#net babel

[cybercultnzicd]

Context: Gwar Gura is the most subscribed VTuber on the internet. She has been streaming very intermittently over the past 6 months without any explanation from either herself or Hololive, the company she works for. She will disappear for weeks at a time and this, combined with the lack of communication, is fueling speculation on her future. The following exchange is from the comments on her latest VOD.

Alex Benitez; Ahrevehaluwhh; 山田太郎; Scorpio The Scorpion Tsuna; Cynicade; Al, an epithet; Skellum; Dedi Purnomo; Mr SpooderSaurus Da Grith

You are all on my watchlist. This is the worst but there are 10 000 others

In the dim-lit threshold of Gura's forthcoming day of birth, an air of impending doom wafts through the internet corridors, an undercurrent of unease darkening every digital footstep. The sun seems shrouded in perpetual twilight, the usual sparkles of online celebration now replaced with a palpable sense of dread. Not since the idyllic days of her laughter echoing freely have we felt such despair, and the world collectively mourns the absence of Gawr Gura's effervescence.

We teeter on the brink of a dystopian chasm, a world painted in strokes of grim emptiness where the tweets of 'Illyuziya260185' take center stage. This account, once a mere ripple in the vast ocean of the Twitterverse, now emerges as a beacon amidst the uncertainty, an enigma intertwined with the mysteries of Gura's absence. Every tweet, every cryptic message, every photo steeped in ominous undercurrents fuel the escalating tension, an information warfare subtly waged against the looming specter of 'darkmaze'.

This figure, 'darkmaze', once perhaps an insignificant blip in the online expanse, now looms as large as Goliath, casting an ominous shadow over the digital realm. This is the new battleground, a relentless tide of questions, accusations, and theories clashing against the fortress of truth. We stand, both armed and disarmed, in this chaotic dance of doubt and anticipation, clinging to the hope of clarity.

In this new reality, Gura's birthday threatens to dawn like a chilling solstice, a day bathed in the chilling radiance of an absent sun. It is a world where twisted conjectures scorch the landscape of truth, and the birthday cheer is swallowed whole by the monstrous belly of fear. We exist here, in the eye of the storm, a blighted landscape where Gura's sea-colored throne now sits vacant, a stark reminder of the joy that's gone missing.

And thus, the eve of her birthday approaches, draped in shadows and wreathed in whispers of information warfare. It is the night before the world's potential demise, a dark hour pregnant with dire possibilities. But within this churning tempest, there is a promise of rebirth, a vow of return. Gura, your fans await with bated breath, longing for your voice to break through the morrow's silence, to turn the impending doom into a dawn of joyful reunion.

[utilitycaster]

The thing about Ludinus is that yes, he does have a very high INT score but he is in fact stupid. He is a particular brand of stupid that I like to call Wizard Stupid, which is related to but not identical to Wizard Hubris. Wizard Hubris is the vision; Wizard Stupid is the realization.

Wizard Hubris is excessive confidence that is derived from the fact that one is a wizard, and therefore obviously knows everything, probably even more than the gods. Wizard Stupid is then carrying out the plans derived from Wizard Hubris without any kind of safety net. Where Wizard Hubris says "There is nothing beyond my capabilities"; Wizard Stupid says "No consequences can touch me." Wizard Hubris is building the Tower of Babel; Wizard Stupid is leaning one ladder on top of another ladder to do so. Wizard Hubris is the belief that you can, and indeed, are entitled, to fuck around. Wizard Stupid is the unshakeable belief that you will not be subjected to finding out.

So: let's look at Caleb. Caleb is FULL of Wizard Hubris for most of Campaign 2, given that he desires to reconfigure the time-space continuum, but except for a few relatively rare occasions, he is not terribly Wizard Stupid. He actually tends to be extremely cautious, and the cases in which he indulges the Wizard Stupidity are relatively self-contained (eg: the emerald).

Yussa, meanwhile, has few grand designs and mostly wants to hang out and fuck with the gentrification and political cronyism of Nicodranas, and honestly, good for him, seems totally reasonable. However, he does think that the Archmage's Bane is not referring to him (archmage) and that Astral Projection, a totally standard high level wizard's spell well within his abilities without any need for hubris, will carry no risk if he then decides to check out a little place called Cognouza.

Of course, many wizards have both. It's actually pretty rare to be mostly one or the other (which is why Caleb and Yussa are used for illustrative purposes). It's also pretty rare to have neither; Allura is the closest, and even she has her moments. Some degree of Wizard Hubris and Stupid do come packaged with the act of being a wizard.

Ludinus, obviously has both; he is, basically, building the Tower of Babel and he is, canonically, violating a list of safety protocols that rivals the length of a CVS receipt. And so: the hubris is "I can, should, must, and will blow up the moon that imprisons a god-eating abomination"; the stupid is sticking his fucking arm in the machine to power it.

[daisydesetoiles]

Flufftober 2024 : "Comment t'es habillé ?", "C'est le jour de la lessive !"

15 octobre

« Comment t'es habillé ? », « C'est le jour de la lessive ! » ("What are you wearing ?", "It's laundry day !")

Ophélie & Octavio (La passe-miroir)

Ophélie demeura déconcertée sur le pas de la porte d'Octavio lorsqu'elle vit ce que Seconde portait. C'était une sorte de tunique courte à fleurs, avec en plus un short de lointaine station balnéaire et enfin, un collant noir en-dessous. Ça n'avait aucun sens.

L'adolescente, bien sûr, n'en avait cure. Elle fonça joyeusement à travers la maison, salua la nouvelle venue d'un mouvement de main, sa chaîne en or se balançant entre son sourcil et son nez. Après quoi, elle écarta la moustiquaire et sortit dans le jardin, effrayant du même coup une volée de perroquets.

