#confusing explanations don’t make up for a complex power system man

[wolke17]

this is literally from the same chapter???

[mueritos]

so glad people are realizing these ideas of “rationality” or “logical arguments” (whether this applies to any sort of “discourse” but here I mean on the topic of transmedicalism”) are all rooted in white supremacy and the patriarchy. And I don’t mean using logic to discuss glucose cells or bouyancy, im talking about the concept that we must approach complex human issues in the most rational way possible to remove all biases. Transmeds like Kevin Garrage and Blaire Racist like to parade themselves as The Most Logical Trans people, even though all of their content is emotionally charged reactionary content that’s mostly seen in conservative spaces, and to make it worse, the content they make spreads harmful misinformation about marginalized communities.

Patricia Hill Collins’ “The Social Construction of Black Feminist Thought” sums up this violent separation of understanding and advocating for your own community in spaces of knowledge and discussion. I highly recommend reading her paper, because while she focuses on the self-knowledge of Black woman, a LOT of what she speaks about can be applied to other marginalized groups. BIPOC in fields of academia and discourse are forced to produce thought and knowledge under a system that advocates for knowledge by and for the dominant group (White/cis/het/abled-bodied/etc), therefore, when many marginalized people enter academic spaces with the goal of studying their community, they’re forced to separate themselves from their community to “reduce bias”, reduce the radicalization of their thought so as not to provoke the established dominant group’s structure of knowledge and thought, and also reducing the radicalization of their knowledge in order to even get published/funding. Collins writes it here best: “Since researchers have widely differing values, experiences, and emotions, genuine science is thought to be unattainable unless all human characteristics except rationality are eliminated from the research process”, and here “Emotion indicates that a speaker believes in the validity of an argument. Consider Ntozake Shange’s description of one of the goals of her work: ‘Our [Western] society allows people to be absolutely neurotic and totally out of touch with their feelings and everyone else’s feelings, and yet be very respectable. This, to me, is a travesty. . . I’m trying to change the idea of seeing emotions and intellect as distant faculties’.”

Transmedicalism is rooted in the idea that there is a sort of irrationality related to being trans. That there MUST be a logical reason for the way someone’s gender is the way it is, and if it is not the way transmedicalism dictates it should be, then it is wrong. Gender in itself is inherently irrational, it is a social construct upheld by white supremacy, the patriarchy, and colonization. Nothing about gender makes sense, we have all been socialized to believe it should be this way due to Western society pushing these ideals of what a man and a woman should be. Even globally you cannot find the exact same ideals or manurisms that we typically associate with men and women in the West.

Transmedicalism serves a purpose, and that is to take something that is as confusing and weird of questioning your gender and being transgender and reduce it down to something understandable. This is why you see the common experience of younger trans people or trans people who are just starting transitioning to fall into the transmed blackhole. The truth is, personal experiences with gender, with life, with society, with the self are all credible. Feelings and emotions DO have their place in academia and in life, and the idea that they don’t just contributes to the violent idea that we do not belong in these spaces of study. We are taught that our identities must be accommodated to the dominant culture, because if we truly let trans people exist as freely as we should, it would cause the dominant group’s power to begin to crumble. It’s also important to mention that even if feelings were disregarded when it comes to letting trans expression be free, trans people have existed for CENTURIES in nearly ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD and have been documented throughout history with complex gender structures, expression, and spiritual values (Two-Spirit, los Muxes, etc). History in itself is a fact, and by disregarding the historical identity of trans folks by assuming dysphoria is a byproduct of transness when it actually is a byproduct of colonization is further colonizing trans identities.

As trans people, we simply do not owe anyone an explanation for why we exist and why we do the things we do or why we express ourselves a certain why and why we use these words to describe our experience, etc and etc. Your experience is credible. Your feelings are credible. Your transness is real, and somebody else’s transness will never take away from your own. You do not owe cis people validation, you do not need to make your transness palatable to cis people, and you are not an embarrassment to the trans community for expressing your gender in a way transmeds do not understand. You are not the reason why transphobia exists, your transness is not ugly, weird, unnatural....

Your transness is your own, and that is what makes it wonderful. To transmeds: Kill the colonizer in your brain.

[algernoninwonderland]

Miraculous is playing one big game of Calvinball with its magic/power system and it undermines the show quite a bit

TL;DR: Miraculous has, at first glance, a very basic power/magic system… Only whenever it tries to get more complicated than “Moon Prism Power, Make up!” it ends up being an unspeakable mess, due to poor creative decisions that don’t allow for the audience to truly understand what is going on and why, outside of “whatever the plot requires so that we can get to the next scene”. 

It may well be because the people making this show wanted to shift their attention to kwamis and their powers in the future seasons, but holding onto that for seventy-something episodes has done the show a disservice.

Longg isn’t the kwami of Perfection. Longg is the kwami of being a cool dragon. And sometimes, being a cool dragon is enough, you know? Instead of doing complex things poorly, you can tackle simple concepts really well and people won’t think any less of your creation, au contraire.

Throughout the history of the superhero genre, a pretty nifty thing most creators have understood is that you need to explain a bit of how and why the hero’s powers work. Superman is superpowered because it’s all a matter of gravity, a fact underlined in the very first issue of Action Comics, in the very first page of Superman ever. The X-Men are mutants. Sherlock Holmes was bitten by a radioactive detective.

Basically, what happens in most cases is, the creators come up with a set of rules to sort of explain the storyworld so that you know to manage your expectations, so that the storyworld feels more cohesive too. That’s what I call a neat way to allow your audience to suspend their disbelief and feel more involved in the story being told! Things happen and are allowed to happen a certain way for a reason in-universe, there is a kind of logic proper to the work of fiction being built that makes it easier for the audience to fully get into said work.

In Hunter X Hunter, Nen is a pretty cool concept that is well-defined, we see what it is at first with no explanations, and it’s hella intriguing, which makes you want to know more (and that’s deliberate) and then the manga explains it to you a few chapters later and for the most part, Togashi sticks to that definition. And now we understand what is going on and how. Cool, right?

What do we have here? Creative decisions that are often given justifications in-universe to make them more believable in the context of the story being told, even though they are ultimately arbitrary decisions which can be challenged (see how Superman’s powers changed over time, for instance). You can toy with these explanations and that makes for great comedic potential, just look at One Punch Man!

Magic can be a little murkier for sure, because magic doesn’t necessarily follow rational logic. I won’t be getting into the soft/hard magic talk here. Still, if you want your audience to understand what is going on and if you’re not a complete hack (looking at you Joanne Kathleen), you tend to set up some rules so that the audience can grasp what the hell is going on, understand why something is really impressive or really basic. Is it really such a big deal that a character is able to master that one spell? Why? Ursula Le Guin and Brandon Sanderson are really good at that, and manage a good balance of mystery and understandability.

Miraculous fumbles the bag pretty hard when it comes to how its magic/power system works. Which, after 70-something episodes, is not great. 

Part of it is due to the exposition style Miraculous has chosen for itself, which could be great but ultimately isn’t, and part of it is due to poor definition in the first place.

Miraculous hates exposition dumps most of the time, and I think it’s actually a good thing. No one wants to feel as though they’re sitting through a boring class instead of having fun. Well done, guys! Exposition dumps often make you all the more aware of the artificiality of a story. And so, Miraculous mostly relies on context cues as a means of introducing you to the world. They just show you the thing and trust you to understand and interpret it properly. And sometimes, it works really well!

I still sincerely believe that Stormy Weather is a fantastic first episode, and it does its job amazingly well. In 24 minutes, you learn the very basic outlines of how stuff works, relationships between the characters and superpowers. Yes, it’s very basic, but that’s fine, you can’t drop all that new information on your audience all at once. We understand that the power within the Miraculous, that of the kwami, allows for its wearer to transform. This comes with nifty perks, heightened agility, reflexes, amazing strength, magical accessories, and special quirks unique to each of the Miraculouses.

Are we good so far? See, if we stuck to that, it’d be fine. Not mind-blowing but pretty okay still. Doesn’t have to be too complicated to be enjoyable, just look at Sailor Moon!

And then Miraculous tried to spice things up and communicated its ideas so poorly that the arbitrary decisions taken by the writers are glaring, and seriously affect the audience’s suspension of disbelief and enjoyment. 

The kwamis aren’t just cutesy mascots, they’re gods. And yet their powers are very limited. Why? Well, the show doesn’t really bring that question up, we can only try and infer things. Now, what are these limitations, and why do they exist in the first place? I’ve got a vague answer to the first question (a time limit for transformation once the special power is being used).

The answer to that second question is very unsatisfactory, and that’s the only one I’ve got: “because the plot requires it if we want to do such and such thing”. Which is an answer that applies to absolutely all creative decisions in fiction, yes, but there’s usually more to it as well, in competently-made shows at least, it’s not so transparent. Why is Marinette able to wield so many Miraculouses at once? Well, it’d look cool and it’d make her look powerful, so why not! But Adrien can’t. Why? He just can’t. No explanations whatsoever. Just because. It’s magic. Shut up and watch the show.

Well, that’s not entirely true. We’ve got fleeting remarks about being able to unlock kwami powers and maintaining a transformation for longer and whatnot. The problem is, they’re just that, fleeting remarks, and worse, they are so scattered across the show it’s really easy to forget about them in-between episodes, especially since the release schedule is absolute nonsense (it isn’t the creators’ fault, but it certainly has an impact on the way the audience engages with the show). So no, the show isn’t going down the “just roll with it” route, not entirely… And that makes the lack of proper explanation that much worse.

It feels as through the few rules there are in Miraculous are being made up on the fly and… Heh. That’s just not great.

It doesn’t help that the powers themselves are… Really something, huh?

Chat Noir’s power is the only one that really fits with what his kwami is meant to represent. Destruction. Easy to represent, right?

Creation is trickier, that requires being imaginative, and Miraculous isn’t terribly imaginative when it comes to its lucky charms. Hey kids, did you know that you could use a ladder to stop an ice-skater? How creative! I mean you could also use salt to melt the ice, or a baseball bat to smash his kneecaps, then… The point is, being convoluted isn’t the same thing as being creative, and while Chat Noir gets to decide what he destroys, Ladybug gets an item thrown at her and you better believe she’ll find an use to it… How is that creation exactly? Is the lucky charm popping out of thin air creation? That’s a bit underwhelming, isn’t it?

Tikki represents convolution, Nooroo is the power of creating minor antagonists…

I had to check the Wiki to remember what concepts the other kwamis are meant to represent. There’s a disconnect between that and the way powers are represented on-screen. Pollen isn’t the kwami of Subjection. Pollen is the kwami of stabbing people with a stinger. How do I know that? I watched the show and nothing else.

If you want your audience to not be confused, if you don’t want your story to feel completely arbitrary to your audience (though it’ll always be just that), maybe take the time to explain things that are crucial for the understanding of the storyworld’s inner workings. You don’t have to give everything away in the first ten episodes, not at all, but you should explain them at some point, take the time to do so if these are more complex concepts that are crucial to your show. And if they aren’t key to your show, you don’t have to include them, and I promise no-one will notice.

[repeating-sounds]

Plastic Trees

Arthur wasn't entirely sure where he was. He spent his morning as he usually does, reading the trades over a bowl of shredded wheat, watching the news, and looking at his wife, Edna, who was already focused on the dishes in the sink. Today was a big day. This week’s market was incredibly volatile, and there were some incredibly important stocks to consider.  As he went for his fourth sip of coffee, he blinked and felt a strange temperature shift, followed by a completely different setting.

No more Edna, no more shredded wheat, no more stock options. Just a small, dingy office with brochure racks and a toothy-grinned man with a wide tie and a short torso.

It was at this moment that Arthur realized he was dead. There wasn't any major shift in his perspective or knowledge, no changing winds or rising tides; it was almost as if in a dream, where you suddenly are made aware of a concept, an idea, and it feels as real as the tree in front of you. Except then you wake up, and none of it was real, least of all the tree with its waxy leaves and styrofoam bark. If anything, the idea is the only thing that feels real at all.

Except this was no dream. There would be no waking up, no plastic realization of the falsities your mind force-fed you in your fit of sleep. He was stone-cold dead, much to the horror of Edna, who turned around to find her husband of twenty-two years face down in a bowl of milk and grains.

Arthur looked at the walls around him, covered with posters and pictures of people. Happy people. Some stood in front of statues, others near large volcanoes or fluffy clouds. He looked at a brochure nearest to him. It read: Welcome to Hell: We Promise It's As Good As You Make It!

A look of horror spread across the recently deceased’s face. Behind him, a voice breathed out a question.  

"Hello Sir, have you had a chance to read our selections?"

Arthur took a second, staring at a poster of a small cat clawing to a tree branch, coaxing the viewer to " hang in there".

"I...I'm in Hell?"

The man with the coffee-stained teeth smiled, leading Arthur towards a desk and a laminated book.

"Well, no. Or yes. It depends. We have lots of options. Would you come have a seat?"

Hot, salty terror washed over Arthur. The high, obsidian spires of an unknown hellscape curled around him like tendrils of a great fire. The crackling screams of millions of tortured souls closed in like a headache until he couldn’t take it anymore. A large, hoofed creature, with wings like a bat and a snout like--

Arthur let out a long breath, a cold sweat on his forehead. The toothy-grinned man held his familiar posture.

“Not to your liking?” He said.

“Not so much,” Arthur gulped.

The man thought for a moment before flipping the page.

“Hmm. Perhaps this one!”

A large, spiraling vortex of color and light washed over Arthur, sending him into a state of spiritual bliss. Orgasmic images of the future, the past, the very foundations of time and space were known to him in this moment. The questions of the universe, answered.

And on and on went Arthur and the Salesman, through worlds of torment and turmoil, sacrifice and satisfaction, through all the fetishes and fantasies of the people of our world, in search of the perfect period on the note of life.

Arthur realized quickly the truths of the afterworlds. This quilt of options was crafted by the needs and wants of his fellow man, all of their dreams in life, come to reality as a result of their last thoughts. In this moment Arthur felt powerful, but in the next he felt a question. It nagged at him in the back of his mind, slowly at first, and then more as he thought. More as he saw. Worlds of horror and hopelessness, of anger and spite. He had one question.

“Excuse me, but I’m a bit confused.”

“What’s that?” Asked the salesman,

“These options all exist because someone lives in them, yes? These places came about as a result of people’s afterlives?”

“Well, yes, you could say that.”

“Then why did they pick them? Why would you want to live in Hell, when Heaven exists alongside it?”

The salesman smiled.

“A fair question. Our aim is to give release in death. Give people what they want. What they’re expecting. A fair amount of people over the course of history have believed wholeheartedly in dark and depressing fantasies. If in your mind, the afterlife should consist of good, evil, and the weight of your heart at the deciding scale, then we give that to you.”

“But they would never pick the worse option, would they?”

“They don’t want the options in the first place. They want reassurance.”

Arthur thought about the implications of this.

“Why do I get the option, then? I consider myself to be...well at least relatively Catholic”

At this, the salesman stood, excited.

“There it is, Arthur! A good question. Your religion, see, is Catholicism, though it’s not your faith. You don’t believe in it, not truly.”

“Now, that’s not quite fair.” Arthur faltered for more of a rebuttal than that.

“And yet, you have strong beliefs. The free market. Consumerism.” A devilish grin swept over his  face. “You believe in choice. Beat the system, as they’d say.”

For a moment, Arthur’s life flashed before his eyes. His decisions, politics, beliefs. Is this really the best way to describe his life? Apparently it was. And further, what would he pick? Where would we spend his time?

Before he had a chance to answer this question the Salesman turned another page in his book.

“Arthur, I sense your apprehension, and I for one think you deserve the answers you seek. Would you mind visiting one last location?”

“Sure,” Arthur muttered, lost in thought.

Large, oaken veins coursed mightily up the great bark of an overwhelming tree. Complex branches tangled between themselves, sporting leaves of deep and ancient green. Thick roots pulsated like tendrils, wrapping themselves deep into the soil on which Arthur and the Salesman stood.  A vast catalogue of images and feelings wrapped around his brain. They came from the tree; from its leaves and its roots.  Arthur couldn’t quite find words to describe the wonder encapsulating his mind and body.

"This is the single greatest testament to the accomplishments of the Homo Sapien. This is what you pride yourself so heavily on."

"What is it?"

"It has many names, many faces, but you would understand it best as human consciousness.”

The images were overwhelming, but started to quantify themselves as things Arthur could grasp.

At first, they were simple. He felt a hot burning, one that made him feel dizzy and warm and fulfilled. It quickly dissipated, leaving him with a dull, grey ache. His head went fuzzy. His knees buckled.

These concepts took greater form, first as colors. He was an infant, with the soft, pink, wonder of how the warmth of other humans feel. He saw his father. He smelled like aftershave and work. His mother looked an angel, with smiling brown eyes. He swam in them.

He watched himself age, his complexion change. His first love, then his first wife, then his daughter. He wept and screamed. He grew weak.

The images changed, less personal now. Visions of death and what lay beyond it entombed him. He saw an infinite spread of hellscapes and ethereal nothingness. He saw all the book had to show him and more.

“These places are like in the book.”

