#corporate design define

[robertreich]

Project 2025: The MAGA Plan to Take Your Freedom 

A second Trump term would be more dangerous than the first — in part because of something called Project 2025, a plan to extend Trump’s grip into every part of your life.

Trump’s gross incompetence in his first term wasn’t all bad. It kept some of his most extreme goals out of reach. That’s why his inner circle, including more than 20 officials from his first term, have written a step-by-step playbook to make a second term brutally efficient.

At nearly a thousand pages, it’s longer than most Stephen King novels, and a lot scarier. The Associated Press wasn’t kidding when they called it “a plan to dismantle the US government and replace it with Trump’s vision,”

Project 2025 is a road map to ban abortion, give greedy corporate oligarchs everything they want, and strip Americans of our most basic freedoms — all without needing any support from Congress.

There’s more to it than I can get into, but here are three things I want you to know.

#1 How would Project 2025 work?

Every nonpartisan government agency would be turned into an arm of the MAGA agenda.

Some of the worst things Trump reportedly tried to do as president — like having the military  shoot protesters or seize voting machines to overturn the election  — were only stopped because sensible leaders in the military or the professional civil service refused to go along with it.

In a second term, there would be no sensible leaders in the military or professional civil service because Trump would fire anyone more loyal to the Constitution than to him.

Trump started the process in October 2020 with an executive order that would have let him fire tens of thousands of civil servants and replace them with MAGA henchmen. I’m talking about traditionally non-political positions, like scientists at scientific agencies and accountants at the IRS.

Trump could not act on the executive order then because he lost the election. If he wins now, he’s pledged to pick up where he left off and go further…

TRUMP: …making every executive branch employee fireable by the President of the United States.

#2 Project 2025 is about controlling Americans’ lives & bodies

Restricting abortion is such a big part of Project 2025 that the word “abortion” appears 198 times in the plan.

Trump largely made good on his campaign promise to ban abortion.

Thanks to Trump’s Supreme Court justices, 1 in 3 American women of childbearing age live in states with abortion bans. Project 2025 would make that even worse, without needing new laws from Congress.

Page 458 of the playbook calls for a MAGA-controlled FDA to reject medical science and reverse approval of the medications used in 63% of all abortions, effectively banning them.

Page 455 plans “abortion surveillance” and the creation of a registry that could put people who cross state lines to get an abortion at risk of prosecution.

Another way around Congress is to enforce arcane laws that are still technically on the books. Page 562 plans for a MAGA-controlled Justice Department to enforce the Comstock Act of 1873, which bans the mailing of “anything designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion.” This could be used to block the shipment of any medications or medical instruments needed for abortions.

But Project 2025’s control of American families goes even further. It plans for government agencies to define life as beginning at conception — a position at odds with the process used for in vitro fertilization.

Page 451 declares that “Families comprised of a married mother, father, and their children are the foundation of a well-ordered nation and healthy society,” thereby stigmatizing single parents, same-sex couples, unmarried coparents, and childless couples.

Project 2025 even takes a stand against adoption, declaring on p. 489 that “all children have a right to be raised by the men and women who conceived them.”

#3 Project 2025 would turn America into a police state.

Maybe you live in a blue city or state, where you think plans like arresting teachers and librarians over banned books (which is on p. 5) could never happen. Well, guess again.

Trump has said one of the big things he’d do differently in a second term is override mayors and governors to take over local law enforcement.

Page 553 lays out how to do this, and even plans for Trump’s Justice Department to prosecute district attorneys he disagrees with.

Immigration enforcement is to be conducted like a war, with the military deployed within the U.S., and millions of undocumented immigrants rounded up and placed into newly constructed holding camps. This is outlined starting on p. 139.

Members of the Project 2025 team also reportedly told the Washington Post about plans to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy the military against anti-Trump protests.

There is much more to Project 2025. There are more than a hundred pages of anti-environmental policies that would help Trump make good on what he reportedly promised to do for oil executives if they contribute a billion dollars to his reelection. It would make drilling and mining a top national priority while killing clean energy projects, barring the EPA from regulating carbon emissions, and replacing all government climate scientists with climate deniers.

There are even cartoonishly cruel plans like slaughtering wild horses. Yes, that’s really in there on p. 528.

I thought I understood the stakes of this election, but reading this plan… Well, it gave me chills. If Trump gets the chance to put this plan into place, he will. The country it would turn America into would be hard for any of us to recognize.

[blogport]

EPOXYSHİNE - DRAGON+ (5)

When it comes to enhancing the aesthetic and functional qualities of your floors, solid color epoxy flooring stands out as a top choice. Renowned for its durability and ease of maintenance, this sleek flooring option offers a seamless look that transforms any space into a modern haven. Beyond the allure of solid colors, the world of epoxy flooring also features exciting variations like the vibrant epoxy flake floors. These innovative surfaces blend color flakes into a clear resin, providing a unique texture and visual appeal that can suit any design vision. 

Solid Color Epoxy Floor

When it comes to flooring solutions, the solid color epoxy floor stands out for its durability and aesthetic appeal. This type of flooring is created by mixing epoxy resin with hardeners, resulting in a seamless, impermeable surface that can withstand heavy foot traffic and harsh conditions.

One of the significant advantages of solid color epoxy floors is their versatility. These floors can be customized to fit various color schemes and designs, making them an excellent choice for both residential and commercial spaces. Whether you prefer a bold and vibrant tone or a more subtle hue, there's a solid epoxy color to meet your needs.

Additionally, the maintenance of a solid color epoxy floor is relatively simple. Regular cleaning with mild soap and water is often sufficient to keep the floor looking new. This low-maintenance feature, combined with its long-lasting nature, makes it a cost-effective flooring solution in the long run.

Epoxy Flake Floor

If you're looking for a versatile and aesthetically pleasing flooring option, epoxy flake floor is an excellent choice. This type of flooring combines the durability of epoxy with the decorative flair of colored flakes, creating a unique surface that's both functional and attractive.

One of the main benefits of epoxy flake floors is their resilience. They are resistant to stains, impacts, and chemicals, making them perfect for high-traffic areas such as garages, basements, or commercial spaces. Additionally, the textured surface of flake flooring provides excellent slip resistance, which enhances safety in both residential and industrial environments.

Beyond their practicality, epoxy flake floors offer endless design possibilities. You can choose from a variety of colors and sizes for the flakes, allowing you to customize your flooring to match your personal style or brand image. Whether you prefer a subtle blend or a bold statement, flake flooring can transform your space into a visually stunning area that stands out.

Flake Flooring

Flake flooring is an innovative and versatile flooring solution that combines aesthetics with durability. One of the defining features of flake flooring is its unique blend of colorful chips or flakes that are embedded into a clear epoxy base. This method not only enhances the visual appeal of the floor but also provides a strong, long-lasting surface that can withstand heavy foot traffic and wear.

