#Logistics hashtag

[altiosai]

Tired of the hassles of manual load scheduling? It can lead to inefficiencies and strain on resources. With LoadMiles, you can optimize routes and truck capacity, saving time and resources. Simplify your logistics today! hashtag#Logistics hashtag#tms hashtag#trucking hashtag#dumptrucks hashtag#time hashtag#truckingindustry hashtag#didyouknow hashtag#LoadMiles

for more info https://www.loadmiles.com/

[sun-technologies]

Logistics Software Testing: How to Avoid Interruptions to Logistics Operations Caused by Inadequate Testing of Software Updates

Inadequate logistics software testing is the root cause of interruptions to critical daily operations. Logistics software applications can include modules for route optimization, shipment tracking, warehouse management, and customer notifications. When any logistics company decides to roll out a significant software update aimed at improving route optimization algorithms and enhancing the customer notification system, they face tight deadlines and budget constraints. Testing phase for these software update can get shortened and as a result, the testing team can end up focusing primarily on new features and basic functionality. It can lead to neglecting comprehensive integration, load, and regression testing. As a result, several critical issues may not be identified before any update is deployed to the live environment.

Join us to uncover a real-world scenario to see how our dedicated Testing CoE can help deploy new software updates with minimal disruptions, ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.

How Adequate Testing Helps Avoid Warehouse Management System (WMS) Problems

Inventory Inaccuracies

Operational Disruption: Warehouse staff must spend additional time verifying and correcting inventory records manually, delaying order fulfilment and increasing the risk of errors.

Resolution: Ensure adequate testing to detect issues related to inventory counting and tracking.

Impact: Inventory data becomes accurate, ensuring elimination of issues related to stockouts or overstock situations.

Order Fulfilment Delays

Operational Disruption: Customer satisfaction declines due to delayed deliveries, and operational costs increase due to the need for expedited shipping to meet deadlines.

Resolution: Ensure adequate testing before releasing any new software updates to detect any inefficiencies or errors in order processing workflows.

Impact: Avoid slower shipment processing time and ensure shipments are always on time.

System Downtime

Operational Disruption: Workers cannot access the system to pick, pack, or ship orders, leading to significant delays and potential financial losses.

Resolution: Ensure adequate testing to see if the tested updates cause system crashes or unresponsiveness.

Impact: The WMS is always available, thereby never halting warehouse operations.

Integration Failures

Operational Disruption: Misalignment between systems can cause discrepancies in order status, inventory levels, and shipment details, necessitating manual intervention to reconcile data.

Resolution: Ensure adequate testing of interfaces with other systems (e.g., ERP, CRM).

Impact: Avoid data synchronization issues that can lead to inconsistent information across systems.

User Interface Bugs

Operational Disruption: Reduced efficiency and productivity among warehouse staff, leading to slower operations and potential training needs for the updated system.

Resolution: A smooth transition to modern UI/UX interface accompanied by change management measures ensure user adoption and ease-of-use.

Impact: Increased time to complete tasks and a higher rate of user errors.

How Adequate Testing Helps Avoid Transportation Management System (TMS) Problems

Route Optimization Errors

Operational Disruption: Deliveries are delayed, and transportation costs rise, negatively impacting profitability and customer satisfaction.

Resolution: Ensure any system glitches do not go undetected during updates to route optimization algorithms.

Impact: Avoid inefficiencies in route optimization, longer delivery times, and increased fuel costs.

Shipment Tracking Failures

Operational Disruption: Customers cannot track their shipments, leading to increased calls to customer service and potential loss of trust in the service.

Resolution: Ensure any new update does not introduce glitches that affect real-time tracking.

Impact: Avoid inaccurate shipment tracking information or unavailable data.

Carrier Integration Issues

Operational Disruption: Shipments are delayed or misrouted, causing additional administrative work to correct issues and potentially incurring extra shipping costs.

Resolution: Ensure properly tested updates to avoid disruptive integration issues with carrier systems.

Impact: Avoidinaccurate or failed communication with carriers regarding shipment details.

Billing and Documentation Errors

Operational Disruption: Financial discrepancies arise, requiring time-consuming reconciliations and possibly leading to disputes with carriers or customers.

Resolution: Ensure software updates do not affect the generation of shipping documents and billing statements.

Impact: Always have an available system that supports accurate billing and documentation.

Performance Degradation

Operational Disruption: Sluggish system performance hampers the ability of logistics managers to plan and execute shipments efficiently, leading to operational delays and potential missed delivery windows.

Resolution: Ensure updates are always tested for performance under load.

Impact: The system will never slow down during peak usage times.

Practical Steps Undertaken by Sun Technologies Testing Team to Ensure Logistics Software Updates Don’t Cause Operational Disruptions

Incremental Rollouts:

Deploy updates incrementally rather than all at once to minimize risk. This allows for easier rollback if issues are found.

