#Max Rathbone

[medievalandfantasymelee]

We are now just a few days away from the end of the submission period for the Hot Medieval and Fantasy Men Melee, and our Entrants stand numbered at 250!!!

Submissions will close on the 27th of June, so if you have a hot medieval/medieval fantasy guy (or multiple of them) you'd like to see compete, send them in!

Here is a list of our Noble and Worthy Contenders so far.

If your man isn't here, that means he has not been submitted.

The Contenders

So Far…

Adhemar, Count of Anjou [Rufus Sewell], A Knight's Tale (2001)

Prince Aemond Targaryen [Ewan Mitchell], House of the Dragon (2022-)

Alessandro Farnese [Diarmuid Noyes], Borgia: Faith and Fear (2011-2014)

King Alfred the Great [David Dawson], The Last Kingdom (2015-2022)

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan [Antonio Banderas], The 13th Warrior (1999)

Antonius Block [Max von Sydow], The Seventh Seal (1957)

Aragorn, Son of Arathorn [Viggo Mortensen], The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

King Arthur Pendragon [Alexandre Astier], Kaamelott (2004-2009)

King Arthur Pendragon [Bradley James], BBC’s Merlin (2008-2012)

Athelstan [George Blagden], Vikings (2013-2020)

Ash Williams [Bruce Campbell], Army of Darkness (1992)

Brian de Bois-Guilbert [Ciaran Hinds], Ivanhoe (1997)

 Brother Cadfael [Derek Jacobi], Cadfael (1994-1998)

Carlos I [Álvaro Cervantes], Carlos Rey Emperador (2015-2016)

Prince Caspian [Ben Barnes], The Chronicles of Narnia (2010)

Cesare Borgia [Mark Ryder], Borgia: Faith and Fear (2011-2014)

Cesare Borgia [Francois Arnaud], The Borgias (2011-2013)

Prince Chauncley [Daniel Radcliffe], Miracle Workers: The Dark Ages (2020)

Prince Daemon Targaryen [Matt Smith], House of the Dragon (2022-)

Khal Drogo [Jason Momoa], Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

Lord Eddard Stark [Sean Bean], Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

Edgin [Chris Pine], Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves (2023)

Éomer, Son of Éomund [Karl Urban], The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Étienne de Navarre [Rutger Hauer], Ladyhawke (1985)

Faramir, Son of Denethor [David Wenham], The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Finan [Mark Rowley], The Last Kingdom (2015-2022)

Sir Galahad [Michael Palin], Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Galavant [Joshua Sasse], Galavant (2015-2016)

Gawain [Dev Patel], The Green Knight (2021)

Geralt z Rivii [Michał Żebrowski], The Witcher (2002)

Geralt of Rivia [Henry Cavill], The Witcher (2019-)

Sir Guy of Gisborne [Basil Rathbone], The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Sir Guy of Gisborne [Richard Armitage], BBC’s Robin Hood (2006-2009)

Prince Hamlet [Laurence Olivier], Hamlet (1948)

Hubert Hawkins [Danny Kaye], The Court Jester (1955)

King Henry II Plantagenet [Peter O’Toole], The Lion in Winter (1968)

King Henry V Plantagenet [Tom Hiddleston], The Hollow Crown (2012-2016)

Prince Henry [Dougray Scott], Ever After (1998)

Hugh Beringar [Sean Pertwee], Cadfael (1994-1998)

Inigo Montoya [Mandy Patinkin], The Princess Bride (1987)

Jareth [David Bowie], the Goblin King, Labyrinth (1986)

Jaskier [Joey Batey], The Witcher (2019-)

Prince John Plantagenet [Claude Rains], The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Lancelot [Santiago Cabrera], BBC’s Merlin (2008-2012)

Legolas Greenleaf [Orlando Bloom], The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Madmartigan [Val Kilmer], Willow (1988)

King Mark of Cornwall [Rufus Sewell], Tristan and Isolde (2006)

Mikoláš Kozlík [František Velecký], Marketa Lazarová (1967)

Merlin [Colin Morgan], BBC’s Merlin (2008-2012)

Niccolo Machiavelli [Thibaut Evrard], Borgia: Faith and Fear (2011-2014)

Prince Oberyn Martell [Pedro Pascal], Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

Peregrin “Pippin” Took [Billy Boyd], The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Pero Tovar [Pedro Pascal], The Great Wall (2016)

Ragnar Lothbrook [Travis Fimmel], Vikings (2013-2020)

Ravenhurst [Basil Rathbone], The Court Jester (1955)

Richard Cypher [Craig Horner], Legend of the Seeker (2008-2010)

King Richard [Timothy Omundson], Galavant (2015-2016)

Richard III Plantagenet [Aneurin Barnard], The White Queen (2013)

Robin Hood [Errol Flynn], The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Robin Hood [Michael Praed], Robin of Sherwood (1984)

Robin Hood [Cary Elwes], Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

Robin Hood [Tom Riley], Doctor Who: “The Robot of Sherwood” (2014)

Rodrigo Borgia [Jeremy Irons], The Borgias (2011-2013)

Rollo [Clive Standen], Vikings (2013-2020)

Samwise Gamgee [Sean Astin], The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Sandor Clegane [Rory McCann], Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

Sid [Luke Youngblood], Galavant (2015-2016)

Sihtric Kjartansson [Arnas Fedaravicius], The Last Kingdom (2015-2022)

Thorin Oakenshield [Richard Armitage], The Hobbit Trilogy (2012-2014)

