#hawke vantage review

[besthuntgear]

Best Climbing Tree Stands

Hunting tree stands, those trusty companions in the world of hunting, have come a long way from their roots and have now become must-have gear for hunters of all kinds. These stands have really stepped up their game, offering a bunch of cool features that make hunting a breeze for both experienced hunters and those just dipping their toes in the sport. They're all about giving you the edge – providing comfort, stealth, and the perfect vantage point. Whether you're a seasoned hunter or someone who's just getting started, our hunting tree stand reviews have got your back, helping you pick the one that suits your hunting style best. Our List of Best Climbing Tree Stands Explore our compilation of the Best Climbing Tree Stands. Uncover detailed reviews, intricate technical specifications, and the strengths and weaknesses of top-notch tree stands. Elevate your hunting experience with insights into the finest choices, ensuring unparalleled clarity and advantage in the great outdoors.Best for Comfort and Extended HuntsJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjBjaGVja2VkJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRSUwQSUzQ3NwYW4lMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmZhJTIwZmEtc3RhciUyMGNoZWNrZWQlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzcGFuJTNFJTBBJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjBjaGVja2VkJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRQ== Hawk Helium Kickback LVL View at AmazonExperience comfort and extended hunts with the Hawk Helium Kickback LVL. Your optimal choice for sustained hunting pleasure.Read More BelowBest for Small-Framed Hunters and PortabilityJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjBjaGVja2VkJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRSUwQSUzQ3NwYW4lMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmZhJTIwZmEtc3RhciUyMGNoZWNrZWQlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzcGFuJTNFJTBBJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjBjaGVja2VkJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRQ== Summit Mini Viper Edge View at AmazonTailored for small-framed hunters, the Summit Mini Viper Edge offers unmatched portability for on-the-go hunting expeditions.Read More BelowBest for Lightweight and Silent ClimbingJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjBjaGVja2VkJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRSUwQSUzQ3NwYW4lMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmZhJTIwZmEtc3RhciUyMGNoZWNrZWQlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzcGFuJTNFJTBBJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzcGFuJTNFJTBB Hawk Helium 30" View at AmazonEmbrace lightweight and silent climbing with the Hawk Helium 30". A top-tier choice for stealthy and effortless ascents.Read More BelowBest for Full Visibility and Swivel Seat FeatureJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjBjaGVja2VkJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRSUwQSUzQ3NwYW4lMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmZhJTIwZmEtc3RhciUyMGNoZWNrZWQlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzcGFuJTNFJTBBJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjBjaGVja2VkJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRQ== Guide Gear 16' Swivel Ladder View at AmazonEnjoy full visibility and a swivel seat feature with the Guide Gear 16' Swivel Ladder. Elevate your hunting experience with optimal comfort.Read More BelowBest for Two-Person Hunting and Safety FeaturesJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjBjaGVja2VkJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRSUwQSUzQ3NwYW4lMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmZhJTIwZmEtc3RhciUyMGNoZWNrZWQlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzcGFuJTNFJTBBJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1zdGFyJTIwY2hlY2tlZCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNwYW4lM0UlMEElM0NzcGFuJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYSUyMGZhLXN0YXIlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzcGFuJTNFJTBB Muddy Nexus XTL View at AmazonOptimal for two-person hunting, the Muddy Nexus XTL ensures safety and features designed for a collaborative and secure hunting adventure.Read More Below Best for Comfort and Extended Hunts Hawk Helium Kickback LVL Today’s Best DealsView at AmazonThe Hawk Helium Kickback LVL is a lightweight, durable, and comfortable tree stand designed for hunters who prioritize comfort and stability in their hunting gear. It features a spacious and adjustable platform, a comfortable MeshComfort seat, and is constructed from sturdy aluminum for reliable performance in the field. Summary The Hawk Helium Kickback LVL stands out for its blend of lightweight portability, durable construction, and exceptional comfort. Its spacious platform and adjustable features cater to hunters seeking a reliable and comfortable hunting experience. While assembly and hanging the stand may present some challenges, the overall design and performance of the Kickback LVL make it a worthwhile investment for serious hunters. Its silent operation and stability features further enhance its appeal, ensuring hunters can focus on their prey without worrying about noise or safety. Main Key Features - Weight: 20 lbs, making it easy to carry. - Platform Size: 26" wide x 31.5" deep, providing ample space. - Weight Capacity: Rated for up to 300 lbs. - Material: Aluminum construction for durability and lightness. - Seat: XL MeshComfort lounger seat for extra-wide comfort. - Adjustability: Adjustable platform and Ultimate Kickback footrest for added comfort. - Silent Performance: Utilizes Dupont Teflon bushings/washers for noise-free operation. - Stability: Tree Digger teeth enhance climbing stability by biting into the bark. Pros and Cons Pros - Lightweight Design: Easy to transport and set up in various locations. - Comfort: The XL MeshComfort seat and adjustable features provide unparalleled comfort during long waits. - Silent Operation: Designed for noise-free use, allowing hunters to remain undetected. - Sturdy Construction: Durable aluminum and high-quality components ensure reliability and safety. Cons - Assembly Required: Some users reported challenges with assembly and missing parts. - Cinch Strap for Hanging: Hanging the stand can be cumbersome without the additional Cruzr bracket, which is sold separately. Best for Small-Framed Hunters and Portability Summit Mini Viper Edge Today’s Best DealsView at AmazonThe Summit Mini Viper Edge is a compact and lightweight climbing tree stand designed for hunters seeking mobility and comfort in the field. It's particularly suited for smaller hunters or youth, offering an adjustable seat and QuickDraw cable retention system for stealth hunting in a Mossy Oak pattern. With a high customer satisfaction rate, it stands out for its portability and ease of use, though some concerns about durability and comfort have been noted. Summary The Summit Mini Viper Edge is a well-received climbing tree stand that offers a blend of portability, ease of use, and stealth for hunting. Its lightweight design and adjustable features make it a favorite among smaller hunters and youth. However, potential buyers should consider the comfort and durability concerns raised by some users. Despite these issues, its overall positive reception for ease of setup and use in the field suggests it's a solid choice for those prioritizing mobility and simplicity in their hunting gear. Main Key Features - Lightweight and Portable: Easy to transport in and out of the woods. - Adjustable Seat: Enhances comfort for long waits. - QuickDraw Cable Retention System: For quick and secure attachment to trees. - Mossy Oak Pattern: Offers camouflage in various hunting environments. Pros and Cons Pros - Highly Rated for Comfort and Size: Ideal for smaller hunters or youth. - Ease of Setup: Despite unclear directions, users find it straightforward to assemble. - Portability: Its lightweight design is praised for easy transportation. Cons - Seat Comfort: The original seat may not meet all users' comfort needs, prompting some to purchase replacements. - Durability Concerns: Some users reported issues with the stand's components, like stirrups coming loose and cable coating damage after minimal use. - Snug Fit in Full Gear: The smaller frame may be too tight for hunters in full winter gear, especially for rifle users needing more shoulder room. Best for Lightweight and Silent Climbing Hawk Helium 30" Today’s Best DealsView at AmazonThe Hawk Helium 30" Climbing Sticks are designed for hunters who prioritize mobility and efficiency in their hunting setup. Ideal for saddle hunting or any mobile hunting strategy, these climbing sticks are celebrated for their lightweight design, ease of assembly, and secure attachment to trees. They are particularly suited for hunters who explore rugged terrains and require a reliable, portable climbing solution. Summary The Hawk Helium 30" Climbing Sticks offer an exceptional balance of lightweight portability and sturdy, reliable performance for hunters on the move. With a focus on ease of use, security, and the ability to support a significant amount of weight, these climbing sticks are a top choice for hunters who demand the best in mobile hunting gear. While the compact size of the associated platform may require some adjustments, such as added traction for wet conditions, the overall design is well-suited for short, agile hunts where mobility is key. Whether you're exploring new territories or setting up in familiar woods, the Hawk Helium 30" Climbing Sticks are designed to elevate your hunting experience with minimal hassle and maximum efficiency. Main Key Features - Weight: Each stick weighs only 2.9 pounds, making the set easy to carry. - Construction: Streamlined and lightweight for easy handling in the field. - Assembly: Simple assembly with minimal tools required. - Portability: Can be bundled together and carried by hand or strapped to a backpack. - Security: Features tree-digger teeth for a firm grip and steps with boot grips for solid traction. - Capacity: Designed to handle up to 300 pounds, accommodating a wide range of hunters. Pros and Cons Pros - Lightweight and Portable: Ideal for mobile hunters and those navigating difficult terrain. - Easy to Assemble and Use: Minimal tools required for assembly; easy to attach and remove from trees. - Secure Grip: Tree-digger teeth and boot grips on steps ensure stability and safety. - High Weight Capacity: Suitable for big and tall hunters up to 300 pounds. Cons - Small Platform Size: The associated HSP Platform is compact, which may not suit all hunters. - Additional Precautions Needed: May require nonskid adhesive strips for better traction in wet conditions and carrying extra straps for added security. Best for Full Visibility and Swivel Seat Feature Guide Gear 16' Swivel Ladder Today’s Best DealsView at AmazonThe Guide Gear 16' Swivel Ladder Tree Stand is a unique hunting platform offering 360-degree visibility, which is rare in the market. Designed for hunters who prioritize all-around visibility and comfort, this stand features a swivel chair at a height of 16 feet, providing a decent vantage point without being too high for those wary of heights. It's built to enhance the hunting experience by offering improved coverage and spotting capabilities from all angles. Summary The Guide Gear 16' Swivel Ladder Tree Stand stands out for its 360-degree visibility, making it an excellent choice for hunters who need comprehensive coverage of their surroundings. While its height is not the tallest available, it strikes a balance between offering a good view and being accessible to those who prefer lower stands. The fully padded shooting rail and the comfort of the swivel chair enhance the hunting experience, allowing for prolonged periods of waiting without discomfort. This stand is a straightforward option for those prioritizing visibility and comfort in their hunting expeditions. Main Key Features - 360-Degree Swivel Chair: Allows for all-around visibility and shooting opportunities. - 16 Feet Height: Offers a good vantage point while being accessible for those cautious of higher stands. - Fully Padded Shooting Rail: Provides a comfortable and soft platform for shooting. - 2 Ratchet Straps: Ensures stability and secure attachment to the tree. Pros and Cons Pros - Enhanced Visibility: The 360-degree design allows for spotting animals from any direction. - Comfort: The fully padded shooting rail and swivel chair offer comfort during long waits. - Accessibility: Ideal height for those who are not comfortable with very high stands. Cons - Limited Height: At 16 feet, it may not offer the elevation some hunters prefer for certain terrains. Best for Two-Person Hunting and Safety Features Muddy Nexus XTL Today’s Best DealsView at AmazonThe Muddy Nexus XTL is a robust and spacious two-person ladder stand designed for hunters seeking comfort, stability, and a higher vantage point. It stands out for its durable construction, comfortable seating, and thoughtful design that accommodates both bow and gun hunters. With a focus on safety and convenience, the Nexus XTL offers a solid platform for shared hunting experiences. Summary The Muddy Nexus XTL ladder stand is a premium choice for hunters prioritizing comfort, space, and stability. Its design caters to both solo and duo hunters, offering a higher-than-average elevation for improved visibility and stealth. While the assembly might test your patience, the end result is a reliable and comfortable platform that enhances the hunting experience. Despite some concerns over packaging and parts quality, the overall robustness and thoughtful features of the Nexus XTL make it a worthy investment for serious hunters. Main Key Features - Capacity: Designed for two people, offering ample space and comfort. - Height: Taller than most ladder stands, providing a better vantage point. - Construction: Sturdy steel construction for durability and stability. - Seat: Comfortable seats that flip up for more standing room, suitable for bow shooting. - Assembly: Includes a detailed but manageable assembly process. - Safety: Equipped with a robust safety system, including steel cables for secure tree attachment. Pros and Cons Pros - Spacious: Plenty of room for two hunters, enhancing comfort during long waits. - Sturdy: Very stable, instilling confidence even at higher elevations. - Comfortable Seating: Seats are more comfortable than traditional bench seats, with the ability to flip up for versatility. - Height Advantage: Offers a higher position than many other ladder stands, aiding in staying undetected. Cons - Complex Assembly: Some users reported the assembly to be time-consuming and challenging, with occasional missing parts. - Quality Control Issues: Reports of parts arriving scratched, rusted, or poorly coated, indicating potential quality control improvements. - Packaging: Inadequate packaging leading to damage during shipping. Key Features of High-Quality Tactical Backpacks When it comes to tactical backpacks, not all are created equal. Here's what sets the high-quality ones apart: Durability: Materials and Construction The backbone of any tactical backpack is its durability. Made from materials like Cordura, ballistic nylon, or ripstop fabric, these backpacks are built to resist abrasions, tears, and even the harshest weather conditions. The use of heavy-duty YKK zippers and reinforced stitching ensures that your gear stays secure, no matter where your adventures take you. Capacity: Size and Storage Options From compact day packs to expansive extended trip packs, tactical backpacks come in various sizes to suit your needs. But it's not just about the size; it's how you use it. Look for backpacks with multiple compartments, pouches, and pockets that allow for organized storage and easy access to your essentials. Comfort: Straps, Padding, and Weight Distribution A fully loaded backpack shouldn't be a pain to carry. High-quality tactical backpacks feature padded shoulder straps, ventilated back panels, and adjustable harnesses to ensure comfort over long distances. Waist and chest straps help distribute the weight evenly, reducing strain and increasing mobility. Accessibility: Compartment Design and Ease of Access In critical situations, every second counts. Tactical backpacks are designed with this in mind, offering quick-access compartments and modular attachments for essential gear. This means you can get to your medical kit, hydration pack, or communication devices without digging through your bag. Versatility: Modular Attachments and Adaptability The true beauty of a tactical backpack lies in its versatility. With the MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) system, you can customize your pack to fit your mission, attaching everything from magazine pouches to sleeping bags. This adaptability makes tactical backpacks the Swiss Army knife of backpacks. Types of Tactical Backpacks Understanding the different types of tactical backpacks can help you choose the one that best fits your adventure or mission. Day Packs vs. Extended Trip Packs Day packs are compact and perfect for short trips or everyday carry. They typically range from 20 to 30 liters, offering enough space for your essentials without weighing you down. On the other hand, extended trip packs are larger, ranging from 40 liters upwards, designed for multi-day missions where you need to carry more gear. Specialized Packs: Medical, Hydration, and Communication For those with specific needs, there are tactical backpacks designed with specialized compartments and features. Medical packs come with quick-access panels and organized pockets for medical supplies. Hydration packs have built-in bladders or compartments for water bottles, ensuring you stay hydrated on the go. Communication packs offer protected spaces for radios, phones, and other tech, keeping you connected wherever you are. The Role of MOLLE System At the heart of tactical backpack versatility is the MOLLE system. This innovative feature allows for the attachment of various pouches and accessories, enabling you to tailor your backpack to your specific needs. Whether it's extra ammunition, a first aid kit, or additional storage, the MOLLE system ensures your backpack can adapt to any situation. Tactical backpacks are more than just bags; they're lifelines for adventurers, first responders, and everyday users who demand the most from their gear. Understanding the key features and types of tactical backpacks is the first step in choosing the right one for your needs. Whether you're braving the wilderness, heading into the field, or simply navigating the urban jungle, a tactical backpack is your ultimate companion. How to Choose the Right Tactical Backpack Choosing the right tactical backpack can be a daunting task given the plethora of options available. Here's how to narrow down your choices: Assessing Your Needs: Mission-Specific Considerations First and foremost, consider what you'll be using the backpack for. Are you going on a day hike, a multi-day expedition, or do you need a reliable pack for your daily commute? The nature of your activities will dictate the size, features, and durability requirements of your backpack. Budget vs. Quality: Finding the Best Value While it's tempting to go for the cheapest option, remember that with tactical backpacks, you often get what you pay for. Investing in a high-quality backpack can save you money in the long run, as these packs are designed to withstand harsh conditions and heavy use. Read the full article

[krispyweiss]

Album Review: Neil Young - Chrome Dreams

With the 46-year gestation of Chrome Dreams finally ended and the resultant benefit of hindsight, it can now be said Neil Young made the right decision in shelving the LP.

