#right now the only trailers i can find are reposted versions

[moutheyes]

[translation] Park Sang Young tweets about LITBC trailers being removed

@ novelistpark: The drama for Love in the Big City was targeted by certain groups and bombarded with civilian complaints, so as a result all the trailers were taken down. It's ridiculous, not being able to advertise the show at all 9 days before it premieres, and I was so angry I didn't sleep a wink last night. I thought I was used to it after being a writer for 8 years, but even after experiencing the naked truth of hate, I can't get used to it. I'm looking for a way to resume advertising. No matter what, the show will premiere on October 21. Please enjoy it, everyone! We will win in the end!

[the-sinful-voice-witch]

HOW I IMAGINE AMY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE MOVIE

(Since the first trailer of Sonic 3 has a devastating lack of Amy, I'm going to repost this big text I wrote back in 2022, honestly if she actually shows up I doubt it will be any close to this theory but it's ok I just want to see her)

Ok so now to finish already with my theory about Amy I'm going to write the things i imagine happening in the movie (for better understanding scroll down to read the other parts). And then I'll start talking about Rouge, well before the hypothetical movie Amy scenes I'll explain my version of her abilities:

It's Canon that in the movies there's something called Chaos power and it's been manifested in Sonic as superspeed decorated with a great visual of blue electric light in all his body in his case he was born with it, then knuckles also has a representation of Chaos power in strength and also a bit of speed but not even close to Sonic's basically as everybody knows is strength equal to Sonic's speed and is decorated with electric light as well but Red. Then we have Tails who has the ability to fly but that has nothing to do with chaos powers but he is decorated too with yellow light but in his case we only see it electric when he is using his gadgets, so electric energy or not... It comes from his high technology gadgets and not any powers... We also already know that Shadow's chaos powers are the chaos control, he can teleport and creat energy spears.

So for Amy i though a mix between Tails non chaos gadgets and the chaos power in the other furro guys bodies, her abilities physically speaking aren't chaos powered, she knows boxing, she is flexible and can make pretty acrobatic movements but her signature is her hammer she can summon out of air so to explain this skill in the movie i took another characteristic of her: her ability to read fortune cards and as i explained in my other post turned the Fortune cards in a Chaos relic/item I'm not sure how to name it so basically Amy found the cards someday and the cards chose her as rightful owner and gave her a weapon, one of the cards with a hammer drawing on it became a real hammer and since then Amy can summon both the cards and the hammer whenever she wants though sometimes the cards manifest by themselves if they need Amy to know something and of course everytime she summon them they are decorated with with pink electric light, and only Amy's eyes and hands have this light as well but not her entire body like sonic and knuckles. So her Chaos abilities come from chaos objects she is connected with and not from inside her body. (Important: in other media I've seen people being able to hold Amy's hammer like it weighs nothing but at least In this movie i don't want that i want it to be it like Thor hammer also if it's taken far away from her it will just go poof and be back at her hands but if she exhausts too much herself or if she gets knock out it will poof too)

And now the movie points:

1. I don't know if doing this at the beginning of the movie or in some flashback but we need a scene with Amy tripping and finding a chaos emerald and the cards reacting to it's chaos energy and she reading the disaster that will happen if she doesn't brings it back to the hedgehog hero.

2. After finally reaching earth guided by the fortune cards and not knowing the hero hedgehog, she will cross paths with Shadow and first she'll think he is the hero she is looking for but before trying to give the emerald to him she feels something off as she feels the cards reacting to his chaos energy but in a dark way so she hesitates and it's ambushed by Rouge who steals the gem and comments that because she is a good spy she knows Amy can detect the chaos energy therefore she could track the rest of the emeralds, Amy refuses seeing those 2 are up to no good and gets kidnapped (by eggman robots, G.U.N staff, or even the Aliens from Shadow's game i don't know) she tries to reason saying that the planet will be in danger if she doesn't give the emeralds to the hedgehog hero who obviously she will remark that can't be Shadow (and I was hoping these 2 could have a conversation where Amy will be confused and in fact Shadow will get a tiny bit memory trigged) but Rouge laughs and doesn't believes her and not that she cares.

3. But the moment she is Alone she realizes she still has a portal ring left and asks the cards to guide her somewhere close to the real hero and is teleported in green heel... Where she will meet Wade who comments she looks like a pink girl version of Sonic and Amy concludes that he must be real hedgehog hero and Wade offers to take her to Sonic's house but Amy starts having a crisis because she doesn't have the emerald anymore, she failed and made things difficult to the hero she was supposed to help save the world and now she is too ashamed to face him... Then Wade opens up to her and tells her that he has someone who admires, the sheriff and that he sometimes feels like he gets in his way and that he is useless but the sheriff (you know who is he xD) has always treated him as friend and always appreciated his help and that that sheriff is Sonic's dad and for sure he taught him well and he is sure Sonic won't be mad at her. With this Amy gets encouraged enough to face him, she tanks Wade and when they were about to go to Sonic's place... Green heels is under attack, Amy looks at Wade smiles determined while summoning her hammer and says: I'll never forget your kindness Wade and don't worry i promise I'll protect your home and then she rushes into action while Wade goes to help the people.

3. Sonic and his bros are struggling with the menace( eggman robots, aliens... Don't know) and then he sees a pink electric shape smashing the enemy and then slow motion happens and their eyes meet.... Then she finishes the enemy and the hammer poofs away while she gasps for the effort and side looks sonic shyly then sonic glups thinking about Tom teasing about this situation happening (scroll down to read the headcanon) and tries to say something but before any of the hedgehogs could say anything Tails or knuckles or both start thanking and praising Amy for helping them with her cool hammer and Amy thanks them overwhelmed and then Sonic wanting attention finally speaks, thanks her and ask her to introduce herself... Amy does and when she starts to explain what is she doing there she starts to apologize crying (fans of spy x family remember Anya's face while she apologized to Damian? THAT FACE), she is so sorry because she came from the other side of the Galaxy just to do a simple task and she couldn't help him and on top of that she made things harder for him and maybe because of her the earth is doomed... Sonic tries to calm her and she ashamedly asks if he would give her a chance to redeem her mistake even though she messed it up big and Sonic moved by her honest tears gives her a motivational speech about how awesome and brave she is for traveling the Galaxy just to help save a world that isn't hers knowing so little about the situation and that of course she wants a Thor in his group XD (she doesn't get the reference but the other two do and she takes it as a compliment) Amy blushes at his speech (completely obviously to us viewers she falls in love with him) and comments that now she is sure she found the true hero with how cool, bright and handsome sonic is and Sonic gets an ego boost at the same time he gets a crushing hard crisis while Tails and knuckles laughs.

4. The trio asks Amy about her abilities and there's a flashback with a classic Amy explaining the moment she found the cards and got the hammer. Then after this let's say we'll get more action scenes and trying to collect the emeralds and the master emerald ECT ECT more likely they'll separate in groups more fighting...

5. So at some point Sonic team and rouge are trying to save the planet and Amy is feeling powerless because now is the moment to do something and she can't and the cards are not helping her and then she sees shadow, then we get the famous SA2 conversation, (i would make it a bit longer like Amy commenting about the first time she saw him mistaking him for the hero). Then Shadow finally remembers, he turns his head looking at Amy, she sees a tear dropping from his determined sad eyes and Shadow said the famous Shadamy sentence I'll fulfill my promise for Maria and for YOU. And goes to help then Amy will be watching wondering.... "Maybe i DID GIVE the EMERALD to a HEDGEHOG HERO after all"

6. After Shadow's disappeared and Sonic gives his ring to Rouge saying Shadow was a hero too he looks at Amy and she smiles sadly, rushes to hug him and she says "I'm so glad you saved the world... Together" and Sonic (nervous 💗) says "WE saved the world together". Rouge goes her way (don't worry i will write her movie scenes as well) and the other four go back to green heels where Amy sadly starts to say goodbye but Sonic stops her saying she should stay and that earth has a lot of things she would love and the wachowskis offer her to stay with them (something that makes Sonic nervous 💗) but Amy looks at the family and comments that they have way too many people in the house and that she'll feel bad like is imposing and then Dad Wade steps in and offers her to live with him, that his Wade cave could use a female touch other than his mom when she visits and Amy is delighted and Tom comments to Sonic oh look that means she is going to be your cute neighbor next door 😏 and Sonic is like ( nervously ) "stop it don't you dare go there" 😖 but then he looks at Amy and she looks at him and they smile to each other

7. Last scene: they are playing baseball and this Time is Amy the one hitting the ball while this time is knuckles throwing it (everyone is worried because of knuckles force but Amy uses her hammer and no problem xD) after she hits it Wade is there cheering: YEEEESSS THAT'S MY GIRL! HAVE YOU SEEN HER???WOOOO !! Everyone is laughing and rolling their eyes and Sonic goes to Amy to congratulate her and tells her they are going to get Ice cream and asks her if she tried it yet and she is like: ice cream?? Yeah! I love ice cream!! Wade bought me one the other day, i think is definitely my favorite food!! So... What were you saying about an ice cream date? 🥰 And Sonic is like... Date? What? I didn't mean it like a Date i mean... Like all of us...😳 And then Wade comes: oh Ice cream! Yeah let's get some for everyone jaja then he whispers to sonic : hey you macho blue you better not try get all flirty with my pinky little girl I'm watching you...😤 And Sonic like:🙄😑 Amy: come on Wade! Sonic! Let's go!!😁 Sonic: come on Wade i race you! Wade: that is not fair....

