#(has not used an emulator since 2019)

[allthegothihopgirls]

stupid idiot has bloodthirst for even stupider silly space game from 2000 on an extinct console. combats by deep-diving into emulators, ends up downloads 4 different types of malware

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week

1. ‘We are just getting started’: the plastic-eating bacteria that could change the world

In 2016, Japanese scientists Oda and Hiraga published their discovery of Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacterium capable of breaking down PET plastic into basic nutrients. This finding marked a shift in microbiology's perception, recognizing the potential of microbes to solve pressing environmental issues.

France's Carbios has successfully applied bacterial enzyme technology to recycle PET plastic waste into new plastic products, aligning with the French government's goal of fully recycling plastic packaging by 2025.

2. HIV cases in Amsterdam drop to almost zero after PrEP scheme

According to Dutch AIDS Fund, there were only nine new cases of the virus in Amsterdam in 2022, down from 66 people diagnosed in 2021. The organisation claimed that 128 people were diagnosed with HIV in Amsterdam in 2019, and since 2010, the number of new infections in the Dutch capital has fallen by 95 per cent.

3. Cheap and drinkable water from desalination is finally a reality

In a groundbreaking endeavor, engineers from MIT and China have designed a passive solar desalination system aimed at converting seawater into drinkable water.

The concept, articulated in a study published in the journal Joule, harnesses the dual powers of the sun and the inherent properties of seawater, emulating the ocean’s “thermohaline” circulation on a smaller scale, to evaporate water and leave salt behind.

4. World’s 1st drug to regrow teeth enters clinical trials

The ability to regrow your own teeth could be just around the corner. A team of scientists, led by a Japanese pharmaceutical startup, are getting set to start human trials on a new drug that has successfully grown new teeth in animal test subjects.

Toregem Biopharma is slated to begin clinical trials in July of next year after it succeeded growing new teeth in mice five years ago, the Japan Times reports.

5. After Decades of Pressure, US Drugmaker J&J Gives Up Patent on Life-Saving TB Drug

In what can be termed a huge development for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) patients across large parts of the world, bedaquiline maker Johnson and Johnson said on September 30 (Saturday) that it would drop its patent over the drug in 134 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

6. Stranded dolphins rescued from shallow river in Massachusetts

7. ‘Staggering’ green growth gives hope for 1.5C, says global energy chief

The prospects of the world staying within the 1.5C limit on global heating have brightened owing to the “staggering” growth of renewable energy and green investment in the past two years, the chief of the world’s energy watchdog has said.

Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, and the world’s foremost energy economist, said much more needed to be done but that the rapid uptake of solar power and electric vehicles were encouraging.

---

That's it for this week :)

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[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alice Speri at The Guardian:

Jo Boaler, a professor of mathematics education at Stanford University, is not new to criticism of her work turning ugly. Boaler champions a reformist approach to teaching maths, arguing that strategies that emphasise reasoning over memorisation lead to more equitable outcomes. When she first moved to the US from Britain in the late 1990s, she was warned that her research would anger defenders of traditional methods. Backlash from some colleagues – including accusations of “scientific misconduct” that the university dismissed – grew so personal that she briefly moved back to the UK.

Back at Stanford two decades later, Boaler was tapped in 2019 by the California department of education with four other scholars to rewrite the state’s mathematics pedagogical framework, a non-binding guide seeking to help educators improve outcomes “for all students”. That made Boaler a target once again. This time, the debate moved beyond the so-called “math wars” to become another battle in a newer conservative-led war over diversity and inclusion. Because her research focused on outcomes for students of all demographics and backgrounds, Boaler’s critics branded her as “woke” and attempted to delegitimise her work. Tucker Carlson, Ted Cruz and Elon Musk came after her. Opponents of her research sought to ruin her career, she says. The campaign against her harmed her reputation and took a personal toll. “The physical threats to my family were obviously the worst aspects, but erroneous and unfounded attacks on my work are physically and mentally draining,” she said. But the campaign against Boaler was hardly an isolated incident. Instead, it followed a well-tested playbook, which, since the 2024 resignation of the former Harvard president Claudine Gay over plagiarism accusations, has been increasingly wielded against women, scholars of color and others perceived by the right as progressive. “Most institutions, and even most individual scholars, aren’t fully aware of what’s been happening,” said Rebekah Tromble, a professor of media and public affairs at George Washington University. “And how this is ratcheting up and what could come for them.”

Rufo’s playbook

Recent, organised attacks against scholars have often involved accusations of academic misconduct published in rightwing media, social media campaigns to make the allegations go viral and pressure on universities to disown their faculty. These kinds of campaigns have been pioneered by Christopher Rufo, a conservative operative who first made a name for himself as a crusader against “critical race theory”, an academic approach examining the role of systemic racism in society. Rufo first surfaced the plagiarism allegations against Gay just six months after she made history as Harvard’s first Black president, and shortly after she came under fire during highly charged congressional hearings on accusations of campus antisemitism. He called the campaign to force her out of her job a “successful strategy” and “team effort”. While he gleefully took credit for Gay’s demise – when she quit, he posted the news with a comment, “scalped” – Rufo spoke of the campaign against her as a model he hoped others would emulate. It involved, he said, “varying degrees of coordination and communication” with media figures, conservative donors and politicians. (He was not involved in the campaign against Boaler.) “I’ve run the same playbook on critical race theory, on gender ideology, on DEI bureaucracy,” he told Politico magazine. “This is a universal strategy that can be applied by the right to most issues.”

Rufo’s comments following Gay’s resignation were a candid acknowledgement of a growing phenomenon scholars have increasingly warned about, involving sustained campaigns by conservative activists seeking to undermine the legitimacy of higher learning institutions they view as the root of “woke”, or liberal, politics. It’s a movement that has been embraced by many in the Republican party, including Donald Trump, who has made diversity and equity initiatives a primary target and who has promised to end “the scourge of DEI”. Rufo declined to answer the Guardian’s questions about these campaigns or his role in them. “Scholars have been screaming from the rooftops: ‘This is a playbook,’” said Tromble. Alarmed by the growing trend, in September she launched the Researcher Support Consortium, an online tool for scholars facing harassment or intimidation that seeks to fill the gap left by academic institutions, which she says have been slow to address the problem.

The Guardian has a solid article on the right’s war on academics done under the guise of "fighting wokeness”, especially the collegiate level.

[granvarones]

In 1996, Frank Mendez was one of the most visible people living with HIV in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas along the US-Mexico border. At a time when the drag community had been impacted heavily by losses to AIDS, Frank was out about his HIV status both in and out of drag and used his platform as Jacqui Fabiane to advocate for safer sex, testing, and education. After testing positive in 1992, Frank became a leading voice in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Valley and worked as a community health educator for the Valley AIDS Council.

In 1995, several clients protested against the Valley AIDS Council – feeling ignored and taken for granted by the organization's leadership. After launching a hunger strike to incite changes in the agency, Frank left and started his own grassroots group- The McAllen AIDS Coalition.

Needing money to fund his efforts, Frank turned to drag. Since the onset of the AIDS crisis, drag shows had been used to raise money to pay for medical and burial costs for those impacted by AIDS, as well as a forum to educate others about HIV and AIDS. Frank called on four of his fellow drag queens from the local community. The choice was obvious in the Winter of 1996, and they put together a Spice Girls-themed benefit show.

British girl group The Spice Girls burst onto the scene with their breakout single "Wannabe" in July 1996. It became a global pop sensation seemingly overnight with their brash lyrics and take on "Girl Power" feminism.

The quintet- consisting of Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice), Melanie Brown (Scary Spice), Emma Bunton (Baby Spice), Melanie Chisolm (Sporty Spice), and Victoria Adams (later Victoria Beckham- Posh Spice)- seemed tailor-made to have a huge queer following- whether it was the larger-than-life camp-inspired outfits donned by Ginger and Scary, Sporty's tomboy aesthetic, or Posh's high-fashion and iconic pout.

