#also if youre an 03 fan looking for the series feel free to message me too

[rayneul]

Ray Route Bad Ending 3 Guide

(donʼt/never answer messages it give good heart so i suggest dont answer it :))

Day 8 (100%)

01:37 – Rapid Contact

Selection 1 I can’t sleep.

Selection 2 I might need some help now…. (Nothing)

Selection 3 There’s something wrong with the chatroom.

Selection 4 I’m scared…

Selection 5 …. Then what will happen to me?

Selection 6 That’s because I have to keep my promise with Ray… (Ray)

Selection 7 …Did you read what I’ve been writing so far?

Selection 8 I want to go rest now… I’m tired….

Selection 9 Wow…what’s it about? (Nothing)

Selection 10 But right now we have more important matter at hand. (Ray)

Selection 11 I think it’s better not to miss anything that could raise our name value.

Selection 12 I think it all depends on his luck…

Selection 13 But you can’t pessess and actor on stage.

Selection 14 I’m into games.

Selection 15 I’m too scared to sleep alone…

No Caller ID & 707 Calling

- Yes I am… Who is this?

- No recording, please.

- There’s one missing.

- I can’t hear you.

- Was it you just know who pulled the prank?

- What if I get caught lying?

 03:46 – What Should I Do with You

Selection 1 Yes…?

Selection 2 I thought you’d be mad if I don’t….

Selection 3 Please don’t play with me….

Selection 4 Okay….

Selection 5 Maybe….

Selection 6 Why would you be mean with food…? (Nothing)

Selection 7 I’ll be good to you!

Selection 8 How can I make you happier?

Selection 9 I’ll get used to it fast….

Selection 10 I’m sorry…

Selection 11 I’ll do anything you tell me… Please don’t throw me away.

Story Mode – This is ridiculous…

- Ray has become different… I  was so alarmed.

- No longer here…?

- Can’t you save me…?

 Saeran Calling

- It would have been great if I could help you with hacking skills.

- I’m ready.

- I’m drawing it while listening. Keep talking please.

- Don’t imprison me…

07:21 – In My Opinion

Selection 1 Is it because of the governmental commendation? (Nothing)

Selection 2 Seven, you don’t have another you hisdden within, do you…?

Selection 3 It’d be near impossible to win….

Selection 4 Now there’s stronger and smarter hacker. Because the one before him was no good.

Selection 5 I’m scared….

Selection 6 The part will be held, right…?

Selection 7 Hello….

Selection 8 Don’t you think it’s better to accept when an offer is made?

Selection 9 Isn’t it a little suspicious that Seven is against it? I thought he liked anything that’s free.

Selection 10 Please trust Seven a little more. (707)

Selection 11 You didn’t want commendation because of your guilt.

Selection 12

So you don’t deserve the commendation….

Selection 13 I’m going to vote for you!

Selection 14 I think he offered the commendation only because he’s V’s fan.

Selection 15 We will be holding parties, right?

Selection 16 Good idea! (Email from housekeeper)

Selection 17 What files? Are they important? Can you send them to me too?

Selection 18 Have a good one.

Selection 19 You must be feeling awfully sorry.

Selection 20 Are you stitching right now?

Selection 21 Be careful not to prick your finger! (Nothing)

Jumin Calling

- Do you oppose in receiving the government commendation?

- Maybe…because of political reasons?

- Worst scenario?

09:03 – FINALLY

Selection 1 Zen… Can you talk to me..? This is so hard….

Selection 2 Now all you have to do is go out there and show them what you’re made of! (Nothing)

Selection 3 I don’t see anythng noteworthy apart from your face.

Selection 4 Hey…

Selection 5 Sounds delicious…. (Ray)

Selection 6 It feel so good to see someone else showing the evil I can’t….

Selection 7 I think I prefer bad guys.

Selection 8 I’m hungry…

Selection 9 But he added love. You should eat it….

Selection 10 I have a bad feeling about this.

Selection 11 Let’s throw it away and make a new one.

Selection 12 Did the luck really burn…?

Selection 13 Precious is food….

Selection 14 Make sure you’re on time. (Nothing)

Selection 15 Hungry…

Selection 16 Does it really make me lucky?

Selection 17 Can I cut them in chunks? (Nothing)

Selection 18 Yoosung, wanna marry me?

Selection 19 Back there you were neglecting your stew while chatting, weren’t you?

Selection 20 Yoosung, you’re adorable.

Selection 21 I’m going to enjoy it with my bias.

Selection 22 But I can’t even share it. I think I’m getting hungrier…

11:16 – I Really Want to Know!

Selection 1 Did the stew taste good?

Selection 2 I think so… You’ve done well. (Nothing)

Selection 3 Are you just going to leave me here?

Selection 4 There’s not much time. (Ray)

Selection 5 I wonder why you didn’t get a contact, Yoosung… (Nothing)

Selection 6 Why would you want to make sure?

Selection 7 Are you that timid?

Selection 8 I think Seven has so many stories….

Selection 9 Yes, I will. If there’s something I can do. (Ray) Depending on the situation.

Selection 10 Alright. Run along.

Selection 11 Can you call the prosecution series to find me?

Selection 12 Zen… I’m sure it’s nothing! (Ray)

Selection 13 IS this what the lucky stew brought upon you?

Selection 14 This isn’t related to me, is it…?

Selection 15 Didn’t you say V is calling you? (Nothing)

Selection 16 Yes, please do.

Yoosung Calling

- What are you uneasy about, he’s only being interview. Yoosung..did you…did you do something?

- Wow. What if that’s the case? I’m suddenly feeling uneasy too…

13:58 – Very Shocking

Selection 1 This is so shocking.

Selection 2 I’m the one who’s suffering the most…

Selection 3 Are you sure RFA is still innocent?

Selection 4 Or maybe Zen had a stalker.

Selection 5 Long is the pathway of stitching…

Selection 6 Do you think V will be willing to do that?

Selection 7 You’re leaving already?

Selection 8 I’d say it’s 96.74999654%!

Selection 9 Jumin, don’t you have to go now?

Selection 10 Maybe things will turn out the way an authority wants to…

Selection 11 Sure. You need to work anways.

Selection 12 I’ll try.

 Jaehee Calling

- If it’s Zen, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about!

- Why don’t you look into it through the intelligence unit?

- I predict it as 99.99%!

16:04 – V’s Decision

Selection 1 I’m nervous….

Selection 2 You mean the hacker’s attack that’s still going on?

Selection 3 Have you now realized that you’re not good enough.

Selection 4 No…. If you cancel the party, then I…

Selection 5 It doesn’t sound completely rational.

Selection 6 You mean we’re not going to hold the party? (Nothing)

Selection 7 No… What if I’m thrown away?

Selection 8 But then won’t that affect the guests in a bad way?

Selection 9 Okay…

Selection 10 For what?

Selection 11 I don’t think I can trust you…

Selection 12 I’m scared… It feels like something will fall upon me.

Selection 13 My introduction to the RFA itself is a secret…. (Ray)

Selection 14 He must have a secret mission of his own….

Selection 15 Doesn’t that mean the messenger will soo be in crisis because of the hacker?

Selection 16 Bye.

Story Mode – Okay, that’s enough edge for today

(Door Opened)

- I don’t deserve to make any thought.

- I…think you’re amazing.

- I don’t deserve to say no.

- Yes…

- Yes…

- Yes.

 V Calling

- V…this is tough.

- It’s nothing.

- Would you have made that decision if you were truly worried of me? What are you going to do if I do fall in danger?

18:31 – Sorry. This is all my fault.

Selection 1 Zen! Is your interrogation over? (Nothing)

Selection 2 Since you’re talking about selfies, I’m guessing nothing big happened? (Nothing)

Selection 3 What happened to the rehearsal? (Nothing)

Selection 4 Maybe that’s one of the emergency features of the app. Everything going on in here is confidential, you know? (Nothing)

Selection 5 Probably…..

Selection 6 Seven you must be busy.

Selection 7 There won’t be a party. Looks like I’m not useful anymore.

Selection 8 The party’s intention was never good in the first place…. It’s all V’s fault.

Selection 9 Is this true? (Nothing)

Selection 10 So what did you tell them? (Nothing)

Selection 11 It’s too late. You need to tell us what’s going on.

Selection 12 You sure have a lot of secrets.

Selection 13 Are you running away…? Though that is one option….

Selection 14 Where are you going? (Nothing)

Selection 15 Seven can manage himself. He’ll be fine… right?

Selection 16 Even if you do, he won’t tell you what you want… As always.

Selection 17 Will you come save me if I’m in trouble…?

 Zen Calling

- I’m worried that your looks would have deteriorated.

- What’s there to be complicated about? You’re done with the prosecution interview, the party on hold is V’s decision, and Seven… he’ll take care of it himself.

 20:48 – Cornered

Selection 1 Didn’t V say that he has a favor to ask you? (Nothing)

Selection 2 Can’t we talk to V to change his mind?

Selection 3 Do you think they’re also watching ‘me?’ (Nothing)

Selection 4 Tell me a secret. Anything is fine. Even if there won’t be a party, I must prove that I’m useful…

Selection 5 What is he up to now?

Selection 6 It’s fairly common to see an innocent people framed after a single wrong move… I should know. (Ray)

Selection 7 V guaranteed my identification. You shouln’t be suspicious of me.

Selection 8 Even if I do something wrong and someone finds out…I’ll be thrown away before someone arrives.

Selection 9 I need to do as they tell me….

Selection 10 Even if I do, I know that you’ll throw me out faster than they can save me.

Selection 11 I’m sorry….

Selection 12 Please don’t do that….

Selection 13 Am I useless now?

Selection 14 What are you going to do to me…?

Selection 15 Please don’t throw me away…

Selection 16 Okay… What do you want me to do?

Selection 17 I’m scared….

Selection 18 …I can only do what I’m told to do anyways.

Selection 19 Okay…. (Nothing)

Selection 20 I’ll try.

 707 Calling

- I’ve lost contact with the RFA members! Please let me get in touch!

- Can you hear me? Tell V that we must have the party! If not, I…

22:14 – Treasure

Selection 1 Role play.

Selection 2 Hello…Ray.

Selection 3 Saeran and I are doing well… (Ray)

Selection 4 I don’t remember them very well… I must have forgotten because I’m an airhead.

Selection 5 I think so….

Selection 6 Now I know… That I’m nothing special…

Selection 7 Bye…

 Saeran Calling

- I’m not up to something. I’ll here quietly.

- Yes. I understand. Do as you like.

23:39 – Survival of the Fittest

Selection 1 Why won’t you come see me?

Selection 2 I never thought about that. I’m too stupid to reach that part.

Selection 3 Do I deserve to see her…?

Selection 4 Hello, my savoir.

Selection 5 Where is Ray? My savoir! Please love me… Aren’t you the founder of the RFA…? (Ray)

Selection 6 My savoir…?

Selection 7 I made a mistake… Please let me make up for it!

Selection 8 It’s all my fault. I’m an airhead.

Selection 9 So you did save Ray…!

Selection 10 He must enjoy torturing me.

Selection 11 So you’re saying…I am useful, aren’t you?

Selection 12 …Now I know that I’m weak.

Rika Calling

- Not interested. He’s not Ray.

- Are you trying to say is that you saved him?

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Pluralistic: 13 Mar 2020 (The third Little Brother book, Where I write, stream global news, AT&T's CEO gets millions for his failures, Chelsea Manning freed, Katie Porter vs CDC, Trump's scientific nihilism, Covid-malware co-evolution, Siennese solidarity)

Today's links

Announcing the third Little Brother book, Attack Surface: And a new Little Brother/Homeland reissue, with an intro by Ed Snowden!

Where I Write: A column for the CBC that's really about how I write.

Stream 200+ global news channels: Each hand-picked, no registration required.

AT&T's CEO fired 23,000 workers and gave himself a 10% raise: Life on the easiest setting.

Chelsea Manning is free: But she's been fined $256K for refusing to testify to the Grand Jury.

Rep Katie Porter forces CDC boss to commit to free testing: Literally the most effective questioner in Congress.

Trump's unfitness in a plague: It's not because he's an ignoramus, it's because he's a nihilist.

Malware that hides behind a realtime Covid-19 map: Peter Watts' prophecy comes true.

