#the trailblazer's humour is so great

[schroedingerscryptid]

i adore this game actually.

[trancylovecraft]

What do you think of the new episode of Helluva?

amazing timing! I just got off a discord call about this topic

And jeez.. this is gonna be a rant, prolly not what you were expecting from an ask about the new episode but.. yk.. I'm sorry this wasn't more positive than you probably wanted, But I don't want to lie and I have a lot to get off my chest

If you enjoy Helluva boss then please, You do what you do and enjoy what you want to. And I'm happy it can bring you joy, Don't let me prevent you from loving something you love <3

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So first of all, I bloody hate Helluva boss. I know I've written for it and still write for it but OMG I just don't like it at all and the direction its gone.

Like season one is good, I like it. Its amazing season to start off a seemingly good show with a lot of potential.

The villains are threatening and are set up to become major plot points. Verosika, Striker, The cherubs (which admittedly were the weakest out of the trio, But hey, you can't be perfect)

The conflicts are being set, Aka stolas and Blitzo's toxic relationship and it's struggles. It's got potential for a lot of nuance and oppertunities to explore gay relationships in a more abusive light and I can appreciate that a lot.

Characters arcs have been put into motion with Moxxies inferiority, Blitzo's need for validation and the star prophecy going on with stolas and his daughter.

The animation, The music and the voice acting are all on point with such high profile actors. Ahem ahem.. INVADER ZIM AND BEETLEJUICE!!

It was amazing, A major accomplishment for indie animation and the trailblazer that aet off the youtube animation reinessance.

But then season two comes along.

Right off the bat with the circus its suddenly revealed that stolas and blitzo knew each other from childhood.

This is confusing. Stolas and blitzo knowing each other starts to change their relationship from the toxic transactional it was suppose to explore into a more

This episode could've been great, If it was stella and not blitz. This episode could've explored the begginings of their relationship (platonic)

It was stated by octavia that they at one point liked each other then degraded. This episode couldve shown that and given stella some actual development.

Now throughout the season more issues become prevelant..

The villains that were threatening before have become nothing more than cannon fodder. A monster of the week, If you will. Striker and crimson (we're not gonna get into that episode) were easily defeated by blitz and fizzaroli (ILL GET ONTO HIM) making fun of them and removing all their threatening aura.

Verosika is gone, She might return, Idk tho. The cherubs we'e heard nothing from either. And do NOT get me started on the new villains. (The agents, Crimson, Andrealphus)

The women in helluva are EXTREMELY underdeveloped. There are no girls that stand on their own, Just another limb for the male characters to further their own arcs (Millie is just Moxxies concious, Octavia is just Stolas' reason for staying and Loona is just there tobexplore Blitzo's abandonment issues

Millie especially. The only episode she got out of two seasons is unhappy campers. And even then she had to be a boy to get the praise, It feels like the writers were self aware at that poimt.

Her only personality is violence and moxxie, Thats it.

(I have a lot more to say about Helluva boss, Such as the awful story. The woobification of stolas and Blitzo. The humour. The gay overglorification. Fizzaroli and Asmodeus. The rushed pacing and the non-existant set up)

The newest episode I genuinley disliked, One of my least favourite in the season.

I feel like this was the writers grasping at straws. To make a story and an arc, You've got to set it up.

We had no idea that Fizzaroli was connected to Mammon in any way, We had no hints or suggestion that he was. Nor did we have any hints of his underlying arc about wanting to be free.

For instance this can be done through dialogue or the characters body language. We got none of this and instead this was just pulled out of the writers asses.

I dont care for fizzaroli, I hate him apart from his voice actor. To me, He's boring and just a recoloured blitz.

The whole episode was the setup and the solution. This should not of been the case, This was rushed and this episode should of been the solution of the hinted issue in previous episodes like the one where they got kidnapped.

(That was a great chance to talk about being free, Since yk, They were in a cage and it would of prompted a deeper conversation)

It feels like a reheated angel dust and valentino but platonic im ngl. Besides, Fizz and ozzie's relationship is just not good.

Its too sickly sweet. Im not saying it has to all be angst but a spat or an arguement to prompt the episode wouldve been good you know? All healthy relationships have their rocky parts and it wouldve been nice to see here.

Asmodeus and Mammon just dont seem threatening for demon kings? They take insults and jabs that really degrade their intimidation for the audience yk?

The whole episode boils down to "clown twink gets abused by capitalism"

Overall I ranted too long about this animated show. The episode was not good and the future for this series is looking bleak.

This was a really shallow examination of helluva boss. Im writing this in bed so i dont have time to go deeper into the story structure and concepts portrayed in there

I fucking love mammon tho, He's my husband, Please request him.

-Trancy M. Lovecraft

[twstgarden]

✰ ❝ match-up trade for @quimichi ❞

━ match-up trades are open. for more information, please visit the catalogue and the rules. commissions are open. ko-fi is available if you want to support me. ━ a florist sorting through the flowers to find your perfect match. according to the red tulip’s petals, your matches are…

━ 𝙘𝙖𝙚𝙡𝙪𝙨 / 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙯𝙚𝙧 ━

➻ the courageous trailblazer of the astral express appears to be your best match! believe it or not, he's actually an option as a match. his composed yet somewhat endearingly eccentric personality may suit your tastes well.

