I just remembered this tidbit from my childhood, and as you are the only person from outside the US to ever interact with me on here, you get to hear it. When I was in the fifth grade (10-11 years old) it was “parent career day”. You know, bring your dad in and he talks to the class about being an electrician or doctor or whatever. Anyway. Classmates dad was a police officer in our town, and he was talking about his day to day and then asked us if we had any questions. I raise my little 5th grade hand and say “when you shoot somebody, do you ever aim for the leg or anything to avoid killing them and just remove the threat?” And he looked out to the room full of 10 year olds and says “no. I always aim for the head. Always go for a kill shot if you have it.” And I think about that every time I see a cop. I also think about it every time I play call of duty….

When I was a little kid I was considering joining the Federal Police when I grew up and I spoke to a friend of the family in the AFP. Aussie cops don't have to shoot people all that often but he said that if you do have to shoot someone, you should do your best to kill them no matter the circumstances, because permanently injured targets are lawsuits waiting to happen, but a dead victim can't sue or testify and on the extremely rare chance that something like that does become a legal issue the police force will almost always win against a dead body.

He also said that aiming for the head on your first shot is an idiot move, though, because it's a small and probably mobile target. A handgun isn't a sniper rifle; unless there's a clear reason not to, aim for the centre of mass. So my cop and yours would probably disagree on just how to kill the person they've decided to just up and kill unnecessarily.

It's that time of the year again, time for another insane Susan theory

Ok, so everybody's been talking about Susan getting mentioned. Some have even pointed out the extreme amount of time they spent on her, and to clarify that her current state is unknown, almost like they are setting up her return.

Susan's mention gets more interesting when you take into account The 15th Doctor's fixation with being a completely unique being as pointed out in 'Space Babies'. Almost like if it's an idea setting up to be challenged later down the line.

Susan's mention gets EVEN more interesting when you take into account how the season has already explored a lot the theme of a young person suffering because of their absent parents. From The Doctor, to Ruby, to the space babies, etc. And Susan has missing parents, both in the sense that we have no idea who her parents are and because of The First Doctor (who acts as a surrogate father) infamously dropping her and promising he will return, something we all know he didn't really accomplish.

There's also this one recent interview with RTD where he talks about how The 15th Doctor will open up more about his lost family with Ruby and connect over that but maybe it doesn't mean anything idk.

He also talked about how in the series finale there will be a surprise actor making an appearance during a huge scene, and Russel goes to specify it isn't a celebrity cameo but someone they haven't credited or confirmed yet.

You can also bring up the fact that the big baddy being set up right now is The One Who Waits, and who is someone who waits who has been setting up to return? THAT'S SUSAN FUCKING FOREMAN

Now, I'm not saying that Susan is the one who waits because simply waiting isn't enough evidence, but there's clearly a connection going on around here.

So my theory is that Susan is coming back with a direct connection to The One Who Waits and it's probably really mad at The Doctor for leaving her (probably acting as a dark reflection of Ruby of what would happen if she overly fixates on those who left her), and she is being played by Carole Ann Ford.

But because that's not spicy enough, on top of everything I've said I'm going to drop a wild prediction and mention how for some reason we have no idea what's the name of the companion that Varada Sethu is going to play and that The Mirror has stated she will appear briefly during series 14.

The huge scene Russel is talking about is Carole Ann Ford regenerating into Varada Sethu, the latter one will go to play Susan Foreman II. I rest my case.

also a good-faith question: what do i tell some of my friends who are terrified of the collapse of the current system for like, survival reasons? like in ways that mutual aid and community support can't really help.

i was trying to explain all this stuff to my friend the other day who is on government support and needs a lot of intensive, expensive medical intervention to live, and she accused me of being willing to sacrifice disabled people for the sake of ideological purity but like, i wasn't saying she doesn't deserve to live, but that she doesn't deserve to live more than palestinians do? and that she also doesn't deserve to specifically live on stolen land. and like, there are palestinians who also could really use those medical treatments that she has the privilege of accessing, why does she deserve them more?

she said she can't afford to not care about the election results because if anything happens to the aca or medicaid, or if anything happens to the medical supply chains, then she's fucked. like, yeah, but same goes for all these people our country is oppressing??

i feel like i just didn't explain this well and i want to give her some other stuff to read.