Locked-down Siennese sing their city's hymn: A cause for hope in the dark.

This day in history: 2015, 2019

Colophon: Recent publications, current writing projects, upcoming appearances, current reading

Announcing the third Little Brother book, Attack Surface (permalink)

Attack Surface is the third Little Brother book, coming out next October.

It's told from the point of view of Masha, the young woman who is Marcus Yallow's frenemy who works first for the DHS and then for a private spook outfit. It's a book about how good people talk themselves into doing bad things, and how they redeem themselves. It ranges from Iraq to the color revolutions of the former USSR, to Oakland and the Movement for Black Lives.

The story turns on cutting-edge surveillance and counter-surveillance: self-driving cars, over-the-air baseband radio malware, IMSI catchers, CV dazzle and adversarial examples, binary transparency and warrant canaries.

This week, I did a wide-ranging and deep interview with Andrew Liptak for Polygon about the book, the Little Brother series, the techlash, the tech workers' uprising (and #TechWontBuildIt), and the future of technological self-determination.

We also revealed the cover for Attack Surface, which was designed by the incomparable Will Staehle (who is eligible for a Best Artist Hugo – nominations close today!).

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250757531

Not only that, but Staehle has also designed a cover for a new omnibus edition of Little Brother and Homeland that comes out this July, and as you can see from that cover, the book has an all-new introduction by none other than Ed Snowden!

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250774583

(In 2017, Staehle also designed all-new covers for my adult backlist)

https://www.tor.com/2017/10/18/cory-doctorow-will-staehle-covers/

The Little Brother books are neither optimistic nor pessimistic about technology: instead, they are hopeful. Hope is the belief that you can materially improve your life if you take action. A belief in human agency and the power of self-determination.

The message of Little Brother is neither "Things will all be fine" nor "We are all doomed."

It's: "This will be so great…if we don't screw it up."

Where I Write (permalink)

I learned to be a writer while my life was in total chaos. Decades later, I have a beautiful office to work in, but I still do my best writing typing hurriedly on subway trains, in taxi-cabs, and airport lounges.

https://www.cbc.ca/arts/finding-comfort-in-the-chaos-how-cory-doctorow-learned-to-write-from-literally-anywhere-1.5489363

My CBC column on where I write is really a primer on how I write: what it takes to be able to write when you're sad, or anxious, or wracked with self-doubt.

Unquestionably the most important skill I've acquired as a writer.

"Even though there were days when the writing felt unbearably awful, and some when it felt like I was mainlining some kind of powdered genius and sweating it out through my fingertips, there was no relation between the way I felt about the words I was writing and their objective quality, assessed in the cold light of day at a safe distance from the day I wrote them. The biggest predictor of how I felt about my writing was how I felt about me. If I was stressed, underslept, insecure, sad, hungry or hungover, my writing felt terrible. If I was brimming over with joy, the writing felt brilliant."

Stream 200+ global news channels (permalink)

TV News is an Android app that pulls like Youtube streams from 200+ global news channels in 50 languages, each manually selected by the app's creator, Steven Clift, whose work I've previously admired.

http://tvnewsapp.com/

You can filter the feeds by country and language and watch them as floating windows that let you continue to use your device while you watch. No registration required, either.

They're shooting for 1000+ channels soon.

AT&T's CEO fired 23,000 workers and gave himself a 10% raise (permalink)

Randall Stephenson is CEO of AT&T. Ajit Pai killed Net Neutrality so that Stephenson could legally slow down the services we requested to extort bribes from us. Then, Trump gave his company a $20B tax cut.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/nepxeg/atandt-preps-for-new-layoffs-despite-billions-in-tax-breaks-and-regulatory-favors

Stephenson used that money to raise exec pay, buy back his company's stock to juice its price and to pay off debts from earlier, disastrous mergers. He cut 23,000 jobs and slashed capital spending (America has the worst broadband of any rich country).

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/05/att-promised-7000-new-jobs-to-get-tax-break-it-cut-23000-jobs-instead/

After all that, Stephenson congratulated himself on a job well done by giving himself a 10% raise in 2019, bringing his total compensation up to 32 million dollars.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/03/att-ceo-pay-rose-to-32-million-in-2019-while-he-cut-20000-jobs/

I mean the guy earned it. He blew billions of dollars buying Warner and Directv, and then lost billions more on the failed aftermath. If that doesn't warrant a raise, what does?

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/10/att-loses-another-1-3-million-tv-customers-as-directv-freefall-continues/

Chelsea Manning is free (permalink)

A judge has ordered that Chelsea Manning be released from jail, a day after her latest suicide attempt. She was jailed last March for refusing to testify before a grand jury, held in solitary for two months, then jailed again a few days later, in May, She's been inside ever since.

The judge ordered her release because the Grand Jury had finished its work.

https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.412520/gov.uscourts.vaed.412520.41.0.pdf

It's fantastic to that Manning got her freedom back, but she has been fined $256,000 for her noncompliance. I just donated to her fund:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-chelsea-pay-her-court-fines

(Image: Tim Travers Hawkins, CC BY-SA)

Rep Katie Porter forces CDC boss to commit to free testing (permalink)

I am a huge fan of Rep Katie Porter. Her outstanding questioning techniques and unwillingness to countenance bullshit from the people she questions are such a delight to watch.

Here she is demolishing billionaire finance criminal Jamie Dimon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WLuuCM6Ej0

Oh, Ben Carson, you never stood a chance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVWy3q2kmNM

Steve Mnuchin always looks like a colossal asshole, but rarely this comprehensively:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78zpa0hQ1aw

I almost feel sorry for this Trumpkin from the Consumer Finance Protection Board as she faces Porter's withering fire.

Almost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBaCc5VUHS8

Porter – an Elizabeth Warren protege – doesn't do this to grandstand. Like AOC, she uses her spectacular skills to elicit admissions and get them on the record, and to hold Congressional witnesses to account.

Today, Porter attained a new peak in a short, illustrious career. That's because today was the day she questioned CDC assistant secretary for preparedness and response Robert Kadlec, asking him to clarify Trump's televised lie last night that insurers would pay for Covid-19 testing.

https://twitter.com/RepKatiePorter/status/1238147835859779584

Porter doggedly held Kadlec to account, forcing him to acknowledge that the cost of a Covid-19 test – $1,331 – was so high that many would forego it, and then to admit that these Americans could go on to transmit the disease to others, making it a matter of public concern.

Then she forced CDC Director Robert Redfield to admit – as she had informed him in writing the week before – that the CDC had the authority to simply pay those fees, universally, for any American seeking testing, under 42 CFR 71.30:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2019-title42-vol1/xml/CFR-2019-title42-vol1-part71.xml#seqnum71.30

Having laid this factual record, Porter insisted that Redfield commit to using that authority. Not to consider it, study it, or consult on it. To use it to help save the country. Whenever Redfield waffled, she reclaimed her time and forced him back on point.

KP: Dr. Redfield, will you commit to the CDC, right now, using that existing authority to pay for diagnostic testing, free to every American, regardless of insurance?

RR: Well, I can say that we're going to do everything to make sure everybody can get the care they need –"

KP: Nope, not good enough. Yes or no?

RR: What I'm going to say is, I'm going to review it in detail with CDC and the department —

KP: No, reclaiming my time [repeats the question]

RR: What I was trying to say is that CDC is working with HHS now to see how we operationalize that

KP: Dr. Redfield, I hope that that answer weighs heavily on you, because it is going to weigh very heavily on me and on every American family

RR: Our intent is to make sure that every American family gets the care and treatment they need at this time in this major epidemic and I am currently working with HHS to see how to best operationalize it.

KP: Excellent! Everybody in America hear that — you are eligible to go get tested for coronavirus and have that covered, regardless of insurance

[Curtain]

Trump's unfitness in a plague (permalink)

In this editorial, Science editor-in-chief H Holden Thorp makes a compelling case that Trump is not capable of leading the American response to Covid-19.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6483/1169

Trump has spent years denigrating and ignoring science before taking office, and it's only gotten worse, since.

As Thorp writes, "You can't insult science when you don't like it and then suddenly insist on something that science can't give on demand."

His policy track-record is even worse: "deep cuts to science, including cuts to funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NIH…nearly 4 years of harming and ignoring science."

This reminds me of an argument I often have with digital rights activists who attribute bad technology policy to the inability of clueless lawmakers to understand the technical nuance. I think that's wrong. The fact that we're not all dead of cholera, even though there are no microbiologists in Congress proves that you don't need to be a domain expert to make good policy.

Good policy comes from truth-seeking exercises in which experts with different views present their best evidence to neutral adjudicators who make determinations in public, showing their work in explicit, written, public reasoning. These processes are made legitimate – and hence robust and reliable – by procedural rules. The adjudicators – regulators, staffers, etc – are not allowed to have conflicts of interest. Their conclusions are subject to the rule of law, with mandatory transparency and a process for appeal.

It has to be this way: there's no way that – say – a president could be an expert on all the different issues that might arise during their tenure.

This, then, is the problem with inequality and market concentration: it merges the referees with the players. When an industry only has a handful of players, they all end up with common lobbying positions – a common position on what is truth. That's because the C-suites of these five companies are filled with people who've worked at two, three or four of the competitors, and are married to others who've worked at the remainder. They're godparents to one anothers' kids, executors of each others' wills.

There's no way for there NOT to be collusion in these circumstances.

And when an industry is that concentrated, the only people who understand it well enough are those same execs, so inevitably the regulators are drawn from the industry.

That's why Obama's "good" FCC Chair, Tom Wheeler, was a former Comcast lobbyist, and why Ajit Pai, Trump's "bad" FCC chair, is a former Verizon lawyer. Apart from Susan Crawford, there's not really anyone who's not from the top ranks of Big Telco qualified to regulate them.

So many of us saw the photo of Trump meeting with all the tech leaders and were dismayed that they were throwing their lot in with him.

But we should also be aghast that all the leaders of the industry fit around one modest board-room table.

https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/14/donald-trump-meets-with-tech-leaders/

The problem with Trump's Covid-19 response is that he does not believe in a legitimate process with neutral referees. The refereeship, in trumpland, is an open-field auction, a transactional process that works best when it enriches Trump and his party.

The problem of Trump taking charge of the epidemiological crisis of Covid-19 isn't that he doesn't understand science: it's that he doesn't believe in evidence-based policy.

He is part of the cult of "Public Choice Theory," the belief that there is no one who can serve as referee without eventually colluding with the players for their mutual enrichment, a cynical, nihilistic philosophy that holds that there's no point in seeking to govern well. These people project their own moral vacuum onto all of humanity, a kind of cartoon Homo Economicus who is incapable of anything except maximizing personal utility.

For these people, the existence of bridges that don't fall down and water that doesn't give you cholera are lucky accidents, not results of sound policy and careful truth-seeking. They reason that since they would take bribes to poison the water of Flint, so would everyone.

Trump isn't just a non-expert, he's an ignoranamus, but that's not the problem. The problem is that he is a nihilist, someone who doesn't believe that truth-seeking is even possible.

Malware that hides behind a realtime Covid-19 map (permalink)

Hackers have developed a malware-as-a-service that packages up realtime Covid-19 maps with malware droppers that infect people who load them.

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/03/live-coronavirus-map-used-to-spread-malware/

This reminds me intensely of Peter Watts's 2002 novel Maelstrom, in which Watts uses his background as an evolutionary biologist to posit an eerily plausible and devilishly clever way that a digital and a human virus could co-evolve.

https://rifters.com/real/MAELSTROM.htm

This has stuck with me! In May 2018, I wrote about it in Locus Magazine:

http://locusmag.com/2018/05/cory-doctorow-the-engagement-maximization-presidency/

Maelstrom is concerned with a pandemic that is started by its protago­nist, Lenie Clark, who returns from a deep ocean rift bearing an ancient, devastating pathogen that burns its way through the human race, felling people by the millions.

As Clark walks across the world on a mission of her own, her presence in a message or news story becomes a signal of the utmost urgency. The filters are firewalls that give priority to some packets and suppress others as potentially malicious are programmed to give highest priority to any news that might pertain to Lenie Clark, as the authorities try to stop her from bringing death wherever she goes.

