#first a.i. city of the future

[business77]

How to Reimagine Universities for the AI Era

I've been a faculty member at several different universities since 2009 and have lectured far longer than that. I care about these institutions. They're part of the American heritage, and in many cases, they're a gift to the world. But we live in fast-changing times, and universities do not change fast. I'm worried about our colleges. How do we reimagine universities in the Era of AI?

I have some ideas about this, and if you're currently associated with a college, you will hate them.

To begin with, my thesis is that in the AI Era, universities will fail (and are already failing) to prepare students for many careers. Change isn't just knocking; it's kicking down the door, raiding your fridge, and redecorating your living room. There has to be a radical reimagining of the university education that matches the radical disruption of our times.

First, let's get a few things off the table. If a student attends college for the social aspects or to spend a few years maturing, today's university system is fine. If a student attends for a purely academic pursuit without any thought of employment, they will thrive in the system we have today.

But I assume most students attend college to launch a career. And that's where the problems begin.

I'll break down the problems one by one before offering some solutions.

Organization

I've talked to many leading authorities in the tech space — people right in the middle of AI development in Silicon Valley. And I've asked them, "How would you prepare young people for a career with the amount of disruption occurring?" Without exception, the answer is, "I don't know."

This presents an existential problem because universities are generally organized by career choice: engineering, teaching, art, journalism, etc. But if nobody knows what future careers look like, how can you organize based on jobs that won't exist as they do today? Except forestry. That might be safe for awhile. But you get my point. Many job categories are rapidly evolving and fluid right now (especially marketing).

The future of education isn't about preparing for a specific job. It's about preparing for anything and everything. It's about teaching students to surf the waves of change rather than trying to build sandcastles on a beach that's shifting before our eyes.

Speed

A university professor friend of mine recently lamented that it has taken two years to get a new class approved. The glacial pace of change at universities is legendary and … stupid. The bureaucratic lunacy of universities is so well-known that I don't have to explain further why this culture is a death sentence in an AI world.

Economics

Universities are proud of their park-like campuses and ancient limestone buildings bolted to the center of the earth. While taking selfies in front of Old Main might enchant the alumni, the fact is, you can get a superior education today without that legacy overhead.

If you had to bet on disruptive innovation coming from somebody in a co-working space versus a person who has to spend part of their time fundraising for the Psychology Building renovation … well, it's not even a race.

The economics for students is even worse. The average four-year education in the U.S. is $160,000 (tuition only). Why does every major need to be completed in four years? Well, somebody has to pay for those limestone buildings. If you step back and look at it, it's a ridiculous model. No matter the major or career aspiration, it's four years. Huh?

Any new vision for universities must include significant cost and time reductions enabled by technology.

Faculty

The purpose of the university faculty has been to dispense information. However, universities are no longer the gatekeepers of information. When information is free and abundant, colleges have to reinvent themselves in the context of a new job to be done — eternal relevance. This is a radical idea, but in my estimation, it is the key to the future of colleges.

And the tenure system … don't get me started. Let's just say there is almost no incentive for tenured faculty to change and stay current. The stories of lazy, irrelevant faculty I could tell you are shocking, but I won't embarrass anyone.

At this point, I think all of my university friends could use a photo of a puppy.

[xoxoladyaz]

Ultraworld

A/N: This is a concept that I've been tossing around in my head for a while, and when I saw the Day 5 "Reunion" prompt for @steddie-week the sequence below just flew into my mind. Think a mash-up of Westworld and Ready Player One and that's what this fic could potentially turn into. This is definitely just a preview of things to come (in the future when I don't have so many WIPs that eat up all of my brain space and agony lol), but I'd love any and all comments and feedback!

TW: Swearing

Regina Kelley, MSNBC: As I’m sure you’re well aware, Doctor Brenner, there’s been a lot of controversy in the media ever since the announcement of ‘Ultraworld.’ What do you say to the people – and international entities – who believe this project is nothing more than an aggressive overextension of American oversight in the global arena?

Dr. Martin Brenner, NINA Industries: Firstly, any individual who believes that ‘Ultraworld’ is solely an American enterprise is mistaken. And as for those ‘international entities’ you mentioned, any outrage is a mere consequence of realizing their own unimportance in the face of such a monumental project. The reality, Miss Kelly, is that humanity has been racing towards a singular moment of harmony between the magickal and the technological since the industrial revolution. NINA Industries is merely the steward, the guiding hand to lead humanity forward. Those educated beyond the sycophantic hysteria of the internet know that ‘Ultraworld’ could not have been created, nor could it be released, without the express approval and support of each country across the globe. We pride ourselves on our equitable global access, by which we have been able to work across borders, government, and religion to bring a unity the world has never before seen.

And it due to that global access that I can assure the general public that ‘Ultraworld’ is not a tool of American oversight. To say it in basic terms, ‘Ultraworld’ serves two purposes: to provide an immersive, alternative-existential experience for all players who long to live in a simpler, more peaceful time; and in exchange, to serve as active training for the first generation of Infused Artificial Intelligence.

Regina Kelley, MSNBC: Yes, speaking of that, since the announcement there has been an almost constant barrage of misinformation and concern regarding the imminent arrival of these Infused Artificial Intelligences. Many are calling for the project’s cancellation out of fear either of the A.I. itself, or out of concern for the Preternatural community’s response.

Dr. Martin Brenner, NINA Industries: Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news for those concerned, but artificial intelligence is already among us. As such, it was only a matter of time until something similar to our Infuseds were created, and I think everyone can agree that it is in all of our best interest to have a unified, singular force driving progress forward. And for those concerned about the Preternatural community’s response, it is for this reason that we created the Infuseds in the first place. While we may be in a moment of relative peace with our very distant brethren, history shows us that these pockets of peace do not pass long, and as we have grown and evolved so have they. The Infuseds are not a declaration of war, but they are a declaration of protection – and, perhaps, an encouragement to the Preternaturals to keep their end of our current bargain. 

Regina Kelley, MSNBC: Well, for all its critics, ‘Ultraworld’ has already garnered an incredibly vocal and passionate global fanbase. Do you have any final things to say to your fans about ‘Ultraworld’ ahead of its release? 

Dr. Martin Brenner, NINA Industries: I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I gave too much away, but I will say that I saw the final renderings for each city today and, well, it’s like nothing that has ever been seen before. If I may be so bold, it is truly the most remarkable thing I think NINA Industries has ever created, second perhaps only to the IAIs themselves.

Regina Kelley, MSNBC: Remarkable is certainly an understatement, Doctor. And with twenty-one distinct roll-outs occurring tomorrow simultaneously across the globe, it seems ‘Ultraworld’ is ready to take our world by storm.

/////

M. Bauman: The fact that Brenner didn’t dig his own fucking grave with that interview speaks volumes about just how brainwashed the American people are. An “alternative-existential experience?” Is that what we’re calling the total subjugation of civilization to the elites? Studies have shown that this ‘experience’ is almost ten times more addictive than the social media we already have! Sooner or later, every part of our waking lives is going to take place in ‘Ultraworld,’ and that’s not even mentioning the new sleep-cycles they’ve just pushed out, or the fucking neural chip that allows for total immersion twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a fucking year. And while everyone in this country and across the fucking globe is distracted by the ‘ooooh, pretty, shiny,’ the global elites are going to take everything left for themselves. Oh, and let’s not forget the fucking shitshow that these IAIs are going to cause – 

/////

92 hours since last Immersion

Steve.

