#designs r not final.. may be used in the future

[spinwulves-and-molers]

day 6

somethings off.

[the-kr8tor]

Mr and Mrs Smith AU: When Jane met John

Pairing: Hobie Brown x fem! Reader

Word count: 9k

Summary: Joining a spy agency? Check ✓ Hired in said agency? Check ✓ Getting a new fancy house? Check ✓ An entire armoury of weapons at your disposal? Check ✓ A new Husband? Check ✓ wait, what?

Tags: Use of Y/N sparsely, no specific physical description of the reader (except for her clothing), Hobie and R call each other by fake names (ie: John, Jane, Smith etc), spy AU, CW suggestive, CW food mentions, TW blood, CW violence, CW vomit mention, TW death.

A/N: Happy 1k! Happy reading!!!❤️

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The waiting room seems like it's designed to make you extra anxious. From the bright fluorescent lights that whir above, to the carpet that smells like a very harsh citrus soap. Add the metallic chairs that's incredibly cold under your slacks— It all makes you bounce your leg from the bundle of nerves inside your stomach. The people waiting around you don't help either, they all look like they came out of magazine covers. Hair all tied up in a perfect bun, pencil skirts that cinch their waist perfectly. Button ups that are ironed until there's no crease in sight.

You bite your lip, eyes glued on the steel door, to where your last resort is, to where your entire future depends on. Looking around the room full of models, it doesn't seem like you're applying for a security job.

Maybe you should've worn that pencil skirt that's gathering dust in your closet.

Even though you technically don't know what kind of job it is, you really need to get this one, or else. Your savings could only get you so far. An old ���friend’ of yours recommended this ‘company’. It operates at the highest security, the risk is just as high, but the pay is higher. More than what you've ever earned in the five years you've worked anyway.

Flicking your eyes above the door, the light finally turns green from red, and a chiming sound can be heard as the door clicks open on its own. You still wonder where the applicant goes after their interview since you never saw them exit out the same door. A morbid thought passes by your mind: a gun plus a bullet to the head. The image makes you grab the rubber band on your wrist to slap it against your skin. It leaves the stinging pain for only a moment, but it's enough to throw away the vision from your brain.

An applicant enters and you look down at the piece of paper in your hand— you're next.

The number, 2715 is written in Times New Roman. You can recognize that font anywhere, for it's the same font used on newer gravestones, the same font on his— you slap the rubber band against your wrist again. This time harder than the last. The stinging stays for a minute more. Your heels tap against the carpet, the clock ticks, the fluorescent whirs, someone coughs and you want to punch them in the face— you slap the rubber band against your skin again.

Your ears perk up at the familiar chime like you've been Pavlov’d by the sound after waiting for three hours on that uncomfortable metal chair that has tiny holes that you've gotten your pinky finger stuck in on hour two.

With a deep breath, you saunter your way towards the creaking door, trying to summon all the confidence in your body. They may be watching so you do your best to not look as nervous as you feel like.

As you enter the room, the large screen in the center raises a curious brow. The light from the monitor shines a spotlight on the singular office chair right in front of it. The room is dim, save for the single light. The screen reminds you of one of those mall touch screens that shows you the map of the building. There's another door on the opposite wall, now you know where all the other candidates exit, and it's definitely not from a bullet judging from the clean floors.

With a tentative step, you cross the distance. Sitting down, the chair is a comfortable welcome from the last one you sat on.

“Am I supposed to push a button?” You roam your eyes over the circular shape up top. You surmise that it's the camera.

The calming sky blue screen flashes words,

> Hihi, welcome

“Hi?”

> Insert nail clippings

A box slides out below the screen, prompting you to take the ziplock with your nail clippings from your bag. It slides back in with a mechanic hiss once you place the plastic on the drawer, and the screen blinks to a couple of questions that you answer honestly.

> What's your ethnicity?

You don't falter. Answering it truthfully.

> Height?

You clear your throat, the lump is either from the nerves or how your voice faltered when you answered.

> Are you willing to relocate?

You wring your hands together on your lap. “Yes, absolutely. Nothing's holding me back.” Then the dreaded question pops up on the bright screen.

> Tell me about yourself

“Uh, I graduated top of my class.” You scratch the back of your neck. “MI6 agent for three–no, uh four years.” Chuckling shakily, you continue. “I got high merits…w-well until the thing— but I was on the road to promotion b-before it happened.” God, you hate interviews.

> Words that people would describe you with?

You blink, sucking in a breath. “Truthfully?” Joking, the screen doesn't appreciate your humour.

> Yes

“Oh, p-people would describe me as a… someone who has initiative. Cunning…” unfeeling— you slap the band on your wrist again. Sitting up right, you gaze at the camera like your eyes could see the person typing behind it. You guess it's a person at least. “Passed all my training with flying colours, infiltration, marksmanship, hand to hand, you name it. You tell me the job and I'll do it with no questions asked.”

> Are you okay with high risk?

“More than okay.” You answer quickly.

> With a team or alone?

“I'm alright with either, but I prefer alone.”

> Why did you get fired?

“You know why.” You say intensely, eyes boring holes into the screen. For a second you thought you flubbed it but the screen continues to flash a new question.

> Have you killed anyone?

> And why?

The question turns into what you're more accustomed to. “Yes, approximately…” you inhale sharply. “Forty three. Two unintentionally, the rest with various…weapons.” You mindlessly play with the loose thread of your blazer to get rid of the flashing images in your head. “As for why, that's confidential information.”

The robot or the person behind the screen seems to accept your vague answers for it moves on with the interview.

> Favourite food?

Your eyebrows knit at the sudden turn of question. “Uh, I have a sweet tooth, ice cream. I think. But I can't resist good popcorn.” Your tone wavers at the end.

> Have you been in love?

You laugh, but the question still flashes on screen, unchanged and unamused. Clamping up, you feel for the rubber on your wrist.

“I-I'm sorry but what is this part for?”

The screen remains the same.

“—No,” you remember that they've probably already known everything about you even before you applied. So you decide to answer vaguely, that seems to work out before. “Once, just once.”

> When was the last time you said ‘I love you?’

“A long time ago.”

> To whom?

“You know who.”

—

You're surprised that you got the job even after the disastrous interview. The suitcase is light in your tightly clasped hand. The belongings you've tossed inside are sparse, only packing the ones you only need.

The large wooden door looms in front of you, the street behind you is bustling and right across your new home is an expansive park. A park that looks like you need to pay just to get inside. The neighborhood that you're situated in can be described as exclusive, rich and very suburban. The kind of setting where parents would do anything to raise their kids in. Something you've never thought in your dangerous life to live in, more so even step foot in.

With an exhale, you unlock the door. It clicks open surprisingly, you doubted the company for a second when you pushed it in. Maybe they gave you the wrong address? Maybe something went wrong in their system and your name popped up instead of someone more worthy? Someone who's a better shot, someone who isn't as bat shit insane as you.

The long hallway greets you, the low warm light brings comfort to your rattling bones. Its carpet runner is soft beneath your sneakers, red and blue threads weaved around the thick cloth. Framed art is posted on the walls, the artist's name you recognize from some pretentious reality tv about selling mansions that you once drunkenly watched alone on a friday night.

You leave your baggage in the hallway. Opting to explore the cinnamon scented home. Its rich walls remind you of chocolate that you once got for your birthday. The furniture doesn't look like it came from Ikea, the oak is sturdy under your palm, no rough surface, no protruding nails that slashes your flesh.

You snap the rubber band on your wrist for the umpteenth time today.

There's an ornate door sitting on your right, robins and roses are carved on the wood. The biometric scanner is placed right next to the door, it’s a stark contrast to the traditional home. Flipping the cover open, you place your thumb on the smooth surface of the scanner. After a half second, the door clicks open, revealing a steel elevator. The bright light above it almost blinds you.

Your curiosity makes you enter the steel cage, roaming your eyes, you spot the buttons.

“Might as well.” You say to the emptiness of the house.

As the elevator door closes, the front door opens.

There's a lack of elevator music, perhaps that's the best since you always hated the cheery chiming of it. The second the door opens, you take a peek inside. The weird smell combination of chlorine and butter hits your nose.

“Holy shit,” you mumble in disbelief at the indoor pool and theatre. “A fucking pool under the house? And a fucking theatre screen in front? Which rich fuck decided that?” Your voice echoes, bouncing off the tiled walls of the pool.

Roaming the large room, eyes wide and strides small, you marvel at the high ceilings with the same warm tone lights hidden in the coves to soften the lights. You crouch down, letting the warm water lap at your hand.

There's a handful of sun loungers on the side, tables in between them for drinks and whatever rich people put on it. A projector hangs above the pool, an electrical hazard, you thought and an image of an entire pool party getting electrocuted lingers in your mind. You snap the rubber band against your wrist.

The popcorn machine helps distract you from the intrusive thought. Opening the machine, the popped kernels are still warm against your skin. You quickly scoop up a handful of it in your palm, the butter slicking your hand and your mouth as you eat it like how a baby deer eats grass.

You've had enough of the overly decorated basement, getting back on the elevator, you finish off your popcorn with one big bite. Still chewing, you wipe your hands on your trousers to press the shiny buttons on the elevator. The doors close as you chew loudly, eyes up on the screen showing the floors of the house, you don't notice the stranger standing outside of the opened doors.

Butter on your lips, you almost smack him on his pretty face.

“Christ!” You yelp, almost choking on a kernel.

“Close, but no.” He smirks, eyes flicking at the sheen on your lips.

Your husband, the title echoes in your popcorn filled head. His smile captures your attention, a ten megawatt grin that could power the entire posh neighborhood. His piercings glimmer in the warm light, and your eyes are glued to the ones on his eyebrows. Hazel eyes, the left one seems to be lighter than the other, watercolour eyes stare back at you, scanning your features. If you stare long enough you swear you can see patches of green and gray in those expressive eyes.

“John Smith.” He introduces himself, your husband, your partner. John doesn't raise his ringed hand for you to shake, instead he nods at you, waiting patiently for you to say your name. As if he doesn't know.

Clearing your kernel filled throat, you quickly run your tongue across your teeth (with your mouth closed of course) because you don't want to embarrass yourself further by having popcorn stuck in your teeth.

“Jane, Jane Smith.” You reach towards him to shake his hand, he raises a brow at you in turn.

“I don't do that, love, sorry.”

“Shake hands?”

“Yeah,” he looks to the left of your face, his eyebrow twitches slightly— a tell.

“Are you a germaphobe?” You ask before you could stop yourself.

“Not really, I've got issues…with intimacy.” John shrugs, the metals on his leather jacket clinks together. You think he'd rather be a model or a rock star instead of a spy with how he dresses and carries himself with confidence.

You smile knowingly, “We all do, but you don't have that issue. It's our first day of marriage and you decide to lie to your wife?” You click your tongue, eyebrow raised. “Not a very good first impression, John.”

He'll never get used to being called that basic name. ‘John’ takes your hand, it's warm, searing hot under your slippery hand. You'd thought his warmth would cook your flesh, you guess the butter on your palm would work wonders. You're starting to regret snacking. The calluses on his palm matches your own, a large scar across his palm tells you a story untold. Silver rings decorate his long fingers. There's a more simple silver bracelet on his wrist, a stark contrast to the ornate rings he sports on both hands.

He's handsome, you think, rightfully so. With his chiseled jaw that rivals any greek statue and eyes that could be mistaken for stars; he's tall too, so that's a plus. You lucked out on the fake husband department. Well, there's worse men to fake marry out there. Just judging from first impressions, you're glad he's the one you have on your side,

“How'd you know?” He asks, eyes narrowed.

“I'm very perceptive.”

“Trained?”

“Nope,” you hide your bundle of nerves with your casual tone. His hand is still clasped on your own, you don't notice it. “Just very good at reading people.”

“Did you have a stint at the BAU too?”

Too? You ignore it for now. “No,” chuckling, you finally notice the heat on your palm so you let him go. “Just…natural talent, I guess.”

“What’s under the house?” John asks, stepping aside so you could exit the elevator.

“A beating heart.” You curse yourself, fingers already reaching for the rubber band on your wrist.

To your surprise, John laughs. The sound is genuine, eyes crinkling in the corners. “I got the reference.”

“I figured.”

“I saw a black box in the office, you wanna check it out?” He points behind him with his thumb.

“Why? Do you think there's a beating heart in there too?”

“Maybe.” He plays along, walking beside you. “You never know with the company, for all we know there's a head in there.”

“Morbid.” You joke as he opens the door for you.

“Says you?” John keeps reminding himself of his real name whilst he memorizes the side of your face. He already wants to tell you his real name, not the one assigned to him by the suits behind the faceless screen he has grown familiar with. He says his name in his mind again, if he accidentally blurted it out, well, c'est la vie.

“Says me,” you shrug casually, trying to keep up with his wit and charm. You already think you're losing. You scrunch your face at the painting above the mantle. It's an art of two lovers doing the tango, if tango excludes clothes and includes intense snogging.

He chuckles right next to you, an airy laugh that has you smiling too. “A very brave choice. Not my taste, but whatever floats the company's boat. What's inside is a bit better though.” Your ‘husband’ reaches towards the frame of the painting, gently pressing down, it releases a metallic click as it reveals a secret compartment full of weapons.

You hide a snort behind your hand. The cabinet reminds you of your own. Unimpressed, you flick your eyes down at the office table, the large black box sitting on top of it is just begging to be opened.

Without a second thought, you open it. Taking out the bottle of expensive looking wine, you read the card that is tied in a neat ribbon around the neck.

“‘Good luck on your first day of marriage’” you look at the man beside you. He's incredibly close to you, his elbow grazing yours, lips slightly parted whilst he takes a peek at the wine. He smells of burgundy and leather, it calms your senses for some odd reason. “I prefer coke.” You practically shove the bottle in his hands. The glass clinks against his metal rings.

“The snorting variation or the fizzy one?” He asks, placing the bottle down on the narra table with an almost silent thud.