Tom Builder [Rufus Sewell], The Pillars of the Earth (2010)

Mr. Tumnus [James McAvoy], The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

Vlad III Dracula [Luke Evans], Dracula Untold (2014)

Westley [Cary Elwes], The Princess Bride (1987)

William Thatcher [Heath Ledger], A Knight’s Tale (2001)

Will Scarlet O’Hara [Matthew Porretta], Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

Will Scarlett [Patrick Knowles], The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Will Scarlett [Christian Slater], Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

[hotvintagepoll]

i found this blog by accident (i think the tumblr recommendations code or whatever figured out i have a polls addiction) and have had zero interest and experience in this topic but now. now i am so here. but i was wondering where i could go to watch movies with all these actors?? like i’m sure prime video or smthg might have a few classics hanging around but is there a service/website (of any legality) that specialises in vintage films and stuff? or is it really just physical media to get a lot of them? sry if this throws off your askbox, i didn’t know where else to ask! tyia <3

Hi!! I love this ask. Thanks for being here!

I don't know of any service that specializes in old movies, though HBO had a deal with TCM for a while that meant they had several classics on Max—I don't know if that's still a thing. In the meantime, though, the following websites all have "classic" channels that will be filled with great vintage movies to try:

Tubi—free streaming service that includes:

The Manchurian Candidate (Frank Sinatra, James Edwards)

The Philadelphia Story (James Stewart, Cary Grant)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Dick Van Dyke)

On The Town (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra)

House on Haunted Hill (Vincent Price)

The Adventures of Robin Hood (Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone)

A Streetcar Named Desire (Marlon Brando)

The Maltese Falcon (Humphrey Bogart)

Hoopla—free through many libraries:

The Court Jester (Danny Kaye, Basil Rathbone)

War and Peace (Jeremy Brett)

Barefoot in the Park (Robert Redford)

Cabin in the Sky (Rex Ingram)

Wings (Gary Cooper)

Kanopy—free through many libraries:

The General (Buster Keaton)

Flower Drum Song (James Shigeta)

Roman Holiday (Gregory Peck)

Seven Samurai (Toshiro Mifune)

His Girl Friday (Cary Grant)

Wuthering Heights (Laurence Olivier)

Sabrina (Humphrey Bogart)

Paris Blues (Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman)

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Conrad Veidt)

Youtube also has TONS of movies that have slipped through copyright or "accidentally" ended up there:

Charade (Cary Grant)

The Gay Divorcee (Fred Astaire)

Lying Lips (Carman Newsome, Robert Earl Jones, Oscar Micheaux)

Stormy Weather (Harold Nicholas)

Rebecca (Laurence Olivier)

The Cheat (Sessue Hayakawa)

The Lady Vanishes (Michael Redgrave)

Jungle Book (Sabu Dastagir)

To Sir, With Love (Sidney Poitier)

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (Peter Falk)

What a Way to Go! (Dick Van Dyke, Gene Kelly, Paul Newman)

And of course there are methods of other legality if you want to go searching for titles by hand :)

I haven't seen all of the movies I list here—this is just a sampling of some famous ones, and a few of my secret faves—so be careful if you have trigger warnings and things. Hope you find some great movies!

[wellntruly]

oh man, old movies!! my dad was a huge movie guy so I grew up watching that. My movie knowledge is basically 30s-50s and then abrupt jump to the 2000s lol It's instilled in me an adoration for bombastic musicals and over the top Hijinks. I absolutely adore the Marx Brothers and Basil Rathbone is, in my opinion, DRASTICALLY underappreciated. He was a fantastic Sherlock, but he was also such an amazing chameleon in so many vastly different roles! What are your favs with them, or any advice on what I should watch based on those loves.

Hi buddy!!!! WHAT a fun brief, have I got recs for you:

First up for sure for sure, have you ever seen Love Me Tonight (1932), by Rouben Mamoulian? One of the most insane things I have ever seen, COMMMMPLIMENTARY. It’s a pre-Code musical comedy with killer songs that are themselves having a lot of meta fun with the concept “musical comedy”—it’s wild! So funny, so strange, Myrna Loy is there being hilariously horny, just an exquisitely bonkers time.

Where: multiple copies just floating free on YouTube

And wow this is where I discover that I am still vanishingly low on Basil Rathbone movies! But you’ve made me think of mysteries, and gosh I really really loved The Lady Vanishes (1939). One of the lesser seen Hitchcocks, according to Letterboxd it’s all the way back in the 15th most popular, and that’s so crazy because it rules. Its mix of comedy, drama, twists, and an increasingly imperative political angle actually reminded me most of all of Bong Joon Ho. Two very charming lead performances too, which I bet you'll like!

Where: Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Prime

And since you mentioned that you had a sort of abrupt halt at the end of the 50s, if you want another wild musical, I cannot get enough of showing people Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity (1969). It totally flopped at the time because half the audiences were over studio musicals, and the other half that did still love a musical were baffled by this one’s edge. But today, it feels like such a treasure. Unbelievably funny, mesmerizing dance sequences, inventive editing, full of colors and life and yet again, this fascinating dark undercurrent, sometimes overcurrent.

Where: this one can be harder to find, but you can always try your local library, I have a lot of pals who use theirs to find all sorts of old movies

Signed, Your Classic Films Thesaurus

[theworstofallpossibleworlds]

The Worst of All Possible Worlds #114: The Grapes of Rathbone feat. Max Graves

Webcomic artist @maximumgraves (what happens next) helps the lads burn down a house as they return to Odyssey for adventures in gang initiations, wheelchairs, and arson. Topics include the lore of Marshall Younger, the panopticon of homeschooling moms, and how to reform someone whom society has deemed to be bad to the Rathbone.

