#(like how it's 70*F outside. and April.)

[radarsteddybear]

Second graders: it’s snowing!

Me: it’s not snowing.

Second grader: then why is there white stuff falling outside the window?

Me: those are flower petals.

[fallen-mist]

I posted 294 times in 2022

That's 216 more posts than 2021!

89 posts created (30%)

205 posts reblogged (70%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@araccoonthatlikesmurder

@froggy-with-a-hat

@nina-phaedra

@amaristm

@ar1-thecat

I tagged 260 of my posts in 2022

Only 12% of my posts had no tags

#not writing - 238 posts

#writing - 11 posts

#sdra2 - 11 posts

#x reader - 7 posts

#request - 6 posts

#headcannons - 6 posts

#x reader insert - 5 posts

#setsuka chiebukuro - 4 posts

#sdra2 setsuka - 4 posts

#not a request - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 128 characters

#also fic idea where reader is uta’s gf and basically fights shanks for some reason then reader says “aye i f—ked your daughter”

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

hiya! if it’s not too troublesome could you do syobai x male!reader? if your uncomfortable with a male reader you can do g/n !! ^o^ tysm !

Yay third request! :D (I couldn’t find my mist gif used in the other 2 requests :( *sadness noises*). I will also use Shobai and Syobai here since people put it differently

edit 2/11/22: I should not have taken this long to make it-

edit 3/12/22: I have forgotten this then all of a sudden gotten ideas. Im sorry :(

Context: Syobai with a male reader

+ You can interpret the relation however you want

+ Slight TW

+ Second person

Syobai/Shobai Hashimoto

Meeting

-You did not meet this man in the best way

-You probably met him in the killing game, while you were exploring

-No but the only way I can imagine you meeting him is smelling smoke from a cigarette

- 3/10 meeting imo

———

You had woken up a few hours ago, everything was spinning in your head. You were stuck on a island, and You don’t even know where!

You snapped out of your thoughts as you smelt smoke. Was something on fire?! But you followed it just incase. But instead you found a man (that looks like he sells some ”bad powder“).

You stood there, not knowing what to say (heheheh introvert) but he soon noticed you. “You want one? It’ll cost ya,” He said.

You accepted/declined

——

Cuddling

-Like most say, He smells like cigarettes

-Wait is that slight scent of blood I smell?

-If your sensitive to smells, you probably got nausea

- 2/10 smells

——

You were gathering some money knowing how Syobai/Shobai is. You have wanted to cuddle him for a bit now but you knew you had to pay up. It was perfect timing and Shobai/Syobai wasn’t busy. How rare.

”Hey sho/syo, how would it be if you were to let me hug you?,” You asked. He ended up chucking a bit, “Listen here, if you want too, pay up.”

.

See the full post

12 notes - Posted March 12, 2022

#4

Hello pal can I get Hajime with an S/O that has difficulty walking/a mobility aid? take all the time you need pal

Thanks pal! :D

also first time writing for hajime :)

Hajime M. With a s/o who has a hard time walking

+Second POV

+No pronouns used

•~•~•~•

Hajime Makunouchi

-He helps you around (a ton)

•Even if you do have a mobility aid

-You still have to eat healthy

-(If you don’t have a mobility aid) To encourage you, he’ll say “If you eat healthy, you’ll be able to walk better soon”

-(if that can happen)

-If you do or don’t have a mobility aid; he’ll bring you out on walks and stuff so you can be outside

-Will stand up for you-

-wait

-Will “protect” you from people who think your faking

-and those people who decide to make fun of you

-he feels like he shouldn’t let you work out because the weights might give you a hard time picking it up

•(I’m sorry if this is damaging to ppl by the way)

-sometimes will pick you up (with permission of course)-

17 notes - Posted April 17, 2022

#3

hi may I request Yandere! Kanade x reader Headcanons?

Thank you!

Your welcome!

also there will be spoilers but I’ll put that on the end, a warning but I can’t do two read mores so not that

also this was postponed bc I was sick

DNI WITH THIS POST IF YOU ARE TRIGGERED BY YANDERES OR KANADE/HIBIKI

Yandere!Kanade Otonokoji with a s/o

+Second POV

+TW

+Spoilers at the end

+Implied M*rd3r

•~•~•~•~•

Kanade

-You probably was drawn in by her sweet and shy personality

-She started to like you after you keep standing up for her

-She was confused over all of how she feels about you

-When she started getting some certain tendencies.. You were traumatized

-She took it in and pretended to comfort you knowing it’s because of her

-If her sister gets mad at you or something, it gets very confusing

-If you distanced from Kanade, she will still know your every action and move some way and somehow

*SPOILERS WARNING!!*

-Not much different from chapter 3 personality-wise -She probably was confused about you because she loved hibiki too

•(I do not support this btw)

-It would’ve been a very hard choice if she had to kill one of you.

-She’ll most likely kill you because She knew hibiki longer

-Your family is gone. Hibiki and Kanade is your family now.

-You we’re good friends with setsuka too

-You wish you weren’t

-You wish you never met them because you wouldn’t be in this scenario anymore

21 notes - Posted April 30, 2022

#2

I’m back and I’m living for your writing! May I please request Syobai and Setsuka jealousy Headcanons?

Thank you!

Your welcome and thank you for the compliments aswell :D

edit: I came back from my moms house so-

Syobai and Setsuka jealousy headcanons

+Second POV

+No pronouns used

•~•~•

Syobai/Shobai H.

-Very rarely gets jealous

-Who will he even get jealous of? You guys are probably mostly inside bc of him doing illegal stuff and all-

-Anyways, scenarios. He kinda gives the person he’s jealous of a death stare or whatever.

-and probably pull you awAy

-If it’s an ally of him then he’ll just pull you away slightly or grab your hand.

-If you’re lucky; then he just lets you be (unless they get a bit too touchy)

-if they do, don’t ask why when they go missing

~_~

Setsuka C.

-She puts a lot of trust in you for you to not cheat (not like you would tho-)

-She still gets jealous but more subtle

-She’ll join In on the conversation to make sure there isn’t anything wrong

-She holds you hand :)

-If there is something wrong, she’ll kind of attempt to move the conversation between the both of y’all

22 notes - Posted April 17, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

You have a hot singer gf and show it off to her dad

+Fem reader

•sorry my dudes, uta needs a hot gf too ok

+Uta (one piece)

+One piece film red spoilers

+Warnings: Cursing, slightly suggestive? I’m a minor so no people actually doing the deed

+Short but I don’t write one piece So NO ONE PIECE REQUESTS (this is the only exception)

•-•••••••••••••••-•

First off, you are one lucky girl. Will you be spared from the concert? Maybe if you convince her too with sweet flirts and enough kisses. Yeah, she loves you a lot but she wants you to have a special paradise too! Well, just don’t explicitly say that you don’t think this is a good idea. Because you might end up like the strawhats (besides luffy) but not with the humiliation. You’re her girlfriend! Not a pirate!

You trying to convince her is probably one of the hardest things to do..

• “Babe, can I not go into your paradise?”

• “Huh? Why?”

• “Aha.. well.”

• “Is it because my concert is not going to be fun enough?!”

• “No! I just want to.. protect you from marines!”

• “Oh y/n, you know at my concert, everyone is equal!”

• “Yes but that won’t stop me from loving you”

Something like that but when Uta is about to stab the Strawhat and luffy in the real world, you’re there. You will support your girlfriend! No matter how insane she is and subtly trying to inch her back to sanity. But thats how you met shanks.

Not a good start because of how much trauma Uta holds and tells you. So when she’s stopped, you’re kinda just staring. Yes you might be tall but 6”6 tall? No. But when your girlfriend starts making the sleeping people attack, you join in. Mainly aiming for shanks.

I mean, wasn’t he the reason for her trauma? Like he exploded Elegia and left uta while partying. She needed so many kisses and cuddles after she told you! But you didn’t expect him to be quite strong to hold like multiple people..

But yes he noticed you were awake so you decided to spill the beans.

• “I fucked your daughter”

Wwhiiiich caught him off guard. It was sudden and now he knows his daughter has a girlfriend whom she loves a lot…

So what do you do? Brag about it!

• “Yeah she’s so pretty!”

• “She’s like supperrr good at you know what”

• “I kissed her before you came here

• “She sang a song ab-“

you were interrupted by someone saying “WE GET IT!-“

26 notes - Posted November 23, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[maldreathezora]

Breast Cancer: A Tale of Two Titties

By Faith April LaFazia

The story starts when I was nine years old.

I got my first period. 

My mother was sad for me. I was so young, the pad felt like a tail in my pants. I was sure everyone could see it poking out. I changed from my usual sweatpants to jeans that year, which were more concealing.

For the first part of fifth grade, I went to a charter school where the closest bathroom to my classroom was the nurse’s office. I kept having to ask my male teacher to go to the nurse. He sometimes questioned why, and I couldn’t find the courage to tell him I was on my period. Once, the nurse’s office was out of pads and I had to wear a full pad for several hours. I cried all the way home that day, feeling disgusting. I wouldn’t learn to wear tampons for a few years.

Soon I was twelve, and as my breasts grew I hid them under my shirt with a sports bra, an undershirt, a large t-shirt, and finally a vest. Even in the summer. 

Despite my best efforts to ignore them, my breasts kept growing. 

Soon I was as big as my eldest sister. The attention this drew from men on the street was ridiculous. I would get honked at, yelled at (“Bitch! Whore!”). People mistook me at thirteen for an eighteen-year old. I was devastated and depressed and I began to stay inside and play video games all day.

When I outgrew my sports bras, my mother took me to buy some bigger ones. When we were in the dressing room, I took off my layers and my size D cups fell out. My mother said, “Faith!” in such a tone I was ashamed. I had hid my breasts well, even to my mother.

So continued my obsession with video games. I played Wind Waker for the first time and fell in love with Ganondorf. He didn’t hunch like most villains; he stood up stick-straight. I started to stand up straight, too, though it hurt. This probably saved my back from hurting worse later on.

Be careful what you wish for.

My breasts went from a D cup to an E cup, from there to an F. They swallowed my hands if I put them beneath my breasts. I grew to an H cup, and finding comfortable bras (or even uncomfortable ones) in that size was, as many are surprised to learn, difficult. The price was high, too, the average bra costing from $70 to $100. Being big cost money.

From the time I was a teenager to my young adult life I picked the pimples on my breasts obsessively, I hated my breasts so much; in my mind it was like getting revenge on them. Soon they were pockmarked with scars. I would put them in a bowl of ice water to try to shrink them. I started to hope I’d get breast cancer so I could take them off. 

At fourteen I found a marble-sized lump in my left breast. I was terrified of cancer and checked my breasts during every shower from then on. Luckily this lump went away after a few days. 

I had a boyfriend off and on for a few years, and he was mainly in love with my breasts. Luckily we didn’t stay together long. 

When I was 23 I visited a plastic surgeon to talk about breast reduction. But as soon as I saw the word “Necrosis” on the list of side effects, I knew it wasn’t for me. A turning point came after that; I spent $80 on a well-built sports bra, and began to jog, giving the finger to anyone who catcalled me, or honked at me. 

I had a few boyfriends after that, but nothing stuck until Alex, who loved me for me. 

After my 25th birthday, I found another lump in my left breast. It was the size and shape of a peach pit, hot to the touch, and painful. I went to a surgeon, Dr. Miller, and asked him to tell me if it was cancer. He took a sonogram of the lump and decided since I was so young, and the lump was hot and painful, that it was a cyst or an infection. He put me on antibiotics, which did nothing. He then went on vacation for three weeks, during which time the “cyst” grew to the size of a mango seed, and caused me much pain. The skin above it was pockmarked. Finally when he was back I asked him for a biopsy. He balked, but I demanded it. 

He gave me the biospy. The thick needle he stuck into my breast found a lump so hard and compact it could hardly suck up the sample. I knew then it had to be cancer, since a watery cyst would pop.

I remember driving out to a graphic design office to apply for a job, but they didn��t seem interested in my interview. Which was just as well, when the biopsy results got back. 

When I found out, I was alone. I saw the results of the biopsy online in my patient portal. “Carcinoma of the breast.” My mind went blank; I finished what I was working on as if on autopilot. I texted my husband at work to tell him. I’m sure he didn’t get any work done for the rest of the day. When he got home he held my hand and said we would get through it. (And we did. And we are.)

When I told my mother, she cried and held me. She wished it was her instead of me. 

Dr. Miller wanted to cut off my left breast right away. I could feel the cancer spreading in my left armpit, but I didn’t question him. But when Dr. Siddique, my oncologist, heard what Dr. Miller wanted to do, he stepped in and said no. First we need to shrink the tumor, he said. 

I felt anger. I was so angry at Dr. Miller for letting my “cyst” get so big. I cried and punched a pillow, imagining it was his face. Unfortunately I had to go under his knife to have a mediport put in. I begrudgingly allowed him. 

So I was put on four strange-named chemotherapies which took eight hours the first day to administer. They had to wait an hour after each to make sure I wasn’t allergic to it. There was a brilliant lightning storm that day and I had a view over the pond from the cancer center. 

After that the infusions took four hours each, once every three weeks, for five months. They made me sick, but I wallowed through.

At last I was free from chemotherapy. 

I decided I wanted to have both breasts removed and chose Dr. Dickson Witmer, a wonderful surgeon who had done mastectomies on women all over the Eastern Shore. I showed her a drawing of what I wanted to look like, and she said, “That’s almost exactly how you’ll look.” She seemed impressed. So I was satisfied. 

I was not worried all the way up to the surgery. It took four hours to wait because she was saving the life of someone who’d been shot outside the hospital. When she put her head in to check on me, she looked happy and confident. I knew I could put myself into her hands. 

“Deep breaths, sweetie,” she said as the anesthesia mask came down on my face. 

I awoke after the surgery, still in the surgical room. I lifted my head and looked down at my now-flat chest, strung with wires and tubes. I must’ve smiled as I thought, “That looks just right,” before lying my head down and sleeping with great satisfaction. 

After a rest in the hospital, I was about to go home when I began to cry. I was crying because the two-hour ride home would be painful, and I knew it. A well-meaning nurse knelt to put a hand on my knee, crying herself, and reassured me, “Don’t worry, sweetie, you’re still a woman.”

My tears changed to laughter. 

And that’s the story of how I gained and lost my breasts and found my happiness. 

[thumbgarden]

How to grow watermelon in a greenhouse

Did you know that among the various greenhouse crops, the last place is not occupied by watermelon? So how to grow watermelon in greenhouse? This article will take you through it.

