#rethinking my strategies based on that...

[wasyago]

one billion tango sketches for a commission

posted with permission, really like how these turned out, they're goofy <3

[trans-axolotl]

Hi! I'm currently researching prison abolition, both for the sake of becoming better educated about it and because I plan to write a paper on it for class. Two questions for you:

First— what books/articles/videos/any other resources on the topic would you recommend? I've been doing some research on my own, but I'd love to have some more sources.

Second— what solutions do abolitionists offer for people who pose immediate threats? I'm struggling to find a solid answer on this. I know it's going to vary based on who you ask! Just looking for some possible answers. Mostly, I've seen this question answered by redirecting focus towards prevention of the circumstances that lead to this kind of behavior, and obviously that is important and should be the main focus, but I'm not sure what possible methods there are for people who already exist who are a threat to others' safety.

(I especially have a hard time with this question because I'm coming at it from an anarchist lens and I don't believe there should be any sort of carceral system or any governing power, but I don't know how this sort of problem can be dealt with without there being some sort of power structure).

If you don't have an answer for that second one, or just don't feel like answering, that's alright! Thanks for your time :))

Hi!

I'm going to list out a bunch of random resources--this is a very incomplete list, just with a few things that came to mind first.

Articles:

Journalism from currently incarcerated writers:

Prison Journalism Project

Scalawag Abolition Week

Marshall Prison Project

Prison Writing on Prison Abolition by empty cages collective and incarcerated workers organizing committee

Other articles:

Truthout's Road to Abolition

Reports/infographics/organizations:

Advancing Transgender Justice: Illuminating Trans Lives Behind and Beyond Bars By Vera Institute of Justice and Black and Pink

Critical Resistance.

SWOP behind Bars

HEARD

Books:

Change Everything by Ruth Wilson Gilmore

Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur

Disability Incarcerated by Liat Ben Moshe

We Do This 'Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba

Are Prisons Obsolete? By Angela Davis

The New Abolitionists edited by Joy James

Captive Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex by Eric Stanley & Nat Smith

Golden Gulag by Ruth Wilson Gilmore

Beyond Survival: Strategies and Stories from the Transformative Justice Movement edited by Ejeris Dixon and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

In terms of your second question:

short answer, it cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution--any abolitionist future needs to have a wide variety of options for addressing harm that are able to actual address the particular circumstances of harm and meet the needs of the people in that particular context. Harm is an incredibly broad category that can differ so much depending on context. It feels difficult to just give one broad answer for "this is what we do about harm"--it seems necessary to have a different response to someone breaking into your house versus sexual violence versus bigoted physical violence and on and on and on.

Long answer: You're right that a lot of abolitionist thinking focuses on preventing harm and fundamentally changing a lot of the circumstances that are currently causing harm in people's lives. A lot also focusing on rethinking our ideas of safety, violence, harm, and crime, and untangling all the ways a carceral state has shaped our views on those concepts. (this article titled Reclaiming Safety by Mariame Kaba & Andrea J. Ritchie is an important read for thinking about how the concept of safety is constructed in our society). But all that being said, you're right that part of building an abolitionist future requires us to have a way to respond to harm when it does occur, because change doesn't happen overnight and we need those skills now. And these abolitionist responses to harm are something that are already happening now in so many ways in so many different communities and neighborhoods--a lot of people aren't just talking about it using the terminology of prison abolition. For me, it feels really important to start by thinking about what we're already doing and look for ways we can increase our own capacity to respond to harm and to care for our community.

I don't have all the answers, but I'm going to list out some examples of ways that people are already responding to harm without prisons. i don't necessarily think that all of these approaches are applicable to every situation or that they would be the ideal response in a future when we have more options, but i do just want to emphasize that there are things that people are trying right now:

making sure that someone who caused harm isn't able to be in positions of power in organizations/work/community spaces, and making people aware of the harm that was caused.

meeting the material needs of survivors of harm--mutual aid, getting access to housing, resources, etc.

de-escalation training, having people in community equipped to step in to situations where harm is being caused. (i know a few places where this is more-or-less organized--some neighborhoods where people have sort of a neighborhood watch thing going on so people know they can call that group instead of the cops if they need emergency support. )

building up things like peer respite and many other alternatives for supporting people through madness--i have a post discussing the question of alternatives to psych wards for people labeled a "danger to others."

directly intervening in situations where harm is being caused: physically showing up to keep each other safe

financial reparations

community accountability processes focused on creating accountability for bigoted violence, gender based violence, etc.

and a bunch more ideas--I'm not going to list out every possible thing I could think of here.

I'd really recommend reading Beyond Survival, which is a trying to answer some of these questions through looking at examples of things that are already working, and challenges the idea that transformative justice is just community accountability processes where everyone has to sit down at a table together to talk and the survivor just ends up retraumatized. (some authors in the anthology talk in depth about times in which that kind of process would actually increase danger to survivors, in fact.) They also make a lot of room to talk about the experience of being a survivor who has all these complex emotions and feelings towards whoever has caused us harm, and makes a lot of room for messy, complicated feelings of anger or desires for retributive harm.

Some of the examples of transformative justices responses that they share include a public letter campaign to address an abuser who was popular in movement spaces, community created research databases tracking racist violence and murders, community led murder investigations through different tactics including documentary filmmaking, family members stepping in to confront abusers and remove children from unsafe spaces, building up community first aid and medical knowledge to reduce the amount cops get called, a toolkit for transformative justice plans within youth spaces, community defense groups, including groups prepared to do physical defense, and so many more examples of things that people are trying.

I'll also link the creative interventions workbook, which is a really extensive toolkit for thinking of ways to respond to interpersonal violence.

A frequent criticism of prison abolition is that it's not practical--that our suggested responses to harm are impossible and could never work. And I can understand why people respond that way. It can be really frustrating to see people list out a lot of things that wouldn't work yet where you live because your neighbors are bigoted, or you're currently incarcerated, or you live in an inaccessible city with no in person community, etc. That anger feels meaningful, because it highlights just how fucked up it is that those barriers exist and that we don't have more options for community care right now. And at the same time, if we only try ideas based on what is currently practical, we end up just using the same existing frameworks to try to build a new world, and accept the current limits placed on us through the violence of prisons and policing. I think that abolition must be a little impractical to be effective--we need to be able to move beyond what is currently practical within the carceral apparatuses of state violence, and instead work to build in a way that dismantles what the state defines as realistic.

Last thing I'll say is that for me, it is so vital to always remember that prison abolition is a political movement centered in dismantling a white supremacist system that enacts antiblack racist violence on a gigantic scale. It's not just a buzzword to throw around to refer to anything, it's important to stay connected to what this actually about, learn about the radical history and lineage of Black prison abolitionists in the US, instead of misusing and extracting political resources without having reciprocity and solidarity. And also to stay connected to prison resistance movements right now--recognizing that the most important works of abolition are happening in these carceral spaces as we speak.

if any followers have other resources about prison abolition that they want to add on, feel free!

[saturnselkies]

Thanks for the tag @i-mybrunettelady!!!😊 I did it for both my commander and wayfinder & if you're reading this and want to do it, you're tagged (and please tag me in your post! So I can read).