Their lyrics celebrating authenticity and expression resonated with many young queer people. For Halloween of 1997, it was common to see groups of five queer friends dressed as the girls. They were also a popular act for drag queens to emulate.

While the group has always embraced its queer following, it was their third single, "2 Become 1," that cemented their status as gay icons- with a lyric change intentionally made to be more inclusive of the community.

“2 Become 1" is a sensual R&B flavored ballad celebrating intimacy. The original version included on their debut album “Spice” featured a lyric sung by Ginger, "Any deal that we endeavor, boys and girls go good together."

While Ginger quickly became the most popular member of the group, she was the only one who did not have any singing or dancing training. When the group decided to release the song as their next single, she confessed that she had trouble singing her portion and was worried about having to sing it live.

Realizing the original lyric could potentially alienate their growing queer fan base, the girls decided to re-record that portion of the song with new lyrics sung by Posh. The new lyrics, "Once again, if we endeavor, love will bring us back together," - made “2 Become 1” a song that anyone who wanted to "get it on" could relate to.

“2 become 1” became the group’s first Christmas #1 single in the UK in December 1996 and reached #4 in the US the following summer. The song also has an essential nod to the importance of safer sex. Towards the end, Baby sings the final bridge “Be a little bit wiser baby, put it on, put it on…because tonight is the night when 2 Become 1."- a nod to condoms and to navigating sexual safety at a time when AIDS was still ravaging the queer community.

The Spice Girls' connection to queerness went beyond being vocal allies and supporters. In various interviews, Mel B. came out as bisexual- revealing that she had been dating women since her Spice Girl's days. In 2019, she also confirmed long-standing rumors that she and Geri had hooked up during their time in the band.

For Halloween of 1997, the Spice Girls were so ubiquitous that it was common to see groups of five queer friends dressed as the girls. They were also a popular act for drag queens, especially performers who wanted to share the stage with members of their drag families.

For the fundraiser, Frank- the group's leader- was Ginger. Frank's drag mother Takisha More took on the role of Baby- donning her signature pigtails. Takisha was a transgender woman who grew up in San Juan and Edinburg and performed in drag since the 1970s. In 1993, Takisha became the first trans woman to come out publicly on the local news. She was known for her signature high-energy dance moves.

Frank's drag daughter Kanela del Karibe served Sporty Spice with a ponytail and track pants. Kanela was originally from Puerto Rico and moved to the Valley in 1994 with the original plan of moving to San Antonio. She found a community and a voice in drag and decided to stay- remaining in the Valley to this day. She was known for making all of her outfits by hand.

Arden Van York played Scary Spice. Arden was a trans woman from Mission, Texas, of Native Hawai'ian and Mexican descent. She was known for her acrobatic dances- jumping up in the air, doing a flip, and landing in a split at her shows Arden passed away from cancer in 2019.

Rounding out the group was Ty Paris as Posh Spice. Just a few years before, Ty was a young gay teen who found family and community at McAllen, Texas gay bar 10th Ave after becoming the first drag daughter of Valerie Paris - a trans woman from Roma, Texas whose drag house eventually became one of the most prolific in South Texas.

Some of these pictures were taken by Frank’s goddaughter Crystal- who was raised by her mother in a large chosen family that included several drag performers. Crystal would go on to co-found the first GSA in the Valley in 2000.

Instead of hosting the benefit show at a gay bar- which was most common at the time- this group of queens organized their Spice Girls - themed show at a community center in Mercedes, Texas- bringing drag, queer and trans visibility to this small town smack dab in the center of the Valley.

Frank Mendez and his Spice Girls-inspired benefit show in 1997 exemplified the power of community, creativity, and resilience in the fight against HIV/AIDS. By combining activism with entertainment, Frank and his chosen family of drag performers used their platform to raise funds, educate the public, and foster visibility in a region where such efforts were desperately needed.

Written by: Gabriel Sanchez (they/she/he)

Gabriel Sanchez (they/she/he) is a queer and nonbinary native of the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.

Gabriel is a community historian who has spent the past several years researching, documenting, and sharing the history of the LGBTQIA2S+ community of the Rio Grande Valley and the rich stories of resistance, visibility, and creativity from within this community.

Gabriel curates a pop-up exhibit highlighting this history and a digital archive on Instagram called Pansy Pachanga where they share picture and stories from this community. They are also currently co-directing a documentary of the same name. Gabriel is also a part of various organizations that work to support and celebrate the Rio Grande Valley's LGBTQ+ community including @southtexasequalityproject, @rgvtranscloset, and Casa Kimberly.

This post is in partnership with Pansy Pachanga. Pansy Pachanga is an upcoming documentary about the history of the Rio Grande Valley's LGBTQIA+ community. Follow us for updates and RGV LGBTQIA + history.

[lynnbecks-mainblog]

Lynn Beck's "Ultimate Run": a theoretical concept for when you have all* the Doom games and nothing better to do.

*not literally all of them, also feel free to skip any you don't have.

So basically this is an idea I just had (kinda, like I think I remember wanting to do this before). The idea is simple: play through the entire Doom franchise in release order, but in a way that includes both individual releases and any rereleases, ports etc. that feature unique content.

Here's the list (credit to doomwiki.org, which I used as a reference for when each game came out):

Doom episodes 1-3 (skip Thy Flesh Consumed for now, it'll come up later)

Doom II

Doom episodes 1-4 (The Ultimate Doom)

PS1 Doom (has unique levels; you can play this with a PS1 emulator, though if you don't want to a .wad that you can play in your sourceport of choice, and someone's probably also uploaded it onto Doom+Doom II's weird mod browser if that's your preferred way to play Doom)

Master Levels for Doom II (you can optionally replay Doom 2 before this)

TNT: Evilution and The Plutonia Experiment (Final Doom)

Doom 64 (main campaign only)

Doom 3 (specifically the original version, not BFG Edition. It's still available on Steam if you don't want to track down an actual CD-Rom copy, and the screen-size issues can be easily fixed (plus while you're doing that you can also turn on player shadows I guess), also maybe try it with the original "gun or torch" gameplay because it's actually not that bad, and if you really can't stand it then get the Duct Tape mod)

Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil (again, the original version, since apparently the BFG Edition version cuts out a lot of content; also feel free to replay Doom 1 and 2 here, with the Xbox levels because they came with this version of Doom 3)

Doom RPG (and, if you want to do a movie night and/or hate yourself, the 2005 Doom movie, which is the one with The Rock, not to be confused with Doom Annihilation)

Doom episodes 1-4 again, followed by No Rest For The Living (Xbox 360 Doom; NRFTL is included with Doom 1+2)

Doom II RPG

Doom 3 BFG Edition (and also its version of Resurrection of Evil, as well as the new Lost Mission expansion)

Doom (2016)

Doom VFR (this one's also optional, since you need a VR headset and not everyone has one of those)

Sigil (I'm also going to put Doom Annihilation, the other Doom movie, here; it also came out in 2019, and if you watched the 2005 movie you should also watch this one)

Doom 64 again, followed by Lost Levels (technically it would make more sense to put this after Eternal, since they released the same day, but whatever)

Doom Eternal

Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods, Part 1

Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods, Part 2

Sigil II

Doom 1, 2, Master Levels, TNT: Evilution, The Plutonia Experiment, No Rest for the Living, Sigil, Sigil II and Legacy of Rust (Doom + Doom II)

Doom: The Dark Ages (still not out at time of writing, and also not everyone will be able to run it probably)

Doom Resurrection and Mighty Doom aren't included on this list due to being mobile games that are no longer playable even if you own a device which has them installed.

