#aero lift

[hot-hot-wheels]

Aero Lift

[hotwheelings]

[carsthatnevermadeitetc]

Lamborghini Revuelto, 2025, by Zacoe. The Taiwanese tuner have revealed a bodykit for the V12 hybrid supercar. The styling of the raw carbon fit kit has been inspired by stealth fighter jets. There is a new aerodynamic splitter and vented hood at the front, new aero blades and side skirts, plus a roof scoop mounted atop the engine cover. Thought Zacoe suggest aerodynamic benefits to “reduce lift and increase downforce” there are no performance gains, just visual ones.

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

Pretty like the wind

Previous chapter / Next chapter

a/n Part four! I know I said no stories till the end of the week but my class got delayed and I dreamed of this so... here we are. This is a bit of a roller coaster.

warning: nightmares, injuries, past trauma, mean people.

Not proofread just yet

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Azriel was walking through the forest. Thick snow heavy on his boots. Yet the sound of it was soothing. Azriel always loved winter. There was just something so beautiful about it. Or maybe it was the cold that spoke to him. But then it only showed that something so lethal could also be beautiful. Delicate. And that in itself gave the spymaster hope that he too wasn't a lost cause. If someone managed to love winter as much as he did, they would learn to love him as well.

"Boo", the sound made Azriel flinch slightly. He was too lost in his own mind to notice that he was indeed no longer alone. Axel stood in front of him, a cheeky grin on his face. The spymaster pressed a hand to his chest dramatically and said, "Nearly gave me a heart attack". The boy fell into fits of laughter, too distracted to notice Azriel reaching for him before he playfully pulled the boy into his arms.

"Don't get the mittens wet, you two", your voice broke through the laughter. Gentle and soft. Guiding. Azriel looked up. Here in the middle of a forest clearing, you looked like an actual angel. He imagined that was what men in war called for. That's what an angel of mercy looked like. Had to... A snowball hit Azriel right in the chest. The little mischievous youngling was already racing through the piles of snow. His little feat of little help. The broken wings barely managed to lift his body, even a tiny bit.

Azriel chased after him. The silent forest was beating with screeches. "I want to join! I want to join!", Zofie's voice rang out too. She was nestled in your arms. All bundled up in knitted layers. Her tiny button nose was already rosy. She was too tinny for the snow. The storm must have been wild last night. It was more than clear that she would submerge in the white blanket, at least up to her armpits. Azriel quickly snatched Axel off his feet, pulling him up with one hand. There was no doubt that his tummy would be hurting from this extensive laughter.

"Want to sit on my shoulder?", Azriel suggested, his attention now fully occupied by the little girl. Her curious eyes gleamed. "You can tell me if the river over there is frozen over. I can't see myself", that was a white lie. Azriel knew it was. His shadows had scanned the place. But he wanted to make her feel special, so he wasn't all that surprised when she scrambled to get out of your hands and onto Azriel's broad shoulder. She felt like a little feather in his arms.

"It's frozen", Zofie muttered. "I want to look as well", Axel scrambled for Azriel's side, pulling up. "Kids, Azriel is not a climbing tree", yet your voice didn't seem to reach them. You stepped closer to them, your foot sliding down the rock that must have been under you. Azriel was quick to steady your step. "Careful, love", he muttered under his breath. You smiled lovingly at him right as you reached the very edge of the river.

Azriel stepped first. Testing the ice before he reached out a hand for the kids. The two of them were way too occupied as they held onto one another, giggling, their feet slippery beneath them. Azriel held both of your hands as you steadied yourself. Big smile on your face as you opened to say something, but all that came out of your mouth was blood, your body lunging forward as an aero pierced your heart. Azriel caught your body right as the white material of your dress pooled with your blood, turning crimson. "No", was all he managed to mutter. "Y/N, hey... hey, love", his vision grew blurry. Your big eyes staring at him.

Thudding filled his ears. Then came the sound of crackling. Chipping ice hitting the snow. Azriel's head leaped sideways. He caught a glimpse of the two kids' fists hitting the ice. "No", he shouted. Your body slipped out of his arms as he scrambled to get up. Only to lock eyes with them as the ice gave in beneath them, and both of their bodies sank into the icy river. Azriel let out a deadly roar as he hurdled toward the crack, dipping himself into the water.

"No", the spymaster shot up with a jolt, his body covered in sweat, hair sticking to his face. For the first time, he hated the darkness that surrounded him. With one swift movement, Azriel jumped out of bed. His heart was beating so fast that he was sure he was going to puke all over himself. "They're fine", he muttered to himself, "It's fine". Yet his feet were already moving. His body carried on its own as he vaulted through the stairs. Fist pounding on the door while Azriel leaned against the doorframe.

He nearly fell to his knees when your smaller body appeared. Messy hair - clear evidence that you have been in a deep sleep. "Azriel", you mumbled as you scanned the male in front of you. His heavy breathing was so loud that you barely heard yourself. "Are you okay?", the spymaster whispered, his eyes looking all over you. So mortified. Shaking. "Well, besides the fact that you just woke me...", you tried to lighten the mood, but it seemed like his mind was moving a step forward. Azriel peered over your shoulder and asked, "Axel and Zofie?". You stepped aside to give him a clearer view of what was behind you. The room was dim, but the fireplace cast enough light to see the two kids nestled in between the sheets. "They're...", you started, but cut yourself off quickly. "Is everything okay?", you reframed your words.

That seemed to snap something within Azriel. He ran a hand through his damp hair and said with a deep breath, "Yeah, sorry, sorry, I...", he shook his head, almost in disbelief, that he had even come all the way here. As if his mind had only grasped onto reality just now. "Hey...", you moved to reach for his palm. Your hand was much smaller than his, but they fit snuggly against one another. Azriel just looked at you. Soaking in your soft gaze, the feeling of your skin. Your hand was indeed warm. And soft. Those two things alone seemed to settle him. You let him take a couple of calmer inhales before stepping out of the room. "Come", you beckoned him.

He just watched you move around the kitchen. The silky nightgown flowed with every move. Light goosebumps on your skin. The lower levels seemed to get colder at night. Azriel was still burning up from his nightmare, so he didn't seem to feel the chill, but you did, and a part of Azriel felt guilty that he had nothing to offer. He was... shirtless. That made his cheeks heat even more. His muscles flexed, but he tried to calm himself down. Azriel didn't want to gawk. He wasn't that kind of man, but the silk, your body beneath it... And all you were doing was making a cup of tea for him. He shifted in his seat. Eyes burning holes in your back. You felt his gaze too, grateful that your back was turned to him. You caught the strap of your nightgown slipping off your shoulder as you reached for the honey, cursing silently before turning back to the spymaster. Eyes meeting his in an instant.

"Drink", you handed him the cup, his fingerprints brushing over yours. "Poison?", he asked, your lips curving upwards, "The strongest kind". Azriel held your gaze firmly before he slowly nodded his head, "Hum, you licked the spoon, though". You crooked your head with a sigh, "Well, shit, huh. Guess we both are doomed now". Azriel let out a chuckle that matched yours before his eyes settled back on you. You were right beside him. Even with him sitting down, you still had to tilt your head up slightly.

