#Ark Zheng

[laderniereseancedecedrique]

THE SADNESS (2021)

Une pandémie domine Taïwan, transformant les citoyens en mutants avides de sexe et de chair humaine : le jeune couple Jim et Kat tente de lutter contre ces êtres infectés.

Dans la Taïwan moderne, des experts médicaux et des fonctionnaires du gouvernement se disputent quant aux actes à prendre face à l'apparition d'un nouveau virus, ''Alvin'', qui ressemble à la grippe. Le gouvernement refuse de prendre des mesure face au virus et nie même l'existence de celui-ci. Impuissant, les virologues appréhendent les conséquences que ''Alvin'' peu avoir sur la population s'il vient à muter.

[sethmacenzie]

So I've said my part about ofmd season 2s finale and that I didn't even care anymore that my favourite character died, but the show had such an insane decline from season 1 to season 2 it was simply not as enjoyable for the entire time.

So here's a quick critique of open issues that stuck with me:

-they killed Ivan off-screen and he's only mentioned once in passing, no one cares or questions where he is when they meet again, they were fine with Izzy there, but didn't even bother asking about a crew member they were much closer with -Buttons turned into a seagull (which I didn't think was bad) and it's only questioned once by Roach and then never again brought up, and Roach asks if Ed didn't simply kill him and it's just ignored -Ed doesn't really become part of the crew, he doesn't pay up for what he did and why is Izzys deathbed apology more sincere than Ed's non apology about Izzys leg? He doesn't deserve to come back at all, because he doesn't do anything to earn it. He spends a day with Fang and that counts for the whole crew, Fang who isn't even angry at him -Izzy actually earns his place within the crew and still has to apologize to Ed, his worst abuser. Sure Izzy was part of the problem with Blackbeard, but in no way does it justify what Ed did to him (and everyone else while he was Captain of the Revenge) -remember last season when Ed made it clear that he only ever killed one person, and then in the finale he coldly pushed Lucius over and it was therefore a big deal? Yeah Ed just randomly kills like it's nothing now, and "go back to what you were good at", it wasn't killing, Ed was never good at killing

-they barely paid attention to the non ships aside from Izzy and it sucks. We had such a wonderful balance in season 1 of crew live, that we got to love them all, we didn't have any of that in season 2, it's so plain when you look at Archie, she just didn't get what her crewmates got to the point you don't care about her all that much -speaking of Archie, that relationship something with Olo, JIm, Archie and Zhang Yi Sao was a mess, they sank of the biggest relationships from season 1, which had such a well done ark in the first episodes, and many, myself included thought we might get a poly relationship, but we didn't, we got the mess we had. We had a well developed relationship that took an entire season to build and it got removed during the first three episodes in favour of two new underdeveloped characters getting with them in no time

-I know we are not historically accurate and don't bother too much with it, but Zheng Yi Sao is the most powerful female pirate in history and they nerved her for nothing, I did like how Richard got rid of her fleet, but they should have used someone else than a pirate known for dying peacefully because she got so powerful she made a deal

-the pacing was obviously bad, and I want to give them as much nicety about it as possible, but Owl House got cut from an entire season to three episodes and they still manged to nail it, ofmd lost 2 episodes and it doesn't excuse this pacing

-honestly Izzys redemption ark was rushed, just so he could be killed off, it was too much, too fast. I do love the first few episodes of him, but doing drag was a bit far fetched for episode 6, but it's a small complain, loved the singinig and dancing

-"bottle it up" is the new solution to problems, after "talk it through as a crew" from season 1. Lucius, Frenchie and Izzy just bottle everything up and nothing bad comes of it, we're supposed to believe that's a good thing? -everyone knows Stede is alive, Mary relies on him being dead and it's never brought up or important whatsoever

-this season feels like there aren't proper consequences, Ed can leave and come back and it's fine, Buttons can turn into a seagull and no one cares, Auntie gets blown up with the fleet and survives, people get stabbed multiple times and survive, but Izzy gets shot and dies, it's all over the place -there is always the whole: we have a suicidal character, they try to kill themselves, they fail, they get over their depression, they finally get happy, and we kill them off just after they found happyness. It sucks as a trope, it gives every last person that is suicidal the feeling that being happy is not worth it, because you're going to die anyway and well, maybe don't have the characer that tried to kill himself this season a line about wanting to go and in the same episode that had "it's only suicide if we die", it's tasteless at best and ill-intended at worst

-Roach is in the main cast now, but I swear he had more scenes in season 1 than seaosn 2

-having a tiny funeral scene and bam wedding, like there was no decent emotional impact on either of these moments, any why would they bury him without his leg or ring?

-Stede has a panic moment when he kills Ned and it seems like that's why he and Ed slept togeher, but it's not brought up that killing is still an issue

To end it on a few positive notes, I liked -Swede becomes Jackies husband and Roach going Mrs Bettet about the whole thing -most of the first three episodes in general -Buttons turning into a seagull and being recognized as a seawitch -having more historical figures -Auntie -Susan (mostly) aside from the issue I brought up -Wee John getting into knitting -Izzy sining and dancing -the entire leg arch of Izzy -pretty much all Izzy/Stede interactions -Frenchie sceming again and the rest all going with it -indigo! -everyones new looks -Fang going fishing and his and Roachs spa day -the after credit scenes -Ed freaking out because Stede moved too fast -Stede having a killing flashback when killing Ned Low -Spanish Jackie in general, but especially poisoning everyone and getting Swede a new look -Richard as the main antagonist -Clocks -Stede getting Hellcat Maggie and the to mutiny -the entire cast was amazing

And I shouldn't have to say this, but: don't harass people over this, critiquing is fine, threats are not. And no it's not bury your gays, everyone here is gay and that is not one of the issues this season had.

[toomanymessythoughts]

I finished reading Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao a few days ago and here are some of my thoughts

First off, this book was an amazing read. Xiran Jay Zhao’s writing is immersive and engaging and the fast pace of the story had me in tight grip at all times. I was always curious of what the next paragraph, the next page, the next chapter would reveal to me. Huaxia feels like a fascinating world that still has many secrets to unravel and I’m looking forward to finding out about them in the sequel. Wu Zetian is an interesting main character and while she is ruthless, stubborn and harsh at times she remained a character that I rooted for. I still remember to pure satisfaction I felt when she overpowered Yang Guang and drained the life from him and “Welcome to your nightmare” is just iconic. I like that she is this unhinged and extremely powerful character but it doesn’t come across as forced, because you can see that the reason, she is so powerful is not because she has main character privileges, but because she has this unwavering willpower which lies at the source of her insanely powerful qi. She has made me want to be just a little bit more unhinged myself. The other characters also really grew on me especially Li Shimin (I swear if he doesn’t come back in Heavenly Tyrant my soul will straight up evaporate.) I love myself a morally grey, intimidating giant with a heart of gold and his character ark was really moving and I don’t think I can describe how low my heart sank when he met his tragic fate. I will now forever despise the number 0… (how could they do this to him?! my poor baby, bring him back, now, I’m begging.) Gao Yizhi is just a gem, the ultimate supportive best friend/boyfriend that is needed when you need to overthrow a government. He is so sweet yet can be just as ruthless as Zetian which is a duality that I live for. I will also never get enough of his nerdy fanboying over Shimin and his calligraphy.

On to the magic system. I love it. I loved learning more and more about qi, how it’s connected to the five elements and how it can be used as the story went on and the scenes where the pilots let it power through their meridians so that they start glowing were just so, so cool. My favourite one was probably the one that reveals that Qin Zheng has access to all five of his elemental qis and I wouldn’t be surprised if Zetian also acquires this power in the future given that she already has metal, water and fire at her disposal, that would be so badass.

The writing style was very enjoyable for me. It gives the book a straightforward tone and while some might view this as it being blunt, it was extremely refreshing for me to read something that is clear and concise after having to tediously pry the meaning from the pages of the books I had to read for school. Don’t get me wrong, some of there books were really good, but my brain really needed this change of pace and tone. Something that I particularly liked about this style is that while it is pretty straightforward, it never feels simplistic or rushed. Xiran Jay Zhao says what they need to say in a short and effective way which in my opinion adds extra weight and punch to the messages they packed into their story.

The only critique that comes to mind right now, is that there were parts that I wished had been a bit more fleshed out, but I understand that in order to keep the pace, sacrifices had to be made. I also recently stumbled upon a post of the author saying that they had to delete many scenes due to the strict word count so I guess this is a bone that I have to pick with the publisher.

But more than anything, I want to thank this book and the author. Because for the first time in I don’t know… probably somewhere close to 10 years that I’ve been able to pick up a book, take a liking to it and read it from start to finish without losing my momentum. Every time I opened Iron Widow, I was excited to reunite with Wu Zetian, Yizhi and Li Shimin and see what would happen next. I can’t describe how happy this made me and how much hope it gave me. Maybe one day I’ll be able to go back to being the bookworm I was when I was younger and when I do, it will be all thanks to this book. I loved reading it form the first page to the last and I can’t wait for the sequel.

