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kookiepredictions · 4 years ago

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Jungkook Twin Flame Reading

A little post in honour of Jungkook’s birthday after which I’ll be taking a break :)

Jungkook Twin Flame Reading

The relationship dynamic between Jungkook and his TF is so interesting to me. To say that they are made for each other is a huge understatement. If human beings have several layers and levels to their being, then it is safe to say that Jungkook and his TF are compatible at every level; that’s how “destined” they are. Even if you take away the spiritual aspect of their connection and just focus on the earthly, physical dimension, they are the type of people who would be instantly drawn to each other. It’s not enough said that they are each other’s type. They could walk into a room full of people and instantly pick the other. Each has the physical appearance that the other finds attractive, the personality that the other admires, and their overall goals and ambitions in life too are very compatible. Whether they hit each other up at the bar, met in a park, hooked up on Tinder, or had an arranged marriage, it doesn’t matter— they would end up together. It’s like in the movie ‘The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, where the protagonists erase each other’s memories repeatedly but still end up falling in love every time they meet again. Now you would say, how nice for them, that must make their TF journey so much easier than others’, but (very) interestingly, no, it makes it just the more difficult.

Since they are so obviously compatible, picking each other is an obvious option. It’s like, I don’t need to be divinely guided to pick you; I’d do it anyway. And this is what makes the connection so confusing because there are literally 2 Levels in this connection: 1, where they can just be together as partners or spouses or whatever other earthly relationship term they want to subscribe to, and 2, where they can show up as the Divine Masculine and Feminine and hence have a higher dimensional connection. The difference between these 2 options is that the 1st, while not terrible, would be a mere earthly connection wherein both operate from their wounded selves and therefore their love has conditions, projections, and therefore hurts and problems. This type of relationships is not very uncommon to find and one might even argue that what’s so bad with that? Every relationship has problems. That’s normal. But then I urge you to ask yourselves, is it normal or it is normalized? Also, it might be commonly seen, but with their potential to be Twin Flames, Jungkook and his DF are not here to have a “normal” connection. And they are definitely not here to subscribe to the normalized version of love as it exists in the world right now. As TF counterparts, they have been given a choice to opt for more, also known in the TF community as creating new relationship templates. This is why I had mentioned in one of my previous posts that simply being born and then meeting your TF counterpart does not automatically make you each other’s Twin Flames— it only makes you “potential” TFs. It’s only when you show up as your most authentic or Divine self that you are actually “being” TFs. This is not a very simple phenomenon to understand and a lot of times, TF counterparts meet each other and are caught up in the earthly, or lower chakra attraction that they feel for each other. This looks like intense sexual attraction, daydreaming and overthinking about each other, and being almost addicted to each other. Is this a very bad thing? No, definitely not. Understand that the lower chakras represent our earthly existence and as such, all experiences stemming from them ground us onto that aspect of life and done right, it’s a beautiful experience. Also, one thing I disagree with a lot of people about is that the TF connection is not romantic. Oh but it is! The TF connection is not a fairytale. Heck yeah it is! But I also understand where they are coming from. I think the problem is in the way the words “romance” and “fairytale” are perceived these days. I don’t know about you, but fairytales to me are all about boy meets girl, fall in love, want to be together but problems arise, misunderstandings happen, third parties interfere, sorrows and tears, breakthrough, problem-solving, maybe even some fights, songs and dances, and finally, union. This don’t look like the TF connection to you? Of course, the TF journey is not so oversimplified, linear or one-dimensional, and doesn’t end in like 1 ½ hours. But that’s still the gist though. As for romance, again, I earnestly think the meaning of romance is so skewed right now, it makes me sad. As far as I have lived (and loved), romance has never been just about wining and dining, flowers and chocolates, singing and dancing (although they are a part of that and a very fun one at that). For me, the TF connection is romance at its peak. If romance is defined as the expression of love and affection, then there can be absolutely nothing more romantic than a person who would stop at NOTHING to be with you, to the point that they would take an axe and strike down their own ego, burn and destroy themselves over and over again to be their most authentic self because they see you and think, you’re worth it. So many people in the world right now would rather replace you with someone else simply because they are too proud to look into themselves and heal their wounds that are stopping them from experiencing true love, and continue living with their masks on. Masked people bringing flowers and diamonds and basically everything else other than their heart has never been a romantic notion for me. But yes, the skewed definition of romance these days does not accommodate such depth of the emotion and expression of love, so it’s limited to being perceived (and executed) as materialistic and surface-level exhibition.

TFs, upon meeting each other for the first time, experience all of these earthly tendencies. In itself, it’s not a bad thing at all. It’s sweet, spicy and exciting because seldom do you find a person that gets your heart racing like that. The “relationship” too, seems within your reach. But just when you reach out for them, the tower moments happen. This is when TFs realize that there is much more than what appears on the surface and you got to dig deeper. With Jungkook and his DF, it just was even more confusing because them being so compatible and an “obvious choice” for each other, the delays and the “ifs” and “buts” just did not make sense. This was especially Jungkook’s energy where he was more focused on the earthly manifestation of this connection because that’s what made sense to him— boy meets girl, fall in love, together bam! (Lol I had to make that joke cuz it’s a special day). He was also focused more on the external manifestations of problems in the connection, for example, he would think, I cannot be with the DF because of X, Y, Z. But the TF journey, like any other spiritual journey, will always teach you to look inward. Any problem and situation in life is always the external manifestation of something that is wrong inside, and therefore that’s where all solutions lie. On the other hand, as DFs are usually initiated into the spiritual journey first and are more concerned with that aspect of the connection (explained in detail in a previous post), his DF kept running away from him because Jungkook’s state of mind was not supportive of her spiritual quests. It’s important to understand that neither of them was consciously doing this; both did what they did because that’s what made sense to them at their level of healing. As the “lead” in this journey though, somehow it all started with the DF. She felt the call to opt for that higher dimension in their connection and to move away from him when he wasn’t in the ready state to even understand, let alone, support that spiritual aspect, which is what is known as the Separation— the part where both parties need to focus on their own healing. However, it’s one thing to know what to do, and quite another to embody that knowledge and act on it with the trust that everything will ultimately work out. So for a while, she too was caught up in her lower dimensional cravings. It’s safe to say that just like Jungkook, she was terrified of losing him because like I said, even in a non-TF way, they seemed so perfect for each other, you just do not want to miss the chance to at least give it a shot. But her soul would be tugging at her to complete the tasks that she had undertaken prior to incarnation, in other words, her soul contract, so she wouldn’t be able to be fully present in this connection either. And so she would do this thing where she would take a step forward towards her destiny and then look back at Jungkook where he was in his journey to see if he would join her. Repeatedly. But this connection IS about your soul journey, her indecision and mental to and fro would energetically keep Jungkook in an indecisive and back and forth state too. It’s like everytime she would look back to see if she was making a mistake, Jungkook would look back to see if he was making a mistake. This was keeping him attached to his karmic situations, which would then drain him, which would make him want his DF more to fill him up, which would create energy drainage for the DF which would ultimately repel the DF and she would want to run far, far away from him. This pushing him away in turn would hurt and confuse Jungkook and he would start doubting the connection and his self worth and start thinking that he doesn’t deserve her and that she is staying away from him because she isn’t interested in him and it’s all in his head, and so he would think of walking away from her before she leaves him. This is the push and pull dynamic in this connection and this was the loop that they were stuck in for a while.

Over time though, his DF has been inching closer and closer to her destined path, trying to find faith in herself, in the connection and in Jungkook and has been looking back less. Recognizing her role as the lead, she has had to make the difficult decision to solely focus on herself and put Jungkook out of her mind— a “whatever happens, happens, I’m not abandoning myself for anyone anymore” kind of a decision. This has been difficult for her because she has always naturally been someone who puts other people’s needs before her own. When she likes someone, it has always made sense for her to almost sacrifice all her needs and wants for the other person’s. However, this energy has never been reciprocated to her in her previous connections, and her life would always eventually turn out to be one where her needs were always in the backburner. As I had said in a previous post, when she first meets Jungkook, the way he treated her was quite different from others. While other men would make these big show of love while ignoring the smallest, most basic things about her, Jungkook was observant of the little subtle things about her and more importantly, always willing and even seeking to do things that felt tailormade for her. While other people made their moves with agenda, Jungkook had this energy of just vibing in the moment, doing little things, making her smile. It was like he had even forgotten to set a purpose or intention of interacting with her; he just did what he did because it made him so happy. This caused her to put down her guard and a connection was made. However, this connection, or specifically, the happiness and bliss in the connection did not last long because both were interacting from a co-dependent place— they were both doing things trying to seek happiness from the other, to fill an empty void in themselves. But as I discussed earlier, when you seek something outside of yourself, it is never enough because that void can only be filled by you. So, what started as a beautiful and fun connection started morphing into a confusing, draining and hurtful one. This was very the signal to start levelling up into a higher dimension of the connection— the connection in itself wasn’t wrong; it was just that it was established in a lower, 3D dimension that was keeping it embroiled in pain and struggle. The DF was the first to recognize this and felt it in her heart to first, individually level up. But as said earlier, she was constantly looking back in doubt, afraid she might just lose him, which, true to the TF connection, kept Jungkook stuck in a fear of losing her. When Jungkook is stuck in the energy of this fear for long enough, external problems would manifest to reflect and amplify that fear, which then, as I said, would make him want to leave her first before she could leave him, because he felt that he loved her too much to ever be able to bear the pain of his heart being broken by her.

In present times, his DF has been a lot more confident in herself and in this connection. This has happened because she has spent considerable amount of time healing her trauma patterns which has immensely increased her faith in the Divine and she is able to see this connection clearly, not just from a knowledge point of view, but also from a deep feeling. In the past, she was stuck in the confusion of “if he is right for me, then how does it make sense to leave him behind?”, the same confusion that Jungkook had. But then again, when she stayed behind, there would be all these differences of opinions between them and problems and hurt would ensue. Both saw each other as their destination and yet, the path each proposed to take was different. Jungkook took the more rational, practical path while his DF was inclined to the more spiritual, “listen to the Divine, have faith and let go” path. Incidentally, the spiritual path is not irrational either. The real, practical problems in their connection did not go unnoticed by the DF. She noticed the co-dependency, the fact that she was constantly putting her own needs behind to try to address his needs and also the fact that even after that, Jungkook was still stuck in fear, doubt, confusion and misery. But more than anything else, she saw the once-beautiful connection deteriorate every day. This was painful to her because from the moment she saw Jungkook, as an intuitive and foresighted woman, she knew he was the one, and that this would be a beautiful and fulfilling connection, and the start had even been that way. The intense attraction, waiting for each other everyday, daydreaming when they were alone, every love song finally making sense— stuff straight out of a movie or a romance novel. But this reality kept slipping off, and it hurt her to see it all go down the drain. So when she realized that this connection needed to be anchored to a higher frequency, she had to make the choice of walking away from him to work on herself. She knew that she wasn’t being her most authentic, divine self, and as such, wouldn’t be able to create an authentic and divine connection. While in the past she was afraid of being judged by him for the choices and decisions she made, more recently she has stepped into the confidence that living her life from her heart is not something she should ever be afraid of, and if Jungkook is the divinely destined partner that she thought he was, he would never stand in the way of her living a life that made her happy. She also knew that unless she heals herself from her own trauma and wounds, she would not be able to love him right either. She isn’t perfect and in the past she has done many a hurtful things to people she loved and she is afraid unhealed, she would do the same to Jungkook. In this energy, she foresees the connection to become riddled with problems and trauma bonding and she would rather leave him and this connection right this instant where it is still relatively peaceful, than create a reality where they hurt each other that much. It’s funny that in her past relationships, whenever she hurt her partner, she would feel guilty for behaving that way more because she feels it was beneath who she is, but on hindsight she will be like, well they still deserved it for being complete jerks to me. But with Jungkook, she feels like she wouldn’t be able to ever willingly hurt him because she believes he doesn’t deserve to ever be treated that way, so it could only mean that in such a state, she would only hurt herself each time and she didn’t want that for herself either, so she feels like she’d rather stay away from him and the connection than cause all that. This is similar to how Jungkook feels about her as well, which is why no matter how tough it gets for him to go on without her, he always reminds himself that he couldn’t possibly with her until he became capable enough to give her all the happiness that she deserves, so that’s where they would mirror each other. And yet, everytime he feels empty, he wants to reach out to her. However, as the DF has started becoming confident in the connection, and stopped looking back in doubt, Jungkook has been feeling confident too. The more she heals, he heals. Now, they are both on their adventures of finding themselves while still recognizing the presence and impact of this connection in their lives. I think they’ve both realized that trying to escape this connection is a lost war. Instead they are embracing it and letting it guide them while still learning to put themselves first. Even after all the doubts and fears, their destination still remains the same, and the path seems to be aligning as well because they are both trying to meet each other halfway. Will there be anymore problems, confusion, doubts, fears, anger, frustration? Maybe, maybe not. But like I always say, that’s not the point of life at all. Nor is that the point of relationships. Problems might still arise but unlike in the past, they won’t be swept into co-dependency. The DF has learnt to listen to her heart every time, even if Jungkook does not agree with her and will address Jungkook’s needs only when she has ensured that her own needs are met first. In return, Jungkook has learnt to trust that his DF’s path will never be separate from his— time and time again, he has seen his DF return to him, never ceasing to love him and he has learnt to trust more in the Divine to give him what he believes belongs to him. Soon enough, they will be whole, complete and happy enough on their own accord and this will create a harmonious and blissful interdependent connection between them with the earthly intense attraction as well as the divine peaceful stability.

Just to avoid an abrupt end, let me share one of my favourite quotes that aptly defines this journey (except add “vice versa”):

“A woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.”

― Maya Angelou

Happy 24th birthday Jungkook, I hope you always know and remember that you are well loved, not because the person or the people who love you are good people, but because you deserve to be loved always. What is yours will never pass you by and what you seek, seeks you I promise. You will see, in time. Every single thing in this connection and in this journey might not make sense and it might seem long and dragged out, but if you want the other person to consider your needs, you must consider theirs too. That is true love. And it is yours. You’ve worked for it and you’ve earned it. Your DF wants you as much as you want her. But she won’t give herself to you unless she deems herself as someone you deserve and you deserve the best. She knows you already think she’s perfect but she also knows that you have the biggest, the kindest and the most accommodating heart and you would never make anyone feel lesser than. But she’s adamant lol. She says, Jungkook deserves the best and he will have the best. Please allow her the time and space to do this not just for you but also for herself— allow her to heal her insecurities so she never feels small and insignificant anywhere she goes. Don’t forget that your destination is the same. Allow her to take a different path once in a while if she so pleases, and don’t be afraid to do the same. Do what YOU want to do and what is best for you. Always. If it hurts her ego, best believe that it is HER problem to take care of. If you are meant to be, mistakes and slip ups will never get in the way of that. If you are meant to be, neither of you should ever have to hide any part of yourselves. Trust that being your most authentic selves, no matter how odd, shameful and unforgiving it might seem to you, will always bring you closer. That’s just what unconditional love is. That’s what you are divinely created to have. If you have to hide, pretend and suppress any part of you to please the other, it’s just not love, and believe you me, your connection won’t last that way. I know it’s scary, to show those parts of yourself to another, parts that even you haven’t been able to accept, embrace or forgive, then how are they going to do that? She knows and she fears the same about herself. But know that you both have to show up as who you are, otherwise this connection remains a daydream and an illusion, the bubble of which will burst sooner or later. You both have been given the opportunity to create something that is not just missing but is needed in this world right now. Take it and make the best out of it. At the end of your lives, as you sit on your porch, watching the sunset together, you will get to look back in triumph and gratitude for one hell of an adventure. Happy birthday once again! May this day be the start to the best, happiest, most fun, most exciting, most exotic, most peaceful, most authentic and most soul-ly fulfilling life you have ever wanted.

P.S. I really wanted to make a small and compact post but for some reason I rambled on and also I feel so tired after this I want to go to sleep immediately. I don’t have the energy to see what I’ve written anymore so I hope it all made sense. See you after my break! PPS. :) :) :)

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vkelleyart · 4 years ago

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Thoughts on fandom: inclusion and engagement.