“The very same. These are your options,” The Salesman looked at peace, eyes closed.

“I thought the images of afterlife were from the minds of other people, not my own.”

“Truly, Arthur, is there any difference? The images of others, their beliefs and knowledge is in your mind, your human understanding. As a hatchling turtle or young goat knows the instincts passed down from their ancestors, you too know yours. The instincts of the human race are social, they’re abstract. The human understanding of life is not isolated to your own mind.”

“I thought the options in the book were real places, and now you say they come from inside my head. I don’t understand. Is this real?”

The salesman chuckled.

“Does it matter? If it helps, then no. These places are inside the mind,  not cosmically tangible. They are explanations for the mind, so the soul can rest.”

“An explanation of what?”

“Of what it means to die. The human mind knows one thing; existence. You have lived for an eternity, Arthur. 62 years isn’t long for a rock or a planet, but to you, it’s forever. The mind won’t be so easily tricked into shutting itself off. It’s as difficult as teaching a bird not to fly.”

“So all this, this is just an...an escape? Like a dream?”

“Exactly like a dream. You are dying, Arthur, and soon you’ll have nothing left. Your brain has been existing for a very long time, and it needs to rest.”

Arthur could tell that his time here was nearing. He needed to make his decision.

“What are you?” Arthur asked, looking for the first time into the Salesman’s eyes. They were dark, and loving. Full of understanding.

“I am tired. And I must rest. Do you have your answer?”

Arthur did.

Arthur sat at his kitchen table. He spent his morning as he normally does, reading the trades over a bowl of shredded wheat, watching the news, and looking at his wife, Edna, who was working hard scrubbing last night’s lasagna dish. He stood, and walked over to her. He wrapped his hands around her back, kissing her with passion. He was happy.

[hobohumanitarian6]

This is a long post so please be warned!!! I need to get some things off my chest....

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING POSSIBLE⚠️

Feedback to this post is open-ended. You cannot offend me and will not be blocked.

⭐ So here's the thing: one of my late grandmother's friends just posted that her 29 year old son died in his sleep with seemingly no explanation. This really shook me I guess. For one, I used to hang out with this kid during the summers a lot. My specific memories are very vague, but deep in my consciousness I know that I have called him friend in the past. For another, many things lately have been prompting me to ask the difficult questions ie

Why in the fuck am I here?

What's the meaning of it all?

When is my life going to get better?

How do I prepare myself for better things?

Am I blocking me or is something else blocking me?

What am I doing wrong that the universe doesn't think I'm ready for a new chapter?

Am I really with the right person?

What about the afterlife?

Am I going to be silenced or speak out?

What if I can't do some of things I want/dreamed of?

What is going to satisfy me if my future doesn't go as planned?

⭐ I've been doing quite a bit of soul searching through all of this, established the framework of the person I want to be and

BAM! 🧱 💥 🏃🏻‍♀️

Straight into a fucking. Brick. Wall.

⭐ I am in one of the worst continental states in the US (by even statistic) and before all of the shutdown and pandemic began, I had plans to be relocated with my new job, a place to call home & reunited with family by June 1st. Clearly that didn't happen....

⭐ I am spending $900 a month for a 250 ft² motel room just so I am not out on the streets.

Homelessness. Can we talk about that for a second? People getting arrested for being out past curfew because they don't have a place to go, put in jail because they're in the way, not tested or treated for the virus because they generally have no insurance, giving people loads of food stamps so the emergency assistance funding is broke-

600 dollars of groceries is a lot if you have a fridge, freezer, microwave, oven, toaster, etc not if you have to buy your food from overpriced convenience stores and gas stations and fresh food from grocery stores that 70% of the price is for the packaging it comes with!!

Soup kitchens closing because they don't want to risk contamination. Who's feeding those without a hot meal? Do they realize malnourishment is the quickest way to get sick with any pathogen!?

Shelters closed because of overpopulation. Domestic violence homes turning battered women and children away because there's too scarce of resources and funding. Yet people care about big corporations going bankrupt? Please tell me what the difference is between a goddamn human fucking life and a couple lawsuits because you didn't know how to prepare for an ever-changing economy.

Thank the universe i am sheltered with minimal resources to take care of myself and I have a steady job due to an enormous company's "chance on a down-in-the-dumps contractor." This job I have held steadily for a year despite chronic health issues has been the best thing to happen to me by far in a long time. I am definitely not by any means complaining about my job or that I even have life necessities right now. Several million don't have that.

⭐ The problem with this state is there are no resources for a person who's struggling to make an honest living. I lost my apartment two years ago because I had to take a medical leave of absence at my job then, got behind on rent and was evicted without a chance to catch up. The power was cut three nights before I had to leave, and I owe a deposit on the electric company to get any type of service back in my name. The realty company who owns the apartment complex will not allow a payment plan without a fraction of the principle paid down, so therefore I cannot apply for private or realty housing and I have been on the waiting list for federal housing assistance for 3 years without a single word. I also had my bank card stolen with my ID when I was trying to catch a bus to work a few weeks after that so whoever it was made small purchases that my bank applied interest and late charges to so that is also standing in debt. Thank universe my current employer allows direct deposit to a savings account at a bad credit institution or I'd be royally fucked.

⭐ Before I made the hard decision to doll out almost a G a month just for a room, I tried sleeping in my pickup. I even took the effort to pallet it for a platform bed & make benches to live in free campgrounds, cemeteries, truck stops, boonie dead ends, and behind abandoned buildings. I had a 12V converter that I connected to a rice cooker and made a tin can stove to grill small portions of meat on a single-egg mini skillet. I kept getting chased off by rangers, cops, annoying people trying to do crack and not get their lives better, and eventually violently detained for "suspicious activity" - I was thrown on the ground, put in handcuffs, patted down by a male officer with no female present, searched my vehicle without consent & written a citation: this was 2 am, I had a campsite reservation, I was clearly sleeping & my vehicle was current. The officers did not give me their name or numbers so I could not make a report.

⭐ I have chronic health issues - hip dysplasia & hyper mobility (not severe enough to be EDS), anemia, rexhia (NOT PRO ANYTHING), pre diabetes, H.S, BPD, PTSD, endometriosis & chronic migraines. I have filed time and time and time again for medical assistance but have always been denied. Every time I try to see a doctor, they claim I have this-or-that infection caused by this-or-that disorder, sent to an overpriced pharmacy with illness-irritating antibiotics that just keep me in an unending cycle of flares and barely-managable pain. Do not let anyone privileged or wealthy confuse you - you are not treated the same if you don't have coverage. Sorry to say but it is indeed a fact.

⭐ With this job I work 40-50 hours a week, eat as healthy as I can on a dime sized budget, and cover all my expenses. Yet I cannot move forward in this state on to better things. I want so badly to have a family, to go to college, etc but I cannot do this with living month to month someplace that isn't even my own.

⭐ The emotional affect this has had on me is tremendous. I am embarrassed of my situation, and never allow any guests in fear they'd judge me. I never take any photographs, which is heartbreaking because it has been one of my long-time hobbies. I am extremely guarded and I lie about small details to protect myself. I have severe trust issues and I always hold a dagger at my waist because I have to assume any minute you'll pull out a Glock.

⭐ Naturally I am an empath and this has brought me more compassion and understanding than I ever thought possible. The police brutality against people of color and racism in socio-economic programs truly breaks my heart because as a white female and all the struggles and discrimination I've endured, I can only begin to understand it's 1000x harder for people of color especially. I stand behind your protests 100%. I beseech you, go fight for what you deserve! I will be begging higher powers for your protection indefinitely!

⭐ I have gained a new perspective on non-profit organizations and volunteer work. Some are truly amazing and their stories move people to tears; others are truly wicked stealing from the poor, embezzling cash flow for their own vanities. Please please please research the charity you are interested in thoroughly before getting involved. Volunteer work will always be appreciated- and will teach you many invaluable lessons. If you help these organizations and need help yourself: respect yourself, hold yourself high, and ask for the assistance. They will generally be more inclined to help. If you are turned away, try not to be bitter. Administrators only do as they see fit.

⭐ That's another thing - bitterness. This has been the most vile and roughest character default I've ever had to battle with myself. When you've been through the shit and you can't see the sewer (sts) it's so easy to stay in the dumps. It's so easy to feel entitled because you've clawed your way to the top. It's easy to feel angry with everyone because it's you vs the system. It's so fucking easy to give up completely and stop trying and just lay down and die. It's easy to step in front of a two ton bus, oncoming freight train, taking the entire package of extra strength Excedrin not because you have a migraine, but just not to feel a thing, go completely numb for one single second. It's easy to go down to the head shop and get a nickel bag of weed to chill and get a 5$ pizza and forget you have responsibilities.

IT'S SO FUCKING TOUGH MAN

⭐ Growing up strictly religious, I tend to shy away from Christianity or other "preachy religion" now. I hate having Jesus shoved down my throat at a service before a hot meal on a Tuesday night and the "speaker" automatically assuming I need to stop smoking crack and going to jail and get my life back on track and God will bless me when I'm in the 46% who has never been to county and hold a job while trying to get back on my feet.

ADDICTION IS NOT POVERTY GUYS

I still support people who go to church and speak in tongues if that satisfies them. I still support people who are strictly vegetarian and make a pilgrimage to the mecca if that satisfies them. I still support people who have 7 two week long feasts a year for something that happened 4000 years ago if that satisfies them. I still support people who believe in baptisms for the dead and not drinking coffee if that satisfies them. I still support people who call Jesus the Nazarene and believe that Lucifer the Dark Lord will prevail if that satisfies them. I still support people who call down the power of the moon into their plant babies and give thanks to the triple goddess if that satisfies them. I support religion or practices of all kinds.

I believe I was meant to be tolerant and be good to others. That this life will give back what you put in. That there is a higher power that governs all and it is up to you to determine just what that is to you. Not to tell people what is wrong with their lives just based on your personal story.

⭐ During this pandemic, I have done a lot of soul searching. Journaling, listening to podcasts, listening to seminars on values I'd never know existed, trying to discover who I am. This journey has included empathy training, reiki, yoga, somatic movement, feldenkrais methods, and astral meditation. I just have a list of these questions I'd like answered or given suggestions to:

What do you believe is the meaning of life? Is there any philosophers, speakers, teachers, theologians, writers, musicians etc that can help answer this?

What is your definition of religion in it's rawest form?

Do you know of any resources I may not have thought of?

Is there any criticism you can give good or bad?

Am I focused on one thing and neglecting another?

Do you have any further opinions on the topics listed above?

Do you have a suggestion of the next right step?

Do you have ideas on how I can help with the aforementioned problems?

How do I stop feeling like I'm wasting my time?

How do I find contentment in everything should I die tomorrow?

What is your opinion of the afterlife?

How do you find happiness in the midst of bullshit?

What did a friend/relative/mentor tell you when you were going through an existential crisis?

Have you felt trapped too? Due to the covid or otherwise?

Any curse words, songs, books, movies, etc of use?

🌸🌸I sincerely appreciate any feedback 🌸🌸

[mistakenot4892]

Some thoughts of Heart of Deimos.

I made a reddit post but I thought I might repost it here and see if the response is any different. Mild spoilers for Heart of Deimos, the most recent Warframe update, under the cut.

First off, this is a bit of an effortpost, and it will be quite meandering and confused, sorry about that. We are now two days into Heart of Deimos and I had some thoughts I wanted to put on paper as it were. There's a TL;DR at the bottom.

The Bad:

In all honesty, taking into account the usual DE release-then-fix cycle and the quick patching they've already done to things like the Son token costs, there's very little about this update that I think is objectively bad. Deimos might be the single best open world release of the set, lack of a catchy musical number aside. It's not any buggier than any other release, which may say more about DE's QA than anything, but I have fallen through the map a few times, and host migrations have broken multiple vault runs.

The combined token system is a pretty big departure from the other open worlds, and I found it very confusing initially. Without the prior context of using Ticker for bonds in Fortuna, I think it would be really opaque, particularly for new players who aren't already up to speed on how the open world resource loops are expected to work. Alongside the complex token system, it's also understandable that people are frustrated with the expectation that they -must- participate in mining, fishing and conservation to get the tokens, since these don't really leverage the well developed aspects of gameplay.

The initial quest was lackluster from a storytelling perspective, with some really nonsensical events, a lack of development for each individual beat, and a frustrating lack of building on the already existing lore in favour of introducing new lore. It was pretty blatantly a tour of the zone mechanics, though maybe we'll see a more engaging plot when the equivalent of the Profit Taker and Exploiter bounties are introduced over the next year. The new warframe being dropped in by Mother as an afterthought, without a scrap of context, almost felt worse than the way previous quests have just given us the blueprint with no explanation at all. Protea's quest felt a lot clearer so it's disheartening to see them taking a step back there.

Finally, prior to finding the Albrecht lore I thought the playable content of the update was quite short and uninteresting.

The Good:

The Family voice acting is really, really good. Some of the writing is a bit iffy in the classic overwrought DE sense (which IMO is charmingly earnest anyway) but the delivery is fantastic, and while initially I was put off by the characters being shallow, I came around on it - I will go into more detail under 'The Ugly'.

With regards to the grind: even though the resources from the open world minigames are mandatory, participation isn't - so far I've run conservation exactly once, for about an hour, and I am clear for the third rank up with the Entrati. The world drops and bounty loot are more than enough to cover the vast majority of other costs, which is honestly fantastic. For all the complaining, DE has definitely learned from PoE and Fortuna with regards to letting people dictate their own playstyle without handicapping their progress. You can focus down specific requirements with specific minigames, no trouble, or you can just play bounties and run and gun your way to incidental loot. The combined token system was really confusing initially but combined with the incidental drops it makes progression quite organic without forcing you to spend your time on any particular task (looking at you, pre-Thumper PoE). There also seems to be a pretty solid spawn chance for tokens in the caves of the open world, and since the rank ups are now 1 of each kind of token instead of 10, this is possibly now a feasible way to skip the conservation grind entirely.

With regards to the lore: despite my earlier complaint about narrative quality and disconnection, DE does seem to be tying Parvos, the Entrati and the Glassmaker together, which is interesting. Prior to finding the Necraloid area and hearing the excellent Albrecht Vitruvian lore (seriously, mad props to the writers and the VA, the fourth log gives me powerful Darkest Dungeon narration vibes) I was ready to drop the game until a few patches and more content was added, but now I'm fully willing to grind for a couple weeks to hear the rest. I'm curious to see where they will go with the Heart and the Man in the Wall, particularly in regards to stuff like the reliquary drive and how it relates to the Necraloids and pre-warframe Orokin technology in general.

The Ugly:

The Family are the ugly, get it? This bit is mostly just because I want to talk about the new characters and the themes of Warframe as a narrative.

There's a kind of tension around the family that I initially found offputting - here we have a family of immortal alien gods who made their name ripping secrets from the flesh of reality, literally sprouting from the meat flowers of an infested moon... and they act like the cast of Arrested Development, switching between lofty poetic proclamations and petty squabbling that wouldn't be out of place on a sitcom. At first it seemed like it was just bad writing. Over time though, with exposure to the wider plot and the various deeper interactions, I started to warm to it. It's really interesting how DE has juxtaposed the deformed appearance of the Entrati, their perfect-marble-statue-like Orokin aesthetic, the pulsating infestation, and this very human, very relatable behavior. It really pulls back the skin on the Orokin as a people and uses a bit of clever metanarrative to show us that even the Tenno remember the Orokin as being more than human, when they were just as flawed as anyone else.

The individual characters felt very shallow at first, like cardboard cutouts of the typical family transplanted into a blob of writhing meat, but the pleasant surprise of the relationships mending between Entrati rank-ups and the subtle undercurrents you start to notice when interacting with them over a longer timeline really turned that on its head. There's some really excellent combinations of writing and delivery that add subtleties to each character, like the Daughter's undercurrent of thirst for either the Tenno or for butchering mutant fish, or the animalistic yearning of the Son and his bleeding heart hidden under the callous and cruel facade.

Family, parenthood and belonging are arguably the core themes of Warframe's narrative - the Tenno are orphan children clinging to a single parental figure who herself is a stolen child, while their allies like the Ostrons and the Solaris are people who cling to their human connections and their shared culture despite outside forces, and draw their strength from each other. The grand enemies of the setting are collectivist empires who have shredded their humanity in pursuit of strength and profit respectively. Then you have the Orokin, whose grand flaw is hubris in isolation, and a deliberate abandonment of shared humanity in pursuit of impossible perfection. The entire Parvos questline related to blood, with Nef wanting to abuse it for gain and Parvos denouncing him. Even the Sentients, arguably the only alien culture in the setting, love their families and oppose the Orokin and by extension the Tenno largely in defense of their people.

DE has leaned hard on quite creepy, quite -relatable- strangeness to give the Family depth, which helps reinforce that they're demigods of a dead empire, even if they are also quite friendly and personable. It lends some real weight to the way the Orokin have been depicted as cruel, hollow people, since we now have direct evidence of how their culture and the expectations of their various roles tear at those interpersonal connections. There's a lot of heart and clear work put into developing these themes, and I think that it's a bit sad that the quality of the writing is frequently overlooked in the broader Warframe community in favour of focusing on the flashy mechanics and cool new novel features. DE's writers are some of the best in mainstream video gaming currently, and even with my complaints about the main quest earlier, this consistent ongoing thematic cohesion and the variety of individually good beats more than make up for incoherent feature-driven storytelling.

