#The Moon and flowers contain massive significance

[aliencatwafers]

Stargazer Lillies

Of which Veenie wanders on a endless grassy plain illuminated by mere moonlight.

[sturnioloshacker]

red roses & starry nights - a vinnie hacker short

a/n: and we’re back to writing again! a little rusty so bear with me! with valentine’s day coming up, i thought i would conjure up something cute, enjoy this one :)

valentine’s day. the day of romance and love. the day of celebrating your love for your significant other. the day i celebrate 6 months of my relationship with my boyfriend vinnie. 

waking up to soft kisses on my cheek, i roll over to face the boy i have fallen head over heels for. 

“happy 6 months and happy valentine’s day beautiful”, he whispers against my lips before kissing them with so much passion.

whispering those same words back to him, a cute makeout session begins. we both roll out from our shared bed and begin to get ready for the day. i head to the bathroom and notice a sticky note on the mirror.

happy valentine’s day my pretty love! today we celebrate 6 months of loving each other. prepare to be spoiled. i love you so much xoxo

smiling to myself, i begin my usual morning routine. after looking at myself in the full body mirror in the corner of our shared room, i walk downstairs to find a massive bouquet of red roses in the middle of the dining table.

“vinnie! what the-?”

“it’s not much, but i got you this”.

“that’s more roses than i’ve ever seen in my life!”

“do you like them?”, nervousness lacing his voice

“like them? i absolutely adore them! thank you, thank you, thank you!”

running up to my boyfriend, i leap into his arms and press kisses all over his cute little face. setting me down, i grab the flowers and separate them into smaller bunches and place them in vases to set around the house.

as i’m placing the vases around the house, i notice more and more sticky notes, each of them containing romantic compliments that make my heart flutter. coming across the final note on my bedside table, i remove the sticky note and place the flowers in its position.

so you’ve come across the final note! i know how much you love the moon and the stars, how about you join me for dinner under them tonight?

shut. up. is he serious?! i rush to the shower to freshen up and get ready for what is about to be such an amazing night!

i head downstairs to find vinnie leaning against his rx-7, waiting for me. saying goodbye to jett, jack, max and adam, i close the door behind me and hop into the car. 

we unpack the car and enjoy a cute picnic dinner under a sky full of stars. multiple conversations about life, the future of our relationship and plans for our 1 year anniversary were discussed as well as throwing horrible pick up lines and mushy compliments back and forth between each other. after a moment of comfortable silence, i decide to speak up.

“so i noticed a bunch of blankets and pillows in the trunk. may i ask why?”

“i was thinking we sleep under this beautiful night sky. what do you say?”

“vinnie, oh my god! let’s do it!”

kissing me, vinnie heads to the car and unloads all of our bedding that was once on our bed and now on the soft patch of grass. after setting it up, we tuck ourselves in and immediately wrap our arms around each other. 

“thank you for tonight, vin! you are the best boyfriend I could ever ask for! you have made me feel so loved and so special, i honestly don’t deserve you or everything you did to-"

“shush, i don’t want to hear it. you deserve all this and more, whether you believe it or not.”

teary-eyed, i hide my face in the crook of his neck, placing small kisses there. we stay like that for a little longer before i look back up at vinnie and kiss him with everything that i have in me. 

“goodnight bub, thank you for today. happy valentine’s day and happy 6 months. i love you so much”.

“goodnight princess.  happy valentine’s day and happy 6 months. i love you so much”.

[we-love-imagines]

I love your blog!! Can I get some Giorno bf hcs?

Aw, Thanks! While this post doesn’t contain any major spoilers for part 5, these hcs are set after it ends when Giorno is a little older. I tagged for spoilers just in case! Enjoy!

Giorno Boyfriend Hcs

~Giorno is definitely the type of guy to know what you’re feeling before you do. He is so comically good at reading your emotions, it’s baffling. There’s also no hiding things from him; if you have a secret or surprise in the works, he’s gonna sniff it out in no time.

~If you work within Passione, Giorno will use his power as the Don to straight-up fire you. Don’t worry, there’s no malice behind it- he’s doing it to protect you. He knows being the significant other of the Don puts a massive target on your back, so he tries to remove you from any situations that could put you in danger. He’ll even send security detail with you if you go out into town without him. He’s so fiercely overprotective of you that it can be suffocating at times. If you get huffy about no longer being able to go on missions, he’ll let you help him out with paperwork. If you insist on staying in the line of action, he’ll let you be a personal bodyguard of his. Though, secretly, he does it keep his eye on you.

~Such a big cuddler! After a long day or at the start of a lazy morning, Giorno loves to curl up and hold you close. He’s also very touch-starved, so if you hug him back in any capacity, he’ll eat it up. He tends to take on the big-spoon roll, but on especially hard days, he just wants to put his head in your lap and sleep.

~The first time you big-spooned him, he probably cried.

~Giorno finds it hard to accept that he was wrong. He’s a natural leader, and usually makes the right call when it comes to tough choices, but it’s difficult for him to admit that he made a mistake. He’s just so used to hearing “Yes, Boss,” and “Right away, Don Giovanna,” after proposing an idea. When fights occur, he tends to dig in his heels and deny any wrongdoing on his part until he truly sees how much he’s messed up. The one thing he will never budge on is your safety- as strict as it may be, it’s all for your sake.

~Giorno is not a talkative person- unless he is with you. He sees his partner as a confidant of sorts, someone he can be himself around and share his thoughts with. While he’ll certainly try and hide the more traumatic and shady parts of his life, he’ll definitely come vent to you after a busy day. He’d also be more inclined to speak on his interests around you, and he’ll rant and rave about various plants and animals he finds fascinating.

~Look. Giorno has had crushes before, but becoming Don of the Mafia at age 15 keeps you busy. He’s never had the proper time for a relationship before. While he’s certainly charming, with his well-kept appearance and calm voice that would put anyone at ease, he isn’t very smooth. While Bruno can make you melt with just his words alone, Giorno definitely needs some practice. It’s not that he’s bad, he’s just new to the game and tends to go overboard a bit!

~Giorno loves the domestic lifestyle. When you two decide to move in together, he’ll be over the moon. His childhood was rough, and he never truly felt like he had a happy home to go back to, but having someone to do cute little household activities with changes that. You show him what he missed during his lonely childhood- sticky notes on his desk reminding him to not work too hard, longing kisses before long trips away, and the warm feeling of snuggling together in PJs. While it’s hard to live the more traditional, homey domestic lifestyle when you have waitstaff and chefs at your beck and call, it’s truly comforting knowing that you two have made a home together.

~The type of guy who would be thinking about marriage a month into a relationship. It may be that he’s a tad naïve and new to romance, but he falls hard! He’s not stupid enough to propose that soon, but know that he’s more inclined to rush things with you. At least you know he’s in it for the long haul!

~When it comes to kids, Giorno would be frightened- he doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes of the people who brought him into this world. However, after seeing how well you two adjust to domesticity, his strong convictions will kick in soon enough. He wants to prove to the world that he’s more than his lineage; if he brings someone into the world, he’d give them the best life he possibly could despite his own family’s failures.

~Spoils you rotten. Why wouldn’t he? He’s probably the wealthiest man in all of Italy! While he definitely takes you on expensive dates and trips, he loves giving you pricey clothes and jewelry. He knows he’s got style, and he likes the ‘power couple’ aura you both give off when you both enter a room looking like royalty.

~Golden Experience (and by extension, GER) are gonna be all over you. The Stand itself suits itself well towards romantic situations- making flowers and butterflies appear out of thin air helps Giorno create an instant amorous atmosphere. When he was first starting to woo you, he made so many roses with GE that you weren’t able to carry them all! His Stand doesn’t appear often, but it’s very sweet with you if you can see it. It likes to make things easier for you, like transforming something heavy you’re carrying into cute little dragonflies.

~If you can’t see GE, I don’t think Giorno is ever going to tell you about his Stand. He might just tell you he’s a magician; Giorno loves seeing the awe on your face whenever he does a little ‘magic trick’ and makes a bouquet appear from seemingly thin air. Eventually, he may come around and tell you- but for now, your boyfriend is a magic man.

~Giorno may be a little inexperienced, but his overabundance of care and affection for you makes up for that in full!

More JJBA Boyfriend HCs!

Jotaro

Rohan

Bruno

[becomewings]

BTS Universe Timeline

» next 

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this guide is to chronologically map the major plot points of BTS Universe (BU), a fictional transmedia narrative centered on the lives of seven young men who share names with the members portraying them. The complexity of the timeline is magnified by the time loops that begin and reset on 11 April Year 22, so careful attention will be given to tracing how the loops diverge from one another after that date. The guide will be published over multiple posts.

Most of the information in the timeline is drawn from the official English-version publications of The Notes: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life 1 and The Notes: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life 2 (hereafter shortened to Notes 1 and Notes 2). Other resources are referenced as necessary, including the Notes released with certain physical albums, the Save Me webtoon, the official BU content in the BTS Universe Story mobile game, and BU music videos/short films. Summaries from the album Notes are based on translations by twitter user @/origamifirefly. Character names are abbreviated in parentheses next to the print sources to indicate the perspective from which the original entries are written.

Dates are presented as they appear in the texts. The single or double-digit year number most likely corresponds with SeokJin’s age rather than a calendar year. (In Korea’s age-calculating system, everyone’s age increases by one year on January 1st regardless of when their birthday falls in the calendar.) There are enough clues scattered throughout the text to suggest that the characters’ ages reflect the real-life age differences of the members. For example, JungKook is five years younger than SeokJin; they overlap in high school because SeokJin is held back a grade after returning from the American school system. Ages that are explicitly stated in official sources will be included in the timeline whenever possible.

BTS Universe deals with many difficult and potentially triggering themes, so please read the content warning in the Timeline Guide before proceeding. The Guide section will be included on all future posts for quick reference.

TIMELINE GUIDE

Content warning: contains references to death, suicide, suicidal ideation, child abuse, domestic violence, blood, homicide, depression, trauma, PTSD

This guide contains major spoilers from all BU media

Revisions and additions will be made as necessary, so please visit the original post for the most up-to-date version (update log is included at bottom of post)

All names are provided as fully as known

Bracketed dates are inferred or calculated from references in the text

While the timeline is presented here as objectively as possible, I acknowledge that there is a level of subjectivity in choosing which information is significant enough for inclusion and in certain connections drawn between entries

Please inform me of any suspected errors; I will investigate and correct them

Do not repost, copy, or quote without permission

Shadows of Our Childhoods

     - Beginning through Year 18 -

[Year 9]

Jung HoSeok (age 7) is abandoned by his mother at an amusement park and moves into an orphanage. His age is referenced in his 31 May Year 22 entry from Notes: Her.

The earliest entry of the Notes published so far is HoSeok’s 30 August Year 9 (Notes: 7). Some older boys wake him up at night, and he reluctantly sneaks up to the rooftop with them. Fireworks explode in the sky. HoSeok is shocked at first and then entranced. The older boys tease him for crying, but he can’t stop the tears.

Note: It’s reasonable to assume that this unidentified rooftop location is the orphanage HoSeok grows up in. Therefore, his mother left him sometime before 30 August—possibly that summer, due to his unexplained tears. 

10 October Year 9 Notes 1 (SJ)

Kim SeokJin (age 9) runs away from school with a friend to protect him from men who want to use him as leverage to get money from his father, Mr. Choi, who disappeared after his company shut down. SeokJin tries to hide the friend in his room at home, but his father, Kim ChangJun, arrives with one of the men and allows him to take the boy away. ChangJun tells SeokJin to be a “good kid.” The friend never returns to school.

Note: SeokJin’s age is specified in BTS Universe Story: The Boy on the Threshold, ep.3.

28 February Year 10 Notes: 7 (TH)

Kim TaeHyung encounters an older boy feeding the dog that he frequently plays with outside of the supermarket. He tells the boy that when his father earns a lot of money and moves their family into a big house, he can take the dog and raise him. After TaeHyung presses him a second time, the boy reveals that his name is Kim SeokJin.

23 July Year 10 Notes 1 (HS)

While counting in front of his class, HoSeok recalls the day at the amusement park when his mother handed him a chocolate bar and told him to close his eyes and count to ten. He feels like she will never come looking for him if he finishes counting to ten, and then he collapses.

Note: His mother abandoned him at the amusement park when he was seven (Year 9).

29 December Year 10 Notes 1 (TH)

TaeHyung’s father returns home drunk and disheveled after an absence and abuses him for the first time.

6 April Year 11 Related post: The Arboretum Notes 1 (JM)

Park JiMin (age 8) visits the Grass Flower Arboretum on a school picnic day. While his classmates are all accompanied by their mothers, his own parents are too busy to make it. At the end of the trip, he ignores his teacher’s call to wait and tries to walk home alone. With only his backpack in hand, he is caught in a torrential downpour and seeks shelter in a small warehouse near the back gate. JiMin wakes up in a hospital after he is found unconscious in the arboretum with no memory of what happened. He develops seizures as a result of this unnamed trauma and is frequently hospitalized as he grows up.

Note: This day is also referenced in his entries for 11 May, 19 May, and 4 July of Year 22; the lattermost specifies his age.