“The fizzy one.” You take his question at face value. He doesn't question why you don't prefer alcohol. Sitting down on the plush office chair, you open the laptop in front of you. It dings, needing a password to open it. “It needs a—”

Before you could even finish the question, he gives you a scrap of paper from the numerous envelopes inside the box. The password is printed on it with the same font as the one from the piece of paper you held a couple of weeks ago.

You type it whilst he rifles through the box. The home screen pops up, nothing too fancy or out of the ordinary. Except for the single application in the corner that's only labeled as ‘S’

Clicking it, a chat box appears.

> Hihi, follow man

John snakes up next to you, the harsh light from the laptop shines on his pensive face. You return your attention towards ‘your boss’. A picture of a young blond man pops up in the chat, there's a mole near his left eye, he sports dark eyebrows. And a look that says ‘daddy paid for my college!’

> 40.748817, -73.985428

“That's downtown I think.” John pipes up next to you, and you look at him like he just said the sky is green and the grass is blue.

> Take keys, take car. Bring car here

> 51.505554, -0.075278.

“A car?” You rhetorically ask.

“Must be a very expensive car, or an important one.” John answers back as he leans further down to take a better look at the monitor. His hand is on the back of your chair, his necklaces dangle on his neck like a pretty chandelier.

You both wait for more instructions but it doesn't come.

“Hihi isn't very talkative, huh?” Your voice echoes in the awkward silence.

“‘Hihi?’”

“Yeah, I thought I'd give it a nickname.” You think he's weirded out but with an amused laugh he pats your shoulder nonchalantly.

“Cute.” You don't know if he's referring to you, or to the nickname you dubbed your electronic boss. “I've separated our papers.” John says as you still contemplate his last comment. “Here's yours.”

“Thanks.” You scan the pile in your hands. Your own face greets you as you flip through it all.

“It has everything we need. Credit card, ID's, carry permit and a passport.”

“What's that one?” You point at the larger envelope next to John's pile. A smaller black leather envelope sits atop it.

He opens the large envelope, giving you the contents of it. “Marriage certificate. And this one…” shaking the leather envelope, whatever is inside of it clinks. Taking it out, he shows you the gold bands. “...our wedding rings.” Heat rises in your cheeks unavoidably once he says it softly. “May I?” Open palm reaching out, he beckons.

You try to remember which hand wears it. With a split second decision, you place your left hand atop his own. Carefully sliding the cold ring in your marriage finger, you stay locked in on his eyes that's concentrating like he's disarming a bomb.

John pats your hand and then inserts his own ring in his finger, mirroring yours.

“Guess we're married.” You shrug casually like your heart doesn't beat against your ribcage, like it's trying to escape its confines. “It feels kind of weird?”

“We are,” he flashes you his signature smirk. “And we'll get used to it, hm, wife?”

“Yeah, I'll adapt.” You say just barely above a whisper, hands suddenly clammy.

“That's my girl.” Throwing you a wink, he walks away from a flustered you.

Yeah, you got lucky.

—

Morning comes and you had the best sleep you've had in years. Even if you slept on an empty stomach last night, you still slept like a baby on the eight hundred thread count Egyptian cotton blanket. You stare blankly at the beige ceiling, hands roaming around the soft bed sheet like you're making a snow angel. Sleep ridden eyes roam around the expansive master bedroom to which your new husband has graciously let you take.

Speaking of ‘John’, his bedroom is just across your own. Surprisingly enough, he hasn't woken up yet based on the silence in the hallway outside, you hadn't pegged him as a late riser.

Breakfast calls for you when your stomach rumbles loudly, but you're too comfortable to even move from your spot. Something taps from your window that's facing the foot of your bed. A soft tippy tap of something hitting the glass that has you sitting up. Eyes blinking rapidly, you stare off a pigeon perched outside. Its iridescent feathers shine in the early morning sun, its beak tapping rhythmically at the window.

Sliding your hand behind you, blindly grasping at a pillow, you fling it across the room to scare off the bird. The pillow hits your mark and out flies away the annoying pigeon. With a sigh, you get off your ass to get ready for the day ahead. You don't want to be late to your first day out in the field, no use in rotting in your luxurious bed if you can't keep it after you get fired for being late.

You dress for the day and for the cool weather. Spring has come but the freezing temperature has decided to stay for a little while. With a cozy turtleneck and comfy slacks, you forgo the torturous device called ‘heels’ for a pair of trainers. Staring at yourself in the mirror, you shrug with a huff. And you snap the rubber against your skin once again.

Taking the chair off the doorknob and then unlocking the door, you exit your sanctuary. Closing your door softly, you find yourself in front of John's room. Judging from the soft snores, you notice that he’s still sleeping. You might be his fake wife but it's not your job to wake him up. So you continue down the hallway and into the kitchen to fix yourself a bowl of cereal.

Bowl in hand, you chew as you walk up to the rooftop. Unlocking it, the sun greets you with a comfortable heat, and you frown at it. You keep eating whilst you explore the space. There's a bountiful garden in the corner, raised garden beds full of fresh vegetables and fruit that is ripe for the taking. An outside dining area sits in the middle, you recognize the long table from a catalog you once read to pass the time at the dentist. You remember that it doubles as a grill and leg warmer in the winter.

“Fancy,” you murmur with your mouth full of grainy goodness. Sipping the leftover milk in the bowl, you place it on the expensive table to crouch down next to a bushel of strawberries to sniff. “Almost ripe,” you figure from the softness of the fruit.

A bird flies above you, it's shadow casting over you. With the sound of fluttering wings, the bird perches on the table, black orbs staring at you, head tilting like it's observing your presence.

“Are you the same fucking bird?” You question the pigeon. It coos at you, and then pecks at the ceramic of your discarded bowl. “Motherfucker—” standing up, you have the look of someone ready to square up with the feathered creature.

“Why are you fighting an innocent bird?” John appears with a mug of tea in his hand. You forgot to make tea.

“I wasn't fighting with it.”

“He,” your partner crosses the distance, the bird doesn't fly away from the close proximity. You raise an eyebrow at that. “might be hungry.” He gestures towards the strawberries behind you with his chin. “Think you can grab us one, lovie?” You're gonna need some time to get used to that term.

“It's not ripe.”

“I don't think he's picky.”

“It's too sour, it might upset his stomach.”

“He's a pigeon, he's used to eating shit off the pavement. I think that's fine, love.”

With an awkward nod, you pick the one that's redder than the rest. Throwing it towards John, he catches it with a practiced hand. He sits down before laying the fruit in front of the bird. You watch it unfold, the pigeon hops on the table, beak pecking at the seeds. You're intrigued at their interaction.

John sips at his drink, still in his sleep clothes. Toned arms in full display from the loose tank top he sports. Pajama pants hanging low on his hips, silk bonnet on his head. He only has one sock on his feet, you tilt your head.

“What happened to your sock?” You point at his bare foot curiously.

“Hmm?” He looks down, and he chuckles like he just realized the missing article of clothing. “Don't know, probably kicked it off while I was sleepin’”

“Oh,” you blink, “you should get ready, we might miss our target.”

He fakes salutes at you, drinking casually from his mug as you leave the rooftop. He doesn't miss how you didn't take your dish with you. Sighing, he watches the pigeon eat his fill.

—

You and John arrive at a pub. It's dim inside with only a few miserable patrons sitting sparsely at different corners of the musty establishment. They all look miserable, all having expressions from different points of the human emotion. But there's only one face you're observing— your target.

He sits alone on the bar stool, back hunched, eyes red and nursing a half filled pint of beer. Holding his face in his hand, blond hair raked in between his fingers, bomber jacket hanging loosely on his form, bags under his sagging eyes. He's the picture of someone who's on the bottom of the barrel.

John guides you with his hand hovering on your back. Not touching, at the same time still close, you are supposed to be a couple after all. You slide into a booth that has the perfect view of the target, but still out of his sight and out of earshot. The leather seat is worn down, tiny bits of it are ripped, at least it's not sticky. He orders for you, and you observe how he slyly roams his eyes towards the man, looking out for the keys.

He comes back with a plate of chips and dip. “Thought it would be weird not to order anythin’”

“Good call,” you take a chip whilst your eyes only briefly leave the target's back. “Thought you'd buy me a pint.”

“Did you want a pint? This early? Do you want to talk about it?” He half jokes as he takes a smaller chip.

“No,” you scoff, “and no. I just thought you'd order it instead of this.”

“You're not the only perceptive one in this relationship.” John looks over his shoulder to quickly do a once over at the forlorn man.

“Did you see where he's keeping it?”

“Inside his jacket, right side.”

You nod, “Is he carrying?”

“Not that I can tell.” He shrugs, licking the salt off his finger. “So, why'd you join?”

“Really? We're doing that?” You watch as the man gulps down his remaining drink and then orders a new one immediately.

“Yes, we're doin' that. Won't that make us work better together? To get to know each other a bit more?”

“Fine,” you silently huff. “No one else would take me, this is a last resort, I guess?”

“Bullshit, love, I think anyone would be happy to have you in their…agency?”

“Flattery won't get you anywhere, birdman.” A small smile appears on your lips, he beams at you. “Besides, who else is hiring for someone with the specific skill set that I have?”

He hums, while turning subtly to take a peek at the target. Returning his attention to you after seeing the blonde man still hunched in his stool, John takes another chip. “True, did you get kicked out from the last one?”

“Not really,” you stare at the crack on the wooden table. “You?”

“Not really,” he shrugs and you roll your eyes.

“You MI6?” He asks casually. “This your first time in London?”

“I'm not answering either of those questions.”

“C’mon,” he wiggles his left hand, the wedding band shines in the pub light. “Husband, remember? ‘sides, I won't tell anyone.”

You place your elbows on the table, smiling sarcastically at him. After a beat for his anticipation, you grin wider. “No.”

His shoulders fall, a chortle escaping his lips. “Cheeky.” Pointing an accusing finger at you, he quickly looks behind him, only to find the target sluggishly exiting the pub. “He's on the move.”

You both follow the drunk man like gravity is pulling you towards him. Walking the streets of busy downtown London, stranger's faces whizz past you. John has his hands casually in his pockets, yet he stays close to you, eyes flicking in the corners to check on you.

“Why don't you ask me a question? Y’know tit for tat?” He waits patiently for you to answer back, hell he'll even take a grunt at this point.

“Okay,” you surprisingly start the conversation on his behalf. “Have you killed anyone?” The passing pedestrians don't seem to notice you and the morbid subject.

Your partner snorts, nose scrunched up, eyes glued on the staggering target. “Nah. Have you?”

“I call bullshit,” you dodge a distracted woman scrolling on her phone. “Anyway, I have. I'm not exactly proud of it or flaunting it if you're thinking that I'm doing that.”

“Good, once you start flaunting it like a bloody trophy, you've lost it.”

You hum in agreement, the sound of a deep rumble in your chest as you two turn a corner. “Why do you think hihi needs us to nick the car?”

“Hihi” he chuckles, you turn to him with a serious face. “There's probably a stash of confidential information in the trunk or somethin’”

“Maybe a stash of weapons?” The man in front of you stumbles. “I don't see him as the type to harbor secret documents.”

John nods, “a highly infectious disease then?”

“Christ, we better drive carefully once we get a hold of it.” You turn to him briefly. “Maybe it's a really expensive sports car and he's all sad and mopey because he's gone broke after buying it?”

“Got a whole story now, huh?” He pushes you lightly with his leather clad shoulder, and you smile softly. “You good at pickpocketing him?” Your partner gestures with his chin, said target is walking into traffic. He seems unbothered by the oncoming vehicles. John curses under his breath.

“We should do that now before he kills himself.” You speed walk across the crossing, grabbing the drunk man before a car hits him.

Arms enveloping around his bomber jacket, swiping him away and quickly carrying him to the footpath, you save him before an suv hits you both. The car honks loudly and angrily as your target groans in your arms like he's about to hurl the contents of his stomach.

John punches the hood of the car, pointing at the driver accusingly. A distraction for you to take the keys hidden in the man's jacket.

“You almost hit my fuckin' wife, you wanker!” Your partner yells, covering the sound of jingling keys in your expert hand. He plays the part well.

Surprisingly, the target straightens up in your hold, a split second after you pocketed the car keys inside your own coat.

“Y-you,” he slurs, feet struggling to keep himself upright. “Dickhead!” Slamming his fists on the hood with a loud *thunk, he joins John who gives you a look and a shrug. The drunken yelling gets louder and the driver now exits his car with an equally angry look.

John takes this opportunity to come back to your side, hand holding your elbow, he leads you away from the screaming match as more and more people try to intervene.

“Got it?” He whispers closely to the shell of your ear, sending goosebumps to rise in your arms.

“‘course I did.” You jingle the keys inside your pocket. “I'm not an amateur.”

Playing along, he laughs, hand still holding your elbow softly. “Good job, missus.”

With an awkward chuckle, you lean away from him. “Just so you know, I'm not in this for…the romance.” You bite the inside of your cheek. “I'm not looking to date my co-worker.”

John raises his hands in mock surrender. “Fine by me. if the situation calls for us to actually act as a couple—”

“We'll act as a couple, I won't fuss if that's what you're saying.”

“Good, now let's get this bloody car.”

—

“A fucking ‘99 toyota corolla?” You stare in disbelief at the rusting metal. “At least it's one of the good models.” Kicking the wheel, you expect it to tumble over like in an old timey cartoon.

John is crouched way down to check the bottom of the car. “It's clear.” He stands up fully, cleaning his hands on his jeans. You wince at his movements. “What?”

“Nothing.” You open the driver's side, the smell of alcohol and something musty hits your nose. “Nasty.” Coughing, you air it out by opening another door.

“You know your cars?”

“A little bit.” You say with your nose pinched. Sparing him a look, he stands in the parking lot like he's still waiting for the rest of the story. “What?”

“Throw me a bone here, love.” You roll your eyes. “Why do you know so much about cars?”