➻ to start, your fashion sense is something he might take a liking to. casual and comfortable styles tend to be somewhere in his fashion calibre and your tastes suit him perfectly.

➻ caelus would first be drawn by your polite and helpful personality, thinking you are some light in people's lives as you leave your way to treat people kindly.

➻ he also loves your sense of humour. you make him laugh and you're a sweetheart, what is there for him not to like?

➻ finding out more about your personality is what keeps him intrigued. you tend to be sleepy most of the time? he'd make sure you get proper rest at the end of the day. sarcastic AND has dark humour? you just made his heart flutter even more.

➻ he'd love to take you out on dates, especially late at night when most of the city is asleep. he'd sit on the benches with you while having some ice cream and a conversation to go with it. other times, he'd sit in a luxury speedster - a car model in penacony - and have a little date while looking up at the stars or have a snack while laughing and sharing stories.

➻ overall, you'd have a heartwarming and peaceful relationship with caelus, with a hint of "silliness" here and there.

━ possible matches: ➻ gepard landau (loyal and kind, neat and has a great temperament, may suit well to your tastes) ➻ jing yuan (responsible, kind, and respectful ; great partner ; literal green flag) ➻ boothill (honest and loyal, can make you laugh)

━ 𝙖𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 / 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙧 ━

➻ the renowned traveler of teyvat is your other best match! he is also a part of the choices, surprising as it seems. his blunt yet humble front appears to be compatible with your own.

➻ at first glance, aether thought you were fairly quiet and reserved, but with a kind heart. after getting to know you more, he adores your sarcasm and rather endearingly talkative attitude. he would sit and listen to all the things you had to say with a smile on his face.

➻ he loves sitting in windrise with you, feeling the breeze in the air while having a hearty conversation and sharing strawberries and watermelons.

➻ he makes sure to spend quality time with you every chance he gets, and he spends it in a variety of ways - walking together, lying on the grass while looking up at the starry sky, listening to songs, or even taking a nap. the comfort and peace he finds in you makes him feel safe, and he hopes you feel the same way.

➻ on his travels, he would occasionally collect mini cacti or pictures of ducks that he may come across, wanting to show them to you on your meet-ups or dates.

➻ knowing your preference to stay indoors, he loves spending his not-so-busy days resting at home with you.

➻ overall, you'd have a wholesome and healthy relationship with aether. a proper definition for what you both share is comfortable, peaceful, and full of wonderful surprises - after all, he is a traveler, so he is bound to have new experiences that he'd love to share with you.

━ possible matches: ➻ diluc ragnvindr (a gentleman ; the standard ; protective, loyal, and caring ; his line of work may not suit to your tastes, however, even if he is repulsed by alcohol) ➻ wriothesley (charming and strong ; appears to be a great partner) ➻ lyney (friendly and full of surprises ; would make you laugh and feel contented)

© twstgarden 2024 || please do not steal, translate without my permission, or use this to train a.i.

[thisisjamaica]

The acclaimed writer and poet died aged 65. Here, leading contemporaries pay tribute.

Michael Rosen (British author and poet): ‘He nudged people into seeing the world through the eyes of the oppressed.’

Benjamin was a hero to millions of people all over the world. His mix of poetry, novels, wisdom, humour and sheer presence grabbed us and delighted us. I first saw him when he was starting out in the poetry clubs, dancing a poem about his mother, voicing his poetry in a voice I hadn’t heard before: Brummie-Caribbean. It was an honour and treat to work with him many times over the years, on videos, radio programmes, and when he MC’d an award ceremony run by the British Council for the best examples of English teaching. Then and often elsewhere, he loved reflecting on his journey from being a semi-literate teenager, getting into trouble, to someone feted at the highest levels for his literary achievements and force of personality.

His poetry is full of power, humanity and belief. He was a Rastafarian in belief and practice and loved talking about what that meant to him. I hope he won’t mind me saying that his love of all things living reminded me of William Blake. People will remember him, I’m sure, appearing on Question Time gently and wittily batting experienced politicians to one side with his comments. I once asked him how he did it, how did he encapsulate “big” stuff in such pithy, seemingly simple ways. He said that he imagined himself talking with his mother: how would they talk about it, he said?

He wrote novels for teenagers. Refugee Boy – as it sounds – takes the point of view of a refugee and the struggle that people in his area have of winning him asylum. One of the great moments in the book is when the boy reflects on what “problems” the local British boys seem to have compared with the problems he is going through.

That’s what Benjamin did over and over again, nudge people into seeing the world through the eyes of the oppressed.

Some of his wonderful performances are up online. Please look at them as your way of paying tribute to him. My own personal favourite is Rong Radio. I once asked him where he wrote his poems. He said, “I don’t write them. I make them up in my head when I go running.”

