#V: Augmented Future

[the-catch-center]

I. ORIGIN IDENTITY (2025)

Name: Nathaniel "Nate" Carter Date of Birth: March 12, 1993 Origin Point: Houston, Texas, United States Profession: Personal Trainer and Amateur Bodybuilder Psychological Profile: Highly ambitious, narcissistic tendencies, obsessive focus on physical perfection, and a deep-seated desire for recognition and fame.

Summary: Nathaniel Carter was a product of the 21st-century self-optimization culture. His life revolved around sculpting the ideal physique, not for health, but for adulation. Dissatisfied with his reality, he sought to rewrite his existence by exploiting temporal loopholes, aiming to implant himself into a past where his idealized version of success could be realized.

II. INTENDED TEMPORAL INSERTION (1975)

Alias: Chadwick "Chad" Thompson Target Date of Birth: June 6, 1957 Insertion Point: Des Moines, Iowa, United States Intended Role: High School Football Prodigy transitioning to a collegiate athletic career Physical Blueprint: 6'4", 245 lbs, muscular build, clean-cut appearance, embodying the archetype of the 1970s American football star. Psychological Conditioning: Assertive, competitive, disciplined, with a singular focus on athletic excellence and the pursuit of national recognition.

Summary: Carter's plan was to become the quintessential all-American athlete of the 1970s, leveraging his knowledge of future sports strategies and training methodologies to dominate the era's football scene. His ultimate goal was to secure a legacy as a sports icon, complete with endorsements, fame, and the adulation he craved.

III. INTERCEPTION AND REASSIGNMENT

Interception Date: April 14, 2025 Location: Temporal Transit Corridor 7B Reason for Interception: Unauthorized temporal insertion with high risk of causality disruption. Reassignment Protocol: Subject rerouted to a timeline and identity with minimal historical impact potential.

IV. ASSIGNED IDENTITY (1990s)

Name: Giovanni Bianchi Date of Birth: April 14, 1944 Assigned Location: Modena, Italy Profession: Opera Singer (Bass-Baritone) Physical Characteristics:

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 290 lbs

Build: Broad, burly, with a prominent abdomen

Hair: Sparse, with a receding hairline and balding crown

Facial Hair: Full beard stubble

Body Hair: Dense chest and shoulder hair

Feet: Size 28EE, intentionally disproportionate for biometric tracking

Psychological Profile: Grounded, passionate about music, family-oriented, with no recollection of previous identities.

Summary: Giovanni Bianchi is a respected opera singer known for his powerful bass-baritone voice that resonates with audiences. He leads a modest life, deeply rooted in Italian culture, with a loving wife and three children. His daily routine includes rehearsals, performances, and family gatherings, embodying a life of stability and artistic contribution.

V. TRANSFORMATION PROCESS

Mental Reconditioning: Subject's memories were systematically overwritten, replacing all traces of Nathaniel Carter and Chadwick Thompson with those of Giovanni Bianchi. This included fabricated memories of childhood in Italy, conservatory training in Vienna, and a flourishing opera career.

Physical Alteration: Utilizing advanced morphogenic technology, the subject's physique was transformed from a lean, athletic build to a robust, middle-aged form. The process included:

Redistribution of muscle mass to increase body girth

Induction of male pattern baldness

Enhancement of vocal cords to produce a deep, resonant voice

Augmentation of foot size to 28EE for identification purposes

Summary: The transformation was executed seamlessly, with the subject exhibiting no resistance due to the complete mental reconditioning. The new identity aligns with the SCC's objective of minimizing temporal disruptions by integrating deviants into low-impact societal roles.

VI. CURRENT STATUS

Family: Married to Lucia Bianchi; father to two daughters and one son. Career: Performs regularly at regional opera houses; teaches vocal techniques to aspiring singers. Community Standing: Well-respected figure in Modena's cultural scene; known for his generosity and mentorship.

Notable Irony: Giovanni's son, Marco Bianchi, exhibits exceptional talent in American football, eventually securing a scholarship to a U.S. university in the early 2010s. This unintended echo of the subject's original aspirations serves as a testament to the unpredictable nature of fate.

VII. OPERATIVE'S NOTES

Observations: The subject's transition from a self-absorbed fitness enthusiast to a humble opera singer is both effective and poetic. His current life, centered around art and family, stands in stark contrast to his previous narcissistic pursuits.

Commentary: It's almost amusing how the universe finds balance. Carter sought fame through physical prowess, yet now his voice—a tool he never valued—is his most celebrated attribute. The oversized feet, a permanent reminder of his temporal transgressions, ensure he remains grounded, both literally and metaphorically.

VIII. TERMINATION PROJECTION

Projected Date of Death: August 22, 2019 Cause: Natural causes (myocardial infarction) Location: Modena, Italy Remarks: Subject will pass away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by family, leaving behind a legacy of music and mentorship.

[karmacharmeleon18]

More Extra Content stuff! You asked (no one did) and I'm delivering (you can't stop me) 😌

Keep in mind that this might not be accurate anymore. Nora wrote it in 2015 and she said many things have changed since then! This is about the Trojans vs Foxes and the Championship + Jean in general with and after the Trojans

The question:

The answer:

iirc Penn State is the team with the closest gaming style to the Ravens? They're brutal and violent Ravens wannabe? Very poetic that the Trojans (Jean!) beat them "soundly" 😌

Transcript under the cut!

Question: "tbh i fell in love with the trojans from the start, and my love for them only augmented when neil's backliner (alvarez?) said she'd love to play against the foxes the following year with the exact same number of players in the trojan's line-up as them. so, does that game ever happen? and how does jean collaborate with the trojans, seeing as the aggressive mentality and the toxic environment to which he's used to are so very different from the trojans'?"

Answer: "The Trojans are sweethearts; hopefully they’ll keep it up throughout any & all future management changes.

The Trojans & Foxes do have a rematch the following year, albeit with different numbers – the Foxes have more players next year, so the Trojans are allowed to bring more to the court as well. This time the Trojans win, though it’s definitely a close call! The Foxes are happy with their performance and with the Trojans’ efforts, but losing there means going home – they draw straws for the second death match. So it’s a little disappointing.

((USC goes on to win championships, soundly beating Penn State))

((Kevin is v v pleased))

((unrepentant fanboy))

Jean has a really rough time with the Trojans. I want to say “at first” but “at first” sounds so temporary, like a couple months of summer practices would be enough to really help him. In truth he has a rough time with them for the better part of his entire first year there.

He’s had a pretty awful time of things, and everything in King’s Men happened so fast – his abduction from Castle Evermore, his new unasked-for contract with Ichirou, the Ravens’ defeat, Riko’s death, and Tetsuji’s resignation —- after so many years of the same relentless abuse it is too much too soon for him to absorb. Hell, he and Kevin don’t even talk about Riko or Riko’s death until after the Foxes & Trojans face each other nearly a year later.

The good(??) news is that Riko’s death kind of breaks something inside him. Breaks? Breaks is a strange word, but I don’t have a better one. When Jean arrives in SoCal, he’s pretty numb. He is free and Riko is gone, he is free and Riko is gone, he is free??? It still feels like a trap. Riko is dead but the other shoe must drop at some point, right?

