#Tier 4 Sponsor

[lexlawuk]

Immigration White Paper 2025 on International Students

The UK Government’s Immigration White Paper 2025 sets out sweeping reforms to the student visa system, aiming to protect the integrity of the immigration route while ensuring that only genuine international students benefit from the opportunity to study in the UK. For students and education providers alike, the message is clear: compliance will become stricter, oversight more robust, and the…

[youkaiyume]

Alright, so I've been a fan of Shane, Ryan and even Steven since their buzzfeed days and I've been watching this whole thing with Watcher moving their content over to their own streaming service debacle.

Like most ppl, I think it's a poor business move to alienate your fans like this, but I've been thinking on it more from maybe a financial perspective. I'm wondering how many people actually signed up for it. I saw a tiktok advertising expert say that the conversion rate for ads--meaning the number of ppl to actually buy something when they see an ad is about 1-5%. Like, right now they have about 2.8 million subscribers. And even though they've lost about 50K since and counting, they probably anticipated some loss. I'm sure they've mathed that if they just get at least like 100K conservatively out of their nearly 3 million fanbase to sign up, they'd be able to make $600K a month from their streaming service at six bucks a pop each month.

Maybe that's worth it? I'm not exactly sure how much they were making before. Ppl say they had 11K subscribers on patreon before but that's just their member total. Actual paid members was about 5K. But despite the controversy, their patreon member count has actually gone up. Today it sits at 12K members total with nearly 6K members paying. So they're making at least $30K-70K+ a month currently on patreon based on their offered tiers. not sure how much they were making on ad revenue alone or sponsors cuz I'm not sure how that stuff works on youtube. But maybe by their own accounting they think the loss of followers was worth it if they can hang on to that small, loyal but paying minority.

Another youtuber has pointed out that if you have a sponsor for a video and it's a one off, it can pay more. Up to $35K. So if that is the peak and they release 1 video a week, so 4 a month would be like 140K a month on sponsor money. And youtube pays about $10 per 1000 views a video, and they average 1 mil each video. So about $40K a month on views. So we can guess that they made about $180K a month currently on youtube (patreon and merch sales not included).

Honestly, if they can reach the goal of 1-5% of their subscribers converting to their streaming platform, yeah they probably would make more money in the long run. IF they can somehow manage to retain as well as grow those number of subscribers on their new platform. And don't forget, they don't plan to delete their current videos on their youtube channel so they'll still be earning revenue from those videos. We'll have to see I guess given how much goodwill they've lost with their audience.

Tbh, I am all for them trying to get paid more for their work but I also think they could have transitioned much differently, like only putting some exclusive content on their own platform while also posting free shows to youtube. Or maybe delaying releases for a week or a month for youtubers. or cutting back your production costs if it's really killing you cuz everyone has pointed out they liked the ghoul boys when it was just a black screen with text scrolling by saying "wheeze." Only time will tell if this move paid off for them.

But I'm not super knowledgeable on how the entire youtube thing works so if someone has some insight, feel free to weigh in.

[cheriladycl01]

The Rookie Prodigy - Carlos Sainz x Driver! Reader Part 4

Plot: You are a rookie coming into the 2022 season of Formula One into Alfa Romeo with team member Zhou Guanyu, being in a mid tier team can you help them rise up the ranks. What pressures occur for the only rookies within the 2022 line up!

After Saudi, you and Zhou travelled all the way back to Switzerland to the Sauber Factory where you had a debrief. You talked about your unfortunate DNF but how it shouldn't affect you going into Australia. Talked about Zhou's consistent P11 and that he just needed to push a little harder to get in the reach of points.

You'd spent a good few days there, getting photo's, doing promo's for some of the sponsor brands you guys were partnered with this year and trying to work out what you guys could improve on the car.

It was a good few days but, heading back to your parents home was strange. Nowhere had quiet ever felt like home to you, you'd lived between houses and hotels, the closest experience you'd ever had to finding a home was with Zhou and his family.

They would take you out for karting together and you would stay in the spare bedroom.

Once you left Switzerland you spent all your time up until race weekend with your family. Now they were a little older and had retired they'd managed to retire with quite the fortune, enough to keep them going on holidays whenever they felt like it.

They had time for you now, which felt even stranger considering you were never that close to your parents arguably when you needed them the most and now that you were an adult with your own place they wanted to get to know you.

You couldn't decide if it was painful and endearing, but when they asked to attend the Australian race with you, you felt like things were getting weird.

They of course offered to pay for their own flights, hotel and any other expenses but they wanted to actually see you drive.

So now you were sat in the First Class lounge in Qatar waiting for your connection to Australia.

"How are you feeling about the race?" your dad asks you.

"Yeah, I mean... it's been hard you know I have no-one to look up to on the team. Zhou and I are setting the standard together. In some ways that drives me more, but at the same time it's a lot of self learning this year!" you nod, not really sure how you were feeling about your team this year.

"Do you think they'll see you talent and get you in a better car next year?" your mothers asks.

"I'm not sure, Charles did it after one year... maybe I can too. But everyone seems pretty set on where they are right now!" you explain, knowing the grid seemed pretty locked up until 2024. The only place you might be able to go would Red Bull if they took Sergio Perez out, which was likely considering he was struggling to second Max. But he'd most likely be replaced with the Red Bull B team, AlphaTauri. It was all very up in the air.

The race weekend started up and you barley saw people outside of you team. You tried to find Daniel, to see of he'd come round the city with you but it wasn't looking likely with the tight schedule you had.

"Y/N! Y/N Wait up!" a voice shout's coming out of the Ferrari hospitality, you head spins looking to who the voice come from, but because of the accent you already knew.

"Hello Carlos!" you smile, looking over him. He was wearing his team polo similar to you and jeans although you were wearing shorts as it was extremely hot.

"Come with me!" he tells you, grabbing your arm and pulling you through the paddock.

The great thing about the paddock was how busy it was, it was rare for you to get spotted or caught on camera because everyone was running around, moving stuff, getting to the places they needed to be, helping lost fans who had paddock passes.

Carlos pulled you into the back of the Ferrari motorhome close to the garage where the tires were all stacked and lined up.

"You look so beautiful" he smiles, tucking some hair behind your ear. You blushed not expecting the light touch.

"I'm just in my team gear Carlos!" you giggle, not understanding the appeal.

"Well, i think you look beautiful in everything, a true work of art" he smiles and before you can even thank him or react, he places a hand on your cheek. He starts to lean in, and it feels like your heart is moving so quickly unlike everything else that seems to slow.

And the worst part is you find yourself leaning in too.

You'd sworn you'd never date or get involved with a fellow driver just because you knew it wouldn't end well.

However, when your lips joined you couldn't stop yourself pushing yourself closer into him, deepening the kiss further. He held you closer, the kiss getting more and more heated making him grab at your hips, squeezing them tightly.

"Carlos!" you whisper looking into those vacant brown eyes that didn't have a thing swimming behind them other than adoration. You'd always thought his eyes looked so clueless like a confused puppy.

"Yes mi carina" he says looking down at you, in seconds your lifted up pushed against the wall as he helps your legs wrap around him before his lips attach themselves to yours again.

"Carlos, no we cant" you say pulling away, you push against his chest, and unwrap your legs from around his waist, accidentally pushing your crotch into his making him groan in satisfaction. You can feel him under his own trousers and it makes you scramble even quicker to get your two feet on the ground.

"W-What?" he asks panting a little from the heated make-out.

"We- we cant be doing this. We are colleges professional athlete colleges. And, its a conflict of interest. I'd be at risk for loosing my seat. We just cant do anything, I'm sorry" you explain with a frown before walking off. You shake your head, knowing you'd done the right thing, for the betterment of your career.

As a female you always had to be more careful what you did and what you said as your seat was already more at risk than anyone else's on the grid. You couldn't make this kind of blunder as it would simply ruin your career.

You made your way back to the Alpha Romeo garage, and you knew you'd have to avoid Carlos for the rest of the weekend until you could talk to someone privately and trusted about everything that happened.

You knew it would be Zhou, but you couldn't talk to him now with the nosy members in the garage that would always be wondering what was going on the drivers room, just to get the scoop.

The race was the most interesting Carlos head wasnt in the game after what happened with you. He was overthinking everything and when he got onto the race track, that all relayed. He made a stupid move, backed out of an overtake and spun off which was awful considering he'd qualified P8 and has a good line up to make his way up the ranks and get the team more points, maybe even a double Ferrari podium.

You on the other hand was solely focused on racing, your team only told you it was a Ferrari that crashed out, you made your way up the grid from twelfth where you'd originally started to end up in P8, your team were ecstatic for you but again Zhou missed out on the points for a rookie era that cost him, points of a second on P10.

"So how do you feel about P8, great come back after your unfortunate DNF in Saudi!" the interviewer asks you and you had the biggest smile on your face.

"Amazing, obviously its great from the team getting those points again, I think me and Zhou are both still learning as rookies and it can be hard where we are both rookies on the same team, but I think the more races we do the better drivers we become. Today was hard, but I'm happy where we are right now!" you grin explaining to the interviewer your feelings.