I am devastated by this news. I admired, respected and loved Benjamin and I learned so much from him.

Colin Grant (British author and historian): ‘He was the people’s poet.’

It was raining heavily at the Hay festival 20 years ago when I first saw and was mesmerised by Benjamin Zephaniah. The marquee was filled to the rafters with hundreds of people who it seemed were attending not a literary or racial sacrament but a spiritual one. Rain outside; eternal sunshine within.

Benjamin was the trailblazing epitome not of the reductive “ethnic writer” but of the global majority writer who refused to be categorised. In any event, though kind of ordinary, his uniqueness – a karate, yoga and dominoes-loving Rastafarian poet and storyteller – made it impossible to box him in.

For young black writers, he was the answer to literary gatekeepers who claimed there were no commercial prospects for writing that spoke to social deprivation, marginalisation and racism with a plain-speaking honesty and humour.

There was also the realisation that here was a brotherman who’d been a rascal in his youth but had reinvented himself and been saved by literature; that writing could transform the self as well as readers and listeners.

Benjamin was a one-love Rasta, not guided by any kind of separatism. Today, as some default to silos of separation, his porous writing showed how you could speak to an unimagined cohort with poetry and prose. He was, in essence, what Jamaicans call a “simple sense man”; he spoke to youngsters and elders with the same intensity.

The seeming guilelessness of his writing made some wince and claim he was not a real, learned poet. But when you stopped to listen, or clean your glasses, or dry your eyes, you’d find yourself in the presence of a fierce and fearless emotional intelligence. Benjamin’s spoken and written voice was the expression of a writer who was extraordinary in his ordinariness. He was the people’s poet; a groundbreaker who broke bread with everyone.

[koukouture]

WIP but I can’t get this idea out of my head sO-

This is Genesis Leora, no 70 of the Genius Society. She’s an archivist/historian type and she has a massive space station that looks like a gothic library and it has several records, documents, books, artefacts and artworks from various civilizations, some of which don’t even exist anymore. She is a long life species so she’s watched a couple planets die already.

Genesis is also an artist since the main way she studies civilizations is through their art and cultures. Having said that, she speaks several languages and some of em are dead lmao. Because of all this exposure, she’s very open minded and sociable, like she’s super fun to talk to and she’s great at explaining history.

Despite all that some people look down on her and question her place in the Genius society bc “history and art aren’t important” but like… she’s kinda observed the cycles of civilizations and found the patterns of their downfalls. She’s done the numbers and statistics too. You’d think more people would listen to her but alas she’s just some nerdy archivist in the eyes of some people.

Also her space station is kind of open to the general public. Anyone is free to dock at it and look through the archives long as they follow the rules. There are a lot of language settings and Genesis has an AI guide system to help when she’s not there.

I like to think her and Ratio get along. Even though Ratio initially thought she was an airhead, he realized she’s smart. Basically local STEM student realizes that the arts aren’t useless lmao. He doesn’t devalue history and trusts her judgement a lot, she’s lived several of his lifetimes after all, she’s gotta have some worthwhile wisdom.

Anyways the REAL reason for her existence is bc I’m down bad for Ruan Mei. Yes. Genesis has a big fat lesbian crush on Ruan Mei. An absolute shrimp for that woman. Genesis looks all elegant and wise but she can be kinda pathetic at times, especially when confronted with our favourite mad scientist <3 Idk I just thought it’d be cute if Ruan Mei’s girlfriend was in the opposite field but both of them study life in a way. Parallels y’know?

I keep thinking abt her interactions with Trailblazer too lmao. I think she’d relate to their humour and even crack some jokes with them. She’s just chill and friendly like that.

Anyways yeah that’s my insanity for today I will colour her tomorrow

[leithomalley]

Life imitating Art.

I was scrolling through some old images tonight to a time some years ago when I would often paint from the early evening till the early hours of the morning. I would take lots of photos and going by this one I was trying to imitate what I was creating on canvas. In this case a self portrait titled ’Suspended Infatuation’.P

 At the time I was paying homage to artists who had inspired me in so many ways throughout my life. There is also some sort of straight jacket which seems to be untied.. possibly a metaphor for being set free by art? Perhaps. Was a long time ago.

I remember I had collaged on to the canvas some real twine (which I am being suspended by) and also included the actual paint brushes which were used earlier on in the works progression. I like to do that.

Although it’s difficult to see here, I have also included a scratched in line from a poem I wrote (“The Gift”):

“No breeze can hold it, this gift this life. Unbridled imagination, a string less kite”

The photo reminds me of the feeling of wonderment or the loss of inhibition one can experience alone with just yourself, your brushes, mediums and canvas. The stimulus and studio hours are somewhat different for me these days but I still lose myself at the smell of linseed as I enter that realm. If you have time, I dug out something I wrote in my sketch book at the time of the painting.. a little heavy on sentiment but I think it expresses where my mind was at during painting it.

_______________________________________________________

I am buoyed by the legacy of great painters, both past and present. 

