#it's similar to the label thing methinks

[falandosozin]

i have no idea if it's something on purpose or if tumblr is just being it's broken self again, but ive tried to reblog this post by @drowsyradfem like twelve times since last night and every time it gives me an error message and i cant find any reblog on my own blog so im assuming it keeps not working

so im just gonna reply here now

yeah, that's cool. let people be people! i agree 100% obviously! femininity and masculinity are both subjective and therefore mean different things to different people! true and cool! but also, some people want to medicalize themselves for whatever reason it may be. why not? let people be people, right?

[lnane]

1 am tired thought bout the state of my country rn

Not gonna go into detail on describing how the party system works here but in short the right wing ones teamed up and the left wing ones teamed up and together they both gathered 50% roughly, which is whats needed to Be In Charge. It was incredibly even when still voting but now we know the right wing side won.

Now. The left side aint really perfect before i get further. The party responsible for Most of the environmental pushes in the country is Shit at considering how the general populaces will be affected for better or worse. Is the reason the tax price on gas is so incredibly high rn. The biggest party in that group is labeled left but is closer to a left handed centrist party, generally having good intentions and starting in some good places but at the same time doing shit like Banning Homeless people from certain public places in some towns.

So not great. But. On the other side of things, wanna guess what the biggest party is?

Neo nazis. Not officially of course but several times many of their members have been called out for having connections to or history with Openly Nazi groups. They have very racist, queerphobic, and nationalistic ideals for the country. They literally belive in race biology. Like thats In Their Official Scripture for what they stand for. Race biology. And they were the second most voted party In The Country (with like ~19-20%) and is not In Charge of the current government. Among with other parties with many similar ideas. Iirc the second biggest party in that group literally advocated recently for every kid in "exposed areas" (aka residential areas with many people of color) to have a mandatory adhd evaluation. To decrease gang criminality. Thats a thing they out with Openly during the election.

And the rest of the blue parties are Okay with that. Otherwise they wouldnt team up with them to get into the controlling group.

I constantly hear people complain about how the old goverment (red parties, left side) just made things worse all the time. And some of is true. But now the Basically Nazis Party is in charge. Id much rather have the Calls Themselves Socialist party instead.

This was the first election i was legally allowed to participate in as well.

And for the record. Over a million people Didnt Vote. Thats 10% of the entire population. They didnt even go into vote blank. Just didnt go. At all. Like for reference, i think the 3rd or 4th most voted party got around a million votes. So thats a Huge Difference here.

And yea. Ugh. This aint great. The next 4 years arent gonna look the best methinks

[viktorfm]

(MAXENCE DANET-FAUVEL, NONBINARY) - Have you seen VIKTOR SAMUELS? VIKTOR is in HIS/THEIR SENIOR year. The VISUAL ARTS MAJOR is 24 years old & is a CAPRICORN. People say HE/THEY are OBSERVANT, INGENIOUS, RETICENT and DEPENDENT. Rumors say they’re a member of KINCAID. I heard from the gossip blog that THEY'RE HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH THEIR THERAPIST. (JAMES. 21. EST. THEY/THEM.)

dont. look at me. i know. anyways if it wasnt obvs i abandoned cupid (n darrow) in order 2 bring the two ocs tht he ws inspired by n ws a combination of bt. theyre better as different ppl methinks.

DEATH, HEAVY GRIEF, OVERDOSE / DRUG ADDICTION, HOSPITALIZATION, HYPERSEXUALITY, RELIGION MENTIONS TW

aesthetic.

old tvs and their static, worn tapes, horror movie screams, spilled ink, a sculptor’s hands, clay-stained, chicken scratch handwriting, messy notes, messy hair, scoffs and eye-rolls, bruised knuckles, sore throats, funeral homes and a crying preacher, shattered ceramics, knife fights, high ledges, vertically-striped pants, red lights, the moon shrouded in clouds, cigarette butts, graveyards and half-empty wine bottles, sitting there for hours and talking to nothing, about nothing, a god complex, gold rings adorning both hands, barbwire baseball bats, having never played baseball in your life, deep eyebags and broken mirrors, a permanent chip on one’s shoulder, yearning, longing, wishing.

basics.

full name: viktor phillip samuels

nickname(s): icky vicky :/

b.o.d. - january 2nd, 1996

label(s): the black hole, the crepehanger, the impious, the opaque, the tempest, etc.

height: 6′1″

hometown: preaker, vermont

sexuality: pansexual uwu

pinterest

stats

favorite song: disorder, joy division / it’s getting faster, moving faster / now it’s getting out of hand / on the tenth floor, down the back stairs / it’s a no man’s land / lights are flashing, cars are crashing / getting frequent now / i’ve got the spirit, lose the feeling / let it out somehow

background.

born to mama and papa (preacher) samuels in preaker, vermont - fifteen minutes after his twin sister, tatiana samuels. years later, rosa samuels joined the gang.

was an awkward, quiet kid growing up, he didn’t interact well with others and preferred being left alone to dig up worms and draw on the walls of their childhood home. the only exception was his twin, really.