[bellona-owl]

We welcome you back to our snek heaven. By the request of lovely @call-me-ala​ we present you sneks wearing smol hats. The choices were made based on picnic ark.

And so we begin.

Adorable Momo snek with a flower planted on his head by He Tian snek:

Jiam Yi snek and his cock cough we mean duck:

Zhan Zheng Xi snek wearing firefighter hat because this snek is always ready to rescue his boyfriend snek even if it means to fight a duck!!:

Fandom pretty much unanimously agreed that He Tian is the best drama queen:

Brother Qiu does not wear a hat but he does need a comfort blanket after babysitting teenage gang of sneks he did not even get to eat!

He Cheng snek acting all cool in his top hat but ready to drop all to run to rescue the damsel in distress cough cough his younger brother:

BONUS:

The king of all dem sneks or main snek in manhua She Li:

[architectnews]

Ten student architecture projects from the University of Westminster

A project that examines restoring damaged peatlands in Scotland and another that addresses the housing needs of income poor young people in Beijing are included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at the University of Westminster.

It also includes a mycelium product factory where a repurposed prison provides ideal conditions for growing sustainable products and a redesigned climbing wall highlighting the connection between sport and the natural world.

University of Westminster

School: University of Westminster, School of Architecture + Cities Course: Architecture BA (Hons), Architecture and Environmental Design BSc (Hons), Interior Architecture BA (Hons), Architectural Technology BSc (Hons), Designing Cities BA (Hons), Master of Architecture (MArch) (RIBA pt II) Tutors: Constance Lau, Stephen Harty John Zhang, David Porter, Paolo Cascone, Panagiota Adileniduo, Ro Spankie, Diony Kypraiou, Allan Sylvester, Ana Araujo, Tabatha Mills, Adam Thwaites, David Mathewson, Elisa Engel, Kester Rattenbury, Sean Griffiths, Anthony Boulanger, Stuart Piercy, Callum Perry John Cook, Laura Nica and Ben Pollock

School statement:

"The School of Architecture and Cities offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as research degrees a few moments from Baker Street. Here, students can enjoy state-of-the-art facilities, including the extensive Fabrication Laboratory and dedicated open-plan design studios.

"Open 2021 is a rolling programme of events being created by the school's staff and students, which reflect the varied design approaches of the School of Architecture and Cities and their place at the heart of London.

"It will feature 750 student projects, drawing on the vast body of developmental and finished work imagined and realised over the course of the last academic year. The show will transform student work into digital assets, creating an extraordinary display of new architecture and a compelling visitor experience. The show opens on 17 June until 30 September."

The Bioengineering Experimental School of Architecture: Designing for the Prevention of Fires by Momchil Petrinski

"In this project, the notion of 'fire' from the laboratory experiments serves multiple purposes, from the 'gallery' for public knowledge, heat distribution to the surrounding buildings and the cultivation of the green spaces.

"The dense urban site of Little Britain and proposed Tower is approached as a Borgesian labyrinth where the ever-green public gardens extend across the horizontal and vertical landscapes, and resting places for the homeless community are embedded within the public realm."

Student: Momchil Petrinski Course: Architecture BA (Hons) Tutors: Constance Lau and Stephen Harty Email: mpetrinski321@gmail.com

Ideal Landscape from Luo Shen Fu Tu by Yunuo Zheng

"The proposal is a spatial narrative telling the ancient Chinese story of the painting Luo Shen Fu Tu created by the famous Eastern Jin painter Gu Kaizhi based on the plot of Cao Chi's work Luo Shen Fu.

"This is not just a love story – it is a story of frustration and anger caused by feudalism when people could only express thoughts and feelings through landscapes and myths. It is these landscapes and myths that give the form to an immersive exhibition situated in London."

Student: Yunuo Zheng Course:  Interior Architecture BA (Hons) Tutors: Ro Spankie, Diony Kypraiou, Allan Sylvester, Ana Araujo Email: rain_zyn@yahoo.com

Intercultural communal living as a catalyst for refugee integration by Anne-Flore Smits

"Nature avoids monocultures and lives in diversity to feed its system. The harmonious living between living forms is known as symbiosis. Through intercultural communal living, symbiosis is regenerated, where the forgotten lives of refugees can integrate back into society.

"With local and foreign amalgamation, the most vulnerable group in society can write their futures. The design of social-communal connectivity incorporates multi-use courtyards, creating a unique spatial arrangement within the male and female quarter and central community compound.

"A common roof with various environmental qualities ensures the proposed and established buildings receive minimal solar radiation, that is experienced in its extreme within Cameroon's Far North capital of Maroua."

Student: Anne-Flore Smits Course: Architecture and Environmental Design BSc (Hons) Tutors: Paolo Cascone and Panagiota Adileniduo Email: w1707968@my.westminster.ac.uk

 Ark for an Ant Tribe by Yuen-Wah Williams

"This project addresses the acute housing needs of well educated but income poor young people who come to Beijing to seek their future – affectionately known as the 'Ant Tribe' in China.

"The project is a co-living mega-block with floating courtyards, rooftop running tracks, and community programmes open to the broader neighbourhood at the ground level. The novel tectonics draws inspiration from traditional low-rises, high-density Hutong courtyards and local experiments in soviet-era social condensers.

"The generous and intensely social outdoor spaces become rooms in themselves, responds to the changing patterns of life in a pandemic."

Student: Yuen-Wah Williams Course: Architecture BA (Hons) Tutors: John Zhang and David Porter Email: yuenwahwilliams@gmail.com

Climb Air Theatre by Zhiqing He

"The conditions of isolation and lack of physical interaction due to the pandemic gave birth to this project with the aim of evoking memories of intimate communication stemming from the past. Inspired by The Phantom of the Opera, London's historic musical production (forced to close during the lockdown),  the proposal suggests an open interactive theatre, situated at St Dustan park in London.

"The audience gets invited to follow actors through the theatre's three main theatre stages and participate in distinct moments of the play while re-connecting them to each other through this musical, theatrical and spatial journey."

Student: Zhiqing He Course: Interior Architecture BA (Hons) Tutors: Ro Spankie, Diony Kypraiou, Allan Sylvester, Ana Araujo Email: 740655783@qq.com

The Arch Climbing Wall by Tom McGinnity

"The Arch Climbing Wall is located in Bermondsey, London. The redeveloped climbing centre uses all the existing building while also developing a new building adjacent to the existing one. The design aims to highlight the connection between climbing and nature.

"New climbing walls were positioned in the existing building to create an environment of valleys and mountains. The new building acts as the final challenge, with climbers able to scale the exterior of the building and the tall structure within. The new building is open-air with large use of open mesh, allowing climbers to connect with nature."

Student: Tom McGinnity Course: Architectural Technology BSc (Hons) Tutors: Tabatha Mills and Adam Thwaites Email: tommcginnity1@gmail.com

Old Kent Road: A New Precedent for Mixing Leisure, Manufacturing and Housing by Daniel Sefton

"By combining industrial, residential, and leisure spaces using innovative changes of level, land-use pressures in the inner city could be significantly alleviated.

"An undulating raised park set against the side of an existing recycling centre creates a pocket of urban rurality. Pavilions break through the park's surface for exhibition and retail space, with micro-manufacturing occurring on the submerged ground floor.

"HGV access to ground floors occurs through a road network beneath the park. The park removes both social and physical barriers that industrial land creates through controlled, increased public proximity to manufacturing and community-connecting active transport routes."

Student: Daniel Sefton Course: Designing Cities BA (Hons) Tutors: David Mathewson and Elisa Engel Email: Dan.sefton07@gmail.com

The Mycology Institute by Gemma Mohajer

"The Mycology Institute re-purposes existing buildings at Wormwood Scrubs Prison. Former cells provide ideal conditions for growing mushrooms, used to make sustainable products. The project extends one of the cell blocks creating a mycelium product factory.

"It forms a route to the scrubs and a public square created by demolishing the prison wall. The building is constructed using sustainable products, including rope elements, developed from chance operations. These are used as part of the roof structure and as a screen that shades the building and takes rainwater off the roof. Columns and floors reuse the 916,000 prison wall bricks."

Student: Gemma Mohajer Course: Master of Architecture (MArch) (RIBA pt II) Tutors: Kester Rattenbury and Sean Griffiths Email: gmohajer@hotmail.co.uk

The Rotherhithe Cooperative Press by Rebecca Gardner

"Newspapers are dying, and with them, an integral part of London's civic life and tacit skillset is at risk of extinction. The Rotherhithe Cooperative Press reinvents newspaper production, turning away from mass media favouring temporal print that focuses on specific events and protests.

"Through exploiting the natural diurnal cycle of the printing industry and the Thames, the scheme acts as a production framework and distribution network for marginalised media outlets at night whilst a community print-work mobilises the community to engage in protest during the day."

