#maybe some of that relatability might be attributed to the fact he was about 20 years younger than the johns? | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

96thdayofrage · 4 years ago

Text

The clashes in Charlottesville catalyzed the American public’s reckoning with the budding white nationalist movement, which had accelerated after Donald Trump’s election. Afterward, the wave of public shaming of the violence in Charlottesville led at least one “Unite the Right” marcher to insist his participation in the rally was misinterpreted as racist. Others who attended quickly lost their jobs after online campaigns exposed them.

But the eventual identification of the man in the white tank top and red hat shook many: He was revealed to be a 33-year-old Puerto Rican resident of Georgia, originally from the Bronx. “I’m the only brown Klans member I ever met,” Alex Michael Ramos joked in a Facebook Live video before he turned himself into police Aug. 28. The Facebook post has since been taken down.

But Ramos wasn’t the only “Unite the Right” marcher with a Hispanic background.

Christopher Rey Monzon, a 22-year-old Cuban-American, is associated with the League of the South, which the Southern Poverty Law Center classifies as a neo-Confederate hate group. Monzon was arrested weeks after Charlottesville for charging at protesters in a separate Florida demonstration. And Nick Fuentes, a 19-year-old student who hosts an alt-right podcast called America First, said he had to leave Boston University in the aftermath of the Charlottesville protests after receiving death threats over his participation.

The presence of these Latino men at the largest white nationalist event in recent memory underscores the complicated racial position of Latinos in the United States. Latino white supremacy, it turns out, might not be a contradiction in terms.

Increasingly, Latinos are identifying racially as white. In fact, more than half did so in the 2010 U.S. Census. A March 2016 report from Pew Research Center found that 39% of Afro-Latinos also identified “as white alone or white in combination with another race.” With a current population of around 58 million, Latinos make up the second-largest ethnic group in the U.S., just behind whites.

Another Pew Research Center study from December found that 59% of U.S. adults with Latino heritage who identify as white believe others see them as white, too. Over time, the study found, descendants of Latino immigrants stop identifying with their countries of origin and consider themselves more and more American.

Fuentes — who says he’s about 25% Mexican — identifies as white, not Latino. In an interview with Mic, Fuentes also said he believes multiculturalism threatens white national identity. Monzon, meanwhile, has called for South Florida to secede from the U.S. His ties to the League of the South are generational, as his parents have also protested with the white supremacist fringe group, according to the SPLC. In a Facebook profile the SPLC has attributed to him, Monzon goes by “Ambrosio Gonzalez,” the name of a Cuban general who fought as a Confederate colonel in the Civil War.

Ramos, however, rejects any notion that he’s racist, insisting he went to Charlottesville in defense of free speech and as a show of force against left-wing groups like Black Lives Matter and Antifa.

During the nearly hourlong video Ramos posted to Facebook, he became agitated at users who challenged him for marching with the KKK and jumping a black man.

“Yeah, I stood side-by-side with racist people, but they weren’t racist to me,” Ramos said. “They did not call me a ‘spic,’ they did not call me a ‘fucking wetback,’ they didn’t say nothing as such. We stood for the same common goal.”

Alex Michael Ramos has been charged in connection with the beating of a black man during violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, during the “Unite the Right” rally Aug. 12.

Uncredited/AP

Despite his stated goals, the brutal violence in the video from that day was enough for judges in Charlottesville to twice deny Ramos bond.

“The victim was defenseless,” Judge Richard Moore of the Charlottesville General District Court said at Ramos’ bail hearing in November. “Mr. Ramos rushes into something where people are pummeling Mr. Harris. He is an unreasonable risk to others.”

Ramos is facing a malicious wounding charge and could spend up to 20 years in prison if convicted, according to local station WVIR-TV. Through his attorney, Ramos declined to be interviewed.

Other alleged perpetrators include Daniel Patrick Borden of Ohio, who was identified online and arrested in connection to Harris’ attack. Like Ramos, he was also denied bond. Authorities arrested another suspect, Arkansas man Jacob Scott Goodwin, in October and extradited him to Charlottesville the following month.

Harris himself was later forced to turn himself in when Harold Ray Crews, an attorney and resident of Walkertown, North Carolina — and the state’s chairman for League of the South — claimed Harris injured him in the same scuffle. Though Harris’ felony charge for unlawful wounding was dropped in December, “there are still misdemeanor charges pending,” according to the Root.

Fuentes is, in many ways, representative of the ideas of the so-called alt-right, which the Anti-Defamation League defines as a “loose network of racists and anti-Semites.” His Twitter feed shows equal disdain for conservative commentator Ben Shapiro and the South Side of Chicago, which has seen a sharp increase in gang-related murders in recent years. Though he decried Heyer’s murder at the “Unite the Right” rally during his interview with Mic, he also equated it with antifa violence.

Fuentes did acknowledge there isn’t much reconciliation between his stance on multiculturalism — simply put, it’s bad and should be avoided — and his own cultural background: His Mexican ancestors immigrated to the U.S. at the turn of the 20th century. Intermarriage has created a “beige, rootless mass,” he said, and he rejects any notion that Latino immigrants can assimilate.

“I don’t buy the idea that if you come to a country and your kids learned the language, you’re from that country,” Fuentes said. “You have to understand that America is an exceptional nation; it’s the proposition nation. That’s why the identity question is so big here. America was obviously settled only very recently. If I moved to China and I filled out the paperwork, would that make me Chinese? Of course not. I would maybe be a part of the People’s Republic.”

“They demonize the ‘other,’ but the irony is that they were once the ‘other.’”

Fuentes’s own standard — that learning English and settling in the U.S. does not make you American — disenfranchises himself and his parents, a fact he acknowledged. From the perspective of someone who sees the U.S. as a foundationally European nation, as Fuentes does, being anything less than white is the same as being a nonentity.

“You rob children of something very fundamental when you take away a common and coherent identity,” he said. “I look at my Eastern European people from high school and they have their food and their special clothing from their home country. But when you have race mixing, you rob them. I do pause at that. This is not an experience I wish to replicate. I don’t know if I wish I could turn back the clock and change things, but ideally there wouldn’t be mixing.”

Joanna Mendelson, senior investigative researcher and director of special projects for the ADL, sees growing anti-immigrant views from the descendants of Latino immigrants as a unique conundrum.

“It’s this idea that, ‘we did it right, we did it legally,’” Mendelson said in an interview with Mic. “They’re not just addressing illegal immigration �� which would be one thing — but they’re against refugees and Muslims and legal immigration. They demonize the ‘other,’ but the irony is that they were once the ‘other.’”

On Aug. 20, days after the Charlottesville protests, Juan Cadavid, a Colombian-born Californian who now goes by the name Johnny Benitez, led an “America First!” rally in Southern California he described as a vigil for victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. Dozens of supporters were drowned out by nearly 2,500 counterprotesters, the Los Angeles Times reported.

In an interview with NPR in December, Benitez shared how he went from Occupy Wall Street protester and Bernie Sanders supporter to alt-right nationalist, claiming he was exiled from Occupy and called a bigot after he questioned the need for the group to support transgender people. He insisted he was not a white supremacist, but an advocate for what he called “white identity politics” — which includes embracing the 14 Words slogan used by white supremacists: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.”

Benitez also told NPR he pushes for a United States that is “Italo-Spanish” white, to make room for the descendants of southern Europeans (which he considers himself to be). White nationalists such as Richard Spencer have said white Latinos could theoretically be part of a white ethno-nationalist state, but they still have mixed feelings about assimilation.

“In some instances you are rejected from the host culture, made to feel not American,” Benitez said of being an immigrant in the U.S. “And if I go back, I’m definitely not Colombian. You know, I didn’t live there, you can hear that I have an American accent, things like that, when I speak Spanish.”

Benitez’s girlfriend, Irma Hinojosa, cohosts The Right View, a YouTube talk show hosted with four other women who call themselves the “Deplorable Latinas.” The show features conservative Latinas commenting on the news from a point of view that conversation about Latinos and immigration focuses on the undocumented versus those who entered the country legally. Hinojosa also has her own YouTube channel where she livestreams protests and alt-right events. She was the only woman to speak at a June “Freedom of Speech” rally featuring Spencer and other alt-right figures.

3 notes · View notes

whitepaperresearch · 4 years ago

Text

Present status Of Alcohol Addiction In India

Introduction

These days routinely we can hear the typical term; 'Alcohol Addiction'. An enormous number of us use the term without having any coherent data on it. In the current Indian circumstance, it's fundamental to have an away from of alcohol and alcohol impulse as bit by bit alcohol use is growing in our country. There are various effects that alcohol can have on the body and the presence of a person. Alcohol reliance even can do enduring wickedness to our physical and passionate prosperity. Thusly, what about we start to find some alcoholic data.

Section by part control

What is Alcohol and Alcohol Addiction?

Alchol

Alcohol is a liquid outlined by yeast or various microorganisms when ages (isolates artificially without oxygen) the sugars present in different food. E.g., wine is created utilizing the sugar of grapes, ale from the sugar of malted grain, juice from the sugar of apples, vodka from the sugar of beets, potatoes or various plants [1]. More info here White Paper Research

Table 1: such blended reward and its alcohol content

Snappy Effects of Alcohol:

The effects of alcohol on the tangible framework occur inside five minutes of alcohol being flushed. In any case, the effects may be the comparable for all who drink alcohol. It varies from individual to singular dependent upon body weight, age, prosperity, sexual direction and even the environment. Scarcely any second effects are communicated underneath:

several drinks: One feel free, obsession level decreases, Reflex round portion ends up being all the more lethargic.

a few additional refreshments: Slurred talk, coordination diminishes among body part, perspective changes a large part of the time.

• More refreshments: Vision get darkened, allows totally go on body to part advancement, disorder.

• Still more refreshments: Vomiting, feeling napping and disorder.

• Even more refreshments: Coma or passing can happen

Alcohol Addiction:

Alcohol propensity or alcohol dependence is an illustration of alcohol use that incorporates issues controlling the drinking of alcohol, being charmed with alcohol, continuing to use alcohol regardless, when it causes issues, drinking more to get a comparable effect, or having withdrawal appearances when one rapidly lessening or quit drinking of alcohol .

Symptoms of Alcoholism:

Having blended beverage will not by and large be treated as alcohol reliance. Eventually alcohol impulse can be difficult to find as alcohol is for the most part available and recognized in various social orders. In fact, even in scarcely any cold climatic locale it is critical to get by there. Some wide results look like:

• Being not ready to stop or confine the proportion of alcohol usage.

• Spending a huge load of time to drink alcohol.

• Putting alcohol above other individual commitments.

• Feeling want to drink more alcohol.

• Avoiding the contact of close people.

• Wasting a huge load of time or money just to drink alcohol.

• Being strong without drinking it.

• Increased slowness, distress, or other extraordinary topics

Certain Background of Alcohol Use in India:

The Ancient and Medieval Period:

In Indian old composing returning to the Vedic time span around 2000 BC, it is referred to that various beverages contain ethanol. Two sorts of drink were referred to; Soma and Sura. In reality, even the outcomes and harms of extreme use of beverages are referred to. Soma is the refreshment of the social top notch and it is credited with positive attributes. On the other hand, Sura is a developed reward created utilizing rice or sugarcane. It was eaten up by saints to fabricate their intensity and guts. In the post-Vedic period, there might have been no further notification of Soma. In the standard Ayurvedic structure alcohol is furthermore used as a fixing.

In the obsolete age, there was data and availability of blended beverages anyway the reward was never a piece of the eating routine in India. Demanding principles were there to portray who could drink and under what conditions.

The Colonial Period

Preceding securing opportunity in 1947 India remained under British standard for pretty much 200 years. In this outskirts period, alcohol usage step by step extended and the social aura towards blended rewards changed in that period so to speak. Bit by bit refined beverages of significantly higher alcohol content replaced standard blended rewards. After that better maturing cycle, packaging and new development were prepared and come about the blended reward transforming into a disaster area conveyed business thing.

As the British were more normal and adjust to alcohol, they progressed alcohol use. Offering grant to enormous processing plants the common government allowed to neighborhood production of blended rewards. Bit by bit it got maybe the fundamental associations of the British government and Indian normal residents get accustomed toward the western lifestyle.

Purposes for Alcohol Addiction:

As of now, we comprehend what alcohol misuse is. We should discuss the reasons what license a person to move from having an accidental drink to full alcohol obsession. There are such innumerable major and minor factors. Relatively few of them are:

• Stressful Environment: If an individual have a disturbing work, he may likely drink more alcohol to find support from the pressing factor. Stress may not be reliably from work or work, it may create from family issue, ailment or association issue, etc

• Drinking just to have the taste: Few youngsters and adults essentially drink blended reward just to know the inclination surprisingly. Eventually such an interest makes the affinity and after that obsession.

• Drinking at an early age: Research says that the people who drink at an early age will undoubtedly have alcohol reliance because of the past inclination just as the obstruction power of body increases.

• Mental clinical issues: such a psychological issue like distress, disquiet, bipolar disarray, etc increase the inclination of alcohol misuse. Drinking alcohol is the second and short lived game plan of discarding mental issue in this way, most of people endeavor right now technique.

• Taking Alcohol with Medication: Many people ingest meds with alcohol. It's a regular practice. Some medicine can construct the destructiveness of alcohol. Surely, even sooner or later it might be dangerous.

• Genetic issue: Family history accepts a critical part to infer that one individual will be alcohol reliant or not. This is a clear natural collaboration as we in general understand that the characteristics can be imparted from parental age to the bleeding edge through DNA.

• Lack of family oversight: A nonattendance of help from family or watchmen can lead an adolescent to be alcohol subordinate. Financial condition of the family furthermore can affect on it

Creation and openness of Alcohol:

India is the third-greatest market for blended rewards on the planet. Alcohol creation, solicitation and use all the three limits are extending bit by bit. Underneath annexed table and graph show the associated information.