"It really was an amazing race for you today. I think I'll be bold and say that all of us are excited to see what you can do in a better car!" he smiles at you and you nod.

"I think it's really funny you say that. As a rookie, coming from F2 the car's are majorly different so getting used to a mid field car is much easier than fighting your own skills in the likes of a Ferrari or Mercedes or a Championship car of the Red Bull. So I'm happy gaining the skills I am, in the car that I am in now. It's a good car and I have a great team behind me!" you explain and he nods, loving your level of maturity.

"Well, we are all really excited to see what you can bring to the table in IMOLA, what do you plan to do with that break?" he asks and you shake your head.

"Yeah, I'm excited for IMOLA, its got some really tight corners that I'm excited to see how the car holds up! As for my break, I'll be training making sure my body is ready for a fight and in top notch condition, my trainers told me no cheat days until after IMOLA now, so it's going to be intense" you joke before he offers you a goodbye and you leave.

As your PR manager pulls you to the car, you look over seeing Carlos watching you, stood by his personal trainer watching you get into the car, a sad look resting on his face.

"Awww poor Carlos, he must be gutted about the DNF" you manager says catching whats distracted you.

"Yeah, poor him!" you mutter.

Taglist:

@littlesatanicassholebitch @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @stupidandunnecessary @clayra-g @daemyratwst @honey-belden @moonypixel @lauralarsen @vader-is-hot @ironcowboycopnickel @itsjustkhaos @the-untamed-soul @beebo86 @happylittlereader @ziejustme @lou-larcher5 @thewulf @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @chillyleclerc @chanthereader @annoyingmoonballoon @summissss @evieepepi08 @havaneseoger08 @celesteblack08 @gulphulp @fandom1ruined2me @celebstories @starfusionsworld @jspitwall @sierruhh @georgeparisole @dakotatankbig @youcannotcancelquidditch @zzonsbeek @tallbrownhairsarcastic @mellowarcadefun @ourteenagetragedy @otako5811 @countingstacksandpanicattacks @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @hopexcroc @mirrorball-6 @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @bigsimperika @blueberry64857959 @eiraethh @lilypadlover @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @the-fem1n1ne-urge @21stcenturytaegi @dark-night-sky-99 @spideybv28 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle @kapsylia @laneyspaulding19 @lazybot @malynn @cassielikereading @viennakarma @teamnovalak @landosgirlxoxo @marie0v @jlb20416 @yourbane

[quibbs126]

Actually, thinking about the Pokémon timeline a bit more, I feel like Gens 8 and 9 have to take place way after the other games, because like, the world feels very different in those games

For starters, the technology's vastly improved in these two games compared to the others. The Rotom Dex was like, a very new thing in Gen 7, but by Gen 8, Rotom phones are just a part of the typical experience, and they're used to do things like power bikes and such; Rotom tech has become far more advanced. Portable PC boxes are now a standard thing. There's far more expansion in things like sponsors, at least with how it pertains to the average starting Trainer

Not only that, but the Leagues feel completely different, like they've gone through a massive overhaul. The Gyms feel like a far bigger thing than in previous games, with the Galar one basically being a popular sporting event, with massive stadiums and crowds. Heck, you need a sponsor to join the Gym Challenge in the first place, and getting more sponsors is a thing normal for top tier League trainers like Leon. And while I'm not as familiar with Paldea's League (nor do I remember the entry process), it again feels far bigger and more elaborate than previous iterations, and "Champion" not simply being the strongest Trainer in the region, but a title one achieves by beating the Elite four and the Top Champion. I also wouldn't be surprised if paperwork and application was necessary to compete in Paldea's League either, I just don't remember

In Galar and Paldea, you can't just wake up one day and decide to do the Gyms, and you're going to be far more known for taking the challenge than in any other region, where the most recognition for it is in your badges themselves

Alola was the only one semi close to how the League is in the new games, but the Trial Challenge system was not invented by the Pokémon League, it's a long established Alolan tradition with their customs. The League was only just formed in Sun/Moon, and from what I can gather, it's only the Elite Four and Champion, and for people who've completed the Trial Challenge

So like, how far in the future from Sun/Moon, which mind you are themselves 20 years after Gens 1 and 3, and 17 years after Gens 2 and 4, are Sword/Shield and Scarlet/Violet? How has technology in the Pokémon world expanded so much? And what caused this restructuring of the Pokémon League and Gym Challenge system?

I mean I know IRL it's just because the developers wanted to expand the world of Pokémon from what they had before, and good on them for that. But I just want to know, what caused all these changes in-universe?

[ixhika-jsx]

Resources and study tips to get you in cyber forensics

Master post • Part1 • part2

let's get you prepped to be a cyber sleuth without spending any cash. Here’s the ultimate tips and resources.

Ps: you can't become one while doing these pointers but you can experience the vibe so you can finally find your career interest

### 1. **Digital Scavenger Hunts**

- **CTF Challenges (Capture The Flag)**: Dive into platforms like [CTFtime](https://ctftime.org/) where you can participate in cyber security challenges. It's like playing *Among Us* but with hackers—find the imposter in the code!

- **Hunt A Killer (Digitally)**: Create your own digital crime scenes. Ask friends to send you files (like images, PDFs) with hidden clues. Your job? Find the Easter eggs and solve the case.

### 2. **YouTube University**

- **Cyber Sleuth Tutorials**: Channels like *HackerSploit* and *The Cyber Mentor* have playlists covering digital forensics, cybersecurity, and more. Binge-watch them like your fave Netflix series, but here you're learning skills to catch bad guys.

- **Live Streams & Q&A**: Jump into live streams on platforms like Twitch where cybersecurity experts solve cases in real-time. Ask questions, get answers, and interact with the pros.

### 3. **Public Libraries & eBook Treasure Hunts**

- **Library eBooks**: Most libraries have eBooks or online resources on digital forensics. Check out titles like *"Hacking Exposed"* or *"Digital Forensics for Dummies"*. You might have to dig through the catalog, but think of it as your first case.

- **LinkedIn Learning via Library**: Some libraries offer free access to LinkedIn Learning. If you can snag that, you've got a goldmine of courses on cybersecurity and forensics.

### 4. **Virtual Study Groups**

- **Discord Servers**: Join cybersecurity and hacking communities on Discord. They often have study groups, challenges, and mentors ready to help out. It's like joining a digital Hogwarts for hackers.

- **Reddit Threads**: Subreddits like r/cybersecurity and r/hacking are packed with resources, advice, and study buddies. Post your questions, and you’ll get a whole thread of answers.

### 5. **DIY Labs at Home**

- **Build Your Own Lab**: Got an old PC or laptop? Turn it into a practice lab. Install virtual machines (VMware, VirtualBox) and play around with different operating systems and security tools. It’s like Minecraft but for hacking.

- **Log Your Own Activity**: Turn on logging on your own devices and then try to trace your own steps later. You’re basically spying on yourself—no NSA required.

### 6. **Community College & University Open Courses**

- **Free Audit Courses**: Many universities offer free auditing of cybersecurity courses through platforms like Coursera, edX, and even YouTube. No grades, no stress, just pure learning.

- **MOOCs**: Massive Open Online Courses often have free tiers. Try courses like "Introduction to Cyber Security" on platforms like FutureLearn or edX.

### 7. **Scour GitHub**

- **Open-Source Tools**: GitHub is full of open-source forensic tools and scripts. Clone some repositories and start tinkering with them. You’re basically getting your hands on the tools real investigators use.

- **Follow the Code**: Find projects related to digital forensics, follow the code, and see how they work. Contribute if you can—bonus points for boosting your resume.

### 8. **Local Meetups & Online Conferences**

- **Free Virtual Conferences**: Many cybersecurity conferences are virtual and some offer free access. DEF CON has a lot of free content, and you can find tons of talks on YouTube.

- **Hackathons**: Look for free entry hackathons—often universities or tech companies sponsor them. Compete, learn, and maybe even win some gear.

### 9. **DIY Challenges**

- **Create Your Own Scenarios**: Get a friend to simulate a hack or data breach. You try to solve it using whatever tools and resources you have. It's like escape rooms, but digital.

- **Pen & Paper Simulation**: Before diving into digital, try solving forensic puzzles on paper. Map out scenarios and solutions to get your brain wired like a detective.

### 10. **Stay Updated**

- **Podcasts & Blogs**: Tune into cybersecurity podcasts like *Darknet Diaries* or follow blogs like *Krebs on Security*. It’s like getting the tea on what’s happening in the cyber world.

### 11. **Free Software & Tools**

- **Autopsy**: Free digital forensics software that helps you analyze hard drives and mobile devices. Think of it as your magnifying glass for digital clues.

- **Wireshark**: A free tool to see what's happening on your network. Catch all the data packets like you're a digital fisherman.

### 12. **Online Forensics Communities**

- **Free Webinars & Workshops**: Join communities like the *SANS Institute* for free webinars. It's like attending a masterclass but from the comfort of your gaming chair.

- **LinkedIn Groups**: Join groups like *Digital Forensics & Incident Response (DFIR)*. Network with pros, get job tips, and stay in the loop with the latest trends.

