Legomaniack

[deusex]

We’re thrilled to announce Deus Ex: Mankind Divided will launch February 23rd, 2016! [ Δ ]

[legomaniack]

THERE ARE NO BRAKES ON THE HYPE TRAIN

[legomaniack]

Jellyfish are freaky.

[deusex]

The MIT’s cheetah, the first four-legged robot to run and jump over obstacles autonomously. [ Δ ]

[deusex]

The Bionic Man: meet the first ever to control two robotic arms, training extensively to push the technology forward. [ Δ ] 

[legomaniack]

The future is coming.

[legomaniack]

I am in drive partition hell

[legomaniack]

I messed with Apache for a while

I am now convinced the internet is run on black magic.

[deusex]

Adam Jensen is back. Switch off the lights, turn up the volume and make sure to watch the Deus Ex: Mankind Divided announcement trailer in full screen and HD! ‪#‎CantKillProgress

[legomaniack]

Illuminati confirmed. And for once, that's something to actually be excited about.

[askditzyghoul]

All Ponies are Equal, but some are More Equal than Others

(Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen the S5 premiere yet)

This season I’m gonna try something a little different, and chip in my thoughts about the new episodes as they debut. Before posting however, I figured it would be good to give the episode some time to settle, and then give it a rewatch to see if I notice anything more or different. Our first foray into Season 5 is The Cutie Map, also known by some (before it aired) as Cutie Markless. In my opinion, The Cutie Map is the strongest season opener we’ve had since Return of Harmony.

For those who don’t know, the title of this post is based on a line from George Orwell’s book Animal Farm. The book is about a group of animals who, displeased with the running of their farm by an old drunkard, chase him off and take the operation of the farm upon themselves. While it seemed like a really good idea in theory, and starts off well enough for the animals, it eventually becomes worse there than they ever had it under the old farmer. The book itself is one big analogy for the rise of communism in Russia during the 20th century, which makes it all the more appropriate considering how some people have taken to calling Starlight Glimmer an Equestrian communist.

The Orwellian parallels don’t stop there however. George Orwell’s most famous book, 1984, was also clearly used for inspiration in this episode. In particular, the propaganda playing over the speaker in the cottage where the Mane Six where isolated after having their Cutie Marks removed was shockingly similar to that used by The Party.

From MLP:

BE YOUR BEST BY NOT BEING YOUR BEST

EXCEPTIONALISM IS A LIE

TO EXCEL IS TO FAIL

From 1984:

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.

Continuing the Orwellian parallels, in 1984 even the act of thinking differently is a crime, and the same thing applies to ‘Our Town’ in the eyes of Starlight Glimmer. Which brings us to the meat of the episode: Starlight Glimmer herself. Glimmer is a unicorn with some serious magical power, and who clearly has spent a lot of time studying magic and unicorn history (her reference to an obscure mage from the past named Meadowbrook parallels Twilight’s fascination with Star Swirl the Bearded). So what’s her story? Why does she think cutie marks are evil? Why does she think equality is the only true way to experience friendship? How did she get it in her head that what she was doing “created harmony”? Where did she even learn a spell that could remove cutie marks? The answers to these questions… are not given to us.

The FiM writers took a huge risk with Starlight Glimmer. Not only did they not show us where her rationale comes from or her origins, they also let her get away. Not once in any of the two part episodes has a villain gotten away with what they did. Nightmare Moon was returned to her former self, Discord was turned to stone and later reformed, Chrysalis was cast out of Canterlot and into some badlands somewhere, Sombra was straight up obliterated, and Tirek was imprisoned back in Tartarus. As well as being allowed to escape, Starlight Glimmer was just a normal pony. She had some exceptional magic yes, but at the end of the day she was still a regular unicorn, and not some monster. In spite of this, she manages to be just as unsettling and threatening as Discord or Tirek ever were. I have no doubts that we will see her again, but I commend FiM for being willing to keep a few secrets, and leave a bit of mystery for the season to come.

Another other thing The Cutie Map needs to be commended for is taking things in a different direction. After the magic stealing monstrosity that was Tirek, it would have been really hard for them to escalate things further, so instead they dialed things back and took them in a different direction. The titular map showed the Mane Six where to go, but once they arrived they were on their own. No Elements of Harmony, no Rainbow Power, no Crystal Heart, and the one new magical artifact that was introduced turned out to be a fake. It became especially important for them to rely on their wits and friendship after their cutie marks were stripped from them. 