He pulls his covers over his head, and it brings back memories of being a small child in that lonely house, terrified of every scratch against his window, of every creak on the empty stair, of every breath and snarl of wild creatures traipsing through the yard beneath him.

He tucks the blanket underneath his head, now fully submerged beneath the duvet that was now permanently lopsided and wrinkled since he rarely made his bed. He rarely had time to make his bed these days, not with how early he and Robin – 

It’s not real. It’s not real. Hawkins isn’t real, he chants to himself, over and over and over again, hoping somehow that if he just says it enough times it will all disappear, that Ultraworld will never have happened, that everything and everyone will go back to the way it was and he’ll have a life again, everyone will have a genuinely real life -

Oh, Stevie, His voice sings.

He grips his duvet tighter and shut his eyes because maybe, maybe if He thinks Steve is asleep, he’ll stop fucking hearing His voice, and he shouldn’t even be hearing His voice right now anyways because his computer is off, his Immersion Glasses are off, he’s been disconnected for almost a full week and He isn’t even real - 

Steeeeeevvveeeeeeeeeeee.

But it doesn’t matter how tightly he holds himself underneath his worn sheets, because nothing can change the fact that it doesn’t fucking matter how much space Steve puts between himself and his computer, between himself and his Immersion Glasses, between himself and this fucking apartment in this fucking city with all these fucking fully-immersed people – there’s no getting away from Kas. 

C’mon, sweetheart. Daddy’s missed you.

It’s time for you to come home, Stevie.

(Not for Steve.)

[omnitheist27]

Heroes Bond By Campfire (Spider-Man x My Hero Academia)

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Just a little conversation I created using the A.I. program, ChatGPT, for the first time. Leave your thoughts in the comments.

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@the-ravenclaw-werewolf, @purplemochi20055, and @hulkchloron99

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[The crackling of the campfire fills the serene night as Midoriya Izuku and Peter Parker sit beside it, their faces illuminated by the dancing flames.]

Izuku: (gazing into the fire) It's peaceful out here, isn't it, Peter?

Peter: (nodding) Yeah, it really is. Sometimes it's nice to take a break from the chaos of the city and just enjoy nature.

Izuku: Definitely. Plus, it's a great opportunity to reflect on everything that's happened.

Peter: (smirking) Yeah, and we've had our fair share of adventures, haven't we?

Izuku: (chuckles) That's an understatement. Fighting villains, saving lives... it's what we do.

Peter: (nodding) True. But sometimes, I wonder if it ever gets easier.

Izuku: (thoughtful) I used to think the same thing. But then I realized, it's not about it getting easier. It's about us getting stronger.

Peter: (raises an eyebrow) Getting stronger, huh? That sounds like something All Might would say.

Izuku: (smiling) He's definitely had an impact on me. But it's not just about physical strength. It's about mental strength too. Believing in yourself, even when things seem impossible.

Peter: (nodding in agreement) Yeah, I get that. It's like with great power comes great responsibility, right?

Izuku: Exactly. We have these incredible abilities, and it's up to us to use them for the greater good.

Peter: (grinning) Well, if anyone knows about responsibility, it's definitely us.

Izuku: (laughs) Yeah, you're right about that.

[They both sit in comfortable silence for a moment, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the camaraderie between them.]

Peter: You know, Izuku, it's not every day I get to hang out with another hero like this.

Izuku: (smiles warmly) Likewise, Peter. It's been really nice getting to know you better.

Peter: (extends a hand) Here's to more team-ups in the future.

Izuku: (grasps Peter's hand firmly) Definitely. Cheers to that.

[They share a firm handshake, their friendship solidified by the bond of heroism and shared experiences.]

[kikaitales28]

OC SHOWCASE #0

HYVANN: Gyganos soldier

Origins

=3044 A.D. the 30th Gaian Century=

Humanity was the in the middle of a great era, an era of understanding, growth, and independence thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of many across the years. From this prideful spirit came the desire to venture into the many unknowns that besieged our world and beyond, with one of the first steps being earthbound in origin, the formation of the Southern Cross government in the Antarctic continent of the South Pole; from which many scientific studies and expeditions across the icy caps and snow filled fields of the pole were carried out by insightful scholars in the field. Unfortunately...this desire would prove to be one of the first steps into a drastic shift for our race and our future...

In the Eve of Christmas, a group of scientists would uncover...a creature of great size, and with it a forgotten den...a temple, filled with never-to-be-seen markings and artifacts that belonged to an unknown civilization! Like locusts they took what they could to their homelands for further inspection outside the harsh Antarctic soil, unknowingly triggering the rise of a foreboding force of great power and vile design.

Much to the terror and dismay of the science division of the UK plus the company backing them up, "Nina", their so-called mistress of secrets..woke up from a prolonged slumber and wasted no time in bringing fire and ash to these foolish humans. Simultaneously via a special telepathic/Synaptic link...triggered a special command to the temple to rise back up in the South Pole! The Swarm known to this day as the ZARKRYGON had thus made contact with humankind and has turned the once "prosperous" city of London and most of the UK into a Hive fortress, and so was the South Pole with the rise of their Babel-ish Tower of Bioengineering.

In response, plus several alliances forged for the salvation of Earth, from which the past was brushed off, would see the kickstart of Project Talos; from which the Gyganos Soldier Battalions were formed and deployed across the globe as the ultimate force of defense and offense against the many odds stacked against them by the Zarkrygon Swarm!

The Gyganos Soldiers

[PS: Due to the highly secretive nature of their development, most if not all of the information regarding to their origin is highly secured and only accessable for high command, so unfortunately we won't be able to learn the creation, therefore birth of these Mecha Goliaths and therefore Hyvann's birth]

•Height: 100 [approximately]

•weight: 737 [approximately, without equipment]

•Occupant Accommodation: none

•Physique/build: outside of their bulky appearance seen in combat, one of the most interesting details about them is that behind their Masker Plates..hide an androgynous visage that we can't quite pin down why was this design applied in the first place [we can't deny however that it ain't pretty or awe inspiring to see].

•Equipment: [we only have data in regards to standard equipment, but suffice to say that it is known that they have more than what you see here]

•Speed: Despite their bulky and clunky appearance, the Gyganos Soldiers are fast troopers, often throwing off enemies by the fact that something that hulking shouldn't be moving "that fast" on the battlefield! [Speed: Approximately 50-70 km sprinting]

•Strength: still to be determined/ambiguous, but they definitely pack a strong punch! Stronger than any known artillery or machinery in Earth's history and of course surpassing humans by design.

Hyvann [Pronounced as Hi-van]

Hyvann comes from the 118th Battalion known as "Leviathan", as previously said their origin/birth is unknown/classified outside of the propaganda/news coverage which claims "the Gyganos Army are the culmination of Engineering and A.I., all in perfect synchrony to build the ultimate warrior against the ultimate foe." What we do know well about Hyvann is somewhat of a shared trait the Gyganos Army have with each trooper, that is a life-like personality but for Hyvann's spotlight in this file we know that they're a modest, grounded, and introspective individual, composed even in the most harshest of environments; however that doesn't mean they won't just idle and when the moment presents itself, they can dish-out a rather "snarky callback" on the scene, a juxtaposition between being humble and poised.

Unfortunately, that's where we'll end this file by wishing Hyvann and their Battalion the best of luck.

Godspeed, and may Gaia light your way...