That’s not to say it’s a bad record - far from it. But what Chrome Dreams was - and remains - is a hodgepodge of stylistically shifting tracks sequenced in a way to make sure they don’t hang together particularly well.

Just two cuts - early versions of “Hold Back the Tears” and “Sedan Delivery” - have never been released. Most others went on to find homes on American Stars ‘n Bars, Comes a Time, Rust Never Sleeps, Hawks & Doves and Freedom.

Chrome versions of “Too Far Gone” and “Stringman” and an acoustic take on “Powederfinger,” meanwhile, appeared on Neil Young Archives Volume II: 1972–1976 and Hitchhiker, respectively.

Had it come out in ’77 as originally planned, Chrome Dreams might’ve been met with a collective shrug as Young would’ve seemed musically unmoored. From the vantage of ’23, it’s more of a curiosity and a reminder of the magic contained in the aforementioned LPs released in its stead and with its spare parts.

Grade card: Neil Young - Chrome Dreams - B-

9/25/23

[doorplays]

2022 Roundup of Games

Hello! This is Doors. I haven't written here in a while and now I am going to fix that by writing a bunch about the games I played this year!

By my best count, I played about 28 games this year, with 7 of those being games I didn't finish. I’ve enjoyed them to varying respects though, and now I’m here to talk about 17 of them with as little spoilers as possible!

This roundup of games is not ranked, I just listed them haphazardly. I put up a short review for each game so you have an idea of what you’re getting into, and have a rating for each! Most of these are games I very much enjoyed, and if you find yourself playing them, go ahead and message me! I’d love to hear peoples’ thoughts on these games.

This is also something I want to start doing every year, and the best time to start anything you want to start is, well, now! And thus:

Let’s get to it!

UMURANGI GENERATION

I'd describe this game as "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater except Tony Hawk was a photographer". You are dropped into various levels and environments and, within a time limit, you have to achieve the objectives set out by the game. This usually consists of you taking pictures depicting specific things and taking a picture at a certain vantage point.

What I like about this game is its environmental storytelling. And well, really, that's the only way this game tells its story. It's all around the levels just waiting for you to see and take pictures of them. You find memorials, posters, people, all instrumental in telling the grim story that the game has.

I enjoyed experimenting with lenses that I unlock as I progress through the game, and experimenting with various filters! I feel like the game captured my imagination enough for me to enjoy it.

Door Rates Umurangi Generation: 4/5

PYRE

Supergiant never misses. From Bastion with its gripping story, and Transistor with its lovely aesthetic, to Hades with its frenetic roguelike gameplay, they always know their stuff. They know their style and they flourish in it, unafraid of experimentation.

With Pyre, I'd say that they experimented too much. The gameplay felt a bit clunky for me, though that may be because I stubbornly played on mouse and keyboard instead of controller. The gameplay loop revolves around you undergoing rituals, which are more accurately described as sports games. You play fantasy soccer, essentially!

Despite my gripes with the gameplay, I was so enamored by the story, the art, and the worldbuilding. I've grown to love and care for most, if not all of the characters, and I was really rooting for their success. I even found some antagonists charming and hoped that they find success as well.

In the end, I enjoyed it a lot. Supergiant are really good at making games, and with Hades 2 looming, I'm hoping they produce another knockout game.

Though despite my issue with them experimenting too hard here, I do hope they experiment more with their next games. But that's a subject for another post...

Door Rates Pyre: 4/5

THAT WHICH FAITH DEMANDS

This game is a sort of choose-your-adventure type game. At the start you get to describe your character's background, their competency, etc. Then when you're shipped out to do the job, you discover that there's more to the job than you expect.

I am always enamored by sci-fi, and am even more enamored by fiction that has something to say about the divine, so when this game mixes the two of them I completely and utterly fucked with it. This shit? Absolutely up my alley.

You can also interact with your workmates here and discover more about them, but I find that the divine part of the game is what really pleases me. I only wish that there was more story to see and read!

Door Rates That Which Faith Demands: 4.5/5

ENTER THE GUNGEON

I started this game very early in 2022, and let me tell you I did NOT expect it to shoot up to my most played game on Steam. There’s just something about this game that just drags you in easily with its wacky randomness and fun mixups and somewhat cute aesthetic.

You start out choosing one of four possible characters, then in typical roguelike fashion you do run after run as you unlock more guns, more accessories, more characters, and even more areas to explore! It is a very fun game where you can just go pew pew pew at everything.

Door Rates Enter the Gungeon: 4/5

SKATEBIRD

You are a bird. And you have an urge... to skate. It’s a cute little game with cute little birds! You can change up their feathers, their fashion, and do some neat skateboard tricks. My biggest issue with this game though is that the controls are very clunky. But from the short time I played it I found it very amusing.

Door Rates Skatebird: 3/5

HOLLOW KNIGHT

A friend of mine gifted this to me years ago, and it only took me like... half a decade or so to finally finish it! Heck yeah progress.

Anyway, this game is a nice Metroidvania. I found the aesthetic very nice, dark yet welcoming. I couldn’t have imagined making a world full of bugs work out to be cute! The music is also wonderful and the worldbuilding is great.There’s much to discover and a variety of areas. The story is also great (though I imagine my enjoyment was a bit diminished after I spoiled myself a bit lol). I enjoyed it a lot.

Door Rates Hollow Knight: 4/5

HEAVEN’S VAULT

Another friend recommended this to me, and I instantly fell in love with a concept. Sci-fi archaeology! Learning about dead languages! Good worldbuilding! All of these tick so many boxes for me it’s amazing really

I liked the artstyle too, a mix of 2d and 3d, 3d for the environments and 2d for the character sprites. I adore it, something similar was done too for Paradise Killer, another fave of mine.

I really enjoyed the story of this game and its vibes. I replayed it some more trying to unlock more of the language since language knowledge persists between playthroughs, but my save got deleted at one point and I didn’t continue. Nonetheless, I wholeheartedly recommend this game!

Door Rates Heaven’s Vault: 5/5

VAMPIRE SURVIVORS

A simple survival game/roguelike/bullet hell of sorts, and yet it’s so addicting. A friend gifted me this game and it got me in a vicegrip instantly. In this game you go and kill enemies, get experience, and level up to get various weapons and items so that you can kill more enemies. You accomplish achievements so you can unlock more characters. You get more gold so you can upgrade your stats. It’s basically a distillation of “number go up” and how much we enjoy it! Big damage big effects. It’s like rolling up a snowball and watching it get bigger and bigger and eventually it becomes an avalanche and massacres an entire village of ghosts. Sure you crash and burn sometimes but it’s still fun building it up!

The game is very cheap and has recently released an expansion, and is even free on iPhone/Android! Go try ittttt

Door Rates Vampire Survivors: 4/5

HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST

I played Zero Dawn years ago and enjoyed it very much, and I’m glad to report that now that I’ve played the sequel, I still enjoy it a lot! The gameplay feels the same for me, and the graphics are still very breathtaking, though I didn’t have as much opportunity to take pictures here as opposed to in Zero Dawn. I enjoyed the story a lot too. I have nothing much to say about it other than it being a solid sequel, and I look forward to more entries to this series!

Door Rates Horizon Forbidden West: 4.5/5

2064: READ ONLY MEMORIES

This game is by the same people who made VA-11 Hall-A, and is set in the same world and a few years before it. It’s a visual novel with a lot to say about technology, consciousness, and people. I loved the pixel art and I loved the writing! I grew to care for the characters, which was something I did not expect. I recommend this game!

Door Rates 2064: Read Only Memories: 4/5

PAPERS PLEASE

I played Return of the Obra Dinn and enjoyed it so much that I thought I should check this game out as well. Both were made by Lucas Pope. And both are pretty cool in their own way! Return of the Obra Dinn had a focused story and a straightforward objective, but Papers Please had you living life as a simple border control officer and it really shows. Day by day the difficulty ramps up as you have to look out for more potential mistakes in peoples’ requirements. And in the meantime you still have to provide for your family.

While all of this is going on, life continues, and there will be world events that surprise you. I love how this game weaves its simple gameplay into a good narrative. It is a very solid game.

Door Rates Papers Please: 4/5

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

I started this in 2021 but only finished it early 2022. I haven’t played the original so I’m glad to play this with updated graphics! In fact it’s a huge overhaul even.

It’s lovely to see these characters in high definition. Barrett is fuckin STACKED and it’s lovely to see Jessie and Aerith. Tifa looked lovely in a dress! And it’s nice to see Biggs and Wedge having actual personalities here.

Gameplay was snappy enough and I have no complaints about it. And I enjoyed enough how the story was told. I’m looking forward to part two!

Door Rates Final Fantasy VII Remake: 4/5

CITIZEN SLEEPER

I like this game.

It’s a sci-fi RPG. You arrive at the space station named Erlin’s Eye, where many people have made a home of. You learn of its history, its people, and most importantly, how to survive in this place. While it presents itself as sci-fi, it tells a familiar tale of trying to survive in a new frontier.

The way it plays is that every in-game day, you get a certain number of dice, already pre-rolled. You have to manage these dice in order that you get to use them succeed in the tasks you need to succeed in. In a sense, it’s a mix of RPG and resource management, which is very interesting to me.

I enjoyed the story and the characters. It is a surprisingly familiar story that resonates, and the gameplay is chill enough, along with the music. It has my Seal of Approval

Door Rates Citizen Sleeper: 4.5/5

PENTIMENT

The same friend who recommended me Heaven’s Vault told me of this game. I got it on the Xbox Game Pass and fell in love with the aesthetic. Each frame looks like an art piece you can hang in a museum!! It reminds me of like. The Bayeaux Tapestry. Idk why that specifically came to mind but. Yes.

In this game you play as journeyman artist Andreas Maler. You are contracted by the Kiersau Abbey in the village of Tassing to make art. Through Andreas’s eyes you get to know the village’s history, mingling with the village folk, breaking bread with them even!

This game... this game is not just about history, not just about choices, this game is also about you living with your choices. Andreas’s regrets, successes, and the butterfly effect of his presence on the people of Tassing are told with great import. If you play this game, I urge you not to savescum or make a new save when things don’t go your way.

It’s one of my top games of 2022. Go play it!

Door Rates Pentiment: 5/5

NO MAN’S SKY

I’ve been playing this game ever since it came out, and it continues to be a treat. It was only in 2022 though that I actually played the Expeditions. And it is very nice to see how fellow explorers just help people along through them by making bases, planting markers, and just putting up some messages! I’ve enjoyed this game for years because of its variety and beauty, but it’s only now that I felt how rich its community is. I look forward to exploring it more in the coming years!

Door Rates No Man’s Sky: 4.5/5

FINAL FANTASY XIV

2022 was the year I wrangled together a static, which is essentially an 8-person group dedicated to clearing certain content in FFXIV. We were out here trying to clear the new Savage Raids, Pandaemonium Tiers 1 to 4. It was my first time being a sort of raid leader, and it was honestly an interesting experience! It was rough at times, but I nonetheless formed lasting friendships and strengthened some current ones. And it was very enjoyable suffering playing together with friends :)

As time went on though, I had to drop my subscription because of IRL responsibilities. But this game will always be important to me because of the friendships I have made and continue to make.

Door Rates Final Fantasy XIV: 5/5

MTG ARENA

Okay.

I have a love/hate relationship with this game.

On one hand, the game itself. Magic: the Gathering. It’s honestly enjoyable! My favorite format is Historic Brawl and I enjoy brewing decks for different commanders and just playing out matches conveniently!

On the other hand the economy SUCKS and it does a lot of things to make you feel that FOMO feeling.

I’m honestly waffling between uninstalling it and not uninstalling it and I probably should uninstall it? But I have to admit I do still enjoy the game...

Either way: Magic the Gathering is a great game. MTG Arena? It’s a good way to play the game, but it’d take you a while to collect the cards you want, so jury’s out on that one.

Door Rates MTG Arena: 2.5/5

SUMMARY

That’s a lot of games!!! I played some others but I didn’t have the time to include them here, but I enjoyed most of them all the same.

I enjoy the unique experience of playing games because you are not just... reading the story, you aren’t just watching an event or anything. You are an active participant in these experiences! May it be a story-rich game, a game with fun mechanics, or even a game as simple as Wordle, you are more in charge of your experience. And I find that cool!

I’m gonna try and continue to write more reviews as I play games! I’ll make this my New Year’s Resolution sure let’s go with that. Take care dear readers!

[missjosie27]

Year 1 Part 5- A Secret Revealed

Over the course of the following week, Bill was true to his word as he and David continually met twice a day to review more spells and to practice for the inevitable rematch. They’d usually start at the library followed by an hour long training session in the afternoon. Matching up their schedules proved to be a tad tricky, but in the end, they managed to keep to their regular meetups.

Under Bill’s tutelage, David knew he was rapidly improving. He was never able to beat him in a one on one, being that the eldest Weasley was much further along in his magical education, but he had managed to make it interesting a few times to the delight of the lanky thirteen year old. Far from being threatened, Bill was quite happy to see David come along so quickly. As such, they had moved on from the three original curses to various other jinxes which is what they were currently glossing over with the help of Rowan, who was more than happy to try and impress the illustrious older student.

“Check out this one, Dave. A curse that can make your opponent’s teeth grow as long as ten feet. Wonder what Merula would look like with that.”

“A rabid beaver I imagine,” he replied while the other two boys chuckled.

“SHHH!!!” came the harsh tone of Madam Pince, a middle aged witch who had a rather intense reputation for the upkeep and organization of the Hogwarts Library. Anything she deemed to loud or harmful to the books would bring out an almost hawk like instinct for rooting it out, indeed that instinct seemed to make her physical appearance, which was also rather bird like.

“Sorry, Madam Pince,” Rowan apologized in a whisper as she gave them a stern look. 

“Anyway, I feel like you’ve been at this for about a week. When are you going to face her?”

“I dunno,” he shrugged. “I can’t exactly seek her out or else it’s going to look like I was the one who started it.”

“David’s being smart about this,” Bill concurred. “We Gryffindors often have a reputation of charging into battle head on, but it would be unwise to do so in this instance. 

Slytherins are tricky by nature. Anything you do, they’ll try to pin on you, especially since Snape will always take their side.”

“Fair enough,” Rowan agreed. “Besides, it always gives us more time for looking up new spells. Have you heard of the Jelly-Legs jinx? It sounds quite useful.”

“That’s always been popular one around here,” Bill nodded. “Mostly used for a one time practical joke but it has its uses in dueling too.”

Rowan, emboldened by the older student’s approval continued to prattle on about various theories and spellwork and David decided to tune it out momentarily as he continued to read the page of the latest book on defensive magic he had picked out. His best friend’s hero worship was already becoming a bit much and if the Indian preteen wanted to show off to Bill, all the more power to him.

He was just about finished with reading a spell that gave one the ability to defend oneself against most forms of dark magic (far too advanced but interesting nonetheless) when he heard a quiet voice enter his mind.

David….David Grant

Its volume raised ever so slightly.

David….find the vaults…it’s the only way

“What?”

His spoken aloud comment caught the attention of his other two friends.

“What, what?”

“Someone just said my name.”

Rowan and Bill looked at each other, confused.

“I didn’t say your name.”

“Me neither.”

David shook his head. For a split second, he could have sworn he heard Jacob talking to him…

“Never mind,” he said, dismissing the idea altogether. “Must have been my imagination.”

“SHHHHH!!!!!” came the return of Madam Pince’s hawk like presence over their table.

That got them to focus once more on the books that lay in front of them, but David’s mind was officially elsewhere. Was that really his brother speaking to him, or was he undergoing some kind of hallucination? And what was the about the cursed vaults? He knew that’s what his brother had been after but to entertain the idea they were real was absurd.

Right?

