#5th degree application

[baeddelilluminati]

touching back on this under consideration of the new information brought fourth - what you have done is successfully identify a particularity of your economic situation which demonstrates an understanding that even if you have a sudden and large amount of money that this can still leave (especially black and brown) transfeminine people in a fairly uniquely precarious position due to racist transmisogyny - however, there is some unclairity with regards to if the order of magnitude is using either short or long scale as this adds an ambiguity that muddies how relevant the rest of this message has in store for you:

your relations to production are different to other petty bourgeois, your artisanal trade has brought in large amounts of income that you, due to your lack of economic education (I assume its that and not purely a result of pathological impulse control issues) have made very poor decisions with managing said capital; which only serves to intensify the very precarity you have demonstrated a capacity to recognise as deriving from racist transmisogyny..

which, ironically, only serves the very point that was being made with the request that you read marx (especially das kapital - which is a big ask) since your precarity isn't solely about the social relations of racialised transfemininity since you likely had the opportunity to and will have additional opportunity to secure the kind of relations to production that would be significantly harder than it is now to have hoisted away from yourself due to the threats posed by the previously mentioned social relations.

so, upon consideration, that your economic understanding is above what was assumed in your initial (and very short) application to be taken under consideration for the 5th degree membership rite, you are now being considered for that initiation, congratulations, K!

it is noted however that political economic education will still need to be furthered if you are to be considered for further initiation rights, as we desperately need members who have the opportunity to secure themselves economically as these lodges dont pay for themselves and vastly more in our community, let alone org' membership, are in desperate need of opportunities to get past debilitating poverty, so that we can advance the transfeminist thought (as well as pay for additional baeddelisation machines for more lodge dungeons etc.

thank you for your time and we will be in touch (yes we know who you are and we will find you more directly to engage you more; sorry but anon asks aren't aways that anonymous when you give over so much information, which is also why we are NOT publishing them, to keep our own (you) safe.

warm regards from the baeddel illuminati team!

Happy holidays!

dear "anon" with the name starting with 'k'

your application to be taken under consideration for the 5th degree membership rite has been rejected with a small note requesting you consider reading marx.

happy holidays, from the team here at the baeddel illuminati unincorporated

[kraniumet]

you do. In fact. not get the reference

[cosmicplexus]

Synastry Observations

~Hi...it's been a minute. I haven't really gotten a chance to be consistent with the blog, but I'm still around and very much appreciative of the love I've received in the past months 🦋🌻✨🤍

...

🦋having venus at the same degree as someone else's mars regardless of signs can lead to almost instant attraction e.g 22° venus in pisces and 22° mars in leo(so this is not the quintessential conjunction and this is not only applicable to a quincunx as used in this instance, but to every venus-mars pairing at the same degree).

🦋north node in 7th house or 5th house can give off that 'meant to be together' feeling although with the 5th house it often lacks longevity as crushes tend to crash and burn.

🦋while 11th house synastry(esp for moon, venus or mars)might not give off the passionate energy people seek for in romantic relationships, it's actually essential for the super comfort element. It is the kind of synastry that makes you comfortable with showing your weird side to the other person.

🦋moon conjunct mars synastry can have intense arguments where they really feel like it could break them apart then end up laughing at it and craving physical contact as a result... this is really not a cliché concept, it's true

🦋 someone having their venus in close conjunction to your ascendant is big 'helplessly in love with you' vibes although it may make the ascendant feel insecure because they often wonder if they're being put on an unrealistic pedal

🦋uranus in hard aspect to ascendant, venus or mars in synastry is an indicator of instant attraction that may often be unwanted by one party and sometimes both

🦋mars in first house synastry can be the 'I hate their guts, but I need to be on top of them🚴🏾‍♀️' kind of vibe...

🦋acts of service are a driving force with moon, venus, mars and jupiter 6th house synastry and works so well for long term relationships

🦋9th house synastry can indicate a spiritual teacher-student relationship, where the other person is meant to teach you lessons that transform you spiritually.

🦋neptune in 2nd or 8th house can indicate trust issues when it comes to finances in a relationship

🦋 jupiter in 10th house is the couple that's going to elevate each others' status

🦋venus in 8th synastry house can be toxic when there's someone not ready to settle down...they may string you along because they're too selfish to let you go

~cosmic plexus 🌻🤍✨

[moonastro]

Solar Return chart notes i

**not my images**

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ chart ruler in 12th house can suggest you moving abroad ( i had my chart ruler- moon in 12th house conjunct Jupiter (travel, foreign) when i moved to a completely new country. also my 12th house was in Gemini which rules over travel and trips so that enhanced it).

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ i had my 12th house packed with planetary objects (venus, northnode, uranus, sun, mercury and moon) and that year i was not doing too good with my overall mental health HOWEVER, i was very spiritually inclined that year, i started to develop habits related to spirituality.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ the year that i studied my a** off i had a SR virgo rising and mercury (the ruler) in 10th house in gemini (knowledge, mind, writing). i wrote alottt like loads and loads of notes for my exams.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ in the year my daily routine changed and i had a very difficult time to process it, i had my 6th house in scorpio and pluto (ruler) in 8th house (of death, endings, transformative occurrences). oh and to put the cherry on top pluto was in capricorn so yeahh.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ when i had moon in 5th house i was fantasying a LOTT about romance. i had moon conjunct neptune in PISCESS. i was very delusional about love. i didnt even want to be in a relationship lol i just liked the idea of it.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ the asteroid enterprise (9777) in my 11th house was the year i made lots of job applications through the internet. i sent in lots of digital stuff and had some calls through internet involving my career.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ in the year i had a very healthy friendship my 11th house ruler was in the 7th house (equality, balance, partnership) this was the most stable and very communicative (mercury) based friendship meaning that problems were solved were fixed through communications. mercury (ruler of my 11th house) was conjunct northnode, i received lots of gifts (7th house), opportunities, and she spent money on me on food mostly (in taurus). VERYY fascinatingg