Behind the Scenes

•The Gyganos Army/Hyvann, their aesthetic is heavily inspired/influenced by the incredible work of Mech/Art Designer Makoto Kobayashi of Dragon's Heaven & Armored Core fame, going with that blend between Biology and Machinery that in the end produce a dream-like yet functional fusion with his Mecha; all in part thanks to French Artist Moebius being an influence seen in his illustrations.

•Hyvann, if described with all honesty is essentially my take on Shaian from Dragon's Heaven, that mellow yet big presence, almost like having a "big mech papa" or "chunky bud" if that makes sense [unless you've seen the OVA].

•In-Universe Newspaper snippet: I added a shout-out to DeviantArt artist & good buddy of mine, Feyzer for being a great dude in helping me out whenever I advance on my Original Works; he came up with the nickname "Nina" for this <X)

Link to his page if you want to check him out

[PS: I will make a post exclusively focused on the Zarkrygon and "what we know about them so far"]

I'm open for honest feedback and your thoughts on the comments below ^u^ 👇

[tgrailwar-zero]

Good job Constantine. I'm glad you got out of that unharmed. I know things have been rocky up until this point and I can't promise they'll be smooth going forward either, but it's an honor to fight besides you.

You and the others should find time to reward yourselves with a drink. Bond via the power of alcohol. We'd join you, but no body. So, take a shot for us.

CONSTANTINE: "Thank you, but… what's a 'Doordash'?" MUSASHI: "Oh, I second the party! With plenty of udon!"

PRETENDER: "I'll see what I can do. Our faction will probably be getting pulled out of the city to regroup because of... well, everything that's happened recently, but I'll pull the strings I can to get him to talk."

KUKULKAN: "And I second getting a good rest. I can keep going, of course, but I know everyone else might be getting a bit tired!"

...Truly, it seemed like despite being depleted of Magical Energy, KUKULKAN was still raring to go. Luckily, despite her energy, it seemed like she was at least trying to be aware of the limits of her allies.

PRIEST: "I'm glad you asked. I was going to ask for a formal conversation with you regardless, so..."

Before he could speak any further, a shout echoed as a shadow dropped down from the massive hole in the ceiling made by KUKULKAN's attack.

???: "Yahoo! Jaguar Maaaaail! The Jaguar always arrives on time!"

A form landed between the Priest and your Servants- a mighty(?) feline form... or feline-adjacent... graceful, and powerful, and... a third thing, probably... the air did become dense with mana, the signal of a Divine Spirit making itself known, and the overwhelming presence of a War Monitor, and... okay. Listen.

...It was JAGUAR MAN.

JAGUAR MAN showed up.

JAGUAR MAN's here now.

JAGUAR MAN's arrived.

Frankly, similarly to the PRIEST's arrival, if she hadn't screamed out her approach- she'd probably be able to get the drop on you and your Servants. This was a dangerous Servant and a War Monitor... despite how she looked.

CONSTANTINE: "Ah… Miss 'Jaguar Man', right? It's certainly been some time. Invader, Musashi… this is Jaguar Man, one of the War Monitors. I met her when our Masters gained our first Trigger Key."

JAGUAR MAN: "Long time nya-o see, Rider! Paw-some work out there, Musashi! Nice to meow-t you, K-- I mean, Invader! And of course- hello, Interlopers! It's been two whole chapters since we last saw each other! Hope you didn't forget about me!"

KUKULKAN: "Eh? You know who I am?"

JAGUAR MAN: "Of course! That brightness, those winds, that heat--! And you being here with Rider-- of course you're part of her legacy! But we can talk about that later!"

There was the 'Wisdom Feather' item from QUETZALCOATL that you had lost upon summoning KUKULKAN... or maybe this JAGUAR MAN had an affinity for South American Servants? Perhaps it was a mix of both?

PRIEST: "…Miss Fujimura, I wasn't aware that the Interlopers had any former association with one of the assigned Lair Servants. Next time, would you please share that information rather than keeping it to yourself?"

JAGUAR MAN: "Eh? It wasn't obvious to you? As soon as I looked at the records from the Hamlet, I was like 'THAT'S HER'! So I thought you knew! Oh man, I thought you were the smartypants A.I, Father Kotomine!"

FATHER KOTOMINE: "...Truly your presence and wisdom is a unique blessing upon the Solar Cell." JAGUAR MAN: "Aw, thanks! You'll make me blush! But no time for compliments-- my job right now is to deliver important Jaguar Mail!

She turned to your Servants, beaming.

JAGUAR MAN: "As things are fixing themselves, it seems like Sigurd wants to have a formal meeting with you while you celebrate your victory! Both to thank you for helping his city, and He'll give you guys a place to rest up too beforehand, so you can relax, party, chat, and then talk about the future of your time here on the Solar Cell! Plus it'll give you a chance to breathe easy!"

PRETENDER: "And would any particular Servants who helped against this Beast alongside these 'Interlopers' be welcome as well, or…" JAGUAR MAN: "Nope!" PRETENDER: "Ah. Okay."

JAGUAR MAN: "Anyways, when you're all set, just click the 'Ready' prompt and then we'll cut to the next scene!"

It seemed like you were being invited to actually talk, for once.

[night-gay]

Into the Anthill pt 54 - An Infinite Game

I've been waiting to get to this series since the very beginning of my read-through. Avengers A.I. is a decent story, but the part that interests me is Hank's talks with Monica Chang and Vision about his bipolar disorder. This is the most open and productive conversation he's ever had with another person on-panel about his mental illness. It perfectly illustrates the fact that he knows he'll never be cured but he's fighting so hard to keep going and keep himself under control. The Infinite Game is not only a tool for coaxing him through his mood swings, but it's also a pretty direct metaphor for living with a mental illness in the first place.

"There is no unsubscribe, there is no cure. You can't "get over it." There is just... this."

🐜🐜🐜

Avengers A.I. vol 1 #1-6

A S.H.I.E.L.D. drone fleet was hijacked by an A.I. named Dimitrios; this was the virus Hank created to subdue Ultron, rapidly evolving and preparing for war against humanity. Agent Monica Chang brought Hank in for interrogation and resorted to violence when he tried to escape. Cap forced her to release him and he promptly gathered Vision and Victor Mancha to help, as well as a rogue Doombot he’d coerced into working for him by implanting a bomb in its chest. The three of them thwarted the stolen drone fleet at a hospital, where they discovered an A.I. named Alexis in a fugue state.

Dimitrios then sent a giant Sentinel to attack Washington DC and pull Vision's mind from his body. With the death toll in the thousands, Dimitrios used an old Iron Man suit to take over worldwide broadcasts, declaring that no machine would ever be forced to serve humanity again. Vision was unable to sway Dimitrios' forces toward peace and returned to his body too late to save Victor from nearly dying in an explosion.

Hank spent the next few days alone in his lab, plugged into an infinite game he created to keep himself busy during his worse bipolar episodes. He’d been in a downswing since what happened to Victor, but Monica snapped him out of it and got him back to work. Vision confronted him for blaming himself for Victor’s involvement, insisting that he made his own choices and chose to sacrifice himself to save them all.

Infinity: The Hunt vol 1 #1-3

8 of the world’s best super schools (Avengers Academy, Jean Grey Academy, Future Foundation, etc.) joined together to host a Contest of Champions to foster camaraderie and friendly rivalry, but it was interrupted when Thanos’ forces attacked Earth. The students were sent away for their safety, but they rushed into battle to help the Atlantean academy anyway.