Like a painterly tapestry, the influences of the masters interweave within me, imbuing my work with depth and resonance. The ethereal strokes of Van Gogh guide my hand, infusing my art with vibrant passion and emotional intensity. The luminous hues of Lloyd Rees illuminate my palette, whispering secrets of capturing light and the fleeting essence of nature. Picasso's daring experiments in form and perspective inspire me to challenge conventions and embrace innovation.

But it is not only the masters of the past who bestow their inspiration upon me. The contemporary painters of our time, the trailblazers who push boundaries and redefine artistic expression, add their voice to the symphony of inspiration. I feel the rhythmic pulse of abstract expressionism as embodied by Basquiat, the intricate details and narrative depth of Brett Whiteley, the simplicity and humour of Leunig and Mombassa and the thought-provoking conceptualism of Dali and Warhol.

[bratz-kitten]

attack on titan characters - birth chart analysis 🌙

Here is my take on the big 6 of Levi, Eren, Armin and Mikasa of attack on titan/shingeki no kyojin! I kept their sun signs since we know the day and month of their birthday and since I think they’re absolutely perfect. If you want me to do my take on the others (like Jean, Historia, Erwin, Hanji, Connie, Sasha, Reiner, etc) please let me know! (spoiler warning!)

Levi Ackerman

sun in capricorn - levi mf ackerman is fuelled by three things and three things only: LOYALTY, a strong moral code and power. he is seen by most people as a heartless, unemotional bastard but is canonically the most emotional character - he shows love through very indirect ways and he’s the peak of capricorn in the sense that he represses his emotions – he smiled literally ONE time in four seasons, and didn’t once shed a tear. he’s very hard to read. has a lot of respect for his superiors and follows the orders of only those he’s loyal to. he’s driven by his moral codes in the sense that the protection of humanity is his prime motive for fighting titans. like a true capricorn, is the master of his field of work and cares the most about being a survey corp member. please protect this tragic baby. 

virgo rising - two words: CLEAN FREAK. this man has a strong need to be presentable at all times and hates getting blood on his hands for the single fact that he needs himself and his environment to be clean. his obsession with being clean is very much due to his childhood trauma and how he lived in in poor conditions in the underground. he has many quirks that correlate with this: the way he holds his cup, the carvat he uses bc of his mother, and the way he always cuts his own hair because that’s the way his mother used to do it.  intimidating and demands respect. DRY HUMOUR. 

moon in scorpio - i think he has many similarities with mikasa, especially in the moon and venus. introverted and hates people but will go to the ends of the earth to protect the ones he loves and respects. represses emotions and internalizes his hatred until he has a mental breakdown - which happens in the form of extreme violence. VERY sensitive and emotional even if he doesn’t show it. he’s very intuitive and often acts based on gut; he’s secretive and vindictive. very wise and great at giving advice. doesn’t let himself get manipulated and uses shitty situations to his advantage (like with the reeves company). trust is the most important thing to him.

mercury in aquarius - levi is extremely logical, and hates when others involve their feelings in the making of decisions. his decisions are always backed up by strong arguments and others often see him as cold and detached. i saw someone  mention something extremely interesting about aquarius mercury’s/people with their mercuries in the 11th house: despite not being very sociable, others are drawn to them for friendships – and often they’re the introverts who get “adopted” by extroverts. this is 100% levi’s case, hanji and erwin practically adopted him. being very vulgar with his words and having a distinctive sense of humour, he’s very humanitarian and is actually really talkative but only when he’s very comfortable around someone. blunt, always tells it like it is – like when he tells eren he can’t know what the right choice really is and he needs to choose it himself. teases and insults his friends as a form of affection.

mars in scorpio - levi’s a fighter, a survivor. he knows what it’s like to come from nothing and have to build himself up. very confrontational. reclaims his power by exerting intimidation and mastering violence. others fear doing as much as make a joke at his expense. understands other’s motivations and characters very easily. he’s very intuitive. very serious due to his need for having an intense and demanding presence, for being respected and valued. he’s the one who everyone sighs of relief when things go to shit and he appears because you know he’s the strongest and most dependable person.

venus in capricorn - good luck getting this motherfucker to open up. his trust is very hard to gain but is necessary for working with him – he places his full trust in his comrades and demands the same from them. very work-oriented and takes relationships very serious; it’s really telling that he cares little for romance because capricorn venuses are the ones to date to marry, and will only devote themselves to someone once they believe they’ve met the one. they either want a more powerful and mature partner or they exude that energy (levi is the latter). slightly parental – we see this in the way that levi is pretty much the dad figure. it’s called squad levi for a reason, after all. very responsible. takes care of loved ones and often uses tough love as a form of discipline.

