I’m going to point out the not so obvious flaw here: Quite a few of these people aren’t LGBT people nor are they a racial minority. Ergo, they shouldn’t have a stake in this discussion. This is especially bad for the LGBT argument which is the most used argument, is the most vitriolic and quite a few LGBT people now hate the argument. My comrades Tangerine, Regalia, and Cobalt are LGBT (bisexual by the way) and they are more exhausted and frustrated by RWDE in this regard than I am, a straight person. It’s quite telling when the group you claim to be speaking up for actively hates you for it, especially when these people say otherwise and get attacked for it.
Another problem RWDE has is the fact that they throw around terms like “sexist” “racist” “ableist” all the damn time, applying them to situations that only work because either the author has taken it out of context (like saying that calling the White Fang terrorists is racist despite the fact that they are using fear and violence to achieve their goals), interrupt the aspect in a completely different and illogical way (Like saying Taiyang is ableist for not training Yang until after putting on the arm when it was obvious Yang was rejecting help and sticking herself in a rut) or just plain lies (Saying it’s sexist that Jaune gets more screentime than Ruby…despite the fact that 75% of his screentime and lines are dedicated to making Ruby look good.) It makes it look like RWDE is only using these terms to justify their hate and make it look like they’re fighting for social justice when that is the furthest thing they are doing.
And finally, they act as though the creators of the show are obligated to show representation when that is not the case. RWBY is not a progressive show meant to promote social problems and such and it was never said to be, meaning that is not what the creators want to do. However, the RWDE tag acts like they must make a socially progressive show or else they are in the wrong for doing so, essentially trying to rob creative control from the creators. They are essentially the same as corporate executives whop change shows to appeal to the lowest common demonator except those guys at least have some idea of what they are doing.
And on a side note: The accusations of “queerbaiting” imply that if any characters of the same gender show anything that remotely resembles attraction to another male or female, they must end up together but the heterosexuals aren’t allowed to do this.  Just as well, the heterosexual equvilant of Queerbaiting happens as well: even more so. As such queerbaiting would just be the logical balance of normal ship tease and acting like it shouldn’t exist is like demanding special treatement AKA the exact opposite of equality.
4.Double Standards and Sexism
I’ve already discussed two other different kids of double standards in RWDE such as the thoughts that they are above criticism and that they can speak for groups that they are not a part of above the people that are actually in those groups. But there is so much more than that. RWDE as a tag have a severe bias against the male characters in the show.
Criticism about Male characters in RWBY is wide spread in the RWDE tag but inversely criticism about female characters is rather rare and this gets highly hypocritical. For example: Jaune is criticized for taking up too much screentime in Volume 4 when he didn’t have all that much screentime to himself. However, Blake had an entire episode to herself and Weiss appeared in the most episodes of any character and yet no one says a word. Jaune is called out for being a Dogged Nice Guy to Weiss but Pyrrha, who does the same thing to Jaune, is never called out. Stepping outside of Jaune, Taiyang is accused of being a horrible parent while RWDE will make excuses for Raven, the actual bad parent of Yang who she constantly abandons for selfish reasons and has practically said “I don’t love you” to her daughter. Likewise, Taiyang’s joke in Episode 4 is called out for being insensitive but Yang directly says something more sensitive, without a hint of humor and has a greater impact on Taiyang and nothing is ever said. And Sun is called being nosy and abusive for constantly getting in Blake’s business and trying to help her while Kali does the exact same stuff and gets away with it. This shows a heavy bias against male characters in the show and is constantly trying to be passed off as criticism.
And that’s not it. This is also a problem with race. Weiss is treated as a constantly racist girl for no reason other than elitest when she actually has an understandable  reason to think that way (the only Fanaus she ever met was WHite Fang members who made her life a living hell.) Likewise, Adam is treated as an innocent, sad broken man who fights for equality when he is really a genocidal, abusive, racist and all around terrible person/ In fact, the entire White Fang is treated like they can do no wrong even as they act so extreme to kill innocents and break up actually peaceful protests that other Fanaus (including a former leader of the White Fang) call them out on this. Just terrible.
5. Manipulation of facts
RWDE has a strong tendency to excuse and justify it’s actions as being right by either leaving important information out, choosing very miniute details to complain about or manipulating the facts. Like in the case of Jaune having too much screentime, they say that Jaune has taken the protagonist role away from Ruby because has had the most lines in the Volume. But here’s the deal: Most of Jaune’s lines in Volume 4 was interacting with Ruby and giving Ruby characterization and making Ruby look better. This is the same as Kamina from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: yeah he had more screentime than the actual protagonist Simon but Kamina’s screen time was used to build Simon up, inspire character development, point out his flaws and make him look good.screen time and lines alone don’t count: the context and content do. But this doesn’t stop RWDE from proclaiming he’s the main character while denying Ruby any acknowledgement of what she did right.
They also act as though very small details that would be overlooked in most other shows are huge problems in RWBY. They say that the proper usage of Raipers are important when there is numerous examples of raipers being used incorrectly in other animes, including ones the profess to enjoy. Then you have the times where they ask for very specific details about stuff when other anime built around Ruby never give those details. One example is that one RWDE poster demanded to know how Yanhg’s Semblence charges up and gives an example from JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure…an anime where time is stopped because. Very hypocritical.
And finally they tend to manipulate the facts like saying that RNJR could have taken a train despite the fact it was stated in the show that inter-kingdom travel wasn’t possible and that Grimm attack trains as well then proceeded to ignore that. They say that Yang magically recovered when it took six months for her to start and weeks to fully recover. And so on and so on, making it clear they’re making shit up to complain about, thus lowering the chance that ANY criticism will be taken seriously.
And that’s all I have to say for now. My comrades will surely have something to say as well so if you like this post, stay tuned for the others. and if you yourself want to criticize RWBY, please use the #crtq tag so that we can see it ourselves. Have a great day everyone!
-Quartz
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andrewuttaro · 4 years
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Reviews with Andrew: The State of #StarWars Episode 1 - Pre-Episode IX
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Star Wars maybe the sample case to end all sample cases on what toxic fandom is. I’m not saying that to be a predictable ass but come on, have you been living under a rock? I am personally saddened to see how the response to the Last Jedi has ruined the fan unity, if that ever even existed, on Star Wars. It’s okay to not like a movie. That’s the bottom line. It’s okay to be lukewarm all puns intended. I was a little sour after my first viewing of the Last Jedi but after two more viewings I put it together a bit more. But at the end of the day there was nothing in that movie that was downright unforgivable… even Canto Bite.
On a scale from 1-10 Star Wars nerd, 10 being you can name different species of aliens that only appeared in de-canonized Expanded Universe books and 1 being your experience of Star Wars can be summed up by being captivated by a slutty Leia costume, I consider myself right in the middle of the pack at 5 or so. I’ve seen all the movies, played as many video games as possible and dabbled in some books. I’ll admit there was a time I would’ve said 7 on that scale but I’ve fallen back as life has changed for me. What I want to do today is talk about the State of the franchise. I think there is two parts to this. The state of the in-universe story and the state of the creative output making new material for us to consume.