Another significant advantage of flake flooring is its customizable nature. Homeowners and business owners can choose from an array of colors, shapes, and sizes of flakes, allowing them to create a floor that perfectly matches their style or corporate branding. This customization makes flake flooring an excellent choice for various applications, from residential garages to commercial spaces.

Moreover, flake flooring is easy to maintain. The smooth surface of the epoxy prevents dirt and grime from becoming lodged in the seams, making clean-up a breeze. With proper maintenance, flake flooring can maintain its vibrant appearance for years, making it a practical and stylish flooring choice.

[vaspider]

Simply put, there is a ton of fascist-chic cosplay involved. Once an officer joins the Grays, they get a special uniform designed by their tech overlords. The Grays will also donate heavily to police charities and “merge the Gray and police social networks.” Then, in a show of force, they’ll march through the city together. “A huge win would be a Gray Pride parade with 50,000 Grays,” said Srinivasan. “That would start to say: ‘Whose streets? Our streets!’ You have the A.I. Flying Spaghetti Monster. You have the Bitcoin parade. You have the drones flying overhead in formation.... You have bubbling genetic experiments on beakers.… You have the police at the Gray Pride parade. They’re flying the Anduril drones …”

Everyone would be welcome at the Gray Pride march—everyone, that is, except the Blues. Srinivasan defines the Blue political tribe as the liberal voters he implies are responsible for the city’s problems. Blues will be banned from the Gray-controlled zones, said Balaji, unlike Republicans (“Reds”). “Reds should be welcomed there, and people should wear their tribal colors,” said Srinivasan, who compared his color-coded apartheid system to the Bloods vs. Crips gang rivalry. “No Blues should be welcomed there.”

While the Blues would be excluded, they would not be forgotten. Srinivasan imagines public screenings of anti-Blue propaganda films: “In addition to celebrating Gray and celebrating Red, you should have movies shown about Blue abuses.… There should be lots of stories about what Blues are doing that is bad.”

Balaji goes on—and on. The Grays will rename city streets after tech figures and erect public monuments to memorialize the alleged horrors of progressive Democratic governance. Corporate logos and signs will fill the skyline to signify Gray dominance of the city. “Ethnically cleanse,” he said at one point, summing up his idea for a city purged of Blues (this, he says, will prevent Blues from ethnically cleansing the Grays first).

[enlightenedrobot]

Other Characters you can legally use for your Mickey Mouse project

Mickey Mouse is in the public domain, as is Minnie Mouse and Peg-leg Pete. There's some caveats to that, and I talk about that more in this other post, but for now, let's talk about other characters who you can also use to fill out the cast.

These characters should all be in the public domain, though some characters still have treademarks. I'll get into how to use them safely as we go. Anyways, let's start.

Other Disney Characters

Disney obvciously doesn't advertise this, but there's actually quite a few Disney originals who've actually been in the public domain for a while.

The Mad Doctor never had it's copyright renewed, and so it's very technically the first Mickey Mouse cartoon to enter the public domain. Keep in mind, the version of Pluto featured in the short isn't in the domain just yet, but the Doctor himself is free to use.

What's funny is that Disney would later use a version of Doctor for Epic Mickey. Obviously don't use that version of the character.

Aside from the Mad Doctor, we also have Oswald and Ortensia

Yeah, as it turns out, Oswald's been in the public domain for quite a while, but he's still trademarked by Disney. Easy recommendation... use the original "fat" design of the character and have him go by Lucky.

But before Oswald, we have the Alice Comedies

Everything about the Alice Comedies is Public Domain for a long time, and the Disney corporation very rarely acknowlege these characters existence. Which is a shame because These shorts were some of the first shorts Walt ever produced, and they have the unique gimmick of featuring a live action girl in an animated world.

Everybody already knows about Oswald, but nobody talks about Oswald and Mickey's older brother from these shorts, Julius the Cat

Like... yeah no, it didn't all start with a mouse. Or a rabbit. It started with a cat.

Foxy and Milton Mouse

Both Foxy (top) and Milton (bottom, pictured with his girlfriend Rita Mouse) were characters created by Warner Brothers and Van Beuren respectively to cash in on Mickey's success, and both characters are also in the public domain.

In fact, all Van Beuren cartoons are apparently in the public domain, and I encourage you to find their cartoons and use them as you please.

Fleischer Characters

Betty Boop is probably in the Public Domain, but there's a few caveats with this. From what I can tell, the name Betty Boop is trademarked, but the character herself isn't. Most of the old Betty Cartoons are free to use, but newer incarnations, including the versions used in 1985's The Romance of Betty Boop and 1989's The Betty Boop Movie Mystery are still very much under copyright.

To avoid any legal trouble, I have two big recommendations. Although everybody remembers Betty as having Black hair, in one of the few early instances of Betty being shown in color, she's actually depicted as Redhead.

This is Betty Boop in 1934's Poor Cinderella, and her hair color is pretty clearly red.

The other option is to just make her black.

Though there's been some debate as to whether Betty Boop was intentionally modeled after Esther Lee Jones or not, there's still no denying the influence of Jazz on the character. Betty Boop is a Jazz singer and is often depicted dancing to Cab Calloway. Hell, the Betty Boop musical features Jasmine Amy Rogers as the titular character.

Betty Boop aside, there's an entire world of defunct Betty Boop characters who are definately public domain, including Bimbo and Koko the Clown.

Next year, Popeye's also gonna enter the Domain. So keep an eye out for him too.

Anyways, these are my picks, but obviously this list isn't meant to be comprehensive. There's a ton of old cartoon characters out there who can be freely reinterpreted into newer works. Feel free to add your own favorite public domain cartoon to the list.

[cavegirlpoems]

The Two D&Ds

I am going to make two statements:

I despise D&D, and consider it a parasitic drain on ttrpgs as an artform.

I love D&D and my fascination with it continually inspires me to create art using it.

These two statements might seem to be at odds, but in fact there is no conflict when one considers that the term 'D&D' is being used to refer to two completely different things. I hate one of those things and like the other. So let's unpack that. Firstly, there's D&D-as-a-lifestyle-brand. D&D as presented by critical role, by memes about horny bards and wholesome gay tiefling found families, and by the wider hasbro-sanctioned fandom. Where the actual design and mechanics of the game are a vague suggestion that exists homeopathically in the same vicinity as what you're doing. But really, you're inventing blorbos, collecting pretty dice, and speculating on events in an actual-play on twitch; the rules in that very pretty rulebook are an afterthought to the fandom.

Then there's D&D-as-a-family-of-ttrpg-mechanics. This covers the various editions of Dungeons & Dragons - from the white-box OD&D to 5th edition and everything in between - as well as various retroclones, hacks and spin-offs such as the OSR, Pathfinder, etc. This isn't defined as a cultural space; it's a set of game mechanics and design principles shared across the text of various games. And there's a lot of variation with the specifics, but like The Blues, if you know the basic structure it all makes sense.

The two D&Ds have very little to do with each other.

