#ditto with deliverance

[winchesterian]

have gotten to the point where i watch a movie and one of my immediate thoughts is what would dean winchester think of this one.....

[gascon-en-exil]

What's your favorite FE support in the series?

Hmm. I'm hard-pressed to name any one support as my favorite.

The Dimidue and Ferdibert ones are up there, of course, but there's plenty of others. Inigo/Gerome, any of the Deliverance boys with each other, most of Camilla and Manuela's, Perceval/Elffin, many of L'Arachel's, Lachesis's if we want to count FE4 conversations as supports, ditto Quan/Finn...yeah, there's no way I can pick just one.

[for-a-longlongtime]

@famouslyanonymous, first one that comes to mind is @linzels-blog's Just A Number (completed series) where reader is a few years older than Frankie! Such a good one. <3 Another awesome Frankie series is The Layerover (completed series) by @goodwithcheese and I think her other fics also don't have age gaps. For Frankie one shots, check out @legendary-pink-dot, where he and reader also generally seem to be the same age. Edit: oh and I love @penvisions's Melting Point series! I could be wrong but I think reader is also similar in age to Frankie.

For Dieter fic, I'm pretty sure that @mysterious-moonstruck-musings' Destiny & Deliverance and @rhoorl's Working Title series (both about Dieter) don't have an age gap - or at the very least it's not something that comes up or is a kink. Ditto for @prolix-yuy's Below The Line series - and she's got a LOT of other fics too which are wonderful and you should check them out, I think there should be plenty of non age gap there too.

For a wonderful very large series, check out @astroboots' Homecoming verse which is Frankie x Santi x f!reader, they also are all about the same age.

@secretelephanttattoo has a lot of one shots and I believe several/many of those don't have an age gap, especially the Marcus Pike ones (also I haven't read a ton of Marcus Pike or Marcus Moreno, but I think both of those characters don't have age be much of a thing in the fics that are around). @trulybetty has a lot of fic and I think particularly Gold Rush (Joel) doesn't have an age gap.

In my experience, the most age gap themes (particularly as dbf! etc) tends to be in fic about Joel, Dave York, Javier Peña, Mr. Ben, and probably Oberyn too. Oh, and Din, unless you filter and look for m/m fic which I think generally has less age differences. If you do like Joel fic but have a hard time finding similar age pairings, you could search specifically for Joel/Tess because there's not really an age gap there.

There are a lot of other authors/stories that would qualify, but these are the ones that came to my mind right away! Just a suggestion: if you search for fic on AO3, you can also filter out stories that include a specific tag - so you could do a search that deliberately skips 'age gap' tagged fic.

Would love ❤️ some Pedro Pascal character fics that don't involve age gap. Have the x female/AFAB reader close in age or even a few years older. Please and thank you! 😌😘. If you write one, please tag me 🥰🥰🥰 forever grateful

[randomnameless]

Ok I'll be honest here: I disliked Alm in Echoes a lot. That game was very sexist and it kissed Alm ass so often I almost gave up. But Alm as a character is weird. He's a war hawk BUT he seemingly also only gets that way BECAUSE Rigel first invaded Zofia. Alm sees Zofia as his home, thus he wants to protect it. In this sense, Alm has more in common with Dimitri than with Egg. Alm is a war hawk but he's defending what he thinks is his homeland. Rigel is like Adrestia in terms of the conqueror. (1

Hell, Rigel even has Rudolph start the war on stupid premise, just like Egg does in 3H too. Rudolph and Egg are the red emperor archetype. Alm is defending Zofia that he grew up in and loves. However, I think people get too gung ho about Alm supposedly being anti dragon/god and thus the Egg parallel. But that feels unwarranted too, because it's still Rudolph and Berkut (aka humanity) who started this war and invaded. The Duma cult is a separate issue entirely and has no 3H parallel at all (2

To be honest,

Ditto anon, the Alm kissing made me think that even if the game doesn't have a proper self-insert, Alm received all "self-insert" privileges, the narrative always paints him as right (when Celica is painted as wrong, when both are supposed to work together!).

And I think it's really the framing of the game that irked me, because bar that?

Alm is a farm boy who loves oranges, Celica, his grandpapa and his village. When Alm joins the Deliverance, it's because Rigel attacked, and because Mycen wouldn't join, so he did on Grandpapa's behalf (a bit like Mulan?).

Alm wants to protect Zofia, and kicked Desaix out, and in true FE fashion, is going to invade the Empire that is attacking him because as long as the stupid Emperor is here wanting to conquer Zofia, Zofia will always have to fend off against invasions.

I shat a lot about Rudolf and his "Master Plan (tm)" when I was playing FE15, but Rigel sucks because... people in Rigel sucks.

Sure, Duma promoting strength over compassion encouraged this behaviour, but amongst the Duma faithful, the people who follow his teachings, we also have... Tatiana. Who isn't a war hawk, and that dude Halcyon.

Rudy sucks, Jerome sucks and Berkut sucks, not because they are from Rigel and under Duma's influence, but because they are shitty persons. And that line where Alm adds Berkut, amongst anyone, as a victim of Duma's folly really pissed me.

You could say the Duma (Jedah) cult has a parallel, if you stretch it a lot, with the Western Church in FE16 - both try to take over another branch, and if Lonato is any indication, both are ready to sacrifice their own children (even if Ashe isn't his biokid) to serve "the cause".

[shammah8]

Move Forward!

“Though the enemy would pursue you this day, keep moving forward, says the Lord. Don’t look at yesterday or analyze what the enemy did or even might do; just raise your rod of authority and move forward. And yes, you will come out on the other side!”

Prophetic Scripture

The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: but lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea (Exodus 14:14-16).

Many years ago, there was a point in our lives that it seemed like there was one storm after another. I am sure every believer can say “ditto” to that! We felt like we were in a tornado with only moments of relief. Our pastor back then gave us some simple but incredible wisdom. He said, “Though there are many storms, there is only one devil.” That really took the magnitude out of our problems. The devil was behind all of it and we needed to use our authority and keep pressing forward. Sometimes, our tendency is to retreat or beg God. In the Scripture above, the Lord told Moses, “Why are you crying to Me? Use your rod, Moses, and go forward!” God knew He had put authority in Moses’ rod! We have been given our rod of authority through Jesus’ Name. Ephesians 2:6 says we are seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above all evil powers and might. So don’t retreat from the devil today, just raise your rod of authority and move forward!