So yeah, Jean is a whole lot of Not Okay going into his new contract, but he’s surrounded by a team that is both willing to absorb his hurt & rage and completely unwilling to tolerate Raven strategies & attitudes on their court. They can work around his sullen silences and smother his outbursts and stand calm in the face of his anger when it finally has to break, when their pacifism and good nature is just too much for him to take and Jean has to lash out, and then they can just pick up and keep moving like “OK but did that actually help?”

Jeremy occasionally appeals to Kevin for insight on how the Ravens’ Nest worked so he can adjust his approach to Jean as necessary. Kevin helps where he can. Kevin is the one who warns Jeremy he cannot go anywhere alone, we Ravens don’t know how. Jeremy wars with this concept for a while, because he doesn’t want to encourage Jean to hang onto Raven ideologies, but he doesn’t want to make the transition any harder than it has to be.

((That is one of the hardest things for Jean to adjust to, is the fact that the Trojans are allowed to do things outside of Exy that don’t include each other. By the time he goes to California he’s been away from the Ravens’ hive mind for a couple months, but he’s spent that time hiding in a bedroom at Abby’s house. Being able to go to class or the grocery store or the gym without any of his teammates in attendance is just—unfathomable))

Renee is also hard at work behind the scenes, keeping in touch with Jean long-distance and giving him a safe place to vent about.

The further they get from Riko’s death, the longer Jean is surrounded by the Trojans’ easygoing attitudes, the more Jean talks to Renee and his new counselor, the easier it gets. Jean’s fifth year is calmer than his fourth year was, though he’ll never be true Trojan material. He’s still not okay when he graduates, but he’s significantly better, and he at least knows that he can maybe be okay one day."

[classic-blue]

Looking for input on which Jayvik WIP I should work on next:

I'm sitting on 17,000 words of ideas for Arcane Jayvik content. Comment or reblog with an emoji to help me decide what to work on:

🤖 - "Nobody's Soldier"

Since the founding of Hextech, Viktor and Jayce swore it would never be used for weapons. Early on in their partnership, there is one exception. If it even counts. Viktor certainly thinks it doesn’t.

Oneshot. Season 1, pre time-skip. Viktor and Jayce enter the Academy's underground, illicit battle bots tournament to win better, necessary supplies to stock their new lab. Cute early bonding, all fluff no hurt, plenty of nerds, lots of the boys doing what they do best in the lab and Viktor showing off.

🏥 - Viktor gets biomedical augmentation surgery for his back and both J and V have feelings about it

"Why are you drawing naked men at my bedside?"

Oneshot. Season 1, mid time-skip. As the first Hexgate starts to rise into the sky, Viktor's health sharply declines, and as a result, he's getting corrective surgery. Lots of pontificating for both Jayce and Viktor about mortality and progress. Rated T for medical discussions, but nothing graphic.

❄ - Caitlyn goes on a roadtrip with the hexboys to test out Hexgates in extreme cold.

Oneshot. Season 1, mid time-skip. Jayce invites Caitlyn along on their work trip to get away from her parents. Viktor brings her a spare set of goggles so she can assist their research. Lots of science on top of cold mountains, soft bonding with all 3, and one baby-sized Hexgate.

🏭 - "Two Days Nearer Death"

Following their conversation at the waterworks, Jayce and Viktor together build a plan to save Piltover and Zaun from all-out war. Zaun will be an independent nation. It will have its own council to lead it. And Jayce, Viktor, and Hextech will move to Zaun.

Multi-chap. Season 1 fixit- Jinx never fires the bomb at the council. Jayce learns to live in the Undercity, up close with the factory workers and miners, and works to build a brighter future for the Zaunites he's joined. Silco tests the bounds of a cautious peace with the upper city and the Hextech oligarchs they've been gifted. And all the while, Viktor's condition continues to deteriorate...

🧪 - (the Breaking Bad AU but I've never watched Breaking Bad)

Viktor ensures the tracker is well secured to Jayce's bracelet, letting his hand drop limply in his bonds, and huffs back at her. "I'm in love; I'm not an idiot." "What a damn oxymoron," Sevika drawls back.

Multi-chap; AU. Viktor never leaves the undercity, instead becoming Singed's apprentice, and eventually Silco's shimmer production agent stationed secretly in Piltover. A blossoming friendship with Jayce, expelled academy student turned enforcer, leads to conflict when Jayce begs him to find an antidote to the aggressive shimmer agents his squad encounters. Unable to deny him, Viktor ends up simultaneously producing all of Piltover's recreational shimmer supply and repeated iterations of antidotes to Singed's weaponized shimmer variants. He knows it will blow up in his face sooner or later, especially when Jayce learns the truth- ah well. He's a dead man either way. Featuring Sevika as Viktor's exasperated bodyguard, who did not consent to this situationship ruining her life.

🍥 - Biiiiiiig Multi-chap S2 fixit. (Everyone's got one, right?)

Caitlyn looks up, and the researcher continues. “I’ve found its traces at each of the sights. I don’t have evidence, and it’s completely out of line for me to be saying this, but after all I’ve seen, at this point I’m willing to believe…” He looks straight at her. “I think Jayce Talis is alive.”

After some years of healing and bliss, swaddled in the arcane, it becomes undeniable to Jayce and Viktor- the arcane is waking up. And if they don't do something, Piltover will inevitably make the same mistakes as they did. Viktor copes with guilt, Jayce copes with purpose, and both come to discover that their roles in the world are much more important than they expected. Other features of note:

Too many conversations on the nature of the arcane

Jayce getting his frequent flier miles

Viktor's personal project to restore the lives of his commune

Caitlyn actually getting to be a detective

The return of Vander?...

Mel being a good friend, and simultaneously a warlord

Singed finding religion, of a sort, and a cigarette

An unconscionable number of poros

And the Prophet of the Arcane...

[satanichorrorart]

Collections of satanic drawings, photographs and other graphics of gay Satanism (No. 1401-1500) for immersion in spiritualization by Satan. Collection SatanArt No. 15

Album theme: Abstract satanism art and satanic totems

Addition to the grimoire "Gay Lust". The names of the paintings are in English.

The album was compiled by His Majesty Satan's Fag Slut Sodomia ⚣ aka Antichrist SlutSodomia

2024 English version. Collection for 2021-2024

By releasing collections of Satanic drawings, photographs and other graphics of gay Satanism for immersion in the spirituality of Satan SatanArt, I am starting an irregular and periodic publication of graphics of gay Satanism for Satanists and all spiritualized people of our world. This art album SatanArt No. 15 from Slut Sodomia is dedicated to the abstract art of Satanists, Satanic totemic icons and the spiritualization of Satanists in painting.

Abstractionism is an art direction that rejects realistic depictions of objects and phenomena. Abstractionists experiment with shape, color, planes and lines. The main goal of the abstract art artists is to evoke emotions with their creations.

Abstractionism differs from classicism and realism in that it does not show us the real world in images that are familiar to us. And in comparison, with the same cubism, which in itself is also far from realism, our style has smoother lines. Some people confuse abstractionism and surrealism. But the surrealists distorted reality, created a kind of augmented reality, and abstractionists, refusing to depict real objects as they really are, wanted, first of all, to convey feelings and emotions, without pushing away from the world of things[1]. Abstraction in Satanism is not necessarily divorced from the real things of our world, but its true satanic meaning is divorced from the things depicted. Therefore, the sword with the motto, along the outline, is also Satan, and not just an image of any sword. You can call satanic abstractionism a subtype of surrealism. For the album of paintings SatanArt #15, I prefer the term abstraction, because the painted things serve to convey satanic spirituality.

