#eliminate negative image

[ripoffreportremoval]

Eliminating Negative Images from Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)

In today's digital age, a strong online presence is vital for individuals and businesses alike. Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) play a significant role in shaping public perception. Unfortunately, negative images associated with a person or brand can wreak havoc on their reputation and credibility. These negative images often arise from unfavorable press, disgruntled customers, or past mistakes. To maintain a positive online image, it becomes crucial to address and remove such damaging content from SERPs. In this article, we will explore effective strategies to eliminate negative images from search engine results.

Assessing the Damage:

Before embarking on the journey to remove negative images from SERPs, it is essential to conduct a thorough assessment of the current situation. Identify the specific images causing harm, their sources, and the level of visibility on search engines. Analyze the keywords associated with these images and the websites they are hosted on. This assessment will help develop a targeted approach for damage control.

Addressing the Source:

Dealing with negative images at their source is the most effective way to prevent them from appearing in SERPs. Reach out to the website owners hosting the harmful images and request their removal. While some may comply willingly, others may not be as receptive. In such cases, consider negotiating or offering solutions that benefit both parties. If the source of the negative image is a news article, contact the media outlet and request a correction or update to the story.

Reputation Management:

Reputation management is a proactive approach to curating a positive online image. Create and optimize positive content that highlights achievements, philanthropy, and positive customer experiences. By flooding the SERPs with positive information, you can push negative images further down the search results, making them less visible.

Utilizing Social Media:

Social media platforms have a strong influence on search engine rankings. Take advantage of this by actively engaging with your audience on social media. Post valuable and shareable content regularly to build a positive online presence. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and testimonials on various review sites and social media platforms. This will not only boost your reputation but also help push down negative images in the SERPs.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO):

Implementing SEO strategies can significantly impact how content ranks on search engines. Target specific keywords associated with negative images and optimize positive content to outrank them. This involves creating high-quality content, using relevant keywords, obtaining backlinks from reputable sources, and improving website structure and performance.

Submitting Legal Requests:

In some cases, negative images may infringe upon copyright laws or violate other legal rights. If that's the case, you can file a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown request with search engines or the hosting website. This legal approach can lead to the removal of the infringing content from SERPs.

Google's Removal Policies:

Google has specific guidelines for removing images from search results. If the negative images contain sensitive or personal information, such as government-issued IDs, signatures, or intimate content, you can request their removal through Google's Removal Policies. However, be sure to comply with the guidelines to avoid rejection.

Conclusion:

In the digital age, negative images can significantly impact personal and business reputations. Taking proactive steps to eliminate and mitigate their presence on SERPs is crucial. By assessing the damage, addressing the sources, utilizing reputation management, leveraging social media, employing SEO strategies, and using legal approaches, you can effectively remove negative images from search engine results. It may require time and effort, but the rewards of a positive online image and enhanced credibility are well worth it. Remember, consistency and perseverance are key to achieving long-term success in maintaining a positive online reputation.

[samafricanreporter]

With the development of digital technology, a company’s reputation can be influenced greatly by its customer’s reviews and comments. Most of the people tend to report their experiences with the companies whether bad or good to help others in making decisions whether to engage in a contract with the company or not. If your company’s reputation is negative you might not get many new customers as well as there is also a possibility of losing your regular ones. Thus it is important to build a positive online reputation that will help in the growth of your company.

To build a positive online reputation you can hire an online reputation management agency. Online Reputation Management commonly abbreviated as ORM is the process of dealing with managing the online reputation of a business or an individual using different digital technologies. Online Reputation Management will help you build a positive online image, manage your online reputation, eliminate negative and falsified comments, etc. It includes mug shot removal sites, censoring negative customer reviews, and falsified comments.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #26

July 5-12 2024

The IRS announced it had managed to collect $1 billion in back taxes from high-wealth tax cheats. The program focused on persons with more than $1 million in yearly income who owned more than $250,000 in unpaid taxes. Thanks to money in Biden's 2022 Inflation Reduction Act the IRS is able to undertake more enforcement against rich tax cheats after years of Republicans cutting the agency's budget, which they hope to do again if they win power again.

The Biden administration announced a $244 million dollar investment in the federal government’s registered apprenticeship program. This marks the largest investment in the program's history with grants going out to 52 programs in 32 states. The President is focused on getting well paying blue collar opportunities to people and more people are taking part in the apprenticeship program than ever before. Republican pledge to cut it, even as employers struggle to find qualified workers.

The Department of Transportation announced the largest single project in the department's history, $11 billion dollars in grants for the The Hudson River Tunnel. Part of the $66 billion the Biden Administration has invested in our rail system the tunnel, the most complex Infrastructure project in the nation would link New York and New Jersey by rail under the Hudson. Once finished it's believed it'll impact 20% of the American economy by improving and speeding connection throughout the Northeast.

The Department of Energy announced $1.7 billion to save auto worker's jobs and convert factories to electronic vehicles. The Biden administration will used the money to save or reopen factories in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, and Virginia and retool them to make electric cars. The project will save 15,000 skilled union worker jobs, and created 2,900 new high-quality jobs.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development reached a settlement with The Appraisal Foundation over racial discrimination. TAF is the organization responsible for setting standards and qualifications for real estate appraisers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics last year found that TAF was 94.7% White and 0.6% Black, making it the least racially diverse of the 800 occupations surveyed. Black and Latino home owners are far more likely to have their houses under valued than whites. Under the settlement with HUD TAF will have to take serious steps to increase diversity and remove structural barriers to diversity.

The Department of Justice disrupted an effort by the Russian government to influence public opinion through AI bots. The DoJ shut down nearly 1,000 twitter accounts that were linked to a Russian Bot farm. The bots used AI technology to not only generate tweets but also AI image faces for profile pictures. The effort seemed focused on boosting support for Russia's war against Ukraine and spread negative stories/impressions about Ukraine.

The Department of Transportation announces $1.5 billion to help local authorities buy made in America buses. 80% of the funding will go toward zero or low-emission technology, a part of the President's goal of reaching zero emissions by 2050. This is part of the $5 billion the DOT has spent over the last 3 years replacing aging buses with new cleaner technology.

President Biden with Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau and Finnish President Alexander Stubb signed a new agreement on the arctic. The new trilateral agreement between the 3 NATO partners, known as the ICE Pact, will boost production of ice breaking ships, the 3 plan to build as many as 90 between them in the coming years. The alliance hopes to be a counter weight to China's current dominance in the ice breaker market and help western allies respond to Russia's aggressive push into the arctic waters.

The Department of Transportation announced $1.1 billion for greater rail safety. The program seeks to, where ever possible, eliminate rail crossings, thus removing the dangers and inconvenience to communities divided by rail lines. It will also help update and improve safety measures at rail crossings.

The Department of the Interior announced $120 million to help tribal communities prepare for climate disasters. This funding is part of half a billion dollars the Biden administration has spent to help tribes build climate resilience, which itself is part of a $50 billion dollar effort to build climate resilience across the nation. This funding will help support drought measures, wildland fire mitigation, community-driven relocation, managed retreat, protect-in-place efforts, and ocean and coastal management.

The USDA announced $100 million in additional funds to help feed low income kids over the summer. Known as "SUN Bucks" or "Summer EBT" the new Biden program grants the families of kids who qualify for free meals at school $120 dollars pre-child for groceries. This comes on top of the traditional SUN Meals program which offers school meals to qualifying children over the summer, as well as the new under President Biden SUN Meals To-Go program which is now offering delivery of meals to low-income children in rural areas. This grant is meant to help local governments build up the Infrastructure to support and distribute SUN Bucks. If fully implemented SUN Bucks could help 30 million kids, but many Republican governors have refused the funding.