Obviously these are my opinions and obviously I am going to spoil some movies, books and TV shows here. If you’re up-to-date on the basic lore I think you’ll be fine. Moreover, I want to talk specifically about these things in a Pre-Rise of Skywalker context. There will be a similar piece I will do sometime after the Rise of Skywalker. Disney has advertised this final installment in the sequel trilogy as “the end of the Skywalker Saga” and that’s a notable before and after moment in my humble opinion. Feel free to tear me to shreds in the comments. Review with Andrew is all about the discussion so let me know what you think. With entertainment properties the size of Star Wars it’s such a collective experience that to not be aware of popular opinion is to kinda miss the point. So with no further ado, let’s start with where we sit in-universe prior to the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga’s Sequel Trilogy.
Fate of the Galaxy
I am 25 so I grew up with the Prequels as the backdrop of my Star Wars experience. Here comes something that will probably get many of you to click off: I enjoyed the politics in the prequel trilogy. Disclaimer: that does not mean I love the prequels overall. That trilogy lacked clarity and compelling performance in multiple places. However I am not going to lie and not tell you Emperor Palpatine seizing control of the Republic Senate and reorganizing it into the Galactic Empire wasn’t the most simultaneously jaw-droppingly dreadful and entertaining moments of my young life watching movies. It was. It sticks with me to this day. However the political machinations come at the expense of dragging the whole story into the dirt on several occasions in those movies particularly in the Phantom Menace.
The Sequel Trilogy clearly and obviously overcompensated for this popular grievance with the prequels. I have not gotten around to the New Canon books yet, I know they explain the politics leading into the Force Awakens very well, but the first two films in this sequel trilogy have departed so far from galactic-level political movements that their plot is confusing at times. Had the character development and narrative pace not been so good in the Force Awakens it would’ve been an incoherent film given the lack of political setting. I don’t need Senate deliberations or trade negotiations, I get it; but how is there a whole fleet of bad guys who had enough time and Empire-like resources to build a planet-sized death laser to decapitate galactic government? This problem carries over to a movie like the Last Jedi where Resistance leadership is axed at every turn before the whole movement can fit in one spacecraft!
The fact that none of it is explained in the movies is the real kicker here. Setting was something the Original Trilogy did effectively on a flying-by-the-seat-of-our-pants basis while the Prequel Trilogy did it haphazardly with CGI heavy establishing shots and exposition dumps built into the script. The Sequel movies have done neither and had it not been for great acting from the core cast of both of these main saga films this would be a huge problem. In the scale of my earlier Star Wars nerd spectrum, anyone beneath a 6 or 7 on the scale is having trouble following along story wise. Good thing the CGI and character writing is good because that constitutes a story-building shortcoming too great for many franchise films to overcome.
That said, the Anthology films have been superhot fire in spite of the main saga. In fact, the broader strokes of galactic politics and setting worked against both Rogue One and Solo. The direct connection between the battle at the end of Rogue One and the beginning of A New Hope provided for good food for thought and a totally rad Darth Vader scene, but it also made you scratch your head and call BS on Leia in New Hope when she says that ship is on a diplomatic mission. You just came from a battle and this same guy was two corridors away from chopping your head off, that’s a really poor cover story. And who could forget the collective groan that was Han Solo getting his name from the Imperial recruiter in Solo. Give me a break.
I don’t think it’s unfair to say broad world-building has not been a strength of the Disney-Era Star Wars films so far. Again, I know the books, comics, TV shows and other media are doing that world-building in spades. If you enjoy that media that’s great. When the animated Star Wars Clone Wars was on the air it wasn’t explaining things we didn’t get about Episode III, it was filling in gaps in fun ways. Star Wars has always been a property for a mass audience and when that mass audience, which you have to assume does minimal research beforehand, might walk out of a film not knowing broadly what was going on, that’s a problem. Star Wars isn’t supposed to rely on content beyond the films and if the Rise of Skywalker does we’re going to be in for a messy finish to the sequel trilogy.
Finally, let’s talk about where the characters are going. Rey seemed to gain full control of force powers by the end of Last Jedi, so I am excited to see how her power is deployed in wrapping up this trilogy. I am an admitted sucker for a redemption story, but I can’t envision one for Kylo Ren that would be close to satisfying. That character kinda has to die a bad guy. If they stick with the themes Rian Johnson setup with the main characters in Last Jedi then Kylo needs to die the legacy guy who is consumed by what he thinks he needs to be simply by virtue of parentage. We’ll see about that. Finn, Poe and their respective orbits of characters are… I guess great supporting pieces. I loved the arc Finn went through in Force Awakens and I love the arc Poe went through in Last Jedi but now I don’t see where that leads both of them. I don’t know if there is a logical end point for their stories based on where they’ve been. After seeing Luke’s time in this trilogy wasted after seeing Han Solo’s time in this trilogy more or less wasted I just can’t see a world where at least one of the new core cast isn’t wasted in the end. But I’m not married to that opinion, in fact I really hope I’m wrong and JJ Abrams ties it all together.
Fate of the Brand
Let’s talk about the thing we all love about Star Wars: Jedi and Sith. With JJ Abrams returning for the final installment of the “Skywalker Saga” as it were we have a distinct possibility at hand that the dualist dichotomy of light side versus dark side is undermined forever. For a pragmatist such as myself it’s weird to be against the discovery of a middle ground but here I am. The Jedi and the Sith represent the fundamentally flawed nature of the Force. It’s always making corrections. It’s always pulling someone too far too one side and correcting and sometimes overcorrecting. Like most all spiritual forces there is an acute degree of imperfection that makes the perfection of its divinity real. Turning the force into something that can be mastered and controlled with Grey Jedi turns the whole thing to magic tricks. Yes, I am aware of the Grey Jedi plotline in Star Wars Rebels. No, it doesn’t change the problem here.
The problem is the resolution of the whole light/dark side narrative with Grey Jedi is the perfect Disney ending… but more importantly, it’s probably the JJ Abrams ending. Fans of his work on Lost as well as his movies will tell you he’s a master of the mystery box. Historically he’s not so great at answering the questions he sets up… as in resolution. He is now responsible for resolving the Sequel Trilogy and I am going to have a real problem with 42 years of Star Wars Jedi/Sith lore building ending with a variation of: They figured it out and lived happily ever after. If the last piece of the Skywalker Saga ends this way it will be the fan toxicity that followed the Last Jedi times twelve except this time without the even-keeled nerds like me defending the writing.
It's pretty clear that Star Wars was going to be different from the moment George Lucas sold the property. The fact he’s felt regret about that is another discussion for another day. He sold it to a mega corporation he knew was going to get started making sequels and spinoffs. Disney prints money at a rate the Federal Reserve gawks at. Every Star Wars film before 2012 was more or less a Lucas project. They were all one man’s vision carried out through different producers and directors to varied results. Post-Sale different creators coming in was going to change the creative flow and result in different takes on the world. That’s not a bad thing. Star Wars fans need to accept Star Wars canon with a new dividing line: Lucas Canon versus Disney Canon. I enjoy both but if you wake up in the morning upset about Disney-Era Star Wars then you probably should just decide to believe in the Lucas Canon.