Prayer

Lord, I thank You that I havethe authority to move forward today because of Jesus. I take my rod of authority right now and command the way of my deliverance to be opened and every storm to cease. In Jesus’ Name, amen.☕️Brenda Kunneman

[iwritesometimes]

filigods replied to your post

“thank you to the gorgeous @wordssometimesfail for tagging me in a get...”

s o n g r e c s

so THANKS (much belatedly for tolerating my fucking out of control need to word vomit about music at literally all hours of the day and night; forcing others to listen to songs i like is literally one of the few joys that makes life worth living. also, idk if this was intended in a “hey cool, song recs” way or a “hey, yeah, link me those songs” way, but @filigods, BABY YOU’RE GETTIN THOSE LINKS and also more because i am insufferable.

below the cut: links to just Some Music What I Think Is Cool, organized...pretty dubiously, but an attempt will be made. also, now and at all times, anyone who feels so inclined should always link me to music they’re liking right now or that they loved in the past or that they think is just the bee’s knees...anytime. ANYTIME.

okay so the songs i mentioned the other day are all in here, but i wanted to organize it a bit more than just a random grab bag to give you some direction so that you know what you might be into, if you’ve never heard of some of these (my music taste isn’t all that niche but i’ve gone through a lot of phases in my life XD). particular “omg please listen to this before you die” faves will be in italics.

best of pop/pop rock

stuff by Keane, My Fave Band:

“Crystal Ball”

“Won’t Be Broken”

“Sovereign Light Cafe”

“Bedshaped”

“My Shadow”

stuff by Tokio Hotel, my first RPF subjects

“Übers Ende der Welt”

“Spring nicht”

“Wo sind eure Hände”

stuff by Elliot Minor, classically trained and sadly disbanded

“Parallel Worlds”

“The White One Is Evil”

“The Broken Minor”

“Solaris”

“Shiver”

“Electric High”

stuff by Dino Merlin, Bosnia’s Elton John

“Zid”

“Sarajevo”

“Majka Ruži Kćer”

“Heroes of Earth” by Wang Leehom (listen to more of his stuff - he’s insanely talented and has albums in several different genres)

“Sun Goes Down” by David Jordan

stuff by Gorillaz, you’ve definitely heard them but may not have heard these

“Stylo”

“November Has Come”

“Feel Good Inc.”

“Broken”

“Busted and Blue”

“Du erinnerst mich an Liebe” by Ich + Ich

stuff by Josh Groban, HE’S GOOD ADMIT IT TO YOURSELVES

“Never Let Go”

“Remember When it Rained”

“You Are Loved”

“Weeping”

“Tigerlily” by La Roux (whole album’s great, but this one’s gayyyy)

“Grace Kelly” and “Origin of Love” by Mika

“Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” by Rufus Wainwright

“Make This Go On Forever” and “Set the Fire to the Third Bar” by Snow Patrol

stuff by Owl City, the fluffiest synthpop to ever make me happy

“Fireflies”

“Swimming in Miami”

“Meteor Shower”

“Strawberry Avalanche”

“Running Up That Hill” by Placebo covering Kate Bush

“Velvet Sky” by Los Lonely Boys

“Chasing the Sun” and “Satellite Call” and “Eden” by Sara Bareilles (WHOLE ALBUM!!!)

“Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer

“Sad Clown” by Jars of Clay

stuff by Michael W. Smith, i can’t help i was raised on CCM please forgive me

“Cross of Gold”

“Lamu”

“Secret Ambition”

“Breathe in Me”

“Love Me Good”

“Faith My Eyes” and “High Countries” by Caedmon’s Call

stuff by Daft Punk, FUCKING SUPERB YOU FUNKY LITTLE ROBOTS (listen to all of Discovery and Random Access Memories!!)

“One More Time”

“Aerodynamic”

“Give Life Back to Music”

“Technologic”

“These Dreams” by Heart

“Even Rats” by The Slip

“To Build a Home” by The Cinematic Orchestra

“Mandolin Rain” and “The Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby and the Range

“I’m Still Here” by John Rzeznik

“Ue o muite arukou” by Kyu Sakamoto

“Love Me Dead” by Ludo

“Just Communication” by Two-Mix (Soundcloud link because it’s not on YT?? however, this bitchin cover is!!)

“The Book of Love” by Peter Gabriel covering the Magnetic Fields

best of rock/rap rock

stuff by linkin park, baby’s first rock band (meteora and thousand suns, BEST albums)

“Forgotten”

“Somewhere I Belong”

“Breaking the Habit”

“Iridescent” (accidentally called this “The Radiance” in the op)

“The Messenger”

“Welcome Home” by Coheed and Cambria

“Televators” by The Mars Volta

“Isolation” and “Life Must Go On” by Alter Bridge

“Nemesis” by Arch Enemy

“Like a Stone” by Audioslave

“Lonely Boy” by The Black Keys

“In One Ear” and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” by Cage the Elephant (whole album!!)

“Jordan” by Buckethead

“Paralyzer” by Finger Eleven

stuff by Gackt, j-rock boy of my dreams since 2003

“Mirror”

“Vanilla”

“Returner”

“Orenji no Taiyou” (with Hyde)

“Through the Night” by Masahiko Arimachi

“Magick” and “It’s Not Over Yet” by Klaxons

“Deliverance” and “In Mist She Was Standing” by Opeth

stuff by Panik, my good good german boys who just couldn’t make it work

“Revolution”

“Geht ab”

“Grau”

“Perfekt”

“Morgencafe”

“Bevor du gehst”

“Careless Whisper” by Seether covering Wham!

“Seasons” by The Veer Union

“Cold” by Static X

“Change (In the House of Flies)” by Deftones

“System” by Chester Bennington

“Whipping Boy” by Train

“Chevette” and “Some Kind of Zombie” by Audio Adrenaline

“Colossal” and “Witchcraft” by Wolfmother (whole album is great)

“Whiskey in the Jar” by Metallica and “Turn the Page” by Metallica covering Bob Seger

“Gravedigger” by Dave Matthews Band

“Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls

“Icky Thump” and “Blue Orchid” by The White Stripes

“Crazy Bitch” by Buckcherry

“You Shook Me All Night Long” and “Big Balls” by AC/DC (there is NO CORRECT VERSION of Big Balls on YT...sorry for the spotify link)

best of choral (most of which i’ve sung so i’m biased)/instrumental/soundtrack

Lux Aeterna and “O Magnum Mysterium” by Morten Lauridsen

The True Story of Cinderella (i was the queen in this :3)

Knock Knock and indeed anything by P.D.Q. Bach

“i thank You God for most this amazing day” and “Lux Aurumque” by Eric Whitacre

“Magnificat” by Arvo Pärt

“Set Me as a Seal” by René Clausen

“Cloudsong” and “The Heart’s Cry” by Anúna

“You Are the New Day” by The King’s Singers covering Airwaves, aka, the greatest love song of all time

“Castle in the Mist” and “You Were There” by Michiru Oshima (voc. Steven Geraghty)

“Prologue” and “The Farthest Land” by Ko Otani (the whole soundtrack is sublime, please listen to it!!!)

