#Breaking News | Entertainment - Times of Ind

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Gravity Falls Sona/Self-insert

I made a guy and ofc her backstory/half of her personality is tied to Bill lmaoo. @aria-greenhoodie This is partly your fault btw. You made me redo my old ass gfsona from months ago because of Curly being such a fun character and i figured i should make a fucked up guy too. Backstory under the cut.

Lex/The Skillstealer is a purple haired woman who's name is a placeholder name short for "Skil(l) ind(ex)",as a reference to her power absorbing ability as she doesn't know her actual name due to a certain triangle messing with her memories.

She can not only take supernatural powers but also general skills that people have such as fire powers or a violinist's talent,she often merges powers with skills which make her insane antics all the more entertaining.

For example; One time she stole a man's ridiculously good guessing ability/intuition and also some golden goose's midas touch,and then she used both of those abilities to correctly guess lottery numbers which is why she won a million dollars that she then turned into gold.

She lives in a big castle in some In Between Realm where space-time doesn't exist as it is an area outside of the timestream,which is why she never gets caught from her crimes as she escapes to the literal outside of space-time soon after causing a ruckus on Earth.

Her castle is maintained by herself as she uses a speed god's super speed to swiftly clean the place and her rewinding ability from a clock being to fix anything that's broken there. Lex is fully aware of how powerful she is,but she only uses her ability to prank or hurt others because "Where's the fun in power when i can just mess with those humans?",in her own words.

However such power was only obtained after so much pain,and loss. When she was eight years old,Lex lost everything after Bill destroyed her dimension Suburbia (a medieval world with no war no drama no pain only peaceful farmer humans and plant people) by burning everything to the ground and then he also killed her parents while kidnapping her soon afterwards.

He killed her parents because he wanted to see what it would be like to break such a happy person living in a happy go lucky world. Soon after kidnapping her,Bill forced the girl to become one of his Henchmaniacs as the only human one out of a group of freaky monsters and then he gave her advanced weaponry to help him destroy and conquer worlds as well as kill people,and she did as told as he threatened to torture her or feed her to Teeth if she didn't obey.

Bill and Lex grew to have a babysitter child/friendship type relationship as the triangle found himself having to take care of the damn kid,actually letting her play in sandpits or hang out with other children just to keep her sane and or from whining. However,the girl eventually started to hate him as she slowly started to see how horrible her dear triangle babysitter is whenever she saw him mistreat the Henchmaniacs or torture innocents without hesitation,Bill didn't want his new little pawn (backstory happens pre canon. this happened like,a hundred years before Bill met Ford) to betray him one day so he decided to erase all of Lex's memories from before he kidnapped her and thus making her believe that he was the only one who cared after her parents supposedly abandoned her as well as making her only remember the fun times they had in laser tag earth playgrounds etc.

This instantly fixed the betrayal issue as Lex now believes that Bill is the only one who cares about her and she is now less hesitant about helping the isosceles conquer worlds and or kill innocent people as she knew it made her only friend happy. This act also made her forget her own name which is why she's only known as "Kid" by Bill in an attempt to not accidentally make her remember everything.

But then Bill got bored of the whole "Human Henchmaniac" thing so he decided to grab her soul and put it inside of a cane for five years just to play around with the concept of loose souls,Lex was fully conscious during this time which is why Bill deliberately tried to make her soul go through a living hell for his own amusement. He smacks the end of cane on the ground to get the Henchmaniacs' attention while knowing it hurts Lex,he swings it around not just to be dramatic but also to make Lex dizzy,and he has snapped that cane in half countless times just to torment the girl. He then later got bored of that too by the time the girl is now 13 and so he grabbed Lex's soul and forced it back into her body. The fact that her friend tormented her in a "I have no mouth but i must scream" situation for YEARS greatly betrayed her and made her hatred of the triangle from five years ago resurface into a bubbling rage,as she then tried to kill the triangle with his own weaponry that he summoned for her but then he warned her to not do that as he strangled her while making her promise to not try anything like that again lest she get hurt even more and also made her promise to keep serving him,and so she did as told as she kept serving the insane isoselces while still having a dormant anger toward him.

