#like 90-100 degrees straight up

[adriancatrin]

sketches from the cave of two lovers aka the boys are GRUMPY

[choixsimple]

Would love to go for stupid daily walks for my stupid mental health but unfortunately it's been over 100 degrees where I live for A MONTH NOW and I don't have a fucking death wish

[philosophicalparadox]

Say what you will, but I think this demonstrates an excellent distinction between Itachi and Nagato in particular, despite them both ultimately having similar aspirations: Itachi is consistently aware that he’s lying to himself. He knows he’s slightly delusional. He chooses not to care, because he’s going to die, and always was, so it doesn’t matter as much. But in a world where, for whatever reason, Itachi was going to live…I think that’d be a pretty useful thing to take into consideration.

(I was literally just having a conversation about this…spooky, Tumblr, spooky.)

[otterloreart]

Steps of creating a 3D model replica from scratch

trace photos of character from available and cleanest angles. attempt to get a 90 degree*, front and back, side profile and straight on of the face. save additional reference photos such as bottom of body, back, and various extra angles without tracing which may help reference later on.

*more on angles later, but trying to get a 90 degree from each side is the most realistic and practical option if you dont actually have the character you're copying

2. block out the body and head

and by block i mean, yeah, its made out of elaborate rectangles

4 aha, you thought I would hand sculpt those? no. no. I used the curve tool to add these swirls. And yes i exactly traced them over the drawings to match the original as best as possible. The end of the curve tool is flat by default so I added a few spheres to make the ends nice and round. (there is absolutely a way to make the ends of curves rounded but I did not feel like looking it up or messing with the settings)

this wasn't mirrored to the other side- I traced both sides of the body and the front from photos and sculpted the swirls for each side. I couldn't get a single photo of the swirls at the butt area so I just winged it.

6 I am struggling to not make Cha Cha look angry.

I feel like the eyes are basically traced off the original and yet she looks so much grumpier. maybe it just needs to be smoothed out?

I added a little definition to the area around the eyes and I do think it looks a little better. The more definition I add in this stage the better, because I prefer this to sculpting. However, if you're more adept at sculpting you would probably not make this as detailed.

7 Here she is after smoothing everything out in sculpt after remeshing, in both Eevee (left) and Cycles (middle/right). still trying to figure out how best to render things. For some reason her nose ended up lighter in cycles but i cant be bothered to fix that rn

On the previous step I made the elements of her face + ears mirrored but once I start sculpting I'm not using the mirror tool. In fact nothing ends up mirrored, even the back right foot is slightly shifted in position.

this is probably not even the final version, I think i might redo the smooth/sculpt part and fiddle with the underlying shapes (basically go back a step)

Cha Cha's face. is one of the most difficult things to sculpt. It is extremely difficult to understand the shape of the underlying sculpt because there aren't any photos of her with the eye paint removed. There are so few of her out there I don't think anyone would willingly remove the paint to make a custom or anything unless it was in truly awful condition, and I dont think that has ever happened.

I have saved dozens of references from a number of different sites- these pics here are from etsy, the above was from the wiki. Her eyes are different from every single other pony and pony and friends- they're so bulging, so round, the eyelashes are longer. It's wild.

I can only see all the things that are wrong with it.

It's basically impossible to get something like this 100% perfect unless you have like, a set of turnaround photos all from the same angle that you can match up to the camera. You can basically overlap references with the camera view but you will never know the exact angle so if you make edits from multiple angles like this you'll inevitably not match each angle and then have to go back and adjust the angles and then you're fiddling with it infinitely. That's why I usually go for the "trace 4 angles and make the rest up as you go along" method.

I don't want to spend _too_ long on every model I make- the Takara pony which took 6 months really shows how far down the rabbit hole I will go with something like this, and it's just not practical. But I think with a slight amount of fiddling I can match the reference a little better.

[greater-than-the-sword]

re: marriage of convenience -- Isn't there the potential for the man to be doing it respectfully or out of friendship for the woman, rather than straight-up seeing her as a plaything or trophy? In 90-100% of the contexts in which i see the trope used, the "convenience" isn't the marriage itself -- that's a necessity, either for political or socioeconomic reasons -- but that this particular person is volunteering to do it, for their family/country, so the other person doesn't have to marry a stranger/unsuitable person, because they're the best option in this scenario, etc.

There's something about the power/social dynamic of involuntary marriage that's so intrinsically biased in favor of the male that you have to actively correct for it if you want me to ever think "oh poor him, he's really taking one for the team and feels just as out of place as the woman in this relationship."

Take the situation of a King who "has to" marry a foreign princess in order to create peace or whatever. Say what you want about him being forced into it by circumstance, he is still very much the instigator of the whole thing and the situation is very much under his control and he's enjoying a much greater degree of power and autonomy than his new wife. At worst he is burdened with the responsibility of financially providing for an expensive woman. He doesn't have to fear for his safety.

Every involuntary marriage trope I've ever seen has the woman struggling to see some cold man who has tons of power over her as human, while he is just trying to get past the inherent awkwardness of basically being her prison keeper. Will we ever have a story like this that doesn't have the faint background threat of possible rape hovering in the background?

[vldkeith]

this is so niche and cringe i’m so sorry but there’s this woman on the trash reality show 90 day fiancé that pretty fluently speaks spanish only she has the most intense american accent you’ve ever heard while doing it. like straight up using 100% american pronunciation for spanish words to a comical degree. anyway i think lance would be absolutely obsessed with her

[cadet-aviator]

Mess & Household training (4)

The toughest part of this Mess & Household training I had been ordered to follow was, however, the serving. It was not entirely new to me: during my weeks in Elite Camp I had had to serve drinks and dinner to the officers in their mess every night, and then I had to be on hand afterwards as they sat on the porch in the evening cool, chatting and laughing. That had been very tough, not because of the activity itself, but because the hours of serving came after a long day of gruelling marches and drills (and I wasn’t even 15 at the time). My preparation there had been only very basic.

