#Global Innovation Gathering

[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

In this episode, Christina talks with Star Ngei, a maker/hacker who helps raise awareness of Global South technology and innovation through the NGO Global Innovation Gathering (GIG), which hosts a network of makers and makerspaces throughout the Global South. Although it’s hard to generalize across a space as culturally, politically, economically, and geographically diverse as the Global South, Christina and Star discuss how the access of people in the Global South to tech is limited compared to that of people in the Global North and so they have a more creative, non-linear approach to technology. They’re far more open to modifying a piece (or pieces) of technology to fit their specific needs, rather than just using it as it comes out of the box and merely specifically for its intended use. Christina and Star also talk about climate change and what the Global North can learn from the Global South in terms of dealing with it. Lastly, they talk about building community and how, if you’re interested in working to decrease global inequality by helping people in the Global South, the best place to start is by striking up a relationship with a community there first. Unless you want your efforts to be a waste of your time, their time, and resources, don’t just give a group of people in the Global South what you think they need, find out what they think they would find useful.

[publicheath]

Upcoming Public Health Conferences: A Look into 2025

[townpostin]

Jamshedpur School Honors Late Educationist Lalita Sareen

Memorial meeting at Kavyapta Global School draws city’s educational leaders Kavyapta Global School hosted a memorial meeting to honor Lalita Sareen, celebrating her impactful contributions to education in Jamshedpur. JAMSHEDPUR – On July 30, Kavyapta Global School conducted a memorial meeting in memory of the late Lalita Sareen, Initiative Director, who passed away on July 25. The event attracted…

[aeth-eris]

Solar Return : Friendships (11th House)

Solar Return 11th House in Aries: You may find yourself drawn to dynamic and energetic friends who share your enthusiasm for group activities such as sports teams or adventurous outings, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared excitement within your social circle.

Solar Return 11th House in Taurus: You may prioritize nurturing and stable friendships, seeking reliable and down-to-earth companions who share your values and enjoy activities such as cooking or nature outings that foster a sense of groundedness and comfort within your social group.

Solar Return 11th House in Gemini: You may enjoy engaging in intellectually stimulating conversations and events with diverse groups of friends who share your love for learning and social gatherings, fostering a sense of mental stimulation and camaraderie within your social network.

Solar Return 11th House in Cancer: You may prioritize building close-knit and supportive friendships, seeking empathetic and caring companions who value emotional connections and enjoy activities such as movie nights or meaningful discussions that foster a sense of belonging and understanding within your social circle.

Solar Return 11th House in Leo: You may seek friendships that embrace celebration and mutual admiration, enjoying the company of enthusiastic and expressive friends who appreciate events such as parties or creative projects that foster a sense of joy and recognition within your social group.

Solar Return 11th House in Virgo: You may value practical and dependable friendships, gravitating towards friends who share your attention to detail and enjoy activities such as group projects or organized outings that foster a sense of reliability and productivity within your social network.

Solar Return 11th House in Libra: You may prioritize cultivating harmonious and balanced friendships, enjoying the company of cooperative and diplomatic friends who value fairness and social events such as group discussions or collaborative projects that foster a sense of unity and cooperation within your social circle.

Solar Return 11th House in Scorpio: You may seek friendships that encourage deep and transformative connections, finding solace in the company of loyal and trustworthy companions who enjoy activities such as deep conversations or shared experiences that foster a sense of emotional depth and trust within your social group.

Solar Return 11th House in Sagittarius: You may embrace friendships that foster open-mindedness and adventure, enjoying the company of optimistic and global-minded friends who appreciate experiences such as travel or philosophical discussions that foster a sense of exploration and open-heartedness within your social network.

Solar Return 11th House in Capricorn: You may prioritize friendships that embody stability and mutual respect, finding comfort in the company of disciplined and ambitious companions who value achievements and events such as group projects or networking opportunities that foster a sense of responsibility and shared success within your social circle.

Solar Return 11th House in Aquarius: You may enjoy fostering friendships that embrace progressive and humanitarian values, seeking the company of visionary and inclusive friends who appreciate events such as volunteer work or group activism that foster a sense of social impact and innovation within your social network.

Solar Return 11th House in Pisces: You may seek friendships that embody compassion and creativity, finding connection with empathetic and imaginative companions who value experiences such as art therapy or spiritual discussions that foster a sense of emotional depth and spiritual connection within your social circle.

[xofanfics]

Lost For Words - Part III

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

Genre: angst, fluff, smut 🥺🤗🥵

Pairing: Reader x Kun // Reader x Taeyong

Word Count: 2.9k

Summary: You have the best boyfriend you could’ve asked for. Things take an interesting turn as you befriend your new coworker, exploring the blurred lines between friendship and something more.

“Introducing "ElysianGlow" – a prestigious international beauty brand poised to revolutionize your entire beauty and skincare ritual. With its European elegance and a mission to cater to every facet of your beauty journey, ElysianGlow stands at the forefront of luxury. As it sets its sights on the vibrant Korean market, this brand promises to bring an unmatched fusion of cultures, innovation, and indulgence to your daily beauty regimen…”

It was the last presentation of the day and you were exhausted. After hearing so many speakers, being exposed to so many new products, and taking in so much information, you felt a little overstimulated. You’d all been taking notes all day as you saw interesting things your competitors were doing. 

Your team dipped out a little early, in the hopes of avoiding the herds of people trying to exit the convention center at the same time. Outside the venue, Valentina said, “Good job, everyone. I saw a lot of you taking notes today. I want to do a larger meeting sometime next week or the week after to discuss our takeaways. I think that there was a lot of useful information we can use in our global marketing plans.” She smiled with a nod. “Anyway, I was thinking that we should go back to the hotel, freshen up, and then head out to get dinner?”

There were nods and murmurs of agreement, so David looked down at his watch. “It’s 5:09 now, so how about we meet in the lobby at 6:15PM. Who wants to be in charge of finding a restaurant?”

Hina waved her hand excitedly. “I can find a place!”

Valentina raised a cautious eyebrow at Hina, recalling the last time that Hina had chosen a restaurant. “Let’s try to keep it under three dollar signs this time, yeah?”

*

You and Hina took advantage of the time you had to freshen up before dinner. You began rummaging through your suitcase, tossing two dresses onto your bed. Hina, on the other hand, sat cross-legged on her own bed scrolling on her phone, ready to give her opinions as needed. 

Your phone buzzed on the dresser, and you picked it up, recognizing your boyfriend's contact name popping up on the screen.

"Hey," you said, balancing the phone between your shoulder and ear as you slipped out of your pants.

"Hey, how was the first day?" he asked. “Are you finished now?”

"It was great!" you replied with enthusiasm. "We all have a bunch of ideas. Valentina said we’ll have a meeting next week about it, so I’m excited to share.”

You could practically hear his smile through the phone. "That's great to hear. I can’t wait to hear all about your ideas when you’re back at home. Do you have dinner plans for tonight?”

“Yeah, Hina is actually in charge of looking for a place,” you said, glancing at her. “Hopefully she picks somewhere good.”

Hina stuck her tongue out at you and laughed, bringing a chuckle out of you as well. 

“Okay, well, have fun at dinner. And if you’re going to be drinking tonight, don’t forget to drink a lot of water.”

"I will," you promised, feeling a rush of warmth for your supportive boyfriend. You tossed the phone on the bed and pulled out a dress from your suitcase. 

*

An hour later, the group gathered in the hotel lobby, ready for a well-deserved dinner outing after a long day. Hina had strategically chosen a Thai restaurant within walking distance.

Upon arrival, the restaurant's ambiance whisked you away to a far-off tropical paradise. Intricate wooden carvings adorned the walls, vibrant textiles draped from the ceiling, and the scent of spices filled the air. The decor was a seamless blend of charm and cultural authenticity, making you feel as though you were on vacation.

With everyone seated, Valentina seized the moment and confidently ordered a round of drinks for the table. While they excitedly waited for their alcoholic beverages to arrive, they decided to order appetizers to try and share. A few moments later, the drinks arrived, following a clink of glasses and the chorus of cheers.

David placed his drink down on the table and clapped his hands together. "Now that we're not at the conference anymore, let’s talk about something other than work for a change…" Laughter rippled through the group as everyone welcomed the idea. 

A few more drinks later, your steaming plate of drunken noodles made its grand entrance to the table. The thick rice noodles glistened with a rich, dark sauce, topped with tender slices of chicken, colorful bell peppers, and vibrant Thai basil leaves.

Kevin, your jovial coworker, leaned toward Taeyong, who was sitting across from you. "Hey, Taeyong," he teased, "I saw you talking to that pretty girl at lunch earlier. Who was that? Did you get her number?"

Taeyong's cheeks tinged with a slight blush at the sudden question. "She was pretty," he admitted, his voice carrying a hint of bashfulness. He glanced in your direction to see if you’d react, but you were reaching across the table for a leftover spring roll instead. "She told me that her name was Ari and she works at one of our competitors. But, uh, I didn't get her number."

"Yeah, Taeyong, maybe you should date the competition so we can find out their secrets," said Valentina with a laugh.

Kevin couldn't resist but add, "Honestly… I'm surprised you don't already have a girlfriend.."