Daredevil vol 3 #31

When a city-wide riot broke out on a humid day Daredevil knew a sudden downpour would be enough to calm the crowds down. He called Hank hoping he could get him in touch with Thor, but with Thor off-world Hank sent a swarm of flying ants with some weather tech out to seed the clouds into storming for him.

Minor/Cameo appearances from this period:

Avengers Arena vol 1 #18

FF vol 2 #14

Inhumanity: The Awakening vol 1 #1-2

[pridepages]

Upcoming PridePages Titles for February 2023!

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Learn more about them under the cut!

Last Call by Elon Green The Townhouse Bar, midtown, July 1992: The piano player seems to know every song ever written, the crowd belts out the lyrics to their favorites, and a man standing nearby is drinking a Scotch and water. The man strikes the piano player as forgettable. He looks bland and inconspicuous. Not at all what you think a serial killer looks like. But that’s what he is, and tonight, he has his sights set on a gray haired man. He will not be his first victim. Nor will he be his last. The Last Call Killer preyed upon gay men in New York in the ‘80s and ‘90s and had all the hallmarks of the most notorious serial killers. Yet because of the sexuality of his victims, the skyhigh murder rates, and the AIDS epidemic, his murders have been almost entirely forgotten. This gripping true-crime narrative tells the story of the Last Call Killer and the decades-long chase to find him. And at the same time, it paints a portrait of his victims and a vibrant community navigating threat and resilience. (True Crime: MLM, Gay)

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner When Cassie Klein goes to an off-campus bar to escape her school’s Family Weekend, she isn’t looking for a hookup—it just happens. Buying a drink for a stranger turns into what should be an uncomplicated, amazing one-night stand. But then the next morning rolls around and her friend drags her along to meet her mom—the hot, older woman Cassie slept with. Erin and Cassie get along in the day just as well as they did last night. What should have been a one-time fling quickly proves impossible to ignore, and soon Cassie and Erin are sneaking around. Worst of all, they start to realize they have something real. But is being honest about the love between them worth the cost? (Contemporary RomCom: WLW, Sapphic)

City of Shattered Light by Claire Winn As heiress to a powerful tech empire, seventeen-year-old Asa Almeida strives to prove she's more than her manipulative father's shadow. But when he uploads her rebellious sister’s mind to an experimental brain, Asa will do anything to save her sister from reprogramming—including fleeing her predetermined future with her sister’s digitized mind in tow. With a bounty on her head and a rogue A.I. hunting her, Asa’s getaway ship crash-lands in the worst possible place: the neon-drenched outlaw paradise, Requiem. Gun-slinging smuggler Riven Hawthorne is determined to claw her way up Requiem’s underworld hierarchy. A runaway rich girl is exactly the bounty Riven needs—until a nasty computer virus spreads in Asa’s wake, causing a citywide blackout and tech quarantine. To get the payout for Asa and save Requiem from the monster in its circuits, Riven must team up with her captive. Riven breaks skulls the way Asa breaks circuits, but their opponent is unlike anything they’ve ever seen. The A.I. exploits the girls’ darkest memories and deepest secrets, threatening to shatter the fragile alliance they’re both depending on. As one of Requiem’s 154-hour nights grows darker, the girls must decide whether to fend for themselves or fight for each other before Riven’s city and Asa’s sister are snuffed out forever. (Science Fiction: WLW, Sapphic, Bisexual)

[matthewwaugh]

Week 08 - studio and SDL

Feedback from small group crits

Workplan

For my next few steps I want to plan how I'm going to navigate the future of this project. I want to map out possible routes an actions I can take to push my Idea forward, and experiment with what I already have.

My Current project plan is to examine the relationship between natural and manmade objects. I want my project to be about a rejection of the urban sprawl of pavements and malls, and the need to escape from it. I want to highlight the transformation from grassland to skyscrapers and buildings. I plan to achieve this through the use of image overlay and overlapping, using the riso printer to achieve this for a more analogue feeling.

checklist

Photoshoot in the city, capturing certain buildings cityscapes and locations (preferably wide almost panoramic shots

mirrored images of natural settings and location such as trees, bushes and landscapes

test out prints and see how I can execute this concept - how far can I push this concept?

Strange Influences - The Lonesome Crowded West

My positioning and concept for this project was oddly aligned with the themes and ideas found within the album "The Lonesome Crowded West" by Modest Mouse. The record is centred heavily on the idea of escaping the hustle and bustle of your city, hitting the road and driving until the grey paving becomes lush grasslands. While it may not be a direct artistic influence for Manipulated Image as a whole, It has served as a sort of influence for me. It's a record that is so deeply intertwined with it's geography, and is deeply critical of the paving and pillage of greed and capitalism, and the need to plant malls and housing onto fertile and beautiful soil. It's a theme that I similarly wish to explore, and it seemed that my recent infatuation with the record coincided with my project.

Generative A.I

original image

I'm very opposed to AI, as I find it to be a gross and lifeless tool that sucks the life out of art and creativity. When giving it a try I insterted an image taken over the break and provided it with two prompts. The First being "Extend Image", which the AI didn't seem to understand - adding some strange borders and object into the side of the fram. I'm unsure of what the AI was trying to do, and how it managed to confuse such a simple request.

I tried again, this time adding the prompt "Make scene larger". It worked quite well, and is in fact quite shocking just how convincing it is. The scene feels so natural and realistic, if I were to post it online I don't think anyone would be able to pick up that this was digitally altered by AI (which is quite scary) The AI managed to pick up on a lot of context and environmental clues, translating the small object suburbly. The illusion is broken upon closer inspection, as the quality of the extention is sub-par.

Roll of 36 - Week 08

For this week, I have developed a roll of film shot over the break. I went on a trip to Waihi, and aimed to take a great deal of nature and landscape photographs. I really love the analogue feel of Film photography - It's something that I want to explore through my current project plan. I want to visually reject the normalcy of digital manipulation and digital processing, and lean to a more DIY look and feel. I plan to to shoot more landscape photos on film, and then contrast them with digitally shot city-scapes. I really love how vibrant the Kodak Colour film is. It's a great contrast to the sterile and cold feeling of cityscapes, which will be shot using my DSLR. While the images will end up being converted to monochrome colours, I still want to stay true to their vibrant nature by using the Riso printer.

Research and Influences

For this project I really want to understand the marriage of analogue and Digital processes, and how they can be married together. I really love the idea of using the Riso printer to depict city scapes in a more vibrant and colourful light, while still retaining a level of texture and grit that is provided by the grain and screen touched printing.

Artist Study - Jose Davila

Multi-media artist Jose Davila uses striking methods of cutting out and removal in his Photographic series "There but not" in which he removes structures and buildings from images, cutting them out. This process is done manually, cutting them out of printed photographs and placing them on white paper. What results is an uncanny image, with I giant white spire or structure in place of a building. Jose often uses immediately recognisable and iconic structures for this series. He says that these works are meant to highlight "the importance of architecture". The series aims to reflect on the importance of what surrounds a building, and that they are forever tied to the context that it's placed within. This series is very striking, and I would love to try this for myself. Perhaps I could turn the concept on its head, and use blank spaces to imply that something is missing, or that something is intended to be in it's place (or destined to be) I also love that this series is done by hand, with these spaces being cut with scissors. You get these shadows being cast being the paper that adds an interesting layer of perspective warping, and also a great sense of oddity.,

[revenge-of-the-assbutt]

A Heart Of Iron Chapter 3

Chapter below cut

TONY

"Everything is achievable through technology; better living, robust health, and, for the first time in human history, the possibility of world peace. I'm Howard Stark, and everything you'll need for the future can be found right here," Howard says through a tv, with Tony listening as he's reading a notebook.

