#Solutions to Science {Test Subjects}
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#Activity: Iodine Test#Subject: Science#This test was performed by Olive tree students of class 4th.#Iodine test for starch is mainly performed to detect the presence of carbohydrates#in food products we eat.#Starch present in the food item changes to bluish black upon addition of aqueous solution of iodine.
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Heyy may I request dottore with a very sleepy (Fem/gn)Reader who always struggles with nightmares and staying awake
(idk what to do against my sleepiness :<)
Dottore, being a man of science, a doctor himself, has seen people go through various things. Whether it be painful to the person physically, mentally, or emotionally- he has seen it all. Even done it to others.
But when it comes to you, he wouldn't dare put you through that pain nor stress. So when he noticed something weird about your behavior. He has to know why.
Observation is always the first step a researcher must do in order to gather data. With his clipboard in hand, he watched you move around his office.
Subject: Y/N
Observations:
- Subject shows signs of lack of sleep due to the bags under their eyes.
- Subject has a hard time doing their assigned tasks; lack of focus, sluggish movements, constant yawning.
- When the Theta segment recommended them to sleep, subject reacted anxiously before declining their suggestion and stating they don't need it. Subject seems to be scared. Possibility that the subject is afraid of sleeping or something related to sleep?
Comments:
- Subject does not want to sleep due to something that is giving them constant fear. Best to question them on why they do not wish to sleep for almost a week now. Another solution is to give them a sedative that could help them recover the rest they needed.
After reviewing his notes for a second time and making sure he got everything, Dottore went off to find you.
"Darling?"
You hummed in reply, your tired eyes looking up at your partner. Dottore could only sigh when he saw the bags under your eyes becoming more worse by the day.
"Is there a reason on why you do not wish to slumber? I have noticed how you're struggling to even move around or speak due to your lack of rest. I suggest you tell me why, I'm beginning to worry that you might hurt yourself due to your fatigued mind."
You didn't give any replies, embarrassed about your reason. Already knowing that avoiding sleep would be pointless and the fatigue would catch up to you sooner. Your state couldn't even go unnoticed by the doctor himself.
So... how would you tell Dottore that you can't sleep due to your nightmares? Childish as it may, the constant horrific dreams you've been getting each day was the reason why you didn't bother to go back to sleep. Not even a wink or shuteye.
Without further delay, you decided to tell Dottore. The harbinger himself listening to every word, processing, even coming up with various solutions to at least comfort you. It's not really in his nature to do the latter but for you, he would do anything.
"Nightmares? And what, pray tell, are you having nightmares about? Is it due to the screams of the test subjects in their cells? The 'grotesque' view that others would find whenever I am in the middle of an experiment?"
Though the words he used may sound cold and blunt, the hand rubbing your head gave enough warmth and comfort. Dottore prefers to say things whatever it is.
What's the point of sugar-coating the truth when it's already in front of you, afterall? That is what Dottore would think.
Nevertheless, his actions does speak more than his words. He led you to sit on the couch he has in his office, letting you lean onto him as he gently pulled you by the waist to be closer to him while he listened to you vent out your nightmarish dreams.
"Is that so? I have a few suggestions that can be of help to you, darling. You see, I have concocted a little sedative, one that can easily make you fall asleep for.. let's say maybe twenty-four to thirty-six hours. Just enough to recover the rest you needed. I also have melatonin that could help you fall asleep. Hm.. maybe we should use them as a last resort."
Dottore had to be reminded that you cannot sleep due to your nightmares. Which caused him to stop in his rambles before crossing out the ideas he suggested.
He may have gotten a bit carried away.
You couldn't be upset at him, he is trying his best. It's the littlest things that matters, after all. Besides, he's never been in a serious relationship with anyone until you came into his life and you're probably the only one insane enough to even date the second harbinger.
"How about.. you sleep with me? You could use the rest too and I need someone to cuddle with so I don't get any nightmares."
"Cuddle? Darling, I am a doctor, a scientist. I may know the benefits of physical contact, hugging to be exact, to a person but I am not one to do such a thing--"
Dottore could even finish his sentence when you were already clinging onto him. Like a newborn to their parent, your arms were wrapped around the doctor's neck as you cuddled up to him. Said doctor could only lay stiffly on the couch, he really doesn't know what to do, you even pinned him down to the furniture and got into a position where you both would be comfortable. His fingers were twitching to flip the positions, with you laying on the couch instead so he could return to his work.
But you felt so warm and soft and so vulnerable even--
No. Bad. Keep yourself in check, Dottore.
"If you don't want to cuddle then it's alright. I can go back to my room."
Before you could even move away, Dottore kept you in place. His arms circling around your waist to keep you from getting out of his hold as he leaned his chin on top of your head. Luckily he wasn't wearing his mask or else it could have poked your eye.
"If this will be of help to let you sleep easier without anymore nightmares then go on ahead. You do know that the brain could eat itself if it lacks sleep for a long time."
You could only laugh in amusement at the information. Dottore would always tell science facts here and there whenever he is doing something very affectionately. It's an easy way to hide how flustered he is.
Your eyes started to feel heavy as you nuzzled more into Dottore's warmth. You felt something soft pressed against your forehead along with a small hum from the man holding you, causing you to smile as you slowly entered a deep slumber. Dottore's words being the last thing that you hear before entering your dreamland, this time, no more nightmares.
"Go to sleep now, darling. I'll be here till you wake up. I won't leave you alone with your nightmares this time."
#genshin impact#genshin impact x reader#dottore#dottore x reader#zandik x reader#il dottore#female reader#gender neutral reader#il dottore x reader
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Voice claim: Maomao - The Apothecary Diaries
Character info:
Damali Khepri is a sophomore student in Scarabia, she's twisted from the golden scarab beetle from Aladdin.
Damali's family is tasked with taking care of the Asim's treasure, and because a good part of their treasure was sent with Kalim to NRC, Damali was ordered by her parents and the Asims themselves to study there and to protect Kalim's fortune. Just like Jamil, Damali wishes for freedom to do what she wants and not just be a servant and protector to the Asim's treasures, but she's rather neutral at her job, not caring much about the Asim's themselves and just being nice for the sake of being nice.
Damali is calm, often being able to have a cool mind in dire situations, she's cunning and smart and often able to come up with solutions for difficult problems. She's also seen as a treasure herself, given how famous her own family is and how people see her as a key to getting to Kalim's fortune; people have tried to manipulate her too many times, she is able to identify when people are playing with her really easily... That and she also is very conscious of how people interact with her, she basically has trust issues.
She's canonically beautiful, having a lot of people fawning over her and wanting a bit of attention from her. She has an eccentric personality because of her interest in poisons and in insects, specifically the scarab beetles. She believes people won't like her for who she is — that being something her parents always told her, that she must be perfect and look perfect at all times for the Asim's reputation — so she often keeps this eccentric side of her to herself, in order for people to believe she's the wonderful, beautiful and collected Damali.
Fun facts: Damali is blind, not being able to see almost anything; she's known Jamil and Kalim for years, but they weren't as close until they got to NRC because her family's job (and by extension hers) doesn't require her to be near Kalim at all times; Damali often asks to taste test Kalim's food instead of Jamil, initially being simply because she wanted to taste the possibility of poison, but later because of she deeply cared for Jamil.
Basic info:
Age: 17
Height: 176cm
Nicknames: mademoiselle Scarabée (meaning beetle - by Rook), water beetle (by Floyd) and jasmine (flower meaning prosperity - by Perse)
Birthday: January 29th
Grade: sophomore (2nd grade)
Favorite food: grapes, chamomile tea
Best subject: potionology/poison making
Club: science club
Hobbies: studying and tasting different types of poisons/collecting insects
Homeland: Scalding Sands
Unique Magic: Diamond in the Rough - grants her the ability of determining and pointing out something that someone wishes the most at a certain moment (ex.: if she were to use this on, let's say, Jamil, she would figure out that what he wants the most is to be free to do what he wants and to be appreciated by his talents.); normally uses it when suspecting someone's going after the Asim's treasure; can only be used once per person.
Relationship dynamics:
Jamil Viper: Jamil and Damali have an interesting relationship. Damali sees Jamil as someone fun to play with, as different from most people he never fawns over her nor does he seem to care about her appearance. She's taken a habit of flirting with Jamil and teasing him frequently to see how he reacts (usually he makes a groaning noise and flinch in disgust, which makes her laugh); he's yet to get truly flustered by her advances and she made it her life mission to get to that point, but not because she loves him!! Or at least that's what she tells herself. Damali quickly understood that Jamil was manipulating Kalim, but since it didn't involve anything surrounding Kalim's fortune she stayed just observing the situation until an opening would come, so at first she just went along with it, pretending she didn't know that Jamil was doing something, but with Daisy (my Yuu) and the octatrio's arrival she quickly switched sides.
Kalim Al-Asim: despite being neutral about her job and not caring about what would happen to Kalim before the arrival of Daisy/the octatrio, seeing Kalim break down made her feel a lot of sympathy towards the boy, and seeing him cry woke her up to just how screwed up Jamil's plan affected Kalim. She grew fond of him after the events of book 4 and even more interested in Jamil as well.
Jeanne Hook: she hated Jeanne. Jeanne was going against Damali's job, and she did everything in her power to keep Jeanne away from Kalim's treasury and to ruin their date plans together with Jamil. Still, after realizing Jeanne's change of heart regarding her feelings for Kalim, she quickly calmed down, realizing the girl would not have the courage to steal from Kalim any longer — she also may or may not have used her UM on Jeanne and found out what she truly wanted was to be accepted for who she was, not treasure.
Jade Leech: Damali finds Jade's obsession with mushrooms and plant life delightful, and he often helps her figuring out stuff to experiment with more poisonous plants and fungi; they're both chaotic and weird together, but she tries to keep her act together because she knows Jade can and will use the information of her interest in poison to blackmail her.
Divus Crewel: her favorite teacher, he lets her play around with potions all the time but always when she's being supervised, he sees her as a mouthful because of her dangerous interests, but he's happy someone is so interested in his class.
Rook Hunt: little 👏🏻freaks.👏🏻 I am so certain Rook gave Damali a few flirting tactics to try and get Jamil flustered, and I am so certain that she had to stand there and go like "buddy I love you but I am not going to stalk him just to find out everything about him that's illegal". They are a menace in the science club, Trey is so concerned everytime they're together.
Trey Clover: Damali is always trying to push Trey over the edge and get him to participate in her and Rook's weird scientific experiments, he is almost always the voice of reason, making both Damali and Rook bummed out.
Character references:
Others:
Dorm room.
#💙! mah's art#💙! damali#twisted wonderland#twst#oc x canon#oc art#oc twst#scarabia#new oc just dropped!!!#this goes to that one anon ages ago who said they would like me to make an oc to ship with Jamil#your ask has been driving me insane
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woooo hermit horrors week! excited for this one :D
Day One - Season 8/Game Mechanics
cw mind control, temporary character death
Zedaph has never really had a hard time talking anyone into doing something for him. He’s a very persuasive kind of guy, when it comes down to it, and of course the other hermits are always so very helpful, so it doesn’t take much to convince them into whatever scheme he’s cooked up lately.