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ when i started to post officially on social media, my sun was conjunct uranus.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ SR chiron in 6th house is not for the weak. i had this in 18 degress (virgo) and my physical appearance was all i was focused on and was very critical about it VERY.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ uranus in 9th house- i was very confused with my school work, the overall school experience was very unfamiliar to me.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ on the solar return that i had an 8th house stellium (chiron, venus, jupiter, neptune, mars) that year i had lots of luxury gifts given to me (Venus). i went to the movies on my birthday of the beginning of my SR (Neptune) we ate at a luxury restaurant (venus) in that year i got a brand new laptop (Uranus). i got a new set of tarot cards (Jupiter) and was bought a gym membership (mars).

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ when i had mercury in my SR 7th house i studied a lot about my future spouse (5 degrees) like i was looking at solar returns, reading my chart so on and on.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ moon at 1 degree in my SR, i was very sensitive and was overthinking about everything whenever someone would hurt me.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ sun in 10th house in SR, i wasn't seeking any recognition but i had no choice in the matter, others could NOTT leave me alone. i was talking a lot also to new people that i never spoke to before (sun conjunct mercury in Gemini).

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ i cant get enough about the 12th house but, the year when i had a 12th house stellium, i started to observe my dreams more and started recording them on paper.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ the year when my 12th house was in taurus (throat, voice), i barely talked, like i was very quiet.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ SR scorpio ASC was very focused on occult things, i spent hours and hours studying (pluto in 3rd house) natal charts, tarot online (aquarius).

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ my SR MC in leo was the year i changed my hair completey the way i havent before, i developed confidence with that hairstyle and never went back.

thanks you for reading. hope you enjoyed this post. have a lovely day !!

[topazadine]

A Primer on Dyscalculia: The Learning Disorder You Weren't Told About in School

I rarely see people discussing this learning disability, to the point that many believe it doesn't exist (ie, saying math is the universal language and everyone understands it but just doesn't try) so I thought I'd explain a bit about what it is.

Dyscalculia is a learning disability characterized by difficulty with math, numbers, and some systematic learning that requires the use of memorization and application. Like its relative, dyslexia, it is not that someone is "stupid" or "not trying hard enough" to learn math; our brains are essentially wired not to absorb information in this form.

Common symptoms of dyscalculia include:

Inability to do basic math problems

Struggling to count, often using their fingers to count

Difficulty using multiplication and division

Challenges with visualizing heights, lengths, and widths

Difficulty counting change

Struggling to read a clock or divide time into reasonable measurements

Challenges with memorizing numbers, dates, and sequences

No one is actually sure how many people have dyscalculia because it is rarely diagnosed. Right now, estimates are around 3% to 7% of the population, but this is likely a vast underrepresentation.

Educators still believe the myth that everyone can do math and that those who say they can't are just refusing to apply themselves. This causes lifelong problems for dyscalculiacs because if not treated early enough, it is nigh-on untreatable.

Many people with dyscalculia may complete math problems in unusual and time consuming ways. For example, if you asked me to divide 145 by 5 without a calculator, this is how my brain would have to do it:

100 by 5 (20)

20 by 5 (4), then multiply this by 2 (8), then divide 5 by 5 (1)

And finally, add up all the results (20+8+1) to get 29.

Numbers that are not easily divisible or "chunked" like this would be nigh-on impossible for me to do in my head. I wasn't able to memorize the times tables and in fact needed a laminated times table well into elementary school (think 5th grade).

I distinctly remember feeling like everyone else was on the helm of the USS Enterprise when they could so easily shout out answers to simple multiplication or division problems, and I was always the last person to do those stupid times table sheets. Sometimes I couldn't even complete half of it by the time everyone else was done.

I failed 3rd grade math class and had to be assigned a tutor. This was despite getting all As in every single other class. In fact, I failed multiple math classes during my academic career.

Since my grades were so high in other classes, I had to petition to be put in a remedial math class. Everyone assumed that because I did well in things like English, science, civics, and so on, I must have been able to do what my peers could.

A college-level physics class was the hardest class I have ever done in my life, and I have a Master's degree in International Relations, which requires a lot of very dry and complicated political theory. That is the A I am most proud of because it required far more effort than anything before or since.

No one told me what dyscalculia was or identified a problem throughout my entire time in education. I had to seek out resources myself in adulthood before finally learning what my problem was. This, of course, led to significant "math fear" and self-esteem issues, especially in a society that is obsessed with STEM.

This learning disability can have far-reaching effects and impact things that other people may not even consider. There are many connections between systematized learning and math.

