#aleksey spark

[yellow-yarrow]

director's commentary for this post (lmao) because I like yapping

the reason why I choose these artworks is not just because they looked good, I thought it was interesting how they treat colors, light and rot

Damien Hirst's Black Sun is made of many dead flies, people have said that this artwork smells gross up close. Its theme is obviously death and disgust (like most of his works), he has also said the flies represent people, and quotes Hobbes saying that people's life without a government is bad and tragic (which I HEAVILY disagree with)

Hirst sells his works for millions of dollars, it's highly commercialized, some have accused him of money laundering and such. Insert the Wompty-Dompty Dom Centre thought:

Problem It's Wednesday evening and something heinously exciting is under way. People have gathered beneath the billowing roof of an oddly shaped trophy building, sipping wine and exchanging opinions. 29-year-old wunder-twins Guy and Keith Joost are the stars of the show, with their bomber jackets and white sneakers -- head curators of this art exhibition. It's the wompty-dom-di-dommiest event of the year and all the cool kids have RSVP’d. Where are you, if you are not there? Solution You're at home, stupid cop, not with the art crowd. You hate them, everyone hates them, even they hate themselves. It's nauseating -- an industry built on sprezzatura and sparkling wine. And, let’s be honest, tax evasion schemes. The Wompty Dompty Dom Centre is the heart of this unholy symbiosis of esthetics and tax optimization, and now that you've internalized it – you can have a piece too!

personally, for me, it invokes disgust both on an aesthetic level (dead flies) and in a conceptual level (rich guy using death to make millions). Tieing this into black being the color of money in Elysium, and the end of the world.

Malevich's Black square is a painting without an object, it doesn't represent the material world, it is independent of it. but at the same time, black is the density of matter in the white empty space.

He said this about this art: "[Black Square is meant to evoke] the experience of pure non-objectivity in the white emptiness of a liberated nothing." "It is from zero, in zero, that the true movement of being begins." (x) ‘In the year 1913, trying desperately to free art from the dead weight of the real world, I took refuge in the form of the square.’ (x)

Important context for this work (like many other black paintings) is that it was made around the time of the world wars, and the russian revolution. Black paintings express the trauma of the world wars, and in this case the revolutionary approach to art too.

quoting from the article I linked:

Malevich had been collaborating with the musician Mikhail Matyushin and the poet Aleksei Kruchenykh on a manifesto which called for the rejection of rational thought. They wanted to overturn the established systems and hierarchies of Western society. Together with poet Velimier Khlebnikov they staged Victory over the Sun, where the characters aimed to abolish reason by capturing the sun and destroying time. The libretto used Kruchenykh’s zaum – a new language of sounds that had no meaning. This sparked something in Malevich.

Similar things apply to White on white. The Moma website describes it better than I would:

[Malevich] "wanted White on White to create a sense of floating and transcendence. White, Malevich believed, was the color of infinity and signified a realm of higher feeling, a utopian world of pure form that was attainable only through nonobjective art. Indeed, he named his theory of art Suprematism to signify “the supremacy of pure feeling or perception in the pictorial arts”; and pure perception, he wrote, demanded that a picture’s forms “have nothing in common with nature.” In 1918, soon after the Russian Revolution, the connotations of this sense of liberation were not only aesthetic but also social and political. Malevich expressed his exhilaration in a manifesto one year later: “I have overcome the lining of the colored sky. . . . Swim in the white free abyss, infinity is before you.”

These molding fruits made out of gemstones by Kathleen Ryan make me think of Damien Hirst's bedazzled Skull artwork, decadence, kitsch, death. The gemstones make the mold feel like it has value, importance, like it's almost sacred. The pale as a "sacred and terrible smell"

Rothko's paintings heavily empathize colors, paintings like these invite us to really experience those colors and be moved by them.

From the Disco Elysium artbook:

Eyes are direct, unmediated input to the brain. You like or dislike something before you have a chance to reason about it. It affects you emotionally without offering you a chance to throw up intellectual defenses first. Witnessing death and good art are materially equivalent experiences: they are visual information transmitted straight to the centers of emotion by way of the eye. This might explain why a person could tear up in the presence of a Rothko painting. If you’re a sensitive enough instrument, seeing his Orange, Red, Yellow in real life feels intense. It doesn’t work on a computer screen though, you’re just staring at some bright pixels imitating the appearance of the painting the same way seeing a dead person is different from seeing a picture of a dead person.

El Lissitzky was also an important figure in russian avant-garde, like Malevich. Well. I put this one in here cause it looked nice and because of the theme of light and the lack of (it's a gelatin silver photograph).

maybe this adds something to the discussion of the symbolism of colors and light in Elysium

[beardedmrbean]

A gathering of citizens in front of Plovdiv's Municipal Council building voiced their opposition on Wednesday to a controversial proposal suggesting the relocation of the "Alyosha" Monument to the Soviet Army. The initiative, put forth by municipal councilors Vladimir Slavenski and Yono Chepilski of "Democrats for Strong Bulgaria" (DSB), has sparked debate and raised questions about the preservation of historical monuments.

The proposal recommends dismantling the "Alyosha" Monument from its current location atop Bunardzhik Hill and transferring it to Sofia's Museum of Socialist Art by the end of 2024. The councilors argue that the move is a moral gesture honoring Bulgarian history, national dignity, and the victims of the communist regime. However, the suggestion has triggered conflicting responses within the Municipal Council.