Hina playfully agreed, "Definitely, Taeyong, you've got the looks. Sorry, Kevin, but he's got you beat."

Kevin nodded with a chuckle and said, “That’s fair.”

Taeyong found himself lost in contemplation, wondering if it was time to move on, given your existing relationship. Everyone seemed to enjoy their evening, unaware of the thoughts swirling around in his head like a storm. He went back and forth with his emotions, unsure of where to go from here, as the possibility of a future without you weighed on his mind.

* After dinner, the group ended up splitting up. Some of your colleagues decided to call it a night, retreating to the comfort of their hotel rooms and call it a night. Those who still had some energy left decided to head out for a night on the town, determined to make the most of their time in Incheon. Before the group split in two, Valentina issued a gentle reminder about the early morning conference session, a subtle hint to keep the night's festivities in check.

Among your coworkers in the group, and a relatively new addition to the team, Seolyun stood out as the point person for all things social media. She was the person who always seemed to have a recommendation, whether it was a new restaurant opening up, a trendy pop-up opening, or a cafe hidden in the backstreets. 

In no time at all, she found a trendy bar not too far from the restaurant. The bar had two floors, along with a rooftop. Each floor, according to the reviews, had a different vibe. And the rooftop seemed to have an amazing view, which was perfect for taking pictures. 

You could feel the lively energy on the first floor as you entered. While you waited for your friends to get their IDs checked, you took a look around. Laughter and conversation filled the air, in combination with the beat of electronic music that had quite a few people up and dancing. People were engaged in animated conversations, clinking glasses, and sharing smiles. It seemed like the perfect place to start on a night out. 

As you walked up to the second floor, you noticed a subtle shift in the vibe. Here, the mood was more intimate and relaxed. The decor took on a cozier, lounge-like feel, with plush seating arrangements that were great for deeper conversations. The music, while still upbeat, had a more gentle feeling and allowed for more conversation over dancing. The lighting was dimmed, casting a darker and more romantic aura. It was an ideal spot for those looking to enjoy time away from the loud music and actually have a conversation.

As you all ascended the stairs to the rooftop, the night breeze welcomed you, carrying the pulsating rhythms of music and offering a breathtaking view of the city's twinkling lights. The ambiance was mellow, with cozy seating arrangements and soft lighting, perfect for unwinding. Interestingly enough, the roof wasn’t the most crowded area, and there was more than enough room for everyone to get comfortable at the bar. 

Kevin insisted on shots, saying, “Look how beautiful it is out here. Nothing says a night out like a shot of tequila!” Despite a groan or two, everyone accepted Kevin’s idea of taking shots. 

“Cheers!” you said, a moment later, clinking the small glasses with your colleagues. You gulped down the liquid fire with more ease than you thought. 

As Seolyun finished her shot, she said, “Let’s go dance!”

*

Taeyong, while certainly up for a night out on the town, wasn't quite in the dancing mood tonight. Instead, he chose to linger on the rooftop, where he could savor the serene night view while sipping on a glass of whiskey.

He gazed out into the city, taking in the twinkling sky above. He took a sip of his whiskey even though he had no business mixing light and dark liquor. I’ll be fine, he decided. Even though he and the others were in Incheon for business, he was having more fun than he’d had in quite some months. Living in Seoul without many friends had been a little hard on him, but he felt a little less lonely during the week while he was surrounded with his coworkers. And he felt less lonely when he was with you. He felt at ease when he was with you. Despite your unfortunate relationship status, he enjoyed platonic moments with you. Being friends with you was better than nothing at all, he thought.

In his peripheral vision, he saw someone sit down but he didn’t bother looking up, as he was enveloped in his thoughts. Suddenly, your voice filled his ears and interrupted his thoughts. “The view up here is something else, huh?” He turned and the corners of his lips curled into a small smile as you settled beside him on the couch.

“I’m enjoying it,” he said, taking another sip of his drink. “I thought you wanted to dance?”

"You know, I wasn't really feeling the music down there," you admitted with a soft laugh. "But it looks like the others are having the time of their lives, so I thought I’d come back up here and keep you company.” 

The two of you started talking, just some lighthearted conversation. A few moments later, Taeyong shook his head. "Sorry - where are my manners? Did you want another drink?”

You glanced at his nearly empty glass and then back at him, a thoughtful expression on your face. "I think I'm good for now," you replied, a faint smile touching your lips. "I'd hate for you to see me too drunk."

Taeyong chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on your face. "I wouldn't judge you," he assured. 

As you continued to talk, Taeyong found himself getting lost in your eyes, your presence, and the way you laughed at his jokes. His heart raced as he realized how much he had grown to like you. At this point, he could feel the tension building, an almost magnetic force that he had never experienced before. It was a potent mixture of desire, guilt, and admiration. He knew he was getting close to the danger zone and he found himself unable to deny the connection that seemed to pull him closer to you with each passing moment.

Unable to resist the pull between you two, Taeyong leaned in and kissed you, his lips meeting yours in a tender, sweet embrace. It was a moment of surrender to the intense connection that had been building, a silent acknowledgment of his desires. A few seconds later he pulled away, realizing how crazy all of this was. He’d lost his mind for a moment, he concluded.

Your eyes met, just for a moment. Time seemed to stop as you gazed deeply into his eyes. In that moment, Taeyong’s senses were completely taken over by you. He could only smell the faint scent of your perfume. He could only taste your lips. He could only see you.

But just as Taeyong was about to voice his apologies and regrets, the unexpected happened. Your lips crashed into his once more, igniting a wild, uncontainable fire of longing and desire. In that moment, nothing else mattered – not your boyfriend, not the complications of being coworkers – as you both gave in to the irresistible pull of passion. Lost in the kiss, you and Taeyong allowed yourselves to be swept away, indulging in a connection that defied all logic and reason. 

The intense chemistry between you and Taeyong became an undeniable truth that neither of you could ignore.

***

You woke up in the morning, before your alarm. You recalled the events of the previous night and, of course, that amazing kiss you shared with Taeyong. It was wrong, you knew, but something about it just felt so right. 

Kun [7:31AM] Good morning, beautiful. Hope you had fun last night! Enjoy the rest of the conference today ❤️ 

As you looked at the good morning text from the man that was actually your boyfriend, you couldn’t help but feel incredibly guilty. You had a man who loved and cared about you, yet you’d had the audacity to kiss another man.

What was frustrating you the most was that you hadn’t even ever thought of Taeyong that way. You found him attractive, yes, but everyone found him attractive - even Kevin. He was a physically attractive looking man - simple. But you didn’t have to cross that line with him and you did anyway. Then, to top it all off, you kissed him on your own. After that first kiss, you should’ve stopped. Unfortunately, something came over you and you initiated that second kiss. 

Should you tell Kun? You wondered. No, you thought, he’d never forgive you. Should you break up with him? Was that too much? Was leaving him just running from the problem? 

Should you set a boundary with Taeyong? Should you tell him that it can’t ever happen again? God, but you liked it! You liked it so much and you wanted more of it. That was the problem. 

You’d never felt tension with Taeyong before. You weren’t sure if it was because the two of you had been drinking or if it was because it was an intimate setting. Maybe it was because you hadn’t really had many moments to be alone together like that. You didn’t know. All you knew was that you could almost taste his lips on yours. 

Hina’s alarm started going off, bringing you back into reality. You almost wanted to tell her, but that would just bring up unnecessary questions and drama. So, you decided that you were going to leave it alone all together and do your best to act normal and keep your cool.

After successfully avoiding Taeyong during breakfast and most of the morning programming, he caught you during lunchtime as you were grabbing a water bottle. He lightly grazed your hand and, as you turned to face him, he said, “Can we talk?”

“Uh, yeah,” you said. “Sure.”

Taeyong led you out of the cafeteria and upstairs to the second floor. This floor was quiet, as everyone was downstairs eating. You followed him into a random room where he closed the door behind you. The air seemed to crackle with unspoken tension.

Taeyong took a deep breath, his eyes filled with a mix of vulnerability and longing. "I can't stop thinking about last night,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper, “and what happened between us...” 

Your heart echoed his sentiments, a mixture of desire and inner turmoil. "Taeyong," you began, a sigh leaving your lips, "I can’t stop thinking about it either.”

“What do we do?”

You let out a frustrated sigh. “I-I don’t know. I have a boyfriend and I care about him. Things are just…complicated.”

Taeyong nodded, his understanding gaze never leaving yours. "I don't want to complicate your life," he said, his voice soft but filled with yearning. "But I don’t know if we can just ignore this."

Taeyong came a little closer, pulling you into his arms. In his embrace, you felt safe, as if the world outside ceased to exist.

Unable to resist any longer, your lips brushed against Taeyong's, igniting a longing that had been building up inside you. But you both knew the complications of your situation.

With a whisper, you said, "We should get back..."

Taeyong let go of you, reluctantly and eyes still filled with longing. You needed to leave. If you looked into his eyes any longer, you might just kiss him again. As he watched you leave the room, the connection between you remained, an unspoken promise that the chemistry you shared would continue to pull you closer, even if the path forward remained uncertain.

***

General Taglist: @to-all-the-stories-i-love @sweetnspicy-noona

Lost for Words Taglist: @ridinjuyeon

[voyeur-clairvoyant]

hey there! I'm not sure whether this has been asked before or not, but I thought I might give it a try nonetheless.

what are the main differences between the TdM system and the RWS one, if there are any, in your opinion?

