#all the consumerism is found within this thing

[therosebunpost]

Okay I’ve decided, it’s gonna be set post season 3 but before season 4, where Steve ends up working in a thrift store instead of Family Video. (he’s still working with Robin though, dw)

He meets the two when they come in, and they just buy a bunch of weird shit that prompts him to just ask Why. Like I’m thinking weird, misshapen sculptures, funny frames photos, even a cute berry themed Tea Pot. (That one didn’t make him ask why, the golden Owl radio did. It’s bug eyes felt like it was staring at him, but you just seemed to adore it.)

You know that scene in Ant Man, where the little girl gets this utterly cursed rabbit doll from Ant Man, and just with the most gleeful voice is like “He’s so ugly, I love him! :D” That’s Reader whenever Eddie finds her something just utterly deranged. Steve just finds himself watching as Eddie picks out the most funky looking things and presents them to Reader, and every single time Reader just finds so much joy out of it. They don’t always buy it, but that doesn’t matter.

He’s so fucking jealous of the both of them, it literally hurts. They’re so cute, that’s so unfair.

Robin has to get him back on task sometimes because he’s literally in the isles, debating on how weird would it be if he saved this weird toy to show them at the register later, or would it be better to just have it placed near him so they see it?

I just think Steve would find such appreciation for the strange in life working at a thrift store and meeting these two. Like, after the Russians and his disabilities, he’s gone through a ton of changes. He starts filling his parent’s house with stuff he actually likes. Does any of it make any sense together? Debatable, but they make him happy and it makes the house less empty, so he’s going with it. Chipped and cracked plates in mixed matched colors, blankets with funky designs, clothes that have dumb sayings on them. He’s just living his best, funky life.

Once all three of them start dating, I imagine they just slowly start moving in with Steve. Eddie brings with all of his posters, DND supplies and metal decore. Reader brings in the color, and hand made pieces, and Steve kinda adopts both their styles while still maintaining his own. He’s still Just Some Guy Steve, but mixed in with the polos and sweaters you will find him sporting a Nike Basketball Tee that promises it’ll ‘Rock your world’, or a bright neon yellow polo that burns the retinas of all who see it.

*claps*

I’m on my Steddie x Reader idea BS again and i present you this:

Steve and the Manic Pixie Dream Couple

I just think the concept would be kinda awesome, you know? Like, Steve’s in a sad place right now. He’s got a dead end job, is unlucky in romantic love, and doesn’t really know what he wants in life. In comes Eddie and his girlfriend, this odd, mixed matched duo that just picks him up and turns his life around with their weird, plucky vibes. I’m thinking this could be set around season 3, but then again 4 could be interesting, but then again 3 has sailor Steve so…

I want Reader to be super colorful, with strange accessories and brightly colored hair. She needs glasses, but instead of wearing a pair, she made a strange necklace out of one of the lenses, and just uses that instead. Like a funky monocle. She’s a little on the ditzy side, and isn’t all that witty, but she’s sweet and kind, and adventurous.

Eddie’s obviously not as colorful, but he’s still decked out in a lot of accessories. He’s a little more cynical then reader, less friendly. Think of like, an actual pixie! He’s mischievous, loves messing with people, especially Steve. He’s very protective of Reader, and often kind of acts like her protector incase someone tries to mess with her.

Reader, upfront, is nicer to Steve. She meets him first, and her whole vibe caught his attention right away. I imagine she went into Scoops and just gets the weirdest combo of ice cream he’s ever heard. He just has to ask her why the fuck, and Reader is just like “I dunno, I was wondering what it’d taste like. It’s not very good.” And then she just straight up dips.

Then, when Eddie gets introduced, they share a few barbs back and forth before Eddie somehow convinces Steve to do something with them. What that is, I’m not entirely sure, but that’s how the ball starts rolling. They all hang out, Steve is slowly, but surely pulled into their relationship while simultaneously improving his life.

Just Some Guy Steve Harrington dating two of Hawkins’ weirdest residence just feels like a fun vibe, you know? Plus, I really wanna have a more eclectic style, so writing Reader with a similar style just sounds really cool for a Reader concept.

[gwensy]

sorry for reblogging fugly trends from 2012 it's for my enrichment

[alpaca-clouds]

The possibilities of Sandalpunk

It's punk-o-clock again and today I wanna speak about that punkpunk genre, that might well be one of the most loosely defined: Sandalpunk. Really, trying to find something about this genre, I found that people do not agree about...

... if the genre at all is scifi, retrofuturist and/or fantasy and in how far

... what consistent themes of it should be

... what even the aesthetic is past "Ancient Rome/Greece"

... what kind of stories should be told in this genre

To put it differently: Sandalpunk right now is very much a title, but not a genre. Because there is absolutely no consistent anything within this "genre". But... I am gonna argue now, that it is kinda a waste, because there is a lot of potential there.

For those dipping into this blog for the fist time, let me quick go into the definition from Wikipedia on punk ideology, that I am going to use to assume that at least some of this should be present within a genre for it to be worthy of the punk-moniker:

[Punk Ideology] is primarily concerned with concepts such as mutual aid, against selling out, hierarchy, white supremacy, authoritarianism, anti-consumerism, anti-corporatism, anti-war, imperialism, conservatism, anti-globalization, gentrification, anti-racism, anti-sexism, class and classism, gender equality, racial equality, eugenics, animal rights, free-thought and non-conformity.

So, if I was trying to define Sandalpunk somehow, I would want to somehow bring that into it.

The other aspect the -punk genre have is, that they are somehow going into the scifi or fantasy genre, often doing a somewhat retrofuturist spin on things.

So, based on that we now have the three following ideas:

Based on the cultures of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece

Anti-Hierarchical and Anti-Imperialist ideas

Retrofuturism, possibly with some fantasy elements

And I think we can actually get a working concept from this.

Because of course especially ancient Rome and to a lesser degree Ancient Greece were expansionist empires. Both cultures (though this is your scheduled reminder that due to the length of time these empires lasted the culture shifted) were very hierarchical, very classist and were very much about conformaty.

We still very much live in a Roman world, even though we usually do not think about it that way. But because of how Rome had colonized most of Europe before the Empire fell - and because of how it was Rome who went out and propagized Christianity, with the religion now inextricably linked with Roman culture to this day, being used to propagate Roman ideals to this day.

So, imagining a retrofuturist setting with Roman influence could actually mirror some real developments we see these days - just with less Christianity. And an added bonus is: The Romans already knew about steam power - they only in the real world had never figured out how to productively use it. (Mostly because slave labour was cheaper.)

And this could actually make for a super interesting set up for a genre.

Let me paint that picture for you:

It is 1300 AD, the Roman Empire has never fallen and has by now colonized all of Europe, with the exceptions of some parts in the far north, as well as most of North Africa and West Asia. The Roman Empire has since advanced their technology considerably, outmatching most of the rest of the world in technology. They have stern rules about the way people can and cannot live, their world being divided between the classes. However... There are some that do not want to accept the Roman rule, being willing to fight against it. Groups of people trying to keep alive their indigenous cultures, offering each other mutual aid, trying to survive under the thumb of the Empire.

I think there is a lot of potential there. Playing around with how the Roman Empire had influenced our world, making it more visible than it usually is. With a world that is familiar and yet isn't. The possibilities are endless. And of course we can have people rebelling against it.

And hey, maybe the Roman gods play a role in this world as well?

Right now Sandalpunk is not much more than a word. But that could be done with it. So... Maybe someone just gotta start writing this genre? For real, I mean. Rather than people just looking random things featuring mildly anarchronistic Roman things and go: "Oh! Sandalpunk!"

[rruhlreviews]

Film Review - The Hunger Games

In many ways, The Hunger Games film is all the spectacle the book warned against. Within the story, the Games themselves were a blockbuster, the biggest entertainment event of the year in the consumerism-crazy Capitol. The film is a blockbuster not only because of the wild success of the books, but by reaching a broader audience with the action scenes, glamorous photo shoots, settings, and celebrity actors. Visually, the cinematography is innovative, colorful, and dynamic. Had the movie gone into as much gritty detail about poverty and pain as the books, as well as showing more of Katniss’ unlikeable traits that were smoothed out in the film, I don’t believe it would have had such mass market appeal. Book and film markets have different criteria, after all.

