#but its form is influenced by previous generations of hosts

[buggbuzz]

i think they were specifically surprised to learn you aren't into speculative biology, like inventing your own alien creatures!

OHHHHHHHH

i didnt know that was what it was called actually! but i am into it, i'm just usually too lazy to follow through. i've been working on and off on this concept for an insectoid alien species where i challenge myself to give them anatomy as insect-like as possible while still being vaguely humanoid, AND making their physiology arguably reasonable. like "could this actually evolve" and "would this system actually function" and "what selective pessures could possibly push an insectoid species to evolve this way."

i really wanna incorporate a tracheal respiratory system and an open circulatory system (mostly referenced from grasshoppers since thats the example i had in school) which is really hard considering theyre EXTREMELY inefficient for an animal as big as a human and shaped like a human!! also, i imagine breathing through your sides makes it hard to wear clothes, especially space suits. oh, and should it convergently evolve an adaptive immune system like mammals have, since they would have a much higher need for a better immune system than an insect does? and how do i circumvent whatever pressures insects to die so fast and stay so small anyways?

very very fun stuff, even if it usually stays in my files and text message rants. but maybe when i work on it again i'll post it, since apparently people are actually interested in that.

[nil-nothing-nada]

Stardew Valley Green: Mr Qi and the Universe's Will

At the age of 19, Mr. Qi was unexpectedly selected to be the heir to the universe's will, a monumental decision that would alter the course of his life forever. This prestigious title came with immense responsibilities and powers, thrusting him into an extraordinary journey filled with challenges, mysteries, and revelations about the very fabric of existence itself. As he embraced his new role, Mr. Qi found himself navigating realms beyond his imagination, each experience shaping him into the influential figure he was destined to become.

The universe's will exists as a profound spiritual energy, seeking out individuals it deems worthy of its extraordinary power. This enigmatic force has traversed the ages, shifting from one person to another over countless eons. However, it can inhabit only a single person at a time, channeling its immense capabilities through them. This bond remains unbroken until the individual’s life comes to an end, at which point the energy seamlessly transitions to a new host. Each new bearer carries the weight of the universe’s desires, tasked with wielding this power for reasons beyond their understanding, echoing the eternal cycle of life and death that governs existence itself.

Those who have inherited the universe's will hold a unique position; while they cannot definitively choose who will become its next vessel, they do possess the ability to exert a degree of influence over the selection process. By identifying a candidate with potential—someone who demonstrates remarkable talent or innate qualities—they can engage them in a rigorous and focused training regimen. This training is tailored to extremely specific standards, designed to cultivate the skills, mindset, and attributes deemed essential for the role. Through this meticulous process, the likelihood that the universe will recognize and select this individual as its next heir is significantly enhanced, setting them on a path toward their cosmic destiny.

The universe's will typically selects individuals between the ages of 18 and 20, perceiving this age group as the healthiest and most capable hosts for its essence. When the will chooses to possess someone, it facilitates a profound exchange of knowledge and experience, transferring the vast store of insights from all previous vessels into the consciousness of the new host. This infusion endows the individual with a comprehensive understanding of the will's unique abilities, responsibilities, and expectations. As a result of inheriting this monumental wealth of information, the vessels often exhibit a maturity and depth of understanding that belies their young age. They can draw upon experiences and knowledge that span the ages, making them appear wise and seasoned beyond their years.

Moreover, the will significantly enhances the memory capacity of the current host, allowing them to retain and process an even greater volume of information. This heightened ability is crucial, as it ensures that when the time comes for the universe's will to transfer, their accrued knowledge and insights can be seamlessly passed on to the next chosen individual, preserving the continuity and wisdom of the universe's will across generations.

Those chosen to become vessels for the universe's will will experience a profound and rapid transformation, reshaping their bodies into a form intricately designed to fulfill the will's objectives. Initially, their skin will take on a captivating shimmering hue, an iridescent blue reminiscent of moonlit waters, reflecting light in various shades depending on the angle. This transformation symbolizes their new connection to the cosmos.

As part of this metamorphosis, their blood will change to a thick, slimy pitch black, a stark contrast to their radiant exterior, signifying the deep and mysterious energies coursing through them. They will develop formidable physical features, including elongated claws capable of rending flesh and sharp, serrated teeth that evoke the predatory nature of sharks. Their tongues will elongate, splitting into two serpentine ends, enhancing their sensory perception and their ability to articulate the arcane truths of the universe.

Crucially, these vessels will attain incredible regenerative capabilities, enabling them to heal from almost any injury at an astonishing rate. This regeneration ensures their longevity, thwarting any premature demise. Their bodies will also grant them a remarkable immunity to radiation and all forms of poison, though they may endure temporary side effects such as nausea or disorientation. Despite their near-indestructibility, vessels will remain acutely aware of all pain, experiencing it on a normal level. This feature is a safeguard against recklessness, as it reminds them of their past humanity and encourages restraint in the face of danger.

Additionally, the transformation will bestow upon the vessel enhanced physical abilities—strength, speed, and agility—allowing them to defend themselves with unmatched prowess. However, overexerting these newfound capabilities can lead to an undertow of pain, emphasizing the balance between their extraordinary power and the limits of their transformed bodies.

The eyes of a transformed vessel possess an extraordinary quality, resembling ethereal windows that offer a glimpse into the vast and unfathomable depths of the universe. When one gazes into a vessel's eyes, they are often overcome by a profound sense of cosmic dread. This reaction stems from the sheer intensity of the vision, as most individuals are unprepared to confront the raw and unfiltered reality of deep space. The swirling galaxies, distant stars, and dark voids seem to pulse with an enigmatic energy, evoking feelings of insignificance and existential anxiety. It’s as if the eyes of the vessel hold the weight of countless cosmic secrets, drawing the viewer into an abyss where the boundaries of time and space collapse, leaving them in an unsettling state of awe and trepidation.

Geiger counters and a variety of advanced sensors designed for detecting hazardous materials will be triggered in the vicinity of a vessel. These devices mistakenly identify the vessel’s presence as the element polonium, which is incredibly radioactive. Despite this, vessels are not actually harmful in any way and pose no threat to those nearby. This unusual detection phenomenon is believed to stem from a unique magic aura surrounding the vessel, a byproduct of the universe's will. This aura can become particularly intense, especially when the vessel experiences or projects strong negative emotions, causing nearby devices to malfunction or short out. Though it may be largely unpredictable, a vessel has the potential to learn how to harness and control this potent aura, allowing them to manipulate machines according to their will.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

International team captures direct high-definition image of the 'cosmic web'

Matter in intergalactic space is distributed in a vast network of interconnected filamentary structures, collectively referred to as the cosmic web. With hundreds of hours of observations, an international team of researchers has now obtained an unprecedented high-definition image of a cosmic filament inside this web, connecting two active forming galaxies—dating back to when the universe was about 2 billion years old.

A pillar of modern cosmology is the existence of dark matter, which constitutes about 85% of all matter in the universe. Under the influence of gravity, dark matter forms an intricate cosmic web composed of filaments, at whose intersections the brightest galaxies emerge. This cosmic web acts as the scaffolding on which all visible structures in the universe are built: within the filaments, gas flows to fuel star formation in galaxies. Direct observations of the fuel supply of such galaxies would advance our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution.

However, studying the gas within this cosmic web is incredibly challenging. Intergalactic gas has been detected mainly indirectly through its absorption of light from bright background sources. But the observed results do not elucidate the distribution of this gas. Even the most abundant element, hydrogen, emits only a faint glow, making it basically impossible for instruments of the previous generation to directly observe such gas.

In this new study, an international team led by researchers at the University of Milano-Bicocca and including scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (MPA) obtained an unprecedented high-definition image of a cosmic filament using MUSE (Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer), an innovative spectrograph installed on the Very Large Telescope at the European Southern Observatory in Chile.