I thought Kathleen Kennedy was a wonderful person to bring in as the puppet master of the Disney Era Star Wars franchise. I still think she has the career bona-fides to justify being at the head of the beast. However, in the hiring of Kevin Feige you can tell she and the brain trust she built around Star Wars has realized they saturated the market too much and damaged the product a little. Solo was not an awful film, but it will forever be the first Star Wars movie to lose money. However that happened aside, the Disney Star Wars Brain Trust needs to decide what it wants going forward. I’ve already discussed how the pieces of the anthology films that were unmoored from the broader Skywalker narrative were the best of the Disney Era films. The rate at which directors and producers have been fired indicates there was a confusion about how much Star Wars was going to be allowed to be different.
Are you going to let the directors play on your playground with the toys you bought for 4 Billion dollars or are you going to tell them how to play until they storm off in anger? Disney Star Wars has chosen the latter in all but one of the four films they’ve produced so far. Rian Johnson did his own crazy thing with the Last Jedi, you let it ride and you let that predictable nerd backlash screw up Solo. Now you don’t know what you’re doing. You have to pick. If you want to let the property rest for a few years after Rise of Skywalker and then drop it on us on some Tuesday in 2024 that’s great! It will probably be best for the brand. But when you do come back please commit to the degree of creative freedom you’re actually going to give your directors.
The four films of Disney Star Wars are batting at about .750. Solo was your bomb but even that one was an enjoyable movie. The whole thing will be more fun and piss off fewer people when it appears you guys have unified marching orders. Star Wars as a brand is okay but if its comes back looking as confused as it did with whatever comes after Rise of Skywalker it’s not going to be good. At that point sinking one of the biggest entertainment properties in history would be an accomplishment all it’s own. The Studio and brand questions post Rise of Skywalker will be very interesting. For now let’s wrap up the conversation of the State of Star Wars before that epic conclusion.
Conclusion
Star Wars still makes mad money and reels in younger people with no experience with the property. By that logic it’s doing just fine. Any nerd property is going to have a segment, even a large vocal segment like we’ve seen here, that will get upset with a new creative direction. That’s okay, move past it like professionals. If that can happen and that new creative direction sees a commitment to it from the studio I see some fun Star Wars to come. If not then I am fully prepared for Star Wars to be run into the ground. Which is also okay because it’s just an entertainment product (see Indiana Jones and the Lord of the Rings). The in-world story faces a lot of loose ends it needs to wrap up to stick the landing in Episode IX. I don’t have total confidence JJ Abrams can do it, but I am interested to see.
I won’t be doing a grade here because this is more a meta-review than an individual movie review. So let me hit just a couple of those loose ends that will be the hardest to wrap up in a satisfying way: Poe and Finn’s friendship, Palpatine’s Return and not making Darth Vader’s sacrifice worthless, Rey’s place in the Force, the fate of Kylo Ren, the very nature of the Force, and of course what is this thing between Kylo and Rey? Like and share this blog. I want to do reviews more and more and reader input is important to that so leave a comment with your thoughts! I can also do weird little think pieces like I did after Force Awakens like “Is Star Wars about disarmament?” so if you like reviews of all media coming off a screen let me know what you want to read about!
Thanks for reading.
P.S. Last Christmas looks like grade A date night material. It could be next level if the plot actually makes sense beyond the normal romance narrative rigmarole.  
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timclymer · 5 years
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The Myth of Menstruation
Concurring with my good friend and brother, Rev. Phil Valentine (metaphysician out of New York), the female menstrual cycle is normal, but NOT natural. As the human body has the innate capabilities to adapt to pathologies, irregularities, and abnormalities, the female body (ever since the Great fall nearly 6,000 years ago and which has absolutely nothing to do with a fictitious Biblical character named Eve) has adapted to the pathology of menstruation and now uses this process as a cleansing method to rid the female body of toxins and waste. The female body has taken that which is unnatural (to bleed and lose the vital life essence) and converted that process into a normal female body function. Because of the menstrual cycle, women now have an additional eliminative channel in the vagina, bringing their total to six major eliminative channels (colon, lungs, kidneys, liver, skin, and vagina). It is because of this sixth eliminative channel that rids the female body of unnecessary waste and toxins that women generally outlive men by seven years.
Why is menstruation considered a dis-ease? Because it is not natural in nature or the wild (free). It is rare to find a mammal that lives and eats according to the laws of Nature to have a menstrual cycle. Have you ever witnessed a female horse, gorilla, elephant, buffalo, monkey, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, rhinoceros, or cow having a menstrual discharge? Don’t you think corporate and greedy man would have devised feminine pads and tampons for these animals to prevent the spilling and dropping of excessively large amounts of blood? Why of course corporate man would have, just like he did for Western and civilized woman so that she could continuously battle in the war zone called corporate America that was originally designed for white males. Man created pads and tampons for career females so that the menstrual cycle would not interfere with daily business activity. You see, with men, there is no so-called “natural” phenomenon that over takes the male body once a month causing a break in chores and activities. Originally, during the cycle time, women abstained from work and other daily functions. This break time due to menstruation was anywhere from 1-3 days at the most.
Menstruation is not abnormal in domesticated creatures in so-called civilization (which really means “slavery”). Just look at the house cat and dog. These creatures have a menstrual cycle, just like the social creature called woman.
For a human being, especially a mammal, to lose its vital life essence (blood) monthly, is not a natural occurrence. Blood exiting out of the body is not a natural thing. If a man goes to urinate and sees blood in his urine, he first screams in fear and then goes to the emergency room at the local hospital to see the doctor. Why? Because it’s a sign that something is wrong (if a man does urinate blood, chances are he has prostate cancer).
The life of the flesh is in the blood. Even the Bible tells us this (Leviticus 17:11). The blood contains vital elements (minerals) necessary to maintain optimal health. The blood transports the various minerals to certain parts of the body so that certain organs may work and function optimally for the sake of the being. For example, calcium calms the nerves. Potassium ensures optimal nerve transmission. Iodine regulates and ensures optimal thyroid gland functioning and activity. Iron ensures hemoglobin and is now the major carrier of oxygen (taking over this duty from the mineral “gold” which we no longer use in our modern and degenerative states of existence as third dimensional beings). Now if the blood which carries these minerals throughout the body is being eliminated out of the body for the sake of ridding the female body of toxins and waste (which the colon and kidneys could easily perform), then the organs that need and depend on these vital elements are not going to get them and the result is going to be dis-ease or lack of good or optimal health (e.g. PMS [premenstrual syndrome]).
Take PMS for example; PMS is associated with mood swings, irritability of nerves, gas (flatulence), abdominal cramps, headaches, body spasms, short term memory loss, etc. Why? Because of a lack of nutrients or organ-specific foods to these areas for proper functioning. With blood saturated in the vaginal area during the menses and exiting via the vagina, the brain is not going to get the minerals carbon, copper, calcium and potassium (at least the amount it requires). Calcium is a calmative (calming agent). It calms you down. Do you know why the animals who graze on grasses like oats, alfalfa, barley, wheat, and gotu kola are so calm? Because they contain high amounts of calcium. Animals know that God made the grass to grow for their benefit and good health. The Book of Psalms clearly tells us that, “He causeth the grass to grow for cattle,…” Do you know why elephants are said to have good memories? Because they graze on gotu kola, an herb that enhances mental acuity and stamina. Therefore, female elephants do not experience episodes of short term memory loss (nor do they develop Alzheimer’s Disease as the herb gotu kola contains bio-aluminum [organic aluminum] which attracts harmful, man-made aluminum which causes Alzhiemer’s in the first place, and rids it from the body via the blood).