Here's where Watt's evolutionary bi­ology shines: he posits a piece of self-modifying malicious software – something that really exists in the world today – that automatically generates variations on its tactics to find computers to run on and reproduce itself. The more computers it colonizes, the more strategies it can try and the more computational power it can devote to analyzing these experiments and directing its randomwalk through the space of all possible messages to find the strategies that penetrate more firewalls and give it more computational power to devote to its task.

Through the kind of blind evolution that produces predator-fooling false eyes on the tails of tropical fish, the virus begins to pretend that it is Lenie Clark, sending messages of increasing convincingness as it learns to impersonate patient zero. The better it gets at this, the more welcoming it finds the firewalls and the more computers it infects.

At the same time, the actual pathogen that Lenie Clark brought up from the deeps is finding more and more hospitable hosts to reproduce in: thanks to the computer virus, which is directing public health authorities to take countermeasures in all the wrong places. The more effective the computer virus is at neutralizing public health authorities, the more the biological virus spreads. The more the biological virus spreads, the more anxious the public health authorities become for news of its progress, and the more computers there are trying to suck in any intelligence that seems to emanate from Lenie Clark, supercharging the computer virus.

Together, this computer virus and biological virus co-evolve, symbiotes who cooperate without ever intending to, like the predator that kills the prey that feeds the scavenging pathogen that weakens other prey to make it easier for predators to catch them.

Locked-down Siennese sing their city's hymn (permalink)

In times of crisis, we typically pull together, but elite panic's pervasive mythology holds that these moments are when the poors reveal their inner beast and attack their social betters. That libel on humanity is disproved regularly by our everyday experience. As common as these incidents of solidarity are, they still warrant our notice.

The Song of the Verbena is the hymn of the Italian city of Sienna, currently on lockdown.

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canto_della_Verbena

This video of Siennese people singing their hymn from the windows of their houses, into their empty street, is one of the most beautiful, hopeful things I've seen this week.

Truly, it is a tonic.

https://twitter.com/valemercurii/status/1238234518508777473

This day in history (permalink)

#5yrsago NYPD caught wikiwashing Wikipedia entries on police brutality https://web.archive.org/web/20150313150951/http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2015/03/8563947/edits-wikipedia-pages-bell-garner-diallo-traced-1-police-plaza

#1yrago Gimlet staff announce unionization plan following Spotify acquisition https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/13/18263957/gimlet-media-union-spotify-recognition-podcasts

#1yrago With days to go until the #CopyrightDirective vote, #Article13's father admits it requires filters and says he's OK with killing Youtube https://www.golem.de/news/uploadfilter-voss-stellt-existenz-von-youtube-infrage-1903-139992.html

#1yrago Spotify's antitrust complaint against Apple is a neat parable about Big Tech's monopoly https://www.wired.com/story/spotify-apple-complaint-warren-antitrust-issue/

#1yrago A critical flaw in Switzerland's e-voting system is a microcosm of everything wrong with e-voting, security practice, and auditing firms https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/zmakk3/researchers-find-critical-backdoor-in-swiss-online-voting-system

#1yrago McMansion Hell tours the homes of the "meritocratic" one-percenters who allegedly bought their thickwitted kids' way into top universities in the college admissions scandal https://mcmansionhell.com/post/183417051691/in-honor-of-the-college-admissions-scandal

Colophon (permalink)

Today's top sources: Empty Wheel (https://www.emptywheel.net/), CNN (https://cnn.com), Memex 1.1 (https://memex.naughtons.org/), Slashdot (https://slashdot.org).

Hugo nominators! My story "Unauthorized Bread" is eligible in the Novella category and you can read it free on Ars Technica: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/unauthorized-bread-a-near-future-tale-of-refugees-and-sinister-iot-appliances/

Currently writing: I've just finished rewrites on a short story, "The Canadian Miracle," for MIT Tech Review. It's a story set in the world of my next novel, "The Lost Cause," a post-GND novel about truth and reconciliation. I've also just completed "Baby Twitter," a piece of design fiction also set in The Lost Cause's prehistory, for a British think-tank. I'm getting geared up to start work on the novel next.

Currently reading: Just started Lauren Beukes's forthcoming Afterland: it's Y the Last Man plus plus, and two chapters in, it's amazeballs. Last month, I finished Andrea Bernstein's "American Oligarchs"; it's a magnificent history of the Kushner and Trump families, showing how they cheated, stole and lied their way into power. I'm getting really into Anna Weiner's memoir about tech, "Uncanny Valley." I just loaded Matt Stoller's "Goliath" onto my underwater MP3 player and I'm listening to it as I swim laps.

Latest podcast: A Lever Without a Fulcrum Is Just a Stick https://archive.org/download/Cory_Doctorow_Podcast_330/Cory_Doctorow_Podcast_330_-_A_Lever_Without_a_Fulcrum_Is_Just_a_Stick.mp3

Upcoming books: "Poesy the Monster Slayer" (Jul 2020), a picture book about monsters, bedtime, gender, and kicking ass. Pre-order here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626723627?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_medium=socialpost&utm_term=na-poesycorypreorder&utm_content=na-preorder-buynow&utm_campaign=9781626723627

(we're having a launch for it in Burbank on July 11 at Dark Delicacies and you can get me AND Poesy to sign it and Dark Del will ship it to the monster kids in your life in time for the release date).

"Attack Surface": The third Little Brother book, Oct 20, 2020. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250757531

"Little Brother/Homeland": A reissue omnibus edition with a new introduction by Edward Snowden: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250774583

[moodyvalentinestories]

A Holly Jolly Christ-Mess. Part 9. | Rachel x Hunt

09: Don’t Go Bacon My Heart

“I love you and you love me, and that's the way it's got to be. I loved you from the start 'cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart.” – Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight) (Ramones)

Summary: Rachel wakes up to a bunch of messages from her boyfriend. Shit’s cute. They have breakfast together. Not in bed, unfortunately.

Pairing: Thomas Hunt x Rachel Fields

Words: ~ 900 words

Notes: Plot? What’s a plot? Pffft, this is fan fiction. We do random cute/sexy stuff out of nowhere. Also, I don’t want you all to get too sad... yet.

❥ Moodyvalentine’s Masterlist ❥ Christmas Series Masterlist

Rachel slept in her own bed that night, and it surprised her how much she hated it. If there had ever been a time that she absolutely needed Thomas next to her, it was tonight. But, alas, he was another name on the long list of people she’d pissed off that day. So she lay in her bed alone, tossing and turning until she finally fell into a fitful slumber in the early morning hours.

The next day, she woke up to a few missed calls and a couple of text messages.

02:03 AM I’m sorry. I hope you enjoy your time with your family. – T.

02:11 AM Can we talk? I shouldn’t have hung up on you. – T.

02:24 AM Rachel?

02:32 AM Please don’t ignore me. – T.

03:08 AM I’ve emailed you the details of your flight. See you soon.  – Love, T.

She groaned, knowing full well she’d been awake when he’d sent those messages but hadn’t bothered to look at her phone. After quickly checking the time – not early enough for him to still be asleep, luckily – she called him.

It rang a couple of times, and Rachel knew he’d let it ring on purpose, before he finally picked up. “Rachel?”

She let out a sigh of relief when she realised he didn’t sound irritated but rather happy she’d called. “Thomas. Oh God, I didn’t mean to ignore you. I didn’t see your messages, and I swear I would have answered if I had because I’m not mad at you, and I—”

“Breathe,” Thomas said, and she heard the distinct sound of him suppressing a chuckle. Oh, thank goodness, they were okay. They were okay. “Are you breathing?”

Rachel nodded, then realised he couldn’t see her. “Yes. Let’s try this again. I’m sorry I didn’t see your texts. And I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you before making plans with my family. I should have asked first.”

“You don’t need my permission to spend time with them.” He paused for a moment. “Do you want to come over before your first lecture? I know you dreaded talking to your brother, and I should have been there for you after.” Another pause before he added, almost too quietly, “And I hated not having you here last night.”

She was out of bed within seconds of this admission. “I’ll be right there.”

And she was, less than twenty minutes later. He opened the door in nothing but the sweatpants he wore to bed, his mouth falling open in surprise. “That was… fast.”

“Would you rather have waited longer?” she asked as she stepped into the house. “I can take my time, do my hair and all that, next time if you’d prefer that.”

“Never,” he said, closing the door behind her before gently pushing her against it, caging her body with his. He smiled at her, relieved that she had come, then let his lips meet hers. Softly, ever so softly, he kissed her as he raised one hand to her cheek and let the other fall to her waist. God, he loved this woman with all his heart.

After a long while that, somehow, still wasn’t enough, she pulled back. “Is that bacon I smell?”

Thomas chuckled, shaking his head. “Forgive me, I forgot where your priorities lie. Would you care for some breakfast?”

“Mhh… yes, in a moment,” she said and got on her tiptoes to kiss him again. A grin spread across her face when she pulled away. “Now, that’s where my priorities lie. I’m not saying no to breakfast, though.”

He took her by the hand and led her into his kitchen, where she immediately sat down in her rightful place on the island counter opposite the stove and watched him get to work. Thomas smiled to himself as he added two more eggs and a few more strips of bacon to the pan – he’d long given up trying to keep her off the work surfaces, and had, in fact, found that there were benefits to her elevated position.

“If I’d known you’d be here so soon, I would have made waffles,” he said as he turned to her, moving to stand between her legs. After hearing her talk about the oh-so-heavenly waffles she’d discovered at a coffee shop near campus, he’d made her some for breakfast one day, and he still remembered the delighted look on her face when she’d told him she never wanted to eat anything else ever again.

Rachel chuckled, wrapping her legs around his waist to pull him closer. “I think bacon and eggs will do.” She let her hands wander over his exposed chest. “Besides, I’m much more interested in the cook. Looks very delicious.”

He shivered under her feather-light touch as her fingers kept dancing over his skin, lower and lower until they reached the hem of his pants. He let out a soft sigh. “Rachel…”

“Hmm?” She looked up at him through her lashes, fluttering them innocently. Her hands moved back up, and then higher, until she was holding his face in her hands. “Something wrong?”

Her name fell from his lips again, though as more of warning and less of a plea this time. She, naturally, chose to ignore it, and pulled his face to hers to kiss him tenderly. His own hands found their way around her as he deepened the kiss, pressing against her as he pulled her closer.

Soon enough, their moans and groans filled the kitchen, drowning out the violent sizzling sound of their breakfast as it burnt to a crisp in its pan.

Tags: @lilyofchoices @trappedinfandoms @flyawayboo @alleksa16 @silversparrow02 @hopelessromantic1352 @i-bloody-love-drake-walker​ @oneemofungirl​

Feel free to let me know if you’d ever like to be added to/removed from my taglist!

[keaalu]

Remember Me, chapter three

Title (chapter): Remember Me (03)

Series: Transformers, G1-based “Blue” AU

Rating: PG-13

Notes: In which Skywarp has to deal with a meltdown, and Screamer, what are you even doing still out in Vos, you ignorant glitch.

Down in the small station infirmary, Longbeam cut a particularly pathetic figure on the oversized berth. Her optics were back online, but dim, and her angular features looked strangely gaunt. An external pump fed a slow, steady drip of energon into her damaged primary circulation via a line just under the surface of her neck. At least she wasn’t bleeding any more – the place didn’t need to be covered in any more tiny bright purple crystals. Someone had found a coolant mantle to support her shattered fans, but it looked like it had been designed with Hardline in mind, covering her whole upper body like a poncho – and even that couldn’t quite hide the big carbonised semicircle of missing superstructure. It looked as if someone had taken a huge bite out of her midsection.

Vector sat beside her, her bike’s one remaining hand enclosed in both her own big ones. She looked torn between furious and terrified, optics blazing a vivid cyan. Her discordant field left the room feeling heavy, as though a thunderstorm were brewing somewhere close by.

Probably not too far off the mark, Skywarp figured, keeping back just enough to let the duty medic move around him. He stood quietly at the foot of the berth, arms folded tight over his emotions, still wearing his shields and covered in scuffs of someone else’s paint. Wouldn’t want to be a Conehead if the riotbot latched her claws into them.

Frag. Wouldn’t want to be a Conehead if I get my claws into them.