You get the idea.

So this is how i imagine Amy being introduced in the movies what do you think?

[deceptive-daydreams]

Till Death Do Us Apart

Eddie x Reader

1.6K Words

Warnings - Upside Down, dark thoughts, very sad

A/N - I was listening to this song and couldn’t help myself 🥲 also i posted this wrong before so I'm reposting

Masterlist

If death meant spending eternity with Eddie Munson then whatever came next didn’t seem so scary.  Any afterlife you were subject to would be your heaven if he was there.  The earthquakes rattling the ground and bracing the world around it to crumble soon wouldn’t matter, the flashes of red and screeches of creatures unknown would be gone if you’d just succumb to your inevitable death—if you’d just stop fighting it.  No more hive mind, no more eerie atmosphere of darkness and destruction, the anxiety could stop, your heart wouldn’t pump faster than it was capable of because you simply wouldn’t exist and that sounded euphoric right about now.  

There was no chance from this point, the sky was quite literally falling to pieces at yours and Eddie’s feet, you were separated from the others, not even the slightest idea of where they’d ended up and if they too were experiencing the end of the world.  If they got lucky and found a way out it was lost on you, there was no communication once in The Upside Down.  Eddie’s eyes feigned terror while he clutched the shield he made from a garbage can lid in one hand and a spear in the other, your hands shook as you attempted to formulate some kind of last resort plan in your head.  There wasn’t one.  

The ground violently rumbled, sending your bodies flying backwards as you stood outside Eddie’s trailer, the version from hell that didn’t actually belong to him.  No, this was the one that was stuck back in 1983 that was full of forgotten items and precious memories, the closest thing he’ll get to saying goodbye to Wayne.  The gate inside was sealed, leaving you an Eddie scavenging for a way out only to find there wasn’t.  Mouth dry, stomach churning in horror, and legs wobbling beneath you, you stumbled up the steps of the trailer for some temporary shelter, Eddie seconds behind you as a cold sweat dripped down his face.  With the door slamming shut, you’re met with a cold and lifeless room devoid of any life or the warmth of the Munson home you were used to.  It was like being trapped in space and time, a void that was endless.  

Eddie emptied the contents of his stomach in the corner without a second thought, the turmoil was too much for him and his brain was screaming in fight or flight, not able to differentiate between the two and ultimately overwhelming him to the point of nausea.  Although you were in your own bubble of frightening thoughts and horrible outcomes, you’d taken to providing him as much comfort as you could, a hand stroking up and down his back shakily as you pulled his dangling strands of hair back.  “It’s okay, it’s okay.”  You breathe heavily, lying to him and to yourself.  “I’ve got you, Eddie.  I’ve got you.”  That wasn’t a lie.  He began dry heaving while the trailer shook vigorously from the outside elements, tears streaming down his face, guaranteed to originate from his fear and not only from puking.  His chest heaved while he clung to the wall for support.  “I don’t wanna die.”  He chokes out, spit dripping from his lip, he’d never appeared more like a scared little boy in his life, even in his traumatic childhood.  “I know I said I wanted to earlier, I know what I said.”  Voice helpless as it cracks, he shakes his head in misery.  You flash back to your conversation earlier and his statement that had rendered you speechless and made your heart throb as if it were a raw wound.

I know this is gonna sound fucked up but dying doesn’t seem like such a bad thing, y’know?  I don’t have much else to live for outside of this.  They’ll just throw me in prison and everyone else will move on and what?  I just rot away?  At least this way I go out looking like I stood for somethin’

His sobs in the tiny trailer only added salt to the wound, he never could have it easy, even during the end of the world.  “I know, baby.  I know you don’t, I don’t either.”  You begin to let the hot tears consume you, bringing him in by the collar of his leather jacket and wrapping your arms around his waist.  “It’s not fair.”  A whisper with an unsteady voice finds his ear.  “It was never supposed to be like this.”  You tell him, squeezing him as if he could disappear at any moment.  “I’m sorry you got caught up in all of this.  I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” You blabber, tears soaking the surface of his jacket, his body shaking against you while he grips the back of your shirt.  His broken voice speaks up suddenly.  “Stop apologizing, don’t you apologize to me.”  He grits his teeth.  “You never did anything wrong.  I’m the one that ran away.  I’m the one who got us here.  If I could sacrifice myself and know you would get home safe tonight I would but you’re stuck here because of me and you don’t deserve it.  You don’t deserve a damn thing I’ve put you through.”  It makes you feel sick the way he puts the blame on himself as if you didn’t actively follow him into the pits of hell on your own.  “Shhhh.  Eddie, not now.  Don’t do this now.”  You pull away and cup his cheeks in your hands, the pads of your fingers melting with his tears.  

You both knew your fates and it terrified you but also brought you a strange sense of peace.  The way Eddie’s doe eyes looked at you knowing he was living his last moments had you crying harder, nose pressing to his as if to drink every part of him before the world imploded.  “Let’s—let’s n-not dwell on everything w-we couldn’t change.  Just lay with me, okay?”  It’s your final request for him in this life and he obliges, nodding his head as his tears and snot mix with yours, his forehead pressed to yours.  “Okay.”  He sniffles, squeezing his eyes shut before grabbing your hand in his and leading you to what would be his room if it weren’t so grim and full of particles floating through the air. 

Pulling you down onto the bed as it creaks under the pressure, he lays on his back and brings you to his chest, laying your cheek against his heartbeat for the last time, his chest moving up and down unevenly from crying.  “I love you.”  He croaks out, hand gently moving up and down your back, flashes of red illuminating the room every few seconds and loud bangs thundering in the distance.  It only got worse and worse and your blood felt like it was gushing through your veins.  “I love you.”  You tell him, clenching the front of his shirt tightly in your hand.  “Please be there when this all ends.  Wherever we go, please be there.”  You whimper as if he has any control but it makes you feel better to voice it.  “I promise, sweetness.  I promise I’ll be wherever you want me to be.  I’m right here.”  He says weakly, cradling the back of your head and pressing a kiss to your crown.  “I had the best time loving you, I-I want you to know that, okay?”  Tears brim at his waterline again as he holds onto you.  “Y-you’re my best friend and if there’s s-some kinda light or whatever bullshit when this ends I-I’m gonna follow you, okay?  I’ll be right there with you.  I'm not saying goodbye b-because I know we’ll meet wherever we end up.”  The room is full of sobs, both from you and him while you dig your nails into his chest, clinging to him desperately as the explosions and booms outside grow larger. 

The trailer walls begin to crack and the angry world outside of it starts to swallow everything in its wake.  Eddie’s weight is now on top of you as he shields you from any falling debris, eyes shut in anticipation while you cower into him.  As you brace for the sky to cave in on the two of you, you find that it’s taking way too long for the world to come to an end.  Strong gusts of wind engulf the room, belongings are flying around and you and Eddie’s screams are muffled by the thundering noises accompanying the turmoil.  

This is it, this is it, this is it.  

This is the end.

Until it’s not.  

And you’re met with Eddie’s big beautiful round chocolate eyes from earlier.  Much earlier.  A breath escapes your lungs, it feels like you’d just swallowed water and you’re suddenly surrounded by Steve, Robin, and Nancy—still in The Upside Down; however you’d been in this exact spot before, it’s a feeling deep in your gut.  This wasn’t the afterlife, this was still the current life.  In some kind of fucked up way you’d reverted to the events from earlier just before you’d split up from everyone.  Eddie’s expression gave away that he was experiencing the same thing, it wasn’t just you.  He further confirms this by grabbing you and holding you tightly in his arms, this time happy tears welling up in his eyes.  

Nancy chimes in, glancing from Steve to Robin and then to you and Eddie with the smallest upturn of her lips.  “It worked?”  Steve has a prideful grin and Robin has a sparkle in her crystal blue eyes.  “Let’s get outta here.”  Steve says, a hand on your shoulder and a hand on Eddie’s.  