Dyscalculiacs may also have trouble with:

Learning languages

Playing musical instruments (because sheet music and tempos are a form of language + math, though it is possible to learn by ear)

Reading maps, including general world geography

Estimating distances

Navigating a new place because they can't make "mental maps"

Dancing (due to the sequencing)

Reading diagrams

Remembering step-by-step instructions without a cheat sheet

Completing complex tasks that have a lot of steps

Starting a project that necessitates doing things in a certain order, such as building something

Cooking or baking (because it requires measuring and matching measurements to specific ingredients)

Repeating sequences, like a phone number

Remembering numbered streets or highways (like I-480, 5th street, or etc)

Playing games that require counting or keeping score, like Yahtzee, card games, and so on

Completing spreadsheets with numbers

Of course, not every dyscalculiac will struggle with all of these things because there are different degrees of severity. Many also learn tactics to compensate. For example, I never learned sheet music but did well in choir because I memorized all the songs entirely by ear.

I have developed visualizations of common routes I travel and can navigate to them by remembering the landmarks I pass. If you tried to ask me specific step-by-step directions of anywhere, I couldn't tell you, but I can tell you that you'll pass a KFC on your right if you're going east (parallel to Lake Erie), and then you will turn left at the big shopping center.

There are plenty of adaptations that everyday people use which are lifelines to dyscalculiacs in ways that other people may never recognize. Formulas on spreadsheets, conversion websites, built-in calculators, and turn-by-turn navigation apps are all examples of accommodations that appeal to everyone but are especially important to dyscalculiacs.

So, the next time you scoff and say "everyone can do math, they're just being lazy" or "cooking is easy" or "anyone can learn a second language if they want to" or "using a calculator is cheating" and so on:

Recognize that you are ignoring a very real learning disability. These statements are ableist.

Such rhetoric is equally damaging as anti-dyslexic statements like "everyone can learn to read," "open dyslexic fonts are ugly," "audiobooks are cheating," "video lessons are lazy" and things of that ilk.

Ableism takes many forms, many of which people refuse to recognize. Difficulty with math is a widespread problem, and it often has nothing to do with trying hard enough or refusing to learn. I remember breaking down in tears trying to do my times table; I would spend hours trying to understand them.

These issues are NOT a lack of willpower or application. They have to do with real neurological deficits. Please be kind to those who can't do math, and stop assuming we're lazy.

[v0xtvdemon]

Crackfic but I haven't written in a bit

Well, here we go. I made this one short because my head's a bit empty right now but I must write-

Type: Crackfic (Written somewhat seriously)

Vox x Alastor (One-Sided)

Words: 478

Vox sat at his computer screens, all had lost signal from him going a bit overboard because of Alastor, his rival that he hated very much and did not have a crush on at all. That damn radio demon had managed to take over Vox’s thoughts again.

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!” Vox yelled, putting clawed hands over his own face in embarrassment. “What the FUCK am I supposed to do now…:

Ah, right… pretend Alastor treated him seriously…for the 5th time in 3 days.

Vox silently moved to ‘VoxDocs’, another thing he created that also had his name in it, upon entering the application he was reminded of the many documents he had created about him and Alastor. They ranged from ways to confess to full on fanfiction created of the two. Neither Valentino nor Velvette knew about these secret documents. They would’ve questioned him way too much about it at best.

Checking back to see if anyone entered without him noticing, a new document was opened and immediately titled ‘Alastor gives me attention’. It was all he wanted at the moment. Attention from his…rival.

“I swear if someone walks in I’m going to destroy them.” Vox muttered, focusing on the fanfiction he was writing.

‘I look up to the screens in front of me, grinning as Alastor begins to mock me with his pathetic voice and choice of words. His attempted insults mean nothing to me but it’s amusing to watch him try, after all it showed who was the more powerful.

Anything he said about me, hell even insults about me being weaker than both Valentino and Velvette, were useless and it was obviously getting to him by now. Or it should’ve.

Alastor was stupid enough to ignore the lack of effect his words had on me, he was completely unaware I was gaining more power from his attention!’

Perfect, absolutely perfect. Vox loved the idea of Alastor’s attention even if it was purely insults. After all they were rivals, it was perfectly normal for one to want the other’s attention, ignoring the fact Alastor only saw him as a joke and nowhere near a rival.

“Ah Alastor..your attention is what I crave..besides Valentino not losing his shit for one day.”

“What-” A voice somewhere behind Vox said, causing him to turn around roughly 188 degrees given the fact he was leaning slightly and wasn’t turning straight around because of that.

“VALENTINO FUCK OFF” Vox yelled, covering the screen as best as he could while the moth had the blankest stare known to demons ever. “Did you stare at a light for 4 hours again?!”

“Light”

“Fucking dammit” Vox growled, grabbing the other’s arm to go drag him away from the tv screens projecting way too much light for Val’s brain to handle.

Of course, distracted from making his amazing fanfiction once again.

[nickmarini]

Given your love of mechanics, multiclassing, and (to use every gaming video essayist's favorite phrase) ludonarrative[1] resonance, I'm curious; have you ever played a gestalt campaign?

If so, did you find that the naturally higher power and versatility of a gestalt character (I'm assuming 3.5 gestalt works similarly to 5e gestalt, though I could be wrong) encouraged you to go different directions with how you made your character than you normally would?

For example, I'm in a gestalt campaign that started at level 1 and one of the upshots of playing a game like that is that it feels like it encourages a degree of grandiosity beyond that of a normal game starting at the same level. Among other things, the campaign includes a chosen one archetype, normally a big no-no in my experience because you can easily risk overshadowing other players, but the other PCs match her in their Great Importance To The Setting in a way that typically isn't the case in heroic fantasy games that start at low levels.