He’d been mid-arrest when the sudden cacophony of frightened messages on the police waveband turned Deixar’s atmosphere an electric blue. Knowing he was going to be more important here, he’d completely bypassed the custody sergeant and dumped his prisoner straight off in cells. (He knew he’d get flack for it later, but couldn’t bring himself to care, right now.)

Damage control was definitely not his forte, but maybe he could soften the blow a little when his wingmate finally made it back from Vos. The idea Thundercracker somehow hadn’t heard about the attack and Seem’s abduction, and hadn’t automatically extrapolated out to perhaps that would have meant Dash would have also gone missing…?

He just wasn’t sure what he was actually going to say. It was taking most of his limited brainpower to keep from storming the spacebridge and trying to fetch Slipstream back. Concentrating on being official and efficient was using enough processing power to keep him stable, and distract him from thinking too hard about what condition the youngling would be in when they finally tracked him down.

Spotweld was already hard at work, divided down the middle; while Weld was working on stabilising the bike, crimping off the final few lines still oozing fluids, it left Spot free to talk to the assembled crowd that had packed into the infirmary like mechanical sardines.

“We’ve got her stabilised, out of immediate danger. She’s crystallised off most of the damaged lines herself?” the polymorph confirmed. “But she’ll need to be moved to hospital as soon as we can get her there? We’re just waiting on Flatliner for transport. He should be here soon?”

“I’m sorry,” Longbeam wheezed, faintly, unable to manage much more than a few words at a time from her broken vocaliser. “I tried to get her away. They were quicker. I told her to hide but-… I couldn’t see her. I don’t know if they-… if they took her. Too damaged to look. I had to get back here. I’m sorry.”

“S’okay, Beemer,” Skywarp counselled, sitting on the urge to shout and vent frustrated heat. “Don’t stress out about it, right now. Don’t want you blowing any more fuses before you get the chance to give us your scan data, all right?”

“Sure, boss.” She squeezed out a huff of laughter that turned into a groan of pain. “Give you my scan data now. If you want it? Not like I can do-… much else, right now.”

“No you can’t,” Spot cut in, waggling a chastising finger. “I’m not having anyone go hunting for your upload connectors, you’re quite damaged enough already?”

“We need her data, Spots,” Skywarp reminded, leaning closer, wings pulled high and stiff. “We need to know how they got in, how they got out, and what other fraggery they might have got up to while our wings were turned.”

Spot failed to react to the implied threat in the jet’s pose, far too habituated to Seeker posturing to know the threat was mostly empty. “Well, you can wait for it? Like on any other case?”

“This isn’t any other case, Spots-!” Skywarp threw his hands up, frustrated, then caught the medic’s shoulder and forced the mech to turn and face him. “Did you miss the part where three fraggin’ Decepticons got into our airspace, totally unchallenged, managed to cause chaos then escape – with two victims! – before we could do a slagging thing about it?”

“No.” Spot refused to meet the hot crimson glare. “I also didn’t miss the part where Beemer is laying here in pieces because of a squabble over territory she didn’t need to be dragged into.”

The chastisement stung. Skywarp leaned in closer. “They’ve got Seem, in case you forgot,” he said, unable to keep the growl from his voice. “And probably Dash, too.”

“I know. Don’t try and act like you think I’m not worried about them?” Spot ducked under Skywarp’s arm, out of the way, to rejoin Weld; his two halves zipped carefully together, returning him into a mech that looked somewhat normal. “But it won’t help anyone if Beemer greys out on this table while we argue about what not she should be doing to help, right now?”

“Won’t be at hospital long,” Longbeam spoke up. “Gimme an orn or two. Back on my feet. I’ll help you hunt.”

Anyone with two cortical relays to rub together knew that was far from the truth – she’d be in hospital for a while, assuming the medical team didn’t decide it was safer and more straightforward to simply decant her spark into a completely new frame.

“Appreciate it.” Skywarp sighed, forced a smile, and patted her foot. “But I guess Spots is right. We need to get you fully repaired before you can do anything. Can’t have you chasing Coneheads if you’re still on the point of snapping in half.”

“They’re targeting you,” she said, softly. “Thought I was Pulse. Said to say ‘thanks’.”

“…did they tell you what they were up to-?”

“Hey.” Spotweld waved a daring finger in his face. “Not now.”

Skywarp batted the finger away, and opened his mouth to argue, but a ripple of disturbance out in the corridor (and approaching fast) preceded Thundercracker’s arrival.

Great.

The blue jet barged his way to the front of the room, fairly radiating alarm, knocking people out of the way with his wings. “Where’s Skydash?!”

Skywarp stepped in front of him, hands up, wings flaring subtly in an attempt to shield Spotweld’s patient from view. “It’s not a good idea for you to be here right now, TC. Come on, let’s go talk out there-”

Thundercracker tried to push past him, peering over his wings. “I-I heard we’d had- Ramjet? What were they doing here? And where is Dash?!” Then he clocked Longbeam. His optics visibly widened and his fans kicked into a higher gear. “What-what happened here…?”

Skywarp saw his wingmate’s legs wobbling and steered him hastily into a chair before he could end up in an unbecoming heap on his aft on the floor. For several seconds, Thundercracker could only cling to him, hands tight on his shoulders, concentrating on drawing cold air through his core.

“Coneheads?” he managed, at last. “Did-did they-… to Longbeam…?”

“Yeah, and yeah.” Skywarp stayed in a crouch, so his brother had something to lean against, and watched his gaze flash around the room, trying to take it all in. He underlaid his words with a soothing harmonic, hoping it might help keep Thundercracker stable. “We’re not sure what they came for, yet, except to cause trouble. We know they’ve got Seem.”

“And Dash?” Thundercracker finally looked down at him.

Skywarp kept up the subtle harmonic. No avoiding it now. “Yeah. We figure maybe they have Dash as well. Pulsar and her sibs are out checking where they were last seen, just to be sure she hasn’t hidden up in a crevice.”

“And you’re all just sitting here?” A flash of something ugly – a mixture of alarm and fear and outrage, and not all of it directed against the invaders – passed through the pale features, brightening the crimson optics. Thundercracker staggered halfway back to his thrusters. “We’ve got to get after them-! Why aren’t you chasing them?”

“Mech, they’re already through the spacebridge! What do you think you’re gonna be able to do except stroll into an ambush-?”

Skywarp leaned his weight back in a futile attempt to weigh Thundercracker down, but it didn’t have quite the desired effect; the blue jet pushed against him, unbalancing him, and used Skywarp’s inertia to vault himself over the teleport’s head. He lurched for the door, leaving his wingmate flat on his wings.

“Ah, slag.” Skywarp scrambled inelegantly back to his thrusters. Knowing he’d never catch him in a straight footrace, he teleported to just out past the doors, already bracing for the impact.

Thundercracker collided with him with such a crunch, it was a miracle neither broke anything. Both went sprawling on the floor of the foyer. “What the Pit, Skywarp-!”

Skywarp was back up first, arms open, ready to tackle his wingmate again if needed. Times like this made him appreciate the marginally increased physical capabilities that came with his riot gear. “Will you just… stop, for a second? Take it from the expert; you can’t go blundering off like this! Or do you want your head kicked in?”

“Since when do you tell me what I can and can’t do-?” Thundercracker rounded on him, fists swinging. “Just because you’re too pitfragged stupid to think up a plan doesn’t mean I’m going to sit around and wait for them to call all the shots-! Now get out of my way!”

Skywarp caught the oncoming fist easily, caging it in his own hand. “Fragging Primus, TC.” He used his bulk to force the blue Seeker back into the wall, and carefully pinned him there. “Can you even hear yourself, right now? This is exactly what they want us doing. Fighting each other, charging straight off into danger. They’re probably sat there on the other side of the bridge with a big fragging net, waiting for you.”

Thundercracker thrashed against the teleport’s superior strength, unable to get free. “At least I’m doing something, instead of sitting on my lazy aft waiting for someone else to come along and fix it for me, like always-!”

Skywarp had heard all the insults before – but it didn’t make them easier to hear coming from his brother. He pursed his lips, hurt, and leaned harder until Thundercracker finally stopped struggling.

For a few seconds, the only sound was the ragged cycling of two sets of fans. Even the little crowd of curious onlookers that had gathered, alarmed to see the district chief of police brawling with his wingmate in the foyer, had fallen silent.

“I’m not sitting on my aft,” Skywarp corrected, quietly. “I didn’t get here much before you. And I’m actually using my processors, for once. Which you seem to have forgotten you have, and in far greater quantity than me.”

Scorching air continued to vent from Thundercracker’s core, but the heat had begun to die out of his optics.

“D’you seriously think I’m still here for the fun of it?” Skywarp pushed his advantage. “They’ve got Seem. You’ve seen what they did to Longbeam, and she was only in their way. I can’t even imagine what they’re doing to the poor brat, right now. The frag will he look like when we get him back?”

“…let me go, Skywarp. You made your point.”

“You gonna leg it again, if I do? Because I don’t care what message it sends to the grunts, dude, I will cuff you to a chair if I have to.”

Thundercracker’s features tightened in a small, subtly humiliated glare, but he shook his head. “I have control. You can let me go. Thank you.”

Warily, senses still on high alert, Skywarp carefully unpeeled his fingers from around his wingmate’s wrists, and stepped back from him.

Good to his word – and knowing Skywarp wasn’t a mech prone to false promises – Thundercracker didn’t immediately bolt. “You better have a good plan.”

Skywarp visibly sagged. “Primus, I wish. You were right on one count; I’m not smart enough to come up with something on my own.” He spread his arms and half-shooed Thundercracker back towards the privacy of the medical suite. “I’m stuck on whether we’ve got any course of action that doesn’t involve probable suicide. Or having to beg help off the Autobots, which we seriously need to avoid because Primus, it’ll all go direct to the smelter if we get them involved.”

Spotweld had finished preparing Longbeam for her trip to the hospital; the clear plastic sheath protected the injury from dust, but not prying optics. Finally getting a good look, Thundercracker winced and looked away.

Longbeam finally let the mask slip; her carefully-stoic features creased and her fingers began to tremble. “I’m sorry, sir. It was my fault. I thought I was fast enough.” A flicker of static crept into her voice. “I’m sorry-!”

Still silent, Vector gathered her up off the berth, and tucked her up against her broad chassis. She cast a frustrated/pleading look to the two Seekers, although Skywarp couldn’t quite tell if it was meant to say catch the slaggers that did this or please don’t be angry with her.

“Don’t,” Thundercracker said, simply. “Going against those three, I don’t-… Thank you for making the effort.” He managed to drag his gaze away from the bike’s sickening injury, and made an effort to straighten up and look professional. “What about you, anyway, Warp? Holding up all right?”

The teleport forced a grin. “Seem’s a survivor. He's got out of worse scrapes.”

Thundercracker clapped him on the shoulder. “If there was anyone I'd trust to be kidnapped with her...” His words broke. “Primus.” He covered his face with one shaking hand.

Skywarp guided him back into the same chair that had saved his dignity a breem or two before, and crouched next to it, offering his wings for Thundercracker to lean against; the blue jet didn’t need to be invited twice, sagging into him. “It’ll be fine,” he murmured, folding his brother’s hand into his own. “They'll be too busy wrangling my brat to hurt Dashie.”

“She wanted to come, I-I should have taken her-”

“Hey, quit that. Don’t you even start trying to blame yourself for this, I mean Primus.”

From somewhere outside came the questioning uuu-whup? of Flatliner’s siren; Spotweld went out to meet him.

Unfortunately the duty medic wasn’t the only one to have spotted the ambulance’s arrival.

“Hey, Flatso? What are you doing here?”

Skywarp groaned inwardly at hearing his sparkling’s voice, out in the hallway.

“Ah, Footsie. Right on time. Officer injured on duty, I’m taking them to hospital. I could do with a hand, if you’re free.”

“Really? I hope it’s not Seem, haha.” Footloose voiced a nervous giggle, following him in. “Useless glitch vanished off-district without telling me he was going anywhere, and he was meant to be sparksitting.”

“Not to my knowledge, no. Patient is a bike.”