~end~

Masterlist

[baconpal]

pokemon isn’t for us anymore

ya that’s right it’s time for a daytime juvenile rant cus i’m angry and finally think i can put my thoughts to words, 

if you like the new pokemon then this isn’t really for you, cus pokemon is still for you. enjoy it while you can. otherwise click that read more

i’ll start by making my opinion and background immediately clear, so you have something to compare to and such. I loved Pokemon as a child, and for a long while afterward. I think the series’ highest moment was black and white in terms of art and story, and the gameplay was at its best in black and white 2. Gen 5 is also the gen where I have the most competitive experience. 

And my opinion is that every single thing that’s been shown of pokemon sword and shield is really, really bad. Not even as a hyperbolic statement of “wow i hate new thing!” but as a fan who wants nothing but for the series to realize its potential, not one thing they’ve done has made feel anything besides disgust and disappointment. But this is not a normal thing, this isn’t what everyone thinks, i’m not preaching to the choir by saying i hate sword and shield. I’m the contrarian, i’m the one whose saying shit nobody agrees with, and I’m the voice who will be ignored. And that’s because pokemon is no longer being made with someone like me in mind. 

The question then becomes, what is pokemon now? What did it used to be? What should it be?

POKEMON AS A BRAND

Pokemon today is not a game series. It’s a brand, a franchise, something that has weight simply by existing. Of course pokemon has been more than just games for forever, the shows, the toys, the side games, everything about it is marketable and marketed. But the main line games were separate from that to an extent. They were the new bits of source material thrown out into the world without concern for how it would all fit together. A video game was made first, and was then marketed to whoever would buy in whatever form hey wanted.

Today pokemon games themselves are a tailored product. People of today don’t care about the actual video game, many wont play it, and many won’t even realize when it comes out, but gamefreak doesn’t need the game itself to sell (though it will), they just want everyone on earth to know about pokemon and to be excited about it, it’s advertising for their brand. As long as people know pokemon exists and is out there, it will make money. 

So instead of holding their cards and releasing a video game to let people mess around in, the entire game is drip fed to us on social media before it’s even out. The days of korokoro leaks and blurry photos of pokemon are over, the discussion of what they might be or do is over, and a joy in the exploration of the unknown is gone. Instead, a trailer will be split up in to a chain of individual tweets, all tailored to be as easily digestible as possible. Videos or photos that require seconds of attention, and descriptions of characters and pokemon that make it easy to form a shallow attachment, enough to repost it and say “oh that’s so me” or “love this kind of character”, and that’s free advertisement. the kinds of people who live on social medias will translate genuine advertisements into a form of speak their friends will appreciate and thus engage with the advertisements further. The job is done and pokemon is making more money than ever. 

POKEMONS ART DIRECTION

Again, something many disagree with, the art is fucking awful in the new games. But that’s because its not art meant to impress me, an artist with his own design sense and standard of quality, the art only needs to be serviceable, enough for someone who can’t draw to appreciate. The standard of what will be accepted is never actually very high, but pokemon no longer makes any effort to exceed passable. Fanartists will be essentially forced to draw better versions of all their characters since pokemon is once again the hot new thing, so the actual quality of the original art will not be reflected in peoples perception. The model quality as also awful, every design manages to look even worse in motion and in game. But since the goal is not to make an enjoyable game, this is again not a problem. 

POKEMONS SETTING

This extends to the clothing the characters wear as well, but pokemon no longer is its own universe. It is doing all it can to act as if it takes place in the real world, and making the clothing its characters wear bastardized versions of modern aesthetics, instead of the unique and simple sudo-sporty aesthetic the other games had, where clothing was cohesive and sleek, looked fit for various kinds of weather, and seemed generally comfortable. The new gym leaders for example, wear horribly messing and unneeded sportswear based mostly on real life soccer clothing, but without any of the benefits, as they are also loaded with unneeded accessories that go in direct contrast to what they’re supposedly doing. Nessa is the worst offender to me (and what do you know she’s the most popular), compared to misty’s attempt at being part time swimmer part time trainer, nessa looks absolutely ridiculous, and not prepared to do either swimming or pokemon battles. She wears a swimsuit, but not an actual swimmer’s suit, and she’s covered in jewelry, accessories, makeup; things that would ruin any attempt to go swimming even casually. And yet she doesn’t look like she could comfortably go on an adventure or catch and raise pokemon. She is a bland aesthetic mess of what people want a cute swimmer girl to be.

Custom trainers are a whole different problem in that no game with custom characters actually has good ones. The best result you can have is funny looking characters, which is actually a pretty good goal, but gamefreak still wants everything to be samey and appeal to broad aesthetics so people can post their own characters and share some feeling of attachment. 

POKEMON THE VIDEO GAME

the quality of sword and shield from a technical standpoint is clearly very low, and this is one of the few things people have been willing to call out. The model quality hasn’t improved, the animations are sparse and bad. The wild areas are a mess and run terribly, the game crashed trying to handle multiplayer bosses live on stream. The national dex has been removed for literally no reason. The gyms have been completely gutted and reduced to just the fights (which are still nothing but bland checks for type advantage) and the new gimmick is just “make your guy strong” and is obviously best used in response to the opponent using it. the pokemon wonder around the open area and yet wild grass is still there, there’s no option to approach pokemon peacefully and capture like in let’s go, so even the few out there things they’ve tried aren’t going to be used in any meaningful way. But repeat after me, the game doesn’t matter! As far as gamefreak is concerned, the game could crash 40 minutes in and they would have done all they needed to do.

THE GOAL IN POKEMON

so i’ll end this stupid rant with something the new pokemon games don’t have, even the ones I really like don’t have em. Multiple goals to achieve, multiple ways to approach the game. Even the originals didn’t truly have multiple ways to play, but they started you off by presenting you multiple goals, which were tangled together to start but by the end of the game would become 2 very seperate things, becoming champion and completing the pokedex. Johto did it best, to complete one goal, you had to make a pretty good chunk of progress on the other, it was impossible to not “beat the game” if you actually wanted to accomplish either goal, but after that you were free to tie up whatever goals you had left. It was primitive and mostly meaningless, but it was there. The shows and the manga also put a lot of emphasis on the fact that every trainer can do something different, and their own ultimate goal is completely different from everyone else. 

The closest the games come now to this idea is having your rivals go off and do something else other than fight the elite 4. Some of them aren’t even actual rivals and just like pokemon, like lyra from HG/SS. But there is no pokemon game in which you, the player, are presented a goal other than to beat the game, winning the elite 4 and defeating some evil plot along the way.

For me, an ideal pokemon game would be about giving complete freedom, start off with some explanations of what all the possible goals are, completing the dex, becoming champion, winning all the contests, defeating the evil organization, exploring the world, anything. And once the player gets an idea of what they want to do, they’re set free into a world where they can find pokemon and do whatever they want, working towards whatever goal they want. Other aspects will naturally come into play, battling pokemon and making them stronger would help you catch more pokemon, learn moves for contests, explore more dangerous areas, beat stronger trainers. So no matter what goal you have, you’d still interact with many of the systems and areas in the game, and make progress on all goals at the same time, but ultimately feel satisfied when you accomplish your own, personal goals, instead of following the straight line gamefreak set for you.

Obviously that sort of thing will never happen. That’s just what I think pokemon has the potential to become, but pokemon isn’t made for me, anymore.

Thank you for reading.

[anotheruserwithnoname]

A Jenna Coleman DVD/Blu-ray library

About a year or so ago, I did a quick survey of Jenna’s film and TV work and its availability on home video. With the recent UK release of Victoria S3 and questions over whether there might be a DVD release of this week’s National Theatre Live broadcast of All My Sons, I thought I’d do an updated version. (I’m generally focusing on physical releases - I’m aware some shows unavailable on DVD or Blu-ray may well be available on streaming - though if I know about legal online availability I’ll mention it.)

A text break first as this will be a bit lengthy. (And corrections are always welcome if I goof anything here.)

Summer Holiday: As I was compiling this list I noticed that this has been added to her IMDb listing. This is dated 1998 and is the title of a play Jenna appeared in when she was about 10. An IMDb listing implies that a video has been released, but I know nothing of this. IMDb is also notorious for including dubious listings. I’ve looked around and general consensus is this video does not exist or maybe there’s a snippet someone shot from the audience and somebody decided to make an IMDb listing for it.

Emmerdale: There’s been no DVD release of Jenna’s era on Emmerdale. With about 140 episodes featuring her, it would need to be a very big box set. ITV Hub streams the show, but only recent episodes it seems. I’ve also seen a reference to BritBox but I don’t know if the 2005-2009 era is included.

Waterloo Road: Jenna was featured in Series 5, which has been released to DVD in the UK. For the rest of the world (and those who didn’t get the DVDs), the production company behind the series has made the entire series - including Jenna’s arc - officially available for free on YouTube. (Episodes are edited to remove opening and closing credits, however.) Her first episode can be found here.

