#Yes this is about digital vs physical media.

[canadianlucifer]

Hot take but if I buy something I think I should own it :/

[penumbraphantasm]

big old wordy post for anyone wanting to get into the layton series and support it in a slightly more legal manner loool

first off, the Original Trilogy. probably the easiest option is purchasing the first 3 games on mobile. yes, these are the full games that debuted on the DS but in HD with BONUS content.

oh hey katrielle and alfendi. i guess mystery journey and mystery room are there too but i'll get back to those.

anyways, the layton series comes in different parts with some spinoffs. the first three as seen are Curious Village, Diabolical Box and Unwound Future. these are first in order of Release. so you can't go wrong starting here.

the next three that came after are the Prequel trilogy: Last Specter, Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy. this means even though they were released later, they take place before Curious Village chronologically. so maybe you want to make LS a starting point if you like that sort of order? LS was the last layton game for the DS while MM and AL were for the 3DS. this is where it gets difficult.

currently, Last Specter has no other port. if you search on something like ebay, you will see a clear price difference compared to listings for the original DS trilogy. and with renewed interest in the series, the amount of ppl looking for copies has probably grown too. so i don't recommend joining the fight unless you really love layton and physical media lol. i still probably RecOMmend finding another way to play it.

also my fav part of Last Specter is London Life!! a game within a game where you can create an avatar, dress up, decorate your room, get a job, fish, meet characters from the past 3 games (and a couple from Eternal Diva!) HOWEVER, London Life is only available in versions for Japan, US and Australia. if you have a European copy, you won't see it... so keep this in mind...

but before you get to the 3DS titles, you should watch the movie i mentioned earlier. what, a movie? YES! Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva! released in 2009 and takes place between Last Specter and Miracle Mask. it's animated in the game's style and comes with subs and dubs. you can easily look it up on youtube.

okay now you can move on to 3DS. Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy are available digitally in 3DS eshop but that is CLOSING MARCH 27 2023. physical copies are also expensive to acquire. they currently do not have mobile ports either.

there's another 3DS title available as well and it's a wild one. Professor Layton Vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney! a crossover spinoff where you get to enjoy the gameplay of both series and the work done here would later influence some stuff they did in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles so you can check that out too. but i rec this title if you are already a fan of PL and AA so you can get the most out of the experience. if you hope to get this physically, be aware it's an extremely expensive hassle. otherwise, just grab it from the 3DS eshop for $29.99 before it closes or brew up another method at home.

okay okay but what about Mystery Journey? well, the protagonist this time is Prof Layton's daughter Katrielle! her game's available on 3DS and mobile (with free demo) and there are extra purchases if you want more goodies. but you may want to consider the switch version instead. it comes with all DLC unlocked, extra outfits and nicer graphics. it also has some new and improved puzzles. why is that? well, some of the puzzles in the original release weren't popular. if you try out the mobile demo, you may notice a totally different vibe with the puzzles. well, why is That? sadly, the original puzzle master for the layton games passed away in 2016. Mystery Journey is a more divisive title so maybe don't make this your first layton adventure.

BUT WAIT! there's also a Mystery Journey anime you can watch! Layton Mystery Tanteisha: Katori no Nazotoki File! it goes through the events from Mystery Journey and MORE! yes, the story goes BEYOND the game!! it's only available in japanese though (but there are subs lol)

HOLD IT! there's one more mobile game to talk about. Layton Brothers: Mystery Room! this time, you follow Lucy Baker, a fresh detective constable assigned to assist Inspector Alfendi Layton, son of Prof Layton. this game is less about puzzles and more about investigation and interrogation. it's a freemium game, which means the prologue and first 2 cases are free. the rest of the cases are in-app purchases.

if you've already played all these games, well congrats! now we just sit here and wait for New World of Steam

(and keep praying for Mansion of the Deathly Mirror lol)

[buriedsecretspodcast]

Why is it "easier" to capture paranormal evidence using analog tools?

I've been writing a lot about how so many ghost hunting tools feel very analog. So many of them seem like relics from the 1980s and 1990s, like the spirit box, which is simply a modified radio.

I think that innately, we trust these more physical, analog ways of cataloging and interacting with the paranormal. Yes, it's easier to fake a digital photograph of strange phenomena or use a Spirit Box app on your phone. But for some reason, there's a sense that it's easier for the paranormal to interact with these more physical, analog, retro forms of communication and documentation.

I struggle to put my finger on exactly what this is. After all, why do we think that a ghost, spirit, or other paranormal phenomena would have a harder time interacting with a digital device like a smartphone or a laptop, than it would with a older electronic device like a radio or a instant camera?

Shouldn't it be easier to adjust a line of code than to move something in the physical world? After all, if an entity is incorporeal, and so much of our modern technology is as well, then why wouldn't they be able to communicate with us through our smartphones, tablets, and computers just as easily—or more easily—than they might through analog media?

Thinking about this using the Ovilus

You could argue that an entity couldn't interact with modern technology in the same way that it could, say, a film camera, because it's more complex. Maybe my example of an entity interacting with digital devices on a code level is absurd. That argument is fair, but if that's the case, why would a ghost more easily interact with popular digital paranormal investigation gear, like an Ovilus?

While the Ovilus is a (sort of) recent invention, dating back to the late 2000s or so , it has the vibe of an old piece of tech. It's a purpose-built device that takes environmental readings and translates them into words (and other output, like an image ).

My understanding is that this is how the typical Ovilus works (though I assume there's some amount of variation between models): it contains a word bank of ~2,000 words. Each of those words seems to be correlated to a different EMF reading (according to this write-up, at least.) The device monitors EMF readings, then when there's a fluctuation in the amount of EMF in the area, the Ovilus outputs the word that is associated with that reading.

The Ovilus is a very cool and inventive device. I've only used one in person once, but I'd love to get the chance to again. However, there are a number of criticisms you could level at the Ovilus, and many of them are very fair. (I tend to be of the opinion that treating paranormal investigation as scientific experiments—both from an earnest POV and a debunking POV—is missing the point. But that's something for another day.)

My big question here, though, related to analog vs. digital ghost hunting question, is: How does the entity you're communicating with know what words are in the word bank and what EMF readings they're associated with?

To me, this puts the Ovilus in the same camp as something like a modern smartphone: it's a digital device that can interact with and gather data from the world around it, but it operates in a way that's is opaque to (most) humans and entities alike.

Anyone can understand the basic mechanics behind a film camera or a cassette tape—they're straightforward machines, and the operator can open it up and see the physical thing that the data is stored on (the film or magnetic tape, respectively.) So it feels plausible that it'd be straightforward for an entity to interact with. But digital ghost hunting devices that turn environmental readings into words via code and databases? Less so.

Synchronicity as a tool

I'm not saying that the Ovilus doesn't "work," I'm just saying that this piece of physical gear is likely best viewed from a synchronistic standpoint. My credulity is strained by the idea that an entity could understand what words are affiliated with each EMF reading and manipulate the EMF based on that. Like any tool, something like the Ovilus should be woven into the larger narrative of an investigation rather than have its results taken on their own.

What do I mean by that? Basically, if an investigator is using an Ovilus and gets the word "demon" and then thinks that means that they're communicating with a demon, with no other evidence to support that, then I think they're jumping to conclusions.

However, if an investigator is, say, using an Ovilus while someone else is doing the Estes Method, and both the Ovilus and the Estes session start to output the same words or variations on a theme, then that's something to pay attention to and look into.

Basically, any investigation device is probably at its best when its data is viewed as part of a larger narrative of an investigation, rather than when taken at face value.

But if a large contingency of the ghost hunting world is willing to consider the Ovilus as a potentially effective ghost hunting tool, why does it seem like there's so much more skepticism when it comes to considering the possibility that entities could communicate using modern technology? [^1]

Okay, I know I just wrote a whole blog post about that yesterday, but I mean setting aside things that are being manipulated by algorithms and "machine learning." So, yes, there are good reasons not to trust the technology that we use these days. (In addition to the ease of fakery—accidental or intentional—we now all know that our phones spy on us and track our every move.)

But there's something else afoot here. While plenty of folks (including me) do put stock in the synchronicities that show up on our computers and smartphones, I just don't think as many people people generally believe that ghosts are able to interact with those devices.

Like I said, most people don't understand how smartphones and computers work, or at least not as well as we grok radios and instant cameras. But again, why do we seem to think that incorporeal forms would have an easier time interacting with something physical then they would have interacting with something digital?

