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racefortheironthrone · 5 years ago

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Thoughts on Powers of X #6

It’s Not A Dream If It’s Real:

We start with an extended return to Powers of X #1, which might come off as somewhat self-indulgent if so much of the issue didn’t come down to an exploration of how this encounter between Charles Xavier and Moira X radically transformed Xavier’s life. We need a full page of Xavier walking happily through the forest, in other words, because we are seeing the last truly innocent moment in his life.

One thing that I find more than a little frustrating is that, given their prominence in the circular framing device that Hickman uses, we’ve seen remarkably little of Rasputin, the Tower, and Cardinal. I’m really hoping they show up again in Dawn of X, although I recognize that it’s early days yet, because I feel like there’s a lot of unexplored potential there.

One thing that really changes on this read is how we read Moira’s expressions in light of what the current and previous issue/s reveal about her motivations. You can really see that Moira feels way more ambivalent and regretful about what she’s about to do.

What Happens When Humanity Stops Being Beholden To Its Environment?

But before we get to any of that, it’s time to close the books on our X^3 timeline. And while I’ve been rather critical of the pacing and characterization of this timeline in previous PoX issues, this is a significant improvement.

It begins with the Librarian going off to “feed the animals at the zoo,” confident that he’ll be unharmed because “my augmented brain is far more advenced than yours.” The Librarian’s intellectual arrogance and superiority complex - which (spoilers) will be his ultimate undoing, and quite possibly that of the Phalanx as well - is a running theme throughout this section.

Speaking of which, we get something of a debate where the Libratrian conintues to think of mutants as essentially mindless animals acting in “their nature,” whereas Logan insists on a language of resistance against slavery. Not surprisingly, the Librarian doesn’t have much have time for that kind of debate and instead wants to talk to Moira.

As befits both of their scientific natures, the two of them discuss the tension between “preservation” and “observation” in “controlled habitats” - and I’ll freely admit that I don’t know enough about zoology to have much of an opinion here.

However, the Librarian really changes tack from the scientific to the reliigous when he lets them know that “the Phalanx will descend and absorb the entirety of our post-human society...what was once our post-human society will exist forever as part of that godhead.” Again, I think it’s majorly counting your chickens to assume you’ll be part of the godhead rather than food for the godhead, but that’s what happens when you really go in for Pascal’s wager in a serious way.

In a surprise no doubt built on eavesdropping on Moira to understand her mutant powers, the Librarian doesn’t want Moira to die before the translation, because he needs to make sure that “if you live past my becoming god, then -- existing beyond space and time -- we will know you, forever. And I think it very likely we would not tolerate something like you having any power over something like us.” Here is the first real threat to Moira since Destiny in Life 3, that for the second time there would be a hostile force that would know about Moira’s past lives who could act against her before she has a chance to prevent it. And the Phalanx/Dominion are way more powerful than just Destiny, which suggests that Moira’s motivations may be driven now by her perception of the ultimate threats to herself and mutantkind.

In a fitting end that pays more than a little homage to the philosophy of identity, the Librarian is undone by his doubts over whether "the universal machine state” is “a fake existence,” because his post-human abilities allow him to perceive material reality on a deeeeeper level, maaaan, so would he be as happy as just an uploaded consciousness, even one that he sees as godlike?

And here we get the link between the transhumanism/singularity stuff and Moira/Krakoa’s mission of preserving mutantkind: can mutants prevent post-humanity from arising, and escape the cage into which science has placed them? I think a lot of Krakoan policy, from the offer of Krakoan pharmaceuticals on down, is aimed at keeping humanity happy in its cage.

At the same time, we shouldn’t feel too bad about the Librarian’s burgeoning existential crisis, because he is still a pseudo-intellectual racial supremacist who’s just as convinced that technology makes him superior to the racial minority he’s holding subordinate as an Victorian or Enlightenment-era phrenologist.

Let’s start with his argument that “mutants are an evolutionary response to an environment. You are...naturally occurring.” This is only kind of true, depending on which version of mutantcy’s origins one subscribes to. Even still, a reverse naturalistic fallacy is still a fallacy.

The more interesting idea, and it’s one I didn’t quite see coming is that post-humanity won when it used genetic engineering to make themselves superhuman, and used merely mechanical transhumanism - the Sentinels and Nimrods - to give themselves enough of a lead in the race against mutants that they could never catch up. Notably, this is not the scenario that took place in Life 9 - Nimrod the Lesser clearly didn’t have human afvancement in mind - so perhaps this is why humans need to be so careful about the Heller/Faust line.

Another important question that makes me question the rationality of post-humanity - if you have access to widespread genetic engineering, why not end the human/mutant conflict by switching everyone’s X-gene to positive? I feel like with the spread of CRISPR and similar technologies, this is a question that is going to have to be answered. (The answer is that bigotry is irrational by its very nature, but still.)

Proving once again that Monologuing Kills, Logan nails the Librarian to a tree with his claws - which prevents the Librarian’s knowledge from being incorporated into the Phalanx, and then kills Moira, which insures that the timeline reboots then and there, with the Phalanx getting none of post-humanity’s secrets.

Thus ends Moira’s Life 6...and I have to say I’m not really keen on the misdirect. Yes, it was likely that X^3 would be Life 6, since it was the one timeline we haven’t seen yet, but the misdirect requires you to believe that two Nimrods would capture Cylobel in the same way across the two timelines. The only thing that makes it feel less of a cheat is that apparently all the Cylobels look the same (which is something we saw more of in Life 9, so I guess), but that’s still a bit too close to feel satisfying.

Branching Humanity Infographic:

Speaking of infographics definitely written from a mutant perspective, this document really makes its perspective clear when it refers to humanity as an evolutionary dead end. (Which I’m not so sure about from a genetics perspective - we’ve seen before that humans can be carriers without expressing the x-gene, that the X-gene can spontaneously activate without parents who are carriers, that mutants and children can have children without difficulty, and that sometimes mutant-mutant pairings can result in non-mutant offspring, that doesn’t read like speciation to me.

Homo novissima -is described as a “manufactured branch of humanity not restricted by normal evolutionary constraints,” which really plays into the naturalistic fallacy something hard. Arguably anyone who’s not lactose intolerant can be described as homo novissima under those standards.

The idea that really blew my mind is the idea that there is a “paradigm loop between organic and technological constructs,” such that advances in the one give rise to the other in a leap-frogging way. This is really different from Hickman’s Transhuman and how HoxPoX has depicted the stark divides between Krakoan and ORCHIS technologies. I wonder where Hickman’s new synthesis will lead us?

It’s Not a Complement:

At long last, we actually get to see what it was like for Charles Xavier to “read” not just a thousand plus years of memories, but a thousand years plus years of memories that are devastating to his entire worldview. Given how much this issue talks about Xavier being “broken,” I would count this as the first time.

Moira, who has thrown her “pragmatic” switch all the way into the red to have this conversation,” barely bats an eye at Charles’ existential crisis and instead pivots to her larger message that “hard truths are what’s called for when dealing with radical realignments to old ways of thinking.”

The exchange that follows is extremely characteristic on both their parts: Moira is deeply pessimistic, stating that it’s not just that “we lose” but that “we always lose” (much more on this later); Charles, despite his initial shock is still a relentless optimist, thinking through scenarios that would allow him to continue his technocratic assimilationist vision of mutant rights.

In a very bittersweet move, Moira lays one on Xavier and lets him know that amidst all the complicated emotions she’s had towards him, “not once in all my lives have you changed...its not a compliment.” It is one of his most frustrating characteristics that Charles Xavier believes that, because he believes himself to be in the right even when he’s not, he’s incredibly resistant to change his mind.

Hence why Moira believes “I have to break that part of you,” the part that believes “in the goodness of others.” This is a really significant point - Moira identifies Charles’ compassion, not his pride and intellectual arrogance, as his weak point that she will have to go all Ivan Drago on. This is kind of a problem, because Charles’ compassion has always been fighting a pitched battle with his utilitarianism, so stripping that away produces a man who will do anything for the greater good.

The chief irony - and it’s one I’ve been surprised more people haven’t commented on - is that Moira’s decision here will directly result in what happens at the end of this book, because once you train someone like Charles to be paranoid and suspicious and even more of a utilitarian, he’s absolutely going to apply his new worldview on you. More on this in a bit.

A couple important things that are really worth keeping in the forefront of your mind when we get to the final confrontation:

First, Moira is dead-on when she describes Erik Lensherr as “your shade,” because the two of them are mirror images and have been for a long, long time.

Second, Moira’s plan includes Xavier and Erik fighting her.

Moira’s Journal Infographic:

Here we get an fascinating and frustrating infographic, as we get several pages from “Moira’s journal,” although to be honest it’s much more a Jane Goodall-style field notes on her attempts to influence the future by influencing the development of three men. (Which itself is a whole gendered thing, but also very much tied in to her observation and experimentation methodology in her earlier lives.)

Entry 5: “unlike myself, observation has not granted himself perfect recall of my past lives, and as I wil not permit him to read me a second time, he is now dependent on my interpretation of past-life events.”

As with his mind-reading of Krakoa, despite Xavier being an Alpha-level telepath, he doesn’t quite get the whole of the picture when he reads (unusual?) minds. This is crucial in understanding the power dynamic between them - the only thing that allows Moira to keep the upper hand is that Xavier is temporarily “dependent” on her, and that he hasn’t yet decided to violate her personal boundaries.

Also, the fact that Moira describes these psychic impressions - so key to Xavier and Magneto’s conversion to the cause - as “my interpretation” really raises the question of whether Moira is an unreliable narrator of her past lives...which is really quite scary given how much the whole enterprise rests on her being right about how things will go. More on that later.

But as I was saying above, one of the downsides of making Xavier even more of a morally grey actor is that it makes it way more likely that “he will even act against type” (and boy is Moira’s understanding of Xavier shown to be flawed by her belief that this would be against type as opposed to absolutely his M.O) by reading her mind without her permission.

All that Moira can hope for is that because she knows that “all he will be looking for is confirmation of suspicions he might already harbor,” she will be able to steer his inquiry away from things she doesn’t want him to know, although she does have a Plan B of coming totally clean.

Finally, as with the redactions, there is very much a running theme here (and throughout HoxPoX) of struggling over control of (imperfect) information at the heart of all conflicts.

Entry 14: “while we have become romantic, it is becoming clear to me that I am breaking Charles Xavier. And if I do break him, how will he become the man I need him to be in the coming days.”

Here Moira gets a little bit self-reflective, realizing that one of the downsides of her master plan is that you can’t “manipulate these men into doing what I needed them to do without any repercussions to myself.” Breaking Charles of his hope and idealism doesn’t, it turns out, make him any more controllable, because he’s going to act on his new nature, and Moira can’t guarantee that she won’t be the object of that action.

One interesting question that I’ve seen raised is whether Moira is referring to Onslaught here. How much of his (to be honest, really quite banal and skippable) turn to the dark side was due to repression and how much due to cultivating his worser nature?

Entry 17: “he had the most marvellous idea regarding the potential tandem of several mutants and what they could accomplish if they worked in harmony.”

I find this one particularly fascinating, because it gets at how the collaborative process of creating Krakoa came together. Charles is able to build on “the potential windfall of knowledge I represent regarding mutandom” to get the idea for the Resurrection system and the broader mutant power synergy approach to Krakoan technology; Moira then “used my experience in genetic modification” to figure out how to make the mutants the system required.

At the same time, my god does this entry make Moira and Xavier seem even more cold-blooded and unethical with regards to Proteus and Legion, because rather than those relationships coming as a “moment of weakness” (in Xavier’s case) they were pre-meditated. The only thing that makes this even slightly better is that, according to the timeline docs, Moira didn’t have a relationship with Joseph MacTaggart in her previous lives, so that she didn’t knowingly walk into an abusive relationship to birth a super-mutant.

Entry 22: “Magneto...with him, loyalty is something that must be constantly earned. He allows for no deviation of intent -- no wavering of belief. The idea that there will not be setbacks, and that his constant anger will remained tamped down, is a fool’s dream.”

Speaking of unethical actions...Moira trying to mess with Magneto’s mind, given what she undertands as his character, strikes me as pretty damn “casual[ly] arrogan[t].”

Likewise, Moira sees it as a “positive thing of note” that she’s managed to “imprin[t] the idea of stronghold in his mind.” While she notes that “it has always been there” - and she’s not wrong that Magneto has a thing for island, asteroid, and other separated bases. At the same time, it does help to explain why Magneto is so particularly gung-ho on the idea of Krakoa, which makes him their biological last line of defense.

Entry 29: “Apocalypse has made himself known to the world. Knowing him the way I do, and having aligned myself already with Xavier and Magneto, recruitment will not be an option until a much later date.”

Moira’s attitude to her ex suggests that the big blue-lipped boy’s Social Darwinist rage is basically the result of him being “in his raw, primal state,” and that he’ll mellow out once he has “f[ou]nd something to build on.”

We also get confirmation that the conflicts between various X-teams and [A] were quite real - although intended more at “the avoidance of an apocalypse event” than his destruction. More of a managed conflict, if you will.

Given [A]’s interest in recreating his Four Horsemen, I wonder who the Omega-level mutants he might have been looking for instead of the ones he ended up with.

Entry 48: “I have underestimated Xavier’s infatuation with the possibilities of what can be accomplished with mutant genetic material. Without my knowledge -- and against my advice -- both Charles and Magneto have traveled to Bar Sinister and recruited Sinister to our cause.”

This is the crux of the matter when it comes to the double-edged nature of breaking Xavier of his better nature; the more you do this, the more he’s likely to do underhanded stuff like this.

The central irony is that Moira’s complaint (as much as it resonates with women in the fandom as representing their own life experiences) that “what is this thing that men do, where they think they can shape the world to their liking - and bend others to whatever they will” absolutely describes Moira herself as well as Xavier and Magneto.

One ominous note, re the ongoing theme about timetables and schedules, is that Sinister is already producing chimerae, so merely leaving him alone might not change the outcome.

Entry 52: “We have lost Magneto.”

Speaking of consequences to manipulation, we see Moira’s attempts to reshape Magneto to “help make him a better man” (perhaps someone who would play nicely wrt to the Krakoan project?) backfire horribly during the events of Mutant Genesis.

For a short entry, this actually gives a really good window into Moira’s psyche, in that she’s more than a little bit prone to depression, when we combine her previous comment that “we always lose,” the trauma she experienced in her previous lives, with her immediate reaction that “I am just as bad as they are. If not worse.”

Entry 57: “I have decided to remove myself from the world.”

See what I mean?

This entry ought to remind us about one of the key aspects of Moira’s powerset: Moira’s ability to predict the future is contrained way more than, say, Destiny. The more Moira acts to change variables and try to produce her good ending, the less of a guide her memories of her past lives becomes. More on this in a bit.

it’s also a good reminder that Charles and Moira have been testing out their “husk...backup” system much, much earlier than poor Pyro thinks.

Tea for Three:

There is something wonderfully theatrical about this three-hander scene in that it all revolves around power dynamics and reversals: Moira starts out quite confident, hands-on-hips, reminding Charles and Erik that she doesn’t need them (I wonder which “of mankind’s greatest culinary cities” she has a backdoor to?), which Magneto responds to with a jab at her cynicism towards “the common kindness of others” and “assuming there’s always another shoe to drop.”

This next exchange gives me a real sense that, at least as far as the secret plan to secure Krakoa’s future goes, the Quiet Council are only really there to ensure that they “won’t be a deterrent to our broader plans.”

At the same timethe surface of collegial conviviality, everyone knows that “we’re all up to something” - note how quickly Moira goes from her confident posture to a more defensive crossing of her arms, even as Magneto shows off his dexterity with his powers, which is a nice visual detail in an otherwise very talky page.

One area of disagreement becomes quite clear: Xavier and Magneto really disagree with Moira about whether “we can do this without” Sinister. Once again I’m frustrated in not knowing what the Plan A was wrt to the genetic database.

But here Xavier really brings down the boom: “We promised to bring Destiny back.” This freezes Moira right up, and shows one of the main tensions in their (joint?) project, the conflict between radical unity and political necessity.

However, there’s a significant question mark about why Moira believes that “there can be no precogs on Krakoa.” On the face of it, Moira’s objection is due to her fear that Destiny might “tell everyone the truth” that “we always lose,” I don’t believe her for a second. I think Moira’s objection stems from their traumatic meeting in Life 3, and because Destiny “has ways of seeing me.” I think Moira is up to something that she doesn’t want Xavier and Magneto, let alone anyone on Genosha to know about, and doesn’t want Destiny letting the cat out of the bag.