Maria’s Story: Around the time she was on Waterloo, Jenna made a PSA for a an organization dedicated to addressing cruelty to children. She performed a dramatic reading of a survivor’s letter and it’s heart-wrenching. The IMDb lists her as the executive producer but I don’t know if that’s accurate. Being just a PSA it’s not on DVD anywhere, but you can view it on Youtube here. This one slipped by many fans because some of the posts don’t mention Jenna (who is uncredited in the video) and the one place she was mentioned, they misspelled her name.

Imaginary Forces: During her year in America, Jenna filmed a role in a Jacobs Ladder-esque horror short that has, as of 2019, never been released. All we have is the trailer which was posted to YouTube in I think 2010. That original post appears to no longer exist (or it didn’t show up on a search anyway), but the trailer was reposted by a fan account for one of the actors about 6 years ago. You can hear Jenna’s early attempt at an American accent and she appears on screen for about one second.

Unknown pilot episode: Jenna auditioned for a large number of TV shows during her time in America. Some of these auditions have circulated on YouTube. According to an interview she did film a pilot for a sitcom in which she played an Australian character. I’ve looked around for a few years and have not found any indication as to the title of the production or anything else. It has never been broadcast, at any rate. But it’s always possible it might turn up somewhere. Maybe in a box set alongside Imaginary Forces. LOL

Captain America: The First Avenger: The Marvel Cinematic Universe classic is obviously widely available and is undoubtedly the biggest-seller of anything on this list. I believe that, for a while, Jenna technically had the biggest box office take of any former companion because of her cameo in this movie, until Karen Gillan joined the MCU as Nebula. Natalie Dormer also has a cameo.

Titanic: The 2012 miniseries has been released to both DVD and Blu-ray worldwide. In Canada it also seems to get rebroadcast quite a lot on cable. There were several Titanic productions in 2012; this is the 4-episode one with Jenna and Perdita Weeks (and Jenna’s picture is on the DVD cover too!)

Room at the Top: The original broadcast of this two-part adaptation of the novel (previously filmed in the 1950s), originally scheduled for 2011, was delayed a year due to rights issues (ending up with it airing around the time Jenna debuted as Oswin Oswald). These same rights issues are presumably the reason behind the fact there has never been a home video release anywhere. Amazon’s streaming service apparently has it available in the UK only. The BBC website once had it available for streaming (again only in the UK) but it’s not available. No idea of its Britbox status.

Dancing on the Edge: This five-episode minseries has been released worldwide on DVD and Blu-ray, though it might be a bit hard to find now. I assume it’s on streaming somewhere. This is the one that also features Tom Hughes, though he shares no scenes with Jenna.

Doctor Who: Obviously, Jenna’s era in the series is available widely both in physical and streaming formats, though some of the spin-off work she did for the 50th such as the Five(ish) Doctors Reboot and The Ultimate Guide might be a bit harder to track down. In Canada, for example, the only way to see these was on a bonus disc in a Matt Smith Era box set. I don’t know if they’ve been put on streaming. Likewise I’ve never bothered to look to see if any of the minisodes she made (especially Clara and the TARDIS), available on the DVDs and Blu-rays, are on streaming.

Death Comes to Pemberley: Widely available on DVD and Blu-ray. However the North American release put out by PBS stresses that it’s the UK version. That implies that (much like Victoria) the US broadcast was different in some way. I’ve never seen the PBS edit so I don’t know if there is actually a difference.

Me Before You: Widely available on DVD and Blu-ray, which also feature a rare appearance of Jenna in a gag reel.

Victoria: All 3 seasons are out on DVD and Blu-ray in Europe and North America. The North American release features the ITV edit, and thus does not include the additional scenes featured in the longer PBS broadcasts (it also often omits some of the special features like commentaries in the UK release). I’m hoping that, when Victoria finishes its run, somebody will release a box set that includes the extra footage for the benefit of UK fans and for those who watched the PBS version. There are some very nice sequences featuring Jenna that are technically missing. I hear mixed messages as to whether the PBS streaming service features the Masterpiece edits or ITV.

Thunderbirds Are Go: Jenna did a guest voice in the second season premiere of the CGI remake of the Gerry Anderson classic, again doing an American accent. The season has been released on DVD in the UK and elsewhere but not in North America. As far as streaming goes, it appears to belong to Amazon. 

The Cry: The miniseries has been released on DVD in the UK and Australia, but at present is not available in North America due to Sundance Now holding the streaming rights. There’s no indication as to if or when we’ll get a physical release here. My guess is probably not until Sundance Now has exclusivity for at least a year.

National Theatre Live: All My Sons: During his recent radio interview with Jenna, Graham Norton brought up the idea of All My Sons getting a DVD release. Jenna couldn’t answer, however National Theatre Live’s website states that they don’t do DVD releases and there are no NTL releases other than a documentary marking an anniversary listed on Amazon.co.uk. All My Sons would have been recorded because NTL’s website is already listing encore broadcasts for next February in the United States so it’ll probably get filed in some archive.

Inside No. 9: Jenna has a guest role in the upcoming 5th series of this comedy show. The series does get a DVD release in the UK, but not in North America where once again we’ll be restricted to seeing it on streaming (via Britbox, apparently).

[itsclydebitches]

RWBY Recaps: The Shining Beacon Pt. 1

This is a reposting from October 4th, 2017 in an effort to get all my recaps onto tumblr. Thanks!

Welcome back, welcome back. We're starting off this recap exactly where we left off--with Ruby, Yang, and Jaune approaching Beacon--which gives the first two episodes a cohesive feeling, like they're just one episode sliced in half. RWBY gets better at this as the volumes go on, but Volume 1 in particular reads less like distinct stories and more like one story that was divided up, if only because our expectations regarding form demand it. I'd love to see a supercut of Volume 1 with the credits removed to see how well it all actually flows together.

After getting another shot of Beacon we're treated to a scene of Jaune rushing off the airship and vomiting copiously into a very convenient trashcan. It's a bold way to introduce a character, especially since we've already had four trailers displaying the girls' skills, an episode all about Ruby's moral compass, and a decent amount of time showcasing Yang's sisterly devotion. Making Jaune into "vomit boy" is comparatively cruel--which is largely the point. Though he'll get his character development soon enough (a bit in this episode, actually) RWBY is making sure we're clear about where their loyalties lie, so to speak. Though they're working with a very large cast, they're much more concerned with emulating magical girl storylines (Sailor Moon, Powerpuff Girls, Puella Magi Madoka Magic) than they are the lone, male shounen hero (Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist, Dragonball Z). By taking the blonde-haired knight stereotype and reimagining him as the fool, RWBY ensures that we know who the "real" heroes of the story are. Jaune absolutely becomes a hero too as RWBY continues, but his status as "vomit boy" reassures us that he's not going to dominate the narrative.

Instead Ruby and Yang leave him behind as they exit the airship, surrounded by more hilarious silhouette people. I'd actually love it if RWBY came up with an in-universe explanation for this (beyond the great RWBY Chibi skit). Maybe there really is a whole species of people out there made entirely of shadows!

Hell, stranger things have happened in this show.

As they reach Beacon's courtyard Ruby becomes so excited by everyones' weaponry that she turns into a chibi version of herself, another technique that touches on RWBY's anime roots and that will eventually be left behind. As the series gets darker we see fewer of these non-diegetic details, like Ruby spinning with swirly eyes or Jaune geeking out over detective badges with literal stars spouting up around him. Though these techniques do an excellent job of conveying emotion to the viewer, they have a kiddie feel to them that becomes out of place post "Beginning of the End."

For now though Ruby is enthralled. At Yang's insistence that they're "just weapons" Ruby exclaims, "Just weapons? They're an extension of ourselves. They're a part of us!"

(Art by Eunnieverse)

This is a fantastic bit of world building. As we learn later in the episode, Ruby (like all Signal students, and presumably most Huntsmen) built her own weapon, designing and crafting it over who knows how many years, suggesting that, yes, in this universe weapons really are an extension of the self. We can thus read characterization in each person's choice. Roman, who uses manners as his decoy, keeps a dapper cane with a hidden pistol inside. Glynda embodies order to contrast Ozpin's more free spirit, so she directs all of her power through a riding crop. Meanwhile Ruby is the "adorable girl" who will continually defy expectations. Thus, she wields a scythe that's taller than she is and that's also a "high impact sniper rifle,” the exact opposite of what we’d expect a cute teen to carry. Despite her sister's teasing that Ruby needs to make some real friends, she's right that in Remnant meeting new weapons is a lot like meeting new people.

Speaking of friends, Yang ditches Ruby for hers... who are promptly never mentioned again. They're clearly just a plot device to get Ruby on her own, but like our silhouette people (of which Yang's group is a part) I'd love an explanation for how she got in good with this Beacon group before ever setting foot on campus. Or whether they’re all Signal graduates who then, presumably, should all be pretty close... 