Or here's a question: are paranormal phenomena interacting with us on our digital devices, but we can't tell, since anything could be written off as a glitch or algorithmic foible? I wouldn't be shocked if that were the case. After all, isn't the digital world—cyberspace, or whatever you want to call it—potentially closer to what the spirit world might be like? Isn't cyberspace place where time and space work differently, and complex, "invisible" forces carry great sway—in a way that isn't so different from some imaginations of other realms of reality?

[^1] Not all investigators feel this way, of course! I'm always a fan of Liminal Earth's approach to the paranormal, which is to have an open mind and try to connect to weirdness in creative ways. They've even shared a way to make custom a digital spirit box using mp3s.

[nichenirvana]

Niche Site Teardown #3: housefresh.com

Niche Site Teardown #3: housefresh.com

Site: housefresh.com

Niche: Air Purifiers & Humidifiers

Note: Data such as traffic, backlinks, competitors, authority, keywords rankings etc are all ESTIMATES provided by 3rd party tools mostly UberSuggest.

Website Overview

Date Site Founded: 2013 (first registered but not built out until 2021)

Domain Authority: 53

Organic Monthly Traffic: 112,000 visitors p/m

Number of Keywords Ranking: 40,190

Number of Backlinks: 10,322

Number of Pages: 295

Top 5 Pages

6 Best Bathroom Dehumidifiers – 10,650 visitors p/m.

9 Best Air Purifiers for Cigarette Smoke – 4,961 visitors p/m.

Humidifier vs Air Purifier: What’s The Difference? – 2,683 visitors p/m.

6 Best Air Purifiers for VOCs – 2,529 visitors p/m.

6 Best Air Purifiers Made in the USA – 2,167 visitors p/m.

Monetization Methods:

Affiliate Marketing: Yes.

Display Ads: Yes. (Mediavine)

Digital Products: No.

Physical Products: No.

Subscriptions / Memberships: No.

Branding & Design

Built On: Wordpress.

Theme: Generatepress.

Unique or Generic Looking: Generic.

Well Branded: Yes.

Good Logo: Yes.

Trust & Authority

Real Person or Persona: Persona (I think – About page lists owner and staff but no full names or personal social profiles linked to so hard to be 100% sure)

Good About Page: It’s OK (Covers what the site does, why should trust them, how they test products etc)

Genuine Authority: Yes (A full topical authority covering all things humidifier, air purifiers, and filters)

Social Prescence: Yes . - Facebook: No. - Instagram: Yes. - Pinterest: Yes. - Youtube: Yes. - Tik Tok: No. - LinkedIn: No. - Twitter: Yes. - Discord: No.

Email List: No.

Competitors List

ohsospotless.com / Estimated Traffic = 95,532 visitors p/m / # of Backlinks: 40,789

airpurifierfirst.com / Estimated Traffic = 40,000 visitors p/m / # of Backlinks: 8,820

airfuji.com / Estimated Traffic = 4,819 visitors p/m / # of Backlinks: 5,078

My Thoughts on How To Improve Traffic:

Video Traffic: If they are really reviewing the products, and they do have unique images which suggests they own the products, I think they could do more with video to drive traffic. Adding full video reviews of the products on Youtube and Tik Tok could be more revenue.

Social Traffic: Despite having a social media presence they have very little following and haven’t posted much social content – if this was something they focused on it could become a bigger traffic driver.

Build an Email List: Although sites built around specific product types can be difficult to build an email list there are options such as a lead magnet advising on the best ways to clear the air in your house or the best device for specific type of air issues.

My Thoughts on How To Improve Revenue:

Avoid Distracting The Reader: The top of some of their “best X” affiliate reviews have highlighted boxes that randomly link out to other websites (I believe in the thought that linking out to authority sites is a good signal to Google, which is true) but this is likely to send people away from the affiliate content and lose sales, so put those links at the bottom of the page or within the content.

Call To Action Buttons: There’s no buttons with call to actions in the “top 3” product review comparison tables on their affiliate content, just text links, big, colourful buttons, would generate more attention and clicks.

Showcase The Personal Experience: Though they seemingly have unique images of the products and even videos on Youtube showcasing the products their written reviews and affiliate content don’t really highlight that personal experience of using the product, it still reads like a very generic review written by someone who hasn’t actually used it (even though I believe they may have owned and used the products).

Don’t Display Prices: They are displaying prices directly in reviews and comparison affiliate posts which I would discourage because one big reason people will click your affiliate buttons is to check the price on the retailer.

Avoid Listing The Retailer: On their call to action buttons they often use terms like “Buy on Amazon” which although I’ve never tested it specifically I believe could cause a reduction in clicks because people may think “OK, I’ll check it on Amazon later” or open Amazon direcrly without clicking your links or buttons.

Biggest Takeaways To Apply To Your Own Site

Product Sites Still Work: Going all in one specific product type (in this case devices that clean the air of your house) and covering every piece of information, reviewing every product, and comparing all the different models can give you high topical authority and extremely high traffic (an estimated 100,000+ visitors p/m in this case).

Using the Products Builds Trust: If you can buy the products and take original photos and videos to add into your content then do it – this shows much more trust because people can see you have actually used them rather than regurgitating the Amazon listing information.

Always Use Call to Action BUTTONS: Never use text link call to actions but instead always use big, colourful, contrasting buttons people can’t miss.

Don’t Distract Your Visitor: Never put anything at the top of your pages that can take your visitor AWAY from the thing you want them to focus on otherwise you’ll lose their attention and lose clicks and sales.

Avoid Listing Prices: Avoid using product prices on your affiliate content (even when using Amazon’s API to display the current price) because it gives people one less incentive to click through to Amazon – many people will click to check the price.

Don’t Tell The Reader Where The Link Leads: Again, avoid mentioning “Amazon” on your call to action buttons (though remember you do need a clear disclaimer at the top of your pages / visible above the fold saying you’re an Amazon affiliate) as many people will open Amazon in a new tab or decide to just check it directly on Amazon later meaning they won’t click your affiliate link.

Build your Email List: It drives repeat traffic back to your site, makes people more likely to buy, and drives more sales plus it’s something Google cannot take away from you.  

[avispixel]

"Generating Leads and Boosting Enrollment in Institution through Digital Marketing"

Dear Admission Managers/ Educators, 

Does your institute have enough diversified  admissions? Have you taken steps to improve the brand of your institution?

No…Yes…NO..!!!

Then invest some time to read this article fully to get answers to your questions.

If you tried to do marketing of institutions via traditional methods; then the brand may develop but there is no assurance of the happening of leads via traditional methods of marketing. Even if lead generates; then still the question comes viz. Generated lead converts into the final admissions or not?

Because Marketing is not rocket science but if we use marketing in the right way via digital presence for connecting defined stakeholders with the right geographical area; it gives results in final outcomes.

Nowadays; So many institutions are facing problems in getting admissions; especially tier 2 and tier 3 cities are facing problems; even there are some good institutions available in tier 3 cities; they are also facing the same issue.

This problem is mainly in professional higher education as well as +2 JR. Colleges and schools.

This article is mainly for the people who are Education Director, Marketing Head, Principal, Admission coordinator, etc.

If we use digital marketing effectively in the education sector then defined problems may be resolved.

The fundamentals of Marketing:

Marketing is all about sharing the right messages to stakeholders at the right time to improve the leads. It’s not about only selling the products or services; it’s all about happily communicating with the customer and retaining the customer.

Copywriting, sales, and advertising are the major components of marketing; whenever we are trying to do marketing of any product we need to consider these components.

You should have a great product/service, marketing will help these great products as well as create a brand in customers’ minds. Never try to become number one; Always try how your products or services are unique via marketing.

Physical assets were the main success factor for any institution, coaching class, or the institutions which provide professional online or offline courses to get more admissions. Nowadays success definition has been changed and it’s Good Teachers with value-added digital assets such as the Website, the Online presence of institutions via various media, YouTube channels, Digital skills, etc.

For example, BYJU’s, Khans Academy, and UnAcademy are growing because they have the right kind of digital assets. If they could have used traditional methods of marketing, then it may be difficult for them to sustain in this digital era.

Basically, Digital marketing is an integration of fundamentals of marketing via digital presence; So that target can be achieved through various digital marketing techniques.