-- B A S I C S

name: Penelope Starbinder (formerly Ry). age: 34. She was born on November 1 (Season of the Colossus/Scorpio. I picture her with an Aquarius moon and an Aries rising!). race: She had two mothers, one is Canthan and the other was a Mist Being with draconic blood. gender: NB femme (she/her). orientation: Lesbian. profession: Holosmith and Commander/Champion of Aurene.

-- P H Y S I C A L A S P E C T S

hair: Currently a copper orange. eyes: Right now her eyes have a purple and yellow hue which is impossible in-game, but that's the kind of shade. skin: Tanned. tattoos/scars: She has a tattoo on the base of her neck, it's supposed to represent her title of Starbinder. I haven't designed it yet because I haven't had the opportunity to draw her back AJKFJSF but yeah. Scars: one on her left breast/shoulder from when Bangar shot her.

-- F A M I L Y

parents: Mimi Ry (deceased) and Nvaa (deceased). siblings: Her twin sister Deanna Starlighter (formerly Ry). grandparents: Unknown. Her human mother had no family of note. in laws and others: Jormag - not officially married, but… honestly they have 6 children together so. It makes the Elder Dragons family ig. LMFAOOO. pets: Starry shiba inu.

-- S K I L L S

abilities: Proficient in engineering and holosmith skills; on the same level of Canthan engineering. She would be classified as a genius (she just doesn't use it like asura do, so it's never really commercialized). Great eye for strategy and making small talk with just about anyone. Good at solving things quickly and has a stellar sense of direction. She can't cook good food or sew or anything like that; that's Jormag's thing lol. She doesn't have a hobby or other skills that aren't related to being a commander and she should rethink that. The burnout is real.

-- T R A I T S

most positive trait: Easygoing, extremely loyal, dependable. most negative trait: Martyrdom, impulsiveness, speaks without thinking at times.

-- L I K E S

colors: Purple, gold, cyan. smells: Lavender, coconut, beach. textures: Soft fur/hair, warm skin, weighted blanket. drinks: Energy drinks, cocktails, fizzy soda.

-- O T H E R D E T A I L S

smokes: Not usually, but she has. drinks: Yes. drugs: Nope. been arrested: Well yes, canonically so. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-- B A S I C S

name: Badri the Starstorm (alter ego: The Starfall Ego). age: Unknown, but definitely over 150. race: Unknown. gender: Cis lady (she/her). orientation: Lesbian. profession: Wizard and Wayfinder. Chronomancer. (Alter ego: crazily powerful elemental cosmic magic).

-- P H Y S I C A L A S P E C T S

hair: Mousy blonde, very soft and shiny. (Alter ego: very light lavender/iridescent). eyes: Pale with a golden sparkle. skin: Pale purple-blue. tattoos/scars: None.

-- F A M I L Y

parents: Unknown. siblings: Unknown. grandparents: Unknown. in laws and others: Isgarren is her father figure and Peitha is her toxic yuri. Isak and her share a pretty strong sibling bond even if they are not related at all. pets: Her moth skyscale, Belle, is very much like a cat to her.

-- S K I L L S

abilities: Learned chronomancy from her teacher Basira & her skills are pretty good. She learns any kind of magic pretty easily and with efficiency. She can cook, sew, dance, play instruments, sing, and many other stuff. She's like a swiss army knife of skills. She devoted most of her time to hobbies and reading because she wasn't allowed outside the tower.

-- T R A I T S

most positive trait: Cheerful, tooth-rotting sweet and attentive, caring. most negative trait: Selfish, passive-aggressive, sheltered.

-- L I K E S

colors: Jade, lipstick, periwinkle. smells: Strawberry cake, peppermint, scented candles. textures: Velvet, encrusted gems, embroidery. drinks: Green tea, cocoa with chunky marshmallows, smoothies.

-- O T H E R D E T A I L S

smokes: Nope. drinks: Nope. drugs: Nope. been arrested: Nope.

[bunnylikeslettuce]

✨️Rewards for meeeee ✨️

Rules:

on Saturdays, I get to see if I get a reward (so the rewards are week based, but I cash out monthly)

-4 lbs or less/maintenence/gain: no reward. Rethink strategy.

-5 lbs: 10 bucks

-6 lbs: 15 bucks

-7 lbs: 20 bucks

-8 lbs and more: 25 bucks

So, hypothetically, I can earn 100 bucks a month to spend on makeup, clothes, and decor for my apartment.

[dragongirltongue]

sending some mutual love!!! <33333333

have you played any games recently?

Oh there are a few I wanna yell about!

Starting with!!!

Cassette Beasts really hit a chord with me as someone who wanted something new and interesting from the Pokemon formula.

It completely rethinks the concept of weaknesses and resistances that define elemental com6at strategy, allowing for some new interactions.

It also almost always uses Double battles which is something I've always thought Pokemon could benefit from.

The story is also really fucking good, felt a lot on my journey through New Wirral.

Another is Anodyne 2, my friend @bogmonstergirl sent to me for my birthday and at first I actually wasn't feeling it. The way the story was shaping up was reminding me a little too much of my time as an actual cultist but as the story unfolds and I realized that discomfort is intended I absolutely fell in love with it and the lovely characters it introduced.

Nova also feels like such a well rounded character despite being a silent protagonist, the way the story builds her perspective on things really gives her a sense of personhood even if she's very much a blank slate. I'm not going to go into detail on the hows though because I feel getting to know Nova is part of the core experience.

Speaking of the word Nova...

Another one yet is Super Lesbian Animal RPG, a game I've been wanting to check out for a long time, I had followed early development back when it was a horse game but drifted away from it over time. Coming back to it in it's fully finished form now I'm really glad I got back on it, it does one thing I never expected a turn based RPG to do.

It makes healing feel powerful

building the story around Melody's journey to be a paladin for her gf really helped the story and gameplay synergize in a wonderful way, using Melody's healing magic to keep her friends and partner alive felt exactly as good as slicing a monster in half with Alison.

So many games leave healing feeling like an after thought but by working it so well into the gameplay and story @ponett did something incredible and I'm so glad I played this game. There are times where I outright cheered over getting out of a tough fight while using Melody to keep everyone alive.

[thedeathdeelers]

definitely not (super loosely) based on personal experience 2 weeks ago but like. juke randomly sitting next to each other on the plane >

it’s luke’s millionth flight and the boys are on their way to another city for yet another gig (sunset curve doing well they flying) but it’s only julie’s like 5th (or 100th time- irrational fears are irrational for a reason) time or soemthing. so understandably she’s nervous as hell. especially about the turbulence (and yes ray she knows it’s totally normal and is aware that it’s just like a car driving over potholes or an uneven street but it still freaks her out blame the anxiety)

julie’s kind of found a way to help her through the anxiety though: talk to literally anyone within her direct vicinity to distract herself from the bumpy flight. and usually it’s a friendly old man, or a woman in her mid-50s; and julie’s been pretty lucky with how friendly everyone is and how willing they are to help, and will be forever thankful to them

but the problem is, this time ‘round her neighbour is a super cute guy who’s kinda making her just as nervous as the accelerating plane that’s about to take off and julie’s starting to rethink her strategy..

