#Choosing Between Data Science

[anna11dsouza]

Choosing Between Data Science, Data Analyst, and Data Engineer Roles: Which Path Is Right for You?

Choosing Between Data Science, Data Analyst, and Data Engineer Roles: Which Path Is Right for You?

If you’re considering a career in the data field in Bangalore, you might be wondering which role is the best fit for you. There are three prominent career paths you can take: Data Scientist, Data Analyst, and Data Engineer. Each role has its own distinct responsibilities, skill requirements, and growth opportunities. Understanding these differences is crucial when making an informed decision about which career path to pursue.

1. Data Scientist: Exploring Complex Data for Insight

Data Scientists are at the forefront of data-driven decision-making. They are responsible for creating models and algorithms that help organizations predict trends, make business decisions, and gain actionable insights from complex data. If you enjoy working with big data, statistical analysis, and machine learning, a career in Data Science might be ideal for you. Enrolling in a Data Science Training in Marathahalli can provide you with the skills needed to excel in this role. You’ll work with tools like Python, R, and advanced machine learning algorithms, and you’ll need a strong foundation in statistics and mathematics.

Many professionals in Bangalore opt for Data Science Institutes in Marathahalli due to the advanced curriculum and hands-on training. With these courses, you can also pursue certifications like Data Science Certification in Marathahalli, which will help you stand out in the competitive job market.

2. Data Analyst: Interpreting Data to Solve Business Problems

A Data Analyst focuses on interpreting data to identify trends, generate reports, and provide actionable insights that guide business decisions. Unlike Data Scientists who focus on building models and algorithms, Data Analysts typically focus more on data visualization, reporting, and conducting exploratory data analysis. Data Analysts work with business intelligence tools like Excel, Tableau, and SQL, often in collaboration with other teams.

If you’re drawn to understanding business problems and using data to solve them, a Data Analytics Course in Marathahalli could be a good fit. With an emphasis on SQL, Excel, and data visualization, these programs help students develop practical skills. Additionally, Bangalore offers specialized R Programming for Data Science courses, which are beneficial for Data Analysts aiming to enhance their data manipulation and statistical analysis abilities.

3. Data Engineer: Building the Infrastructure for Data Processing

Data Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the infrastructure that allows organizations to process and store large volumes of data. Their role is to ensure that data is clean, accessible, and properly formatted for Data Scientists and Analysts to use. If you enjoy working with databases, programming, and data pipelines, becoming a Data Engineer might be the right choice for you.

A strong background in coding languages such as Python, Java, and SQL is essential for Data Engineers, and you can get the required knowledge through a Machine Learning Course in Marathahalli or an Advanced Data Science Marathahalli program. These courses will not only teach you the programming skills but also prepare you for handling big data tools like Hadoop, Spark, and Kafka. Data Engineering roles also offer strong growth potential, especially in data-driven industries in Bangalore.

Conclusion: Which Path Is Right for You?

Choosing between Data Science, Data Analyst, and Data Engineer roles depends on your interests, strengths, and long-term career goals. If you're passionate about machine learning and algorithms, a Data Science role is a great choice. For those who enjoy making sense of data through reports and visualizations, becoming a Data Analyst might be the right path. If you’re interested in building the architecture behind data processing, Data Engineering could be your ideal career.

Before you make a decision, it’s important to explore Data Science Bootcamp Marathahalli programs and Business Analytics Course Marathahalli to understand each role more deeply. You can also opt for Data Science Online Course Marathahalli if you prefer flexible learning schedules.

As you move forward, consider the growing demand for Data Science Courses with Placement in Marathahalli, which offer job-oriented training that enhances your career prospects in Bangalore's competitive tech industry.

[evilestscientist]

yeah not doing all that. also I say without shame that I've never developed a passion for any research topic in particular so forcing me to choose would be another layer of cruelty

[daylighted]

all i can think about is frat boy dean whos dating his nerdy little girlfriend and comes over to her dorm when shes studying and shes like struggling but dean tries to help her study even though he doesnt know shit😭 and then hes like “yeah i have no idea what im even saying” while hes trying to explain random crap

anyways ur theme is so cute!!

all of the classes dean was in, she was in the advanced placements for, pretty much an entire year above him. she was so damn smart that dean sometimes felt like she was humbling herself being around him and choosing him, especially in instances like this, where she'd asked him to study with her, and he realized quickly he does not know how to study properly.

"well, see," he's half leaned over her shoulder, chin resting in the little notch between her neck and arm, "the data's gotta have the answer. wouldn't be part of the question if it didn't."

dean did not have a clue what he was looking at. a table chart with so many numbers. a paragraph above it explaining the numbers and adding additional data. the practice question wasn't even multiple choice; who did that?

her smile is slow, and dean knows that again, he's said the wrong thing. but if there's one thing dean does know how to do, is dig his own grave. "like, math, right?" it was science. chemistry. whatever. "take all the numbers, add 'em up, get the average..."

well, now her eye was twitching, like a parent barely refraining from taking the pen and doing the problem themselves. dean's starting to stutter over his explanation. technically, she did ask for this, asking him for assistance, so... "then multiply the average by the number of sections on the chart. with all those steps, it's gotta be the way, baby, trust."

his beautiful, intelligent, quiet girlfriend did not say a word to argue. instead, she did something worse, and took her pretty pen out of his hand and moved the paper in front of her again. the silence was overbearing. now dean had completely abandoned his books and wanted to see this damn problem through, just out of his own disbelief. they made questions like this? without multiple choice? and all these numbers?

he, in fact, does not shut up, even as she's writing numbers and scribbling them out and repeating. "yeah, babe, to be honest? don't know what the fuck i'm saying."

"i know." two words, and she'd managed to dismantle the fragile confidence he had in chemistry-related things. "but thank you for trying to help in your own way."

she might as well have just stabbed him. "just doin' my job, pretty lady," dean saluted her, tipping his baseball cap at her before plucking it off his head and spinning it around. front facing meant business, backwards meant party. he deserved a party after the couple of braincells in his head had sparked and fizzled out. "hey, how 'bout this," the mischief in his smile is absolutely diabolical considering he was really just starting to hinder you more than anything, "every question either of us get right, we take somethin' off?"

her eyebrows raise. "you're gonna be fully clothed and i'm gonna be naked if we do that."

dean leans in to steal a kiss, that devilish grin still on his mouth. "that's precisely the point. get t'solvin', pretty lady."

she wasn't going to argue. especially not when he used precisely right in a sentence.

[hwaslayer]

wildfire (cs) | fifteen.

—spotify playlist | series masterlist

—summary: assistant professor in bioengineering, incredibly attractive, lonely and divorced; that’s how most people describe san. but despite the events that have happened in his life, san has a lot going for himself. he’s a successful, sought out professor due to his brilliant contributions to science at just an early age of 32. he worked hard to get where he was now; head deep into his research, his publications, building his lab and creating a name for himself. everything was good and smooth sailing— until it wasn’t. because when he meets you, a bioengineering grad student interested in rotating in his lab, he finds himself ready to risk all the blood, sweat and tears he put in throughout the years just to keep you close— his need for you spiraling out of control like a wildfire.

—pairing: asst. professor!choi san x grad student!f. reader

—genre: (18+ - minors dni) strangers to lovers, grad school au | fluff, angst, smut

—word count: 6.6k

—chapter content/warnings: cussing/mature language, changes are happening??, namjoon again to the rescue, a bit of distant san 😔, a bit of yearning san ❤️‍🩹, alcohol consumption & intoxication, a very small kiss that was accidental and meant absolutely nothing, these two just 😞 over each other, some crying

—on rotation: next to you - bryson tiller | i'll be alright (tonight) - mura masa

Two months have passed, closer to 3, and you've been busy working your ass off in Namjoon's lab. You've brainstormed and came up with a project that Namjoon approved, giving you all the resources and space you needed to get started. You've also been working alongside a few people in the lab since their project was relatable to yours, finding guidance and a little bit of training and support to carry your project forward. It's been busy, and it's been a good busy.

It's been good enough to keep your mind off of San.

For the most part.

You could only avoid him so many times, and it's not like the ache you felt deep in your chest, your stomach, went away. It still lingers, and it still hits you from time to time.

And it doesn't make it any easier when you get reminders. 

Like meeting San's eyes across campus— only for him to break loose and shift his attention elsewhere.

The shift is a harsh, cold reminder that this may actually be over for good.

—FLASHBACK

"Hey." Sunwoo says, gently nudging you. "You okay? Haven't seen you in awhile?" You nod, half smiling before looking down at your laptop. 

"Was busy." You chuckle a bit. "Was working on the fine details of my rotation presentation, along with all the data analysis we worked on." You give him a small smile. "I came to clean out the last bits of my stuff."

"It'll all blow over." He says with a reassuring smile. "For the record, I don't think it really matters but I know Professor Kim is just trying to keep everything together before it all blows up again."

"Guessing the whole world knows now?" He shrugs.

"Maybe, maybe not. I haven't heard much lately, but you know me, I don't like to meddle in things like that in general. I keep outta that shit."

"People must think greatly of me." He chuckles.

"It doesn't matter what they think. In any case, you are a good person, you're super sweet and super smart. If they choose to fix on that, that's their issue."

"Thanks, Sunwoo." You look at him. "I'm sorry I won't be able to help you after this."

"That's okay. We'll still hang out and I'm sure we'll cross paths more before I finish up here. Plus, I love Professor Choi but having Professor Kim take you under his wing is fucking sick." You laugh, playfully shoving him.

"I don't know where this will take me, but I hope it works out."

"Are you two.. still a thing? Secret's safe with me. For real."

"I know. But, no."

"I don't know the ins and outs of what happened between you and Professor Choi, but I'm sure he did it for good reason. To also protect you."

"Yeah, maybe. Who knows anymore." You sigh. "Anyway. Gotta head out to do my rotation presentation."

"Goodluck. It'll be all good." Sunwoo gives you a small smile. "Text or call me? Let's get lunch on a weekly basis or something to catch up."

"Yeah, I will. Thanks for everything, Sunwoo."

"Nah, thank you. You really helped my ass out." You laugh and playfully ruffle his hair.

"I'll see you around." You gather your things and let out a shaky sigh as you head out. You're hauling your main bag, and another tote bag that has the rest of your things from your desk. You head over to the small auditorium that Namjoon booked for your rotation presentation, giving yourself some wiggle room to set up and get situated before the three would arrive.

Too bad someone else also had the same plan.

You waltz into the room and head straight for the podium, setting your things down onto a chair in the front row. You grab your laptop and settle at the front, eyes shooting up at the door when you hear footsteps approach the entrance.

And of course it would be San.

He slowly trails in with Namjoon next to him; except, Namjoon turns to speak with a student that stopped him right by the entrance. San is in his black dress pants, white shirt and a black leather jacket. His boots are leaving sounds with every step he takes, watch gleaming on his wrist. He meets your eyes and you instantly freeze— shifting your attention back to your laptop because you don't know what the hell else to do. He doesn't say anything as he heads down the aisle and to the front row, his greeting almost sounding dull.

Forced, even.

"Y/N."

"Professor Choi." The awkwardness and the tension fills the room, and you can't help but notice how awfully clammy your hands are getting. How nervous you feel yourself getting. "How are you?"

"Good." Is all he says before plopping into seat in front while you continue to work with the AV system to get your presentation up on the screen.

"That's good." You reply without looking at him. He feels cold and so standoff-ish— it's hard to tell if he's doing this because he has to or because he actually means it. Was he really done with you? "Hope the presentation's okay." You mumble lightly. San catches on, but he continues to scroll through his phone to distract himself until Namjoon finally walks in.

"Sure you'll be fine." And it sucks. Maybe he does mean it. He doesn't say anything else, and he doesn't reassure you the way he usually does. For San, it's a front. He has to distance himself or else he'll cave. For you, it hurts nonetheless.

"Sorry! Got caught up. The dean's on his way." Namjoon pops in and sits next to San in the front row. "All good, Y/N? Do you need help with setting anything else up?"

"No, I think I got it. Thank you." You smile at him and he nods. 

"Course."

"Alright, let's get this going. Sorry for the small wait." The dean comes in last, taking a seat by the two. "Hi Y/N, hope you're doing okay."

"Think so." You chuckle a bit. "Well, I'll get started if there aren't any objections?" They shake their heads. "Great." You nervously respond while Namjoon and the dean give you a small smile.

San doesn't even maintain eye contact with you.

But, it's only because it's the hardest thing to suppress his feelings for you whenever you're in front of him and he can't exactly have you like he used to.

—END

"Yo!" Jiung waves, shifting your attention towards him across the lawn. You give him a small smile, stopping in your motions to wait for him to cross over. To your left is San, patiently waiting for Zara to walk over to him. You can't help but watch; the two only a couple of feet away, their voices slightly echoing around the courtyard. 

His hand hovering the small of her back as they enter the Harvey Building together.

To this day, you can still feel your heart physically drop to your gut. You're not sure when it'll pass, but you hope it's soon. You're so tired of feeling this way.

So, so tired.

"Hey." You give Jiung a tiny smile as you hug your books against your chest.

"Whattup?" It took awhile for you and Jiung to get back to normal. You always knew you would, but you needed a little more time to understand his side of things. For awhile, you were angry and hurt. All you could see was red. All you could see was Jiung openly going behind your back to talk to Professor Kim about something he didn't know anything about.