Disaster Recovery Testing:

Regularly test disaster recovery procedures to ensure quick recovery in case of system failures.

Training and Support:

Provide adequate training for users and support teams on new features and changes introduced by software updates.

Version Control:

Use version control to manage and track changes in the software. This helps in maintaining consistency and facilitates easier rollback if needed.

User Interface (UI) Testing:

Ensure the UI is intuitive and responsive across different devices and screen sizes. Test for usability to ensure a positive user experience.

Example Scenario of Implementing Best Practices for a Logistics IT Team

Context:

A logistics software company is rolling out a major update to its WMS and TMS. The update includes a new route optimization algorithm, enhanced shipment tracking, and improved user interface features.

Steps to be Taken

Detailed Requirements Gathering:

Workshops with stakeholders to gather detailed requirements and develop use case scenarios.

Comprehensive Testing Strategy:

Developing a strategy that includes functional, performance, security, integration, and user acceptance testing.

Automation:

Automated regression and load testing using industry-standard tools.

Integration Testing:

Conduct end-to-end testing and API testing to ensure seamless integration with external systems.

Real Data Usage Simulation:

Use anonymized real data to test the new features, ensuring realistic test conditions.

Performance and Load Testing:

Simulate peak load conditions to identify and address performance bottlenecks.

Security Testing:

Perform vulnerability scanning and penetration testing to ensure the system was secure.

User Acceptance Testing:

Engage end-users in the testing process and gathered feedback on the new features.

Continuous Testing:

Integrate testing into the CI/CD pipeline to catch issues early and ensure continuous quality.

Documentation and Communication:

Maintain clear documentation of all test cases and results, and ensured effective communication between teams.

Post-Deployment Monitoring:

Implement real-time monitoring and established a user feedback loop to continuously improve the system.

[rapidpricer]

The Retail Battleground: Brick-and-Mortar vs. E-commerce and the Rise of Instant Delivery

Written By: Gargi Sarma 

Introduction:

Figure 1: Growth Comparison of Retail Sectors, WorldWide (2015 - 2027)

Global Views on Brick-and-Mortar, E-commerce, and Quick Commerce

Figure 2: Estimated Value of the In-Store and E-Commerce Retail Sales Worldwide from 2022 and 2026

Remarkably, brick-and-mortar sales growth outpaced e-commerce growth for the first time in 2021 (Forbes, 2022). This demonstrates how much customers still want the in-person purchasing experience. But physical establishments run the risk of slipping behind if they don't adjust to the internet world, including by providing click-and-collect options.

In recent years, e-commerce has grown at an exponential rate. Global e-retail sales are predicted by Statista to reach USD 6.5 trillion by 2023, making up more than 22% of all retail sales. In emerging nations like India, where smartphone usage and internet penetration are rising quickly, this trend is especially noticeable.

Instant Delivery: A Revolution in Retail

Figure 4: GMV of Quick Commerce in India, 2023 (Source: Redseer) According to Redseer, by 2025, the rapid commerce market in India is expected to grow at a rate of 10-15 times faster than any other market, with a valuation of almost $5.5 billion. This will put it ahead of other markets, including China, in terms of the adoption of quick commerce.

Shifting Logistics and Delivery Investment Dynamics

Figure 5: Logistic Business Models Which are Attracting More Funding for Startups

Conclusion:

Businesses need to be competitive as the retail industry changes and adjusts to shifting consumer tastes and technological improvements. Although e-commerce and rapid delivery services have unheard-of development prospects, these business models' viability depends on tackling regional obstacles and making investments in creative solutions. Retailers may prosper in a world that is becoming more digitally and globally integrated by embracing innovation and comprehending the distinctive dynamics of various markets.

About RapidPricer

RapidPricer helps automate pricing and promotions for retailers. The company has capabilities in retail pricing, artificial intelligence and deep learning to compute merchandising actions for real-time execution in a retail environment.

Contact info:

Website: https://www.rapidpricer.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rapidpricer/

Email: info@rapidpricer.nl

[queeniecamps]

Nikki drags all her friends out to see a football game when it’s her turn to chose the group activity lolll

[maddestmewmew]

theres a post going around on twitter abt a lesbian who genuinely hates men with such vitriol they went on to a post made by a gay man abt being attracted to men Just to talk abt how ugly men are and they wokely included trans men in the statement and im wondering. i have made 0 changes to my appearance since figuring out im a trans man instead of a lesbian, so what exactly makes me ugly now when i was a hot dyke before?

[m0e-ru]

wooga booga

[gemharvest]

Feeling so intensely w these positive emotions rn that i feel like I'm gonna burst BHAJDFSJKDNG.

[sysaler]

Top Benefit of Reverse Auction: SYSALER

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[occamstfs]

2k Follower Writing Challenge !