Here’s where I think people slightly get things wrong about the state of play wrt to Destiny and the other precogs. While Xavier repeatedly says “we know,” I don’t think they’re actually agreeing with Moira so much as trying to patronizingly soothe her. After all, their final offer is that, while Xavier and Magneto will “put them all off” with “tomorrow, tomorrow, not today,” (paraphrasing a German rhyme from Erik’s childhood) eventually Charles and Erik will ensure that everyone will "know the truth.” This seems quite different from what Moira wants.

A remaining question: when did Charlex and Erik learn the whole truth, as Entry 5 suggested? Did they?

And here we get the core disagreement between Moira and Xavier/Magneto: she sees “the truth” as meaning “we always lose,” they see it as “until now we have always lost.” I have to admit I’m a little curious as to whether Moira really believes her own nihilistic message, because in that case, why go to all this effort, but I do think it’s importatnt that people remember that Moira’s powers at this point only let herself see backwards. The world has changed too much to predict the future.

Speaking of gender and condescension, though, the resolution of this argument is really pointed. On the one hand, Moira given credit for her contributions to Krakoa: “you shaped us into this, you made us into this, we are the perfect tools for an imperfect age.” On the other hand, she is very firmly ushered to the bench, because “now it is time for you step aside and let us do the good work for which we were created.” It does come across a bit like Adam talking to Herr Frankstenstein, as Moira’s manipulations come to bite her in the ass one last time.

And as mutant fireworks thunder overhead, Magneto and Xavier have one last confab, worrying about the future. Krakoa might not be enough to ward off mutantkind’s Ragnarok, but Xavier and Magneto are ready to do “whatever it takes” to see it through.

AND WE”RE DONE!

#xmen #xmen meta #powers of x #hoxpox #spoilers

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delciastudies · 5 years ago

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Starting up a blog or studyblr (with little or no experience in graphic/web design)!!!

[22.10.19] ✧

I promised I would make a post about starting up a blog so here you go!! These are the things I found most useful in my time starting up a studyblr, and I was never someone with amazing handwriting or an amazing bullet journal, but I loved writing, I loved taking pictures, and I always dreamed of having my own blog! Hopefully this is helpful information to all of you looking to get started <3

✧ First and foremost, you need to start up a blog that incorporates your interests. Whether that be studying/giving study advice/student experience/really anything academic, that would fall under a studyblr. But there are so many options! Langblr’s for individuals interested in language, bookblrs, literature blogs, travel blogs, you name it. My blog actually began as a travel blog! I still incorporate a significant amount of that into my current blog. Once you find what you’re interested in, you can orient your name, logo, description, and other aspects around that, which takes us into...

✧ ...choosing a theme! My blog is currently oriented around a simplistic color theme. Some blogs do their themes around their interests: for example books! Which might appear in the logo and cover. I’d say the easiest route to take is choose your color template, and decorate/design everything around that. Find what you think fits you and what fits the type of page you want to create. It also helps to look at other blogs for inspiration! That takes us into..

✧.. creating your own work, logo, what I would consider ‘artboards’. This gives you a unique and original touch to your blog, personal autonomy, and you don’t have any worries about copyright or taking someone else’s work. While it is easy to pull stuff from online and other blogs, it is much more fun to create your own artboards, and something that I continuously do just out of enjoyment. :) Here are some of the tools I use (and that I know are quite popular) in doing that:

✧ Illustrator is my main go-to. Whenever I am creating a new cover, profile picture, choosing color schemes or simply wanting to make something fun and cute for my next post, I use illustrator!

✧ Pros: allows a wide range of graphics and illustrations; high-tech; popular, so there are lots of tutorials out there for its use

✧ Cons: can be expensive (I would advise checking with your school/employer/other institution to see if they offer it for free!); can be overly complicated for someone with no experience in graphic design (like I was!)

✧ Inkscape is one that I have never personally used, but that I hear is extremely popular in the graphic design community. Based on layout images I have seen of it, it seems super simple to use and is definitely a great place to start for beginners. And its free!!

✧ Photoshop is an app that I have access to but do not use as often, but just like illustrator, allows for a wide-range of tools, but can prove complicated for someone with no experience in graphic design; also, it costs.

✧ VSCO is my all-time favorite photo-editing app: I have been using mine for ages. It also is free for some filters, but I personally pay for vsco-pro because of the huge selection of other filters and overall simplicity of it as an app. I also have sooo many travel photos that I post on my vsco page, so check those out. ;) Lastly, and most importantly...

✧... stay committed! This is the deal-breaker, and one that kept ruining my chances at having the blog I dreamt of. While I made my tumblr ages ago and loved using it for travel, I often found myself abandoning it for months at a time. We’ve all been there. Here are a few tricks that help me to stay committed to my blog and use it frequently enough that I consider myself a committed blogger and I feel emotionally committed as well:

✧ Put it in your bookmarks tap (in Chrome or Safari), make it an app on your first page, and check it daily!! I used to set reminders to blog, but now I’m at the point where I think about my blog all the time and don’t need to set reminders (wack). I love to check it at the same time I am checking the mail, like it’s my side hustle (even though its just for enjoyment ;,)).

✧ Do 100 days of productivity!! To some this might feel like a chore (I’ve tried completing 100 days of productivity 3 times with no success. It takes time), but it will keep you checking and writing on your blog daily. It works!!

✧ Get in touch with other bloggers!! Send them messages!! Reblog their posts!! If you’re making friends and feel like you’re a part of your blogging community (which are normally theme-based: I love keeping in touch with other studyblrs and langblrs!!) I promise it will make you feel like you’re reaching an audience and that you have people who are waiting for your posts (cheesy I know). I love sending messages to other bloggers (and my good friend @ginger-biologist-writer who I message every time I’m on :,)). Other things that help you stay in touch with other bloggers is challenges (such as studyblr challenges, tag-a-friend challenges, studyblr reblogs, types posts, etc. etc.) While you’re a at it, check out those links and give them a follow!

✧ And fun thing about being committed is the more you use tumblr, get acquainted with its layout, and see how other blogs function, the better you will be at figuring out how you want to organize your posts. Some people love masterposts with links to other amazing blogs or their posts: some people will do infographs, some will do a short daily recaps (which I do!), some will do study tips; some people organize their date like a title or italics or [22.10.19] like me or “daily recap // 22-10-19″ or they add emojis or ✧’s or anything-- find what you like and go with it!!!

✧ most importantly, we are rooting for you. I have not met a single blogger who doesn’t absolutely love other bloggers and isn’t always willing to help out. That’s what we’re here for really... we like to blog, we like to show people how to study, we like to share our experiences, so we like to help! Send a blogger some questions and don’t ever be afraid to reach out.

I hope this helps to all our new bloggers-to-be; just remember, we’ve all been there, and we’ve put in our time and investments to make the blogs we run today. We wanna see yours grow too ;,)

xxx

#studyblr #delciastudies #how to start a blog #how to stay committed #how to start a studyblr #really anythingblr #illustrator #inkscape #vsco #photoshop #choosing a theme #artboards #being a part of the community!!#blogging is an art too!!

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crowdvscritic · 5 years ago

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round up // MAY 20

When the going gets rough, I find I keep coming back to two kinds of movies: Romantic comedies and action adventures. For whatever reason, those are my comfort food, even if I’m watching someone get their heart broken or fight for their lives.

Hopefully you’re finding small ways to make your days brighter with books, movies, music, and shows that either help you fight or forget some of the darkness around us for a time. These were a few that made my month brighter, including a number of rom coms and action flicks.

May Crowd-Pleasers

SNL at Home

I almost cried for joy when I learned SNL would finish out its season even though it wouldn’t be in Studio 8H—it felt like a glimmer of a lot of joys we’ve lost in the last few months. While the At Home episodes have an odd rhythm compared to the usual broadcast (that live audience makes a difference, especially during “Weekend Update”), I still laughed every week. A few highlights:

“Bailey at the Movies”

“Dreams”

“Grocery Store”

“MasterClass Quarantine Edition” + “Another MasterClass Qurantine Edition”

“RBG Workout”

Watch those skits, then enjoy an infographic-heavy review of the season from Vulture.

Extraction (2020)

Is this a groundbreaking action movie? Heck no, but watching Chris Hemsworth fight to save a kid with a supporting appearance from David Harbour made for a great Sunday evening. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 6/10

The Wedding Singer (1998)

Somehow I’ve never gotten around to this rom com, perhaps because Adam Sandler’s sense of humor usually isn’t my cup of tea. But here he replaces the gross out jokes with a sweet chemistry with Drew Barrymore. I liked it so much I gave 50 First Dates a shot, but, uh, I only recommend movies I finish. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 6.5/10

Baby Boom (1987)

Another not-innovative genre entry, but a satisfying one. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 7/10

Action Movies set in 1700s America: The Last of the Mohicans (1992) + The Patriot (2000)

Sometimes I don’t want a complicated villain—sometimes I just want Jason Isaacs (aka Lucius Malfoy) to be so evil I want Mel Gibson to take him down with a tomahawk. The Last of the Mohicans: Crowd - 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10 // The Patriot - Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

Taylor Swift City of Lover concert (2020)

I’ve seen Ms. Swift live twice and have loved the stadium tour spectacle. But an intimate show heavy on acoustic performance reminds me how well her songwriting holds up no matter the production

Prop Culture (2020)

I know, I know: Disney+ original series are well executed, long-form advertising. But can you find better-executed advertising than Jason Schwartzman chatting about the Mary Poppins snow globe at a piano with Richard Sherman, the character he played in Saving Mr. Banks? These staged treasure hunts for Disney movie props may be a bit self-important, but they’re also a dose of nostalgia and lessons about the technical side of filmmaking.

This Drake Bell TikTok

If you get this, you get this.

Silverado (1985)

My weird New Year’s resolution? To watch Westerns, a genre I’ve basically skipped until now. Silverado feels like a throwback to classic Westerns with a modern sensibility and more laughs. Plus, baby Kevin Costner and Jeff Goldblum in a fur coat! Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 7.5/10

Chromatica by Lada Gaga (2020)

Turns out I’m not just a fan of the A Star Is Born/duets with Tony Bennet/Joanne Lady Gaga. I’ve always been cooler on her electronic-dance-club Top 40 hits than her recent guitar-and-vocal stylings, but I can’t stop listening to album-long jam sesh. It’s old Gaga meets 2020 beats meets Depeche Mode/Flock of Seagulls/Madonna/New Order of the ‘80s.

The Heat (2013)

Two of my favorite funny ladies teaming up was—not surprisingly—a win. No one delivers a kooky insult like Melissa McCarthy. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10

May Critic Picks

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum, and more try to keep Hollywood and their careers afloat despite a bizarre series of kidnappings, line flubs, and tap dances. Of course the Coen Brothers have a dry, wacky take on the Hollywood studio era. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 9/10

Jane Eyre (2006)

Confession: I have not read Jane Eyre. But my mom did, and since she enjoyed the book so much, I figured a happy medium would be to watch this BBC miniseries with her commentary about what they changed from the Brontë classic.

Daisy Jones & the Six (2019)

The highest compliment I can give a book is staying up way too late to finish it, which is what I did with this buzzy Taylor Jenkins Reid book. It’s a barely-fictional oral history of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll in the ‘70s, and somehow it’s not crass or gratuitous about any of them. Most impressive is that Jenkins Reid keeps her characters well-defined even though it’s not written in a traditional novel format. My favorite parts of this story are the deep dive into the creative process and the exploration of how we remember the past. Here’s hoping the Sam Claflin/Riley Keough-led, Reese Witherspoon-produced, (500) Days of Summer team-written Amazon series can do this book justice—I need this soundtrack!

The Plot Thickens podcast (2020)

A Turner Classic Movies podcast hosted by Ben Mankiewicz about film history is a specific—and predictable—Venn diagram of my interests.

Alfred Hitchcock Double Feature: Psycho (1960) + The Birds (1963)

The story about Psycho goes that my grandmother ran out of the movie theatre screaming during the shower scene. Now that I’ve finally watched it, I know why. This horror drama is still terrifying today even if you know what’s going to happen. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 10/10

The story about The Birds goes that my mother was terrified as a little girl after walking into a room where it was on TV, and now she still won’t watch it. The Oscar-winning visual effects have aged so much I didn’t find it scary, but I was still sucked in by the eerie plot. That said, I did have a frightening dream last night involving Tippi Hedren, so it may be more effective than I realized. Give me just a sec while I schedule some Hitchcock-focused family therapy. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 9/10

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Spend two hours with the two nicest bank robbers you’ll ever meet! A winsome Paul Newman and a laconic Robert Redford make their escape on the scenic trails of the Southwest, and gosh darn it, if they aren’t just a barrel of fun. I enjoyed this Western so much I recommended it in a piece I wrote for Round Trip, too. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 9/10

Katharine Hepburn Double Feature: Alice Adams (1935) + Woman of the Year (1942)

Saying you love Katharine Hepburn is like saying you love sunshine and flowers—of course you do! In Alice Adams, she’s an optimistic Cinderella with a down-on-their-luck family who falls for a high class fella (Fred MacMurray). In Woman of the Year, she’s a high-brow journalist who falls for sports columnist Spencer Tracy in their first of nine films together. She earned Oscar nominations for both, but I dare you not to fall in love with her after watching just one. Alice Adams - Crowd: 7.5/10 // Critic: 8/10 // Woman of the Year - Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

Also in May…

When you’re not allowed to travel, you get creative! For Round Trip this month, I recommended 13 movies about travel that will make you feel like you took the vacation COVID-19 made you cancel (including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). And if that’s not enough, why don’t you recreate your trip? I turned my apartment into Paris, and here’s why you might want to do the same.

Kyla and I didn’t go far back in time for most of our Gilmore Girls pop culture references on SO IT’S A SHOW? We covered three movies (or two, depending on how you see it) from the 2000s with connections to this year’s Oscars, 8 Mile and then Kill Bill. We also looked into the famous architect Stanford White and a movie he was featured in, 1981’s Ragtime, which had more connections to today’s culture than we expected.

I made another attempt at Jim Jarmusch for ZekeFilm with Broken Flowers. I still don’t get Jim Jarmusch.

My movie count in quarantine is up to 156. You can see them all on Letterboxd.

Photo credits: SNL, Taylor Swift, TikTok, Lady Gaga, Daisy Jones & the Six, The Plot Thickens. All others IMDb.com.

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cindylouwho-2 · 6 years ago

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TOP NEWS & ARTICLES

Google core algorithm update started March 12; early winners & losers here and here, among other info about the update.

Also, Google accidentally de-indexed some pages last week, & they are still working on fixing it.

Etsy phone support finally available to everyone (if you speak English, of course).

Amazon no longer requires Marketplace sellers to keep their prices elsewhere the same or higher as on Amazon.

Worldpay, one of Etsy’s payment providers, sold to FIS for $35 billion. (Etsy also uses Ayden for some of their payment processing.)

TOP ETSY NEWS

Last week, Etsy sent emails to non-US sellers, telling them that their refunds for the overcharging that has been going on since October 2018 will be issued by the end of the day, June 30th (or earlier). It doesn’t mention when they will stop overcharging, though.

Etsy held Investor Day on March . You can view the slides that went along with the presentations, and there is a short summary of the search info discussed here. CEO Josh Silverman then did an interview with CNBC (video only), which is summarized here.

There was an Etsy podcast on search questions (links to recording, and transcription), but it didn’t have any new info.

They’ve also released their spring & summer trends report, with a podcast & transcript, as well as a lengthy pdf file with keyword data (I will be summarizing that separately).

SEO: GOOGLE & OTHER SEARCH ENGINES

Rand Fishkin (founder of Moz) is doing a series of 10-minute Whiteboard Friday presentations on learning SEO basics, with both video & transcripts included in the links. Remember, some of these things do not apply to Etsy shops, but can apply to your website, depending on the coding.

Part 1, SEO strategy; It assumes some knowledge of marketing terms, but the SEO part is definitely intro-level

Part 2, keyword research. Long tail: “20% of all searches that Google receives each day they have never seen before.”

Part 3: satisfy searcher needs.

Part 4: optimizing through keywords & other elements.

And Moz’s Beginners Guide to SEO is finally fully updated. (Some parts are more technical, so stick to the on-page stuff if you are really new to this.)

Chrome now offering the ability to select privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo as your browser default. This should increase DDG’s slice of traffic if Google continues this.

Google released its Webspam report for 2018.

Hmm, wonder why I would come across SEO tips for Tumblr this edition? 🤔

CONTENT MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

(includes blogging & emails)

19 call-to-action phrases you should be using on social media (infographic)

10 tips for more clicks on your social media posts

US social media expansion has plateaued, but podcasts’ popularity continues to grow. 23% of US homes have a “smart speaker” (Alexa etc.); 56% have a tablet. Smartphone ownership has also levelled off.

