#aero opinion time
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Bowyer headcanons please?
Of course, I like doing headcanons ! And Bowyer is in my opinion the most fun one to characterize in the Smithy gang, so here are some of them !
Bowyer :
- He's almost never truly alone, being always followed by his Aeros. But when he is, he doesn’t mind it that much but the problem is that…he has no idea what to do on his own. So he then goes to find some company since he's bored.
- He hogs all of the targets on the training ground and manages to use them all at the same time, which is unfortunate for the Axem rangers who also use these targets. It doesn’t help that Bowyer usually wakes up early in the morning to begin his training.
- If he finds an unknown object, he will absolutely try to use it as ammunition or as a target. But if it doesn’t work the way he wants, his curiosity dies out and he'll just ignore it. (This one is based on his French dialogue where his first reaction to the green star is to use it as a target !)
- As someone who tried archery you cannot tell me that Bowyer isn’t the strongest one physically, at least arm wise. If he wanted to he could lift a couch with people still on it easily with one arm, which just brings more chaos in the factory if he's looking for something he lost.
There you go, hope you like them !
#smrpg#super mario rpg#smithy gang#bowyer smrpg#bowyer#ask#thank you for the ask !#also did you know that in French Bowyer and Aero have the same naming convention ?#Bowyer's name is Chtarbarc from chtarbé (bonkers) and arc (bow)#and Aero's name is Fêlèche from fêlé (nutcase) and flèche (arrow) !#listen I just want to share some French facts since I played that game in French x)#anyway hope you like the headcanons !
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hi hazel!
i know this is probably annoying to ask so extremely sorry about this in advance but i’ve been seeing this debate on twitter and it’s so conflicting and I can’t pretend to know enough to understand what people mean by it.
max and christian horner had their opinions that came out about the 2026 engine regulations (as did Damon Hill, Karun and Alex Brundle) and i know they weren’t the most positive. I’ve seen BrrrakeF1’s opinion of it isn’t great either. but i’ve also seen some tweets from others that the regs aren’t bad. (i haven’t really seen any other team mention anything about the 2026 regs except redbull and maybe toto said something)
so are they bad? or good? i know it’s not as simple as that, of course but there seems to be a bit of a fight brewing around this now which i wasn’t actually aware of before.
I think the main problem is that 2026 is effectively tomorrow, in terms of developing a completely new power unit concept and that some ambiguities and potential changes are still in the works.
(this got long)
(also this is not an annoying ask anon! I actually know about power units haha - it's the wag stuff I don't know anything about)
2026 moves to 50-50 internal combustion and electrical power to the drivetrain. That is a big shift from the current hybrid systems, which are somewhere around 8-11% electric power. That's not an exact number; the overall output of an ICE and of course the hybrid system is both down to how efficiently it's running and any constraints on its performance (needing to run the ICE lower for reliability etc) as well as a regulatory maximum of 120kW contribution from the motor.
But it's somewhere, ideally, around there. At most tracks, obviously some of them like Monaco there's less call for maximum power output but you get the idea, it's going to be a big shift.
There are lots of other changes, in how that number is got to; MGU-H is going, which is a pretty uncontested idea. MGU-H is (basically, I'm oversimplifying but) a turbine that runs off exhaust gases and given that, of course only applies to hot-running petrol/diesel combustion engines.*
That's not a technology that's either practical for road cars or the direction that OEMs are taking development in, as well as being expensive and complicated. It was repeatedly cited by manufacturers as a reason not to come back or join F1, so removing it was a done deal.
MGU-K is a non-negotiable part of a hybrid system, it's the part of the powertrain that recovers energy from braking but is also the motor, like in an electric car. Nothing goes to the drivetrain from the electric parts without MGU-K, so that was of course staying and the increased importance of it comes with the development of motors for EVs. Especially recovery systems from braking and lift/coast for range extension.
With that, you need a battery and an inverter and a control system, etc. The scale-up of that to be a larger percentage of the overall power does add weight to the overall power unit and there isn't a way around that, although cars will also be lighter (at race start) due to lower fuel loads.
(worth saying that F1 is currently heavier, at full fuel load, than Formula E; trying to have both is in some ways the worst option)
None of that is really bad or good or what's being argued over, which is a second set of regulations around active aero. In order to compensate for the cars being heavier, in theory at least, the bodywork will actively shift to reduce drag on straights. Like DRS but in a more complex, whole-car way.
"Wait, that sounds insane and also like it would need lots of additional wiring and movement systems to engineer" yea.
I personally think it's a driver aide, if it's not entirely controlled by the driver and also that it's unnecessary. The 919 LMP1-H ran at close to 50% electric energy a lot of the time and it only had a few different aero configurations for the year, let alone a lap.
The active bodywork will need to work closely with the PU, which of course is always the case with a car's bodywork; airflow and cooling the power unit (or even just a pure combustion engine, which of course literally needs to breathe) are essential parts of making a car efficient. But this is more than packaging, it's that parts of the chassis will need to respond to the same ECU as the power unit.
And none of that is really clarified yet. Which given the development lead times is a huge problem. So: it's not that the regulations are good or bad yet, per se it's that they are not yet settled.
*Differentiating between hot and cold running because race cars obviously run like blast furnaces compared to a road car, even if you compared two V6s. But also because if you were to apply MGU-H to, for instance, a hydrogen combustion engine, then it would be very inefficient and not generate anything because of the different exhaust outputs.
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Dear Skit,
I'm currently playing AdMech in a Crusade at my FLGS and I wanted to ask some advice.
(Two losses and one win so far, but I'm managing to pull out in time before anything gains a battle scar. Plus I reclaimed some relics[bits] from some Orks!)
Currently my army has three female characters, two male, and two gender-unspecified. Is that a good enough ratio? I'm worried that there's too much gender in my metal.
Also after doing that transkit, I wanna do more pride flag rad-troops - already got bi-skit and rainbow penciled in, assuming I can get the paints to look right, any suggestions for more?
Thank you for hearing me out,
A humble servant of the Machine God
Dearest Kannaar,
I'm sorry about the late reply. I had a busy day yesterday that's carried over into today, so I haven't had a chance to check tumblr until now.
Congrats on the win! Way to bring in a W for the mechanicus! I hope you had a great rest of the night!
To weigh in on your first bit: My headcannon (and a couple others on here I think) is that Admech is inherently a very androgynous/gender lackadaisical faction. Its restrictions on members are likely less gender restrictive than the empire's, and its proclivity for modification of the body, either biologically or mechanically, tends to leave the concepts of gender all over the place.
So, as far as gender distribution ratio goes, yeah, you're certainly on the right track👍So long as there's a nice variety and it doesn't feel too heavily weighted in either direction, I think that fits a nice ratio, at least in my personal opinion.
Second, getting a bi-flag skit would be epic, I would love to see it when you finish it! As far as recommendations go, I'd say getting some Ace and Aero flag ones would be cool as well. I'm sure they'd appreciate some appreciation, too :)
Jerry, representative of the Skitarii Union, and also humble servant of the Machine God
#ask-itarii#skitposting#admech#skitarii#warhammer 40k#adeptus mechanicus#warhammer#warhammer 40000#40k
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vro0m's rewatch - 171/332
2016 Russian GP
Okay. Round 4. Let's see if Lewis can turn the tide. Aha and this time I have access to the pre quali build up as well. Ferrari is facing reliability issues. Seb will have a grid penalty for a gearbox change and now they're struggling with Raikkonen's car as well.
Another big story of the weekend is Daniel trying a halo type thing prototype on his car. It's a cockpit basically. It's not entirely covered, like you can get in the car from above like with the halo, but instead of the y-shape of the current halo, the half circle is covered in some kind of windshield. It seems dangerous to put any type of material on that that could shatter and cut the driver. Paul di Resta has some stupid opinion on it like most commentators do at this point, saying things like "most drivers think we should keep it open and be able to see the helmet, that identity" which is. Fucking ridiculous. Apparently though, RBR is pushing for it mostly because they think if they start developing it now it might give them a headstart as far as aero goes compared to Merc which is. On brand. Brundle is saying "shouldn't F1 be risky?" which is insane. He thinks we start with the halo and we end with "driverless cars" to take all the risk away. I'm banging my head on the walls from the stupidity, that's more than I can handle for real. Horner is defending the thing. He says from a purist POV he agrees, but the FIA is pursuing it and their concept is a more "elegant" solution than a "flip-flop style halo" that was tested earlier in the year. I have no idea what he's referring to there. He also says of course a purist wants to keep it open but there's been too many incidents over the years where something like this could have saved someone's life to ignore it.