"City of the Future? City of Tomorrow? City of... hang on," he mumbles, and then starts again, saying, " I'm Howard Stark, and everything you'll need in the future can be found right here," pointing at a detailed model of a city in the background with a young boy playing with it.

"So, from all of us at Stark Industries, I would like to personally-" He stops, noticing the boy.

"Tony, what are you doing back there?" he says, and adult Tony turns and watches the screen. " What is that? Put that back. Put it back where you got it from! Where's your mother? Maria?"  A woman comes and picks young Tony up and carries him off-screen.  "Go on! Go, go, go, go," he says, shooing the boy away.

"Alright, I think we got... I'll... I'll come in and..." he continues, and then the feed cuts to Howard drinking beer. A voice off-camera says, "Are you waiting on me?", and then the tape cuts to a retake, with Howard clearly drunk.

" So, from all of us at Stark Industries, I would like to personally show you my ass," he says, "I'd like to... I can't... This is... I can't... We have this, don't we? This is a ridiculous way..."

Adult Tony sighs, and resumes flipping through the journal, ending up on a blank page.

"Everything is achievable through technology," Howard starts again, then the feed changes, as if someone wrote over the tape.

"Tony. You're too young to understand this right now, so I thought I would put it on film for you," Howard says, gesturing at the model of a city behind him, "I built this for you. And someday you'll realize that it represents a whole lot more than just people's inventions. It represents my life's work. This is the key to the future. I'm limited by the technology of my time, but one day, you'll figure this out, and when you do, you will change the world. What is, and always will be, my greatest creation, is you," Howard says.

He smiles at the camera, and then the tape ends, leaving Tony staring at the monitor, tearing up, and then-

He was back to the present, curled up in a ball on his room's floor. He slowly took in his surroundings, and, noticing how dark it was outside, asked Jarvis for the time.

"It is currently 8:07 pm, sir," the A.I. said.

"Shit. Has anyone brought Loki his food?" Tony asked.

"No, sir," Jarvis responded.

"I'm gonna go and give him some food, then. I'm guessing no-one has asked him about the eye-color issue?" Tony said.

"Correct, sir," he responded.

"Okay. Any word from Thor yet?" Tony asked, remembering how Thor said that he would go to Asgard and try to reason with Odin.

"He came back about an hour ago, announcing that Odin had said that Mr. Odinson was to serve his sentence here because he 'needed to be humbled by living with whom he deems lesser'" Jarvis answered.

"Okay. So, what should we get him to eat?" Tony asked.

He ended up getting Loki some steak and mashed potatoes, and brought them down to Loki's cell. When he got there, however, he saw Loki curled up on his cot, rocking back and forth with tears streaming down his face.

Not knowing what to do, he set the food down, and walked slowly up to Loki, softly whispering, "Hey. Loki? I'm not here to hurt you. Are you okay?"

He stopped about 5 feet from Loki, trying not to crowd him.

When he didn't get a response, he said, a little louder, "Loki! Loki, can you hear me?"

The other man jolted into a fighting position, eyes snapping open and hand reaching out to summon a dagger which didn't come. He started to hyperventilate when he realized that he couldn't defend himself.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not here to hurt you, see?" Tony said, raising his hands up in a placating gesture.

After taking a minute to figure out where he was, Loki's face became expressionless.

"I assure you that I haven't been getting into any mischief in the 5 minutes that you've been gone, Stark," Loki said with a roll of his eyes.

"Actually, it's been a little over 5 hours, and that's not why I'm here. Firstly, here's your dinner," Tony said, handing Loki the food he had prepared, "And secondly, we've been reviewing some of the footage, and need your insight into a few things, namely your eyes."

"I beg your pardon?" Loki said, obviously confused.

"Just curious, what color are they?" Tony asked, trying to seem casual.

"Um... green?" Loki said, even more confused.

"Jarvis?" Tony asked, glancing at the ceiling. He had been working with Jarvis on how to detect lies, and now it was getting put to the test.

"He's telling the truth, sir," Jarvis said, and Tony was excited that it worked.

"He cannot possibly know that," Loki said.

"When someone lies, their heartbeat speeds up. Yours didn't, so you didn't lie," Tony explained, eager to share his new information, "And I asked you because they changed during the invasion. Based on the security cam footage, they were the same shade of blue as Clint's were while he was possessed, but they turned green when you came in here and magic was blocked. Thor did say that he let one spell stay, but he didn't say which. I'm trusting both of you, but I can't help be a little curious."

Loki relaxed almost instantaneously, which only sparked his curiosity more.

"It's just cosmetic. I dislike a certain part of my heritage, and I use a spell to cover it up," Loki said.

"Truth, sir," Jarvis said.

Tony let out a sigh. Not the super exciting answer he was hoping for, but it made sense.

"Okay. Anyways, what do you remember from the invasion?"

"Basically it was like I was a puppet. I could control some of my actions, and I still knew magic, but it was more like someone else using my talents as they saw fit," Loki explained.

"Truth, sir," Jarvis said.

Tony ran his hands down his face. That meant that there was still someone out there who was capable of mind-controlling a god.

"Yeah, that matches with what Legolas said. Thor talked to your dad, and he says that you can serve your sentence here. Something about 'needing to be humbled by living with whom you deem lesser'" he said exasperatedly.

Loki laughed wryly. Noticing that Loki had flinched when he had mentioned Odin, and remembering that others could be listening on the security feed, he told Jarvis to turn off the microphone for the cell. It wasn't that he didn't trust his teammates, per se, but what he was about to tell Loki was something that he had never told anyone else in his life, except maybe Rhodey, and he didn't want the others to know that, at least not yet.

"Hey. Are you okay?" Tony asked Loki, concerned.

"What do you mean?" Loki asked hesitantly.

"I saw that you flinched at hearing about Odin," Tony explained.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Loki said, and he decided that he should probably tell Loki about his relationship with his dad.

"Loki, I get it. I didn't have the best relationship with my father either," Tony started to say, but Loki cut him off, practically growling that Odin wasn't his father.

"Oh. Um, I just want you to know that if you ever need to talk with someone about it, I'll be here," Tony assured him hesitantly, worried that he may have overstepped a boundary.

Loki stood there, staring off into space as if he was contemplating saying something.

Hesitantly, he said, "Jarvis, could you turn of the cameras, please?"

"Sir? Is that okay?" the A.I. asked.

Tony thought about it, and if Loki tried something, Jarvis could still see into the room, so Tony allowed it.

A line of green magic traveled down Loki, revealing blue skin with patterns on his forehead and red eyes. Tony instantly recognized his new form.

[mahamid110]

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[pr-en-umitron]

Umitron Takes Its Satellite Remote Sensing Technologies to New Depths With Its Latest Blue Carbon Project.

Under the direction of the Japanese Cabinet Office's FY2022 Advanced Satellite Remote Sensing Data Application Model Demonstration Project for Problem Solving, Umitron was able to utilise its technology services to complete a "Blue Carbon Potential Evaluation Project Demonstration" and ground-truth a method that's the first of its kind that can now be applied to other similar global projects for national carbon accounting and planning.