Related - most Americans dislike/do not trust social media.

3 tips for great social media content (infographic), & 4 more tips for writing social media posts.

Email marketing stats that show its impact. If you don’t already have an email list, it is time to start one. After all these years, it still works!

Instagram beta-testing checkout within the app; US brands only for the moment.

Facebook was storing your passwords in plain text & many employees had access. “My Facebook insider said access logs showed some 2,000 engineers or developers made approximately nine million internal queries for data elements that contained plain text user passwords.”

Did you know you can remove your last name from your public Facebook profile? (Plus 12 other Facebook facts & tricks)

Create great pins on Pinterest.

Pinterest files for IPO; admits that Google changes last year hurt it.

Backgrounder on short video sharing site TikTok.

Twitter Analytics has an events page that tips you off to annual events you may want to tweet about/around, under the Events tab in your Analytics.

ONLINE ADVERTISING (SEARCH ENGINES, SOCIAL MEDIA, & OTHERS)

Beginners’ guide to cost per click (CPC) ads - includes Google, Facebook, & Instagram.

Facebook & Instagram ad costs have rocketed since the site-wide outages on March 13.

Facebook’s advice on optimizing your Facebook ads.

Google fined by EU for blocking other ads.

STATS, DATA, OTHER TRACKING

Ecommerce reports in Google Analytics (for websites, not Etsy shops).

5 Instagram analytics tips.

ECOMMERCE NEWS, IDEAS, TRENDS

Microsoft considers competing with Shopify.

eBay states it uses artificial intelligence (AI) pretty much everywhere on its site, as do most big sites.

eBay adds Google Pay as a payment option.

Half of US households will belong to Amazon Prime this year. “Amazon Household, a program that allows different members of a single household, including teens, to have their own log-in for shopping and viewing of Prime content, was specifically cited by eMarketer as a factor driving adoption.”

Shopify is ending its MailChimp integration; interesting article here. “Mailchimp wrote a blog post stating that it asked Shopify to remove the Mailchimp integration from the Shopify marketplace. Mailchimp’s reasoning behind the move was due to the new term requiring partners to send back any data collected “on behalf of the merchant” back to Shopify. According to Joni Deus, director of partnerships at Mailchimp, that data (in Mailchimp’s eyes) doesn’t belong to Shopify.”

This is seen as a battle for data, a lot of which flows through APIs (APIs are how third party tools integrate with websites, like Etsy & label providers such as Shippo & Pirate Ship).

Square improves a bunch of ecommerce tools including social media integrations. They bought Weebly a year ago, & are using that to make changes to Square Online Store and Square for Retail.

BUSINESS & CONSUMER STUDIES, STATS & REPORTS; SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY, CUSTOMER SERVICE

Tone is key to good customer service. I like the bit about answering apparently stupid questions - making the customer feel stupid (even if 99% of readers would agree the question was stupid) is usually not a good approach. But it can be hard to weed out negative tone. Other good quotes: “Directing the conversation away from the negative aspects and focusing instead on the proposed solution helps customers accept the situation and reduces the odds that they will be upset.” and “It almost doesn’t matter how good the news is; if it comes after “actually,” I feel like I was somehow wrong about something.”

Figuring out what motivates your customers.

Ecommerce customer service 101.

MISCELLANEOUS (INCLUDING HUMOUR)

Facial recognition software is scraping the photos you post online to improve their software. “Despite IBM’s assurances that Flickr users can opt out of the database, NBC News discovered that it’s almost impossible to get photos removed. … There may, however, be legal recourse in some jurisdictions thanks to the rise of privacy laws acknowledging the unique value of photos of people’s faces. Under Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation, photos are considered “sensitive personal information” if they are used to confirm an individual’s identity. Residents of Europe who don’t want their data included can ask IBM to delete it. If IBM doesn’t comply, they can complain to their country’s data protection authority, which, if the particular photos fall under the definition of “sensitive personal information,” can levy fines against companies that violate the law.

In the U.S., some states have laws that could be relevant. Under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, for example, it can be a violation to capture, store and share biometric information without a person’s written consent. According to the act, biometric information includes fingerprints, iris scans and face geometry.”

Cookie warnings are getting really complicated in some jurisdictions.

Microsoft killed Clippy again.

American drunk shopping continues to increase.

Posted April 8, 2019.

#seo #search engine optimization #etsynews #analytics #stats #social media #contentmarketing #ecommerce #smallbiz #CindyLouWho2NewsUpdates

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pinterestmarketingblog · 3 years ago

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Facts and Figure, How to use Pinterest for Shopify store? Ultimate Guide

The ultimate guides on How to use Pinterest for Shopify store? The social media platform is the best way to get your eCommerce brand to people in a very effective way. How much does it cost to advertise on Pinterest?There is no denying that Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, etc. play an essential role in the marketing budget. This is why many online stores plan marketing strategies using one or more of these social media platforms. How to Identify Pinterest Advertisements?Pinterest is also a social media platform used in marketing strategies for stores like Shopify.The ultimate Pinterest analytics guideHow to Get Pinterest Audience Insights:How you can auto-publish pins from your RSS feed?How to change cover photo on Pinterest board?This social media platform is slowly gaining traffic and is now in the top 5 social media platforms. The Pinterest platform is exceeding up to 335 million active users. Facebook is still on the first number, with 2.5 billion users. Pinterest marketing strategies is growing day by day among eCommerce brand marketers. What Important for Pinterest social media marketing:

How does Pinterest marketing work for Shopify?

Can you connect your Shopify and Pinterest, and how can you use the Shopify Pinterest app? I will answer all these questions in this article. So, stay tuned with me. First, we learn about Shopify and the reason for its popularity. How to use Pinterest to promote your blog?What Is Shopify store And Why Is It So Popular? Shopify is an eCommerce platform used for building online retail businesses. Many businesses are moving to the world of hosted eCommerce platforms, and Shopify provides them with one of the best media. How to use Pinterest for Shopify store: Shopify has been opted by many entrepreneurs and startups worldwide to expand or migrate their businesses to the web. Let's check the reason for its popularity when there are so many other options available? Well, you need to read further to get the answer. Let's look at Shopify's features, which make it one of the most desired eCommerce platforms. The ultimate Pinterest analytics guide?How to change email address on Pinterest account?how to change cover photo on Pinterest board?How much does it advertise on Pinterest cost?How does Pinterest SEO work?How to use Pinterest for Etsy?How to open Pinterest Account?

Reason For popularity:

- It's affordable.- It lets you create attractive stores. - Don't worry about web hosting.- They provide commendable technical support.- It's secure.

Benefits of selling on Pinterest with Shopify:

Pinterest is about four times more effective at generating sales than other social media networks. If you are doing e-commerce or drop shipping business for a while now, most marketers would recommend Facebook ads, but nowadays, for Facebook ads, it's too much competition there. So Facebook ads became too expensive, especially for beginners in the business. How to add affiliate links to Pinterest?And if you compare Pinterest and Instagram, you will see that every Pinterest pin is clickable and connected to your Shopify store or directly to the product pins Shopify. Just this fact makes Pinterest for Shopify so much more potent as a traffic source compared to Instagram; here, you can have a maximum of one link to the store in your bio. Now I tell you another reason why you should be on Pinterest is because of the half-life of being it's so much longer than average post duration on other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. The ultimate Pinterest analytics guideHow to Get Pinterest Audience Insights:How you can auto-publish pins from your RSS feed?How to change cover photo on Pinterest board?For instance, if you get traffic from your post on these platforms, it will last for a few hours or a full one day; Pinterest can bring you traffic for many months. And for some beans, even for years, Pinterest tends to revive old viral pins; this applies to seasonal products.Pinterest is the second-largest social media platform that leads to the most traffic to any online store. Your Shopify Pinterest app will be the cause of most generating traffic sources. Of course, Facebook is number one, but I recommend you to change your social strategy. I think you should use the Shopify Pinterest app to make Pinterest Shopify integration easier. It is because Pinterest is all about bringing businesses of all sizes and enthusiastic users to your platform. At the same time, Facebook hides organic posts and asks to pay ad space to show them. Pinterest offers a high order value.

How to verify Your Shopify store Pinterest:

Pinterest for Shopify storeI get a lot of questions related to Shopify and Pinterest. Yes, you can ask. And it would help if you verified your Shopify store on Pinterest. And it's straightforward Pinterest work together to make this Pinterest Shopify integration seamless on the user side. To verify your domain on Pinterest, you will need to follow these simple steps provided by an official Shopify site, which helps you to verify your store on any third party, which may include Pinterest and Google webmaster tools.- You will go back to your settings over here, and you will get a claim tab there. - From here, you will put some domain.com and will plead a claim.- You need to select add HTML tag, and it will show you a meta tag, which you have to paste into your head section of the site.- Now let's go back to the info which is provided by Pinterest on Shopify help center. - So the first step you have to do is go to Shopify admin, and from there, your go-to online store, and then choose themes, the option themes.- You will find the theme here.- You have to add it and then click actions.- Choose added code.- And then, in the layout section, you have to click the theme—liquid fie in Shopify to open the file in the online code editor. The thing you have to do is that you need to copy them.- Meta-tags showing on your Pinterest account and based it on a blank line directly below the opening had a tag. And then you need to click save.Make sure you are not going to delete anything, even not accidentally. Because if you save these changes with the things you erased accidentally, things would be getting more complicated, so it will be tough to fix it. Your store will be verified within 24 hours by Pinterest, probably even faster. So you will be able to use rich pins in our case, we're talking about e-commerce sites. So it's product bins. Shopify Pinterest app made this integration easy on the smalls on the user side; Shopify is not the only platform to make product bins available.How to sell on Pinterest with Shopify:After the announcement of Pinterest buyable pins, a new opportunity has come for Pinterest, a business holder that has created a brand new market. The best selling method through Pinterest Shopify is the Pinterest Shopify app. Shopping ads, online store links, and Pinterest launches topped the list. Read the article to know how to sell from Shopify on Pinterest.How can you sell on Pinterest with the Shopify Pinterest app? Both Shopify and Pinterest profiles will require in this action. Therefore, you have to create a Shopify account. You'll be able to study Shopify from our perspective. Here you will find a free trial to check out whether you need this platform before paying for love or money.As for Pinterest, I recommend you to make a Business Account. It's free of cost, and you'll be able to link it to your Shopify account if needed. Additionally, the Pinterest Business Account integrates seamlessly with Shopify. It allows you to configure payment history options and advertising settings for automatically generating Pinterest ads Shopify from your store to visit on Pinterest.Once you have created both accounts, log into your Shopify account. Move to the dashboard of your Shopify account. You have to locate the Sales Channels header, which you will find on the left menu. It shows you an inventory of all sales channels activates on your website. for example, you'll see media like Online Stores such as Amazon or Facebook. Our main objective is to feature Pinterest on its list.After the announcement of Pinterest buyable pins, a new opportunity has come for Pinterest business holders, which have created a brand new market. The best selling method through Pinterest Shopify is the Pinterest Shopify app. Shopping ads, online store links, and Pinterest launches topped the list. Please read the article to know how to sell from Shopify on Pinterest. I think you should check the Pinterest infographic because it tells you about Pinterest for Shopify store. It also gives you guidance on Pinterest custom areas and how you can grow your Pinterest for Shopify business.How to generate sales on Shopify and Pinterest?Here are some steps to create sales on Pinterest. But Before discussing it, we have to knowledge about the requirements for Shopify. Let us discuss it first. Title, description, image, price, product type, and availability must be required for your product page.How to connect Shopify to Pinterest?Pinterest is a great social media platform to promote products for e-commerce sites such as Shopify. Pinterest is a great social media platform to use if you have an e-commerce store because it's visual, especially if your audience is female since that's primarily their demographic change in this video. We will show you how you can easily connect Shopify and Pinterest so that your products show up on Pinterest, and people can purchase straight from there. So stay tuned.Click the + button above the sales channel; your Shopify will show a list of Pinterest sales channels that you can add to your store. These will include Facebook, messenger, and google. You can add whatever you want but select Pinterest on Shopify.Search Pinterest by scrolling down and click the + button. Now it will appear on the screen that you are going to link Pinterest to Shopify. You are now able to check all privacy and information. For example, you can learn how Pinterest accesses products and analytics from your Shopify store. I try to be able to connect Shopify to Pinterest process yourself.Click on the Add sales channel button to go further. Pinterest sales channel has been added to your Shopify dashboard. Now it's time to link Pinterest to Shopify and specify the products that need to be sold. We will prefer professional account Shopify Pinterest ads instead of personal account Pinterest Shopify ads in the Pinterest Shopify app. Click on the connect account button. It will take you to the Pinterest app and ask you for Shopify and Pinterest authenticity. This connection to Shopify Pinterest integration allows you to manage Shopify Pinterest product pins and Shopify Pinterest ads every time without permission. Click the access button to proceed. The next page will show you that your Pinterest account is connected to Shopify.Ad settings:You can automatically generate a few accounts under the Ad Settings area. If not, make sure you are following the guidelines provided to you to make these accounts. The first account will be Pinterest Ad Account, which is automatically creating ads, and pins rely on your Shopify products. A Pinterest Tag can automatically generate to get insights from your ad campaigns. It behaves like Facebook ads created by your Pinterest and Shopify accounts.Billing method and accepting terms and conditions on Pinterest:After generating sales on Pinterest, you can also connect billing. The Ad billing option will appear. Click it. The billing method will be stored on Pinterest, which can be used for Shopify. If you create an integration ad, Shopify will use the billing information on Pinterest. There is no need to worry because the ad budget will first get approval from you whether you are in the mode of putting a mess on the advertisement or not. Now we come to our second point, which is related to terms and conditions. So we have to accept them. Try to read these terms and conditions carefully to avoid trouble in the future.Publishing and manage availability:As we move on to Pinterest, the publishing and manage availability options will appear. With the help of this option, it is clear which product is complete before Pinterest's publications. If any product pin title, description image, pricing, product type, or availability is missing, then Pinterest will not synchronize it. “Availabilty” means that the product to be sold is active or not. If you want to see which product is available that you are going to sell on the Pinterest sales channel, please click on manage availability.Product:If you want to view the list of products available on Shopify, click on the product option. You can also click one by one product from here and also take advantage of the filter option. The filter will be essential for the sales channel. Availablity will appear on the top right. Click it. Click on available on Pinterest from here. By doing this, all the products of the Pinterest sales channel will appear on the list. One thing to keep in mind here is that coming to the products sales channel list does not mean that they will be published automatically. It means that they will be published because it is now possible to put ads on them.Stats:90% of weekly users visit the Pinterest site to make purchasing decisions. It may include immediate purchases or planning for purchases. 55% of users log into Pinterest, specifically to find products because Pinterest is full of ideas. That's more than half of the entire user base. And 50% of Pinterest buy something after seeing a promoted pin, meaning a Pinterest ad. Here you will also learn about Pinterest ads Shopify. This article will show you how to use Shopify Pinterest product pins for Shopify Pinterest ads. How to see stats on Shopify dashboard:If you want to see sales on the Pinterest store and how many products people are pinning, follow these steps:- Go to Shopify admin on your Pinterest app Shopify.- Click the order button Select the filter from the drop-down menu.- Select Pinterest and select a sales channel.- Click yes, add the filter.- Select the order number of the order analytics you want to view. On the order page, you will see all your sales flagged. Comprehensive stats can also be viewed on Pinterest with pins and pinners.How to Make the Most of Pinterest Buyable Pins Shopify Feature:Pinterest has added a new feature that most businesses need is called Buyable Pins. It permits firms such as Shopify to sell instantly on one of the most popular social platforms today. Many Pinterest users already use this social network as a shopping list for future purchases. In this way, your potential customers can click on a pin. They can buy the item they wish. So, how can you get in on this Pinterest buyable pins Shopify feature?Right now, Pinterest Buyable Pins Shopify is available on Pinterest. Here are Big-box retailers, and a handful of eCommerce sites such as Etsy, Shopify, and woo-commerce can use them. For some businesses, though, there is a waiting list to join. But Once you are approved, you will be good to go.One way around that waiting list is to be a Pinterest Shopify app retailer. You can easily connect Shopify to Pinterest. If you power your online store through Pinterest for Shopify, then you can add the Pinterest feature right away.For mobile and iPad., Buyable pins are available through the Pinterest App. Here are new price filters also available. Buyable pins are available in blue outline. The traditional buy button features to look for with the Pinterest App in an impressive way. Promoting the Pinterest App for your website or business is another excellent way to increase sales as well.Here are 6 points that will motivate you to create your buyable pins for your Shopify store.1. It is cost-effective for your business. 2. It is just fun and causes job growth within your business. 3. You can help the e-commerce market. 4. You can create your themes and sell themes. 5. It causes to Gain mobile business. 6. It gives Access to retail and e-commerce experts.It is expected that our e-commerce industry will act as a skyrocket in the next few years. Read the full article

#pinterest #socialmedia #degitalmarketing

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erhiem · 3 years ago

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Already pandemic memorial tattoos are on the rise: sound waves from the last voicemail before undergoing COVID-19 complications; a masked nurse like a god; “I survived a global pandemic and I just got this stupid tattoo.” But the coronavirus also changed how we’re getting tattooed in less obvious ways. A year of trauma has imprinted on us thoughts of solidarity and empathy, and shops and studios flooding in as customers – artists across America with doubling of inquiries and bookings compared to the summer of 2019 – have been a trauma-informed one. The approach is taking hold.