[grimmusings]

♢ canon muses ♢

Sideblogs are linked below. Each has a pinned introduction with general information about how I write the muse, wanted connections, and verses.

comics ♢ Benjamin Poindexter ⭒ Daredevil ⭒ Wilson Bethel ♢ Brock Rumlow ⭒ Marvel/MCU ⭒ Frank Grillo ♢ Bucky Barnes ⭒ Marvel/MCU ⭒ Sebastian Stan ♢ Clint Barton ⭒ Marvel ⭒ Bradley James ♢ Elektra Natchios ⭒ Daredevil ⭒ Élodie Yung ♢ Ellie Rogers ⭒ Marvel ⭒ Kat McNamara ♢ Frank Castle ⭒ Daredevil ⭒ Jon Bernthal ♢ Gwen Stacy ⭒ Marvel ⭒ Emily Browning ♢ James Rhodes ⭒ Marvel ⭒ Charles Michael Davis ♢ John Constantine ⭒ DC/Vertigo ⭒ Matt Ryan ♢ Johnny Storm ⭒ Fantastic Four ⭒ Chris Evans ♢ Karolina Dean ⭒ Marvel ⭒ Madison Iseman ♢ Mia Smoak ⭒ Arrowverse ⭒ Kat McNamara ♢ Nancy Callahan ⭒ Sin City ⭒ Jessica Alba ♢ Natasha Romanoff ⭒ Marvel/MCU ⭒ Scarlett Johansson ♢ Red ⭒ The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys ⭒ Levy Tran ♢ Steve Rogers ⭒ Marvel/MCU ⭒ Chris Evans ♢ Thor Odinson ⭒ MCU ⭒ Chris Hemsworth ♢ Torunn Thorsdóttir ⭒ Marvel ⭒ Margot Robbie

disney/dreamworks/etc. ♢ Barrel ⭒ Nightmare Before Christmas ⭒ Drew Ray Tanner ♢ Captain Hook ⭒ Peter Pan ⭒ Colin Farrell ♢ Cowardly Lion ⭒ The Wizard of Oz ⭒ Paul Rudd ♢ Dorothy Gale ⭒ Return to Oz ⭒ Emily Browning ♢ Jack Frost ⭒ Rise of the Guardians ⭒ Bradley James ♢ Jack Skellington ⭒ Nightmare Before Christmas ⭒ Milo Ventimiglia ♢ Lock ⭒ Nightmare Before Christmas ⭒ Matthew Daddario ♢ Mad Hatter ⭒ Alice in Wonderland ⭒ Jackson Rathbone ♢ Mallymkun ⭒ Alice in Wonderland ⭒ Ashley Greene ♢ Prince Cornelius ⭒ Thumbelina ⭒ Max Irons

mythology/folklore ♢ Hades ⭒ Greek Mythology ⭒ Chris Evans ♢ Hercules ⭒ Greek Mythology ⭒ Kellan Lutz ♢ Lancelot ⭒ Arthuriana ⭒ Chris Hemsworth ♢ Mordred ⭒ Arthuriana ⭒ Ian Somerhalder ♢ Will Scarlet ⭒ Robin Hood ⭒ Sebastian Stan

film ♢ Chris Beck ⭒ The Martian ⭒ Sebastian Stan ♢ David Powers ⭒ The Lost Boys ⭒ Dacre Montgomery ♢ Frank Adler ⭒ Gifted ⭒ Chris Evans ♢ Jennifer Check ⭒ Jennifer's Body ⭒ Megan Fox ♢ Jerry Dandridge ⭒ Fright Night ⭒ Colin Farrell ♢ Laurie Strode ⭒ Halloween ⭒ Lili Reinhart ♢ Lawrence Talbot ⭒ The Wolf Man ⭒ Rahul Kohli ♢ Leo Barnes ⭒ The Purge ⭒ Frank Grillo ♢ Newt Scamander ⭒ Fantastic Beasts ⭒ Eddie Redmayne ♢ Nick Gant ⭒ Push ⭒ Chris Evans ♢ Victor Frankenstein ⭒ Frankenstein ⭒ Bill Skarsgård

tv shows ♢ Alvey Kulina ⭒ Kingdom ⭒ Frank Grillo ♢ Andy Barber ⭒ Defending Jacob ⭒ Chris Evans ♢ Betty Cooper ⭒ Riverdale ⭒ Lili Reinhart ♢ Billy Hargrove ⭒ Stranger Things ⭒ Dacre Montgomery ♢ Carter Baizen ⭒ Gossip Girl ⭒ Sebastian Stan ♢ Castiel ⭒ Supernatural ⭒ Misha Collins ♢ Damien Thorn ⭒ Damien ⭒ Bradley James ♢ Daryl Dixon ⭒ The Walking Dead ⭒ Norman Reedus ♢ Dean Winchester ⭒ Supernatural ⭒ Jensen Ackles ♢ Hannibal Lecter ⭒ Hannibal ⭒ Mads Mikkelsen ♢ Nate Archibald ⭒ Gossip Girl ⭒ Chace Crawford ♢ Paul 'Jesus' Rovia ⭒ The Walking Dead ⭒ Tom Payne

books ♢ Ben Hanscom ⭒ It ⭒ Jay Ryan ♢ Bill Weasley ⭒ Harry Potter ⭒ Michael Fassbender ♢ Cassian ⭒ ACOTAR ⭒ Can Yaman ♢ Ginny Weasley ⭒ Harry Potter ⭒ Kat McNamara ♢ Hermione Granger ⭒ Harry Potter ⭒ Ashley Moore ♢ Oliver Wood ⭒ Harry Potter ⭒ Max Irons ♢ Remus Lupin ⭒ Harry Potter ⭒ Rahul Kohli ♢ Ronan Lynch ⭒ The Raven Cycle ⭒ Dacre Montgomery ♢ Sirius Black ⭒ Harry Potter ⭒ Rob Raco

♢ test muses ♢

Test and minor muses are written from the main, at least until they demand their own blogs, although some of them will probably always be super niche and just stay here. Bio and verse information is linked if available.

