#for sum reason the second is more high quality than the first one

[fritzthepiratefox]

neil meets his fans

[number-1-kuaidul-fanboy]

Episode 90 of Go Rush is the most painful Yugioh episode to me

This episode has put me in a state of grief and shock, similar to what I felt after my cat died, for days, to the point where I'm still recovering from the after effects as I write this. I'm gonna do my best to judge this episode fairly, and critique it for what it is, not what I may have personally wanted it to be. To be clear, I think this is a good episode. Maybe even a great one. I do have some genuine critiques (mainly with the dialogue so I admit it could partially be a language/culture barrier issue) but overall, it is a well put together episode and duelling wise especially, a fantastic arc finale to my favourite story arc of season 2. It just... came out Christmas Eve, a hard time of the year for me for personal reasons, and did something that was always going to destroy me personally. But, anyways, enough beating around the bush. I have a ton of thoughts on this episode that I really need to put in one place.

Spoilers below of course.

Like I said, the duelling action in this episode is amazing, one of my personal favourite duels in Bridge Era Yugioh. Honestly maybe someday when GR is fully released, I will declare it my favourite. I need more time with it to know for sure. Kuaidul is so at the top of his game with his perfected deck that Yudias had to steal Kuaidul's ultimate monster in order to fight back at all and even then, Kauidul was still able to defend himself and potentially make a comeback. He's a skilled duelist and a great villain and that's on full display this episode.

The only problem I have with this episode's first half is the opening theme playing over part of an episode once again. They did this at the end of Galaxy Cup and it felt ill-fitting there too but this episode felt even more forced as that song being played during a "triumphant victory" right before the turn this episode took was really distracting. The tonal whiplash honestly kind of disgusted me. The song is great, but you don't have to play it in the middle of the episode just because it's an arc finale, guys. If it doesn't fit, then it doesn't fit. Don't force it.

Other than that blunder though, the first half or so of this episode is high quality standard fun so had I not known better and seen the clips and screenshots before watching the entire thing subbed, I never would've expected the episode to go full on depressing. Yeah, Kuaidul was mentioned to be dying in the previous episode but Yugioh hardly ever permanently kills characters and every other Go Rush villain was allowed to live.

Surely, I don't need to lose sleep over this. Surely they won't kill him on Christmas Eve when he's only existed as a character for like four months and has so much more to give us. Surely Kuaidul will be okay-

.....oh

....Yeah, for me, I don't think there's a worse feeling than anxiously dreading something will happen but trying to insist it won't happen and you're just having anxiety only to have your anxiety proven right... This was the perfect storm of despair to completely destroy me and me personally since Kuaidul is a personal comfort character, saved the second season for me after it went to shit, and my favourite in Go Rush so understand that that is what my bias is when discussing this episode.

I've already made a whole post defending the scene where Kuaidul forcefully tries to fuse with Yudias. To sum it up, it was a life or death situation and Kuaidul was acting out of fear/self-preservation, Yudias was willing (though yes he did leave this unvoiced at first), and Kuaidul did let go of the fusion and accept his impending death because the fusion would, to some degree, hurt Yudias. I wish the reason and extent to how much it would hurt Yudias was more clearly explained. Maybe some line about how Kuaidul's decaying form (or the thing that gave his body form) will start to make Yudias decay as well would've helped because personally, I found the explanation the episde gave to be vague and confusing. Yugioh has confusing logic at times but I've never questioned the logic behind sacrifices like these. Antinomy and Ai's motivations and reasons for sacrificing themselves both made sense and I never questioned why they did what they did. Kuaidul meanwhile, I don't fully understand why he HAD to die. The fusion would've hurt Yudias, yes, but how drastically? Would it have eventually killed him or just hurt a lot? What would this "fusion" even have entailed? This episode vaguely implied Kuaidul was straight up trying to possess him but it never quite fully said that? For all we know, he would've ended up a harmless spirit vibing in Yudias's subconscious like Yubel or Astral were because fusions like this are just not explained in Go Rush's universe. Yeah, yeah, "show don't tell" but the visuals didn't give a concrete answer either, at least not to me. It felt weirdly vague and confusing.

Also, side note, I won't dwell on this too much because someone has already posted about it but this:

This is messed up in a way that I don't think Go Rush, which is aimed at a younger audience, is equipped to handle and should not be Yudias's reasoning. "If it will save you from death" was enough of a reason. That captures Yudias's astonishing compassion and selflessness perfectly and is far more subtle and emotionally resonant. I hate the implications of this line and it genuinely made me extremely uncomfortable when I saw it.

Anyways, the sacrifice. Despite all the under explaining, I obviously still felt the weight of Kuaidul's sacrifice and emotionally, I understand it even I find myself questioning the semantics more than I normally would with scenes like these. I do think if we knew the extent to how much Kuaidul was willing to hurt Yudias in his moment of impulsive fear, then him deciding not to go through with it would have added even more to his character. Still, I think the fact that he was willing to let go and accept his death makes him a better character. I think that was the only way that forced fusion scene could have been salvaged. Because, yes, if the episode had ended with Kuaidul forcing Yudias to fuse, sticking with it, and essentially getting away with it, this episode would be worse. I... would probably still like Kuaidul but I would definitely feel uncomfortable to some degree. However, I personally am able to fully forgive him because I understand that it was an act of impulse by a dying man that, after thinking about, he did decide on his own not to go through with. The scene played out perfectly for what they were going for. They went a direction I wasn't expecting but the direction made sense (despite being under-explained to me) and was emotionally effective.

Speaking of emotionally effective...

Okay, I won't lie. The first time I saw this scene (purely through screenshots), I was actually pissed. It immediately brought to mind Akiza being forced to forgive her abusive father and I felt like they were not just pulling that crap again but having it be the final note an immensely important comfort character of mine went out on.

....but I was already a crying mess when I saw this and now that I've regained somewhat of a clear mind and seen the full episode, my opinion has changed completely. The Creator is NOT on the same level of Akiza's father, not in the slightest. I still firmly view him and Kuaidul as a father/son relationship since the Creator... ya know, literally created him and Kuaidul craving his validation very much came across to me as a neglected child craving their parent's attention/approval. That's not explicitly spelled out by the show but keep in mind this is how I view it. From what we saw, Kuaidul had valid reasons to feel neglected, most notably episode 77 where the Creator left Kuaidul behind despite his cries. However, upon actually seeing the hug scene in motion, I realised that Kuaidul wasn't the one who initiated the hug. The Creator was:

And to me, that makes all the difference. He's offering a hug, a symbol of forgiveness and acceptance, which Kuaidul accepted instantly, with no pressure from anyone which was my main problem with Akiza's situation, because validation from the Creator was all he really wanted this whole time. That's actually quite cohesive and I'm glad Kuaidul's motivation wasn't forgotten or changed. Do I still think Kuaidul deserved more? Oh, absolutely. The Creator should've apologised verbally in some way. Maybe Kuaidul didn't need him to but I the viewer did dammit. At least if this is both their final appearances and isn't leading into something down the line (the Creator could just use him again, or it could be revealed to be a hallucination fuck-). Whatever, this hug was enough for Kuaidul and at the time of writing this, the scene is their final scene in the show and if this is truly where it ends for them, then I'm glad that despite dying, Kuaidul got exactly what he truly wanted all along.

I could nitpick it and the entire show's implications about the Creator into oblivion if I really wanted to but... I don't. My favourite character had a cohesive sympathetic narrative with a payoff, which is more than I've gotten from some other Yugioh series. For what it is, I like it and it resonated with me emotionally, which is the goal of fiction.

In fact, that's my take on the entire episode: it's not exactly what I would've expected or wanted but I like it overall for what it is. The reason I resent this episode so much is almost purely personal and not reflective of the episode's quality. I have issues with the episode, as I mentioned, but it's a good episode overall. The script just needed some tweaks.

It's a good thing Konami and Entame are taking a break after this episode. They deserve it, first and foremost, and I don't know if I'll be able to return to Go Rush even after their breaks end. I want to know what happens next but it'll be... hard after being hit with something this upsetting so suddenly during an already rough time of the year for me.

I want to return someday, but not if any part of me is still instinctively hopelessly crying out for Kuaidul's return only to be disappointed.

[imalloutofgin]

Gin and Talking Pictures | The Batman (2022)

To sum this film up - they had me in the first half, I'm not gonna lie.

The Batman stars Robert Patterson as the most emo Batman I have ever seen, which is unsurprisingly (if you know me) something I like about the film. Patterson's Batman/Bruce Wayne is a tortured and moody recluse, who is very comfortable with violence, and more over, seems comfortable sacrificing lives in order to reach his goals. This film starts to say something - Batman is in a position to actually help people (Bruce Wayne is extremely rich), but he doesn't because revenge is sweeter. He believes in cops, authoritarianism, and that criminal activity of any kind is bad and wrong (unless you have a reason that he *personally* deems appropriate, I'm looking at you Selina Kyle). I felt like this Batman was finally going to be one that really had to recon with the atrocities he commits while seeking 'justice', and the first half of this film had all of the right set ups (exploding multiple cars during a high speed car chase on a freeway to ask the penguin a few questions certainly killed someone and he should probably face consequences to that).... but, alas, the second half let me down. Instead, they paint Batman as a person who is going to use what he's learned to become a better Batman. Not *ALL* the cops were in the mob bosses pocket, don't you know... Ugh.

Not to be too pedantic but I also hated the love line created between Batman and Selina Kyle/Cat Woman. Why was it there? It felt out of character for *this* Batman to get involved with a woman who could distract him from his goal, and although never explicitly stated, Selina was pretty clearly in a relationship with Annika. You don't call your roommate "baby" as a general rule... omg they were roommates.

I also struggled with the perfect politician who actually wants to help people and has socialist qualities as this bastion of "not all politicians" either. Honestly, it felt like I was being spoken down to by the film.

And I have to talk about the villain because I actually liked the Riddler (played by Paul Dano) a lot. But here's the thing, the character *is right*. His methods aren't, but he uncovered police and political corruption, and used the Batman as a template for justice, turning to vigilantism. But if the Riddler is technically right but using bad methods, what is Batman? This could have been explored in so much more detail if the filmmakers had been allowed to go there. Something tells me this was a studio choice.

Other than that, I liked it. The costumes were good, we saw decent fight choreography, and it was a technically proficient film (except for some jank CGI toward the end). This film will appeal to fanboys, people who like riddles, and emo kids. :P

2.5/5 stars.