The small flier stopped in the doorway, looking baffled for an instant, confused by why half her family were already crowded into the room. “Oh, hey? Does anyone here know why my idiot twin just fell off the registroh slag!” Finally spotting her aunt, Footloose leaped backwards and collided with the wall, covering her mouth with both hands. “Onnie?! What-what-”

Giving Thundercracker one last quick wingbump and a hasty apology, Skywarp turned to his sparkling with his hands out. “Hey, spark. You really didn’t ought to be here.” Right, because that worked so well on TC.

Her shaking thrusters skittered across the floor, scooting out from under her and dropping her gracelessly to her aft. “What hap-happened? Primus! Where’s Seem? Is-is he hurt as-as well?” Her vocaliser skipped. “Primus-! Is this why I can’t see-see him any more? Where is he?!”

“We don’t know exactly where he is, but we’re pretty sure he’s all right.” Skywarp took both her hands into his own and wasn’t entirely surprised when Footloose launched herself bodily into his arms, vibrating in distress. “We think he’s been taken to Earth-”

“Take-taken? Taken by who?”

“By Ramjet’s trine.”

“C-coneheads?” Her fans stuttered harder. “Like-… you mean Dirge?”

“Yeah. Exactly like Dirge. They’ve got your bro, and we think they’ve got Dash. We’re figuring out what to do. But it’ll be fine. We’ll sort it out. All right?”

“But-but-… Dash? I was meant to take-… I swapped with Seem. We swapped! I had-… emergency, I couldn’t-…” She spotted Thundercracker in the chair; her fans hitched and her words got even more disjointed. “I’m sorry-… oh, Primus, I’m sorry! It’s my fault. I swapped with him!”

She hurled herself across the room and into the blue Seeker’s lap like a miniature freightliner, sobbing staticky apologies. After a second of startled immobility, he opened his arms and let her hug him.

Skywarp vented a sigh and folded his arms. Trust Footloose – now she’d started bawling, it was setting everyone else off, including TC. (The poor mech had had a decent grip on his emotions until the wee spark had shown up, but now both of them were incoherent. Primus.)

It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Leaving his family self-destructing in the infirmary, Skywarp teleported up to the roof, where it didn’t feel like the full weight of every machine in there was packed on top of his wings.

Now what, world?

Never a good sign when he was expected to be the emotionally-responsible one.

And where the Pit was his fragheaded wingleader, anyway?!

-screamer, where are you-

-in vos. why?-

-vos? still?- Skywarp covered his face with both hands and allowed himself the luxury of a long, hot sigh of stressed exhaust. It didn’t make him feel remotely better. -so, you deaf or just stupid?-

A stinging, wordless obscenity immediately came back, followed in short order by the sort of scathing remark that usually signalled a communications shutdown. -figures you wouldn’t understand the importance of this-

-did you not hear what’s going on back here-

-evidently not. what is going on-

He realised Starscream probably actually didn’t know. Thundercracker would have got the signal by merit of being chief of police, but if he hadn’t said anything before racing back to Deixar?

-coneheads, star. they attacked beemer, took seem and dash. already back through spacebridge-

There was a long pause. -on my way. don’t let anyone get near comms-

[geekade]

Geekade Top Ten: Best Treehouse of Horror segments EVER!

Here we are once again with another Geekade Top Ten, this time around highlighting what may be the most obvious column we've never done. First hitting the air way back on October 25th, 1990, the "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween specials have become a part of the very fabric of American Halloween celebrations. The Simpsons, at this point the longest running animated show AND longest running sitcom AND longest running scripted primetime show in American history, has been many things over the years. And while the quality of show has been all over the map the last few years, the "Treehouse of Horror" episode has consistently been a highlight of each season. Looking back over the segments we've gotten brought back some amazing memories and a few cringes. Ranking the top ten episodes seemed a bit silly, since it's a special based around individual segments. So, obvious choice being obvious, Geekade.com proudly brings to you the definitive top ten segments from the "Treehouse of Horror" ever.  

#10: The Raven - Treehouse of Horror 

With any list like this there are bound to be disagreements and no one segment may split people more than this one. A straight reading, by the excellent James Earl Jones, of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven," this segment is light on gags or inventiveness. What we get, and why I love it so, is a wonderfully animated version of one of the greatest poems ever written. Bart as the titular raven is as iconic an image as the show has ever produced. 

#09: Homer3 - Treehouse of Horror VI

When this episode first aired, it was a huge deal. There had simply never really been anything like this before on network television, much less on a cartoon. The visual gags are still great, even if computer animation isn't the holy-shit-big-deal they were when they first showed up. Plus, the moments of everyone trying to find Homer are great. Definitely one of my favorites and deserving of a spot in this top ten.

#08: Clown Without Pity - Treehouse of Horror III

One word: frogurt. This episode brought frogurt mainstream, for better or worse, as a result of a hysterical exchange between Homer and a horribly stereotypical Chinese man. Homer had neglected to get Bart a birthday present, see, and like any good yet regretful father, he rushes right out to the local oddities shop owned by the mysterious foreigner.  The Krusty he buys turns out to be, in the words of Grandpa, evil... EEEVVVVIIIILLLLL. Damn good stuff here.

#07: Oh the Places You'll D'oh - Treehouse of Horror XXIV

One of the more recent segments that made this list, "Oh the Places You'll D'oh" is odd even for a Treehouse of Horror segment. Being a parody of Dr. Suess was never going to be easy, but the writing on this segment is so sharp, it's as if the man himself was contributing. Add in the fact that the animation is fantastic and the realization that The Cat in the Hat is actually super creepy and you have a slam dunk segment. 

#06: A Clockwork Yellow - Treehouse of Horror XXV 

The other more recent segment on this list, "A Clockwork Yellow" makes this list higher than a lot of other, better, segments because of the slew of Kubrick references contained within. The language hits spot on, the visual gags are great, and the depth of the references are obscure in the best of ways. This is a dense segment that requires multiple viewings. If you are a Kubrick fan though, there's more than enough to love. 

#05: Bart Simpson's Dracula - Treehouse of Horror IV

Bram Stoker's Dracula is one of the more iconic horror flicks of all time and this parody does the source material justice. There are some very, very good jokes in this episode with none being more iconic than the, "He's a vampire..." line. It's still hilarious today and something my friends and I quoted to death back in school. This segment gets bonus points for being pretty creepy as well, with the image of Bart floating outside of Lisa's window being particularly scary.

#04: Nightmare Cafeteria - Treehouse of Horror V

One of the bloodiest segments ever aired, "Nightmare Cafeteria" plays on an old trope of humans being delicious which, to be fair, we probably are. Due to budget cuts, the school cafeteria needs a new source of meat and it just so happens that misbehaving students fit perfectly in the meat grinder. The adults in the school go a bit overboard and start killing kids left and right, leading to Principal Skinner delivering one of the most hilarious moments in the history of the show. Alas, poor Uter. So delicious.

#03: Time and Punishment - Treehouse of Horror V

Oh, time travel. So hard to do well because of all of the possible consequences inherent in changing one little thing in the past. A concept so beautifully realized by Homer when he's had enough of trying to find his way back the "right" way. There are some truly disturbing timelines in this segment, some truly hilarious ones, and Homer left-hooks a giant mosquito. What more do you need? Also, more James Earl Jones.

#02: Citizen Kang - Treehouse of Horror VII

The Simpsons have always done their part to criticize and critique culture. It may not have always been “in the moment,” but the message was clear. Citizen Kang however went right at the election of 96 featuring both Bob Dole and President Clinton. The episode has some truly poignant commentary on our political system as well as some of my favorite lines in the series, "Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos" and "Twirling towards the future" have been part of my shtick since. 

#01: The Shinning - Treehouse of Horror V

I'm not sure there was any doubt in my mind that this would be number one. As soon as I said I would write this top ten, this was my choice for number one. It's just absolutely perfect storytelling. The jokes hit big, the visuals are gorgeous, the delivery is wonderful, and it is as quotable as could be. This is movie parody done right. It's an episode that manages to be tense, dramatic, and silly all at the same time.

So there you have it; the definitive guide to the top ten Treehouse of Horror segments ever. All of "Treehouse of Horror V" made the cut and was the primary reason it made more sense to break these up by segment than episode. Only two newer segments made my top ten, but a bunch of others were damn close. What's your top ten? Follow me on twitter and instagram, @geekadedan, and let me know and make sure to drop us a line at mail@geekade.com to let us know what you think. As always feel free to share and spread the word, please and thank you.

[dunkirks]

list of private videos

here’s a long list of private videos bc i know they can be so hard to track down since u can’t see them without the link. for all of u who make gifs and want to use these as references or just to watch them, feel free to dig through these!

@daintylouis has compiled a playlist and @flickervinyl also kindly created a playlist as well so make sure to check both of those out!!

One Direction announce debut single “What Makes You Beautiful”! ― August 10, 2011

One Direction look forward to the new series of X Factor ― August 10, 2011

A special announcement from the boys… ― September 6, 2011

What Makes You Beautiful is out now! ― September 13, 2011

One Direction Tour Announcement ― September 22, 2011

WEBMIXER_1 ― October 24, 2011

WEBMIXER_2 ― October 24, 2011

WEBMIXER_3 ― October 24, 2011

WEBMIXER_4 ― October 24, 2011

WEBMIXER_5 ― October 24, 2011

WEBMIXER_6 ― October 24, 2011

One Direction - US Tour Announcement ―November 10, 2011

One Direction message to Dutch fans ― November 18, 2011

One Direction message for all the Street Teams ― November 18, 2011

One Direction - Up All Night Release in Nederland ― November 18, 2011

‘Up All Night’ releasedag in Nederland ― November 18, 2011

One Direction - Up All Night Out Now ― November 21, 2011

Bring 1D To U.S. Challenge 1 ― November 28, 2011

Bring 1D To U.S. Intro to Challenge 1 ― November 28, 2011

Congrats on Challenge 1 ― December 5, 2011

One Direction - VasHappenin? ― December 5, 2011

Bring 1D to U.S. - Challenge 2 ― December 5, 2011

One Direction - VasHappenin? Pt 2 ― December 6, 2011

ONE DIRECTION - Tack alla svenska fans #1DToNo1! ― December 6, 2011

Great work on Challenge 2 ― December 19, 2011

Bring 1D to U.S. - Challenge 3 ― December 19, 2011

Win a Trip to See 1D Live! ― December 19, 2011

Bring 1D to U.S. Challenge 4 ― December 19, 2011

Louis Birthday 2011 ― December 23, 2011

Christmas Message 2011 ― December 23, 2011

Happy New Year from One Direction ― December 23, 2011

Bring 1D to US - Challenge 5 ― January 5, 2012

Bring 1D to US - Challenge 6 ― January 9, 2012

Zayn’s Birthday 2012 ― January 12, 2012

One Direction - Brit Awards Nomination! ― January 13, 2012

Bring 1D to US - Challenge 7 ― January 18, 2012

One Direction: Vote 1D at the 2012 BRIT AWARDS ― January 25, 2012

One Direction: One Thing - Pre-order on iTunes now ― January 25, 2012

One Direction - One Thing is Out Now! ― January 25, 2012

Bring 1D To US Announce Winner ― February 1, 2012

Happy Valentine’s Day! ― February 3, 2012

One Direction - MEGAMIND coming soon! ― February 8, 2012

CRUK | Help Harry Help Others | Harry Styles Helps Harry ― February 10, 2012

Help Harry Help Others | Cancer Research UK ― February 10, 2012

One Direction - No 1 In Italy ― February 17, 2012

What Makes You Beautiful - Behind The Scenes From The Road (Teaser) ― February 21, 2012