«Seconde ! l'appela la voix d'Octavio depuis la cuisine. Quand je t'ai dit que tu pourrais m'aider à ranger tout ce qui traîne, ce n'est pas exactly ce que j'avais en tête ! »

Il s'interrompit net en découvrant son amie, dont l'écharpe était en train de balayer les plumes d'aras qui avaient pénétré dans le hall d'entrée. Ophélie haussa davantage les sourcils d'étonnement, sans pouvoir s'en empêcher. Les vêtements d'Octavio avaient encore moins de logique que ceux de sa sœur : une blouse boutonnée jusqu'en haut, une veste par-dessus et le pantalon qu'il portait au conservatoire de la Bonne Famille. Celui qui, normalement, n'était assorti qu'à une redingote bleu nuit et des bottes ornées d'ailes d'avant-coureur. Spontanément, l'Animiste lança un :

« Comment t'es habillé ?

-C'est le jour de la lessive ! se défendit Octavio en rangeant sa bouteille de produit pour les vitres dans la poche de sa blouse. »

Comme ils s'étaient jamais dit au revoir du temps où leurs vies étaient incertaines et compliquées, ils ne se souhaitaient jamais le bonjour non plus. Cet écart à la politesse était également dû, cette fois, dans le cas d'Ophélie, à la mine totalement déboussolée de son ami. Octavio n'avait certes pas l'habitude de devoir choisir ses propres vêtements et ceux de sa sœur : autrefois, Babel possédait un code extrêmement stricte en ce qui concernait les accoutrements de chacun. Comme il n'était plus question de faire de distinction entre les différentes nationalités de l'ancienne arche, les Babéliens ne se vêtaient plus systématiquement de toges colorées selon leur rang dans la société. Ophélie voulait bien croire que toutes celles de Seconde et d'Octavio étaient au sale, mais était-ce une raison pour paniquer et s'affubler de choses n'ayant même pas de rapport avec la météo ?

« Même moi qui ait tendance à porter la première robe me tombant sous la main, je n'aurais jamais combiné autant de pièces différentes, admit-elle en se laissant tomber sur le canapé de son ami. Tu veux de l'aide pour ta lessive ?

-Well, si je me souviens bien, tu n'es pas la meilleure en ce qui concerne les tâches ménagères, fit valoir Octavio en venant s'installer à côté d'elle. Mais peut-être as-tu une ou deux robes à prêter à Seconde.

-J'ai bien peur que non. Mon petit frère et mes petites sœurs me dépassent déjà d'une bonne tête et je suis toujours plus grande que Seconde. Mais, en ce qui te concerne…

-… Oui. Je crois que je vois perfectly où tu veux en venir. »

Octavio et elle avaient exactement la même taille et pratiquement la même silhouette. Les redingotes de la Bonne Famille ne laissaient pas beaucoup de place aux rondeurs de toute façon, il n'aurait aucun mal à porter la sienne.

« Merci, soupira le Visionnaire en se passant la main dans les cheveux. J'avoue que ça me dépannerait énormément. Du côté de l'habillement, je préférais clearly comme c'était avant !

-Ne t'inquiète pas, sourit Ophélie tandis que l'écharpe se posait sur son épaule. Je demanderai aussi à Thorn de te montrer comme on entretient une maison. Le recours aux automates pour les tâches de haute nécessité uniquement a dû vous porter préjudice. »

Octavio réussit, sans qu'elle sache trop comment, à lui retourner un regard déconfit et en même temps un petit sourire.

[dawkacynizmu]

moje życie zawsze było trochę nudne bida i niewielka ilość przyjaciół zatem od dzieciaka rekompensowałam to sobie fikcją, książki, filmy, seriale i moim problemem jest to że zawsze angażowałam się w to trochę za mocno, tzn jak lubiłam jakieś uniwersum to nie znaczy że po prostu obejrzałam filmy. ja je obejrzałam po kilka razy, przeczytałam książki, obejrzałam tysiąc opracowań i teorii na yt, spędziłam godziny na przeglądaniu fanartów, przeczytałam chociaż jedno fanfiction i z reguły też jakieś napisałam. jedno moje fanfiction miało więcej stron niż materiał źródłowy XD trochę przestałam się już tak hiperfiksować na rzeczach które nie istnieją ale dalej mi się zdarza, teraz po prostu jestem bardziej wybredna i historia serio musi mnie zachwycić. także przedstawiam wam spis wszystkich moich faz na przestrzeni ostatnich lat

— ród smoka (ofc)

— gra o tron (mimo że całej nie obejrzałam, przeczytałam też tylko 4 pierwsze książki)

— harry potter

— igrzyska śmierci

— percy jackson

— hamilton (musical)

— fleabag

— książki sally rooney wszystkie przeczytane 2 razy i dwa obejrzane seriale

— wojna makowa (trylogia) (btw przeczytałam wszystkie książki tej autorki i wszystkie kocham — babel i yellowface)

— archiwum X

— criminal minds

— książki agathy christie xD nie zliczę ile

— marvel ale przestałam śledzić po serialu loki bo już same chujostwo wychodziło (ale jeszcze strażników galaktyki obejrzałam)

— seria filmowa krzyk

— fight club

— wszystkie książki taylor jenkins reid

— prawie wszystkie książki ruth ware (jedna czy dwie mi zostały)

— dzieła Shakespeare'a XD absolutnie nie wiem skąd to się wzięło ale zimą przeczytałam romeo i julie sen nocy letniej hamleta makbeta i króla leara a również czytałam mnóstwo teorii o tym czy on istniał w ogóle

— przewodnik po zbrodni według grzecznej dziewczynki

— przeczytałam też prawie wszystkie książki harlana cobena mimo że żadna z nich mi się nie podobała NIE WIEM CZEMU