Great question! I think when people believe that all social care systems will collapse without the government, they are buying into a very colonialist idea that human beings are at their most basic level selfish and irresponsible and won't care for their communities. This is not the case! Thousands of years of human history prove this not to be the case, and so do the behaviors of humans right now during moments of crisis.

Look to the people of Gaza -- they are not leaving their disabled behind. People are sacrificing all that they have to care for their elderly relatives, neighbors, and friends. The only reason that disabled people in Gaza are dying is because the region is being deliberately deprived of resources by Israel. If aid were let in and the Palestinian people were free, they would feed their hungry, treat their sick, supply insulin, teach children, and perform everything that we currently in the US rely upon the government to supply.

Another example of this can be found in how humans respond to natural disasters. Rebecca Solnit's book A Paradise Built in Hell is a beautiful read on this, following numerous real-life disasters across the globe. In every case, people did not riot and pillage or dissolve into violence--- they formed stable encampments, doctors and pharmacists worked their jobs without pay, cooks made food without expecting a wage, everyone pooled their resources and looked after one another.

We also see examples of this when other governments have fallen -- and all governments eventually do! When a nation-state ends, life doesn't end. People keep going to work to make the medicine and put on the leg casts and wash physically disabled people's bodies and make the food. People WANT to feel useful, helpful, included, and looked after, and they will do these things without being forced to by an authoritarian power structure. We see this in the campus encampments and the incredible outpouring of generosity they are experiencing too.

It is quite common for a person to mistakenly believe that the government is all that is keeping our social order working, and that we are all just one moment away from violent chaos and deprivation without it. But that really isn't true. Even without the government, we will still have the *people* who understand how food production and logistics work, the *people* who research and test the drugs, the *people* who watch the children and nurse the elders and fix the roads and butcher chickens.

Without the alienating, exploitative economic structure we currently have, it would actually be EASIER and more efficient for us to take care of one another with these skills, because our time wouldnt be wasted on bullshit jobs that don't contribute to society.

There are lots of great readings about all of this on the Anarchist Library, but I recommend starting with David Graeber's books! Bullshit Jobs, then Debt the first 5000 Years, then Utopia of Rules, then Dawn of Everything. Bullshit Jobs is the easiest read.

Rick and Morty if Autism Speaks and Autism Moms focus-grouped it to death:

Rick: Everyone, I have a terrible confession to make. Summer [scrolling through her phone]: Sure, Grandpa Rick. How many planets did you blow up today? Rick: No, Summer, it's much worse than that. I... [sighs and sticks his hands in his pockets] I just got back from the doctor's office. I...I have autism. [The entire family gasps in shock. Summer drops her phone. Morty's hands fly to his mouth.] Beth: No! Rick! Why didn't you ever tell us? Rick: I didn't know, sweetie. Bird Person noticed that I'd been flapping my hands a lot and said, "Mubba rubba nub nub," which means, "I'm going to give you a referral for an autism diagnosis." I just got back from the clinic. I'll be honest with you--when the word "autism" came out of the doctor's mouth, I couldn't decide if I wanted to hide the truth from you or crash my ship directly into the building, killing me instantly. [Jerry stares at him. Summer starts sobbing. Beth glances at Morty with horror and disbelief.] Beth: But--what about Morty? He flaps his hands sometimes, too. Do you think that--maybe--oh God, I don't even want to say it-- Rick [looking at her sadly]: I don't know, sweetie. Autism is a genetic disease, and it's not looking good. Morty: No! NO! Why, Rick? This is the worst thing you've ever done! Rick: I'm sorry, buddy. I wish I could go back in time and delete the autism from my genes. Summer [sobbing]: You've ruined our family! I always knew I was the one normal child, and now you've just confirmed it! Beth: I'm sorry, Morty, but I won't be able to look at you the same way again. I knew there was a reason I favored Summer all these years. And Rick, well--I don't know if you can keep living here. Our budget is already tight without you spending $500 a month on math textbooks and model train sets. Jerry: Wait, hang on. If I can get meta here for a second--doesn't Dan Harmon play Bird Person? And isn't he, you know...in that way? Rick: Autistic? [Beth and Summer gasp at the sound of the word.] I don't know, let me check. [He opens a portal and disappears, then returns a few seconds later, his eyes heavy with sadness.] Yes. Dan Harmon is autistic, which means...Bird Person is autistic, too. I'm sorry. [The entire room is silent.] Beth: Well...at least you'll be able to get together now. I know you autistics can't date normal people. Summer: Autistics can't date anyone, period. Sorry, Morty, but I guess Jessica and Bruce Chutback both dodged a bullet. [Morty bursts into tears. Beth rubs his shoulder.] Beth: It's okay, honey. Look at it this way--you'll be able to go on lots of adventures with Grandpa since we have to separate both of you from the general population. Jerry: And "different" doesn't mean "worse." I mean, in this case, it absolutely does, but it doesn't mean that in other contexts. Morty: I'm sorry that I'm burdening everyone. [glances up] Hey, um, Rick--maybe you can find a cure, right? [smiles weakly] Some planet out there must've found a cure for autism by now, right? Rick [forces a smile]: You've got it, buddy. I'm sure there's a universe out there that's...found a cure for this tragic disease. [Everyone looks silently down at the table. Morty stands up.] Morty: I'm going to sit in my room for a while. Let me know when you've decided if you're going to keep me or put me up for adoption. Beth: We'll let you know, honey. [Morty walks upstairs. The rest of the family turns to Rick, who sighs.] Rick: Well...I guess I'll go to the garage. The noise-cancelling walls will protect you from the sounds of my incessant stimming and hand-flapping. I know you don't want me back in the house, so you can turn my room into extra storage space. Jerry can even turn it into a man cave if he wants. I don't care if he does. I don't care about anything anymore. Summer: Neither do we, Rick. Neither do we... [Rick walks into the garage and sits quietly on the stool. After a few minutes of silence, he hesitates, then reaches inside his coat and applies a sticker to his ship. The camera zooms in to reveal a puzzle piece that reads Autistics On Board.]