“The Mighty Rio Grande” and “They Move on Tracks of Never-Ending Light” by This Will Destroy You

“On the Nature of Daylight” by Max Richter (also, there’s a great mashup of this with “This Bitter Earth” by Dinah Washington)

“To Zanarkand” by Nobuo Uematsu (obviously, listen to everything the man ever wrote, but ofc my fave is the FFX OST)

“More Streets” by Zpiderflower

“I Was Born for This” by Austin Wintory (from the stellar Journey OST)

“The Ballad of Fiedler and Mundt” by Disparition

“Sex (Daedalus Remix)” by Slugabed

Castlevania malarkey

Best of “Bloody Tears”: official 1, official 2, official 3, fanmix 4

Best of “Vampire Killer”: official 1, official 2, fanmix 3

Best of “Simon’s Theme”: official 1, official 2, fanmix 3, fanmix 4

Super Castlevania IV (PLEASE listen to the whole thing but my faves): “Forest of Monsters”, “The Submerged City”, “Clockwork Mansion 2″, “The Library”, “Dracula Battle”, “Ending”

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (ditto above): “Dance of Illusions”, “Dracula’s Castle”, “Marble Gallery”, “Lost Painting”, “Dance of Pales”, “Wandering Ghosts”, “Final Toccata”

“Clotho”, “Atropos”, and “Lathesis” from the Columns OST

Zelda shenanigans

“Title Theme (Wind Waker)”

“Dragon Roost Island”

“The Great Sea”

“Main Theme (Breath of the Wild)”

“Riding (Day)”

“Riding (Night)”

“Stables”

“Kakariko Village”

“Rito Village (Day)”

“Tarrey Town”

“Maze Forest”

“Hyrule Castle” and “Hyrule Castle Interior”

okay i gotta quit - i’ve had this tab open for like a week and a half now and i just keep adding stuff. this is enough to get anybody started. i hope y’all find something you like. :)

[astroexperience]

I like to draw, tinker jewelry, write poetry (: Cancerian Sun, (06/30/1988) Lunar Capricorn, Aquarius rising, Neptune in 12th house, favorite aspect of my chart.. Sun trine Pluto, heres a poem/writing i composed together. Namaste ♥ & light!

Godspeed starseeds, take lead minus fears and we’ll all see surpassment split shifting beyond paralleling betterment of all peace plus purity pulsations commencing change enchanting all that remains. Truth love light. Fight for balance. To maintain…Sourced & spirited away by powers universed via ray burst, looping through mystified destiny, and now I know why patience was blessed in me. Now​ so reaps in that bridge cringed, remedies fused resurrecting otherworldly things rarely named. Energetic shockwave static stretched transmitted for a waking breath. Forth call to all light force warriors to reckon for the time has crept, upon not just our planet Earth but also the entirety of all life force which help to make it what it so sacredly is. Saying that assume all your strength in unification to stand stronger than strong. So heed on as life breaks this uprising of an externally new dawn…synchrocity birthing moments significant to supernova plunging now everso readily oness congest usefulness morphing into confidence adhere on a completion successorship taming an ability which must become uprooted from self surrenderance granting skills aquited unlocking ejs commitment evolution shining in self lovable channelize pathways leading uploaded ‘n deliverance maturity uprisin by godly galactic blissful oversoul onside my journeys enjoyable ride. Such tides dittos rippling similar radiance among the many lighbeings and phoenix risers whom constantly coming up fighting through turmoil dew eventually coming out the shadows beckoning superly transforming at cataclysmic levels as magic rumbles till one stunmbles to realize the gift often missed so what’s this? previecing eternal gratitude towards living life evermore gracious in gazing each waking moment through new sights mesmerizing from beautiful surroundings amongst a new innermost peacefulness, formed mutually world to world unifieing massive purity on consciousness with totality in actuality sharing truths, avid infinite respect and thankfulness towards experiencing cosmic love weaving so, vibrant frequencies in dreamscape. Engagement focusing, lightfoot steppin’ desiphering my ancestor’s signals by subconscious ethereal wind blow im​ earthbound in hush realizing the realeyes reflect soon back at me my own energetic splendid hope towards a relatively encounter saving in about and out radical circuitry electrifier sensing a higher power beyond meaningfulness that this enchantment set jolting souls divinity in the wakening to evolutionary spiritual pathway.

submitted by @wisdomiseternaltruth

[connorcarter32]

Welcome Back session

Check 'all years info' classroom

301 (research) and 303 (grad project) should combine, 304 is dissertation.

Library resources booked online

Think about paying for aesthetica

Big boy neal new year tutor

'Padlet' software to share ideas within a group.

Next friday talk interview abt disserations 

Dissertation module worth 20 credits

Production module worth 40 credits

Paperpile is useful to compile references material

Can make a digital production for dissertation.

3 sessions of 15 minutes with dissertation tutor/instructor

Stretch yourself - 301 - research and experimentation

Exploring ideas for your grad project

Ditto

Begins with set tasks to generate material for the module 

Definitely ask about a game/visual novella? 

Module guide:

Composition of space, working with deep blue sound students, digital frontiers and composites / synchronising, documentary storytelling.

 Present 2 ideas for a grad project (Failsafe).

Documentary? Da vinky

Sizzle reel for 301 - kind of a moodboard or trailer of the research prepared for the grad film

 1000 word statement is a deliverable

10-20 page production pack

5-10 minute video of short film outputs. Experiments or tests.

Grad project sizzle reel.

Straight 8 horror-

Shoot digital first

Record sound actions while filming.

Elements of horror - claustrophobia in space / time. Melodramatic, parody?

[xtrafreelancers-blog]

Freelancing in Japan — from Side Hustles to Full Independence

A look at the opportunities available and what is involved in establishing a side-hustle and expanding it to become an independent operator.

As a foreigner resident in Japan, there are likely three freelancing scenarios that you’ve considered.

Stepping Stone: Perhaps you want to work as a full-time employee but need some income to tide you over while you look for a new position. Or, maybe you want to use freelance work to gain skills and connections to help you change careers.

Side Hustle: If you’re currently working full-time, and you don’t have an exclusivity contract with your employer, you may be looking for something that you could do to supplement your income and grow your experience.

Full-Time Career: Perhaps you want to eventually work as a freelancer so that your income is diversified and you have more control over who you work with.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the options available and the logistics involved in getting set up.

The Benefits of Freelancing

Freelancing isn’t a fit for everyone all the time, and I’m not going to try and sell it to you if you’re not ready for it. Also, it may take a while for you to get established, so I’m not going to tell you it will be quick or easy. That said, let’s take a look at some of the benefits you may enjoy if everything comes together for you.

Mobility: You can work from home or from a cafe. If the type of work you do doesn’t require meeting your clients face-to-face, you may even be able to travel.

Income: If you find the right niche and can secure the right clients, then you can end up earning more than you could at a traditional full-time job.

Security: Since you’re not dependent on a single income source, so you have greater stability and more options.

Appreciation: When clients know that you have options and can walk away at any time, they are more likely to treat you with respect and show appreciation for your work.

Learning: Working with a variety of clients that have diverse needs will force you to learn new things and pick up new skills.

Choice: If a client doesn’t appreciate your work or is difficult, you can politely end your working relationship and move on to more appealing opportunities.

Qualifications: While some fields definitely require formal qualifications of some sort, many don’t. If you can show a portfolio of work that demonstrates your competence, then often that is enough.

Online Work

Even though you’re located in Japan, it may not always be feasible for you to attend events to find potential clients. Ditto for visiting client offices for an initial interview and subsequent meetings. In that case, one option is to do work for Japanese companies who are hiring online.

Freelance Job Marketplaces

Conyac is a freelance job marketplace based in Japan. While the site’s interface is available in English, most of its job listings are currently in Japanese, and most clients struggle to communicate in English. Thus, it is best suited to those with advanced Japanese skills.

It can be a good way to get experience working with Japanese clients, it is easy to get started, and you can get paid via PayPal — so you can continue working on the site if you leave Japan.