— milczenie owiec, seria o hannibalu lecterze ogólnie (książki + filmy bez serialu)

— the walking dead

— wszystkie książki z serii fenix net i nika czy jakoś tak (nie pamiętam kolejności imion)

— sporo dzieł stephena kinga (doktor sen, lśnienie, carrie, TO, dallas'63 i jakieś dwa zbiory opowiadań)

— zmierzch

— wszystkie książki donny tartt (tajemna historia >>)

— wszystkie książki johna greena i ekranizacje

— seria książek zwiadowcy ale to jak byłam młodsza i chuja z tego pamiętam chyba pisałam fanfiction

— uniwersum leah bardugo (cień i kość, szóstka wron)

— przeczytałam też i obejrzałam całą narnie ale bardzo nie lubie tego

— stranger things

— derry girls

I PEWNIE BĘDĘ JESZCZE DOPISYWAĆ JAK MI SIĘ PRZYPOMNI

— the bear

— niezgodna

tak to wypisałam i stwierdzam że jestem delikatnie popierdolona nie można mi tego odmówić ps to nie są książki/filmy które po prostu przeczytałam/obejrzałam bo takie to bym caly dzień mogła wypisywać to są wszystkie rzeczy na których punkcie miałam obsesję

[lady-hibiscus]

Prompt: "A fantasy world with an industrial revolution, where gods are hunted like whales were."

(prompt by writing-prompt-s, based slightly off American Gods because that book is a masterpiece and hatsune miku is a genius)

"Starboard side, there!" The gruff bearded man throws his weighted net with all his might, relishing how the great and powerful scales twist and tangle in the sea spray.

Now, more and more sailors are running to the deck, armed with all sorts of weapons. Someone rouses the prince- after all, he is the reason for this voyage.

They are hunting Triton, one of the last great gods.

The prince raises his face toward the morning sun, but there is none to be found as the sky grows dark with storm clouds. His smile twists into a sneer, and he motions the men to pull the flopping beast onboard.

Hand over hand, the prince's sailors draw in the net painstakingly.

As the sea-dragon- beast- thing- whatever it is, is dragged closer to the ship, it slowly shrinks in size. As it finally lurches over the side of the boat and lands on the wooden boards, it takes the form of a green-blue horse with a fish-tail at the end, whinnying and straining at its bonds.

Sea-spray crashes over the deck and a wave rises threateningly behind them- Triton is still a god, after all- until the click of a hundred muskets silence the waters.

The sky clears, the waves drop. The horse's fish-tail flicks nervously. These humans with their technology- ever since Prometheus dared to give them the fire-

The horse opens its mouth and struggles to piece together the sharp vowels and consonants of the human language- one of them, anyway. When did humans get so many? He remembers Babel, or something like it.

"Please- do not kill me, let me be," the horse creaks slowly. "I have lived millenia in these waters."

"On the condition that you show us your most pleasing shape," says the prince, ever so clever. "A shape worthy of being strung over my throne."

Triton hates himself, but he bows his head. "Of course, my prince."

He remembers the times when mortals used to fall to their knees before him, a one-hundred-foot-tall sea-dragon, or a man made of shimmering waves, wielding his father's trident.

His father. Killed barely a decade ago as man rose over god, one of the first to fall in the "Industrial Revolution", as they called it.

Gods had stopped believing in men long ago, but men still believed in gods. It was their that brought the divine forth, that trapped them on this plane to be hunted to extinction like animals. Many gods had fought back, but those humans- Triton shudders- those humans with their "guns" and their "steam engines"- they were not cavemen anymore.

So Triton dips his horse's head and falls into the form of a sea-serpent the height of a man, the width of his waist. The colors of the serpent's scales shimmer from the black of the bottom of the sea to foamy green-blue of the top of the sea. The serpent hisses, once, quietly. A soft spray of foam bursts over the walls, and the men can suddenly see how this subdued creature was once an awe-inspiring god.

"I have done as you have ordered," the serpent says, barely audibly. "My lord-"

The quiet crack is so swift Triton must've imagined it. He looks down. A circle of gold ichor but the size of a pebble has appeared on his scales.

Hades takes him.

The prince puts down his subordinate's musket and approaches the limp coils. "Have this creature skinned and hung above my throne."

He smiles.

"And, of course, prepare the ship. We are headed to the coast of Africa next for a spider."

[july-19th-club]

eleanor guthrie is the example of type that lettie from babel was trying to be but couldnt quite land on. she doesnt know she has a net of privilege until she is offered the choice to retain the relative freedom of adversity against the crown or allow herself to fall back into the control and security of white power. and then when she takes that option she has to destroy everything behind her in order to justify it

[bermudianabroad]

2023 Reading Roundup

Everything what I read in 2023

I read a whole bunch.

Heartily Recommend Visceral Bleh Reread *Audiobook*

Fiction

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (where is the fucking humidity in your swamp, Delia??)