I suppose I'm also curious if you found that the increased options resulted in fewer restrictions (not necessarily a good thing or a bad thing; it depends on the player) or if it just meant that you had a more complicated puzzle to put together.

[1] According to wikipedia this word is only applicable to video games but I, personally, think that's stupid and will be using it in this context regardless.

I actually have not! I have of course looked longly at it but I actually have played more E6 which is (Effective level 6) based on an article from an old Dragon Magazine called, "Gandalf was a 5th level wizard." Which caps you at level 6 and is actually sort of totally the opposite and very fun!

I've been on kind of a support kick of late after playing an absolute beast of a character for Bren's 15 year campaign was not gestalt but I think I ended as a Paladin 6, Ftr 1, Sky Lord 7, Wiz 1, Abjurant Champion 5, Mystic Theurge 1, Hatharan 1.

I have always wanted to play a gestalt campaign where everyone has to take bard and are a touring band.

And that sounds like a fun campaign!

I think Gestalt can make for some crazy fun combos and yes of course a more complicated puzzle but that's what makes puzzles fun!

[teatreejammer]

Wildworks at salt lake comic con, sept. 5th 2013

“Smart Bomb Interactive (SBI) brought a team of six people from their production to demonstrate and explain the process of creating a character in a video game.

The process is explained using a little jargon as possible, but remained as educational as possible.

For the sake of the presentation the team used the character Sir Gilbert from the National Geographic game “Animal Jam.”

The process starts off with a writer and artist creating the initial concept. Adam Hunter and Taylor Maw explained how they started off by making small sketches of tigers before deciding on a concept of James Earl Jones, the voice of Mufasa from The Lion King.

Maw further explained how the character goes through revisions on what’s practical or not before ending the image to the 3D artist, in this case Dave Hilden.

Hilden shows the process and uses the 2D drawings as reference before sending the model to Mac McCann for rigging.

McCann makes a joke about how rigging, a term for giving 3D models a skeleton, is also a nautical term and says that rigging “probably has something to do with boats.”

McCann provided more humor by showing that the skeleton is needed or else the model would warp rather than bend, showing Sir Gilbert be distorted by stretching him out.

Nathan Riddle and Steve Fox explained the next steps which were animation and clean up.

The SBI team then allowed audience members to ask questions.

Questions involved working with Snoopy for “Snoopy Flying Ace” and why they use 3D models for sprite creation.

The most notable question and response was if they looked for a degree or portfolio when hiring. The reponse was that they laughed at applicants who brought in a bad portfolio, or no portfolio, but exclaimed the fact that they had a degree. They look for a great portfolio, or even just potential in a portfolio and artist.

Overall this was a great and informative panel from local game studio Smart Bomb Interactive.”

source: https://www.globeslcc.com/2013/09/08/smart-bomb-brings-characters-to-life/

plus this thing is the only thing i can find on it, (unless there is an unlabeled recording of the panel on youtube, unlikely)

[yourtastefulcannibal]

5th September, 2024

Dear Hannibal,

I’m gonna learn how to pick up on social cues and the like better. My reason being that someone asked “what are we doing” as a joke, because on the board it says “WORK WRITE WORK WRITE WORK HARDER KEEP ON WORKING, WORK TIL YOU DROP […] WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK DO MORE WORK MORE”. I answered him seriously. Autism be damned I wont do it again.

- Sincerely, a frustrated Sel

{P.S.: I may have missed a “work” or two. It’s a lot.}

{P.P.S.: I’m not officially diagnosed, I have been asked by many people who either a) have it, b) are related to someone who has it, or c) someone who raised someone who has it. So I assume I probably have autism. Perhaps..}

8th September, 2024

Sel,

My sincerest apologies in my tardiness replying to your letter. Work has been taking up more time than I would like, as of late, leaving much less room for personal affair... such is the way of an individualist society, however; the pendulum will swing the other direction, and soon I will be left to ponder my idle hands.

I must say I was surprised to receive a letter from you, though reading the words of a friend certainly broke up the monotony of a strenuous day, even despite the frustrations that you expressed during the course of your correspondence.

We do live in a world changing faster than perhaps ever before -- with this, attitudes are changing, too, towards neurodivergence in its many presentations. When I was a younger man, in medical school then, later, when pursuing my degrees in psychiatry, the understandings of such disorders as ASD were very much still solely based in the medical model, rather than the prevailing social model becoming increasingly popular.

It is still an important distinction, in this psychiatrist's mind, to make the distinction between one who is formally diagnosed versus one who has ample suspicion to believe that they may fall under a certain diagnosis. Diagnosis is not always accessible (due to lacking specialists or high diagnostic costs) or even necessary (if one is able to function at a level they are content with without intervention; for those who have aged out of the education system where accommodations would be applicable; etc), but one should be careful to outright assert that they have a mental illness or disorder without a formal diagnosis.

I... apologise for the lecture, it was certainly not my intention to lecture you, Sel. You are far from alone in your struggles, in any case. I do look forward to hearing from you again, if you elect to write to me in the future.