This was, again, a whole new level, and it proved fiendishly difficult to get to terms with the finer details of being a Mess servant. It was worse than what went on in Downton Abbey. 

We were taught, first of all, to lay a table, which knife went where, which fork; we were taught what a normal menu in an officers’ mess was like, which dish followed which dish, and what the menu would be on a special occasion, and what was expected for those menu’s when it came to setting a table.

We were taught how to fold a napkin. That took hours and hours. So many ways you can fold one (and so many ways to get it wrong).

How to hold a plate of soup or an plate of rice (different technique).

We were taught how to ‘deliver’ a plate or a glass with a minimum of intrusion, and how to remove a plate or a glass unnoticed. The same for pouring wine or water, or opening a beer.

We had to learn how to carry trays (angle of 90 degrees in front of us, not touching our stomachs).

We were taught how to polish glasses (and then to polish them again, and again).

Of course we were also instructed how to stand, when no direct action was needed; how to keep a straight posture and not move your head but at the same time keep a sharp eye out for anything that needed attention.

This is not a skill you pick up in a few afternoons. It’s a proper profession, like that of top waiters in top restaurants, or professional butlers. But in the Malay military it was a specific branch, these Mess & Household servants, you could have a full career like that (and never see a battlefield or hold a rifle).

My little group of obedient cadets was assumed to be gearing up for such a career, and we had to get to grips with, well, everything. I had a quick brain, I was a fast learner, but as I was now getting accustomed to the superiors just piled on the tasks, the information, the challenges. No let up, no mercy, always that 100% perfection.

I had noticed during Camp that officers when they were not on alert would really take their time, sitting down for lunch or dinner, and so serving could take hours, sometimes well into the night. During training, this was copied – but then without the actual dinner guests. So it took hours of physical stress, just to stand quietly with a tray with a pitcher of water, staring ahead, trying to see if this or that person had emptied his glass, and was ready for some more – or not (we were not to ‘intervene’ when it was not called for).

I coped, I guess, because I quite liked to be in the presence of older officers. I liked the style of their mess rooms, their uniforms, the old-school (British-colonial) atmosphere of the thing. 

Actually, that was exactly why I stuck with it. I wanted to be there and serve.

(All images are AI-generated)

[alexandraisyes]

Hi hello pookie

:glancescutely: Your Highly Unconventional KC.

Gimmie gimmie.

jk i just wanna know the science/reason behind KC's "cold to the touch even when overheating" function teehee

is it just cz he's a lunar model, or could be his magik?

either way, gimmie gimmie omnomnom

(me literally having been pulling up your account *while* walking out of work cz i was thinking about this when doing closing duties, im hungry, feed me Peepaw Alex)

Okay so actually there is reason to my whimsy. I have very specific temperature headcanons for the DCA, and it's generally due to being a solar or lunar model. It just is my own little teehee, but I'll list them out from hottest to coldest (I'll even include the AUs (and mine), and also the computers bc they're modeled after DCA.). Degrees are in Fahrenheit.

Also, this post is gonna be fucking long. The temperature reactions are based on a human reaction, for reference of just how hot/cold it is.

115 and above: Extremely hot. It would feel painful to touch almost immediately, risking burns with prolonged contact. Kronos (Lord Eclipse)

110: Very hot. It would feel almost painfully hot, like touching something straight out of a hot bath. Francis - Helios (Dark Sun)

105: Very hot. It would feel very hot to the touch, and uncomfortable to touch for too long. Eclipse - Dawn (Swap Sun)

100: Hot. It would feel very hot, like holding a hot water bottle. Milo and Ilo (OG Computer AIs) - Dolus (Supernova - Eclipse)

95: Hot. It would feel hot, like touching the side of a mug of hot coffee. Solar - Moros (Servant Eclipse) - Morpheus (Supernova)

90: Warm to hot. It would feel hot but not painful, like touching warm skin. Spaniard - Chips (RESET - OC Eclipse) - Helios (Supernova - Solar)

85: Warm. It would feel quite warm, similar to touching something that has been in the sun for a while. Sunrise - Solstice (Swap Eclipse) - Eos (Lonely Sun) - Sol (Supernova - Sun)

80: Warm. It would feel comfortably warm, like a warm bath. Solar Flare - Jack - Apollo (Ruin's Sun) - Freyja (Supernova - Sun)

75: Warm. It would feel slightly warm, like touching something that has been sitting in a warm room. Angel (Solar's Sun) - Cruis (Servant Sun) - Nebula (Supernova)

70: Neutral. It would feel neutral to slightly warm, very close to average room temperature. Cora (Swap Solar Flare) - Charon (Supernova - Sun) - Caeli (Supernova - Solar Flare)

65: Neutral. It would feel close to room temperature, neither warm nor cool. Ruin - Earth - Gaia (Evil Earth) - Geb (Supernova - Earth) - Janus (Supernova) - Vixen (Supernova)

60: Slightly cool. It would feel mildly cool, a bit cooler than room temperature. Lulu (RESET - OC Lunar) - Space (Swap Earth) - Artemis (Ruin's Moon) - Khonsu (Feral Moon) - Lola (Supernova - Lunar)