Days Without End by Sebastian Barry

Lot by Bryan Washington

Mr. Loverman by Bernadine Evaristo

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

Trust by Hernan Diaz

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantell (but everyone is called Thomas)

Verity by Colleen Hoover (awful but wacky and hilariously awful)

Katalin Street by Magda Szabo

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

Animorphs #24 The Suspicion by KA Applegate (a trip)

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli

The Island of Forgetting by Jasmine Sealy

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

The Trio by Johanna Hedman

At the Bottom of the River by Jamaica Kincaid

The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge

Silence by Shusaku Endo

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

Babel by RF Kuang (was so disappointed by this one)

The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld

Island by Siri Ranva Hjelm Jacobsen

The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles by Giorgio Bassani

Must I Go by Yiyun Li

The 1,000 Year Old Boy by Ross Welford

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker Chan

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

The Singer’s Gun by Emily St. John Mandel

Memphis by Tara M Stringfellow

The Whirlpool by Jane Urquhart

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

A Country of Eternal Light by Paul Dalgarno

Yellowface by RF Kuang

The Country of Others by Leïla Slimani

The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

Game Misconduct by Ari Baran

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Uprooted by Naomi Novik (sorry Naomi :/ )

The Foot of the Cherry Tree by Ali Parker

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

Matrix by Lauren Groff

The Twilight World by Werner Herzog

Wild by Kristen Hannah

*The Fraud by Zadie Smith*

The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

This Other Eden by Paul Harding

The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham (weirdly, one of the best depictions of a marriage I��ve read)

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abdulhawa

North Woods by Daniel Mason

Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather

The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht

Animorphs: The Hork-Bajir Chronicles by KA Applegate

Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri

Animorphs #13 The Change by KA Applegate

Animorphs #14 The Unknown by KA Applegate

Animorphs #20 The Discovery by KA Applegate (snuck in two more under the wire… #20 is when shit REALLY kicks off. From there it gets darker and darker).

Poetry

Black Cat Bone by John Burnside

Women of the Harlen Renaissance (Anthology) by Various

The Analog Sea Review no. 4 by Various

The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy

Non-Fiction

Besieged: Life Under Fire on a Sarajevo Street by Barbara Demick

Atlas of Abandoned Places by Oliver Smith

Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe

Wanderers: A History of Women Walking by Kerri Andrews

City of Laughter: Sex and Satire in Eighteenth Century London by Vic Gatrell

The Lazarus Heist: From Hollywood to High Finance by Geoff White (fully available as a podcast)

The Entangling Net: Alaska’s Commercial Fishing Women Tell Their Stories by Leslie Leyland Fields (very niche but fascinating. Transcribed interviews)

Free: Coming of Age at the End of History by Lea Ypi

Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H.

Freedom by Margaret Atwood (just excerpts from novels repackaged)

*Born a Crime by Trevor Noah* (Noah’s narration is superb)

The Slavic Myths by Noah Charney and Svetlana Slapšak (was expecting stories, but it was mostly academic essays)

Manga, Comics, Graphic Novels

Safe Area Goražde by Joe Sacco

The Way of the House-Husband, vol. 1 by Kousuke Oono

SAGA vol. 1-6 by Fiona Staples and Brian K Vaughan

Top of the Top:

Born a Crime was probably my favourite non ficition, and most of that probably is due to Trevor Noah's narration skills. It was very entertaining and heartfelt.

Less uplifting but just as gripping in a different way was Empire of Pain. Excellent book that went deep into the why and what and hows of Purdue Pharma. Anger inducing.

Lazarus Heist is great and available as a podcast. The book is more or less the podcast word for word.

Fictionwise: I read Trust at the start of the year and it was a bit soon to declare as favourite of the year, but it's stil made the final cut. Just very imaginative and intriguing. Just my kind of MetaFiction. Clever without being cleverclever.

Demon Copperhead I read right off the back of Empire of Pain so maybe that coloured my experience. I've not read any Dickens so loads of references no doubt flew past me, but the language was acrobatic and zingy. I loved it.

Wrapped up the year on a high with North Woods. That was so unexpected and entertaining. Again with the playful language, memorable characters and a unique approach to tying all the various stories together. One that sticks in the mind and makes the writer in me wonder how I can replicate his style (with my own personal twist of course.)

[whoiwanttoday]

Here is Charli XCX who is absolutely right. Yesterday she posted about what a crime it was that she was nominated for no Grammys and how that compares to Mia Goth not being nominated for any Oscars for her work in Pearl. Big shout out to Charli XCX for having only the absolute best taste because I watch a lot of movies and I really liked Pearl (even if I wouldn't make it my number one of the year) but I loved Mia Goth's performance (which combined with having seen X and comparing them is hands down the best acting I saw this year). This is because the Oscars are, much like the Grammys, bullshit. A different kind of bullshit. The Grammys have never mattered and other than the real true narcissists out there hungry for any praise I assume once you win one you toss it in a closet or something because everyone knows the Grammys don't matter. The Oscars are different in that they very much matter and often nominate very good movies and performances, they are just still bullshit because the Academy is still basically 65, white, and male and so what you really see is the best likely movies by old white guys. Again, this is different than the Grammys which are just... bad. Cause here is the thing, if you went back and watched every best picture winner you would see mostly very good movies. You would see some truly great movies. It's just that often that truly great movie is not actually the best movie that year. Sometimes this is forgivable. How Green Was my Valley is a very good movie and won best picture in 1941. It also happens to be about the 3rd or 4th best movie that year and it's cultural footprint can't even begin to match that of Citizen Kane or The Maltese Falcon. Suspicion is also better and Sullivan's Travels is better but it wasn't even nominated. So they got it wrong but it isn't as wrong as say... Driving Miss Daisy beating Do the Right Thing. So they are bullshit but in a different way and hold a much more important place culturally. I don't know if this still happens but as a kid surrounded by middle class and middle brow white people, there were a lot of adults who would make it a point to rent the best picture winner after the Oscars and maybe some of the other nominees or best acting winners. They would do this because it was, in their mind, objectively the best movie and usually after they'd all talk about how it was the best movie except for that one guy in the neighborhood who would say it sucked not because of a nuanced take but because he was that guy. You know that guy, he's all over the internet now. Anyway, my point is that the Oscars weren't right but most of the time they do highlight movies of value and that is of value. I promise you more people saw Moonlight than ever would have if it had never been nominated much less won. That's a net win because that's a good movie that the sort of people who watch movies because they were nominated should see. So that's a long way of saying that the Oscars are bullshit but a completely different type of bullshit, an important thing to clarify before I note that Charli XCX is 100% right. Even if the Oscars are bullshit in a different way it is absolutely bullshit that Crash got nothing and Mia Goth got nothing. I guess if it's any comfort to Charli, there are people who offered me literally hundreds of dollars for my copy of True Romance last year before there was a whisper of repressings coming. I can buy a copy of Mumford & Son's Babel for like $10. Today I want to fuck Charli XCX.