These are their top job categories:

Translation: Various translation tasks, proofreading, interpreting, localization

Writing: Articles, email newsletters, copywriting, and transcription

They’re working on getting more job listings in these categories:

Business: Legal, tax & accounting, HR, recruitment

Design & Creative: Web design, app design, logo & identity, art & illustration

Digital Content: Images, video, music, animation

Marketing: SEO, branding, social media, research & analysis

Tech & Programming: Web, mobile apps, infrastructure, and data analytics

Other Tasks: Data creation, voice data collection, image data collection, agency work

You can also set up a profile and offer bespoke services via Conyac. Prospective clients might hesitate to inquire to an individual’s website, blog, or social media. However, since platforms such as Conyac have various safeguards in place, clients are more likely to feel confident in trying you for the first time.

Of course, there are some things that don't change when working freelance jobs with clients you find online. Once the project begins, you'll want to communicate openly and clearly and work to create a successful outcome for all.

Work That Requires Offline Availability

Teaching

Online lessons are popular with busy people. However, unless you’re offering something that is specialized and in demand, the rates are likely to be quite low relative to the cost of living. It may not be worthwhile if you’re living in Tokyo. Check out sites such as ClassDo to see if you can find an approach that works for you.

Working Direct

Another alternative is to set up an online presence that showcases what you're offering and attempt to reach prospective clients directly. For example, if you are a graphic designer, you could set up a website showcasing your portfolio, explaining your services, and then try to contact companies that might need your services. Ditto if you’re offering editing services.

Note that unless you’re targeting international businesses in Japan, you’ll need to be able to communicate in Japanese. Perhaps there might be scope to partner with a local who will handle the client sourcing side of things while you take care of the specialized work.

As a foreigner in Japan, you’ll want to position yourself in a niche where you’re leveraging skills, experience, and knowledge that most locals are lacking. Here are some examples that I’ve encountered.

Language Teaching

Language teaching is often the first option that foreigners take and if you’ve been living here a while you’re likely familiar with the options. There are agencies that will send you out to schools and businesses to give lessons. Also, you can offer one-on-one lessons either directly or via an agency. The key is to work towards arrangements that give you more control over your time, location, and pricing.

Consider combining your language teaching skills with something else. For example, parents might like to have their kids take fun art or dancing classes in English.

Photography

Language: As a general rule, most local clients and models will not be able to communicate in English. The flipside of this is that you will stand out somewhat if you are fluent in Japanese.

Location: Most work is in Tokyo, but that shouldn’t discourage you from trying to break into the field if you’re located elsewhere.

Camera: Although the latest top-end smartphones are capable of taking great photos, most clients will still expect you to show up with a “proper camera.” However, one way around this is to impress clients with your portfolio, explain that everything was taken with a smartphone, and then ask if they mind. However, you are likely to command higher rates if you look the part by having an impressive-looking camera.

Portfolio: Decide what you want to focus on. For example, weddings, events, corporate profiles, architecture, real estate, fashion, or food. If your portfolio is lacking, then you may need to take on some free work until you have enough samples to convince clients.

Clients: Don’t expect people to discover your portfolio online and inquire about hiring you. Likely, you’ll need to do some networking at relevant industry events to secure your first gig. Perhaps carry along a tablet so that you can flick through your portfolio and show them relevant works. Have business cards ready with your URL and make sure it has your rates listed. Also, check out local photographer directories or introduction services such as Go Cameramen.

Scope: Make sure clients are clear on exactly what they’re getting for their money. Give them a detailed list of your process and what they can expect in terms of final deliverables.

Web Design & Development

There is a niche business of foreigners who offer web design and development services. A growing number of Japanese companies are open to having either an English version of their existing website or creating a separate site to cater to English-speakers. Other popular languages include Chinese and Korean.

Furthermore, some foreign companies operating in Japan prefer to work with a native speaker of their own language who can set things up the way they want it and coordinate with a Japanese counterpart for the local language sections of the site.

Since the advent of the web, it has become progressively easier for companies to set up websites. However, many still prefer to sit down with a designer or developer who will take a consulting style approach and give them what they need. Similarly, while machine translation has made it easier to offer a multilingual website, it is still preferable to have one that has been properly localized.

There are two ways foreign specialists tend to get business:

Networking at relevant events

Developing a relationship with an agency who outsources work to them

Software Development

Japan is suffering from a lack of engineers in various fields, including software development. It is common to hire freelancers who might visit their office for face-to-face meetings when required. Sometimes foreign engineers are more likely to have expertise in specific software languages. Or, it could be that they need a native speaker of a foreign language for some reason.

Scour local job boards to find work and attend relevant networking events with a business card that links to some kind of portfolio — or perhaps your GitHub profile.

I am not a lawyer or accountant, and the laws are evolving. Rather than risk giving you erroneous advice, and assuming you already have an idea of how things work in Japan, I’ll just say the following.

Visas, Tax, Health Insurance, Pension, etc.

Visas: Visit the nearest office of the Immigration Bureau of Japan.

Taxes, Health Insurance, Pension: Visit your local city office if you have any questions. In any case, always be sure to pay everything on time otherwise you’re unnecessarily making life difficult for yourself by damaging your records.

Sole Proprietor vs. Company: Unless you plan on hiring full-time staff, you’re probably best off going the route of a sole proprietor. It’s generally cheaper and more straightforward. However, having a company can give you more options.

Documents: Keep a copy of all documents, including records of any bills or payments. You’re going to get a ton. I use the Genius Scan app to “scan” them into PDFs, have it send the files to my Google Drive account, and keep everything organized in folders. I suggest you take a similar approach because you never know when you’ll need to be able to dig up and refer to some obscure document.

Consultants: There is no legal requirement for you to use any kind of consultants, such as a lawyer or accountant. However, they can be very helpful if you can afford their services. As a general rule, the ones which offer services in English cost more.

Assistant: If you are earning enough, you might find it makes sense to hire a local assistant to handle the administrative side of your solopreneur business.

Closing Words

As with anything in Japan, building a successful career as a freelancer isn’t going to be quick or easy. However, it is possible if you position yourself in the right niche, figure out how to get clients, satisfy them with excellent service, and maintain relationships.