Last week, the "There Is Such a People" (TISP) group proposed a local referendum on the monument's fate, adding another layer to the ongoing discussion. Protesters at the demonstration displayed signs with slogans such as "Those who have built nothing are destroying everything" and "You can't protect history with a referendum."

Several Members of Parliament from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), including Kristian Vigenin, Georgi Svilenski, Manol Genov, Ivan Petkov, and Ivan Chenchev, expressed their support for the protest. Chenchev emphasized that every monument deserves respect and a rightful place in history, advocating against attempts to rewrite history or engage in a war with memory and monuments.

The "Alyosha" Monument, a 10.5-meter granite statue unveiled in 1957, portrays a Soviet soldier holding a Shpagin submachine gun. Modeled after Russian soldier Aleksei Ivanovich Skourlatov, the monument stands as a historical symbol, and the proposed relocation has prompted a public outcry.

[juangusamungus]

The Spark from ZHEESHEE on Vimeo.

Produced by ZHEESHEE Written and directed: Artem Shcherbakov and Otar Berov Art Director: Maks Trofimov Executive producers: Artem Shcherbakov, Aleksei Novikov Lead Animator: Anton Chistiakov CG Supervisor: Mikhail Dmitriev Producer: Evgenia Arkhipova Directors of Photography: Nail Gaynullov, Maks Trofimov Concept artists: Maks Trofimov, Maxim Shagovikov, Pavel Vophira, Olga Kononenko, Natalia Chistiakova Visual development: Maks Trofimov, Olga Kononenko, Artem Kazakhunov, Denis Hebi Character artists: Alex Korshakov, Robert Kubus, Nikita Veprikov, Vadim Kosarev, Ilya Dyadyura, Assembly, Lighting and compositing artists: Artem Kazakhunov, Andrey Bibartsev, Nail Gaynullov, Danila Korniltsev, Petr Shkolny Props artist: Alex Lutai, Alex Korshakov, Ivan Demenkov, Katya Suleymanova, Ivan Podorozhkin Storyboard artist: Denis Hebi, Olga Kononenko Costume modeling & dynamics: Alena Kapustina, Sergey Karaulov, Mikhail Dmitriev Edit: Dmitrii Sebrov, Artem Shcherbakov Music and Sound-design: Ilia Shibanov Animation artists: Ekaterina Shvedova, Aleksey Romashov, Alexandra Limina, Vladimir Hakobyan, Liubov Tcimbaliuk, Mariya Kravtsova, Ian Aghavelian, Elena Marchenko, Oleg Zhukov, Jack Stollery Rigging artists: Oleg Nechaev, Alexander Gushin, Ravshan Gaziev, Alexander Smirnov Faccial Rigging Artist: Artem Dubina, Ravshan Gaziev 2dfx: Margarita Shalynina, Dasha Skripka, Olga Kononenko Motion-graphics: Vlad Bratkevich Previs artists: Nail Gaynullov, Andrey Bibartsev, Alexander Sokolov, Slava Dmitriev Logo Design and animation: Evgeniy Starov, Alexey Dubnichenko Titles: Eugene Seleznev

"A young boxer enters the ring. Pressure from the stands, the opponent and fear make him start doubting his abilities and strength"

All rights reserved. It is forbidden to broadcast, reproduce this video in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the authors. © ZHEESHEE 2022

[bakugouaaa]

Please for my beloved Winter,, 9, 10, 15, 18, 20, and 22

ask meme!

9. If your OC were to imagine their idyllic life (realistically or otherwise) what would it be like?

honestly, winter wants a life of ease and to be able to rest. she wants to be able to settle down and not worry about all of the ways that the world is broken. it’s why she partially retires post 6.0 — she wants to live a life for herself rather than other people. she also desperately wants to be a mother; it’s not a necessity for her by any means, but in her perfect world. she’s settled, she’s married with kids, and she’s happy. it’s a big wish for her.

10. What piece of moody poetry or novel quote best encompasses your character?

i admittedly don’t read as much as i used to so i’m very behind on like, what poetry is what and all that. but there’s an excerpt from three women by sylvia plath i think of a lot for her: 

The silver track of time empties into the distance, The white sky empties of its promise, like a cup. These are my feet, these mechanical echoes. Tap, tap, tap, steel pegs. I am found wanting.

15. What is a common misconception about your OC? (Alternatively, what do people assume about them which is either incorrect or misconstrued?)

that she’s a cold and cruel person. while she does have a very icy demeanor upon first glance, winter loves a lot and has a very big heart. she does fall into common mean girl tropes at first, given her upbringing and privilege that comes with wealthy parents - but that iciness is a guard that comes from fake friends using her only for money and status. i won’t ever call her like, overly warm or anything, but she’s definitely not an ice queen like people view her. she loves deeply and she loves fiercely. 

18. What is one thing that they only let those closest to them see?

vulnerability. winter tries very hard to put on tough acts, or rather like. she doesn’t want people to see her for how she sees herself. she thinks she has to be a perfect example of heroism. she thinks she has to be strong and steady. so when one gets to know her on a level deeper than what she puts on for the public, they do see into like.. the more vulnerable side of her that’s just. so very tired.