Student: Rebecca Gardner Course: Master of Architecture (MArch) (RIBA pt II) Tutors: Anthony Boulanger, Stuart Piercy and Callum Perry Email: r-c-gardner@hotmail.com

Peat Observation: Carbon Cycles through Plant Matter by Seni Agunpopo

"The project looks at preserving and accelerating the restoration of damaged peatlands in Scotland – one of the world's most effective carbon store/sinks.

"This project uses a wider parametric masterplan strategy of landscape probes and responsive blanket systems to alter and control the conditions of soil moisture, temperature and humidity, as well as the deployable modular research units that support the ongoing scheme."

Student: Seni Agunpopo Course: Master of Architecture (MArch) (RIBA pt II) Tutors: John Cook, Laura Nica and Ben Pollock Email: w1731831@my.westminster.ac.uk

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the University of Westminster. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

  The post Ten student architecture projects from the University of Westminster appeared first on Dezeen.

[ikemenfangirl]

Revenge 决战之夜 - In love with Handsome Gamer

[Online Game : PC & Mobile]

Revenge (决战之夜) By: Demo Games Chinese Browser game with voice over Online Play: https://avg.163.com/game/detail/7216 PV: https://fbwat.ch/1SH8TrVsw3oYyUGM

Onmyoji Arena gamers (esports).The mythical team GF (Glory Forever) was defeated in the 16th competition due to substitutions, and the team eventually collapsed.

you will receive a mysterious text message when you enter the school. "Want to reorganize GF?" Are you ready for the tournament?

*EA (Eternal Ark) as rival **GNG as New Team

-Cast- Lin Zheran CV. #杉木 Bai Junyuan CV. #有希 Mu Tianyu CV. #炒肉君 Zong Zheng CV. #木树 Mo Xiang CV. #叶玄澈 Biecheng CV. #葡萄殿下 Lian Ziyu CV. #江夏沐川 Bo Han CV. #沫生 Chi Wei CV. #小五 Wei Aolai CV. #北执 Anya Xian CV. #诺辰 Ling Rui CV. #家康 Duan Yuze CV. #范小飞 Ye Shuo CV. #十六 He Zichen CV. #小林

P.S. If you like, please share ❤️

[limmenglee]

The flooding in Malaysia exposed the ignorance of the society. Malaysia has only 20 hydroelectric dams, there about and 3 hours rain can flood up to waist level. I knew I was right about the hydroelectric dams is what causes “GWCCEW” BULLSHIT!

If you’re wondering how NOAH handled 40 days of continuous rain, just imagine how many hydroelectric dams have to release that much water coupled with the use of weather modification weapons that came from space.

You think that’s a conspiracy theory? Just think of the name BLACK KNIGHT because “NOBODY” knows what it is and how many FUCKING EONS it has been flooding in space, “NOBODY” in the society but perhaps someone in the ruling elites may have known what it was and has been using it to manipulate humanity since the beginning of time.

It is rumoured that NOAH’s ark was located on the ridges of HIMALAYAS. How many fucking hydroelectric dams do you need to bring something vertically up 8000 meters? Just imagine if China’s recent flooding in ZHENG ZHOU 郑州 really reflects a small amount of hydroelectric dams in a province, what can 98000 hydroelectric dams do to flood a whole China?

[resoan]

Burdens of Command, Ch. 18.5

Chapter 18.5 of my Big Bang. As always you can check it out on AO3 or read the rest on my masterpost! Reblogs and feedback are appreciated and encouraged!

It had been over a week since Moira had visited Aya, and in that time Evfra heard nothing but troubling reports concerning the kett. Their movements were off and unpredictable, showing up in sectors they'd never paid any attention in the past, and Evfra couldn't make out their true motivation or plan – and that made him entirely uneasy. He knew in his gut it was to do with Moira, though; he'd read horrifying reports from Jaal about what she and the AI had had to resort to on the Archon's ship, and if he thought for a single moment said AI had taken any enjoyment in killing his human partner, he would have neutralized the threat without flinching.

Fortunately for SAM, Evfra had spoken with him on several occasions, and unlike the AI Moira had recovered from Voeld, it had proven incredibly helpful. He'd been tempted several times to share the information with Moira and SAM to see if they had any insight Evfra and the Resistance lacked, but doing so jeopardized the more covert operations his men were performing, and as much as he trusted Moira and SAM, he couldn't risk the security leak.

That didn't stop him from thinking about her, though; in truth, he'd been able to think of little else since her departure. Their time spent together had been eye-opening and even more pleasant than he could have predicted. Work proved a good distraction from the memory of her warmth and the softness of her skin, and even in his office now he had to force himself not to color from the more lascivious moments they'd spent together.

“Commander!” One of his lieutenants flew into his office without so much as a knock, and Evfra's eyes lifted sharply; it had to have been incredibly important. “There's major kett activity in the Zheng He system. We think they're targeting the aliens' Nexus.” Evfra froze at the man's prediction, though there was nothing else of value all the way out there; it couldn't just be a coincidence...

“Evfra! Jaal's on the comm – says it's urgent.” Another of his people hurried into the room, his data sphere glowing and enlarging until Jaal was visible, his expression grim.

“Jaal! What's going on? We've received reports of kett activity in Zheng He-”

“The Archon has taken the human's ark, and has kidnapped Ryder's brother. We believe he plans to control Meridian through Scott and SAM since we have its true location now.” Evfra was silent for one, two heartbeats after Jaal finished.

“And you want us to help,” Evfra finished for him, and Jaal looked as though he'd been scolded.

“Please, Evfra. Controlling Meridian would be good for the angara as well as the aliens; think of all the things they've done for us.” Jaal's voice grew firmer and more convincing as he spoke, though Evfra never had any intention of ignoring his plea.

“Don't beg,” Evfra chided. “I'll gather some squads and we'll meet you there. And leave some kett for us to kill,” Evfra added, Jaal chuckling in response before offering his thanks and cutting the line.

He'd wanted to ask how Moira was handling things, but not in front of his subordinates – even if rumors about them were already flying across Aya more quickly than even he'd anticipated. “Don't just stand there,” Evfra ordered, a quiet growl edging into his words.

Evfra had no idea how the Moshae of all people had learned what they were doing, though she resolutely refused to stay on Aya if she could help. The journey felt longer than it was, though Evfra found some comfort in the idle banter of some of his subordinates. He was pleased to see Moira again so soon, but the circumstances...were dicey at best. The aliens' ships had no means of attacking the kett beyond the guns their people on-board had, and their shields were made for space debris: not kett weapon fire.

It seemed a hopeless proposition until Evfra learned what Jaal had forgotten to tell him – that they'd somehow gotten an entire retinue of remnant ships to fight for them. The pilot had alerted them to anomalous readings in the Saajor system when they first arrived, and Evfra had glanced over at Moshae Sjefa when she gasped where she stood at the window. “Ryder is something else,” the Moshae murmured almost reverently, and Evfra almost smiled as he agreed.

When they closed in on Meridian, Evfra couldn't help but send a comm signal to the Tempest, hoping beyond hope that someone would answer; to his great misfortune, it had been the asari Jaal had mentioned previously, and she had been reluctant to go and get Ryder for him. Her lips moved a mile a minute, and Evfra felt his thinning patience disappearing all the faster before she finally sighed at his lack of answers.

Seeing Moira was...harder than he anticipated. She looked exhausted and pained every time she spoke, and more than once he wished he could be there with her, offering her his shoulder on which to lean. Her humor was gone he noticed, replaced with desperation and hurt and it physically pained him to see her so lost. He was not so selfish or self-conscious to ignore her confession of love for him, and he returned the sentiment with as much softness and sincerity as he could. The connection cut after that, and Evfra willed his vessel to hurry – Moira needed him and he'd sooner die than let her down.

Seeing the inside of Meridian for the first time momentarily distracted him, as it did the pilot and several angara on board; the remnant remained a mystery, and he could imagine the Moshae living out her days here, trying to uncover the past and secrets of this place. “Follow the Tempest,” Evfra ordered, shaking himself free of his reverie. “Set us down as close to their drop point as you can.” Fortunately, the angara had thought to bring land rovers as well as shuttles, and the second it and his team were on the ground, Evfra gunned forward, picking off any stragglers Moira hadn't gotten.

The bulk of the kett forces were concentrated between Evfra's location and Moira's, and every felled enemy brought him a step closer to seeing her, to ensuring her safety and continued well-being. After a while, that was all that mattered: finding Moira in the chaos of the battle, even as more of her allies appeared and helped him push forward. The sight of her coppery hair had his heart racing, and Evfra closed the distance between them swiftly, only able to breathe properly once he knelt at her side and looked her over to his own satisfaction. Her smile reassured him, and he had to fight the impulse to gather her into his arms when she called for her teammates to watch her back while she interfaced; only then did he realize that Moira herself was using the remnant technology without SAM's assistance, and while a whole host of questions followed said realization, first and foremost he was concerned for her.