### 13. **Practice Cases & Mock Trials**

- **Set Up Mock Trials**: Role-play with friends where one is the hacker, another the victim, and you’re the investigator. Recreate cases from famous cybercrimes to see how you'd solve them.

- **Case Studies**: Research and recreate famous digital forensic cases. What steps did the investigators take? How would you handle it differently?

There you have it—your roadmap to becoming a cyber sleuth without dropping a dime. You don't have time find your interest after paying pennies to different ppl and colleges. You can explore multiple things from comfort of your home only if you want to.

[mortalityplays]

LAUNCH GIVEAWAY: MORE FREE SHIT, MORE WINNERS!!!

I said I would add more prizes if enough people entered, and here we are! To give everyone a fair shot at winning something, I've upped the number of Prize A winners to 5 and added a whole new prize bundle. Up for grabs are:

5x Prize A bundles (1x large print and 2x small prints of your choice)

5x Prize B bundles (1x minicomic and the pictured 7-postcard set)

10x Prize C bundles (4 random postcards from the lucky dip! You might even get one extra design not pictured here...)

That means there are now 20 prizes in the pool!

Details:

20 winners will be chosen randomly from my Patreon followers - 5 Prize A winners, 5x Prize B winners, and 10 Prize C winners!

You do not have to purchase, like or reblog anything to enter. Obviously sharing is appreciated, but the only entry requirement is that you follow me on Patreon (the free tier counts!)

Winners will be chosen and announced on April 1st!

All you have to do to enter is follow me on patreon (at any level, including free).

You can read more about why I'm doing this here - but the short version is I think there should be more no-strings-attached free art in the world! Hooray!!!

Obligatory disclaimer: This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed by or affiliated with tumblr. You don't have to buy anything and you're not obligated to keep following me after the prize draw!

[jodeliejodelie]

My utterly correct and well-researched predictions for The Sims 5

no research has actually be done by me at all

EA will make the game a monthly subscription "service" which always needs to be online. There will of course be multiple subscription tiers with the higher tiers receiving some utterly mediocre clothes, hairs, furniture, Sims, you name it, paying lipservice to causes like diversity to make them seem important and un-missable (farm that FOMO). Lower tiers will have ads, a limited number of allowed mods/cc, and reduced graphics or some shit.

And of course there will be expansion packs, a staple of The Sims franchise, but you will need to pay for those too. Unless you subscribe to the platinum+ package, which includes a season pass. Of course there will always be certain cc packs that everybody will have to pay for, such as collaborations with big brands like D*sney, big fashion houses or IK*A. Occasionally there will be a freebie, but it will be a shitty print on a basegame T-shirt nobody cares for.

But that's not all! Not only will there be subscriptions, o no, there will be an ever bigger affiliate system. Basically an inbuilt multi-level management system (pyramid scheme) where people can sell their own mods/cc and recruit other people into their downline and make money of the mods they sell. They will give it a cutesy name, like Mod Families, Creator Visionaries, or Simgineers. There will be so many *shitty* mods, but since EA sits at the very top of the pyramid, there is absolutely no desire for quality control. You will see the same hair, with some added strands/removed strands/shorted/streaked/etc. edits over and over again. Of course there will be major fights and drama when the two biggest teams asset flip/convert create the same thing (some uninspired Second Life high poly blouse or something).

Anyway, I'm having a business meeting with EA next week and I'm very excited to share this plan with them.

P.S. Other features:

Extra in game currency like diamonds that people can use to buy even more junk for the game

Limit mods/cc to the Hub, you can't just put things in folders, it won't work

Sponsored events in the game, like a Simlish concert of K*ty P*rry or a Ad*das pop-up store in the mall

More social media integrations

An additional app for mobile devices where you play with your sims in a very limited way, but most importantly earn in game currency by doing stupid tasks, like playing games or watching ads

No pools in the basegame, that was a A+ decision in The Sims 4, so we're keeping that

[coimbrabertone]

NASCAR Numerology: How NASCAR's Current Teams Got Their Numbers: Part Four.

Welcome everybody to the mission creep blog! We've done Trackhouse, Penske, Wood Brothers, RCR, SHR, Hendrick, RFK, and Spire, which means we've cleared the first ten numbers!

Today we're going to talk about:

Joe Gibbs Racing, who runs the #11, the #19, the #20, and the #54 this year.

Kaulig Racing, who runs the #13, the #16, and the #31.

Rick Ware Racing, who run the #15 and the #51,

and 23XI Racing, who run the #23, the #45, and sometimes the #50.

So, starting with Joe Gibbs Racing...and their story starts with none of their current numbers! Rather, it starts with the #18 in 1992.

Why the #18? Once again, it was a story of lowest available number, as 1-12 were taken, the #13 was being used by a part time time along with various superstitions around it, and #14, #15, #16, and #17 were taken as well. Thus, JGR debuted in 1992 with Dale Jarrett in the Interstate Batteries Chevrolet. This partnership won the Daytona 500 in 1993 and won at the fall Charlotte race in 1994, but for 1995, Dale Jarrett would leave. He moved to Yates Racing to take over the #28, subbing for the injured Ernie Irvan, and when Irvan returned to the #28 in 1996, Jarrett moved to a second Yates car, the #88.

Thus, JGR had to make their own story with Bobby Labonte, who impressed immediately by winning the 1995 Coke 600 and sweeping Charlotte.

1997 would bring only one win, at Atlanta, so for 1997, JGR switched to Pontiac. This era of JGR, with Bobby Labonte running the Interstate Batteries #18 Pontiac, is when the team really broke into the top of NASCAR.

Bobby would finish second to Dale Jarrett in 1999, but in 2000, Bobby Labonte would win the championship for JGR.

This was also the time that JGR became a two car team for the first time, but more on that in a moment.

For now, Labonte continued in JGR through the end of the 2005 season, with his last three years in a Chevrolet as GM began phasing out the Pontiac brand in NASCAR. Upon his retirement, he was replaced by JGR development driver JJ Yeley, but Yeley would only last two winless seasons.

He would be shuffled off to Hall of Fame Racing for 2008.

This is when JGR experienced its biggest change in history when, feeling like they were second or even third fiddle at Chevrolet, they switched to Toyota for the 2008 season. Toyota looked downright bad in 2007, but with a year of experience and JGR making the switch, there was hope.

Another reason to hope was that Kyle Busch, the hotheaded but fast kid from Hendrick Motorsports, made the switch, with JGR signing M&Ms as a sponsor over from Yates.

Thus, one of the most recognizable partnerships in modern NASCAR began, with Kyle Busch, Toyota, and M&Ms - they won the 2015 and 2019 championships together, took countless wins, and along with Kevin Harvick of SHR and Martin Truex Jr., Kyle formed part of the "Big Three" drivers that dominated the late Gen 6 era of NASCAR, particularly 2017-2019.

However, during the 2022 season, Mars Inc., parent company of M&Ms, announced that they were ending their NASCAR sponsorship. Kyle Busch was forced to move to the #8 car at RCR, while Joe Gibbs announced that his grandson, Ty Gibbs, would move up to the NASCAR Cup Series.

Rather than the #18, he would continue in his Xfinity number, driving the #54.

Ironically enough, the #54 originates with Kyle Busch, as Kyle Busch Motorsports has long run the #51 (a tribute to Days of Thunder antagonist Rowdy Burns, who Kyle has nicknamed himself after) and the #4 in trucks. When KBM moved up to the second-tier Nationwide series in 2012 neither number was available, so they ran the #54 instead.

Kyle and Kurt Busch split the season, with Kurt taking its only win at Richmond.

For 2013, KBM's Nationwide team was sold to Joe Gibbs Racing, where, in 2022, Ty Gibbs ran the #54 to the Xfinity series championship (for those who don't know, Busch, Nationwide, and Xfinity are all the second-tier NASCAR series, it just doesn't have a proper name so it has always been known by its title sponsor, which has changed a few times).

So, the #18 became the #54.

Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs' second number was the #20, introduced in 1999. Why the #20? Because the #19 was taken by a part-time team at the time, so the #20 was the next available number after #18. This number was initially ran by Tony Stewart with immediate success, winning the championship in 2002 with Pontiac and 2005 with Chevrolet. The Home Depot #20 was one of the iconic cars of NASCAR's boom era, and Tony Stewart was its superstar driver. In 2008, however, JGR switched to Toyota, while Tony was an all-American GM guy to his core.

The awkward partnership only lasted for one year before Tony left JGR to start his own team with Gene Haas, forming SHR.

Joey Logano replaced Tony in the #20, showing flashes of brilliance, but with only two wins in four seasons, Logano was replaced with Matt Kenseth for 2013. Logano would move to Penske, with much more success there than he had at JGR.

Matt Kenseth, meanwhile, saw the #20 switch from Home Depot sponsorship to running a Dollar General primary. Nevertheless, Kenseth showed immediate success, taking seven wins and falling just nineteen points off championship leader Jimmie Johnson.

Two years later in 2015, Kenseth was on for another championship contending season before being spun out from the lead at Kansas by none other than Joey Logano. Getting caught up in a wreck at the next race at Talladega saw Matt Kenseth get eliminated in the round of 12, while Logano won his third race in a row at Talladega to sweep the round of 12.