You saw the surface level.

But, as time went on, and as your hurt continued to settle into something you just needed to accept, you understood Jiung a little more. You knew he had always cared about you and you knew he was always protective of you. You knew there wasn't any ill intention behind his actions. And when you two finally came together to talk about it more maturely, you've seen that Jiung had been more understanding of your side, too. He apologized for having gotten in the middle, but he did everything out of care for you and protection. It's clearer now that the relationship you had with San wasn't just any relationship— he saw you cry, and cry, and cry. Wondering where you went wrong or what you could've done to be more careful, to prevent this from happening. He saw the look in your eyes, the way your body physically called and yearned for San's touch and love; he knew this wasn't any of those cases of power imbalance or a one-sided relationship. He felt stupid having needed time to marinate on the whole thing when he should've known you better. But, he could truly say he acted in fear and felt better to err on the side of caution.

He just wished it didn't have to end like this; with you, sad and alone. Feeling like all of it was just too good to be true, a fleeting moment.

A quick chapter in your book.

He gets that now.

When he sees San walking around, he almost feels the same energy, aura, that he feels when he sees you. It's just too bad he can't help. Even if he did, he finds it better to no longer meddle.

Maybe it'll bring you two back together again. When the time is right.

"Nothing. I just need to get some stuff together before I meet with Professor Kim in a bit."

"Nervous?"

"No, not really." You shake your head. "Things have been going well for the most part, minus little hiccups. He wanted to talk about other programs and opportunities he found fitting for me."

"Huh." Jiung cocks a brow up. "More collaborations he wants you involved in, I'm assuming." You shrug.

"If it is, I'm for it. Just hope it doesn't take up my entire schedule completely." You chuckle.

"It'll be good either way!" 

"Yeah, I know. It's been good. I have no complaints." You shiver from the breeze that's picking up, digging your face deeper into the scarf you have on.

"Did you hear? There's supposed to be a random storm coming soon. Spring weather, amirite?"

"I heard."

"Are you gonna head home? You should try and head home if you can. Who knows what it'll bring here."

"I don't know. I do need to catch up on some data analysis or else I'll be behind." You pause. "Dunno if I trust myself to work productively at home. We have backup generators, right?"

"I mean, yeah. But, what if it goes out? Then, what?"

"Yeah, I don't know. Let's hope that's not one of these cases." You stop in front of the Panama Building and turn to Jiung. 

"Lunch later?" You nod.

"Might be a little late. I'll text you when I'm wrapping up?"

"Sounds good. We'll wait for you."

"See you later." You wave before heading inside the building, shimmying off the cold once you step inside and try to warm yourself up. You head down to the lab, setting your things down on your desk before immediately getting started on your work for the day. You try to pace yourself and plan out your tasks well so that you're able to step out for your meeting with Professor Kim and grab lunch with your friends in a few hours. 

It's busy, and time flies. Busy is good. At least your mind is occupied with other pressing matters.

Time slips by so quickly you're almost running late to your meeting with Professor Kim. You put a pause in your current run for behavior, grabbing your laptop and a notebook before darting up to Professor Kim's office. You power-walk down the familiar hallway before finally reaching his open door, finding him occupied at his desk.

"Hey!" Namjoon smiles when you walk into his office and plop down in the chair. "Give me a second, just finishing up this email."

"All good." You chuckle. "Sorry I'm a few minutes late. Was running behavior."

"No worries, I figured. Get comfortable." You plop onto the seat in front of his desk, watching as his fingers move swiftly on the keyboard before he navigates to the mouse and clears his throat. "Okay! All good." He laughs a bit. "How's it going?"

"Good! Pretty busy per usual."

"Good busy, I suppose?"

"Yes, good busy. It's been productive. Days are going by quick. I've got some really promising data for this cohort and I think you might be happy with it."

"I'm happy with any progress." You laugh. "That sounds great! Any other ideas? Any other plans at the moment?"

"Well, I'm not sure yet. As long as I'm on the right path, I think there are other avenues I can explore if the results continue to trend upwards."

"Then, let's explore when we get there. I know you'll continue to do great work, and the results look promising. It all looks promising."

"Thank you, Professor Kim."

"There is something else I wanted to talk to you about." You cock a brow up and tilt your head to the side.

"Sure. I'm all ears."

"Professor Qi from the Mirae Biomedical Institute contacted me the other day. She was really impressed by your symposium presentation and the work you've done in Professor Choi's lab and mine. She thinks you'd be a great asset in their program, especially since she's starting a new clinical research study that I also agree you'd contribute well to. It's a study examining neural activity and behavioral patterns in individuals with conditions like bipolar disorder, anxiety, and OCD, etc. You get the gist. A lot of your work is relatable and can be used to push this study forward."

"Oh my god, wow." You respond in disbelief, shock, even. You didn't think anyone was really paying attention to your work like that, especially with what has happened. You kinda felt like a lost cause even though nothing entirely catastrophic has happened. "I was not expecting that."

"Why not?" Namjoon laughs. "You deserve the credit. What do you think about it?"

"I'm really honored, truly. I think it's a great opportunity."

"It is. Not a lot of people get recruited this way, especially with a research assistant position included in the package." You nod silently, still trying to take it in. "Now, if you do want to move forward, it does mean we'll have to get your transfer application in ASAP. They do offer housing assistance should you need it, and they're willing to help cover any other expenses until you settle."

"Right, transferring." You look down at your palms. Truthfully, Mirae wasn't that far from here; it'd be about 2 hours out, but you could easily get there by a drive down the less busier highway or the bullet train.

You'd have to make that effort to see your friends, meet halfway.

San comes into your head.

"I know it's a bit scary, you've already gotten accustomed to things here even if it's just been your first year. But, luckily, it's not that far away and you can always meet your friends halfway. The train can connect you to campus and back." He tries to reassure you because he really wants you to take this. Of course, he can't force you, but he knows this would be beneficial to your growth.

"Yeah, I know. It's not that bad."

"It's not. Plus, you guys all drive, right?" You nod.

"When do I have to get my transfer application in?" Namjoon pulls up the information on his desktop and lets out a small sigh.

"In two weeks. We can get that done. I can write up a letter of recommendation for you and have Professors Choi and Bahng do one each." He looks at you. "Do you feel comfortable asking Professor Jeong for one since you TA'd for him? It's not entirely necessary, but wanted to see how you felt."

"Um, to be honest, not really." He nods.

"That's fine. We don't need it. Us three should be more than enough." He gives you a tiny smile. "Think you can get a personal statement and everything else together by then?"

"Yeah, I think so. Shouldn't be too much of a hassle."

"I can help with official transcripts, too."

"That sounds great." Your expression is blank and Namjoon tilts his head to try and get a read from you.

"Why the face?"

"I truthfully didn't think I was qualified or that anyone was really paying attention." Namjoon chuckles a bit.

"Listen, your grades are fantastic. The work you do is incredible. I fully think you are capable of handling all the ins and outs of this transfer and transitioning over." Namjoon smiles. "The program isn't too different from ours, but it will definitely offer you a lot of different options and pathways with the clinical study picking up."

"It's alot, and I'm grateful you believe in me. I just don't know if I can handle it. The changes."

"Don't second-guess yourself, okay? You are more than capable. It won't be much different from what you're already doing. Just a 'lil more umph. More seasoning, if you will."

"You think so?" He nods.

"You'll still focus on research, but you'll be split between classes and eventually, the hospital. Unfortunately, that does probably mean there is some weekend work in store for you." You let out a breath, eyes still on Professor Kim. He lets out another laugh [of endearment] and nods, clasping his hands together. "I know that look. I've been there before, but trust me. You'll do amazing, and you'll excel, no doubt. You shouldn't restrict yourself just because you assume you won't do well. Your work and ethic has proved otherwise."

"Thank you, Professor Kim. I think I do wanna move forward with this."

"Cool, then we can work together and get you set up. I'll loop you into an email with her so we can all chat and finalize this. Hopefully before the week ends." You nod.

"And I mean it, by the way." You pause. "Thank you for everything. For supporting me and pushing me forward regardless of everything that's happened."

"You're welcome. I would never let that define you." You give him a small smile, fiddling with your laptop sleeve— dying to ask him about the one person that has been occupying your mind the most. "You okay otherwise?"

"Yeah, I think so. Just thought about some things, but nothing important."

"He's doing okay." Namjoon gives you a tiny smile. 

"I— huh? How'd you know I was—"

"Because I just do. He asks about you, too."

"Oh." Is all you say, swallowing the thick lump forming in your throat. "Well, I'm glad he's okay."

"Him and Professor Choi #2 received approval for their joint program, so they'll be getting the real estate they wanted in the new building."

"That's amazing. I'm glad it all worked out." Namjoon nods.

"Anything else I can do for you in the meantime?"

"No, that's it. For now. I'm sure more things will come up when we meet next."

"Sounds good. Well, you let me know if anything comes up or if I can do anything else for you."

"Thanks, Professor Kim." You give him one last smile before grabbing your things and heading out the door.

And the rest of your day is pretty eventful, but not as eventful as San's turns out to be.

While you busy yourself with your new classes, lab work and hanging out with your friends, San is having to force himself to go out with his own group. For awhile, he kinda sulked. Stayed home, did his own thing. Kept quiet. But, it got old to Jongho [and the rest of them] quick— hence, now he's being forced to leave the comfort of his home.

He guesses he could use the fresh air, the night out. It is Mingi's birthday, so he doesn't think he could've said no otherwise.

"Ayo!" Jongho calls out as he enters San's house, twirling the key around his finger as he waits for San's response.

"I told you I'd be fine driving." San slowly comes down his steps, dressed in a simple tee, jeans and a bomber jacket. 

"Okay, miss attitude." Jongho laughs. "I'm trying to make it easier so you don't have to worry about parking and what not." San sighs.

"Thanks." He shrugs. "Do I look okay? Not that it matters."

"Can you at least try to be somewhat happy? Especially when we see Mingi later?" 

"I'm sorry, I really am trying. Just kinda hard to."

"I know, and I truly think you could use this night to get your mind off of things. It's been some time, give yourself a little break." Jongho nudges him.

"Yeah, yeah. You're right." San gives him a small smile.

"Things will get better, but you gotta stop sulking about it or else you'll just keep enforcing this negativity to come for you."

"Wow, that's the deepest shit I've ever heard from you."

"And it won't come again, so fucking take it or leave it." San laughs a bit and shakes his head. 

"Can we go? Before I change my mind and tell Mingi I'm sick or something."

"Hell no." Jongho starts power-walking to his car, making San take his time as he checks around the living room and kitchen once more before locking up and slipping into the passenger's seat. San slouches in his seat while Jongho drives off towards the busy downtown area, scrolling through the new group chat created for Mingi's birthday to catch up. 

"They're all there already."

"Yeah, well. They wanted a head start."

"I thought Zara wasn't coming."

"She wasn't, but I think her initial plans ended up getting canceled."

"I see." San sighs and rests his head back against the head rest. The bar is ways away from campus, thankfully. It's a new bar that just opened a month ago, and Mingi's birthday was the perfect excuse for everyone to get together for a night and relieve some stress. When Jongho arrives at their destination, he's having to park down the block due to how crazy busy the area is tonight. It's a chilly night, and San has to tuck his hands into the pockets of his bomber jacket to try and keep himself warm on the walk. When they enter, they see familiar faces near the back wall of the bar, Mingi's loud voice radiating towards the entrance.

"My fucking boys!" He says, already intoxicated. He pulls San and Jongho into a hug before the two start greeting the group properly. 

"Hey. I didn't think you were coming." San says, pulling Zara into a hug. She's got on a jeans, high heeled boots and an off-the shoulder sweater on. She's got a bit more makeup on tonight— she's gone for the natural blush kinda look. San is not gonna lie, she looks good.

But, she will never be you.

"Yeah, plans got canceled and I was already dressed so, figured I'd make use of the outfit somehow." San chuckles a bit.

"Glad you were able to." He gives her a small smile before greeting the rest of the crew that was there, including Namjoon.

The night starts off pretty chill for San. He's taken a few shots to try and keep up with Mingi, no longer wanting to hear him complain about how no one wanted to take shots for his birthday. After the third, he tries to slow it down and cashes in for a small can of beer while Mingi continues on with spreading the love throughout the group by passing out more shots. The music is right up everyone's ally, making most of their group bounce along to the beats and sing along loudly. San's got himself next to Zara at the booth— both of them sipping on their poison for the rest of the night. 

"So, San." She turns to him, her chin resting on the palm of her hand. "How's everything going?" San looks at her and despite the blush she's wearing, he can tell her cheeks are naturally flushing red at the question, at being tipsy. At the fact that she has him alone.

Because you aren't around.

"Good. Super busy, but good." San is pretty drunk, not gonna lie. He doesn't normally drink like this, but he figured he'd just enjoy himself while around his bestfriends. The beer obviously isn't helping his case, but he believes he'll be fine. He doesn't think anything will come out of this anyway. "Heard you've secured some new funding and you've got three more grad students."

"I did, yeah."

"Congrats." San smiles at her before gently tapping his beer can against her cocktail glass.

"What's new with you? We haven't been able to catch up for a bit."

"Yeah, sorry. It's just— it's been a rollercoaster."