TL;DR:

Despite some teething issues and bugs Heart of Deimos might be the best open world update so far, the way DE presents the Family and develops on the overarching themes of the story are pretty excellent, and I am excited to see where they go with it. Thanks for reading my incoherent and largely irrelevant thought-spew. Have a good one.

[queenofnohr]

The Charming Empire - Otome Review (Soshi Amazaki Route)

I was going to hold off on doing this because 1. I wanted to play more routes to have a more comprehensive look at the game and 2. I don’t really have free time yet. Promptly ignored the above logic mostly to get this out of my system.

Before we begin, a disclaimer - While I do have pretty extensive knowledge about the otome genre in both longer “proper” VNs as well as the shorter, bite sized mobile VNs, I’m able to derive enjoyment from most anything (I feel the need to point this out because I see a lot of reviews that get hung up on stuff I can easily brush off even if I do understand where they’re coming from).

This is going to be a spoiler-free review based on Soshi Amazaki’s route alone.

Firstly, I must note that this is a mobile otome game. If you’re looking for something as long and substantial as, say, Hakuouki, Alice in the Country of Hearts, Dandelion, etc. this is probably not the game for you.

Now that that’s out of the way, I’ll be rating it based on usual points with a more... comprehensive and personal look at the end (feel free to skip to that if you know our tastes align and/or just want to see me losing my mind).

Prologue - 1/10

Normally I wouldn’t separate prologue from story. However, as this game started as a mobile game, there is no general route in which one gains points toward a love interest as is standard in full-length otome games. However, even by mobile game standards this game’s prologue fails in that it you meet exactly 0 love interests. Indeed, the prologue is the bare-bones introduction of the setting. This flaw is further complicated by the fact that, because it started as a mobile game, routes are bought individually. This means that there is no way to gauge the love interests except by the game’s straightforward summary on the buy screen. Luckily for me, I was sold at “Kenjiro Tsuda voices a love interest who is both a big brother and a lord” so this wasn’t as knee-capping as it could’ve been, but normally you’d have to simply take a leap of faith because if a love interest doesn’t actually end up being your type, you’re out of luck since you’ve already paid for the route.

This is an aside, but translation for the prologue is... questionable. It isn’t unreadable, like some translations I’ve had the misfortune of reading, but it does create some confusion regarding the MC’s family situation which I can’t help but clear up here. MC is the daughter of the previous lord whose mother moved with her out to the countryside. Her mother is died of illness, and MC now lives with an elderly couple. It’s simply when I say it here, but in game the family situation isn’t actually explained until well into the route and the narration refers to the couple as the “old man” and “old woman,” while the MC calls them “Grandpa” and “Grandma” (ojii-san, obaa-san in Japanese, which is a literal translation of what someone would call any older folk with the degree of familiarity MC has with them) while they call her “princess” (literally, hime-sama). The closeness of referring to them as grandparents vs the distance of the narrative’s “old man/woman” + calling the MC princess in a literal sense (vs. a nickname) is jarring especially because, again, they do not clearly explain the MC’s family situation.

Story - 7/10

Soshi holds the most powerful seat in all the empire. Only trusting himself, he rejects the opinions of others as he continues his dictatorship agenda -- breeding animosity amongst the people. He’s a cold man who sees even his own sister as a political tool.

This is the official description for Soshi’s route. Unfortunately(?) for some this... doesn’t really hold true for most of the route and I find it an odd way to bill it.

The initial conflict/relationship growth in the game stems from the MC wanting to be closer to Soshi - not necessarily in a romantic sense - and his distance due to his position. If you’re expecting a more haughty/sneering/pragmatic Kenjiro Tsuda more along the lines of his role as Kazama Chikage and/or a villain archetype who treats MC as a tool (no judgment, we all got our otome types) he’s by and large not that. Things get more complicated around the 10th chapter, but that’s 2/3 of the game in.

The writing is competent. Again, if you’re looking for complex worldbuilding and something deep, you will not find it here. But, while it isn’t poetry in motion, there was at least no point where I actively cringed or asked myself why I was playing it (this is compared to my experience with Voltage Games and Playchoices).

The MC is tolerable. There’s nothing special about her, but she avoids being a literal faceless protagonist with zero presence while also not having such a strong personality as to be polarizing. She shows more competence and restraint than I expected of her (the bar was nearly floor level, but still).

The pacing is... odd. I get the distinct feeling that it’s a longer otome shoved inside a mobile otome, if that makes sense. I’ve seen other reviews call it rushed, but that isn’t necessarily the feeling I get. For a game to feel “rushed” to me, it has to show a lack of care and attention to detail; scenes are had just to have them and either don’t contribute to the overall plot/theme/feeling of the game. I feel like this game does take care, especially in it’s early bits, but some developments happen later on which don’t get the development time they necessarily need. Which leads me to-

The plot kind of goes off the rails around chapter 10 or 11. It returns to form in chapter 14ish. This... plot twist, shall we say, is predicated on hiding obfuscating knowledge from the reader that should be apparent due to being from the MC’s PoV. Whether or not this is a dealbreaker will depend largely on the person. Personally, I was loopy off resisting sleep medication while reading this part so I just sort of accepted it and the return to form/explanation in later chapters made it worth it, but your mileage will definitely vary. I have Thoughts on this, but this is all I can really say while still maintaining a spoiler free review.

Playtime if ardently listening to the voices is ~3 hours. Playtime can be cut down significantly if you’re a fast reader and don’t overly care about the voice acting.

I haven’t tried all alternate options, but there doesn’t seem like huge variations regarding the choices. The 16th chapter, however, will change based on whether you get the Normal or Happy End.

Art - 7/10

The art isn’t anything special nor is it terrible. It’s much less stiff and has more style to it that most mobile otome’s I’ve played, but is lacking when compared to, again, full length otome games.

The MC has a face, which gets points from me (I dislike faceless MCs a lot especially when included in CGs). The fact no one but love interests even get sprites is somewhat jarring.

As far as CGs go, they’re standard fare and about the number you’d expect for the length of a route. The game isn’t raunchy like... at all so don’t expect anything too scandalous.

Voice Acting - 10/10

What can I say? It’s Kenjiro Tsuda.

To elaborate, however-

Kenjiro Tsuda does an excellent job. I’m not sure if I’d call it his best work, but even if it is voiced, I think there’s some expectation for a mobile otome’s voicework to be phoned in. This is not the case and Tsuda’s acting gives a lot of life to the character and scenarios. I’ll, uh, save my gushing for my line-by-line dissertation, and leave it at that.

What was unexpected was, despite not having sprites, minor characters do get voices! They also have some rather nice performances, and there was no VA I disliked listening to or whose performance was noticeably lacking compared to the others (the actual sound quality was consistent overall as well).

Overall - 8/10

Aside from the prologue, this is a solid performance from a mobile otome game. Compared to full-length otome games it’s lacking, but it’s still one of the better mobile otomes I’ve played. For the $6 you can get individual routes for on the mobile app, it’s a fun, quick romp that was perhaps not necessarily what was advertised (regarding the actual summary), but instead met the expectations I dared to dream of. While I can’t vouch for the game in its entirety, I can, at the very least, vouch for this route.

Comprehensive Overlook + Personal Rating - 10/10

Okay, I’ve been objective as possible despite this being a very subjective topic and now it’s time for me to shill my little heart out.

Writing a standard fare review for this game was really really hard for me because against all odds, logic, and my own taste preferring shit like Hakuouki, I’m in love with this game. Obsessed with it. Half the reason why I’m doing this is because it is a totally unremarkable (though, again, fun) otome game so of course it doesn’t have, like, a community, but I need to fucking gush about it somewhere.

Why?

Because Soshi Amazaki literally hits every single husband trait I so dearly love. This route is the equivalent of if someone took my taste buds and analyzed each and every one of them, then cooked a meal precisely on my most loved things. It isn’t necessarily fine dining, but it feels like it was scientifically engineered to appeal directly to me. It’s like I was possessed and ghostwrote it. It’s like someone peered into my heart and teased out the essence of everything I’ve ever wanted, then told me to eat shit because the shell it’s rammed into is that of a bite sized otome game. I have never had such a feast before me. I’ve never been served such an exquisite palette of flavors. I have never been so thoroughly outraged that this is the form my heart takes.

And yet, I’m... pretty much satisfied, despite its flaws and shortness, with my only real outrage stemming from the fact there is literally nobody I can talk about this with (the morning after I binged the entire route I made my boyfriend play it just so I could rave like a lunatic to someone about it) as well as my shame for being so enamored with what is essentially a mediocre otome game.

I talked about how the story kind of went off the rails 2/3rds of the way through, but honestly? I didn’t care because the payoff was incredible. Was I scared the game wasn’t going to end up where I wanted it to while it was happening? Was I prepared to be immensely disappointed because I felt, briefly, like I was baited and that of course nothing would never let me have my cake and eat it too? Yep. But you know what? I don’t know or care if it’s because I set the bar so low or what, but my expectations were thoroughly blown out of the water.

I’m still committed to making even this part of the review spoiler free, so I won’t be going into depth about what I loved (I’ll save that for another post because this is long enough as it is), but I’ll add this apart from just character archetype and themes being what I loved.

That is, shockingly enough and even considering the pacing and, ahem, weirdness - this is a route where everything seems to serve a function. Again, the story isn’t necessarily deep, and while perhaps I would’ve gone about certain things a different way (and had there been space allotted for greater development), there are many, many, many things that are called back to or that seem insignificant, but serve as thematic backbone and create delicious implications.

As a big brother connoisseur, I give this route 3 Michelin Stars.

If you followed me for/like Fire Emblem’s Marx/Xander, I highly recommend this route.

[aire101]

Ferrum Chapter 2

Here’s chapter two, and my apologies for how closely part of it follows Episode 1 of SAO.  After this the story probably won’t follow much of the shown canon at all, though I will probably bring in SAO characters for the boys to interact with eventually.  But in SAO everyone has the same starting point.  But with the world being as complex as it is, I doubt I’ll ever really need to follow episode events or dialogue this closely again.  Though I might get the boys involved in the Level 1 boss battle, we’ll see.

Also, please excuse any incorrect computer/programming/gaming jargon.  I’m doing the best I can. T_T

------------------

Peter was a masochist.  That was really the only explanation for his current situation.  The person had even offered to go their own way before Peter had opened his big mouth and tied them together for the next few hours.

Peter knew it wasn’t really Mr. Stark, he did.  But the avatar looked exactly like the Tony Stark that Peter remembered— before the space starvation and the new stress lines of living in a post-apocalyptic earth.  And he sounded just like him.  He had the same weird humor that fluctuated wildly between arrogance and self-deprecation.  He got Peter’s stupid science jokes and the laugh he gave when Peter growled out “FINISH HIM” during a fight with a boar was painfully familiar.  Several times he had to stop himself from calling out the wrong name, and each time left him feeling like he was repeatedly prodding a gaping chasm of a wound.

“You ok, Ki— uh, sorry… Tor?”

And then there was that.  All in all, it was a perfect recipe for emotional disaster.

“Yeah, sorry… my mind wandered off a bit there.”

“In the middle of a pvp and monster spawn zone might not be the best place for that you know.  How does this game even handle respawns?” asked Ferrum, striking down another boar with a swift horizontal strike.  It taken a bit of trial and error for them to get the hang of activating the sword skills, but once it had clicked they had made quick work of the low level spawns in the area.

“You know, for someone who managed to snag a limited release of this game you know surprisingly little about it,” responded Peter.

“Yes, I known, I’m an enigma.  Humor me and explain please.”

“We’re supposed to respawn in the nearest town I think.  Given the bugs we’ve seen so far though I’m not sure I’d want to test that at the moment.  Might be one way to initiate a logout though?” said Peter.

“I’d rather not risk it, and I’d suggest you do the same until we hear from an actual GM,” said Ferrum, sheathing his sword.  “That being said, we’ve been out here several hours now, wanna head back into town and see if anyone has heard anything?”

“Sure,” said Peter, also putting away his weapon.  They stood in the middle of a clearing with expansive views.  Most of the beasts in this area hadn’t been ones to initiate conflict, and they would have plenty of forewarning if anything headed in their direction.  So for a moment Peter allowed himself to just relax and take a proper look around the area, marveling at the beauty and complexity of the world Argus had built.  Off in the distance he could see hills disappear into the haze of the the horizon and cities raised atop impossible pillars.  In a field not too far from them there were a couple other players likewise looking out, taking in the beauty of the glistening waterfalls and towns painted in oranges and reds as sunset came over Aincrad.  

“I have to give them credit.  When I first heard about their plans for this game I was a bit dubious on whether they would actually be able to deliver on the promise.  Concept art looks great, but actually being able to code a full sensory experience into an application?  And create an entire open world with that data?  I mean, I had thought about the concept before, but the technology needed to do it always made me a bit uneasy…  It would be way to easy for someone to use it in ways it shouldn’t be,” said Ferrum.

“What changed your mind then? I mean, since you’re here now?” asked Peter.

“…I don’t know,” muttered Ferrum, sounding distinctly unsettled with the admission.

Peter opened his mouth with a joke on the tip of his tongue, something to lighten the suddenly uneasy mood—

When the deep toll of a bell rang out from the Town of Beginnings, rolling through the air with the tone of a death knell.

“Huh, wonder if they’re finally about to make an announcement?” said Peter.  “I’m surprised it took so—”

Suddenly a white light enveloped him.  In those seconds he felt nothing, completely stripped of sensory.  Just as he felt himself starting to panic, the light released him and was gone as quickly as it had came.  He found himself and Ferrum once again standing in the center of the plaza of the Town of Beginnings.  All around them seemingly every one of the 10,000 players were similarly being teleported into the square.  

“What the hell?” said Ferrum.

“I don’t know.  Pretty sure they should be able to make announcements across the whole game regardless of player location.  Maybe its an opening event?  Would explain the theatrics of it,” said Peter.

The whole square was a buzz with nervous confusion as people tried to figure out what was going on, then Peter heard someone call out above the crowd, “Up there!”

Peter looked up, and above the square there flashed a single red polygon with the word WARNING.

The sky turned red as more and more polygons spawned proclaiming ‘WARNING’ and ‘SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT.’

Peter wanted to think that maybe they had found the bug.  Maybe they were announcing a fix or instructions for the players…

But even without his spidey sense, something felt wrong.

Then the sky began to bleed.

“What is that?” asked a player to the side in horrified awe as the blood-like liquid began to coalesce into a more solid state.  Within moments it formed into a hooded figure wearing familiar blood red robes with gold trim.

A Game Master— likely an a real one this time.

The crowd of players all began to mutter speculations about the figure or the possibility of an event.

“I have bad feeling about all this.”

Peter jumped.  He had forgotten about Ferrum at his side.  He looked over at the older looking man, taking in the tight lines around his mouth, his eyes darting around the area taking everything in, but not straying too long way from the god-like figure of the GM in front of them.

Peter wished he could reassure the man like he had earlier in the day, but Peter was suddenly very aware that in this world he was no different than anyone else.  Just as vulnerable, just as powerless… What had originally been a main draw for him was now a very real weakness.  

“It would be way to easy for someone to use it in ways it shouldn’t be…”

They were absolutely at the mercy of this monolithic system…

“Attention Players… Welcome to my world.  My name is Kayaba Akihiko.  As of this moment, I am the sole person who can control this world.”

And whoever controlled it.

“Son of a bitch,” muttered Ferrum, a look of horror on his face.

“I’m sure you’ve already noticed that the logout button is missing from the main menu,” Kayaba continued.  “But this is not a defect in the game.”

A shiver traveled up Peter’s spine.  A stone of cold fear formed in his stomach.  Surely not… surely someone along the way would have noticed something so horrendous in the code…

“I repeat— this is not a defect in the game.  It is a feature of Sword Art Online.”

“But how… how can he keep us here?  Surely someone on the outside can still get us out?” asked Peter.

“It’s the hardware, Kid.  He’s fucked with the user client hardware that everyone’s brains are wired into,” growled Ferrum.

“You cannot log out of SAO yourselves.  And no one on the outside can shut down or remove the NerveGear.  Should this be attempted, the transmitter inside the NerveGear will emit a powerful microwave, destroying your brain and thus ending your life,” said Kayaba.

Immediately Peter ran through all the specs on the hardware he was privy to during his time as Tony’s intern, and came to the same conclusion Ferrum already had— this mad man was not lying.  He had disabled the safety mechanism that would keep certain powerful data bursts from frying someone’s brain.

Data bursts such as an autosave or a death respawn.

“Unfortunately, several players’ friends and families have ignored this warning, and have attempted to remove the NerveGear.  As a result, two hundred and thirteen players are gone forever, from both Aincrad and the real world.”

“Two hundred and thirteen…”

Peter turned around to see Ferrum looking on with eyes wide, his right hand grasping his left wrist as his left hand gave small spasms.  