Regardless, poor Ruby is left floundering, wondering where she's supposed to go or what she's supposed to do. I feel ya. She ends up collapsing into a massive pile of luggage.

Ruby: "I don't know what I'm doing."

"What are you doing?"

Nice parallel there! Enter Weiss, the owner of said luggage, who is literally framed as the bossy, dominant personality as she towers over Ruby.

We get more world building/exposition as Weiss yells about what dust is and what it can do. Her anger is, surprisingly, not just stemming from a rich girl having her stuff messed with, but because Ruby is knocking into cases chock-full of an explosive substance. Were any of these cases to break they might set off a rather violent reaction--as we see when Ruby sneezes into a cloud of dust and lightning erupts. The irony is that this only happens because Weiss is shaking the bottle of dust erratically in Ruby's face. I love these little moments that highlight how these girls are still kids in many respects, capable of doing stupid things even as they play at being mature.

Still disgusted with Ruby's behavior, Weiss asks, "Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?" which tells us that, yeah, Ruby does look young. It's hard to tell with Rooster Teeth's art style, but here we're explicitly told that Ruby looks like a child compared to the other students. Her age is recognizable. That will impact how others relate to and (in some cases) underestimate her.

We learn that Beacon isn't your "ordinary combat school" (what does that mean exactly? Are there other upper-level schools where the students train but don't fight live Grimm?) and Ruby finally looses her patience with all the lecturing.

Ruby: "I said I was sorry, Princess."

"It's Heiress, actually."

Enter Blake. For a millisecond Weiss is thrilled that someone is showing her the respect she thinks she deserves, until Blake follows that little correction up with a list of critiques, including the Schnee's "controversial labor forces and questionable business partners"--more on that as it develops. Ruby cracks up, clearly more interested in Weiss getting her just desserts than thinking through the implications of Blake's words. She then wanders off before Ruby can introduce herself.

The team is now technically complete, even if the girls don't know it yet. Again, RWBY is rather blunt when it comes to many narrative devices. With the exception of Jaune we know exactly who our protagonists are by order of who the show has bothered to introduce to us. 

Ruby is still at a loss though. She hilariously collapses in the courtyard and lies there until "vomit boy" gets his real introduction.

I honestly don't understand why so much of the fandom hates on Jaune (except logically I do: it stems from a dual worry that Jaune will sideline our female cast and that he’s become a full-fledged Gary Stu BUT). He's just a nice guy here, and I do mean literally nice, not a Nice Guy with a capital 'N' and 'G.' Yes, we see his misogynistic views that he'll heap on Weiss with, "Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it” and his inappropriate insistence thatt she date him, but Jaune deliberately comes across as someone emulating bad advice about how to make friends/find a date. From the start we’re meant to understand that his perception is inaccurate and he will (as seen) grow out of it. To say nothing of the fact that the narrative undermines his views twice with Ruby's "Do they?" and his more genuine belief that "Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet." That's the real Jaune Arc.

He and Ruby wander off together and it's here that we get our first glimpse at Pumpkin Pete under Jaune's armor. I'm honestly impressed that Rooster Teeth had that detail in right from the start.

They talk weaponry, with Ruby showing off Crescent Rose--"It's also a gun"--and Jaune getting self-conscious about his hand-me-downs. Besides him staring up at Beacon's statue in the opening credits, this is our first hint that Jaune comes from a long line of prestigious Huntsmen. It also provides a contrast between what fighting Grimm once was and what it has now become. Jaune's weapons are a simple sword and a shield whose only 'upgrade' is that it gets smaller so you can put it on your belt, but of course it still weighs the same. Ruby, meanwhile, has three forms of Crescent Rose: storage, sniper rifle, and scythe, and she can use all three in a variety of ways. In short, fighting Grimm has become incredibly high-tech, suggesting that the fight itself is always getting harder. Swords and shields just don't cut it anymore even if they, like Jaune, are "classic."

They keep wandering, realizing too late that each was following the other and they still have no idea where they're heading. Like Yang's vomit panic last episode, "The Shining Beacon" ends on a lighthearted note with Jaune wondering if there's a foodcourt nearby.

There is and you're both going to help destroy it in the most epic food fight imaginable.

But that's a whole Volume off.

Until next time~

[joshhutchsource]

Josh Hutcherson shows his new face–

He tells us, exclusively, his plans to venture into the field of film directing, in addition to acting.

This article was translated for Josh Hutcherson Source by @vega-sheliak​. Please credit if you repost.

I always wanted to be a director … It gives me the tools and space to create and it is something that is often more attractive than any paycheck, at least for me.“ - JOSH HUTCHERSON

Having starred in four ‘Hunger Games’ blockbusters; now, without Jennifer Lawrence or Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson finds a new way to stand out in the cinema. And to demonstrate the experience he has accumulated in more than ten years working, this young 24 year-old, is determined to cross the other side of the camera to follow the path of the greatest in film, as a director.

Have you gotten used to the title 'Josh Hutcherson, film director’?

I always wanted to be a director, and to mix with experienced people and to work with other young directors who I also admire.

Is it time to show the world that you really consider yourself a film veteran … at 24 years of age?

Since I was very, very young, they tried to keep me out of the movie studio, although I wanted to stay, which went against the schedule child actors had to follow. I wanted to learn all the elements of moviemaking. I was in the camera truck and nobody could find me, just because I was learning a little about the lenses or I was going to the scenery truck to learn how to build a studio, I was fascinated by the whole process. I was always a sponge, absorbing all the elements of a shoot. And now, I will be able to apply it.

Do not you feel too much pressure to sit in the director’s chair, being so young?

Yes, it’s a new challenge for me, to direct other people who I also have to act with, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve worked with many directors who also started as actors and those are also the directors that I like the most, because they always come with a story based on the character. And when I have to direct, I’m going to concentrate on the characters as well.

Read the full article under the cut. (This is a long one!)

Are you also going to work as an actor in the movie you are directing?

Yes. I’ll start with a short film, because they say it’s easy enough. You can act and direct at the same time. We’ll see what happens. But yes, I will act too. The title is 'Ape’, it’s a rather dark film, about a young man suffering from schizophrenia. It’s a very complicated story that ruins the family. It’s very dark, but it’s a genre that has always really attracted me.

Have you ever wanted to change the direction of any of your movies?

In any performance, one always wonders what would happen if we did something different, but we can’t say that because it’s disrespectful to the director. And now, I can say what I always thought, while still being respectful, of course.

With directing a short film, do not you also make much less than a real movie?

In this case, I have the opportunity to become the director so that I can add my voice to the project. It gives me the tools and space to create, and is something that is often more attractive than any paycheck, at least for me.        

Does it mean that, at this point in your career you are choosing creative control over a million-dollar paycheck?

Exactly, yes. The good thing about film is to be able to make blockbusters to then have the opportunity to move away a little, and concentrate on something much more artistic that really matters to you, as a form of expression.

The idea is quite original, in Hollywood. Together with Indigenous Media, Josh Hutcherson plans to create a series of short films, with new directors, as an original way of presenting ideas to film studios about future films, instead of working only with the script and a list of possible actors. It is similar to television, where TV producers usually create a pilot episode so that after a TV channel gives the OK, they can produce the full series. And just as the idea of ​​a movie, with a trailer, is being sold to us, Josh Hutcherson tries to sell to the big film studios the idea through the filming of the short version of the film.

Could you explain in your own words the idea of ​​this new project?

I think it’s a very good concept. The idea is to take the script from a full-length and make a short version. And just after making it, the full-length would be produced, because it often takes years to develop a script, because people commit and then pull out. And after you realize it, ten years has passed since you got the script for a movie.

Is there an example of an important movie that has started with a short film first?

'Whiplash’ with Miles Teller (JK Simmons won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor). They made a short film first. Only when people understood the idea, did they go forward with the movie. It’s also much easier to attract actors, producers, and get funding. It’s like an incubator to create a movie. I think it’s a great idea.

Is it also a way to find your own films to star in?  

It’s hard to find roles that are interesting for my age range. I starve for them, that’s my Hunger Game. They keep offering me characters that are still in high school, or just fresh out of college, and I’m stuck in that bracket all the time.

Are you going to try to keep your adolescent fans or 20 year olds?

We definitely want to talk to that audience, which also exists in Turkey or Italy. It exists all over the world. We want to create human stories where people can identify beyond language and culture. That’s the good thing about film. Sometimes it works … but sometimes it doesn’t.

And from the point of view of a young director, what do you think about the debate about the lack of women like Jennifer Lawrence in the most important positions of the cinema?