"I bet." Zara sips on her drink. There's a slight pause before she's tracing the rim of her glass, then speaking up again. "I'm sorry about everything that's happened." San looks at her. They're sitting in close proximity; enough for San to feel her arm rub against him whenever she moves, her body heat.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything." He gives her a small smile. "It is what it is. Things are pretty stable now."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"So, are you not seeing her anymore?" San takes a big gulp of his beer while keeping his eyes trained on the crowd in front of him. Her.

You always come back in the picture.

"No."

"I'm sorry."

"All good. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be." Zara looks up at him and they meet eyes for a moment. To her, the tension feels thick. But to San, he's just going with the motions. He's drunk, she's pretty, he's chillin'. Nothing more to it. But, she looks at him in a certain way and it has him slightly furrowing his brows when he tilts his head to look at her a little more, a little deeper.

"I'm sure it hasn't been easy." Her eyes are moving down to his nose, to his lips. San is following her gaze and he knows all too well where this could lead. He should've known to break contact, but before he could even think about it, Zara is the first to lean in and make her move— lips pressing against San's that he's instantly in shock and can't process right away.

But, what he does know is that this doesn't feel right, and his body is already rejecting the action because it isn't you.

"Zara—" San gently pushes Zara back with a frown on his face. "Zara, I can't. I— this can't happen. I'm sorry if I ever misled you, but—"

"Oh." She almost looks confused. "No, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, how embarrassing." She shies away. "I should've known."

"I'm sorry—" He tries to repeat again, but she's shaking her head and walking off towards the bathroom. "Fuck." He runs his hand through his hair, letting out a heavy sigh. He feels terrible that it happened. One, it shouldn't have happened. Two, he didn't mean to hurt his friend.

Three, it wasn't you.

It sounds so fucked up, but even after all of that, his mind still takes him to you and he can't help but drunkly panic as if you were around to see it. It should've never happened, it should've never happened.

He didn't want that to happen.

They had been hanging out for awhile, but the last thing he wanted was to lead her on unintentionally. And he doesn't think he did, knowing she had feelings for him from the get-go. He was there for her and enjoyed her company, but kept enough distance to make sure it didn't cross any boundaries.

He didn't want that to happen.

He pushes his way through the crowd and finds his way outside, letting the cool air hit his skin. If he hadn't made his way out of the bar, he might've [quite frankly] yacked from the slight nausea and anxiety he's feeling. He pulls his phone out of his back pocket, quickly scrolling through his call log to find your name.

You don't answer when he calls.

So, he texts.

san: i'm sorry

san: i miss you so badly

san: i miss us

san: zara kissed me and you're probably gonna hate me for it

san: i'm so sorry baby, pls come back to me i miss you. i don't fucking care anymore, i just need you.

you: san stop

you: get home safely okay?

san: no i want you with me though

you: san, please stop making this harder than it already is.

And then he calls again. Because for some reason, he feels like you already hate him and want nothing to do with him over a dumb 'lil mistake that he had no intention of making. 

He calls again.

And again. Even when he's got his back pressed against the wall, crouching near the ground until he can hear your voice clearly on the other line. Zara steps out to get a breather, but she sees that he's already on the phone and it must be with you. She doesn't know why she expected anything out of that stupid, silly little kiss.

He was always gonna run back to you.

It was always gonna be you.

You finally answer, but it's because you think something's wrong and you don't want anything to happen to San. 

You don't even know if you can stomach hearing him right now.

"Baby." He drunkly murmurs on the phone and it causes you to swallow the lump forming in your throat— shut your eyes to prevent any more tears from falling. "Sweetheart, you there?"

"San, stop this. That's all I'm asking from you." You shakily respond.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? You shouldn't be calling ne as if things are okay."

"But, they can be, angel. We can make it okay again."

"Please don't call me that." You barely say above a whisper, tears sting your eyes, throat aching. "If you need a ride, I can call you a cab."

"No. Mm'fine. I just wanted to hear your voice because I miss you so damn much."

"You're making this way too hard. Please just go home and get sleep, okay?"

"You're gonna hate me more than you already do."

"I don't hate you. But, whatever your business is with her, is your business with her. None of this pertains to me."

"I don't have business with her. I want you. I just want you. It's always you." You purse your lips tightly when you remember his text— of course Zara would take the opportunity, and now he's confessing his love to you.

All of this was so fucked up.

"I love you."

"San."

"You don't feel the same anymore?" You feel the burn in your throat  when you take a moment to pause.

"Can you just put Jongho on the phone, please?"

"Why?" He whines.

"Because I need to make sure you get home safely." He clicks his teeth.

"Fine." He whines some more before he's calling out to Jongho and telling him his girl would like to have a word. "Think my girl is mad. C-can you tell her we can work this out? I-I don't want her mad anymore." In which Jongho follows with a quick 'yeah, ok' before snatching up his phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi. I'm sorry to trouble you with this, but can you please make sure he gets home in one piece? I think it's best he stops calling me, too."

"Of course. I'll stay with him."

"Thank you, Professor—"

"Jongho."

"Thank you, Jongho." You hang up the call and instantly toss your phone to the side before your tears start overflowing. You let the sheets swallow you whole before you cry.

And you just.. cry.

Until you tire yourself and fall asleep, even though you tried to stay up to make sure nothing else came in from San.

Nothing does, anyway.

Jongho throws San into the car and tells him to chill while he says his final goodbyes to everyone. Mingi, Yeosang and the rest of the group are laughing it off, assuming San is just drunk and slumped for the night. And he kinda is, but he's sad. He's completely heartbroken. He doesn't wanna be alone for the night, and Jongho says he'll take the guest room so he doesn't have to wallow in his drunkenness alone. 

Yet, he still feels like he is.

When he gets home, he lazily kicks off his shoes and runs a quick shower. The world is still spinning more than he'd like, so he downs a whole water bottle before finishing up his routine and slipping under the sheets. Jongho has left him to his peace, also getting ready for bed in the guest bathroom and bedroom.

San can barely get comfortable because he can't even close his eyes and feel still for a second. He lies on his tummy, sprawled out across his bed since there's no use in leaving space for two.

He wishes he could.

Your side remains empty.

"You good?" Jongho pokes his head in to see a shirtless San facing the opposite way.

"Mhm." He mumbles. "Thanks."

"Yeah. Well, you know where to find me if you need anything." San stays silent, making Jongho shut his door gently before retreating to the bedroom.

San does know what he needs, though.

It's unfortunate your side remains empty.

Monday comes, and San is hoping he doesn't run into you.

He's hoping he doesn't run into you because he's not sure how to explain himself, and it's not like he can, anyway. But, it'll also make everything real for him— too real for his liking. 

It'll be too real that he drunk texted you and called you, confessing his love after an incident that should've never happened in the first place.

It'll be too real that you aren't his.

It'll be too real that you never came to be by his side and that your side of the bed remains empty.

San sighs to himself as he quickly rushes into the Harvey Building, hurrying down to the basement and unlocking his office door. He sets his bags down and plops onto his chair, getting settled for the day. He couldn't sleep last night, so he decided to get up before the sun rose to workout in the faculty gym. He might've pushed himself a little harder than usual, his arms already feeling the soreness from the upper body workout he did. He'll be extra tired today, but at least his day will fly by with the shit he has to do.

He just hopes he doesn't run into you.

Because somehow, when he sees you, time stops and he feels frozen.

He lets out a sigh and starts working on a few progress reports that are literally due tomorrow. He's gotten through most of it and thankfully, just needs to add a few more details before sending it off. He also just got word that he won an award, and the foundation has been asking for a bunch of material to get ready for the award ceremony in a few months.

He hopes he can still share that news with you at some point.

Until then, he'll gather some childhood and school photos, candids he has from being in the classroom and doing lectures, other award photos; you know the deal. He's gotta write an acceptance speech that's 500-600 words and lasts about 2-3 minutes, plus answer a bunch of questions on a sheet they sent him.

It takes up a good chunk of his early morning that he's grabbing coffee right before his meeting with Namjoon and Jongho about the new program and real estate. He mutters a quick 'oh shit' to himself when he looks down at his watch, wrapping up his last thoughts before switching his desktop computer to sleep mode and gathering his phone and badge. When he slips out of his office, he finds the basement office more packed than usual. Lots of his lab members are meeting with people from other labs to collaborate or get guidance on a project. Sunwoo is busying himself with the data on his computer, working on his next data presentation for the lab meeting next week. He's noticed that him and Belle don't talk anymore, and he wonders why; he has an inkling it has to do with you, but he won't pry unless he hears about it somehow.

They all toss their 'hello's' his way while he rushes out to grab his coffee before making his way to the electrical engineering building. 

Luckily, the walk is quiet. 

San sips on his coffee and makes his way into a room that Jongho booked for their meeting. He's not here yet, but Namjoon isn't either, so San sits at the table by himself— mindlessly scrolling through his phone. He hasn't deleted your text thread [call him crazy], and he still has all your photos in his album. He hasn't changed the 'Baby 💕' listed as your contact name, he hasn't changed his home wallpaper that consists of a shot from behind you looking out at the beach view. 

It's all equally tearing him apart and getting him by at the same time.

He can't seem to get his mind off of you and it makes him think that the universe is playing some kind of sick, twisted game with him.

Or, maybe it's a sign that he just has to accept his feelings for you. That you were always gonna be the one for him no matter how hard he tried to convince himself it couldn't work—

"Ayo." Namjoon pulls him out of his thoughts when he walks in and plops down on a seat next to him.

"Sup."

"I see Jongho's running a bit late." San checks his texts to see the unread 'running a few mins late - be there soon' text from the man himself. 

"Yeah. I almost forgot myself. Was too busy getting the award materials together." Namjoon smiles.

"That's a big one. Definitely deserved."

"Thanks, boss."

"How's everything else?"

"Good, I guess." But Namjoon can see it's deeper than that, and San isn't all that great at hiding his true feelings. 

"You guess?"

"Yeah, why?" He looks at Namjoon.

"She's doing great."

"Is she?"

"Yeah, really."

"That's good to hear."

"Qi Jaemi from Mirae reached out and is recruiting Y/N into their program. She started a clinical study not too long ago that's moving fast, and the work that Y/N has done in our labs is incredibly beneficial and relates well to what she's focused on. She offered to support her and give her a research assistant position while she's studying for extra financial support." Namjoon meets San's eyes. "I think she'd flourish and do amazing in it. Can't let her talents go to waste."

"I agree." San shifts in his seat. "So, she'll be transferring?"

"Yeah, sounds like. It's promising and I told her she has my support. I think she's gonna take it and not backtrack."

"T-that's great. I hope she does." San says. 

"I'll need your help with writing a rec letter for her transfer application. If that's okay."

"Yeah, of course. Anything." He is truly happy for you and thinks it's the best move, especially for a very well known professor like Professor Qi. After everything, he's glad your work is still being recognized and that you're opening new doors to different opportunities.

He hopes you do move forward with it.

Selfishly enough, he hopes you take it and this will eventually lead you two back together. To a time where you don't have to hide your relationship and be loved undercover. 

To a time where you two could just be happy without any outside noise.

"You miss her?"

"I do." San barely responds. "I really do, and I don't know how I'm supposed to get past this. I tried, Joon. I can't let her go." He sighs.

"Listen, I can't tell you what to do anymore. My job doesn't include policing you down to the T. Things have settled and brushed over, but it doesn't mean the dean isn't watching you or her. Luckily, if she takes this, it won't be as big of a deal as it is now while she's a student here. He'd still wanna make sure you aren't getting distracted, though."

"Okay.. but that's great, right? Things have settled for the both of us." Namjoon sighs. "If she takes the opportunity, it changes everything."

"Yes, which is why.. whatever you do, please just remember not to mess this up for her or you. The both of you are on great paths right now."

"It was never my intention to do so in the first place. I wanna add value to her life, not take away from it."

"So, what are you trying to say?"

"I love her."

—taglist: @asjkdk @interweab @woojirang @svintsandghosts @cheolliehugs @persphonesorchid @mxnsxngie @jycas @cowboydk @vcutparis @chngbnwf @struggling101 @sanhwalvr @angelqueendom @barbielibra @brown88 @choisansplushie @yunhoswrldddd @hyukssunflower @vickykazuya @lucid-galaxys-world @jaytheatiny @pommelex @thechaotictheoryy @vixensss @santineez @nopension @domfikeluva @in-somnias-world @my-atiny-kookie-rkive @mountiiny @naoristerling @onmymymyway @thecutiepieme @wyrated @randajjjad

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - 29 April 2024

1. Net neutrality rules restored by US agency

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 on Thursday to reinstate landmark net neutrality rules and reassume regulatory oversight of broadband internet rescinded under former President Donald Trump.

2. Airlines required to refund passengers for canceled, delayed flights

DOT will also require airlines to give cash refunds if your bags are lost and not delivered within 12 hours.

The refunds must be issued within seven days, according to the new DOT rules, and must be in cash unless the passenger chooses another form of compensation. Airlines can no longer issue refunds in forms of vouchers or credits when consumers are entitled to receive cash.