[thekingofgear]

The Smile's 2024 Tour Rehearsal Setup

On March 5 and March 6, The Smile shared photos taken by Ade B during rehearsals for the band's 2024 tour dates. In the photos, the band are set up in Air Studios’ Lyndhurst Hall. It's a space where Jonny has frequently recorded orchestras, including for the Phantom Thread soundtrack. A photo from circa-2014 revealed that Radiohead’s string arrangements for Spectre (and possibly Man of War) were also recorded in the room.

The Smile’s live setup largely resembles the one they used for their tour dates last year. This isn’t a surprise, since many songs from the band’s latest album were written on the road. However, there is some new gear which seems to be intended for material off the new album. Further down in this post, we’ll list all of the gear, but we’ll highlight the changes first.

Electric Cello

Almost certainly the biggest surprise is that Jonny has added an electric cello and an electric viola to his setup. In the past, Jonny has occasionally played bowed string instruments on recordings, but they were always acoustic instruments, and he's never brought them on tour. Most of the time, Jonny only used his viola to sketch out string arrangements, which were then recorded by other players. And at live shows, Jonny has always bowed his electric guitar or bass to emulate those string arrangements, whether it's the harmonics on Pyramid Song or the col lengo crunch on Burn The Witch.

However, Jonny has started to play the cello more regularly in the past few years. In an interview from the 2010s, Jonny mentioned that he could make noises that he’s happy with on a cello, but claimed his left hand isn’t precise enough to perform with it. Then in 2019, he mentioned that, compared to viola, the cello "feels much more natural to hold and so much easier to make a nice sound on — I only wish I had moved on to it when I was a kid” (The Times). In 2021, he was credited with cello in the liner notes for the Power of the Dog soundtrack, applying banjo-style technique to the instrument. And this year, he was credited with cello in the liner notes for Wall of Eyes. In fact, Jonny can be seen playing his acoustic cello in a couple of polaroids posted in March 2023, during the recording of the new album.

A closeup of the electric cello (left) and viola (right).

Digital “Upright” Piano

On every tour since 1997, Radiohead have brought an acoustic upright piano on tour. Usually they brought a Yamaha U1, though more recently they’ve favored a Kemble KC121 (essentially a U1 built at Kemble’s factory in the UK, rather than by Yamaha in Japan). The same was true for Atoms for Peace shows in 2010 and 2013. The Smile followed this trend, bringing an acoustic upright along for all of their tour dates from 2021-2023.

However, given how few of the Smile's songs require piano, it’s understandable that they’d switch to a digital instrument instead. The one they chose is a Nord Grand digital piano, which features fairly authentic piano hammer-action made by the piano maker Kawai.

For some solo shows in support of Anima, Thom brought a Waldorf Zarenbourg for sampled acoustic and electric piano sounds. Thom only played it for a couple songs each night, so it was understandable that he didn’t want to tour with an acoustic upright. However, it’s interesting that The Smile are still using their vintage Rhodes electric piano, rather than using the Nord Grand for Rhodes sounds in addition to acoustic piano sounds. Perhaps keyboard action is the reason: the hammer action of the Nord might be accurate for piano, but it’s probably a little heavy for Rhodes playing. Plus it’s clear that the band enjoy having a lot of keyboard on stage to experiment with.

Closeups showing the Nord Grand in its custom black stand.

Sequential Prophet 6

One benefit of the digital piano is that its shorter stand leaves space for a keyboard to rest on top. For this tour, Thom has brought along his Prophet 6, which he previously used for the Suspiria soundtrack and for shows in support of Anima. This isn’t the first time that the band have mixed piano and synth. Thom did velcro a Dave Smith Instruments Tetra to Radiohead’s upright piano from 2012-2013. However, that synth saw little use, perhaps because of the Tetra’s minimal control layout.

The band now have three Prophet synths in their active setup: the Dave Smith Prophet ’08 beneath the modular, the Sequential Prophet 5 REV4 on top of the Rhodes piano, and the Sequential Prophet 6 on top of the digital piano.

Earthquaker Devices Blumes

In addition to the Earthquaker Devices Plumes overdrive on Thom’s board (note the green), it looks like he’s added a Blumes overdrive as well (the similarly-sized yellow box). The Blumes is intended as a bass-friendly version of the Plumes. Thom was already using the Plumes with his bass guitar for a very punchy sound, so it’ll be interesting to see how he uses the bassier Blumes.

The green of the Plumes and yellow of the Blumes can also be seen on Thom’s backup pedalboard, which is resting on top of one of the gear cases by Thom’s guitar stands.

Closeups of Thom's guitar and vocal pedalboards (left) along with his backup guitar pedalboard (right).

Eventide Pitchfactor

It looks like Thom has added an Eventide Pitchfactor to his vocal pedalboard. It's in the spot where he had an Eventide H9 on the last tour, so it's likely that he was using the H9 for pitch shifting sounds. The H9 features all of the algorithms from the Pitchfactor (as well as the other Eventide pedals), but it has far fewer knobs so controlling it is more cumbersome.

Jonny's Setup

Jonny's Chordophones

Gibson Les Paul Standard Natural Finish (late-1970s)

Fender Precision Bass Natural Finish (early-1970s)

Electric Cello

Electric Viola

Dusty Strings Ravenna 34 harp

Jonny's Gibson Les Paul Custom and ES-125 are probably on a stand out of view.

Jonny's Guitar Pedalboard

Currently unknown, but likely similar to his summer 2023 pedalboard.

Jonny's Guitar Amplifier

Fender '65 Reissue Super Reverb No1

Fender '65 Reissue Super Reverb No2

Jonny's Bass Pedalboard

Boss TU2/3

Boss DD200 (replaces Akai Headrush E2)

Two Notes Le Bass preamp

Jonny's Bass Amplifier

Ampeg SVT Classic amplifier head (1990s)

Ampeg SVT Classic amplifier head (backup)

Ampeg 8x10" Cabinet

Jonny's Laptop Setup

Apple Macbook Pro

Furman M-8Lx

MOTU MOTU Midi Express XT No1

Focusrite Clarett+ 8pre No1

MOTU MOTU Midi Express XT No2

Focusrite Clarett+ 8pre No2

Radial Engineering SW8 8-channel auto-switcher

Hinton Instruments Z4 Quad Channel Long Haul Converter

Blackstar Live Logic 6-Button Foot Controller No1 (kept by laptop)

Blackstar Live Logic 6-Button Foot Controller No2 (velcro'd to Studiologic pedal)

Jonny's Synthesizers Setup

Sequential Prophet-5 REV4

Peterson Strobostomp HD tuner (for Prophet 5)

Earthquaker Devices Avalanche Run delay/reverb (for Prophet 5)

Studiologic MP-117 MIDI Pedalboard (controls Prophet 5)

It appears that Jonny has stopped touring with his Oberheim SEM Pro synthesizers, which he'd used for bass sounds on previous tours. So he's likely either using samples or his Prophet 5 for all of his bass synth needs.

A closeup of Jonny's setup.

Thom's Setup

Thom's Chordophones

Martin 00-18?

Fender Jazzmaster Black Finish (1963)

Fender Jazzmaster White Finish (1964

Epiphone Casino Royal Tan (mid-1960s)

Epiphone Casino Sunburst (circa-1962)

Gibson SG (1964) No1

Gibson SG (1964) No2

Martin 00-18?

Fender Jazz bass

Gibson EB-0 bass

unknown classical guitar

unknown (semi-)hollow bass

Fender Mustang bass

unknown (semi-)hollow electric guitar

Thom's Guitar, Bass, and Vocal Pedalboards

Thom's current pedalboards seem mostly similar to the ones he used last year (see Thom's pedalboards page), aside from the changes mentioned above and the removal of the Soma Cosmos from the guitar board.