maybe she can just do this herself-

the plane lurches slightly to the left as it leaves solid ground, the gusts of wind outside making it hard for the pilot to keep it as steady as julie would like.

she grips the seat armrests, tries to keep her eyes on the outside world through her tiny window, but her heart won’t slow down and she feels like she’s about to throw up-

“hey so um,” julie whips her head to the side, cringing slightly when she sees the guy sat next to her had his eyes already closed. “do you- do you mind if i just talk to you whenever there’s a bit of turbulence or uh-” julie swallows against the rising panic as the plane continues to shake from side to side the longer they fly through the clouds. “it’s just i- i-panic-when-there’s-turbulence-and-talking-can-sometimes-help-me-stay-distracted-but-it’s-fine-if-you-want-to-sleep-i’m-so-sorry-to-bother-you-maybe-just-ignore-everything-i-just-said.” julie rushes through that sentence in one breath, her heart ready to beat out of her chest as her eyes flick back to stare out the window.

she doesn’t dare to look back at her neighbour, too embarrassed and too panicked to even consider the situation she’s currently in.

okay julie, deep breath. this is totally normal, it’s totally fine. look at all the people sitting around you half asleep, completely relaxed. it’s fine, it’ll be alri-

the plane dips down and back up, making julie’s palms sweat and any thoughts of reassurance fly out her mind.

she closes her eyes shut, only to immediately snap them wide open again, gaze back to being glued to the clouds still surrounding them.

she doesn’t know what to do anymore, eyes scanning any hope of seeing the grassy fields below or maybe even a hint of an outline of land — anything she can focus on that isn’t a white haze.

and just as another considerable bout of turbulence hits, julie feels a warm hand coming to rest over hers, accompanied a second later by a low, gentle voice.

“hey, you’re good. i’m- i’m luke. what’s your name?”

julie turns her head at the voice, eyes tracing up from his hand resting on hers, all the way up to his worried gaze.

she can’t help but stare for a second, mind momentarily distracted by his hazel eyes.

“uh- i’m-” julie stops when her voice falters for a second, then clears her throat and tries again. “i’m julie. i’m really sorry for the way i uh- introduced myself earlier.” julie tries for a sheepish smile, but feels it turning into a grimace when she feels another substantial dip beneath her. she reflexively turns her head to stare out the window again, only to stop mid-way when she hears her neighbour — luke — speak up again.

“nah, that’s fine, no need to apologise. i get it. my buddy reggie used to be terrified of flying.”

“used to?”

“yeah we uh,” it’s only when he pulls his hand away to self-consciously rub at the back of his head does julie realise he had still been holding her hand. “we kinda fly a lot now that we’re getting a decent amount of gigs. we’re a band, sunset curve?”

julie thinks the name sounds familiar, but she can’t really trust her brain to function properly at the moment. she smiles at luke apologetically, shaking her head once.

“let me guess though,” julie let’s her eyes roam down the rest of luke’s top half, eyes lingering only for a second on his ridiculously exposed arms before landing on his calloused fingers. she’s about to look back up when she notices little smudges of ink colouring the tips of his forefinger and thumb.

ah, there it is.

“you….play guitar? and maybe hmm..write some of the songs?”

luke’s eyes light up at her words, the easy grin popping up on his face blinding her for a second.

jeez he was cute.

“how’d you guess?” julie smiles at his excitement, watching him as he sits up a little straighter.

“let’s just say…a fellow musician’s hunch?” julie shrugs. “something about you reminds me of someone.”

“you a musician? what d’you play?”

julie smiles sadly at him. “i used to sing and play the piano. now i kind of just,” julie‘a gaze shifts from his to the seat in front of her. “listen to music.”

she can practically feel his curiosity flowing out of him next to her, but is pleasantly surprised at his restraint.

“what kinda music you listen to?”

julie turns to answer, but freezes when another bad shake forces her to close her eyes.

she takes in a deep breath — in, out, in, out.

“i kind of listen to a bit of everything,” luke says, as if they hadn’t been interrupted. “but i try to focus more on whatever genre i’m trying to channel in my songs whenever i’m working on a new album.”

she feels him rest his warm hand over hers again, gently squeezing.

“this okay?” he asks quietly.

julie nods, eyes slowly easing open again.

“but yeah i like to think i’m pretty open-minded when it comes to all genres of music, although reggie kinda tests that when he slips in his country songs in my journal. like i get it? but maybe it’s just not for me? right now? i can see how i can get inspired by country in the future maybe for an album way way way down the line, but like. not now. but alex, our drummer, recently started getting into kpop and some of the arrangements i’m really digging so i’m thinking maybe testing that out…” he continues talking about experimenting with music, and all julie can do is smile at his attempt at distracting her. the least she can do is partake in this conversation.

“i listen to a bit of everything too,” she says, turning to smile at him. “my mom raised me on the classics, but always made sure i gave every genre a fair shot. she was a big, big fan of music.” julie pauses for a second, then continues. “she was my main inspiration when it came to writing and performing music. she was my driving force, you know?”

julie sees the moment the curiosity in luke’s eyes turns into sympathy as understanding finally dawns on him.

he smiles and nods at her, gently nudging her to go on.

and for the rest of the flight, julie finds herself opening up about her music and her struggles and her mom for the first time to what should technically be a complete stranger. some turbulence still hit during the flight, making her stop to quickly stare out the window, but luke was always there, squeezing her hand in support and finding something to say to get her to turn back to him.

at one point nearing the last stretch of their journey, julie chances a peak outside her window, only to be pleasantly surprised to see the sun shining uninterrupted through clear blue skies, with never-ending fields of green down below.

she smiles at the view, even laughs quietly at herself.

the clouds were finally clearing up.

and for the first time since julie started flying and speaking to strangers on planes, she may or may not have saved her new emotional support passenger’s number. and followed him on instagram.

and giggled a little when he messaged her the second they walked away from each other at the airport.

yeah, maybe flying might come a little easier to her from now on.

and maybe, just maybe, music will, too.

[facesofcsl]

Christina Battle, PhD - Media Artist

Christina Battle (she/her) is a film and video media artist based in Edmonton and Treaty 6.

What does your work entail?

My work initially centered on film and video, focusing on how media takes time—not only to create but also to communicate stories and ideas. Over time, I began applying that same sensibility to other artistic disciplines, particularly participatory practices. These practices often involve performance artists whose work consists in working with communities, creating projects, and developing frameworks that encourage participation. By engaging public groups and fostering interaction, my work aims to explore and expand the boundaries of art as a shared experience.

How does your work overlap with Community Service Learning (CSL)?

There’s a significant overlap between my artistic practice and CSL, particularly in the shared focus on community building and the complexities of what it means to “be in community.” The term “community” is used so broadly in both art and society that it often requires unpacking.

CSL offers an incredible opportunity to slow down and ask foundational questions: What does it mean to engage in community? How can we imagine new ways of connecting? My work also asks similar questions—how do we build relationships, understand one another, and decide who we want to engage with? Both approaches involve exploring how we create spaces for connection and collaboration.

How do you incorporate CSL students into your work?