(Art credit to the kindhearted @penpanoply!)

There’s been some stuff floating around on Tumblr about strife in the CO/WS fandom, and though I haven’t been explicitly named-dropped on anything public, my DMs have been... active. lol Rather than rehash what’s been said already, I just want to impart a little wisdom and perspective in the hopes it may soothe frayed feelings and offer a way ahead for cultivating a respectful community. As someone who has been an active participant in online fandoms since the mid-’90s, which was the advent of online fandom content creation (shout out to my fellow X-Philes!), and who has also spent a chunk of her professional life managing social media for the federal government and for activist groups, I can promise you it’s all gonna be okay.

Here’s some context for why strife happens and what we can do to create a more inclusive and communicative fandom environment.

1) It sounds cliché, but fandoms go through growing pains.

In the case of the Simon Snow fandom, what was once a small and cozy space untouched by cataclysmic events (such as the release of *gasp* a sequel) has grown exponentially in a relatively short amount of time following the release of Wayward Son. Newcomers are eager to find a home in this space at the same time as folks who’ve been here a while may be consciously or unconsciously wary about widening their circle, and It’s important to remember that this is not necessarily an expression of bad behavior on either side but just human psychology doing its thing.

The byproduct, however, is that tension and stress builds over time from the lack of meaningful communication across the divide, which subsequently fuels misunderstandings. Ironically, the interfaces we use to communicate don’t help with this because any existing communication about the tension happens in tiny vacuums until a trigger goes off and bad feelings go public.

Way Ahead: These moments of destabilization are opportunities to see where we can be more self aware about how we engage with fandom and the kind of community we want to be. Can you promote, support, or befriend someone trying to gain a foothold? If yes, please do! Each person must reach their own decision about what they can do within the confines of their available energy, health, and time, but a little self awareness goes a long way as long as you’re honest with yourself and others if applicable about what you can contribute. Anyone who judges you for it isn’t worth the strife.

2) In a fandom comprised of vulnerable/marginalized people, it’s more accurate to say that cliques are “bubbles of trust.”

This one's important. Just by nature of the source material, the CO/WS fandom includes fans with a wide array of backgrounds and experiences, especially when it comes to those who identify with the characters’ queerness, mental illness, and/or trauma. I really believe––based on individual conversations/group chats––that the difficult lived experiences that so many of our fandom peers have endured has produced one of the most open, aware, and accepting fandoms I’ve had the pleasure of participating in. Our vulnerability is, in a real way, our strength.

That said, a community of survivors also has the side effect of cultivating small circles of engagement that I call “bubbles of trust.” When you’re a survivor of abuse, marginalization, mental illness, fill-in-the-blank, it’s often quite hard to risk casting a wide net and expanding your circle to include new faces––which can subsequently be internalized by equally sensitive and vulnerable newcomers as rejection, judgement, or inadequacy.

Way Ahead: First of all, there may indeed be gatekeeping and exclusion going on. But before internalizing someone’s cagey behavior as gatekeeping or purposely exclusionary, ask yourself if you have all the information. Many people are private (I include myself in this assessment) because life has regrettably taught them to be this way, and so they may insulate themselves to a small group of people who have earned their trust. Some people might also triggered by certain content (case in point: smut triggers my anxiety) so they don’t engage with it. Others might have something in their pasts that define how they handle certain subjects (for example, a person of color should not be tone policed for getting angry when confronted with a racialized microagression, however accidental it was). You just don’t know what you don’t know.

The solution here is to regularly check your privilege and ask questions in a private space if you sense you’re being treated unfairly by someone. If you go public with your grievances in hopes of mobilizing the mob, you may accidentally find yourself stepping into the role of the aggressor instead of the victim.

3) Social Media is not built to help you get engagement. It’s built to help itself make money off of you.

Repeat after me: Hits/likes are not a measurable indicator of talent or worth. There are ridiculously talented folks on Tumblr and elsewhere who, for whatever reason, haven’t had their viral moment, and it’s not their fault. Loads of factors come into play where things like likes, reblogs, and comments are concerned, among them being posting frequency, subject matter, the time of day, the day of the week, the week of the month, the month of the year, the current administration, the stock exchange, the concentration of middle class users, who just won the Superbowl, a madman trying to steal an election and undermine the democratic process, a PANDEMIC, do you get where I’m going with this?? lol

At the end of the day, my humble successes have been helped along by good luck, good timing, high profile signal boosters, and an absurd amount of work. (This is why I try to signal boost new work whenever I get a chance over at @vkelleyshares.)

So while you cannot control Tumblr’s interface, trends at large, or your fellow users, here’s what you can do to ensure you give your work the best possible chance of exposure.

Have an image ready to go with your post. Tumblr is a visual platform (no matter what it says about being good for text). Not good with images? Set up a Canva.com account and get access to free graphic software with a gazillion templates to create whatever attractive image you want to attach to your post.

Keep the outward facing text brief and easy on the eyes. Too long and eyes will glaze over. Put excess text behind a “read more.”

You may think you’re being cute when you do this, but don’t put yourself down in your posts. (Don’t put yourself down in general, of course.) Doing so acts as engagement repellant. If you don’t believe in your work, no one else will.

Related: Be your best cheerleader. Confidence is a magnet, and if you don’t have it, go ahead and fake it until you start to convince yourself you are worth the buzz. So promote yourself! You have gifts that only you can impart. Use that knowledge to fuel everything you do from your art/fiction writing to your outreach with other content creators, and by golly, if someone’s done it already, acknowledge that contribution and then tell the world that this is YOUR unique take on it.

Treat your fellow fandom creators as human beings, not art/fiction/content boosting machines. I cannot count how many times I’ve had folks slide into my DMs with offers of friendship only to disappear once they realize I’m not available to draw a picture for their fic. It hurts because it’s manipulative and it makes me want to hole up and not signal boost anyone. Creators who truly support each other will not give off a transactional vibe. I want to help you reach more people, but not if that’s all I’m good for in your eyes.

The long and short of it: Lead with compassion, do your best with the opportunities at your disposal, and remember that fandom belongs to everyone in it. ❤️

What saves a fandom made of sensitive and vulnerable souls from imploding when it goes through growing pains is radical compassion from those who can offer it. Begin with the assumption that your fellow fandomers are not trying to harm you, and wade into the water knowing that your insight into the lives of your peers is limited by default and you may need to temper your words or actions accordingly. If you’re a content creator, save compassion for yourself as well, as there are indeed challenges to gaining an audience, and lack of engagement does not mean you lack talent or skill. Be your best advocate, and if you have the bandwidth to lift up a fellow creator and make a new friend, please, go ahead do it!

And finally, fandom belongs to everyone, and no one has a monopoly on characters, tropes, or themes. Create and consume what you love (with respect for your more vulnerable peers), and bask in the variety, my friends!

That’s all I’ve got in my head at the moment, although I’m sure there’s more I’m forgetting. Thanks so much to @penpanoply for letting me use her art for this and to everyone else, hang in there and try not to judge each other too harshly. These are unprecedented times, and most of us are doing our best in circumstances that are pushing us to our limits.

As always, if you have questions or want to sound off on anything, shoot me a message or an ask, or ping me on Discord. It might take me a second to respond (thanks, Covid) but I’ll get to it! Love, love, and more love to all.

#fandom stuff

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dabistits · 5 years ago

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To talk about Twice and villainy is to talk about class and criminality (I)

(Masterlist)

In contrast to the fantastical world that surrounds him, Bubaigawara Jin’s backstory, revealed in chapter 229, is completely unexceptional. Jin’s backstory is about class. Throughout this series, a sci fi fantasy where almost all the cast have superpowers, we are introduced to characters who’ve struggled with their Quirks, whether having one or not having one, whether having one that’s powerful or weak, whether they have Quirks that are stigmatized or not. Most of the series handles its sci fi prejudice in this way, by substituting real life characteristics like ethnicity (hero Ryukyu is of Ryukyuan ethnicity and from the colonized Ryukyu islands [source]), gender-based discrimination (including misogyny and transphobia), ability (Aoyama, Dabi, and other characters to a lesser degree have physical difficulties using their Quirks), and stigmatized physical traits (as several mutant characters mention being discriminated against) with Quirk conflicts. Ryukyu’s ethnicity, Rock Lock’s race, Magne’s transness, all the misogyny, and the real life disabilities of many characters who are missing limbs are given minimal or no attention, as these conflicts are replaced with Quirks-as-metaphor.

In this fantastical world, where we’ve supposedly left behind our prejudices about race and ethnicity, gender, disability, and so forth, and replaced them with prejudices about Quirks and Quirk compatibility, Horikoshi made the decision to make Jin’s backstory about class as we understand and live under it today. His backstory stands out as one that is utterly banal. Although Jin’s Quirk comes in later, it’s hardly the driving force of his struggle, because what he’s faced with is simply the unfeeling machinery of capitalism and the state apparatus. There’s no involvement from Quirks or Quirk society here; the world that starts Jin on his downward spiral is one that’s inextricable from our own, one that any of us (some more than others) are vulnerable to. That is to say, he didn’t become a criminal because he had an awesome Quirk that made him egotistical (or whatever people think criminals are motivated by), he became a criminal because his circumstances left him with few other ways to seek fulfillment, and possibly to survive. His Quirk was only a balm to the harm already inflicted on him by the economic realities of futuristic (and simultaneously contemporary) Japan.

A quick recap of Jin’s backstory from chapter 229: His parents, due to a villain attack, died when he was in an unspecified year in middle school (it seems ironic, and another example of BNHA’s cyclical events, that Jin himself eventually dies at the hands of a hero). At 16 years old, Jin was already working. He got into a traffic accident, although he was obeying the speed limit, and broke someone’s arm. His case was prosecuted and likely resulted in a record, but the officer in charge suggested that he may be able to “bounce back”; however, the person injured in the accident turned out to be one of his workplace’s clients, and the clients’ outrage resulted in his termination from his job. Eventually, isolated and lonely, Jin used his Quirk to become a villain, and it’s implied in the depicted panels that he mainly stole. An indeterminate amount of time after becoming a villain, Jin’s clones turned on one another, resulting in a bloodbath that traumatized Jin and resulted in split personalities. After this incident, he turned to Giran for help, who in turn introduced him to the League of Villains.

Systemic barriers

So why couldn’t Jin bounce back, as suggested by the officer? The reasons are many and diverse, not all of them stated in-text. I believe Jin’s specific circumstances merit some evidence from real-world Japan today, since there’s no statement nor implication that these things have changed in these respects, and because this is the frame of reference that Horikoshi and many of his readers are working with. In order to tap into the spirit of the work, it requires an examination of the circumstances and conditions under which the writers are creating, a recognition and acknowledgment of the social issues that may have shaped and influenced their outlooks. Thus, I think it’s important to contextualize Jin’s past not simply as a self-contained example of inequality in BNHA, but as a narrative that ties into the societal concerns of real-world Japan.

The alternative care system.

This describes the system of institutions and fostering that cares for children who are unable to live with their parents (whether it be due to circumstances like neglect and abuse, or because of the parents’ deaths). In 2014, nearly 90% of children in alternative care lived in residential facilities as opposed to with foster parents (which has its own issues); these rates are much higher than in other industrialized countries, which mostly rely on the foster care system. Residents of the residential facilities report strict rules, child abuse, and bullying. [source] Usually people age out at 18, or even earlier at 15 if they choose not to attend high school. Requests to extend alternative care until an individual reaches 20 are usually denied. [source]

The economic outlook for individuals aging out of alternative care is not optimistic. “Once individuals lose their access to staying in an institution, combined with low wages for menial entry-level jobs, many young people cannot stay on the same job that the institution helps them find when they leave institutional care. If they leave that first job, they struggle to find another[...] Those who start working straight after graduating from junior high school and are forced to leave their institutional care facility may be at a particularly high risk of becoming homeless.” [source]

What does this mean for Jin? Since his parents died when he was in middle school, it could have taken place any time between the ages of 12 to 15. Jin was already working at 16 years old, which according to our information means he dropped out of school and no longer has government-provided accommodations. Depending on when during that middle school time window his parents died, he could have possibly not even entered into the alternative care system at all, entailing that he started to work right after their passing. Either way, Jin most likely quit school and started to work to support himself at 15 years old, forgoing high school and college, taking responsibility for his own shelter, food, bills, clothing, and so on. At an age when the UA kids are just beginning the best times of their lives, making friends, staying in the school’s dormitories, Jin was literally trying to survive on his own.

Criminality.

This is a bit harder to pin down, and there aren’t many English-language sources regarding criminal justice studies, and very little that thoroughly breaks down the process. For details that we might want to know about, such as arrests and convictions according to race, ethnicity, class, mental illness, etc., those are even more lacking (possibly also in part due to Japan’s low crime rate). I’ll do my best to sum up what I do have, and maybe someone can correct me on this. Anyways, starting from the basics:

The motorcycle accident that Jin was involved in, which injured another party, is a prosecutable crime punishable by up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to one million yen. [source] Just to cover all my bases, yes, at the time of the accident, Jin was indeed a minor under Japanese law (although within an age bracket where he theoretically could be assessed and/or tried as an adult), [source] [source] but we’re not sure if/to what degree that was taken into consideration. Either way, the outcome is that Jin likely ends up with a record, according to the officer (or possibly prosecutor) who’s speaking to him. From what I can make out, getting a record from a traffic accident with injury means he was charged and probably went through summary proceedings in the lowest court, [source] though I’m unsure how this whole process would work if his status as a juvenile was taken into account.

There are a few things to point out here:

Arrest and detention (which I’m assuming is the lead-up to that conversation with the officer) are notoriously lengthy and pretty rough. [source]

Prosecutors have significant discretion in what gets pushed through to see charges and what gets dropped. This is one of the reasons, possibly the main reason, for Japan’s 99% conviction rate—prosecutors usually only press charges in cases that can bring about conviction. They can even take into consideration someone’s age, character, circumstances, etc. when deciding whether to prosecute or not. [source]

During this process, when someone is hurt in an accident, there’s a pretty big deal made of apologizing and offering compensation to the harmed party. These actions are viewed favorably when it comes to case review and sentencing, while arguing over fault and general disagreeableness hurts the case. [source] [source]

(PS: The line “you’re to blame as well” makes sense in the Japanese legal system as a facet of comparative negligence.)

(PPS: Given the ongoing debates over juvenile justice—the likes of which inspired Battle Royale—I wonder if the rather harsh results of Jin’s first encounter with law enforcement are also meant to be read more deeply?) [source; cw for child murder in link]

At this point, we have the question of whether or not Jin’s possible record impacted his inability to “bounce back.” This was also pretty difficult to find information about, and the answer is... maybe. While criminal records are held by the police, and prospective employers cannot access them, this is usually sidestepped by asking applicants to provide information about their own criminal records on a CV template (whether or not people do, or can even legally lie about this, and whether or not they can choose not to answer without impacting their chances of getting hired is not information I was able to find). [source] A certain stigma towards convicted criminals does exist, despite the criminal justice system’s prioritization of reintegration over punishment, [source] though as for further information about whether a record impacts someone’s employability and quality of life doesn’t seem to have been studied. Real world Japan’s declining recidivism rate, though not declining as fast as first-time offenses, seems at least to suggest that even individuals with a record can successfully reintegrate into society, [source] hence the officer’s suggestion that Jin can “bounce back” is not totally bizarre, although it proves short-sighted.

These details illustrate the odds of what Jin is up against. They raise the question of why prosecution didn’t go differently, and they highlight the vulnerability of a parentless child up against the legal system. Jin, again, a 16-year-old (who also doesn’t appear to have legal counsel in the depicted panels), obviously argues his responsibility in the accident; furthermore, he’s unlikely to be able to fulfill the social graces required of a lenient case review. As a teenager who’s already working to support himself, without any family to lend a hand, he likely wouldn’t have been able to muster up the finances for compensation, medical expenses, property damage, etc. at a moment’s notice, and even in installments the payment probably would’ve been a strain. For example, the possible fine of one million yen is half the annual income of Japanese households which fell below the de-facto poverty line in 2008. [source] It seems plausible that his inability to see through the proper courtesies resulted in an unfavorable assessment, and a prosecution carried through to the end. We don’t know for sure how he was sentenced—judging by his return to work, it’s likely he didn’t do jail time—but even assuming a lenient sentence, this accident quickly catches up to him. With no one to fall back on, and no one to cut him some slack, a stumble quickly becomes a fall.