She kept killing others helping destroy and conquer worlds as well as torture innocents like usual,with no hesitation but she hates that she has to be that triangle's underling for the rest of her life. Then one day,she started to notice her body changing and not just in a puberty way,her body was LITERALLY changing as her limbs started to grow cracks on the surface. She then confronted Bill about this and he explained that whenever a soul is without a vessel for too long then the soul is forced back inside it's original vessel,it starts to make the vessel deteriorate as the vessel is used to being an empty husk and is thus now rejecting the soul and then it'll eventually fully reject the soul entirely as time goes on.

Either that or the soul starts to get corrupted from being separated from it's vessel for too long.

Bill knew this from the start when he was first going to grab Lex's soul,yet he did it anyway as he wanted to have fun regardless,this made the girl rightfully angry but she didn't do anything about it as she feared getting hurt by the triangle. Then the soul corruption started happening,as she started to become angrier and more chaotic and more sadistic,eventually starting to lose her conscience as the corruption took over her. She is now just as cruel as her master without any doubts or guilt over her behavior,the corruption turned her mind into a husk just as her body used to be.

Then things only got worse after she made a wish upon a shooting star to become powerful enough to overthrow her triangular master as she still hates him despite the triangle sparing her multiple times,and the wish was actually effective as she suddenly got her trademark Skill Stealing ability soon afterwards. She then decided to steal Bill's fire ability after he tried to blast a flame at her as "punishment" for not hanging out with the Henchmaniacs in his place,discovering that she can now fight against him without any fear,and she then proceeded to burn his eye while putting her hand on it,making him scream in agony as he begged for her to stop and she did but only if he let her go. And so he did.

Lex then went over to Earth after absorbing Bill's dimensional rift opening ability,deciding to live a new life with a new name,Lex. She then went on to become the world's mysterious menace as she started to gain abilities out of nowhere to terrorize others,and the press dubbed her to be the "Skillstealer" after someone witnessed her take an ability by literally absorbing it with her hands as their ability glowed in a bright line. And she found herself a new home after killing and replacing the owner of a Victorian castle by removing all the water in the person's body using her water manipulation power,dubbing it the Skillstealer Fortress.

Lex was living the dream,but then a few nightmares started to come back as she remembered her former friend/master Bill Cipher,she couldn't shake the thought of sparing him after everything he had done to her. So she immediately went to his location after she got word of his whereabouts from the Henchmaniacs as she confronted them about Bill when she teleported to the Nightmare Realm,with them telling her that he's in space prison now. She then began to torment him with burning electrocution acid squeezing him until he cracked and the like,finally managing to take revenge on her abuser as she torments him within the Theraprism over and over and over. (End)

[gracecpy]

Why Are Social Games Are More Than Just Playing: The Community Impact

Hello again! :D I hope everyone is doing well <3

Online gaming communities play a vital role in the digital age, transforming gaming from an individual pastime into a shared social activity. With improved technology and widespread internet access, players can interact, connect, and work together with like-minded gamers. This evolution has reshaped social interactions and strengthened connections within the gaming world.

What is Social Gaming? 👩🏻‍💻

A brief explanation of what social gaming is :)

Social gaming refers to online games that are designed to be played with or against other people, often through social networks, online communities, or mobile apps. Unlike traditional single-player games, social games encourage interaction among players, promoting social connections, collaboration, and competition. These games are typically more casual and accessible, allowing people of various skill levels to participate and enjoy the experience together.

It is also important to note that social media has played a pivotal role in shaping social gaming in recent years, transforming gaming into a more community-centered and interactive experience.

Gamers have various reasons for playing. A 2023 report from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) highlights that some of the main motivations include having fun, passing the time, and relieving stress. Regardless of their reasons, many gamers are able to experience the benefits of gaming.

The Cultural Impact of Gaming 🕹️

Gaming has evolved significantly from its beginnings and has had a major influence on our culture. It’s no longer just a pastime; it’s become a way of life, shaping music, fashion, and even communication. Gaming has developed its own unique language, complete with specific terms and slang.