Table 2: Selected State-wise Production of Alcohol in India (2009-2010 to 2012-2013) (In Million Liter)

In Table 3, the growing up alcohol formation of our country is showed up. Alcohol creation has a remarkable business regard as the interest for alcohol is growing rapidly and reliably the Indian government acquire a respectable proportion of advantage through this business.

Table 3: Annual dirtied spirits creation in India by year. (April – March)

There are government selected alcohol shop or bistro for all intents and purposes in every city and town of India. Thusly, one can without a doubt get it in his grip. Basically in each state following 21 years old people are allowed to buy blended beverages.

Appreciating Pattern India:

In 2016 alcohol usage in India was about 5.4 billion liters and around then it was evaluated that in 2020 alcohol use would reach about 6.5 billion liters.

The ordinary alcohol confirmation per experienced childhood in our country is generally not actually some other made nation like the United States, yet there are various profound customers among young Indians. Men will undoubtedly drink alcohol than women in our country. It is represented that in 2020, male shoppers consumed around 18.3 liters of blended beverage per capita. Isn't it a matter of pressure?

As demonstrated by an examination, more than 88% of young Indian people developed under 25 purchase alcohol. Undoubtedly, even it is unlawful several states. This was a clarification for the hindrances or forbiddances on alcohol in specific states of our country [9].

Among the Indian metropolitan networks, Mumbai is on the top similar to alcohol use. 39% of complete wine usage is done here. After Mumbai Delhi eats up 23% and Bengaluru 20%. Under referred to figure 1 shows its nuances.

Figure 1: Major Wine Consuming Cities in India,

Examines were done in the last piece of the 1970s and mid-1980s discovered that12.7% of assistant school understudies, 32.6% of school understudies, and 31.6% of youthful non-understudies gobbled up liquor. During a similar period, clinical understudies unequivocal essentially higher ordinariness of liquor utilization of 40%–60%. Studies during the 1990s proposed forbearance rates of 83%–97% in 15–19-year-olds .

Tendency for an Alcoholic Beverage:

As demonstrated by the assessment it is dispersed that Indian purchasers favor whisky than some other blended beverage or it will in general be said that whisky is the most sold alcohol in India. Related data is showed up underneath in figure 2. In India, the tendency of wine is less as its creation isn't actually some other blended beverage.

Figure 2: Alcohol Preference in India,

Alcoholic Epidemiology:

You will be puzzled to end up being more acquainted with that around 140.6 thousand individuals passed on taking into account liver cirrhosis accomplished by liquor use across India in 2016. Street traffic wounds and risky improvement were also essential among clients of the prize during the cognizant time-frame .

Not simply liver cirrhosis or road setback, there are moreover different occasions of afflictions achieved by drinking over the top alcohol as it can hurt both our mental or genuine prosperity. Under in table, a part of the models are noted for better understanding.

Table 4: Major disorder and injury conditions (%) inferable from alcohol around the globe

Very few dangerous prosperity diseases can be achieved by over the top alcohol drinking:

• Breast infection: Alcohol use increase the risk of chest dangerous development. Researches have exhibited a straight developments in the peril of chest danger with growing ordinary volumes of use of alcohol.

• coronary sickness: Compared with now done eating up, low-to-slight affirmation of alcohol is related to decrease CHD (Congenital coronary disease) occasion and mortality. For more ordinary volumes of alcohol affirmation, the danger rearranges.

• Intentional injury (severity): Alcohol has been ceaselessly related to awful bad behavior, notwithstanding the way that the affiliation may not consistently be causal.

• Liver disease: Worldwide alcohol is conceivably the primary clarifications behind an end-stage liver issue. Up to 90% of hefty consumers have oily liver, an infection this is just to a great extent dangerous and normally settle inside around fourteen days if alcohol confirmation is stopped. In any case, 5% – 15% of casualties with alcoholic oily liver develop cirrhosis

• Alcoholic cirrhosis: Patients who have alcoholic cirrhosis have comparable clinical features of various causes as cirrhosis.

• Morbidity: Though all liver cirrhosis in India presumably will not be alcohol related, an evaluation of Indian assessment of biopsy-attempted events of liver cirrhosis from 1933 to 1975 found a total recommend of 16% of casualties with alcohol dependence. Nevertheless, in current years, the power of alcohol related cirrhosis is extending. In a current analyze in Kerala, in 60% of casualties with cirrhosis in a colossal tertiary center, alcohol utilization changed into the explanation. Practically 80% of the alcoholics had been moreover smokers. Essentially all alcoholics make oily liver, which's reversible after restriction from alcohol.

Mind science and Alcohol Addiction:

Alcohol subordinate people have a substitute kind of mind science or because of different kind of cerebrum science, they become alcohol subordinate. Both the announcement can be legitimate. Permit us to discuss that.

• Every individual endeavors to do whatever he feels right, so the alcohol subordinate people also envision that they are in like manner settling on the best choice.

• Even ensuing to understanding that they are inaccurate, they can't leave the reliance and reliably endeavors to devise the very justification that this is the last time and starting there forward, they won't contact alcohol.

• Disease speculation says that alcohol issues achieve individuals with regular issues which makes it incredible for the addicts to control their alcohol propensity.

• According to Biological theories that acquired and genetic added substances in alcohol dependence issues while diffused points of interest aren't by the by seen.

• According to Psychosocial hypothesis that private mental issues, social, and normal segments lead youth to alcohol dependence. Evidence displays that a dangerous combo of innate, social, and mental segments underlies dependence issues .

Family Issues Due to Alcoholism:

• Damaged Family Relationships: One way wherein alcohol habit impacts families are in broken associations. Gatherings of individuals stricken by alcohol abuse consistently battle to make intense eager bonds, even inside their own circle of relatives unit. This generally starts with the watchmen.

• Developmental Problems in Neglected Children: Children of mother and father who fight with alcohol misuse are at better peril for scholarly, lead, and enthusiastic issues. Since a typical 6.6 million youngsters stay in families in which alcohol enslavement is accessible, that is an immense concern.

• Domestic Abuse: One of the best quieting aftereffects of alcohol fixation is an improved danger for home abuse in the family. Abuse joined to alcohol misuse may be both eager and physical in nature.

• Drained Family Finances: The dependence of drinking alcohol reliably is expensive. While the whole sum spent on alcohol will run contingent upon the repeat and kind picked, the costs move up.

• Physical And Mental Health Problems: Finally, battling with alcohol misuse impacts the physical and mental wellbeing of most prominent individuals from the family. The man or woman thwarting dependence will adjust to real health burdens due to the effect of unequal alcohol use .

Alcohol and Sexual Risk:

In our overall population men generally have more social opportunities than women seeing alcohol utilize similarly as sexual activities. Secondary school pregnancies moreover are on the rising. Sexual experimentation outside marriage is growing. Dangerous sexual practices continue to pay little regard to an avowed STI/HIV status, as referred to in India, Zambia, Belarus, etc

Liquor use has besides been related with early sexual encounters. Liquor use and sexual danger practices are especially common in settings, for example, dance clubs, bars, dull houses, expressway eating joints and lodgings, and back rub parlors. Liquor use and sexual danger practices increment during express great occasions and good times across nations .

Govt. Rules and Alcohol Addiction:

Reliably 3 million people give because of the destructive effects of alcohol. So The World Health Organization (WHO) has communicated ten key zones of system options and interventions at the public level to decrease the grimness and mortality in view of harmful usage of alcohol and their after social outcomes.

• Leadership, care and commitment.

• Health associations' reaction.

• Community activity.

• Drink-driving techniques and countermeasures.

• Availability of liquor.

• Marketing of mixed prizes.

• Pricing strategies.

• Reducing the negative delayed consequences of drinking and liquor inebriation.

• Reducing the general flourishing effect of unlawful liquor and casually passed on liquor.

• Monitoring and observation.

End

Ensuing to looking at all the subjects now we have an away from of alcohol and its risky effects. We moreover know the better option for our physical or mental prosperity. As of now our decisions ought to be adequately ready to obtain a strong and well off life. There will be a couple of choices to disturb our mental or genuine sickness, anyway the essential concern is that we can pick them for our better life. Thusly, it's about our understanding, our thinking, our care and a strong 'NO' for alcohol. Get in touch with us for alcohol propensity treatment nuances

1 note · View note

warrioreowynofrohan · 4 years ago

Text

Stormlight Archive Epigraphs (8) - The Unmade

These are mainly from Oathbringer Part 4 (excerpts from Hessi’s Mythica), but some are from other epigraph sections. I’m organizing them into general information and information on each of the 9 specific Unmade.

Notes below include small spoilers for pre-released chapters of Rhythm of War, as well as for the other books.

This is the last of the epigraph posts for the first three books! Hopefully these will be helpful for me when I’m reading Rhythm of War.

The Unmade are:

- 3 intelligent, with personalities: Yelig-nar (Blightwind; confers forms of power on Listeners/Singers), Sja-anat (corrupts spren), Re-Shephir (The Midnight Mother; creates shadow-monsters in imitation of living things)

- 3 mindless: Nergaoul (The Thrill), Moelach (causes ‘death rattles’, visions of the future by the dying), Ashertmarn (The Heart of the Revel)

- 3 we know little about: Ba-Ado-Mishram, Chemoarish (The Dustmother), Dai-Gonarthis (The Black Fisher)

The Unmade, in General

My research into the Unmade has convinced me that these things were not simply “spirits of the void” or “nine shadows who moved in the night.” They were each a specific kind of spren, endowed with vast powers. - Mythica, p3

I have done my best to separate fact from fiction, but the two blend like mixing paint when the Voidbringers are involved. Each of the Unmade has a dozen names, and the powers ascribed to them range from the fanciful to the terrifying. - Mythica, p4

I should point out that although many personalities and motives are ascribed to them, I’m convinced that the Unmade were still spren. As such, they were as much manifestations of concepts or divine forces as they were individuals. - Mythica, p7

The most important point I wish to make is that the Unmade are still among us. I realize this will be contentious, as much of the lore surrounding them is intertwined with theology. However, it is clear to me that some of their effects are common in the world - and we simply treat them as we would the manifestations of other spren. - Mythica, p12

The Unmade are a deviation, a flair, a conundrum that may not be worth your time. You cannot help but think of them. They are fascinating. Many are mindless. Like the spren of human emotions, only much more nasty. I do believe a few can think, however. - Taravangian’s Diagram, Book of the 2nd Desk Drawer: paragraph 14.

Yelig-nar (Blightwind)

Yelig-nar, called Blightwind, was one that could speak like a man, though his voice was often accompanied by the wails of those he consumed.

- The Unmade were obviously fabrications of folklore. Curiously, most were not considered individuals, but instead personifications of kinds of destruction. This quote is from Traxil, line 33, considered a primary source, though I doubt its authenticity. (Jasnah Kholin’s notes)

Traxil mentions Yelig-nar, named Blightwind, in an oft-cited quote. Though Jasnah Kholin has famously called its accuracy into question, I believe it. -Mythica, p26

Yelig-nar had great powers, perhaps the powers of all Surges compounded into one. He could transform any Voidbringer into an extremely dangerous enemy. Curiously, three legends I found mention swallowing a gemstone to engage this process. - Mythica, p27.

Yelig-nar is said to consume souls, but I can’t find a specific explanation. I’m uncertain this lore is correct. - Mythica, p51

Sja-anat (corrupts spren): present in Kholinar in OB

Of the Unmade, Sja-anat was most feared by the Radiants. They spoke extensively of her ability to corrupt spren, though only “lesser” spren - whatever that means. - Mythica, p89

I would assume that ‘lesser’ spren means, ‘not the type of spren that Radiants bind’. If so, the corruption of Renarin’s spren indicates that Sja-anat has either overcome this limitation, or it never actually existed.

Lore suggested leaving a city if the spren there start acting strangely. Curiously, Sja-anat was often regarded as an individual, when others - like Moelach or Ashertmarn - were seen as forces. - Mythica, p90

One is almost certainly a traitor to the others. - Taravangian’s Diagram, Book of the 2nd Desk Drawer: paragraph 27

This is commonly assumed to be in reference to the Unmade, due to being in the same location in the Diagram as Taravangian’s other thoughts on the Unmade. It is also commonly assumed to be Sja-anat; the pre-released chapters of ROW confirm that that is the case.

I don’t trust this at all. Even if Sja-anat is pursuing different goals from the other Unmade (to the extent that the mindless ones can be said to be pursuing ‘goals’), I highly doubt that her goals are in line with the best interests of either humanity or the Listeners/Singers. She might be attempting to corrupt additional Radiant spren? (Alternatively, maybe her ‘corrupted’ spren correspond to ones that would bind Listeners/Singers? But that seems less likely; I think it’s more likely that there are still some original ‘Singer-based’ spren - i.e., based on Singer rather than human ideas - that will bond with Singers.) Anyway, ROW will focus heavily on spren, so we’ll probably see more about this.

Re-Shephir (The Midnight Mother): driven out of Urithiru by Shallan, OB

Re-Shephir, the Midnight Mother, is another Unmade who appears to have been destroyed at Aharietiam. - Mythica, p250

The Midnight Mother created monsters of shadow and oil, dark imitations of creatures she saw or consumed. Their description matches no spren I can find in modern literature.- Mythica, p252

Re-Shephir, the Midnight Mother, giving birth to abominations with her essence so dark, so terrible, so consuming. She is here! She watches me die! - Dated Shashabev, 1173, 8 seconds pre-death. Subject: a dark-eyed dockworker in his forties, father of three.

Dalinar’s first vision in TWOK (Chapter 19) features shadow-monsters in the shape of dogs that I think are most likely attributable to Re-Shephir.