____________________

Written by DLKR

Cover photo by Ali Yahya on Unsplash + edits

Originally published on Xtra.blog

[carlawyernews-blog]

Car | Lawyer | News Guide to the Steam Pc games of 2018 part #4 RPGs, PART TWO Steam Pc games of 2018 Steam Pc games of 2018 Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time Steam Pc games of 2018 Early 2018 | Bandai Namco | Link After the animated series found repeated success on Netflix, the witches of Luna Nova Magical Academy are back to solve a mysterious time l... https://carlawnews.com/game-sports/guide-to-the-steam-pc-games-of-2018-part-4.html #CouldBeatTrumpIn2020 #UnconventionalCandyHearts #KimCattrall #HarryKane #Due Process #SaturdayMorning #Beyonce #KimKardashian #TaylorSwift #ArianaGrande #SelenaGomez #BrunoMars #USSFPresident #WakeUpWeightWatchers #SaturdayMorning #RenameValentinesDay#NationalPizzaDay #FridayFeeling #FlashbackFriday #WhyILovePizzaIn4Words #RushAFilm #animalprotection #animaldonate #petanimal #3DPrintProstheses #animal2018 #animalnews #cat #dog #instagood #petshop #AnimalEquality #animalgivedonate #animalsponsor #animalgifts #USA #canada #londra #germany #amsterdam #sweden #oslo #Paris #Trend2018 #news2018 #LawyerFirm2018 #car2018 #lawyerfirm #donate #credit #hosting2018 #cheapdomain #DonatingaCar #OnlineColleges #LowCredit #CheapAuto #OnlineInternet #HomeCredit #MortgageAdviser #VirtualData #DataRecovery #Criminallawyer #InjuryLawyers #AsbestosLawyers #YoutubeTrend2018 #DonaldTrump #AnnuitySettlements #NunavutCulture #DaytonFreightLines #TodayNews Barkley 2, Blue Omen Operation, Boyfriend Dungeon, Cyanide Studio, February 15 (Out now), God Eater 3, Greedfall, Griftlands, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Legrand Legacy, Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time, part two, RPGs, Secret of Mana, Shenmue 3, Square Enix, Steam Pc games of 2018, Stoneshard, Sunless Skies, The Swords of Ditto, Tokyo RPG Factory, Werewolf: The Apocalypse

[gascon-en-exil]

On the issue of 'bromance' or gay: I mean…FE3H is a jap game. The idea that sexuality is a inherent part of one's identity or a person is defined by his sexuality was a late western social construction (19th century if I am right). The ancient or early modern Europeans also does not perceive male affection in a ‘gay or not’ ‘romantic or not romantic’ dichotomy.(Sodomy is related to sexual behavior like anal sex between males, not ‘love’ between males). So the writers of FE3H. I believe they

has a different understanding of what feels ‘gay’ (and this series is a medieval romance! So it is natural for them to look inspiration from warrior cultures in old days, both western and eastern) I read interviews of jap writers who wrote about gay content or has strong gay subtext. The impression I got is that many of them doesn't feel they are writing on some thing ‘gay’; they feel that they are writing on aesthetic love, or purified 'beautiful' human love. Beautiful because it is forbidden.

(Is that homophobia? Maybe.) Imo, the downplay of gay content in localization is largely due to the cultural difference. Some lines feels gay-baiting in English or other translations doesn't feels like gay-baiting in Japanese for me.

Sexuality as a part of one’s identity does date more or less from mid-19th century Europe, yes. That’s not to say it’s the only valid model of understanding something so complex, and I run into that fluidity fairly often in my personal life - not so much for myself, but for my various lovers who tend to be one or two generations older than myself and as such are more likely to define their sexualities by whom they are or are not publicly acknowledged to be fucking. I personally never use certain popular terms because I don’t see the value in them, including “bromance” (which does have a place in gay hookup culture, incidentally, as it’s very easy to maintain a level of emotional distance even when penetration is involved) and “mlm” (because as a sex worker love doesn’t factor in most of my encounters at all, and to define it exclusively as such strikes me as rather childish). Everyone engages with sexuality differently, and well-crafted fictional settings that address the topic are able to convey that with respect to their characters.

That’s why I prefer to see FE and similar (pseudo-)historical media reference alternative forms of queer intimacy as opposed to trying to draw from contemporary depictions or writing it as identical to heterosexual romance. Leon from FE15 has some amusing lines, but he’s effectively a 21st century aging twink and feels out of place in the same game as the fraught homoeroticism of the Deliverance. Ditto the deep knightly bonds of Faerghus with their resemblance to the forbidden fruit of courtly love that I’ve elsewhere noted vs. Byleth’s bi options having identical scripts regardless of the character’s gender. By drawing on historical models for inspiration the Deliverance, the male Lions, and older examples like Quan and Finn contribute to the worldbuilding of their respective settings rather than stick out awkwardly from them. You could probably make a similar case for depictions of lesbianism from Heather, Dorothea, and others vs. the likes of Edelgard, Sothis, and Rhea who are so deeply enamored of Byleth for bizarre magically-induced reasons. I’m not very familiar with how the Japanese perceive such things, and to an extent I’m not sure it matters all that much in this case when these games reflect their understanding of European cultures, but there does seem to be a consistent throughline for at least some of this content that’s worth appreciating.

[savetopnow]

2018-03-07 13 GAME now

GAME

Attack of the Fanboy

What the Next Life is Strange Should Entail

Forza Motorsport 7 March Car Pack Adds Seven New Vehicles

New Dragon’s Crown Pro Trailer Reviews the Characters’ Fighting Styles

God of War PS4 Pro Bundle Officially Announced

INSIDE Developer Teams Up with Sex Doll Company for Collector’s Edition

Brutal Gamer

Amid Evil brings classic fantasy FPS gameplay back to the PC this month

Toy Fair 2018: Super 7’s super Masters of the Universe lineup

Diamond preps for the Infinity War with loads of new Marvel merch

Super Mario Encyclopedia to get slipcase and limited edition covers

Tony Stark returns in Marvel’s brand new Iron Man book from Dan Scott and Valerio Schiti

Game Banshee

Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition v2.5 Beta Patch Updated

Blizzard Entertainment Bringing Diablo to the Nintendo Switch?

South Park: The Fractured but Whole - From Dusk Till Casa Bonita DLC Coming Soon

Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption Update #33

Realms Beyond Blog Updates - Party Interactions and Group Combat

Game Informer

Report: Call Of Duty 2018 Is Likely Black Ops IV

Devil May Cry PC Free On Twitch Prime

New Gameplay Today – Rainbow Six Siege Outbreak

Ys VIII Launching On PC In April

The State Of Washington Passes Law To Protect Net Neutrality

Game Watch

Best Battlezone: Combat Commander Mods

XCOM 2 could be getting another DLC expansion

Rainbow Six: Siege Year 3 Release Time Is Now

Final Fantasy XV - Here's where to find Armiger Unleashed

Phoenix Point Preview

Gematsu

Compile Heart launches ‘Cute RPG’ countdown website

Megadimension Neptunia VIIR launches May 8 in North America

God of War Limited Edition PS4 Pro Bundle announced

Ys VIII for PC launches in April

State of Decay 2 launches May 22

IGN

Sims 4: How to Disarm Traps in Jungle Temples and More

A Guide to Romance in Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Metal Gear Survive: 11 Tips For Success in Co-Op

Overwatch: Everything You Need to Know About Brigitte

GTA Online: Stunt Race Week Bonuses

Niche Gamer

Inside Xbox Announced, Premieres March 10

NieR: Automata Has a Final Secret No One Has Found Yet

South Park: The Fractured But Whole DLC “From Dusk Till Casa Bonita” Launches March 20

State of Decay 2 Launches May 22

Report: Diablo III is Coming to Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Life

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Will Get A Retail Release (But It'll Cost You $60)

Random: You Can Now Play NES Games In 3D And In Virtual Reality

Chicken Wiggle's Switch Kickstarter Campaign Has Taken Flight

Soapbox: My Nintendo's Updated Rewards Scheme Is Anything But Rewarding

Video: New Trailer For Raging Justice Shows Off Some Of The Deadly Weapons On Offer

PC Invasion

Heretic/Hexen-alike AMID EVIL hits Early Access next week

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet PC Technical Review and Options

The Escapists 2 Big Top Breakout DLC released

Survive on an island with a crab buddy in Island Time VR

Project Wingman new Alpha 5 footage released

Playstation Blog

Introducing the Limited Edition God of War PS4 Pro Bundle

Battleborn, Darksiders and More Join the PS Now Lineup

Final Fantasy XV Director Q&A, Royal Edition Out Today

Frantics, a New PlayLink Party Game, Launches Today on PS4

The Swords of Ditto Rises to the Challenge April 24 on PS4

Reddit Gaming

It’s a me, Mari-oh

Never give up

Making new friends at a gaming convention

Nightingale Cosplay

I made an Animal Crossing sign!