In Spring 2023, I was invited by Lisa Prins and Allison Sivak (CSL course instructors), to share my practice with their CSL 370 class, which focused on plants and gardening—topics that resonate deeply with my work around seeds, plants, and climate change. We met in a park one afternoon, where I brought seeds and shared my projects. The conversations were some of the most engaging I’ve had. While my projects often appeal to artists, this group approached the work from a different perspective, yet shared a genuine interest in the intersections of community, art, and environmental issues.

In Spring 2024, Lisa and Allison invited me to engage more deeply with their course, and I eagerly accepted because of my positive experience the previous year. Collaborating with their students has been incredibly rewarding, creating spaces for shared knowledge and fostering conversations about topics I’m passionate about.

What have you learned by being involved with CSL?

Teaching art and design for 15 years has taught me a lot about pedagogy, but CSL offered a profoundly different approach to learning. Unlike traditional classrooms, which often rely on rigid hierarchies and lecture-based knowledge transmission, CSL fosters experiential, relational, and participatory modes of learning. This aligns perfectly with my practice, where learning alongside and from others is key.

The CSL classroom challenged me to rethink the boundaries of knowledge and how we connect with each other’s histories, cultures, and experiences. It was refreshing to work with students who didn’t identify as artists but were eager to explore art as a tool for justice, politics, and environmental concerns. The openness of the CSL framework allowed us to bypass the conventions of artistic training and dive directly into the complexities of the world we live in.

What do you hope CSL students take away from your presence in the classroom?

I hope students see artistic practice as a powerful strategy for communication. Art isn’t just about self-expression—it’s about relationality and finding ways to connect with others, especially around complex issues like climate change and social justice. Participatory art, in particular, focuses on building relationships and exploring how we can engage with the world in meaningful ways.

Working with the CSL class reminded me of the collective desire to address these challenges. While individual action can feel isolating, coming together in shared spaces—whether through art, conversation, or collaboration—can inspire new strategies for expression and problem-solving. I hope the students left with a sense of empowerment to use creative tools to communicate and enact change.

How has your involvement with CSL impacted you?

One lasting memory from my time with the CSL class is tied to the sunflower seeds we worked with. When the class ended, I took home some of the seeds we had discussed and distributed. Over the summer, I harvested seeds from the plants that grew, creating a physical reminder of our shared experience. This ongoing relationship with the seeds feels symbolic of community building—an ongoing, iterative process that takes time and care but can yield incredible results.

Another moment that stood out was during a postcard-making session. One student hesitated, saying, “I’m not an artist,” yet created an absolutely stunning piece. It reminded me that the label of “artist” can be limiting. Many people create beautiful, meaningful work without having been formally trained or identifying with the term. Moments like these reinforce the importance of opening up definitions of art and helping people see its potential as a universal tool for storytelling and connection.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL?

CSL has been an inspiring opportunity for community building, knowledge sharing, and mutual learning. Rather than a traditional artist talk where I simply present my work, the CSL classroom was an activated, relational space where I learned as much as I taught. It was a powerful reminder of the value of slowing down, fostering connections, and embracing art as a tool for collective exploration.

[palms-upturned]

Hey everyone, sorry for the prolonged inactivity. My health kind of collapsed for a while there and I’ve been dealing with housing problems due to unemployment. I don’t feel like that’s a good reason to let this blog go unattended considering the far worse conditions that people in Gaza are suffering while they continue to fundraise for not only themselves but others as well, so I won’t try to excuse myself. I will say for clarification that asks were closed here and on VGF and will remain closed for a while longer because tumblr has been eating them, so DMs are safer for people to contact me and not get lost or buried. I’ve been trying to keep up with a spreadsheet of all the campaigns that have reached out to me, but I still have catching up to do, especially since tumblr, GFM, and PayPal all continue to target Gaza fundraisers. I want to get both blogs up and running again soon and to try and find a way to contribute more to fundraisers, like art in exchange for donations, but I may still be slower going than I’d like to be. I’m going to try to start working my way through DMs to start with.

Catching up with VGF will take longer and I’m reconsidering a lot of things abt how I run it because I’m afraid of doing more harm than good with how ppl seemed to take me as a primary verification source rather than the sources I documented, and with some mistakes of my own where I took it at face value that a blog promoting, iirc, the Ayyad family campaign was run by that family, only to find out that the Ayyads did not know who was running the blog, which then pivoted to promoting a different, unverified fundraiser, which people claimed was verified based on my post that included that URL. I also don’t think it will be possible to regularly update the fundraiser amounts in the master posts anymore because of how many campaigns have reached out, so I’m rethinking that as well. Once I’m caught up on the campaigns that have reached out, I want to add more mods to the blog to help me, esp in case my health declines again. But doing that will mean losing access to DMs, so I’m apprehensive about relying only on asks again when so many asks were getting eaten and I was having problems with tumblr only displaying a certain number of them. If anyone knows a fix for the ask box, please let me know!

If you’re looking for a campaign to donate to today, please consider Mohammed Ayesh’s campaign. He has spent months helping to verify fundraisers on the ground in Gaza and run @/gaza-evacuation-funds while he’s only halfway to his own fundraising goal after all this time.

My health seems to be improving somewhat right now and my brother and I have sort of accepted that we’ll lose our housing once this lease is up, but we do have family to fall back on, so it’ll be ok. What that means is I’m gonna let go of the idea of finding a job for a while and focus on this + sorting out my health issues. I was involved with some group research projects while I was away to try and stay involved with something helpful, but they’ve kind of just… died out and I don’t know if any of that work will be made use of. If not, I’ll try to share whatever useful info and strategic research strategies I’ve learned here on this blog.

If anyone needs to contact me quickly, you can reach out for my discord, or other messaging apps if we’re long time friends/mutuals. How much screen time I can tolerate at a time depends on my migraines, brain fog, fatigue, etc so I apologize if even then it takes me a while to get back to you. Especially feel free to hmu if strategic corporate research on a particular arms company sounds like something that could be useful to you.

[oliveroctavius]

Did you check out the first issue of the new Ultimate Spider-Man? I'd be curious to see your thoughts

I was planning on letting it pass by me, zen-like. I kind of... disapprove of the entire concept. The more redundant universes Marvel creates (note that I say redundant, in that I like some AUs with recognizably different heroes and story lines) the more it approaches a DC-like level of story fragmentation, where nothing has to matter and everything runs on vibes. Every new restart survives an even shorter amount of time. It's a death spiral.

But alright. I may not know who Hickman is but some other people seem to like him. I'm Charlie Brown, the new title is a football, here's some of the whistling my foot makes as it flies through the air.

First off a disclaimer: comics are into longform storytelling these days, so almost nothing happens in this issue by design. This is a setup, not a story. I can point out some pettier dislikes, but I can't know what might turn out well yet.

I get that this is going to tie in to the Maker, but calling this USM is a bogus decision that is going to cause so much confusion down the line. It's like they didn't want to admit they were setting up yet a third story. See above grouch about redundant universes.

Uncle Ben being alive instead of Aunt May is a hell of a decision. But I like Hell Of A Decisions if they're pulled off with confidence. I miss og USM's ponytailed gentle old hippie Uncle Ben, I admit. He had a surprising amount of characterization, which I always liked about that series.