Digital Marketing vs. Traditional marketing:

We were doing marketing through Newspaper, Hoardings, telephone; we may do branding through this media but it’s really difficult to generate quality leads via these media, and that is the main reason we have been shifted tho digital marketing through various social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram YouTube, etc

Immage1. Digital Marketing Vs Traditional Marketing

Nowadays we may see the major stakeholders of the institution are always available on social media through mobile, tablet, or laptop.

Even students or parents when they are traveling they won’t see the hoardings or detailed ads which come in the newspaper but if they are traveling or maybe at home they will always check social media; they see the various ads of intuition through organic or inorganic digital marketing.

Drawbacks of Traditional Marketing:

No interaction or very less interaction with your defined audience

No direct action/Click are available easily to know more about products

Little Bit difficult to measure ROI

Poor conversion

Difficult to receives the feedback

So good options for educators to move on to digital marketing. The main reason is more students spend a minimum 4 to 6 hrs per day on digital tools. They don’t want to read flyers, see the hoarding, etc.

So nowadays it’s better to promote any course/ institution via digital marketing than traditional marketing. Even Students or parents take the decision by online review about course and institution. They check the various facilities available under course, inside the institutes via website institute or a youtube channel or social media pages of the institutes

Advantages of Digital Marketing

In digital marketing it is possible to target stakeholders by defined focus such as Age, location, occupation etc so such facilities are not available in traditional marketing. Example: if we give an ad in Dainik Bhaskar ; then investment is high to give an ad in a leading newspaper, we can’t control the parameters which are available in digital marketing to the paper advertisement.

To reach a global audience is available through digital marketing.

It’s 100 % possible to measure digital paid ads.

Digital marketing is very much cost effective.

Promoting of new business is easy through digital marketing.

Via digital marketing, we can create the brand in the minds of consumers.

There are some challenges for educators about digital marketing :

Don’t know about digital marketing

Running ads but not getting right kind of leads

Don’t know ; how to target expected audience

Development of digital content

Building communities via digital medium

CATT Marketing Funnel:

This is one of the best models to get solutions for various challenges/ problems which are faced by educators to improve the branding of their institutions.

Wealth= n^CATT

n(Niche): It’s the main factor for success and improving the wealth of your business.

Content: Development of the right kind of content; which attracts the people. Content such as blog, post, Videos, webinar, creatives, QA on Quora, information on various pages of social media and website especially landing page.

Attention: via SEO, SEM, Paid to add, referrals, etc, we can divert the attention of stakeholders towards our service.

Trust: Create trust in customers’ minds via marketing automation such as CRM, Re-targeting, etc.

Transaction: Finally stakeholders should take action for the transaction via a defined sales method that is appropriate for defied sales of products or services.

For example, Stakeholders should come on our landing page via paid Ad, SEO, SEM and make sure they should share their details on the form and they should click submit button; once they submit the data our direct response team will take the strongly follow up for the same and stakeholders should be ready for to do payment transaction or via after the landing page itself if stakeholders feel that our services or product is okay as per their expectation then they initiate the payment process their itself.

Integrated Digital Marketing:

Image3. Integrated Digital Marketing

By using various funnels, rank our pages by the search engine so that search engines will find our landing page or webpage; where we would like to invite more targeted stakeholders for converting the leads.

We will have people in different funnels at various stages so it depends upon how we utilize it for generating the leads.

The important part is people should trust you so via CATT funnel it’s easy to do the final conversion.

To know more about Generating Leads and Boosting Enrollment in Institution through Digital Marketing or if you are looking for digital marketing services; You may share your requirements on info@avispixel.com or visit our website

[dragonfairy1231]

Even before I was born, and for clarification I am a young adult, politics have stopped being "how do we go about this issue" and they are instead "Oh, is this REALLY an issue" vs "YES AND ITS ONE THAT NEEDS HELP".

I grew up to see the majority votes of the people being ignored in favor of a system that made no sense to me then, and makes no sense now. I grew up seeing people laud a monster for his monstrosity because they thought he could get them a bit more money, could get the country I was raised in- a country where I learned before I even hit double digits how to hide under my desk or in the corner so as to avoid being spotted by a shooter, a country my parents praised for freedom and yet I saw as it stomped on the voices of my cousins and friends with darker skin, where police brutality has resulted in deaths for much longer than I had been alive, but also I saw on the news and heard whispers in my high school about protests in the name of people who were killed for nothing, and whose murderers got away because they had a badge.

I have lost a friend because of my own ignorance, because so much media and internet searches where policed towards trying to direct me into the narrative they wanted so they could pass off this country as great and good and for freedom when it had celebrities signing fucking bombs that would be sent to terrorize innocent families who already lost thier homes, thier children, and who are suffering because of actions people older than my grandfather decided to make using taxes when I just wanted less student debt and less terrible roads.

And now I sit, unable to help more than pausing doom scrolling to let sounds play out on my phone because I'm still trying to pay off that student debt as I look for jobs with a degree that may not be enough for me to move out of a house owned by a mentally, verbally, and occasionally physically abusive, ableist mother

And then I have to deal with people still saying I don't deserve shit because I was born with a vagina, because I'm somewhere between acearo and pan, because I don't believe in a big man in the sky, and because I think human rights should apply to all humans regardless of race, ethnicity, or beliefs, except for the ones who decided they wanted to try thier hands at a fucking genocide.

So yeah. Politics are unfortunately serious enough that I would cut someone out of my life over them.

“Are you gonna let politics ruin a friendship?”

Yes tf I am

[ethandottang]

Week 8 | Body Modification on Visual Social Media

Hello Brother☝️(and sisters of course), I have a question for all. Look at yourself, now open Instagram and look at whoever on there. Do you feel like you're lacking in some areas? Do you feel insecure about how you look? Well I'm here to tell you that you don't have to worry about how you look, because everyone looks good in their own right.

Today we're talking about body modifications on social media and how it could effect the way we think about our own bodies.

In today's digital world, social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok have become strong places where people can show who they are, connect with others and seek for other peoples approval. But the way body modification is shown on these platforms has caused a lot of concern about how it affects our own body image and self-esteem. Seeing so many modified, "perfect" bodies can influence how we think about our own bodies, creating a mix of desires, insecurities, and pressures from society.

Social media is a double-edged sword when it comes to body image. It allows for self-expression and the celebration of different beauty standards, but it also spreads an idealized and often unreachable image of beauty. Influencers and celebrities play a big role in this. For example, world famous pop-star, Park Jimin of BTS, has had a "fan" try to imitate his entire look. From clothing, allllll the way to facial structure. Yes. this "man" has gone as far as getting plastic surgery to reconstruct his face to look as asian as possible. Stating that it makes him feel more confident, and "like he is his true self". While these changes might make some people feel more confident, others might feel regret and more insecure, especially with the constant comparing that social media encourages.

Constantly seeing images of perfect bodies and flawless modifications can really hurt self-esteem and body image. A study by the Huffington Post found that 60% of social media users said it made their self-esteem worse, and 51% said it made them feel worse about their looks. Trying to match these digital standards can make people want to change their bodies. This chase for the "ideal" look can lead to a cycle of dissatisfaction and endless comparison, making people feel they must keep changing their appearance to fit ever-changing beauty trends.

Because social media has such a big impact on body image, it's important to have health education that helps people make smart decisions about body modifications. People need to understand the physical and psychological risks of these changes. Health education should also teach people to think critically about the content they see on social media and encourage a balanced use of these platforms.

Promoting digital citizenship is also key to reducing the negative effects of social media. Influencers and content creators have a lot of power in shaping how people see themselves. They should be honest about the risks and realities of body modifications and promote body positivity and self-acceptance. By showing realistic and diverse images of beauty, they can help make social media a healthier place.

While body modification can be a way to express yourself and feel empowered, how it's shown on visual social media needs to be looked at carefully. The impact on body image and self-esteem can be huge, often leading to more insecurities and a skewed view of beauty. By promoting informed choices, self-awareness, and support in the digital world, we can lessen the negative impacts and encourage a more positive view of body image. Pushing for honesty, better health education, and responsible use of social media are important steps in creating a balanced and supportive environment for everyone.