Thom's Guitar Amplifier

Vox JMI Vox AC30/6 (1962)

Thom's Bass Amplifier

Fender Super Bassman head

Fender Super Bassman head (backup)

Fender Bassman 610 Neo cabinet

Thom's Synthesizers

Waldorf STVC

Moog Matriarch

Sequential Prophet 6

A closeup of Thom's setup.

Tom Skinner's Synthesizer Setup

Tom Skinner's Prophet Setup

Dave Smith Instruments Prophet '08

Roland FS-5U (sustain pedal for Prophet '08)

Tom Skinner's Modular Setup

Boss TU-3S tuner

JBL GO3 Portable Waterproof speaker

Unknown 4-knob Mixer

Elektron Octatrack MK2 (sequences the modular)

Make Noise Strega

Make Noise 0-Coast No1

Make Noise 0-Coast No2

Mutable Instruments Yarns MIDI-to-CV

Make Noise Richter Wogglebug random generator

Make Noise Echophon delay

Vermona twinOUT dual balanced output No1

Vermona twinOUT dual balanced output No2

Some other modules aren't possible to identify from this photo, but they probably match the ones seen in previous photos.

A closeup of Tom Skinner's synth setup.

Shared Keyboards

Nord Grand (in custom black stand)

Fender Rhodes piano

[stil-lindigo]

It’s been a while since I’ve looked at an illustration and honestly thought: “I want this, i want to emulate key components of this. But I have no idea what those components are and it will take me a long time to get there.”

This used to happen a lot 3 or 4 years back for me, because at that point I had just decided that I wanted to do digital art; but I didn’t have a tablet. So in the meantime I would just look at lord of art and save it and try and take notes. And overtime my tastes evolved until now when I look at a piece of art and admire it’s composition and art style, I know almost exactly what I like about it and can analyze and deduce the things I would need to learn to achieve it.

I look at your comics and for the first time in months, I’m utterly lost.

It’s refreshing

I’m considering looking into studying comic making for real some time soon, and your comics are absolutely complex, genius, honest, gut wrenching and breathtaking. There’s something about them that I want to learn from but for the life of me I don’t know what that is and that’s exciting. Something completely new to learn and grow in. Like, even your creative notes just wash over my brain and over my back like it’s nothing because I’m simply too far back to be able to immediately take them into consideration and apply them mentally to my process. I’m looking at something of a masters work and it has things I’m inspired by but am not yet at the level to–you get the point, I feel like I’m repeating myself

Anyways, yeah, you’re art is a blessing, the poetry that comes with it sinks into my bones and rejuvenates me, and your work has given me invaluable inspiration.

Thank you

haveagreatdayyyyyy💕

thank you for having such a generous take on what i do! it honestly seems pretty mundane to me, but you're always your own worst critic i suppose.

I really encourage anyone to pursue making comics. I think it can be such a powerful medium if done right, and personally I find it cathartic. And I unfortunately don't really have a great crashcourse on how to learn other than just doing it a lot. I've been making comics semi-regularly since 2019, and just by trial and error I've learned a lot about what looks good and what doesn't, and what I'm capable of and what I'm not.

I hope if you do pursue this, you find comics fulfilling. And if you ever need any specific guidance, feel free to shoot me a message and I'll see if i can help :)

[techturd]

Do you know what this is? Probably not. But if you follow me and enjoy retro gaming, you REALLY should know about it.

I see all of these new micro consoles, and retro re-imaginings of game consoles and I think to myself "Why?" WHY would you spend a decent chunk of your hard-earned money on some proprietary crap hardware that can only play games for that specific system?? Or even worse, pre-loaded titles and you can't download / add your own to the system!? Yet, people think it's great and that seems to be a very popular way to play their old favorites vs. emulation which requires a "certain degree of tech savvy" (and might be frowned upon from a legal perspective).

So, let me tell you about the Mad Catz M.O.J.O (and I don't think the acronym actually means anything). This came out around the same time as the nVidia Shield and the Ouya - seemingly a "me too" product from a company that is notorious for oddly shaped 3rd party game controllers that you would never personally use, instead reserved exclusively for your visiting friends and / or younger siblings. It's an Android micro console with a quad-core 1.8 GHz nVidia Tegra 4 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage (expandable via SD card), running Android 4.2.2. Nothing amazing here from a hardware perspective - but here's the thing most people overlook - it's running STOCK Android - which means all the bloatware crap that is typically installed on your regular consumer devices, smartphones, etc. isn't consuming critical hardware resources - so you have most of the power available to run what you need. Additionally, you get a GREAT controller (which is surprising given my previous comment about the friend / sibling thing) that is a very familiar format for any retro-age system, but also has the ability to work as a mouse - so basically, the same layout as an Xbox 360 controller + 5 additional programmable buttons which come in very handy if you are emulating. It is super comfortable and well-built - my only negative feedback is that it's a bit on the "clicky" side - not the best for environments where you need to be quiet, otherwise very solid.

Alright now that we've covered the hardware - what can it run? Basically any system from N64 on down will run at full speed (even PSP titles). It can even run an older version of the Dreamcast emulator, Reicast, which actually performs quite well from an FPS standpoint, but the emulation is a bit glitchy. Obviously, Retroarch is the way to go for emulation of most older game systems, but I also run DOSbox and a few standalone emulators which seem to perform better vs. their RetroArch Core equivalents (list below). I won't get into all of the setup / emulation guide nonsense, you can find plenty of walkthroughs on YouTube and elsewhere - but I will tell you from experience - Android is WAY easier to setup for emulation vs. Windows or another OS. And since this is stock Android, there is very little in the way of restrictions to the file system, etc. to manage your setup.

I saved the best for last - and this is truly why you should really check out the M.O.J.O. even if you are remotely curious. Yes, it was discontinued years ago (2019, I think). It has not been getting updates - but even so, it continues to run great, and is extremely reliable and consistent for retro emulation. These sell on eBay, regularly for around $60 BRAND NEW with the controller included. You absolutely can't beat that for a fantastic emulator-ready setup that will play anything from the 90s without skipping a beat. And additional controllers are readily available, new, on eBay as well.

Here's a list of the systems / emulators I run on my setup:

Arcade / MAME4droid (0.139u1) 1.16.5 or FinalBurn Alpha / aFBA 0.2.97.35 (aFBA is better for Neo Geo and CPS2 titles bc it provides GPU-driven hardware acceleration vs. MAME which is CPU only)

NES / FCEUmm (Retroarch)

Game Boy / Emux GB (Retroarch)

SNES / SNES9X (Retroarch)

Game Boy Advance / mGBA (Retroarch)

Genesis / PicoDrive (Retroarch)

Sega CD / PicoDrive (Retroarch)

32X / PicoDrive (Retroarch)

TurboGrafx 16 / Mednafen-Beetle PCE (Retroarch)

Playstation / ePSXe 2.0.16

N64 / Mupen64 Plus AE 2.4.4

Dreamcast / Reicast r7 (newer versions won't run)

PSP / PPSSPP 1.15.4

MS-DOS / DOSBox Turbo + DOSBox Manager

I found an extremely user friendly Front End called Gamesome (image attached). Unfortunately it is no longer listed on Google Play, but you can find the APK posted on the internet to download and install. If you don't want to mess with that, another great, similar Front End that is available via Google Play is called DIG.

If you are someone who enjoys emulation and retro-gaming like me, the M.O.J.O. is a great system and investment that won't disappoint. If you decide to go this route and have questions, DM me and I'll try to help you if I can.

Cheers - Techturd

[therealprincesalde]

Alright little gup, I got a REAL question to ask you as your local Tumblr Opp...