as he got older he grew out of this, but instead became like … sort of an asshole? maybe to compensate for years of childhood awkwardness. he’s the sort of person who will bite the hand that feeds him & developed into a full time nuisance by middle school, unlike tatiana who was much more subtle about her conniving manners.

always has been a fan of ‘darker’ materials. grim & creepy morbid shit. probably the biggest tim burton fan, ever since he was a kid … not a good look for a preacher’s son, but he never really felt ‘in’ with the rest of his family to begin with. classic black sheep syndrome.

drew disturbing pictures as a kid that probably prompted one or two or five phone calls home to assure everything was fine.

just really had a knack for art at a young age, from drawing to painting to playing with clay. it’s always been his thing and probably is the only thing he’s good at.

being twins with tatiana was hard. they were near opposite besides both being quite mean-spirited. tatiana handled being in public better, left a better image behind - but viktor had talent, more than she did. they loved each other deeply - y’know, those unbreakable twin bonds as cliche as it sounds - but found each other as competition for their parents’ attention. a rivalry for affection.

in high school is when viktor really started to act out. it started extreme, like losing his virginity in their church and vandalism around the neighborhoods. faked being possessed in the middle of sunday service & almost had an exorcism performed on him.

his only redeemable trait was like … just his sheer talent in the arts. was in a 3d art ap course and specialized in sculptures. he could pretty much create anything he wanted with enough dedication.

because he was the problem child, the one who deserved to be disciplined for all his antics, tatiana could sneak away and get away with whatever she wanted much easier. on the bright-side, for her, i guess.

not a very motivated person - wasn’t planning on going to college, much less going to yates but his parents literally wrote & sent his college application for him because they weren’t going to house a deadbeat but had too much heart to kick him out onto the streets. cool!

he’s actually pretty smart but he just doesn’t apply himself. has a minor in english because he didn’t care for an extra course-load, but he’s good at writing & analyzing literature. is going to use it to write and illustrate his own series of children books with a style similar to tim burton’s. not for the kids, but because he likes to leave a trail of terror in whatever he does.

has been experimenting with himself since high school but college is where he really had started to crack down on himself. was out as pansexual & nonbinary by his sophomore year of college just … not to his parents, who don’t really need to know.

if you asked him if he believed in twins having a psychic connection with each other - he’d tell you he wouldn’t know. it felt believable at times, but sometimes he had no idea what was going on inside of tatiana’as head. on the other hand - viktor had always felt oddly transparent to her, like she knew all of his moves before he did. the only person who could predict him accurately.

( tw death, grief, overdose / hospitalization beyond this point )

when tatiana disappeared, viktor knew something was up. it was a twist in his gut, pure instinct that something wasn’t right. and it wasn’t right - and when she was proclaimed missing, they couldn’t find her.

and when tatiana died - viktor knew. it felt wrong, something cut so severely in him he could pinpoint her death to the second. he didn’t know how, or why, but he knew it. knew it before anybody else had.

afterwards he went on a sort of bender. he’d begun to struggle with a mild drug addiction late senior year of high school / early college, but he was managing it up until this point.

his mental health had also sunk to an all-time low, when it’d never been great to begin with. (manic & depressive episodes. once fixated on a sculpting project for six months and then knocked it off the table and destroyed it as soon as he finished it for no apparent reason.)

tatiana’s body wasn’t found immediately, and when it was … viktor went off the rails. ended up overdosing & being hospitalized. spent six months in & out of psychiatric care after that.

came back to yates to finish his senior year because … for the reasons above, he hadn’t been able to complete it. just wants to get his credits and get out of here.

is still dealing with a lot of trauma & grief - causes him to spiral and be unpredictable in regards of his mental health. he stopped taking his medication, so. :/ some days are alright, other days are pretty bad.

personality & facts.

the human embodiment of a gremlin that was fed after midnight. a goblin, if you will. one of those cats with a narrow head and really big ears … that’s them!

a big horror & halloween enthusiast. loves the old campy horror movies & probably has an abundance of masks from different movies. dresses like a grimy millennial beetlejuice more than they should because they just … love those black & white vertical-striped pants.

can appreciate the ~urban legends~ at yates and likes to feed into the fear that surrounds them. is probably the cause of a few ‘anomalies’ and ‘paranormal sightings’ because they’re just … a jerk.

fashion alternates between e-boy (they would be tiktok famous if they were 17 & didn’t think that a majorly minor based app was weird.), millennial beetlejuice, and goth in a crop top & sweatpants. big fan of crop tops and a big fan of sweatpants.

they can be really fucking mean? petty, aggressive, a major instigator. will literally spit in your face for little to no reason, you could just look at them the wrong way. the kind of person who will stick their gum into someone else’s hair. other than that? they’re like … sort of okay. they’re not always mean, just a dick about 90% of the time lmao

like okay yeah they’ll call someone a stinky bitch for no reason except they feel like it and believes it. it’s fine, they’re fine, we’re fine.

despite the fact that they’re probably getting into a fight whenever, considers themself to be a lover and not a fighter but that’a primarily because they fuck a lot. uses it as a coping mechanism, like they’re this big fancy carnival show that’s like ‘come one, come all! fuck the dead girl’s twin brother!’ and it’s … a lot. might have a problem with hypsersexuality but they’re not fully aware of it.