When indie people like myself criticise D&D, we are usually criticising the first one. We're generally outsiders to that fandom-space who are unhappy with the way that fandom encroches on, and ultimately stiffles, everything else in ttrpgs as an artistic medium. We tend also to dislike the very shallow interest in that fandom of the things we care about in ttrpgs - game design, gameplay, theory, criticism, etc.

Here's the thing. I am, personally, immensely critical of D&D-as-lifestyle-brand. I detest it, honestly. It strikes me as a corporate exploitation of the wider medium in pursuit of an easy profit, at the expense of catering to the lowest common denominator. Like invasive kudzu, it chokes out all ecological diversity in the art-form. Its a homogenising influence, and in my experience pretty anti-intillectual.

Because, at risk of sounding like a pseud, I consider ttrpg design to be an art-form that merits serious effort, discussion and appreciation.

However. D&D-as-a-set-of-games I actually quite like. I find myself fascinated by the way so many games take apart the starting framework of a given edition of D&D - like your 12-bar-blues structure - and adapt it and riff on it and fuse it with other genres. I find it interesting to track the way whole movements and genres mutate out from that starting position. Hell, I do that myself, a lot. A lot of my design work takes the very early editions of D&D as a starting point, gets into a groove, and riffs on it until it's seemingly unrecognisable.

To me, a work like Mork Borg is D&D (the second definition). It is, however, totally unrelated and unrecognisable to D&D (the first definition).

So I will talk about "D&D as the containment game for shit players" and I mean it, because I'm talking about type-1. And I'll do that while designing a paleolithic OSR game, because that's type-2. And by and large, all that happens when both those things intersect is people get upset.

[aronarchy]

Why we don’t like it when children hit us back

To all the children who have ever been told to “respect” someone that hated them.

March 21, 2023

Even those of us that are disturbed by the thought of how widespread corporal punishment still is in all ranks of society are uncomfortable at the idea of a child defending themself using violence against their oppressors and abusers. A child who hits back proves that the adults “were right all along,” that their violence was justified. Even as they would cheer an adult victim for defending themself fiercely.

Even those “child rights advocates” imagine the right child victim as one who takes it without ever stopping to love “its” owners. Tear-stained and afraid, the child is too innocent to be hit in a guilt-free manner. No one likes to imagine the Brat as Victim—the child who does, according to adultist logic, deserve being hit, because they follow their desires, because they walk the world with their head high, because they talk back, because they are loud, because they are unapologetically here, and resistant to being cast in the role of guest of a world that is just not made for them.

If we are against corporal punishment, the brat is our gotcha, the proof that it is actually not that much of an injustice. The brat unsettles us, so much that the “bad seed” is a stock character in horror, a genre that is much permeated by the adult gaze (defined as “the way children are viewed, represented and portrayed by adults; and finally society’s conception of children and the way this is perpetuated within institutions, and inherent in all interactions with children”), where the adult fear for the subversion of the structures that keep children under control is very much represented.

It might be very well true that the Brat has something unnatural and sinister about them in this world, as they are at constant war with everything that has ever been created, since everything that has been created has been built with the purpose of subjugating them. This is why it feels unnatural to watch a child hitting back instead of cowering. We feel like it’s not right. We feel like history is staring back at us, and all the horror we felt at any rebel and wayward child who has ever lived, we are feeling right now for that reject of the construct of “childhood innocence.” The child who hits back is at such clash with our construction of childhood because we defined violence in all of its forms as the province of the adult, especially the adult in authority.

The adult has an explicit sanction by the state to do violence to the child, while the child has both a social and legal prohibition to even think of defending themself with their fists. Legislation such as “parent-child tort immunity” makes this clear. The adult’s designed place is as the one who hits, and has a right and even an encouragement to do so, the one who acts, as the person. The child’s designed place is as the one who gets hit, and has an obligation to accept that, as the one who suffers acts, as the object. When a child forcibly breaks out of their place, they are reversing the supposed “natural order” in a radical way.

This is why, for the youth liberationist, there should be nothing more beautiful to witness that the child who snaps. We have an unique horror for parricide, and a terrible indifference at the 450 children murdered every year by their parents in just the USA, without even mentioning all the indirect suicides caused by parental abuse. As a Psychology Today article about so-called “parricide” puts it:

Unlike adults who kill their parents, teenagers become parricide offenders when conditions in the home are intolerable but their alternatives are limited. Unlike adults, kids cannot simply leave. The law has made it a crime for young people to run away. Juveniles who commit parricide usually do consider running away, but many do not know any place where they can seek refuge. Those who do run are generally picked up and returned home, or go back on their own: Surviving on the streets is hardly a realistic alternative for youths with meager financial resources, limited education, and few skills.

By far, the severely abused child is the most frequently encountered type of offender. According to Paul Mones, a Los Angeles attorney who specializes in defending adolescent parricide offenders, more than 90 percent have been abused by their parents. In-depth portraits of such youths have frequently shown that they killed because they could no longer tolerate conditions at home. These children were psychologically abused by one or both parents and often suffered physical, sexual, and verbal abuse as well—and witnessed it given to others in the household. They did not typically have histories of severe mental illness or of serious and extensive delinquent behavior. They were not criminally sophisticated. For them, the killings represented an act of desperation—the only way out of a family situation they could no longer endure.

- Heide, Why Kids Kill Parents, 1992.

Despite these being the most frequent conditions of “parricide,” it still brings unique disgust to think about it for most people. The sympathy extended to murdering parents is never extended even to the most desperate child, who chose to kill to not be killed. They chose to stop enduring silently, and that was their greatest crime; that is the crime of the child who hits back. Hell, children aren’t even supposed to talk back. They are not supposed to be anything but grateful for the miserable pieces of space that adults carve out in a world hostile to children for them to live following adult rules. It isn’t rare for children to notice the adult monopoly on violence and force when they interact with figures like teachers, and the way they use words like “respect.” In fact, this social dynamic has been noticed quite often:

Sometimes people use “respect” to mean “treating someone like a person” and sometimes they use “respect” to mean “treating someone like an authority” and sometimes people who are used to being treated like an authority say “if you won’t respect me I won’t respect you” and they mean “if you won’t treat me like an authority I won’t treat you like a person” and they think they’re being fair but they aren’t, and it’s not okay.

(https://soycrates.tumblr.com/post/115633137923/stimmyabby-sometimes-people-use-respect-to-mean)

But it has received almost no condemnation in the public eye. No voices have raised to contrast the adult monopoly on violence towards child bodies and child minds. No voices have raised to praise the child who hits back. Because they do deserve praise. Because the child who sets their foot down and says this belongs to me, even when it’s something like their own body that they are claiming, is committing one of the most serious crimes against adult society, who wants them dispossessed.

Sources:

“The Adult Gaze: a tool of control and oppression,” https://livingwithoutschool.com/2021/07/29/the-adult-gaze-a-tool-of-control-and-oppression

“Filicide,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filicide

[david-talks-sw]

"The idea of it..."

This is obviously a reference to the ol' argument:

"The Jedi weren't bad but the Jedi Order as an institution needed to go."