References

Bradley University: Body Modification & Body Image, 2016, Home | Bradley University. Viewed 26 May 2024. Available at: Bradley University

Grumpychipp, 2023, Body modification vs. social media: Is there any connection?. Spiderum, Viewed 26 May 2024. Available at: Spiderum

Greenwood, D., 2021, The BBL Bubble: How Social Media Fuels Body Modification, Psychology Today, Viewed 26 May 2024. Available at: Psychology Today

Lakhera, A., 2021, How Social Media Develops Insecurities and Low Self-Esteem. Medium. Viewed 27 May 2024. Available at: Medium

[molluskzone]

the thing that i dont get about digital art / AI comparisons (saying theyre both "cheating" in the same way, which ive seen a few times from both pro-AI and anti-AI people) is that in AI the only input is like... the text. it doesnt just make things easier or faster, it completely removes your creative control over a piece and automates the entire process. it's like... typing your essay out on google docs (easier and faster than writing by hand, you have access to spell check and dont need to erase or scribble out words you want to remove, formatting is much easier, etc) vs just inputting a prompt into chatGPT. do you understand the comparison im making here? it's literally the exact same concept, except i've never seen someone say that typing your essay on a laptop is cheating because "it's easier which makes you lazy and not a REAL writer, you're the same as the people trying to pass of chatGPT as their own writing".

also, if we're going there... all of the "cheats" you can do with digital art are entirely possible in traditional art (minus stuff like animation which are absolute HELL to do traditionally, especially 3d animation, but that's besides the point). so i don't even get the art-purist "you-can't-call-yourself-a-true-artist" pretentious argument here. YES, traditional art takes longer and costs more to make (you can buy a tablet once for 200 dollars, and connect it to a laptop which most people already have (or just use your phone/tablet which is even cheaper), and then have that be your only expense for YEARS except for replacement pen nibs and cables. meanwhile, sketchbooks are expensive and you need to constantly buy them, colored pencils are expensive if you're serious about it because you need a lot of different colors, paintings are on another level when it comes to materials cost, etc). i genuinely respect traditional artists since that shit is tedious. HOWEVER... saying that digital art is "cheating" kind of reveals to me that you're just unaware of all the potential "cheats" in traditional art. yes, theres some skills you need to learn, like coloring evenly with colored pencils or alcohol markers, or learning brush techniques and blending, color mixing, color matching, taking good photos of your art if you are someone who wants to post on social media, but there are ALSO unique skills you need to learn in digital art, such as managing layer types, learning to disconnect your eyes / hand (if you don't have a screen tablet), optimizing the image for digital viewing, color choosing (WAY HARDER TO DO DIGITALLY THAN TRADITIONALLY). they're equivalent in this way.

however... layering? use a light box and separate your sketch and coloring / lineart layers. undo? use a light box. quickly change colors? plan ahead better. physically paint over part of the piece. want to make multiple colored versions of a piece? cut out a lino block and use different colored ink to make prints. scan the drawing, print out more and color over them. tracing? fucking put the piece of paper over your laptop screen and trace it (we were expected to do this for practice in my high school art classes). mirroring / "flipping the canvas"? hold drawing up to mirror. if youre drawing on paper, hold it up to the sun or use a light box and flip it. symmetry? you can buy tools for this in which you hold a physical mirror up to half of your drawing and trace the reflection. we also used these in art class. you can also use tracing paper for this- it's my preferred method for making symmetrical traditional art, and for redrawing parts of a sketch / full piece that i want to move around or replace. color picking? any method you use digitally you can also use traditionally. the only trouble is IMPLEMENTING said colors in a full piece... but you also have to do that digitally. the biggest hurdle in color picking for traditional art is just... not having the resources to create a certain color easily, but that's a "can't afford a lot of paints / colored pencils / markers" issue, not necessarily a skill issue. even photobashing reference images or rearranging a piece is possible traditionally if you like... cut the sketch out and rearrange it physically before tracing over it, or physically making a reference with the same method. it is not hard and i have done this traditionally before. you can also use tracing paper for this. line stabilization is the only thing i've seen that's actually unique to digital art, but you can mimic this in traditional art by just... weighing down your art tool or having to redo the lineart a few times with the light box method (time consuming, yes, but not necessarily skillful. it just takes longer if you're bad at it, but the SAME results are possible). different layer types? just do the "math" in your head and figure it out. ive literally mimicked multiply layers before without actually using a multiply layer just to see if i COULD, and the results were the same. the only fully 100% true comparison i've seen is that stuff like AI-generated coloring and shading applied to digital art are "cheating" but that's... not digital art at that point... you're just making an argument again AI specifically because they are separate... it's closer to someone recreating an AI image themselves, or editing an AI image to make it look more realistic, which are, again, separate topics. also you can literally shade and fix traditional art with AI too if you take good enough photos of your art so this isn't even really a good argument against digital art specifically, it's an AI issue.

the only argument i see that makes sense is that traditional art, digital art, CGI animation, and AI art are all their own mediums that all require different skill sets (though i'd argue that traditional art and digital art are much more similar to each other in what skills you need than any of them are to AI art, but whatever). which i honestly kind of agree with? or i would is AI art was more ethical and not used in really dumb ways. but i personally think the AI slop is ugly, and my main gripe with it is that people try to "trick" others into believing AI art is real art by refusing to label it, or even labeling it maliciously incorrectly by naming fake artists as a credit for the image. you can't really do this with digital art since it's... pretty obvious when someone is creating something digitally. you know exactly what you're getting.

i think its fine if you want to say that traditional art is better or that you respect it more, because you're allowed your own opinion (even if i think you should at least experience drawing digitally before making a snap judgment). but its not "cheating" and its certainly not comparable to AI

[brightpixelpune]

Print vs Digital Media

Media. We believe that Media is the only medium that works in the process of advertisement. People have communicated through the media for centuries. The one who wants to sell a product and the other who wants to buy it have a direct or indirect connection through the media. Media is a cycle; it does not stop or have a full stop. It continuously evolves and adapts to new technologies and platforms, ensuring that information and advertisements reach a wide audience. Moreover, media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and influencing consumer behavior, making it an indispensable tool for businesses in today’s digital age. 

A long time ago, when there was no internet or digital technology, everything was sorted, or we can say everything was limited. A few years ago, technology happened, and everything that was limited got restless. Everyone started to get to know things faster. The world became more connected as information could be accessed instantly from all corners of the globe. People began to rely on technology for communication, education, and entertainment, transforming the way we live our lives. 

Now we live in a world where there are two main Mediums on the market.Print Media. Digital Media. Let’s have a look at which is better!

Both media have their power, and all of them work very well in the advertising and communication industries. But the debate starts over which one is effective in the long term.

Print media, such as newspapers and magazines, have a tangible presence that allows readers to physically engage with the content. This can create a lasting impression and a sense of credibility. On the other hand, digital media offers instant access to information and a wider reach due to its global connectivity. However, its transient nature may make it harder for messages to leave a lasting impact on audiences. Ultimately, the effectiveness of print or digital media depends on the specific goals and target audience of each advertising or communication campaign. 

DIGITAL MEDIA

Everything digital now reaches customers quickly and efficiently. Ads, News, Movies, and all communication are now fast because of their digital appearance. The biggest advantage of digital media is that you can navigate your targeted customers until they reach you, and you can keep a record of it. You can constantly check on your audience, But is it that effective or just a waste of time and money? People are using the internet and getting a lot of information in just a few seconds, which scientifically does not allow a human brain to work in that process. The whole point here is that, yes, digital media is faster and more limitless in reaching its target customer, but it does not take effect until the ad is continuously hammered on the targeted customer.

PRINT MEDIA

If we look at print media, it does not have the speed of digital media or cannot reach every single one of your targeted customers, but it does have a big impact on product sales and brand recognition. Print media allows for a tangible and visually appealing representation of your product or service, which can leave a lasting impression on potential customers. Additionally, print media often caters to specific demographics or niche markets, allowing you to effectively target your desired audience and increase the likelihood of conversion. But again, this advertising comes with the difficulty that we cannot observe or navigate your likely customer. Print Media allows you to consume many customers at a time, but it does not allow us to communicate personally with our customers, and hence, we cannot keep any record of it.

It ultimately depends on your target audience and the goals you want to achieve. And that is why we at Bright Pixel give you the bets suggestions and services for both Digital Media & Print media, according to your brand and product. We have experienced experts to help you sort out these confusing questions about choosing the best medium of communication for your targeted customers. Visit us & let’s plan your brand development together!

[externlabs13]

AR vs VR vs MR vs XR: Dive Into the World of Virtual Reality

In a world where innumerable technologies are introduced frequently, virtual reality is one name that keeps coming to everyone's mind these days. This virtual world has been extended in all industries, be it gaming, entertainment, real estate, fintech, art, or sports.  