Even with the advanced capabilities of this sophisticated instrument, the research group had to carry out one of the most ambitious MUSE observation campaigns ever completed in a single region of the sky, acquiring data over hundreds of hours to detect the filament at high significance.

The study, led by Davide Tornotti, Ph.D. student at the University of Milano-Bicocca, used this ultrasensitive data to produce the sharpest image ever obtained of a cosmic filament spanning 3 million light-years and connecting two galaxies, each hosting an active supermassive black hole.

The discovery, recently published in Nature Astronomy opens new avenues to directly constrain gas properties within intergalactic filaments and to refine our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution.

"By capturing the faint light emitted by this filament, which traveled for just under 12 billion years to reach Earth, we were able to precisely characterize its shape, explains Tornotti. "For the first time, we could trace the boundary between the gas residing in galaxies and the material contained within the cosmic web through direct measurements."

The researchers took advantage of supercomputer simulations of the universe run at MPA to calculate predictions of the expected filamentary emission given the current cosmological model. "When compared to the novel high-definition image of the cosmic web, we find substantial agreement between current theory and observations," Tornotti adds.

This discovery and the encouraging agreement with supercomputer simulations are key to understanding the tenuous gas environment around galaxies and open up novel possibilities to pin down the galaxies' fuel supply.

Fabrizio Arrigoni Battaia, MPA staff scientist involved in the study, concludes, "We are thrilled by this direct, high-definition observation of a cosmic filament. But as people say in Bavaria: 'Eine ist keine'—one doesn't count. So we are gathering further data to uncover more such structures, with the ultimate goal of having a comprehensive vision of how gas is distributed and flows in the cosmic web."

TOP IMAGE: Simulation of a vast region of the universe based on the current cosmological model and performed using supercomputers. In the image, the faint glow of the gas within the cosmic filaments, forming a dense cosmic web, is shown in white. At the intersections of these filaments, the gas within galaxies, which fuels the formation of new stars, is highlighted in red. Credit: Alejandro Benitez-Llambay/Universität Mailand-Bicocca/MPA

LOWER IMAGE: The image shows the diffuse gas (yellow to purple) contained within the cosmic filament connecting two galaxies (yellow stars), extending across a vast distance of 3 million light-years. Credit: Davide Tornotti/University of Milano-Bicocca

[ms-scarletwings]

Every Dredge Aberration (2024), Part 9

Ruptured Vessel

Encyclopedia #155

Aberrant form of giant amphipod

Description:

Willing host, or sacrificial receptacle?

Comment: I'm going to go with the latter; although, the bigger question may be to what this creature served to hatch. Whatever the answer, it apparently fetches a nice price to the traveling merchant, relative to cargo space it takes.

How to catch: This crustacean is one of a couple of trickier finds in the Stellar Basin. Deeper than deep, they are only able to be angled up from the hadal zone. Pursuing amphipods generally will require an advanced upgrade along to the abyssal-suited rod line, as well as story progression through the way of operating the generator at the abandoned research outpost. Be wary of those limited windows of safety its pulse will provide. Thankfully, amphipod presence is not determined by night or day.

Perished Loosejaw

Encyclopedia #121

Aberrant form of Loosejaw

Description:

A few ragged scraps of skin hang like cobwebs from its fins. Its exposed muscles are riddled with small white worms.

Comment: Why the fish markets will accept one of these at the price they do is beyond the scope of my own comprehension. A shudder rolls through my body to consider the fishmonger scraping this morsel’s bones for the tainted scraps he seeks.

How to catch: Haul up from the inky depths of the abyssal zone. Circling the Stellar basin should reveal the glowing “stoplights” of their shoals before long.

Calcified Snailfish

Encyclopedia #157

Aberrant form of Snailfish

Description:

Waiting in dormancy for its moment to arrive.

Comment: Even at the bottom of the world, this vessel found no respite from the hook to hide its transformation from the light. Appearing as a fossil, but functioning as a calcium chrysalis. Few could truly appreciate the metamorphosis taking place within- just as the caterpillar that is unmade and rebuilt for a new purpose, its fate belongs to a new cycle.

How to catch: Sailfish are a bottommost inhabitant of the hadal zone, only hooked from the treacherous core of the Stellar basin. Narrative progression is the pathway to accessing these few harvesting spots. Ensure it is safe to do so before fishing for this.

Seizing Snailfish

Encyclopedia #158

Aberrant form of snailfish

Description:

Fingers of flesh hold teeth on their tips, a grasping grip that feels through the dark depths.

Comment: It may be a further leap of logic to guess that this is the matured form where the previous aberration is the pupa, but it is a tempting consideration. At least, it is a superior form to the merchant’s appraisal.

How to catch: ^^^

Consumed Grouper

Encyclopedia #159

Aberrant form of coral grouper

Description:

Once dazzling skin now bleached and eroded. It barely resists, relieved at a final end.

Comment: Another reminder that the Deep’s influence is partial and without compassion. It knows nothing of worthiness, and less of mercy. There are simply those it gifts, and from those it takes. Without rhyme. Without reason.

How to catch: Haul by sunlight, only in the shallow waters about the Basin’s reefs.

[sophieinwonderland]

Hi, some clarification on this (https://www.tumblr.com/sophieinwonderland/733990987453612033/its-weird-being-schizophrenic-and-plural-with) real quick!

I am personally aware of all of that, although I do agree that it's a major issue that it's not talked about more--I was mostly trying to sort of. I guess explain how I felt out of place in both communities, especially since I know for a fact that my symptoms that overlap with CDDs come from schizophrenia. My symptoms where there's overlap always fade and return in tandem with my schizophrenia cycling in severity, and the only piece of CDDs that could be constant for us is our plurality. There's more stuff that points to schizophrenia + c-PTSD with no CDD, but I'd prefer to keep that stuff personal.

(note from an hour later: whoops, accidentally went on a little bit of a tangent, sorry bout that lmao. tl;dr: our experiences with plurality are distinctly disordered because of our schizophrenia, but we don't have much of a place in disordered communities because "disordered" is considered to exclusively mean "has a CDD" even in inclusive spaces, and we don't have much of a place in non-disordered communities either because... we aren't really non-disordered)

Honestly, I think our biggest gripe is just that... there's very little room made for plurality that is distinctly disordered in some fashion, but whose disorderliness isn't caused by a CDD. Our plurality is linked inexorably to our schizophrenia, and several aspects are directly caused by it; multiple of our previous hosts have either been influenced by or directly formed as a result of delusions, and worsening schizophrenia symptoms are directly tied to instability and loss of (at least some) control until they ease up.

And yet, because "disordered" plurality versus "non-disordered" plurality is just treated as CDD system versus non-CDD system, the only way we can ever get the disordered aspects of our plurality recognized is if we just... blatantly lie and say we have a CDD when we don't, and only talk about the symptoms that, honestly, affect our plurality the least but are most associated with CDDs, while ignoring the symptoms that aren't generally considered part of CDDs that affect our plurality the most--or, at best, ignoring that there's a meaningful connection between them and our plurality. If we tell the truth and say we don't have a CDD, it's automatically assumed by everyone that our plurality is non-disordered, with absolutely zero consideration or even blatant denial of any alternative. Hell, we've had people saying that we don't actually have schizophrenia, we "just have a CDD with some psychotic symptoms"--meanwhile we've been through that whole gambit already, and denying our schizophrenia in favor of other things that make other people happy and let them be able to not question their preconceived notions led to our schizophrenia getting significantly worse.