So as a quick reminder I thought I'd point out:

1) George Lucas describes the Jedi's eradication as a sad thing, not something sad-but-necessary:

"[The] Jedi getting killed through the Order 66 of the clones is just done as one of those kind of inevitable pay offs in terms of getting rid of everybody, the Emperor is getting rid of all his enemies, but there’s a certain inevitability of it all and a sadness to it.  - Revenge of the Sith, Director’s Commentary, 2005

2) Out of 770 George Lucas quotes, I've never seen him refer to the Jedi Order as "an institution" once.

He does refer to the Republic itself as an institution.

"[In The Phantom Menace one of the many storylines is] the story of a young queen who's faced with the total annihilation of a people, and how she can get a sluggish political institution to pay attention to what's going on." - Premiere, 1999

He might be referring to the Senate instead of the Republic as a whole, but the point stands: he's not talking about the Jedi.

Which tracks with what Lucas defined as Dooku's reason for leaving the Order: his disenchantment with the Republic/Senate, not the Jedi themselves.

But let's go slightly further:

The Jedi Temple was designed as a place of worship that would contrast with the corporate coldness of the Senate.

Also, the Jedi were originally designed as a more organized police force. As the script evolved, they were turned into peacekeepers, diplomats.

Mace's room was redesigned so as to not convey that the Jedi were mired in bureaucracy and protocol.

And when describing the political situation of the Prequels, Lucas doesn't blame the Jedi, but rather the corporations and Senate:

"But as often happens when wealth and power grow beyond all reasonable proportion, an evil fueled by greed arose. The massive organs of commerce mushroomed in power, the Senate became corrupt, and an ambitious named Palpatine was voted Supreme Chancellor." - Shatterpoint, Prologue, 2004

Wow, it's looking like not only is the "Jedi Order as an institution needed to go" narrative not a thing per Lucas, but

3) Lucas went out of his way to make it clear that the Jedi aren't the issue, here, the Republic/Senate is.

So how did we get this narrative?

Well, it comes from a generation of fans and Star Wars creators who were not the target audience.

You know the type. It's the kind who, when asked if they like the Prequel Trilogy, will respond that they liked...

... but not the execution.

AKA they disliked the Prequels, but then EU books and The Clone Wars came out and provided them with enough material to form a headcanon justifying why they didn't like the Jedi, despite wanting to: it's because the Jedi are meant to be disliked! Totally!

The Jedi failed as an institution is an idea that comes from authors who wanted to engage with the material (it IS Star Wars, after all) but not the narrative that George Lucas had crafted, whose work then influenced older fans who preferred the author's retconned version of the story to the original one.

The rest is history.

As Prequels producer Rick McCallum put it:

"The myth begins on paper. During preproduction, filming, and postproduction, the myth becomes visible through the work of hundreds of dedicated people. Following the film's release, the myth becomes public and the public makes it its own." - Rick McCallum, Mythmaking: Behind the Scenes of Attack of the Clones, 2002

[bikiniarmorbattledamage]

So Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), the game which inspired the Battle Royale mode that came to define Fortnite, is doing a Chinese New Year promo themed around Journey to the West. Specifically it's themed around the trio of divine guardians who served as the primary protectors.

So briefly, I would like to discuss depictions of Zhu Bajie in popular media... who I generally refer to as Pigsy since, like many westerners - my first exposure to the character was the Japanese TV series Monkey (1978 - 1980) - in my case dubbed into English.

That's him on the right, with the muck rake. I also use this name because it's pretty much an accurate translation of the character's core premise after he is cast down into the mortal realm. It's how he's very consistently depicted:

Honor of Kings (2015)

Monkie Kid (2020 - )

It's pretty much consistent to the point where the issue with googling for examples is finding the specific product they're linked to since he always looks like a pig man.... just like the PUBG unlockables above depict him as.

So you can imagine my surprise to discover that at some point in the development of this promotion, someone from the PUBG Corporation doubtlessly asked "Have we got the design for Pigsy ready yet?" and the reply was apparently "Yeah, made her real fucking sexy for you too! Just like you asked!"

This is also a rare PUBG outfit that look kind of different on a male model, than on the female model... turning into a full crop top rather than just a sexy bra.

It's also one where the chest design etc would probably get covered pretty quick the moment a player gets a vest... but I haven't had either the opportunity... or the burning desire to test that.

-wincenworks

[stupidsexymecha]

Horus Pegasus

The Pegasus pattern group first appeared following the start of hostilities between Union and the Aunic Ascendancy in Boundary Garden, a distant sector of distal space away from the Galactic Core. The timing of this outbreak may be related to the pattern group’s defining weapon, though skip-drone couriers from Union forces reported no encounters with the PG in Boundary Garden; instead, the Pegasus appeared in the Dawnline Shore, a stretch of colonial Armory space opposite Boundary Garden. The Pegasus appears to address HORUS’s need for a pattern group with extensive kinetic combat capabilities: by marrying the best targeting systems, subroutines, and weapons hardware in the HORUS codebase, collectivists have designed a PG that boasts a tremendously low identify/time-to-kill (ID/TTK) ratio in all theaters where kinetic weaponry is viable. As with many HORUS pattern groups, the Pegasus fields a signature weapon system: the Ushabti, a hostile impulse anti-corporeal weapon that operates with complete ignorance of even the most basic underpinnings of physics and thermodynamics. As such, it qualifies unambiguously as a paracausal weapon. The Ushabti’s precise function remains unknown to Union and Harrison Armory scientists, though radiological and gravitational signatures captured in the aftermath of the weapon’s use point toward a relationship with the Aunic Firmament. Studies are ongoing on Ras Shamra, the Armory’s chief research world, and in satellite campuses across the Dawnline Shore.

[beguines]

Most commonly, critical scholars focus on one major reason for the current expansion in the numbers and categories of mental illness in western society—namely, the influence of pharmaceutical corporations (colloquially referred to as "big pharma") on the construction of new categories of disorder and the promotion of drug solutions for those disorders. The institution of psychiatry is the ultimate authority responsible for defining and treating mental pathologies, yet commentators argue that the profession has been steadily compromised by forming close relationships with big pharma, who are now effectively setting the mental health agenda. For example, critics point to the 69 per cent of psychiatrists responsible for the development of the latest edition of the DSM who have financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Research has also demonstrated the close involvement of big pharma in the development of current mental illness categories including social anxiety disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The more behaviour and experience that can be successfully medicalised—that is, reconceptualised as in need of medical intervention—through this medico-industrial partnership, the more drugs can be potentially sold to the public. Thus it is argued that the expansion of the mental illness discourse is the result of a market takeover of health care; corporations rather than medical practitioners are now designating what mental pathology is and, as a result, dictating treatment. The obvious solution to this situation involves the de-coupling of mental health services from the influence of big business. Tighter government regulation and oversight of pharmaceutical corporations is required, as is transparency within the relevant professional organisations.