"What?", you asked after a light smirk curled his lips. "Why are you looking at me like that?", you asked, crossing your arms over your chest. "You cursed", his words took you by surprise before you snorted slightly, your hand coming up to cover your mouth. "I'm not an angel", you cackled quietly. But Azriel didn't find it funny. You look like one, he thought. But he couldn't bring himself to say that.

"Sorry, yeah, an assassin,", he said in a serious voice, narrowing his eyes. You bit your lip, trying not to laugh as well. "You can be funny, you know", you told him, Azriel's eyes grew big. "Is that a compliment?", he said in a teasing manner. "Hmmm", you tapped your finger on your chin a couple of times, "No, an observation". Azriel took a sip of the tea before looking back at you. "Keeping tabs on me?", and you could swear his voice sounded deeper, even more velvety than before. Something shivered deep within you. "Most definitely", you said firmly.

Your eyes locked once again. Only now did you realize how close you'd been standing. You could feel the heat of his body radiating. You bit your lip without thinking, and Azriel let out a low growl. Darkness flowed through his eyes. His magic rippled beneath his skin. Your hand reached for him. Your fingers glowed slightly as you brushed them over his chest. It felt like there was no oxygen in the room for a moment. But you equally felt as if you were floating. Azriel leaned closer. You could feel his breath against your skin. Yet another shiver ran down you. You were inches away. There was so little space between you. You sucked in a breath. Something creaked in the distance, making you both jump apart. You quickly tucked your hair behind your ears. Azriel let out a cough. "It's getting late", "The kids upstairs", you both said at the same time, nodding. Eyes everywhere, but on each other.

You brushed a hand over your face before plastering a big smile for Zofie, who was nervously twisting the side of her skirt between her fingers. You knew that the moment the music filled the room, she would loosen up and grow into her body, but now she was fighting her fear of being around others. Past terrors eating at her. "Hey", the feeling of a warm palm on your shoulder made you turn to the side. Your cheeks instantly grew crimson as you saw Azriel standing there. His hair was messy, and from the bags under his eyes, you were almost sure that he too got little sleep last night. You couldn't help but wonder if the same thing kept him up for the rest of the night. You didn't say anything; you just scooted to the side to give him more space. His eyes instantly moved to look for Zofie; that alone made your heart swell. Azriel waved her way, and she instantly dropped her head, her long hair covering her face, but you could see a little smile on her face from where you sat. "She's been asking about you", you said softly, pulling Azriel's attention back to you. "Has she?", the tinge of hope in his voice was evident. You hummed, "That cookie was surely made with love." Azriel stayed quiet, but you knew that your words hit the spot.

You two watched Zofie in silence, besides a laugh here and there when she lost herself in the sound of music just a bit too much. Her wild hair, accompanied by a bright pink too-too, made her quite a character. Azriel went back and forth between watching Zofie and you. His hand inched closer to yours. Your gaze caught the subtle action. "About last night...", Azriel said quietly. You were about to turn to him when the voice from another direction caught your full attention instead. "Y/N," it was Padme. The look on her face made all the blood drain from her body. You stood up quickly, "What is it?". She rarely got down to the communal levels; work kept her in the upper tower. So the fact that she was here had to mean that something bad must have happened. And all she said was one word, but that was enough to make you sway. "Axel", she muttered. You felt a hand steady you from the back. The world blurred for a moment, and then you took off running.

The healer level was laced with a thick smell of herbs and brews. That didn't help the dizziness that pulled at you. You must have looked like a mad woman, the way you barged in. Your eyes were wild as you scanned the healing pods. "What happened", you breathed out. Trying. Hoping that someone would give you the answer. Any answer. But no one said anything. Did you even speak the words aloud? You took a deep breath. "What happened?", you asked firmly.

One of the healers waves you over from across the room; the door to the last pod was open, and you assumed that was where Axel was. "He tried to fly over the wall", the female said once you were close enough to her. "Axel", you nearly shrieked at the image of that. He couldn't. There was no way. His wings were too weak. "He made it to the second floor", she continued, but you raised your palm, silencing the healer. You could imagine the rest yourself.

You pushed past her, slipping into the room. Axel was covered in bruises. The deformed wings were all scratched up, lying on his side loosely. Bile rose in your throat. You swayed slightly, only to be met with a strong wall of muscle behind you. "We cleaned up the bruises in the front but not the wings,", the healer said quietly. You knew their help was minimal when it came to that. In this case, at least. "I've got this, thank you", you said as professionally as you could, your nails digging into the warm muscular arms that were the reason why you still stood on your own two feet. "I'll call you over if I need help", the healer nodded her head, stepping away.

You inched closer to the bed. "I'll turn you on your stomach, okay?", you asked Axel softly. He barely showed any emotion, silent tears streaming down his face. You knew he endured worse pain. The night you dragged him out of that cellar... Your hands trembled at the cries that echoed.

"Let me", Azriel stepped up, reaching for Axel. You knew he was here. That he was with you. You felt Azriel right beside you up here, but it felt as if your brain had only caught up to the fact that it was his warmth that comforted you all this time. Now that he was away from you, the cold that nipped at your skin seemed almost unbearable.

Axel's face changed once he saw Azriel. A hiccup slipped past his lips, and you had to turn your head to the side to hide the tears that fell down your cheeks. "Hey, I've got you", Azriel muttered, both of his hands gripping Axel's as he kneeled at the top of a bed the boy was resting on. "I'm sorry, I'm...", Axel crocked out, trying to move his bruised body. "Why did you do it, bud?", Azriel might not understand and know most of the things yet but to make a flight like that... No youngling could do that; their bodies simply lacked strength. Another choked-out sob slipped past Axel's lips before he spoke up again, "They were making fun. Said I was... I was deformed", those words ripped out a chunk of Azriel's soul. In flashes, Azriel saw himself within the boy. He was eager to show that his will wasn't broken and that he had the spark within to be just like the others.

Azriel opened his mouth, but you quickly cut him off. "Let's look over your wings, okay? We'll figure out the rest later", you muttered, brushing away Axel's damp hair. You met Azriel's eyes briefly before all of his attention was back on the boy, who held onto him for dear life. You plunged deep within yourself. Searching for that familiar thread of light. You let our palms drown in the white light, coating the beaten wings and forming a cast over the mangled boning. Axel winced. "You're doing better than most soldiers in a war camp, bud", Azriel was quick to reassure him. His cold shadows brushed over Axel's forehead and neck, trying to keep the fever at bay and hold the boy conscious for as long as possible. "It hurts", he wept through gritted teeth. "Y/N will make it better", Azriel muttered, his eyes drifting to your hands, which by now had both of the scattered wing tissue glowings. Your body was shivering; it was no doubt taking a toll on your body too. Azriel was quick to calculate the leap he would have to make if you were to pass out. Keeping some of his shadows alert so they would notice the change in your breathing. "Hang in there, okay? This will be over soon," those were the last words Azriel told Axel before the boy limped completely. The tiny hands that held onto his palm so firmly fell loose. But Azriel didn't let go. He was not going to leave him. Wasn't going to let him feel alone and helpless ever again. He felt like he owed it to Axel and to the young version of himself too.

The candles were burning low. Azriel had lost count of how many times he had replaced them by now. He had bumped into Padme. The female didn't fully introduce herself, but Azriel had a feeling that she was an important figure here. She had wanted to talk to you, but you were barely a shell of a living creature by then, and something within Azriel protested against letting anyone else talk to you. Not now. So Padme talked to him. Gave him an image of what had happened.