55: Slightly cool. It would feel cool but not unpleasant, like touching something kept in a cool room. Moondrop - Selene (Swap Lunar) - Sanguine (Supernova - Bloodmoon) - Aporia (Supernova) - Ariadne (Supernova)

50: Cool. It would feel refreshingly cool, similar to touching a cold drink can. Bloodmoon (Blood/Harvest) - Nexus - Clementine (Supernova - Bloodmoon)

45: Cool. It would feel noticeably cool but not uncomfortable for short periods. Crescent (Solar's Moon) - Sentry (Swap Killcode) - Haze (Supernova - Lunar)

40: Cool. It would feel chilly to the touch but not painful. Prolonged contact might make your skin feel numb. Lunar - Vanth (RESET - OC Lunar) - Equinox (Swap Moon) - Eris (Supernova - Bloodmoon) - Luna (Supernova - Moon)

35: Cold. It would feel brisk and unpleasant but not unbearable for brief contact. Your skin would start to feel numb after a few moments. Styx (Lord Lunar) - Luctus (Supernova - Lunar) - Phobos (Supernova - Moon)

30: Cold. It would feel uncomfortably chilly, and your skin would quickly start to feel numb. Killcode - Huntermoon (Swap Bloodmoon - Hunter/Wolf) - Rigel (Supernova)

25: Very cold. It would cause an immediate shock to the skin, feeling like a sharp, biting cold. Bloom (Vanth/Moon) - Deimos (Supernova - Killcode)

20: Very cold. It would feel very uncomfortable, and your skin would start to go entirely numb after a short period. Frank

15 and below: Extremely cold. Touching this would cause a stinging pain almost immediately, and prolonged contact could lead to frostbite. Nyx (Evil Lunar)

To specifically answer why certain animatronic's outward temperature doesn't change, regardless of if they are powered off, overheating, in a freezing environment, etc. Yes it does have to do with their composition, which might be affected by magic or even star power.

RESET Characters shared with @polaris-stuff @dragoncxv360

Supernova Characters shared with @turbotasthick @itzholly2

[askgothamshitty]

Do you have any dating advice for women who date men and how they should navigate dating and choosing a partner when men are constantly getting radicalized into the manosphere. I feel like men are absorbing a lot of vile shit and often it’s hard to tell which ones are good and which ones are bad because they’re hiding the bad a lot better. If you don’t mind me asking (pls don’t answer this question if it makes you uncomfortable to answer) how you choose a partner when they’re a man and how do you choose which men you want to be around? How do you determine they have good character and have you had any luck?

I am sorry to say that I do not have a tried-and-true method for finding a good male partner 😭 I have very little dating experience, and the way I met my current partner was 100% luck. We met on Tinder during a time where I wasn’t even looking for anything serious. It was completely by chance that we found each other and were the perfect match.

If I were single again (and chose to pursue men), I would first have to accept that I would probably be single for a very long time due to the difficulty of finding a good one. My standards are very high as a feminist and I would say they eliminate a good 90% of men from my dating pool. And with those remaining 10%, there’s still the question of being physically attracted to one, which I find is rare for me personally. So the first lesson is to get comfortable being single.

As for what methods I would use to weed them out… I think I would probably limit my search to bisexual men. These men often grew up being deemed “fags” by other boys and thus cast out from those social groups (often finding refuge with girl friend groups instead). My theory is that this kind of represents a break in the socialization process that makes most men misogynists. As a result they may empathize with and relate to women more. Their identity as a queer person also means they understand criticisms of heteronormativity to some degree, and therefore may see past the oppressive gender roles in most straight relationships that other men take for granted.

But this is not a foolproof answer! Never underestimate a man’s ability to be misogynistic! A bisexual man could still end up being a regular asshole just like the rest of them.

So yeah. From there, I’d use the dating process to learn more about them and make sure they check all the right boxes. To me, this includes not watching porn/supporting the sex trade, having strong platonic relationships with women, not being emotionally stunted, not being close friends with misogynist men, recognizing and rejecting patriarchal masculinity… and a lot more.

Hopefully that’s helpful 😭 let me know if you need me to elaborate on anything.

[ancientevangelions]

Evangelion, LGBT+ Rights and Time

It is fascinating how readings of Evangelion have changed over time as society varies. In 2012-2015 (and to some degree even now), vocal shippers would bully others if they chose the "wrong" pairings. Reminder to everyone that you choose to engage with fan content, and it is 100% your choice to harass and bully people over their views. Shipping fictional characters should be fun and a way to engage on a different level with fandom, not an exercise in who has the moral high ground. There are shows I will not engage with because I find the canon pairings to trigger my C-PTSD, but I block those tags. (It's Madoka Magica; the third movie starts a violent fear reaction).

When I first watched Evangelion circa 2010, a Trans reading of Evangelion, though not unheard of, was less common than it is now. I grew up in Northern Alberta, Canada, where we knew what gay, straight, and bi were. Still, everything else was not mentioned until after I graduated high school and moved to a bigger city for University in 2009. This led to me doing a lot of self-discovery. I didn't fully embrace my non-binary identity until I turned 28 for various reasons, including personal safety (that would be spring of 2019, for those wondering). I knew my gender identity differed from others because of the LGBT+ club at University, where I would hang out and learn new terminologies, identities, and what consent meant. Still, until recently, people did not talk about LGBT+ identity outside of these circles, especially not in groups with aging populations. Fast forward to now (2023) on Tumblr, when there are so many differences in opinions and interpretations. I wonder if people my age (or older) watched Eva and considered the characters could be anything but straight and cis or if they were shocked by Maya's love for Ritsuko when it was revealed in End of Evangelion. 90s media had a lot of ingrained homophobia and transphobia. You don't need to look further than popular sitcoms like the Simpsons or FRIENDS to see the LGBT+ community ridiculed for a cheap laugh. Western society was very anti-LGBT, and though we have made gains with marriage equality laws in 2005 for Canada, there is still room for improvement.