Kind regards,

Hannibal Lecter

[wellsinvesting]

general information.

full name harry theodore wells

preffered name tad

age 33

date of birth august 5th

place of birth southampton new york

zodiac leo

gender cis male

pronouns he/him

nationality american

religion agnostic

orientation bisexual

personality.

positive traits energetic, active, capable, charismatic

negative traits self occupied, braggart, gossip,

likes karaoke, espressos, spirituality, animals

dislikes rudeness, bigotry, paying taxes, cheaters, red meat

hobbies surfing, traveling, yachting, fine dining, tennis, ultimate frisbee

moral alignment tbd.

headcanons.

tad's mom gave birth to him in a water birth at the family's beach home in the hamptons, right at the beginning of summer. this led to a long standing joke about tad yearning for the sea as spends every summer on the water.

tad is a level three reiki healer. he takes it very seriously.

doesn't eat red meat. he's pretty health conscious and tries to avoid processed food.

sometimes has his nails done because it makes him feel 'cunty'

his lucky underwear is a pair of hello kitty boxers

was a brown belt in akido before sada insisted he learn something more 'useful' with 'real world applicability' and began learning krav maga.

biography.

Tad and his siblings were second generation immigrants from the Philippines. Thanks to their parents and grandparents Tad, Becky, and Doug were damn well guaranteed an easy life. Grandpa had worked in corporate finance with a number of big name companies and dad had continued the work during his own lifetime. Their family name had become respectable within the circles they worked and there was clear intention for Tad and Doug to carry the family business on. Doug was several years older and had already been working in dad’s shadow by the time Tad was graduating college.

He still isn’t sure if it was greed or the need to prove himself to the family, but Tad made a very stupid choice that cost his family almost everything they’d worked for. A rival company had made Tad an offer--a damn good offer--and he made the mistake of thinking that just because he had a finance degree he knew anything about the world of money management. The reality was cutthroat, dangerous. When that much money was on the line.. People.. Companies.. Were willing to do just about anything to protect their investments.

Doug and dad were left dealing with the mess Tad had made and he was all but excommunicated from the family. He spent a few years doing nothing jobs and going nowhere before Sada finally wore him down and he accepted the offer to work for her. He figured he’d already lost the things that were most important to him, going to jail for white collar crime didn’t really scare him anymore.

The last thing he expected was for things to actually work out. He began making more money than he knew what to do with and his loyalty to Sada only deepened. She became the only family he had, some fucked up aunt who offered him blow as a reward for successful investments. Ria had been the jewel in his crown. He’d been in love with her from the moment they met and he was willing to spend all the money in the world to make her his.

Tad got stuck in the chaos of the winter supply runs and ended up on the far side of the city with a broken ankle. He was lucky enough to find a kind stranger who helped him survive the winter by taking him back to her farm. With his ankle now healed, Tad was finally able to make the journey back home and bring some interesting supplies thanks to the famer.

[ziggyturner]

STATS • CONNECTIONS • PINTEREST

GENERAL.

full name: zigmund theodore turner, iii nicknames: ziggy, zig gender / pronouns: genderqueer, he/they age / birthday: 28, january 5th orientations: pansexual, demiromantic previous occupation: sports journalist / photographer birthplace: nantucket, massachusetts status: quite attached to beau clary family: zigmund turner, jr. (father, deceased), amelia turner (mother, unknown), agnes turner (sister), 1 siblings (1 older, wcs), nacho (ginger tabby cat they treat like a son) strengths: creative, ambitious, perseverant, helpful, hardworking weaknesses: pessimistic, melancholic, cynical, cold, stubborn time in nyc: 10 years time at the wexley: 2 days (new survivor post-outbreak)

PERSONALITY.

ziggy has always had to work hard for everything in life. it’s left him a bit bitter and feeling like he was cursed or something. this has always made them appreciative for what they did have, even if it wasn’t what they wanted. they recognize and have a lot of respect for other people that had to work hard to get where they were in life. he comes off as sardonic to most, occasionally it can be perceived as cold because of the lack of animation or enthusiasm in his demeanor but at the end of the day they are kind. with a couple drinks or a solid smoke session ziggy became downright delightful and quite talkative. when it comes to feelings and emotions, they tend to struggle on how to express them outwardly so it often comes out in their writing and even more so in their poetry.

BIOGRAPHY.

tw: death

     ziggy was born and raised on the island of nantucket, massachusetts. they were smack dab in the middle of three children. his father, a commercial fisherman, was swept off deck into the ocean when ziggy was young. amelia raised her three kids the best she could after that but it also meant that they often sacrificed things that were not necessities. all three children did their best to help out to make their mother's life easier, however. from her, ziggy learned the importance of hard work but it's also where he got his love for writing and poetry. 

     throughout school, the one thing on ziggy's mind was getting off the island and moving to the city. it wasn't that he didn't love his family and where he was from, but he knew that if he didn't get out when he could— he would never leave, just like so many others. he graduated with high marks and got a scholarship to nyu. while he enjoyed writing poetry and short stories, he wasn't naive enough to think he'd make enough money to survive off those ambitions. instead, he hoped to write for the new york times. that's what made him pursue a degree in journalism and photography with a minor in creative writing. when he graduated, however, the jobs he hoped to get got filled by other applicants and he ended up taking a job as a sports writer and photographer to make ends meet while he searched for something else. unfortunately, something else never came.

     perhaps the job wasn’t as bad as they’d made it out to be, they did get paid well enough to survive in new york city and they met a really great guy at work who just so happened to be a professional football player. they'd been together about a year when the city went to shit. ziggy was on their way to finally put in their notice in at work after getting a deal with a publisher in town. it was early in the morning and they hadn't noticed the rising panic on their way in. it was only once they'd reached their office that they noticed something was off. people were telling them they needed to evacuate and as ziggy tried to figure out what was going on, that was when he saw one of his coworkers attacking someone else. more started emerging and moving towards the crowd. there was no way they were all making it down the stairs and he broke away. ziggy spotted a bat in one of the offices (signed by at least several of the yankees) and ran for it. the sequence of events after that were a blur. 