Eren Jaeger - im not even kidding with this one, he has extreme aries energy

sun in aries - eren feels the need to be very independent and he hates whenever he has to depend on mikasa and others, wanting to be strong enough to reverse the roles. he’s very self-confident, bold and direct. very impulsive, he’s quick to anger but is also very quick to forget - especially seen with his arguments with jean, fighting him is basically a love language at this point. aries suns are very fast thinkers and their strong energy may come off as intimidating. they have great intentions but that often becomes muddled with their impulsivity and the fact that they don’t think ideas through. eren is unabashedly himself and fights relentlessly for what he wants. his aries energy also makes him extremely motivated! he believes in the impossible and will make it happen no matter what.

aries rising – aries risings are the trailblazers. they ooze intensity. eren has very much a baby face and, due to his impulsivity and childish charm, people tend to baby him a lot – in the sense that he’s this kid surrounded by adults who needs supervision at all times or he’ll get into deep shit. aries risings are also marked by their extreme need for action, they’re the ones to do now and apologize later instead of asking for permission to do something in the first place. he is guided by his passion and is a natural leader who inspires everyone to fight alongside him. aries risings have a lot of energy which they need to express in a physical way, making them be prone to be very athletic and lead very active lives. he’s also extremely competitive and is driven by the force of becoming stronger than mikasa, and often feels angry when he realizes how stronger than him other people can be. at the same time, this pressure to be better is put solely on himself. he’s a dumbass with a good-heart and pure intentions.

moon in sagittarius – all this motherfucker talks about is freedom and seeing the world past the walls. he craves adventure and is extremely optimistic. but even if a sagittarius moon needs their freedom, they are still absolutely ride-or-dies and once they’ve commited to something, NOTHING or NO ONE can stop their determination. these are also the people to try their best to always appear cheerful and full of determination to hide their sad façade – like when he was nearly vomiting when talking about the titans to the other recruits when they began the training in the military but still forced himself to say that the titans aren’t scary at all and that they aren’t a big deal; he naturally inspires others and fills them with courage. but the way they put on this strong and brave façade leads to a strong emotional turmoil, violent urges and a sudden hostility to others. they are filled with surpressed anger that can lead them through very destructive paths – and the happy-go-lucky child might just lose her hope. we see this in eren in the most heartbreaking way.

mercury in aries – LOUD!!! eren speaks what’s on his mind with NO hesitation whatsover. he’s very quick to defend his friends and points of view, and speaks openly about his passions and dreams. he’s very assertive and tenacious. short attention span and not afraid to give a different opinion from someone else’s. very passionate about what he argues about. very expressive and when an aries mercury disagrees with you, you’ll know it immediately by their facial expression. confident and thrives on inspiring others. remember him being mad when it was discovered the possibility of all titans being humans because now he didn’t know who the enemy is and he NEEDS to hate someone and blame them in order to keep going? ARIES MERCURY ENERGY!!

mars in aries - people look to mars in aries to lead them. they’re full of energy and dynamic, and very athletic - eren exceeds at hand-to-hand combat and, in the other subjects where he’s not so good, his determination makes him push forward and become better. VERY hot-headed and confrontational, which is both the source of all their problems and their strength - they are not afraid of going after what they want and are willing to go through any obstacle to do so, and they’re also not afraid of upsetting other people in order to do so. eren is courageous, loves to take initiative and is very enthusiastic - something that is very contageous. competitive and hates compromise, he likes getting his own way. aries mars are also very individualistic and can have a huge ego.

venus in pisces - i know this is going to confuse a lot of people - like, how does he have so much aries energy, how is he so intense yet has one of the softest venus placements? i deeply believe he’s a pisces venus, and here’s why. his friends are EVERYTHING to him. pisces venus’ love very deeply and are very dependent on their loved ones, and eren is extremely protective of his loved ones and is willing to do anything to protect them. pisces venus’ are very vengeful, too, something that people seem to brush off about them - they might not do anything when you mess with them but as soon as you mess with their friends it’s game over. i also get a lot of “there was no other way, the word had to be fixed” vibes from this placement? like, this placement gives me the energy of someone willing to commit awful crimes under the excuse of it being for the greater good, which is something he dramatically experiences as he grows older and witnesses the cruelty of the world.

Armin Arlert

sun in scorpio - armin very resourceful!! he easily adapts to the circunstances he’s in and works his way around it. very intelligent and with great memory. extremely manipulative, cunning and perceptive. scorpios are known for their capability to be great investigators due to their natural curiosity, and armin has this deep need to see the world outside of the walls and he studies all there is to know about it with great passion. determined to succeed. 

cancer rising - armin just wants to achieve his dream and it’s so soft. cancer risings are very receptive of other’s emotions and incredibly sensitive, but it’s difficult for them to open up to others. his appearance is very soft and delicate. loves to help others and has a naturally warm presence that makes others feel comfortable in his presence. give off a very grounded and stable energy, but this is often because they try to hide their most intense emotions and don’t know how to deal with them/don’t want to bother others by opening up about it. 