20. What was the moment at which they knew they were in love, or was it a slow buildup?

rubbing my little hands together. with aleksei, it was a slow buildup after the initial shock she felt when their eyes met for the first time. at the time, she was with orrick, and as you know that relationship was just for show at best and extremely toxic at worst. so, fast forward to the end of a realm reborn, when the world feels like it’s broken for her for the first time. while she has river with her, and alphinaud and tataru, she still feels incredibly alone, because it’s her first time losing everything. she doesn’t think much on romance. she doesn’t think much on anything beyond survival and the next step that comes in the path she and river were guided upon. but then there’s aleksei. a like mind and someone who seems to see beyond the facade. it’s the first spark of something, it’s the first time she thinks of him beyond a mere acquaintance. the more time they spend together, the more spark she feels - soon enough, it’s a full blown fire. while it was a slow build, it definitely came rushing forward all at once. every smile, every passing glance and every written word - she treasures them all. and, she keeps every note he’s written.

22. What is some advice or guidance they received that had a big impact on their lives or outlook? Was it a positive or negative impact?

genuinely. i don’t think winter has ever received guidance or advice of any sort that has bettered her, or really made her worse? there is that bit about like, the legacy of parents etc, but like.. she had already decided for Herself so long ago that she was never going to be her parents. even if she was given advice it’s like... a 25/75 chance she’d take it lmao. we love to see it <3

[zorkaya-moved]

❝  i will never leave you. it will be this, always, for as long as you will let me.  ❞

@decimatcd

Her light and her reason for fighting were almost all gone; the one for whom she fought so vigorously was dead. The small sunshine she worked so tirelessly for, her youngest brother, and then her twin brother. Victor told her to protect Aleksey first and foremost when he got the honkai infection while slowly withering away. Zarina promised to protect the remaining of their family, but what happened? Everyone died. Everyone. No one survived. She killed Victor; she killed Aleksey (no, Aleksey was already a zombie, and Victor was already losing himself).

Zarina felt sick to her stomach. Kalpas' touch brought back memories of the warmth she lost and she felt her nightmare return in full, rendering her feel nauseous and struggling to comprehend exactly what was happening. No, she had to bring back the control. The Honkai energy - the remainder of the Herrscher powers - was still in her body, it would eat her mind away if she gave up. It was getting cold; it hurt. The cries, the screams, but they not the other people. They were hers. It scared her, Kalpas' words scared her. Victor promised the same thing. He said he'll always be by her side, he said it wasn't her fault, he said that she needed to kill them both so they won't suffer the pain of killing her. No, no, no.

As if possessed, she steps forward and wraps her hands around the man's frame. There is desparation, her eyes are wide open and she tries to stabilize her breathing and her beating heart. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt. She doesn't want to lose this warmth, this last spark of humanity and fire that could melt her apathy and her inhumanity away. He will die, too, wouldn't he? If she gives up, if the world will be ruined if anything wrong happens. He will die, and she wouldn't be able to do anything. He will die and leave her, he will leave her, and this promise will be a lie too. He's lying to her face from her perspective, but it only makes her cling to him that much tighter. Zarina doesn't want to kill him, she doesn't want to suddenly come to her senses as she did with Victor's and Aleksey's frozen bodies in her embrace. Zarina doesn't want Kalpas to be the same. No, not even that. She doesn't want him to die, she doesn't want to let go. But he will, he most likely will. And that logic and that deduction hurt her all the more.

"Don't go, Kalpas. I don't want you to go," she utters, her tone trembling as her soul continues to crack and slowly come so close to shattering. It hurts, but he makes it better, his presence keeps her stronger and still keeps her as [Zarina]. She doesn't want to let him go. She doesn't want to lose this warmth, this presence, this promise, but in this age - they've long lost the ability to promise such beautiful things. Elysia was gone, Sakura was gone, Blanca and Ato were gone, Victor and Aleksey were gone. So many left. "Don't leave me alone. Don't go where I can't reach you. Please, Kalpas, everyone else left... And you will leave too..." Will she fall apart entirely? Or will she be able to carry on? Or will she would want to just try and kill herself altogether? Or will she asks Mobius to end her life? She doesn't know. "But take me with you. Just don't leave me behind. I don't care about mankind, the world, the future... just don't... don't disappear and leave me behind."

[jcmarchi]

DNA Origami Folded Into My Tiny Motor - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/dna-origami-folded-into-my-tiny-motor-technology-org/

DNA Origami Folded Into My Tiny Motor - Technology Org

According to research published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, scientists have created the world’s first working nanoscale electromotor. The science team designed a turbine engineered from DNA that is powered by hydrodynamic flow inside a nanopore, a nanometer-sized hole in a membrane of solid-state silicon nitride.

Scientists have created the world’s first working nanoscale electomotor. The science team designed a turbine engineered from DNA that is powered by hydrodynamic flow inside a nanopore, a nanometer-sized hole in a membrane of solid-state silicon nitride. The tiny motor could help spark research into future applications such as building molecular factories or even medical probes of molecules inside the bloodstream. Image credit: TACC

The tiny motor could help spark research into future applications such as building molecular factories for useful chemicals or medical probes of molecules inside the bloodstream to detect diseases such as cancer.

“Common macroscopic machines become inefficient at the nanoscale,” said study co-author professor Aleksei Aksimentiev, a professor of physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne. “We have to develop new principles and physical mechanisms to realize electromotors at very small scales.” 