The country’s 20,000 tattoo shops close their doors for months, some all year. With the reopening, they are making up for lost income and postponed appointments. Clinical counselor and trauma therapist Jordan Pickel wasn’t surprised to hear that the Instagram bios of many tattoo artists read “Books Closed” for another reason. Not only did we experience a pandemic, but the global death toll continues to rise. Survivors’ guilt and surrounding anxiety are feelings that settle in the body and stay there, even if we don’t notice them. Covering the body with symbols to see is a form of resistance and an act of recovery after a crisis.

“When something traumatic happens, it can shatter a person’s sense of security or stability, the idea that the world is a just place. Tattoos communicate ‘I have changed’ or ‘my worldview has changed,'” ‘” says Jordan. “Healing from trauma is multi-layered and self-determined, which means you get to decide what your healing process looks like. Getting a tattoo can totally play a role in emotional transformation.”

Photo courtesy of Alicia Chung

“I protect myself by decorating myself. It’s armor,” says Alicia Chung, a 24-year-old art student and accountability facilitator in Vancouver, Canada. Since restrictions were eased last fall, he’s been getting new inks almost every week, often occupied by his growing network of friends in private tattoo studios who run a rotary machine. A lot of his pieces make no sense, and he thinks he might as well be stupid — a spider on his elbow, a mud gun with a halo, a sexy peanut, “fast and furious” above the crotch — but the point is Alicia Chosen them. “It’s my weird, twisted way of gaining autonomy.”

The sudden and complete absence of autonomy is the hallmark of the pandemic era. This is at the root of complaints from anti-mascars and anti-vaxxers. This seemed to be the central conflict – even more powerful than the disease – of the quarantine essays written from vacation homes. Our newfound autonomy in a now-reopened society is stressing us out, creating FOMO in some and a fear of being left out in others. Emphasis on self-determination has always been a reason for getting tattoos, but in the post-pandemic scenario it has taken on new meaning.

“When my studio reopened in August, I was worried that people wouldn’t come,” says Ocean Sing, an artist based in Brooklyn, New York. “But more people wanted tattoos than before the pandemic. I think there was a zest for practicing agency, and I ended up getting tattooed on a lot of designs that people said they wanted for years. “

Psychologically, periods of separation and pause can act as a value reset. “Many of us had never faced the reality of ‘life is short,’ which leads to ‘why not’ decisions,” Jordan explains. For those who had money left over from government stimulus checks after paying rent and debt, getting a tattoo was something exciting.

Part of why Alicia has been under the needle so often is that the restaurant they work at has temporarily closed, the school has gone virtual and parties have been cancelled. They had too much time and too little socialization. “That’s when I can take a little rest or allow myself to rest,” he says. “It got to a point where I didn’t mind spending the money to get them all” [tattoos] Because I’m paying for those four hours to be on the table and get professional service. We become intimate and vulnerable but it maintains this customer relationship because I am paying for their trust and interaction. And the isolated pain of a billion vibrations.”

As social beings, we have suffered the loss of non-pod contact. Ocean could still sketch in lockdown if he had the energy, but couldn’t tell Miyazaki to chat with a stranger about movies while by the bathroom. spirited Away on their back. (“I prefer customs these days because they’re so cooperative,” he explains.) We remembered our third-tier friends, the people we laid eyes on the subway from and the professionals we called expertise. was paid instead.

Photo courtesy of Ocean Sing

“Tattoos are an experience you’ll never forget,” says Detroit artist and shop owner Chrissy the Butcher, who’s engaged anytime in her 13-year career. “You’re nervous, the adrenaline rushing. People want that feeling again. i have designed [my shop] So that it’s so quiet, people can bring their friends… there’s a vibe to it.”

According to Jordan, physical intimacy is an important part of restoration even after trauma. “Being around other people is a way that we co-regulate, which means our bodies go back into a sense of groundedness and security. It’s not something we really do on our own. ” For artists who see themselves as healers, this understanding comes first.

Jude Le Tronick specializes in flora and fauna – as nature was “a major healer” in his life – and does freehand blackwork exclusively from private studios established in Seattle. “Freehanding is for me and for the client. I think it’s a respectful process to be fully present.” Judd, which provides free scar cover-up tattoo services to survivors of domestic or sexual violence, believes that tattooists are not therapists, but still have stories of inner pain emanating from their clients. There should be room for

In Tamara Santibanez’s phenomenal manifesto/guidebook/love letter Could this be magic? tattooing as emancipation, published in March and developed from discussion groups conducted during the pandemic, they claim that a tattoo shop has the potential to be a significant site of community building and change. Historically, that ability has been undermined by a masculine culture lacking tenderness. There’s a dispute between street shops and DIY private studios, between artists asking you for consent to shave and between artists who photograph your lower back while you’re oblivious. Lily, 20, knew that for a memorial tattoo of her cousin who died by suicide during the quarantine, she wanted to patronize a queer-led shop and get a tattoo done by a non-male artist. “When I was doing this I didn’t have to worry about anyone maybe attacking me,” she says.

We are in a unique moment of systemic change and the impact of the pandemic on the future of tattoo spaces is beginning to show. For many, this is taking a trauma-informed direction; For others, a selfish fight-or-flight. Pat Fish has been tattooing for 37 years, and she estimates that the dozen tattoo studios around the Santa Barbara Valley have shrunk to six since Covid hit. “I think everyone else is advertising on Craigslist that they’ll be visiting a house, a completely unwell condition. The major effect of the pandemic is that people realized ‘I’m going to have to inspect me once a year. Why should I pay $380 to the health department?’ They are not taking their responsibility as an agent of change seriously.”

“The old thing was you were grassroots because you want someone randomly walking to hear the sound, buzzzz, and to intrigue in the door,” Pat continues. “Now I think, ‘I don’t want you to move, who are you?’ If I’m going to have face-to-face contact with people, let it be that.

A safe space requires acknowledging the dynamic force between the tattooer and the client. When Ocean holds a stencil, for example, they tell the client it’s not a big deal to move or replace, they won’t go crazy. “When I was getting my first tattoo, I was afraid to ask for what I wanted. Even if you’re not traumatized, it’s a scary thing to be in a situation where a stranger might notice your presence. Changes forever.”

Getting a tattoo has always been scary for some people. Jade Bell is a Los Angeles tattoo artist and illustrator who grew up seeing her mother being deprived of shops for being a black woman. When they found an aspiring artist, they weren’t necessarily trained appropriately. “I literally saw a girl give my mom a keloid scar because she didn’t know how to work with darker skin tones,” Jade says.

America’s “plague years” included one of the largest protest movements in the country’s history, making it impossible to close the ongoing racial count. This resonated throughout the tattoo community, as Instagram infographics circulated resources for inking various skin pigments and white artists were singled out for a culturally appropriation flash.

Photo courtesy of Chrissy the Butcher

“People started to realize they had no black art [tattoo] collection,” says Jade. “I asked my partner, ‘Hey, can you name five Blacks’ [tattoo] artist’s?’ we could not. ‘What about five famous tattoo models who are black?’ We couldn’t think of anyone at all.”

Luckily Jade is a Virgo, so she was fearless at the idea of changing the culture herself. “I like to represent myself in the things I love. I had never seen black women drawn in the portrayal style that I see other women drawn all the time. I’m four-eyed black girls.” I am developing my universe.”

Chrissy the Butcher lives and works in Detroit, America’s largest black-majority city. Over the past year, she has seen ideas about race and society make their way onto the body. “Tattoos help people heal from generational trauma. It causes you to research the imagery presented by our ancestors. I see people getting African symbols with the turn of 2021, and I’m getting that tattoo. I’m building what I love and know, anything that relates to the black female form.”

A common counterargument is ‘Why remind yourself of your hardship on your body?’ “I’m thinking about it anyway,” says Kansas City physician Jesse Lee. “My trauma defines a lot of who I am and I was offended by it. Now I’m really happy [for it] Because I love who I am now.”

In February, Jesse got a bicep tattoo of a plant blooming from a can of tomatoes. For years, she pointed to her “nonsense childhood” without actually addressing it. When someone described her trauma to her as a jar of rotten tomatoes that gained more and more pressure over time, until the lid burst and the juices spilled everywhere, Jesse summed it up in a poem. Changed. After a one-year hiatus, in which she finally stuck with therapy and did things she wouldn’t allow herself to do as a fat woman – like roller skating, wearing crop tops, and considering her body a canvas – She was ready to make it a permanent reminder.

“People have experienced more trauma in the last five or so years than I think we have ever experienced collectively. Just by going to the Internet we are constantly digesting other people’s traumas,” Jesse says. A tattoo becomes a positive part of your story.”

It is beautiful to see collective grief metamorphose when we heal individually. “So much healing from trauma involves humor, at least for me,” Alicia says. “People ask me what I’ll think of my sexy Peanuts tattoo in 30 years. Maybe I look back and say to myself, ‘You could probably love yourself a little more, apparently it’s yours’ There was a way to compete. I think it’s nice to have a mark of remembrance for being a wrinkled old woman with a portrait made during a crazy time in the world.”

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racefortheironthrone · 5 years ago

Text

Thoughts on House of X #6

The penultimate issue!

While You Slept, the World Changed:

Before I get into the content, let me say that I think Hickman et al. really brought it with their two final issues, which are some of the best of the miniseries.

Showing Hickman’s love of circular storytelling, we flash back to the speech from the very first page of House of X #1, where Xavier announced the formation of Krakoa. The always-frustrating timeline is cleared up a little: Xavier’s speech happened a month ago, although we know from that same issue that work had been going on on Krakoa for “months” before the announcement - more evidence that the schedule was important.

Despite this all of this preparation, Xavier takes a moment before the speech to ask Moira and Magneto to join him for this “leap of faith,” which requires “total commitment.” (Which is interesting, given Namor’s questioning of same.) Moira agrees quickly, but then hangs back and watches, as is her wont (as we’ll see in Powers of X #6).

By contrast, Magneto makes a significant shift from his earlier pledge of unrelenting accountability to burying the hatchet completely (I love how “all the anger at the other’s relentless ideology and unyielding persistence” so perfectly describes both men) and promises his complete support (and possibly more, depending on how you interpret the hand-on-hand-on-shoulder panel) going forward. That’s a big moment for the two of them.

And then we get Xavier’s speech in full, which I’m going to do my best to annotate.

“Humans of the planet Earth...I am the mutant Charles Xavier and I bring you a message of hope. ”

The first thing I’ll note is that we’re already seeing a rather significant change in Xavier’s behavior: for decades, Charles Xavier refused to come out of the closet as a mutant even when asked directly, and only did so in New X-Men when possessed by Cassandra Nova. Here, he’s straightforwardly describing himself as “the mutant Charles Xavier,” putting his group identity before even his name.

Secondly, there’s an interesting tinge of classic sci-fi in the way that Xavier addresses “humans of the planet Earth” - it’s very reminiscent of The Day The Earth Stood Still - and I wonder whether part of this has to do with the so far largely unspoken Krakoan ambition of beating humanity to the Moon, to Mars, and the stars themselves.

“In the coming days, you will learn of several far-reaching pharmaceutical breakthroughs that have been discovered by mutant scientists. These drugs extend human life, heal disease of the mind, and will prevent - or cure - most common maladies. Influenza, Alzheimer’s, ALS, many cancers...gone. Overnight. These drugs will make life on this planet...better. Remarkably so.”

First, this is very much of a part of Hickman’s technocratic futurism from his F.F run, which I have to imagine often leads to a bit of frustration with the editorial mandate not to use super-science to make the world unrecognizable.

At the same time, I’m all the more convinced that the point of this proffer (in addition to buying U.N votes and diplomatic recognition) isn’t to mess with human biology - I think the drugs actually do what’s advertized, rather than mind-controlling people or activating the X-gene - but rather (according to what we learn in Powers of X #6) to dull the drive to achieve post-humanity, solving humanity’s problems but leaving the source out of their hands. This is a theme that featured quite heavily in the finale to Hickman’s Transhuman.

“All this...we have made for you. In the past they would have been a gift. Something freely given by me -- to you -- because I believed it would create harmony between our two peoples. That was my dream -- harmony -- but you have taught me a harsh lesson: that dream was a lie. You see, all I ever wanted was peace between humans and mutants. All I ever wanted was to love you and for you to love us.”

Here’s a great example of how comics can use text and imagery in different ways. Visually, what this page shows us is different levels of humanity: ordinary people in a hospital room, who see Xavier’s speech as a message of hope, the promise of deliverance from disease; a board room full of businessmen who probably see either opportunity or competition, depending on their market position; and a situation room of national security types who represent human power structures that have always viewed mutants as a threat.

At the same time, I think the text is an answer, if not a rebuke, to those fans who’ve been decrying Charles Xavier as acting “out of character” or spinning conspiracy theories about how it’s actually the Maker or the like. This is clearly the same Charles Xavier, who has come to change his mind about his vision of society, because he’s seen how humans have responded over again. (I think it also gets at one of the problems of grounding the X-Men in a “dream” of harmonious co-existence when genre conventions prevent that dream from ever coming to fruition. Especially given how the serial nature of comics leads to repetitions of “anti-mutant hysteria,” it’s not surprising how much of the fandom have shifted to a “Magneto Was Right” perspective.)

“We wanted to save you -- and we did, many times -- but in return, all you did was stand by while evil men killed our children. Over 16 million of them. So there will be no gift...for you have not earned it. We will -- however -- let you pay for it. In return for two things, we will provide you with the means to have a better life. One without pain or suffering and full of hope -- and it will cost you so little.”

Here, instead of constrasts, the text and images are working in concert, with the art giving pointed examples of whom Xavier is referring to - pointing to the Avengers as “stand[ing] by while evil men killed our children” (given that the Avengers tend to specialize in threats to the planet, but have had a decidely mixed record when it comes to threats to mutants specifically, to say nothing of the fallout from the Scarlet Witch’s actions), or the Fantastic Four as having “not earned” his “gifts,” given that the FF haven’t exactly been at the forefront of applying scientific advancement to specifically mutant concerns. Similarly, Doctor Strange was willing to brave the dangers of hell to bring the city of Las Vegas back from the dead, but didn’t do the same for the victims of Genosha.

At the same time, it becomes clear that what Xavier is getting at isn’t just direct complicity in anti-mutant violence, but the broader systemic problems of human apathy towards anti-mutant violence. (Although, to be fair, he’s bringing this up as, essentially, emotional blackmail to justify his economic policies and his political demands.)

On a different topic, it’s interesting that Xavier is offering something of a utopia for humanity - “a better life...without pain or suffering and full of hope” - but may instead be planning to put humanity inside a walled garden where they will be cared for but kept out of mutant-kind’s way.

“First, you must accept the island of Krakoa as the nation-state of all mutants on this planet. We will happily go through the same process as any newly formed nation with the U.N, but there is an expectation that our sovereignty will be recognized. Second, all mutants -- by birth -- can claim Krakoan citizenship. And with that citizenship, we expect a period of amnesty. So that those who have been singled out as criminals -- or punished and imprisoned by humans -- can overcome man’s bias against mutants.”

So here we get Xavier’s main political ask: international recognition of Krakoan sovereignty, mutant citizenship, and amnesty for mutants in prison.

It’s clear from his tone, however, that Krakoa is going through the “same process as any newly formed nation” mostly as a formality, with “an expectation that our sovereignty will be recognized” - both because humanity needs what Xavier is offering and the unspoken fact of mutant power.

One thing that caught my eye is that the citizenship/amnesty isn’t just a one-for-one copy of Israel’s law of return; given the heavy focus on human judicial system’s “bias against mutants,” it also borrows heavily from the 1966 platform of the Black Panther Party, which called for “freedom for all Black men held in federal, state, county and city prisons and jails,” because they had been denied a trial by jury of their peers.