USAID announced its giving $100 million to the UN World Food Program to deliver urgently needed food assistance in Gaza. This will bring the total humanitarian aid given by the US to the Palestinian people since the war started in October 2023 to $774 million, the single largest donor nation. President Biden at his press conference last night said that Israel and Hamas have agreed in principle to a ceasefire deal that will end the war and release the hostages. US negotiators are working to close the final gaps between the two sides and end the war.

The Senate confirmed Nancy Maldonado to serve as a Judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Maldonado is the 202nd federal Judge appointed by President Biden to be confirmed. She will the first Latino judge to ever serve on the 7th Circuit which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Bonus: At the NATO summit in Washington DC President Biden joined 32 allies in the Ukraine compact. Allies from Japan to Iceland confirmed their support for Ukraine and deepening their commitments to building Ukraine's forces and keeping a free and Democratic Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. World leaders such as British Prime Minster Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, praised President Biden's experience and leadership during the NATO summit

[perkwunos]

But there’s a cruel reality behind the decision to track right: The campaign, once it hitched its wagon to Biden’s policy of unqualified support for genocide in Gaza, really had no other choice. In 2020, the Biden campaign tentatively rode the progressive wave of the George Floyd protests, anger about Trump’s racist border policies, Covid activism, and anti-war protests against Saudi Arabia’s destruction of Yemen to energize the Democratic Party base to defeat Trump. It was, in retrospect, mostly lip service, and certainly no one at the time thought Biden a firebrand progressive. But the broader theme of the campaign was that everyone would have a seat at the table, even if the plate would most likely end up being empty.

Harris made no such pretensions, because any strategy that played to similar themes would have had to address the elephant in the room: the Democratic Party’s ​“ironclad” support for Israel’s elimination of a people in whole or in part. And this simply would not have worked. One can’t really bank on activist energy, youth turnout, and base-mobilizing when those involved — while canvassing together, or running phone banks at each others apartments, or getting drinks afterwards — have to awkwardly address the fact of genocide and their candidate’s support for it. This isn’t to say there was no activist or youth energy in the campaign — clearly there was. But those in charge quickly decided against making this their central theme and vote-gathering strategy, given the uncomfortable questions that would naturally arise from campaigning in these spaces. So Liz Cheney and her negative-2 favorables it was. 

Countless pro-Democratic Party pundits tried to warn Harris. Polls were commissioned. The Uncommitted Movement very politely, and well within the bounds of loyal party politics, begged Harris to change course. But she refused. The risk, to her, was worth sticking to the unshakable commitment to ​“eliminating Hamas” no matter how many dead Palestinian children it required, or the degree to which images and reports of these dead children would fuel cynicism and create an opening for Trump to win. 

... Turning every party advocate into a dead-eyed trolley problem expert triaging which genocide was morally preferable may have made cold logical sense, but it was hardly an inspiring message. Making it less compelling was that, by and large, it was not a position emanating from Palestinians themselves, as virtually every major Palestinian organization and the sole Palestinian-American in Congress, Rashida Tlaib, refused to endorse Harris.

[ddarker-dreams]

each version of yan scaramouche throughout the years is ridiculously clinging in their own strange way. 

as kabukimono, the others at tatarasuna often joke that he follows you around like a duckling. there are practically stars in his eyes whenever you’re so much as mentioned, he’s absolutely smitten. his way of getting closer to you — and staying there — had a rather innocent origin. he just so happened to notice that you dote on him even more whenever he makes a mistake or seems to be struggling with ‘simple’ human tasks. at first, he really was having difficulty with things such as getting dressed and brushing his hair, but over time, he learned to conceal his progress so you would take the time to help him. 

the unknown feeling that blossomed in his chest whenever your fingers brushed or he was close enough to smell the incense on your clothes was divine. he’d come up with any excuse to remain by your side, leaning into his harmless image a little too much, albeit subconsciously. after all, you may not have been so willing to allow a man in your bed just because he claimed his nightmares were making it difficult for him to sleep... but because you think he’s so sweet and lacking any ulterior motive, you don’t even bat an eyelash, gladly opening up the futon for him to lay beside you. he just can’t help himself. there’s nowhere he’d rather be than with you. 

as scaramouche, he has a simple and ineffective formula. keep the doors locked + be the only person you can have verbal interaction with = profit? (there is no profit to be had). you’re so sick of him but he’s there anyway. what makes matters worse is his audacity to act like he’s doing you a favor, spending a few hours of his busy day entertaining someone such as yourself. he says it that way too. word for word. with his nose in the air. you really can’t stand him. this method is what he prefers to utilize by far. sure, there might be some sour feelings on your side, yet it eliminates the risk of you leaving him altogether. he can withstand anything — your glares, the frequent cold shoulder treatment you give him — because it means you’re still there. 

for a person who comes off as greedy as he does, he’s surprisingly content with very little. the slivers of mostly negative attention you give are enough to sustain him, the same way a cactus can survive on very little water. if the balladeer had it his way, he’d always be in your vicinity, but unfortunately, he has constant work as a harbinger. which is why he leaves reminders of his existence on and around you to compensate for his absence. even if he can’t physically be with you, the lingering touches you feel and the marks you see make him impossible to forget. 

as the wanderer, he’s essentially jobless, allowing him twenty-four hours in the day to stick by your side. to make matters worse, the dendro archon herself came to you to ask for your cooperation. lesser lord kusanali has seen how taken with you he is, and after some observation, decides you’d be a good influence on the ‘reformed’ wanderer. lucky you. instead of following you around like a cute duckling, he’s more of a feral stray cat. you’ll ask him if he has anything better to do and he’ll shrug and say not really. trying to throw him off your trail is impossible as well, his ability to track you down is uncanny. he claims that he has a sixth sense for ‘sensing idiots’ every time he catches you. 

in his humble opinion, there’s just nothing more thrilling than seeing every side of you there is to see. he doesn’t want to miss a second. if he isn’t in the mood to chase after you and you try to run away, you’ll end up facing a gust strong enough to knock you off your feet. should he be in a good mood, he’ll catch you. if he isn’t, however... he’ll let you fall over and snicker over your misfortune. his antics to keep you close are mostly bearable, since he doesn’t freeload and offers a decent amount of help in your journeys, whether it be fighting off hoards of monsters or cooking meals. it becomes far more sinister if anyone tries to intrude on what he perceives to be your special relationship, though. 

[bunniekittiee]

Bi-Han x Fem. Reader (as well as general headcanons)

Alright alright the Bi-Han headcanons was a success so ykw I’ll bless you all again. Also this is my depiction of Bi-Han so if you think I can tweak it and make it better then by all means let me know!

CW: mentions of eating problems, anxiety, illness, chronic illness, a little nsfw, nothing too crazy

Hair combing is an intimate ordeal.

He does not let anyone else touch his hair besides himself and you. He trusts you completely to comb his hair and even put it up for him.

He thinks you do it better than him, but he can manage it himself if needed.

He sighs with relief when his hair is let down, feeling his s/o’s fingers gently massage his aching scalp. It feels so good to him, he loves it.

Bi-Han does like the quietness. Especially after a long day of Grandmaster duties and irritation.

So if it is quiet during this time, he can close his eyes and almost fall asleep as you caress his hair and take care of him.