What even made you like Ocean Prince/Salde so much? Genuinely, what was the main catalyst that made you go "Y'know, I really like this guy"? I've never really wondered that.

Just felt like asking today like we're neighbors that talk to each other biweekly

I appreciate the question my dearest Tumblr Opp™, I will answer as detailed as I possibly can.

As you may heard rumors about, or well, know because I’ve said multiple times in my circle; I used to be a HUGE Maguro fan, infact Maguro was the one to bring me to the more modern side of Puyo; since I originally discovered the series via SNES online back in 2019.

(I believe I still own his carrd URL, and back when usernames on discord rolled out I claimed magurosasaki, no idea who owns that url now but its not me.)

Maguro is a pretty cool character, don’t get me wrong, he carried me throughout my come and go puyo fixation multiple times, and when I really needed it, Ringo as well. (I think you can already tell that I am a MASSIVE shipper, so of course I’d love Magurin, friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and I was fighting on the frontlines for Magurin when AppleTea/Ringtee and Magutee basically flooded the Maguro and Ringo tags on tumblr in 2020, it wasn’t until I found out what the hell Pixiv even was that I knew Magurin had other fans!)

But, I digress.

While my heart will always forever bias the Suzuran Trio, I mean I still actively like them, it’s not like that’ll go away.. But, when my Puyo Puyo re-.. (maybe lasting 2-3 weeks or so) fixation came about, Maguro, Ringo and Risukuma just weren’t hitting anymore, I mean I had already completed PPT2’s storyline and didn’t exactly feel like returning to other titles because not only is it a pain in the ass to emulate; I’m shit at puyo as a whole, so it wouldn’t be fun to me.

And.. I don’t exactly have Apple Arcade to try out PuzPop on my own, as if I had much of an interest in it to begin with..

AND! I simply just, they weren’t exactly interesting to me in the way they were when I was like, 13. So, I just.. Started to look at other characters.

Maguro wasn’t just my favorite, I have a few others. (Who ironically are all fish, aside from the obvious; I really love Suketoudara!)

It wasn’t until I began to look into Salde’s Puyo Nexus page I started to get curious, I mean, as far as I know he’s not super duper popular, if he has fans his fans are either very in their own circle/clique or.. that kind of weird, you know the exact kind of fans I refer to when I say this part, so no further elaboration needed.

And so, I read and read until I hit the godforsaken relationships page. (Now you know EXACTLY where the fuck THIS is going, don’t you?~)

His relationship with Otomo.

While brief on both of their respective Nexus’ pages interested me. I always liked Salde mildly, but I never really considered OTOMO as someone I could like as well.

So I looked, and. Nothing. Nothing of interest, he has a paragraph and that’s that! A few quest alts, he’s in 2 games.. But. Nothing.

So uh, I guess around there I got to work, my new, still at the time to me, *temporary* puyo fixation got a new flame to reignite it, the mystique around Salde & Otomo’s relationship and�� Basically world around them, if that made sense.

Small what-if’s became detailled explanations and ideas, design changes came naturally to what would suit them, and it came to that fateful day that I said.

“Wait, fuck. I ship them together.”

As the Puyo Fandom, and especially the old active one (circa 2020-2022) would lead you to believe, they wanted you to think Otomo/Salde was a bad pairing, so whenever I looked it up, I saw nothing but hate, distain, saying that it’s this and not that, so it made me feel really bad about even considering them as a pairing.

And naturally, I didn’t exactly want to, you can see in my earlier posts in the server that I would dance around it, or even draw or try to get into Salde/Sig to cover it up.

But, truth be told I find Salde/Sig uninspired and boring! But I didn’t want to be shunned out of the server because I shipped something massively misunderstood.

But they didn’t see them the way I did, and it wasn’t until I went in depth about my silly little story that I’ve been developing for a few months by now to my friends that I grew more confident in wanting to basically change the way people saw them, as been my venture in multiple past fandoms. (shivers… guilty gear.)

So, I just made an entirely new account (on discord that is.) and you know what? princesalde was an open username, so I claimed it and dawned it as my online identity, I mean, I’ve always loved gapmoe characters, and looking into Salde, seeing how selfish he is and yet how he’s adored, how he expects others to be at his call, that’s always been up my alley, so as I grew to know him more and develop my perspective of him, I grew to kind of attach to him as a whole.

I at first attached with Otomo/made my online identity Otomo-based because I do love him just as much, but, not as much as Salde, and my love for him kind of faded into the love for the unit, the idea of them together and the idea of their potential.

I still am developing that story in my head, for whenever it releases, I don’t know.

But I’m really happy to have made some new friends who are actively still into Puyo Puyo, knowing that my good friends had already gone up and got over their phase a long time ago, and I’m happy that I’ve gradually convinced them to enjoy my works and my rather interesting ideas for the pair, I love not only them but Salde a lot, he means a lot to me and makes me very happy! :)

And if it weren’t for him? You and I would’ve never been friends like this!

So, even if I’m annoying and talk about them or him or the other too much, just know I do it because It makes me Happy. :)

[mariacallous]

Would you like to do your bit to curb population decline in the west? Fancy a home full of babies with very high IQs and extremely blond hair? Well, let me introduce you to the Donald J Trump Insemination Institute. On a sprawling ranch in New Mexico, women can be impregnated, free of charge, with Trump’s sperm, ensuring that future generations, on Earth and Mars, are blessed with a steady supply of very stable geniuses.

Sorry if I turned your stomach there, but I’m afraid I’m only half-joking. It was actually Jeffrey Epstein – who used to party with Trump – who was besotted with the idea of a ranch where 20 women at a time would be impregnated, in order to seed the human race with his DNA. Elon Musk, who is obsessed with babies and Trump, may harbour similar fantasies. Earlier this year the New York Times reported that Musk has “volunteered his sperm” to help seed a colony on Mars. (Musk has denied these claims.)

While Trump hasn’t announced plans for a baby ranch of his own yet, he is suddenly a big fan of artificial insemination. Last week the former president announced that he would support free in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments if elected again. “We wanna produce babies in this country, right?” Trump said during a town hall campaign event in Wisconsin. He didn’t provide many details about how this would work other than saying that either the government or insurance companies would pay for everything.

Another fuzzy detail? How government-sponsored IVF would coexist with the Republican party’s 2024 platform, which supports states’ rights to pass foetal personhood laws. It is impossible to support widespread access to IVF while also supporting the idea of foetal personhood, which holds that an embryo is a person and destroying one is homicide. I am fairly sure that Trump has no idea how IVF actually works, so here is a little explainer: you typically fertilise multiple eggs because you have no idea how many of them will develop into viable embryos. You could fertilise 20 eggs and end up with no viable embryos or end up with 20. The only way to control how many embryos you create is to harvest a single egg at a time, which is hugely expensive, inefficient and emotionally exhausting. In short: Trump seems to be running on a platform where IVF would be free but also effectively illegal.

While it may be half-baked, Trump’s free IVF policy makes it clear that he is desperate to woo female voters. Women have registered and voted at higher rates than men in every US presidential election since 1980 and now – for obvious reasons – they are leaning heavily towards Kamala Harris. I’m not sure a last-minute IVF policy is going to cancel out the fact that abortion rights are a key issue in this election and Trump has boasted about being the guy who overturned Roe v Wade. Nor will it cancel out the fact that Trump is a legally defined sexual predator who can’t stop himself from saying every misogynistic thought that creeps into his little head. During a recent rally in Pennsylvania, for example, Trump praised his male supporters for “allowing” their wives to attend his campaign rallies without them.

