#most of this post appeared in 2018 if it seems oddly familiar

[ceescedasticity]

Suppose EVERY Greek letter wanted its own ludicrous fanfic biology category

Because if you just said alpha and omega, fine, you're naming categories after first and last letters. Alpha and beta, fine. Alpha, beta, and gamma, you've got three categories. But alpha, beta, and then jumping all the way to omega -- now you've raised some questions about all the other letters.

Consider, a possible alpha/beta/gamma/delta/epsilon/zeta/eta/theta/iota/kappa/lambda/mu/nu/xi/omicron/pi/rho/sigma/tau/upsilon/phi/chi/psi/omega-verse:

alpha — as usually defined.

beta — as usually defined.

gamma — physiologically similar to betas, but pheromone chameleons; can smell like anything depending on what their subconscious thinks is the most useful.

delta — can transition between effectively-alpha and effectively-omega based on pheromone exposure, but it's mostly involuntary, it takes about six months to finish, and it's about as dangerous as a beta pregnancy.

epsilon — strictly infertile; 'supposed' to bond with mated pairs (often but not always ones they're related to) to help with kids; NOT always asexual, and they do have sex organs, just no gametes.

zeta — physiologically similar to alphas, but their instincts are 'set' on submission, not dominance.

eta — physiologically similar to omegas, but their instincts are 'set' on dominance, not submission.

theta — physiologically similar to betas, but their pheromones put everyone else on reproductive standby. Tend to be dominant in an implacable way, rather than an aggressive one.

iota — can transition between effectively-epsilon and effectively-beta.

kappa — what the hell, lays eggs.

lambda — sex organs internal when not in use; can either carry offspring or fertilize.

mu — sex organs internal when not in use; can carry but not fertilize.

nu— sex organs internal when not in use; can fertilize but not carry.

xi — physiologically similar to alphas with identical sex organs, but pheromonally and behaviorally very similar to betas. That way they can sneak around behind a dominant alphas back.

omicron — superficially physiologically similar to omegas, but: generally reproduce parthenogenetically, so mostly clones of themselves and sometimes mutants of other dynamics; non-omicron parents will sometimes throw out an omicron, but it's rare; almost indistinguishable from omegas without modern science.

pi — superficially physiologically similar to omegas. Unlike omicrons they CAN reproduce with others, and they aren't parthenogenetic, but they can self-fertilize.

rho — ummmmmmmm like betas but just make every situation tenser???

sigma — fully functional alpha and omega sexual organs.

tau — superficially physiologically similar to betas, but with universally attractive pheromones; technically infertile, but through a mechanism still not understood, anyone who has had ANY kind of sex with a tau has a vastly increased chance of tau offspring. (It goes from almost zero to maybe about 0.5% after a single tau sexual encounter and increases with additional encounters until leveling off at about 10%.)

upsilon — look like an epsilon, smell like an epsilon, but NOT infertile.

phi — produces eggs, but has no functional uterus; instead, after acquisition of sperm from someone, hopefully-fertilized eggs are deposited in someone else's uterus — phis are pheromonally drawn to chis, but that's not the only possibility. Omegas instinctively don't want to tolerate their presence unless the phi submits.

chi — has a functional uterus, but no eggs. However, the developing embryo IS subject to a sort of retroviral bath to append fragments of the carrier's DNA. Chis are pheromonally drawn to phis, but if they get an embryo some other way that works too. There's some superficial similarity to omegas, but they smell very different.

psi — physiologically similar to omegas with identical sex organs, but pheromonally and behaviorally very similar to betas.

omega — as usually defined.

Do with this what you will.

[somegirlsnerdywords2]

Anime i’ve Watched

That begin with a S (Part 2)!

Yep this is how i’m going to bring over all the anime and manga i’ve watched and posted about on the old blog. It’s not so detailed but it will have to do. Anything new I watch or read from this point on will have their own posts.

Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai:

Genres: Comedy, Ecchi, School

Synopsis:  With the introduction of strict new morality laws, Japan has become a nation cleansed of all that is obscene and impure. By monitoring citizens using special devices worn around their necks, authorities have taken extreme measures to ensure that society remains chaste. In this world of sexual suppression, Tanukichi Okuma—son of an infamous terrorist who opposed the chastity laws—has just entered high school, offering his help to the student council in order to get close to president Anna Nishikinomiya, his childhood friend and crush. Little does he know that the vice president Ayame Kajou has a secret identity: Blue Snow, a masked criminal dedicated to spreading lewd material amongst the sheltered public—and Tanukichi has caught the girl's interest due to his father's notoriety. Soon, Tanukichi is dragged into joining her organization called SOX, where he is forced to spread obscene propaganda, helping to launch an assault against the government's oppressive rule. With their school set as the first point of attack, Tanukichi will have to do the unthinkable when he realizes that their primary target is the person he admires most. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7/10

Finished airing in 2015 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: Super pervy but surprisingly funny and somewhat enjoyable. The only character that really made me cringe hard and want to tear my eyes out and scrub my brain was Anna... she was just too much. Just no. Not one i’d suggest or am likely to watch again but if it’s your thing, go for it. 

Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan):

Genres: Action, Military, Mystery, Super Power, Drama, Fantasy, Shounen

Synopsis: Centuries ago, mankind was slaughtered to near extinction by monstrous humanoid creatures called titans, forcing humans to hide in fear behind enormous concentric walls. What makes these giants truly terrifying is that their taste for human flesh is not born out of hunger but what appears to be out of pleasure. To ensure their survival, the remnants of humanity began living within defensive barriers, resulting in one hundred years without a single titan encounter. However, that fragile calm is soon shattered when a colossal titan manages to breach the supposedly impregnable outer wall, reigniting the fight for survival against the man-eating abominations. After witnessing a horrific personal loss at the hands of the invading creatures, Eren Yeager dedicates his life to their eradication by enlisting into the Survey Corps, an elite military unit that combats the merciless humanoids outside the protection of the walls. Based on Hajime Isayama's award-winning manga, Shingeki no Kyojin follows Eren, along with his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman and his childhood friend Armin Arlert, as they join the brutal war against the titans and race to discover a way of defeating them before the last walls are breached. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9/10

Finished airing in 2013 with a total of 25 episodes. 

My Thoughts: The first season was a damn near masterpiece and it’s rise in popularity was no shock after watching it. Amazing opening theme, fitting art/ style and a pretty interesting story. This is the type of anime that i’d likely suggest to someone who isn’t actually all that interested in anime. 

Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2 (Attack on Titan Seaon 2):

Genres: Action, Military, Mystery, Super Power, Drama, Fantasy, Shounen

Synopsis:  For centuries, humanity has been hunted by giant, mysterious predators known as the Titans. Three mighty walls—Wall Maria, Rose, and Sheena—provided peace and protection for humanity for over a hundred years. That peace, however, was shattered when the Colossus Titan and Armored Titan appeared and destroyed the outermost wall, Wall Maria. Forced to retreat behind Wall Rose, humanity waited with bated breath for the Titans to reappear and destroy their safe haven once more. In Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2, Eren Yeager and others of the 104th Training Corps have just begun to become full members of the Survey Corps. As they ready themselves to face the Titans once again, their preparations are interrupted by the invasion of Wall Rose—but all is not as it seems as more mysteries are unraveled. As the Survey Corps races to save the wall, they uncover more about the invading Titans and the dark secrets of their own members. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7.5/10

Finished airing in 2017 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: I have a very love/ hate sort of relationship with every season of this anime after the first. I still find it to be an extremely interesting anime and story that’s quite well done but certain negatives keep popping up as i’m watching, things I can’t quite ignore. Still pretty good series overall though. 

Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 (Attack on Titan Season 3):

Genres: Action, Military, Mystery, Super Power, Drama, Fantasy, Shounen

Synopsis: Still threatened by the "Titans" that rob them of their freedom, mankind remains caged inside the two remaining walls. Efforts to eradicate these monsters continue; however, threats arise not only from the Titans beyond the walls, but from the humans within them as well. After being rescued from the Colossal and Armored Titans, Eren Yaeger devotes himself to improving his Titan form. Krista Lenz struggles to accept the loss of her friend, Captain Levi chooses Eren and his friends to form his new personal squad, and Commander Erwin Smith recovers from his injuries. All seems well for the soldiers, until the government suddenly demands custody of Eren and Krista. The Survey Corps' recent successes have drawn attention, and a familiar face from Levi's past is sent to collect the wanted soldiers. Sought after by the government, Levi and his new squad must evade their adversaries in hopes of keeping Eren and Krista safe. In Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3, Eren and his fellow soldiers are not only fighting for their survival against the terrifying Titans, but also against the terror of a far more conniving foe: humans. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 8/10

Finished airing in 2018 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: I just don’t really care for the characters... I mean I don’t hate them but that connection just isn’t there. Which may be a large part in why I don’t LOVE this series. Still, this season was a bit better than the previous one. 

Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 Part 2 (Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2):

Genres: Military, shounen, action, Mystery, Super Power, Drama, Fantasy

Synopsis: Seeking to restore humanity’s diminishing hope, the Survey Corps embark on a mission to retake Wall Maria, where the battle against the merciless "Titans" takes the stage once again.

Returning to the tattered Shiganshina District that was once his home, Eren Yeager and the Corps find the town oddly unoccupied by Titans. Even after the outer gate is plugged, they strangely encounter no opposition. The mission progresses smoothly until Armin Arlert, highly suspicious of the enemy's absence, discovers distressing signs of a potential scheme against them.

Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 Part 2 follows Eren as he vows to take back everything that was once his. Alongside him, the Survey Corps strive—through countless sacrifices—to carve a path towards victory and uncover the secrets locked away in the Yeager family's basement.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9/10

Finished airing in 2019 with a total of 10 episodes. 

My Thoughts: That’s the stuff. That’s the stuff I loved about the very first season of the anime. A vast improvment from the previous two seasons in my opinion! 

Shingeki no Kyojin: Kuinaki Sentaku (Attack on Titan: No Regrets):

Genres: OVA, Action, Fantasy

Synopsis:  Many years before becoming the famed captain of the Survey Corps, a young Levi struggles to survive in the capital's garbage dump, the Underground. As the boss of his own criminal operation, Levi attempts to get by with meager earnings while aided by fellow criminals, Isabel Magnolia and Farlan Church. With little hope for the future, Levi accepts a deal from the anti-expedition faction leader Nicholas Lobov, who promises the trio citizenship aboveground if they are able to successfully assassinate Erwin Smith, a squad leader of the Survey Corps. As Levi and Erwin cross paths, Erwin acknowledges Levi's agility and skill and gives him the option to either become part of the expedition team, or be turned over to the Military Police, to atone for his crimes. Now closer to the man they are tasked to kill, the group plans to complete their mission and save themselves from a grim demise in the dim recesses of their past home. However, they are about to learn that the surface world is not as liberating as they had thought and that sometimes, freedom can come at a heavy price. Based on the popular spin-off manga of the same name, Shingeki no Kyojin: Kuinaki Sentaku illustrates the encounter between two of Shingeki no Kyojin's pivotal characters, as well as the events of the 23rd expedition beyond the walls. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7/10

Finished airing in 2015 with a total of 2 episodes. 

My Thoughts: I love Levi, he’s probably the only character I really care all that much about in this series but I just didn’t love this OVA! 

[valorkook]

Again | j.jk

pairing: Reader x Jeon Jungkook genre/type: AU | lovey-dovey fluff, romance, inspired by the movie 50 First Dates w.c.: 2k

A week.

A week was what it takes for Jeon Jungkook to create another special memory with you.

Adorned with the dark strap attached to his beloved, yet expensive camera he turned the lens onto you, who is his muse. And you can’t quite find the exact reason as to why he chose you as his subject of his mysterious video project. He never gave you any information.

Perhaps you’ll find it soon enough, when he finds the time to show you a glimpse of what he’s working on. But for now, he and the contents of his camera only heightens your curiosity every day.

All you could ever do every time he points the large lens on you is to either smile or block him with your hands on his equipment whenever you find it too much. From what Jungkook would say, you are just “too shy in front of his camera”. You’re clueless as to why most of his focus was your face, when you are sure that there are far more interesting subjects that might accentuate the whole objective of his endless recording.

Albeit knowing that he’s not good with expressing his feelings well through words, his actions rather proved it to be untrue as you sensed him coming close to you. Gently holding your hand and feeling his warmth engulfed you from behind, he cooed at your effort to finish wiping the table clean, “It’s enough, honey, let’s go to bed.”

With his soft lips ghosting over the expanse of your skin on your shoulder, you affectionately leaned your head back to his shoulder. This small moment with him is forever ingrained in your memory, not noticing the blinking red light of his camera somewhere in the room.

The past few days were not as touchy until tonight, continually feeling him and his fingertips grazing on your forearm as you lose your hold on the rag used for the table. Jungkook urged you towards the dark hallway of your apartment, “Do you want to sleep already?” You asked him, eyes fixating on the digital clock by his desk once you both reached the bedroom. It was already 22:10 PM.

He only hummed in reply, tiredness evident from his tone as he closed the door with his foot. Planting the camera that he brought next to the laptop on his table, he found you near the window. Under the dimmed moonlight, he can still see your beauty; your twinkling eyes that seems to soften whenever you looked at him, your smile that constantly lift him up in times of despair, and your touch that sends warmth through his veins endlessly. They’re still the same.

Your love is still the same no matter how many days, weeks pass by.

Winter snow has yet to come, but the impending coldness never ceased as a shiver made its way through your spine. And he has seen you and felt it too, “The heater won’t be fixed ‘til tomorrow, love.”

The specific term of endearment made you shiver again but only in delight.

Yours and his queen-sized bed was filled with multitude of blankets, and you can’t quite help but to dug inside while he only stares at your child-like actions tonight. Like a kid who cannot wait for Christmas. Only time will tell when he would start to imagine a festive season with you and maybe . . . two to three children that either looks like him or yo—.

“What are you thinking, Jungkook?” You withdrew him from his thoughts. He hasn’t joined you yet. “Come in! I need my personal heater.”

He chuckled as dived in, crawling towards you under the layers of duvet. You weren’t kidding when he felt your icy skin against him. “Am I hot enough to be called like that?” He teased, engulfing you into his embrace.

With your back against his chest, you sensed the breath of his against the crook of your neck. Surprisingly, his arms were much tighter than yesterday, or than any nights before. Nonetheless, he still makes you safe and comfortable in his hug. Loved.

It still feels as if you keep falling in love with him every day. It’s like meeting him for the first time again, and again, and falling head over heels over the boy—the man you imagined to spend the rest of your lifetime with.

And that thought was loud enough for him to ask you a question, diminishing the quietness of the dark bedroom.

“If I were to propose to you somewhere next week, will you accept?”

Your heart thudded against your chest.

“—Will you marry me?” Jungkook added, just like how people say it in romance movies. You were breathless. Your mouth quite ajar as you turned your head to see him, his doe eyes lingering at yours beneath the dimmed light from outside the window.

“I do—I mean yes.” You smiled at him once you faced him, while he only chuckled and pulled you much closer to him, with his thumb caressing ever-so-softly the skin of your hips, peeking under the shirt of his that you were wearing.

“Already preparing for our wedding, I see,” He grinned, “But I haven’t gotten you a ring yet.”

You asked, “Then when?”

“I’m waiting for the Christmas sale tomorrow, you know. And I’m quite broke to afford the ring you want as of this time and date.” It was a slip of his tongue; a mistake on his part to expose something you currently do not know or cannot remember.

Your brows only furrowed in curiosity, “I don’t recall about going into a jewelry shop before, or ever seeing a ring.”

In a poor attempt to change the topic, or ending it, he yawned loudly in reply, “It’s been months since we last visited it, why don’t I tell you the details tomorrow morning? It’s quite a long story.”

With you blinking at his drooping eyes, you only let him get the rest he needed. He was at work for nearly 10 hours today. Leaving you alone with yours and his dog, Gureum, to accompany you until he comes back. He must’ve feel tired to the bones.

“I’ll see you in the morning, love.” He mumbled after resting his head much closer to you, feeling his lips move against your forehead while you breathe in the familiar and comforting scent of his that helped you to rest. Not long and you followed him into sleep, your breathing turned calm. On the other hand, he was keeping himself awake while his eyes were closed, only determined to finish the bits of his video creation before the morning comes. Before you wake up.

He carefully left the side of his bed, leaving you still in deep sleep as he hurriedly turned his laptop open from sleeping mode once he sat in front of his desk. Without producing so much noise, he lifted the chair a bit off the wooden floor and adjusted it near his working space.

You were left clueless at his sneaky way to record the audio of yours and his conversation back in bed. With his phone lying next to you on the nightstand, Jungkook reached for it and stopped the recording before plugging it into his laptop. Into that night, he only spent the rest of his time into completing his compilations of you into one project. Along with a cup of coffee that he rarely needs or drinks, but he’ll make tonight an exception.

And he hoped that your love is still the same. Even if he has done the same procedure (the video making), and asked the same question to you for the past few weeks.

The curtains were left drawn open yesterday and the morning sun crept into the room and hits your eyelids, rendering you awake. The cold chill of the air to your face guaranteed that you were, indeed, conscious—

And weirded out. Why is it so cold in July?

It was the first thing you questioned to yourself, finding yourself covered with the huge amount of blankets only. Jungkook was nowhere to be found beside you, leaving you oddly questioning how he was able to wake up before you. Usually, it’s always you who turns off his alarm every morning.