With blood leaving the body during the menses, the nerves are not going to get its needed amount of potassium for proper nerve transmission. The thyroid gland (a major factor in weight gain and loss) is not going to get the necessary amount of iodine it needs to regulate body weight. And with a major loss of iron, a trace element, anemia is going to undoubtedly occur and cause a host of ill-effects such as dizziness, weakness, nausea, fatigue, frigidity (or feeling excessively cold), and brittle fingernails.
During the menstrual cycle, the female body is going to saturate the blood supply in the vaginal area to help with the menstrual cycle, and as a result, necessary minerals will not be transported in the amount needed by the other body organs and members. These minerals that are lodged in the vaginal area during the menstruation will come out in bulk in the “white” stage (leukorrheac discharge). Yes, that white discharge commonly referred to as “leucorrhea,” is full of nutrition (that nutrition which did not make the grade doing the menstrual cycle). The white discharge is considered healthy or normal due to its high mineral content and non-smelly or foul odor, whereas and in contrast to an irritating, pruritic, copious, foul-smelling green or yellow discharge, which indicates vaginal or uterine infection or other pathogenic conditions of gynecologic origin. (See Mosby’s Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary, 3rd edition, “leucorrhea.”)
So PMS is due to mineral deficiency, and not a curse by God on females. Medical logic suggest that PMS can be cured or corrected by counteracting mineral deficiency by giving the body more minerals before, during, and after the menstrual cycle. The best source of these minerals is raw, organic foods (fruits and vegetables) and herbs. And remember, your body has nerves that connect to every organ in your body. The gas pockets in the colon explode and press against other nerves sites in the colon (which contain 360 nerve crystals) and cause a host of other problems, especially headaches.
It is reported that the African women kidnapped and brought to America during the American slavery period (1555-1863) did not have a menstrual cycle, but a period. Yes, they only had a little drop of blood the size of a small dot, which is why it was called a “period,” that mark we make and utilize in the English language, but which is now associated with the menstrual “cycle.” The term “cycle” is now a synonym for the word “period.”
We find support of the disease nature of the menstrual cycle in the Bible in the story of Jesus healing the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years. This account is detailed in the Book of Mark. Many Christian reverends, who do not apply or understand metaphysics, construe this issue of blood as a cut on the woman’s body that Jesus healed, but if these ignorant Christian reverends understood medical logic, science, and fact, they would know that no human being can bleed for more than a period of 12 hours without dying! If a person bleeds for 12 hours straight, we all know what happens, except for our blind Christian pastors, especially the Negro ones. We read in Mark, Chapter 5, Verses 25-34, the following: “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up: and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitudes thronging thee, and sayest thou, who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what she done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, ‘Daughter, they faith had made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”
Now why do you think this woman’s issue of blood that lasted for twelve years was called a “plague?” Well, what is a “plague?” The word “plague” is defined as: 1. A widespread affliction or calamity. 2. A cause of annoyance; nuisance. 3. A highly infectious, usu. fatal epidemic disease, esp. bubonic plague. (The American Heritage Dictionary, 3rd edition, Office Edition, pg. 633).
Do not most American females feel afflicted, annoyed, or nuisanced during their menstrual cycle? The answer is yes! Why do you think they take pharmaceutical drugs like Midol® during their cycle? For fun? Hell no! They are in pain or feel afflicted. Many or most of them (females) are not the same during this time, and they will tell you so, like they have told me so. They become very grouchy and irritated. Many will tell you that they are a “bitch” during this time and to leave them alone and/or don’t say a word to them, lest they slap you or punch you in the face. Why do they become like this? It is because of the calamity or the plague, as the Bible calls it.
In analyzing the Mark 5:25-34 story or parable of the woman with an issue of blood for twelve years, we must apply spiritual or metaphysical hermaneutics and exigesis. Number one, the issue of blood lasting twelve years could be no other than the menstrual cycle. It could not be a form of blood cancer (leukemia) as cancer kills usually within six months to three years. It could not have been a bleeding sore on the body because nobody can bleed daily and nonstop for twelve years. The touching of Jesus’ garments is a metaphor or spiritual symbolical meaning or action referring to Jesus’ lifestyle. A garment is what protects or covers you. Likewise, a righteous and wholistic lifestyle covers and protects you (from sickness, disease, slavery, and premature death). The woman touching Jesus’ garment meant that the woman touched (practiced) Jesus’ way of living. The “fountain of her blood” referred to her vagina. And clearly, her “faith” (in being cured by a righteous and Essenic lifestyle) made her whole (at ease and not dis-eased). It is important to note that the parable begins by saying that she suffered (took) many things of physicians (drugs) and had spent all that she had. If her issue was in fact a wound on the skin as most Negro Christian reverends suggests, a physician would have had knowledge to bandage up the wound in order to put pressure on the wound so as to stop the profuse bleeding.
Moving on in our subject matter, if menstruation is necessary and natural, and serves to expel or eliminate toxins from the female body on a monthly basis, why then does the menstrual cycle stop or go away during pregnancy? Does a toxic woman automatically become clean or nontoxic because of pregnancy? Of course not! So why does the menses halt? The answer lies in the fact of the body’s intelligence knowing that a new life is forming in the flesh and that the body will need extra nutrition for the building blocks of the new life. The body knows it loses these building blocks (minerals) during menstruation, so the body’s intelligence prevents the body from menstruating once conception takes place. So what about the process of eliminating toxins? How does the female body throw off toxins during pregnancy? The female body will utilize the first trimester (or first three months) to eliminate toxins from the mother host body via “morning sickness.” I don’t have a clue as to why this activity is called “morning sickness” because women will suffer through this sickness throughout the day – morning, noon, and night; – something to make you think about! Women will throw up (vomit, regurgitate) to help get the body clean for the baby to develop in. Some females are so toxic, that the body will dump most of the toxins from the uterine area in to the liver, which causes or manifests “eclampsia,” which is liver toxicity during pregnancy. Taking synthetic and harmful pharmaceutical drugs euphemistically called “prenatal tabs” (made with horse manure, bitumen, and coal tar) and inorganic sources of “iron” (which is derived from rusted metals such as railroad tracks) will greatly play a role in eclampsia. This synthetic and deadly “iron” [ferrous fumate and sulfate] is the cause of constipation and bloated feeling in pregnant women. Pharmaceutical companies mix this inorganic iron (humans require “organic” or “living” iron from plant sources) with inorganic sulphur. The injurious effects of inorganic mineral sulphur however, is caused by its affinity for iron and also its destruction of ferments and enzymes, and by its generation of sulphurous and sulphuric acids within the organism. It steals the iron from food and blood, forming sulphide of iron which constipates and dries up the several secretions of the digestive tract. It also steals nascent hydrogen from the fluids and tissues forming sulphuranhydride or sulphureted hydrogen. Women, this is the cause of the foul smelling gas you expel and have been revolted at, which is always given off by decaying organic matter, animal and vegetable. It is the smell of rotten eggs, putrid sores, fecal matter, and decaying flesh.