I'm looking forward to writing a blog about it, so I'm trying to gather as much information from as many people as possible. thanks beforehand!

Hi there! Thank you for asking and GOD I hope I'm late because I've been thinking non-stoping about this for the last days just to give you a complete answer. You have no idea how happy I'm to contribute with some firewood to the good ol' war between decks hashahsa.

For me, the biggest difference between both decks and schools of thought is that the RWS Tarot can BARELY be considered a tarot deck (and this is not necessarily a bad thing).

It's a "tarot" in the same way that Taco Bell's "tacos" are tacos. Technically they are and I can't say anything about it but when you compare them with authentic tacos you realize there are enormous issues in their construction, their ingredients, their history and the culture around them.

They are perfectly """edible""".

Now, I'm the first to admit it, Pamela and Arthur's deck changed not only cartomancy but the perception of the entire world around it. Pamela's exquisite artistry and innovative idea of ​​illustrating the minor arcana made it BY FAR the most important tarot deck of all times. HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE. And as cartomants we owe respect to the deck (and its creators) for literally bringing cartomancy into modernity. It is directly responsible for the fact that we are discussing this topic today and for all the extraordinary artistic madness of hundreds and hundreds of new decks that are printed and designed.

HOWEVER. The deck has HUGE and unacceptable errors that split the modern study of tarot into two and a thousand pieces, but I have to give their case justice. Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith were members of the Golden Dawn and their plan was to create a tarot deck with the ritual, sacred and symbolic associations of the order.

Is it their fault that their niche deck escaped containment? Of course not. We are used to working with luck, it is our territory, so it's no surprise that the mass popularization of tarot (and this deck in particular) came with an equally destructive counterpart. I can't blame them, Geek culture (and fandom in general) has to live every day with the Horrors and Pleasures of seeing their niche content, intended for a few, be dismembered and multiplied in the hyper-globalized sphere of "normie" culture.

I'm in several tarot groups on Facebook and the question every day is: What is the best deck for beginners? And the truth is that I don't know what to answer.

I have read with both systems and right now, my little TdM is my tool par excellence. I admit that the "dry" art of the minor arcana and the deck in general is an acquired taste. There are such beautiful and impressive decks out there that I completely understand why not many decide to stick with the tarot world's equivalent of vanilla triple condom missionary sex (although this is an aesthetic issue that is being called into question with new decks).

What I don't understand is the conception that the Marseille tarot is more complicated than the RWS!

If the TdM school is characterized (or could be characterized, I curse you Jodorowsky!) by austerity and lack of expressiveness, the RWS school is characterized by paranoia and the pseudo-complexity of symbols and structures.

By "paranoia" I mean the obssesive search for hidden meanings or mystical secrets and messages. Usually where there are none.

Reading with an RWS deck for the first time is a horrible experience and we are very much to blame for scaring away beginner readers. Assuming that you have survived the countless myths that all decks carry (it must be a gift, it's satanic, don't read on Sunday) you realize that you don't know how to read it. Each of the 78 cards has a different scene and all of them are full of symbols. What do the pomegranates on the High Priestess' veil mean? What the fuck is a High Priestess? Why do some cards have names and others don't??? It is an aggressive sea of ​​information that ends up drowning anyone.

But that is not all! Now comes the plot twist and it turns out that not only you have to learn 78 meanings (in equally confusing websites or books) but that each card has a different meaning in reverse. 156 cards in total, each with a series of extensive meanings for love, family, work, money, health, etc. And as if that weren't enough, the spreads look like this:

Where each of the positions has an extra layer of meaning. This is not a specific problem of the RWS but we have long since passed that point, we only have to manage the disaster that its globalization carried.

The big problem with RWS and its school of thought is that in the process of making a more intuitive tool, it became a creature that feeds on the paranoia of its readers. It is an excellent deck to spread on the table and read lightly: The faces and situation of the characters are clear, the art is friendly and reading is easy. A 10 of swords is an obvious image of failure and pain, the 3 of cups inspires joy and suggests party and friends. It is a tool that fuses the allegorical advantages of a classic tarot deck with the everyday fluidity of a sibyl or an oracle. It has nothing to envy an Italian Sibyl or a Kipper deck.

It is human, intuitive and beautiful.

The problem comes when we want to extract more of it. Being a ritual deck, it is impregnated from top to bottom with numerological, astrological, Hebrew, Egyptian, etc. associations of magic and occultism derived from the not very convincing knowledge of the GOLDEN DAWN. It was not intended to be a deck for common and mundane divination use.

The average casual cartomancer knows the meanings of the cards because they read them on a website (and hopefully in a book/video). Most people don't know who Pixie or Arthur Waite is and probably haven't read any of their original texts. What's worse, there's a good chance you're not a member of the Golden Dawn and you also don't know that previous decks exist. All those symbols and associations that served an original purpose become a mental burden when reading with it.

What good does it do me to know that the coins in the 10 of coins represent the Tree of Life or that the Magician transfers the energies of the High to the Low, alluding to one of the magical premises of the Tabula Smaragdina ("As above, so below") when what I want to know IS IF MY EX WOULD GET BACK TO ME???

A lot of information but useless information. And that's still the best case scenario. At worst…

The incomplete fusion of poorly understood mystical allusions, an intuitive deck loosely anchored in classical cartomancy and the whitewashed psychology of the New Age in search of alternative therapies gave birth to a monster: EVOLUTIONARY TAROT. (But that's another story. The evolutionary tarot isn't really bad in its conception, but the road to Hell is paved in good intentions ahhasha. I have already a post about it).

If the RWS school got rid of the complicated spreads, the reversed cards, the useless lists of meanings, the obsession with symbols and FOCUSED on Pixie's illustrations and read Arthur's original texts it would be easier to use its tool without losing their marbles in the process, but that is going against the current and not analyzing the existing reality.

By illustrating the minor arcana, the deck became more friendly but in exchange it lost the hierarchy of the major arcana. In the image there are 3 major and 3 minor arcana, but visually they have the same weight and therefore, the same relevance when this SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. The Sun cannot be on the same level as a 10 of Swords no matter how bloody the card is.

Another situation: Let's focus on the Wheel card. I already made a post about it that you can find on my blog, but in summary there is a HUGE difference between this arcane in the RWS and the TdM. Which is saying a lot when the TdM's Wheel is itself extremely defective.

If the RWS tarot does not respect the hierarchy of the arcana, many of them are "badly" represented, or at least incomplete without the contribution of Arthur and the Golden Dawn, it does not have a divinatory purpose and illustrates its minor arcana based on external sources such as Etteilla, numerology, astrology, etc… CAN WE CONTINUE CONSIDERING IT A TAROT?

I suspect not and this is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it has an extraordinary place as a multipurpose oracle that could be developed more freely without the pretension of wanting to be (without actually being) a tarot deck.

And yet, the Marseille tarot is the one that has the reputation of being MOST COMPLICATED!!!???

As I said before, honor to whom honor is due and therefore, dishonor to whom dishonor is deserved ahsahsa. Alejandro Jodorowsky did an enormous job to popularize the TdM deck but he missed a VERY SMALL detail like other important tarot figures such as Papus and Eliphas Levi:

The PARANOIA.

I love you friends, but if I hear someone say again that the Tarot of Marseille holds mystical secrets in its geometry, I'm gonna kill someone ahsahsa. ENOUGH, for mercy's sake! Many beginners infected with the mystical paranoia of the RWS come to the classic decks with the same perception of hermetic and conspiratorial symbology, which is fueled by the LITERAL search for easter eggs and hidden meanings popularized by the aforementioned characters. Sometimes two cups are TWO CUPS and 3 swords are THREE SWORDS. There are no secret codes involved but who seeks finds and sooner or later you will end up paying more attention to the leaves on the decorations or the color of the shoes than to the FUCKING CARD ITSELF.

This manifests, for example, in another of the major problems that both systems share:

CUPS ≠ WATER WANDS/BATONS ≠ FIRE COINS ≠ EARTH SWORDS ≠ AIR

REPEAT AFTER ME: SUITS ARE NOT ELEMENTS.

Many readers tend to automatically replace the objects in the cards with the later elemental associations. When we see 6 swords in a classic deck, we are not talking about air, MUCH LESS about the meaning that Etteilla or Arthur Waite gave to the card. 6 swords are more swords than you want your enemy to have and since they are swords and not AIR, their function is simply to cause you a lot of damage and pain. Bad omen.

THERE IS NO MYSTERY.

We can add another layer of information, helped by numerology and adjacent cards, but we must never lose sight of the SUPERIOR hierarchy of this obvious and clear message in favor of DETAILS such as the ornaments and the distribution of the swords on the card.

The biggest danger of the RWS system is being overloaded with useless information and ridiculously complicated systems. The biggest danger of the TdM system is not seeing the MESSAGE by focusing too much on absurd details.

The Marseille tarot has MANY flaws as it is a poor copy of Italian decks. Curiously, its situation is almost identical to that of the RWS. By reaching a globalized impression in Europe, the forgivable mistakes of a niche deck spread far and wide. Even so, it preserves the characteristic simplicity of classic decks: You can perfectly distinguish a major arcana from the rest and give it the place it deserves in a reading. The allegories have errors but they maintain a clear and understandable representation for the most part (I also have a post about it).