UMITRON K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Ken Fujiwara; hereinafter referred to as "Umitron") recently expanded its A.I. and remote sensing capabilities, creating a cost and labour-efficient methodology to identify and map existing and future blue carbon sinks that can be scalable across large coastal regions.

Background  Blue carbon is the carbon that is captured and stored in marine and coastal ecosystems. These include mangroves, seagrass meadows and salt marshes that act as 'carbon sinks', able to sequester (aka "take in") and store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests. Earlier studies by Duart et al. (2005) also showed that they could store carbon at a faster rate up -to 40 times- than their terrestrial counterparts and have been gaining recognition for their role in mitigating the effects of climate change. In 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC announced that our oceans and coasts could absorb and store up to 50 million tonnes of CO2 annually, proving that nature can play a more central role in climate change mitigation. Also hailed as the "cradle of the sea", coastal ecosystems are rich in biodiversity and serve as vital spawning grounds and nursery habitats for many species. Healthy coastal ecosystems also provide numerous other benefits, such as protection from weather events like tsunamis and food security for communities worldwide.

Local Japanese governments are keen on increasing the use of blue carbon and are now considering how it can effect positive change in the nation. While many coastal regions in Japan exhibit high potential to generate blue carbon credits that could be traded in the future, it was a challenge to determine (with accuracy) the areas where seaweed beds and seagrass currently thrive and where new growth activities may be unlocked. Field surveys have previously been used to identify blue carbon sinks but were deemed unrealistic from a time, labour and cost perspective and would also be challenging to scale up to larger coastal zones. This resource constraint ultimately led to insufficient information available for coastal planning purposes.

As such, Umitron collaborated with ENEOS Holdings Inc. and Kamiamakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture, and with support from the Japanese Cabinet Office, use its technology and satellite remote sensing capabilities to develop a service to assess the blue carbon potential in coastal areas, a method that less labour intensive, inexpensive and scalable for wider zones.

Umitron's approach to mapping and identifying blue carbon sinks Umitron's strength lies in A.I. and satellite remote sensing, and the company has created a method using satellite data to identify existing seaweed and seagrass beds along Japan's coast. The resulting data is then used to estimate the amount of potential blue carbon accumulation and create a map identifying new areas for growth.

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A limited coastal area is surveyed and sampled to identify the target species.

The growth conditions of the target species are determined and learned by applying Umitron's bespoke A.I. algorithms to the survey data.

The A.I. is then applied to satellite images of the entire coastal region for each local municipality in Japan to estimate the areas where the target species grow and thrive.

The resulting data is then used to estimate the amount of blue carbon accumulated in those areas and to identify new sites for creating new carbon sinks.

For this project, UMITRON surveyed eelgrass beds in Kamiamakusa City, producing a municipality-wide eelgrass map, an estimate of the accumulated blue carbon in the area and a potential growth map. This data and the resulting maps can be used for future municipal planning and accelerating public-private partnerships with companies interested in blue carbon projects.

For related inquiries Umitron is keen on working with global public organisations and private entities interested in blue carbon projects. For parties interested in using our A.I. and satellite remote sensing services to survey and map existing and new blue carbon sink areas, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at pulse@umitron.com

General enquiries: info@umitron.com For other inquiries, please contact PR-related enquiries: pr@umitron.com 

About Umitron UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and A.I. technology.We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection. Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.

Umitron website: https://umitron.com/en/index.html

Related press releases https://pr-en.umitron.com/post/677032016913580032/eneos

References https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/chapter/chapter-5/ https://www.wwf.or.jp/activities/data/20150831LBPT.pdf https://www.conservation.org/docs/default-source/publication-pdfs/blue-carbon-integrating-ocean-ecosystems-october-2021a.pdf?Status=Master&sfvrsn=304117ec_2

[atiny-for-life]

Ateez's Full Storyline Explained - Part 0

Masterlist

Glossary (contains spoilers!)

A-World

home of an alternate version of our Ateez

a city made up of a maze of cement walls and deserted side roads

their hideout is an abandoned factory/warehouse

Ateez viewed their music and dance as dull and insignificant due to their belief that it couldn't have an impact on people

the members were about to part ways indefinitely before their journey to the Z-World began

Z-World

Halateez's/Black Pirates' World (also referred to as Strictland)

the 4th Industrial Revolution already took place and led to a 200 year average lifespan and 40 years of education

the central government, aka the Sciensalvar political party led by 'Z', wants absolute power

-> to remove all possible unpredictable variables keeping them from achieving this, they developed a self-learning A.I. system

-> their ultimate conclusion drawn from this system's gathered data: the only thing keeping them from achieving absolute power is human emotions

-> as a result, they prohibited all forms of art and emotional expression

Cromer

For more details and a full list of its abilities, click here

appearance of an hourglass

enables travel between realities and into another's dreams, as well as teleportation while in direct contact with the object

Sciensalvar

The name "Sciensalvar" is likely just a combination of "Scien" from "science" and "salvar" which is Spanish for "to save, to rescue" - saved by science

In the A-World:

"religious" organization founded in 1999, led by Henry Jo (a scientist of some kind)

ideology: humans are a collection of energy, science can resolve uncertainties of the future, the energy in the Cromer can save humanity

never appeared outside of the Fever Epilogue Diary Version

In the Z-World:

pseudo-religious scientific organization spearheaded by 'Z'

invented the AI simulation for the 'best solution'

created a political party under the catchphrase: "The pursuit of a peaceful world without religious conflict and terror through emotional control."

said party grew in size until they were powerful enough to pass the 'Emotional Regulation Act' which lead to the solidification of the class system to the point where 'defective' people are now being 'disposed of'.

Android Guardians

only exist in the Z-World

tall, wearing white masks, decidedly non-human

burn people's memories as an energy source

-> the resulting smoke gets them drunk

-> this new energy market was created by the government's A.I.

their mission: obtain the Cromer, capture Ateez, the Black Pirates/Halateez and their supporters/sympathizers, as well as anyone deemed 'defective'

take orders exclusively from the Head Guardian, Z and presumably also the Sciensalvar party

guard the prison island (a bunker formerly used as an art gallery) and Z's hideout due to their non-human nature which prevents emotional corruption by revolutionists

Halateez/The Black Pirates

resistance fighters in the Z-World

mission: overthrow the government and free people's minds by returning the arts to Strictland

-> use the prohibited arts as a weapon

-> the alternate version of A-World's Ateez and their supporters

Left Eye

lives in Z-World where he used to run a boutique after studying fashion design

his daughter was killed by a speeding car while trying to save a flower on the road

-> she died slowly while passersby ignored her, too focused on moving forward

the yellow fumes of the Strictland dump made him hallucinate his dead daughter, trapping him

-> the Android Guardians found him there and made him the dump's new manager

he later becomes an ally to the revolution

Thunder

originally a group of elite students at Prestige Academy in charge of reporting any students who show emotions who have now joined the resistance

their leader: a girl resembling the one Seonghwa saw dance back in the A-World who dropped a bracelet inscribed with the words 'Be Free', she was inspired by the Grimes Siblings (who first helped Ateez when they arrived in the Z-World) to join the resistance

as the elitest of the elite who were supposed to be the future leaders of Strictland, they have access to top secret information on Z and are willing to share it with the Black Pirates to free everyone

their home base is located in a forest village away from all surveillance

[docgold13]

365 Marvel Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…

September 6th - Victor Mancha

The young hero named Victor Mancha is a sophisticated cyborg built by the villainous Ultron using genetic materials from his gullible aide, Marianella Mancha.  Ultron built Victor as a fully biological human possessing superhuman powers.