This guile of the Mane Six pays off when they managed to show the ponies of ‘Our Town’ the true nature of Starlight Glimmer, and inspire them to regain their individuality. This is best exemplified by the four new ponies the episode gave names to: Night Glider, Party Favor, Sugar Bell, and Double Diamond. With their own cutie marks stolen, the Mane Six had to rely on these four ponies, who were still mostly strangers, to save the day. Which they then proceeded to do in a most spectacular fashion, rather than Twilight and/or the Mane Six simply using the Elements of Harmony or a similar magical power to defeat the baddie (Which was also one of my favourite things about The Crystal Empire, where Spike got to be the hero in the end). These ponies then begin to truly understand what it means to be friends, and dedicate themselves to really getting to know one another, and benefiting from what sets them apart.

That is what friendship is all about. Working together, combining your skills and abilities to accomplish things you can’t do by yourself. Becoming something greater by coming together. There’s a single word that describes this effect perfectly: Gestalt, which literally means a sum greater than the whole of its parts.

With amazing themes, some clever deescalation and subtlety, and the willingness to keep a few things in the back pocket for later, The Cutie Map starts Season 5 off in an amazing way. I’m looking forward to more awesomeness to come.

TL;DR: Season 5 is going to be amazing.

[asklittlepip]

You can’t have a nightmare if you never dream…

Starlight Glimmer (via asklittlepip)

Well. That’s actually pretty dark

[legomaniack]

Today you will be taking the SAT.

However, I must warn you, there are many ways to fail.

If you do not use a pencil, you will fail.

If you write outside the margins, you will fail.

If you preform the exam in reverse, you will fail.

"What if we opt out of taking the test?"

The test is offered again in the fall, and upon that exam, you will fail.

"What if we finish too fast?"

Then you will fail!

"And what if we pass?"

Then you exit the education system, and that is a world an educator is frowned upon to understand. I know not what will happen.

"So we don’t have to go to school any more?!"

I assume yes, though I dare not contemplate the consequenses.

[legomaniack]

Reading philosophy late at night is dangerous. One starts to get notions that the entire world is nothing but a whim on your imagination to be ignored, drifting on clockwork construct of a society.

[charitywaterproject-blog-blog]

EVERY REBLOG GENERATES 1-5 CENTS DONATION TO CHARITY: WATER

More RE-BLOGS = More DONATIONS = More LIVES SAVED

100% of donations directly fund water projects for communities in need, and we prove each one using photos and GPS coordinates on Google Maps.

$20  = 1 CHILD CLEAN WATER FOR 20 YEARS

Richard :-)

[ask-sober-lin-bei-fong-deactiva]

REBLOG 5,000,000 TIMES

[joelheymann-deactivated20151109]

WHERE ARE THERE SO LITTLE NOTES YOU GUYS

REBLOG THIS SAVE SOME LIVES.

[crossingstruckmod-deactivated20]

Oh okay.

[noodletunes]

I can’t not reblog.

I care too much.

[scienceyoucanlove-deactivated20]

reblogging this to remind myself to donate when I get my purse 

[elphorium-deactivated20150218]

reblogging this because I really want them to live like we do.

[ur-fav]

A MUST TO REBLOG

[lefrango]

PLEASE REBLOG. I don’t care if it’s truth or not. But it may be, and you have to understand that this is REALLY important. When you get your hands dirty you just go to the bathroom and clean them. Well this people can’t, and they can’t shower either. And they need that water to drink it, and to stay alive. There’s people out there suffering, and just by reblogging you can help them. So please, I don’t care if this doesn’t fit your blog, this is actually worth it.

[legomaniack]

How to juxtaposition.

[legomaniack]

You know something's wrong when the first thing that goes into your head is "My brain feels like it's made of squares"

[legomaniack]

Plans for Halloween: - Candy - Watch Luna Eclipsed - Read HP Lovecraft - Sleep?

[legomaniack]

[onlyblackgirl]

Indigenous People’s Day Photo Project 2013

"Dear Columbus…"

Photo Credit: Andrew Burlingham

South Puget Sound Community College’s Diversity & Equity Center

Olympia, WA 

[garbagecreature-deactivated2017]

Yes. YES. Fuck Columbus forever. I’ll always distinctly remember being a -child-, maybe 7? and even then being so horribly angry about Columbus. I was originally vocal about it. The real kicker? I quickly learned to shut up about how I felt. I tried to talk about how infuriating it was to learn how Columbus invaded and destroyed an entire native people. And every adult I talked to tried to convince me everything Columbus did was totally okay. Apparently children aren’t supposed to learn about Columbus and find him to be anything but ~brave~ and ~adventurous~ or some shit. I’m still, even now, fucking appalled anyone, ANYONE, could so easily and thoughtlessly try to indoctrinate a small child into accepting genocide of native people. It’s …disgusting, and so extremely telling of how far our culture will go in its dehumanization and erasure of the violence native people endured and continue to endure at our hands.