Many TdM readers do not use inverted cards and free reading on tableaus and strings are the favorite. If we ignore the symbolic paranoia of various authors, focus on the cards in front of us and their allegorical meanings, we have a VERY EASY TO READ tool. It is not as comfortable or friendly as a RWS but it is definitely more free and concrete. Less noise, less chaos. Straight to the point.

I'm not going to lie to you either, anyone who has used a TdM knows that no matter how skilled the reader is, the deck cannot be compared to a sibilla or the RWS when the topic is everyday and mundane divination. It is a dry, direct deck, but little theatrical or gossipy compared to other decks. In the same way, if we ask a sibyl complex and imaginative questions we will have the same result as if we asked the vegetable seller at the market.

Much of the debate comes down to knowing what your need is and your appropriate tool.

In conclusion:

I think the RWS system is unnecessarily complicated, which undermines its great advantage: Being able to read the deck intuitively without having to study it. I think that if it completely abandoned its desire to be a tarot and became an independent deck of illustrations, it would be an exquisite oracle.

The TdM is not the sharpest knife in the arsenal of classic decks, but it is a very easy tarot deck to learn and use if we ignore the symbolic paranoia and limiting meanings of some authors. It is (like all classic decks) a deck with the limitations of tarot, so instead of forcing it to answer all the questions, sometimes it is better to know when to use another oracle.

[germanpostwarmodern]

For decades the women of abstract art were pushed aside: critics and propagandists like Clement Greenberg focused on the male “geniuses”, e.g. Jackson Pollock or Willem de Kooning, and ignored the women artists contributing to abstraction. This marginalization continued in the historicization of abstract art and abstract expressionism in particular: in important exhibitions, e.g. at the MoMA’s 1970 show „New York Painting and Sculpture 1940-1970“, few or no women were included and also art history treated them stepmotherly. The latter actually went well beyond the American and European realms and concerned Asia or Latin America as well.

But thanks to feminist art historians women artists of abstraction have been wrested from oblivion and, although often after their passing, finally their due attention and praise. This concern also drove the Whitechapel Gallery, the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh and the Kunsthalle Bielefeld to collaborate on the survey exhibition „Action, Gesture, Paint - Women artists and abstraction worldwide 1940-70“: besides well-known artists like Helen Frankenthaler or Lee Krasner the exhibition also features lesser-known protagonists like Aiko Miyawaki, Tomie Ohtake or Franciszka Themerson. The final stage of the traveling exhibition at Kunsthalle Bielefeld until March 3 again demonstrates the general diversity of abstraction as an artistic idiom but also the quality of the gathered artists which in no way correlates to their relative obscurity. Instead, the exhibition leaves the impression that the male-dominated art world deliberately excluded the contribution of women to abstract art.

In order to enter deeper into the history of women and abstraction the present catalogue accompanying the exhibition is highly recommended: it collects 7 essays shedding light on a variety of topics, e.g. the rise of gestural abstraction as a global development with men and women acting as innovators side by side, as Laura Smith concludes, or the particular situation women artists faced in postwar Germany as elaborated by Laura Rehme. Thus, both catalogue and exhibition are an inspiring point of departure for exploring the female side of postwar abstract art.

[workersolidarity]

🌍 🏦💵 🚨

FIVE RICHEST BILLIONAIRES DOUBLE THEIR WEALTH SINCE 2020 WHILE 5 BILLION ARE MADE POORER

Oxfam International, a British-founded International Charitable organization based in Nairobi, Kenya, says the world's richest people have managed to double their wealth since 2020, as 5 billion people are made poorer as a result of a "decade of division."

Oxfam made the claims in a press release on its recently published report released Monday, January 15th on inequality and global corporate power called "Inequality Inc."

According to Oxfam, the world's richest people have more than doubled their wealth from $405 billion to $869 billion since 2020, a rate equivelent to $14 million per hour, while approximately 5 billion people have been made poorer in the same time period.

"If current trends continue," the statement says, "the world will have its first trillionaire within a decade but poverty won't be eradicated for another 229 years."

Oxfam looks to the Davos gathering of the world's largest corporations, pointing to the valuations of the top ten largest companies, together worth more than $10.2 trillion.

“We’re witnessing the beginnings of a decade of division, with billions of people shouldering the economic shockwaves of pandemic, inflation and war, while billionaires’ fortunes boom. This inequality is no accident; the billionaire class is ensuring corporations deliver more wealth to them at the expense of everyone else,” Oxfam's International interim Executive Director Amitabh Behar is quoted as saying.

“Runaway corporate and monopoly power is an inequality-generating machine: through squeezing workers, dodging tax, privatizing the state, and spurring climate breakdown, corporations are funneling endless wealth to their ultra-rich owners. But they’re also funneling power, undermining our democracies and our rights. No corporation or individual should have this much power over our economies and our lives —to be clear, nobody should have a billion dollars”.

According to Oxfam, Billionaires increased their wealth by $3.3 trillion since 2020, a growth rate three times faster than inflation.

Oxfam adds that, despite representing just 21% of the global population, the countries of the Global North own 69% of global wealth, with Global North countries home to 74% of global billionaire wealth.

Further, the top 1% own 43% of all global financial assets, with billionaires owning 48% of wealth in the Middle East, 50% in Asia, and 47% in Europe.

In addition to overall wealth, 148 of the world's largest corporations raked in $1.8 trillion in total net profits, a 52% increase over the period from 2018-2021.

Corporate windfalls increased to nearly $700 billion, with the report finding that for every $100 in profits made by the top 96 major corporations between July 2022 and June 2023, $82 was paid out to wealthy shareholders.

Oxfam International interim Executive Director Amitabh Behar says that “Monopolies harm innovation and crush workers and smaller businesses. The world hasn’t forgotten how pharma monopolies deprived millions of people of COVID-19 vaccines, creating a racist vaccine apartheid, while minting a new club of billionaires."

The Oxfam press release goes on to point our that people are working harder and for longer, often for poverty wages in unsafe jobs, adding that the wages of nearly 800 million people have not kept up with inflation, losing $1.5 trillion in value over the last two years, the equivalent of nearly a month's lost wages for each individual worker.

Oxfam also found that, of the 1'600 largest companies, less than 0.4% of them are publicly committed to paying employees a living wage.

Oxfam shows how a "war on taxation" by large corporations has pushed the effective tax rates on corporations to fall by a third in recent decades, while relentless privitization of public services like education and water services have expanded massively.

“We have the evidence. We know the history. Public power can rein in runaway corporate power and inequality —shaping the market to be fairer and free from billionaire control. Governments must intervene to break up monopolies, empower workers, tax these massive corporate profits and, crucially, invest in a new era of public goods and services,” said Behar.

“Every corporation has a responsibility to act but very few are. Governments must step up. There is action that lawmakers can learn from, from US anti-monopoly government enforcers suing Amazon in a landmark case, to the European Commission wanting Google to break up its online advertising business, and Africa’s historic fight to reshape international tax rules.”

Oxfam offers three notes on how governments can rectify the situation, including the following:

🔹 Revitalizing the state. A dynamic and effective state is the best bulwark against extreme corporate power. Governments should ensure universal provision of healthcare and education, and explore publicly-delivered goods and public options in sectors from energy to transportation.

🔹 Reining in corporate power, including by breaking up monopolies and democratizing patent rules. This also means legislating for living wages, capping CEO pay, and new taxes on the super-rich and corporations, including permanent wealth and excess profit taxes. Oxfam estimates that a wealth tax on the world’s millionaires and billionaires could generate $1.8 trillion a year.

🔹 Reinventing business. Competitive and profitable businesses don’t have to be shackled by shareholder greed. Democratically-owned businesses better equalize the proceeds of business. If just 10 percent of US businesses were employee-owned, this could double the wealth share of the poorest half of the US population, including doubling the average wealth of Black households.

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[sunshinesmebdy]

Moon in Sagittarius: Bold Moves and Financial Optimism in Business

The Moon, in astrology, represents our emotions, intuition, and sense of security. When it transits through the fiery sign of Sagittarius, a spirit of optimism and adventure takes hold. We become more expansive in our thinking, eager to explore new frontiers and take calculated risks. This can be a potent time for business and finance, as it fuels our drive for growth and fosters a “big picture” perspective.

Positive Influences for Business

Innovation and Expansion: The Moon in Sagittarius ignites our creative spark. This is a prime time to brainstorm new ideas, launch ventures, or explore uncharted territories in your business. The Moon’s transit through Sagittarius ignites a potent blend of optimism, curiosity, and a thirst for adventure. This unique astrological alignment can be a game-changer for businesses, particularly when it comes to innovation and expansion. Let’s delve deeper into how you can harness this dynamic energy:

Unleashing the Creative Spark:

Brainstorming sessions: The Moon in Sagittarius sparks unconventional thinking and out-of-the-box solutions. Gather your team for brainstorming sessions, encouraging open communication and free-flowing ideas. Don’t be afraid to consider seemingly “out there” concepts — some of the most groundbreaking innovations stemmed from challenging the status quo.