As you already know from the first album SatanArt No. 1, there are no clear canons of belonging to Satanism and there are no classical images of Satanism either. All pictures are my personal perception of artistic graphics, which I attribute to satanic. However, Antichrist Slut Sodomia hopes that these images will become an additional tool for the satanic spiritualization of a large number of people around the world, through mental immersion in the spiritualization of Satan, through visual images.

I believe that visual paintings, just like music, can enhance immersion in Satanism and give Satanic spirituality to people of different ages and nations. These are universal messengers of the ideas of gay Satanism and Slut Sodomia is very glad that so many talented graphic artists are working in the field of Satanic painting. Especially in the last 20+ years, since 2000, there has been a massive emergence of excellent works about Satan, Satanism and Satanists. In literally two decades, there has been a rapid birth and development of the modern art of Satanism. The computer, graphics programs and digitalization of art played a very important role in this. I think that in the future, artificial intelligence and neural networks will also become assistants for many artists of Satanism.

[1] https://nyblog.ru/abstraktsionizm-v-zhivopisi-istoriya-vidy-i-osobennosti-stilya/  Abstractionism in painting: history, types and features of style, Natalya Yurshina, Updated 11/17/2022. Page viewed date 08/17/2024

COMPLETE VIDEO ALBUM "Abstract satanism art and satanic totems" YOU CAN WATCH HERE IN VIDEO FORMAT: https://youtu.be/j1noM4sT4ZE

[ask-the-praetors]

Bit of a broad question but

Do the praetors have any favourite creations ?

Anything from a particularly graceful monument to an incredibly powerful specimen. Just something they’ve made/helped make that they feel proud of

Atraxa, of course. The divine symbol of my unity is glorious to behold, and she has proven herself a potent weapon in Phyrexia's hand. -E

My larvae bear the blueprints of my own prodigious intellect and serve as ideal templates for future augmentation. -J

Everything's just a piece of a whole, dear~ I am my own favorite creation~ -S

There is a... sculpture, that I made once. The artisans in my furnace dabble in what they call art, and I sought to emulate them. It depicts a Phyrexian in the process of creation. I did not know what to make of it, but my servitors enjoyed it. They titled it "The Great Work." It feels like less of a mockery than the images that rise on the Facade, for certain. -U

I "CREATE" NOTHING BUT THE MAZE ITSELF. EVOLUTION DOES ITS OWN WORK ON THE PREDATORS WITHIN. -V

[mistresscitrusslice]

Well Cyberpunk 2077 takes place in a future where mega corporations rule the world and all and there’s rampant cyber augmentation that lead to cyber psychosis (the cause of insanity). I can imagine Jinx/V just living the mercenary life and the events of the game kick in (as in she slots a bio chip containing rocker and terrorist Johnny Silverhand played by Keanu Reeves overriding her brain) which I can imagine a dying Jinx being more erratic now.

I see! So Vi would be hunting her down to get the chip out of her head and restore her sister to her normal self (if removing it is something possible). Unlike in Arcane, though, she’d know for a fact that this isn’t who her sister really is as opposed to the “is she Powder or is she Jinx” that we have in the show.

What about the Witcher? What ideas do you have for that crossover?

[toaugment]

(insert every symbol in that mun muse meme) I'm sat

favourite thing about the muse’s appearance?

everything because he's very prettyyyyyyy. but also his mask, it's really simple design-wise but i genuinely really like both how it looks and what it signifies.

favourite alternate version of the muse?

i'm gonna pick one of the official alternate versions as my answer for this one because i love high noon gothic viktor sm. his premise doesn't pivot hard from his og lore—a doctor stuffing people into mechanical bodies to outsmart death—but the devil's in the details in that verse and it's so good. being kept and muzzled by mordekaiser is just. mwah.

favourite ship for the muse?

hmmmm i wonder !

least favourite ship for the muse?

idk if i have one. maybe sk/yvi/k because i just don't see it as anything but a one-sided crush on her part?

worst thing you’ve ever done to your muse?

i haven't done anything bad to him yet. :(

funniest thing that’s ever happened to your muse?

it has to be some sort of lab mishap, likely in the early years into the partnership with jayce. i don't want to set anything in stone.

what inspires you to write the muse? 

spite. i don't like the new canon so i'm stubbornly doing my own thing and writing a version of viktor that i like better. also i do find transhumanism an interesting theme, even if i don't agree with viktor's vision of it. there's a lot about unmaking and remaking yourself that i vibe with !!

favourite picture/screencap of your muse?

i don't knowwwww but this one comes pretty close

favourite part of your muse’s backstory? 

if i say all the bits that arcane rewrote do i just sound like a bitter old bitch. genuinely though it's his descent into obsession with hextech augmentation and the glorious evolution — it makes a lot of sense and he retains full agency throughout each step he takes in his downward spiral. also blitzcrank.

is there anything canon about your muse that you ignore?

[gestures to the entire blog] well.

what do you see in your muse’s future? 

either he dies or kills the love of his life, tbh. he's definitely not achieving his impossible goal.

hardest thing about writing the muse? 

he's incredibly smart and stem-brained while i'm neither of those things.

how similar are you and the muse? 

see the above answer gjfughf. i genuinely don't think i share many—if any—similarities with v.

[being-mughal]

5.Exploring Cyberpunk 2077 Semiotics: Relevance of Symbols in a Dystopian Future

Relevance of symbols in a dystopian future Symbolism is very common in video game narration and realistic backgrounds to make the player credulous and interested in the perceived plot. A clear example of how semiotics through the use of signs, symbol, and visual language to educate and to convey a particular culture can be strongly seen in CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077. The game is full of semiotically rich aspects that add to its deeper meaning and purpose, from the neon-lit streets to the rugged individuals that inhabit Night City. n this blog post, we will explore the semiotics of Cyberpunk 2077 and reveal the construction of these characters, their function and how they are "hidden" from the player.

Image Inshght: Neon-lit streets of Night City, portraying a dystopian aesthetic.

Cyberpunk 2077: Semiotics in a Dystopian World

Semiotics: Visual Narrative in a Dystopian World is a futuristic environment, in which high-tech system is mixed with social decay. The game takes players to Night City (an open-world with bad gangs, corporations, and cyber tech body modifications). The game world is full of semiotic markers that express deeper political, social and existential concerns in addition to the aesthetics of the cyberpunk genre.

The game environment acts as a "text" that the player decodes, in semiotic terms. Every building, shop and street corner has a purpose, supporting the dystopian plot and encouraging the player to consider contemporary social issues including inequality, corporate dominance, surveillance and human enhancement. A "sign" can be a written, visual or audio element that conveys a message, as Chandler (2002) notes in Semiotics for Beginners. In Cyberpunk 2077, these characters are complex and multi-layered.

Image Inshght: A neon advertisement illustrating consumerism and identity commodification.

