#Authentic reviews

[techdriveplay]

How WhistlinDiesel Revolutionized Car Reviews

With automotive content, traditional car reviews have long followed a familiar formula: polished shots of vehicles, technical specifications, and reserved commentary on performance. However, with the rise of platforms like YouTube and social media, this formula has been challenged. One creator who stands out in this shift is WhistlinDiesel. Known for his unconventional and often extreme approach,…

[marzipanandminutiae]

New doll? New doll!

This is Aurelia, a porcelain BJD by Adollable Dolls out of South Africa. Her official artist name is Faylynn, but I wasn't a fan of that

She came in this lovely box:

With some extras:

Silver hair ornament with a little clip so she or I can wear it, and a box of Lindt truffles that unfortunately got squished in transit

She's a lovely doll overall; I've had some porcelain BJD disappointment in the past, so I was pleasantly surprised to open her and not feel that (two of the three I had previously owned ended up disappointing me). There are a few flies in the ointment, however.

The Good: gorgeous doll, good quality porcelain, very well done painting, little molded rings, posing is decent, spring jointed (which I prefer to elastic because it doesn't wear out), painted pubic hair- don't let unrealistic beauty standards get to you!, very soft and well constructed wig, pierced ears and earrings, nice packaging, came with a pretty stand that has a little silver feet

The Bad: weirdly small and narrow feet for the size and proportions of the doll; definitely cannot stand on her own, eyes are ever so slightly unfocused, artist sprayed a very strong perfume inside the box, does take a bit of finagling to pose even though she gets there in the end

(also I dropped one of her earrings on my carpet and now I can't find it, which is not the fault of the artist and has me kicking myself because they are very cute little gold leaves)

Overall, I would recommend this artist for the most part. Just be aware of the tiny feet thing, and maybe ask her if she can not spray perfume on the package if you have any kind of sensitivities or just generally don't want that

Welcome home, Aurelia!

[jasper-book-stash]

Things that irritated me about Werewolf Magick: Authentic Practical Lycanthropy by Denny Sargent:

I naturally deduct a point for "magic-with-a-K", how dare you make me spell "magickian"

I am deducting another point for the repeated usage of "shaman" for cultures that very pointedly are not Tungusic like the word "shaman" is

I would have loved to see some citations about all of these werewolf cults being "well accepted"

it was weird to drag genetics into it with "84% shared DNA between humans and wolves"

the Wiccan-aligned Triple Goddess stuff really reared its head on pages 36 and 37 and as someone who is not Wiccan my eye twitched

I feel like the author over-romanticizes a version of the "wild past" that may or may not have actually existed

the left brain-right brain stuff that gets brought up in the symbol section is based on outdated science

the usage of "third eye" while talking about the werewolf eye symbol in that same section also made my eye twitch (though the author is initiated into a whole slew of practices spanning what might be the entire goddamn Northern Hemisphere)

Things I liked about the book:

the author outlined very clearly who the book was meant for and how to use it (linearly)

there are safety and health disclaimers from the get-go that are reiterated in their respective areas

the bibliography is FUCKING HUGE compared to the average witchcraft text

there are in-text citations all over the damn place

the author reminds us that physically transforming into a wolf isn't possible (but you might grow more body hair according to him)

the author reminds us to be physically safe and not get arrested

there's a strong pro-diversity and pro-furry but anti-Nazi stance in the text

the in-book glossary is very helpful (even though it's in the text rather than being an appendix, I fixed this by using a post-it note to mark it)

the author has a firm stance of being respectful of animal remains while working with them in one's practice (not just wolf remains, but all remains) and offers alternatives to wolf remains for those of us who are worried about endangered wolves

there are a bunch of examples for substitutes of things that are still thematically appropriate with the emphasis to trust your Animalself

there's a full breakdown of the author's tools and their uses along with how they should be made or obtained

there are lots of exercises and rituals as you go which are thorough but easy to follow

the author clearly outlines the expectations and possibilities of this paradigm

the author actually believes in evolution (thank the gods)

the author explains where some rituals are based on and the context needed behind them

the author re-reviews necessary information mentioned beforehand before building on it in dedicated areas

Even though that many "Jasper is redacting a point" parts would usually warrant a 7 or 8 out of 10... My final verdict is that Werewolf Magick is a 9/10 book despite the parts where I want to elbow-drop the author in the Werewolf Arena, but you have to be part of a very particular niche to enjoy this book. Honestly wanting to fight the author is part of the appeal of this book.