It all leads to a very isolating and alienating experience where we aren't really able to find true community with anyone. Where we either have to lie and say we have a CDD in order to get any form of recognition or support of disordered experiences, or we have to... lie and say we're non-disordered, act like we don't have any disordered experiences, because even in inclusive plural communities, "disordered" pretty much always means "CDD", and talking about having disordered experiences without CDDs just seems to make people think you're just in denial, or that those experiences are actually disconnected from your plurality, or that your disordered experiences are actually really mild and not that disabling or distressing in ways that affect your functioning and that's why you aren't "officially" considered to have a CDD, or, or, or. We aren't really able or allowed to self-determine or be honest about our actual experiences in most spaces; if we want any form of community, we either have to lie or let other people choose what we are for us. All in all, it's... pretty frustrating to deal with, and it makes it very weird when trying to engage in the plural community as a whole.

Thank you for clarifying. Sorry for misunderstanding your earlier point.

And yeah, I agree that it's important to differentiate "disordered" systems from CDD systems, because the former is a much broader spectrum that extends beyond just CDDs, and it sucks to not have that recognized on either side or be able to find a community that respects that.

[dustedmagazine]

James Brandon Lewis/Red Lily Quartet — For Mahalia, with Love (Tao Forms)

Photo by Henri Selmer

For Mahalia, With Love by James Brandon Lewis / Red Lily Quintet

James Brandon Lewis reconvenes the Red Lily Quintet—with Kurt Knuffke on cornet, Chris Hoffman on cello, William Parker on bass, and Chad Taylor on drums—for a set inspired by songs associated with Mahalia Jackson, the towering figure in gospel music in the previous century. The group develops the brief melodies of these traditional devotional tunes into vehicles for improvisation and exploration, creating a joyful noise that celebrates Jackson and also recalls the exploration of themes associated with the Black church by Charles Mingus, Albert Ayler and Roland Kirk.

In some cases, such as “Swing Low” and “Wade in the Water,” the source material is readily apparent while in others it is less so. The set begins appropriately and gently with Lewis’s adaptation of one of Jackson’s signature songs, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” which provided the name for a radio show that she hosted in the 1950s and with which she wowed the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. Lewis’s phrasing well captures Jackson’s meditation on a tune that, like the rest of those here, is beautiful in its simplicity rather than showy.

The quintet was rock-solid on its first outing, Jesup Wagon (2021), and is even more together this time around. Parker is, predictably, outstanding here, delving deep into the music whether soloing, as on “Go Down Moses” and the first minute of “Elijah Rock,” or providing bedrock support throughout. Hoffman’s cello often blends with Parker’s bass, somewhat like the dynamic between the two bassists in some of Coltrane’s bands. Knuffke once more serves as the perfect foil for Lewis as they alternately trade leads and blend their voices. His solo on “Deep River” well exemplifies his approach, building on the foundation established by Lewis before him, he ranges from flutters to searching cries consistent with the funereal theme of the song. Taylor, along with Parker, holds everything together, being equally effective in delivering frantic rolls, as on “Were You There,” and hand percussion, as on “Calvary,” and there are numerous satisfying moments when he and Parker lock in, such as the last couple minutes of “Elijah Rock”

Lewis’s ever-deepening mastery of the tenor is naturally on full display here. His playing, like this recording, delves into the history of jazz without ever sounding formulaic with a tone that is simultaneously ancient and cutting-edge. Here, his horn transforms into the voice of the great gospel singer, channeling as well the voices that she was influenced by and that influenced her.

Those who purchase the CD or vinyl versions can hear Lewis’s playing in a different context on a live recording of his composition for sax and strings with the Lutoslawski Quartet. Titled These Are Soulful Days, the piece interweaves themes from the spirituals and thus serves as a companion to the Red Lily Quartet recording. This fresh context for Lewis’s vision unfolds through the tranquil and plaintive “Prologue – Humility” and four movements to “Epilogue – Resilience.” The movements interweave more and less recognizable phrases from the gospel songs, particularly the dramatic eruption of “Wade in the Water” in Movement III, while “Epilogue” gets fairly noisy and atonal. An encore concludes the set in the form of a lyrical solo sax performance of “Take Me to the Water.”

For Mahalia, with Love, like Jesup Wagon and Lewis’s “Molecular” releases, is fairly high-concept, but the music is spunky and easy to enjoy, with plenty of groove and intensity. The bare nature of the source melodies is well-suited to jazz exploration (as successive generations of musicians have discovered). Lewis is still too young to be considered a jazz elder statesman (and national treasure), but he is steadily building a body of work and a perspective commensurate with that status.

Jim Marks

[reborrowing]

Changeling Loredump

The changeling concept I'm using w Val is from an old faery worldbuilding project deal I had, obviously based on the classic changeling. The biggest diversion is that they can take the place of any mortal creature, not just humans (but folk usually go for mammals).

Essentially, fay souls are immortal, fay bodies are less so. They're sturdier than mortals' and age much slower, but still vulnerable to being killed. Some species have a way to revitalize themself - sylphs literally just reform, many plantkin can bud and inhabit the offshoot. Beastkin and elves...don't have this skill. Either they get healed or their soul gets thrown into the queue for eventual reincarnation.

Changeling dolls (along with some bargaining, naturally) offer a way to get around the wait and potentially hold onto memories of the previous life by soaking up a random mortal creature's life force.

A changeling doll is initially a blank slate construct, a barely-animate clay doll. Without soaking up a mortal counterpart, even if a soul is added, the doll is zombielike, barely functional, and makes other fay uncomfortable to be around. It becomes a (n immature) changeling when it's brought over to the mortal realm to take the place of a newborn mortal and the dollmaker can anchor its glamour/appearance to match its host species.

The mortal creature it replaces is brought to Faery in return and must remain there until the changeling reaches maturity, which is dependent on the mortal's species. (If the mortal dies in Faery, that's also fine. from the changeling's perspective.) Similarly, the changeling must remain in the mortal realm. If the changeling crosses before reaching maturity, the soul is released and the doll reverts back to its clay form. If the mortal crosses back over, the soul remains in the doll but the glamour fails.

Over time, the doll and its glamour merge into a single entity. The form of the changeling will be based off of the initial glamour, some features of the soul's last incarnation, as well as influence from their "adoptive" family's features. Internally, the fay soul competes with the host species' natural instincts and tendency for personality. These two will also merge, though one side will dominate their identity.

Upon reaching maturity, the changeling will feel some compulsion to return to Faery. If they've retained their fay nature/memories it'll be a straightforward need to return home. Otherwise, it may manifest as a homesickness for a place they don't know, a need to "escape" something unknown, wanderlust, etc. Most sponsors will send someone to fetch their changeling if the changeling doesn't show up when expected.

It is necessary for the changeling to return to Faery, as they will continue to generate magic that doesn't easily discharge in the mortal realm. Most changelings will begin to set off wild spells that eventually attract the attention of another magical being. Very, very rarely an unaware changeling will be able to hone their magic or have their wild magic restricted to beneficial effects and just come off as charming or especially lucky. A changeling that retained their memories is likely to control their magic but unlikely to want to stay in the mortal realm longer than necessary.

Once home, they're natural shapeshifters and tend to be aligned to the element of life, which is wholly irrelevant without a whole extra worldbuilding post. Beastkin and non-human changelings are indistinguishable from one another. True elves typically have stronger magic (but no natural shapeshifting).

-

Dollmakers typically specialize in a certain species or family of species. This allows them to refine their glamour process, gain better control balancing between doll and target appearance, as well as tailoring the glamour to a given species' sensory requirements—human-based changelings might smell obviously different than their stolen counterpart but humans don't typically recognize each other by smell so it doesn't matter, but a sudden drift in eye color is going to be noticed.

There's no "best" species to build a changeling doll around, though certain scenarios will prefer certain species. A changeling can't return to faery until they're mature by the standards of their host species. A changeling is likely to forget their past life if they're exchanged with a member of a highly social or highly intelligent species, especially those with slow maturation rates. Different species are held to different stereotypes and standards in Faery, which can also play a role in what gets chosen. The changeling will appear as a variety of beastkin that matches its host species (or an elf, if human).