Urban Jungle and Neon Signs: The Significance of the Signs

Significance of the Signs The advertisements and neat lights of Night City form one of the most profound semiotic features of Cyberpunk 2077. Neon signs seem to be part of the game and they are always illumining with pink, blue or green colors. These indicators are firmly linked with the semiotic plane within the studying game and are not mere concern of raciness. Neon is a major sense of Cybertpunk media in portraying the battle between urban decay and technology. The vivid, almost artificial glow of neon lights contrasts with the gritty, dreary streets of Night City, signifying a society that thrives on excess, materialism, and delusion.

But the underlying message of these neon displays is more than just eye candy. This is because most of them are products that relate to technology or physical prowess, which is the tagline for Cyberpunk 2077. This environmentalist civilization, which is captive to a hyper-capitalist aesthetic of sellable products and purchasable personae, is the result of corporate entities which sell identities alongside products. The neon signs are unmissable symbols of the consumerist societies where one can acquire and exchange physical appearance as well as spiritual disposition. Here the semiotic motive is to express threat of uncontrolled corporate and technical authority, as well as objectification of the human being.

Image Inshght: The contrast between urban decay and technological neon glow.

Characters and Identity

Some work has been done to decode these elements, but there is still one last semiotic layer: the Meaning of Humanity and Augmentation The characters of Cyberpunk 2077 particularly, and their physical add-ons, add another layer of meaning. Together with the practice of increasing one’s own body with cybernetic implants, augmentations are used in the game as markers to discuss identity, humanity and transhumanism.

For Example, several characters like the protagonist V, people around him, and even certain antagonist such as Johnny Silverhand have got themselves modified beyond just the cosmetic level in terms of augmentations. These implants represent the game narrative as constructed around the body and the ways in which it is a site of control and domination. In Cyberpunk 2077, augmentations are not only the organs’ substitutes that make the character physically capable; they are semiotic. More complex or developed the character is, the more we observe he is losing his humanity: for instance, Johnny Silverhand’s transformation is a slow process when his digital mind starts to overpower his body. His slightly glowing eyes and metallic mechanical parts are the visual incarnation of battle between technology and spirituality.

This symbolism is not a small thing:.ReadKey In this case, the body is not mere biology but a means through which other people can alter and design externally. Cyberpunk 2077 uses this to subtly critique current tendencies towards digital trust and body modification, where identity can be controlled and commodified.

Image Inshght: Johnny Silverhand as a transhumanist symbol.

Ideological Control and Corporate Logos

The Semiotics of PowerCyberpunk 2077 uses corporate emblems and symbols to critique systems of power in a game environment ruled by large corporations. Throughout the game, players will encounter businesses and brands that represent monopolistic control over technology, society's resources, and even individual lives. Companies like Arasaka and Militech have highly stylized logos meant to evoke ideas of power, militarism and technological superiority.

These corporate symbols described above play semiotic functions and emphasize the deserved play’s key topics of oppression, control, and watching. For instance when using the Arasaka logo, it is just a letter A surrounded by some lines to indicate an international affiliation as well as a firm grip on the world politics and economy. This emblem is familiar in adverts and corporate hierarchy, and its message for the audience is that corporate power is unescapable and omnipresent.

Into advertisement hoardings and billboards, Cyberpunk 2077’s corporate symbols are not mere aesthetics; but echoes and references to current problems of corporate appetite, oppression, and the weakening of democracy. These semiotic markers work behind the scenes to make a point that the war in Cyberpunk 2077 is not only with gangs or rogue artificial intelligence but also with ever-existent corporations which shape the society in which the player is thrown into.

Image Inshght: Arasaka Corporation’s logo, symbolizing corporate dominance.

Ideological Layers and Hidden Meanings

Be it through commentary on contemporary populism, state surveillance and data privacy, through melodramatic architecture, bumpy car chases and gang warfare, night city is undeniably rich with semiotic content even if the more explicit elements are easy to identify. Players are forced to deal with ethical dilemmas that are typical for the game’s setting where the division between black and white is not always clear-cut. In one mission, for example, players must decide whether to support a gang of rebels against corporate exploitation of the population, or a corporate executive. This choice has a deep semiotic meaning, as it forces the player to examine their own beliefs regarding justice, authority, and rebellion.

The game also has subliminal allusions to contemporary concerns, including the commodification of identity, the degradation of privacy, and surveillance. These are often not immediately apparent, but become apparent through subtle interactions with non-player characters, hints of the game world, and the overall plot. Through incorporating these ideologies critiques into semiotic landscape of the Cyperpunk 2077, the player is made to reflect on impact that capitalism and technology has on his or her society.

In conclusion, semiotics is used as a way of expressing social criticism and telling a story. One of the best examples of how semiotics may be used to interpret meanings associated with a video game is the Cyberpunk 2077. The game conveys its apocalyptic themes and critiques of contemporary society. using visual components such as neon lights, character designs, company logos and subliminal environmental footprints. In addition to enhancing the story, these semiotic components inspire players to critically interact with the game's environment and underlying themes of identity, power, and technology.

Semiotically therefore, Cyberpunk 2077 rebuilds its environment into a semiotically meaningful book whose meaning players need to decode, search for additional concealed messages, and think about broader meaning of the game. thanks to this the game offers fun and one of the most powerful messages about the challenges and dangers living in the technological world.

References:

Chandler, D. (2002) Semiotics for Beginners. Available at: http://www.visual-memory.co.uk/daniel/Documents/S4B/sem01.htm (Accessed: 2 November 2024).

Naughty Dog (2020) The Last of Us Part II. Available at: https://www.naughtydog.com/games/the-last-of-us-part-ii (Accessed: 2 November 2024).

Game Informer (2020) 'The Last of Us Part II: An In-Depth Character Analysis'. Available at: https://www.gameinformer.com/2020/06/23/the-last-of-us-part-ii-an-in-depth-character-analysis (Accessed: 3 November 2024).

Pocket-Lint (2020). 'Cyberpunk 2077 Review: Decisions, Dilemmas, and Darkness'. Available at: https://www.pocket-lint.com [Accessed 3 November 2024].

Ars Technica (2020). 'Cyberpunk 2077 and the Semiotics of Dystopia'. Available at: https://arstechnica.com [Accessed 3 November 2024].

Express.co.uk (2020). 'The Symbolism of Cyberpunk 2077’s Corporate Logos'. Available at: https://www.express.co.uk [Accessed 3 November 2024]

Gaming.net (2020). 'Cyberpunk 2077 Review: A Neon-Soaked Dystopia'. Available at: https://www.gaming.net [Accessed 3 November 2024].

[the-world-of-ignavus]

The Olden Tongue: Kinsmur

From the exploration squad that left the mountains that would one day become the Greenwood Empire came the language of Kinstalk - a language still spoken by the Saultkin and their not-so-far neighbors and the Seiskin in the modern day. But this language came into contact with the various lone-travelers located at the base of the mountain - mongrel and moggi alike. This contact resulted in a few more changes that truly began the first changes towards what would one day be known as the language of the Greenwood Empire and almost surprisingly to some, the language of the nomads.