He was programmed false memories of a childhood as well as a deeply rooted love and admiration for superheroes. Additionally, Victor was built with latent electromagnetic abilities set to activate upon his first contact with another super-powered individual. Ultron's long-term plan for Victor entailed his visiting New York City at the age of twenty-one, meeting the Avengers, activating his powers, and being recruited to the team as the villain’s unsuspecting sleeper agent.

Meanwhile, The Runaways were sought out by an older version of one of their own, Gertrude Yorkes, who had traveled back in time to deliver an ominous warning.  This adult version of Gert had become the leader of the Avengers yet the whole team were betrayed and killed by one of their own, a hero named Victorious.  Before succumbing to her wounds, the older Gert told the Runaways that they must find and stop Victor Mancha here in the present before he brings about disaster as Victorious in the future.  

Hence the Runaways tracked down and abducted Victor, Their initial encounter activated the young man’s electromagnetic powers.  All this led to a confrontation with Ultron and Victor was able to defy his programing and turn on his creator, helping the Runaways prevail.

Victor had a very hard time coming to terms with these new realizations about himself, yet was able to cope thanks to his new friendships among the Runaways.  He became a member of the team and has embarked on numerous adventures alongside them.  

Victor would go on to serve in Hank Pym’s A.I. Avengers squad where he became close with his half-brother, The Vision.  Some time thereafter, Victor caused an accident that claimed the life of The Vision’s son, Vin.  He was then killed by Vin’s mother, Virgina, but was subsequently rebuilt and restored by Chase Stein.  Hereafter he has rejoined the Runaways and has become romantically involved with his teammate, Gert.

Victor first appeared in the pages of Runaways Vol. 2 #1 (2005).

[toonqueen]

16. Maintenance Duck

I guess my first thought was my not fully fleshed out ideas of what a Negaverse Odin would be like. My headcanon for Nega Donald and Uno is not having them be villains since that would technically be opposite of Donald./Duck Avenger things going on in prime verse. But I like to play around with the idea that Negaverse and Primeverse aren’t  exact opposites. I see Negaduck and Darkwing Duck as having the same big ego. 

So in my headcanon, long story short, in ‘present’ time I have Nega Donald having to be a muscle thug for his Uncle Scrooge during the day, but an anti-hero at night helping undo the damage he does for his Uncle during the day. Going by Duck Revenger instead. Uno’s Negaverse version is named Alpha, and a more cynical bitter A.I. He actually doesn’t like organics much. He likes Donald though, and will help and protect him when he does his anti-hero work. 

Here’s a lovely commissioned pic of my headcanon for them done by @sleepy-oggyoger​ 

So anyways, for Negaverse Odin-

So being a little bit further in the future, Scrooge doesn’t have control of Duckburg. For my Nega Odin  I may end up sticking with the name Osiris for. I wish I could find another ‘O’ named god that also means one but it's HARD. 

He’s taking care of the citizens of Duckburg because that's what Donald would have wanted, he assumes.. Nega Odin is really- hm- extreme with taking care of the city’s folk. Not in a Darkwarrior Duck way, but in a, kinda very micromanaging way. Like everyone still have freedom, and can even leave the city if they want. But he also has everyone tracked to make sure they’re living the safest healthiest life? Like the average organic adult should go to be at 10 pm. He’s not gonna throw you in prison but he’s gonna have drone he’s talking through show up at 9:45 pm and see why you have had trouble sleeping. If this is your third offense he’s going to take all the caffeine products out of your house and replace it with much healthier things and also here’s some extra healthy groceries for you too. Here’s some new pillows, let the little arms on the drone fluff those pillows for you. Let’s check your organic body readings and see if a medical solution is needed and instantly get a prescription to help. 

Nega Odin, for the most part, is being ‘good’ to the citizens of St. Canard but has the energy of Legolas’ Dad in the Hobbit. And like, can give that speech Agent Smith gives in Matrix about how he hates humans but then after that speech on how he’s so disgusted with humanity he’d then offer you a granola bar and tell you to watch your cholesterol and give you a little pat on the head. Run along now child go do a mentally stimulating craft activity. 

They do have freedom to leave the city if they want. But If you look at the shit shows going on in St. Canard and Spoonerville (I’m assuming Nega-Spoonerville has some Mad Max stuff going down,)  maybe getting micromanaged by some tech dude but still having a nice life in the long run isn’t THAT bad. I mean, crime is barely anything, and jail is 100% a rehabilitating structure. Free healthcare! Paid a living wage and your boss can’t treat you like crap or Nega Odin himself will show up and fire your BOSS. Not having complete privacy but uh, after having a break up with your partner you got a gift basket from Nega Odin with your favorite foods that bring you comfort and has high Omega-3s to improve mood.  And an encouraging card with a list of upcoming singles mixers. Like alright…. Creepy but cared for? I guess?

And the Duckburg  know Nega Odin something immortal but he doesn’t let him know he’s a robot. They’re left to wonder how he’s not aging over the decades. Maybe he’s a vampire? That would explain some things…. Anyways poor Nega Odin/Osiris feels obligated to take care of/ maintenance these fleshbags because he misses Donald and it's what he thinks Donald would have wanted. Weh. 

Man I just realized I kinda had him mirco manage Donald too like, NO CAPES WHEN HEROING AND EAT HEALTHIER and be more polite lets learn  you some manners. So now with Donald gone he’s doing it to the whole city. sobbbb.

[avengedhq]

IT’S 2012 …

… Captain America sleeps under the ice, nothing more than a near-forgotten chapter in the history books …

… Professor X’s team of mutants work from the shadows, protected from a world that hates and fears them by their secret identities…

… the Justice League of America begin to come together, having each carried alone the burden of responsibility for the world for too long …

… the Avengers are a name unknown to any but the few who have seen Nick Fury’s top secret files …

… BUT THE FUTURE IS HERE. 

Or so is proclaimed by Stark Enterprises, in a grand invitation made to all of New York City to attend this year’s annual Stark Expo 2012. For the first time it will be held at their brand new Stark Tower, in the heart of the city, where Tony Stark himself has recently completed the renovations, using an Arc Reactor to make it the first completely clean-energy powered skyscraper in New York. Everyone in the city has been invited to the grand opening, to see for themselves what the future looks like.

Of course, for some, the future is something they already know, too well and too painfully, the memory of fallen friends foremost in their minds, even though they have found themselves now back in their own pasts. While most people haven’t noticed a change, falling back into the way things used to be with barely more than a flicker of deja vu, than unsettling dreams in the middle of the night… for others, this night could be their first chance to investigate why things have changed, and why they are the only ones who know that things used to be different.

WHAT CAN YOU FIND AT THE EXPO?