“I said I know a little bit.” You place your hands on your hips like an exasperated mother whose son keeps asking weird questions about dinosaurs. “I dated a mechanic.” You say flatly.

“Really? Did you date a pickpocket too? Or do you date people so you could absorb their skills like kirby?”

“Are you jealous?” You tease him with a comment you didn't have the foresight that it would backfire.

“We are married.” He says matter-of-fact with a killer smirk and eyes glinting with mischief. “And this is technically our honeymoon so—”

“Get in the fucking car, birdman.”

—

The wheel is sticky under your hands, you have an intense urge to wash your hands or to at least grab a sanitizer. Apparently your disgust shows on your face, for John chortles next to you.

“What?” You say through gritted teeth.

“Nothin’, you just look like someone shat in your tea.”

“The wheel is sticky.”

“I have a handkerchief with me, d’you want me to?” Taking out the dark green cloth from his jean pockets, he's already twisting in his seat to wipe it clean.

“Please,” you ask softly, hands sliding down to make space for him.

Your hand never left the wheel while he cleans it for you. John's seatbelt is unclasped so he could have more movement, his face is close to your vision, warmth blanketing over you. He's so close that you can smell his cologne, it's a different one from yesterday, it's more flowery with a hint of mint. You spot a hidden mole under his ear. A tiny dot that is just begging to be poked.

Without thinking, you press softly with the pad of your finger. He yelps, flinching away instinctively. Looking at you with wide eyes and mouth agape, you're ready to be called a nasty nickname, or be cussed out with a loud voice. Instead of what you're anticipating, a laugh bellows out, a rumbly laugh that makes you smile and let out an almost silent chortle.

“I think you found my mole.” John holds the side of his neck with a grin. “You let your urges get to you, love.”

“Sorry,” you keep your eyes on the road to hide your embarrassment.

“It's fine, your hand was just cold. Ask me next time, I have a few more cute moles on me.”

“Nevermind, you ruined it.” With a roll of your eyes and a smile, you park at the coordinates. “Nice acting back there, I see an Emmy nomination for you in the future.”

“Thanks, I barely remember what I said. You sure this is the place?” John peeks at the map pulled up on your phone. “Shit, we're here.”

The entire street is suburban, large colonial houses lining the sides, tall pine trees decorate the sidewalks. There's not a lot of people walking by, save for a couple pedestrians walking their dogs, the place is devoid of people.

“What now?” You unclasp your seatbelt to twist around in your seat so you could observe the neighborhood.

“Hihi told us to bring it here, so maybe we should—?” John lets out a high pitched scream that also has you yelling in surprise, not from whatever made him shriek but from the sound that escaped him. “What the fuck!”

Leaning slightly to look at what had his knickers in a bunch, you stare blankly at a bespectacled man in a bespoke suit. The man gives you and your partner an apologetic look, he points for John to open the window.

He turns towards you with an eyebrow raised. “Should I?”

“Yeah, I think you should.”

“What if he's got a gun?” He whispers.

“We also have guns, John. I'll cover you, don't worry. Maybe this is what hihi asked us to do.”

“Easy for you to say, you're not the one opening it.” He gives you a glare before rolling the window down an inch. “Hi, mate. What can we do for you?”

“The car,” the stranger points a lengthy finger at the wheel. His voice is crackly and gravelly, like he just smoked a pack of cigarettes before he went up to the car. “You're late, but that doesn't matter. How much do I owe you, folks?”

“Uh, the usual.” You say with fake confidence.

“Good,” the lean man straightens up, “mind gettin’ out of the car then?”

“Right, sorry, bruv.” John, gives you one look before exiting the car. He's nervous and so are you.

As the doors shut, the man flexes his open palms expectantly for the keys, to which you hand off immediately. He gives you bad vibes, maybe your intuition tells you to run for the hills.

“Thank you, sweetheart. I'll wire the money to the usual account.” The nickname sends shivers down your spine.

He closes the door and starts up the car. With a splutter of the exhaust, he slowly drives away. You and John watch, standing side by side in the middle of the street in confusion.

“He was weird, right? Not to mention it was too easy.” You turn your head to look at him. “Maybe they're trying to ease us in?”

“It was all weird, not just him—” A blast coming from the car interrupts him, the sheer force of it sends you two down on the rough pavement.

Your cheeks are incredibly warm from the searing heat of the bomb. The light from it blinds the two of you.

Palms skinned, trousers slashed at the knees, your ears ring loudly like an annoying buzz from a broken microphone. Coughing loudly, smoke fills your lungs, debris is scattered around the once pristine neighborhood. There's blood on the concrete, you can't hear John calling for you, your vision is blurred by the cloud of smoke. His hand reaches for you, and your instincts tell you to run.

“Fuck!” He yells, running beside you at full speed. “What the fuck!”

“Keep running!” You yell as he turns around to check on a woozy you. “I'm fine!”

Someone behind you screams for you to stop so you and your partner run faster. Knees aching, thighs burning, you don't stick around to look who's running after you. The unmistakable click of a gun’s safety is loud in your eardrums, even if your lungs threaten to give out, you sprint right next to John as he turns a corner and into a carwash.

The smell of soap and heavy pine scented car freshener hits your bloody nose. He tugs you towards the plastic curtains and inside what you presume as the employee lounge, someone yells after you but it falls on deaf ears as you and John continue your escape.

Exiting the establishment, the metal doors open to a messy alleyway. Boxes upon boxes of trash and god knows what are littered all around. The pungent smell makes you want to hurl, or maybe that's the adrenaline having a weird effect on your stomach.

You two find reprieve for a second, huffing, trying to get oxygen back in. Hands on your aching thighs, the concrete below you slowly turns crimson as your mysterious injury drips precious blood on the messy ground.

“You're bleedin’” He says in between inhales. There's rustling of fabric next to you, and you feel the warm cloth placed on your forehead.

“No shit, Sherlock.” Waving the drenched cloth away, you scoff lightly. “Don't.”

“What am I supposed to do? Let you bleed?”

You stand up straight, blood coating your lashes as you stare at him. “I've got a better idea.” Placing your palms on the source of the pain, you let your blood coat it.

“What—?” You roughly smudge the warm ichor all over his face and shirt, the plain white of his t-shirt turns a dark pink shade with your touch. Leaning away, he gives you a slow nod of understanding. “Ease us in, huh?”

“I'm rarely wrong and this is one of the rare instances.”

“Let's hope you're right about this one.”

—

You kick the backdoor open with ferocity. It bangs loud against the wall, getting the restaurant staff's attention.

“Help please! My husband!” John's limp arm is around your shoulders, your hand gripping on to his waist to add that one detail that would convince them of your innocence. “There was a bomb!” You don't let the bystanders touch you or John whilst you quickly lumber through their dinghy bathroom. There's murmurs and chairs scraping on the tiled floors as you lock the door behind you.

The bathroom is small, tiles yellowed from the years, the stench of bleach itching your nose. The lightbulb above you whirs like it's about to burst out. He leaves your side to take off his bloodied jacket, tossing it outside from the window— his exit, you presume.

“Your phone.” He holds his empty hand out to you, when you only raise an eyebrow at him, he sighs, eyes turning soft, adrenaline melting out of his system. “Please, c’mon, love, you got me sayin’ please and shit.”

“What for?” You try desperately to wipe the blood off your face.

“To contact you, just in case you need help.”

“I can handle it.”

“I know you can, how else did you get the job then? Just let me,” his voice wavers a bit but he corrects himself with a timed clear of his smoke filled throat. “Please, Jane.”

After pausing, you take your phone out from your pocket to give it to him. He enters his number after seeing your home screen of a basic mountain range.

“There.” Giving the phone back, you expected him to give his too, but he doesn't as he's already halfway out of the window. “I'll see you at home?”

You let out a chuckle, “yeah, I'll see you at home.” He gives you one last smile as he exits the small bathroom and into the streets where numerous sirens go off from ambulances and fire trucks.

—

It was a blur the entire trip home, you bought a loose hoodie from a thrift store and then promptly discarded your blood soaked coat in the bottom of a dumpster. It was a shame though, you liked that coat, it had real wool in the lining. The uber drive was thankfully uneventful, if the driver noticed the remnants of dried blood on your skin he didn't mention it. You gave him five stars for it.

An empty house greets you, John's shoes are nowhere to be seen in the hallway, nor his jacket. You worry for a second, mind rushing through possibilities. The rubber band burns as you pull it back and release it with a harsh thwack against your skin.

The water is cool as you shower, your blood mixing in and pooling around your feet and into the drain like a macabre whirlpool. You don't let your mind wonder about the man that you turned into a street pancake. Instead, you focus on yourself in the mirror.

You stare at the gash near your hairline, the skin around it is angry, leaving a throbbing sensation. There's also a few scratches on your face, especially around your chin. Your main concern is the large gash. It doesn't look like it needs to be stitched together though, which is a good thing since you don't have the energy to even tend to the tiny scratches on your palms. Cleaning and bandaging the wound, you put on clean pajamas and head to bed.

You stop in your tracks when you see John lying face down on your bed. Still in his iron soaked clothes, save for the jacket. You glare at his boot, it's off the bed but you still grit your teeth at the thought of it grazing your bedsheets.

He senses your presence, and he lifts his head up, chin helping prop himself up. “Your bed is better than mine.” His multi coloured eyes are laced with exhaustion, dull yet there's still a spark when he looks at your annoyed gaze.

“Who are you? Goldilocks?”

“Yeah, I ate your porridge too.”

“Damn, not my porridge.” Too tired to fight him, you slither into bed next to him, an arm's length away from his equally tired body. Staring at the ceiling, you feel his eyes on you. “What's up with your eyes?”

“It's called heterochromia—”

“I know what it is, I'm asking why you're staring at me like you're about to devour me.”

“I could devour you if you want.” He says nonchalantly but with the charisma of a man who knows what he's talking about.

“Maybe next time.” You blindly pat his shoulder which ended up with you patting his cheek. He hums at your touch, a deep rumble that you felt through the mattress. “Not bad for our first day huh?” Lifting your hand away, he twists on the bed to mirror your position. Now you're both gazing at the beige ceiling like it owes you money.

You're tired but for some reason you're fighting off the sandman from sprinkling sand in your heavy eyes.

“I lied back there, I've killed before.” His voice is merely above a whisper but you heard it as loud as a trumpet blaring in your ears.

“I know, you wouldn't be here if you haven't.” You answer with empathy. “If it makes you feel better, I've been to London before. Twice, on a family trip and a decade later…on vacation.”

“Glad to know.” He taps the inside of your elbow as a thank you for trusting him. “You CIA?” He blurts out above the comfortable silence.

“God no.” You truthfully say.

“And here I thought you're an alumni of the culinary institute of America.”

For the first time in years, you let out the loudest laugh you could muster. Snort and all.

Your ‘husband’ joins in with his own rambunctious laughter, the bed shakes at the loud guffaws. The happy sound fills the room, and your heart feels like it isn't as heavy as before. It's still there, the heaviness, but it isn't as cumbersome. You now realize that you've only snapped the rubber band on your wrist a couple times today.

An annoying tapping sound interrupts you both. Simultaneously sitting up by the elbows, you two tilt your head at the intruder.

“It's that pigeon again.” You actually smile at the thought of the same bird coming back to your house like a white strand of hair that keeps growing even after you've pulled it out. “I think we should name him. Something like Terry or Flanders.” You chuckle softly.

“Jeff.”

You shake your head. “Nope, doesn't suit him, what if it's a she?”

“His name is Jeff.” John turns to look at you, eyes full of certainty.

You turn to him, blinking rapidly in realization. “He's yours. He's your bird, isn't he?”

“You are insightful.” He smiles, a soft one that fills you with endearment that you haven't felt in years. “Met him a few months ago, fed him once and now he wouldn't leave me alone. I guess he followed me here too.”

“Y’know, pigeons are really smart, kinda like crows. He probably thinks you're his daddy.”

“Does that make you Jeff's mummy?”

“I don't want to be Jeff's mom.” Said bird taps on your window again, like he senses that you're currently talking about him.

“Too bad,” he raises his marriage finger, showing you the gold band. “He's our kid, love.”

You smile, hiding it with a huff and by laying back down with a gentle thump.

“Can I tell you somethin’?” His face pops up in your vision, you nod in place. “My real name is—”

“Let me stop you right there.” You sit back up, almost hitting his head with your own at how fast you sat. “There's a reason why they gave us fake names. Whether we like it or not, It's John,” You point at him. “And Jane Smith.” You point at yourself. “Until they dismiss us, that's our names. Not whatever you were about to tell me.”

“But you know it's not our names, right?”

“Of course I do. You don't look like a John, John.”

“And you don't look like a Jane. I just…” He sighs. “Just want someone to know my real name. We almost died back there, what if we stayed a minute longer inside that car? What then? I don't want to die with someone else's name written on my grave.” His words are genuine, but it sounds like he has said these words before.

Still, you sympathize with him. You've gone undercover before, taken someone’s name instead of yours for months. Those missions were so long and tiring that you almost forgot your own name. But it was…survivable because he was with you. John has no one, and this time you have no one. No one that calls your real name, no one that can identify your body if you suddenly croak in the middle of a mission.

No one else but John and Jane Smith.

So with bated breath, you give him the go ahead. “Okay, tell me. But I can't promise that I'll call you by that name.”

“Don't want to get in trouble with hihi?”

“No,” you scoff. “I don't give a shit what that robot says. I just don't want to die with a stranger's name. So fuck it, tell me yours and I'll mine.”

He smiles the same smile that he gave you before he went out of that dinky bathroom window. The smile that reassures you, a smile that tells you everything will be alright.

“It's Hobie,” Hobie finally says. “Hobie Brown.”

“It suits you better. Thought it was Jeff.” You whisper, and you give him your real name. The same name you were born with, not the fabricated ones your former agency has given you, not the ones your new company has given you.