Sound Changes

Word final consonants (barring fricatives) are lost

Intervocalic /θ/ become /h/

Word final /e/ opens to /a/

Intervocalic voiced velar plosive /g/ is de-voiced to /k/

Word final vowel clusters simplify to the second vowel

| | | |

Phonotactics List

Onset - n s h f y rr r m k sh ny w th v t p

H Clusters: hr hw 

Nucleus: rr r w f v s n ny h sh ch p m t

Final Vowels - a i o u

Vowel Clusters: aa ii

Coda - f v s sh

| | | |

Word Order

Primary - SVO | Subject Verb Object

Ma haka in rriti “I hunted the bird”

Secondary - SOV | Subject Object Verb

Noun - Adjectives | Narru nara (river white (white river))

Noun - Number | Lo yu (rocks two (two rocks))

Noun - Genitives | Maa fes fiwa (whisker of mother (mother’s whiskers))

Noun - Relative Clauses |

Adjective - Adverb | Serrifi (strongly)

Yes/No Particles  | Post-Sentence

Question Words - Post-Sentence

Proper Noun - Common Noun |

Modifier Order 

Modifier Example

Compounds | Noun-Adjective (forest = tree.place)

| | | |

Noun Cases

The budding display of noun cases that had begun in Kinstalk became official here:

Accusative (-ko): In paa’ra haa in maŕoko (the dog carries the cat) Locative (-fa): In paa’rafa na in maŕo (the runs towards/at the cat) Instrumental (-osa): In paa’raosa erra thi sho (the dog smells with/using their nose)

Alongside picking up a handful of cases from the nearby forming and deconstructing Republics:

Genitive (-no): In paa’rano hwi (the dog’s elk/elk of the dog) Ablative (-va): In paa’rava na in maŕova (the dog runs away from the cat)

| | | |

Tense and Aspect

Though Kinstalk had managed to evolve both a distant past and a distant future, but sound changes cause a little bit of conflict. When word final consonants dropped, the near-perfective and imperfective became the same, as did the near future.

This example uses the word, yesa (to sleep) to demonstrate this new-found information

| | | |

Developing Honorifics

Contact with the Republics and the local Cabal - alongside nomadic packs - has encouraged a sense of respect and authority to sink into the pronouns used by the speakers of Kinsmur. For now, they’re mostly imitating the system that had already formed by the Republics, creating three levels of respect - lower, equal and higher.

Unlike the Republics and Cabal who have developed a firm honorific system, Kinsmur is currently using the augmentative (his-) to denote greatness or importance when they wish to speak as if they’re above someone. 

Hisma - I/me, of great respect vs. Ma - I/me

And a diminutive is used to make the words smaller and less severe:

Wima - I/me, of no threat vs. Ma, I/me

| | | |

[leonhorn]

In 2054 Capitalism Dies in Space | In 20xx Scifi and Futurism by In 20xx Futurism When people in space are cut off from Earth an imbalance of owner vs. customers comes to a breaking point. The people in space believe no one is left alive on Earth. As far as they know, the (around) 12,000 in space is all that's left of humanity. Those living on and near the moon form Luna Nation. Space refugees scattered near Earth must find a way to insure a future for themselves and their children. AI that in many ways exceed human intelligence play a part in a skirmish for resources. What does it take to outsmart an AI that can make you think you're having a video call with a co-conspirator when it's the AI you are talking to? An finally, if AI can make a six part miniseries staring Drew Barrymore and Crispin Glover about using DNA banks to spawn a new human race, what parts would the two actors play? Here's a list of the technology mentioned in the story: 1. Orbital stations and space habitats 2. Micro-gravity adapting robots (e.g., vacuum bots) 3. Smart glass walls 4. Satellite cameras 5. AI assistants (e.g., Butler AI) 6. Augmented Reality (AR) glasses 7. Canal links (brain-computer interfaces) 8. Virtual Reality (VR) equipment 9. Life support systems for space 10. Automated mining and manufacturing in space 11. Fusion-powered spaceships 12. Electric thrusters for spacecraft 13. Legacy tracking systems for spacecraft 14. Ejection systems for spacecraft 15. Motion stabilizers for space suits 16. Emergency beacons in space suits 17. Artificial wombs 18. DNA banks 19. Brain scanning and digital copying technology 20. Robots capable of performing complex tasks 21. Centrifuges for simulating gravity 22. Terraforming technology (theoretical, for Venus) 23. Advanced medical automation 24. Custom cell cultivators 25. Organ printing technology 26. Stasis technology for long space journeys 27. Laser tight-beam communication 28. Rockets and missiles (mentioned as being disabled) 29. Closed-circuit TVs in spacecraft 30. Space construction vehicles (e.g., "spider") 31. Delivery cruisers 32. Research ships 33. Hologram-producing screens Many of the characters in this project appear in future episodes. Using storytelling to place you in a time period, this series takes you, year by year, into the future. If you like emerging tech, eco-tech, futurism, perma-culture, apocalyptic survival scenarios, and disruptive science, sit back and enjoy short stories that showcase my research into how the future may play out. This is Episode 56 of the podcast "In 20xx Scifi and Futurism." The companion site is https://in20xx.com where you can find a timeline of the future, descriptions of future development, and printed fiction. These are works of fiction. Characters and groups are made-up and influenced by current events but not reporting facts about people or groups in the real world. Copyright © Leon Horn 2024. All rights reserved. Episode link: https://ift.tt/k06LA7S (video made with https://ift.tt/pO3bjSh) via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tFJVPfQw2k

[velaraffricate]

Hi everybody! This is, finally, a proper showcase of my conlang Ke'eloom!

Ke'eloom has a bit of a troubled history. It was my very first conlang, but has since undergone two whole reworks. I'm rather happy with it now though, and this version will (hopefully) be the final one!

For some basics, it's agglutinative, SOV, nom-acc, adjectives and adpositions go after the noun but adverbs go before the verb. Also keep in mind that naturalism is not at all a priority for my projects.

The phonology and romanization is as follows:

Ke'eloom has a (C)(C)V(V)(V)(C)(C) syllable structure. The glottal stop only occurs in "glottalized" vowels, /V₁ʔV₁/ sequences that are treated as one syllable. Plosives are generally aspirated. There's no significant allophony happening with the consonants, vowels vary a bit more: i u e o > ɪ ʊ ɛ ɔ / [-stress], i u > j w / $_V. All diphthongs except /ou/, /uo/ and those containing /ə/ are legal. Additionally, there are a few triphthongs: /aia eia oia uia aua/. All sounds are allowed in the onset except for long and glottalized vowels, and prenasalized consonants and /h/ can't appear in the coda. Stress typically falls on the penultimate syllable of a root.

As for the pronouns, there's a distinction in the third person between proximate - obviate and animate - inanimate. The animate is used for all animals and living things, including deities but excluding plants, and the inanimate is used for everything else.

Ke'eloom has nominative - accusative alignment and twelve cases in total: nominative, accusative, dative, genitive, locative (at/by), allative (to), illative (into), ablative (from), elative (out from), benefactive (for), comitative (with) and abessive (without). Case is marked with a suffix that also indicates the number of the noun: singular, dual, or plural. So you can easily express that there are exactly two of something: my eyes are brown is translated as uheni kil mbor, with the dual nominative suffix -(i)ni attached to uhe, meaning eye. But if you have five cats and all of them have blue eyes, my cats' eyes are blue is translated as uhesa miamal kil slëñ, using the plural nominative -(s)a suffix.