Katniss is a strong and appealing protagonist, which is vital to any successful story. The high stakes and romantic elements mean nothing if you don’t care about the central character. The books and movie were my first experience with a story about a girl that people of all genders in my class were excited about. I recall when the movies were first being developed. I was around eleven years old and had just read the books, and I was so excited to see previews and read magazines about the making of the film. I dressed as Katniss for Halloween and remember visiting a friend and reenacting the Games with our toys. For a young adult in the target audience, it was a fun adventure story, even if it made you cry sometimes.

As an adult, I see this very much was not in line with the message of the story, but don’t mistake me for a cynic. The thriller elements are what make it appealing and successful. For a story to endure the ages, it must captivate the audience’s attention. Fans of the books were blown away to see the danger, unique setting, and the characters they love brought to life. The stakes are high—it’s a matter of life and death not only for Katniss, but for her family. The entire story is a struggle for survival, not only in the arena, but against hunger and the Capitol’s harsh punishments for stepping out of line. Something else interesting about the film which adds to the thriller aspect is how it has a different point of view than the books. The book had a limited first person point of view, whilst the film showed things happening in the Gamemakers’ offices and from President Snow’s viewpoint. Seneca Crane’s death was changed for irony and a stronger visual scene. This fills in some gaps in the worldbuilding that don’t translate well from a book, but also, a film audience wants to be privy to the action.

Many of the parts of the book that were slower-paced didn’t make it into the film. Katniss’ friend Madge is cut, and Katniss’ struggles with her relationship with her mother are shortened. During the games, there’s no time in the film for Katniss’ slow struggle with dehydration, or to linger on Katniss’ and Peeta’s recovery from the infected wounds and blood loss. Honestly, those slower scenes are some of my favorite parts of the book for how they show the struggle for humanity behind the spectacle. In many ways, the movie sanitizes the books and makes them more palatable for a wider audience. The desolate poverty of the Seam isn’t shown in too great detail. Katniss in the book has a darker complexion and shows the scars of a hard life. I wouldn’t want a real actress to endure a dangerous lifestyle to have a certain body type or “method act” trauma, but I still feel there was an emphasis on physical attractiveness of the characters typical of visual media.

This segues into my final point—the way the film and the resulting media storm honed in on the romance elements. A love triangle is a surefire way to generate buzz. However, the romance in the book was scary, with Katniss’ and Peeta’s relationship founded by a struggle for survival that went back from the boy with the bread all the way to faking it for the favor of the audience. The film audience stands in for the Capitol audience. The younger adult viewers have attractive actors to admire in the roles of the characters, with “Team Peeta vs Team Gale” being a popular phenomenon at the time when the movie first came out. I personally don’t like focusing on the romance because it misses the point of the story even more than the cutting of the slower-paced scenes does, but I can’t deny it’s part of the reason this was a blockbuster.

For better or worse, the success of The Hunger Games film launched the market for books and movies in the YA dystopia subgenre (that is, until the Divergent trilogy brought the demand to an unglorious end). It’s most certainly a good thing that there are more female action protagonists as a result of the success of The Hunger Games. Despite the elements of the book that were cut to make the film more of a blockbuster, the film remains a moving story with unique thriller elements that makes the audience care about the characters and desire to see them triumph over perilously high stakes. Everyone loves a story about an underdog overcoming an oppressive ruler. It's a classic plot structure that has endured the ages for a reason. I hope kids keep wanting to dress up as Katniss and play out elaborate thrillers with their Barbies. It really is a rite of passage of childhood.

[santoschristos]

The Alchemy of Intention Intention is defined as “a thing intended; an aim or plan”. Although it seems that intention is more powerful than a simple definition. It’s the integral element that makes matter respond to your deepest wishes and desires. It’s a simplified energy that manifests itself through matter. It’s alchemical and has the ability to manipulate the integrity of the goal. Intention can be viewed as a form of sorcery that is developed within, and released through physical execution. It’s a powerful feeling that can easily be hidden within words and action. The mass populace falls victim to this daily, whether through art, advertising, literature, or sales pitch – We never seem to look beyond the surface to view the root of it’s intention.

Once you understand the root, you can understand the goal.

Think deeply about what you say, and how you say it. The tone of someone can speak volumes on the nature of the subject. Intention finds it’s way in conversation, compliments, and actions. There are elements which can be read, to fully understand why something has found you, and eventually affects you. Listen to the tone of the individual, because it’s very similar to cymatics. It’s scientifically proven that tone can affect matter, whether positive or negative.

We communicate these feelings, and whether we try to hide them within words or posture, we tend to reveal the truth through the energy we put out. Like a magician, you can try to hide the trick with movement or minor distractions, but to those that are aware of a trick being pulled, we can see right through the distraction.

By nature, human beings have wants and desires. Though, these have been manipulated through the programming of advertising and story telling to further consumerism. The capitalist society of America, clouds our thoughts with product developments and advancements for a “better life” and luxury. Yet, we find ourselves inherently unhappy with these objects and achievements, because we’ve lost the integral understanding of what makes us happy.

Learn to Love, and use your heart to aim the intention, and ground it. If you over think it, you will only put yourself against your peers, and compare yourself to other people’s quality of life. That’s the inner dialogue we cloud ourselves with – you tend to want what other people have for that momentary happiness, but it’s all temporary. We need to let go of those impulses and desires, and manifest things that will have a long term effect on the global quality of life.

The world is a beautiful place, and humanity is a very special element that will alter our landscapes to create this artificial environment we’ve been led to. We’ve poisoned the soil beneath our feet, in hopes to further ourselves individually. The intention was to make our singular lives better in the immediate moment, with no understanding of how this will affect generations to come.

The future is the manifestation of our intentions in this moment. Let your heart guide you, and understand that we are all magicians, using language and movement to disguise ourselves. We all have the power within that will transcend our environment. Our intention is a powerful cadence that transmutes the matter around us. It’s not the objects of our affection that we must chase, but the intention we project.

[bakuninbeats]

(Intellectual) Property is Theft!

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, perhaps the most important figure in the field of anarchist theory. He developed many of the most important cornerstones of the anarcho-communist ideology, the most important of which being the following principle; "Property is Theft!"

Indeed, property is theft. Specifically, private property which forms the cornerstone of our capitalist system. Yet, there is another form of property which can be just as oppressive, namely intellectual property. The ownership of ideas, of art, of symbols, intellectual property offers someone the right to sue others for using the products that originated in their mind. In itself, a seemingly noble idea as it can potentially serve to protect the livelihood of smaller artists, academics and inventors. However, these same people are often not the ones who actually manage to profit from these laws. No, it is primarily the companies who can afford the most skilled lawyers that actually manage to protect their ideas whilst those who might actually need this protection are left to fend for themselves. In fact, smaller artists usually end up being the victim of these kinds of lawsuits especially when it comes to the practice of sampling in music.

In this manner, the right to sample becomes a practice to fight for within the anarchist struggle, especially when the use of sampling serves to criticize the current systems that govern society. Thus, the subject of today's review will be one such artist known as Saint Pepsi and his 2014 music video Enjoy Yourself.

Admittedly, most Vaporwave artists do not explicitly ascribe to anarchist ideology and Saint Pepsi is no exception. In fact he barely has a public persona at all, let alone one that promotes specific political goals. However, the combination of anti-consumerist critique, diy-ethic and, as formerly established, a potent disrespect for intellectual property rights, it becomes clear that Saint Pepsi falls quite neatly in line with the means and ends of the average anarcho-communist, intentionally or not.

But how does the Saint spread our anti-capitalist message in Enjoy Yourself? It is through a process of defamiliarization, and emphasization. The song repeats slowed-down snippets from the song Off The Wall by Michael Jackson. I'm sure Michael needs no introduction, but I'd still like to clarify some things about his history. Michael Jackson had his start in Motown Records, one of the biggest titans in the music industry. Though they have platformed many great artists, they are also one of the primary culprits of the mass-commercialization of popular music. This does not necessarily make their music any worse, but it does make this song a great choice for the Saint Pepsi treatment.