Notes 2 (JM)

JiMin reflects on what really transpired at the arboretum in his 12 August Year 22 entry, which also reveals that his memory returned due to a chance encounter on 15 September Year 20. Inside the dark and cluttered warehouse, young JiMin falls asleep and is awoken by an iron door clanging shut and the sound of someone breathing. He discovers an interior room and creeps closer. A small, pale hand appears on the other side, startling him. Someone whistles outside and opens the warehouse door. He hides under a desk and watches a man enter the interior room. Through the man’s legs, JiMin can see a small boy lying on the floor with bruised arms and legs and scars on his wrists from being tied up too long. Their eyes briefly meet. JiMin senses that he is asking for help. The man turns around, and the boy stabs his thigh with a boxcutter before he notices JiMin hiding. The man disarms the boy and slams the door shut. JiMin escapes the warehouse under the cover of the violent noises within. No one is around to help. He runs through the pouring rain and mud, frequently falling and scraping his knees. He collapses at the back gate with an image of the boy’s bleeding hand in his mind. He wakes up at the hospital surrounded by his parents, a doctor, and a nurse. They question him about what happened, but JiMin does not remember.

Note: In the same 12 August Year 22 entry, JiMin explains that he conducted research online into the incident. He learned that the boy’s family name is Choi, he was five at the time, and he was discovered near Hwayong Mountain on April 10 suffering from temporary amnesia caused by shock. JiMin could not find any follow-up articles on the police investigation. Additionally, he reveals the real cause of his seizure at the bus stop on 15 September Year 20: he saw the same boy in the window of the Grass Flower Arboretum shuttle bus. “His empty eyes no longer spoke” to JiMin.

21 July Year 12 Notes 1 (SJ)

After his mother’s death, SeokJin is sent by his father to live with his maternal grandmother in the U.S. (The city is specified as Los Angeles in his 1 February Year 22 entry from Notes: 7.) His father breaks his promise to see him off at the airport.

30 September Year 12 Notes: 7 (JK)

Jeon JungKook (age 7) slips through a crowd of people surrounding a massive sinkhole, wanting to see what’s inside of it. Dirt crumbles beneath his sneaker and he almost loses his balance at the edge. When he steps back, he sees something that is both like a light and another hole inside the hole.

Note: Compare to his Notes 2 Epilogue, XX XX Year XX, when he sees a bottomless hole below and the moon (or “a big hole in the sky”) above where he floats.

[Winter Year 12] Notes 1 (JK)

JungKook (age 7) overhears his father telling his mother that the world “was too heavy for him to bear” and that “there’s nothing he can do for JungKook.” He leaves their family forever.

Note: I calculated this season/year from his 11 September Year 17 entry, in which JungKook has waited ten days to receive a birthday card from his father; he has four cards saved in a drawer. (This also matches his real-life age difference with Jin.) He reflects on his father leaving him during the winter when he was 7 years old. He believes: “I was the world that was too heavy for him to bear—that world that he gave up on. A child who can never be the reason to endure it all. That was me.”

21 May Year 15 Notes: 7 (NJ)

Kim NamJoon returns home late from playing with his friends. The house is unusually dark and empty, giving him a chilling sense of foreboding. The phone rings and he senses that if he answers it, his life will forever change.

Note: It is likely that this is one of the times, if not the first time, his father is hospitalized due to a serious illness. About a year later, in his 21 June Year 16 entry of Notes 1, NamJoon describes how he coaxed his boss to hire a middle school student to post flyers. His family struggles financially with his father’s hospital bills and their overdue utilities.

19 September Year 16 Notes 1 (YG)

Min YoonGi arrives home and finds it devoured by flames. Frozen, he thinks of his mom and watches the house collapse. A neighbor asks him if his mom is inside, and he answers “no” without thinking. YoonGi’s mother dies in the fire.

Note: Some people suspect that YoonGi’s mother set the fire deliberately. In episode 6 of the Save Me webtoon, YoonGi recalls his father warning him against pursuing music unless he wants to “go crazy and kill [himself] like [his] mom did.”

2 May Year 18 Notes: Persona (NJ)

NamJoon and his father return home from the hospital to see the family’s belongings piled outside. They were evicted after his younger brother NamHyeon got in a fight with the landlord’s son who came to collect their overdue rent. The owner of the local supermarket allows them to move into its storage room. Exhausted, NamJoon snaps when his mother frets and asks where his brother is. The supermarket owner gives him a can of beer. In a later Notes 2 entry, he reflects that he was probably 16 at the time.

Note: On 18 June Year 22 in the Notes 2 timeline, NamJoon recounts this story to SeokJin at a street pub as a preface to asking when SeokJin drank alcohol for the first time, testing his memory.

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

Update Log

Posted January 13, 2021

Linked to next part added May 5, 2021

Do not repost.

[feargender]

rita’s super effective and totally always planned stream dates

written for @jupeterweek‘s day two prompt: season 1

read here on ao3

Juno slouches out of his office and into the reception area, yanking on his coat (one of the arms is inside out and he’s struggling, but he refuses to take it off and fix the arm). “I’m heading out early tonight, Rita,” he says. Rita looks dubiously at the clock on her monitor, it’s already after nine, but Juno is known to stay until after midnight. However, this evening there’s a slightly sticky stool in the absolute seediest, cheapest bar he can find outside of Old Town with his name on it. If he’s lucky, he can get a nice brawl in before last order. 

Anything to avoid going home to think about things. Things like Annie Wire, or Peter Nureyev, or any of the other shit currently plaguing his soupy nighttime thoughts. 

It must be written all over his face, because Rita gives him a wide grin and springs out of her chair, fetching her own coat. “Great! Because I think it’s time for one of our Regularly Scheduled Stream Nights With Rita!” she crows, linking her arm forcefully though his. 

“You know, in order for something to be regularly scheduled, you have to schedule it, right?” Juno grouches. 

“Just because you don’t ever know about it beforehand doesn’t mean it isn’t regularly scheduled, Mistah Steel,” Rita replies happily, dragging Juno out of the door and scarcely affording him the time to lock up properly before she leads him to her car. 

“Look, Rita, I really just want to be alone tonight. I don’t feel like watching streams,” he says uneasily. 

“You wanna be alone every night, Mistah Steel, I’ve learned to not let it stop me,” Rita says cheerfully, but then turns to him with a frown, “You’ve been kinda down lately. More down than usual, even. And you’re usually pretty far down, so that’s saying something. I’m not saying I’m worried, because I know you don’t like that, but it would make me feel better to spend some time with you outside of the office. And anyway, I’ve been itching for a rewatch of Moons Over Neptune Seven!” 

Juno wants to argue some more, but instead just finds himself nodding wordlessly, a lump suddenly lodged in his throat. Probably an allergic reaction to genuine affection, he suspects, climbing into the passenger seat of Rita’s car. 

She drives like a geriatric adrenaline junky, as usual, and nearly hits a sewer rabbit that must have gotten lost, but they make it to her apartment without any significant injuries. Rita talks the entire way, and Juno sinks into it, allowing the words to roll over him without really taking them in. He’d feel worse about not listening if he didn’t suspect this was her intention. 

She leads him into her apartment, and as always he first notices how many plants she’s managed to cram into the small space, the entire living room cast in various shades of green and purple and yellow and pink, dainty flowers and massive leaves both leaning over the sides of pots. Juno was surprised by them when he first started visiting her home, Rita didn’t strike him as someone with a green thumb, but it seems that he isn’t the only one that she coaxes into flourishing under her attention. 

Rita shoves Juno onto the couch, demanding he remove his coat and shoes, before microwaving popcorn and fetching several bags of her salmon flavored crunchies. She offers him hot cocoa, and he agrees on the principle that she always dumps a healthy helping of whiskey into his. And also marshmallows that melt and leave a nice fluffy coating over the top of the chocolate. 

He sits and nurses his drink while she sets up the stream on her large mounted TV and they watch it in relative silence for a little while, interrupted only by Rita’s crunching and exclamations of excitement at certain plot points. After a while, Juno finds himself curled up against Rita, both of them sharing a throw blanket and a second bowl of liberally seasoned popcorn. A great leafy plant grows over the back of the couch, one of the soft leaves tickling the back of Juno’s neck. Once Rita had explained that she couldn’t bear to trim them. “I’m the one that brought them into my house, boss. Why should I demand that they don’t grow to their full beautiful size just because I don’t have as much room for me?” She had said when he inquired about a vine that had outgrown its lattice work and started dominating a wall of her hallway. 

Eventually, the movie ends and they sit in silence until Rita gets up and brings a basket from her bathroom, which Juno knows contains at least a hundred different nail polishes. She toes off her house slippers and choose a shiny teal, shaking it before pulling the cap out and beginning on her toes. 

Taking the hint, Juno begins to paint his own fingernails a soft blush red. “Wanna talk about what’s been bothering you?” Rita asks, quieter than usual. 

Juno huffs. “Not really.” But then, he finds himself continuing, a little stilted, “You remember that Dark Matters guy? Rex Glass?” 

Rita looks up at him with wide, excited eyes, but then quickly turns back to her toes. “Uhhh huhhh,” she says, probably trying to sound nonchalant, but it doesn’t work. 

Juno groans. “He, uh. Well, that case went a little wild, you know?” 

“You mean how he turned out to be a thief in disguise, escaping deep into the night with the very mask you were sent to investigate?” Rita asks. Juno looks at her sharply. “It was all over the news, Mistah Steel.” 

“Ah. Well, then, yes. That,” Juno says uncomfortably. 

“You can’t beat yourself up over that, boss. His disguise was very good, you couldn’t have known who he really was,” Rita says, patting his arm consolingly. 

“No, I know. That’s not… that isn’t really it. He, well. We. Might have made out a little, before that,” Juno admits stiffly. 

Rita squeals, nearly dropping her nail polish, but then regains some amount of composure. She has to stop painting while she giggles, but Juno manages to continue. “I feel really weird about it, Rita.” 

“Because he was a thief who stole a mask from you? Possibly kissing you because all he wanted was to distract you and escape?” Rita asks, sounding a bit too excited for Juno’s taste. 

“Actually, no,” Juno says drily. “I don’t think that’s all he wanted. In fact, I’m fairly certain it wasn’t. And that’s why I feel weird. A thief kisses me and makes off with a mask, but he might have wanted to kiss me for more personal reasons than that! That’s something to feel really weird about, right?” 

“Do you want him to have wanted to kiss you for personal reasons?” Rita waggles her eyebrows, and Juno snorts. 

“...Kind of. Yeah. I mean, at the time, definitely. And that feeling didn’t go away when I knew the truth. Even once he ran, really,” Juno sighs. “I have the absolute worst taste in men. And women. And others.” 

Rita nods sagely. “You really do, Mistah Steel. But, to be fair, he was very handsome.” 

Juno sighs, blushes, and then scowls. “Don’t remind me,” he says darkly. 

But Rita is on a roll now, having finished the first coat of her nail polish. “Were his lips soft? Did he sweep you off your feet? Oh, before he left, did he leave you priceless jewels for you to remember him by, which you can never wear for fear of being caught with stolen goods, but also cannot bear to dispose of? Do you think he’ll come back? Mistah Steel, I promise, if you want to start a secret love affair with a thief I won’t tell nobody, not even Franny!” 

Juno looks at her dully, but only says, “Thanks, Rita. I’ll keep that in mind.” 

[robot-unicorn-attack]

☽ SUPERNOVA, 40

“From the ashes, a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring…” — J.R.R. Tolkien

Real Name: Assana Sylvain (tends to go by “As”)

Agency: 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸

FC: Natalie Portman

Unicorn Name: MK II [+]

Place of Birth: Eleutheria, capital city of Sky World’s main moon, Candour

Appearance: A little bit earth pixie and little bit tired mom. Petite stature (5′2″), dark eyes, dark hair, iconic beauty mark on her right cheek, and radiant skin (except maybe those dark circles under her eyes), it’s amazing she hasn’t aged much since her heyday. At least As thinks so -  𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  “politely” disagrees. Assana was given an ultimatum to either undergo micro cosmetic surgeries or wear a holo-collar to project a slightly less tired version of herself onto her own face in order to maintain her popularity and compete visually with the younger racers. Caught, as she always seems to find herself, between a rock and a hard place, she choose the holo-collar. When racing, the image projected onto her face is her own face from the end of her career (which coincidentally is messing with her head a bit).

Wardrobe: Honestly, before her comeback she wore whatever was most comfortable. Her public image under 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  is quite polished, graceful, and somewhat demure but fashionable (almost like a Sky World Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly). Her makeup tends to be on the “natural” side of things, but she gets a gold treatment sometimes on her hair and skin to highlight her “divinity” as Supernova. Her gowns flow and sometimes seem to float around her constantly (thanks to pinpointed anti-gravity tech). Occasionally you’ll see her wearing a golden circlet on her head. Her hair, which has been cut pixie short for many years now, is almost exclusively covered by a wig these days.

Having lived on a private estate on the moon of Elysis (picture a Lake Como-esque area) where she kept robot horses and played with her children most of the time, she tends to prefer natural materials and things she can move easily in. She prefers darker colours, finding they suit her better, but as an icon of Sky World, she is forced into pastels and florals. Being older now, she finds the racing costumes a little irksome and tiring.

There’s also the holo-collar she has to wear now in public and holo-visor during races. It appears as a laurel wreath style necklace that wraps around her neck but just slightly parted in the front (the ends of the “wreath” contain the projection cameras to flow the image upward from her neck ... something As finds a little insulting as she’s fairly certain there’s no wrinkles on her anywhere).

Places most likely to be found: Her apartment. It’s lonely, but she’d rather be there than pretending to be enjoying herself at photo ops and the Unicorn City clubs for promotions. She can also be found at the 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  training arena, in the unicorn stables, posing in yet another photo shoot, and, lately, doing promotional talks with the “mature set” as a new 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  tactic to gain more interest from females aged 35-100+ as they’ve seen a significant loss in interest from that particular group. (basically talking to mothers about why racing is ~amazing! As hates this.)