♢ Billy Barker ⭒ American Mary ⭒ Antonio Cupo ♢ Camille L'Espanaye ⭒ The Fall of the House of Usher ⭒ Kate Siegel ♢ Colin Shea ⭒ What's Your Number? ⭒ Chris Evans ♢ Danika Fendyr ⭒ Crescent City ⭒ Florence Pugh ♢ Dean Redding ⭒ The Naturals ⭒ Cooper van Grootel ♢ Doyle ⭒ Merry Gentry ⭒ Idris Elba ♢ Dwayne Hicks ⭒ Aliens ⭒ Jensen Ackles ♢ Edward Forrester ⭒ Anita Blake ⭒ Alexander Skarsgård ♢ Fangs Fogarty ⭒ Riverdale ⭒ Drew Ray Tanner ♢ Feyre Archeron ⭒ ACOTAR ⭒ Riley Voelkel ♢ Grey Hollow ⭒ House of Hollow ⭒ Taylor Swift ♢ Hector ⭒ Greek Mythology ⭒ Joe Manganiello ♢ Henry Devlin ⭒ Dreamcatcher ⭒ Michiel Huisman ♢ Ian Janek ⭒ Prometheus ⭒ Idris Elba ♢ Jay Kulina ⭒ Kingdom ⭒ Jonathan Tucker ♢ Jedidiah Sawyer ⭒ Texas Chainsaw Massacre ⭒ Leatherface ♢ Levi Stewart ⭒ Fangirl ⭒ Luke Benward ♢ Lidia Cervos ⭒ Crescent City ⭒ Margot Robbie ♢ Madeline Usher ⭒ The Fall of the House of Usher ⭒ Willa Fitzgerald ♢ Matthew Brown ⭒ Hannibal ⭒ Jonathan Tucker ♢ Pepper Potts ⭒ Marvel ⭒ Gemma Chan ♢ Ruhn Danaan ⭒ Crescent City ⭒ Ian Somerhalder ♢ Sandman ⭒ Folklore ⭒ Matthew Daddario ♢ Sholto ⭒ Merry Gentry ⭒ Alexander Skarsgård ♢ Tom Hanniger ⭒ My Bloody Valentine ⭒ Jensen Ackles ♢ Toni Topaz ⭒ Riverdale ⭒ Vanessa Morgan

[thealmightyemprex]

@ariel-seagull-wings @the-blue-fairie @countesspetofi @amalthea9 @theancientvaleofsoulmaking @themousefromfantasyland @princesssarisa @storytellergirl @piterelizabethdevries @barbossas-wench

[briannamwood]

Week 2: Social Media & Social Relationships

Welcome back readers! Today I will be discussing my thoughts on social media and social relationships found in Max Stossel's video and Emma Rathbone's article.

I thought Max Stossel's video "We've Been Sneaking Into Your Brains" was a thought-provoking exploration of the pervasive influence of social media and technology in our lives. It raised important questions about the impact of these platforms on our daily existence. First and foremost, I agree with Stossel's assertion that social media has a significant influence on our daily lives. It's more than just a communication tool; it has become a constant presence that shapes our thoughts, behaviors, and even our self-worth. It has the power to create a constant feeling of being 'plugged in,' which can be both beneficial and detrimental. There have been instances in my life when I deliberately disconnected from the Internet for an extended period, such as during vacations or simply just a meditation break. It's during these times that I've realized just how much I rely on technology. Initially, there's a sense of unease and FOMO, but as I adapt to the offline environment, I experience a profound sense of liberation. I become more present, engage in deeper conversations, and reconnect with the world around me. To be more intentional about my use of technology, I've tried a few strategies. First, I've set boundaries for device usage, designating specific times for checking social media and email. I've also tried to curate my digital environment, unfollowing accounts that don't add value and seeking out content that inspires, educates, or entertains in a meaningful way. Additionally, I've incorporated reading a book in the morning instead of scrolling through social media or giving my friends and family my full attention when I am with them.

Moving on to Emma Rathbone's article, "Before The Internet," which presents a nostalgic look at life before the internet and the ways it has profoundly changed the fabric of our existence. Social media has an undeniable influence on my daily life. It's a tool for staying connected with my friends and family, accessing information, and expressing ideas, but it also poses challenges. On one hand, it enhances my ability to engage with a global community, share experiences, and keep up with news and trends. On the other hand, it can be a source of distraction, comparison, and stress. The need to be 'plugged in' to stay updated can sometimes hinder my focus and mindfulness. I decided to deactivate my Instagram about three months ago and for over 2 years I deleted my Snapchat and TikTok accounts. I currently only use Pinterest, Facebook (stay and touch with family), and this Tumblr account. It was becoming a more and more negative aspect in my life and my mind feels free and clear when I read a book or journal instead.