With great effort, David pushed the distractions out of his head. He had bigger fish to fry. He wasn’t going to get caught up in the same obsession as his brother.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As it turned out, it didn’t take long for David to engage Merula once more. Bill had already declared him more than ready for his rematch, cautioning him all the same not to get carried away and let the Slytherin get into his head. You could only read and drill the same spells and techniques so many times before the actual battle. Though only a first year, David felt he had learned more than enough to take on a fellow first year, no matter how nasty and fearsome her reputation. He wanted to face her again and more importantly, put a stop into her reign of terror.

The opportunity came fifteen minutes after Transfiguration class one Monday afternoon. Walking towards the down the steps towards the Herbology greenhouse, a random Ravenclaw boy suddenly stopped them.

“You guys gotta get down to the courtyard. Something big is about to go down.”

As he ran off, David and Rowan looked at each other and shrugged before realizing something was off.

“Wait a minute, where’s Ben?”

“Professor McGonagall let him out early, remember? He had a stomachache from lunch.”

The three usually walked from class to class, occasionally joined by Charlie or some of the other Gryffindors. If Ben wasn’t already on his way to Herbology, it could only mean one thing.

“You don’t think…” Rowan asked him.

“We’d better check it out just in case.”

Unfortunately, their worst fears turned out to be true. As they ran down into the 

courtyard, they witnessed a huge crowd of first years surrounding what looked like Ben Copper and of course…

“Merula,” David snarled as he made his way through the crowd. “Wait here, Rowan.”

He tapped a random blonde Hufflepuff on the shoulder as he drew closer to the front.

“What’s going on?”

“Merula’s cornered Ben Copper,” she explained. “He keeps trying to walk away but she won’t let him.”

Taking a deep breath, David continued to push forward, finally being able to witness for himself what was going on and what he saw only served to push his temper even higher. Merula had her wand trained on Ben, who looked as if he were one stage away from wetting himself. This had been one instance where he was unable to avoid her.

“You’re an embarrassment to everyone here,” she taunted him, her wand remaining squarely aimed at his head. “I bet you barely have enough magic to light your wand.”

“Please,” Ben practically begged. “Just leave me alone. I haven’t done anything to you.”

“Your presence alone is enough to offend me,” Merula spat. “Mudbloods like you shouldn’t even be allowed at Hogwarts. It’s disgusting.”

David had seen enough. At that moment, his fury broke. He didn’t care who saw or who started what, he wasn’t going to stand by and watch this horrid injustice for a second longer.

“You leave him alone,” he said quietly, but his tone indicated a rage that was extremely rare to witness. Only his family had ever seen him that angry, but everyone knew to stand clear when his voice became deathly quiet and his pupils dilated.

“You leave him alone right now,” he continued. “Or else.”

“Or else, what?” Merula laughed, blissfully unaware of the firestorm she had awoken. 

“You never learn, do you Grant?”

“I’ve learned plenty. And I’m giving you three seconds to get out of here before I really get pissed off.”

Those arrogant violent eyes gave every cue she wasn’t going to back down.

“Make me.”

For a split second, neither one of them said or did anything as the tension in the air reached a boiling point, the crowd absolutely fixated on the two eleven-year olds set to do battle. David remained focused on his opponent, his wand up his sleeve, ready for the inevitable fight. Whatever came next, he would be prepared.

Without warning, it was Merula who struck first.

‘Flipendo!’

Her shot missed, however, as David side stepped the jinx and fired one of his own, which also barely missed.

“A trip jinx?” she taunted. “You’ll have to do better than that!”

David didn’t reply, as he pressed forward with his attack, using his inner rage as a drive, setting off a series of curses and hexes that sent her reeling back. He could see he had the advantage. Merula wasn’t used to someone being as aggressive as she was, and her lack of poise was showing. All the while, the crowd began to shout encouragement, almost entirely to him. Even the other Slytherins seemed relatively neutral in deciding who they wanted to emerge victorious.

Finally, David broke through and managed to hit Merula’s knee with a leg locker curse, sending her toppling over. The crowd cheered but the fight wasn’t over yet. In pressing his attack, he had left himself exposed to a sneak attack and the Slytherin girl was not one to fight fair. Snarling with anger, she sent one more surprise spell towards him from the ground. David, having only a split second to react, relied on instinct, rolling to his left and bringing his own wand to bear.

‘Expelliarmus!’

A jet of red light found it’s mark, as the witch’s wand flew into the air and hit the ground 

with the sound of clanking wood echoing throughout the courtyard. After a few more seconds, the crowd erupted in cheers.

“It’s over, Merula,” David declared, still keeping his wand fixed on his opponent. “Now yield.”

“This isn’t fair!” she said, her composure quickly slipping. “You can’t be better than me. No one’s better than me!”

“From my vantage point, I’d say you’re no better than anyone,” came the quiet, angry reply. “You lost Merula. Now apologize to Ben and stop your endless bullying.”

The effects of the leg locker curse now worn off, Merula stood up, all semblance of confidence completely eradicated as she practically screamed.

“Apologize?! I’ll never apologize to mudbloods or anyone else! Do you know who I am?! I’m Merula Snyde! Fourth Generation Slytherin, the greatest witch at Hogwarts! I do what I want whenever I want, I run this school! I-”

“Are in very big trouble, Miss Snyde,” interrupted a cold voice.

In the midst of her tirade, barely anyone had noticed the arrival of Professors McGonagall and Snape, both of whom looked quite cross. By the time they did, it was too late.

“P-Professor McGonagall…”

“Your use of that foul epithet will cost you dearly,” the head of Gryffindor admonished her with steel in her unwavering tone. “Thirty points from Slytherin.”

“Ah, but I suspect this dust up was not entirely her fault,” Snape interjected in his usual dangerously, silky timbre. “And it comes to no surprise that Grant is once again involved in the breaking of school rules.”

Professor McGonagall, though quite upset with Merula did not spare David the same gaze.

“Is this true, Mr. Grant? Were you and Miss Snyde involved in a duel?”

There was no point in lying. And frankly, David didn’t want to lie.

“Yes, Professor.”

“You know that Hogwarts has a strict policy against unauthorized dueling. I cannot let this pass. Thirty points from Gryffindor.”

“But Professor, I didn’t start this,” he protested. “I was only trying to prevent Merula from bullying Ben-”

“Silence,” Snape cut him off. “Whatever pathetic attempts at lying…”

“Severus,” McGonagall interrupted. Evidently, she was willing to hear more of the 

context. “Which of you threw the first spell?”

“Merula!” David quickly answered before she could object.

“Liar, he struck me first!” Merula whined.

“Don’t listen to her, Professor,” Rowan interjected. “We saw the whole thing. David was protecting Ben before Merula struck first.”

The crowd murmured in agreement. Indeed, no one seemed willing to try and lie for the Slytherin girl, who looked positively humbled.

“Very well,” she said. “Professor Snape and I will both take this into account. I shall inform the Headmaster of what has happened today and then send for you both in my office when a decision has been made. In the meantime, do freshen up with some proper robes. The rest of you, back to class.”

She and Snape gave each other sharp looks before both vacating the scene and the crowd began to disperse.

“Well that could have gone better,” David muttered as he pocketed his wand and gathered his books off the ground.

“Are you kidding?” Rowan said incredulously. “Don’t be a prat, Dave that was amazing. 

You stood up to Merula again. And not only that, you beat her in a duel!”

“I can’t thank you enough,” Ben said, coming up to him now. “I don’t know what I would have done without you there.”

“It’s what any decent person would have done,” David nodded as he placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “I just hope I’m still here by day’s end. Snape is going to do his best to get me expelled.”

“Professor McGonagall believed you though,” Ben offered hopefully. “No way she’ll let that happen.”

“Besides, you saw her face when Merula used that word. She was furious.”

David tried to take comfort in his friends’ words. He took immense satisfaction in taking Merula down a peg, but it would be all for naught if he was sent packing back to two extremely disappointed parents. The thought of their second son being expelled would be too much to bear.

“Thanks, mate. I guess I’ll just have to pray Dumbledore sees it the same way.”

Indeed, it was all they could do. And despite David’s triumph, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy as to how angry he had become when dueling Merula. Was it indicative of something lurking that had been unaddressed?

Either way, it was not a pleasant thought.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It didn’t take long for David to receive the owl requesting his presence in Professor McGonagall’s office and only a couple of hours after his duel with Merula, he found himself on the way down to the Transfiguration classroom.

However, a surprise awaited as he rounded the corner towards his destination. He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder followed by a “Hey.”

Turning around, he saw that it was the same blonde Hufflepuff he had spoken to in the crowd earlier, only now he had the full opportunity to see who it was.

Penny Haywood, a very popular, and very pretty first year who had a knack for knowing every kind of gossip passed around at Hogwarts. Her reputation preceded her in many ways. Her shiny, blonde hair was long and thick, highlighted by two braids and two sparkling blue orbs that could only be described as ‘doe eyes’. That she knew where to find him also spoke to her knowledge in and around the school.

“Hi, David,” she said in a friendly greeting.

A girl like this didn’t just talk to anyone. And though Penny was not regarded as stuck up or mean by any stretch, David still found himself surprised to be cordially sought after by someone such as her.

“You know who I am?”

“Does that surprise you?”

“Tiny bit, yeah,” David said frankly. “You’re the most popular girl in our year. Don’t know you’re talking to a guy who’s half mad?”

“That’s not what I hear,” she countered. “Nor what I saw. Your name’s all over the place David. The hero who was brave enough to stand up to the tyranny of Merula Snyde.”

“Well you know me. Can’t resist getting into trouble.”

Penny giggled.

“There’s that infamous sense of humor you have. Relax, I just wanted to say thank you. Almost everyone I knew was miserable with her going around bullying everyone in sight. Especially poor, Ben. The way you completely outmaneuvered her in that duel was amazing.”

David could feel a slight blush coming on. It was one thing for Rowan or Ben to give a compliment, it was quite another to receive one from a girl.

“Uh..well, thanks Penny,” he said, trying to sound confident.

“You’re welcome. If you need anything let me know. I’d be happy to help. I’m not just a gossip girl you know, I’m excellent at Potions. Professor Sprout’s said she’s never seen Snape take so well to a Hufflepuff before.”

“Well I hope I’m able to take you up on that. If that old greaseball in there has his way, I’ll be on the train home.”

“Something tells me that won’t happen,” Penny reassured him, a slight mischievous twinkle entering her eye. “Come sit with me at dinner tonight. I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

David’s heart warmed a little.

“Thanks, Penny.”

“Anytime! I’ll see you around, Dave!”

She gave him a quick hug before running along, leaving the first year Gryffindor to wonder whether his duel with Merula might not have brought some perks after all. Even so, he still had to endure the wrath of Snape and possibly McGonagall first.

Sure enough, they were there, along with his hated enemy, who still retained a rather submissive expression in the face of her teachers. David for one, was glad he had not been put into Slytherin, not just because it had the darkest reputation of the four houses, but having Snape as your head…he tried not to think about that too much. At least McGonagall was fair.

“Mr. Grant, please sit.”

He obliged by grabbing the chair and sitting down next to Merula. Professor McGonagall sat at her desk, flanked by Snape on her right.

“Now that we are all here, we can discuss the proper course for your actions today,” she said. “After making several inquiries among those who witnessed the incident, we have determined it indeed was Miss Snyde who cast the first spell.”

That brought out immediate protest from the Slytherin.

“But Professor, I didn’t start anything. I was just minding my own business when Grant-”

“Silence!” Snape cut across her. “Miss Snyde you are an atrocious liar and it makes me wonder why you were put into my house.”

He didn’t seem disappointed that Merula was getting punished, no it seemed more that he was upset that a member of his house had been dumb enough to get caught in order to force his hand. He couldn’t play favorites in this situation.

“That being said,” he added, his wrath turning towards David. “That also does not excuse Mr. Grant’s actions either. Since you have arrived here at Hogwarts you have broken numerous school rules, made a mess of my classroom and dueled illegally in the courtyard, all of reminiscent of your brother. I assure you, if it were up to me you would be on the train home right now.”

A small clearing of McGonagall’s throat indicated it was her turn to speak.

“We want to make it clear the seriousness of what you have done. It must not be repeated. However, Professor Dumbledore does not agree with Professor Snape in his recommendation of expulsion and nor do I. Each of you will serve a week’s detention and that will be the end of it. If either of you are caught dueling without permission again, you will not be let off so easily.”

David nodded towards his head of house, indicating he more than understood. Merula, merely continued to sulk.

“You both are dismissed for dinner. Good day.”

McGonagall quickly left the vicinity and Snape behind her, leaving the two first years alone once more.

David wasn’t about to stay any longer, lest he risk another argument with the Slytherin girl and began to make his way out of the classroom.

“You think you’re so special, Grant,” he could hear call after him. “But you were just lucky.”

“I wouldn’t call anything that just happened ‘luck’, Merula,” he replied. “Be thankful I only used the disarming spell on you.”

“I’d take you down in a rematch,” she continued to push as she went up to him, stopping near the doorway. “And you’re going to pay for embarrassing me like that.”

“I did what I had to,” he said back quietly. “And if you threaten Ben again I’ll…”

Suddenly, she grabbed him and for a split second, David thought she was trying to 

physically assault him this time. But that wasn’t the case.

“SHHH!” she said, putting a black polished finger to his lips, pinning him to the wall. 

“Listen.”

“Listen to what?”

“SHH!”

“You know, that is a really good imitation of Madam Pince.”

“Merlin’s beard, Grant do you ever shut up?! Can’t you hear them talking?”

He paused and through the walls and outside of the doorway came a muffled, but audible conversation between Snape and what sounded like a gruff, wheezing old man.

“…who else knows about this?”

“Only me and Mrs. Norris saw the ice, sir. Was going to report the incident to the 

Headmaster, I was.”

That voice could only belong to Argus Filch, the cantankerous, nasty caretaker who was always trying to catch students in acts of wrongdoing in order to hang them up by their ankles (fortunately Dumbledore did not allow such extreme punishment).

“I will inform Professor Dumbledore. This may have to do with the Grant situation and the cursed vaults.”

Filch’s voice took on a greedy tone.

“Is it true that the vaults are filled with gold and powerful prophecies and artefacts from before Hogwarts existed? And that’s why the older Grant boy lost his mind trying to find them?”

“Don’t worry about what’s inside the vaults,” Snape responded curtly. “Worry about keeping everyone out. Especially the students.”

“Aye, sir.”

The two men walked away in separate directions before the two first years separated awkwardly.

“Well, looks like your brother wasn’t completely mental after all,” Merula said, a smirk playing on her face.

“So, all of a sudden you believe in the cursed vaults? Way to be a complete hypocrite.”

Merula gave him one last leer, one that made David uneasy.

“I don’t have to explain myself. Especially not to an idiot like you. See you around, Grant.”

And she walked out without another word.

David wasn’t sure himself what was going on. If the Professors were discussing the existence of the vaults, didn’t that make them real? And why did Merula have a sudden interest them after accusing Jacob of being mad the whole time?

And did this have anything to do with the voice he had heard in the library the other day?

Too many questions, not enough answers, if there were any to be had. For now, he was satisfied that he had defended Ben, defeated Merula, and gotten away with scarcely more than a short time in detention. It was enough.

But as David would soon find out, Hogwarts had a way of throwing surprises when one least expected it.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Palaeoglaux

By José Carlos Cortés

Etymology: Ancient Owl

First Described By: Mourer-Chauviré, 1987

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Afroaves, Strigiformes

Referred Species: P. perrierensis, P. artophoron

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Palaeoglaux lived from 48 to 37 million years ago, from the Ypresian age to the Priabonian age of the Eocene in the Paleogene 

Palaeoglaux is known from the Messel Pit of Darmstadt-Dieburg, Germany; as well as the later Quercy Fissure Formation of Occitanie, France 

Physical Description: Palaeoglaux was a very early form of owl, and one of the most complete early owls known - which means we know quite a bit about it! It is known from multiple individuals, including full skeletons on slabs; though, at this time, its skull is not known, so it is uncertain if it looked quite as weird as living owls in terms of facial structure. Like living owls, it has extra air holes in its shoulders, showing that this unique trait of living owls evolved very early on. However, it doesn’t show a bony arch in the foot like living owls, meaning it probably didn’t use its feet as much in hunting as living owls do - since that bony arch helps to strengthen the feet in gathering prey.