3. How new mosquito nets averted 13 million malaria cases

Compared to standard nets, the introduction of 56 million state-of-the-art mosquito nets in 17 countries across sub-Saharan Africa averted an estimated 13 million malaria cases and 24,600 deaths. The New Nets Project, an initiative funded by Unitaid and the Global Fund and led by the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC), piloted the use of dual-insecticide nets in malaria-endemic countries between 2019 and 2022 to address the growing threat of insecticide resistance.

4. Germany has installed over 400,000 ‘solar balconies’

This new wave of solar producers aren’t just getting cheap electricity, they’re also participating in the energy transition.

More than 400,000 plug-in solar systems have been installed in Germany, most of them taking up a seamless spot on people’s balconies.

5. Voyager-1 sends readable data again from deep space

The US space agency says its Voyager-1 probe is once again sending usable information back to Earth after months of spouting gibberish.

The 46-year-old Nasa spacecraft is humanity's most distant object.

6. Missing cat found after 5 years makes 2,000-km journey home

Five years after it ran out the door, a lost cat was returned to a couple in Nevada after it was found thousands of kilometres away. The couple are praising the cat’s microchip for helping reunite them.

7. Restoring sight is possible now with optogenetics

Max Hodak's startup, Science, is developing gene therapy solutions to restore vision for individuals with macular degeneration and similar conditions. The Science Eye utilizes optogenetics, injecting opsins into the eye to enhance light sensitivity in retinal cells.

Clinical trials and advancements in optogenetics are showing promising results, with the potential to significantly improve vision for those affected by retinal diseases.

---

That's it for this week :)

This newsletter will always be free. If you liked this post you can support me with a small kofi donation here:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Also don’t forget to reblog this post with your friends.

[soundop-central]

the megasoundopstarshock polycule exists for a reason

I need to know everything you HC with them stat

ive made two posts about them!! the initial introduction and the cuddle puddle

General Headcanons

The Soundwave Chaos Polycule (also known as the Soundwave Harem) exists less to explore Soundwave's relationships with each member, and more to explore the dynamics that each of the members have with each other

I think its very funny to make it that Soundwave is aware of literally everything that goes on between his partners (spymaster goes brrrr). He's like a scientist watching his ant colony interact. He's watching the bacteria grow in a petri dish. He's a wildlife conservationist studying a pack of wolves.

I cannot stress how much Shockwave hates Optimus and how much Optimus just wants to be his friend. Optimus will find him outside of work (he knows better than to disturb him in their home lab), sit next to him, and start yapping. OP yaps about anything and everything, usually about whatever archivist project he's working on. Shockwave could not be less interested. Sometimes, OP will start a friendly debate with Shockwave because that's the only way he can get him to conversate. Shockwave immediately tries to shut him down, but it never really works. They are in an eternal struggle.

Optimus is super monogamous. He supports Soundwave whole heartedly and is secure in their relationship. Still, he can't help but get a little jealous when Soundwave chooses to spend the night in someone else's berth when its his turn to have the 'Wave. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes Soundwave has a rough day and needs to sleep next to his fellow weird cryptid scientist. The next morning, Soundwave always makes it up to OP though through gestures like bringing him extra energon, giving him the Cybertronian equivalent of a massage, or with a morning frag. It's really up to Optimus as to what he gets. Soundwave is more than happy to do whatever he wants him to. What matters is that Optimus feels reassured, which he always does.

Megatron and Shockwave are very good...uh. its complicated? They honestly don't know either. Both of them are too weird about feelings to be able to put a label on their relationship. But they enjoy each other's company in all contexts. The tenderness that Megatron is capable of is not saved for Soundwave only. He often shares it with Shockwave; gentle touches, soft spoken praise, showing a genuine interest in his work. Shockwave, likewise, will give to Megatron in his own way. He occasionally will invite him into his lab for "intellectually stimulating exercises" in which really he just enlists Megatron to be his lab assistant for the day. He teaches Megatron about science and engineering, and Megatron high key loves it. He loves that Shockwave recognizes his intellect beyond his military prowess and poetic craftsmanship.

Starscream, on the other hand, has a strained relationship with both of them. Because it's Starscream. Starscream, quite frankly, thinks its funny to annoy them at this point. He will pull pranks on Shockwave, like breaking into his lab at night and moving everything slightly to the right, or hiding an inconspicuous tool. Shockwave doesn't even know about the latter until he actually needs the instrument, and then all hell breaks loose. Starscream will walk in a couple hours later, ask what's wrong, pretend to look for about ten minutes before magically finding whatever it Shockwave is looking for. Shockwave suspects him HEAVILY, but never has enough empirical data to accuse him.

Star is a little seductress too, so when he's feeling especially spicy, he will try to egg Shockwave on in all the right ways. They've spent so long doing this dance that Starscream knows exactly the right buttons and when to push them to get Shockwave in his berth. Though, usually, it's Starscream sitting on a lab table with Shockwave between his legs.

Star and Shockwave are also lab "partners". I use that term very loosely. It's more that they have separate labs that are adjoined by a small hallway and they occasionally run into each other. Sometimes they collaborate on projects. Star proves to actually be quite skilled at being professional, something that surprises Shockwave. 

Starscream and Megatron are...they sure are!! They still fight like cats and dogs, but there is a sexual tension there now (as if it wasn't always there). Starscream doesn't really prank Megatron like he does Shockwave. But, he also doesn't try to kill him anymore which is a megastar W. Soundwave insisted that they go to therapy before they were allowed to move in, and after a few years (human years, i like to think human years are like months to Cybertronians) they managed to work out the Major Issues between them. Still, there is no fixing their clash of personalities.

Still, Starscream and Megatron are charming, and a lot of times their fights look like a battle of wits. Whoever loses gets to top. I cannot stress this enough: they solve their problems by fucking.

Still, there are strangely sweet moments between them too. It feels wrong for everyone involved, but it happens.

Starscream and Optimus are BESTIES. They love going out on the town and doing things together. They'll grab brunch and go shopping. They'll go to the library. They'll go to parks and people watch. They do literally everything together. Optimus is a secret gossip, and Starscream LOVES tea, so during their brunches Optimus talks about office drama and Starscream punctuates with gasps and "oh no she didn't!"s accordingly.

I honestly dont have a lot of thoughts about the megop angle (im not a megop shipper), but i think its really funny if Megatron pined after Optimus and optimus acts oblivious. he knows that Megs is pining. He does not care. He has all he needs with Soundwave.

TL;DR theyre all gay, your honor

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Adult SFF Books Bracket: Round 2

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune (The Cerulean Chronicles)

Endorsements from submitter: "Utterly delightful book about found family and queerness and building community and questioning authority."

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

Fantasy, romance, series, adult

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson (The Space Between Worlds series)

Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s just one catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying—from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn’t outrun. Cara’s life has been cut short on 372 worlds in total.

On this Earth, however, Cara has survived. Identified as an outlier and therefore a perfect candidate for multiverse travel, Cara is plucked from the dirt of the wastelands. Now she has a nice apartment on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. She works—and shamelessly flirts—with her enticing yet aloof handler, Dell, as the two women collect off-world data for the Eldridge Institute. She even occasionally leaves the city to visit her family in the wastes, though she struggles to feel at home in either place. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, Cara is on a sure path to citizenship and security.

But trouble finds Cara when one of her eight remaining doppelgängers dies under mysterious circumstances, plunging her into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and her future in ways she could have never imagined—and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her world, but the entire multiverse.

Science fiction, multiverse, politics, mystery, series, adult

[academicfever]

This is a good starting point but its not exhaustive by any means...

#Research 101: Part 1

##    How to find a good research topic?

It’s best to familiarize yourself with a discipline or topic as broadly as possible by looking beyond academia

Tips:

Be enthusiastic, but not unrealistic. For example, you might be tempted to throw yourself into finding out to what extent an entire economy has become circular, but it may already be challenging and tricky enough to find out which building materials are being recycled in the construction sector, and in what ways.

Be open-minded but beware of cul-de-sacs. You should always find out first whether enough is known about a topic already, or you might find yourself wasting a lot of time on it.

Be creative but stay close to the assignment. This starts with the topic itself; if one learning objective of the assignment is to carry out a survey, it isn’t helpful to choose a topic for which you need to find respondents on the other side of the world. One place where you can look for inspiration is current events. 

Although professors and lecturers tend to be extremely busy, they are often enthusiastic about motivated and smart students who are interested in their research field. You do need to approach them with focused questions, though, and not just general talk such as: ‘Do you know of a good topic for me?’ In many cases, a good starting point is the scholar themselves. Do a search on them in a search engine, take a look at their university web page, read recent publications,

In most university towns, you’ll come across organizations that hold regular lectures, debates, and thematic evenings, often in partnership with or organized by university lecturers and professors. If you’re interested in transdisciplinary research where academic knowledge and practical knowledge come together, this is certainly a useful place to start your search.

If you want to do interdisciplinary research, it is essential to understand and work with concepts and theories from different research fields, so that you are able to draw links between them (see Menken and Keestra (2016) on why theory is important for this). With an eye to your ‘interdisciplinary’ academic training, it is therefore a good idea to start your first steps in research with concepts and theories.

##How to do Lit Review:

Although texts in different academic disciplines can differ significantly in terms of structure, form, and length, almost all academic articles (research articles and literature reports) share a number of characteristics:

They are published in scholarly journals with expert editorial boards

These journals are peer-reviewed

These articles are written by authors who have no direct commercial or political interest in the topic on which they are writing

There are also non-academic research reports such as UN reports, data from statistics institutes, and government reports. Although these are not, strictly speaking, peer-reviewed, the reliability of these sources means that their contents can be assumed to be valid

You can usually include grey literature in your research bibliography, but if you’re not sure, you can ask your lecturer or supervisor whether the source you’ve found meets the requirements.

Google and Wikipedia are unreliable: the former due to its commercial interests, the latter because anyone, in principle, can adjust the information and few checks are made on the content.

disciplinary and interdisciplinary search machines with extensive search functions for specialized databases, such as the Web of Science, Pubmed, Science Direct, and Scopus

Search methods All of these search engines allow you to search for scholarly sources in different ways. You can search by topic, author, year of publication, and journal name. Some tips for searching for literature: 1. Use a combination of search terms that accurately describes your topic. 2. You should use mainly English search terms, given that English is the main language of communication in academia. 3. Try multiple search terms to unearth the sources you need. a. Ensure that you know a number of synonyms for your main topic b. Use the search engine’s thesaurus function (if available) to map out related concepts.

During your search, it is advisable to keep track of the keywords and search combinations you use. This will allow you to check for blind spots in your search strategy, and you can get feedback on improving the search combinations. Some search engines automatically keep a record of this.

Exploratory reading How do you make a selection from the enormous number of articles that are often available on a topic? Keep the following four questions in mind, and use them to guide your literature review: ■■ What is already known about my topic and in which discipline is the topic discussed? ■■ Which theories and concepts are used and discussed within the scope of my topic, and how are they defined? ■■ How is my topic researched and what different research methods are there? ■■ Which questions remain unanswered and what has yet to be researched?

$$ Speed reading:

Run through the titles, abstracts, and keywords of the articles at the top of your list and work out which ideas (concepts) keep coming back.

Next, use the abstract to figure out what these concepts mean, and also try to see whether they are connected and whether this differs for each study.

If you are unable to work out what the concepts mean, based on the context, don’t hesitate to use dictionaries or search engines.

Make a list of the concepts that occur most frequently in these texts and try to draw links between them.

A good way to do this is to use a concept map, which sets out the links between the concepts in a visual way.

All being well, by now you will have found a list of articles and used them to identify several concepts and theories. From these, try to select the theories and concepts that you want to explore further. Selecting at this stage will help you to frame and focus your research. The next step is to discover to what extent these articles deal with these concepts and theories in similar or different ways, and how combining these concepts and theories leads to different outcomes. In order to do this, you will need to read more thoroughly and make a detailed record of what you’ve learned.

next: part 2

part 3

part 4

last part

[tparker48]

Request for annonymous

"Why does he always choose the morning?" Sleet groaned. "Doesn’t that nerd sleep?"

“You said it." Ramon chimed. "Nerds always try to beat the mornings. He probably needs held cataloging books?”

Sleet banged his head against his companion’s thumb. "I swear If he woke me up for that bull crap, I’ll send those books into the ocean!" He said. “It’s been ten minutes, How long is gonna let us freeze out here?”

Ramon banged against the solid metal doors, the science echoing beyond its barriers. It let out a hiss before fog covered the floor, rubbered boots stepping forward. Pressing at a small tablet would be the doctor, dressed from head to toe in a hazmat suit. He adjusted his goggles, eying both of them.

"You two are fashionably late,” He said coldly. “I expected you two to be here earlier."

"The sun is barely out, Wilco, unlike you nerds some of us enjoy the morning sleep." Sleet said.

"Yeah, Show us what’s good!" Ramon chimed, Massaging his barreled gut. “And show us breakfast while you’re at it.”

Wilco’s eyes rose in the shades, muttering beneath his breath. He stepped to the side, ushering the both of them inside as the doors hissed shut. They moved through the corridors of the lab, passing by checkpoints before entering the main quadrant. Wilco dropped them off at the small breakfast table before heading into the next room, preparing for the experiment ahead. 

Ramon and Sleet slouched over the end of the breakfast table, sampling the tray of donuts onto their plates. 

“Ah, now this is what I’m talking about.” Ramon took a bite out of a glazed donut. “What sweet deliciousness to start the morning.”