“From this day forward, mutants will be judged by mutant law, not man’s. These are our simple demands, and they are not negotiable. In return for making our lives better, we will do the same for you. And if you find yourselves asking, who are these mutants to think they can dictate terms to us? We are the future. An evolutionary inevitability. The Earth’s true inheritors. You closed your eyes last night believing this world would be yours forever. That was your dream. And like mine...it was a lie. Here is a new truth: while you slept, the world changed.”

Here’s where we get a firm statement of mutant-kind’s manifest destiny, although how accurate a description of “evolutionary inevitability” it might be is up for debate, given what we learn about Moira’s Sixth Life in the next issue. No wonder that Magneto is eating it up, but Moira seems more ambivalent.

One important thing to note: as the art demonstrates, ORCHIS is very much in operation when Xavier makes his announcement. Rather than being a response to a more militant and separatist Krakoa, their motivations are much more driven by eugenic fears of demographic replacement, which is way less defensible.

Quiet Council of Krakoa Infographic:

In the wake of Powers of X #6, we now have to ask ourselves whether the (un-elected, possibly temporary) Quiet Council is, if not a Potemkin government (this would be a bit much, given what they get up to in this issue), but perhaps not the only locus of authority on Krakoa.

In addition to continuing the naturalistic themes of Krakoa, I wonder whether the Autumn/Winter/Spring/Summer designations suggest a kind of rotating chair system for a council in which all are supposedly equal...but who is primus inter pares? Xavier is acting as speaker, setting out the agenda and moving the action along, but he’s not the only voice in the room - a sign that he is sharing power to a significant extent.

So let’s talk about the membership of the Quiet Council:

Autumn: here we have the three ideological leaders whose ideas have led to the formation of Krakoa (although Apocalypse’s contributions are less public), and potentially Moira’s exes (although we never learn whether Moira was romantically involved with Magneto in her Eighth Life).

Winter: is “where we parked all of the problem mutants” other than Magneto. Mostly, this seems to be on the basis of both necessity and “better inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in.” One question I have is whether Exodus, as someone who used to basically worship Magneto, is a vote that Magneto can count on, since clearly he and Sinister aren’t on the same page, and Mystique is very much on her own.

Spring: here is Emma’s quid-pro-quo, and a recognition that the economic and foreign policy might of the Hellfire Corporation has to be represented within the governing structure of Krakoa. Given the structure (down to the very seating), I have to think that Xavier and Magneto had always planned for the third vote that Emma demanded. It’s also quite notable in later deliberations how limited Sebastian Shaw’s influence is on the Council.

Summer: as we might expect, given who’s extending the invitations, Xavier gives three seats to “my children,” which gives Xavier at least four votes that he can count on - although Ororo, Jean, and Kurt clearly have their own minds and priorities. As the Krakoan national project continues, counting votes will only become more important.

Speaking of which, we can’t forget about Krakoa and Cypher. While not formally one of the twelve, they are nonetheless a powerful influence who have a voice if not a vote on the Council. And ultimately Krakoa’s voice is quite loud, because the whole enterprise cannot happen without its consent.

The Great Captains:

So here we see the division of civilian and military government, with the “great captains..assum[ing] the responsibility of defending the state” during “times of conflict or war.”

The more curious question to me is what counts as a “state-related excursion” - it would seem to cover X-Men missions like the one at Sol’s Forge and at the ORCHIS facility in X-Men #1, but does it mean that Kate Pryde wouldn’t be in charge of her own vessel if Bishop steps on board? Does it cover X-Force clandestine operations, or would plausible deniability be important? Who does X-Force report to?

Cyclops as first among equals makes sense, although it does raise a question of what happens when you have two other captains in the field.

So Bishop makes sense as a head of whatever the name of the agency in charge of resurrection-related investigations is (possibly X-Factor), but I was surprised to see him show up in Marauders #1.

I wonder what Magik’s role as a Captain is supposed to be, especially since it seems she’ll be heading off to space in New Mutants. Down the line, I’m going to guess she’ll be involved in Krakoa’s version of Inferno, but what’s her intended role supposed to be?

Finally, what’s Gorgon’s role as Captain supposed to be.

The First Laws of Our Nation

Before I get into the content of this section, I want to talk about the beautiful panelling here that starts wide, shrinks down to the nine panel grid as the political debate intensifies, and then opens up again once the decision is made.

Similarly, I like the use of the two key symbols: the X of the chairs and the sigil on the ground (secular authority), Krakoa’s face looming over them all like a heart tree (spiritual authority)

Given what we learn in Powers of X #6 about why various council members was chosen, describing three of the four seasons as “family, friends, and allies” is highly ironic.

Sabertooth is removed from watery confinement - which, if Krkaoa can just hold people in water bubbles for an extended period, why isn’t that the punishment used late? - and Kurt sets an appropriately Biblical tone by noting that “our first bit of business is the oldest kind on this planet...judgement.” (Appropriately for Kurt’s themes, the judgement in question also centers on how to punish the first murder in this new land, and ends with exile.) Also, for those of you keeping track of how much Krakoan justice accords with human conceptions of justice, I will point out that Sabertooth comes out of the bubble threatening his judges/jury, which is never a good look for a defendant.

So let’s talk about the trial:

One of the things that jump out to me immediately is that it’s interesting seeing Magneto in the role of an idealist - “this is the establishment of a nation...and I would have it be one of laws.” - whereas Xavier’s acting as the pragmatist, acknowledging that “I cannot say everyone here best represents the ideals of what any society should be based on,” but that they have to do the best with what they’ve got. Ultimately, I think this is a tension at the heart of all national projects.

Meanwhile, we get precisely three speakers in before conflict erupts: Sinister is a camp shit-stirrer who (publicly, anyway) really only partakes in the meeting to poke at Xavier and Exodus. Meanwhile, showing how little bloc voting there will be in the “problem mutant” camp, Exodus goes right for direct threats, prompting Sinister to propose criminalizing “mutant-on-mutant violence” (again, the political resonances here are obvious), not because he believes murder is wrong but because he’s enjoying trolling Exodus.

Showing how much Krakoan technology and the...unique worldviews of the Council members are going to produce new forms of political philosophy, Aopcalypse opposes Sinister’s motion, because he doesn’t think it should be “a crime to kill someone who cannot be killed,” since killing mutants is now a non-lethal way of testing them for social Darwinian worthiness.

This clearly does not track with Storm’s morality, and in a rare moment in HOXPOX where we get to see Jean Grey operating as a forceful political presence, she uses Storm’s interjection to pivot to an appeal to “the highest of ideals” (perhaps aiming her words at Magneto as well as her fellow X-Men) that it should be the “highest crime...killing someone who cannot come back.” (This is more in line with her more recent appearances in X-Men: Red.) Thus, the Second Law of Krakoa is established...without actually taking a vote. It seems that the Council operates on the basis that any proposal not actively objected to becomes law, which I imagine the political scientists out there have some thoughts on.

Before the law passes, Mystique raises the question of self-defense against human aggression (which fits her first X-appearance nicely). Showing how much his earlier views have shifted now that he’s operating in the context of a mutant nation-state, Magneto distinguishes between “murder” and killing “done in defense of a nation,” and while that question is formally tabled, it does suggest an exception for formal armed conflict at least in the founder’s intent.

Supporting my theory that he’s going to be the de-facto Chairman or Speaker, Xavier not only drives the agenda (although he’s not alone in this, Magneto is definitely acting in this capacity), but also makes sure to “call the question,” deciding when proposals become law as long as no one objects.

Another point wrt to the justness of this process: well before he’s found guilty, let alone sentence is passed, Sabertooth threatens murder and cannibalism against his judges...which isn’t a persuasive defense against murder charges (even if he’s just threatening the murder of mutants...which isn’t legal AFAWK, just not as illegal as the murder of humans.)

A nice bit of character work, and another rare rmoment where we see Jean’s power in action, Emma and Jean collaborate to silence Sabertooth’s ranting.

With the Second Law established, and Sabertooth’s trial technically in abeyance, the Council moves on to “any new business.”

As we might expect from a neoliberal robber baron, Sebastian Shaw calls for “property rights, wealth, currency,” to be legislated for next.

In an interesting turn of events, Doug Ramsey interjects that “Krakoa is alive. Not a place, or a biome -- a person.” Krakoan (real) property rights will have to have a decidedly non-capitalist orientation, because as we see further in Marauders #1, in addition to not having rights in the land, you have to ask for Krakoa’s consent in order to build grow a house.

In a development I didn’t see coming, Storm takes the position that that mutants can still own property, but “it has to be...out there...in the world. No one has said we have to run from it.” This is somewhat more capitalist than I might expect from Storm, but it does make sense that someone with her particular entanglements in the wider world would take a less isolationist position. This raises an interesting question: if mutants own property in a sovereign nation, and they decide to plant Habitat flowers on their property, does that make that property now part of Krakoa?

Doug’s position gets supported by Exodus (in a characteristically religious tone), and Xavier once again calls the question, creating the Third Law of Krakoa. For those of us keeping track of the colonial theme, it is interesting that this largely European-led nation state has taken a legal position on land ownership that’s much more associated with indigenous peoples.

Befitting her role as the true power in the Hellfire Trading Company, Emma Frost tables the discussion of economic legislation, due in no small part to it impinging on Krakoan diplomacy and international economic policy.

With a decidely mocking air aimed at her son, Mystique shifts the agenda from the secular to the sacred. After a moment’s thought, Kurt who fires back with the original “manifest destiny” out of Genesis (the first creation), and we get the First Law: “make more mutants.” In addition to continuing the very horny feel of the issue, this law raises a set of interesting questions about Krakoan attitudes with regard to the right to choose, access to family planning services, and sexuality - although as Hickman has pointed out, the implications of an egg-based system for (re)growing people point in completely different directions. Why assume Krakoa will follow human social mores in any area?

With the fundamental laws established, the Quiet Council can now decide how to apply them to Sabertooth:

In an example of how subtly powerful agenda-setting can be, Xavier makes the question of voting guilty or not guilty a question of “making an example...that no one is above mutant law” or “giving you one last chance.” Fitting his somewhat collectivist bent in Powers of X #1, he frames this question not in terms of the civil rights of “Mr. Creed,” but in terms of how the decision “benefits our new society.”

While it doesn’t quite settle the post facto question, Magneto argues that Sabertooth’s killing of the Damage Control guards violatted the “strict instructions” he was given when Magneto dispatched him on the mission, making it not merely a question of the First Law but also of obedience to the chain of command. Apocalypse, who knows something about managing an aggressive workforce, agrees.

Sinister and Exodus, for once, are on the same page, and while Mystique ultimately goes along with the emerging majority, her body posture and dialogue suggests a degree of internal conflict - after all, she was the one leading the mission, so some responsibility falls on her shoulders.

Turning to the X-Men side of the room: as befits his spiritual role, Kurt feels shame for not turning the other cheek, Jean takes a moment but is more assured, and of course Storm has no problem with a bit of divine judgement.

Continuing the trend of divisions among the Hellfire Club, Emma is all about getting rid of Sabertooth, while Sebastian goes along with the emerging consensus because he doesn’t care.

And once again proving that a defendant representing themselves is always a bad idea, before all the votes are in (and we don’t know whether Krakoan juries require a unanimous verdict) or the sentence is given out, Sabertooth threatens familicide of the Quiet Council. Not exactly a strong argument for leniency, since Sabertooth hasn’t exactly been pleading innocence at any point.

Finally, Doug asks Krakoa to bring the hammer down, and Sabertooth is dragged down to hell put into an oubliette. As Xavier explains, “we cannot send you back into the world” (because Sabertooth is a serial killer who can’t restrain himself, and Krakoa just promised the world it would hold mutants accountable for their actions), they won’t jail him because “we tolerate no prisons here” (this seems a technicality), they won’t kill him, because seemingly the “resurection protocols” are non-optional (which is interesting, given what we learn about Destiny in the next issue), and so they “exile him.”

One interesting question: given the resources available to them, why is it necessary to leave him “aware but unable to act on it” rather than have him be unconscious during stasis? My guess is that Xavier wants to motivate Sabertooth to “redeem” himself down the line.

And then finally, we get Xavier’s concluding statement, where I think Hickman’s views on nation-states (“it’s distasteful, I know, this business of running a nation”), the proper attitudes one should have about holding and exercising political power (”I pray we never get used to it...never grow cold from it...never learn to love it”), and even parenthood come through.

Just Look At What We’ve Made:

But in the meantime, the council emerges to what almost everyone has analogized to the Return of the Jedi celebration: not only do we see bonfires and fireworks and a riot of color everywhere, but we see mutants flying around, using their powers, for the first time really feeling that they can live as mutants without fear for their lives.

As the Quiet Council walk down the steps, we see some of the reasons why and the consequences: the Five party as one, but near them we see the formerly dead raising a glass with the living. And echoing Magneto’s earlier statements about how Krakoa will change the way mutants see their own powers, we see Siryn and Dazzler combining their powers for the purposes of culture rather than warfare or high tech.

Xavier’s final message is that the Quiet Council will work like hell to ensure that the next generation of mutants “sleep in soft fields of lush green, staring at the stars and dreaming of a future where they hold those stars in their hands.” Once again, a sign that Krakoa’s manifest destiny lies in space, a common theme of Hickman’s from his FF run. As this happens, we see three of the O5 goofing around (I’m surprised how many people didn’t notice that Bobby had frozen Warren’s drink while he wasn’t looking), and Exodus leading storytime with the children as Sinister watches in the background.

But that’s not what people are really here for - as nice as it is to see Broo and Synch and Skin and Pixie, what people really care about is the Jean/Logan/Scott panel. As the now infamous architectural diagram in X-Men #1 makes very clear, this is not a case of a mere open marriage: the most famous romantic triangle in X-Men history is now a throuple, founded on the principle of beer and tummy rubs.

Almost as exciting for much of the fandom is the next page, where Jean goes to make peace with Emma while Scott hangs out with Alex. One of the big questions going on is what Emma’s role is in the polycule, since she doesn’t seem to be living at the Summer House. My guess is that Emma is “part of it” (to quote David S. Pumpkins), but may only be with Scott, and definitely would refuse point-blank to share communal living quarters with Logan. We will have to wait for more evidence to be sure.

And so we end with Xavier and Magneto looking out over the celebration, taking a moment to feel (rightly?) proud of “what we have made.” And yet, all is not well, because Apocalypse, the third ideological force who (through Moira) helped to create Krakoa, broods on what he lost when Krakoa was born.

Krakoa Infographic:

With Krakoa now extant as a nation-state, we get one more infographic...that shows us that there is a Krakoa Atlantic to go along with Krakoa Pacific. This points to an important truth about this new polity - it would be a mistake to see Krakoa as an island nation like Genosha or Utopia, because the nation of Krakoa exists wherever the physical entity of Krakoa exists. It’s in the Pacific and the Atlantic, it’s on the moon, it’s on Mars, it’s everywhere a Krakoan flower has been planted. Which makes it a post-geographic power.

So what’s on Krakoa Atlantic?

The Pointe is one of Xavier’s Cerebro back-up locations, so that an attack on Krakoa Pacific won’t destroy the database.

Danger Island is the X-Men’s new and expanded training facility.

Transit allows for instant transportation between Pacific and Atlantic to allow the X-Men to respond to a threat to either island or cradle, and possibly a final keep to fall back to if everything else is lost.

And finally we get one last map of Krakoa (All), and there’s a lot we don’t know about these locations:

The House of X and the House of M are Xavier and Magneto’s residences, and the location of one of the Cerebro “cradles.”

The Arbor Magna is the big tree where the Resurrection system is located in/on.

The Arena we don’t know anything about, but from the name it suggests that it’s a combat-oriented location, either for training or for entertainment purposes.

The Akademos Habitat is almost certainly Krakoa’s educational facility that Jean mentions back in House of X #1, but the fact that it’s a Habitat is interesting, because a Krakoan Habitat is a ”self-sutained environment” of its own that is “part of the interconnected consciousness of Krakoa,” and I had thought that having a Habitat on Krakoa itself, as opposed to one out on the moon or Mars would be redundant. My guess is that this is meant to provide an additional layer of safety to the next generation of mutants.

We saw Transit back in House of X #1, this Transit location is the Grand Central Station for Greater Krakoa, linking all gateway locations together. Yet another sign that, for Krakoa, their nation has a different conception of distance.

The Oracle is, I would guess, probably one of the Krakoan Systems, most likely either Sage’s or Beast’s part of the system.

I don’t know what the Grove is supposed to be, but given its proximity to the Akademos Habitat, I think it’s supposed to be a living space, possibly just for the young and possibly not.