In general, Palaeoglaux was a fairly small owl, about the size of the modern Little Owl - so, able to fit in the palm of the hand. This makes sense, given that most animals from the global rainforest of the Messel Pit were quite small, due to the density of vegetation. In addition, the later species - from the late Eocene, when the rainforest was transitioning to drier, more open environments - is significantly larger than the earlier species, thus pointing to its size being directly related to its environment. One distinctive thing about Palaeoglaux, at least the earlier Messel species, are its feathers - long, ribbon like feathers are known from its back, which were originally interpreted as display structures. This would have made Palaeoglaux a rare, but not unique, example of a diurnal (daytime) owl. However, these sorts of feathers are actually quite common in Messel Pit fossils - so it actually could be an example of a preservational thing. Thus, more fossils are necessary to determine if these feathers are actually a display structure or just regular old feathers. Since there are many diurnal birds of prey in the Messel Environment, it would make sense for there to be at least one nighttime hunter such as Palaeoglaux. Still, the jury is out.

Diet: As an owl, Palaeoglaux was probably a bird of prey - feeding on small animals such as rodents, lizards, and smaller birds. Still, we do not have the head of Palaeoglaux at this time; this means we can’t be certain that it was exclusively carnivorous, like modern owls. It is more likely because the common ancestor of owls and many other birds such as mousebirds, rollers, parrots, and songbirds was probably a bird of prey; so owls (and animals like hawks, eagles, falcons, and seriemas) just retained that lifestyle while other groups lost it. Still, it’s possible Palaeoglaux may have had a different diet than living owls, and more fossils are necessary to confirm that it was a predator. Given that Palaeoglaux was quite small in the Messel environment, it wouldn’t have been able to eat very big animals; though its prey size would have increased as it did later in the Eocene.

Behavior: Owls today utilize keen eyesight and hearing to hunt food at night, using silent flight to sneak up on prey and catch them unawares. Many of the features necessary for this probably evolved in the Eocene, as some of the earliest representatives of modern owls evolved in this time. However, Palaeoglaux shows a unique mixture of early and derived traits, and thus, it may not have been ask exceptionally adapted for hunting as living owls. Much of Palaeoglaux’s behavior remains a mystery because we do not have fossils of its head at this time - and we’re not sure whether or not it was diurnal, meaning active in the day, or nocturnal, aka active at night.

Given that it does have more air-filled shoulder bones, it probably was in the process - if not already there - of evolving those silent flight mechanics of living owls. This would have aided it in hunting prey, allowing it to sneak up on other animals. However, its less strengthened toe bones would mean that it wasn’t quite as good at holding down its prey and catching it with its feet as living owls; it possible that it would have used its mouth more, though of course, without head fossils that’s difficult to say. Still, it would have dwelled in trees, using its high vantage point to look for food.

If Palaeoglaux’s ribbon feathers were for display, rather than just regular feathers, then Palaeoglaux would have probably been diurnal - active and hunting during the day. It may have puffed up those ribbon feathers in threat displays or sexual displays as well. If they weren’t for display, Palaeoglaux may have still been diurnal; or it could have been nocturnal, hunting small animals at night.

By Scott Reid

Ecosystem: The Messel Pit was a diverse and important ecosystem from the middle Eocene, with many different transitional forms of animals to showcase how life began to evolve into modern forms. Palaeoglaux is one of many transitional dinosaurs, living in the Global Rainforest environment of the time; the Messel Pit was warm and wet and covered with dense vegetation, which rendered Palaeoglaux and essentially all other tree-dwelling birds extremely small. The forest surrounded a large lake, which was filled with trapped volcanic gas; these gases would have released periodically and overwhelmed the animals of the environment, leading ot mass deaths. These animals would have then drifted down to the bottom of the lake, allowing for the unique preservation that allows for us to have a unique glimpse into this environment. Palaeoglaux probably spent most of its time in the trees, rather than closer to the lakeshore.

Many other dinosaurs filled the environment with Palaeoglaux, including the early roller Eocoracias, the early songbird Primozygodactlyus, other roller and Kingfisher relatives Messelirrisor and Primobucco, the parrot of prey Messelastur, the seriema-like Strigogyps, and the large herbivore Gastornis. Messelastur and Strigogyps, being much, much larger than Palaeoglaux, may have even fed upon it. The early flamingo relative Juncitarsus was also present in the pit, and probably was a wading bird within the lake of the Messel. Early forms of hummingbirds and other weird fliers were present (such as early relatives of potoos and nightjars), as well as an early woodpecker relative Gracilitarsus, other seriema relatives like Idiornis, and falcons like Masillaraptor. As such, diurnal birds of prey were heavily present in the Messel; and this points more to Palaeoglaux potentially being nocturnal after all.

Palaeoglaux was also present in the Quercy Fissure Formation. This was a later Eocene formation, showcasing how life began to transition along with the general environment. The global rainforest was drying up as the world was cooling; ice caps were forming at the poles, and ecosystems in general were becoming more open, dry plains. As such, Palaeoglaux got somewhat larger - as did other birds. Still, the Quercy Formation represents an environment that was still fairly warm and wet - it was probably an estuary environment, near to the shore but not quite associated fully, given that very few fish are preserved there. The environment was littered sinkholes and caves, leading to its unique preservation of animals. Many salamanders and some frogs are known form the area; though, by far, lizards are some of the most common animals there, and were probably a major source of food for Palaeoglaux. Here, Strigogyps was still present, and may have still been a problem for Palaeoglaux; parrots closer to modern forms such as Quercypsitta were present, as was the early woodpecker relative Sylphornis. Pigeons, water birds, and landfowl were also common frequenters of this environment.

Other: Palaeoglaux, though complete, is often extremely crushed; the fossil slabs of the species are difficult to interpret, and one of the best known slabs has not yet been fully described.

Species Differences: P. perrierensis is the later species from Quercy - so it is younger, from France, and larger than P. artophoron, the species from the Messel. In addition, P. perrierensis did have somewhat stronger feet than P. artophoron, indicating further evolution of traits involved in catching prey as the genus continued through the Eocene.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the cut 

Astruc, J. G., G. Escarguel, B. Marandat, R. Simon-Coinçon, B. Sigé. 2000. Floor-age constraining of a tectonic paroxysm of the Pyrenean orogen. Late Middle Eocene mammal age of a faulted karstic filling of the Quercy phosphorites, south-western France. Geodinamica Acta 13: 271 - 280.

Mayr, G. 2009. Paleogene Fossil Birds. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Mayr, G. 2017. Avian Evolution: The Fossil Record of Birds and its Paleobiological Significance. Topics in Paleobiology, Wiley Blackwell. West Sussex.

Mayr, G. 2016. The early Eocene birds of the Messel fossil site: a 48 million-year-old bird community adds a temporal perspective to the evolution of tropical avifaunas. Biological Reviews 92 (2): 1174 - 1188.

Mezger, J. E., M. Felder, F.-J. Harms. 2013. Crystalline rocks in the maar deposits of Messel: key to understanding the geometries of the Messel Fault Zone and didatreme and the post-eruptional development of the basin fill. Journal of the German Geosciences Society 164 (4): 639 - 662.

Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1987. The owls (Aves: strigiformes) of Phosphorites Du Quercy (France) systematics, biostratigraphy, and paleobiogeogrpahy, pgs 89 - 136 in Documents des Laboratoires de Geologie Lyon, Départment des Sciences de la Terre, Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1.  

Peters, D. S. 1992. A new species of owl (Aves: Strigiformes) from the Middle Eocene Messel Oil Shale. Campbell, K. ed. Papers in Avian Paleontology honoring Pierce Brodkorb. Science Series Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 36: 161 - 169.

Rage, J.-C. 2006. The Lower Vertebrates from the Eocene and Oligocene of the Phosphorites du Quercy (France): An Overview. Strata 1 (13): 161 - 173.

[fillthevoid-with-space]

The inner planets and the outer planets all look like stars from Earth. They are strange stars that move in strange ways, but their appearance depends on how they relate to observers on Earth. They are also affected by their position in relation to the Sun. Planets experience eclipses as well when the Sun, Earth, and planet are all aligned; in the inner planets, this is called a transit, and this has been a source of vast information about the solar system and the planets’ places in that system. In the outer planets, this eclipsing is called opposition. You get to hear about both in this week’s podcast!

Below the cut, I have the glossary, transcript, timeline of astronomers, sources, and music credits. I take topic suggestions from Tumblr messages, or you can tweet at me on Twitter at @HDandtheVoid, or you can ask me to my face if you know me. Please subscribe on iTunes, rate my podcast and maybe review it, and tell friends if you think they’d like to hear it!

(My thoughts on the next episode are Chuck Yeager, Edmond Halley, Stephen Hawking and his theories, or famous comets. The next episode will go up later in June!)

Glossary

aphelion - a planet’s most distant position from the Sun

black drop effect - an optical illusion where a planet nearing the edge of the Sun appears to be connected to the Sun’s edge by a black teardrop.

conjunction - when the Earth, Sun, and another planet in the solar system are aligned so that Earth and the planet are on opposite sides of the Sun.

node - the point where another planet’s orbit crosses the plane of Earth’s orbit. The planets’ orbits are tilted at slightly different angles from each other; for example, Mercury’s orbit is inclined 7 degrees compared to Earth’s orbit. Because Mercury orbits the Sun once every 88 days, it crosses Earth’s orbit every 44 days at these nodes.

opposition - when one of the outer planets crosses the plane of Earth’s orbit opposite the Sun.

perihelion - a planet’s closest position to the Sun

retrograde - the apparent motion of a planet in a direction opposite to that of other bodies within its system, as observed from a particular vantage point.

syzygy - the straight line between three celestial bodies, usually the Sun to the Earth to another planetary body.

transit - when one of the inner planets crosses between the plane of Earth’s orbit and the Sun.

Script/Transcript

Timeline

Bernhard Walther, German (1430-1504)

Johannes Regiomontanus, German (1436-1476)

Willibald Pirckheimer, German (1470-1530)

Nicolaus Copernicus, Polish (1473-1543)

Georg Rheticus, Austrian (1514-1574)

Johannes Kepler, German (1571-1630)

Pierre Gassendi, French (1592-1655)

Johannes Hevelius, Polish (1611-1687)

Jeremiah Horrocks, English (1618-1641)

Edmond Halley, English (1656-1742)

Leonhard Euler, Swiss (1707-1783)

Alexandre Guy Pingré, French (1711-1796)

César-François Cassini de Thury, French (1714-1784)

Maximilian Hell, Hungarian (1720-1792)

Jean-Baptiste Chappe d’Auteroche, French (1722-1769)

James Cook, English (1728-1779)

Charles Mason, English (1728-1786)

Jeremiah Dixon, English (1733-1779)

János Sajnovics, Hungarian (1733-1785)

Thomas Hornsby, English (1733-1810)

Charles Green, English (1734-1771)

Joseph Jérôme Lefrançois de Lalande, French (1732-1807)

Jean Guillaume Wallot, French/German (1743-1794)

Christian VII of Denmark, Danish (1749-1808)

Sources

Mercury Solar Transit (image) via NASA

Mercury Transit of the Sun: Why Is It So Rare? via Space.com (May 2016)

The 2016 Transit of Mercury via NASA

Before the Transit of Mercury: forgotten forerunners of an astronomical revolution via The Guardian (May 2016)

Catalog of Venus Transits via NASA’s Fred Espenak

Mars Opposition via NASA

Mars brighter in 2018 than since 2003 via EarthSky (May 2018)

Opposition of Superior Planets via Hong Kong Observatory

Saturn at Opposition via NASA

Earth between sun and Saturn late June via EarthSky (Jun 2018 [not possible because I’m releasing this podcast in May 2018 but okay])

Uranus at opposition via EarthSky (Oct 2017)

Earth passing between Neptune and sun via EarthSky (Sept 2018 [not possible because I’m releasing this podcast in May 2018 but okay])

Anderson, Mark. The Day the World Discovered the Sun. Da Capo Press: Philadelphia, 2012.

“Visionaries like Edmund Halley had in 1716, for instance, argued that the Venus transit could enable science to trace out a map of the solar system accurate to 99.8 percent or better” (191).

Wulf, Andrea. Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens. Alfred A. Knopf: New York, 2012.

Intro Music: ‘Better Times Will Come’ by No Luck Club off their album Prosperity

Filler Music: ‘Cannonballs’ by Hey Marseilles off their album To Travels and Trunks.

Outro Music: ‘Fields of Russia’ by Mutefish off their album On Draught

[aion-rsa]

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 5 Review: Operation New Improv Moves

https://ift.tt/3uWlO2q

This My Hero Academia review contains spoilers.

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 5

“We’re birds of a feather.”

Battles are chaotic and it can be easy to focus on only the immediate danger within them. Survival can give the illusion of strength, but sooner or later this facade crumbles away without the right preparation. “Operation New Improv Moves” is an exciting My Hero Academia episode that presents another grueling fight between the students of Class 1-A and 1-B, but it also speaks to how essential it is to adopt a bird’s eye view perspective. This vantage point, which considers the whole situation and doesn’t get lost in the specifics, proves to be fundamental in not just battle, but also life. Hawks emphasizes this to Fumikage Tokoyami during his internship and it’s a pivotal lesson for his current clash against Class 1-B.

“Operation New Improv Moves” does primarily focus on the second battle in this Joint Training Arc, but it’s exciting that the first fight’s conclusion still has everyone abuzz. Midoriya’s brawl isn’t for a while, but he already can’t help but devise a strategy with Mineta. Mina Ashido’s Instant-Kill Floating Ball also better be the Chekhov’s Gun of this Joint Training Arc. This season has largely been fun and games so far, but it’s nice to see a fire get lit under everyone as their competitive instincts become unleashed.

Shinso and Asui were the big stars of last week’s win for Class 1-A, but they’re still frustrated over their inability to pull off a flawless victory. It’s a throwaway moment, but All Might actually dwells on it quite a bit with the other Pro Heroes. They break down why “frustration” is the perfect emotion to feel after a victory and that there are few expressions that are more representative of a hero. Shinso and Asui’s self-criticism expands into general pointers for the entire team by Shota Aizawa. 

This is a stretch of episodes that’s designed to be about combat, but it’s appreciated that the previous fight’s results are studied. The entire team learns how they can generally improve upon their performance and it opens the door for all of these characters to debut new strategies whenever they’re next in the spotlight. In contrast, Vlad pushes much more of a tough love approach on Class 1-B’s students. They receive derision and frustration more than they do encouragement and advice.

Class 1-B also exhibits some reverence towards Kirishima and other heroes for their work against the Shie Hassaikai. It’s a fleeting detail, but it helps continue to flesh out My Hero Academia’s growing world. Some of the students from Class 1-A have achieved remarkable things, even by Pro Hero standards, and so it’d be kind of ridiculous if nobody was talking about it. It also plays better that Class 1-A doesn’t get cocky from these past achievements and it’s instead their opponents that mystify them through these rumors over their past.

“Operation New Improv Moves” provides an especially exciting and eclectic mix of fighters. From Class 1-A is Tokoyami, Hagakure, Yaoyorozu, and Aoyama, all of which have extremely unique Quirks that have never fully gotten their due yet. Class 1-B pulls together just as interesting of an assortment of heroes.

Itsuka Kendo has gotten some attention before in the series, but the rest represent some of Class 1-B’s weirdest individuals, with Quirks that pull from mushrooms, comic onomatopoeia, and living darkness. Before literal darkness takes over the battlefield, there’s some metaphorical shade thrown at Yaoyorozu from Kendo over how they both “fit into the same box.” A very “there can only be one” Highlander mentality begins to fester between students, but it’s best reflected in Tokoyami and Kuroiro. 

Everyone in this fight has a lot to contribute, but it ultimately turns into a war between shadow-centric Quirks between Fumikage Yokoyami’s Dark Shadow and Shihai Kuroiro’s Black Quirk. It was inevitable that My Hero Academia’s Joint Training Arc would pit counterpoints of characters against each other, but “Operation New Improv Moves” is thrilling rather than predictable simply because Tokoyami and Kuroiro’s Quirks are so powerful and mysterious.