To wrap up this blog for you, while these technologies offer numerous benefits, it's essential to be mindful of their influence and to establish boundaries that maintain a healthy balance between our digital and physical worlds!

Connect & Inspire,

Brianna W.

[reesestimpson]

Week 2

In today's world, we are all affected by social media whether we choose to be or not. Even people that don't have a single social media account are affected by media's impact on the business world and companies as a whole. For me personally, I'd say I use social media at least once every hour of the day. This makes me feel constantly attached to the happenings in my community and around the world. I never truly feel isolated.

As Max Stossel discusses in his presentation, companies have created ways to keep users constantly engaged with their apps. The use of symbols is one of the main methods they use. Users know what to expect from each icon, and get satisfaction when they receive the result they want. For instance, Instagram will send notifications featuring a heart symbol when someone likes your post. Users can rely on these platforms to provide this satisfaction daily.

Emma Rathbone's article, "Before the Internet" made me think back to the time when I wasn't on any social media, and it wasn't the large presence it is in today's world. The first half of my life was spent without using a single social media platform, and I was perfectly content with my social life. However, as I was introduced to these sites, expectations in my social life began to change. I realized this when I took a trip to my cottage that has no internet connection. I remember feeling very detached, verging on depressed without it. This is when I realized how much of an addiction I had developed.

After some reflection, I've tried to stop myself from scrolling mindlessly through my social media platforms. I must admit, I still find myself in that position quite frequently. Nonetheless, I've still noticed a decrease in my use of these apps. I was reaffirmed this when I started receiving notifications that my screen time was going down every week. I feel like this can be partly attributed to how busy I've become in college. Most of the time, I find myself on social media during downtime. I don't often go on any social media app with a specific purpose in mind. These type of statistics are very helpful when reflecting on social media use.

[khhairston1]

Week 2: Social Media & Social Relationships

After, watching Max Stossel's video "We've Been Sneaking into Your Brains" and reading The Emma Rathbone article "Before the Internet" was something to open your eyes about the influence of social media and technology has in our lives. We spend so much time on social media nowadays we don't even know it. In Emma Rathbone article "Before the Internet" she talks about the time when the social media world wasn't a part of our lives at all, and how we lived without it. In the article the author Emma Rathbone talks about how Social media have a control on us when it comes to our perceptions, interactions, and even how we feel about our own self as well. Like, for example stated in the article you would "walk outside and squint at the sky, just you in your body, not tethered to any network, adrift by yourself in a world of strangers in the sunlight." before the internet you wouldn't even think about what's going happening on Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, or Snapchat and etc. You would just be outside living in the moment, and not even look at your phone at all. I agree with Stossel's when the author said that social media has a significant influence on our daily lives. The reason why because we use it for so many different reasons. I know for myself social media has a big impact on my life, because I use it for communication, or shopping, research, and many more things. I believe having the internet constantly available is very beneficial, but also time consuming as well because it helps you find what you need or want, but it also distracts you from other things you could be doing like hanging with friends and family and using them as the resources for what you need or want instead of the internet. The times when I didn't have the internet for a period of time, I was investing my time into sports, or being outside and active instead of sitting in the house, like basketball is one of my biggest activities that takes me away from the internet, and I really enjoy it because it was something introduced to me before I even thought about social media or the internet. Some things I would like to do to be more intentional about my use of technology is using it for a reason that can actually benefit me and my goals, and being less on it for my own amusement, and more for goals aspirations.

[joshquagmire]

Welcome to Silvertown, located at Corriganville (in the Simi Valley, a bit north of Los Angeles) where many a TV an' Movie bad hombre bit the dust,  it's Bank was robbed more times than can be remembered... Even John Ford's US Cavalry rode out of Fort Apache at Corriganville and through movie magic, reappeared in Monument Valley...  In the Saloon you might've rubbed elbows with the great and near great,  Randolph Scott, Gene Autry, John Wayne, The Cisco Kid,  Hopalong Cassidy (drinking Sarsaparilla), Edgar Buchanan, Audie Murphy,  Gene Kelly, Robert Mitchum, Max Baer, Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom, Rin-Tin-Tin, Roy Rogers, Clayton Moore & Jay Silverheels (The Lone Ranger & Tonto),  Captain Midnight, Marshal Matt Dillon, Hoss Cartwright an' all his clan to  Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone or Claude Rains from "The Adventures of Robin Hood",  Richard Boone as Paladin, Steve McQueen the bounty hunter, Nick Adams as Johnny Yuma, or Harvey Lembeck as Eric von Zipper... even Ray (crash) Corrigan hisself...

Today it seems its Bronco Bunny and Kalamity Kitty's turn ta shoot it out... But after emptying Kalamity's Navy Colt an' Bronco's rusty 44 without hittin' anything important, they wrestled around in the dust for a bit, till the Director called time... Then they headed for the Silvertown Hotel for a long soak in the bath an' arguing over who got to use the hair conditioner first... It's all gone now, burned to the ground in the 60s by wildfires, but the memories still linger, on celluloid and video tape...

[natalieglick]

Week 2 - Post #1

I will be the first to admit that I spend too much time on social media. I do not post very often, in fact I rarely post social media, but I am an advid scroller.

When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is check Snapchat. Sometimes I have a few chats to respond to from the night prior. But, it is mostly to send those streaks that Max Stossel was talking about. Actively making sure that I am doing my part to not let the streak die. I'm sure some of you reading can relate to this. I have streaks with people that I no longer talk to, but because the streak is so high, neither of us have let it die yet. Even though it is meaningless at this point to send blank pictures everyday to eachother to save a number when you wouldn't even consider them a friend. Hopefully that's not just me.