the preacher’s whore son, basically :)

pansexual & nonbinary, switches between he & they pronouns often and without a pattern, but they have such a fragile grip on their identity that you could call them ‘dog-faced bitch’ and they’d turn around like. sup.

vastly impulsive … like i said, they destroy their own creations for the fun of it. spends all their money on useless shit, will cheat on someone because they feel like it & likes the thrill, screams into the night sky frequently like a cat in heat.

will also spend months creating useless shit for no reason too. spent six of them sculpting a hollowed out tree the size of them & then took a sledgehammer to it.

they’re very super dramatic. would play the organ at church when nobody was looking after them and service was about to start. would just churn out these super haunting, creepy melodies like they were phantom of the opera. would do the same exact thing at home on their keyboard with the pipe organ setting whenever they got grounded until their parents took it away hbdsjfngkh

will absolutely not talk about their ‘time away’ because it’s not anyone’s business, not even their own younger sister. still refuses to talk about tatiana’s death, or their mental health, or their addiction (fallen back into it but it hasn’t gotten severe … yet :/), or anything involving their own emotions.

will just change the topic abruptly, no warning. asks about the jonas brothers instead and they fucking hate the jonas brothers.

that being said they’re absolutely not over tatiana’s death & it’s to the point of obsession over it. like there’s some kind of secret that needs to be uncovered, even though there just. isn’t. tatiana was their rock and they were pretty much dependent on her. kept them grounded. could control them when nobody else could, got into their head easier than others. it’s sort of like rosa lost two siblings that day because viktor hasn’t been the same since.

emotionally unavailable while also crying twice a day. cries during their brawls but still wins. is stony-faced when they tell you they cheated on you with your much hotter best friend.

will tell you straight up what they want from you, no bullshit & no beating around the bush. just blunt. if they want to fuck, nothing else, then that’s it. if they feel deviation or developing feelings then they’ll ghost in less than a second. is awful like that but feels no shame.

but also emotional as shit and it’s confusing. will cry on a whim and then flip you off if you try to console them or ask them what’s up. will bite you.

they go to therapy but they just fuck around and wastes their therapists’ time … also is fucking their therapist, but that’s neither here nor there. so they’re not really getting the help they need.

likes to be intimidating but not … with their body or anything because they’re a twig but uses their love & knowledge of horror and creepy shit to their advantage. has an abundance of fake blood. has channeled the energy of jack nicholson and used it on tatiana’s boyfriends before (also is a big fan of sfx makeup & has dabbled in it)

probably chases kids around with a chainsaw without the chain on halloween every year.

generally never doing good, both mental health wise & morally. would probably steal candy from a baby for funsies.

i don’t know if there’s a good to them somewhere deep down, but they don’t see any issues with themself either. nothing really breaks through to them anymore because the only person who ever made them stop and think about their actions was tatiana, and well, y’know. :/

an introverted reclusive type who doesn’t like most people or going out, but does so anyway if it means a quick high & a cheap thrill.

pretty observant and likes to analyze people even though they’re often like … partially wrong. judgmental because they like to make people feel bad, not because they’re a righteous mighty person. because they’re not. so like, a hypocrite!

wanted connections.

religious trauma? oh worm ;; three cheers fr <3 guilt <3 anyways uh. just people tht viktor hs known thru the church in some way even tho hes a fkn. freak now. maybe even family friends. 

the horror of our love :/ ;; hmm. any romance tht cld b toxic i think this cld fit. just rly a bad fit. viktor doesnt rly know hw to love so nothing rly lasts bt. maybe they try n try n nothing works bt they keep trying. cld also just be anything unrequited.

little fkn gremlins ;; theyre all evil n mean. bt theyre all friends. <3 

you are nothing ;; uuh. enemy plots. spicy enemies. rly bad enemies. rivals. they r brutal towards each other bcos nothing viktor does is ever soft.

fuck u dont pity me ;; uh. people who try to get close to viktor n he just. bites at them. he’s like no. bc he assumes ppl who r kind in response 2 his vileness r. theres smth wrong w them. n it might hv to do with pity. n he hates pity.

ugh. locals x ;; ppl who also grew up around preaker, vermont. the samuels r <3 well known folks n the uh. hm. the murder is an ongoing case. so they cld know abt it <3

dont tell anybody x ;; this is for soft plots. i dont know much about soft plots but. 

maybe i am part of the problem ;; the problem is chlamydiagate. this is a hook-ups connection. fwbs n one night stands. ppl viktor hs brutally ghosted. he doesnt acknowledge their existence outside of these events, perhaps. 

dont u just wna go apeshit ;; this is where viktor becomes a bad influence.

bt uh. anything. pelase

[inevitably-johnlocked]

(Part 1) Hi! Please ignore if you don't want to answer: you mentioned discovering your sexuality later in life. I'm 21 and just started questioning (thru TJLC; no big surprise ;)), but I never questioned at all before this year and didn't even have crushes on girls (or rather, there are things that may have been crushes in retrospect; but not like I had with guys). The thing is, those crushes on guys were in the abstract and I always shied away when it started to become too real. I also never-

thought or wanted to think about sex with them or even kissing them. I reached a point when I thought I just wasn't then marrying type, because the more I tried to imagine being with (not just abstractly liking) a guy the less good it sounded. On the other hand, when I finally asked the question in relation to women, a relationship suddenly sounded potentially great. But if I never questioned at all and didn't have crushes, would you be inclined to take that as a sign that I'm just straight?