Massa organised a race in tiny kart cars between Daniel and his own son around his terrace I believe? It's funny af.
Unfortunately, during quali, Lewis has the same engine failure that he got in China and can't take part in Q3, leaving him 10th on the grid. Of course, Nico is on pole.
Lewis is unsurprisingly unhappy about it. He's over being interviewed. In his usual attitude he's looking around, giving short answers, ready to go. He's gonna need a new PU and that means another penalty as well. The journalist says the season is really testing him in terms of making him work hard. "Definitely," he answers with a curt smile.
She asks how he copes with it because he seems to be taking it very well, very chill. (I completely disagree with that.) He takes off his glasses, lightly wipes his eye, makes a hand gesture as he's shifting weight on his feet, shakes his head and smirks. "There's nothing I can do," he says.
He's so frustrated. She says he's still in the fight for the championship and he's not gonna give up. "I never give up, so…" he says, defiantly. That's all.
I don't understand why but in the end he didn't get a penalty for the PU. He does start 10th. Johnny asks him how he feels going into this race starting from 10th after a couple frustrating races. "Pretty chill."
Johnny wheezes. "Is that it?" Lewis smiles, mischievous. "You must be pretty hungry for it though," Johnny goes on, "because you know, you know how important it's gonna be to get a good result, the car is very very good around this track, so you've got an opportunity, do you think, down turn 2?" Lewis says there's a lot of opportunities ahead, he's chill, what will be will be, he'll give it everything he's got. Johnny asks how is his motivation, as good as ever? "Absolutely. I've never ever in my whole life ever struggled with motivation, so that's never even in question."
Toto is interviewed and Crofty reports that many fans on twitter are spinning conspiracy theories about sabotage and Mercedes going against their own champion and shit like that. Is that how all the bs surrounding brocedes began? With stupid fan theories? Toto says he's not gonna answer to every lunatic that tweets and some of them are abusing the team. He denies all allegations and says they feel awful about him not being able to perform as well as he can.
Niki is also against the halo which is preposterous.
Anyway. It's time for the race. Here's how they line up then : Nico, Valtteri, Raikkonen, Massa, Ricciardo, Perez, Seb, Kvyat, Verstappen and Lewis.
Formation lap.
And they're racing!
Just as I was about to say it's a clean start, it's not. Reaaally not. And just as they come out of the first round of contact, a Ferrari spins. I'll wait until we know more to tell you precisely what it's about. But Seb has crashed for sure. VSC. Lewis is up 5 places though! Hulkenberg is also out. Safety car. Perez is limping to the pits on three tyres and apparently Ricciardo has pitted as well. And Kvyat. And Ericsson. Those are looong stops. Gutierrez is in as well. That's a lot of damaged cars! Seb is driving the moped back to the pits himself lol.
Okay so. Someone's RedBull hit Seb from the back. It's Kvyat lol. Maybe these two are still salty about China? It sends Ricciardo, who was wheel to wheel with Seb, wide. Meanwhile in the back, someone also collided with someone's back, who was sent spinning, collected the same person as he went AND another car that made contact with a final car by trying to avoid getting hit. Seb was still able to keep going at that point, but someone hit him again shortly after and that's why he crashed. He is PISSED. Who's the second one then? Safety car coming in. And we go again.
So it's now Nico, Raikkonen, Valtteri, Massa, Lewis, Verstappen, Alonso, Grosjean, Magnussen and Palmer. But Valtteri attacks! He's ahead, and right behind, right at the same time, Lewis overtakes Massa. Verstappen attacks Massa as well but he's not letting it happen twice. Now it's Alonso attacking Verstappen. But that's also not happening either. Kvyat and Ericsson are battling for P15 and Kvyat, who's definitely not my cup of tea, maintains his track position by going off track which is arguable. Especially after already taking out one driver. Lewis is closing on Raikkonen who's closing on Valtteri. Valtteri defends. It's Lewis' turn. He's ahead but well. Raikkonen had to avoid contact there. "Get in there Lewis, come on man!" Bono rejoices on radio. On a on-board replay we see it's Kvyat who ran into Seb BOTH TIMES. So maybe Seb was right about what he told him in China lol. Anyway Lewis is breathing down Valtteri's neck now. Kvyat pits. Ted thinks he's about to retire. Indeed the mechanics are not touching oh no. It was to serve a 10 seconds stop go penalty. He's out again. Gutierrez also gets a drive through penalty for the collision on lap 1.
And it's lap 10. Nico, Valtteri (+5.8), Lewis (+0.4), then Raikkonen, Massa, Verstappen, Alonso, Grosjean, Magnussen, Palmer. Oh and Rio Haryanto is also out of the race. No idea when it happened. Lewis is falling back a bit. Too much dirty air I think. It puts him way closer to Raikkonen now. Like DRS range close. One lap later Lewis is closing on Valtteri again. He sets his best lap of the race, chasing. And Valtteri pits. He's back out in P7. In a real BDE move, Seb went straight to RBR's pit wall to talk to Horner about Kvyat.
And Lewis pits. It's a longer stop than the Williams'. THEY ARE WHEEL TO WHEEL! LEWIS IN THE PIT EXIT AND VALTTERI DOWN THE STRAIGHT! Valtteri stays ahead! Good job, Williams ! But Lewis is still very very close, it's down to the pit stop, really. Come on, come on… Massa pits. Lewis gets on the inside and overtakes Valtteri! He's already on Alonso, who was close ahead. And he made it very easy. And Lewis sets another fastest lap.
That's lap 20. Nico, Raikkonen, Verstappen, Lewis, Valtteri overtakes Alonso ! Massa, Jenson, Perez, and I don't know who's P10 because Raikkonen pits so the graphics disappear. Lewis is clearly ahead, but Valtteri is behind Raikkonen! So that's Lewis back in P3. Nico pits. His stop is shorter. Of course he's still in the lead, 13 seconds ahead of Lewis, who will be P2 as soon as Max pits. And he does. All that's left to do for Lewis is chase Nico. Sainz gets a 10 second time penalty for forcing Palmer off track.
On lap 30 there's racing in the midfield. Lewis is still 12.2 second away from Nico and that gap is not closing much. Raikkonen is P3, Valtteri P4, Massa P5, Verstappen P6, Alonso P7 and then there's a 4 way fight for P8 between Magnussen, Grosjean, Ricciardo and Sainz. Nasr gets a 5 second time penalty for "not respecting race directors instructions regarding turn 2". But then Nico hits traffic and Lewis gains on him like crazy. On lap 34 the gap is down to 8.4. And Verstappen slows down, parks his car on the side. He reported issues on his way to the grid earlier on. "Something with the engine," he says. DRS is disabled, yellow flag. 7.5. "You there, Bono?" Lewis asks. "Affirm Lewis, we’ve got a bit on at the moment mate." And then we immediately hear another message although I doubt they happened simultaneously : "So Lewis it looks like we’ve got a water pressure issue, water pressure issue." That's yet another mechanical issue for Lewis then. He loses speed.
On lap 40, the gap is back up to 11.4. We're in for a boring ending I'm afraid. "Lewis the situation has stabilised," Bono says. So maybe not so boring? Can I hope? But the gap is still expanding, actually. We're almost done and it's 15 seconds. So yeah. Boring in the end.
And it's the end of the race.
So Nico, 25 seconds ahead of Lewis, Raikkonen.
While Nico finishes crowd surfing his team, Raikkonen is casually chatting with dictator Putin in the cool down room. It's insanely cringe each season. Lewis gets there and shakes his hand while still wearing his helmet. Btw Putin is surprisingly short now that I think about it. Nico takes ages before he salutes him as well. Never do you see such a silent cool down room. Everybody is visibly tense and uncomfortable. Lewis stays away, back to the small crowd in the room.
They nicely wait for all the officials to get away before they start with the champagne and Lewis immediately hands his bottle to the Merc representative rather than spray it himself and stand slightly to the side while he drowns Nico in it. He's smiling though, he's not doing it out of spite. When he gets the bottle back he pours some down on the man as well, then cheers with Nico and they both drink, synchronised.
Lewis says it wasn't the easiest first corner. He's happy for the team and he got the points so he's satisfied. He says it was quite easy to overtake Valtteri who didn't seem to be defending. He has no doubt he could have won but then he had a problem with the engine "again". He's calm, not cheerful but not annoyed.