moon in pisces - one word: EMPATHY!!! very compassionate. tendency to become a martyr and be very self-sacrificial. VERY imaginative, he is the strategist, after all. can feel others emotions and read them very easily. avoids confrontation but feels a strong need to take the weight off of others’ shoulders and to solve all their problems. very loving and giving, in tune with his emotions and emotionally intelligent. on the other side, this caring side of him can make him see other people through rose-colored glasses, and he is prone to believing in the best in people and giving them the benefit of the doubt. but when they’ve proven their true nature to him, he’ll see them for what they are and will no longer defend them, even if still feeling remorse. notice how he’s always like “this had to be done, we had no other choice” to justify his actions.

mercury in scorpio - bro armin’s eyes are so intense. when he gets on his manipulative bullshit it’s IMPOSSIBLE to look away from his gaze. he practically communicates through the eyes. armin is very sharp and his innocent appearance has everyone still thinking of him as a sweet angel as if he isn’t a whole war criminal. he easily psychoanalizes others to know what they want and uses it to his advantage, like how he used berthold’s love for annie to manipulate him to let eren go after him and reiner kidnapped him. scorpio mercuries be knowing shit, they be knowing everyone’s secrets and others usually confide in them as if they’re their therapists. 

mars in pisces - mars in pisces makes a person avoid physical confrontation at all costs. notice how armin’s first response to everyone wanting to kill reiner and bertold/the marleyans was “please let’s just talk about this first”? he hates violence and deems it not worthy most times. he is very physically weak and aware of his limitations, unlike eren and levi, whose first instinct is to use violence in order to get what they want. no, armin has developed a much more subtle and effective way to get what he wants without using violence: emotional manipulation. he is the KING of appearing innocent and naïve and having people feel bad for him and want to baby him and protect him, and due to his extremely intuitive nature, he knows EXACTLY what to say to someone to get under their skin. he twists his words and emotions to get what he needs out of people and it’s both incredible and dangerous. also, very self-sacrifical and his goals are based on his emotions.

venus in cancer - he loves so much and it’s so beautiful and heartbreaking. he gives everything to the ones he loves and thrives off of being helpful and keeping everyone safe. reads a lot into the behaviour of the people he loves. very emotionally intelligent, wants stability and to maintain peace and may bend over backwords to achieve that. needs to feel understood and has a soft spot for troubled people, those who are more demanding and assertive (eren and mikasa), people he can take care of and who can take care of him in return. very affectionate and communicative. warm presence, you can pretty much feel the love radiating out of him. 

Mikasa Ackerman 

sun in aquarius - if you get past the emotional walls of an aquarius that has them appearing detached and distant because they’d rather use intelligence than seem emotional, you’ll be met with an incredibly soft, loving and caring person. an aquarius strength is their ability to be very unique, individualistic and humanitarian individuals - they truly march to the beat of their own drum. mikasa possesses a great deal of determination and isn’t afraid of being rebellious, especially when her loved ones are in danger. 

capricorn rising - people with capricorn rising had to learn to be very independent from a very young age. mikasa is very intimidating but she has a very doll-like beauty, common to many capricorn risings. these people have had to deal with a lot ever since childhood, but they are fighters and their determination has them being able to survive even unsurmountable odds stacked up against them. capricorn risings tend to be serious and disciplined, and with a melancholic aura to them – which mikasa perfectly embodies. but the fact that these people have cancer in their descendant makes them strongly emotionally attached to their loved ones.

aquarius moon - even under the most stressful and dangerous situations, mikasa always remains in control of her emotions. she thrives in those situations, it’s the adrenaline of the moment that has her being so good at controlling her emotions until it’s safe to be anything but racional again. aquarius moons are feel very misunderstood and tend to racionalize their emotions a lot. however, it’s only due to their fear of vulnerability that they build this emotional walls, because they experience very intense emotions. i always think about that survey corp member saying “what did you have to go through for you to be like this?” when she was perfectly stable in a life-or-death situation. 

mercury in capricorn - mikasa is incredibly action-oriented and she speaks in a structured but confident way. although she’s on the quieter side and is reserved, she’s able to inspire everyone when all hope seems lost, and she’s taken up eren’s words of “if we don’t fight, we can’t win” and uses it constantly in order to keep going. she’s very hard to read due to her usually expressionless face, giving her a mysterious aura. she’s very ambitious, persuasive and determined. 

mars in capricorn - when people say that mars in capricorn people are the scariest when they’re angry, they’re not wrong. they act so calm and collected until suddenly they’re fixing you with a death glare and you’re rethinking all your life choices up until this point. mikasa might be extremely rational and calm, but as soon as someone threatens the ones she loves, she’ll stop at nothing to eliminate the threat. it’s like she fears nothing but ever being unable not to save them. she’s very responsible and reliable, with a lot of physical strength and stamina. very PROTECTIVE, grounded and GIVING 

venus in virgo - this is one of the things that makes mikasa so similar to levi, the way they love. this bitch is LOYAL to her very core. she knows very well where her loyalties are - eren and armin - and is ready to kill all her close friends and superiors in order to protect them. she threatened to kill historia if she got in the way of getting eren back home safely, jumped levi on sight when he wanted to save erwin instead of armin, and got pissed at connie for doubting eren’s intentions after the whole marleyan ordeal. acts of service are very much her love language - she constantly picks up eren’s and armin’s stuff and carries it herself or orders them to rest while she works. it’s very hard to gain her trust and loyalty but once you do it’s forever, she’s very selective about the people she cares for. she’s possessive, too - giving historia the coldest death glare in the world when she saw her with eren. i’ve also noticed that venus in virgo are very difficult to declare their emotions!! they’ll just wait for the person to notice their indirect acts of affection. very attentive to the needs and details of loved ones.  