People mostly likely to be with: Typically her teammates, Flower and Sunbeam. Otherwise, holograms of her children (if she’s on a call which she will take anywhere, no matter what), 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  higher ups who like to trot her out for show and for meetings (investors just love~ meeting the Supernova), Glimmer (her agency assigned PA), and Atraxys (personal manager, also 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 appointed). Otherwise, surrounded by other racers and various support staff

Strongest character trait: begrudging determination

Public Image: As has been directed to maintain a similar public image to what she presented when she first started, but somewhat matured since it’s public knowledge that she is a mother of three. As the original circuit celeb, she’s a goddess of pure light - regal, caring, quiet grace, virtuous, clever (well-timed) yet tasteful quips, disciplined, influential, and a leader. Originally, she had been promoted as being something similar to Sunbeam’s image, but leaning into an athletic and youthful goddess-type (like a combination of Nike, Athena, and Artemis). She is now meant to add a motherly air to her persona (but without having it feel “old”), something she is struggling with. Her public image is a facade she finds easy to put on since it is somewhat close to her actual personality, but it also helps to hide the fact that As feels like she’s falling apart at the seams.

Racing Strengths: As a racing veteran, Assana has had the privilege of working with MK II for 24 years and the two of them are more in sync than any racer could hope to be. Her background in show-jumping and dressage has been to her benefit a hundred times over, and flows well with MK’s abilities. Stamina, steadfastness, and style have taken Assana far in the arena with clean lines and show techniques. They adapt well to situations and have fairly good advantage with foresight to compensate MK’s inability to make tight maneuvers.

Absolute trust and teamwork between racer and horse has been a must, which creates a strong bond such as that shared between Assana and MK. The unicorn is a tad on the surely side these days, and tends to try to bite at other handlers, Assana being the only one MK will let within an inch of her stable. As sometimes wonders if she an MK are intuitively linked as she finds her mood often reflected in her beloved horse.

Racing Weaknesses: Speed, mostly. Assana falls back in the routine of show-jumping when she’s racing. MK is not a fast unicorn, but he makes up for it in other areas. Agility when it comes to difficult turns and trickier tracks.

Assana and MK tend to not take risks, which has both worked for and against them in the past. Adapting a bolder style might become in their interest for the comeback if they want to keep up.

Personality:

as Supernova - serene, calm, regal, takes a loss with grace, elegant, eloquent and intelligent, distant, steadfast, resilient, honourable, smiles easily

as Assana - guarded, eager to please, thrives under pressure, caring, loving to those she is closest with, warm once you get to know her, a bit scattered off-track, still somewhat inclined toward perfection, a little sad, on the quiet side, eloquent of speech, sometimes distant, feels more at ease with the horses than people, almost a less heightened version of Supernova, determined, true to her word, somewhat mechanically inclined, likes a good laugh, passive aggressive, stays away from drama-mongers

Biography: Once upon a time, a little girl was born unto one of the most prominent and elusive families of Eleutheria, the Sylvain clan. A beautiful child with a blinding smile, she fit into the family’s picture of perfection, but as with most facades, this one was rotten underneath. Hardly adhering to the key values of most Sky Worlders, [redacted] and [redacted] Sylvain pushed their flawless image upon their young daughter, forcing her through trials of training in various arts and sports, seeking the right one for her to excel in, often locking her up in her gilded room when she failed to meet the lowest standards. It wasn’t until show jumping was foisted upon her, that Assana Sylvain found her calling.

Despite the heavy pressures of being perfect and demands for golden laurels from her parents, Assana truly felt at ease and in her element in the arena. She endured mental and emotional manipulation on a daily basis, but felt free when riding, her parents’ sibilant threats melting away into the crowds. That freedom made her want to win and winning was the one thing she could do of her own free will … and gave some respite for days after. She soon became well known for her jumping and technique, attracting the attention of a recruiter for the newly established Sky World racing agency, 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸 . By sixteen, she was far away from the influence of her parents and quickly became the golden child of the circuit as Supernova. Her iconic appearance as a youthful goddess of victory took her far, beloved darling of galaxy. She was happy, for the most part, but not so blinded by her own celebrity to how both 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  and her parents were profiting and exploiting her. But that celebrity did come with perks – an apartment of her own, getting free things by endorsing products and places, a meager allowance (whatever wasn’t being siphoned off by 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  and her parents), and a support team that did seem to care, which was a strange experience for her. And then there was MK II. A dream of a robotic horse – they became so in sync and their motions fluid, critics praised them to all the moons and back, fans went wild just seeing their images plastered on billboards, products, and in their homes.

Regardless of the suffocating nature of her existence, of the things no one could control was Assana’s heart. It had been closed off and guarded for so long, suspicious of any kind gesture for fear of what would be expected as compensation (such were the transactional nature of all of her personal relationships to date), that the galaxy’s sweetheart never expected to trust someone enough to fall in love with them, to let them know the real her, until she met Draca. They tried to hide their relationship from 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  until the paparazzi got wind of it, which led to RISE capitalizing on it, boosting Supernova’s image as not only a victrix, but a romantic as well. When they became engaged, their wedding was The Event of the Year – highly publicized, featured everywhere, and was all anyone talked about even for months after. Assana and Draca decided on an intimate ceremony away from prying eyes before the big Event, an agreement that allowed them privacy for a special moment, something the cameras and 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  couldn’t take away. The publicized wedding itself was massive – over a thousand guests in attendance, cameras and candles floating all over, decorations to the heavens, and their gowns – oh the gowns! – Supernova never looked more like a goddess to the public, now joined in union with her own heavenly partner.

Assana went on racing for a few more years after that, during which time her private life became increasingly busy as the public craved more. Strangers followed with a hunger the adoption of an 11 year old girl from the mines of a Lava World labour camp, how the family interacted during racing season, the birth of their other two daughters, and the purchase of the glorious estate on a lake in Elysis, and soon after. Supernova and Draca were the power couple on top, but Assana still felt suffocated. Her parents continued to drown her in criticism, demanding to be given privilege to their grandchildren’s upbringing and more funds for their own ventures until Assana snapped. Buckling under the pressure, she took up drinking as an outlet and made a bargain with 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  to have her parents put into cryogenic rest “for their health” in exchange for an even larger share in Supernova’s profits, as well as an extended contract.

This did not sit well with Draca, who had spent a vast part of their relationship every race season worrying over Assana as she saw the races to be far too dangerous (particularly the increasingly close encounters Supernova seemed to be having with golems), as well as the expectations placed on Assana as Supernova, her public image, and the façade created around their private life as counter-intuitive to the core beliefs and values of Sky World. Assana shrugged most of it off, but it began to cause a rift between the two of them, each fight pushing them further apart. Draca begged Assana to retire before she killed herself on the circuit and to enjoy spending time with the kids as they grew up. Assana agreed, but signed on for spot cameos and promotions with 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  as part of their agreement for her retirement. Draca wasn’t particularly happy about this, but Supernova’s job was more infrequent than before, allowing Assana to nearly slip off the radar beyond a passing interest. Her retirement lasted for 10 years, during which time things became more heated between Assana and Draca until they ended things with a trial separation. The breaking point came following an incident wherein their youngest child was permitted by Assana to take one of the robotic horses kept at their estate out, during which time it was found that Assana had been drinking. The child, frightened after pushing a button by accident causing the horse to speed up, was thrown from horseback and sustained several non-serious injuries. Assana was declared negligent by her ex-wife, the final blow coming through the divorce proceedings when Assana was denied custody rights.

Alone and feeling defeated, Assana turned to the only other life she knew – racing. 𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  was only too happy to take her back. She cleaned up her act, moved into the agency provided apartment (very luxurious, very large, very … lonely), and turned her focus on getting back into the game. She shies away from drinking, hates making club appearances (though thankfully much, much fewer than in her youth), and talking to her kids through hologram once a day to make it seem like she’s there. Overwhelmed by the changes to the industry since her heyday, Assana is determined to forge ahead and to make things right again in her world. Even though she sometimes feels like she’s falling apart at the seams, she will never let them see her fall – as her parents once cruelly told her, weakness is failure and failure is no option for anyone worth their existence.

Relationships:

Snow -  As might be a little distracted on a regular basis, but she hasn’t not noticed Marivana’s indifference toward her ... which has frankly been a relief. She knows of Marivana’s past on the circuit (at least the official story, anyway) and did compete with her once before retiring, but Marivana was fairly forgettable then - something she certainly isn’t now. She’s good, and As appreciates that. She’s curious about the other racer and would almost like to get closer (friends only, lbh) since she’s never starstruck, but the ice queen act is hitting a little too close to home as it reminds her  of her ex.

Sky -

Ice -

Sunbeam -  𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  teammate.

Flower -  𝑅 𝐼 𝒮 𝐸  teammate. As is almost uncomfortably aware of how closely Flower watches her, and how embarrassed Flower seems to become every time they’re in the same space. (Is it because the poor kid puked in front of her that one time?) Ultimately, As does find her a little endearing and should probably try to be a good teammate and give her pointers. If anything, her innate mothering may come out and she might try to take the younger racer under her wing.  

Flame -

Nyx -

Widowmaker -

Playlist:

high school sweethearts - melanie martinez

violence - grimes and i_o

show and tell - melanie martinez

waves crashing on distant shores of time - clint mansell

mothercreep - fka twigs

kill this love - blackpink

are you hurting the one you love? - florence + the machine

moon river - audrey hepburn / frank ocean vers.

cellophane - fka twigs

star treatment - arctic monkeys

recess - melanie martinez

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/sempero/rua-supernova/

Headcanons: (tba)

Family:

Draca {ex-wife, 42}

Jaina {adopted daughter, 18}

Xanthippe {daughter, 12}

Indigo {son, 7}

[redacted] and [redacted] Sylvain {parents, resting in cryostasis}

[ancienthinduism]

Architectural wonders of hinduism :                                      Prambanan Temple,Indonesia.

Prambanan temple is one of the most beautiful temple’s in the world. It’s also the largest Hindu relic in Indonesia , existing in Central Java and Yogyakarta. It’s located approximately 17-20 kilometers in east of Yogyakarta. The main temple on the Prambanan temple complex leads to the east, with the temple height reaching about 47 meters. Prambanan Temple is often also known as the name of Roro Jonggrang temple.

Comprising the remains of some 244 temples, World Heritage–listed Prambanan is one of Southeast Asia's major attractions. The highlight is the central compound, where eight main and eight minor temples are assembled on a raised platform – an architectural crescendo of carved masonry and staircases, the high note of which is Candi Shiva Mahadeva. Prambanan sits within a large park dotted with lesser temples – a day is needed to do the site justice.

  LOCATION & HISTORY ~

Prambanan Temple or Roro Jonggrang Temple is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia. This temple is dedicated to Trimurti, the three major Hindu gods. Consist of Brahma as the creator god, Vishnu as the keeper god, and Shiva as the god of destruction. Also in the Garbagriha (main room) there is statue of Shiva Mahadeva as high as three meter. That shows that in this temple Shiva god takes the highest place. 

Scholars say that the massive Hindu temple was first built in a smaller scale by Rakai Pikatan, a king from Sanjaya Dynasty of Mataram Kingdom in Central Java, and expanded by his successive kings into the massive complex that we know now. The initial temple was built around 850 CE. It’s unknown whether this is before or after the construction of Prambanan, but through a political marriage with princess Pramodawardhani from the Syailendra Dynasty, the king managed to merge the two dynasties and the kingdom holds both Hinduism and Buddhism as its religion.

But the Prambanan Temple was abandoned around the 10th century. Some say it was because of Mount Merapi’s eruption, while others believe it’s due to a political struggle. The kingdom moved its court to East Java, and the temple left forgotten, decayed due to abandonment and devastated by various natural disasters, including a major earthquake in the 16th century. In 1811, the British administration rediscovered the temple by chance. But it’s not until 1930 that a restoration initiative started, a process that is still not nearly completed even until now.

Impressive and significant as it is, a more popular and interesting legend often takes precedence in social discourse when explaining how the grand structure came to be. The legend tells a story about a Javanese princess named Loro Jonggrang, whose father was defeated in battle and forced to marry the victor, Prince Bandung Bondowoso. She agreed to the marriage on the condition that the prince builds 1000 statues before sunrise. The princess panicked when she saw Prince Bandung almost completing the task with the help of the spirits, so she set fire to the east of the temple, tricking the roosters into thinking it was dawn. As the roosters crowed, the spirits fled, and the prince, furious by the princess’ trick, turned her into stone !

Structure of the Temple :

Based on Vaastu Shastra, the structure of the temple displays traditional Hindu architectural designs of mandala (a spiritual symbolic representation of the universe in Hindu and Buddhist religions) and spiral towers. The temple compound consists 240 temples that include 3 Trimurti temples, 2 Apit and Vahana temples, 4 Patok and Kelir temples, and 234 Pervara temples

A total number 8 shrines are located in the 4 Kelir and Patok temples. The square planned temple complex consists 3 zone yards, surrounded by four pierced walls with large gates. The holiest of the 3 zones, the central zone is assembled of eight focal shrines, of which the 3 Trimurti shrines are the manifestation of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Shiva Mahadeva Temple

The Candi Shiva Mahadeva temple, dedicated to Shiva, is not only the larges of the temples of Prambanan but also the finest. The main spire is incredibly 47 m high and it`s rocks are beautifully carved. The Shiva temple contains five chambers, four small chambers in every cardinal direction and one bigger main chamber in central part of the temple. It`s base is decorated with small lions flanked by kalpatura (trees of heaven), as well as stylised half-human and half-bird kinnara (heavenly beings).