In the end, Brundle asks Nico about the 42 points lead he has. Nico says it's only been 4 races, "Lewis is gonna come back of course you know, I mean he's on it and as motivated as ever so… Early days."
Horner says he could only apologise to Seb as it was Kvyat's fault, btw.
In the post race, Lewis seems satisfied. He thanks the guys who flew over the previous night to fix his car and his engineers who stayed up late. About the water pressure issue, he says he's just happy he was able to finish the race. He says it wasn't due to pushing too hard, it's just another failure. "We just need to do a better job," he says, given they have few engines to go around for the year. The journalist says they get a lot of tweets from his fans saying it seems like the team has decided it was Nico's turn to win the title and a lot of conspiracy theories. His face is uncharacteristically controlled, I can't tell what he's thinking about this, he's usually so easy to read… He says what he can say is his side of the garage, his mechanics, are definitely having a hard time. He hums. Pause.
He has complete confidence and faith in them. It's an unusual situation for them (the mechanics), the majority of them were on Nico's car the previous year, and Nico's current guys were with him since he's come to the team, he smiles. "And all of a sudden," he shrugs, "you know, we've swapped."
He shakes his head. "For no apparent reason, but… that is not the reason why we're having these issues they're somewhere else, I don't know where these little issues are coming from but for sure, the team, the guys in the background, they need to work hard to try and rectify these." He says in testing they did 800 km a day and the car was thought to be bulletproof. "And all of a sudden… Hah!", he chuckles shortly," We're having all these problems so… No I would say that… Don't jump the gun." He smiles, very very calmly, confidently. "I don't believe that that's happened, it's not happened in the last three years and I don't have any reason to believe that would happen now."
Huh. That's very very interesting. First of all I didn't know about the mechanics thing. So I went to read to see what that's about. Nico says it was because the two sides of the garage were at war and Toto decided to swap them to stop the feud. Something that was also stated by Mercedes. Lewis said later in the season he would tell his true feelings about it only 10 years later. Anyway it seems it will come up again during the year so we'll see. Lewis said it threw him off basically. Which is not surprising just generally speaking but also specifically when it comes to him. I mean we've talked at length about his trust issues lol. It must have shaken him.
Second of all, he's very very calm and confident about his answers. I feel no hint of the paranoia he sometimes shows when he gets under pressure at that point. I would have expected him to start ruminating already but it's not the case. Either he's learnt to lie better or he's sincerely not worried about it. I would go for the second option because I don't believe for one second he's capable of hiding how he feels to this day lol. It's good to see, because you can tell he's evolving. I'm doubting that it will last in the long run though.
Brundle says right after the interview he felt on the podium he was in the waiting room for the dentist and none of them seemed as happy as they should've been. He says Lewis has a thousand yard stare. He indeed seemed weirdly controlled. Johnny mentions that during the drivers parade he also was only able to get 3-word answers out of him and you wished he'd be slightly more outgoing. Then Brundle points out he was again sitting alone at the front. I feel like they're mixing things up. Lewis never likes to talk to them or anyone before the races, but that might also just be a matter of focus. It's very distracting having to do all of that right before you have to put such a performance in. Most other athletes don't have to do that. But yes, even through the thick composure you can tell Lewis is unhappy about the mechanics situation, and the engine failures of course. In his post race interview, the moment he talks about the swap is the only moment the composure slightly breaks. He's gracious towards the mechanics because he knows they don't wanna be working with him either, but he also says "we need to do a better job" and then "they need to work hard and rectify [the issues]" which tells me he thinks globally the team isn't doing its best at the moment.
Oh I paused to write all that and actually Johnny does say to Brundle he doesn't mind Lewis separating himself from the grid because that's him getting himself in his bubble and focusing on the job at hand.
Nico is happy but he also points out Lewis had issues. He's asked if he can take that confidence into a straight fight with Lewis, which they haven't had yet this year. He says that's what he's here for. That's the best racing "because he's the benchmark in the end," he smiles. He looks forward to it happening again. It's always gonna be a hard battle against him. He's still as motivated and quick as ever. She asks if he misses it, if he gets the same sense of achievement without it. He says he can't say he really missed it because it's awesome to win, he wants to win and it doesn't matter how. "But of course the ecstatic feeling isn't there, it's there when I win a battle against Lewis, you know? That's what really gets the ultimate thrill." Omg you guys are so gay.
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psst bestie i want to start biking to the grocery store for fun and profit but i know less than nothing about bikes, do u have any recommendations for what kind of bike/helmet/accessories i should get or any other biking advice ??? thank u love u xoxo
I am grabbing you gently by the face and pulling you into my arms
Thank you for asking me about literally anything related to bikes
You've come to the right place, sort of - this is all just my own personal thoughts/opinions and you can probably find plenty of actual good (non super rambly) advice on reddit/youtube, but!
If you're wanting a bike for just going to the store, I would recommend looking for one that's labelled as a "city" or "hybrid" bike - these are pretty much made for commuting, they generally have regular ol' flat handlebars (rather than the fancy drop bars you see on fancy road bikes) and wider tires than a road bike, and also they're designed to have a more upright riding position (read: comfortable) so you're not leaning over the bars like some sort of aero racer guy in lycra. The wider tires also make the ride more comfortable, and some bikes have suspension on the front, which just means there's basically a shock absorber - depending on how gnarly the sidewalks/roads you're planning to ride on are, that can make a big difference in comfort also (and mayhaps keep groceries from bouncing around too much), but I definitely wouldn't say it's necessary. (The bike I've been riding on for three years, lovingly named Hot Topic, doesn't have any suspension and the only time I really miss it is when I roll over a particularly terrible pothole.) A lot of city bikes also come with fenders/mudguards (or whatever you want to call them - they're the things that keep your tires from splashing mud and water up into your face and/or butt) already included, which is nice if it's rained recently and you have to ride through any puddles.
They sometimes also come with racks also (or at the very least they generally have the mounts for racks included - if you're buying from a bike store they can absolutely install it for you), which you could use for bags/baskets/whatever for handy grocery carrying capabilities - if you're getting more than a few groceries at a time I would definitely think about investing in a rear rack and like a cargo basket thing of some sort to use with it as opposed to putting everything in a front basket, just because putting a lot of weight on the front can affect your center of gravity and make it a bit harder to steer/balance (ask me how I know). Alternatively a backpack can work just fine for transporting Stuff, but having something heavy on your back will make you sweaty and will kind of suck after a short while.
HOWEVER if you're doing the really budget option of spending like a hundred bucks on a bike at Walmart (which is a great option if you don't want to invest a ton in a bike that you aren't going to use a whole lot) then pretty much anything they have should work just fine. Last time I checked I think even they have city/hybrid bikes there as well? But if not, I would probably say just find a nice cheap mountain bike or "cruiser" bike, preferably one with the smoothest tires you can find that aren't super fat and preferably one with a nice comfy seat.
I don't really have any insight regarding helmets - I'm on my second helmet (only because I think you're supposed to replace them every few years) ever since getting "serious" about biking, and both of them have just been run of the mill $30 Schwinn helmets off the shelf at Walmart, and I've never had any problems with them. I think I actually looked up a list of the "best" (safest) helmets once and those were definitely on there as a good budget option, so like. As long as it's a helmet and it's on your head, you're probably good to go. (just make sure it fits properly - there's a little knob thing on the back that you can twist to adjust how tight it is, and make sure the strap is nice and snug under your chin also, you don't want it to fall off if you do ever happen to fall on your head)
The only other accessories I would recommend as strictly necessary would be lights (especially a taillight, ESPECIALLY if you will be doing any riding on the road or at crosswalks where it's really important for cars to see you), and a good lock. For that, I would say maybe don't go for the absolute cheapest option you can find, only because I had a bike stolen before and they cut through the cheap little cable lock I had like it was nothing lmao. (RIP $90 Walmart mountain bike, you were truly too good for this world.) ALSO if your grocery store doesn't have bike racks to lock it to (mine definitely don't) a good option can be to lock it to one of the cart return railing thingies instead, though obv I would recommend using one that's sorta farther out in the parking lot and not near a whole bunch of cars.
On the subject of lights, yeah 1000% get a taillight (you can get a set with front and back lights at Walmart for like ten bucks or something - the front one wraps around the handlebars and the rear one usually goes on the seat post, underneath the seat) and just have it on and flashing anytime you're on the bike, even in the daytime, if there is even the slightest chance that cars being able to see you is important. (Front light is also good, though I usually don't really use mine much unless it's actually getting dark or raining or something.)