However, as technology advances, it is no longer just about augmented and virtual reality. Now, there is an alphabet jambalaya of metaverse acronyms. Because of these many acronyms, they are often used ambiguously, making things more confusing. 

If you ask a non-techie, from their perspective, whether it's AR, VR, MR, or XR- all these are digital contents presented to users in an immersive way. 

“Virtual Reality” and “Augmented Reality” are definitely not new; these are the torchbearers of the immersive world. However, with all of the buzz surrounding the Metaverse, two new words, "mixed reality" and "extended reality," has entered the world of immersive technology. 

Are you also as confused as I am about the difference between all four terms? 

If yes, this article is surely for you. 

You are not the only one who is all muddled up by these acronyms that are in the air these days. It is this tech industry that has not been precise and often uses overlapping and conflicting language. 

Being a technical writer, I had to understand the differences among these acronyms. After some research, this is my take on AR vs. VR vs. MR vs. XR.

Let’s get over this confusion together!

Dive Into an Immersive World!

One thing common among all these acronyms is the word “Reality” and ironically, this technology isn't real at all. 

One more thing: the term "immersive" is at the top of all these terms. But what do you really understand by the term "immersive"?

Immersive media is digital content that is presented to users from the perspective of one person, creating the illusion that the user is present inside the content rather than observing it from the outside. 

This immersive thing, or “the sense of presence,” is one common attribute among all these terms. 

Let’s understand this with an example- you must have seen people arguing about shapes and colors. One person will think it's a complete circle, while according to the other, the circle is a little compressed from the top. 

One person thinks it's a dark blue color, while the other thinks it's black. This happens because we all perceive the world differently. We all process information in our heads and construct a reality that is unique to all of us. 

This is why we humans confuse "Reality” with the physical world, and that is why virtual reality feels so real even if it's not.  

To experience this immersive reality, you have to wear a VR headset. 

With a VR headset, you can feel present in the digital environment. There are people that literally run out of the VR room, even though they are aware that it's not real. 

So, what really happens is that the digital information overpowers your senses saying “this is not real”. But, for your body, at that moment, it is real. 

There is one word for it, “Virtuality Continuum”, that demonstrates the full spectrum of possibilities between the physical world and the virtual world. 

Surprisingly, this concept of the Virtual Continuum is very old, it traces back to the year 1994 when researchers Paul Milgram and Fumio Kishino for the very first time introduced this term.  

At first, it was VR vs. AR

Initially, it was Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. Both the VR and AR terms are flying around for decades now. The word VR (Virtual Reality) found its existence in the year 1980 and AR (Augmented Reality) emerged in the early 1990s. 

The prime difference between AR and VR is where the user feels present. 

In virtual reality, the user feels fully present in a simulated environment, whereas in Augmented reality the user will experience a combined world of real and virtual content. To achieve a VR or AR experience the user has to interact with the virtual content in a natural way. 

But, don't mix up virtual reality with 3D simulations and 3D movies. Also, don't think of AR as a “Heads-up display” (HUDS).

To continue, here is the definition for you:

Virtual Reality (VR) is an immersive and interactive simulated environment that is experienced in the first person and offers a strong sense of presence to the user. 

Augmented Reality (AR) is also an immersive and interactive content that is spatially listed to the real world and experienced in the first person, offering a strong sense of presence within a combined environment. 

VR devices like the Oculus rift and Samsung Gear VR created quite a buzz back in the day. Now, this technology is established with many emerging competitors in the market like HTC Vive, Valve Index, and Oculus Quest. 

In the case of Augmented Reality, Apple is playing big with its AR smart glasses, which are planned to hit the market in early 2026. 

Tango-the Google Project also did a massive contribution to promoting AR technologies. The Tango supporting devices have sensors that process the data of the exact location and object. 

Now Enters XR and MR

For years, VR and AR dominated the field. However, in present times some new acronyms are becoming popular. These are Extended Reality (XR) and Mixed Reality (MR). 

XR is seen getting promoted more by the hardware and software makers as they are producing a system that can support both virtual reality and augmented reality. 

So instead of using “Virtual and augmented reality”, an unwieldy language, the term “Extended Reality” seemed a more convenient and catch-all phrase to the work that targets both.

By definition,

XR is a Real-and-virtual environment created through computer technology and wearables. It is an umbrella term. X in XR is variable and can be changed with any letter. 

About Mixed Reality (MR), well it is popular but it also creates great confusion as it's seen as a synonym for augmented reality. For decades, AR was used foremost in academia and industry, but in the year 2016 when Microsft launched HoloLens- for the first time used Mixed Reality in its marketing and thus the term MR got popularized. People try to differentiate both the terms MR and AR but it's just a matter of preference. 

It gets more confusing as recently several companies have started describing “Smartglasses” as a product of augmented reality or mixed reality when in actuality it’s just a “Heads-up-display” where flat data and images are presented into the user’s line of sight. 

But then, there is a distinction in user experience and some developmental complexities that don't allow these terms (AR and MR) to get interchanged. 

Occipital a startup in the field of computer vision has launched its product Bridge, which is a mixed-reality headset- it gives a user the power to map any given room and set the objects within it. In their marketing video, we can see a robot named Bridget fetching a ball and navigating around physical objects in the room.

This showed that MR has something that AR lacks.

Am I making it confusing? It is indeed a bit confusing. However, there is some feature that differentiates MR from AR.

Let's state it this way,

Augmented reality and Mixed Reality are not interchangeable terms. The prime difference here is- MR is AR but not all AR is MR. 

Augmented Reality is Composite and Mixed Reality is interactive. 

Use of AR, VR, and MR

The video gaming industry benefits a lot from Virtual Reality. Below are examples of where VR is being used in businesses-

Training and Education

Marketing

Engineering and design

AR in business-

Some of the main uses of AR are in-

Interior Designing

Virtual designing rooms

In Tourism

Advertisement and marketing

Data visualization

Use of MR-

In corporate world

MR in business training

In designing

In learning

Technologies used in AR, VR, and MR

The AR and VR industry is booming. Companies like Jelvix are developing AR and VR applications for smartphones and tablets.

The technologies used in AR and VR applications are:

GPS (for locating the real position)

Inertial compass (for determining the direction)

Tracking of hyperlinks, videos, photos, and texts in the database.

Screen information composition in overlays. 

In the case of MR, headset-based technology requires components like cameras to generate an environment that merges the AR and VR worlds. 

This Doesn’t Mean that the real in reality is lost.

The more virtual reality gets closer to the actual world, it seems like real reality is becoming very boring and unnecessary because of the engaging experiences that AR, VR, and MR provide.  

All this AR, VR, MR, and XR contribute to making Real Reality (RR) better and giving people joy in their daily lives.

However, there is still concern about the deterioration of real reality. Like the case with social media, where people connects the most to their online community making a social reality that is drastically different from the actual world. Although social media gives people real-life opportunities like finding new jobs, it also helps them make real-life connections.

Virtual reality and augmented reality are bound to follow the same path. Although there are definitely concerns about digital reality surpassing actual experiences. But we will find a way to seamlessly combine all types of environments. 

Summing Up

It is quite evident that, VR, AR, MR, and XR technologies are pretty complex but still different from each other. 

These technologies allow brands and marketers to attract the attention of users. In the virtual world, users can experience some strong emotions. 

You can give these emotions to your audience, making your brand more recognizable. 

Trying to implement these technologies in your business? You have to pay attention to the software. If you want to get high-quality apps and videos for your business, contact us, and meet our experienced team of developers. 

[tech-network]

Powerful Types of Branding Strategies

A brand is essentially the personality of a firm, and branding refers to the actions used to convey that identity. However, creating a distinctive persona does more than just make a business seem like a character. When done well, branding establishes an organisation (or a person, a movement, a product, etc.) as a pioneer in their industry and convinces customers that it’s the best fit for their needs and way of life.

Are you a business owner who would like to give a great appearance and feel about your brand? If yes, CRAB Network is the best choice for you! CRAB Network is a 21st century Branding Company in Kochi that offers world-class facilities across different disciplines of branding.

Businesses’ ability to distinguish themselves from competitors and attract new clients depends on their brands. Additionally, they serve as a means of client communication by highlighting the company’s areas of expertise and comparative advantages over rivals. To effectively sell their goods, services, and principles to their target market, business owners must create a brand for their company.