Has the climate changed so much?

More questions flew in and out of your mind right now, you were sure that the season must be summer. Or the fact that you were assured that it’s the month July. You blindly reached on the bedside table in hopes to find your own phone to check the date, but you only found his laptop open. A video player and a digital post-it appeared on the screen when you accidentally swiped your fingertips on the touchpad.

‘Watch this before finding me –JK’

Feeling lost at the moment, you only obliged to what he had told you through the note before pressing the play button.

Jungkook’s face was the first thing you saw on-screen. His eyes looking past the camera for a few seconds before finally setting his gaze toward the lens, indirectly to you. “Love, you’re probably wondering why the weather’s like this or why you are even watching this.

You may think that it’s still July of 2017 when, in fact, we’re nearly in the end of 2018—“ You quickly hover the cursor on the date at the bottom right corner of the screen, seeing that he was right in the video. “—Please don’t panic at all, love.” He never fails to address you in an endearing way, making your heart flutter.

“Through this video, I’m going to help you recall the past few days or the important things to remember.” You did not miss his handsome smile through the video, as if he’s been wanting to say something that’s probably on the tip of his tongue already.

“First and foremost, I would like to explain to you why you’re experiencing short-term memory loss. Or what Doctor Kim would term the phenomenon you’re having as Goldfield’s syndrome. It is where you’re unable to create new memories every week since you woke up after July 10, 2017 from an unfortunate accident.” He paused from the video. Meanwhile you were astounded that the date he mentioned was the only day you could ever recall, and you can’t remember anything beyond the date or the accident itself.

No memories from the rest of the year, until today. And you’ve felt nothing but hurt when you imagined yourself in his shoes; how he managed to stay in love with you throughout the months. Tears brimmed your eyes as you kept on listening to him through the video he has prepared for you.

“Jungkook love?” His ears perked up at your voice from a distance, eyes finding its way to yours as you stood on the doorway of the bedroom. There you were again, glowing under the morning sun with the same eyes and the same smile adorning your features. And he swore he’ll never miss a chance of seeing you like this.

He smiled, “Yes _______?”

You began walking closer towards him, sitting upon the couch with cups of hot chocolate on the coffee table. As if he’s been waiting for you. Soon enough you found yourself hugging him, with your head resting upon his sturdy shoulder.

And you saying, “I still do want to marry you.”

He can assure that his smile this morning was as bright as the sun outside, but your smile towards him was much brighter that he still feels the same flutter of his stomach when he first met you. Jungkook was sure of marrying you, even if he has to make the effort of doing multiple videos to relive your memories with him and the people you care about.

“I love you.” He mumbled close to your lips, not even giving you a chance to return the same statement when he kissed you.

“ When the morning comes I’ll claim it,

I don’t want to waste one more minute,

I want to feel again, I want to feel again “ - Leanne and Naara, Again 

[the-mira-life-project-mtf]

MILE STONE! Makeup Shopping (My MtF~HRT Journey)

So today, I had a wonderful visit with my PCP who also manages my transgender progress. It was now been officially 1 Year on HRT and since May of 2018, I have learned so much!

While visiting, we covered general health and then transgender health and talked about the next step. I will save the clinical notes about surgery for another post (as this one is all about my experience on buying makeup for the first time in my life).

When I first began my HRT back in May of 2018 I do recall in one of my blog posts that I would never consider looking into wearing feminine clothing or using makeup. But as noted in my posts about the ‘mental transformations’ while using hormones...I have to agree something has changed. Oddly, I find myself socially appropriating to act more feminine then masculine. Most of this transformation began shortly after coming out as transgender to family and friends.

Even prior to my coming out ceremony, I already began looking into feminine clothes for pictures and status updates, but to never wear in public. But with my families pushing me to dress...well...in a dress, the times are changing. One thing I did not realize is that men’s clothes and female’s clothes are designed not only to look aesthetic, but also to support and insinuate the chest and rear...in basic terms, sex appeal.

Even now, I find that my male clothes do fit my expanding hip and rear size and chest size like it did a year ago and it feels kinda ‘cramped!’

Todays visit with Dr. Worth was to talk about surgery and my uncomfortable situations I am experiencing and I talked about my need for facial surgery as I am not passing for female as I am still being called ‘he’. She advised that as I wait for my consultation with plastics, I should consider makeup.

I have no knowledge of makeup as I just nodddd and said ‘Ok’. She continued that if I learn how to use makeup, I could hide my five-o’clock shadow and define my cheekbones. All that went right over my head. But with the unlikely chance of surgery, I need to learn new methods.

Dr. Worth said that two areas I could visit is Macy’s or Sephora at the Silverdale Mall. She added that with some money, they could show me how to do my makeup and try to sell me product. I took her advice and left to head home as I considered that Silverdale was just a town away for my location and it is along the way home. Won’t hurt to gain some education.

Then came the concerns: ‘What if they are not transgender friendly?’ ‘What if other shoppers make a scene?’ ‘I should just go online and order something.’ But where do I start? How do I know what to get? ‘I could buy over 200 dollars in trial and error or woman-up and just go to Sephora.’ as Dr. Worth said I might have more luck there.

I made up my mind as I programmed my GPS to take me to the mall and I’ll see what happens. I was thinking: ‘This could be a really bad idea or a really good idea...only one way to find out!’

I wall inside to the JCPenny, looking for this makeup place. I am making a lot of firsts today! First time considering using makeup, first time in a JCPenny and first time possibly purchasing makeup!

I find the Sephora store and just dread the remarks or comments I might have to endure from sales staff, but to my shock and surprise I saw a familiar face. My brothers boyfriend apparently works here as he sees me and is pleasantly surprised himself.

Talk about fears just melting away!

I explain what the doctor advised me and we went shopping to get me started. I work lie...even now as I write this blog, I don’t know all the exact steps! I was just glad that we and I were on the corrrect page about starting slow and that in time I can elevate to more serious cosmetics.

He asked if I had oily or dry skin and that was easy, ‘Dry’ I say as I never had oily skin, not even after starting HRT!

So we looked at moisturizer to apply first and then moved to primer and then base coat. He used a camera to find my skin tone (1Y08) and found a base to apply after testing a few colors. Next, we moved on to eyelash stuff, lipstick and brow brush. It was a little overwhelming!

He asked if I wanted to do eye shadow, which probably would not hurt as terminal disease make your eye shadow very dark and grey. Color be nice, but I want to slowly learn to appear female and not a clown at the circus!

He offered his help to learn how to apply in the upcoming weeks (which I will greatly accept) and seemed eager to help me with beauty as he is all about makeup and my brother Ryan is all about hair styling! For being a transgender individual, I have been blessed with an amazing family and friends!

When the price came up for the few items, I was shocked! 130.80! What did I buy?

Of all the items, the foundation was almost 40.00$! Is the normal? When I looked at the Sephora website, it was rated as expensive, so it makes sense. Typically, I would not spend this much, but because I knew that I might have help in the near future to do my makeup for the wedding and to learn...

Nevertheless, this was a good experience!

[rocketwerks]

The Mutual Building

909 East Main Street Built, 1904, 1912 Architects, Clinton & Russell

March 2019

The concept of insurance dates back to the Code of Hammurapi. The Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia is almost as old.

(Geograph) — Hand in Hand Fire & Life Insurance Society Fire Mark

Mutual insurance in America, as we have come to know it, really began in London, England, in 1696 with the formation of Contributors for Insuring Houses, Chambers or Rooms from Loss by Fire by Amicable Contributionship. For obvious reasons it became more commonly known as the Amicable Contributionship and ultimately as the Hand-in-Hand, a reference to the organization’s fire mark, one hand clasping another hand, reflecting aid and assistance.

(Worthpoint) — Charleston Insurance Company Fire Mark

Like so many other ideas of its time, travelers from England to the colonies brought stories and accounts of various insurance plans and schemes. Probably as a result, the first attempt at a fire insurance plan in America was in Charleston, South Carolina in 1736 with the formation of the Friendly Society of Charleston. Unfortunately, in 1740 Charleston suffered a conflagration that is said to have consumed over three hundred houses besides storehouses, stables and several wharves. The losses sustained by the Friendly Society were far too great for its fledgling operation and the organization failed.

(National Fire Heritage Center) — Benjamin Franklin

At about the same time that the Friendly Society was trying to get started, the esteemed Benjamin Franklin resided in Philadelphia and was continuing his long-standing interest in fire prevention. With the help of others, he formed a purely volunteer firefighting association in 1735 called the Union Fire Company. Because of the social aspects of this type association, it precipitated the formation of other firefighting associations thus to the benefit of all citizens of Philadelphia. However, in spite of the inherent value of having firefighting associations, Franklin came to realize that fire was as inevitable as death and taxes and concluded that a plan of insurance was needed to make up the losses caused by fire.

(Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia) — Fire Mark of the Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire

With that realization, Franklin set out to form an insurance company patterned after the Amicable Contributionship, an organization he may have become familiar with while working in England as a journeyman printer. The Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire was organized by Benjamin Franklin and his colleagues in March 1752 and remains today the oldest mutual fire insurance company in business in America. The Philadelphia Contributionship selected as its fire mark four hands crossed and clasped in a form commonly known as “Jacob’s Chair.” As was the case with the Amicable Contributionship, the Philadelphia Contributionship also became known in America as the Hand-in-Hand. (Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia)

(Geni) — Dr. William Foushee

In 1794 a Prussian émigré named William Frederick Ast met with a group of Richmond citizens to discuss the need for an organization to underwrite fire insurance in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the financial opportunities such an organization would present.

Ast’s strategy for mutual assurance, which was said to be modeled on a system introduced by Frederick the Great, won enthusiastic support from many prominent Richmonders, including the city’s first mayor, Dr. William Foushee. Members of the Virginia General Assembly were told that “The principles of this insurance are founded upon benevolence—a number join to succor such of them that may be so unfortunate to suffer accidentally by fire—a loss falls heavy upon one; but where many contribute towards paying it, each man’s share becomes slight.” Ast also pointed out that the only other insurance then available to Virginians came from English companies, a situation that diverted large sums of money from the state due to the high cost of that transatlantic insurance.

December 2018

Ast’s well-conceived idea gained strong support in the legislature. On December 22, 1794, that body approved the plan, declaring in part that, “ ...from the great and frequent losses sustained by the ravages of fire, it is advised expedient to adopt some mode to alleviate the calamities of the unfortunate who may suffer by that destructive element, and William FE Ast of the city of Richmond, having suggested and submitted to the consideration of the general assembly a plan of mutual assurance... which it is conceived will fully answer the above purposes". [FUB]

(Rocket Werks RVA Postcards) — Currier & Ives depiction of the Evacuation Fire

So the Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia was born, and things were going great... until the Civil War.

The Great Unpleasantness stretched from 1861 to 1865, and as far as Richmond was concerned, ended with the Confederates setting fire to the tobacco warehouses along the canal basin. It may seem like historical hindsight, but you would think that someone would have had second thoughts about the burning of fungible commodities on a windy Spring evening. Oddly enough, it spread, leaving behind a smoking ruin where the city core once stood.

(Library of Congress) — View in the "Burnt District," Richmond, Va., showing two women dressed in black approaching shell of four-story building, gutted by fire

The toll from the fire was almost incalculable. In addition to the buildings torched by the retreating Confederate Army, the blaze destroyed nine hundred buildings, three bridges across the James, the Henrico County Courthouse, two railroad depots, several banks, and a church. Sorting out claims for damage would take years as the Society worked to rebuild its business. [FUB]

(American Battlefield Trust) — General view of the burned district of Richmond

In the aftermath, the Mutual Assurance Society squared itself for the reckoning.

On May 17, 1865, the standing committee convened to take stock of its circumstances and found itself facing aggregate claims of over $100,000 without any hard currency in its treasury. A large portion of its securities had been rendered completely valueless while the remainder had greatly depreciated. Nevertheless, when the Society's assets and liabilities had been examined thoroughly, and allowing for its obligations and losses on investments, the Society found itself with a surplus of $126,000**.

[RVCJ03] — 1014 East Main Street office

That happy circumstance, combined with its solid reputation and operating experience of over seventy years, helped put the Society back on its feet after the war. In time, the Society paid off every valid claim for loss and public confidence generated by those payments helped lift the society out of the ashes and back into a role of leadership in the financial and commercial life of the Commonwealth. [FUB]

(Chronicling America) — new Mutual Building — Richmond Times-Dispatch — Sunday, May 21, 1905

And so it was. The rebuilding of the Burnt District afforded Mutual Assurance the opportunity to occupy a spiffy new office building at 1014 East Main Street, and soon the good times were rolling again. Fast forward a few decades and the company was facing growing pains.

March 2019 — main entrance on Main Street

The steady increase in the Society's assets mirrored the fortunes of Richmond's financial and commercial sector and the growing stature of Richmond as a major railroad center.

March 2019 — courtyard entrance on Ninth Street

The invigorating effects of Richmond's fast-growing financial and commercial interests were most obvious in the changing appearance of the city's downtown. In 1905 the skyline was dramatically recast by the twin wings of a new nine-story office building at the southeast corner of Ninth and Main Streets.

March 2019 — cast iron fence

Towering 125 feet above street level, the Mutual Assurance Society Building was designed and built as a sound investment in real estate for its members, and was the sixth home of the Society in its 110-year history.

March 2019 — courtyard staircase & lamp post 

Upon completion in May 1905, the massive structure--complete with six Otis elevators and its own Westinghouse electrical generating plant--became an instant Richmond landmark.

March 2019 — courtyard gate

A three-page story in the Times-Dispatch on May 21 call the building "by long odds the handsomest, most substantial and imposing office structure in the City. It will compare with any in the South, and is the result of skillful application of the most improved building methods in every line, working with the best obtainable materials."

April 2019 — lobby staircase

The Mutual Building was a completely modern skyscraper for its day. The headquarters of the fifth oldest fire insurance company in the United States, the building employed the latest in fireproofing technology developed by the Metropolitan Fireproofing Company of New York. 

April 2019 — lobby stairwell

The ornate structure, with exterior walls of blue granite, brick, limestone, and terra-cotta over a steel and iron skeleton--covered more than half an acre on one of the city's busiest blocks and cost nearly $600,000***. Marble, mahogany, oak, and silver-embossed plate glass were applied to the building's interiors.

April 2019 — plaque of the Mutual Assurance of Virginia Standing Committee when the Mutual Building was built

The Old Mutual took offices on the second floor, and the rest of the building was leased to Richmond firms. The income from those rentals added to the financial security of the Society, whose insurance in force now totaled nearly $17 million. [FUB]

March 2019 — showing top four floors

Nor was that the end of construction. The need for office space was so great, that in 1912, Mutual Assurance went back for another bite at the apple and added the current top four terra-cotta clad floors.

April 2019

Of course, they made sure not to skimp on the beautiful detailing. A copper cornice always adds a touch of class.

April 2019 — basement stairwell

In his book  Architecture in Downtown Richmond, Robert P. Winthrop described this building thus:

Part of a cluster of early high-rise buildings, the Mutual Building is the oldest and best preserved.

April 2019 — rooftop stair railing

U-shaped, this configuration provided for good lighting and ventilation in the days before air conditioning. The building is surrounded by a superb cast iron fence with quite grand gates at the courtyard. The main lobby and staircase have been preserved, little altered. [ADR]

April 2019 — sub-basement fire door

It is hard to understand how massive or how old this building is without walking through it. Amazing architectural detail is everywhere to be seen, even in the most ordinary elements, like a classical fire door.

April 2019 — sub-basement vault

Its longevity obscures its larger purpose as a financial institution when an insurance company had to secure vital documents as a cost of doing business.

April 2019 — first-floor vault door

Or indeed, the needs of the other tenants who occupied its floors.

Today, the Mutual Building is owned by the Shamin Hotels Group, based in Chester, Virginia. They are clearly aware of the property’s historic value, which is the best thing you can ask for in a steward going forward.

(The Mutual Building is part of the Atlas RVA! Project)

* 1,550,773.01 in 2019 dollars ** 1,953,973.99 in 2019 dollars *** 17,041,078.65 in 2019 dollars

(CPI Inflation Calculator)

Note

The interior pictures of the lobby, rooftop, and basements shown here were made possible through the generosity of Shamin Hotels, which owns the Mutual Building. Rocket Werks thanks Mark Yardis, Vice President of Operations, who granted permission; R. Anthony Harris, Social Media Manager, and Sterling Gary, Building Engineer, who provided access to this historic property. The opportunity to see and document historic Richmond locations like the Mutual Building isn’t always granted, but the spirit of public service, as exemplified by Shamin Hotels, is always appreciated.

Print Sources

[ADR] Architecture in Downtown Richmond. Robert P. Winthrop. 1980.

[FUB] Founded Upon Benevolence: A Bicentennial History of the Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia. Richard Love. 1994.

[RVCJ03] Richmond, Virginia: The City on the James: The Book of Its Chamber of Commerce and Principal Business Interests. G. W. Engelhardt. 1903.

[thekoshertribble]

“You’re no mystery to me. I know exactly who you are.” Women of Star Trek Blog Entry #12 “Space Seed” Marla McGivers

*rubs hands excitedly together* Oh boy, we’ve arrived. I’ve been thinking about writing this entry for a while now. This is gonna be a rough one, so buckle up people. This is will be another long post. As you’ve probably figured out by now, I’ll be discussing the main female character in this episode, Marla McGivers.