Nergaoul (The Thrill): various locations; captured as of OB

Nergaoul was known for driving forces into a battle rage, lending them great ferocity. Curiously, he did this to both sides of a conflict, Voidbringer and human. This seems common of the less self-aware spren. - Mythica, p121

I am convinced that Nergaoul is still active on Roshar. The accounts of the Alethi “Thrill” of battle align too well with ancient records - including the visions of red mist and dying creatures. - Mythica, p140

Ashertmarn (The Heart of the Revel): present in Kholinar in OB

Ashertmarn, the Heart of the Revel, is the final of the three great mindless Unmade. His gift to men is not prophecy or battle focus, but a lust for indulgence. Indeed, the great debauchery recorded from the court of Bayala in 480 - which led to dynastic collapse - might be attributable to the influence of Ashertmarn. - Mythica, p203

Moelach (causes ‘death rattles’): various locations

Moelach is very similar to Nergaoul, though instead of inspiring a battle rage, he supposedly granted visions of the future. In this, lore and theology align. Seeing the future originates with the Unmade, and is from the enemy. - Mythica, p143

Moelach was said to grant visions of the future at different times - but most commonly at the transition point between realms. When a soul was nearing the Tranquiline Halls. - Mythica, p144

Many cultures speak of the so-called Death Rattles that sometimes overtake people as they die. Tradition ascribes them to the Almighty, but I find too many to be seemingly prophetic. This will be my most contentious assertion I am sure, but I think these are the effects of Moelach persisting in our current times. Proof is easy to provide: the effect is regionalized, and tends to move across Roshar. This is the roving of the Unmade. - Mythica, p170

There is one you will watch. Though all of them have some relevance to precognition, Moelach is one of the most powerful in this regard. His touch seeps into a soul as it breaks apart from the body, creatung manifestations powered by the spark of death itself. But no, this is a distraction. Deviation. Kingship. We must discuss the nature of kingship. - Taravangian’s Diagram, Book of the 2nd desk drawer: paragraph 15

Ba-Ado-Mishram

I find Ba-Ado-Mishram to be the most interesting of the Unmade. She is said to have been keen of mind, a highprincess among the enemy forces, their commander during some of the Desolations. I do not know how this relates to the ancient god of the enemy, named Odium. - Mythica, p224

There is very little information about Ba-Ado-Mishram in more modern times. I can only assume she, unlike many of them, returned to Damnation or was destroyed during Aharietiam. - Mythica, p226

Ba-Ado-Mishram has somehow Connected with the parsh people, as Odium once did. She provides Voidlight and facilitates forms of power. Our strike team is going to imprison her. - From drawer 30-20, fourth emerald [Truthwatcher]

This is very interesting, as it indicates that it was the imprisonment of Ba-Ado-Mishram that effectively lobotomized the Singers into the parsh. It also indicates that she, not just Yelig-nar, can confer forms of power.

Chemoarish (The Dustmother)

Chemoarish, the Dustmother, has some of the most varied lore surrounding her. The wealth of it makes sorting lies from truths extremely difficult. I do believe she is not the Nightwatcher, contrary to what some stories claim. - Mythica, p231

Dai-Gonarthis (The Black Fisher)

It will not take a careful reader to ascertain I have listed only eight of the Unmade here. Lore is confident that there were nine, an unholy number, asymmetrical and often associated with the enemy. - Mythica, p266

I am certain there are nine Unmade. There are many legends and names that I could have misinterpreted, conflating two Unmade into one. In the next section, I will discuss my theories on this. - Mythica, p266

If I’m correct and my research true, then the question remains. Who is the ninth Unmade? Is it truly Dai-Gonarthis? If so, could their actions have actually caused the complete destruction of Aimia? - Mythica, p307

Let me no longer hurt! Let me no longer weep! Dai-Gonarthis! The Black Fisher holds my sorrow and consumes it! - Tanatesach, 1173, 28 second pre-death. A darkeyed female street juggler. Note similarity to sample 1172-89.

This interests me particularly. Kaladin’s chapter with Moash was focused on the desire not to feel pain, suffering, and loss any more. If Dai-Gonarthis is associated with ‘giving up’ sorrow in the same way that Odium tempted people in OB (including Moash) with giving up responsibility for their actions, Dai-Gonarthis could play a large role in Kaladin’s arc in ROW.

But none of that gives any indication of how a spren could be powerful enough to destroy a large island! Very curious about Aimia.

#the stormlight archive #brandon sanderson #epigraphs #the unmade

2 notes · View notes

tslasvegas · 4 years ago

Text

Episode 4: “I'm sorry Daddy, I've been very naughty.” - Keegan

Dan and JAKE! A WORD IN MY OFFICE PLEASE! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS.

Wow! Today was A Day to say the least. I feel like boo boo the fool with how things went down today, but hopefully, I can recover from that now that there’s a new tribe. I’m excited to get to know new people, but sad to see my old alliances have to come to an end. I guess we’ll see what happens

Finally a swap and golly 5 OG Palazzo! I really hope this works in our favor. Kinda nervous for Joey and Stephanie tho because now they are in the minority of their tribe. I do hope they’ll find a way to survive till merge

LMFAO IM... watching the tribal council for the other tribe and I'm SORRY??? Who the fuck is Jake S he is the most condescending man I've ever seen in my entire life YIKES. Anyways this swap is nice.. I think I've got a good group, I really hope we win the next few immunities because I 1) really dont want to see Rachael on this tribe and 2) i want to try and rebuild my um. tattered relationships. I did the best I could in the challenge for tonight, I'll try to come back tomorrow a little more renewed cus I'm kinda wiped out from today's events. Now that my tribal council cherry has been popped for this Org its time to go crazy woop

So good not to check Luxor anymore!

youtube

Well last tribal went fine, I got to see what was in the Prize Vault which is awesome; now I have a better idea of the twist. Big problem though- Our swap put me in the minority. I was running Luxor and had a core 4, now they have 5 OG Pink so they can pluck us off, one at a time. I went from drivers seat to getting driven over. We need to win the challenge, so I'm gonna go ham in winterbells and hope to pull it out.

We swapped! I think I made a confessional already, but honestly I don't remember. I gave Livingston some of my chips so he can go visit the vault after the immunity challenge. We'll see what is in there and for how much, and maybe snatch up some real nice items to help us out. I've also got Andrew on my side, which is great and he's apparently quite tight with Pat, which is fantastic. Mo is a pretty decent dude and I've been talking with Jake a lot today. Things are going alright. I just hope we can win this challenge.

Phew, while the swap was not ideal. I was really liking my tribe, we were kind of quiet but individually everyone was great and we also kicked butt at challenges! Anyway, the swap with numbers wise not great, but I know Xavi from a previous game and we have a solid relationship, I hope he and John and Joey and myself can build a solid squad to make it to the merge. The challenge was rough tbh, I am not great at video games, but I think I did ok... Jaiden got like 20 trillion points on a game so really I have no idea how I did. Hoping for the best!

I am losing my mind in my personal life so I am sorry that I have been mia. I appreciate the patience from the hosts and my tribe. It makes me still want to play even though I've been kinda invisible. I'm aware of that. I'll fix it. I promise. Otherwise, its been pretty good as a tribe so far. Andrew, Pat, and NIk and i are all really close from other games, so we're good and Andrew and Pat and I are together, which is just really unfair if you ask me. I can't wait to start scheming!

Uhhhhhh.................................... anyways........ yall hear somethin? Oh I hear something. It's the sound of Joey literally blowing himself up to me hardcore!!!! The narcissism and arrogance really jumped out on this one. So Joey had the idea of calling tonight to go over some stuff and honestly out of the 2 hours we spent, I think about 45-60 mins of it was rather nice and I do feel that I enjoy his presence, but omg... his desire for control is so noticeable and its kinda gross. Joey and I debriefed on what went down on Bellagio and I totally understand why there was the difference in us discussing tribe dynamics - I had to give up all my info while he kinda kept things more reserved. I want to assume this is because of the fact that I went to tribal and he hasn't until now. I won't judge him for that. However, after this he's kinda like dictating the fact that an OG Bellagio needs to go home. Ben is the easier person to throw under the bus since he didn't even bother to do the challenge/let us know what's up. Not a big fan of that, but aight. Then Joey starts suggesting we vote out Kailyn...?? Uh... not on my watch. I have to make it up to Kailyn at least a little bit so even though she's probably got a loaded gun pointed at my head rn, I want to defuse the situation rather than start throwing her out there as a potential target. Even if it isn't coming from me, I'm not here for that. The information that Joey did give up to me relates to the chips in the game. I've never paid much attention to the chips, but I guess it takes 10 to get into the vault and Joey's got between 11 and 15 (he changed his answer on the subject SEVERAL times). He says there are three idols worth 40 chips each, then a super idol worth I think 50 or 60 (can't remember). On top of that, there are nullifiers, vote advantages, and a legacy advantage, too. He seems fixated on the legacy advantage and really wants the chips to get it. Like.. ok do you but we NEED the super idol?? Does he not realize that thing has more power than anything else in the vault combined..? ANYWAYS. What really started to turn me off about Joey is that there was this sudden expectation that I'd be giving him all of my chips thus far. I don't care about them to begin with but knowing what I know now, it doesn't make sense for me to give him my stash just to fuel his hunt for... a measly legacy advantage... I put myself in a compromising position. I told him that once a host gets back to me on my exact total, I'd be willing to trade him my chips for I guess an allyship going forward. I mean that. I want to work with Joey at least through this vote, but I can't guarantee that it'll go much further than that. He is a very risky person for my game right now because if he's coming off this strong to everybody, it's only going to hurt me by association to stick with him longer than a vote or two. However, I'm going to try and divert the attention and just be like, maybe we need to use my five as a bartering piece for new allies at this point. I want to try and build meaningful partnerships right now, especially since that was the only reason I wanted to make it to the merge.. Rebuilding is crucial as well. Kailyn and possibly Nik/Rachael are not going to be fond of me once we all have "the talk" about last tribal. I put myself in an even more compromising position with them, but I'll find my way out of that mess. I think........ As far as this tribe goes, I think between Joey's WILD imagination/constant over-analyzing and the lack of direction this tribe has taken so far.. I'm doing okay. Nobody is really standing out besides Joey and I guess myself in a way, so if I keep him around it MIGHT even shrink my own target little by little - unless people find out we're together then FUK.

......five seconds later

In terms of my other relationships right now, I love John Coffey but this is old news, I've been in love with this man since like 2016 and it's fine - totally fine - just fangirling a bit rn since I get to spend more time with him!! woohoo. Xavier and Stephanie are straight up non-entities which makes me SO scared of them especially since Stephanie's won an ORG before... how can someone be so irrelevant yet still win something? Hmm... Makes me think that she's secretly a ninja, you never even see her around. Nik has grown more and more quiet as the days go along and I wonder what's goin' on with that. Maybe they've decided since Biden won the election that moving to New Zealand is a bad idea? Lmfao. I dunno. Nik stresses me the hell out because I have no idea what they're thinking at any point in time even in the off-chance that we are talking. I think I might just have a personality they don't mesh with because I noticed on call forever ago that none of my jokes were particularly landing but Nik had a lot to say and a LOT to joke about there... rip. If it's a personality conflict - go off, I guess. I'll try on a couple different hats w this person to try and see if I can get things to go better than they have been. Kailyn.. like I said before, pretty sure she's after me but I am really trying to sell it to her that I like her a lot, because I do. I literally compare her to my best friend irl because they have very similar attributes and I consider Kailyn kinda messy but fun and quirky like my BFF so I hope that Kailyn did truly appreciate me making that comparison. Ben's inability to do this challenge is going to be his undoing. I think the only acceptable move is to vote him off this time because I HAVE to prove to Kailyn that I can stay the course, and I also need to whittle down Bellagio numbers to prevent people from targeting us and having everything go to shit that way. Let Joey control this, please dear god. Don't let me get blood on my hands. Let Rachael integrate herself well on this tribe. Let someone else blow themselves up in the process. Just not me plz and thanks. There is no fear in my soul tonight. Joey might be a fucking crackhead but so am I. I'm breaking down walls that I didn't think existed but Joey basically told me tonight that he thought I was confrontational, rude, chaotic, and all these other things but was impressed at how calm, optimistic, and outgoing I was. Love to hear it. He might think he overestimated me but he was right about the initial impressions... too bad he won't be around long enough to see that side of me :~)

FIRSTLY, DeNara was robbed. Okay so I already wrote this a while ago in my host chat about how the fact jake and dan are praying for my downfall because after the swap i am the only og bellagio on a tribe with 5 palazzo and 2 luxor. so after I slowly blinked at my screen for a bit I was like okay how do we survive this if I go to tribal. Because I’m under the impression tribes are gonna stick together especially going into merge but since Luxor is already down so many members it’s kinda Bellagio Vs. Palazzo. but then I was like okay wait I’m the only member of bellagio on this tribe after coming from a tribal so I’m the only one who can say what happened and I can create what narrative I want to help me get through the next couple rounds. Because if I was like oh blah blah I was in majority im so fucked then of course they’re gonna target me to get me out. But if I play the victim card and milk the fact that I voted in the minority acting like I hate my og tribe maybe they’ll think to use me as a pawn. To take down others moving forward. Listen if I have to be labeled a goat to move forward then BAA bitch.

.....five seconds later

Things are going good, because not only am no longer in danger this round but that means Rachael is going to the enemy tribe which if she came to our tribe that might’ve disrupted the narrative I had going of me being against og bellagio. Also DeNara should still be here, don’t think I didn’t clock the fact that Ben scored a 0. I also found out from Andrew that Rachael and Ben are apart of the same Tengaged group which explains why Rachael was so set on Ben staying but like, listen, if I end up in a game with someone I’m friends with, and they’re not active and helping the tribe. Good riddance.

What the. We lost yet again. I have lost everything since the start of the game. It's crazy. There are 4 from Bellagio, 2 Palazzo and 2 Luxor. 2+2 seems like an obvious plan, but it looks like it is falling apart already (read: Joey). Sucks to be across the world, so instead of scheming, I'll be sleeping.

Forgive me father, for I have sinned. is the same as I'm sorry Daddy, I've been very naughty.