He whispers back your name, tongue rolling off it like honey. Then, Hobie smiles again, nodding and those heterochromatic eyes bore into you comfortably like the sun's rays kissing your skin in the summer.

“You look like one. Definitely suits you better than Jane.” You smile shyly as you lose the fight against sandman.

In Hobie's mind, he hopes that knowing your real name is enough, enough to keep you alive, enough of an incentive for him to keep you safe, since you're not just a typical Jane anymore that the company randomly selected for him, no, you're Y/N L/N, and he'll do anything to protect you better. Because maybe, just maybe, knowing your real name this early would work, and you'll outlive all the Janes that he himself has outlived.

As you fall asleep next to him, he stares at Jeff the third. In that luxurious house, within those bulletproof walls, and in your room lies a deep anger in him. An anger that keeps him sane in all those years trying to pay his debt. He needs to end the cycle, not just for him but for all the agents that are in the same shoes as him. For now he lets you sleep soundly, for now, he plots the demise of the people behind the screen.

The laptop flashes a new message from the company.

> Mission complete: 3 fails remaining

> Good job, next mission?

Support banner by @cafekitsune ❤️

A/N: thank you for reading!!! Please consider reblogging if you liked it ❤️❤️❤️

[radioroxx]

*slides you $500 in monopoly money* spare deets about the isafrin kids? i love them soooooooo much and would love love love to know even more!!!

like!! how did they get wished into existence? were they just There one day as small kids, or did they come as babies? did aurore come first and then eile? and isafrin!!! they look different!!?!!?! love love love love postcanon designs and would love to hear your thoughts on them (and! their bonding earrings??)

I WROTE THIS OUT AND REALIZED HOW STUPID LONG IT IS SO. ITS GOING UNDER A CUT. WOWZERS

Ok first- WISH BABIES!!!

uh. uhm. uh

ahah. oops!!

though we did get to discussing a few options after getting this ask (more like. i. asked them. and they provided. im not the thinker in this group. hehe!)

(@chromatasia )

for context on this one- i believe a while ago we also talked about wishing involving sacrificing? the idea of givinf up a piece of yourself (sometimes physically, like hair) to help power a wish! or link yourself to it?

a second option (three whole screenshots…)

(@unregisteredskybox )

carve your own baby!! yay!

general idea for our fankids though is that yes, they were created super young. and as babies. so aurore wouldve been crafted a few years before eilé :)

so yea ur two options <3 pick i guess lol. i dont have a solid idea there.

the second half of your questions- yes!! isafrin! theyre older and different!! wahoo!

the older isafrin designs were moreso. i wanted to have a little fun and made them. lawl. but now i get an excuse to share anyway :) so here!!

numbered the details to make it a lil easier. also dont mind these r quick scribbles,,

1- general outfits and stuff. siffrins i wanted to keep mostly similar to how i usually draw them. sleeveless top, horrible and unnecessary amount of belts,, knowing that hes maybe not as eager to change as some others might be. they are comfortable in their style and thats what matters. for isabeau i wanted to keep a familiar vibe, but still change it up. i think he would still wear clothes that are flowy-er etc etc, buuut yeayeayea. not an outfits guy really so jfkf theyre pretty simple.

2- themb!! they look different! siffrins hair is longer obv obv, and no lightless dye anymore. they tie it back usually, but he still likes it long. also some facial hair. important to me. (you may also notice lack of eyepatch,, personal hc that siffrin gets more comfortable without it after making up with bonnie some more. that he maybe depending on it a lot because he thought it would make them uncomfortable, which theyyy dont have to worry about. anymore! so less eyepatch. sometimes still though). isa on the other hand looks mooostly the same! except. ofc. bigger beard. you guys should know i love my beards by now. lawl. other than that mostly the same,, physical pain in me trying to think of a different hairstyle for him… maybe in the future but for now he gets This.

3- new cloak-thing for sif! his regular cloak is probably much more well suited for the travelling lifestyle, much less the domestic stay-at-home lifestyle, soo they changed it up! (and totally not an excuse for isabeau to try out craft stitching nooo definitely not as practice for the future whaat who said that.) they will still wear the old cloak occasionally, buuut not as often as they used to.

4- finally! bonding earrings!!! yes! the designs themselves are pretty simple. squares and change symbols for the design sif made for isa, and a star with bits that go ding-ding that isa made for sif. more importantly, siffrin carved the earrings himself! it is. hard. to do that. a design that is so small. there were many failed attempts and scraped ideas but they got it done! and isa loves them very much. for isas design, the main star part is glass, and the dangling bits are carved gems (picture isabeau, panicking because this is siffrin hes making these for so it needs to be perfect. and he gets odile to help him, because despite all the teasing she is ofc very fond, and helps him out with that aspect of the design.)

ok thats all - bye bye bye

[seoul-bros]

Face Reviews

Grammy

Though he may seem delicate at first glance, Jimin demonstrates his unpredictability and willingness to take risks on FACE. He exposes emotions that may be tough to divulge in relatable ways, while also creating music that simply sounds good.

Challenging himself with intense choreography, rapping and bold conceptual choices, Jimin's first solo project proves he's a visionary in his own right. FACE offers an impressive introduction to Jimin's abilities as a solo performer — and a promising one at that.

Consequence

Many of Jimin’s solo tracks in BTS’s extensive discography are sweet, tender, or more in the ballad space; it’s absurdly fun getting to see him prioritize harder edges, beat drops, and R&B influences with this project. Its six tracks wrap all too quickly, and while it was specified that Jimin doesn’t consider this a full-length project, it does leave the listener craving more music in this vein somewhere down the road — it’s worth repeating that the energy of “Face-off” is one that he should consider chasing most of all.

Nylon

If Jimin’s previous works were bubbling whispers, Face is an honest scream into the void. The album wrestles with self-inflicted torment but ends on a new beginning as an artist as he shows off a previously unseen creativity through his use of personal snippets and clips. Listeners now meet Jimin as he stands in unfamiliar territory, one that exhibits his desire to evolve beyond the BTS title, at the cusp of something even greater to come.

Quietus

Jimin’s Face is, perhaps, one of the most anticipated solo projects from BTS since he is one of those members whose tones we didn’t get to hear so often – only a limited number of times on the solo tracks of BTS albums and one or two songs here and there. While it’s a short EP, it doesn’t disappoint. If anything, he presents himself as a soloist with an unexpected sound for his high-pitched countertenor voice and very far from those earlier ballads we have heard from him.

NME

FACE’ might not be flawless but even in its missteps it reflects the turbulence of modern life – and especially of the last few years. If Jimin’s mission on this record was to stretch himself creatively and distil that dissonance in these songs, it’s one he’s accomplished.

Junkee

Though the tracklist is short — six tracks in total, including one musical interlude and an English version of the title track, “Like Crazy” — FACE offers a cohesive narrative that takes the listener on an emotional journey with Jimin. As though moving through the stages of grief, we explore his anger, denial, and depression, before finally moving to acceptance and a determination to overcome.

The Harvard Crimson

While mini albums as short as “FACE” — just five tracks and an English version of “Like Crazy” — can often sound like a disjointed collection of B-sides, the album sets itself apart through seamless transitions that takes listeners from track to track telling a cohesive story of doubt and discovery. While each song can be listened to individually, it’s clear that it was designed to be listened to from start to finish in a single setting. With a runtime of just under 20 minutes, Jimin takes listeners on a journey of heartbreak, avoidance, introspection, loneliness, and eventually, hesitant self-acceptance.

Rolling Stone

Post Date: 24/03/2024

[bonesandblood-sunandmoon]

Follow up to poll: Are you interested in a Jumblr/Jewish themed Tumblr Community?

Trying to come up with community guidelines is a bit harder than I thought it would be. These aren't final versions, but I kind of need to talk it out a bit. (Feedback is okay. Insults for even thinking that something needs tagged for filtering will in all likelihood be ignored.)

1) This space is open to anti-Zionists, non-Zionists, post-Zionists, Zionists, and those who don't use any Zionist related labels. Discussion of what Zionism does or does not mean for individual members and historical resources are allowed, but use tags for filtering: antizionism, zionism.

Goal of this guideline: Please don't do "are you a good Jew or bad Jew" type questioning. Prepare yourself for being in a space where self-identified Zionists might be.

2) No using an identity or trait to belittle, insult, encourage violence, or designate a group that should be killed. This includes but isn't strictly limited to: gender/sex, disabled status, physical appearance, mental illness, sexuality, ethnicity, race/skin color, nationality (including Israelis), veterans (including those who served in the Israeli Defense Forces), and a perceived identity (including "Zionists"). After three warnings, a member will be removed from the community.

Goal of this guideline: Mostly, don't be an asshole. However, I also do not want to have someone try to argue that whatever they're saying about "all Zionists" actually means Israelis, IDF veterans or active service members, or otherwise.

3) Discussion of antisemitism including historical tropes, resources for learning more about it, and personal experiences with it are allowed in the community. However, this type of post must be tagged for filtering: antisemitism. Please keep in mind Guideline 2 when sharing posts responding to antisemitism. Posts that engage in ableism against antisemites, counter suicide bait with threats of violence, counter rape denialism with statements that the person should experience sexual violence themself, or otherwise might be more appropriate as a vent post on a personal blog should err on the side of not being shared into the community.

Goal of this guideline: I don't want someone to feel like they can't ever discuss antisemitism, but like... I really don't want to have to encounter someone 'asking for a friend' if they could hurt a person who posted something antisemitic that was basically a torture scenario again.

I can understand that people need a space to vent or that arguments don't always show the best side of oneself, but you know, I also don't want someone to say that 'could you not call people you disagree with brain damaged [R-slurs] that are too stupid to breathe if you're reblogging into the comm' is infringing on their unquestionable little vent post.

4) Some members may want to share answers to anonymous asks where they've shared something substantive (i.e. compiled organizations to donate to, talked about Jewish history, talked about media literacy), even if the original ask contained death threats, suicide bait, or other antisemitic remarks. For now, those posts are allowed in the community but must use an appropriate tag for filtering: anon hate. (If there's encouragement for someone to commit suicide, add: suicide bait.) This guideline may be re-evaluated in the future, especially if members aren't tagging anon hate and/or suicide bait when sharing into the community. For filtering consistency, use 'anon hate' even if someone left a hateful ask while identified.

Goal of this guideline: I don't want to have to come up with some sort of rubric on types of anon hate and what's too hateful, and I don't want to have to go through every hateful ask that someone did put something substantive for to figure out if it's alright.

5) Some members may want to post information or updates about October 7th, the hostages, and/or the war between Hamas and Israel that other members may not want to see. Or at least, they may not want to be surprised by the imagery or details from reports and first-hand accounts. Appropriate tags should be used for filtering: sexual violence, graphic violence, graphic imagery, Israel-Hamas war, October 7, hostages in Gaza.

Goal of this guideline: I fully expect these topics to come up in some way, and I would rather have clear tagging for filtering purposes than pretend that no one will ever want to post about these topics.

6) Using 'Jumblr' as a general catch-all tag within the community is allowed even if the post isn't reblogged to the Jumblr tag. Other tags are highly encouraged but not mandatory: advice wanted, art, books, brachot, fandom [as a catch-all], fast days [as a catch-all for that type of holiday], halacha, Holocaust [or Shoah], jewish creators, jewish history, jewish languages [catch-all for language learning resources, though the individual language can also be tagged], jewish representation, kashrut, mezuzah, minhagim [possible catch-all, though the specific minhag can also be tagged], movies, music, recipes, siddur, Shabbat, tallit, tefilin, tv shows, tzedakah, prayer; and holidays: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu B'Shevat, Purim, Pesach, Sefirat Ha'Omer, Yom HaShoah, Lag B'Omer, Shavuot, and others (Mimouna, Sigd, Yom HaZikaron, etc.).

Goal of this guideline: As far as I'm aware, I can't actually have a list of tags that someone should use [similar to Dreamwidth communities], but I would like to encourage people to use tags.

7) Members are encouraged to make their image containing posts accessible via providing enough text explanation before an image to functionally describe it, using Tumblr's alt text feature (character limit is suited to short descriptions), or adding a description of the image within the body of the post. Various accounts assist with image descriptions including @/jumblr-described [English] and @/israblr-described [Hebrew].

Goal of this guideline: Please think about accessibility (image version).

8) Members are encouraged to provide enough text explanation before a video or audio clip to describe what should be there if a link embed fails. If possible, members are also encouraged to share captioned videos and link to an available transcript if the audio has it. Various accounts assist with writing transcripts or video descriptions including @/jumblr-described [English] and @/israblr-described [Hebrew].

Goal of this guideline: Please think about accessibility (audio version). I don't know if I've had some internet issues, but I've also had some video embeds just not load at all. Without any indication of what the video should be, I'm not interacting with a random seemingly-empty post.

9) A member who doesn't tag, mistags, or purposefully uses misleading tags to circumvent the ability to filter out the type of content they're posting will be warned and given the chance to correct their tagging. The tags for filtering have been listed in Guidelines 1 through 5: antizionism, zionism, antisemitism, anon hate, suicide bait, sexual violence, graphic violence, graphic imagery, Israel-Hamas war, October 7, hostages in Gaza. These tags should be used as presented instead of making substitutions. Examples: sexual violence and not r@pe, seggsual violence, or grape; suicide bait and not sui, unalive yourself, or su1c1de b8; spelling Israel instead of Isn'treal, Isnotreal, or Israhell; or tag rambling that the filter function treats as a separate tag like 'is this anon hate lol' or 'antisemitism isn't a joke'. After five warnings, a member will be removed from the community if they continue to circumvent tagging for filtering purposes. To prevent potential tag spam and keep other tags usable within the community, a member may be asked to correct an unclear or mistaken tag, such as tagging a hanukkiah with Purim, but that will not count as a warning towards being removed from the community.