[speed-seo]

10 Highly Effective Strategies to Boost Engagement on Your Website

Why do websites need website engagement? Website engagement is important for any website, especially online businesses. You need to make sure that your website gets the relevance it has from the start. If it seems that no one is visiting your website because it is not engaging enough. Then you better make an effort to increase the engagement of your website. These tips are a good starting point for that! These 10 tips will help you get better results in the long run, so do not be afraid to try them out! Engagement is an important metric for businesses because it shows a user's interest in what you have to say. A high level of engagement indicates that the user is spending time on your site and engaging with your content. This means they are likely considering what you have to say and might be ready to make a purchase or sign up for your mailing list. Image by google What is user engagement, and why should you care? Engagement is the level of interaction a user has with your content or website. It can be measured in terms of time spent on the page, number of views, shares, and likes. The term “engagement” may seem like a vague buzzword that is difficult to understand, but it absolutely doesn't mean just clicking on ads. Engagement can be defined as the act of actively using a website over time, which ultimately results in conversion. Engagement can be defined in different ways, but one common definition is "the act or process of engaging with something." This includes things like clicking through from one page of content to another, leaving a comment on an article, subscribing to a blog email list, or following you on social media. There are several factors that can contribute to engagement levels on a website or blog. Some common drivers of engagement include providing valuable content, using interactive elements such as polls or questionnaires, and creating helpful guides or tutorials. By understanding how users are interacting with your content and improving the quality of that interaction, you can drive more traffic back to your site and increase conversion rates. An engaged user is a potential conversion By now you may already know that no business can survive without an engaged user base. Engaged users are more likely to spend money, share your content, and convert into customers. It's not enough for a website to be viewed, it must also be engaging. An engaged user is a potential customer. When they engage with your content, they have the opportunity to view what you have to offer and, if it meets their needs, make a purchase. It's important to have a steady stream of engaged users on your site so you can continually convert them into customers. Why increasing website engagement is important? Image by Speed Agency Engagement is important for two reasons. First, it helps you to measure the success of your content marketing campaigns. Second, engagement helps you to target your audience more effectively by understanding their interests and motivations. Imagine you are writing a factual, beautifully presented study on content that puts people first, but your website takes too long to load, the fonts are hard to read, and the layout is too cluttered with banners and articles. That alone has a negative impact on visitors, and they will surely leave in less than a minute. In a few words: Your website lacks engagement. Engagement is important on websites because it helps increase the likelihood that a person will return to your website again and again. The more engagement your website experiences, the more likely it is that more people will see your ads and landing pages, which may prompt them to buy products or sign up for services. This engagement, the sum of all actions, sends signals to search engines, which can then easily determine that your website deserves better visibility on search results pages. In other words, engagement is important not only to attract new visitors (and thus potential customers) but also to keep them once they are there. There are many factors that contribute to higher engagement on websites - these include creating high-quality content that people want to read and share, designing compelling layouts, using interactive features like polls and quizzes, hosting contests, and building strong relationships with other businesses in your niche. 10 helpful ways to increase engagement on websites? Image by Speed Agency These 10 tips are the result of a study conducted by our team at Speed SEO Online Marketing. The goal is to help our readers find ways that are proven to increase website engagement. I will first tell you the 10 tips and then go into more detail about each one. - Use People-first content to increase engagement - Web design strategies to increase website engagement - User experience strategies to increase engagement on your website - Increasing engagement through social media strategies - Email marketing methods to increase engagement - Pop-ups and other forms of intrusive advertising used for a better web engagement - The role of Calls to Action and engagement - Mobile-friendly websites and engagement rates - The importance of providing helpful resources - A/B Testing to increase your website engagement Yes, these are all ways to increase engagement on websites, but the most important thing is to figure out what works best for your website and audience. Some of the above are mandatory, others you'll just have to try until you find strategies that work well for you and your website's goals. Mandatory web engagement best practices: - People-first content - Web design - User experience - Mobile-friendly - helpful resources Infographic by Speed Agency Now let's dive deep into the main 10 ways to increase engagement on your website. 1. How can you use people-first content to increase engagement? Ok, be careful here, you need to grab this snake by the neck and dominate it carefully. Let me ask you this, do you know what people-first content is? What is people-first content? People-first content is content that focuses on the needs of people facing a specific challenge and looking for a solution to it. Does your website content provide solutions for your target audience? If not, then you need to update your content ASAP. How can you tell if your content is for people first? First, you need to go and read Google's upcoming core update called Google's Helpful Content Update. In that article, you will find this series of questions, and when you answer them, you will know if your content is considered to be people-first content. Increasing engagement on your website starts by creating content that is interesting, but more than this, useful for your target audience. This will keep them coming back, and it may also lead to conversions. Creating engaging people-first content can be a powerful way to increase interactions on your website. It can help you attract more visitors. Content that engages visitors is something that people will want to read and share, which means that it's likely to generate positive results for your site overall. There are a number of ways you can create engaging people-first content, but the most important thing is to focus on what interests your target audience. Once you've identified your target audience's interest, start writing about topics that matter to them in an interesting and informative way. You'll also need effective promotion strategies if you want people who haven't heard of your site yet to take notice. By creating quality content and using strategic marketing tactics, you can have a significant impact on the success of your online business." How about pictures of people interacting with the product? People buy more when they feel a personal connection with your brand. That is why you should use customer reviews and testimonials, videos of people talking about the product, before-and-after pictures, and pictures of people interacting with the product to help increase website engagement. 2. Web design strategies to increase website engagement? Web design plays a big role when it comes to engagement. Basically, your web design is the first thing your visitor's brain begins to process. If the first reaction to the mental processing of your website design is a "this is not easy for me to read", then "where's the go back feature" or even worse, if it's a "what a boring design". If this is the case for you, then you should call us today to quickly improve your website. Image by Speed Online Marketing Agency I'll give you 10 actionable immediate steps you can implement on your site to increase engagement. 10 actionable web design fixes to increase engagement: - Adjust your font size: Make sure fonts are easy to read on all screen sizes. - Use mega menu features: Display your most important pages in an engaging way. - Include a call to action in the hero area: The hero area is the gateway to the rest of your site's pages. - Use the psychology of colours in your colour palette: Make sure consistency and brand language are always in harmony. - Increase the spacing between lines of text to improve readability: Avoid placing lines of text too close together. - Use subheadings properly: Your H1 title must be connected to all other text on a page. - Use colours other than blue for hyperlinks: People get bored of the same colour. You need to be creative. - Sharp images: Do not sacrifice quality for performance and never publish an image that is not SEO-ready. - Relationship between title and meta title: You need to keep the context 100%, but not the same text. Be enticing. - Keep the content on the right page: Content about us belongs on the About Us page. Contact information belongs on the Contact page, and so on. Do not mix it all up, you do not want to overdo it. A web page engagement power is strongly related to your web design https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCTbIwADCo4 A website's engagement rate is a metric that measures how much a website engages users. A website's engagement rate can be used to measure how well a website engages users and to determine which design strategies are most effective in driving user engagement. There are several types of website metrics related to engagement that can be measured, such as bounce rates, time spent on the site, and pages per visit. Understanding and using these metrics to improve the customer experience on your website can increase user engagement and overall website performance. The following factors can impact website engagement: - The layout - Design features - Copywriting - Images - And animations Improving any of these areas will certainly have a positive impact on the performance of any website. By improving your website design through the strategic use of these metrics, you can increase traffic and conversions while building stronger relationships with your customers. 3. User experience metrics that you can improve to increase engagement on your website? Image by Speed Online Marketing Company User experience (UX) metrics are a key performance indicator businesses can use to improve their website and increase engagement. Now we will discuss five user experience metrics that businesses can improve to increase engagement on their website. - Website loading speed: Website loading speed is a website metric that can have a significant impact on the customer experience. If your website loads slowly, users will leave your site without engaging with it and potentially never return. - Show your visitors your customer reviews: You may think that your website already has everything. But if you do not gain the trust of your web visitors, it will be hard for your web users to engage with the site. The main goal of reviews is to increase your visitors' confidence in your services and products. - Streamline the Site's Navigation: Don't take this metric lightly; make sure your site's navigation is easy to use. If you make it too complex, visitors will get frustrated and leave the site. You don't want that to happen, because it means less engagement with your website. Make sure the navigation is easy to use and understand so your customers will stay on your website longer. - Make it Easy for Them to Contact You: Yes, as funny as it might sound, I've seen too many websites with broken contact forms, or contact forms that are too complex. Don't let this be the case with your website! Make sure you have a working and easy-to-use contact form on your site so customers can reach out to you. - Get your linking structure right: Show me a website with a bad linking profile, and I will show you a website that is not ranking well in search engines. Make sure you have the right linking structure so your customers can easily find their way to your website. Engage website visitors using UX best practices, never overdo them. There are a few things you can do to increase engagement with your website visitors, but overdoing it can have negative consequences. For example, if your site is slow or difficult to use, people may become frustrated and stop coming back. It's important to strike a balance between providing too much information (which can be overwhelming) and not enough (which leaves visitors wondering what they're supposed to do). You also need to make sure that the content you do provide is interesting and useful. If you can keep these three factors in mind, you'll be able to engage website visitors without overdoing it. 4. Increase web engagement using social media You often see marketers posting content on one website and another topic on their social media profiles. Not only is this wrong, but it puts your marketing efforts at risk. Your website content needs to be aligned with your social media posts. When you link your social media to your website content, you can engage more users. This not only increases interaction rates on your website but also exponentially improves your ranking in search results. Website engagement tools to bring the power of social networks to your site There are a variety of ways that you can use social media to engage with your website visitors. Some popular tools include: - A social commenting system that allows visitors to leave feedback on your content or posts - An interactive poll or question tool that lets you get feedback from site visitors on topics that are important to them - A community forum where users can discuss topics related to your business or product - Integrated chat features that allow site visitors to communicate with each other in real-time about topics related to your business or product. Why is engagement important on social media? Engagement is important to build a steady stream of engaged users that will convert them into customers. Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram are great examples of how engagement can be used to build community. The more engaged your audience is with your brand and products on social media, the more likely they are to visit your website and engage with your content. How do I increase my social media engagement? The best way to increase your social media engagement is by using visual content and having a clear call to action. Consider that you need to keep monitoring your social channel engagement metrics to be able to make sound decisions. Here you have 5 super effective tips to increase your social media audience engagement: - Work your strategy carefully and keep your audience's demographics in mind. - Always post and share people-first content with valuable and helpful information to your audience. - Be topical, be consistent and above all be factual. - Don't wait more than 24 hours to respond to comments and queries from your audience. - Run frequent contests and giveaways. 5. Increasing engagement through email marketing Email marketing can also be part of your strategy to increase engagement on your website. The vast majority of online advertisers underestimate how strong the connection is between an email marketing campaign and website engagement rates. For example, you created a new product page and you want to promote it. You could do this by: Emailing your subscribers about the new product page, including a link to it and some information about the benefits of buying from that particular page. - Send personalized content that is relevant to your audience. - Including interactive elements (such as polls or surveys) in your emails. - Creating engaging images and videos for your emails. - Offering exclusive offers or discounts in exchange for feedback from your subscribers. - Create an email marketing sequence that is relevant to your audience. - Send emails that have a clear call-to-action and explain why the recipient should take action on it. - Include tips, tricks or helpful advice in your emails. - Send emails that are personalized to the recipient's interests and needs. - Include a sense of urgency or timeliness in your email, such as a limited-time offer. - Send emails that are relevant to your audience's location or demographics. As you can see, email marketing can work wonders when it comes to increasing how engaging your website can be. 6. How can you use pop-ups and other forms of intrusive advertising to increase engagement on your website? Pop-ups and other forms of intrusive advertising are often used to increase engagement on a website. These are usually small, fast-loading windows that appear on the user's screen without their consent. Pop-ups and other forms of intrusive advertising are used to get visitors to interact with your website. They are usually small, fast-loading windows that appear on the user's screen without their consent. This way, you can collect valuable data about the person who views your content or signs up for your service. It also increases the likelihood that the person will stay longer on your website and make more purchases from you. What is intrusive advertising? Intrusive advertising is any type of advertisement that interferes with a user's experience on the web. They can be annoying because they are often unsolicited, pushing, invasive, unwelcomed, irrelevant and sometimes interruptive. One type of intrusive advertising is pop-up ads that display ad banners and large, in-your-face advertisements. 5 Good intrusive advertising examples: - Interstitials: These are Ads that cover the entire screen and must be closed before proceeding to the content. - Autoplay video ads with sound: As it suggests, we are talking about video ads that start playing automatically without the user's consent, often with accompanying sound. - Pop-ups and pop-unders: These Ads can appear in a new window, on top of, or beneath the current web page. Normally banners and videos. - "Sign Up Now!" Forms: Another common intrusive advertising tactic is the sign-up form. This can be anything from a newsletter sign-up to a free trial or contest entry. The goal is to get the user to take action, but often times these forms are placed in inconvenient places or are difficult to close. - Pre-roll ads: These are the video ads that play before the content you wanted to watch. Many times they are unskippable which makes them very intrusive. As you can notice, those intrusive ads can be really annoying, though you can use them to market your products, you should avoid abusing them. We better give you some intrusive advertising examples that you should NOT follow. Image by Speed SEO 5 Bad intrusive advertising examples: - Ad blockers: Ad blockers are software that removes ads from web pages, preventing users from seeing them. While some people find ad blockers to be a helpful tool, others see them as intrusive and disruptive. - Timed content: Some websites have content that is only available for a limited time, after which it expires. Read the full article