(content warnings: this entry will discuss abusive relationships both mental and physical in nature. Please proceed with caution.)

Before I crack this episode wide open, I want to relate it to my own life. When I was 15 I was involved in a very unhealthy relationship with an upperclassman at my school. While never becoming abusive, my “boyfriend” regarded me as a possession, and his aggressive tendencies towards others made me constantly afraid of him. I never said “no” to him, in fear of retaliation. This all ended many years ago, but I honestly haven’t been the same since. 

I went to therapy during the relationship and afterwards, and during one of my sessions I showed my therapist this episode.* She immediately understood why I was so drawn to this story. “Khan is [your boyfriend’s name]” she said, “and you’re Marla. I hadn’t realized that before, but she was right. For 10 very painful months, I was Marla.

Marla McGivers may be one of the most tragic characters of the Original Series. Even after it appears she redeems herself at the end of the episode, we learn in “Wrath of Khan” she pays for her mistake with her life years later.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, here. Let’s rewind to the beginning. 

Marla McGivers was a lieutenant on the Enterprise when it came across the Bontany Bay and it’s fateful cargo. She was the ship’s historian, apparently specializing in Earth’s history. We first see her in her quarters, working on a painting of a gladiator. (We don’t often see crewmembers engaged in hobbies, so it’s nice that we get this extra detail about her.) She’s quiet spoken, almost timid. It’s suggested that she doesn’t get much work on the ship, and that not many crewmen know her. When Kirk is talking with Spock and McCoy on the bridge, he says:

KIRK: I'll need somebody familiar with the late 20th-Century Earth. Here's a chance for that historian to do something for a change. What's her name? McIvers? 

So her lack of routine tasks and her timid nature probably makes her a rather forgettable and isolated figure on the Enterprise. (Spock remembers her name, of course, but he’s Spock - he probably has the whole ship’s roster memorized.) But now, she has an opportunity to apply her knowledge on a mission. Marla, Kirk, Scott and McCoy beam over to the Botany Bay. They find it’s full of humans in suspended animation, as Marla explains to the group:

MARLA: I've seen old photographs of this. Necessary because of the time involved in space travel until about the year 2018. It took years just to travel from one planet to another. 

Excuse me, Marla, but it’s November of 2018 and we still don’t have sleeper ships! Where are my goddamn sleeper ships Marla??

*clears throat* Sorry about that. Where was I? Oh, yes. So it finally seems that Marla can apply her knowledge on a mission...aaand then the shit hits the fan. One of the men in suspended animation is hot. And Marla gets, uh, distracted. 

KIRK: Could he be the leader? The leader. Lieutenant?

MARLA: (dragging herself back from just gazing at the man) Yes, sir. The leader was often set to revive first. 

They get the man out of cyro and bring him on the Enterprise to recuperate. Kirk is not exactly happy with Marla, and they have this conversation:

KIRK: If I were to rate your performance as a member of the landing party today I - MARLA: I know, sir. I'm sorry. KIRK: Lieutenant, at any one time, the safety of this entire vessel might depend upon the performance of a single crewman, and the fact that you find a man strangely compelling to you personally - MARLA: Not personally, Captain. Professionally. My profession is historian, and when I find a specimen from the past alive, I'm in the sheer delight of examining his mind. KIRK: And men were more adventuresome then. Bolder, more colorful. MARLA: Yes, sir, I think they were. KIRK: Good. If I can have honesty, it's easier to overlook mistakes. That's all.

It freaks me out that this conversation has not only foreshadowing but double and triple foreshadowing. It not only refers to Marla’s betrayal of the Enterprise, and then saving the Enterprise by betraying Khan, it also can be tied to Spock’s sacrifice in Wrath of Khan. Is your mind blown yet?

Apart from the foreshadowing, it’s an awkward conversation. Marla literally got distracted on her first mission, apparently because the guy they were rescuing was too hot. She tries to wave it off as professional fascination, but Kirk knows it’s not just that, and to her credit, she owns up to it. 

Marla reappears a few scenes later to meet the man they rescued from cryo, some dude who calls himself, “Khan.” She begins to introduce herself but he cuts her off. He already knows who she is. He asks her to “sit and entertain” him, as though she’s only there to amuse him. Determined, Marla sits and begins to question him:

MARLA: I'd like some historical information about your ship, its purpose and

KHAN: And why do you wear your hair in such an uncomplimentary fashion?

MARLA: It's comfortable.

KHAN: But it's not attractive. 

Khan stands, moves Marla to a nearby mirror and just starts pulling the pins out of her hair. “There. Soft. Natural. Simple,” he says, admiring his work as though he were a hairdresser. (If only he were that and not a dictator). Finally, Marla speaks up for herself:

MARLA: Mister Khan, I'm here on business.

KHAN: You find no pleasure here?

MARLA: My interest is scientific. Men of. That is, the world of the past. I'm sure you understand to actually talk to a man of your century - 

KHAN: There. Simple, soft. Please remember.

Marla’s subject is not being cooperative, nor does he seem to understand the concept of personal space. As she turns to leave, he grabs her arm and looks into her eyes:

MARLA: Perhaps some other time, when you feel more like talking about the past.

KHAN: I'm glad you came. Please do it again.

It’s...unsettling to watch this whole exchange. The average viewer might thing she’s starstruck by him, but I see fear in her eyes as well as awe. I think by this time she’s begun to realize just who he is - she can’t confirm it, but her intuition is guiding her. She has admired him and others like him across the safe distance of time, but now, the subject of her fascination is here before her, real and dangerous. This was something she never had to plan for. 

Following this encounter, we learn that Marla suggested inviting Khan to a dinner with the ship’s top officers. Perhaps she did this because she hoped that Kirk could get the answers out of Khan that she couldn’t. I don’t think she made the suggestion simply because she fell head-over-heels for him. It cannot be that simple. Before the dinner, Khan comes to Marla’s quarters, saying he wants her to escort him to dinner. He sees her paintings and compliments her on her technique and her choice of subject. 

The paintings double as a visual cue to the audience. It shows her hobby and her...interest: “old, brave, men of the past,” to borrow Khan’s description. Figures as Napoleon, Leif Ericson, and a gladiator named Flavius. It’s suggested that these men are not simply a “hobby” as Khan asks, teasing Marla. Khan then sees one of a turbaned man hidden under a cloth. He nods and simply reacts, “I am honored.” He holds Marla firmly in his arms, and adds, “but I caution you: such men dare take what they want.” He then kisses her, and we see Marla responding, pulling him deeper into the embrace.

We also see, as Khan indicates with satisfaction, that Marla rearranged her hair in the “natural” way khan had arranged it in sickbay. This and the kiss lead us to conclude that despite Khan’s dominating behavior toward her, Marla still feels some attraction to the 20th century dictator. 

The dinner Marla requested does not go well. Marla sits next to Khan, oddly saying nothing for the whole scene, while Kirk and Spock needle Khan into finally slipping and admitting that he and his fellows on the Botany Bay are in fact the ruthless genetically engineered humans who vanished in the 1990s. Khan is angered enough to leave the dinner early and retire to his quarters, where Marla finds him brooding. Keep and mind that she did not have to talk to him - she seeks him out because she feels the need to apologize for the actions of her superiors. 

MARLA: I wanted to apologize. They had no right to treat you that way.

KHAN: Quite understandable, since I'm something of a mystery to them.

MARLA: You're no mystery to me. I know exactly who you are.

KHAN: Do you? 

MARLA: Leif Ericson, Richard the Lion Heart, Napoleon. 

Marla says this last line with a little “gotcha” smile. Khan’s expression is one of slight surprise (even though he saw his portrait in her quarters earlier.) Then, Khan turns the tables and the fate of the Enterprise will be changed forever. Here is the conversation, with my notes:

MARLA: I don't know if you're going to like living in our time. 

KHAN: Then I'll have to remold it to my liking.

He reaches out to grab her suggestively, but she pushes him away.

MARLA: Please don't.

Angered by her sudden rejection, Khan pushes her away.

KHAN: Go. Or stay. But do it because it is what you wish to do. Well? 

Marla makes her fatal decision. 

MARLA: I'll stay a little longer. 

KHAN: How many minutes do you graciously offer?

MARLA: I only meant -

KHAN: This grows tiresome. You must now ask to stay.

MARLA: I'd like to stay. Please. 

Khan smiles in satisfaction and offers his hand to her. She takes it, and suddenly he is pushing her on her knees before him. She cannot escape his grasp. 

KHAN: Open your heart. Will you open your heart?

MARLA (her voice is small): Yes.

KHAN: I intend to take this ship. Do you agree?

MARLA: Oh, please don't ask me -

KHAN (squeezing harder on her hand) : I need your help.

MARLA: You won't harm anyone? 

KHAN (accusingly): Now you question me?

MARLA (fearfully): No!

KHAN: Will you assist me?

MARLA: Oh, please, Khan, don't ask me -

Khan throws her to the floor.

KHAN: Leave me then. Go, I say.

MARLA (whimpering): No. I promise. I'll do anything you ask.

(Khan smiles with cold-blooded satisfaction down on her as we cut to commercial). 

In a matter of moments, Marla has gone from confident and standing before her fantasy-made-reality to crying quietly at his feet. 

Let me pause the episode narrative for a moment to talk about the overall themes of this episode, since we’ve reached the major turning point. If you’ve seen this episode before, you probably remember the ending in which Khan alludes to Milton’s Paradise Lost, inferring that he is Satan cast into Hell, choosing to rule in Hell rather than serve in Heaven. We can actually expand this literary allusion to the whole episode. Khan of course is Satan, the snake in the garden of Eden, so what does that mean? Say it with me now: Marla is Eve, the Enterprise is Paradise (and Kirk is God, I guess?) Paradise Lost is a retelling of the Fall of Mankind - via the tempting of Eve by Satan - and the promise of Redemption by the sacrifice of Christ. Space Seed, similarly, is the story of Marla’s “corruption” by Khan, resulting in dire consequences for the Enterprise and her crew. And like Milton’s great epic, more than Eve’s repentance will save mankind. A greater sacrifice is required:

Anyway, so Khan and Marla work together to bring over Khan’s people from the Botany Bay, capture the Enterprise bridge and hold the crew hostage. By now, the crew know that Marla is working with Khan. Interestingly, Marla has apparently been given some authority by Khan over his people. We see this when one of Khan’s men begins to hit Lt. Uhura for not cooperating, and Marla loudly orders him to stop.

Marla then stands behind Uhura dominantly. She’s essentially become the “good cop” to Khan’s “bad cop.” 

And then we get to yet another turning point. When Khan threatens to suffocate Kirk in a sickbay decompression chamber to get the bridge crew to cooperate, Marla remembers the words of her dying captain:

Lieutenant, at any one time, the safety of this entire vessel might depend upon the performance of a single crewman.

She turns to Khan, and asks quietly but firmly, “Khan, there’s no reason I must watch this, is there?” This is the most assertive we see Marla. Something has suddenly changed. Khan nods, but remarks that he is disappointed, “I had hoped you would be stronger.” Marla leaves, apparently because she does not want to see her former commanding officer die slowly, and she heads down to sickbay, hides a hypo behind her back, and approaches the guard watching over the decompression chamber: “Khan said to watch him very closely. He may decide to co-operate.” The guard obeys, and as soon as he turns, she stabs the hypo into his neck. She frees Kirk from the decompression chamber, and immediately says: “Captain, I saved your life. Now please don't kill him.” Kirk frees Spock and successfully they regain command of his vessel. Yay! 

But wait...what about Khan and his people? and Marla?? Kirk tells Khan that a nearby uninhabited world is suitable for colonization and that he and his people will live there in exile. Marla, meanwhile is given a choice: court martial or exile with Khan. She chooses the latter. To be fair, it really isn’t much of a choice, between certain imprisonment or uncertain life on a planet. But it’s notable that Marla once again chooses Khan’s side, a choice that Khan admires: “a superior woman. I will take her.”

Sadly, going with Khan does indeed lead to her death by a Ceti Alpha eel some years later, causing Khan to go mad from grief and anger. And we all know what happens next...

Now, I do not mean to sound as though I am “blaming the victim” here. I do not mean to say that Marla got what she deserved or wanted, even though the events of the story revolve around her decisions. As you’ve probably realized, it isn’t that simple. Marla is a complex character - her motivations may seem clear but sometimes they’re clouded. Her behavior goes back and forth between assertive and submissive. Complicating all this is the abusive relationship she has with Khan. From personal experience, I know that when you’re in an unhealthy relationship, you don’t always find yourself standing up for yourself, even when your mind is screaming for you to. People ask you, “why didn’t you just leave?” If it were that simple, I would have left as soon as things went wrong. If it were that simple, Marla would not have apologized to Khan, or helped him take over the Enterprise, or travelled with him to Ceti Alpha V. 

I’m afraid I don’t really have any further insights into this character, so I’m going to end this blog entry here. However, if you have any thoughts on Marla and her motivations in this story, please share them in the comments. Maybe you saw something I missed? And of course, if you enjoyed it, please leave a like or reblog. See you next time, when I discuss: A Taste of Armageddon!

P.S. If you’re in an abusive or unhealthy relationship, please get help. It may feel as though no one knows you’re hurting but keep on reaching out until someone hears you. And please stay safe.

*My therapist had never seen Star Trek, and I wanted to show it to her to explain how it influenced me. We’ve both come to the conclusion that Star Trek very likely saved my life. It basically served as a coping system for a few years.

[stonylovessteve]

Creator Reveals

We’ve reached the end of the exchange and that means it’s time to reveal the creators of all our works.

Thank you for putting so much love and effort into Stony Loves Steve 2018, you really made it a great experience. We hope everyone loved it as much as we did!

Giftees, be sure to leave a comment and kudos on your gift if you haven’t already. All our creators worked hard to make this event a success, so show them some love.

You can now post your work publicly outside of the exchange. Tag it as #stonylovessteve2018 on tumblr and we’ll reblog you. @ us @stonylovessteve on twitter and we’ll retweet you.

Below the cut is the final list of all the works produced for the exchange and the creators.

Working out the Kinks by OftheLilies for Robin_tCJ (MCU, 10.7k words)

Steve is the first Avenger to move into the Avengers Tower. It will just be him and Tony Stark, alone together for weeks. It works itself out.

Sexily.

a strategist and a genius by laireshi for quantumdragon (616, 1.1k words)

He loves Tony.

Because, because, because; every time Steve sees him, he adds one more reason to the list.

Love Collection by Shamen610 for ashes0909 (MCU, 3.3k words)

It was only when Steve had walked towards the room and started opening the door that Tony had realized.

“Steve, wait! Don’t go—” But by then it was too late, and Steve had already opened the door. “...there.”

Steve just stood there in front of the room, completely at a loss.

“Okay, wait. I can explain!” Tony started to clamour out. “There is totally a justifiable reason why I have a room filled with your things... I just need to find it.”

All Along by thegraytigress for olympvs (MCU, 29.9k words)

Somewhere, somehow, through all the stuff they've been through… All the times they had to fake being more than they were. Somehow Tony falls in love with Steve for real.

Or five times Tony and Steve fake being in a relationship and the one time they realize they're really in one already.

flash your heart by jelliebean for starkboi (MCU, 3.9k words)

It wasn’t that Steve was pure exactly. After all, someone who was pure wouldn’t withhold coffee from Tony—literally holding it over his head—until he ate something nutritious. Someone who was pure wouldn’t stand possessively nearby when pretty reporters hovered, with a deceptively mild look on his face—a look that somehow told them to back off when they got too close. Someone who was pure wouldn’t kiss Tony, hard, purposefully, while they were both in uniform, wink at him, and then jump out of a plane straight into a battle. Or tell him, in that low, Captain tone, to wait until they got home. Or stand in the back of a summer press conference, slowly and calmly eating a pop rocket while Tony tried to concentrate.

But Steve was also the best of them.

Make It Right by starkboi for nanasekei (MCU, 2.2k words)

"Steve’s stomach soured at the number of the fallen. He will make it right. He’ll bring them back no matter what." (Steve finds himself in space, searching for answers to undo Thanos' destruction. He winds up in Vormir, face to face with the keeper of the stone. Tony is more help than he knows.)

The Stars Shine For You by YohKoBennington for gryvon (AU, 5.8k words)

Steve's high-school buddies tease him about his college boyfriend, not realizing that their perceptions are totally off, and there's so much more than they thought.

The color of your dreams paints my body blue. by SilverInStars for Fluffypanda (AU, 11.2k words)

“Does he know?” Tony asked again. It was the words he could speak, so he spoke them.

Sam’s eyes dipped to Tony’s chest, “Of course he knows. Anyone would.” He cocked his head to the side,

“Just Tony, you bleed blue.”

The bandages were stained. Tony pressed his hand as firm as he could. The color of the skies in the Golden Centaur’s eyes, the color of the skies on his palms.

“Dragon blue.”

After the Battle by Hayluhalo for capsicleonyourleft (Ambiguous, Art)

No one said dating Steve was going to be easy.

Holding Out For A Soulmate by ChibiSquirt for deathsweetqueen (MCU, 1.8k words)

Most folks who had a soulmate got their bond in their teens, at the cusp of adulthood. Steve sure hadn’t, though.

have no regret about (forget about) the chances you missed by Mozzarella for faite (616, 2.7k words)

In which Steve takes an opportunity, and asks Tony Stark out. Not on a date though.

Okay, yes, maybe a date.