One of the greatest cultural impacts of gaming is its ability to unite people. It has enabled individuals from around the world to connect and interact, creating a space for communities to form and share experiences. Online gaming allows players to meet and play with others from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and countries, breaking down barriers and fostering understanding between people who may never have crossed paths otherwise.

Image credits: USA Today Tech

Gaming has also influenced the entertainment industry, becoming a major source of entertainment that competes with movies and TV shows in both popularity and revenue. The gaming industry is now worth billions, with titles like Grand Theft Auto V and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 each earning over a billion dollars in sales. Additionally, gaming has grown into a popular spectator sport, with esports tournaments drawing millions of viewers globally.

One of the most profound effects gaming has had on our culture is its ability to spark creativity and innovation. It has nurtured some of the world’s most inventive minds, with many game developers later becoming entrepreneurs and founding companies that have transformed industries. Gaming has also driven the development of new technologies and inventions, such as virtual reality headsets and motion-sensing controllers.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic 😷

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, social interaction was restricted by government mandates and business closures, including schools, workplaces, restaurants, and gyms. The stay-at-home orders that followed significantly reduced opportunities for in-person interactions.

The restriction on in-person interactions had significant societal effects. Social interaction and support are crucial for positive emotional well-being, while isolation and loneliness can negatively impact mental health.

During the period of social distancing, online social gaming became a safe and accessible source of entertainment and interaction.

The Positive Impacts of Social Media on Community-Building in Gaming 💆🏻‍♀️

Social media has brought significant improvements to the gaming industry, offering players a platform to connect and form communities. Social media allows players to share their gaming experiences and connect with others worldwide, fostering a sense of inclusivity and belonging within the gaming community.

Furthermore, social media offers game developers a direct way to engage with their audience, making it evident that it plays a crucial role in the growth and success of the gaming industry.

Building Connections! 🌏

Online gaming communities bring people together through shared interests, often focusing on specific games or genres like first-person shooters, role-playing games, or strategy games. Connecting with others who share a passion for the same games can be highly rewarding, providing opportunities to exchange strategies, share tips, and build friendships with those who understand their enthusiasm.

Furthermore, online gaming communities have broken geographic barriers, uniting people from various cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. This creates a diverse and global gaming environment, offering players new perspectives and promoting inclusivity and understanding.

Teamwork! 💪🏼

In many online games, teamwork and collaboration are key to success in many online games, requiring players to join forces to complete quests, achieve objectives, or overcome opponents. This focus on cooperation fosters social interaction and helps players develop interpersonal skills, as they must communicate, coordinate strategies, and support one another to reach their goals.

Collaborative gameplay helps players develop important skills like leadership, problem-solving, and effective communication. These abilities can be applied to real-life situations, enhancing social interactions beyond gaming.

Emotional Support 🫂

Online gaming communities offer a sense of belonging and support to individuals who may feel isolated or overlooked in other parts of their lives. These spaces allow gamers to connect with others who share their interests and provide emotional encouragement, which can be especially helpful for those dealing with social anxiety or challenges in forming connections in traditional social settings.

Gaming communities provide a space for forming lasting friendships and meaningful connections. Many include forums, chat rooms, and social media groups where members can discuss not only gaming but also personal topics. These platforms often become places for sharing experiences, seeking advice, or enjoying casual conversations.

Challenges ⚔️

Despite the benefits of online gaming communities, they also come with challenges, particularly the risk of toxic behavior and online harassment. The anonymity provided by online platforms can lead some individuals to act abusively towards others, negatively affecting the gaming experience and deterring people from engaging in these communities.

To combat this problem, many gaming platforms have introduced strict rules to encourage respectful behavior and penalize offenders. Players are also urged to report harassment or abuse, while community moderators are essential in ensuring a safe and welcoming environment.

Gaming, once a solitary activity, has become a global phenomenon due to social media. These changes have transformed both the gaming experience and the structure of gaming communities.

Social media has become essential for gamers and developers, connecting people, building communities, and introducing new dynamics in gaming.