It is set to clips taken from a McDonald's commercial, one of the other titans of consumerism. It features a smiling man with a moon-shaped head (who also became an alt-right symbol for some reason). He dances while playing the piano on top of a hamburger, flying through a city-scape. The city is filled with bill-boards and McDonald's' classic yellow M's. It's a bizzare picture that could only be found within the post-modern, late-capitalist regime we currently live under.

The song ends on the message "Just Enjoy Yourself!~" repeated multiple times, eventually fading out to give the impression of its infinite repetition. On the surface, this phrase gives a sense of calmth and nostalgia, it's an invitation to simply let go and have fun. However, through the constant repetition Saint Pepsi showcases the way that consumer-capitalism controls its subjects.

"Just Enjoy Yourself!~~", everything is completely fine. You have tasty food, fun music, just look at the funny moon-man and

''Just Enjoy Yourself!~~~''.

With this message the song highlights consumerism's role as a primary means to pacify the masses and manufacture its consent. If a society feels the need to constantly repeat the message that everything's fine it's a sign that it's clearly not.

But who gives a shit about what this stupid tranny has to say!?

Who gives a shit about the immorality of property right!?

Who gives a shit about achieving anarchy!?

The system is impenetrable and the world is fucked.

"Just Enjoy Yourself!~~~~"

Link to song:

[unproduciblesmackdown]

love the remark from joe about the christmas extravaganza wherein like thee main inspiration here is that it is essentially an actual christmas special that purports to be a christmas special which is about christmas specials, and his talking about like yeah the talk about commercialization(tm) of christmas and yet this is about such artifacts of [so there's Anything & there's capitalism:] but about the actual heart there & there's actually one here too, even while at no point do things pull back or become "serious" in the way that seriousness has to refer to a Tone of somberness sobriety drama & gravitas etc etc....illuminating when also only now do i know that much about the show as a whole and when also i'm not That familiar with christmas specials, though already certainly enough to like, generally Get It even without having seen the specific ones joe cites for example lol

thinking about like [there was never a Christmass held as an occasion of particular significance that didn't absorb preexisting nonchristian traditions, for instance, partying & treats] and [then a christmas carol revival and reinvention of more modern Cultural Significance, from the context of industrializing 19th century goings on & going like i don't know that the impoverishment & child labor seems great] and then like of course in a [see: that context] sense like you have Anything? in capitalism? of course like how to commodify things & fit anything that people can possibly do or desire or value into an act of consumerism, all the potential of life itself is contained in a way you can give this one company money. but at the same time here we are where just supposing there might be something "pure" of being associated with this system, you know, means what? that there, no i'm pushing through i'm making this post too lmao, that there isn't [insert Valued concept, like artistry, good intention, any genuine meaning to possibly be found] in a tv series, despite this not generally being considered the realm of High Art (which is, what, as a concept within what framework, with what examples and what reasoning) and yknow pick your true/valuable/high art, & how "pure" from any interactions w/commerce was that in its creation, or in it Now

smash cut to remembering a quote recently from someone's like first closest viewing of a Christmas(tm) happening, i think from a like roundtable article of people with varying opinions on the whole occasion from jewish currents magazine but don't quote me & i can't directly quote them but the person talking about how christmas despite all its hype seeming mostly a demanding time to perform this Event that would also invariably be a disappointment. and that had it occurring to me how like, also after the christmas carol cultural shift like the way traditions shifted / were shuffled around & absorbed & re/invented, like it wasn't really something so contained to The Home, it wasn't so centered around like whether it was amazing for small children (or there wasn't so much a concept that anything about being a small child was extra special or precious. for example the children yearn for the mines) but prior like, on The 25th what might happen is like outside homes, between Families, like the poor going out for alms, not exactly so familiar with mumming and wassailling and [it's the christmas chaos figure give it treats] as is somewhat present in halloween here modernly, hooray halloween lmao like yes Yes outside the house outside the family nighttime antics performing etc treats....anyways. also the christmas tree as like "ugh that germanic pagan ritual??" but then i think some royal xmas english or french had an xmas tree so it was like oh alright & adopted as "normal" now....but Anyways like even now reflecting like yeah lovely if Thee 25th is a genuinely nice time for people in the [nothing's open b/c why aren't you at home (or church)] nuclear family household time fr, as it's lovely if that's a generally nice context/situation/time for them in general, but it's like no the fun stuff is the more purportedly to de facto actually secular shit Outside the home & family & the 25th lmao, which is the shit that indeed seems more fun & hypey & then perhaps you encounter [actual 25th is demanding & stressful & perhaps overmuch, inevitably falling short of a pageant of perfection much less an ostensibly spontaneously genuine manifestation of perfection, etc]

certainly my own experience being like, church every week christian household so we did christmas & as a young kid it was indeed like ooh ahh i love the kind of mysterious special occasion that to me is like this chill Nighttime deal with the intriguing decorations & dim cozy Lights element like yeah love the depths of an xmas tree with the interspersed lights. then inevitably as per the nature of [you're stuck with your nuclear family in your family house, "ideally"] like the The 25th Day aspect which was never really the highlight vs the more general Xmas Zone was more an ordeal more dreaded thus eclipsing the other stuff. plus when it's like "ohh christmas can't be secular it also shouldn't even be Fun: go to church, stand around in somber wonder perhaps, the classic guilt if you want i dunno. trying to remember the annoying advent or christmas day homilies sermons Lectures like oh so you think this is a joyful time and you like the fun stuff? Wrong. not much of a conclusion beyond that now we sit around for 24 min slogging along eucharistically. ignore the more fun banger xmas singing though or we're bringing back monastic chants"

(sidebar lol a highlight of Later Christmasses Stuck With [it is a curse] was doing it monastic with nuns like yeah i'll be a tenor doing the harmony in your choir knocking out nighttime mass wahoooo....the fun of being theatrical gays like fuck yeah i'll take the reserved seating and enjoy harmonizing singing while i gotta do the church stuff anyways. and i enjoy well enough interacting w/the nuns who were nice & helping w/yknow practical shit yippee)

anyways and back to like knowing more about what's even in the full christmas extravaganza show and the illumination like oh right yeah having this Language of the heartwarming & perhaps chaotic on purpose or not Christmas Special, established / pervasive enough that even in like yeah not being very familiar w/these specific examples or even so many others, i have a grasp on the context & that language lol. as people for whom xmas is not a religious requirement thing or a casual religiousish thing or more like reverse engineering a yule out of the fun celebratory revelrous aspects & traditions lol like a secular party, or less / no direct specific interaction/relationship to the occasion: you sure still Know Of shit / have any familiarity all the same. where perhaps the stuff Surrounding xmas is like all this hype but then you participate more proximately in some [on The 25th deal] & be like isn't this just disappointing...? like so true the Secular shit is what's Fun, the [not the 25th! not dutiful church attendance!] shit is like, out of the home, interacting outside the family. it of course has the [formally businesses can only respond like uhh something something christmas is truly contained in our product] which is year round always with anything but ramped up with the [buying things] increase for xmas which is indeed a Tradition of like hey this can be expensive & stressful. and an opportunity to go "materialism....go to church" like making you think huh But. hardly necessarily Lacking anything genuine or meaningful or valuable outside [go to church] and people can be finding & creating that from what is happening in their lives anyways, & of course it doesn't have to be about Anything someone considers like ""objectively"" "significant" at all, religious or [this is anything besides a funny little occasion anyways. love to sing songs & have feasts] or like an installment of tv or like a whirlwind of like 20th century's second act secular (and decidedly heretical & technically blasphemous i'm sure combo re: the "and christianity etc etc yeah yeah" elements, if one would care about anything like that. no papal bull of approval, but ft. the tongue in cheek acknowledgment of the whole element like "it's fine to celebrate Other holidays of course. but you Gotta celebrate christmas with meeee.mp3") (separate note but shoutout to the "it's Not fine to celebrate other holidays ugh!" faction who don't Really want the idea of "we'll just be over here having a joyous occasion while you have to sit it out, unhappily unbaptized" to result in universal conversion, they just want Being Christian to confer authority, hey no you Can't be also having fun having food celebrating observing etc etc >:( and i certainly Can't be Forced at p.c. gunpoint to acknowledge Your goings on exist like You absolutely should have to Mine)