[alaafiyahcare]

Hysterectomy Surgery

Hysterectomy through ALAAFIYAH CARE is a unique approach to first-class medical care. Our association with high quality hospitals in the US and abroad (which take part in initiatives introduced by US hospitals, including Johns Hopkins and Harvard Medical) makes surgical procedures at reasonable rates possible for everyone.

Our case managers, all medically trained, organize every aspect of your procedure and have helped many patients receive medical intervention within a reasonable time.

What is a Hysterectomy?

A Hysterectomy is a surgical operation where your uterus is removed either through an incision in the abdomen or vagina. Depending on your circumstances, one or both of your ovaries, Fallopian tubes and/or your cervix may be taken out as well. Hysterectomies are the second most common operations performed for women.

The four types of hysterectomy operations are:

Subtotal hysterectomy: Only the body of the uterus is removed;

Total hysterectomy: The body of the uterus and cervix are removed;

Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: The body of the uterus, the cervix, and one or both ovaries and Fallopian tubes are removed;

Radical hysterectomy: The body of the uterus, cervix, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, top portion of the vagina, lymph nodes and channels, and pelvic cavity tissue surrounding the cervix are removed.

Who Needs a Hysterectomy?

Women who suffer from certain medical conditions might require a hysterectomy. These diseases or ailments include:

Prolonged vaginal bleeding

Uterine prolapse (your uterus has fallen into your vagina)

Endometriosis (uterine tissue growth outside the uterus in the pelvic cavity)

Fibroids (benign uterine tumors)

Chronic pelvic pain

Gynecologic cancer

A hysterectomy is major and irreversible surgery. Once the hysterectomy is performed, you will no longer be able to become pregnant.

If you are considering a hysterectomy, it is strongly recommended you visit your doctor beforehand for a diagnosis of your condition, medical advice on treatment options, and a treatment plan. You should explore all your available alternatives before you decide to undergo a hysterectomy. Please read more about Hysterectomy Preparation.

The cost of a hysterectomy in the United States is approximately $16,000. By contrast, the sum total for a hysterectomy performed in other countries is usually between $4,000 and $8,000.

How is Hysterectomy Surgery Performed?

The first is through a 4 to 6 inch incision in the abdomen.

The incision is usually horizontal underneath the pubic hair line but, in some cases, a vertical incision between the pubis and navel may be used. This type of hysterectomy surgery is performed when the uterus is large or a radical hysterectomy due to gynecological cancer is required. You will need to stay in the hospital for several days and a visible scar will remain.

The second is by a small incision at the rear of the vagina. The uterus is then withdrawn through the incision. This type of surgery is used for prolapsed uteruses.

Your hospital stay will be shorter, and no visible scar will remain. Compared to Hysterectomy in the US, your hysterectomy overseas will have a longer hospital stay, allowing you to recuperate better.

The third is via a laparoscope. A laparoscope is an instrument with a light and accessories which are used to detach the uterus, which is taken out via one of the 2 to 4 little incisions made to allow the laparoscope access to your uterus.

You will have no visible scars and a relatively brief hospital stay, but much longer than what you will find in the US.

Possible Complications after Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is a routinely performed surgery. However, with major surgery, always comes some risks. Short term hysterectomy risks include:

Infection

Hemorrhage

Blood clots

Urinary incontinence

Anesthesia reaction

Longer term hysterectomy risks may be:

Prolapse of other organs

Onset of menopause

Emotional upset

[hjrealestates]

What is the minimum amount one can invest when it comes to Dubai property?

Property investment in Dubai is blasting, and many individuals are purchasing properties in the city as an investment. costs of Property investment in Dubai have been rising consistently lately, and there is no indication of this pattern dialing back. On the off chance that you are thinking about purchasing a house in Dubai, you ought to remember a couple of things. In the first place, the average cost for many everyday items in Dubai is high, so you should ensure you can bear the cost of the month to month contract installments. Second, the property market in Dubai is exceptionally serious, so you should act rapidly on the off chance that you find a property you like. Guarantee you grasp the nearby regulations and guidelines before property investment in Dubai.

Where is a good place to invest?

Choosing a safe place to put your money in Dubai depends on a number of things. Examining factors including location, infrastructure, demand-supply dynamics, market trends, and growth potential is crucial. Some parts of Dubai have traditionally shown excellent investment possibilities, despite the fact that the real estate market is volatile. Dubai South is one such area that has attracted a lot of interest. Dubai World Central, often known as Dubai South, is a planned city that sits in close proximity to both the Al Maktoum International Airport and the location of Expo 2020. This area has become an attractive investment destination for a number of reasons.

Sustainable and integrated communities including a wide range of residential, commercial, and recreational opportunities are at the heart of Dubai South’s master plan. There is a wide variety of low-priced housing options in the area, including apartments, townhomes, and villas. Having places of learning, medical care, and commerce in close proximity to one another improves the quality of life for everyone, which in turn attracts residents and business owners.

The government of Dubai has provided substantial aid and investment to the Dubai South area. The Dubai Aviation City Corporation is a government agency responsible for supervising the development of Dubai South and ensuring that first-rate facilities and regulations are established there. This commitment to prosperity and governance is encouraging to investors and good for the region’s long-term stability.

Documents Required For Property Investment in Dubai?

The documents required for property investment in Dubai change contingent upon the sort of property and the purchaser’s identity. Notwithstanding, the absolute most normal documents required include:

Passport

Emirates ID

Visa

Proof of funds

No Objection Certificate (NOC)

Sale and Purchase Agreement

Dubai Land Department (DLD) Registration

How Long is the Property Purchase Process in Dubai? 

For the most part, a property exchange requires close to four weeks for a property exchange to finish after the understanding is agreed upon. On the off chance that the belonging takes more time, ensure it is referenced in the agreement. For the most part, cash exchanges turn out to be quicker than the home loan based exchange.

Amount of Buying a Property Worth Half a Million Dirhams in Dubai?

The base initial installment for a condo in Dubai is 20% of the purchase cost. Subsequently the base sum a purchaser ought to have while purchasing a property worth a portion of 1,000,000 dirhams in Dubai is roughly AED 150,000. Aside from the initial investment on the condo, you should address 2% of the purchase cost as enlistment charges to the Dubai Land Division. On the off chance that somebody purchases a property of a portion of 1,000,000 dirhams, the sum will come up to AED 10,000.

The purchaser should likewise address 1% of the purchase cost to the Land Guideline Expert for the principal AED 1 million of the property estimation and 0.5% for the leftover sum. For a property worth AED 500,000, this would be AED 5,000. Different expenses might be related with property investment in Dubai, for example, stamp obligation, valuation charges, and home loan handling charges. These costs will shift contingent upon the particular exchange.

List the Property Purchase Process in Dubai 

The property purchase in Dubai goes under Land Regulation No. 7 of 2006: Land Enrollment Regulation. You can purchase property in the UAE in the event that you are a Bay Partnership resident (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE) or a UAE resident. Nonetheless, as of late UAE has presented ‘freehold regions’ where the unfamiliar populace can undoubtedly contribute.

The steps for buying properties in Dubai are given below;

After you have picked the property you need to put resources into, settle on an installment technique, cash or applying for a home loan. Assuming you are purchasing property in real money, you can arrange the costs better.

The subsequent step involves marking an Update of Grasping (MoU). You can find RERA structures, the MoU structure or Structure F, which the purchaser and the dealer should sign at the Enrollment Legal administrator’s office before an observer (normally the intermediary). The purchaser should follow through on 10% of the property cost as a security store to the Enrollment Legal administrator, which is returned once the property exchange is finished.

The purchasers should meet at the task engineer’s office to sign a No Complaint Declaration to solidify the responsibility for property. NOC is given provided that the purchaser makes all installments.

In the wake of getting the NOC, meet the vendor at the Dubai Land Division with your visa or Emirates ID, a check containing the sum payable to the dealer, Structure F or MoU and the first NOC is given by the designer. The DLD will give a title deed, and you’ll be the new property proprietor.

[aiifarprinter]



2023 Shanghai International Digital Printing Exhibition

AIIFAR company will participated in 2023 Shanghai International Digital Printing Exhibition, June 18 to June 21, which will be held at the National Convention and Exhibition Center(Shanghai), 333 Songze Avenue, Qingpu District, Shanghai. Our booth number is 5.2H-C1540.

For this exhibition, we have carefully prepared, with superb technical level and high-performance machines presented in front of you. One of our best selling machines would be the 60CM Powder Shaker machine, using the weaving method, up to 20M/H, the operation mode of machine not only have manual control but also auto control, easy to operate and use. Meanwhile, you can supervise the temperature of various ovens and the weight of hot-melt powder through the monitor.

The reason why you chose our products is, this kind of powder shaker is way more energy-saving than other brands of powder shaker, besides it’s better heating effect. To sum up, is that we can save your money.

You might want to ask, what are the advantages of our products? First of all, It has Intelligent temperature control oven, which can supply heat steadily, longer heating area and more uniform heating temperature, and the operating powder is 4500W, 30% lower than the other ovens. Second, it got efficient purification, to prevent the ink occur the phenomenon of anti-oil during the baking process, so the the purifier will filter all the fumes and then discharge them in case the accumulation of oil fumes inside the oven. Last, it has preheating system, powder weight sensor, high frequency powder removal and suction roller, and for that, other powder shaker do not have all what we just told you.

Apart from powder shaker machine, we also have other kinds of products, like DTF printer, different size of powder shakers. Our products are mainly suitable for large garment factories, or individual family workshops. Also, according to the actual needs of customers, we can  provide customized services for small shops and wholesale shops, or a variety of printing industries.