To conclude this blog 🔏

Online gaming communities have had a profound impact on social interaction, revolutionizing the way people connect and engage with each other. These communities provide a space for gamers to build connections based on shared interests, collaborate and work together towards common goals, and seek emotional support from like-minded individuals. They have created opportunities for individuals to connect and form friendships across geographic boundaries and have fostered a sense of inclusivity and understanding.

With the existence of social media, it has greatly influenced gaming communities by connecting players, building communities, and enhancing the experience. While challenges exist, the benefits are clear, and it continues to shape the future of gaming in exciting ways. When used responsibly, social media can foster connection, learning, and engagement, making gaming more dynamic and inclusive.

References

WeAreTechwomen. (2024, July 2). Game on | How social media levels up gaming communities

https://wearetechwomen.com/game-on-how-social-media-levels-up-gaming-communities/

Jonathan Shroyer. (2023, May 11). The impact of social media on the gaming industry

https://chiefcxofficer.com/the-impact-of-social-media-on-the-gaming-industry

Ethan Davis. (2023, Dec 3). The Impact of Online Gaming Communities on Social Interaction

https://ethan-davis.medium.com/the-impact-of-online-gaming-communities-on-social-interaction-8c85f4f89d48#:~:text=Through%20collaborative%20gameplay%2C%20players%20can,interaction%20beyond%20the%20gaming%20sphere.

Matthew Urwin. (2024, August 29). The Real Benefits of Video Games

https://builtin.com/articles/online-gaming-social-benefits

Rita Maggioli. (2023, March 17). The cultural significance of gaming and its evolution over the years

https://landing.jobs/blog/gaming-culture-evolution/#:~:text=It%20has%20influenced%20music%2C%20fashion,ability%20to%20bring%20people%20together.

Mary E Ballard. (2023, March 18). Importance of Social Videogaming for Connection with Others During the COVID-19 Pandemic

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9047596/

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Breaking News Headlines-Pexels-ind

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The Costs of the Hollywood Actors’ Strike

Trouble in Tinseltown

It’s happening: America’s $134 billion movie and TV industry has ground to a halt after the Hollywood actors’ union voted to strike, joining screenwriters and shutting down virtually all productions.The move reflects the growing aggressiveness of the American labor movement, which has been battling against Starbucks, Amazon, UPS and others. Only in this case, the dispute involves one of the most visible industries around — and there’s no sign of a compromise in sight.The actors’ union blasted studios for refusing to bend on key issues, including higher payouts from streaming titles and clear limits on the use of artificial intelligence. “How they plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their C.E.O.s.,” Fran Drescher, the TV actor who now leads the SAG-AFTRA union, said yesterday. “It is disgusting. Shame on them!”The studios argue that the unions’ demands are unrealistic, given the challenges the entertainment industry faces, from streaming to fallout from the pandemic. “This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption,” Bob Iger, Disney’s C.E.O., said on CNBC yesterday. (More on him later.)Expect more such comments next week on media company earnings calls.Tinseltown’s glitz quickly went dim. Because actors are now forbidden from promoting their films, the cast of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” walked out in the middle of the movie’s London premiere. And campaigning for shows nominated for Emmy awards, which were just announced on Wednesday, was suspended.That will have consequences for other Hollywood industries, including advertising and talent agencies, celebrity and trade publications and film festivals. “The celebrity factory has shut down,” Janice Min, the head of the entertainment publication The Ankler, told Vanity Fair. “If this goes on for a long time, you will feel it across the whole internet.”In some ways, the strike could actually benefit studios and streaming platforms. The lack of new shows and movies may allow them to back out of expensive production deals they signed during the content boom.But the longer the strikes go on, the more audiences may grow restless with a lack of fresh scripted content. (Fall TV schedules are packed with reality and game shows.) Streaming giants with vast libraries might be OK, but lesser-stocked services may face a deluge of cancellations, and studios that sell to other platforms could be in increasingly dire straits.HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING The S.E.C.’s crypto crackdown suffers a setback. The regulator has argued that digital assets should be treated as securities, but a judge ruled yesterday that the crypto company Ripple did not break securities law in selling its token, XRP, on public exchanges. Elsewhere, Alex Mashinsky, the founder of the bankrupt crypto lender Celsius, was arrested on charges of fraud and lying about the firm’s business model.Aspartame is declared a potential cancer risk. The World Health Organization joined research agencies in saying that the widely used artificial sweetener is a possible carcinogen. Experts disagree on what constitutes an unsafe level of consumption, but Wall Street analysts say the warning could hurt the sale of diet sodas and other products.Tucker Carlson reportedly plans to start a new media company. The former Fox News host and Neil Patel, a White House adviser under George W. Bush, are seeking to raise funding for a subscription-driven venture, according to The Wall Street Journal. Last month, Carlson returned to the public eye with a Twitter version of his popular Fox show, but its audience has been in steep decline.