One Direction in the USA ― February 21, 2012

One Direction - Announce First Australian Tour ― February 23, 2012

“Up All Night” Wal-Mart Exclusive Edition ― March 23, 2012

One Direction: US Tour Announcement ― March 23, 2012

Prank Night on Nickelodeon, Ft. One Direction ― March 23, 2012

On Our Way To Dallas ― March 23, 2012

Bring 1D to Dallas! ― March 25, 2012

Up All Night - The Live Tour DVD: The Countdown ― March 29, 2012

A Message for the UK & Ireland Directioners ― April 5, 2012

1D Announce 2013 North American Tour ― April 12, 2012

1D BOP&TB Winner Video ― May 30, 2012

1D DVD Watch Party! ― May 31, 2012

#1DBigAnnouncement- the new single 'Live While We’re Young’ ― August 23, 2012

#1DBigAnnouncement - the new album 'Take Me Home’ ― August 30, 2012

Bring 1D to YOUR City! ― September 10, 2012

One More Chance to Bring 1D to US! ― September 10, 2012

“Live While We’re Young” (The Directioner Edition) ― October 3, 2012

Vote 1D at the MTV EMA’s! ― October 8, 2012

Bring 1D to US - Congratulations Los Angeles ― October 10, 2012

BTWS VMAs ― October 26, 2012

1D Halloween ― October 31, 2012

1D Take Me Home Releases part 1 ― November 9, 2012

TWIST Exclusive: One Direction Performs “Kiss You” on Today Show! ― November 13, 2012

Ultimate Boyband Prize - 1D!! ― December 14, 2012

BE A PART OF THE 1D3D MOVIE ― December 21, 2012

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ONE DIRECTION! ― December 25, 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ONE DIRECTION ― January 1, 2013

One Direction Style at The Brits 2013: Interview for Vogue TV ― February 22, 2013

Thank You from 1D ― May 17, 2013

ARGENTINA! 1D Stadium Tour Tickets On Sale 10am 24th June! ― June 21, 2013

PERU! 1D Stadium Tour Tickets On Sale 9am 24th June! ― June 21, 2013

CHILE! 1D Stadium Tour Tickets On Sale 12:01am 24th June! ― July 21, 2013

URUGUAY! 1D Stadium Tour Tickets On Sale 10am 24th June! ― July 21, 2013

BRASIL! 1D Stadium Tour Tickets On Sale 00:01h 24th June! ― July 21, 2013

One Direction - Ritz Augmented Reality ― June 25, 2013

One Direction announce new single - “Best Song Ever” ― June 25, 2013

Behind the Scenes with One Direction - Coles ― July 1, 2013

One Direction - Best Song Ever TEASER #1WeekTill1DMonday ― July 15, 2013

Niall’s Thank You Video ― July 24, 2013

One Direction Behind the Scenes at British GQ | 3 Day To Go ― July 29, 2013

One Direction Behind the Scenes at British GQ | 2 Day To Go ― July 30, 2013

One Direction Behind the Scenes at British GQ | 1 Day To Go ― July 31, 2013

One Direction - Behind the scenes of the 'Where We Are’ cover shoot ― August 13, 2013

Niall 1D Fragrance ― August 16, 2013

Liam 1D Fragrance ― August 19, 2013

Journey of the 1D Fragrance: Our Moment ― September 2, 2013

1D Album Teaser ― September 9, 2013

Pre-Order One Direction’s New Album ‘Midnight Memories’ ― September 9, 2013

1D DAY ANNOUNCEMENT ― October 2, 2013

Be the first to get 4 tracks from Midnight Memories! ― October 21, 2013

Win a Trip to See One Direction in Brazil, with Amazon Music UK! ― November 18, 2013

Midnight Memories Countdown Calendar - 11 Days To Go!  November 14, 214

New Track ‘Diana’ from Midnight Memories Available Now! ― November 18, 2013

Midnight Memories Countdown Calendar - 8 Days To Go! ― November 19, 2013

New Track 'Strong’ from Midnight Memories Available Now! ― November 22, 2013

Midnight Memories Countdown Calendar 25th Nov - Midnight Memories OUT NOW! ― November 25, 2013

The British Fashion Awards – The Film ― December 3, 2013

Liam’s Question ― December 18, 2013

Merry Christmas Everyone! ― December 25, 2013

One Direction - Behind the scenes of the behind the scenes ― April 2, 2014

X Factor - One Direction - Audition for The X Factor 2014 ― April 8, 2014

One Direction announce next single ― April 11, 2014

Pre Order You & I Now! ― April 14, 2014

1D You & I Video Announcement ― April 22, 2014

You & I Pre Order Message Clip! ― May 12, 2014

One Direction - On The Road Again 2015 Tour - Singapore ― May 15, 2014

One Direction - On The Road Again 2015 Tour - Japan ― May 16, 2014

One Direction - On The Road Again 2015 Tour - Indonesia ― May 16, 2014

One Direction - On The Road Again 2015 Tour - Hong Kong ― May 16, 2014

One Direction - On The Road Again 2015 Tour - Australia ― May 16, 2014

Facetime Call #1 ― May 19, 2014 (???)

Facetime Call #2

Facetime Call #3

One Direction 'Where We Are’ Concert Film Announcement ― July 21, 2014

One Direction- You & I Fragrance Behind the Scenes ― September 1, 2014

Steal My Girl Clip ― September 26, 2014

Where We Are Concert Film: Through The Dark LIVE ― October 3, 2014

Louis audio clip ― October 6, 2014 (???)

1D HC APP FILM 01 260814 

1D HC APP FILM 02 260814 

1D HC APP FILM 03 260814 

1D HC APP FILM 04 260814 

1D HC APP FILM 05 260814 

1D HC APP FILM 06 260814 

1D HC APP FILM 07 260814 

1D HC APP FILM 08 260814 

1D HC APP FILM 09 260814 

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1D HC APP FILM 11 260814 

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1D HC APP FILM 13 260814 

1D HC APP FILM 14 260814 

BTS FINAL ― September 24, 2014

Zayn audio clip ― September 24, 2014 (???)

Niall audio clip ― September 24, 2014 (???)

Liam audio clip ― September 24, 2014 (???)

1D HC APP LOUIS NIALL XMAS 260814 ― October 6, 2014

Where We Are Concert Interview: Interview Preview 3 ― October 9, 2014

Backstage at London Fashion Week ― October 13, 2014

Steal My Girl On Spotify! ― October 15, 2014

Pre-Order FOUR (Deluxe Edition) To Receive 5 Tracks Before Its’ Release! ― October 16, 2014

On The Road Again 2015 Tour Pre-Sale Tickets - Europe + N. America ― October 28, 2014

On The Road Again 2015 Tour Pre-Sale Tickets - Europe ― October 28, 2014

On The Road Again 2015 Tour Pre-Sale Tickets - Canada ― October 28, 2014

On The Road Again 2015 Tour Pre-Sale Tickets - USA ― October 29, 2014

1D Announce Australian Visit ― October 31, 2014

Telenoche - Un saludo de One Direction para Telenoche ― November 6, 2014

A Special Message From One Direction Just For You… ― November 7, 2014

One Direction FOUR Trailer ― November 7, 2014

FOUR - Deluxe Edition ― November 7, 2014

One Direction: Where Do Broken Hearts Go? ― November 10, 2014

One Direction - 18 ― November 11, 2014

One Direction - Girl Almighty ― November 12, 2014

bandaid30 (ot5) ― November 15, 2014

bandaid30 (Niall) ― November 15, 2014

bandaid30 (Harry) ― November 15, 2014

On The Road Again 2015 Tour UK and Ireland - 1D Message! ― November 28, 2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Preview 12/22/14 ― December 22, 2014

Happy New Year from One Direction ― January 1, 2015

Merry Christmas from One Direction ― January 6, 2015

One Direction interview 2015 & ET Canada (ENTIRE INTERVIEW) - tour announcement (NEW)  January 6, 2015 (???)

One Direction head to Australia for ‘OnThe Road Again’ Tour 2015! ― February 12, 2015

Harry says - VOTE! #ONEDIRECTIONBRIT ― February 25, 2015

Liam and Niall say VOTE #ONEDIRECTION ― February 25, 2015

Thank you for voting at #BRITs2015 ― February 26, 2015

One Direction - Between Us Fragrance Ad ― June 24, 2015

One Direction - The LDN Session Announcement ― September 29, 2015

One Direction In One Minute! ― September 30, 2015

1D Dance To “Love Me Like You” ― October 3, 2015

What Will One Direction Do Next? ― October 4, 2015

1D vs 1D (Narry vs Lilo) ― October 14, 2015

One Direction NEVER SEEN BEFORE Blooper! ― October 16, 2015

MNM: Julie Van den Sterre ontmoet Liam & Louis van One Direction ― October 15, 2015

One Direction - Meus Prêmios Nick #MPN ― October 19, 2015

One Direction - Made In The A.M. - First Listen (USA) ― October 24, 2015

One Direction - Welcome video ― October 30, 2015

One Direction - Liam - Made in the A.M (1) ― October 30, 2015

One Direction - Made in the A.M. - Niall (2) ― October 30, 2015

One Direction - From the Beginning ― October 30, 2015

One Direction - Liam Backstage ― November 3, 2015

One Direction - Boca (Argentina) ― November 3, 2015

One Direction on fans (Harry) ― November 3, 2015

One Direction - History Teaser ― November 5, 2015

One Direction - End of the Day ― November 6, 2015

One Direction - Olivia ― November 6, 2015

One Direction - Made in the A.M. BTS ― November 6, 2015

One Direction - On The Road Again 2015 - Snapchat ― November 6, 2015

One Direction - Hey Angel Teaser ― November 6, 2015

One Direction - Love You Goodbye Teaser ― November 10, 2015

One Direction - What a feeling! ― November 11, 2015

Surprise Surprise ― December 26, 2015 (???)

Happy Holidays from Niall Horan! ― December 13, 2016

[toraonice]

Yuri on Ice interview translation - Febri 2017/03 (p29-33)

Finally the interview from Febri is finished! I like Kubo’s interviews but I swear I don’t want to see any more for some time... This one is also mentioning a lot of stuff that I haven’t read in other interviews so far. It’s a bit long but definitely worth reading!

Translation is under the cut. I might fix the format a little later on to make it visually better, now I have to leave to go to Wonder Festival... (who needs sleep?). If you have any questions about the interview feel free to message me.

***If you wish to share this translation please do it by reblogging or posting a link to it*** 
***Re-translating into other languages is ok but please mention that this post is the source***

Staff interview Original plan / manga storyboard / character plan Mitsurou Kubo Mangaka Mitsurou Kubo is the one who, together with director Sayo Yamamoto, created the basis of the series. It was the first time that she worked on a story about sports and that she was involved with the production of an anime. We have asked her her feelings about this series.

—We know that this project started when you were invited by director (Sayo) Yamamoto. Yes. Originally I only watched figure skating on TV whenever I felt like it, but when I talked about that on the radio director Yamamoto listened to it and contacted me to ask me “would you be willing to create an anime about figure skating with me?”.

—That was the first time you met director Yamamoto, and you didn’t know each other before then, is that correct? Yes. However, and this is something that I was told later on, previously (Yasuyuki) Okamura-chan, when he was drinking with some members of the staff of the anime “Space Dandy” (broadcasted in 2014), messaged me on LINE to tell me that among them there was a person that was my fan. At a later time I found out that this person was director Yamamoto. I was surprised because I never even thought I had fans in the anime industry, and I would have never expected that one day we would end up working together like this.

—That is indeed a curious coincidence. When did you first become interested in figure skating? I used to watch it on TV every once in a while since when I was a kid. But I didn’t really know the rules and the athletes, my impressions were really just like “this skater is so cool!” or “this performance is so moving!”. I enjoyed reading what one of my friends who loves figure skating wrote online. The reason I was talking about figure skating on the radio and on TV is that it was during the Sochi Olympics, and I was saying things like “Mao-chan (Asada) is so tough” or “what (Tatsuki) Machida-kun said impressed me”, in other words the typical level of a person who watches it on TV. I only started to look up the rules and technical elements when I began working on “Yuri on Ice”.

—Basically, you were not just interested in male figure skating, but in figure skating as a sport in general. Yes. If Mao-chan was skating on TV I would watch her, and if (Yuzuru) Hanyuu-san was performing I would cheer on him. It’s a sport where Japanese athletes are doing great in international tournaments as well, so I really felt like cheering on them regardless of the gender.

—What do you find fascinating about figure skating? Of course I also find it amazing that they’re challenging the limits of the human body, but what most attracted me is that, while being a sport, they dance to the music. On the ice you are also required to be a performer that expresses something. Bound by surprisingly strict rules, you compete to get the best score. I think that the unchanging charm of figure skating lies in how athletes are able to always surprise and give new emotions to the ones who watch them, no matter whether they’re people who don’t have much knowledge about the sport or people who always support it.