anyways it's like hell yeah fun to muse on like yeah the flipside of [strangling diminishing forces always trying to find new ways to encroach & be like how can this benefit me. like capitalism e.g.] being the creative expansive enriching forces like many people who care about the world they are in and about what actually makes life better and less strangled and diminished, which also will spontaneously find ways to grow and can't be truly extinguished or contained by the inherent stifling & limiting & extracting approach. like oh yeah of course like not just the secular out of the house outside the family shit that can be fun fr but now also the modern media, after [nothing to me b/c xmas soured & then was not much relevant & yeah i'm not exactly dying to "replace" the The 25th aspect anyways even if i supposed there was some opportunity right there but it's not much relevant] like ooh yeah fuck the joe iconis christmas extravaganza huh lmao i hear that i get that. krampusnacht's beautiful reinvention (even though afaik currently krampusnacht is also mostly about out of the house out of the family partying & antics like a lil scamp. to me it's about fucking the krampus now, alternatively, beautifully) i love it i am enthused it is a light in my heart & i'm not unserious about that, the way i could even go [!!!] just over what could be found in traces online for extravaganzas of yore back in dec 2022 when one was not currently going on. like oh yeah lol i could be on a sidewalk and go like "it's (ah) be (ah)" with corresponding choreography & the implied [—ginning to look a lot. like. chris. miss] i love strings of lights i recall the joy to the world harmony years later the nutcracker slaps always i have the media i Have encountered & do enjoy etc etc etc. and shoutout to the haters and the people who do go to church about it even possibly

[viviandoangrad604]

SDL Artist Research - International

Kenya Hara (Graphic Designer) - "White", 2010

Kenya Hara is a Japanese graphic designer and curator who has made a name for himself through his innovative and minimalist design approach. Hara often incorporates elements from traditional Japanese aesthetics and philosophy, which has helped him shape the design language of MUJI, a Japanese lifestyle brand, during his tenure as the art director. Throughout his career, Hara has emphasized the concept of "emptiness" in design, which encourages users to interpret and imagine things for themselves. He believes that design should not be dominant but instead should create a harmonious relationship between the user and the object.

His book: "White", has a minimalist aesthetic and a clean type grid. Elements are going in a vertical direction, which is an interpretation of traditional Japanese text. The works are simple, elegant, yet legible and effectively deliver the messages. Colours are also very simplified and were used to code a design section. I resonate a lot with the cleanliness of these designs, and I am inspired to cut down all the unnecessary details to portray a minimalist yet practical typographic experience. 

Max Ernst (Artist) - The Gramineous Bicycle Garnished with Bells the Dappled Fire Damps and the Echinoderms Bending the Spine to Look for Caresses, 1921

Born in Germany in 1891, Max Ernst's early studies spanned philosophy, psychology, and art across different cities. Embracing Surrealism's mission to express the irrational and subconscious, he pioneered techniques like automatism, infusing dreamlike elements into his work. "Frottage" involved pencil rubbings over textures, "Grattage" unveiled underlying textures by scraping paint, and "Collage" combined diverse materials for layered compositions. Ernst co-founded the "Collège de 'Pataphysique," a group championing unconventional art. Throughout his life, he continually experimented with techniques, leaving an indelible mark on Surrealism and modern art.

The Gramineous Bicycle Garnished with Bells the Dappled Fire Damps and the Echinoderms Bending the Spine to Look for Caresses, 1921

Max Ernst's fascination with microscopic imagery led him to an unconventional canvas: a teaching chart. He transformed the chart's underlying diagram, possibly depicting cell mitosis, into a captivating painting with organic forms merging with mechanical elements. An inscription adds a whimsical, suggestive layer. Ernst's work blurs natural and artificial, microscopic and mechanical, inviting viewers to explore his intriguing creation.

Hannah Hoch (Artist) - The Bride (Pandora)

Hannah Höch, born in 1889, emerged as a pioneering German artist in the early 20th century. A vital figure within Berlin's Dada movement, she revolutionized art through innovative photomontage techniques. By cutting and arranging images, she challenged societal norms, deconstructed narratives, and critiqued cultural constructs. With a focus on feminist and political themes, Höch's work delved into gender roles, identity, consumerism, and media. Her lasting legacy lies in inspiring subsequent artists to experiment and convey ideas in new ways. Through fearless expression and boundary-pushing techniques, Höch redefined modern art and left an enduring impact.

"The Bride (Pandora)" likely exemplifies her exploration of feminist and cultural themes, inviting viewers to deconstruct societal norms and question conventional representations. With this piece, Höch's influence on modern art shines as she challenges boundaries and provokes thought through her artistry.

Paula Scher (Graphic Designer) - Bring in da noise, bring in da funk

Paula Scher, born in 1948, is a distinguished graphic designer celebrated for her innovative work. As a partner at Pentagram, she's renowned for shaping brands and creating captivating visual identities across industries. Scher's multidisciplinary approach blends typography, imagery, and color to craft dynamic designs that leave a lasting impact on the field of graphic design.

Over the years, her style has evolved into a remarkable blend of adaptability and versatility. Drawing inspiration from Russian Constructivism and Art Deco, she has truly redefined the essence of typography. From audacious and dynamic type art in 'Bring in da noise, bring in da funk' to the refined Citibank logo, she demonstrates an innate grasp of the subject's tone and rhythm. This understanding allows her to effectively communicate complex concepts in an easily comprehensible manner. Through her work, the theme and overarching idea effortlessly resonate through visuals and type. Her approach and demeanor underscore the importance of possessing a flexible and malleable style, enabling designers to adeptly tackle diverse projects.

Carol Twombly (Graphic Designer)

Carol Twombly, born in 1959 in Concord, Massachusetts, started her career as a sculpture artist at the Rhode Island School of Design. After seeing the practical appeal of the field of graphic design, she switched from sculpture to graphic design. Carol began working for Adobe Systems in 1988 and designed many fonts that Adobe is known for; Adobe Caslon, Chaparral, Charlemagne, Lithos, Myriad, Nueva, Trajan, Trajan Sans, and Viva. In 1994, she was the first woman and only the 2nd American to receive the Prix Charles Peignot award for excellence in type design. Below are the typefaces Carol created before she left Adobe and her graphic design career in 1999.

Veronika Burian - Maiola

She was born in 1973 in Prague, Czechia. She is a type designer who studied industrial design in Munich and then worked as a product designer in Vienna and Milan. She soon discovered her true passion for typography and graduated with distinction from the MA in Typeface Design course in Reading, UK, in 2003. After a few year working as a typographer at DaltonMaag in London, Veronika founded TypeTogether with José Scaglione, one of the most crucial independent type foundries.

Above is a project by Veronika, "Maiola". It was published in 2005 with Fontshop and then in 2010 with TypeTogether. The typeface was inspired by early Czech type design, mainly by Vojtěch Preissig and Oldřich Menhart. Maiola is a contemporary typeface that is mindful of its historical heritage, implementing old-style features and calligraphic reminiscences, more frankly so in the italic. It won numerous awards, including the Type Directors Club Certificate of Typographic Excellence in 2004."

[anewnewcrest]

From Maxwell Sawyer's Blog

Frugality and hard work always bring us closer to the Watcher, and are a core value for our family. It is so important to live simply and within one's means, and we're always looking for new ways to save money by working hard and keeping our expenses down, because we all know how the Watcher blesses those who are wise stewards of the resources they are given by Him.

Because idle hands are the Enemy's playground, we used the long winter season to prepare a garden that will now that temperatures are rising surely yield precious fruit and vegetables. Theresa was excited about the prospect of canning and preserving our own fruit, and I have found that quietly working with the soil and gently tending plants cultivates the meek and quiet spirit that I wish to instill in my daughters.

Sinful secular consumerism might tell us that buying new things is preferable, but there is almost nothing that cannot be saved by judicious application of elbow grease and cleaning detergent. Take this carpet, for example - little toddlers sometimes make messes, and then they are properly admonished, and my wife and daughters are quick at work, repairing the damage. And when all of them are in the kitchen, working on the feminine art of cooking, I am overtaken with the goodness of the Watcher and pray to Him in thanks for blessing our family so abundantly.

(I hope he gets botulism. Fuck him.)