[brian-in-finance]

Belfast

On choosing Van Morrison

The film was originally conceived with a soundtrack of popular songs from the hit parade of the late sixties but after Branagh and Van Morrison connected, the Belfast musician’s songs gradually took centre stage and the soundtrack is now almost entirely his music: eight songs from his archive, plus a new one written for the film and some haunting instrumental music.

Branagh found himself working with one of his childhood heroes.

‘When I was the age that Buddy is in the film,’ he recalls, ‘Van Morrison was already a Belfast legend. The voice, that unique combination of folk and soul and country and jazz and rock, with that edge, had just conquered the world. We had had the great Ruby Murray, whose music features briefly in the film, but Van was a trailblazer, and his music has taken on a timeless, classic status. I loved that he described himself to me as just ‘a corner boy’, someone who writes from the streets, which fitted right in with the lives in BELFAST that are lived so much on the streets. His music spoke of places in the city, such as Cyprus Avenue and of Belfast characters like Madame George. So, his hometown was in his work and to have his music in a film called BELFAST which is about another person born into city streets that forged their character, seemed like a magical alliance and a real gift to this movie.’

Van Morrison is of the same mind.

‘It’s been magical in many ways,’ he says. ‘I’ve really enjoyed being part of the film process and the friendship with Ken has been an added bonus. As soon as he first talked me through the project, I knew this was a perfect fit for me and when I read the script, I felt a really personal connection with it. Just like Ken, I have a deep affection for Belfast and the film resonates with the warmth and humour of home.’

Remember… I just like music to swing, no matter what it is. — Sir George Ivan Morrison

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Black Swan bookgasm review #2: Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun (1917)

It is not uncommon for a writer to become more known for his reputation than actual work. Not that the work isn’t of quality, just that it is easier for the public to fixate on their extreme political beliefs or their tragic life than for the very work that writer should be known. Sylvia Plath is a perfect example, since many non-readers of poetry are aware of her taking her own life by sticking her head in an oven, yet are unfamiliar with her great poetry - the very thing for which she is deservedly celebrated. Such is the same fate of the Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun who was well known in his day, for he won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1920 after having published Growth of the Soil in 1917. 

In the same way the French have come to wrestle with acknowledging the literary greatness Louis Ferdinand Celine’s in tension with Celine’s Nazi sympathies during World War Two - so Norway has had its own ‘Celine’ problem with Knut Hamsun. Hamsun was well known for having been a Nazi sympathiser, and upon winning the Nobel, he apparently mailed his medal to one of Hitler’s closest associates, Joseph Goebbels. Then, after Hitler’s death, sources claim that he made some sorrowful eulogy, lamenting over the dictator’s life and death. As result, readers have adopted ambivalent feelings for the write - hating him for his politics yet loving him for his work. It should be also noted that Hamsun was in ‘mental decline’ after the war, so one can’t be sure what he would have believed in a healthier state of mind. But all this should be no matter, for what counts is the work, and Growth of the Soil is a work worth the read.

Hamsun had his admirers in the literary world including H.G. Wells who wrote, “I do not know how to express the admiration I feel for this wonderful book without seeming to be extravagant. I am not usually lavish with my praise, but indeed the book impresses me as among the very greatest novels I have ever read. It is wholly beautiful; it is saturated with wisdom and humour and tenderness."

Though the novel’s setting is in rural Norway, civilisation and its discontents are never far off. There are telegraphs and newspapers. People read. It's not as though this is a bucolic idyll in a sheltered Eden. It is a novel full of contrasts - most obviously between the remote, traditional agrarian life and the rapidly encroaching modern world. This is a very typical Norwegian subject—and typical for many small countries that have gone through such dramatic changes in just a generation or three. Nostalgia looms large.

The book tells the story of Isak and Inger, a married couple seeking to make a living off land that many believe to be a bad business move. We begin with Isak's first steps to create a home in the Norwegian wilds: 'The wilderness was inhabited and unrecognisable, a blessing had come upon it, life had arisen there from a long dream, human creatures lived there, children played about the houses. And the forest stretched away, big and kindly, right up to the blue heights.' He finds a woman, Inger, initially a simple soul, whom life gradually makes more complex. Inger is physically disfigured, but Isak is devoted to her, and the couple works to raise a family and make a life off their land, furrow by furrow, ax blow by ax blow, grows a life. He is the first, the trailblazer.