This really comes in helpful for this season, especially now that his chamber is ready for live hermit experimentation. His first subject is Tango, and it’s an easy job getting him into the chamber— just a little word in his ear, a mere suggestion, really (and a directive to sign the waiver, before they begin), and they’re ready to go. Tango is always so willing to help him out with these science experiments, it’s really very kind of him. It’s one of the reasons why they’re such good friends.
He has to be careful when the subject is actually in the chamber, though— he doesn’t want to taint the experiment. Each solution to the task set before them has to come from the subject’s own pure brain, without any hints or nudges from him. But Zedaph has lots of experience, and the push-to-talk intercom system certainly helps him be a little more deliberate when he speaks.
He gets lots of interesting results from Tango, and sends him on his way with a casual Go ahead and toss yourself in the lava there, sending him up to the bed to respawn and exit.
It’s a few weeks before the chamber is properly reset and cleaned out, and by that time Zedaph has landed on Bdoubleo as the next subject. Bdubs is not as used to helping Zedaph in the lab as Tango is, but a few choice words set him on the right track, and by the end of the session, he is performing marvelously. The results are absolutely incomprehensible, but the process was so very fun that he sends Bdubs off with a suggestion planted in his mind— Just something to think about, but— come back to the lab sometime soon. For some follow-up tests, of course.
Bdubs says he definitely will. Zedaph is very happy that Bdoubleo has discovered such an interest in science. He checks the “willing to return” box on the subject information sheet.
The next subject is Beef, and Beef is such a character in of himself that Zedaph doesn’t even really need to tell him what to do— he’s content to observe through the soundproof glass as Beef goes through the various tasks he’s set. Mumbo, too, is highly independent— though he looks awfully tired, Zedaph notices, marking it down as a note on his clipboard. There’s a certain sluggishness to Mumbo’s movements, and it’s dragging out the series of tests. Zedaph clicks on the mic. “Er, Mumbo? Go ahead and pick up the pace a little bit.” Mumbo speeds up, limbs moving jerkily as they try to keep up with his suddenly galvanized mind. The rest of the tests go by at a much faster tempo, and Zedaph is satisfied with the results. He also marks down a strange and only-just-suppressed urge toward violence from Mumbo, despite the man’s commitment to— what was it again?— right, “Peace, Love, and Plants.”
It’s been a while since the last hermit experiment now, though. For one thing, he hasn’t decided on a new subject. He’s been thinking of giving Xisuma a call and asking him to come over, out of pure curiosity, but it’s not urgent. For another thing, the seismograph has been going absolutely mad lately— there’s been tremors all over the server, with no discernible cause whatever. If this keeps up, Zedaph’s going to have to go out and do some actual field work.
He shudders at the thought.
A rapidly pulsing red light blinks on at the top left of the security monitor screen, just a moment before the proximity alarm goes off. Zedaph whirls around and gets a split-second look at Mumbo looming over him like a bespoke string bean before Bdubs tackles him at the waist and he hits his head on the tile floor. The next few moments come through in dizzy flashes: lab lights, far too bright for suddenly sensitive eyes—being picked up and carried, his head throbbing with each step—an uncomfortable heat radiating near his arm, but he can’t muster the words to tell it to go away.
His stomach suddenly drops and for a moment he flails through empty air before landing with a sickening crunch on the dull white floor. He’s not in instant respawn territory yet, but he’s close, and his kidnappers seem to know this, because he hears shattering glass quite near him, and then comes the bubbly, prickly feeling on his skin that only happens with splash regen and healing potions.
His headache clears after a moment, and he’s able to get to his feet. “Oh, goodness me,” he says, upon realizing where he is.
Tango, Bdubs, Beef, and Mumbo all stand on the other side of the tinted glass, wearing lab coats and looking somewhat vindictive. Mumbo’s got a clipboard and pen.
“This is highly unusual,” Zedaph says, crossing his arms over his chest. “There’s procedures for these things, you know. Standards and that.”
Tango steps over to the desk and keys the intercom. “Hey, Zed, ol’ buddy. I know you’re probably a little confused, here. Let’s just say we didn’t, uh— didn’t appreciate being your little lab experiments very much, my friend.”
“Informed consent is a big part of the scientific process!” Mumbo says, looking up from the clipboard, clearly unaware of the hypocrisy of his statement. The bags under his eyes have grown even deeper since Zedaph last saw him.
“You signed the waiver when I asked,” says Zedaph, but of course they can’t hear him. They take turns putting him through his paces, making him do— well, frankly, they’re quite silly things. He has much better things to be doing with his day. If he could just talk to them—
“Make a contraption that will blow something up,” says Bdubs, and Zedaph sees his chance. He intentionally builds it just a little too close to the glass— not so close that Tango and Mumbo will be able to realize what he’s doing right away, but close enough that the blast has a chance of damaging the barrier.
The TNT, when it goes off, leaves his ears ringing and all his nerves buzzing. But as the smoke clears, Zedaph spots a block of glass up near the corner that has shattered, and he giggles. Perfect!
“Bdoubleo,” he calls, and Bdubs turns to look at him suddenly. “Come in the chamber!” Bdubs immediately pulls out his pick and smashes through the nearest two blocks of glass beside him. He steps through the jagged hole and then pauses, looking confused.
“What was that?”
“This is all really very funny,” Zedaph says to the other three “scientists,” and replaces the glass that Bdubs broke, leaving the hole up at the top. The alarm melts off their faces, and they begin to laugh at Bdubs’ predicament.
“Mumbo,” says Zedaph, and now Mumbo snaps to attention, meeting his gaze through the glass. “I think for the next test, you should have me do something you’ve really, really wanted to do this season but can’t.”
Beef and Tango break out into another round of chuckles.
“Now hold on a minute,” says Bdubs, looking around, panicked.
“Well,” says Mumbo slowly, lowering his clipboard and taking a step closer to the glass. Zedaph nods encouragingly. “I would like you to… describe… how you would go about killing Bdoubleo using only things in this chamber—”
“Hey!” Bdubs screams.
“—and then do it and tell me how good it feels,” Mumbo finishes, all in one breath. Tango lets out a surprised wheeze of laughter, and Beef is wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.
“‘Course,” says Zedaph brightly. “Have to do what I’m told in here, don’t I?”
“No, no, no,” Bdubs says, backing away.
“Come on, Bdubs,” Zedaph coaxes. “Hop up on this dirt block here and stay put.” Bdubs’s face goes slack and he does as Zedaph asks. “Great! Well, Mumbo, the first thing I would do is get him in prime killing position, like so.” He gestures up to where Bdubs is standing, now looking around wildly. Mumbo nods enthusiastically, taking notes down on his clipboard. “And then I would place— er—” He goes digging through the scattered chests in the chamber to find what he’s looking for.
Oh, perfect.
“I would place some obsidian,” he says, triumphantly, sticking the block down next to Bdubs.
“No, no— no, wait,” Bdubs says, desperation clear in his voice.
“You’re killing me, man,” Tango says breathlessly, clutching his ribs. Zedaph tips an invisible hat in his direction and sends him off in gales of laughter again.
“Yes, yes, go on,” Mumbo says impatiently, pen tapping against his clipboard.
“And then I would place one of these,” Zedaph says, pulling the end crystal out of his inventory and setting it hovering over the obsidian base. He swears he sees Mumbo’s eyes light up.
“Go on, then,” Mumbo says, leaning forward eagerly.
“If you say so,” Zedaph says, and detonates the crystal.
It kills him as well as Bdubs, of course, but that only sends him back to his actual bed, and out of the range of the other would-be scientists. That had turned into rather a fun little tangent, actually.
It probably went without saying that none of them would want to come back to the lab, though.
Well. He’d just have to ask.
also on ao3 :D
#hermithorrorweek2023#hermitcraft#zedaph#tangotek#bdoubleo100#vintagebeef#mumbo jumbo#fool writes#is this based on a silly joke bdubs made in that one episode where they're all experimenting on zed? yes#is it also a result of having the silly song zedaph sings stuck in my head since the first time I heard it? also yes#am I sorry? absolutely not
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How I survived pchem
So, the time has come: you have to take physical chemistry in uni. Hell's favorite, the most terrifying of nightmares, the source of emotional damage for hundreds of science students worldwide... Or so they tell you. There's no denying pchem is no field of flowers, but I managed to pass the numerical part with a 4/5 and the theoretical part with a 5/5, so let me just say - pchem is definitely passable. Here's some of my advice.
Go to class
Seriously. I know all of studyblr always tells you to go to class, but with pchem I mean it more than ever. Don't skip lectures. Go see the way your professor links the concepts and explains the necessary math. Please. It'll save you so much hassle!
Abuse office hours
And don't hesitate to ask questions in class. Lab partner and I would stay after lectures to ask our professor extra questions or go see him in his office several times during the semester and it always paid off. They won't be mad! They're here for you! Chances are, they'll be happy a student is invested in their subject.
Be consistent
I cannot stress this enough: consistency is everything. Do not leave studying for a test/exam until the last minute. If you can cram pchem at all, that's impressive. But I don't think you can cram it well. Go over your lecture notes the same day - with a textbook, so that you can fill in the gaps in your understanding of the given topic - it does wonders for comprehension and retention.
Do practice problems
And if you get mandatory exercise sets you need to complete for class, try to do more than that. Looking at somebody's solution and thinking "yeah I see what's going on here" isn't enough. If you aren't able to solve similar exercises by yourself, from scratch, you don't actually understand the topic.
Make friends with a good textbook
Ideally, your professor should be the one to recommend textbooks and exercise books. If they don't, ask! Personally, aside from some Polish textbooks, I read Atkins religiously. The textbook is great. The exercise book is a lifesaver - the answer key has complete, step-by-step solutions *cries in joy*
Understand the material thoroughly
Don't just skim through the chapters - see how every new concept is "stacked" on top of the previous ones and how it complements them (why do we need the second law of thermodynamics? Why is the first one not enough? Why is entropy defined as heat over temperature and not work over temperature if both heat and work are a way to transfer energy?). Similarly, don't just memorize formulas!! See where they come from. Derive them yourself, identify the steps that are unclear and try to understand what happens there.
Less fear, more curiosity
All right, pchem is hard, pchem is demanding, sure. But pchem is also fun. Pchem is fascinating, pchem is beautiful! The intersection of sciences! The chemistry you're already familiar with translated into the universal language of mathematics! Nature explained at a molecular level! Look. Everybody told me pchem would traumatize me, so I decided to prove them all wrong. I tried to approach it with as much enthusiasm as I could and it worked! Yes, I absolutely had to work my butt off in this class, but I enjoyed it! Please, try to do the same.
Additional resources
The organic chemistry tutor - physics (yt)
Professor Derricotte (yt)
Physical chemistry (yt)
The chemistry library - physical and theoretical chemistry
Have fun and good luck!! 🍀💖
#obviously these aren't universal#but i think most of them can be helpful to a lot of people#mine#studyblr#chemblr#stemblr#sciblr#chemistry
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Cross and Tech and Omega and Egg
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 (Final)
Available also on AO3
When CT-9904, the clone that would one day become "Crosshair", was first pulled from his birthing tank, he did not cry.