The Wager by JacarandaBanyan for sunnyzhp22 (AU, 3.3k words)

“Who are you, Traveler?”

The young man stood and planted his feet like he was facing a dangerous adversary. Steve let a little tongue of flame glow to life in the depths of his throat in preparation for a fight.

“Guardsdragon Steve. I am Tony Stark, and I am here to challenge you for access to your hoard.”

When You All Need a Therapist by morcabre for dirigibleplumbing (MCU, 5.4k words)

A piece of paper was ridiculously difficult to find in Wakanda. Bucky stared at it for a while before finally writing down:

‘Dear Tony Stark,

Sorry I fucked it up between you two.

Sincerely,

Bucky Barnes.’

Baptism By Poisonous Fire by navaan for Furiael (Marvel Noir, 1.9k words)

Steve Rogers is the new Marvels writer – or he was supposed to be. He isn’t sure yet that he’ll survive the day. Chances seem slim for himself and his hero, Tony Stark.

I Am With You by dirigibleplumbing for XtaticPearl (MCU, 25.7k words)

After moving into Avengers Tower, Steve has different ways of connecting with his past and figuring out his present. He writes letters to Bucky, he visits Peggy, and he writes to a Peggy who no longer exists. One day his box of mementos from the 30’s and 40’s appears by his door, all the better to help him remember good times in his life. Meanwhile, his team keeps seeking him out to spend time with him outside of missions—especially Tony Stark.

Steve works to reconcile his memories of the past with his life in the present, to figure out what he wants, what makes him happy, and how he can help make the people he’s coming to care for happy, too.

Just a Saturday Morning by msermesth for janonny (MCU, 7.7k words)

For the first time in a while, Steve and Tony have the morning all to themselves. And it wouldn’t be happening if it wasn’t for the events of two years ago.

Serve and Protect by gryvon for Hayluhalo (AU, 23.4k words)

Steve is sent to investigate a traitor at Stark Industries, Tony Stark is way too young for Steve to be having improper thoughts about, and everything is not fine.

Nomad and the identity crisis by Cheermione for QueenoftheRandomWord42  (MCU, Art)

Made for the Stony Loves Steve Exchange 2018

Prompt: There are two rival superhero teams who oppose each other over whatever the author chooses. Steve Rogers is the leader of one such group, by day he is the tiny spunky reporter who always holds the world’s powerful accountable, by night he grows into Nomad the powerful vigilante who protects the innocent. Little does Steve know his loving boyfriend Tony Stark is the Superhero Ironman, leader of the rival group and when Steve decides to spill the beans and tell his boyfriend about his secret identity (and hopefully ask for his hand in marriage), a battlefield accident reveals Ironman’s secret identity to Nomad and Nomad alone.

Restrain Me Captain by Impala_Chick for OftheLilies (MCU, 1.7k words)

Tony thinks Steve is innocent only to learn he’s into restraints.

Your Definition of Love (Is Different From Mine) by quantumdragon for Ironlawyer (616, 3.9k words)

After waking up from his coma, Tony has a lot of questions for Hydra Cap. And Steve has answers - but not the ones Tony was expecting.

Wrapped Up In Clover by FestiveFerret for ishipallthings (MCU-AU, 54.3k words)

It’s been seven years since Steve and Tony split up, and Steve’s sure he’ll never see Tony again. He’s finally managed to put their failed relationship behind him and move on, focusing on his friends and building his business. But then his best friends, Bucky and Clint, decide to get married, and their wedding week at a cabin resort in Vermont turns into a minefield of heartbreak for Steve.

Concerto by a_salty_alto for Missy_dee811 (MCU, 1k words)

This isn’t the first time Steve’s been bombarded with a thousand new sensations at once, but the cacophony of sights and sounds in TImes Square from when Steve first awoke in the future is nothing compared to the sheer amount of information that floods Steve’s mind once he’s wielding the full power of the Infinity Gauntlet.

Hold me, kiss me, never leave me by SilverInStars for Fluffypanda (616, 1.1k words)

Prompt: An accident during a mission causes Steve to go feral. He growls, doesn’t seem to understand anyone, and has little concept of personal space. He’s also bossy, possessive, and oddly protective of Tony.

In a Color Unseen by Fluffypanda for Erik_Addictedtometal_Lehnsherr (AU, 1.7k)

Steve knows a king’s attention is fleeting, but there are some things he can’t see.

No Lie by kenshincha for SilverInStars (MCU, 1.3k words)

Steve was born with an empathic x-gene, making him a walking lie detector. Tony lies all the time, and Steve’s going to get to the bottom of it.

The avengers go to Disney! by Sunnyzhp22 for Cheermione (AA, Art)

short comic

Tony’s Hoard by Neverever for picturecat (MCU, 2.5k words)

Tony is turning into a dragon, with interesting consequences for Steve.

The beast in me sleeps with you by SilverInStars for fluffypanda (AU/MCU, 2.2k words)

He grows with inaccuracy in Stephanos’ dreams, sometimes a scared child that makes Stephanos ache with familiarity and sometimes an adult who seems to be fighting a war against the whole world.

A Birthday Get Together by navaan for avengersincamphalfbloodstardis (616, 1.6K words)

Steve thinks after everything that has happened, he really wants a quiet birthday

Mergers and Acquisitions by Robin_tCJ for Firelightmystic (AU, 33k words)

Steve Rogers is the CEO of the Rogers Corporation, which he built from the ground up. When he learns that Hydra International is making a bid for a hostile takeover of Stark Industries, he decides he has to do what he can to stop Hydra from overtaking the market and becoming an unstoppable, unethical conglomerate. Tony Stark asks for something Steve isn’t sure he should give, but he does it anyway – and it completely changes everything. But when Hydra keeps coming, Steve and Tony realize there’s more to this than they’d realized

Black Space for Many Dreams by Missy_dee811 for erde (616, 2.5K words)

The search for Tony is on. Finding him in an abandoned warehouse, Steve wonders if he should say the things that are on his mind.

Sweet Escape by FestiveFerret for Neverever (MCU, 5k words)

The weight of being an Avenger seems to be especially heavy on Steve’s shoulders recently, so Tony tries to cheer him up. And what’s a better cure for the blues than a trip to sunny Spain?

all warm blooded creatures by nanasekei for JacarandaBanyan (MCU, 13k words)

From a very early age, Steve Rogers was aware that he was going to die of cold.

Any Road by sheron for jellybean (MCU, 13.5k words)

Three months after defeating Thanos, Steve Rogers wakes up in the middle of a cornfield, with no memory of how he got there. No memories of anything, not even his own name. The only valuable on him is a flip-phone with a single contact number.

Tony Stark will do anything to help him remember, but he won’t even admit they are friends.

Gift Exchange by redvelvetcake32 for morcabre (AU, Art)

The Scent of Love by avengersincamphalfbloodstardis for Agent_C (Any, 2.8k words)

Prompted from the Stony Loves Steve event! Steve’s addicted to Tony’s scent.

Steve has a heightened sense of smell from the serum. Now if only he could figure out exactly what it is that makes Tony smell so good.

A Prince and a Robber by dreamkist for makeyamad (Any, 1.9k words)

Prince Steve meets a mysterious man in the forest.

Clouds Over a Century Sky by XtaticPearl for FestiveFerret (AU, 15.7k words)

Steve Rogers decides to go to Dublin when he is invited by his estranged partner to a conference, despite arguments by his friends. He is convinced that a gesture of commitment might solve their relationship, and sets off on the trip with a ring in hand. Steve’s troubles begin when his flight is diverted due to stormy weather and gets him being stranded at a small town.

At a pub, when Steve discovers that the cabs might be more than he can afford at the moment, the barkeep informs him of a fellow American who was staying there and had a rental car. Steve meets Tony, an unpredictable, witty, and oddly smooth self-claimed mechanic, who makes the journey more complicated by making Steve challenge almost everything he believed was simple about himself.

you could at least have told me you were a gemini by picturecat for cptxrogers (MA:A, 6.3k words)

A Marvel Adventures: Avengers story. The Avengers face a giant labyrinth. More personally, Captain America faces his crush.

Fight me Bite me by makeyamad for sadieb798 (MCU, 6k words)

Steve Rogers unfroze before Iron man was created, (thank you global warming! ), he found Bucky while on a regular SHIELD mission. The two of them, along with Bucky’s mate Sam decided to become reporters with the Daily Bugle.

What happens when Steve goes to cover the Stark expo, hosted by the genius, billionaire, omega, mechanic of Iron man, Tony Stark?

i guess maybe it’s possible i might be playing it wrong by TheJGatsby for red_crate (MCU, 11.2k)

Steve would’ve considered himself lucky just to get someone he could tolerate as an assigned roommate his freshman year of college, so he figures it’s a miracle that he and Tony became best friends almost from the first. When he and Tony get stuck together for seven minutes in heaven at a party, Steve realizes that he wants more from Tony than just friendship, and it only goes downhill from there.

You’re the GOAT, Steve by Firelightmystic for ChibiSquirt (616, 17.4k words)

No one wants to address the elephant in the room. On the sidewalk, more accurately. And not an elephant, really, so much as a…

A goat.

Steve glances up at Tony to offer up a bit of comfort because, well, Tony looks like he really needs it, but when he opens his mouth to speak all that comes out is a startlingly loud bleat.

Tony’s howl of frustration carries in the stricken aftermath.

A Little AI-ssistance by olympvs for redvelvetcake32 (Any, 7.2k words)

When Steve realizes he’s in love with his best friend, he’s at a loss for what to do. In a fit of panic Steve asks Jarvis for help, and thus ensues a series of not-quite-dates as Steve struggles to tell Tony how he feels.

I’m home by jayjayverse for Shamen610 (Any, Art)

Synchronized Frequencies by ashes0909 for YohKoBennington (MCU AU, 14.2k words)

Steve knew Bucky meant well, but he always thought they needed to do things together; so for Bucky to be getting married, and for him to still be single? Well, that didn’t sit right with Bucky.

He’ll See I’m Not So Tough by QueenoftheRandomWord42 for TheseGrimmAdventures (MCU, 13.2k words)

In an Alternative Universe where people are born with a pair of wings on their backs, Steve Rogers has had a conundrum since birth, his ability to attract his mate or soulmate depends on his ability to attract them with their flutterings, but since becoming Captain America they have been comedically tiny. When he wakes up in 2012 he meets Tony Stark, Genius, Playboy, Philanthropist, and the only person since Peggy Carter to make his wings flutter, but which Tony is oblivious to. Will Steve get over his growing crush on Tony Stark, or would Tony Stark remain oblivious to Steve’s pining? 

More Than the Average Good by royal_chandler for thegraytigress (MCU, 16.5k words)

Tony hadn’t taken flight in nearly five months before Steve Rogers—plunged into the Potomac—finally gave him a reason to.

We Could Get Together Like Normal People, But Then We Wouldn’t Be Avengers by a_salty_alto for vktorkatsuki (Avengers Assemble, 1.2k words)

It’s reasonable that Tony wouldn’t remember it isn’t movie night, because he doesn’t remember the last couple of days. He doesn’t remember the last couple of months, not really.

Visions are seldom all they seem by sadieb798 for pikapip (MCU AU, 6.5k words)

“You know,” Tony says finally, and Steve looks at him, eyebrow raised in expectation. “There’s this new thing called talking, so if you ever need to…”

Brave New World by cptxrogers for enkiduu (616, 9.6k words)

Captain Hydra, the Avengers’ long-time foe, and Iron Man, the mysterious masked Avenger, find themselves transported to a strange alien planet. The place is beautiful, but it’s also apparently sentient and has taken a perverse interest in them. Steve agrees to a truce with Iron Man for now, at least until he finds his time to strike. That is, if the trees don’t get them first.

Just a Jump to the Left by vktorkatsuki for Neverever (Avengers Assemble, 6.4k words)

“Well, well, well! If it isn’t the man out of time. Are you prepared to be eliminated from the current timeline?” Ugh, Kang. It was too early for this.“ Kang gives Steve the chance to hop back into the past right where he left off, no strings attached. Tony doesn’t like that at all. Steve figures out when he’s meant to be, in the end. a.k.a. That One Time Steve nearly thought he was meant to be in the past, and the one time he realized from the start that he was right where he belonged.

Someone to Hold by erde for navaan (616, 6.5k words)

Anything you want, Tony would have said during the rehearsal, and Steve, in turn, would have wrapped an arm around his waist and whispered in his ear, Let’s elope.

dream of the future by enkiduu for sheron (AU, 25k words)

Reality is crumbling. Steve, a Knight out of time, is summoned to fix a world that isn't really his. The future belongs to the sorcerer he has to learn to work with. Together, they have to journey forth and find a solution, and Steve finds a lot more than he expected (and more than he knew he could even want).

Heart Still Aching to Seek by Ironlawyer for laireshi (616, 1.5k words)

There is no going back from this. Their relationship is finally broken and it's time for Steve to take action. What Steve was thinking when he put the EMP on Tony's hand.

I'll Be (Good To You) by ishipallthings for royal_chandler (MCU, 15.8k words)

Steve Rogers wakes up seventy years out of time to a new world and a soulmate. It’s an adjustment. What he doesn’t expect is Tony Stark, a brilliant futurist who is equal parts fascinating and frustrating, and has just as many demons as Steve. He also doesn’t expect to find a family with a ragtag team of superheroes, or to fall in love. Luckily, Steve is nothing if not adaptable.

Blue Days, Black Nights by janonny for kenshincha (MCU, 17.9k words)

Over the span of two years as a fugitive, Steve gets a little too attached to the flip phone, his only link to Tony. (Or the story where Steve is an overachiever, even when it comes to his brooding.)

A Star Goes Out by navaan for dreamkist (MCU, 2.8k words)

Steve is ready to move on from being Captain America. He's not able to completely walk away from Tony though – and neither can he walk away from who he is.

the most amazing things by nasa for jayjayverse (616/3490, 1.2k words)

Natasha's been acting weird ever since the Incident.

Vibranium Dysfunction by CaptainOfRippedShirts for msermesth (MCU, 2.5k words)

Tony's a scientist. A genius. Literally the whole world knows that. But times like this, when someone he loves - not that he's using the L-word with Steve just yet, nope, nosiree - is looking at him like he's seconds away from crying and admitting that he just can't feel touch the way he used to? Times like that make Tony feel like the biggest idiot on the planet.

we could be something beautiful by S_Hylor for Mozzarella (MCU, 7.6k words)

When genius, billionaire, playboy Tony Stark very publicly asks him out, Steve says yes because he doesn't want to be the man to turn down Tony Stark on national television. For the life of him he can't understand why someone like Tony Stark would want to go out with someone like him. He's wholly unprepared for what dating Tony entails, especially the media attention. The media, it seems, can't figure out what Tony sees in him either.

[aion-rsa]

Aquaman 2 Will See Director James Wan Embracing His Horror Roots

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While production on recently titled DC sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has been underway in the UK for about a month now, the plot of the Jason Momoa-starrer mostly remains obscured under deep water. However, returning director James Wan has provided an intriguing tidbit that somewhat clarifies the plot issue, citing—of all things—cult classic 1960s Italian horror film Planet of the Vampires as its main source of inspiration. While Wan came into the trident-towing hero’s first solo film having helmed drastically different modern horror classics, the reference nevertheless indicates his genre-hybrid intentions.

James Wan seems to be signaling that his once-unlikely comic book movie franchise, Aquaman, is getting an injection of genre themes that only a directorial maestro of movie scares such as himself can administer. Indeed, while little to nothing is known about the 2022-scheduled sequel outside of its titular reference to the Lost Kingdom (more on that in a moment), his name-drop, made in an interview with Total Film, evoking the seemingly-random Planet of the Vampires certainly feels like a wild, left-field tease, especially for a sequel that has been described in the past as having a more serious tone than its predecessor.

“Aquaman 2 is very heavily inspired by Planet of the Vampires,” says Wan. “You can take the boy out of horror but you can never take the horror out the boy.” While there’s a level of cheekiness to his statement, there are some concepts to which it can aptly apply.

Contextually, Planet of the Vampires was released in 1965, manifesting as a schlocky (even for its time) Italian space sci-fi product of director Mario Bava. The film centers on the ordeal of two exploratory spaceships, in which mysterious, unseen alien life on the surface of planet Aura possess the bodies of some crew members, even reanimating the corpses of those already dead. Thusly, the rapidly-dwindling population of unpossessed members are thrust into a desperate struggle for survival. The film was the kind of double-feature fodder typical of the time, glaringly showcasing its production’s limited resources, strictly-organic scene elements, lack of optical effects and creaky wooden spaceship sets.

Yet, the film has nevertheless become widely regarded as a cult classic. It is also frequently cited as a tonal and thematic influence for director Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic, Alien. In fact, while Scott and screenwriter Dan O’Bannon initially claimed they hadn’t seen the film, O’Bannon later walked back the denial, and went so far as to admit that the famous giant remains of the “Space Jockey” found by the crew of the Nostromo was a concept copied from one of Planet of the Vampires’ signature scenes, in which their crew discover an oddly-oversized humanoid skeleton in the ruins of a presumably-ancient spacecraft.