Of course, this type of cultivation is not for production purposes and is not grown in the south, but it shows very good results and quite meets the tastes of brave owners.

However, there are certain differences between the agricultural techniques of greenhouse growing and open field growing, and you need to know the specifics before growing watermelon in a greenhouse.

1. HOW TO PLANT WATERMELON SEEDLINGS In mid-April, it's time to plant watermelon seeds. To do this, prepare small, preferably peat pots of 10cm (3.93inch) diameter and a nutrient-rich soil mixture (add potassium sulfate and wood ash to the existing soil).

Place 1-2 watermelon seeds soaked in warm water into each glass until 2-3cm (0.78-1.18inch) deep and place on a south window.

Although seeds germinate at temperatures above 17°C (62.6°F), indoor temperatures should be between 25 and 35°C (77-95°F) during the day and between 18 and 20°C (64.4-68°F) at night for efficient plant formation.

For the entire growth period of watermelon seedlings, it is best to make one, preferably two, fertilization applications using a mineral fertilizer complex, the first of which should be made two weeks after sowing.

As the plants grow, the pots are moved away so that the seedlings do not come into contact with each other and the leaves. Once 3-5 true leaves have formed on the young plants, they can be planted in the greenhouse. This usually occurs after 25-35 days.

2. GROWING WATERMELONS IN A GREENHOUSE Watermelons can be planted in mid-May if the greenhouse is heated, but if not, it is worth waiting until the outside stable temperature reaches 20-25°C (68-77°F).

Seedlings are planted in pre-prepared monopolies, 40-50 cm (15.7-19.6inch) apart from each other, 20 cm (7.87inch) high, and 40-50 cm (15.7-19.6inch) wide. In this case, the plants are not buried.

An important nuance is the height of the greenhouse and the humidity level maintained in it. For the comfort of watermelons, the humidity indicator should be kept at 60-70% and the height of the greenhouse roof should be 1.8-2m (5.9-6.5foot).

3. GREENHOUSE WATERMELON CARE Due to the long fibrous roots of watermelons, they must be tied up. Therefore, you will need to wrap the weedy ends of the plants counterclockwise around the lattice as you walk around the bed each day.

Also, in greenhouse cultivation, watermelons are formed one stem at a time, so any watermelons (side shoots, flowers) that form to a height of 40cm (15.7inch) should be pulled out.

Sixty days after planting, the plants start flowering. The first to appear on them are male flowers, and 10 days later - female flowers.

During this period, it is very important to perform pollination. In areas with a warm climate, for this purpose regularly open the windows of the greenhouse, giving the opportunity to do their work insects, in northern regions, pollination is performed manually.

To do this, it is necessary to pluck the male flowers and connect their stamens to the female flowers. How to distinguish between male and female flowers? A small watermelon flower may be seen first on the female flower.

If it has been pollinated, the ovary will start to grow and bend downwards, if not - the flower will stretch upwards. Here, too, you have to pay attention.

And when the watermelon starts to grow to the size of a plum, count 7 leaves up from each leaf and cut off the top of the stalk. If only one fruit is ripening on a plant, it is best to consider the selection, and if there are several berries on the stalk, the harvest will be small.

When the watermelons reach tennis ball size, place a grid on each one and tie it to the top trellis. If this is not done, the plants will drop in weight from growth. Within a month after the ovaries are formed - you can harvest.

One more thing, the leaves of watermelons do not thin, their cut structures do not shade the fruit, but the constant appearance of side shoots strongly delays the moment of ripening - they are periodically pulled out.

In addition, watermelons do not like weeds growing on their roots, so it is important to monitor the cleanliness of the greenhouse.

Also, if the fruit is formed at the base of the stem - not tied, but laid on the ground - a board should be placed under the watermelon, otherwise, it is likely to cause its rotting.

4. WATERING AND FERTILIZING Despite the common belief that watermelon likes to be watered, it is actually a drought-tolerant plant and it needs to be watered very carefully.

It needs water most during the first period of growth, before and at the beginning of flowering.

It is best watered with warm water, 10 liters per 8-10 plants. And when the fruit reaches the size indicated in the variety description, watering stops immediately.

It is good to carry out and fertilize at the same time as the weekly watering. To do this, you need to mix 1 tbsp of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, 1 tbsp of superphosphate, 1 tbsp of potassium sulfate, and 2 tbsp of any micronutrient fertilizer.

Fertilize no more than 4 times in total, just until the berries reach variety size.

#Watermelon #Tips #Howto #Houseplants #Orchard #Urban #Garden #Fertilize #Watering #Plant #Care

Author: Ms.Geneva Link: https://www.thumbgarden.com/how-to-grow-watermelon-in-a-greenhouse/ Source: ThumbGarden The copyright belongs to the author. For commercial reprints, please contact the author for authorization, and for non-commercial reprints, please indicate the source.

[kmgeog2260]

Case Study on Surviving the Wilderness with Agafia Lykovs

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68)

The short documentary produced by Vice tagged above is about Agafia, 70-year-old women who has been living in the Siberian wilderness for the majority of her life. In the 1930s due to her family’s religious beliefs and the political climate in Russia, her father moved his entire family into the woods (160 miles from the nearest town) with very extreme weather conditions. Over the years due to outsider visits causing illness, and starvation the rest of Agafia’s family has passed away. The documentary was published in 2013 and the researchers sought out to understand and experience Agafia’s life/ living situation firsthand in what they described as “one of the most inhospitable places on earth “, (Vice, 2013). The researchers flew by helicopter to where Agafia’s home is and set up camp to live with her for a few days. Research Techniques The research techniques and findings of the documentary where not explicitly laid out but in my opinion the research method they used was qualitative with a mix of observation and interviews. The researchers conducted interviews with mostly Agafia recalling her history with the land as well as asking questions about her everyday life. They also conducted some shorter interviews with the park rangers that had helped them get there, and her neighbour about the same. A keynote about their research method is that it was naturalistic observation, meaning that Agafia was not taken out of her “natural setting”, but rather the researchers came to her. Invisible Backpack and Ethics The researchers unknowingly, or perhaps knowingly, brought with them their invisible backpacks filled with privileges that might not seem as obvious at first. Within this invisible backpack was the privileges of clothes, money, access to technology, geographical location, and education (McIntosh,1989). These privileges which seem subtle in the film do play roles in the research being done and that is why it is important to take note of them. Afterall, one’s invisible backpack also holds and shapes their worldview that has developed in very different ways from those they might be researching. In the film the researchers wore highly advanced winter gear and arrived in a helicopter. It was abundantly clear upon entrance the difference in lives they had to Agafias. Although, in some ways these differences and the way the Agafia lives her life contrarily from the researchers was the point of the study. It seems to me that there were ethical decisions being made in the process of the film. The researchers came off well mannered, helpful, wanting to listen and learn as well as not overbearing on Agafia’s lifestyle. They seemed genuinely interested and concerned for Agafias mental and physical welfare. Although, there were some questions I felt unanswered and uneasy about while watching. Number one, was there communication with Agafia before arriving (any heads up), if so, how? Secondly, they spoke in the film about how her family members had died after being in contact with geologist from the “outside world”, were there any precautions taken to make sure none of the Vice team brought any illnesses? Also, other than sharing Agafia’s story who was to benefit from this research? (Feel free to respond to any of these questions) If I were to research.. If I was given this same opportunity to go and visit Agafia I would conduct my research is a similar way in terms of method (oral histories, observational, interviews). I too come with most, if not all the same invisible backpack as the researcher before me so this is something that I would keep in mind but also ask Agafia about, see her opinion on outsiders coming in. Beforehand, I would try to make contact with Agafia to ensure that me coming would be something she wants. While there, I would try to integrate myself into her ways of life as much as possible, perhaps by staying longer (if I could). In the film they ended off with a great note about Agafia being a case that humans can survive in the gravest of conditions in

isolation (Vice, 2013). I would really like to expand on that idea and see if this is a generalizable note or if Agafia is a rare case.

VICE. (2013, April 9). Surviving in the Siberian Wilderness for 70 Years. Retrieved 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2AYafET68%29

McIntosh, P. (1989). White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Retrieved 2021, from https://psychology.umbc.edu/files/2016/10/White-Privilege_McIntosh-1989.pdf

[fiadhaisteach]

New York Times: text under cut

What Lockdown 2.0 Looks Like: Harsher Rules, Deeper Confusion    

By Damien Cave

_________________________________________________________

Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, is becoming a case study in handling a second wave of infections. There are lots of unanswered questions.

Credit...William West/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, is grappling with a spiraling coronavirus outbreak that has led to a lockdown with some of the toughest restrictions in the world — offering a preview of what many urban dwellers elsewhere could confront in coming weeks and months.

The new lockdown is the product of early success; the country thought it had the virus beat in June. But there was a breakdown in the quarantine program for hotels. Returning travelers passed the virus to hotel security guards in Melbourne, who carried the contagion home.

Even after masks became mandatory in the city two weeks ago, the spread continued. And now, as officials try to break the chain of infections, Melbourne is being reshaped by sweeping enforcement and fine print. A confounding matrix of hefty fines for disobedience to the lockdown and minor exceptions for everything from romantic partners to home building has led to silenced streets and endless versions of the question: So, wait, can I ____?

Restaurant owners are wondering about food delivery after an 8 p.m. curfew began on Sunday night. Teenagers are asking if their boyfriends and girlfriends count as essential partners. Can animal shelter volunteers walk dogs at night? Are house cleaners essential for those struggling with their mental health? Can people who have been tested exercise outside?

“This is such a weird, scary, bizarro time that we live in,” said Tessethia Von Tessle Roberts, 25, a student in Melbourne who admits to having hit a breaking point a few days ago, when her washing machine broke.

“Our health care workers are hustling around the clock to keep us alive,” she said. “Our politicians are as scared as we are, but they have to pretend like they have a better idea than we do of what’s going to happen next.”

Pandemic lockdowns, never easy, are getting ever more confusing and contentious as they evolve in the face of second and third rounds of outbreaks that have exhausted both officials and residents. With success against the virus as fleeting as the breeze, the new waves of restrictions feel to many like a bombing raid that just won’t end.

For some places, risk calculations can change overnight. In Hong Kong, officials banned daytime dining in restaurants last month, only to reverse themselves a day later after an outcry. Schools in some cities are opening and closing like screen doors in summer.

In many areas where the virus has retreated and then resurged, the future looks like a long, complicated haul. Leaders are reaching for their own metaphors to try to explain it.

Image

Credit...William West/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom has compared his opening and shutting of businesses to a

“dimmer switch.”

Dan Andrews, the premier in Victoria, the state of which Melbourne is the capital, has repeatedly referred to “pilot light mode” for industries like construction and meatpacking, which have been ordered to temporarily reduce their work forces.

Whatever the metaphor, the situation is bleak.

In Melbourne, a city of five million that is considered a capital of food and culture, the pandemic has come raging back even after a so-called Stage 3 lockdown began in early July — until recently the highest level of restrictions.

Officials have been flummoxed at every turn by the persistent complacency of just enough people to let the virus thrive and multiply.

Traffic data showed people driving more in July than they had during the first Stage 3 lockdown, in March and April. Even worse, almost nine out of 10 people with Covid-19 had not been tested or isolated when they first felt sick, Mr. Andrews, the state’s top leader, said in late July. And 53 percent had not quarantined while waiting for their test results.

“That means people have felt unwell and just gone about their business,” Mr. Andrews said.

Sounding the alarm, he made face masks mandatory the next day, on July 22.

Still, infections have continued to rise. They peaked at 753 new cases on July 30, and have hovered around 500 a day ever since, with the death toll in Victoria now standing at 147, after 11 deaths were recorded on Monday.

Those figures, while far less troublesome than those in the United States, have paved the way for a Stage 4 lockdown — what officials are calling a “shock and awe” attack on the virus — that will last at least six weeks.

Image

Credit...Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Overwhelming force, with precision, seems to be the goal. The chief modelers of the pandemic response in Australia have found that the virus can be suppressed only if more than 70 percent of the population abides by social distancing guidelines and other public health rules.

Mr. Andrews said the new restrictions would take 250,000 more people out of their routines, in the hopes of reaching the necessary threshold.

So retail stores will be closed. Schools will return to at-home instruction. Restaurants will be takeout or delivery only. Child-care centers will be available only for permitted workers.

Those restrictions are already well understood. The rules requiring more explanation are tied to the curfew and industries that have to cut back.

Large-scale construction projects of more than three stories, for example, will have to reduce their on-site work force by 75 percent, and workers will not be able to work at more than one location. Small-scale construction cannot have more than five workers.

All of which sounds clear. But does a bathroom renovation, for example, amount to home building in an apartment with one bathroom? And what about fixing things that break, like Ms. Von Tessle Roberts’s washing machine?

Some businesses, like cleaning services, are already emailing customers to say they think they can do some work, for people who pay through welfare or who need help for mental health reasons. But, like many others, they are still seeking official clarification.

Image

Credit...David Crosling/EPA, via Shutterstock

Mr. Andrews, a Labor politician sometimes described as awkward and paternal, has become the dad everyone needs answers from. He now oversees, under the lockdown rules, what may be the country’s most intrusive bureaucracy since its days as a penal colony.

The Coronavirus Outbreak ›

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated August 4, 2020

I have antibodies. Am I now immune?

I’m a small-business owner. Can I get relief?

What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work?

Should I refinance my mortgage?

What is school going to look like in September?

As of right now, that seems likely, for at least several months. There have been frightening accounts of people suffering what seems to be a second bout of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months, which may seem worrisome, but that’s perfectly normal after an acute infection subsides, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but it’s highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time.

The stimulus bills enacted in March offer help for the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for aid are businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some industries are also eligible. The help being offered, which is being managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. But lots of folks have not yet seen payouts. Even those who have received help are confused: The rules are draconian, and some are stuck sitting on money they don’t know how to use. Many small-business owners are getting less than they expected or not hearing anything at all.

Employers have to provide a safe workplace with policies that protect everyone equally. And if one of your co-workers tests positive for the coronavirus, the C.D.C. has said that employers should tell their employees -- without giving you the sick employee’s name -- that they may have been exposed to the virus.

It could be a good idea, because mortgage rates have never been lower. Refinancing requests have pushed mortgage applications to some of the highest levels since 2008, so be prepared to get in line. But defaults are also up, so if you’re thinking about buying a home, be aware that some lenders have tightened their standards.