This season’s secret weapon continues to be an inspired use of Quirks when it comes to battle strategy rather than victory through brute force. Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow can unleash vicious attacks, but here he uses its size and maneuverability to scout the entire field and immediately locate the enemy. Unfortunately, Tokoyami’s increased aptitude with his Quirk only becomes more of an advantage for Kuroiro. Kuroiro’s Black Quirk allows him to commandeer Dark Shadow and turn it against Tokoyami’s team in a very powerful display. 

What’s also so effective about the competitive nature between Tokoyami and Kuroiro is that it functions as this collective origin story for this rivalry. “You and I share a destiny,” Tokoyami coldly hisses at Kuroiro. “Operation New Improv Moves” successfully turns two fringe characters into individuals that feel like they could fuel their own spin-off, which is really the power of My Hero Academia’s characterization and what this new season has the ability to tap into. I’m not sure if Tokoyami’s accusation that Kuroiro is a “Dark Fallen Angel” is based on anything, but it’s a straight up savage burn and an effective way to label your opponent as the villain in this feud. 

Read more

TV

My Hero Academia’s Deku and Bakugo on Season 5, Class 1-B, and Dark Betrayals

By Daniel Kurland

TV

My Hero Academia Season 5: What to Expect

By Daniel Kurland

The choreography around Tokoyami’s flailing Dark Shadow and Shihai Kuroiro as they move around the pipe-filled area gives this episode such a gripping visual quality. It’s easily one of the best uses of an environment for a fight that My Hero Academia has ever done. Both the Dark Shadow and Black Quirks are already fascinating, but they really get to show themselves off through the labyrinthine nature of the battlefield. The “flying” solution to Tokoyami and Kuroiro’s feud plays well and also feels like natural development for Tokoyami’s character. Deku’s been on the sidelines for a lot of this season, but I love that his reaction to this is a freaking “Egg of Columbus” reference as if it’s a totally natural thing to reference in this situation. 

It comes as a surprise when the episode jumps back in time a few months to chronicle Tokoyami’s Quirk development alongside Hawks, but it’s an approach that actually really works well despite how it stops the action dead in its tracks. Not every episode should resort to this strategy, but it provides valuable context for not only Tokoyami’s evolved powers, but also the ideology that drives him forward. More Hawks is also never a bad thing.

Tokoyami and Kuroiro are mostly able to resolve their fight, but that’s merely one piece of this busy battle. The final moments of “Operation New Improv Moves” initiates “Plan B” where Kinoko Komori unleashes a fungal apocalypse on the battlefield that forces Class A to quickly develop a new battle strategy that carries over into the next episode. 

When it comes to the supporting players in this fight, I’ve always been very skeptical of Yuga Aoyama and his Navel Laser Quirk as anything other than comic relief, so I was kind of hoping that this battle could legitimize the hero. “Operation New Improv Moves” features more smart use of Quirk application since both Aoyama’s Navel Laser and Toru Hagakure’s Invisibility Quirk both make use of light refraction, which allows them to actively mess with Kuroiro’s strategy. Aoyama still isn’t elevated above a novelty supporting character, but this does allow him and his Quirk a little more depth that goes a long way. It’s possible that both he and Hagakure will both have more to do in the concluding half of this encounter. 

The animation in this episode that brings these fast-paced Quirks to life is a triumph, but Yuki Hayashi’s score is so excellent here that it deserves some special attention. Hayashi has never been a slouch, but he’s seriously upped his game for this season and every scene becomes more powerful thanks to the operatic music that accompanies these tense moments. It’s the first time in a while that the series’ music consciously stood out to me in terms of its ability to match the animation.

If there’s any major problem to this season of My Hero Academia so far is that there’s a strangely reflective quality to the episodes that bides a lot of time and leaves every episode feeling padded. This look to the past makes sense on some level since this season is all about a reunion and a chance at redemption between 1-A and 1-B from the events of season two’s Sports Festival. However, “Operation New Improv Moves” definitely gets indulgent in this regard. There are several moments where U.A. High’s faculty reflect on the progress that their students have made, which it’s possible to do without devolving into full-on flashbacks of old footage. 

All Might’s memories about Midoriya even feel trumped up to some degree and certain moments like his performance in the School Festival concert shouldn’t necessarily be included among Midoriya’s mastery of One For All or his defeat of Kai Chisaki. My Hero Academia is a rare example of a shonen series that doesn’t get lost in filler material and it’s an incredibly faithful adaptation of the manga, but sometimes the cost of this is episodes that subtly run the clock and don’t really get moving until the halfway mark. When “Operation New Improv Moves” is focused on battle it’s absolutely fantastic, but it shouldn’t have to tiptoe around its action to this degree.

“Operation New Improv Moves” could be a tighter episode in some areas, but it still succeeds and even improves upon last week’s solid battle. It’s comforting that My Hero Academia allows this fight to spill over into the next episode and that every showdown in the Joint Training Arc won’t have the same “one and down” structure to it. There’s a strong mix of action, character development, and emotion through this exercise and it does exceptional work to highlight some of the anime’s unsung heroes. This battle continues to rage on, but Tokoyami’s narrative softly receives resolution as he passes the torch over to Yaoyorozu for the next leg of this confrontation. 

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

And the biased commentary protest group continues to fight the good fight. Never surrender. 

The post My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 5 Review: Operation New Improv Moves appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3aCoKcI

[theblackpanther]

Hello! I just discovered you and A Professional Observation a few days ago and I LOVE IT! You've got a loyal reader here. :) Can I ask questions 3 & 4 regarding A Professional Observation, please?

Hello Annie. Very happy to hear that! :) Do you happen to be also the Guest who left the review on ff.net on April 23?

Since A Professional Observation is one big author-service (written because 1. things I liked the most about “Arrow” disappeared from the show althogether 2. I couldn’t find fics that explore the tropes I wanted to read about), there is more than one example. Beware, this post is ridiculously long.

3. What’s your favorite line of narration?

“The rain was monotonously beating against the barred windows of the interrogation room. It was small almost to the point of being claustrophobic, heavily shadowed in the corners, but strongly lit in the centre from the ceiling lamps. Currently it was occupied by only one person — a handcuffed man in his early thirties, sitting by the table placed in the center. The bright light gave his costume an unnaturally vivid shade of green. His hood was pulled off his head, lying flat on his back, the mask gone altogether, probably locked up alongside his bow, quiver and other equipment in the evidence locker.”

(Maybe nothing special. But I’m not a native speaker, and those were first lines in English I put conciously after years and year of wanting to write in a foreign language—I think it works well as the opening and sets the tone of the story.).

“He was not mad. He would know if he was, wouldn’t he?”

“How he wished he was still a free man and could just run into the night. He always escaped into night from all he had. Or perhaps the night was all he had.If only he could feel the chill of wind on his face and breathe in rain-soaked air. Look at the city’s skyline from the top of the highest building, the hood down over his head and the reassuring weight of the bow in his hand… He didn’t need it to be efficient in what he was doing; he shaped himself to be the most dangerous weapon. But still he viewed his mastery of archery as something to be proud of.This was making it even more difficult to accept that the part of his life as a vigilante was over. And that he would never again hear the rustle of an arrow’s fletching being taken out of the quiver, when the feathers softly rubbed against each other, or bowstring’s ring when it was released. He loved being the Arrow, he couldn’t deny it. When he observed people from the rooftops, living their normal lives, he knew that it was something he would never have, but accepted it as the consequence of the path he had chosen. It had not only given him the sense of purpose in his once dull existence. It had also provided him with a shot of adrenaline he craved.”

(Some angst, also one of many Archery Is Awesome/Archery Placement scenes.)

“She wanted to break him down and pick through the darkest corners of his mind. Get inside his head and make him believe he was suffering from some psychological disorder. How could he regard her otherwise? Right now Doctor Pressnall, despite her ordinary look, seemed to be a much more dangerous foe than the Dark Archer and Deathstroke put together. They wanted to take everything from him, and in the end kill him. But what she intended to do was even worse. Deprive him of everything that gave meaning to his life and force him to live without it.”

“He raised his eyes slowly and observed Doctor Pressnall for a longer while as she indulged herself in reading some excerpt in his file. Studying her as he would study his quarry, trying to figure out what tactic would be best. Giving some thought to what he already knew about her, what he had learned during their conversation, and what he could make out of her appearance. If she looked at him at this moment, she would probably be greatly surprised that he was watching her like a hawk. Thoughts flashed through his mind one after another, piling up, building up a bigger, more complex picture out of little pieces. Unlike one of his fellow vigilantes, the Arrow was no detective. But still he was able to make some deductions on his own.”

(Ollie’s observations and Sherlock Holmes mode was fun to write. Before the show kind of forget about that, he was able to make some deduction/investigation on his own.)

“While people from City Hall were doing all in their power to lessen the Arrow’s influence on violent crime rates steadily declining, and ignore all the good he was doing, the “little guys” showed their appreciation in whatever way they could. True, there were no cool gadgets like Flash action figures one could buy in a gift shop, or The Flash coffee, but people found other ways to express their gratitude. There was a small tea room on Grell Street, run by an old lady, which was serving Green Arrow tea, which was basically a jasmine green tea with a fancy name. In some stalls one could buy a T-shirt or a green hoodie with an imprint of a hooded man with a bow. He looked more like Robin Hood or a comic book character in those pictures (Oliver had no idea why some artist drew him with a distinctive goatee), but still, there was no doubt that all of those were supposed to represent the local vigilante. Him.

Shortly after the Arrow saved the city from Deathstroke and his Mirakuru soldiers, some street artists painted a huge graffiti on a wall of one of buildings in Glades of the Arrow, watching over the city. Most of his face was covered by the shade of the hood. Someone from City Hall decided to paint it over, but once the people from Glades heard about it , they protested so vigorously that the plan was dropped almost instantly. The mural stayed in place.

Over the years the Arrow, become something more than only an elusive, shadowy figure. Sometimes someone managed to catch a glimpse of him. People were looking up on the roofs or peeking into dark alleys, knowing that those were his “favorite” places. Kids from Glades hoped that if they got lucky, they might find a stray arrow with characteristic green-and-yellowish fletching, or an arrowhead that police overlooked while they were securing the area and gathering the evidence. That part of the public interest was relatively harmless. Oliver was, however, getting more and more annoyed with people who wanted to take a photo of him or record a film on those rare occasions when he had to appear in open space, close to civilians. Not only because the police could use it as evidence against him later on. They put themselves into harm’s way—some were so reckless that they would walk into the middle of shootout just to get that precious photo of the Arrow.One of the most original and unexpected forms of tribute he was given was an unofficial archery contest.”

(At some point in the show people just mysteriously disappeared. The city no longer felt alive. I wanted to show what impact on the life of ordinary normal citizens the existence of vigilante hero would have and how he would fit into the city’s space.)

“Without Mom, Thea and Dad…Or even without Walter, who tried to replace his father in his life the best he could…It’s not the house anymore. He doesn’t care about his ancestors, no matter what they did, or what they achieved. They are just empty names. Probably put a lot of effort to raise themselves up over others. He wouldn’t have the means to finance his crusade without the money he inherited, but he prefers to not think of that. Because it would lead him to thinking that he is no better than other wealthy and well situated people using their position to do whatever they want. But to do what he does nowadays, having a plain English longbow and some wooden arrows wouldn’t be enough.

Damn, he really should go catch some sleep, since he’s comparing himself to Robin Hood now. He doesn’t like this association, because on some level he thinks that Robin Hood should belong to those romantic ballads and stories, where everything was so simple, painted in black and white colors. Robin and his merry men were the good guys, the Sheriff and his thugs the bad ones.

He doesn’t exactly remember when, but he learned that in Robin Hood’s time, the bow was not viewed as a noble weapon. It was associated with peasants, and what’s worse also with thieves and bandits, men who had no honor. No nobleman would touch such a thing. So maybe after all he had more in common with Robin Hood that he wanted to admit. He was no thief, but according to the law he was a bandit, and the fact that he used his skills to fight crime and injustice had no meaning to that law. “

(Robin Hood reference is must-be in “Arrow” story. Also way to slip in an information that in Robin Hood times a bow was not viewed as a noble weapon.)

“Viewed from the high rooftop, with its busy traffic on the main street arteries, Starling looks like every other city aspiring to be a modern metropolis. Long torrents of cars, with gleaming yellow and red lights, from this height small like toys, are streaming in all directions. And for a change it is not even raining today. From this vantage point all dark corners of the city and its poor, badly reputed districts are invisible, hidden in shade of skyscrapers, towering over the whole surrounding area.

Once it was one of the busiest docks on the West Coast. But the last of them were closed in the late nineties, and over the years the former wharfs were redeveloped and turned into a business district. Now it is full of office buildings, as impressive as constructions of metal, glass and concrete can be, and although the revitalization of the area is not a bad thing, on some level Oliver hates those skyscrapers; their only purpose seems to be raising themselves above others. Modern, elegant yachts are moored next to them in newly constructed marinas. The port itself introduced some major changes as well. New quays were constructed in the north part, and all the wet docks were deepened in order to handle vessels with bigger displacement. Only recently four gentry cranes were put into service in the container terminal, though there are still a lot of people who can’t find their place after the last big shipyard was closed down. Oliver poured a lot of money into a program which was supposed to help them retrain and get a new job, but it didn’t work as well as he planned.

So, to put it shortly, Starling pretends quite well to be something more. Something other than what it truly is. However, on a global scale, it means nothing. Just like him.”

“Usually when someone wants him somewhere it means that they want to kill him. Oliver comes well before the time and circles around, checking the surrounding. There is no sign of any trap though. Not many possible hiding places in the area as well, since this part of the port is remarkable mostly for its emptiness. South Pier is just a long strip of metal and concrete stretching out into the Starling Bay. A long time ago it served as the mooring place for a local cruise company. It used to have a number of connections with other port cities of the West Coast, including a ferry going to Coast City two times a day. Unfortunately the company bankrupted years ago. Although a revitalization process of the unused port area has been gradually put into motion, and over time South Pier became an official part of Harbour Green Park, none of the plans to somehow restore it have been so far successful. The sole remnant of its historical significance is an rusty archway, which used to serve as the entrance to the pier. Original shipyard lettering—"White Star Line" is still clearly readable.

Looking up at the company’s name, Oliver briefly remembers the trip to Coast his parents took him and Tommy on when they were both nine or ten years old. Sunny day, gusts of oceanic wind, a huge white ship and both of them ferreting about the deck, getting in every hole—especially if the entrance was prohibited to the passengers. On their return journey they were allowed to the helm though (nobody refuses Robert Queen). During the whole trip his parents looked genuinely happy together. He even saw them holding hands when they stood by the ship’s side, talking about something softly. Much later he was wondering bitterly if at that time his mother was already sleeping with Malcolm. And if his father was cheating on her with his secretary. After all, Isabel Rochev was not the first woman he had an affair with—he knew that there were others “lapses” in his life, much earlier.

Now all of this seems to have a spectral place in his memories. His parents and Tommy are gone forever, and that ship (he still remembers the name written with golden lettering—"Olympic") was scrapped shortly after the company ceased to exist. That archway and few bleak, distant images in his mind, like a bunch of old photographs, are the only proofs that it ever happened. If he dies tonight—and he can’t exclude that possibility—the only link with that past event will disappear for good, as well as those little parts of his parents and Tommy which are still alive in him.”

“He eventually finds himself around the bay. But instead going to the embankment near Harbour Green Park, he heads to the port, specifically to the part that hasn’t been revitalized yet. And maybe never will. An old abandoned power plant looms in the distance, its striped white and red chimney rising high. He passes a terminal container and enters an area that is a pathetic sight. He goes along a narrow street with cracked asphalt, passing long chains of railway wagons standing on the sidings on his left. On the other side, empty warehouses with broken windows and dirty, shabby-looking walls are towering over him.