I am very aware, and personally I want the film industry to represent a diverse group of people. And, at least one of the projects we have is by a woman. It’s good to have a woman’s voice, and it is necessary that the younger female screenwriters and directors have enough confidence to represent themselves in film and television. I say this, because it surprises me when I see that a female screenwriter or even on TV writer write a typical female stereotype, when there are so many interesting women in the world. The greatest achievements and also biggest mistakes…always have to do with a woman in your life.

Nothing can compare to the success of having played the role of Peeta Mellark in the 'Hunger Games’ series with Jennifer Lawrence.

Does it upset you when in Hollywood you hire a foreign actor for the role of an American character?

Well, there are enough Australians and British taking away my roles. But the accents are very difficult for any performance. That’s the truth. Having an accent doesn’t let you focus exclusively on acting. It is a challenge. And I think there are actors who do very well and others who don’t. I just think that the characters should be open to those who can interpret them the best way. If you are a British actor playing an American, or vice versa, whatever, what matters is that you feel authentic doing it.

Taking into account the idea of ​​creating a short film to present a full-length movie script, have you ever finished one of your films and it’s turned out completely different than the original script?

I remember when we shot ’The Kids Are All Right’, we were at Sundance and when I first saw it, I was surprised when the audience laughed, because I thought we had made a dramatic movie. I had no idea that it was literally a dramatic comedy about a very strange family. When I read the script, it seemed like a drama on all sides. We filmed it as such, but when it was shown, the audience thought it was funny. I didn’t know if that was good or bad at the time, but I guess it worked.

What is the most fun thing about directing your own movie?

When the first scripts arrive. That’s the most exciting part, because there are so many. The Black List is an organization that collects these incredible scripts that have never before been produced and have an amazing library with great content from totally unknown filmmakers. I was surprised to see how good they were. And being a director for the first time, I also immersed myself into everything, calling my friends, people I worked with before, asking for favors to help me bring my vision to life. That part is really fun, too.

Now the actor stars in a half-hour comedy of 13 episodes, produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. In the series, Josh Hutcherson is Josh Futturman, a depressed gamer who is strangely summoned to become a hero. 

And the hard part?

The most difficult part is transforming the script of a feature film into a short film, keeping the tone and heart of the story, without the audience feeling unsatisfied.

Can we imagine a world of filmmaking where instead of paying fifteen dollars to see a two-hour movie, we can have a shorter version that costs much less?

I have many friends who literally don’t watch cable. They use other services like Netflix or Hulu. And when you can get that kind of content, you don’t need to spend too much money to generate a giant event where everyone has to go to the movies and pay $15 for a ticket plus another $3 for popcorn. It’s like getting to a new audience in a way, it’s interesting. 

Does the emergence of new media like Snapchat or YouTube, turn the short films into a new system of cinema?

Short films, for me, were always a platform for true artistic expression and the best way to discover filmmakers. That’s the good thing. If I could get people to pay attention to young, fresh voices, that would be the biggest success of my life.

If this is a good way to reduce the risks, how come the film industry didn’t use this system before?

I don’t know, it’s interesting. I guess it’s because everything is still new, like Netflix or Amazon, so it’s something we’re also learning to use.

Are Netflix or Amazon the new film competition?

I know people in parts of the United States who love movies, but they don’t live near a movie theater. So they are forced to jump in the car and drive an hour and a half to watch a movie, when they can view Netflix at home. A few years ago, I had a movie that never had a huge release beyond 'On Demand’ (on cable TV) and some movie theaters. And in my mind, I thought it was a failure, but not because the subject wasn’t interesting, but because it didn’t really get exposure.

Josh’s popularity came in 2005, when he starred in 'Zathura: A Space Adventure’

What movie was the one that never got to theaters?

’Escobar: Paradise Lost’, the story of Pablo Escobar.

How big is the gap between the artistic side of cinema and the commercial profile, where today they make a film with the sole objective of raising millions?

Without being too philosophical or annoying, cinema began as pure art. They didn’t care about the money made…they filmed exclusively as a form of artistic expression. But when filmmaking became more popular, big companies realized they could make fortunes, like the Marvel world that is so lucrative, but in the end, it’s pure business. And now that there are new platforms, it feels like we can go back to the big reason why the films originally came out, trying to get a true artistic expression. That’s very cool.

So does media like Netflix and Amazon that charge less than the cost of a movie ticket to see an unlimited number of movies per month, help or hurt the film industry?

The reality is that there is no business model. And basically what we say, is that if we do something good, people will watch it. And now, that there are so many options, we will always be able to do that.

[source]

[a-alex-hammer]

Blockchain and IoT in commercial transportation

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The sustainability of commercial transportation companies depends heavily on their ability to adapt to consumer needs. Investing in new technologies helps increase their operational efficiency and lowers the cost of shipping. In recent years, disruptive technologies — such as the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and blockchain technology — has emerged as solutions in the world of transportation and logistics. They are filling the gaps of the major inefficiencies that have been plaguing this industry for decades. But, unsurprisingly, blockchain technology has been the most mass adopted technological disruption in the transportation and logistics industry.

For most business owners, blockchain may seem like a buzzword, and its applications might be obscure and difficult to understand. However, fleet management companies are finding blockchain as an effective investment for their company of multidimensional services.

Add greater visibility and efficiency across supply chains

Commercial transportation: The pros and cons

A recent report shows that every day, the transportation industry has $140 billion tied up in disputes and payments. Additionally, due to over-reliance on paper transactions, processing and administration costs have increased to as high as 20 percent of overall shipping costs. This also leads to slower invoice transfer which ultimately results in a delay in payments.

The report also shows that companies have to wait up to 42 days on an average invoice before receiving payments. This slow transactional time can be costly if quarterly profits are a determining factor in company investments.

Transporters also face issues with the health of cargo during transportation. It is hard for me to digest the statistic that more than 8 percent of sensitive pharmaceutical shipments experience temperature deviations and because of this, those products never make it to their destination.

Blockchain and IoT technologies, combined together, bring two features which will help transporters to make their operations more efficient:

1. Smart BoL

A Bill of Lading (BoL) is a legal contract issued by the carrier of goods. This legal instrument is as old as trade itself and has three main characteristics:

Document of Title of Goods: The possession of the BoL is equal to having the ownership of the referenced goods.

Contract of Carriage (CoC): This states that the carrier will transport the goods in compliance with the commercial contract.

Receipt: This is the evidence of goods the carrier has received confirming the quantity, quality and other information.

Here are some problems with the traditional BoL system:

Fraud: The alteration or manipulation of the BoL to hide accountability due to cargo spoilage or other issues.

Theft: The BoL is a bearer document of title and anyone who has possession of the BoL has prima facie claim to the goods.

Inefficiency: BoLs are issued to three different parties. One is managed by banks which are involved in trade finance, one is couriered to the recipient of the goods, and one is retained by the carrier. Having three original copies of the BoL makes the process complex and the dispatch delivery charges are also high when trading internationally.

Physicality: Due to the original BoL only existing in a physical form, the dispatcher has to deliver one of the original documents to the consignee, and odds are that the goods have arrived at the discharge port but the consignee has not yet received the BoL.

Amendments: All BoLs have to be sent back to the carrier who destroys them and reissues new ones, followed by the same process of transferring them back to the concerned parties.

If the problem of excessive administration is caused by paper-based documents then let’s remove paper from the process. Digitization can improve administrative efficiency, but there are a few issues with it including file duplication. Blockchain technology eliminates this issue with the ability to create a digital file that cannot be changed or duplicated.

With smart contracts, rights and obligations are automatically executed as soon as all the parties come to an agreement and meet the conditions. Smart BoLs enforce certain conditions in the shipping contract. Enforcement of the terms remains irreversible as the smart BoL is run on every computer in the network. It ensures that the contract can never be intervened to appeal the action. This approach eliminates the nuances of contractual disputes.

Most likely the way smart contracts will be leveraged is not just to trigger payment, but rather an alert for potential breach of contract. Instead of direct financial action, all the concerned parties will be notified if any of the condition related to the cargo doesn’t meet — for example, if the temperature of cargo goods goes above or below specified limits.

2. Real-time cargo monitoring with IoT

IoT has become fundamental in offering complete transparency into the transportation of goods and in the case of implementing smart contracts into the transportation operations, IoT integration becomes a must. Ideally, with the integration of both blockchain and IoT, a Smart BoL is coupled with smart agents. These agents are the connected sensors that are appointed under the BoL terms to monitor some executable terms in the contract.

For example, the executable term can be that the relative humidity (RH) inside the container remains in the range between 40 and 50 percent. A sensor which is mounted inside the trailer monitors the RH and communicates the data to the smart BoL in real-time. If the humidity level goes to an unacceptable level, the BoL is automatically breached and concerned parties are notified at the same time. The smart contract then triggers a payment or force compensation to the aggrieved party. Real-time monitoring of cargo is more effective than appointing an auditor to check compliance. This approach is less prone to corruption and ensures complete transparency into operations.