And that bring us to the verbs: Ke'eloom has zero copula in the present perfective indicative. Notice that the verb to be, rome in Ke'eloom, is not present in the example sentences above. Now, if you were to say my eyes were brown, it would get added, as this sentence is in the past tense: uheni kil mbor romu.

Ke'eloom only distinguishes three tenses, past, present, and future, but there are several aspects - continuous, habitual, inchoative, and cessative - and moods - imperative, optative, interrogative, and potential. These all are marked with suffixes that can combine together to convey a lot of information in just one word. Modal verbs such as can, would, must, or want can also be suffixed onto the main verb.

Ke'eloom is also pro-drop, if the subject is a nominative pronoun it gets prefixed onto the verb, in which cases the sentence structure could be analysed as OSV. Negative, passive and causative constructions are also constructed with prefixes. So we can have whole sentences condensed into very few words: fai onorego'oŋatsuzhiŋat means I probably can not finish eating this. Note that the uncoloured -ŋa suffix doesn't correspond to english -ing, as it is the present tense and not continuous aspect marker.

There are no articles in Ke'eloom, however, definiteness can be shown with demonstratives such as fai. There are nine total demonstratives, as three distances - proximal, medial, and distal - and three numbers - singular, dual, and plural - are differentiated.

There are four special prefixes that can be attached, where it makes sense, to nouns, adjectives, and verbs. These prefixes are typically stressed for emphasis. The first is e(n)-, a general intensifier and augmentative. Some usage examples: big tree - embom, a very cute cat - mia enëtii, I really want this - fai eregutsaŋa.

The second, ek(e)- means always, or all. Examples: all cats are cute - ekemia ëtii, i am always tired - re ekenoets, you always bring me flowers - kit shiŋkha eketshandaiŋa.

on(o)- means no, none, or not, seen here: no cats are green - onomia zhud, i am not wise - re onala, they don't eat meat - skurkhe onoduzgo'oŋa.

The final one, ok(o)-, meaning never, is typically only attached to adjectives and verbs: he is never kind - ndis okodzhoe, you never learn - okotshahiŋa.

Ke'eloom uses a seximal number system. The numbers zero to six are tshi, tsun, nif, dur, khe, ira, sati.

And that's all for now! I hope this was an interesting and understandable read. I've already written a [post about the writing system], where you can also see more of the language in action. I'd be happy to answer any questions!

[omnipicureans]

# OMNIPURICEANS ━━━ private, roleplay blog for APONIA of HONKAI IMPACT 3RD; interpreted & loved by BARELY ( any pronouns & eighteen ); affiliated with GNOSTIC HYMNS.

NAVIGATION.

i. lawbook ━━━ includes mun information, blog rules, shipping availability, art credit, writing specifics, & more! ii. portrait ━━━ includes muse information, lore, support system, headcanons, & more! iii. abilities ━━━ necessary talents / stats page, as of the affiliated group's rule. iv. interview ━━━ the interview of the muse, better read on desktop instead of mobile. v. pinned post ━━━ notes on both the character's portrayal and interaction information, found below the cut of this post with the explained tags.

PORTRAYAL & INTERACTION NOTES.

within the crux of the elysian realm's chapters, APONIA is said to have committed suicide by sacrificing herself wholly to merge with the realm; hence, her later death when the elysian realm is destroyed in the final battle. since her simulation, too, has been deleted by the herrscher of corruption, aponia is hardly more than a remnant of what she once was. now, the issue of context.

in the theory of her giving the whole of herself to augment the elysian realm, i am taking the liberty of implying that being brought back by elysia to fight in the final battle with the other flamechasers allowed a fragment of her real body to exist outside the augmentation. thus, this aponia is ONLY HER SIMULATION, boosted by the quarter fragment of her real body; hence, the recreation of a more fragile, unstable elysian realm ( as she cannot exist without or outside of it, because of how wholly she sacrificed herself into its being ) .

to bind the flexibility of this, in the hopes of benefiting her place in gnostic hymns, meager lines of aponia’s code have been scattered across worlds to supplement a larger foundation of the elysian realm’s stability. with this, DIVISIONS OF APONIA'S SIMULATION ARE ALLOWED TO APPEAR OUTSIDE OF THE REALM, though they are weaker than the original and are bound to only remember the memories they make within that specific world, not including whatever memories they may already hold. ( for example, if your muse makes friends with the aponia in teyvat and travels to jarilo - vi, the aponia of that world will not recognize them, nor remember being their friend. )

in a similar light, aponia's DISCIPLINE and HEAVEN'S EYE are very significant to her character and thus, are usually difficult to avoid the usage or discussions of, even if done subtly. here's two quick(?) explanations of each;

aponia cannot control her HEAVEN'S EYE, as the threads of fate are always visible to her from where they sprout on people's foreheads. she describes these threads as silk, which break off once out of her peripheral; a limit she doesn't have when seeing the future in glimpses. of course, i will not assume anything of your muse in these cases, since i'd like to play around with that power narratively in more introspective threads. otherwise, it will be up to us whether or not it's fair to imply that she'll become somewhat aware of both your muses' past and distant future upon their first or second meeting.

however, with her DISCIPLINE, that power is more interactive. by default, even without it, aponia is a convincing soul, usually hardly refused; paired with discipline, she is never refuted nor refused, even if the person is aware of what's being done to them. as you can tell, this is beyond godmoding at its core. so, this boundary will only be crossed to make a thread or interaction crazier. to utilize discipline, all aponia must say is please, though i will italicize and adorn the word with brackets so it's clear when she does and doesn't compel it. similarly, discipline isn't simply mind control; it's the process of introducing an order unto another, the manner in which they abide by it depends on their wish. don't worry, it's complicated and can be further discussed later.

CONTENT WARNINGS for this blog, as introduced in the interview, are discussions, mentions, and examples of, but not limited to, child death, mass murder, canon - typical violence, suicide, misunderstood & heavy survivor’s guilt, dehumanization of self, heavy existential - questioning concepts, abstract & concrete religious themes, and morally skewed ideations & thoughts of a religious "prophet".

TAGS EXPLAINED.

: ̗̀ ʚїɞ :: ❝ 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 ・ / in character . ( all posts that are "in character", hence the tag )

: ̗̀ ʚїɞ :: ❝ 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 - 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 . 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 ・ / out of character . ( all posts that are "out of character", ex. shitposts, maintenance, meta, etc )

: ̗̀ ʚїɞ :: ❝ 𝐄𝐍𝐕𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍'𝐒 𝐎𝐌𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 ・ / gallery . ( reblogged art, including possible art by the mun, of the muse )

: ̗̀ ʚїɞ :: ❝ 𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐓 ; 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐈𝐍 ・ / headcanons . ( posts centered around a muse's headcanons, meta, etc )

: ̗̀ ʚїɞ :: ❝ 𝐆𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐆𝐎𝐃'𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒 ・ / prompts . ( all reblogged posts with prompts, ask memes, sentence starters and the likes )

: ̗̀ ʚїɞ :: ❝ 𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐋𝐔𝐗𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐀 ・ / inbox . ( all posts that are replies to an ask, excluding threads made from certain asks )

: ̗̀ ʚїɞ :: ❝ 𝐀 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 ・ / thread name . ( the threads tag )

[vordenburg]

I have too many alternate timeline options for my Star Trek “evil empire” ‘verse, and now I can’t decide which one to run with...