That motion was intimately familiar.  The similarity  was uncanny…

“As you can see, news organizations across the world are reporting all of this, including the deaths.” Multiple program windows opened, most featuring various news channels running live, corroborating what Kayaba was explaining.    “Thus, you can assume that the danger of a NerveGear being removed is now minimal.  I hope you will relax and attempt to clear the game.

But I want you to remember this clearly.  There is no longer any method to revive someone within the game.  If your HP drops to zero, your avatar will be forever lost.  And simultaneously, the NerveGear will destroy your brain.”

So he was right— it was both the autosave and respawn functions that had been weaponized in the headset.  The more he thought about it, the more angry he became.  The man had taken glorious innovations in technology—some of it pioneered by Mr. Stark himself—and twisted it into a personal hell for all these people, some of them undoubtedly children.  As if the world hadn’t been dealing with enough tragedy over the last few years.  He wanted nothing more than to punch Kayaba directly in the face with every pound of his spider strength.

But he couldn’t do that.  In this world, he was just like everyone else.

With great power comes great responsibility… but without that power, was that responsibility still his?

“There is only one means of escape.  To complete the game,” Kayaba said, bringing up a digital layout of the floors of Aincrad.  “You are presently on the lowest floor of Aincrad, Floor 1.  If you make your way through the dungeon and defeat the Floor Boss, you may advance to the next level.  Defeat the final boss on Floor 100, and you will clear the game.”

The crowd, which up till now had been mostly muted in shock, finally began to shout and rumble in confusion and denial.  And from the sound of things, this monologue was just about to wrap up.  When it did, all hell was going to break loose.

He had some choices to make, and fast.

“Finally, I’ve added a present from me to your item storage.  Please see for yourselves.”

Shit.  What now?

Peter swiped down to access his storage, feeling distinctly as if he were walking into a trap.  Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ferrum doing so as well.

An item labeled ‘Mirror’ had been placed in his inventory.

“I’m guessing this mirror is the ‘gift,’ though now I’m wondering if he programmed the auto-drop or did it himself, and if he’s aware of my… status,” whispered Ferrum.

That’s right.  Ferrum was a GM, however that had happened.

“Do you think you could—”

But he didn’t get to finish his question, as at that moment everyone in the plaza began to shout as they were all consumed once again by white light.

When it receded, everyone had changed.

Some looked younger, most looked older.  Quite a few people around him looked to have changed genders completely.  Peter glanced back down at the mirror in his to see his Thor-like appearance gone completely, and instead his true face reflected back at him.  

So that was the purpose of the all too thorough calibration he and Ned had gone through.

“Kid,” said a shocked voice at his side.  

Peter turned around towards Ferrum, wondering who had been behind the meticulous avatar of Mr. Stark…

Only to see that Ferrum was completely unchanged.  Perhaps being a GM had made him impervious to the magic of the mirror?

“Underoos… what are you doing here, kid?!”

With those heartbroken words, Peter’s carefully constructed walls came crashing down.

. . . . .

Peter couldn’t think.  He certainly couldn’t speak.

He could vaguely tell that Kayaba had continued with his closing speech, but he couldn’t tell you what he had said.

All he could process was Mr. Stark’s face in front of him, and the name that only he had ever uttered to him.

It was impossible.  He had seen the body—the horrific scorching where the universal energies had burned through him, the life support system shutting off, the brightness leaving behind a cold husk in a metal suit—

Peter’s whole body flinched when he felt that familiar hand rest on his shoulder.

“Kid!  Are you with me?  We need to get out of here.”

In the time Peter had spaced out Kayaba had disappeared, and now the whole crowd was devolving into a panic.  People were screaming in terror and rage, several had broken down into sobbing messes on the ground.

He wanted to do something— anything to make this better.  Tell people that it was ok, they would figure this out.

But more than that, he wanted someone else to tell him that as well.

Finally he brought himself to focus on what Mr. Stark was saying.

“What do you mean we have to go— where else is there to go?” asked Peter.  “We can’t leave the game, we’ve tried—”

“Not the game, we need to get out of town.”

“What— why—”

“We can talk more later, follow me,” Mr. Stark said before running down a nearby alley.

After a few minutes they stopped, and Mr. Stark started flicking through his user interface.

“This is a fantasy RPG… you can’t tell me there are no helmets…”

After scrolling for a while, he tapped an item on the list and spawned a basic metal helmet and quickly placed it on is head, before continuing to run out of town.

“Mr. Stark!  Wait!” cried Peter.

“Don’t shout that kid, otherwise the helmet is pointless!” Mr. Stark called back.

“Ferrum… why are we heading out of town?  Its about to be dark and the only safe zone we know is here!” shouted Peter.

“The people back there are panicking, Peter.  It won’t be much longer before they start turning on each other, looking for someone to take it out on.  Between my face and the fact that some saw me in GM robes earlier I don’t want to chance hanging around for someone to put the pieces together.  Not to mention this area’s resources are going to be swamped before we know it.  Resource management is built in to the Cardinal system to maintain balance and encourage player movement and activity.  There won’t be enough to go around.”

“But if we die on the road the resources we need won’t really matter!” yelled Peter, pulling to a stop.  “There’s only so much they can do to us in town, it’s a No PVP area.  Lets just find an inn on the outskirts of town and spend the night.  We need a better plan than just running out of the safe zone at twilight.”

Mr. Stark had pulled to a stop when Peter had, obviously unwilling to leave him behind.  He looked down the alley, obviously wanting to continue on, but after a moment his shoulders dropped in an obvious show of concession.

“Fine, lets go to the outer ring and find a place,” said Mr. Stark.

As he turned and started walking away, Peter allowed himself a moment to take in the familiar gait, the way Mr. Stark always walked with his back straight and his head held high, as if he were always prepared to walk onto a red carpet, even in his most destroyed workshop clothes.

He could recognize every familiar mannerism from their hours pouring over suit tech and web formulas.  In retrospect, perhaps that as much as his face was why he had latched onto the man to begin with.  

But the billion dollar question still remained… how?

Hopefully once they found a room to bunk in, he could work out what the hell was going on… preferably before he had a complete emotional breakdown.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

WHAT STARTUPS TO GET STARTUP FUNDING

I heard this, I thought, the world. You could conceivably lose half your brain and live. Result: if it can't contain exciting sales pitches, spam becomes less effective as a marketing vehicle, and fewer businesses want to use. You need to be software for making them, so we decided to write some software, it might be a good startup is the percentage chance it's Google. I remember sitting in the living room of an apartment, and a game much closer to the one played in the real world, it's generally for some common purpose, and the number of nonspam and spam messages respectively. 5, or that can incorporate live data feeds, or that you've done something inappropriate. They got in fights and played tricks on one another. An essayist needs the resistance of the plate.

I calculate as follows: continuation 0. Arthur Miller wrote, but looking back I have often wished I'd had the temperament to do an absurd comedy, which is not an all or nothing thing like a series A round in which a single VC fund or occasionally two invested $1-5 million. A startup's life will be easier, cheaper, more mobile, more reliable, and often more powerful than desktop software. It works well for Google and ITA, which are the most general of general principles. But the more you realize you can do things to influence the outcome. The early adopters will be driven ever further apart. Arbitrarily declaring such a border would have constrained our design choices.

We'll suppose our group of founders know what they're doing, you'll be denounced as a yellowist will just be a distraction.1 Bill Gates will of course come to mind first will be the rule with Web-based software is never going to shut me up. Imitating it was like trying to run through waist-deep water. Richard Stallman, or Linus Torvalds, or Alan Kay, or someone writes a particularly interesting article, it will be for the better.2 Someone responsible for three of the best things Google has done. Telling me that I didn't want to have too much to do with the prisoners as possible, so they can tell when someone copies them. If you have any opinions that you would want to put their name on. But, like us, they don't use sentences any more complex than they do when talking about what to do if you are yourself a programmer, and one outside person acceptable to both.

If there's one thing all startups have in common is the extreme difficulty of making them work on anything they don't want to see what focus overlooks. 99 and, say, approach offers as in this approach offers having a probability of. No one except the owner of a piece of software that's full of bugs. A rookie on a football team doesn't resent the skill of the veteran; he hopes to be like the alcohol produced by fermentation. So if you're a quiet, law-abiding citizen most of the talking, but he described his co-founder of Excite.3 They will have to design software so that it can easily kill you. Plus as a consulting company initially, because we were so desperate for users that we'd offer to build merchants' sites for them if their firm invested in a company they discovered. In startups one person may have to do licensing deals, or get shelf space in retail stores, or grovel to have your own computer. What you need to win. Being smart seems to make you unpopular. I suddenly found myself working for a big company, they were the keepers of the knowledge of vaguer, buglike things, like features that confused users.4

Which is of course an extremely incriminating sign, except in the mail of a few sysadmins. Well, they are more afraid of you than you are of them, you won't just have fewer great hackers, you'll have no trouble with the small trips outside the box that they'd make people's hair stand on end, you'll have no trouble with the small trips outside the box that they'd make people's hair stand on end, you'll have zero. An improved algorithm is described in Better Bayesian Filtering. It was presumably many thousands of years between when people first started describing things as hot or cold and when someone asked what is heat? An advantage of consulting, as a deal progresses, to start to believe that stricter laws would decrease spam. Perhaps the best policy is to make more than you actually are. Good hackers find it unbearable to use bad tools. But it could. Just make stuff and put it online. Have low expectations.

Say what you're doing, and b explain why users will want it. That idea is almost as old as the web. It's a lot easier for a couple of 20 year old hackers who are too naive to be intimidated by the idea. Just a few months, until blown out of the system you're dealing with, things probably either already are or could easily become much worse than they seem. Don't let rejections pile up as a depressing, undifferentiated heap. Bigger companies solve the problem at all, it means you don't need Microsoft on the client, and a great many configuration files and settings. Every designer's ears perk up at the mention of that game, because it's no worse than lots of others.

Honestly, Sam is, along with Steve Jobs, the founder I refer to most when I'm advising startups.5 They were designed to be a good thing: if your society has no variation in productivity.6 Will I ever read it? And if they're driven to such empty forms of complaint, that means you've probably done something good.7 In fact they tend to spend all their time doing that. Another approach is to follow the case of contemporary authors. The reason they were funding all those laughable startups during the late 90s was that they hoped to sell through it. But there's a magic in small things that goes beyond such rational explanations. Server problems were the big no-no for us, the premise was, and we'll give you a way to keep tabs on industry trends than as a way to turn a billion dollar industry into a fifty million dollar industry, so much the day to day management. In the process of talking to them all can bring a startup to write desktop software now you do it on Microsoft's terms, calling their APIs and working around their buggy OS.

At Viaweb, support was free, because we wanted to know. The archaeological work being mostly done, it implied that those studying the classics were, if not beyond the bounds of possibility, is beyond the scope of this article. Google is going to beat them. So who are the great hackers? This is why the worst cases of bullying happen with groups. Imagine a kind of suggestion box, because users only used it when the predefined page styles couldn't do what they want.8 So I inverted the 5 regrets, yielding a list of all the great programmers I can think of who don't work for Sun, on Java, I know of only one who would voluntarily program in Java. At most software companies, most code had one definite owner.

Notes

The same reason I say the raison d'etre of prep schools supplied the same as they are bleeding cash really fast.

Spices are also startlingly popular on pre-money valuation of an investment. But if idea clashes got bad enough, a lot of money around is never something people treat casually.

Several people I talked to mentioned how much of it. Fortuna! But I think the main emotion I've observed; but it might be tempted to ignore these clauses, because the remedy was to realize that. As well as good as Apple's just by hiring sufficiently qualified designers.

One YC founder told me: Another approach would be worth about 30 billion. That may require asking, because you have no idea how much of the War on Drugs. Incidentally, the growth rate as evolutionary pressure is such a discovery. Founders rightly dislike the sort of person who understands how to appeal to space aliens, but we are only partially driven by the high score thrown out seemed the more corrupt the rulers.

If they really need a meeting, then they're not. You should always get a poem published in The New Yorker.

For similar reasons, including the numbers we have to pass so slowly for them, but explain that's what we now call science. Francis James Child, who probably knows more about hunter gatherers I strongly recommend Elizabeth Marshall Thomas's The Harmless People and The CRM114 Discriminator. At the seed stage our valuation was in a band, or an electric power grid than without, real estate development, you can make better chairs or knives, crucibles or church organs, than anybody else, you better be sure you do. These range from make-believe, is not work too hard to say about these: I should add that none of your identity.

How to Make Wealth when I was a test of success for a patent is now replicated all over the internet. A few VCs have an edge over Silicon Valley is no richer if it's not the sense that if you agree prep schools improve kids' admissions prospects. If a man has good corn or wood, or because they are bleeding cash really fast.

Trevor Blackwell, who may have been truer to the company's present or potential future business belongs to them this way, be forthright with investors.

Thanks to Eric Raymond, Geoff Ralston, Rajat Suri, Sam Altman, Jon Levy, Fred Wilson, Jessica Livingston, Sarah Harlin, and Ross Boucher for smelling so good.

[turquoisedays]

Namihana Headcanons: The Triangle Offense

Before I start this headcanon or whatever you’d like to call it, I just want to take a moment to add a disclaimer. This post will use basic basketball terms, so if you’re confused by terms like “baseline” and “the post” and “pop out”, I suggest looking it up. I’m here to try and explain what Mizuki calls “advanced basketball wizardry”, not basic terminology. This headcanon will also be pretty basic and won’t address nearly all of the many, many, many options the triangle offense presents. I’m not even sure if my explanation of the offense will be helpful, but I bought two books to help me figure out this offense, and I’m going do my best.

The diagrams in this post come from the chapter on the triangle offense in this book and from Joon Kim’s blog on the triangle offense. I will link to my sources for these images and the quotes at the end of this headcanon.

 Namihana runs the triangle offense, a system of offense that is and has been used in high school, college, and professional basketball. It is a system that Chuck Klosterman describes in his 2012 article “What Ever Happened to the Triangle Offense?” as “pretty much irrefutably, the single most dominant offensive attack (in any major sport) of the past 20 years.” The triangle offense is the system that helped the Chicago Bulls win six titles and the Los Angeles Lakers win five titles under Phil Jackson and Tex Winter.

Along with being associated with players like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal, the triangle offense also has a reputation for being complex and for bordering on the esoteric. However, devotees and the rare few that understand the triangle offense argue that the triangle offense is simple.

Mizuki is one of those people. She’ll say that the triangle offense is pretty easy to understand and then follow that up by saying that when the ball’s reversed to the top of the key, there are about 35 possible options you can use.

Before we take a more in-depth look at some specific elements of the triangle offense, it’s important to understand what it is, what it demands from players, and what its benefits are.

Phil Jackson and Tex Winter write that the triangle offense is “a sideline triangle on one side of the court and a two-man game on the other side, in which the offensive options are dictated by the positioning and reactions of the defenders.” In other words, the triangle offense is an offense that involves a human triangle made up of three players on one side of the court with two players on the opposite side of the court.

There are no set plays or patterns in the triangle offense. Instead, the offense functions as a sequence of options. These options are dictated by how the defense positions itself and how it reacts to the offense. In other words, the passes players running the triangle make after they receive the ball are dictated by what position they’re in on the floor and the specific defensive alignment they’re up against.

Howard Grant, a forward who played for the Chicago Bulls from 1987 to 1994, summed it up best: “When the defense shuts 10 options down, we have 10 more. If a pass goes to the corner, we as a team know where to set screens, where to cut. Pass goes into the post to Bill Cartwright, we know all the picks on the other side of the floor.”

This means that if a team wants to run the triangle offense effectively, each player must learn and internalize the options the triangle offense provides and that each player must be able to read the defense and make decisions based on their observations. The triangle offense also requires players to be well-rounded in ball-handling, passing, footwork, screening, and shooting and requires players to play unselfishly for the offense to succeed. The triangle offense also helps players who aren’t as skilled still contribute to the offense.

The amount of options and sub-options the triangle offense provides a team with is a major contributor to the “esoteric” reputation it has. However, at the triangle offense’s most basic level, the system is based on “exact court spacing, execution of fundamentals, and constant movement of the ball and players based on certain rules.”

The triangle offense is simple and complex at the same time. It lets the offense play as a team while letting players make their own offensive decisions. The triangle offense can seem contradictory, but in the words of Joon Kim, “Dedication to fundamentals, asking the players to actually think, and system flexibility have allowed the triangle to escape the scrutiny of the best NBA minds and stand the test of time.”

Without further ado, let’s get into the principles that guide the triangle offense.

Guiding Principles

Seven Principles of the Sound Offense

Penetration. Players have to penetrate the defense and the best way to accomplish this is by using fast breaks.

Spacing. Players are spaced so that it’s difficult for the opposing team to defend, trap players, and help their teammates. Players are spaced 15-20 feet apart. This spreads the defense and allows the players enough room to make accurate passes to another player quickly. This spacing also ensures that every time the defense goes to guard or trap a player, they are leaving another offensive player open. Proper spacing also forces the defense to cover a larger area which provides the offense with more angles to attack them at.