So, if you're trying to upkeep your dead and beautiful elven prince's aesthetic reputation, you might prefer a human host at the expense of beloved prince's memories. Primates in general are popular if you're looking to hide someone for a decade or so. Cats, foxes, and deer are also popular choices for status-based reincarnations. Wolves and big cats are great if you're trying to make a warrior. Bears are an excellent candidate for warriors and past life memories, assuming you're capable of stealing a bear cub. Rodents are popular if you want your soul back and reincarnated tomorrow. Reptiles are tricky, but if you really need that soul's past life memories for some reason, exchange with a snake. Maybe you're inflicting revenge, in which case you might make your changeling a sloth. Maybe your late aunt had a rabbit fursona. literally whatever.

-

For Val specifically, they were supposed to be a mousekin but were "rescued" by a passing borrower who was like uh? that's a baby while the glamour was still settling. The magic, as much as it has any sentience, can recognize there's a discrepancy but not solve it and just fills in a lot of blanks based on the elf soul.

From the Faeries' perspective, Sir Dryden disappears for a couple decades for no apparent reason, but the sponsor mostly just didn't want his memories returned to the autumn court, so Oh Well.

[discussionswithgyetti]

Blog Post #3

Q1: Although social media is public, are there moral issues for the monopolization of spaces in which marginalized groups may go to cry and create change (especially while taking into account current government states)? 

In the revolution will be digitized, the authors discuss the role of the internet as a public sphere for activism for black activism, during a time in which there was a lack of safe, public spheres for social change. (Everett, 2011). This book was created in 2011, before the extreme monopolization of social media platforms. The use of unofficial forum websites have died down, and individuals often use these new platforms to elicit social movement and create eroding change. However, especially taking into account the current climate of politics, and the digital revenue based oligarchy that appears to be forming within the United States, I would like to question what the moral implications of these “public spheres”, when taking into account that the attention we provide, the adds we watch, and the data we give, all seems to line the pockets of capitalist oppressors. 

Q 2: The new jim code states “thus, even just deciding what problem needs solving requires a host of judgements; and yet we are expected to pay no attention to the man behind the screen”. In what ways do narratives and discussions around new technologies affirming the idea that new technologies are “unbiased”? 

Algorithms and data driven decision making is often seen as “out of the hands” of individual technicians and social media programers. As is stated in the race after technology, the new Jim Code article (Benjamin, 2020), a neoliberalism, colorblind view of technology has taken president. I reflected back on my own experiences prior to this class, as I also had lived under the assumption that algorithms were deemed as absolute. After taking into account my previous opinions on algorithms, and what this article states in regards to neoliberalism and productivity, I realized that production in “logic” has been moralized as being good, without further thought. Logic being different then empirical evidence, logic more so meaning a no nonsense, individualistic approach to the world. 

Q3: How does the exclusivity and gatekeeping of knowledge about algorithms contribute to its continued harm, as in regards for marginalized communities. 

In this week's Power of Algorithms chapter, the author states “It is impossible to know when and what influences proprietary algorithmic design, … except as we engage in critique and protest” (Noble, 2018). This statement made me question, how has the privatization of these public spaces prevented marginalized individuals from being a part of the conversation when it comes to their own algorithms, and what information they see? If updates and changes are made that change the info that people are exposed to, then why are consumers NOT more a part of the algorithm creation process? 

Q4: How might issues regarding online algorithms worsen as Artificial intelligence takes search engines by storm, now automatically generating simple consumable answers? 

This question stems from an ending remark made in the power of algorithms chapter (Noble, 2018), stating that there is a lack of human context in some types of algorithmically driven decisions.? Questions for me arise, such as, what results are used in the AI image generations? It can’t be all sources, are they the sources that pay money to be prioritized on google? The further distilling of responsibility (now AI being seen as absolute truth) may make it even harder for individuals to fight against algorithmic oppression, because it adds another “middle man”. 

References:

Benjamin, R. (2020). Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code. Polity. 

Everett, A. (2011). “The Revolution Will Be Digitized: Reimaging Africanity in Cyberspace.” Digital Diaspora: A Race for Cyberspace, State University of New York Press, pp. 147–82. 

Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism. New York University Press.

[fastmusclecar123]

New Post has been published on https://fastmusclecar.com/aston-martin-dbs-v8-the-best-luxury-muscle-car/muscle-cars/

Aston Martin DBS V8: The Best Luxury Muscle Car?

By Dave Ashton

Generally speaking, when most people think of Aston Martin, James Bond comes to mind driving around in an early 1960s DB5 or a more modern DB10. Not so much a mid 1970’s Aston Martin muscle car. However, did Aston Martin inadvertently invent the best luxury muscle car in the form of the DBS model?

The origins of the Aston Martin V8 DBS can be traced back to 1967. In years prior, Aston Martin had a huge boost in brand recognition thanks to movies such as James Bond 007 with the DB5. However, even the later DB6 was based on the now ageing DB4 platform, which was basically too small for the ever-expanding grand touring car market.

In 1967 the Aston Martin DBS was launched offering more speed, comfort and space than previous models with a new chassis design. The DBS had the Aston Martin swagger, but now with an obvious late 1960s American muscle car influence. The aluminium body had a more aggressive styling, such as the quarter panels (wings in the UK), the rear end very much like the fastback US models of the day.

As this was Aston Martin’s first foray into the V8 market, they had to get the engine just right for the production models. Therefore the initial models were initially sold with an in-line 6 (280HP) DB6 engine for its initial run. The DBS had to wait until 1969 for the V8 which provided the car with 360HP and 360 LB ft. of torque, better matching its aggressive looks. The V8 also had a new Bosch fuel injection system, but was later replaced by tried and tested carburettors.

When it was launched, the DBS matched its American contemporaries for power and displacement. The DBS had the American muscle car template of a V8 engine, rear-wheel drive, and the looks, but also opulent features such as vented disc brakes, optional five-speed stick shift, fancy axle, luxury interior, and 0-60mph in 6 seconds. The model had its first facelift in 1973, as the Series 2 cars. Coincidentally just as its American muscle car counterparts were past their golden years. The series 2 DBS opted for a single headlight setup, and much simpler front-end design. As with the American muscle car market, emission standards choked performance, but offerings such as the stage I engine in the mid 1970s still provided 305HP.

The Vantage

Debuted in 1977, the Vantage had a redesigned front end with blocked off front grille, exaggerated hood bulge and central fog lights. The carburettors were upgraded to 48 mm Webbers, new intake manifolds, new dampers, and a host of other improvements. The 5.3L V8 could produce 380HP, with a 0-60mph time of around 5 seconds. Very respectable for the late 1970s, in fact it was the fastest V8 production car in the world in 1977.

Moving forward to 1986, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Xpack hit the streets with a naturally aspirated 5.3L V8 producing 432HP. The most powerful Vantage up to this point. Top speed was over 170mph, and 0-60mph was in the low 5 second range. These stats were better than the super car offerings of the day, such as from Lamborghini and Ferrari’s Testarossa, with the Vantage also having more practicality such as two rear seats and a generally more luxurious interior. The problem was, only 137 models of the Xpack were ever produced before Aston superseded with the models for the 1990s.

Aston Martin has always been about luxury performance, but the DBS is as close to the American muscle car template as possible without calling it an American muscle car. The DBS doesn’t exactly tick the box of supercar performance available at average guy prices, like the original idea of American muscle cars. But, in terms of V8 performance in a rear wheel drive package, the DBS is one of the best V8 models of its day.

[jonfarreporter]

Sausalito Center for the Arts hosts 2nd annual Figurative Art exhibit

One of the most beautiful and personal – yet surprisingly – still controversial expressions of art – is the human form.

The body has been a subject of art since humanity’s very first attempts at artistic expression.