“Well don’t go hogging it all for yourself, pass me one!” Sleet demanded.

Ramon rolled his eyes, plucking one a donut hole from one of the trays. “Here.”

It dropped into his head, and he cocked a brow. “You’re pulling my leg here.”

“How so?”

“You call this a donut, it's hardly the size of me! Hand me of the big ones.”

“Nah uh uh,” ramon waggled his fingers. “These delights separate the men from the boys. And you are no man.”

He bit into the side of a donut, sprinkles scattering below as Sleet shielded himself.

“That’s ridiculous! I’ll get it myself.” Sleet climbed along a cloth to the top shelf, maneuvering around the plates of eggs and bacon before reaching the donuts. He reached the plate, and lunged for a donut.

Ramon’s palm slammed between them, creating a wall as his free hand carried the plate.

“Hey!” Sleet yelled.

“So close, and yet so far!” Ramon said, ringing a finger through a hole of one of the donuts, taking a bite.

“Gimme a donut!”

“You want one so badly,” He unbuttoned the middle of his shirt, placing the plate along the peak of his bare stomach. “Come get it.”

Sleet groaned. Of course the oaf would make it harder, but his stomach grew louder than his taunts could imagine. He accepted.

He jumped onto Ramon’s belly, wobbling backwards. It was like stepping onto a waterbed, every breath he’d make caused the flesh to slant, before returning to its round form. Sleet crawled to the edge of the plate, reaching for a sprinkled donut.

Ramon sucked in his gut, A filled donut sliding from the plate. 

Sleet wheezed as its fluffy surface dragged him from his ramon’s belly, floundering into his shorts. He peeled himself from its white frosting, Ramon's bellows filling the air.

“The way the way your eyes widened” He gasped between his laughter. “Like watching a deer in headlights.”

Sleet’s eyes narrowed. “You're one to talk!”

He hoists the filled donut between his arms, angling it upward. With a fierce squeeze, a stream of strawberry jelly rushed out of its hole, shooting into Ramon’s nostrils.

“Ah, fuck! In the nose?!” He writhed.

“You get what you sow pal!”

“Why you little-”

The doors of the other room hissed as Wilco stepped out, drones orbiting around him.

“Enough of your tomfoolery you two, it’s time for the experiment.”

—-----------------

The sun changed in the clear sky, lab assistants moving data from room to room. Behind the closed panel doors, Wilco had them strapped to a treadmill. fire lit under Sleet’s ass as they ran in place, his hamstrings tightening as he focused on the small gauge next to their panels. Ramon was far from strained, his legs eating the rubbery gaps like a track star. Sleet shared glances at his progress, tightening his legs in efforts to increase his own.

 They ran for nearly an hour, Both dripping with sweat as they caught their breaths. A panel slid open as data collectors rushed in, siphoning samples of their salty fluid before vanishing into the glowing corridor. With the last sample taken, they were relieved of their restraints, Sleeping over their knees.

“Decent work, but your pace was slow.” Wilco tapped at his tablet. “I need a positive coefficient if I'm going to get the results for effective reproduction methods!”

“Bite us..my legs are cramping here!” Ramon groaned.

“You..try running on that thing..with no break.” Sleet rolled onto his back.

Wilco groaned, rubbing his fingers between the bridge of nose. “I'm going to have grey hairs dealing with you two. Take five! we’ll continue the experiments after.”

Wilco left the room, Leaving two of them on the treadmill. Ramon was the first to hop of, his legs releasing tension before relaxing. Sleet barely reached the edge of his machine before a sneaker stepped in his path, following up its length to Ramon’s smug face.

“Don’t even say it..”

“What?” His face beamed. “I didn’t say anything?”

“You’re thinking it!”

Ramon let out a soft chuckle. “Well maybe a little. Just proves my point of what separates the two of us.”

"Get over yourself." Sleet snapped back, climbing over the shoe and onto the floor. “You got long legs, that’s all there is.”

“Suuure.”

The two of them entered the next room, and froze. A catalog of flasks decorated the walls, gadgets of all sizes held up on pedestals. In the center of the room, Wilco was putting in the latest entry of data, sending it to a bot as it wisped into a panel in the ceiling. As the two approached, he turned to them.

“Snazzy joint, doc.” Sleet said.  Look at all these toys you made for yourself.” 

“These are not toys!” Wilo said. “ These are state of the art technology. The tool that’ll change the future for our next generation.”

“So..toys.”

Wilco groaned, adjusting his glasses before moving to one of the tables. A metallic panel rose from a piece of metal, holding a bronze ring as it glowed beneath the ceiling lights.

"I wouldn’t be surprised to see you think of it that dully. So it’s best to show you." He plucked the ring from the holder, holding it between us. " Behold, my latest creationI, the Phantomizer!"

"The Phantomizer?" Ramon squinted at the ring. "It looks so..finicky. It's not one of those mood rings is it?"

"The nerve to compare my genius to such levels! This ring is the best of its kind! It overshadows the mere designs of those ‘mood rings’."

He pressed at a panel, and a platform lifted from the ground, carrying a single red apple. He twisted the ring, a crimson halo stretching along around the rim. He hurled a balled fist towards the apple.

His palm phased through the apple, flexing his fingers to the otherside.

Sleet’s eyes widened. "Holy cow! It phased straight through it!"

"Of course it phased straight through it," Wilco retracted his palm, causing the stationary fruit to wobble. "It is one of my inventions after all."

"Far out!" Sleet climbed one of the computer wires to the table. "Let me give that a shot!"

A wall of mass blurred his vision as Ramon blocked his way. “Like hell! I want a try at it first!”

"Absolutely not!" Wilco rebuked.

"What?!" Sleet and Ramon shouted.

"One, use of inventions are allowed under personnel." He pulled the ring from his fingers, setting it up on the platform. "And second, it's you two. you’re both far unqualified to even hold a match."

"Unqualified?!  We come every Saturday just to be Guinea pigs!" Sleet walked closer. "Come on, I promise to be careful."

“I second that, I second that!” Ramon chimed.

"No. End of discussion." Wilco flicked his finger, sending sleet from the platform and into the collar of Ramon’s shirt. Dusting his fingers, he moved toward one of the monitors. "Now onto pressing matters, I went ahead and increased your efficiency. It should prove sufficient for your slow pace.”

Oh he’ll show how sufficient his pace will be alright, starting with a kick in the shin.

Sleet rolled my sleeves, wrestling against the folds of Ramon’s shirt, But halted. The ring was still on the platform, it’s halo emitting an ominous glow against the metal border. His eyes lit up, a smile pulling to his ears.

"You know, you’re right.” He announced. “That sounds like a great idea!" 

"It does?" Ramon cocked his brow.

Sleet kicked a leg against his chest, pointing his eyes toward the table. Ramon’s eyes followed, a spar lighting in his as well.

"Of course it does!” Sleet continued. “We should be honored to help out such great genius!”

Wilco’s eyes pried from the monitor, eyeing the both of them. "You two seem more eager to test than anticipated."

"What can we say, we’re late bloomers. It just took us a while to see what lies ahead. Right, Ramon?”

Ramon blinked. “Er, yeah. Yeah, definitely!”

Besides, what good is the future if we can’t help the genius mind leading us to it?” Sleet said.

Wilco scratched his beard with curiosity, his eyes softening. That's it, sleet could see his high horse turning in that hazmat suit. As the seconds drew, his profound smile returned, huffing his chest to the ceiling.

"I suppose there’s some brain cells in those noggins afterall. Then we’d best not delay the future."

Sleet’s eyes twitched, but kept smiling.  Wilco turned, grabbing his tablet from the table before moving to one of the sliding doors. Sleet looked toward Ramon, who eyed the ring still sitting on the table. As the solid doors sealed shut, they shared smiles toward each other.

-------------------------------------------

Two passed by Wilco's inventions and ventured through the metal corridors to the heart of the lab. It took some work to pass by the other eggheads hauling data to the other rooms, but the two of them managed to pass by unseen.  They found a secluded storage area tucked in the far corner of the hallway, locking the door. The two of them set up shop along one of the counters, the ring resting between them.

"To think this hunk of junk phasing through objects." Sleet poked at the hollow buttons, wincing as air hissed from one of the ring’s ducts. "How do we even switch it on?"

“The nerd put it on his middle finger, thing must react to touch.” Ramon said.

"Huh.” He eyeballed the interior of the rings, trailing a finger across its length. "Guess there’s only one way to find out.”

He rose the ring over himself. Its metal walls skid against his sides, the duct's vibrations sending a tingle up his spine. He lowered it further until his waist filled the empty space, pawing the buttons building from the ring’s exterior rim.

“How does it feel?”

“LIke I’m walking in an inflatable tube.” Sleet grunted, rotating the ring around. “Not really feeling phantomy.”

“Huh..” Ramon scanned the shelves a foot away, grabbing a rubber ball nestled between a couple of dusty books.

He hurled it at Sleet, who raised his arms to block it. The little man flinched as he phased through it, feeling only a faint wisp as the ball slammed against the wall behind him.

“How about now?” Ramon said proudly.

Sleet patted himself down. “A little warning before you decide to chuck a comet at me, you jerk!”

“Calm down, I threw it soft for ya.”

Soft? He could hardly call it that. Sleet caught his breath, looking back to the toppled ball on the floor. At least Ramon proved it worked, in his own bashful way. He shook the thought from his mind, taking the other items along the shelves.

"Well it can pass through balls, so let’s test this thing out. Grab everything those grubby hands can muster, Ramon."

A smile crept up on his face, his broad form looming over the shelves. A symphony of clangs and beeps echoed from the platforms, boxes and spare parts turning the once clear surface into a scrap yard.

“How are these, Sleet?” Ramon asked.

"Perfect, these'll do for now." he replied. "Let's start with that tool box first."

"With pleasure."

Ramon  scoured through the pile, picking up the metal box and placing it on the edge. Sleet came just a foot from it, readying his stance before charging forward the wall.

An invisible force stopped him in his tracks, repelling him into a pile of slinkies.

“The heck was that?!” He tapped at the wall, tackling against the wall.

“What’s the hold up?” Ramon said.

“Stupid thing’s acting up.” He replied,  stamping and twisting the buttons surrounding him.

“Well hurry up and fix it. Who knows how long before that nerd finds us.”

“Don’t rush me!” twisted the knobs around the rings, steam seeping through its creases. "all these damn buttons, so confusing."

Twisting another knob, the ring let out an intense hiss. He rattled against the slinkies, shaking them from the edge of the counter top before grazing into other gears. The ducts of the ring of the ring closed, its crimson halo flaring brighter.

Sleet approached the tool box, sticking his hand through its side. "There, see? fixed."

“Finally!" Ramon said. " Well gon then, I wanna see some action!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself."

For the past hour, the two continued their fun with the ring. Ramon gathered more gadgets from the shelves, bundling them in hills to block Sleet’s path. He greeted his challenges with fierce sprints, leaping through the air and past the pile of metal.

Wearing that ring was like putting on a power suit, sending a thrill through Sleet like he never experienced. It was fantastic. To think the nerd created an invention this fun. With it, he could do anything. Phase through anything.

He readied a stance, bolting toward a tool box. He lunged into the metal wall, phasing through the bolts and wrenches lying inside before phasing through the other side. He lost his footing as the ring dipped on its side, spiraling like a lost tire before cushioning against his companion’s crotch.

He titled his gaze to the tool box upside down, a smile resonating. “I could get used to this.”

The plushy bulge behind him shifted before a shadow overhead, Ramon enveloping his view.

“All that flipping around has me excited!”  Ramon said. “Let me have a rack at it!”

His fingers streaked overhead like a crane, lowering to the edge of the ring. He grasped air as Sleet rolled forward, clambering the side of the ring like a turtle on his back.

“You can’t use it yet!” Sleet shouted, getting to his feet.

“What? Why not?”

Sleet eyed the counter, his mind racing. “Because..because the kinks  aren’t fully tested yet! You don’t wanna end up stuck in a limbo. It’s better if I keep it.”

“Bullcrap! You already tried the thing twice.” Ramon said, his eyes narrowing. “If your scrawny butt can work that thing, I’m sure I’ll manage.”

Arched palms raced towards Sleet, plunging from the air like hawks hunting prey. He pressed the ring, The digit’s phased through his midsection. Ramon’s eyed widened, before narrowing again as he swatted at Sleet.

“Lousy! Sleak!”

“Sorry, big guy. You’re just gonna have to wait until the boys are done.”

“I swear when you unphased your gonna get what’s coming to you!”

“As If I’d do that. As far as I'm standing I'm practically invince-” Sparks flicked along the ring, his fram flickering like the flame of the candle. “Eh?”

An outstretched palmed slammed against him, siphoning the breath from his lungs as he soared to the shelf. He plowed into a pair of rags, tumbling from their fabric to lower platforms. He dropped for a mere second, before he clung to a string from a duffle bag.

“High! Oh that’s high!”

“Well well, never took you to be one afraid of heights, Sleet” Ramon said from below, his eyes plagued with amusement. “Not so invincible up there, huh?”

“Get me down!” 

“Sure, but there’s something I’ll need from you first. Fork it over.”

“You sly..There’s no way I'm handing the ring to you.”