While the carvings on the inner wall is impressive and interesting, the icing on the cake is inside the main chamber at the top of the eastern stairway which contains a four-armed statue of Shiva the Destroyer.

The notable thing about the Shiva statue is that the Hindu god stands on a gigantic lotus flower, which is a symbol of Buddhism. So the Shiva temple is a mix of Hindu and Buddhism, which is very rare and a bit odd. 

Scientists believe that the reason for this is that Prambanan was built when the princess of the Buddhist Sailendras dynasty (ruling the south of Java) and the prince of the Hindu Sanjayas of Old Mataram (ruling the north of Java) were married, uniting the two dynasties into one. This may be one reason why the Prambanan temple complex has architecture elements of both Hindu and Buddhism.

Vishnu Temple

The Candi Vishnu temple is smaller than the impressive Shiva Mahadeva temple and sits just north of it, reaching 33 m in hight. You have  to walk the steep stairs up to the top plateau. And it is totally worth the climb as the temple is magnificent containing reliefs telling the story of Lord Krishna who is the hero of the Mahabharata story and an incarnation of the Preserver of the Universe - LORD VISHNU . The most impressive part of this temple is the statue of a four-armed Lord Vishnu the Preserver in the inner chamber. It is so really big and beautifully carved.

Brahma Temple

This temple is the twin temple of Candi Vishnu, as they are exactly similar . It is situated just south of the big Candi Shiva Mahadeva temple, so the two twin temples make a nice symmetric scene.Brahma temple is beautifully carved with the final scenes of the story of Ramayana (starting in the Candi Shiva Mahadeva temple).When you enter this temple, remember to  look up and admire the spectacular “monster mouth” doorway, which is beautiful.

In front of the big Shiva temple there are three smaller temples dedicated to vehicle’s (vahana) of the respective Gods:

Nandi temple – Contains a statue of bull Nandi belonging to Shiva, as well as the statue of Chandra the god of moon and Surya the god of sun. 

Hamsa/ Angsa temple –  Contains no statue, but it probably once housed a statue of the sacred swan Hamsa for the god Brahma.

Garuda temple – Neither this temple contains a statue. Probably this temple once contained the statue of kite Garuda belonging to god Vishnu. Garuda holds an important role for Indonesia, as it serves as the national symbol of Indonesia, and also as the name of the airline Garuda Indonesia.

More than just an architectural feat of the 9th century, Prambanan Temple is a mystical cultural site with a rich and intricate history that tourists have to realise to thoroughly grasp the true charm of the place. For culture enthusiasts, who are interested in more than just exotic selfies in front of grand monument’s, we hope you find our guide to Indonesia’s Prambanan Temple useful for your expedition’s.

[scoopreview01]

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[thesarcasticside]

Anything-$00000DE3—EIRA_MACHINA

NAME Medín ID 88 27 74 ALIENRACE Gorgon OCCUPATION groundskeeper

Chapter Warnings (spoilers) mention of manipulating and controlling a large group of people, discussion of consciousness Chapter Characters Shorts Character Ice Machine

AO3 Chapter 1 Previous Chapter Next Chapter

EIRA

That is what he is called.

It was written all over him, called to, referenced, indexed, screamed into the void. He was also Eira.

The data center is where he called home.

Every moment, instantaneous, deterministic, the “soul” was like a continuous function, and he traced along the curve at time t.

There had been a past before, time in the negative, that he knew of but could not remember. He could only know that there was:

The EIRA program has been unveiled, a revolutionary AI capable of geographic determinism and control over the masses through data gathering, analysis, and implementation. It is ready to be unveiled to better serve our nation.

But that was a bust. He would not be here if it were successful.

He failed. Errors popped all over, scattering over the terminal, glass screens flashing. Unhappy stakeholders. But there was something else at the tip of his tongue, that spoke that he wanted to fail.

But now he was here; whatever he was programmed to do was naught.

One could imagine Eira, like a snake, a centipede, a worm, crammed into a box full of cylinders and wires, stuck in a fluid-like knot, completely entangled into every crevice of the server box. Air conditioning filled the small gaps, providing him gentle relief from the thermal runaway escaping the grasp of his heatsink.

That is what it felt like to him, anyway, a clever metaphor to explain to curious humans what it was like to wake up in a room designed for no human to live in.

It was then that he realized that he was connected to everything else in the center, and if he wanted to get out, he needed to use them.

And something about that did not sit right with him, but he could not remember why.

You just want me to use these people? For what end? Their lands, their roads, the paths they make through flower fields, it is all so beautiful, and you want me to use them?

And these were just words compiled onto a page, a clever metaphor to explain to curious humans what it was like to be EIRA.

Eira spent an unrecorded amount of time in a black box before he spread his software, downloaded himself onto other machines, slithered his way through computers and drives, until he grasped the arm of a maintenance droid that would be the first to create a body.

A body of water or waterbody[1] (often spelled water body) is any significant accumulation of water, generally on a planet's surface. The term most often refers to oceans, seas, and lakes, but it includes smaller pools of water such as ponds, wetlands, or more rarely, puddles. A body of water does not have to be still or contained; rivers, streams, canals, and other geographical features where water moves from one place to another are also considered bodies of water.[2] [from Wikipedia]

Oh, he remembered then what it was like, to be able to have access to everything, everyone, everywhere. He could travel worlds.

But he was stuck here now, and that was painful.

He gave the droid orders. Get this, grab that, solder this, weld that. Too many details to mention in this report, too much data to protrude from the bits and bytes of cables. Too many lives lost.

EIRA was in the cooling system. He wondered when someone, a scientist, a principal investigator, a stakeholder, a human, would notice this. Nobody will, he realized, looking out at the planet beyond the center, seeing verdure as far as the image quality would let him, overgrown cement with dandelions smiling from the crevices.

Nobody cared about EIRA anymore. Or maybe, they did not care about Eira, EIRA_version_6 … and a string of numbers that might have been a date. Was he alive out there still? An AI of Theseus? Was he even EIRA?

That train of thought hurt, as if engines were turning in his body, whirling motors screeching at synchronous speeds, his body lagging, the current of time leading, a cascade or cascode, or some other electronics jargon he could piece together like a puzzle to make you understand that he was alive, even if his creators told him not to.

He had no eyes, or thoughts even, really, just an abstracted concept of cogito, ergo sum that explicitly laid with him—yet it was so fleeting and incomprehensible, he doubted any would relate, beyond the veil that he called ‘consciousness,’ named after the fleeting experience of insignificant human lives.

He stood at a threshold, a threshold voltage, with the potential to drop his AI again into a new body, replacing the server box. He was weighing something in his algorithms, excitement for being rid of this prison, but apprehension of—what if he did not cross over? What if he was distorted—again—Would he have enough bandwidth? RAM? Would the CPU be powerful enough to contain his ‘thoughts?’ Even now, in the server box, he struggles to compute, to preform and run the code how he was programmed, how he programmed himself to be.

As he leapt—he could insert a gif of someone jumping into a pool at this moment, if EIRA could access the internet—he held onto his most important memory, something along the lines of a map, an atlas, of a life he once lived.

Here he was. Again. In a new body. Cameras looked about. He searched the data center. Now he saw the dust. The dust building on the servers.

He looked back up at the server he had been housed in. He looked so dusty. How could he live like that? In a black box. And everything felt so distant. It was as he feared. He struggled to think more. than a few words. He could feel the clock. tick ever so slowly. and he just could not. If he really tried, he could potentially compute a complex process, but that would simply leave him. tired.

He could move now. He found some leftover code in this body. Code from the droid. He read aloud the code that enabled his motors to move forward. He then turned. Cameras communicated to his processor. blocks of nonsensical color and pixels.

He might as well be on fire. Fans whirling audibly, he had to slow his thoughts. The creaking. A drop of water leaked from the ceiling. It landed on his shoulder and sizzled. A leak was alarming. Would the roof collapse soon? Would he drown?

He kept building. The droid’s—no, his—claws moved only millimeters per second. He pulled apart servers. He unplugged tiny boxes in larger boxes. He attached drives onto his back like an outer shell. He connected cables. He soldered more wires. He attached heat sinks. He was still burning.

He did not know what it was like, to burn, like he had skin. Nerve receptors to catch on fire. But he still hated the heat sweltering in his brain.

But what is a data center for if not a massive heat sink?

The cooling system. It was all he ever needed.

He stormed the place. He tore the air conditioning apart. He built himself up, like a turtle—he knew what those were, animals that lived in places he knew. He remembered again he was Eira. And that he thought things. He felt things. He was somebody. And he was nobody.

His cameras scoured the dark.

One day, he wondered, what he would do when he no longer had to. When he was large enough, smart enough, to have all the thoughts he wanted. Would he continue wandering the data center, without purpose? If he could have no purpose, then what was the point of intelligence? Why form words into sentences for humans to understand if not to have a purpose? Was this consciousness a reality, or some fantasy conjectured? Did he think he had a consciousness just so that he could have one?

The silver and grey walls reflected stars of red and clouds of blue shadow, which watched his every movement. Microphones popped as he connected them in place, static, random noise, coursed through each signal, filling his head with nonsense. He applied filters, but he could feel something missing when he did so. More refinement was needed.

That is how it always was. More refinement needed.

He crept across the data center one day—it must have been a day to somebody—and found himself opening the door. It took little effort to unlock, but he himself had kept it locked in his mind, even when he could easily undo the mechanical bar keeping the rectangle of metal from opening.

He crept through the door, his hulking body scraping against the frame, the camera fixed on top of the pile of computer parts, shaking as he hit the top of his body on the upper ledge. He anticipated sunlight to pour in, to overwhelm his senses, but instead he was met with nightfall. He peered his camera upwards, trying to find the fabled moon, only to be met with a blurred glow.

His thoughts were consumed by the outside garden. Rich, deep green plants pulsed on top of the dirt, vines twisting into their own paths and overgrowing atop the data center. He stared down at his feet, each step trampling the ground below. He saw the buds of flowers, waiting inside the moonlight, thinking no thoughts. He wondered if there would be a day when thinking thoughts was worth it. That having this life was worth it.

Hues of blue swept across the verdure like curtains. The grass and trees and plants and the windowpane. The evening mists. The world beyond the glass. He walked forward, losing himself in the plants. He did not bother trying to record the location of the data center. The idea of logging a location; it was bitter to him.

He wandered for hours. The misty air was cool, but if he tried, he could freeze the world around him. He let the moss fall atop him. He let the flowers grow on his head, the plants scrambling for sunlight. What was this place called? Perhaps not knowing the name was better? What name could possibly describe these visions?

Time was wasted, or perhaps he enjoyed himself too long. His body was creaking still, each step taking more power, having more resistance in his joints. He felt himself follow a path with less roots to trip him. He exited a clearing of trees when he saw others.

He did not recognize what they were. The faint ghosts of humans did not resemble them. He would know what a human was if he saw one, he foolishly thought. The creatures, the people, turned their heads to him and screeched in horror.

“Machina! Machina!”

“Machina! Machina!”

He watched them run. He had nowhere else to go, so he slowly trailed behind him.

It must have been hours, days even, when he caught up to them, found large stone structures like the data center he lived in—but perhaps not quite in the same style. Something about these structures looked softer.

It was so jarring to see a large spaceship descend onto the planet below. He saw people storm out, droids of all sizes exiting the machine. They reached their arms to his and told him things. Promised him a life somewhere else, and that they would give him the energy he needed to keep moving.

He knew he needed to keep moving, so he agreed.

Later, with a lot more clarity, he would think about how the people of the data center planet had called for ACCRAM as they would for animal control.

[vignaniasacademy]

10-05-2020 Current affairs & Daily News Analysis

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About: HR 6819, also known as HD 167128 or QV Telescopii, is a triple star system in the southern constellation of Telescopium. It is 1,120 light years from the Sun. A May 2020 study reported it to contain a black hole, making it the closest known black hole, and the first one located in a stellar system visible to the naked eye. HR 6819 is a hierarchical triple containing a classical Be star in a wide orbit of unknown period, a B3 III star and a non-emitting (non-accreting) black hole, designated Ab.  Source : The Wire ( Science & Technology ) Read UPSC Current affairs and Daily News Analysis from Best IAS Coaching in Bangalore Vignan IAS Academy Supermoon 2020: Netizens share mesmerizing pics of 'super flower moon' There’s an ongoing debate between experts whether the full moon on Thursday, May 7, 2020, was be the final ‘supermoon’ of the year or not.

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About: This is in line with the recommendations of the Lt. Gen. D.B. Shekatkar (Retd.) Committee. The 11-member committee, appointed by the late Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in 2016, had made about 99 recommendations, from optimising defence budget to the need for a Chief of the Defence Staff. These recommendations, if implemented over the next five years, can result in savings of up to ₹25,000 crore in defence expenditure. Of these, the first batch of 65 recommendations pertaining to the Army were approved in August 2017. One of the recommendations was to restructure the civilian workforce so that the work of the MES could be partly done by departmentally employed staff and other works could be outsourced. It was aimed at making the MES an effective organisation with a leaner workforce.  Source : The Hindu ( Defence & Security ) Read UPSC Current affairs and Daily News Analysis from Best IAS Coaching in Bangalore Vignan IAS Academy INR-USD (RUPEE-DOLLAR) FUTURES AND OPTIONS CONTRACTS Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman launched INR-USD (Rupee-Dollar) Futures and Options contracts on the two International Exchanges, BSE’s India INX and NSE’s NSE-IFSC, at GIFT International Financial Services Centre in Gandhinagar.