Embrace new perspectives: Encourage diverse perspectives within your team. Sagittarius thrives on exploration and learning from different viewpoints. Consider collaborating with individuals from outside your industry or conducting market research to gain fresh insights and identify new opportunities.

Launching New Ventures:

Market testing: The Moon in Sagittarius fosters a willingness to take calculated risks. If you’ve been contemplating launching a new product, service, or even an entirely new business venture, this period might be the green light you’ve been waiting for. Conduct thorough market research to mitigate risks, but don’t be afraid to take the leap when the data aligns with your vision.

Piloting and testing: Embrace experimentation. Pilot your new venture on a smaller scale before committing full resources. This allows you to refine your approach, gather valuable feedback, and minimize potential losses while maximizing the chances of success.

Exploring Uncharted Territories:

Entering new markets: Sagittarius is associated with expansion and global thinking. If you’ve been considering entering new markets, domestically or internationally, this transit can provide the impetus to move forward. Conduct thorough research on the target market, comply with local regulations, and build strategic partnerships to increase your chances of success.

Investing in new technologies: The Moon in Sagittarius encourages embracing innovation. Explore how emerging technologies can be integrated into your business operations to improve efficiency, reach new customers, or streamline processes. Remember, conduct due diligence and weigh the potential benefits against the risks before making any significant investments.

Networking and Collaboration: Sagittarius thrives on connection. Leverage this energy to network with potential partners, build relationships with clients, and expand your reach. The Moon’s journey through Sagittarius ignites a fire within us, urging us to connect, collaborate, and expand our horizons. This period is exceptionally well-suited for networking, building relationships, and expanding your reach in the business world. Here’s how to leverage this cosmic energy:

Networking Events:

Attend industry gatherings and conferences: The Moon in Sagittarius fuels your desire to connect with like-minded individuals. Attend industry events, conferences, or trade shows to broaden your network, meet potential partners, and stay up-to-date on industry trends.

Seek out online communities: Sagittarius thrives in vibrant online spaces. Join industry-specific forums, online groups, or social media communities to connect with professionals from around the world, share ideas, and build relationships.

Building Strong Client Relationships:

Focus on building rapport: Sagittarius values authentic connection. Take the time to understand your clients’ needs and build genuine relationships with them. This fosters loyalty and trust, leading to long-term business partnerships.

Host networking events: Organize client appreciation events or industry meet-and-greets. This provides a platform to connect with clients on a personal level, strengthen relationships, and build a sense of community.

Expanding Your Reach:

Collaborate with complementary businesses: Sagittarius seeks synergy and collaboration. Partner with businesses that complement your offerings to expand your reach and tap into new customer segments. Ensure the collaboration is mutually beneficial and aligns with your overall business strategy.

Explore strategic partnerships: Look for opportunities to partner with established organizations in your industry. This can lend credibility to your business, open doors to new markets, and accelerate your growth.

Financial Optimism: The Moon in Sagittarius fosters a sense of abundance and optimism regarding finances. You might be more receptive to investments or feel a surge in confidence when negotiating deals. The Moon’s transit through the sign of Sagittarius brings a wave of optimism not just to business ventures but also to our financial outlook. This doesn’t necessarily translate to guaranteed riches, but it does create a positive mindset that can be harnessed to make sound financial decisions. Let’s explore how this manifests:

Sense of Abundance:

Increased belief in prosperity: The Moon in Sagittarius fosters a positive outlook on the future. This can lead to a stronger belief in our ability to achieve financial goals, motivating us to take calculated risks and pursue opportunities for growth.

Gratitude for what you have: Sagittarius is associated with appreciation and gratitude. By acknowledging our current blessings, we shift our focus from what we lack to the abundance that already exists in our lives. This positive mindset attracts more positive results, fostering a cycle of abundance.

Openness to Investments:

Exploring new opportunities: The Moon in Sagittarius encourages us to step outside our comfort zones and explore new avenues. This can translate to increased willingness to consider investments that may have previously seemed intimidating.

Thorough research remains key: While the optimistic energy is positive, it’s crucial to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Understand the risks involved, consult with financial advisors, and make informed choices based on your personal financial goals and risk tolerance.

Confidence in Negotiations:

Stronger negotiation skills: The Moon in Sagittarius instills a sense of confidence and self-belief. This can enhance your negotiation skills, allowing you to advocate for yourself and your business more effectively when it comes to pricing, contracts, or other financial negotiations.

Maintaining ethical principles: While confidence is crucial, maintain ethical integrity and avoid manipulating others. Focus on win-win solutions that benefit all parties involved, fostering long-term partnerships and building trust.

Tips for Harnessing the Moon in Sagittarius Energy

Think Big: Don’t be afraid to set ambitious goals. This transit encourages us to dream large and take calculated risks. The Moon’s sojourn through Sagittarius ignites a potent cocktail of optimism, courage, and a yearning for adventure. This astrological alignment is a prime time to set ambitious goals and step outside your comfort zone to achieve them. Here’s how to harness this powerful energy for audacious accomplishments:

Unleashing Your Inner Visionary:

Dream big: Sagittarius is all about thinking expansive and setting audacious goals. Don’t be afraid to dream big for your business or personal finances. What would your ideal scenario look like? What audacious goals can excite and motivate you? Write them down, visualize them vividly, and allow yourself to believe in their attainability.

Break down the big goals: While dreaming big is essential, it’s equally important to have a roadmap to success. Break down your long-term goals into smaller, achievable milestones. This will make them seem less daunting and provide a clear path forward.

Calculated Risks for Big Rewards:

Embrace calculated risks: The Moon in Sagittarius encourages us to be bold and take calculated risks. Don’t let the fear of failure hold you back. Analyze potential risks, create a contingency plan, and take a measured leap of faith towards your ambitious goals. Remember, sometimes the greatest rewards lie just beyond our comfort zones.

Don’t be reckless: While calculated risks are encouraged, avoid being reckless. Sagittarius may nudge you to be impulsive, but it’s important to strike a balance between boldness and prudence. Carefully consider the potential consequences before taking any significant actions.

Fueling Your Ambition with Knowledge:

Knowledge is power: The centaur, Sagittarius’s symbol, represents the union of wisdom and the wild archer. Fuel your ambition with knowledge. Research, take courses, and surround yourself with mentors who can guide you on your journey. The more prepared you are, the more confident you’ll feel in taking on ambitious goals.

Embrace Learning: Sagittarius is a lifelong learner. Take this opportunity to expand your knowledge through courses, conferences, or attending industry events. The Moon’s journey through the inquisitive and expansive sign of Sagittarius ignites a burning desire for knowledge and growth. This period is a golden opportunity to embrace lifelong learning and equip yourself with the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve your ambitious goals.

Rekindle Your Inner Student:

Embrace curiosity: Sagittarius is naturally curious and thrives on exploring new concepts and ideas. Reconnect with your inner student and cultivate a genuine curiosity about the world around you. Ask questions, seek out new information, and challenge your existing assumptions.

Lifelong learning mindset: Shift your perspective from viewing learning as a chore to embracing it as a continuous journey of growth and self-discovery. This mindset will keep you motivated and engaged in the learning process.

Explore Diverse Learning Avenues:

Courses and workshops: Enroll in courses or workshops related to your field, personal interests, or specific goals you want to achieve. The vast array of online and offline learning options allows you to tailor your learning experience to your preferences and schedule.

Industry events and conferences: Attend industry events, conferences, or trade shows relevant to your business or profession. These events offer opportunities to learn from experts, network with like-minded individuals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends and innovations.

Learning Beyond the Classroom:

Read extensively: Sagittarius is drawn to knowledge, and reading can be a powerful tool for expanding your horizons. Explore books, articles, and online resources related to your interests or areas you want to learn more about.

Seek mentors and advisors: Surround yourself with individuals who possess the knowledge and experience you aspire to. Seek mentors or advisors who can guide you on your learning journey, offer valuable insights, and challenge you to think critically.

Delegate and Collaborate: Don’t try to do everything yourself. Leverage the collaborative spirit of Sagittarius by delegating tasks and fostering teamwork within your business. The Moon’s transit through the expansive and collaborative sign of Sagittarius encourages us to move beyond our limitations and achieve more through collaboration. This is a prime time to delegate tasks effectively and leverage the strengths of your team to propel your business forward. Here’s how to harness this powerful energy:

Recognizing the Power of Collaboration:

Strength in numbers: Sagittarius thrives on community and working together towards a common goal. By delegating tasks and collaborating with others, you can tap into a wider range of expertise, perspectives, and energy, leading to more creative and effective solutions.

Building trust and fostering ownership: Effective delegation isn’t just about assigning tasks; it’s about building trust and fostering a sense of ownership among team members. Delegate tasks that align with individuals’ strengths and interests, allowing them to contribute meaningfully and take pride in their work.

Effective Delegation Strategies

Clear communication: Before delegating, ensure clear communication by outlining the task, desired outcomes, and any relevant information. This empowers team members to understand their responsibilities and complete the task successfully.

Empowerment and autonomy: Don’t micromanage. While providing guidance is crucial, trust your team members with the autonomy to execute the task using their best judgment. This fosters creativity, problem-solving skills, and a sense of ownership.