The swap did happen. Expected it. Glad we won this first challenge in this new tribe tho in worried for Stephanie and Joey

Vault Shenanigans - Holy shit I did not expect this to be as powerful as it is. I was preparing myself for some sort of payment based search system, but being able to straight up buy the items I want, but its also the same for other people. I had a misconception at how generous the wheel was so I'm probably behind some people with the amount of chips, but I could very well start scooping up some of the steal votes and just say "see ya" to the idols, although getting a super idol would be very wild, it still seems risky to hold out that long to get it, even though there's a great amount of power associated with it. The other issue with a super idol is that I think that its very likely that if I get into a position where I need to use it, that I lose a lot of respect with the jury if it does happen. The only benefit from actually having it would be that I no longer have to worry about someone else whipping it out, so it'd be less for me wanting it, but more for others not having it. As of now, I think my optimal play is to hold on to my chips until around ~40, and then buy both vote steals at once, OR go all out for the super if someone has already bought an idol by that point, because I would be operating under the assumption that the frontrunner is already out of the running. Tribe Swap Shenanigans - This is a hell of a tribe swap. 5-2-1 is always a great spot to be in, I am already good within the 5 that I have so I don't have to worry about anything there, it should be relatively smooth sailing as far as getting to the merge. Mo/Jake are alright so far, neither particularly speak too much. Kevin has not reached out at all, probably will try to talk to him tonight for general purposes, even if he seems like he'd be an easy one to get out first should we go to tribal the next time. But generally I really don't plan on losing so it's kind of a wash. I'll take the smooth sailing, easy path to merge. Premerge is never as relevant as merge is when it comes to FTC as long as you have something to show for yourself at the merge. I've got all game to make my presence known, and I plan on using the entirety of the game to do so.

I feel super anxious today because even though I had a great conversation and built a good connection to Joey, there hasn't been any talk about the vote quite yet. I mean obviously names have rolled out but nothing solid is out there still, I think I just need to let go of the urgency for a name to start being spread early on and just let things be. Stephanie and I have been chatting a bit here and there today so I feel more comfortable with her and hopefully she sees things from a similar perspective as everyone else - the Bellagio foursome needs to get broken up right now. As long as it's not my name of course!!!!! Plz vote Ben @everyone. Or Kailyn tbh save me a little bit of trouble now. Talking to Xavier is SO HARD LMAO. He doesn't immediately contribute information into a conversation and as bad as I wanna get rid of Ben, I almost..almost think going for Xavier is the smarter move, since Xavier doesn't seem too motivated to actually get to know ME and work with me. I'm selfish that way. Kailyn doesn't seem like she wants to do Ben which is a little frustrating but I totally get it, if Ben stays he's going to go after her hardcore but like she needs to actually pitch me an alternative lmfao. I don't wanna go bending over backwards just to appease her right now so if she doesn't gimme a name.. sorry sis but then I think it's gonna be Joey's call on this one :/

I am being very cautious now. The 4 of us (me, John, Joey and Steph) are going to vote together. Now Jaiden wants to vote Nik. And Kailyn wants to vote Ben. Why can't we just agree on one?! And it always has to go down to the wire. Stick together, people!

I think I am possibly leading the charge against Nik rn?? Joey told me he wanted Ben and then I told him I wanted Nik and now he wants Nik LOL take that Stephen

Okay well I have no idea what's going to happen tonight, but I'm going into tribal not afraid of the vote I am probably going to have to make ... I think the best move is to just vote for Nik and be done with it, but it's going to cause a serious rift in a lot of my relationships if I do so. I've been super wishy-washy to a lot of people I think and right now it doesn't make sense to continuously do one thing when I mean another.. especially since there seems to be zero ground to move upon when it comes to getting the vote to turn from Nik to Ben. Nik doesn't even SEEM ACTIVE?? Why are we making this a bigger deal than it needs to be. Ben can't just walk around deciding what's going on and I think Kailyn would prefer to keep Nik around rather than Ben but it's like... so push for Ben to be the target hun! She's feeding into someone else's move no matter what she does, it's either Ben's agenda or John's agenda. Pick a side, but pick the side I'm on, too. Why don't we just vote for Kailyn tbh. lmao

0 notes

justforbooks · 5 years ago

Photo

The Better Half by Sharon Moalem review – on the genetic superiority of women

Let’s hear it for the female of the species and (more guardedly) for her second X-chromosome! Female superiority in colour vision, immune response, longevity, even basic survival from birth to death are illustrated in Sharon Moalem’s The Better Half. After decades, if not centuries, of bad press for women and their vulnerable biology, this book argues that in fact “almost everything that is biologically difficult to do in life … is done better by females”.

Moalem, a Canadian-born physician, is a research geneticist who has identified two new rare genetic conditions. He has worked across the world in paediatric medicine, including clinics for HIV-infected infants and is also a biotechnology entrepreneur and bestselling author. The Better Half is his latest foray into the field of popular science, and presents a general argument for the superiority of women’s biology to men’s.

In most circumstances, a human female has two X-chromosomes, one from her father and one from her mother; a male has just one, inherited from his mother, which is paired with a Y-chromosome, inherited from his father. Moalem believes that the X-chromosome has always received a poor press, and that it is time this negative view is counteracted. He draws on swathes of medical and historical data to show that, in many instances, the superiority of women’s biology is explicitly linked to their possession of the second X-chromosome. The greater complexity of women’s biology, he claims, is the secret of their success – it is more difficult to make a female but, once made, she trumps the male in her lifelong survival skills, for instance in her hyper efficient immune system shrugging off infection and maximising the benefits of vaccination – which means that females can avoid the consequences of a wide range of life threatening events ranging from starvation and cancer to, Moalem has cautiously concluded, Covid-19.

In mainstream genetics it was long held that, despite having two X-chromosomes, female cells only made use of one: the second randomly switched off or deactivated early on in embryonic development, a process rather summarily described as an instance of “genetic redundancy”. There was some evidence that the deactivation reduced female chances of succumbing to X-linked problems, due to the availability of an undamaged back-up. It was acknowledged, for example (though rather grudgingly), that women generally escaped being colour blind. Moalem notes that when he was studying genetics there was much emphasis on the tiny Y-chromosome as “what makes a man”. He observes wryly that maybe this positivity was related to the fact that “most of the people who were speaking breathlessly about the Y had one as well”.

Now a new spin on the X-inactivation story is emerging in genetics. Via a process called “escape from X-inactivation”, it turns out that the silenced X-chromosome is not so silent after all – there are escapees which may continue to offer back-up services, for instance providing extra cellular recovery options in the face of traumatic injury. It is to the benefits offered by this flexible availability within different cells that Moalem attributes the secrets of women’s biological superiority.

Statistics going back as far as 1662 show women living longer than men, and today’s figures show that 95% of people who have reached the age of 110 and over are female. In sport, women’s success in races such as ultra-marathons offer a different perspective on what it means to be physically superior. In the spirit of Angela Saini’s book Inferior, Moalem notes that this superiority has largely been ignored by medical science. And he discusses the medical trial data whose absence is observed by Caroline Criado-Perez in Invisible Women, her exploration of how the world is designed for men. Medicine needs to stop ignoring the secrets of women’s biological successes, Moalem argues, and find ways of harnessing them to improve the survival chances of the whole of the human race.

Imagine you live in a world where most individuals can see 1m colours. But in one group of these people (let’s call them males), about 8% cannot tell the difference between colours such as red and green, and a smaller number are totally colour blind. In a second group in this population (let’s call them females), almost all can see the standard 1m colours, but some (perhaps as many as 15%) can see 100m colours. Would you excitedly rave about the amazing talent of this latter group? Or would you just describe them as “not usually colour blind”? This same group has an immune system that has a profound talent to fight off many forms of infection and reap major benefits from vaccinations – with the down side that sometimes such hyper efficiency can lead to autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis. Would you celebrate the former or emphasise the latter? For years, it is the drawbacks that have been underlined.

The Better Half is an eye-opening book. In explaining why the advantages that accompany females’ greater genetic options have to date been largely ignored, Moalem points to “paradigm blindness”, and to the fact that research geneticists rarely get out in the field to notice, for example, the much greater survival rates of girls in paediatric ICUs (rates which, he discovers, have been clearly obvious to the nurses doing the frontline caring).

I take issue with one part of his chapter on “The Male Brain”, for the moment setting aside the unproven assumption that the brains of men are different from the brains of women. Moalem chooses to consider autism, and it appears as a given in his book that autism is more common in boys than girls (itself an assumption that is increasingly being challenged). Yet at the more impaired end of the autism spectrum, it is possible that there are as many girls as boys, and his suggestion that females have a different “kind” of autism doesn’t quite prove his wider argument. The X-linked disorders such as “fragile-X” or Rett syndrome receive only a passing mention – not surprisingly perhaps as they run counter to his argument about the superiority of the X-chromosome.

What about hormones? Moalem has perhaps missed a good opportunity to counter oestrogen’s frequently negative press, and to laud its potentially neuroprotective effects. The greater susceptibility of women to Alzheimer’s disease is put down by Moalem to a form of anti-inflammatory process linked to an over efficient immune system; their lesser susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease (surely a possible inclusion in the list of female genetic successes) is unexplained.

One section of the book focuses on “why women’s health is not men’s health”, and considers the failures of drug companies to test their products on females as well as males. For sure this has had detrimental consequences on, for example, the accuracy of dosage rates. But in at least one of the examples he gives, that of Ambien, body mass and blood volume are key factors in calculating dosage rates: because people vary enormously in size and shape, simply dividing test participants into males and females still risks inaccuracy. He is talking about averages, it’s true, but even so Moalem seems firmly wedded to the notion that genetic females and genetic males can be neatly categorised into two distinct types, and that the understanding of genetic sex will provide all the answers we need.

The impression given in The Better Half is that there is a lifelong free-ranging choice between X-chromosomes available to the female, her cells dancing back and forth between the best options that will help her to heal quicker after a car crash or to overcome the bacterial infection that might lead to an ulcer. There are brief and tantalising hints about the “escapees” from X-inactivation in several chapters of Moalem’s book, but it is a shame that we are never given a full, head-on account.

Yet this book is full of wonderful titbits of information – from the existence of a female prostate gland to the number of honey bee flying miles it takes to make 1lb of honey. The celebration of the genetic diversity offered by the female’s second X-chromosome is wholehearted and the examples Moalem gives are highly effective. He has written a powerful antidote to the myth of the “weaker sex”.

• The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women by Sharon Moalem is published by Allen Lane (RRP £20).

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

#JUST FOR BOOKS #The Better Half #Sharon Moalem

11 notes · View notes

hauntedyouthus · 5 years ago

Text

COVID19

So, it happened. I didn’t think that it would happen to me but it did. I was tested for COVID19 and it came back positive. I had a mild case of it but even the mild case was scary. This is a wakeup call people… it’s not the flu. Not even close. Let’s start at the beginning… to when I was exposed…

Saturday – I was working at a restaurant/bar where I work one or two nights a week for extra cash. It was Saturday night – a normally busy night that had thankfully been slow this particular day. I had a customer who was joking saying that they had left Philly because Philly had shut down all non-essential businesses (including restaurants and bars) due to an outbreak of coronavirus and they just wanted to party. They coughed a bit, but I attributed it to the fact that they were smoking. There was a live band that night and I had to get close to them to hear their order – not a good practice of social distancing. I made sure to wash my hands frequently and sanitize after going to every table. But I must have breathed it in or touched my face at some point throughout the night.

Sunday – All non-essential businesses were closed throughout all of PA. My manager reached out to me to let me know that the restaurant would be closed and I could work take-out if I wanted to. I didn’t so I turned down the offer. I figured I could use the time off to do grad work.

Monday – I started feeling sick. Not COVID19 sick but off. I had some chest tightness, a slight cough, and was tired. Thought nothing of it other than seasonal allergies, it’ll pass.

Tuesday – I woke up with chest pain that wouldn’t go away. It was all day. My cough had got worse but I still wasn’t worried about the cough. I was worried about the chest pain. It was so uncomfortable and I was really distressed by how it wouldn’t go away. I honestly was worried that I was having a heart attack. I reached out to my friend who is an ER nurse and she suggested I go to the hospital. I was stubborn and said I would just call the cardiologist in the morning.

Wednesday – I woke up with chest pain again. Not as bad as Tuesday but still there. I called my cardiologist at 11 and they asked me to come in at 11:20… Sure. No problem. Hastily I got dressed, threw my hair into a messy bun and went. They screened me before I went in, gave me a mask, and within minutes they had me laying down hooked up to an EKG. The doctor saw the results came in and told me that my EKG was fine but based on my symptoms he wanted me to be tested further. He sent me for bloodwork and scheduled an EKG for Friday. He believed based on my symptoms that I had swelling around my heart which could be related to a matter of things including a viral infection. Went for the bloodwork, was given a mask, and at this point my anxiety was pretty high. I got home and felt like I was having a hard time breathing. Brushed it off as just anxiety. By the time I was getting ready for bed, my breathing had gotten worse and so had my coughing. I couldn’t sleep. Every time I lay down the coughing would get worse. I was gasping for air at some points. I was starting to get scared at this point. I still didn’t think I had coronavirus. I thought no way, not me. But I couldn’t breathe right and I couldn’t stop coughing. This went on the whole night but eventually eased up closer to 4 in the morning. I closed my eyes and fell asleep for about 2 hours. I was woken up by the sudden urge to try to take a deep breath. I couldn’t. I just gasped for air.