The Cradle, it turns out, is just a cradle.

The Resevoir could be that lagoon we saw back in House of X #1, which would make sense if the Wild Hunt is a nature preserve, because animals love to congregate at watering holes.

The Carousel’s name suggests it’s an entertainment facility.

We know what Bar Sinister is from its last appearance; it turns out that Sinister recreated his little island Edwardian eugenics nightclub on Krakoa. Interesting that it’s locsated so close to Transit; maybe Sinister wants to be able to make a quick getaway.

Speaking of the fruits of faustian bargains, it turns out that the quid-pro-quo for becoming the economic engine of a nation is that the Hellfire Trading Company gets a whole Hellfire Bay to itself as its headquarters.

Red Keep is almost certainly Kate Pryde’s new pad, which is conveniently ocean-ajacent for our newest mutant pirate privateer queen.

Blackstone is Sebastian Shaw’s Gilded Age “gentleman’s” club.

The White Palace is naturally Emma’s boudoir, complete with buzzsaws and spikes.

The unnamed location 18 is clearly Moira’s No-Space.

#xmen #xmen meta #house of x #spoilers #hoxpox

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bloggerjoedoe · 4 years ago

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I’ve used Things off and on as my primary task manager for as long as I’ve used Apple devices, which is just over a decade now. During that time the app has been remarkably consistent at supporting new OS features as soon as Apple launches them, and this year is no exception. In its latest update, Things has added new widgets for iOS and iPadOS 14 as well as a unique implementation of Scribble for creating new tasks. Apple Watch users will find a couple useful new complication options too.

On the surface, the update may seem simple and straightforward: new widgets, Scribble support, and new complications. But as the team at Cultured Code has done time and time again, their implementation of new OS technologies is thoughtful and even innovative, especially on iPad.

Widgets

Things’ widgets focus exclusively on displaying lists of your tasks. You can use a small, medium, or large widget for viewing tasks and configure each widget to show only the exact tasks you want; the medium and large widgets also provide a plus button for creating new tasks.

Different sizes and configurations of Things’ widget.

In the widget’s setup mode you can choose which list of tasks to display, such as your Inbox, Today, Upcoming, Anytime, Someday, one of your Projects or Areas, or one of your tags. A nice secondary option enables filtering your chosen list down to only display tasks that contain a certain tag within a given list; for example, you can view tasks that have been tagged ‘Writing’ and are in Today, or in a certain Area. I’ve never been a big user of tags in my task manager, but the ability to filter a widget based on tags makes the feature more valuable than ever.

Due to a limitation in Apple’s new widget system in iOS 14, Things’ widget can no longer offer the ability to check off completed tasks. If that functionality is of great value to you, the old widget is still available as a legacy option, it just can’t be added to the Home screen and will be forced beneath all newer widgets in your Today view.

The trade-off of not having large touch targets for checkboxes is that now Things’ widgets can display a lot more tasks at once. For example, the legacy widget is about the same size as iOS 14’s new medium widget, but it can only display two tasks whereas Things’ new widget shows five in the same space. And on iPad, I like how Things’ developers have tried to negate the loss of checkboxes by creating a smooth alternate flow for checking off tasks: tapping a task in Things’ medium or large widget will open the app with that task highlighted, and thanks to the app’s strong hardware keyboard support, a quick Command + K shortcut will check off the task. It may not be as quick as using the old widget, but highlighting the task so it can be quickly marked complete via a keyboard shortcut is a nice touch.

Scribble

Using Scribble to create a new task for a specific day.

Another interesting iPad feature is Things’ implementation of Scribble. In iPadOS 14, Scribble enables writing with an Apple Pencil in text fields to have your handwritten text automatically converted to typed text. Apps that use standard text fields will get this new feature without requiring any work from their developers, so with other apps where I’ve tried Scribble, the implementation has always been the same: write in a text field, and iPadOS converts your text. Things does something unique, however, in that you not only can write into any of the app’s text fields with the Pencil, you can also use Scribble in any open space you see in the UI and your written text will convert into a new task.

I would never have thought of an app enabling Scribble in the open spaces of its UI, but after using Things I’m convinced it’s a brilliant idea. Writing in text fields is nice, for sure, but writing on other parts of the screen feels like you’re unlocking a special power in the app. I suppose you could say it’s the equivalent of keyboard shortcuts, but for the Pencil, offering a quicker way to do something than what the UI itself provides.

The feature works inside any list, and I find it especially useful inside Upcoming or in a project containing different headers, as you can Scribble inside the boundaries of the due date you want, or section you want, to have the new task automatically go there. It’s a really clever feature that Pencil users are sure to love.

Watch Complications

Things’ new complications.

Things already offered some nice Apple Watch complications, but the two additions in this watchOS 7 update are worth highlighting because they cover core task management needs.

The Today complication is designed to fit in the medium rectangular complication slot on Infograph Modular and Modular Compact, two of my favorite faces, and it displays the first three tasks in your Today list. Assuming your Today list is organized properly, the first three tasks should always be the most important tasks to see at any given moment, making this complication a no-brainer.

The New To-Do complication fits the small round slot on Infograph, Infograph Modular, Modular Compact, California, and more. It displays a simple plus button that quickly launches you into the task creation mode of the app, so if you regularly think of new tasks to add throughout the day, this complication can provide the quickest way to do that.

This year at WWDC, Apple stressed to developers that the best iPad experience takes into account the variety of interaction methods the device supports: touch, keyboard, trackpad, and Pencil. Things now does that better than any app I know. If you need to create a new task, you’re not disadvantaged using one interaction method over another. If you’re using touch or a trackpad, the Magic Plus Button makes task creation easy; with a hardware keyboard there’s a Command + N keyboard shortcut; with the Pencil, you can just use Scribble anywhere to write a task.

It’s hard to find another app that does so well taking into account the variety of use modes for the iPad. Things was the first app to bring full keyboard control to iPadOS, and I think this latest update will forge a similar path forward for Apple Pencil use. I’m already wondering how other developers, inspired by Things, might implement Scribble as a form of shortcut for Pencil users.

Things is available on iPhone and iPad as separate apps.

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changachino-blog · 5 years ago

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28 february 2018

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45392/ulysses

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45364/the-lotos-eaters

Ulysses and the Lotus Eaters: A Dichotomy Between Life and Living

In two poems, Lord Alfred Tennyson depicts two outlooks of life: the Romanticist view in “The Song of the Lotus Eaters”, and the Victorian ideals in “Ulysses”. More specifically, their views regarding a pause, a lull, in living are in stark contrast with each other. Using imagery, repetition, and simile, Tennyson proves the virtue of the Victorian ideals of his era using both perspectives.

The Lotus eaters and Ulysses are both set in stagnance. The island upon which the Lotus Eaters lay is representative of their sloth, even the air that they breathe is “languid...swoon[ing]”, in a state of perpetual afternoon. This builds on the image of stagnance, with the afternoon representing the transitional state of travel that the Lotus Eaters were mired in; between sun and moon, Troy and home. Afternoon on a tropic island brings to mind stifling heat, adding on to the day’s sun and toil that would wear on these mariners. However, the mariners rejoiced upon this piece of sand, “they sang, ‘Our island home is far beyond the wave...”, celebrating their freedom from weary travel. Using a repeating rhyme scheme at the end of the first choric verse, with the words “deep, creep, weep, and sleep”, he pulls the reader into some sort of a loop, resembling the loop, the trance, the travelers are bound in.

On the contrary, Ulysses has been filled with a dread for his life, as an “idle king, / By this still hearth, among these barren crags…”. Using the words idle, still, and barren, Tennyson establishes the king’s existential malaise within the first two lines of his poem. Ulysses’ life no longer has much of a purpose, after peaking many years before, “Far on the ringing plains of Troy”. This begs the question of whether life is worth living after a definitive peak. Ulysses answers with a resounding YES, exclaiming “How dull it is.../ to rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!”. Stagnancy is death to Ulysses, a dishonorable degradation, a sword not dulled by use, but by its scabbard, betrayed by the respite of his home.

The Lotus Eaters expose the flawed nature of the Romantics, the dreamers and consumers too occupied by the “watch[ing] (of) the crisping ripples on the beach” to advance, to trailblaze, and return home in a wash of glory. They try to rationalize their sloth, preemptively alienating themselves to their homes, wives, children and slaves, figuring that “...all hath suffer’d change..”, but that is a lazy alternative to the truth Tennyson presents through Ulysses. Ulysses has a fervor for life, a chance at another adventure and expanding the self. Tennyson shows us the difference between merely living and having a life, and while the Lotus Eaters indulge themselves in material comforts and absorbing the nature around them, Ulysses delights in burning a legacy in the annals of history, in spite of all of he has already accomplished. Tennyson urges us to expand our horizons, both internally and externally, to fight for another peak in life.

***

11 June 2020

Two years later, this essay is helping fend off the evils that come with stagnancy. As long as one is breathing, one has potential, and it’s a waste of energy and life to live a day in which you don’t try to get better at something.

A paraphrased quote from my AP English Literature teacher at the time, Ryan Miller:

“If you’re on your phone, you’re basically asleep.”

This really redefined the way I view the information age, because it really is a perfect analogy for my experience with content aggregators and sleep. Dreams flit through my mind in little flashes, and only some truly carry any feeling that carries through to the morning, and therefore any memories I have of those dreams are unreliable. In a very similar way, content aggregators (in my case, mainly reddit) flood my eyes with a veritable onslaught of information. Most of the time, I don’t remember what I don’t save to my account or device.

What even is the worth of information without any ability to recollect it?

I typically want to use reddit to distract myself and find fun content that I can share with my friends, but in many cases it seems to become a timesink that gives me loads of impressions, and headlines, and little easily consumable nuggets of information, like well-made gifs, or innovative infographics, which are all tailored to my tastes. It’s a buffet of knowledge, but the problem is simple: you can’t eat like you’re at a buffet for your whole life.

Just like food, information needs proper digestion, reflection, to truly permeate into your memory and become a part of yourself that you can rely on for the rest of your life. In every minute of everyday, we have the opportunity to learn about what is happening to people all around the world, all around our nation, and all around our community. Social media is designed to be addictive, and it works, because it is a very human tendency to want to learn more about the world and connect to more people.

Our brains are not designed to operate on this level of social involvement.

Let’s talk about dunbar’s number.

“According to the theory, the tightest circle has just five people – loved ones. That’s followed by successive layers of 15 (good friends), 50 (friends), 150 (meaningful contacts), 500 (acquaintances) and 1500 (people you can recognise). People migrate in and out of these layers, but the idea is that space has to be carved out for any new entrants.” -linked article

The idea of a hard limit to mental capacity is not novel, and it explains a lot of how the information age has adversely affected the mental health of millions of people. Being a “good citizen” in the age of the internet entails many tiers of communication and information processing as a result of globalization and the current ease of communication:

At the most personal tier would be your loved ones, your immediate family, your closest friends. With distance, the pressure to stay connected is kind of immense, given that it’s so easy to do so, but when life gets busy, people get overwhelmed and need time to charge. Our connectivity adds an unnecessary level of guilt in mild cases of estrangement. As a contrast, my mother’s relationships with her closest friends are built over years, and they personally check in month to month.

The importance of this tier is on par with that of the next, but I think that there is a lot of tacit pressure to catch up with older family members and record their wisdom. The whole point of family and reproduction is to make each generation better, but if this knowledge isn’t captured, it slips away with each death.

The next most personal tier would be your involvement in your community, whether it’s through your protests, sports, college friends/clubs, local charities, or churches. These are your tribes, and as social creatures, we tend to become a blend of whoever we surround ourselves with. The information age already pressures us to be as connected as possible, and I find myself straining to maintain involved in my current communities as I try my best to stay connected with my loved ones.

As I mature more, I’m becoming more aware of my responsibility to get involved with community legislation, and local government. I guess this would fall between community involvement and legislative participation.

As we start to zoom out, the next tier would be our involvement in state legislature, voting on bills and representatives in our counties and states. This is where my citizenship fails, I consider myself a patriot but I haven’t prioritized my right to a vote as a citizen in a democratic republic.

Performing as a national citizen in the United States is also fraught with disappointment and disillusionment in your voice, and bipartisanship has led to rampant tribalism and polarization. Conversations about the administration, especially across people of opposite parties, are rarely nuanced and productive. Mass media on both sides tends to twist words and fails to truly inform. Fear-mongering has always made more money, and gets more awareness, so spreading a more negative depiction of the world is how many media outlets have found their success.

Learning more about international human rights issues, climate justice, and staying informed about our world and affairs is another burden on the mind

I find humor in the irony of privileged internet users reading about unprivileged people’s plights and hurting in sympathy for them, to no net good in the world. The adage that ignorance is bliss is based in reality

We get more and more jaded as we learn about how the world really doesn’t make sense, and as we learn more about how bad humans can be and have been to each other.

Six tiers of investing yourself, your mental faculties, your resources, and your time fall beyond your actual person.

So much of our presence and identity is invested outside of us, that it’s easy to be overwhelmed and forget to love and nurture ourselves. Every piece of trash information that we have to process stands as an obstacle in our path to a better self. Striking the balance between awareness of the world and mental health has been such a complicated task that we all have to juggle. While a quarantine during the information has posed serious implications for mental health, I’m jazzed about the ramifications of this quarantine.

For many people whose lives have been uprooted and tossed around by this pandemic, this is a time of introspection, discovery, and a re-evaluation of what we want to live for. The potential for the my generation is staggering.

As a contrast, I truly felt like I was mired in a time of stagnancy during my depressive spells for the past few months. I felt like I was wasting my valuable time as a young adult, and the added guilt became a positive feedback loop that glued me to my bed for far too long. Writing out and processing my thoughts about what has led to these depressive spells gives me more answers and insights, and I’m excited that this is the first of many essays that seek to alleviate my headspace and free my mind for greater pursuits.

To link my two essays together, here is the main theme I would like to impart to whoever wants to carve their own hope for their future:

A quote from Tennyson’s poem Ulysses:

“How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!”

It’s far too easy for me to grow comfortable in a non-growth-centered way of life, and it’s up to me to leverage the privilege that I have: a loving, financially secure family that feeds me. I must take ownership of my life and make the most of what has been given to me. I owe it to my parents, the universe, and the people I love to lead a life of growth.

“Stagnancy is death to Ulysses, a dishonorable degradation: a sword not dulled by use, but by its scabbard, betrayed by the respite of his home.”

#alfred lord tennyson #ulysses #the lotos eaters #ap lit #information age

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alexmiranda22 · 5 years ago

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TikTok - What's The Strategy For Christian Personal Brands?

One of my business partners walks into the office and says “Hey dude, you gotta get on TikTok, it’s the funniest thing ever! People post videos of themselves in extremely creative and entertaining ways.”

I’m curious. So I check it out.

He was right.

It’s fun. It’s addictive!

People WILL BE INFLUENCED by the content creators on it.

The question is: what’s the best strategy for us Christian entrepreneurs to develop our personal brands on TikTok so that our message can be one that is heard…even if it’s a younger demographic.

What is TikTok

We all have teenage and early-twenties friends that have mentioned TikTok, it’s the newest rage.

And it’s not just for teens. God brought this powerful branding platform for us Christian personal brands the same way He allowed for Instagam, YouTube, and Facebook to exist.

Welcome to a Christian entrepreneur’s introduction to TikTok through the perspective of leveraging TikTok for growing your God-first personal brand and influence for the Kingdom.

TikTok is a Chinese social network that puts video first. People can post short videos, edit them, add music, and post them to their TikTok followers. It’s estimated that over 500 million people use TikTok, meaning the network is larger than Twitter and Pinterest. WOW!!

TikTok (Douyin抖音) is an amazing platform to promote our Christian personal brands because if it is true that spreading our message is our calling, then short videos give us the chance to influence others with our skills, art, abilities and inspired ideas in a fast and smart consuming way.

I use TikTokmyself for 2 main reasons:

To promote my @DailyGodpreneur Personal Brand

To study this trend and adapt my B2C marketing strategies to brands that I consult and my own companies

In personal branding and marketing, things change quickly and we can’t rely on a single platform. Today we need to concentrate not only on Instagram and YouTube, but also on Tik-Tok to reach new communities online with Kingdom-minded thoughts and inspiration.

The bible says

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (mARK 16:15)

Our primary calling as Christians is to spread the word. Our SECONDARY calling is to use our business and personal brand as a means to do that.

I’ve put together a mix of strategies, tips, and advice on building a Christian personal brand on TikTok.

We focus on China, a powerful country that offers incredible possibilities for foreigners able to adapt to the social media ecosystem. For more insight about Personal Branding for Christian Entreprenerus, click here.