Should menstruating women engage in sexual intercourse? For health and hygiene reasons, I say no, especially if a woman is lying on her back. My reasoning is this – like the rectum, the female vagina has a “downward” spiral energy. Most eliminative channels have a downward, spiral energy (e.g. colon, kidneys). While in the sex act, the male penis strokes in and out while inside the vagina. As menstruation is a cleansing time, expelling toxins and waste from the female body, waste and toxins traveling down the vagina to the exit or opening of the vagina will eventually be pushed back up into the uterine area by the stroking male penis, and especially if a man is stroking or penetrating hard, fast, and deep with his sex organ. This is something to think about. Plain and simple, it is unhygienic and unhealthy and poses a serious health risk.
In closing, what can a female do to offset the side effects of the “plague” (menses)? The answer is found in the Bible in Psalms 104:14. It clearly states, “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.” Plain and simple!
To replenish the body of the necessary nutrients (minerals), consume herbs such as alfalfa, sheep sorrel, suma, rooisbos, rose hips, watercress, parsley leaf, moringa or karela seed, barley grass, wheat grass, nettle leaf, and spinach leaf. These herbs provide almost every mineral the body needs.
Also, consume sea weeds such as kelp, dulse, spirulina, chlorella, Irish Moss, bladderwrack, Blue-Green Algae, Iceland Moss, and red marine algae. Sea weeds are the best and most nutritious foods you can eat, and provide your body with everything you need (oxygen, minerals, protein, etc.) and are an excellent source of organic “iodine” (thyroid gland food).
Natural sources rich in “iron” include: yellow dock root, burdock root, dandelion root, elderberries, red raspberry leaf, rooibos, and mullein leaf. Green vegetables such as parsley, greens, chives, and spinach are also great sources of iron. Blackstrap molasses (unsulphured) also provides a good amount of iron.
Natural sources of “calcium” include: comfrey root (don’t believe the hype about liver toxicity), oatstraw, horsetail, and red raspberry leaf. All green leafy vegetables are good sources of calcium (if you juice or lightly steam them).
Herbs to coagulate the blood and stop excessive bleeding include: goldenseal, cranesbill (alum root), dragon’s blood, manjistha, musta, shepherd’s purse, lady’s mantle, yarrow, cayenne, Solomon’s seal, barberry, and heal-all herb.
Herbs to regulate and normalize the menstrual cycle and flow include: maca, black cohosh, blue cohosh, dong quai, mugwort, red raspberry leaf, wild yam root (best and highest source of natural progesterone), squawvine, false unicorn, chaste tree berries, lycii fruit, red clover tops (best and highest source of natural estrogen), licorice root, sarsaparilla, and angelica.
Herbs that counteract menstrual cramping and spasms include: beth or birth root, crampbark, fennel seed, anise seed, and wild yam root.
Herbs that counteract menstrual related pain and headaches include: white willow bark, black willow bark, feverfew, meadowsweet, birch bark, wood betony, wild lettuce, peppermint, wintergreen, and woodruff.
Herbs that help soothe the nerves during the menstrual cycle include: nerve root or lady’s slipper, kava kava, jatamansi, valerian root, lavender flower, passionflower, hops, skullcap, chamomile, and linden flower.
Herbs that give energy for fatigue during the menstrual cycle include: ginseng (all species), ashwagandha, schizandra berries, jiwanti, yerba mate, green tea, suma, codonopsis bark, kola or bissey nut, and guarana seed.
Herbs for mental stimulation during the menstrual cycle include: gotu kola, gingko biloba, bringraj, ashwagandha, ginseng, holy or blessed thistle, kola or bissey nut, yerba mate, and guarana seed.
Herbs that counteract constipation during the menstrual cycle include: senna leaves and pods, cascara sagrada, buckthorn, aloe vera resin, rhubarb root, jalap root, bibitaki, mandrake, black walnut hulls, poke root, slippery elm bark, Irish moss, guar gum, acacia gum, and psyllium Husks.
Herbs that strengthen the uterus during the menstrual cycle include: ashoka, squawvine, false unicorn, pumpkin seed, cocculus root, and saw palmetto.
Natural remedies to counteract breast soreness and tenderness during the menstrual cycle include: (oils) [internally and externally] evening primrose oil, borage oil, black currant oil; (externally – massaged into breasts) olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, grapefruit seed oil, rose hip seed oil; (essential oils that can be added to breast massage oil) fennel seed oil, clary sage, grapefruit peel oil, and rosemary; (herbs) saw palmetto berries, honeysuckle flower, red raspberry leaf, red clover tops, yew tips, poke root, wild indigo, and red root.
Herbs that counteract eclampsia during pregnancy include: white peony bark, deer tongue herb, milk thistle seeds, dandelion root, burdock root, carbon (activated charcoal), uva ursi, grapevine leaf, and Oregon grape.
Djehuty Ma’at-Ra is an herbalist and researcher located in the Glendale area of Los Angeles, California and can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]
Source by Djehuty Ma’at-Ra
from Home Solutions Forev https://homesolutionsforev.com/the-myth-of-menstruation/ via Home Solutions on WordPress from Home Solutions FOREV https://homesolutionsforev.tumblr.com/post/187519962425 via Tim Clymer on Wordpress
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homesolutionsforev · 5 years
Text
The Myth of Menstruation
Concurring with my good friend and brother, Rev. Phil Valentine (metaphysician out of New York), the female menstrual cycle is normal, but NOT natural. As the human body has the innate capabilities to adapt to pathologies, irregularities, and abnormalities, the female body (ever since the Great fall nearly 6,000 years ago and which has absolutely nothing to do with a fictitious Biblical character named Eve) has adapted to the pathology of menstruation and now uses this process as a cleansing method to rid the female body of toxins and waste. The female body has taken that which is unnatural (to bleed and lose the vital life essence) and converted that process into a normal female body function. Because of the menstrual cycle, women now have an additional eliminative channel in the vagina, bringing their total to six major eliminative channels (colon, lungs, kidneys, liver, skin, and vagina). It is because of this sixth eliminative channel that rids the female body of unnecessary waste and toxins that women generally outlive men by seven years.
Why is menstruation considered a dis-ease? Because it is not natural in nature or the wild (free). It is rare to find a mammal that lives and eats according to the laws of Nature to have a menstrual cycle. Have you ever witnessed a female horse, gorilla, elephant, buffalo, monkey, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, rhinoceros, or cow having a menstrual discharge? Don’t you think corporate and greedy man would have devised feminine pads and tampons for these animals to prevent the spilling and dropping of excessively large amounts of blood? Why of course corporate man would have, just like he did for Western and civilized woman so that she could continuously battle in the war zone called corporate America that was originally designed for white males. Man created pads and tampons for career females so that the menstrual cycle would not interfere with daily business activity. You see, with men, there is no so-called “natural” phenomenon that over takes the male body once a month causing a break in chores and activities. Originally, during the cycle time, women abstained from work and other daily functions. This break time due to menstruation was anywhere from 1-3 days at the most.
Menstruation is not abnormal in domesticated creatures in so-called civilization (which really means “slavery”). Just look at the house cat and dog. These creatures have a menstrual cycle, just like the social creature called woman.