The flying lesson the Illyrian children had. The fact that Axel watched it from the sidelines. Unfit to fly until the healing process had finished. "Kids can be vicious", she said with a voice so ancient that Azriel's bones shrieked, "But our Axel is different". Those words left a bitter taste in Azriel's mouth. "He's special, not flawed", the spymaster said roughly, and the woman sent him a pleased look. As if he had passed a test he didn't even know he was having. The rest of that conversation was hazy. Azriel was running on too much adrenaline himself.

He carefully opened the door to the healing pod. He did not want to wake any of you up, especially if you had finally fallen asleep. But you were just in the spot where Azriel had left you last. Axel's head was on your lap, your fingers slowly brushing through the boy's hair. Your eyes were empty as you looked down at him. "I brought some food", Azriel whispered, making you snap your head up. You were drained. He might not know much about the magic you possessed, but whatever you had done had taken its toll on you. "He just dozed off", you muttered quietly, turning your attention back on Axel. "It's for you", Azriel said, setting the tray on the little table. "I'm not hungry", you said bluntly. "Y/N", Azriel breathed out. He had seen denial and anger eating up at his soldiers. Had seen it eating up at Rhys when he had to let go of Feyre.

"I'll watch over him", you said stubbornly. "You need to rest", Azriel tried to reason, but all he was met with was a shake of your head. "I'm resting", you said, pointing at the bed you were sitting on. "Y/N", the spymaster said softly, way softer than he usually liked to use his voice. "He's in pain. I need to help," you said, Azriel looked down at the palms that you kept tucked away beneath the boy's wings. This whole time? You've been summoning magic this whole time. Worry laced Azriel's whole body.

"Y/N," he said, way more firmly this time. The way he spoke, your name had finally broken something deep within you. "If I fall asleep...", your voice died down. Bottom lip quivering. "Y/N, come here, love", Azriel pulled at your wrist, mindful of the boy resting against you, until you were up on your feet. He brought you closer. Your final undoing was the moment his arms wrapped around you.

"I'm failing them. I keep failing them", a sob slipped past your lips, your hands taking fistfuls of his shirt. "No, you are not", Azriel said firmly, "I've been here long enough to see how much you love them. And they need just that, sweetheart. They need love". You let your tears flow freely at that. All the emotions were pouring out of you. Azriel didn't budge, holding onto you just as firmly. "I'm so scared", you hiccuped finally, with no strength to keep your walls up any longer.

"I know", Azriel muttered. "I'm so scared", you pressed your face into his chest, and Azriel moved to brush his fingers through your hair, "I know, but you don't have to be. I'm here now. I'll keep watch over you all". And there was no doubt in his words. There was no doubt in your soul. You knew he wasn't lying. You could feel it. "Foreign soldier", you muttered after a while, Azriel chuckled slightly. Brushing a strand of hair away from your face, "I need to find a sword like Axel drew", he stated, making the corners of your lips turn upwards slightly. You closed your eyes, letting the world flow through you. Allowing yourself to stop for a minute while Azriel held you. Until your eyes snapped open and you pushed back slightly, "Zofie...", you muttered.

[usafphantom2]

The faster the SR 71 went the less fuel it would use! Isn’t that remarkable?

Regarding FUEL - the SR & A-12 are unique in that they cruised on what pilots and aero engineers call the “Back-side” of the Lift over Drag curve or just backside of the curve - which means for any airplane flying on the backside of the curve - the faster you go the lower the fuel used. Ordinary jets experience this when their gear and flaps are down and the airplane is flown slow like when landing . In the Blackbird at cruise we were behind the curve and thus any time we were concerned about having enough fuel - we sped up.

The most efficient speed for the SR was as fast as it could go. ~ SR-71 Pilot Stormy Boudreaux

Linda Sheffield

@Habubrats71 via X

[corishadowfang]

Writing prompt: the alternate timeline where Ventus fights Larxene and Marluxia in the keyblade war?

(For this)

I see we've decided to go for pain with this one, haha.

---

            Metal clanged.  Lightning crackled near Ven’s ear, making his skin prickle.  He ducked into a roll, coming back to his feet and lifting Wayward Wind just in time to catch a scythe on the edge.  Sparks burst from the impact, and above them, he could see the narrowed golden eyes of one of Xehanort’s number.  Marluxia, some part of his mind supplied, even if there was a deeper part of him that said the name should be different—a part of him that twisted with a grief that he couldn’t name and didn’t understand.

            It was easier not to think about it—easier to twist his Keyblade just slightly, diverting the scythe enough that he could slip aside, sending a spell to crash against one of Marluxia’s own.

            Another streak of lighting—too quick to dodge this time, and Ven’s body spasmed, pain shooting through his chest.  In panic, he cast a Cure on himself, and it helped him collect himself enough that he could jump away from the knife that struck the space where he’d once been.

            “What’s the matter?”  That was—Larxene, he thought; when he turned, she was giving him a too-sharp smile.  “Not fast enough?”

            “Enough to keep up with you!”  A burst of magic, and then he was moving, shooting across the battlefield and slipping, at the last moment, behind Larxene’s guard.

            (In his peripherals, he thought he could see Marluxia watching him with a furrowed expression—like there was something itching at the back of his mind, but he couldn’t quite drag it out.)

            “Oh, tough.”  Larxene whipped around, catching his Keyblade on the edge of one of her knives.  “But not qui—”

            An Aero spell flickered from the tip of his Keyblade.  It sent Larxene flying, and Ven ignored her cry of surprise as he shot into the air after her.

            He didn’t quite make it; Marluxia appeared hardly a second later, hands bunching in Ven’s coat as he dragged him back down.

            (A part of him wondered, distantly, why Marluxia hadn’t just attacked him.  The rest thought that this felt familiar, and for a moment, he was in a dark room, voices he only somewhat recognized echoing in his ears.)

            They landed with a painful, jarring sort of thud.  Ven’s hands went to grab Lauriam’s Marluxia’s almost instinctively, and he stared back as the man’s eyes furrowed.

            “You brat.”  The snarl seemed distant.  “What’s the hold up, Flower Boy?”

            Marluxia didn’t answer; he kept staring at Ven, like he was a puzzle he could pick apart, if he tried hard enough.  “…I know you.”

            What…?

            There was a crash of magic.  Something cut through the space between them, and Marluxia stumbled backward, releasing his grip on Ven.  Instinct helped Ven right himself, even if a part of his mind was still reeling.

            “Ven!”

            Sora.

            He turned, giving his friend a smile that he hoped looked sincere.  “I’m okay.”

            Sora nodded, lifting Kingdom Key.  “Let’s take care of these guys together.”

            Ven nodded, but couldn’t quite keep the smile on his face.

[etrnvlr]

❝ MY QUiRK ❞

° . ˚ ⵌ ٠ ᭡ Quirk: Air manipulation

Yuki's quirk allows him to manipulate and control air currents. He can create powerful gusts of wind, form protective barriers, and even fly by riding the air currents. His control over air pressure also enables him to create vacuum zones or compress air to launch high-speed projectiles

୨୧ Applications ★ ̟ !!

Wind Manipulation: How It Works: Yuki can sense and control air currents around him. By focusing his energy and using specific gestures, he can direct the flow of wind to create gusts, breezes, or even powerful blasts.