While Trump is clearly trying to appeal to women with his IVF policy, you also have to wonder whether his buddy Musk – one of the most influential voices in the US’s growing pro-natalist movement – has a hand in this. If the billionaire did get a position in a Trump administration (a possibility that has been repeatedly floated) one imagines Musk would encourage the US to emulate Hungary’s pro-natalist policies, which stem from a racist desire to encourage births and repopulate the country with the “right” (AKA white) kind of children. “We want Hungarian children,” Viktor Orbán said in 2019. “Migration for us is surrender.”

Free IVF may sound like a progressive policy on the surface but, for many on the right, it is linked to a belief that women are nothing more than baby-making machines designed to pass on the legacy of men. A future Donald J Trump Insemination Institute may not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

[moongurl95]

Writer Interview Game

Thank you for the tag @theladyofshalott1989! 💕 Yours was such an interesting read (can agree with your only child syndrome - im one as well ✌️) and it's something to think about since it's my first time receiving a tag game this long 😅

When did you start writing?

I remember making a lil homemade "Book of Jokes" (simply made out of elementary paper and just binding them with glue), my mom still has it somewhere she said she keeps as a memento.

But ive found i had a way to express myself in essay writing and with the other blogs i had before (blogspot days), before i really practiced creative writing back in 2019 by joining some writing groups online. They gave prompts and we spin a short story for it, which i greatly enjoyed doing. Joined Nanorimo in 2020 and even self published a couple of ebooks from that (not really confident to market it tho...)

But Fanfiction writing? ive honestly joined many a fandom but only Hogwarts Legacy was the one who called out to me to write something about my MC!

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

I curiously read smut cuz for the life of me i cannot write a sexy, intimate scene in detail - my brain just blanks when i want to write it, so always back to the drawing writing board for me 🫣

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

No one in particular really, tho i transitioned from reading the kids' books (Magic Treehouse, Geronimo Stilton and Bailey School Kids) to straight up P.C. Cast and her Goddess Summoning series. The only good 'ol YAs that touched my soul were Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver Trilogy, Emma Raveling's Ondine Quartet, Courtney Alameda's Shutter, Jess Rothenberg's The Catastrophic History of You and Me, and last but not the least (which also shaped my love for morally grey characters, Julian goddammit i cried teenage tears for him 😢) L.J. Smith's The Forbidden Game and these are most of the writers i remember growing up reading (i never even read the HP books... whoops!)

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

i don't really have a fixed one, i used to go to those co-working spaces when i started with fanfiction writing but i can type out a quick short story in notepad on any pc as long as the mood strikes. i've also adapted to typing on my cp too (OneDrive is my friend in syncing it on both my mobile and laptop) 😁

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Peace and quiet. i usually have the best ideas late into the night when everyone is asleep, and im up like a gremlin, awake and typing away on my pc (those subliminal writer sounds work on me too) and there comes a time that i just need to write the words out when they've been brewing in my head for a fortnight too long...

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

3 love interests and the 1 mc who does not have the leisure for romance (i did it once, i unwittingly just realized im doing it now with my fanfic... oh well.)

What is your reason for writing?

Granted i haven't written any original works since starting my fanfiction (all my brain juice goes into that WIP, i guess), it does give me a sense of purpose and a nice lil side hobby project i still quite enjoy coming back to every now and then ✍️🤓

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

i don't get alot so i love all of them! The ones that comment on how sweet the interactions were between the characters keeps me motivated tho, it's challenging enough for me to be naturally affectionate irl so i really think my dialogue over before capturing it in words.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

i guess just somehow who'll not leave them hanging on an unfinished work 😅 at this point in time i still love adding chapters to it, but it does take time for me (between working and adjusting in a new country). i greatly thank them for their patience and support of my work! 💌

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Slow-burns. 'Cuz maybe it takes me awhile to really understand a certain level of affection that's why im more interested in seeing how it develops. Also i do get comments on how i really visually describe a scene real well, so i hope that's true and im not really dragging it out? 🤔

How do you feel about your own writing?

i personally feel like i lack a back and forth dialogue in how i write, as i tend to be introspective, though overall i love the art of writing itself! There are days i read a random work of mine just to get motivated, read the comments on that and get encouraged more. 🥰

Hope these lovelies dont mind me tagging them 💌 @glutengoblin @animasola86 @evaslytherpuff @little-emerald-snake

[bookishtheaterlover7]

The more I think about it, I think he was crying for help in the GQ interview like literally screaming.//

"Team real" doesn't realize that going along and encouraging this and is making his life worse. It's crystal clear he doesn't want to be a part of this anymore but the supporters make his team think it's OK. If your such a big fan of his you should be concerned. Not concerned for an actor but for a human. This is not normal human behavior at all. He has clearly not been acting or looking right since this whole thing started. Compare pictures between 2019/20 to now. He literally looks like a totally different person. We are in uncanny valley territory right about now. I've been trying to ignore this whole thing but it's just really really strange.

THANK YOU, AN🫶N!!!

And again, what kind of sane people attacks others for their beliefs. Y'all are SERIOUSLY emulating your Nazi queen. She must be so proud 🥹, especially with the money she pays 👀☕

Anyway, yeah. They probably lost all humanity, when they sold their soul to Albitch... 🤪

Honestly, they have zero consideration, and that is why they aren't real fans. The real fans will ask if their idol is okay. These people are in the same league as "fans" throwing stuff onto the stage while the show is going on.

"Love my idol! Don't care if I hurt anyone else in the process! Woo!" - is their mentality.

And it's HONESTLY baffling how they call us insane, when

☝️ they can't come up with anything beyond school yard taunts and questioning out sanity...

And🖕 they get to come to our pages, and attack all they want...

I say, shall we question your heart?

[rahilatach]

Raspberry Pi Board: Revolutionizing Computing and Education

The Raspberry Pi board is a series of small, affordable single-board computers developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a UK-based charity focused on promoting computer science education and digital literacy. Since its launch in 2012, the Raspberry Pi has transformed from a niche educational tool into a versatile platform used in a wide range of applications, from DIY electronics projects to industrial automation.

A Brief History

The first Raspberry Pi, the Model B, was released in February 2012. Designed to promote basic computer science in schools and developing countries, it featured a 700 MHz ARM11 processor, 256 MB of RAM, and basic connectivity options. The success of the Model B led to a rapid expansion of the Raspberry Pi lineup, with various models offering improved performance, more memory, and enhanced connectivity.

Key Features and Models

Raspberry Pi 1 Model B (2012):

Processor: 700 MHz ARM11

Memory: 256 MB RAM

Ports: 2 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, Composite video, 3.5mm audio jack, Ethernet

Storage: SD card slot

Raspberry Pi 2 Model B (2015):

Processor: 900 MHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7

Memory: 1 GB RAM

Ports: 4 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, Composite video, 3.5mm audio jack, Ethernet

Storage: MicroSD card slot

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B (2016):

Processor: 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53

Memory: 1 GB RAM

Ports: 4 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, Composite video, 3.5mm audio jack, Ethernet

Wireless: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (2019):

Processor: 1.5 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A72

Memory: Options of 2 GB, 4 GB, and 8 GB RAM

Ports: 2 USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, 2 Micro HDMI ports, Ethernet, USB-C for power

Wireless: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Raspberry Pi Zero (2015) and Zero W (2017):

Processor: 1 GHz single-core ARM11

Memory: 512 MB RAM

Ports: Mini HDMI, Micro USB OTG, Micro USB for power, GPIO pins

Wireless (Zero W): Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Applications and Uses

The versatility of the Raspberry Pi has led to its adoption in numerous fields:

Education:

Coding and Programming: Used in schools and educational programs to teach students programming languages such as Python, Scratch, and Java.

Computer Science Concepts: Introduces concepts like hardware, software, and networking.

DIY Projects and Maker Community:

Home Automation: Controls smart home devices, including lights, thermostats, and security systems.

Media Centers: Powers home media centers using software like Kodi.