If you're going to be riding on sidewalks or other places where pedestrians are present, it might not be a bad idea to also get a bell. The etiquette for trails/hike and bike paths/whatever is to give an audible signal before you pass someone, especially if you're on a bike and passing someone who's walking, to let them know you're there so they don't cross into your path and get run over. The usual thing is to call out "on your left" (because you should stay to the right and pass on the left if you're in the U.S. - I assume it's the opposite in places where you drive on the left instead) as you approach, with a couple seconds lead time to make sure they hear you/aren't startled by your presence and try to move TO the left instead. I do not have a very loud voice, and feel like I'm yelling when I do that, so I got a nice loud bell that I chime before going around people instead (YMMV on which is more comfortable - I feel kinda rude dinging a bell at people too sometimes, but it's definitely more rude (and dangerous) to just make no noise at all and hope they don't swerve to the side suddenly, so yeah).
You'll probably also want a little air pump to keep your tires inflated (the tires have little writing on the side to tell you what PSI/bar/whatever they should be inflated to) - again, you can get little kits at Walmart/Target/wherever that just come with lights and bell and pump already altogether so don't feel like you need to spend a ton on any of this stuff.
OH AND SUNGLASSES, I would recommend just getting like some dollar store sunglasses if you don't already have some that you can wear, not just for keeping the sun out of your eyes but also to protect your eyes from dust and bugs and stuff. Do not underestimate how much it sucks to have even the tiniest gnat fly into or around your eye, because you WILL have to close it/blink rapidly for a few seconds to get it out and you WILL momentarily lose your depth perception and it WILL be scary if it happens while you're moving fast.
Good lord I'm so sorry for this novel, hopefully there is at least SOMETHING remotely helpful in here, and if you have any other thoughts/questions at all please feel free to ask, there is absolutely no such thing as a stupid question in my book when it comes to bike.
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In Defense of Aziraphale's Decision
co-written by Sam H. and Aero S.
Read on our site!
After watching season 2, plenty of Good Omens fans flocked to social media to threaten Neil Gaiman for writing such a heartbreaking finale and curse out Aziraphale for choosing to leave Crowley behind to become the Supreme Archangel of Heaven. Of course, we might be biased in defending Aziraphale because we love him dearly, but there’s a core logical reason why his decision makes sense, even if it is a frustrating one. It’s no use trying to make excuses for his actions or even coming up with alternatives as to what actually happened in the show, as the motivation for what he did is understandable and something many people can relate to.
At its core, Good Omens is a show about morality and choice, and this only becomes more obvious during season 2. With the show’s thesis in mind, we can analyze how the entire season 2 has been constructed around these themes, and an additional theme of guilt, to cumulate into Aziraphale’s decision in the finale and how the finale of season 2 makes sense narratively and characteristically.
While this article is meant to defend Aziraphale and thoroughly explain his motivations, it’s also important to remember that this is our interpretation of Aziraphale as a character and Good Omens as a whole. Some people online may have different interpretations, and those can be valid too. Art like Good Omens, which explores a multitude of topics that are easily relatable to people, can be put into different contexts and, therefore, interpreted differently from person to person. The explanation we’re providing is our interpretation of the show from our perspective – we do this not to force people to agree but to offer our two cents into the discussion. We are not here to put down anyone’s theories or opinions (as much as we would love to) but to add more context to the show and engage in the conversation surrounding the finale.
Morality
“Even the children?” is a question that has been asked about Heaven’s decisions in both season 1 and season 2 during pivotal moments that reveal how Heaven may not be as entirely “good” as they claim they are. In the Job minisode, “A Companion to Owls,” the theme of morality is explored thoroughly by investigating the story of Job. The minisode illustrates how Heaven’s perceived benevolence actually brings great grief upon those they believe they are saving, highlighted specifically during the scene where the angels convince Job and his wife that replacing their three existing children with seven new ones is something to praise God for, and not something to mourn. Additionally, God, the all-mighty being who seems to have infallible logic that Heaven must unquestionably comply with, places a bet on Job that requires him to go through ruinous trials to prove that he will forever believe in God, even in the hardest times. This forces the viewers to question the saliency of intention, result, and values on the side that claims they are unequivocally good.
However, the main question of morality addressed in the minisode is told through Crowley and Aziraphale’s actions. Crowley tries to appear tough and ruthless by wrecking Job’s life by destroying everything he has and loves, including his goats and children. However, Aziraphale believes that Crowley isn’t as heartless as he seems. His suspicions are confirmed when Crowley reveals that he didn’t actually kill the goats and children and even goes so far as to ensure that the children return to Job safely. This softer side of Crowley reveals that just because he’s a demon, that doesn’t mean he’s inherently bad and that being evil looks a lot harder when there’s the presence of empathy. It’s up for interpretation whether Aziraphale believes this because of the fact that Crowley had once been an angel, too, or if he simply believes the best in everyone, even if he ostensibly claims that all demons are bad and all angels are good. Either way, this illustrated that the choices people make are not always based on who people think they should be but rather who they actually are, even if it is in defiance of their community’s expectations. The bottom line of Crowley’s character is also said in this minisode. When Aziraphale confronts him about saving the goats and children and asks if he was truly on Hell’s side, Crowley admits that he’s on his own side and goes along with Hell as far as he can. Unlike Aziraphale, Crowley is sure of the extent of his morality and feels liberated by his free will. He has been at peace with the fact that he doesn’t really belong in Hell, which has been established in the show’s first season when he says he Fell for asking questions and hanging with the wrong crowd. While he still insists on upholding his demonic reputation, he still wholeheartedly does good deeds, not because Hell or Heaven told him to, but because he knows it’s right.
The tables turn when Aziraphale is forced to confront whether he’s really as good as he claims he is, especially after he gives into Crowley’s temptation and eats food for the first time and then lies to Heaven about Job’s children, swearing on his angelic status that the three children are not his original children. Then, when Crowley finds him again, Aziraphale believes he’s going to Fall for lying, but Crowley tells him he won’t because he won’t tell anyone it ever happened. Still distraught, Aziraphale asks about what he truly is if he isn’t a pure angel anymore. Crowley echoes what he said about being on his own side, which is a much more isolating and lonely experience than he had made it out to be. Morality has become such a focal point for Aziraphale and Crowley’s existences to the point where they feel a loss of identity due to the uncertainty of whether their actions are morally right if it protects peace, a debate for humanity as old as time but a nonstarter for everyone else in Heaven and Hell. On the rock, facing the sea, Crowley repeats a line he had said the night before, but about Aziraphale: he’s just an angel who goes along with Heaven as far as he can. The loneliness that comes with their position has effectively alienated them from their respective head offices but also becomes one of the reasons why their existences are so intertwined with each other from this point forward.
The theme of morality is continued in the storyline of Maggie and Nina. The question of whether it is right for Crowley and Aziraphale to mess about in their lives even though Maggie loves Nina and Nina needs her gentle love after dealing with a toxic relationship is even explicitly addressed in the finale. Is it right to do something with good intentions and get the end results you wanted but not without putting those involved at stake? That large question remains unaddressed and hanging in the air for season 3 to attempt to answer.
Morality is often presented as black or white, good or bad, when in reality, it is much more like “shades of grey,” in the words of Crowley and Aziraphale in episode 4. They grapple with this during the body snatching minisode, going in circles about whether it’s right to dig up bodies if it's for survival or scientific advancement and what actions are justifiable as punishable. The punishment part is rather relevant because punishing someone is an inherently evil act; yet, if the intentions are good or protective, there is room for justification that it is morally correct. But the fault here is presenting the idea that being morally correct is the same as being objectively correct because perspective matters.
Ultimately, throughout all the flashback scenes and reflections presented in season 2, the show puts forth its thesis that the option of being either good or bad is a false dichotomy that systemically allows the justification of actions without considering the nuances and removing empathy and understanding from the equation. In this series, Hell and Heaven, especially, are the perpetrators of this false dichotomy, while Aziraphale and Crowley are attempting to grapple with the consequences of this polarity and trying to unlearn what they’ve believed all their lives.
Unfortunately, they aren’t quite at the same stages of the unlearning and healing process yet. From an external perspective, Aziraphale’s decision to become Supreme Archangel is harmful because he’s leaving behind the being he loves and possibly contributing to the destruction of the world. But from his perspective, it’s good because it gives him the opportunity to change Heaven’s faulty system and gives Crowley a chance to fully embrace his “good” side without being conflicted about appearing evil. His failure to recognize that this false dichotomy of good and bad is imperfect is the show’s way of proving–with the subtlety of hitting viewers on the head with a brick–that morality is not as simple as it seems.