In retribution, at Martinsville two weeks later - the first race of the round of eight - Matt Kenseth wrecked Joey Logano as the crowd cheered. Kenseth was suspended for two races, but getting wrecked at Martinsville, a tyre problem at Texas, and failing to win Phoenix meant that Joey Logano didn't advance either.

A historic feud between drivers of the #20.

Kenseth would leave JGR after 2017, handing the #20 over to Erik Jones for three seasons, before it ended up in the hands of current driver Christopher Bell in 2021.

Bell has made the championship four in both 2022 and 2023, but finished fourth in the standings both years.

JGR's third car was the #11, co-owned by JD Gibbs and running the #11, which was the number JD used in college football at William & Mary. The #11 debuted in 2004, running various drivers such as JJ Yeley, Jason Leffler, Ricky Craven, and even Terry Labonte before settling on Denny Hamlin at the end of 2005. Hamlin went full time for 2006.

The team, with primary sponsorship from FedEx, has run ever since.

Denny Hamlin and the #11 team have won three Daytona 500s, fifty-four races, and have basically done everything in NASCAR besides winning a championship. Truly the Chicago Cubs of the stock car racing world.

Last on the list for JGR is the #19, which Joe Gibbs was finally able to secure in 2015. They had already poached Matt Kenseth from Roush for the #20, so Gibbs decided to do it again and nabbed Carl Edwards for the #19, a partnership that lasted two years before Carl abruptly retired at the end of the 2016 season for reasons NASCAR fans still speculate about to this day.

In the words of Carl Edwards himself...he had taken too many knocks to the head over the years and with him then starting a young family with a neurosurgeon wife, he decided to retire.

Daniel Suárez replaced Edwards for 2017 and 2018, before the other leading Toyota team in the form of Furniture Row Racing collapsed, giving JGR the chance to pick up 2017 champion Martin Truex Jr. for the 2019 season. Truex brought sponsors Bass Pro Shops and Auto Owners Insurance over with him.

2024, however, will be Truex's last season. Chase Briscoe will take over the #19 for 2025.

One team down.

Kaulig Racing has two full time cars, the #16 and the #31, as well as a part-time #13. The #31 is driven by Daniel Hemric, the #16 by AJ Allmendinger, Shane van Gisbergen, Josh Williams, Derek Kraus, and Ty Dillon, and the #13 has been used by Allmendinger in races where both he and SVG were running, such as COTA and Chicago.

Kaulig took #16 since it was available in 2021 (their usual Xfinity numbers, #10 and #11, were both taken), the #31 was chosen for their chartered entry for 2022 since RCR had vacated it after 2019, and the #13 because one: it was vacated, and two: it's the inverse of the #13. Yeah, not much story there, Kaulig is a new team and their numbers don't have much historic meaning behind them.

I mean, Roush ran the #16 for a long time, most successfully with Greg Biffle, but there's no link between that and Kaulig.

Kaulig does have two wins - Indianapolis Road Course 2021 and Charlotte Roval 2023 - with AJ Allmendinger, which is the most success the #16 has had since Biffle, for whatever that's worth.

Now onto Rick Ware Racing.

Rick Ware Racing has built up their history as a start-and-park team running the #51, and initially their numbering scheme was built on that, running numbers such as #52, #53, and the #54 as well. This is also the number that Rick Ware uses on its co-entries in other series, such as its alliance with Dale Coyne Racing in Indycar - where the #51 is currently run by a slew of drivers, of which Katherine Legge is expected to finish out the season - and IMSA LMP3 racing, where Rick Ware runs his son Cody.

Cody Ware was arrested in 2023 for assaulting and strangling his then girlfriend, so that's the first and only time I will mention him on this blog.

Anyway, more recently Rick Ware Racing has started professionalizing its NASCAR efforts, with Justin Haley showing promise in the #51 car that he runs in alliance with RFK Racing. Their other car, the #15, is still somewhat of a revolving door of drivers, but it does appear to be improving.

So, that's the #11, the #13, the #15, and the #16. Roush has the #17, the #18 is currently vacant, JGR has the #19 and the #20, Wood Brothers has the #21, Penske the #22...that means 23XI is next.

23Xi Racing, a joint venture by Michael Jordan (the 23 part) and Denny Hamlin (the 11 part, or XI in Roman numerals) is another new NASCAR team, having entered NASCAR in 2021 in alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.

The history of their numbers is quite simple, the #23 is Jordan's jersey number, and the #45 is the number he wore when he returned to the Chicago Bulls in 1995 after a brief sabbatical during which time he played for the White Sox's minor league affiliates.

Bubba Wallace has run the #23 since it was established in 2021, while Kurt Busch was the initial driver of the #45 before a career-ending crash at Pocono. Ty Gibbs was drafted in to replace Kurt, before 23Xi briefly switched Bubba into the #45 to compete for the owner points playoffs. Daniel Hemric and John Hunter Nemechek also had starts in 23XI cars in 2022.

For 2023 though, Tyler Reddick has been brought in to drive the #45, winning twice in 2023, and another two times so far in 2024.

Bubba, meanwhile, won Talladega 2021 in his #23, and Kansas 2022 while filling in in the #45.

23XI's third car was initially the #67 - get it, like 2,3,4,5,6,7? - but this year, in a promotion with sponsor Mobil 1, it has run as the #50 to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

Travis Pastrana, Kamui Kobayashi, and Corey Heim have all started in the #67/#50, while Juan Pablo Montoya is scheduled to run the #50 at the 2024 NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen.

So yeah, we started with a college football number in the #11, and we finish on a team named after basketball numbers with 23XI.

I believe tomorrow will be the end of this series, as Front Row Motorsports with the #34 and #38, Legacy Motor Club with the #42 and the #43, and JTG Daugherty with the #47 are the only remaining full-time teams.

Higher numbers are a bit sparse in NASCAR these days, huh?

[scrumptiousstuffs]

Thank you @firstkanaphans for tagging me in this. Also, thank you for the lovely template by @rythyme (link)

GMMTV 2025 was a lot and I’m still reeling from the series we are being bombarded. I’m not expecting we will be getting all of them released in 2025 because we still have so many leftover from 2024 that has yet to air (all the hetero? 4-5 if I’m not mistaken)

But without further ado, my very bias list of what I am most looking forward:

S tier

Cat for Cash - People who visit my blog will know I am a FK girlie through and through. Add that combination with gazillion of fluffy cats set in the prettiest, coziest looking cat cafe ever existed, I am seated. The plot is secondary. I am ready to cuddle my own cat while watching this comfort series and sip hot chocolate every week. If I have to suffer through food cat ads as sponsors for the show, so be it (but they better make my boys the ambassadors for them as well).

Dare You to Death - JoongDunk in a mystery/crime detective series? I am intrigue. This series also seems to allow Joong to be the more playful of the duo while Dunk plays the more serious detective. Either way, there is murder, mayhem and the excellent chemistry between these two. So, bring it on!

Girl Rules - This will be messy and I am sure I will be watching this with my heart thumping while I try to work out the connections between our 6 main characters. I like NamtanFilm and I have always thought View is such as under-rated actress. I am less certain about MilkLove (is this a good time to confess I drop 23:5 halfway cause I got bored by their acting?). Nevertheless, this has Jojo directing and MilkLove seems to have top it up a notch with this messy, toxic lesbian show.

A tier

Only Friends Dream On - I mentioned in a previous ask, the only way I thought OF Season 2 can work is if we have a different cast altogether in a different settings (or GL ensemble! - and I got that with Girl Rules hehe). So, this is like a dream come true x2. It also has Mix (who Jojo has mentioned will be like Boston in terms of personality?) - so yeah, I am very ready to see Mix in his slut era. Plus, Ninew is directing and he is one of the best acting coach in Thailand (and also co-directed with Jojo for OF season 1). I am less certain about OhmLeng because I think Leng is a little green but eh, we have 6 beautiful men sleeping with each other (and did I just see EarthMix humping on the theatre stage?), so I'll be happy to tune in all the horny mess.

Melody of Secrets - I have no idea what's going on and I admit I got confuse when I watch the trailer. However, it has ForceBook finally graduating from university uniforms (for good, hopefully) and we have the excellent Jan and Ploy as well. From the snippet we have of ForceBook during their cameo in Peaceful Property and as TopMew in OF, I know they can act. So, I will give this a chance.

B tier

Wu - Again, I have no idea what's happening when I watched the trailer. But the trailer showed something about fate and I see the red string of connection? I am sucker for any stories that have fate intertwined.

That Summer - It has Jojo directing. It has Satang/Winny as a lead and I have Mond kissing boys again. What more can I ask?

Me and Thee - This seems campy mafia story to me. It also has the beautiful PondPhuwin starring in this show. I can see myself tuning in without needing to concentrate on the storyline too much.

A Dog and A Plane - Again, it has Jojo directing. Plus, it has TayNew who is of the OG lineup from GMMTV. Of course, I will be tuning in!