If you’re interested in our products , or have any technical problems encountered in processing the scene, just come to our booth during the exhibition, we have high-quality engineers to show you how the machine run and give you more technical guidance and advises in person. But If you can not come to the exhibition site to know more about our products due to uncontrollable factors, you’re welcome to contact our sales customer service any time.

WHATSAPP:+86 1501 5508 8080

Independent R&D experience in the field of DTF is why we always being the leader of industry.

[rizehomesource]

5 Reasons Why Utah is a Great Place to Invest in Property

If you're looking for a great place to invest in property, look no further than Utah. The state has a lot to offer for those interested in real estate investments. With its stunning natural beauty, thriving economy, and growing population, Utah is quickly becoming a popular destination for property investors. In this blog post, we'll explore the top five reasons why Utah is a great place to invest in property. From the booming tech industry to the state's low tax rates; there are plenty of factors that make Utah an attractive option for investors. So if you're looking to diversify your portfolio or want to start building a real estate empire, keep reading to learn more about what makes Utah such a promising market.

Rize Property Management is proud to be located in the great state of Utah, where we have seen a surge in the demand for property in recent years. Utah offers many attractive features for real estate investors seeking to invest in property, which is why it's an ideal investment destination. First, Utah has a thriving economy that attracts many businesses and young professionals, creating a strong demand for housing and increasing property values. Second, Utah is home to a range of diverse landscapes, from the snowy mountains to the red rocks of southern Utah, making it an ideal location for those seeking adventure and natural beauty. Third, the state offers a high quality of life, affordable housing costs, and a low cost of living compared to other states, making it an attractive option for working professionals and families. Fourth, Utah has a strong education system, including top-rated universities and colleges, which attract students from within and outside the state. Finally, Utah has a pro-business environment that encourages investment and business growth. All of these reasons make Utah an excellent place to invest in property, so why not consider investing in Utah today with Rize Property Management?

Rize Property Management is one of the top property management companies in Utah. With its expertise in Utah’s housing market, Rize Property Management has identified 5 reasons why Utah is a great place to invest in property. First, Utah has a growing job market with a low unemployment rate. The state is home to many tech companies and Silicon Slopes, which is a hub for technology and start-up companies. This creates a high demand for housing, which can lead to increased property values. Secondly, Utah has a stable real estate market. Unlike some of the more volatile markets, Utah’s housing market has been consistent with steady growth over the years. This provides investors with reliability and predictability when it comes to their investments. In addition, Utah has low property taxes, which makes owning investment property more affordable and profitable. This translates to cheaper operating expenses and higher net income. Lastly, Utah’s quality of life and natural beauty attract many people to the state. Utah is known for its outdoor recreation opportunities, including skiing, hiking, and biking. This creates a great opportunity for investors to purchase vacation rentals and generate rental income. In conclusion, Rize Property Management believes that Utah is a great place to invest in property due to its growing job market, stable real estate market, low property taxes, and attractive quality of life.

To sum it up, investing in Utah's property market is a wise decision for various reasons. The state's strong economy, steady real estate market, and low property taxes make it an affordable and profitable market for investors. Additionally, Utah's natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities boost the appeal of vacation rentals, generating rental income. At Rize Property Management, we believe that Utah presents a great opportunity for property investors looking for long-term benefits.

For more information, please visit: https://goo.gl/maps/xusazsTKN7UkFxL79

[screenageblog]

Digital Signage over the Tradition Signage

More and more progressive businesses have shifted beyond traditional signage to a digital replacement over the past plus two decades. The answer is straightforward: Digital signage is more effective than traditional signs at attracting attention, saving money, and producing an immersive and engaging experience. Screenage.com is catering the everlasting demand for great and optimal quality High Brightness Display, outdoor display for advertising, Window Facing Display Series, High Brightness Open Frame Display from the last many years. 

Provides Multi-Sensory Experience

There is a reason why modern humans spend a lot of time staring at screens. The fact that they are naturally eye-catching is one of the obvious advantages that digital signage has over conventional media. Organizations may stream dynamic, aesthetically attractive material over huge, stunning high-definition screens thanks to digital signage. The likelihood that customers who pass these screens would read the text is obviously far higher than it would be if they were passing a standard sign or poster.

Cost Effectiveness

When it comes to digital signage, one complaint we frequently hear from businesses is that it is too expensive. Many organizations make the incorrect assumption that digital signage is significantly more costly than traditional signage because of the fancy gear and software. Maybe it was true in the past. Digital signage is now, however, the less expensive option. There are two causes for this. First off, if you need to frequently update information, printing costs can quickly mount up to a significant sum of money. Second, the hardware used for digital signage—including screens, media players, or signage software—has become astronomically less expensive recently.

Therefore, even though the initial cost of installing digital signage may be higher, you will ultimately save money.

Much Better Promo Quality

When it comes to distributing sales, marketing campaigns, event notifications, plus other promotional information, digital signage makes a significant difference.

Static signage lack the visual impact and forceful nature that digital signs have. It is especially evident for sectors like retail, hotels, marketing, or restaurants where success depends on effectively showing deals and drawing customers in. Aside from being visually appealing, digital displays allow businesses to employ content that seems much more dynamic. For example, they can use video and motion graphics, which have considerably more contrast, brightness, and color saturation than traditional signs could ever hope for.

Much Easier To Update the New Content

The primary drawback of static signage is usually once it is installed, changes cannot be made without starting over and necessitating costly reprinting. On the other side, digital signage may always be updated. For instance, it's not a big deal if you start a marketing campaign across all digital displays and it doesn't function as expected. Simply launch the digital signage CMS to make quick, in-the-moment changes. It really is that simple.

More Attention from the People

Unfortunately, static content quickly becomes stale. As we have stated, traditional signs won't be changed anytime soon once they are up. In contrast, digital signage is dynamic and ever-changing when used properly. You probably already know which one consumer prefer. This largely boils down to capabilities that enable businesses to automatically update the content displayed on the digital screens through the course of the day.

Instead of a static sign, that has only one use case, it gives businesses a way to use the digital signage for a number of use cases in addition to being more aesthetically acceptable to customers. An advertisement might appear on your screen one second, followed by some useful information in next, and then, ultimately, a reminder about a forthcoming occasion or offer.

[spinariosthorn]

Asagiri Gen's Hidden Talents

Can we just talk about how stunning Gen is? How many unique abilities and skills does he possess? And why is no one paying attention to it even though it's so absolutely amazing?

1)Let's start with the fact that he was able to track down Senku at first. Have you ever wondered how he did it so quickly and accurately? Alone? In the jungle? In an unfamiliar area?

We don't know the exact distances, but in chapter 90 we were shown that Tsukasa’s Empire is somewhere near Tokyo, and the Kingdom of Science is south of Mount Fuji (possibly near the cities of Ito or Izu). The distance is about 90-130 kilometers.

Before Senku noticed Kohaku’s smoke signals, he had not seen people in the area for almost a year. The inhabitants of Ishigami village are quite reserved and it is very problematic to find their traces. But Gen, who knows only an approximate description and general direction, managed to find the way without a guide, without professional tools and with very few traces in like ten days.

Gen managed to pave a path that was sufficiently effective and understandable so that even being seriously injured, he could find a way back to Tsukasa’ Empire.

It requires huge skills. I mean, travelers were found like several kilometers away from their routes, and they wandered for weeks without being able to find the way.

Just in general, the fact that he ran so fast severely injured and literally dying really deserves attention.

2)Then, his clothes. He does not carry any bags and supplies, although when we get to know him, we learn that he has a lot of things up his sleeves. He needs all these layers of clothing to keep all his materials. Not only for his blood bags, but also food, water and something that will help him find a way. All of his clothes probably weigh a lot more than they seem to weight.

Interesting to find out what is included in the standard equipment of a mentalist.

3)We also know that Gen must have an extensive stock of knowledge about nature. Senku survived because he had scientific knowledge about plants and geography. Tsukasa let Gen go alone, knowing that in floriography and orientation on the terrain, Gen has no less knowledge.

Plus, Gen was able to make wine and bags of durable material alone, which once again testifies to his knowledge in the scientific field. One more reason he and Senku tuned in to the same wave so quickly.

4)And he is also much stronger and a lot more athletic than he proclaims himself to be. Most likely, he is lying about his weakness in order to avoid unnecessary energy waste. Anyways, his words are definitely not to be believed. If he constantly repeats that he is "the most superficial man in the world", while being a boy with a heart of gold, then nothing prevents him from repeating about his weakness, although in fact he is still strong. 

For example, he stops with his BARE HANDS an axe strike of terribly strong Magma.

Then Stanley confirms that Gen's hands are strong.

And I repeat he is able to run a huge amount of kilometers a day and is still able to work like some kind of superhuman.

We should also not forget about his past as a magician. To do a high-quality show, Gen had to be very flexible and athletic. For example, here we are shown that he just easily avoided the trick with the sword. This once again confirms that he is agile.

Isn’t it amazing how he easily climbed onto the bridge pole, and then onto the roof? Plus no one notices that he is doing this, and he has no problems with balancing. It's not easy to get on the roof of this house at all, but it takes like couple of seconds for Gen.

This clearly indicates that Gen has a huge acrobatic training and an incredibly developed sense of balance. (I want his backstory so much!!)

5)And of course he is incredibly capable diplomat and mentalist.

He has done so many things for the kingdom of science, this is truly awesome.

So, to sum things up, Gen is not only an amazing mentalist and psychologist, he is also a traveler, a guide, a driver and an acrobat with amazing endurance and tracking abilities.

Stunning.

[tsuzuruteeth]

Vil Rant: Why His Overblot was Valid

So I’ve seen a lot of not so hot takes on Vil’s overblot. Some people believe that his reason for overblot wasn’t good enough in comparison to the others. Most of the others overblotted due to some trauma from their childhood that never really got resolved to sum it up very vaguely. Vil on the other hand, it seemingly wasn’t like that. Vil’s overblot was due to envy. Pure envy. 

Or was it?

It wasn’t. So as the resident Vil stan, I am going to take my time to explain why Vil’s overblot made sense and it isn’t as petty as some people think it is. 

Vil himself is a very mischaracterized character, so it’s no surprise that people are not seeing the full picture. 

Vil’s whole character is based on hard work. Most people would assume it’s beauty but it isn’t, at least not fully. For Vil, beauty isn’t his end goal but a tool to achieve his end goal, this is made clear in his overblot flashback. Now some people might not be convinced, but this isn’t a character analysis, so I’m not going to delve too deep into his values and why they’re his values for now. 

So the reason he overblotted, for the people who take Vil at face value anyway instead of learning his motives, is because he was jealous Neige was more beautiful than him. He overblotted out of envy because he couldn’t stand being second best. 

Now this isn’t wrong, but it isn’t the full picture. Too see the full thing playout I’m gonna run through a little Vil timeline with you. And “because I am so kind” and I know not everyone out there is a fan of Vil, so probably wouldn’t take the time to read his personal stories, I will stick to things mentioned in chapter 5. 