It is unlikely that many schools will return to a normal schedule this fall, requiring the grind of online learning, makeshift child care and stunted workdays to continue. California’s two largest public school districts — Los Angeles and San Diego — said on July 13, that instruction will be remote-only in the fall, citing concerns that surging coronavirus infections in their areas pose too dire a risk for students and teachers. Together, the two districts enroll some 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country so far to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to classrooms when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution won’t be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are devising hybrid plans that involve spending some days in classrooms and other days online. There’s no national policy on this yet, so check with your municipal school system regularly to see what is happening in your community.

On Tuesday, he answered questions from reporters about dog-walking (allowed after curfew, sort of, only near home) and other subjects of great confusion at a news conference in Melbourne.

Thanking those who complied with the new rules and scolding those who did not, he announced that no one in self-isolation would now be allowed to exercise outdoors. A door-knocking campaign to check in on 3,000 people who had Covid-19 found that 800 of them were not at home.

All 800 have been referred to the Victoria police for investigation. The fine for violators going forward, he said, will be 4,957 Australian dollars, $3,532.

Working, even legally, will also become trickier. Other than, say, hospital workers with formal identification, everyone traveling for a job deemed essential during the lockdown must carry a formal document — a work permit signed by the employer and employee.

For Cara Devine, who works at a wine store that closes at 8 p.m., that means carrying a government form with her everywhere, and hoping that the police recognize her task as essential when she heads home after the curfew. But she also worried about the Uber drivers who take her back and forth.

Image

Credit...William West/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

“Even before the newest restrictions, I’ve had two Uber drivers being really late picking up from the shop because they got stopped by the police, taking about an hour out of their work time,” she said.

The police are already confronting opposition. On at least four occasions in the last week, they reported having to smash the windows of cars and pull people out after they refused to provide a name and address at a police checkpoint. The Victoria police commissioner, Shane Patton, said a 38-year-old woman had also been charged with assault after attacking a police officer who had stopped her for not wearing a face mask.

Some criminologists are questioning whether the harsher enforcement will help. Mostly, though, Melburnians are just trying to endure.

Walking to get groceries, Peter Barnes, 56, said he welcomed the stricter rules, though he admitted his city was starting to feel like George Orwell’s “1984,” with the heavy hand of the state around every corner.

Those focused solely on the economics, he said, should remember the obvious: “You can’t hire a corpse. Very bad employment prospects for people who are dead.”

By Monday night, the city seemed to be in listening mode. The streets were emptying out, silent in hibernation.

“It’s like a Sunday in the 1950s,” said Mark Rubbo, the owner of Readings, Melbourne’s largest independent bookstore. He also noted that people were stocking up again on books through online orders, with a memoir called “The Happiest Man on Earth,” about a Holocaust survivor, becoming a runaway hit.

Ms. Von Tessle Roberts has found another solution, perhaps just as likely to grow in popularity: Stand on your front porch and scream. That’s the name she has given to an event she posted on Facebook, set for Friday at 7 p.m. By Tuesday afternoon, 70,000 people had expressed an interest in joining her collective shout in anguish.

“Yelling is great,” she said. “It’s less dehydrating than crying.”

Image

Credit...Erik Anderson/EPA, via Shutterstock

_________________________________________________________

Besha Rodell and Yan Zhuang contributed reporting from Melbourne, and Livia Albeck-Ripka from Cairns, Australia.

Thanks for reading The Times.

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Thanks for reading The Times.

[moistwithgender]

Media Roundup (February 2019)

I wanted to try and squeeze in one last finished show into the last day but I ended up having a really bad sleep schedule hiccup. Anyway, here’s what I finished this month:

Games:

This is actually the shortest list this month, on account of me mostly playing through a single game somewhat slowly. If you follow my posts, you might be able to guess what series it’s a part of.

Super Robot Wars EX (SNES): At the end of the previous post I warned that if you want to get into SRW, SRW2 is an extremely rough starting point, even though it’s canon to the four or five original SRW canon games mostly on the SNES. Thankfully, there is a youtube video that shows you all the dialogue and combat snippets from SRW2. That said... if I wanted to stick hard to canon, I would have either played SRW3 first, or waited for the incoming re-fan-translation that will drop probably at the end of March. BUT, I wanted to play SRW and not jump to a game so far ahead that the mechanics alienate me to the earlier games, so I started EX. EX is largely a contained side story that takes place in and revolving around the original properties of SRW canon. Said original properties involve La Gias, the world that exists inside of planet Earth, and a three-sided war involving mechs that run on magic. There’s a lot of politics and strategic talk and fantasy worldbuilding grounded in fantasy science and it’s actually really fucking cool. They take the time to explain how due to a (magical) scientific phenomena, prophecies are always accurate in La Gias (yet preventable with the right effort), which is exactly the kind of bullshit I love.

However, due to summoning rituals, the setting is also flooded with “Surface Dwellers”, AKA people from different mecha anime who have been written into a melting pot setting that contains all their narratives (sometimes cleverly tweaked to allow and complement each other). This isn’t just a hand wave, but worked into big plot points. It is genuinely stunning how much the creators of these games actually tend to give a shit about making these narratives believable and interesting. I say “believable”, though it’s also worth noting that, as with manipulated inclusion of various IPs, canon is general is somewhat malleable in SRW. There are usually multiple plot options in the games, and EX features a unique system with three separate campaigns that, depending on the order you play them, and also depending on the choices you make and how well you play, change the sequence of events in other campaigns as they weave into each other. It’s not handled amazingly, and to see everything, you may play the campaigns some three times each. I don’t really have that kind of patience, because these early SRW games are also sufficiently challenging games. While not nearly as bullshit as SRW2, EX features a fair amount of incentive to save and reset for better RNG, and you might spend an hour or longer on later maps because situations get really tight. EX is also considered one of the easier early games (phew). Despite that, the maps are almost all really enjoyable, you just have to be willing to work for your victory at times.

The writing, with much credit going to the stellar fan translation imo, is also a compelling read, and dialogue is frequently hilarious despite how much it also focuses on political intrigue and fatal drama. The “hard” campaign (at times equally or less difficult than the “intermediate” campaign) has you playing one of the main series antagonists, whose right hand minions include an oujosama who openly talks about how horny she is, a princess with hardcore stockholm syndrome (or is it?), and a semi incompetent little blue bird as a psychic familiar. A running gag is them chastising each other for using rude words. These characters have apparently been popular enough to reappear even in the modern titles, which largely are self-contained timelines of their own, with their own canonical tweaks.

Last point I want to touch on (this single game just has so much to it) is that playing this game out of order is interesting in how canon is referenced. In most self-contained-stories-in-greater-narratives, you’ll get somewhat forced exposition drops when a character is (re-)introduced. Most of these games so far tend to treat pre-existing characters on the same ground as OCs, where a character doesn’t say, for example “yo I’m goku I come from earth and I’m a super saiyan”, but kind of just realistically reacts to the scenario as per their characterization. If you learn more about them, it’s mostly via seeing them interact with other heroes or villains from their own canon (though later games include library bios to catch you up if you want). While this creates an interesting experience where, if you don’t know a series, you get that curious feeling of walking in on the middle of something, but instead from the beginning. The most interesting aspect of this, and what I consider the defining aspect of the game’s storytelling, is that the same delivery is used with the original characters. From the get-go, the original characters in SRW EX talk about other elements the way real people do, without vaguely audience-oriented exposition. Some people won’t like this, but it makes it feel much more real to me, and complements my recent exploration of the breadth of mecha, where I know a ton of names and have very little context, and slowly accumulate context as I go along. It’s a lot of little micro-mysteries. EX didn’t start this, either. SRW2, which is both the first SRW with a plot or even dialogue, introduces the main OC of SRW, Masaki and his Cybuster, who has a lot of his own lore, and tells almost none of it. You are left for the entirety of SRW2 to only grasp the fringes of what Masaki’s story is, and when he says “hey I’m actually leaving now in the middle of the game because I have my own plot bye” you just deal with that. SRW establishes that the world is way bigger than you, even though the core concept of the series is rooted in fanservice. Now, part of this is that Banpresto and Winkysoft probably had a big MCU-style plan from the beginning (cough most ambitious crossover in history cough), because, well, look at this release timeline and associated narrative chronology:

-Super Robot Wars (Game Boy, April 1991) No plot, or dialogue, but establishes the Big Three (Gundam, Getter, Mazinger) as playable characters and has the kaiju villain from an old 70s Getter+Mazinger crossover movie as the final boss. The pilots don’t exist, the robots are all apparently sentient beings. -The 2nd Super Robot Wars (NES, December 1991) Beginning of plot, introduces a proper antagonist (Bian Zoldak), an antagonist force he leads (Divine Crusaders), light political intrigue, Masaki Andoh and his nemesis Shu Shirakawa are established vaguely while having a separate plot that is not explained. IMAGINE juking your audience with your own main character like that. He doesn’t serve as protagonist yet but is clearly, like, the most important OC? Bian and Shu even serve as the final bosses and you don’t even know who Shu really is. The kaiju villain from before comes back for a single map and evolves into a stronger form unique to the game. The heroes from SRW1 also all acknowledge that SRW1 happened and they know each other. This establishes that you cannot rely on canon. -The 3rd Super Robot Wars (SNES, July 1993) Haven’t played yet but I hear this is where they really started playing with canon. Mixes the Divine Crusaders plot with the plot of the original Gundam series. Multiple endings exist now, and plot regularly splits into dual branches. -Super Robot Wars EX (SNES, March 1994) Here’s where it starts to get complicated. This focuses on Masaki’s setting, while continuing off of SRW3′s plot. Elements introduced here will continue to be referenced in SRW4 (the ending screen even explicitly states that, which reinforces my idea they planned this all years in advance). Multiple campaigns with malleable canon means nothing is concrete ever again. -The 4th Super Robot Wars (SNES, March 1995) Campaign now splits into Super Robot (Getter, Mazinger) and Real Robot (Gundam) routes, which is easier to handle. This game finishes up the “Classic” SRW timeline, but would also canonically be replaced by two remakes on the PS1 (SRW F (1997) and F Final (1998). However... -Super Robot Wars Gaiden: Masoukishin - The Elemental Lords (SNES, March 1996) Masaki gets his own game five years later, beginning his narrative. This game has no mecha IPs, and is exclusively OCs. The most complicated aspect is that this game is split into two chapters: the first, at the start of Masaki’s story, and the second, which... if I have this correct, follows after EX and SRW4. The previous games have, supposedly, been referencing this game that has not existed until now, and this game references what has come before. Playing SRW feels like being lost in linear time. This game starts off its own timeline of games that, I hope, stay confined to the OC-centric games. 

So here’s the timeline:

First half of SRW Gaiden SRW2 (loosely referencing SRW1) SRW3 SRW EX SRW4 Second half of SRW Gaiden

As a result...I can never be comfortable writing a suggested order of play. In playing these games, you simply must accept that the world is bigger than you, and at all times you will be an outsider to some degree. You know, until you’ve played all of them. Which you can’t yet, because they aren’t all translated yet.

Phew! That’s a lot of words about Classic Timeline SRW, and I’ve only played through two games. Thanks for reading all of that, I hope it kept your interest. Despite how complicated that got, EX is a great game and easily in my top SNES RPGs now, up there with Live A Live and Dragon Quest V. Let’s move on for god sake!

Oh, right. Almost forgot: (SRW EX: Masaki’s Chapter: Beaten 2/9/19) (SRW EX: (One of the two versions of) Lune’s Chapter: Beaten 2/15/19) (SRW EX: Shu’s Chapter: Beaten 2/20/19)

Fun fact: In EX, if you use a cheat code on the title screen to play through Shu’s route with a suped-up absurd final boss-strength version of his mech, and run into one of the other protagonists, then when you later play as that other protagonist, you’ll have to fight the cheat version of that mech as a boss.

Orbital Paladin Melchior Y (PC): I had to play something else this month, and because I’m trapped in a fugue state, I made it something mecha related. Melchior Y is a small, hour-long visual novel/shoot em up made by John D. Moore, who I know mostly as a_new_duck from the selectbutton.net forums. I’m... not gonna have as many paragraphs to talk about this, or anything, as I did with SRW EX, so if he sees this I hope he doesn’t take that as a negative. Reportedly, this has multiple routes, though as of this writing I’ve only played one of those. I don’t know if that means multiple endings! I liked it for the small gamejam game it is, though. John is an academic and a mecha fan (and did his thesis on mecha, iirc) and so this is reasonably an introspective mecha story focused on children conscripted for space war purely for their utility, and adults who boss them around despite no longer being allowed to pilot once they hit the very beginnings of adulthood. It gets dark! A smaller positive about it is the matter-of-fact inclusion of queer identity, comfortably existing alongside religion without having to immediately make the plot about the conflict between those (at least in the route I played). I enjoyed it, and if you have the patience to explore artier games that aren’t polished AAA cash houses, you might gain something from it too. Here’s a link if you’re curious, it’s currently free.

Anime:

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai: I already wrote about this last time, oops! Still, despite a couple stumbling points, this is fun character-driven supernatural lit, and if you’re mad at Persona games for bad political takes, then this... at least this doesn’t have those! The funniest thing about the series is that the bunny outfit is easily removable from the plot and barely relevant past the first couple episodes. (13 episodes, finished 2/5/19, Crunchyroll/Hulu)

Punch Line: I actually went in expecting something akin to the sort of wackiness I remember way back when FLCL was fresh. I didn’t get that, necessarily. What I did get was (as I would discover after I wiki’d it later) a fucking Kotaro Uchikoshi story. That’s not a bad thing, but if I had gone in knowing that, I would have been prepared. Uchikoshi writes light novels. Extremely convoluted, mysterious, non-linear light novels. As I was watching this show, I actually thought the whole time “is this a fucking light novel adaptation?” It wasn’t, but it was by the guy who wrote Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (one of my favorite DS games), and Ever17: The Out of Infinity (probably one of the most miserable game experiences I’ve ever had), and I was easily identifying his particular brand of storytelling. There is a LOT that can be said about his style, but I’ll try to keep it short with a paraphrased example (don’t @ me if this doesn’t explicitly describe any one of his plots, it’s close enough). He likes to tell stories that start as quirky or high-concept, but somewhat mundane, skip a scene at one point, and then progress until you suddenly hit a big plot point that turns everything on its head and, in my experiences, causes things to immediately end tragically. Then you see the scene you missed. The scene held a plot point literally so important that it completely changes what the story was ever about. From then on you are fed a trickle of left-field plot twists until eventually the plot is unrecognizable from how it started. His work is as stupid as it is clever, and he’s got the strongest grasp of continuity I’ve ever seen a human being have. This is the polar opposite of SRW’s “fuck canon” philosophy, and that’s not for the worse on either account. Punch Line starts as a story about a boy who dies, becomes a ghost, and then has to figure out... something? (I should clarify I watched all of this overnight while not sleeping as as the story built more and more upon itself I had to fight to keep following it) BUT ALSO, if he sees panties twice, he’ll accidentally destroy the earth. Those details are, like, one percent of the secret plot that the show is built upon, and by the end when the wacky dorm sitcom has become a full blown world war with government conspiracies, I was like “wait why is that girl a superhero again?” Everybody deserves to experience an Uchikoshi story once, just for the wild novelty of it. I don’t think this is his best work (I think 999 is better), but it perfectly exemplifies his style.