Flight: How It Works: Yuki harnesses the wind beneath his wings or around his body to lift himself off the ground. He can adjust the intensity and direction of the wind to maneuver through the air with precision.

Air Shield: How It Works: Yuki can create a barrier of swirling air around himself or others by focusing his energy and manipulating the air currents to form a protective shield.

Weather Influence: How It Works: Yuki can subtly alter weather patterns by influencing the movement of air masses. This requires a deep connection with the natural elements and a calm, focused mind.

Sound Amplification: How It Works: By fine-tuning the airwaves, Aero can enhance or dampen sounds. This involves precise control over the density and movement of air

Healing Winds: How It Works: Aero can channel soothing, gentle breezes that have a calming and healing effect. This requires a peaceful state of mind and a nurturing intent.

Air Cushion: How It Works: Aero can create cushions of air to catch falling individuals or lift heavy objects by concentrating on the air pressure and density in a specific area.

Stealth Movement: How It Works: By manipulating air currents around his body, Aero can move silently and remain undetected. This involves minimizing air resistance and sound waves.

୨୧ Strengths ★ ̟ !!

High Mobility: Exceptional speed and agility in the air.

Versatile Defense: Can create barriers and shields to protect against attacks.

Stealth: Ability to move silently and remain undetected by manipulating air currents.

Enhanced Senses: Heightened awareness of changes in the environment.

Weather Control: Minor influence over weather.

Sound Manipulation: Can amplify or mute sounds by controlling airwaves.

Environmental Adaptability: Thrives in various natural environments, especially open spaces.

Rescue Abilities: Can create air cushions to save falling individuals or lift debris.

୨୧ Weaknesses ★ ̟ !!

Energy Drain: Extensive use of his powers can quickly deplete Yuki's energy, leaving him vulnerable and exhausted.

Emotional Instability: His powers can be influenced by his emotional state, leading to unpredictable outcomes if he is stressed or upset.

Weather Sensitivity: Extreme weather conditions, such as heavy storms or intense heat, can disrupt Yuki's control over his abilities.

Dependency on Natural Elements: Yuki's abilities are stronger in natural environments and may weaken in artificial or polluted areas.

Concentration Requirement: Using his powers effectively requires a high level of focus

୨୧ Add me on tiktok @/lluavrse

[wheelie-sick]

Custom Wheelchair Arm Rests

[image id: a black TiLite aero z wheelchair, a rigid wheelchair. the wheelchair has a cup holder, calf strap, hard backrest, and swing away tubular arm rests.]

a lot of people will tell you that it's not worth it to get arm rests on a custom wheelchair because they "just get in the way"-- I disagree. I have swing-away, height-adjustable, tubular arm rests on my wheelchair and I wanted to talk about the pros and cons I experience with them (not an exhaustive list) so others can make an informed decision about whether or not they want arm rests when they get their own chair

pros:

place to rest your arms- I personally don't find it comfortable to rest my arms in my lap while using my wheelchair without the arm rests. the alternative to this is resting my arms over my wheels, this is dangerous because if someone walks up behind me and pushes me without warning it's likely that I'd break a finger. besides, they're just more comfortable

easy way to transfer- I transfer by both standing and sliding, my arm rests help with both. they're an easy spot to grab and put my weight while moving in and out of my chair

easy way to relieve pressure- as a wheelchair user it's important to occasionally relieve pressure from your ass to prevent the development of pressure sores. while this can be done by doing a wheelchair push up using the push rims I get much more pressure relief from doing wheelchair push ups on my arm rests while causing less hand pain thanks to the cushioned surface

easy way to re/position- I'm very picky about the way I sit and often need to slide back and forth in my chair a couple of times before I'm comfortable. my arm rests make this very easy to do

tie down point- I didn't want dedicated tie down points on my chair because I don't use the bus frequently, I instead use my arm rests to tie my chair down when needed

removable- if I ever decide I don't like them I can simply take them off

swing away- my arm rests can swing in and out of their position so I can move them out of the way when I need to transfer in a tight space

height adjustable- I have my arm rests set at the exact height I want them at. for me, this is very low, meaning that they're out of the way and don't interfere with self propelling. this adjustability also means they can be set higher to provide additional support if needed

I just like the look- they make my wheelchair look complete

cons:

increased weight- each of my arm rests weighs about one pound, while it's not a lot on its own it does add weight to the chair

increased length- my chair is about 4 inches longer than it otherwise would be. this makes it harder for it to fit in cars (though I can usually squeeze it in)

make loading into a car more complicated- because the arm rests swing outwards when I load my chair into the trunk of a car I often need to temporarily remove an arm rests (and sometimes both) because the arm rests swings out blocking the door from closing. the arm rests also tend to catch on my shirt when lifting the chair into a car

additions welcome

[writingfromasgard]

How's dustball doing?

oc:dustball

"Dustball." Gaz sighs, eyes heavily lidded with disappointment.

Dustball stands a few feet away, scooping up her weekly offerings. She's crouching as she loads up the bags.

She glances over her shoulder, dragging her goggles up. "Heyo, Pretty boy."

"Are you really accepting offerings now?" He asks, stepping closer.

"Soap's been tellin' people it's good luck to make offerings to the vent ghost." She ruffles around the snack bag, lifting an aero bar. "You like these?"

Her hand offers it up to him and he takes it, pocketing it.

"Vent ghost?"

"Ye', he told 'em I'm a vengeful spirit who curses random people when they hear me movin' 'round." She stuffs more of the drinks into her little bag. "Only way to get rid of it is offerings.. Ye know what they're offerin' on the floor below?"

"What?"

"Fukin' condoms and lube. Why the fook a ghost need that? To prevent ghost babies?" Dustball closes the bag up.

"I could use 'em." A gruff voice says behind her. "To prevent Ghost babies."

Dustball stiffly turns to see Ghost peering down at her, too close for comfort. Seconds later, she's diving into the vent, scrambling away from the intense look Ghost is sending her.

Ghost bends down, picking up a bag of sour cream chips. Gaz starts laughing.

"She really doesn't like you, does she?" Gaz asks.

"She likes my face." Ghost gruffs.

[puuuders]

Absinthe - part 2

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~

Terzo wants to give the ghouls a relaxing day off and make them his favorite cream pies.

~

1.7k words

Will link AO3 when AO3 decides to work for me ://

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Omega woke to the sound of gentle knocking on their hotel room door. He lifted his head, blurred, exhausted vision scanning the area, blinking the gunk out of his eyes. He counted his packmates; one was missing. Alpha. 

Crawling out of bed, Omega twisted his torso, cracking his back and bending over to pick up a random shirt from his luggage. He pulled it over his head, adjusting it before going to the door and opening it.

“Good morning, Omega.” Terzo greeted gently, eyes darting behind the ghoul to look into the room. He paused for a minute. “Where is Alpha?”

“In the bathroom.” Omega answered, his voice hoarse and raspy. He cleared his throat, feeding the fingers on his left hand through his white hair.

“Oh, I see. I am just here to let you know we are staying another day at this hotel.” Terzo said. Omega furrowed his brows. 