So starting from Vil’s childhood. We see this part in his overblot flashback but even as a child Vil would always get villain roles and because of this he is ostracized by the other children, apart from Jack (Just as a reference this is also mentioned in his robes sr personal story).  This didn’t really bother Vil much from what we saw, but it showed us that Vil was a bit more mature for his age, as being in the industry he probably had to be. 

Next thing we see is how Neige always gets the main parts while Vil is always the villain. So this is where Vil’s envy of Neige starts. However, at this stage in his life it’s not about his beauty, it’s because he gets the roles Vil wants. Vil then goes on to talk about how all he wants is to be the heroine for once, yet he knows this will never happen. He is mature enough to realise that life doesn't work that way, no matter how hard you work something can never be achieved, hence his frustration begins.

So throughout Chapter 5 we can see Neige be mentioned and Vil’s vows to defeat him. He constantly asks Mira about the beauty rankings only to see Neige be number one. Which doesn’t seem such a big deal at first, until you think about how much hard work Vil puts in. Although, if you think about it, it’s still a bit petty at this stage, which is why it doesn’t cause overblot just yet. However, it does make his previous childhood frustration towards Neige grow. 

Another thing that I feel I should mention quickly, is that Vil personally doesn’t really have anything against Neige himself per say, if it was someone else in Neige’s place he would be salty towards them. He really just hates the situation and circumstances, not Neige as a person. 

Anyway back to the timeline. This is where it starts to go wrong. The VDC rehearsal. Vil put effort into the performance. We saw how strict he was, how dedicated he was to make sure everything was perfect. He put his all into it. He even made the song and dance himself, and played a key role in the actual performance. He made that performance to perfection. He even was number one on the search results for the word “beauty”! Only for everyone to fuss over Neige. Neige did a remix of a nursery rhyme and it is mentioned that the choreo wasn’t in sync.When Vil checked Mira again, Neige was back to number one. This is what tipped Vil over the edge. 

I have seen some people claim that his actions were uncalled for and petty, because music isn’t just about being perfect, it’s for having fun and making everyone else enjoy your performance too! You don’t need to be perfect to perform well and make the audience love you! Vil should hold himself to lesser standards and realise it’s not a competition, everyone is beautiful and talented in their own way!

I see your point. I really do. But, I think you need to change your perspective a little to see what really is going on. 

Put yourself in Vil’s shoes for example. Imagine you worked really hard on something, like an art project. You slaved weeks over it, making sure it was the best quality it can be. Finally you put it into a competition. Only to be beat out with a drawing that is half complete and was finished the night before. Could you manage to tell yourself to just let it go? There’s value in all art right? So shouldn’t you just be happy for the winner? It might be the right thing to do, but can you honestly say that you wouldn’t be absolutely seething inside? After all you went through? All that effort? I know for a fact I would be fuming with rage. Maybe I’m just a bad, selfish person but it's true. Although I think most people would at least be a little upset at this outcome. And Vil was.

Now you may agree with my point above, but how does that justify Vil trying to KILL Neige? That’s the beauty of it. It doesn’t. Just like Riddle, all of Vil’s views came crashing down before him the moment people started to fawn over Neige. 

He always thought that hard work would get you to where you need to be, but he worked as hard as he could yet he still failed. Instead someone who hasn’t worked hard, someone who didn’t take the VDC seriously, someone who was only there for fun, beat him out. It didn’t help that he was given hope by being number one, only to have that hope snatched from him right after Neige performed. What is he supposed to do now? If he can’t beat Neige with talent, if he can’t beat Neige with hard work, how will he beat Neige? Easy. All he has to do is get rid of Neige. 

So yes, trying to kill Neige was extreme, but to Vil, that was the only way he thought he could beat him. 

You might be wondering why is it a competition in the first place? Simply because that’s the type of person Vil is. He doesn’t want to be second best, he’s a perfectionist so the only number that matters is being number one. 

But this doesn’t cause his overblot. This isn’t the snapping point for Vil. The snapping point was him realising what he had done, what he was about to do. He was about to do something ugly. He even mentions that it doesn’t matter if everyone forgives him, he can’t forgive himself. Then, he overblots. 

So, Vil’s overblot was a combination of frustration, high expectations and just all together feeling like he isn’t good enough. It’s probably the most relatable overblot so far, as I’m sure we’ve all been in a position where we’ve snapped because something seems hopeless no matter how hard we try. It’s easy to tell someone to stop holding themselves to such high standards, but as the saying goes, it’s easier said than done.

In terms of his after overblot, I don’t see Vil lessinging his normal standards, he will still try his best and make sure everyone around him does the same. He just maybe won’t compare himself to others as much. 

In conclusion, Vil’s overblot wasn’t uncalled for or petty, it actually made perfect sense. Thanks for listening or should I say reading my Ted Talk.

[ikroah]

Whiskey river, take my mind, don't let her memory torture me. Whiskey river, don't run dry, you're all I got, take care of me. —“Whiskey River,” Shotgun Willie (1973)

It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin’ #15 - Vegas Outskirts

Collaborative Issue! Guest Colorist: @malpaislegate​ / @socksual-innuendos​

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Read IKROAH on Archive of Our Own

Notes / Original Pencils / Transcript:

Notes:

MAN that’s gotta hurt!! Volume 2 kicks off with a bang, literally if you count the gunshot and honorifically if you count Socks’ knockout color job on this issue. Look at those lovingly rendered bullet wounds!! Muah!!!

It’s been a relief having a month off from the comic as I handled a bunch of other things but there’s a lot to look forward to in Volume 2, as you can probably tell from that very forboding fist clench at the end there. Will Agnes and Cass get the revenge they’re looking for? Can they make it big in Vegas? Will it keep right on a-hurtin’? Find out next ish as Cass leads Agnes to meet the first of their new “friends.”

Original Pencils:

The pencils for this issue are like an autopsy report of all the things that can go wrong with your art if you don’t plan ahead and pay attention. Listen, friend, to my tale of woe, and learn from my mistakes so they don’t become yours!

First, you can see a lot of places where there’s floating objects, empty backgrounds, and incomplete heads. Part of this is because I always intended to just copy and paste repeated elements across each panel instead of drawing them multiple times, but other times I was forced to just because of my lack of planning. The top three panels on page two, for example, required me to draw the background I’d use for them on a separate page.

Second, you can probably tell that I actually had to flip the two raiders around in the final lineart because I forgot to keep the hands their were holding their guns in consistent—and since I couldn’t flip the middle panel on the second page without ruining the composition, I decided to flip all of their other appearances so that they’d be lefties. I doubt you even can seamlessly wield those particular guns left-handed.

Third, the size of the cart that Agnes and Cass are kneeling behind changes CONSTANTLY and is dramatically oversized from the third page onward. After inking these pages, it took a lot of work to correct the inks and shrink that cart in each panel, but fortunately it came out looking good.

And finally, I completely redrew the second panel on the fifth page because it wasn’t until I had already handed he pages off to my colorist that I realized having a second profile shot of Cass so soon after a first one was just...redundant and lazy-looking. So I went back to my sketchbook and whipped up a much more unique, striking angle (I also just wasn’t satisfied with the quality of my art on that panel, so I’m very glad I redrew it). But again, my failure to plan ahead bit me in the ass and my redraw attempt wound up taking up a lot more space than I thought it would, so after inking it I had to basically surgically remove it from the other inks.

I’ll be honest with you folks: part of the reason that I work in such simple, thick, high-contrast lineart is because it’s very easy to make corrections and adjustments with stuff you could technically color in Microsoft Paint.

Transcript:

EXT. SOMEWHERE IN THE MOJAVE, morning. AGNES SANDS and ROSE OF SHARON CASSIDY stand over the wreckage of a caravan, scattered over a dirt road.

CASS: Hell.

EXT. SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE MOJAVE, midday. Looking over a second wrecked caravan, at the bottom of a ditch.

CASS: Fuck.

EXT. PRE-WAR HIGHWAY OUTSIDE OF VEGAS, mid-afternoon. AGNES and CASS survey a third wrecked caravan.

CASS: Shit. The proof is in the pudding. Or the pile of ash, rather. These attacks were done with Van Graff guns for Crimson Caravan caps. I'm sure of it.

As CASS explains her theory to AGNES, a short distance from the caravan two RAIDERS peer at the two of them from inside a barn at a ruined farmstead. They have snake-bite tattoos on the sides of their shaved heads and are holding rifles.

CASS: The scorchmarks and residue in the wreckages? That's energy weapon shit. Plasma and laser. Silver Rush special. Not like it'd be the Brotherhood. And Crimson Caravan must have bankrolled this fucked-up little hunting trip themselves.

The RAIDERS move out from the barn, sneaking up on two passers-by who’ve stopped at the caravan wreckage.

CASS: That explains why they bought me out...they needed the last loose end to saddle up back west with a tidy sum.

(NOTE: *Agnes delivered it and Cass signed it in IKROAH #7—Lou.)

CASS: It's a racket, Agnes: torch the local competition and it's win-win for both the f—

SFX: KRAK

A gunshot rips out from one of the RAIDERS’ rifles and sears across CASS’ shoulder.

CASS (gasping): —uckers.

CASS slumps down beneath the overturned caravan wagon on the road, clutching her shot shoulder.

CASS: —Aaggghghhhhhhh.

AGNES: Cass! Are you—

CASS: Fuck! Agnes, get down you moron!

AGNES ducks behind the cover of the wooden caravan wagon just as another gunshot splinters the top lip of it.

SFX: DTHWAK!

The RAIDERS advance on CASS and AGNES’ position, firing at them from off the road.

SFX: KRAK

AGNES leans over the top of the wagon with her pistol, returning fire.

SFX: BTAK BTAK BTAK

AGNES lands a shot right in one of the RAIDERS’ guts, and she drops her weapon and falls down.

SFX: SPLUT

CASS, leaning out the side of the wagon, takes as careful of aim as she can with her shotgun by holding it with her good arm. Trembling, she fires, connecting with the other RAIDER.

SFX: KBLAM

The would-have-been RAIDERS are dead.

AGNES: ...were those the Van Graffs?

CASS: No. Just some vultures.

CASS leans back behind cover to sit against the bottom of the overturned wagon again, wincing from her shoulder injury.

CASS: Ugghhn.

AGNES (slipping off duffel bag): Cass, your shoulder—

CASS: Yeah, it's been shot. I'm pretty fucking aware.

AGNES (unzipping bag): Quick, can you take your shirt off—

CASS: What!?

AGNES: —so I can dress the wound, Cass!

CASS: Oh! Good! So you weren't coming onto me on what remains of Griffin Wares Caravan.

CASS starts removing her shirt while AGNES produces a bottle of something from her duffel bag, and dampens a rag with its contents.

CASS: And since when are you a fucking field medic, anyway?

AGNES: 2269. NCR Certified.

CASS: What?

AGES: Yeah. I've been one kind of doctor or another since I was six.

CASS: What?

AGNES: Now hold still, this is antiseptic.

CASS: Since you were six!? I...shit, wait, hang on, Agnes—

AGNES pressess the rag onto CASS’ shoulder wound, and CASS winces instinctively. But, confusingly, there isn’t any pain.

CASS: ...isn't this supposed to sting like hell?

AGNES: No, not really. It's an acetic acid solution. Vinegar, basically.

AGNES begins cleaning the wound with the rag.