(And it would be great if fans realized this too and stopped dogpiling on Aziraphale!)
Choice
When we refer to Aziraphale’s decision to return to Heaven, the keyword we need to consider is “decision.” Many fans have already started theorizing that the coffee that Metatron offered Aziraphale was spiked and that Aziraphale was coerced to say yes to his offer because he was essentially drugged. While there’s no saying whether this theory is right, if Aziraphale was truly drugged, it would make his decision to leave less emotionally powerful. What is the most painful part of the whole ordeal is that Aziraphale chose to leave Crowley out of his own will
However, it’s important to discuss how he was still manipulated into his decision. The Metatron knew that Aziraphale wouldn’t say yes to his offer if he didn’t bring Crowley into the equation (Aziraphale even says, “I don’t want to go back to Heaven” before the Metatron mentions Crowley). The glare the Metatron shoots Crowley as he walked out of the bookshop indicates that he knows that Crowley doesn’t want to go back to Heaven either, even if it's with Aziraphale. He essentially sweet talks Aziraphale into accepting his offer by acting as though he and Aziraphale are one of the “good ones” out of the batch of rotten apples when really, Aziraphale has never really been part of that batch at all, and the Metatron is perhaps the most rotten one out of all of them.
People must understand that the Metatron’s five-minute conversation wasn’t the sole reason Aziraphale had been convinced to rejoin Heaven but rather the cumulation of all the manipulation he has experienced for thousands of years; the factor of obligation to a harmful community is something that’s also heavily at play. The term “cycles of abuse” is often applied in a familial context, but it’s not addressed enough in a community context, even if it is just as common. For people to understand Aziraphale’s decision to return to Heaven even though they treated him like shit, they need to first understand what it’s like to live in a toxic community while also loving that community.
Aziraphale fiercely loved being an angel because he felt that was a large part of his identity, and therefore, the community in Heaven was a constant force in his life. Even if they treated him horribly, he always believed that they always did it out of love and goodness. That shouldn’t discount the fact that they always made him feel small or treated him horribly, but in Aziraphale’s mind, he could excuse their behavior if it meant he could belong.
Upon escaping from that community, Aziraphale struggled with finding his identity and what it means for him to no longer belong to where he had always been told he should be. So, of course, if there’s a chance for him to rejoin that community and hold enough power for them to love him without hurting him, he’ll take it because, with cycles of abuse, it’s impossible to fully ever abandon the community that has deeply hurt you without hoping that maybe they’ll change one day to love you and accept as you are. And since Aziraphale has sacrificed so much to appease the angels, it only makes sense to make one last insurmountable sacrifice to finally belong in the place he has always felt alienated from, even though he knows he’ll probably end up getting hurt again.
Additionally, Aziraphale conflates forgiveness with love because he’s great at forgiveness but not so experienced with love. When he allows Gabriel to stay in the bookshop even though Gabriel had mistreated him for centuries, Gabriel tells him, “I love you.” Obviously, Gabriel doesn’t mean it in a romantic context (and he may not have even understood what that phrase truly means in the amnesiac state he was in), but it’s likely that Aziraphale interpreted that phrase as “I forgive you,” and that because Gabriel no longer held a grudge against him for stopping the end of the world, he felt like he could be safe in Aziraphale’s presence. Again, this ties in with the idea of obligation to one’s community because even though Aziraphale could’ve easily cast out Gabriel and left him to fend for himself as Crowley suggested, he doesn’t because he has forgiven Gabriel and also feels like he’s finally appreciated by somebody who he desperately wanted appreciation from but only received harm from.
The tragedy of choice in this context isn’t that there isn’t a choice to love but rather that Aziraphale chooses the wrong kind of love believing that it’s the one that’ll alleviate all his past suffering.
Aziraphale also made the choice thinking that Crowley would come back to Heaven with him because he misunderstood what Crowley wants. In contrast to choosing to hold onto an idea of community and hope that there’s a chance of belonging, Crowley completely rejected the notion of choosing sides and chose Aziraphale. He doesn’t face the same disillusionment as Aziraphale because, unlike Aziraphale, he doesn’t have hope in the capacity of either community loving him without hurting him because he’s been a part of both and never belonged to either, no matter how hard he tried. It’s easier for Aziraphale, who’s only known one community all his life, to believe there’s still a chance for him to belong. It’s harder for Crowley to understand that Aziraphale wouldn’t be so quick to abandon his loyalty to “his side,” Therefore, the choices that Aziraphale and Crowley make are understandable in consideration of their pasts, beliefs, and desires because, for them, none of these aspects can align without sacrifice.
The debate of choice is inextricably linked with the discussion of Aziraphale and Crowley’s identity as an angel and demon because when it comes to humans, choice seems like an option for few as the universe appears to be largely determined by Heaven and Hell’s interferences. In season 1, Adam proves to reject the notion of a preconceived fate (though to be fair, he’s not exactly human); thus, in season 2, we conversely see Aziraphale fall into the trap of believing that because of his identity as an angel (as discussed earlier), he must follow through with his angelic duties.
Guilt
Finally, Aziraphale’s decision in the final scenes of the show can be attributed to guilt, not unlike what can be found in those who have strayed away from their faith. In many ways, Aziraphale’s journey back to Heaven and his relationship with it is an allegory for religious indoctrination and the subsequent guilt that comes with refusing one’s duty as a follower of God. Aziraphale’s dilemma and complicated relationship with Heaven can be equated to the all too common struggle people who no longer subscribe to the belief system they were raised on have, especially those who were raised Christian or Catholic.
They, like Aziraphale, were told that they were created in God’s image and brought to Earth to spread goodwill and love, and people who are in high-ranking positions in these churches are told that they have to lead their followers and spread God’s word. Aziraphale is told exactly this when the Metatron says “You’re a leader, you’re honest, [and] you don’t just tell people what they want to hear.” Those who have stayed connected to their religion usually also strive to have importance in their communities in order to serve their God as much as they can. The Metatron realizes this and weaponizes it to get into Aziraphale’s good graces. When he tells Aziraphale’s honesty is what brought Gabriel to him in the first place despite his memory loss, he is really saying that Aziraphale is as close to God or Heaven as anyone can be.
As someone who is reluctant to go back to Heaven, yet still sees its inherent value and importance, being told this meant a lot to Aziraphale. He was cast out of his community for loving and living the way he wants to, and now he’s being told by the leader of said community that not only is he the best out of everyone, but he also is being given the opportunity to improve his community from the inside. While this may seem like blatant manipulation tactics to many, some people who were heavily indoctrinated and later exiled from their communities would also fall for the Metatron’s words. The thing that needs to be remembered is that as much as people who have left their faiths want to forget about that part of their lives forever, a part of them, however small it may be, still longs for the sense of purpose that religion offers them.
The obligation Aziraphale feels as an angel also would fuel the guilt he feels, which ultimately led him to go back to Heaven. Being just enough of a bastard to be worth knowing comes at the cost of not fulfilling his duties as an angel, which must have put a burden on his shoulders over the years. The Arrangement he and Crowley had over the millennia had him not just doing good deeds but also carrying out Crowley’s evil bidding whenever necessary. As an angel who has always been told to be perfectly good at all times, he knows what he’s been doing is wrong. When the Metatron comes to him with the offer, he knows he can’t refuse it. To accept the offer is to right every ‘wrong’ he has done in the past 6000 years and finally feel like he belongs in a community that he hasn’t belonged in for millennia, yet still feels strongly for.
There is also a responsibility that comes with Aziraphale’s guilt towards Heaven, and it shows in the way he tries to get Crowley to come back to Heaven to be reinstated as an angel. Aziraphale feels the need to justify his own relationship with the demon to Heaven, and he thinks the promotion and opportunity to have Crowley back as an angel is the way to do it. In his mind, his responsibility turn Crowley away from the ‘evil side’, even though he’s known since 2500 BC that Crowley was on his own side. He’s even said that Crowley is good deep down, but he was blinded by the glowing praises he’s been given on a silver platter, by a person who he was created to serve.