For a human being, especially a mammal, to lose its vital life essence (blood) monthly, is not a natural occurrence. Blood exiting out of the body is not a natural thing. If a man goes to urinate and sees blood in his urine, he first screams in fear and then goes to the emergency room at the local hospital to see the doctor. Why? Because it’s a sign that something is wrong (if a man does urinate blood, chances are he has prostate cancer).
The life of the flesh is in the blood. Even the Bible tells us this (Leviticus 17:11). The blood contains vital elements (minerals) necessary to maintain optimal health. The blood transports the various minerals to certain parts of the body so that certain organs may work and function optimally for the sake of the being. For example, calcium calms the nerves. Potassium ensures optimal nerve transmission. Iodine regulates and ensures optimal thyroid gland functioning and activity. Iron ensures hemoglobin and is now the major carrier of oxygen (taking over this duty from the mineral “gold” which we no longer use in our modern and degenerative states of existence as third dimensional beings). Now if the blood which carries these minerals throughout the body is being eliminated out of the body for the sake of ridding the female body of toxins and waste (which the colon and kidneys could easily perform), then the organs that need and depend on these vital elements are not going to get them and the result is going to be dis-ease or lack of good or optimal health (e.g. PMS [premenstrual syndrome]).
Take PMS for example; PMS is associated with mood swings, irritability of nerves, gas (flatulence), abdominal cramps, headaches, body spasms, short term memory loss, etc. Why? Because of a lack of nutrients or organ-specific foods to these areas for proper functioning. With blood saturated in the vaginal area during the menses and exiting via the vagina, the brain is not going to get the minerals carbon, copper, calcium and potassium (at least the amount it requires). Calcium is a calmative (calming agent). It calms you down. Do you know why the animals who graze on grasses like oats, alfalfa, barley, wheat, and gotu kola are so calm? Because they contain high amounts of calcium. Animals know that God made the grass to grow for their benefit and good health. The Book of Psalms clearly tells us that, “He causeth the grass to grow for cattle,…” Do you know why elephants are said to have good memories? Because they graze on gotu kola, an herb that enhances mental acuity and stamina. Therefore, female elephants do not experience episodes of short term memory loss (nor do they develop Alzheimer’s Disease as the herb gotu kola contains bio-aluminum [organic aluminum] which attracts harmful, man-made aluminum which causes Alzhiemer’s in the first place, and rids it from the body via the blood).
With blood leaving the body during the menses, the nerves are not going to get its needed amount of potassium for proper nerve transmission. The thyroid gland (a major factor in weight gain and loss) is not going to get the necessary amount of iodine it needs to regulate body weight. And with a major loss of iron, a trace element, anemia is going to undoubtedly occur and cause a host of ill-effects such as dizziness, weakness, nausea, fatigue, frigidity (or feeling excessively cold), and brittle fingernails.
During the menstrual cycle, the female body is going to saturate the blood supply in the vaginal area to help with the menstrual cycle, and as a result, necessary minerals will not be transported in the amount needed by the other body organs and members. These minerals that are lodged in the vaginal area during the menstruation will come out in bulk in the “white” stage (leukorrheac discharge). Yes, that white discharge commonly referred to as “leucorrhea,” is full of nutrition (that nutrition which did not make the grade doing the menstrual cycle). The white discharge is considered healthy or normal due to its high mineral content and non-smelly or foul odor, whereas and in contrast to an irritating, pruritic, copious, foul-smelling green or yellow discharge, which indicates vaginal or uterine infection or other pathogenic conditions of gynecologic origin. (See Mosby’s Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary, 3rd edition, “leucorrhea.”)
So PMS is due to mineral deficiency, and not a curse by God on females. Medical logic suggest that PMS can be cured or corrected by counteracting mineral deficiency by giving the body more minerals before, during, and after the menstrual cycle. The best source of these minerals is raw, organic foods (fruits and vegetables) and herbs. And remember, your body has nerves that connect to every organ in your body. The gas pockets in the colon explode and press against other nerves sites in the colon (which contain 360 nerve crystals) and cause a host of other problems, especially headaches.
It is reported that the African women kidnapped and brought to America during the American slavery period (1555-1863) did not have a menstrual cycle, but a period. Yes, they only had a little drop of blood the size of a small dot, which is why it was called a “period,” that mark we make and utilize in the English language, but which is now associated with the menstrual “cycle.” The term “cycle” is now a synonym for the word “period.”
We find support of the disease nature of the menstrual cycle in the Bible in the story of Jesus healing the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years. This account is detailed in the Book of Mark. Many Christian reverends, who do not apply or understand metaphysics, construe this issue of blood as a cut on the woman’s body that Jesus healed, but if these ignorant Christian reverends understood medical logic, science, and fact, they would know that no human being can bleed for more than a period of 12 hours without dying! If a person bleeds for 12 hours straight, we all know what happens, except for our blind Christian pastors, especially the Negro ones. We read in Mark, Chapter 5, Verses 25-34, the following: “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up: and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitudes thronging thee, and sayest thou, who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what she done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, ‘Daughter, they faith had made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”
Now why do you think this woman’s issue of blood that lasted for twelve years was called a “plague?” Well, what is a “plague?” The word “plague” is defined as: 1. A widespread affliction or calamity. 2. A cause of annoyance; nuisance. 3. A highly infectious, usu. fatal epidemic disease, esp. bubonic plague. (The American Heritage Dictionary, 3rd edition, Office Edition, pg. 633).
Do not most American females feel afflicted, annoyed, or nuisanced during their menstrual cycle? The answer is yes! Why do you think they take pharmaceutical drugs like Midol® during their cycle? For fun? Hell no! They are in pain or feel afflicted. Many or most of them (females) are not the same during this time, and they will tell you so, like they have told me so. They become very grouchy and irritated. Many will tell you that they are a “bitch” during this time and to leave them alone and/or don’t say a word to them, lest they slap you or punch you in the face. Why do they become like this? It is because of the calamity or the plague, as the Bible calls it.
In analyzing the Mark 5:25-34 story or parable of the woman with an issue of blood for twelve years, we must apply spiritual or metaphysical hermaneutics and exigesis. Number one, the issue of blood lasting twelve years could be no other than the menstrual cycle. It could not be a form of blood cancer (leukemia) as cancer kills usually within six months to three years. It could not have been a bleeding sore on the body because nobody can bleed daily and nonstop for twelve years. The touching of Jesus’ garments is a metaphor or spiritual symbolical meaning or action referring to Jesus’ lifestyle. A garment is what protects or covers you. Likewise, a righteous and wholistic lifestyle covers and protects you (from sickness, disease, slavery, and premature death). The woman touching Jesus’ garment meant that the woman touched (practiced) Jesus’ way of living. The “fountain of her blood” referred to her vagina. And clearly, her “faith” (in being cured by a righteous and Essenic lifestyle) made her whole (at ease and not dis-eased). It is important to note that the parable begins by saying that she suffered (took) many things of physicians (drugs) and had spent all that she had. If her issue was in fact a wound on the skin as most Negro Christian reverends suggests, a physician would have had knowledge to bandage up the wound in order to put pressure on the wound so as to stop the profuse bleeding.