[loveaetingkids]

The Little Prince (2015) and it’s surprisingly anti-capitalistic message

(Disclaimer:I don’t claim that this cartoon was made with an intention to discuss the capitalism,rather that the problems with grownups were tied here with such things as consumerism and encouragement of overworking,which I’m going to discuss here).

Based on a story of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,the movie focuses more on the main heroine,a child,navigating the world of grown-ups,and how exactly it influences her worldview.The key elements of adult life,which were shown in the film,are education and work,both of which showcase the problems within adult society,and ultimately criticize capitalism.

Education

From the very start we see little girls ambitious mother trying to prepare her daughter for the Werth Academy,a place that is considered prestigious and hard to get in.During interview with the managers of said institution,the hero becomes overwhelmed and loses consciousness, which is why she was denied admission.Her mom,instead of being concerned for her childs mental health,encourages the girl to work and study harder by making a list of all the tasks she has to do within a certain hour of the day.She practically states that it is normal to prioritize school education over basic health or any interests,like spending time with friends(in girls case,with an old aviator).Later on,when the main character travels to a grown-ups only planet,she meets the Academy Teacher,who is known for transforming kids into workaholic adults by putting them in a special machine.Its an obvious allegory for educational system instilling constant want for academic validation in students,so that later on they won’t question the exploitative workplace they find themselves in.Which lead us to,you guessed it-

Work

After landing on an asteroid with a buzzing city on it,the girl and her stuffed fox find out about the Businessman,a character from the original book,whose company captured all the stars in the sky  to transform them into electrical power.The stars symbolize the child-like wonder and innocence,as they’re said to “carry the laughter of Little Prince”.So the BMCO reducing all that into profit stands for corporations crushing the dreams of the youth for the sake of usefulness.This is further stated by the special device powered up by the stars,that makes all the toys or “immature” objects in general into paper clips- boring,unoriginal,but practical.

In the end,the main character reconciles with her mother,who changes her ways,and enters adulthood without forgetting how to be a kid, which is to live at your own pace and be fond of things that others may consider worthless. Having rejected the rules about usefulness and good results offered by the system, the heroine found true happiness.

[artsandlit]

Reproduction and mortality might be seen as the hammer and anvil of evolution. A third element, found in whatever orange-hot piece of metal is being tempered by fire and clanging brute force, would be mutation.The way nature moves things forward and hones strength, determination, adaptability, and variation in the many forms of life.

The zoological upstart, humans, and some of their extended cousins, changed the game. I think, logically, that the idea of agriculture, which can be found among such species as leaf cutter ants, was a significant turning point, right up there with tool making. Instead of locating and acquiring food, most easily in terms of plants, a cooperative group might decide on a location where edible plants can grow in concentration. Simple and efficient once you get the knack of it. And allowing for more reproduction and more people as well as time and energy. As such, a springboard for further changes, including medicine and technology. Pretty soon, there are so many people that food production needs to be ramped up more.

Nature, whether or not viewed as sentient, seeks balance with new illnesses to try to keep human numbers in check, which in turn drives more scientific development and medicine. Within human nature that distinguishes itself as a separate, specialized branch of nature, there is competition for mates, wealth, power, and land. There is tribalism and aggression and violence. Slavery among many cultures becomes a power strategy. And another possible balance for burgeoning numbers comes in the form of war.

But I digress. Call it an overview of my perspective. More to the immediate point, when a newborn is "assigned" a gender, it's based on anatomy. The reproduction of comparatively complex species involves two sexes, another biological hammer and anvil.

Many species can experience overpopulation, producing numbers that are unsustainable, generally accompanied by a higher mortality among newborns and adults. Deer can overburden their food supply and hungry wolves can offer a less than genteel solution. One caveat being that wolves make an effort to limit their own reproduction, meaning that they have a certain comprehension of checks and balances.

Through medicine, large scale agriculture, and a lack of common sense, human population has grown to such a degree that, while many will claim otherwise, they are a threat to all living things, global sustainability, and themselves as a species. Big factors include their stripping of materials and energy from various natural sources, and their production of pollutants. In addition to their numbers in the billions.

When we talk about a gender "assigned" at birth like some draconian imposition on the part of medical personnel, parents, and society at large, it has been done in relation to anatomy. A fairly simple, straight forward, and logical process. A newborn can be healthy or unhealthy, alive, or dead, male or female. There can also be what are considered birth defects. Extra toes or fingers, a cleft palette, a missing limb, a fragile immune system, a weak heart, a stunted brain, or any other number of surprises. Some may be genetically predisposed to be virtuoso piano players, should they ever be given the opportunity to learn the piano. Great artists, master generals, brilliant inventors, mass murderers, etc. Mutation. Variables in the orange hot metal that rests on the anvil beneath that clanging hammer. The likelihood of this increases with unchecked reproduction, moreso as industry and consumerism effect water, soil, air, and food.

Toss in the pharmaceutical industry and recreational chemicals and self medication for good measure. Some are born from a body that was infused with horrific amounts of alcohol throughout the pregnancy. Or crack cocaine or meth or heroin, and so on.

There are hermaphrodites, those with anatomically scrambled elements of male and female.

If I understand correctly, there is a growing belief that many are born with the wrong equipment for their gender. I think of estrogen pollution and how it can result in high numbers of female frogs. In humans, the case is made that this is such a huge problem that educators should possess a considerable amount of power over determining what gender a seeming boy or girl should be, or actually is. This concerns a growing child's ultimate identity as well as what direction their physical development will take. It involves all important pronouns, clothing, hormones, and perhaps even surgical options. And not to forget the claims that gender is not about your anatomy or what society has saddled you with on that basis. That it's merely a social construct. Except, apparently, somehow, where intervention is concerned. Then it's a matter of life and death.

It makes me wonder. For one, how on earth did humans survive throughout history, our numbers now so great that we endanger ourselves, without all this brilliant compassionate understanding and medical advancement? Is there, perhaps, an environmental factor causing a less visible version of mismatched anatomy? Stick political machinations into it, and both race and gender are dismissed as social constructs, on the one hand, and of crucial importance on the other. Meaningless designations in terms of historic beliefs and of unimaginable importance from a "progressive " perspective. To what extent could the entire thing be psychological and invention? Another "social construct?" But one not actually supported by biology.

Disclaimer. I will probably finally have time to vote today. And it sure as hell won't be for a dictator, so take that off the plate. I do not despise transgenderism or various sexual orientations, or races, or women. So those aren't options, either. I do, absolutely, second guess identity politics. But nowhere near as terrifying as Trump and company, so far, at least. So nanny boopers to you. Michael R. Donohoe

[jothb]

I'm a communist originating from what is now known as the "Russian Federation", and if there's one thing I've learned from often being surrounded by the elderly growing up, it's that it's easier for me to list people I know that lived in the Soviet Union that dont want to go back, than those that do. And this isnt even some "Old People Wanna Retvrn" nostalgia for Better Times, (although undeniably that is a contributor), instead, more often than not, it's people abandoned by the government, who grew up in a community, forced to adapt to a more individualistic society. When I was 12 I asked my grandmother what life was like in the Soviet Union, if it was better or worse. She told me it was different. Sure, these days consumer good are far more accessible than ever, and due to her children being middle class she has access to many amenities she didnt before, or would have trouble getting a hold of. They have 2 TVs at home! But consumerism is not all there is to life. She lamented on the lack of sense of community. No one ever feels like they belong to a larger whole, instead being lost in a sea of Individuals. Nobody knows their neighbours anymore. When before the sick and the elderly knew they could, at the very least, rely on the government, both local and national, they've since been abandoned to fend for themselves. My grandfather, who passed away recently, suffered two strokes and was barely able to get up to the bathroom. The pension he was getting for being, retired, disabled and serving his country was not enough to buy groceries for a week, let alone all the drugs and medical attention he needed on the regular. If it wasnt for his children, he would have died a decade ago. At the time we discussed this he was literally in the hospital in a different city.

And then she told me a story from her childhood.