Goal of this guideline: This community is supposed to be a moderated space with the ability to tag, and members are going to have to play along with tagging for filtering purposes because this isn't their personal blog. Blacklisting might catch tag rambling, but as far as I'm aware, that's only available for desktop users and a lot of people use Tumblr on mobile.

[lizardsfromspace]

Halloween Movie Challenge

Every day in October, except the days I don't, I am watching a randomly chosen Halloween-themed horror movie for the first time. Or for the first twenty-four days of October bc my list runs out then.

The first two weeks...are below

TRICK OR TREAT

1986 / directed by Charles Martin Smith / written by Joel Soisson, Michael S. Murphey and Rhet Topham (and Glen Morgan & James Wong, uncredited)

A heavy metal-themed Nightmare on Elm Street clone (the villain even does the "hands reaching through the wall" thing, but with a speaker), with cameos by Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne, the latter playing a Satanic Panic-spewing TV preacher. This one has a strange legacy on the whole: future X-Files scribe (and uncredited co-writer) Glen Morgan is featured in his only acting role, and the director went on to make Air Bud...and then define his career around animal movies. Fair enough! This one's pretty fun, with a long first act of high school bullying highlighted with a energetic chase sequence, though not especially Halloween-y, given its name (though the version I watched was titled Ragman?)

🎃🎃🎃.5/5

TALES OF HALLOWEEN

2015 / directed by [a lot of people] / written by [a lot of people]

The top Letterboxd review calls this "Trick 'R Treat if it was designed by a committee at a horror convention" and that just about sums it up. It has the requisite horror cameos - a litany of 80s final girls are joined by Joe Dante and John Landis, and John Landis is convincing in the role of a terrible person whose son is a monster for some reason. This one has way too many segments, and they're unsurprisingly same-y. Two stories have a twist where a child-sized killer turns out to be a demon, two of them feature gangs of evil kids, and none of them are very fun, though they feature so many of the winking in-jokes filmmakers mistake for fun. This is the type of movie where a candy will have the word "Carpenter" on it, written in the Halloween titles font, because hey. Remember John Carpenter? Remember? Remember John Carpenter? The oddest part is that this movie's format is very close to 2015's better A Christmas Horror Story, but they're totally unrelated?

🎃🎃/5

HELL HOUSE LLC

2015 / written & directed by Stephen Cognetti

Found footage movie that makes decent use of its rundown-Halloween-haunt setting & has some good scares with evil clown dolls, but is pretty routine, and does that mediocre found footage thing where it can't let any of the background scares breathe without a crash zoom and a scare chord.

🎃🎃🎃/5

MAY

2002 / written & directed by Lucky McKee

To call May a slasher movie doesn't really represent it. As a portrait of a loner among urban alienation, it's of a kind with Taxi Driver and the first act of Beau is Afraid, with unbearably real performances by Angela Bettis and Jeremy Sisto. May is psychological and restrained, striving for a queasy discomfort before it escalates into full-on bloodshed. This is the least Halloween-y film so far, but the final act is on Halloween night, and culminates in a shot that's haunting and lyrical in equal measure.

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃/5

HACK-O-LANTERN

1988 / directed by Jag Mundhra / written by Dave Eisenstark & Carla Robinson

Direct-to-video horror classic featuring a deeply apathetic son of the Devil and a musical number featuring deaths-by-magic-guitar. Alternatively tediously padded and gloriously deranged, but then again, that's direct-to-video horror babyyyyyyy. Jag Mundhra had a career directing direct-to-video sleaze in the US, but made prestige movies in India?

🎃🎃🎃/5

DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW

1981 / directed by Frank De Felitta / story by J.D. Feigelson & Butler Handcock, teleplay by Feigelson

A TV movie, but you'd only know it from its 4:3 ratio & commercial break fades-to-black. Dark Night of the Scarecrow is a creepy gem, well-directed by de Felitta - a novelist with a sideline directing TV movies - with an eye towards the details of small town life. The lack of gore is made up with by stark, elemental horror imagery, and the horrors of humanity: a mob murders a developmentally disabled man for a crime he didn't commit, and gets off the hook for it - gets cheered, in fact, by the townsfolk. But soon a mysterious scarecrow is appearing in the fields, and the killers start to die...not a killer scarecrow movie, but something subtler, chillier, the horror of barns and grain silos and farmer's fields.

🎃🎃🎃🎃/5

HAUNT

2019 / written & directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods

Extreme haunted houses are stupid.

While some use it as a mere William Castle-ian conceit, others take it seriously. Who could've guessed that if you replace themed scares and actors with people who will literally, actually hurt you, you'd still be scared? Only the Einsteins who act flabbergasted when the actors they hired with the pitch "you can hurt people and they signed something that said they can't sue you" turn out to disregard safe words. In Haunt, an extreme haunted house is a front for a murder-cult, which is more respectable than it being some guy doing the Evermore Park of frights. Haunt is a very pedestrian slasher, but a sincere one, and a modern one (the victims check the creepy house's Yelp reviews), which I'll take over a winking 80s homage any day.

🎃🎃🎃/5

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

1985 / directed by Jack Bender / written by Bill Bleich

Delightful little made-for-TV number, heavily inspired by Thriller. In 1985, this was trashed for its cliches, but now it's the cliches that make it so endearing. This one has its own musical number, a starring turn for LeVar Burton, some quality zombie effects and a lighthearted air, and excellent Halloween-y vibes to it, of course, courtesy of future Lost director Jack Bender. It also has a weirdly overqualified soundtrack; I really didn't expect to hear The Smiths repeatedly in a made-for-TV Halloween movie, but here we are.

🎃🎃🎃🎃/5

NIGHT OF THE DEMONS

1988 / directed by Kevin S. Tenney / written by Joe Augustyn

Night of the Demons has a gnarly final act, but spends way too much time getting there, and too much of that time is spent with interchangeable assholes bumbling about.

🎃🎃.5/5

THE CHILD

1977 / directed by Robert Voskanian / written by Ralph Lucas

A classical Weird 70s Horror Movie, which means a relatively simple plot told in the most inscrutable way possible, a lot of stark tight close-ups and quick cuts, and a preoccupation with psychics. The last act is a bit of a conventional zombie runaround, but everything before that is chilly 70s gold. By far the least Halloween-y film here, but there's an amazing moment with a Jack-O-Lantern.

🎃🎃🎃.5/5

SCARY MOVIE

1991 / directed by Daniel Erickson / written by Daniel Erickson, David Lane Smith, and Mark Voges

No, not that one; this one is a regional horror flick from Texas, from 1991, and starring John Hawkes as a gormless nerd touring a haunted house - the type so anxious to avoid a snake pit he ends up falling into a snake pit, which, relatable. The wonderful aesthetics of a local haunted house dominate this film, directed with sly attention to detail by Erickson, which follows Hawkes' character as an escaped madman lurks in the haunted house. Or does he? A surreal psychological story more than a slasher, it takes a while to get somewhere, but that a while is full of local atmosphere (similar to Tobe Hooper's classic The Funhouse).

🎃🎃🎃🎃/5

Anyway

[over-the-time-flow]

Super Robot Rollcall: The GEAR Fighters

Ginga Izumo

"The universe doesn't need no 'king'!"

Source Material: GEAR Fighter Dendoh Age: 11 Birthday: May 5th Height: 145 cm Hobbies: Watching anime Voice Actress: Youko Mitsuoka Character Designer: Hirokazu Hisayuki

A little boy who enjoys practicing karate at his mother's dojo, playing sports, watching anime, and idol bands... until one day, through a series of convoluted events, he finds himself alongside a classmate he can't stand in the cockpit of a mysterious robot! A story as old a time.

As 11-yos often do, the two very quickly conciliate their differences and become friends.

His dad is often travelling around the world, but he doesn't really miss him, because he tends to bring the customs of wherever he last went along whenever he comes to visit, which tends to cause a lot of embarrassment for Ginga...

Compared to Hokuto, Ginga has better Melee, Defense and Skill. All around, both of them have fairly good stats, but defensively they're not so impressive.

Hokuto Kusanagi

"This isn't some sports match! We can't just say 'oh well, i lost!' and go home!!"

Source Material: GEAR Fighter Dendoh Age: 11 Birthday: July 7th Height: 147 cm Hobbies: Watching anime, playing billiards and football, building plastic models Voice Actress: Naomi Shindou Character Designer: Hirokazu Hisayuki

A timid boy who enjoys spending time with his parents, with his computer, with plastic models, and most of all, with his beloved dog. One day, the Galfa Empire attacks his town, and in the commotion, he ends up in the cockpit of the Dendoh alongside a classmate he can't stand!

As 11-yos often do, the two very quickly conciliate their differences and become friends.

Lately, his duties as a Dendoh pilot have been getting in the way of his personal life. He's no Peter Parker, but he finds himself having less time to spend with his dad, and his mom seems so distant recently...

Compared to Ginga, Hokuto has better Ranged, Accuracy and Evasion. They're both fairly competent in terms of statline, but even though i like Hokuto more, it's kind of a fact that Ginga's a better pilot in a vaccuum. Still, you'll be shifting between them many times a stage if you're deploying them anyway.

GEAR Fighter Dendoh

Source Material: Gear Fighter Dendoh Height: 24.5 meters Power Source: double a batteries 2 Hyper Dendoh Batteries Real World Designer: Jun'ichi Akutsu

A mysterious robot that can only be controlled when both Gear Commanders (in essence, control units) light up, which only happens when Dendoh itself judges the pilots to be worthy. The Gear Commanders allow the pilots to catch "Data Weapons", large bioelectrical cryptids who become weapons for the Dendoh, powering it up.

In other words, it's the closest SRW will ever have to a "summoner" type character, which (combined with how great the show is) really endears me to this thing.

We get the Dendoh with the Unicorn Drill already acquired, and shifting to it will swap the pilot to Hokuto. Unicorn Drill grants us Fire Wall, a decent barrier ability, and most importantly, having a Data Weapon grants the Dendoh the ability to use the Final Attack, a move that deals more damage the more EN the Dendoh has remaining, but that will always leave it with only 10 EN remaining. As of right now, we have no way of refilling Dendoh's EN without putting it back in the ship (which will RAPIDLY drain the pilots' Will, especially in R), and all of its moves spend at least a little bit of EN, and most spend quite a bit. As such, the Dendoh is a potentially VERY powerful unit, but it requires wise utilization, and i find it to be one of the most fun and rewarding units to use in the game.

Both forms are clearly meant to be Super Robots, but have fairly unimpressive HP and Armor. Unicorn Drill's Fire Wall will prove very useful to us in the future.

Vega

"Rushing in blindly out of rage is the same as admitting defeat."

Source Material: GEAR Fighter Dendoh Age: ??? Birthday: ??? Voice Actress: Kotono Mitsuishi Character Designer: Hirokazu Hisayuki

The mysterious second in command at GEAR HQ. She finds herself tasked with taking care of the Dendoh's young pilots, and she's quite adept at her job. She's extensively trained in CQC, and can fight beyond the limits of a normal human, demonstrating superhuman abilities at multiple points.

For whatever reason, she sometimes finds herself uncomfortable around Hokuto.

You would be excused if you thought she was a support unit, but make no mistake, Vega is a real robot pilot geared to be dealing damage through and through. Her stats are all quite decent, and her Spirit learnset does not disappoint either.

Valkyrie

Source Material: Gear Fighter Dendoh Real World Designer: Jun'ichi Akutsu

Vega's specialized combat bike. It's loaded with missiles and various lightweight CQC weapons that make use of Vega's fantastical skillset. So long as they're on the ground, Vega can stand up even against Mobile Suits, Mechabeasts and the like.

It can also hover above water, although "hover" may be an incorrect way of putting it; rather, it's capable of driving atop water.

It's no powerhouse, but this thing can actually put in some work. It's nigh impossible to hit (especially with upgrades to its Mobility), and while it'll never hit quite as hard as a dedicated combat unit, it can hit hard enough thanks to Vega's stats.

The true draw of this thing, however, is that it shares upgrades 1 to 1 with another unit we'll get much later, and that other unit can be piloted by other characters. If you really want to, you can pump upgrades into this machine and get two competent machines to decently upgraded levels for the cost of one.

[chronicas]

Okay, FINALLY getting around to the games played 2022 top ten ranking!!

10. Hollow Knight

VERY fun although I unfortunately didn’t spend much time on it. It definitely presents a pretty significant learning curve because it’s not very much like many other games I’ve played. I hope to revisit it soon!

9. Astro’s Playroom

This cute little platformer comes with the PS5 and demonstrates many of the consoles new functionality! It’s a great way to see what the console is capable of and is also just VERY cute and enjoyable!! Definitely don’t skip this game if you get the chance to play it!

8. Pokémon White

The second oldest game I played this year and also the first non-Pokémon GO Pokémon game I’ve played. Was a lot more simple than I thought it’d be and it’s super fun. I may not know much about Pokémon, but it was really easy to grasp. Really enjoyed it and loved it as an introduction to the franchise. I hope to play more Pokémon games in the future!

7. Bloodborne

My first Fromsoft game hopefully of many! I love the gameplay and design. It’s a really fun game for when I want a challenge! I absolutely adore the boss design in it and would love to you know.. actually beat it someday.

6. Ratchet & Clank (2016)

Despite my many criticisms for this game, it was VERY enjoyable. I still argue it doesn’t quite live up to the original, but the level design being overall the same certainly made it enjoyable! It’s definitely lower on my list than other R&C games, but again! I had a great time with it.

5. Oxenfree

I’m not usually a fan of these kind of point and click games, but the narrative of this game was so so fascinating that it’s actually one of my favorite games I played this year. Only outranked by some of my favorite games in general. I highly recommend giving this game a shot and I’m VERY much looking forward to the sequel.

4. Final Fantasy VII Remake: EPISODE INTERmission

A lot of debating back and forth if this DLC really counted as a “game played” this year, but I decided it did because of how much I enjoyed it. I definitely had my issues with it, mainly all stemming from DOC being my least favorite part of the FFVII Compilation. However with Yuffie being one of my very favorite characters, I think her getting her own dedicated DLC was well deserved! It makes me incredibly excited to use her move set more come Rebirth. While I wasn’t a fan of the narrative of this DLC, the gameplay more than made up for it!!