—When director Yamamoto talked to you about “Yuri on Ice” did you decide to accept right away? Ever since the first time I met director Yamamoto I felt that it would be fun working with her, and that impression hasn’t changed. However, my knowledge of the sport was really basic, and since it’s a major sport with so many fans, at the beginning I wasn’t confident that I would be able to create something convincing that anyone would appreciate. I still decided to accept nevertheless mostly thanks to director Yamamoto’s enthusiasm. She knows so much about figure skating and loves it so much more than me, that I felt that with her I was willing to and would be able to create something. I too wanted to be influenced by her.

—This is the first time that you write a serious story about sports, is it right? Until then, even though I was interested in drawing manga about sports, I couldn’t find the courage to try. First of all you need technical knowledge of the sport, and most importantly I had no experience in playing anything myself. Of course there are mangaka who draw manga about baseball even though they have never played baseball, but I’m too scared and would never be able to do it. However, one time when I consulted George Morikawa, author of “Hajime no Ippo”, about this, he told me “I’ve never been a champion, but I’m drawing a manga about a champion”. He made me remember that indeed, writing about someone that you would never be able to become is one of the basics of fiction, and the real thrill of manga is that it allows you to do something like that. I did have this strong feeling that I wanted to show people how interesting figure skating is, and since there are so many fascinating athletes even in real life I thought that if I was going to create something I would have liked to come up with anime characters that would also feel fascinating. I came to the conclusion that “I would never be able to do that alone, but maybe together with director Yamamoto it will be possible to work it out”. Therefore I accepted her offer.

—Would you have avoided this theme if it were a manga serialization that you had to draw alone? No matter how much I love figure skating, I don’t think I would have done it alone. There’s an implicit rule in manga serializations, if they are popular they will go on forever, if they’re not popular they will be cut short, so I definitely wouldn’t be able to do it. You have to develop the story so that it’s always interesting while you have no idea whenever it will end, and at the same time you have to finish it neatly right away if they tell you to end it. It’s quite a feat if you think about it (LOL). Of course there are many mangaka that can do it just fine, so if you tell me “that’s because you’re not good enough” I won’t deny it (LOL).

—This time the story wasn’t made into a manga but into a 12 episodes long anime. Did it feel different? It almost never happened to me to create a story whose length was already decided from the start, so it felt new. Also, if you are doing a manga serialization you can still adjust the course of the story based on the response from the readers or reflect other people’s opinions in it even after you have started it, but in this case when episode 1 aired my job was basically over already, so I couldn’t receive any feedback from the audience while I was creating the story and I felt a kind of pressure I had never experienced before. However, the method of deciding the ending first and then directing the story so that it would get more and more exciting until the final climax is something that I think was worth trying at least once as a mangaka, so I enjoyed that aspect.

—How did you create the plot and the characters, which are the core of the story? The foundation of the plot is something that director Yamamoto already had in her mind when I first met her. The basic concept of a Japanese athlete as the protagonist, a foreign top skater that becomes his coach and the two participating in the Grand Prix Final hasn’t changed from the start. From that concept we decided the events and matches to show in every episode, and the conclusion where Yuuri ultimately cannot get the gold medal. These are all things that were fixed at an early stage. Regarding the detailed course of events in every episode, it wasn’t always the same. Sometimes we would discuss it together, and sometimes one of us would come up with a draft proposal and we would adjust it. There are editors who have a talent for creating stories, and it felt to me like I was working with that kind of person. Anyway, the scenario, including all the dialogues, was created by me and director Yamamoto.

—Didn’t you feel anxious that it was only the two of you creating the story? We dissipated any concerns by assuring each other that it was interesting (LOL). Also, when I think that something is interesting, usually I’m right. I don’t mean to say that I have a special talent, on the contrary it’s because I’m an ordinary person with ordinary sensibility that many people sympathize with me. I know this from experience, therefore I wasn’t really worried.

—I heard that your storyboard for all 12 episodes was about 900 pages long. Yes, it was more or less that. It took me a little more than a year, so considering the working pace I think I was actually pretty slow.

—Is there something you had a hard time with when you created the storyboard? In every episode, especially in the early part, I had trouble fitting the characters into the story. I drew about 10 pages but it felt really incoherent, so I had to draw it again from the start. That happened over and over. The story was already decided, therefore I couldn’t change it a lot. I mostly changed the situation or dialogues, and tried again until it felt right.

—It felt innovative that the story becomes completely focused on the tournaments as it progresses, and at the same time it was also very fascinating. Director Yamamoto really wanted to show until the Grand Prix Final, so the structure of the episodes naturally became like that. Also, I didn’t want to portray the other athletes like side characters that are obviously going to lose, therefore I tried to create a story where all characters would get their highlights. On top of that, the director was towing the series with overwhelming power, surprising everyone by saying things like “all songs must be newly-written” and “let’s use an orchestra to create the music”. Looking at her I thought I had to do my best too and so I tenaciously strived to incorporate all elements into my storyboard without making compromises.

—How did it feel to see your storyboard become an anime and not a manga? It’s not like I don’t think I’m one of the creators, but it felt more like I was simply “one member of the anime staff”, so in a way I was more worried that my storyboard would get in their way. I put my heart and soul into that storyboard, but I didn’t necessarily want them to do everything exactly like it, I was happier knowing that it could become a nice base on which to build the anime. It’s also the first time that I had someone else work on my drawings, but actually my drawing style has lots of lines, so it’s not really suitable for an anime. The most important thing was that the viewers would think the anime pictures were the best, so I was focused on watching the new fascinating style used in the anime and didn’t really care whether my art style would be maintained or not. Starting from the chief animation director (Tadashi) Hiramatsu-san, I completely trust the anime staff, so I told them to change anything they needed to make the art easier to animate. As a result, in some cases the characters’ expressions changed from the storyboard, and in other cases they were just the same translated into animation, but as a whole the pictures were improved compared to the storyboard and I’m really satisfied with the result.

—You also went location hunting to write the storyboard, right? Yes. We went to China, Russia and Barcelona in Spain to watch actual figure skating tournaments.

—Did physically going to arenas and getting a deeper knowledge of figure skating influence the storyboard? We couldn’t directly speak to the athletes in tournaments, therefore to recreate their feelings and thoughts in fiction we had to put together the pieces from the outside. We were planning to create a story centered around the bond of an athlete and their coach, in other words Yuuri and Victor, but before going location hunting we didn’t really have a clear image of that in our minds. If you put too much focus on expressing the bond people will say “it’s just a fantasy created by the mind of a woman, isn’t it?”. In fact, when I wrote “Moteki”, there were people saying “this manga doesn’t understand a man’s heart at all”, and at the same time I also received many comments like “how is it possible that a female writer understands the feelings of a virgin guy?”, but in the end there are no limitations as to how a person can interpret a work, therefore the only correct thing a creator can do is release their work into the world with a strong resolve. Either way, I thought that if I didn’t draw “Yuri on Ice” with very strong feelings I would lose my way, but I had a hard time deciding what would be the core of these strong feelings.

—I see. At that time, a certain athlete said “I can skate for love”. In their case, “love” was probably referring to their lover, and they meant to say that even if they are apart they can do their best thinking about that person and this also helps them achieve good results, but when we heard this director Yamamoto and I felt shocked like we had been struck by lightning. We realized that indeed, in real figure skating many athletes express an overwhelming love and sensuality on the ice. I myself had never drawn a story about someone doing their best for love in such a straightforward way, but I thought that if I had to try my hand at it this series was the perfect chance. It’s a theme that can be dealt with in the sport of figure skating, and also it’s pretty classic to connect sport and love in fiction. Yuuri Katsuki doesn’t skate for his own love, but to prove all kinds of love, including Victor, and when as a result his strong desire for a gold medal was added to it, I had the feeling that this series had finally found its powerful core. I believed that any kind of love representation, if crafted with the utmost care, would feel interesting to the viewers. What was important to me and director Yamamoto was not “who to deliver this work to”, but to create a solid work that would “be able to reach as far as possible”, and one of the elements that contributed to make it strong was the representation of the bond called “love”.

—That is also something that is reflected in the characters’ personalities and dialogues. I wanted to depict the athletes’ nature, their passion and dedication, with care. That’s why I decided to use lots of strong dialogues that are like a punch in the face, and surprise the viewers with their facial expressions and the situations. I did my best to pour my personal style into these parts, while of course being careful not to spoil the main story line.

—At the same time, the skating scenes are really realistic and contain almost no fictional elements. I left the skating scenes to the animators who are in charge of them, trusting that they would be able to make them convincing. I was really pleased to see the final result, because they were able to create amazing scenes with the characteristic taste of an anime, so even if the story is fiction they took a very serious approach to it.

—I see. Who was the hardest character to write? I had a hard time drawing the relationship between Yuuri and Yurio. Especially Yurio, I think he’s easy to grasp as a character and I was sure he would become popular, but for the same reason it was difficult to make him unpredictable. I wanted to depict him and Yuuri as rivals, however figure skating is mostly a battle against yourself, a sport where you fight to pursue your personal best, and after their direct confrontation in episode 3 they also become physically separated, so I was careful about the balance when making them think of each other.

—Yuuri and Yurio had a kind of relationship that made it difficult to tell exactly whether they were getting along or not. We had already decided from the start that Yurio would hinder Yuuri’s victory in the Grand Prix Final, therefore I had to think about how to develop their relationship in a convincing way, so that the viewers would also feel a catharsis in that moment. When portraying rivals it’s important not to fall into stereotypes, that’s why I created the stir over Victor, Otabek and Yurio becoming friends in episode 10, and so on. It was for the purpose of reinforcing the fated connection between Yuuri and Yurio, and to consequently cause the viewers to want to cheer on Yuuri in the Grand Prix Final. However, at the same time the bond between Yuuri and Victor became deeper and deeper, and as I couldn’t really find enough place to put the spotlight on the rivarly with Yurio eventually Yurio stopped moving inside my storyboard, to my surprise. In that sense, I had to struggle to depict Yuuri and Yurio’s relationship until the end.

—Still, Yurio’s lines were all powerful, and I think he really stood out as a character. How did you create those memorable lines such as “I’ll make you into a borscht in Moscow” and “there are no gold medals for pigs!!”? Just naturally (LOL). Sometimes lines are born because the story requires them, and some other times a line a character would totally say eventually connects to the story, so it doesn’t really feel like I came up with all the lines myself. Ideally I was aiming to create lines that people will want to say right away the day after the episode is broadcasted, that they will want to say out loud. It’s not just about Yurio of course, but since voice actors were going to read the lines out loud it was a good occasion to throw in lots of strong dialogues (LOL).

—The bond between Yuuri and Victor became more and more extreme by the end of the series. Yuuri is just calling it “love” because of what he wants to express, without being afraid of the values arbitrarily decided by others, but I decided to go ahead and use any kind of representation if it was required by the story, without reserve. I believed that the buildup of such a relationship would lead to a special ending, I actually hadn’t envisioned their relationship from the start. In the end the bond between them became extremely deep, and I myself was surprised.

—The scene of the rings in episode 10 was the most outstanding example, it was quite shocking. Considering what you just said, was that also the course of events? It wasn’t the course of events, it was necessary! At least, when I was writing the storyboard that’s what I thought, and I wrote it seriously. I had really been wanting to draw the scene of Yuuri and Victor’s reunion at Fukuoka airport, and at that time neither me nor director Yamamoto actually had in mind to drop any bombshells in episode 10 or 11. However, episode 10 was the last “break” before the Grand Prix Final, and as we were thinking about what to put in it to make it an absolutely enjoyable episode, we also wondered whether it was possible to further deepen their bond too. Since we had already done hugs and scenes like in dramatic TV serials* we thought we couldn’t go it any farther, but then I suddently thought that they might want an item for support when facing the Grand Prix Final. When I tried browsing the websites of ring brands I found out that engagement rings aren’t necessarily something for people who get married, but that they can be given as presents to soulmates too. And I thought, “this is it!”. Besides, looking through the material we gathered during location hunting in Barcelona I found pictures of a church with a choir, so I was like “this is the place!”. [*translator’s note: In Japanese she says “scenes like in a getsuku drama”. “Getsuku” (月9) are serial TV dramas broadcasted on Fuji TV on Monday at 9 pm, hence “getsuku” which means “Monday 9”. Especially until a few years ago they used to be very popular, you might have heard the titles of some of the most known ones like “HERO” and “Long Vacation”, both starring Takuya Kimura. They mostly center around or include love stories, but not necessarily, and they tend to have lots of dramatic twists, so sometimes people will refer to dramatic or tense scenes in other works as “getsuku” because they remind of the typical developments of these dramas. In YOI I would say she is referring to either the scene in the parking in ep.7 or the one at Fukuoka airport in ep.9.]