When I watched NGE/EoE, It was at the start of LGBT+ identities becoming more prevalent in Western media. I watched the ambiguous interactions of episode 24, and I remember thinking how sad it was that Kaworu had to die. The interactions between Shinji and Kaworu did not appear romantic or wholesome while I watched. It seemed tragic and doomed to failure (like Shiniji's previous attempts at gaining understanding.) Upon my first watch, I concluded that Shinji's desperation for affection led to his attraction to Kaworu. It did not seem genuine, and I saw it as less romantic and more as a deeply tragic episode where a broken boy is manipulated by lies of exclusion and ultimately heartbroken because he is once again betrayed and left alone. This reading was solidified for me in EoE when Asuka confronts Shinji with the line that anyone will do in Hell's Kitchen. Shinji is even more frantic and desperate for someone to love and save him and is once again rejected. Shinji wants someone to give him love and support and to understand and help him. The fear and desperation of being left alone make Episode 24 and End of Evangelion incredibly twisted and tragic. Shinji's arc climaxes with the tragedy of human miscommunication, desperation for affection, and the desire for love and understanding without the act.

Hell's Kitchen (End of Evangelion)

There's so much pain in suffering and loneliness. Additionally, I firmly believe Shinji did not/does not love anyone romantically in NGE/EoE. I am not saying he has no potential to love anyone. He is not there yet in his journey. He may have crushes or interests, but romantic love takes Time, communication, compromise, understanding, and so many elements of vulnerability between two people to establish, form, and maintain that connection. Shinji did not have the time to develop a true romantic bond with anyone and was not in a formal relationship. Yes, he kissed Asuka and relied on her for stability/support. He had deep conversations with Kaworu and received unconditional affection. He trusted and depended on Misato. He was curious about Rei and wanted to help her/know more about her. Still, he never took steps to form a romantic partnership, instead preferring to "keep things ambiguous."

Shinji is still figuring things out. The point of NGE and EoE isn't romance. It's figuring out your identity.

This message of misunderstanding and muddling through your identity is likely why it resonates so much with LGBT+ communities because many of us did have to muddle out our difficult questions of identity. It can be intimidating to navigate so much information, especially if you aren't in a safe environment. It feels similar to being attacked by alien forces in a war zone, except instead of Angels, it is hate-filled views, bullying, name-calling, misinformation, and fear. And instead of Evas/NERV, we have GSAs, outreach centres, online spaces, and supportive people that we hope will help us more than they harm us.

I find an element of cultural difference intriguing in Evangelion (and all Japanese anime to some degree). Japanese people interpret scenes very differently from English-speaking Western audiences. Part of the nuance is lost in translation, cultural differences, and the differences in Time that have passed. I highly recommend reading various semi-autobiographical works such as "The Bride was a Boy" or "My lesbian experience with loneliness." to understand the queer experience in Japan better. There are a lot of differences to sort through when we look at different cultures. Unfortunately, Japan has a ways to go on LGBT+ rights, including access to transgender health care and same-sex marriage (which, at the time of writing, is still not recognized in Japan). My point is that culture-to-culture intent in various media, whether written or visual, will be lost. We can, of course, read interpretations, watch video essays, talk to friends, etc. Still, to draw our conclusions, we often would rather watch the source material as "purely" as well as can without interference from other people. This brings in a final theme from Evangelion. We can never understand anyone 100%; only you can completely understand yourself. So whether you agree or disagree with me, remember these are my thoughts and opinions shaped by my life growing up as an LGBT+ Canadian. So be good to yourself, and congratulations.

[bandmafia]

"Marching band isn't that hard! You're just walking around! In [insert sport] we have to actually run around and throw things!"

You spent maybe 4 hours a day practicing something that will be shown off, again and again, in heats, quarters, periods, divisions, whatever.

We get one chance to show off a specific set of skills before we're sent back to the drawing board. We don't get heats or innings. If we mess something up we don't stop in the middle of the comp, take a 5 minute break on the sideboard, and devise a new strategy. If it happens it happens, and there's no going back. If we make even one mistake it could be difference between a 98 and a 99, and guess which one gets to move on to finals from prelims? And no, the band with 98 is not second place. Second place has a 98.971. The band with the 98 score is 7th.

Moreover, most of you are practicing on the field or in the gym. Where are we practicing? In the parking lot. In a rented space meant for horse racing. On the literal street. In a park.

If any of us get injured while playing, esp during a parade, we can't just step out like football players. Nosebleed? Angle your nose as far away from your uniform as much as possible and keep going. Stomach ache? Ignore it, play through the pain. Step in a gopher hole and twist your ankle? Limp your way to the end of the street. Trip over a hump and your foot looks the wrong way around? Hop on one foot and get over it. The most rest you're going to get is not playing for eight bars before guilt overtakes you and you start playing again.

Most schools with marching bands practice everyday for up to 5 hours. If not that, then it's all day weekends from 9 to 9. Sometimes it's both. Sometimes it's do school for 6 hours, do band for 5 hours, do homework for 3 hours, and sleep for zero hours. Then you finish homework on a Friday night/early Saturday morning, pack your bags, and go straight to an all-days.

Band warmups! Let's talk about those! Most bands run laps. Some make members do pushups. Sounds easy, right?