3. Destiny 2: The Witch Queen

I was EXTREMELY excited about this expansion and I tell you it did NOT disappoint! The story of this expansion was one of my favorites since The Taken King and is in my top five Destiny storylines. The Lucent Hive are among my favorite enemies right after my all time faves, the SIVA corrupted Iron Lords. Something I have wanted since TTK was a storyline about fighting against enemy guardians (not in the Crucible) and this is probably one of the BEST ways they could’ve done that. Oryx, Xivu Arath, and Savathûn are in my opinion the most interesting characters in Destiny, and getting to see Savathûn in action was EVERYTHING I hoped it would be. She unfortunately didn’t live up to the hype of her brother Oryx, but there’s only so much you can do to live up with that without turning into a goddamn kaiju. Still, EXCELLENT expansion and a GREAT place to start if you’re looking to get into Destiny right now!!

2. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

ONE OF THE GAMES OF ALL TIME!!!! Rift Apart ABSOLUTELY lived up to the hype and is in my opinion the best game for next-gen consoles to be released so far. The story is INCREDIBLY enjoyable, the new characters are WONDERFUL additions to the franchise, and the gameplay is hours and hours of pure enjoyment. It was a wonderful use of the new features of the PS5 and absolutely didn’t hold back on using the console to its full potential. If you happen to own a PS5, this game is an absolute MUST!!

1. Sonic Frontiers

SONIC FRANCHISE SAVED!!!! I had a lot of hopes riding on this game and this game blew my expectations out of the water. Ian Flynn’s writing was exceptional and truly captured everything that I love about Sonic games. The open world design was SOOOO much fun and I REALLY hope to see more of it in the future! The boss fights are probably my favorite in any Sonic game I’ve ever played. The MOVESET was SICK AS HELL, I loved the use of combo attacks in this game, not a single battle ever felt boring. The enemy design was EXTREMELY fun, every miniboss was extremely fun and creative. And SAGE?? Everything to me, I hope she appears in every single new game from here on out. The game isn’t without it’s issues, the Cyber Space levels have many of the same issues I had with the level design in Sonic Forces, but that’s pretty much my main complaint. This game makes me EXTREMELY excited about the future of Sonic games. If you haven’t played it yet… do it immediately. There is no game I’ve played in the last five years I would recommend higher than Frontiers.

[vermutandherring]

Video Games are our World Cultural Heritage

Thank you for 100 followers

This industry is very young. Just 61 years ago, Steve Russell created Spacewar! - in fact, the first video game. Just imagine: the man who once gave birth to a new medium (and an art form, if you will) is still alive. I'm afraid I won't make it to Massachusetts Institute of Technology before this legendary figure passes on to a better world. But even so, I am happy to think that we share a single star dome and live in the same epoch.

Although the phenomenon of video games is relatively new in culture, it has already passed the main stages of creation and finally formed. Unfortunately, due to the fact that Ukraine was part of the soviet union at the time of the formation of video games in the world, we missed this important stage of arcade machines and the first home consoles. Our heritage begins in the 90s, after the collapse of the ussr, when 'foreign' technologies finally became part of people's everyday life. At this time, the first development studios were founded and the first games were released, which to this day remain little known not only to the world, but also to Ukrainians themselves.

L-R: Alan Kotok, Steve Russell and J.M. Graetz play Spacewar at the Boston Computer Museum.

It's hard to believe, but speaking of the general context, you and I have already lost a lot. It seems that video games have always existed around us. Every day we learn about the releases of new games, we constantly hear about the continuation of old franchises and the creation of new ones. We play the hits of day, the mediocre games every day and the immortal classics of the past, nostalgic for the carefree days. But when you launch Super Mario Bros again, somewhere out there, the once great game fades into oblivion, leaving no trace behind. In 1958, William Higinbotham (the same one who was part of the team that created the first nuclear bomb) created the game Tennis For Two for the Brookhaven University exhibition, the process of which was displayed on the screen of an oscilloscope. Although Tennis For Two can now be considered the first video game, Higinbotham himself did not attach much importance to his invention, and therefore, after the repeated demonstration of the game at the 1959 exhibition, he disassembled the equipment for subsequent projects. Thus, the first working prototype of a 'video game' is lost to us forever.

'Why do we need some outdated games when we can play the most modern ones or their remakes?' - you may ask. In the article 'The Past as the Future? Nostalgia and Retrogaming in Digital Culture?' Jaakko Suominen claims that players have a kind of desire to experience previous gaming situations or games. Because of this, the modern gaming industry is caught up in the spirit of retrogaming, designed to give you the feeling of the 'good old days'. This concerns not only individual games, but also the artistic solution of individual works, from the visual part to the musical accompaniment. Almost 10 years after its release, I tried Grand Theft Auto 5 for the first time, which impressed me with its references to the first games in the series. These notes of the past are strongly felt in the compositions that accompany the missions and sound effects similar in style, for example, to the same Vice City.

However, no modern game can replace an original game from the 80s or 2000s, as different works represent different eras and their cultures. They give only a ghostly feeling that these are the same sunny days when you first held in your hands a cartridge or disc with your favorite childhood game. The remake is not at all the game that the developers once suffered as something new and unique for its time. This is a different game with a different interpretation of the same events, because it was created in a different cultural context.

The setting. The music. The vibe. It's love at the first sight.

Spacewar! was created by S. Russell in 1962, on a PDP-1 computer used by MIT as a research machine. It was a time when USA was at the height of the Cold War with the soviet union, and their main race track was space flight. The cosmic aesthetic was a popular theme in the culture, exploited to the fullest. Gameplay of Spacewar! consisted in the fact that, controlling the rocket, the player must shoot down enemy targets. When creating his game, S. Russell gave the rockets the features of culturally recognizable symbols. One rocket, called the Wedge, was given the appearance of the Buck Rogers spaceship from the 1939 fantasy television series. Another rocket called Needle received the appearance of the American ballistic missile Redstone. Thus, the first video game captures for us a distant era, surrounded by dreams of the great cosmos, which for the 60s of the last century seemed an incredible achievement. Does such a game have any cultural value today? We have dozens of games on a similar theme, but our dreams of space have turned into ordinary everyday life.

Pic. 1 - The Wedge and Needle | Pic. 2 - Spaceship from The Buck Rogers Serial 1939. | Pic. 3 - Redstone missile on display in Grand Central Terminal in New York, 7 July 1957.

But video games disappear. Although a game can exist not physically, but in virtual space, this does not protect it from the threat of disappearance or loss. The distribution of games most often occurs through services that act as intermediaries between the publisher and the player. One of the biggest gaming services today is Steam. The number of games on this platform grows every year, and as of June 2021, the number of video games presented for sale on Steam reached 50,000 units. At the same time, every day some video games disappear from the service forever. The reason for this may be the expiration date of music rights and exclusive agreements, content of a sensitive nature, violations by developers or their policies, etc.

It is enough to recall the situation with the GTA trilogy from Rockstar Games. In October 2021, the company began to spread information about the re-release of games from the 2000s in the form of a trilogy Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition. The launch was supposed to take place in November-December of the same year, and the original versions of the three games were to be removed from Steam. This act of Rockstar Games caused a very negative reaction among players. Perhaps for the first time in the entire history of video games, the gaming community felt a real culture shock: the threat of the disappearance of one of the most iconic works appeared before its eyes. To a large extent, the gaming community itself has preserved some of the games from the Grand Theft Auto series, without which it is impossible to imagine the legacy of video games today.

I feel uneasy about remakes. And remasters seems like even bigger trouble.

Digital distribution problems are a disease of modern games. The situation is much worse with games that were released much earlier - the means for their reproduction and technical support are constantly aging. Games that require special conditions for playback (such as old consoles) are not supported by the developers themselves, and are under a real threat of physical disappearance. According to game archivist and historian Andrew Borman, time is running out for such works and their rescue.

Losing one or couple of video games may not seem to change the course of history. However, every existing work is a product of human activity, which carries its message to the world. On the way to the formation of games, there were key works that opened previously unseen horizons not only in development and technical progress, but also once again posed to society the question of what art really is, and whether new media, in particular video games, can acquire the features of a work of art.

In a speech at the Game Developers Conference 2015, Jason Scott - archivist, historian of technology - tries to convey that video games have historical value, and also criticizes the attitude of the gaming industry to its own heritage. According to the historian, the main problem with video games lies in their perception by society as a product. Video games have always been considered an off the shelf product that can be easily thrown away if you don't understand its value. J. Scott emphasizes that a video game is an artifact that contains not only its own history or the history of the development of the industry, but also the 'minor' names behind the development of these games.

This is a really interesting talk to hear if you're into saving video games.

As part of the common human heritage, which demonstrates the evolution of society and the accumulated experience, our preferences and beliefs at certain stages of development, as a phenomenon that has a great impact on culture, video games have the right to be preserved. And although the situation is already critical, everything is not as bad as it might seem after my descriptions. Today, various institutions, enthusiasts and fans themselves are dedicated to the preservation of video games. The world hosts video game exhibitions, and museums add individual works to their collections. Thus, in 2012, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, on the initiative of the museum's curator Paola Antonelli, added to its collection a list of 14 video games from the 1980s to 2009 (I wrote a bit about it here).

MoMA is not the only museum of its kind. For example, in the same 2012, the Smithsonian American Art Museum held an exhibition called The Art of Video Games, designed to highlight the evolution of art in the video game medium over its forty-year history. Maybe for you as a gamer, the inclusion of any game in a museum or exhibition isn't that big of a deal. But look at it from a slightly different perspective. When you play the first Sims or Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, you are touching a world heritage as important as the works of Renaissance Titans, Raphael or Michelangelo, or any other artist you prefer. These are works of art that revolutionized industry and culture, laying the foundations of a new era. Playing these games is like holding Scythian gold in your hands, with the difference that you have more options for interacting with the exhibit.

A somewhat mystical atmosphere, muted light and philosophical inscriptions - everything we love in museums of classical art. Photos from the exhibition in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2012.

I like that the developers themselves are also working to preserve their heritage. Nintendo is endlessly re-releasing its retro Mario games, while Konami, along with the announcement of the Snake Eater remake, is about to release its oldest Metal Gear games for modern gaming devices. We ourselves can contribute to this matter, although not on such a scale. The message of my essay is a call to preserve video games as a part of your history that you can pass on to posterity. If you have old gaming discs or devices, think one more time before disposing of them as unnecessary junk. Give them to friends, acquaintances, interested persons, sell them on the Internet for a pittance, give them to specialty stores or, in the end, save them for your children or grandchildren. After all, a video game is that unique experience that you can not just share, but experience it again and again alone or with dear people. As J. Scott noted in the same GDC 2015 presentation, 'Availability is the path to preservation'. The best way to save a video game is to keep it playable.

Thanks to all subscribers and just interested people who came across my page. I hope my creations will stir at least something in your souls, opening a new facet of video games.

[kxmikomrade]

oh ho ho

why hello there

I just read through a bunch of the stuff you have about yourself, and now you have to deal with me <3

so first of all: i saw that you really liked blue period, and I was wondering how you'd recommend it? I keep on wanting to watch it but my mind goes "but you have this thing" and "what about the other three animes you're watching" but who cares! It looks really pretty tho. Also me and my partner are going to watch Bungo Stray Dogs together (eventually-) bc it's his favorite anime lol.

ok next point: WATERMELON IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE FOODS I LOVE WATERMELON. MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM IS THE BEST. and i agree, winter and autumn are the best seasons. rain. rain is nice :).

third and i think final thing: you're learning japanese, you say? ok, i have a few questions for you. what are you learning it on? (i'm learning it on the demon bird app, aka duolingo). what words have you learned? what do you know about the grammar/word structure? and the scary one: have you started learning the terror that is katakana? (if no, it's just another alphabet with the same order and sounds, except different characters. i hate katakana :,>) because i can't type in japanese on my chromebook, i'll just use the romanji. But expect me to send you random hiragana and have you say what it is!

Kimu-san, yahho! Anata ga kakkoii to karai desu yo! (i promise you it's a compliment <3)

try to tell me what that means, and expect more random japanese in your future :)

anyways have a lovely day byeee <3

when i saw the 'oh ho ho' i heard french venti LMAOOO 💀💀

omg new moot guys NEW MOOT !! u match my vibe so <3

BLUE PERIOD IS SO SHHEHEHEHHE esp if ur an artist like myself, it gives u a different and probably more professional view of art ^^ For wat i like abt it, i'd say da characters and how theyre written. The main character is pretty relatable. Theres another character who has family issues and may be trans (or genderfluid? it isnt confirmed but she was born male, currently dresses feminine and hates it when people uses her dead name). Another one who was born a 'Genius' but doesnt really understand art, hes only doing it bcs its basically wat he can only do. Another character who'm gets compared to her older sister and so on. Even minor characters have well written stories I suggest u watch da anime THEN read da manga from da beginning :>> Sanaol may partner- jkjk ur prob fil but imagien having a partner 😭 my lonely ass could never U SHOULDD WATCH BSD!! I LOVEEE DA ENDINGS ITS SUCH A VIBE AND DA OPS R BANGERS UGH THE CHARACTER DESIGNS AND PLOT I WANNA 👊 ITS INTERESTING BUT I SUGGEST ALSO READING THE MANGA FROM THE BEGINNING SINCE THE ANIME SKIPS ALOT OF THINGS AND IT MIGHT GET U CONFUSED 😭😭 Also, hes so true for that, hes DEF a keeper 💪 unless hes a mori/fukuchi stan then ew no

YESSS WATERMELON AND MINT CHOCO CHIP ICECREAM LOVERSS <333 Honestly, cold weathers >>>>>>

Im currently just memorizing da basics; hiragana and katakana before i continue off where i left off in grammar and vocab (i'll most likely start over since its been arounf half a year and i have goldfish memory 🥲) Ive already memorized hiragana, now im going with katakana but im focusing on art lately since i just got my stylus back so im prob not gonna do it for awhile but i'll try to before may >:DD I currently only use 'Write it Japanese!' app on mobile, its REALLY useful, idk anything to help with grammar but my jp speaking friend recommends da book 'Minna no nihongo'. She used to be my jp study buddy but shes been VERY busy with uni lately so :'''D AND YES BBG (can i call u dat??) LETS PRACTICE TOGETHER <33 tbh it would be better if we use hiragana/katakana/kanji (i literally dont know kanji SOBS) since it helps us learn!! AND DAT WOULD BE FUNN

From just my understanding: 'Kim-san, Yahoo/hello! Youre a cool person [smth smth]'

from google: 'Kimu, Yahoo! It hurts to think you're cool' (pls get ur shit together google 😭😭i couldnt call my friends bitches lovingly bcs of u)

YES I'LL BE EXPECTING THEM <33 I HOPE U HAVE A LOVELY DAY TOO HON

LMAO WAT DO I CALL U?? I WANNA ADD UR MOOT TAG

[youweitrade]

Can a beginner build a gaming PC? ?