“Then I guess you’d better find a ladder.” Ramon’s smile pulled wider, crossing his arms. “Or else we’ll see if that ring gives you the ability to float.”

Sleet groaned, clinging to the drawstrings. Forget him then, he’ll figure out how to get down himself. He gripped the slim string, wrapping it around his wrist. Slowly he wormed himself upward, focusing upon the squared platform above. The string drooped, and he clung to the string. 

“Place your bets folks!” Ramon put on his best announcer impression. “Will the climbing mite make it to the platform, or will he take a skydive?”

“Shut up will you! It’s hard enough trying to-!” He pulled too far, his stomach dropping as the string bent.

Shuffling manifested above, the duffle bag he clung peering over the edge. He could feel gravity pull against his body, the spots along the wall raising as the bold red letters of the bag peered over the edge.

Its knot unfurled, nuts and bolts roaring from the opening. They struck the ground floor like meteors. Ramon raised his guard, the bulk of his forearms absorbing their impact. But Sleet wasn’t as fortunate. He found himself in the path of the showering bolts. Pieces of metal struck the ring, sending him into a tailspin. 

 Buttons flickered around him, smoke shimmered from my view. "Crap crap crap!" He flailed, Banging a fist against the ring's metal hide. “Work you stupid thing! Work!”

 The Crimson halo glowed dimly, before becoming lost in the sparks. Inertia twisted his further, the ground zooming closer. His bangs turned to slams, the button barely lighting. He looked down to Ramon, who was still bombarded by bolts.

“Catch me, you idiot!” He called out.

He received a groan, before Ramon limbs shifted. He fanned aimlessly at the sky, swatting away stray bolts. His fingers loomed close, just within reach. Sleet tried angling himself, extending his own hand to the ascending palm.

He bounced off Ramon's middle finger, rolling down his forearm.

“You missed! You have to use your eye you-” The ring halo flickered on, stretching to the ducts that hissed passively. “Freaking finally!”

He fiddled with the buttons, widening limbs to keep himself from spinning. He looked past his companion’s shoulders to the counter below. The slinkies were still there bundled together, repelling any bolts that impacted their springs. The perfect landing pad. He readied the ring, aiming for a gap between Ramon’s shoulder and neck.

He jerked as a stray bolt struck the ring, sending him off course. 

He ricocheted against Ramon’s bicep and into the open air, hurling toward his broad chest. He crossed his arms over his eyes, awaiting impact. He felt nothing as one of the pecs loomed close, and he fell into darkness. He spiraled through the endless void, grasping for anything to ease his twisting stomach. Before long, Watery sloshes filled the void, a tender surface slamming against his back.

"Ow! Not..my greatest landings" He rubbed my back.

He clambered to his feet, but could barely move an inch. Darkness blocked his sight, leaving only the hollowness of the empty chamber. Did he fall through the floor? No, he was too high for it to have been that. He fanned his arms outward, warm fluid dosing his palm.

“What the..?” He squinted, sniffing at the alien substance. “Ugh, It’s horrid. Smells just like...Ramon.”

 Sparks fluttered from the corners of the ring, the halo flickering. Its glow illuminated the hollow space. A pool of translucent fluid surrounds his knees, guarded by a dome of wrinkled flesh. The sound of breathing muffled through the walls, and the realization came to him. He didn’t fall through the floor, he was inside Ramon.

The wall behind him pressed its weight against his back, forcing his head between his legs. “I’m inside Ramon?! This is not what I came for!” He wrestled his arm against the tender wall, forcing it back back. He used the other to take to the button’s of the ring, twisting them to phase out of the prison he found himself in.

The ring didn’t activate, answering with sparks and flickering lights.

“No, no no!” He twisted harder. “This is no time for this stupid thing to croak!”

 He gritted as the wall stiffening, wrapping around him like a capsule. He forced them back with a leg, before looking ahead. Compressed between the folds, a pucker winked eagerly, sipping at the puddle surrounding. The ring was no good, he’ll have to get out of this himself. 

He trudged against the folds to the shriveled pucker, sinking a palm between its lips. It sucked his elbow inside, compressing it into a narrow space.

“Compressed you stupid thing, open!” He dug further,  trudging his feet through the fluid. He bucked as a fold slammed against his rear, thrusting him to the rim. “Wait, that’s too quick-”

--------------------

The last of the bolts trickled to the floor, Ramon letting up his guard. His head throbbed from the metal bombardment, lumps spreading across his forearms like pimples. "Lousy termite! That hurts you know!"

He scanned the bolts along the floor, kicking chairs away before peering under the table. Nothing, not even the sign of legs. The runt must’ve run when the bolts fell. Of course he did. 

He stormed from the storage room and into the hallway, shifting his gaze from one side of the corridors to the other. “Those tiny legs couldn’t have carried him far.” He growled, scratching one of his pecs. "All this gymnastics is making my nips itch!"

A hiss echoed from the door around a corner, and he smiled.

“Gotcha.” He marched to the end of the hall. “Oh when I get my hands on you I’ll-”

He paused as he eyed the open doors. A pair of drones flew into the corridors, Wilco following behind as he stepped into the middle of the hall. His eyes narrowed past his tablet to Ramon, piercing into his soul like needles. 

“W-wilco!” He tensed, holding an arm. “Wh..what are you doing back here?!”

“My drones detected an increase in the ring’s usage in this sanctum. And here I find you.”

"Oh! Well you see! I was uh..Helping clean the storage! The collectors sent me to fetch a broom. A-as a matter of fact. I was just heading there no-”

One of the drones soared from Wilco’s side, blocking his path. 

"That won’t be necessary. You're staying where I can see you!" Wilco said, pressing the screen of his tablet as the drone’s lights glew red.

Ramon swallowed saliva as the professor moved toward the monitors, scanning the panels for data. He eyed the drone orbiting above, its lens dilating before slitting into focus.  His nipple quivered as tightness returned, twisting in itself. He squashed his pec between his palm, rubbing it around like a stress ball. As if dealing with the nerd was hard enough.

“Where’s Sleet?”

Ramon blinked. “Huh?”

“Damages always lead to you two. And if you’re here, he can’t be far behind.”

“Well your guess is as good as mine.” He rubbed at his nipple. “It’s been a minute since I saw that mite pha-..er, use the restroom.”

“I see..” The professor said, his screen continuing to glow red. "No signs of the ring’s trail. Then we’ll have to find it another way.”

Wilco pressed at  his tablet,  the lens of the stationary drone flickering as it hovered between the two of them. A panel opened from its side, a small emitter holding between its clamps.

“What’s that?” Ramon asked.

“It’s an emitter I designed in case the ring gets lost.”

The emitter illuminated a tender glow, the drones angling the device higher in the air. A fire lit inside Ramon, A vibration rattling his pectoral.

He caved to his knees. “Freakin-! Gah!”

“What is it now?”

“That drone’s setting my nipples on fire!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, it's programmed to channel to the ring’s frequency.” Wilco said. “Unless..”

Wilco tapped at his tablet, the drone flashing before heading to Ramon. He looked up as it held the device. His nipple ripple harder, its plump muscle sending a buzz through his pectorals.

“Ah! I told you that thing is hurting!”

“Far from it. In fact, I think it just found where the ring might be.”

The drone retracted the device into its console, metal clamps extending from its sides. Their cols appendage wrapped around his pecs, cupping them like udders on a cow.

"Woah woah, what's it doing?!"

"Extraction. I can't risk damaging the core." Wilco replied, "It should be painless, just hold still."

The drones clamps rotated along his pecs, their leathered tips grazing beneath them before connecting with each other. He let out a steady beep, before it slowly began to twist.

Ramon writhed in its grasp, prying again the metallic arm. “I thought you said it would be painless?!”

“Theory, but in this case it’ll need more effort.” Wilco replied. “Increase efficiency.”

The drone beeped again, his pecs spilling over the clamps. Slowly fluid seeped from his nipples, but there was something else, a complex object sliding from deeper inside. The itch returned, stretching across the interior of the pecs. It was they were..arms

The alien object rose higher, his left pec bulging.  Its bulb quivered before gaping open, and the butt of the ring was birthed. Fingers clung to the other end, clambering to keep their hold along the slick surface. the ring pulled higher, and sleet’s head blossomed from the bulb.

“Sleet?! The heck are you doing in my pecs?!” Ramon yelled.

"Take..a guess!!" I yelled, gasping the fresh air.

The drone unlatched from the other pec, extracting the ring from Sleet’s grasp and into Wilco’s palm. Sparks erupted from the ends of the ring, its glow watered down by translucent fluid.

"Ugh, no wonder I couldn't find it, you goof balls damaged its tracking system!" He flicked the juices from its hide. "This is going to set me back for weeks!"

"Well the should have came with an emergency switch!" Sleet jerked, causing the pec to wobble. 

"Will you stop fluttering like they’re some floaties!" Ramon yelled.

"Easy to say when your not stemmed to the darn things!" Sleet turned toward the professor. "Ay, doc! Your invention caused this! Mind giving us a hand."

Wilco’s face turned, looking at the damaged ring. He glossed a finger along its rims, eyeing the translucent fluid that seeped between them. 

"Sure I'll help.” he said. “And I've got just the thing.."

-------------

The alarm of a digital clock rang through the corridors of the laboratory, lights of unoccupied rooms shifting off to reset their cycles. Wilco poured his coffee, studying data sheets gained from today's sessions. Despite morning’s setbacks, he managed to gain sufficient data, if not more now that he’s found a new source of research.

"This should suffice for the day." He logged out of his computer, placing the data into a machine.

He inhaled the fresh brew of caffeine in his cup, entering past the sliding doors and into his lab. Strapped to an elevated table, Ramon resided, suction cups wrapped around his pecs. fluid siphoned from his nipples, filling one of the cups to the brim. In the other, Sleet was present. The cup shook him around like a beverage shaker, tossing him and the knee high fluid against the translucent plastic.

"Oh hey, doc!" Ramon announced, catching a donut deposited from a bot. "Come to check on progress?"

"I have. It seems you've been getting accustomed to the sampling table."

“I'm surprised myself, thing feels pretty nice after a few suckles.” He wolfed the donut into his mouth, swallowing it down. “ Feels like a chick playing with my nips.”

The filled suction cup buzzed before a valve siphoned the fluid inside, crumbling from the pec like a sticker as it fell to the floor before another latched on.

"Why am I still stuck in this thing?!" Sleet banged the plastic, wiping juices from his face.

"You’re a factor in Ramon’s production, I can't have it messing up accurate data." Wilco replied. "Besides, it's your fault you wound up there, so you’re just gonna have to wait like a good volunteer."

"That’s a bunch of bull!"

"Ramon’s efficiency is of high importance to my research. I’ll need accurate data to test how  fast a man of his calibour can produce fluid."

"You hear that, Sleet?” Ramon chuckled, catching another donut. “He needs to test a real man. As he should."

"Granted your efficiency to create fluid is noted, Ramon.” Wilco said. “However, you still have yet to produce enough for a qualified sample."

He twisted a knob, the suction cup tightening before increasing its pace. Ramon bucked against his restraints. Sleet ricocheting from the walls.

"Again with the squeezing?!” Ramon wailed. “I barely recovered from the drone!"

"You're complaining?!..grh!..Whose the one getting ragdolled?!" Sleet chimed.

“Enough bickering,” Wilco placed his tablet on the table. “You two's only concern should be retrieving efficient data!"

"We've been doing this for hours!” Ramon gritted. “I don't think my nips can take this much prying!"

"Don't we..have enough already?!" Sleet added.

Wilco lowered his gaze to the monitor, its screen emitting the results. 

Sufficient data: Completed.

"Nope, still got a long way to go.."

[attacus-atlas-moth]

Science Communication post for school part II: Madagascar hissing cockroaches

This time we looked at light preference and food preference in cockroaches

MHCs are nocturnal detritivores (meaning they eat decaying plant and animal matter). They produce a hissing sound by forcing air out of their spiracles.

The experiment was conducted using choice chambers to give the cockroaches the option to choose between a light and dark area, and later, choose to eat a carrot or slice of pepperoni. They were deprived of food but not moisture for 5 days leading up to the experiment.

The fact they are nocturnal may make it seem like they would prefer the dark. However, at least at time of experimentation (early afternoon) the cockroaches were about an even split on preference.

About half of the cockroaches didn't eat. It's unclear if the majority not eating is due to time of day or if they weren't hungry. Those that did eat seemed to have a preference for the carrot, although a few ate the pepperoni.

In order to record data for this experiment we used google sheets. Nearly everyone wrote down data despite working in small groups. The problem with this is that we did not use any tactics to make sure data wouldn't be repeated, perhaps group numbers would have been a good idea. So I ask you, dear random bug people on tumblr, don't do that! Make sure your data makes sense and is accurate. Even ignoring the small sample size this would not be a good study because I don't know if the data is accurate! Good data is important

[texasdreamer01]

Atlantis Expedition: Science Division Departments

"Many of the scientists on Atlantis are organised into departments, each with their own department head. Dr. Rodney McKay was head of the Science and Research Division which most likely meant he was in charge of all of the science departments. Dr. Radek Zelenka was also the head of his own department. The various science departments on Atlantis are:

> Physics

 » Astrophysics

> Biology

 » Microbiology

 » Astrobiology

> Oceanography

> Botany

> Medicine

> Anthropology

(SGA: "Remnants", "Grace Under Pressure", "Suspicion")"

From <https://stargate.fandom.com/wiki/Atlantis_expedition#Departments>

---

As I'm working my way through worldbuilding headcanons on the expedition, I figured I ought to start with the science division first. Above is my starting point: the canonical information at hand, to flesh out and give it some real-world reliability.