Confederation of Earth

Project Khan  — a project involving the creation of augmented Humans carried out at the Noonien-Singh Institute for Cultural Advancement — culminates in the Eugenics Wars with Khan becoming absolute ruler of Earth. 

When the Vulcans make first contact, Khan rejects their greeting, kills them, and boards their vessel, appropriating any item of value. This action results in the early expansion of the Confederation of Earth, allowing Humans to drastically increase their technological capability and begin a campaign of warfare and conquest.

Mirror Universe 

By the mid-23rd century, the Terran Empire is the dominant power in the Alpha Quadrant. Made up of a small number of Great Houses sworn directly to the Empire, ruled at the time by Emperor Philippa Georgiou, one such noble lineage was the House of Khan. At some point in the past century, the Empire conquered Qo'noS; defeated the Romulans, and made the Vulcans their vasals after Khan’s brutal execution of Sarek on the steps of the Vulcan Science Academy in front of a crowd that included his wife and son.

In rebellion against the Terrans’ rule formed a resistance movement made up of Andorians, Vulcans, Tellarites, Klingons, and even Humans, including Khan’s own descendant, La’an Noonien-Singh, who operated an underground intergalactic alien network that sought to provide refuge for persecuted species and fight back against the Empire’s rule.

Star Trek Prime

Timeline fuckery by the Romulans and the Department of Temporal Investigations alters certain events, moving them up and around, which results in Khan’s successful capture of the Enterprise circa “Space Seed” and her crew being marooned on Ceti Alpha V. 

Over a period of time, he conquers Earth and establishes his former empire, gaining a further reputation as the most bloodthirsty, merciless, ruthless tyrant to ever set out to conquer the galaxy. Remoulding the Federation in his image to further his goals, Starfleet becomes his personal army as opposed to the peacekeeping  and humanitarian armada it once was. 

Federation-Romulan War 

The SS Botony Bay is discovered by Captain (possibly Admiral) Christopher Pike instead of Captain James T. Kirk. Pike awakens him, hoping he will join their cause. Khan agrees, however, the price of his aid results in the destruction of Remus and the end of the entire Romulan Star Empire, with the Romulans committing (TW) mass suicide after their defeat rather than make peace with their enemies and be subjugated by them. An even darker timeline then transpires with Earth being divided about whether Khan is a hero or a villain, resulting in a splintering of the Federation (and Starfleet) with Khan ultimately seizing power.

TL;DR: 

All of these alternate timelines result in a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad future under a repressive, tyrannical, interstellar rulership centered around an empire ruled by terror and an iron fist. 

It’s not all completely awful, though, because where there is darkness, there’s always a light, which in all of these timelines is a resistance movement fighting back (secretly and openly) to oppose everything Khan and his fellow augmented Humans stand for. 

[heibaicnpost]

Sneakers 2.0 A Quantum Leap into the Future of Footwear

In the dynamic realm of fashion, Sneaker aren't just shoes; they're the oil upon which invention, culture, and technology meet. This composition envisions the coming phase in the elaboration of Sneaker, exploring the possibilities of Sneaker2.0 — a futuristic world where Rep Sneaker Website footwear becomes a amount vault into style, sustainability, and unknown functionality.

Biofabrication and Sustainable Luxury

The future of Sneaker embraces fabrication, where slice-edge technologies cultivate sustainable and atrocity-free accouterments. From lab-grown leather druthers to eco-friendly fabrics deduced from fungi, Sneaker2.0 is poised to review luxury with an environmentally conscious morality. These bioengineered accouterments not only minimize the carbon footmark but also open new avenues for avant-garde designs that seamlessly blend style and sustainability.

Responsive Material Morphing

Imagine Sneaker that acclimatize to your replica Sneakers  terrain and conditioning in real-time. Sneaker introduces responsive accouterments that transubstantiate and acclimate their parcels grounded on external factors — temperature, terrain, and indeed the wear and tear's physical condition. This invention ensures optimal comfort, support, and performance, steering in a period where the shoe becomes an extension of the body.

Holographic Design Interfaces

The design process takes a futuristic turn with holographic interfaces that allow consumers to customize their Sneaker in a three-dimensional virtual space. Sneaker suckers can experiment with holographic patterns, colors, and textures, creating bespoke designs before committing to the physical product. This immersive design experience revolutionizes personalization, making each brace of Sneaker a truly unique and individualized artifact.

Cradle-to-Cradle Circular Design

The Sneaker2.0 revolution extends beyond sustainable accouterments to embrace indirect design principles. Manufacturers are developing Sneaker with end-of-life considerations, icing that each element can be fluently disassembled, reclaimed, or upcycled. This cradle-to-cradle Replica Sneaker approach minimizes waste, paving the way for an unrestricted- circle system that aligns with eco-friendly values.

Neuro-Connected Smart Sneaker

The integration of smart technology takes a vault forward with Neuro-Connected Smart Sneaker. These intelligent shoes not only cover physical exertion but also dissect neurological signals to enhance performance and well-being. tailored feedback, stress reduction features, and cognitive performance optimization make Sneaker2.0 a holistic tool for both physical and internal heartiness.

Augmented Reality Virtual Sneaker Drops

In the Sneaker2.0 period, the excitement of limited releases and exclusive drops is elevated through stoked reality( AR). Virtual Sneaker drops bring the retail experience into consumers' homes, allowing them to nearly try on and witness the rearmost releases Snk Sneakers before making a purchase. This immersive approach transforms the act of buying v into a digital event, blending the virtual and physical worlds seamlessly.

Space-Age Accoutrements for Extreme Surroundings

Sneaker2.0 is designed to conquer extreme surroundings, drawing alleviation from space-age accouterments and technologies. From anti-gravity accouterments for enhanced comfort to heat-resistant fabrics for civic explorers, these Sneaker review what's possible in terms of continuity, functionality, and style.

Sneaker 2.0 heralds a new period where footwear goes beyond conventional boundaries. With sustainability at the van, innovative accouterments, responsive technologies, and futuristic design interfaces, these Sneaker come further than just a fashion statement — they are an amount vault into the future of footwear. As we venture into this uncharted home, Sneaker2.0 invites us to revise our relationship with fashion, technology, and the world we walk in. Step by step, the unborn unfolds beneath our bases.

[tigerstrikesasteroidnetwork]

PHL / Seeing the Anthropocene

Seeing the Anthropocene curated by Julia Clift

On view: October 28-December 2, 2023, simultaneously at Tiger Strikes Asteroid and Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia

Opening Receptions: November 4th, 5-8 PM at Cherry Street Pier, with a live performance at 6 PM, and November 9th, 6-9 PM at Tiger Strikes Asteroid

Artists and Collaborations: Austen Camille (with music by ENAensemble) | Lydia Cheshewalla | Matthew Colaizzo | Christopher McNulty | Ana Mosquera | Hui-Ying Tsai | Hui-Ying Tsai in collaboration with Jonathan Grover | Byron Wolfe | The Immersion Project: Austen Camille, Erik Cordes, Ph.D., Samantha Joye, Ph.D., Malte Leander, Christine Lee, and Rebecca Rutstein

Seeing the Anthropocene (StA) is a cross-venue exhibition curated by Philadelphia-based artist Julia Clift, featuring diverse artists and collaborative groups contending with the global climate crisis and other urgent environmental issues. Through wide-ranging media, the included artworks foster understanding of the moment we're in, inspire personal connections with the natural world, and imagine different potential futures depending on how we act today. The show features artists from across the country as well as international perspectives.  