Yet, the “horror” within himself that Wan mentioned earlier is a far cry from anything even closely resembling Planet of the Vampires, having successfully manifested in modern watershed classics in the genre, going back to his big break in 2004 with the original Saw, which laid the groundwork for the popular 2000s-era sub-genre that is derisively referred to as “torture porn.” However, he also branched off into supernatural-centric offerings like 2007’s Dead Silence, and, more notably, the sequel-spawning 2010 film Insidious and 2013’s The Conjuring, which spawned an entire shared universe of horror films—that notably bears its name—consisting of direct sequels and prequels, along with spinoffs such as the Annabelle movies and The Nun, with more to come. Consequently, the hiring of Wan for a DC tentpole the scope of Aquaman was initially seen as a rather curious development, arguably akin to a scenario in which Ilya and Alexander Salkind hired The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Tobe Hooper to head Superman instead of Richard Donner.

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So, how would such a campy film become relevantly compared to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom? The answer potentially lies in the open-ended nature of its title, namely its reference to the Lost Kingdom. As Willem DaFoe’s Vulko explained in an expository scene in the first film, the planet’s ancient sea-dwelling people once lived continentally unified on the surface as a grand, prosperous society who enjoyed technological advancement during a time in which most of the world’s outsiders still thought the world was flat—notwithstanding some who, curiously enough, still do. However, complacency led to a disaster known as the Great Fall, in which misuse of the powerful Trident of Atlan created a wave of destruction that left their land shattered and sunken into the sea. Yet, the same catastrophe also imbued those people with the power to breathe underwater, resulting in the once-unified civilization becoming segmented into separate kingdoms—Atlantis, Xebel, Fisherman, Trench, Brine, Deserters, with the seventh one, the isolated Lost Kingdom, remaining an unseen mystery to the rest. Consequently, Wan has an open book for a potential horror-movie-inspired ordeal in which Momoa’s Arthur Curry/Aquaman has to protect Atlantis against possessed and/or zombified people from the Lost Kingdom.

Outside the possibility that Wan is simply borrowing analogous concepts, the nature of how a sequel inspired by Planet of the Vampires will play out against things such as the confirmed returning threat of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s personal-vendetta-driven Black Manta remains a mystery. Yet, the increasingly-lost element of surprise could be Wan’s motivation behind his Vampires tease. “Well, the first movie took a lot of people by surprise, right?” continues Wan. “And that’s partially because they were not familiar with the comic book, which deals in this very lurid, strange world. People were taken aback that I didn’t throw all that stuff away and make a dark, heavy film. But I didn’t feel that would have been right for it. So, with the second film, I feel it will be easier for people to accept where we go because I’ve already laid the foundation.”

Wan certainly has experience overcoming expectations, with 2018’s Aquaman having proven that he has a clear and widely accessible vision for superhero cinema. Indeed, in a bit of trivia that still manages to surprise, the film stands as the highest-earning film in Warner’s entire DC Extended Universe continuity of films, having grossed nearly $1.5 billion worldwide—a take that tops the $822.8 million made by its widely-regarded crown jewel, 2017’s Wonder Woman, and the $657.9 million of its subsequent underperforming team-up megamovie, 2017’s Justice League. Consequently, while many may not view Aquaman as the DCEU’s most prominent hero, he currently stands as its clear breadwinner, which makes his solo sequel arguably the continuity’s most crucial entry. Can a Planet of the Vampires style motif match such purported importance?

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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is currently scheduled to hit theaters on Friday, December 16, 2022; a date safely distanced from the reach of the Delta variant and will hopefully remain unaffected by any other unwelcome pandemic developments.

The post Aquaman 2 Will See Director James Wan Embracing His Horror Roots appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[angeltriestoblog]

I watched a couple of movies! (Part 1)

Back when I regularly had the luxury of long breaks, I spent my days binge-watching films, as you can see from my extensive knowledge of 80s chick flicks and all the cheesy tropes and disgustingly adorable, predominantly white leading men that come with them. Sadly, a side effect of growing older in the digital age seemed to be the diminishment of my attention span: the only things I could focus on were academic requirements, simply because I had to. But, thanks to several factors—the suspension of online classes, the sudden annoyance I developed towards Barney Stinson that prompted me to discontinue How I Met Your Mother, etc.—I decided it was high time to rekindle this lost love. So, here is an unsolicited review of the 17 films I managed to finish in a little over a week! Rest assured, I tried my best to venture out of familiar territory and brush up on some of the more cultured picks, according to Letterboxd, at least.

Bar Boys (2017, dir. Kip Oebanda) ★★★

The film that kickstarted everything, which I never would have seen if the director had not uploaded the full version on YouTube. This well-meaning tale of four best friends (Carlo Aquino, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda, and Kean Cipriano) and the challenges they face in law school—terror professors, fraternities, and financial difficulties included—does have a lot of heart, and is sensitive enough to show how the effect of this experience differs depending on a student's background. But, what it lacked for me was a certain degree of specificity: I think the same premise would have been applicable in med school, or any other post-graduate degree for that matter. So, why did the characters choose law? I also would have appreciated some commentary on the shortcomings of the country’s justice system, and further fleshing out of the characters so the audience could have seen why we could count on them to fill in the gaps.

Legally Blonde (2001, dir. Robert Luketic) ★★★½

The rating might be surprising, considering that the courtroom scene was responsible for the short law school phase I had in Grade 5. As if I could ever make use of the rules of haircare in an actual cross-examination. Of course, I am compelled to admire Elle (Reese Witherspoon) and how her motivations for going to Harvard shift from winning back a boy to discovering what she never knew she had and using these gifts to help those around her (especially the manicurist, who I feel was given way more exposure than what was due to her). Ultimately, though it was inspirational at some points, it felt too good to be true and impossible to relate to. (But then again, shouldn’t there be a willing suspension of disbelief when consuming forms of media such as this?)

Lady Bird (2017, dir. Greta Gerwig) ★★★★★

I’ll probably end up making a separate post dedicated to this movie and how it singlehandedly called me out, as a sensitive, occasionally self-important product of an all-girls Catholic high school. For now, I am forced to condense my overflowing feelings into a couple of sentences. Lady Bird takes place over the course of the titular character's senior year, a pivotal moment in the lives of all teenagers. But, instead of focusing solely on the formulaic firsts like the normal coming-of-age film would, it shines a light on her dwindling relationship with her equally strong-willed mother. Saoirse Ronan’s colorful performance as the human embodiment of my pre-teen self's conscience, and Greta Gerwig’s tremendous ability to make even oddly specific scenes speak to any viewer shine through and speak to me the most, and easily make this gem something I will be recommending this to anyone who bothers to ask for as long as I live.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018, dir. Bryan Singer) ★★★

There’s a lot of controversy surrounding Bo Rhap, particularly its failure to portray Freddie Mercury in a manner that does him justice. While I understand that it is a valid concern for fans of the band, I admit I don’t know enough about who he was as a person to criticize the film in this aspect. Regardless of its factuality, this still was just average for me, the typical rise-and-fall type of biopic that is indicative of a rockstar’s legacy, but with laughably faulty editing. The redeeming factors were Rami Malek’s brilliant portrayal of the legend himself—his Live Aid performance gave me chills that lasted the entire 20 minutes, how alarming—and, obviously, the soundtrack that I kept on loop for several days.

About Time (2013, dir. Richard Curtis) ★

Apparently, this movie focuses on Tim (Domhnall Gleeson), who discovers at age 21 that the men in his family have the power to time-travel and thus revise and repair certain parts of their lives. He uses this to address the fact that he’s never had a girlfriend, and effectively so as he ends up bagging Mary (Rachel McAdams), a charming American who is the settler in this relationship by default. But, of course, this gift is not without its dire consequences—or at least, that’s what it says on Wikipedia. It’s hard to trash on this and admit that I bailed halfway because so many of my friends swear by this. But, I just couldn’t stomach the lack of chemistry between the two leads; the surprisingly boring dialogue for a screenplay crafted by Richard Curtis of Notting Hill fame; and the story that, although bore enough of a resemblance to “The Time Traveler’s Wife” to be interesting, was still not powerful enough to sustain my attention.

Your Name (2016, dir. Makoto Shinkai) ★★★★★

I’m a huge fan of plots that are sure to make my eyes swell and heart hurt—I can’t explain the psychology behind this either. So when this was recommended to me and I had made it through an hour without shedding a single tear, I was prepared to be disappointed. But, the events leading up to the conclusion proceeded to rip me into shreds, as if to taunt me and say, “You asked for it.” Mitsuha (Mone Kamishiraishi) and Taki (Ryunosuke Kamiki), teenagers living on opposite sides of the country, suddenly start switching bodies following the appearance of a comet. This unexplainable phenomenon causes them to forge an unbreakable bond that transcends the very limits of time and space. I know the description is not much, but it’s best to experience this unique plot for yourself. Besides its storyline, its charm lies in its excruciating attention to detail in depicting life in urban and rural Japan, both in the realistic animation of one picturesque scene after another, and the use of cultural elements to arrive at a twist viewers will not see coming.

Booksmart (2019, dir. Olivia Wilde) ★★★★½

I can't summarize what I imagine Booksmart to be for teenagers in the future, so here's an entire scenario: It's the year 2070. Two young girls of around 16 are sprawled on their bedroom floor, watching this on whatever device they use for streaming. (Maybe it's from an LCD projector embedded in their foreheads, who knows.) The credits roll, and they instantly think to themselves, "Man, we were born in the wrong generation!" (They simultaneously think of doing a high-five, and without raising their hands themselves, it happens because that's technology.) Anyway, Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) are best friends who played by the rules all throughout high school and realized too late that they could’ve afforded to have a little more fun. On the eve of their graduation, they decide to cram four years’ worth of adventure in a single unpredictable and outrageous night, getting to grips with everything that comes their way in an exceedingly comedic yet refreshing fashion. Also, the protagonists have such a genuine and wholesome relationship: the way they hyped up their most ridiculous looking outfits, or overshared borderline uncomfortable stories is honestly my personal definition of an ideal friendship.

When Harry Met Sally (1989, dir. Rob Reiner) ★★★★½

Despite this film’s constant presence in every “chick flicks you must watch” list I’ve bothered searching up, I spent a huge chunk of my teen years in constant protest against the decision to cast Billy Crystal as the male lead instead of, I don’t know, literally any other actor on the planet. But, once I finished it, I realized that he’s a much better fit than I thought. The laidback Harry to Meg Ryan’s finicky Sally, both of them spare no effort exploring and debunking truths and misconceptions about modern relationships: examples of which are the idea of being high maintenance, and the quintessential question of whether a guy and girl can ever be just friends. Although their dynamic is the definition of slow burn, audiences can’t help but earnestly root for the pair—the frustration brought by the several almosts pay off in the end, as they lead to one of, if not, the most romantic love confession scene.

Hintayan ng Langit (2018, dir. Dan Villegas) ★★★★½

This tale adapted from a play by no less than Juan Miguel Severo is set in purgatory—a grandiose art museum-four star hotel hybrid of sorts—where souls can stop and rest while their papers for entry to heaven are being processed. It is here we meet Manolo (Eddie Garcia) and Lisang (Gina Pareno), ex-lovers with unfinished business. Things admittedly start off a bit slow, but it's understandable since there needs to be ample provision of context regarding the standard operating procedures of this unique waiting area. Once that’s done, the focus stays on the main actors, who drive audiences to tears with their powerful performances, and thought-provoking questions on matters of betrayal, forgiveness, and the afterlife. The ending had me rocking back and forth like a baby, my shirt soaked with tears, so do take heed and stock up on tissues!

The Social Network (2010, dir. David Fincher) ★★★★★

Within its packed first 15 minutes alone, you can easily see what makes The Social Network an example of cinema at its finest: an intoxicated Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) hacks into the websites of all Harvard dorms to create Facebook’s oldest ancestor from scratch, in an attempt to get back at his ex-girlfriend. The atmosphere is tense, the dialogue is loaded with witty one-liners and powerful insight, and the actors are so in touch with their characters they practically fuse into a single person. This remains consistent for the next two hours or so, making for an enjoyable and fast-paced, yet still informative glimpse into the human side of what is arguable the most powerful company of this era. I also heard that it’s much more fun if seen with the cast commentary on, so I’m gonna have to find a copy of that for myself!

Pretty in Pink (1986, dir. Howard Deutch) ★★★★★

I’m cheating here, I know: this has been a long-time favorite, but I guess I can still give a review if I was still 15 when I last saw this. Andie (Molly Ringwald) and Blane (Andrew McCarthy)’s classic “poor girl + rich boy = happily ever after” story is masterfully tackled by John Hughes, who manages to inject equal amounts of swoon-worthy romance and biting criticism of the inherent class divide in society. Others would argue that Duckie (Jon Cryer), Andie’s devoted best friend, is the true star of the show, and while I do agree that he has his shining moments (if you listen closely, you can hear Try A Little Tenderness playing softly in the background), I sadly inherited my mother’s adoration for Andrew, which I will pass on to my child and so on—truly the defining characteristic of our lineage.

St. Elmo’s Fire (1985, dir. Joel Schumacher) ½

I understand that being an adult in the Real World is bound to come with some grave mistakes and lapses in judgment. But, not a single character in this friend group redeems themselves by the end. While Ally Sheedy’s Leslie and Mare Winningham’s Wendy were just borderline forgettable (why did the latter even end up here with the Brat Pack?), Judd Nelson’s Alec cheats on his girlfriend and believes that marriage is what will make him change his ways; Rob Lowe’s Billy neglects the family he didn’t plan on having by fooling around with other women and making a home out of his favorite bar; Demi Moore’s Jules relies on cocaine and extramarital affairs to hide trauma she refuses to process, and Andrew McCarthy’s pretentiously cynical Kevin suddenly claims he knows what love is when Leslie pays attention to him for 10 minutes. But, none of them compare to Emilio Estevez’ Kirby, the sociopath obsessed with a girl he barely knows. It honestly resembles some sick contest of how many problems this gang can cause before they end up behind bars, with the last scene being a lazy and rushed attempt to wrap everything up, in the name of this surface-level “friendship”.

Before Sunrise, Sunset, and Midnight (1995, 2004, 2013; dir. Richard Linklater) ★★★★★

Guess it’s better to admit it now, but I made this post as an excuse to rave about how beautiful this trilogy is, the most authentic depiction of love in its purest form. Sunrise has been recommended to me by both friends and the Netflix algorithm, but I put off watching it again and again and again. I mean, what could I possibly get out of looking at two strangers roam around Vienna? Well, to answer that question: quite a lot. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy)’s relationship spans an entire trilogy, and throughout that period, they manage to define then destroy the idea of having a soulmate to call your own in approximately six hours. But certain constancies are present in each movie: the emotion intense even in the smallest of gestures (you don't understand the anguish I feel when the scene at the listening booth randomly pops in my head), the dialogue truly thought-provoking and natural, the settings so picturesque, and the chemistry of the actors so electric I have trouble believing that the director didn’t actually invade the personal space of a real couple and eventually get issued a restraining order.

High Fidelity (2000, dir. Stephen Frears) ★★

I’d like to think of this as an essay: I'm confident that the introduction is the protagonist Rob's soliloquy on his five biggest breakups to understand why he’s so flawed that everyone always leaves him, and the conclusion his attempt to win his ex Laura (Iben Hjejle) back. But as for the body, I’m not entirely sure. Interspersed between these moments are thoughtful top five lists of anything that can be enumerated, and occasional banter with the employees at his record store that may be charming, but do not enhance the film in any way, shape, or form for me. Also, I normally enjoy seeing John Cusack onscreen, but more often than not, he was nagging in front of the camera instead of talking to the people around him; no wonder his relationships failed!

Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010, dir. Edgar Wright) ★★★

I wanted to enjoy this so bad, I swear! Sadly, the one thing I gained after seeing this is knowledge of where the “I’m So Sad, So Very Very Sad” meme came from. I get that it’s supposed to resemble a comic book or video game, and maybe the reason why I failed to appreciate this as much is because I was never a fan of either. I found the prolonged action scenes surprisingly boring, the storyline too fantastic, and the whole quest of having to defeat seven monstrous exes for the hand of a manic pixie dream girl not worth it in the end. Although I can’t give it less than three stars given its impressive visual effects, and appeal to the entire Tumblr community (gamers on one end, millennial film connoisseurs on the other), it’s definitely not something I would watch a second time.

There will surely be more where that came from! (I mean it. Since completing this post, I’ve finished another five films.) If you wanna keep tabs on what I’m watching without having to wait on another post, you can give my Letterboxd a follow. Wishing you love and light always, and don’t forget to wash your hands and pray for our frontliners!

[amanlikechris]

PELICAN ISLAND – A CRASH COURSE

 Most living Barbadians probably know of at least one auxiliary Island that can be found off the coast of this place we call home. That would be Culpepper Island, found just North of the East point. More commonly among the older generation , however, exists knowledge of another Island which was also once a little sibling to Barbados, known as ‘Pelican Island’.

I became interested in Pelican island in the course of carrying out research on an extremely little known story in Barbadian history that I hope to present here at a later date.

Spoiler alert: The information I present here is not going to explore the entire history of Pelican Island in any great detail, there’ll be no ground breaking statements or discoveries within that add to already available knowledge.

What I do hope to provide in this article is more along the lines of a ‘crash-course’. In it, I’ll be addressing various commonly asked questions such as:

·        Where was Pelican Island?

·        How big was it?

·        What were it’s uses?

·        When, Why and How did it disappear?

Who knows? Maybe this article will jog the memories of those of us with first hand experiences and you’ll be encouraged to share what you know, so that more Barbadians can enjoy the tales of what was once known as ‘Pelican Island’.  

The earliest map I’ve come across in the background research for Pelican Island was produced in 1825 by a Capt. Barrallier.