Hi Nonny! 

I am SO SORRY for missing this in my asks, oh gosh.

As I mentioned in this ask here which is oddly similar to yours, sexuality is something that’s always changing, and it could be a years long process into discovering who you are. Gosh, it sounds SO MUCH like I’m replying to myself, because I was the same way – kind of crushed on boys but was lost interest quickly, never really crushed on other people except in a “I want to cuddle someone” sort of way. 

I’m gonna tell you something that’s helped me, Lovely: sit down and do some soul searching, honestly. Once I figured out that I was never EVER “repulsed” (for lack of a better word, sorry) with the idea of being with anyone other than my men, it made me start to think that I was probably pan, and actually have a hard time picturing myself in a future with... well anyone (mainly because my self esteem is such shite and I think I’m genuinely unlovable, as I have been told :/).

Now, I’ve never had a serious romantic relationship ever, and any past ones have been with cis-men (all lovely in their own way, but we just never clicked), but just because I’ve never dated or been with anyone other than cis-men doesn’t mean I don’t know what I want. This is a myth. I think it’s called “bi-curious”, but I just say it’s sexuality changing as you learn about yourself and what makes you happy. With me, I can see myself being happy with anyone at all as a significant other, since for me what’s important is emotional intimacy and bonding (friends first kind of deal), BUT that won’t necessarily be what YOU’RE LOOKING FOR. WE are all different. 

It’s a freeing sensation when you do feel like you’ve finished your soul searching, honestly. 

So SORRY for going off on that personal tangent (I find my personal experiences help get across the message I’m trying to convey, :P). To answer your question: No, I’m not inclined to think that, but again, I’m not YOU. YOU define YOURSELF. If it’s something you think you are comfortable with, perhaps start thinking more on why you’re feeling this way. Learn about yourself before sticking to a label, methinks. Quite honestly, from what I understand, this is a very normal experience that bi and gay people go through when they are discovering that they’re bi or gay later in life. It sucks having that realization slam you in the face in your 20′s (mine happened in my thirties, so I’m envious, LOL), but it’s understandable that it will happen in adulthood, since you are growing into maturity and your outside influences and social circles change, while your past social constructs are becoming JUST THAT: In the past.

There’s nothing wrong with you, Lovely. I hope you are doing alright, and again, I apologize for not seeing this in my swarm of asks. Please don’t hesitate to DM me if you need to talk, or ask / update us all on anything

[the-grumpy-panda]

Definitely Tricked!