When I looked at it again, I realized it was, to put it politely, ill-thought-out crap that was only looked upon when the writers needed some random scientist around for episode material.

So, what considerations would an expedition like this actually need to take into account when hiring people?

At the very bare bones of it is "how many people can I fit through a wormhole in twenty or twenty-five minutes, plus supplies?". I went back and forth, prevaricated for a bit, and settled on 200 people if you really want to hoof it.

(Why 20-25 minutes? It's SGC's first stable-ish wormhole to another galaxy that's powered by a ZPM. They don't even know how much of a success that would be, or if they're just shoving people into a glorified shredder. Gotta pick and choose who you're maybe putting through the billion-dollar shredder. Y'know. Just in case.)

My initial rough estimations were about an even split between scientific and military personnel, which I kept on hand as napkin math to sanity check myself. This would be approximately 150 scientists.

What departments would there be, and how would it be divided? Who makes the priorities, and why?

The canon data is a mess, and as I worked through things, canon kept getting folded and refolded into different configurations because there's two competing priorities: the IOA/SGC, and Rodney's approach to pragmatism.

What was everyone expecting to see on the other side of that wormhole? Definitely not a city ship sunk into the ground of an ocean, and definitely not isolated from others (the Athosians were an unexpected godsend that kicked off the reason to have a plot in the first place). Whatever the IOA or SGC had in mind will quickly get thrown out the window, but needs must, and the departments were likely arranged long before the shipping manifest was decided.

I poked around the uniforms, because everyone is colour-coded, and there's five sections:

> Red (civilian, leader) - Worn by Dr. Elizabeth Weir, Teyla Emmagan, Colonel Samantha Carter and Richard Woolsey.

> Blue/dark blue or purple (scientist) - Worn by Dr. Meredith Rodney McKay and Dr. Radek Zelenka.

> Yellow (medical) - Worn by Dr. Carson Beckett and Dr. Jennifer Keller.

> Black (military) - Worn by Lt. Colonel John Sheppard and Major Evan Lorne.

> Green (technician) - Worn by Chuck and Amelia Banks.

This information is listed in both the "List of Atlantis personnel" and "Atlantis expedition uniform" pages on SGCommand.

Thus far that gets me two and a half departments in my hand: Scientist, Medical, and Technician (that's the half).

What would the SGC and IOA want the expedition to prioritize? Technology, and lots of it. This means that, probably, there's going to be more engineers than you can shake a stick at, and not a lot of pure sciences. Remember, it cost money to fire up the gate, and flinging people into another galaxy is an unfathomable amount of (international, at this point) taxpayer funds. You're going to want as much applied science as possible, and as much overlap in disciplines as possible.

(Unfortunately this does leave little room for error, so anyone that dies is capable of leaving a hole in potential research.)

Therefore, how would a top-down order of technological research look like? My assumption was this:

> Engineering of the city of Atlantis itself

 » ZPMs, auxiliary and/or complementary power sources

 » Materials and material manufacturing

 » Design specs of different technologies (jumpers, yes, but also anti-grav, shields, climate controls)

> Biological sciences

 » ATA gene therapies

 » Whatever the Ancients were working on regarding ascension

  ⇛ Helpful with the Ori once Atlantis is informed of that issue

To wit, neither addendum on the biological sciences bullet point is pertinent at the time of department formation, as Carson invented the ATA gene therapy after arriving in Atlantis, and the Ori weren't an issue for a similar reason.

Ergo, all non-biological engineering fields would have had higher billing, and thus more of them hired. The only exception would be medical, and I'm sure the SGC had the forethought to bully the IOA into its relevancy and make sure that department was as fully-stocked as they could manage.

Now what about practical considerations? Plans are nice and all, but rarely survive contact with reality, so some adjustment might be needed. This, I believe, the SGC considered, given their own history of needing to rapidly adjust on the fly.

Rodney, as Chief Science Officer (CSO), would be the one to not only make these kinds of decisions, but also to listen to the head of the expedition as to what needed to be prioritized. As the show has demonstrated, there can be a significant amount of shuffling around of employees based on the needs of a minute, and hour, a week, a month - for an indefinite amount of time? Basics are what gets the job done.

So what things would Rodney need to consider, or be directed to consider by Elizabeth?

> Oh shit this can sink

 » Rodney's main work - keeping the ZPM working and get as many new ones as possible

> Oh shit everything's so far away

 » Rodney's other main work - making sure the gate works as ordered

> Oh shit we're in another galaxy

 » Food

  ⇛ Getting, keeping, preserving, maybe the occasional growing

 » Utilities

  ⇛ Luckily they don't have to pay for it lol

  ⇛ But also oh shit lighting, water, sewage, air filtration, general life support

   ⟹ Rodney's third main work

   ⟹ This poor guy

 » Medicine

  ⇛ Rodney delegates the hell out of this

  ⇛ Good luck making potions, guys!

 » Bullets

  ⇛ Also other things the military needs

  ⇛ Fun times re-inventing the wheel I mean gunpowder

  ⇛ Good work for bored soldiers, and possibly also any scientist Rodney puts in time-out

 » Clothes

  ⇛ Ha, thread

  ⇛ Also needles

  ⇛ Experiments in sewing machine making

   ⟹ Watch the fingers

  ⇛ How to replace fabric?

  ⇛ Off-duty clothes

  ⇛ Also medical clothing (scrubs for staff, patients)

 » Miscellaneous

  ⇛ Entertainment, I guess

Internal monologue included because I think it's funny.

Anyway.

While Rodney's spending his days with Benny Hill music playing in the background trying to get all of those priorities done on top of actually delegating work and doing whatever else Elizabeth (and John) want him to do, other people actually need to have some work to get done. So what are they doing?

It depends on who already does what, frankly. So in the above combined interests (amount of people that can fit through an intergalactic wormhole, competing IOA/SGC interests, realities of living in Atlantis), I'm proposing this set-up (commentary included):

Medical Sciences Department

Head: Carson Beckett (later, Jennifer Keller, later, whomever)

Contains: Surgery, psychiatry, physical therapy

Function: Maintaining health of expedition members

Examples of function: surgeries, medical prescriptions, recuperation from injuries, mental stability

Personnel quantity: 1 (Head) + 10 (surgical team) + 5 (nurses) + 1 (psych) + 1 (phys. therapy) + 1 (anesthesiologist) = 19 total

A/N: Nurses have training in medications and physical therapy, surgical team also doubles as general practitioners.

Life Sciences Department

Head: OC

Contains: Earth biologists, bio- & biochemical engineers, astro/xeno-biologists, botany, environmental chemistry, zoology, microbiology

Function: Auxiliary to Medical Department needs

Examples of function: pharmaceutical synthesis, analysis of unknown species, biological database creation, gene therapies (pharmaceutical adjacent)

Personnel quantity: 1 (Head) + 2 (Earth biologists) + 2 (bioE & biochemE) + 1 (astro/xenobio) + 1 (botany) + 1 (envchem) + 1 (zoo) + 2 (microbio) = 11

A/N: Both biologists also have training/specialization in genetics/gene mapping (assists both Carson and Katie), some input in requesting gate missions based on in-house needs.

Field Sciences Department

Head: OC

Contains: Linguistics, historical geography, cartography, ethnography, sociology, oceanography, hydrology, atmospheric physics, planetary physics

Function: Research pool for gate teams and any assigned missions

Examples of function: Preservation of refugee cultures, scouting for trade planets, analysis of back-up sites for establishment

Personnel quantity: 1 (Head) + 3 (linguistics) + 1 (histgeo) + 1 (cart) + 1 (ethno) + 1 (socio) + 1 (oceano) + 1 (hydro) + 1 (atmophys) + 1 (planphys) = 12

A/N: SGC duplicate all shoved into one department, mostly ignored in-house but their brains are picked for background dossiers when it comes to mission planning. Linguists trained in xenolinguistics, from the SGC, can cover the various anthro fields if necessary, also various training in structural linguistics. Main scientist pulls for gate team assignments, if something critical isn't needed (i.e. Ancient technology).

Applied Sciences Department

Head: Rodney McKay (or perhaps Radek Zelenka?)

Contains: Electrical/technical engineering, nuclear physics, civil engineering, astrophysics, laser/optical, chemical engineering

Function: Study, synthesis, and adaptations of Ancient technology

Examples of function: ZPM analysis with intent to duplicate, experimental duplications of Ancient technology materials, study of gate physics and construction with intent to duplicate, study and experimental duplication of other Ancient technologies (i.e. hyperdrives, cloaks, weapons, etc)

Personnel quantity: 1 (Head) + 3 (electreng) + 6 (techeng/gate techs) + 1 (nucphys) + 1 (astrophy) + 1 (LZ/opt) +  3 (chemeng) = 16

A/N: The people Rodney are yelling at most often, because mistakes mean kablooey. Also a lot of the people running around in an emergency. 1 nuclear physicist because Rodney pulls a lot of intellectual weight, and same with the astrophysicist and laser/optical person (mostly they're there as on-paper hires and back-ups/assistants for him for his own research).

Gate Technicians

Head: ??? Joint custody

Contains: Gate technicians

Functions: Auxiliary to Applied Sciences Department, interacts with the gate and the gate only

Examples of function: dialing, searching database for addresses, maintaining mission logs and planets visited, basic repair and maintenance of the gate, technical drawings as required by others

Personnel quantity: Chuck, idk +5 for full shift overlaps = 6 total (listed in Applied Sciences department as techeng/gate techs)

A/N: Technically nerds but are active duty, probably loans from SGC (maybe also Russia because of the DHD debacle?).

Gate technicians are, although folded into the Applied Sciences department, listed separately in order to better articulate their duties (and the fact that they get the green shirts). Shout-out to @spurious for enabling the idea that gate techs would do technical drawings 😁

Sum Total of Science Division Personnel

Medical: 19

Life Sciences: 11

Field Sciences: 12

Applied Sciences: 16

Total total: 19 + 11 + 12 + 16 = 58

This isn't anywhere close to my initial estimate of 150, but I think it adequately covers all the preconceived and actual responsibilities that the science division would need to handle in the expedition. Possibly I might update these numbers as I develop this headcanon further, but that would end up in a new post.

Further elaboration on headcanons about each department will be in their own posts, with links updated here as they're posted for ease of reference.

Science Department Breakdown Posts

Medical Department (posted 14 May 2024)

Life Sciences Department (posted 29 May 2024)

Field Sciences Department (posted 30 May 2024)

Applied Sciences Department (posted 10 June 2024)

Chief Science Officer (posted 18 July 2024)

Chief Medical Officer (posted 20 July 2024)

Science Department Heads (posted 20 July 2024)

[arinzechukwuture]

Christopher Towler, a Political Science professor at Sacramento State, recently completed a Black Voter Project survey in which the results disputed media reports leading up to the 2024 election, which stated that Black men were moving away from the Democratic Party in favor of Donald Trump. (Photo courtesy Christopher Towler)

He’s been on a mission to change that ever since. For nearly a decade, Towler has spearheaded the Black Voter Project, a series of public opinion polls focused on collecting accurate and representative data of the Black community.

The project’s latest study – funded by Sac State’s Center for California Studies – disputes media reports leading up to the election that Black men were moving away from the Democratic Party in favor of Donald Trump.

“If you want to answer the really tough questions about voter turnout and vote choice, enthusiasm and apathy, you need to have the data,” Towler said. “Using data for other groups that includes only a small sample of Black folks and then extrapolating those answers has a lot of problems.”

Such extrapolation led to talk among political pundits and the media about Black men moving away from the Democratic Party and voting for Trump. Towler’s survey, however, shows that wasn’t the case.

Support for Kamala Harris among Black men increased by 24% over time, the survey found, with 82% of Black men voting for Harris on Election Day. Support for Trump, however, dropped to 17%, matching 2020 exit polls.

Other findings include:

Black support for Harris in 2024 was similar to that of Joe Biden in 2020, with 86% of Black voters choosing Harris compared to 12% for Trump.

Most Black voters, 57%, voted in person.

Black voters voted Democratic down the ballot, 72%, with 13% splitting the ticket.

The majority of Black voters disapprove of mass deportation.

Using nonpartisan, online polls administered by YouGov, the study surveyed African American respondents from all 50 states four times during 2024. The first survey took place between March and April of 2024, followed by another between July and August, just after Harris replaced Biden at the top of the ticket. The third was fielded in October, before the election, and the fourth in December, more than a month after Donald Trump was elected.

Questions dug into racial identity, household types, race of partners and spouses, and attitudes about racial equality in America. Such questions, Towler said, are absent from most election polls.

“There needs to be a way to have a true, rigorous and thorough analysis of Black American opinions if we’re going to talk about them as part of the electorate, as part of politics and society at all,” he said.

“It’s impossible to discuss what political leadership should do, what sort of party platforms the different parties should run and policies they should push forward, if we don’t have an accurate measure as to what the interests of the community are.”