How IoT and blockchain helps shipping cargo

I have discussed the major features these combined technologies bring together, now here are some of the benefits that can be realized for transportation and logistics operations:

Code of conduct violation and fraud detection: To lower the risk, it is necessary to ensure that the code of conduct is respected along the chain. The transparent and accountability features of blockchain technology supports the fraud detection processes.

Link between physical activity and information: IoT brings the capability where the data is linked to the materials, products and cargo on all the stages of the supply chain.

Continuous information flow: The immutable and irrevocable properties of blockchain technology ensures effective information sharing among the stakeholders involved in the contract.

Information accessibility: The seamless connectivity of IoT coupled with blockchains will provide the required access to the information produced along supply chain operations.

Blockchain and IoT: The archetype of the transportation industry

The transportation and logistics industry are undergoing major challenges today and may face many more tomorrow. The demand for real-time transparency and accountability has increased over the past few years as the market for transportation and logistics keeps growing.

Today, blockchain and IoT technologies continue developing and need to be adopted by the transportation and logistics businesses in order to support the challenges they are facing. The future of combining blockchain with IoT would be able to help different stakeholders of, not only the transportation and logistics industry, but other industries as well. Technology providers are coming up with different use cases for every industry, and interest in investing in these technologies is growing.

From time to time, we invite industry thought leaders, academic experts and partners, to share their opinions and insights on current trends in blockchain to the Blockchain Pulse blog. While the opinions in these blog posts are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of IBM, this blog strives to welcome all points of view to the conversation.

Learn how industries are revolutionizing business with IBM Blockchain

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Source/Repost=> http://technewsdestination.com/blockchain-and-iot-in-commercial-transportation/ ** Alex Hammer | Founder and CEO at Ecommerce ROI ** http://technewsdestination.com

[calliecat93]

RWBY V5, CH6 Review: Known By it’s Song

(Repost Form My Now Defunct Review Blog)

So the last chapter was a bit of a hit or miss with some. But hey, this time we get to go back to the Bandits and hear what Raven has to say. Whatever ‘truth’ she has to tell, it’s gonna be big. But how will ti affect Yang? And will it reveal anything about Qrow, Tai, or even Ozpin? Lets find out.

Overview

We start in what I assume is the lower levels of Mistral. The place has thugs, boarded up houses, and the scene has a dreary tone to it. It feels very different from the more prosperous feel of Mistral we got from the first chapter. Anyways, Qrow is there looking for Huntsmen and Huntresses on his list an it leads him to a bar. He’s looking for a man named Shiro Wan… and gets run out by the bartender due to the man’s overwhelmingly high debt. He has no luck finding any others on his list either and watching him get frustrated is just hilarious compared to how snarky he normally is.

Eventually, Qrow’s dearhc lead him to arundown house where he asks the man there about a woman named Heather. But he’s cut off when a little girl walks out, asking if Qrow knows where her mom is. It’s… pretty clear what that means. It makes Qrow back of and he even debates of sipping out of his flask, albiet he holds off.  As he goes to the mission boards, he sees that many of the Huntsman are either on missions in progress… or are outright said to be terminated. Most likely, all of Qrow’s contacts are dead. Qrow realizes this as he goes back to the bar, paying off his old friend’s debt. It’s a solemn scene and probably the most solemn we’ve seen Qrow so far. There’s also a very good chance that the little girl’s question about her mom is one that he’s heard before… maybe even twice.

Speaking of which, it’s time folks. We cut to Raven, Yang, and Weiss where the bandit leader is about to reveal her side of the story. The scene is tense, Yang clearly angry and just barely holding in. Love Weiss calling Raven obnoxious though. That’s my girl! But Raven does eventually start talking, with it being immediately clear that she wants to hammer in that Qrow can’t be fully trusted. But that’s not the big part. When she comments on how Twam RWBY are pracitaclly the poster children of the academies due to wanting to help make the world better, she drops a bomb: she and Qrow originally went to Beacon not to become Huntsmen, but to learn to KILL a Huntsmen. Why? Next to the Grimm, the huntsmen were the tribe’s biggest threat. Qrow and Raven were of age, so they were sent to Beacon to learn how Huntsmen fight and therefore be able to take out their enemies. Damn, that… damn. I always figured that there were Huntsmen who went in for just the fame or gory, like Cardin, but that is dark. It makes me wonder what got Qrow to change though. He clearly has bad feelings about his original home and is devoted to Ozpin, the cause,a nd acts as a true Huntsman. Did having Summer and Tai change his perspective? Did it change Raven at all? Are wwe EVER gonna get a STRQ flashback before I go insane?

Well going back to the story, Raven and Qrow easily made it through the entrance exam… but also caught the attention of Ozpin. When STRQ was formed, some interesting things happened. At first, Raven thought that Ozpin knew about her and Qrow’s true origins. But it became clear that he was interested int he team as a whole and did things such as give special attention, allow special missions, and turn a blind eye to any rule breaking. Sound familiar? Yes, it’s a near repeat of how Ozpin treated Team RWBY. The biggest example I can think of is allowing the girls to go on a high-level mission to Mountain Glenn in Volume 2. He bended the rules to allow them to go, and judging by Yang and Weiss’ faces, hey realize it as well. Knowing this, I can get why Ozpin was interested in STRQ. Summer had the silver eyes and the Branwen’s were probably better than most of the students arriving. But what about Tai? Is there something we don’t know about him yet? Like his Semblance being unique or something? Or was he just dragged along for the ride due to being put on the team? Hopefully we’ll get an answer eventually.

The point of this however is to get the two girls to start questioning about Ozpin. Raven reveals to them what we already know. He founded the academies, has various followers, and he’s hiding a secret that if revealed, would cause massive panic. That secret is of Salem, who we can confirm is the Grimm’s mistress. For centuries, the two have been at war, a war that he eventually let STRQ in on. But the more Raven found out, the more horrifying everything got. When Yang questions why she should believe anything she says, Raven gives her a very simple piece of advice, to question everything. Now, I do NOT like Raven and I’m saving the rant for the review portion. But I won’t lie, she’s right about this. You should question things. You shouldn’t take everything at face value. There are lies and misconceptions int he world, and you should always be at least a little doubtful about them all. Never blindly trust. This is very sound advice to give, especially in a situation like this, and it’s something hat I hope Yang take sin the future.

But that’s where any leeway I’m giving Raven ends. Because immediately after she goes on to say that if Yang doesn’t, she’ll end up as blind as Qrow and Tai, the latter of whom she outright calls a fool. This provokes Yang to outright destroy Raven’s table, furious at her mother insulting her family. She’s calmed down when Vernal threatens her and at Weiss’ insistence, but yeah… don’t insult Yang’s family. Especially since Raven is worst since at least those two were around. But Raven isn’t done yet. She intends to prove what she’s saying and walks outside. At Vernal’s urging, Yang and Weiss go outside with the former still clearly heated up. Weiss asks if she’s okay, even telling her it’s okay if she isn’t. Yang is still trying to not believe any of her mother’s words, although Weiss is giving it some consideration.

So how does Raven prove herself? She appears… as a bird. One that Yang recognize, referencing both the Yellow trailer and the end of Volume 3. Raven shifts back to her human form, confirming that there is magic and that they don’t now about the world as much as they thought. When Yang questions how Raven did that, the bandit leader says she could explain… before opening up a portal. A portal to Qrow. She is giving Yang a choice. She can either go through the portal, go to Qrow, get answers form him, and become involved in Ozpin’s impossible mission. Or, she can stay with Raven, get answers form her, and the two can start anew. It’s clear what’s going on here, Raven is trying to get Yang to mistrust her uncle enough that she’ll decide to forget everything and remain with her mother. Raven wants Yang in the tribe. With her. Does Raven care about Yang? Yes, but in a very skewed way. All of her actions so far scream manipulative and hypocritical. Again, we’ll talk about it int he review section, but she is really being no better than Ozpin with her shady behavior.

Alas, Raven doesn’t get her way. Yang is committed to one thing and one thing only: Ruby. Regardless of it Raven is lying or not, she doesn’t care. Ruby is ith Qrow and as such, she’s going to get to him no matter who or what gets in her way. Even with Raven pointing out all that Ozpin and Qrow held back, it makes no difference. Yang wants to make sure that Ruby, who Yang has done her damnest to care for since they were children, is safe. As Yang and Weiss prepare to go on Bumblebee, Raven gives Yang a warning. The next time they meet, Raven may not be so kind. Yang’s response? “You weren’t kind this time either”. Ouch…

Back in Mistral, Qrow is pondering on how so many Huntsmen just so happen to have gone missing all of a sudden when Raven’s portal appears. He thinks it’s his sister at first… but nope! We cut back to the house and RNJR cooking, when Qrow calls Ruby away. And, to her shock, he has Yang and Weiss with him. It causes hr to drop the tea tray in her hands and to immideatly begin to apologize for leaving like she did. If V4′s finale didn’t make ti clear enough, Ruby has been holding in a ot of guilt over how she left. She knew it needed to be done, but she still left her sister at a time where she was hurt and vulnerable. She knows it and watching her try to apologize as she starts to cry… man, my heart.