Opening on January 8, Sausalito Center for the Arts (SCA) will host their second annual figurative art exhibit entitled, “Here/Now: The Bay Area Figurative Movement Grows.”

The exhibit’s curators Susan R. Kirshenbaum and Catherine Merrill took a few moments to speak about the significance of the exhibit and its meaning.

In correlation with previous figurative art exhibits, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, Kirshenbaum noted.

“Today’s narrative, expressive phase of the Bay Area figurative movement is about reflecting on the world we live in. (Hence this year’s exhibit title ‘Here/Now…’)”

“We are telling stories that reach beyond academic achievement and accuracy,” (especially in the traditional and classical sense) said Kirshenbaum.

“We are truth seeking,” said Kirshenbaum. “Sometimes we embrace the un-beautiful,” she said. “Or create beauty for its own sake.”

“Our work as artists might reflect our personal struggles or the tensions that surround our lives,” said Kirshenbaum.

“We are presenting a range of 25 selected artists, she said, who focus on the figure. These artists all live and work in The Bay Area.”

“Each is grounded in the figurative movement,” she said. “Yet, each of them continues to explore and express their humanity through portrayals of the figurative form in context.”

Speaking from her own perspective and experience, sculptor Catherine Merrill was eager to point out.

“This exhibit affirms the figurative art of the past. But like all art, the artist is expressing the feelings, thoughts and ideas of the world the artist lives in.”

“The 25 artists we have gathered for this year’s exhibit, said Merrill, are some of the most talented in The Bay, and what they express is relevant to today.”

Despite what goes on in the world, as Merrill exclaimed, “the creative process is a cause for joy; even amid the most challenging and difficult of times.”

Merrill is obviously deeply concerned about our lives today as she said.

“Art is about connecting; connecting with the physical world and with people.”

In addition to Merrill’s background as a dancer and being involved with live performance before becoming a full-time sculpture artist, “I was very much formed by the 1960s,” she said.

The Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Liberation Movement, the Peace Movement, The Free Speech Movement as well as the Environmental Movement all occurred within Merrill’s lifetime and generation.

“I am concerned that as an American society we are losing our footing and are failing backwards.”

“For me the arts, especially sculpture, is all about the physical, tangible, tactile world.” Merrill said.

She mentioned neurologist Frank R. Wilson’s 1998 book, “The Hand: How its use shapes the brain, language & human culture.”

“I agree with Wilson that when we use our hands, create things, build things with our own hands, our brains improve and grow.”

Noticing the various trends that contemporary culture and tech culture has influenced, Merrill said.

“Working with one’s hands leads to discovering the world in a very specific tactile way.”

“Most of us don’t rely wholly on photographic reference material, said Kirshenbaum, and instead we carefully observe and interpret our life models, conveying our shared stories through our artistic interpretations.”

“It seems that today’s contemporary art culture is pre-occupied with following trends,” said Merrill.

For example, Merrill said. “I think it’s important to recycle.” “But I don’t want to do art about recycling.”

“Again, reiterated Merrill, art is about working with one’s hands; and it’s about connecting with the world and with people.”

In addition to co-curating the exhibit with Kirshenbaum, Merrill will be showing four large wall sculptures.

Each one is eye-catching, not only with a vivid sense of color and texture, but each one has a human figure central to the composition.

To emphasize the importance of connectedness, the piece entitled “Brothers” reflects Merrill’s belief that humanity and the plant world are truly linked as one.

The robust naked man leaning next to the tree has literally become at-one with the tree. His masculine physique reflects the beauty and strength of the tree.

“Think about it for a moment, if it wasn’t for trees and plants, humans couldn’t breathe,” said Merrill.

In addition to sculpture, the “Here/Now” exhibit also features life drawing.

Kirshenbaum will be exhibiting a piece of her work in The Drawing Group portion of the show, and she said. “The exhibit pays tribute to life drawing groups everywhere.”

About ‘The Drawing Group’ at the upcoming exhibit, Kirshenbaum said.

“We are bringing awareness to the subculture of drawing groups everywhere which continue to grow and maintain a large following of dedicated artists well beyond art school.”

Explaining further Kirshenbaum noted. “Our group is made up of artists who have been meeting for over 30 years, led by the San Francisco painter John Goodman.”

“We meet weekly at John’s Box Factory Loft studio in The Mission District of San Francisco,” said Kirshenbaum.

“John describes it, noted Kirshenbaum, as ‘a weekly fellowship of smart, talented and congenial people'. Each dealing with the ‘why’ and sometimes ‘how’ they draw.’”

“Each artist in the group shares the cost of hiring live models as well as some snacks and beverages to fuel the process of the group.”

“The poses, the shapes, gestural movements, opportunities of inspiration and spontaneity emerge on paper. One artist describes the process as a ‘synthesis’ of layers of drawn images in the hands of an artist.”

Using technology to help in making or enhancing art is okay. But it’s relying entirely upon technology without the tangible, tactile experience of the physical world that is of concern to both Merrill and Kirshenbaum.

“Use of live models is crucial,” said Merrill. “Their presence is tangible, creating a real, honest-to-goodness essence, interacting in a room with the artists,” she added.

Stephen Namara is one artist who is featured in the exhibit. He employs various drawing techniques in his distinctive style of figurative art.

Since the 1970s, Namara has been an important contributor in The Bay Area figure artist’s community.

Described by independent-artist and curator Karen M. Gutfreund as “exquisite” and “masterfully drawn” Namara’s work continues to inspire.

Gutfreund is affiliated with several groups including the Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art.

This ambitious showing of diverse, multi-generational artists, using a wide variety of materials to create their work, are likely to inspire fellow artists, patrons, and viewers alike.

The exhibiting artists are:

Joseph Abbati

Doug Andelin

Isidoro Angeles

Adam Caldwell

Sandy Frank

Tebby George

Mary Graham

Susan R. Kirshenbaum

Calvin Lai

Kim Larson

Catherine Merrill

Stephen Namara

Diane Olivier

May Shei

Sandra Speidel

The Drawing Group:

Dwight Been, Henry Bridges, Daisy Eneix, John Goodman, Susan R. Kirshenbaum, Pamela Mooney, Alex Rosmarin, Peter Steinhart, Barbara Tonnesen, and Dieter Tremp.

Opening on January 8 “Here/Now: The Bay Area Figurative Movement Grows,” is to be held at Sausalito Center for the Arts, 750 Bridgeway at (Anchor St.), the month-long exhibit will continue until Feb 2, 2025.

An Opening Reception with live music and refreshments will be held on Jan. 11 from 3-6pm.

For more details regarding lectures, talks and events planned during the exhibit, visit the Sausalito Center for the Arts (SCA) website.

[michaeldoak]

Beat Baron: Ruling the Rhythms of the NFT Scene

Though many platforms and projects are entering the sphere of NFTs at the moment, few have had the same sort of influence as Bermuda Unicorn. Described as the NFT market kick-starter, Bermuda Unicorn firmly occupies one of the leading positions in the field of art combined with digital technologies with a focus on collecting communities. One of its most engaging collections is the Tribal Tech Maestro Collection which hosts the hypnotizing NFT called Beat Baron.

Beat Baron: A Closer Look

According to the description, Beat Baron is one of the NFTs from the Tribal Tech Maestro Collection, which represents the idea of the beat and style. The character that is portrayed in the discussed NFT reflects the combination of tribal motifs with actual components of the digital world. Looking at the image one can see that the person depicted on it has yellowish skin, a striking hairstyle, and a rather serious and self-assured look. Headphones that the character is wearing are bright red, indicating that the character is somehow related to music, which continues with the NFT’s theme of rhythms and beats. Specifically, the staff made of wood, as well as the neck tattoo, would perfectly fit the concept of tribes thus reflecting Beat Baron as the ideal embodiment of the collection.