Hi y’all-

I’m about to hit 2,000 followers(crazy) and wanted to do something special to celebrate !

Namely, I’m hosting the loosest possible writing challenge 🎉 Hiatused writers looking for an impetus to return, current writers who want to mix it up, new writers eager to give TF Fiction a go, anyone at all interested is encouraged to write !

I’ve opted for quite an open-ended prompt that has a lot of options while still remaining cohesive!

That is:

Viral Transformation

Contagion bringing on changes, Social media trends or videos causing physical transformation, Malevolent or mischievous computer programs inducing new identities.

Any way you can swing virulence and/or virality into a plot works! Feel free to think outside the box or work with any of the three examples I’ve outlined ;)

Logistically: I’m available to help bounce ideas off of and then happy to give an editorial read through once you’ve finished your stories !

Any entries should be posted the week of September 22nd (22-28) with the hashtag #occam2000 within the first five hashtags to keep them together. On the 29th I’ll post a poll for the fan favorite who will receive a request from myself, if they so desire !

If anyone’s interested in participating in my little challenge/contest feel free to send me a message and I’ll make a small post later announcing the entries ! Otherwise I’m eager to help as need be.

Ever Yours -Occam !

[frozenjokes]

Unbeknownst To Grian, Doc Hasn’t Had A Real Conversation With A Person In 15 Years, And It’s About To Be Grian’s Problem

Grian did not like to be predictable. He didn’t like to follow expectations, he didn’t like to give people what they wanted. This could manifest in small, annoying ways; if something he was curious about got popular, he was more likely to lose interest, think negatively of it for no reason. Grian valued uniqueness in his craft. If he was going to fuck with someone, he would do so in the most creative possible way, and just so much as seeing a similar idea online to one of his own was enough to void all his motivation.

If Grian was going to make his mark, he would not do so giving the people what they wanted. He’d change the game. He’d sprint as fast as his legs would take him against the grain.

They wanted him and Scar.

The clips from yesterday had gone completely viral, Scar’s suggestion to velcro himself to Grian’s back so they could fight together to retrieve his legs from the villainous Goat spawning waves of excited chatter, cheering, and trending hashtags to varying degrees of ridiculousness. Now, even if Grian had wanted to team up with Scar like this in the first place, the amount of insistent attention would be enough to change his mind in a snap of an instant. Please. He was not some showpony that lived to serve the community. If he was going to put on a show, it would be on his own terms, superheroes be damned.

So that’s how Grian found himself at The Goat’s doorstep, a massive, impending thing. Most supervillains took utmost care in hiding their identities and home addresses; they had to, otherwise the police force would have no reason to pretend they couldn’t arrest them. The Goat, however, was an exception. This place could hardly be called a house; it was more like a fortress that loomed over the entire city, spires like lightning rods collecting energy from storms in a light show that you could see for miles. While The Goat had been arrested several hundred times by now (he’d been around for as long as Grian could remember, very possibly before he was born), he never quite stayed in jail, always finding a way to escape in one way or another. At this point, it was common knowledge that The Goat was only ever taken into custody because he wanted to be; successfully imprisoned for only however long he allowed. While quite famous, The Goat also happened to be a bit of a hermit, only surfacing from his lair once or twice a month, so really, it was pretty unlucky for Scar to come across him the one day he had chosen to lay pathetically on the concrete, legs ripe for the stealing.

Regardless, this mysterious reclusiveness made the villain quite popular among many, his nonchalance combined with the insanity of some of his works of engineering drawing a great deal of attention. That, and people were just outright thirsting over him. Unabashedly horny. Grian had never seen The Goat in person before, but he’d seen enough pictures to understand- not that he agreed or anything, just that it made sense. The Goat was a big guy, like, big; Grian didn’t know the logistics of his exact species, but he was a sort of centaur-like creature, built like a clydesdale but even taller, half of his chest, left arm, and face entirely cybernetic, armaments that were constructed by the man himself.

It was at this point that Grian realized he was stalling. In fairness, he wasn’t exactly sure what to do with himself. The knocker was purposefully high above the typical human height, something he could reach regardless with a flap of his wings, but it was relatively obvious The Goat did not like visitors. Grian wondered how many civilians had turned up at this very doorstep, only to be ignored for hours until they left. Would The Goat even care about CuteGuy? Maybe he had seen all the hubbub online and would keep him locked out on purpose. Grian hadn’t really considered that before coming. Honestly, with all the cameras around, it was very likely The Goat already knew he was here.

Well. No time like the present!

Grian beat his wings in a small jump, but the door swung open before he could reach the knocker, causing him to fall and stumble a little pathetically at cloven feet. He looked up. Holy shit.