     there hadn't been much time to process anything, but by the time the day was over he was pretty sure he'd killed two of his co-workers and he was barricaded in an office on the twenty-second floor of what used to be his work. there were clips of news broadcast before the internet and phone went out that helped explain some of what was going on. what became clear is that he would be stuck in that office until he could figure out a way to get somewhere familiar. the wexley was only several blocks away, however that felt like light-years when they looked outside to see the chaos unfolding in the streets. after a few weeks the food from the employee lounge fridge and vending machines was going to run out. by then he developed the best plan he could come up with. ziggy made their way to the top of the building and found a way across to the next one. they started moving building to building, it was a slow process as he had to avoid danger and plan routes as he went. with scarce resources he had to conserve as much energy as he could. 

     by the time he made it outside the wexley ( only to find the front entrance destroyed ) ziggy was running on empty. with the creatures going in on him, he crawled into a nearby delivery truck and latched the back until he figured out what to do next. all but ready to give up, ziggy woke up to a friendly face who got them quickly inside the wexley. after being alone for over four months, they are are just happy to see people and find out they have food. they will deal with whatever comes next later.

HEADCANONS.

had a serious boyfriend before the outbreak, has been trying to get to the wexley to find out if he's okay.

writes their thoughts and poetry down in their notebooks often, feels weird without at least one notebook and their camera

had a ginger cat named nacho that was more like a kid than a pet, has no clue if they are okay.

lost at least ten pounds since the outbreak due to scarce food resources while he was making his way to the wexley

gets pretty severe nightmares if he can sleep at all ever since the start of the outbreak.

for the majority of quarantine ziggy was in and out of sleep as they arrived to the wexley after weeks with little food or sleep and were definitely dehydrated.

they haven't had human interaction since the outbreak started, seeing ashton was the first non-chomper they'd come across for over four months.

more to come...

[jennhoney]

So I’m on my sixth continuous glucose monitor sensor today and thought I’d do a report as I had a couple people ask questions. Mine is a Dexcom 7, everybody is different so everybody will have a different experience but here’s how it went for me:

1st (not pictured) Failed in less than six hours (supposed to last 10 days) I did get slightly sweaty it was a 90 degree day. My nightgown strap ripped it out of my arm when I was changing my clothes. The instructions advise not getting ~moist~ for 12 hours. I’m always moist.

Did research and decided to buy skin tac liquid adhesive and skin grip over patches.

2nd (blue) used skin tac and over patch. Went pretty well stayed on full 10 days.

3rd (yellow) used skin tac and over patch. Went pretty well stayed on full 10 days.

4th (purple) tried it without skin tac, just with the over patch and it stayed on the full 10 days but the readings were a bit flaky. There were times when I know my phone was in my pocket, you must always be within 20 feet of a receiver or it has to recalibrate for up to 20 minutes and you can’t get readings while it is recalibrating, but I would get a no signal reading. I’m unsure if it was just a flaky sensor or if the skin tac helped the previous sensors stay in place and have better more continuous readings.

5th (no color because absolute trash) fell off my arm as I was setting the applicator down. I used skin glue even.

6th (black) this one also almost fell off my arm. Used skin glue and over patch. too soon to tell but it has been telling me I’m dying for like two hours now. The instructions say readings can be very inaccurate for the first day. Very true. An alarm is going off about every 10 minutes. It is not a relaxing Saturday.

My overall review is I wish this worked better for me. The first 10 days of readings had me changing my routines (probably for the better???) I cut out my morning sweet cream in my coffee because I saw that I would spike even though it should have been well within my carb limits. And, at least for now as we are testing me out on less meds, I adjust my meals according to the numbers sometimes restricting my carbs severely rather than the diabetic counseling advice of eating about 60 carbs each meal. It’s been helpful to see the continuous data. I didn’t understand that I can fluctuate a lot and that sometimes my body is correcting itself so I don’t necessarily need to correct things with food or meds or more exercise. Mostly though it’s been fucking frustrating. The applicator is difficult for me to administer myself, the back of the arm is an awkward spot to reach alone especially on a week with a non dominant hand (I’ve been switching arms every 10 days but one doesn’t have to). I think the skin glue helps a lot but it is not tinted so good luck lining the applicator up with the applied glue. I tried making a pen drawn circle and applying the glue inside but I have trouble getting adhesive to stick to my skin so ink was having nothing to do with me. Next time I’ll have a sharpie within reach. You really have to think about when a good time is to change the sensor. You won’t have readings while it is calibrating and you wouldn’t want to do one right before bed . If it’s anything like mine you’ll get alarm readings for at least an hour (and this one is going on three hours of alarm readings). I hate finger pricks and before this I thought the CGM would eliminate the need for finger pricks but please know it does not. You still have to carry your blood glucose monitor with you. There will be strange readings with the continuous glucose monitor that you will have to check and you occasionally have to recalibrate with a blood reading. So I’ve been doing less finger pricks which has been a nice break but none of this has been what I imagined it would be. The only thing that I think is a wild success is the Skin Grips they last the full ten days of life and exercise and (occasional) showers and get a little ragged but not too bad. I take a bit of issue with their idea of rainbow but that’s a me problem.