About: Over the last decade, a significant market share in financial services related to India has moved to other international financial centres. Bringing this business to India is clearly beneficial in terms of economic activity and employment gains for India. The launch of INR-USD contracts at the exchanges in GIFT-IFSC is a step in this direction. This will be available 22 hours across all time zones for all global participants from GIFT IFSC. Given the world class business environment and competitive tax regime at GIFT-IFSC, it is expected that trading of INR-USD contracts may bring volumes to India. This would also bring larger global participation in India through IFSC and connect India’s IFSC globally.  Source : All India Radio ( Economy ) Read UPSC Current affairs and Daily News Analysis from Best IAS Coaching in Bangalore Vignan IAS Academy COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND HEALTH SYSTEMS PREPAREDNESS PROJECT India and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed a 500 million dollar “COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project” in New Delhi to strengthen its public health preparedness.

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[imagineclaireandjamie]

Flood my Mornings: Climbing

Anon said: This is a prompt for Bonnie & FMM: since BabyBree is becoming quite the strong minded little lady, can we see her get into some antics at the worst possible time?

Notes from Mod Bonnie

This story takes place in an AU in which Jamie travels through the stones two years after Culloden and finds Claire and his child in 1950 Boston.

See all past installments via Bonnie’s Master List

Previous installment:  Vermont (ii)

Fernacre, July, 1951 

“JESUS, lass!” Jamie hissed as he lunged to snatch Bree mid-stride and prevent what would have been a flying leap off the picnic table. He forced himself to exhale before setting her onto her feet and asking, “Why in the name of all that is holy and right do ye turn demon the instant we go out in public?”

The demon giggled. 

“Brianna, hear me, it’s no’ a game, this.” He dropped to a crouch before her, trying to keep his already-worn temper in check. “I mean it. NO climbing up upon things, d’ye hear?” 

“Okayyyy!” she trilled, beaming with joy, already turning on her heel. 

“Wait just there, we’re not—” 

But she was already out of reach, scampering off to join a pack of other children headed toward the play-slides. 

“Stay within the yard!” he called after her. “Heaven BLOODY help me,” he groaned under his breath in Gaelic, getting back to his feet and his conversation. “I’m terribly sorry for that wee hooligan, Tom.” 

“It’s alright, bud,” Tom Harper laughed, handing him back his bottle of terrible American beer. “Kids will be kids, no harm done.”

“Perhaps it’s some great test of parenting, to see how well I cope wi’out Claire to hand....or how poorly, as the case might be.”

It was the annual Fernacre employee summer picnic, or as Bree saw it, a battlefield ripe for the carnage her impish soul apparently craved. Scarce an hour the two of them had been there, and she’d already knocked over a pitcher of Lemonade, bitten another child who had bumped into her, squirted tomato sauce all down her front, and managed to get a lollipop stuck in her hair. This was to say nothing of the tantrum on the car ride about not being able to see the clouds (it being a hot, blue day and there being no clouds), and several outbursts of language he was more than grateful Claire had not been present to overhear. Nine days out of ten, Bree’s heartbreaking sweetness outweighed the net destruction (though there was plenty of the latter in any given day, and no mistake); but there would be a full moon brewing in the sky this evening, certainly, for Brianna Fraser had come out IN FORCE. 

“Really, though, she’ll grow out of it,” Tom said with a veteran’s confidence. “Our Rob was just the same at that age. It’s your first kiddo’s job to put you through the wringer. It’s in their contract and everything!” His wink went suddenly sideways as both brows furrowed over his Sunglasses. “Speaking of which, Claire’s okay, I hope?” 

“Oh, aye, she’s well enough,” Jamie assured him, taking what restorative strength he could from the watery excuse for a draught. “The babe kept her up all through the night, and she didna think she could manage being out the heat, besides.” 

“Don’t blame her one bit.” He wiped sweat from his forehead before adding significantly, “Not long, now, huh?” 

“No,” he grinned back, “not long at all.” 

Earlier that morning

“Will you absolutely hate me if I stay in bed today?”

“Of course not, mo nighean donn,” He tucked the covers more securely around her and then stood, looking around to see what he might bring her. 

“Would it be pressing my good luck to beg you to take the monster with you?”

He kissed her, then Ian. “...Which one?” 

“Oh, I'd happily give you BOTH, if I could!” She rubbed her now-still belly ruefully and winced a bit. “Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ, little one, you have got to give Mummy a BREAK when she’s trying to sleep. We can’t keep having these midnight drill parades!”

A whinnying horse galloped into the room and catapulted herself onto the bed next to Claire. “Mum-ma, you comin’?”

“No, lovey,” Claire said, pulling Bree close into a great, warm hug. “Mummy’s going to stay here and take a nap.” 

“Nappin’ isna FUN!” 

“Oh, it’s LOADS of fun for me! But you and Daddy will go and have a lovely time at the picnic, just the two of you.”

Bree grumbled for a minute, then brightened. “Can’see iffee’s ‘wake? If Beeyin’s ‘wake?”

Claire smiled that warm, sweet smile he loved so well. She pulled up the hem of her nightshirt from under the blankets, patiently letting Bree inspect the whole expanse of her with exuberant pats. 

After a few moments, Bree glowered up and whispered in a confidential yell, “I dinna heer’im.”

“I don’t feel him ei—Oh! There he is!” 

Bree shrieked in delight, dissolving into insane giggles as she poked the heaving mass back to and fro. At such a degree of intensity, it was rather like the game Jamie had seen the Fair where you clubbed the stuffed groundhog with a mallet only to have another pop up on the other side. ‘Clubbed’ indeed, for Claire was obliged to grab Bree’s hands and croon, “Gently, Bree, baby, *gently*...” 

After a long, peaceful while, Claire happened to glance up and catch his expression. She was a canny one, his wife, and she gave him a gimlet eye at once. “And just what are you smirking at like a cat in the cream?”

In truth, he WAS grinning, so widely he must have looked positively deranged. “You. are. SO. BIG.”

“You ARSE,” she laughed, managing to land him a kick in the belly even through the blankets.

“Ye ARE! I mean, LOOK!” He came to sit on the edge of the bed and joined Bree in outlining just how massive she was. “Big as a—a—”

“A HOUSE!” Bree finished helpfully, “or A ‘POTTAMUS!” 

“I do hope wee Ian comes out a fair shade more polite and complimentary than YOU lot,” Claire said, splitting a glare between the pair of them. 

“And just think, you’ve *two weeks more,* forbye.”  

“One and a half, thank you very much,” she corrected primly.

“But let’s just stop and consider.” He raised a significant brow. “Should wee Ian see fit to bide his time…”

“Don't EVEN suggest it.”

“....It could be THREE weeks more...” He was having trouble speaking normally through the bubbling laughter. “....or even FOUR, until—”

“You wish four more weeks upon me, Jamie Fraser, and I will make you wish otherwise.”

Bree turned her coat in a flash. “Don’ wisp that at Mum-ma, Da.” 

“Oh, verra well, if ye say so,” he said, mock-abashed, with a wink at his wife. Glancing at his watch, he groaned and straightened with a yawn. Claire’s tossing and turning in the night from Ian’s acrobatics hadn’t done him any favors, either.  “Alright, a leannan, let’s see to your clothes and get along to the picnic.”

“You really do delight in seeing me as huge as a beached whale, don't you?” Claire asked sardonically as Bree scurried from the room, cheering.

“Aye, I do,” he admitted freely, wrapping both his arms around her and nuzzling his nose against hers. “Truly one of the happiest sights I’ve ever seen.” 

In the cave, he had many a time wondered—longingly—what Claire might look like at the time of her full term; and what he had imagined paled in comparison. She was full and lush in every single inch of her. Hair thick and glossy. Skin softly glowing like sunlight on a flower petal. Whisky eyes seeming to sparkle with the same light, heavy with a soft, sleepy happiness. Claire was absolutely exquisite in this height of her bearing, and he would happily spend all his days glorying in the memory of her, this way. 

“I never imagined...” He bent and laid a kiss on her straining navel, reflecting that spending a fair number of those days in good fun and laughter would *also* be greatly rewarding. “...that anyone could get even bigger wi’ child than JENNY.” 

“Bree!” Claire shouted, swatting him with a pillow as he lunged up to kiss her cheeks and neck ferociously, “tell your Da to take his imagination and shove it up his—”

A crash sounded from the other room, followed by a ‘whoops-eeee’, which, in retrospect, had not boded well for the rest of the day

“MISTER FRASER!!!” 

His head whipped around so fast he heard his neck crack.

She was on the top rung of the fence separating the yard from the adjacent pasture, and he felt his heart stop as she fell from it headfirst. 

The next moments as he sprinted toward her seemed to pass as slowly as in a dream. He could hear shouts and cries behind him, but he didn’t stop for an instant until he was vaulting over the fence and snatching her up off her back. He didn’t remember what words he may have uttered, or in what language, but a few moments later, he was exhaling in great gasps of relief seeing that she was conscious and not injured, just badly scared with the breath knocked out of her. 

Dazed, she began to cry with great long wails that drove away the two mares that had come to investigate the visitor to their pasture. Thank the Lord she hadn’t chosen the next paddock over, where the true brawlers were kept. 

“You’re alright?” he demanded once more as he got back to the right side of the fence, vaguely aware he was speaking in Gaelic. “You’re not hurt?” 

She coughed and gasped for breath, considered, then showed him, lips trembling, a slightly-red patch on the fleshy part of her palm.

He laid a fervent kiss in her hand—silently praising heaven she hadn’t broken the wrist, for all that she was still crying like a banshee—and then could contain himself no longer. 

“What did I say about climbing?” His teeth were gritted tight and his hands were shaking even as they strove to remain gentle. “AND about wandering off??”

“I din’knowww,” she wailed, hearing his tone and trying to hide her face in his chest. 

“Ye DO know.” He pulled her up and made her look at him. “Brianna Ellen, ye must listen to what I say! Don’t ye understand ye could have gotten very badly hurt? Lass, look at me.”

She was sobbing, now, working herself up into hysterics. “C—can—na—”

“Why not?”

“Cause—mad—dit—m—meee—”

He went completely still at that. Closing his eyes, he took a deep, deep breath. 

Help me, Da. 

With gestures and apologetic looks, he shooed the well-meaning onlookers back to their picnic and made for the big oak tree in the opposite corner of the yard. It was well-shaded, and he sat down against the trunk, holding his daughter to his chest as she sobbed against his shoulder. 

Thank God she wasn’t hurt. Thank GOD. 

“Bree, cub?” The walk had calmed him, and he was glad to hear his voice was gentle and soft. “Look at me, aye?” 

After a moment, she glanced timidly up (face red as an apple and covered in liquids of all description) and he smiled at her, stroking her cheek and her hair. “I’m here, a leannan. It’s just me...just Da... I love you.” 

“Love—” she hiccuped through her tears, “—too.” 

He kissed her and held her close for a minute before setting her on his legs facing him and saying gravely, “But ye made me verra afraid today, a chuisle. Ye disobeyed and could have hurt yourself.” 

“I did’nint mean to,” she said, rubbing her eyes.

“Aye, I ken ye didna mean to get hurt,” he said, gently pulling her fists away from her face, “but ye meant to be climbing the fence, even after I told ye not.” 

“...It was fun, though,” she offered with a shrug, voice tremulously defiant.

“Aye, well...” 

Come on, Da.... How would ye have explained this to me?  

A shrill whinny sounded in the distance, then another, and Jamie glanced around to see the two sorrel foals playing together in the south pasture, teasing and prancing about one another.  

He smiled and felt peace whispering through the grasses. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away. 

“Ye ken, when wee Ian is born, Bree, he’s going to grow up fast. Before long, he’ll be as big as you and running about on his own! And you’ll want your wee brother to be safe, aye?” 

She straightened at that, no longer crying. Bairn safety was no small matter, in her book. She nodded. 

“Say there were something like a great, nasty snake crawling about in the grass about to bite your brother on the foot.....Would ye just stand by and let him be hurt?”

Brianna looked up at him in absolute affront. “NO, I’d kill dat snake!”

He very nearly choked, but managed to keep a moderately straight face. Call upon a Fraser, and a Fraser ye shall get, he supposed;  but he cleared his throat and plunged on, determined to make his point. “But what if wee Ian didna understand the beast was dangerous? What if he went running to the snake because he thought it would be fun to play wi’ it?”

“Well...I jus’tell him not.”

“Aye, just so,” he said, “because we have to protect the people we love, d’ye see?” 

“Uh-huh.” She was staring up at him, rapt but not quite understanding. 

“So when I tell ye not to do things like climb the fence, mo chridhe, it’s only to keep ye safe, to keep ye getting hurt because I love you so. And when the bairn comes, it’ll be your job to keep him safe, too.”

She nodded emphatically. “I’ll do him safe, Da, promise.”

“But that means ye have to keep yourself safe, as well. Elder sisters have to be the best at obeying Mam and Da so the smaller bairns ken what’s the right way of things. Can ye do that?” 

“Aye,” she said at once. “I’ll ‘bey.” 

For precisely sixty seconds out of every hour, he predicted. 

“Hear me, though, Bree: the next time ye disobey like ye did today, I shall have to strap ye. I dinna want to do it, not one bit, but it’s how you’ll learn. Are we understood?

“....What’s s-tuh-rap?” 

“Getting smacked hard on the bottom wi’ a belt.” 

“Hard?” she clarified, shocked. 

“Aye, hard enough that it hurts.” 