Sometimes he has fallen asleep when you are doing this.

If you were to ask Bi-Han to bathe together, he would silently go insane for a second and then agree.

Despite seeing you naked more than often, it still gives him butterflies in different scenarios that isn’t inherently sexual. Such as bathing.

He thinks you are beautiful, do not ever be negative about yourself around Bi-Han because he will immediately worry.

If you are worried about gaining weight, he is already overthinking that you will stop eating.

So instead, Bi-Han gently encourages you to train with the other Lin Kuei if you feel that you want to lose weight or prevent yourself from gaining weight.

No, he does not think you are fat at all, do not twist his words.

But Bi-Han is the type of man to give you solutions to help you but not in a rude way.

He just tries to encourage and give you options.

He will also suggest yoga with Kuai Liang. Kuai Liang usually meditates, but he will divulge himself in yoga for you if you are interested.

He does not like to see you sad or upset about your self image. It makes him feel helpless.

Bi-Han can handle a physical threat because he can eliminate it, but when it is a mental threat such as self image issues, depression, etc., Bi-Han finds himself unable to see straight.

Out of his brothers, I see Bi-Han struggling with some anxiety.

Like I said in my previous headcanons, Bi-Han worries for his s/o because she is his weakness. If anyone were to take her away from him, he would practically engulf everything in a blizzard.

I see Bi-Han having anxiety about his brothers as well, whether they are safe or going to be okay.

As much as Bi-Han shuns Smoke, he still worries for him. Smoke is the ‘baby’ of them all, and if he were to see him in any form of pain, he is already wanting to murder the person who inflicted it upon him.

That being said, if you have any sort of health issues that will literally send Bi-Han over the edge.

He is constantly having the medics check you over and he will be riddled with so much anxiety he will stop eating and sleeping well.

God forbid you have a chronic illness or anything at all, at that point Bi-Han will just have an aneurysm.

As tough as his exterior is, Bi-Han can be sensitive.

Please do not call him names, he doesn’t even do that to you and it will hurt his feelings.

He will distance himself and feel melancholy until you apologize. He doesn’t like it when you are rude or mean to him.

As I mentioned in my other previous headcanons, he does get snappy himself so he knows that he is a bit of a hypocrite.

If you were to communicate your feelings to him, whether it is your frustrations, sadness, or anger, he will understand and try his best to relax you and make you feel better.

You do the same for him, so it’s time that he repays that favor.

Bi-Han can be extremely busy with his duties and he knows you hate being cooped up for so long.

So he will allow Smoke and Kuai Liang to take you out, whether that’s for a walk or to Madame Bo’s, Bi-Han just wants to make sure you are happy.

I don’t know where people got the “jealous of my brothers being around my s/o” belief from, but Bi-Han trusts his brothers completely.

He has to, they go into battle and on quests together, they have to deeply trust each other and have a strong bond with one another.

So he lets his brothers take you out, he does not get jealous of that. They would never do anything to you, and Bi-Han knows it is completely out of character for them to do anything in the first place.

So yes, he lets you go out with his brothers and enjoy your time together when he is busy.

Again, he knows you get cooped up and he wants you to have some freedom.

His brothers love that you have somewhat changed Bi-Han but in a good way.

He is somewhat nicer to Smoke and refrains from telling him he is not part of their family. Last time he did, you gave him the absolute worst glare that even Kuai Liang felt his stomach turn.

Bi-Han is gentle as possible with you. His hands have killed and hurt many, he would hate to inflict the same pain on you.

You are like a flower to him, a delicate and precious lively being.

You have softened Bi-Han in many ways, and many appreciate what you have done.

[greenboyfriend]

choose a fantastic green thing (tarot reading)

"what do you need to know?" image 1: ahh, a classic. woman with fish. iridescent fish, no less. image 2: women want him, men want to be him. whether you love him or hate him, you can't deny... he is a bug. image 3: the bowl. image source not everything may resonate with you, and that's ok! take what does & leave the rest. don't force it.

1.・。.・゜✭

hello friends. what a nice pull! you may be giving or receiving a gift as an act of charity or kindness. it seems like you’re unaware of something, but it’s not a bad thing. consider it blissful ignorance. it may be wise to stay in this state, shunning negativity/corruption. also, some of you may be dealing with children/ a child? maybe someone is having a baby?!

nevertheless, you’re trusting your intuition at this time, and it’s serving you. however, you may be a bit apprehensive about a change/transition you’re going through. know that it’ll happen no matter what you do! you’ll have to eliminate excess one way or another, cutting down to the bare essentials. it’s scary to go through change where you’re unsure what will happen, but you’ve got to do it at some point.

and anyway, you’ve got your intuition at your side. tune in with yourself however you know best, whether that be taking a walk outside, listening to your favorite song, etc, it will help you to regroup.

being sympathetic and loving towards others will also work in your favor. try to open up, and give others what you would like to receive yourself. “forgiving and forgetting” may also be relevant for some of you.

(6 of cups, death reversed, ace of cups)

2.・。.・゜✭

holy FUCK, you need to pump the brakes. holy FUCK, whatever it is, SLOW THE HELL DOWN!!! four of swords literally came flying out of the deck before i even got the chance to shuffle. take this as the universe/your future self urging you, begging you, pleading on hands and knees, to CHILL OUT!

yes, we all know you are very determined and forthright. yes, we all know it, and we all know that has turned out very well for you in other situations. however. at this point, you’re gambling whether things will go your way, and you can tell. loosen your grip on those reigns! resting ain’t so bad!! not every moment needs to be jam packed with activities.

i feel like you know that, but you don’t want to accept that it’s true, or can’t. despite this, you’re feeling the effects. the 10 of swords spells exhaustion & burn out– finding yourself depleted, full of swords, and on the ground (in vain); all the while, the call for action has not even arrived yet. 

consider yourself. if you need to have a goal, think of it this way: how can you most effectively relax? what activities (or lackthereof) will make you feel the most refreshed when the time comes to get moving again? in a sense, take all the anxious energy you’re feeling, and put it to use by taking care of yourself. you’re not going to be able to succeed in the way you want to if you’re completely exhausted from ignoring your own needs.

so relax! if you’re not sure how, beg the universe for help. that’s what i did, and now, i have a cat. 

(the chariot reversed, 4 of swords, knight of swords, 2 of wands, 10 of wands)

3.・。.・゜✭

your cards strike me as very sweet, my bowl lovers… after going through a trauma in your past, you’re working towards healing by opening up to those around you. now is a great time to be intimate, and not just in the romance way! maybe you’re interested in moving forwards with this, but you aren’t sure which path (which person/people, perhaps) to take. not to fear, however!! page of cups is here! let your heart/intuition lead you, and don’t be afraid to have some fun with it.

consider your emotions exactly as they are: does this person make you feel happy? secure? take your knee jerk reactions and mix them with your observations. after that, the choice should be clear.

six of swords is not always the most fun of cards (typically denoting healing, sloughing through the slop, ect) but trust that where you’re going certainly is… a blast, that is!! it may be a celebration you’re heading towards, but more than anything, it seems like you’ll gain a new sense of freedom. with the page of cups and six of swords present, this is likely how you approach your feelings & relationships, and how they’ve been impacted by your past. expect to shed some light on these patterns, and even overcome them entirely!*

these last two cards cement this message. if you go after what you want, you’re certain to meet success! it can be scary, and it might take a while, but keep trying! you can do this!!!