“What for?”

“There is a severe thunderstorm coming. Our flight was rescheduled.”

“Oh, that…” Omega attempted to fight the smile tugging on the corners of his lips. “That sucks.”

“You think so?” Terzo sighed, allowing his own smile to take over. “I am very happy. You know, airports are required to pay back some or all of your ticket if it is rescheduled.”

“If you bitch at them, I’m sure.” Omega scoffed.

“Oh, si. Heh.”

“Did you?”

“Maybe.”

Omega shook his head. Terzo smiled wide. Then, the door behind Omega and to the left opened, Alpha emerging. The fire ghoul was still shirtless, his toned maroon chest and stomach on full display to everyone. He scratched his arm with his hand before looking over, noticing Terzo standing in the doorway and breaking into a scowl.

Omega was used to seeing his pack without clothes, save for their private areas. As ghouls, their body heat was extraordinarily warmer than that of a human's, making it borderline impossible to sleep with clothing on. It was difficult enough wearing those uniforms all day. That is one thing Omega would nonverbally thank Terzo for, the lack of requirement to wear them outside of rituals.

“What?” Alpha growled, the sight of the smaller clergy member sparking a flame of annoyance in the ghoul, though Omega noticed an unusual crabbiness in his attitude. Perhaps due to the run in they had with him the day before. “What do you want? Is it time to leave?”

“Eh… No, we are staying another night.” Terzo continued blocking his view as he spoke.

“Here? Do we have another show?”

“No. Our flight was rescheduled until tomorrow. Today, you can relax.” 

“Thank fuck.” Alpha sighed, stretching his arms up above his head, his furry tipped tail swishing with glee. Terzo smiled softly, his eyes looking down at the ground. Omega turned his head to face Terzo again.

“Anything you want us to do?” Omega asked. 

“Not today.” Terzo responded. “But… I was wondering…”

Omega tilted his head attentively.

“Hm?”

“What… What do you want for dinner today?” Terzo asked, fidgeting with the sleeves of his black pajama shirt.

“What?” Omega asked, taking off guard by the question. “What do I want for dinner? We have all that stuff from the dining hall at the ministry.”

“Si, I know, but….” Terzo looked behind him at Alpha again, whose ears were fully perked, staring at them. Terzo chuckled. “Since I do not have to pay for the plane tickets anymore, I think we should get something good, no?”

“Venisin!” Alpha barked, pulling his own shirt over his body. Terzo scrunched his nose.

“I do not like that. Do you like Mexican food?”

“I do. Do they like Mexican?” Omega asked, gesturing to Delta, Earth and Aero, who were still asleep despite the commotion. It was natural for them to adapt to sleeping through so much noise.

“I think. We can just get a bunch of taco shit and make it ourselves if they don’t like it.” Alpha suggested.

“Si! You are very smart, Alpha ghoul.” Terzo chirped. Alpha narrowed his eyes at the compliment. “We will make our own taco bar. I am thinking, ground beef, Mexican blend cheese, onions, tomatoes, beans, tortillas…” Terzo trailed off, his tongue poking out between his teeth as he tried to think of more ingredients. He blinked a few times before looking up at Omega.

“Why don’t you come to the store with me, Omega?”

“No.” Alpha hissed. “Go by yourself.”

“Alpha.” Omega growled back. “Calm down,” Omega looked back down at Terzo, a gentleness having entered his eyes that Terzo’s own seemed to sparkle at. “I’m supposed to go places with you anyway. When?”

“Whenever you are ready.” Terzo smiled. 

They left at about noon, it being a weekend and wanting to lessen the risk of recognition. Omega had nothing to worry about for himself; his eyes simply scanned a random individual, smartly choosing one that was not walking into a local grocery store, and his body morphed into them. Terzo had seen this many times during their travels since the only place in the world at the moment that permitted the presence of ghouls was Linkoping, yet every time he watched his quintessence ghoul shapeshift, he stared in awe. This time, Omega chose a random man dressed in a jean jacket, ripped black pants and maroon boots. His hair medium length and brown.

“That is always freaky.” Terzo said, his voice a mix of unnerve and delight.

“You think so?” Omega asked, adjusting the clothing he was now wearing. It wasn’t really his style, but it would have to do.

“It is fascinating.” Terzo sighed. Omega hummed in acknowledgement, not giving much of a response as he stepped out of the backseat of the car, holding it open for Terzo to crawl out of. Terzo himself had changed into a ruffled black button up with flounce sleeves, fitted at the wrists. His pants were black and clung tight to his hips, along with the same dress shoes and spats he wore on stage despite Sister Imperator frequently yelling at him for going through so many pairs. Watching him climb out, Omega quirked a brow at the sight of a green eye contact inserted into his right eye.

“That’s smart.” Omega said, looking into his eye.

“What?” Terzo asked as they began walking towards the building.

“Hiding your eye.”

“Oh.. Thank you. I do not want to be recognized. You are lucky you can shapeshift.”

Omega pushed the cart as he followed Terzo around the store, collecting each ingredient on their list. Walking down the dairy isle in search of the shredded cheese, Terzo’s eyes spotted a container of banana cream pudding, his footsteps halting for a moment as his lips parted. Omega didn’t notice he had stopped, having been also scanning the dairy section for the cheese, and he accidentally ran into Terzo’s feet with the cart.

“Ouch!” Terzo yelped, snapping out of his trance and stepping away.

“Shit, I didn’t notice you stopped. Sorry.” Omega pulled the cart back, looking down at his ankles to ensure he didn’t ruin his shoes. If Terzo needed yet another pair, Sister would have his head.

“Si, it’s okay. I was just looking…” Terzo recovered from the collision, stepping towards the pudding and picking it up. “I am just surprised.”

“What?” Omega looked over, looking at the container. It was labeled Knuffe brand banana cream pudding.

“They have this pudding here. It is Knuffe. Nik and I made lots of cream pie with this.” Terzo smiled as he talked.

“I’ve never had pie.” Omega admitted. Terzo looked at him with a look of disbelief.

“What? Oh, Omega, let me make this for you and your friends. It is outstanding. It was my favorite dessert back in Poland. I could not find this in Linkoping.”

Terzo picked up two more containers of the pudding, dropping it into the cart and losing track of their original items that they came here for. He began focusing on pie ingredients, babbling on about his time in Poland with each ingredient he found.

“And he would make this beautiful, intricate art. Do you know the album art? That is Nik. Isn’t he talented? Almost as talented as my ghouls.” Terzo dropped the pie crusts into the cart. “He tried to teach me to draw so much, but goodness, it is so much harder than it looks. We need more artists in the world.”

“I thought Nik was your imaginary friend.” Omega chuckled breathily. Terzo laughed heartily.

“Nik is as real as you and me, Omega.” Terzo sighed as they checked out, having collected all of the items they needed, of course with Omega reminding him of dinner. As they walked out of the building, Terzo spoke again.

“I miss him dearly.”

“You seemed close.” Omega opened the door for Terzo once again, waiting for him to get in before sitting down and shutting the door.

“We write and call frequently, at least. I am thinking, our tour will end next year. I would like to see him in the summer.” Terzo smiled. 

“Were you…” Omega trailed, making a vague hand gesture. Terzo furrowed his brow, trying to catch on to what he was suggesting, before erupting into a laugh.