The Tribal Tech Maestro Collection

The collection called Tribal Tech Maestro Collection on Bermuda Unicorn perfectly combines cultural design elements and modern technological discoveries. The same narrative seen in Beat Baron is depicted about how conventional forms of media can be brought back to life through new-age technology present in each piece of the collection. It helps to attract the viewer, focusing on different types of art to indicate that the NFT market is diverse and can be interesting for people of different profiles.

Bermuda Unicorn: Leading the NFT Marketplace

That is why Bermuda Unicorn is considered to be a leading platform for NFT collection and creation. This platform is famous for its convenient functional and rather effective security system and the choice of offers. With it being an online platform dealing with digital art, avatars, and virtual real estate, Bermuda Unicorn is an all-in-one platform where clients can engage in buying and selling of NFTs.

Another advantage that could be a making factor for Bermuda Unicorn is 3D microblogging and virtual worlds incorporation. This innovative concept will enable the users to interact with their digital assets in a new and, exciting manner and, thus, form a rich and diverse community. The dedication the platform has for being unique puts it in a position where it is always a pioneer of the NFT reformation as it adds new features and improvements to the use of the platform.

Analyzing Beat Baron on Bermuda Unicorn

The link in particular shows the URL of Beat Baron on Bermuda Unicorn (Beat Baron) which can help decode this NFT. When visitors come to the page, they are also provided with additional knowledge about the painting: history, previous owners, and today’s price. The organization of the NFTs on the platform is also non-selective and gives enough information to buyers to make the right decisions.

For trademark value, Beat Baron is quite distinctive not only in terms of aesthetics but also in terms of the logo representing the company’s theme of battle between traditional and innovative elements. The headphones’ light emitting from the character’s head as well as the symbolism of the tribal features opposed to each other give the story of the harmony between the old and new generations in today’s fast-paced world of technology.

The Future of NFTs on Bermuda Unicorn

Due to such factors, Bermuda Unicorn will not only grow along with the current and future development of the NFT market but will also take an active part in molding its basic tendencies. Hence, the modus operandi that entails embracing change and a diverse population, along with other features, sets this platform in a favorable position for both the creators and collectors. Bermuda Unicorn is a platform that holds the best of the best when it comes to independent artists and their music; one such outstanding piece is Beat Baron and the Tribal Tech Maestro Collection which will definitely provoke a rather deeper level of thinking among users.

To sum it up, Beat Baron is not only a memorable digital art piece, but also one of the examples of the door that was opened by the NFTs. It is a piece of Bermuda Unicorn’s Tribal Tech Maestro Collection that encourages the viewers to immerse themselves in the diverse fabrics of culture and technology which characterize the contemporary world. Be it for the first time that you are participating in NFT or you are an art collector, Bermuda Unicorn is an entry point to the possibilities of digital art.

[arjunrajsingh]

Experience Homestays near Aurobindo Ashram-True Pondicherry

 Pondicherry boasts an architectural feature blending French colonialism with spiritual and coastal charm-a steadfast mark in the minds of many who have been here. Right in the middle of this quaint town lies the Aurobindo Ashram, where people visit for peace, meditation, and growth in life. A homestay near Aurobindo Ashram would thus be perfect for those who aim to stay nearer to serenity and have a personal, cozy touch.

 Why Choose Homestay?

A homestay near Aurobindo Ashram gives an opportunity to view Pondicherry as nobody else can. Unlike the hotel, homestays are a place of personal interaction with hosts, insight into the culture of the place, and home-prepared food. Most travelers find this special touch much more pleasing, keeping them connected to the place they visit much closer, and the warmth and hospitality remind them of their own home.

Advantages of Staying near Aurobindo Ashram

The Aurobindo Ashram is the beehive of peace and quiet, offering much space for meditation, yoga, and other spiritual activities. Homestays close to the Ashram would provide that peaceful atmosphere with all the comforts of being in a cozy home. Most of the homestays are within walking distance from the Ashram; thus, you will take part in all its daily activities or simply visit it for quiet moments.

What to Expect from a Homestay near Aurobindo Ashram

Homestays near Aurobindo Ashram take different forms and paths-diversify amenities, but generally include a homey and cozy atmosphere. The rooms are usually nice and clean, adequately maintained with the minimum requirements like AC, Wi-Fi access, and private bathrooms. Some of the homestays also offer additional services such as vegetarian home-cooked meals to boast about with pride, guided tours through the Ashram, and bicycles for regional exploration.

Most of them go out of the way to make one feel welcome by telling stories about history, culture, and some of the most hidden gems relating to Pondicherry.

Exploring the Neighbourhood

A homestay near Aurobindo Ashram will keep you in the heart of White Town, the historic French Quarter of Pondicherry. It is an area full of quaint streets, colonial buildings, and proximity to main attractions such as the Promenade Beach and the Goubert Market. You can easily explore the town on foot or by bicycle from here, taking in the rather unique blend of French and Tamil influences that Pondicherry is so well known for. BOOKING YOUR HOMESTAY

For finding better homestays near Aurobindo Ashram, one may prefer a search on websites like Airbnb, Booking.com, or local sites offering homestays. You see different options here, having various reviews of the previous guests that keep visiting them, and you can choose according to your budget and taste. Advanced booking is highly recommended since in peak seasons, or if some special events take place in the Ashram.

Conclusion

What better way to know Pondicherry than to live in a homestay near Aurobindo Ashram? Spiritual, cultural interest, or just enjoying a laid-back holiday-the homestays extend hospitality with all comforts kept near the heartbeat of this cool town. Soak in the local culture, the hospitality of your host, and make your stay in Pondicherry memorable.

[ear-worthy]

How To Know What’s Real Podcast: Exposing Misinformation, Deepfakes, Illusions & Conspiracies

Two generations ago, print magazines existed as a primary form of communication, cultural exchange, and social commentary. The advent of the digital age has issued a terminal notice to print magazines with only limited methods for recovery.

 The Atlantic is an American magazine that has an exceptionally long and storied history. It was founded in 1857 in Boston as The Atlantic Monthly, a literary and cultural magazine that published leading writers' commentary on education, the abolition of slavery, and other major political issues of that time. Its founders included Francis H. Underwood and prominent writers Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and John Greenleaf Whittier. James Russell Lowell was its first editor.

On July 28, 2017, The Atlantic announced that billionaire investor and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs (the widow of former Apple Inc. chairman and CEO Steve Jobs) had acquired majority ownership through her Emerson Collective organization, with a staff member of Emerson Collective, Peter Lattman, being immediately named as vice chairman of The Atlantic. David G. Bradley and Atlantic Media retained a minority share position in this sale. In December 2020, former Wired editor-in-chief Nicholas Thompson was named CEO of The Atlantic.

Like many legacy print companies -- New York Times, Conde Nast --  The Atlantic has developed a podcast strategy. Its signature podcast -- Radio Atlantic --"road tests the big ideas that both drive the news and shape our culture. Through conversations—and sometimes sharp debates—with the most insightful thinkers and writers on topics of the day, Radio Atlantic complicates overly simplistic views. It will cut through the noise with clarifying, personal narratives. It will, hopefully, help listeners make up their own mind about certain ideas."

Radio Atlantic says: "The national conversation right now can be chaotic, reckless, and stuck. Radio Atlantic aims to bring some order to our thinking—and encourage listeners to be purposeful about how they unstick their mind."

 The Atlantic's How to Know Series podcast continues the framework built by Radio Atlantic with this smart, probing, and often prescriptive podcast. Started in late 2021, this podcast offers listeners a different focus for every season. The podcast began in 2021 with a series called How To Build A Happy Life.

  In this season, How to Know What’s Real co-hosts Megan Garber and Andrea Valdez explore the proliferation of misinformation and the rise of deepfakes and even illusions, hoping to understand what’s real and what’s not. Now that the internet, social media, and AI are integrated into much of our lives, it’s easy to lose our grip on reality.