*for the time being, anyway. progress is not linear! sometimes it's 2 steps forwards to go 1 step back and that's ok!!!

(4 of wands reversed, page of cups, 6 of swords, 7 of cups reversed)

(pulled later: 6 of wands reversed, page of pentacles)

Ws all around my friends

[bfpnola]

introductory excerpts on COINTELPRO

it came to my awareness that some folks don't know what COINTELPRO is still, so imma drop some excerpts from the wikipedia page. ofc there are a billion other resources you can check out, especially firsthand accounts, but this is always a good place to start! link attached below:

[Note that the embedded link above's photo has the following caption: "COINTELPRO memo proposing a plan to expose the pregnancy of actress Jean Seberg, a financial supporter of the Black Panther Party, hoping to "possibly cause her embarrassment or tarnish her image with the general public". Covert campaigns to publicly discredit activists and destroy their interpersonal relationships were a common tactic used by COINTELPRO agents."]

The Introduction:

COINTELPRO (syllabic abbreviation derived from Counter Intelligence Program; 1956–1971) was a series of covert and illegal[1][2] projects actively conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic American political organizations.[3][4] FBI records show COINTELPRO resources targeted groups and individuals the FBI[5] deemed subversive,[6] including feminist organizations,[7][8] the Communist Party USA,[9] anti–Vietnam War organizers, activists of the civil rights and Black power movements (e.g. Martin Luther King Jr., the Nation of Islam, and the Black Panther Party), environmentalist and animal rights organizations, the American Indian Movement (AIM), Chicano and Mexican-American groups like the Brown Berets and the United Farm Workers, independence movements (including Puerto Rican independence groups such as the Young Lords and the Puerto Rican Socialist Party), a variety of organizations that were part of the broader New Left, and white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan[10][11] and the far-right group National States' Rights Party.[12]

Methods COINTELPRO Utilized

According to attorney Brian Glick in his book War at Home, the FBI used five main methods during COINTELPRO:

Infiltration: Agents and informers did not merely spy on political activists. Their main purpose was to discredit, disrupt and negatively redirect action. Their very presence served to undermine trust and scare off potential supporters. The FBI and police exploited this fear to smear genuine activists as agents.

Psychological warfare: The FBI and police used a myriad of "dirty tricks" to undermine movements. They planted false media stories and published bogus leaflets and other publications in the name of targeted groups. They forged correspondence, sent anonymous letters, and made anonymous telephone calls. They spread misinformation about meetings and events, set up pseudo movement groups run by government agents, and manipulated or strong-armed parents, employers, landlords, school officials, and others to cause trouble for activists. They used bad-jacketing to create suspicion about targeted activists, sometimes with lethal consequences.[74]

Harassment via the legal system: The FBI and police abused the legal system to harass dissidents and make them appear to be criminals. Officers of the law gave perjured testimony and presented fabricated evidence as a pretext for false arrests and wrongful imprisonment. They discriminatorily enforced tax laws and other government regulations and used conspicuous surveillance, "investigative" interviews, and grand jury subpoenas in an effort to intimidate activists and silence their supporters.[73][75]

Illegal force: The FBI conspired with local police departments to threaten dissidents; to conduct illegal break-ins in order to search dissident homes; and to commit vandalism, assaults, beatings and assassinations.[73] The objective was to frighten or eliminate dissidents and disrupt their movements.

Undermine public opinion: One of the primary ways the FBI targeted organizations was by challenging their reputations in the community and denying them a platform to gain legitimacy. Hoover specifically designed programs to block leaders from "spreading their philosophy publicly or through the communications media". Furthermore, the organization created and controlled negative media meant to undermine black power organizations. For instance, they oversaw the creation of "documentaries" skillfully edited to paint the Black Panther Party as aggressive, and false newspapers that spread misinformation about party members. The ability of the FBI to create distrust within and between revolutionary organizations tainted their public image and weakened chances at unity and public support.[49]

The FBI specifically developed tactics intended to heighten tension and hostility between various factions in the black power movement, for example between the Black Panthers and the US Organization. For instance, the FBI sent a fake letter to the US Organization exposing a supposed Black Panther plot to murder the head of the US Organization, Ron Karenga. They then intensified this by spreading falsely attributed cartoons in the black communities pitting the Black Panther Party against the US Organization.[49] This resulted in numerous deaths, among which were San Diego Black Panther Party members John Huggins, Bunchy Carter and Sylvester Bell.[73] Another example of the FBI's anonymous letter writing campaign is how they turned the Blackstone Rangers head, Jeff Fort, against former ally Fred Hampton, by stating that Hampton had a hit on Fort.[49] They also were instrumental in developing the rift between Black Panther Party leaders Eldridge Cleaver and Huey Newton, as executed through false letters inciting the two leaders of the Black Panther Party.[49]

...

In order to eliminate black militant leaders whom they considered dangerous, the FBI is believed to have worked with local police departments to target specific individuals,[78] accuse them of crimes they did not commit, suppress exculpatory evidence and falsely incarcerate them. Elmer "Geronimo" Pratt, a Black Panther Party leader, was incarcerated for 27 years before a California Superior Court vacated his murder conviction, ultimately freeing him. Appearing before the court, an FBI agent testified that he believed Pratt had been framed, because both the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department knew he had not been in the area at the time the murder occurred.[79][80]

...

In 1969 the FBI special agent in San Francisco wrote Hoover that his investigation of the Black Panther Party had concluded that in his city, at least, the Panthers were primarily engaged in feeding breakfast to children. Hoover fired back a memo implying the agent's career goals would be directly affected by his supplying evidence to support Hoover's view that the Black Panther Party was "a violence-prone organization seeking to overthrow the Government by revolutionary means".[84]

Hoover supported using false claims to attack his political enemies. In one memo he wrote: "Purpose of counterintelligence action is to disrupt the Black Panther Party and it is immaterial whether facts exist to substantiate the charge."[85]

Intended Effects of COINTELPRO

The intended effect of the FBI's COINTELPRO was to "expose, disrupt, misdirect, or otherwise neutralize" groups that the FBI officials believed were "subversive"[58] by instructing FBI field operatives to:[59] 1. Create a negative public image for target groups (for example through surveilling activists and then releasing negative personal information to the public) 2. Break down internal organization by creating conflicts (for example, by having agents exacerbate racial tensions, or send anonymous letters to try to create conflicts) 3. Create dissension between groups (for example, by spreading rumors that other groups were stealing money) 4. Restrict access to public resources (for example, by pressuring non-profit organizations to cut off funding or material support) 5. Restrict the ability to organize protest (for example, through agents promoting violence against police during planning and at protests) 6. Restrict the ability of individuals to participate in group activities (for example, by character assassinations, false arrests, surveillance)

When did they start?

Centralized operations under COINTELPRO officially began in August 1956 with a program designed to "increase factionalism, cause disruption and win defections" inside the Communist Party USA (CPUSA). Tactics included anonymous phone calls, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits, and the creation of documents that would divide the American communist organization internally.[9] An October 1956 memo from Hoover reclassified the FBI's ongoing surveillance of black leaders, including it within COINTELPRO, with the justification that the movement was infiltrated by communists.[31] In 1956, Hoover sent an open letter denouncing Dr. T. R. M. Howard, a civil rights leader, surgeon, and wealthy entrepreneur in Mississippi who had criticized FBI inaction in solving recent murders of George W. Lee, Emmett Till, and other African Americans in the South.[32] When the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an African-American civil rights organization, was founded in 1957, the FBI began to monitor and target the group almost immediately, focusing particularly on Bayard Rustin, Stanley Levison, and eventually Martin Luther King Jr.[33]

How did the news get out about COINTELPRO?