Also, I spent the full binge watch (which I rarely do) thinking it was a visual novel adaptation. Absolutely convinced. But, it turns out that, no, he just writes like he’s making a VN game. The “panties = genocide” concept is so obviously a choose-your-own adventure mechanic that I thought it had to be. On the bright side, an actual VN adaptation later came out, and even came out in English on the PS4. And they added in apparently ten episodes’ worth of significant extra plot, so I might play that.

Also, it’s called Punch Line because in Japanese it sounds like “panty line.” That’s it. Also maybe it’s referencing plot twists, or mortality, idk. (12 eps, finished 2/6/19, Crunchyroll/Hulu/HIDIVE)

Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow (Movie): A month later, I finally got around to the rest of Gundam 0079. I think I might like this movie best of the three, even if it does feature a lot of character death is kind of a downer at times (granted, that’s kind of most of Tomino’s work isn’t it). This movie is where most of Kai Shiden’s character development occurs, and it’s nice to see his go from a bastard to a sympathetic, uh, bastard. He’s terrible and my son. (Finished 2/9/19)

Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (Movie): You know I really like the original Gundam in concept, and even execution, but sometimes I’m chewing through it. Even when boiled down to the compilation episodes I’m just pushing through at times. I mean, I think part of that is my burnout and executive dysfunction issues preventing me from fully enjoying things, but it could also just be that I’m baby. This was the movie I liked the least, despite having some of the best moments in the series. The final showdown is genuinely incredible, and there’s probably a lot of essays out there discussing the recurring theme in Gundam of invoking the figure of Newtypes, while also regularly denying being one (even to oneself!) after engaging in a lot of telepathy. My problem with MSG3 is that they packed the most plot points into this one, and it gets to a point where it was hard for me to follow. Mirai goes through two separate love triangles, and a huge tactic (bordering on the severity of a war crime) happens and then is iterated on in such a small amount of time that I actually lost track of who had it and how I was supposed to feel about it. If I were to rewatch it, I might grasp it better. I spent this movie feeling like I should have just watched the 50 odd episodes instead, for the sake of comprehension. Idk! Hate to end this on a negative note, because this series has layered characterization, complex examinations of war, the things people do in war, and the ways that war changes people, and also cool robots. It’s probably something you can revisit multiple times and gain new value from each time. (2/15/19)

Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team: Guess who watched this on Adult Swim a long time ago and almost totally forgot! This series is amazing and probably going to stay my favorite Gundam series. The animation is consistently beautiful and consistently had me comparing it stylistically to Cowboy Bebop, from the body language to the lavish mechanical displays to the character writing to the excellent english dub. The US got it ater it was complete, but the original airing of it was spread out over three and a half years, and given how flawless it is, I can understand why. If you’ve have a spot in your heart specifically for watching the switch axe change shape in Monster Hunter, you’re gonna lose it watching them do maintenance in this show. Character-wise, while 0079 was about watching whiny teens complain and break protocol on a regular basis, 08th MS Team is as much about living army life as it is about going on missions. There’s soldier superstition, there’s writing to girlfriends back home, there’s complaining about staking out in the desert for five days. I haven’t watched MASH, but the things I have heard about it make me link the two. 08th MS Team is also about a super unfortunate star-crossed love between people on opposite sides of the war. This plot element is a recurring one even back in 0079, but here it feels the most heart-wrenching, and with the very weighty and believable mech combat (it’s so pretty, good god), I was constantly worried about the well-being of all the characters, Fed and Zeon (except for Ginias). If you have any interest in anything, you have to watch this. I’m not good at selling things.

I watched all of this when Hulu was threatening to remove it, but now it appears to still be up? Uh, so go watch it I guess. Oh fuck, right, I almost forgot. The last episode of this is so bad they didn’t even air it on TV in the US. It’s tangentially related to the plot, claims to be about the main characters but instead centers on two side characters and like six new ones, has zero character development, has comparatively/definitively awful animation, relies entirely on misdirection towards the viewer to keep the plot barely hanging together, and has no satisfying payoff. Thankfully, it’s sort of an omake episode, and you can completely skip it. (12 eps (minus 1), finished 2/20/19, Hulu)

I can’t find a decent HQ poster so have this you filthy animal.

A Place Further Than The Universe: It’s not about robots! Wait. Is it about robo--it’s not about robots! I had heard about this show for a while, it was almost universally agreed upon by everyone that follows seasonal anime to be easily the best show of all of 2018. And wow they were not kidding around about that. APFTTU (oh god that acronym) is about four high school girls who decide to go to Antarctica. It is a feelgood comedy with occasional ventures into very real drama, and is rooted very realistically. The show is semi(?)-educational with the attention it gives to showing how real life expeditions work, while also liberally flowing into the poetry of the concept and experience of such a thing. The four girls are all hilarious and innocent without being cloying and, and this is the most important part, without being written with voyeuristic appeal. It is not off-base to have concern for the ways in which a significant number of female cast anime are written with intent to appeal to lonely men who want to feel a safe ownership of something innocent and attractive. It’s not all of them, but it’s a significant amount. Male gaze exists even in the lesbian shows, it’s something you sometimes have to roll with. Here, however, these girls are fully realized and believable, it is obvious that they are developing people, and that is treated as its own value, not as something to covet. If you’re lookin’ at thighs in here, that is your problem, and I’m calling God. A subplot that comes up involves a guy who gets a crush on one of the older women, and he tries to make it about his narrative and is immediately shot down by the whole cast, because this isn’t a vehicle for his romantic conquest. This isn’t anyone’s romantic conquest, really. It is significant to me to say, “this is an anime I could show to my mom and not be worried about.” I know I just said 08th MS Team was required watching for everyone, but A Place Further Than The Universe is required watching. (13 eps, finished 2/26/19, Crunchyroll)

Giant Gorg: At some point I picked this out to watch on CR without any prompting. Wait, I had one prompt. I knew nothing about this show except I think for seeing it on a short list of tumblr user @lightningclone’s favorite anime. It kind of floors me that this came out a year before Zeta Gundam and has way way better animation. Granted, Zeta has twice the episodes, which might be a big factor. The defining trait of this show is probably way it unravels itself, focusing for multiple episodes on exploring what of the great mystery of Austral Island and Gorg has been established to the audience, before revealing something more an deliberately taking it’s time as it takes you to the next reveal. The reveals don’t feel like twists, because a twist comes out of nowhere and sidelines you. The reveals here feel organic, and expected, but all the same compelling. Another good trait of the show is the characterization. Everyone fits into a very different role both in terms of personality and function, they all have their own motivations, and they all complement each other in unique ways. Also, this show has an Usopp. Back before Usopp was a thing. He’s Dr. Wave, and he’s the best character. 

If I have any criticism for the show, it all comes at the end. Near the end a character does a heel turn that, while a little twisty, is hinted in the beginning of the show, and in his heel turn the writers go a bit overboard and have him commit some sexual violence that goes on for an intentionally uncomfortable amount of time, and features frontal nudity. I know we’re supposed to think “oh god he’s a horrible person actually,” but 1) the main character is a child, I kind of expected this to lean family friendly with the occasional dark element (ignoring all the hilarious New York graffiti at the start that says FUCK in several places because America), but... okay! And 2) the stakes rise to a point by the next episode that the characters, including the victim of that violence, all just shrug it off, like whatever! The character is even redeemed by the end, which I wouldn’t mind if the betrayal itself was less physical. It’s a bit much for me, and I wish they hadn’t done it. Aside from that, I feel like the ending itself is a bit anticlimactic, but everything up to these two points had been so solid that I still think it was worth the watch. Worth it if you like mystery, adventure, and big robots, but worth bearing in mind the trigger warning for near the end. (26 eps, finished 2/27/19, Crunchyroll)

Manga:

Shin Mazinger Zero Vols 1-3:

[Serious Content Warning For Everything]

Shin Mazinger Zero is reprehensible garbage and I hate it. While inspired by Go Nagai and intentionally over-the-top, the absurdity is juvenile, offensive, and often just empty. Now, it may seem hypocritical of me to complain about transgression in something based on Nagai’s works, but I genuinely don’t find this transgressive, just extremely self-indulgent of toxic masculine fantasies, both sexual and violent. It has interesting ideas, about how Mazinger is both a tool possible of great good or great evil (literally the mission statement in every Mazinger work), and it wants to explore alternate timelines to see how characters can be corrupted or overcome corruption. The visual of a demonic Mazinger is genuinely pretty rad.

...Okay maybe he’s not, he’s kind of overdesigned. I like the toothy grill, though.

The problem with that exploration of corruption is that sometimes a character is just a horrible monster for no reason, without much explanation (so far?) for how that comes to be. Maybe in volume 4 they’ll get more into that, since they are currently in flashback mode, so there’s no undoing the damage.

Anyway, female characters so far are hypersexualized and submissive or motherly, or hypersexualized and, like, totally unreasonable. The hot robot girl sat on my lap in her underwear and did sex moans, why are you mad, main love interest? Men are testosterone as FUCK. The hero is constantly yelling to the point of visual distortion, no matter how the drama of the scene is being portrayed. The old man villain Dr. Hell is, for some reason, jacked as hell, and in the backstory to the main timeline (it’s all post-apoc) he shows his superiority over everyone by crushing Not Obama’s balls in his grip. I know exactly the kind of dude that would find this appealing and that’s the kind of person I avoid.

Honestly I knew this series was going to be a trashfire from square one and just kept reading out of morbid curiosity. The story starts in media res at the end of the world, with sexy girl robot disintegrating the hero so his soul can go back in time and try the timeline again. Okay, sure, I’m on board. Immediately next we’re shown what I would assume is The One Timeline To Get It Right, after establishing that there have been thousands of timelines where the hero is corrupted by evil. Pretty normal storytelling. And then, uh, the hero’s grandfather molests and murders the hero’s girlfriend, because the hero might become evil. My face is in my hands at this point. The incomprehensible shame. The hero is then corrupted and goes on a killing spree and humanity’s caught in the crossfire and the world ends. After *that* we get the One Timeline. Why? Why say things have always been bad (and I guess imply that bad things are the default) and then waste my time with the worst shock value trash that comes after for a full volume before actually starting the story? It’s edgy garbage! Why is this an official Mazinger work? Stuff like this is what makes me stop and think “wait are all Nagai’s works like this and I’ve been lying to myself when I like it?” Christ, this turned into a rant. Moving on.

[Content Warning Over]

Dumbbell Nan-Kilo Moteru? Vol 1: Idk if talking about horny manga after that mental breakdown is gonna make me look weird but hear me out.

Hot girls lifting weights.

You still here? Okay, good. I started this on a mutual’s recommendation and while it’s not regularly engaging with my own things (I’m more of a “watching fit woman deadlift and hoping she drops it on me and I disintegrate like so many dead leaves” person), and with the two main girls being high schoolers, I try to avoid engaging with that in that way. Luckily, there’s a teacher my age with a bob cut, so we’re good! More interesting, though, this is in the same genre as that Skullface Bookseller Honda-san anime (though less biographical), where the author just wants to explain their job or hobby while also using likable comedy characters as the vehicle. Anime made edutainment work.

I’m starting to get tired and I wanna wrap this up but unfortunately I have a bit to talk about regarding the last manga I read in Feb.

Tokyo Ghoul Vols 10-12: I’ve been reading this for the past, uh. I read it a lot last year, I don’t know when I started, though. Around 8 books in I started slowing down and taking long breaks because phew! I’d hit the end of the series’ big bad story arc and was having trouble picking up from there. I’m glad I did, though, because the story is still getting good. Here’s hoping I can handle the sequel series, because Tokyo Ghoul itself only has two books to go.

I’ve talked about TG a few times before, maybe just on Twitter. It’s very intelligent “vampire” lit that ramps up the stakes of transition by saying “you can’t just suck their blood and let them go! Human meat is your food and you’ll suffer without it.” At first, I was like “oh wow lol this is edgy” but the last twelve books have talked about trauma, alienation, and most importantly loss of innocence. It’s also about the importance of the bonds between people. The main character is perpetually at odds with himself, trying to be a good person in spite of the fact that being a ghoul is literally and figuratively being a monster. It could easily be an overwrought story of self-indulgence and angst but everything in it has been careful and effective. Ghoul culture is thoroughly built up and balances concepts of territory and posture along with careful deception for the purpose of staying a part of, and hiding from, human culture. It’s about predators who cannot remove themselves from their predatory nature, even if they want to be people with families and educations. There’s an organization that wears white and hunts ghouls with weapons crafted from ghoul bodies and functionally I can’t fully argue with them, sort of, but hey we’re starting to discover that corporations are corrupt (who knew?) and that’ll be fun.

But forget the poetry and human condition, the best thing this series does is that unashamedly works the Hot Topic aesthetic. The main character likes reading books and wears an eyepatch to hide his heterochromia and works as a barista. He wears a mask that evokes an S&M lifestyle. Ghouls can only eat people and all other food taste rotten. Except for black coffee. There’s also a number of ghouls with black nails and eyeshadow, and very heavily coded queer male characters (some more flatteringly portrayed than others but that’s a whole other thing). If Sui Ishida never listened to Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, I’ll eat my fucking feet.

@sun-eater-official I think this might be up your alley. Or maybe not! But these aesthetics sound like you. Actually, you should probably watch 08th MS Team too, for the Bebop vibes.

So that’s everything! I thought I had a short list but apparently it was all things I had a lot to say about. Again, if you read all of this, thanks a lot, I hope I end up introducing you to a new favorite. In the future, I may have to split these into separate posts for each category. I have a lot of free time to write these lately. Writing two roundup posts back to back is a bit tiring, but I don’t have to do another until April starts.

[lovemesomesurveys]

Do you own a pink toaster? No. Do you live by yourself? No. Do you shower every day? No, every 2 days. Is english your native language? Yes. Do you like cleaning? No.