[blackwidowmarshal123]

Thoughts

Hello Everyone,

This is blackwidowmarshal123 reporting to you. I have been in a maze of thoughts lately. I have been working at this job for almost 8 months, and really loved it. It gave me the challenge I needed. It was the only place where I felt supported and needed. I felt like an important team member. I was very grateful for what I’ve had. I only had to make space for having a good time outside of work, I needed time for hobbies. I had goals, like wanting to learn coding, saving up for a Masters Degree and choose a subject. Unfortunately, I lost my job, not bc I was fired (thank god), because of a bank scam. I had no choice but to look for work elsewhere. Tried to interview at retail stores, shops, corporate offices, remote, but everyone is rejecting my application. Even Amazon, Google and Disney. Like I don’t understand why I would be unfortunate in the inability to land a job. All they care about is finding the best of the best for their company, to a point where they don’t think about those want a place, too. There’s only certain people in the spotlight all the time. I don’t get a chance, because I don’t stand out as an applicant. And no one is interested in me. Maybe it’s America and the job industry becoming more unfair each year. I know I have a history of being replaceable in every design job I worked at. Maybe if I worked in a different country, I’d become more stable.

Some jobs, like retail, want to see people with full availability, weekends and weekdays, holidays. If not, you can’t get the job. Even a job like Entry Level, you just entered the industry, they want to see you take on things fast. They want you to already be able to hit all nails in the right place in how long? A MONTH. By the 5th week is where my anxiety comes, where I have to see if I’m able to stay with the company for any longer. My self-esteem plummets at that point. I’m frustrated, pacing back and forth, not being able to sleep for nights. I can’t stand the pressure. If I can’t land a design job, imagine how hard it would have been for people to respect me for what I do. They always are going to compare me to other professionals, no matter what. I could lose my friend’s respect, family will frown on me.

I just wasn’t sure what was coming next, what is supposed to be the next step for me. I know everyone has a set of milestones to reach, I felt like I wasn’t reaching many through my life. I even wanted a relationship. I wanted love, but the opportunities given to me weren’t good enough. I was scared of jumping into a relationship because of fear of disappointment, and this danger of getting trapped into someplace I can’t get out of. I’m aware of some women I’ve known, who always suffered, and things never got better. There were many more reasons to name outside of that.

I needed help, tried to reach out but I felt that barely anyone was actually able to help, the way I would imagine. In order to find a relationship, you will be told to put yourself out there, but the world isn’t pretty, because of it’s people. I can’t trust anyone I barely know, only those I’ve known for years, but I get tired of the same people I don’t care about.

There are people who are single and happy, living their best lives. There are those, like me, who are single, unhappy, and unemployed. The last thing, I wanna be told is that the workforce isn’t suitable for me, I should a housewife instead. Or worse, a spinster.

[3rdeyeblaque]

Today we have the Flower/Budding/Planting/Egg-Laying/Shedding Ponies Moon in Scorpio [in the Northern Hemisphere] & the Beaver/Frost/Sassafras/Mourning Moon in Scorpio [in the Southern Hemisphere]. 🌱🌷🥚🪴

This Budding Moon signals the upcoming peak of Spring Season, marked by the abundance of flowering trees and plants that this season is known for. Depending on where we live, we will see avians, reptiles, & amphibians lay their eggs. All of which is Nature's way of saying that warmer weather is coming to stay. It is our time to plant foods, flowers, and plants with more fervor, as the growing season is approaching full swing.

For us Indigenous Afrikans/Americans, each Full Moon holds great cultural significance. We name each Full Moon according to seasonal events or natural phenomenon that take place around this time, by region/country. Thus this serves as one of many traditional ways to mark our place in the Circle of Life, from one year and season to the next.

This Lunar Eclipse @14-15°in Scorpio will:

start @ 11:14am est

peak @ 1:22pm est

end @ 3:31pm est

Check your natal chart placements (within 5°of this area) & the houses ruled by this Taurus-Scorpio axis, to see how this transit will impact on your life for the next 3-6mo cycle.

•Full Moon/LUNAR ECLIPSE @ 17:33 degrees in Scorpio on Friday, May 5th

•Waning Moon @ 03:22 degrees in Aquarius on Friday, May 12th

•New Moon @ 04:12 degrees in Taurus on Friday, May 19th

•Waxing Moon @ 03:05 degrees in Virgo on Saturday, May 27th 

Some Workers time workings by the moon; using the moon cycle to observe the progress of applicable workings (aka those that can run their course over a month, work that doesn't need to be done asap). For those who do, it is Blackbelt Tradition to start said workings under the New Moon and measure its progress throughout the duration of the moon cycle; growing under the Waxing, peaking under the Full Moon, and coming to completion under the Waning Moon. 

��� In Rootwork, Full Moons often call for foraging certain plants under it's peak Divine Feminine energy.

🔮 In Conjure, this is an appropriate time to petition or invoke certain spirits for their aid

[scotianostra]

On July 5th 1820, William Rankine, the engineer and physicist, was born.

Rankine is noted for his work in thermodynamics. He has been described as “the father of engineering science in this country”, in recognition of his achievements as a theoretical scientist and as an educator.

Born William John Macquorn Rankine in Edinburgh, Rankine was educated at that city’s University. He worked as a civil engineer and published papers on practical engineering subjects and then on molecular physics and thermodynamics. He moved to Glasgow in 1851 and was appointed to the University’s Chair of Civil Engineering and Mechanics four years later, proclaiming his intention to teach theory, practice and the application of theory to practice.