Product branding

The economic success of your product depends on giving it a unique appearance, voice, and even personality. You want your products to stand out on the shelf and in search results, and this rule applies to all types of physical and digital goods. As a result, you must brand your goods before releasing it onto the market. Creating product landing pages, enhancing your social media presence, and other activities fall under this category.

Service Brand

The previously mentioned product brands are pretty comparable to service branding. They are more difficult to develop since they place more emphasis on services than actual things. Since services are less tangible than products, these brands frequently depend on consumers associating them with favourable feelings in order to be successful. However, developing a service brand enables marketers to steer clear of the elusive talent vs. skill comparisons. Additionally, there are new online service companies, including subscription brands, which have altered customer loyalty and expectations for technology. They now primarily focus on user experience and perceived value to market their services because consumers highly appreciate these qualities.

Personal branding

Making a public persona that represents a person and their work is known as personal branding. Due to the fact that their name, image, and talents are all a part of the business they do, celebrities frequently use this type of branding. Other professions who utilise personal branding could be independent contractors who keep an online portfolio or business website that showcases their work and provides information about the goods and services they offer.

Co-branding

This is the point where collaborations and branding come together. When two or more corporate brands are linked by a single product, this is known as co-branding. For instance, Mr. Biggs and Supa Strikas Comics collaborated to provide young consumers who made purchases at any Mr. Biggs’ stores free copies of the hugely popular comics. Children who are enthusiastic about the comics attract their parents to the store, and Mr. Biggs has impressive sales numbers to prove it.

Retail branding

For any firm with a physical presence, retail branding is a need. E-commerce has grown significantly over the last few years, and this trend isn’t likely to reverse anytime soon. Retailers must therefore step up their branding efforts and transform their businesses into memorable experiences for customers in order to keep them coming through the doors.

Online branding

The components of a company’s identification that they control online or through applications are referred to as online branding. This can include online shops, social media profiles, or other digitally accessible services. While other companies may utilise their internet branding as an extension of their physical branding, certain businesses may only have an online presence.

[ask-obt]

Place your orders here! Or, get the digital version here! At last, the physical copies for OBT's first book have arrived! It was really exciting getting to open up this package today, I'll never get over how special it feels to hold all of the effort I've put into this project right in my hands. I was quite overwhelmed with the immediate support when I opened the first wave of pre-orders- I've actually already sold out of the first wave of books! I'll be holding a second wave immediately, and will place orders for the next wave in about a week or so as I estimate how many copies to get. Like with the previous announcement, this is for pre-orders of this next wave, so books will be about 4-6 weeks out depending on production/shipping times! I also finally set up the ability to purchase physical prints through Gumroad, so I'll be redirecting new purchases there instead of the Google Form since it'll be more convenient so y'all don't have to wait for me to process your invoice! (It'll also be nice so I can put a limit on copies available once pre-orders are finished!) Already placed your order through Google Forms? I've contacted all buyers with payment information at this time! Books will be shipped the following business day after payment has been received. It appears I forgot to post information from the previous announcement on Tumblr, oops! Anyway, I’ll post all of that below the cut, but it should also be on Gumroad’s product page.

This book includes all of OBT's current chapters all the way through Chapter 6 (yes, including the pages that haven't released yet)! In addition to that, it also includes concept art, extras, gameplay notes, trivia, and features the beautiful Fan Art Feature section so many folks participated in! All in all, it's about 320 pages of juicy OBT content. This print run will be not-for-profit, meaning that the cost of each book is relegated strictly to what it takes to produce and ship. I, the artist, will not be receiving any revenue from this. OBT is a derivative work, and I don't wanna risk getting in hot water legally. But I do get the satisfaction of holding a physical copy of something I made, so that's more than enough payment for me! (Though if you'd like to tip me as an artist, consider donating to my Ko-Fi or Patreon!) This first print run will be ongoing as supplies last, though more waves may be held depending on interest. You are also welcome to order copies of Born Yesterday outside of the print run, but please note that prices substantially increase for print-to-order copies vs bulk (not my choice obviously lmao, just what the supplier charges). I'll update this post if the bulk copies run out of stock. I'm also willing to hold books for folks who can't pay right away, though ready-to-pay customers will get priority. Unlike Dielle's Wish, these orders are pre-orders, so I can more accurately gauge how many copies to order (these books cost a decent amount more than Dielle's Wish, so I'd like to avoid overstocking as much as possible haha). As such, delivery estimates can range from 4-6 weeks depending on duration of production time. I'll be sure to notify buyers when their order ships! Prices During Print Run Paperback: $38 Price includes production/shipping within the US, and books will be shipped via USPS media mail. Outside of Print Run Paperback: $75 Price includes production/shipping within the US, and books will be shipped via USPS media mail. Price of print-to-order copies varies with number of copies ordered. For non-US countries and territories, the production cost of each book during the print run is $35.67 per book, and shipping estimates start at $20 and can reach up to $35. Buyers are also welcome to DM me for a private invoice! Feel free to PM or comment with questions!

[hekatekun]

hiii i really really love the way you write and the themes you touch on in your posts id love to hear if theres any books/media that influenced your writing style + the things you focus on in your analyses !

omg hiiii thank you<3 this got annoying so lemme put it under cut lol

This is actually really hard for me to pin down I've been racking my brains over this one. I tend to be a little bit of everywhere, just whatever catches my interest at the time. Most of my personal reading is nonfiction within the realm of philosophy/theology + history + english criticism; whatever fiction I do get around to tends to be horror and/or satire. House of Leaves by MZD actually has just about everything that tickles my fancy. Finally read it beginning of 2021 and I truly haven't been the same since. That's definitely a big one.

But to give you an idea here's the pile of books I'm looking at on my desk as I type this is: an anthology of John Wesley's sermons (founder of Methodism), House of Leaves, an anthology of Percy Shelley's poetry + prose, "The Sphinx in the City" essays on urban living + feminism, the communist manifesto, a dissertation on the influence of Hermann Hesse in Japan, "Thank God for the Atom Bomb" essays by a "conservative cultural critic", and how could i forget the 70pgs of the unabomber's manifesto i printed out.

Currently been slowly making my way through "Romanticism and Consciousness" which are essays on the historical/political background influencing Romantic literature. More often than not I tend to look for essays and critical readings of works before I actually do read said work proper. I don't recommend this btw I just never listen to my own advice. But like, this book inspired me to buy the Shelley anthology. And some of the essays in the Shelley anthology analyzing him I actually found online weeks prior and added them to my digital library. I'd rather read them physically, as I tend to highlight my books. I find highlighting + margin notes really help me stay focused otherwise simply Sitting And Reading makes me go a lil nutz unless the book really is that good. I backed an artist's first comic book that had me ensnared recently. Independent comics tend to do a number on me. Yes I'm still a huge homestuck fan. Will be going 8 years strong.

I reread Brave New World late 2020 after, somehow, getting my hands on it in middle school. Comparing the way the protagonist kills himself at the end vs trying to read Huxley's theological pieces, he should've stuck to the racist satire. I'm still gonna try to finish the Perennial Philosophy, though. All this rambling has me realizing the childhood series I grew up on was A Series of Unfortunate Events, so I think I'm starting to notice a trend.

But actually the biggest media type I consume is games I fucking love video games. I think I cried playing Disco Elysium. I wish more games understood its medium as well as DE. I think that's really what you have to find is stuff that understands its medium. Ososan is a show that is really fucking good at being a tv show, and I think it helps because it doesn't necessarily draw from anything prior because it's such a different beast from osokun (the ososan manga actually came out like a few months after it aired I learned recently).

I don't watch many movies or shows, and the ones I do make me really wanna read the original source material just so I could compare (A Clockwork Orange, American Psycho). I just last watched the Belladonna of Sadness and I think that's an animated movie that understands it's an animated movie. Why go for realism when you've got watercolors?

My other main criteria for any piece of work is that it makes me want to pick up smoking. I don't think I could explain this further if you asked.

Aside from. Any of whatever I just said. My writing background is largely academic with some journalistic experience. It makes media analysis really easy. It also helps that there's technically no wrong answer when it comes to critical readings, just like any school essay you just have to be able to back up your claims with evidence and articulate the connections you see. Prose is a new beast that I am attempting to tame but I think 1. You need to have fun with the learning process and I do in fact enjoy learning. This includes a willingness to examine and reexamine your own words even after you're done working on a piece and analyzing what you can/need to improve on. 2. I really enjoy being able to construct a sentence in a million different ways and I will always have a tab open for the Merriam-Webster dictionary-thesaurus while writing ANYTHING. 3. Did I mention having fun? I really have fun writing I love writing as a hobbyist. 4. Consume and question everything in equal measure. This will eventually produce something.