There is usually no break between warm-up and visual/sectional. Right after warm-up you're either running to the sidelines to put your instrument together and run up seven flights of stairs to get to the rehearsal space, or you're running to the front to get ready for fundamentals/field time. The water is right there, but the staff won't let you get it. You just ran 10 laps and now you need to carry your mellophone, your stand, your backpack, your case, and your music somewhere else. You just did 100 pushups and now you need to run to the truck on the other side of the street to get out the props and help drumline with unloading. You just did both laps and pushups and now you need to powerwalk backwards on your toes without falling over carrying a metal tube wrapped around you. The metal tube weighs almost more then you.

Carrying a football is easy. It's a leather or plastic thing that weighs maybe a package of grapes. If you hold it up to throw it you can keep it up there for probably forever. Carrying literally any instrument while keeping an angle is an actual pain. Try carrying a marching tuba on your shoulders with the bell facing up. Your back isn't allowed to curve to accommodate for the weight (it isn't healthy for your spine either) and you aren't allowed to fall over backwards because ow for you and your instrument. There's 30 pounds of metal worth nearly 5000$ resting on one shoulder. Your life value pales in comparison to that. Or how about we take a flute, at the opposite end of the weight scale. Light, 2 pounds at most and not even that. Seems easy right? Try carrying a horizontal stick with buttons at a 90 degree angle corresponding to both your face and the ground while lifting it 10 degrees higher and your fingers splayed out like a piano player.

"Well on the field we have to pay attention to the people around us so we know who to pass to and where to score!" Good for you! We have to pay attention to: - The drum major(s) - Other people around us - Our tone production - How loud we are - The band director - Our feet - What notes we're producing And we also have to remember where we're going (If I go right and I'm supposed to be going left, I will be the cause of a multi-million dollar pileup) and what note's we're playing (nobody wants to listen to a horrible band. Duh).

Also, marching band camps? This isn't the cushion-y, in a main cabin the forest hosted by Christian counselor Concert band camp we're talking about. This also not the 'training center for [sport] that our coach makes us go to every year'. This is all days. Every day. For weeks. In the summer. When it's 104F and climbing. This is the camp where everyone wakes up at 4:30am, makes it to the sports center at 5:45am cramming their lunch of oatmeal bars down their throat, and doing the exact. same. thing. for upwards of 12 hours. Sometimes, it's leave home at 5am and come back home at 9pm. At that point you are literally returning to marching band after home. And this happens every day for maybe 4-9 weeks.

Like I'm not saying it's a sport in this post specifically, but what I am saying is that marching band isn't easy. Watch DCI (marching band NFL). Watch WGI (DCI for guard). Marching while playing is one thing, running sideways while playing is another.

[blamkey]

yourroyalpenis:

gaezedkriel:

keylimepie:

accountant-in-a-can:

punkrockluna:

bubblegum-momoi-satsuki:

gouthesupermanager:

flameoflight:

well-metaphoricallyspeaking:

heruut:

i-aint-even-bovvered:

songofages:

I never understood why it’s an F if he gets more than half out of 100? Unless it’s more than 100. If you get more than half the answers right how is it an F?

You must not be from America. Here, grading is fucked up.

Average American Grading Scale: A+- 97-100 A - 94-96 A- - 90-93 B- 80-89 C- 70-79 D- 60-69 F- 59 and under

And in some places in America it goes by a 7 point scale, so it’d be A - 100-93 B - 92-85 C - 84-78 D - 77-70 F - 69 and below

Now you understand why American kid’s feel like there’s no point to school. If you have a 100 question text, and get 79 of them correct, that’s a C. That mean’s your Average Intelligence on this particular subject. And it get’s even worse when you have only like… a 10 question quiz. If you get two wrong? that’s a B. 80 fucking %. Now tell me again why American school’s are easier? 

No wait but whats the grading system in other countries?

UK Grading Scale

100-70: A

69-60: B

59-50: C

49-40: D

Below 40: F

next time you try to tell americans that we’re stupid

i’m gonna remind you

that our “average” is your “A”

#is that true? Yep I was shocked when I heard this in a different post but a Google search pulls up a ton of sites backing this up. Shit son I woulda passed College Algebra with an A in the UK. And I spent the end of the semester in perpetual fear that I would fail and have to retake the class.

And basically as an American you’re expected to get 80 or higher. Technically 70s are considered ‘average’ but there is such a level of pressure to get a B or higher, that Cs have become equal to Ds. Basically anything under 60 you might as well gotten a 0, and anything between 60-80 is considered practically failing. So basically schools have to be designed to make sure majority of students are getting 80s or higher on specific topics, which means you’re spending all your time going over a few choice facts a billion times and there is very little room to teach anything else. Which explains why American schools are of such low quality. The insane demand on the students ends up wrecking their education. Not only do you not have time to teach them anything, but they end up hating learning. Even outside of school your life is dedicated to memorizing these few dumb facts because your homework ends up taking hours of your time. A teacher from one subject says they expect you to spend 2 hours every night on their homework. And if you’re studying 5 subjects and they all demand that 2 hours? Good fucking luck, because if you don’t have straight all 80s or higher you’re not getting into a good college and college degrees have somehow become the minimum requirement for getting jobs.

I spent most of my junior year of high school in a state of constant panic that I was going to get a C in Honors Physics much less fail the class. If I got a C on my report card, I was grounded until the next one. I lost count of the times I’d wake up at five in the morning to take the early bus to go in for zero hour before school actually started for the day

File this under the exact reason so many Americans detest going to school.