Yes, a beginner can build a gaming PC! While it may seem intimidating at first, with the right tools, resources, and guidance, even someone with no prior experience can assemble a high-performance gaming system. Here’s a breakdown of how to approach building your first gaming PC:

1. Start with the Basics

A gaming PC consists of several key components: the CPU (central processing unit), GPU (graphics card), RAM (memory), motherboard, storage (SSD or HDD), power supply (PSU), and case. Before you start, it’s important to familiarize yourself with these parts and their functions.

2. Do Your Research

There are numerous guides and videos available online to help you build your first gaming PC. Websites like PC Gamer and Tom's Hardware offer detailed articles on PC builds tailored to different budgets and gaming needs. For example, PC Gamer publishes build guides that recommend components for various price ranges, from budget builds to high-end setups.

Additionally, YouTube channels like Linus Tech Tips and JayzTwoCents are great resources for step-by-step tutorials, where you can watch professionals assemble a PC and explain the process.

3. Tools You’ll Need

Building a PC doesn’t require many tools. Most of the time, you'll need a screwdriver, anti-static wristband (to protect your components from static electricity), and some thermal paste (if it's not pre-applied to the CPU cooler).

4. Choosing Your Components

When selecting parts, ensure compatibility between components. For instance, check that your motherboard supports the CPU and RAM you want to use. A tool like PCPartPicker helps you ensure compatibility across your entire build.

Budget considerations: For beginners, you don’t need to get the highest-end components. A decent gaming PC build can be achieved for around $800-$1,000. You can even go lower for less demanding games.

Upgradeability: Choose components that allow for future upgrades, like having extra RAM slots or a case with good airflow.

5. Assembly Process

Once you have your parts, the assembly is typically done by:

Installing the CPU into the motherboard.

Placing the RAM into the motherboard.

Mounting the motherboard into the case.

Installing the PSU (Power Supply Unit).

Adding the storage (SSD or HDD).

Attaching the GPU to the motherboard and securing it.

Connecting the cables for power and data transfer.

This may sound complicated, but many builders report that once they start the process, it becomes straightforward. Plus, every component is designed to fit in a specific way, reducing the chances of mistakes.

6. Testing Your Build

After assembling your PC, it's essential to test it by booting it up for the first time. You’ll need to install an operating system like Windows or Linux to get started. From there, you can install drivers for your GPU and other peripherals, and make sure everything is running smoothly.

7. Why Should You Build Your Own PC?

Customization: You can choose every part, ensuring it fits your specific gaming needs and budget.

Cost Efficiency: While buying a pre-built gaming PC can be convenient, building your own can save you money. It allows you to avoid the markups that manufacturers often add.

Learning Experience: Building a PC is a valuable skill that can give you a deeper understanding of how computers work. Plus, it can be a rewarding process.

Final Thoughts

While building a gaming PC can seem daunting for a beginner, with careful planning, research, and patience, it’s definitely achievable. The satisfaction of creating your own rig, knowing you’ve chosen the right components, and experiencing top-tier gaming performance is well worth the effort.

If you're unsure about anything, don't hesitate to reach out to online communities like Reddit's r/buildapc or watch helpful videos from experienced builders. You’ll be amazed at how much you can learn along the way.

So yes, anyone can build a gaming PC—just take it step by step and enjoy the process!

#

[itztana]

Writer’s Update: Act 2 Coming to a Close, New Plans, and Mysterious Codes Await! 🌩️

The Shift to Parts: Why the Big Change?

When I first started the Earth-R universe, the goal was to build out a sprawling, Marvel-like world with multiple phases and spin-offs. But creating all of this as a single writer, handling characters, plot, and design, has shown me that phases might not be the best approach. So, after much thought, I’ve decided to consolidate everything into two epic parts:

• Genesis (Part 1) will wrap up with Acts 3-5, focusing on the final events in Earth-R and how our characters face the growing multiverse threat. This part sets the foundation, showing us the chaos that leads to the multiverse collapse.

• [REDACTED] (Part 2) will take the story to new levels, exploring the aftermath of the multiverse war and how the Nexus reshapes reality. Trust me, Part 2 is going to be 🔥⚡, but that’s all I can say for now…

Act 2 Ending Soon, What to Expect Next

We’re getting close to the end of Act 2, with Issue 4 dropping tomorrow! Elijah and Dez’s conflict is heating up, but the true scope of their power will be revealed in Acts 3-5. Each issue will be more intense than the last. These acts will serve as the grand finale for Genesis, leading us directly into [REDACTED] where the entire multiverse will be at stake.

Without spoiling too much, here’s what’s next:

• [Issue 100 - ???]

• [Issue 200 - ???]

• [REDACTED]

Look out for these key moments. They hold the fate of Earth-R and beyond.

Mysterious Codes: Can You Crack Them?

Some things are better left unsaid, but not unread. Here are some encrypted issue titles and series names for you to figure out:

🔒 Rvnmgfbj

🔒 Yrdhstmkq

🔒 Dbjvczyxsjfo

Decode these, and you might unlock a hint about the future of Elijah, Dez, and the fate of the multiverse. (Hint: Pay attention to Project ⚡♠️ and [REDACTED].)

A Message from the Future… From [REDACTED]?

In one of the upcoming stories, you might stumble upon a message from [REDACTED]. But, much like the multiverse, the message is fragmented. Here’s a piece of what we’ve recovered:

“I tried to warn them… but it was too late. The rift opened, and everything we fought for… [REDACTED] … If anyone gets this, you need to know that… [CLASSIFIED] … There’s still a chance, but it’s slipping away. Elijah, I hope you can hear me…”

The rest is too unstable to decode. Keep your eyes open for this message in future issues—you won’t want to miss it.

Stay Tuned: More to Come in Act 3, Act 4, and Act 5

The last three acts will set the stage for [REDACTED] and the conclusion of Earth-R. I need your feedback on the story so far! Drop your thoughts on Act 1 and Act 2, and make sure to check out the prequel for even more insights into the lore.

Thanks for sticking with me on this journey. There’s so much more to come, and you’ll want to be part of it. 🌌

Check out the story here:

[toytle]

i’ve gotten some very kind and thought-provoking tags, and i thought i could respond in one big batch here! thank you for playing along in this au of mine ^__^

#very weird thing to say but i like how their faces r softer when they're older (@ceeloilights)

#i looooove the barry transition timeline sm there is so much love in his receding hairline and wrinkles <3 age that beast (@f0rvalaka)

i rly appreciate these tags bc i’ve been on an Aging Romanticization kick, and i’m so glad it shows. i have such a habit of drawing halbarry in their 20s, but they’re 30s-40s in my mind by default. it was a real treat finally getting to draw the wrinkles and softness that they deserve! they’re settling into themselves :”)

#FINALLY... TRANS BARRY TRUTHER #most unremarkable trans man in existence and I respect that #old man. delightful (@malganis)

you have no idea how thrilled these tags made me, it’s the trans experience of turning the mundane into the sublime. while i was adding gender songs to their playlists, i stumbled upon one for barry called man of my dreams by ezra michel that truly encompasses the serenity of post-transition unremarkable living. old man barry watering his house plants and cooking dinner for his loved ones… that’s the dream :”)

#and hal's gender journey! i don't usually see trans hcs with characters who realize a little later in life so this is so refreshing #such a fun glow-up! (@f0rvalaka)

it’s so nice for him too bc he’s matured and gotten more introspective with age. he’s still the most emotionally constipated lantern, but he also becomes a good mentor, a caring uncle, and a better brother, and i feel like this leaves room for him to be better to himself. hal is a rly interesting case study to me bc it’s not often i see characters make peace with their trauma so early on while continuing to struggle with it (as opposed to the trauma being their driving force or active conflict). none of it is linear ofc, but it’s that duality of knowing who he is/not knowing what he wants that makes his identity a playground to explore.

i’ve also just been rly into trans hcs that diverge from canon-current genders lately. it’s the reassurance that it’s never too late, the building on top of what’s already there, the privilege as a viewer to be able to experience their journey alongside them in real time,,, so underrated. i’m getting the best of both worlds with these two (pre-canon transitioning x post-canon transitioning <3)

#barry and hal going thru the same "i rlly just dont have time to cut my hair' and then went opposite directions #barry complains about his hair getting too long and in his face and hals like 'y dont u get a buzzcut' bec he went thru military #in return barry sometimes combs and styles hals hair like his mom used to do w him (@ceeloilights)

you get it! it’s the t4t of it all!! it plays into the halbarry dynamic of being foils (+ making up for each other’s blindspots) by having them bond because of—not despite—their differences. plus, i like pushing the visual contrast in their designs for that opposites attract theme. their journeys go in opposite directions but they’re helping each other find their way (god i love trans love). also, i may or may not have a hairstylist barry in the works… 👀

#nora put barrys hair in a ponytail Once and then found barry with it on his neck while playing scientist so they compromised w hairclips #EKDNDKFNSKSK barry including his earpieces on his suit and everyone thinks its to honor jay and copy hermes #but he also added them bec it reminded him of the clips his mom gave him when she accepted that he may be a little different (@ceeloilights)

this is so close to a future work i have scripted, i’m starting to feel seen rn and perhaps exposed (/lh). tho i would like to add that barry chose the hair clips himself! he wanted to look like his favorite comic book hero so he begged his mom to “get the ones the flash has!” T__T and the connection to his mom is still there bc she’s the one that introduced those comics to him in the first place!

on the topic of acceptance… i’m not sure if barry would have come out or even known he was trans before nora died. i think she could tell smth was up and waited on his terms, but he didn’t start transitioning until high school. she would have accepted him regardless and barry probably felt that unconditional love in his upbringing, but i imagine that he would have a lot of complicated feelings abt becoming someone his mom might not recognize. i try to make my aus generally canon-compliant (additional flavoring if you will), but i think one thing i would change is that barry’s middle name would take after nora instead of henry. and he would keep it ;__; bartholomew nora allen,,,

edit: wait remember how nora thought barry was gay and said she’d love him no matter what. yeahh she definitely knew that boy was trans

last but not least are the various bigender hal appreciation comments! shoutout to everyone that’s having some kind of gender awakening/euphoria bc of her 💚

the first installment of my t4t childhood friends halbarry au! haven’t quite introduced them to each other yet, but a hair journey is worth a thousand words for now 🏳️‍⚧️

hal is m/f bigender (he/her), barry is a trans man (he/him)

close-ups:

[govindhtech]

6G Technology: The Next Frontier in Wireless Communication

IMT-2030 application cases were discussed at 3GPP’s Stage workshop in Rotterdam last month. A varied set of vertical organisations and regional research alliances charged with advancing 6G technology were invited to discuss system design priorities, enabling technologies, and intended use cases.

For this blog post, let us summarise the 3-day workshop’s interesting conversations and match them with qualcomm 6G Technology platform vision. They were fortunate to attend. The next cellular generation, 6G, builds on 5G learning and technology. It will spur technologies that enable new and improved use cases in the coming decade.

Qualcomm is constructing the future by doing foundational research for 6G Technology and collaborating with ecosystem players to create a global technology platform. Workshop information

Vertical and regional organisations discussed 6G goals, drivers, capabilities, and use cases daily. An overview of the three-day workshop and main presentations:

Day 1 (May 8, 2024): The first day focused on operators and verticals, with a panel discussion and GSMA and NGMN presentations from global carriers and service providers. The following vertical organizations 5GAA (automotive), 5G-ACIA (industrial), 5G-MAG (multimedia), GSOA (satellite), TCCA (public safety), and WBA presented on 6G’s prospects for respective industry.

The second day (May 9, 2024): featured talks from six regional research organizations/alliances B5GPC (Japan), 6G Forum (South Korea), IMT-2030 Promotion Group (China), Bharat 6G Alliance (India), 6G-SNS (Europe), and ATIS Next G Alliance (North America). These lectures covered 6G regional goals, innovations, and technology wish lists.

The Third day(may 10,2024):The workshop concluded with ITU-R and 3GPP presentations on their IMT-2030 plans and a concluding discussion.

After each session, discussion panels and Q&A followed. Three 3GPP technical standard groups (TSG) chairs, including their own Wanshi Chen (RAN chair), were on the final day’s panel.

6G objectives and drivers

Regional research alliances, vertical organisations, and mobile operators presented their most interesting 6G potential. They discuss how 6G, a worldwide standard, can build on 5G to alter society. The 6G innovation platform’s main goals and drivers for the next decade and beyond are:

The economy grows: 6G will open new revenue sources and enable many new devices, services, and deployments. While its impact is uncertain, it is expected to provide sustained global economic growth and drive industrial breakthroughs and transformations.