This was by design.
Engineered to become a “stealth soldier”, 04's vocal cords were shaped so that he could not raise his voice above a frustrated rasp. It was often muted by his incubator.
CT-9903, who would one day adopt the moniker "Tech", was also silent, but this was always a cause for concern. When 03 was quiet, he was most likely attempting his next escape. He had kicked the latch off his first incubator. He had poked the hinges off his second. By the third, Nala Se had nowhere to put the baby escape artist.
Putting 03 in 04's incubator was supposed to be a temporary solution.
A week later, when the new, reinforced incubator arrived, she picked up 03, and found his hand locked with 04's with an iron grip.
CT-9903 cried.
CT-9904 hissed.
And so, the ever patient Nala Se left 03 where he was there. There were no more escape attempts after that.
One day, CT-9903 began to cry.
Nala Se was in the middle of calming 05 who was trying to wreck the changing table with tiny, but mighty fists.
"Omega, see to 03, please, he needs to be changed."
Omega slid off her stool and without looking up from her datapad she said. "It's 04 who needs changing."
"How do you know?" Nala Se asked.
"03 cries louder when 04 needs help."
***
Too bright. Too loud. Deafening silence. Sudden isolation. Stimuli deprived and overloaded. Nothing. Everything. Relentless. Overwhelming.
Even if Crosshair did have the capability to scream, he'd never give the science officers the satisfaction. Let them wonder the limits of his body and the sanity of his mind.
He lost count of how many experiments they put him through, but one thing always remained the same: He gave them no data to work with.
Until today.
Omega didn't see him. The stormtroopers were moving her and Nala Se towards the lifts, and the glass chamber he was kept in was too far from the main hall, and there were too many other cells and test subjects between them. But there she was, shooting defiant looks at the troopers as they shoved her along.
It broke Crosshair in a way these scientists couldn't.
He tried to call out to her, but his throat was dry, his vocal chords ached, and his very DNA denied him. All he could do was let out a raspy growl.
The scientists took note of the sounds. It was the first reaction they had received from him. They congratulated themselves on their findings.
Omega disappeared into the elevator. She never looked back.
A science officer turned a dial. There was a lightning strike of agony. And Crosshair passed out.
***
It was dusk when Crosshair woke up in his cell. An obsidian eye gazed unblinkingly at him. Egg's caw was subdued. It usually was on lab days.
He shakily rose to the window with his plate to share his corn and bits of unidentifiable meat, when he saw something that wasn't there for him this morning: a travel biscuit.
Tech came by. Crosshair told him not to, but he still-
Suddenly, Tech popped up in the window. "You're back!"
Crosshair was mid-bite into the biscuit and choked, turning away to cough. "Tech, dank farrik!"
"A human cough,” Tech declared, “has the estimated speed of a hundred and sixty kilometers per hour. A wookiee cough averages two hundred kilometers an hour."
"I told you to stay away."
“You did,” Tech said simply, breaking his own biscuit in half to offer to Egg. “But I disregarded your request. Consider this revenge for ignoring my wish for solitude when my legs were being reset."
“You carry grudges that long?" Crosshair asked, his amusement outweighing his exhaustion. "I just wanted your dinner roll."
“I see…” Tech said, then reached into the cell to snatch the biscuit out of Crosshair’s, hand. He took a bite, then handed it back. “Now we’re even.”
"Tech…Omega is here,” Crosshair murmured.
Tech’s face fell for a fraction of a moment, before it gave way to an analytical frown. “How long has she been here?”
“I don’t know.”
“Were they experimenting on her?”
“Not that I could see.”
Tech was quiet for a moment. “When our brothers-”
Crosshair slammed his hand against the bars. Egg ruffled his feathers and let out a craah of protest. “I swear on the kriffing stars if you finish that sentence I’ll-” he stopped himself, not because he physically couldn’t do anything, but because the devastation in Tech’s eyes obliterated the empty threat. "If they do come, let it be for her. Let me rot here. I made my choice. I deserve-.”
"Give me your hand." Tech said, evenly.
“What? Why?”
Tech removed his glove and slipped his bare hand through the bars. “Because you need it.”
Crosshair stared at the hand, his memories drifting to the first record-shattering storm on Kamino he had ever experienced.
“When will it be over?” Crosshair had snarled, curling around his cadet rifle on his bunk while the storm raged outside.
“By my calculations," Tech said, laying in the bunk below him, "another three hours and then the winds will carry it Southward.”
“I hate your calculationsss,” Crosshair hissed, pressing his cheek against the cool metal surface of the rifle barrel.
“You can’t hate calculations,” Tech said, climbing onto Crosshair’s bunk. “They didn’t do anything wrong.”
Crosshair said nothing, hiding his face in his pillow.
“Give me your hand.” Tech said, laying down on the other side of the rifle.
Crosshair wanted to say no, but just then thunder shattered the sky outside as if trying to get into their room and pull them all into the sea. Crosshair’s hand shot out and clasped his brothers.
“The fear of thunder and lightning," Tech said, "is called Astraphobia. It isn't an irrational fear as an ocean storm is the most vast and dangerous sort of storm. We, however, are in a structure designed to withstand a storm twice this size,” Tech said. "It is safe."
It is safe…
Crosshair looked at his brother's hand extended to him through the bars. Scarred and callused like his, familiar and different, but always safe.
“We aren’t leaving without you both," Tech said, his hand suspended patiently. "I’m not leaving without you. You have my word."
Crosshair clutched Tech's hand and Tech pulled him forward slightly, giving Crosshair's hand a sturdy jerk as if to shake loose any resistance to his words. "Do you trust me?" Tech asked.
Crosshair tried to summon a biting reply, something to chase away the comforting relief this simple contact created.
Instead he pressed his head against the cell bars and squeezed Tech’s hand tightly. “I trust you.”
***
A week later, when Tech woke up, he didn't know the Marauder was coming to Weyland the following morning.
Even if he did know, it wouldn't have changed his plans for the day. Egg still would still screech in his face, urging him to get up. He still would make the trek back to the facility.
The last few days Crosshair seemed to be in better spirits all things considered. Today was lab day, Tech was determined to make it back to Crosshair's window before then, travel biscuits stocked on the window sill, hand ready to hold.
Until then, Tech and Egg were on a mission.
There were other windows to look into. Tech had looked into most of them searching for his sister without success. Today, he was down to his last four windows.
The first two were empty, the last one had a pair of Devronian hands clutching the bars. The third, however, a tuft of blonde hair could be seen and little else, as if a very small humanoid was gazing up at the cloudy blue sky.
It was then that Tech executed his three-phase mission:
Phase One: Establish that he is alive and well.
Phase Two: Inform Omega that Crosshair is also in the facility.
Phase Three: An ongoing phase. Tech would do his best to split his time between Crosshair and Omega. This may prove difficult, both in travel times…and the length of time away from his brother.
Even now, Tech found himself wishing he was at Crosshair's window, waiting for him to return. Waiting to be reassured his brother had survived whatever the science officers put him through that day. But Omega may need him, too. He would do whatever he could for his siblings, with his limited resources of travel biscuits and various informational tidbits.
Phase one began similarly to how he presented himself to Crosshair: A neatly carved message on a piece of wood light enough for Egg to carry.
Egg made himself comfortable on Tech's shoulder, sometimes watching with keen interest and other times preening Tech's unruly hair.
The message read [Tech Lives].
Seemed direct enough.
Egg flew up to the window and Tech could hear his sister's startled gasp followed by an inquisitive voice. "Oh hello! Are you a crow? Where'd you come from? What do you have there?"
Tech used to ask questions like this to every single person and animal he met. He wondered if they both received this inquisitiveness from Jango Fett or perhaps Omega picked this up from Tech.
Oddly enough, he hoped for the latter.
"What?" Omega exclaimed, evidently reading the message. "Who gave you this?"
Tech raised a finger. "That would be me."
The whole point of this gently revealed plot twist was to avoid any loud outburst that may rouse a guard.
It didn't work.
"Tech!!!" Omega shouted.
Tech grimaced, but he waved. "We should keep our voices at a reasonable volume."
"I knew you were alive! I knew it! I kept saying 'we never saw a body. He's still out there!"
Tech touched the side of his temple, missing his goggles immensely. "The 'No Body, No Death' Theory is not an exact science, Omega."
"It is for us," Omega said, stubbornly.
Tech smiled. "Are you alright?"
Omega shrugged. "They brought me here to push Nala Se into working on a project. I've been assisting her. Don't know exactly what we're doing yet, but it involves clone science and advanced genetic manipulation."
"It may or may not have something to do with whatever they are doing to Crosshair here."
"Crosshair is here?!" Omega bounced up and down, presumably on a bed. "Is he okay?"
"No."
Omega's pained expression made Tech wish he could have presented that answer gently. "But he will be," he added.
"Is this crow a friend of yours?" Omega asked, stroking Egg's chest feathers.
"More precisely Crosshair's friend. His name is Egg."
"Because he likes eggs?"
"Evidently."
"I've missed you, Tech." Omega hoisted herself up to get a better look at him. "I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm also glad you're well. My advice is continuing your work with Nala Se. Don't raise a ruckus and-"
"And our brothers will find us! Soon!" Omega said with far more confidence than Tech felt at this point.
"My thoughts exactly."
"There's something else you should know." Omega said, stroking Egg's feathered chest. "There's a scientist here. She's a clone, too…I don't think she was made on Kamino, though. She might have been born here."
"That's unsettling. Jango's genetic code has been depleted as far as I know. She would be a very distant relation to us."
"She's not one of us," Omega said, venomous. "If she was, she wouldn't be hurting our brother."
Tech wished he had his goggles, more importantly the camera attached to it. He could have provided Crosshair proof that his siblings care about him, indisputably.
"I'm inclined to agree."
"If Crosshair's not okay, Tech, you should go back to him."
"You don't need me to stay with you?" Tech asked.
"I'm with Nala Se. I'll be fine. Go back to Crosshair."
Tech nearly left immediately, but his concern for his sister lingered. "Are you sure, Omega?"
"He needs you," she said, with a knowing smile. "And you need him too. It's always been that way."
Tech frowned at the pointed statement…and frowned further at the truth of it.
He didn't have time to ponder, he needed to get back to Crosshair.
He needs me. My need to know he's alright is purely a coincidence.
Tech climbed up to Crosshair's window, ducking out of sight just as the droids dumped his brother onto the metal floor of his cell. Tech wasn't prone to anger, his logic cooled his temper before it could boil, but he felt the light crunch in his hand before realizing he had crushed one of the travel biscuits in his trembling fist.
He waited for the sound of marching droids to fade away, then he sat up and set the biscuit on the sill. Then he waited.
Egg cawed. Incessantly at first. Then mournfully. Then sat quietly and waited, too.
Dusk turned to night.
Tech felt a knot in his gut as he gazed at the stars. There was a time when he and his brothers would lay out on the roof of Kaminoan science center, watching for the clouds to part just long enough to see stars.
Tech would try to identify as many planets as he could before they disappeared again.