While this critique of big pharma's intervention in the production and promotion of the contemporary psychiatric discourse is relevant, it is perhaps the least surprising aspect of the operation of the mental health system within capitalist society. Scholars of medical history such as Andrew Scull, for example, have profiled a continuing "trade in lunacy" which can be traced back to the beginnings of industrial society and witnessed throughout the development of modern mental health work. That the market is part of the workings of psychiatry and related professions should be self-evident to any scholar aware of the history of the mental health system in western society. Such critics would also acknowledge that while psychiatry legitimates the products of big pharma, pushing psychopharmaceuticals in turn helps legitimate the psychiatric profession. The prescribing of drugs is a key symbol of modern doctoring which serves to align psychiatric practice with other branches of medicine through a shared biomedical understanding of health and illness.

Bruce M.Z. Cohen, Psychiatric Hegemony: A Marxist Theory of Mental Illness

[chromaticleaf]

Can't get Murder Drones out of my head. Almost like some eldritch code has taken root inside my brain. It's probably fine.

Anyway, headcanons for what the murder trio were before Tessa got them:

J was almost certainly in some corporate position. I like to think she was involved in marketing, since she has all those buzzwords ingrained in her lexicon. Maybe they even had her working with graphic design with her art skills. I also imagine she kinda hates corporate structure. "Bootlicker J" jokes aside, I can't imagine even she would have fun as a (literal) corporate slave, and she definitely enjoys freely speaking her mind: not something that flies very well in corporate and marketing contexts. Maybe she got dumped during some convoluted office politics, maybe she was dumped due to random downsizing, who knows.

N's a bit trickier. We see a lot of dexterity and showmanship from him in the manor. He's quite flashy with the glassware at a few points. He also likes drawing, but is lacking in technical skill, especially compared to J. He's also quite personable and friendly, and also seems to truly admire J in some capacity. As a bonus, Cyn mimics a lot of N's mannerisms, and one of her defining traits is her acting, even specifically playing at "improv" while rebuilding J. Therefore, I think N was in theater/entertainment.

He wasn't necessarily an actor himself: still a robot slave after all. But he likely assisted with a lot of setup. Rehearsals, testing stunts, watching over pets/kids (whether those of actors or actors themselves), etc. He enjoys fancy costumes as well, and he's pretty genre aware. He's probably had his fair share of experience with horror movies/stories. Maybe he got dumped pissing off the wrong famous person, maybe some stunt went wrong and they didn't want to bother repairing him, maybe they just wanted the newest model.

V is tough to decide. She seems to enjoy fighting the most out of all of them, but none of them are really slouches in combat, so I don't think that says much about her past. We don't see much of her in the manor, but the impression she gives is a bit more shy and demure. We see her playing chess in the credits, but one hobby doesn't mean much on its own, especially since chess is a common game to put on computers: probably all of them have chess programs built-in.

With that little to go off of, and her tendency to both act out in outrageous ways and keep herself closed-off, I'm thinking she was probably a menial worker beforehand. Minimal freedom, in a position where she'd best keep her head down. Follow the rules closely in order to keep what little she has. "Do your job and I leave you and N alone" was probably a pretty good deal to V because it was as good or better than her previous work arrangements.

Could be a lot of jobs like that for a robo-slave. But let's have fun with it and extrapolate from her usage of "narc" and her apparent desensitization to violence: she was used by a criminal organization for clean-up duty, and got dumped after being confiscated by authorities.

[jubileemon]

The Dark Side of Motherhood: Exploring Odalia Blight's Character

Odalia Blight emerges as a particularly controversial figure within 'The Owl House'. She was portrayed as a toxic parent in the animated series, known for her manipulative and controlling behavior towards her youngest daughter, Amity.

Parenting Style

Firstly, Odalia consistently places immense pressure on her children to conform to societal expectations and uphold the family's reputation. This pressure is evident in her treatment of Amity, where she not only dictates her daughter's actions but also attempts to control her personal relationships, especially with Luz. Odalia's interference undermines Amity's autonomy and emotional well-being.

Odalia's insistence on Amity dyeing her hair and her overall treatment of her youngest child are indicative of a desire to control and mold her offspring into an ideal that serves her own interests, rather than nurturing their individuality and happiness. It reflects the broader theme of parental expectations and the pressure to conform to societal norms. Amity's initial act of changing her hair to purple in Season 2 becomes an act of rebellion, signaling her desire to break free from her mother's imposed standards.

Odalia's approach to parenting mirrors that of a strict corporate executive, where success is defined by adhering to a predetermined path, achieving specific goals, and maintaining a carefully crafted public image. The children become pawns in the family's pursuit of societal status, akin to employees serving a company's bottom line.

Her Relationship With Edric and Emira

Odalia's biased treatment towards Emira and Edric, as hinted by Amity, suggests a lack of equal regard for her children. The implication that she is less controlling towards the twins might indicate a perceived favoritism or a different approach in her parenting style.

In return, the twins show a level of distrust and occasional defiance toward Odalia. The revelation that Odalia used them as bargaining chips to ensure their father's compliance sheds light on the transactional nature of their relationship with their mother. The twins' secret opposition to Odalia's actions, such as helping in the rescue mission and supporting Amity's defiance, demonstrates their willingness to challenge their mother when they disagree. Their awareness of Odalia's true nature and recognition of her selfish motives distinguish them from Amity, who initially hoped for a more reasonable resolution.

Toxic Behavior

Odalia Blight's character indeed embodies a deeply toxic and controlling parental figure in "The Owl House." Her arrogant and mean-spirited behavior, coupled with a misanthropic disdain for relationships outside of her perceived societal norms, creates a hostile environment for her family.

By isolating Amity from her friends and criticizing them as less skilled, Odalia attempts to shape Amity's social circle in accordance with her own standards. This tactic not only undermines Amity's autonomy but also perpetuates a toxic environment. Odalia's willingness to consider sparing Amity's friends from expulsion but only if Luz becomes the guinea pig for her abomination product presentation underscores her manipulative nature. This condition puts Luz in a difficult position, using her as leverage.

The implication that Odalia's abominations were designed in a way that poses a threat to Luz's life suggests a level of callousness and disregard for the well-being of those who stand in the way of her ambitions. This goes beyond mere manipulation, entering into a realm of endangering others for personal gain.

While Odalia Blight's acceptance of Amity's lesbian sexuality is a positive aspect in terms of representation, her continued disapproval of Amity's relationship with Luz Noceda reflects a persistent bias. The comment about finding Amity "a new girlfriend that doesn't have wanted posters everywhere" suggests that Odalia prioritizes societal expectations and status over her daughter's happiness.

The detailed account of Odalia Blight's actions paints a compelling picture of her as a deeply manipulative and morally compromised character in "The Owl House." Her abusive tactics towards Amity, utilizing an oracle necklace to control her, and threatening Willow's expulsion to sever their friendship underscore her unscrupulous methods of maintaining control over her daughter's life.