This is a type of guilt and obligation that only people who have been indoctrinated or frequently told that their worth is contingent on their faith in the Almighty can feel. This is no more obvious than when Adam and Aziraphale’s characters are compared. Adam Young, son of Satan, faced no difficulties in refusing to fulfill his destiny as the catalyst of Armageddon, while Aziraphale lost his internal battle and decided to turn his back on his partner of 6000 years to do a job he didn’t, and still doesn’t, really want.
The contrast between them boils down to the amount of free will they have been given and the guilt they may or may not have when they exercise it. In Adam’s case, because he was (erroneously) raised without Heavenly or Hellish influences, he feels no connection to either side of the holy war and subsequently does not feel obligated to follow Satan’s orders. On the other hand, Aziraphale was created as a fully formed angel, militantly reminded of what his duties were and what happens if he doesn’t fulfill them. He’s even had a constant reminder of the consequences of disobeying God’s wishes, and it has stood beside him for over 6000 years. To Aziraphale, Heaven is still the side of “truth, light, [and] good” because the people he was destined to serve and follow told him so, not because he necessarily still believes it.
This same exact contrast can even be seen in Aziraphale and Crowley. They may have had their own side, but Crowley had strayed from Hell’s ways long before Aziraphale even started questioning Heaven. As a demon, it’s easy to chalk up Crowley’s tendency to rebel as something inherently demonic. However, the first scene of season 2 confirms that Crowley really did only ask questions, and his curiosity is what brought him to Hell, a place he never belonged in. The betrayal from Heaven and Hell’s disrespect for his work drove Crowley to carve out his own place in the world, so he has far less guilt abandoning the notion of sides.
The ending of season 2 of Good Omens forces viewers to grapple with the ideas of morality, choice, and guilt without offering any answers for us at all. Though if the series has proven anything, the right answer isn’t as simple as it seems.
#good omens#good omens meta#aziraphale#crowley#good omens season 2 spoilers#good omens season 2#analysis#tv shows#aziracrow#good omens theory
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So the ace/aero crowd is absolutely part of the LGBTQIA+ community, no doubt about it, anyone who disagrees can go cry in a corner or something because if you disagree your opinion doesn't matter.
But...
However...
I AM LE-HORNY!!! I am a sad, late-blooming sapphic butch transbien who just wants to get absolutely railed by other butch lesbians. I want to be part of a cuddle puddle of hot goth big tiddie cis lesbians and bi-girls who a short and pudgy and have a tum-tum. I want so see the so-called "made for male gaze" girl-on-girl porn 'cause IDGAF about the "male gaze" I wanna see two (or more) girls so aggressively horny they seem to have completely tuned out the world around them as they seek to drive each other to absolute carnal desire. I want the soft, quiet, long, slow-burn fics where two mature sapphic girls pine for each other in an ongoing cycle of "...is she?!" until they finally kiss after 99% of the fic is finished and that one kiss is so hot I need a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates, and about 2 hours of "me" time after. I wanna be a porn starlette that loses, like, EVERY possible form of lesbian virginity on-screen in a massive orgy where I'm the centerpiece. I want a lovely little polycule where we grow old together and someone's always there to greet you when you come home and we all know how we like our hot chocolate and we cuddle on rainy days. I want the "forbidden romance" of a metric shit-ton of Omegaverse fics featuring every possible pairing and every shade of the "smut" scale. I want the art that looks like a teenage girl sketched it in a spiral-bound notebook at 11pm because she needed fap material and I want the art that looks like it could have been considered by one of the greatest creators in the world if the creator weren't a sapphic woman.
Yes, you get your ace/aero representation posts and you get your part of pride month because you're awesome and worthy of love and respect and all the good human things you were denied and the community is about kicking in the doors of the patriarchy and shouting, "I LIVED, BITCH!" while wearing our respective pride flags as capes with middle fingers dual-wielded in the faces of the security jackboots that are called in to enforce the, "No Queers Allowed" policy.
BUT WHERE M'GIRLS AT?!? Where's all the posts about thirsting for pussy like a woman dying in a desert? Where's the "I'm looking respectfully" photo posts when we all know very well the looking is anything but respectful? Where are the predatory lesbians my mother would have warned me about if I'd been born AFAB?
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Pokemon Team Characterization - Steven Stone
When I first decided to start doing these, I was initially going to go forward in time, starting with Lance’s team, and just do Champions. And then I realized, I remember Lance’s team, but not much about their moves or what they do. But I know Steven’s. I am now intimately familiar with Steven’s team, because his Emerald fight is my current pick for “Best Fight in the Series.” I feel like it’s one of the best crafted fights they’ve ever designed. But does it tell us anything about his personality?
I’ll be operating strictly from his superior Emerald team today. I’m saying that like the others aren’t worth talking about but that’s not really true. His other iterations are all largely this exact same team with the exact same strategies so nothing new can be extracted. Emerald is just the best picture of what he does and why due to a few superior choices in moveset in my opinion (Ingrain over Sludge Bomb on Cradily, Shadow Ball over Hyper Beam on Metagross). But it’s entirely the same across games and generations.
Well except the ORAS rematch. He trades out the fossil Pokemon for Carbink and Aerodactyl, both of which just know four offensive moves with...varying degrees of useful coverage. Aero just knows the elemental bite moves, which aren’t especially strong, so like...look, the team is worse, okay? It’s just worse. It’s a worse strategy with less personality, I’m sorry I said I wouldn’t do this
The Lead (Skarmory)
Skarmory is a glorious lead. Toxic and Spikes! That’s such a smart opener! Like a lot of teams in Emerald, Skarmory beautifully punishes setup sweepers through the use of Toxic, while Spikes is consistent damage throughout the match on anything that doesn’t float. Its offensive moves are just STABs, but Skarmory’s role is to be a wall that endures, and provides strong and consistent moves that set the battle’s pace. Its typing is also well adapted to his team. As a Steel-type master with Rock on the side, Fighting and Ground types are exceptionally dangerous options to come up against. Skarmory immediately denies them the sweep, countering both spectacularly.
This kind of lead establishes three things about Steven. First is structure. Steven Stone is a man of structure and routine. There is a set gameplay, and by god it will be followed. This isn’t inflexibility though; the decision between Toxic or Spikes can be adapted on the fly, and he can even throw out offensive moves if he has the right matchup. The second is as someone who takes control. Steven immediately sets out to stop any attempts to counterpick his team, and sets tempo for what’s to come. The last is that Steven is a man who needs consistency. Right from the beginning, it’s about setting conditions up. Toxic and Spikes are guarantees. If one isn’t ideal, the other probably is. The ability to produce a consistent outcome is something he strives for.
The Ace, and its Guardian (Metagross and Claydol)
I want to talk Metagross before the rest of the team, because it meshes with one of his others in a wonderful way. In the fight, every time Claydol came out, its focus would be on setting Dual Screens. This, inevitably, led to Metagross when Claydol went down. Metagross is nothing but huge damage across all offensive spectrums. It is exceptionally difficult to wall, and the AI seems primed to set up the defenses so it can’t be broken past easily, then threatening with overwhelming firepower.
This, again, speaks to consistency. Steven aims to set conditions in his favor before aiming for a sweep, using the same general approach. He’s someone who appreciates safety in that consistency. It’s a viable approach, and if it’s not broke, why fix it? When things are properly set up, and he’s ensured that structure for himself, he’s able to shine better than most, producing incredible levels of potential. Metagross being his ace implies that there’s a strong preference for the direct approach, but the need for setup implies that he’s at least aware that direct doesn’t always get you what you want, and may be the kind to preface blunt statements with caveats about what he’s trying to say.
The Godwall (Cradily)
Cradily is supremely tanky, and has two interesting things going for it. One is its sustain. Ingrain and Giga Drain are good sustain tools, and Confuse Ray is a means of denying damage outright. The other is that, offensively, Cradily has 5PP moves. They can’t be used often. But, Ancientpower being one of them, it has an exceptional effect in the +1 to all stats that, when hit, turns Cradily into a massive threat. It’s also worth noting, Cradily was almost always the second Pokemon on the field when I played. He uses this as a response to just about everything.
Conceptually, this paints Steven as someone who is somewhat willing to take risks, but only calculated risks with plenty of cushion. So long as there’s something to fall back on, he’ll take a bit of a gamble. If he’s going to play a bit risky, he wants to do it early on when there’s less to lose, and plenty of opportunity to correct. He won’t go too far off the beaten path.