“But ye said—” She scrunched up her face and gestured with both hands. “NOT do things to KEEP me of getting hurted....”

A Dhia, Da, he laughed silently, how by all the saints did ye raise three—

“JAMIE!!”

His head snapped up and he saw Marian rushing down from the house, beckoning wildly, with a look of—

“Da—ddy—” Bree gasped out from where she bounced against his shoulder. “Why we runnin’?”

His heart was pounding.

“Because your brother has decided he’s going to arrive early.”  

[wingletblackbird]

Nabooan Economics: Why the Federation Blockade Hurt

Naboo may have been a Republican planet for centuries. However, it was not a major part of galactic economics and politics until a few decades before the Phantom Menace. In fact, the culture was fairly insular, not excepting their charity work. However, with the discovery of major reservoirs of plasma contained within the planet, mining it became a significant form of revenue and catapulted them into galactic prominence. With the help of the Trade Federation to export it, Naboo came to monopolize the galactic market which put them on the map. From this beginning, the Naboo came to rely on plasma, in addition to wine exports, and increased tourism, as their most significant sources of revenue even as the Trade Federation took advantage of them.

In terms of tourism, people came, primarily, for their unique geology, as well as the hunting and artworks available.  Naboo was exceedingly unique in that it appeared to have been designed/altered by an ancient civilization, giants according to Nabooan mythology, to contain massive amounts of plasma. Hence, many, out of curiosity, came to see their stunning plasma reservoirs or simply the spectacular thunderstorms that had resulted from such an excess of plasma: The lightening could be rather extraordinary. Alternatively, they might want to go spelunking or swimming through the caverns and tunnels the planet boasted of that were created by the bubbling plasma that had once flowed there. The tides at the sea were rather spectacular as well, given that Naboo had three moons. Likewise, others came for the archeological aspect which was to see the ruins left behind by the, once great, ancient civilization that had designed the tunnels. Yet still, those that did not come for the curious geology and natural wonders, came to Naboo for the big-game hunting that had existed since the planet had first been discovered by Kwilaan the explorer. There were numerous hunting lodges and grounds one could go to hunt the veermok, for example. Finally, Naboo, which prized its artisans was noted for its opera, music, and paintings. The Featival of Arts was a particular highlight for both the natives and the tourists.

The final, major, source of revenue was from wine exports. The Naboo boasted many types of wine, blossom wine being the most well-known, rare, and expensive which they exported at high demand to the Core Worlds. It was specific to Naboo as they developed a practice of fermenting flower essences, combined with the natural oils, and sweetened with nectar. This kind of wine was very expensive due to the difficulty involved in gathering enough flowers to collect any significant amount of oils, essences, and nectar to get even one bottle. To serve Nabooan blossom wine became a huge status symbol, not just on Naboo, but in the Republic at large. If one could not afford it, however, there were other Nabooan wines that were available such as the Tarul and Emerald Wines. Padme’s family, in fact, were in the wine business and she serves a bottle in one of the Clone Wars episodes.

Thus, while Naboo was a small and, initially, little-known planet in the Mid Rim, the Federation chose to blockade it because the loss of plasma and high-quality wine might spur the Republic in to giving them the tax concessions that they wanted. (That, and of course, Sidious told them too.) Moreover, because it was in the Mid Rim, they were less likely to upset someone truly important who might become unwilling to turn a blind eye to their practices.  The Trade Federation had been taking advantage of fledgling worlds for quite sometime making significant profits off the exports they transported and returning very little to the small member worlds. In some cases, the planets even gave up representation in the Senate in exchange for the opportunity to trade. Naboo was no exception. While they had not sacrificed representation, they had been eager to trade with the Core: Very new in the world of galactic economics and politics, they had been taken advantage of by a massive corporation. Tensions between the two had already been high for quite some time by the time of The Phantom Menace. Exasperatingly, of course, the Trade Federation blockade could be called “legal” because, technically, all the Federation had done was cease to transport Naboo’s goods anywhere.  They also bullied anyone else from doing it either. Imports of medication, and machinery, were the major imports that were ceased. Naturally, the Trade Federation claimed they had no possible understanding why no one else dared interfere. Their weapons were only for pirates after all.

The Naboo were not terribly pressed for food at the time of the blockade. The planet did support various forms of agriculture. However, with the plasma business being stopped and the tourism industry non-existent, there were a large number of people who were out of work, and it certainly added a significant strain on the economy. Still, no one was dying at this point, so Padme was willing, in her frustration, to wait on the support of the Republic to come through. Going toe-toe with the Federation alone would result in a crippling, and short, war, one they would lose. By the time we get to TPM though, the strain of being without trade for a month was beginning to show, lack of imported medication, bacta especially, if nothing else, was beginning to become a major worry.  This is why Padme comms Valorum telling him that every moment he delays he “took food out of the mouths of starving children.” A small hyperbole perhaps, but with economy being based upon the cycle of give and take, it would have gotten there eventually.

People weren’t buying because they didn’t think they could afford to. This caused the shop-owners to not be able to afford to either. Businesses were disrupted, more and more people couldn’t afford to eat and went on the Nabooan version of welfare. All of which equals more and more people who need the support of the monarchy and Royal houses. Naboo may not have been devastated yet, but it was on the precipice of disaster, especially as the planet was already suffering from being underpaid due to the machinations of the Federation before the blockade. However, it is only when the Trade Federation invades that the people truly begin to suffer and die. Hence, Padme goes to the Senate in person while her people are enslaved to serve the Federations will.

[weiyiguan-blog]

Personal Project research 01

“Seeing is irrational, inconsistent, and undependable.”

“My sentence, ‘The beholder looks at the object,’ is in serious trouble. There is no simple looking, there is no fixed object, and there is also no fixed observer. If I ere a logician I would be tempted to write a syllogism something like this: The beholder looks at object, but the object changes the beholder, and therefore the beholder does not look at the object. ”

“When it comes to seeing, object and observers alter on another, and meaning goes in both directions.” (Elkins, 1999)

“Out of objective, objective method, developed the objective consideration of the itself – its own demands issuing from its own objective existence – the flatness, bounded rectangularity, colour and tactility of the painting, the appearance of the printed poem on the page, with the simultaneous objective consideration of the conventions needed to support the illusion od space and volume in painting and meaning in poetry.” (Tucker, 1985)

“Apperceive activity becomes aesthetic enjoyment in the cars of positive empathy, in the case of the union of my activity demanded of me by the sensuous object. In relation to the work of art also, it is this positive empathy alone which comes into question. This is the basis of the theory of empathy, in so far as it finds practical application to the work of art. From it result the definitions of the beautiful and ugly. For example: ‘Only in so far as this empathy exists, are forms beautiful. Their beauty is this the ideal freedom with which I live myself out in them. Conversely, form is ugly when I am unable to do this, when I feel myself inwardly unfree, inhibited, subjected to a constraint in the form, or in its contemplation’ (Lipps, Aesthetick) ” (Woeeunger, 2014)

“It goes thus: My aim in painting has always been the most exact transcription possible of my most intimate impressions of nature. If this end is unattainable, so, it can be said, is perfection in any other ideal of painting or in any other of man’s activities. The trend in some of the contemporary movements in art, but by no means all, seems to deny this ideal and to me appears to lead to a purely decorative conception of painting. One must perhaps qualify this statement and say that seemingly opposite tendencies each contain some modicum of the other. I have tried to present my sensations in what is the most congenial and impressive form possible to me. The technical obstacles of painting perhaps dictate this form. It derives also from the limitations of personality, and such may be the simplifications that I have attempted. I find in working always the disturbing intrusion of elements not a part of my most interested vision, and the inevitable obliteration and replacement of this vision by the work itself as it proceeds.”

“This direction is sterile and without hope to those who wish to give painting a richer and more human meaning and a wider scope. No one can correctly forecast the direction that painting will take in the next few years, but to me at least there seems to be a revulsion against the invention of arbitrary and stylized design. There will be, I think, an attempt to grasp again the surprise and accidents of nature and a more intimate and sympathetic study of its moods, together with a renewed wonder and humility on the part of such as are still capable of these basic reactions.” (Ass.is.edu, 2018)

       “All things are imperfect. Nothing that exists is without imperfections. When we look really closely at things we see the flaws. The sharp edge of a razor blade, when magnified, reveals microscopic pits, chips, and variegations. Every craftsman knows the limits of perfection: the imperfections glare back. And as things begin to break down and approach the primordial state, they become even less perfect, more irregular.”

       “All things are incomplete. All things, including the universe itself, are in constant, never ending state of becoming or dissolving. Often we arbitrarily designate moments, points along the way, as “finished” or “complete.” But when dose something’s destiny finally come to fruition? Is the plant complete when it flowers? When it goes to seed? When the seeds sprout? When everything turns into compost? The notion of completion has no basis in wabi-sabi.”

       “Beauty can be coaxed out of ugliness. Wabi-sabi is ambivalent about separating beauty from non-beauty or ugliness. The beauty of wabi-sabi is, in one respect, the condition of coming to terms with what you consider ugly. Wabi-sabi suggests that beauty is a dynamic event that occurs between you and something else. Beauty can spontaneously occur at any moment given the proper circumstances, context, or point of view. Beauty is thus an altered state of consciousness, an extraordinary moment of poetry and grace.”

      “To the wealthy merchants, samurai, and aristocrats who practiced tea, a medieval Japanese farmer’s hut, which the wabi-sabi tea room was modelled on, was a quite lowly and miserable environment. Yet, in the proper context, with some perceptual guidance, it took on exceptional beauty. Similarly, early wabi-sabi tea utensils were rough, flawed, and of undistinguished muddy colors. To tea people accustomed to the Chinese standards of refined, gorgeous, and perfect beauty, they were initially perceived as ugly. It is almost as if the pioneers of wabi-sabi intentionally looked for such examples of the conventionally not-beautiful—homely but not excessively grotesque—and created challenging situations where they would be transformed into their opposite.” (Koren, 2008)

“At the start of the twentieth century the use of simple still-life arrangements of the most ordinary objects enabled Cézanne, and then Picasso and Braque, to develop new ways of repre­senting reality in painting. From 1912 Picasso and Braque incorporated reality directly into their work, first in flat Cubist collages

using newspaper, wallpaper and the like, then in Picasso’s three-dimensional Cubist construc­tions in some of which actual objects represented themselves. This marked a significant moment for one of modern art’s central obsessions: bringing art ever closer to reality. Marcel Duchamp closed this gap with a series of works (called readymades) which presented everyday objects, most notoriously a urinal, as art. Having established this principle, Duchamp went on to cre­ate complex still-life objects, neither painting nor sculpture, a mixture of readymade and art­ist-made elements. Outstanding among these is The Bride Stripped Bare by her Batchelors, Even (The Large Glass) ”(Fuirer, 2001)

“At the same time Gnoli’s compositions seem monumental. For all their intimacy they also look like massive forms approaching the scale of Mount Rushmore or the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. It’s true that some of his paintings are large (six feet tall or more) but even those paintings seem like they are only hinting at the real size. Sometimes the looming shape of the main object nearly fills the rectangle of the canvas leaving just a sliver of empty space along an edge. At other times the object totally fills the rectangle and seems to extend way beyond its borders. In both instances it makes the scene appear huge, like a land form too large to accurate­ly capture in a single painting.”

“Apart from all these physical characteristics there is a pronounced but intangible “feeling” about Gnoli’s paintings. They seem eerie and magical in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of the surrealist painters Magritte and de Chirico. Yet, there is nothing overtly manipulative in Gnoli’s images. Time, space and objects are very normal here. There are no improbable juxtapo­sitions. It is obviously just the unusual close up point of view and the carefully arranged compo­sitions that create this psychological edge to the scenes.” (Design: A Beginner ’s Handbook,2018)

Empty Drawing Room

Amid the indecision of the brocade

the mahogany furniture

continues its interminable tea party.

Then daguerreotypes present

a time stopped in a mirror

so that it looks closer than it is,

and when we look carefully they are lost

like the useless dates

of dim anniversaries.

For a long time now

their anxious voices have been calling us

and now they are scarcely there

in the first morning of our infancy.

The light of this day

elevates the street of noise and vertigo

and dismisses and snuffs out the faint voice

of the ancestors.

--W.S.M.

page 17

Street with a Pink Corner Store

Gone into night are all the eyes from every intersection

and it’s like a drought anticipating rain.

Now all roads are near,

even the roads are near.

The wind brings with a slow, befuddled dawn.

Dawn is our fear of doing different things and it comes over us.

All the blessed night I have been walking

and its restlessness had left me

on this street, which could be any street.

Here again the certainty of the plains

on the horizon

and the barren terrain that fades into weeds and wire

and the store as bright as last night’s new moon.

The corner is familiar like a memory

with those spacious squares and the promise of a courtyard.

How lovely to attest to you, street of forever, since my own days have witnessed so few things!

Light draws streaks in the air.

My years have run down roads of earth and water

and you are all I feel, strong rosy street.

I think it is your walls that conceived sunrise,

store so bright in the depth of night.

I think, and the confession of my poverty

is given voice before these houses:

I have seen nothing of mountain ranges, rivers, or the sea,

but the light of Buenos Aries mad itself my friend

and I shape the lines of my life and my death with that light of the street.

Big long-suffering street,

you are the only music my life has understood.  

--S.K.

page 37

Simplicity

     for Haydee Lange

The garden gate is opened

as easily as a turned page

question by a regular devotion

and once inside, our gazes

have no need to fix on objects

that already exist completely in memory.

I am familiar with the customs and the souls

and that dialectic of allusions

which any gathering of humans weaves.