Let's keep the mini train a rolling. Here's some more unnecessary crud stumbled upon in a local grocer. Mostly seasonal based, but with a wild card thrown in! That's all the lead in I'm in the mood for today. Bleh! -Stauffer's Pumpkin Spice Snaps! Like a ginger snap, but with pumpkin spice. Or was that blatantly obvious? I honestly can't recall the last time I've had a ginger snap. They're an okay thing, but I've never in my life had a craving for or built an appreciation for them. In a blind taste test, though, I can't imagine anyone saying these were anything but a ginger snap. Maybe a ginger snap connoisseur could spot some ingredient difference, but to laypeople, there's nothing of excitement here. They're a fine cookie, don't get me wrong, and I know I'll finish the bag, but whatever it is we've been duped into believing "pumpkin spice" actually is, it isn't here. Or is it? Could the spicier elements found in ginger snaps since time immemorial have secretly been the precursor to this whole shebang? Did someone simply take ginger snaps ingredients and re-brand them? Did I just realize I have now mindlessly eaten half this bags contents and become a ginger snap fan? Probably no on that last one. Methinks the empty belly was just happy to have something funneling down. But I call conspiracy on the other fronts! You read it here first! Yes, YOU! The one person reading this! Alert the authorities! Call in Mary Berry! There's a cookie caper! A spice scandal! -Pumpkin Pasta Sauce! I don't see a company or brand name on this jar, so I can only surmise it was made for the store I bought it at. I imagine there are similar products out there, however. Looking at the ingredients for this particular version, simply because the bottle was turned that way as I set it down, it looks semi "healthy" as well. Aside from heavy cream and some honey, there's no added sugars or fatty things, and all the other ingredients on the short ingredient list are recognizable and pronounceable. No weird chemicals, additives or preservatives! I simply heated up the sauce and poured it over some ziti rigate pasta. No muss, no fuss. And the results are... eh. It takes a minute to adjust, as obviously most of us will be used to a tomato based sauce for our pasta.   It definitely has a real pumpkin flavor. It's smooth and creamy. Smelling it piping hot on the stove top, it smelled vaguely of pumpkin pie. It's just bland tasting. It definitely needs something added in to help the whole thing get a flavor boost. Maybe more creative folks will figure out how to better incorporate pumpkin pasta sauce. I could definitely see this as a base for something, (not necessarily pasta!) but as a thing on its own, the sauce just doesn't cut it.   -Nature Valley Pumpkin Spice Crunchy Granola Bars! Side by side, I don't think anyone could really assuage any difference between these and the regular Cinnamon granola bars. Because I'm staring at the Pumpkin Spice box and the ingredients list 'pumpkin flakes' as an ingredient, I do think my mind is forcing me to pick up subtle differences. These are still good, and if you like Nature Valley products there's no reason not to get these. But if you're in it only for the pumpkin quotient, you really won't be missing out on anything if you can't find them. I suggest taking a NV cinnamon bar, taking a maple and brown sugar NV bar, mix 'em together... and you'd have the pumpkin spice bar. I cracked the code! -Entenmann's Apple Cider doughnuts! These have been rolling out seasonally for a few years now. I don't think I came upon them last year, but I recall liking them when I did have them (I guess...) the year before. It was a nice surprise, as apple is just not a flavor I really enjoy in things that aren't a regular apple. Let's see if time has been kind to this product. Is my memory false? Is it just my taste buds are off or is there really some trickery afoot? Did they change the ingredients? These merely taste like a cinnamon cake doughnut. It doesn't get close to even resembling an apple fritter, which I think is what I was expecting these to taste like. It's a good doughnut, Entenmann's make a tasty and moist product, but I just can't discern any difference or anything apple cider like within this. -Entenmann's Pumpkin Doughnuts! These are orange inside! Even though the box assures me these are made with real pumpkin, I'd still wager some sort of false coloring. These aren't bad. They again nail the sweet and moist aspects, and while I think I can taste some pumpkin, it's not a prevalent flavor. These would probably go real well with a cup of coffee on a cold day, however. I will freeze what's left and save them for just such a day. -Apple Cider Flavored Seltzer Water! Also a brand free concoction, with a similar looking label as the pasta sauce, so definitely done by the same people for the same store. Smells of a piece of whatever apple flavored candy you may be familiar with. Hardly any flavor to it though, oddly enough. Only after smacking your lips half a dozen times after a big gulp does any taste besides fizzy water come in, but it leaves quickly. I think this could have been good had it actually had any flavor. -Snyder's Brick Oven Style Pizza Flavored Pretzel Sandwiches! Oh... no. These are just awful. Imagine the worst, and I mean the WORST, pizza you've ever had. Now imagine there's a box of leftover crust pieces from that pizza left in the corner for a few days in a house with no air conditioning in the summer. Now imagine for some reason you wanted to eat the crusts, but to help tone down the staleness, you decided to dip them in spaghetti sauce that was also the worst possible form of spaghetti sauce that could be, and that you got this sauce from a hand dug cellar and it came from a rusty tin can with no label. I can't paint a clearer picture of how these things taste. Just... putrid. What a sad way to end the fun. C'est la vie.

[chaj]

via blog.ouseful.info

A skim back through this blog will turn ip several posts over the years on the topic of “writing diagrams”, using text based scripts along with diagram generating applications to create diagrams from textual descriptions.

There are a several reasons I think such things useful, particularly in online, distance education context in an institution with a factory production model:

diagram generation can be automated, with standardised style / rendering of the diagram separated from it’s logical description;

maintaining diagrams is simplified: change the underlying text to change the logical content of the diagram, or change the rendering pipeline to change the output design or format;

search: if you can search the text used to generate a diagram as well text that appears within a diagram, it supports discovery;

Accessibility: if we generate diagrams from text, there is a good chance we could also generate equivalent textual descriptions of diagrams from the same text.

Sometimes, though, it can be handy to be able to actually draw a diagram by actually drawing it, rather than generating it from a textual source.

Recently, I came across draw.io, via the jupyterlab-drawio extension. draw.io is a web-based [code] or electron app wrapped [code] SVG editor. draw.io is actually a front end application built on top of the mxGraph JavaScript diagramming library and based on the example  GraphEditor.

When you create a new diagram, you are prompted for a save location:

Local (device) storage is the default, but it looks like you can also link Google Drive or OneDrive online storage, though I haven’t tried this (yet!):

If you have a previously saved diagram, you can select it from a file browser. If you opt to create a new diagram, you can create a blank diagram with a default set of drawing tools, a particular diagram type or a diagram imported from a template URL:

If you go for the template URL option, you are prompted for the URL (I don’t know if there’s a catalogue / awesome list of template URLs anywhere?):

If you select one of the canned diagram type options, you are provided with a preview of the sorts of diagram you can create within that view:

If you click to select one of the example diagrams then click Create, the diagram editor opens with the example diagram and a set of custom diagram element options in the scratchpad sidebar:

If you don’t select a preview diagram, or you select the Blank diagram, you just get a default tool set.

Usefully for the course I’m looking at, one of the scratchpad collections provides diagram components that can be used to draw Crows Foot entity relation diagrams, as described here: Entity Relationship Diagrams with draw.io (see also: Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)).