 What is “real life,” now that the internet and AI are integrated into so much that we do? In the new season of The Atlantic’s How To series, the podcast explores the web’s effects on our brains and how narrative, repetition, and even a focus on replaying memories can muddy our ability to separate fact from fiction.

How do we come to believe the things we do? Why do conspiracy theories flourish? And how can we train our brains to recognize misinformation online?

In the May 13th episode, the podcast focuses on how social media has made it easier to build more parasocial relationships with celebrities and influencers. What impact are those connections having on our relationships IRL? And how do they shift our understanding and expectations of intimacy and trust?

Florida State University assistant professor Arienne Ferchaud defines parasocial relationships and discusses how new technologies are changing the role of entertainment in our lives.

Check out How to Know What’s Real. The previous seasons on time, happiness, and expectations are worthwhile, informative, and thoughtful listens.

[metaphysicalpistolsoraclemine]

With the NAA invasion history and the war with competing off planet species writing code into the planetary Morphogenetic Field to modify human DNA, and to genetically manipulate the original divine human core manifestation body, the 12 Tree Grid, extradimensional entities used the Fibonaccisequence and created AI energetic wave spirals of which to hijack, siphon and steal energy from the planetary body and humanity. These artificially generated Fibonacci Spiralss are inorganic, vampiric and created through Alien Machinery and AI technology. This is how the Metatronic Reversal fields were created, as well as the Adverse Sephiroth or Artificial Tree of Life that is represented in Kabbalah teachings, made popular by Black Magicians such as Aleister Crowley. The Metatronic code is based on two spheres of Bi-Wave Influences of the Vesica Pisces instead of the eternal life three spheres, or Trinity Wave.

In mathematics, the Fibonacci numbers or Fibonacci sequence are the numbers in the following integer sequence: 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144...

If we sum the squares of any series of Fibonacci numbers, they will equal the last Fibonacci number used in the series times the next Fibonacci number. This property results in the Fibonacci spiral, based on the following progression and properties of the Fibonacci series.The Fibonacci spiral gets closer and closer to a Golden Spiral as it increases in size because of the ratio of each number in the Fibonacci series to the one before it converges on Phi, 1.618, as the series progresses. Beginning with Zero, then 1, it then moves on to the next number, as such : 0+1=1, 1+1=2, 2+1=3, 3+2=5, 5+3=8 and so forth.

When we apply this mathematical formula to quantify or measure the movement of energy or Consciousness within time or space, the Fibonacci Spiral loses its connection going back to the Zero point or Source, instead the sequence uses the previous number to add into itself to get to the next higher number of the sequence. The Fibonacci Spiral illustrates the math used to perpetuate the war over energy, therefore the consciousness suppression on the earth, as when the sequence grows in number or size, it is due to the consumption of the previous values in order to grow itself larger.The larger it gets, the more it progressively moves out and away from the Krystal Spiral of the original core manifestation body or divine template body, as it expands. (See Consumptive Modeling). Therefore the Fibonacci Spiral is a model of Metatronic Reversal in the consciousness fields that ultimately attach like a parasite to a living host, collecting waste products, such as accumulating toxic Miasma fields which form into the Qlippoth or Adverse Sephiroth, in the Phantom Matrix to infect the Universal Tree of Life. 

The Fibonacci spiral sequence emerges from a point of attachment, which is a parasitic in action, to attach itself to a living form, consuming everything in its path, to which it progressively loses contact when it continually expands itself. It grows and expands its consciousness through the consumption and eventual annihilation of that which it had attached itself to and had existed previously. This is what quantifies the actions of a Fallen race or species, such as the Black Suns Regressive or Belial groups.

The artificial core manifestation template is built on Base 10 Math, and is an intentional distortion of the 12 Tree Grid manifestation template or Kathara Grid that is built on base 12 math. This distortion to the natural order compromised the integrity of the Universal Tree of Life core manifestation template, which is the basis of all energy to matter manifestation.

Essentially, the Thothian Luciferian agenda was to utterly destroy all organic creation code, matrices and artifacts that included Base 12 Math and replace it with their own versions of Base 10 Math.

The patriarchal slant and use of the Artificial Tree of Life to project virtual realities distorted the original Base 12 Code into the base 10 code (eliminating the 12D Ray), which caused a reality split between the artificial and organic layers throughout the dimensional timelines. There were sections of the dimensional matrices that remained organic, and others that split into Artificial Timelines and were absorbed into the phantom matrices.

[loggedbylily]

written and edited by lily hayashi. made in relation to 'small girl, big thoughts' podcast, hosted by lily hayashi.

link to related podcast episode here

I feel like we’re in this era of normalisation of overconsumption; with the rapid rise in popularity of fast fashion, brand partnerships and influencers as a method of advertising, haul culture and microtrends. I think consumerism is a very complex, multi-part issue that can’t be ‘fixed’ with one simple solution. As humans, we consume and create waste. There is no way to avoid consuming; we consume media, physical objects, nutrients and knowledge on a daily basis. In my opinion, consumption is not necessarily a negative behaviour, rather an unavoidable human behaviour, however, overconsumption is a larger issue, and we can try to avoid it or minimise it. We just don’t want to. 

So much of the structure of society is built on consumerism. It’s how we make money, how we feed our bodies, how we clothe ourselves. Mindful consumption is possible, but in a world where trends are moving faster than they’ve ever moved before, and fashion is being designed and produced so quickly and at a mass rate (According to Business of Apps ‘SHEIN Revenue and Usage Statistics 2024’, on an average day, SHEIN adds a shocking 2,000 new items to its online store) it’s really hard to be mindful of what you’re consuming, whether it be media or physical objects. As individuals, we do have to hold ourselves accountable for our actions and the waste we produce, but it’s also important to remember that these massive corporations are deliberately teaching us to feed into consumerism because it’s literally how they’re making money and what keeps them in business. A company’s primary intention is to make money, and most corporations will do anything to achieve these sales. Even if the clothing they sell ends up in landfill days later, they’re still making the money from the sale, and most of the time, what occurs to their product after that sale isn’t a worry of theirs.

I really wanted to discuss ‘haul culture’ as a big factor in the recent rise in consumerism. According to Statistia, the number of views on TikTok videos in April 2022 with the hashtag #sheinhaul was a total of 4,800,000,000 (Statista, 2022), followed by videos with the hashtag #amazonhaul, which reached a total of 968,000,000 views. Whilst these videos may vary in terms of just how many items are being purchased and shared, they all contribute to this growing culture of ‘hauls’ as opposed to just buying singular items. Cambridge Dictionary defines the verb ‘haul’ (in the context of purchasing) as “all the things someone buys on an occasion when they go shopping”. Whilst there isn’t an exact number of items that qualify for a purchase to be a haul, the word itself in noun form is defined as “to pull or drag something heavy slowly and with great difficulty”, and the verb in the context to stealing is defined as “a usually large amount of something that has been stolen or is illegal”. Although the context of the use of haul on social media is different to the two previous additional definitions, and that a haul nowadays usually links to a purchase rather than theft, it can be summarised that the word ‘haul’ refers to a large quantity of objects in most of its contexts. I’ve noticed that there’s this expectation on social media to showcase moreness; instead of showing just one Dior lip oil, why not showcase your whole collection of Dior makeup? Instead of purchasing just one serum, why not fill up your whole bathroom cabinet with assorted skincare items? Even if the multiple items aren’t necessarily the focal point of the video, you’ll often see them in the background. The influencer isn’t ‘accidentally’ showcasing their collection of expensive products; they’re doing it because owning lots of objects is a sign of wealth and now considered an aspiration. I’ve found that almost every product review video is a haul, and in general, there’s just a huge growth in usage of the word and showcasing of them on social media. The frustrating thing is, if we normalise purchasing large quantities of things we do not need, it means buying singular objects is viewed as boring.