C tier

Ticket To Heaven - Not my cup of tea. I know GemFourth are good actors and it has P'Aof directing. However, I will be watching this from the distance (via my moots who will be tuning in and flooding my dashboard with beautiful gifs)

Memoir of Rati - Also, not my cup of tea. I struggle to watch lakorn. Maybe I will give it a try if people tell me this is exceptional.

My Romance Scammer - Is it safe to say I do not connect with the 2 main couples at all?

Whale Store XOXO - I prefer MilkLove in Girl Rules (I admit I tune out when this trailer came out)

My Magic Prophecy - I have already forgotten what this is about....

Love You Teacher - They lost me when Santa regressed to 7 years old.

Burnout Syndrome - it has OffGun and P'Nuchy of Not Me fame. However, I am not feeling the vibe at all. This may change once the official trailer come out.

D tier - pretty much anything with school/university settings (I'm sorry, I am over school/university storylines, for now. The only thing I will watch on repeat that is set in a school setting are The Eclipse and MSP).

Head 2 Head - school setting (see above)

I "Love a Lot" of You - Nanon in his token straight storyline about split personalities. I'll pass.

Mu-Te-Luv - I got so confused with so many characters. Is it like an anthology? Or is it a long series of interwoven/connected storylines?

Boys in Love - Even the side couple of PoddPapang can't save it for me. I may watch their parts only?

Anyone who wants to join, please feel free to do so.

[zydrateacademy]

Review - Star Wars: The Old Republic

As with any 14 year old game, especially of the MMO genre, one can expect that it’s gone through a few changes. I cannot speak for its current viability, as I’ve heard from some players that they’ve been a bit lax with any major expansion update for some years now, in the same timeframe as the COVID pandemic which may have affected their workflow. So getting into this game really depends on what you want out of a game or MMO.

The usual MMO trappings reveal themselves in short order; between not being able to equip purple “epic” gear, only being able to hold a certain amount of credits, and the fact that your level cap will be 60, locking you out of four or so major content updates. A single month purchase will unlock the rest of it permanently. I was lucky enough to have a friend to sponsor a couple of months in my era of unemployment, but I won’t lie to you: The hard cap and content lockout was annoying, but unfortunately not entirely unheard of for MMO operations.

In my recent ~140 hours I’ve only done the multiplayer Flashpoints (the 4-person dungeons through a group finder queue). I highly recommend turning General chat off in the Fleets. 

I’m here to tell you that as a free player, playing this game like an extended KOTOR-3 is an entirely viable way to go about it.

Everyone has their own opinions and tier list of various class stories. Having done up to Chapter 2 throughout most of them and finished only two or three, it really is a subjective preference. I found the Sith Warrior to be highly engaging, while the Jedi Consular bored me to a point where I’ve lost the thread and I’m not really sure what was going on at all after a certain point. I’m told the Jedi Knight is basically the unofficial KOTOR3 on its own, but the shadow of Revan is around regardless of who you play as. 

Ultimately every origin story has their own power struggles that run mostly concurrently with each other with the occasional and rare overlap, until the various expansions where your singular PC morphs into a singular character with vague mentions of all the origin characters being in the wind, dead or missing. This runs the risk of what the original content excelled at, each origin feels very unique and (most of) their stories are engaging. But in doing so they had more or less written themselves in a corner and their way out of it was making the dialog more generalized, my Sith Warrior main barely makes any mention of being Sith but in the rare moments and most of their jerk dialog just amounts to “I will destroy you” rather than “The Sith will return”, because they had to account for all the other characters at once.

I am currently playing through the “Fallen Empire” arc and while I am highly engaged, I do feel like it takes place in a different universe but in a somewhat good way. The aesthetics of the Eternal Empire feel at odds with the aesthetics of the franchise. I have my Sith Warrior dressed in the usual black and red Darth-y stuff, and I look like a cartoon character as I traverse a corridor with more realistically designed Netflix-show-esque outfits.

Gameplay? It’s an MMO. Third person, WASD movement, action bars. Unfortunately the game doesn’t have an Addon/Mod system but it has an ingame interface editor which is fairly easy to use and you can scale the UI to your preferences. 

Frankly I got a lot of WoW flashbacks as I played it after eight or so years away. The Operative/Assassin/Shadow classes effectively operate like a rogue, with stealth and single-target stun abilities. In that way it can feel a bit dated, but makes up for it with the story flow and doesn’t bog you down too heavily with a hundred skills and spells.

At a certain point the whole game feels like a Mass Effect game with a Star Wars skin painted over it, because once you’re in your 60’s you have most of your class’s kit and once you figure out a skill priority and order your action bars around it’s unlikely you’ll need to rearrange it much after that, and then it just feels like a Mass Effect ability bar. So it’s just a matter of running around the story, but there’s a scaling issue where you’re constantly over-leveled for the area so to make sure you’re not one-tapping bosses, you’ll be scaled down to the content for the entire duration of the game, until whatever the endgame loop zone at 80 is. This is unlike a Bioware game where, even if you play on a set difficulty, their games become progressively easier as you upgrade. Sadly here in SWTOR, my Darth is struggling against basic droids. Where it originally excelled at the power fantasy of a lightsaber wielding Jedi, over time you just become some random with a sword.

The game isn’t difficult, just time consuming. But the experience is very much comparable to a distant KOTOR sequel and if that’s the vibe you’re going for, there’s a lot of bang for little buck here. The initial game is free and you can get a couple of hundred hours on it easily. Even when I was stuck at a lower level cap it still took me 40-60 hours getting through one story, but I was doing a little bit of side-faff like Flashpoints and Roleplay. So maybe every class story could potentially be accurately summed up as 20-40 hours of gameplay… and there’s eight origins to play through, each with eight subclasses to experience. There’s a lot of game here, and it’s hard to argue with free.

[lgcmanager]

NOTORIETY TIERS 017

SCHEDULE TYPE: N/A RESTRICTIONS: only open to anyone who has 200 NOTORIETY and is an IDOL ( who debuted in a permanent group ), ACTOR, or MODEL.

as a reward for people’s dedication and hard work towards the rp, we have opened this for anyone who has met specific requirements. this new concept also allows for our members to plan their muses’ career outside of roleplay-sponsored events. more details about the notoriety tier can be located in THIS GUIDE created by ADMIN *! as a heads up, there HAVE been some changes to the guide, so please review through them before adding in your claims. if you do have any questions pertaining to the guide, feel free to message the main!

for Q1, we listed the muses that are eligible for this opportunity and the tier they belong in:

BAEK SEONA ( @lgcseona ) - tier 5

CHA SORI ( @lgcsori ) – tier 3

CHO MINKYU ( @lgcminkyu ) – tier 3

JEON HARU ( @lgcharu ) – tier 10

KIM NAYOUNG ( @lgcnayoung ) – tier 4

KUROSAWA AKIO ( @lgcakio ) – tier 2

KWON SENA ( @lgcsena ) – tier 4

LEE HYUNSOO ( @hyunsoolgc ) – tier 4

LEE YUSHIN ( @lgcyushin ) – tier 8

OH EUNHYE ( @lgceunhye ) – tier 10

PARK SEOJIN ( @lgcseojin ) – tier 3

SEO MINSEO ( @lgcminseo ) – tier 4

SEO NINA ( @lgcnina ) – tier 2

SHIN JIEUN ( @lgcjieun ) – tier 5

SON NABI ( @lgcnabi ) – tier 6

WATANABE MIYU ( @lgcmiyu ) – tier 5

YANG AERI ( @lgcaeri ) – tier 7

YOO HAEMIN ( @haeminlgc ) – tier 2

YU MILAN ( @lgcmilan ) – tier 5

for this cycle, most of the gigs will be scheduled for APRIL-JUNE depending on the claims submitted. please keep this in mind with the details mentioned below AND when deciding on the gigs ( if you want to do one that is time-sensitive ).

GIG RESTRICTIONS

for DRAMAS, we will only be allowing TWO new dramas because these dramas will air sometime between Q2-Q3 2025 !

as for SONGWRITING/MUSICAL ARRANGEMENT claims, here are a list of songs that are claimable:

2 rings - dreamcatcher ( fabula / b-side; needs at least 50 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

always - niziu ( crystallis / b-side; needs at least 50 japanese for PARTIAL lyric writing credit, at least 75 japanese for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

bad girls r us - itzy ( fabula / b-side; needs at least 50 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

classic - ive ( crystallis / b-side; needs at least 50 japanese OR 50 english for PARTIAL lyric writing credit, but 50 japanese AND 50 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

dear. my darling - boynextdoor ( versus / b-side; needs at least 50 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

devil by the window - txt ( versus / b-side; needs at least 50 english PARTIAL lyric writing credit, at least 75 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

fatal trouble - enhypen ( versus / b-side )

igloo - kiss of life ( fabula / b-side; needs at least 50 english PARTIAL lyric writing credit, at least 75 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

lettuce - f5ve ( lgc girls japan / b-side; needs at least 25 japanese or 50 english for PARTIAL lyric writing credit, at least 50 japanese AND 75 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

not like you - stayc ( fabula / b-side; needs at least 50 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

on my bike - purple kiss ( fabula / b-side; needs at least 50 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

rain - seventeen ( versus / b-side )

red light sign, but we go - nmixx ( fabula / b-side; needs at least 50 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

unknown - nct dream ( versus / b-side; needs at least 50 english for MAJOR lyric writing credit )

worst thriller - cravity ( versus / b-side )

for FASHION SHOWS, the ones claimable during this cycle are: PARIS FASHION WEEK - MENS ( JUNE 24-29 ), LONDON FASHION WEEK ( JUNE 12-15 ), and MILAN FASHION WEEK ( MEN / JUNE 20-24 ). as a note for all of the current muses with brand ambassadorships, they will all be required to attend any or both of the fashion show weeks if there are no conflicting group schedules as part of their contract with their respective brands ( this will not count for NOTORIETY TIERS but it’s simply a reminder).