I... do not get... why they are homewrecking Robbie + JJJ for Ben. Like, I'm kind of offended on Robbie's behalf. og USM already put some of Robbie's plotlines into Ben--I mean, Ben Urich's hands, but this is more based on 616, isn't it? Robertson's personal moral compass and how that interacts with his job and his safety and his journalistic ethics AND his relationship with Jameson's short-sighted tendencies have been the core of his character for 60 years. Could we not think of something new for Uncle Ben to be doing instead of overwriting an existing character relationship and adding next to nothing to it? And Robbie's there and just kind of fine with the Kingpin's proposal as far as we see so far. This is probably my biggest complaint.

The kids could be an interesting element, but we don't really see any of that yet so it's purely potential.

The Harry fans seem to like this new Harold and his visual design so far. I suppose he's not fully flavorless but the flavor that is there is like. Salt and pepper.

MJ could stand to look older and have more characterization but that is not an original observation. Wait, she's definitely based off her 616 self and not her USM self isn't she? God why DID they call this USM, this is a structural publishing nightmare

The Goblin design is what people think the Raimi goblin costume was, which is not exactly a compliment. Also I *know* I'm the Goblin Fan but are there, really no other villains you could think of to open with? No? Is this the only plot point that's ever going to get adapted over and over again? Maybe it will be good and I'll be glad, I think! And then imagine Charlie Brown and the football again.

Another thing that really got me was the churning camera angles on some of the simplest scenes here. I respect the dutch angle hustle, Chechetto, but if I'm feeling seasick while trying to follow a scene where people have a conversation while sitting down then you might want to rethink your strategy.

To misquote Roger Ebert for a second, "the penciler has learned from better comics that artists sometimes tilt their panels, but it seems he has not learned why."

[pachel-2003]

The wasteland Part 7

The Maestro has made his way into the base. I can see the panic on Clint’s face, he is looking back and forth between me and Maestro. He is bigger and scarier than I imagined. Clint starts to shoot with his mini gun they hit him. But it is no use. Clint turns back to me and talks in a panicked voice. “We need to get you out of here!” As he says that Maestro hears and starts to head our way quickly. “Run!” Clint shouts. It’s hard to do anything my injuries are not healed completely. I push forward with Clint behind me. I don’t dare turn around; I can hear his footsteps each louder than the last. I’ve never been more scared before.

We continue to run at the end of the tunnel and luckily see Loki holding a portal to who knows where. Both me and Clint run to it yelling for Loki to hold it a little longer. Once I’m close enough I hear Clint stop running. I stop and turn to him. “What are you doing?!”

He shoves me closer to the portal “You need to go.” He said laving no room for me to talk. He pushes me past the portal, and I feel Loki keep a hold of me and I struggle yelling for Clint as he holds up his bow and arrow to the incoming Maestro. And before he lets go the portal closes and I let out a painful sob.

——————————————-

It’s now sunset, and Loki and I are the only ones I know who survived. I have just been starring into the distance thinking about Clint, and if he survived. I hear Loki, walk up behind me. “Can you see him?” I ask referring to his magic.

“Unfortunately, I cannot. The best I know is he is alive. What we can do now is find him and those stones. We do not have many resources to help us right now.”

I stand to face him. “Let’s go then” I say determined “we can’t just stand here and do nothing.”

“I agree but we don’t have the army we need.” He said sternly. “I understand the hurry, but if we go in unprepared, we will die.” He clenched his fist upset. “I want to feel him as much as anyone, but we need to rethink our strategy.”

I nod agreeing with him. I start to worry about Clint if Loki says he is alive I will believe him. But something keeps telling me Maestro is doing something terrible.

————————————————

Clint’s POV

The Maestro throws me down as I let out a grunt. “Someone was transported here from the past and I want to know how.” He snarls in my face. “Now tell me, where are they?!”

“I won’t tell. I promised she wold get back to her time.”

He just growls and grabs my shirt lifting me off the ground. “Fine! Keep your secrets.” He takes me to the prison and throws me in there. “I’ll be back in the meantime feel free to rot here.” And with that he locks the gate and leaves.

———————————————-

(Y/N) POV

It took some time, but me and Loki are able to find Maria and a couple of other people to help us save Clint. As we gather around the campfire and all I can do is stare into the fire. It’s been hours since me and Clint separated. And I can’t help but worry for him. That doctor said his vision is gong away, what if he shoots and misses? These thoughts keep clouding my mind I don’t notice someone sit next to me. “Penny for your thoughts?” Maria asks.

I look to her with a frown on my face. “I can’t stop worrying, his vision is starting to go. You should’ve seen his face when he got the news.” I stand and start to pace in front of her. “I mean he’s done so much for me and the resistance. He’s the reason your all here.”

Maria stops my pacing and speaks in a calm voice. “I know, but he’s able to handle himself. Trust me when I say we need to focus on getting to those stones, ok?” I nod and sit back down taking deep breaths to calm down. “He’s going to do what he can to keep Maestro busy while we go to the tower and get those stones. Now get some sleep, because tomorrow we plan and then we attack.” With that she leaves me to rest.

———————————————

(The Next Day)

I didn’t sleep at all during the night. My mind kept going back to yesterday’s events. All I can do now is hope that Clint is ok, and that I need to get those stones to go home. I look around at everyone as they begin to wake. Everything is quiet until a voice speaks up. “How are you today?” I look over my shoulder and see Loki there. I give him a small nod and look back at the group. “Your calmer than yesterday which is good. But we need you to focus right now.”

“I will. I needed the rest.” Loki hands me some bread and I take it. I eat the bread in silence for a few minutes. “So, what’s the plan?” I speak up softly.

“We go through our original plan, with some adjustments of course. Since Barton, isn’t here your either going in alone or me or Hill will go with you. You have until nightfall to decide.” He stands and turns to leave.

I speak stand up to face him. “Loki, I will go in alone, but there’s somethingI’m willing to do before we do so.”

He turns to me. “And what is that?”

“We’re going to get Clint back, and I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer” I said determined.

[ghelgheli]

The Stuff I Read in September 2023

Stuff I Extra Liked Is Bold

Books

Orphans of the Sky, Robert A. Heinlein

Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein

Revenant Gun, Yoon Ha Lee

All Systems Red, Martha Wells

Artificial Condition, Martha Wells

Rogue Protocol, Martha Wells

Exit Strategy, Martha Wells

Friendship Poems, ed. Peter Washington

Introduction to Linear Algebra, ch. 1-3, Gilbert Strang

Manga (mostly yuri [really all yuri])

Yagate Kimi ni Naru / Bloom Into You, Nio Nakatani

Kaketa Tsuki to Dōnattsu / Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon, Shio Usui

Onna Tomodachi to Kekkon Shitemita / Trying Out Marriage With My Female Friend, Shio Usui

Kimi no Tame ni Sekai wa Aru / The World Exists for You, Shio Usui

Teiji ni Agaretara / If We Leave on the Dot, Ayu Inui

Nikurashii Hodo Aishiteru / I Love You So Much I Hate You, Ayu Inui

Tsukiatte Agetemo Ī Kana / How Do We Relationship? Tamifull

Himegoto - Juukyuusai no Seifuku / Uniforms at the Age of Nineteen, Ryou Minenami

Colorless Girl, Honami Shirono

Short Fiction

It gets so lonely here, ebi-hime [itch.io]