Xbox News

The Story of I in Switch – Or Die Trying on Xbox One

Far Cry 5 Weaves a Frightening Story into Series’ Familiar Sandbox Formula

Xbox Exclusive State of Decay 2 Releasing May 22 – Pre-orders Start Today

Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition – Taking Game Development One Step into the Future

Science and Tentacles Clash in Twin Stick Shooter Tesla vs Lovecraft

[talabib]

Elements of Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking boils down to one simple question: What is the desired outcome? The answer to that question helps an executive drive organizational strategy through various ways to maximize results in minimal time, maintain a bird’s-eye view of the big picture and ensure the team aligns its goals with those of the organization.

Your goals tie together all the disparate members of a team as well as the strategies that apply both individually and collectively. By its very nature, strategic thinking requires you to learn to make the best decisions you can as quickly as possible, boosting innovation and flexibility, helping your team adapt to circumstances as they change.

Just as importantly, you have to be able to communicate those adaptations to all involved. Like the captain of a ship, you should always consult with your officers before making a decision, taking their viewpoints and suggestions into account. But the decisions are ultimately yours, and you must make them. Once you’ve made a decision, you and your team have to execute immediately — on the spot if necessary

Strategy tends to fall into place more easily when it’s built on mission, vision and values — which, in turn, makes it easier to determine corresponding goals and tactics. Effective leaders hitch themselves to the organization’s star and align team and personal goals with the organization’s.

Then they determine the most efficient ways to advance together. Some of your team members will have a better understanding of goal-setting than others, so it’s up to you to make sure they all stay on the same wavelength. Here’s how:

1. Start with individual team members. You’ll find it easier to establish team goals if individual members also have personal goals to reach for. As you learn your team members’ personal and professional development goals, help them find ways to weave those goals into the general goal-fabric of both team and organization.

2. Set reasonable goals. Whether it involves finishing a particular project or improving overall performance, provide your team with reasonable goals that include time-based milestones and objectives.

3. Ensure a supportive, productive working environment. Invite open discussion and sharing of resources. Continually ask people how they think productivity can be improved.

4. Clear the way to the target –– and give your team something to shoot for. As the leader, you’re also a facilitator. You not only have to clarify what the goals are and how to get there, but you’ll also need to help blaze a trail.

5. Track your team’s productivity, and provide meaningful feedback. You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Keep an eye on your team deliverables and overall production using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), timesheet software or scoreboard programs such as Kaptasystems.com or i-nexus.com. 

Modern leadership involves more than just telling people what to do. Because you’re responsible for helping the company stay profitable, you have no choice but to embrace change. Change has become essential to the continued growth and development of global business. It stirs things up, cross-fertilizing ideas and aerating the waters of creativity.

You can’t afford complacency, because some hungry young company will always be pushing the envelope and trying to steal part of your market share. Innovation provokes changes that must occur for us to move forward. It can be tricky, but there are ways to handle innovation so you can advance your agenda without having the situation blow up in your face. For example, don’t try to act on all your ideas at once.

Don’t let history hold you back, either. Just because something didn’t work before doesn’t mean it won’t work now. Also, don’t assume the experts are right. Even experts sometimes get it wrong. Today’s leaders should adopt these six change management methods:

1. Employ enhanced flexibility. Instead of trying to meet requirements that no longer match reality, be open to modifying the scope and direction of projects as you move forward.

2. Aim for controlled growth. As we move into a business landscape that has been decimated by recent economic troubles, we must take care not to expand too far, too fast. Take time when you need it so you can consolidate your gains.

3. Consider calculated abandonment. In the spirit of controlled growth, you may need to help your people adjust to changes that result when company leaders decide to cut losses by selling off or abandoning underperforming projects, markets or locations.

4. Constantly upgrade your technology. Given how fast technology advances, the stuff you were using last year might be given away in cereal boxes next year.

5. Retune your team’s activities regularly. While you rarely want to micromanage, check in with your people regularly to make sure they’re in tune — not only with the team but with the organization.

6. Evolve with society. No matter how much you love the product you make or service you provide, it can become obsolete overnight as society changes. You may have to change just to stay relevant, so be willing to reconsider your branding and reinvent yourself occasionally. 

 Effective communication sets profitable, productive organizations apart from the duds. It can take many forms, but the factors that work best are plain talk, honesty and cooperation.

Your communication must be simple and straightforward, especially when conveying the organization’s mission to employees. To ensure your team members do their work correctly the first time, communicate your expectations clearly and concisely. Follow these three rules:

1. Repeatedly communicate your expectations.

2. Triple check for understanding.

3. Communicate in multiple ways.

Promoting Your Vision Clear communication is important in all directions, upward and laterally as well as downward. People who rise to a management level are often competent and strong willed, so you might find yourself at odds with another peer leader or with your own superior.

When you’re at loggerheads with someone for any reason, you’ll want to find the most efficient way to resolve the issue quickly. Here’s how you can argue your point productively, so everyone can move quickly through the dispute phase and get back to work.

Get all your ducks in a row. Prepare your arguments, and have your facts straight.

Probe them for weaknesses, so you can strengthen your position.

Run your thoughts by neutral people, and ask them to shoot holes in your argument.

Disagree early, clearly and politely. Remain open to others’ points, but make your position clear.

Be simple, to the point and specific about your concerns.

Don’t dispute an argument in general terms; always use specific examples to refute it.

Don’t use sarcasm or name-calling.

Consider the opposing argument. Others in a dispute may have several good points, in which case you can integrate those points into your decision-making process and hammer out a compromise.

Keep the lines of communication open. You can’t work something out if you won’t talk to one another.

Jump on the phone or meet face-to-face instead of sending a volley of email.

 Too often, indecision rules in the workplace, because decision-makers fear making mistakes. Yet the occasional mistake is the price of effective decision-making. It’s better to take a wrong turn than no turn at all.

You can always change direction to correct an error or to meet a new threat or opportunity head-on. Test your choices against these imperatives:

Core values, mission and vision. If you’re in alignment with your organization’s core values, some decisions will come surprisingly easily. Ditto for mission and vision.

Outcome. Follow the decision to its logical conclusion. Can you see danger lurking somewhere down that path? Does one possible outcome satisfy you more than the others? What contingency plans can you put into place? Return on investment (ROI). This is crucial for most businesses. Will your decision make your company more money than it spends? Include all the factors you can think of, and remember, it’s what happens in the long run that counts.