“No! No, no, no. We… He isn’t into men.” Terzo clarified, eyes darting to the side. Omega raised his eyebrows. Terzo bounced his leg.

“Mm.” Omega looked at Terzo’s bouncing knee, not knowing whether he should point out the elephant in the room or drop it entirely.

“Were, uh… Were you….?”

“Eh… I… Well-” Terzo pressed down on his knee, trying to still it. “Well, si, but no. I… No, I wasn’t into him, eh, romantically.”

“Mm. I think I know what you are saying.” Omega nodded. Terzo took a deep breath.

“I… Si. Um…”

Terzo paused, looking down at the ground.

“That is the first time I have told someone here.”

“That is probably for the better.” Omega sighed. “I see how much your job depends on… Those factors.”

“Si. In Poland, it was okay.”

“Sounds like you were happier in Poland.”

Terzo nodded silently. 

“Eh, forget it. We will have a good day today, no?” Terzo exclaimed with a heavy breath. Omega nodded, a foreign feeling of pity in his chest. 

[acronym-chaos]

Ochaco Uraraka (MHA) ID Pack

[PT: Ochaco Uraraka (MHA) ID Pack].

[ID: A purple thin line divider shaded at the bottom. End ID].

Names

[PT: Names].

Aero, Altair, Arcus, Astra, Atlas, Aurora, Axion, Calyx, Castor, Celeste, Comet, Cosmo, Drift, Elara, Eos, Equinox, Estelle, Falco, Float, Flux, Gale, Halley, Helios, Ion, Kepler, Levity, Lucian, Lunar, Lyra, Marlowe, Meteor, Mira, Nebra, Nimbus, Nova, Orbit, Orion, Polaris, Riven, Serena, Skyla, Solara, Solis, Stella, Stratus, Sylph

Pronouns

[PT: Pronouns].

A / Air / Airs, Chee / Cheer / Cheers, Clow / Cloud / Clouds, Drif / Drift / Drifs, Floa / Float / Floats, Grav / Gravs / Gravs [Gravity], Hope / Hopes / Hopes, Lift / Lifts / Lifts, Or / Orbit / Orbits, Rise / Rises / Rises, Smi / Smil / Smiles, So / Sof / Softs, Sy / Sky / Skies, Wi / Wish / Wishes, Will / Wills / Wills, Ze / Zero / Zers

Titles

[PT: Titles].

[Pronoun] Who Defies Gravity, [Pronoun] Whose Energy Lifts Spirits, [Pronoun] With Stars in [Pronouns] Eyes, The Floating Dreamer, The Gravity Defier, The Hero Who Aims High, The Hopeful One, The One Who Lifts Others Up, The One Who Rises, The One Who Shoots for the Stars, The Zero-Gravity Hero

[ID: A purple thin line divider shaded at the bottom, End ID].

Requested by anon!

Also tagging: @id-pack-archive

[alish-artie]

Bowyer headcanons please?

Of course, I like doing headcanons ! And Bowyer is in my opinion the most fun one to characterize in the Smithy gang, so here are some of them !

Bowyer :

- He's almost never truly alone, being always followed by his Aeros. But when he is, he doesn’t mind it that much but the problem is that…he has no idea what to do on his own. So he then goes to find some company since he's bored.

- He hogs all of the targets on the training ground and manages to use them all at the same time, which is unfortunate for the Axem rangers who also use these targets. It doesn’t help that Bowyer usually wakes up early in the morning to begin his training.

- If he finds an unknown object, he will absolutely try to use it as ammunition or as a target. But if it doesn’t work the way he wants, his curiosity dies out and he'll just ignore it. (This one is based on his French dialogue where his first reaction to the green star is to use it as a target !)

- As someone who tried archery you cannot tell me that Bowyer isn’t the strongest one physically, at least arm wise. If he wanted to he could lift a couch with people still on it easily with one arm, which just brings more chaos in the factory if he's looking for something he lost.

There you go, hope you like them !

[lynns-bonkle-blog]

Lynn’s Bionicle Media Looking-At Thing Part 4.5: I Take Back Everything I Said About How City Of Legends Would Probably Have Been The Best Bionicle Game

Ok so this will be. An interesting one. Also my previous City of Legends post is here, go check it out, I reference it a couple of times.

Right so before I begin, I just want to say that I replayed the 2003 version of City of Legends, and it is still fun. I also, for professionalism(?) purposes, played the first 2004 version (there's two), and it's basically the same as the one I'll be playing in this post, which makes my life a lot easier. Anyway, on with the video and also the rant about how much I dislike this version.

Alright so first off; the movement feels. More awkward? I guess? Like you can't turn instantly; you have to go through an awkward turning animation every time. Also the little score popups are gone, which sucks.

There is proper combat this time; while you could throw kanoka in the 2003 build, this one also has melee, and it is. Kinda bad? Like you have an awkward, clumsily-animated punch, but also a fairly satisfying ground-pound that defeats enemies in an AoE radius but has weird timing, and a roll that also does damage. Also the Kanoka is really satisfying.

There's only one map this time around, which appears to be an expanded version of the "Ta-Wahi" map from the 2003 build (the aesthetic, theme and one of the floor textures are the same). It has a bunch of neat details (a big cargo lift thing going up and down and circling bird-like creatures that I didn't see moving until I recorded this, so when I noclipped up on my first run-through I assumed they flew backwards relative to how they actually fly, like I thought their tails were like manta ray flaps or antennae or something)

Unlike the 2003 build, enemies spawn constantly without the player having to spawn them manually from a menu.

Instead of jerboas, this time they're presumably meant to be Morbuzakh (this won't be the last time the Morbuzakh will come up in this series), and their designs and animations are simple but effective! They die in one hit and deal. "Damage". But not really, like you flash red when you get hit, but there's no health metre and you can't die. However, they swarm and stun you when you hit, so if this did have a proper health system, it would probably be painful.

Left stick moves the character (more on him later) and right stick moves the camera. Clicking in the left stick does nothing, and clicking in the right stick switches to a weird first-person view that doesn't aim where you're moving, but instead it has to be manually angled. Pain. In terms of actual controls, triangle throws a disk, circle is melee, X is jump and square is roll.

The D-pad does nothing. Start pauses the game, as you'd expect, but select does something interesting; it pauses the game and puts you into noclip. You can fly around with the left stick and aim the camera with the right stick, as you'd expect; the left shoulder button allows you to speed up. Triangle unpauses the game, allowing you to both control the character and move the camera, and right trigger teleports you to the camera's current position.

Finally, let's talk about the character you play as, because. It's Matau, but with an interesting design.

The whole design is very. Chunky in a way I like, and I love the Metru armour motif being stylised into thick X-shapes, and the Aero Slicers being reduced down to a pair of beetle-like elytra so they can be part of his design without being too big. However, I don't like how small his brainstalk is.

And then there's this game's interpretation of the Mahiki, which. I genuinely love (except for the weird beak-mouth).