“Speak of your intention,” The Goat spoke gruffly, tucking his hands away in the pockets of his long lab coat. Grian had to crane his neck just to see his face, a dark, cold expression looking natural on The Goat’s imposing figure. His eyes were pupil-less, narrowed and difficult to read, but Grian didn’t detect any hostility. Maybe he was delusional, but it almost looked like The Goat was more curious than anything, interest evident in the way his mechanical eye moved in quick saccades, taking all of him in. Grian took a deep breath, puffing out his chest.

“Just wanted to hang out, that’s all. This is a pretty secluded place, you know, thought I might be able to get away from all the mess,” Grian forcibly relaxed his shoulders, waving his hand in a vague gesture.

“Hang out?” The Goat said the words like they tasted bitter, but then again, he said most things as if they left an unpleasant taste in his mouth, “You sure you’re not looking for anything?”

“If you’re referring to HotGuy’s legs, then no, I’m not looking for them. I don’t care about him or his legs, actually! I’m more concerned with my reputation, that being, how good it’s been lately. I think this city needs a reminder that I don’t work for anyone.”

The Goat chuckled, the sound far more soft and pleasant than Grian would have thought he could produce. “Is that so?” he mused, and Grian hoped that was interest behind his tone, “You don’t serve our government? Contractually? Won’t they be displeased to see another of their pets mingling with the enemy?”

Grian scoffed, “I don’t serve anyone. As far as I’m concerned, they’re being scammed out of a paycheck. And no, honestly, I don’t think they care what I do so long as it drums up media attention and puts more coin in their pockets. So long as it’s advertiser friendly.”

“I hear you are famously not, friend.”

“Well that’s not my problem.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

“The court of public opinion indicates otherwise. People are crazy about me, nearly as much as HotGuy. It would be stupid to let me go, not before they milk my novelty for everything it’s worth. By then I’ll be rich enough to retire or something, I don’t know. That’s a problem for future Grian.”

“Grian?” Grian’s heart dropped as The Goat smirked, lips raising just enough to reveal pointed teeth. But just as Grian started to stutter to a defense, the villain laughed, drowning him out, “Do not fret, I could not care about any person’s identity, superhero or no. Nor do I particularly care to shield mine. Please Grian, call me Doc. Follow me.” Doc turned without another word, leaving Grian to gape as his massive hooves kicked up clouds of dust. Doc did not look to see if he was following nor slow his pace, so Grian had to run to catch up. Nine foot tall monsters walked very fast it turns out! And if Doc noticed Grian struggling to keep up, he certainly didn’t show it.

It occurred a little late to Grian that he should probably be keeping track of where he was going and how he’d escape if necessary, but Doc’s fortress had so many twists and turns, by the time he had the sense to think of this, he was already hopelessly lost. Well. Hopefully Doc wasn’t planning on dissecting him and displaying his wings on a pedestal or something. (Many of The Goat’s fans seemed to insist this was a big thing for Doc, though, Grian could not find any actual evidence of any dissections occurring. On second thought, those people were probably just horny.) Oh well.

Eventually, the two of them reached an elevator with, quite frankly, an alarming amount of floors- “What do you need this much space for?'' The thought was spoken aloud before Grian could stop himself, far more judgemental than would be advised for the company he was keeping today, but luckily, Doc didn’t seem to care.

“The lower floors are where The Hivemind works. Building, innovating, grindingoptimizingautomatingthriving, you know. A lot of the space is storage from past projects, and upkeep generally takes a lot of my time. My machinery can get to be quite large. You will not see most of it. We aren’t going down far.” Doc selected B1, making Grian question why they were even taking the elevator if they were only going down one floor, but after a particularly long ride, he got some idea.

Basement Floor 1 was massive and sprawling and dark. Grian had better eyesight than most, even at night, but the only parts of the ceiling he could see were spots of reflective metal and small pools of light that bounced off stalactites.

“Do- do those ever fall?” Grian asked, eyes wide at the ceiling, and Doc stopped, turning in a slow swivel so Grian could see his entire upper half.

“Yes.” He flexed the fingers on his mechanical arm, glowing red eye boring into Grian, “It is a good thing The Hivemind is smart. And quick. Though, after the second incident, we hope to have fixed the problem. On the other floors. My workstation remains as it is.”

“You- You can’t just knock them all down?”

“I can. But I believe that if God wishes for me to be struck down, then she should have the means to do so herself. She’s gotten a couple good shots in,” Doc narrowed his physical eye, and Grian was pretty sure there was humor there, “but she knows I am above her power. So instead we will continue to feud, and I will continue to break her precious world. And if one day I die, then I would have it to be no other way than by her hand.”

“If-?”

Doc only laughed, continuing to walk down the corridor. Grian was forced to follow lest he be left behind.

It occurred too late to Grian that he probably shouldn’t be surprised Doc was leading him to see Scar’s legs. Regardless, Doc was amused, chuckling when Grian took a sharp breath.