Opportunity cost. Every choice you make closes other doors. If you decide to do something, what will it keep you from doing in the future? Is what you skip worth missing out on? What other trade-offs will you face? Efficient use of time and resources. Will this decision slow workflow and efficiency in your organization? If so, you’d better choose “tails,” unless some other benefit offsets the wasted resources.

 Once you’ve made the decision, execute! When it comes to productivity and success, execution trumps all. The ability to make ideas happen means the difference between success and failure, so sometimes you have to set a hard line and be the boss. That means, among other things, stop accepting excuses, set strict deadlines, don’t overcomplicate things, hone the team’s skills and help them structure their time.

[isaacathom]

okay so i had a vague idea for dodan which makes sense for the characters to do and explains the fumbling misteps of the villain but is kind of, in a narrative construction sense, big Weird, so lets go

the core conceit of the mystery is that someone is trying to frame Christopher Brennan for serial murder, and in doing so implicate the broader Brennan family (his parents (not including Alexis, initially), his brother, his step uncle, and then some reverberations back to the capital) for like. both petty reasons and for sorta like, i guess corporate espionage? thats absolutely not the phrase i want. sabotage? sabotage is better. some kinda sabotage on the brennan family by their association with all THIS that lets this rival group muscle into their turf, right. and thats kinda shit, but whatever, we accept this for what it is at present.

a lot of this plot hinges on a specific outcome - that being that Johnathan Brennan, Christopher’s older brother, is assigned as the primary investigator of the case. and thats not a bad assumption once theyve gotten a whole bunch of the other options off the table (some accidents, holidays, etc, its managed). johns a smart guy, trusting him to handle it himself is fair. 

but they didn’t count on Ryan Lane, Dowburne Chief of Police or w/e, going ‘haha yea no this is looking like a serial murder im gonna call in someone with more experience’ and bringing in Alexis.

the change is that initially, Ryan does go with it! with the first body, John is assigned as primary detective and heads out to start investigating, asking questions. but when the second body is found at some god awful hour the next morning, Ryan goes ‘oh fuck no’, calls the people to the scene, and then calls around to find an experienced detective, eventually landing on Alexis Norton.

this completely blindsides the member of the conspiracy who is a cop, because they literally arent in the office when this happens and the first they hear about this is when alexis shows up at the crime scene. so, shit. but, okay, this can be worked with. this is fine. this doesnt affect much, right?

except that with Alexis’ help, Christopher ends up arrested for questioning far earlier than anticipated, and at such a time and with such little warning that, well... obviously, if theyre framing christopher, they cant do any killings while christopher is under lock and key. but the killer end doesnt find out and until its too late, and so suddenly has to find a way to dispose of the body. and thus, chucks it in the dowburne river.

which would be fine, if the dynamic duo of dastardly death-deliverers didn’t decide that alexis is a huge risk to the operation. after finding out that Alexis = Westbrook = Christopher’s parent no3 (no2? order?), theyre like ‘okay, this works, we can spin alexis’ death as part of this, okay good’. they lure alexis into a trap by loitering near the next body and then calling in a report about that person later being on a bridge, at which point the whole ‘alexis gets thrown in a river’ thing happens. but again, they fucked it. because the killer fell in as well. and they had to get out sneaky so they werent caught, esp since some of their face paint came off, rendering them possibly recognisable by facial scanners, big no-no. which means that noone saw the killer leave the river (though they admit they might have been distracted trying to get alexis out, because, yknow, aw Shit).

so because noone saw the killer leave the water, and johnathan admits that he completely forgot about them while trying to save alexis, people end up trawling the river for a possible body. and what do they find! but the body of the person they accidentally killed while christopher was in custody. because when they decided ‘whats the cleanest way to get rid of the detective? i know, lets chuck them off a bridge, theres no way they can swim (correct)’, they DID actually think about the body and chose a bridge that they thought would a) work well for the scheme, needed low fencing etc and b) would be far enough away from wherever the body had ended up. didnt quiiite consider the potential for the body to have gotten stuck on something underwater, so, whoops! big whoops!

the point is that the killer duo are fucking incompetent because alexis arriving throws them completely off.

the big change was having the bar body be the second in the chain, though with hindsight i suppose it can still work if its the first body but ryan changes his mind about having johnathan investigate it solo? like sends john out plus the handful of others who will help keep the crime scene intact, etc and then after they all leave ryan goes ... no i gotta find someone else to help. that does still work and means alexis is there from the start, and that their arrival is still something of a surprise that still throws the duo for a loop

man the duo really are incompetent though. like they did specifically want alexis’ murder to be clean, because it was on short enough notice and in BROAD FUCKING DAYLIGHT that they couldnt necessarily set up their Christopher tools, right, and they didnt wanna tie any dna or anything in, so the idea is they basically shove them off a bridge, easy, clean, we got fucking gloves. just. kinda fucked it. screwed the pooch. mfers incompetent. ditto the second time they try to kill alexis by fucking shooting them, because they got spotted by johnathan who took the shot. and that ruins everything! because while they can reasonably wrangle a justification for Chris to murder Alexis (abandoning them all, etc, etc, the cop heard Lavinia yell at Alexis so theyve got the jist), they cannot wrangle a reason that Chris would try to kill Johnathan. even though Johns a cop/detective and Chris is in like, a gang, it doesnt make sense. theyre still brothers. theyre still close. they were BANKING on that closeness to implicate the broader brennan clan in trying to cover up Christopher’s crimes! Hurting John was a side effect of that. but they just fuckng shot johnathan brennan while pretending to be Christopher. nope! you could possibly make that more obvious by having John spot the shooter, warn Alexis such that the shot whiffs, and then the killer - who is established at this point to be an impatient son of a bitch - angrily shoots at Johnathan for stopping the shot, hitting him and then going ‘oh fuck’. because the way that second shot works theres no way it wasnt deliberate, because john and alexis were not positioned close enough for it to have been a whiff or a result of movement. john wasnt moving. you hit john. you, faux-Christopher Brennan, shot John clean. you fucking fool. and thus, skaddle.

fun shit, huh

[oselatra]

On last week's cover story, " 'Protect and serve' vs. 'patrol and control' in Little Rock"

Fact of the matter is murders have dramatically decreased after this past summer's spike and the increased patrols coincide with the drop. Fact of the matter is, if you see a patrol car is close by, the odds of you breaking in that car, house, etc. go down.

From the web

In response to last week's cover story, " 'Protect and serve' vs. 'patrol and control' in Little Rock":

Fact of the matter is murders have dramatically decreased after this past summer's spike and the increased patrols coincide with the drop. Fact of the matter is, if you see a patrol car is close by, the odds of you breaking in that car, house, etc. go down.

Either the P.D. takes steps to reduce crime, or the people will. I would rather the police do it.

Case closed as far as I'm concerned.

Rick 1

Reply to Rick 1: What are the odds that YOU would get followed to your home by a patrol car and have an officer unholster their gun while watching you? This isn't about the cops stopping people, it's about the systematic overreach or disregard by procedures by said cops. Nor is this crime control. It's harassment and intimidation.