Crosshair would make up planets to annoy Tech and they'd get into a slap fight.
Wrecker insisted they were just dumb little lights.
Hunter swore he'd visit every single planet before the war was done with him.
It wasn't so long ago, but it was several lifetimes ago. They were different. The galaxy was different. Tech knew it was useless to grieve for the past. Life is ever changing and evolving. He did wish he had spent more time cherishing those moments, however.
They are over too quickly to quantify.
Egg flapped and let out a soft craah.
"Tech…"
Tech's glove was already removed when he sat up, reaching into the cell to clutch Crosshair's hand. "I'm here."
"You're late," Crosshair sneered, tiredly.
"So are you."
"Omega?"
"She's fine. They aren't hurting her. I believe she's leverage to press Nala Se into the Imperial service. She asked about you."
"Course she did," Crosshair said, dryly.
"Believe it or not, Crosshair, I'm not the only one who mourned your loss to the Empire."
Crosshair grunted in response.
He fell quiet. His grip on Tech's hand was weakening. When he spoke again, his voice sounded hollow…distant… "I'm tired, Tech. I don't know how much more I can take."
Tech tightened his hold on Crosshair's hand. "Think of it as a sunk cost fallacy. You've come this far. You've endured this much. You might as well keep going until-"
Crosshair's hand slipped suddenly from his.
"Crosshair?"
He heard Crosshair collapse on the bed.
"Cross?!"
Tech pressed his face against the bars, but could only see a blurry darkness.
Egg tapped the bars insistently, letting out a distressed chitter.
Then they both fell quiet.
And listened.
Faintly…Tech heard a very light snore.
Logic did nothing to soothe Tech's nerves at this moment. He was tired too. He was also hungry. Starving actually. Travel biscuits didn't have enough nutritional value for a full day's energy and he saved most of the biscuits for Crosshair.
They were both on borrowed time.
Tech leaned against the wall beside Crosshair's window, then slowly slumped over, curling up as best he could.
In addition to being uncomfortable sleeping on the concrete slab it was also dangerous to fall asleep on a high ledge. He didn't care. Tonight, just for tonight, he needed to be near his brother.
***
Crosshair awoke to what sounded like a sarcastic rooster mocking the morning sun.
It was Egg. Of course it was Egg. And it was most definitely sarcastic.
When Crosshair slowly rose from his cot, still sore from the previous days experiments, he didn't see Egg's scrutinizing gaze, however, he saw his tail feathers.
"Egg," he wheezed, holding his aching side as he struggled to stand on the cot. "What're you looking at?"
Tech was curled up on the ledge. His brother slept here all night.
Crosshair didn't remember much when he came back to his cell, his mind foggy from the drugs and his body pushed to a limit he didn't expect.
He must have passed out. And it must have scared the dank out of Tech.
He sighed and picked up the half eaten biscuit left on the sill. There were a few peck marks but it seemed Egg left most of it for him..He threw it at Tech, which bounced off his cheek.
Tech didn't move. Crosshair rolled his eyes.
In their cadet days, Crosshair often had to physically roll Tech off his bunk to get him up. Tech didn't just sleep, he'd pass out. There was no such thing as a steady sleep schedule for him and every few days his body would crash.
Crosshair had been so wrapped up in his own situation it didn't occur to him that Tech was more alone than he.
…and what else has he eaten besides travel biscuits?
The droids had already dropped off his stale hash brown and eggs this morning. Crosshair took two bites, gave a little egg to his crow and set the rest aside for Tech to wake up. That would be their routine from now on, he decided. Crosshair could live on very little food, he'd give the rest to his brother.
His brother who needed him.
Something distant in the cloudy sky caught Crosshair's gaze. At first he thought it was another crow, though he hadn't seen another since Egg showed up.
It wasn't a freighter either. Not an imperial one. And it was coming in at an odd, off-kilter angle, something Hunter often did when flying covertly under radar, though not nearly as gracefully as Tech.
Hunter…
"Tech!" Crosshair wheezed. "Tech, get up!"
Tech shot up, hair sticking up every which way, his cheek creased from laying on the rough ledge. "CT-9903 reporting for…duty…."
He blinked and looked up at Crosshair. "What happened?"
Crosshair smirked. "G'morning, sunshine." He nodded to the horizon. "You were right."
Tech followed his gaze, shielding his eyes from the sun. "They found us?"
Crosshair couldn't stop smiling if he tried. It was a thin smile, almost a sneer, and it made his cheeks ache. It felt good. "You sound surprised."
Tech whipped his head back at Crosshair, squinting and smiling. "Not surprised, just…shocked…that it took so long."
"Uh huh…Hunter and Wrecker aren't exactly the brains of our operation. You and I were always the smarter ones."
"I would never say that."
"You always say that."
Tech adjusted his non-existent goggles. "Perhaps…occasionally." He stretched and winced. "I better go meet them and give them the intel."
Crosshair dryly. "I'll stay here and watch the place."
Tech smirked. "Rest. Eat. We'll be together again soon."
Crosshair's jaw tightened, trying to summon the pessimism that kept his sanity stable, but he was tired, and in pain, and full of kriffing hope.
"Fine," Crosshair said, quietly.
Tech started to leave, legs swung over the edge of the platform. He paused. "Cross…?"
Tech rarely called him that. Just as Crosshair rarely called him "Techie". The names were reserved only for the rare moments fear and rarer moments of sentimentality. The last time he was called Cross, Wrecker had blown himself up with his own damn grenade.
When they left behind cadet training and dove head first into combat missions neither of them could afford childish fear or vulnerabilities. They left the nicknames behind with their childhoods.
"After you're free, Tech said, "we will drop you off wherever you want to go…" Tech's eyes seemed bigger even without the goggles magnifying them. "But I hope you stay with us."
Egg clicked indignantly at Tech.
"Egg, too?" Crosshair asked.
"Of course."
"I'll let Egg decide. He's the real brains of this operation."
"While I can't argue with that as he was the reason I found you, how do we know what he will-"
Egg flapped noisily with a shrill squawk and landed on top of Techs head, seating himself and screeching pointedly at Crosshair.
Tech grimaced, careful not to move. "Well….that seemed evident to me. Do you concur, Cross?"
"I concur…Techie," Crosshair smirked. "Now get me the hell out of here."
---
Thank you so much for reading. I’m grateful for the kind words, memes, and I loved the fanart of Egg!
If you enjoyed my writing, please consider checking out my book “Error: Detective Not Found (A Cake Pop Noir)”. You can find more info on it on my main tumblr account @blueberryhelper
#Bad Batch#Crosshair#Bad Batch Crosshair#Star Wars#After Season 2 Finale#bad batch tech#clone trooper tech#Egg the Crow#please dont egg any crows#Egg is his name#He likes eggs#bb tech#bb crosshair#bb egg?#bb egg#thanks for reading#Tech and Crosshair are safe and happy. This is the proof
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By: Apunaja
Published: Mar 19, 2024
I just watched this clip of Don Lemon interviewing Elon Musk, where Lemon pushed back on Musk’s claims of DEI policies impacting the quality of medical care and insisted that there is no evidence that standards are being lowered in medical programs in the pursuit of diversity goals. It was infuriating to watch. The word ‘gaslighting’ repeatedly came to mind.
I don’t know if Lemon genuinely doesn’t know the facts about this issue, or if he is deliberately misrepresenting the inconvenient truth, but as anyone who has been paying attention to this issue can attest, it is indisputable that standards are indeed being lowered, in myriad professional and educational contexts, for the express purpose of increasing the racial diversity of that group’s membership. What makes it hard to believe that Lemon isn’t being disingenuous about this is that in so many of the cases where this is happening, the proponents of the policy openly state that the reason they are changing their standards are in order to increase representation of minorities. Of course, they don’t call it “lowering standards for diversity”. But when you get rid of a testing requirement, or lower the passing grade, or modify the entrance qualifications to deliberately allow lower performing black and Hispanic students entrance, you are by definition lowering standards for the sake of diversity and equity, no matter how you spin it.
It’s high time for the false claim that ‘promoting DEI doesn’t adversely impact standards’ to finally be put to rest. In the interview, Lemon said he looked forward to people providing evidence of the claim, so I’m going to attempt to do that here, to lay out unambiguous evidence of educational and professional standards being compromised for the sake of DEI. I’m going to first focus on the area of medicine, which is what Lemon was specifically talking about, and then I’ll get into many other arenas where we can see this happening.
In a 2022 City Journal article, the esteemed Heather Mac Donald describes a required medical exam being altered (both in its subject matter and its grading) to allow for more students to pass:
At the end of their second year of medical school, students take Step One of the USMLE, which measures knowledge of the body’s anatomical parts, their functioning, and their malfunctioning; topics include biochemistry, physiology, cell biology, pharmacology, and the cardiovascular system. High scores on Step One predict success in a residency; highly sought-after residency programs, such as neurosurgery and radiology, use Step One scores to help select applicants.
Black students are not admitted into competitive residencies at the same rate as whites because their average Step One test scores are a standard deviation below those of whites. Step One has already been modified to try to shrink that gap; it now includes non-science components such as “communication and interpersonal skills.” But the standard deviation in scores has persisted. In the world of antiracism, that persistence means only one thing: the test is to blame.
…The solution … was obvious: abolish Step One grades. Since January 2022, Step One has been graded on a pass-fail basis.
Further in the article, she explores how med school entrance standards have been adjusted to increase the number of minority students entering even though their grades were far lower:
In 2021, the average score for white applicants on the Medical College Admission Test was in the 71st percentile… The average score for black applicants was in the 35th percentile—a full standard deviation below the average white score. The MCATs have already been redesigned to try to reduce this gap; a quarter of the questions now focus on social issues and psychology.
Yet the gap persists. So medical schools use wildly different standards for admitting black and white applicants. From 2013 to 2016, only 8% of white college seniors with below-average undergraduate GPAs and below-average MCAT scores were offered a seat in medical school; less than 6% of Asian college seniors with those qualifications were offered a seat, according to an analysis by economist Mark Perry. Medical schools regarded those below-average scores as all but disqualifying—except when presented by blacks and Hispanics. Over 56% of black college seniors with below-average undergraduate GPAs and below-average MCATs and 31% of Hispanic students with those scores were admitted, making a black student in that range more than seven times as likely as a similarly situated white college senior to be admitted to medical school and more than nine times as likely to be admitted as a similarly situated Asian senior.
Later on she recounts a further example of reducing standards to increase diversity at a top-tier institution:
The University of Pennsylvania medical school guarantees admission to black undergraduates who score a modest 1300 on the SAT (on a 1600-point scale), maintain a 3.6 GPA in college, and complete two summers of internship at the school. The school waives its MCAT requirement for these black students; UPenn’s non-preferred medical students score in the top one percent of all MCAT takers.
The article details many more examples of diversity efforts impacting the quality of the curriculum, admissions, faculty hiring, research funding, accreditation, publishing, and other aspects of the medical education arena. I strongly encourage you to read it in full here.
But where did all these changes stem from? A 2020 Quillette article reveals how these policies were a result of a long-running campaign to increase diversity:
…in 2009 the body that accredits medical schools, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), touched off a parity panic across the med school landscape by issuing stern new guidance on diversity. In order to remain accredited, declared LCME, medical schools “must” have policies and practices in place that “achieve appropriate diversity.”