Technological progress: Innovation is ongoing, but commercialising fundamental technology discoveries efficiently requires a generational transition and a blank-slate design. 6G can coordinate ecosystem investments to bring the next big wireless technology leap, allowing enhanced communication, accurate sensing and localization, AI, and computation.

Cost-effective: Deploying 5G networks taught us that many new technologies are expensive to spread. Mobile operators are looking for solutions to lower their network TCO. Reduce network energy consumption to optimise operating cost, but a software-centric solution with network APIs can help mobile operators exploit their 5G investment to save capital.

Social equity: 6G will promote digital inclusion by enabling cost-effective technology to overcome the digital divide. New 6G technologies can improve quality of life by democratising healthcare, education, and public safety.

Ecological sustainability: Global 6G visions emphasise a greener future. This supports efficient 6G network operations (energy savings, eco-friendly deployment footprint) and more sustainable vertical businesses (smart transportation, precision agriculture, etc.).

Trust and dependability: Each generation of cells has prioritised security and privacy to increase dependability. 6G is expected to continue this tradition by merging quantum-safe communications and AI-driven security.

6G Technology capabilities and usage cases

6G technology is intended to advance system capabilities beyond communication. ITU-R’s IMT-2030 framework outlines important usage scenarios and performance indicators that should guide future wireless technology targets.

6G is expected to incorporate AI, advanced computing, system resilience, novel green technologies, and integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), bringing the physical-digital-virtual worlds together.

Diverse contributing presentations presented diverse 6G use cases, but qualcomm saw some apparent commonalities. The following list illustrates the key use cases presented in the workshop:

Immersive experiences: 6G will enable lightweight XR devices the same size as smartphones. Digitization of multimodal components (touch, smell, sight, taste), sensor fusion, and brain-computer interface can provide hyper-realistic experiences like holographic teleportation. Live and interactive immersive content creation and distribution are also priorities.

Digital twins: modelling a physical system in the digital domain can improve communications network efficiency and use cases. Along with rapid AI breakthroughs, 6G digital twins will improve security, privacy, predictive and prescriptive insights, and more.

Smart industry and robotics: 5G laid the groundwork for high-performance industrial IoT (e.g., URLLC, TSN), and 6G aims to unleash the full potential of next-generation robotics, including delivery, service, and autonomous and collaborative robots that can work with humans in this highly integrated and automated environment.

Fixed wireless access (FWA): 6G could revolutionise broadband. With new wide-area spectrum (e.g., upper mid-band), 6G can increase network capacity and cost-efficiency, covering urban, suburban, and rural areas and promoting inclusivity and connectedness.

Next-generation internet of things (IoT): 6G must handle low-complexity devices from the outset. From low-power, wide-area (LPWA) to ambient IoT devices (fueled by energy harvesting with/without storage), 6G is expected for healthcare, automotive, agricultural, and other vertical services.

Connected transport: 6G offers next-level safety and experiences. The 5GAA collaboration envisioned real-time environmental modelling, intelligent automated driving systems, and improved in-vehicle experiences with 6G capabilities like ISAC.

Critical communications: 6G will update mobile communications’ trust, reliability, and security. This is crucial for mission-critical use cases like public safety communications. 6G must use 5G learning and deployment to allow ubiquitous coverage and more.

Other 6G deployments and use cases: Many may use seamless multi-connectivity solutions to supply services across terrestrial and non-terrestrial communications. Of fact, the 6G technological cycle is just beginning. As they near these improvements, the future holds application cases beyond qualcomm imagination.

Read more on govindhtech.com

[robertemma27-blog]

Which Companies Specialize in Manufacturing of Battery Production Machines?

The global battery production machine market size is expected to grow from USD 7.3 billion in 2022 to USD 19.4 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 21.5% from 2022 to 2027. 

Battery production machines are used to manufacture lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are made of three major components: cathode, anode, and electrolyte, and they are available in multiple variants, depending on the materials combined with lithium, such as cobalt, nickel, manganese, titanium, and iron. Various machine types, such as mixing machines, coating and drying machines, calendaring machines, slitting machines, electrode stacking machines, assembling and handling machines, and formation and testing machines, have been covered in the report’s scope.

Battery Production Machine companies include:

Hitachi, Ltd. (Japan),

Durr Group (Germany),

Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. (China),

Shenzhen Yinghe Technology Co., Ltd. (China), and

Schuler Group (Germany).

Download PDF Brochure:

Hitachi, Ltd. is a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company operates through the Digital Systems & Services, Green Energy & Mobility, Connective Industries, Automotive Systems Business, Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., Hitachi Metals, and Others segments. It offers lithium-ion battery production machines through its subsidiary Hitachi High-Tech Corporation. Hitachi High-Tech Corporation was established in 1947 and is listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange, operating independently in the Hitachi Group. In May 2020, the High-Tech Corporation was delisted and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. The subsidiary operates in four business categories: Nano-Technology Solutions, Analytical & Medical Solutions, Core Technology Solutions, and Value Chain Solutions.

Durr Group is one of the leading companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sectors. The company offers turnkey paint shops, final assembly systems, automation, and robot technology for the automotive industry. It continuously researches and develops digital technologies for different systems, machines, and processes. The company offers its products through five segments—Woodworking and Machinery Systems, Paint and Final Assembly Systems, Application Technology, Clean Technology Systems, and Measuring and Process Systems. Through the Clean Technology Systems segment, the company offers air pollution control, noise abatement systems, and coating systems for battery electrodes.

Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. is one of the leading manufacturers of new energy equipment. The company offers its products to seven industries: lithium-ion battery, photovoltaic, 3C, warehouse & logistics system, automotive, fuel cell, and laser. The company provides one-stop turnkey lithium-ion battery manufacturing solutions. It is engaged in R&D to make the manufacturing process intelligent and provides consulting, design, manufacture, installation, commissioning, training, and future upgrades to its customers. The company has partnered with leading battery manufacturers, including Panasonic Corporation, Sony, Samsung SDI, LG Chem, CATL, and BYD. The company exports its products to more than 20 countries, including the US, Germany, Japan, and India. Also, the company has five established subsidiaries globally, along with more than 50 service outlets.

Shenzhen Yinghe Technology Co., Ltd. is one the leading companies in the field of power battery intelligent automation and intelligent digital factory solutions for power batteries. The company has a dedicated research and development system to enhance its product portfolio with new and emerging technologies. The company has strong expertise in technical, manufacturing, and services related to the power battery manufacturing processes. The company offers its customers single-process machines and customized products with new technologies. It designs, draws, manufactures, and commissions customized products according to the customer’s needs.Schuler Group is one of the leading companies operating in the field of forming technology and engaged in the manufacturing of presses. The company offers various technologies, including automotive press, hydraulic press, and forging, used in different industries and sectors, including automotive, industrial, e-mobility, aerospace, and railway. The company is a subsidiary of an international technology group ANDRITZ. The company offers turnkey solutions such as machines, dies, and conveyor technology in the battery production sector.

[hobbyspacer]

Space habitat reports – Apr.5.2024

Here is this week's selection of videos and news items about space habitats including the International Space Station and about living in space and space settlement. ** The past two Space to Ground reports from NASA Johnson https://youtu.be/_xqs4SCxcB0 https://youtu.be/tBV779u40to ** NASA Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle (Official NASA Trailer) - NASA NASA hosted a news conference from the Johnson Space Center in Houston April 3, 2024, to announce the companies selected to move forward in the development of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle under the LTVS (Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services) contract. The award leverages NASA’s expertise in developing and operating these next generation "Moon buggies" to build commercial capabilities that support scientific discovery and long-term human exploration on the Moon. NASA intends to begin using the LTV for crewed operations during the Artemis V mission on the surface of the Moon. https://youtu.be/zTHJ9zb8J2s ** NASA News Conference on Lunar Terrain Vehicle for Artemis Missions - NASA Live from Johnson Space Center in Houston, we'll announce the company, or companies, selected to move forward in developing the LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle). The LTV will help future Artemis astronauts search for water, ice, and other resources on the lunar surface, helping humanity establish a long-term presence on another planetary body for the first time. Hear from: • Vanessa Wyche, director, NASA Johnson • Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist, NASA Headquarters • Lara Kearney, manager, Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, NASA Johnson For more information, see: NASA Selects Companies to Advance Moon Mobility for Artemis Missions | NASA - Apr.3.2024. https://www.youtube.com/live/2nVKbW59viQ ** Axiom Space Welcomes CNES - Axiom Space Youtube Axiom Space welcomed the President of the National Centre for Space Studies (@CnesFrance), Philippe Baptiste, for an in-depth look at our progress in commercial space and discuss economic partnerships. #BuildingOpportunity https://youtu.be/jLP9M0gAppY ** Blue Origin publishes paper on Orbital Reef in Nature journal: Orbital Reef and commercial low Earth orbit destinations—upcoming space research opportunities | npj Microgravity - Mar.2024 As the International Space Station comes to the end of a transformative era of in-space research, NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Destinations (CLD) Program aims to catalyze a new generation of platforms with co-investment from the private sector, preventing a potential gap in research performed in LEO, while building a robust LEO economy. In this paper, we provide insight into the CLD Program focusing on Orbital Reef, describing its operational and technical characteristics as well as new opportunities it may enable. Achieving about a third of the pressurized volume of the ISS with the launch of a single pressurized module and growing to support hundreds of Middeck Locker Equivalents (MLE) in passive and active payloads internally and externally, Orbital Reef will enable government, academic, and commercial institutions to continue and expand upon research and development (R&D) efforts currently performed on ISS. Additionally, it will enable nascent markets to establish their operations in space, by initiating new lines of research and technology development and the implementation of new ventures and visions. Using Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy launch system, Sierra Space’s cargo and crew Dream Chaser® vehicles, and Boeing’s Starliner crew vehicle, and expertise from Amazon/Amazon Supply Chain, Arizona State University, Genesis Engineering, and Redwire, Orbital Reef is being designed to address ISS-era transportation logistics challenges. Finally, this manuscript describes some of the expected challenges from the ISS-to-CLD transition, and provides guidance on how researchers in academia and industry can shape the future of commercial destinations and work performed in LEO.

A cross-sectional diagram of the Orbital Reef commercial space station. Credits: Blue Origin/Nature Microgravity   **  VAST Check out our @vast facility in Long Beach, CA where we started building Haven-1. Design, analysis, software, avionics, machining, quality, supply chain/inventory/logistics, fabrication, primary structure welding, vibe/thermal/pressure testing, integration and more— all under one… pic.twitter.com/3LnZWYx0Sk — Max Haot (@maxhaot) April 5, 2024 ** Starlab - - Mitsubishi Corporation Joins Starlab Space as Strategic Partner, Equity Owner in Joint Venture | Starlab - Apr.5.2024 Starlab Space LLC (Starlab Space), the joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus, today welcomed Mitsubishi Corporation as a strategic partner and equity owner in Starlab Space. This partnership expands Starlab Space's reach beyond a transatlantic partnership and transforms the joint venture into a global organization. Mitsubishi Corporation, renowned for its innovative endeavors across diverse industries, brings extensive expertise and resources to this global partnership. Mitsubishi Corporation is expected to leverage its capabilities to significantly increase the value of Starlab, using space research to enhance and accelerate terrestrial product development in multiple industries and expand access to space-based technologies globally ** A Home for Astronauts around the Moon - NASA The primary structure of the Gateway space station's HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module is one step closer to launch following welding completion in Turin, Italy. HALO is one of four Gateway modules where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for lunar surface missions. NASA is partnering with Northrop Grumman and their subcontractor Thales Alenia Space to develop HALO. Image Credit: Northrop Grumman/Thales Alenia Space

The Gateway space station's HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module under construction in Turin, Italy. Image credits: Northrop Grumman/Thales Alenia Space ** Collins Aerospace tests new astronaut spacesuits onboard Zero-G flight - Spaceflight Now After working with the same spacesuits for nearly 40 years, NASA is looking to introduce the next generation of suits for astronauts working on the International Space Station and beyond. Collins Aerospace was one of two companies chosen to develop a new Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) for the ISS and is also preparing a follow-on version that will be available for Artemis missions to the Moon. Danny Olivas, chief test astronaut for Collins, recently spoke with Spaceflight Now's Will Robinson-Smith about one of the latest chapters in their test campaign: flying inside the suits onboard a Zero G plane, which can simulate microgravity through parabolic arcs. Olivas walks us through this latest round of testing, what it was like being in the suit in that environment and what's left before NASA astronaut can don these new spacesuits out in low Earth orbit. https://youtu.be/b2XTpDy9txw ** Other news, articles, op-eds, etc: - Calendar: - Webinar: What It Will Take To Build Communities In Space | Beyond Earth Institute, Thurs. 1:00-2:30 pm EST, April 25, 2024 - Trash from the International Space Station may have hit a house in Florida | Ars Technica - April.2.2024 - Vast Space hires former Voyager Space executive | SpaceNews -  Mar.29.2024 - Crew Keeps Up Space Health Research Before Next Trio Departs | Space Station/NASA - Mar.29.2024 - The impact of the Gravity Prescription on the future of space settlement | Space Settlement Progress - Mar.29.2024 - What Is Space For? Why we gaze and why we should go | William Boyce/The New Atlantis - Winter 2024 ** Highlight: Eye of the Sahara - Mauritania - Mar 26, 2024 23:57 UTC - ISS Above NASA EHDC6 Live views of the Earth from the International Space Station https://youtu.be/4bCr2JGZTZk ** Highlight: Florida - Sunglint - From Gulf to Atlantic over KSC - Feb 28, 2024 13:48 EDT - ISS Above https://youtu.be/FmUqysKhYqI ** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) - NASA Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed. The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It's a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8 Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov https://www.youtube.com/live/xAieE-QtOeM?feature=share ====

ISS after undocking of STS-132 === Amazon Ads === Lego Ideas International Space Station 21321 Toy Blocks, Present, Space, Boys, Girls, Ages 16 and Up  ==== Outpost in Orbit: A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station  Read the full article