[ninja-muse]

End of 2022 Book Stats

Because I like crunching numbers and I think some of you might be interested? Maybe I’m just flattering myself…

Yearly total: 147 + 2
 rereads DNFs: 4 Queer books: 52 (35%) Authors of colour: 31 (21%) Books by women: 88 (60%) Books by nonbinary/genderqueer folk: 9 (6%) Canadian authors: 15 (10%) Off the TBR shelves: 30 (20%)

Compared to my 2021 stats, my percentages of queer books (subject matter and/or author), nonbinary authors, and authors of colour are holding roughly steady. My female and Canadian authors percentages are down. I also always try to set a goal for reading more classics and poetry. This year I read 9 (6%) and last year I was at 6 (3.7%). Success!

At the start of the year, I posted 22 reading goals for the year. I read all but one book off the list (Night Watch by Sarah Waters)! I also wanted to read at least one book off my TBR shelves per month (done) and increase my percentage of authors of colour from 22% (not done, basically holding steady). I was also hoping to have read more Canadian authors than I did, but at the same time, so much Canadian fiction just does not grab my interest.

Top Fiction (Not ranked)

Persuasion - Jane Austen

Babel - R.F. Kuang

The Mummy! - Jane Webb

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance - Foz Meadows

Semiosis - Sue Burke

Top Non-Fiction (Not ranked)

Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust - Yaffa Eliach

Highway of Tears - Jessica McDiarmid

1491 - Charles Mann

The Emperor of Scent - Chandler Burr

Let’s Do It! - Bob Stanley

Longest book

: The Fabliaux, translated by Nathaniel Durbin

Best queer book: A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows

Most Impressed By:

The Emperor of Scent - Chandler Burr

Katzenjammer - Francesca Zappia

The Escapement - Lavie Tidhar

The Wolf Den - Elodie Harper

Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust - Yaffa Eliach

Hot Moon - Alan Smale

Biggest Disappointments:


High Times in the Low Parliament - Kelly Robson

Pride, Prejudice and Peril - Katie Oliver

Attrib. and other Stories - Eley Williams

The Monsters We Defy - Leslye Penelope

Epically Earnest - Molly Horan

Did I beat 2021? No.

Did I beat my Best Year Ever? No. That would be 2021.

Did I read more classics? Yes!

Did I read more Canadians? No.

Did I whittle my TBR shelves down any? No. I hauled 102 books, most of which were gifts, free copies from publishers, or hand-me-downs, and I read 30. This gives me a net gain of 72 books. There are also 29 ARCs on my floor. This is, as I’m fond of saying, fine and not at all worrying.

Was it a good reading year? It was fine? I read a lot of good books that weren’t particularly memorable, and a lot of okay books that barely were. And I kind of burned out halfway through the year and had to slow my pace to keep my interest in reading going.

Breakdowns by Month

January February March April May June July August September October November December

[brigdh]

7, 8 ,16, 17, 33 for the book asks!

7. The oldest book you read this year

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1851). I read it because I visited Salem, where the actual (sort of) house still exists. And you can go on tours inside it! Which was very fun.

The book was vaguely satisfying to have read, because I can now check it off the list of classics I've finished, but not at all satisfying to be reading. I haven't enjoyed any of the Hawthorne I've tried. Sorry, Melville!

Also in competition is Beowulf (~1000), but I was reading it mostly for Maria Dahvana Headley's translation (2020), so I'm not sure it counts.

8. The newest release of the year

I read several that came out in 2022:

Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Devil House by John Darnielle 

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows (ugh. Shallow characters, dumb plot)

16. A book you already want to reread

I mentioned this in another question, but Gideon the Ninth and Harrows the Ninth were so good and full of such intricate worldbuilding and complicated mysteries that I really want to reread them and look for clues.

17. Top five books of the year

White Tears by Hari Kunzru. God, this was SO good. And not at all what I expected from the title. It's horror, it's meta, it's about class and wanting someone who doesn't want you back, it's incredibly written – it's so worth reading.

Gideon the Ninth/Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (cheating to count these as one). FANTASTIC f/f loyalty kink, fighting against a world that's terrible from the gods on down, “my existence is a war crime”, the sort of plots that don't really make sense until the end and then earlier details become clear – it's so much good stuff.

A Net for Small Fishes by Lucy Jago

Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

33. Did you DNF anything?

I'm generally not a DNF'er; I get stubborn and want to finish everything I start. That said, I've put already put down Babel by R.F. Kuang twice to read something else, and I'm barely 100 pages in. Part of it is that it's a massive hardcover, which makes it hard to carry around with me, but I do suspect it's going to take me quite a while before I make it to the end.

Thank you! :D

[makemywebsite1]

From Local to Global: Unveiling Perth’s Web Design Mastery for Worldwide Impact

Nestled on Australia’s west coast, Perth is not just a hub of vibrant beaches and sunsets; it’s also the crucible where web design melds local charm with global sophistication. Here, web design companies in Perth are not just creating websites; they're crafting gateways that connect local brands with the international stage. This blog explores the innovative strategies these trailblazers use to transform regional businesses into global names.