Odalia's influence on Amity's attitudes and beliefs, making her act arrogantly and look down upon those she perceives as less skilled, including Willow, further exacerbates the conflict. This attitude shift puts strain on their friendship, as Amity starts to distance herself from Willow due to the societal expectations imposed by her mother.

Business and Ambitions

As the CEO of Blight Industries, her involvement in abomination production aligns with her ambition for power and influence. The episode "Clouds in the Horizon" further exposes the depth of Odalia Blight's manipulative and self-serving nature. Her decision to unfairly ground her children for merely attempting to understand her secretive preparations for the "Day of Unity" showcases her disregard for their well-being and autonomy.

The revelation that Odalia was aware of Emperor Belos' sinister intentions but chose to prioritize her family's ascent to royalty in the human realm over the lives of countless witches is a chilling confirmation of her ruthlessness. Her confession underlines her lack of empathy and moral compass, emphasizing her willingness to sacrifice the greater good for personal gain.

This twist not only deepens her antagonistic role within the series but also underscores the extent of her moral compromise. Her willingness to sacrifice countless lives for personal gain emphasizes her ruthlessness and lack of empathy, painting her as a character willing to betray even her own kind for the allure of a perceived elevated status.

Odalia's lack of genuine loyalty, using Belos for her own selfish motives, and subsequent attempts to align herself with the Collector showcase her opportunistic nature. The karma she faces, particularly in her humiliation by the Collector, is depicted as a fitting consequence for her past actions.

Odalia's Downfall

The events in "For the Future" and "Watching and Dreaming" showcase a dramatic turn for Odalia Blight's character in "The Owl House." The Collector's ability to manipulate her into servitude adds a layer of poetic justice, highlighting the consequences of her previous actions. Being reduced to performing menial tasks and catering to the whims of the Collector underscores Odalia's fall from her perceived position of power. This plot development serves as a symbolic reflection of the repercussions that often accompany a character's moral shortcomings.

In the series finale, the visual representation of Odalia being left out while Amity and Alador reunite implies a significant shift in family dynamics. The confirmation from series creator Dana Terrace that Alador rightfully divorced Odalia and claimed full custody of their children further underscores the consequences of Odalia's actions.

[visit-new-york]

Chrysler Building. Here are 100 fascinating details about this iconic skyscraper:

The Chrysler Building's construction began in 1928 and was completed in 1930, marking a rapid two-year build time.

Architect William Van Alen designed the Chrysler Building, showcasing his innovative Art Deco style.

The building was commissioned as the headquarters for the Chrysler Corporation, led by Walter P. Chrysler.

Rising to a height of 1,046 feet (319 meters), it held the title of the world's tallest building upon completion.

The building's gleaming spire, reaching 77 stories, is a hallmark of its vertical elegance.

Despite its reign as the world's tallest, the Chrysler Building is no longer the tallest in New York City.

Art Deco, characterized by geometric patterns and ornate embellishments, defines the building's architectural style.

The exterior is adorned with stainless steel cladding, decorative brickwork, and limestone accents.

The iconic terraced crown, inspired by automotive design, houses the distinctive eagle gargoyles.

The eagle gargoyles symbolize ambition and freedom, and they're perched on the 61st floor corners.

The building's lobby features stunning marble walls, intricate patterns, and Art Deco detailing.

The Chrysler Building's construction cost around $20 million during the late 1920s.

Upon its completion, the building faced economic challenges due to the onset of the Great Depression.

The building's name honors Walter P. Chrysler and his contributions to the automotive industry.

The Chrysler Building's race to be the tallest spurred a friendly competition with the Empire State Building.

Visitors can't typically access the upper floors due to security, but the lobby is open to the public.

The building's distinctive appearance has made it a popular backdrop in movies and TV shows.

The Chrysler Building's ornamentation draws inspiration from automobile radiator grilles and hubcaps.

The decorative elements were crafted with precision and attention to detail, elevating its visual appeal.

The building's steel frame, a modern marvel, enabled its towering height and iconic silhouette.

The Chrysler Building's crown has been illuminated in various colors for special occasions.

The Great Depression impacted the building's initial occupancy and financial viability.

The Chrysler Building's Art Deco design was influenced by the optimism of the Roaring Twenties.

The land on which the building stands was leased from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art.

Its completion marked the pinnacle of William Van Alen's architectural career.

The Chrysler Building's interior spaces have housed various offices and businesses over the years.

The building's influence extended to other structures worldwide, particularly during the Art Deco era.

The Chrysler Building's legacy persists as an architectural and cultural icon in New York City.

The lobby's geometric patterns and luxurious detailing echo the building's Art Deco exterior.

The Chrysler Building has inspired artists, writers, and photographers for decades.

Preservation efforts have aimed to maintain the building's historic features and design integrity.

The building's unique design elements have influenced subsequent skyscrapers and architectural trends.

Its enduring popularity ensures it remains a sought-after subject for photographers and creatives.

The Chrysler Building's lobby has been open for guided tours, allowing visitors to appreciate its beauty.

The building's construction provided vital employment during a time of economic uncertainty.

The Chrysler Building's spire was initially intended for mooring airships, although this idea was not realized.

The building's rapid construction showcased the advancements in engineering and construction techniques.

The Chrysler Building's exterior underwent a restoration project in the early 2000s.

The distinctive terraced design of the crown adds depth and elegance to the building's profile.

The building's presence has transformed its Midtown Manhattan neighborhood, attracting commerce and development.

It's visible from various parts of Brooklyn, offering a distant view of Manhattan's skyline.

The Chrysler Building's design embodies the spirit of progress and innovation of the 1920s.

The stainless steel cladding was specifically treated to maintain its shine and resist weathering.

The Chrysler Building's lobby boasts a remarkable ceiling mural depicting transportation and industry.

It remains an enduring symbol of New York's ambition, resilience, and architectural excellence.

The Chrysler Building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

While its interiors have changed over the years, the exterior remains a testament to its original design.

The building's Art Deco design elements are echoed in its elevators, doors, and decorative elements.

Preservation efforts ensure that the Chrysler Building remains a beloved part of New York's skyline.

The building's construction coincided with a surge in demand for steel, reflecting industrial progress.

The Chrysler Building's lobby was meticulously designed to impress and reflect the company's prominence.

The building's architectural details have made it a subject of fascination for architectural historians.

The Chrysler Building's influence on architecture extends beyond the United States to a global scale.

The building has made appearances in literature, poetry, and as a backdrop for important events.

The competition with the Empire State Building was marked by a race to complete the tallest structure.

The Chrysler Building's design showcases a balance between form and function, elegance and engineering.

Its terraced crown and ornamentation draw inspiration from ancient architectural styles.

The Chrysler Building's design emphasizes verticality, a departure from earlier Beaux-Arts influences.

The building's lobby features elevators with ornate doors and intricate detailing.

The Chrysler Building's lobby ceiling boasts an intricate mural illustrating transportation modes of the era.

It's recognized for its role in shaping the skyline and character of New York City.