Leveraging Diverse Skills and Perspectives:

Identify individual strengths: Recognize the unique skills and strengths of each team member. Delegate tasks that leverage their individual talents and expertise to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.

Embrace diverse perspectives: Sagittarius values openness to different viewpoints. Encourage brainstorming sessions and open communication to foster a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives are valued and can lead to innovative solutions.

Words of Caution:

Overconfidence: While optimism is good, be wary of becoming overly confident. Do your due diligence before making significant financial decisions. The Moon’s journey through optimistic and adventurous Sagittarius can be a double-edged sword when it comes to finances. While it fosters a positive outlook and increased belief in one’s abilities, it also carries the pitfall of overconfidence. Here’s how to navigate this astrological influence and make sound financial decisions:

Recognizing the Signs of Overconfidence:

Undue optimism: Be wary of unrealistic expectations. While optimism is crucial, don’t let it cloud your judgment regarding potential risks or uncertainties.

Ignoring red flags: Overconfidence can lead to overlooking crucial information or dismissing potential problems. Remain vigilant and don’t ignore any red flags that may arise during your research or decision-making process.

Relying solely on intuition: While intuition can be valuable, it shouldn’t be the sole factor in financial decisions. Always complement your intuition with thorough research and sound financial analysis.

Mitigating the Risks of Overconfidence:

Conduct thorough due diligence: Before making any significant financial decisions, conduct thorough research and due diligence. This involves evaluating investment opportunities, researching companies, and comparing different options to make informed choices.

Seek professional advice: Don’t hesitate to consult with financial advisors or experts for guidance and professional insights. They can help you analyze your financial situation, identify potential risks, and make sound investment decisions.

Maintain a healthy dose of skepticism: Approach any financial opportunity with a healthy dose of skepticism. Question everything, seek different perspectives, and avoid making impulsive decisions based solely on optimism.

Striking a Balance with Optimism:

Channel optimism into preparation: The positive energy of Sagittarius can be channeled into comprehensive planning and preparation. Use your optimism to envision your financial goals but ground them in realistic expectations and thorough research.

Celebrate small wins: Maintaining a positive outlook is crucial. Celebrate your financial successes, no matter how small, to stay motivated and keep your optimism in check.

Learn from past mistakes: Everyone makes financial missteps. Use them as learning experiences to refine your decision-making process and avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.

Impulsiveness: Sagittarius’ impulsive nature can lead to rash decisions. Take your time, analyze all options, and avoid getting swept away by fleeting enthusiasm. The Moon’s transit through the fiery and adventurous sign of Sagittarius can ignite a spark of impulsiveness. While this energy can be a catalyst for bold action, it can also lead to rash decisions with negative consequences, especially when it comes to business and finances. Here’s how to navigate this astrological influence and make thoughtful choices:

Recognizing the Signs of Impulsiveness:

Urgency to act: Sagittarius’ impulsive nature can manifest as a sudden urge to act without considering all the options. Be wary of decisions made under pressure or driven by a fleeting sense of enthusiasm.

Ignoring potential risks: In the throes of impulsiveness, we might gloss over potential drawbacks or fail to adequately assess risks. Pay attention to any red flags that may arise during your decision-making process.

Overlooking details: The urge to act quickly can lead to neglecting crucial details. Ensure you gather all the necessary information and don’t allow excitement to cloud your judgment regarding the finer points.

Strategies to Curb Impulsiveness:

Implement a waiting period: Before making any significant decision, especially financial ones, impose a waiting period. This allows the initial excitement to subside and provides time for rational analysis and a more balanced perspective.

Seek a second opinion: Discuss your decision with a trusted friend, colleague, or financial advisor. Their objective perspective can help you identify potential blind spots and ensure you’re considering all the angles.

Create a pros and cons list: This classic technique can be a powerful tool during the Moon in Sagittarius transit. Write down the pros and cons of each option, allowing you to weigh the potential benefits and risks in a structured manner.

Channeling the Positive Energy:

Embrace the initial spark: The initial surge of enthusiasm ignited by Sagittarius can be a positive force. Use it to fuel your research and planning process. Channel your excitement into productive action that leads to well-considered decisions.

Transform impulsiveness into action: Sagittarius thrives on taking action. Instead of acting impulsively, transform that energy into productive action based on thoughtful analysis.

Focus on calculated risks: While impulsiveness is discouraged, Sagittarius encourages calculated risks. Once you’ve thoroughly analyzed a situation, don’t be afraid to take a well-measured leap of faith towards your goals.

Neglecting Details: The focus on the big picture might lead to overlooking crucial details. Ensure proper planning and follow-through to avoid pitfalls. The Moon’s journey through Sagittarius, with its emphasis on big ideas and expansive visions, can be a double-edged sword for business ventures. While it fosters innovation and exploration, it can also lead to overlooking crucial details that can derail even the most brilliant plans. Here’s how to strike a balance and ensure your big-picture thinking is supported by meticulous execution:

Recognizing When Details are Neglected:

Rushing the planning process: Sagittarius’ impulsive nature might lead to rushing the planning stage. Ensure you dedicate sufficient time to thoroughly analyze the situation and develop a comprehensive plan that addresses all potential issues.

Overlooking logistical challenges: In the excitement of a new idea, essential logistical details can be easily overlooked. Be mindful of operational challenges, resource limitations, and potential roadblocks that may hinder implementation.

Missing deadlines or overlooking commitments: The focus on the grand vision might lead to neglecting smaller deadlines or commitments. Ensure all tasks and milestones are clearly defined and tracked to maintain progress.

Strategies to Maintain Focus on Details:

Break down big goals into smaller steps: Sagittarius thrives on big ideas, but don’t get lost in the vastness. Break down your vision into smaller, achievable steps. This creates a roadmap for execution and ensures all critical details are addressed.

Develop a checklist system: Creating and utilizing checklists for each stage of your project can be a powerful tool. This ensures you haven’t overlooked any crucial aspects during the planning and execution phases.

Delegate tasks with detail-oriented individuals: Sagittarius is not known for meticulousness. Delegate tasks that require a keen eye for detail to individuals with complementary strengths.

Maintaining the Big Picture Perspective:

Don’t get bogged down in the details: While details are crucial, don’t lose sight of the overall vision and goals. Use detailed planning as a stepping stone, not a destination.

Balance planning with flexibility: In the spirit of Sagittarius’ adventurous nature, be prepared to adapt your plans as needed. Unforeseen circumstances may arise, so maintain a degree of flexibility while ensuring a solid foundation in place.

Celebrate progress, not just completion: Sagittarius’ optimistic energy thrives on celebration. Acknowledge and celebrate milestones along the way, not just the final completion of the project. This keeps the momentum going and fosters a culture of accomplishment.

Remember: Astrology is a tool for understanding our potential and navigating life’s cycles. While the Moon in Sagittarius brings a positive outlook for business, it’s important to remain grounded, make sound decisions, and leverage your intuition effectively.

Do you have any experiences with the Moon in Sagittarius transit? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

[heartmachinez]

Embracing Accessibility and Diversity: The Vital Role of Remote Presentations in Game Conventions

In recent years, the gaming industry has witnessed an unprecedented surge in popularity and innovation. This phenomenon is often celebrated at large international conventions like Gamescom / devcom, where developers, enthusiasts, and creators from around the world gather to showcase their latest creations, share insights, and explore new horizons.

However, as the gaming community continues to expand, so does the need to ensure that these conventions remain accessible and inclusive for everyone. Enter the concept of live remote presentations – a powerful tool that preserves diversity, fosters representation, and empowers those who might otherwise be excluded.

During the pandemic, many conventions like GDC, Gamescom, Gen Con, etc. decided to go remote rather than cancel their events outright. Now that COVID-19 is under control, these same conventions have decided to return to an IRL format for the obvious benefits of fostering greater networking opportunity, spontaneous collaborations, personal branding, cultural exchange...among other advantages.

We were very fortunate this year that even though Gamescom / devcom was one of thsoe conventions that returned to an in-person format this year, they were able to accomodate our Founder / Creative Director Alx Preston's remote talk From Pixels to Polygons – Bringing the Hyper Light Universe into the Third Dimension. They decided to make an exception to the in-person only format this year due to Alx's specific health considerations.

But maybe a hybrid format should be the norm, and not the exception?

The Power of Representation and Diversity

One of the most valuable assets of the gaming industry is its diverse and passionate community. Gamers, creators, and developers hail from various backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives, enriching the industry with fresh ideas and innovative concepts. Embracing this diversity fosters creativity and leads to games that resonate with a broader range of players. But for this diversity to flourish, the voices and viewpoints of all members of the community need to be heard.

Accessibility as a Cornerstone of Inclusion

International conventions like Gamescom attract attendees from around the world, turning them into melting pots of ideas and creativity. However, the barrier of physical attendance can inadvertently lead to exclusion. Not everyone has the financial means, the physical health, or the time to journey halfway around the globe to participate in such events. This exclusion can inadvertently stifle unique perspectives and novel insights that could otherwise contribute to the growth of the industry.