Who is your favorite character from Harry Potter? I enjoyed the Harry Potter movies (I didn’t read the books *gasp*), but I really didn’t have a particular favorite character. Do you hear any music now? No. Do you watch Pewdiepie? No. Are you married? Nooo. Do you like Despacito? I liked it when it first came out but then it got played to death and I grew tired of it fast. It was everywhere. Do you drink coffee? That’s like asking if I breathe. Do you know any swedish words? No. Do you play Pokemon Go? I got the app at one point and played a little, but I really didn’t get into it. Do you think you’re fat? No. Did you ever color your hair pink? No. Do you press Caps Lock or hold Shift for capital letters? Shift. Do you own any pop figures? Yes. I have an “I Love Lucy” one. Do you like Dr. Phil? I do. Do you prefer to be inside or outside? Inside. Do you drink energy drinks? I’ll have a Starbucks Doubleshot every once in awhile. Do you eat meat? Yeah. Do you need to do the dishes? I personally don’t do the dishes. How old were you 2010? I turned 21. Are you scared of clowns? They are creepy. Who is your favorite youtuber? I have a few. Do you have any subscribers on youtube? I don’t make YouTube videos. Do you believe in ghosts? I believe in the supernatural. Do you salt your popcorn? Yes. And lots of butter. Do you like McDonalds? Yeah. I kinda was over for awhile, but I had a Big Mac yesterday for the first time in like 2 years and it was good. I want another one. :X Do you have a Steam account? No. Is the sun shining right now? No. What time is it? 7:42PM. How much battery do you have on your phone? 55%. What device are you using while taking this survey? My laptop. Do you brush your teeth everyday? Yeah. Do you bite your nails? “no, but i do pick at them >.<” <<< Same. I’m always picking at them or using nail clippers to pick at them. What’s your gender? Female. Do you like gaming? I’m not a gamer. What’s the first word that comes to your mind if I say: Boop! Nose. Like, boop you on the nose. ha. What month is it? April. Do you like reading books? I love to read. Have you ever played Five Nights at Freddy’s? No. Do you like horror movies? Yeah. I’ve gotten into more over the past couple years. Do you own a TV? Yeah. Is your favorite animal a dog? Yes. And giraffes. Do you have a pet cat? No. Do you like chicken nuggets? Yes. What color is the ceiling in the room? White. Do you own a car? No. I don’t drive. What age do you turn on your next birthday? 30. Do you like religion? I’m a Christian. Have you ever tried Akinator? Yeah. Do you like Grand Theft Auto V? I’ve never played those. Are you wearing socks right now? I always do. Do you have a headache? Ugh, yes. Do you cry a lot? Yes. Especially lately. It’s like every little thing. Can you twerk? Nah. Do you like dabbing? Nah. Name four things in the room. TV, laptop, 4ft giraffe, bookshelf. Can money buy you happiness? I mean, it can buy you things or allow you to do things that bring happiness, but it’s just in the moment. At the end of the day I’ll still have my problems. Guess I’d rather be depressed in a beach house, though. ha. What was the last country you visited? Mexico years ago. Do you live in a town? A city. Do you like fishing? No. I went once and it was very boring. Do you want to be famous? No. Do you have any siblings? I have 2 brothers. Have you ever been to a funeral? Yes, 3. Do you have a Spotify Account? Yes. Have you heard of Blizzard Entertainment? Possibly. Do you drink milk? No, I don’t like milk just by itself. Are you tired? Always. Do you like bananas? Yes. Are you addicted to anything? Caffeine. Are your hands always cold? No. Are you in love? No. What’s the temperature outside? 70 degrees F. Do you like snow? Yeah. I wish it snowed here. Where are you from? California. Would you rather Play, Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward or Stop? Rewind. Do you know your phone number? Yeah. Do you like sleeping? Yes. What do you think of Fifty Shades of Grey? I read the books, I admit it. I saw the first movie, but it was just so bad. Do you swear in front of children? No. Is my grammar fine? I didn’t much attention to it, honestly.

[troyleroakley]

How to grow cannabis outdoors

Developing maryjane outside is extraordinary on the grounds that you won't have to burn through a lot of cash on it and you can depend on the force of the sun. On the off chance that you approach a radiant spot in a confidential yard or even an overhang, patio, or roof, you can develop weed outside. You will be attached to the sun and the seasons and neighborhood climate, yet you will not need to burn through a lot of cash on gear and utilities like indoor producers.

In the event that you're developing weed outside, it's perfect to track down a local area of cannabis cultivators in your space to perceive how others are filling in your particular environment. Nearby environments differ, so it very well may be useful to see what strains flourish where you are, and furthermore when different producers are popping seeds, reaping, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. You can likewise join online gatherings or Web-based entertainment gatherings; however an extraordinary spot to begin is your neighborhood develops shop.

Advantages of developing weed outside

Low expenses

Depending on the influence of the sun, you won't have to burn through a lot of cash on an open air develop. You'll require some dirt, manure, seeds or clones, and perhaps a little nursery to kick them off. You won't have to pay for power for lights, AC units, or dehumidifiers and you could in fact gather water.

Enormous yields

The sky's the cutoff with outside plants — you can allow them to get as large and tall as you need, for however long they're sensible. One plant might possibly yield between a half-pound and full-pound of dried weed! Growing a modest bunch of hands for you is all that could possibly be needed. With an indoor develop; your space is much more limited.

Harmless to the ecosystem

Indoor develops can be inefficient, utilizing a lot of power to drive that large number of lights, fans, and other hardware. The sun and the breeze are free!

Its tomfoolery and unwinding

Try not to underrate the helpful benefit of cultivating. It's unwinding to invest some energy outside, focus in, and take care of business for some time. What's more, there's nothvving better compared to smoking something you developed yourself.

When is the best opportunity to establish cannabis outside?

In the Northern half of the globe, open air weed producers generally put their plants outside in April or May, contingent upon the particular environment — for instance, it will be a little prior in California, and a little later in Washington state. Before then and it very well may be excessively cold for fragile seedlings.

Producers frequently begin developing seeds and developing seedlings inside in a warm, controlled climate weeks or months prior, so that plants have longer to develop and are sturdier when they are relocated external in the spring.

Things you ought to be aware

Keep your state and government regulations, search for an area with 70-85°F daytime temperatures, and subsequent to mixing your dirt, plant the cannabis either in pots or in the ground.

Consider beginning with clones or specialty seeds, move your plants outside, and stake them to add strength while they develop.

Keep your plants solid by watering them, deterring bugs, pruning new significant shoots, and adding high-nitrogen compost.

Utilizing Nature to develop cannabis

Cannabis is a strong plant that has adjusted to environments from one side of the planet to the other. From the cool and parched heaps of Afghanistan to the muggy districts of Colombia, over the long haul the plant has been compelled to adjust its protections against a large group of issues. Be that as it may, cannabis is as yet helpless to outrageous weather patterns. Whether it is weighty breezes breaking branches or unreasonable downpour causing mold, nature presents difficulties to cultivators that can be relieved with adequate preparation.

Turning out to be personally acquainted with your nearby environment and seasons is quite possibly of the main move toward delivering top notch open air weed. Before you develop, you'll have to know the ideal temperature your plants expect to flourish, the best site, ideal timing of planting and collecting, and the season's photoperiod — the sum and power of light accessible through the term of the developing season.

Some cannabis hereditary qualities have adjusted to explicit environments and are equipped for filling more effectively in specific circumstances than others, so give exceptionally close consideration to the cultivars, or strains, that you pick. A small amount exploration will make an enormous difference in guaranteeing you have a fruitful gather.

While cultivars might shift, here are a few common guidelines that will be valuable regardless of which one you pick.

Temperature

Daytime temperatures somewhere in the range of 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (23.9 to 25.4 degrees Celsius) are great for cannabis, while temperatures over 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31.1 degrees Celsius) or under 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 degrees Celsius) can defer development. Cannabis is viewed as intensity lenient; however supported ups and outrageous downs will for the most part prompt confusions that could ultimately kill your plants.

Season

In the Northern Half of the globe, cannabis can be planted in ahead of schedule to mid-spring and gathered in mid-fall, contingent upon the cultivar. In the Southern Side of the equator, the developing season will be switched with planting in right on time to mid-fall and gathering busy spring.

Light

During the main portion of the time, the daytime time frame increments until the late spring solstice, which happens in the Northern Side of the equator close by June 21 and in the Southern Half of the globe nearby December 21. While the sunshine hours increment, the plant's vegetative stage happens. During vegetation, the plant will foster the roots and stems that will act as the establishment for development until blossoming.

After the solstice, the accessible sunshine hours decline, permitting the plant to progress into the blooming time frame normally. Cannabis is a short-day plant, meaning it will start to bloom as the evenings get longer and the long periods of daylight decline.

Most cultivars will start to bloom once they get less than 15 hours of daylight each day. The scope of your nursery straightforwardly affects how long a day your plants get light.

Plan to place plants in the ground in view of the temperature, season, and light where you live so your cannabis have opportunity and energy to complete the process of blossoming before cool, stormy weather conditions sets in.

Picking the best site for open air cannabis

Deciding the ideal area is another significant element that can influence the yield and nature of your plants. Cultivators in the Northern Half of the globe ought to endeavor to put their plants in a space with southern openness to guarantee their plants are getting the most accessible daylight. The inverse is valid for the Southern Side of the equator.

Whenever the situation allows, utilize regular designs and developments in your nursery as windbreaks to forestall extreme weight on your plants that could prompt branches breaking.

In the event that you live in an environment with extraordinarily hot and bright days, use conceals material to keep your plants from overheating. In chilly regions, regular fenced in areas and concrete or block facades can be utilized to assist with holding any suitable intensity and keep your plants warm.

Contingent upon your area, you might have to make arrangements for downpour. In many districts, the stormy season is commonly lined up with the finish of the blooming stage and the beginning of the reaping time frame; however this may not generally be the situation. Downpour can be negative to an open air blossoming crop so being ready to cover or move plants can assist with guaranteeing an effective collect. In the event that it downpours on your plants, try to quickly shake off any overabundance water, as waiting dampness can prompt the arrangement of shape and no one enjoys rotten weed.

Arranging your nursery

Seeds versus clones

Choosing whether to begin with seeds or clones will change the timing and way by which your plants are acquainted with the outside.

Plants developed from seeds are ordinarily heartier and more vivacious than clones, as they produce a sturdier taproot that clones can't duplicate. The energy that comes from profound roots can be a benefit while managing unforgiving ecological circumstances and nuisance pressures. The disservices of developing seeds are the extra consideration expected to sprout the seeds, the need to dispense with any guys before they fertilize the females and the high fluctuation in development qualities that outcomes from their qualities.

Soil

Quality soil ought to be dull, wealthy in supplements, and have a light and soft surface. The construction of your dirt ought to be equipped for holding water yet in addition consider seepage of any overabundance. Natural fertilized soil mixes from your neighborhood garden focus will truly do fine and dandy, however further developed producers like to mix their own natural super soil without any preparation. The actual dirt ought to be marginally acidic with a pH of around 6. This can be tried with a dirt pH meter or test pack.

Holders versus in-ground

Holder nurseries can be advantageous as plants can be moved around the nursery to augment daylight or shield them from unforgiving circumstances like downpour, weighty breezes, or outrageous temperatures.

Keep away from earth pots as they can be expensive, weighty, and hold heat that could dry out the plant's dirt and roots. Texture pots are the most economical and best arrangement, as they take into consideration more than adequate waste and a lot of oxygen to get to the roots. Plastic compartments are likewise light and modest yet will generally hold more intensity than texture pots. Blooming plants need a compartment that is no less than 5 gallons (18.9 liters) to keep them from growing out of their holders and becoming root bound.

Supplements

Cannabis requires a greater number of supplements than a considerable lot of different plants you might have in your nursery. Quality soil contains an adequate number of natural supplements to begin the development cycle, however as your cannabis plant develops and advances into blooming; it might exhaust the accessible supplements and require extra composts.

Water

How much water a plant needs to a great extent relies upon its size, the size of its compartment, the dirt sort, and general ecological circumstances like the climate and the power of the sun. Bigger plants in hotter conditions will generally involve more water than more modest plants in cooler climate. How much water required will change all through vegetation’s cycle.

Irritation and weed control

Irritations and wild plants are an unavoidable event while developing cannabis outside. Most issues can be kept away from with legitimate preparation. Clearing a cushion region around your plants can go quite far, however you’re most memorable line of guard is a sound plant that can shield itself normally.

Security

Regardless of whether it is legitimate to develop cannabis outside where you reside, you ought to in any case play it safe to conceal the plants from general visibility. Also, it's frequently legally necessary. You can develop your cannabis plants among different plants in your nursery to conceal them on display. However, cannabis can undoubtedly become taller than your typical wall. Preparing methods can assist with keeping your plants more limited. The less individuals who realize you are developing cannabis, the better. The very smart arrangement is to have your develop concealed on a land parcel where your plants can genuinely prosper away from intrusive eyes and meddling neighbors.

Nursery nuts and bolts

Nurseries can be an extraordinary center ground between the intricacies of an indoor arrangement and the vulnerability of developing outside. They give adequate assurance from the components and use far less assets than an indoor develop. Nurseries can be more expensive than an outside garden and require seriously arranging, yet they additionally permit you to extensively broaden the developing season.