“I wanted him to come and get them. With or without you. Worked all night on the programming with The Hivemind, though, turns out that wasn’t necessary. You two are slow. HotGuy isn’t even here.”

Grian cast a nervous look at Scar’s legs, laid flat on a desk next to a large monitor. The workspace had the feel of an organized mess, all the clutter making it difficult to tell what exactly Doc had done. Well, if he was programming something, Grian wouldn’t be able to see it anyway. Were- were the legs even programmable? How would that work?

“What did you do to them?” Grian finally said, feeling incredibly daft at the note of worry he failed to suppress.

Doc snorted. “Nothing. I did make a mechanical waist though,” he hummed, shaking his head, “Well, that’s not true, I’ve had the actual machine bit made for a while now, I just did most of the other stuff last night. It’s been some time since I’ve gotten a look at these, and the technology has advanced significantly since then. At least my tech has; imagine my surprise when I see his useless government agency has hardly updated his prosthetics at all! If it’s not broke don’t fix it I suppose, but these are certainly broke. I’ll make sure to get started on a prototype for an update soon, yeesh. Regardless, after digging through my old blueprints, it wasn’t hard to hook everything up to a little remote control. Oh, his face will be priceless. His own legs greeting him at the door and kicking his ass?” Doc laughed, missing Grian’s open mouth gaping, “Unfortunately balance is still an issue, I obviously didn’t have time to work out all the kinks, but I’m just here to mess with him, it’ll be serviceable for-“

“Wait- Wait-“ Doc did not look happy about being interrupted, fixing Grian with a glare that stopped him directly in his tracks.

“Go on.”

“You made his prosthetics? His legs?”

“Obviously. Who else would have made them? Have you seen the typical modern-day prosthetic? They’re nothing like mine, borderline barbaric. Of course, mine are quite expensive, and people don’t just go and commission a guy like me over the table. HotGuy’s parents must love their son very much, though, they threw a whole tissy when I told them I’d need to visit him in the hospital. Idiots. As if I would trust anyone other than myself to collect the measurements I needed. They made me arrive under a sheet-“ Doc cut himself off with a groan, “The things I put up with sometimes. HotGuy’s lucky it was an interesting project. Human legs are very different from my own, so I wouldn’t be messing with them without an excuse. Of course, he grew up to be a fucking pain in the ass, didn’t he. Could have done a better job just raising the kid myself.” Grian had so many questions, but Doc hardly even stopped to breathe when he spoke, and Grian wasn’t about to interrupt a second time.

“Fuck, if they haven’t updated the legs, they probably haven’t touched his back either. Did you know that? His lower back was completely shattered- now that was an interesting project. Idiots, seriously, commissioning me to make their son legs when he’d never be able to use them. I ended up doing a lot of work on that boy, and not one thank you. Not from him all these years later or his useless family. He’d still be in that hospital bed without me, I know it. I bet if they’d let me have my way with him he would have been walking in under a year. But no, no, I was only on the project for two years, and I believe it lasted five? Six? Those idiots made me sign an NDA and everything!” Doc barked a hard laugh, “What are they going to do? Take me to court? Arrest me? Stupid. Amusing in hindsight, but they were insufferable.”

“I- okay. I mean, it’s not like this is common knowledge or anything. I feel like I would have seen this somewhere by now if the public knew you made all his prosthetics.”

“Oh no, the information isn’t public. I’d rather peel off my skin than be associated with that lot, and I’m sure HotGuy’s managers feel similarly about me. There’s a reason his prosthetics are so outdated- look, feel this. The movement at the joints is awful!” Doc took Grian’s hand, uncaring for his own strength as he yanked Grian forward to touch (something that felt deeply invasive toward Scar, though, it wasn’t like Grian had a choice) as Doc bent the knee. Grian had no idea what he was supposed to be feeling here, but Doc must have mistaken his discomfort for agreement because he let go right after.

Grian cleared his throat, rubbing his wrist, “And you think HotGuy knows?”

“Knows what?”

“That you made his prosthetics. I’m just curious, I mean.. He’s never mentioned it- not that we’re close or anything. It just feels like something that might have come up before to uh- well I don’t know if dating is the right word, but he and my roommate have something going on-“

Doc rolled his eyes with a huff, “Of course HotGuy knows! He’s just conceited like the rest of his family- his workforce for that matter. God forbid the public know how blurry the lines between ‘hero’ and ‘villain’ actually are. The only actual reason I’ve got the government breathing down my neck is due to the IRS- no, I will not be paying ridiculous sums to DC just for the money to be wasted on international affairs the States have no business sticking their nose into anyway. I only immigrated for the, quite frankly, insane lack of weapons regulation. You can do whatever the fuck you want in America. Regardless, I’d do better to put that money into the community myself.”