Interfacing with remnant technology was difficult even when not being pressed upon by kett, but Moira had the door to the bunker open in the blink of an eye. She looked back at him before she ran inside, his gaze tacitly telling her to be careful before she nodded and darted forward.

Any kett who tried to follow would fall dead at his feet; this Evfra swore to himself.

They'd come too far to lose now.

[love-god-forever]

What God’s Intention Is Behind the Story of Noah’s Ark

By Zheng Fu

The story of Noah’s ark is very well-known. From the accounts in the Bible, we can see that the people in Noah’s day became depraved and corrupt, living every day wining and dining, scheming and plotting against one another, and in wicked promiscuity. They had lost the form of humanity possessed by those people first created by God, and apart from Noah, none of them were willing to worship God.

Mankind became ever more degenerate and evil. Jehovah God observed all of this. There was great sorrow in His heart. Meanwhile, the cruelty and maliciousness of mankind were unbearable for God to see. So in His pain, He had to destroy the filthy and corrupt mankind using a flood. Just as the Bible says, “And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make you an ark of gopher wood; rooms shall you make in the ark, and shall pitch it within and without with pitch” (Genesis 6:13-14). “And Jehovah said to Noah, Come you and all your house into the ark; for you have I seen righteous before me in this generation” (Genesis 7:1).

With regard to this, some brothers and sisters may ask, “Why is it that God commanded Noah to spend 120 years and do a lot of work to build a big ark since all evil actions of the world had angered Him and He had clearly told Noah that He was going to destroy all living things of flesh?” Regarding this question, some people say, “God did this for the sake of saving the eight members of Noah’s family and some living things on earth.” And some people say, “God is merciful and loving. He didn’t have the heart to destroy mankind and so He gave them the opportunity to repent.”

Then what exactly is God’s will behind the story of Noah’s ark? I read a passage of the word of God: “In His pain, God still did not forget to give man His maximum tolerance, waiting for man to turn around. After He reached His limit, He did what He had to do without any hesitation. In other words, there was a specific time period and process from the moment God planned to destroy mankind to the official start of His work in destroying mankind. This process existed for the purpose of enabling man to turn around, and was the last chance God gave to man. So what did God do in this period before destroying mankind? God did a significant amount of reminding and exhorting work. No matter how much pain and sorrow God’s heart was in, He continued to exercise His care, concern, and abundant mercy on humanity.”

God’s will is completely revealed to us here. When He saw man living in evil and fornication and treating Him as the enemy, He felt grieved and sad over this. Still, He didn’t directly destroy mankind, but cared about them at all times. God asked Noah to build an ark and preach the gospel to the world for 120 years for the sake of reminding and exhorting them. God hoped that they would be able to abandon the violence in their hands, repent and confess to Him, and accept His salvation. From this we can see that God was trying to save man to the greatest extent possible. His heart is so good! He had been waiting for 120 years, giving people enough time and opportunities to repent. However, the heart of people at that time was too hard, as if their heart was waxed gross. Not only did they not believe the gospel Noah preached, but they also vilified and mocked Noah, saying that he was an idiot. All that mankind gave God was rebellion and opposition, and no one paid any attention to the repeated warnings and exhortations of God. In the end, seeing that they were absolutely unrepentant, God had to send the flood to destroy all mankind. In fact, when God used the flood to destroy the world, His heart was in extreme pain. He couldn’t bear to see the human beings He created with His own hands being destroyed. It was not His original intention when He created man or the result that He wanted to see. But God’s substance is righteous and holy, and He doesn’t allow those who are impure to exist in His presence. So when His patience toward man reached its limit, He showed no mercy in sending the flood to destroy those who were evil in His eyes, that is, the final chance He gave them to repent had come to its end.

I believe you now know what the intention of God is behind the story of Noah’s ark. Now, the last days have already come. People in the present days are more corrupt and evil than people in the time of Noah, which is unbearable for God to witness. Still, God hopes that we can abandon the violence in our hands, leave our evil conduct behind, genuinely repent to God, and come before God to worship Him so that we can be saved by Him and survive. I remember that the Lord Jesus once said, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37-39). Actually, the sentence “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” suggests that in the last days there will be great disasters and God will come to work to save mankind. Therefore, as long as we hear someone preaching God’s work of the last days, we should seek and investigate immediately. Only thus can we enter Noah’s ark of the last days, and attain God’s salvation.

[joshuajacksonlyblog]

Biggest ICO Winners and Losers: By The Numbers

As a follow-up to last week’s Bitcoinist article on sh*tcoins and Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), Bitcoinist looks at crypto researcher Steven Zheng’s numbers, successful-to-unsuccessful ICO ratio, and more.

From Lowest to Highest Returns of Investment (ROI)

Bolenum likely probably bound to fail after raising only $18,500 during August 2017. At the same time, the second most fruitful ICO raised even less than that. yet at -99.72%, Bolenum is currently the most sterile project evaluated by Zheng.

MyBit strives hard to outstrip it. Also completed in August 2017, the MyBit ICO sold its tokens for a staggering $2, which now turned into 2 cents, or -98.89%.

Lampix is yet another ICO scheduled for August 2017 — decidedly *not* the best month for doing business, not even crypto. No one knows what exactly happened to the $12 million they raised… but it could be worse. Like Bitclave.

Bitclave raised $25.5 million dollars and is currently down by -97.65%. Or 2% of its original value.

Leadcoin ventured to raise even more, $50 million. Its market cap is less than $1 million at the moment. It’s also left with only 2% of the ICO price.

Aditus raised $7 million and is -97.22%

Sether raised $30 million and is -97.19%

Mercury Protocol raised $10 million and is -97.06%

DomRaider raised $42 million and is -96.67%

IUNGO raised $23 million and is -96.52%

We made a list 300 publicly traded ICO tokens and their returns. Here it is:https://t.co/uKp1bqZqsT

— Steven Zheng (@Dogetoshi) September 12, 2018

Top 10 Highest Returns

Ethereum, is no surprise. Which, if not Ethereum? Despite the slump, and even calculated with a “current price” of $185, Ethereum still brings returns higher than Spectrecoin and Stratis added together. No less than 59,500%. If you bought one dollar’s worth of Ethereum during its ICO. You would happily pocket $600 today. In otherwords, 3 ETH.

Spectrecoin is probably one of the most surprising cases. It raised the smallest amount of capital ($15,000) while returning 244 times its ICO amount. Don’t panic if you never heard about it — it’s probably because it ranks around #500 on CoinMarketCap. It might be time to do a bit of research time, though.

Stratis did even better than NEO. 1/7 of it’s a cent-worth tokens grew into more than a dollar at $1.363. Had one invested $1 during STRAT’s ICO, one would have $194 at the time of writing.

NEO is probably one of the projects that do not surprise. A 2016 production called the “Chinese Ethereum,” is currently worth 116x more than the ICO price — 11,600% up.

Ark — with less than $1 million raised at the end of 2016, Ark managed to climb up quite easily during the bull market that lasted pretty much all of 2017. Ark has seen ups and downs and, although seeing its lowest prices of the year at the moment, is still well above its competitors with a robust ROI of 6000% —or 60x.

Lisk — was $0.076 during the ICO and $3.601 on September 11 — 4638.16% up

Komodo — was $0.022 during the ICO and $1.030 on September 11 — 4581.82% up

Storj-x — was $0.009 during the ICO and $0.357 on September 11 — 3866.67% up

Aeternity Phase 1 was $0.042 during the ICO and $1.180 on September 11 —2709.52% up

Augur was $0.602 during the ICO and $14.692 on September 11 — 2340.53% up

You can see the full list of 300 projects ranked by Steven Zheng in his original Google Spreadsheet.

What are your thoughts on the ICO success rate presented above? Let us know in the comments below!

Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Twitter.

The post Biggest ICO Winners and Losers: By The Numbers appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.

from Cryptocracken Tumblr https://ift.tt/2QyAGAy via IFTTT

[hustlemeanokay]

Mass Effect Andromeda Planetary Info

I have uploaded screenshots of all the planetary information for 29 systems in the Andromeda Galaxy on my Deviant Art. 

For quick reference: I’ve linked them all together by system here. Or you can view the same quick reference guide below the cut.

I'm working on uploading shots of the planetary information for all the planets/comets in Andromeda. Reason one is for personal reference, but I wanted to put them up so others could reference them as well.

Since I can't sub-folder them up as much as I need to (*shakes fist towards the sky*) I'm making this. (Will update when I get more info.)