Clicking on an item in the toolbar previews the component and adds it to the canvas; you can also click and drag items from the sidebar and then drop them on the canvas.

(Partial) ERD diagrams can also be generated by importing database table definitions using the SQL import plugin.

Writing Diagrams

One of the nice features of draw.io is that you can also generate certain diagrams from data files. In the Arrange menu, the Insert option provides several options for importing different sorts of data or textual elements from which diagrams can be automatically generated.

Plugins extend the range of import options, as for example in the case of the sql-plugin. *(The SQL plugin seems to add tables based on CREATE TABLE elements in the SQL; whilst it correctly identifies and highlights primary keys, it doesn’t identify relationships between them, so you have to add the crow’s foot lines yourself…)

See the full list of official plugins.*

Data can be imported from CSV files, as described here: Automatically create draw.io diagrams from CSV files Not all columns need to be displayed; some columns may even be used to store metadata or styling information using reserved columns ( image, fill and stroke ). The first column in each row represents a node and may be styled according to details given in the styling columns.

Other columns contain values that can be included in the node or that specify which other nodes that node is connected to. Rules are used to define the styling and labelling of each edge, as well as identifying columns used to identify edge connections between nodes.

Not all columns need to be referenced / used in the diagram that is generated.

I haven’t fully explored all the possible CSV import settings yet; I’m also thinking it’d be nice if there were some Python tooling to help simplify the creation of the CSV import definition file.

(By the by, there is also a handy online CSV viewer webform available.)

As well as CSV import, UML diagrams can be generated using PlantUML, a tool for creating a wide variety of diagram types from imported UML and other diagram specifications: Use PlantUML in draw.io. (That said, when I tried with the online *draw.io editor, the PlantUML import didn’t work. It looks like it uses Graphviz underneath, so it may be something to do with that? I need to try on a local install really, or ideally in a container with JupyterLab using the jupyterlab-drawio extension.)*

Taken together, I wonder if these importers could be used with other Python tools for generating diagrams from code? e.g. could something like this approach to electrical circuit diagram generation with lcapy be used to generate diagrams that draw.io can render??

Another handy looking too comes in the form of drawio-batch, a “command line converter for draw.io diagrams” based on puppeteer (“a Node library which provides a high-level API to control Chrome”, operating it by default in headless mode) that wraps the online draw.io conversion code into an offline tool. (I’ve not had a chance to try this yet; from the tests, it looks like you call it with a *draw.io XML diagram file and and output file and it gives you an output diagram back in a format corresponding to the filetype you specified by the output file suffix (pdf and svg in the tests)? Puppeteer it also new to me; a bit like Selenium, methinks, and a Javascript follower on from the now deprecated phantom.js?)*

Of the plugins, replay looks interesting: it lets you render an animated version of a diagram, for example as you build up a complex flow diagram a piece at a time. There is also an anim plugin for what looks like creating more general animations.

All in all, it looks to be really handy, and something I could ship in out VM. The jupyterlab-drawio extension shows it works in JupyterLab, and I think it should also work with nbserverproxy?

By the by, the Google Drive / OneDrive integration was interesting (if it works; I haven’t had a chance to try it yet)… In particular, it makes me wonder: could the code that did that be reused to provide a similar storage workflow in JupyterHub?

PS in passing, there may be other useful tools in here —  10 JavaScript libraries to draw your own diagrams. (It’s been some time since I last did a round-up…)

[greenscenegal]

You Haven’t Switched to Organic Makeup?!

Why Goodness Yes Dear! Please Use Organic Makeup.

If you’re reading my site right now, chances are pretty good you eat organic foods.  Maybe you – like me – will pay a little more for brands certified-free from toxic chemicals and GMOs. and I’m also guessing you understand than organic products contain way more nutrients than the non-organic alternatives.

So, with all of this focus on eating organically, why in the world would someone use makeup on their beautiful face that doesn’t meet the same standards?

As you may have guessed I’m a big proponent of buying products as close to the natural source as possible.  Ideally that means products that are plucked straight from the vine.  Unfortunately I’ve yet to find a plant that makes eyeliner, so when it comes to cover-up I look for brands that produce all-natural makeup.

Organic foods, sure, but Makeup?

Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies.  It does a pretty good job of keeping the bad stuff out and our body in.  The outermost layer, the epidermis, is a waterproof barrier that keeps most harmful chemicals from reaching the secondary layer – the dermis – where our blood vessels and fatty tissue reside.   Any toxins that make past our epidermis and enter our blood stream can normally be broken down into non-volatile components that our body’s filters (our kidney and liver for example) can process.

There are chemicals however that can bypass this membrane and are difficult for our bodies to process.  Worse yet, many have been proven to cause issues over long-term use.  Unfortunately cosmetic companies continue to use some of these ingredients in the production of their makeup including nasty-sounding ingredient like Coal Tar, Triclosan and Phthalates among others.

Inorganic Dies

Coal tar is a petroleum-based additive used to color cosmetics including hair dye, lipstick and makeup.  Often listed as the ingredient P-phenylenediamine, this nasty sounding ingredient is considered a pollutant by the European Union, and listed as extremely toxic to aquatic organisms.