The Unexpected (Aggron)
Armaldo is a fairly straight-forward damage dealer that still uses the Ancientpower luck rolls. There’s not much to say about it. Aggron, however, has a ton to say. Look at that nonsense moveset. For Gen 3, Earthquake is literally the only physical move. Special offense does not make any sense for an Aggron, yet here it is. With Thunder, Solarbeam, and Dragon Claw. Moves that, coincidentally, happen to respond really well to the box legends. Thunder hits Kyogre really hard and never misses in Rain. Solarbeam is an auto-fire in Sun, and trucks Groudon. Its typing is a solid wall to Rayquaza, and Dragon Claw is supereffective. It’s also worth noting that Electric and Grass are solid answers to Water and Ground, which are the biggest threats as a type. Even beyond that, it’s an unexpected gambit to throw out special offense on something so known for being physical.
Steven is someone willing to get creative. While he values structure and consistency, that, again, doesn’t translate to rigidity. He’s more than willing to do something that’s wildly unexpected to gain an upper hand, or cover a missing gap as needed, even if it’s largely considered a poor idea. His eccentricities are calculated, there’s a method to the madness, even if it looks like nonsense at first glance he’s doing a thing.
General Team Notes
His team is interesting, because the majority of it comes from the desert. Not the caves you often see him rock hunting in. The desert. Which is really interesting. There are, however, cave systems underneath the desert. That’s how you find the other fossil in Emerald, after all (maybe the others, it’s been a while). So it’s possible they just came from there. It’s where he’d have to get his Aron from. Though interestingly, Skarmory also is strictly outdoors, near the volcano. Metagross comes from the void. I could see this referencing the fact that Steven is a bit more of an explorer than he seems, and more of an outdoorsy boy than he lets on. But also he only goes outside where the sun is blocked out by sandstorms or soot, so he is a pasty boy who burns in the sun.
There’s the obvious connection to the fossils as a rare thing, and to Metagross as something so rare it can’t natively be found. Skarmory’s also fairly rare in its location too. But Aron and Baltoy aren’t. So there’s a preference for the rare, while still finding value in things that are common, if they’re too his liking. Basically, he likes what he likes, and what he likes is rocks and steel. Whether it’s common or rare, anything within his area of interest is good.
Summation
Steven is someone who thrives off of structure and consistency. He operates on a strict game-plan with clear setup and a clear win condition, and makes few deviations from it. Where he opts to take risks, they are either cushioned by safety measures, or taken with precise calculation as a creative measure to difficult problems. He prefers the direct approach, but knows to set the stage so it comes across with the right intent. He takes a liking to specific things, and whether rare or common, finds significant value in it so long as it aligns to his interests.
If anyone has an alternate read on the team, I’d love to hear it. Steven’s a stupid popular character, so I’m sure plenty of people have opinions about his team. Like how the ORAS rematch is worse than the first fight. We’re all in agreement about that? It can’t just be me.
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Last Monday of the Week 2023-07-24
Back in the saddle.
Listening: I am not a huge fan of true crime, not because I find the subject distasteful but because the way people go about it grates on me as an annoying blend of unrealistic fearmongering and misinformed wannabe vigilanteism. I do however also admit that I haven't really engaged with true crime in many years, so I asked my brother to recommend his favourite true crime podcast or whatever and he pitched me on My Favourite Murder.
Starting from E1, I've been through two or three episodes. Mostly my opinions continue to hold true, every now and again one of the hosts says something that is the kind of batshit thing normal people say about crime and it blows a fuse in my head. I will stick to it long enough to form a real opinion.
Reading: Finished Seven Surrenders, on the train back from Zurich, this morning. Once again I immediately want to start the next book, I'll probably buy The Will to Battle after this posts.
The world of Terra Ignota is so engaging to read about, it's big but with a tiny cast, futuristic and archaic. It must have been so hard to pull off these reveals and ideas without them just seeming kind of stupid because on the face of it, they are.
Watching: Nothing, I've been traveling until this morning.
Making: Made a cool tomato/chickpea/coconut curry based on Adam Ragusea's recipe, modified for scale, what I have available and my tastes, which included use canned chickpeas, frozen green beans, swapping tomatillos for small vine tomatoes, and working with my usual spice blends.
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Oh, I also completely ignored the step of passing the sauce through a sieve because I've been eating the cheapest prepared bakery sandwiches I can find while traveling for the past week and I feel like I need to eat a lot of whole vegetables this week.
The application of very heavily browned vegetables is a nice trick, and with the addition of sugar and coconut cream makes for a very pleasant and rich flavour even though I kind of overshot the chili heat because I'm still not used to the extra-hot chili powder I have now.
Playing: Nothing, due to The Travel.
Tools and Equipment: I gotta pitch the 1kg or less laptop. I've mentioned Calcite, my personal laptop, plenty of times, but this past week of traveling has really shown how handy something this light is. Calcite complete with my 65W GaN charger and various dongles lived in my backpack as I hoofed it around several cities and it was so light that I barely noticed.
It's worth it to be able to use a full size computer when trying to compare accommodation and travel arrangements on the go, rather than trying to fiddle it out on a phone, but if your laptop weighs much more than a kilogram it can quickly become a slog to carry around.
Calcite is a 13 inch HP Envy x360, but the new 14-inch model and the HP Pavilion Aero 13's are both really good and relatively affordable compact laptops that I recommend frequently to people who want light laptops. Lenovo makes their 13 inch family of thinkpads but they're much more upmarket. If cost is no object there's of course ultralights like the LG Gram, and ultracompacts like the Onemix One Netbook 4.
If we're honest, an iPad would probably fit this role well, but I don't have one of those.
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https://formu1a.uno/ferrari-con-altezze-piu-aggressive-a-causa-della-configurazione-aero-red-bull-e-mclaren-le-piu-conservative/
It was not debunked that they chose random, there was a especulation made by autosport that is not random but this is not the same as "debunked", it's a piece of opinion
In this news I'm sharing they believe to be random
And about the impact of the strategy, as you can see in this report the biggest wear happened in the beginning of the race
In austria they almost went over limit as well and he wasn't under a bad strategy like in this one.
They also believe carlos might be with the same issue, since they had a similar setup and carlos wasn't under a one stop strategy
In the end it was mostly caused by the nature of the sprint weekend that doesn't allow them to test more and the bumps on the track.
The Race also mentioned using sensor data for selection. Autosport isn’t the only one. Also like, what are the odds that a purely random draw manages to pull out all 3 podium finishers and the pole sitter.
Yes the sprint format also hampered Charles where his team has less time to fine tune his set up. If his floor had even been half mm higher, it could have swung his test from fail to pass, since he only failed by some tenths of mm.
See I do think that Carlos being on the two-stop *could* have helped him keep under the limit, if the scrutineers did decide to call his car back, as he had more robust tyres on average across the race duration so the car can push more efficiently. Which means even if he has a lot of wear at the start, he may not have accrued enough from the remaining laps to fail.
Also if based on the race start alone, his first stint was different from Charles, because once he overtook Ham, he was holding position and just trying not to lose the place back. So for a while Charles is chasing Lando and Carlos is just holding behind. Different situation -> different pressure on the car -> different wear. Maybe that is enough to just keep under the limit. Again, even like half an mm saving by Carlos could have swung it from fail to pass.
Interestingly he did say he wore out his first set of mediums too quickly, so he could have accrued more wear at the start than Charles. So maybe he would still fail. Or maybe his set up had the plank *just* slightly higher. Or rode a few less curbs.
Even if he would fail, isn’t it good for Ferrari that they didn’t choose to call his car up? They could have potentially lost all their points but they only lose half. They also lost less points than merc. Dodge the bullet, take the points, move on to the next race.
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I'm thinking about making another renegade OC, mostly because i think my "main" renegade OC seem...boring
So far, the concept for him is that he study in the same school as the A-gang, same grade, different class.
He pretty much like Aevis, studious and brave, and his battling skills is almost as strong as Aero. Thinking both Aero and Aevis as his rivals, even wanting to harm Alain just so he can be Aero's bf instead
General relationship with the A-gang and Crescent
Aevis: normal friend, occasionally library partner.
Aevia: consider her like a little sister that he think too weak to protect herself (Aevia actually annoy at his gentleman gesture)
Ariana: has a crush on her. Would join a lot of clubs with her to impress. (Ariana just see him as a normal enthusiastic guy)
Axel: do not like him, mainly because he hates pranks that involves making a fool of himself. He also would subtly belittle Axel whenever no one around (Axel is scared of him but seeing Aevis and Ari seem chill about him so Axel decides to endure)
Aero: really respect him. Thinking they could make a powerful duo. But Aero do not like his attitudes, especially toward Alain.