CASS: I thought you put alcohol on wounds to clean them.

AGNES: That's...a common misconception. It's good for tools, maybe, but too strong for skin. And it can complicate healing if you apply it directly.

CASS: So you're telling me, all my years, I've been wasting good whiskey only making my boo-boos worse?

AGNES: I mean...it's better than nothing in a pinch, but...

CASS: Well, then. Thanks for the lecture, doc. Can you just pass the whiskey anyway? Shoulder still hurts like hell regar—

AGNES hands her the whiskey bottle. She’d already gotten it out.

CASS: —dless. Oh. Thanks.

AGNES unspools a roll of bandages in her hands, then begins wrapping it over CASS’ shoulder and across her chest..

AGNES: So. It's a relatively minor wound, more of a deep graze than a real gunshot.

CASS: You'd know all about real gunshots, huh?

AGNES (unfazed): Uh-huh. I can suture it if necessary, but for now, these bandages will be fine. Just hold still. How do you feel?

CASS: I feel fucking pissed, Agnes!

AGNES recoils, taken aback slightly.

CASS: As I was saying before I got shot in the shoulder—which, however "minor" the wound, is real fucking close to my head, Agnes—this wasn't some random attack. These caravans, my caravan, got hit by the Van Graffs and Crimson Caravan. It ain't just some tragedy anymore. Now I've got names. Places. Faces.

AGNES resumes bandaging CASS.

CASS: I told you—ow! Don't pinch my tit, dammit—

AGNES: I said hold still.

CASS: —I told you, when you told me about this guy who shot you...when I let you drag me out of that fucking outpost...and when we went to Boulder City...that I would do the exact same thing in your shoes. Now, it is the exact same thing. This fucker shoots your eye out, these fuckers ash my caravan...these same fuckers I sold my own goddamn name to on a piece of paper. I mean...what else are we doing out here, Agnes? Getting shot at by Khans and Raiders just for kicks? Are we just fucking around?

AGNES finishes bandaging CASS, then leans back, pensive.

AGNES: No...no, I really guess we’re not.

CASS: That's what I thought. Your friend in Vegas can wait. Help me get mine, and we can get that shitheel together, and that's a prom—

CASS raises her arm  to shake her fist as she speaks, straining her shoulder injury.

CASS: —mmmmmmghhhh. Ooww, oww, oww, oww...

CASS grabs her shoulder in pain while AGNES looks off in the distance and stands up. She looks out towards the horizon—towards VEGAS, and the pre-war casinos and hotels that still gleam and glitter in blinding sunlight.

Her fist clenches. Her brow furrows. Her body tenses, all over, staring at that city, that place.

The caravan wreckage remains alone on the highway, brahmin bones long picked clean by scavengers.

AGNES SANDS IN: IT KEEPS RIGHT ON A HURTIN’

VOLUME 2: MAKE IT BIG IN VEGAS

[nice-kill-tanaka]

🌄Hikaru + Tease Crush🌌

Summary: Aaaa idk tsundere hikaru brain go brrrrrr,.

A/N: Lowkey, I’m not too sure about this one. But, how good it is comes down to how well it’s received by you guys. It’s in your hands now tumblr!!

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🌗Hikaru Hitachiin🌗

You, a new second year at Ouran Middle School, happened to meet Hikaru and Kaoru in a once in a blue moon situation

✨Separately✨

You and your parents were commoners from another region of Japan. But, due to trying times, you were sent to live with your impossibly wealthy grandparents to finish your education while your parents got back on their feet

So, you clearly had no idea how to navigate what felt like the world’s biggest campus

Taking initiative, you decided to take a free period to mentally map out at least the middle school campus. You were not about to be late to every single class again, lest you start getting detention

You were somewhere near the courtyard when you heard soft, delicate sobs from around the corner, followed by fast footsteps leading away from you

You quickened your pace to at least see what was going on, and the scene you walked in on told you everything you needed to know

The sobs were coming from a girl in your year, who seemed eager to get away from the courtyard. And leaning on the pillar on the bend, was a tall redhead who looked far too satisfied with himself. At least if your assumptions were correct

You decided not to go off on the boy right away, so you wouldn’t embarrass yourself

“Ah...Did I intrude on something?”

The boy apparently hadn’t noticed you until you said something, but quickly regained his composure

“Nah, you had good timing. We were just finishing up.”

“...We?”

Hikaru suddenly remembered

You were new to Ouran. And at this point, you probably haven’t memorized faces yet. Even if they were identical

That, and the fact that Kaoru was still behind a bush watching everything play out, was enough for Hikaru to try something new

“Me and that girl you saw, I mean.”

“Yeah, alright. What’s your deal with her, by the way? She didn’t sound too happy.”

Hikaru shrugged, “Dishonesty, disloyalty, stuff like that. I just gave her a piece of my mind and she couldn’t handle it.”

“Hm, I figured she couldn’t. She’s crying pretty hard.”

“Then she shouldn’t have been trying to sneak around with other guys.”

Alright...you halfway understood the guy. If you were in his shoes, you’d at least want to do something similar. But, going out of your way to emotionally decimate someone that clearly isn’t worth your time? Seems a little excessive

‘But, hey,’ you thought. ‘To each their own.’

You kept your composure around the boy, shrugging and turning to walk away. “I get that. What did you say your name was?”

“Mm? Hikaru.”

“Hikaru. If that girl’s really as horrible as you say she is, I think it’s hilarious that you’d give her pathetic ass the time of day.”

That jab technically wasn’t aimed at Hikaru, but the way you said it. The way you turned back slightly to flash a shit-eating grin at him. It was clear your comment was meant to say more about Hikaru than the girl he told off

In short, Hikaru ended up not liking you

Meeting Kaoru went a bit more smoothly

Since you were in Class B at the time (you were to transfer to Class A next semester), you didn’t actually gather that the asshole you met the other day had a whole brother. So, that case of whiplash was particularly strong

During a lunch period within the same year, you decided to sit alone. Nothing personal really, but being around twenty-four other kids your age with such a high amount of tunnel vision gets suffocating at a certain point

Not too far away, Hikaru had gotten up to use the bathroom, leaving Kaoru to his own devices for a bit

It wasn’t long before he found a familiar face in you, sitting alone and looking rather bored

Of course, Kaoru hadn’t personally talked to you yet. The only things he heard about you were from Hikaru, which still wasn’t much, considering that his brother seemed too embarrassed and pissed to say anything beyond: “They’re an asshole. They’re not worth talking to.”

But, regardless of Hikaru’s first impression of you, Kaoru thought it would be fun to mess with you for a bit

I’m fully convinced you have the eagle eye, because you noticed Kaoru before he even said anything

“If you’re still pressed about what I said the other day, Hikaru, trust me, I was just messing with you.”

Damn at least let him speak 💀

Kaoru noticed that even though you thought he was Hikaru, your posture and tone held no animosity. You seemed relaxed, even sending a half smile Kaoru’s way

Your aura felt overall likable, so what could you have said to Hikaru to tick him off so much??

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I actually almost forgot about that.”

Immediately, something didn’t click with you

“You sound different today, man. Everything okay?”

...What??

Kaoru wasn’t sure how you figured it out, but no one was usually able to tell the difference between his and Hikaru’s voices and speech patterns, period. Let alone upon hearing both twins once separately

“What do you mean...? I’ve always sounded like this?”

“Hm, must be a bad case of laryngitis then. How’s your twin doing, by the way?”

Kaoru’s expression didn’t betray much, but your knowing and lighthearted smile sure did

He originally wasn’t going to tell you the whole truth. But, you seemed like you’d be too much fun (given some time) to pass up getting on your good side!

It almost felt strange, inviting someone else into his and Hikaru’s little world. But, even if you were just a toy for now, you were someone Kaoru wanted to keep around 

Kaoru introduced himself with his real name while he explained his relationship with Hikaru, and your face was priceless

Sure, you knew that the boy in front of you wasn’t acting like the Hikaru you met a few days back. But, the twin brother thing was a complete shot in the dark!!

But, Kaoru laughed and dragged you and your lunch to his and Hikaru’s table

Ooh, when I say Hikaru was NOT thrilled??

He was seething when you gave him that same look as before

“Hey there, Heartbreaker. Nice to see you again.” 😊😊🙃🙃

Hikaru flushed as Kaoru tried to hide his giggles behind his hand

Yeah, that kind of sums up your dynamic 😂

From then on, whenever you were around the twins, you drove a clear wedge in their “identical” personalities. Just by the fact that you treated them both differently

Kaoru was your partner in crime, playing along with your jokes and often taking more agency in making decisions than usual. You were both mature, yet mischievous, so you were often on the same page

We stan compatible friends 👏😌

Hikaru...was kind of your sentient punching bag

From your first conversation with him to now, you gathered that Hikaru had a weirdly prominent petty streak, with some emotional constipation on the side. All of this, manifesting in a semi-childish, stubborn mess with a hair-trigger temper (At least, when it comes to you and Kaoru poking at him)

You weren’t exactly intent on improving those flaws (Since it’s technically not your job to fix the vices of others), but you most certainly let Hikaru know that those qualities weren’t something to be proud of. Especially when he let them get the better of him

And you did just that by teasing the hell out of him

“Aww, is little Hikaru upset that Italian isn’t being served at lunch today??”

“Ooh, don’t get too angry! You might pop a vein.”

“Y’know, you’d think a normal human being wouldn’t blush as much as you do. Are you really that bothered by me?”

Yes! He was!

He felt bothered and threatened because you dragged out every single flaw that no one (not even Kaoru) dared to call out until now. Not that he could give a name to that feeling an the moment

You were surprisingly clairvoyant for someone that strategically abused that fact. You always had an upper hand, and that wasn’t something Hikaru was used to

But, after a while, his frequent showcases of embarrassment began happening for a different reason

In between all of the teasing, you were never downright mean to Hikaru. You were just as nice to him as you were to Kaoru

Hikaru often enjoyed the bentos you made the twins on random days (Though, he failed to admit it on a regular basis)

When the teacher was going a little too fast, you’d always let Hikaru copy off of your notes

And man, you sure did look good at the beginning of the day...when the morning sun lights up your eyes, and-

Oh...

Oh no.

So, that’s why every time you’d get on Hikaru’s case, he would get flustered and look away. He liked you??

Hikaru can’t let anyone know about this. Especially you.

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[🌌Take this for your travels, bud. Don’t worry about paying me or anything, everything’s on the house! Though 🍁likes🍁 and ☘️reblogs☘️ are appreciated!🌄] — Reagan

[tedturneriscrazy]

Here's Eclipse Lake, an episode that has been highly anticipated! Will it top Knock, Knock, Knockin' On Hooty's Door?

I'll skip the pretense: No. It won't.

You'll see under the cut.

Hmm, that list of ingredients for the Grimwalker...I'll let other people theorize about this (like @sepublic ), but it sure looks like a thing

Guess the mysterious green goo won't cut it, huh?

Belos face reveal already?! Huh, didn't expect it so soon.

Oh, no, he's hot! (And I'm mad about it)

Still an ass, though

Now we know why Hunter was wearing a different outfit (because people fixated on that for some reason)

Amity with the clipboard gives me strong Dipper vibes

GHOST! My beloved!