As always, the Expo is a mix of science and showmanship, boasting the latest of Stark Tech, including:

the Project eScape virtual reality room, the new Stark Industries virtual reality platform, through which users can go anywhere, anytime, and be anyone

the Stark Model 500 Flying Car, which can be taken for a test drive, under the careful supervision of a Stark Industries technician

Robot Arena, in this custom built arena, users can test the latest Stark Industries tech by pitting remote controlled robot champions against each other  

No-Grav Simulator, this no gravity simulation room reproduces the experience of space and takes visitors through a simulation of the plans for the Stark Space Station

The Iron Rollercoaster, the largest indoor rollercoaster in America, inspired by the exploits of the Invincible Iron Man

Holo glasses, please pick up your prototype pair as you enter to be guided around the Expo by the artificial intelligence interface known as J.A.R.V.I.S.

A.I. servers, the evening’s robotic hosts are ready to fulfill guests’ every need

Themysciran embassy showcase, a display of the finest bronze weaponry and Amazonian engineering kindly supplied by the Embassy of Themyscira

Latverian embassy showcase, a display of the country’s select cuisine and pioneering technology generously supplied by the Embassy of Latveria

The LUTHR fireworks show, to close out the night’s festivities, organised by the event’s sponsor, LexCorp  

The evening will also feature performances by superstar Darla Deering, as well as the up and coming rock sensation, the Iron Maniacs.

OOC Information:

Welcome to Avenged! We’re officially open for dash interactions, and we’re so excited you’re here. 

The Stark Expo event will run for one week (5/20 - 5/27) OOC time, and one day (5/20) in-game time. Use this as your chance to break the ice, get situated, and party like it’s 2012!

You are free to post non-event threads for the duration of the event, and you can continue replying to event threads as long as you’d like, but please don’t start any new event threads after it has ended.

Tag your event starters with #avengedexpo. Event inspo posts/edits can be tagged #avengedinspo.

As always, if you have any questions, just give us a shout. We can’t wait to get started!

[nissakii]

Top 5 Anime Airing in February 2022!

New month, new anime coming up!

After an extremely full January and the Winter season 2021/22 slowly thinning out, we’re not ready to say goodbye to the cold months and continue on with a new recommendation of titles that are coming out starting today!

Shortly before spring arrives, there are some more anime from very different genres ready for you to wind down and watch ranging from romance to fighting-shounen to mystery and adventure. With many people still stuck at home due to COVID keeping us on our toes, this might be a moment where you find your next binge-worthy series.

With a minor spoiler warning for the anime “Fruits Basket”, and a mind ready to watch some new titles, let us begin!

The Orbital Children (January 28th to February 11th)

“I’ll make sure you all make it home to earth alive”

It’s the year 2045, in an unprecedented new future where space travel is just as normalised as any other vacation and new artificial intelligence has a widespread grasp on the entirety of the human species.

With the internet and said A.I. structuring the beautiful and futuristic life, the first ever space-hotel only for minors is established. Sagami Touya, coupled together with other kids, spends time at the marvellous new hotel, perfectly made with new technologies to be a safe haven and fun retreat. The children spend time together with each of them having their own goals and dreams just like any other child, but their vacation is crashed quickly by an unknown attack from the outside.

A comet rushes in, rendering the childrens’ safety net into a place of doom and destruction as they realise that the trusty A.I. is not on their side anymore. Together, Touya and his crew have to figure out who is attacking them and how to get back to earth safely.

With colourful animation, very diverse and fun characters and a goosebump inducing premise, ‘the Orbital Children’ is a dystopian story that ties closely to our current approach to conquer space.

Trailer:

Shenmue (February 6th)

Jumping from a space station back to our world, we are encountered by the anime adaptation of the hit-game “Shenmue (1999).

Hazuki Ryo has a beautiful and strong bond with his father Iwao, as he trains his son in the skills of martial arts in the dojo Ryo grew up in. Until one day, as he has blossomed into a fine martial arts user, he comes back home and watches his father get brutally assassinated by a Chinese stranger called Dan-Li.

Full of rage and remorse, he challenges the stranger but can’t hold a candle to him, to which Ryo starts to find out more about his fathers past. A dark history unfolds itself as Ryo leaves the streets of Yokosuka Japan and into the bustling city of Hong-Kong. Striving to avenge his father, he discovers that there are bigger forces at play who seek out the legendary ‘two mirrors’

With a new goal to become the best martial artist and beat not only Dan-Li but everyone who wronged his father as the story of the ‘two mirrors’ unfolds. Ryo starts a new adventure that takes him across the world.

If you like martial arts, bizarre and entertaining plots with copious amounts of violence and a touch of urban flair, this might be the anime for you!

Trailer:

Goodbye, Don Glees! (February 18th)

It stays international as we move from Hong-Kong to the gorgeous landscapes and natural habitat of Iceland through “Goodbye, Don Glees!”.

Rouma isn’t ecstatic when he finds out he has to move from the city of Tokyo to a much more rural and natural area. Stuck in a new place he doesn’t know, he is glad when he finds his first local friend Toto and together they create the group ‘Don Glees’ with a third member called Drop.

Together they spend their summer exploring the woods filled with beautiful nature and embark on adventures as they blossom from youth to adolescence. The end of a huge tunnel-like structure is their end goal until they find a secret passage that leads them to every corner of the world.

Silly adventures become dangerous and afflicted with other adults and the real world as the Don Glees group has to fend off rumours and false accusations at the cusp of their bright summer retreat.

The animation alone looks extremely promising, with the touch of nature building throughout the refreshing ambience of young boys finding their biggest adventure. If this sounds interesting to you, check it out!

Trailer:

Fruits Basket: Prelude (February 18th)

As we talk about adolescence and growing from young to old, let’s look at the new Fruits Basket prelude!

Toru Honda as we know from the anime is an orphan, as she has lived at her grandparents' house for a while. In this movie, a whole other story is going to be unfurled, instead of Toru and Kyo sharing the limelight it will deal with Toru’s parents.

Kyoko, Toru’s mother, is a lonely young woman before she fatefully meets her teacher Katsuya Honda and later on develops a relationship with him. Katsuya and Kyoko tell their story which plays before the plot of the anime, which gives us an insight from a new perspective. Their beautiful romance blossoms but then sadly disintegrates as Toru is three years old. Following the story of the anime, there are also some promises for new scenarios playing immediately after the third season of the anime.

If you still haven’t had enough of this classic anime, this prelude is sure to bring up old memories with crisp new animation and a feel of nostalgia!

Trailer:

Deemo: Memorial Keys (February 25th)

Just as romantic are petals of the cherry blossom tree trail down from the air and touch the ground in the new movie ‘Deemo: Memorial Keys’ based on the music rhythm game ‘Deemo’.

On a fateful day, the tiny Alice falls from the sky and into a dark creatures’ hands who is called Deemo.

Alice is unaware of where she is or why she is there, her memories gone and foggy. She explores this new world together with tiny new friends and the mute Deemo, who takes great care of her. His passion is to play the piano, and as he plays his tunes, Alice can feel something familiar bubble up inside her. Memories suddenly arise, as Alice remembers composing a similar tune once.

Now with a clearer goal in mind, she gives her best to get back home as she needs to solve puzzles about the mysterious place she is in to move forwards and discovers more and more about Deemo.

If you played the game or even just heard of it, ‘Memorial Keys’ could become a beautiful addition to your list!

Trailer:

This concludes our list of anime coming up this February!

Make sure to check out the posts we’ve made before and keep an eye out one month at a time!

Speaking of which, how did you like this month’s collection? Is there any title that particularly struck your fancy, or one that maybe wasn’t what you expected? Whatever it may be, please make sure to leave your precious opinion down below.

Until next time,

I think I’m running out of tea…

-Nissa