“Do you?”

“Not locally, I have a reputation to uphold and I like this shithole the way it is. Occasionally if I see something that really pisses me off I’ll pour some money into it.” Doc scowled, like the thought of doing any good at all was deeply unappealing, “For the most part though, I only keep tabs on the world as it pertains to me. I care very little for pettiness.”

Grian snorted. “Is using HotGuy’s own prosthetics to kick his ass because he never said ‘thank you,’ not petty?”

“For personal matters, I indulge. Most of the time however, I am far too busy for nonsense such as this. Speaking of, I have work to do, so I am going to hold you for ransom to speed this up. Do you have a problem with that?”

“If I comply, do I get a share of the cash?”

“You can take whatever you want. I just want HotGuy here.”

Grian’s wings fluttered, his mind already moving miles a minute, “Do you need a picture? Oh please, let’s take pictures. Something fun, ambiguous- I really want to mess with him.”

“Can I not just take a picture of you right here. Maybe try to look at least mildly unhappy, I’d like if HotGuy had a reason to be prompt.”

“Oh he’ll be prompt- do you have a tripod or something? We don’t need one obviously, I just feel like you’d be the type of guy to have something like that on hand. Do you? How do you feel about the lightest of the light kind of suggestive pictures? I think it would be funny. Ambiguously suggestive. Honestly, I just kinda feel like you’d be a fun person to pose with, y’know? I have a vision. Just saying, if you really want to fuck with HotGuy, this would go crazy. Your fans would go NUTS. Do you know about your fans? I saw some things while doing research.”

Doc snorted, ears flicking in what Grian was pretty sure was amusement, “You remind me of a man I knew long ago,” he sighed, sounding dangerously wistful. His eyes shone as he raised a shaking fist to the ceiling.

“You don’t have to divulge-“ Grian started in great alarm, but there was no stopping the rapidly approaching trauma exposition hurdling his way.

“Ren was a brilliant man. Awkward, but damn clever, an incredibly talented engineer with ideas to rival my own. Struck down too soon, too soon. Sometimes I wonder if that stalactite was meant for me, or if it was meant as a punishment greater than death. She knew I would try to bring him back, friend. She knew he would come back wrong.”

“This seems really personal-“

“A hippie.” Doc growled, and Grian got the sense this train was not slowing down any time soon. Might as well settle in.

[dessertgeek]

The Mari Lwyd Twitter saga (2020 - part one)

This is part of my efforts to transcribe @seananmcguire's holiday Mari Lwyd Twitter threads. The hashtag for now is #Mari Lwyd Project, the first post is here, the thread's source is here.

(Many thanks to @dor-min on finding and linking this one, along with linking the amazing Mari Lwyd fanart by Sue Rankin Pollard.)

2020 is going to take a bit to work through, as there were even more challengers and single replies and I'm trying to find them all, but I'm working on it! This round is Seanan + @kbspangler, with Sue's support/cheesing.

As always, credit to the authors/poets/cheese protectors and sharers. CWs for food and a confused Mari Lwyd getting cheesed.

Seanan: (Am I planning to randomly yell at my mutuals in skeleton horse until someone plays along? What else was I doing today?)

K.B.: Gimme.

Seanan: Hello new contender! You've asked me to play! Today is the solstice, I seek cheese today. I don't really care if it's vlaskaas or brie: I know you have cheese, so please give it to me.

K.B.: Sorry, o mare with your thousand-yard stare There's cheese in this house it is true But we shop at Target Instead of Fresh Market We've Kraft pre-wrapped singles for you.

Seanan: You know it's quite rude To placate the Mari with processed cheese food, But it's better than nothing, we are not denied, So pick up your singles and place them inside.

K.B.: Okay, so...logistics For a mare quite so mystic I've found a huge problem with that The bony heuristics of your characteristics Means you must wear this sliced cheese as a hat

Seanan: My new hat is fetching, so lovely and fine, I give you my blessing, new good friend of mine!

K.B.: Bid you good year with holiday cheer and happy to see you now leave This skeletal mare processed cheese in her hair An omen for Conjunction Eve.

Sue Rankin Pollard:

Seanan: Yes. This is correct.