[BARRALLIER]

 Prior to that, other mapmakers have acknowledged the presence of a sandbar or series of sandbars in the area, such as Bellin(1758), Jefferys Mayo & Sayer (1775) and LeRouge (1779)

[BELLIN]

[JEFFERYS, MAYO & SAYER]

[LeROUGE]

By now, there may be a few of you more familiar than myself with Barbadian maps that are saying “But, that’s wrong! He’s overlooked the Ligon!”, (this would be in reference to one of the earliest maps of Barbados published by Richard Ligon in 1657).

 [LIGON]

 It’s not that I haven’t considered this map, but my response to this would be “That’s debatable. How sure are you that Ligon’s representation is, in fact, Pelican Island?”

I can expand and support my position with the following points:

1.      Ligon’s map does identify an ‘Yland’ [Island] in the general vicinity of Carlisle Bay, and there is an annotation of a building thereupon. However, the island clearly lies to the south east of Carlisle Bay. Pelican Island was to the North West.

2.      I’ve searched Ligon’s book, but not managed to find any reference within it to any of the commonly acknowledged names for Pelican Island (I.e. Bagnall’s point/ Bignall’s Point/ Bird Island/ Pelican Island).

3.      Forde (1675) in his map of less than 25 years later, also shows an unnamed island to the South East of Carlisle bay, near what we now know as Dover/St.Lawrence, which would then suggest that maybe Ligon’s location was intentional and there actually was another island that disappeared over time.

[FORDE]

I’ll close by leaving that aspect, for you, the reader to decide. The coastline of Barbados is constantly changing as a result of both natural and unnatural forces. Locations that were known for white sandy beaches when we were younger are now devoid of sand, and areas that were previously rocky shorelines are now expansive beaches. It’ll be like that a long time after we’ve departed as well, it’s just the nature of the beast.

 Now that I’ve given a little background, let’s discuss the size. Records vary about the size of Pelican Island, but the general consensus seems to be that in its later form, the Island was about 610 feet long and just about 306 feet wide [CT sketch 2019]. I say “later form” because it appears that Pelican Island was also subject to the same forces at play that change the coast of the main island as we know it (I.e. natural and man-made causes) as early maps differ somewhat from the outline that has been documented in 20th century photographs.

 [HURD MAP] 

[AERIAL PHOTO ]

 We also know that it was located between 600 – 700 feet off the shore of Barbados and covered an area of between 0.8 – 1.1 acres (as the size seems to have increased over time). Oddly enough, the latest shape and orientation was also very similar to that of Barbados. It was easy to miss in the aerial photo above, but if we orientate the photo where north becomes up and, Voila! (It’s unknown whether the formation of this shape was intentional or unintentional).

 Then what about the uses of Pelican Island? Well, Dr. Shomburgk (1847) in his book, stated that there was a petition in the house of assembly to build a hospital on the island to help in the treatment and isolation of leprosy, considered a highly contagious disease at that time.

That petition failed, but The Barbados Museum notes in a Facebook post of December 2018, that aside from the island being a rich fishing ground, it was reported in the New York Times in 1866, that there was a quarantine station under construction on the island. The Times again reported that construction was progressing well in 1867 and that it was a very basic log cabin structure, designed to accommodate 6 patients as well as medical staff, known as a ‘Sick house’. We can then infer that it would have been completed in 1867. It’s interesting to note here that while this quarantine station may seem mundane to us in the modern world, Dr. Bertie Clarke in a 1971 article stated that the construction of a quarantine facility on a standalone island afforded us some sort of international status for travel, putting us on par with New York.

[If you’re paying attention to the finer detail thus far, you’ve probably asked yourself why the building in  Ligon’s (1657) map I referred to earlier pre-dates the first known documented building on Pelican island. Ripe for debate, I say.]

Over the next 80 years, the quarantine facility expanded to include many more buildings.

 [PELICAN ISLAND BUILDING LAYOUT PLAN]

  How often these facilities were utilised over those years, however, is anybody’s guess, as Prof. Charles Nutting (the Supervising Professor of a Zoological expedition by the University of Iowa) wrote that on his pre-visit in 1917, his local ‘fixer’ confirmed that the quarantine station “…had not been necessary to use it as such for several years.”  Prof. Nutting and his students, as a result, were then able to utilise the facilities for the duration of their field trip and if the publication can be relied on, it seems as though the Barbados leg of their journey was a rocking success.

N.B:- Prof. Nutting’s publication of the trip can be found online and it provides a very interesting first-hand account of what life was like in Barbados at the time

There are also unconfirmed reports that in its latter years the island served as a type of communications post of some sort. There’s also no shortage of rumours regarding other uses in the later years, but I won’t get into that here.

 So when and why exactly did Pelican Island disappear? Well prior to 1961, Ships arriving at Barbados would observe the following procedure. Large cruise ships would come in to anchor in the Carlisle Bay area, where the ship’s (or locally based) launches would ferry passengers to what we now know as the Pierhead. Baggage would follow in what was known as ‘lighters’.

[CARLISLE BAY PHOTO]

 [LAUNCH ON THE PIERHEAD W HARBOUR POLICE PHOTO]

 Passengers would then disembark on the shore and be guided into a customs and baggage facility for processing and entry into Barbados.

Now, as Barbadians we’re taught in our formative years about Barbados’ strategic geographic location, our Easternmost position meant that we would be the first point of contact for European ships traversing the Atlantic to the Caribbean and the last point for those going back. As a result, Barbados became a de-facto trade ‘distribution hub’ for lack of a better word. The South-West corner of the island was always the likeliest location for a harbour to be built as the area provided the best shelter from the slightly rougher Atlantic Ocean currents found on our windward side as well as protection from the North-Easterly trade winds.

Proposals to construct a more capable harbour facility have been documented from as far back as the 1690’s. In fact, the history page of the Bridgetown Port’s website notes that construction of an initial harbour commenced in 1694, however that project was abandoned after a hurricane destroyed the facility in the final stages of construction.  

Since then, numerous reports have crossed many desks regarding why a major infrastructure project such as this would be beneficial to our island. Then in 1915 the idea began to gain traction when plans and designs were submitted to the House of Assembly. Later, a five year plan was discussed, part of which was to construct a deep water harbour in Bridgetown .Sir Alfred Savage put forward the following reasons for its construction to the colonial office (paraphrased):

1.      To establish Barbados as a main distributing Centre for the Eastern Caribbean

2.      To cut existing port labour charges

3.      To demonstrate that Barbados led the West Indies in terms of infrastructure

From there, the rest as we say “is history”. British Construction company Richard Costain (West Indies) Ltd was contracted to carry out the civil works for the project, to the tune of $30 million British West Indies dollars, a massive undertaking by any means, in which, major steps would have to be undertaken to reclaim land from the sea in order to form a port. The project commenced in June 1957 and continued until its grand opening on the 6th of May 1961, bringing Barbados’ launch and lightering system to an end.

[PORT RECLAIMATION PHOTOS]

As a part of these reclamation works, our own Pelican Island became encompassed, and is now known to be a permanent fixture of the Bridgetown Port.

[PORT RECLAIMATION PHOTOS W. PELICAN SHOWN]

   So, finally, you may have noted that I’ve skirted around possibly the most popular question that arises whenever the topic of Pelican Island is raised, which is - “So where exactly was Pelican Island?”

Well, to the best of my knowledge there’s no document yet in the public domain that accurately shows where Pelican Island sat in relation to the current port layout. After months of digging around in various archival departments, libraries, newspapers and map purveyors my hypothesis is summarised on the following composite photo.

 [HURD, GOOGLE MAPS OVERLAY]

 The Image is an overlay of a rare admiralty map produced by a Capt. Hurd (1862) and Google’s most recent satellite image at the time of this article.

You may have some difficulty making it out on your screen but based on the information, I theorise that Pelican Island lies under the Bridgetown Port’s main entrance guard hut and extends to the adjacent roundabout found at the end of Trevor’s Way.

What amazed me the most when I overlaid the admiralty map was how well it fit against the modern map. The layout of the main roads is largely unchanged from 1862 (the time of the map’s publication). Those of you who are familiar with the layout of Bridgetown might be able to immediately identify streets such as Fontabelle, Baxter’s Road, Passage Road and Westbury Road.

[HURD MAP]

 If you have a keen eye, you may also recognise a few other features from the overlay, such as, the appearance that the entire stretch from James Fort once sat down to the Port also now sits on reclaimed land.

[RECLAIMED AERIAL]

When I made a public appeal to verify that this assumption was plausible, one notable response I received was as follows:-

“Much of that area is reclaimed land. The history of land reclamation in Bridgetown over the centuries is an interesting one. Remember that much of Bridgetown is built on a previously existing red mangrove swamp. In my excavations in Bridgetown over the years, I have often exposed tangled mangroves roots at depths of four or five feet. That area at the back of the Public buildings was a swamp that was filled in during the eighteenth century. The Pierhead or Mole as it used to be known was originally ponds, reefs and a couple of rocky islets. Then in the eighteenth century, the townspeople were instructed to dump their garbage there, an early example of a landfill. Where James Fort is located or at least the old wharehouse [sic] which is built directly on top of the still existing James Fort (still in good shape, I have seen it with my very eyes), waves used to lash the ramparts of the fort. Today that is a road and south of that the car park and the area where Bajan helicopters used to be. All that is reclaimed land. Peter Parker when he was head of the port, had plans to turn the whole area into extensive gardens. That plan mouldered away on some office as so many plans do and thus it became a ubquitous car park. Also in the first half of the twentieth century, all that area around the abbatoir, fish market, Trevor's Way was all reclaimed. Regarding the Deep Water harbour and the Shallow Draft, I estimate that close to an additional square mile of land has been added to the total land area of Barbados.”

Sure enough, we can also see remnants of the swamps along various points of the Constitution River.

Thus brings my contribution to the memories of bygone Barbados to an end for now. I hope I’ve managed to keep your attention through it all.

 [MISCELLANEOUS PHOTOS, MY NOTES]

‘Acknowledgements’:

My original intention was to produce a completely different article, however, while that is still in production I’ve realised that I’d compiled so much information exploring the Pelican Island aspect that it seemed a shame not to share it. There are many who have helped me with the information above through publicly available means, I’ve tried to reach out to them directly, but largely left them uncredited as I’m unsure they would want to see their names (if you see something you recognise and would like me to credit you, feel free to get in contact). Many thanks to:

Anthony Michael Hinds for providing the photo of the pierhead.

[cryptswahili]

South Korean Retailer Displays Enjin Crypto Wallet On Samsung Galaxy S10: Is It A Mistake?

Enjin Wallet Displayed On Galaxy S10 Promotional Material 

Shash, a crypto enthusiast and content creator based out of Singapore, recently took to Twitter to note that a promotional image pertaining to Samsung’s “Blockchain Keystore” leaked, which purportedly is the South Korean powerhouse’s attempt at a private key storage system. The image, however, wasn’t one that this industry expected. Per Boxmining, a popular cryptocurrency Youtuber, it outlined a wallet from Enjin, a gaming startup that has delved into the blockchain space, not an application created by the multi-billion enterprise that is Samsung by itself.

Image of the new #Samsung #GalaxyS10 looks oddly familiar. https://t.co/Q9Hn3fjJ1H pic.twitter.com/NoUARM4aSB

— Shash (@emailshashwat) February 25, 2019

While this announcement could have easily been a leak, meaning that Enjin’s flagship wallet will appear on to-be-shipped S10s, this may not exactly be the case. In fact, Enjin’s inclusion in the promotional image may have either been a mistake or interesting attempt to create hype for Enjin’s products and offerings. BlockchainROK, a local source for Asian cryptocurrency news and developments, recently took to Twitter to post a leaked video of a Samsung tutorial video, which outlined a Bitcoin and Ethereum wallet that was designed in the Seoul-based company’s classic fashion — sleek, snowy white UI, minimalistic, and rounded buttons.

– Samsung now priming their phones with Blockchain tutorials. The wallet integration on the Galaxy S10 has been confirmed… even after they denied it. Trying to keep Apple on their toes? pic.twitter.com/wAd7EaPzKw

— Heslin Kim @BlockchainROK (@BlockchainROK) February 21, 2019

Funny enough, however, Enjin Coin (ENJ) seems to be drastically up on this news alone. At the time of writing, ENJ has found itself at $0.0426, posting a 7% gain for the past 24 hours. However, when put up against Bitcoin, Enjin’s cryptocurrency is up over 17%, as BTC plummeted suddenly on Sunday from $4,200 to $3,800 within thirty minutes.

What Does Samsung’s Blockchain Foray Mean Crypto?

Regardless of what form Samsung’s first public population-centric offering takes, many argue that the final product will be a major catalyst for adoption over the course of 2019 and beyond. Per previous reports from Ethereum World News, “Lord of Crypto” remarked that this could potentially be the “most bullish news” of 2019. The industry commentator noted that the fact that Samsung, the world’s most prominent smartphone provider, has effectively endorsed cryptocurrencies should be a positive sign. He added that many are underestimating the magnitude of this news, as other technology companies, namely Google and Apple, could follow suit.

Per statistics gathered by Satoshi Flipper, a real estate developer by trade but Bitcoin lover by night, Samsung shipped 70 million units in Q4 2018 alone. All the devices shipped likely weren’t flagships. But, considering the popularity of Galaxy devices, it wouldn’t be nonsensical to claim that a minimum of 25 million individuals will pick up S10 smartphones over the course of the coming year.

FACTS:

– Twitter has 326 million active monthly users – Samsung shipped 70 million units In Q4 2018 alonehttps://t.co/D76Bl99PSD and the new Galaxy smartphones will do more for bitcoin adoption than @Bakkt and all the ETF's in the pipeline combined.https://t.co/LJZH7y9waz

— Satoshi, MBA (@SatoshiFlipper) February 20, 2019

Thus, Satoshi Flipper noted that KeyStore & Co., along with a Lightning Network application, could do more for Bitcoin adoption than “Bakkt and all the ETF’s in the pipeline combined.”

Yet, as it stands, this is all optimistic speculation. But, considering the hearsay, many are hoping that Samsung’s newest offering and attempt to pander to the cryptocurrency audience will spark an ‘arms race’ for which technology giant can create the best blockchain-centric offerings.

Title Image Courtesy of Samsung

The post South Korean Retailer Displays Enjin Crypto Wallet On Samsung Galaxy S10: Is It A Mistake? appeared first on Ethereum World News.

[Telegram Channel | Original Article ]

[lodelss]

Soraya Roberts | Longreads | March 2020 |  9 minutes (2,261 words)

The image that struck me most was the empty piazza. That Italian square — I believe it was in Venice — with no one in it. Maybe a bird or two. It looked inviting but also wholly unnatural. A city square is made for people, lots of people, people from everywhere. If people aren’t there, does it cease to be a square? I wondered the same thing about the Louvre and its tens of thousands of objects with no one to look at them — is it still a museum, or is it just a warehouse? I wondered about all those Berlin concert halls with no one to hear their music, all those Indian cinemas with no one to watch their films, all those crumbling ruins everywhere, standing there with no tourists to behold them or to record that beholding for everyone else. At this particular point in history, does art exist if we aren’t sharing it? 

By sharing I mean not only sharing a moment with the art itself, but also sharing the space with other people, and more literally, sharing all of that online — posting updates on Facebook, photos on Twitter, videos on TikTok, stories on Instagram. This kind of “sharing” is constriction rather than expansion, regressing back to the word’s etymological root of “cutting apart.” This contortion of a selfless act into a selfish one is symptomatic of a society that expects everyone to fend for themselves: Sharing online is not so much about enlightening others as it is about spotlighting yourself. It’s impossible to disconnect the images of those now-empty spots from the continuous splash of reports about the coronavirus pandemic gouging the global economy. In America, the economy is the culture is the people. Americans are not citizens; they are, as the president recently put it, “consumers.” And on the web, consuming means sharing that consumption with everyone else. That the images suddenly being shared are empty exposes the big con — that in reality, no one has really been sharing anything. That social distancing is nothing new.

* * *

Even before Hollywood started postponing all of its blockbusters and talk shows started filming without audiences and festivals started to dismantle and bands canceled their tours and sports seasons suspended indefinitely, the public was turning on cultural institutions run by a subset of morally dubious elites. In December 2018, protesters at the Whitney Museum of American Art burned sage (“smoke that chokes the powerful but smells sweet to us”) and forced the departure of the board’s vice chairman, Warren Kanders, the CEO of the company that manufactures tear gas that has reportedly been used at the border. Two months later, artist Nan Goldin, who had a three-year opioid addiction, led a “die-in” at the Guggenheim over the museum’s financial ties to the Sackler family, the Purdue Pharma founders who many hold responsible for the opioid crisis. In the U.K., the Tate Modern and Tate Britain also dropped the Sacklers, while climate activists pulled a Trojan Horse into the courtyard of the British Museum to protest the sponsorship of an exhibition by oil and gas company BP. As performance artist Andrea Fraser, known for her institutional critiques, wrote in 2012, “It is clear that the contemporary art world has been a direct beneficiary of the inequality of which the outsized rewards of Wall Street are only the most visible example.” 