Last Updated: 4/22/17

Systems:

Anasa

Acermos

H-205

H-444

Mornax Vinkaar

Sedele

Civki

H-065

H-110a

H-309

Khi Tasira (Drop Zone Available)

Rakaelmo

Dar'Hegah

Denesh

H-505

Jegraph

Ne'Grale

Erikkson

Habitat 7

Helluland

Markland

Vinland

Faroang

Farrum

Havarl (Landing Zone Available)

Posbaar

Yilfaen

Faross

Asiaq

Efaja

Grill

H-028

Govorkam

Bakker

Kadara (Landing Zone Available)

Mine

Thy'vernos

Trobror

Hefena

Comet Talula

Dovar

Kamiiro No

Pas-39

Inalaara

Comet Jim Dandy

Novolori

Pas-10

Pas-61

Pas-88

Tobonoor

Jirayder

Candavorni

H-019

H-097

Semrahet

Joba

Ihaafor

Letapho

Ronhadin

Teroshe

Kindrax

H-073

H-202

Mendradym

Tunhareaset

Nalesh

Gesaimo

Rahere

Suiorna

Tijorana

Nol

Ditivios

Pas-55

Voeld (Landing Zone Available)

Onaon

Aya (Landing Zone Available)

Fetvun

Mae Raav

Obayro

Sansesyol

Pfeiffer

Black Hole

H-461

H-479

H-480

Korvath

Reyer

Pytheas

Eos (Landing Zone Available)

H-060

H-276

Khonsu

Nanuk

Pele

Remav

Ameayii

Ark Netanus

H-047c (Landing Zone Available)

Nuundri

Phaidra

Sabeng

Gestiir

Pas-13

Pas-15

Pas-33

Sephesha

Chophise

H-119

Nadinoor

Tenesta

Shojaon

Fen Odam

Mocalaam

Pas-21

Pas-24

Pas-48

Skeldah

Bleeding Ruby

H-061

H-329

Kotkoborra

Norgraqua

Solminae

Avelosa

H-148

H-323

Red Qorayk

Suuricco

Tafeno

Ark Paarchero

Duionanasa

Pas-65

Solad

Tentrobiil

Tecunis

H-523

Mosiiba

Mosiino

Mosiives

Slohva

Vinvaiko

Togessan

Biloun

Pas-31

Waoge

Vaalon

Ejoda

Pas-70

Pas-78

Ra Madesya

Ra Moorondi

Valay

Ark Leusinia

Hipaal

Masiid

Pas-16

Phostaan

Zaubray

Dubraaci

Elaaden (Landing Zone Available)

Grogorna

H-315

Zheng He

Fei Xin

Gong Zhen

H-599

Ma Huan

Nexus (Landing Zone Available)

[architectnews]

Lib-Ark, Central Park New York City

Lib-Ark, Central Park New York City, New York Pavilions, Manhattan Library Buildings, Architecture Images

Lib-Ark in Central Park, New York City

Aug 7, 2021

Design: WAY Studio

Location: Central Park, New York, United States of America

Lib-Ark, Central Park New York City

Welcome to Lib-Ark — the Library, the Park, the Ark, all-in-one for any literary adventurers. Allow us to guide you through “the protagonists’ journey”, and spend the day in meditation, reflection, or immersed in the simple pleasure of reading while traveling through the park. In these mobile reading pods that traverse this invigorating landscape, the journey will take you over hills and into valleys, past creeks and lakes, through forests and meadows.

This is the future of libraries – beyond stale and stable bookshelves that will transform reading into an innovative experience. Lib-Ark stores and holds one of New York’s most mobile collection of books. Let the story travel to you, take you with it, and lose yourself on the journey. Situated within Central Park of New York, let this be a haven within a haven.

Access The Access – The Journey Nodal points in the park or in the city allow you to access “the hero’s journey”, embarking on this futuristic literary adventure for all of us writing our own story. Lib-Ark stores and holds one of New York’s most mobile collection of books. Let the story travel to you, take you with it, and lose yourself on the journey.

The Pace Carefully orchestrated combinations of different rhythms and speed patterns control the pods’ travel on hover tracks. Lift your head from your book and find yourself transported to a whole new scenery.

Ascend & Descend The Ascend – Enjoy the climb, and ascend to the summit.

The Descent Enjoy that rush, the hover, the drop, before falling deeper and deeper into dreams.

The Summit Reaching a height above the trees of Central Park, you’re treated to a rare view of the city from within the park. As one takes in these iconic surroundings, it is the ideal moment to reflect on one’s past and future, the road that has brought you here and where it will continue to lead. Where will you summit next? Perhaps New York’s city skyline, or a book of another visitor, will be the spark that inspires the next step of your journey.

The Reading Pod(s) Transport pods house the majority of our fixed functions, and are essentially mobile mini reading rooms/libraries if you will. You can happen upon a book at random, or reserve a specific text or periodical from the vast collection of the greater New York Library and have it ready and waiting for you at your pod. Pods can also house mini events, day or night. It is a place that transcends you physically, mentally and spiritually into past remembrances or future imaginations.

There are several ways to access reading material: 1. by reserving material to a designated pod ahead of time; 2. via your own personal device any where any time within the complex; 3. by random encounters through curated selection of books on display areas in pods or other public areas; 4. by pick-up at the service counter (see “The Hall”).

The Valley To have hills surrounding you is to feel the mighty presence of nature and your role in it. Maybe a book from the valley will speak to you as its voice, or else a symposium, an event, a music performance will speak for you to revere it.

The Plateau Outdoor reading areas within the natural landscape

Hidden throughout the journey, these platforms serve as moments of rest, or of stillness, each with its own unique relationship with the surrounding man-made or natural scenery. Spend the day, bring wine, bring cheese, a picnic or just lay down with a book over your face, basking in the sun.

The Hall For larger events, lectures, general inquiries and back-of-house functions. The Hall is hidden beneath the man-made landscape fabric, with a view overlooking a small lake.

The Reflective Pond The calm surface of the lakes induces reflection, while the versatility of water in its rippling effects help carry you through the story’s journey. Voices carry over the water as a book club nearby reads aloud to one another, and discuss hidden meanings, metaphors, motifs within a classic.

The Fall The sound of rushing water drowns out the world, drowns out conversations, drowns out thought, and lets you immerse yourself in the moment. A circular bench rests beneath the fall, sunken and hidden away underground. Here, you can be with yourself for just a moment, be in touch with your inner self, for the fall is a place for stillness within, for meditation, reflection and for thought, with or without a book. Perhaps one could even write one in this condition with aid of the white noise.

The Crossroad(s) Life is a constant stream of choices — up or down, slow or even slower, where will your journey take you? Which undiscovered text might you encounter?

The Zone(s) The zone finds us all unexpectedly throughout the journey, as in life. When you find yourself in the zone, you’ll feel that moment of focus when everything else just falls away and you are completely concentrated on the texts before you. Immersed in your hero’s journey, transcendent in time and space, the zone may appear anywhere within Lib-Ark for each individual.

The Sprawl The Connection(s) In the midst of one of the biggest metropolitan cities, Lib-Ark is dedicated to returning moments of pause to its residents. Currently its beta version is being tested in a specific area within Central Park, but its systems and structures are designed for future possibility of extending throughout the park or even throughout the city.

The Lib-Ark project was conceived by WAY Studio in 2019, in response to an ideas competition for a new library possibility within New York Central Park. We thought this was a good opportunity to re-consider the definition of a Library within our current information-age, where information is available at the tips of our fingers and our reading habits shifting drastically from paper books to digital articles.

We enjoy the convenience of this new information age, but can’t help letting go of the romantics of happening upon a book, a story or just a couple of lines of text, which does not occur in the same way in the digital platform. Therefore we integrated these experiences along with our interventions of the site, and created the Lib-Ark experience.

Features within the Lib-Ark experience are inspired by the wonderful works of J.K.Rowling, “The Inner Studio” by Andrew Levitt, and the movie Inception.

Lib-Ark in Central Park, NYC – Building Information

© 未/WAY Studio 2021

Lib-Ark | Central Park Library, Park, Ark

Location: Central Park, New York Program: Library, Amusement Park Time: 2019 (Concieved)

Team: Zheng Tao, Fernie Lai, Alan Hung, Zhang ZeQun, Li JiaXin

About WAY Studio WAY Studio is an innovative architecture and design studio with a focus on coalescing architecture with art and technology. With consideration for artistic representation at its core, WAY Studio has focused on discovering new possibilities through cross-disciplinary collaborations. We are highly experienced in interdisciplinary work alongside artists, designers, consultants, engineers and more, seeking new possibilities in every situation. We are interested in looking towards what is next, to pioneer a new WAY, and to find the balance between people and nature, culture and technology. WAY Studio currently has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Vancouver.