Crafting a Visual Language that Speaks Across Cultures

Perth’s web designers excel in creating a visual language that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries. They blend contemporary design principles with a deep understanding of cultural iconography, ensuring that every colour, shape, and image resonates with a global audience while retaining local authenticity. This approach not only captivates a diverse audience but also embeds a sense of cultural fluency into the digital experience.

Building Babel: Multi-Language Innovations in Web Design

In a city as culturally diverse as Perth, language is a bridge, not a barrier. Local web design mavens implement cutting-edge multi-language features that go beyond mere translation. They integrate regional dialects and cultural idioms, ensuring that every word on the website is tailored to echo in the markets they target. This meticulous attention to linguistic details invites global users into a space that feels personally crafted for them.

User Experience: The Universal Usability Doctrine

Good design knows no borders, and Perth’s designers are the custodians of this principle. They champion universally intuitive user experiences, creating sites that are accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of where they are in the world. By prioritising clarity, speed, and ease of navigation, these designers ensure that a website’s usability is as broad as the internet itself.

SEO Services in Geelong: The Art of Global Visibility

Visibility on the web is paramount, and it requires a strategy that’s both broad in scope and specific in target. Web design companies in Perth employ advanced SEO Services in Geelong that are designed to perform across the diverse algorithms of global search engines. They craft content that ranks not only on Google but also on other engines like Baidu and Yandex, casting a wide net that pulls in traffic from every corner of the globe.

Cultural Intelligence in Design

More than just aesthetically pleasing, websites created in Perth are culturally intelligent. Designers invest time in understanding the cultural nuances that influence how websites are perceived globally. From the psychology of colour to the layout that best suits a specific audience, these web wizards ensure that every design decision enhances engagement and communicates respect for cultural diversity.

Showcasing Global Success Through Local Stories

Success stories and case studies are the narrative backbone of Perth’s web design scene. These stories vividly illustrate how businesses have transcended local markets to achieve global renown, all enabled by innovative web design. These tales not only demonstrate the strategic prowess of Perth’s designers but also inspire other local businesses to think globally.

Sonic Branding Integration in Web Design

Web design companies in Perth are tuning into the power of sound by integrating sonic branding into websites. They're crafting unique auditory experiences that play seamlessly across different sections of the site, enhancing the emotional and sensory connection with global users. Whether it’s the subtle sound of waves for a coastal brand or the bustling cityscape for urban businesses, these auditory cues deepen the user's immersion, making the digital experience vividly memorable.

AI-Driven Cultural Customisation

Taking web customisation to the next level, some visionary web design in Melbourne are implementing AI-driven tools that automatically adjust the content, tone, and aesthetics of a website based on the cultural background and location of its visitors. This dynamic personalisation not only tailors the browsing experience to each user but also breaks down cultural barriers, creating a more inclusive and engaging global online presence.

Interactive Global Story Maps

Perth's web designers are redefining user interaction by creating interactive global story maps on websites. These maps allow users to navigate a web of stories, user testimonials, and case studies from around the world, showcasing the brand’s global impact through an interactive digital globe. Users can click on locations to unlock multimedia narratives, making the exploration of a company’s global footprint an engaging adventure.

Eco-Algorithmic Design

In a pioneering eco-conscious approach, web design companies in Perth are using algorithms to create designs that reduce digital waste. These eco-algorithms optimise online resources, ensuring websites consume less bandwidth and energy, which is particularly beneficial for mobile users in regions with limited internet resources. By minimising the digital carbon footprint, these websites appeal to environmentally conscious consumers worldwide, promoting sustainability through innovative design.

In Perth, web design is more than just business; it’s a bridge that connects the local with the global. Through innovative design, multilingual support, meticulous SEO, and an unwavering commitment to cultural intelligence, web design companies in Perth are turning the city into a launching pad for brands looking to soar on the international stage. In the digital age, a website crafted in Perth is not just seen—it’s recognised worldwide.

[cybercultnzicd]

SPECTRO-SCREEN, THE COMPUTERIZED PSYCHIC Computer technology using spectrum analysis to read, monitor and control subtle energy can now achieve more consistent results than the best psychic. Currently Spectro-Screen is offering specific services to screen prospective employees during the hiring process as well as to screen lease applicants for residential rental properties. The results are almost totally accurate, the only failure being that some questionable yet acceptable applicants are screened out. The program works equally well for use in all areas of business and personal environments, ranging from making money to gaining fame, winning recognition and improving one's love life. It works basically the same way as a prayer chain, psychic healer or magic spell, except that the results are more precise and consistent. Finally a machine has replaced human error in the arena of psychic phenomena. And naturally the cost is reduced as well. Spectro-Screen is open for business, but the owners are very selective about their clientele. They say they have all they can handle with their own personal programs, but they do take on additional clients. Reply for more information. jpgossett

https://groups.google.com/g/alt.paranormal/c/98KJZ2-aApk/m/63PIWoHTM4QJ

[jurjenkvanderhoek]

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: DE JAREN 60

De jaren 60, deze staan in ons collectieve geheugen geëtst als het decennium van de ommekeer. De tijd waar er op alles en iedereen gehamerd werd dat alles anders moest, in elk geval anders dan voorheen. De naoorlogse generatie wilde het anders doen dan de vooroorlogse, helemaal anders, compleet anders. En die van tijdens de oorlog geboren waren alternatief genoeg om het voortouw te nemen. De wereld lag voor hen open, dachten ze. Het waren de jaren van na de wederopbouw doordat de oorlog het land deels had verwoest. Het ging Nederland weer goed, het land klom uit de put omhoog. De mogelijkheden reikten welhaast tot de hemel. De jongelui bouwden echter een toren van Babel en wisten niet meer correct te communiceren met de ouwelui. "de mensen zagen er anders uit, gedroegen zich anders, hadden andere denkbeelden en gebruikten een andere taal"

De jaren 60, die jaren van de meest ruchtmakende twintigers van de twintigste eeuw, de vorige voor deze nu. Het Grote Jaren 60 Boek is een trip down memory lane voor de mensen die het hebben meegemaakt. Een levendig historisch boek voor de kinderen en de kleinkinderen van na de geboortegolf die terug willen zien of de geschiedenis ons iets heeft geleerd. Hebben de jaren 60 van de vorige eeuw echt Nederland laten trillen op de grondvesten of is dat het verhaal dat tot legende werd door de tijd. Feit is dat er veel kon waar schijnbaar niets mogelijk was. Oude zuilen werden omver getrokken, heilige huisjes ingetrapt. Het was niet makkelijk voor de gevestigde orde om de conservatieve teugels te laten vieren.