If that recent exhibition of impressionist paintings seemed oddly familiar, or that ballet you just saw appears to keep coming back around, or that one classical musician looks like he’s hired nonstop, it’s not your imagination. It’s a function of that exclusive control, of the same artists, the same works, the same ideas being circulated (“shared”?) by the same gatekeepers over and over and over again. “Far from becoming less elitist, ever-more-popular museums have become vehicles for the mass-marketing of elite tastes and practices,” wrote Fraser in Artforum in 2005. Which is why certain names you wouldn’t think would cross over — from contemporary artist Jeff Koons to art-house filmmaker Terrence Malick — are more widely known than others. According to The New York Times in 2018, only two of the top 10 all-white art museum chairs in the country are women. And almost half of the 500-plus people on the boards of the 10 most popular American museums have become rich off the finance industry, while many others owe their wealth to oil and gas; the small group that is responsible for exploiting the world is the same group that is responsible for its enlightenment. They determine which pieces of art are bought, how they are curated, and how they are disseminated — theirs are the tastes and practices we are sharing.

With this “increasingly monopolized market and increasing parochialism,” German artist Hito Steyerl explained last year, “a sense of international perspective gets lost, which is a wider sign of rampant isolationism.” And this doesn’t just apply to high arts, but “low” arts as well; movies, music, television, theater, books have all been corporatized to the extreme, with huge amounts of money going to a few while the majority lose out. This is how you get a never-ending Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Leslie Harris — the first African American woman to win a Dramatic Feature Competition special jury prize at Sundance for writing, directing, and producing her 1993 film Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. — still can’t get a second feature off the ground. 

While public funding for the arts has plummeted since the ’80s, however, the web has increasingly encouraged public sharing of its consumption on social media. Online, we look more traveled, more cultured, more inclusive than ever before. And it’s difficult to argue that wider access to art, that our increasing proximity to foreign cultures, could be wrong. But if you look closer, you notice that all this connectivity is largely superficial — it is heavily prescribed and strongly overlaps. The latter-day bourgeoisie all travel to Portugal at the same time, all visit the same Marina Abramovic exhibit, all watch the same Agnes Varda films, attend the same Phoenix tour. They clamor less to immerse themselves than to record and reproduce everything they have experienced, their distraction expressed by the ever-growing collection of imagery memorializing all the different experiences they’ve had — the same kind of different as everyone else’s.

“An idea of progressive internationalism,” Steyerl told Ocula magazine, “is progressively abandoned or gets snowed under constant waves of affect and outrage manipulated by monopolist platforms, and solidarity is swapped for identity.” In other words, all of this supposed sharing is really a tech-sanctioned performance of capitalism to showcase one’s value in a toxic din of competing consumers. The more photogenic the better, which means the less nuance, the better; think the Museum of Ice Cream, which costs almost 40 bucks for access to photo-friendly adult playgrounds — “environments that foster IRL interaction and URL connections” — like a “Sprinkle Pool” of multi-colored biodegradable bits you can’t actually eat. And the more recognizable the look (see: the retro aesthetic of any teen Netflix show), the more heady words like “nostalgia” become a proxy for depth that isn’t actually there. As we speed online through Steyerl’s distracted fragmentary so-called “junktime,” we quickly compound what she dubs “circulationism,” propagating images with the most power, giving them even more power. Standing next to the Mona Lisa, for instance, offers greater token currency among a wider set than standing next to anything by Kara Walker, who speaks to a more immersed but smaller audience. Either way, online, currency is king.

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Culture has, above all, become a mark of personal wealth. When Americans share their experiences on social media, they are sharing their cultural capital with a neoliberal society that defines them by it. This is a result of the culture war Fraser recognized several years ago, which “has effectively identified class privilege and hierarchy with cultural and educational rather than economic capital.” But, again, economics ultimately rules. While the poor may be allowed to briefly occupy the space of cultural capital, it is the rich who own it, who offer it up for limited consumption.

Yet the desperation to share, to express one’s value in a world that is so intent on devaluing us all, is deeply human. Which is why you get people Photoshopping themselves onto famous backdrops, which, from a cultural capital perspective, is no different from being there — on social media a photograph is a photograph, and the real Sistine Chapel looks the same as the Etsy wallpaper reproduction. People have always consumed art partly for the cultural capital rather than just the personal enrichment, but now the goal is to broadcast the enrichment itself to the public: sharing one’s consumption of the aura has priority over one’s actual consumption of the aura. Though a hierarchy persists even here. The authentic art consumer, the one who actually experiences the work in person, looks down upon the forger. As Walter Benjamin wrote, the aura of a piece of art is tied to its presence, which can’t be replicated. Which is to say the essence of art can only be experienced through the art itself — a picture can’t recreate it, but it does make its shared image more valuable. 

It’s apt that right now, in the midst of a pandemic, the popularity of a cultural site can kill and that virtual tours are being encouraged over actual ones. What better way to illustrate that our increasingly insular art world has not in fact connected us at all, but has done the opposite? As Steyerl noted in e-flux magazine in 2015, the Louvre, that model of national culture, was a “feudal collection of spoils” before revolutionaries turned it into a public museum, “the cultural flagship of a colonial empire that tried to authoritatively seed that culture elsewhere, before more recently going into the business of trying to create franchises in feudal states, dictatorships, and combinations thereof.” Those with the means flock to symbols of elitism like this, not to widen their perspective in solidarity with the world, not to connect with a community of strangers, but to bolster their own value locally by sharing the encounter online. This is not globalism; this is the neoliberal stand-in for it.

All of that foot traffic, all of that online diffusion, is an expression of how we have commodified the individual consumption of art to the point that it looks like we are sharing it with others. We aren’t. We are instead dutifully promoting ourselves as valuable consumers in the capitalist community we are complicit in perpetuating. “It’s not a question of inside or outside, or the number and scale of various organized sites for the production, presentation, and distribution of art,” wrote Fraser in Artforum. “It’s not a question of being against the institution: We are the institution.”

* * *

One of the last movies I saw in the cinema before they started closing down was The Invisible Man. It was a perfect example of how a public screening can tell you what streaming cannot — in real time, you can gauge by the reactions around you whether or not it will be a hit. As with certain art installations, you are experiencing not only the art, but also simultaneously others’ experience with it. In that theater, we screamed and laughed and sat agog together. It was a spark of community that extinguished the moment the lights lifted. A few weeks later, these same strangers who shared that moment of emotion together, headed to supermarkets to empty out toilet roll aisles, buy up all the disinfectant, and clear out the fresh meat despite a collective need for it. These same strangers who in concert cheered on an oppressed heroine, went on to unashamedly side-eye the Asians in their community. Individuals in North American society can occasionally partake in a cultural experience with their neighbors, but in the end it’s to exhibit their own counterfeit edification. It’s telling that the big tech these individuals ultimately share their consumption on — Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Tumblr, Instagram — rarely funds the arts.

Which brings us back to those empty images from the start of this essay. Proliferating photographs of abandoned culture, of objects ignored, confront the hollowness of online sharing. Social media implies connection, but the context of its shares is as important as the context of art’s production and neither can be divorced from the hierarchies in which they reside. No wonder our meagre individual expressions of value dictated by capitalist enterprise fit perfectly within a capitalist enterprise that profits off our inability to ever sate ourselves. The only way to really share — with art, with each other — is to remove sharing from this construct. The only way to really connect — to support a collective of artists, to support a collective of human beings — is to distance ourselves from the misguided values we have internalized.

“At its most utopian, the digital revolution opens up a new dematerialized, deauthored, and unmarketable reality of collective culture,” writes Claire Bishop in Artforum. Under a worldwide pandemic, we see a move toward this — individuals freely leaking their cultural subscriptions, artists offering performances for nothing, even institutions waiving fees for access to their virtual collections. While the vulnerability spreading across America right now is ordinarily framed as weakness in the landscape of capitalist bravado, it is central to real sharing and offers a rare chance to dismantle the virulent elitism that has landed us here. It’s unfortunate that it takes a dystopia, a global interruption of the systems in place, to see what a utopia can be — one in which sharing is about the creation and cultivation of community, a reality that only exists outside the one we have built.

* * *

Soraya Roberts is a culture columnist at Longreads.

[bitcoingape]

South Korean Retailer Displays Enjin Crypto Wallet On Samsung Galaxy S10: Is It A Mistake?

New Post has been published on http://bitcoingape.com/south-korean-retailer-displays-enjin-crypto-wallet-on-samsung-galaxy-s10-is-it-a-mistake/

South Korean Retailer Displays Enjin Crypto Wallet On Samsung Galaxy S10: Is It A Mistake?

Enjin Wallet Displayed On Galaxy S10 Promotional Material 

Shash, a crypto enthusiast and content creator based out of Singapore, recently took to Twitter to note that a promotional image pertaining to Samsung’s “Blockchain Keystore” leaked, which purportedly is the South Korean powerhouse’s attempt at a private key storage system. The image, however, wasn’t one that this industry expected. Per Boxmining, a popular cryptocurrency Youtuber, it outlined a wallet from Enjin, a gaming startup that has delved into the blockchain space, not an application created by the multi-billion enterprise that is Samsung by itself.

Image of the new #Samsung #GalaxyS10 looks oddly familiar. https://t.co/Q9Hn3fjJ1H pic.twitter.com/NoUARM4aSB

— Shash (@emailshashwat) February 25, 2019

While this announcement could have easily been a leak, meaning that Enjin’s flagship wallet will appear on to-be-shipped S10s, this may not exactly be the case. In fact, Enjin’s inclusion in the promotional image may have either been a mistake or interesting attempt to create hype for Enjin’s products and offerings. BlockchainROK, a local source for Asian cryptocurrency news and developments, recently took to Twitter to post a leaked video of a Samsung tutorial video, which outlined a Bitcoin and Ethereum wallet that was designed in the Seoul-based company’s classic fashion — sleek, snowy white UI, minimalistic, and rounded buttons.

– Samsung now priming their phones with Blockchain tutorials. The wallet integration on the Galaxy S10 has been confirmed… even after they denied it. Trying to keep Apple on their toes? pic.twitter.com/wAd7EaPzKw

— Heslin Kim @BlockchainROK (@BlockchainROK) February 21, 2019

Funny enough, however, Enjin Coin (ENJ) seems to be drastically up on this news alone. At the time of writing, ENJ has found itself at $0.0426, posting a 7% gain for the past 24 hours. However, when put up against Bitcoin, Enjin’s cryptocurrency is up over 17%, as BTC plummeted suddenly on Sunday from $4,200 to $3,800 within thirty minutes.

What Does Samsung’s Blockchain Foray Mean Crypto?

Regardless of what form Samsung’s first public population-centric offering takes, many argue that the final product will be a major catalyst for adoption over the course of 2019 and beyond. Per previous reports from Ethereum World News, “Lord of Crypto” remarked that this could potentially be the “most bullish news” of 2019. The industry commentator noted that the fact that Samsung, the world’s most prominent smartphone provider, has effectively endorsed cryptocurrencies should be a positive sign. He added that many are underestimating the magnitude of this news, as other technology companies, namely Google and Apple, could follow suit.

Per statistics gathered by Satoshi Flipper, a real estate developer by trade but Bitcoin lover by night, Samsung shipped 70 million units in Q4 2018 alone. All the devices shipped likely weren’t flagships. But, considering the popularity of Galaxy devices, it wouldn’t be nonsensical to claim that a minimum of 25 million individuals will pick up S10 smartphones over the course of the coming year.

FACTS:

– Twitter has 326 million active monthly users – Samsung shipped 70 million units In Q4 2018 alonehttps://t.co/D76Bl99PSD and the new Galaxy smartphones will do more for bitcoin adoption than @Bakkt and all the ETF's in the pipeline combined.https://t.co/LJZH7y9waz

— Satoshi, MBA (@SatoshiFlipper) February 20, 2019

Thus, Satoshi Flipper noted that KeyStore & Co., along with a Lightning Network application, could do more for Bitcoin adoption than “Bakkt and all the ETF’s in the pipeline combined.”

Yet, as it stands, this is all optimistic speculation. But, considering the hearsay, many are hoping that Samsung’s newest offering and attempt to pander to the cryptocurrency audience will spark an ‘arms race’ for which technology giant can create the best blockchain-centric offerings.

Title Image Courtesy of Samsung

The post South Korean Retailer Displays Enjin Crypto Wallet On Samsung Galaxy S10: Is It A Mistake? appeared first on Ethereum World News.

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[rockandrollportlandor]

DAZZLESHIPS RECORDS - “Raised by Women”

Note: normally, I don't even mention people's identity clusters in my reviews, because 90% of the time it's irrelevant to the music. However I wanted to preface this review with some of my thought about women in indie music, because this is a compilation which does stop and explicitly acknowlege the contributions of its musicians as women. By 2018, female musicians haven't just carved out a place for themselves in indie music--they're its driving force, and probably the only thing preventing the entire genre, which was for so many years dominated by white cishet collegiate and post-collegiate men, and which had never recovered from its brief heyday of dominance in the 1990's, from disintegrating into total irrelevance. This isn't to say that women in "the scene" are any less subject to the violence, offenses, and injustices that women have been subject to throughout human history. Going by the stats on assault, we have to assume that most male sexual assaulters continue to be protected in all social circles, even as many others are called out. Every manner of irritation still comes at women in indie circles. Seasoned musicians are given unsoliticed tips, male reviewers overtly or subtly focus on the artist's appearance over her music, and womanhood is frequently perceived as a genre unto itself, as the old maxim decries. The maginalization of women and, more broadly speaking, femme performativity in indie music isn't just bad for equity/equality, it's bad for music itself. And likewise, feminism is as important a practice in aesthetics as it is in politics. I don't want to miss out on a great experience of new music because I'm too busy staring at the ass of the person making it, or, on the other end of the spectrum, puffing up my ego because I fancy myself so enlightened to be enjoying this woman just for her music. I just want to hear the music, not myself. I hear myself all fucking day long. And I really hope I'm not rare in the world of indie rock, and the world generally. Women can shout until their voices give, but if men aren't going to finally let them into the spaces they're banned from, both physically and psychologically, and commit to cease a whole range of violent thought and behavior toward women, ranging from mere dismissal of their minds to actual murder, nothing's going to happen. Feminism is a task for everyone, and you don't have to march in a single protest or call out a creep online or whatever to do good work. The struggle in your own head, and how it plays out in small ways, might be your own greatest work. Or maybe, if you're Hunter Skowron of Dazzleships Records, you'll put out a compilation of some of Portland's choicest woman-fronted bands, and donate all the proceeds to Raphael House, a local non-profit providing a safe haven from domestic violence. Skowron has assembled a diverse collection of some of the choicest woman-fronted bands Portland's indie rock/pop scene has to offer. Though the excellent sequencing might make it less apparent, these artists have little to do with each other within the indie pop/rock spectrum and probably won't be together on the same compilation if it had a different theme, but this only makes it all the more interesting of a listen. It opens with the dark horses Skull Diver, who've generated signicant buzz since their arrival without--at least it appears to me--relying on the kind of neopotism we all know about... I know them best for their dirgey tragic numbers, but this tune, "Bad Star", feels more like Depeche Mode. Nonetheless, it still drenches you with the Skull Diver house mood of melancholic defiance, and it's a great way to open the record. Mini Blinds comes next, shrinking the paranoramic picture frame of Skull Diver to something more akin to an 18 inch cathode ray TV, a sound more like classic 80's and 90's indie pop. There's a bittersweet quality in singer Beth Ann Dear, and while song sounds kind of cute at first, the angst can be felt quietly rumbling beneath the surface. The title, "Happy" feels ironic, but I might be picking up the wrong vibes. Cat Hoch comes next, offering up a surprising pure pop tune rooted in very 80's-sounding synths, radically different from her early solo material, which was 60's-rooted, meandering, guitar-based psych pop well-suited to driving through the desert. This new track, "Say You Love Me", is bouncy and charming--you could almost imagine Jane Fonda using it as a background track for one of her aerobics videos. But what's most interesting is how Hoch's ethereal, almost completely breathy voice, a strength of her music from day one, has mostly remained the same in this new environment, where it's so different from what Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Debbie Gibson might do over such a backing track. It's a little lighter and freer than the old Hoch, but it retains a lot of that wide-eyed mystical aura, making for an oddly delightful confection. Natasha Kmeto comes next, one of the more high-profile artists in a city whose best acts are often content to never venture beyond the West Coast. "Your Girl" is a primo piece of contemporary electronic pop dreaminess that gives me the impression of a glacier slowly melting, becoming grander and grander as its heart shrinks more and more. It's the kind of song you listen to in your car when you're heartbroken, outside your ex's house to get the last of your stuff and you just can't go in because you're sobbing. Okay that was random, anyway... Rilla, a group I've been personally familiar for several years due to connections with the Toads, contributes "Side Sleeper", an excellent example of their unique sound, strongly focused on instrumental interactions between the two guitars and bass that remind me so much of the perky melodicism of 8-bit video games, but without the stiffness--actually, Rilla can be quite romantic, and this song is one of those. Voices, almost ghostly, drift in and out, abstract commentary on the web woven by the guitars. They're excellent at structuring songs, departing from verse-chorus-verse and often making it seem like the tunes have more parts than they really do. Call it sleight of time. Johanna Warren takes us on another 180 with a self-probing folk song, which feels to me, sonically at least, like a complement to the Natasha Kmeto song two tracks ago, but in an acoustic instead of electronic mode. Warren's voice lingers on each syllable of her lyrics, compelling as much with her phrasing as the pensive fingerpicked guitar and spooky piano notes do, and most of all the negative space that engulfs the song like mist. DANDAN returns us to the realm of synths with a mostly instrumental track that sounds like music in a groovy retro-futuristic lounge on the planet Saturn. I wonder if this band is familiar with Dick Hyman and his album "Moon Gas", because I'm getting hard vibes in that direction. Next is one of the best Blackwater Holylight, "Sunrise", which I've described in my recent review of their first album. Laura Palmer's Death Parade, whose frontwoman Laura Hopkins is also a member of Blackwater Holylight, brings of the rear of her other band's song, contributing "Scrollin". Driven by a harsh, spikey electric rhythm guitar, it's a tune of romantic frustration, building in tension as Hopkins increases the vulnerability and resentment in her voice before it trails down in abject defeat. Her lover is gone, leaving her to be "destroyed by the light of [her] phone", a thoroughly modern sort of misery. A quicky and satisfying piece of songwriting. Haste brings up the energy a bit with "Let's Play with Ourselves", pushed along by a modified "Be My Baby" or maybe "Maps" beat, bobbing up and down for the most part on two chords (save for a bridge), like a little boat at sea. Singer Jasmine Linee Wood delivers a sleepy but heartfelt performance playing off the bands's rhythm section provides the consistent pulse, conveying maybe the purest expression of melancholy on an album that seems suffused with that emotion. Sheers, on of the city's most mysterious and unique pop acts, closes the album with her harp-driven song "An Occasion", offering a fine example of her jazz-inflected curiosities. I've also written about her music at length recently, so I won't repeat here, except to say it's a major highlight of this album. It's really a perfect closer to this overcast hashish dream of a record, which should be a welcome companion to get you through the rest of this Northwest winter. As I said, melancholy is the predominant note mood-wise in this collection, but there are so many flavors and states of it that it doesn't really feel as monochomatic as you might think. How good of a represenation of women musicians in town is it? Fuck if I know. I do know every song is great, and every song was made by women, so take that for whatever, in the end, it really means. AN ADDITIONAL NOTE: This is a long meditative post because I've reached the end of a year in which I promised to center bands and artists who were not white, cishet, or male. I ended up, due perhaps to a lack of adventurousness on my part and Portland indie rock's already poor diversity, mostly writing about white cishet women, but regardless of who I was writing about I ended up appreciating all the more the contributions of non-white, non-cishet, non-male folks in our music community. Mostly, I wish i had written more of anything on the blog this year, but you know how shit goes. In 2019 I'm going to go back to writing about whoever moves me regardless of identity cluster. Restricting white cis men didn't didn't feel any different, mostly, but maybe it's not supposed to. It's probably true that I wrote about a bunch of people I would have put on the back burner, and that's pretty good.