[spiceestew]

Potential customer here, but confused and concerned about your terms. It seems like not really a commission if you retain all rights and can use it however you want, but severely limit exactly how we can use the thing we just bought? I'm all for always crediting the artist and agree 1,000% about nft garbage, but specifying exactly how to credit and where we can post seems... excessive. I wouldn't buy physical art with a similar list of restrictions.

Not trying to be rude, genuinely hoping for an explanation of the wording. Apologies if it comes out bad!

Hello! I appreciate the interest and thanks for asking!

Most often, digital artists that are being paid for the commissions will have full rights to that artwork - this is not unique to my own terms of service. On my end, this just means that I can use it as an example to show potential clients and include it in my portfolio - though I also stated you can ask to keep the artwork private and I will honor that. I also ask that this artwork is not sold without my consent (ie. on redbubble, etsy, etc).

Asking permission to post to other social media sites is also not unique to my terms of service. I think the line you are referring to in the carrd is "You may not post to other social media websites (Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, etc.) unless I have given permission to do so." "Unless I have given permission to do so" is saying that I would prefer to know how the art is being used and where the artwork is going to. I'll most likely say yes, so please don't be hesitant to ask. As an example - "when this is done, can I show my friends on face book / use as IG icon / use on Roll 20." This rule was instated partly because I am not on those websites, but also because this helps me know *what* you are looking for out of the art - will this be seen most often as a larger portrait vs thumbnail portrait vs icon. As the artist, the final presentation is important in the design process. Similarly, if you plan on printing/framing the artwork for personal use, you can ask me for a larger size if necessary.

As for credit, a "@spiceestew" somewhere on the post/your profile is enough, as is typical when commissioning digital art. I would hope that when I sell my physical artwork, the purchaser shares my name when the artwork is mentioned.

I'm more than willing to work with the commissioner if there are any areas of concern with regards to these points, but if this is seen as limiting, I'd ask you to commission another artist.

I understand that these terms won't work for everyone and I appreciate the ask! If you have any more questions I'd be willing to answer them ^^

[marvelfans4blm]

Marvel Fans 4 BLM - Rules and FAQ!

What is Marvel Fans 4 BLM?

Marvel Fans 4 BLM is a charity auction where fans offer works in exchange for donations. Our focus is to raise money for various Black Lives Matter organizations as well as focus on creating content for Black Marvel characters. 

Who is allowed to participate?

All fans from any and all Marvel fandoms are welcome! We ask that if you are under 18, you do not offer or request explicit rated content.

How does it work?

Creators sign up to offer their works. Bidders then pledge donation amounts in auction-style. The winning bidder donates their pledged amount to a charity; once that donation is confirmed, the creator starts, uh, creating!

What is the schedule?

Monday 15 June - Sunday 28 June: Creator Sign Ups

Monday 29 June - Sunday 5 July: Browsing Week

Monday 6 July - Sunday 12 July: Auction Week

Sunday 19 July: Proof of Donations Due

Sunday 15 November: Check-In

Sunday 31 January 2021: Fanworks Due

More FAQ, Rules, and Resources under the cut! 

What items are acceptable for creators to offer?

All creations should be centered around one or more canon Black characters in any Marvel fandom (movies, comics, TV - any Marvel adaptations!). Other characters are welcome to join the fun, as long as they are not the main focus. Shipping and Gen content alike are welcome! Creations accepted are:

- Fanfic

- Digital art (original art, moodboards, manips, edits, etc.)

- Physical art (artworks, crafts, merch, etc.)

- Podfic

- Fan vids

- Translations

- Fan labor (beta work, sensitivity reading, culture-picking, fact checking, SPAG editing, etc.)

If you’d like to offer something not listed, feel free to ask.

I wanna be a creator! Tell me more!

More details will be shared at each stage, but here’s an outline to get you started! 

Creator sign-ups run from Monday 15 June to Sunday 28 June. You’ll sign up via a Google form and there you can specify what type of fanwork(s) you are offering with some relevant details like characters, pairings, and content you are willing to create in addition to other notes for bidders to see!

As well as fundraising for important causes, this event is intended to create new content for our favorite Black Marvel characters. With that in mind, we will not accept any previously published or created works. The exception to this is physical goods and crafts. 

After the auction closes, we will put you in touch with the highest bidder and from there you two work together to create something great! Once you have your bidder’s prompt, you’ll have until 31 January 2021 to complete your work for them. We’ll have a check-in on 15 November but it’s up to you to follow through by the 2021 deadline. Unfortunately, failure to complete by the deadline will mean you will be unable to participate in future events - until you meet your obligation to your bidder.

You can offer up to three works for auction, but please be honest and respect your limits. We want both creators and bidders to end with a complete work and enjoy the process! For physical goods, it is up to you and your bidder to decide how to handle shipping - keep this in mind when setting your starting bidding price. 

After posting, you can tag us in and any works that follow our rules will be included in our AO3 collection and featured on our Tumblr! 

I wanna be a bidder! Tell me more!

From 29 June through 5 July, you will be able to view all items up for bid, as well as check out each creator’s other works to get a feel for what they can do. You may also reach out to contact individual creators if you have questions. We recommend that if you have a specific idea in mind, or a rarepair, or something the creator has never done before, that you reach out and confirm they will be able to fulfil your request before you bid on them.

From 6 July through 12 July, bidding will be open. All bids will be placed in US dollars, with a $5 minimum starting bid and a $2 minimum incremental bid. Bidding will not be anonymous. Group bids are welcome. 

You may bid on as many items as you like, but please keep in mind that you cannot retract a bid, so make sure you can commit to donating the amount(s) that you bid. You may donate to any of our approved organizations listed below, or ask the mods for approval to donate to another cause that is working towards BLM goals.

For physical fanworks, whether or not your final bid includes shipping will be up to the creator. Once we receive confirmation of the donation, we’re no longer responsible for communication between creators and bidders. Be aware that for physical fanworks, creators will need your address to send you the item. If you aren’t comfortable giving out personal information, we suggest you bid on other auctions instead.

Once the auction is over, we will confirm the final amount for your winning bid(s); do not donate until you receive this confirmation. As soon as we have proof of your donation (pdf receipt that shows date, organization, and amount, all other info can be redacted) we will put you in touch with your creator. At this point, it is up to the two of you to work out how you’d like to proceed to ensure that the bid is fulfilled by 31 January 2021.

If you don’t hear from your creator after we connect you, please reach out to them yourself! If it has been a couple of months and you haven’t heard from them at all despite your efforts to get in touch, let us know and we’ll try to contact your creator on your behalf or help you assess the situation. Unfortunately, there’s always an inherent risk that a creator may fall through for various reasons. If this happens, we hope that knowing that you donated money to support an amazing cause will lessen the disappointment of not receiving a promised fanwork.

Remember that this event is designed to create content for Black Marvel characters, so please be sure to keep your requested works aligned with our Content & Conduct guidelines.

What charities will be supported?

We want participants to feel connected to where their efforts are going. There are multiple organizations linked in our Resources section below, along with master list sites that are updated regularly as new donation opportunities arise.

Creators will be allowed to specify up to three sites that they’d like their winning bidder to support with their donation. Any of the sites or organizations linked in our Resources section are acceptable. Creators can also decline to list a preference, and their winning bidder will be permitted to donate to any of the sites or organizations linked in our Resources section.

We are also open to suggestions! Other donation opportunities requested by the creator and vetted by the mods will be welcome.

Can I sign up to provide more than one offering? Can I sign up as a creator and a bidder? Can I bid on more than one offering? 

The answer to all of these is an enthusiastic yes! Creators can make up to three offerings. Just be sure not to spread yourself too thin; we want everyone to have a successful participation. Do not agree to participate, either as a creator or a bidder, unless you are absolutely committed to following through.

Content & Conduct

This event is designed to spotlight Black characters in a positive way. This doesn’t mean we require fluff, smiles, and happy endings, but it does mean that for this event, we require that you think critically about what you are presenting and how that representation fits within the larger context of the way fandom treats characters of color.