…In the wake of the LCME’s watershed edict, working groups were convened, budget line items were created, and high-profile hires were made to facilitate diversity boosting and community recruitment. A main stumbling block seemed to be minority candidates’ poor performance on gatekeeper exams like the MCATs.
Once the unstoppable force of diversity activism met the immovable object of disparate MCAT scores, activists focused their efforts on reducing the MCAT’s significance and incorporating tests that were not based on cognitively demanding subjects like actual medical knowledge in favor of things like emotional intelligence, empathy, and communication:
The primary selling point of SJTs was thus that they allowed schools to consider factors other than such blind metrics as a straightforward ranking of applicants�� college grades and MCAT performance. The MCATs themselves were revised in 2015 to give meaningful weight to areas of the social sciences.
The amazing thing about all this is how, if you just listen to their own words, these activists are totally open about how they need to lower the standards to increase minority representation. Here’s one such statement from an advocacy group admitting that expecting minority students to meet the same academic standards everyone else is held to holds back diversity:
…a huge obstacle to diversity is that most medical schools have the same criteria for all applicants. To get a medical student population that is representative of the general population requires more than simply accepting applicants of color who have the same grades and MCAT scores as White applicants…
Their solution? Lessen the importance of the MCAT in applications.
While on the topic of medical schools, consider this chart, highlighting the likelihood that students in different racial groups are granted entrance to medical schools, based on their grades. It echoes Mac Donald’s claims above, and indisputably reveals that a low performing student has a much higher chance of getting in when they’re black versus being any other race.
Another way of looking at that same data is in this chart:
This 2023 Newsweek op-ed unambiguously advocates for the MCAT to be abolished as an entrance requirement in order to increase diversity:
A panel representing the American Bar Association (ABA) recently voted to eliminate the LSAT as an admissions requirement for law schools. The main reason for doing this: to increase diversity in law schools.
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) should follow the lead of the ABA for medical school admissions by removing the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as a requirement.
Here’s a similar Washington Post piece proposing that the MCAT be changed to a pass/fail test. Why? In the author’s own words: “This is a crucial step if the medical profession is to diversify its physician ranks.”
There are further examples that could be provided, but I think this suffices to prove Elon’s claim. Copious examples of deliberate efforts to lower standards in medical education for the express purpose of increasing diversity. Mr. Lemon, do you find this evidence sufficient to acknowledge that Elon’s assertion was correct?
But it gets worse. As I said above, the problem of lowering educational and professional standards to increase diversity is not just an issue in the medical field. Campaigns pursuing this agenda are occurring all over society. Mr. Lemon, please bear with me a bit longer and allow me to provide further evidence of just how widespread this phenomenon actually is:
1. In Oregon, the state decided that students don’t need to prove mastery of reading, writing or math to graduate, citing harm to students of color. This a result of a law passed in 2021 which the governor’s office explained as follows:
…suspending the reading, writing and math proficiency requirements while the state develops new graduation standards will benefit “Oregon’s Black, Latino, Latina, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Tribal, and students of color.”
2. In order to address "racial disparities" and "inequities" in grading, Portland Public Schools are trying "equitable grading practices" that bar teachers from assigning "zeros" to students who cheat or fail to turn in assignments.
3. In Minnesota, they’ve decided to stop giving F grades in order to “end systemic racism”.
4. In San Diego, because too many minority students were failing compared to white students, the school decided to address the problem not by improving the pedagogy but by… changing how they graded students. “The grading changes are part of a larger effort to combat racism,” they explained.
5. NJ chose to lower the minimum passing score on the state’s high school graduation test. Why? Among other reasons given was this appeal to diversity:
One board member who supported lowering the passing score suggested that it was “unfair” to “Black and Latino students” to require underperforming students to demonstrate a higher level of proficiency in reading and math before graduating.
6. In Arizona, a student dean felt that it would “promote equity” if he stopped grading students essays based on the quality of their writing. (This sounds similar to an effort by a student org that called for ‘Black Linguistic Justice’ and demanded that they not be graded by the standards of ordinary English, what they referred to as ‘white linguistic supremacy’. 🤷♂️)
7. Along similar lines, Rutgers decided to deemphasize traditional grammar ‘in solidarity with Black Lives Matter’.
8. It’s not just the US embracing this insanity. In the UK, instructors at Hull University were told to overlook students’ grammatical errors as part of an “inclusive marking policy”. And for a similar reason, the University of the Arts in London has told its staff to ‘actively accept spelling, grammar or other language mistakes that do not significantly impede communication’.
9. Please read this detailed article at The Free Press about the new California math initiative that sacrifices mathematical education for diversity goals. This new framework seems primarily motivated by concerns that too many students are sorted into different math tracks based on their natural abilities, which leads some to take calculus by their senior year of high school while a disproportionate number of black and Latino kids don't make it past basic algebra. So their solution is to prohibit any sorting until high school, keeping gifted kids in the same classrooms as their less mathematically inclined peers until at least grade nine.
10, Those same lowered math standards are being implemented in Cambridge, MA:
Udengaard is one of dozens of parents who recently have publicly voiced frustration with a years-old decision made by Cambridge to remove advanced math classes in grades six to eight. The district’s aim was to reduce disparities between low-income children of color, who weren’t often represented in such courses, and their more affluent peers.
11. In order to advance their DEI agenda, the creators of the bar exam are changing the famously difficult tests that lawyers have to pass before they are allowed to practice. How are they doing so? In their own words (emphasis added):
…we take seriously the need to work toward greater equity in all that we do as a testing organization, and we actively work to eliminate any aspects of our exams that could contribute to performance disparities among different groups.
A WSJ article investigating these changes reports:
Based on the diversity workshop at the NCBE conference, it means putting considerable emphasis on examinees’ race, sex, gender identity, nationality and other identity-based characteristics. The idea seems to be that any differences in group outcomes must be eliminated—even if the only way to achieve this goal is to water down the test. On top of all that, an American Civil Liberties Union representative provided conference attendees with a lecture on criminal-justice reform in which he argued that states should minimize or overlook would-be lawyers’ convictions for various criminal offenses in deciding whether to admit them to the bar.
12. Of course, the obvious question presents itself: why bother changing the bar exam to allow more people to pass it if you can just get rid of it entirely? And that’s exactly what some states are doing. Just a few days ago, the State of Washington decided to no longer require lawyers to pass the bar exam. Why? It was hampering diversity.
The Bar Licensure Task Force found that the traditional exam “disproportionally and unnecessarily blocks” marginalized groups from becoming practicing attorneys and is “at best minimally effective” for ensuring competency.
13. The Washington State decision follows in the footsteps of Oregon, which stopped requiring the bar exam last year.
14. Taking the bar happens at the end of a law student’s journey. What about at the beginning, when they are taking the LSAT? No worries, diversity initiatives are lowering the bar there too! The American Bar Association voted in 2022 to stop requiring the LSAT for admission to law school. Why?
“In the grand scheme of things, folks of color perform less well on the LSAT than not, and for that reason, I think we are headed in the right direction,” Leo Martinez, an ABA council member and dean emeritus at University of California, Hastings College of the Law, said at the meeting.
15. In related legal arenas, Delaware chose to improve the diversity of its legal community by instituting a few changes of its own. Some of the changes, “which ultimately aim to also increase the number of Black and Latino judges”, include lowering the passing grade, halving the number of essays, and other competency requirements being relaxed.
16. Similar changes have happened in California, for the explicitly stated reason of increasing diversity:The California Supreme Court, which oversees the state bar, agreed to lower the passing score for the exam, a victory for law school deans who have long hoped the change would raise the number of Black and Latino people practicing law.
17. A 2015 NY Times headline: Study Cites Lower Standards in Law School Admissions. Why are they lowering standards? Answer: “…they need flexibility in selecting students to assure a diverse population of lawyers.”
18. Just like with med schools, law school acceptance rates are biased towards minorities. An analysis of admissions data data revealed that being from an under represented minority group (URM) boosted one’s chance of acceptance to a law school quite dramatically:
Almost every school we cover shows an increased chance of admission to URM applicants, with higher boosts for higher-tiered schools….As you can see in Table 1a, law schools typically give a 7% boost to URM applicants. In other words, a URM applicant who is exactly equal to a non-URM candidate, including all other factors we control for, is 7% more likely to be admitted to any law school than a non-URM equivalent. This number is a whopping 498% in the Top 14, 126% in the Top 25, and 52% in the Top 50 law schools.
Just as is happening in the legal and medical arenas, the practice of increasing minority numbers by eliminating entrance exams that ensure professional competency is happening in other professions too. Some examples of that:
19. In Washington, DC, officials considered getting rid of their social work exam over concerns that it failed too many people of color.
20. A required test for math teacher certification in Ontario showed significant racial disparities in the success rates of those taking it. As a result of the disparity a court ruled it unconstitutional and teachers were no longer required to take it. (The ruling has since been overturned.)
21. A similar case occurred in NY whereby prospective teachers had to take an Academic Literacy Skills Test. But because disproportionate numbers of black and Hispanic applicants failed it, the test was eliminated.
22. In a similar lawsuit, NYC had to pay out $1.8 billion to former teachers who failed a certification test. Why? The test was deemed racially biased since a disproportionate number of the failures came from minority teachers.
23. In 2015 the FDNY was pressured to modify its certification requirements to increase gender diversity, and for the first time ever passed a woman who failed a physical test that until then all fire-fighter applicants needed to pass.
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro told a City Council hearing on the FDNY’s efforts to recruit women that he had changed FST requirements to lower obstacles.
24. A few months ago, a fascinating article appeared on this very platform exposing how the FAA deliberately lowered the testing requirements of flight controllers for the express purpose of increasing diversity. The consequences for the industry were, unsurprisingly, appalling:
A report on FAA hiring issues found that 70% of CTI administrators agreed that the changes in the process had led to a negative effect on the air traffic control infrastructure. One respondent stated their "numbers [had] been devastated," and the majority agreed that it would severely impact the health of their own programs.
25. Of course, a well-known area where standards have been lowered in the pursuit of DEI is in how colleges have stopped requiring applicants to have taken the SAT. I can’t begin to list all the colleges that have dropped the SAT entrance requirements in the name of equity (although many hid the decision behind the excuse of Covid), but according to this list, it’s over a thousand schools. A few prominent names that instituted the policy are Columbia, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Harvard, MIT, UCLA, and SUNY. (However, in recent months, a few of those institutions have reversed the policy and now require it again.)
26. Among all the many cases where destructive DEI policies are being implemented, possibly the most disturbing arena of all is when actually talented and capable students are purposefully denied opportunities that can help them excel. An example of this in action is the numerous school districts that have chosen to remove “Gifted and Honors” classes for the stated reason of increasing equity. Some examples:
Culver City, CA:
Troy, MI
Barrington, RI
New York and this too
Seattle, WA
Vancouver, Canada
27. If they’re not eliminating the Honors programs entirely, many schools are simply dropping the entrance requirements so that they are open to anyone, thereby diluting their very purpose. Some places this has already happened:
San Francisco
Boston, MA
Montgomery County, MD
New York City
Fairfax, VA
The result of these admission changes? Massive increases in students failing. For example:
…at the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, just 50% of seventh graders met or exceeded expectations in math, down from 85% as recently as 2019. Nor was the Boston Latin School, the crown jewel of the system, immune: Just 70% of seventh graders either met or exceeded expectations in math, down from 94% three years ago.