Like, the "jaw" with "teeth" would make this work really well as, like, a shapeshifted Makuta version of the Mahiki, or maybe an earlier version of the Olisi before Karzahni started modifying it. Also it kinda gives me Miru vibes, and the roundel "headphones" being adapted into proper earpieces is really cool. My only point against it is that it loses the actual Mahiki's retrofuturistic (maybe even slightly Art Deco?) aesthetic in favour of 2000s neoretrofuturistic sleekness, but I can't really complain because I love that era of sci-fi aesthetics. I wish I could see what the other five masks would have looked like, but alas.

Anyway uhhhh yeah. This wasn't worth it, and might end up invalidating my upcoming post about the Xbox demo (depending on how different that might be, and also if I can even find an Xbox emulator). Oh well!

[randomtangle]

NextFest Demos General Review

I'm gonna write what I think of the demos I played this NextFest. Each title is a link to the Steam Page, be sure to grab yourself a demo if NextFest isn't over (June 10-17, 2024). If not, some of them might still have public demos, and some of them might be out by the time you read this!

NextFest has ended but demos still remain! Check them out or wishlist them if they’re in pre-release.

500 Caliber Contractz

Mario 64 but you have a high-caliber sniper rifle. It's honestly more often a movement tool than a weapon, and the movement tech in this game is quite interesting. I haven't gotten it quite down yet. I’ll write more about it later.

Aero GPX

Reminds me of Kirby Air Ride.

Airborne Empire

This game is seriously addictive. I meant to give it 30 minutes (around the minimum time I’ve been giving there games), and it took 3 hours. The whole conceit of the game is that you are building an airborne city. All sorts of things matter, such as the tilt (you can’t just pile it all onto one side), the lift (you need to add fans, which need to be manned by citizens, to allow for enough lift to build more stuff), and propulsion (buildings will slow you down, so you can build propellers and stuff to help you move faster), as well as food and water and coal) to keep everything running) and various building resources which you gather by deploying workers to deposits on the land using a hangar. Light is also important to stop accidents at night… there’s all the little systems you need to manage. I really love it. Usually in city builders I get really stressed about strategic placement and how me not leaving space next to that big useless rock turns out to be a mistake when I advance in the tech tree and learn the rock is actually the most useful and I trapped it under an underpass. Airborne Empires can have the “I didn’t know how big this building is so I didn’t leave enough space here” problem (I really wish I could preview buildings before I had the resources to build them), but it’s mostly fine. The tilt and lighting systems lead to making a spread-out base. You recruit more citizens by hiring them from settlements below, but you’ll have to feed them all, and at least where I am in the game, you can only gather food and water, not generate it.it’s visually very cute, all the people are birds, and the talking sounds are birdcalls. It’s pretty chill most of the time, even the occasional pirate attack isn’t that bad, especially if you get defense towers, since you can repair pretty quickly. I could play the game for days on end, honestly. I love it.

Akimbot

A very fun 3D platformer, reminds me of Ratchet & Clank, Crash Bandicoot, Skylanders, etc. The whole game looks really nice and stylized. I played with the Acid Sprayer and found it to be very fun. The voice acting and dialogue were a smidge lacking at times (Exe feels compelled to go "Tch" every time Shipset talks, and Shipset cannot shut up, but it didn't annoy me.) Overall I'm excited to see how the full game turns out!

Aloft

I didn’t find Aloft interesting. It’s not that I don’t like survival games, per se, it’s that my patience with survival games is really low. (300 hours of DST has changed me.) They need to be really interesting for me to stick, because if not, I sink untold hours into them getting progressively more and more annoyed. Aloft is probably someone’s cup of tea, but it ain’t mine. Sorry.

Beyond These Stars

Coming Soon!

Dice & Fold

A very fun roguelike deckbuilder game that's more about rolling dice than drawing cards. Enemies have slots you must fill to defeat them. Some enemies require exact rolls (say, a 3), and some just have numbers that have to be reduced (say, a 5, and you could put a 2 and a 3 in it to complete the slot). And there's more like doubles slots, slots that only accept odd or even numbers, etc. Your hero has an ability that you can earn by filling in the required slot on your hero card, there's all sorts of items and companions that alter the game in little ways... it's really fun and I'd love to play more of it in the future!

Dimhaven Enigmas

I love the graphics, just to get that out of the way. Pixilated textures are to die for, I’m a huge sucker for PSX or DS/3DS-style textures. It’s an interesting puzzle game, it’s pretty intriguing, but dangit if I’m not bad at puzzles, lmao. It’s tough! It really makes you work for the answer, I like that, but I can’t really write review of a completed demo because of it. Try it out!

Dustborn

It seemed… interesting. The graphics look good, the fight mechanics seem to have a bit of meat, but are sorta unseasoned. (They don’t feel like they flow that easily into each other but that might just be a personal skill issue.) The humor and writing isn’t really my cup of tea, it feels sorta like they’re always talking, and the lines in combat seem to overlap sometimes but I’m sure that’s unintended. Idk if I personally will be buying the full game, I’d rather wait for a review of the full game to see if I wanna buy it, but I don’t hate it.

Gladio Mori

Gladio Mori explores an interesting concept of a physics-based medieval weapon fighting game that oftentimes feels a bit like TABS if you were in complete control of a unit. It's definitely interesting. Right now there's only 3 weapons and no move editor, but I feel like the simple existence of a move editor means that in the future, there's untold levels of complexity to be found in this game. Has multiplayer!

Goblin Cleanup

It’s fun. There’s not much to say about it, as it’s just a simpler Viscera Cleanup Detail, but it’s cute, honestly. There’s some interesting quirks and level progression things, such as being able to light slimes on fire to be semi-infinite, faster mops, and you can do a lot with traps and stuff. Sorta simple as-is, unless I just missed the really cool stuff. (I haven’t played all of the demo yet, only the first two levels.)

I Am Your Beast

This game is amazing. The presentation of cutscenes is phenomenal; I really love the big bold letters and colored background. It's simple but it does its job. The voice acting is great, too. And the gameplay is just amazing. The amount of speed and precision you can move and attack with is on point. I'd suggest everyone

Kaiserpunk

Coming Soon!

KILL KNIGHT

Kill Knight has some wicked graphics. They look like they’re crackling with an unchained energy, power so great it corrodes the world. The gameplay is tough, I can barely survive a few waves, but the combat is promisingly meaty. Sword kills fuel the heavy weapon, and enemy drops can fuel the bfg thing (forgot its name). I’m not used to twin-stick shooters so I don’t know how much is innovative and interesting and how much is in every twin-stick shooter, but I certainly found the game really interesting. Really tough, but really interesting.

MACHI KORO With Everyone

Only the offline tutorial as of now, which is kinda annoying since i can't even try to run an offline hotseat game. But, it teaches Machi Koro pretty well. I like Machi Koro I like this game. It is nothing more or less than being just Machi Koro.

Metal Slug Tactics

Coming Soon!

Once Human

Open-World Survival Horror MMO. I’m only into survival horror, really, and was playing alone (I’m not that into MMOs except with friends). The systems seem okay, the combat is about what you would expect with heavy and light attacks and simple chains… the character creator is pretty good. (And I love myself a good character creator.) Not my cup of tea.

One Btn Bosses

It’s a bullet hell but you only need one button. Your “ship” moves on a ring outside the boss, and you use the button to change directions. The faster you’re moving (you gain more speed the longer you travel in a given direction), the faster you shoot. That’s about it for the systems (that I could see, at least. I haven’t beat it.) it’s fun, I’d recommend it to anyone. After all, you only need to press one button!