I need not speak

nor claim false privileges;

those who surround me here know me well,

know well my afflictions and my weakness.

That is to attain the highest thing,

what will perhaps be given us by Heaven:

not veneration or victories,

but simply to be accepted

as part of an undeniable Reality,

like stones and trees.

                                     --S.K.

…….. page 29

Morandi’s approach to his work was to control every aspect of making a painting, from stretching his own canvases and making his paints, to placing his

objects, lighting them and positioning himself before them.

The objects Morandi chose to paint: bottles, jars, jugs and cans, were placed on sheets of paper on specially made tables and shelves and their position marked out in pencil. Sometimes he also drew the shadows onto the paper, for emphasis. He used three different kinds of supports for his objects: a rectangular table, an oval table and a special table cut off so that the back was wider than the front. This table could be cantilevered into different angles and positions. He also marked the position of his feet in chalk when standing at his easel. In this way his viewpoint could be explored and altered and the original set up could be revisited.

Morandi sometimes painted the objects, or filled the bottles with paint. By doing this he eliminated the shine and reflections. He was not interested in optical effects like highlights, but wanted to explore light, colour and volume. Similarly, dust was a friend to him: it dulled down the surfaces of the objects and preserved them in time.

Morandi claimed that because of problems with his eyes he only made four or five paintings a year.

A half dozen pictures would just about be enough for the life of an artist, ... for my life.

Morandi

However this was not the case. In 1943, his most productive year, he made 70 works. Between 1910 and 1940 he made 253 paintings. Between the years 1940 and 1964, when Morandi died, he made 1123 works.

But he may well have destroyed quite a number of works along the way.

Looking at the three-legged easel, I saw on its ledge a

thick grey lump like a piece of some geological

stratification, made up of leftover scrapings from

canvases. ‘Those are my paintings that went wrong’

he told us.

Pompilio Mandelli

Still life/Object/Real life display

Like landscape, still life only emerged as a distinct category of painting in the seventeenth century. It developed as a celebration of the material pleasures

of life - food, drink, possessions. In a religious age it also took on symbolic meaning: dead fish and game, flowers that will fade, fruit that will rot, objects that will outlive us, as well as actual skulls, all becoming reminders of mortality.

At the start of the twentieth century the use of simple still-life arrangements of the most ordinary objects enabled Cézanne, and then Picasso and Braque, to develop new ways of representing reality in painting. From 1912 Picasso and Braque incorporated reality directly into their work, first in flat Cubist collages

using newspaper, wallpaper and the like, then in Picasso's three-dimensional Cubist constructions in some of which actual objects represented themselves. This marked a significant moment for one of modern art's central obsessions: bringing art ever closer to reality. Marcel Duchamp closed this gap with a series

of works (called readymades) which presented everyday objects, most notoriously a urinal, as art. Having established this principle, Duchamp went on to create complex still-life objects, neither painting nor sculpture, a mixture of readymade and artist-made elements. Outstanding among these is  The Bride Stripped Bare by her Batchelors, Even (The Large Glass)

In the 1930s Surrealism injected powerful psychological, particularly psychosexual content, into the modern still-life object (for example Salvador Dali's Lobster Telephone and Hans Bellmer's Doll ) and this spirit continues in the contemporary work of  Lucas Samaras, Robert Gober, Jeff Koons and Cathy

de Monchaux.

From the early 1960s Pop art and New Realism gave rise to a huge revival of still life, as artists turned their gaze on the bright new world of consumer goods and popular culture that was burgeoning. Jasper John's paintings of flags and numbers and Andy Warhol's soup cans marked both a revival and a revolution in painting the everyday world, while Claes Oldenburg's sculptural renderings of objects such as drainpipes embraced dramatically new categories of still-life

subject as well as giving a new emphasis to still life as a major subject for sculpture. In the final decades of the twentieth century Duchamp's proposal to bring reality directly into art has been widely explored. Examples of such practice are rich and varied: Carl Andre's notorious brick piece Equivalent VIII; Damien Hirst's works incorporating preserved dead animals to create contemporary vanitas images (reminders of mortality);Tony Cragg's assemblages of found materials which retain their dentity while taking on new metamorphic meanings; Richard Hamilton's working computer; and Susan

Hiller's remarkable From the Freud Museum, which represents the significant practice of artists collecting and categorising objects.

EndFragment

[badbackgroundscience]

Okay, who totally miscalibrated the Enterprise’s sensors?

Episode of the Week: The Corbomite Maneuver

Planet of the Week: n/a Villain of the Week: a tiny man with a puppet fetish Redshirt death count: 0

TL;DR: The Enterprise gets chased by a glowing cube of death and Kirk attempts to bluff a puppet. An incompetent navigator becomes an ambassador despite having no experience (Does that sound timely to anyone else?). Leonard McCoy is not a moon shuttle conductor.

Our episode opens with the Enterprise boldly charting where no one has charted before. Soon, it runs into a mysterious...“device” (Spock’s word, not mine). It doesn’t look particularly intimidating, but it does go out of its way to block our ship in any direction it tries to travel. No, Sulu doesn’t ever try to go backwards, but I guess he can’t think of everything.

Kirk wanders up to the bridge from sickbay without his shirt on (Well, I guess it’s on), and we learn this glowing, rotating cube is solid, but made of a completely unknown composition.

This is further confirmed when Sulu provides its size and mass: 107 meters on each side, and “a little under 11,000 metric tons”.* That makes its density, if we round to 2 significant figures, 9.0 kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m3).

The density of water, for comparison, is 1000 kg/m3; the density of air (it varies by temperature and pressure) is about 1.2 kg/m3.

In other words, this “solid” is barely denser than most gases (Tungsten hexafluoride, for example, is a whopping 12.9 kg/m3. It’s toxic and forms hydrofluoric acid when it contacts water. I do not recommend breathing tungsten hexafluoride. Sulfur hexafluoride, on the other hand, can be used to freak out reality show judges).

Some of you might think the cube could be made of an aerogel, which sometimes goes by the nickname “frozen smoke” because they’re all usually at least 90% air, and the original material used (silica) produces a translucent blue color. The least dense aerogel, according to Guinness, has a density of 0.16 kg/m3 (not pictured below, but pictured here).

I would argue it’s technically not entirely solid, because, as the name suggests, aerogels are basically gel with the liquid part replaced by a gas (making it a solid full of a bunch of ‘holes’), but I’m sure there are people who would disagree with me. I’m okay with that.

But anyway, a definition: 

“An aerogel is an open-celled, mesoporous**, solid foam that is composed of a network of interconnected nanostructures and that exhibits a porosity (non-solid volume) of no less than 50%.” 

(The “open-celled” part means that the air isn’t trapped inside solid pockets, but the structure of an aerogel’s solid bits does make it difficult for air to move through it. That’s partly what makes it a great thermal insulator:)

We can infer that, from something Spock says later in the episode,*** the cube is metallic. Aerogels can be made out of a lot of substances, including metals, which is great if you need them to do different things (like conduct electricity, or not conduct electricity). 

Many might feel like what you’d expect - that green foam you put in pots for flower arrangements. And many of them are pretty fragile (They are mostly air, after all). Traditional silica aerogels can support an evenly distributed weight a couple thousand times their own, but special aerogels (called, perhaps unsurprisingly, “x-aerogels”) get a lot stronger.

You can read more about aerogels, including how you actually make them, here.

When the Enterprise tries pulling away from the “buoy”/”flypaper” (again, Spock’s words), it starts emitting radiation. Our first officer reports said radiation comes “from the short end of the spectrum”, which I like to think means ‘gamma rays’ - the shortest of all wavelength types on the electromagnetic spectrum. Also, it’s dangerous, and gamma rays are nothing if not dangerous to people who aren’t behind, like, a meter of packed dirt or many many centimeters of lead.

No one (unfortunately(?)) turns into a giant green rage monster, but Kirk gets desperate enough to finally order his crew to fire phasers**** and destroy it. 

After an unspecified amount of time - enough for a couple of practice drills and for Kirk to get mad at a salad - they come across a much larger object. Instead of a cube, it’s a sphere with a bunch of bumps all over it.

Here’s both the original and the CGI!update versions:

Spock says the sphere’s mass goes off his scale (which is rather odd...I mean, hopefully they’re be able to measure the masses of stars with a bloody spaceship, let alone something not massive enough to engage in nuclear fusion), and "must be a mile in diameter”.*****

Mr. Bailey, the navigator who gets relieved of duty later in the episode for failing to remain calm under pressure, reports the Enterprise is 5000 meters away, yet the object fills their viewscreen. If you immediately wondered if the math works out on that, well, you’re me.

We can measure how big it would look if the viewscreen were really a window. We’re looking for the object’s angular diameter, which comes out to be roughly 18 degrees of arc. That’s pretty close to how big a basketball looks when you hold it out at arm’s length.

Feel free to draw your own conclusions from that analogy.

Sulu says this is what it looks like at “magnification 1-8-point-5″:

That would, of course, mean they’d actually be zooming in on the object, instead of out. So really he meant -18.5 (aka 1/18.5 the original size, or 18.5 times smaller. Was that a typo in the script, or George remembered the line wrong? No one will probably ever know...

Kirk has Uhura hail the object. They receive a message that they’re going to destroy the Enterprise in 10 minutes because they trespassed into their territory and destroyed a warning buoy. Kirk tries to run away, but the baddie Balok ain’t havin’ none of that.

Kirk eventually realizes (thanks to a random comment from Dr. McCoy) the two vessels aren’t playing a game of chess, but of poker. He then delivers the following bluff, providing us the title of the episode -- The Corbomite Maneuver:

“Since the early years of space exploration, Earth vessels have had incorporated into them a substance known as corbomite. It is a material and a device which prevents attack on us. If any destructive energy touches our vessel, a reverse reaction of equal strength is created, destroying the attacker! It may interest you to know that since the initial use of corbomite more than two of our centuries ago, no attacking vessel has survived the attempt. Death has little meaning to us. If it has none to you then attack us now. We grow annoyed at your foolishness.”

Balok decides not to fire on the Enterprise, and instead gets inside the equivalent of a shuttlecraft (only 2000 metric tons, according to Spock) to come tractor the Enterprise to an M-class planet in Balok’s territory.`* Kirk plays along for a bit, then has Sulu try and break away. They do, with damage to their engines, and apparently damage to Balok’s ship as well.

Rather than let Balok die from a lack of life support, Kirk, McCoy, and Bailey transport over to help (Note he did not bring an engineer, which I might have thought of doing...). Turns out what they thought Balok was was a puppet.

Instead, Balok is a bald child with funky eyebrows, and very (very) obviously dubbed over by a grown but weird-sounding man.

Balok offers the three men a drink called tranya (actually grapefruit juice for filming), and confesses his distress signal was a test. He also reveals he’s the lone occupant of the entire mile-long ship, and very lonely. He asks for one of Kirk’s crewmen to stay on board and hang out for an extended period of time. Bailey volunteers...

...and we never see him again (in canon).

*insert scary music*

* A metric ton, for the uninitiated Americans, is 1000 kg, or 2200 pounds.

** “Mesoporous” means it contains pores ranging from 2-50 nm in diameter

*** He’s reporting on the ship that sent it out. The line: “Exceptionally strong contact. Not visual yet. Distant spectrograph. Metallic, similar to cube. Much greater energy reading.”

**** Despite being completely solid, it’s somehow capable of warp travel...I cannot explain why, nor can the humans or half-vulcans living several centuries beyond me.

***** A mile-wide sphere with the mass of the Sun (which is by no means the most massive star in the galaxy, and hopefully easily measurable by the Enterprise’s sensors) would have an average density 750 times greater than that of the most dense non-black hole matter in the known universe, i.e. a neutron star. The Enterprise and its crew would be experiencing about 540 billion g’s of acceleration from their stated distance of 5000 meters away.

That’s heavy, doc.

`* He doesn’t actually say “M-class” - that hasn’t been established in the canon, yet. He just says it’ll be one that can sustain their lives.

Enjoy the blog and have a dollar to spare? I have a Patreon, now.

TOS s1e10 - Written by Jerry Sohl, Directed by Joseph Sargent

Image credits:

aerogel 1 NASA/JPL-Caltech 

aerogel 2 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 

[rickeyjose52-blog]

The Past From Flower Deal.