In addition, Towler said, false or misleading information can also impact election results. While the survey found that the percentage of Black voters supporting the Democratic candidate remained the same from 2020, the number of voters went down.

“(Misinformation) can depress votes and create apathy,” Towler said. “It simply turns off voters and gives them a reason not to vote.”

Leonor Ehling, executive director of the Center for California Studies, echoed those concerns.

[formulaphoe]

the lowdown on formula 1 tyres

image source: fueler store

formula 1 tyres may seem like a simple piece of rubber, but they are a marvel of engineering and strategy. let's dive into how these crucial components work and why they play such a vital role in the high-stakes game of motorsport.

the basics: types of tyres

image source: f1

in formula 1, tyres aren't just tyres; they're tailored for specific conditions and purposes. pirelli, the official tyre supplier since 2011, provides several types for teams to choose from, each designed to perform under different circumstances.

soft tyres: these are the quickest, but wear our fast. perfect for qualifying sessions when teams aim for pole position (or p18 if they're sauber).

medium tyres: a good balance between speed and durability, these tyres are often used in the race's middle phases.

hard tyres: designed for longevity, these can withstand more laps, but sacrifice some grip and speed.

intermediate and wet tyres: essential for rainy conditions, these tyres have grooves that channel water away, helping to maintain grip on slick surfaces.

pirelli regularly updates these compounds based on feedback and performance, so teams have to adapt their strategies accordingly.

the science behind the grip

image source: autosport

the grip of a tyre is influenced by various factors, including its compound, temperature, and pressure. the rubber used in f1 tyres has a unique blend that provides the necessary grip and durability. the rubber's flexibility allows it to deform and maintain contact with the track, which is crucial for effective braking and cornering.

temperature matters

tyres need to reach a specific operating temperature to perform at their best. for example, soft tires can provide optimal grip once they reach about 90° celsius. teams use tyre blankets to heat the tyres before they hit the track, ensuring they're ready to go right from the start. if the tyres are too cold, they won't grip the surface properly, which can lead to poor performance and potentially dangerous conditions.

pressure and performance

tyre pressure is another critical aspect. if the pressure is too low, it can cause excessive wear and affect handling. conversely, too high a pressure can lead to a loss of grip. teams closely monitor tyre pressure through advanced mapping techniques to ensure optimal performance during races.

strategy: when to pit?

image source: fast company

the timing of pit stops is crucial in f1 racing. deciding when to change tyres can make or break a race. teams analyze factors, including tyre wear, track position, and competitor strategies. a well-timed pit stop can mean the difference between winning and losing, making tyre strategy a key component of race tactics.

teams also conduct tyre tests before races to gather data. these tests help teams understand how different compounds behave on specific circuits, allowing for better race-day decisions.

the role of technology

image source: microsoft tech community

the development of f1 tyres isn't just about rubber; it involves sophisticated engineering and simulation. teams use computer models to predict tyre behaviour under different conditions. this data-driven approach helps engineers design better tyres that cater to the needs of their specific cars and driving styles.

real-time data

during a race, teams gather real-time data to adjust their strategies on the fly. engineers monitor the performance of the tyres through telemetry, which tracks parameters like temperature, pressure, and wear. this information allows them to advise drivers on when to push the limits and when to conserve tyres.

the future of f1 tyres

image source: williams racing

looking ahead, the world of f1 tyres is bound to evolve further. as sustainability becomes a focal point in motorsport, there's an ongoing effort to develop more eco-friendly compounds without compromising performance. pirelli is already exploring options that incorporate sustainable materials, ensuring that f1 keeps up with global trends.

sources

seymour, mike. "f1 tyres explained: the beginner's guide to formula 1 tyres." formula 1, 9 apr. 2023, www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/the-beginners-guide-to-formula-1-tyres.61SvF0Kfg29UR2SPhakDqd

straw, edd. "how f1's tyre test will work - and why it matters." the race, 2 july 2021, www.the-race.com/formula1/how-f1s-tyre-test-will-work-and-why-it-matters/

bhambwani, rupesh n. "demystifying formula 1 tyres: a comprehensive guide." medium, 17 sept. 2023, www.medium.com/formula-one-forever/demystifying-formula-1-tyres-a-comprehensive-guide-b990d17fe849

vogel, jonathan. "tech explained: formula 1 tyre model development." racecar engineering, 27 sept. 2021, www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/tech-explained-formula-1-tyre-model-development/

"tire pressure mapping by f1 teams - why and how." interface force measurements, 10 nov. 2022, https://interfaceforce.co.uk/tire-pressure-mapping-by-f1-teams-why-and-how-2/

"f1 tires." pirelli, 2019, www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/motorsport/f1/tires

cortina, miguel. "here's how pirelli chooses the tires for each formula 1 race." motortrend, 17 may 2023, www.motortrend.com/features/how-pirelli-chooses-its-tires-for-a-formula-1-grand-prix/

if any errors or typos are noticed, PLS PLS point them out via comment, ask, or dm. if there is a specific topic you would like me to cover, send in an ask and i'll look into it!

[samueldays]

Plagiarist's Cant, and Plagiarists Can't.

"This was merely a single skirmish in a broader war to unravel public faith in pillars of American society."

-Claudine Gay, NYT, 2024.

That's four metaphors combined in one sentence: military, fabric, religion, architecture.

"The Ogre does what ogres can, Deeds quite impossible for Man, But one prize is beyond his reach, The Ogre cannot master Speech. About a subjugated plain, Among its desperate and slain, The Ogre stalks with hands on hips While drivel gushes from his lips."

-W.H. Auden, 1968, originally about Soviet cant.

The Gay affair (thank you English phraseology) has gotten headlines with Claudine Gay, plagiarism and antisemitism, but my interest in it is more about the entire class of people eagerly telling lies and talking cant. Lying is wrong. Cant is ogrish.

Gay lied, and the Harvard board lied to back her up, and an entire class of allegedly truth-seeking, fact-checking journalists lied some more. Several "professional" people who are well paid to be well informed were revealed as aggressively ignorant and less informed than I was after an hour with Sci-Hub and Google Scholar. I already felt cynical and jaded beforehand, and I nonetheless kept being disappointed by the sheer torrent of lies in the Gay affair.

I say "lies" because the alternative is that they are delusional imbeciles who genuinely believe that this canting midwit is a groundbreaking scholar. Look at her. Look at her and laugh.

Given a NYT column and a last word of sorts, she delivers neither competent workmanlike prose, nor literary excellence, but instead a grab bag of cant and overused metaphor and pompous self-importance.

My hope is that by stepping down I will deny demagogues the opportunity to further weaponize my presidency in their campaign to undermine the ideals animating Harvard since its founding: excellence, openness, independence, truth.

She did not bring excellence, nor openness, nor truth, and I'm skeptical about the independence. She is at best spouting cant, at worst lying again. She communicates in emotive connotations, unfitting of a Harvard scholar.

It is not lost on me that I make an ideal canvas for projecting every anxiety about the generational and demographic changes unfolding on American campuses: a Black woman selected to lead a storied institution. Someone who views diversity as a source of institutional strength and dynamism. Someone who has advocated a modern curriculum that spans from the frontier of quantum science to the long-neglected history of Asian Americans. Someone who believes that a daughter of Haitian immigrants has something to offer to the nation’s oldest university.

What a lot of blather. "Diversity" in particular is a bait-and-switch word that changes between meaning "More black people" and "Variety of opinions" depending on whether the speaker is engaged in rhetorical attack or defense. The four sentences of this paragraph could be reduced with little loss to the four words "Black. Race. Asian. Black." and in the process constitute evidence that the anxiety about changes on American campus is justified - the campus is becoming race-obsessed to the detriment of everything else. It's race-cant, similar in spirit to plagiarism, and to Orwell's complaint: "his brain is not involved as it would be if he were choosing his words for himself."

The plagiarism is not the only problem. Even the broader issue that she writes and talks sloppily is not the only problem. Her papers were bad as scientific papers. Her p-values were absurd, her statistical analysis was confounded, she dropped an inconvenient data point, she failed to distinguish correlation with causation, she asserted overly strong conclusions from tiny sample sizes processed through interpolative models, et cetera. I've got Tumblr mutuals who write better and more factful analysis.

There is nothing inherently wrong with plagiarism as such: for example engineering approaches to the same problem, studies of the same object, or entertainment in the same genre ought to be similar to one another with good reason.

Much like Van Halen's famous "remove the brown M&Ms from the bowl" contract, though, a ban on close plagiarism can serve as a simple and visible test of someone's ability to follow correct procedure. Hence the pun: plagiarists can't. Claudine Gay is a serial plagiarist who sucks at expressing herself, so she copies, and she cants.

[lilikitsune18]

Officer it’s this one right here he crashed my drawing program and refused to cooperate

@neodracunyan here’s the criminal the one who broke my drawing program so bad I’m going to have to archive everything and clear its data again and it hasn’t even been 3 months since I last did that for spring cleaning. I love how he came out in the end but he crashed my program 5 times while I was working on him and has caused it to lag and crash constantly ever since. I adore this boi but I will always have hard feelings for his reference sheet. He looks so smug about it too.

Below the cut is my usual ramble as well as the sketches and shape study for this one. (He has taught me many things completely on accident)

So let’s talk about this.

I started by sketching up a kickin that will never see the light of day fate just looking up my reference images and eyeballing it.

That kickin was really really ugly.

I know saying these things about one’s own art can seem degrading and derogatory but believe me when I say I got a second opinion and they agreed that chicken was ugly.

And they didn’t even know I was showing them my own art so I know it’s true.

So then I did the shape study and figured out why this wasn’t working the same as the others.

Then came a lot of trial and error of pushing different combinations of these shapes and builds together until I got a siluette that seemed to work (this was the one I used for the final version of kickin)

Then came the face which was also a matter with which I struggled but eventually figured out.

Despite all of these setbacks I do really like how kickin came out in the end (especially the side profile view) and once all of the struggles were through I really really ended up liking how he came out .

So let’s actually talk about this design now shall we?

Let’s start with the kickin hawk design. This design benefited from the fact that I knew who kickins partner is before choosing colors so I decided to make his grey clothing pieces blue toned in the same shade as bubba. It’s not super noticeable in the reference sheet because it’s surrounded by its complimentary and cross-complimentary colors (orange and yellow) making it look far more desaturated than it actually is. My intent is for the rest of the dark critters to have this same partnering motif from here on out in their color palettes (bubba will get kickins yellow, Bobby will get craftys cyan/teal color, and picky will get something green for hoppy) this will add a sort of visual synergy between each partner set making it more clear when they’re together as a group who the usual pairs are. (Instead of redoing catnap and dogday to fit this rule lets just say that their synergy thing is the red smoke bc when I designed them I didn’t know they were going to be put together as an individual pair instead of being with the rest of the critters as a group.) the idea for how kickin hawks weapons work is that they’re magnetic (either the holsters or a specific point on the weapon itself) and depending on which weapon it is will attach to a different point on his belt (think like polarity the nunchucks won’t attach to the spot where the guns go because the poles in its magnets don’t match the ones for the guns to attach to. This also means that if an enemy has a huge magnet they are guaranteed to never get all of kickins weapons because some of them will have opposing polarity and be repelled by the magnet instead of attracted to it a.k.a science is cool sometimes) The mask is for similar reasons to dogdays because of the fact that bubba uses lots of chemicals and gases similar to catnaps when fighting and kickin doesn’t want to deal with the loose gases effects (at that moment at least I feel like kickin would absolutely be bubba Guinea pig whenever he has a new variation to test) I also dyed some of his feathers with streaks of the reddish orange color because I feel like the moment he got the freedom to choose his appearance he’d go and change it. And uh yeah that’s about it for kickins ramble but if you have questions about the design choices feel free to ask ( while some of these guys may bite I won’t!)

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Adult SFF Books Bracket: Round 3

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

The Locked Tomb series (Gideon the Ninth, Harrow the Ninth, Nona the Ninth, and others) by Tamsyn Muir

Endorsement from submitter #1: "An extremely fun, humorous romp! A heart-breaking, soul crushing catharsis inducing tragedy! A thoughtful piece on imperial structures and trauma. On queerness, Muir flawlessly and without announcement, cracks gender open like an egg and spills its disproven guts across the page. The Locked Tomb does it all also bones, bitch."

Endorsement from submitter #2: "Lesbian necromancers in space. So many fascinating, sort of fucked up sapphic relationships going on."

The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier.

Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die. Of course, some things are better left dead.

Fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, humor, series, adult

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson (The Space Between Worlds series)

Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s just one catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying—from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn’t outrun. Cara’s life has been cut short on 372 worlds in total.

On this Earth, however, Cara has survived. Identified as an outlier and therefore a perfect candidate for multiverse travel, Cara is plucked from the dirt of the wastelands. Now she has a nice apartment on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. She works—and shamelessly flirts—with her enticing yet aloof handler, Dell, as the two women collect off-world data for the Eldridge Institute. She even occasionally leaves the city to visit her family in the wastes, though she struggles to feel at home in either place. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, Cara is on a sure path to citizenship and security.

But trouble finds Cara when one of her eight remaining doppelgängers dies under mysterious circumstances, plunging her into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and her future in ways she could have never imagined—and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her world, but the entire multiverse.

Science fiction, multiverse, politics, mystery, series, adult