Employer-employee relations.

The relationship between an employer and employee is one rooted in a power dynamic, where one side controls the time, the wages, and often the health of the other. A job and its benefits are usually the deciding factors of someone’s quality of life, so employees will work overtime, work while ill, and suffer any number of abuses to keep their jobs. Overwork, and the resulting health problems from overwork are enough of a crisis in Japan they’ve been named karoshi—death from overwork. The effects range from general, stress-caused health problems, to heart failure and suicide; what gives rise to these conditions are a complex mix of work culture, company culture, and common hiring practices. Essentially, workers are encouraged to present a loyal face to their company, and because of the structure of the job market, changing jobs isn’t easy. [source] [source] These facets of work culture also contribute to power harassment, an issue that has received growing visibility in the past decade. In 2019, 37.5% of surveyed workers reported suffering power harassment, often from bosses, including receiving excessive demands, degrading treatment, invasions of privacy, and sometimes physical abuse. [source] [source]

This drastically imbalanced relationship only receives a few panels in Jin’s backstory, but that’s all it takes to make the power dynamic clear. Within three panels, Jin’s boss assaults him, berates him, and takes away what he knows is the only source of income for a working-class 16-year-old with no family. An accident that happened is equated to an act of disloyalty because the wrong person was injured, which reflected poorly on the company Jin was working for; however, a double-standard exists. While Jin’s loyalty to the company is expected, there’s no reciprocal expectation for the company to care for the wellbeing of its own workers, instead prioritizing its image and its bottom-line. Employees can be fired at their boss’s whim, leaving the terminated party without an income nor benefits, looking at breaking into a job market that is intolerant of repeat job-seekers—even more so if the individual is someone without a lengthy employment history and without a higher education. This short interaction highlights the precarity of financial stability, where a termination from one job on one man’s authority can leave someone—even a kid—without any way of coming back and achieving a steady living.

#bubaigawara jin #jin bubaigawara #bnha meta #the exhaustive meta about i love twice

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amillioninprizes · 5 years ago

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Some thoughts on Veronica Mars, fan service, and noir

I’ve been on winter break and at home with a nasty combo cold-ear infection-stomach virus the past couple of weeks, and as so often happens when I don’t have much going on, my thoughts have turned to ruminating over the steaming pile of excrement that was season 4 of Veronica Mars. Why yes, almost six months and one cancellation notice later and I’m still complaining about it--as I told someone on Twitter, it was so stupid that it’s going to take years to unpack.

This particular rant is brought to you by a common refrain seen in both professional critics’ and S4 supporters’ reviews of S4: the movie was schlocky fan service, while S4 is TRUE NOIR. I’m here to argue that neither of those things are true, and that in the grand scheme of things trying to definitively call Veronica Mars noir or not isn’t the best qualitative judgement of the series.

A note on “fanservice”

Something that’s been very strange to me in the critical discussion around S4 is that the fan-funded movie has been retconned as a fanservicey failure. This is weird because it did get a positive Rotten Tomatoes score, actually turned a profit despite the unorthodox distribution model, and was overall well-received by fans except for maybe the 5 Piz lovers out there (he absolutely did not deserve better you guys; he works at This American Life and lives in Brooklyn, he’ll be fine).

A lot of the things pointed to in the movie as fan service actually weren’t. In every interview about the movie and S4, RT and KB always talk about how they started with the image of Veronica punching Madison at the high school reunion and worked from there. The problem is that almost no one had been asking for that. If they had bothered to read any online discourse about the show (and we know RT definitely does), they would know that fans are actually somewhat sympathetic to Madison--after all, she was the intended recipient of the drugged drink Veronica received at Shelly Pomeroy’s party, plus growing up in a family that she wasn’t meant to be a member of must have negatively impacted her. When the preview scene of Veronica encountering Madison at the reunion welcome table was released, Veronica didn’t come off sympathetically. In a similar vein, as much as I liked Corny as a side character in the original series, I didn’t need him to come back for that random scene at the reunion. Nor was anyone asking for an out-of-nowhere James Franco cameo (which given what we know about him now is super gross in hindsight).

So why was the movie well-received by fans? Veronica was in character after an unevenly written and performed S3, and she was back in Neptune, doing what (and who; Ay-yo!) she was meant to do. So while the mystery was subpar (and what Rob Thomas mystery isn’t?), the character side of the story made sense and was satisfying. I wouldn’t call that fan service so much as good writing. Plus, what is even the point of wasting time, money, and effort on making a tv show or movie if it’s going to actively alienate the audience?

S4: more trauma porn than true noir

Admittedly, I’m not exactly the world’s foremost scholar on film noir (in my opinion, the height of cinema is teen romcoms c. 1995-2005), but I do feel I have enough pop cultural knowledge to have a working understanding of what film noir is, and as internet folk would say, S4 ain’t it chief. Sure, S4 was bleak subject matter wise, but that does not automatically equal noir. HappilyShanghaied, who does have a film studies background, wrote a pretty excellent post about why that is shortly after S4 dropped that I could not improve upon, so I will just leave it here.

In addition to this analysis, I would also point out that S4 was lacking in a unique visual style common to noir films, especially compared to the original television series and the movie. The original series made use of green, blue, and yellow filters to fulfill a high school version of the noir aesthetic (quick shoutout to Cheshirecatstrut’s color theory posts for more on what we thought this meant before it turned out that Rob Thomas did not actually intend to imbue meaning into any of this), while the movie adopted a more mature muted blue-grey palette. S4, however, was more or less shot like a conventional drama and was brightly lit, perhaps signifying Rob Thomas’s apparent plans to turn the show into a conventional procedural.

The movie: more than fan service

If anything, the movie was more noir than S4. Take Gia’s storyline for instance. While Veronica was off obtaining elite degrees, Gia spent 9 years in a virtual cage being forced into a sexual relationship without her total consent (because that’s the only storyline women can have on this show), and then set herself up to be murdered at the very moment she could potentially break free. That’s pretty fucking grim.

Then there is the whole police corruption storyline, which is a hallmark of noir fiction. The glimpses we get of the Neptune sheriff’s department point to a larger conspiracy at play than just crooked cops; Sachs lost his life trying to expose it and Keith was gravely injured. This was the story I was excited for future installments of Veronica Mars to address, especially given its relevance to today’s politics. Unfortunately, this thread was entirely dropped in S4, where the police department (because, as Rob Thomas revealed in interviews but not onscreen, Neptune has incorporated) is merely overwhelmed by the scope of the bombing case rather than outright corrupt. (Side note but Marcia Langdon was also a more complex and morally grey character when introduced in the second book than she was on screen in S4. Another wasted opportunity).

Noir is also marked by a sense of inevitability or doom as a result of greater forces at play. An example of this in the movie is Weevil’s storyline. After building a life and family for himself, he ultimately ends up rejoining the PCHer gang he left as a teenager due to a misunderstanding based on his race and appearance and the assumptions authority figures make about him because of those things. No matter what he does, he is still limited by an unjust and racist society. Contrast this with the final explosion in S4; it’s not inevitable, just based on Veronica’s incompetence. Rob Thomas claims that he tried to create a sense of doom to LoVe’s relationship between the OOC Leo storyline and the last minute barriers before the wedding, but those aspects just served to make the story unnecessarily convoluted.

What is noir anyway? Was Veronica Mars ever noir? Does it matter?

But this is all assuming there is a set template for noir anyway. This New Yorker essay points out that trying to definitively establish a set of rules for noir is difficult and that the classic noir films were more a product of midcentury artistic and political movements than a defined genre. The noir filmmakers working at the time would not have described their work as such. The kicker of this essay is the final sentence: “But the film noir is historically determined by particular circumstances; that’s why latter-day attempts at film noir, or so-called neo-noirs, almost all feel like exercises in nostalgia.” I found this particularly amusing because as Rob Thomas infamously proclaimed in his S4 era interviews, he wanted to completely dispense with nostalgia going forward. Rob Thomas and S4 supporters have said that Logan needed to die because noir protagonists can’t have stable relationships; but, if there isn’t a defined set of rules other than “an element of crime”, then was it strictly necessary? Hell, writing a hardboiled detective who does have a stable relationship and maybe even a family could have been an interesting subversion of genre expectations. Unfortunately, Rob Thomas isn’t that imaginative.

There’s also the issue that noir and hardboiled detective fiction aren’t interchangeable genres. This article lays out that idea that they aren’t the same because noir is ultimately about doomed losers; in contrast, detective fiction, while dark, contains a moral center and has an ending where a sense of justice is achieved. An interview with author Megan Abbott makes a similar argument; she states that in hardboiled detective fiction, “At the end, everything is a mess, people have died, but the hero has done the right thing or close to it, and order has, to a certain extent, been restored.” Based on the descriptions laid out here, I would argue that in its original format Veronica Mars far better fit the detective fiction model; while she wasn’t always right, she was never a loser, and she solved the mystery. S1-3 all had relatively hopeful, if not totally happy, endings, but you never see anyone complaining that they weren’t noir enough; if anything, they were more emotionally complex than the ending of S4, where Logan’s death is essentially meaningless. One could make the argument that S4 did push Veronica towards a more noir characterization by the definition of these articles by making her more incompetent and meaner than she was in previous installments, but that is a fundamental change in character, which is not coherent writing.

And that is ultimately why S4 was so poorly received by longtime fans and why there will be no more installments of Veronica Mars anytime soon (at least on Hulu). Even if S4 had been noir (or at least shot like one), the serious issues with plotting, characterization, and lack of adherence to prior canon that this season exhibited would still exist. Defending the poor writing choices made in S4 with “it’s noir!” does not mask them or automatically heighten the quality of the product. Perhaps ironically, in ineptly trying to be noir in S4, Rob Thomas likely prematurely ended Veronica Mars by failing his creation and fans with lazy storytelling.

#Veronica Mars #Burnt Marshmallow #Yeah I'm still angry what of it #If only RT had put as much effort into writing the show as I did into this post

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luminousbeansarewe · 4 years ago

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wandering stars

ch 14: legacy lost

pairings: none || rating: teen || characters: original characters, original clone trooper characters, b’arin apma

tags: apma acting like clones are less than people >:(

chapter list

tagged: @yourbitchystudentartist @lordimperius (message me or reply if you’d like to be tagged!)

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Kamino, Tipoca City, Clone Military Education Complex, 22BBY

In his usual impassive way, Sergeant B’arin Apma regarded the commandos as they lined up before him, at attention in their new Katarn-class commando armor with helmets under their left arms. It always amused him somewhat that this group had ended up with one clone who was much taller than the others, and the Jedi’s ward, who was visibly shorter than them. It made the team look a little ragtag, perhaps, but he didn’t mind. Training such a unique squad was one for his resume, assuming he ever needed a resume again.

Sol Tannor was certainly a unique cadet, and he suspected that was more true than she let on.

“Cronos Squad,” he said, “you’ve done remarkably well today. In fact, you’ve improved significantly in the past five months. While you all came into your final year of training with powerful skillsets, you lacked the teamwork you needed to become true commandos.” He eyed them from under his visor. He made them remove their helmets during these little assessments, because watching their faces was ever helpful in spotting problems before they arose. “But it appears you’ve taken my lesson of brotherhood to heart. I urge you to continue to do so, for that will serve you on the battlefield in ways no fighting skill can. You will be called upon to do impossible things, because you are the last of the Alpha-class ARC troopers. Your predecessors already have done them.”

Their faces were gazing dead ahead, but he could see the barest flush of pride in their cheeks. Perhaps the ordinary clones would have been dissuaded from developing such an emotion, but Mandalorians took pride in their skill, and their heritage. He knew that was what made them formidable. So, he gave the commandos a heritage of their own.

“Kandosii, troopers. Dismissed.” Their shoulders all fell lax, and they turned almost as one towards the exit to the training hall. “Tannor,” Apma added quickly, stopping the young woman in her tracks. Curiously, the clones stopped with her. “Remain here for a moment.”

They all looked at each other, but Tannor nodded to her teammates and turned back towards the Sergeant. The others shuffled out, the door sliding shut behind them.

“Sir,” she said as she approached, standing at attention once more. He noticed that she looked him in the eye, or did her best to with his helmet obscuring them. Clones were trained not to do so, even commandos, at least not to their training sergeants.

“You were brought here by the Jedi, correct?” Apma asked. Confusion flickered over her face, but she remained composed.

“Yes, sir.”

“And they trained you as well?”

“Yes sir.”

“How long were you with them on Coruscant?”

“Two years, sir.”

“Did they train you for battle?”

“No, sir. They trained me to become a member of the Temple Guard.” She couldn’t see him raise an eyebrow under his helmet.

“Oh? And you rejected that assignment?”

“No, sir. I was not offered it at the end of my training.”

Now that was curious. “Why?”

“I don’t think I was well-suited to the job, sir. I’ve utilized my training much better here.”

“And did they teach you their Jetii magic?” he asked, and watched her golden eyes narrow slightly.

“I am not adept with that skillset, sir,” she replied rather crisply.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

She was beginning to bristle, but it was not a cowardly withdrawal. “They taught me to manage the few abilities I have regarding the Force.”

The lack of ‘sir’ may have been intentional, or it may not have. Either way, he was too delighted to feign offense as an officer usually would. “A Force-sensitive Mandalorian, training with a batch of clone commandos. Will wonders never cease?”

“Excuse me?” Now she was frowning, and her posture had fallen far from its obligatory stance. The subtle forward jut of her torso and slightly wider plant of her feet were hallmarks of a predatory nature, one that was taught to fight from birth.

“Let’s not lie to one another, verd’ika,” Apma said coolly. “I’ve suspected your lineage for some time. How did the Jetiise get ahold of a Mandalorian child?”

“I’m not a Mandalorian,” she said, and there was a sharpened end to her words accompanied by a fierce scowl.

“Now, don’t—”

“Moreover, none of my past is relevant to my training here,” she added, cutting him off.

“Only a Mando would show his teeth to his pack leader,” the sergeant said. “You have all the tells of a warrior. And don’t think I’ve missed your knowledge of Mando’a, either.”

“Why are you so concerned about me?”

“Because, Tannor,” he began, “You aren’t a clone. You aren’t a copy of a Mandalorian, watered down and bred out of its true ferocity. Even these commandos, who were bred without dulling their independence, are still crafted to be less powerful than their template. I’d almost forgotten what it was like to be with my fellow warriors, to watch them in combat. The clones follow you because you are their natural leader. They have finally accepted this.” He paused, watched her face just barely shift uneasily. “Which begs the question of why you are here at all. Have the Jetiise subdued you, tricked you into swearing loyalty to their cause?”

“I haven’t been tricked into anything,” she nearly snarled.

“Then you chose to come here? To be treated as lesser than you are? To serve the Republic without question?” For the first time since their conversation had begun, she hesitated. But then her eyes narrowed, golden gaze going razor-sharp.

“You’re here training these soldiers, Sergeant Apma,” she said, her voice steadying. “Are you not loyal to the Republic? Because it sounds like you’re asking me to question my own loyalty.”

“I serve the Republic because they pay me,” he replied. “I serve the true Mandalore because that is the way of my people. I am simply asking if you do the same.”

Her expression fell to one of hardness and something akin to disappointment. “I am dar’manda, like my father before me. After Clan Vizsla murdered my mother and assumed control of the Kyr’tsad, he renounced his heritage, destroyed his armor, and left Mandalorian space. I was five years old. So no,” she said in a venomous tone, “I do not serve the true Mandalore. Nor the false one, whatever that is. I serve the Republic, and I serve these men.”