So. Yes. Fuck Columbus. I hope someday we all celebrate Indigenous People Day and only remember Columbus for his crimes against humanity.

[ask-rainbowslut]

You all do realize that Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who was commissioned by the Spanish Nobility and accidentally discovered the Americas?? It wasn’t his fault, it was the Spanish Monarchy who later sent the Conquistadors and the Inquisition to South America and they were the reason why the Aztec died out? Don’t go putting the fucking blame on a fucking Explorer.

[dagisreblogs]

So, lets get real for a moment here, Columbus was simply trying to find a new way to India and ran afoul of the vast landmass that we call North, South, and Central America, he sought funding to find a route to India and the Spanish agreed to fund him. He stumbled across all this new land and informed the Spanish, who then sent their forces to conquer the regions. Now, if it weren’t for him the Americas may have remained undocumented for many years to come, but it happened and now he’s being insulted for doing something he loved by the people he didn’t actively work to harm. In the language of the people who were sent to subjugate and convert any of the local population they could. 

You’re using the languages of the true villains of this story to insult some guy who accidentally bumped into your culture. Must be nice where you live, because it sure isn’t reality.

[askfrostwindchill]

((OOC: Okay. History buff time. Time to channel Frost here.

Everything I put down here is straight from the notes I took from my AP US History course in high school and from the “textbook” my teacher assigned us- one I still hold onto, titled Don’t Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History But Never Learned by Kenneth C. Davis.

Colombus’ landing at what is currently Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic was accidental, and he believed he’d landed in the West Indies at the time- that much is true. 

What’s also true is that after landing and discovering the local populace (the Taino), he lured a handful of them onto his ship before heading back to Spain as proof of his landing… and those that survived the journey back were likely enslaved.

What’s also true is that he led a second voyage to the same location- only this time with a fleet of seventeen ships and “about 1,500 men who had volunteered in the hopes of finding vast riches” (Davis 16). After establishing a second fort (their first and the men they left behind were long gone with their fates unknown), “Colombus then began to set the Taino to look for gold- with harsh quotas established and harsher punishments for failing to meet those quotas. The lucky ones lost a hand. The unlucky were crucified in rows of thirteen- one for Jesus and each of the disciples” (Davis 16).

So as a guy who purposely exploited the native population, established draconian punishments, and inadvertently exposed the natives to a plethora of diseases to which they had no natural immunity (the reverse was not true since so many Europeans grew up in such comparatively unsanitary conditions that their immune systems had been exposed to the most horrific of diseases and were more resilient compared to the natives’) all in the name of wealth and fame… not a good person. 

 Bet a lot of you weren’t taught this in school.

As an aside and a slight tangent, I’m not sure how many of you heard or saw in the news, but the school boards in certain Texas and Colorado communities are opting to change their history curriculum to omit or blunt the darkest of American days- the days of “separate but equal,” imperialism, Native American subjugation and so many other things- that just make me so incredibly angry. Their reasoning is that they don’t wish to fill the minds of the American youth with ideas of segregation and racism or some other nonsense.

There’s a saying out there- those that don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Spewing a one-sided, censored ode to American grace and benevolence isn’t right. We’ve made- and are still making- plenty of mistakes. America might not have written the book on ethnic cleansing, but we sure contributed to some gruesome chapters in our past. Everyone knows about American slavery because a war was fought because of it, but we like to forget the Trail of Tears, My Lai, and Birmingham at times. And people often times weren’t even taught about the days of American imperialism in China, Cuba, the Philippines, and the other Pacific islands. Nor do we seem to remember the Mexican War or the Spanish-American War- both instigated by America to further manifest destiny and imperial gains respectively.

America is neither angel nor demon. The same goes for every other nation, culture, what have you out there in the world. We cannot forget this. We must be held accountable for both the good and evil our forefathers have done- and that we are doing. To forget- or worse, censor- such information is a criminal act in my eyes. What, you don’t think a generation that grew up on Call of Duty, The Walking Dead, The Hunger Games, and exactly how many superhero movies can’t take a little instruction on the shadows of the past because it’s too graphic? Here’s how to prevent ideas of segregation or racism or elitism from motivating the youth the wrong way- show them the gruesome, graphic scenes of our past. Tell them about the American massacre of Vietnamese men, women, children, and infants at My Lai. Show them pictures and footage of civil rights activists at Birmingham being attacked by police dogs and water cannons. Have them read about Wounded Knee and The Gilded Age and our ulterior motives for entering World War I. Shame them and disgust them so that the mere thought sends shivers down their spines.

I might be channeling Frost here, but sometimes you must remember in order to know what you risk if you ever, ever forget- so that you never, never forget.))

[legomaniack]

This.