Heartbreaking Simpsons Moments 1/∞: Bart Gets an F

[jodilin65]

I definitely do have sleep apnea. They're not making that up. I miss the days when I could flop onto my back in my sleep and not wake myself up snoring. Hell, sometimes I snore in other positions as well! 🙁 The weight's not coming off, so I need that mouth guard.

I slept poorly because I kept waking up. Sometimes I was hot, sometimes I was cold, and other times I woke up for no reason. Because of this, I was tired when I got up. A half hour later, I ended up napping for a couple of hours. Taking vitamins every other day isn’t enough for me. I feel more hypo. So it’s back to every day. That’s what I wanted to see though, where my sweet spot was.

Curious, I stepped on the scale a second time after my long nap to find I’d only gone down 0.2 pounds. This means I only lost the water I drank before the nap and then peed off when I got up. My metabolism is simply not moving. This is another reason not to bother dropping my calories anymore. It just wouldn’t do me any good. No point in putting myself out for zero results. Besides, I’m barely 5 pounds heavier than when I came here and I can’t believe I’m only 5 pounds away from stopping snoring. If I was suddenly 120 pounds then maybe I would stop snoring, but I’m not going even remotely close to that, so I need to improvise, and that can only be done if my insurance company will help me. I wish we were rich so we could pay for everything I needed! They’re right when they say that money isn’t everything, but it sure is something and it sure helps.

I wonder how much yesterday's sugar spree could account for how shitty I feel today, particularly when it comes to being tired. There will be absolutely no more sugar relapses until I've had enough time to test my energy levels without it! I mostly wanted an excuse to get out. I don’t want to go back to having doctor’s appointments like crazy, but I really like to get out when I’m on days and that doesn’t mean just stepping outside. Going outside would be better than nothing, but it’s been hot and humid and we don’t have the bench yet. I could sit somewhere in the carport, but then I’m in the shade. The idea is to give me adequate sunlight. I just don’t want it when it’s 90 degrees and nearly 100% humid. Not only is that uncomfortable, but I burn easily. So for now, I’m stuck indoors.

Funny how I read in a journal entry of mine from over 20 years ago how my life was more adventurous even if many of those adventures weren’t good, but back east I knew the same people and did the same things. Funny, because that’s how my life has been for many years now, but it’s better to have a little stagnancy at times because whenever it’s been adventurous it’s usually not in a good way.

My TMJ has been bugging me. It’s been really bad lately and I don’t know why. Maybe I’m not using my nasal spray enough. I don’t think all of it is because of nerve damage from surgery but also because of my Eustachian tube having problems draining.

On the way to CVS yesterday, where I grabbed two pieces of caramel that they sell individually, a little container of mini chocolate chip cookies, and some wine, we saw a county vehicle parked across from Crazy Karen. We also saw a woman and a man walking toward the redneck’s place. My first guess is that either he and Julie or the couple across from the nutjob called in county code violations at the nutjob’s place. Just because you’re crazy doesn’t mean you should be able to get away with shit. The place looks straight out of some comedy skit or circus and is caked with tons of mold. I was hoping someone would mention it in the group but they didn’t. I’m sure I could ask the redneck about it, but I don’t want to get involved.

Since they wouldn’t call the county on account of the nutjob acting out (the cops have been here before for that) and were walking up the redneck's driveway, I have another theory. Maybe it’s revenge from the park. Joe said they refused to do any more home improvements because of the mess over there, so they could be retaliating. I don’t think that’s how they would retaliate, though. If they were going to do so, they would just do what Joy did to us at the other place and make some ridiculous complaint.

Society says we’re supposed to have compassion for the mentally ill. Why? With all the problems they cause in society, just why? Pedophiles can’t help themselves, but that doesn’t mean we should all feel sorry for them.

Not too long ago, I planted a couple of lemon seeds. When they didn’t sprout, I told Tom he could throw the pot outside, and one of them has sprouted. That’s what happened with the scallion plant I planted as well. They would definitely rather grow outside.

I finally had a good dream that I didn't want to wake up from but did. I had a dream I spotted Termite Tammy and went to tell her to try threatening and blackmailing me to my face, but woke up before I could find her. Such a shame. I would have loved to have seen what I did to her!

It’s been just like old times with my dreams. I’ve been remembering quite a bit, even if many of them don’t make sense. Andy was sleeping over again in one dream and we were talking about how cloudy days sometimes make us tired.

Then I shoved some older woman who might have been my maternal grandmother, who was a bitch, and then spotted both siblings at a house party. That was the one I was bummed out to wake up from. It was weird too because before I went after my sister, I told my brother that if I never saw him again, I loved him and I wanted him to know it. The truth is I’m indifferent. I haven’t felt much for him either way for many years now.

In another dream, I was with a woman and another lesbian couple was going to move in with us. But then they decided not to because they wanted to move around and do certain things. My hair was in a braid that went past my ass in this dream.

Then I was in a house that looked like the first house I grew up in. In the middle of the living room by the fireplace sat a huge black woman who was old and not well. She was propped up on a bunch of pillows sleeping. In the back of the room on a couch was Tom’s mother. She didn’t have long to live and Tom was making sure she was comfortable before going in the kitchen to scrub the stove, which I told him I would take care of.

I was still a smoker in the next dream and lived in a two-story house. I stepped outside a large window or door and onto a metal overhang to have a cigarette. Its surface was slick with rain and I slipped off and onto the ground, but I wasn’t hurt. Then I headed around to knock on the front door for Tom to let me in.

In the last dream, we seemed to be in a rather modern home that was larger. I was looking for the perfect shoe spot in the living room for when we came in and kicked our shoes off.

[weather-usa]

An unprecedented heat wave will send temperatures soaring, affecting more than half of the US population.