Retro Gaming: Emulates classic gaming consoles using software like RetroPie.

Industrial and Commercial Applications:

IoT Devices: Serves as a hub for Internet of Things (IoT) devices, enabling data collection and remote control.

Automation and Control Systems: Used in factories and labs for monitoring and controlling equipment.

Research and Development:

Prototyping: Facilitates rapid prototyping of electronic devices and systems.

Data Collection: Gathers data from various sensors in environmental and scientific research.

Community and Ecosystem

The Raspberry Pi has cultivated a vibrant global community of developers, hobbyists, educators, and students. Online forums, tutorials, and community projects provide extensive support and resources for users at all skill levels. The Raspberry Pi Foundation also offers official accessories, including cases, cameras, and expansion boards, further enhancing the functionality of the Raspberry Pi.

Conclusion

The Raspberry Pi board has revolutionized the way people learn about and interact with technology. Its affordability, versatility, and extensive support network have made it an indispensable tool in education, DIY projects, and professional applications. As technology continues to evolve, the Raspberry Pi Foundation remains committed to expanding the capabilities and accessibility of this remarkable platform, ensuring that computing remains within reach for everyone.

[lookedupandfellasleep]

Little Women in 1994 and Little Women in 2019

Little Women is a novel written by Louisa May Alcott in the 19th century. It is a slice-of-life story that follows the March family, which consists of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy, their mother, Marmee, and their father who has been deployed far from them. We see the different people who enter the lives of the March family such as Laurie, Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Brooke, and Friedich who fall in love with their family. We get to know these ordinary but extraordinary little women, their struggles, characters, ambitions, and relationships.

This simple story has been adapted to film a whopping six times since its publication. People may wonder why this story needs to be retold so many times but it is one for every generation. Even though Little Women is set in the 1800s, the tale is timeless and deserves to be adapted to film for every generation to enjoy and learn from.

The two most recent film adaptations are the ones from 1994 and 2019, respectively. With the 2019 remake so close to the previous one, many people had doubts about Greta Gerwig’s take on this film. However, it proves to be a worthy retelling of this classic with the most promising young actors of our generation and a modern take on a timeless tale.

Cinematography

Little Women (1994) used cinematography in a way that makes you feel at home. It’s whimsical and almost like looking at a moving version of a greeting card. This is completely fit and appropriate for the theme of the story. The lighting is consistent, soft, cozy, and reminiscent of holiday films and Disney movies. Wide shots are used to establish surroundings and close up as well as extreme close up shots are used to establish intimacy, emotions, and the close relationship of the family.

Little Women (2019) uses cinematography in a completely different but equally, – perhaps even more beautiful way. It shows how different emotions, time periods, and state of minds can be portrayed just by tweaking a few things with the way scenes are shot. Gerwig’s version isn’t consistent, styles changing as we watch the past and the present unfold. The past is told with sweeping movement and lots of activity to emulate the energy and light of the chaotic but charming March sisters. The “present” or older era is told with a locked frame, farther away from the sisters. This gave amazing contrast when it comes to the emotional state as well as more clearly told a non-linear story. We see the whimsy and pure joy of the Marches’ childhood when everyone was innocent, happy, and united. In contrast, the older Marches are resigned, separated, and watching each other from afar.

Characterization

In terms of characterization, Little Women (1994) stayed true to its source material and established everyone’s personalities early on. Jo is headstrong, feisty, and spirited. Meg is gentle, kind, and a romantic at heart. Beth is reserved, quiet, generous, and talented. Amy is the baby, a little snooty, annoying, and ambitious. Then we have Laurie, a lonely young lad just wanting to be a part of a family with someone to play with. Some inconsistencies come up when the time jump happened such as Amy’s sudden aloofness and sophistication. We don’t see a trace of the vibrant little girl we saw for the first half of the film. Jo also goes through some changes, it wasn’t as drastic as Amy’s and we still see Jo’s core character despite her opening herself up to love and connection.

Little Women (2019) also stayed true to these characterizations with a few exceptions. There was a creative decision to have Florence Pugh play Amy all throughout the movie even when she was supposed to be a child. While this may be an odd choice, it somehow worked and made the film more cohesive. We see how Amy grew into a sophisticated young lady but still see glimpses of the younger, vibrant Amy. Jo had a different development from the source material as well as the 1994 adaptation. The Jo in the 2019 film was a little more stubborn, a lot more spirited, and independent. This Jo loved her freedom and independence too much but expressed the very real dilemma of being lonely while being so. This is an incredibly powerful concept that the 1994 film didn’t address. Jo doesn’t fall in love here unlike the 1994 version, she simply feels lonely and wants to be loved.

Acting

There is nothing really bad to be said about the acting for both films. Both had an outstanding cast that delivered the emotions, the depth, and the personalities that the characters needed. It’s also interesting to note that both films chose to cast the most promising young actors of their particular generation, drawing in the most appropriate audience for the films at the time of their release.

However, there is something to be said about the incredible performances the 2019 cast gave in the film. Most notably, Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, and Florence Pugh. Ronan captured Jo’s vivacious essence so exceptionally and gave the character such life. Chalamet brought more understanding to Laurie’s loneliness and desire to be part of a close family. Finally, Florence Pugh gave unbelievable depth to Amy, who is more of a shallow character in the previous adaptation. Pugh showed us Amy’s ambitions, feelings, and sense of obligation. It’s an incredible new angle for this character.

Emotional Impact

Both the 1994 and 2019 version of Little Women will touch the heart of anyone. Both films do a good job of letting the audience get attached to the characters to be able to empathize with them when they are angry, happy, and heartbroken. We experience life with them, as if we are part of the family. It helps that both films were also directed by women, which gave unique insight to the little women’s struggles and bond.

Little Women (2019) and Little Women (1994) tackled many of the same issues and some different ones, as well. The 1994 film went into more social issues such as poverty, racism, and discrimination. The 2019 film tackled issues such as loneliness, obligation, and life after marriage. Little Women (2019) had a bit more of an emotional impact because of the great storytelling for each character, leading the audience to become more attached to them and empathize with the struggles and loss.

Storytelling

The 1994 version of Little Women establishes exposition (Block, 2008) in the form of a narration from Jo’s point-of-view at the very beginning of the film. This continues all throughout and is a consistent tool for storytelling. The events unfold in a linear fashion and we grow up with the March family. The main conflicts come in the form of Laurie’s confession and Beth’s illness and death. Jo has to deal with losing her childhood friend after an emotional rejection and losing her beloved sister. The resolution comes as they accept the loss, Laurie and Amy reveal their marriage, Jo inherits Aunt March’s estate, and finds love in Friedrich.

In the 2019 film, we see many of the same events and even the same dialogue used but the storytelling is completely different. Gerwig uses a non-linear way of telling the story, opening the film with a quote from the original novel’s author, Louisa May Alcott saying, “I’ve had lots of troubles, so I write jolly tales.” Jo is grown up and already trying to make a name for herself in New York City. From there, we get flashbacks from their childhood that fill in the blanks of what’s happening in the present. There is only one exposition to establish the past “7 years earlier”, the screen tells us as Meg and Jo are getting ready for a party. After this, the film uses color and lighting to differentiate the past or their memories from the present. The present has a colder quality with muted color palettes of browns, blacks, blues, and reds. On the other hand, the memories have a warm quality, almost like everything is bathed in sunlight or candlelight. Everything looks cozy and vibrant, just as the March girls. Beth’s death is paralleled by the happy memory of her recovery only years prior as Marmee turns in her chair to reveal Beth sitting up. In the present, this scene is mirrored but as Marmee turns, the seat behind her is empty and she breaks out into sobs. From there, Gerwig’s interpretation of the classic starts to digress. The 2019 film addresses Jo’s need for independence along with her overwhelming loneliness that makes her desperate for love without loving back. She portrays hidden heartbreak hearing about Laurie and Amy’s marriage instead of the immediate happiness shown in the 1994 version. The ending is ambiguous, insinuating that the ending in the book that Jo wrote was not the ending that she chose for herself. The resolution is a little clearer as we see Jo and her family in the school that she established in the late Aunt March’s home.