The program was secret until March 8, 1971, when the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI burgled an FBI field office in Media, Pennsylvania, took several dossiers, and exposed the program by passing this material to news agencies.[1][54] The boxing match known as the Fight of the Century between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in March 1971 provided cover for the activist group to successfully pull off the burglary. Muhammad Ali was a COINTELPRO target because he had joined the Nation of Islam and the anti-war movement.[55] Many news organizations initially refused to immediately publish the information, with the notable exception of The Washington Post. After affirming the reliability of the documents, it published them on the front page (in defiance of the Attorney General's request), prompting other organizations to follow suit. Within the year, Director J. Edgar Hoover declared that the centralized COINTELPRO was over, and that all future counterintelligence operations would be handled case by case.[56][57]

[kimyoonmiauthor]

HWA writer is doing a vote on Artificial Intelligence and a round up on what graphic designers actually do and why you shouldn't shoot your foot.

So writer news the HWA is voting about AI use, both in writing and covers. Most of my social media bubble is saying NO. 'cause obviously, it's stealing other people's work, but there is also this guy...

I get it, a lot of people don't understand the process that graphic designers have to go through. But it's harder than people think and some of the cost is BUYING LICENSED PICS TO USE IN YOUR COVER.

Unlike AI, graphic designers pay the photographers, etc OR have really expensive equipment to make high res images for book covers themselves. My cheap camera was 600 bucks in 2019. That does not include background, lights, etc. If you're complaining about the cost of custom covers from graphic artists, think about the cost to hire models, costume, and the camera equipment.

But it's more than Oh, snap pretty pictures or pay for it, there are other principles that go into art which include composition (which I covered many times), color and color theory knowledge (which AI can't always do well because there is also psychology per culture that one has to put in.)

There is also typography and knowledge of the market and psychology. You're paying for a lot more than Oh, just slapped pictures together. You're paying for a human who can create something unique that shows off the elements of your book in maybe ways you didn't think about.

Graphic artists are artists because we do things like arrange your websites for you to maximize psychological interaction. Graphic artists are not on the same par as AI.

So, no, this is a horrible take. I use traditional and computer media. But you can't unite if you think, OMG, you drew that in a computer v. you drew that on paper versus and think the first one is invalid. OMG, you wrote that in a computer. You wrote that on paper. The principles the human is applying are pretty similar.

Many graphic artists also draw. Many people use both media.

When Will up there can explain the positives and negatives of what a tangency is and how to color adjust a photo digitally on levels+curves, and how those things can affect the psychology of people interacting with their final product, then he can talk about OMG, how digital art is ruining covers.

Graphic Designers also know how to typeset your covers, who usually do it digitally, so don't eff with them by slamming the people that work with you. Because lemme tell you, the thing that makes your covers and the back of your books look excellent is that tight yet quite difficult art of typography. If that graphic designer really cared, they put that little extra work into eliminating the rivers on the blurb for you to make sure it was that extra bit more readable. They cared about the color of the type and the type face. And those people too are graphic designers. Psychologically, great graphic design is chef's kiss and when typography is done just so, the potential reader *feels* it through the design and the emotion your book is promising to give them.

So don't disparage graphic designers. Even for the fraction who cannot draw, when they are good they HELP with your marketing that much more.

General advice: Don't disparage platforms. Don't disparage your fellow true artists/creatives. Because it's likely you'll have the opportunity to work with them someday, and do you want to cut off the roads to making your book/product the best it can be? Uplift. Graphic designers are not the same as AI. Graphic designers pay other artists for licenses to their work.

Add to that the HWA is holding a vote about AI writing, etc. And yeah, we kinda need to spread this info around.

Dear HWA Members, An open comment period will be coming soon on the drafted Horror Writers Association Al Policy which has been diligently crafted since March. Members, please look for a Special iMailer in your inbox by the end of the month with instructions on where to send your feedback. The feedback period will be open for open for 25 days. The Board of Trustees values art and artists and looks forward to the comments from its membership. Sincerely, Maxwell Gold Executive Director, HWA

[santacoppelia]

There is something about Shax! (A loving meta)

I have written it too fast and in Spanish, but I really love what happened with demons and Hell in general this season: while in S1 they were kind of "set dressing" and the only distinctive demons were the higher ups, s2 brought us Shax and Furfur, and gave us more insight into Hell, gave Eric a lot of opportunities to charm us, and we saw a lot of small-scale demons that were all different in their own ways.

From all of these things, most of my notes point to Shax. The character is amazing, partly because Miranda Richardson is a great actress, but also because she has some characteristics that made her pop (I'll use female pronouns because the character is so high femme). I talked about some of them in the meta about angels, but Shax definitely deserves their own post! As I've already covered her particular mix of ingenuity, lets get into their abilities and style!!

When talking about her style I'd divide it into looks and communication. All of her looks are SPECTACULAR. So proper, so high femme, so classy, so glam... She is into projecting a carefully curated image. I respect that in a demon, really. Even when in Hell, her form is only changed by the teeth: lots of them, and quite ferocious. I feel that the mix represents her in full: a prim and proper exterior with a wild interior.

The wild interior can be inferred from her communication style. Shax usually exaggerates Hell menace and power, as we can see with some of her phrases:

"disliked by Heaven, hunted and eliminated by Hell";

"Beelzebub is not happy with you",

"All the forces of Hell will declare war to your friend"

"legions of demons to storm the bookshop, killing everyone",

“we’ll make it in ferocity and dangerosity”,

"we’ll chase you" to Beelzebub…

She has even “formulated a plan”, a very violent, enormous, ridiculous overplayed plan, but she is so excited to see it into fruition. Most of these are empty threats (Beelzebub is never really angry at Crowley, and they downplay the menace of being chased with the fact that they are understaffed...) but it says a lot of things about how Shax sees herself and the role of Hell in all of this.

Shax has an interesting power: she seems to voice the negative talk anyone has to mock them. This was very evident with Maggie:

Don’t embarrass yourself in front of the woman you pathetically love.

You are nothing, you run a shop that nobody visits.

You are nobody.

Unable to pay the rent.

Dull.

Unloved and unlovable.

You’ll live and die a nobody.

Those are scary! I have a little theory about how each character has different powers (it is a longer text and I'm just writing this because I already had it almost done), and this Shax's power is fantastic. Have we noticed what she says to Aziraphale?

You are not Crowley's type (he confidently dismisses this on their first encounter, with just a raised eyebrow)

You are an outlaw, you have no protection

Crowley’s emotional support angel

The softest touch

The one who went native

you need more huge meals?

Should we send up the sous-chef (not sushi)?

There is a really insightful demonic ability at play in there.

I also found really funny how, without Crowley giving her advice about how to appear, she just appears THREE TIMES in front of Aziraphale and still make the “I’m just a stranded motorist hitchhiking”. She hasn’t still get how Earth works, and that makes her fun AND terrifying.

How will all of this play into S3? Especially now that she will probably be a Grand Duke of Hell (or just a Duke). I'm already enjoying it and it hasn't been written yet! *covers her eyes*

[simlicious]

Personal update!

Hey everyone! I started to write this at 9:40 am, then I got distracted and did not post it right away but I guess activity on tumblr at that time is low anyway.