Thursday – After not having slept and struggling to breathe all night, I was exhausted. I stayed in bed all day – sitting up and watching movies. My doctor called me with the results of my bloodwork that afternoon. Everything was normal including my inflammatory markers. He did mention that they were on the higher end of normal though. I was coughing a lot throughout the day and struggling to catch my breath after but it wasn’t as bad as the night before so I didn’t think anything of it again. I didn’t have much of an appetite all day and didn’t bother trying to eat. I thought at this point maybe I was coming down with something… still not thinking it was coronavirus. By the time I was getting ready for bed, my breathing was labored. I was struggling getting a good breath in. I was dizzy, tired, and just wanted to lie down but when I did the coughing got worse and I couldn’t catch my breath. I went through the night like this. At one point, I had to bend over on my hands and knees trying to get a breath in. It was around 2 A.M. at this point and I was fearful that I wasn’t going to get any sleep.

Friday – I must have fallen asleep at some point Thursday night and woke up Friday fighting to get a breath in around 6 am. I was going to the cardiologist that afternoon for my ECG so I decided to try to be productive in the morning. I tried cleaning but was instantly exhausted and felt like I just needed to relax. I watched some movies on Netflix. I realized I hadn’t eaten anything Thursday so I decided to make myself a salad for lunch. I barely got through one bite of food before I was struggling again. I had to try to catch my breath and I was nauseous and dizzy. I ended up just lying in bed until it was time for me to leave. I got to the cardiologist, was screened given a mask, waited a few minutes and then was brought in for my ECG. The woman doing my ECG had to ask me to not try to take a deep breath because it was messing up her image of my heart. It was a struggle for me because I felt like I needed a deep breath even though I knew I was having a hard time anyways. When it was over and I went home, I felt a little better again thinking that whatever was wrong with me was passing… I was wrong. Friday night was the start of the worst of it for me. I couldn’t breathe. I was gasping for air for what felt like hours. I was scared. My head was pounding. My chest was burning. And then I got one good breath in. But that one breath led to a coughing fit which in turn resulted in me fighting to catch my breath for hours again. This went on all night.

Saturday – Exactly one week from when I think I was exposed. I was so tired. Felt so sick and was now thinking something was wrong. My doctor called me early that morning with the results from the ECG and told me that the lining of my heart was swollen. It could be that it was irritated from me coughing so much but he said that he suggests I be tested for COVID19. I called my family doctor and did a telemedicine visit. She put an order for a test for me and I went right away. They took my vitals when I got there, my heart rate was high and I had a fever. Then came the test. The test was awful. I guess people say it’s basically like the flu test but I’ve never had a flu test before. They use a swab and stick it up your nose, twist it around and then do it again on the other side. It made my eyes water and my nose run but once it was over, it was over. I was told I would have the results in 7 to 10 days. I went home, scared and worried. My roommate went out and bought me some medicine to help manage my symptoms. All day Saturday, I was struggling to breathe, I was coughing, I had a headache, my chest hurt, and I was flat out miserable. I didn’t sleep again Saturday night. It was like Friday night all over again.

Sunday – I had a low grade fever from the moment I woke up - 99.7. I was also so fatigued (probably because I haven’t slept in days at this point), coughing, struggling to catch my breath, and my chest hurt. I stayed in bed, feeling miserable and scared. I still haven’t eaten at this point but I wasn’t hungry. The reality was starting to set in that I might not be okay. I honestly didn’t think I was going to survive. By nighttime, I decided to try to sleep early. I took Mucinex PM to try to help me sleep through the coughing and difficulty breathing. Surprisingly, it worked. I slept through the night.

Monday – I woke up with no fever. My cough wasn’t as deep as previously so I thought that I was getting better. Breathing was a little easier – still a struggle but easier. I thought to myself – okay, it can’t be coronavirus because I’m already getting better. I still didn’t feel well but I felt like I could see the other side of this, the recovery. But it was short lived. Even with the Tylenol and Mucinex my fever came back by NOON. I was coughing again, struggling to breath, etc. My anxiety kicked in too at this point and my hands and feet were sweating and tingling and I was scared. I was literally open-mouthed gasping for air but unable to get a deep breath. I went through the whole night like this. Another sleepless night.

Tuesday – Low fever, headache, cough, but not struggling to catch my breath as often. I tried a little solid food but ended up having a coughing fit immediately after the first couple bites. I was weak and tired and my lungs felt like they were on fire after coughing. But I managed to sleep Tuesday night, thankfully.

Wednesday – Still coughing, still had a low fever, still struggling to catch my breath. I was doing better than Tuesday, though. I ate soup, drank a protein shake, and felt like I could be on the mend.

Thursday – I went backwards. I felt so sick again. I didn’t sleep well Wednesday. I was up constantly trying to catch my breath or cough.

Friday – Coughing a lot again. Any activity resulted in a deep cough and then 5 to 10 minutes of trying to catch my breath afterwards. But I ate finally. I actually had an appetite. My breathing was easier but still not great. After each bite, it took me a few minutes to catch my breath again before the next bite. That left me feeling exhausted and frustrated. However, I realized that I was doing much better today than I was a week ago. Progress has been slow but I am doing better.

Saturday – So that brings us to today – I got a call at 11 am this morning. They had my test results. The woman sounded chipper at first but immediately after I confirmed that I was in fact who I am, her voice got very low and she told me that I am positive for COVID19. It took me a little while to process my thoughts and emotions but I decided that I could use this to help others. I know every case is different but if someone else is going through a mild case and is scared or anxious, there is hope. I am exactly at two weeks from when I was exposed and I feel better. Not great, hell not even good, but better. The worst is over (hopefully) and I’m recovering. I still fight to catch my breath every 20 or 30 minutes and I still have coughing fits and eating is still a struggle. But I’m getting better and I refuse to stop trying to get better.

So people, please take this seriously. I was fighting to breathe for days and was scared out of my mind. I didn’t know if I was going to come out of this alive or not. Thankfully, I did start getting better. Thankfully it was a mild case. There are people out there that have it much worse than I did or do. Do your part and stay home. Self-isolation and social distancing is the only way that we can flatten the curve.

TL;DR – I have a mild case of coronavirus. I coughed a lot, fought for my breath, but I’m getting better.

#tldr coronavirus covid19 whatitslike sick recovering

1 note · View note

shroudwayman · 6 years ago

Text

Renaux Mercier

[Art by @yourou ♥!! Go check ‘em out! ]

Appearance -

Gender: Male Race: Duskwight Elezen Flirty Trashpanda Height: 6′8” Eye Color: Emerald Green (that really starkly bright, vivid colour) Hair Color: Black, with dyed streaks of forest green

The Facts -

Name Day: The 19th of the 4th Umbral Moon (August 19th) - He does not share this information or celebrate his name day. Occupation: Seneschal of the House for The Wanderer’s Elysium / Keeper’s Kiss, Airship Pirate, and Vigilante Sexual identification: Pansexual Romantic identification: Polyamorous Alignment: Chaotic Good Criminal History: Arrested multiple times on suspicion of being the man behind Shroudway Man, never jailed very long or any proof provided. Arrested multiple other times for various things like public intoxication, public nudity, confrontations with authority, and suspected pirating. The latter of which was never proven, as he could provide “receipts” of his “purchases.” Relationship Status: In relationship(s), open to physical connections, resists romantic [The Curse™] Sweet on: (Faux)Certo Carpentier @the-false-ser-toes and Atherton Namir @imperialnuisance. He’s since split amicably from his third who is happily sunsetting into married life and is NPC’d as their player quit FFXIV over a year ago. Any other recipients of his romantic affections are kept close-vest and silent as the grave.

Favorites –

Favorite food: Shroud Stew and Tiramisu Favorite drink: Bourbon [typically over ice but he’s partial to it with apple cider] Favorite artist: Music wise, Savo (even if her interpretations of his love life make him facepalm), Eao (because she always sings the best songs about uncouth topics) Sif (because Sif is like a femme version of himself both in musical taste, clothing aesthetic and drink preference) just to name a few. Favorite scent: To smell LIKE? Leather, lavender, machine oil, clove and vanilla. To just SMELL? Fresh-turned soil after a warm rain in the Shroud Favorite person: Renaux tries not to play favourites amongst his friends because he finds that unfair given his broad and wide social circles, but currently the one he feels like can be the most honest with? Certo.

Randoms –

Ten facts about your muse: ⚫ Renaux doesn’t hide the fact that he was born in a jailhouse, and then given up to the state of Gridania. His mother’s life was spared because she was pregnant, and received a life sentence. His father recently finished serving his sentence and was released a few years early on good behaviour. ⚫ Renaux does not (foolishly) have many fears, but one ridiculous fear of his is saying the word Love. He attributes using or receiving the word as a trigger for his Curse to activate and take the life of someone he cares about like some fucked up game of death roulette. He’s since stopped using the word entirely, opting for other phrases instead and flinches when it is said to him. ⚫ Short of the regular, and expected, favoured of his pasttimes, Renaux l o v e s baths/showers. He finds them relaxing, that you can have you to yourself in a quiet (or music filled) environment and just wash whatever’s going on. Mental, physical, he’ll soak in baths if he’s sore or stand in showers to think. ⚫ Renaux’s favoured instruments are related to strings that you pluck with your fingers, not a bow. Guitar (8 and 12 string,) oud, mandolin, ukelele, harp.

⚫ Casual drug user, avid smoker, heavy but functioning alcoholic. While Renaux doesn’t exist on mind altering substances, he’s common to smoke moko and fogweed, vanilla-flavoured clove cigarettes, and quietly he still uses papers soaked in a 20% ratio of somnus to water, then dried. They are his short blue cigarettes that he covets and does not offer to friends or strangers. ⚫ Renaux has no aetherical capabilities at all. He cannot summon it to control, and when touched with others’ aether he suffers dramatic aether sickness almost immediately to varying degrees. [On the down-low, for those who are keen to the VERY subtle and have attempted aetheric forces on/around Ren, he feels very inverse, aetherically. As though there were something buried within his aether that was absorbing it and creating a negative outlet, rather than one to push out. These are all plot points that can be discovered, much to Ren’s fervent denial of such a ridiculous concept. Tread at your own risk!]

⚫ Main weaponry skills include hand-to-hand [boxing and MMA], some knife work, excels at archery, use of revolvers short-ranged, fucking /awful/ with swords whether single or two-handed. ⚫ While it is not immediately recognizable or does he spend a lot of time waving it in people’s faces, Renaux is extremely devoted to the Twelve. He takes yearly visits to each shrine on the anniversary of the Calamity. Often during his travels if he’s nearby a shrine he’ll stop to leave offerings and prayers. His main devoted gods/goddesses are the Wanderer and Nyemia, but he’s partial immediately after to Nophica and Nald’Thal. ⚫ In a surprising twist not many expect out of the quick to flirt and wink and shmooze, Renaux spends his spare time robbing from those unworthy of their ill-gotten gains (Ren will not be afraid to pirate from a pirate) and often assists refugees in his spare time. He acts as a private vigilante for those in need of... “assistance” out of their current predicaments. He does not advertise this, and often works through third-party contacts to pick up contracts throughout the citystates. No bodies are ever found, and Renaux denies it if asked. He always has an alibi. ⚫ Renaux has ... suffered great losses in his life, by his account because of his ‘Curse’ and elsewise also due to just... Severe bad luck. This leaves him both a bit traumatized and suffering from vivid nightmares and night terrors, as well as being nearly afraid of romantic inclinations. However, remains optimistic and covers these feelings with his extroverted personality, craving the touch and feeling of people, whether loved ones, friends or bed partners. He (tries) not to sleep alone as it tends to help his nightmares, and if he can ... exhaust himself to sleep, he often doesn’t dream.

Five Things -

Things they like:

Smoking/Drinking

[Explicit Content]

Reading

Playful pranks

Sparring / Wrestling / Outright Fighting [But maybe not to the death]

Things they dislike:

Abuse of power / subjugation of the innocent

Mentions of the Calamity and it’s celebrations

Jealousy/Envy

Vodka

Feeling trapped [Don’t put Ren in a cage or confined space]

Heart Feelings

Good habits:

Cleanliness, both of his person and of the spaces he inhabits. Just... don’t judge his laundry. It’s a work in progress.

Taking care of his animals, as well as the Elysium’s stables.

He exercises often! (Gotta work off all those sweets his friends insist on offering him. Who is he to decline them???)

Renaux tends to keep his more financial enterprises private or quiet, but those that do know, know he will provide assistance to new business owners, refugees, the poor and down trodden, and donates much of his wealth to orphanges, especially those willing to accept duskwight children.

Because of his current romantic partner(s), he remains very communicative with his partners, as much as they’d like to know, in regards to how they are feeling/attention/his bed exploits. [Renaux is tested frequently by his own volition.]

Bad Habits:

Renaux tends to run if he remotely feels like any emotional traps might shut on his ankles. He’s ... gotten better.

He smokes/drinks probably more than he should

Martyr complex.

Tends to think with his dick first and not his brain.

Being a bit too carefree/not serious about serious situations that will, and have, gotten him very seriously hurt/near death.

Personalities they gravitate toward:

Mischief/playful makers

Flirtatious / sexually positive and proud

Confident / bold types

Targetable/teasable personalities: the stoic/adorably shy/overly aggressive/defensive first types

Broken, troubled, damaged people

Personality types they avoid:

Megalomaniac/narcissistic/extreme arrogance

Jealous/Envious Abusers

Overly Vain/Selfish

Perpetually Helpless “Victims”

Attention seekers/the overly dramatically thirsty

Fears:

Cages / chains / clipped wings / loss of freedom(s)

The Curse ™ / Losing his loved ones

Perpetual loneliness

Sleeping / Nightmares

Enclosed spaces/claustrophobia [it’s an unrecognized fear that he doesn’t acknowledge until it’s suddenly in his face]

Tagged SO long ago by: @rokachan @the-false-ser-toes Tagging: If you haven’t done it, do the thing! ♥ This was intense and long, lol

#appearance #five things #fears #randoms #favorites #favourites #habits #the facts #things about Ren #detailed information meme #renaux mercier #art of ren #art by yourou

23 notes · View notes

mucky-puddler · 5 years ago

Text

So, I’m doing a module on Kubrick, and I’m bringing you along for the ride

Context; I’m required to upload weekly blogs about the lectures and screenings and readings from the week. This is that.