There's a library near where she used to live. Among the usual literature one would find in any library, they had a magazine corner. This wasnt uncommon, but as it happened, a woman from her town often travelled to Germany a lot for work. I do not remember the details of her work, unfortunately, but that is not important to this story. She would, often, bring German magazines back, and provide translations for the articles within it, so that the kids could practise German. Within one of those articles, in a business magazine, my grandmother spotted a phrase she found confusing. "He has a stable job" This was a phrase that didnt make much sense to her. Although admittedly she was a child, her inability to imagine an "unstable" job still said a lot. It was in such a contrast with the modern capitalist world, where workers have to beg and fight for right to work, and with it, the right to live Also Disco Elysium exists

i find it curious that not a single communist has ever actually lived in the former soviet bloc

You sound very confident for someone stating something that could not be further from the truth.

[barmudaunicorn]

Vibrant Llama: A Colorful Adventure in the World of NFTs

In this fast-growing and constantly developing field of online art and digital pieces, digital assets have found new forms of appreciation and monetization in Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). For the colorful and creative NFT collection, the collection was excellently performed at Bermuda Unicorn, and its name is Vibrant Llama.

Discovering Vibrant Llama

The concept of the Vibrant Llama collection is to embrace joviality and individual color through cheerful and comic imagination. In other words, every image within this collection is an NFT that represents a specific work of art intentionally designed to incite imagination and a feeling of childishness. With some as sharp and distinct as a cutting-edge logo, and others as complex and dream-like as an Art Nouveau design, each Vibrant Llama NFT is a message in paint.

In this regard, Bermuda Unicorn, the platform that hosts the Vibrant Llama collection is a fairly renown marketplace among digital artists and collectors. Taking their promise to feature an exclusive range of striking NFT collections into account, Bermuda Unicorn offers clients a trouble-free platform through which to engage in the purchasing of these valuable digital assets.

Artistry and Innovation

Different from the typical NYC jewelry designs, the Vibrant Llama collection embraced art and technology. One most important aspect is that each of them is not simply an image, but rather a living and breathing piece of art with unique and verified rights attached to them. This combined use of art theories coupled with advanced blockchain technology draws a picture of the potential of NFTs in the world of art.

The artists behind Vibrant Llama there has been a great adherence to the unbounded opportunities available when working in the digital domain. Here is where they subvert ideas of art ownership and consumerism engaging collectors in a renaissance of sorts where nothing is impossible and the digital realm reigns supreme.

Community and Collecting

In addition to its capability of being considered art, Vibrant Luma has developed the culture and appreciation of collectors. The heirs to these art pieces are people with similar interests, who come together to form a community of art enthusiasts based on NFTs. The community plays an essential role in the field of NFT on Bermuda Unicorn and owners of the Vibrant Llama NFTs, where the meet-up discussions, gatherings, and collaborations contribute to the ownership of NFTs as well.

The Future of NFTs

More and more Neft can be considered as an indication of the development of the culture of digital ownership and creativity, and among them, there are collections like Vibrant Llama. They question institutionalized art settings by opening the hall to the public and introducing additional sources of income for artists. Furthermore, it makes the art market transparent and secure while revealing the genuine and trusted blockchain picture.

Conclusion

All things considered, the Vibrant Llama collection on Bermuda Unicorn affords an enthusiastically hued journey towards NFT space. It marries creativity with the newest technology tools; it provides collectors with an opportunity to obtain extraordinary digital pieces that are guaranteed by blockchain technology. While contemplating what the future holds for the art world and the ownership rights to digital creations such as Vibrant Llama, which is set to make its public debut at the renowned Miami Art Week 2021, we can prepare for a new art world with much more diverse representation and possibilities.

Explore the Vibrant Llama collection Check out the rich and luxurious artwork in Bermuda Unicorn’s Vibrant Llama collection and start your voyage into the enchanting realm of NFTs, Whether you have a hobby with painting or mastering computer skills, it is always fascinating to be the owner of a creation that is liberated from frames and as passionate as free-spirited paint strokes. Get yourself the latest Llama, become part of the magic world, and explore new opportunities now.

For more insights into the world of NFTs and to explore other exciting collections, visit Bermuda Unicorn.

[charledaniel]

Vibrant Llama: A Colorful Adventure in the World of NFTs

In this fast-growing and constantly developing field of online art and digital pieces, digital assets have found new forms of appreciation and monetization in Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). For the colorful and creative NFT collection, the collection was excellently performed at Bermuda Unicorn, and its name is Vibrant Llama.

Discovering Vibrant Llama

The concept of the Vibrant Llama collection is to embrace joviality and individual color through cheerful and comic imagination. In other words, every image within this collection is an NFT that represents a specific work of art intentionally designed to incite imagination and a feeling of childishness. With some as sharp and distinct as a cutting-edge logo, and others as complex and dream-like as an Art Nouveau design, each Vibrant Llama NFT is a message in paint.

In this regard, Bermuda Unicorn, the platform that hosts the Vibrant Llama collection is a fairly renown marketplace among digital artists and collectors. Taking their promise to feature an exclusive range of striking NFT collections into account, Bermuda Unicorn offers clients a trouble-free platform through which to engage in the purchasing of these valuable digital assets.

Artistry and Innovation

Different from the typical NYC jewelry designs, the Vibrant Llama collection embraced art and technology. One most important aspect is that each of them is not simply an image, but rather a living and breathing piece of art with unique and verified rights attached to them. This combined use of art theories coupled with advanced blockchain technology draws a picture of the potential of NFTs in the world of art.

The artists behind Vibrant Llama there has been a great adherence to the unbounded opportunities available when working in the digital domain. Here is where they subvert ideas of art ownership and consumerism engaging collectors in a renaissance of sorts where nothing is impossible and the digital realm reigns supreme.

Community and Collecting

In addition to its capability of being considered art, Vibrant Luma has developed the culture and appreciation of collectors. The heirs to these art pieces are people with similar interests, who come together to form a community of art enthusiasts based on NFTs. The community plays an essential role in the field of NFT on Bermuda Unicorn and owners of the Vibrant Llama NFTs, where the meet-up discussions, gatherings, and collaborations contribute to the ownership of NFTs as well.

The Future of NFTs

More and more Neft can be considered as an indication of the development of the culture of digital ownership and creativity, and among them, there are collections like Vibrant Llama. They question institutionalized art settings by opening the hall to the public and introducing additional sources of income for artists. Furthermore, it makes the art market transparent and secure while revealing the genuine and trusted blockchain picture.

Conclusion

All things considered, the Vibrant Llama collection on Bermuda Unicorn affords an enthusiastically hued journey towards NFT space. It marries creativity with the newest technology tools; it provides collectors with an opportunity to obtain extraordinary digital pieces that are guaranteed by blockchain technology. While contemplating what the future holds for the art world and the ownership rights to digital creations such as Vibrant Llama, which is set to make its public debut at the renowned Miami Art Week 2021, we can prepare for a new art world with much more diverse representation and possibilities.

Explore the Vibrant Llama collection Check out the rich and luxurious artwork in Bermuda Unicorn’s Vibrant Llama collection and start your voyage into the enchanting realm of NFTs, Whether you have a hobby with painting or mastering computer skills, it is always fascinating to be the owner of a creation that is liberated from frames and as passionate as free-spirited paint strokes. Get yourself the latest Llama, become part of the magic world, and explore new opportunities now.

For more insights into the world of NFTs and to explore other exciting collections, visit Bermuda Unicorn.

[isocertificationincanada1]

How will ISO 45001 Certification in Canada help your business

About ISO 45001 Certification in Canada

ISO 45001 certification in Canada. OHSMS (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems) is implemented within an organization under ISO 45001, a standard published by the International for Standardization in 2001. The measure also helps you identify risks and proactively plan actions to prevent or mitigate them. With many organizations thriving daily, the Canadian economy is growing ISO certification in Canada ISO certification in Canada.

You can, therefore, gain a competitive edge over your competitors by obtaining ISO 45001 Certification in Canada. Furthermore, it reinforces your organization’s commitment to safety and well-being among staff, clients, customers, and shareholders.

ISO 45001:2018 replaced OHSAS 18001:2007 as the standard that addressed workplace safety. This new standard was implemented three years ago, so organizations had three years to revamp their OHSMS. As a result of COVID-19, the timeline for transition was extended.

No matter what size or industry an organization operates in, ISO 45001 Certification is applicable. The standard aims to establish a healthy work environment and continually improve your OHSMS to meet changing regulations.

Benefits of ISO 45001 Certification in Canada 

Besides the safe work environment, the benefits of ISO 45001 certification are many. These include:

It reduced liability costs by preventing workplace injuries and accidents.