Moving on in our subject matter, if menstruation is necessary and natural, and serves to expel or eliminate toxins from the female body on a monthly basis, why then does the menstrual cycle stop or go away during pregnancy? Does a toxic woman automatically become clean or nontoxic because of pregnancy? Of course not! So why does the menses halt? The answer lies in the fact of the body’s intelligence knowing that a new life is forming in the flesh and that the body will need extra nutrition for the building blocks of the new life. The body knows it loses these building blocks (minerals) during menstruation, so the body’s intelligence prevents the body from menstruating once conception takes place. So what about the process of eliminating toxins? How does the female body throw off toxins during pregnancy? The female body will utilize the first trimester (or first three months) to eliminate toxins from the mother host body via “morning sickness.” I don’t have a clue as to why this activity is called “morning sickness” because women will suffer through this sickness throughout the day – morning, noon, and night; – something to make you think about! Women will throw up (vomit, regurgitate) to help get the body clean for the baby to develop in. Some females are so toxic, that the body will dump most of the toxins from the uterine area in to the liver, which causes or manifests “eclampsia,” which is liver toxicity during pregnancy. Taking synthetic and harmful pharmaceutical drugs euphemistically called “prenatal tabs” (made with horse manure, bitumen, and coal tar) and inorganic sources of “iron” (which is derived from rusted metals such as railroad tracks) will greatly play a role in eclampsia. This synthetic and deadly “iron” [ferrous fumate and sulfate] is the cause of constipation and bloated feeling in pregnant women. Pharmaceutical companies mix this inorganic iron (humans require “organic” or “living” iron from plant sources) with inorganic sulphur. The injurious effects of inorganic mineral sulphur however, is caused by its affinity for iron and also its destruction of ferments and enzymes, and by its generation of sulphurous and sulphuric acids within the organism. It steals the iron from food and blood, forming sulphide of iron which constipates and dries up the several secretions of the digestive tract. It also steals nascent hydrogen from the fluids and tissues forming sulphuranhydride or sulphureted hydrogen. Women, this is the cause of the foul smelling gas you expel and have been revolted at, which is always given off by decaying organic matter, animal and vegetable. It is the smell of rotten eggs, putrid sores, fecal matter, and decaying flesh.
Should menstruating women engage in sexual intercourse? For health and hygiene reasons, I say no, especially if a woman is lying on her back. My reasoning is this – like the rectum, the female vagina has a “downward” spiral energy. Most eliminative channels have a downward, spiral energy (e.g. colon, kidneys). While in the sex act, the male penis strokes in and out while inside the vagina. As menstruation is a cleansing time, expelling toxins and waste from the female body, waste and toxins traveling down the vagina to the exit or opening of the vagina will eventually be pushed back up into the uterine area by the stroking male penis, and especially if a man is stroking or penetrating hard, fast, and deep with his sex organ. This is something to think about. Plain and simple, it is unhygienic and unhealthy and poses a serious health risk.
In closing, what can a female do to offset the side effects of the “plague” (menses)? The answer is found in the Bible in Psalms 104:14. It clearly states, “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.” Plain and simple!
To replenish the body of the necessary nutrients (minerals), consume herbs such as alfalfa, sheep sorrel, suma, rooisbos, rose hips, watercress, parsley leaf, moringa or karela seed, barley grass, wheat grass, nettle leaf, and spinach leaf. These herbs provide almost every mineral the body needs.
Also, consume sea weeds such as kelp, dulse, spirulina, chlorella, Irish Moss, bladderwrack, Blue-Green Algae, Iceland Moss, and red marine algae. Sea weeds are the best and most nutritious foods you can eat, and provide your body with everything you need (oxygen, minerals, protein, etc.) and are an excellent source of organic “iodine” (thyroid gland food).
Natural sources rich in “iron” include: yellow dock root, burdock root, dandelion root, elderberries, red raspberry leaf, rooibos, and mullein leaf. Green vegetables such as parsley, greens, chives, and spinach are also great sources of iron. Blackstrap molasses (unsulphured) also provides a good amount of iron.
Natural sources of “calcium” include: comfrey root (don’t believe the hype about liver toxicity), oatstraw, horsetail, and red raspberry leaf. All green leafy vegetables are good sources of calcium (if you juice or lightly steam them).
Herbs to coagulate the blood and stop excessive bleeding include: goldenseal, cranesbill (alum root), dragon’s blood, manjistha, musta, shepherd’s purse, lady’s mantle, yarrow, cayenne, Solomon’s seal, barberry, and heal-all herb.
Herbs to regulate and normalize the menstrual cycle and flow include: maca, black cohosh, blue cohosh, dong quai, mugwort, red raspberry leaf, wild yam root (best and highest source of natural progesterone), squawvine, false unicorn, chaste tree berries, lycii fruit, red clover tops (best and highest source of natural estrogen), licorice root, sarsaparilla, and angelica.
Herbs that counteract menstrual cramping and spasms include: beth or birth root, crampbark, fennel seed, anise seed, and wild yam root.
Herbs that counteract menstrual related pain and headaches include: white willow bark, black willow bark, feverfew, meadowsweet, birch bark, wood betony, wild lettuce, peppermint, wintergreen, and woodruff.
Herbs that help soothe the nerves during the menstrual cycle include: nerve root or lady’s slipper, kava kava, jatamansi, valerian root, lavender flower, passionflower, hops, skullcap, chamomile, and linden flower.
Herbs that give energy for fatigue during the menstrual cycle include: ginseng (all species), ashwagandha, schizandra berries, jiwanti, yerba mate, green tea, suma, codonopsis bark, kola or bissey nut, and guarana seed.
Herbs for mental stimulation during the menstrual cycle include: gotu kola, gingko biloba, bringraj, ashwagandha, ginseng, holy or blessed thistle, kola or bissey nut, yerba mate, and guarana seed.
Herbs that counteract constipation during the menstrual cycle include: senna leaves and pods, cascara sagrada, buckthorn, aloe vera resin, rhubarb root, jalap root, bibitaki, mandrake, black walnut hulls, poke root, slippery elm bark, Irish moss, guar gum, acacia gum, and psyllium Husks.
Herbs that strengthen the uterus during the menstrual cycle include: ashoka, squawvine, false unicorn, pumpkin seed, cocculus root, and saw palmetto.
Natural remedies to counteract breast soreness and tenderness during the menstrual cycle include: (oils) [internally and externally] evening primrose oil, borage oil, black currant oil; (externally – massaged into breasts) olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, grapefruit seed oil, rose hip seed oil; (essential oils that can be added to breast massage oil) fennel seed oil, clary sage, grapefruit peel oil, and rosemary; (herbs) saw palmetto berries, honeysuckle flower, red raspberry leaf, red clover tops, yew tips, poke root, wild indigo, and red root.
Herbs that counteract eclampsia during pregnancy include: white peony bark, deer tongue herb, milk thistle seeds, dandelion root, burdock root, carbon (activated charcoal), uva ursi, grapevine leaf, and Oregon grape.