The Crucial Role of Remote Presentations

Live remote presentations offer a solution that bridges the gap between physical presence and accessibility. By allowing speakers to present their ideas, projects, and perspectives remotely, conventions can ensure that individuals who might not be able to attend in person can still contribute meaningfully. Here are a few compelling reasons why this approach is essential:

Global Representation: Remote presentations empower voices from different continents, cultures, and backgrounds to participate and share their experiences, especially including folks from foreign countries who might encounter time or money difficulties getting visas to travel. This widens the scope of perspectives and ensures a more holistic representation of the gaming community.

Inclusivity: Everyone should have an equal opportunity to engage with the industry they love. Remote presentations provide a level playing field for those with limited physical abilities, financial constraints, or geographical limitations.

Time and Resource Efficiency: For busy professionals, remote presentations eliminate the need for extensive travel and time away from work or other commitments. This encourages a more diverse pool of experts to contribute without sacrificing their personal and professional obligations.

Reduced Environmental Impact: International travel carries a significant carbon footprint. Embracing remote presentations aligns with sustainability efforts and demonstrates a commitment to reducing the environmental impact of such events.

Technological Advancements: With the rise of high-quality video conferencing tools, remote presentations can be seamless and engaging. This eliminates potential technical barriers and ensures that remote speakers can effectively communicate their ideas.

Looking Ahead: A More Inclusive Gaming Community

In conclusion, the gaming industry's continued growth hinges on the cultivation of diverse ideas and perspectives. International conventions like Gamescom play a pivotal role in this process by providing a platform for individuals to share their insights. However, it's crucial to acknowledge the limitations that physical attendance imposes on accessibility and representation. By embracing live remote presentations, and offering a hybrid format, these conventions can pave the way for a more inclusive and vibrant gaming community.

In a world where technology connects us across continents, it's only fitting that the gaming industry utilizes these tools to break down barriers and amplify voices. By making remote presentations a staple of game conventions, we celebrate the richness of our community while ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table, regardless of their location, resources, or physical abilities.

Thank you so much to Nico Balletta and the devcom / Gamescom team for giving us the chance to share our projects with the world. Here's to an amazing Gamescom 2023!

[therumpus]

The Myriad Worlds We Each Contain: Mini-Interview with Maya Jewell Zeller

By Janet Rodriguez

Maya Jewell Zeller writes poems that glitter, like crystal snowflakes, and land with such beautiful grace you might not expect them to be the swift agents of change they are. Zeller’s most recent collection of poetry, Out Takes / Glove Box (New American Press, 2023), selected by Eduardo Corral for the New American Poetry Prize, is a gift to her readers. Structured in five distinct sections, each containing thematically focused poems, Zeller paints image after image of beauty and starkness, life and death, science and history, motherhood and loneliness. Diane Seuss describes the book as enchanting, where “the vehicles that carry us into and out of imaginative spaces abound.” Zeller’s newest project, Advanced Poetry: A Writer’s Guide and Anthology (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024), is the equally impressive flip side of a proverbial coin. Complementing the creative surface, Advanced Poetry is a college textbook with a diverse canon. Upon closer examination, the anthology is an ice-cutter of college texts, where readers and educators alike are challenged “to push their writing and reading into new understandings and innovations, across varied and inclusive global aesthetics.”

In May of 2024, Zeller was featured at the Lion Rock Visiting Writers Series at Central Washington University, which was broadcast for those of us who couldn’t be there in person. She had recently returned from a month-long residency at the University of Oxford, where she worked on current and future creative projects, a place where she “was also able to rest and gather up energy for the next stretch of work.” 

Through a series of emails, Zeller and I discussed what structure means for a writer, how creativity is sparked through inspiration, and why landscapes inspire her poetry and conversation.

***

The Rumpus: I love how Out Takes / Glove Box takes the reader on a  multifaceted journey through the imagination. When someone asks you what your book is, what do you say? 

Maya Jewell Zeller: I think of it as maybe an avant-garde, indie, documentary film, or a museum with several curated and related exhibits. I really want readers to feel invited and welcome in it, even as the protagonist is very specifically a version or many versions of myself—my girl-self, my woman-self, my mother-self, middle-aged, in the academy, in late capitalism, feeling the extreme othering and splitting effects of the economic over selfhood, as she wills magic back into her life, and defends her rights to her reproductive system and her mind’s way of mapping image and narrative. I’m so grateful to Diane Seuss for her insightful and generous blurb, as well as to Eduardo Corral, Laura Read, and Carol Guess for how they all saw parts of the book that others didn’t—that kind of close reading and validation of what the book is doing as an art space.  It felt like they understood its very viscera.

Rumpus: The five sections of the book contain complementary poems that are also very different from one another. Why did you structure the book this way?

Zeller: I think of the book’s shape as a Wunderkammer or Commonplace book on a self, fractured by contemporary pressures and mended by everyday joys. I often quote Kazim Ali on his own writing of Bright Felon, a hybrid text which he says, “wrote itself out of requirement.” I feel this way about my own organic forms, both in terms of poetic structure and in terms of a collection’s arc. In a lineage with Denise Levertov and Hopkins, I do believe art rises up and out of us and we need to listen to its need for unconventional orders, disjunctive music, and surreal images. EJ Ianelli asked me about this—which he called “difficult poetry”— in a Spokane Public Radio interview back in fall, and I told him that rendering a difficult world into art often requires us to take shapes that fragment narrative. 

In the case of Out Takes, the book’s five sections feel to me like a cabinet of curiosities or a curated set of museum rooms. It begins with a frontis poem, “Field Girl Come Home,” which is both an invocation/invitation from the mud fields, and a documentation of setting in which we might imagine the book takes place. Section 1 follows that [with] a set of poems that are “documentary” and then a series of “out takes” from that documentary—developing the conceit of film, through deep image poetics. Section 2 are all autobiographical poems of the speaker’s self, past and present. Section 3 practices embodied poetics by taking the voice of a persona: a woman who has been institutionalized because she believes she used to be a mermaid. This mythic, lyric imagining, I hope, creates a space in which we ultimately believe women—who are rarely believed, in our imaginary and real worlds—and also follow these women’s emotional truths to deeper understandings. Section 4 is a set of spells, which reiterate the need for magic as a healing space. It also suggests that revision and re-seeing allow us to fully inhabit. This section repeats two versions of one poem—the way the book keeps insisting that more than one way of existing deserves equal space. Finally, Section 5 returns us to a series of outtakes: surreal dreamscapes that pull from the book’s imagery and narrative suggestions and deepen those threads. We are invited to imagine, again, the whole book as a film with a cutting room floor ready for more collage-making.

I hope the book also serves as an invitation to create form, imagine one’s own art and art life as complicated and worth sharing in whatever shape it needs to take, to invent models, to move outside normative expectations for both poetic and book structures and allow the material itself–and our deep imaginative spaces and diverse reading canons—to guide us. 

Rumpus: The language in your poetry is thoughtful, but dangerous. Precise, but deadly. I feel like my skin is being detached from me as I'm reading. What is it about language that can do this? 

Zeller: Detached skin! I love this, and I’m overjoyed that you had that visceral experience. It recalls the well-known moment in Emily Dickinson’s letter to T. W. Higginson: “If I read a book [and] it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry. These are the only way I know it. Is there any other way.”  I love that—a feeling so many poets have written about since, and I do not pretend to really understand it—poets, who make art with words, sometimes translate an experience or feeling so successfully that someone else is able to also feel it, across time and space and in another body. That is what I always aspire to, and I’m honored you felt it. 

Rumpus: You began your reading with, “I am most comfortable when I am dissecting a dead cow..." I know I might be misquoting you, but you ended this part by saying, "I want to see the worlds inside of this..." How many worlds does a person possess deep inside?

Zeller: I was reading from my essay, “Scavenger Panorama,” originally published in Willow Springs Magazine and then listed as a Notable in Best American Essays 2023. I like to think that Vivian Gornick and anyone else who read it understood the Joan Didion feeling of being on nodding terms with our past (and present?) selves, the myriad worlds we each contain. I hope that it gives other writers—particularly those who don’t always feel themselves represented in literature—permission to share those worlds, to create space to expand them. 

Janet: How do your inherited landscapes influence your art?

Maya: My landscapes are both coastal and inland, in the Pacific Northwest, as well as probably some percent Iowan (my mother is from Des Moines). I hope that my connection to and love for these various watersheds and home-spaces comes through in the poetry—that it may be riparian and delta and converge and sheetwash and rivulet and soaking wet and barn-roof-beat, as well as ferned and mossed and also logged and fished and mud-rutted and salvaged and repurposed and gritty and glittery and full of tall grasses and flung seeds, hay and scrape and grass-cut legs and rusted gears. I hope it is as beautiful and complicated as the people and plants and animals in these places and the people who pass through, too. I think of other contemporary poets who write of rural spaces with both gentleness and unflinching questioning—poets like M.L. Smoker and Joe Wilkins and Vievee Francis and Kathryn Smith and Canese Jarboe, and feel an unwavering depth of gratitude that I get to be alive and working with language during this time, when the pastoral and antipastoral and necropastoral coexist in our conversations about life and love, on and off the page.

Rumpus: You collaborated with Kathryn Nuernberger to compile Advanced Poetry: A Writer's Guide and Anthology. It’s an ideal textbook: the most inclusive, representative sampling of modern and classical poetry. Is this the reason you traveled to England? What is your dream for this book?