He takes a short-cut through the closed ship assembly plant. A half-finished hull, lying under a gantry crane, reminds him of the skeleton of some deep-sea creature, dragged onto the bank. He goes through a large gap in the fence and finds himself under a brick wall of the abandoned power plant. He enters the building through a side entrance—it is one of his alternate hideouts. He is pretty sure that even Amanda Waller doesn’t know about the existence of this one, nor does his former team. Here he keeps some backup gear, even a spare motorcycle. But today he hasn’t come to grab some equipment, but to leave the backpack with the things he took from the foundry.”

(Finally, many descriptions of the city, which is a character on its own. Starling is full of contrasts, modern districts and neglected Glades, revitalized area contrasted with the abandoned places. Also many references to existing places/cities.)

4. What’s your favorite line of dialogue?

“I’m not crazy,” he said through clenched teeth. “So stop talking to me as if I’m one of your patients, living under some delusion and unable to tell lies from reality” An edge of threatening tone crept into his cold voice. It was the Hood speaking all over again. He regretted it almost immediately, seeing anxiety mirrored in the psychiatrist’s eyes. After all, he didn’t want to scare this woman.

“I’m not crazy,” he repeated, his tone much more level. “And contrary to what you might think, I don’t consider myself to be Robin Hood.”

“Then why do you wear this green hood? Why did you choose a bow and arrow?” she pressed on. “Does it have something to do with the island you were marooned on for five years? What exactly happened to you out there?”

(Oliver finally decides to speak with Doctor Pressnall.)

“I’m afraid you’re not in a position to judge anyone, given your own criminal record and how many victims you have on your conscience…I’m sorry for the harsh words, Oliver, but someone has to break it to you. Especially because you act as though you don’t realize how serious the charges against you are.”

He glared at her and retorted: “I’m handcuffed to the table. I get it.”

(One of many exchanges between them.)

“No man is a lonely island, Oliver, if you’ll forgive me bringing up this quote.”

(Putting references to island is always fun, second on the list after Robin Hood references—well, maybe it’s not fun for Oliver, given the situation…)

“That came addressed to you,“ says the Captain, handing the archer an envelope and glancing at him suspiciously. "You don’t seem to be surprised. Don’t say that now I’m your P.O. Box when someone wants to send you feedback or fan mail.”

“ This is not fan mail,” says Oliver grimly.

“ Queen. Oliver. Don’t turn your back on me like that,” says Lance suddenly. There is a hard edge in his voice. It stops the Arrow in place.

“ It was always so obvious, wasn’t it?”, he asks calmly, not shaken by this revelation at all.

“ You don’t seem surprised that I know,” observes the Captain.

“ You are too good a detective to not figure it out. You did a good job pretending that you don’t know.”

“ Yeah, the same goes to you. Keeping up appearances that you were not aware that I know,” sums up Lance. “Now, since it’s clear where we stand with each other and who knows what…”

“ I’ve never thanked you for what have you been doing for this city,” says Lance. His face bears a sour expression.

“ You never had to. I don’t do this for a thank-you.”

(Scenes with Lance and Oliver/the Arrow are my favorite, so of course one of the most imporant part of the story is Quentin’s and the Arrow’s cooperation—for me it was obvious that he had known for a long time who is hiding under the hood, he just didn’t care. Also, reference to Nolan’s Batman, exchange between Gordon and Batman from Batman Begins.)

“ I… I’ll call the cops!” Leeds makes another empty threat.

“ Go ahead,” says Oliver with a mocking tone. “How fast do you think Captain Lance will send his men here after you had proposed to cut down his retirement?”

“ He should be fired from the force for working with you!”

(Who said that Oliver doesn’t have a sense of humor? :p Also reference to Kevin Smith’s Quiver.)

“Sometimes I wonder…” he pauses. Barry is looking at him expectantly, so he swallows hard and goes on: “…how long I’ll be able to carry on. I chose this life. I became a vigilante, I use the night. But sooner or later I’ll go down. It might be the Dark Archer, or Deathstroke, or just some punk who gets lucky. Or perhaps some overzealous cop who’ll shoot me down. And when this moment comes, my last thought will be probably whether I made any difference.”

“ Oliver, the city would fall apart without you.”

“ Maybe. Maybe not. You know what they say… When you look too long into the abyss, the abyss looks back through you. And the longer I look on my city from up here…the less sense in all of this I see.”

“ You know what I think? That you are talking complete rubbish.”

“ That is really reassuring of you to say.”

(Some angst and moment between superfriends—as Barry’s and Oliver’s friendship is another of my favorite parts of the Arrowverse. Also Batman TAS referenced, “I Am The Night” to be precise.)

“He mastered to perfection keeping two halves of his life separate. And he convinced himself that he did this to keep her out of the harm’s way. It was easier to justify not being honest with her that way. It’s quite easy to understand what he was thinking. However, some other things about him are far more intriguing. How did he choose his targets? How did he decide whom to spare, and who deserves the most severe punishment in his book? Did he take pleasure in killing? Or was simply having total control over the situation, something he was deprived of on the island, enough to satisfy him? Those are few of many questions I would like to get an answer for. Maybe by understanding how his mind works, we can understand other people like him. And see the bigger picture.”

(Doctor Pressnall gives her observation.)

“I used to hate him and everything he represented. There was a time I would have sold my badge to nail him,” admitted Lance sincerely. “But… that’s changed. In city like Starling normal methods just… fail. And if we had realized that earlier, maybe we could have avoided tragedy… (…) The lines are getting thinner, the longer I’m in this line of work,” he explained, his tone sounding weary. “I used to think that you don’t need to step outside of the law to get justice. Starling taught me otherwise. And right now all I know is that—no matter how absurd it sounds—a hooded guy with a bow is…was the only one who stood between us and other masks running around the city. And this city is hurting. There were guys like Merlyn, or Wilson, or Brick who wanted to tear it apart. Bertinelli, Triad, Bratva, Los Halcones, Church… The never ending list. Cut off one head, two new take its place… But right now we are about to put away the only guy who could do something about it .”

(This fragment is not yet published, as it’s from chapter 19. Quentin’s thoughts on the Arrow.)

I’ve said it will be long…

[lethaderr-blog]

Here are the best things to do in southern for active and outdoor adventurers.

It was my first time visiting the state of and I really didn’t know what to expect. I was in town for the Women in Summit conference (WITS), and it was a great excuse to check a new state off my bucket list. After spending some time in Portland, it was time to venture away from the city. As I had my own car, I had the freedom to go wherever I wanted. Yes, this crazy road trip warrior drove solo on a 10 hour trip from Toronto to Portland. After making this journey, I feel like I can own the term “road trip warrior” and also the “crazy” part of the title, too (though I did break up the drive into manageable chunks).

Anyway, after my time at WITS, I headed south to check out the southern coast on a trip with The Beaches. There are lots of things to do in southern for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. I had the opportunity to check out several exciting places for those wanting to get outside, explore nature, or try a new activity. While there are many attractions in York County, I’ll break up this itinerary by city, starting from south in Kittery to north in Kennebunkport. While you won’t see any beaches on this itinerary, this listing of things to do in southern can be enjoyed from spring right through to the fall.

SOUTHERN MAINE TRAVEL GUIDE

WHERE TO STAY IN THE MAINE BEACHES REGION: I loved staying at The Dunes on the Waterfront in Ogunquit. You can read my review a little further down on this page. Book your stay at The Dunes or read more reviews by fellow travelers. While I highly recommend staying at The Dunes, you can also choose to browse the available listings on Airbnb if you’re looking for a shared room or your own home. Here are some more hotels in The Beaches.

GETTING AROUND SOUTHERN MAINE: I recommend having access to a car when you visit The Beaches. A lot of the places on this particular itinerary are far apart from one another. Having a car makes this trip possible. If you don’t have your own, consider renting a car for this trip.

MORE THINGS TO DO IN MAINE: For all of the best things to do in New York State, check out all of my other blog posts.

PHOTOS OF THE MAINE BEACHES REGION: Check out our entire photo album of pictures from southern to inspire your trip. You can also purchase prints, housewares, and all sorts of gifts made from any of our photos – just click the “buy” button on any picture.

Kittery

Let’s start just about as far south as we can go in the state of : Kittery. The town of Kittery is just across a bridge from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. While Kittery might be known for its outlet shopping, I headed straight to one of the most unique things to do on the coast of .

Take Flight Aerial Park

The aerial adventures and ziplines at Take Flight are one of the most thrilling things to do in southern . Strap on your harness and helmet, we’re going on an adventure! I experienced the Aerial Challenge Course and it was exhilarating, demanding, and even a little bit scary at times. With that said, you can choose how much or little to challenge yourself. It’s an epic journey for kids and adults alike. 

The adventure course at Take Flight a place to climb, swing, and hang around, quite literally. It’s perfect for all abilities, even if you’ve never done a ropes course before. You’ll need to visit with a partner as the course operates on a buddy system where you’ll be responsible for the safety of your partner (and vice versa). There are over 65 elements on the adventure course, including cargo nets, bridges, swinging tires, various platforms, ropes, and all sorts of inventive materials to swing around on.

Some of these are easier to figure out than others. It’s quite simple to realize that you need to climb through a cargo net. But, you might encounter a set of buoys suspended in the air and wonder, “how the heck am I going to get across this?” It’s all a part of the fun. I found myself laughing over and over again with the antics I seemed to get myself into on this course.

There are three levels of apparatus and swinging platforms that you’ll encounter. You can choose just how high you want to go and which bridges to cross. When my travel buddy, Retha and I got to a certain spot that was a little too intimidating, we’d exclaim something like, “Oh hell, no!” and choose an alternate route. And then there were other moments where a set of swings looked rather daring and we’d give it a shot. In the end, I felt quite pleased and accomplished that I’d attempted the adventure course. Take Flight is one of the best southern attractions, and I urge you to check it out with one of your friends.

When you visit the Take Flight adventure course, you’ll be able to climb around for a maximum of 2 hours. You’ll receive a “pre-flight” training to prepare you for the excursion. Wear sneakers, sunscreen, and sunglasses. Don’t bring your camera, phone, or anything else with you. Take Flight staff members will take photos of you, so you don’t need to worry about damaging your gear on the course. Thank you so much to the staff at Take Flight for taking these photos of us!

York

Next, we drive a little bit up the road to York where you can find an excellent place to hit the trails. Some of the best hiking in southern is at Mount Agamenticus. My second stop in York isn’t really an outdoor adventure per se, but a beautiful scenic location to view the Nubble Lighthouse.

Mount Agamenticus

If there’s one place where you need to go hiking in southern , it’s Mount Agamenticus. Known as “Mount A” for short, the Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region sprawls across 10,000 acres within a 30,000 acre section of conservation land in southern . In fact, the region surrounding Mount A makes up one of the largest unfragmented forests in coastal New England. Within this unique coastal forest, you’ll find the highest diversity of plant and animal species in the whole state. You might spot whitetail deer, moose, spotted turtles, black racer snakes, or even a black bear. I didn’t manage to see any wildlife this time around, but you never know what you might see on the trail.

Mount A also happens to be one of ’s best sites to watch migrating raptors, including peregrine falcons, bald eagles, osprey, and hawks. In the fall, you can see hundreds of birds migrating within a few hours from the summit. On average, 4000 raptors migrate through this location annually. Make sure you visit Mount Agamenticus in late September through mid October on a clear day with a strong northwest wind.

The trails surrounding Mount A are perfect for hikers, bikers, and even winter activities like snowshoeing. Along with a local guide, we started at the bottom of Mount A and hiked up to the top. It’s a very gradual incline, so it’s not terribly challenging. However, it’s a great location for sightseeing and spending a few hours in nature. There are numerous informative plaques along the way about the history of the region, as well as the kinds of trees you’ll come across on your journey. 

Eventually, you’ll reach the summit of Mount A, which is also directly accessible by car. At the summit, there are several interesting features and lookouts. You can soak up views of the mountains in one direction, including Mount Washington on a clear day. From another vantage point, you can see right out to the Atlantic Ocean. There’s a circular deck at the middle of the summit with miniatures of various nearby attractions like Nubble Light and Goose Rocks Beach. Be sure to wander around this vast expanse of land to the various lookout decks and rocky ledges.

Nubble Light

Even though this isn’t technically an outdoor adventure, you really should go to see Nubble Light when you’re in York. You can actually see Nubble Light from Mount A, too! It’s a quick drive down to the ocean to view this beautiful southern lighthouse. Officially named Cape Neddick Light, the lighthouse sits on Nubble Island, about 100 meters off Cape Neddick Point. While the lighthouse itself is inaccessible to the general public, you can easily view it from the edge of Cape Neddick Point. There’s a big parking lot, so you can pull right up and take a look. Going to see Nubble Light is one of the most iconic things to do on the coast of .

Built in 1879, the lighthouse is 41 feet tall but is positioned 88 feet above sea level. It sits up on top of a high, rocky island. Nubble Light is still in use today. It’s a classic example of an American lighthouse. A picture of the Nubble Light is included on the Voyager spacecraft, along with examples of other famous man made structures like the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal.

Ogunquit

Ogunquit has some of the most stunning views that I’ve seen throughout my time in . I recommend that you take a drive down to Perkins Cove and explore the adorable village, including the beautiful coastline. Park your car at Perkins Cove and take a walk on the Marginal Way.

Marginal Way

The Marginal Way is one of the prettiest coastal footpaths in New England. The term “margin” refers to the space between the land and the sea. Take a stroll down this 1.25 mile pathway to get right up close to the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Even on a cloudy and somewhat dreary day, it’s so magical. The water is seemingly drawn towards the shore, violently crashing into the rocks and cliffs. There are 39 benchs along this relatively short stretch, inviting visitors to take a break. Sit back and enjoy the view.

Perkins Cove

Perkins Cove is a cute village at one end of the Marginal Way. There are many boutiques, cafes, and restaurants in town, although many of them are seasonal. While only a handful of them were open when I visited in early May, I didn’t mind that at all. There weren’t many people around, and I felt at times like I had many southern attractions all to myself. 

The Perkins Cove Drawbridge is the most iconic sight in Perkins Cove. It overlooks a lovely little harbor, and it might be the only double leaf draw footbridge left in the . I didn’t happen to see any boats sailing through, but the drawbridge can be raised to allow tall ships to enter the harbor. The harbormaster typically operates the drawbridge. However, if he isn’t available, it’s up to the average citizen or visitor to help out. There’s a button right on the bridge itself that you can push to raise the bridge. I didn’t have the unique opportunity to push that button, but fingers crossed that you get the chance!

Kennebunk

Did you know that Kennebunk is the only village with that name in the entire world? With such a unique name, I wouldn’t expect that any other town would be called ‘Kennebunk.’ All of the residents want you to know that. At the entrance to the town, there’s a sign stating: “Welcome to Kennebunk, The Only Village in the World So Named.” So, there you have it. Definitely wander around town here. You’ll discover a river with a small waterfall, a charming little park, and a main street with lots of little boutiques.

Garden Street Bowl

Now, a bowling alley wouldn’t generally be on my list of outdoor adventures. But, it’s a fantastic place to head in the evening after a long day of activities. Grab your travel gang and head straight to Garden Street Bowl. It’s a newly renovated bowling alley that’s inside an old repurposed grocery store. There’s a massive bar, restaurant, and a games room located in a long room where the shopping carts used to be stored. I’ll write a little bit more about what I ordered at the restaurant, but this food is not your average bowling alley grub. Garden Street Bowl is the perfect rainy day activity, and it’s open super late (until 11pm most days, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday). 

Kennebunkport

Wandering around Kennebunkport may very well be one of the best things to do on the coast of . While I didn’t participate in any particular activities or adventures, it’s a quaint village to go for a walk. I loved the colorful buildings and the views of the docked boats. Sometimes the best adventures are the ones that you don’t overly plan. Go for a stroll in Kennebunkport and admire the scenery around you.

Scenic Flight of the Coast

Now that you’ve visited all of the towns on the southern coast, why not take a look at them from up above? Taking a scenic flight with Southern Aviation was one of the most memorable aspects of the entire trip. There’s nothing quite like witnessing the natural beauty of the sand dunes from up above. You can see the crashing waves along the coast from high in the sky. Soar above the treetops and marvel at the landscapes of coastal . 