I am happy to report that I am still going strong with my changed day/night cycle. It's not always easy, I don't get into bed early enough on some days and feel pretty groggy the next. But this is always where I get defeated - I think okay, sleeping in for half an hour won't be a problem... but then I go to bed even later and the cycle goes backwards really quickly. This time I am determined to stay strong even if that means I walk around like a zombie and drink 1.5 liters of black tea on some days to keep me awake 😆

I guess it takes time to adjust the evening routines too. On these "useless" days, I often play Anno 1800 which is engaging and relaxing at the same time. I often quit the game to mod this and that in the game, so my brain is pretty engaged still and this is how I like it most days.

Since new habits need at least 6 weeks to be counted as a new stable habit, I will focus only on my sleep rhythm for the time being and allow myself to take a mental break from other projects to eliminate the inner expectation of working on those when I know it is unreasonable at this time. It also does me good to let go of any pressure to create TS3 content. I know it has been a while but it does nobody any good if I guilt myself because of it. I often get negative feelings around my simblr lately and it sucks, like I am really unsure about the few AI patterns I made and the poll made me really question what I should do since it is pretty divided. I do not know whether those are more random people who answered the poll or people who often engage in my blog anyway. So I don't really know if I should release those patterns at all or if people come and harass me over them if I do. But not releasing them would mean that energy to create them would be truly wasted, I think? If the images exist already, shouldn't they be used to make it count? Because thinking of that makes me uneasy, I put my creative energy into Anno 1800 for the time being which is not emotionally loaded. I am way too disorganized to really do beauty building, and most of the time I am just happy when my population get the goods they want 😆but modding another item that helps with that or editing other people's mods to fit my needs is fun and satisfying. It's a bit like editing tuning mods for Sims 3 (just with some more complicated layers added depending on the mod).

Knowing myself, I will get another pattern idea soon enough though, and sweater season is fast approaching which means I get into the mood of creating more cozy patterns, hopefully! I want to give a shoutout to people who have shown my patterns in screenshots lately. I admit I am not very active on tumblr at the moment and do not see everything I should. Memorable ones were @martassimsbook and @gittessimsadventuresog, but anyone else please feel addressed too! It means a lot to me to see my patterns in use, it makes me feel validated and useful and lifts my spirits. It also helps to dispel some of my negative thoughts (maybe patterns do not go obsolete after all if people are still using them). I'm really happy they are so useful to you! A lot of you probably do not post many gameplay screenshots but use my patterns anyway, I cannot forget about you 💜thanks for all the support!

[cherry-coloureddfunk]

if i should think of love, i think of you, kylo ren

Kylo blinked his eyes blearily to get the look of exhaustion out of them. He did a quick double take, his eyes wild with the hope that you were still in his arms. His lips curved into a sloppy grin as he inched toward you. Every time you breathed, he observed the motion of your chest. Just like this, you were very stunning. So beautiful and calm in his once discarded black T-shirt from yesterday night's activities. He sighed with relief. He hadn't yet had to wake up for the day, as he knew his automatic curtains had been programmed to open when it was time.

You were snuggled up against him, and he stifled a groan as his hands traced the shape of your body. His index finger slid down from your shoulder, around your waist, and onto your exposed thigh. You awoke slightly, and Kylo put his hand on top of your waist, obviously feeling awful for waking you up. You mumbled something incoherent that made Kylo snicker behind your back. He looked at your face intently, as if attempting to imprint the image on his mind permanently. It was at moments like these he was the happiest. 

If he was being honest, he couldn't remember a time when he felt so happy, so content;

So whole.

You were the source for it all. You kissed the blood and pain away from his wounds and treated him with the kind of tenderness and concern he had never experienced before. Kylo had never felt anything like this for anybody before you, and it was a lot to take in.

At times it was too much. 

He questioned whether or not he was worthy of you. More and more, as he contemplated it, a shadowy feeling began to settle over his subconscious. Why could an angel like you be so patient and kind towards him to the point it made his chest hurt? Why would someone like you love someone like him who’s done the atrocities he had? Kylo realized the risks involved. Since he was so widely reviled, it was obvious that he would have made enemies if he had ever let himself fall in love. Many people had the impression that Kylo Ren was a merciless tyrant who would eliminate any threat to his reign. Yet you never once made him feel like an emperor. He felt most like Ben with you. Though he despised and even detested the moniker, whenever you were in his immediate vicinity, he became euphoric and carefree, just as he had been as a child. Someone being that close to him was obviously risky. When he initially attempted to drive you away, he failed miserably because, as he'd suspected all along, he just couldn't deny you. The persistent negative thoughts in his mind kept him on edge. Holding you tightly, as if he thought you'd slip away somehow.

He remembered the day he’d done the unthinkable, killed his father. 

He remembered what you did for him.

You had made yourself comfortable on the black velcro sofa in the far corner of Kylo's living quarters. You hung your feet over the sofa and put a hand on the hard, dark ground. Black and white were the predominant colors of Kylo's room, creating a consistent pattern. You weren't as bored when Kylo was out discovering new worlds and doing first-order responsibilities, thanks to the data pad he gave you. Using the holonet, you tuned in to your favorite radio station, which played reports on the many exciting activities and breathtaking vistas to see on the many worlds. After learning that Kylo was born on Chandrila, you kept re-watching an episode in which the planet was discussed. He's always wanted to take you on a getaway, as he thought it would be amazing to see Hanna City with you by his side. If you went on a trip with him, he would waste all of his money on high-end eateries and tourist attractions.

All for you. 

The blast door to the chamber opened, and you put away your data pad as you saw a towering, recognizable figure appear in the opening. As you heard his booming entrance, you couldn't help but crack a grin. You awaited Kylo's return from work so that he could give you the kiss he always gave you. At this stage, it had become routine. But you frowned when the only sensation was the wind from his quick departure.

You glanced over at him, his massive figure bent over the foot of the king-size bed where the two of you spent your most intimate moments together. You sprang to your feet and walked over to lay a hand on his shoulder, comforting him.

“What’s wrong?” You asked, your voice dripping with concern, as you rubbed up and down his back. 

“I did it.” A modulator in his still-on helmet caused his voice to lower by many octaves. The irregular rhythm of his breathing within the helmet made you wrinkle your brows.

“Did what?” You asked, not having a clue as to what he was referring to. You waited for him to answer, wanting to help him with whatever he was going through. You hated to see him so distraught. 

“I killed him.” He replied. Despite the modulator, you heard the crack in his voice filled with pain and regret. He shook his head frantically, “I killed him. I killed him. I killed him.”

“What… Kylo, who did you kill?” You asked quietly, fear evident in your voice— not fearful of Kylo himself but what could happen to him because of who he killed. You knew many people didn’t like him but couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. Ever. You stayed quiet, hoping he would fill the silence and tell you what happened. 

Kylo must’ve noticed your tone, “I didn’t mean…” You paused for a second to look him in the eye. You could see the tears on his face and the glistening in his eyes. His broad mouth scrunched into an agonizing grimace. You lifted a hand to cup his face as you gasped. When you touched him, he almost immediately relaxed; clearly, he needed this. You were essential to him. With his eyes closed, he let himself be comforted by your touch as more tears ran down his cheeks. You slid your finger behind his neck and gently tugged, allowing him to lay his face on your shirt.