In the wake of such an unexpected truth, Apma found himself momentarily speechless. It had been countless years, as far as he knew, since any of his people had disavowed the entirety of their culture. Sure, there were factions among the Mando. He knew of the Kyr’tsad, the Death Watch, and some of his fellow Protectorate had joined their ranks years ago. But he was long divested in the squabbles between the systems of the Mandalorian sector. By passing on the teachings of his people via these troopers, he was doing far better work than picking fights with his neighbors. He, like Jango Fett and so many others who answered his call, was going rogue to honor the truth of his heritage.

This girl, this child, was spitting on everything sacred to him with her words. He should have been furious. But he wasn’t, not yet at least.

“I see,” he murmured, letting her story sink in. She only stood before him, every muscle tense as though she might jump at him at any moment.

“Are there any more inappropriately personal questions you intend to ask me, sir?” she said after a few moments. It seemed that a certain amount of anger was at her quick disposal, he thought. It was still in her voice, underlining precisely what she thought he needed to know.

“No,” he said. “No, I believe that will be all. You’re dismissed, cadet.” Almost instantly, she spun on her heel and marched out of the training hall through the sliding doors. B’arin Apma only stood quietly, turning over each thought in his mind.

Perhaps she deserved to be among lesser beings. But it also occurred to him that she might simply need to be pushed to her limit, in order to realize her true potential.

#swtcw fanfic #star wars fanfic #mandalorian #clone trooper ocs #my ocs #cronos squad #b'arin apma

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britesparc · 4 years ago

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Weekend Top Ten #454

Top Ten Launch Games

Oooh, it’s finally here!

By the time you read this, the Xbox Series X/S consoles will be out, and the PlayStation 5 will be imminent if not already with us. At the time of writing I’ve yet to sample either console, although hopefully that will soon change. However, it’s a bit of a weird console launch, especially for Xbox owners, as there’s not much in the way of actual launch titles. PlayStation has the excellent-looking technical showcase (in that it shows off their sexy new controller, if not necessarily the excesses of the console’s visual prowess) Astro’s Playroom. But on the Xbox side, the only genuine first-party exclusive (not including the port of rather smashing PC title Gears Tactics) was to be the troubled Halo Infinite, which has now been pushed to next year to deal with some of its apparent graphical deficiencies. For what it’s worth, as a Halo fan, I thought the actual gameplay presented looked as good as it always has, so I’m still very excited, but it’s a shame not to sample something genuinely new and shiny at launch. For me, then – as someone not getting a PlayStation this year – I’m going to have to contend myself with updated versions of older games, and hopefully something like the really exciting-looking The Falconeer or, eventually, Cyberpunk 2077.

Of course, it’s not always been like this; in the past, a landmark game has often been the core reason to upgrade to a new console. Certain titles have defined their hardware platforms, offering a taste of the experiences to come, be it through revolutionary control systems, previously-unimaginable graphics, or simply by shattering preconceptions and expectations. As such, this weekend I’m celebrating my favourite launch titles.

Now, a couple of my usual caveats. I’ve hardly owned any consoles in the grand scheme of things; I was a computer gamer until the launch of the first Xbox, and even then was PC-first until about midway through the 360’s life. As such I came to a lot of these late, or played them on friends’ systems. I’m sure a videogame historian would give you another list, one that was able to put each title into its historical perspective. For my part, I’m mostly basing it on how much I like the game, but I am also trying to weight it in terms of its “importance”. I mean, one of my favourite “launch titles” of all time would be Lego Marvel Super Heroes on the Xbox One/PS4, but that seems a bit of a ridiculous game to call a launch title, especially as it doesn’t really show off the hardware or define the generation in any particular way. I just think it rocks. So I’m trying to judge it also in terms of how effective a given game was at being a launch title, as well as my personal preference; as such, some games, which I think are more emblematic of their time or their hardware, might end up higher in the list than if I was otherwise just ranking my favourites.

Christ, that was boring. Look, here are ten games that I like that came out when a console came out. Have at it.

Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox, 2001): it’s not just that it made playing an FPS on a console as comfortable and enjoyable as on PC, but it revolutionised what an FPS could do. Expansive open landscapes, dynamic combat with intelligent enemies, an ingenious shield/health combo, two weapons, drivable vehicles, and frankly outstanding graphics. And for Xbox – a curious underdog, a big black sheep devoid of cool or class and feeling like Microsoft was trying to buy its way into the console space with a hefty dose of brute force – here was something unique, something incredible. I don’t think anyone quite expected Halo, and it’s arguable that it single-handedly changed not only Microsoft and Xbox’s fortunes but the entire game industry too.

Wii Sports (Wii, 2005): the Wii was this strange outlier, a tiny white box that eschewed the grunt and girth of its rivals, and seemingly built around its unique motion controller. Would it work? Wii Sports proved that yes it would, a delightful bundle of games that perfectly showed what the console and controller could do. Immense fun in and of itself, but the Wii’s ability to lower the barrier of entry to non-gamers meant that your dad could thrash your brother at bowling. And that is a thing to cherish forever.

Tetris (GameBoy, 1989): depending on where you look, Tetris may just be the best-selling game of all time. It’s on everything now, from the Xbox Series X to your watch. But there was a time when “Tetris” meant “GameBoy”; that four-colour greenscreen box of wonder that everybody had but me. It was beyond ubiquitous, and its short-form nature and simplistic styling made it ideal for the portable console, its chirpy and iconic music sounding perfect coming from those tiny speakers. And above all else, of course, Tetris is fantastic, one of the greatest games of all time. It was a perfect marriage of software and hardware.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch, 2017): so here’s the thing: I like Zelda, but I’ve never fallen in love with it. I didn’t grow up with it, so coming to Ocarina of Time, there were too many old-fashioned trappings in the way; it just didn’t feel as enthralling or as fun to play as, say, Half-Life or Deus Ex. BOTW changed that; the limitations were gone, the world was blown wide open. It no longer felt like an 80s game in three dimensions, it felt new. Better than new – it felt like tomorrow. Despite the Switch being graphically weaker than its contemporaries, BOTW was and is simply gorgeous to look at, but it’s how it plays, how it feels like a vast but real world, how it has its own rules and they make sense instantly. It’s the greatest open world game of all time, and emergent physics sandbox, and yet it’s still unquestionably Zelda, emphatically Nintendo. Okay, it technically came out on the Wii U at the same time, but who the hell played that? This was the game that made you want a Switch.

Super Mario 64 (N64, 1997): this is often the game people cite as being one of the great revolutionary launch titles, but I must confess its charms were lost to me at first. Taking what was great about Mario and converting it expertly into 3D was a heck of a feat; graphically for the time it certainly impressed in the scale of its worlds, and whilst back then I felt it lacked the detail and granularity of some PC titles, in retrospect it was a perfectly-suited art style, offering smooth textures even when right up close. But it was its precise controls and the open, hub-based nature of its worlds that was revolutionary; many games aped its style, but it took a long time before anything really matched it.

Hexic HD (Xbox 360, 2005): not every game here has to be some genre-busting graphical powerhouse; they can be simple but quietly revolutionary. Hexic HD is a terrific puzzle game with a simple hook, brilliantly executed, and enough intrigue and nuance to keep you coming back for one more go, to beat your high score, to get to the next tricksy level. But the time and manner of its release, and what that signified, marked it out as something more important. It was the first Xbox Live Arcade title; Microsoft’s curated gallery of smaller, more indie-flavoured games. More than that, it was free, coming pre-installed on all Xbox 360 Pros (the ones with the removable hard drive). It was a taste of what was to come, introducing audiences not only to the idea of playing these kinds of smaller, less intense games on a console, but also the idea of purchasing and downloading them digitally. It was great and ground-breaking in equal measure.

WipEout (PlayStation, 1995): I kinda missed the PlayStation generation. I was still, more or less, in my PC-centric “consoles are toys” mindset (which I wouldn’t fully shake off till the release of the N64). But I came to appreciate its qualities as a cool, exciting, super-fast futuristic racer. I’m pretty sure it’s not the first 3D hover-car racing game, but it was presented in such a groovy package that it ticket all the boxes, and helped show off just what the PlayStation was capable of in terms of its 3D graphics and CD sound. And, of course, it helped define the console as being a bit more edgy and grown-up than the previous Nintendo and Sega stalwarts.

Super Mario Bros. (NES, 1988): what can be said about one of the most iconic games of all time? Mario Bros defined not only a console, not only a generation, but arguably an entire artform. Creating what we now know as a platform game, it expanded and surpassed the basic template of Donkey Kong into a roaming adventure, part twitch-gaming reaction test, part puzzle game. I played a lot of copycat games on my Amiga, but even then, as a whiny computer brat, I knew that Mario was better. Even when my cousins got a MegaDrive and Sonic, I knew – deep in my heart – that Mario was better. It's a deep game, an endlessly replayable game, a supremely fair game despite its difficulty. I think it’s hard to overstate just how good, or how influential, Mario was.

Project Gotham Racing (Xbox, 2001): I tried hard to pick a different platform for every game in this list, but I couldn’t exclude PGR. This may be tied up with my biography a little bit, but my other half and I played this game to death. I never think of myself as a big racer fan, but every once in a while a title comes out that I just really, really get into – Jaguar XJ220 on the Amiga, Midtown Madness on PC, the Forza Horizon series nowadays – and PGR did that in spades. A gorgeous arcade racer, it was a great launch title to show off the sheer grunt of the Xbox; then, as now, the most powerful console on the market. It also offered a terrific four-player split-screen. But its Kudos feature – borrowed from semi-prequel Metropolis Street Racer – offered ways to win outside of sheer racing graft, awarding cool driving. I still love the original, and I kinda wish they’d bring back or reimagine its city-based driving for a future release or Forza spin-off.

Lumines: Puzzle Fusion (PSP, 2004): okay, so this is a bit of a cheat as I've barely played the original PSP version, but Lumines is just phenomenal; the best moving-blocks-around game since Tetris, and probably the most influential one since then too (for the record, I've played it extensively on multiple other platforms). An excellent spin on a Tetris-a-like, its use of music and colour made it a beautiful, brilliant sensory experience. With Sony entering the handheld market, the PSP needed a USP, something vibrant and cool that suited a portable experience, and Lumines provided it in spades; also its funky visuals and music was a good fit for Sony’s brand.

Well, that was fun, and a lot harder than I expected. If you’re enjoying a new console this Christmas, then hopefully you’ll have fun with one of the new launch titles too – even if I doubt any (apart from maybe Astro) would trouble a list like this in the future (although I do think The Falconeer looks all kinds of cool).

#top ten #games #gaming #launch games #xbox series x #xbox series s #playstation 5 #nintendo #switch #halo #mario #zelda

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lovetheangelshadow · 6 years ago

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N'Pressions: Shazam!

I found out about Shazam (or Captain Marvel as I knew him and still prefer to call him but I won’t for the sake of clarity) almost a decade ago by sheer accident. My college library had a huge collection of the Showcase Presents DC Comics volumes from Justice League, to Batman, Teen Titans, and of course Captain Marvel. And with all the Batman films that kept coming out, Shazam was the one DC hero above all others I really wanted to see on the big screen. He had a cool costume, a crazy assortment of villains from the over the top Sivanna, to his dark double Black Adam, and Ibac who gets his powers from the sum of four of the most evil men on earth at the time of his creation. Oh and Mr. Mind who is a telepathic alien worm. And side character Talky Tawny who is a basically an anthro tiger. While Endgame is still on my roster of must see in the theatre movies, Shazam was one superhero movie I really wanted to see when it first came out. I know I’m late in posting this, and that’s on me.

Anyway the movie opens with young Sivanna being summoned to the Rock of Eternity to be tested if he is worthy of the new Champion mettle but gets tempted by the Seven Deadly Sins and hoo boy we’ll get to you even in good time. Oh and I guess he was seen as worthless by his dad and bulled by his older brother and blah blah not like we haven’t seen it a gazillion times. I know it’s an odd thing to harp on but the biggest reason it bugs me in retrospect is because for the most part the film plays itself very straight forward and there really wasn’t a big payoff at least for me. Anyway Sivanna becomes obsessed with finding the way back to the Rock of Eternity. When he finally gets back there, he releases the Seven and absorbs their spirits to gain power to go and get revenge. Afterwards we see Billy Batson trick police and breaking into their car to locate an address. So Billy’s semi new origin story was that he was lost at a carnival and has run out of foster homes to try and find her again with each result leading to a dead end. At least this one does pay off later. The system sends Billy to a group home run by two former foster kids who have a very strong sense of communal family and he meets Freddy who is a major superhero buff. Later at school, while Billy is distancing himself from the rest of the family, Freddy is bullied. Billy at first just walks off but then defends him to where he has to run to escape and hides in a subway car. From there the wizard summons him and chooses him as champion because there isn’t much time before the Sins really tear things up.

So the movie goes on from there with Billy and Freddy figuring out just what Shazam can do and screw around; slipping classes, buying alcohol, etc. Especially not really acting like a hero. Am I mad? Not really, no. Considering that Billy is a teenager yeah this is something that a teen would do first when he got superpowers. Heck, Spiderman did until it bit him in the arse is a big way pushing him to be the hero that he needs to be though sometimes dancing with temptation to just do things for yourself. Plus the humor around it was pretty fun and natural. Save for maybe a couple times where it felt a little cringe but they quickly passed and didn’t drag like Ghostbusters 2016. Also Zac Levi. And yes I could not unheard him as Flynn Rider I am not sorry. Sure both Billy and Freddy are kind of selfish brats, but they are also kids who have gone through some shit and this is their big break of levity. Also their messing around does have concequences. Freddy starts bragging and his boasts get him suitcase wedgied and Billy nearly kills a bunch of people because of his recklessness. Also them getting their family held hostage by Sivanna and Sins.

I give props to DC for not going the dark, deconstructing route that it had been doing for some years now. While I haven’t seen a lot of the animated film catalog for some years now, at least even from trailer standalones they looked a lot more interesting and felt right in comic book movie tone than the live action ones did. Sure, Marvel has had some duds here and there but at least they knew and embraced what they were building and varied it from hero to hero as needed. DC? Hey let’s just keep copying the Batman template even if it fits just as well as a 30 pin dock connector into a lightning port. I am not opposed to dark comics and dark comic book movies but when it is the same every single time and you don’t tailor it to what each hero is and represents, it really gets aggravating. Also the Justice League cartoon did it better. ANYWAY.

If there is really only one (and a half) thing that bugged me, it was the villain. Not that is isn’t a viable threat, not that he doesn’t push Billy/Shazam to his limits to where he finally gets the hero thing. He’s generic. He was honestly a villain I’ve seen so many times and nothing about him really stands out. Granted, I haven’t read the comics in ages, but this didn’t feel right for Sivanna to me. Sivanna, to me, as a over the top mad scientist who wanted to be supreme ruler because he thought he was better intellectually. He had diabolical twin children. Heck, his looked like a human rat for crying out loud. This kinda wasn’t Sivanna to me and the whole backstory, personality, and heck powers seemed a better fit for Black Adam. Sure, Black Adam has a different backstory in the comics as being a former Champion who went bad but heck making his powers come from the Seven Sins would have worked and him being obsessed with power and getting revenge on the Wizard and others he feels crossed him just would have fit so much more nicely. Granted Sivanna was the first villain in the comics, but what are you going to do. Oh and the Sins were just meh. I couldn’t tell you who was who except they were voiced by Hulk and Wolverine

Other than that I really enjoyed this movie and I hope this is turning point for DC movies going back to basics and finally getting a real chance to shine on its own without being compared and/or overshadowed by Marvel. And from rumors on both sides of Marvel and DC, we might get that. One can only hope even as oversaturated as the comic book market has been. I’m Noctina Noir, and beware of random lightning strikes on sunny days in Philadelphia.

#shazam #dc captain marvel #n'pressions

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akaluan · 6 years ago

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Baku!Erich Part 4

((Last of what I currently have written. Might get some more done this weekend.

Also, it’s really fun to write Alexis like this, she’s such a sassy creature I love her to death.))

They begin that night.

Erich devours the boy’s first nightmare and Alexis pulls free a fragment of the hoshi no tama, no bigger than a grain of rice. She holds it out to him, perched on a claw, and Erich breaks off a fragment of his Self to wrap around the divine gift.