The 1994 version is a little shorter than the 2019 adaptation but the modern, unusual take made the time go faster. The non-linear storytelling was also effective in getting the audience to understand the relationships and character development better. It gave context and a whole new angle to things.

Chemistry and Relationships

Again, both films did a great job with the casting and development. All the actors had a magical chemistry that really led you to believe they were family. Everyone’s love and friendship was palpable. You could feel the bond of the sisters through the screen and the way Laurie fit in so seamlessly within the family. Christian Bale and Wynona Ryder’s chemistry was outstanding, creating a romance-that’s-not-a-romance that devastates the audience when Jo rejects Laurie.

With a longer running time, the 2019 film gave way to developing the relationship between Laurie and the other March sisters, as well. We see him bond with Meg, Beth, and Amy in different ways, making his integration into the family much more natural. Chalamet and Ronan’s chemistry as friends and almost-lovers is also phenomenal. Their bond as best friends and Chalamet’s subtle moments of falling in love was the cherry-on-top. We also see how Amy and Laurie’s relationship grows and the audience isn’t as blindsided by it as in the 1994 version.

Romance

Romance was handled a little differently from the 1994 adaptation to the 2019 film. The former had more of a romantic undertone that leads the audience to believe that Jo had fallen in love with Friedrich and that she plans on marrying him. On the other hand, the 2019 version chose to go a different route and play things ambiguously. Jo doesn’t seem to be as obviously in love with Friedrich although she seems to be fond of him. She is lonely, yes, and has moments of weakness. But she values her freedom too much and doesn’t want to be a wife. In the end, we see Friedrich with the family at Jo’s school but it’s unclear whether or not she has a romantic relationship with him. The audience is left to choose what to believe.

All in all, I loved both versions of the film but I preferred the modern remake from Greta Gerwig. Of course, I may be a little biased because prior to this, it was already one of my favorite films of all time. I have watched about a dozen times and can never tire of it. Watching it again knowing all the different aspects that go into filmmaking and with the goal to observe the techniques, storytelling, and its overall appeal and quality, it gave me a whole different experience and made me love the film even more. The visual story of Little Women (2019) is truly brilliantly done. It gave new meaning to an adaptation that was already made multiple times. I love the changes that were made for the plot. As a writer with the same principles as Jo, I found myself relating to the 2019 version of her a lot which is probably what makes this resonate so much with me. I love that Gerwig didn’t go for the conventional ending and instead went for ambiguity so that the audience can choose their own ending. Loneliness can be a powerful thing to battle with especially if you value your independence and this film addressed it perfectly. This classic tale can be retold over and over again and it would be just as powerful. The stories of these little women will continue to touch each generation of little women.

[lmdeecee]

Took on a challenge by sapgoon_ on Twitter where you have to emulate your art style throughout the years.

I started drawing back in 2016 as a hobby, though (safe to say) it has become a part of my life at this point.

It wasn’t until around 2017 where I started establishing my artistic process—reflected by stylistic influence and the lack of grasp on fundamentals. I remembered being heavily reliant on 3D models since I wasn’t really fluent in anatomy. My lineart is not dynamic either and almost all of my works during this time are lined in dark teal… I mostly went with cel-styled shading as well and often relied on gradients to make up for color composition.

By 2019-2020, my works became more detailed (effort also notable in background work). The way I worked with shadows during this time period was…interesting. Though, the deformed style I used for this challenge doesn’t really reflect much the way I drew characters during the time. I think this became the point where I started exploring elements I once never dared to tackle on.

2021-2022 marked my inactivity/inconsistency. I experimented with my stylistic approach from what to depict and how are they going to be depicted. I relied on 3D models less (except in instances where I have to), and started using real life references for a better grasp. My style also became notably softer in this time period.

Currently, I have started gaining confidence in my skills thanks to my solid grasp on anatomy and shading. As a result, my works are always focused on subjects. Been messing around with perspective as well. But, just like any other skill, it’s important to make room for growth. Malapit na, pero malayo pa rin.

The time periods don’t really match up precisely as the transition is gradual, but this is my attempt to encapsulate my art style throughout the 7 years of showcasing my art on the Internet. If anything, I still have to work on anatomical nuances and drawing speed.

[lizseyi]

Do Luxury Fashion Brands’ Golden-Quarter Results Indicate Good Things For 2025 - Skywire London

Many decision makers in the global fashion sector have been paying close attention lately to the trading updates issued by such heavyweight luxury players as LVMH and Burberry. 

The question on a significant number of observers’ lips has been: are there signs from the crucial “Golden Quarter” that consumer expenditure held up well over the Christmas period? 

In connection with this, is a convincing picture being painted of a resilient luxury fashion industry around the globe? Or will the efforts among high-end brands to achieve sustained growth continue to face very serious barriers through 2025? 

Mixed outcomes from the Golden Quarter for leading fashion players 

Amid talk of the potential or actual adverse impacts of such developments across the world as the UK’s Autumn Budget, US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, and Chinese shoppers cutting back, it is fair to say the luxury sector is facing plenty of challenges. 

Sure enough, 2024 proved to be an especially testing year for the sector. According to McKinsey, it was the first year since 2016 – except for the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis – that saw a decline in luxury growth. 

The management consulting company observed that while the luxury industry recorded compound annual growth of 5% from 2019 to 2023 – with profits almost tripling – it anticipates the sector only mustering 1% to 3% annual expansion between 2024 and 2027. 

So, what have the recent fortunes been of the luxury industry’s titans? Here is a quick rundown: 

LVMH – the portfolio of which encompasses such names as Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, and Fendi – has reported revenue of £71 billion (€84.7 billion) for 2024. This is higher than its previous expectation of £70.7 billion (€84.28 billion), with the group crediting demand in Europe and the United States, as well as its leather goods category. 

Burberry reported revenues of £659 million for the 13 weeks to 28th December. This was a 7% decrease from the £706 million the British fashion house had generated over the same period a year earlier. Nonetheless, the brand said it was moving with “urgency” to turn around the business and return to profit – a plan it said was already beginning to pay off. 

Brunello Cucinelli – the Italian brand with four stores in London, including a New Bond Street flagship – said its preliminary figures for 2024 showed £1.07 billion (€1.27 billion) in revenues. Growth was recorded of 12.2% at current exchange rates, and 12.4% at constant exchange rates, compared to 2023. 

What are the prospects for the major luxury players in 2025? 

There is certainly a degree of bullishness among the aforementioned names. Brunello Cucinelli has highlighted the company’s “beautiful order book” for 2025, and encouraging initial sales of its spring-summer ’25 collections. 

LVMH, meanwhile, expressed that it remained “confident and will pursue its brand development-focused strategy”. The company signalled it was on a “quest for desirability and quality in its products and their highly selective distribution”. 

As for a sector-wide overview, Barclays analyst Carole Madjo has indicated that “we do expect to see a small rebound of the luxury space in 2025 after a challenging 2024.” 

Meanwhile, Gemma D’Auria – a senior partner at McKinsey – predicted a “quite choppy” next few months for the luxury industry, followed by improvements later in the year. 

So, there we have it; tentative reasons to adopt an upbeat stance, in what remains an extraordinarily testing economic and geopolitical environment for so many upmarket brands. 

To discover how your organisation can spend 2025 emulating the successes of the industry players featured in our own luxury creative portfolio here at Skywire London, please don’t hesitate to contact our strategic and digital experts today.