SCHiM

A very cute puzzle game where you play as the shadow of this one guy. You jump from shadow to shadow to navigate the levels. The art is beautiful accented neutrals, the music and sound design is really cute and musical, reminiscent of Untitled Goose Game. It’s really cute!

Screw Drivers

It’s Lego Technic as a racing game. To be completely honest, it just didn’t click well with me. The building aspect of it felt like every Lego Technic I’ve ever built, plus actual engineering. You need to connect the engine to the axel to the drive wheels, and set those to steerable… I know that’s simple, but it’s a bit too complicated for me to play that much. I’m a simple woman. Seemed fun to drive the cars, tho.

SWORN

It’s Hades but with Arthurian Legend. I don’t really know what more to say. It controls like Hades (well, I played Hades on the Switch, so maybe keybinds are different than I expect) it’s got similar systems of boons, in-level currency and cumulative secondary currencies, et cetera, et cetera. This isn’t a slight against it, I really like it! I can’t really speak for its writing since I can’t find much and I’m sure not all of it is in as of yet, but what I could find in-game was interesting. I don’t quite understand the world and how the Holy Grail and pagan deities and King Arthur all feed into why these monsters are about, but I’m assuming that’s elaborated on as you go through. I’d be willing to get the full game.

Tactical Breach Wizards

I adore this game. The graphics are really cute, the combat puzzles are really interesting and fun (I like this genre of games, I’m totally blanking on the name tho) and the writing… oh the writing. The writing is so good. The jokes are right up my alley, the story is really interesting, the world is the right amount of absurd that the characters can be deadpan about always having newt bones on their person that you can tell that it’s just as much of a half-joke in-universe as you’d expect. It’s really fun and I’m hoping to play the full game upon release.

Tavern Talk

I loved this game. The sound design is so peaceful and soothing, the writing I really like, there’s a lot of good jokes and just tender moments. I love Fable, the main other character in the game. They’re an anxious ranger who wants to get out into the world and go on adventures, they’re so cute. The other character, Caerlin, is nice too. The art is beautiful, I’m really invested in it now! I need to get the full game!

Tiny Glade

Cute game where you can do a bit of finely-controlled procedural generation of a little landscape, and take photos of it. I played game last NextFest called Dystopika that was like this but with a cyberpunk city. Tiny Glade is cute, simple, and allows you to make little houses and landscapes. It’s cute, I’m sure people will like it, but it just ain’t my genre.

[hirocimacruiser]

People may have seen my posts of the Tommykaira Silvias and Skylines with the Wing Robo cabin adjustable wing but they also fitted them to Hartge BMW E30s.

AERODYNAMICS IMPROVED CL UP

WING ROBO

Super Aerodynamics Active Control System

intelligence wing.

It has both aerodynamic characteristics and intelligence.

No two driving conditions are the same. Temperature, road surface, and wind conditions change every moment. Running also changes its appearance in various ways. You may be looking for maximum speed, harmony with high-speed cornering, or low fuel consumption and economy. Excellent aerodynamic properties are an important factor that is indispensable for both purposes. A wing robot that changes its shape to obtain the best aerodynamic characteristics under any conditions. It is aero equipment that also has intelligence.

Wing Robo The Intelligent Rear Spoiler

Driving conditions are always different because temperature, road surface and wind conditions change by the moment. Driving also requires many different styles. Maximum speed together

with high-speed cornering. low energy consumption and economy are often required. Good aerodynamic performance helps to meet these requirements. Wing Robo offers optimum aerodynamic performance by changing form to adapt to varying conditions. Wing Robo- -- intelligent aerodynamic equipment.

REAR VIEW only wing

The machine accelerates to high speed while cutting through the thick wall of air. The cruising speed is higher, creating arrow-like straightness.

TOP VIEW Wings & Flaps

The wing generates as much downforce as possible, 30kg. The flap corrects air turbulence. High-speed cornering exceeds conventional wisdom.

SIDE VIEW only flap

A flap suppresses airflow turbulence and lift that disturb rear behavior. Along with reliable aerodynamic effects, it provides mental stability to the driver.

[runwayrunway]

Miss Conenginality, No. 1 - Boeing 377 Stratocruiser

Very recently I was asked what my favorite planes visually are, and I said that I would do a series of posts on the matter for each like the original post received. A lot of people close to me probably had an idea in mind as to what my first post would be, and I'm going to intentionally not give them what they expect.

Today's featured model is a blast from the past, the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser!

Image: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives

Serving for just over a decade (1949-1963), the Stratocruiser was a member of that weird generation between the flying boat era and the introduction of turboprops and early jets, contemporary to the early Constellation models and the DC-6. For the day it was a pretty advanced design - it had to be, to compete with the two aforementioned giants. It had a pressurized cabin and impressive range but most notably it was a literal giant with its two passenger decks and triple-digit passenger of capacity, and was Pan Am's choice to replace the luxury overseas transport offered by their old Boeing 314 flying boats - they placed the most expensive order in history at the time, for 20 planes. In a very early example of the US government deciding Boeing was their favorite, mail routes flown by Stratocruisers were heavily subsidized for Pan Am and Northwest.

Sounds great! Only problem is that nobody can afford to operate it and the propellers fall off and overspeed whenever they feel like it. Nearly a quarter of the 56 examples built were destroyed in accidents and Boeing lost seven million dollars (in 1950s money).

But this blog isn't about those sorts of things. We Eat Babies Airlines can get a good rating if it has a good livery and the Christmas Bullet could get a feature if I liked how it looked. And can we talk about how the Stratocruiser looks like a blimp dressed up in a plane costume?

Those wings look way too skinny to lift her! Physics is truly incredible. Look how big those nacelles are compared to the wings! What is this thing! Image: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives

How did we get here? Why did they design it to look like this? Well, it's actually a bit of a story. We did not start out here. We started out with the B-29 Superfortress, a decidedly normal-looking WWII-era bomber probably best known for the whole...nuclear bombs thing. We then added a second lobe (and some other modifications) for the C-97 Stratofreighter. And then the war ended and, as was not especially uncommon back then, the decision was made to develop an airliner variant of what had been a military cargo plane, and the Stratocruiser was born.

You can really see the transformation into an aerostat taking place.

I do think it really shows that this was a development of a more normal airframe, but I think that almost makes it even more charming. The Stratocruiser is a strange plane, a very large bumblebee made of metal and held together with dollar bills and chewing gum.

Image: William Simpson/US Coast Guard

Here's one being successfully ditched (as Pan Am flight 6), because why not!

And, thankfully, the world of aviation wasn't content to stop there. As aircraft grew in size and the space race began in earnest there arose a need for excessively large freighters. Today you may be familiar with the Airbus Beluga and Boeing Dreamlifter, but you may be a little less familiar with NASA's outsize cargo aircraft, used to carry full rocket stages. Behold, the only Stratocruiser-derived aircraft still in service: NASA's Aero Spacelines Super Guppy.

Yes, this feels like the end stage of the Stratocruiser's evolutionary line. This is correct. I love her, and I hope you all do too.

The Stratocruiser is a strange curiosity for sure, an odd-looking relic of a long-bygone era...and so irresistibly silly that I can't help but adore it.