[tiptoptab]

1-134 😏

Okay well if anyone else wanted to participate it’s too damn late 😂thanks bats ❤️Name: nataschaAge: 193 fears: myself, myself, my thoughts3 things I love: movies, thunder, concerts 4 turn one: uhm lol idk, okay: goofiness, tall guys? And nice laughs4 turn offs: ignorance, arrogance, impatience My best friend: my roommate and best friend for over ten years is named MariaSexual orientation: as if I knew, somewhere in the middleBest date: anything with the right personHeight: 1.68 cmWhat do I miss: not paying bills What time was I born: 5amFav color: changes all the timeCrush?: mmmh Favorite quote: also changes all the timeFavorite place: anywhere with the right peopleFavorite food: cocktail shrimp and I’ll fight ya on thatDo I use sarcasm: you’d sure like to know, would ya?What am I listening to rn: ready to die - SAVEUSFirst thing I notice in a person: confidence Shoe size: 39Eye color: grey-ish blue more like a dark blue?? With a yellow circleHair color: changes faster than my will to live, but currently platinum blondeFavorite style of clothing: I call it ready for business.. but also ready to get down any second, does anyone wanna take a shot with me?Ever done a prank call: yes YesMeaning behind url: I used to shitpost memes and I had nothing better to come up withFavorite movie: brother bearFavorite song: changes constantly Favorite band: ^^How I feel rn: tired and my teeth hurts A+Someone I love: @isabeeelsimsCurrent relationship status: single afRelationship with my parents: I don’t have time or the will to even begin on thatFavorite Holliday: fastalavn (Danish Halloween, kinda)Tattoos and piercings: I have a nose piercing Tattoos and piercings I want: matching bear tatto with my best friend anytime soonThe reason I joined tumblr: @cowplant-pizza inspired me to give it a tryDo I and my last ex hate each other: he’s a rapist so there’s your answer right thereDo I ever get goodmorning or goodnight texts: everyday thanks to my amazing friendsHave I kissed the last person I texted: yes if you haven’t kissed your best friend you haven’t been drunk enough When did I last hold hands: a week ago I think? Platonic thoHow long does it take me to get ready: like 20min but i have a huge fear of getting late so I wake up atleast 2-3 hours before I get out the doorHave you shaved your legs in the past 3 days: yupWhere am I rn: Cph, Denmark. In my apartment If I were drunk and couldn’t stand who’s taking care of me: maria is my designated mom, and she owes me cus she broke me teeth while she were drunk and I were taking care of herDo I like my music loud: it can’t get loud enoughDo I live with my mom and dad: no I moved out at 16Am I excited for anything: yuppDo I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell anything to: yea i have three guy friends who is cross the earth forHow often do I wear a fake smile: woo a little too real for meWhen was the last time I hugged someone: earlier todayWhat if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else in front of me: I’d be fineIs there anyone I trust even tho I shouldn’t: hopefully notWhat is something I dislike about today: well I ate a sandwich and my plastic teeth fell off so yeaIf I could meet anyone on earth who would it be: idk tbhWhat do I think about the most: quitting my jobStrangest talent: idk I can ride a unicycleDo I have any strange phobias: people who make skkr noise with their fork on the plate has a special place in hellSo I prefer to be behind or inform it a camera: behind What was the last lie I told: no Maria I don’t know any illegal websites to watch movies other than x and x (I was too lazy to go find the links)Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting: can we just text or discord call?Do I believe in ghosts or aliens: ghosts nah, aliens sure why notDo I believe in magic: nopeDo I believe in luck: nopeWhats the weather rn: it’s late so just cold and windy What was the last book I ready: all the bright placesDo I like the smell of gasoline: nah but like hand sanitizer A+Do I have any nicknames: my mom used to say that loved children have lots of nicknames, I certainly think I have too manyWorst injury I ever had: is anyone not bored by the f teeth talk yet? Do I spend money or save it: spend, whopsCan I touch my nose with my tongue: nopeIs there anything pink in 10 feet from me: yes sirFavorite animal: otters duhWhat was I doing last night at 12 am: watching that 70’s show and I’m not ashamedWhat do I think Satan’s last name is: well my mom told me not to share my personal info to strangers onlineHow can you win my heart: laugh at my shitty jokes and understand my references you uncultured swineWhat would I want written on my tombstone: where did you come from? Where did you go? Where did you come from cotton eye joeWhat’s my favorite word: idk sryTop 5 tumblrs: I cant pick between my family Do I have any relatives in jail: nopeWhat is my current desktop screen: a black screen that says “windows not genuine” cus I’m too lazy to fix itHad sex: yesBought condons: yesGotten pregnant: no thank god Failed a class: noKissed a boy: yesKissed a girl: yesHave I ever kissed someone in the rain: yes and it less romantic than you’d thinkHad a job: yupLeft the house without my wallet: yea?Bullied someone on the internet: no not to my knowledge and if you ever think I did, then I apologize sincerely Had sex in public: yes lol Played on a sports team: hell yeaSmoked weed: nopeDrugs: noCigarettes: yes but I’m not a smokerDrank alcohol: yuppAm I veggie/vegan: no but I was for four yearsBeen overweight: yesUnderweight: yesBeen to a wedding: yesBeen on the pc for more than five hours: HAHAHAHAHAWatched tv for five hours: HAHAHAHAHAbeen outside my country: yesGotten my heart broken: yes..Been to a professional sports game: yesBroken a bone: noCut myself: noBeen to prom: we don’t have those in my country, we have galla but not at my schoolBeen in an airplane: yesHelicopter: nopeWhat concerts have I been to: too many to list hereHad a crush on someone if the same sex: yea Learned another language: jaja selvfølgelig (roughly 4 languages)Wore makeup: something’s gotta hide my gremlin faceLost my virginity before I was 18: yup I was 15Had oral sex: yupDyed my hair: my poor hair has seen a lot through the yearsVoted in a presidential election: we don’t have a president here but I have voted for other thingsRode in an ambulance: nopeHad surgery: nopeMet someone famous: yeaStalked someone on a social network: nah not my stylePeed outside: sht yes sometimes you just gotta go okay. Line up girls we’ll do this as a teamBeen fishing: yupHelped with charity: yupBeen rejected by a crush: yup and thanked god cus he turned out to be a dick face Broken a mirror: yep bad luck for me I guessWhat do I want for my birthday: it’s in April so I haven’t thought about it yet

[livesystem116-blog]

Phantasy Star

Phantasy Star Series Ending FAQ by FZoli v.1.3 2006 35KB Save State Hacking Guide by Thundergod v.2.1 2001 19KB Sidequest FAQ by Fox Fire v.1.3 2004 39KB. Phantasy Star Universe contains both a 'Story Mode' for the single player and an online 'Network Mode' for multiple players. Online battles take place in real-time as players collaboratively fight together.

Phantasy Star CollectionDeveloper(s)Sega (SS) Digital Eclipse (GBA)Publisher(s)Sega THQ (GBA, NA) Infogrames (GBA, EU)Director(s)Producer(s)Yuji NakaSeriesPhantasy StarPlatform(s)Sega Saturn, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2ReleaseSega SaturnGame Boy Advance

NA: November 24, 2002

EU: March 7, 2003

PlayStation 2Genre(s)Role-playingMode(s)Single-player

Phantasy Star 4

Phantasy Star Collection(a) is the name of two different compilations of Phantasy Star games. The first, released for the Sega Saturn in Japan in 1998, featured the first four games in the series, whereas the Game Boy Advance version, released four years later in North America and five in Europe, featured the first three. The North American and European versions were produced by Digital Eclipse.(1) The Saturn version was later ported to the PlayStation 2 (as Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 32: Phantasy Star Complete Collection) in Japan with more games added.

Each compilation features ports of the original Phantasy Star games. They are virtually identical to their original versions, as opposed to enhanced remakes. Gameplay has not been altered in each of the collections, but additional options in the Saturn and PlayStation 2 versions can alter the pace and difficulty of the games significantly.

Gameplay(edit)

Each game features overworld maps and separate dungeon areas, both with random encounters. Players control parties of characters, battling enemies and earning experience points to grow stronger. Certain characters can use different magic spells and techniques during and outside of battle. Phantasy Star's dungeons differ from the rest because they are in first-person, while the rest of the games use a top-down style.(2)

Plot(edit)

Although each game in the collections feature different characters and stories, they take place in the Algol planetary system, specifically on the planets Palma, Motavia, and Dezolis.(2) In the four games, there exists a Dark Force, a common antagonist that threatens the solar system. The games also make small references to each other, such as the idolation of Alis in Phantasy Star IV.

Dirty roulette is among the random roulette chat sites that are dangerous to use. For one, there is no minimum age that users are required to have, which means that even minors can access the site. Chatroulette didn’t have any age verification method and the site quickly became a. Cirty roulette. Dirtyroulette is an established webcam chat site that has been online since 2013. Due to this, it has a core of thousands of people who regularly use the platform. You will almost rarely run into the same person twice making it easy to meet lots of strangers here.

Development(edit)

Phantasy Star II's top-down style travel is shown as Rolf and Nei move through a town.

Its first incarnation was released in 1998 on the Sega Saturn, as part of Sega's Sega Ages series of classics that included Space Harrier, Out Run, After Burner, and Fantasy Zone. Although the former three games listed emerged in the West as a single compilation, Phantasy Star Collection remains a Japan only title. It included what is considered the main entries in the series, with select enhancements such as the option of playing the games in katakana or hiragana in the first entry of the series (they originally were katakana only), and an optional speed increase for party members in Phantasy Star II and Phantasy Star III. Due to the native resolution of the Mark III, the original Phantasy Star is played in a frame. Omake features were also included with the game, such as exclusive arranged music, art galleries, and Japanese commercials.

The Game Boy Advance version, produced by Digital Eclipse, emerged in 2002. Unlike the Sega Saturn release, Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium was not included.(1) The video games themselves were also altered in order to function adequately on the Game Boy Advance's resolution. The GBA version has a reduced number of save slots available for Phantasy Star and Phantasy Star II. The GBA version does not include any extras.

The PlayStation 2 version, part of Sega's PS2 line of Sega Ages titles, is significantly different from the Sega Saturn version. Renamed Phantasy Star Complete Collection, this version includes the Phantasy Star II Text Adventures series, released exclusively to the Sega Meganet network, with the first of the eight games (the one following the adventures of Rolf) available to be played without unlocking. It also includes the two Game Gear titles of the series, Phantasy Star Gaiden and Phantasy Star Adventure. Unlike the GBA version, it includes all four titles of the original series. While, unlike the Sega Ages titles Phantasy Star Generation 1 and Phantasy Star Generation 2, the games are mainly untouched, several options that are not available in the Sega Saturn version are included. These options can drastically alter the games, both visually (with graphical options ranging from changing resolution, interlacing, smoothness and scanlines) and in gameplay. The changes in gameplay can alter the speed of the characters (much like the option available for Phantasy Star II and Phantasy Star III in the Saturn version, but available to all games) and also the difficulty, by changing how much money and experience the player gets from fights, which can drastically reduce the time necessary to complete the games. There are also options to change the type of machine and localization of the games, making it possible to play them in their Japanese version as well as their English localized counterparts. This compilation was released on PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 in 2012.

Reception(edit)

Aggregate scoresAggregatorScoreGBASaturnGameRankings76%(12)N/AMetacritic76/100(13)N/A

Review scoresPublicationScoreGBASaturnEdge6/10(3)N/AEGM8.17/10(4)N/AEurogamer6/10(5)N/AGame Informer8/10(6)N/AGamePro(7)N/AGameSpot8.6/10(1)7/10(8)GameSpy(9)N/AGameZone9/10(10)N/AIGN6/10(2)N/ANintendo Power3.7/5(11)N/A

The Game Boy Advance version received 'generally favorable reviews' according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.(13) Critics noted that although said handheld version was outdated, it still held up with its innovations to the genre.(1)(2) They praised its uniqueness upon their original release as well as the fact that all three games come on one cartridge. Tim Tracy of GameSpot noted that 'Longtime fans of the series will definitely be pleased with the results, and it's worth mentioning that all three of these games originally retailed for about $70 each.'(1) It was a runner-up for GameSpot's annual 'Best Role-Playing Game on Game Boy Advance' award, which went to Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis.(14)Leovegas no deposit.

Tracy criticized the omission of Phantasy Star IV, calling it possibly the best out of them, or 'better than III'.(1) Adam Tierney of IGN complained that Digital Eclipse did not do anything for the ports, mentioning the 'tinny' music, 'grammatical errors', and 'huge crash bugs'.(2)

Notes(edit)

^Japanese: ファンタシースターコレクション, Hepburn: Fantashī Sutā Korekushon

References(edit)

^ abcdefTracy, Tim (December 16, 2002). 'Phantasy Star Collection Review (GBA)'. GameSpot. Retrieved April 13, 2017.

^ abcdeTierney, Adam (April 8, 2003). 'Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)'. IGN. Retrieved April 13, 2017.

^Edge staff (March 2003). 'Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)'. Edge (121): 106.

^EGM staff (February 2003). 'Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)'. Electronic Gaming Monthly (163): 158.

^Bramwell, Tom (April 29, 2003). 'Phantasy Star Chronicles (sic) (GBA)'. Eurogamer. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

^Reiner, Andrew (February 2003). 'Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)'. Game Informer (118): 108. Archived from the original on January 11, 2008. Retrieved April 13, 2017.

^Fenenc Fox (January 16, 2003). 'Phantasy Star Collection Review for Game Boy Advance on GamePro.com'. GamePro. Archived from the original on January 18, 2005. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

^Mielke, James (July 27, 1998). 'Phantasy Star Collection (Import) Review (Sat)'. GameSpot. Retrieved April 13, 2017.

^Nutt, Christian (December 23, 2002). 'GameSpy: Phantasy Star Collection (GBA)'. GameSpy. Archived from the original on February 13, 2006. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

^Knutson, Michael (January 9, 2003). 'Phantasy Star Collection - GBA - Review'. GameZone. Archived from the original on January 14, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

^'Phantasy Star Collection'. Nintendo Power. 164: 176. January 2003.

^'Phantasy Star Collection for Game Boy Advance'. GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2017.

^ ab'Phantasy Star Collection for Game Boy Advance Reviews'. Metacritic. Retrieved April 13, 2017.

^GameSpot Staff (December 30, 2002). 'GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 7, 2003.

External links(edit)

Phantasy Star Collection at MobyGames

Phantasy Star

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phantasy_Star_Collection&oldid=1002231219'

[purplesurveys]

296

- A - What has been your greatest Accomplishment? I guess, more than anything, it’s being able to study in the top university in the country. Does your house have an Attic? No. I don’t know of any Filipino house that has an attic; it’s just not in our culture. Probably the super rich, more Western-centric families do, but definitely not in any of the houses I’ve ever been to. Basements also aren’t a thing here. - B - What is/was your Best subject in school? History and biology. Anything objective and requires memorization of terms, I never had a problem with. What's your favorite dog Breed? I used to have none but Gab made me a golden retriever convert. Beagles and askals (street dogs in the Philippines) are wonderful, too. - C - Do you regularly drink Coffee? No, just as a last resort when I have to stay up for work. How many Children do you want? 1 or 2.