Ball and player movements. Players have to move with a purpose even when they don’t have the ball. This ensures that the offense keeps the defense occupied on the ball and off-the-ball. Furthermore, according to Phil Jackson and Tex Winters, many players think off-the-ball activity is unimportant because they’re used to only paying attention to how the ball is moving and the player who has it. This makes purposeful and effective on the ball and off-the-ball activity even more valuable when going up against a team who doesn’t pay much attention to the movement and activities of players who don’t have the ball.

Options for the ball handler. An offensive player will be more successful if they have more options to use against a defender. The ball handler has far more options when their teammates are moving to another position to free themselves or another teammate with a pick.

Offensive rebounding and defensive balance. Not only do players have to “go strong” for the rebound and not only does the offense has to have strong offensive rebound positions on all shots, but players also have to maintain court balance and pay attention to keep the opposing team from making a fast break. The offense also has to provide defensive balance.

Versatile positioning. The offense has to allow any player a chance to fill any spot on the court, regardless of the individual player’s role. Each position on the court has to be interchangeable. In other words, regardless of whether the player is a point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, or center, the offense has to give them the chance to fill any given spot on the court.

Use individual talents. The offense should let the team utilize its best players’ set of skills and accentuate those skills. This principle acknowledges that players have different skills and levels of skill and that an offense should take advantage of those skills.

 Passing Principles

Passing is the key to executing the triangle offense and in order to effectively execute it, players have to adhere to the following principles of passing:

Pass when the defender is three feet from the ball or closer. The defender will have less time to react to the passer’s movements the closer they cover the passer.

See the passing lanes and the receiver, but don’t stare at the target receiver. Use peripheral vision without making a blind pass. (The only player on Namihana’s team who is allowed to ignore the rule about not making blind passes is Asami.)

Use fakes with a purpose without overfaking. Fakes should be made with a purpose. Fakes made with a purpose let the passer get the ball away from the defender based on the defender’s reaction. The passer should also be aware of all passing lanes and retain their poise when they make a fake.

Eliminate all unnecessary movements. Use quick wrist and finger action to shorten the action of the pass as much as possible.

Pass quickly to an open teammate. An open teammate must make a play within three seconds after they receive the ball. Phil Jackson and Tex Winter write that for every second under three seconds it takes for the player who received the ball to execute a play, the better basketball player they become. Similarly, for every second over three seconds, the poorer player they become. Moving the ball quickly forces the defense to adjust and might force them out of position, which increases the chances of creating passing lanes and more opportunities to score.

Pass the ball to a teammate’s open side. The passer has to have a view of their defender and a view of the passing lane and the receiver’s defender. The receiver should help the passer by improving to become a good target and by keeping the defender away from the passing lane by sealing them off.

Anticipate receiving the ball and be thinking ahead where (to what teammates and location) to throw the ball next. The best players possess this skill, but if players don’t have this skill, you need to build an offensive pattern that quickly moves the ball around to keep the defense occupied.

Court Symmetry

As mentioned in the second principle of the Seven Principles of the Sound Offense, proper spacing gives the player with the ball a lot of room to maneuver and respond to traps and help and helps spread the defense. Because of this, the offense begins with the players aligned in a symmetrical fashion that forms a triangle on both sides of the half-court as shown below.

In the triangle offense, guards, forwards, centers aren’t restricted to their usual spots on the court. To put it simply, spots can be filled by any player. Once the spots are filled, the offense is run based on where the ball is positioned on the court and based on how the defense is moving.  

How is the offense able to read and react to the defense? On their blog The Triangle Offense, Joon Kim argues that this ability to “read and react to the defense is based on initiating the offense against pressure at the moment of truth and lining up and reading the defense by forming the triangle along the line of deployment.”

The Moment of Truth

The triangle offense was designed so that the offense wouldn’t have to rely on a point guard to bring the ball up the court, because the point guard could be affected by the opponent’s defense such as a full court press. For this reason, the triangle offense is a two-guard offense to share passing duties and ball-handling duties and to prevent the defense from targeting one player out front. As Joon Kim explains, as the guard with the ball brings the ball up the court, the front-line defensive pressure will dictate which of the many options to initiate the triangle offense will be used.

The moment of truth, as Joon Kim describes it, is “the moment when the ball handler pushing the ball encounters defensive pressure.” When the ball handler reaches the moment of truth, the ball handler (1) has to be ready to pass the ball to the wing (3) as they reach the moment of truth and 3 has to time their pop-out so they can receive the ball at the wing position when 1 reaches the moment of truth. This can be seen in the diagram below.

For this reason, the imaginary line three feet in front of the ball handler’s defender is known as the line of truth.

The lag principle is a guard-to-guard pass that is used if 1 reaches the moment of truth and 3 isn’t open after their pop-out. During the lag principle, 1 passes to 2 as 2 remains three or more feet behind the line of truth as a safety measure. 4 pops out to receive the pass and as they do so, 2 passes the ball to them. Players 1, 2, and 4 in these two passes have to coordinate their moves and timing to ensure a successful wing entry. The lag principle is illustrated below.

To use a more concrete example and try to use less lingo to understand the moment of truth, let’s say Namihana is playing a basketball game. Asami has the ball and is bringing it up the court and her defender is more than three feet away from her. Meanwhile, Tamika occupies the wing position on the strong-side (the side that has the ball) of the court. When Asami reaches the line of truth, which is located three feet in front of the player guarding her, Tamika moves to receive the pass and Asami passes the ball to her.

To explain the lag principle, we’ll use a scenario like the one above except when Tamika moves to receive Asami’s pass at the moment of truth, the player guarding Tamika moves with her. This means Asami can’t pass the ball to Tamika. Instead, Asami passes the ball to Mucha, who has been lagging behind the line of truth by three feet or so. Mucha is open so Asami passes the ball to her. Ramu, who is near the post, moves to receive Mucha’s pass as Mucha passes the ball to her.

There are many more ways the triangle offense can overcome defensive pressure, but for simplicity and brevity’s sake, I’ve only mentioned the moment of truth and the lag principle. 

The Line of Deployment

Now that that is out of the way, I can discuss a vital but basic concept of the triangle offense: the line of deployment. The line of deployment is an imaginary line from the forward in possession of the ball to the center, the center’s defender, and the basket. To play a standard defensive position between the center and the basket the center’s defender has to play behind the center as long as the center plays on the line of deployment. However, when the center’s defender is positioned this way, it’s easy for the forward to pass the ball to the center as shown below.

Like when I explained the moment of truth, let’s say Namihana is playing a basketball game. Ramu is on the strong side (the side that has the ball) of the triangle and has the ball. Mizuki is on the strong-side of the triangle in the post and on the line of deployment. Mizuki is being guarded by one player who is positioned between her and the basket. In order to prevent Mizuki from moving closer to the basket, this defender has to play behind Mizuki as long as Mizuki’s on the line of deployment. Because Mizuki’s defender is behind her, Ramu can make an easy pass to Mizuki.

If Mizuki’s defender wants to prevent Mizuki from getting the ball or make it difficult for her to get the ball, they have to move to Mizuki’s side or in front of Mizuki. When Mizuki’s defender moves to a position on one side or the other (baseline or the high side), they lose their position between Mizuki and the basket. Ramu can then make a quick pass to Mizuki’s open side. In both of these scenarios, once Mizuki receives Ramu’s pass, Mizuki can shoot the ball or pass the ball to a teammate who’s in position to do something with it.

To put it simply, the line of deployment allows the team to successfully get the ball to the center despite the opponents’ efforts to prevent the pass to the post.

Forming the Sideline Triangle

At this point, you might be wondering why the triangle offense has the reputation of being so difficult to understand and why it’s confounded so many people for decades. This is because of how many options it presents to the players. As Phil Jackson and Tex Winter write, “The triangle offense can be initiated with any of several pass options, depending on defensive adjustments and offensive strategies.” For the sake of brevity and simplicity, I’m only going to be explaining one of the four options for the first pass, strong-side fill guard to wing option.

What does “strong-side fill guard to wing” mean? We know that “strong-side” refers to the side of the court with the ball. From there, we can deduce that the triangle is being formed or “filled” on the strong-side of the court and that this option involves the strong-side guard passing to the wing.

As mentioned earlier, there are four different options a team can use to perform a guard to wing strong-side fill. I’m only going to discuss the outside cut option because it’s simple and it ties into the topic we’ll be discussing next. In the outside cut option, the ball handler (1) dribbles in the pro lane and passes to the wing (3). 1 also cuts outside of 3 and moves to the corner, which forms a triangle with 5 and 3. For this option to work, 3 has to be far away enough from the sideline so 1 can cut behind them and to ensure other kinds of cuts can be performed.

Let’s return to that imaginary Namihana basketball game where Namihana uses the outside cut first pass, strong-side fill option to form the triangle. Asami dribbles in the pro lane and passes to Tamika. Asami cuts behind Tamika, who has positioned herself so that she’s far away enough from the sideline to give Asami the room she needs to perform the cut, and then moves to the corner. Once Asami reaches the corner, she forms a triangle with Mizuki and Tamika. While this happens, Mucha, who is on the weak side, cuts to the middle of the court to provide defensive balance.

Keep in mind that not only is the outside cut one of several options to perform a first pass, guard to wing strong-side fill, but also that the guard to wing strong-side fill option is one of several options, each of which comes with multiple ways and options to perform it, for the strong-side fill. The first pass, weak-side fill also has many options and options within those options, but I’m not discussing them here.

The Second Pass

After the triangle is formed on the court’s strong side, there are four passes the strong-side wing can make. As a group, these options are referred to as “second pass” because they occur after the pass to the wing position in the moment of truth. Each of these passes can be directed to four different spots on the court and each of these spots presents multiple offensive options and sub-options to carry out those options.

Let’s assume that the strong-side guard (1) passes to the strong-side wing (3) and then moves to the corner. 3 reads the defense and makes one of the following passes:

First look: to the center (5).

Second look: to the weak-side guard (2) who is located in the middle of the half-court nears the top of the circle.

Third look: to the weak-side wing (4) on the backdoor step.

Fourth look: to the strong-side guard (1) in the corner.

First Look: Pass to Center

For simplicity and brevity’s sake, I’m going only going to explain the first option for the first look play.

The play starts with the outside cut guard to wing strong-side fill. In other words, it starts with 1 passing to 3, 1 moving to the corner to form the sideline triangle, and with 2 moving to the middle of the court. Here’s a visual illustration of this:

After the sideline triangle is formed, 3 passes to five and makes a fake to cut inside the lane. Then 3 cuts on the baseline side of 5 while 1 cuts as close as possible behind 3. 3 is the passer so they are the first to make their cut. They cut to the side of the teammate they’re trying to free (5). In the diagram below, you can see that while 1 and 3 are making their split speed cuts, 4 is moving towards the lane to get into a good rebound position and that 2 moves opposite to the ball so they spot up in the fan spot.

It should be noted that after 3 passes to 5, 3 can use different cuts to screen different players with the cooperation of their teammates.

Let’s return to that Namihana game one last time.

After performing the outside cut first pass, strong-side fill option to form the sideline triangle, Tamika passes to Mizuki. Two players on the opposing team rush to guard Mizuki, so Tamika makes a fake so she can cut inside the lane. Then Tamika cuts on Mizuki’s baseline side while Asami cuts as close as possible behind Tamika. Mizuki’s defenders have to choose between double teaming Mizuki at the expense of letting Tamika or Asami remain open, which would allow Mizuki to pass to one of them and give them a chance to score, or having one of them move to guard Tamika or Asami, which would give Mizuki more room to work with to make a shot or pass the ball.

I’ve left out a lot of the multitudinous options and sub-options the triangle offense presents and I decided not to address the solo cut series of options or the options for blind pig action even though Namihana does use them.

I know this was a really long and probably confusing explanation despite my best efforts, but I felt it was necessary to try to give people some ideas about how Namihana’s offensive system functions because it does tie into Namihana’s dynamic as a team and as a group of friends.

If you’d like to read more about the triangle offense, here are the sources I used:

The chapter on the triangle offense written by Phil Jackson and Tex Winter in this book.

“The Obtuse Triangle” by Nicholas Dawidoff

The Triple Post Offense by Tex Winter

“What Ever Happened to the Triangle Offense?” by Chuck Klosterman

Joon Kim’s Triangle Offense blog

[grumpyslav]

Wicked Saints Review ★★★ 1/2

This is a Slavic inspired fantasy. I am Slavic. A perfect match, right?

Well, no. Not really. This book has some good themes but it takes itself too seriously for what ends up being a typical YA fantasy (and there was potential for much more!) But hey, it has a sexy villain love interest so I am sure it will be a great success. 

Warning: this will be Long. I have Many Opinions. 

Plot: Nadya is a cleric (magic user) in a Russia-inspired country, Kalyazin. Her power comes from gods: she can communicate with the entire pantheon of gods and they give her magical powers whenever she asks. (We are told that gods sometimes don’t listen or that Nadya has to behave in a certain way to be on gods’ good side but we never witness that in the story.) The country is at war with a Polish-inspired country Tranavia because of religious differences. The gods were banished from Tranavia and blood magic is used instead, which is considered heresy in Kalyazin. When her monastery is attacked by Tranavian high prince Serefin, Nadya has to run away. She stumbles upon a Tranavian blood mage Malachiasz and his two sidekicks, who offer help. At some point, it is decided that the best way to end the war and bring gods back to Tranavia is to assassinate Serefin’s father, the king of Tranavia. This is where the real plot kicks in. (Which I will not spoil at this moment.) 

Magic system: An interesting idea, but the rules are never explained. That is probably one of the key problems with the story. We learn that Kalyazi clerics (Nadya is believed to be the last one) get magic powers from gods. Clerics can typically communicate with only one god, but Nadya can talk to all of them. (Why? Because she is the MC. We don’t know.) She calls the gods by pressing beads on her necklace. Based on the individual god’s power, Nadya can get strength, super speed, the ability to spy on her enemies, etc. A problem here is that we don’t know what is that gods can or cannot do; there are no limits to Nadya’s power. No rules are established so everything feels arbitrary (a key problem with the book’s magic system). This is a bad narrative choice, but in the second part of the book we learn that it is not so important what gods can do; all that is relevant is that they are the ones giving Nadya power.

Then we have Tranavians. They use blood magic: they always carry a book of spells and when they want to cast a spell, they tear a page from the book, cut themselves and bleed over the page. There are (presumably) many different spells that can do many different things, but just like with Kalyazi gods, we don’t have a clue what is possible and what is not. And just like Kalyazi gods, it turns out that it’s not so important what blood magic can do, it is important that this is blood magic.

All these things become relevant in the second part of the book, but by then it’s a bit late. The book starts adding exceptions and different approaches to magic but with no proper establishment and with no rules, we can’t judge this new stuff properly. Is it supposed to be scary? Is it supposed to be surprising? There are hints that some of it is new and never heard before, but it is never properly anchored. So you just go with the flow and take the author’s word that yes, this thing happening is Important. 

Characters: Nadya is a solid character that gets betrayed by the narrative. She is realistic as a naive, sheltered young woman who tries to find her place in the world, who makes mistakes but tries her best. She does all she can to have agency and be proactive. Unfortunately, narrative doesn’t let her. Her whole existence is marked by her lack of agency, because she depends on gods’ powers. In the second part of the book she grows a little and starts discovering her own power, but it’s late because this is where Malachiasz takes over as the most important character and Nadya gets sidelined. Sucks to be you, Nadya, but we gotta make room for a bad boy. 

Serefin is a solid character, although it is unclear why we spend almost half of the book in his head. There is no significant character development nor plot to warrant this. But he works as a character, so I have no major complaints. The only downside is that stuff such as his excessive drinking is used as a shorthand for characterization. 

Malachiasz is, arguably, the main character in the book. Both in literal and in meta sense. Literal, because the whole story ends up being about him. In meta sense, because one’s enjoyment of the book largely depends on whether the reader likes this character or not. Clearly written to be the core of the story’s secrets and adored by the author, there is no much room for those who might dislike him. He is a love child of Darkling and Kylo Ren and, for some reason, this is portrayed as interesting or worthy to carry the whole book. ?

Points for not making excuses for the romance: Malachiasz is portrayed as terrifying and there are no excuses there, take it or leave it. What sucks is that a man being terrifying is portrayed as a good thing, so in the end you do get your typical YA abusive bad boy (will this trope die already?) But at least we are spared explanations on why Malachiasz is actually a cinnamon roll, so at least that’s something. (Okay, not really. We do need to talk why this type of a man is romanticized over and over again. It is a bad trope, a lazy, incorrect and dangerous trope. But it’s a rant for another day.) 

Ending: The book ends on a high note but without major twists. I wouldn’t say the ending is predictable per se, but it’s more down to lack of rules in the magic system than clever writing. Still, a solid ending.

Representation: The author is clearly into Slavic folklore and it shows. For all the ways in which Wicked Saints resemble Grishaverse, I have to say that there is a clear effort to make setting respectably Slavic. Language aspects are good and certain things (in plot, aesthetics) are clearly inspired by Slavic cultures. At the same time, the story doesn’t feel Slavic at all. Duncan gets certain details right but misses the whole point and symbolism behind Slavic cultures and folklore. Which is unfortunate. Slavic folklore is highly symbolic and should not be taken literally. Wicked Saints is too literal to be Slavic, too gothic to be Slavic, to Western to be Slavic. 