Aye, and Gomorrah, Samuel R. Delaney [strange horizons]

Evolutionary Game Theory

Red Queen and Red King Effects in cultural agent-based modeling: Hawk Dove Binary and Systemic Discrimination, S. M. Amadae & Christopher J. Watts [doi]

The Evolution of Social Norms, H. Peyton Young [doi]

The Checkerboard Model of Social Interaction, James Sakoda [doi]

Dynamic Models of Segregation, Thomas C. Schelling [doi]

Towards a Unified Science of Cultural Evolution, Alex Mesoudi, Andrew Whiten, Kevin N. Laland [doi]

Is Human Cultural Evolution Darwinian? Alex Mesoudi, Andrew Whiten, Kevin N. Laland [doi]

Gender/Sexuality/Queer Stuff (up to several degrees removed)

Re-orienting Desire: The Gay International and the Arab World, Joseph Massad [link]

The Empire of Sexuality, Joseph Massad (interview) [link]

The Bare Bones of Sex, Anne Fausto-Sterling [jstor]

On the Biology of Sexed Subjects, Helen Keane & Marsha Rosengarten [doi]

Vacation Cruises: Or, the Homoerotics of Orientalism, Joseph A. Boone [jstor]

Romancing the Transgender Native: Rethinking the Use of the “Third Gender” Concept, Evan B. Towle & Lynn M. Morgan [doi]

Scientific Racism and the Emergence of the Homosexual Body, Siobhan Somerville [jstor]

White Sexual Imperialism: A Theory of Asian Feminist Jurisprudence, Sunny Woan [link]

Haunted by the 1990s: Queer Theory’s Affective Histories, Kadji Amin [jstor]

Annoying Anthro

The Sexual Division of Labor, Rebecca B. Bird, Brian F. Codding [researchgate]

Factors in the Division of Labor by Sex: A Cross-Cultural Analysis, George P. Murdock & Caterina Provost [jstor]

Biosocial Construction of Sex Differences and Similarities in Behavior, Wendy Wood & Alice H. Eagly [doi]

Political Theory

Some critics argue that the Internal Colony Theory is outdated. Here’s why they’re wrong, Patrick D. Anderson [link]

Toward a New Theory of Internal Colonialism, Charles Pinderhughes [link]

The Anatomy of Iranian Racism: Reflections on the Root Causes of South Azerbaijans Resistance Movement, Alireza Asgharzadeh [link]

The veil or a brother's life: French manipulations of Muslim women's images during the Algerian War, 1954–62, Elizabeth Perego [doi]

A Difficulty in the Concept of Social Welfare, Kenneth J. Arrow [jstor]

Manipulation of Voting Schemes: A General Result, Allan Gibbard [jstor]

China Has Billionaires, Roderic Day [redsails]

Other

Conversations I Can't Have, Cassandra Byers Harvin [proquest]

Earth system impacts of the European arrival and Great Dying in the Americas after 1492, Alexander Koch et al. [doi]

Why prisons are not “The New Asylums”, Liat Ben-Moshe [doi]

Uses of Value Judgments in Science: A General Argument, with Lessons from a Case Study of Feminist Research on Divorce, Elizabeth Anderson [doi]

Boundary Issues, Lily Scherlis [link]

[justforbooks]

What is Lucky Girl Syndrome?

“I just always expect great things to happen to me, and so, they do.” With those words (and more) describing her impossibly charmed life, a 22-year-old TikTok influencer ushered in the “Lucky Girl Syndrome,” a viral trend wherein people (mainly girls and women it would seem) are encouraged to accept that just believing all good things will come to them can make it so. It’s as much positive psychology as it is toxic positivity, depending on who is being asked. Here’s everything you need to know about Gen Z’s obsession with Lucky Girl Syndrome.

Okay, so what, exactly, is Lucky Girl Syndrome?

It’s basically the belief that “affirmative mantras and a positive mindset in life will bend everyday events in your favour,” according to the Washington Post. Its “founder,” New York-based Laura Galebe, gets the “most insane opportunities” thrown at her from, like, everywhere, she explains in her viral clip. “Nothing doesn’t ever go my way.” Thoughts like, “nothing ever works for me,” never enter her mind-set. Lucky Girl Syndrome started trending soon after New Year’s Day. On TikTok, people are crediting the LGS mantra for helping them score raises, amazing apartments, cheap flights. Videos with the #LuckyGirlSyndrome hashtag, the Washington Post reported, “have been watched a collective 149.6 million times.”

Is it new?

Not really. It’s more a Gen Z spin on old concepts like positive manifestations, Vox reports, meaning “the practice of repeatedly writing or saying declarative statements in the hopes that they will soon become true.” TikTok has an uncanny knack of making “even the most stale, ancient ideas seem suddenly urgent using one simple trick: give it a new name,” Vox’s Rebecca Jennings wrote.

Essentially, manifesting hinges on the belief “that we can change and shape our lives just by the way we think,” according to the Newport Institute, a mental health treatment centre for young adults that has produced an FAQ on Lucky Girl Syndrome. Also known as the law of attraction, manifesting “gives us the sense that we can create order in a world that feels chaotic and unpredictable.”

That sounds peachy. Couldn’t we all use more positivity?

Well, yes, studies have found that positive thinking can be a salve for anxiety. It may help bolster the immune system and lower blood pressure. It can make people feel more confident and more resilient.

“There’s nothing against wishing,” said Gabriele Oettingen, a professor of psychology at New York University and author of, Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation. “Our wishes are an expression of our needs, of what we don’t have,” she said. Her own research has shown that “optimistic expectations” help motivate people to work toward achieving goals, and not just click their heels three times.

Positive manifestation, Alyx Gorman wrote in The Guardian, shares some features of positive cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on enhancing that which helps people flourish. The difference is, cognitive behavioral therapy is anchored in science.

Still, the notion that if you just wish for something hard enough it will “manifest” itself is a seductive one. It alleviates people of actually having to work at achieving goals.

“As much as we might like to tell ourselves otherwise, we can’t transform our lives, luck and circumstances simply by telling ourselves so really, really hard that we can,” writes Roisin Lanigan in Vice.

“There are going to be, unfortunately, some situations in life that we are not able to manifest and think our way out of,” psychologist Carolyne Keenan told the BBC. “I would be concerned about people being in a situation where maybe that’s not going to be an effective strategy.”

What is it that people don’t like about this?

Lucky Girl Syndrome conveniently glosses over barriers like poverty, and systemic racism and inequalities. An argument could also be made that believing in luck “is an entitled luxury for the privileged,” according to Newport’s national advisor of healthy device management, Don Grant.

Indeed, Lucky Girl has been called “icky,” the “smuggest” TikTok trend yet and “the peak of the internet’s delusional era.” A defiant Galebe challenges her followers to, go ahead, “Try being delusional for a month and tell me if your life doesn’t change.”

Thinking positive thoughts and pushing away self-limiting ones is generally a good thing. Humans have an inherent negativity bias. “Thousands of years ago, our brains were constantly scanning the horizon for threats,” Louisa Jewell, author of Wire Your Brain for Confidence, told Forbes.

“Whether conscious or subconscious, (people’s thoughts and beliefs) strongly affect what we want and whether we succeed in getting it,” Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck told the magazine.