Who is Behind TikTok?

TikTok is for short videos mostly 15 seconds long, but with the ability to make 60 seconds long clips. While using this platform, you’re supplied with a number of songs and many filter options to customize the videos.

TikTok is owned by ByteDance. That’s the privately held company, founded in 2006, that is, according to reports, now the most highly-valued tech startup in the world. It just raised a $3bn round of funding that valued it at $75bn. So TikTok has a lot of capital behind it, which could make it more difficult for incumbents to quash it.

TikTok burst out in 2018 and became the most downloaded iPhone app, getting the nickname of “China’s Snapchat”. Chinese adore it and they use it to show their life, passion, and talents.

Its audience is extremely young and active. According to a survey, nearly 67% of TikTok’s users are under 30 and 56% of them are students. At the same time, data shows that 43% of users live in first and second-tier cities, the developed metropolitan areas.

There are so many users and they are so different, different ages, different income, different interests that almost any Christian brand could find here its target and any creator — his audience.

As far as it’s a short-video app, it is often compared with Vine (remember that!?) Vine was actually acquired by Twitter in October 2012 prior to its official launch. In 2016, however, thanks in part to growing competition from other apps including Instagram and Snapchat, it was shut down.

Vine became popular with content creators who used it to create comedy and music shorts, and it eventually grew to 200m active users. Not surprisingly, brands were eager to get in on the act as well.

6 Reasons Why You Should Use TikTok for Your Christian Personal Brand

1) Videos are easily “digested” by your fans

People love video. Our society is hectic and TikTok offers quick bits of consumption without unnecessary complications. Short videos force you to show interesting things about your talent without tricks; the storytelling must be simple and the skills easily recognizable. This makes the platform extremely natural and interesting to follow.

15-second videos are an extremely easy way to promote your inspired ideas, make people think and awaken their interest. People adore these videos because they are easy to understand and can help them to relax.

By you recording your day-to-day business life and sharing unique points of view on God via vlogs, Christian entrepreneurs can boost their personal brands and fill an unsatisfied educational, motivational or entertainment niche in their industry.

2. Your Fans are Millennials

You can just use simple in-app tools of TikTok and create original and authentic content which immediately will be delivered to a huge number of users and your customers.

Are you looking for a fresh and young audience? They’re looking for your brand here.

With the average age of a TikTok user being 13- to 24-years-old, mostly girls, TikTok is a gold mine when it comes to getting your #GodFirst message in front of Gen Z’ers.

Very creative and active, they will promote you to their friend and families, if they like you. They are looking for new things, so you can absolutely find new followers and customers here.

3. Personal Branding to Buying Your Products – Making the Switch

Ok, you’ve started and got your first audience. And what’s next? Enjoy the easy conversations with them! This audience is so affable you can receive feedback as soon as you post things.

The fastest and easiest way to engage them is by using daily challenges and a wide network of hashtags. Some of the big western brands already have created their own highly welcomed challenges.

Not so long ago fashion brand Guess launched its #InMyDenim hashtag challenge, the first-ever branded partnership with TikTok. Guess posted several “Official” videos accompanied by Bebe Rexha’s “I’m a Mess,” and then let the content creators do their work. NBC Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon lauded the app and created the #Tumbleweed Challenge. Users posted more than 8,000 videos using this hashtag.

If you want to be involved with something buzzy, something shining brand new, operate in a different way and on a platform that has the potential for visibility in a less-crowded space. TikTok was definitely created for you.

4. Learning as a process on your Personal Branding Pilgrimage

After downloading the TikTok app you’ll find yourself in the brand new world of lifestyle and culture. Actually, it’s a good way to understand the 15-24 year-olds, what they want, what they’re looking for, what they are used to. Just spend some time scrolling through videos and soon you’ll understand how your potential audience thinks.

5. Christian Speakers: use TikTok as your Online Stage

Do you have the gift of teaching? Simply show it.

Film a few short videos about yourself, your life, your work. Let people get to know you as a speaker and exhibit your skills of influence. You can take short videos when you’re at an event, you can even have your team go LIVE with you on stage.

6. Collaborate with Other Christian Entrepreneurs

Nowadays young, highly-influenceable Christian entrepreneurs are presented with a lot of options and alternatives of similar type teachings. So we have to collaborate to present new and innovative thoughts to those that will listen.

I’ve been collaborating more with other Christian business influencers, it’s definitely on the rise within our industry. If you want to TikTok together, let me know! Since we share common goals, values, target market, and business objectives, it’s a no-brainer. Together, we could reveal the one thing our audiences never done which could transform their business life forever. Everyone wins!

Conclusion and Tips on using TikTok for Christian Personal Brands

At the moment, TikTok is a new and unfamiliar territory for us Christian business owners. Many companies are still afraid to step on unstable soil. But for Christians who want to spread their message to the world, especially the young, the return on investment might be high for the months to come! I suggest approaching the platform with a Personal Branding Strategy that leads to a clear God-First Business Branding Focus. Step by step. Don’t be boring on TikTok, be influential!

TikTok has the potential of being a major platform like Instagram and Facebook and shouldn’t be easily dismissed.

The app is still in its infancy, but the number of users joining is impressive. It’s still too early to tell the future of the app, as it may continue to rise in popularity or it could plummet.

If you are looking for your way to reach a young, new audience, an easy way to understand it and gain some interest from it TikTok is for you.

Get more Tiktok fans and strengthen your brand on this platform by checking out this infographic from Digimush.

TikTok – What’s The Strategy For Christian Personal Brands? was originally published on Daily Godpreneur with Alex Miranda

#mark #tiktok

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benandcoblog · 7 years ago

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Product Design at the Boeing Company w/ Liz Juhnke

The first airplane successfully flown 115-years-ago by Wilbur and Orville Wright in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina has always inspired me. To this day, inventors and engineers are still pushing aerodynamics to the limit with modern aircraft that ultimately provide safe transport from airport to airport. Not all landings go smoothly; I witnessed some terrifying landings in Germany due to crosswinds. How do pilots combat that? Integrated but complex interface systems and user/computer experience.

“Boeing has some of the most complex systems in the world. And for a good reason—hundreds of thousands of human lives are in our hands every day.”

— Liz Juhnke, Data Scientist & Product Designer, Boeing

Today, I have the absolute pleasure of chatting with Liz Juhnke, the Senior Product Designer and Data Scientist for The Boeing Company.

Ben Libby: You absolutely love what you do. How did you get started? How long have you been doing it? Were you a nerd in high school?

Liz Juhnke: I’ve always loved computers. In high school, I was the co-editor-in-chief for the yearbook, and I digitally cut all the music for my drill team (upgrading us from cassettes). I went into college intent on studying oncology, but chemistry quickly weeded me out. Next, I tried computer science. I understood the concepts but didn’t quite feel like I fit in. Then, I tried Informatics. As luck would have it, I found my people. We are the extroverted engineers.

I was attracted to the technology aspect and how Informatics focuses on people and how they think. While I’ve learned over 10 different programming languages, I don’t particularly love coding. I would rather be talking with real people about their problems and needs, and visually validating solutions.

Ben: Data science and designer infographics go really well together. Have you ever given data science to a graphic designer so he/she could build/design an infographic?

Liz: Hmmm, well, Data Science and User Centered Design (UCD) skills do go hand in hand. I’ve been uniquely fortunate to study both. UCD skills help build context around a user population and a problem. Assuming that you have access to related data, the data science methods help you more quickly come to insights and/or recommendations about something. However, it’s only worth spending the time and money if you’re going to take action on the results.

If I were on a business operations team, it would definitely be good to work with someone who has an eye for design to make sure the business information I was providing was coming across as accurate, easy to read, and unbiased. The value of combining the two disciplines is more about what the data is saying and that it’s easily understood.

In my line of work, I work closely with data scientists to develop features. Consider the Amazon “recommended items for you” feature. Data Science works on figuring out what items are related to the product you’re looking at. It’s my job to figure out how you would best recognize and understand those recommendations, and how you could most easily take action (purchase!).

Ben: Human Computer Interaction (HCI)—do you think there are two different sides of this, such as one part being the psychology behind the interface and the other visuals that stimulate the brain?

Liz: Essentially! Psychology is the study of the mind—how humans understand and interact with the world. The mind dictates user behavior, motivation, emotion, reaction, perception, and on and on! HCI takes this study and applies it to all things technology. The user’s mental models are shaped by the user's past experiences and learning. All of these fascinating user characteristics is what UX professionals seek to understand! When I put a design in front of you, I'm using a visual to validate my assumptions about your expectations. I am seeking to learn your problems, needs, and triggers for action. I am seeking to understand what will motivate you to choose my particular call to action. Visuals are more than just pretty pictures that stimulate the brain. Visuals are a huge part of this quest because they bring teams to a shared understanding of a solution. Prototypes are so powerful because we are talking about something concrete, and iterating on it together based on our own ideas instead of talking at each other abstractly.

Ben: What’s one insanely complicated design challenge you faced (that’s not confidential), how did you approach it, and what were the results?

Liz: Boeing has some of the most complex systems in the world. And for a good reason—hundreds of thousands of human lives are in our hands every day. I am fortunate to be able to sink my teeth into some really high visibility engineering challenges with the best folks. It’s been an awesomely diverse range of projects too, from standard web apps to RFID scanners and HoloLens concepts.

A recent design challenge was for the safety of our mechanics at the Delivery Centers, where finishing touches are put on our beautiful planes, and loose ends are tied. This means they could be working on literally any system. They are also working in one of the most hazardous environments in the world—a powered plane. If you imagine what it would take to replace the garbage disposal in your house by yourself, you have an idea of what our mechanics might be tasked with day-to-day.

I was asked to help evaluate the safety of our Lock Out Tag Out Try Out (LOTO) program. This rigorous process ensures that the plane can be fully powered so that some mechanics can work/test in one area of the plane, while other systems are “de-energized” so other mechanics can work on other areas safely. Needless to say, it’s complicated! I gave a paper at MIT last year on our evaluation process using STPA. All rigorous processes come with cognitive friction, so I set out with my team to discover what was causing the friction and how we could minimize it.

Observation is king. Step one is always to understand your end user’s environment, tasks, and concerns. I brought a user-centered aspect to the safety analysis. During the research study, I was also tasked with hosting monthly check-ins with the LOTO focals. This ended up being an excellent forum for focals to bring up concerns in a safe place. This feedback ultimately helped me build trust with the mechanics that would later evolve into user adoption of the prototype we built for them to manage production operations better!

Ben: You’ve been with Boeing for a long time, have you picked out your favorite airplane they’ve produced over the years? (I’m totally going with the B-2 Stealth Bomber, I want a ride someday.) When you retire, do you think Boeing will let you take home one of their airplanes (if you had room in your garage)?

Liz: Haha. Yes, eight years has really flown by! I love summers in Seattle, and during Seafair, the Blue Angels always put on an amazing show. Top Gun is also one of my favorite movies. So naturally, the F-18 is one of my favorite products. I hate to “choose sides” amongst our commercial fleet because they are all amazing planes, but I really love the 787. The Hazardous Energy project allowed me to spend a lot of quality time with the mechanics and the planes. On the 787, almost all of the circuit breakers are digital—accessed from the flight deck with computer-like, multi-function displays. 787s are also really impressive with electronically dimmable windows.

Ben: For those wanting to get into Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience, what would your advice be? Any great books that you have on your shelf?

Liz: The Bible for the Boeing Product Design practice right now is Lean UX. During the past year, we’ve put an extra focus on lean design and doing just the right amount of design and research. It’s been a challenge for me being classically trained in whole systems design. However, it’s helping me to laser focus on listening to users and making sure that the feedback and ideas are coming from their side of the screen. Other books we love: Communicating the UX Vision, Just Enough Research, Don’t Make Me Think, Start with Why, Creative Confidence (also David Kelley's TED talk is amazing).

If you’re just starting college and think this might be a possible career, check out the Informatics program at UW or a similar school. If you like computers and people, telling stories, drawing and communicating visually; if you are fascinated with how the mind works, how people interact with technology and how you might be able to make people’s lives easier—this might be the career for you. Alternatively, some aspects of the job, which David Kelley mentions in Creative Confidence, are scary: working in the messy unknown, talking to strangers, losing control of what you want in favor of what end users need, public speaking, being artistic, creative, and sharing incomplete work. If these are situations where you would not run out the door screaming, you might be able to thrive in this job!

Things I’m doing to build my design career—engaging with my peers on the Seattle Designers Slack channel, following a lot of companies and colleagues who post great articles on LinkedIn, and attending local meetups (my favorite is the Design Thinking Seattle Meetup)

So many great opportunities for Product Designers are out there right now. If you are seeking that dream job, make sure to verify that it aligns with your core design values. For me, right now, a fulfilling job looks like making end users more productive, faster, smarter and happier through productivity tools. I believe my fulfillment comes from building great relationships and delighting users. Delight is a Zen state that few designers stick around long enough to achieve—delight is a state far past useful and usable that most product managers fail to prioritize because those features are not “must haves.” We are advocates for the end users. No one else will advocate for delight.

Thank you for encouraging my behavior.

Connect with Liz on LinkedIn or at a Design Thinking Meetup!

Liz Juhnke is a recognized thought leader in human-computer interaction and mobile design. Her specialty is making interfaces invisible, deciphering user expectations and managing emotions. At present, Liz is focusing on growing the user experience capability at Boeing by pairing with product designers from around the company to collaborate on designs in their new Digital Transformation Environment. She also leads the Boeing User Experience Community of Excellence, hosting monthly learnings and community usability consultations. She has delivered numerous web and mobile productivity tools and facilitated many “Design Thinking Workshops” for teams across major Boeing programs, including Commercial Aircraft, Manufacturing and Quality, Regulatory Administration, IT, and Rotorcraft.

#boeing #productdesign #interview #blogging #article

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ollybenson · 6 years ago

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Evaluation

Olly Benson

Curiosities Evaluation

Introduction

This FMP ‘Curiosity’ is the first time that I have been presented a brief where I have been able to largely dictate pretty much every aspect leading up to an outcome as well as the outcome itself. This was an exciting challenge to me as it allows me to explore aspects of graphic design and 3D that interests me most, showcase my skills I have learnt throughout the past 2 years as well as continue to develop these skills even more.

Given that the name of this brief is ‘Curiosities’, the only real guideline is that the project has to be based around something we are curious about. This guideline is very flexible as with the correct explanation in my blog I could have based my project around whatever I wanted.

While being able to work so loosely to no specific theme was seen as a exciting idea in my eyes, I did consider that there could be a number of negatives to working in this way. For example, I think it would be very easy to lose the general sense of direction at any point throughout the project. I imagined that it could be very easy to get lost or confused leading onto more confusion and an eventual break down. Along with this, without the help of a tutor I felt as though it could be very easy to conduct the wrong/unnecessary research with no clear theme.

My initial idea for this project was to base my theme around architecture. This is because I am strongly interested in architecture and it is the field of work that I desire to study at university. To explore this, I planned to create something 3D using at least 2 different materials such as wood, plastic or metals, as well as create some digital Illustrations to compliment my 3D outcome. I started to look at architects such as Malevich and Le Corbusier and this gave me the idea to create a modern 3D model of a building that had a removable roof and moveable modern furniture. However, this idea is very similar to my ‘Glitch’ project where I created a series or geometric, futuristic models of building along with some 2D digital Illustrations that showed a 360 degree view of one of the models. Whilst that project was probably my most successful one, in terms of what grade I got up to that point, I think it was important that I don’t just replicate it as it wouldn’t show that I am able to create work with a variety of approaches and styles, and would ultimately make my portfolio quite boring. Also looking at the timeframe I had, I think it was quite unrealistic that I would be able to create the model as well as the separate pieces of furniture to a high enough level.

Considering this, I wanted to focus my project on a certain field of architecture so that I could learn about new processes that I could eventually go on an use when I go into Foundation next year followed by university.

At our trip to the Design Museum, I got a collection of pictures of visually creative chairs each made with different materials; wood, plastic and cardboard. I was really interested in how these chairs were made and the thought process behind designing them. Additionally, we were asked in class to choose from our pictures of this trip and create some Illustrations in the style of Michael Craig-Martin. For this task I chose the picture I had taken of these chairs. This is what kickstarted my project ‘Graphic Chairs’.

Research and Influences

To generate some initial ideas, as a class we each collected 10 objects from a list of 30 given to us in a list. These were objects such as; something brand new, a house plant, 5 words to describe us. The reason behind this was to look at these objects and generate mind maps consisting of what ideas these objects gave us. For example I looked at an ice cream scoop shaped as a cow, this gave me the ideas of; children toys, looking at kitchen utensils in a graphically interesting way, dairy products (advertising, branding), infographics about food/sugar etc. Breaking down 10 different objects like this, creating mind maps and sketching, allowed me to generate loads of different ideas that I could have potentially explored for my FMP.