you ever realize you never properly learned how to say a character's name, so by the time you finally HEAR it, you have no idea who they're talking about? cause I feel like I keep doing this and it's very confusing to keep being corrected like that

formalwear

I think it's also interesting to see how things change depending on the time in which they're being engaged with. so I see things about rose today that point out that she's written to be 19 when she meets the doctor and that's a big age difference (which... I understand the point is it's a big age difference because billie piper was 23 and eccleston was 40, and then dtennant was like 34/35 when he started which isn't so big of a shift but anyway the optics I get what people are getting at, but also I think it does oversimplify a lot of what's actually going on in the written dynamic, anyway-)

and also that the rtd run's Themes start coming together properly around s3 (although they are present from day one), and in some ways at this point, because nu!who has been running for... fuckn. actually quite a few years, which is wild to me as someone who started watching as a kid, and I wonder if classic!who fans felt the same way about their show and anyway -- she shifts from being Literally The First Companion You'd Seen For 17 Years (not counting the movie and fan things and the sketch) Who Was Defining A New Era For A New Generation to... a companion

comparable to other companions, comparable to the rest of the show

we sift through the writing to see what worked and what didn't (in our opinion), and we know how the ten-and-rose storyline Really ends, and how the ten storyline ends (sort, of because now that doctor and donna are Back), and we know what happens afterwards, and we talk about tenrose with a 2020s eye, and rose is "just" one of the people that travels with the doctor, one of several, and notably the one who gets most of the sunshiney doctor that buries a lot of the (wonderfully portrayed) angst of the latter half of the rtd show, and doesn't have as much lore as everything after that, so the story is "just" more simple overall

and to me she's kind of incapable of being just that. doctor who was still a risk that first season, it wasn't a done deal that it would have legs at all, never mind that it would continue for as long as it has. rose was created to be the Face of what nu!who was, moreso than nine/eccleston, because even with the extra angst and the eccleston gravitas, we know the doctor, the doctor is established, it's not actually the doctor that needs to sell what the new show is going to become and what the Feel of that new show is going to be (I mean, partly ofc, but-)

rose was doing so much heavy lifting and she succeeded! she was the face of who before dtennant or any other doctor or companion of his era and subsequent eras. she was created to appeal to a demographic of girls who wanted someone relatable in science fiction, because rtd wanted this to be for the girls, and billie piper came into it off the back of being a popstar and it changed her entire trajectory (for the better I think/hope -- there's a lot of bad shit in billie piper's past and I'm always sending her a fond thought)