[trekkiedean]

the thing about cas's arc in the first half of s9 is that it's a prime example of why I cannot look at this show through a purely watsonian lens. there is no way to make it make sense except bad writing. and "idk it was bad writing" is a copout with most shows, and can very much be a copout with this show, depending on how selectively you apply it. but also, with spn, not only is the writing bad, but the show is SO hyperaware of itself as a story that I have a lot of trouble ignoring the doylist factors, the way I would at least try to in another show.

like, I have a ton of logistic/plot questions about the whole early-s9 situation, because the basic facts just don't really make sense from 9x03 to 9x06 to 9x09. but more than that, I feel like any purely watsonian explanation requires me to either throw out a lot of dean's past characterization (I can be pretty hashtag deancrit, but I do think it's ooc for him to kick cas out with absolutely nothing) or a lot of cas's future characterization (I think cas's takeaway was that dean does not care enough about him to help him unless it will serve some larger purpose of dean's to do so, and I think that informs a lot of cas's future behavior). like, the potential watsonian explanations are:

dean offered cas some supplies/cash/a fake id, and cas was just too proud/hurt/stupid to accept

dean offered cas some supplies/cash/a fake id, and cas took them, but he was too proud/hurt to keep them or too stupid to keep them safe/use them wisely

dean is a complete sociopath who doesn't give a shit about cas and kicked him out with literally nothing but the clothes on his back, and cas's self-esteem is so low that he thinks it was okay

dean is too stupid to even realize that cas might need supplies/money/resources

and I don't find any of those explanations satisfying, because there are things in other episodes that undercut or refute all of them: if dean genuinely just doesn't give a shit about cas, why did he bother trying to find him in 9x03 in the first place, or care when april killed him and get gadreel to bring him back? if dean didn't give him anything in the way of money/supplies, then how did cas get from kansas to idaho, or get a job with no papers or bank account? but if dean did give him cash/the magic credit card and fake identity papers, then why did cas need the job in the first place and/or why is he sleeping in the back room? and if he didn't, if cas is truly in such a dangerously precarious situation in 9x06 because he has nothing else, then how, in 9x09, does he have a fairly nice, well-fitting suit and presumably a fake badge and a car? if dean gave him some money to begin with, and cas is just clueless with money and blew it all, then how did he get savvy enough, between 9x03 and 9x09, to acquire all of those things himself? if dean gave him money and/or the suit, badge, and car to begin with, but cas was too proud and hurt to make use of them, what changed his mind? if he has those things in 9x09 because dean helped him after 9x06 and either gave them to him or gave him the means/money to get them, then why wouldn't dean have just done that in the first place? if dean didn't help him at all, despite knowing what a dangerous situation cas was in before they found him in 9x03, then why does dean approach cas in 9x06 like he expects any reaction but completely justified anger and hurt, and treat cas's new job like it's a silly little thing cas is doing for funsies rather than his best chance at survival? but then, why is cas treating the whole thing like it was no big deal in 9x09?

meanwhile, the doylist explanations are:

the episodes in question were written by privileged white people who have no idea what actual poverty and homelessness entail, and didn't care enough to do some basic research (or even like, ask the cast member who'd actually experienced serious poverty and homelessness for some input)

there was little to no coordination among the writers to ensure story or emotional continuity across episodes (if you told me berens and buckleming just didn't read each others' scripts or watch each others' episodes I would 100% believe you)

they didn't want to pay misha for enough episodes to show us what the fuck was going on with cas in the 9x03-9x09 span, let alone have him kicking around the bunker

and also possibly

everyone knew that if cas was kicking around the bunker, and they put him in the standard hunter uniform, dean's spirit would fully possess jackles and derail every scene by flinging him mouth-first onto misha's dick

and all of those make a lot more sense to me than any purely watsonian explanation is ever going to. and again, I do think that shrugging and saying "bad writing" can be a copout, and with other shows, I would make more of an effort to at least try and find a satisfying watsonian explanation, but spn is not only badly-written, but self-aware, even self-obsessed, in a way that other shows are not, so it's a lot harder for me to just disregard the non-diagetic factors. so I do tend to think that if you choose a watsonian explanation for the whole thing, it can be kind of a rorschach test, because you basically have to decide which character's development to prioritize, dean's or cas's.

[screentones-webcomicresources]

Do you have any material on artist/writer collaborations - either on the collaboration process, or on how to find a collaborator to begin with?

This is a great question, and not always one with a straight-forward answer! While many webcomic projects are solo projects for long-term logistics reasons, some webcomics follow a split of roles between writers and artists (or maybe further split for inkers/flatters/colorists/letterers). Collaborative teams like this can form in many ways, both formally or informally:

Comic creators may find more members for their team to hire from boards like Reedsy, communities like @cartoonistcoop, or hashtags events like PortfolioDay on social media

Writing and comic Discord servers can be good gathering places to make friends, learn about other peoples' projects, and get recommendations when someone has availability and interest for a collab. (Note that most creators you meet in these place will have their own projects, though, so don't go in expecting folks to immediately invest time in your work! Be respectful of their time and show interest/help out with their work too!)

RP or fan groups can be hotbeds for learning the storytelling styles of other people, and that may take comic form somewhere down the road!