Haul culture is also very rooted in privilege. To be able to afford a large quantity of products, you need to have some kind of financial stability. The normalisation of bulk purchasing means that those who may not have the money to make these kinds of purchases feel insecure or embarrassed, when in reality, these hauls are actually not a good thing at all. Companies like SHEIN offer very cheap-priced (and very low quality) clothing, which has made hauls more accessible to those without a large disposable income. THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING! The whole issue with overconsumption is the more you consume, the more waste you produce. Normalising consuming such large quantities of products means subconsciously we’re normalising producing such large quantities of waste. And this haul culture has sparked the massive rise in fast fashion (According to Business of Apps ‘SHEIN Revenue and Usage Statistics 2024’, SHEIN generated $22.7 billion in 2022, a 44% increase on the $15.7 billion it made in 2021) which provides a sort of wear-once-throw-out culture to clothing that just keeps getting progressively worse.

This wear-once culture seen in ultra-fast fashion creates an endless cycle of overconsumption and microtrends. Good On You’s explanation of a ‘microtrend’ is “Micro trends take what you know about trends and accelerate the process: these trends rise to popularity quicker and then leave the trend cycle faster.” (Zhou, 2022). Due to just how quickly trends are moving these days (hence the title microtrends), fast fashion allows individuals to participate in this trend without spending a large amount of money, and due to the lack of quality of these products, it reduces the permanence of this trend, which then makes these microtrends move even faster. It’s a toxic cycle that feeds on overconsumption and haul culture, which in turn, feeds the cycle. 

Overconsumption has also created a culture of consumer self-validation. As humans, we don’t want to do anything wrong, or to be perceived as doing something wrong. We try to validate our actions, both for ourselves and for others. Due to this inbuilt victim complex we all suffer from, we try to validate our purchasing habits in a world that promotes and villainizes consumerism. I’ve heard the sentence “I’ve been wanting this for so long!” or “I’ve been obsessed with this for ages!” used to validate hauls and large, unnecessary purchases so many times in these haul videos. Often, it’s a lie. Did you really want that pair of earrings, or was it just because two weeks ago they became a massive trend? I think it’s actually so much better to be honest about your purchasing habits. We’ve all purchased something because of a trend; it’s okay to participate in trends, that’s literally what they’re fed off. I think it’s just important to do so mindfully. Often, it takes me a little longer to ‘like’ a fashion trend enough to participate in it, and sometimes by the time I do join in, the trend has passed. But I find this little pocket of time gives me a moment to think about whether I actually like this trend; would I wear this again? Is it going to go out of style immediately? Is the product good quality and representative of my personal style? I feel like if people admitted, even just to themselves, that they purchased something because it was popular or trendy, we would become more mindful of our purchasing habits. By validating every purchase, we begin to lose track of what we actually like, and the impacts our actions have.

How can we teach ourselves how to consume mindfully without reinforcing haul culture, microtrends, fast fashion, and feeling guilty?

Take your time. In a world where it’s normalised to want something immediately (and I’m definitely a victim of this), wait a little and properly think over your decision. I struggle with being impatient, but recently, I’ve realised how much more I truly love my purchases when I’ve been thinking about them and building up excitement for them for a longer period of time. Also, it allows you to be mindful; you can consider whether you actually need this or just want it (and also, wanting something is not a bad thing. It’s just good to be mindful of how many of your wants you act upon) and whether it’s reflective of you as a person. 

Trust the thrift gods. Kind of in relation to above, I’ve been trying to build the habit of waiting and letting myself think before making a purchase, and I’ve definitely been rewarded by the thrift gods for my patience these past few times! I purchased the perfect pair of square-toe Mary Janes from a local op-shop the other day for $12; I’d been looking at similar pairs online for months, and I knew they would work with my wardrobe and become a very cute, classic staple.

Remind yourself that consumerism is fuelled by haul culture. Why would a brand only try to sell you one item when it could sell you ten? Remember that those buy-two-get-one 20% off, $20 for two, spend $70 for free shipping deals are just a sneaky attempt to get you to spend more money, and in turn, consume you more. They trick you into thinking you’re missing out on a great deal if you don’t act quickly; you’re not. I’ve been a victim of these kinds of deals before and trust me, when I buy a clothing item for its price rather than its style, I end up wearing it so much less, just because I only really bought it because it was cheap! Same goes for sales; if something you’ve been wanting for a while goes on sale, amazing! But whenever you think of buying something on sale, consider whether you’d buy it full price. Are you getting that top because it’s cute or because it’s $10?

You are not a criminal for consuming. It’s human nature. But try to do so mindfully; you’ll actually feel better as a result of it, and if more people take baby steps to try to avoid overconsumption, that gross, speedy cycle will calm down. In the end, there’s never any harm in slowing down.

[madhukumarc]

How do you leverage PR for startup growth?

PR (Public Relations) can be a powerful strategy for startup growth, as it helps to build brand awareness, credibility, and trust among potential customers and investors.

In this highly competitive digital age, having a solid PR strategy is crucial for startups to stand out from the crowd and attract attention.

Here are the top 8 effective tips to leverage PR for startup growth.

Leverage PR for Startup Growth:

1. Define Target Audience:

Before diving into PR activities, it's important to clearly define your target audience. Understand their needs, interests, and pain points.

This will help you create compelling stories and messages that resonate with them.

2. Craft a Compelling Story:

Every successful startup has a unique story behind its inception. Identify what makes your startup special and craft a compelling narrative around it.

Focus on the problem you're solving, the solution you offer, and the impact you're making in the industry.

“Every brand has a unique story and core message. The secret lies in distilling this message into its simplest form and presenting it repetitively to your audience” – Level343

3. Build Relationships with Journalists:

Media coverage can significantly boost your startup's visibility. Start by identifying journalists and influencers who cover topics relevant to your industry.

Engage with them on social media, attend industry events, and reach out with personalized pitches that align with their interests.

4. Develop a Press Kit:

A well-designed press kit is essential for any startup looking to leverage PR.

Include key information about your company, such as your mission, team members, product or service details, and previous media coverage.

Make it easily accessible on your website for journalists to download.

5. Pitch Compelling Stories:

To grab the attention of journalists, your pitches need to be compelling and newsworthy.

Highlight the unique aspects of your startup and how they relate to current trends or industry challenges.

Be concise and clear, and personalize your pitch for each journalist or publication.

6. Leverage Thought Leadership Opportunities:

Establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry can enhance your startup's credibility and attract attention from potential customers and investors.

Contribute guest articles to industry publications, speak at conferences, or host webinars to share your expertise.

“A surprising number of startups found some of their early customers by old-school networking and community building. This includes participating both in offline and online communities, and sometimes creating your own community” – Lenny’s Newsletter

7. Engage with Influencers:

Influencers can help amplify your startup's message and reach a wider audience.

Identify key influencers in your industry and seek collaboration opportunities such as guest blogging or social media partnerships.

Ensure that their values align with yours for authentic engagement.

8. Monitor and Measure Results:

It's important to track the effectiveness of your PR efforts.

Monitor media mentions, website traffic, social media engagement, and conversion rates to gauge the impact of your PR campaigns.

Adjust your strategy based on the data you collect.

“It's also worth noting that successful digital PR campaigns will often result in a surge in online traffic, primarily if your campaign generates lots of media coverage or goes viral on social media” – SEOTesting

Remember that building a strong PR strategy takes time and consistent effort. It's not just about one-off media coverage but creating a long-term brand presence.

By leveraging PR effectively, startups can accelerate their growth and establish themselves as industry leaders.

Here's related information that you may also find helpful – 10 Startup Metrics Every Business Owner Must Know