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nicovallone.bsky.social
nico
@nicovallone.bsky.social
640 followers 68 following 74 posts
just trying to take up as little space as possible
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nicovallone.bsky.social
Schumerism, I suppose
Tumblr post by rollercoasterwords: i'm literally the priest's favorite sacrificial lamb because i am so docile and sweet and i hold very still when they put the rope around my neck and i trot along so happily while they lead me to the altar and they do not even have to tie me down because i lie so very still and only bleat once or twice in my lovely lamb voice and when the knife comes down it cuts through me like butter and i offer no resistance and i bleed so prettily all over my new white wool and my guts all unspool like the most beautiful shining yarn and my eyes are animal and dumb and hold no accusation and every time i die i come right back as another little lamb because the priest loves me so so much and he always chooses me for the sacrifice every time and he always places one hand on my small and twitching nose to calm me while he lifts the knife and he doesn't do it for the other lambs only me because i'm his favorite
September 19, 2025 at 4:17 PM
nicovallone.bsky.social
The cover of Tomie dePaola’s children’s book titled “Strega Nona”, with “-graphy” appended to the end
September 19, 2025 at 1:25 AM
nicovallone.bsky.social
In Virtual Light the opening narrative is a cop killing someone, getting suspended, and then signing on to a private security outfit for rich people whereupon he promptly floors his six-wheeled patrol tank through a subscriber’s gate and into their living room after a false alarm
Protector @bookprotectors Introducing Patrol. Homeowners in LA can now book off-duty police officers to help protect their homes. Now available in Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Holmby Hills, and Malibu — more areas coming soon.
July 18, 2025 at 6:31 AM
nicovallone.bsky.social
Power was out so I spent last night having a mending party on the floor by candlelight like it’s 1825
Various objects scattered on a carpet, lit by a candle. A replacement desk armrest on bubble wrap. Fabric scissors. A hex key set. A screwdriver. A measuring tape. A roll of scrap leather. A sewing kit. A utility knife. Dental floss. A needle is partway through a leather zipper pull on a toiletry bag.
April 11, 2025 at 2:10 PM
nicovallone.bsky.social
This was fun to unredact! I have no idea where to start with decoding it though.
Punchcard reading “TR-49 AN INKLE GAME COMING SOON PL34 SE91 EA53 HE19 HO77 EX17 TR49”. Image generated from masswerk.at/keypunch
April 1, 2025 at 3:29 PM
nicovallone.bsky.social
anyway enjoy the Gamer Zone in the newly-constructed National Library
Two rows of tables in the National Library of El Salvador, lined with Gamer Chairs facing consoles and displays. Three children are playing games on the consoles, the rest of the chairs are empty.
December 29, 2024 at 6:17 AM
nicovallone.bsky.social
a fun aspect of Bukele un-recognizing Taiwan to get a $500 million check from Beijing is that El Salvadoran Twitter is flooded with ads from accounts like Chongqing Iron and Steel Company and Visit Heilongjiang
Twitter post. Suzhou Industrial Park & @SIPnewscenter Ad ... Great news! #Suzhou Industrial Park (#SIP) achieved its highest rank ever-4th among 178 national high-tech zones, per the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. All six indicators ranked in the top 20, with the enterprise R&D investment and business environment (truncated) Twitter post Gorgeous Yangzhou @YangzhouCity Ad Having supplied more than 1,000 plants in more than 80 countries, Myande Group, a star of #Yangzhou's advanced manufacturing sector, is now the world's second largest provider of edible oil and fat processing equipment and engineering solutions. #Innovation stands at the heart (truncated) Twitter post China Railway Engineering Corporation @CREC Ad The first main tower of Malaysia's Lupar cross-sea #bridge by #CREC was successfully topped out. During the construction, we developed hydraulic equipment and set a record pace of "one segment every 3 days." Upon completion, it will become the longest bridge in East #Malaysia. Twitter post Hangzhoufeel @hangzhoufeel The 2024 Women's Club World Championship final has ended with Imoco Volley Conegliano sweeping Tianjin Bohai Bank 3-O to secure the crowny. Congrats to Conegliano on their third Club Champs title @volleyballworld #ClubWorldChamps #Volleyball #sports #Hangzhou2024
December 29, 2024 at 6:06 AM
nicovallone.bsky.social
Thanks for sharing this! Here’s my message to them:
Balatro has been rated PEGI 18. The rationale is that the game prominently features poker terminology, and poker is a game in real life that often involves gambling, and therefore the game is a gambling game. This is absurd. Poker hands feature in many games. This does not make them gambling games. Assembling hands with cards is not inherently gambling—by that definition, all games with dice (craps), wheels (roulette), or slots (slots) would be gambling games. This is a facile classification system—references to features of games historically used for gambling is not itself gambling. Even so, Balatro diverges severely from its resemblance to poker. Joker cards fundamentally change the rules of the game, tarot cards manipulate the content of the deck, and the game never involves any betting of any currency, real or virtual. The only core feature of poker present are the hands themselves. The objection by the rating panel seems limited to the aesthetic of poker, which they confuse for the presence of gambling. By contrast, many PEGI rated games actually feature gambling. Lootbox microtransactions, where players spend real money (or in-game currency which can be purchased with real money) for a chance at a reward, are common in lower-rated PEGI games. This resemblance to gambling is material, not aesthetic. The harm caused to players via these empirically addictive features is real, not superficial. Their ranking as appropriate for lower ages is a farce. If Balatro had “combos” instead of hands, “points” instead of chips, and “challenges” instead of “blinds”, would it receive a lower PEGI rating? If the art or names on the cards were different, would the rating board approve? These aesthetic differences clearly do not demarcate the game as for adults only, since this language and imagery is common and age-appropriate on its face. This rating is a mistake and must be corrected.
December 18, 2024 at 11:08 PM
nicovallone.bsky.social
First a tsunami and now a tornado warning in the Bay Area
iPhone Lock Screen with a notification that reads: Emergency Alert now National Weather Service: TORNADO WARNING in this area until 6:15 AM PST. Take shelter now in a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. Check media.
December 14, 2024 at 1:58 PM