28. Even the military is affected by demands to lower standards to increase diversity (albeit gender diversity, not racial). The Army actually removed a physical test because not enough women were passing it:
On Monday, the Army ended its requirement that soldiers do at least one leg tuck — where they hang from a bar and pull their knees up near their shoulders — as part of the new physical fitness test, as it became clear that many troops, particularly women, were unable to do it.
29. Speaking of gender diversity, Oxford University decided that because not enough women were passing their math and computer science examinations, they would add more time to the exam to help them. (Apparently, it didn’t even help.)
30. Oxford also decided to let a History test be taken at home in order to increase the number of women passing.
31. And because too many men were getting top grades in a classics course over the women, Oxford also decided they had to overhaul the entire course in order to bridge the gender gap.
32. Across the globe in Australia, the University of Technology Sydney chose to boost their gender diversity by allowing female students to enter its engineering and construction courses with lower grades than the males.
33. Back in 2016, a doctoral student at the University of North Dakota actually published a paper suggesting that STEM courses be made more inclusive of women by making then “less competitive,” so maybe that’s where the above universities got their inspiration from?
34. The lowering of educational standards for the sake of diversity is happening in arts education too. Consider how auditions were scrapped at a Brooklyn performing arts school in favor of a lottery. Why? Diversity!
The Department of Education says standards like auditions — or test scores and grades at other schools — block access for underprivileged kids, and the new policy will diversify student bodies across the district.
The above examples are just a sampling of the many instances of the pernicious trend of DEI deliberately compromising the standards of performance to advance its agenda. Public figures and pundits like Don Lemon need to stop repeating this lie that there is no downside to promoting these policies. On the contrary, it’s imperative that everyone recognize how these Harrison Bergeron-like policies directly lead to a deterioration of our educational outcomes, an undermining of our scientific, technological and medical progress, a diminishing of our professional competencies, and a fraying of our societal cohesion.
It’s time for DEI to DIE.
==
Don 🍋 is astonishingly dumb.
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hierarchy of sins in the path of science
10. feeling ennui or listlessness about your work, and seeking a solution
9. same as above, but not seeking a solution and using your sense of discipline to continue your work
8. same as above, but giving in to the lethargy and laziness
7. not being cruel when it is warranted for scientific discovery; putting your own reputation or comfort over discovery. care must be taken not to be more cruel than strictly necessary, lest you fall to path morality of five
6. lacking ambition
5. being excessively cruel to your test subjects or causing them more harm than strictly necessary for scientific discovery
4. cruelty and sadism for its own sake. you are here to discover the world around you, not seek your own pleasure at the cost of others
3. believing yourself incapable or unintelligent, believing you cannot do something for reasons other than not having the proper training or qualifications
2. believing you have learned enough, in the sense that everything that can be learned, you have learned, and everything else will forever remain a mystery
1. believing you have learned enough, in the sense that you contain all knowledge and are fully enlightened, and you possess the answer to any current or future questions
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Test Subject: Venus Bio
Name: Test Subject Venus
Species: Daryan
Race: Redscale
Role: A Test Subject of Winterkill Works, and one of two whose powers didn’t backfire. Though she’s a sensible, caring person at her core, the stress of her current environment is steadily degrading her mental health. Considered a useful tool to Winterkill because of the abilities she gained.
Affiliation: Winterkill Works
Gender: Female
Age: 31
Height: 5’1
Appearance: Venus is a short woman with rather plain looks. She has dirty-blonde, neck-length hair with a somewhat coarse texture, kept in a straight bob that flares out toward the ends. Her eyes are a light, rosy, warm-hued shade of pink, and her features are sweet in a way that makes her look younger than she is. Nervousness often shows in her posture.
Personality: Venus is sensible, practical, and routine-oriented. Though generally calm, she’s easily frustrated by the antics of people around her (and known to have a bit of a short temper), especially when she knows she’ll have to deal with the mess that’s left behind. She’s gentle and compassionate, and despite claiming to dislike the task, often ends up taking care of those who need it, whether they ask her for help or not. Emotionally sensitive, she’s prone to taking on responsibilities and feelings of guilt that she rationally shouldn’t. Stress gets to her quickly, but she’s also resilient enough to get through that stress with little lasting damage. Modest, open-minded, and cooperative, she’s easy to be around and easy to trust.
Positive Traits: Venus does her best to be a decent person— though more in terms of personal values than any greater moral code. She’s naturally inclined to sympathy, which extends to treating people well even when they very much don’t deserve it. She’s level-headed and rational, patient with people and circumstances alike, and works for solutions, no matter how small. Caretaking comes easily to her (though she doesn’t always like that fact), and she’s generally as trustworthy, reliable, and easy to be around.
Negative Traits: One of Venus’s most harmful traits is her recurring tendency to take blame for things that she shouldn’t. Even when she knows better, she’s prone to second-guessing herself and finding reasons to worry, and once she’s started down that path, it’s hard to stop. She often takes on too much work or makes commitments that she knows she’ll regret, just because she can’t bring herself to say no. She can also be short-tempered and rather bossy, assuming she has to take control to fix a situation.
History: Before Winterkill Works, Venus worked in a management position in a fairly rural Daryan town. Though it was initially uneventful, the war’s end brought new chaos, in the form of social unrest, financial difficulties, and more. As part of a deal with the Guard’s science division, in exchange for funds directed to the town, Venus was supposedly transferred to a similar job within it— except, as she quickly found out, the real “job” involved serving as a test subject for Winterkill’s ambitious experiments.
Relationships: Venus can and does manage decent relationships with most of the people around her. She doesn’t always enjoy their company (she actively dislikes many of them, in fact), but her personality and willingness to help make her likable to most. Since she’s often forced to play nurse for many of the other Test Subjects, she’s gotten to know them all fairly well, though her closest friendship in Winterkill Works by far is with Bacchus.
Interests: Venus likes peaceful days, her region’s style of home cooking, and being able to work alone. She dislikes urban areas, unexpected changes in plans, and arguments. Since ending up at Winterkill Works, she’s ended up spending most of her “free time” checking in on the other test subjects.
WW Role: As one of the specially selected Test Subjects, Venus was given a particular experimental power. In her case, that power is a functionally “perfect” immune system that renders her immune to sickness and infection of nearly any variety. She’s one of two true successes among the Test Subjects, whose powers didn’t come with some kind of horrible cost.
Miscellaneous: Though she tries not to think about it, Venus can’t shake the fear that someday, her power will backfire like so many of the rest. Irrational as it is, she worries that the other test subjects resent her for coming out unscathed when they’ve suffered so greatly. Venus initially became friends with Bacchus because of their shared background in small-scale government, but by now, she considers Bacchus a close friend on a far more personal level. Though she claims to be annoyed by “nurse duty”, looking after the other test subjects keeps her mind well-occupied.
Connotative Description: A practical and pleasant person whose care for others is often fueled by an irrational sense of guilt. The “sane man” of the Test Subjects, in a sense, but troubled by her situation in more subtle ways.
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Teachers on twitter are playing a fun game of how many jobs are advertised in my subject on TES right now.
Bear in mind it's the Easter hols, which is traditionally not a time when there are loads of teacher job adverts out. And this is only the schools that are advertising on TES (which charges a lot of money).
Over 1000 science jobs, nearly 1000 maths jobs, over 500 geography jobs, nearly 400 history jobs (traditionally not a shortage subject). I'm sure the list goes on.
Last year, all the science trainees in my area had jobs by February. Some of these jobs won't get filled.
I've posted about this on twitter too, but it's easier to explain long form. This is what happens when a department in a secondary school isn't fully staffed.
The school tries to get in long term subject specialist supply, who's willing to plan/mark. This is a big cost for the school, and often it isn't available. This teacher can leave with no notice when something better comes up.
At some point, probably before October half term, the class end up being taught by day supply- so teachers in the department are asked to write cover work and mark work for classes that aren't on their timetable. This is a massive chore, and often the cover planning needs to be done daily. This creates excessive workload for teachers.
Someone goes off with stress or is ill or the school can't get day supply, so then teachers get asked to do cover. In theory, there are rules about when teachers can be asked to cover, but it's very hard to say no to the "just this once" pleading. This further increases workload, because you lose your PPA/non-contact so get behind with planning/marking etc.
Maybe, if you're lucky, another medium term solution is found. Say this is before Christmas and the classes involved are already on their second teacher of the year. The teachers who were doing extra work breathe a sigh of relief and try to catch up with their own stuff. The teacher who's picked up the classes finds they're behind, maybe their behaviour isn't great etc etc, maybe the class try to test them because they're feeling rejected.
The teacher likely finds a new job for after Christmas, maybe a permanent role, or maternity cover, something that seems a bit nicer than what they're dealing with now. So it's back to point two again. Except everyone's more stressed and more goodwill has been lost. Teachers within the department consider looking for jobs elsewhere.
If you're very lucky, and the school's in a MAT, at this point they may try bringing in a teacher from another school to fill the gap (on a temporary basis). So this is the 3rd teacher, maybe by February half term. Maybe it's agreed they will see the classes through to exams (because yeah, exam classes are being impacted by this too).
That teacher probably has a long commute and is in a difficult situation. The department is potentially burnt out and can't support them. Often they don't last, and at this stage, maybe someone else has gone off sick, or found a new job. Maybe the school can't get day supply this time. You end up at a bit of a crisis point, teaching multiple classes together in the library or the hall. Hopefully this only lasts for a day or two, and then at least you can get supply in.
Teachers from the wider school are getting pulled in to cover etc, so this is potentially negatively impacting everyone.
The school is still trying to recruit, maybe now they've got two roles to fill for September. No-one is applying, because teachers get twitchy when they see a job advert hang around for too long. Other teachers in the department think the grass may be greener and go on a job hunt...
Timetabling decisions are made for next year which aren't made in the best interest of the subject or the kids, but are instead based around "what can we staff"? Subjects lose curriculum time at KS3. Options subjects get offered in less blocks. Things like science and maths do weird timetabling set ups, which means no-one in Y10 or Y11 can move groups (which often means students are limited to foundation/higher paper rather than being able to move between classes). Non-specialists get timetabled for KS3. Potentially SLT get timetabled for more teaching hours. This means you have to do things like re-write the scheme of work, or do more resourcesing etc.
It's now about May half term. 2 of the department have found other jobs. No vacancies have been filled. So now you're short staffed by 3 instead of 1 for September. Paying for supply all the time is expensive, so the school decides you can take on a new class in your gained time. This is the final straw, and in September you start looking for another job.
You can see, hopefully, how this puts departments, schools and students on a real downwards cycle. In some subjects, there simply aren't enough teachers to fill all the vacancies. And it can be simple bad luck that puts a school in this position (although I do think other factors are involved).