Design of a nanopore-powered DNA origami turbine. a, Schematic of a right-handed DNA turbine docked into a nanopore. b, Two cross-sections of the DNA turbine highlighting the designed twist. c, 3D electron density map of the right-handed DNA turbine determined via single-particle cryo-EM. d, Cross-sections. e,f, The same as c,d but for the left-handed DNA turbine. g, Schematic of a right-handed DNA turbine with its load. h, SNUPI-simulated structure. i, Negatively stained transmission electron micrograph of a typical right-handed DNA turbine with the load. Image Credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01527-8

The experimental work on the tiny motor was conducted by Cees Dekker of the Delft University of Technology and Hendrik Dietz of the Technical University of Munich. 

Dietz is a world expert in DNA origami. His lab manipulated DNA molecules to make the tiny motor’s turbine, which consisted of 30 double-stranded DNA helices engineered into an axle and three blades of about 72 base pair length. Decker’s lab work demonstrated that the turbine can indeed rotate by applying an electric field. Aksimentiev’s lab carried out all-atom molecular dynamics simulations on a system of five million atoms to characterize the physical phenomena of how the motor works. 

The system was the smallest representation that could yield meaningful results about the experiment; however, “it was one of the largest ever simulated from the DNA origami perspective,” Aksimentiev said.

Mission Impossible to Mission Possible

The Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) awarded Aksimentiev a Leadership Resource Allocation to aid his study of mesoscale biological systems on the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Frontera, the top academic supercomputer in the U.S. 

“Frontera was instrumental in this DNA nanoturbine work,” Aksimentiev said. ”We obtained microsecond simulation trajectories in two to three weeks instead of waiting for a year or more on smaller computing systems. The big simulations were done on Frontera using about a quarter of the machine—over 2,000 nodes,” Aksimentiev said. “However, it’s not just the hardware, but also the interaction with TACC staff. It’s extremely important to make the best use of the resources once we have the opportunity.”

All-atom molecular dynamics simulation of a DNA turbine rotation. a, 4,322,088-atom model of a DNA origami turbine depicted using a molecular surface representation (white shaft, multicoloured blades), solvent shown as a semi-transparent surface, and ions. b, Rotation of the turbine driven by electric field. Image Credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01527-8

The NSF-funded Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem also awarded Aksimentiev supercomputer allocations for this work: Services & Support (ACCESS) on Expanse of the San Diego Supercomputer Center and Anvil of Purdue University.

“We had up to 100 different nanomotor systems to simulate. We had to run them for different conditions and in a speedy manner, which the ACCESS supercomputers assisted with perfectly,” Aksimentiev said. “Many thanks to the NSF for their support—we would not be able to do the science that we do without these systems.”

DNA as a Building Block

The success with the working DNA nanoturbine builds on a previous study that also used Frontera and ACCESS supercomputers. The study showed that a single DNA helix is the tiniest electromotor that one can build—it can rotate up to a billion revolutions per minute.

DNA has emerged as a building material at the nanoscale, according to Aksimentiev.

“The way DNA base pair is a very powerful programming tool. We can program geometrical, three-dimensional objects from DNA using the Cadnano software just by programming the sequence of letters that make up the rungs of the double helix,” he explained.

Another reason for using DNA as the building block is that it carries a negative charge, an essential characteristic to make the electromotor.

“We wanted to reproduce one of the most spectacular biological machines—ATP synthase, which is driven by electric field. We chose to do our motor with DNA,” Aksimentiev said.  

“This new work is the first nanoscale motor where we can control the rotational speed and direction,” he added. It’s done by adjusting the electric field across the solid state nanopore membrane and the salt concentrations of the fluid that surrounds the rotor.

“In the future, we might be able to synthesize a molecule using the new nanoscale electromotor, or we can use it to as an element of a bigger molecular factory, where things are moved around. Or we could imagine it as a vehicle for soft propulsion, where synthetic systems can go into a blood stream and probe molecules or cells one at a time,” Aksimentiev said.

If you think this sounds like something out of a 1960’s sci-fi movie, you are right. In the movie Fantastic Voyage, a team of Americans in a nuclear submarine is shrunk and injected into a scientist’s body to fix a blood clot and need to work quickly before the miniaturization wears off.

NSF-funded supercomputers: Expanse, San Diego Supercomputer Center (top left); Frontera, Texas Advanced Computing Center (bottom left); Anvil, Perdue (right). Image Credit: SDSC, TACC, Perdue.

As far-fetched as this might sound, Aksimentiev says that the concept and the elements of the machines we are developing today could enable something like this to happen. 

“We were able to accomplish this because of supercomputers,” Aksimentiev said. “Supercomputers are becoming more and more indispensable as the complexity of the systems that we build increases. They’re the computational microscopes, which at ultimate resolutions can see the motion of individual atoms and how that is coupled to a bigger system.” 

Source: TACC

You can offer your link to a page which is relevant to the topic of this post.

[ardn716estherpattison]

Statement

Kia ora, my name is Esther Pattison. I am a landscape and portrait photographer, specialising in the notion of emotions that spark nostalgic realism, producing content for all viewers. 

‘The Beauty of Auckland Beaches’ is a photographic book series to broadcast the realism of Auckland beaches. This awareness campaign showcases beauty, change, and acknowledgement of Auckland beaches.   