Images: WAY Studio

Lib-Ark, Central Park New York City images / information received 070821

Location: Central Park, New York City, NY, USA

New York City Architecture

Contemporary New York Buildings

Manhattan Architectural Designs – chronological list

New York Architecture News

New York Architecture Walking Tours : by e-architect

265 West 45th Street Super Slender Tower Design: RB Systems image courtesy of architects 265 West 45th Street Super Slender Tower

Kinfolk Studio, Brooklyn Architecture: Berg Design photograph : Edward Caruso Kinfolk Studio in Brooklyn

Pier 2: Apartment of the Future Design: Humphreys & Partners Architects image courtesy of Humphreys & Partners Architects Pier 2: Apartment of the Future in Manhattan

New York Architecture

New York Architects Studios

Comments / photos for the Lib-Ark, Central Park New York City page welcome

The post Lib-Ark, Central Park New York City appeared first on e-architect.

[trekspertise]

Trekspertise 3.3 - “The Rise Of Toxic Fandom: A Theory” Bibliography

Writers - Kyle Sullivan & Katie Boyer

Editing / Narration - Kyle Sullivan

Title Graphics Based On Work By - Dan King

A great big thank you to Troy Bernier, Wellington Marcus Smith, Ben Pfeifer, Paul Laker, Alex Blocker, Darren Descallar, David Radford, Alex Zheng, and all of the other patrons who make this channel possible! Thank you for the support. Well done, team =)

Support Trekspertise on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trekspertise

Or sign up for our no-nonsense email list: https://tinyletter.com/neoteotihuacan/

Check out our final chapter from Antarctica, “Adventures In The Southland 6″: https://youtu.be/BS0vyxBYAMY

Footage

Fantastic Beast & Where to Find Them, 2016

Star Wars: The Last Jedi, 2017

Will You Take My Hand, DSC, 2018

Balance Of Terror, TOS, 1966

Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone, 2001

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, 1977

Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring, 2001

Who Leads The Avengers In Real Life, Jimmy Kimmel Live YouTube channel, April 2015

Scarlett Johansson Got Trashed With Her 72-Year-Old Doppelgänger, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert YouTube Channel, 2017

Sir Patrick Stewart Felt Safe In Hugh Jackman’s Arms, Conan on TBS, Team Coco YouTube channel, 2017

The Bakersfield Expedition, The Big Bang Theory, 2013

Pulp Fiction, 1994

Superman: The Movie, 1978

The Social Network, 2010

Avengers: Infinity War, 2018

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, 1980

Captain America Civil War, 2016

Spiderman: Homecoming, 2017

Star Trek, 2009

Star Wars Episode VI: The Return Of The Jedi, 1983

The Changeling, TOS, 1967

The Squire Of Gothos, TOS, 1967

The Galileo Seven, TOS, 1967

Raiders Of The Lost Ark, 1981

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan, 1982

Social Media’s Role In Egyptian Protest, CNN, 2011, accessed 2018 via: https://bit.ly/2MUMqex

Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Denounces Coup Attempt, BBC News, 2016, accesse 2018 via: https://bit.ly/2MUMon0

Hong Kong Protest 2014: The Social Media Revolution, The Guardian, 2014, accessed 2018 via: https://bit.ly/2OJHslo

Ukraine’s Protest Movement Fueled By Social Media, VOA, 2014, accessed 2018 via: https://bit.ly/2L3wfKp

How Online Social Movements Translates To Offline Results, PBS Newshour, 2017, accessed 2018 via: https://bit.ly/2L3Evdc

The Dark Knight, 2008

You’ve Got Mail, 1998

Egypt: Six Years Since Arab Spring Revolution, Al Jazeera English, 2017, accessed 2018: https://bit.ly/2w7pMse

United Airlines Stock Plunges After Viral Outrage, CBS News, 2017, accessed 2018 via: https://bit.ly/2Pjicn9

2017 Dragoncon Parade, via Dragoncon TV YouTube Channel, 2017, accessed 2018 via: https://bit.ly/2L470r0

The Man Trap, TOS, 1966

Encounter At Farpoint, TNG, 1987

Space Seed, TNG, 1967

The Thirteenth Doctor revealed - Doctor Who: Trailer - BBC One, 2017, accessed via the BBC YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2usPMPL

BBC Responds To Female Doctor Who Backlash, Newshub July 21, 2017, accessed August 2018 via https://goo.gl/MHiwGR

McDonalds Szechuan Sauce Frenzy, 23ABC News Kero-TV, october 9, 2017, accessed August 2018 via https://goo.gl/K128DG

Sonequa Martin-Green On "Star Trek: Discovery" And Its Diverse Cast, CBS This Morning, September 7, 2017, accessed August 2018 via https://goo.gl/2E11wo

What Triggered McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce Craze, Inside Edition, October 10, 2017, accessed August 2018 via https://goo.gl/GNwdcr

Virginia declares state of emergency ahead of Charlottesville anniversary, CNN, published August 2018, accessed August 2018: https://bit.ly/2MFuetk

White Nationalist Responds to Texas A&M Protests, ABC News, published December 2016, accessed August 2018: https://bit.ly/2NDvLg5

Images

San Diego Comic Con, by popculturegeek.com, 2011, uploaded by RightCowLeftCoast, 2012

San Diego Comic-Con Logo, by San Diego Comic-Con International, uploaded by Baeo, 2011

James Doohan Speaks At A Star Trek Convention, Neo Motion Pictures

Cal Tech Students Protest Cancellation Of Star Trek, taken by Harry Chase, The Los Angeles Times, 1968

Starlog Issue Number 1 Cover, accessed via flashbak.com: https://goo.gl/XMwy8W

Star Trek: The Official Fan Club Advertisement, Carolyn D. Weisner, Paramount Pictures / CBS Studios, 1993

Images of Luke Skywalker and Spiderman via Marvel Comics, of Captain Kirk & SXtar Trek by IDW Comics.

Japanese-Style Coffee Table, by 663highland, 2005

James Dean From Rebel Without A Cause, Warner Bros., 1955, uploaded by Bede735, 2014

Salt Lake Temple, Utah, by Entheta, 2008

Hobbiton, New Zealand, by Tom Hall, 2014, uploaded by Ashton 29, 2015

Apple IIe, taken & uploaded by Pratyeka, 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0

Council of Nicaea 325, painted 1590, uploaded by Stebunik, 2014

Eastern Orthodox icon depicting the First Council of Nicea, uploaded by Migel Sances Huares, 2015

Icon from the Mégalo Metéoron Monastery in Greece, representing the First Ecumenical Council of Nikea 325 A.D., with the condemned Arius in the bottom of the icon, uploaded by Jjenson, 2008

Symbolum Nicaeno-Constantinopolitanum. Icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea, uploaded by Hello World, 2015

The arrest of Adamites in a public square in Amsterdam, by Francois Morellon de La Cave, uploaded by Fæ, 2014

The Creation Of Adam, by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1511, uploaded by Eugene a, 2014

Night Meetings Of The Adamites, by Francois Morellon de La Cave

The Sermon On The Mount, by Carl Bloch, 1877, uploaded by Lecen, 2013

Virgin and Child with angels and Sts. George and Theodore, unknown artist, 600, uploaded by Shakko or NBS, 2007/08

The Apostle John and Marcion of Sinope, unknown artist, 1000-1100, uploaded by Akhenaten0, 2013

A Bible handwritten in Latin, on display in Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire, England, author unknown, 1407m taken by Adrian Pingstone, 2005

Marvelous Mosaic of Christ Pantocrator (“ruler over all”) from the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, 1261, taken by Dianelos Georgoudis, 2014, uploaded by Soerfm or Dianelos, 2017 / 2014

Imperial Gate Mosaics in the former basilica Hagia Sophia of Constantinople, uploaded by Myrabella, 2013

Beeldenstorm in een kerk, by Dirk van Delen, 1630, uploaded by Aiko, 2011

Le Massacre de la Saint-Barthélemy, by François Duboism 172-84, uploaded by Alonso de Mendoza, 2018

Portrait Of martin Luther, by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1529, uploaded by Jdcollins13, 2012

Un matin devant la porte du Louvre, by Édouard Debat-Ponsan, 1880, uploaded by Alonso de Mendoza, 2016

Luther At The Diet Of Worms, by Anton von Werner, 1877, uploaded by Jfhutson, 2017

Siege Of Antioch, by Jean Colombe, 1474, uploaded by Alonso de Mendoza, 2017

The Earl of Angus's Regiment (The Cameronians) at the Defence of Dunkeld, by Richard Simkin, 19th Century, uploaded by Spellcast, 2016

People cheering as Giuseppe Garibaldi enters Naples in 1860, by Franz Wenzel Schwarz, 19th century, uploaded by F L A N K E R, 2011

The Martin Luther window at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Charleston, SC, taken by Cadetgray, 2011

The Gutenberg Bible, Lenox Copy, New York Public Library, taken by Kevin Eng, 2009