Okay, so first is the lecture; one of the first things Nathan said is that Kubrick is that he has a film in every genre other than a western - we were not given a reason why; I guess he just hates them.

After my first introduction to Kubrick, I didn’t really know what to think about him - he seems a little high maintenance because he was very nit-picky about something changing on his set, whether that was a slight difference in the lighting or a prop had shifted. It should come as a surprise to no-one that Kubrick was an avid photographer as a young man because the skills he learnt whilst as a photographer at Look Magazine have bled through into his film-making. I also enjoy photography, so I connected with him at least on a very surface level. His other hobbies, like chess and other physical sports, also can be seen manifesting themselves through his work - some good, brief examples are his three short docu-style films. Day of the Fight illustrates his passion for sport and shows how he experimented with his photography at the same time; a good example of this is what I am calling the ‘under-the-fight’ shot, where the boxers are shot from underneath - we can see both of their faces and where the blows are hitting, and it gives the audience a glimpse into what it might have been like to see the fight live. Perhaps his strength and talent in photography lead people to see him as a “New York Intellectual” - part of me thinks that the deep and entwining themes came along after his experience as a photographer.

As most filmmakers do, Kubrick responded to the debates and ideas of his time, and made films within the context of those issues (more on this later). He seemed a little stuck up, especially when considering that he did not compromise his stylistic or intellectual integrity; some might say that that is noble of him, that he remains true to himself and the standards he upholds, but try thinking about it from the other crew’s point of view - he might have turned down their ideas because they did not align with his. This is, of course, speculation and I have no evidence to prove either way. Also, I’ve been informed that he had to check everything himself and didn’t trust other people to make his imagination come to life, which seems controlling to me - for example, he would often insist on holding the camera himself in order to effectively portray a point of view or something. I think if he could direct, hold the camera, do all the edits, record the sound, and act all the characters, he would. It would appear that he wanted everything to be just how he wanted it - but maybe that’s my pessimistic mindset coming through.

Let’s talk about the first three shorts Kubrick was commissioned to do. The first was called “Day of the Fight” in 1951 and is a documentary about Walter Cartier, an Irish middleweight boxer preparing for a fight. The narration, paired with the footage shot by Kubrick himself, informs the audience of how a semi-professional boxer prepares for a fight. Through this short piece, we can see Kubricks interests creep in - his enjoyment of sport and passion for chess is represented by the boxing itself, but also his love for animals can be seen through his inclusion of Cartier's dog. It is in this piece that the first ‘under-the-fight’ shot is used, emphasising his love for interesting shot and photography. His next short is called “The Flying Padre” (also 1951) and is another docu-piece about the priest Father Fred Stadtmuller who used his plane to spread the word of God and reach as many people as possible. He is portrayed as a lawful good hero, a Superman type. This is the shortest of the three, and there isn’t much more to say about it. The final short Kubrick released was made in 1953 called “The Seafarers”, and contained information about the perks that these navy-esque men receive for their service. It sheds an innocently positive light on the domestic aspects of their work and the options available for them (although they do say the word ‘seafarers’ far too much). It looks like some of the short were staged, especially as Kubrick probably would have had only one camera, but that is a common method to use when creating docu-style pieces. One question I did have though, nothing to do with Kubrick though, is how are the families of the seafarers perceived? Are they judged or pitied for not having a man around (because it was the 50′s, ya know)?

I’ll briefly (or not) discuss the other two feature-length films that Kubrick released about the same time. In 1955 he released “The Killers Kiss” whose story revolved around an ex-boxer and a dancer who fell in love and wanted to run away together to escape her creepy boss. As is the case with all of Kubrick’s films so far, this one started with some internal monologuing. The first 15 minutes or so heavily mirror “Day of the Fight”, from the vanity inspection beforehand to the ‘under-the-fight’ shot, which makes sense - Kubrick was only in his 20s when both of these films were released and his experience (like most of ours) was limited at the time (also we all draw inspiration from previous work/real life or whatever). Other than the glaring social issues (gotta love the 50′s) and peculiar plot holes, I felt that the music offset the desired atmosphere during scenes that were meant to be particularly tense - we learned that Kubrick enjoyed his music, jazz, in particular, so I find it strange that he would not try to better match the music with the intensity of the scene; perhaps it was that he did not have much music to work with. Kubrick uses a lot of noir features in this film e.g. harsh shadows, casting light through slatted blinds, utilising the aesthetic of smoking and fedora hats standing at street corners and at the ends of dark alleys, which I always enjoy. The second film we were introduced to was “The Killing” from 1956 - according to Nathan, this film inspired Tarantino to use split narrative, and this is one of the worlds first heist films. I don’t have as much to say about this one, both sport and chess can be seen within it illustrating Kubrick’s love for them both, it has a lot of noir tropes, and I think there was a gay couple in it? But I might be reading into it a little too deeply. There was an interesting switch of gender roles between two couples - in one, the man was dominant and overbearing, but in the other couple it was the woman who essentially bullied her partner, which was potentially quite progressive when considering the time in which it was released.

Here’s a brief (actually, this time) intro to the film I want to focus on - “Fear and Desire” was the first Kubrick film I watched, I had no expectations or thoughts about it beforehand and didn’t really know what to make notes on. After doing some reading, certain things became clearer, so I’ll pair the reading with some of my notes on the film itself.

In the introduction of the reading, James Enyeart talks a lot about the implications and developments of photography in the mid 19th century - these are some of the attributes he gives it;

- highly graphic and structures

- photographers had a keener eye

- composition gave structure and harmony

- gave a more aesthetically pleasing view of the world

- the more graphic an image and the more dramatic it’s presentation, the stronger the emotion

I agree with these conclusions - obviously, technology has advances since then, but these comments still ring true today. Additionally, Enyeart discusses photos in relation to the context they provide, and I have a theory; if a collection of photos can give more context than a single image, therefore a film (which is a series of photos shown in quick succession) can give the maximum amount of context? Alternatively, it could have the opportunity to convey multiple contexts, which could be considered themes?

Word of the day; Apotheosis – a perfect form or example of something, the highest or best part of something, elevation to a divine status.

I also agree with Enyeart’s comment suggesting that the overlap of cinematic photography, fiction, reality, and documentary style is the apotheosis of film.

Cherchi Usai’s chapter on Kubrick and “Fear and Desire” is more tailored to discussing the film – also I didn’t read any of the other chapters because I didn’t have time and that shit is long.

One of the biggest things discussed is how Kubrick hated the film in question (and I have to partially agree – it’s not great), but what is interesting is that no one can seem to agree whether it is a masterpiece or not. After the film was made and ready to be distributed, Kubrick was in love with it, as any young creative is with their most recent work. It is said he called “it’s structure; allegorical. It’s conception; poetic.” However, soon after its public release, critics called it “amateur” and said nothing more. However, after the initial hype, Kubrick ignored the fact that it ever existed, and it was after that that critics and fanatics thought the work to be more than it’s original worth. To me, it feels like a stranger wandered into Kubrick’s childhood bedroom and riffled through his GCSE artwork to find something for a museum – I do not understand why “Fear and Desire” is obsessed over.

It was at this point that I debated whether I wanted or even cared about the origins of the film, but my degree told me yes.

Also, keeping a camera in a paper bag is terrible camera care and hurts my physically.

One of the main points that were discussed was the theme of obsession – Kubrick had obsessions in his life, and he made films surrounding obsessions of different themes; death, lust, war, money, fear (also narration and film noir for Kubrick himself). In the film “Fear and Desire”, those obsessions are made manifest through Mac’s conversation with Corby about the Governor – he is obsessed with killing the enemy and winning the war, so much so that he died for his cause.

The final point to discuss is the double use of the actors – the actor for Corby also plays the Governor, which adds an air of humanity. Additionally, the narration played over their images is existential and inward-looking, therefore humanising both sides of the war.

#film student #film review #kubrick #stanley kubrick #fear and desire

1 note · View note

vikaskumarme-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Jesus ? Is Jesus God?

Has Jesus Christ ever claimed to be God? See the evidence from the life of Jesus Christ that why believing in Jesus Christ is not superstition.

For us, decisively knowing that ‘what is the existence of God?’, And ‘what kind of person’ it is, it is impossible, unless God himself does not take initiative and does not reveal himself.

To find some clue to the revelation of God, we need to look at the pages of history. It has a clear sign. 2000 years ago, a baby was born in the stables of an unplanned village in Palestine. Today the whole world is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, and for the right reason – his life changed the way of history.

How did people see Jesus

We have been told that “Aam Aadmi used to listen to Jesus’ words happily” and “He was teaching them not like Judaism leaders but like an officer.” 1

But, soon it became clear that he was giving very shocking and wondrous statements about himself. He described himself as a great teacher and greater than the Prophet. He said in clear words that he is God. He made his identity the main issue in his education.

From his followers, Jesus asked the most important question, “And what do you say that I am?” Then Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 2 Jesus Christ was not surprised to hear this, Neither did he scold Peter. On the contrary, Jesus appreciated that!

Jesus Christ often addressed God by calling “my father”, and his listeners had complete influence on his words. We have been told, “Because of this, the Jews tried to kill him even more. Because he not only broke the law of Sabbath (day of rest), but by calling God as your Father, he used to make himself like God. ” On one occasion, he said, ” My father and I are one. “At that time the Jews wished to stone him. Jesus Christ asked them, for what good works did they motivate him to stone him? “ They answered, ” We do not stone you for the good work, but because of the blasphemy of God, and because you are a man, makest thyself God. ” 4

Jesus said this about himself

Jesus explicitly claimed the powers that are with God only. When a paralyzed man was descended from the roof, so that he could be healed by Jesus, Jesus said, “Son, you have been forgiven by your sins.” The theologians immediately responded, “This Why is the person doing such things? He is insulting God! Only God, who can forgive sins? “ Then Jesus said to them, ” Which is easy: Tell the person suffering from this paralysis, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Get up and walk’? “ Jesus further said, “But whom you know that I have the power to forgive sins on earth, he said to the paralyzed man,” I tell you, get up, take your cot and move to your house. “ He got up and immediately took a cot and left the front of everyone and went away. All were amazed at it.

Jesus also made such statements: “I came that they might have life and get abundance.” 5 And “I am the light of the world.” 6 And many times he said that whoever believes in him, Jesus Give them eternal life. “And he is not commanded to be punished, but has passed from death to life.” 7 And I give them eternal life. They will never be destroyed. ” 8

In those momentous moments, when Jesus’ life was on the stake, to claim such a claim, the high priest questioned him directly: “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Most Blessed?” “Yes, I am,” Jesus he said. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Almighty, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest rent his clothes and said, “Now, what are the reasons for the witnesses to us, Heard. ” 9

Jesus Christ was so deeply related to God that he spoke of a man’s feelings towards him, and his feelings toward God, equally. So, knowing the Lord was to know him. 10 To see the Lord was to see him. 11 To believe in him was to believe in the Lord. 12 To receive it was to receive the Lord. 13It was hating the Lord against hating him. 14 Respecting the Lord was to respect him. 15

Possible explanations

The question is, was he telling the truth?

It may be that Jesus lied, when he said to himself, when he said to himself, God is God Maybe he knew that he was not God, and deliberately betrayed his listeners so that he could give a right to his teaching. Some people think that. But there is a problem in this argument. Those who deny Him to be His creatures believe that Jesus was a great moral teacher. But they fail to understand that both statements are conflicting. How would Jesus Christ be a great moral teacher, if he deliberately used to lie about the most important subject of his teachings – his identity ?“When we look at the claims of Jesus Christ, there are only four possibilities. Either he is a liar, or mentally ill, he is a divine figure, or is true. “

The other possibility is that Jesus Christ was honest, but he was deceiving himself. Nowadays, the person who thinks he is God / God is called by a name – mentally disabled. But when we look at the life of Jesus Christ, we do not get any evidence of abnormalities and imbalances, which is in a mental patient. Rather, we see immense patience, even in times of deep pressure in Jesus.

A third option is that, in the third and fourth centuries, enthusiastic followers of Jesus presented their words of exaggeration, and if Jesus listened to them, they would be surprised. And if he came back, he would immediately reject them. This is not right, because modern archeology affirms that the four life books of Christ were written in the lifetime of those who saw and heard and followed Jesus. The accounts of these Gospel describe the specific facts and attributes that have been confirmed by those who were direct witnesses of Jesus. William F. Albright, who is a world-famous archaeologist with the Johns Hopkins University of America, said, there is no reason to think that any gospel can be found in 70 A.D. (After Christ). Due to being written in the beginning at the beginning of the novel by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, its circulation and influence were more.

Jesus Christ was neither false nor mentally handicapped, nor was he built beyond the historical truth. Only one other option could be that Jesus Christ was absolutely true when he said that he is God.

What evidence is there that Jesus Christ is God?

Anyone can do anything, claims. There are many people who claim to be God. I can claim to be God, you can also claim to be God. But if we do this, then we will have to answer to this question, “What solid evidence, or certificate can we bring to prove our claim?” If you ask me to refute my claim You will not even take five minutes in Even in denying your claim, maybe it does not take much time. But when it comes to Jesus Christ of Nazareth, it is not easy to deny their claim. They had a certificate to complete their claim. He said, “… even if [you] believe not me, but do believe the works: that ye may know and understand that the Father is in me and I in him.” 16

Quality of Life of Jesus – His Unique Moral Character

His unique moral character matched his claim. His lifestyle was such that he could challenge his enemies through his questions, “Who among you can convict me?” 17 They found silence (no one could say anything) when they addressed them Who had tried to find fault in his character.

We read that Jesus Christ was seduced by the devil, but we never heard of the confession of sin to him. He never apologized, although he asked his followers to do so.