—It’s like everything connected naturally, as if it was meant to happen. It was a period where I was at my wits’ end, but I drew this part all in one go. It was before the anime started, so I didn’t know what kind of response the anime would get and how this would be interpreted. Even if someone said “this makes no sense!” I wouldn’t have cared (LOL).

—As a result, the viewers were ecstatic. If it were a manga I think that scene would have actually looked much lighter and less important, but I was positively impressed to see how much impact it could have when in an anime.

—Still, the response from the public got more and more terrific with each episode. What surprised me the most after the end of the series is that my father was actually watching it. He has never read any of my manga except for the 4-koma ones, yet he was watching “Yuri on Ice”. He said “at the beginning I felt a little sick*, but I watched it until the end. Will you make a sequel?” (LOL). I was moved thinking that my father, a 70 years old Kyushu man, managed to overcome nausea and was able to enjoy the anime. Anyway, this series received response from such a wide range of people, something that could not possibly happen in my life as a mangaka. I feel a lot of fervor coming from both the positive and the negative opinions. [*translator’s note: It’s a bit vague, but based on how it’s worded I think they are referring to motion sickness probably caused by the skating scenes.]

—When did you start realizing that you were receiving a huge response? I’d say from around episode 5, when the real tournaments started. I was a bit tense because in manga it happens often that people will say the everyday life parts are more interesting than the competition scenes, but I was very happy to see that in fact we were getting more response after the tournament started. Also, after episode 7 I realized it so clearly that I even began to think “this is reaching too many people”. On Twitter I saw lots of comments like “I cried so much I feel sick” and I thought “people’s autonomic nerves are going crazy” (LOL).

—Now that the series is over and you are probably less burdened by work, how do you feel looking back on “Yuri on Ice”? More than the sense of fulfillment for being able to express what I wanted to draw, I feel so undescribably happy that I could help director Yamamoto build the world she wanted to create. I was contacted about this series right after I finished my serialization of “Again!!”, and it was a time when I was thinking about what kind of manga to draw next and my mind was completely blank. Like Victor in episode 1, I couldn’t feel any motivation to start my next work and I wasn’t able to come up with any idea. Just at that time I met director Yamamoto and I was able to deal with things I had been avoiding, like the theme of “doing something for love” and “a series about a sport I had no experience in”, and I was able to reach a level that I could never have reached alone. However, due to my nature, I absolutely don’t think that “now that I gained this experience, I will use it as a weapon to draw lots of interesting manga!” (LOL). I can see myself worrying about lots of things again the next time I sit at a desk, but still, I believe that I earned something thanks to this series. I feel that even if you leave your area of expertise, if you have the sensitivity to find something interesting and enough luck, you can create something that other people will sympathize with, and I also think that getting away from my usual work of manga serializations helped me notice many new things.

—So, did it help you gain more confidence? It’s not that simple (LOL). If you become too sensible you will lose your ego as a mangaka and the works you create might actually become boring. Sometimes I think that to write manga you need to become like a rabid dog. There are surely many things I earned working in the production of an anime, but whether I can put them to good use in my manga is another story, and at this moment I still can’t tell.

—I see. Lastly, many people are hoping for a sequel to “Yuri on Ice”. Could you tell us your current plans and whether you have a desire to continue? Even between me and director Yamamoto, we still haven’t discussed about it concretely. Besides, we cannot create an anime alone, and we do not know whether the important anime staff will have their schedules free. But we cannot move forward until we create something that will allow us to say “we have come up with this sequel, please follow us”, therefore, as one of the main creators, the first thing I want to do is conceive an interesting sequel. Actually, I’ll be going on a trip abroad with director Yamamoto soon. It has nothing to do with location hunting for a sequel, but like when we first discussed about “Yuri on Ice”, I hope that we can start to gather the external pieces while talking about figure skating every day. I think that the characters are out there somewhere, waiting for a chance to move again, and we are going on a trip to look for them. I hope we can find them.

[christinaengela]

Hello friends and fans!

Welcome to my 6th newsletter: June 2017 – jam-packed with tidbits and information about new releases and projects I’m currently busy with!

Coming up in this edition of Another Round @ The Crow Bar:Regular updates and a monthly spotlight on one of my books, this time “Dead Beckoning“, the third title in the Galaxii Series!

New Releases

June 2017 kicked off with the launch of “High Steaks“, the sixth title in the The Quantum Series and sequel to the recently launched “Prodigal Sun“! If you want to know more about the story being told in “High Steaks“, you can find more info here: What Readers Can Expect In “Prodigal Sun”, “High Steaks”, “Fortitude” & “The Last Hurrah”.

Also released during May, “The Peed-Off Peasant’s Collection Of Awesome Parking Memes” provides printable memes that can be left under the windshield wipers of cars that are illegally parked in your driveway! That’s right, instead of hastily scribbling a powerful angry note that might get you into trouble, you can print and choose from a stack of these witty, clearly legible items to embarrass, shame and show up offenders!

The Galaxii Series

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I’ve been busy with ‘Panic!’ and upcoming titles in the Quantum Series, so I still haven’t got round to title 4 “Where Darkness Softly Treads” yet! Sorry! 😉 I should get round to it soon as I feel like writing something darker for a change.

The Quantum Series

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With the release of “High Steaks” this week, the Quantum Series now consists of six titles! Work is progressing on “Fortitude” and I hope to get that out by December or January 2018.

To get a better idea of what this story is about, read What Readers Can Expect In “Prodigal Sun”, “High Steaks”, “Fortitude” & “The Last Hurrah”.

Panic! Horror In Space

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The first title “Panic! Horror In Space #1” is available in paperback and ebook versions on various distribution platforms including Amazon and Lulu.

“Panic! Horror In Space #2” is also complete, with a release planned for August.

Panic! is a sci-fi/horror series, which will have some decidedly sci-fi characters encountering some decidedly horror entities – ghosts, haunted objects, zombies, etc. along with my usual twisted brand of humor!

As a fan of paranormal investigator TV shows, I really enjoying writing this new series!

Short Fiction

“Panic! Horror In Space” has taken most of my writing time in the last few weeks, so it’s likely that “Space Really Sucks!” will be delayed a good while yet.

Poetry

“Trumpocalypse” (Horrified Press), containing my poem “State Capture“, which was published in May can be bought here.

Non-Fiction

Nothing to report in this section this time!

Collaborations

Nothing to report in this section this time!

Translations

Nothing new to report in this section for now. Several translations into Afrikaans are currently available for free on the shop site’s Afrikaans page. In the meantime, if you have any up-to-date English-Afrikaans dictionaries newer than 2010 containing new words about technology and stuff you want to get rid of, please keep us in mind!

Editing

Nothing to report in this section this time!

Competitions

There are no competitions currently running.

On A Personal Note

Fan Mail & Honorable Mentions

Noticed in the past month by my long-suffering PA Wendy K. Gloss, were the following honorable mentions:

Mambaonline quoted me in an article about a local South African hate-preacher who got taken on about her promotion of false information that gay people are not biologically gay by nature and that they can be ‘prayed’ (or is that ‘preyed’) straight. “The book excerpt was met with disbelief and anger from members of the LGBTQ community. Activist Christina Engela commented: “Gretha Wiid has obviously gone beyond the effort of NOT researching sexual orientation or gender identity issues to simply spout her own bigoted, ignorant and biased views on LGBT people.”” The issue has escalated, since after a few days of backing and forthing, the SA Human Rights Commission is investigating Ms. Wiid for her homophobia.

I display my Fan Mail & Compliments with pride, gratitude and humility. You are always welcome to have a look.

Hate Mail

May was rather quiet on the hate mail front.

(I’m rather proud of my hate mail, and you can review it here – but be forewarned, don’t do it while eating or drinking or you might choke while laughing!)

Reviews & Interviews

Nothing new during this past month! If you would like to do an interview with me about my works, please do get in touch!

New Videos

Here is the book trailer video for “High Steaks”!

New Listings

All my books now seem to be listed just about everywhere – except for the ones I haven’t published yet! As of this month, new listings include Foyles Bookshop chain (UK), Book Depository and 24 Symbols, who now also stock my books.

Monthly Book Spotlight [Spoiler Alert]: Galaxii Series 03 – “DEAD BECKONING”

The second title in the Galaxii Series, “Dead Beckoning” is the third title in the Galaxii Series, a saga set in a distant future. Sona Kilroy is the one that got away – the most dangerous Corsair of them all! Having survived the fall of Meradinis, the Corsair base world, and escaped the full might of the assembled Terran Space Fleet, he has outwitted and captured an Imperial warship! Using the Indomitable, he has set about rebuilding the Corsair culture on  another world in the dark depths of the Omegan Quadrant, from where he threatens to wreak piratical vengeance upon every Terran colonist in deep space – and he has put a bounty on Blachart’s head for good measure.

Blachart is a reformed Corsair who, while making the most of his new imperial pardon –  and going by the name Adam – has only just begun to forge a relationship with Marsha, a girl who came to the fringe to make a fresh start, and to get away from her former male past.

For Marsha, life out on the fringe is definitely not what she expected – and for her, having met someone she can finally feel safe and open with is a relief met with the counter-weight of risk to her safety by whatever it is this man has got himself into.

Adam is recruited by the Space Fleet on the barely-established new Terran colony of Caries – in the person of Captain Mykl d’Angelo of the starship Antares – to help them hunt down a dangerous fugitive …an old acquaintance of his, a Corsair – but not just any old space pirate – the most cunning and vicious of them all!

I.S.S. Antares

Mykl d’Angelo – the closest thing Adam has to a friend in the universe – asks Adam’s help to hunt down Sona Kilroy, end the threat of Corsairs once and for all, and to put an end to the bounty on his life – comes at exactly the right time! Together they embark on a wild adventure to find, capture or end Kilroy – before it’s too late!

This is the third episode in the Galaxii Series, and the second story in which Mykl d’Angelo, Ripley Jones and Blachart appear – along with the characters from the second title, “Demonspawn” – chiefly Captain Joe Lofflin and his crew from the I.S.S. Mordrake.

The I.S.S. Mordrake

Summary: This is the third book in the Galaxii Series, packed with comedy, suspense and action, and tells the tale of Adam – a former Corsair working to expunge his bloody past by doing good… Starting with helping Mykld’Angelo – captain of the imperial star ship Antares to track down and capture one of the most powerful and feared Corsairs in legend: Sona Killroy… aka The Hammer.

In Closing

As I said in last month’s newsletter, I’ve resolved to release several titles per year. I expanded on the background of indie publishing – at least “according to Christina Engela” – and how I do it, in a short article “Are Indie Published Authors Really “Published” Authors?” I posted on May 5.

Sales-wise in April-May, sales (including free downloads) were up, largely due to the paid FB ad campaigns I took in April which got a lot of hits! No, I can’t afford to retire just yet, and the small island in the Caribbean will have to wait! In the meantime, keep your chins up and keep on keeping on! Thanks again for all your support, friendship and interaction! Until next time,

Cheers! 🙂

If you would like to know more about Christina Engela and her writing, please feel free to browse her website. If you want to know what Christina Engela’s focus group or target market is, please read here. If you would like to read more about Christina’s life and experiences, please go to her Biography and the article “Timeline of Milestones, Awards & Achievements“. To leave her a message, please use the Contact form. Visit her Shop. ‘Add’ Christina Engela on Facebook (Profile). ‘Like’ Christina Engela on Facebook (Page). All material copyright © Christina Engela, 2017.

Another Round @ The Crow Bar #6 – June 2017 Hello friends and fans! Welcome to my 6th newsletter: June 2017 - jam-packed with tidbits and information about new releases and projects I'm currently busy with!