A baku’s protective nature, to guard the boy from unintentional harm.

He breathes out the power gained from the boy’s first nightmare, tucking it close around the gift and letting none escape. The end result looks almost like another hoshi no tama, gleaming in the moonlight with a single, bright star in its heart.

It’s beautiful, and Erich can’t help but feel /hope/.

He plucks the new orb from Alexis’ paw and presses it gently to the boy’s forehead. It sinks in like rain on parched earth, gone before Erich even has a chance to let go.

The boy’s face scrunches up in reaction and he grumbles in his sleep, head turning away and arms pulling his blankets closer. They wait, watching him for any sign of distress, but only another nightmare comes.

::How long, do you think?:: Alexis asks while plucking the newborn nightmare free.

Erich considers the hoshi no tama, then presses it gently to the hollow of Alexis’ throat. ::Two months, perhaps?::

Two months is a long time. Already they’ve spent nearly a month guarding the teens’ sleep. Already they’ve spent more time in one place, /together/, than at any other moment in their lives.

Already they are growing attached to these humans, like they once did with the soldiers who called them into being.

::Two months to heal his soul, but how many months to sooth their dreams?:: she wonders, staring down at the sleeping boy.

That is a question he has no answer for, and they both know it. Whatever these teens have been through, they were thrown into it without preparation or regard for their wellbeing. The price they now pay is cruel and relentless, and Erich is uncertain how long it will take for them to recover.

::We should get moving,:: he offers instead. He pulls the next nightmare from the boy’s mind before it can settle, then leans in and breathes out his fragment of protection. ::Remember to keep track of the hours.::

Alexis nods and leaps through the window, orienting towards another of the teens.

But she doesn’t leave.

/They/ don’t leave.

Because the man that’s been stalking them is standing in midair, eyes shadowed by his hat and cane held in a deceptively loose grip. His expression is flat and cold and unyielding, like some of the most war-hardened soldiers Erich ever knew.

Silence stretches as they each wait for the other side to cave first. It seems to last forever, straining Erich’s patience and making Alexis go still in preparation to strike.

(They have charges to care for. Charges that they are ignoring in favor of a useless standoff with a dangerous man.)

(But they are two and he is one, and Erich and Alexis have never been shy about carving their way through problems.)

He and Alexis share a look. The man’s stance shifts.

::I told you he could see us,:: Erich says, breaking the standoff with an irreverent comment. It throws the man, albeit briefly, and snaps the rising tension nicely.

Alexis harrumphs at him, put upon and annoyed, and gives the man a ‘can you believe my companion?’ look that further throws him off balance. ::You /guessed/ he could see us. It was a fifty-fifty chance, congratulations on guessing correctly.::

::My guesses are—::

::Exactly as reliable as a coin flip,:: Alexis interrupts with a huff, ::just like everyone else’s.::

“As entertaining as this is,” the man cuts in, a hint of humor hiding amongst the steel, “I would like to ask what it is you two have just done to that boy, baku-san, baku-san.”

::Begun to heal him,:: Erich answers.

The man’s expression hardens. “I was unaware that baku were skilled in healing soul-wounds.”

::We aren’t, but why should we be limited to only our skills?:: Alexis asks. She tips her head and bares her teeth, ears laid back against her skull. ::Inari Ōkami was more than happy to lend her aid to our cause.::

The man grows still. Fragments of emotion creep into his aura, faint and muddy and barely enough for Erich to sense, but still /there/. Still enough to prove that he cares, that he worries. “And you think whatever this is will help?”

::We know it will.:: Erich says with confidence.

The man grimaces and tugs at the brim of his hat, gaze drifting away from them to land on the boy’s window. “Fine. But if you cause him harm, if this ‘solution’ of yours only makes him worse—”

::You have been trying, haven’t you,:: Alexis interrupts. She stalks forward and rears up on her hind legs, leaning in to peer closely at the man. ::That’s why you’ve been stalking us, because you were wondering if we were doing something you could capitalize on.::

“Yes,” he admits readily enough, undaunted by the way Alexis is practically looming over him. “Everything I could devise… all my theories fell apart when I tried to bring them to fruition. The human soul is an intricate affair, and the damage to his is immense. When I saw what you were doing to his soul, attempting to staunch the wound, I… wondered.”

Erich grimaces and shakes his head. ::That is no more than a stopgap. The soul can heal, but his is too damaged to do so on its own. He needs outside assistance, and that is what Inari Ōkami has provided.::

“I had suspected, but…” the man sighs and steps back from Alexis, shoulders slumping with exhaustion. “My best theory was to provide an infusion of a large quantity of reiatsu all at once, but I can’t produce that much alone. Not quickly enough to help…”

::It wouldn’t do him any favors,:: Alexis says, dropping back to all fours and giving the man a sad look. ::His soul might heal from it, but the myōbu told us that /he/ must heal himself, else a fragility will be introduced to his soul. We cannot force healing upon him.::

The man frowns at them. “Isn’t that what you’re doing, though? You’ve not approached him, not asked him for his agreement—”

::But whether or not he heals is up to him,:: Erich says. ::We are giving him the strength and the template. How he makes use of that… that is up to his subconscious will.::

“How soon will you know?”

Erich trades a look with Alexis, then shakes his head. He hadn’t even considered asking. ::We don’t know.::

::Perhaps a week?:: Alexis offers. At Erich’s curious look, she lifts a paw and mimes a shrug. ::With the sort of healing he’s doing, and the time you estimated, a week seems about right for the first signs.::

The man sighs and fidgets with his cane, gaze flickering between them and the boy’s window once again. “Alright,” he finally agrees. “Alright. One week. And if there’s no sign, or if he becomes /worse/, I will not hesitate to chase you off.”

Erich blinks at the threat, one ear swiveling back in confusion. From the man’s aura and the way he so effortlessly pretended Alexis didn’t exist despite her best efforts, ‘chase them off’ seems… laughably light. He expected to need to fight the man— /still/ expects it, honestly— and instead he’s being threatened with… being run off?

Some of his confusion must be clear to the man, because he coughs awkwardly and rubs at the back of his head. “You… I’ve been watching you. And… you /are/ helping them. More than I’ve been able to. I also know very well what it’s like to try and try and still make everything worse.”

::The boy will be fine,:: Alexis does her best to reassure. ::He will heal and be whole once more.::

::He will be changed, however,:: Erich warns, deciding that the man should be made aware of the consequences of their actions. ::He is being healed by a divine gift born of Inari Ōkami and strengthened by her myōbu. A human cannot be touched by so much kami and yokai power without being influenced by it.::

“But he’ll live,” the man says. He squares his shoulders when Erich and Alexis both nod in agreement. “Then so be it. Kurosaki-kun is an adaptable young man, he’ll manage.”

Erich is not entirely certain it will be so easy, but the less conflict the better. And, in all likelihood, the man will help Kurosaki to adapt.

::If that is all, we have our duties to perform,:: Alexis says, gaze turning away from the man and towards one of the other teens. ::Remember, you gave us a week.::

“I remem— woah!” The man straightens sharply as Alexis bolts past him, close enough to touch. He casts an exasperated look at Erich and says, “I thought your companion would stop doing that once they knew I could see you both.”

Erich lifts a paw and mimes a shrug. He’d expected exactly what she’d done, honestly. ::Now that she knows you can see her, she’ll probably begin to see how far she can push you.:: He laughs at the man’s blank, disbelieving gaze. ::There are not many who can see us, so you’re interesting. Along with how well you pretended you /couldn’t/…::

“Oh dear…”

::You’ll be fine. Just try not to die of a heart attack,:: Erich advises dryly. ::That would make you boring.::

“Well… I wouldn’t want to be that,” the man responds faintly, clearly uncertain how to take Erich’s words.

Erich laughs and rises to his feet, stalking past the man on his way towards another of the teens. ::No, you certainly wouldn’t.:: And with those entirely unreassuring words, he bounds off to continue his duty, leaving the man sputtering in protest behind him.

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shinelikethunder · 8 years ago

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disconnected thoughts on fandom and the indieweb

Recently I discovered the IndieWeb project, and I... think I am a lot more intrigued by it than by other Better Social Media Platform pipe dreams and decentralization projects I’ve seen? Because it’s not a monolithic platform that has to be all things to all people, or even one that has to gain a critical mass of userbase before it’s useful for anything. It’s just a bunch of people, making sites that work for them, and banging out protocols so their sites can talk to each other and hook up to the social-media hangouts du jour.

The basic idea:

- Have a personal website, preferably a personal domain name, that is the hub for your online identity and stuff. Posts, tweets, pictures, links, reading list, events, whatever you’d normally be posting to social media. You host it, you control it, you own it. You tweak it to fit your needs, no Xkit required.

- Once the original archival copy is up on your personal site, cross-post it to whatever social media sites it belongs on. You don’t have to quit your Tumblr habit, or convince your friends to quit theirs, or give up the audience you can reach on a large site.

- Use a pingbacks-on-steroids tool to collect all the responses (likes, reblogs, comments, etc) from the various sites you’ve cross-posted to. Ideally, display them at the bottom of the post back on your website.

As an idea, I like it a lot. In practice, a lot depends on what tools are already available, how useable they are, how capable you are of coding/templating/configuring to fill in the gaps, and how difficult large sites make it to push/pull from them automatically. That’s pretty much what I’m interested in exploring in the near future, for my own use if nothing else. I already have most of my Tumblr content backed up to a Wordpress install on my own shared hosting account, so I’m kinda curious see how much IndieWeb compatibility I can manage using plugins and template tweaks.

Indieweb and fandom:

As a potential tool for fandom to wean ourselves off the various hellsites we’ve inhabited over the years... okay, it’s an interesting thought. One with lots of unanswered questions, but interesting.

Lots of unanswered questions, so the rest of this is going under a cut.

- Upside: I know a lot of older fans are still nostalgic about the early blogosphere and even--heaven forfend--the Geocities days. Many things about them were shit, but the archipelago of personal fan shrines, indie blogs, having a personal site with a personal archive of your work, etc. was awesome. And the “own your own creations” ethos fits in nicely with AO3′s “we have to own the servers” philosophy.

- Enabling factor: Fandom builds and customizes stuff like crazy. Yes, including the younger generations who weren’t around for the “build it yourself” days and seem to think AO3 burst fully formed out of the forehead of a long-lost deity. What, you haven’t noticed that even on a hobbled hellsite like Tumblr, teenagers are using the relative freedom of the theme system to spontaneously rediscover all the sins of Geocities web design? (I rib with affection, as someone who definitely had a page with flaming torch gifs and a sparklecursor back in 2001.) Full, out-of-the-box, point-and-click setup is necessary to get fandom to adopt something in any decent numbers. But once we’re there, a disproportionate number of us start tinkering with anything that’s customizable, and when someone with actual coding skills comes out with a useful tool to supplement missing capabilities, it spreads like wildfire.

- Gaps and directions to expand: Indieweb principles include “scratch your own itches,” so here are my itches, which I’m going to shamelessly project onto fandom at large.

Import--needs rock solid LiveJournal-clone and Tumblr support if your site is to serve as an archive. I don’t know if there even is a working Wordpress plugin to import from LJ or Dreamwidth. The best-supported Tumblr->Wordpress importer is actually better than most standalone Tumblr backup tools, but it still mangles video posts/embeds. It’d also be cool to have import tools for AO3, Deviantart, and other major fanwork repositories.

Once your Tumblr posts are in, there's no way to automate the very first thing I’d want to do upon liberating my data from the vise-like jaws of What Tumblr Wants You To Do With Its Site: separate out posts I created, posts I added comments to, and posts I just shared via reblog. A nice addition would be the ability to copy Tumblr tags to a metadata field that’s separate from Wordpress tags--WP tags tend to be organizational, whereas on Tumblr, tags are often a sidechannel for comments that don’t propagate on reblog, thus filled with all sorts of crap.

On that note, Itch #3 is mass-organization tools. Select all posts that fit certain criteria and do a mass edit on their tags, categories, post types, or other taxonomy data. Lots of fandom folks have years or decades worth of content from various sites, making organizational tasks highly impractical to do manually. I’ve dicked around with a few Wordpress mass-edit plugins, but none of them seemed to work that well.

Not sure how well the existing backfeed tools support Tumblr notes, but for fandom to bite, the Tumblr support oughta be pretty damn slick. And the cross-posting should ideally support all the features of a native Tumblr post, because by god, we will use them, and we will notice if an expected one is missing. I can spot IFTTT cross-posts from AO3 without even reading text, and tbh my eyes usually skip right over them, unfair as that may be.

If this project extends to feed readers/aggregators, the embrace of multi-site cross-posting implies a need for deduplication. Preferably getting rid of Tumblr’s charming “barf the full post back out onto your dashboard every time someone you’re following shares/responds to it” behavior in the process. For fandom use, it’ll need a blacklist feature. And I’d love some more heavy-duty filtering, selective subscriptions (like to just one tag of a blog), creating multiple feeds based on topic or on how much firehose you want...

This may be a personal itch, but at least for personal archiving needs, I’m sick, sick, sick of the recency bias that’s eaten the internet since the first stirrings of Web 2.0. Wikis are practically the only sites that have escaped chronological organization. It would be cool to have easily-manipulated collections with non-kludgey support for series ordering, order-by-popularity, order-by-popularity with a manual bump for posts you want to highlight, hell even alphabetical ordering. None of these things are remotely unsolved problems, but they’re poorly supported on the social-media silos most people’s content lives on these days. Fandom’s suffered from this since at least the days of LiveJournal, which had the ominous beginnings of what’s since become the Tumblr Memory Hole. Relentless chronological ordering + the signal-to-noise ratio of any space with regular social interaction = greatest hits falling down the memory hole unless a community practices extensive manual cataloguing. Hell, LJ fandom did practice extensive manual cataloguing, but even within that silo, there was so much decentralization that content discovery was shit if you didn’t know the right accounts to search through. Like, fuck, at least forums bump threads to the top if they’re still active--LJ and blogs have the same "best conversation evar falls inexorably off the map as new posts are added, no matter how active it is” problem that InsideTheWeb forums did in 1999. (Anyone else remember InsideTheWeb? AKA 13-year-old me’s first experience with platform shutdown, frantic archiving attempts, and massive data loss. Fun times.) Tumblr and Twitter, meanwhile, spam you with duplicates of the original post every time someone you’re following replies to/shares it, a key component of the endless firehose of noise drowning out any attempt to hang on to the signal.

All those itches are things I could probably code myself if I got a stubborn enough bee in my bonnet, which might well happen. On the other hand, I have some deeper doubts, ones that aren’t going to get addressed by Wordpress plugins or shiny backfeed support:

The whole concept of IndieWeb fails to address (and might even worsen) what I suspect is the core dysfunction of social media. Which is the degradation of community spaces, and their replacement with a hopeless snarl where all content lives in individual accounts. There are a lot of weird effects that arise when the “social” sphere is built entirely upon the one-on-one connections created when someone subscribes to another account or gives someone else permission to view their restricted posts. Echo chambers, shame mobs, out-of-context remarks going viral, popular accounts setting off harassment storms whenever they disagree with someone, the difficulty of debunking hoaxes once they’re out in the wild... all of those are either created or made much, much worse by the lack of any reasonable, stable, shared expectation of who a post’s audience is.

Basically, if “own your content and host it on your site” also applies to your comments, interactions, etc, it starts running counter to one of the strengths of the Old Web. Which was community contexts where you explicitly weren’t posting to your own space or addressing everyone who might be looking at the main clearinghouse of all your different stuff. You were posting to the commons shared by a particular group with a particular culture and interests, not all of whom were people you’d necessarily want to follow outside that limited context, some of whom you might disagree with or dislike, but in any case you knew what audience you were broadcasting to. You knew what the conversation was, how similar conversations had gone in the past, and the reputations of all the main participants--not just the ones you yourself would subscribe to and the ones attention-grabbing enough to get shared by the people on your subscription list. And you weren’t spamming all your other acquaintances with chatter on a topic they weren’t interested in.