The Chrysler Building's design incorporates elements from Greek and Roman architectural styles.

The building has withstood the test of time, remaining relevant in modern architectural discussions.

The Chrysler Building's presence reflects the ambition and dynamism of New York City itself.

It's often regarded as one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the world.

The Chrysler Building's design exemplifies the era's fascination with technology and innovation.

The building's ornate decorations incorporate influences from various cultures and artistic movements.

The Chrysler Building's facade features setbacks that provide visual interest and break up the verticality.

The building's crown is composed of seven terraced arches, each adorned with intricate detailing.

The Chrysler Building's lobby showcases a mix of luxurious materials, including marble and metals.

Its distinct lighting schemes have transformed it into a nighttime spectacle on special occasions.

The building's construction was a testament to collaboration between architects, engineers, and craftsmen.

Its innovative design allowed for natural ventilation and an abundance of natural light in its interiors.

The Chrysler Building's design embraced the machine age while incorporating elements of elegance.

Its iconic spire is topped by a glass radiating crown, enhancing its visual impact.

The Chrysler Building's influence on architecture extended to the design of other skyscrapers worldwide.

The building's ornamentation was crafted with attention to detail, featuring intricate patterns.

Its lobby served as a grand entrance, reflecting the prestige and status of the Chrysler Corporation.

The Chrysler Building's name serves as a tribute to the automotive industry and its innovation.

It's an integral part of New York City's skyline, recognizable from various viewpoints.

The building's crown was originally intended as an indoor observation deck, but this plan changed.

The Chrysler Building's lobby murals reflect the era's enthusiasm for technological progress.

Its construction contributed to New York City's economy during a challenging period.

The building's height race with the Empire State Building added excitement to its completion.

Its innovative design incorporated the latest technologies of the time, including stainless steel.

The Chrysler Building has inspired generations of architects, designers, and creatives.

Its design echoes the optimism and exuberance of the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties.

The building's presence symbolizes New York's role as a global center of commerce and culture.

Its iconic silhouette is often used as a shorthand representation of New York City.

The Chrysler Building's lobby serves as a time capsule of Art Deco aesthetics and values.

The building's architectural legacy is celebrated for its contribution to the Art Deco movement.

Its exterior materials were chosen for their durability and aesthetic appeal.

The Chrysler Building's construction required an astounding 391,881 rivets and 3,826,000 bricks.

The building's lobby ceiling mural portrays modern transportation modes of the time.

Its spire was constructed using a technique called "top-down" assembly, a novel approach at the time.

The Chrysler Building's aesthetics reflect a transition from earlier Beaux-Arts architecture.

The building's setbacks and intricate crown contribute to its visually striking design.

Its unique terraced design provides architectural depth and adds to its majestic presence.

The Chrysler Building's construction showcased the collaborative efforts of skilled craftsmen.

Its completion coincided with a period of technological advancement, optimism, and modernization.

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[goldenhickeysandramen]

The (ephimeral) success of solo projects on Chapter 2

I wanted to write a post about chapter 2 and Jimin, the "sabotages"... but I don't know if I'm able to sort out the facts and my ideas or judgements about them properly. Nothing is clear to me yet.

There are days when a part of me believes that something is going on with Jimin and Hybe (or BH, I don't know which). But there's another part, the rational part, the part that works as an economist for 20 years, that knows that it doesn't make much sense for a for-profit company to boycott one of its most valuable assets.

In the Executive Boards, and in financial planning, decisions are made on the basis of economical evidence, which is always provided by current numbers (or estimates), not by the heart. Maybe even in the case of BTS there is some sense of fairness, I would say, at the outset. And not an asymmetric distribution according to profit projections.

In the trade-off I find myself in, I would like to share the following thoughts:

- I have recently realised that Chapter 2 is not the chapter of their solo career. It is the chapter of their solo work, which is slightly different.

- Most of them has a short time to promote their work. The average has been a "several weeks" window.

- Their success is therefore somewhat short-lived or ephimeral. It appears and within weeks it seems to fade away, eclipsed by the next in line. The nex king of "k-..."

- There is no intention of promoting a structured solo career, because 1) BTS have said (a million times) that they will be back in 2025, and 2) if we are to take them at their word, the boys will all be joining the military before the end of 2023.

- So, there is no long-term vision to support "some" and not "others".

- The support is focused on a specific work. The only exception to a more continuous commitment has been Suga and his tour.

- Everyone has their budget, their schedule, their activities for the year...

- And yes, there can be different intensities of promotional activities, depending on the defined strategy or budget or goal or whatever (we don't know the whole story because the company doesn't explain anything to us). There is a rumour that some have even put their money into some activities. But I don't know how true that is.

- And I think they all have a say in the design of their promotions, even if they don't design them themselves.

So then....I can't take the agency away from any of them.

They are the best advocates or defenders within the company. And if one of them had less influence, which I doubt, the others would not remain silent without solving the problem. Or how do we think a commitment from the 7 of them to the 7 of them is achieved to keep BTS as a unified group? There are no weak links in this group. And if there were, I wouldn't bet my money that Jimin is one of them.

Once again, there are things that I can't explain and I'd like to know what's going on (the lack of restocking, the split of Spotify streaming, the deletion of sales...). But if there really have been damaging mistakes or strategies for any of them, I hope that when the next contract comes up for renewal, they will sort it out very thoroughly. Cause this cant happen anymore.

To tell you the truth, I blame the company for many things, and one of them - as serious as their lack of planning - is their lack of communication with the fans. BeautifulPeach has talked about this in some of her posts.

At some point in its growth, Hybe became too big to fail, or whatever, and forgot about certain corporate social responsibility obligations. One of them is to talk to its most important stakeholders: the customers, i.e. the fans. And addressing some of their concerns.

Investors are important in listed companies, but customers are important too. Always.

And if they don't see it that way and continue to despise the fans (clients) in that way, then at the end “future is not gonna be ok”.

And yes, I know that K-pop is controversial. It's clear that they can't deal with every rumour, every silly trend that comes out every day on twitter, ships, solos demands, etc. But there are things that they can deal with. And some of the Jimin's events when Face happened are one of them.

A bit of transparency would be appreciated. I expect it, actually, at some point (maybe when this chapter ends).

Maybe there will be things that could be explained as commercial strategy (do they want us to buy Face instead of the single LC, for example? And that's why they're not stocking it again?). But they might also be telling us about certain difficulties. Or about certain forecasting mistakes. Or how they learned from some of them. I'm pretty sure they learned a lot from Jimin's Face era.

I don't think I will be able to judge everything that has happened until at least the end of this year, when all the solo works have been completed/released.

And I'll have to keep listening to Bongo to see if he still talks about how they are more interested in being a company that has groups rather than individual singers. Maybe that is why it seems there's a ceiling to individual success. There is nothing better than capping success with time limitation of activities ("Let's see if that makes the fans forget what solo members are capable of")

And even then, there will be differences between all of them. Quite a lot.