NT GIGS CLAIM PROCESS

for this cycle, we’ll be implementing a different way of submitting gig claims as a way to help everyone see what can be claimed.

first you will have to go to this DOCUMENT and check the “INTRODUCTION” tab to read the instructions. afterwards, you will go to your muse’s tab and fill out the “REQUEST FORM” section ( activity level, gig, other participants [ if applicable ], skill distribution, and notoriety ). the “ADMIN APPROBATION” column must be left blank and will be updated whenever one of the admins has reviewed and scheduled the gig. once you are done filling out the request form section, you will see a row that says “READY FOR ADMIN REVIEW?” and a drop down menu next to it. select “YES” when you are done. once everything has been reviewed by an admin, the drop down menu will change to “REVIEWED” and you can start writing the twitter posts for it. when we receive the twitter posts, that status will then change to “APPROVED” by the admins. you have until FEBRUARY 22, 2025 11:59PM EDT to fill out the request form.

to add to that, please double check the “notes” listed under the dates of certain dates for your gigs once it’s been processed! sometimes the notes will include pertinent information that may need to be added when writing the captions.

the twitter posts form is listed below and you have until MARCH 22, 2025, 11:59PM EST to fill out the form below and submit them to the lgcmedia blog:

MUSE NAME · Q1 NOTORIETY TIERS ACTIVITY ##: ( list the name of the gig ) IMAGE: ( insert 1-4 image links that you would want us to use ) CAPTION: ( write a short caption describing the gig and any relevant information about it. the caption must be between 100-280 characters long. if you want to double check if what you’ve written meets the character requirement, you can click the link over HERE. ) COMMENT #1: ( write a positive comment related to the gig/muse. please make sure that the comment focuses more on the muse and avoid mentioning other muses unless the gig is shared with other people. the comment must be between 100-280 characters long. please include a username associated with the comment as well. the username will not be added in the character count. ) COMMENT #2: ( write a neutral/negative comment related to the gig/muse. please make sure that the comment focuses more on the muse and avoid mentioning other muses unless the gig is shared with other people. the comment must be between 100-280 characters long. please include a username associated with the comment as well. the username will not be added in the character count. )

if you take more than one notoriety tier gig, please copy the section multiple times but make sure to submit all of the gigs in one submit to make it easier for us when processing them! once all of the gigs have been processed on both ends, we’ll make a note on NOTORIETY TIERS DOCUMENT. you can link the document in your points sheet as reference since we will have a new document for every NT cycle.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

while it is optional to fill the section in the sheet, we recommend muses ( especially ones who have recently reached 200 notoriety in the past few months ) to fill that section in case you are planning on taking any gigs that may have some pre-reqs associated with it ( eg. being a temporary [ 1 month ] co-host in a music show, which would require having 75 KOREAN, 50 MCING/HOSTING and prior experience as a one-time co-host/host for a podcast, youtube show, or vlive show ). there’s no deadline with completing the section so you can do it past the deadlines if you wish.

[blueberrykenn]

Kennie's Top 10 Yearly Fic Recommendations

Okay so this is the 2nd year of me doing this (but this year I wont delete) butttt I show my top 10 fic and authors for each member/group( some members of bts repeat due to the amount of poly fics I read and its what I mainly read) (A handful of these have smut so heres your warning)

(I would also love to be your guys friends as every single one of you seems absolutely amazing)

LETS GET STARTED

10. @guqwrvte Make it Three (Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung)

Oh where do I start with this fic I found it in the spring looking for a Soulmate fic and oh boy I was in for a ride THREE SOULMATES?! ummm YES and the arcade chapter was ABSOULELY AMAZING! I hope you're doing well Author!! as this fic hasn't been updated in a while

9. @yonkimint Without You (Yoongi with a side of Hoseok or "Jay")

OHHHH BOY When I wanted a love triangle I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED I found this fic in April looking for angst and ANGST I GOT without spoiling it its a Pregnancy/ Single Mom AU and one of the best ones Ive read in a longgggg time

8. @guksthighs Bloom (Yoongi)

OH BOY This is a recent one actually. This one shot was made SIX YEARS AGO?! OMG Hanahaki AUs are one of my favorites angst type of fics so when I read this I literally sobbed like a baby I cant say much else without spoiling it

7. @kimnjss cyberslut (Yoongi), less of you/VINTAGE (Jimin), Strawberry Kisses(Jungkook)

MISS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVES SINCE 2019 like when I first read beside you YESS I reread Cyberslut and HAD to include it but reading less of you in June as I was dealing with my own breakup it was a tear jerker towards the end of less of you, for me I wont spoil it but there a plot twist that I was not expecting towards the end of the sequel, Vintage. BUT STRAWBERRY KISSES OH MY GAHD I read that on my way home in August even though its a SMUTTY I enjoyed it a lot and the FLUFF I think some people looked at me crazy when I took the bus home that day

6. @skazoo if you tell me about yourself( Stray Kids' Felix)

Okay here me out! Demon Slayer. Its one of my favorite manga and anime series and with CHANBIN as a hashira UMMM YES ynand chanbin are literally Genya and Sanemi if Genya was a girl and not YK (demon slayer spoiler!!) eating demons, but this 2 parter was ABSOULTELY AMAZING

5. @ugh-yoongi a word from our sponsors (Namjoon)

How do you get a idoit podcasters to not realize they have feelings but read smut YOU GET THESE TWO MFERS This one shot was sooooooo good!! like I read a lot of smut but this? TOP TEIR OF ONESHOTS OF 2023

4. @sopebubbles Bulletproof Heart (2Seok)

THIS ROLLERCOASTER If I had to describe my childhood in fanfictions this one would be one (check #1 for the other) I wont say why because spoilers but this angst was OMG THE YOONGI HATE WAS UNREAL NOT MY YOONGLES but I loved it soooooooo much

3.@jihoonotes Yearning(SVT's Woozi)

Lee Jihoon is literally my ult bias. Do I need to say more? ITS WORTH THE READ

2. @solemnreads Way Back Home(Jungkook)

THIS FIC HAD ME FUCKING EVERYWHERE with the twins to CEO Kook THE JEALOUSLY I LOVE IT by far the best exes to lovers fic I read this year

before I tell yall #1 I wanna give an honorable mention to @purpleyoonn they would be on the main list if I was done reading you complete us BUTTTT RED STRING is amazing even though there only 2 parts so far

Okay Okay this should be expected if you been here for a bit

1.@theharrowing Literally anything they write but mainly Rose Tinted Obsessions and Collateral

Boy Blue and Collateral Taehyungs literally Remained me of In between Taehyung so much that I got inspired to write in between again everything I read from them is Absolutely Amazing, Top Tier just Yes DARK FICS are literally my go to so reading them had me sooooo happy and wanting more

[cressthebest]

Crimson Rivers thoughts pt. 22

chapter 38:

1. “"Right, so, your stylist?" Marlene asks, settling in as they continue to sway. "The one who looks like a fucking goddess? Yeah, so get this, she says we're friends…"”

james and marlene gossip sesh <3333333

2. 😧 MCGONNAGAL??????????

3. wait i think mcgonnagal is good. i’m pretty sure she’s from the phoenix. i’m not sure. i’m hopeful. i’m so hopeful

4. aww huey is kinda sweet. i like that’s he’s reg’s breath of fresh air when it comes to talking to the hallows

5. reg, i understand your anger, but please don’t make one of the only good sponsors feel bad

6. jealous james >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

7. “"I like your tea," James offers. "Maybe I'm biased, but it tastes better than anyone else's. What do you do to it?"

Regulus hums and lightly says, "I spit in it."

Without missing a beat, James replies, "Ah, that explains it."”

😭😭😭😭😭

8. “"Would you—" Regulus chokes on another relentless giggle, gasping a little. "Wait, would you actually drink my tea if I spit in it, James?"

"Love, I would let you spit directly into my mouth," James announces with absolutely no shame in his tone whatsoever.”