“I killed my father.” he let out meekly, partly muffled by your shirt in his face. You felt his tears dampening the material. You froze at the information, not really knowing how to process it. Kylo seldom ever talked about his father in a positive light, but when he did, it was usually memories from his childhood. The fact you’d never get to meet the father of the man you were in love with did make you a little sad. When you didn’t respond for a few minutes, kylo began to become frantic. 

“But this doesn’t change your mind, right— you still love me? Right? I love you— Please… Please don’t leave me.” He choked in between sobs, gripping at the material of your shirt, panicking, spewing out incoherent sentences, “Say you love me— please, star. I need you… so so much.” His voice broke entirely as his voice was barely above a whisper towards the end of the sentence. 

“I love you, Ky.” You spoke immediately, not wanting to scare him any further, “I always have, and I always will.”

“Really?” He uttered, looking up at you, glassy eyes filled with hope, “… you’re not going to leave?” 

“I’m not going anywhere.” You carded your fingers through his hair, moving so you could now sit on his lap. You grabbed his hand, placing little kisses on each of his knuckles, much like he’d always do for you when you were upset, “Isn’t that what an empress does for her emperor?” 

He smiled at that for a split second, which then turned into a frown. He ran his fingers over your thigh, taking a minute to try and steady his breathing, “I just thought that if I’d done it, snoke would be proud, and it would show that I’m no longer— tempted.”

You immediately understood. Sometimes when you two would lay in bed, Kylo would confess things to you that he wouldn’t dare tell anyone else. He confided in you, and you loved him for it. You’d listen for hours and hours as he’d open up to you. One night, in particular, stood out when Kylo began to question his loyalty to the first order. He would always find himself playing with the ends of your hair and stroking your cheek, thinking out loud; 

 “What if this isn’t worth it in the end?” 

Kylo was obviously not wicked in your eyes. Maybe it was because you saw the side of him that he tried so hard to keep hidden from everyone else. Even though Kylo had a tough demeanor, he was really a softie and a very kind person on the inside. This proved without a reasonable doubt that he had succumbed to the allure of the Force's light side. He apparently believed that murdering his father would further solidify his descent into evil, yet the reverse was true. Others saw him as a shell of the man he used to be; he appeared so shattered.

For you, though, it was the complete opposite. You got the impression that Kylo did what he did because he wanted to make a statement, to prove everyone wrong and achieve what they said he couldn't do in the first place. This, along with snoke's encouragement, led to Kylo's actions, and they couldn't be undone. Time and time again, you assured Kylo that you would stand by his side no matter what battle he decided to fight. 

If he wanted to watch the world burn, you’d burn it with him. 

”I shouldn’t have done it.” Kylo muttered, his face buried into the crook of your neck as you stroked his hair lovingly. 

“I know, I know.” You lift his face from its place on your neck, placing soft kisses all over his jaw.

The whole night was spent with you whispering comforting words into his ear, staying up to make sure he eventually fell asleep in your arms.

Kylo’s love for you just blossomed even more, that night, though he wasn’t sure that was even possible. 

You never judged him for that night. You had seen the most vulnerable parts of him that he knew no one else would ever get to see ever again, and you didn’t have a single negative thing to say about him– about what he did. He knew he deserved to suffer for what he did, and he knew that much was coming but what he didn't get was why you stuck right next to him. 

Even if you had the slightest intention of leaving, he knew you would have left long ago. He's given you a lot of chances, and the stars know it. This was the first time he'd ever put his confidence in someone and not feel any remorse for it. Kylo sighed weakly as a wave of emotions crashed over him.

What were you doing to him? 

When Kylo felt you shift against him, he froze; his eyes met yours with devotion and affection. Your eyes flew awake, and you stopped looking around as your gaze fell upon Kylo. As you blinked away the sleep from your eyes, a grin crossed your face.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” He responded, giving a breathy chuckle. 

You felt your cheeks burn up, tucking your face into the crook of Kylo’s neck. “What’re you doing up?” 

Kylo chuckled at that. You've always had such a reserved personality. When it came to anybody else, he would have found it irritating, but he thought it was cute when it was you.

“Just thinking. Go back to sleep, my love.” He snuggled up to you, kissing the top of your head gently.

“Are you going to go to sleep?” You asked while removing your head from his neck and placing it on the pillow so that you could face him.

“Do you want me to sleep with you?” He questioned in a tone that suggested mild amusement; he clearly enjoyed making you squirm with his questions.

“Yes.” In a voice just barely softer than a whisper, you replied. You and Kylo had been dating for a while, but you were still too embarrassed to tell him what you really wanted. And this was especially true when all you wanted was his love and attention, or even just to cuddle up with him. But he would give you everything and so much more. You didn’t have to ask.

He smiled, “Okay, let's go to sleep, my love.” 

“Okay, goodnight Ky.” you snuggled up closer to him, your half-asleep state making you semi-aware of what you were saying. 

You two only said "I love you" when it really counted, never on arbitrary days like today. You and Kylo obviously placed a high value on the emotive connotations of the term. The wordless admittance was sufficient to convey the sentiments you both carried for one another, and it was enough for the two of you, as it was worth a thousand "I love yous" in both of your eyes.

Kylo and you fell asleep in one other's arms, your legs entwined, your breaths steady, and your hearts ultimately beating in unison.

If Kylo had to think of love;

He’d think of you.

[innominaterifter]

My friend who accompanied me to the convention sent me the results of the cosplay competition, the three winners. Until recently, I didn’t even know that there was a jury and that they decided who won.

This was my first participation in a cosplay event of this format. I saw the opportunity of the performance as an interesting challenge to convey the impression of Taylor in her cape look to people who are not familiar with the world of Worm. A separate, interesting, and difficult task was how to convey the image of a swarm (and it's really not easy). I liked how the fabric idea worked out, but I have a few more ideas to improve it.

As a result, my thoughts were busy with a bunch of things, and I didn’t think about the fact that this was also a competitive performance. Which, in general, is for the best since it definitely eliminated one of the reasons to be nervous.

Therefore, when I did not see my name in the winners' top three, I was not upset because I did not count on such an opportunity in principle.

But my friend was definitely more worried than me. She started writing supportive comforting messages, which was very cute, although not necessary.

She began to explain that this was probably largely due to the fact that it was an anime event, and my cosplay is different both thematically and visually. I told her that I remember her funny (and unexpected) video about how people reacted to my insects. It is quite unlikely that the judges' reactions will differ from the average reaction of other people. (I I have already made a mental note to increase the expected level of negative reaction to insects for the future).

She smiled and said that it’s not just about insects. Moreover, the judges from their seats could hardly even understand what was in my backpack.

As it turned out, those vague spots in front of the stage were judges and not just spectators. But in general, I had no time to look at the hall at that moment, I was focused on my actions, and poor eyesight did not make the process easier.

My glasses don't fit under the mask, so I left them in my backpack. I have not yet found a way to make lenses for a mask that would be at the same time:

a) curved to the desired shape;

b) yellow;

c) with diopters.

At the moment, a temporary solution in the mask is a net with cells in the shape of a honeycomb, which facilitates ventilation but certainly does not contribute to clarity of vision.

I was toying with the idea of ordering additional lenses with diopters (the same ones I use in my glasses) and gluing them from the inside of the mask onto the honeycomb net. But as a result, I decided not to do this because of the risk that the lenses might come unstuck during active movements, and this could be dangerous for the eyes.

In general, I didn’t know about the judges at the time of the performance, but the judges really were also unlikely to understand that the cockroaches in my backpack were alive.

In response to my questioning grunt of what else she thought was the matter, my friend giggled and said to watch the video that she had just sent me. I looked and I can say two things.