Even though I rarely post on social media, I spend most of my free time or right before bed seeing what everyone else is up to. Whenever I am bored or have free time, I find myself rotating between the same four apps. Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok. Max Stossel said it perfectly comparing social media to a "slot machine". Just like a slot machine, as you are scrolling you never know what you are going to see and that is what sucks us in. We fall down a rabbit hole because the content and entertainment is simply endless and it is different (for the most part) with every scroll. I can scroll on TikTok for hours because it never gets boring.

Having social media constantly available affects my life because rather than going out and doing things, spending time outside or being productive like Emma Rathbone talked about in her article "Before the Internet". If I did not have social media constantly available I think I would read a lot more and take more walks. I would spend more time on self care and focusing on myself. Instead, I find myself glued to my screen unable to get off social media. 15 more minuites turns into 3 more hours very quickly.

I cannot think of a specific time where I didn't have access to social media for an extended period of time. Other than maybe in an airplane. However, I don't think not having social media available is the issue, I think the issue atleast for me is not being able to see who is texting me or if someone texted me and missing out on that. There have been times in my life where I know that I have just been itching to be able to check my phone when I can't just to see what is going on or what I have missed.

I am also guilty of comparing myself and my life to those who I see on social media. Whether it is outfits, body types, hair styles, lifestyles, location. Anything you can compare, you name it, and I have most likely compared my life in some kinda way to what I see on social media. Mostly negative thoughts as I am usually wishing I looked like the person on my screen or was living their life rather than my own. Even if I know deep down that those pictures are editing in some way.

A quote that stuck with me from Max Stossel's video is, "social media is not real life but there are real human beings behind the screen". People post on social media what they want everyone else to see. They are not going to post when they are having a bad day or a bad photo of themselves or when they are just sitting at home. They post what they know other people will be "jealous over" and wish they were experiencing. It is important to remember that realy human beings like me and you are behind the post. Even influencers do not live the perfect lives they seem to be because of what they post on social media.

To wrap all of this up, I think this blog is a great way to be more intentional with my use of technology, I think this is a perfect way to start being more intentional on social media. Technology should be used to learn rather than constantly comparing yourself to others. I also think it is important to be as real as possible on social media because no one is perfect. I also will admit that I can cut back on how much I scroll and TikTok and starting readling more. I think that we often take social media for granted as a constant source of communication and entertainment, rather than living in the moment. Put your phone down, make some memories and enjoy life away from a screen.

[medievalandfantasymelee]

The First Round of Contest Has now Concluded.

This Round began with 148 Contenders - Now 74 remain.

All polls in this round (as well as summaries of each day's results) may be found here

The 10 Closest Tilts in the First Round (in Reverse Order) were

10. The Sheriff of Nottingham [Alan Rickman] Def. Kili [Aiden Turner]

9. King Marke of Cornwall [Rufus Sewell] Def. Prince Prospero [Vincent Price]

8. Sir Guy of Gisbourne [Basil Rathbone] Def. Finan [Mark Rowley]

7. Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert [Ciaran Hinds] Def. Robert the Bruce [Chris Pine]

6. Hugh Beringar [Sean Pertwee] Def. Father Beocca [Ian Hart]

5. Bard the Bowman [Luke Evans] Def. Will Scarlet O'Hara [Matthew Porretta]

4. Lin Shu [Hu Ge] Def. Arman [Matvey Lykov]

3. Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck [Dominic Monaghan] Def. Geoffrey Chaucer [Paul Bettany]

2. Saladin [Milind Soman] Def. Jon Snow [Kit Harrington]

1. Rodrigo Borgia [Jeremy Irons] Def. Lord Tywin Lannister [Charles Dance]

And the 10 Tilts with the widest margins of victory were (in reverse order):

10. Inigo Montoya [Mandy Patinkin] Def. Corlys Velaryon [Steve Toussaint]

9. Frodo Baggins [Elijah Wood] Def. Prince Chauncley [Daniel Radcliffe]

8. Aragorn Elessar [Viggo Mortensen] Def. Ahmad [Mahesh Jadu]

7. King Henry II [Peter O'Toole] Def. Thomas Becket [Richard Burton]

6. Thorin Oakenshield [Richard Armitage] Def. King Edward IV [Max Irons]

5. Gawain [Dev Patel] Def. Matrim "Mat" Cauthon [Donal Finn]

4. Éomer, Son of Éomund [Karl Urban] Def. King Arthur [Sean Connery]

3. William Thatcher [Heath Ledger] VS. King Vortigern [Jude Law]

2. Boromir, Son of Denethor [Sean Bean] Def. Alessandro Farnese [Diarmuid Noyes]

1. Faramir, Son of Denethor [David Wenham] Def. Uther Pendragon [Gabriel Byrne]

The Tilt with the most votes (by far) at 5,177 Votes was Geralt of Rivia [Henry Cavill] Vs. Sir Gary Galavant [Joshua Sasse] Which Galavant won with 57.7% of the Vote

It was an exodus of two-by-twos this round with both of our Ewan Mitchells [Aemond Targaryen and Osferth], both of our Henry Cavills [Geralt of Rivia and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk], AND both of our Iain Glens [Ser Jorah Mormont and Prince Hamlet] losing their respective tilts to Erik Thurgilson [Christian Hillborg], Fili [Dean O'Gorman], Galavant [Joshua Sasse], Prince John [Oscar Isaac], "The Player" [Richard Dreyfuss] and Ned Stark [Sean Bean]. Even both of our Laurence Oliviers [Prince Hamlet and Henry V] were sent scurrying to the vents in disgrace, losing their tilts against Cesare Borgia [Francois Arnaud] and Elrond Half-elven [Hugo Weaving].