😭😭😭😭 james i love you

9. awww i love that barty is the most consistent part of reg’s life. i love barty

10. 😬 riddle is unconvinced in their love story. i- yikes

11. okay, right, mcgonnagal is good. thank god

12. dorcas wants to keep marlene out of the war, but only one of them has had a pov so far, so i’m not hopeful

13. oh shit marlene sounds hot

14. also, to add in, i’m so fucking glad there’s like no homophobia (that we know of) in this world

15. i do NOT want dorlene to be a tragedy in this universe

16. 😟 she gave back the ring. AHHHH

17. oh no. shit shit shit shit shit what did riddle do

18. “Riddle didn't even grant the liberty of leaving bodies behind for them to bury.” 😟😧

(but also, orion and walburga were dicks, so like, i’m not sad, just scared)

chapter 39:

1. aww regulus finally invites james in for tea

2. “On the day he accidentally kills a bee while tending to his flowers, he goes through the five stages of grief in less than an hour, which has nothing to do with the bee and everything to do with Vanity.” STOP! THE VANITY MENTION HURTS TOO MUCH

3. “When Regulus wants more time with him, he adds bagels, which James has now unconsciously been Pavloved into thinking of as his favorite food for that very reason.” STOP THATS SO GAY

4. sirius being dramatic about james and reg liking each other is TOP TIER in this fic, in the most realistic, aggravated, obnoxious, and completely loving way

5. BWAHAHAHHAHA JAMES GETTING A PIGGY BACK RIDE FROM SIRIUS IS GOLD

6. oh shit, (i’m not the best comprehensive reader, but i should have figured this out sooner), but from sirius’ perspective, he has to do the back and forth with remus his whole life. he doesn’t have the knowledge that i do, that a war is coming and they’ll finally get a chance to live together. he thinks he only gets to see remus once a year for two weeks at a time. this- this shit is heartbreaking yall

7. “”I watched him stand to his feet and tip himself into a river of blood in an act so tender that I'll never again be able to look at him with anything less than pure love. Every other member of the Black family, including you, fought and clawed their way home to their family, oftentimes to a family that never truly made them feel loved at all. Regulus? He fought and clawed through that arena, the entire time, for James. He's far more gentle than anyone gives him credit for."”

y’all, i’m crying over this. this is so lovely. effie is right, and i’m crying over how right she is

8. 😒 i know what’s coming. riddles a bitch. a right bitch. he’s gonna announce that previous victors are competing and i’m PISSED

9. so far, all three potters offered reggie food. they’re so hospitable, i love them

10. “He hasn't forgotten what it is to long for James. He still knows what it is to want him so badly that he'd be willing to kneel at the altar of James Potter and beg; he'd drop down on his hands and knees and crawl if that's what it took, if that would prove his devotion. He is the manifestation of longing built up with nowhere to go, and he craves, he yearns, he covets.”

both of them are so down bad

11. omg reg is so horny. his inner monologue is literally only like “”””“rip my clothes off please, read my mind and rip my clothes off”””””

12.AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I KNEW IT WAS COMING! BUT IM SO MAD!!! FUCK RIDDLE

13. effie is a queen. she is a godsend. and i’m so upset right now

14. not effie making them promise not to volunteer, and immediately james and sirius arguing over who’s gonna volunteer for her

15. i’m seething. i’m pissed beyond belief. i’m so angry it’s indescribable. my babies are going back into that arena. honestly, fuck riddle

[honourablejester]

Blades in the Dark Character Concept:  Mad Scientist Leech

Because I was talking about how much the crafting and specifically inventing rules of BitD excite me. The gadgets and rituals especially, but let’s focus on gadgets for a moment, because I’ve got ideas. Let’s get some mad science up in here!

So. Our playbook is Leech. And we’re going to want the Artificer special ability: “When you invent or craft a creation with spark-craft features, you get +1 result level to your roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4/5, etc.). You begin with one special design already known. Follow the Inventing procedure with the GM (page 224) to define your first spark-craft design.” Straight out of the gate, that gives us one design we’ve already invented, with no need to study it, although we still have to successfully craft said design in-game.

And I think I want that design to be for … In Dishonored, there’s a power called Dark Vision, which allows you to see glowing orange outlines of people even through walls. Which, in Blades, probably should come under ‘Arcane’ rather than ‘Spark-Craft’, except that almost all spark craft is based on plasm, which is condensed life energy. So it should be possible to calibrate a sensor, to somehow treat a lens to place in some goggles, to react to the presence of plasm in living beings. To sense, via the ghost field/ether, their presence regardless of physical obstacles.

Now. Potential downsides? It would also react to ghosts and demons, which would both show up much stronger, so if it’s calibrated to the much lower concentrations found in living humans, unexpectedly staring straight at ghosts or demons could have bad effects. Which I think under the invention rules would be classed as the ‘Volatile’ drawback (‘troublesome side effect’). Perhaps we could refine the design further later, to provide shielding? But for the initial prototype design we’re working with here, there may be some kinks to work out.

I think this item might be somewhere in the Tier IV/V ballpark. If we give it a range of a small building and a duration of a few minutes per activation. We might add on another drawback of ‘Consumable’ in that to activate the coating on the lenses involves burning through some electroplasm, hence why it has a duration.

Anyway. Pulling back a touch. This is our Leech’s pet project. Because she just has itchy tinkering fingers. She wants to make things. And then try them out. And yes, she could go for the official route, there likely is a military application there that someone would gladly have paid her for, but she doesn’t want her work to wind up in Imperial hands. She wants it for herself, and her chosen people, not the government. But that means she has to fund her own work. Which, well. What’s a putative supervillain to do but turn to a life of crime?

Her background is academic. Sparkwright Tower. She has a grounding in this stuff, an education. Natural talent, sure, but also study. But her heritage …

I think she’s Skovlan. She really doesn’t want the government, the Empire, to have her work. To rip something else from Skovlan minds and Skovlan hands and use it to oppress them all over again.

Getting into Charterhall University and Sparkwright Hall involves being sponsored to it. And she’s a kid from Charhollow, parents working the factories in Coalridge. Where’d she get the sponsorship? But she had a talent. A fierce, burning, oh-so-visible talent. So I’m wondering if the families of Charhollow, as well as possibly some of the union-agitators of Coalridge and/or the Skovlan independence movement, rallied enough to get her into the university despite her background. They paid for her to get in, to get at least the grounding of her education. But for a kid from Charhollow, that’s an uphill fight all the way, even before you get to her own fierce paranoia about letting Imperial forces use anything of hers. She didn’t play nice. Oh, enough to get a few years out of it. Enough to get a nice good glimpse at the science of the Sparkwrights. But not enough to graduate. Not enough to become a Sparkwright. She got drummed out well before then.

And turned to a life of crime. Because the taste she got … there are so many possibilities. Not just lightning barriers or etheric batteries. Anything. All those things considered ‘arcane’, the province of Whispers and sorcerers. Anything magic can do, science can equal. Surpass! See into the ghost field? Manipulate life energy? Those are the basics. Darling, we can do anything!

She’s gotten a little sidetracked. She was sent to the university on the assumption that she’d help her own people, Charhollow and the Skovlanders. In university, it was assumed that she’d help the Empire, the Sparkwrights. But she just. She got distracted. The work is its own reward, you know? She just wants to know how to do things. To try things out. To experiment.

And that requires money. And materials. And, too, some testing grounds. Which, in this city, can’t be in that short of a supply?

(And there’s nothing to say that she won’t share her research, once she has more of it, with the Skovlan independence movement. She does still believe in that. She’s just got to have something to share with them first, you know?)

So. A Skovlan Academic Leech. Her vice is her work, which I think would class as either Weird or Obligation? I’m leaning Weird. She wants to take the arcane and match it scientifically. That’s going to involve digging her hands into everything magic is capable of. She’s going to learn things, and take what she’s learned, and build things from it. Scientifically!

Enemies and allies. I think Jul, the blood dealer, is going to be an excellent ally. She needs plasm. And leviathan blood is a good source. She’s made sure to be friendly with him. And enemies … Let’s go with Malista, a priestess. Science vs magic, fight!

For her action dots, she gets two in Tinker and one in Wreck from Leech. For her Skovlan heritage, we’ll give her a dot of Finesse, from growing up in the crime hubs of Charhollow and Coalridge. For her Academic background, obviously we’ll go Study. And then for the two free dots, one more in Study, for science! And one in Attune, for digging into magic to make it science.

Her name is Sethla Kilscovan. She’s a tiny, compact, energetic woman with a self-cropped shock of bright red hair, hands stained with unknowable fluids, and a rather intense, wild-eyed expression pinned to her exuberant features. Her alias is Gleam, for the mad light in her eyes. She’s got ideas. So very many ideas! All she needs is just a little more money and a little more time, and maybe a test subject or two, and she be happy to show you them! Heh.

Yes. A mad scientist Skovlander Leech. Because inventing is a lot of fun in this game.

[xf-cases-solved]

S1E13: Beyond the Sea

Case: A young couple is kidnapped in North Carolina, and the authorities have five days to find them before they're murdered. Unfortunately, they have no leads, except for the testimony of Luther Lee Boggs—a serial killer Mulder put behind bars years ago—who is claiming to have psychic knowledge that will lead them to the missing children. In some serious turning of the tables, Mulder is skeptical of Boggs' claims, whereas Scully—whose father just died, and who is desperate for just one more message from him to know that they didn't part on bad terms—finds herself believing Boggs, much to her chagrin. After Mulder is shot, Scully is on her own to work with Boggs, leading to some sexy fucking "Silence of the Lambs" -esque scenes that make this episode not just a top tier s1 episode, but a top tier episode of all time. Mulder tears up his New York Knicks shirt (he probably has like seventeen tho, so it's okay), Scully is scared to believe, and Brad Dourif puts his entire goddamn pussy into playing Luther Boggs. A+++, fam.