A long-lasting and expansive heat wave, fueled by an intense heat dome, is impacting the Midwest and Northeast. Record-breaking high temperatures will persist into next week, marking the start of summer with this year's most significant heat event yet.

Hundreds of records could be tied or broken as a massive heat dome settles over parts of the East. Multiple all-time June high temperature records may fall, with heat levels typically seen only during the hottest July days. Parts of the Midwest and Northeast could experience the longest heat wave in decades, according to the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center.

Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Mexico:

Tens of millions of people, extending as far north as Maine, will face unseasonably high temperatures well into the 90s this week. Humidity will further elevate the heat index values, making it feel like the low 100s.

The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat risk from the Great Lakes to the Northeast this week. Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be the hottest days, with only slightly less brutal temperatures on the surrounding days. Heat will reach dangerous levels in many areas, including major metropolitan centers such as Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New York City, and Boston.

Temperatures across a wide area of the northeastern US will soar 15 to 20 degrees above normal on Monday afternoon, with highs expected to rise up to 25 degrees above normal for the rest of the workweek.

See more:

https://www.behance.net/gallery/196571125/Weather-Forecast-for-Nevada

Some areas, including Montpelier, Vermont; Syracuse, New York; and Pittsburgh, haven't experienced heat like this in about three decades.

"The last time we saw heat in Pittsburgh like what we’re expecting next week was 30 years ago (almost to the day) when it reached 95°F or warmer for six straight days (June 15-20, 1994)," the local weather service office stated on X. "That stands as the longest stretch of 95+ degree days on record. We have a shot at tying or beating that."

In response, affected areas have started to activate heat protocols.

New York City will open cooling centers starting Tuesday and distribute cooling kits to outdoor workers, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday. Burlington, Vermont, will also activate cooling centers starting Tuesday.

In Cleveland, recreation centers will extend their hours to serve as cooling centers, city officials said Monday. The city has also suspended all playground programs for the week as temperatures rise.

Heat domes, like the one driving this week's intense conditions, trap air in place and bake it with abundant sunshine for days on end, causing temperatures to climb higher each day. These oven-like conditions mean that overnight temperatures often remain elevated, providing little relief for overheated bodies and increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses.

"Warm overnight temperatures only dropping into the mid-70s will offer little to no relief, especially to those without adequate or reliable cooling," the Weather Prediction Center warned.

Weather Forecast For Mississippi:

Humidity will combine with extreme heat to create triple-digit heat indices—measurements of how hot the human body feels—in some areas.

Chicago residents could experience heat indices between 95 and 105 degrees through next week, the NWS in Chicago warned. Parts of eastern New York and western New England could see indices as high as 107 degrees.

The NWS in Detroit, where the heat index could reach 100 degrees, urged residents to practice heat safety in the coming days. This includes limiting strenuous outdoor activities, staying hydrated, and checking on elderly neighbors or those without air conditioning.

Heat-related illnesses are a concern in severely impacted areas, particularly for the elderly, young children, and outdoor workers. Extreme heat is the deadliest form of severe weather, killing on average twice as many people annually as tornadoes and hurricanes combined.

See more:

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-99559

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-99561

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-99563

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-99564

https://weatherusa.app/zip-code/weather-99565

Scientists have warned that heat waves will become increasingly severe as the climate crisis intensifies.

[nackseo2]

Discover Endless Workout Possibilities With The Bands By Näck

The Bands by Näck are designed in Sweden to fit your lifestyle and support your everyday workout routine. Each set has five bands with distinct resistance levels, offering infinite possibilities for resistance training, strength, and mobility workouts for both the upper and lower body.

Made from 100% natural, durable rubber, the bands come with a convenient carry pouch, making it effortless to keep up with your workouts on the move.

The Bands come in 5 different resistance levels: x light (2kg) | light (4kg) | medium (6kg) | heavy (8kg) | x heavy (12kg). Experiment with them to see which resistance level works best for you in different exercises.The Bands are effective tools for building muscle strength and endurance. They provide resistance throughout the entire range of motion, increasing time under tension for your muscles. This continuous tension is essential for muscle growth and development. Incorporating mini bands into your resistance training routine can help you target specific muscle groups and achieve your fitness goals more effectively.

This journal serves as a quick guide to get you started with easy yet impactful exercises. Let’s dive in!

1. Lateral Walking

Place the band just above each ankle and wrap it around both legs. Position your feet shoulder-width apart. The band should be taut but not stretched. Bend your knees slightly and move into a half-squat position to activate the gluteus medius. Keep your feet in line with your shoulders and face forward with your body weight evenly distributed over both feet.

2. Standing Side Kick

Place the band around your ankles. Lift your toes slightly upwards. Moving only your working leg, swing your foot out sideways like a pendulum, hinging at the hip. Lift your foot to about 45 degrees. Slowly lower it back to the starting point. Complete the desired number of reps and repeat for the other leg.

3. The Clam

Lay down on your side with bent legs. Keep your knees slightly in front of you. Place the band right above your knees. Engage your core. Open up the upper knee as much as you can, squeezing your glutes as you lift. Hold at the top and can then come back. Repeat. Try to stay completely still with your hips.

4. Bent Leg Side Kick

Kneel on all fours with the band positioned just above your knees. Shift your weight onto your left foot while keeping your core engaged and your back straight. Lift your right foot off the ground, bend your knee slightly, and kick it out to the side, keeping the resistance band taut. Slowly return your right foot to the starting position, ensuring the band remains taut, and avoid letting your foot touch the ground.