Alain: fucking hate their guts. Would subtly spread rumors about them to make Alain look bad in everyone eyes. He always avoid being near Alain so they didn't really have much opinion about him.
Crescent: thinking Cres have a crush on him because he notice that she check him out a lot (he does enjoy the attention) but no, she just see him as an annoyance and want to make sure he didn't destroy the A-Gang friendship.
Relationship with Gearan trio
Melia: (debating)
Venam: kinda like how Saki treated her at the resort. "You're the first gym leader". Not thinking too badly about her because she is still a gym leader. But at the same time. Underestimate her a lot.
Ren: loser. Ren respect him but sadly the feelings is not mutual. And Ren failed to see his fake compliment.
Why he accidentally doom the world? Erm, i'm figuring things out. St st about how he underestimate everyone which end up making everyone feel less confidence about themself, doubting each other, to the point he become a one-man army because he genuinely thought only him can stop the evil. So when he got stomped on, there is no one else to help.
#pkmn rejuv#rejuv oc: Aevis#I haven't came up with a name for him because naming is hard af#Maybe st start with A just for the irony that his name start with an A yet he is not in class A#I want to make an OC that feel more like a flawed human?#Because my other renegade Oc. AL doesn't have ''bad'' motives. This is just mission to them#They made bad choices because they wanted it to happen that way. Not because this was st they could accidentally have done.#They still like encouraging the main protagonist gang to win.#In a way. ''It's more fun if both sides has a chance to win''#Gosh. My brain...
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in what ways do you think androids could develop in the near future, after the events of the story?
hmmm that’s a good question
without getting into spoilers, the events of CMY2K’s plot inherently kinda tank the general population’s opinion of halosoft, at the very least, so other robotics companies start springing up in the 00s to produce a wide variety of new androids by more than just one monopolizing corporation
technology in general starts to rapidly exponentially improve in the 00s, to the extent that those producing androids start getting cocky about how good Their tech is compared to competitors, so this is around the time you start seeing people try to produce human-passing androids for the very first time. it does not work out, and the first SEVERAL generations keep consistently falling into the deepest depths of the uncanny valley, and every time something about the human-like design tech improves, it just reveals further flaws with it. like sisyphus trying to climb out the uncanny valley. human-passing androids won’t be feasible for at least another few decades, but plenty of companies keep trying and keep putting so much stock into that that they go out of business because their creepy uncanny valley bots are so goddamn unpopular
at the same time, other producers go in the exact opposite direction: flying too close to the sun and trying to make robots with realistic psychology is what went wrong with halosoft bots around Y2K, so they make their androids dumber and less-human looking. the closest these companies get to “android” is really just “mecha”, like a frutiger aero medabot. it’s always been seen as a design flaw for androids to get so smart that they can think for themselves, so these ones are basically lobotomized from the get-go and aren’t designed to have “realistic personalities that develop naturally over time” like halosoft, they don’t learn anything except your preferences. these are Also not particularly popular because, while the designs might be cute and stylish and not creepy like the uncanny bots going for realism, they just feel cold and impersonal.
as for halosoft, they’re still around, they just need to bring their stock value wayyyy back up after Y2K fucked over all their androids and reputation. this is kinda what happens when you monopolize the robotics industry and also exist in a world where the Y2K bug is real^_^ mass-producing halosoft-branded bots that will just gather dust on store shelves is a waste of precious budget, so they pull back and switch to primarily producing commissioned or custom bots. they’re most successful working with the entertainment and sex industries. also they start making ele•K compatible with any electronic that has a mouth so it’s universal like a USB-C port now any brand android can eat it
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hi lucy! when i say it's been a while, it's been a WHILE. just wanted to say hi! how are you? how's alfie? what's your favourite snack? are you LOVING the cost of living crisis? (see how i slipped that one in there? i'm smooth like that). what hobby should i pick up these days? you asked our opinion but never told us your answer- did you chop the hair or keep it long? that's all! i'll be back sooner next time :) -aj
AJ!! I missed you!
I'm good! Busy but good. How are you?
Alfie is great. He's definitely started feeling his age a bit the last few months, still his same old crazy self but slowing up a little. I can't believe my baby is going to be ELEVEN in 3 months 😢 😩 Fun story, he's not allowed on the sofa indoors, but we just got an outdoor sofa and he is allowed up there and he thinks he's king of the castle (he's not wrong 😂).
Favourite snack...hmm...kind of obsessed with hula hoops right now. Also mint aero.
Slippery as a 🐍- the COLC is soooo fun. I'm loving my rent, my travel, my food bills, my utilities all going up at the same times. What a time to be alive. So fun. Didn't want to spend that money on anything else anyway (thanks for letting me have that rant.)
Ooh, a hobby for you...Bird watching? I feel like cool people bird watch. Or learn a new language...something rare.
I kept it long (which I think was the winner). I plan on keeping it long for my sister's wedding in October and then going short for beanie season ❄❄
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Remember those Microsoft Windows wallpapers and screensavers in the late 2000s with their vibrant blue skies and water, and green terrains? For "My World", Aespa might have just taken inspiration from that style and today in Mystic Notebook, we are going to explore this concept change, or let's say evolution, for the want of a better word!
Gone is the hyper pop/Y2K/futuristic-blingy style to be replaced by an aesthetic that seems to be calmer and soothing to the eyes. The girls are shown wearing flowy white dresses in natural landscapes: long stretches of desert and barren land, green grassy fields with glimpses of forest far behind, and frothy seas. At first, the set of pictures seemed rather blah to me, and I couldn't help but wonder if Aespa is doing a simple summer concept, which is so unlike them! But then things started to make sense! In this comeback, they are focusing on THEIR world, and the aesthetic evolved from their Y2K concept to that of "Microsoft wallpapers." This particular aesthetic is known as Frutiger Aero, a style that arose after the late 90s/early 2000s Y2K futuristic style! The evolution signifies a return to their real world ("my" world) from the very artificial and utopic world of Kwangya and the Flat, after defeating Black Mamba. Or maybe they are in the world of Mys, their fans.
Now, Frutiger Aero is the style that has the futuristic element of Y2K aesthetic but with the inclusion of nature and greenery. It's an intermingling of scientific progress and a utopic feeling while keeping in touch with Mother Nature. The aesthetic lacks much of the artificiality of Y2K and inclines towards naturalism and humanism.
In the new teaser video, even the greenery seems to have a sense of eeriness, don't you think? The girls are dressed in white, a symbol of a fresh start and purity and they seem to be searching for something. Maybe remnants of their past in the now barren land? Did someone attack Aespa's world while they were fighting Black Mamba? In my opinion, this real-world concept change was already foreshadowed in "Life's Too Short", which had a simple and preppy concept, very real worldish. The girls are slowly getting in touch with the real human world.
Coming back to the style, I love Karina's outfit. It is by the brand, Kim Zisu, and though it has a flowy white summery vibe, the sleekness of the dress and the white boots are an ode to their futuristic concept. The concept photos can any day replace the old Microsoft wallpapers and screensavers; the wide blue skies with soft wispy clouds, the vast green fields, and the dark vivid seas are very reminiscent of the Frutiger Aero style of screensavers and wallpapers.
The foreshadowing mentioned above perhaps started back in Savage Era, in my opinion. If you closely look at the album covers of "Savage" and "Girls", the colour scheme, floor patterns, and structure in general, are very similar to the Frutiger Aero concept.
I wouldn't be surprised if everything was planned all along! Aespa and SM Entertainment are known for producing music and concepts that are far ahead of their time. Stepping away from Y2K futurism to a concept that is very tricky to notice, is quite a bold step. The teaser video intrigues the audience's mind with its haunting melody and I'm very excited to see how they explore their storyline after Black Mamba's defeat.
ALL RIGHTS OF PHOTOS AND VIDEO TO SM ENTERTAINMENT.
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UNPOPULAR OPINION TIME:
IF U HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST MY OPINIONS, PLEASE LEAVE OR CONTINUE TO SCROLL calmly :)
Entrapta and Hordak are better platonic
I feel like, they just wouldn't work as a REAL couple but would make great friends. Like if they were to get married for platonic friend reasons thats a ok and honestly beter than them neing a real couple.
Entrapta gives off serious aero/ace vibes, and I don't think she would get into a relationship. If she were to ger with someone it would be WRONG Hordak, theyvjust make alot more sense to me you know?
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