Additionally sythetic dies like Coal Tar often contain heavy metals and aluminum substrate, which are known toxins which can affect the brain and nervous system.

Triclosan

Considered a pesticide by the EPA, Triclosan has been used for years in liquid anti-bacterial soaps and body washes to prevent contamination.  While it’s great for killing bacteria and bugs on plants, it has long been suspected as to disrupt hormone production in pregnant women and children and has been cited as one of the reasons for increase bacterial resistance.

Earlier this year the FDA banned triclosan from anit-bacterial soaps, however it is still being used in conventional cosmetics.  So you have to keep an eye out for it.  Luckily, if a cosmetic product in the United States contains triclosan, it is required to be listed as an ingredient on the product label.

Phthalates

Phthalates are another group of chemicals that have raised major concern, especially over the past few years as research has linked phthalates to an wide number of conditions, such as birth defects, breast cancer, ADHD and asthma.

As of 2016 Phthalates have been banned in the European Union, but unfortunately remain a consistant ingredient in makeup products in the US.

U.S. manufacturers have gotten pretty good about hiding the use of Phthalates  in their products often hiding them under terms such as “fragrance”, phthalate, DEP, DBP or DEHP

Resorcinol

A popular ingredient in many of the hair dyes and body-bleaches on the market today, the government has prohibited the use of resorcinol on the premises of any government building.  Studies have shown  Resorcinol to be a known skin irritant as well as a disrupt healthy thyroid function in animals.

Bottom line: Does it make sense that use Green Gals would use this chemical on our hair or bodies?  Methinks not!

Reap the Benefits from Natural Ingredients

If you’re one of those consumer that’s a bit skeptical of the effectiveness  of Organic Makeup, I can personally attest to their benefits.  Quite simply:  they work!  Extremely well too.  And while I do find organic makeup cost a bit more upfront, I find they last a lot longer since I really don’t have to use as much as I did before to get the same effect.

Also, I do have somewhat sensitive skin and I need makeup that allows my skin to breathe. With traditional makeup I could literally feel the makeup sitting on the surface of my skin, while most organic brands feel like a much lighter application.  In fact, I hardly notice it at all!  And because it blends so well with my skin tone, I’m more confident others have a hard time detecting it as well.

In addition to a better product, good organic makeups can actually improve the health of your skin.  How?  By using all-natural ingredients that you’re skin and body need including essential oils, natural moisturizers such as shea butter, and vegetable-derived coloring as main ingredients.

The Affordability of Organic Makeup

Many individuals dismiss organic makeup because they assume the cost will be too high. Even if someone wants to make the switch, the idea of buying premium makeup products can be intimidating. Thankfully, affordable options have become available within the last few years at health food stores and superstores alike. Just as with conventional options, there are high-end organic cosmetic brands that do come with a sizable price tag. There are also many incredibly affordable choices that are widely available.

Protect the Environment

When you shift your spending habits to buying organic makeup, you tell companies that you want more of it. As more individuals do the same thing, more options for quality makeup will become available.

Encourages Brands to Move to Organic Ingredients Companies in all industries constantly monitor market trends. To stay competitive in a given industry, brands must know what works and what doesn’t. This is exactly why organizations dedicate a budget to market research, and why they fiercely analyze the data of consumer buying habits.

The use of organic ingredients (as opposed to harsh chemicals) in makeup has obvious benefits for the environment. When you choose eco-friendly cosmetics, you pose no risk to the environment when you use these products.

Additionally, most brands of organic makeup have eco-friendly values. As a result of these core company values, they have environmentally-friendly practices. Buying organic cosmetics both directly and indirectly has a positive impact on the environment.

Make the Switch to Organic Today!

Hopefully I’ve convinced any makeup user how crucial it is to make the switch to the organic label if possible. Reducing your exposure to harsh chemicals, protecting the environment, and improving the quality of your skin can now be done at a similar cost to that of conventional makeup.

Part of a good self-care routine is using wholesome products in all areas of your life. Do something that your body will love you for tomorrow. Feed your skin and look your best with the purity of organic makeup.

from Green Scene Gal http://www.greenscenegal.com/switch-to-organic-makeup/

[prkick]

5 Reasons to Switch to Organic Makeup

Why Goodness Yes Dear! Please Use Organic Makeup.

If you’re reading my site right now, chances are pretty good you eat organic foods.  Maybe you – like me – will pay a little more for brands certified-free from toxic chemicals and GMOs. and I’m also guessing you understand than organic products contain way more nutrients than the non-organic alternatives.

So, with all of this focus on eating organically, why in the world would someone use makeup on their beautiful face that doesn’t meet the same standards?

As you may have guessed I’m a big proponent of buying products as close to the natural source as possible.  Ideally that means products that are plucked straight from the vine.  Unfortunately I’ve yet to find a plant that makes eyeliner, so when it comes to cover-up I look for brands that produce all-natural makeup.

Organic foods, sure, but Makeup?

Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies.  It does a pretty good job of keeping the bad stuff out and our body in.  The outermost layer, the epidermis, is a waterproof barrier that keeps most harmful chemicals from reaching the secondary layer – the dermis – where our blood vessels and fatty tissue reside.   Any toxins that make past our epidermis and enter our blood stream can normally be broken down into non-volatile components that our body’s filters (our kidney and liver for example) can process.

There are chemicals however that can bypass this membrane and are difficult for our bodies to process.  Worse yet, many have been proven to cause issues over long-term use.  Unfortunately cosmetic companies continue to use some of these ingredients in the production of their makeup including nasty-sounding ingredient like Coal Tar, Triclosan and Phthalates among others.

Inorganic Dies

Coal tar is a petroleum-based additive used to color cosmetics including hair dye, lipstick and makeup.  Often listed as the ingredient P-phenylenediamine, this nasty sounding ingredient is considered a pollutant by the European Union, and listed as extremely toxic to aquatic organisms.

Additionally sythetic dies like Coal Tar often contain heavy metals and aluminum substrate, which are known toxins which can affect the brain and nervous system.

Triclosan

Considered a pesticide by the EPA, Triclosan has been used for years in liquid anti-bacterial soaps and body washes to prevent contamination.  While it’s great for killing bacteria and bugs on plants, it has long been suspected as to disrupt hormone production in pregnant women and children and has been cited as one of the reasons for increase bacterial resistance.

Earlier this year the FDA banned triclosan from anit-bacterial soaps, however it is still being used in conventional cosmetics.  So you have to keep an eye out for it.  Luckily, if a cosmetic product in the United States contains triclosan, it is required to be listed as an ingredient on the product label.

Phthalates

Phthalates are another group of chemicals that have raised major concern, especially over the past few years as research has linked phthalates to an wide number of conditions, such as birth defects, breast cancer, ADHD and asthma.

As of 2016 Phthalates have been banned in the European Union, but unfortunately remain a consistant ingredient in makeup products in the US.

U.S. manufacturers have gotten pretty good about hiding the use of Phthalates  in their products often hiding them under terms such as “fragrance”, phthalate, DEP, DBP or DEHP

Resorcinol

A popular ingredient in many of the hair dyes and body-bleaches on the market today, the government has prohibited the use of resorcinol on the premises of any government building.  Studies have shown  Resorcinol to be a known skin irritant as well as a disrupt healthy thyroid function in animals.

Bottom line: Does it make sense that use Green Gals would use this chemical on our hair or bodies?  Methinks not!

Reap the Benefits from Natural Ingredients

If you’re one of those consumer that’s a bit skeptical of the effectiveness  of Organic Makeup, I can personally attest to their benefits.  Quite simply:  they work!  Extremely well too.  And while I do find organic makeup cost a bit more upfront, I find they last a lot longer since I really don’t have to use as much as I did before to get the same effect.

Also, I do have somewhat sensitive skin and I need makeup that allows my skin to breathe. With traditional makeup I could literally feel the makeup sitting on the surface of my skin, while most organic brands feel like a much lighter application.  In fact, I hardly notice it at all!  And because it blends so well with my skin tone, I’m more confident others have a hard time detecting it as well.

In addition to a better product, good organic makeups can actually improve the health of your skin.  How?  By using all-natural ingredients that you’re skin and body need including essential oils, natural moisturizers such as shea butter, and vegetable-derived coloring as main ingredients.

The Affordability of Organic Makeup

Many individuals dismiss organic makeup because they assume the cost will be too high. Even if someone wants to make the switch, the idea of buying premium makeup products can be intimidating. Thankfully, affordable options have become available within the last few years at health food stores and superstores alike. Just as with conventional options, there are high-end organic cosmetic brands that do come with a sizable price tag. There are also many incredibly affordable choices that are widely available.

Protect the Environment

When you shift your spending habits to buying organic makeup, you tell companies that you want more of it. As more individuals do the same thing, more options for quality makeup will become available.

Encourages Brands to Move to Organic Ingredients Companies in all industries constantly monitor market trends. To stay competitive in a given industry, brands must know what works and what doesn’t. This is exactly why organizations dedicate a budget to market research, and why they fiercely analyze the data of consumer buying habits.

The use of organic ingredients (as opposed to harsh chemicals) in makeup has obvious benefits for the environment. When you choose eco-friendly cosmetics, you pose no risk to the environment when you use these products.

Additionally, most brands of organic makeup have eco-friendly values. As a result of these core company values, they have environmentally-friendly practices. Buying organic cosmetics both directly and indirectly has a positive impact on the environment.

Make the Switch to Organic Today!

Hopefully I’ve convinced any makeup user how crucial it is to make the switch to the organic label if possible. Reducing your exposure to harsh chemicals, protecting the environment, and improving the quality of your skin can now be done at a similar cost to that of conventional makeup.

Part of a good self-care routine is using wholesome products in all areas of your life. Do something that your body will love you for tomorrow. Feed your skin and look your best with the purity of organic makeup.

from Green Scene Gal http://www.greenscenegal.com/5-reasons-to-switch-to-organic-makeup/