The beach has constantly been an environment of wonder, happiness and mindfulness for me. Growing up going to the beach every summer or even for a picnic during the off-peak times has always been a highlight in my life. It is a place I feel at home and connected to. The further I think about what beach I want to visit next, the further I think about others who don’t think the way I do. Do people in Auckland know how privileged they are? Do people in Auckland know how close they are to a beach? Auckland has well over 20 beaches in its surroundings so why not showcase Auckland beaches for who they are? They go through changes such as weather differences that shift the attitudes of the beach and what is encompassing. Beaches are a home for life and it is a place used by swimmers, children and enjoyment. 

In my research, I first found a photographic campaign on healthy homes. I was fascinated by the clear visual work and the strong story of the realities of home standards (Roscoe, 2023). They start visually with a photographic book, presenting what the actual standards are with a photo and description. It shows a personal take on the issue and brings an understanding in a new conventional way. It made me understand that the photos I take have a purpose and share a story from my point of view. 

I also took an interest in a photographic campaign book ‘Ice Fishers by Aleksey Kondatyev’ (Ice Fishers - Aleksey Kondratyev, n.d.). It indicates history, wisdom and detail without explaining every image. The images speak for themselves which is what caught my interest. One image on a page of what looks like a yellow plastic bag around someone who is sitting on a chair waiting. It is captivating and makes you think differently about what you interpret from the image and what it actually means. It makes you think more about the topic, and what is the topic. It is detailed, strange, and interestingly silent. This makes me think about the importance of interpretation because we all perceive things differently. 

After researching the importance of purpose and detail in simplicity, I knew I needed to research a photographic campaign that is closest to my idea of The beauty of Auckland beaches. I noticed ‘Seas Unseen: The fine art beach photography of Steve Allsopp’  (May, 2017). Allsopp said, “I wanted to create something a little at odds with the blue skies and sea, golden beaches”. He documented surfers and beach life near his summer home for almost three years. He grew experience and knowledge, he allowed room for mistakes and learnt from them. He played with his mistakes and made them an art piece. He inspires me to be organised but also to not have structure in the photography, by letting the images take you. The importance of balance. (THE PICTORIAL LIST | STEPHEN ALLSOPP, n.d.) 

I also found a beach photobook photographed by Richard Misrach  (On The Beach | Aperture, n.d.). I was fascinated ultimately by the positioning of the photographs. They go right to the edge of the page, photo positioning placement is used to have negative spacing and it sends focus to where is needed. I have seen with other photobooks, having a busy and intense layout can be damaging to the story and purpose you are aiming for. I want my photo book to be a book for people to think of stories, realities and see my purpose.   

Auckland has a wide range of beaches. Well over 20 beaches in its region which is incredible knowing that other cities are not as fortunate. The book series is inspired by my own experiences, Stephen Allsopp, Richard Misrach and Anna Mendez who is a New Zealand photographer (., 2023) who expanded my ideas on landscape photography. 

The book starts at sunrise on Milford Beach. Which is recommended as the best beach for sunrises in the area. Overlooking Rangitoto Island with the sunrise just on the left of the island. 

The second beach is Murray’s Bay Beach, the journey after the sunrise, the morning glow and the locals finding their peace. The third beach is Long Bay Beach, a quiet long stretch of age. Feels like a wrinkle of wisdom. The fourth beach is Little Manly Beach. The baby beach that has a lot to be said. The fifth beach is Kendall Bay Beach. A little hideaway with a lot of attitudes. An attitude of adventure, heart beak and scenery. The sixth beach is Devonport Beach, a popular suburb where the beach almost gets lost. The seventh beach is Takapuna Beach, a moody beach full of gossip. Lastly is Whatipū beach, on the almighty west coast with roaring landscapes. 

These beaches are beautiful in their own right, they each share a story of how they are feeling, and what is happening that impacts your train of thought. All the beaches in this book conclude with one story, showcasing the delicacy to compose your thoughts and grab your attention to realise how lucky the people of Auckland really are. 

References

(n.d.). Gallery Colour. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.2augenblick.de/gallery-colour.html

(n.d.). Photo Ephemeris: Start planning now. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://app.photoephemeris.com/

. (2023, January 5). . - YouTube. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from http://www.annamenendez.com/forfun

. (2023, January 5). . - YouTube. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.safeswim.org.nz/?gclid=Cj0KCQjww4-hBhCtARIsAC9gR3YZxGyw8n0-Cn1bQGL9p3Z_HO10FUTTTBJXK6feEArVSWxAK-uRzwEaApm7EALw_wcB

Annalee Hart Retouch Artist — Editorial campaign photography. (n.d.). Annalee Hart Retouch Artist. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.annaleehart.com/editorial

Ice Fishers - Aleksey Kondratyev. (n.d.). moom bookshop. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://moom.cat/en/item/ice-fishers

Long Bay Regional Park. (n.d.). Auckland Council. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parks-recreation/Pages/park-details.aspx?Location=215

Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill Domain - maunga in Auckland. (n.d.). Auckland Council. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parks-recreation/Pages/park-details.aspx?Location=1477

May, T. (2017, February 21). Seas Unseen: The fine art beach photography of Steve Allsopp. Creative Boom. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.creativeboom.com/inspiration/the-beach-photography-steve-allsopp-/

Most Auckland beaches are now safe to swim at. (2023, February 19). NZ Herald. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/most-auckland-beaches-are-now-safe-to-swim-at/DWZBPTHRSJGCFL45LFSSWEGHDY/

On The Beach | Aperture. (n.d.). Aperture Foundation. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://aperture.org/books/rare-and-special/on-the-beach/