In fact, nearly of of the men of Middle Earth fared uncommon well in this round, with only three losing their matches. Haldir [Craig Parker] was unable to best the charms of that most magnificent of minstrels, Hubert Hawkins [Danny Kaye]. Kili [Aiden Turner] had a strong start against George, the Sheriff of Nottingham [Alan Rickman], but the race tightened about halfway through, and the Sheriff was able to pull through a stunning last-minute victory. Despite his brutal focus and discipline and grim sense of humor, Uglúk [Nathaniel Lees] suffered a crushing defeat under the cloven hoof of a greater and sexier evil, Darkness [Tim Curry]. The Sons of Denethor, Boromir [Sean Bean] and Faramir [David Wenham] truly dominated their oppositions (Alessandro Farnese [Diarmuid Noyes] and Uther Pendragon [Gabriel Byrne]) and were the only competitors to achieve margins of victory exceeding 90% in this round.

The Men of Westeros did not fare so well. Of their 14 remaining competitors only four now stand:

Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark [Sean Bean]

Ser Bronn of the Blackwater [Jerome Flynn]

Khal Drogo [Jason Momoa]

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish [Aiden Gillen]

Ser Davos Seaworth [Liam Cunningham]

Ser Jorah Mormont [Iain Glen]

Prince Oberyn Martell [Pedro Pascal]

Ser Criston Cole [Fabien Frankel]

Lord Corlys Velaryon [Steve Toussaint]

Sandor "The Hound" Celgane [Rory McCann]

Jon Snow [Kit Harrington]

Gendry [Joe Dempsie]

Aemond Targaryen [Ewan Mitchell]

Tywin Lannister [Charles Dance]

But what of our Robins and Arthurs?

We began the Round with 3 of Each, but only one of each survived the round.

While Beowulf [Gerard Butler] bested King Arthur [Richard Harris] with a handy but respectful margin of 56.8%, Sean Connery's Arthur was unhorsed by Eomer [Karl Urban] in what can only be termed a crushing defeat, with a margin of 84.4% of the Vote. Only Bradley James's incarnation was able to defeat his opposition, Prince Henry [Dougray Scott], who, though strong contender, proved no match for Arthur's winning smile.

On the Robin side, our last Robin standing, is Cary Elwes, who defeated Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan with a tidy 70.8% margin. Richard Todd's stunningly attractive but lesser known Robin was defeated by the only remaining Son of York, Richard III [Aneurin Barnard], while the iconic Errol Flynn iteration was unhorsed (rather ironically) by one of the most appallingly unjust and underhanded aristocrats in the lists, Adhemar, Count of Anjou [Rufus Sewell]. We can neither confirm nor deny allegations made against the Count of cheating, nor the veracity of the rumours circulating that the Count's rather costly saddle was stolen from his tent at the end of the day while Adhemar was enjoying a flagon of wine with fellow victors Sir Guy of Gisbourne [Basil Rathbone], Sir Guy of Gisborne [Richard Armitage], the Sheriff of Nottingham [Alan Rickman] and His Royal Highness Prince John [Oscar Isaac].

Our third Sir Guy [Michael Wincott] did not join them, as he rather unfortunately lost his match against Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe [Anthony Andrews] and, after a rather unpleasant exchange with his cousin the Sheriff, preferred to drink in the company of a different, more polite Sheriff [Peter Cushing] (who also lost his match against the Hound [Rory McCann]) and his friend Prince Prospero [Vincent Price].)

But I am sure some of your are curious as to how the Master of Revels' list of Secret Favourites is faring. Well, I can tell you, it sustained some heavy losses this round, though a still rather healthy 34 remain in the competition. Aye, but at what cost?

[ofcoursethevibes]

This Can’t Be Good For Me?

Max Stossels "We've Been Sneaking Into Your Brains"

In his talk "We've Been Sneaking Into Your Brains," Max Stossel highlights the growing issue of digital manipulation and how it is affecting people's daily lives. He argues that online platforms are designed to grab attention, exploit emotions, and keep people hooked. The constant bombardment of notifications, likes, and comments leads to addiction, anxiety, and depression. Stossel emphasizes the need for individuals to become aware of these manipulations and take control of their digital lives. He suggests setting boundaries, taking breaks from technology, and focusing on real-life experiences. Stossel concludes that it is up to individuals to decrease their digital consumption and re-evaluate the impact of technology on their mental health and well-being.

Emma Rathbone's article, "Before the Internet"

In her article "Before the Internet," Emma Rathbone explores how teenagers in the 1990s spent their free time and connected with others before social media became widespread. Rathbone suggests that teenage activities revolved around three primary means of communication: telephone, in-person interaction, and a network of notes passed in school. Through these methods, teenagers were able to form close friendships and navigate the challenges of adolescence. While the emergence of social media has caused significant changes in the way we interact with one another, Rathbone emphasizes the value of these earlier forms of communication and reminds us that they played an essential role in fostering connection and belonging for an entire generation of young people.