But we will also have to consider that they are different artists with different goals, sensibilities, objectives and situations (let's not forget that JK himself, who now seems quite greedy, has admitted that he needed and enjoyed his free time and Seven had to come along to give him a boost). So we should be careful with the comparison too.

Perhaps Jin will end up getting the most promotions when he comes out, considering how little time he has had. Poor Jin…😔 He had to wait until the end of the year to enlist, despite the bad weather, to give us the Busan concert. It was a commitment to BTS, but it was a short of individual sacrifice too… you know..they do these things for BTS.

I would also like to listen to them (yes, it's a bit ambitious on my part, but I would like to listen to Jimin and his feelings, at the end of this year... will he open up to us?)

In conclusion, I would say that if we are BTS fans and want to remain so, and if we believe in the boys' words .... I would advise us to enjoy every moment they give us for their limited time. Every campaign, every song, every vlive... and try to find an atmosphere of caution given the situation we are in.

And by that I mean that we should also be able to read that we are in the age of solos and akages. All the information about grievances or leaks that comes out usuarlly comes from the same places.

And I'm not saying it's FALSE! Nor do I mean to belittle it! Just that sometimes we should take into account the intentions behind. And before we react, let's consider the source and the context. Look at what happened to the RNX journalist we all spent almost a day reporting on for a bad translation. Or look at how, in less than two weeks, two CCTV vids of Jimin shopping with a friend (one of them clearly with Saeon) suddenly appeared just as it became known that he was going to NY with JK.

Anyway, I will be a bit cautious for now. There are still a few months until the end of the year. A lot can still happen.

Jimin could came back again to us with sth as amazing as Like Crazy. Or even better, an album.

I miss Jimin and want to see him shine again and talking to us.

And I miss jikook……arrrggg

[weepingwitch]

not to sound like a grumpy old lady but I feel like it's extremely important for today's youth to understand that the internet wasn't always like this like

there didn't used to be just like four or five Services (facebookinsta/twit/YouTube) that defined the entirety of your internet experiences.

people used to use and set up a whole variety of message boards and user groups and email lists and (this is the important point) they were independently owned and moderated. there was no single giant corporation defining the terms of use.

and, because advertisements and monetization weren't the focus of every single thing, not all content and design and policies were focused around what was acceptable to advertisers / what made the most money.

and not everything was hosted on aws so amazon didn't effectively control such a large portion of the data and communication of most of the web

the modern internet has been capitalized to death and is just a ghost or a dead husk of what an instantaneous worldwide communication network could be !

and that's coming from me, someone who hates technology and could be described as anticiv lmao

but like everything online now is so much worse than it used to be, and it's only getting worse from here

[osakanone]

Nothing I say is non-fiction; It simply hasn't happened yet. *

{\_/} Hi, I'm [H]Osaka, ( • . •) ask me a question / >♥️ 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗠𝗘, 𝗜'𝗠 𝗔 𝗥𝗔𝗕𝗕𝗜𝗧 ░

Equal parts software shoggoth to seven constant rabbits in a trenchcoat, robot-obsessive, machinefucker, human-factors engineering and I can be trusted around nuclear technology. I effortpost walls of autistic special interest on demand

I also make things:

Game Projects

Project Force: 6dof aerodynamic high speed robot action [ongoing] Inspired by Armored Core For Answer, Freespace 2, Zone of the Enders 2 & Ace Combat 3, this game aims to merge their elements into a high speed mech sim.

Writing on mecha

The evolution of the walking thing called “mecha"  (original)

Chapter 0: Establishing terminology & Concepts

Part 1: Defining "the mechaness" of something: the 8 principles of mecha Part 2: Feisability: Mecha aren't realistic, but not for the reason you think

Chapter 1: A pathway from today to tomorrow How does "mecha" come into existence/why would you want one?

Part 1: An evolution from ground vehicles of today Part 2: Skating, to walking, to running, to flight Part 3: “Why transform in the vacuum of space?”

Chapter 2: Cockpit & Software Design Control Theory The principles which become my game design

Part 4: On Mecha Control Theory: Considerations Part 4a: On Mecha Control Theory II: OKAWARA Part 4b: On Mecha Control Theory III: TOMINO  Part 4c: On Mecha Control Theory III: NAGANO

The World of Armored Core

An exploration of the world of Armored Core, using research into real phenomenon and engineering systems to infer how the world may itself function

Kojima particle physics (part 1): What are they? Kojima particle physics (part 2): The Human Consequences NEXT cockpit design (part 1): AMS and Lynx NEXT Cockpit Design (Part 2): G-force Tolerance Technocrat is SpaceX, and the legacy of Musk’s father (lmao)

How To Domesticate Your Pilot [ongoing]

A husbandry guide for handlers, consisting of opinions and thoughts from various trainers and operators, as well as pilots. Includes practices, procedures, articles, stories and snippets.

I'm currently testing the waters with snippets and will likely be posting it out of order. I am extremely hungry for any and all possible feedback

If anybody knows the original source of the image of the eyes (which I first saw in a youtube ad) I'd love to know. I very much would like to commission them.

Inspired by mechposting

Chapter 3: Do not Abuse Your Wolves (Psychological patterning) Part 1: Action patterning (Initial Phases) Part 2: Action Patterning (Risks)

On visual mecha design: My personal thoughts on the assemblies of shape, form in the context of motion, action and function 1. Does anybody else have physical characteristics they find the most appealing? 2. Thoughts on self-altering dynamic form, and proportion designs

#Mechposting

I'm not great at it, but I do enjoy doing it

1. The eroticism of the machine: Megastructures 2. Crew Attire for piloting a giant robot (includes #mechposting patch list) 3. Crew attire for things other than piloting a giant robot 4. Beyond pilebunker: The Grind-blade and the legacy of Overweapons 5. FLAT/Touchscreens are an act of hate: I will teach you love 6. You do not need to pick between a big hammer or daggers if you are a robot

Irreverent incorrect nonsense

Loud writing you don't need to read

"I experience depression as a failure of resource allocation systems" Fool!: Your nostalgia isn't real: Your past has been stolen from you! Why Linux diehards are morons, and so are we Lame? Bitch please: Clubbing deserves to go extinct Feeling used: The eternal disappointment of the Sawano Drop Cycles of Nostalgia: Nobody is going to be nostalgic for Corporate Memphis

Misc

​Sex-positivity, associations, critical thinking & deradicalization 🇸​​🇮​​🇨​​🇰​​🇧​​🇪​​🇦​​🇹​​🇸​ ​🇹​​🇴​ ​🇸​​🇪​​🇪​​🇰​ ​🇦​​🇳​​🇩​ ​🇩​​🇪​​🇸​​🇹​​🇷​​🇴​​🇾​ ​🇹​​🇴​: A #mechposting playlist [ongoing] Left Hand/Right hand [gone]-- Mechposting vibes soundwall Pixelart: A very silly computer design that makes me smile Sounds for violence: Mecha games vs FPS games

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