THE PICTORIAL LIST | STEPHEN ALLSOPP. (n.d.). THE PICTORIAL-LIST. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.thepictorial-list.com/photographers-1/STEPHEN-ALLSOPP

Richard Misrach. (n.d.). Fraenkel Gallery. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://fraenkelgallery.com/artists/richard-misrach

Roscoe, S. (2023, February 15). Campaign release: These are Homes photobook. Town and Country Planning Association. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.tcpa.org.uk/these-are-homes-photobook/

6 Stunning Spots To Watch The Sunset In Auckland. (2021, April 21). The Urban List. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.theurbanlist.com/nz/a-list/sunset-auckland

Steane, K. (2022, December 29). The Best Beaches In Auckland | URBAN LIST NEW ZEALAND. The Urban List. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.theurbanlist.com/nz/a-list/beaches-auckland

Waitakere Weather Forecast and Observations. (n.d.). MetService. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/regions/auckland/locations/waitakere

Why is the ocean blue? The reasons why the Ocean is blue. (2022, June 7). Ocean Literacy Portal. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://oceanliteracy.unesco.org/blue-ocean/

Why should we care about the ocean? (2019, August 29). The World Economic Forum. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/08/here-are-5-reasons-why-the-ocean-is-so-important/

[hustleraleksei]

Open starter;

Aleksei was always on the hunt for the next best business opportunity, so when the chance to own the club Sapphire, he jumped at it, knowing he already did a bunch of business through the club he figured it would make sense. After a work meeting with his staff he placed himself on one of the sofa’s with a bottle of expensive whiskey, sipping at it as he watched the room, figuring out everyone’s dynamic. Looking over he noticed someone else and decided to spark up a conversation “are you a regular?” he inquired.

[newswireml]

Quantum computers can break major encryption method, researchers claim#Quantum #computers #break #major #encryption #method #researchers #claim

Quantum computers can break major encryption method, researchers claim#Quantum #computers #break #major #encryption #method #researchers #claim

It has long been known that one day quantum computers are likely to be able to crack the RSA encryption method we use to keep data safe, but a team of researchers are now claiming it is already possible, while others say their results require more scrutiny Technology 5 January 2023 By Matthew Sparkes RSA is a widely-used encryption algorithm Aleksey Funtap / Alamy Stock Photo A group of…

[vitapictura]

fenkii - libahunt l Music Video from Vita Pictura on Vimeo.

Producer & Director | Serj Rimma Director of Photography | Aleksei Kulikov Camera Assistant | Lev Kovalenko Gaffer | Nikita Kurashov Spark | Jelizaveta Jevsejeva Production Assistants | Virko Kuusk, Lina Lahti Live Visuals | Kaupo Kuusemäe @422motion

Editor | Aleksei Šarapanjuk Assistant Editor | Karl Jakob Vibur Colour Grading | Dmitri Morjakin VFX | Henry Parelo

Production Company | Vita Pictura vitapictura.co

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Contact us via E-Mail: info@vitapictura.co

[sugaryvirtualsimblr]

Alek and Eva are here for the party. They are bald because I got tired of fixing everyone’s hair when I was trying to pick out new hair palettes. I never went back and fixed them after I finally settled on one. I also couldn’t be bothered to fix them for this birthday party. I am a terrible mother to my sim nooboos and I don’t even have the energy to feel guilty about it tonight, lol. 

[void-imp]

oooooh I lov seein stuff abt the trio now I gotta know: whats their fave types of dates!

Ahh ty, I'm glad you like seeing my rambles about them! 💗

Aleksey: Aleksey is a *romantic*. His dream date is going to a museum or a library together, have coffée at a café afterwards while it rains outside, hold hands walking together and of course the guy would lend him his jacket at the end. 😌 It's a whole elaborate fantasy in his head that'll never play out as perfectly in real life but let him dream, ok!! Partying and such isn't his gig, he prefers to be able to talk to his date without a bunch of noise and distracting things happening in the background. He's a big time introvert and doesn't feel comfortable in crowds.

Jab: Honestly, as long as they get to spend time together, Jab doesn't mind what they're doing. Trying new things he wouldn't have thought of himself is exciting! He does enjoy being outside, going wherever, discovering new places and browsing shops that spark his interest. Getting bubble tea together is one of his favorite things too. He really loves buying people stuff and on dates he's no different.

Jeremy: He likes cooking together, watching movies while cuddling in bed, cozy things like that. Also enjoys going to concerts, karaoke bars or just out in general. Oh, if there's food he'll be down for almost anything.

[montysworld]

Coldxman - Blasphemy from Mauro Chiarello on Vimeo.