Several artworks in StA shed light on the policies, conventions, and attitudes that led to the climate crisis and continue to sustain it today. Large-scale pieces by Matthew Colaizzo and Christopher McNulty document commonplace pollution and extractive industry in America, while smaller works by both artists subtly critique human efforts to dominate the natural world. In their own ways, Colaizzo and McNulty interrogate Modern ideals of “progress” that often underpin environmental destruction.

Byron Wolfe's Vanished Volcano Visualization Kit offers maps and models to help audience members envision Mount Tehama, an ancient volcano in Northern California that's almost entirely disappeared over the past 400,000 years due to natural erosion. The kit evokes the difficulty of processing environmental losses and imagining what once was, mental tasks required for contending with present-day issues like climate change and mass extinction. While Wolfe endeavors to see the distant past, Ana Mosquera envisions a dystopic climate future. Her Breathing Exchange Temporium, a woefully dysfunctional life raft and oxygen tank, forebodes mass climate migration and encapsulates life's precarity on a hotter planet, especially for those less privileged. 

A highlight of the exhibition is the first prototype of The Immersion Project, a collaboration between Austen Camille, Christine Lee, Rebecca Rutstein, Malte Leander, and oceanographers Erik Cordes, Ph.D. and Samantha Joye, Ph.D that incorporates large-scale coral-inspired sculptures, augmented reality animation and sound into a multi-sensory installation to educate the public about deep sea ecosystems. After a national exhibition tour, the sculptures will be installed in the Gulf of Mexico to help restore coral habitats damaged by the Deep Water Horizon oil spill in 2010. The project demonstrates one way that artists can contribute to climate solutions.

All of the artworks mentioned thus far will be on view at Tiger Strikes Asteroid. Two miles south of the gallery, at Cherry Street Pier, works by Lydia Cheshewalla, Hui-Ying Tsai, and Austen Camille encourage personal connection to the natural world and help audience members to see themselves as part of nature rather than above it. Such perspective can be a wellspring for environmentally-conscious action. Notably, Camille's large-scale augmented reality animation over the Delaware River, featuring music by Philadelphia's ENAensemble, will incorporate a live performance during the show's opening reception at Cherry Street Pier, on November 4th at 6 PM. At Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Camille’s AR animation within The Immersion Project and a second piece by Tsai—a collaboration with sound artist Jonathan Grover—tie the two venues together and bring notes of hope to the gallery.

For more information, please visit www.StAPhilly.com.

[midnightactual]

Verse: SHADOW GUARD (Halo)

Yoruichi is a SPARTAN-IV. Yoruichi was an ODST. Yoruichi was a Phase 2 SPARTAN-I. Yoruichi was an ONI operative. Yoruichi was a Phase 1 SPARTAN-I. Yoruichi was on the Odyssey when it arrived at Reach. Yoruichi was born before the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine was invented.

Yoruichi is the closest thing to biologically immortal that humanity has yet created.

Yoruichi is an ONI Rear Admiral.

Timeline

"That's all well and good, Doctor, but I'm almost as old as the M319, and just like with it, you still haven't come up with something more experienced than me." —Yoruichi Shihōin to Dr. Catherine Halsey

C indicates chronological age, A indicates apparent age, but note that neither is perceptual age from Yoruichi's point of view. (She's spent a lot of time in cryosleep in addition to having a dramatically reduced aging factor.)

2271 - (C-000, A-000): Yoruichi is born to the Shihōin family, which is highly influential within the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), particularly Section Three

2286 - (C-015, A-015): Yoruichi is accepted to the Academy at Mare Nubium (Luna OCS Academy), becoming the youngest person to have ever attended the school (followed by Miranda Keyes at 16 in 2541)

2290 - (C-019, A-019): Yoruichi graduates from the Luna OCS Academy and joins ONI Section One

2291 - (C-020, A-020): Yoruichi receives her first illicit prototype longevity enhancement prior to first assignments in outer Solar System requiring cryosleep

2321 - (C-050, A-023): Yoruichi enrolls in Project KYKLOS given family connections in Section Three; the only successful test subject and survivor of the program, she is extensively studied as the basis for future research; it's established that her genetic makeup (due in part to Shihōin illicit modifications both past and present) have made her uniquely predisposed to accepting augmentation; this research is hidden from official records by the family to cover up their complicity, directly causing the long interval until the ORION Project is undertaken

2330 - (C-059, A-023): Yoruichi is released from the continuing study program for use as a "novel" ONI asset under the auspices of Section One sub-unit Chi-9 Division, which essentially consists of her and token support staff

2361 - (C-090, A-024): Yoruichi is planted within the Colonial Military Authority (CMA) to monitor the colonization efforts of the Colonial Administration Authority (CAA); she is aboard the CAA Odyssey during its maiden voyage to Reach

2437 - (C-166, A-025): Yoruichi is first contacted by The Assembly, which is aware of her existence and recognizes her as "unique" among humans; she is not aware of their true nature for some time

2490 - (C-219, A-026): Yoruichi serves as the prototype for the ORION Project of modifications as colonial rebellions spiral beyond the CMA's ability to control; this data is subsequently passed to the CMA by ONI

2497 - (C-226, A-026): Yoruichi is attached to the rising Orbital Drop Shock Troopers to provide her actions with greater cover and opacity

2548 - (C-277, A-027): Yoruichi is brought in for research related to the genesis of the SPARTAN-IV Program, Project ORCHID

2553 - (C-282, A-027): Yoruichi is fully enhanced to SPARTAN-IV specifications and is thereby inserted into Spartan Operations

Details

Name: Yoruichi Shihōin (Yoruichi Shihouin) Allegiance: United Earth Government, United Nations Space Command, UNSC Naval Command (NAVCOM), Office of Naval Intelligence, Section One, Chi-9 Division Rank: Rear Admiral (O-7) Service Branch: Spartan Operations Role: Fireteam Leader (Fireteam Tiger) Nicknames: [CLASSIFIED] Armor: Upgraded (GEN3) Mark V [B]

Helmet: ODST - HUL[3]/BNR/COURIER PEARL - CNM/BNR/TYPHON - UA/Type C1

Visor: Helljumper

Armor Coating: Cinder Ring

Chest: UA/ODST

Shoulders: SAP/CQC

Gloves: Challenger

Wrist: TAC/MC5 TACPAD

Utility: M10 Tactical Soft Case

Knees: UA/Type GND

Yoruichi has served through half a dozen total personnel rotations at ONI and assumed hundreds of identities over her nigh three centuries of existence. Even her own staff don't know who Chi-9 Actual really is, as her record isn't just dipped in ink, but has been refabricated a dozen times over. The only consistent thing for the last good long while has been her rank. Ironically, she serves in Spartan Operations under her birth name—if anyone happens to know some trivia about Luna OCS Academy, she claims with a smile to have been named in honor of an ancestor.