Our aircraft was a small, four seat plane (including the pilot). You can embark on a flight with two of your friends, and you’ll each have your own window for the amazing views. The plans are modern, well equipped, and incredibly safe. Our pilot, Paul, had over 25 years of experience flying with American Airlines. You’re in good hands!

While you can choose your flight path, we decided to leave it up to the expert. He took us on a journey to see so many southern attractions, like Nubble Light, York Harbor, Kennebunkport, Ogunquit (we even spotted our hotel from the air), and even Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Flights start and end at the Sanford Airport, which is just 14 miles west of Kennebunk. You can take flights lasting anywhere from a half hour to two hours. Taking a scenic flight with Southern Aviation is incredibly affordable at a rate of $195 per hour (it’s a great price, especially if you split it between 3 people). 

Curious about learning how to fly an airplane? This first “discovery flight” counts as your first lesson towards earning your pilot license. If you’re a local or live nearby and would like to take flying lessons, Southern Aviation can hook you up. If you’re like me and you want to leave the flying up to the experts, it’s easy to hop on board for a short flight to soak up the stunning views.

Where to Eat

While it was relatively easy to find vegan food in the city of Portland, it was a little more challenging in southern . There were a few plant-based and very vegan-friendly establishments, but they are only open seasonally during the summer months. You might be thinking that visiting as a vegan could be next to impossible, especially since the state is most known for its lobster. Don’t worry, I always find a way to make it work! I discovered several restaurants with vegan dishes that were very delicious.

Squeeze

The Squeeze is a local chain of smoothie shops. Their location in Kittery resembles a small juice shack. It’s actually a juice bar inside a repurposed drive through bank location. I love when companies are able to find new uses for old buildings. At The Squeeze, you can find all sorts of smoothies and smoothie bowls in every flavor. I couldn’t resist ordering a Bananarama (without the yogurt) because it had espresso in it. The smoothie was super refreshing and definitely hit the spot.

Heckman’s Pub at Nonantum Resort

Heckman’s Pub is a small bar inside the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport. You don’t need to stay overnight at the hotel to take advantage of the dining options. Heckman’s Pub has several local beers on tap, as well as a small menu of yummy eats. The vegan offering on the menu is the cauliflower tacos. I love the little round taco shells that look more like little taco bowls. Not only is there roasted cauliflower in them, but there’s also grilled pineapple salsa. You’ve gotta try this tasty take on a taco.

Garden Street Bowl

The Crotux Kitchen and Taphouse is the restaurant inside Garden Street Bowl. While it might seem rather casual (you can choose to dine at a table, the bar, or right at your bowling alley!), there’s an extensive menu of food and drink options. There are dozens of local beers on tap, including kombucha (I sampled a pint of the ginger kombucha). For my meal, I was in a snacking kind of mood, so I ordered the roasted chili hummus and the fries with truffle ketchup. If you plan to go bowling at Garden Street Bowl, be sure to stay for a meal as it goes well above and beyond what you’d typically expect to eat at a bowling alley.

Mike’s Clam Shack

This is most likely the last place you’d expect a vegan to dine. Mike’s Clam Shack in Wells, has a very tasty vegan veggie burger on their menu. I verified with the restaurant staff that the burger is vegan. It might be the only option on the menu, but it’s a good one. If you happen to be traveling with some seafood loving friends, you won’t go hungry. 

Norma’s Restaurant

Norma’s Restaurant is a bit of a greasy spoon, but it’s a favorite among the locals. The veggie folks in the crowd will find fried potatoes and toast with jam as a breakfast offering.

Cafes & Coffee

If you know me, you’ll know that I like to stay caffeinated! I’m always seeking the best cafes and coffee shops while I travel, and I managed to find a few excellent ones in southern . Here’s where you’ll find some of the best coffee in York County.

Lil’s Cafe

Lil’s Cafe in Kittery serves up delicious coffee and espresso beverages. They also make all of their own baked goods and pastries right on site. Unfortunately, they don’t have any vegan pastries at the moment, but they do have lots of freshly baked bread. I ordered an Americano and it was exactly what I needed as a pick me up. As an added bonus, check out Lil’s Vinyl Vault, a vintage record shop connected directly to the cafe. Searching for a particular LP? You might find that retro gem at Lil’s Vinyl Vault. Coffee and records is a pretty sweet combination.

Dock Square Coffee House

The Dock Square Coffee House is right in the main tourist area of Kennebunkport. I stopped by for a morning coffee and sat at the front window, sipping my drink and watching the people stroll by. Many visitors stopped by for their morning brew, and I even managed to see a couple of dogs on their morning walks. Be sure to stop by this charming little coffee shop for a break in your sightseeing activities in the Beaches region.

Christian’s Cafe and Eatery

Christian’s Cafe and Eatery is right along the main street of Kennebunk. I stopped by as I was wandering around town because I felt a little bit hungry and definitely in need of some caffeine. While they didn’t have any vegan items on the menu, the staff members were so helpful and kind. They offered to prepare a bagel with vegetable toppings in place of the cream cheese (cucumber, lettuce, and onion). I also ordered a soy milk cappuccino, which was very yummy.

Where to Stay in Southern

My choice for the best place to stay in Southern is The Dunes on the Waterfront. It’s a collection of cozy cottages right on the Ogunquit River. It’s like having your own home away from home, right on the edge of the water. This accommodation is a little slice of paradise in a very tranquil setting. The cottages are spaced apart just the right amount for a secluded atmosphere.

The cottage itself has everything you could need for a comfortable stay: a large bed, a full kitchen, a flat screen TV with satellite channels, complimentary Wi-Fi, and even a wood burning fireplace. My cottage had a covered and screened in front porch, which is such a lovely place to unwind in peace. You can also explore the sand dunes and Ogunquit beach from Dunes on the Waterfront. The hotel staff will provide you with a time table for the tides where you’ll learn when you can easily walk across the river or take a rowboat. You can book out the rowboats through the front desk. 

I highly recommend waking up to watch the sunrise over the Ogunquit River and the Atlantic Ocean. While it means getting up as early as 5:00am and a great sunrise isn’t a guarantee, it’s so completely worth it for those vibrant skies. On my first morning at The Dunes, it was very overcast. While my surroundings still looked beautiful, it wasn’t quite as brilliant as I had hoped. However, on my second morning, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky as the sun seemingly came up from beyond the river itself. It was absolutely gorgeous.

Ogunquit is a central location for your holiday to southern . You’re right in the middle of it all. Plus, The Dunes on the Waterfront is one of the most unique properties at which I’ve had the pleasure of staying. It’s a peaceful sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. You can kick back and relax here, whether you’re enjoying a crackling fire in your fireplace, reading a book on your front porch, or taking in one of nature’s best performances as the sun comes up. Be sure to book your stay at The Dunes on the Waterfront. You can also read more reviews by fellow travelers by clicking here.

Map of Things to Do in Southern

PLANNING A TRIP TO MAINE?

Book your accommodation, Airbnb rental, or rental car.

Browse tours and excursions around the city for fun day trips.

Check out my 10 essential items to pack for a day hike.

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The post Things to Do in Southern : The Best Outdoor s in the Beaches Region appeared first on Justin Plus Lauren.

[crosman999]

New Rapid Air Weapons HM1000x Field Review

New Rapid Air Weapons HM1000x Field Review

Several weeks ago I received the new Rapid Air Weapons HM1000x in .25 from Pyramyd Air for a comprehensive field review. I was excited to do this review as it would be the first RAW that I would have the privilege of field using. Rapid Air Weapons is known for building precision USA Made rifles that have been proven accurate by shooters all over the world. The HM1000 was shipped to me in a nice…

[biofunmy]

A Short Hike video game review

At the start, Claire, the game’s feathered young heroine, faces the familiar modern-day problem that confounds innumerable vacationers to the forested regions: no cellphone reception. As it happens, her aunt, whom Claire is visiting, is a forest ranger that knows the best place to get a signal. To nip Claire’s anxiety in the bud, her aunt advises her to hike up to Hawk Peak, the highest vantage point in the area. Though not an easy hike, it’s long been a rite of passage in their family. (If you’re following along with the Zelda analogy, Hawk Peak is the opposite of Death Mountain — a place of peace rather than danger.)

Finding your way to Hawk Peak is a cinch. There are plenty of signs spread across the island on which Claire is staying to orient one in the right direction. Of course, there is a catch. To climb the steeper parts of the trail that wind up the mountain, Claire will need to upgrade her ability to climb over long distances. To increase her stamina, which also increases her ability to use her wings to glide across long distances, she must find a number of Golden Feathers that are scattered about the island. Many of them can be retrieved from elevated areas, while some can be bought from the visitor’s center or a scalper who buys up the local supply. Although it’s stated that people trekking up Hawk Peak should have at least seven feathers in their possession, more are recommended to make the climb less frustrating. Without too much difficulty, I found eighteen of the game’s twenty Golden Feathers before I reached the credits. In fact, I held off making the climb all the way up until well after I’d accumulated enough feathers to easily undertake the excursion. I was okay dragging out the experience to uncover every nugget of humor in the game.

As Claire wanders the island in search of feathers, she has the chance to engage in short interactions with other anthropomorphic creatures. A handful of the characters she meets made me lol. Among those she encounters are overenthusiastic athletes who trumpet their dedication to running and rock climbing, a guy who loves nothing better than to contemplate his next breakfast and a paranoid camper who frets that the watch he lost in the woods will be sold on the Internet by someone unscrupulous.

From these run-ins, Claire receives simple requests to find items — like a missing headband — or to do basic tasks such as helping to pick up a littered area. Because none of these activities are demanding, they never feel like quests so much as optional favors one can perform. Alongside these activities, Claire can participate in a race, play a game on the beach or fish to earn a little money. She can also use items such as a shovel to dig up buried treasures or a pickax to clear away debris to reach otherwise blocked-off areas. In this way, “A Short Hike” uses many of the conventions of the Zelda games, such as tools and stamina upgrades, for humbler purposes. The sum effect of Robinson-Yu’s design choices is an openly sentimental game with low-fi graphics that seems built to foster a spirit of comfort rather than risk. Twee as it is, it’s an achievement that shows how a familiar video game form can be made into something more quiet and unhurried than one might be used to; personally, I’m all for that.

Christopher Byrd is a Brooklyn-based writer. His work has appeared in the New York Times Book Review, the New Yorker and elsewhere. Follow him on Twitter @Chris_Byrd.

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[meditationadvise]

Can You Prove God Using Science?

This is an actually good read as well as a damn good brain tickler. The article questions the presence of God and also whether our whole presence was unintended or intentional.

Some quite deep reasoning. I'm interested to see what your ideas are on this matter due to the fact that till scientific research could certainly absolutely confirm God, there's constantly going to be a large debate. As well as if scientific research did show God, individuals will certainly still argue. * Ahem * Development ...

Stephen Hawking, Scientific Research And God: Writer Rodrigues dos Santos Asks Did Scientific Research Discover God?

By Jose Rodrigues dos Santos for The Huffington Post

Scientists as well as theologians are usually up in arms about whether or not God exists. Is it feasible to locate God using science? Two publications coming out this fall address this critical thoughtful question from different perspectives. One is physicist Stephen Hawkings' 'The Strategy' and the various other is my unique 'The Einstein Enigma.'

When we look for the clinical evidence of God's existence, we initially should develop one vital point: just what is God?

Some people think of God as an old patriarch with a white beard who overlooks at the world, listens to our petitions, as well as shields us.

But, if you check out the end of a telescope on a stellar night, no such entity will certainly show up. The inquiry ends up being, is there a various kind of God out there and how does scientific research reveal Him?

First, scientific research bargains with God not as a supernatural entity, but as something all-natural. Bear in mind: the mythological is only the all-natural we do not understand.

Second, it takes a look at deep space and look for 2 points: knowledge as well as intent. Is deep space intelligent? Simply look around - there are clever points all over. See the incredibly smart way a cell divides in 2, and after that in four, and more, in a procedure that finishes up with a human being. Isn't that intelligent? Yet suppose this knowledge is simply accidental?

If deep space is accidental, there is no God and life has no definition - it's just an accident. However if deep space is willful, then there is God and, yes, life has a definition. That's why we additionally require to locate intent. Just how do we do that?

Let us suppose I locate a blossom existing on the ground. I will certainly believe: well, this is a blossom, an all-natural point, which's it. But allow us intend that, rather of a blossom, I locate a pen. I understand a pen has an objective and somebody created it with an intention: to compose. I may unknown personally who that inventor is, however I recognize a person invented the pen with an intention.

Now, if I can state this concerning something as simple as a pen, why cannot I claim the very same regarding a blossom? Why do I approve that a pen is an intelligent device developed by someone with an intention and also I can not say the very same regarding people, life, deep space? Typically aren't the trees, and also the clouds, and the rain, and the planets, and the celebrities a lot more complex and intelligent productions compared to ... a pen?

Or for instance, mean I ask an engineer: 'Just what is television?' He's going to open up a Television Set as well as say: 'Well, television is a gadget with chips and also cords as well as electrical stuff'. He's right, of training course. But it's a lot more compared to that, right? Tv is also regarding news programs, sports, soap-operas, reality-shows, game-shows, movies.

But, if you ask a researcher: 'Exactly what is the universe?' He will certainly say: 'Well, the world is quarks, electrons, protons, neutrons, atoms, planets, stars, constellations, galaxies, collections'. He's right, naturally. That's the equipment of the universe, but researchers do not analyze the software program. What is the program that is playing? Just what is behind the hardware?

The trouble is, perhaps, point of view. Think of there's a little ant in addition to a Persian carpet. If I informed the ant that she's walking on a gorgeous carpet, she would certainly claim: 'Just what rug? Exactly what are you speaking about? This is simply the ground.' So, if I want the ant to see just how attractive the carpet is, I have to lift her from the ground and also reveal her the carpet from a vantage factor, providing her the complete view.

' The Einstein Enigma' is an unique that, through a love and spy tale including a hitherto unidentified manuscript by Albert Einstein, addresses God from science's viewpoint. And also it shows, using recent scientific data, that deep space is fine-tuned for life, an exploration with remarkable philosophical effects because it indicates there is intent in its creation. Since the publication is fiction, I obtain to play with a few of these suggestions in a means that scientists cannot.

So, where does Stephen Hawkings' 'The Strategy' suit? He deals with these very same troubling clinical explorations clarified thoroughly in 'The Einstein Enigma.' He confesses they are 'strange' and 'challenging to explain' without accepting God exists, yet he attempts anyway. How? He generates a concept that explains the odd great adjusting of deep space as something unintended. He claims: there are zillions of cosmos and also, out of zillions, one was bound to come up fine-tuned for life.

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[updatedc-blog]

New Post has been published on https://www.updatedc.com/2018/12/05/the-possession-of-hannah-grace-a-feature-film-shot-entirely-on-the-sony-a7sii/

“The Possession of Hannah Grace” – a feature film shot entirely on the Sony a7SII

It’s not the equipment, it’s what you do with it. The majority of feature films are shot on expensive cameras but occasionally there are exceptions.  “The Possession Of Hannah Grace” which hit theaters just after Thanksgiving, was shot with the Sony α7S II.

    Even though the film was shot with a readily available, consumer full frame mirrorless camera that costs less than $3,000 USD, the production still used very expensive Hawk 65 1.3x anamorphic lenses from Vantage. This included primes as well as the 80-180mm T2.8 zoom. The production was delivered in a 2.35 : 1 aspect ratio. The Sony a7SII can’t shoot in any type of anamorphic modes. All they were doing is shooting 4K 16:9 and by using 1.3x anamorphic lenses they could record an image with a wider aspect ratio than the sensor’s native aspect ratio without cropping the image. As you aren’t cropping into your image, this helps to maximize the resolution you can obtain.

The camera is only a small part of any production, and any camera, even an α7S II, can produce good results in controlled conditions in the right hands. To me, it looks like they just ended up making more work for themselves by having to build out enormous rigs to make the a7SII usable and functional on a movie set.