But ignoring reality isn’t helpful for mental well-being. “Trying to manifest change — and failing — can make people feel worse,” according to the Newport Institute.

“(It) triggers disappointment for some whilst others completely lose their confidence,” Lucy Baker, a U.K.-based confidence coach, told the New York Post. Believing one is the “luckiest person on planet Earth and luckier than any other living being can be dangerous.”

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

[itswavelengths]

The JRPG

This morning saw the lifting of a preview embargo for the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI, and with it a bunch of quotes from producer Naoki Yoshida that are being both praised and dunked on in equal measure depending on which interview you happen to be reading. One such interview that stood out to me came from a great video by critic SkillUp whose first question asking to clarify some earlier statements about the evolution of the JRPG genre elicited this response:

One thing he wants to get across is that when we create games, we don't go into them thinking we are creating JRPGs. We are just creating RPGs. The term JRPG is used by Western media rather than users and media in Japan. This is going to depend on who you ask but there was a time when this term first appeared fifteen years ago, and for us as developers the first time we heard it — it was like a discriminatory¹ term — as though we were being made fun of for creating these games. And so for some developers the term JRPG can be something that will maybe trigger bad feelings because of what was in the past. It wasn't a compliment to a lot of developers in Japan. We understand that recently JRPG has better connotations, and it's being used as a positive, but we still remember the time when it was being used as a negative. I remember seeing something fifteen years ago which was basically a definition of what a JRPG was versus a western RPG. It's kind of like Final Fantasy VII, and it has this type of graphics, this length of story — and compartmentalizing what we were creating into a JRPG box. And I took offense to that because that's not how we go into creating. We were going in to create an RPG, but to be compartmentalized we thought that was discriminatory.

I've been a bit hesitant to use the term JRPG over the past few months, as I started to question it myself around the release of Elden Ring. I'd seen some discussion online referring to the game as a JRPG despite not containing any of the mechanic elements I usually attribute to the genre. I asked myself why we use JRPG against other terms like ARPG (action role playing game) or SRPG (strategy role playing game) where the first word in the acronym describes how the player will interact with a game's systems². How is the word "Japanese" really helpful as a mechanic descriptor compared to "action" or "strategy?"

As a genre definition, most people attribute it to games containing turn-based combat, games made in Japan, or maybe some combination of both. Yet in the year 2023 we're far enough removed from the early days of Pokémon and Dragon Quest to be blessed with new titles inspired by those franchises and created by developers all over the globe. 2022's incredible Chained Echoes contains all of the trappings of the JRPG genre, but was created by a small team out of Germany. The upcoming Sea of Stars — similarly inspired by Chrono Trigger — is from a studio based in Quebec. Forum-arguers on the internet would likely disqualify both of these titles from the genre, despite allowing a franchise like Kingdom Hearts — which lacks turn-based combat in favor of real-time action. What this means in our current vernacular is that most would argue an RPG is the "default" terminology... unless it's made in Japan... and that seems like a super incorrect way to consider or classify genre.

In light of these comments from Yoshida³ about JRPG possibly being read as discriminatory, along with its definition being so broadly applied as to become almost amorphic, it seems like the term needs a rethink. In my eyes, it's not too much of a leap given the other RPG sub-genres already in use to say that "turn based RPG" is what most people mean when they say JRPG. Going forward, that's probably what I'll be using to describe games like Dragon Quest alongside the more general "RPG."

That said, all terms used to describe genre can and should be malleable. They should grow, evolve, or dissolve with the times. The most interesting and forward-thinking RPGs of today bear small resemblances to the games that defined the genre, but can be classified as RPGs all the same. What we considered to be a Metroidvania ten years ago looks very different than it does today, and I've gone as far as claiming a Sudoku app can be a roguelike so I'll always be the first to tell you to rethink the vocabulary used to describe creative works.

---

¹ There's also the entire bit about the lack of diversity in FF16 and Yoshida's disappointing response. His obviously horrible and close-minded take about a made up fantasy setting only having room for white people doesn't discount his very valid feelings about JRPG as a descriptor.

² Next up we'll need to figure out a new one for CRPG considering a lot of those games are available on an Xbox, which is kind of like a computer... but not exactly.

³ None of this really gets into Yoshida's larger point about finding genre trappings in general to be creative constraints he wants to break free from, and that leads into why people are dunking on him relentlessly for saying blitzball doesn't fit into the world of Final Fantasy which he envisions as a dark and gritty and Game of Thrones-adjacent world instead of one capable of containing small joys in the face of great darkness. I sympathize with wanting to chart your own path — especially when it comes to a franchise like Final Fantasy which was built on a foundation of innovation — but to do so while ignoring the legacy and successes of the past titles will only serve to anger the very people you're hoping to win over.

⏆

[ammg-old2]

When I decided to propose to the woman who is now my wife, I gave a lot of thought to how I was going to do it. But I didn't think much about what I was going to do it with. Not only did a diamond ring seem the logical—nay, the inevitable—choice, but I had just the very diamond. My grandfather had scrounged up enough money to buy a diamond ring for my grandmother in the early 1950s, and the stone had passed to me when he passed away. I reset the diamond in a more modern band, got the ring appraised, and slipped it on my fiancée's finger.

It was a beautiful moment—a gesture of love and commitment spanning generations. And it was also exactly what De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd. wanted. I was a century-old marketing campaign, actualized. And I'm far from alone; three-quarters of American brides wear a diamond engagement ring, which now costs an average of $4,000.

Every so often, an article comes along that makes you thoroughly rethink a rote practice. Edward Jay Epstein's "Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?" was one of them. In his 1982 Atlantic story, the investigative journalist deconstructed what he termed the "diamond invention"—the "creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and are essential signs of esteem."

That invention is surprisingly recent: Epstein traces its origins to the discovery of massive diamond mines in South Africa in the late 19th century, which for the first time flooded world markets with diamonds. The British businessmen operating the South African mines recognized that only by maintaining the fiction that diamonds were scarce and inherently valuable could they protect their investments and buoy diamond prices. They did so by launching a South Africa–based cartel, De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd. (now De Beers), in 1888, and meticulously extending the company's control over all facets of the diamond trade in the ensuing decades.

Most remarkably, De Beers manipulated not just supply but demand. In 1938, amid the ravages of the Depression and the rumblings of war, Harry Oppenheimer, the De Beers founder's son, recruited the New York–based ad agency N.W. Ayer to burnish the image of diamonds in the United States, where the practice of giving diamond engagement rings had been unevenly gaining traction for years, but where the diamonds sold were increasingly small and low-quality.

Meanwhile, the price of diamonds was falling around the world. The folks at Ayer set out to persuade young men that diamonds (and only diamonds) were synonymous with romance, and that the measure of a man's love (and even his personal and professional success) was directly proportional to the size and quality of the diamond he purchased. Young women, in turn, had to be convinced that courtship concluded, invariably, in a diamond.

Ayer insinuated these messages into the nooks and crannies of popular culture. It marketed an idea, not a diamond or brand:

Movie idols, the paragons of romance for the mass audience, would be given diamonds to use as their symbols of indestructible love. In addition, the agency suggested offering stories and society photographs to selected magazines and newspapers which would reinforce the link between diamonds and romance. Stories would stress the size of diamonds that celebrities presented to their loved ones, and photographs would conspicuously show the glittering stone on the hand of a well-known woman. Fashion designers would talk on radio programs about the "trend towards diamonds" that Ayer planned to start. ...