[superfan44]

Superfan's Short Movie Reviews: "Warfare"

Every once in a while, a movie comes along that shows us the reality of war. No flashiness, no romanticism, just the honest truth. This is one of those movies. A raw, flinching, intense look at a group of Navy SEALS trying to stay alive during a mission in Ramadi, Iraq. Writer/director duo Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza (the latter, an Iraq War veteran) bring a level of authenticity that can be seen, heard, and felt in every detail. The lack of a musical score and explosive sound editing immerses you in the situation that unfolds. It grabs ahold of you and doesn't let go until the final frame. One of the most interesting contemporary war movies I've seen in a while.

[rabbitmotifs]

i tried to make an account on facebook so i could interview old punks in my area and my account got permanently disabled b4 i could even access it 🚶‍♀️ok. thwarted by the zuckerberg machine

[cannibalismyuri]

just had the best chole bhature, meethi lassi, samosa chaat and rasgulla. i am Content.

[dazzelmethat]

I bought “The essence of being a muse” by Aya Fumino at half priced books. And I thought I’d share a moment I liked. Try to buy the book if you enjoy my analysis.

The book has a fascinating way of portraying conversational miscommunication.

First instance is from ch 1

This is the same scene from the guy’s pov in ch 4.

Still kinda an asshole thing to say. But it shows more that consolidating with someone about shared patheticness when you have low self esteem is insulting. Even if he meant it as a complement.

The way the mangaka used the character’s thought text to cover up the girl’s speech bubble is smart. In that a characters’s social anxiety driven interpretation of a sentence just wrecks the conversation.

I’m autistic and very aware that ‘every man is an island’ but I like to see attention drawn to the feeling.

[thecosmicradar]

If you aren’t centered, your consciousness is just following whatever catches its attention. -The Untethered Soul

[phantom-remix]

listened through the highest and. well. ratings

go higher: soft 127 launch.........? just a very incongruent song to me like genuinely baffling. if the rest of the song was more like the chorus or bridge i might've been into it. if the chorus was more like the rest of the song i might've felt no confusion hating it. instead i've never been more confused listening to a song in my life

tempo: they stole exo's title and couldn't even deliver 25% of what made exo tempo good... um. better than go higher i guess but that's a really low bar

deep ocean: i like this one...! was really scared when yangdery's voices came on but it was like normal. nice to listen to. tentatively +liked

what a good time: this one was fine i liked it better than invincible. not the worst girl who's going to be okay song out there for sure

images: i think i like this one? upgraded from fine to nice to listen to which is something. +liked

bandage: i like this one the best out of all the songs i think. the anime op vibe is cute. +liked

overall: 3/6 which is on track for most wayv albums for me i guess. no song really stood out to me which is a little unfortunate. go higher i think baffled me so much it colored my perception of the entire album though which is really unfortunate

[ificouldflytotheclouds]

Just finished young royals and now I’m sad

[kalpalatas]

pitchfork giving great impersonator 4.8 while accusing halsey of being "addicted to concepts" like motherfuckers what do you think entire bodies of work are made of. fluff and gas?

[rheadionne]

Check out my review of Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina 

[captaingimpy]

Dissecting Disability Representation in Media: Insights from 'My Left Foot,' 'Echo,' and 'Music Within'

In the realm of cinematic and television media, the portrayal of disabilities often treads a delicate line between realism and dramatization. This intersection is vividly illustrated in productions like “My Left Foot,” the TV show “Echo,” and the film “Music Within.” As someone who is both neurodivergent and living with cerebral palsy, I approach these portrayals with a critical eye, keenly aware…

[rainbowresurrection]

I ended up reading The Price of the Phoenix and while it didn't make me want to bleach my eyes like Killing Time, I still didn't like it as much as I hoped I would. Don't get me wrong, the homoeroticism was intriguing to me, but the actual writing and storyline itself left me with a headache. I think I get my hopes up with these books, given all of the possibilities that the written word has for Trek, and it inevitably sets me up for disappointment lol

[cinephilesadeqi]

Movie Analysis and Review: "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975)

Introduction:“Dog Day Afternoon” presents a gripping narrative of a botched bank robbery that escalates into a day-long hostage situation, unveiling the complexities of its characters amidst a media frenzy and FBI intervention. Synopsis:In the sweltering summer of 1972, inexperienced criminal Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino) orchestrates a bank heist in Brooklyn with his accomplice Sal Naturile (John…