All creations must be centered around one or more canon Black characters, meaning they must be the main focus of the story, artwork, etc. They should not be sidelined in favor of other characters, and if there is any shipping (which is not required, Gen creations are more than welcome) they should be in the main pairing.

This event is designed specifically to support BLM and therefore we expect all participants and creations to align with the values of the movement. To that end, we ask that you do not create or request fanworks that celebrate law enforcement or the military. This is not the appropriate event for a cop AU or similar. For characters canonically affiliated with law enforcement or the military, be critical of how those institutions are portrayed, as well as how BIPOC are treated by and within those institutions.

Some additional points to keep in mind:

- Some Marvel characters have canonical physical, mental, and emotional disabilities - including invisible ones like chronic pain and mental illness. These should be treated respectfully, with due diligence given to portraying their lived experience.

- No perpetrating anti-Black stereotypes or tropes.

- No sympathetically portrayed Hydra or other Nazi analogues.

- No explicit or romantically portrayed non-con.

- No sexual/romantic relationships between adult and minor characters.

- No sexual/romantic relationships between family members.

- All content shared publicly should be tagged appropriately and thoroughly. 

Any offerings or creations that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be promoted on any of our social media platforms, and may affect your ability to participate in future events.

Resources

Creating: 

Writing With Color blogs, recs, & resources

Sam Wilson Birthday Bang resource page

Guide for non-Black authors writing Black characters

Common Microaggressions

Stereotyped vs Nuanced Characters and Audience Perception

Donations: 

Black Lives Matters carrd

Say Their Names carrd

BLM card master list

Homeless Black Trans women fund

Who are the mods?

@a-majesti, @awesomesnafu, @gavilansblog, @samstevebuckyhq, and @thundercakes22​ are your friendly mods. We bonded together over our love for Sam Wilson, and are amongst the mods & organizers for a variety of Sam Wilson-centric spaces, including the Sam Wilson Birthday Bang, SamSteve Small Gifts, SamSteveLove on Twitter, and the Sam Wilson Appreciation discord.

I have another question!

No problem, we’d love to hear from you! Email us (marvelfans4blm at gmail) or send us an ask here on Tumblr.

**Mod note: Thank you so much to @fandomtrumpshate and @marveltrumpshate for generously sharing their resources!

[lesbiancarat]

Lol its fine!! Reply whenever you can ^_^

But ahh true, true. Idk why I thought it would be a hint to the music lol but a sort og an evolution of the concept so to speak. Either way, am excited for the comeback because fresh svt is always iconic. Oohhh the concept photos are all pretty and idk which one to pick jfkshfjsjd. Like they are all very on brand for them but also unique and pretty. Very artsy haha.

Ahh yes, rabbitnwas forever iconic and it was what helped other places like discord to do similar things! But ah understandable!! Both seventeen and nct (when I was getting into kpop more) always felt like BIG well known groups due to their fandoms being so big at least to me. Especially when people always recommended their songs i just assumed they have been around for a while like bts when I joined only to realize they are still rookies. Monster rookies indeed!! The fact so many people love them is enough for me to say they are amazing, well respected and loved by many. Those comments annoy me, especially when people downplay their hard work by claiming 'bighit helped them get more famous' like what!? Yes bighit did help with getting more western attention per se but like downplaying as if they haven't achieved anything at all is confusing to me. Claiming how streaming fans aren't doing s good job to which im like one, mass streaming isn't healthy and two, fans who do try their best and we do beat records of our own. Seventeen isn't unpopular, just because they aren't you know who level doesn't mean they aren't big like do people forget what unpopular means?

Anywhoo, a day late but happy late birthday to our tiger King. May he forever rule the tiger land and take over the world with his tiger agenda lol.

yes! one side fits my aesthetic the best but all the concept photos were nice ^^

and yeah it is annoying but at the same time those people are so detached from reality that I'm just sort of like whatever djflgj like 'it's obvious to anyone who knows what they're talking about you're wrong so I'm not going to bother arguing w you' is sort of my mindset when i see those comments dhfkj bc if i don't think of it that way then i get angry easily. the way i see it bh/hybe definitely is helping SVT with western promotions but like. i don't think SVT/pledis would have been incapable of expanding into the western market on their own if they wanted to. but it's a given that it will be easier and faster with hybe bc they have connections and a reputation in the western market already established. honestly I'd guess that was one of pledis's main incentives for agreeing to the acquisition. but at the same time hybe and western media wouldn't give SVT the time of day if they truly were the flops some ppl try to claim they are lol

and yeah agreed, streaming culture can be super unhealthy. it's one thing to do it if you want to but at the same time don't be losing sleep over it or prioritizing it over your real life responsibilities. and definitely don't guilt trip and say a bunch of toxic things to others to get them to stream... i feel like it would be a lot healthier if fanbases just stuck to simply explaining, hey this is what streaming is and why it can be important (for like music shows etc) and here's how to do it properly if you choose to stream, and then just let people decide for themselves. there would still be people more than willing to do it, and without the guilt tripping maybe even more people would just find it enjoyable. but hey, what do i know? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

i also think most kpop stans underestimate how many views from from casual listeners and fans vs hardcore fans/streamers. like streaming does make a difference, but not 100M views difference like some people try to act like it does. tbh there are a lot of groups that have a smaller core fanbase than SVT but get hundreds of millions of views bc they have a lot of casual listeners. you can even see it internally too: don't wanna cry is SVTs most viewed MV by a mile, it's the only one to pass 100M views, let alone 200M. and it has nothing to do w carats streaming dwc extra hard, it's bc it's arguably SVTs most well known song outside of the fandom. i see reactors all the time who react to it and say "oh i know this song! i had no idea it was by seventeen" and you can look at the comments section and see a bunch of people saying the song has a fandom of its own/even if you're not a carat you have to know this song

kpop stans also put too much emphasis on views imo and also equate views to popularity, which on the surface might make sense but isn't always the case. actually in terms of profit, groups/companies make the vast majority of their money off of album, merch, and ticket sales than they do off of views. but those are all things that are a lot harder to "sell" than views, because they actually cost money for the consumer, while you can watch an MV for free. hence why it makes sense that there are a lot of groups with hundreds of millions of views that get relatively low album sales. it's easy to convince casual fans and and listeners to watch an MV than to get them to buy something

and I'm not trying to diss other groups at all or try to say groups that consistently get 200M+ views are flops, they're absolutely not. I'm just trying to point out that kpop stans completely underestimate the amount of casual listeners that exist

but this is why SVT is honestly such a fascinating case. their MV views are nothing to write home about, and yet they're the second highest selling k-act at the moment and are in the top 10 if not top 5 highest selling k-acts of all time, their album sales are literally insane. a lot of people chalk it up to carats being bad streamers but like i said before, streaming isn't going to make a difference of hundreds of millions of views. this indicates to me that seventeen have a bigger core fanbase (ie people who call themselves carats and actually keep track of seventeens activities) but a smaller audience of casual listeners compare to other kpop groups. and i think a lot of people, carats, and non carats alike, pick up on this in some way or another but don't realize that's what's going on and it manifests in kind of weird ways sometimes

and this fact isn't something that bothers me, i actually think it's super important more than anything for SVT to have a strong core fanbase if what they're shooting for is longevity. but i do find it strange bc as i said, groups that do better with digitals than physical sales make total sense from a consumer standpoint!! so how did SVT end up like this!! it's so interesting for me to think about. i think i would have a better idea of why this is if i had been around since debut but alas

the only thing i can come up with is that SVT is better at retaining fans or like... getting fans invested in the group so people who become carats are less likely to be multistans? bc multistans play a huge part in both being and attracting casual listeners. they're the ones making video compilations and edits and content that includes multiple kpop groups, which is how a lot of non-fans get interested in other groups. whereas if someone is just a carat and making content for SVT the people most likely to watch that content is ppl who are already carats. i know im not the only one that's noticed it's kind of rare for SVT to be included in multistan edits and videos. which i don't blame anyone for, i think most of those people genuinely just don't stan SVT and they shouldn't be expected to include a group they don't know we'll or at all. at the end of the day ppl can make what they like. but it's interesting to observe as a general trend. but idk SVT potentially having a lower percentage of multistans still isn't really an explanation for why SVT doesn't have as many casual listeners bc those things kind of just go hand in hand. like either one could be the cause of the other one if that makes sense

ANYWAY sorry for the long reply but as i said the ratio of SVTs core fanbase vs casual listeners is a topic i find endlessly fascinating dhfmfj