Djehuty Ma’at-Ra is an herbalist and researcher located in the Glendale area of Los Angeles, California and can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]
Source by Djehuty Ma’at-Ra
from Home Solutions Forev https://homesolutionsforev.com/the-myth-of-menstruation/ via Home Solutions on WordPress
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sumergosuigeneris · 5 years
Text
March 10, 2019
Sometimes I get fucked up by twitter. I follow black twitter, grad school shit, and sci shit. So there are times when I see people that remind me of hurts. There’s one that I want to support, she’s kind of famous in the black sci community, but I can’t. I don’t exactly know why. I *think* I had an interaction with her when I worked for the old boss, which was negative. But I’m not sure if I am misremembering, or making things up in my head. I remember being excited by her, and trying to get her involved in *something*. Wanting to get her involved. But I don’t remember if I ever got permission to talk to her. I feel like I vaguely remember having an email exchange or a phone call, and she had an attitude. Like why would she want to be involved in whatever I was talking to her about? Or maybe I was trying to get her to talk to the old boss, and she had no desire? I don’t know right now what it was but I can’t get the taste out of my mouth.
And the lady who was someone I looked up to, but tried to get my fired b/c she was mad at my old boss? She’s involved with some of the other black scientists I admire, so I feel like a) I couldn’t talk to them, in case we crossed paths again, and b) I couldn’t ever get the hurt out of my heart and so they’re all tainted by her. Including someone I went to undergrad with.
It’s sad. And it’s on me. But right now, for the last couple years at least, it is what it is.
Also, I really need to stop following grad school/grad school sci twitter.
I got down these rabbit holes. People get offended over things that I try to understand why, because on the surface I don’t agree. And then I understand, and try to convince myself that theirs are right for all. Sometimes it’s true, and sometimes it’s really just true for some people, and shouldn’t be put on all people. Like today, I found a whole thing about why calling certain people ‘female’ instead of ‘women’ is insulting. I try to see the logic, I sort of get it, but I just can’t make myself agree.
Yesterday, I started thinking about the english language (b/c I was doing my language stuff) and how male forms are used to encompass male plus female. Like, in my words, three guys is guys. Three women is girls. And a group of men and women, is still guys. And I know that the people who want to get rid of all that are right in pointing out the patriarchal, misogynisticness of it all. And of course, the spectrum of gender needs to be acknowledged and respected. But part of me just doesn’t see a reason to change, if the words I use are known to refer to a bunch of people, not just specific people. Or like folks vs. folkx. Folks doesn’t have a particular gender, so why does it need to be changed? But I also suspect that part of my problem with this all, might harken back to an earlier age when I was quite the ‘grammar knotsy.’ Language is maleable and fluid and I need to get over myself.
I will stand my ground about one thing. There are some words or phrases that offensive to some, but inoffensive to a lot of others (within a particular group, not referring to the ‘mainstream’). If I don’t find it offensive, or know people that find it offensive, I think that outside of people who I know it offends, it shouldn’t be a big deal if I use it. Case in point: female. If I know you find it offensive, I won’t use it about you or around you. But that’s it. For now. Maybe I’ll be open to changing my mind later.
Still not sure where I”m at on the Jussie thing. Chicago police are KNOWN to be heinous.
I lost my toothpaste cap. Until/unless I find a replacement, this tube’s experiment is over.
I finished my levar book. It was okay. Then I went for a walk. I think my spot list updated incorrectly or something? Songs I definitely deleted are there. Aggravating as fuck.
Then, there’s the fact that I found a stray dog. The stray dog was on the beach. The beach is sand and ice. I spent a lot of time trying to find some help. Now, at one point a bike rider comes up close. He had to have heard me talking to the dog about trying to get her (I think) help. Yet, I’m pretty sure he called someone else for help. And didn’t say anything to me. Like, what the fuck? It felt like he was being sexist, totally erasing my existence and efforts.
I tried to build some trust and/or follow the dog to see if there was a human. That is a tricky tricky dog. But in the end, the dog had plenty of opportunity to approach a number of humans for help, and yet avoided us all. I have to believe in the dog’s ability to take care of itself. But I worry. And after trying to ascertain whether or not animal control is no-kill, I called and reported her. I did point out she was very avoidant, so that they could make a judgement call with all the info.
As I was walking back, I saw a number of people streaming into the park clubhouse. A lady crossing the street talked to me. She told me there was a free concert. I ended up going for a bit. Good/decent symphony orchestra. Interesting pieces - a Finnish composer I’d never heard of before. I wanted to thank her, but the crowd was big. I did end up seeing her and she was happy that I was there. She gave me a kiss and a bit of a hug. It made me feel so happy. And weird - I don’t get kisses often, so when I do, my cheek(s) always hold onto the sensation for a while. Touch-starved maybe? The patheticness of it all makes me emotional.
I worked my butt off in the last hour+ to make sure I was in the top 10. I got up to 5 or 6 and did the math - unless all of them busted ass, I’d stay in the 10. Yup. Ended 6. Not sure if that’s what I had been, or someone else had a last push, but go me. It’s nice to know I didn’t quit on something.
It really sucks going for a long walk in the wrong pants or the wrong socks or the wrong shoes.
Watching cbs for god’s my friend, and they’re doing women’s history psas. Girl. They were all people of color!!!!! It’s so great when major corporations recognize that there are more than just white women (or men) making contributions in this world.
Started Eureka again, so I can veg out. Mostly not paying attention, until the end of Season 1 Episode 5. Allison and Jack were really getting their flirt on, and then it went bizonkers. I think it’s because of the part of the episode where Jack for reals almost died. If Carl hadn’t saved him with the help of the artifact, I don’t think he could have been saved. And in the last season Allison kept getting cold feet b/c she was afraid of him dying, so it makes sense that she pulled back after this episode. And they did have the convo re: fear at the end, so I think that for 4 (years?) she was just scared.  Nathan was safe, not just b/c she had a past with him (and thus knew the good and bad and the risks and rewards), but also b/c until the end of his tenure, he was never ever in dangerous situations - he always sent Jack. But also, the ridiculousness of the guy always having to initiate. As someone who’s been in the weird position once or twice, and even without that experience, I really feel for guys. They’re the ones mostly taking chances and risking their hearts and pride.
From a st post on the blr, I started looking up some st female stuff, and almost had my heart ripped out. They threatened, like seriously, to kick Marina Sirtis off the last TNG movie?!?!?! I used to read some of the magazines for a while, but never got into following any shows or movies or music or whatever, behind the scenes, on the internet, so the shit I have found out at such a late date. For the record, Troi’s character (and really this applies to most female characters for most ST series) was one of the weaker characters due to the writers not writing up to her potential - because she was a woman, and because most of the writers were guys. Sirtis (and the other chicks) did the best with what she was given. I mean, like most female characters in other shows for a long time, Troi was frequently violated. They just had their rape fantasies as mental violation vs. the usual physical. There was some sexist as hell shit going on, even at ST. And not that it’s all, or possibly even mostly, Rick Berman’s fault, I’m gonna lay at least a portion of it at his feet. Fuck Rick Berman. I hate that man, like some people hate their rival sports teams. But with more venom and less sportsmanship.
Yeah, I got sucked into some crazy, old st shit. Oh boy. I’m not sure if missing all this as a child was good or bad. But it is illustrative of my inability to find the interesting shit online.
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