Events with a deadline like anthology projects, NaNoWriMo, or Itch.io Game Jams, which often host forum and community spaces where creators can connect and collaborate for a short time and be done if it doesn't work out

Friends, spouses, and siblings often team up when they're into the same things

Some things that factor into whether or not potential collaborators will want to work with you on your comic project:

The scope of the project. Comic projects can take years, and short, deadline-driven projects can be easier to commit to than long-term ones.

Your experience. If you haven't ever finished a comic, collaborators may be cautious to work with you if they can't see concrete proof of what you're bringing to the table, or if they suspect they're going to be doing most of the work. For writers, be sure to have your ideas fairly fleshed out, and your plans as clear as possible. For artists, keep samples and portfolio pieces handy of comic work, not just illustrations. Show you know what your part entails and that you've done it before!

How compatible you are. Many great collaborations come from folks who know each other, enjoy each others' ideas, and work in a compatible way.

How much of a role they have in the creative process. Are you just looking for someone to draw your ideas? Or give you ideas to draw? Or are you interested in building something together?

Money! (though this isn't always a guarantee that the creators you talk to will have time, even if offered financial compensation)

Our best recommendation if you want more collaboration opportunities to come into your life is to see who's vibing with what you're doing in your circles, and see if there are small ways you can collaborate to test the compatibility of your work styles and get experience communicating with each other. Keep expectations clear, be ready to offer your labor to help others, and be flexible with adapting to others, adjusting your plans, or possibly contributing to projects that don't take off.

We also highly recommend this blog post of questions to ask when reaching out to hire someone. While this advice is written specifically about letterers, a lot of it applies to any member of a comic creator team!

And for more of our thoughts about the roles of Writing and Art in webcomics, check out our Jam Session podcast episode about Artists vs. Writers!

[kakasaku-week-2023]

Happy KakaSaku Week!

The Collection on Ao3 can be found HERE, and all submissions we are tagged in (or alternatively, using the hashtag #KakaSaku Week 2023) will be reblogged by this blog.

Late submissions will be accepted until August 31st, but only those submitted during KakaSaku Week will be able to go on the master list put together and posted at the end of the week.

The Scarecrows and Cherry Blossoms Discord server will reopen as soon as we figure out a few Tumblr logistics. Thank you for your patience, and happy KakaSaku-ing! 💕💕

[clarajohnson]

the magicians s1e4

filed under episodes you couldn't make today and that you shouldn't have made then. not that i don't love it because I DO but whew

watercolors!

(hamster who was turned into a human boy voice) no, my life is my life, this is--

i do think we need to grapple with how dumb tutting looks out of context

that napkin full of technicolor pills would've done numbers on 2014 tumblr at least

the physical kids is as suggestive a name for that group as they deserve

the moths are real bad !!!!!

ALICE'S BROW RAISE. i'm gonna find a screenshot of it i can't let it go

that's an episode of lost in space-- star trek-- what?-- that's an episode of star trek-- fine, that's an episode of star trek

there is so much eyebrow acting in this episode actually

in my first watch i was so pro-julia the whole time because quentin hadn't become an all-time little meow meow for me yet god this was always a terrible thing for her. the fake engagement is a particularly cruel dig like... how can i torture q the most? tell him nothing that's brought him joy and purpose in the last few years was real, tell him he's being left behind, tell him people are moving forward without him, everyone else knows how to be normal but him

ohhhhhhh julia did you want to see the fireworks? did you? rookie gaslighting mistake miss wicker

laughing at you? what kind of a friend would do that? AND THEN THE SMIRK ohhhhh she and marina could have been so good together

one thing that's real? you're always a raging dick

someone in the discord said penny is leaning into it so hard and i have to agree like... they should not have done this but at least arjun gets to have fun

[whispers] hashtag agree

in 2015 singing shake it off was one of the strangest things a man on television could do but eight years later it just seems like me watching myself in my apartment any given friday night

i understand the logistics that inhibit the pairing but alice and eliot had so much potential like at LEAST platonically

okay all of the stuff above was awful of julia but actually the most awful thing was making q think he'd harm his father (and that that harm was linked to magic use! which will come back around when magic shuts off!)

penny helping by shouting at quentin as loud and aggressively as he can :-) you racist motherfucker !!!!!!

julia and marina having a sexy raspy voice-off

high-end designer cooperative magic... said while wearing her little leather bondage outfit... hitting on kady... affectionately, you melodramatic cunt

our little q :-) he knows where he would take him on a first fucking date

do we know what marina's discipline was/would've been? ik it's not like (barf) hogwarts houses or whatever but i'm curious where brakebills placed her

jesus christ i didn't remember he was gonna get a fucking lobotomy

there's a lot of eye horror in this show which is just the worst

ughhhh bad episode for julia

god eliot is so obvious right from the start it is insane... patting q's head giving him things... fuckin loverboy

poor you and your taste of honey worse than none at all :-( marina they could NEVER make me hate you