Zeller: It’s always an honor to collaborate with Kate, and we were really thrilled to be able to bring more light to the poets in its pages and moreover, to encourage every person writing to curate their own canons. That, really, is our dream for this book—that it gives permission to poets at all stages of their careers to dream their own ways forward in a web of rhizomatic literary and other ancestries. 

Traveling to England was interesting at this stage in my own academic, creative, and personal lives because while I have genealogical roots in Scotland, and I feel at home in the green and gardens (and mud), my own upbringing was in rust and ravine and logging communities—people of physical labor, and not much “of the academy.” I always feel like an imposter in higher-ed, so I felt this even more at a prestigious school like Oxford, where you wear a formal academic gown to a swearing-in—and then to a dinner. These are beautiful events held in ancient halls and heralded sometimes by a horn and chalices of wine and gavels and by people who represent their fields with joy and depth and sometimes a public bravado and others a real nerdy shyness I find very charming. I want the poetry textbook to feel like all of that for its readers—but the swearing-in to poetry can be a ceremony the poet invents themselves, and the attire anything that feels holy to their own culture and creature, and honoring of their deep personal poetics, from any background or way of being. 

[ohsalome]

A combustible personality, the 52-year-old’s allegiances are fuzzy. While Mr. Musk is hailed as a genius innovator, he alone can decide to shut down Starlink internet access for a customer or country, and he has the ability to leverage sensitive information that the service gathers. Such concerns have been heightened because no companies or governments have come close to matching what he has built.

In Ukraine, some fears have been realized. Mr. Musk has restricted Starlink access multiple times during the war, people familiar with the situation said. At one point, he denied the Ukrainian military’s request to turn on Starlink near Crimea, the Russian-controlled territory, affecting battlefield strategy. Last year, he publicly floated a “peace plan” for the war that seemed aligned with Russian interests.

At times, Mr. Musk has openly flaunted Starlink’s capabilities. “Between, Tesla, Starlink & Twitter, I may have more real-time global economic data in one head than anyone ever,” he tweeted in April.

[rubberizer92]

🌟 Switzerland Takes the Stage: OBEY Season 9 is Here! 🌟

Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we've all been waiting for has arrived – OBEY Season 9 is about to unfold in all its glory! With 14 sensational contestants ready to challenge last season's victor, Diego from Argentina, get ready for an incredible journey filled with talent, style, and innovation! 🏆✨

In a groundbreaking twist, we've gathered all 15 contestants in a lavish chamber where they've been adorned with exquisite mosaic-inspired rubber suits. These dazzling ensembles promise to redefine fashion and captivate our global audience! 💃🕺🌟

Let's talk strategy! Your votes hold the key to crowning our next OBEY champion. Show your unwavering support by actively engaging with your favorite contestants on Instagram – likes, comments, and saves all contribute to their success. Your influence also extends to our Instagram Stories, where a 'Yes' vote empowers your chosen contestant, while a 'No' trims their positive votes. And don't forget, you can cast your votes on Tumblr too! 🗳️📱

Now, introducing the charismatic contender from Switzerland, meet Conrad! 🇨🇭🔥 Armed with charm, innovation, and an unwavering determination to seize the OBEY crown, Conrad is ready to make Switzerland proud. Join us in rallying behind him and all our exceptional contestants as we embark on this thrilling journey together. 🌐🎉

#OBEYSeason9 #TheUltimateShowdown #VoteNow #ShimmeringSuits #MeetTheContenders 🌟🏆

[wheelscomedyandmore]

In 1964, architect Minoru Yamasaki and his team proudly showcased a model of their innovative design for the World Trade Center, a project destined to become an iconic part of New York City’s skyline. Yamasaki, renowned for his modernist approach, was selected to design the twin towers, which were set to be the tallest buildings in the world upon completion. The model they presented symbolized not only a feat of architectural ingenuity but also the ambition and optimism of 1960s America, reflecting the nation’s economic prowess and its role as a global commercial hub.

The World Trade Center’s design was groundbreaking. Yamasaki and his team envisioned two identical towers soaring 1,368 feet into the sky, connected by a spacious plaza at their base. The innovative “tube” design, utilizing a steel frame, allowed the towers to achieve unprecedented heights while maintaining structural integrity. The exterior columns, prominently featured in the model, would become a defining characteristic of the towers’ sleek, minimalist aesthetic. Yamasaki’s vision extended beyond creating an architectural marvel; he aimed to design a space that fostered human interaction and business on a grand scale.

At the time the model was unveiled, the project was still in its planning stages, but the excitement was palpable. Yamasaki’s design embodied his belief in the transformative power of architecture. He sought to create buildings that were not only functional but also beautiful, with meticulous attention to proportions and details. The towers were intended to symbolize peace and cooperation, reflecting the burgeoning global economy.

The World Trade Center complex was designed to accommodate a variety of businesses and government offices, making it a bustling hub of activity. The plaza at the base of the towers was envisioned as a public space where people could gather, relax, and enjoy the urban environment, emphasizing Yamasaki’s commitment to creating communal spaces.

Though the World Trade Center was later tragically destroyed, the 1964 image of Yamasaki and his team with the model captures the spirit of optimism and innovation that drove one of the most ambitious architectural projects of the 20th century. The legacy of the World Trade Center endures, not only in the memories of those who worked and visited there but also in the ongoing evolution of skyscraper design and urban planning.

[itscolossal]

Celebrate Creativity and Community at the Detroit Month of Design Festival

The Detroit Month of Design Festival is a citywide celebration of creativity that gathers designers and the greater community to celebrate Detroit’s role as a national and global design capital. Every September, partners across the city—from emerging studios to established companies and educational institutions—come together to show off their latest works and ideas, highlighting the talent and innovation that makes Detroit the first and only UNESCO City of Design in the U.S. (Sponsor)

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Algorithm used on Mars rover helps scientists on Earth see data in a new way

A new algorithm tested on NASA's Perseverance Rover on Mars may lead to better forecasting of hurricanes, wildfires, and other extreme weather events that impact millions globally.

Georgia Tech Ph.D. student Austin P. Wright is first author of a paper that introduces Nested Fusion. The new algorithm improves scientists' ability to search for past signs of life on the Martian surface.

This innovation supports NASA's Mars 2020 mission. In addition, scientists from other fields working with large, overlapping datasets can use Nested Fusion's methods for their studies.

Wright presented Nested Fusion at the 2024 International Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (KDD 2024) where it was a runner-up for the best paper award. The work is published in the journal Proceedings of the 30th ACM SIGKDD Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining.

"Nested Fusion is really useful for researchers in many different domains, not just NASA scientists," said Wright. "The method visualizes complex datasets that can be difficult to get an overall view of during the initial exploratory stages of analysis."

Nested Fusion combines datasets with different resolutions to produce a single, high-resolution visual distribution. Using this method, NASA scientists can more easily analyze multiple datasets from various sources at the same time. This can lead to faster studies of Mars' surface composition to find clues of previous life.

The algorithm demonstrates how data science impacts traditional scientific fields like chemistry, biology, and geology.

Even further, Wright is developing Nested Fusion applications to model shifting climate patterns, plant and animal life, and other concepts in the earth sciences. The same method can combine overlapping datasets from satellite imagery, biomarkers, and climate data.

"Users have extended Nested Fusion and similar algorithms toward earth science contexts, which we have received very positive feedback," said Wright, who studies machine learning (ML) at Georgia Tech.

"Cross-correlational analysis takes a long time to do and is not done in the initial stages of research when patterns appear and form new hypotheses. Nested Fusion enables people to discover these patterns much earlier."

Wright is the data science and ML lead for PIXLISE, the software that NASA JPL scientists use to study data from the Mars Perseverance Rover.

Perseverance uses its Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) to collect data on mineral composition of Mars' surface. PIXL's two main tools that accomplish this are its X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectrometer and Multi-Context Camera (MCC).

When PIXL scans a target area, it creates two co-aligned datasets from the components. XRF collects a sample's fine-scale elemental composition. MCC produces images of a sample to gather visual and physical details like size and shape.

A single XRF spectrum corresponds to approximately 100 MCC imaging pixels for every scan point. Each tool's unique resolution makes mapping between overlapping data layers challenging. However, Wright and his collaborators designed Nested Fusion to overcome this hurdle.

In addition to progressing data science, Nested Fusion improves NASA scientists' workflow. Using the method, a single scientist can form an initial estimate of a sample's mineral composition in a matter of hours. Before Nested Fusion, the same task required days of collaboration between teams of experts on each different instrument.

"I think one of the biggest lessons I have taken from this work is that it is valuable to always ground my ML and data science problems in actual, concrete use cases of our collaborators," Wright said.

"I learn from collaborators what parts of data analysis are important to them and the challenges they face. By understanding these issues, we can discover new ways of formalizing and framing problems in data science."

Nested Fusion won runner-up for the best paper in the applied data science track. Hundreds of other papers were presented at the conference's research track, workshops, and tutorials.

Wright's mentors, Scott Davidoff and Polo Chau, co-authored the Nested Fusion paper. Davidoff is a principal research scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Chau is a professor at the Georgia Tech School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE).

"I was extremely happy that this work was recognized with the best paper runner-up award," Wright said. "This kind of applied work can sometimes be hard to find the right academic home, so finding communities that appreciate this work is very encouraging."