But Yang doesn’t need any apologies. She simple walks up to Ruby, hugs her, and tells Ruby the same words that Ruby once told her: “I love you”, as a piano version of Gold plays in the background. Just… just kill me with the feels CRWBY. GO AHEAD! Everyone watches on, with Oscar clearly confused, poor kid, with Weiss trying to hold herself together. But she fortunately doesn’t have to for long as the Rose-Xiao Long sisters turn to her, arms open. The former heiress, finally back with her team, her real family, happily joins the embrace. Ladies and gentlemen, Team RWBY is nearly complete once more.

Review

Dear Lord, where do I even begin? Well, lets do Qrow first. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard, and then felt like crying as fast as I did. Qrows quest is clearly going sour. Something’s up, and he knows it. But considering we haven’t really had many comedic scenes with Qrow, watching him get mroe and more frustrated as well as him trying to avoid being stabbed in the head was fun to watch. Darn that bad luck Semblance, am I right? The part with the little girl crushed my heart, especially since as I said, it’s liely something that Qrow has heard before. Even then, people that he knew are likely dead, showing how harsh a Huntsman’s life can be. It is very likely that they could be killed and leave behind friends and family, and those people may ever get a clear answer as to what happened. At the very least, Qrow paying Shiro’s tab when he didn’t have to, just to clear up his now dead friend’s name, shows the kind of man Qrow is. He’s snarky, a drunkard, and cynical, but he isn’t a bad guy. he does care about those he associates with and whatever he can do to at least clear up anything their death’s left, he’ll do. It says a lot about who he is as a person, especially compared to his sister.

Speaking of which, lets talk about Raven. I have been waiting for a month at least to type this out… I wouldn’t have had to if I didn’t fall behind, but it gave me time to think about this. First, lets try to be positive. Raven is a very interesting character. She’s not a good guy but she’s not bad either. She is in a moral grey area and is a neutral party in this two sided conflict. I’m glad that we have a character like that. Someone who sees the pros and cons of both sides and doesn’t give a shit about it, preferring to do her own thing. It gives a sense of tension and allows us to see the good guys actions through the eyes of another. And as I said, her advice to Yang about questioning everything and not following others blindly is very sound. I also don’t think that Raven is lying about anything that she said. She’s very blunt and honest who put Ozpin through another perspective. It’s interesting and complex and I love it.

But as a person? I hate her. Like.. she angers me so much. First, lets talk bout her past actions. She attacked a village of innocents and allowing the Grimm to slaughter them just to ‘survive’. The only time that’s justified is if you are fighting or your life. Attacking innocents by your own volition? No. Then there’s everything about her treatment of Yang. As I said, I think that she does care about her daughter, but again her perception of ‘family’ and ‘care’ is completely skewed. Sure she watched over her in bird form once in a while, that doesn’t make it better. She had to means to talk to her daughter. She had the means to connect to her daughter. But because of some backwards philosophy and her own stubbornness and cowardice, she chose to stay afar despite knowing that Yang was searching for her. It angers me that any parent can do that to their child. That they can see how much frustration and agony that they are going through and all that they need to do is approach them. She didn’t. She failed. Neglect is just as bad as physical/emotional abuse, and Raven’s actions enrage me greatly.

This episode did nothing to make it better. She is a complete hypocrite. She talks about how neither Qrow nor Ozpin can be trusted, and in fairness she brings up some good points, but she then tries to make Yang choose between her or Qrow, using that knowledge against her. She tells Yang to question everything, yet believes that Yang will just go with what she’s saying and choose her over her uncle. An uncle who has bad luck and has been holding things back, but clearly cares about his nieces and was around more, even though his Semblance could cause harm, than a woman who could whip up a portal and appear to her child in five seconds. She gets on about Qrow and Tai not telling Yang things like the real reason the Branwen’s went to Beacon, but holds back info and tries to exploit it. She is a massive hypocrite. She is doing exactly what she accused Ozpin of. Maybe she doesn’t realize it, but she gave Yang every reason to not trust her word and choose her sister and uncle over her.

Speaking of Yang, OMG I love her so much. First, her having none of Raven’s shit makes me. SO HAPPY. After all the years of trying to find her, Yang realizes that Raven isn’t worth her time. She left the family, and now that they’ve met to face, she’s seen for herself what her mother is truly like. Even if there is a desire to connect to her mom still, it’s being put on the back burner. Even with all these secrets being exposed, Yang, while she doesn’t dismiss these things, isn’t going to let Raven use them against her. Yang knows who her family is, She knows where her priorities stand. Her reasons for going to Anima and finding her mother is for one very simple reason: for Ruby. She coldly dismissed Ruby the last time we saw the two together. But now that Yang has healed, she knows that her sister needs her. She wants to keep her sister safe. She wants to stand by her, no matter what she chooses to do or who to follow. Whatever Ruby does, Yang will be there for her. So it doesn’t matter what Raven says or does, Yang will get to Ruby even if Hell freezes over.

Actually, while I was typing this, I started to think about the parallels between Ruby and Yang as well as Raven and Qrow. Both pairs are siblings, but for the former their bond is stronger than ever, while the latter’s is compelled fractured. Ruby loves her sister and feels horrible for leaving her, but also understood that she needed to heal and while she wanted her with her, she gave her space. Yang wants to make up for it and be by her sister’s side, regardless of what they get into due to it. They are devoted and loyal to each other and try to comfort and car for each other. Qrow and Raven? Qrow chose to turn away from his upbringing while Raven went back to it. The one time we see them talk, it is tense and bitter. They try to manipulate each other for info. They berate each other for their choices in life, angered by what they each did. Raven felt abandoned by her brother, Qrow felt betrayed by his sister. Any love between them, while maybe buried deep, deep down, has long since died. And, this is a major spoiler for Chapter 9, but Raven has convinced the baddies to kill her brother. Even if she’s just saying that and doesn’t mean it, she’s still willing to trick him into a trap and let him get hurt to get the Haven Relic. When Yang sees Ruby again? She hugs her. No anger over Ruby leaving. No berating her for it. They’re together again, and that’s enough. The Branwen Twins? If there is a chance to repair the damage, it’s going to be a looong time, especially with what Raven has planned.

Alright, lets move away from Worst Mom of the Year and on to Best Sisters of Forever. The reunion between Ruby and Yang… I’m not gonna lie, I cried. The scene was handled beautifully. As I said, watching Ruby choke up as she tried to apologize broke my heart. She’s been holding so much in and now that it’s coming out, she can’t control it. Lindsay did an amazing job conveying the guilt within Ruby. Yang’s simple ‘I love you’ was all that needed to be said to make everything better. The last we saw these two, Yang was bitter, broken, and angry. She told Ruby to do what she wanted and to leave her alone. It was something that clearly hurt Ruby and all that she could do was do as Yang said and take the route to Haven. Now, the two are reunited. Yang has, for the most part, healed and Ruby has matured form blindly optimistic to someone with more realistic views, but still hopeful. They’ve both been through a lot and finally, after everything, and together once again. Everything in this scene was perfect. The animation, the music, Lindsay and Barbara’s performances, it was done perfectly and I loved it.

But I can’t forget Weiss. While ehr role in this chapter was relatively minor, there’s still plenty to discuss. First, again ehr calling Raven obnoxious was perfection. But beyond that, Weiss has been through Hell. She was forced back with her abusive family, lost her  inheritance, ran away, crashed, discovered that Winter is long gone, and was about to be ransomed back into her abusive father’s grasp. Fortunately, she got herself out and after all the Hell that she went through, she’s found her way back to her teammates. She is with people who have reached out to her and who care about her. The moment where Ruby and Yang wordlessly invite her into the hug and her just running into their arms is, again, beautiful and perfectly done. Weiss has changed so much and she deserves to be happy. Now? She’s somewhere safe and secure. She’s home. We still have to get Blake back with the group, but three out of four are reunited once more and it was handled int he best way it could have been. Major pro[s to Miles and Kerry, you both nailed this.

Conclusion

This chapter was FANTASTIC. First, we get some advancement on Qrow’s job… or lack of advancement, but hey we know that something’s up. We get some info form Raven, not much but at least some more insight on the Branwen’s history and we can confirm that Ozpin have them the power to become birds. But most of all, we have RWBY reuniting in the most beautiful, heartwarming way possible. It was paced well, brought up plenty to thin about, and ended on a happy note. Can’t ask for anything better than that.