In its 1947 strategy plan, the advertising agency ... outlined a subtle program that included arranging for lecturers to visit high schools across the country. "All of these lectures revolve around the diamond engagement ring, and are reaching thousands of girls in their assemblies, classes and informal meetings in our leading educational institutions," the agency explained in a memorandum to De Beers. The agency had organized, in 1946, a weekly service called "Hollywood Personalities," which provided 125 leading newspapers with descriptions of the diamonds worn by movie stars. ... In 1947, the agency commissioned a series of portraits of "engaged socialites." The idea was to create prestigious "role models" for the poorer middle-class wage-earners. The advertising agency explained, in its 1948 strategy paper, "We spread the word of diamonds worn by stars of screen and stage, by wives and daughters of political leaders, by any woman who can make the grocer's wife and the mechanic's sweetheart say 'I wish I had what she has.'"

In the late 1940s, just before my grandfather started hunting for his diamond ring, an Ayer copywriter conceived of the slogan that De Beers has used ever since: "A Diamond Is Forever." "Even though diamonds can in fact be shattered, chipped, discolored, or incinerated to ash, the concept of eternity perfectly captured the magical qualities that the advertising agency wanted to attribute to diamonds," Epstein writes. A diamond that's forever promises endless romance and companionship. But a forever diamond is also one that's not resold. Resold diamonds (and it's maddeningly hard to resell them, as Epstein's article details) cause fluctuations in diamond prices, which undermine public confidence in the intrinsic value of diamonds. Diamonds that are stowed away in safe-deposit boxes, or bequeathed to grandchildren, don't.

[soapdispensersalesman]

As I'm watching movies again to train my attention span as well as reading my old collection of Donald Duck comics, I decided to watch Monsters University after seeing Monsters Inc the other day.

It's fascinating as I remember watching this film in the cinema when it came out, even remembering the fraternity name, but somehow I barely remember anything about this film beyond its premise and the easter egg at the end.

Attention wise, this was a good film! I watched this film almost entirely in one sitting, only pausing it once to grab some snacks and tea. (I've seen it in one sitting in the cinema)

Generally enjoyed this film, and Pixar has generally proven they're able to make great sequels (or prequel in this case), yet something felt "off" for me. It's probably the "modern film" curse or something, but the film being so colourful in comparison to Monsters Inc makes it almost not feel "canon" or something. On one hand it unintentionally felt like Monsters University's bright and colourful setting feels like it represents the party days or college and your youth whereas the slightly muted colours of the 90s CGI from Monsters Inc feel like the stale life of an adult working a corporate job.

The character designs are another factor. It's incredible how much Pixar had progressed in 25 years, I even went to see their creative process in Amsterdam Expo that had a special expo dedicated to their 25 year anniversary, but all the new characters did not feel "canon" to me somehow.

Generally, the film feels like fanon when you consider Mike Wazowski's "You've been jealous of me since 5th grade" line in Monsters Inc, and even though I do believe that Mike and Sulley went through a Revenge of the Nerds phase prior to the events of Monsters Inc, yet this entire film felt like fanfiction. Forgive me for it took me to get to the point so long, but all these modern day characters don't peg me as characters I'd expect to see in Monsters Inc, or Pixar in general. It felt like some DreamWorks kids movie which feels very strange to say. But yeah now that I've said it out loud, this whole film felt more like a DreamWorks film than a Pixar film!

Unlike Monsters Inc, a lot of those characters are so forgettable, too.

Criticising the feel of the film aside, what definitely makes it a great Pixar film is it's wonderful and inspiring storytelling! Both Monsters Inc and Monsters University portray the dynamic between Mike and Sulley well whereas the first film focused more on Sulley, Monsters University had their eye on Mike Wazowski and the struggles he faced. My neurdivergent ass did not like the unsatisfactory turn it took as I'm usually not a fan of the "self acceptance" trope which is based on one accepting oneself as the way they're being perceived by the world (Sometimes it works, some Persona 4 characters had me kinda convinced) It's completely human (and monster) to restart from scratch or rethink your strategies, I did like how Mike was being described by the end which felt really inspiring.

Monsters University, Disney Pixar's Revenge of the Nerds, is a pretty nice movie. I probably wouldn't have liked it as a standalone movie, but I did enjoy it

[enterprisewired]

From Struggling to Succeed: How Jenny Lei Turned $30,000 into a $9 Million Handbag Business?

Source: cnbc.com

The Early Struggles of Freja

In 2019, Jenny Lei found herself in a difficult position. As an unemployed UX designer with a passion for creating the perfect work bag, she had invested $30,000 of her savings into handbags, hoping to launch her own brand. However, when the first batch of bags arrived, sales were far from what she had hoped. After a month, only 20 bags had sold, leaving her with a stack of unsold inventory in her Hoboken, New Jersey apartment.

Despite the setback, Lei refused to give up. “My plan failed spectacularly,” she admits, but she knew that she couldn’t afford to fail. Drawing on her remaining savings, Lei doubled down, investing further in a second production run. Over the next year, sales remained sluggish, but Lei continued to refine her strategy, pouring money into social media advertising and rethinking her designs. Slowly, the business began to gain traction, laying the foundation for Freja’s future success.

Turning the Corner and Breaking Through

Freja, now a four-year-old company, has grown significantly, with $9 million in annual revenue, including $2 million in profit. Lei attributes much of the company’s success to cultivating a loyal customer base through minimalistic designs and a strong commitment to sustainability. Despite her initial lack of fashion industry experience, Lei focused on creating bags that resonated with a specific group of people—environmentally conscious, working women.

Her breakthrough came in 2022, when the company’s revenue reached $1.7 million. This milestone allowed Jenny Lei to reinvest into the business, expanding her range of products to appeal to a broader audience. With the addition of new bag designs and a strategic marketing push, Freja’s revenue grew to $5.3 million in 2023. Lei’s efforts paid off, as the company became cash-flow positive and was able to pay off two loans from Shopify. Freja is now projected to reach $12 million in annual revenue by the end of 2024.

Overcoming Competition and Building a Brand

Despite the impressive growth, Freja remains a small player in the global luxury handbag market, dominated by brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior, which generate billions in profits. However, Lei has managed to stay competitive by continuously evolving her product offerings and focusing on customer loyalty. She hosts events, mentors other young women in business, and uses her growing array of bag styles to capture a wider audience.

In an industry where staying relevant is a constant challenge, Jenny Lei’s determination to learn and grow has been key to her success. “No one is born a designer,” Lei says, reflecting on her journey. “But I can become one in a couple of years if I give it a go.” Today, Lei feels confident in her role as a designer, and as Freja continues to expand, she’s optimistic about the company’s future.

What started as a slow, financially precarious venture in her living room has now turned into a profitable, sustainable business. With her commitment to quality, sustainability, and customer engagement, Jenny Lei has proven that with persistence, innovation, and a willingness to learn, success is within reach—even in the fiercely competitive fashion industry.