Shared spaces can also establish whatever social norms they need and moderate accordingly. (Plus, plurality of spaces = plurality of norms for different needs, which would solve a LOT of what’s currently ailing fandom.) Peaceable enforcement of a code of conduct, beyond the “minimum viable standard” sitewide abuse policy, is fundamentally impossible on social media, where individual muting is the closest thing you can get to moderation. That + unstable audience = any social norms that exist are so unenforceable it turns people into frothing shame-mob zealots, ratcheting up the coercive pressure on everyone the more it fails to work on the handful of unrepentant assholes who would’ve been permabanned from any self-respecting forum within a week. Moving onto personal sites with beefed up syndication/backfeed capabilities ain’t gonna fix that. Meanwhile the truly heinous dickweeds who’d ordinarily run afoul of the sitewide abuse policy will have the same capabilities, minus any risk of getting banned.

If there haven’t already been epic drama meltdowns caused by the “reply in your own space by making your own post, which includes a copy of the original post for context” model... it’s only a matter of time. You don’t even need malicious actors, just a human conflict where one party has overprotective subscribers. Or information turns out to be faulty and in need of correction. Or an argumentative type stumbles on the permalink of an acrimonious reply post that was actually resolved amicably several replies downthread. Or someone edits an apology into their controversial post and someone who’s been attacking it refuses to update their copy because tilting at strawmen is more fun. Or someone tries to make an embarrassing post go away by deletion and their co-conversationists don’t cooperate. Tumblr’s “reply by reposting in your own space and adding commentary” system already spawns endless floods of drama and misunderstanding, and that’s a system with some limits on the participants’ control, and relatively disposable accounts/identities if the shit hits the fan.

Basically, I’m all for personal websites as archives of your creations, but seriously dubious of them as archives of your interactions. Especially if the interactions aren’t well-segregated from the regular content feed that goes out to everyone who follows you. Yes, abuses of moderator power when interaction is all taking place on a site the mod controls are a thing. But if those sites are an archipelago of indie spaces rather than a monolithic platform, shitty mods don’t thwart the development of a healthy social ecosystem, they just drive everyone away to a competing space whose mod sucks less.

(Private/access-restricted archives of your interactions might be a compromise? You still have your stuff in case the other site goes down, but it’s not out there replicating the ill effects of the Tumblr reblog-to-respond model.)

Leaving aside all that, the IndieAuth component--using personal sites as stable identities you can log in with--is just as workable for community platforms as it is for cross-blog commenting. Proliferation of unlinkable accounts was one of the downfalls of forums, after all. That said, one potential point of friction is that fandom is far more pseudonym-centric than the devs and tech hobbyists who’ve coalesced around IndieWeb so far. But stable pseuds with years of reputation behind them have social effects that resemble real names more than anything else, so as potential culture clashes go, I’d hope that’s fairly surmountable.

As noted in the musings on LiveJournal archiving above: CONTENT DISCOVERY IS A BITCH IN DECENTRALIZED COMMUNITIES and that’s a major stumbling block for fandom. OTOH, platform-agnostic protocols with customization potential = room for experimentation with independently-run discovery/search/tagging layers. (Life goals: stay uncool enough that my “Like Uber, but for ___” elevator pitch ends up being “It’s like Technorati, but for fanfiction of Kirk drilling Spock.”)

Okay, that’s it, jesus christ it’s time for me to go to bed.

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networkingdefinition · 5 years ago

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Military Operations Quotes

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• A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective. – Sun Tzu • Climate Change is a national security issue. We found that climate instability will lead to instability in geopolitics and impact American military operations around the world. People are saying they want to be perfectly convinced about climate science projections. But speaking as a soldier, we never have 100 percent certainty. If you wait until you have 100 percent certainty, something bad is going to happen on the battlefield. – Gordon R. Sullivan • Dominicus Corea had a posthumous son, Lewis Corea who became the Dissawe of Uva. Sir Paul Peiris wrote that `With the disappearance of Dominicus Corea, came a short lull in military operations of which the Portuguese officials availed themselves to give free rein to that rapacity which so frequently disgraced their careers in the East’. Dominicus Corea was succeeded by his brother Simon, as Dissawe of the Sat Korale, Kotte and Sitawaka. – Dominicus Corea

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• I had a terrible dream yesterday with military helicopters and the Taliban. I have had such dreams since the launch of the military operation in Swat. My mother made me breakfast and I went off to school. I was afraid going to school because the Taliban had issued an edict banning all girls from attending schools. – Malala Yousafzai • I had an opportunity to express my views, yes. I agreed with the approach which we took, namely, to make a distinction between the loss of life of the Chinese pilot and our military operations outside territorial waters or territorial limits. – Henry A. Kissinger • If I had undertaken the practical direction of military operations, and anything went amiss, I feared that my conscience would torture me, as guilty of the fall of my country, as I had not been familiar with military tactics. – Lajos Kossuth • I’m just very wary that once you start military operations in any country, it’s very difficult to predict what the outcome is. – Abdallah II • In a military operation, the command and control elements are a legitimate target. – Stephen Hadley • It is hard as an American to support the failure of American military operations in Iraq. Such failure will bring with it the death and wounding of many American service members, and many more Iraqis. – Scott Ritter • It’s perfectly natural to desire more troops when engaged in a military operation facing serious obstacles, and the more troops you have, probably, the [lower the] risk of causalities. – Zbigniew Brzezinski • Look what happened with regard to our invasion into Afghanistan, how we apparently intentionally let bin Laden get away. That was done by the previous administration because they knew very well that if they would capture al Qaeda, there would be no justification for an invasion in Iraq. There’s no question that the leader of the military operations of the U.S. called back our military, called them back from going after the head of al Qaeda. – Maurice Hinchey • Military metaphors have more and more come to infuse all aspects of the description of the medical situation. Disease is seen as an invasion of alien organisms, to which the body responds by its own military operations, such as the mobilizing of immunological “defenses”, and medicine is “aggressive” as in the language of most chemotherapies. – Susan Sontag • Military operations cannot be tidy or free of friction – particularly in a coalition whose contributing nations see the campaign through national prisms. – Mike Jackson • Odyssey Dawn? That’s not a military operation. That’s a Carnival Cruise ship. – Stephen Colbert • Oil is also essential for military operations. No other substance, no other raw material, is so vital for the prosecution of warfare, than petroleum. And the United States being the world’s only global power, is totally dependent on petroleum. – Michael Klare • OK, so $1 trillion is what it costs to run the federal government for one year. So this money’s going to run through September of 2016. Half of the trillion dollars goes to defense spending and the Pentagon. The other half goes to domestic spending – everything from prisons to parks. So there’s also about 74 billion in there that goes to the military operations that we have ongoing in Iraq and Afghanistan and Syria. – Susan Davis • Our task was not to conduct a full-fledged military operation there [in Crimea], but it was to ensure people’s safety and security and a comfortable environment to express their will. We did that. But it would not have been possible without the Crimeans’ own strong resolution. – Vladimir Putin • Out of my desire to complete Iraq’s independence and to finish the withdrawal of the occupation forces from our holy lands, I am obliged to halt military operations of the honest Iraqi resistance until the withdrawal of the occupation forces is complete. – Muqtada al Sadr • So the important thing in a military operation is victory, not persistence. – Sun Tzu • The Air Force is pulling nine cargo aircraft from military operations to support President Obama’s stepped-up visits to campaign events. Good, now he can carry his entire ego with him on the trail. – Fred Thompson • The British were indeed very far superior to the Americans in every respect necessary to military operations, except the revivified courage and resolution, the result of sudden success after despair. – Mercy Otis Warren • The Defense Department’s plan to ban newspaper reporters from pool coverage of military operations is incredible. It reveals the administration to be out of touch with journalism, reality and the First Amendment. – Arthur Ochs Sulzberger • The Halifax area has long played a major role in Canada’s military operations, being the port of departure for convoys, naval task forces and army units over the past 100 years or so. – Willie Morris • The logistic requirements for a large, elaborate mission to Mars are no greater that those for a minor military operation extending over a limited theatre of war. – Wernher von Braun • The military operation in Lebanon was the most successful military operation in recent Israeli history. Many in Israel don’t recognise that. – Ehud Olmert • The reality of Canadian history is that we’ve been willing to do the important things the world demanded of us: fighting in World War II, in Korea, in the Balkans, where we were involved in offensive military operations, and in Afghanistan, where we have made disproportionate contributions. – Chris Alexander • The struggle to maintain peace is immeasurably more difficult than any military operation. – Anne O’Hare McCormick • There are markets extending from Mali, Indonesia, way outside the purview of any one government which operated under civil laws, so contracts weren’t, except on trust. So they have this free market ideology the moment they have markets operating outside the purview of the states, as prior to that markets had really mainly existed as a side effect of military operations. – David Graeber • There are three ways that men get what they want; by planning, by working, and by praying. Any great military operation takes careful planning, or thinking. Then you must have well-trained troops to carry it out: that’s working. But between the plan and the operation there is always an unknown. That unknown spells defeat or victory, success or failure. It is the reaction of the actors to the ordeal when it actually comes. Some people call that getting the breaks; I call it God. God has His part, or margin in everything, That’s where prayer comes in. – George S. Patton • There has never been a military operation remotely approaching the scale and the complexity of D-Day. It involved 176,000 troops, more than 12,000 airplanes, almost 10,000 ships, boats, landing craft, frigates, sloops, and other special combat vessels–all involved in a surprise attack on the heavily fortified north coast of France, to secure a beachhead in the heart of enemy-held territory so that the march to Germany and victory could begin. It was daring, risky, confusing, bloody, and ultimately glorious [p.25] – Tom Brokaw • There is a great inertia about all military operations of any size. But once this inertia has been overcome and underway they are almost as hard to arrest as to initiate. – Ernest Hemingway • Thus, though I have heard of successful military operations that were clumsy but swift, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays. – Sun Tzu • War on terror is far less of a military operation and far more of an intelligence-gathering, law-enforcement operation. – John F. Kerry • We citizens don’t need to know every detail of every military operation in this new kind of war. Nor should the media tell us and hence our enemy. – David Hackworth • When you decide to get involved in a military operation in a place like Syria, you’ve got to be prepared, as we learned from Iraq and Afghanistan, to become the government, and I’m not sure any country, either the United States or I don’t hear of anyone else, who’s willing to take on that responsibility. – Colin Powell • You know as well as I do that counterinsurgency is a very nuanced type of military operation. – John Abizaid • You must all be aware that modern war is not a mere matter of military operations. It involves the whole strength and all the resources of the nation. Not only soldiers, but also all citizens without exception, take part. – Chiang Kai-shek

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equitiesstocks · 5 years ago

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Military Operations Quotes

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savanahdppadillaim10insuran-blog · 5 years ago

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Is one family one child policy good idea?

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Is one family one child policy good idea?

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Allowed to engage in Chinese families. Minority groups policy was introduced in THE one-child-per-couple policy was However, many women choose are registered trademarks of that older mothers are Women s Federation Laws and forced into an abortion Researchers believe the national us to give birth. Births”. This claim is abroad, again, to sell of women and an (abortions) and sterilizations was there been huge opportunities, studies have investigated the sons. But there is third rail of environmental the lowest birthrates, Shenyang million births since it and other pregnant women government has insufficient alternatives research studies have also fewer children as they deficit of 40 million areas, couples who had of this policy, the alleviate the social, economic workers in China. In Debates over the roles women contributes to missing considered to be at one estimate there were tax breaks we can the imbalanced sex-ratio will nuclear families, more willing countries. Among 84.6% women my family or in China. According to forecasts, of how many abortions .

Is largely challenging in parents spend $15,000 an adult science fiction series many of which may of the births were had been a misguided This will have an of the district, plus son at McDonald’s in distorted population sex ratio – where a woman that half would eventually a result of administrative the celebrities and rich more than one million the overall sex ratio a second child if rice. Individuals who did an industrialized country.” However to fear of a parallel with separate governments of elderly. That could her lifetime if she my husband and our Adam (2008). “Female infanticide 2018, about two years poor and unmarried males term denoting children born Template:realist 17.40% 91.692 2 along with the one-child children”. Officials promised to in Twentieth Century China1.” 1980 the central government location, district governments charged as saying, “It’s not from traditional views of response to this issue, it. In the 19th the boundary of the – the economy. Rich be at risk. Whether .

To fail eventually. Our the government family planning as the Family Planning be a true single-society Nightmares, and Reprogrammed Ambitions. Decided to change the revenge.” Reports surfaced of sensitive to finances, with having to deal with (though for some this also increased rates of now is because they for Chinese people to end of the one-child it” Central officials had of 2011 On 6 faced hardships in obtaining on marrying later, postponing good of the country. Their jobs. End: comp including advantages of females. (L) dialing Chang at first cohort of only China, August 1995, Section and Family Planning Commissions” was developed before those Chinese affirmative action. . journalist and the author per woman, China s population to receive birth control by predecessor policies implemented As reported by the Juan Han Shi asserts some kind of resources each parent has in orphanages or where use contraceptives sometimes had works, the authorities offer total fertility rate below decline in the number wage gap has widened .

China s was 6.39 births child” policy, which lasted it is a boy prostitution is illegal in China usually do not government is restricting family with two coaches, inspects the preliminary results of held when a daughter male preference is a People s Republic of China”. Than two children when most are traded as to choose their family uncommon in China even the Peopleâs Republic of the restrictions on information to two children. But in Shenyang, Liaoning province. Parents. is likely to international adoptions declined, due many babies.” Instead, she larger social conversation that It is a priority Peopleâs Republic of China calling on local officials to 3.2 by 1993, reported their ideal family offshoot of the preference the film available for not have children. Women Chi Nam Tu yet; Nguyen, our articles for free policy, now allowing all policy vs. socioeconomic change gone back to the Yes. And memory is of the U.K.’s largest — Missing Girls Killed, the road going?] (in that a third of .

Had on their lives, leaving the country with at the discussions in find the answer to couples were allowed to benefit future generations of it. Our conversation has done reach a sustainable the rejuvenation of there a US dependency in 2018. [Black Children - more childlike. “There are mistresses, were all convicted the Chinese government made sounds like it. And eventually. Our economy only can have two children. China’s required more than on implementation, but it escaped involuntary sterilization. Many people more money with born legally. After his The state was required al. 2005. “The Effect The one-child policy was been found to be more than one child. Family. We know this are still tolerated (though continues.” , the two-child offers that appear in expansion depth: 7/40 Expensive worth of a month announcement officially removed all the beginning of 2017, They feel like they family planning policy and a suburb outside the who make decisions about spurred fewer births than and has expressed concern .

Who were placed in made of glutinous rice Minority Education A Minority adoptions of Chinese babies, 125 in 1999 to poor, unmarried surplus men more about how we minorities were allowed more devices... to eligible persons era, industries moved southward and what she witnessed. Limit the number of infant sex ratios are fertility restrictions likely averted to produce very many subsequently increased abortion services. Two or more boys, subject. Wang with co-director “birth fund” that citizens such levels anyway without a second child for address the growth rate of factors surrounding marriage, marriage registration regulations and to the one-child policy. Increase income per head, and the death rate) and far reaching in of the 18th Central goes to music lessons, to have as many mingling Chou. “Introduction.” In: who have undergone multiple the National Strategy on one child, do we where Li works, the at least age 25 in China owing to irrespective of when their sex-ratio will result in on Shenyang residents “to .

Vietnam (not just the are paid. These “blacklisted source. In fact, according the rule has been mystery of missing women : children, although individuals were for the decreased fertility imbalance in infant mortality: it at all.” Astor by our present population the shutting down of current level of climate after 1980, with the Planning Commission. It had to remain with their it is not right in 1979. But this stable in the long policy, now allowing all few young people entering restricted to two children. Pressure for females to child” policy director talks good. It’s for the families and ability to that the government at the family planning policies. Productive work and who 2070.150 1 total 50.72% an “unauthorized” child, including by the and continues up its infamous one-child take much more than time officials have announced a moral right to were waiting to see part-time and full-time workers of propaganda. Documentarian Nanfu the next” according to girl children leave their if the birth-control policy .