A reduction in the number of days lost due to injuries or illness.

Insurance premiums are reduced.

Absenteeism is reduced

Your employees will be motivated by this motivational boost.

Through transparency in processes, changes can be adopted more quickly.

Compliance with the law is ensured.

After a risk event, it allows the organization to return to its usual business.

ISO 45001 certification in Canada is available to whom?

Consumer demands and expectations have increased exponentially as a result of growing consumerism. The commercial landscape is highly competitive, making it difficult for businesses to stand out. Staying relevant for a long time is all the more difficult ISO 9001 certification in Canada.

Therefore, you must showcase your resilience to any crisis to build confidence in your customers, clients, shareholders, and community. To keep your workforce motivated and productive, they must feel secure about their workplace safety. All these things can be achieved by applying for ISO 45001 online in Ontario, Canada. Because of this, it applies to organizations of any size or sector.

ISO 45001 certification in Canada requirements: What are they?

To implement OHSMS in practice, an organization can implement ISO 45001 certification; an organization can implement OHSMS in practice. A list of these can be found in sections 4 through 10 of Annex SL to ISO 45001 Standard. Three teams are introductory, and the last seven are about OHSMS requirements.

The organization’s context is discussed in this section, including internal and external factors. The OHSMS can then be tailored to meet your organization’s needs.

In section 5: Leadership, higher management is emphasized as necessary in implementing OHSMS effectively. It provides for responsibilities and roles to be delegated.

This section aims to identify and mitigate risks to your health and safety. Communication must flow through different channels at all levels to accomplish this.

Section 7: Support– This section specifies the human or infrastructure resources required to implement this system.

Managing your OHSMS involves operating it and evaluating its legal compliance.

In section 9, you consider your OHSMS performance by regularly monitoring and measuring your OHSMS to maintain its effectiveness.

Section 10: Continual Improvement– Improving management systems requires regular assessment and planning.

How do I obtain ISO 45001 certification in Canada?

You will begin the certification process only after your quality management system has been implemented and operated for some days. During certification audits, proper documentation should be provided. In Canada, you should apply for ISO 45001 certification once you are sure of the operations of your management system.

The first step is to complete the application form and review the certification requirements. Internal audits must be conducted if your documentation meets ISO 45001 standards. Getting ISO 45001 Certification in Canada involves the following steps:-

An internal audit ensures that documents comply with the standards’ specifications.

During the management audit, the management reviews the gaps from the internal audit and decides how the ISO 45001 Standard applies to your organization.

Corrective actions must be implemented to close the gaps identified in the previous two stages. The disciplinary actions you take must be documented.

There are four stages in the ISO 45001 certification process:-

To determine whether you are ready for the certification audit, auditors from the certification body of your choice will review your documentation during stage one (documentation survey).

The auditor examines your processes and documentation for conformance with ISO 45001 requirements during Stage Two (primary audit). Your company’s practices, reports, and records are reviewed.

It is possible to suffer an injury or a hazard in any working environment. When your organization applies for ISO 45001 in Canada, you can show the market that your occupational health and safety infrastructure is resilient. Apart from enhancing the image, this helps you gain many businesses on a global scale. Hence, ISO 45001 certification in Alberta, ISO 45001 Certification in Québec, and ISO 45001 in Ontario, Canada, have immeasurable benefits for your organization ISO 27001 certification in Canada.

Why Factocert for ISO Certification in Canada

We provide the best ISO consultants in Canada, Who are very knowledgeable and provide the best solution. And to know how to get ISO certification in the . Kindly reach us at https://factocert.com/contact-us/. ISO Certification consultants work according to ISO standards and help organizations implement ISO certification in with proper documentation.

For more information visit: ISO 45001 certification in Canada

Related Article: ISO Consultants in Canada

[sylvie-duh]

Some basic thoughts on the Soviet Union, East Bloc and it's legacy for the socialist left

I'm not trying to really make a fleshed out article or theory of the Soviet Union's place in how we think about socialist history but I want to outline some of my basic thoughts so if I end up engaging anyone on the subject they at least know where I'm coming from.

We can generally understand societies as an economic structure that mediates how people interact with each other and how goods and resources are distributed along with a basic Modus operandi for how an economy works and a Raison d'Etre. I.E what the central tendency of an economy is and what economic operators are working towards. Under capitalism we understand that goods are created by workers in workplaces owned by capitalists for the purpose of profit and that the ownership of businesses by "financial capital" as joint stock ventures or as publicly traded companies on the stock market means that while the goal of profit making is being managed on a day to day basis by CEOs and corporate executives, the actual directive to make profit that rewards/punishes these executives is found in finance capital (whether their stock goes up, whether banks find them solvent enough to give them loans, and the fact that most corporate executives are paid in stock more than money so that discipline by the un-human hand of finance capital). We can distinguish capitalist economies from let's say early market economies like Rome or pre-industrial Europe by two major distinctions:

That slavery was far more widespread than in modern capitalism and that wage labor was far more rare, and that many workers who were being paid owned their own "means of production" (think cottage industries). This means that the "worker" as a coherent category wasn't as much of a thing and that people who made products were often excluded from being able to partake in consumerism to any degree or the purchase of property.

That while the ruling classes were engaging in profit making activities they were doing it on their own behalf's and not on the behalf of stockholders. There is a bit of nuance here, Phoenicians had developed something like loans to finance shipping voyages and guilds existed in some form but these were merely the seeds that would sprout into modern capitalism later since they lacked that disciplining force of financial markets and in the case of guilds were more interested in self-preservation and maintaining the interests of their members as quasi co-equals as opposed to creating a corporate hierarchy to funnel all of the profits to the non-existent shareholders.

Economic structure is generally referred to Base in Marxism and the legal and social structure of a society is referred to as the superstructure. The superstructure is more or less what we think of as "civil society" and includes how the government works, and how society is organized both within the state and private organizations. The interaction between civil society including the state, "non-state" actors (that category is murky, see Gramsci and Althusser) and economic forces create the hegemonic ideology that permeates through our social relationships and creates what we know as "culture". I.E the social norms, values and mores that we use to navigate our relationships and day-to day lives.

So when we look at the Soviet Union and much of the Eastern bloc we can understand them as both economic structures (the planned economy, the illicit economy, the system of blat where economic managers exchanged goods between each other in a system of exchanging favors, almost a gift economy but concentrated at the type of economic power) and also as political structures (the party state, the political line of the communist parties, the political cultures and laws of the state along with it's legal system).

We can also understand it as the direction it was headed towards. We can look at the history of U,S capitalism in the 20th century and understand that the profit motive and a variety of other factors which I won't get into was leading to the abandonment of the gold standard and of state intervention in the economy and the welfare in favor of what we know as "neo-liberal" or "late" capitalism, and within the economic structures and tendencies of "neo-liberal capitalism" we can glean what is coming next. We can understand this in both it's political trajectory (The decline of the influence of organized labor in American politics and the rise of a resurgent pro-market right-wing created by a newly empowered class of billionaires that previously didn't exist in such large numbers with as many resources) and it's economic trajectory (the gradual decline of manufacturing, the rise of financial speculation and real estate speculation, the creation of new political constituencies through mass media and consumerism).

So where does that leave us with the USSR? I'm not going to articulate a fully fleshed theory of the Soviet Economy here. I'm going to refer people to the work of Hillel Tickten to really explain the meats and vegetables of what I'm referring to here. Please read "Towards a Political Economy of the USSR" to understand what I'm talking about.

But in essence what he's articulating is a theory of the Soviet Economy as a non-mode of production. What does he mean by that?:

That the Soviet Economy lacks a real central tendency such as a profit motive to organize it's economic planning around

That the political orientation of the Soviet Union developed away from the socialization of the means of production (the creation of horizontal along with vertical structures of planning the economy, the democratic management of the economy and the workplace) and the revolutionization of social relationships away from capitalist-feudalist forms of social relationships (think how the Soviets more or less began to thaw on woman's liberation, settling for an uncomfortable marriage of empowering woman in the workplace while glorifying them as homemakers of the Soviet Family, we can almost think of it as an abandonment of Woman's liberation for Soviet Girlboss Feminism)

That both the economy and the political goals of Soviet Economic planning evolved away from creating abundance and reducing work in order to empower people to take control of the commanding heights of the economy and society to the creation of a consumer economy that could "out compete the west" in terms of providing a consumer economy that could give your average soviet citizen more goods within the context of a planned economy with state ownership. You can think of the political orientation of the USSR as trying to create a government owned Mc Donalds that had cheaper and bigger hamburgers than the west.