[tiktok883-blog]

Musical.ly Has Merged With Tik Tok an additionatik tok tiktok tiktok followersl Chinese video app

"Do it for the Vine" was the unofficial slogan of the now-defunct, as soon as hugely preferred short-form video app Vine. You would certainly listen to individuals shout it from behind their phone cams as they shot their friends dance, planking in public, or blowing big vape clouds. The Chinese application Tik Tok offers mainly the same function that Vine satisfied till its closure in 2016. Its tagline, "Make every second matter," is like "Do it for the Vine" for the "wellness" period. As well as if you're over the age of 18, you have actually probably never ever heard of it. Just recently, Tik Tok combined with an additional Chinese video clip app called Musical.ly. The last launched in 2014. By 2015, it was currently reeling in millions of international users with the United States teen market as its centerpiece. This year, four years after its inception, Musical.ly flaunted 100 million month-to-month active individuals-- whose accounts have actually been transferred over to Tik Tok's the same system-- showing growth at about the same rate as Instagram during its first 4 years. By comparison, Spotify remains in its tenth year as well as records 180 million regular monthly active users. You can boost your followers and likes count by using Tik Tok Likes Hack Tik Tok harmonizes the significantly visual social networks landscape. Yet what sets it apart is its main focus: lip-syncing. Tik Tok's homepage suggests an electronic playground, largely comprised of tween ladies performing viral dance moves and mouthing verses to Top 40 tunes. In what appears to be an effort to draw in as well as keep young individuals, Facebook and Instagram have just recently introduced brand-new attributes that simulate Tik Tok's version. Instagram's "music stickers" allow users to include music to their pictures and videos. Facebook's "Lip-Sync Live" is exactly just what it seems like. These new enhancements could very well capture on, but they do not have the gripping result crucial to Tik Tok's charm. Tik Tok's no-frills user interface gets right to the point, nearly boldy so. Immediately upon opening the application, trending miniature video fill your phone display for 15-seconds to a min at once-- an endless stream of quick, commitment-free ruptureds of dopamine. Tik Tok has 3 fundamental functions: watch, search, and create. It's easy to browse. A retreat path, nonetheless, is tougher to carve out. The web content feed is oddly addicting, like an IV drip of effortless amusement. You don't even need to scroll: as soon as one clip surfaces, an additional plays instantly. There's something practically corrupt about these hand-held efficiencies. Twelve-year-old kids flex their preadolescent biceps. Women belly dance in full-face makeup and sporting activities bras. Tik Tok's typical customer drops within the 13 to 18 age variety, a constantly-entertained and easily-distracted generation whose needs, national politics, and also tastes govern the future of social networks as well as, for that matter, culture. The platform is developed to nurture the habits of today's young people. It echoes and also informs their way of living-- the shortened hit tunes, Kylie Jenner-inspired outfits, viral dancing steps-- like a 24/7 teen publication. Unique designs as well as trends establish across the application. One of the most enduring as well as widespread technique sees users quickly rotating electronic camera angles and miming in addition to sped-up tracks. There are "difficulties" to take part in. Some include lip-syncing a particular line or carrying out a preferred dance. Others are much more puzzling, like claiming the floor is lava and also attracting acnes on your face. The "area" is shaped by these shared activities. There are typically a couple of tracks that reign supreme among lip-syncing videos. As I compose this, the #InMyFeelingsChallenge, which entails dancing beyond an auto to Drake's "In My Sensations," is among the top hashtags, yet that difficulty and also its coming with tune will soon be replaced with an additional and discolor right into irrelevance. In his publication Just how Music Functions, David Byrne purports, "Background and society can't actually be preserved by technology alone." Without a doubt, when decreased to trending clips, music leaves a fleeting influence. Any emotional or experiential relevance amassed from a performance's social environment, or the perception left after listening to a cd from front-to-back, is lost in this digitized "social" sector. We experience music extra frequently, delicately, as well as passively than before. A document isn't limited to the home; we could pay attention to it on the commute to function or at the fitness center. Not just that, we could browse through and download thousands of documents. We can also videotape our very own record. The downside of this endless digital grab bag is how it can minimize the music itself. Listeners are encouraged to take in as much music as is humanly feasible. Tik Tok's bite-sized snippets, made to consume one-after-another, see this growth in its most extreme, crystalline type. Tik Tok distills the ongoing meme-ification of music, cut and also squeezed to fit our focus periods. Injected into social media sites's communion of performance as well as self-involvement, music is merely fodder for content. Tik Tok's most-used audios loosely correspond with Signboard's Warm 100 chart. The remainder of the clip library responds to just what's hot as well as reproduces it. Take 2018 It Girl Ariana Grande, for example. Along with her hits, blurb from Grande's character on the 2010 Nickelodeon show Triumphant flood the platform. Bazzi's chart-climbing solitary "Mine" is among the best tracks on Tik Tok. So prominent that its universality exceeded the track itself: the opening notes have been recreated as wacky AutoTuned squeals in a brand-new viral blurb. Tik Tok resembles a post-radio maker where you're perpetually skimming networks and they're just the same. The branch of pop music as soon as geared towards radio plays-- the appealing ones intended to hit a nerve hyper-specific to the current moment-- flourishes under this system.

Exactly what we're entrusted is an ouroboros of recyclable pop stars, a comments loophole in between the possible pop celebrities utilizing the application as well as the megastars whose music is being lip-synced. The equation for success in this overlooked competition doesn't make up musical skill. Music, in a feeling, is repurposed for customers' individual brands. However, prominent customers-- frequently revered for the attitude, sense of rhythm, trendy closet, as well as face balance they offer already-existing songs-- have actually gone on to rack up record offers. On the planet of Tik Tok, risks are low, yet the benefits are high. A Tik Tok customer plays both candidate and judge on this figurative game program, carrying out from a platform and also deciding that of their equivalents to support. It's American Idolizer, yet nobody is vocal singing and also the program isn't confined to a regular hour-long time block. Contestants have just a few secs to stand apart as well as for a little while stop briefly the unlimited scroll they're competing with. First impressions are whatever. Top place owners win a foot in the music and entertainment industries, together with the successful benefits of being social media influencer. Seventeen-year-old Ariel Rebecca Martin, called Baby Ariel, signed with Innovative Artists Company in 2016 as well as launched her debut solitary "Aww" the list below year. It's not bad; it has the familiar circulation of a generic 2010s pop song and the music video, which has actually been seen over 44 million times, features adorable youngsters, charming animals, as well as Infant Ariel sporting fashionable clothing. This previous January, she shared her next solitary "Perf," followed by "Gucci On My Body" in June. She won the Teen Option Award for "Selection Muser"-- "Muser" was the portmanteau term for Musical.ly individuals-- in 2016 as well as 2017 and also is amongst Time's a lot of prominent individuals on the web, as well as Forbes' 2017 list of top enjoyment influencers. The iHeartRadio Music Honors additionally has a "Muser of the Year" group, for which Infant Ariel was nominated. She has over 26 million followers on Tik Tok, 8.8 million on Instagram, as well as greater than 3 million subscribers on YouTube. Signing Up With Baby Ariel on the conveyor belt to fame is 16-year-old Loren Gray Beech. The recent Virgin Records signee's only publicly documented attempt at producing music is an Auto-Tuned cover of Dua Lipa's "New Policy" on YouTube. At the same time, 3rd as well as second area Tik Tok users are recruited to content production companies like Flighthouse and Picture Studio. Flighthouse's Chief Executive Officer is 19 years of ages. He collaborates with the media brand's moms and dad company Produce Music Team and also their Chief Executive Officer, who called Flighthouse "this generation's MTV as well as Nickelodeon." Along with pop songs, these teams generate funny illustrations, dancing tutorials, and vlogs. To call music a mainly irrelevant facet of "this generation's MTV" would be both exact and stark. Today, home entertainment relies on its viral possibility. The genuine MTV has also refocused its programming with this in mind. "The means we are thinking about TRL is not as a one-hour program, [yet], preferably, 10 viral moments," MTV president Chris McCarthy told Rapid Business in a meeting. Yet traditional success has constantly been linked to some kind of virality-- an artist's capability to reverberate with a broad target market. Traditional charm and also sense of rhythm typically aren't new consider this formula. Tik Tok simply amplifies the equation with "improving" face filters, streamlined video editing, and also pitch-shifting. The product is a new kind of pop star, shaped by net trends and crafted for online consumption. The rise of playlists anticipated the once-crucial beginning factor in an artist's ascent to fame: a launching album. A punchy appeal a popular Spotify playlist suffices to place you on the map (see: Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow," which exploded after appearing on Apple Music's curated playlist The A-List: Hip-Hop as well as Spotify's RapCaviar). Victor Luckerson sums this for The Ringer: "Music fans are progressively opting to arrange their paying attention around ear-catching minutes, in playlists, as opposed to sifting through hr long cds to excavate their favored tracks." Tik Tok's limitless scroll presses the playlist right into a stream of these hit-making moments. The playlist pop star led the way for the Tik Tok pop star, that-- in addition to passing up full-length albums-- price cuts one more characteristically crucial element: making music. A Tik Tok-bred artist could be compared to the old-time industry-plant pop star. That's to state Britney Spears was born with even more skill compared to lip-syncing Child Ariel? The longstanding industry-plant objection is the assumed insincerity of a musician molded to generate income from. However Tik Tok users are one action ahead: They have actually been honing their star high quality because they downloaded and install the app. A Tik Tok individual is a content designer, a social media influencer. And the influencer-pop star crossover was unpreventable. Instagram is loaded with lovely preference manufacturers trying to find their next job. The shift is even more seamless, and also anticipated, on a "music" application. This isn't really to disavow the ability and creativity involved in creating viral content. At its best, Tik Tok provides a room for youngsters to reveal themselves. Aspiring professional dancers as well as artists can construct followings as well as seek what delights them. The concern is the area this particular sort of aspiring pop star occupies within the already-saturated music round. Under contemporary industrialism, lots of talented musicians are devalued, discouraged, and evaluated of a sector that significantly favors the star over the artist and also revenue over creative thinking. Jazz shed its mainstream momentum decades earlier, and rock gets on its final legs. This isn't really a bad point, necessarily. The styles continue to thrive within their particular niches. Still, when internet candy is packaged and marketed as music, it's simple to picture a future overrun by brainless, homogeneous pop. Individuals desire pop celebrities they can project themselves and also their wishes into. The Tik Tok pop star-- airbrushed and existing on your display-- is the excellent solution, one action listed below cyborg.

[michaelriggsphotography]

Finally Venturing Out

Friday, June 16 2018

Having stayed in Uzes for several days, we were ready for new adventures on Friday morning as we drove out of town toward an area that would be new to us.  About 30 miles northeast of us starts the region of Cevennes.  It is a hilly region of forest and gorges that is less populated and less visited than many parts of France.  We could only see a part of it but in some places it reminded me of the Appalachians.  There aren’t really any photographs of the countryside because it was typical mountain riding with curving roads, few places to stop and we were there during a very bright part of the day.  

We drove most of the morning and stopped in Ales at lunchtime.  I guess we weren’t paying enough attention because we hadn’t noticed on the map that Ales is a larger city than the other places we had driven through.  Larger cities are always a little harder to navigate, find parking and end up in the place that has what you are looking for.  

Now we have a fair amount of experience driving around here but after finding a nice parking spot in the center of the city, we walked to the Payant station to pay for the parking.  We tried to deposit what would appear to be the amount of coins that would be necessary but it would not take our money.  When someone else came up, we stepped back for them to go ahead and they entered all kinds of information into the machine.  As we watched, another lady walked up to pay and after she had done so, she offered to help us.  We didn’t know the tag number of our car, so she actually walked over to our car and took a photo of the tag so she could complete the process.  She spoke almost no English but we were able to understand that there is no charge for parking between Noon and two o’clock when lunch is being served and then the first hour is free, so we received our parking ticket for no charge, put it in the car and with many thanks for her kindness, we were on our way.  Why do the French people have such a bad reputation?

Feeling very hopeful, we headed toward the nearest street where we might find a restaurant.  Retail stores may be diminishing in our own neighborhoods but in Ales, they go on and on, street after street.  We knew there had to be a district of restaurants but could not seem to find it on the map on our phone.  The weather here is hard to describe sometimes.  One minute you are feeling refreshed in the shade with a zephyr (I just learned that word today) that is delightful.  The next minute, the sun hits and as you walk you begin to think you might melt.  The latter was in full progress as we finally spotted the row of eating establishments we had been searching for.  We soon settled on one, chose a table in the shade and, in just a few minutes we were comfortably enjoying another breeze. The hamburger we shared was fantastic.  We aren’t even completely sure what made it so good.  Rejuvenated, we were now ready to move on to our next destination.

When Mike was in the cooking class yesterday, Petra recommended seeing a pottery designer in a nearby village that is known for its different types of pottery.  It’s not something we usually shop for but the bowl with the sweet little rose on it was very tempting.  So we set out for St. Quentin la Poterie which was not far away.  Now many times we have driven into small villages and almost had to back our way out as the roads get smaller and smaller.  Today, however, we had put the address of the  Poterie in the car’s navigation system and weren’t really paying attention to where we would end up.  I HATE it when all of the sudden you think the side mirrors on the car are both going to scrape buildings at the same time!  We didn’t actually have to back out of the neighborhood but we did have to use reverse more than once to make a particular turn.  Off goes the navigation and we searched for a car park in the center of town.  It was an easy walk to the Poterie and the artist was there selling her wares as we walked in.  She had some very pretty figurines but most of her products were for the kitchen.  We decided to just get coffee cups and discuss what type dish we might use most for a future purchase.  It’s not far from where we are staying and now that we know the best approach, it would not be hard to return.

The drive back to Uzes was a nice one through the countryside with many vineyards and flowers.  We also passed a farm with ostriches, sheep, deer and donkeys.  We will try to return at a good time of day for some photographs there.

Although we are in a completely different world here, there was something oddly familiar about arriving back in Uzes with bumper to bumper traffic on the ring road which would take us to the parking garage.  There was nothing to do but be patient and wait it out.  It will be a busy weekend here and I guess that was the beginning of it.

The World Cup was beginning and everyone here is ready for it.  There were no less than four televisions in the restaurants out on the Plaza below.  Swells of voices were heard through the afternoon and evening as many devoted fans watched the play.

In the late afternoon, we watched children play at the fountain doing what comes naturally to all children everywhere.  There would be no reason to take bets on who would splash right through the puddles because, of course, they ALL do.  It’s nice to think how much the same we all are.

After a lighter salad supper, we enjoyed an ice cream cone out in the Plaza.  The young man who served us the ice cream spoke English very well, which was offered after we haltingly ordered in French.  He was very personable and expressed his deep desire to visit the United States.  He said that he liked Uzes but that the career opportunities are limited here.  We look forward to seeing him again.

It was a great day.  Bonne Nuit.

Trying to post photos newest at the beginning...

http://elliiottsstudio.zenfolio.com/p177547781