- D - When are you due for your next dental checkup? Right around this time of the year, but I get so incredibly lazy about the dentist so I don’t mind skipping lol. What kind of car do you Drive? It’s a Mitsubishi Mirage, the smaller kind. I’ve always told myself I can’t drive anything bigger than that. - E - Are you an Extrovert? Hell no. I mean I’ve been better–I’ve gone from being an introvert to an ambivert since starting college, but socializing still brings me anxiety. That hasn’t gone away. It also completely exhausts me at the end of the day; so while I’ve been so much better at handling social situations and can initiate conversations, it doesn’t mean the jitters have also left. I still dread them every single time. What's your favorite form of Exercise? I don’t exercise at all. - F - How Far away do you live from your best friend? Her family home is about 16 kilometers away from my house. The dorm that she stays in near her school is...apparently also 16 kilometers away. I’m literally middle ground hahaha. Have you ever had a Full-time job? No. - G - Where did you last buy Groceries from? Man I’ve stopped tagging along my parents whenever they get groceries so I have no idea where they buy from these days. I don’t buy my own yet. Do you believe there is a God? No. Catholicism ruined religion for me when I was ten. - H - What's something that made you Happy today? Called my girlfriend literally thirty seconds ago. When was the last time you stayed in a Hotel? We stayed in Batanes from Wednesday to Saturday so we were staying over at a hotel by then. - I - Do you like Indian food? It’s my favorite cuisine. Have you ever slipped and fell on Ice? When I used to go ice skating, many times. - J - What has been your favorite Job you've had so far? I’ve never had one. What Jewelry did you wear yesterday? The necklace Gab gave me is always on me. Other than that I don’t wear much jewelry. - K - How many people can sit at your Kitchen table? We don’t have that but we do have a dining table. It’s meant for six people but since it’s a big table it can probably fit like ten. What's a topic you're Knowledgable in? Pro wrestling. - L - Where do you Live? I live in a city called Antipolo in the Philippines. How many people have you Loved romantically? Just one. - M - Are you good with managing and saving Money? HAH, NO. Unless I really had to then yeah I sometimes surprise myself with how good I am with saving. It’s very unpredictable on my end. What was the last Museum you went to? I went to the Crisologo Museum and Syquia Mansion in Vigan around 7-8 months ago. Old houses of prominent family with all their 70′s-style rooms still intact will always be my favorite. - N - Do you have loud Neighbors? They’re not loud per se. Their kids are. What's one of your most Noticeable qualities? My glasses are crooked. - O - What's something you have a very strong Opinion on? LGBT rights, racial equality, smoking, and the concept of family. What's your favorite Outdoor activity? I’m a more indoors person, but I do enjoy hiking and going to the beach. - P - Did you pull a Prank last April Fools Day? Nah. What was the cause of the last physical Pain you felt? Scoliosis. - Q - Have you ever been to Quebec? Nope. What's your favorite Quote? I don’t have one. - R - What's the longest Relationship you've been in? This one I’m currently in: 2 years. If Gabie hadn’t broken up with me and ruined the relationship for a while we’d have been together for 3 1/2 years now, HAAA. Have you ever worked in Retail? No. - S - Do you feel Safe walking around your neighborhood at night? Yes, but at most just inside my subdivision since there are guards all over. My city doesn’t have a high crime rate but it’s still best to be cautious as soon as you step outside a private subdivision since there are so many weirdos that lurk about. When was the last time you woke up before Sunrise? Today. I usually wake up before sunrise. - T - Do you think you would enjoy being a Teacher? Probably not. The paranoia from not knowing what students think of me would be enough to drain me mentally. What was the last thing you bought Tickets for? Plane tickets back to Subic, where our airport was. - U - What is something about you that's Unusual? I don’t know, you gotta ask my friends. Do you live in an Urban area? Yep. - V - What's your favorite Vegetable? Broccoli and asparagus. Do you know anyone who gets Violent when they're angry? My girlfriend does. - W - What do you keep in your Wallet? Money, some photos of Gab, and cards that I use. What's your favorite kind of Weather? Rainy where it’s also cold and dark and dreary. Rainy but humid is pointless. - X - What parts of your body have you had X-rayed? My chest, but in more recent times my back. Which X-Men character is your favorite? I don’t have a favorite. - Y - What Year were you born? 1998. What did you do Yesterday? My family went to church, then we went to the mall to have lunch. We finally bought GTA V for the PS4 and my dad and I each got Herschel backpacks. My sister got the cheese tart she was craving for and we also got a new electric fan since one of the fans in the house stopped working. - Z - What was the last Zoo you went to? I don’t think I’ve ever been to a zoo. I don’t like the idea of supporting those, either. Is there a Zipper on any of the clothes you're wearing? No.

[jobsearchtips02]

Pickup Trucks Getting Huge. Got Problem With That?

A FEW MONTHS ago, on an ordinary day in an unremarkable

Costco

parking lot, I was nearly squashed by an unusually large pickup. Thank God I was wearing a mask.

As that chrome grille closed on me like a man-eating Norelco shaver, time slowed. It seemed I was watching myself from afar, being nimble for a man my age, darting from the path of a towering, limousine-black pickup with temporary plates, whose driver barely checked his pace. Jerk.

What the hell was that thing? A 2020 GMC Sierra HD Denali? It was huge! The domed hood was at forehead level. The paramedics would have had to extract me from the grille with a spray hose, like Randall Jarrell’s ball-turret gunner.

He didn’t even see me.

Later, returning to my car, I noticed something: The parking lot was dotted with similarly enormous luxury pickups—many new, many taking up two spaces: Ram,

Ford,

Chevy, GMC. They stood out like Percherons in a herd of Shetland ponies.

“ Are pickups really getting bigger, on average, or do they just look scarier? Both. The average pickup gained 1,142 pounds between 1990 and 2019. ”

What is going on here? When did pickups get so big? And why are XL-sized pickups so big now?

I know. Pickup trucks at Costco. Film at 11. Except that in April, U.S. sales of pickups surpassed automobiles for the first time ever—about 112 years, give or take. Trucks and truck-based sport-utilities now account for roughly 70% of new vehicles sold in the U.S.

How we came to be Pickup Nation is a longer story (cheap gas, the Chicken Tax, IRS Section 179, marketing). But this year, to help move the tin during the pandemic, U.S. auto makers laid out a bounty of discounts and cheap financing, including 0% interest for 84 months and deferred-payment plans.

“Pickups without a doubt benefited from the great deals,” said Mark Schirmer, spokesperson for market service providers Cox Automotive. “And the deals were particularly great for consumers buying expensive vehicles.” The data suggest these incentives also juiced a boomlet in XL-sized, heavy-duty pickups, otherwise known as ¾-ton and 1-ton pickups, for private use.

That’s right: Gucci cowboys. Historically aimed at commercial customers, sole proprietors, horse-haulers and mega-RVers, heavy-duty pickups are stronger and taller than ordinary (half-ton) trucks, with cabs mounted high above reinforced frame rails and heavy, long-travel suspensions. But HD trucks have evolved in the past decade, irradiated with the same prestige-luxury rays as light-duty trucks.

Behold MotorTrend 2020 Truck of the Year, the Ram Heavy-Duty. In Limited trim (about $65,000 with four-wheel drive but before options) the 2500 HD sports an elaborate chromified grille that gleams like a tea service. Its flight deck glows with untrucky amenities such as acoustically insulated glass; active noise canceling; 12-inch center touch screen; wood trim, premium leather—all paired with a maximum 19,680-pound towing capacity. With the optional cab lights, it measures over 6-feet-9 inches tall.

Thus has been born a uniquely American vehicle type: the mega-luxury mega-pickup.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE

The dimensions of Chevy’s 2020 Silverado 2500 HD LTZ. Just how big?

Photo: Chevrolet

81.85 in. wide

79.82 in. tall

249.95 in. long

It seems to be resonating. While sales of Silverado light-duty were off 18.6% in the second quarter, sales of the HD model sales were off less than a point. GMC’s light-duty Sierra was down 9.5%, while sales of our menacing new friend, the Sierra HD, were up 7.6% in the second quarter and 21.5% year-to-date.

Ford and

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

don’t break out HD sales from pickups overall. However, Ram’s average transaction price in the second quarter soared above $50,000, according to a Cox Automotive analysis of data from Kelley Blue Book. Ford F-Series sales fell 23% (to 180,825 units) but its ATP was mostly unaffected—$51,688, the highest among pickups.

In July, J.D. Power declared Sierra HD the king of the bro-dozers, placing it first in its 2020 U.S. APEAL Study of Large Heavy-Duty Pickups, which tracks owners’ excitement and emotional attachment in the first 90 days.

“The front end was always the focal point,” GM designer Karan Moorjani told Muscle Cars & Trucks e-zine. “We spent a lot of time making sure that when you stand in front of this thing it looks like it’s going to come get you.”

Mission accomplished.

But are pickups really getting bigger, on average, or do they just look scarier? The answers are somewhat and definitely. The average pickup on the road gained 1,142 pounds between 1990 and 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and 730 pounds since 2000.

“One of the most significant changes in that time was the arrival of crew-cab configurations, which added cab space to make them more family and work friendly,” said Mike Levine, Ford spokesperson.

In 2011, a change in the way the feds calculate vehicle fuel economy (the so-called “footprint rule”) gave domestic truck makers incentive to go big. Ever since, GMC, Chevy, Ram and Ford have been locked in a competitive feedback loop chasing best-in-class attributes and capacities—the “towing/hauling” wars. For MY 2019, for example, Ram’s 1500 Crew Cab gained 3.9 inches in overall length over a 4.1-inch longer wheelbase. In the same model-year, the Chevy Silverado gained 1.7 inches in length on a 3.9-inch longer wheelbase.

As a result, new light-duty pickup dimensions are approaching those of heavy-duty pickups. While the 2021 F-150 is about 18 inches shorter than the equivalent F-250, it is the same width (79.9). Mr. Levine noted that the company has gone to a common-cab design, using the same four-door living quarters for both light- and heavy-duty models.

“ ‘The face of these trucks is where the action is, a Chevy must shout Chevy. Every pickup has become a rolling brand billboard and the billboards are big.’ ”

Ask any kid with a crayon. If you draw the box in the middle bigger, you have to make the ones on the end bigger, too.

Which brings us to the 2020 Silverado HD—10 inches longer, 1.8 inches wider, and 1.6 inches taller than the previous model. The big Chevy’s challenging kisser comprises a thick, knee-high bumper; a central grille opening; several sets of lighting assemblies; a full-width transverse element helpfully informing with the message CHEVROLET…and then, above that, between very square corners, is a whole other layer, then a peaked hood with a central inlet. This hood line meets the base of the windshield about 6 inches above the side window sill.

Another cause of facial swelling? Marketing. “Full-size pickups are generally identical in profile,” Mr. Schirmer said. “The face of these trucks is where the action is; a Ford has to say Ford from head on, a Chevy must shout Chevy. Every pickup has become a rolling brand billboard and the billboards are big.”

You don’t have to be Steven Pinker to see that truck designers are leaning into the bully with these lantern-jawed bumpers and walls of chrome. Detroit’s blithe codifications of purposeful and powerful pickup design fail to describe the intimidation factor from the outside.

“A few brands, Ram and Ford, have taken to an overscale brand identity [and] applied it onto the grille,” said Kimberly Marte, associate professor of design at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. “The Chevy team did benchmarking of new models and followed the trend.”

It’s not clear how long pickup designs can keep getting their chrome on. In 2018 the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released a study examining the connection between SUV design and pedestrian fatalities. In a separate study released in June, IIHS found fatal single-vehicle crashes involving SUVs striking pedestrians increased 81% from 2009 to 2016.

While IIHS studied SUVs and not pickups, “The key is the geometry of the front end, the high and flat shape,” said Becky Mueller, a senior research engineer for IIHS. “It’s like hitting a wall.”

XL-pickups’ high-rising hoods also create significant blind spots just ahead of the vehicle. I know because apparently I was in one of them. While truck makers like Ford offer automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection systems as standard equipment on most trims, and forward-view cameras as an option, such systems are not mandatory, as they would be in Europe.

NHTSA proposed that new pedestrian-safety tests for SUVs and trucks be included in the New Car Assessment Program in 2015. But as of this writing, the agency had not issued guidance on new standards. When asked, the industry trade group Alliance for Automotive Innovation had no comment.

And what if the next administration should issue pickup-pedestrian safety rules? Could the extra tall hoods and bluff grilles, the sightlines, the scale, the very form language of the traditional American pickup ever be made pedestrian safe? “Of course not,” said Ms. Marte. “No way.”

So watch yourself at Costco.

TOO BIG FOR ITS BRITCHES?

Sizing up Chevy’s 2020 Silverado 2500HD

Photo: Chevrolet

HIGH-END HOOD: Modern pickups like the Silverado 2500 HD LT with Z71 Off-Road Package appear huge not just because roofs have gotten taller (topping out around 80 inches), but because hoods have grown relative to a truck’s overall height.

KING-SIZE BED: The 2020 Silverado 2500 HD Crew Cab with Standard Bed is 10.3 inches longer, 1.3 inches wider, and 1.6 inches taller than the 2019 model.

GAUDY GRILLE: The vast chrome rictus of Chevy’s Silverado has been coolly received by some critics and customers. But Silverado sales are up, and there’s a booming business in aftermarket grilles.

A STEP UP: To assist you in boarding its very tall seat—which maintains proportionality with the height of the hood, the 2021 Silverado HD High Country is available with power running boards that automatically slide out to meet you.

GRILLE MASTERS

The changing face of pickup trucks over the past century

Photo: Ford Motor Company

1926: Ford Model T Runabout

Dearborn’s first pickup shared a distinctive radiator shape with the Model T, and sported a cargo box that measured 56 inches long by 40 inches wide.

Photo: Getty Images

1949: International Harvester KR-1

Old school even by 1949 standards, the KB-1 model got a little bling with chrome plated wings lateral to the grille and even a hood ornament.

Photo: Getty Images

1949: Dodge Power Wagon

This medium-duty pickup was based on a WWII-era Dodge military truck and retained the “flat fender” for which they became known.

Photo: Alamy

1949: GMC Model FC pickup

Like competing Chevys of the era, GMC Trucks were fronted with “Bumper Bar” grilles—large horizontal bars surrounded by a thick frame on the top and sides.

Photo: FCA US Media

1963: Jeep Gladiator J-200 Thriftside

Are you not entertained? The Gladiator’s early years featured the coolest grilles—centrally mounted, canted forward, with the Jeep badge in the lower-left.