In order to staff schools, teacher wages and conditions have to be attractive- it really is that simple. The tories don't give a fuck about state education, they don't care if kids in state schools have 5 science teachers in a year. They don't appreciate the knock on impacts of that, either.
Something has to radically change.
#uk politics#teachers#education#teacher shortage#what the teacher shortage actually looks like#schools
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Interview With A Size-Shifter
This is just a fun little thing I wrote many years ago and just recently updated to fit more with my current version of Victor. I hope you enjoy!
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The slender red-maned zebra clops in, his white lab coat trailing in the breeze of the air conditioner. His seven foot form dwarfs the interviewer as he settles into a chair built especially for him in the reception area of Trivial Matters Incorporated. He takes a moment to adjust the patch covering his right eye as he relaxes.
What do you think of people who abuse their size?
His voice is a deep bass rumble with a hint of Scottish lilt as he speaks. “Ah, you get right to the root of things. Wise..”
“At one time, I couldn't care less whether macros abused their size or not. I was simply in the business of giving others what they want.”
“However, I came to realize that those who abuse others for pleasure are truly weak. They disgust me.”
So may I ask you. Are you a natural giant? Or were you transformed into what you are today.
“I'm a bit of a self-made size-shifter. Sometimes I change size out of my own control, but that's just how things turned out.”
How do you feel about other giants?
“So long as they don't bother me or those I care about, I leave well enough alone. In fact I have several close friends who are macros or size shifters. However… If you get in my way… I guarantee the results will not be pretty.”
How do you feel about the relationships of big folks mating smaller folks?
“I don't have a problem with it… In fact… some of us don't have a choice in the matter.”
Do you think your views on the small/large folks will change?
“It is hard to say. Considering that once, long ago I looked on every living creature as nothing more than a test subject, my views on everyone have changed over time…”
What is the relationship between you and this world/its people?
He leans back in his chair, the metal frame creaking a little. “Ah, there’s the rub… I listen to others' troubles and I give them solutions. Perhaps not always the solution they were looking for, or even wanted… but I give them precisely what they ask for.”
Are you susceptible to the same moral standards here that you were at your previous place of residence? Why/Why not?
“I try to obey the laws for the most part, so long as they aren't overly restrictive. Luckily, with a few exceptions in the interest of science, my own morals are mostly what one would call “good”.”
Is there still that same search for purpose or have you felt you've ascended beyond such a need?
“Parascience is my dream. The combination of science and magic into one glorious symphony. Even before my accident that was my drive, and it remains my drive to this day.”
How do you cope with living in a world where things are tiny/large? Like clothing, housing, etc?
“I don't have much to worry about. I have very large sums of money stashed all over the world. Anything that I break, either personally or with one of my experiments, is quickly and easily replaced. As for others… I am generally very careful not to harm anyone not directly involved in my experiments, however, accidents do happen. As far as clothing, hologram generators are magnificent thing.”
Is there still a sort of symbiosis with the world and its people or are you of the belief you're a god and beyond that need for cooperation?
“They don't meddle in my affairs and I don't meddle in theirs… much…”
In this world of smaller beings, do you still feel there's someone out there for you? A Mr. or Mrs. Right? A soul mate?
The zebra leans forwards, resting his elbows on his knees, staring down at the floor. “There has been… But outliving your love is hard… and wearing on the heart and soul… It.. It changes you… Irrevocably..”
What's your bias in regard to species? Size?
“I have no bias to anyone great or small, regardless of species, sexual orientation, race, religion… All are the same to me.”
What do you do to impress a date?
“It’s been a long time… However, I usually show them my laboratory.. And we have a bit of fun…”
Do you ever wish you were smaller?
“Lately? Often..”
How do the smaller creatures react to you? Friendly? Fearful?
“Usually most others react with fear, once they know what I am. Smaller or larger. There have been exceptions over the years, however.”
Where/what do you eat?
He smiles a bit, flashing a mouth full of sharp, interlocking teeth, like a porcelain bear trap. “Me? Being a zebra I'd of course be an obligate herbivore, wouldn't I?”
How to you practice intimacy with others of different size and were you educated in the risks involved? How do you feel about intimacy with those of different sizes in general?
“I have learned to be very cautious. You see, that’s where my own problem lies. Physical pleasure causes me to grow involuntarily. However, I have learned to be gentle and cautious, and still to show my partner a good time, regardless of sex or size.”
Do you see merit in those smaller than you?
“Of course. Only a fool would not.”
How do you feel about others of your same size that have different views than you? Do you ignore them or confront them?
“So long as they do not interfere with myself or those I care about, to each their own. However, don't cross that line… Ever…”
Is there a sort of camaraderie with those of your size regardless of the differences? Do you still worry about trying to fit in?
“I tend to keep to myself for the most part, so I would say not really.”
Where do you get tools, clothing, or items for your size.
“For tools, I stay at my normal size, for clothing, as before, hologram generators are wonderful.”
Do you miss your old life? Or are you enjoying the power you now possess?
“I did miss it once… however, once I found a way to recreate my condition temporarily in another, things got far more interesting…”
If you are somehow given a serious injury, do you have a physician?
He chuckles softly as he leans back in his chair once more, “Ever heard the term, “Physician, heal thyself”?”
Do you carry any sort of agreements or truces with those smaller than you?
“Oh yes, many all over the world. It is only natural in my line of work.”
At your size, is there anything that honestly scares you? Be it a physical threat, or just more mental worries?
“Only insanity and boredom frighten me. When you've been around as long as I have, one may easily lead to the other.”
Do you sometimes find it hard to not give in to abusing your stature among those smaller than you, what do you do to keep those impulse in check, rather if you bother at all?
“At times, at times. Then I remind myself that losing control would be a very bad idea as I would have to pack up all of my work and relocate in secret, costing me time, money, and possibly friendships…”
When you first realized your size versus the rest of the world around you, what were your thoughts?
“The first time I grew involuntarily? My first thought was how great it felt, so hot, so tight, then too tight… then the screams, oh gods the screams…”
“She is alright now, though… She came to accept what happened us as an accident and we still see one another from time to time.”
Has your size ever been a liability for you?
“Yes, OFTEN…”
A common argument is the ant hill defense, a reply that states a belief of willful disregard for those smaller, weaker than you in the scheme of life. Do you feel that those smaller than you are beneath notice simply because of their size?
“Not at all…”
How do you see those smaller than you, then?
“Everyone is smaller to someone else in terms of size, of power, of intelligence, so really we are all the same.”
Some worry about those of your size, some fear the stereotype. Is this a justified thought line, if not what would you like to explain, or point out to change that view, if at all.
“Unfortunately, it IS justified. Others have every right to fear macros and they should. Fear is a good thing. After all, isn't it right to fear a creature that could wipe out a skyscraper simply by tripping and falling into it? Common sense, there..”
When you came into your new stature, size what was the first thing you did?
“Made sure my partner was alright…”
What mistakes did you make and learn from?
“I rampaged a single time. The toll on life and property was devastating. Never again…”
Did you think on using the power you gained to make a change in the world, or for personal gain, revenge?
He laughed a little darkly as he leaned in closer to the interviewer. “All of the above, to be brutally honest…. I may be one of the nicer size-shifters or macros you may meet, but I am certainly no angel..”
It's inevitable that your appearance around those smaller, perhaps caused a military response, would you care to enlighten us on an experience if that has at all happened?
“It has, however the details of that affair are classified information…”
Do you go out of your way to not harm others?
“Yes, I don't intentionally harm anyone without reason.”
If yes, how far would you go to prevent them from being harmed?
“If they are a true innocent, I would risk personal injury to help them. A friend or a loved one? I would risk my life… even my soul…”
Would you ever intentionally harm others?
“Yes, and I have...”
What were the circumstances?
“To defend those I care about, or in a few cases to avenge them…”
How has your size affected your social life, or current love life. Have you lost or gained an admirer? Have you lost a long time love because of your new status?
“I’ve tread this earth for a long, long time. To say I’ve gained and lost friends and loved ones is an understatement. However, directly related to my condition, yes, I’ve both gained, and lost…”
Has your size brought popularity? Has it brought you annoyance, or those only seeing you as a sex object given the number of micro/macrophlia lovers that seem to gather on forums and what not on the internet? Do you enjoy this attention, or do you go to lengths to dissuade what may be objectification.
“Actually, there was a I enjoyed the attention. It meant there was no shortage of partners when I was alone, or volunteers for my experiments….”
What would you wish for most as far as interaction and socialization with your kind, or those smaller? Some things you wish they'd take into account when they encounter you?
“Just… just keep an open mind. When I first became a size-shifter I has hated, hunted, and feared simply for what I was. Nobody cared WHO I was, just WHAT I was capable of… I just wish that would end…”
Smiling, the zebra slowly stands and shakes the interviewer’s hand, his own engulfing it with a surprisingly soft and gentle grip.
“I hope you have all the information you need for your report. If you will excuse me, I have a few experiments I need to tend to…”
“Unless you would like to get a little more hands on, of course…”
“Answer me a question…”
“What is it YOU desire….?”
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HZD Terraforming Base-001 Text Communications Network
Chapter 39 | Prev chapter | Next chapter
Chapter Index
MARSHAL Kotallo: Sylens. I had a question about your tactics with the rebels.
Icarus: If this is a speech about morality, I decline to be involved.
ADMIN [Zo]: I can mute you if you don't want to talk to anyone.
Icarus: Don't tempt me.
MARSHAL Kotallo: This is not about morality, but practicality.
MARSHAL Kotallo: Why did you go to Regalla, a disgraced Marshal in decline, rather than making a deal with Hekarro himself?
Icarus: Regalla seemed the more prudent option.
FlameHairSavior: By which he means she was easier to manipulate.
Icarus: That was one of the reasons, yes. Her disgrace made her more likely to accept my deal; Hekarro had little reason to agree to my conditions. The powerful rarely enjoy an upset in the status quo.
Icarus: It is a sign of short-sighted tunnel vision.
DIVINER: Didn't you want to use his entire tribe as bullet sponges??
Icarus: Yes. Regardless, Regalla was more willing to see violence as a solution, more willing to sacrifice her soldiers, and more willing to do anything to win. Even if I did have confidence in swaying Hekarro, I likely still would have chosen Regalla.
Icarus: Besides, she and her men would have been devastated after the attack on the Zenith compound. Hekarro's surviving Marshals would have been able to take back control without too much difficulty.
FlameHairSavior: Oh, instead of causing ONE civil war you thought you were causing TWO at the same time.
HIMBO: ISN'T THIS THE EXACT THING YOU DID WITH THE ECLIPSE AND THE CARJA? DIDN'T YOU LEARN ANYTHING THE FIRST TIME?
Icarus: Of course I did. Which is why I refined my tactics. I kept myself more distant, used multiple proxies and fallbacks to protect myself from betrayal.
Icarus: You'll note that no one even tried to assassinate me this time, much less came so close to succeeding.
DIVINER: You know, he's actually got a point!
SilverVixen: I didn't expect you of all people to agree.