Personal reflection

However, in general, social media has a significant impact on my daily life, affecting my relationships, self-esteem, and mental health. Having constant access to the internet allows me to stay connected, informed, and entertained. However, it also leads to a constant distraction, making it harder to focus on important tasks. When I am without internet access, it reminds me to appreciate simple moments and connect with people in person. To be more intentional about my use of technology, I could set boundaries for myself, such as limiting screen time and practicing mindfulness.

[blakegatfield]

The Social Media Impact - Post 1

After listening to Max Stossels speak, and reading Emma Rathbone's article, I am currently running out of reasons as to why I use social media apps. This is in general. I used to post more frequently, but over the years that has slowed down drastically. Max brought up an amazing point for thought: are we using social media, or is social media using us? When I really reflect on what I use Snapchat, TikTok, or Instagram for, it is comical. I have been telling myself for a while how strange the concept of streaks is, and yet every day I still partake. Scrolling through any social media app never really makes me feel good, it's just a time filler. The influence social media really has on my life is overall negative. It has created a bad habit for whenever I am in between tasks, waiting for something, or in public and I am by myself I will almost immediately pull out my phone and go on a social media app which really does nothing for me in any way. Constantly looking at what others are doing wires my brain over time to compare myself to others. Some of the posts I see are funny and worth watching. But overall social media causes distractions for myself, and poor excuses to isolate and procrastinate.

Transitioning to another great eye-opening point made at the end of Emma's article, she stated that, "Because that’s what it was like before the Internet. You made your own fun." Her article was also so powerful for me to really comprehend and realize what I am missing, and what it was for me in my childhood without those apps, or a phone attached to me every second. It made me realize that social media is really a giant go-to filler for free time. Instead of really doing something meaningful and something that is my true choice, I feel as though I am rewarding these apps by constantly checking in on them. I am truly glad that I was able to hear what Max had to say, and what Emma wrote in her article. I needed this slap in the face realization, and now I have a fear of wasting away my time doing things that are productive, rewarding, and meaningful to me. I need to capitalize on these opportunities away from these apps, and hopefully can build healthy habits in return. I hope moving forward, social media can be used for communication with people that I would like to connect with, sharing posts with my friends, and keeping up with a topic that I actually care about.

[aliceohagan]

Social Media

I enjoyed listening to Max Stossels talk and reading the article by Emma Rathbone. I felt like I could relate to some of the things being spoken about and it highlighted to me how my relationship with social media has changed over the years. I feel like I have a love hate relationship with social media, in the sense of I don't like how consuming it can be and sometimes toxic it can be. But then I like in the way that it allows me to stay connected with friends who I don't get to see as often. I must of been either 14 or 15 when I first got snapchat and instagram and back then I remember feeling it was such a competition in the sense of who had the most followers, who had the most likes, who had the most streaks, who had the longest streak and so on. But now I obviously don't view it that way and my relationship with social media has had a positive shift as I use it more for checking in on friends or seeing what they have been up to.

Being able to have the internet constantly available to me is helpful because it allows me to be able to FaceTime my family and friends back home and do daily tasks. But then on the flip side it can be a negative because I can just consume myself by looking on my phone and not taking in my surroundings.

A time when I haven't had access to the internet for an extended period of time is when I have been on holiday and don't have any data on my phone. So we would be out for the whole day with no internet and it's refreshing to not constantly look at notifications popping up or seeing what other people are doing 24/7. It also allowed me to solely focus on the present and really take in where I was and what's around me.

Something I want to be more intentional about with my use of technology is to not pointlessly scrolling for long periods of time on TikTok for example when I am going to sleep. Or not constantly checking my phone when I don't need to because then I just get distracted and 20 minutes will go by and nothing has come of it.

[ellymedendorp]

Are Phones Taking Over Our Lives?

After watching Max Stossel’s talk it opened my eyes to a couple of things. I have known that my phone wants to keep me on it as long as possible but I have never really thought about how it kept me on. Now knowing some of these tricks I will be able to get out of that rabbit hole faster. Another topic he touched on was how the internet is fake and people just lie more often than we would like to believe. This is a trap that I find myself falling into more often than not. For example, going through Instagram and seeing these beautiful models and famous people and thinking to myself “I wish I looked like that”, but the truth is they probably don’t look like that either. My final thought about Max Stossel is that I appreciate the work he is doing in educating teens and young adults about the truth behind our phones. Along with that, I thought his point at the end about how our generation is the test subjects I feel is very important for people to understand.

For me, social media is a time filler. What I mean by that is that when I am bored I will go through my feeds on TikTok, Instagram, and VSCO. Doing this can have an impact on my daily life. It depends mostly on what I see while on the different platforms. For example, if I see a bunch of pictures of puppies my mood might shift to feel happier, but if I see pictures or videos of food I might start to feel hungry. This relates to Emma Rathbone’s article and how people used to have hobbies and would make their own fun. I feel I need to start making my own fun a little more. 

For me personally, having the internet at my fingertips is something that I really enjoy. I love learning, understanding ideas, or concepts so having the internet helps fuel that love of mine. I am always the first one to look things up and find answers to questions. Another reason having the internet at all times affects my life is with school. I have a very hard with reading and so with the internet I can look up videos or listen to books on my computer to help me better understand what I am learning. 

I went on a backpacking trip a couple of years ago for a whole week and we were not able to bring phones or even a watch. This trip was with complete strangers and not having my phone really forced me to be in the moment and get to know the people around me more. Not having my phone was like a breath of fresh air. I didn’t have to worry about what everyone else was doing or have to check it every five minutes to see if anyone had texted me. It was nice to step away for a while and be present in the moment. I was able to become friends with everyone on the trip much faster than if I had my phone with me.