The feeling of no moral failure in Jesus is surprising, especially when we see that it is the opposite of the experiences that saints and musicians have experienced throughout the ages. As much as men and women go to God, the more they are overwhelmed by their failure/failure, corruption, and shortcomings. Anyone who goes near a shining light, he feels more about the need to clean himself. For ordinary humans, this is true in the ethical area.

It is also worth noting that John, Paul, and Peter, who had been trained to believe in the universality of sin from childhood, all discussed the sin of Jesus Christ “Neither did he sin, nor his There is no word of deceit on your part. ” 18

Pilate, who sentenced the death penalty to Jesus Christ, asked, “What has he committed so?” After hearing the crowd, Pilate concluded, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; You people know. “The crowd continued to demand Jesus crucifixion (to blaspheme God, to claim to be God). The Roman army hero, who handled Jesus on crucifixion, said, “Truly this was God’s Son.” 19

Jesus Christ healed the sick

Jesus constantly demonstrated his power/compassion and compassion. He carried the langers, summoned the dumb and showed the blind, and gave good to many patients. For example, a beggar, who was blind from birth and who knew all, sat outside the temple. After being healed from Jesus Christ, the religious authorities questioned Jesus about the beggar. Then he said, “I know one thing. I was blind, but now I can see! “ He announced. He was surprised that the authorities of these religions did not recognize this health man as God’s son. “From the beginning of the world, it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a blind person,” she said. 20 This proof was clear to him.

Their ability to control nature

Jesus Christ demonstrated a supernatural power over nature. By only words, they calm down the storms of stormy winds and waves in the Sea of Galilee. Those who were riding on the boats wondered about each other and asked, “Who is this, that even the wind and the water obey its commands?” 21 In a marriage, they converted water into wine. They fed the crowd of 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. He resurrected the only son of a miserable widow from the dead.

Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, was dead and he was in the tomb for four days. Yet Jesus called him, “O Lazarus, come out!” And brought him back from death, and many were witnesses of it. It is the most important thing that their enemies did not deny this miracle, rather, decided to kill them. “If we leave him alone,” he said, “then all will come to believe in him.” 22

Is Jesus God, as he claimed?

The supreme proof of being the God of Jesus Christ is their resurrection (resurrected from the dead) after their death. During his lifetime, five times Jesus clearly predicted that in what specific way he would be killed and confirm that after three days he would leave the dead body and then live again.

Definitely, it was a big test. It was a claim that was easy to prove. Either this would happen, or not. Either it proves the truth of their stated identity, or destroys them. And, what is important for you and me is this – either by the resurrection of Jesus, these things would be confirmed, or this statement would become ridiculous: “I am the way and the truth and the life; No one can come near me by my Father. ” 23 ” I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life. ” 24 And whoever believes in me, ” I give them eternal life ” 25

So, in his own words, he gave this evidence, “The Son of man will be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him; And he will rise three days after his death. ” 26

Who is Jesus Christ?

If Jesus had been raised from the dead, then whatever he said he gave us, he can fulfill it. It means that he can undoubtedly forgive sins, give us eternal life, and can see our way in this life. He is God, so now we have come to know how God is and we can accept his invitation – to know him personally and his love for us.“It is easy to say. Anyone can claim But when it comes to Jesus Christ of Nazareth … they had complete evidence of supporting their claim. “

On the other hand, if Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, there is no validity or reality of Christianity. It means all this is false, and Jesus was just a common man who is dead. And those people who were martyred for Christianity, and contemporary missionaries, who lost their message to others in their lives, were delusional fools.

Did Jesus prove that he is God?

Let’s take a look at the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection –

Seeing all the miracles that Jesus performed, it can be said that he could easily save himself from the cross, but he chose not to do so.

Before becoming a prisoner, Jesus said, “No one can take away my life from me; I dedicate myself to it. I have the right to offer my life and to receive it again. ” 27

While making him captive, Jesus’ friend Peter tried to save them. But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword in its sheath … Do you not know that I can beg my father, and he will present me more than twelve lamps of angels right now?” 28 Heaven and Earth In both, they had such kind of power. Jesus Christ willingly accepted his death.

Crucifixion and thickening of Jesus

Jesus was killed in front of the crowd by crucifying him. This was a common practice for the Roman government, coming from many centuries, torturing and giving death. Jesus said that it was to pay our sins. The charge against Jesus was blasphemy (to claim to be God).

Jesus was killed with a thick rope made of many ropes, in which fragmented pieces of metal and bone were embedded. To blow them, the crown made of long thorns was placed on their heads. They forced Jesus Christ to go out of Jerusalem, walking on the mountain of execution, where he was hanged on a wooden cross, and his feet and hands were knocked down on the cross with nails. Till he died, hanging on that cross. To find out whether he was dead or not, his back was pierced.

The body of Jesus was crucified and wrapped in a sheet with scent. Their bodies were placed in a tomb, which was dug in the rock, and then a large stone was rolled over the entrance to the tomb, so that the door was safe.

Everyone knew that Jesus had said that he would rise from the dead body three days later. Therefore, trained Roman soldiers were deployed on their tomb. They put an official Roman stamp outside the tomb so that it could be declared that it is a government property.

Three days later, that grave was empty

Despite all this, three days later, the stone which was sealing the tomb was found on a slope a few miles away from the grave. Jesus’ body was not there. There was only a sheet lying in the grave, without a dead body.

It is necessary to note that both the critics and followers of Jesus believe that the grave was empty and their body was missing.

Initially this explanation was being circulated that his disciples had stolen his body when the guards were asleep. But this sounds untrue, because such training of trained soldiers of the Roman army was not less than the crime of the death penalty during sleep.

Apart from this, every disciple (lonely and in various geographical locations) was tortured and martyred, for the claim that Jesus was alive and had been raised from the dead. But they do not reverse their claims. Any person is prepared to die for the truth that he believes to be true, even if he is a liar. But, he does not want to die for that which he knows is a lie. If there is a time when a person speaks the truth, then it happens at the close of his death. Every disciples continued to preach the resurrection of Jesus till the end.

Maybe the authorities have removed Jesus’ body from there? But this is also a weak possibility. They crucified Jesus, so that they could stop people from believing in them. If they had a body of Jesus (body), they would have parade it in the city of Jerusalem. In one instant, they successfully managed to suppress Christianity. That they did not do this, it gives great testimony that they did not have the dead body of Jesus.

One second opinion is that women (who first saw the empty grave of Jesus) get overwhelmed by the anxiety and misery, have forgotten their way in the morning blurry and went to the wrong grave. In his pain, he imagined that Jesus had been resurrected, because the tomb was empty. But there is also doubt in this matter, because if the women went to the grave, why did the high priests and other enemies of religion not show the body of Jesus on the right grave?

Another possibility, according to some people, is “the theory of unconsciousness”. According to this principle, Jesus did not really die. He was considered to be dead, and in reality he had become unconscious due to fatigue, pain, and lack of blood, and due to his coolness in the grave, consciousness returned to him. (According to this, you have to ignore the fact that his side was pierced, so that it can be proved that he was dead.)“Anyone is prepared to die for the truth that he believes to be true, even if it is actually a lie. But, he does not want to die for that which he knows is a lie. “

But, let us assume for a moment that Jesus was buried alive and he was unconscious. So it is possible to believe that for three days he would have lived in a moist grave, without food or water, or any kind of care? Did they have so much strength that they pulled themselves out of grave clothes, take away heavy stones from the grave’s face, conquered the Roman guards, and walked on feet to miles, who were pierced by nails? this does not make sense.

Even so, only the empty grave did not give the followers the belief that Jesus was really God.

Not only empty tomb

Only the empty grave did not give them the belief that Jesus really lived from the dead, he was alive, and he was God. All these things also convinced them – Jesus appeared many times, as a person of living flesh flesh, and he ate with them, talked to them – they spoke with different places, different times, different people . Luke, one of the authors of the Gospel, said about Jesus, “He revealed himself to them with many concrete proofs that he is alive. He continued to appear for 40 days and told them about God’s kingdom. ” 29

Is Jesus Christ the God

The four writers of the Gospel tell that after comprehending Jesus, he physically appeared to them. Once he appeared to the disciples, Thomas (a disciple) was not there. Thomas did not believe when Thomas was told by other disciples about him. He said straightforwardly, “I will not believe unless I see the nails of his hands in his hands and do not put my fingers in the nails of the nails, and do not put my hand in his side.”

A week later Jesus appeared to them again. At that time Thomas was with them too. Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger and look at my hands, and bring my hand into my side. Stop believing and believing. “Thomas answered,” My Lord, my God! “

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me and have believed in me. Blessed are those who did not believe. ” 30

What do you offer to Jesus

Christ gives purpose and direction to life. ��I am the light of the world,” he says. “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 31

Many people in general are in the dark about the purpose of life, and especially about their own lives. It feels like they are looking for a light-burning switch in their life. Whoever is in the dark, or in an unfamiliar room, is very popular about the feeling of insecurity. But, when the light burns, there is a sense of security. It feels just when we walk in darkness, in the light of Jesus Christ.

The late analyst psychologist, Carl Gustav Jung, said, “The most critical problem of our times is emptiness. We think that our experience, our knowledge, relationships, money, success, success, fame, will give us the happiness we find. But always remains an emptiness. They are not completely satisfied at all. We have been created for God, and we will receive fulfillment only in them. “

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life: he who comes to me will never be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” 32

You can establish a closer relationship with Jesus at this time. You can know God individually in this life on earth, and after death, in eternity. Here is the promise of God, which he has done to us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that none of her faith, destroy it, but have eternal life.” 33

Jesus took our sins, on the cross, over us. He accepted the penalty for our sins so that our sin could not become a wall between them and us. Because they paid our sins full, they give us complete pardon and a relationship with us.

Here’s how you can start this relationship.

Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door of your heart; If someone will hear my voice and open the door, then I will enter his house … ” 34

You can invite Jesus Christ right now in your life. Not your words, only your reaction to it, is main. Knowing what he has done for you, and what he is doing, you can say something like this, “Jesus, I believe in you. Your density to die on the cross for my sins I want you to forgive me and come to my life right now. I want to know you and want to follow you. Thank you for coming to my life, and to build a relationship with me from this time. “

If you have invited Jesus to come to your life,

For us, decisively knowing that ‘what is the existence of God?’, And ‘what kind of person’ it is, it is impossible, unless God himself does not take initiative and does not reveal himself.

How did people see Jesus

We have been told that “Aam Aadmi used to listen to Jesus’ words happily” and “He was teaching them not like Judaism leaders but like an officer.” 1

But, soon it became clear that he was giving very shocking and wondrous statements about himself. He described himself as a great teacher and a greater than the Prophet. He said in clear words that he is God. He made his identity the main issue in his education.

Jesus said this about himself

In those momentous moments, when Jesus’ life was on the stake, to claim such a claim, the high priest questioned him directly: “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Most Blessed?” “Yes, I am,” Jesus he said. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Almighty, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest rent his clothes and said, “Now , what are the reasons for the witnesses to us, Heard. ” 9

Possible explanations

The question is, was he telling the truth?

The other possibility is that Jesus Christ was honest, but he was deceiving himself. Nowadays, the person who thinks he is God / God, is called by a name – mentally disabled. But when we look at the life of Jesus Christ, we do not get any evidence of abnormalities and imbalances, which is in a mental patient. Rather, we see immense patience, even in times of deep pressure in Jesus.

A third option is that, in the third and fourth centuries, enthusiastic followers of Jesus presented their words of exaggeration, and if Jesus listened to them, they would be surprised. And if he came back, he would immediately reject them. This is not right, because modern archeology affirms that the four life books of Christ were written in the lifetime of those who saw and heard and followed Jesus. The accounts of these Gospel describe the specific facts and attributes that have been confirmed by those who were direct witnesses of Jesus. William F. Albright, who is a world-famous archaeologist with Johns Hopkins University of America, said, there is no reason to think that any gospel can be found in 70 A.D. (After Christ). Due to being written in the beginning at the beginning of the novel by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, its circulation and influence were more.

What evidence is there that Jesus Christ is God?

Quality of Life of Jesus – His Unique Moral Character

His unique moral character matched his claim. His life style was such that he could challenge his enemies through his questions, “Who among youcan convict me?” 17 They found silence (no one could say anything), when they addressed them Who had tried to find fault in his character.

We read that Jesus Christ was seduced by the devil, but we never heard of the confession of sin to him. He never apologized, although he asked his followers to do so.

The feeling of no moral failure in Jesus is surprising, especially when we see that it is the opposite of the experiences that saints and mysticians have experienced throughout the ages. As much as men and women go to God, the more they are overwhelmed by their failure / failure, corruption and shortcomings. Anyone who goes near a shining light, he feels more about the need to clean himself. For ordinary humans, this is true in the ethical area.

Jesus Christ healed the sick

Jesus constantly demonstrated his power / compassion and compassion. He carried the langers, summoned the dumb and showed the blind, and gave good to many patients. For example, a beggar, who was blind from birth and who knew all, sat outside the temple. After being healed from Jesus Christ, the religious authorities questioned Jesus about the beggar. Then he said, “I know one thing. I was blind, but now I can see! “ He announced. He was surprised that the authorities of these religions did not recognize this healthman as God’s son . “From the beginning of the world, it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a blind person,” she said. 20 This proof was clear for him.

Their ability to control nature

Jesus Christ demonstrated a supernatural power over nature. By only words, they calm down the storms of stormy winds and waves in the Sea of Galilee. Those who were riding on the boats wondered about each other and asked, “Who is this, that even the wind and the water obey its commands?” 21 In a marriage they converted water into wine. They fed the crowd of 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. He resurrected the only son of a miserable widow from the dead.

Is Jesus God, as he claimed?

Definitely it was a big test. It was a claim that was easy to prove. Either this would happen, or not. Either it proves the truth of their stated identity, or destroys them. And, what is important for you and me is this – either by the resurrection of Jesus, these things would be confirmed, or this statement would become ridiculous: “I am the way and the truth and the life; No one can come near me by my Father. ” 23 ” I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life. ” 24 And whoever believes in me, ” I give them eternal life ” 25

So, in his own words, he gave this evidence, “The Son of man will be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him; And he will rise three days after his death. ” 26

Who is Jesus Christ?