In een lijvige inleiding laten de samenstellers historici René Kok en Erik Somers en gepensioneerd archivaris Paul Brood de jaren 60 in woorden uitgebreid passeren. Maar Het Grote Jaren 60 Boek is vooral een fotoboek, een plaatjesboek, waarbij de bijschriften de beelden becommentariëren. Een reis terug in de tijd voor de ervaringsdeskundigen. Voor de oudere generatie een terugblik op een tumultueuze periode waarin zij de gevestigde orde zagen afbrokkelen, maar waarmee het achteraf gezien allemaal wel meeviel. Herkenbare voorvallen, data die de mond doet openvallen van verbazing en feiten waarvan je weet waar je was op die memorabele dag. Er is veel omgedraaid en afgewenteld, maar of het nu echt een ommekeer in doen en denken heeft betekent valt te bezien. Er is veel gesproken en nagedacht, bediscussieerd en gefilosofeerd. Maar er was ook veel actie als reactie. Geen woorden maar daden, maar alles met liefde en respect voor elkaar.

In Het Grote Jaren 60 Boek kijken de schrijvers en samenstellers met afstand naar deze bewogen jaren en vragen zich af of het werkelijk zo'n revolutionaire tijd was. "Of zijn de herinneringen en de eigentijdse getuigenissen teveel gekleurd? De werkelijkheid was - zo zien wij nu - wat genuanceerder en soms net iets anders dan we dachten." Waren het echt de jongeren die zorgden voor de revolutie in de Nederlandse maatschappij? Het eerste politieke verzet echter kwam van de boeren en de pacifisten, en van de dienstplichtig militairen. De gevestigde orde reageerde daarop neerbuigend en lacherig in een poging orde en gezag te herstellen. Het lachen verging hen snel, dus kregen de Boerenpartij en de PSP een vertegenwoordiging in de kamer, terwijl de VVDM de officiële gesprekspartner van de minister van Defensie werd.

De wereld was in de jaren zestig onrustig, in beweging en in verandering, trappen de auteurs in de inleiding een open deur in. Toenemende welvaart maakte mogelijk dat gezinnen een televisie konden kopen, of een auto, of eens met vakantie in het buitenland gaan. Elektrische apparaten bespaarden de huisvrouw veel tijd. Vrije tijd neemt toe. Vooral dankzij de televisie werd de wereld kleiner. Die beeldbuis was een van de oorzaken die bijdroegen aan het besef van een globale samenleving. Een maatschappij die moest veranderen op zoek naar nieuwe waarden en een eigen geloofwaardigheid. Een omstandigheid was ook de veel genoemde en geroemde generatiekloof: de confrontatie tussen de vooroorlogse en de naoorlogse generatie. Jongeren wilden een ander leven dan hun ouders leiden. Traditie en conventie waren uit, vrijheid en eigenheid kwamen in. Zuilen vielen om, kerken liepen leeg. "Minder naar de kerk, meer naar school, minder werken en meer seks”, merkt historicus Hans Righart op. Op de politieke agenda kwamen vrouwenemancipatie, abortus, homoseksualiteit en vrije seksuele omgang. Voorheen ondenkbare zaken werden mogelijk in de jaren 60: de introductie van de anticonceptiepil en het eerste naakt op de televisie.

Alom is men bezig op de puinhopen van de oorlog nieuwe wijken en wegen aan te leggen. Als een feniks verrijst Nederland uit haar as. “Met zoveel sloop en nieuwbouw zou het geluid van de jaren 60 misschien het beste weergegeven kunnen worden met hei- en graafmachines, betonmolens en zandauto's. Maar in de collectieve herinnering is het toch de muziek die ook in onze tijd nog klinkt.” Beat- en popgroepen worden in Nederland opgericht in navolging van vooral Engeland. Memorabele concerten van buitenlanders, The Beatles en The Rolling Stones doen ons land aan met alle gevolgen van dien, worden afgewisseld met optredens van groepen uit de Randstad. De blues van Cuby zet Drenthe op de kaart. Het boek besteed daar in beeld allemaal aandacht aan, naast de andere kunsten die het cultuurlandschap danig opschudden. Geen enkel item waarop met weemoed kan worden teruggezien laten Kok, Somers en Brood links liggen. Het nieuwe leven, wonen en werken, komt ruimschoots aan bod en ook de invulling van vrije tijd, het beoefenen van sport en de kinderen van de jaren 60 hebben beeldden in het boek.

Het is een boek als één uit de serie een jaar in beeld, maar bestrijkt in dit geval een decennium. Daarvan zijn of volgen er meerdere, zoals Het Grote Jaren 70 Boek. Maar de jaren 60 zijn toch onmiskenbaar na de jaren 40 het meest memorabel en tot de verbeelding sprekend. “Nostalgie naar de tijd van de jeugd, naar mooie tijden en ervaringen is een heel gewone menselijke emotie”, citeer ik de auteurs. Dankzij de mogelijkheden van de techniek en de media hebben de jaren 60 een grote impact gehad op onze samenleving. Het was een periode van verandering, verzet en ontwikkeling. “Maar laten we die jaren wel in de juiste proportie bekijken. Voor de meeste mensen ging het leven gewoon door en was de enige modernisering de aankoop van een televisie en de eerste vakantie naar het buitenland.”