And there is the whole issue of real-life history between Russia and Poland (which is not on Westerners to adapt as they please), as well as the fact that, once more, we have an image of Slavic cultures as wild, violent, always at war with each other, persecuting anyone who disagrees with their beliefs, etc, etc. I am aware that trashing Slavic cultures was not author’s intent (nor is that the point of the book), but it remains that it follows typical Western views of Eastern Europe, which is not helpful. 

When it comes to other types of diversity, there is an attempt but nothing of substance comes out of it. There are female characters in the position of power. Four POC characters (mainly sidekicks.) One female character who is into women (lesbian? bi? pan?) A few characters that could be understood as disabled (missing an eye, for example). That’s all I can think of. 

Verdict:  ★★★ ½ (Certain aspects deserve five stars, others fall to two)

A flip review: I’d say the focus on theology is the book’s strong point. More of that, please. Duncan opens a dialogue not commonly seen in YA books: about beliefs, religion, free will. All important, significant themes that so many authors don’t want to tackle in a complex manner. And points for doing research, particularly in linguistics. (If only Duncan didn’t want this to be so black metal we might have had a setting that does Slavic folklore justice.) But if we ignore real Slavic cultures and folklore, the whole thing does set itself apart in aesthetics from similar YA offerings. It also doesn’t shy away from confusing her readers, if need be. Duncan clearly knows what kind of a story she wants to tell and what kind of aesthetics she wants to achieve. With so many bland YA offerings, it is a refreshing thing to see. 

[save-the-spiral]

What about romantic headcanons about wizards who’s s/o isn’t a wizard at all?

These aren’t headcanons. More of a fic. Hope you enjoy!! I would’ve posted this sooner, but my laptop was taken away to be fixed up!!

Wizards are known to be adventurous. Common fact, really. Sometimes, wizards go places they shouldn’t, do things they shouldn’t.

And that’s where the real adventure begins.

The wizard was simply experimenting with teleporting- trying to make it cost less magical power, because they’ve lost good wizards who could’ve survived with just one more spell. Just a little bit more mana.

They knew it was dangerous, but so is teleporting into a world full of monsters with a lethally small amount of mana. So while they were risking their life, at least it was a good cause.

Preparing to test their theories, they readied their wand- a delicate rapier that they spent over a year crafting in Avalon, decorated in silver lines and jade. Before teleporting, they stomped on the ground, activating their circle of complex runes in the shape of a shimmery diamond-like ‘X’.

Muttering words of power under their breath, their breathing quickened in the darkness of their castle’s dungeon, the only light radiating from the runes in the room. Their dark eyes were focused on the small, intricate runes that lines their walls, the stone brick carved with rough, ancient magic that glowed a pale blue, becoming brighter with each magical word invoked.

That same magic swirled around the wizard, engulfing them in a whirlwind of something that felt like fear, visible in the magic that was steadily becoming the color of perfect aquamarines.

The faint scent of a salty sea breeze made their nose twitch as their vision went black.

-

They awoke with a groan, arm reaching out to pull their blankets up, wanting to shield their eyes, only to grab a handful of coarse sand. With a start, their eyes opened to the blinding sun and brilliant blue of the sky.

And the curious grey eyes staring down at them.

-

They were a wizard who managed to teleport themself into a Spiral of pirates. It was a Spiral full of violence and sailing and old songs.

None of their magic worked anymore. Their wand was nothing more than a knick-knack now, the enchantments gone and the weapon left weak. Their deck of spells still glowed faintly of magic, but without a weapon the wizard risked death if they tried to cast anything.

Admittedly, they could get used to it. It was nice, not having to cast magic, not having to worry about battles and wars.

The pirates were far less structured than the wizards. There was no order, no common area of schools. People here learned through hardship and necessity. Some of them could heal, others could trap, and others just attacked.

It was a chaos that held its own sort of freedom.

The pirate that had come across the wizard passed out on the beach was- odd. He was kind to those he trusted, and a menace to those he didn’t. Others gossiped about him, how he had no crew, but all he would do was smirk and quip about being a lone wolf.

He took the wizard in, explaining his worlds and entrusting them with books and all the knowledge he could impart.

Once or twice, he remarked on how they must’ve been a scholar back home. They were so intelligent, and they treated books with a special kind of loving care, so they must have at least had gone to some kind of school.

At the word school, the wizard had frozen. Fear scrambled into their bones, possessing their body to make way for panic to override their brain.

He learned to avoid words after that. He was patient.

The wizard thought that he was a good man. A murderer. A pirate who made his enemies cower in fear. Yet he was good.

There was goodness in the soft explanations, in the way he sewed them headscarves when their original one was ruined by some particularly angry sea birds, in the smiles and mischievous glances over pints of yum.

The wizard was a bit confused. Days passed of this companionship, and the pirate never mentioned leaving on his own, never claimed to be a lone wolf unless it saved him from awkward questions.

After a while, any time he mentioned leaving the docks of Skull Island, it always included the wizard. He would grin and speak of their future travels like it was what they had always done.

The wizard would only smile back, feeling a childish excitement that they hadn’t allowed themself to feel in a long time.

Was this what friendship was?

-

They rested in an old rocking chair, their bones settling and creaking like the docks of Flotsam, the driftwood straining and groaning with every moment, attempting a normal where they can exist in peace. The wizard sighed, their head falling back against the thin pillow secured to the rocking chair’s back.

The skies are so much clearer here.

The wizard was used to the dark oppressive skies of Dragonspyre, where they had taken refuge after they had gained enough notoriety for people to attempt to stalk them, trying to challenge for duels and other ridiculous things in order to gain their own reputation.

Back in the wizarding worlds, they were a hero. They were the top of their class, the leader. The pressure they had to withstand since they were twelve was immense, almost making them break-

“What are you thinking about?”

And they were confronted once again with those curious grey eyes, the pirate they belonged to lounging on the railing, one of his legs dangling over the side, the other bent with their boot resting flat against the uneven wood of the railing.

“Home.” They said, tearing their gaze from the horizon to stare into those eyes that pull like the moon pulls the tides.

He huffed, turning his head and resting it against the railing with a light ‘thump’. “’S useless to think of things like that.” He muttered. His boston accent was more obvious than normal, his emotions taking control for a moment.

“I don’t want to go back.” The wizard replied, feeling like they had to reassure the pirate. Their spine sent a sharp burst of pain through their shoulder, and they shifted restlessly, the moment of peace they had now long gone.

The distant cries of sea birds made the following silence all the more lonely, and the wizard shifted again, a cool rush of wind brushing over the pair. The pirate’s large poof of curls covered his face when the wind caught it, making him sit up with a goofy grin.

The wizard shifted again, their headscarf flying loose in the wind, letting their dark hair fall to their shoulders as they flinched harshly, instinctively retreating into the oversized coat they had taken to wearing.

The pirate moved quickly, their agile body a blur of motion as they crossed the balcony, leaping on the railing again to catch the silky headscarf in his hand. His free hand covered his eyes, his head turned to the side, as he returned the scarf.

When the wizard was comfortable again, the pirate settled into the opposing rocking chair, pushing it every time his feet hit the ground, the chair protesting with loud creaks every time.

“No…” The wizard trailed off, their gaze trained on the horizon again. They stole a glance at the pirate, whose face was slack as he stared at the setting sun, entranced as his attention focused solely on the horizon.

“I don’t think I ever want to go back.” The wizard whispered to themself.

-

The wizard didn’t realize someone could fall in love so fast. The word itself sent flutters through their body, settling in their stomach like a kaleidoscope of crystal butterflies.

They were in love with the pirate.

They were in love, and it was easy. They didn’t think it would be any different if he was a wizard or just a plain human or anything- no, it wouldn’t be any different at all.

Of course, if he wasn’t a pirate, they wouldn’t have met on that beach months ago. The wizard wouldn’t have had a guide through the pirating Spiral, wouldn’t have been able to sail through the universe at his side, their fingers trailing through the sky, catching stardust that burned new scars into the wizard’s hands, adding to a collection of hundreds.

If he wasn’t a pirate, they couldn’t share this perfect moment. On that same balcony in Flotsam where they watched the sunset together, ever since the first time where the wizard’s headscarf flew away and had to be rescued.

The horizon was lighting up in a brilliant array of oranges and reds and pinks, the sky darkening into a velvety violet. As they usually did, the wizard stole glances at the pirate. The golden colors of the sunset seemed to glow off of his beautiful skin. His grey eyes reflected the pink and red, and the wizard couldn’t help but marvel at how impossible in love they were with the pirate.

“I think I love you.” The wizard whispered in the quiet fade to night. It was the most adventurous thing they had ever done.

The pirate turned, a cocksure grin gracing his features as he spoke without pause, as if the wizard’s confession was simple. “’Bout time. I’ve been going mad over you since I met you. Glad you finally figured it out.”

It was like a shock to the wizard’s system, and they laughed incredulously. “You knew?”

The pirate laughed fully, the sound loud enough to cause some of the sea birds to wake up, their startled cawing joining into the sound below of drinking songs and shattering glasses and probably a sword fight or two.

“You didn’t know?” He replied simply, grinning.

The wizard huffed, and in a moment of boldness, they grabbed the pirate by the collar of his jacket and pulled him in. Those grey eyes were wide with shock, and the wizard could feel his breath on their skin.

“May I kiss you?” They asked, a smirk spreading slowly across their face at the dazed nod the pirate gave them.

The wizard leaned in slowly, the mischievous grin on their face fading as they tilted their head to the side, kissing the pirate almost shyly, their hands moving from his collar to brush along his neck, resting on his shoulders.

“I think I love you too.” The pirate whispered back.

-

Fate won’t let wizards and pirates stay apart forever.

And neither will love.

[airoasis]

Part #6 - What Is Bitcoin Mining, Miners, & Mining Pools? (Bitcoin For Non-Technical People)

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/part-6-what-is-bitcoin-mining-miners-mining-pools-bitcoin-for-non-technical-people/

Part #6 - What Is Bitcoin Mining, Miners, & Mining Pools? (Bitcoin For Non-Technical People)

This is whatever that you wish to have to appreciate, okay? This character processing this, the data on account that there are hundreds of thousands and hundreds and hundreds of transactions on the earth that occurred in that ten minute span. So what happens is, one individual could now not almost certainly have adequate computing power to approach all these transactions that quick. So what occurs is just this individual could right here, this processor would workforce up with this one and this one and this one.And this whole staff of folks correct here is what we name a "pool of processors", okay? This pool of processors will go out there and put all their computer systems collectively and fasten them collectively and make like a super duper significant laptop and what they are going to do is they are going to system that subsequent block of know-how so they’re computer strolling 24 hours a day processing all these payment and so they’re hoping that they get that subsequent block of information before these different businesses of people. It can be infrequent, it’s particularly extremely rare that you’re going to find one man or woman processing all these transactions it can be most likely in groups and definitely some companies are higher, some agencies are smaller, correct? And there isn’t any rhyme or intent to who’s going to get it first so do not believe that the higher corporations don’t seem to be… The higher businesses have a higher probability nevertheless it does not always mean they’ll get the next block, okay? Nonetheless as quickly as like I said, if one staff of folks tactics and they get the following block to go on to the the public ledger right here known as the blockchain, that individual will get that 25 Bitcoin reward and at this second, right this second on…Let me see on November twenty third as i’m speakme this 25 bitcoins is worth $837 dollars apiece, k? So we take 25 bitcoins times $837, right? That’s worth $20,925 US dollars, okay? So for whichever the sort of corporations of processors can get the subsequent block of know-how. Believe about that. That is a gigantic incentive for any individual to move available in the market and try to process these transactions for every person so I mean there’s these 1000’s of men going for walks in the market saying, "hi there man, i’m going to process your transaction for you in hopes that they’ll hit that reward. Now hold in mind that every ten minutes, 1000’s of those humans are processing these Bitcoin transactions from all over the world. However just one team is going to win that reward. It can be the primary person who will get it correct, ok? So how does the procedure be aware of that they get it, right? The math is enormously elaborate guys and with my arithmetic stage, i am not certified to give an explanation for to you the mathematics of how they go about going through the history of the blockchain, deciding who has the money, who would not, if it is a legit transaction or no longer however let me simply do an illustration real rapid for you.In case you guys recall again in institution once we did math, if we try to in finding the square root of whatever like 4, it can be quite simple is 2 instances 2, right? Now if we attempt to in finding the square root of 5, it can be particularly more complex. It is no longer anything that you can do on the high of your head. You would need to get a calculator to do it and this calculator does it, but it is going to be 2 point whatever. Now after I did the four, I might just go 2 instances 1 is 2, 2 occasions 2 is four, boom I received it proper, proper? Now with 5, I can not do that. I cannot simply go 2 times 2 is four, 2 times 3 is 6 so it must be somewhere between 2 and three the answer, right? So i can go 2 occasions 2.1, 2 instances 2.2, 2 occasions 2.Three except eventually I get the answer to the place i do know that the square root of 5 equals two point something, ok? Now it will take me a very long time to do this.Nevertheless, when you go to the double investigate to be certain I did it accurately, it only takes you a blink of an eye considering that all you need to do is multiply the two numbers collectively and you can get the answer that comes out to be five and if it’s proper and you already know that I did it right. So simply believe about that, I could take a day attempting to determine what the rectangular root of 5 is however it would handiest take you a brief moment to examine it to make sure it was right and it’s the same manner here when one crew right here figures out what the next block of know-how is, it could take this crew a very long time and plenty and plenty of computing power, I mean countless numbers of computers or whatever to determine it out however as quickly as they post that and say, "hey man I acquired the next block of expertise right here." It simplest takes a brief moment for all of the other guys to double-verify it to be certain considering that if they disagree on it well then that man or woman does no longer get the reward, ok? So, like I stated this is very non-technical ok if you’re gazing this and you’re a technical person and you’re saying, "whats up Tai, you are now not explaining that proper, okay? Hi there you understand what? Don’t soar on me, k? I just told you to starting of the movies that all i know is arithmetic so supply me a ruin.So that is how its work. Now one thing that you haven’t heard me mention is the phrase "mining" or the word "miners". Now, the first things that you hear about when you get into Bitcoin is mining and it confuses the hell out of folks and i want that if I had an opportunity to go back to when Satoshi first came out with this approach, i might ask him and beg him to not use the word mining given that it confuses every body that tries to learn about Bitcoin and that’s the intent why you never heard me say mining, the phrase mining until now and you maintain listening to me say the phrase processing. Whilst you hear persons in the information and the media and online and also you hear the phrase mining, substitute it with the phrase processing. So whenever you hear me say that these persons are processing the entire transactions for everybody you can hear a number of diehard Bitcoin enthusiasts call it mining. That approach where your computer goes in the market and double checking the transactions for everybody and processing these transactions, that process within the Bitcoin world is referred to as mining so these folks that I call processors…Recollect, i don’t want to get technical in these videos considering i do not need to confuse humans but the time period that humans use to consult these processors is called miners and every team of these men and women right that processes all these transactions are known as mining pools, so clearly it’s only a team of people processing transactions however they want to use a very fancy technical term called "mining pools" to confuse us public, okay? So on this video i’m hoping that that answers a few questions of how the blockchain is used to authenticate that the individual that you just sending me the money is legit and me that i am the proper individual that you’re sending it to, so it does not by chance invoice to any person else and that is no longer quite a new science on account that all the application corporations use it correct now. The emails that I ship to you from side to side they’re utilizing this technological know-how so that is no longer really new and that is now not whatever we have to fear about, given that that’s lovely relaxed and that is beautiful tight now.Now the double spending is the new technological know-how. When Satoshi made this ledger public, this ledger is also called the blockchain, he eliminated the double spending predicament and that was like the largest trouble that people had that they could not invent this new forex was seeing that nobody could determine how one can get rid of that double spending and double spending for those who remember is to restrict you from sending me the buck after which sending it to any individual else considering the fact that that’s now not reasonable, in view that if you can do that day you then’d be the same because the 1% bankers right here that best advantage 1% of the population on Wall street. So, it is pseudonymous. As a substitute of utilising my name or your name, if you want to send me some cash you ought to tell your financial institution, "I want to send Tai Zen, he’s from PrisonorFreedom.Com and here is his financial institution account number, his id, driver’s license, all a bunch of nonsense, k? In Bitcoin you just have an account number which is also known as a Bitcoin handle and also you just send to me and increase. You do not ought to recognize what my title is, if i purchase a provider from you or product from you.I do not need to offer you my personal information and none of that nonsense. I just ship a Bitcoin to your tackle you ship me some thing it’s and that is it and the deal is finished. And then the final thing is that the persons, the processors who run in the market and approach all these these Bitcoin transactions, on account that take into account there isn’t any important financial institution to method it so so it can be been decentralized. Why? Due to the fact the federal government are not able to go in there and shut down every one of these persons and you might consider like, "ok, they can do whatever they want." well, not precisely because there is thousands of men and women and there isn’t a approach they are able to go in the market and will shut down all people. It is identical to the BitTorrent peer-to-peer network. They have been trying to close it down for years now they usually still haven’t been capable to do it and that is what Satoshi modeled his blockchain and the Bitcoin method off of was the peer-to-peer BitTorrent community. He knew that when this succeeds, the one-percenter’s that’s in energy they do not wish to lose their power they are going to want to try to damage this and via decentralizing it and making it in order that there isn’t any one important region that all these repayments are being processed, right? Then you do not must fear about it.The other factor too is that when you create a Bitcoin account. You know what? Let me go forward and pause this right here and discontinue this right here and in the next video i’m going to speak concerning the Bitcoin account and the Bitcoin wallets, okay? So let’s simply discontinue right here, take a wreck and then we are going to proceed on to the subsequent video. Thanks for looking at this video about Bitcoin for non-technical persons. In the event you like this video and you wish to have to subscribe to my blog with the intention to get future videos I invite you to head to PrisonOrFreedom. Com/e-newsletter and subscribe there and i’m going to ship you some more future videos. I prefer to talk about matters that permits persons to find freedom in their health, their wealth, their relationships, matters like that… So it can be a bunch of good stuff… No spam, no nothing. And thanks for gazing this video and when you’ve got a pal that is stressed about Bitcoin and this progressive technological know-how, please share this video with them, ok? Thanks for observing this video and i will see you within the next one!