First: she clearly enjoys conveying to me the subtleties of social interactions in this format.

Second: yes, it’s not just about insects.

She found videos of the performances of other participants and compiled a cut from them with my performance. Well, it turned out quite clearly, just like last time.

My costume was indeed very different from the other participants' costumes, but it was the comparison of performances that showed how “your vibes are on different ends of the scale” as she put it.

I myself did not see the performances of other participants, since I was one of the last to go on stage, and before that I prepared, checked my equipment, repeated the snatching a knife and baton, and working with a fabric swarm.

After the performance, all the participants scattered around the location and mingled with the audience. So, before watching this video, I didn’t know how different I looked compared to others. It was contrasting, mhm. I didn't think that the image and performance would look so grim, especially compared to others. My swarm did not save the situation, although in my opinion, it should have added entertainment in a good way.

When you are making a suit, until the last moment, you see it not as something whole but as a set of different parts, each of which individually looks quite neutral. Only after fully putting on the suit and armor could one understand that they looked really grim. But I still underestimated how much. That video with visitors’ reactions to insects also did not provide a complete understanding since it was mainly concentrated on the audience, and I saw myself in the frame in fits and starts.

Also, when I watched the video of my performance separately, I concentrated on how well I was able to perform what I had planned and trained. I didn’t think about how it looks in general, from the outside, and in comparison with other performances before and after me. Especially from the perspective of a person who sees this character for the first time.

Yes, I didn't place on top, but I was glad I did well. Almost none of the cockroaches escaped, and those couple of videos were pretty interesting to watch. In my opinion, a good result for the first appearance in a suit.

P.S. The song from "Wednesday" made me smile🙂

[thegreymoon]

The Story of Minglan

Oh, Minglan.

This is what happens when you take the attitude of "It's no big deal if my husband sleeps with morally questionable other women." 🙄

I am fully on his side on this issue but I feel like hasn't done a good enough job of expressing just how disgusting he personally finds these concubines that everyone keeps trying to force on him. Minglan has been brainwashed by the patriarchy and it will take her a while to find her ground and feel secure enough to put her foot down, but what is stopping him from advocating for himself?

My guy, just say NO.

***

LMAO, he's the ruthless and stupid one?

Chang'er's death is his fault? I cannot with this evil narcissist.

***

Fuck you.

Maybe if your garbage ass had not kidnapped him, he wouldn't have gotten sick. And if he had, they would have been able to afford a doctor.

***

I hope he really rips her limb from limb.

The more I see of her and of Lin Qinshuang, the more valid I find Mo Ran for deep-frying fucking Song Qiutong.

***

Unfortunately, Minglan talked him out of torturing her to death 😕

***

LOL, let's hope that at least the piece of shit maternal uncle gets tortured.

***

Please tell me we will get to see a beheading 😭

I am so sick and tired of these people. They have been trying to murder Gu Tingye for fifty episodes now. I am so done 😭😭

***

I love it when cats make guest appearances in dramas 💙

***

Hell person.

***

In general, I am not pleased with how this story has handled Manniang and her children. It all seems sanitised and on easy mode for Minglan because the true circumstances of him having this whole family before marrying her diminishes the romance as it is and making it any more realistic would probably have snapped a lot of people out of rooting for the main couple because they could no longer idealise it.

I mean, look at this:

If this show was realistic, the odds are that Rong-jie, with a vindictive, abusive, neglectful biological mother who abandoned her like this, would have taken all that trauma out on Minglan because this is how kids tend to react in such situations. She would have given her stepmother hell because she was there and a convenient target, while the narcissistic, toxic, neglectful bio mother was not.

Also, killing Chang-er is the writers taking the easy way out because now they have eliminated Gu Tingye's eldest son and possible heir from competing with Minglan's children for the title and the wealth. It's such a cop-out. With Chang-er in the picture, the only way Minglan's children could inherit would be if Gu Tingye refused to acknowledge him as a son, which would absolutely destroy his image and tank the character in the eyes of the viewers.

This way, Minlgan's children get all the benefits without her having to fight for them at the detriment of Tingye's older children and Tingye gets to preserve his image of a doting and responsible father, putting all the negative connotations of his irresponsible first common-law marriage onto the evil Manniang. Gu Tingye and Minglan maintain their noble images and Manniang is scapegoated to enable this. It just leaves me feeling a lot of ick.

It may be unfair of me, but I respect the writing on this show a whole lot less because of these decisions. The truth is, overall, this drama is better written than 99% of other dramas so I feel extremely weird getting hung up on this and letting it get so magnified in my head, but I feel like the fact that the rest of this drama is so realistic and well-written works against them here. There are standards here that were set and I am expecting the rest of the story to proceed on that level, but these standards are no longer being met because meeting them implies compromising the untarnished image of the main characters. It is so convenient and such an obvious cop-out, that I genuinely feel swindled and somewhat salty about it.

***

So selfish and so fucking evil.

What did Rong-jie ever do to her?

She is the one who abandoned her, she's the one who took the boy out and caused his death. She will just blame anyone except herself for her shit selfish decisions.

***

WTF.

Rong-jie is going to need so much therapy, which is unfortunately not a thing in Song Dynasty China.

***

Fucking finally, some good decisions.

***

Oh, yeah, Xiaotao and Shito are definitely a thing.

***

So gorgeous 🧡

Definitely a potential reference pic.

***

She is the poster child for an untreated personality disorder.

I'm so glad I live in the XXI century where mental health care is available, not that it prevents a whole lot of people from still acting like this and blowing up entire lives.

***

Don't you worry, evildoer, your comeuppance is also coming!

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Sign Conventions in Thermodynamics

Mathematically, a negative sign has more than one meaning. Often it simply means a negative number, a value less than zero. But in many cases, the sign of a value is used to indicate direction. This is the case in thermodynamics, and, in particular, the first law of thermodynamics. If we consider a quantity of heat leaving a system, and a quantity of heat entering a system, the value of that quantity is the same - what differs is the direction the heat is moving.

Typically, heat entering a system is given a positive value, work done by a system is given a positive value, and vice versa, thereby giving us the formula that the change in internal energy is equal to heat minus work. This, however, is merely a sign convention. It would not be incorrect to give heat entering a system a negative value. The important thing with sign conventions is not the actual convention itself, but awareness of it. Using defined conventions helps eliminate confusion and errors and ensures that everyone is working off the same point of view when making calculations.

Sources/Further Reading: (Image source - book chapter) (OpenStax) (University of Wisconsin-Madison) (unacademy) (Wikipedia - Sign convention)

[bookishwithathought]

{Day 5} Wolf

When I thought of ideas for this prompt, two things came to mind: 1. Nesta’s protectiveness of Elain and 2. Her protectiveness of a dying Cassian in the battle against Hybern

They are both positive portrayals of her “wolf”, her loyalty, her rightous anger and her inclination to eliminate threats and danger not only to those she loves but to the world itself. Her strengths were twisted and corrupted in her childhood, which only became worse as tragedy befell their family. It took a lot for her to reconcile with herself, to humbly learn to remove the coils of corruption from childhood that choked her and by doing so, healing herself and others around her.

I love her. I don’t excuse or condone all the negative impact around her, but I understand, I see her path and know she just needs grace and a loving firm hand.

I see her and I see hope. We could all use more of that.

Images and words: Pinterest

On the playlist: Ataraxia by Novo Amor

@nestaarcheronweek