Het drietal dat werkte aan deze uitgebreide terugblik op een veelbewogen decennium in de vaderlandse geschiedenis merken tot slot op: “Niettemin, bewogen jaren waren het, maar de foto's zijn haarscherp!" Deze gevleugelde woorden vormen de strik om de verpakking van het boek, zijn de kers op de taart, de bekroning van een onderzoek. De haarscherpe foto’s geven een perfect uitgetekend beeld van de jaren 60 van de vorige eeuw. Een periode die vooral ruikt naar patchouli en nederwiet, maar die niet de vrede onder de mensen en de verdraagzaamheid voor dier en natuur heeft gebracht waarop men destijds zo had gehoopt.

Het Grote Jaren 60 Boek. René Kok, Erik Somers, Paul Brood. Uitgeverij WBOOKS, 2023.

[libidomechanica]

Untitled (“I call, save groves home ghost or that fault; once”)

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[princeofgod-2021]

LIGHT OF LIFE 472

John 1:4

DIVINE ORDER 37: Process Of Marriage 7

Gen 2:24 FOR THIS CAUSE will a man GO AWAY FROM HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE; and they will be one flesh. BBE

LEAVING TO CLEAVE 2

This concept of [every] Man leaving his Parents to Join his Wife must be very important to God and hence should be clearly understood.

If God is making each and every Man a Dominator, then for each to have Domains, each must spread out and take his own territory.

This was why the Tower of Babel was an abomination and had to be stopped fast.

Gen 11:1-2 At first, the people of THE WHOLE WORLD HAD ONLY ONE LANGUAGE and used the same words. As they WANDERED about in the East, THEY CAME TO A PLAIN IN BABYLONIA AND SETTLED THERE. GNB

Firstly, you notice that although each man probably had his own wife and had moved out from his parents house, they all now moved together in a cluster and decided to settle down when they saw a “smooth” land.

It was evident that they totally misunderstood God, and that because they didn’t know Him.

Gen 11:3 They said to one another, "Let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used bricks as stones and tar as mortar. GW

Another point here is that they wanted easy settlement.

Man was made in God Image with Wisdom and Acumen to tackle and unravel mysteries of creation, and not to settle to EASE.

Pro 8:12 I WISDOM, dwell with PRUDENCE, and FIND OUT KNOWLEDGE OF WITTY INVENTIONS. KJV

We were meant to bulldoze Mountains, build bridges across them, dig precious stones out of rocks and build roadways through water and rocks.

We shouldn’t run from challenges.

Zec 4:7 ZERUBBABEL, THAT MOUNTAIN IN FRONT OF YOU WILL BE LEVELED TO THE GROUND. Then you will bring out the temple's most important stone and shout, "God has been very kind." CEV

We were made to spread out all over the world and take the Elements of creation, alter them to suit our various needs and conveniences, while being a blessing to humanity, and bringing Glory to God in heaven.

Gen 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Have many children. FILL THE EARTH AND TAKE CONTROL OF IT. RULE OVER the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. Rule over every living thing that moves on the earth." ERV

It thence becomes a problematic sacrilege, when the Men created to carry these out, turns out making up their minds not to spread all over the earth AT ALL.

Gen 11:3-4 they said: LET'S BUILD A CITY WITH A TOWER THAT REACHES TO THE SKY! We'll use hard bricks and tar instead of stone and mortar. WE'LL BECOME FAMOUS, AND WE WON'T BE SCATTERED ALL OVER THE WORLD. CEV

The funny thing here is they want to be FAMOUS with their unusual Tower. Famous to whom please?

I mean if they were the only humans clustered together in one spot.

Anyway, it was evident that none had relationship with God enough to seek direction.

After Noah’s death, there was no other prophet yet and so God had to take the “tougher” decision.

Isa 63:5 I looked, BUT THERE WAS NO ONE TO HELP; I WAS SHOCKED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ONE OFFERING SUPPORT. SO MY RIGHT ARM ACCOMPLISHED deliverance; my raging anger drove me on. NET

It was like Jesus returning to meet Peter and save the “Vision”, which was about to fail, when Peter went back to fishing.

God had to uphold and preserve His Intent at this point.

Gen 11:7-8 Let us go down and mix up their language so that they will not understand each other." SO THE LORD SCATTERED THEM ALL OVER THE EARTH, AND THEY STOPPED BUILDING THE CITY. GNB

So sad, when Men discover the Power of UNITY but dump the Virtue of OBEDIENCE.

Gen 11:6 The LORD said, "THEY ARE ONE PEOPLE WITH ONE LANGUAGE. This is only the beginning of what they will do! NOW NOTHING THEY PLAN TO DO WILL BE TOO DIFFICULT FOR THEM. GW

Ever wonder how we all can be Adam’s seed yet be so different in colour, shape and look?

I think God altered such, along with Languages, to further enforce our acceptance of such Diversities and stick with various extended borderlines, and hence, be forced to spread out and fill the Earth.

Smart God, right?

Your marriage will Honour God, IN JESUS NAME.

Come back on Monday, as we proceed in digging into this inspiring Subtopic.

Brother Prince

Friday, February 16, 2024

08055125517; 08023904307

[juh-wasnt-deactivated19691231]

raging and seething about how they made the world’s information largely accessible and useful and then took it away. tower of babel moment. net zero information moment. do i need to avoid laying down for a while after eating/drinking, especially since i’m sick and the meat machine isn’t very good at access control?