Does someone die in the cold open: Yes! But it wasn't a crime. Scully gets the dreaded "middle of the night phone call" and learns that her father just died. (Even tho she just saw him sitting in her armchair across the room. Say what???) 

Does Mulder present a slideshow: No. 

Does the evidence survive the investigation: This is another where it depends on what you mean by evidence. Evidence of the actual, literal crime? Yes, that actually worked out like how normal police work is meant to go if you're good at your job. Evidence of Boggs' psychic abilities, however? Unfortunately, proof of those went with him to the gas chamber. 

Whodunit: Lucas Henry, who is either Boggs' accomplice, or somebody Boggs keeps having psychic visions of. It's up to you to decide.

Convictions: Lucas Henry would have been convicted if he hadn't crashed through several floors and fell on his face directly onto some concrete, so we'll give it to 'em.

Did they solve it: While the supernatural element remains a mystery, the crime itself is solved. This one is a resounding yes!

[how do i determine if a case is solved? check the scale here: x]

THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: Confusing and upsetting your loved ones by appearing to them after your death. Look, we all die—it's a fact of life!—but just because you're dead doesn't mean you have to be dull. When accidents strike, illnesses rage, or the clock has simply run out, keep the fun going by confusing and upsetting your loved ones by appearing to them after your death. By keeping the excitement of living alive by causing trauma to those closest to you as they mourn your loss, you're guaranteeing your time in the afterlife is off to a great start!

*Confusing and upsetting your loved ones by appearing to them after your death is especially recommended for those with loved ones who are particularly skeptical, or who are looking for answers to ambiguities left behind after your departure.

Try it today! Or, well, when you die, we mean. Which might be today!

***

General Total Stats:

(green means stat has changed since last ep; red means new stat added to list)

Total Cases *Definitively* Solved So Far: 6 (holy shit, three in a row?? unprecedented!)

Total Number of "Mulder/Scully, it's me" phone calls: 1

Total Number of Times Scully Has Conveniently Not Seen Something Crucial: 4 (Mulder was actually the one who was out of the room whenever Boggs said something that resonated with Scully)

Total Number of Times Mulder Has Been in Mortal Danger: 5 (pew pew) 

Total Number of Times Scully Has Been in Mortal Danger: 3 ½ (half point bc she should have died, but she had that warning from Boggs, so it was kind of a toss up) 

Total Number of Sexually Charged, Uncomfortably intimate, and/or Flirty Moments Between Friendly Coworkers: 8 (i changed the stat to add in "uncomfortably intimate" bc especially in these first few seasons, a lot of the MSR moments are more like... buddy, i get that you're going through it, but that is your coworker, why are you holding them so gently with so much love in your eyes? anyway, Mulder cupping her face in the beginning, and Mulder putting his hand on her gigantic 90s pant suit shoulder pad at the end are the ones i'm counting)

Total Number of Autopsies Scully Has Performed On Screen: 1

Total Number of Times Scully Plays Doctor: 1

Total Number of Times Mulder Talks to an Informant: 5 

Total Number of Times People Making Out in a Car are Hurt or Killed: 1 (new stat!)

Total Number of Nosebleeds: 4

Total Number of Times Someone Says "Trust No One": 1 

Total Number of Times Someone Says "I Want to Believe": 2 (new stat! first one was actually in that snore fest "Conduit," but i didn't want to go back and add it since i just considered making it a stat now)

Total Number of Cigarettes Cigarette Smoking Man Has Smoked: 2

Total Number of Maggie Scully sightings: 1 (new stat!)

Total Number of Alex Krycek Sightings: 0 :(

Total Number of Times I Had to Look Up What State the Episode Takes Place in Even Though I Literally Just Watched It: 3 ½

Total Number of Times I Had to Look at an Episode's Wikipedia Page to Fill This Out Because It Was Fucking Confusing and/or Too Boring for Me to Pay Attention: 2 (we stan Beyond the mother fucking Sea)

[fujocoded]

Final Campaign Showcase

It's time! With our campaign concluded, and our energy replenished, let's do a final campaign tally and look at all the amazing contributors that helped make this fundraiser an astounding success. Hold on to your seats, we're going for a ride! For obvious reasons, this is going under the cut 👇 If you're curious about what this is all about, check out our (now concluded) BackerKit campaign here!

First of all, the final numbers: as you know, we raised $9,258 from 170 backers, 309% of our goal for an average of more than $50(!!!) per person. Our most backed tier was "Mandarin Seed" with 41, followed by Lime at 34. (hope you enjoyed all the citrus-y references 🌱)

For the high level tiers, we got 4(!!) Bronze Fujin backers at $250+ and 1 Gold Fujin at $1,000. There are no words to quantify our gratitude for this amount of support. But there's a sponsor wall on which we'll soon showcase our generous patrons' names (or not, as they wish)!

For add-ons, the winner is "Additional Sticker Set" (SO glad you love them as much as we do), followed by the "Shipping on Company Time–AO3 edition" sticker. This was our "target audience"-bait stretch goal, so we're glad to see it worked! FujoBoards are also ever-popular.

And speaking of stickers... let's talk about our sticker sets and the people who made them! We didn't get to shout out our artists quite as often as we wanted to during the campaign (the rapid pace of “all that needs doing” made it hard), so it's time to put names to the art!

Our Brand Sticker Pack mostly features graphics and art like the logo and raccoon) by anonymous collaborators who 💜 their privacy! The stickers themselves were designed by @essential-randomness, and the brilliant "fujin inside" joke was a last-minute stroke of genius by @enigmalea.

For the slogan pack, "Boba-tan's Big Integers" features art by @moksutinn, the "be gay commit code crimes" chibi are by @ikam177, and office lady Boba-tan is by @ymkse–all long-term collaborators! Once again they were assembled by @essential-randomness with help from our community

Next is the amazing "fujin/sickos" parody by Ererifan (as sticker and shirt/tote), and our 88x31 badges by Goblin. And don't forget the anonymous artist for our teasers!

They too had already collaborated with us in previous initiatives! As they say, "the gang is all here".

Now, our website! It was primarily coded by @essential-randomness, but is heavy in community contributions. Check code (and contributors) on GitHub: https://github.com/FujoWebDev/fujocoded

Even here, a lot of long-term collaborators, some in their first foray with git!

For the art (once again, have you tried moving the browser windows on the site?), we have two amazing artists to thank: @brokemycrown, our FujoGuide KS art director, created the "web" trio pics, while the rest is the work of @ymkse, with us since the very first Boba-tan art!

As you know, more goes into a project than coding and art. Between writing, proof-reading, alt-texting, cat-herding, pep-talking, and "running around getting things done" so many community contributors pitched in! We're still confirming who wants public credit, but here's a few:

@enigmalea, without whom so many of our projects wouldn't exist in their current form, did a bit of everything: from styling, to design, to wording, to typing... not even technical difficulties can keep her down!

VCat, without whom our website wouldn't have shipped in time

@starfieldcanvas, at their first big projects with us, gets the credit of "first volunteer to write a @bobaboard retrospective" (rather than founder @essential-randomness), which alone would be an incredible feat. However, Dove did a lot more, handling all our newsletters through the lead up to the campaign, thus making it possible for the team to make everything that needed happening actually happen. She also helped with design, FujoVerse copy, and even picked up coding (!) and GitHub (!!) to help update things here and there!

@elendraug picked up everything that needed picking up! From the humongous task of adding all our collaborators to @fujowebdev, to writing most of our alt text, to proofreading, to helping with drafts...

@xieliansbignaturals who took care of alt text, proofreading and cheerleading

@tarantasina, who kept the team on track and delighted us all with their Signature High-Spirit Emotional Encouragement™

@thebiballerina, who gave us social media wisdom, help with proofreading and wordsmithing, and other invaluable support

...and then me, @essential-randomness, who has written most of the posts delighting your days, manned an inordinate amount of social accounts, did everything-not-done-by-others, and somehow managed to get a company started on the wings of being a fujoshi–the highest of achievements.

With all of this said, the plan for the future: this campaign took us months to prepare on top of working on our other projects. We're now going to take a deserved couple of weeks to rest, then regroup to discuss next steps and priorities.

Formalizing all this into a company won't always be straightforward, and there will be decisions to make we haven’t even encountered yet. Our first priorities will be finishing FujoGuide Issue 2 and producing + shipping the rewards for this campaign.

Alongside this, we'll start contacting the lawyers you all recommended (seriously, thank you) so we can begin hiring with confidence, and continue the work making @bobaboard's governance independent so we can finally onboard more volunteers and push the project forward.

There's a lot to do (as you can see), and it will take time to realize the full potential of what you've helped us launch. We're incredibly excited to get to work, even more so now that we have some seed (money) to help lighten the load. And with this, we say (a temporary) goodbye.

Thank you everyone who supported us, and thank you everyone who's been at our side all along, and everyone who is joining our journey for the first time.

Looking forward to the future, The FujoCoded LLC Team