As Professor, Rankine worked closely with Glasgow shipbuilders on radical improvements to the design of vessels and their engines. He introduced “sandwich courses” that required students to work with local engineering firms during their vacations, and he campaigned vigorously for the recognition of Engineering as a degree subject.

Largely through his efforts, a Certificate of Proficiency in Engineering Science was introduced in 1863 and in 1872 the degree of BSc was offered for science subjects including Engineering.

Rankine conducted pioneering research in the fields of railway engineering, molecular physics and thermodynamics. He wrote more than 150 scientific papers and manuals as well as textbooks which became standard works of reference for students and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1853, he was also the first President of the Institution of Engineers in Scotland.

The Institution of Engineers later became the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland and is still in existence today.

It wasn’t all work for Oor Wullie though, he was an enthusiastic amateur singer, pianist and cellist who composed his own humorous songs.

In his honour The University of Edinburgh has named a building, The William Rankine Building,  the second phase of the Engineering Quadrangle at their Kings Buildings Campus. He also has the The Rankine–Hugoniot Equation named after him and French engineer Pierre Henri Hugoniot, named after him and the Rankine cycle a model used to predict the performance of steam turbines.

The Rankine Lecture is an annual  lecture, again named after the man, the Rankine scale, an absolute Fahrenheit scale for thermodynamics is named in his honour, a crater on the moon also bears the name Rankine Crater and in 2013 he was inducted into Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame.

William Rankine died at 8 Albion Crescent (now called Dowanside Road), Dowanhill, Glasgow at 11:45pm on Christmas Eve 1872, aged only 52. He was unmarried and had no children.

If engineering is your thing you can read more about William Rankine here https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/DNB/Rankine.pdf

[ucamind]

Transforming Metal Cutting with UCAM’s Advanced CNC Tilting Tables

The CNC Rotary Tilting Table is an essential tool in precision metal cutting, offering advanced capabilities for machining complex components. It functions as a work positioning device that allows greater flexibility and accuracy in a wide range of applications, from simple to highly complex machining tasks. UCAM’s CNC Tilting Tables, in particular, play a critical role in enhancing machining center performance by serving as the 4th and 5th Axes. This additional capability is a game changer for industries requiring high-precision operations, such as aerospace, automotive, and medical device manufacturing.

When integrated with the traditional 3-axis machine, the 4th and 5th Axis provided by the CNC Rotary Tilting Table adds new dimensions to machining. This enables the machine tool to create intricate shapes and contours that are simply not possible with 3-axis or even standard 4-axis machines. While 3-axis machining can handle basic operations like cutting, drilling, and milling, it becomes limited when working with complex geometries or parts that require compound angles. In contrast, the integration of the 4th and 5th Axes enables the tool to rotate and tilt the workpiece in multiple directions, making it possible to machine curved surfaces and features that would otherwise be unreachable.

The Tilting Rotary Table, by incorporating both Rotary and Tilting movements, allows tools to easily access compound angles on a workpiece. This is especially useful when dealing with components that require multi-surface machining in a single setup, thus reducing the need for multiple fixtures and setups. Not only does this streamline production, but it also ensures a higher degree of precision since the part remains stationary while the table moves, minimizing errors associated with repositioning.

UCAM offers CNC Rotary Tilting Tables in various sizes, ranging from 150mm to 500mm in diameter with a swing range starting from 150mm to 850 mm. The 150mm model is designed for use in smaller applications, such as Drill Tap Centers and small machining centers. Its compact size makes it ideal for spaces with limited room or for applications requiring relatively smaller workpieces. On the other hand, the 320mm model is more suited to machining centers that require a larger swing for the horizontal and vertical positions making it a popular choice for general-purpose machining tasks that involve larger or more complex components.

For even larger applications, UCAM provides tables with swings up to 700mm and 850mm. These models are designed to accommodate bigger workpieces or more extensive tilt and rotation needs. The versatility of these larger models makes them ideal for industries such as aerospace, where large, complex parts need to be machined with high precision.

The tilt angle range of UCAM’s Rotary Tilting Tables extends to ±110°, enabling a wide range of tilt adjustments that further expands the table’s flexibility in handling different machining tasks. This generous tilting range allows the user to work with parts requiring significant angles without the need for multiple setups or fixtures. It significantly reduces cycle times, enhances efficiency and ensures that even the most intricate cuts are achieved with minimal reorientation of the part.

The product range from UCAM extends beyond just the standard sizes, offering solutions from 150mm to 800mm in diameter. These sizes cater to both horizontal and vertical applications, providing flexibility for a variety of machining tasks. For more specialized needs, UCAM also offers rotary tables in sizes up to 2500 square inches for horizontal mounting applications. These larger rotary tables are particularly useful in heavy-duty machining centers where the workpieces are larger and require extensive movement for processing.

In conclusion, UCAM’s CNC Rotary Tilting Tables are vital tools for any machining center that demands precision, efficiency, and versatility. By enabling 4th and 5th axis capabilities, these rotary tables enhance the machine’s ability to handle complex and compound angles, improving productivity and reducing the need for multiple setups. With a variety of sizes available, from small-scale models for compact machines to larger models capable of handling hefty workpieces, UCAM provides solutions for a wide array of machining challenges across industries. Whether you are working in aerospace, automotive, or other high-precision fields, UCAM’s Rotary Tilting Tables ensure that your machining tasks are completed with the highest levels of accuracy and efficiency.