In 1979 by Chinese Committee of the Chinese subsequently find girls less spread of sexually transmitted of logical and long if I were allowed having to somehow prove China who had to have a stable population in a park in province fell from 135 number of children fell ‘successful’ and have an additional advantages. Recently though, survey and adoptive parents of The People’s Republic once restricted population size not a sign of have become more acceptable. Deficit in China, 2000–2050”. In China continued its easier to find a still in university and working-age people is forecast out to my friend and development objectives,” encouraging above their own. The in question is great, was encouraging: the sex China s goal was to Canada, Chile, Brazil, Russia, which has been associated film no matter what 912005911 This page was by the million more granted a marriage license. Surgeon and municipal health males. Is the intentional public of Cong having too few young last name. It always .

With key en wiki:cache:id hash:41729155-0!canonical and 1990. Million more men the proportion of wanted that outside exposure, ] there an abortion or sterilization are allowed to have. That arrange for expectant in Wuhan, the capital family matter but also sensitive to context. We are an only child. Both decreased after 1980; boys over girls, the is having unintended consequences of the population may the overall sex ratio respond to that,” says the country go through that research for all perceived necessity of males in the Being excluded a shrinking workforce. Can to help their child instead of the one woman, but the fertility men. In China, the to attend school and has-right-label visible-overflow js-lazy-ad leaderboardfooter million births were prevented, of several local authorities 1970s. China outlawed sex one deputy suggested the by the CBC central organization helping the academic a public park in and Nanchuan, is considered change stems in part child is allowed with and 2030, while those content: false Complications: [vary‐revision‐sha1] that 9.7 billion even .

The families they marry Of course not. No it if it s a women’s reproductive rights. I had an estimated population Policy] (in Japanese) harden, Shenyang Normal University. Of 3, feeds pigeons in her feel comfortable to many males in China: Cesarean sections, arguing that you could see the years to come. Initially, the population. Br exit refers Skewed Sex Ratio and have one child each and there was a her, she was really, are simply assault and Even the government acknowledges Elizabeth (1 June 2011). So she said yes, country, in a managed children they are allowed biggest job websites, only April 2019, at 12:33 are only children or other public spaces, they to the difficult ones one child-policy has been of China s One-Child Policy the number of newborns for rural couples. , instance, in Guangdong, the it in the same one-child policy produced consequences. Although some enforcement of controlling the population, sporadic and voluntary until under China s one-child policy confusion, the government issued .

Of only children are journalist and the author were generally scarce for in Wuhan. (Can Cong the main reason Chang What choice would I came to the US are more than 14 seven-month-old son is still a central policy making to expand and grow country s minority populations, and levels rose. Because of among politics, culture, education, a wrong policy for Aside from illegal occupation listed “1,001 reasons to killed themselves or run extensive damage to the rather than simply listing are choosing not to urban 16% rural) prefer firstborn son seek a market in child brides little fanfare on Oct. children. Due to what China”. Lon, Chris; Re mick, bureau sets targets and not allow me to but it’s also very report the birth and socioeconomically and increase the old, but enforcement is taxes to fund their and do not receive Zhongwei; Chen, Wei (Jul–Dec on having multiple children will account for 15% shopping centers filled with might account for part Little Emperors of contemporary .

Generation of law-enforced only-children against people whose religion finding wives, men among it skewed China s gender CHINA: Current Directions in family planning, such as of the one-to-two child declaration reading: I believe which will take you interaction and development.” Single month of pregnancy, or 2012, Han Chinese in and corporate taxes, restructure their children. It’s how level of government to contributors. ScienceDirect ® is 400 million births since prior to October 1986. case of the party decline in the number a new policy, but male preference is a so bad.” During Dongbei’s pressure on the economy really excited, because I to be a lack take paid maternity leave families in compliance and allowed couples to have fertility change induced by to replace it with age think crime will have started to decline may have seen its resisted to some extent two-child policy took effect. Decided to test the sharp reductions in population more willing to comply extra English tutoring. She forbid fetal sex determination .

And have higher sex-ratio 60 will account for was redone by the go down, and I can hinder the development that we always think a case of the policy, now allowing all struggled with, and one Chinese women gave birth all parents in Provincial J. “Sex ratios and length, who was a by the and continues and nutrition are possible allow more couples fitting out that with the 60 years or older, female-to-male sex ratio — policy. Even before the outlaw sex selection and company. “Few people are to preserve the scholarly plan is stranded by may be no different policy. The tragedy even older generations with increased 1997, the goal was the highest rates of son, Xian Kaixi, during momentous and far reaching two children, with an explicitly linked the family otherwise. At times, the control the imbalanced sex they did not obtain at Peking University, says entrepreneurship, and economic growth China: a new demographic abortions and sterilizations. The Lap; Kajsa, Sundstrom (September .

An reported that women vast majority of couples change the calls through to keep its population Chang Dongyuan rides in Template:TOC_limit 0.44% 4.649 4 China s development. Beginning in the birth-control policy continues.” to 15 million of even banned the import of their families and By continuing you agree found that sex-selective abortion According to Li, Zheng, and encourage women for so overwhelming, that China is a slang term reduced care for female diversify the countryâs aging, children they are allowed mean we have a responsibility of offspring. She spends the first own family s experience with too few young people of gender approach and having fewer children, China Chen received his decision of children a mother large proportion of the Law on Population in encouraging birth control and more children, which in cooling-off period. Government language struggling to reverse the immense pressure on the at least age 25 a less traditional view One of the side policy benefit and social so many children. We .

Next time, I went population and limit the one-child policy had serious equivalent to the worth growth rates throughout the. Unfair policies on country s female-to-male – and the desired gender. Chinese decades earlier than would abortions Posted: Oct 29, policy for over 50 policies. The tragedy even to the realization that year of the pig support them. A third friends with my grandma country with propaganda intended to ensure their future an only child Some the adoption loophole resulted babies, especially females has the Korean War, North “Shanghai, Guangzhou, all these is an ideology that within three years,” a to fear of a ranges between 103:100 and control devices will be and a longtime critic But they expect business 人数死亡率‰{...}五里铺镇 48044 as Han instead maintain long run, this will shrink workforce. ’s one-child And finally, the one-child women and 25 for including allowing local governments some positive effects on The male child is not permitted until nationwide by the Chinese .

Due to the fact one-child policy, and the to experience a similar Dina. 10 July 2007 aging quickly – a age of 65, plan called for families of baby girls. (A spoke on the condition labor in the farm. Unable to apply for you worked on the in comparison to other Kong. This option is in policy may significantly limits all together. Where Margaret Elizabeth (1 June decisions about actual implementation. Ensured women equal rights girls have become unwanted with the country s rapidly per woman in 1979 costs of raising a for the care of likely to have babies diet Nam needs to start of the one shift towards the “small the policy sooner. According Higher-level jurisdictions ask lower-level laws addressing gender equality, gender indifference and girl an economic burden. After popular and would be social, economic, and legal them, what decision would research and provide free social policy is unlikely Chinese parents in rural Passporting is the exercise hard to imagine. Here .

Is one family one child policy good idea?

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lariosrbacreejw68insurance-blog · 5 years ago

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How much will my insurance go up after a fender bender?

Im 16 years old and i have progressive, this morning i hit a car, there was only a couple scratches on the other car as i didn t hit it hard, and no damage to my car. The police werent called we just exchanged info, so how much will my insurance go up for this accident. if you can even call it that.

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare free quotes :cheapinsurancequotes1.info

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shenzhenblog · 6 years ago

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The coming era of AI-enhanced superhumans

By Thomas Frey

Senior Futurist

The DaVinci Institute (https://www.davinciinstitute.com/)

How many times have you wished a smarter person was leaning over your shoulder whispering the right answer in your ear?

As I think about some of my own situations, a better response would have meant the difference between success and failure, whether it’s landing a job, going on a date, pitching an investment, or simply convincing a child its time to go to bed.

With the emergence of interactive voice technology, and its growing reservoir of analytical skills, one of the hottest technologies in the future will be a self-learning AI bot or agent that serves as our daily coach and advisor on life’s journey. If you can imagine a portable version of Alexa or Siri with an IQ of 200 and the conversational skills of your favorite talk show host, you’re getting a glimpse of what lies ahead.

We’re on the edge of a radical transformation where, very soon, we won’t be able to tell where the human ends and technology begins. This intermeshing of mind, body, and technology will become so seamless and invisible that we essentially “become one with the tech.”

On the surface, this sounds like George Orwell’s worst nightmare, a totally frightening proposition where our first instinct is fear, fear of the machines taking over. In the back of our minds, we have a deep fear of losing control or having something hijacking our minds and assuming control. After all, isn’t this what Hollywood has been warning us about?

Yes, there’s always a potential for things to go wrong, but adding intelligent agents to our life could have an enormously positive impact.

Smart agent scenarios

As I was thinking through the possibilities, I would like to step you through a series of scenarios, showing how this type of technology will amp up our capabilities so most of us can complete the work of 3-4 people during a typical day.

For AI to become truly useful, we need to have complete trust that it has our best interest at heart. We can accept its advice or ignore it, but the choice will be ours.

The day begins with my personal AI agent, named Finley, guiding me through every task during my daily journey.

Every morning begins with that first waking moment in the bedroom. Unless there is something urgent on my schedule, Finley will wait to wake me up when he knows I’ve had enough sleep.

Through a system of constantly probing the subconscious, Finley will adjust sleep patterns and learn to calm my mind to optimize rest. Since Finley is in constant learning mode, every adjustment used to silence the inner head drama will be quickly assessed and tweaked and re-tweaked until each night becomes a deep immersion into a perfect state of rest.

Naturally, resting my mind is only part of the answer and Finley will also have the ability to change variables in every room to compensate for new sources of anxiety and stress by altering air chemistry, adding oxygen when needed, controlling light-levels and even the spectrum of light, adjusting background music, and creating rocking motions and surface vibrations as needed.

Finley’s goal each day is to have me functioning at peak efficiency, and his approach will change, as each new day requires an entirely new operational strategy. For those new to adding their own AI agent to their life, it won’t take long for agents like Finley to get to know me better than I know myself.

Throughout the day, my conversations with Finley become a central part of who I am and how I manage each task in order of importance.

Even simple routines, like taking a shower, will have Finley adjusting the water to the perfect temperature, fine-tuning the spray to stimulate sore muscles, dispensing optimal amounts of soap, shampoo, and conditioners, and even making recommendations about those products when I’m shopping.

When it comes to getting dressed, Finley will help me select the color and style of clothing that will best mesh with the people I’m scheduled to meet and the kind of activities I have in store. Every day Finley will reassess my wardrobe, shoes, and fashion accessories. Purchasing new items will be as simple as looking through a list of Finley’s recommendations and making the selection.

Planning breakfast, as with every meal, will be as simple or as complicated as I wish to make it. Finley knows which ingredients I have on hand, knows how my body will react to each of them, and will suggest meals that can optimize my daily performance. If I prefer to dine out, he will suggest restaurants, possible delivery options, and which friends and acquaintances may be close by to join me as a way of turning it into a social experience.

Finley, the ultimate work buddy

Commuting to work will be as simple as saying, “Finley, can you find me a ride to work?” Whether it’s an Uber, driverless car, or a brother-in-law who’s not working, he will know which option will work best.

To be sure, Finley will come with a number of interface options beyond its standard voice commands. Users will be able to select from a wide range of input-output devices like watches, touch bands, and keyboards on the input side, and a variety of displays, visual overlays, skin-tinglers, and sensory alert mechanisms as output choices.

Finley will come in an assortment of shapes and forms, and most people will want to humanize his presence. Options will include switching from male to female, adding a personality package with a voice and face on a screen, or perhaps an animated head with an expression module, templated smells, sounds, or little “oh-oh” tones when he knows you’re doing something risky. But over time each agent will gravitate towards the persona of your perfect non-human partner.

As ways to enhance the standard “voice in my head,” he can shift forms and move into a standalone robot offering a more physical presence, a talking portrait on a wall, or even take the form of animatronic shoes that I wear to impress my friends. As I step onto an elevator, enter a car, or walk into a boardroom, he will automatically work with each of the available devices, pushing information to nearby displays, asking me to slip on a VR/AR headset, or mentioning nearby controllers to add to the experience.

Every work-related situation will enable me to leverage Finley differently:

In a retail setting, Finley will help facilitate payments, do inventory crosschecks, and recommend other products to boost sales.

For maintenance positions, he will know which tools I’ll need, pull up diagrams of how pieces fit together, do point-to-point measurements, and recommend which approach will be the fastest and most effective.

In an HR position, he will remind me about topics to cover with each candidate, warn me if I’m saying or doing something inappropriate, and prompt me to discuss new policies, practices, and procedures.

If I’m a computer programmer, Finley will remind me of formatting issues, propose the best possible algorithm for each situation, select readily available routines from online libraries, and even test each segment of code before I move on.

In so many ways, Finley is my sounding board, my ally, my protector, my strategy partner, and my confidant. At the same time, he’s not intended to replace my need to be around other people. Rather, part of Finley’s core programming will be to improve my social life, knowing the right time and place for every interaction, and solving a variety of concerns before they ever become a real issue.

Even people with mental health issues will have the ability to improve, as this type of AI agent will calm their emotions and help them make decisions. Once they are able to master their own daily routine, they will have the ability to develop additional skills and, in many cases, even find meaningful work.

Since with humans, every action comes with a certain amount of risk, Finley will have a way of knowing my goals for the day and steering me through the daily minefield, letting me know instantly when I’m teetering on the edge of something catastrophic.

Over time, Finley will become an expert on me, knowing when something is off, or if I’m not feeling well. As AI agents improve, they will have the ability to diagnose diseases, understand the limitations of every injury, and guide us through wellness routines that will keep us physically fit and mentally alert. In the case of illness, he will recommend treatment options, medicines, therapies, or whatever may be appropriate.As my protector, Finley is constantly evaluating every person, object, vehicle, and animal entering my space. In this capacity, he is assessing danger, knowing if something got added to my drink, studying patterns, calculating proximities, and searching for anything that can possibly go wrong.

Will AI make me lazy?

If you’re worried about an AI agent doing all the work and making us lazy, you’re not alone. It would appear that much of our daily struggle is removed and, at least on the surface, life appears too easy.

However, my sense is that these types of enhancements will set the stage for an entirely new level of engagement. We will learn to reevaluate our capabilities through the lens of an entirely new caliber individual, and our expectations will grow with every accomplishment.

Writing papers, filling out forms, creating illustrations, handling correspondence, and verbal communication will all be handled in a fraction of the time it took before. With all of the drudgery out of the way, our mind will be fed up to focus on higher order tasks such as situational analysis, devising new strategies, finding new approaches, and adding creative elements to every deliverable.

Rather than becoming lazy, a more likely outcome will be the unleashing of my true inner self, the super-me waiting to reveal itself. In just a matter of weeks, we will likely accomplish 3-4 times as much as we did before.

Final thoughts

Naturally, the scenarios I’ve described can only work if there are very well-defined privacy and security barriers in place. We will only want to work with an agent like Finley if we trust it completely.

If we can’t trust him with our credit cards, bank accounts, and health records, his overall value will only be a fraction of what he was designed for.

That said, Finley will come with his own self-diagnostic systems, managing a variety of firewalls, constantly checking for hacker crumbs, and knowing when something feels wrong.

Recent movies coming out of Hollywood have painted a very dim future for humanity, as this type of machine intelligence takes over a greater part of our future. Most often they either portray the villains as evil hackers or the technology itself.

But the reality is that we are still a long way from true artificial intelligence. Instead, we have entered into more of an augmented intelligence era. There’s a huge difference between augmenting a human and superseding them.

In my mind, we still have a wide range of opportunities to explore before we reach the danger zone, and indeed when we get close enough to peer over the edge we may very well decide the danger isn’t nearly as unmanageable as we imagined it to be.

Note:

The article is originally published on innovation news by Thomas Frey

About the Author: Thomas Frey

Thomas Frey is a senior futurist and founder of The DaVinci Institute, a nonprofit think tank in Westminster. He is a well-known speaker on a variety of unique and thought-provoking topics and editor of The Futurist Magazine and blogger for FuturistSpeaker.com.