Director - Ian Pons Jewell DOP - Mauro Chiarello Producers - Jon Adams & Sasha Bevka Prod Co: KAYFABE / Radioaktive Prod Design - Robin Brown Art Director - Evheniy Popovichenko Costume Designer - Ameena Kara Callender Choreographer - Charlie Mayhew Make Up - Marta Skalska Editor - Tobias Suhm VFX Supervisor - Dan Williams Colourist - Alex Gregory Sound Design - Tim Harrison @ Aumeta Song mastered - Dave Kutch Post-producer + Cast coordinator - Emmanuelle Le Chat

1st AD - Dennis Sonin 2nd AD - Vadim Yuzba PM - Julia Sotnikova PC - Daniel Linnik-Zhuravlev PAs - Vova Altsybeev, Anna Refel Chaperone - Andrew Birch Location manager - Dima Shevchenko Bullet Typeface - 10Foot

CAMERA 2nd cam DP - Ilya Maksymenko 1st AC/Focuspuller - Sergey Kolesnik Focuspuller cam B - Zhenya Bubley AC cam A - Vadim Dubas AC cam B - Vitaliy Topchiy Phantom OP - Dmytriy Grymalskiy Steadicam - Max Salo

GRIP Dolly - Artem Pilipchuk Dolly - Valeriy Legosha

CRANE Crane - Serhiy Subota

LIGHT CREW Gaffer - Leo Sidorenko

Key Grip - Oleg Egorov Chief Electric - Anrew Gorovoy Spark - Vova Akulov Spark - Serhiy Rudenko Spark - Vitaliy Schetinin Grip - Eugene Scherbak Grip - Dima Levchenko

PROFCOM TRUSS SYSTEMS Light Desk Operator - AAnton Medvedev

DIT/PLAYBACK DIT - Yan Wachowski Playback - Rupos Playback - Bear Playback - Eugene Ischenko

Playback - Lisa Tagintseva

ART DEPT Best Boy - Vitalii Shpakovich Prop master - Serhii Godlevskii

CASTING Casting Director - Nika Bondar

Casting assistant on set - Misha Voropay

WARDROBE Stylist - Kostya Goncharuk Assistant - Valeria Snesar Assistant - Julia Belous

MAKE UP Assistant - Maria Petrovskaya Assistant - Daria Gnatuikova

UNIT Helper - Tolik Oleshko Helper - Aleksey Vodopyanov Helper - Kirill Suzanovskiy Catering - Tetiana Okhrimenko

MISC Stills - Artem Nadyozhin @bornmentall

CAST CLOWN - Alexandr Gerasimchuk

POLITICIAN Veronika Boyarskaya Mikhail Bondarenko Larisa Chertkova Lucia Foloronso Boris Molodtsov Jean Ossoa Alla Priadko Alexei Romanov Vitaliy Shapovalov Valeriy Skripka Natasha Timoshenko Maxim Vakhovskiy Susanna Vyshneva Ihor Zorov Bakar Alwata Pavel Evchin Nicolay Bozhko Julia Farradjalah Phonsia Koba

AUDIENCE Tsoi Tania Pryhora Katya Demydenko Ostapenko Andrey Ostapenko Yura Ostapenko Dima Gasanov Elmir Chernyavka Vladimir Yadav Vishal Popenko Raisa Averina Nastya Otokhine Divine Onopa Sveta Misha Makarov @mishamihoan

Skisov Evheniy Garsia Joanna Dronchak Nantina @nantina__ Bello Akeem Bahtiar Ibragimov Syrovatka Tamara Dolapo Oso Maxim orobets Galena_Nina Muke Arno Amir Hanani Wale Adeyemo Keita Abraham Koval Vera Danyil Voronov Skargapolina @Skargapolina Zavertalyuk @Zavertalyuk Damien Paiatakov Aryna Kucheieva Vlada Malahova Dima Nalivayko Timofeieva Lidia Ngegba Thomas Chuikova Anna Bespechuk Max Brown Ester Natasha Boyko Shlyakovska Storozhuk Vasylenko Sanjaasuren Khmelnyckiy Hudabaeva Sveta Odushu Eysmont Karplyuk Monnie Ten Nastya Yulia Gomes Potopa Mukhina Novikova Kurtis Robaki Alma Gelmedova Kryvoruvhenko Devine Konchakovskiy Kushnerik

VFX - The Mill

Creative Director - Dan Williams

VFX Supervisor: Adam Droy

Executive Producer: Alex Fitzgerald

Producer: Dan Crozier Tarun Misra

Shoot Supervisor: Dan Williams

2D Lead Artist: Fergal Hendrick

3D Lead Artist: Dave Hempstead Umesh Namdev Ashwani Patel Gauri Razdan

2D Artist: Anand Daunde Abhishek Jain Jijo Joseph Putta Mahesh Mahesh Mane Sole Martin Matt McDougal Valeria Scalamandre Oscar Tornincasa Rafael Vormittag

3D Artist: Santosh Ambre Tony Atherton Dinesh B Ian Baxter Amit Das C Dinesh Reddy Pradeep Katta Fazal Khan Henry Medhurst @Henrymedhurstfxtd Sriram Namana Guru Prasad Showber Sadik Vudhata Sai Krishna Vinayak V Roman Vrbovsky

Production Coordinator: Jas Lewis-Humphrey Ankita Mitra

Colourist: Alex Gregory

Additional clean-up: Zdravko “Zee” Stoitchkov

Additional VFX - CGF

VFX SUPERVISOR Alexey Uskov

VFX PRODUCERS Ekaterina Averina Aleksandr Gorokhov

ART Sergey Manko Konstantin Radchikov

MODELS Ekaterina Glumova Nadezhda Kolganova

RIG Anton Pashkanis Anna Guskova

FUR Vadim Jiltsov

TEXTURES Nina Druzhkova

FX Evgeny Stefanov

ANIMATION Evgeny Mischenko Vlad Ladny

LIGHTING Aleksey Petrov

CAMERA TRACK Yaroslav Dyachenko

CLEAN UP Anton Yarovoy Sergey Likhachev Alexey Zhurin

COMPOSITING Victoria Demina Alexey Kulikov Dmitry Kirillyak Oksana Leferova Nikolai Kirienko