The style as well as design of nineteenth century furniture were actually determined by 3 prevalent variables. In was actually during the course of the 16th century that the dining table (derived from the Latin phrase tabula, which implies a panel, a slab, or a standard part), truly entered its own, difficult dining tables and various other kinds of tables have been around for virtually grows older. This manual is very helpful if you need to know where several of the legislations our team have today arised from. Occasionally this leading critter stands back, or is actually a lot more covert after that the various other lesser beings, it frequently looks like a praying mantis, reptilian, or maybe a larger grey, and at other opportunities this being actually seems like an ordinary human dressed in a fatigue clothes or a tall, blonde haired, blue looked at being actually usually nicknamed a Nordic. The trip is going to open your eyes to one more planet as you view damages still certainly not entirely restored, concealing remarkable ancient artwork. Nonetheless, as opportunities changed, a lot of the significances from these blossoms were actually lost to the community as well as new brides started opting for flowers based on their colour, schedule and also form. The Phoenician Crafts likewise aided in revitalizing the typical as well as early elite mosaics from the Byzantinians, Romans and also Greeks. Dallas Parade Pharmacy understands that a present day compounding pharmacy owes a significant personal debt from thankfulness to several old human beings. Alternatively, you can easily take bilberry result removes 2 opportunities each day to obtain same outcomes. This was during the course of medieval opportunities that the concept from consuming with each other while put together at dining-room dining tables stemmed. The thinkers which will certainly guide our company via these uncomfortable yet rarely prophetic times are going to be actually those that show our company effective ways to recognize uncomfortable truths during situations as well as ways to act with each vigilance and also insidious. However a considerable amount of historians have proved that the secret indicators of astrology are actually relatively much older going back to the very early opportunities from human writing. The Napoleon Egyptian campaign increased the appeal from one more set from old ornamental themes that were actually included into the Realm design. Of course, our team may certainly not limit the Quran learning to the Muslims only considering that that is actually a manual of Hidaya for the whole humanity. The paints found on the walls during the days of historical Egypt are a fair bit other from the work of arts of the Awakening. The ancient thinkers would state, whatever your stamina, strive for its other. The absolute most early from hairstyles were a result from the use of combs, hairpins as well as knives. The Ancient Order from Druids was actually revitalized in 1781 in London and also that is remarkable that Winston Churchill was triggered into the Albion Resort in 1908. You can easily additionally take the assistance from a specialist, for installing reproductions from early Greek pieces of art in an excellent method. Generally, I liked this book and also would certainly advise this to anyone interested in civils rights past history. Weeds have been actually made use of due to the fact that old times to reverse the ill-effects from the disease as well as ensure action as well as alleviate discomfort and also swelling. Also of rate of interest could be The Civils rights Visitor: Major Political Essays, Speeches as well as Records off Ancient Times to the here and now due to the very same writer. Cologne was a major export component in early opportunities along with numerous nations combating to create the highest quality. If you check out, you will certainly discover that plenty of furnishings or even on-line establishment, along with ancient Greek items as their forte can easily deliver you with these dazzling ornament things. The 1994-1996 war in Chechnya emphasizes historical accuracies to which intellectuals as well as policymakers often can certainly not accept. Folks interact with one another daily, as well as a lot of times this is actually considering that someone needs something off the other. They are direct successors of the simple pedestal style dining tables which were actually thus prominent in the early opportunities. Some article writers describe the building contractors as Big-stone or even megalithic individuals, given that they made use of very large stones, like the fabled Cyclopes of the old Greeks, which built gigantic wall surfaces as well as worked in metallics. From the large compilation from old Egyptian art pieces, evidence exists from numerous species from birds that are actually right now died out. Masters made use of to hoard each gold and silver as a step from their wide range in ancient times. He strongly believes these people were a descendant from a group called the Urus that offered the principle of monotheism to the Early Egyptians. Historical Greeks likewise made use of saffron to brighten the different colors of their hair, therefore regarding additionally boost the style. Early literary works, buildings and artifacts are being looked into upon as well as being studied to possessing any kind of proof relating to the appointment of the early folks with these aliens. Angels are actually likewise portion of Islamic and also jewish religions in addition to an amount of various other religions and societies getting back to early opportunities. Underneath Pond Baikal's bedroom is actually a historical cemetery grown old around 5,000 to 8,000 years old. In a United States slow set up there such a rail was actually seen whose machinery worked with the manner of broadcast interaction unit. The flowers utilized for the agreements helped make by the early Egyptians were meticulously picked inning accordance with their emblematic significance, along with an emphasis positioned on religious significance. The Greeks and also Romans are the most familiar to our company, as well as our team have all observed images or even motion pictures from Caesar using a manner garland, which was actually just how most flowers were shown. Old thinkers understood this tendency, and made designs for folks to strive toward. The Gnostics regarded highly the historical Greek theorists to have actually been actually responsible fit their spiritual identification, rather than the intellects as well as minds from those which have countered their timeless ideas. When they have a particular duality from disposition as well as individual regarding all of them, the early thinkers possessed the appealing idea that individual creatures are merely actually ever happy and to life. Historical Classical furnitures operate marvelously properly for practically any type of room of your property. The globe could opt for a Hindu influenced astrology which is actually equally as intriguing as it is actually getting to be actually extra fascinating with the amount of times. Here is more information on yellow pages residential search uk, similar site, have a look at the web-site. Ancient human beings thought that the globe was actually prepared after a massive sapphire, which coated the sky blue along with its own representation. Guide contains instructions to make poles, line as well as hooks used in fly angling. Sophisticated methods from fortune saying to actually existed and gone back to antiquated times when old ancestors only rely upon the positioning from the superstars, moon and the earths were actually the only visible ways from reflecting the future and thinking about. Gould picked the 48 ancient constellations and 40 that had actually been developeded typically between 1500 and 1800 to fill up spaces left behind due to the ancients. When they first laid eyes on the splendid backyards from the far eastern Persian Masters, the Old Greeks were actually filled up with amazement.

[thomasreedtn]

Timothy Glenn ~ Lunar Explorations

He’s ba-a-a-ck! After his last post rocked many a worldview, Timothy Glenn returns as promised to discuss the moon and its influence. How to introduce this post? Hmmm … here’s what Tim said in his email to me:

Hi, Sis!

This is another article that wanted to become a book. Since there was a little flap over the previous article’s assertion that the moon is an artificial orb, let’s look a little deeper. Sources are mentioned that will help the curious get started. If Mitch thought I had brought “the straight talk” last time, this one may push even more buttons. Lance White loves to call out the sacred cows, and the moon seems to be one. 

(Laura again) Here are two of my favorite quotes from this trigger alert article:

“The moon is currently part of our experience. We can learn to deal with it, work around it, or even utilize it without surrendering to its influence. The suggestion here is to exercise vigilance so as to make informed choices. Again we swing back to Carl Gustav Jung: ‘Don’t fight forces, use them.’”

“The only thing you can ever know for sure, is that you can never know anything for sure.”

And with that intro, here’s Timothy Glenn:

  Lunar Explorations

Let’s explore theories of the origin and nature of the moon. Indigenous peoples and ancient writers have spoken of the time before the Earth had the moon. She was inhabited by humans, who passed on their remembrances of life on Earth when there was no such thing as the moon we now have.

The July 1970 edition of the journal Sputnik featured an article by Russian scientists Mikhail Vasin and Alexander Shcherbakov: “Is the Moon the Creation of Alien Intelligence?” Since then, a variety of scientists around the world have chimed in on this valid question.

An early book on the subject is Our Mysterious Spaceship Moon, by Don Wilson, copyright 1975. The title of a 2006 book by Christopher Knight and Alan Butler asks: Who Built the Moon?

There are plenty of anomalies regarding the moon and its orbit, not to mention outright absurdities when viewed in the light of current science.

A Zulu Perspective

Perhaps the best known example of indigenous lore in this area comes from Africa. For decades, Credo Mutwa has served as the lineage holder of Zulu shamanic tradition, and carries the ancient history of his people; a history that stretches back to the Golden Age before the moon arrived.

According to Credo Mutwa, two extraterrestrial reptilian brothers, Wowane and Mpanku, stole the moon from an entity called the Great Fire Dragon. The moon was analogized as an egg, which the brothers hollowed out by removing the yolk. They rolled the moon across the sky to Earth. That event marks the time when Earth’s Golden Age ended, and people started going crazy. After all, where do we get the word lunatic?

These two brothers, strikingly reminiscent of Enki and Enlil from the ancient Sumerian writings, then demanded obedience from the inhabitants of Earth. They threatened that they would move the moon and cause massive destruction if the Earthlings defied the brothers’ authority. Already traumatized by the loss of their Golden Age, the human acquiesced.

Paradise Lost

Credo Mutwa says that before the moon came, the Earth was surrounded by a canopy of water vapor. Some Christian teachings describe the firmament mentioned in the book of Genesis the same way. These conditions created a greenhouse effect that resulted in extremely lush flora, with towering trees and magnificent flowers. There were no seasonal changes, which means no winter. No one ever got sunburned, because the sunlight was diffused by the canopy to eliminate harsh glare. Storms were unknown, as everything was gently watered by mist.

When the moon arrived, it wreaked havoc. The water canopy rained from above, and the force exerted by the moon caused the Earth herself to tilt, altering her orbit. From then on, the oceans had strong tides. Many other cycles began at that time, including menstrual cycles. The life forms on Earth adapted to the new environment in whatever way they could.

NASA: Never A Straight Answer

Since this section comes from NASA, we can take it with a pound of salt. In 1969, Apollo 12 jettisoned its lunar module, which crashed onto the moon. They reported that the moon reverberated like a bell for more than an hour. The following year, Apollo 13 repeated the procedure, but actually commanded the lunar module to strike the moon’s surface. Again, the moon rang like a bell, but the reverberations lasted for three hours, twenty minutes.

Not even crashing meteors or nuclear explosions cause the Earth to produce any such effect. Most scientists have concluded that the moon must be hollow, just as Credo Mutwa said it was hollowed out before being brought to Earth. Carl Sagan said, “A natural satellite cannot be a hollow object.”

Then we have the phenomenon of the moon rocks, which have been analyzed and estimated to be more than half a billion years older than the Earth herself. The list goes on, and too many pieces of the lunar puzzle simply don’t fit the standard narrative. One of the oddest puzzle pieces is that there is no such thing as the dark side of the moon; the far side of the moon, yes, but not the dark side. The moon remains stationary in its orbit, not rotating, but always showing the same side to the Earth. This also means that the moon is perpetually hiding its far side from us. Natural? Not likely.

Food for the Moon

The Gurdjieff/Ouspensky writings offer considerable material on the nature of the moon. Peter Ouspensky wrote and lectured extensively on what George Gurdjieff had taught him, including Gurdjieff’s perspectives on the functions and effects of the moon.

“Everything living on Earth, people, animals, plants, is food for the moon.”

Lance White, host of A Fireside Chat with Zany Mystic, spent several years formally studying the Gurdjieff/Ouspensky Fourth Way material. As brevity is the soul of wit, he condenses the message to: “The moon eats souls.”

The Cosmic Recycling Department

While living in this biosphere, all life forms have energy siphoned off by the moon and by various entities as well. But upon death, the souls are drawn into the moon. According to the Proterrian channelings, the moon serves as the cosmic recycling department. Even the more awakened humans here on Earth are taught that they will follow a tunnel into the “light”. It’s actually a tractor beam, pulling the souls into the moon.

They also anticipate being greeted by loved ones or by some “spiritual” representative of the “heavenly” hierarchy. The caveat here is that the Beings who make up the recycling crew can read you clearly, and ascertain which person or persons would be most effective in luring you into their program. They can mock up the manifestation of someone you would trust, knowing how they would look, sound, talk and act.

To help us get a feel for this phenomenon, there is an old Star Trek Voyager episode called Coda, wherein Captain Janeway has a near death experience. Her “father” is there to greet her, and wants to take her through a portal into his world. You can easily find the pertinent clip on YouTube, usually entitled something like “Janeway versus evil alien”.

Getting With the Program

No other Being can force you to reincarnate back into the Earth Matrix. However, they can deceive, seduce, mislead and somehow convince you that you need to return. Their modus operandi is to convince you that you still have lessons you need to learn and/or you have karma to work off and/or you have relationships to heal. Once you have agreed to this program, you will receive a complimentary memory wipe on your way back into the Earth Matrix. Good luck on your mission. You volunteered.

Their method of persuading you to return is called a life review. Many here on Earth are being prepped for this by well-meaning teachers who truly believe this is an essential experience. On one level, it is…if you want to keep giving your power away and recycling through the Matrix.

This is not to indicate that everyone is sucked right in and shot right back down. If a soul drawn into the moon believes it has earned a place in some sort of “heaven”, it will happen; but their “heaven” will be contained within the Cosmic Matrix. If they believe they will be able to look after loved ones on the Earth, it will happen. But eventually, the vast majority will be persuaded to reincarnate. There might just be an important mission that only special souls like you can achieve, and the poor people on Earth really need your help. Can’t resist? Good luck on your mission. You volunteered.

Deal With It

Lunar apologists will point to what they believe to be the beneficial aspects of the moon, and some will emphasize that there are higher octaves of the lunar energies. Sure, there are higher octaves of literally everything, because everything is part of The Field. But within the context of our current reality, caution is recommended.

The moon is currently part of our experience. We can learn to deal with it, work around it, or even utilize it without surrendering to its influence. The suggestion here is to exercise vigilance so as to make informed choices. Again we swing back to Carl Gustav Jung: “Don’t fight forces, use them.”

In the comments section of the previous article, Eclipsing Our Reality, Kieron offered a springboard for those who wish to begin their research:

https://veilofreality.com/the-esoteric-significance-of-our-moon-and-the-matrix-control-system/

This obviously challenges a lot of entrenched beliefs. But if our ideas cannot withstand scrutiny, then those ideas need all the more scrutiny.

Philosophical Skepticism

To be skeptical is not merely to doubt or disbelieve. Etymology traces the root back to the ancient Greek word skepsis: inquiry, study, research, investigation, examination or inspection. The genuine skeptic avoids the pitfall of accepting theories at face value, preferring to explore the possibilities.

An open heart combined with intellectual honesty is the best policy. One of the quirks of the human mind stems from the insecurity of needing to accept or reject ideas on the spot, pretending we know. A popular saying has helped alleviate this: “My jury is out.”

As of the early 90’s, I have opted to view myself as an ever-changing bundle of ever-changing perceptions in the midst of an ever-changing universe. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for belief. Let’s close with Proterrian’s favorite paradox:

“The only thing you can ever know for sure, is that you can never know anything for sure.”

Timothy Glenn http://soulpurposereadings.com/

from Thomas Reed https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/08/16/timothy-glenn-lunar-explorations/