When we collected all the 10 objects, we inserted them into a display box that we had created ourselves that would be a visual representation of the contents within our proposal. I created my box mainly out of wood, but I also applied metal sheets around the outside of my box. These sheets I had tempered with before I applied them. This showcased that one of my strongest areas was in the RM/ WMP workshop. My box came across rather gothic as I added a chain and lock to the front of it, this gothic style wasn’t something I had initially aimed to go for as it isn’t my favourite styles. Despite this I think my box worked quite successfully.

Along with this, I created a few different mood boards that visually explored graphics that interest me; Clothing/Street wear, Advertising, Architecture and Sports. While this didn’t necessarily generate loads of ideas, it allowed me to identify what styles interest me most and made me consider how I could use my personal styles and interests to adapt my developments and outcomes throughout ‘Curiosity’.

As I was initially hoping to base my project on architecture, I went on to research renowned architects such as Malevich, Le Corbusier and Eliot Noyes. I looked at their different styles and approaches to architecture and asked myself questions such as; What Is more important; purpose or aesthetic? How can I combine both visuals an practicality to create something interesting? How can I use simple forms to create something visually complex?

What is more appealing; simplicity or complication? These are good questions to ask as even if my project change direction to something like advertising, these questions would still be just as relevant.

After this, we went to the Design Museum in London. This trip opened my eyes to all the different types of design such as street signs, architecture (materials and styles), gadgets (phones, typewriters), chairs and furniture. Most noticeably, chairs. I gathered a collection of visually unique and interesting chairs. At this point, I knew I wanted to base my project around architecture but I wasn’t exactly sure what area specifically. I think this trip was the strongest influence on my project as it opened my eyes to chair design and how it can actually be quite interesting when you think creatively. Before when I thought of chairs, I would think of something very simple with four legs that looks very generic. However once I saw the chairs on display at the museum I thought about all the different ways you can make a chair look interesting. Chairs are a vital part of buildings as well as our every day lives, so they still link in with architecture and would still be viable to put in my portfolio when applying for architecture courses for university.

Going to the museum was also important for my project as It was my first piece of primary research, as it was important that I hadn’t conducted all of my research over the internet using secondary sources. Once I had decided to base my project on chairs, I researched using books such as ‘Design as art’ by Bruno Munari that showed me a variety of sketches of chairs, exploring different shapes, lines and styles. Along with this, books such as ‘Design as architecture’ - Marcel Breuer, and ‘How to design a chair’. In previous projects I hadn’t used books for research as much as I should have and these books were very influential when I was sketching and designing my final chair, so in conclusion I think I am going to look to use books more than I have in previous projects.

When I was considering the composition of my chair, I researched famous chair designers such as Marcel Breuer and Charles and Ray Eames. Charles and Ray Eames were very influential on my project with their use of ply wood. Before when I would think of plywood I would think it was a very rough and messy looking wood. However if it is used correctly It can look very polished. Charles Eames used the process of moulding plywood using heat and moisture, however I didn’t have the equipment necessary to do this. Despite this, I still wanted to use plywood cause I liked the finish it gave. Along with this, plywood was a good option as the college have an abundance of it. Generally, plywood is quite cheap, so that means my chair would be very versatile and cost friendly.

To gather more ideas when I was designing my chair, I asked a number of students around class to simply ‘Draw me a chair’.That was my only instruction to them as I wanted them to draw their initial interpretation of a chair whether it be simple or complicated. This allowed me to compare the designs and analyse what styles and shapes people favour over others. This research was also vital as it was another piece of primary research.

Along with this, I looked online at unique chairs made from unorthodox materials such as rope, old cans or bottles and even full-sized chairs made from purely cardboard. This allowed me to consider the practicality of my chair but also how can I make it stand out? Could I realistically make it out of random materials? During this research, I messaged one of the designers on Instagram called Tom Price whom created a chair solely from rope that he had moulded a chair seat out of using a metal chair-shaped former which he heated with a combination of heaters and hot air guns. While I found out that It would not be possible for me to do this, It still inspired me to use a material like rope in my chair as it gave it a unique appearance.

Finally, during the construction of my chair I researched a number of processes of chair making. This includes different joining methods; What looks the best? What are the strongest? What is easiest to create? Along with this I researched different methods of wood sculpting and sanding; the artist Haroshi opened my eyes to a different type of sculpting that I had never thought of before. Additionally, I researched the different types of varnishes/finishing oils to eventually determine which one I would apply to my finished chair.

Throughout the project my research was quite consistently evidenced on my blog complimented with mind maps breaking down different artists quotes, approaches to design and aspects of their work that I put into my production file. Along with this I had sheets that allowed me to compare the work of multiple chair designers, looking at what I think work well or not, allowing me to come to a conclusion on the design or my chair.

I have been able to develop my critical thinking in all areas, but especially on the design of chairs which is an area of architecture that I hadn’t explored before. This will prove to be beneficial to me in the future where I will be able to showcase my skills in chair design in any job or course I do in years to come.

Experimentation and Development

First of all, as a class we completed 3 workshops that allowed us to experiment with different areas of Graphic Design such as typography (using different materials), screen printing (Inspired by Robert Rauschenberg) and also letter press (Inspired by David Carson). These workshops were important as they ensured that our projects were open to a variety of processes and not just our one idea that we want to do. They also gave us a number of artists that we could research and look at their approaches to graphic design, even if it wasn’t relevant to our final idea, It was still important to have a open mind.

When I decided to base my project on chairs I decided to create a variety of 3D experiments of models of chairs. To do this I used a large variety of materials such as cardboard, polystyrene, wood, metal and plastic. This allowed me to experiment with these materials and figure out which are most practical when creating a chair, but also which looks more effective than others. I went on to conclude that wood was the most practical material to use especially in the time line that I had. These experiments were also very important as they allowed me to explore different forms of chairs.

Further developments of these chairs included spray painting one of the wooden models and one of the polystyrene models. This was very beneficial to me as I have never spray painted before so I have learnt a new process. But I have also learnt that It may not be the best type of paint to apply to my chair as it has quite a shiny un natural appearance. Along with this, I decided to slightly burn one of the wooden models so that It had black burn marks around it. I think this worked very successfully as it added character to the model and made it quite visually interesting to look at compared to before. However this is also a process that I would have to be careful with if I was applying it to my final piece as once you do it there is no going back.

One of the new skills I learnt during this project was using the Hot Wire Tool in the RM room that Is used to slice through polystyrene. I quite enjoyed using this tool and was happy that I was able to learn something new whilst also generating ideas. However my polystyrene models weren’t very good as I wasn’t very good at using this tool. It has given me room to expand and develop on though when I go onto foundation as I would be quite interested in exploring sculpting with polystyrene, eventually going onto sanding it down to create smooth but precise details.

Alternatively, I created lots of sketches exploring different designs. I have a page consisting of simple geometric shapes, then a page consisting of generic chair forms. And then pages consisting of abstract shaped chairs using weird materials such as plastic tubes. From simple forms using basic shapes to quite complex designs; I was able to think of an idea that was inspired by The Eames, Tom Price and my own ideas that I am very happy with and proud of.

In class we was introduced to Michael Craig Martin, an artist who creates loads of simple

Illustrations exploring the shapes and lines of simple objects. This style interests me as I am intrigued by how he is able to make something so simple work so effectively.

At first, I wanted to also have a Illustration in the style of Michael Craig Martin that I could potentially install behind my chair in the exhibition that I would imagine would have complimented my chair quite nicely. However I did not have time to do this as I just about finished my chair on the day it was hand in, so I didn’t have time to take a picture of my chair then create a high quality digital illustration of it.

Once I had created a couple sketches of my final design before I started reading it, I decided to create a accurate digital sketch of my idea to present to Dave and the technicians in the work shop. I had done this as I thought this would be a much clearer way to show people my idea where as a sketch has the potential to be confusing. I annotated it with measurements that I based on chairs within the college. I decided to make my chair slightly larger than normal to ensure comfort as if the base of the seat isn’t wide enough it could seem more narrow than normal considering it is made from rope.

I was initially told I could either use MDF, plywood or try buy some wood myself to bring in. However I was running out of time so was hoping to use a wood that the college already had. To buy my own wood could cost me a lot of money as well. So my choice was between plywood or MDF. To experiment, I created the base of my chair 2 times using either one of these woods. I concluded that plywood was far more attractive to the eye and it would require less cutting out of wood as MDF is a lot thinner. This means that it is less likely that I would make a mistake.

The development of my final piece took roughly 2-3 weeks to finish. This included cutting out all the the strips of wood using the chop saw, laminating the plywood together, inserting dowels to ensure strength, piecing the wood together to overlap the corners, then sanding each individual piece of wood using 6 different types of sandpaper to ensure a really smooth finish, piecing all the pieces together, painting over it with finishing oil with 2 layers and finally applying the rope.

I thought that I used my time creating a body of work quite efficiently as I was able to create a wide variety of experimentations along with a refined outcome that is supported by the research and the development throughout the project.

Solution

I think the message of my project is that although chairs are very often overlooked and considered mundane by most people, they have the potential to be very visually exciting and in my opinion can bring a whole room together in terms of appearance and function. Different aspect of chair design such as form, material and size can all come together to create something that can draw people in that originally may have no interest in them before. For instance, before this project I don’t think I had ever really looked at and considered the forms of different chairs. It wasn’t really an area that I had any interest in before. However, since I have done my research and thought of loads of different ideas and eventually created a refined outcome, chair design is something that I am now very interested in. Every time I look at a chair I will consider its practicality against its appearance/ function over form.

My initial curiosity into architecture has drawn me into a more specific area of architecture that I will now be able to say that I have experience with. Along with this once I had conducted my research on chairs, my curiosity into the use of different materials and styles has allowed me to create a design that I believe is unique. I feel as though the use of laminated ply wood has worked very effectively. When I was initially told that I could either use MDF of plywood I was quite disappointed as my impression of these woods were that they both looked quite messy and cheap. However plywood can look very good when sanded down and laminated. The appearance of my piece is very much catered towards my personal style. I also think the use of soft cotton rope as the base of the chair has worked quite successfully as this rope is very soft and stretchy.

One of the negatives of my chair is that it rocks very slightly. If I had more time I would sand the bottom of the chair down so that It is all completely flat so that it wouldn’t rock.

Another one of the negatives of my project is that I haven’t worked tightly to a plan. As I have been quite busy outside of college, I haven’t been able to create a strict time plan to allow me to consistently finish off my blog posts and experimentations. My blog posts have been something I have gone on to push aside as I have developed my final outcome.

Along with this, I feel as though I could have generated more experimentations building up to deciding my decision on what I am going to base my FMP on. Apart from what we had done in workshops I feel as though there wasn’t much experimentations in my own time that explore different aspects of graphic design.

Some of the successful part of my project are that I feel as though I have created a creative chair that could catch the eye of some people. Considering that I had no history with chair design before this project, I am quite proud of my outcome and the different processes that I have learnt throughout. Along with this, I have created something that I can put into my portfolio when applying for university or jobs in the future.

To analyse the effectiveness of my chair, I plan to apply my chair in real life situations such as dining rooms, class rooms or offices to see what environments they fit in. From here I could give out a peer feedback sheet and ask my peers to choose which one works most effectively. Alternatively, I could email my chair to a professional architecture firm to get their feedback.

Overall, I think I can get more positives from this project than negatives. I have learnt a lot of new skills both technically and in terms of how to build and follow a project that I have largely created myself. I have really enjoyed this project and would probably consider it my favourite one during this course.

Throughout the past 2 years I have learnt loads of new skills, both technical graphic skills as well as general life skills. These practical skills include; a strong understanding of the majority of tools on digital packages Photoshop and Illustrator. These are programmes that I had never used before and now I would say I would be able to teach someone quite a lot if I need to. Along with this, my confidence with my general sketching skills have improved greatly. Even before this project I would have said that my sketching was one of my weakest areas which is concerning considering sketching is a large part of architecture. Throughout this project I have taught myself to sketch freely without putting too much pressure on myself to make the sketch accurate. This had allowed me to create a large quantity of sketches that prove to be a great foundation the the planning of my chair and my project as a whole. Additionally, I have also improved a huge amount with my resistant materials skills. Before starting this graphics course, I had never really worked on materials such as woods or metals. Now I have created a fully functional chair that (to me) is aesthetically appealing and unique.

Along with these technical skills, I would say that my general confidence has grown a huge amount over the past 2 years. I am now able to successfully hold group conversations with people, brainstorming ideas. This will prove to be hugely beneficial to me in the future as a huge part of being an architect is being able to discuss ideas with clients, responding to them and generating something that works with everyones best interests.

It is hard to say which one of these skills are most important as all sketching, resistant materials and confidence skills are a huge part of architecture. They will all prove to be very beneficial to me as I go on to develop and refine these skills next year on the foundation course, 4 years after that at university and then when I eventually go on to full time employment, hopefully as an architect.

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bennettblogstuff · 6 years ago

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More Infographics

After establishing what an infographic is, I need to look at some artist or designers who have created interesting and engaging infographic for inspiration. Nicholas Felton is one of the best known designers for this. He is an entrepreneur and artist whose work looks at translating data into meaningful images and experiences. He has created many reports that condense the events of a year into a array of maps, graphs and statistics. This makes information easy to understand from a topic that may be complicated to talk about. As well as creating these reports he is the creator the of Facebook timeline.

Elemental

This project aims to create each of the 118 known elements in 3D. From the description of this design, he says that the problem he had was the constraints of the periodic table. Therefore he had to learn and come up with different ways depicting gases, liquids and solids while focusing on the subtle changes that differentiate one element from another. What I like about this is that he has created interesting shapes with eye-catching detail in order associate the image with the element. This helps to keep a mental image of element is so that it enhances your learning so its easily memorable

After looking at this I find it really difficult to comprehend how he creates these visual experiences with the data. On his website it shows his design process and how he goes about using his sketches to create these experiences. This process is the same way for what we do but its just more experienced. You can also take class which gives you a more in depth version of what you should do in creating a infographic. It will show you how to:

“transform information into graphics, and unlock the storytelling power of data.”

What I found interesting about this was that he said that if you take a segment of a news paper and made a infographic about it, everyone would interpret the information from a different point of view. This means everyone will have a different idea to display the same information.

Below is a infographic to do with a white brand called, “Between Five Bells”. He has designed these infographic to used as labels for the bottles. The label shows data surrounding the wine brand giving you information about its vintage, grape varieties, and the weather conditions of the vintage. Basically the wine labels are designed to grab your attention and tell a story about the brand. I really like how its represented with the combination of typeface and graphics. It gives a feeling of an abstract piece of art rather than information. It also reminds me of a swirling glass of wine, which fitting for what he is trying to show.

In the 2008 Annual Report, he designed an infographic based on himself and showed his day to day life and events that happen during that year. This infographic shows the distance he has travelled. This total was 38,524 miles, which includes the miles, “flown, driven, walked, swam, run alongside those travelled in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV.“ What I like about this design is its bold and easy to follow which makes you want to read it and find out what all the information means, which is the feeling I get with all his pieces. I also think its a good idea to give people an insight to what his life is like.

#ixd104 #infographic

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isusanna · 6 years ago

Photo

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HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT:

[SEO content] – 9 Techniques to quickly rank your law firm in google

[SEO] Is it worth guest blogging for law firm?

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FAQ

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Create your ‘Google My Business’ account

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There are plenty of directories online. You can choose the top ones that will add value to your law firm.

b) Location links

You can get backlinks from other local websites and blogs. You can guest blog for other Legal blogs and get a link back to your website. Better Business Bureau is an important directory where you can get an extra vote of confidence online for your Law firm.

c) Scholarship backlinks

Educational institutions have high-authority in the online market. You can approach universities and colleges to mention about your law firm and get a link back to your website. Google has a high ‘trustrank’ for them, which will benefit you.

d) ‘No follow’ links from social media

Social media not only builds your presence on its channels but also your social media accounts generate a ‘no follow’ hyperlink for your brand/website.

10. Measure and iterate your SEO KPIs

Measure and analyze your SEO KPIs frequently to check the results of the strategies implemented. The 4 KPIs to measure are,

Rankings – check to rank for main keywords on Google

Traffic – a number of visitors generated by organic search

Pages – traffic received on landing pages that were targeted

Leads – visits converted to leads

You can measure using tools like Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager.

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#SEO #Law Firm SEO #Law Firm Marketing

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