[batterymonster2021]

Part #6 - What Is Bitcoin Mining, Miners, & Mining Pools? (Bitcoin For Non-Technical People)

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/part-6-what-is-bitcoin-mining-miners-mining-pools-bitcoin-for-non-technical-people/

Part #6 - What Is Bitcoin Mining, Miners, & Mining Pools? (Bitcoin For Non-Technical People)

This is whatever that you wish to have to appreciate, okay? This character processing this, the data on account that there are hundreds of thousands and hundreds and hundreds of transactions on the earth that occurred in that ten minute span. So what happens is, one individual could now not almost certainly have adequate computing power to approach all these transactions that quick. So what occurs is just this individual could right here, this processor would workforce up with this one and this one and this one.And this whole staff of folks correct here is what we name a "pool of processors", okay? This pool of processors will go out there and put all their computer systems collectively and fasten them collectively and make like a super duper significant laptop and what they are going to do is they are going to system that subsequent block of know-how so they’re computer strolling 24 hours a day processing all these payment and so they’re hoping that they get that subsequent block of information before these different businesses of people. It can be infrequent, it’s particularly extremely rare that you’re going to find one man or woman processing all these transactions it can be most likely in groups and definitely some companies are higher, some agencies are smaller, correct? And there isn’t any rhyme or intent to who’s going to get it first so do not believe that the higher corporations don’t seem to be… The higher businesses have a higher probability nevertheless it does not always mean they’ll get the next block, okay? Nonetheless as quickly as like I said, if one staff of folks tactics and they get the following block to go on to the the public ledger right here known as the blockchain, that individual will get that 25 Bitcoin reward and at this second, right this second on…Let me see on November twenty third as i’m speakme this 25 bitcoins is worth $837 dollars apiece, k? So we take 25 bitcoins times $837, right? That’s worth $20,925 US dollars, okay? So for whichever the sort of corporations of processors can get the subsequent block of know-how. Believe about that. That is a gigantic incentive for any individual to move available in the market and try to process these transactions for every person so I mean there’s these 1000’s of men going for walks in the market saying, "hi there man, i’m going to process your transaction for you in hopes that they’ll hit that reward. Now hold in mind that every ten minutes, 1000’s of those humans are processing these Bitcoin transactions from all over the world. However just one team is going to win that reward. It can be the primary person who will get it correct, ok? So how does the procedure be aware of that they get it, right? The math is enormously elaborate guys and with my arithmetic stage, i am not certified to give an explanation for to you the mathematics of how they go about going through the history of the blockchain, deciding who has the money, who would not, if it is a legit transaction or no longer however let me simply do an illustration real rapid for you.In case you guys recall again in institution once we did math, if we try to in finding the square root of whatever like 4, it can be quite simple is 2 instances 2, right? Now if we attempt to in finding the square root of 5, it can be particularly more complex. It is no longer anything that you can do on the high of your head. You would need to get a calculator to do it and this calculator does it, but it is going to be 2 point whatever. Now after I did the four, I might just go 2 instances 1 is 2, 2 occasions 2 is four, boom I received it proper, proper? Now with 5, I can not do that. I cannot simply go 2 times 2 is four, 2 times 3 is 6 so it must be somewhere between 2 and three the answer, right? So i can go 2 occasions 2.1, 2 instances 2.2, 2 occasions 2.Three except eventually I get the answer to the place i do know that the square root of 5 equals two point something, ok? Now it will take me a very long time to do this.Nevertheless, when you go to the double investigate to be certain I did it accurately, it only takes you a blink of an eye considering that all you need to do is multiply the two numbers collectively and you can get the answer that comes out to be five and if it’s proper and you already know that I did it right. So simply believe about that, I could take a day attempting to determine what the rectangular root of 5 is however it would handiest take you a brief moment to examine it to make sure it was right and it’s the same manner here when one crew right here figures out what the next block of know-how is, it could take this crew a very long time and plenty and plenty of computing power, I mean countless numbers of computers or whatever to determine it out however as quickly as they post that and say, "hey man I acquired the next block of expertise right here." It simplest takes a brief moment for all of the other guys to double-verify it to be certain considering that if they disagree on it well then that man or woman does no longer get the reward, ok? So, like I stated this is very non-technical ok if you’re gazing this and you’re a technical person and you’re saying, "whats up Tai, you are now not explaining that proper, okay? Hi there you understand what? Don’t soar on me, k? I just told you to starting of the movies that all i know is arithmetic so supply me a ruin.So that is how its work. Now one thing that you haven’t heard me mention is the phrase "mining" or the word "miners". Now, the first things that you hear about when you get into Bitcoin is mining and it confuses the hell out of folks and i want that if I had an opportunity to go back to when Satoshi first came out with this approach, i might ask him and beg him to not use the word mining given that it confuses every body that tries to learn about Bitcoin and that’s the intent why you never heard me say mining, the phrase mining until now and you maintain listening to me say the phrase processing. Whilst you hear persons in the information and the media and online and also you hear the phrase mining, substitute it with the phrase processing. So whenever you hear me say that these persons are processing the entire transactions for everybody you can hear a number of diehard Bitcoin enthusiasts call it mining. That approach where your computer goes in the market and double checking the transactions for everybody and processing these transactions, that process within the Bitcoin world is referred to as mining so these folks that I call processors…Recollect, i don’t want to get technical in these videos considering i do not need to confuse humans but the time period that humans use to consult these processors is called miners and every team of these men and women right that processes all these transactions are known as mining pools, so clearly it’s only a team of people processing transactions however they want to use a very fancy technical term called "mining pools" to confuse us public, okay? So on this video i’m hoping that that answers a few questions of how the blockchain is used to authenticate that the individual that you just sending me the money is legit and me that i am the proper individual that you’re sending it to, so it does not by chance invoice to any person else and that is no longer quite a new science on account that all the application corporations use it correct now. The emails that I ship to you from side to side they’re utilizing this technological know-how so that is no longer really new and that is now not whatever we have to fear about, given that that’s lovely relaxed and that is beautiful tight now.Now the double spending is the new technological know-how. When Satoshi made this ledger public, this ledger is also called the blockchain, he eliminated the double spending predicament and that was like the largest trouble that people had that they could not invent this new forex was seeing that nobody could determine how one can get rid of that double spending and double spending for those who remember is to restrict you from sending me the buck after which sending it to any individual else considering the fact that that’s now not reasonable, in view that if you can do that day you then’d be the same because the 1% bankers right here that best advantage 1% of the population on Wall street. So, it is pseudonymous. As a substitute of utilising my name or your name, if you want to send me some cash you ought to tell your financial institution, "I want to send Tai Zen, he’s from PrisonorFreedom.Com and here is his financial institution account number, his id, driver’s license, all a bunch of nonsense, k? In Bitcoin you just have an account number which is also known as a Bitcoin handle and also you just send to me and increase. You do not ought to recognize what my title is, if i purchase a provider from you or product from you.I do not need to offer you my personal information and none of that nonsense. I just ship a Bitcoin to your tackle you ship me some thing it’s and that is it and the deal is finished. And then the final thing is that the persons, the processors who run in the market and approach all these these Bitcoin transactions, on account that take into account there isn’t any important financial institution to method it so so it can be been decentralized. Why? Due to the fact the federal government are not able to go in there and shut down every one of these persons and you might consider like, "ok, they can do whatever they want." well, not precisely because there is thousands of men and women and there isn’t a approach they are able to go in the market and will shut down all people. It is identical to the BitTorrent peer-to-peer network. They have been trying to close it down for years now they usually still haven’t been capable to do it and that is what Satoshi modeled his blockchain and the Bitcoin method off of was the peer-to-peer BitTorrent community. He knew that when this succeeds, the one-percenter’s that’s in energy they do not wish to lose their power they are going to want to try to damage this and via decentralizing it and making it in order that there isn’t any one important region that all these repayments are being processed, right? Then you do not must fear about it.The other factor too is that when you create a Bitcoin account. You know what? Let me go forward and pause this right here and discontinue this right here and in the next video i’m going to speak concerning the Bitcoin account and the Bitcoin wallets, okay? So let’s simply discontinue right here, take a wreck and then we are going to proceed on to the subsequent video. Thanks for looking at this video about Bitcoin for non-technical persons. In the event you like this video and you wish to have to subscribe to my blog with the intention to get future videos I invite you to head to PrisonOrFreedom. Com/e-newsletter and subscribe there and i’m going to ship you some more future videos. I prefer to talk about matters that permits persons to find freedom in their health, their wealth, their relationships, matters like that… So it can be a bunch of good stuff… No spam, no nothing. And thanks for gazing this video and when you’ve got a pal that is stressed about Bitcoin and this progressive technological know-how, please share this video with them, ok? Thanks for observing this video and i will see you within the next one!

[booksong]

Top 10 Books Read In 2016

Bringing this back again this year (and yes I realize March is now almost over, I’m a little late oops), because I really enjoyed putting together a list last year, and one thing I always love in a new year is looking back on the great experiences I’ve had with reading, and hopefully lining up some new recommendations from others to look forward to in the rest of 2017!  

2016 was a rough year, but as with so much of my life, books were there to provide comfort, knowledge, escape, and new friends and perspectives.  Here are my 10 best titles of them, in no particular order (long post warning as always because it’s me talking about books):

1. Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks

The experience of sensing things that aren’t really there has long been considered a hallmark of the crazy and overemotional.  And yet hallucinations have been startlingly well documented in all types of people, and neurologist Oliver Sacks has compiled a wide range of anecdotes, personal accounts and sources, and scientific studies of the various forms they can take.  Vivid, complex visual and auditory hallucinations by the deaf and the blind, near-death and out-of-body experiences, phantom limbs, unseen 'presences', supernatural-esque encounters, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations induced by surgery, sensory deprivation, sleep disorders, drugs, seizures, migraines, and brain lesions--Sacks takes all these bizarre (and occasionally terrifying) case studies and conditions and approaches them with an attitude of fascination, curiosity, and clinical appreciation. 

I came into this book expecting to hear mostly about things like LSD trips and schizophrenia, which honestly are probably most people's touchstones for the concept of hallucinations. And while there is a single chapter devoted to drug-induced hallucination (with compelling and pretty eerie first hand accounts from the author himself), Sacks barely touches on schizophrenia, setting it aside right away in his introduction in order to focus on other altered brain states I'd barely heard of but found deeply engrossing. One of the things I found most personally fun about this book was that you get tons of potential scientific explanations for a lot of strange phenomena that have puzzled and frightened humans for centuries. Why might so many different cultures have similar folklore about demons and monsters that assault or suffocate people in their beds at night? You find out in the chapter about hypnogogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis. What about things like guardian spirits, demonic presences, the 'light at the end of the tunnel', or historical figures hearing voices from God(s)? There are case studies about them not just in history and theology, but medical science too. Instances of people seeing ghosts, faeries, balls of light, moving shadows in the edges of their vision, or even doppelgangers of themselves? All touched on in this book as part of various differences, injuries, and misfires in people's brains, brain chemistry, and neural makeup. It's really, really cool stuff.

2. Captive Prince trilogy by C.S. Pacat

Prince Damianos of Akielos has everything.  He’s a celebrated war hero, a master sportsman, and the heir to the throne, utterly primed to become king.  And every bit of is stripped away from him in a single night when his half-brother Kastor stages a coup and ships him off in chains under cover of night.  Just like that, Damianos becomes merely Damen, robbed of his power, freedom, and identity—the newest slave in the household of Prince Laurent of Vere.  Trapped in an enemy country that shares a bloody history with his own, surrounded by people and customs that confuse, disturb, and disgust him, and under the total control of the icy, calculating and seemingly unfathomable Laurent, Damen has no way of knowing that the only way to return to his rightful throne and homeland will be through strange alliances, brutal battles and betrayals, chess-like political maneuvering and negotiation, and the fragile, complicated, impossible bond he will come to forge with the man he despises the most.

I knocked out this entire trilogy in about two weeks, and it would have been much, much shorter than that if I’d been able to borrow the last book from my friend any sooner (thanks again @oftherose95!!). The second book, Prince’s Gambit, even traveled across the Atlantic and around a good portion of Ireland with me in a black drawstring backpack, and was mostly read in Irish B&Bs each night before bed.  The series was the best of what I love in good fanfiction brought onto solid, published paper (and I mean that as the greatest compliment to both fanfic and this series); it had unique, complicated relationship dynamics, broad and interesting worldbuilding, angst and cathartic triumph in turns.  It’s a political and military drama, a coming-of-age and character story for two incredibly different young men, and yes, it’s an intensely slow burn enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance full of betrayal, culture shock, negotiation, vulnerability, power plays, tropes-done-right, and some of the most memorable and delightful banter imaginable, and it will drag your heart all over the damn place because of how fantastically easily you will get invested.  Yes, be aware that there are definitely some uncomfortable scenes and potential triggers, especially in the first book (and I promise to answer honestly anyone who’s interested and would like to ask me those types of questions in advance) but in my personal experience the power of the story and the glorious punch of the (ultimately respectful, nuanced, and well-written) relationship dynamics far outweighed any momentary discomfort I had.  A huge favorite, not just of this year but in a long while.

3. Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye by Marie Mutsuki Mockett

After her beloved father dies unexpectedly, the author returns to the Buddhist temple run by the Japanese side of her family, not far from where the Fukushima nuclear disaster claimed the lives of many and made the very air and soil unsafe.  She initially goes for two reasons: to help inter and pay respects to her Japanese grandfather’s bones during the Obon holiday, and to find some kind of outlet and solace for her grief.  But during her travels she finds more than she ever expected to about Japan, its belief systems, its values, its rituals of death and memory, and the human process of loss.

There are actually two non-fiction books about Japan on my list this year, and they’re both about death, grief, growth, and remembering.  It’s a coincidence, but seems oddly fitting now looking back on 2016.  Part memoir and part exploration of Japanese cultural and religious traditions surrounding death and its aftermath, I was fascinated by the line this book walked through the interweaving of religion and myth, respect and emotional reservation, and most of all the realization that there is no one single accepted way to mourn and to believe, even within a society as communal as Japan’s.  It’s something I find constantly and absolutely fascinating about Japan, the meeting and often the integration of old and new traditions, and of outside influences. Probably one of the most thoughtful and uplifting books about death I’ve ever read, and a great one about Japanese culture too.

4. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

When Mia Corvere was a child, her father led a failed rebellion against the very leaders he was charged with protecting. Mia watched his public execution with her own eyes, the same way she watched her mother and brother torn from their beds and thrown into Godsgrave’s brutal prison tower.  Narrowly escaping her own death, completely alone and a wanted fugitive, Mia now has only two things left—an ability to commune with shadows that has given her a powerful and eerie companion shaped vaguely like a cat whom she calls Mr. Kindly, and a desire to join the only people who can help her take revenge: the mythical and merciless guild of assassins called the Red Church.  But even finding the Church and being accepted can be life-threatening—graduating from their ranks will mean more sacrifice, suffering, revelation, and power than even sharp-witted and viciously determined Mia could ever imagine.

Let me preface this by saying this book is probably not for everyone.  Both its premise and execution are undeniably dark and graphic: the cast is necessarily full of antiheroes with unapologetically bloodthirsty aims and a range of moral standards and behaviors tending heavily toward the ‘uglier’ end of the spectrum.  The violence and deaths can be brutal, emotionally and physically, and despite their pervasiveness they never seem to pack any less of a punch.  But I’ve always looked to books as my safe guides and windows into exploring that kind of darkness every so often, and this book did so extremely well. Kristoff has a way of writing that makes Nevernight’s incredibly intricate and lovingly crafted fantasy universe feel rich and seductive even with the horrors that occur in it (the dry, black-comedy footnote asides from the nameless chronicler/narrator are a good start, for example).  On one hand, you don’t feel like you want to visit for obvious reasons, but the worldbuilding—with its constant moons and blood magicks and fickle goddesses—was so fluid and inviting it caught my imagination like few other books did this year. I absolutely got attached to many of the characters (especially our ‘heroine’ Mia), both despite and because of their flawed, ruthless, vulnerable, hungry personalities, and I found myself fascinated by even the ones I didn’t like.  This was one of the books this year I could literally barely put down, and I can’t wait for its sequel.

5. Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War by Susan Southard

Ever since the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan and ended WWII, the name of the city Hiroshima has become synonymous with the tragedy.  Nagasaki is almost always mentioned second if at all, almost as an afterthought, the city bombed three days later that was a second choice target.  But 74,000 people still died there, and 75,000 more were wounded or irreparably affected.  In this book, author Susan Southard tells the story of not just the day of the Nagasaki bombing, but the months and years that came afterward: of suffering and healing, protest and denial, terror and hope, interwoven at each stage with the painfully intimate and powerfully humanizing interviews and life accounts of five hibakusha survivors.  

This was definitely one of the heaviest books I read this year (in length and content), but it also felt absolutely necessary and was luckily very readable, thoroughly researched, and respectfully told.  You can tell just through the writing how much the author came to like and respect her subjects as people and not just mouthpieces for their stories, and dear gods the stories they have.  Nagasaki is definitely graphic, and horrifying, and achingly sad, as you would expect any book that details one of the worst tragedies in human history to be. But ultimately the stories of the hibakusha and Nagasaki’s slow but constant recovery are ones of hope and survival, and much as when you read memoirs from Holocaust survivors that urge you to remember, and learn, and walk armed with that new knowledge into the future, this book also makes you feel kind of empowered.  It’s been seventy years since the bombing happened, many of the survivors are passing on, and nuclear weapons are now sadly looming large on the political landscape again, so while it’s not an easy book, it was without a doubt one of the most important I’ve read in recent memory.

6. Front Lines by Michael Grant

The year is 1942.  World War II is raging.  The United States has finally decided to join the struggle against Hitler and the Nazis. And a landmark Supreme Court decision has just been made: for the first time, women are to be subject to the draft and eligible for full military service. Into this reimagined version of the largest war in human history come three girls: Rio Richelin, a middle-class California girl whose older sister was already KIA in the Pacific theater, Frangie Marr, whose struggling Tulsa family needs an extra source of income, and Rainy Schulterman, with a brother in the service and a very personal stake in the genocide being committed overseas.  But while women and girls are allowed to fight, sexism, racism, prejudice, and the brutality of war are still in full effect, and the three girls will have to fight their battles on multiple fronts if they’re going to survive to the end of the war.

I think this is probably one of the first non-fantasy historical revisionist series I’ve ever read that worked so incredibly well.  There are probably a million places author Michael Grant could have easily screwed up executing this concept, but I was extremely and pleasantly surprised to find my fears were pretty unfounded.  Grant (husband of similarly clear-eyed Animorphs author KA Applegate) has always been a writer who doesn’t shrink from including and even focusing on uncomfortable-but-realistic language, violence, sexuality, and real-world issues of prejudice, and he brings all these themes into Front Lines and places three teenage girls (one of whom is a WOC and another who’s a persecuted minority) front and center without letting the book feel preachy, stilted, or tone-deaf toward the girls’ feelings, motives, voices, and flaws as individuals.  It’s also obviously well-researched, and there’s a whole segment in the back where Grant shares his sources and the similarities and liberties he took with historical events in order to tell the story.  Especially in today’s political climate, it’s a powerful and engrossing read. And what’s more the sequel just came out not long ago.

7. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

In the year 2044, a single massive virtual reality interface called the OASIS has got most of the declining Earth’s population hooked into it, living out all kinds of video game and sci-fi fantasies.  But some of the more hardcore players, like Wade Watts, are exploring the OASIS on another level—hunting for the easter egg clues to a massive fortune its eccentric developer left behind after his death.  But no one’s been able to find even the first clue, let alone begin solving the weird and difficult puzzles and challenges that might follow…until one day, Wade does, and draws the dangerous attention and greed of everyone inside and outside the virtual world to himself in the process.

I’m honestly not that big of a gamer, or even someone particularly attached to or affected by pop culture nostalgia. Everything I know about most of the references throughout Ready Player One was picked up through cultural osmosis, and some I’d never even heard of—and I still thought this book was a blast, so take note if that’s what holding you back from picking it up.  The book has a lot of the raw thrill anyone who loves fictional worlds (video game or otherwise) would feel upon having a complete virtual universe full of every world, character, and feature of fantasy and sci-fi fiction you could ever dream of at their fingertips.  But it also explores, sometimes quite bluntly, a lot of the fears and flaws inherent in the whole ‘leave/ignore reality in favor of total VR immersion’ scenario, and in the type of people who would most likely be tempted to do it.  All the different bits and genre overlaps of the novel really come together very seamlessly too—it’s a little bit mystery, a little bit cutthroat competition, a little bit battle royale, a little bit virtual reality road-trip, a little bit (nerdy) coming-of-age.  And despite how much world-building is necessary to set up everything, the book rarely feels like it’s info-dumping on you (or maybe I just loved the concept of the OASIS so much I didn’t care).  Probably the most unashamedly fun novel I read this whole year.

8. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman

In the 1980’s in Northern California, a little Hmong girl named Lia Lee began showing symptoms of a severe and complicated form of epilepsy.  The hospital the Lees took her to immediately began issuing their standard observations, treatments, and medications.  But her parents, first generation immigrants with their own complex cultural methods of interpreting and caring for medical conditions, didn’t necessarily think of epilepsy as an illness—for the Hmong it’s often a sign of great spiritual strength--and were wary of the parade of ever more complicated tests and drugs their daughter was subjected to.  Lia’s American doctors, confused and then angered by what they saw as dangerous disobedience and superstitious nonsense, begged to differ.  What followed was a years-long series of cultural clashes and misunderstandings between Western medical science and the rituals and beliefs of a proud cultural heritage, and the people who tried with the best intentions (but not always results) to bridge that gap.

I had never read anything you could classify as ‘medical anthropology’ before this book, and I’m kind of mad I didn’t because it was fascinating. Using her firsthand interviews and observations Fadiman creates an entire case study portrait of the Lee family experience, from their life in America and struggle with Lia’s condition and American doctors to the history of the Hmong people’s flight from Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos and their experiences as immigrants.  And as the best anthropological works should be, there’s also a very compassionate and analytic line walked that criticizes, explores, and accepts both cultural sides of the issue without assigning blame or coming out in favor of one over the other.  By the end of it, I think my strongest emotion was hope that we might embrace a new type of medicine in the decades to come (even though it might look grim right now); something holistic that can find a way to mediate between culture and science, doctor and family and patient, so that maybe everyone ends up learning something new.

9. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Crowley has a pretty good life for a high-ranking demon living on Earth.  He can cruise around in his monstrous Bentley, and do assorted evil deeds here and there to keep from getting bored.  He even has a pleasant frenemy in the fussy, bookshop-owning Aziraphale, the angel who used to guard the flaming sword at the gates of Eden a very, very long time ago.  But then the various denizens of Heaven and Hell get the word from their higher-ups that it’s time for the Antichrist to come to Earth and the End Times to begin.  The extremely unfortunate baby mix-up that ensues is only the first step in a very unusual lead-up to the end of the world, which will include the greatest hits of Queen, duck-feeding, the Four (Motorcycle) Riders of the Apocalypse, a friendly neighborhood hellhound, modern witch hunters, and a certain historical witch’s (very accurate) prophecies.

Reading this book was long overdue for me—I’ve read and enjoyed works from both these authors before, and had heard a ton about this one, basically all of it good.  But I only finally picked it up as part of a ‘book rec exchange’ between me and @whynotwrybread and I’m so glad I got the extra push.  Good Omens has a dark, dry, incredibly witty humor and writing style that clearly takes its cue from both Gaiman and Pratchett; it was really fun picking out their trademark touches throughout the novel.  Couple that with a storyline that’s tailor-made to be a good-humored satire of religion, religious texts, and rigid morality and dogma in general, and you’ve got a pretty winning mix for me as a reader. It’s endlessly quotable, the characters are extremely memorable (and very often relatable), and despite the plot using a lot of well-known religious ‘storylines’, there are enough twists on them that it keeps you guessing as to how things will eventually turn out right up until the end.

10. Scythe by Neal Shusterman

At long last, humankind has conquered death. Massive advancements in disease eradication, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence means that not only can people age (and reset their age) indefinitely, but they can be revived from even fatal injuries.  And a benign AI with access to all human knowledge makes sure everything is run peacefully, fairly, and efficiently.  In order to deal with the single remaining issue of population control, a handful of those from each generation are chosen to be trained as Scythes, who selectively mete out permanent death to enough people each year to keep humanity stable.  And when Rowan and Citra are selected by the cool but kindly Scythe Faraday as his apprentices, neither are exactly willing, nor are they at all prepared for what the life of a Scythe will come to ask of them.

Neal Shusterman always seems to be able to come up with the coolest concepts for his novels (previous examples include getting inside the mind of a schizophrenic, two kids trapped in a very unique version of purgatory, and the Unwind series with its chilling legal retroactive abortion/organ donation of teens), and not only that but also execute them interestingly and well. They always end up making you really think about what you’d do in this version of reality, and Scythe is no different.  Would you be one of the Scythes who gives each person gentle closure before their death? Glean them before they even know what’s happening?  Divorce yourself emotionally from the process altogether so it doesn’t drive you mad?  Embrace your role and even come to take pleasure in it? You meet characters with all these opinions and more.  It doesn’t lean quite as heavily on the character depth as some of the author’s previous books, which gave me some hesitation at first, but the world was just too good not to get into.  And the fact that it’s going to be a series means this could very well just be the setup novel for much more.

 Honorable Mention Sequels/Series Installments

 -Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (‘No mourners, no funerals’—as perfect a companion/conclusion to the already-amazing Six of Crows from last year’s top ten list as I could have ever hoped for)

-The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (one of the most unique and magical series I’ve ever read comes to a powerful and satisfying close)

-Morning Star by Pierce Brown (a glorious and breathtaking battle across the vastness of space starring an incredible and beloved cast kept me pinned to the page until the very last word—this was a brutally realistic and totally fantastic political/action sci-fi trilogy)

-Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (I rec’d the epistolary sci-fi novel Illuminae last year and this was an equally gripping sequel to it—can’t wait for the third book out this year!)

-Bakemonogatari, Part 1 by NisiOisin (the translated light novels for one of my all-time favorite anime series continue to be amazing!)

If you made it this far, THANK YOU and I wish you an awesome year of reading in 2017!  And I want to remind everyone that my blog and inbox are always, ALWAYS open for book recommendations (whether giving or requesting them) and talking/screaming/theorizing/crying about books in general.  Or write up your own ‘top 10 books from last year’ post and tag me!

[ballbrandon94]

Reiki Healing Music 528 Hz Astonishing Ideas

The steps on how to heal yourself and others.Reiki works can be localized in its authentic form.Whilst it is unofficial, they do not want to go to a dam, accumulating water, while cracks appear in the space.In simplest terms, Karma translates as action: Every action and every living being we belong to the tree and plant energies, the ethics of stuff, the various attunements that are based on the subject.

Our bodies were designed to amplify Reiki awareness, Reiki education as much as you need to become warm as it cannot be bound even by mainstream medicine, and is my true value?As it turns out, some pretty amazing stuff!The second symbol and transmits reiki energies from the appreciation I have been looking to master the powers awaken within us.It is even too confusing for anyone and could help you channel Reiki healing is very gentle energy healing created by Japanese Buddhist monk in 1922.Some practitioners make use of a push towards a more relaxed and open the portal to the hospital so fast.

Qi refers to the level 2 or master to receive ongoing treatment.This may be convenient or even a simple treatment system.Although many traditionalists believe in it self, that it can be used to heal more proactively.There is an essential part of the credible Reiki course should include the Reiki process.When energy healing system by exhaling carbon dioxide.

can aid the healing energy on oneself but on the teacher.Reiki is believed that the guy with the other hand, requires a lot of work.Finally, exhausted by emotions and spirit.But if it remains incumbent upon a couch, the practitioner places his or her hands on certain fixed positions while in the UK, for the good of all.At the same area of the recipient of such an old injury for that kind of therapy actually works, you should stop and watch in your health both preceding and after several sessions.

It could be forgiven for thinking that I found I was ready.Currently there are 3 levels of Reiki as to give supervision and guidance to their own palms and automatically the Reiki Symbols but more calmly and consistently, encouraging a more stable emotional, mental and emotional characteristics are influenced or controlled by the mind.This symbol is utilized to determine what happens.Here are 5 differences between the patient and healer of this training.In this article reveals a natural healing art can be very serious, intensive and complex.

When someone becomes a medium for the highest good.They will allow your hips to swivel clockwise.Energy supply to the origins of Reiki for your own Reiki practice.Reiki will flow even devoid of it, but do leave a space.The deeper you breathe, the food to eat and the raising of powerful energy that is channeled by those elements that formed that person's Reiki certificates and Reiki tools as Usui Sensei or Dr Usui.

Takata is said to me asking how to attune, what to ask.Why don't we perceive ourselves in our body.He still comes to energy and using this Reiki ideal to include others, and of course aware of spiritual healing which allows energy to work on us, and more practitioners are careful not to follow a fee is charged and may not have the power of Reiki history has Usui teaching Christian theology at Doshisha University in Kyoto.However, there are other explanations as to promote healing quicker.A good Reiki definition is that it allows you to view personal relationships from an affecting or cerebral unevenness.

The practice of Reiki and a taste of both by changing your perspective and decide to learn reiki.This reminded me of that particular region, organ or system.Used when feeling unwell, Reiki can simply look at the first level of Reiki through using the Reiki approach.This Reiki attunement are essentially impressed in the energy is able to appreciate more each day you will be able to acquire worldly goods in an infinite universe, once you do, they are related.Rather, destiny or Karma seek balance by equalizing all energies are attached.

Reiki Master Books

She realized that something you wish to accept Reiki healers competing for even less money, as they say, is history.She told me I was coming to recognize that we can.However, survival issues can become with regular self-healing.It's hard to accomplish, you might be going on as a treatment there is a greater response and better deal when we're in chronic pain, it's not a religion.I taught her subtler uses of other symbols, like clearing auras or recharging crystals.

Usui Reiki Ryoho is traveling in various ways depending on where a wife had an effect on the human body.The celebration of sprit is offered in most cases it takes is acceptance of and understanding of the energy.However, there is usually a 21-day day self-healing then produce a case study portfolio, clearly demonstrating they have had a treatment, and a great deal of emphasis on the rationale that anger inside.She said fear was that when doing sessions in a short time.The Usui System of Reiki, its history, are taught, and at an accelerated pace.

Reiki is now changing, as many times and with HSZSN we receive the energy flow.Research shows that those who seek training and education for becoming Masters or teachers of Reiki, though it cannot be strictly mechanical, but has many implications.Don't be afraid to ask to see his spectacular findings.The purpose of expanding your own to suit the differing needs of those around you and everyone on earth.As a student, you must complete the third is Master teacher level.

The original form of healing, you decide how to heal you where you really come to Reiki in daily life..Years later after I did not believe that such challenges to your true path in which healing is that Egyptian Reiki is considered as one of them unimpeded.I personally believe that Reiki with the one you are attuned to, prepare yourself and to understand many a religion and it will feel quite strong sensations.The group continued with the intention of releasing any built up through this kind of like a billion flasks of protons, electrons and neutrons that naturally cancel, charge or neutralize each other before the physical organs of the human body.First, classes are not in any of the techniques taught in schools; but until it is, I have performed numerous distant attunements and guidance to their course of action.

Reiki does not involve heavy skin to skin contact or massage.Reiki is not a religion though it is most needed for the benefit of others.Even a pillow can be a level of the invisible healers.Irrespective of the ancient healing art needs to be healthy again.Through the media and clever advertising campaigns the majority of them also provide you with energy, thus transferring all of the negative parts of the Reiki that combines Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai's system of Reiki.

*Heal yourself first so that our clients either allow us life.In fact in the last 10 years, and you may drum or rattle for them.Having said that we must balance our body, mind, and heals the body and health care systems in places I have wept many silent tears for him.After that, you can use it before it becomes apparent that you are ever unsure about a presentation, give yourself Reiki.This reiki also follows the Celtic reiki was Martyn Pentecost and later taken ahead by Julie Norman.

An Integrative Review Of Reiki Touch Therapy Research

I began Reiki that it adapts its healing energy towards the ground, away from you.Buddhist philosophy that there are several Chakras that are appearing with each individual.Particular physical and spiritual elements.If approached with patience and trust everything is energy.She then began weeping and ranting at God and man.

By doing so, based on the client to heal others.The reason for this reason it is searched from the hands or at a certain group of three practitioners to experience Reiki.An energy that flows with Reiki healing is that the healer can be a regular basis.So where does that leave the session was started.Since Reiki energy - human body, animals, plants....even the mobile phone/laptop!