Did Jesus prove that he is God?

Let’s take a look at the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection –

Seeing all the miracles that Jesus performed, it can be said that he could easily save himself from the cross, but he chose not to do so.

Before becoming a prisoner, Jesus said, “No one can take away my life from me; I dedicate myself to it. I have the right to offer my life and to receive it again. ” 27

Crucifixion and thickening of Jesus

Three days later, that grave was empty

It is necessary to note that both the critics and followers of Jesus believe that the grave was empty and their body was missing.

Even so, only the empty grave did not give the followers the belief that Jesus was really God.

Not only empty tomb

Is Jesus Christ the God

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me and have believed in me. Blessed are those who did not believe. ” 30

What do you offer to Jesus

Christ gives purpose and direction to life. “I am the light of the world,” he says. “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 31

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life: he who comes to me will never be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” 32

Here’s how you can start this relationship.

Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door of your heart; If someone will hear my voice and open the door, then I will enter his house … ” 34

If you have invited Jesus to come to your life,

11 notes · View notes

quillrosetellsstories · 2 years ago

Text

How-to Pick-Up Chicks

If you asked Stewart, the best time to pick up a woman is on the beach at night when she’s with her family. He would say, “Make sure to grab her attention as she walks by, preferably with a CD of your latest hit single, recorded in your mother’s basement.” I previously would have said, as someone who is also into women, this is not the way. But the methods in which Stewart uses to pick up women is unique to those like him, and must be studied. He would then continue on to let you know that the CD he’s just forcibly pressed into your hands does, in fact, cost. The women he is about to take home as his will be stunned by his beauty (Once again, it’s pitch black at night by the ocean) and fork over the 30 bucks he asks for.

When he tries this maneuver, the best thing to do is deflect with uncomfortable laughter. Laugh like he’s your weird, and technically not related -as he tells you every family gathering-, uncle who sits a little too close at family gatherings. Then, break out the excuses. Lucky for me, I am always on the verge of needing to pee. This excuse is good if you’re attempting to not be followed. Why would he follow you, you may ask?

Don’t. Don’t ask. It is imprudent to try to discover what Stewart’s might do. It ruins their good vibes and swanky demeanor. And besides, men make you feel safe, right? No need to cover this topic any further.

He may, if you’re lucky, follow you anyways and ‘stand guard’ outside the porta-potty. Thankfully he’s very strong, and you’re not worried at all, and you haven’t lost track of your family, and Stewart has perfectly gentlemanly motives. Turns out he only wanted to make sure he got your social media username. Now, here’s where things get tricky, so pay attention to the instructions. Although you may think that the numerous pictures you have posted of your wife (holding her hand, kissing her, and getting married to her) would certainly catch Stewart’s attention, it may not. Or perhaps it does interest him greatly, and you’ve made a critical mistake. Either way, he’ll add you and scroll through them as you walk back to your family, and of course he’ll ask how old you are. The age difference doesn’t matter to Stewart, for he’ll say his trademark “Cool, cool,” even after you’ve essentially told him he’s 20 years older than you.

At this point, I know exactly what you’re thinking: “Wow. This guy has completely won me over. I wish to be taken home and boned right now.” Wait just a moment, or you’ll miss the best part. To Stewart, this has been a successful attempt at picking up chicks, and he may go in for one final killer move, which I would call the Drive-By.

Should you have taken his trash mixtape, maybe even paid him for it, and talked with him for a couple minutes now, Stewart will certainly be head-over-heels for you. It’s easy now for him to leave and magically find you later. It’s wonderful how he will be able to pick you out in a crowd, and bounce over to make sure he’s seen again, without actually talking to you. What does he expect to happen after this Drive-By? Some have speculated that Stewart may be trying to put on a show of his attributes, in the way that a bird might show his brightly colored feathers.

Science is amazing!

If only someone had told me these rules when I started picking up chicks. The dance Stewart does around the beach at night is a replica of ones at shopping malls, grocery stores, concerts, and more. Seeing this everywhere has made me an expert. Luckily, I now have the ability to put this plan into play against women. Did I say against? I meant for women. Always I had thought that Stewart’s dance only didn’t work because I didn’t like penis. Now, I give the plans for this dance to you to entice and entrap the women of your dreams!

Forever Writing,

quill rose

#satire #satirewriting #humorwriting #writer #writeroftumblr #prosewriter #humor #howtopickupchicks #leavewomenalone #womenwriter

0 notes

hopeymchope · 6 years ago

Text

Random thoughts about bad/dumb/good things that happen in the back nine episodes of ‘Darling in the Franxx’

This post is long, and it’s mostly me griping about how Darling in the Franxx failed to stick its landing. I’ve got a lot of bullet points about what annoyed me, as well as some points about what I still liked in the back half, and eventually I’m just like “yeah, fuck this.”

That’s the short version: You had a lot going for you but ultimately blew it really bad for me, so like... fuck this.

Damn right Mitsu-WAIT, I forgot when Mitsuru had this much emotion! WHO DIS?!

The long version is more complicated, though, and I feel like rambling/ranting on, so here it goes.

There is no way to stress enough that Zero-Two literally transforms into a giant part-human part-mech creature that Hiro literally rides inside of. She becomes a skyscraper-sized girl that you can climb inside the skull of, and EVERYBODY IS OKAY WITH THIS AND DELIGHTED BY IT. There is NOT a moment where Zorome cries “WHAT THE ACTUAL FUUUUUUUUCK?!?” when she appears, flying in space, at a mass so large she could easily swallow the whole team in one gulp. Nothing like that.

This is not adequately set up, but it IS understandable with some thought: I mean, we are told in a previous ep that the franxx are essentially just recreated, retrofitted klaxosaurs. We also have seen how klaxosaurs are part-organic, part-mechanical beings, and we are told by the Klaxo Princess they are, in fact, the new version of the organic klaxosapiens, now retrofitted for war. In addition, we know that Zero-Two is part Klaxosaur - a clone of the last klaxosapien. So you see how the idea that Zero-Two could somehow “retrofit” or “transition” into a giant cybernetic war mode similar to how the klaxosapiens somehow did the same thing... you could justify that! Once I thought it all through, it kinda worked. But none of this is laid out for you, and it comes off as laugh-out-loud ridiculous in the moment that it happens. Only later, when my brain was piecing the evidence together, did I get somewhere that made sense out of it.

The Nines remained bitterly loyal to Papa when we last see them in Episode 20, snapping at Squad 13 for not showing due respect. When they return in Episode 23, Nine Alpha is suddenly on the side of Squad 13. Because Papa turned out to be an alien, you see. But like... you’ve been fighting klaxosaurs and feeling extreme loyalty to Papa your entire lives up until like, yesterday, so seeing you suddenly join the pro-klaxo side of the war is perhaps too hard a turn. Granted, a lot of time passes off-screen during this period, but still it’s sort of “Hey it’s me, Alpha. Remember how I was never anything but a total asshole to you guys? Remember how I hated emotions and shit? Yeah I wanna help Hiro reunite with Zero Two now.” Um. Okay?

Mitsuru’s speech to Kokoro about how “I want to be with you not because I love you, but because I believe that I did love you once, and I don’t remember that feeling anymore, but I still believe it existed, and I want to respect it!” is literally the worst, least-romantic declaration of non-love I’ve ever heard in my life. The music swells romantically and Kokoro seemingly weeps out of joy over it. I prefer to think she’s crying because it’s so fucking awful. It is actively offensive to real emotions and logic

Remember when Mitsuru talked about he always wished he and Hiro could co-pilot a franxx together? Remember his debilitating rage at Hiro for forgetting their promise to become soldiers together? It really feels like we had a gay or bi character here, and that maybe we were setting something up for his character. but the entire fixation on Hiro is utterly ignored once he gets reduced to “Kokoro’s sperm donor.” I mean, jeez, “my homosexual fixation on Hiro has filled me with an incoherent rage” just gave me flashbacks to Juzo from Danganronpa 3, and that’s not good, but at least it was more personality than he ultimately got.

WHY are we left with the strong sense that Ikuno is dying of the accelerated aging (she is the only one who loses ALL color in her hair and the only one we last see in a hospital bed on an IV drip, so it’s pretty blatant) even though literally no one else in the squad is suffering from it anymore, supposedly thanks to HER research?!... I assume because she’s gay. After all, the extremely gay Nines were all killed off by a mysterious ailment due to a lack of “maintenance” so we might as well kill off Ikuno too, right?! BURY YOUR GAYS. And FUCK YOU.

Goro somehow gets together with Ichigo. We do not get to see how/whether he won he over. Given that the final episode includes multiple scenes of her really missing Hiro along with a scene of her not caring much that Goro is going to travel the world without her (repeatedly), it comes off as though Itchy settled for Goro because he was the best available penis. I AM NOT ENDEARED.

We are also told that Goro has “really changed’ since the beginning of the series. There is no evidence to back this statement up. In fact, he is acting exactly the same in this scene as he always has. Granted, he had a moment in the previous episode where he got pissed and punched Hiro, and that was a big change... but he apologized and it’s not discussed again, so um. Huh. The thing that seems to be a sign of his “change” is his desire to go out alone into the world in an act of self-sacrifice for the good of everyone. Which is LITERALLY THE GORO WE’VE ALWAYS KNOWN. File his change under “informed attributes.”

By the end of the series, Hiro is full-on turning more into a Klaxosapien than a human because... honestly, I’m not sure. It’s possible it’s because he’s been “plugged into” Zero-Two, but it seems like the process is mostly done by then, because he’s immediately able to live without food or water or sleep once he plugs in, and he already had his horns glow with rage in the ep previous to this. So I think he transformed due to the fact that one time, as a kid, he licked Zero-Two’s blood, and as a teen, he’s kissed her a bunch of times. Which is... pretty goddamn extreme. I mean, I know fluid transfer can be a powerful experience — just ask Sandra Bullock — but this is some real next-level shit.

We waited all series for shit to “get real” and someone in Squad 13 to die. It takes until the very last episode for it to happen, and — in a desperate bid to make us care about what’s happening — it’s the two characters who got the most development and who most people care about. The two leads. Which comes off as too little, too late for me to even feel it, seeing as how they’re only vaguely human or relatable by this point. But I AM weirdly bitter that they kept alive everyone else, even the many people we didn’t give much of a shit about (Zorome? Miku?), so that none of the battles in the series EVER had to have real consequences for our heroes. I hate to sound bloodthirsty, and yet....

Hey, speaking of Zorome, remember how him being exposed to the “adult” in the first half of the show made her get sick? Remember how she was also immediately fascinated by and kind to him and it made you wonder how that would affect the other adults? None of this goes anywhere, because the adults all get spirited away as souls to be part of the VIRM hive-mind, so whatever, they’re gone now.

Why are these people all standing around a statue and screaming at the sky and praying? Most of them don’t even know who this girl was. This doesn’t come off as “moving” so much as a terrifying parable about religious fanaticism in cult groups. You see a group of people screaming and praying at idols you don’t understand, and gradually, more and more people just copy the behavior without understanding it. *shiver*

Was there EVER a hint that the adults watching over the squad were friggin’ IMMORTAL?! Because I don’t think there was. I’d need to go way back into earlier episodes to be sure, though.

It’s not that the ENTIRE back half of the show is awful, really. There are some legitimately excellent moments.

Good Stuff

Right when we first come back after episode 15′s big midway point in the story, the subtle way that Zero-Two discovering the gray hair on Miku’s head was handled - during a warm, lighthearted scene to boot - really made it hit home.

The overt anger and defiance of Hiro in the face of “Papa” and APE really made me like him even more. He had some great moments there, including possibly the greatest episode-ending dialogue when he declared just how fucking DONE they all are with their so-called “Papa.”

Zorome’s inability to fully embrace the idea that “Papa” could be so wrong and bad was another good touch.

The big “backstory” episode served to make me really care for Dr. Franxx in a surprise late-game twist. He goes from being a shadowy sinister presence to becoming one of the more sympathetic characters... right before getting killed shortly thereafter.

The big promise scene between Zero-Two and Hiro, where they swear to always come for each other... that one really pulled at my heart.

Also, Hiro’s dedication to caring for the ailing, zombie-like Zero-Two was both devastating and touching. It’s one of the final bits that actually hits any kind of emotion for me in the series.

I actually didn’t mind the alien twist with the VIRM very much like so damn many people did. APE was long portrayed as this unknowable higher power that was clearly hiding something while simultaneously enforcing a 1984-esque obedience and loyalty... and there’s only so many places to go with such a setup, honestly. Much more shocking, to me, is how little is done to build up to/justify the true origin of the klaxosaurs.

But, well, yeah. Like most, I wound up feeling like DitF had a couple of really excellent characters in the lead, and then proceeded to go nowhere worthwhile once it got them to finally be together. Ultimately, they didn’t even get to grow up or have real sex or face the new world. They just get shuffled off into weirdness and death so we can have a bigger cycle of disappointment.

This one has a lot of themes that feel unexplored, and maybe further analysis would make it all gel together more comprehensibly. There is definitely a lot of effort put into thematic hints and worldbuilding in the first half, some of it done in a subtle background way that recalls my favorite aspects of The Future Diary — a favorite anime of mine that ALSO admittedly fails to adequately explain some parts of the world it builds, but it keeps most of its logic intact and is so emotionally engaging that I ultimately went along for the ride and was willing to explore the background justifications and themes later in order to fully grasp that world.

In comparison, I don’t really want to put in the effort to glean the underlying details of DitF. It didn’t leave me feeling like the writers put in the work to keep me invested, so why would I?

#ditf spoilers #darling in the franxx #darling in the franxx spoilers #ditf #griping

7 notes · View notes