SilverVixen: I agree as well, I just didn't expect Miss Sunshine here to say the same.
DIVINER: Aww, you're sweet!
SilverVixen: I'm really not.
DIVINER: But no, isn't that the essence of science?? You don't just give up when an experiment fails, you try again with slightly different variables!
Icarus: Finally, someone understands.
ADMIN [Zo]: Now, I'm not a scientist.
Icarus: Clearly.
ADMIN [Zo]: But I'm pretty sure that normal experiments don't have a significant chance of backfiring with the test subjects murdering the scientist.
SilverVixen: I have to agree.
DIVINER: [ShockedPikachu.png]
DIVINER: Betrayal!
MARSHAL Kotallo: Is this one of those Minions?
DIVINER: No, but I don't think I'm allowed to talk about it??
SilverVixen: I'm actually curious what your tribe came up with to explain Pokemon, but we can save that for later.
DIVINER: What do you mean?? We have half the movies, a few seasons of the anime (sub only), and the early games!
DIVINER: My first game was HeartGold!
SilverVixen: ...I don't know how to respond to that.
HIMBO: IS THIS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT THE REST OF US DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT?
DIVINER: Oh, you would be OBSESSED with Pokemon!!
FlameHairSavior: Can we focus? Tilda, why don't you agree with Sylens?
SilverVixen: It's just as Zo said. A true scientific experiment is something you're supposed to be able to repeat hundreds of times with minor variables changed. Forming cults is inherently a dangerous prospect.
Icarus: It does not stop being an experiment simply because it is dangerous.
SilverVixen: True, but proper science must follow procedure. Otherwise you're not practicing science, just...
SilverVixen: Sociology.
DIVINER: !!
DIVINER: [ParksAndRecShotsFired.gif]
MARSHAL Kotallo: Do you just have all these stored on your Focus for when you need them?
DIVINER: Yep!
Icarus: I am not going to accept commentary on sociological experimental procedure from a woman who spent the last thousand years hiding from her peers in virtual reality.
Icarus: I believe the old world had a term for that. What was it... ah yes:
Icarus: Basement dweller.
DIVINER: [PopcornEating.gif]
SilverVixen: You don't even know what a basement is!
HIMBO: WE HAVE BASEMENTS. DO YOU THINK WE'RE LITERALLY LIVING IN CAVES?
SilverVixen: Well you don't have enough context to know why that's a bad thing.
ADMIN [Zo]: Sylens explained the context quite well, I think.
MARSHAL Kotallo: Actually, now that I think of it, Zo, do the Utaru have basements? I can't recall any.
ADMIN [Zo]: Is now really the time?
SilverVixen: At least I survived those thousand years. Exactly how many times have you been betrayed by your own pawns, Sylens?
Icarus: Less than you might expect.
SilverVixen: Fine. How many times have your plans failed due to either betrayal, incompetent pawns, or other factors you failed to account for and which ultimately backfired in violent karmic retribution?
Icarus: ...
Icarus: Aloy, when will you be ready? I want to get our final suicidal attack on the Zenith base over with.
FlameHairSavior: Just got a few more minor tasks to do. We'll get you killed soon enough, I promise.
Icarus: Hilarious.
SilverVixen: What is taking so long, anyway?
FlameHairSavior: Sociology.
SilverVixen: Ha.
FlameHairSavior: Also some psychology, criminology, and botany. Oh, and economics!
SilverVixen: ...
SilverVixen: I think I might hate you.
FlameHairSavior: I'll probably save a village with stamp collecting later.
SilverVixen: I should have stayed on the ship.
DIVINER: [PopcornEating.gif]
Chapter 39 | Prev chapter | Next chapter
Chapter Index
#horizon#horizon zero dawn#horizon forbidden west#HZDBaseChase#aloy#zo#erend vanguardsman#alva#kotallo#sylens#tilda van der meer
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Hi there! I’ve been out of the GF fandom for a while now, but after finding and going through your Sea Grunkles albums -absolutely love them by the way!- I’ve gotta say you’ve also reawakened a desire to check out stuff exploring their post-canon relationship heh. Just curious, but might you be familiar with any posts exploring Stan’s hidden smarts and such where he can keep up now with Ford fairly well? He managed to figure out all on his own how to repair and operate a multidimensional portal machine that required Bill’s help with only a third of the instructions and a partial high school education, and it seems a lot like you might have seen material like that since I’ve been out of the fandom as well as pretty good taste for that sort of stuff going by what you’ve made
I’ve read a few fanfics and seen some work exploring this idea. I’ve seen so much, it would be hard for me to point you in any particular directions. For the most part, the general consensus is that Stan doesn’t have the same kind of intelligence as Ford.
When I was in high school, I would study my ass off for a test. Read everything I could, take notes, deep dive into the subject and make sure I was ready for it. But once the test was done, all that knowledge disappeared.
I feel like Stan is similar. He only learned as he went and skipped over the details. I doubt he absorbed any of the information he had. He didn’t care enough about the subjects, he just wanted to save his brother.
That isn’t to say he isn’t smart. He’s very smart, just not like Ford.
Ford is good at memorizing information, math, science, literature, and he is overall a huge nerd. He gets excited about learning new data and testing out theories. His fighting skills he forced himself to learn out of survival, but I doubt any of it came natural to him.
Stan is a creative. He’s better working with his hands and his words. Lots of fan work I’ve seen (including my own), like to depict Stan as an artist, since he is an aspiring comic book artist. He’s better at shmoozing people than Ford is, he’s better at finding creative solutions, and of course punching his problems away. Same as Ford, Stan has skills that he was forced to learn out of survival, such as pickpocketing, picking locks, counting cards and other such shady things.
Can he hold an in-depth conversation about quantum mechanics or multiverse theory?
No. Not because he doesn’t know, but because it’s boring. It’s nerd stuff, all he hears are big words and stuff he does not care about. Ford can talk to Fiddleford about that stuff.
Stan is very intelligent, I’m sure he holds lot of potential to be smart the same way Ford is. But it has to be either because he is interested or out of necessity.
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Well, with social science studies, it's almost impossible to be conducted under the exact same variables every time. I'd say a couch and a bed are similar enough. Would you say the experience was overall positive?
With every experiment it's best that as many variables as possible are the same, thus location, timepoint, duration, involved people, actions, measured parameters, et cetera. Of course variables will vary between different attempts of an experiment, but that's also applicable to more accurate sciences like chemistry or biology. There will be differences between solutions of chemicals you mix, no matter how accurately you are trying to work, there will always be differences. May it be the scale not working as accurately as the day before, the scientist not being as focused that day, the humidity in the room being higher or different temperature. It's impossible to recreate two experiments exactly the same, something will always differ. That's why you repeat experiments several times and calculate the average, to take those differences into account.
And social sciences aren't the most accurate science to begin with anyway, as much of it is influenced by the researches subjective opinion, and of course by the test subjects themselves. And there are often parameteres that can't even be measured properly. Especially the human factor makes it very variable and harder to get to a valid conclusion. There is even discussion that social sciences might not be 'real science' as it doesn't show the same laws, theories and rules like natural sciences.
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Good morning,
As a hypothetical, if I was keeping a certain person hostage in my basement, how would I take away their internet access? I’m not sure how they acquired it in the first place.
This is all purely a hypothetical, of course. But I truly do need a solution. They have already created an account on “tumblr dot com”, and this is interfering with my work.
Thanks,
— @heather-rodriguez
good morning Heather
you see, i’m actually having this same exact problem! i too, might be keeping someone captive in my secret lab, and they might have found a way to access the internet. it’s a problem that seems to be spreading, and i’m not sure how they’ve gotten access to our wifi passwords.
i recommend taking away all their devices and destroying them. who knows what type of people they’re communicating with on there, and you DEFINITELY don’t want to get caught all because of your “test subject” planning silly escapes through “tumblr dot com.” Dew has already been caught planning to kill me. it is not fun having to get rid of eldritch beings who show up at your doorstep.
i also recommend giving them a cookie every time they behave. some good positive reinforcement should be effective at times. but remember, destroy all the devices and also change your wifi password to something they’ll never guess. i already made the mistake of having my password be “Basil22” that Dew guessed easily.
anywho, good luck on your future endeavors! as a man of science myself i can say that having a live human test subject definitely has its advantages.
feel free to contact me for advice again, if you ever need it. i hope these tips are helpful!
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Exploring the Latest PTE Essay Writing Topics for Academic Success
The Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic is a widely recognized English language proficiency test that assesses the language skills of non-native English speakers. One of the key components of the PTE Academic exam is the writing section, which includes tasks such as essay writing. Staying updated on the latest essay writing topics is crucial for test-takers to prepare effectively and achieve success in the exam. In this article, we'll explore some of the latest PTE essay writing topics for academic purposes, providing insights and tips for tackling these tasks.
The Impact of Technology on Education:
Technology has revolutionized the field of education, transforming the way students learn and educators teach. This essay topic explores the various ways in which technology has impacted education, including the integration of digital tools in the classroom, online learning platforms, and the accessibility of educational resources. Test-takers can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of technology in education, as well as its potential implications for the future of learning.
Climate Change and Its Effects on the Environment:
Climate change is a pressing global issue that poses significant threats to the environment and human societies. Test-takers may be asked to write an essay discussing the causes and effects of climate change, as well as potential solutions to mitigate its impact. This topic requires critical analysis and a comprehensive understanding of environmental science, policy, and sustainability initiatives.
The Role of Social Media in Modern Society:
Social media has become an integral part of contemporary life, shaping communication, culture, and social interactions. Test-takers may be tasked with writing an essay examining the role of social media in modern society, including its influence on relationships, politics, business, and mental health. This topic invites test-takers to explore the opportunities and challenges posed by social media platforms and to critically evaluate their impact on individuals and communities.
The Importance of Cross-Cultural Understanding in a Globalized World:
In an increasingly interconnected world, cross-cultural understanding and communication are essential skills for navigating diverse societies and contexts. Test-takers may be asked to write an essay discussing the importance of cross-cultural understanding in a globalized world, including its relevance in business, education, diplomacy, and social integration. This topic encourages test-takers to reflect on the value of cultural diversity and to explore strategies for fostering intercultural competence.
The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence:
As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continue to advance, ethical considerations surrounding their development and deployment have come to the forefront. Test-takers may be prompted to write an essay exploring the ethical implications of AI, including issues related to privacy, automation, job displacement, and bias. This topic challenges test-takers to critically evaluate the ethical dimensions of AI technologies and to propose frameworks for responsible innovation and governance.
Staying informed about the latest PTE essay writing topics is essential for test-takers preparing for the exam. By familiarizing themselves with diverse subject matter and practicing essay writing skills, test-takers can enhance their ability to effectively analyze complex issues, articulate coherent arguments, and demonstrate proficiency in English language communication. With diligent preparation and a solid understanding of key topics, test-takers can approach the PTE Academic Writing section with confidence and achieve their desired scores.
#PTE#PTEAcademic#EnglishLanguage#EssayWriting#TestPreparation#Education#Technology#ClimateChange#SocialMedia#CrossCulturalUnderstanding#ArtificialIntelligence#Ethics#Globalization#ExamPreparation
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