HEAD OF PRODUCTION Alena Kucherova

DI Stepan Neupokoev Alexander Zolotarev @AlexanderZolotarev

TITLE DESIGN Nico Chavez @ Done Thing

Song written, produced, mixed + performed by Coleman Hughes @coleman_hughes Executive Producer - Desh @iamdesh Legal - Gerard Anthony, Duane Hughes & Craig Cohen Accounting - JT Goldstein

[zorkaya-moved]

@queensconquest​​

“ It’s strange to hear from me, to say the least. You know my lifestyle right now and how I behave, but... ” Zarina feels strangely awkward when it comes to confessing such a true and genuine dream of hers. It was a dare and she promised to be wholly honest with the magician next to her. If anyone would be fine with hearing her genuine confession, it would be Solomon. Out of all in Devildom, she can trust Solomon to hear her out. It’s something that rarely gets brought up when her almost hedonistic way of life is seen by others. “ Out of everything, I want to have a family. A lover who’ll be accepting me for who I am and who I’ll be able to love. Maybe have kids with them as well. Sometimes, I wonder if I should just... Mhmm, you only asked about the dream, I shouldn’t delve too deep on it. It’s an impossible dream as of now. A fantasy. ” 

How rare for her to say that something is impossible for her. Not even impossible, but not fully possible. The ever-confident woman that she is, speaking of something so simple yet so complicated. Emotional connections are hard, truly caring for people is rare, but finding someone to love? And someone who she will be able to fall for? How hard it is. She cannot imagine someone who she will fall for, genuinely so. How does love feel like to start a family? “ A family of my own. My brother Victor is getting married soon, my parents are taking care of my youngest brother Aleksey. Seeing them all, I only long for it more. ” A home. A place to belong. A family to protect. Her own, her very own family. She’ll be happy even if it’ll be just her or her lover... Or her and her own child. A spark of light; warmth she longs for. 

[windmaedchen-fairytail]

So I was rewatching the anime version of Laxus vs Aleksei (Ivan), even if the fight in the beginning was an illusion, it actually brought interesting points and theories on Ivan. For example, Ivan used what appears to be a lightning beam at Laxus, so it got me thinking if Ivan was the one who inherited Yuri's lighting. Laxus has it by lacrima right? So its just an interesting theory... Besides Ivan cloaked in purple lightning, that be rad!

I LOVE that idea. xD

However...

that made me realise... that other than the shikigami (and the use of illusion magic) we never see any other magic that can undoubtedly be attributed to Ivan. The FT Fandom Wiki decided NOT to add the power beam magic (Illusion-)Alexei casts on (Illusion-)Laxus to Ivan Dreyar's wiki page because it was an illusionary attack = it didn't exist for real.

And I understand why, after all Ivan could have created an illusion of any sort of magical attack, like water, fire, ice, explosion etc... Sure, Ivan COULD maybe use that power beam thing (the purple magic we associate with him) for real, too, but it's not a canon given fact.

I think it's likely (or at least SHOULD be) that Ivan, while disguised as Alexei, wouldn't use any magic that both Laxus and Makarov would undoubtedly recognise as his. Hence the power beam he used is something he isn't a master of.

That means, sadly, I need to adjust my headcanon slightly, saying that if he uses such purple power magic, it would be learned later in his life, so it's unknown to his family, or has been used so rarely that I must associate Ivan more with his shikigami than the purple magic. But I kinda do that anyway. xD

Nonetheless, I like to think that the purple magic is in fact very similar to lightning and electricity. Or maybe it creates such conditions that lightning is a secondary effect of it? Something electrically charged that gives off random sparks? Yeah, I like that.

EDIT: Also, if that purple electricity thing was the case, think of how excellently immune Ivan would be to his son's cute attempts at mastering the Dragon Slayer's lacrima. xD (That Ivan was struck down with one blow by his son was more damn bad luck in my opinion, where Laxus's blow sure was hard due to his lightning speed/acceleration but essentially caused internal injury and bleeding and very nearly killed Ivan.)

[mightyecho]

“ i knew you’d feel guilty; you do understand that i’d take a thousand wounds if it meant keeping you safe, don’t you? ” ( Mads / Aleksei )

of course he'd feel guilty— it's an emotion so at home in his chest that he rarely even takes it into consideration anymore except when remembering brings sharp pangs of it to grip his chest. and he feels it now, wrapping a tight fist around his heart at madelinde's words, chased by an electric jolt of panic that sparks in his mind, trying to set it aflame.

his hands grip her forearms, not tight enough to hurt but tight enough to feel, guilt and panic twisting in his chest and the combination in his voice has it coming out harsh— bordering on angry, the words practically hissed through his teeth. "listen to me, madelinde— hear me, i beg: don't you ever do something as stupid as try and keep me safe. alright? that isn't your responsibility—" the piano string of panic in his mind is plucked by unseen fingers, his mind conjuring all sorts of scenarios in which madelinde's lack of self preservation would put her in harm's way on his behalf and his grip tights, giving her the slightest shake, "— i am not your responsibility. now, i've managed to keep myself alive this long without any additional acts of martyrdom to help me along the way. i don't need you stepping into harms way on my behalf— there's plenty enough here that would take the opportunity against you without you adding to it with my own shit. so you'll put the thought out of your head right now and we won't speak about it again. "

✧ — — @thrustfists