I need a moment because CAT!

(Also, someone pointed out earlier that Ghost was based on Dana's cat, and that's super obvious in hindsight)

Raine?! Oh, wait, you mean rain. Sigh.

Eda gets training tips from DBZ confirmed

(Also Amity's face when reacting to Eda's explanation is priceless)

Oh God Eda's a weeb I need another moment

Damn, Amity just straight up calling Eda old

Oh, loopy Luz

(The abomination holding the tissue box is adorable for many reasons)

Yeah, don't want Luz to eat the McGuffin

I have several questions about those Tamagotchis that I'll refrain from listing here

Amity your Odalia is showing

Girlfriend counter: 1

(Yes I am introducing a counting gag, deal with it)

Was wondering if they were ever gonna reference the dissection incident. We've come a long way, baby!

Oh, so that's what everyone was looking at

Luz honey your enthusiasm is admirable but no

Luz burrito is quite cute, though

Girlfriend counter: 2

(Damn, still wild to think that that's the case)

Just occurred to me that "Boots" is probably shortened from "Bossyboots" from earlier

Guess the Luz hiss compilation needs to be updated again

Those tunnels ain't the only thing around here that's unstable, amirite?

Oops, guess Kiki was justified, after all

Maybe don't talk so loudly about your plans, dude

That is her son, get it right!

Serves you right for having that stupid strand of hair sticking out like that

Is this just the episode where everyone dunks on White Boy? Because I can totally get behind that.

Already mentioned this, but I am loving the parallels between Katara and Amity with that bottle of abomination goo. Insert obligatory "Two Nickels" meme here about Mae Whitman.

We really are just dunking on the white boy and I am living for it

Hooty had to get it from somewhere, I suppose

Nothing says mother-son bonding like shooting things at each other (see also: Separate Tides)

I'm sure the magic bouncing off the veins won't come into play later at all

Oh well, at least the echolocation looked cool

At this point Amity would kill Hunter for a Klondike bar

Wait why does Hooty need a chair

Willow with the galaxy brain ideas

"A bad but sad boy" Luz is a genius at succinctly summing people up

Kikimora continues to be unhinged. Ironically she's not wrong about Hunter.

Motherfucker stop acting like you know what that says

(Also, projecting much?)

Girlfriend counter: 3

Friendly reminder that Hunter is still an antagonist

Uh oh

UH OH

I know someone mentioned Willow having the brain cell, but honestly it seemed like Luz had it this whole time. And that's not good.

WHY IS FOOL'S BLOOD EVEN A THING

Aaaaand cue the getting screwed over

Further reminder that he's still an antagonist (Apparently there's a vocal segment who's Really Mad at him that seem to forget this fact)

You unhand Ghost right now!! And Amity too, I guess.

(I kid, she's literally my second favorite character)

For what she did to Raine it warms my heart to know Kiki has had zero peace of mind

Wait, the Abomatons are Transformers?! Okay, that's kind of awesome, actually. Alador might be a shit dad but he is a brilliant inventor.

Chucking kids off cliffs is a surpisingly common pastime in the Boiling Isles

Owlbert no!

Eda did spend literal decades fighting the Owl Beast within, so I guess she can't be blamed for not thinking to talk to it

Also hurry up guys I'm very concerned about Owlbert

Fuck yeah Harpy Milf!

Yay Ghost returns!

She's glad they're okay (I didn't need to take this, I just thought it was cute. Also this is surprisingly high quality considering I just took a photo of my TV screen)

Oh, so they do have video games in the Demon Realm. That or Luz introduced them.

Trailer shot!

Oh dear, we about to have a fight over the key

Wow, being so high ranking under Belos is really bad for mental health

Jesus Christ Belos what have you been putting in this poor kid's head?

Leave it to King to give radical recontextualizations

Amity, I'm glad you remembered/realized this about Luz, please don't let the sad white boy play you like that again

Also, I appreciate the gesture you're making, and it's a wonderful summary of your character development, but goddamnit he's gonna go for that key because he's STILL AN ANTAGONIST

"Being nice usually works for Luz!" A) Not always, and B) Amity I love you but Luz you are not. A valiant attempt nonetheless.

Ooh, cool fight scene!

Always lovely to see such superb animation

I was privately griping about not seeing Amity use magic for so long, and now I am fed

Don't think I didn't hear the glass breaking

Appreciate your ass from a hole in the ground, Golden Boy!

(jk I don't actually feel that strongly about him still. That kind of threat still isn't cool, though)

Oh so that's why it's the Common Mold!

It's kinda cute, actually. Or maybe it's just because it's Luz.

TIL Hooty is heat resistant

Apparently Owl Beast just wanted a snack

Girlfriend counter: 4

Also love how calling Amity her awesome girlfriend is literally the first thing Luz says to her upon returning.

Yesssss return the hug! You deserve it!

(I know there are higher quality versions of this screenshot, I just didn't feel like looking around)

King demands huggies, too! (And gets 'em)

Reminder that Amity is smart as hell. I knew that glass breaking indicated something!

So once again I've been had. I let the fandom trick me into thinking this episode would be way more intense. Guess that one screenshot was from the next episode.

Overall this was...fine. Some nice Lumity moments, Harpy Eda strutting her stuff, that gorgeously animated fight sequence; those were all lovely.

I do wish Willow and Gus had a bit more to do. And I'm still rather unenthusiastic about Hunter, to be honest. I've seen his type several times before, and the path they have for him is rather obvious. I may never share the fandom's love for him, and I guess I'll have to deal with that.

Anybody who says this was better than KKKOHD is a damn fool.

Mid season finale next week! I think Yesterday's Lie will finally bring the pain!

[somanyerikas]

Nostalgia sells - or does it? About BBC’s rehiring of a previous showrunner for Doctor Who as a marketing strategy

All, right, this is the one where I deal with my issues about RTD’s rehiring from the standpoint of BBC’s business strategy . Brace for passive agression, swearwords, brief history of british television and numbers. So, so many numbers.

Allright, so I already wrote a post about my problem with RTD’s (re)hire from the creative standpoint (it’s here in case you’re interested), but hey, I can bitch about it all I want, but we all know what caused the BBC to make this decision, right? You’ve heard about it for sure. The Dropping Ratings. You’ve read about it on so many posts, lots of them probably oh-so-gladly conflating this fact with their own opinion about the deteriorating quality of the show. (Don’t worry, we’ll get to that.) So Obviously the execs at the Big BBC Quarters needed to do something about it, and what better way to go than rehire a guy who’s run at Doctor Who is a warm childhood memory for so many in it’s fanbase? After all, it’s what we’re seeing nowadays: from Star Wars return to wave of 80′s nostalgia to every old blockbuster star doing a comeback, there is but a single conclusion - nostalgia sells.

Or does it?

Part One: Moving with the change; or very much refusing to.

Let’s start this off with some facts about the ratings for Doctor Who. (Well, I warned you there’s gonna be numbers, didn’t I. Stick with me, I’m going somewhere with this I promise.) In it’s beginnings, in the sixties and seventies , the series flown high, averaging a viewership from 8 up to 10 million viewers per season. Collin Baker’s series 17 brought in a record of 11.21 milion viewer asses in front of a good ol’ TV screen, real champagne opener here. But, as it happens, things were downhill from here. During the eighties, the rating started dropping steadily, reaching an all-time low of 4.15 milion couch-warming bottoms in 1989, the last season of the classic era. 

Years passed, 16 of those years to be exact, and here comes our saviour RTD. Under his wings, the revived series premiered, bringing in over 10 milion viewers to the premiere episode of season 1, Rose. A viewership this high did not last for long, but still, RTD’s seasons averaged between 7 and 8 milion viewers per season, which seemed pretty respectable. But then, as the story likes to repeat itself, not unlike the bbc execs just did, along came the decline again. Ever since 2010, the ratings began steadily dropping again, from 7.95 in 2010 to 5.46 in 2017. Then DW experienced an unexpected peak in 2018 with the premiere of Jodie Whittaker’s first season, which averaged 7.96 viewing asses, but then continued the dropping trend on the next season, averaging 5.40 viewing butts.

So what went wrong?

You see, part of the reason that Doctor Who was bringing in such great viewership numbers in the 60′s and 70′s, was that, to put it simply, BBC did not have much competition. Or, to be exact, only had one competitor. ITV was literally founded in order to break BBC’s monopoly over British television. But in the 80′s, with the launch of Channel 4 and Sky, the british viewers had more and more options to choose from. So logically speaking, they no longer had to watch BBC’s programming just because there was nothing else on. There was more and more new programes to boredom-watch. And here’s something y’all need to know about the tv industry: the boredom-watchers, the casuals? That’s the most important demographic. As hard as it might be to swallow, us hardcore fans, forum dwellers and Ao3 gremlins, we’re not as big of a group as we’d like to think. Loving fans are important to the tv execs as providers of word-of-mouth advertisment, but the real numbers come from the casual, everyday viewer who will just put on the next episode cause the other one was kinda fun I guess. Or more fun than the other options, anyway.

And this is why, by the way, when someone is conflating low viewership with the show Dissapointing The Fans, they’re full of shit. I’m sorry, but we’re really not that much of a force here, definitely not enough to make such a big impact on the numbers. Another factor, that some of you probably noticed already, is that the numbers I’m quoting are from british tv only, while the online fandom is very much international, so our opinions matter even less to the british execs, I’m sorry again, hard pill to swallow I know, but true nonetheless.

But I digress. So, to sum up the previous paragraph, Doctor Who’s viewership decline in the 80′s was the effect of the changing landscape of the TV industry, with which the BBC struggled to come to terms with.

Sound familiar?

Let’s move on to the 2010′s, shall we?

2010 was is actually a good marker of a year to choose, because it marks one important thing that begun a big change in the industry. This was the year in which Netflix expanded their services overseas, from being a DVD rental company to providing VOD services. Over the next decade streaming services grew in importance, from being an add-on to your cable TV that you didn’t really want but they were throwing it in for cheap, to very much self-sustainable media services you might very well buy instead of buying the cable. And if you look at the numbers for Doctor Who viewership declining over the last 10 years, that’s precisely what’s been happening. It’s not that people don’t want to watch Doctor Who on tv, they don’t want to watch tv in general. Do you know what was the most popular channel in Britain this year? Can you guess? Fucking Netflix that’s what. It’s just slowly-yet-steadily ceasing to be the way we use home entertainment anymore. Again, not much to do with the audience approval, because for that matter, let’s see about the specific episodes that saw the spikes in viewership. 

Rose, which i mentioned at the start of it, was for the longest time the unquestionable queen when it comes to viewership, at 10.81 milion. The next episode, The End of the World, pulled in 7.97 - almost 3 millions worth of lost viewer-butts in one week? Is it because it was so much worse than it’s predecessor? No, it simply did not have the smell of Newness, the Event You Must See, and as such brought forth less of the casual viewers who were simply curious about The New Thing. The next season followed the similar formula, peaking at the premiere, when the marketing was at it’s strongest, going down during the season, sometimes rising slightly for the finale, sometimes not. The most popular episodes are, of course, the specials - yet again, the vibe of The Event To Be Seen worked here, but one more thing working to their advantage is they often aired in spaces between seasons, serving as both a long-waited Crumbs of Content for the fans, and the basically stand-alones for the casuals. Do you know what the single most watched episode of revived DW is? No, it’s not Tennant’s goodbye with the role (yeah I know, I thought it had to be that as well). It was Voyage of the Damned, between seasons 3 and 4. The perfect standalone for the casual watcher. And last but not least, you know one more special feature that brought, maybe not as much, but definitely more than expected? The 1996 movie Doctor Who, with 9.08 million. Again, a perfect standalone.