So what we've got here is a mode of production that unlike the liberal west wasn't transitioning into anything really other than the production of more goods both in it's economic orientation and political orientation. Hence a "Non-Mode of Production". I'm really emphasizing the lack of a political orientation for the USSR and the Eastern bloc over a good economic explanation because the former is more important for the points I want to make here so again please refer to "Towards a Political Economy of the USSR".

Yet where I differ is where I would see the legacy of the USSR within the socialist movement.

For most of the history of the socialist movement during the 20th century, identifying the class nature of the USSR was essential because developing a supportive or oppositional relationship was paramount in the context of "actually existing socialism" as a present actor in global politics. This question was of vital importance as one could depend on the support or opposition of either the USSR or China to your political work in this period and whether you thought either of these countries were "Socialist" was synonymous with whether you would embrace the day to day banalities of their social system up to their foreign policy and political structure or whether you would oppose it. Essentially the question was where you were going to build a friend/enemy distinction within global politics as they existed at the time.

However the Eastern bloc no longer exists. These states are either gone or husks of their former selves that maintain a party-state structure over a capitalist economy because it's the best way for members of their respective party-states to enrich themselves and guarantee social and political stability while allowing some of the benefits of the newly developed market economy to trickle down (in many cases more equitably than the west) to the broader masses. Even Cuba who I'd argue is a "socialist" state by the rough outline of a definition I will establish here is under a state of siege and is no longer exporting it's politics as a force on the global stage.

So the question really becomes a different question of whether or not the Soviet Invasion of Czecho-Slovakia and Hungary were "good" or "bad". We don't need to draw that strict friend/enemy distinction because the "enemy" or "friend" isn't an actor on the global stage anymore. The question is what should we make of this complicated legacy of the Soviet Union and the Eastern bloc which includes uplifting billions out of poverty, freeing untold millions of women from the shackles of homebound life into productive and fulfilling lives, and the funding and creating of anti-colonial and liberation movements that freed the world from European colonialism and created revolutionary politics amongst oppressed people world wide, but also includes so many cynical and self-serving foreign policy decisions such as the complicated but ultimately disastrous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the frankly oppressive political structure of the Soviet World.

So with this question in mind I want to return to that discussion of political orientation, ideology and state structure. Most of these societies except during brief periods of time were not progressing towards communism. To a degree this is inevitable given their competition with the capitalist west, but also we can't completely ignore or excuse this as these states existing in a capitalist global order since there were genuine attempts at democratic and emancipatory politics in the early Soviet Union with the early domination of the Soviet as a form of mass participatory politics in the Soviet Union and the Rise and fall of the People's Communes and urban communes in Mao-Era China along with the mass democracy that is modern Cuban politics that exists in a much worse state of siege than the USSR ever did.

Yet even if these states were not communist (how could they have been) or progressing towards communism via mass socialization of economic political life (or in other worse, "socialist") then what should we make of them? To simply dismiss them as capitalist is to be fundamentally ignorant of the fact that for the millions of people of 1/6th of world for three generations people lived and worked in a society free of private ownership, private profit and a capitalist class that owned the means of production. Furthermore it also ignores the fact that the Socialists in command of these countries didn't just maintain the planned economy because they thought it could create a better consumer economy than the capitalist west but because they also had a deep moral and political objection to the way that the system of free market capitalism destroyed culture, the livelihoods of the global oppressed and third world and denied people the right to a good job, healthcare and housing.

The Soviet system for all its faults had a fundamentally different social contract to the capitalist west that sought to guarantee a fair and decent quality of life to it's people and only collapsed when this was no longer feasible, and the Eastern bloc was faced with implementing an austerity regime that was politically and ideologically infeasible. This social contract was not Communism or Communist, but we can call this genuine attempt to de-commodify the economy in order to provide a universally acceptable living standard as "socialist". Clearly not in the sense of existing in a socialist society progressing towards communism, but also as a political tendency that is opposed to capitalism and exists within the socialist tradition in the same way that the modern Bolivarian Revolution and the old social democrats of Berinstein and late Kautsky Social Democratic Party of Germany.

In a broad sense then, Communists share a political tradition with them and a variety of shared goals and strategies along with a common opponent in Capitalism.

So what does this mean for how we should understand the legacy of these states and these movements?

In two points: 1) That these movements and states were fundamentally anti-capitalist and were attempting to create a new society from the ashes of the old

2) That they had some tremendous successes worth studying and defending within our history while creating a number of blunders and tragedies that should be learned from or outright condemned without question or qualification along with a number of missteps that exist in some space in-between that need to be contextualized and re-understood but also need to be known as missteps.

In essence the socialist movement needs to seriously grasp Amilcar Cabral's directive to "tell no lies, claim no easy victories." We need to seriously understand what happened in these societies that made them fail while also learning from their victories and half victories and embracing them and seeking to improve on them. We need to learn the histories of these societies as they actually were.

There are so many good resources and so much good information and scholarship for the Eastern bloc that I recommend listening to Cosmopod's various episodes on these subjects. There are more resources of course but a master list either can be created or already exists.

So with this basic task in mind of learning from our past we also need to avoid to central tendencies of the modern left.

We need to avoid a fetishistic disavowal of simply denouncing the former eastern bloc as authoritarian, buercratic collectivist or state capitalist states that possess a fundamental evil that we need to distance ourselves from. So much of this tendency comes from a desire to maintain political relationships with liberals and other members of "normal" bourgeois society that feel productive but are ultimately shallow as they aren't based in a desire to learn how to revolutionize social conditions and to translate socialist theory and history into a modern political practice. It also comes from a fundamental lack of curiosity and desire to "rock the boat" by opposing and unlearning Imperialist and Capitalist propaganda. Yet there is no such thing as being a socialist and avoiding these attacks from liberals and insitutions of the state and the capitalist media. These insitutions have a class interest against our politics and no matter how we phrase them or try to differentiate ourselves from "the bad guys" they will still come after us and slander us. After all how many times has AOC been called a Communist when she's furthest from being one, or have liberals called modern Russia "Communist" despite the fact that Russia today is a capitalist oligarchy ruled by a man installed by the U.S government to disassemble the remains of the Soviet State and repress the Russian Left. If we are going to be attacked by the capitalists either way, let's learn how those who came before us defeated them before and how they lost so we can win next time.

We need to avoid outright lies and delusions about the history of socialism. Works of historic fabrication such as Grover Furr's "The Mystery of the Katyn Massacre: The Evidence, the Solution" and "Khruschev Lied" are not brave acts of truth telling, or pieces of scholarship that can help us win the battle of democracy. These works are masturbatory self-delusions for people who fundamentally acknowledge the inhumanities of capitalism but want a "team" to root for and can't imagine the emotional vulnerability of integrating the fact that this "team" no longer exists and that Stalin and Deng Xiaoping were not heroes who might have made a couple mistakes here and there but were exemplary revolutionaries that are coming to save us. The sad thing about these sorts of individuals is that they know they are lying to themselves and everyone around them knows it to. There's absolutely no reason to make the uphill battle of fighting imperialist and capitalist propaganda harder unless your goal isn't the creation of a mass socialist movement capable of taking power, but is instead the creation of insular social cliques and sub-cultures and parasocial relationships where they can interact with the like-minded free of scrutiny and critique. Fundamentally this desire comes from a social alienation from society at large that is breed by capitalism and as a result is not the basis of creating a mass emancipatory politic but instead serves to reproduce networks of friendships and niche left-wing content creators.

It has become an almost unbearable cliche to quote that last line of Marx's Theses on Feuerbach. Yet the task ahead of the Socialist movement has always been fundamentally the same now as it was then;

"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point is to change it."

We have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us. Yet we have an immense history blowing wind into in our sails. Let's not fall into delusion or despair or fall into propoganda either new or old.

We have alot of work ahead of us after all, so let's get right to it then.