nine/ten-and-rose were It! not calling it romantic or platonic or any secret third thing (haunting the narrative), but simply It! that's why it has so much staying power as a ship (which, my opinion on shipping has been somewhat *eh shrug* in later years, but in early-days when that was how you engaged with dynamics that got to you, of course it was going to be massive). it's so hard to properly describe how "for the time in which it was made" that this dynamic was written for, and how successful it was. it was rose that breathed doctor who -- and the doctor's character -- to life, as much as herself

she sets the stage for everything that comes next, both within and without the show proper

and I'm always so pleased that rtd at the time was thinking about what was needed to create this character and he opened with a shot from a girl on the estate with messy hair, clumpy eyeliner, and a minimum wage job, and went "that's the girl who's going to go on the adventure of a lifetime, that's the girl we're seeing the story through and relating to, because that's what girls (and uh... those who were girls at the time - and their parents and the boys) should be seeing."

I know rose isn't the first working class companion including classic!who, but she set the tone for nu!who and her family and background are important to why she is who she is, and is explored

"I've got no A-levels, no job, no future-" said the girl about to see the universe

she was very much for teenagers, and so she reads differently when you're an adult watching it back (much like those "teenager saves the world," novels you loved as a kid), but that's why she's 19 at the beginning. that's why she's billie piper (who does a perfect job). she was there to bring a new generation into this story, and it was perfect. and then she grows up. and we grew up. and she had adventures and it was brilliant and she survived and she made a life for herself. that's her story

sometimes it’s sad that the default fanon for McCoy is grumpy, annoyed, no fun allowed, old, and done with the world

when this guy also enjoys the life so much and to the fullest - he loves food, drinks, he loves good times (he’d go bar hopping with you if you asked), he likes sex, he loves research, he’s curious, he likes jokes, he likes to tease and “prank” others

5-HTP still makes me a morning person, good to know

man it's so depressing reading abt your own disorder and seeing stuff like "some doctors prefer not to diagnose or help people with this disorder due to patients' tendency to lie or manipulate others" do you not hear how fucked up you sound bestie. idk how to explain to you that you are not the victim or vulnerable party in this situation. and the fact the main rebuttal to this is often "that's not true about *all* patients!" or "they're not doing it on purpose!" instead of "hey 1 that's a very fucked up assumption that's barely based on anything 2 you are refusing help to people who are suffering because of said fucked up assumption. you are not even looking at them like people". like maybe the reason ppl with this disorder feel the need to lie is we don't feel safe telling the truth abt our situation bc we're scared doctors will kick us out or refuse treatment bc we're so "difficult" 🤨

Katy Manning - in her first ever screen role, and credited as Katie - makes awful coffee and has a good nose at some industrial action, in Softly Softly: Task Force: Standing Orders (1.8, BBC, 1970)

Taste is taste, and this might be a little too mean, but something I’ve finally put my finger on regarding how annoyed I get with the acting like The Happiness Patrol is the only blatant anti-Thatcher sentiment in classic Who is, like... 

Why do you think Warriors of the Deep is the way it is? Terminus? With those nightmarish production fall-throughs, the worker strikes, the anger and froth and cynicism that can’t help but lash out at the Doctor a little bit. Resurrection of the Daleks puts the literal societal decay caused by Thatcherism on the forefront. That serial was the 1984 Olympics showcase for fuck’s sake, you think they didn’t know how grim and grisly and nasty it was? The stumble into the mess of season 22, mean-spirited and indulgent as it is, makes perfect sense? 

And it makes me wonder if the widespread sweeping of Saward’s tenure under the rug under “grimdark” (ugh) write-off truly is because someone isn’t jumping up and down with a big neon sign screaming “THIS IS POLITICAL” in text? 

T’Pel travelling for her work and talking to her husband with a hidden communicator. They talk often while she travels and sometimes they leave the channel open even though neither of them is speaking.

it comes down to identity.                                                                   - strange (2022) #5

i hate being sick

I know everyone is currently on TotK, but I finally felt the right combination of financially stable and emotionally unhinged to get myself a Switch and BotW. So, like, all the people posting about the brand new game? My brain cannot help but interpret all the gifs and posts as the game I am playing now for the first time.