Sacsaywamán Ruins, taken by McKay Savage, 2012

Roman Colosseum, by Bengt Nyman, 2013

Angkor Wat Stone carving, Gisling, 2013

Music

Potolaka, by Patrik Almkvisth

Pandora, by Anders Bothén

Fouh, by Twelwe

Clearer View by From Now On

Symphony No.7. in A-Major op.92, Ludwig van Beethoven

https://www.apmmusic.com/albums/SONIA-0510

Metamorphosis by Anders Ekengren

Fuzzy Logic by Nohoni

Vertigo by Gunnar Johnsén

Electro Pop Nr 11 by Jack Elphick

Websites

Rick & Morty -

“What Rick & Morty Fans’ Meltdown Over McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce Says About Geek Culture”, Vox, published October 10, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/CTSey7

“McDonald’s Faces Backlash Backlash Over Szechuan Sauce Shortage”, New York Post, published October 9, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/ipi6nb

“Rick & Morty Szechuan Sauce Backlash, Explained”, Inverse, Published October 9, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/Q1teXS

“Rick & Morty Fans Are Now Annoyed With McDonald’s Over Szechuan Sauce”, Screenrant, published October 8, 2017, access August 2018: https://goo.gl/peCfWb

Doctor Who -

‘“Get Over It!” Twitter Users React To The Backlash Over The First Female Dr Who With A Series Of Hilarious Memes”, The Sun, published July 17, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/vccQNL

“Former Time Lord Peter Davison Leaves Twitter After Doctor Who Backlash”, Digital Spy, published July 24, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/szoa2W

“Doctor Who: Fans React To Jodie Whittaker Casting”, BBC, Published July 17, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/Swqtd6

“Doctor Who Boss says ‘Shut The Hell Up About Female Star Backlash”, The Hollywood reporter, published July 23, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/dfGjCq

“First Woman To Play ‘Doctor Who’ Sparks Backlash”, Daily News, published July 16, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/NdfGHV

Star Trek -

“‘Star Trek Discovery’ Stars Respond To Fan Backlash”, Comic Book, published November 21, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/GdGYdA

“Some White ‘Star Trek’ Fan Are Unhappy About Remake’s Diversity”, Washington post, published June 23, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/msrXs3

“‘Star Trek Discovery’ Actor Wilson Cruz Strikes Back At Homophobic fans”, Daily Dot, published October 19, 2017, accessed August 2018: https://goo.gl/K1KGTa

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Gamergate -

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Kelly Marie Tran Leaves Instagram -

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More information on Deindividuation - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40869-016-0017-0

https://www.popdust.com/fandom-culture-social-media-essay-2016-1970238597.html

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2056305116664220

[exaltedmarch]

Prologue

 It was the long kind of war – waged by weary travelers and alien invaders, both convinced that once all the shots had been fired that there would be something left that they could call theirs.

 They weren't wrong.

 That’s what Jun Yang thought to himself as he peered out of the large viewport on his ship, the Democracy. Beyond the viewport was a stunning view of the Zheng He system, bluish-white light from its young star shining brilliantly through dust clouds and remnants of asteroidal debris. The Nexus glistened in the foreground. 

 The Nexus had completed construction in 2828, ten years after its arrival in Heleus, and just nine years after the Arks had arrived. By 2831, the Nexus had achieved its goal of becoming the hub of a multi-system expansion into the Andromeda galaxy.

 But it was not an easy first decade for the Initiative. Their first two years in the Heleus cluster were mired with missteps, mutiny, death, and an alien aggressor that nearly wiped out the Andromeda Initiative. The human Pathfinder, Scott Ryder, and the crew of the scout ship, Tempest, defeated the Archon, but that was hardly the end of the Initiative’s conflict with the kett. 

 The war raged for more than a decade. But it was a peculiar sort of war. The conflict with the kett kept a strange ebb and flow. At times their numbers seemed hopelessly depleted, and the fighting seemed at an end. Then, just before the last of their forces could be defeated, there would be a surge in kett activity in another part of the cluster. 

 This kept on for twelve years. And only now, did it finally seem like it was coming to an end for good. Or so Yang hoped. 

 “Director Yang,” said a cool, professional sounding female voice over the ship’s intercom. “Ms. T’Vessa has just come aboard, and she’ll be ready for you momentarily.”

 Yang was pulled out of his thoughts, and instinctively glanced over his shoulder.

 “Thank you,” said Yang. “Send her in whenever she’s ready.”

 Yang was in his forties, bald, and had a stern jaw. He was predominantly Chinese, mixed with hints of European and Native American heritage. He was wearing a formal, but modern looking black and gray suit.

 He stood stoic in front of the viewport, hands clasped behind his back.  

 Yang took over the position of Director for the Initiative in 2829, after Jarun Tann died of natural causes. His meteoric rise to power in Heleus took nearly everyone by surprise. Prior to his selection as Director, he had led the nation of Advent, spurring them to unprecedented growth on Eos, even surpassing the Initiative’s official colonization efforts in Prodromos.  

 He rose to prominence behind enormous public support, and was selected to the position of Director with few detractors among the Initiative population, but not without making a few political enemies in the Nexus leadership. 

 Now the weight of the Initiative’s future rested on him. The war with the kett was winding down, the colonies were beginning to thrive, and for the first time people were calling into question how much longer the Initiative – a private organization – should stay in power. 

 There were many who felt the Initiative had already stayed in control too long. Support was quickly growing among a movement calling for the Initiative to disband, or at least to relinquish executive type power to a cluster-wide, if not galaxy-wide, government. 

 It was a move Yang supported, in theory. Part of his popularity among the Initiative population in Heleus was garnered because he was vocal about the need for a central government. But his fervor for democracy as a political outsider met with the difficult pressures of being in a position of executive authority during a time of war. If he attempted to transition the Initiative out of power now, during war time, it could prove disastrous. 

 It had been three years since his appointment as Director. He faced criticism from both sides – those that felt he was attempting to sweep aside the Initiative in haste, and those that felt he was moving too slowly. He had a scant few political moves left. 

 Today he would be facing the latest round of questions from HNS reporter Keri T’Vessa, who had come aboard his private ship to discuss the future of the Initiative. 

 These sorts of long form, one-on-one interviews were rare, and therefore crucial to his efforts to maintain positive public opinion of the Initiative. A mistake could be costly, but a strong showing was invaluable. In something of a bold move, Yang insisted that the interview be aired live. 

 The doors to his cabin slid open behind him. Keri T’Vessa entered wordlessly. 

 At first, Yang didn’t greet her. He didn’t even turn around. His hands stayed clasped behind his back, and his gaze stayed fixed on Zheng He and the Nexus.  

 “Did you know that blue stars have a much shorter life span than red ones?” asked Yang. 

 He could hear her footsteps behind him as she approached the viewport. She walked across the mahogany wood floor in the center of the room, then stopped just short of the carpeted area on the viewing deck. 

  “Astronomy was never my strong suit in school,” said Keri. “But I think I might have heard that before, yes.”

 Yang still didn’t face her.

 “Blue stars are much brighter also,” he said. “They die faster, but they burn brighter.”

 “One might say it’s fitting,” said Keri. 

 “One might,” said Yang. 

 There was a comfortable pause, and then Yang finally turned to face her. He gave a warm, easy smile and nodded courteously. 

 “Welcome, Ms. T’Vessa,” said Yang. “And thank you for coming.”

 Keri was wearing a blue and white dress, long and fitted, formal and not unflattering to her figure. She smiled back at him, and returned the nod. 

 “Thank you for having me,” she said. “This is an incredible vessel.”

 “Did they give you the tour?”

 “Not yet, but I’d be happy to have a better look around.”

 “We’ll see to it after our chat.”

 Yang extended his arm out to his side, gesturing towards the sitting area in the center of the cabin. 

 The cabin was immaculate. Fine hardwood floors, plush carpets, marble-top credenzas, and finely upholstered furniture. In the center of the cabin, a finely woven rug was laid out over the hardwood, and two chairs were set facing each other at an angle. 

 They both walked towards the chairs.

 “And the Democracy… that’s under, Colonial Affairs budget, is that right?” asked Keri.

 “Are we on the record already, Ms. T’Vessa?” asked Yang.

 “I’d like it to be.”

 “Then I’ll happily say this vessel has been instrumental in the Nexus’s outreach efforts with the colonies, spending 287 days in the last calendar year on missions to foster a greater cooperative culture in Heleus, and advocating for a purposeful move to democracy throughout the cluster.”

 “That might be a good topic to start with.”

 They both took a seat. Keri tapped a data pad and a camera drone that she had set by the door sprung to life. It zipped across the room spryly, and then bobbed up and down before settling in one spot to hover in front of them. 

 A light on the front of the drone switched on. 

 “Are you ready to begin?” asked Keri. 

 Yang leaned back into his chair and nodded. “Please.”

 Keri held up three fingers, then two, then one, in perfect cadence. A red light on the drone turned on. 

 “Hello and welcome to Reflections and Conversations,” said Keri in a warm, natural tone. “I’m Keri T’Vessa and I’m honored today to be joined by the Director of the Andromeda Initiative, Jun Yang, to discuss the current state of the kett conflict, and the future of the Initiative.”