But the standalones aren’t the only way to grab the viewership. The currently-highest viewing non-special episode of DW? The Woman Who Fell to Earth, Jodie Whittaker’s introduction. In 2018 no less, in the year when the streaming was the ruler supreme, this episode brought a whooping 10.96 million buts to the good ol’ TV again. Let me reiterate: this episode brought in more viewers than Rose did in 2005, while having WAY more competition and way less favorable circumstances of release that RTD’s debiut did. Not only that, it managed to bring on some numbers for the entire season as well, not as good of course as the premiere (because again, the Event vibes faded), but still brought a better average than the last six seasons did. (Again, let me reiterate: more than the last SIX seasons. More viewership than any series since 2010, since the Streaming Wars.) So clearly, this must be the way, right? Catering to this Weird New Trend, that saw directors notice there do in fact exist other actors than white men, that surely brought in some profit, even Marvel does it now, right? Out with the old, in with the new!

Part 2 The Deceitful Charm of Nostalgia

Well, it turns out the whole Doing New Things deal didn’t work out that well after all, now did it? The second season penned by Chibbnal averaged 5.40 milion, that’s 2.5 million drop from the previous one! It must mean it didn’t work, right? Well, yes and no. As much as the refreshment of the formula as simple as Let’s Put A Woman In It absolutely worked for one season, it very visibly did not hold up for longer. An Event-Episode is something that can still happen on TV, Event-Series? That’s pretty much reserved for streaming now, if you think about it, and it’s honestly kind of a miracle that Series 11 did as well as it had. Two consecutive Event-Series on network tv? Flat out impossible. 

So how to make those ratings great again? How to get those butts in seats of the Good Ol’? Well, the execs of the BBC have a plan for that. They brought in a devouring beast, and it’s name is: Nostalgia.

Without a doubt, there is a number of people who feel nostalgic about RTD’s era of Doctor Who. It’s a lot of people’s fond childhood memory, or the series they started with, and judging by the numbers, there should be quite a lot of them. So the new plan, as it appears, is to get to those who maybe lost interest in the show and lure them with the promise of the thing That Is Totally Like The Thing You Used To Love, Remember? (This is why I don’t actually think that RTD will be allowed to do anything new and interesting, that’s not what they hired him for. And that’s why I think this is bad from the creative standpoint.) So there are two questions here: One, will the people be lured? And two, for how long?

Nostalgia as a marketing strategy is something that you’re probably sick of seeing already (I know I am). But it has very much been effective on many levels, especially the eighties-baiting, Stranger Things style, can bring a new IP up to relevance. But what about old IP’s that want to have a comeback? 

It’s kind of dificult to find another TV show that I could compare to Doctor Who. Most series that have been running for that long are mostly soap operas, that operate on slightly different rules, and are also targeted to a different audience. So as much as the movie series is still not exactly the best comparison, when I think about a big IP, campy sci-fi, family-oriented (at least in theory) on its path back to relevance, I think about Star Wars, obviously. The Force Awakens gambled on that nostalgic feeling and won big, but the next two movies, while still financially successful, were nowhere near the astounding success of the first one. And that’s because - you guessed it - it created the Event You Must See again, The Great Comeback, but merely two years later, the comeback became old news. So what we can gain from that is that nostalgia can create an Event as well as a new trend, if not better. But the question remains: how long will that last?

That is, after all, the main difference between a movie franchise and a TV series in the traditional, network TV sense of the word: movie franchise must bring in the viewership every year or two, and TV series must bring in viewers every week for at least two months. Is RTD’s Nostalgia Vibes enough to provide for that?

I’ll say this: I’m absolutely certain that the 60th anniversary will be very popular. I still don’t think it will break any records because, as I’ve been trying to explain for this whole post, it is not 2007 anymore no matter how much the tv execs would like it to be. But ironically, the almost-certain success of the special is the very thing that could undermine the effect of bringing their precious Nostagia Boi back onboard. Remember, the first Event Episode is The Big Oof. That’s the one that gets asses to the Good Ol’, if anything ever does. After the first big event one, that’s the point when things start going down. They’re wasting their Special Event Boi for something that already would be an event, dear fucking gods, I hate your plan and I would still execute it better. Either have RTD be the Anniversary Guy and then hire someone new, use that hype and keep it going, OR have RTD come in after the anniversary, then at least you get the Event Effect for the premiere of his first return season. Fukin’ amateurs.

But even if they did that, here’s the thing: do you think that the people who departed from the show years ago actually want to watch another three to five seasons of The RTD Show? I mean, I’m sure the thought warmed some hearts, for sure. A number of people will definitely gladly watch the anniversary, probably the first few episodes of the first return to the basics, but after that? In the world when, due to streaming, they have an easy way to revisit the actual thing they’re nostalgic towards? I honestly don’t think so. And you’re not really gonna get many new people by going back, if that nostalgia factor isn’t there. And then there’s casual viewers, the backbone, as we established. And here’s the thing: lots of those people don’t even know who the current showrunner is, cause they’re not Terminally Online like we are, and the second thing? Lots of those people ARE JUST NOT WATCHING NETWORK TV, IM SORRY GARRY. They’re just. They’re just not. I don’t know how to spell it out better. Even my mum has netflix now. Your biggest base is in another castle mate, gotta get moving and gotta get moving quick, cause here’s another thing: all the nostalgia in the world will not do SHIT for you if your target, people who were kids/teens when the RTD era was airing, PROBABLY DON’T EVEN HAVE A FUCKING TV ANYMORE CAUSE THEY MOVED OUT OF THEIR PARENTS FLAT AND LOTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE JUST DON’T BOTHER. Just. I’m sorry but you’re trying to resuscitate a decade-deceased corpse there buddy. It just won’t work. The times have changed and you gotta swim or drown, and it’s just not gonna be 2005 again, no matter how hard you pretend it is. It’s not your content it’s your business model. Just push more marketing for your iplayer or whatever, focus on streaming as your primary not your secondary cause that’s just what it is now, and maybe don’t rely on the viewer-counting systems of the yesteryear to evaluate your business. Or else you’re gonna get stuck sacrificing the creative growth of your show for a marketing strategy that probably won’t even fucking WORK.

There, I got it of my chest. Feel free to reblog, and also: you somehow got to the end of this, congrats! I’ll make numbers nerds out of y’all yet.

[weaselle]

here’s the truth about drugs if you’re wondering.

They are fun, awesome, sometimes damn near holy experiences. Even bears and moose and dolphins get drunk and high, it seems like a pretty natural part of this earth; I think almost everyone should have the opportunity to have a good drug experience.

BUT.

There are two things to address. Addiction, and the other big problem with drugs. Which I’ll get to.

First, a lot of what we associate with addiction, things like not taking care of yourself as you devote more and more of yourself to the drug... those things are probably actually signs that our Rat Park is outta wack. Lemme explain. 

No, is too much, let me sum up.

early experiments showed that captive rats, when presented with a food button and a heroine button, would sometimes only use the heroine button, and starve to death even though they knew they could have food at any time. But then another scientist one day years later said “y’know, those rats were kept in small sterile individual cages in a lab - they didn’t really have much to live for to begin with.” So he made a Rat Park, with everything a rat need: wheels to run in and a variety in their diet and a couple little puzzle-y toys and they lived in a group together because rats are social creatures like us but with plenty of space for rats to get some alone time or not want to be on the same side of the habitat as That One Rat because rats are social creatures like us.

And also heroine. There was one colored dish in one place with water, and another colored dish in another place with water and also heroine.

And they found that the rats would use the heroine recreationally, occasionally, and overall preferred the water without it. They definitely didn’t starve themselves to death over it. 

But that doesn’t make addiction any less real. It’s just something to realize. It’s less about any kind of personal failure, and more about a societal failure. And there is definitely a chemical component too, that with repeated usage is capable of literally rewiring parts of the brain, so like, addiction is a serious thing. But there are ways around it, mostly focused on very controlled and rare usage, with some kind of social component.

But the SECOND big problem with drugs is, basically, they get worse the more you do them. 

Like, the first few times you take a drug, it’s going to be way better than the next few times. Which will be better than the next few times after that. The drug is running the same chemical program on your brain wires, but they aren’t as excited to tell you.

WHICH MEANS. If you’re going to do drugs, it should be planned (what will I be doing, where will I be) overseen or guided (the ideal guide A has done it before and B is sober this time, but at minimum there should be other people there and someone in the group should have researched it) and scheduled (once or twice a year? five times in your whole life?). 

It should be treated like a special, nearly once in a lifetime experience, because the next time you do this drug, it’s not going to be as good. It might be almost as good, you might not notice, but by the tenth time it’s going to be really noticeable. And it gets much more noticeable as time goes on. The more you space out the usage, the smaller the difference in quality - if you do a crazy drug for the very first time on Friday and then again on Saturday, there is almost certainly going to be a very big difference in the quality of your experience. Whereas if you wait a whole year or more, the difference might be so slight you decide you actually liked the second time better.

Sure, maybe you choose to go on a little run. Maybe you decide, this is the summer I do a bunch of acid, and then that’s your lifetime’s experience with LSD. But do that shit on purpose, not accidentally. Really decide what you are going to experience each time, because with every drug, the first few are magical, and it’s all down hill from there. All the negatives remain (and tend to stack). All the positives keep diminishing. 

(which is why it’s a good idea for everyone to agree to save a couple big ones and a couple medium ones for medical use, because pain relievers work the same way and if you get hit by an SUV driving through the front of a Starbucks some fine day you’ll be glad you didn’t spend any recreation time building up an immunity to whatever the hospital is going to give you when they cut your leg open and bolt a metal rod to the bone. Or whatever)

With the common stuff, like caffeine, THC, and alcohol, you want reasonably moderate usage when using (don’t use an absurd amount) and you want a solid more-days-sober-than-not usage ratio. Having to stop and work out wether you’ve had more days off it than on it is probably a good sign you should cut back. Like, dumping too much of that stuff through your system is stressful for your body on many levels, be nicer to yourself than that. And even caffeine and weed, tho less acutely, are subject to the diminishing returns rule of drugs. It all gets less good the more you do it. So ration it a bit, give yourself the best experiences you can. 

And lastly, for gods sake, wait until you’re solidly mid 20′s. Like have A joint each year in highschool or whatever, but the human brain isn’t finished forming until about 25, and you don’t want to fuck with that. All the ways it sucks to feel when you’re a teenager? That’s the LAST STUFF your brain figures out how to deal with, like, on a physical level, and it uses chemicals to do that -- don’t throw a bunch of outside chemicals into the mix, that’s not good. Wait until you’re like 25, don’t be in such a godsdamn rush.

source: I waited until I was 20 and then spent the next 20 years living through a whole bunch of both good and bad drug decisions.