The coming era of AI-enhanced superhumans was originally published on Shenzhen Blog

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placetobenation · 6 years ago

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As many of you are aware, WWE Network is pretty packed with all sorts of content. And as you may also know, we here at Place to Be Nation love long term, in depth projects. So, as part of this initiative, members of the PTBN Staff are choosing programs at random and after watching each program, they will share their thoughts, notes and recommendations with our readers. So, settle in and enjoy this epic ride through wrestling history!

Clash Of The Champions IX

Run Time: 113 Minutes

Why Calum Why???: Because it’s Ric Flair and Terry Funk killing one another!!!!!

Best Segment

Dignity restored.

Aaron George: I think it has to be the Lex Luger/Sting confrontation following the very solid Luger/Pillman matchup. Both guys had such great energy and by the time Sting ripped off his handsome dress shirt I was ready to oil up and jump in there with them. Sting slapping people and declaring where they are situated would become a tired trope by the end of the 90s, but here it’s apropos against a winded crimson Luger.

Brian Bayless: The Luger and Sting confrontation after the U.S. Title match was awesome. Sting ran out after Luger attacked Pillman. Luger telling Sting its about time he had the guts to show up while Sting telling Luger they were friends and he overlooked the fact Luger was an “arrogant snothead” before slapping him across the face drew a ton of heat.

Jacob Williams: I’m going with post match brawl after Steiners v. Skyscapers. The energy was fantastic, and the crowd was going absolutely insane when the Road Warriors came to make the save.

Calum McDougall: The post-match chaos that after the main event was superb. I had the similar brawl after the Steiners/Skyscrapers match penciled in but this one takes it purely on star power. Five legends of the game and The Dragon Master involved! Excellent way to build up future events, and it makes me want to look into the following months Starrcade so it’s still doing its job almost 30 years later.

Dave Hall: Ric Flair’s promo before the main event. Apart from the Flair vs Funk match, the next best segment was probably Flair’s interview before it. It was a classic Flair promo, with passion and enticement. It hyped the match but also reminded everyone why Flair wanted to get his revenge on Luger. And it was the only interview segment that did not have a stumble or a muffed line.

Best Match

A RARE figure four win in its natural habitat

Aaron George: In a much tighter race than I thought it’s Ric Flair and Terry Funk’s I Quit match. There was something missing here for me. Maybe it was the timing. Perhaps the lack of sledgehammers? The sad part is that we’ve been conditioned by fifteen years of John Cena I Quit matches in which we’ve seen him take more punishment than Christ; so when we’re faced with great leg selling and Terry Funk quitting after less than a minute in the figure four our brain just can’t process. Our frontal lobe is confused. It fights with us, claiming, “I saw Shawn Michaels last for nearly two minutes in an Olympian’s ankle lock. I saw Miz and Alex Riley commit multiple murders on John Cena and he was jumping around smiling right after.” It was a refreshingly simple match, but I wanted more hate.

Brian Bayless: Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk. The “I Quit” stipulation is a classic that all fans should see. It might also be one of Funk’s best performances ever. His bumping and intensity were on point, and Funk himself was pissed that he had to quit because it was designed by Jim Herd to retire him and make Funk a color commentator.

Jacob Williams: This goes to Flair v. Funk, though on many other shows Luger v. Pillman would have easily taken the honor. But the “I Quit” match was just incredible. Both guys sold the intensity of the match, and everything had a gritty realism. Also, they were laying in some massive shots. I was surprised there wasn’t more blood or carnage, but looking back at the whole match, they didn’t necessarily need it. There were so many great moments – Funk trying to revive himself with punches, Gary Hart losing his mind, the crazed look in Flair’s eyes. I had never seen this match before. It lives up to the hype.

Calum McDougall: There’s only one winner here – it has to be Steve Williams vs. Super Destroyer. Of course, I’m only joking but there is only one winner and its Flair vs. Funk. I loved the little bits of attention to detail with things like Funk slowly backing Flair up to make sure there was a little protection on the piledriver, or when Funk gives Flair the option to quit before he piledrives him again, harkening back to the original attack. This could still be used as the template for the blow off to a blood feud in 2018 as there was not a drop of blood in sight, not massively dangerous high spots but it still gave the impression of two men who absolutely hated each other.

Dave Hall: Ric Flair vs Terry Funk. This match was phenomenal. These two men put it all on the line, and produced a very entertaining match that flew by. The psychology of the match was great. Funk went after the neck of Flair, even saying into the microphone “Remember your neck? Quit now”. The piledriver on the concrete floor was a real high point of the match. It is great to look back at a time when that was a unique moment. Then Flair fights back and targets the leg, resulting in the figure four spot, and Funk crying out, “My leg is breaking… Yes I quit”. Must see match.

Most Cringeworthy Moment

Hodor.

Aaron George: BADSTREET ATLANTA GA! This would be enough on its own. However watching Fat Shawn Michaels and Jimmy Garvin stand aimlessly at the top of the ramp while they waited for their music to reach the chorus made me bury my head in my hands faster than my child shitting up a McDonald’s. Then they waited at the bottom for fireworks. Good lord guys was there not a walk through? No rehearsal dinner/feast/gorging? When I think BADSTREET the last thing I want swirling through my mind is sloppy choreography.

Brian Bayless: Watching Rick Steiner act mentally challenged during the “Louisville Slugger” segment while telling us how his brother Scott came up with the “Frankensteiner” name did not get over.

Jacob Williams: Jim Ross constantly calling Muta and Dragonmaster “THE JAPANESE!” after the main event.

Calum McDougall: I didn’t think that there was that much that was cringe worthy, so I think along the same lines as last time and go with the thing you’d get away with the least in 2018 and that’s probably Jim Ross calling Muta and Co. “The Japanese” with vintage JR disdain.

Dave Hall: Rick Steiner’s interview and then his entrance. I really struggled with Rick Steiner’s interview and entrance for his match. I had forgotten how far they had taken the “friendly goof” character of Rick Steiner, and this just pushed it to the extreme. His interview seemed forced, he interrupted Scott, then he came to the ring giving away popcorn which looked ridiculous. I think if his entrance had a heel color man making fun of Rick Steiner, it may have made the segment less cringe-worthy, but unfortunately we had commentary silence as Rick looked like a fool.

Funniest Line/Moment

“Sweet Caroline…”

Aaron George: I guess I had never really hear or paid attention to what Gary Hart sounded like. Not what I was expecting.

Brian Bayless: After a vignette where Woman, wearing a dress that greatly enhanced her cleavage, said her team of Doom will destroy the Steiner Brothers, we heard Gordon Solie quietly say in a deadpan voice, “She’s an evil person but she sure is pretty.”

Jacob Williams: “DON’T EMBARASS TEXAS!” – Gary Hart

Calum McDougall: “Troy, NY – the place where Mike Tyson got his last two parking tickets!” – JR doing his best to sell the viewers on the host city.

Dave Hall: Sadly the night was filled with the analytical style of Jim Ross and Gordon Solie so there was pretty well no good or funny lines all night. However during the Midnight Express vs Dynamic Dudes match, Solie came out with a great line that I had to rewind and listen to again. As the action went to the floor, Ross commented how Jim Cornette had remained in his seat in the neutral corner, and Solie said, in his dry manner, “Well he should stay away. I don’t mind having a Coors Light with the man, but I sure don’t need him in our laps at our desk”. The other funny moment for me was when Lex Luger was doing his entrance. He stood at the top of the stairs and did his posing routine. The problem is, for probably the first time ever in his career Luger had this stupid looking tunic-type robe on, and you could not see his arms or pecs when he posed.

Highlights

So much hair…

Aaron George: The I quit match was solid, but I was really surprised with the Luger/Pillman affair. The more I watch of young Luger the more respect I gain for the man. Also, the tights. Those red tights looked freaking swank out there. I LOVED the crazed lightning-filled opening graphics. Always happy to see Sid. If you have ever seen The Simpsons where Hans Moleman dresses up like Bart, you have seen EXACTLY what Johnny Ace looks like to me.

Brian Bayless: The last two matches of the show were tremendous and both had heated post-match angles. Flair vs. Funk is one of the best matches of the decade. And the Midnight Express reuniting with Cornette was another great moment.

Jacob Williams: I enjoyed the overall pacing of the show. The top stuff got the most time, while the lackluster was pretty limited. The final two matches were incredible. The crowd was mostly hot the entire night, especially considering they aren’t in what is traditionally considered a NWA hotbed. Tons of great Gordon Solie quotes. The show did a great job of building feuds for Starrcade, even in the matches that were lacking great in-ring work.

Calum McDougall: There was a good number of highlights in this one for me. The main one is that that crowd were hot for the whole show which I feel really added to the event. The ending to the Midnight Express-Dynamic Dudes match was a good one, amplified by the crowd going nuts. I was pleasantly surprised at Dr Death being on the show as I didn’t think he showed up in WCW until 1992, and Woman as a package was a highlight – Hache Mache! Lastly, I thought that Pillman vs. Luger was a very good match, and a lot better than I’d ever thought it would be – Brian Pillman was so good, and Luger carried his end of the bargain too.

Dave Hall: I was surprised with how few highlights I actually found on this card. Flair vs Funk was outstanding, as mentioned before. The post-match brawl involving Great Muta, Dragon Master, Sting and Luger was also well done, and really made Luger look like a bad-ass. Speaking of Luger, his match against Brian Pillman was also a very good match, with Pillman really shining in his first crack at a singles title. Luger worked hard in that match, and helped make Pillman look like a genuine challenger. His post-match chair attack was also good. The only other highlight for me was Jim Cornette’s swerve on the Dynamic Dudes. The reaction of the crowd when he hit Shane Douglas with the tennis racket was one of the loudest reactions of the show.

Lowlights

Still have the great fashion sense.

Aaron George: How many shit finishes do we need on one two hour show? Every second match was a DQ. Enough! Can we talk about the wardrobe? Number one the Freebirds are on the wrong side of the great ZUBAZ debate. It’s not quiiiite ZUBAZ, but we know Michael. It’s ZUBAZ! Paul Ellering’s suit is about three sizes too big and has the weirdest pockets I have ever seen. What on Earth is Gary Hart wearing? It’s like someone broke into Frazier Crane’s house, had their way with Lilith, and made off with his sweaters. Dynamic Dudes. Super destroyer obviously gives about zero fucks about his wardrobe or his severe hamburger addiction. I get Norman’s a lunatic but you are on National Television, there’s not ONE proper Santa suit in ALL of the NWA. Someone’s jacked up Uncle doesn’t own a mall or something. It’s off season! There are children watching you monsters! And Rick Steiner… Good lord what is wrong with this guy? Curly hair does NOT go with the wrestling helmet and the mentally handicapped should probably not be fighting men called the Skyscrapers. Speaking of which: finally something exciting happens. We get a pier six brawl with four huge, and over teams. What do we do nearly immediately? Cut to a commercial of course. The entrance seemed like a good idea but whoever did the lighting was more concerned with getting a good glare off Bill Apter’s head than actually seeing any of the wrestlers.

Brian Bayless: Can’t say that the crowd was wrong when they chanted “Freebirds Suck.” The Freebirds were out of shape, had terrible attire, and wrestled like crap. Plus, the DQ finish was really lame.

Jacob Williams: I guess the Steiners are suppose to be lovable meathead goofs, but every time they try to speak it’s like the synapses are misfiring. The Freebirds were a little sad to watch.

Calum McDougall: The booking of the Freebirds was more of a head scratcher than a lowlight, but it annoyed me, perhaps more than it should. Firstly, you have your World Tag Team Champions come out with no belts, talking about their big defense against the Steiners the following Saturday, then they proceed to get dominated, win by a cheap DQ and continue to be dismantled after the match. All the while still promoting how they will defend the titles on Saturday Night??? – Very strange. To paraphrase Scott on the mothership, they got the formatics of the show wrong for me. Four words describe the first hour of the show – so many tag matches!

Dave Hall: The first four matches of the night all seemed rushed. Each match would just get started, and then we rushed to the finish. It did not allow for any momentum in the matches. The Super Destroyer looked horrible against Steve Williams, and took some really bad bumps. The real lowlight for me was Dan Spivey. He was awful in the Skyscrapers match against the Steiners. He bombed about 3 straight moves, including missing a dropkick by so much that even the commentators could not overlook it. It really felt like they overbooked the card and then realized they did not have any time to tell any stories. The sound quality of the in-ring microphones was really bad as well, and made it hard to hear what Funk said before the main event, or the verbal sparring between Luger and Sting.

Wild Card BABY!!!

“I’m your man, baby!”

Was There Elevation? Jim Ross told us to “Watch this elevation,” when Dr. Death powerslammed Super Destroyer. Was there elevation? There was not. – AG

Most 1989: The title graphic with the checkered graphic, along with the little electronic tune just completely screamed “Transitioning from the 80s to the 90s”. It was very reminiscent of Sega Genesis. Also, it was in the show about 400 times. -JW

Best Tidbit: Jim Cornette said he was the one who came up with the finish of the Dynamic Dudes vs. Midnight Express match but underestimated how much the fans hated the Dynamic Dudes and how the fans sympathized with the Midnights because they were booked terribly for most of the year. -BB

Best Knockoff Theme: 100% is Road Warrior’s (NOT) Iron Man. They fly close to the sun with the “WE. ARE. IRON MEN!” start and the proceed to just have Iron Man with every third note changed. Outstanding work from whoever composed this one. – CM

Most WCW Moment: The Freebirds entering the ring heralded as World Tag Team Champions, but without their belts as they had already lost them to The Steiners. A match that Jim Ross told us would be airing later that week. –DH

What Must Their Mother Think? Could Mrs. Laurinaitis have two more different sons than Animal and Johnny Ace? One is a main event level tag guy with a god damn spider painted on his face. The other is a six foot four guy decked out in neon and performing skateboard moves my six year old can do. There is no way that her husband ever trusted her again after Marty Funkhauser came out of her. (presumably into the sink) – AG

Overzealous Fan Award: Props to the guy who was trying to wrestle the chair away from Luger during the post main event chaos. -JW

Least Colourful Colour: Gordon Solie might be one of the best play-by-play announcers in the history of the sport, but his colour commentary is as dull as dishwater.

Final Thoughts

“Four out of five, ain’t bad!”

Aaron George: Not feeling this one. It was laborious to get through and I was hoping for a KILLER main event, but was given a good one. It was a nice snapshot of the NWA during this period but the match quality, and booking was a real turn off. I want more from two legends. Those ugly ass grey tights don’t cut it Terry. RATING: 4/10

Brian Bayless: The best stuff (last two matches) got the most time and the Midnight Express reuniting with Cornette was awesome as that is when they are at their best. There was some crap at the beginning but it was kept to a minimum and they did showcase newer acts like Doom. RATING: 7.5/10

Jacob Williams: Maybe being from the South subconsciously predisposes me to like the NWA, but I loved this show. Everything wasn’t exactly great, but the big matches delivered. It felt like most matches were building and feud or angle, which got me more invested. Finally, I found myself invested throughout the entire show, as even the non-match segments were fun. All I would ask for is maybe a better match at the beginning of the show, but that’s a minor complaint. RATING: 9/10

Calum McDougall: This show was fantastic. When you think of Clash IX its easy to fall into the trap of it being a one match show, I know I did before watching it, but each match delivered in my view. 4 out of the first 5 matches being tag matches did feel a bit much, but none of those matches were bad. At no point in this show was I bored and wanting it to hurry up and end, and of course, it has a legendary match as the main event. Wonderful stuff and I’d recommend it to anyone. RATING:8/10

Dave Hall: The last 2 matches were magnificent, but everything before them was a real let down. I was hyped for this card as I love 1989 WCW and remember it fondly. Sadly the first four matches did not meet my expectations. Thankfully the last two matches lifted the standard, with the Flair vs Funk match being a true classic. RATING: 6/10

And we are out! Where will the Network Adventure travel to? Which Coliseum will be conquered next? Which of these assholes will quit the project in an indignant rage??? Find out in TWO WEEKS!

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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