A new era of dealmaking at Disney?

A day after Bob Iger extended his tenure as Disney’s C.E.O. by two years, the entertainment mogul suggested that he was weighing a bigger shake-up of the media giant, including potential deals for ESPN and other channels like ABC.The remarks indicate that Iger, who oversaw some of Disney’s biggest acquisitions, may yet do more deals — albeit as a seller. The big question is: Whom will he do them with?Iger is under pressure to turn Disney’s fortunes around, after laying off thousands and slashing costs. Though he has headed off a challenge by the activist investor Nelson Peltz, shareholders can’t be happy with Disney’s stagnating stock price.Here’s what an Iger shake-up might look like:Disney may sell a stake in ESPN, which has suffered from a steep drop-off in cable subscriptions, to a partner that could help the sports network improve its online reach and pay for increasingly expensive broadcast rights. Likely candidates are tech titans with online video platforms, including Apple (an often-rumored buyer for Disney, antitrust concerns aside), Google and Amazon. Buyers for ABC and cable channels like FX are less obvious, since a deal with another media giant could draw opposition from antitrust regulators. The Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall speculated that private equity or hedge funds may jump in, tempted by the businesses’ steady cash flow and the opportunity to cut margins (as they’ve done with newspapers). In other news: Britain’s antitrust regulator, which blocked the Microsoft deal in April only to reopen its investigation a day after the U.S. court ruling, will extend the deadline for its investigation by six weeks. The companies could reportedly sell some British cloud gaming rights to win approval. Exxon Mobil agreed to buy the carbon-collection company Denbury for $4.9 billion. (Reuters) Adobe’s $20 billion bid for Figma faces an in-depth investigation by Britain’s antitrust regulator. (The Verge) Silicon Valley start-ups are exploring sales to bigger companies as venture funding dries up. (FT) James Bullard, president of the St. Louis Fed, will step down to become dean of Purdue University’s business school. (Reuters) “Big Tech’s Love Affair With Low-Tax Nations Is Under Threat” (WSJ) “‘An Act of War’: Inside America’s Silicon Blockade Against China” (NYT) Companies are leaving London’s Canary Wharf, reflecting a broader shift that is also hitting office districts in cities like New York and Chicago. (NYT) The winner of tomorrow’s Wimbledon women’s final will again be a first-time Grand Slam champion — a common occurrence since Serena Williams won her last major tournament in 2017. (WSJ)We’d like your feedback! Please email thoughts and suggestions to dealbook@nytimes.com. Source link Read the full article

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Malavika Mohanan’s fitness routine https://ift.tt/tNBy8mA

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Malavika Mohanan's love for saris in pictures https://ift.tt/nU0ZGF9

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Ten Stylish Photoshoots of Eesha Rebba https://ift.tt/z8Hqos9

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Divya Bharathi's drool-worthy pictures https://ift.tt/wgk9Qyv

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In pics: Ethereal looks of actress Shaun Romy https://ift.tt/R3Ezsa1

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10 Delightful pictures of Charmy Kaur https://ift.tt/BZk4yHg

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Kiran Rathore’s breathtaking clicks https://ift.tt/6VIO5ej

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Nandita Swetha's stunning appearances in black https://ift.tt/fK17Y2V

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10 Glamourous Pictures of Kiran Rathod https://ift.tt/3t9ENc6

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Ruhani Sharma ups the heat this summer https://ift.tt/Ou8viCB

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Samantha earns 3 cr from Instagram: Report https://ift.tt/ouinwv9