MORE SWANK, LESS SCHLEP

How Ford’s uber-popular F-150 pickup has changed shape and style since 1995

PICKUPS AND SUVS have become the vehicles of choice for U.S. drivers over the last 25 years. Along the way, they’ve also become less trucklike, emphasizing comfort as well as capability. Take the F-150, the flagship of Ford’s F-Series, America’s bestselling vehicles 43 years running, which has morphed from rural work truck into a daily-driving people-mover as suburbanites ditched minivans in droves. The bestselling F-150 of 1995 was a rigid two-door set with a 6.5-foot bed; today’s bestselling F-150 has four doors, copious creature comforts, and a cargo box that’s a full foot shorter. —Aaron Stern

Photo: Ford Motor Company

1995 F-150 SuperCab XL 4×4

Length: 235” Width: 79”

Curb Weight: 4,600 lbs. Payload Box: 6.5’

Photo: Ford Motor Company

2020 F-150 SuperCrew XLT 4×4

Length: 231.9” Width: 79.9”

Curb Weight: 4,858 lbs. Payload box: 5.5’

Copyright ©2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

%%

from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/pickup-trucks-getting-huge-got-problem-with-that/

[brajeshupadhyay]

The Flag-Hugger-In-Chief Flies A Nonstandard, Cheaper One At Mar-a-Lago

PALM BEACH, Fla. – The president who literally hugs and kisses the U.S. flag to show his patriotism appears to fly a nonstandard version, particularly on windy days, at his Florida resort, perhaps to save money.

Under that directive, signed by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1959, who before winning the White House commanded the Allied forces in Europe that defeated Nazi Germany, executive branch offices are to use the official flag that is precisely 1.9 times as long as it is tall, with the blue “union” in the corner stretching 40% across the length.

But the flag flown at Mar-a-Lago by Trump, who avoided military service during the Vietnam War by claiming bone spurs in his heels, has no more than a 1.67 to 1 ratio of “fly” to “hoist,” and on some days appears to have one as low as 1.4 to 1. Also on some days, the blue union appears to stretch to the halfway point across the length of the flag or even beyond ― possibly because the flag has had its fraying end cut off and has been rehemmed.

And on the last day of Trump’s early March trip to what he calls his new legal residence in Palm Beach ― his last visit there ― the end of the flag was visibly torn, in violation of the code found in federal statutes stating that banners in disrepair “be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”

Maria Alejandra Cardona for HuffPost

The flag flying at Mar-a-Lago on March 9 was torn and frayed. Under the U.S. flag code, damaged flags should be destroyed in a dignified manner, such as burning.

“To most people who served, this is not the biggest deal in the world, but it should be, for someone who makes such a huge deal of respecting the flag, who wants states to ban flag burning, and calls people who kneel in front of it ‘sons of bitches,’” said Will Goodwin, director of government relations with the group VoteVets.

The White House did not respond to HuffPost queries about why Trump chooses to fly a nonstandard flag. The Trump Organization, the president’s private company that runs his golf courses and resorts, including Mar-a-Lago, declined to answer questions.

One possible reason for the nonstandard flags could be the cost. A banner that is 15 feet by 25 feet – the size described in news accounts a dozen years ago when Trump was feuding with Palm Beach over his newly installed flag and pole that violated the town code  ― costs hundreds of dollars less than one meeting the official standard of 20 feet by 38 feet, according to a HuffPost review of large flag distributors.

Collins Flags in Marion, Indiana, for example, charges $360.50 for a 15×25 flag made of nylon, but $543.25 for the 20×38 size. In heavier duty polyester, a 15×25 flag costs $435.50, while a 20×38 flag costs $785.95.

Dixie Flag Company in Houston, which makes a weather and UV resistant flag specifically made for heavy-duty outdoor use, charges $806.36 for a 15×25 flag and $1,444.90 for a 20×38 flag.

Exactly how many different flags Trump has available to fly at Mar-a-Lago is unclear, but there appear to be at least a few, with the more squarish ones apparently flown on days with more wind coming off the Atlantic Ocean just over 100 yards away, according to a military college graduate who occasionally bicycles past the property. He said the nonstandard flag offends him, particularly given Trump’s frequent claims of his great love for it.

Longer flags tend to suffer more wind damage than shorter ones, he said, requiring more frequent repairs or replacement, which likely explains why Mar-a-Lago flies shorter ones on blustery days.

“Ike would have recognized that flag as nonstandard and if he saw it at a military base would have ordered it lowered immediately with severe consequences for those responsible,” the man said on condition of anonymity, referring to Eisenhower’s executive order. “I think it’s disgraceful that President Trump’s club is disrespecting our flag on a daily basis.”

Twitter.com

Trump cited his great patriotism in 2006, when he sued Palm Beach for $10 million for fining him $1,250 per day in the flag/flag pole dispute ― and later increased the demand to $25 million. The town’s rules limited flag poles to 42 feet in height and flags to no longer than six feet in length. Trump’s flag pole was 80 feet tall and flew a flag 25 feet long.

“They’re fining me for putting up the American flag. This is probably a first in United States history,” Trump told the Associated Press at the time.

According to Trump’s lawsuit: “A smaller flag and pole on Mar-a-Lago’s property would be lost given its massive size, look silly instead of make a statement, and most importantly, would fail to appropriately express the magnitude of Donald J. Trump’s and the Club’s members’ patriotism.”

Trump and the town settled the suit in April 2007, with the town agreeing to forgo the fine, which had built to $120,000, and Trump agreeing to limit the pole height to 70 feet.

Since winning the presidency, Trump has continued to use the flag for political effect and to attack critics.

His speeches frequently talk about the “beautiful” flag and how he will always protect it. Recently he pushed for a law banning the burning of the flag ― even though the Supreme Court ruled such a statute unconstitutional in 1989.

He has called NFL football players who protest racial injustice and police brutality by taking one knee during the national anthem ― most of whom are Black – “sons of bitches” who should be fired for disrespecting the flag.

And during his most recent appearances at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference held just outside Washington, he has literally hugged and kissed the U.S. flag on the stage.

“You would think such a person would not cheap out with a nonstandard flag,” Goodwin said.

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[bramcountrydental]

Coronavirus/COVID-19 Symptoms and Prevention

Almost the entire world including Canada is facing an unprecedented crisis due to the coronavirus (COVID 19) epidemic.

To prevent its spread, it is necessary that we have the right information and we should be careful and aware.

Hopefully, this information will help you to be a superhero and fight against the Coronavirus.

IN THIS ARTICLE

What is Coronavirus/COVID 19?

What are the symptoms of Coronavirus/COVID 19?

What is the preventive Coronavirus/COVID 19?

Am I affected by Coronavirus/COVID 19?

Coronavirus/COVID 19 Update in Canada

How to properly wash your hands

What is Coronavirus/COVID 19?

Coronavirus belongs to such a family of viruses whose infection can cause problems ranging from a cold to shortness of breath. This virus has never been seen before.

COVID 19 started spreading in December in Wuhan, China. According to WHO cough, fever, shortness of breath is its symptoms. So far no vaccine has been made to stop the virus from spreading.

What are the symptoms of Coronavirus/COVID 19?

It has symptoms are similar to the flu. As a result of infection, problems like cough, fever, shortness of breath, running nose and sore throat arise.

This virus spreads from person to person.

Therefore, great care is being taken about this. In some cases, the coronavirus can also be deadly. Especially older people and who already have:

Asthma

Diabetes

Heart disease

Consider these symptoms to identify the corona

High fever: If a person has a high fever with a dry cough, then he must be checked once. If your temperature is 99.0 and 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit, then it will not be considered a fever. It is a matter of concern only if the temperature reaches 100 ° F (37.7 ° C) or above.

Phlegm and dry cough: It has been found that the coronavirus causes phlegm but the infected person has whooping cough.

Breathing problems: Within 5 days of getting infected with the coronavirus, a person may have trouble breathing. The problem of breathing is actually due to the phlegm spreading in the lungs.

Flu-Colored Symptoms: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infected with the coronavirus can sometimes cause fever, cough, respiratory problems, as well as flu and cold symptoms.

Diarrhea and vomiting: Symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting have also been seen in people infected with corona. Such symptoms have been found in about 30 percent of people.

Lack of smell and taste: In many cases, it has been found that people infected with corona have a decreased ability to smell and taste.

Coronavirus death rate

Among children up to 9 years - 0 percent

0.2 percent among people aged 10–39 years

0.4 percent among people aged 40-49

1.3 percent among people aged 50-59

3.6 percent among people aged 60-69

3.6 percent among people aged 60-698

8 percent among people aged 70-79

14.8 percent of people over 80 years old

What is the preventive Coronavirus/COVID 19?

The Ministry of Health has issued guidelines to prevent the coronavirus. According to them,

stay at home unless it's an emergency

talk to your employer about working at home if possible

avoid all non-essential trips in your community

do not gather in groups

limit contact with people at higher risk, such as older adults and those in poor health

go outside to exercise but stay close to home

 if you leave your home, always keep a distance of at least 2 arms lengths (approximately 2 meters) from others

household contacts do not need to distance from each other unless they are sick or have travelled in the last 14 days

You can go for a walk if you:

have not been diagnosed with COVID-19

do not have symptoms of COVID-19

have not travelled outside of Canada in the past 14 days

are not in quarantine (self-isolating)

are not isolating

Physical (social) distancing

Keeping a distance of at least 2 arms

Hygiene

Proper hygiene can help reduce the risk of COVID 19

Cleaning

These surfaces include:

toys

toilets

phones

electronics

door handles

bedside tables

television remotes

Wearing masks or face coverings

Masks alone will not prevent the spread of COVID-19

Am I affected by Coronavirus/COVID 19?

Government of Canada have launched

COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool

Outil d'auto-évaluation des symptômes COVID-19

With the help of it, by following all these steps given in this tool you can Self Check yourself, you can get to know are you COVID 19 victim.

Coronavirus/COVID 19 Update in Canada

April 19, 2020,

Number of people tested: 549,349

Confirmed cases: 34,777

Probable cases: 12

Deaths: 1,580

For more detail to current situation visit the website - https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html

How to properly wash your hands

Step 1: Wet hands with warm water.

Step 2: Apply soap.

Step 3: Wash hands for at least 20 seconds (including your palms, back of each hand, between fingers, thumbs and under nails).

Step 4: Rinse well.

Step 5: Dry hands well with paper towels.

Step 6: Turn off tap using paper towel.

We, BramCountry Dental, your Local dentist in Brampton care for you, Stay Home, Stay Safe.

[grunge-finds]

The Evolution of best beginner piano

Within the age of eighty one, the pianist Shura Cherkassky suggests He's touring additional now than he did in his 70s. Mr. Cherkasskys performances have reached prevalent recognition particularly in the last 10 years, when he was labeled an incredible Romantic pianist -- versus his needs.

I dont such as this label, he reported emphatically inside a latest telephone interview from his household in London, exactly where he has lived for over a decade. I dont belong to any special classification.

Mr. Cherkassky, who began accomplishing in 1923, will Enjoy a recital on Friday at eight P.M. within the McCarter Theater in Princeton, a system he will repeat at Carnegie Corridor on April 21. On the program will likely be Bachs Toccata and Fugue in D slight (BWV 565), Schuberts Sonata within a (Op. Posth.), D. 959, two will work by Chopin -- the Ballade in F minimal and Variants on Mozarts La ci darem la mano from Don Giovanni -- Berios Encores Pour Piano and Balakirevs Oriental Fantasy (Islamey).

Looking again more than his a few years like a pianist, Mr. Cherkassky stated that in relearning outdated parts, I Engage in them otherwise. He added: Its tricky to know whats altered. My actively playing is more mature, richer.

He tactics 4 hrs per day instead of a single minute much less, he reported. Once i apply, I need a clock.

He doesnt train, and refuses to present grasp courses. Some pianists really like to show, but I dont, he said. Thank goodness I dont have to teach.

Performers, he said, dont make very good instructors. They are really too egotistical and self-centered, he claimed. Ages ago, when I had to do it monetarily, I taught some girl who stored making problems. I wouldnt know what to state. I stated, Enable it to be sing, and he or she mentioned, How do I get it done? And that i said, I wouldnt understand how.

Mr. Cherkasskys enjoying is recognized for his singing tone, but he says he are not able to examine how he generates it.

Mr. Cherkassky has sturdy thoughts about judging musical competitions. As a notable musician, he has often been invited to evaluate, but has refused. I dont Believe its honest, because someone has got to acquire, he said. Its Great for business enterprise. Perhaps they are worthy of it, Or even the just one who does not earn is a lot better than the one who wins.

There are solutions to your Level of competition route for youthful artists attempting to Make careers, he claimed, if they have got plenty of willpower and discipline, and whenever they dont Enable something outside -- emotions -- disturb them.

Its important psychologically to get a whole slave to some profession, he stated. If you're able to resist individual factors, art gets superior.

Born in 1911 in Odessa, Russia, Mr. Cherkassky was an only baby. His father was a dentist and an novice violinist, and his mom was a pianist and piano Trainer. His household came to The usa in 1923 due to the political upheaval in his homeland. It wasn't right up until 1976 that he returned to Russia. His performances at that time, he mentioned, had great psychological significance for him.

Soon following his arrival in The us in the age of 12, he performed a command performance at the White Dwelling for President Warren G. Harding and gave performances for both equally Paderewski and Rachmaninoff. The nice pianist and Instructor Josef Hofmann, he reported, was the best influence on his playing.

While in the 1991-92 time, Mr. Cherkassky gave a series of international performances in celebration of his 80th birthday, on Oct. 7.

People today check with how at my age I've a great deal power, he explained. He attributes his superior health to ingesting huge amounts of basic yogurt every single day also to a every day dose of a Japanese drink named Pocari Sweat, which contains sugar, natural vitamins and absolutely nothing artificial. It had been recommended by a physician in Tokyo to be a get rid of with the flu.

This season, Mr. Cherkasskys performances contain concerts in Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Canada and America.

I adore Japan, he said. Its the one region the place I get along very well. They can be fanatics on punctuality, they usually visualize almost everything in advance.

The Berio items on Fridays plan are identified as Drinking water Piano, Earth Piano and Hearth Piano and they are small abstract performs. You have to use your creativeness, Mr. Cherkassky explained. The initial piece is melodic, Virtually like Chopin. The 2nd one particular is hanging notes, no melody at all, and the final one is more like the fireplace, with lots of running passages.

Chopins Don Giovanni Versions, an early Chopin operate, is not really as popular as Liszts variants on exactly the same topic. After, Mr. Cherkassky performed both of those sets of variants on the exact same system, he said. The mix offered an extreme dose with the operatic topic, but a fascinating comparison. Chopins variants tend to be more delicate plus much more lyrical than Liszts, Mr. Cherkassky claimed.

Tickets to the Princeton concert are $twenty five and $28. Reservations are offered by contacting (609) 683-8000.