The entire project was shot in Boston between the 7th November 2016 -to the 17th December 2016 with Sony cameras. “I knew that the Sony α7S II had a full-frame sensor and could capture in 4K,” says Glenn Gainor, executive producer for the film. “And I knew that we had to make the film in a manner that would fit our schedule and budget. I had a relationship with Vantage, so we put it together and made a motion picture in a way that’s never been done before.”

  According to director of photography Lennert Hillege, the camera-lens combination breaks new ground for anamorphic productions, allowing the production to access the beauty and unique aesthetics of anamorphic imagery on a tight budget. This combination just happened to be perfect for the script and the budget.

“The Possession Of Hannah Grace” still had a budget of $9,500,000 USD (estimated), so they could have easily chosen to use a Sony VENICE, as it looks like Sony themselves was quite heavily involved with the production. The camera is only a very small part of any budget on a major production.

“The director and I really wanted to create an eerie and imposing morgue,” says Hillege. “We immediately liked the Brutalist architecture we found in Boston, and the morgue set was built to match that. Glenn was very interested in shooting with a very lightweight and light-sensitive camera, and bringing a different perspective on how to make the movie. These two things led us to conclude that the only way to shoot was with a full frame, with a hint of anamorphic, and a sort of vintage style. The Sony α7S II with the Hawk 65 lenses were the perfect tools for the job.”

According to the production, the α7S II was put to the ultimate test, having to hold up and withstand the day-to-day activities on a studio movie set. The results are truly astounding and proof that there really are no limitations in terms of these cameras. “We had four or five cameras at the ready at any time, so we were able to pick up and go,” says Gainor. “We never had to wait for lens changes. I think the full-frame sensor is where the industry is going. Given the trends in digital cameras and the importance of lenses, you could argue that this is the future of cinema.”

It’s slightly ironic that the production said they were interested in shooting with a very lightweight camera, yet they built it out to a size that makes it no smaller than what an ARRI ALEXA MINI or RED package would end up being. There is no doubt that the camera is capable of producing good results in the right hands, but this whole thing feels a little like it’s a publicity stunt to attract attention to a movie that hasn’t exactly received great reviews from film critics.

What is your take on this? We would love to hear your opinion, so leave a comment below.

[benrleeusa]

[Jonathan H. Adler] When Is Agency Action Final for Purposes of Judicial Review?

The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) creates a presumption in favor of judicial review of agency action. Yet in order for an agency action to be subject to judicial review it must be "final," and what constitutes a "final agency action" for APA purposes can be a surprisingly difficult question.

The prevailing test for what constitutes "final agency action" was articulated in Bennett v. Spear. Under Bennett, for an agency action to be "final" for purposes of judicial review, two requirements must be met. First, the action "must mark the consummation of the agency's decisionmaking process," and not be "of a merely tentative or interlocutory nature." Second, "the action must be one by which rights or obligations have been determined, or from which legal consequences will flow" (cleaned up). The Court has elaborated and applied this test in recent cases such as Sackett v. EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes, but reasonable jurists can (and do) continue to disagree about its precise application to various types of agency action.

A case in point is Soundboard Association v. Federal Trade Commission, in which a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit held that an "informal" FTC opinion letter declaring use of a particular technology for telemarketing to be subject to FTC regulation. According to the panel majority -- Judge Wilkins writing, joined by Judge Rogers -- the letter did not constitute a "final agency action" for APA purposes because the letter merely represented the opinion of FTC staff, rather than the Commission itself, and therefore the issuance of the letter did not constitute the "consummation" of the Commission's decisionmaking process about the use of Soundboard's technology.

Judge Millett wrote a powerful dissenting opinion arguing that despite the FTC's characterization of the opinion letter as "informal," it nonetheless satisfies the Bennett test. Her dissent begins:

Why let reality get in the way of a good bureaucratic construct? In holding that the 2016 Letter from the Federal Trade Commission's Division of Marketing Practices is not a judicially reviewable "final agency action," the court's opinion focuses on the Commission's structuring of its own regulations to preserve its right to disagree (or not) with the Division at some "later" date. 16 C.F.R. § 1.3(c). In so doing, the court's opinion measures finality exclusively from the Commission's vantage point.

But there are two sides to this story. Finality is supposed to look at both whether "the agency's decisionmaking process" has "consummat[ed]," and the reality of whether "rights or obligations have been determined" by or "legal consequences will flow" from the challenged agency action. Bennett v. Spear, 520 U.S. 154, 178 (1997) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). And in deciding whether the agency process has ended for purposes of Bennett's first prong, courts must look beyond the agency's say-so to objective and practical indicia of finality. See, e.g., Sackett v. EPA, 566 U.S. 120, 127 (2012) (holding that compliance order that triggers potential penalties is final even though agency provided for ongoing "informal discussion" and consideration of the accuracy of its findings).

In this case, the agency's emphatic and directive language in the 2016 Division Letter, combined with the absence of any avenue for internal administrative review, unleashes immediate legal and practical consequences for the industry, forcing its members to choose between complying by shuttering their businesses or exposing themselves to potentially significant financial penalties. When agency action threatens such severe repercussions, the "mere possibility that an agency might reconsider" does not deprive the action of finality. Sackett, 566 U.S. at 127.

In my view, the Administrative Procedure Act should not countenance an agency telling an individual or industry that its business must end, while fending off court review on the ground that its own internal administrative processes have not ended. Because the structure of the Commission's regulations, the substantive content of the Division's Letter, the absence of an internal appeal mechanism, and the consequences that flow from it together render the Division's 2016 Letter the end of the agency's process, I respectfully dissent.

Judge Millett's dissent highlights why this area of law can be so tricky. Applied formalistically, the Bennett test risks excluding many agency actions from judicial review that have the same practical effect as a more formal and final agency pronouncement. Further, agencies have every incentive to take advantage of this test by taking actions that create regulatory risks for regulated entities but that are nonetheless immune from judicial review. On the other hand, a doctrine that subjects each and every guidance letter or staff opinion to litigation would be completely unworkable. As a consequence, I expect the Supreme Court will have to wade further into this question before too long.

Judge Millett's opinion concludes:

As the opinion for the court notes, agency advice that is genuinely advisory can play an important role in allowing the regulators and regulated to communicate effectively and work together in coordinating voluntary compliance measures and improving the effectiveness of regulatory programs.

But "such a 'count your blessings' argument is not an adequate rejoinder to the assertion of a right to judicial review[.]" Hawkes Co., 136 S. Ct. at 1816. If agencies want to give advice, they should speak in advisory terms, allow for internal review, or not attach substantial consequences to noncompliance with what is supposed to be mere advice.

To be sure, allowing judicial review in this case might increase the fact-finding burden on agencies issuing advisory opinions, but that will only be true for a certain subset of decisions—those with unambiguous pronouncements of a legal position, announced compliance dates, and substantial legal consequences for failure to fall in line. And those seem to be precisely the cases in which the law should force agencies to take a harder look, to substantiate their judgments, and to submit their decisions to judicial review. If the agency does not yet have all the facts or is not yet committed to its position as a matter of statutory policy, perhaps it should finish the job before telling an industry to shutter its operations.

At bottom, finality is about agency accountability for the decisions it makes and the consequences it unleashes. The Division's 2016 Letter, after all, is not about just adjusting or modifying business behavior to comport with regulatory standards. Rather, the Letter announces that plain regulatory language broadly condemns as illegal an entire business model. The Letter then assigns a date certain by which businesses are expected to comply by largely ceasing their operations, laying off employees, and writing off significant financial investments. Failure to toe the Division's line will expose the soundboard industry to potentially severe penalties, with no right first to administrative appeal or review. The Division Letter leaves the soundboard industry whipsawed between abandoning its business and facing potentially ruinous enforcement actions and penalties. In these circumstances, the benefits of informal and collaborative interchange between the regulator and the regulated have evaporated. And the agency should not be able to transmogrify the mantle of "staff advice" into both a sharp regulatory sword and a shield from judicial review.

No doubt a technology used for telemarketing is hardly a sympathetic poster child for a dissenting opinion. But the pride of our legal system is its evenhandedness and fairness to all who come before it. Plus the issue here is not whether the Commission can regulate the soundboard industry or telemarketing. It is only whether the Commission must own up to the regulatory actions it has set in motion, and whether those who are told to close up shop and discharge their employees are entitled first to a day in court. In my view, if the law requires us to treat the 2016 Division Letter and its business-ending consequences as just some informal, take-itor-leave-it staff suggestion, then the law is being stingy with reality. I respectfully dissent.

As Aaron Neilson noted in the latest installment of "D.C. Circuit Review," this is an important case that distills the difficulty and division on what constitutes "final agency action" under the APA. Unless and until we get further elucidation of the text from the Supreme Court, I would not be surprised for it to become a staple of Administrative Law syllabi in the near future. I know I will include it on mine.

[aion-rsa]

The Good Lord Bird Episode 2 Review: The Wicked Plot

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This The Good Lord Bird review contains spoilers.

The Good Lord Bird Episode 2

During several moments of tonight’s The Good Lord Bird, my mind was whisked back to thoughts of My Fair Lady—or at least George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. In those texts, two confirmed old bachelors in Edwardian England think it is their privilege, if not duty, to remake a poor flower girl into their perfect image. It’s a tale of possessive manipulation and outright obliviousness. And it’s given a distinctly American flavor in the first few hours of Ethan Hawke’s Good Lord Bird.

Like those earlier plays, here is a story where privileged white men, even well-intentioned Old John Brown, think it their right to remake Onion into the type of lady they see fit, all too blind by even their rosy colored racism to ask “her” opinion, or realize that she’s actually a boy. The element was pervasive last week when Onion was under Brown’s alleged care, and it’s even more apparent this week when he is absent from it. For like Eliza Doolittle, Onion can only realize a sense of self without the overbearing male presence in “her” life. But the problem is that as soon as John’s gone, another white man seeks to take his place for even more racially uncomfortable implications.

Thus how we meet Steve Zahn’s Chase. Played by the ever welcome character actor, Zahn brings his typical good humor to this redshirted Kansas shit-kicker. However, there’s an obvious menace when he prances into the episode riding a pony with a leering gaze at the self-claimed mulatto young woman by Bob’s side.

See, when the Brown boys left them alone, Bob had the clarity of mind to try to high tail it to Lawrence where they might be treated as actually free, as opposed to indentured appendages to John Brown’s overinflated sense of virtue. As Bob deduces, Brown’s sons are on “white man’s business,” and it won’t directly benefit these two Black men’s well-being. Unfortunately, the dress draws the scuzzy attention of Chase, a man who proudly will wear the uniform of Pro-Slavery Bushwhacker, even if I doubt he’s ever actually fought their battles. After all, his biggest boasted accomplishments are lies about having gunned down Old John Brown.

Yet despite being a proponent of slavery, or perhaps because of it, he lusts for Onion as another lighter skinned, apparent young woman he can immediately slide into the physical ownership of. She presents herself as another’s property, but Black women’s bodies are viewed as virgin territory for many a white racist to claim.

Chase attempts this, even as he spins tales to Onion about how he also one day might marry the Black prostitute with a supposed heart of gold named Pie. A white racist—or almost any 19th century white American, really—marrying a Woman of Color is as dishonest as the picture Chase paints of Pie.

Played intelligently by Natasha Marc as the sweet mistress of Pikesville, Pie is a Black woman who has survived as well as she has in part because of luck of her beauty and also because of her utilitarian cunning. Literally named after her sexual appeal in the small town, Pie understands how white men view her and she uses that against them—and those she deems untrustworthy around her.

When we first meet her, it’s in a vignette of The Good Lord Bird’s unique blend of folksy and deconstructive humor. There is an irony to Jacob, the real lad beneath Onion’s bonnet, being forced to apprentice at a brothel with the first woman he fancies. But there’s also a knowing eye roll that Pie is the first person to figure out inside of five minutes with Onion that she is not what she appears. Pie seems to take Onion under her wing in return for tutelage—all the better for him since, as she points out, white devils like Chase would castrate him before a lynching due to his lying about his gender, and thereby seeing white women in various states of undress, as well as white men as fools. But as Pie’s first inclination was betrayal, Onion’s initial smittenness, and our amusement at the comedy of manners unspooling inside that brothel, shouldn’t blind any to what was really going on.

Last week Onion was asked to figure out how to survive in a precarious situation by going along with white people and playing whatever role they imagined for him; this week among other People of Color, and slaves at that, Onion is asked to find his own voice and be more forthright in the choices he makes.

As just a child, he understandably fails miserably when he’s asked to use his letter-writing ability to help Sibonia (Crystal Lee Brown), a slave itching to start a revolution; it also brings him to unthinkingly reveal her planning to Pie, who in turn sells Sibonia out to the white clients of Pikesville. And why not? From her vantage, Pie can continue to use the nominal power her namesake provides her to live in a boudoir, as opposed to a cage outside. But it is also condemning others to be free.

The ambiguity The Good Lord Bird so comfortably flirts with is refreshing in the age of black and white morality in our television and pop culture. While the morality of slavery is urgently black and white, which is to say good and evil, the decisions and inner-motivations of individuals is messy, sometimes contradictory, and often ruefully shortsighted. The murkiness of human nature cannot be reduced to a tweet, a third act good deed, or in the case of Onion one naively bad mistake.

In the best scene of the episode, Sibonia is interrogated by the local judge who offers his jurisprudence by threatening to have her teeth pulled out one by one if she doesn’t implicate more names than the already nine Black faces they’ve gathered up for the slaughter. Brown’s acting against that malevolence is good, but what she brings next to the local milquetoast preacher (Alex Sharp), who asks why she would raise a hand against him and his wife when they were so good to her, is extraordinary.

Her delivery of Sibonia’s cold assessment that she’d kill Sharp’s minister first, if for no other reason than to encourage others to be merciless with far more explicitly cruel members of this Pro-slavery community, is poignant and, if from my own white vantage, initially unsettling. But it can’t be judged; not when the good minister acknowledges the wickedness of slavery, if only tacitly, yet sits by in a community that would sell her husband and children, one by one, and would see her hanged for wanting to be free. The ambiguity in her choices, perhaps even a little bit like Old John Brown’s, do not have an easy moral reading. But they ring true when she asserts, “Sometimes a sparrow got to fly wild for it to be set free.”

In this context, Onion learns some hard lessons the way Huck Finn might’ve when he came across the feuding Grangerfords and Shepardsons. In the previous episode, I worried we didn’t really get to know Onion, just what he’d do to survive. This week we met the boy, who still is forced to play the games of white folk like Chase, but also as the even less surefooted lad who might know his letters, but not how to be honest with Black folks who want to use them. His indecisiveness leads to Pie having the ability to betray Sibonia; but also gives him the temperament to go back and save Bob when the shooting starts.

The actual climax of the episode is arguably when Sibonia and her failed conspirators are hanged. The scene certainly pauses long enough for Onion to consider all the faces around him, those laughing and jeering, and those maybe guilty or regretful, like weak mealy-mouthed Chase. But the ones that matter are those up on the gallows with their leader, about to follow her up one last hill.

It makes the actual denouement where Ethan Hawke’s swaggering John Brown finally returns to the screen guns-blazing oh, so satisfying. Like an immense wave of giddy relief, we have Hawke’s sweltering performance once again take center stage. It was the highlight of last week, but its absence gave needed dimensionality to Onion, and depth to The Good Lord Bird. So its late return at the eleventh hour plays almost like a just dessert: Here’s wacky and wild Hawke stopping to interrogate Onion on whether she’s been violated, or sold her virginity to a devil of a man.

How happy it is to hear him debate scripture while firing off bullets, and driving even a coward like Chase crazy enough to run headlong into Old John Brown’s cannon.

“In that moment, just like the rest of the country, Chase was the body in half,” muses Onion’s devastating voiceover narration. That it was, Onion. That it was. And that type of precise use of sardonic dialogue and line-delivery, as well as the grace of looking beneath America’s Better Angels in this crazy moment in history, is what made “The Wicked Plot” a wicked delight.

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Hawke Sport Optics Vantage 4-12×40 AO 22 WMR IR Riflescope Review

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