Irishgirl2012

It's not community policing when the police officers don't live in the community. If they're going home to somewhere else, it's not their community and they're more focused on enforcing the law than in keeping the peace.

Vanessa

Little Rock had been experiencing for at least a year a disturbing increase in the number of murders, assaults and other violent crimes, culminating in the Power Ultra Lounge shooting on July. The community understandably and rightfully demands swift actions by city leaders that immediately restore safety and peace of mind. We also have a police force that is severely understaffed and underpaid, to the point that many of its officers can only afford to live outside the city they serve. It's easy to be critical of the steps taken and some of that criticism may be warranted. But let's say it's now your job to address these concerns in ways that are both quickly effective and not seen as overreaching, intimidating and harassing, and, most importantly, you only have the same tools that are now available to the police chief, city manager and others. Go ...

Buckdog

In response to Billy Fleming's Jan. 4 column, "Will Arkansas join the red state revolt?" in which he wrote that 16 of the 76 seats held by Republicans were likely to flip to Democrats in the state House of Representatives:

It's an exciting time to be a Democrat. As devastating as the current administration is, it's likely to be digging its own grave. Hopefully seats will flip all over this country, but you're right, the South is gonna have a huge impact. The longer the uber rich are in power the more these lower-earning communities are starting to see the light.

Jason Bradberry

Well, it's always funny to read the crazy stuff the AT has to offer. Actually surprised they are still in business.

whyme

Highly unlikely the left will get more than five seats. Former Gov. Mike Beebe and now Governor Hutchinson have both played down the middle in doing what is best for the state. Tax reform in the state is coming but it won't be until after this next cycle of elections. Also, why is the left still being referred to as "progressives" when that isn't even close to the truth? You can twist and spin it all you want, but the left has never been progressive, only passive aggressive.

Sean Cash

In response to Jay Barth's Jan. 4 column, "Arkansas's Trump?" about Hot Springs Jan Morgan's decision to challenge Governor Hutchinson in the GOP primary:

Arkansas politics is why I only drink bottled water.

ShineonLibby

Arkansas politics are why I drink.

jhudd

The same fools who voted for sheer idiots like [state Sen. Jason] Rapert would vote for this numbskull. She is the backwoods "Deliverance" version of Michele Bachmann.

Warren

In response to the Jan. 8 Arkansas Blog post "Oprah for president?":

My girlfriends and I discussed this into the wee hours last night. Only thing we couldn't agree on was who would make the perfect VP ... Joe Biden, Tom Hanks or Michelle Obama.

mountaingirl

Actively thinking? Wow! That would be a welcome change from all the self-glorification, self-adulation rhetoric, and of course all the suck-up talk (major part of the job description, I'm sure). Donald has such unique standards.

Maxifer

In a couple of days, the online Webster's Dictionary will have a picture of Oprah next to the phrase BARN BURNER! The speech she gave last night is among the handful of speeches I've heard in my life that knocked my socks off and reduced me to tears while cheering.  Ohmagod did Oprah knock one out of the park! And gentlemen, she put us on notice that the millions of years of male dominance and sexual harassment and sexual abuse of girls and women and second-class citizenship for women IS OVER! If you think male heads have rolled in the last couple of months, we ain't seen nothing yet! I personally think that Oprah isn't willing to take a demotion in order to become the next president of the United States. She's smarter than that and she's of far more use to this country as a free agent, but she COULD run this country with her eyes closed.  I predict our next president will be a woman! And Congress will turn pink over the next couple of election cycles. Ditto the Arkansas Legislature. Bring it!

Deathbyinches

The root question as I see it is whether or not being elected U.S. president and never having held another public office is rational or even sane. In my opinion the clear answer is no.  The answer doesn't depend on whether the views of someone agree wholly or partially with our own, but simply on whether the job of being president requires some prior experience that clearly indicates the individual can handle the job. We witness daily, and have for the past year, what happens when we elect a clearly unsuitable person, an ongoing train wreck, to the office. Must we turn the office of president into some reality program or celebrity contest? If so, let me off that train.

Sound Policy

It would be worth it to have Oprah as president just to watch all the red necks turn purple.

Silverback66

Why not? She is better qualified to hold the office than Obama was.

Razorblade

Well, yes, let's elect another entertainer with absolutely no experience in government. It's worked so well before.

louie

Correction

Billy Fleming's Jan. 4 column, "Will Arkansas join the red state revolt?" mistakenly dated state Republicans ending the Democratic supermajority in the state House and Senate as 2008 instead of 2010. It also misstated that Republicans have had a stranglehold on state government for more than a decade.

On last week's cover story, " 'Protect and serve' vs. 'patrol and control' in Little Rock"

[meera-mediapractices-blog]

WEEKLY JOURNAL INSTRUCTIONS

Overview: Create a weekly journal, and keep it current throughout the semester to act as a resource for yourself and other students in this course. (Recommended platforms are WordPress, blogger, or a personal website).

January 10 - email me a link to your journal.You will receive a confirmation or a comment that I am not able to access the link.

Total Value: 10%

Due: Sunday of every week. Blog posts will be marked every Monday evening.  Late blogs will not be marked.

Breakdown: Each week you must:

Identify what you personally have completed since last week

How you accomplished those tasks including any resources you used such as tutorials, meeting with group members, meeting with other groups, books, etc

What your team has accomplished in the last week

The biggest difficulty in the last week5.What you personally aim to achieve before next week

Learning Outcomes:

Work independently

Storytelling

Communication skills

Analyze a multi-platform, multi-discipline

(Nick Farnell)

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

Emerge Teams:

Please answer the following questions and upload your responses into the dropbox "reports and portfolio" folder created for your team.

Please label your report with the name of your team, and either the week (Jan. 9=Week 1; Jan. 16=Week 2...) or the date.

1. Let me know who the primary point of contact will be between your team and:

i) me;

ii) other members of your team;

iii) other magazine teams; if different members have been assigned as the communications point people for different teams, list their names and communications responsibilities;

iv) ditto or ibid. for cross-functional teams.

2. Tell me what tool or tools your team has chosen as its primary method of communication WITH ONE ANOTHER, and as much as you can about how you plan to use those tools.

For example, tell me a communications goal that your team has set for the week ahead and how you plan to accomplish or satisfy it.

3. Does your team have a communications strategy for outreach and/or intake and, if so, what is it?

For example, tell me whether you have identified any students or teams whose participation you want or need, and how you plan to reach them, and have them respond to you. Let me know if you have activated this system, and what you have done.

4. Does your team have cross-functional communications goals or a strategy?

Are there teams outside of the magazine groups with whom you will need to make contact and/or actively work? If so, let me know whether you have a communications strategy and whether it's been activated (i.e. what contact you've made with other team members, who your communications contact person is going to be, how you will make and maintain contact this term).

5. Tell me how much progress you were able to make in creating a meeting schedule for the next few weeks (I am happy to see you projecting to the end of January, if that is all that's practical at this juncture) or, if possible, the balance of the semester. I would like to see a plan for meeting in person or electronically or both outside class hours.

6. Were you able to discuss and clarify either a) joint deliverables, or deliverables requiring input from people on your own or other teams; or b) key dates and deadlines? If so, tell me what progress you made.

(Kathy Ullyott)