 “I’m glad we could do this,” said Yang. “It’s a pleasure to be with you.”

 “The pleasure is all mine,” replied Keri. “Let’s jump right into things… we’re just a couple of months beyond the twelve year mark in the kett conflict, and reports are that kett troop density is at an all time low, in all systems – given that, how confident are you that we are finally seeing an end to this war?”

 “We’re close,” said Yang. “I know… that, this has been a hard twelve years. Many sacrifices have been, and our enemy has shown a resiliency that no one could have anticipated. We were never meant to be an army, not trained for war, but despite that, against all odds, we have prevailed.”

 “But have we prevailed?” Keri interjected. “Truly? How close are we?”

 “We’re in the process now of rooting out the last remaining kett bases in key systems,” said Yang. “Of course I can’t discuss the details, but as we speak there are Pathfinder teams in the course of some key operations.”

 “And what of the Pathfinder teams? You’ve expanded their reach beyond the original four teams. Are they adjusting well to playing the role of paramilitary squad, as well as explorers?”

 Yang shook his head amicably. “They are not paramilitary.”

 “But aren’t they?” Keri countered. “The sorts of operations–”

 “The sorts of operations they are doing are not appropriately handled by anyone else in the Initiative. They are uniquely equipped to survey and respond to new territories, potentially compromised by hostile threats.”

 “That sounds like boilerplate rhetoric.”

 “That is is an accurate description of a nuanced mission, that is, in fact, unprecedented, not only in the history of the Initiative in Andromeda, but perhaps in the history of mankind. We have faced unique threats in Andromeda, and adapted unique solutions driven by multi-disciplinary personnel.”

 “With most of the Heleus systems charted, and – as you describe it, the Kett War winding down – do you believe the Pathfinders will always have a place in the Initiative?”

 “I believe they are heroes, in the truest sense of the word. They have become our paragons, the ones we needed most, at the time we needed them most. Andromeda, not just the Initiative, will rely on the talents of Pathfinders for a long time into the future.”

 “It sounds like you’re cognizant of a time when the Initiative may no longer be shaping the future of Andromeda. That brings me to our next topic, a very important one in the minds of many of our viewers. When will it be time for the Initiative to step aside, and allow the formation of a galactic government?”

 “That is the inevitable future for Andromeda, as I have always said. The Initiative has been, and currently still is, the best steward of our future in Heleus, and throughout the galaxy. But a long term solution will be build around the democratic process, and representative government.”

 “We’re all well aware of your position, Director Yang, you stated it quite clearly as President of Advent and as you campaigned for the Initiative Director position. But it’s been three years since you’ve taken your post, and yet, here we are, still under the auspices of the Initiative.”

 “And still at war, might I–”

 “But you just said the war was over.”

 “I said the war was ending.”

 There was a brief pause, not tense, but certainly telling. Yang pressed his gaze, almost daring Keri to break the silence. 

 “And what will the process look like?” asked Keri. “Once the war is over.”

 Yang interlocked his fingers in front of him, and looked down to pause pensively. 

 “I believe, the process must involve the colonies,” he said. “Any process of establishing a government in Heleus will need the leaders who have already succeeded in the efforts of local government here.”

 “You’ve said that before, Director, but you’ve never given any specifics. Please, elaborate on what you mean. How precisely will the colonial leaders be involved?”

 “These things do require time to evolve naturally, and they require careful discussion with those involved. Laying out details here would be imprudent–”

 “I’m not asking for you to commit yourself, but in a general sense, what sort of proceedings do you foresee?”

 “Well, in a general sense, I think that a convention to draft a constitution would be a proper foundation. And a great start to that process would be inviting the colonial leaders, or their duly appointed representatives, to participate on a rules committee for the convention, so they have say-so in the formal process that will be used to determine our constitutional framework.”

 “I’m sure many people in the colonies will be very glad to hear that.”

 Yang nodded slightly, and barely gave the hint of a smile. The exchange hadn’t been unfavorable for him so far, but Keri T’Vessa was talented.  

 It was obvious the opening topic would center around the war, but she was wise to immediately follow it with questions about the formation of a government and the Initiative relinquishing authority. One of the primary pro-Initiative arguments was the need for stability during the war, even Yang had used it frequently. But following answers he’d just given about how well the war was going, this argument would either come off less convincing or two-faced. 

 He technically gave the correct answers, stressing the fact that the war was ending, but not yet over. And he left no room for doubt that Andromeda would have a democratically elected government. But she had still constructed the contrast she wanted. 

 The brief diversion onto the topic of the Pathfinders was unexpected. She seized on it only because he mentioned it; in some sense, it was smart of her, since the increasing militarization of the Pathfinder teams had become mildly controversial. But she cast herself into the role of antagonist when it came to the galaxy’s most prominent heroes, not an easy position to argue from. It was tricky to maintain the necessary divisions between ambassador-explorers and special forces troops, but in reality that distance could be entirely rhetorical. He insisted on their heroism, and gave the technically accurate sterile descriptions of their contradictory roles – enough to stifle most dissension about their increasingly military focus. 

 On the matter of how he would make good on his promise to ‘include the colonies’ in the formation of a central government, Keri was most skillful. Yang hadn’t meant to reveal any particular plans, and while he only spoke in vague terms to what was already assumed anyway, it would give the colonies added leverage in negotiating details, since his public commitment to having them on the convention rules committee would mean he couldn’t back off from that offer. It would, however, gain him even more public popularity, as it showed him as being open to local government involvement. This would place pressure on the colonial leaders to work with him, or he could cast them as the ones being difficult, and potentially threaten their re-election chances. 

 Yang admired Keri’s tenacity, and her sharp line of questioning. She was no push over. And that’s precisely what he needed. No matter how hard she pushed him, he would never do worse than batting .500, and that would also add to his credibility. He would have taken on a live, long form interview, without receiving any topics or questions in advance, opposite a seasoned and respected investigative journalist. It would only further serve his reputation of being honest and transparent. No matter what, Keri would serve his purposes just by doing the interview. 

 –

 It was an hour and fifteen minutes later before they reached their final topic for the evening. Yang still had an easy, subtle smile on his lips, hands clasped together comfortably in front of him. 

 Keri showed only the slightest signs of fatigue, but the extended bout of rhetorical tactics hadn’t been easy. 

 “So, Director Yang, let me close on a very important topic,” she said. “The majority of Heleus systems have been charted. Although there is still much exploring to do on many planets, some have begun to ask, ‘what’s next?’ In the Milky Way, society expanded throughout the galaxy. And yet, in more than a decade in Andromeda, we’re confined to only one cluster.”

 Yang knew this topic would come up. It was a savvy move on her part to save it for last. 

 He nodded his appreciation for her question. “Exploration is why we came here.”

 He purposefully kept his reply brief, letting silence build to punctuate his next remarks. Keri eyed him carefully, being sure to keep quiet so he would keep talking. But Yang always intended to keep talking, this was a point he had had well rehearsed in his mind. 

 “There is something, within the human spirit, that yearns for exploration,” he said, carefully, deliberately. “There’s something deep within us that needs to make meaning from chaos, shine light into darkness, venture past what is known, and reveal truth behind mysteries. It is our destiny. I assure you, I assure all the people of Andromeda, that the Pathfinders will lead us beyond the Heleus cluster. Today, we have many challenges, here, in Heleus. We can say with pride, that this is our home. It has not been easy to earn the right to call this place home, and much work is still ahead of us. But the expansion of the Pathfinder team, our construction of new state-of-art scout ships and retrofitting of original Initiative scout ships, shows our strong commitment to exploration. We came here to explore Andromeda, all of it – and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

[instapicsil1]

Writer Chris Borrelli and photographer @briancassella spent some time at the the 2017 World Taxidermy & Fish Carving Championships at the Peoria Civic Center this week. Here’s a look at some of the contestants and their creations. Starling by Kim Kuenzel of Fayetteville, Ark., 11-foot Kodiak brown bear by Dale Selby, an orange-bellied leafbird by Zheng Mao Cai of China, a fox by Jordan Hackl of Warrenburg, Ill. and baby raccoons by Wendi Johnson of Sanford, Mich. @briancassella photo #taxidermy #taxidermist http://ift.tt/2pUxiXc

[instapicsil2]

Writer Chris Borrelli and photographer @briancassella spent some time at the the 2017 World Taxidermy & Fish Carving Championships at the Peoria Civic Center this week. Here’s a look at some of the contestants and their creations. Starling by Kim Kuenzel of Fayetteville, Ark., 11-foot Kodiak brown bear by Dale Selby, an orange-bellied leafbird by Zheng Mao Cai of China, a fox by Jordan Hackl of Warrenburg, Ill. and baby raccoons by Wendi Johnson of Sanford, Mich. @briancassella photo #taxidermy #taxidermist http://ift.tt/2pUxiXc