5. Donkey Kicks

Kneel on all fours, ensuring your wrists are stacked below your shoulders and knees are under your hips. Engage your core to maintain stability throughout the exercise. Keep your back flat and avoid arching. Place the band around your knees, pressing it against the mat with one knee to keep it secure. Lift the other leg as high as possible while keeping the band taut. Gently lower it back down and repeat the movement.

6. Supine Hip Flexion

Lie on your back with legs straight and the band around your toes. Lift your legs, bending hips and knees to 90 degrees, keeping your lower back pressed to the floor. Straighten one leg, bring the opposite knee to your chest, and hold for 2 seconds. Return to start and switch legs. Repeat.

To Know More: https://nack.life/blogs/news/discover-endless-workout-possibilities-with-the-bands-by-nack

[yoonyia]

you know what's insane

like

my iq and cat 4 scores and stuff

like

like I'm in the top 4~1%

of students and intelligence and stuff

but only in cognitive tests

like my school test scores suck

but like I'm still put into the same help course as like 7 other smart kids

and they get like flying colors

what

I always knew my brain was pretty ok because genetics and stuff

like my parents are like 138 and 146

so me having an iq of like 135 isn't actually that good considering my genes

but like

my mom is top 0.1% of iq apprantly

and she's just a normal person

like

she's super smart

but shes just some guy

I have a technical miracle living in the house and her favorite snacks are shrimp chips and she does sky yoga

my dads a doctor yea

he's probably the most wise person I know

he's super intelligent

and like

in a room of 100 people by each percentage he's the smartest

what

what????

my dad loves anime and hates taking out the trash

he's the smartest in a room of 100 people????

I mean I guess that makes sense

but

really??????

?????

THATS THE SAME FOR ME

IF I WAS IN A ROOM OF 100 PEOPLE I WOULD FIND 1 PERSIN SMARTER THEN ME IF IT WAS BY PERCENTAGE

no?????

I would find like minimum 35 people smarter then me

probably closer to 60

like

I dont

get it

I know iq and that bullshit dosent matter

but like getting put in the same group as these smart fucks who gets insane grades and have all these ambitions drives me insane

ONE OF MY CLASSMATES WHOS ALSO IN THIS PROGRAM IS LITTERALLY THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT

like

one of them gets nearly straight 90+ (it's myp so that means 7 and up) and I'm here getting 50???? (5 in myp) LIKE

I GET IT

GRADES ARENT ALL THERE IS TO INTELLIGENCE AND ALL THAT

BUT WHAT THE FUCK MAN

one dude named lucas

this bitch got sad he didn't get a 8 in math

he got a 7 and sulked

he was my teammate in wsc and let me tell you this bitch is smart

he won best scholar

he's subpar at debating but that's because he's just very likeable and polite

if this dude had even the tiniest bit of fury he would be the most charismatic person in the world

while I'm here with my makeshift political speeches having a mental breakdown because I sound like trump

"to create commercial spacecraft for permanent or long term stay and travel is not only putting the people into inhumane situations akin to that of prison and is merely abandoning our responsibility as earth's citizens, it is also a grievance against humanity itself. And you, for supporting this ideal, is cursing the remainder of civilization to die." IS WHAT I SAY AND THEN HE ACTUALLY HAS POINTS

THEN MY OTHER CLASSMATE

SHE TUTORS OTHER STUDENTS AND THEN THEIR GRADES GET BETTER

I TRIED HELPING MY FRIEND AND ENDED UP DYING ON THE FLOOR INSTEAD

another one is my friend who does every extra curricular possible and still gets good grades

I'm sorry

I do literally nothing other then choir and wsc

and I get overwhelmed and tired and die by the end of the day

I cant get to 4th period without being reduced to mush

what do you mean you do 4 hours of tennis everyday

WHY AM I WITH THESE FREAKS

THESE ARE SUPER GENIUSES THAT HAVE STUFF TO DO

THAT HAVE AMBITIONS TO CHASE

MY GRADES ARE BELOW AVERAGE IN SOME SUBJECTS DECCENT IN SOME AND GOOD IN ONLY 2

THESE BASTARDS ARE GETTING GOOD GRADES STRAIGHT ACROSS

AND ACTUALLY DOING STUFF THATLL HELP THEIR FUTURE

THE MOST INTELLECTUAL THING IVE BEEN DOING THIS MONTH IS TRYING TO SEE IF MY FRIEND COULD MAKE DESLACODA ONCE THEY GET THEIR DEGREES

I'm not using this brain of my mine for anything useful

I dont get why I'm here

I litterally had to go to the hospital because I slept too well and my brain created too many hallucinations that made me do face in palm shrimp back for too long that made my spine bones compress and paralyze my leg

I do stupid shit like this and I'm put in with litteral smart people

I'm a dumb idiot

I feel like Nikolai in enders jeesh

I know I'm not that stupid

but something is making me think i was placed here for some fucking reason

I dont belong here

I'm gonna cry

I dont get these smart people

why am I here

what did I do to even make the teachers give me this tests in the first place

I NEVER GOT GOOD GRADES

WHY DID THEY TEST ME TO SEE IF IM SMART

I NEVER GAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO MAKE THAT IMPRESSION

I DONT WANNA BE HERE

IT'S JUST A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT FOR SOME REASON DESPITE YOUR PERFECTLY GOOD SKILLED TALENTED BRAIN YOU SOMEHOW STILL FUCKING SUCK

I DONT NEED IMPOSTER SYNDROME I AM LITTERALLY LIVING IT

gosh I'm tired

I need to sleep

but not too much or else you'll get night terrors and wake up at 5am in shock and horror but remember nothing