Gradually other settlers move in  - the idle, the industrious, the promiscuous - creating over decades a community of sorts. This includes the self-seeking Oline, “Never in life would she give in and never her match for turning and twisting heaven and earth to a medley of seeming kindness and malice, poison and senseless words.” One of the most enigmatic characters is Geissler, originally introduced as a decent official with whom Isak has dealings; he helps him at other times and made me wonder if Hamsun was equating him to some Viking deity, “I’m something, I'm the fog as it were, here and there, floating around, sometimes coming like rain on dry ground... There's my son, the lightening.” Years later, men come for the stringing of telegraph wires, the mining of ore in the adjacent mountains. Hamsun presents the incursion of man into nature, the imposition of will on a pristine Nordic first world.

There's a ‘worldly’ balance to the drama, yet Isak's simple virtues prevail - although he's constantly challenged by events, some beyond his control. There, to a degree, he's protected by his guardian angel of a friend, Geissler, a man as complex and mysterious as Isak is simple - but a man equally as virtuous.

Hamsun’s lovely prose pulls the reader into this pioneer ethic where you rejoice which the construction of a new hay loft and dismiss with contempt the inept farmer who sees to his own comfort before that of his stock. On more than one occasion our protagonists easily reject the offer of a few days’ work for ready cash to tend to the more pressing business of hay that needs cutting or timber that needs hauling, much to the puzzlement of the befuddled capitalists in search of local labour.

Many a Scandinavian will recognise Isak’s inscrutable personality, his lack of expression, his need for time to consider a change. And while Isak plods on in life, prospering by the virtues of hard, unceasing labour, those gathered around him demonstrate every other variation of humanity. There’s the flighty and the money-grabbing, the gossip and the fearful… all stand in contrast to his unerring purpose. By the end of the tale our lone walker has become a wealthy and well-respected margrave, patriarch of the richest farm at the heart of a growing agricultural community, whilst the more speculative endeavours of mining and commerce have boomed and busted around him.

The novel is full of biblical motifs from the Old Testament but it’s not a religious themed story. Rather the book is somewhat critical of city life and culture, especially when it threatens the preservation of land and family values. Hamsun’s far right roots poke through at times with his attitude toward the indigenous Lapps, “maggots”, and fairly non-stop jabs at the less than intellectual bent of the otherwise admirable peasantry.

Hamsun convincingly writes of a beautiful celebration of the rural life: “Nothing growing there? All things growing there; men and beasts and fruit of the soil. Isak sowing his corn. The evening sunlight falls on the corn that flashes out in an arc from his hand and falls like a dropping of gold to the ground. Here comes Sivert to the harrowing...Forest and field look on. All is majesty and power - a sequence and purpose of things.” One of the most fascinating aspects of the story was the prevalence of infanticide in Norwegian rural culture (the extent of which is truly shocking as much as it is known by Norwegians today).  

Although Hamsun is never preachy, the lure of the city is something that recurs throughout the tale, and although the city itself is not something shown to be evil, it is more or less, just like the rough parts of nature: indifferent to human happiness and fulfilment. And in some sense, the imposition it can cause is inescapable. Though when asked which will outlast, land will always live without the need for humans, for the city is nothing more than peopled wilderness, or: “the wilderness was peopled country now.” Without the people, the wilderness will always return.

Growth of the Soil becomes the growth of generations - the passage of time and the growth of land that makes its way within the creases of one’s face and hands. The people become their land, and by the end of the novel, Isak is balding, and what the narrator calls “a stump of a man.” He is older and not as physically strong as he once was, but he is not beaten. He continues sowing his grain. “Growth of the soil was something different, a thing to be procured at any cost; the only source, the origin of all.” Later this point is expounded further: “’Tis not all that are so, but you are so; needful of earth. ‘Tis you that maintain life. Generation to generation, breeding ever anew; and when you die, the new stock goes on. That’s the meaning of eternal life.”

In many ways, reading Growth of the Soil is like reading a preview for the later great writers, for one can see American writers like John Steinbeck and Thomas Wolfe have picked amid the themes in this work and made them their own. Yet there are moments when Growth of the Soil can feel a bit verbose for the impatient reader. Yet Hamsun is worth reading because there is no way around him. In the same way what Louis Ferdinand Celine did for French literature, Hamsun tore apart both the grammar and the lexicon of our Norwegian language, mixed high and low, dialect and aristocratic speech, and put all the pieces beautifully together again - in the totally new fashion we call contemporary Norwegian literature. As every Russian writer is rolled out of Gogol’s coat, every Norwegian one is an offspring of Hamsun, admittedly or otherwise.

One can wonder how the story of Norwegian peasants in the 19th century can be relevant today? But as we live so far removed from nature, are so surrounded by words and noise (mostly meaningless) and spend so much time worrying about our psyches, "Growth of the Soil" provides the exact antithesis of our world. It provides a perspective of what is really necessary for life and contentment and what needs to be let go of and what needs to be retained. It is a simple story of simple people, but it is far from shallow. The writing is beautiful and conveys so well the nuances of relationships and the impact of nature on humanity. In all, this is a a very Scandinavian work. Like an iconic Viking ship which combines beauty and simplicity with function, and is capable of navigating both rough seas and shallow rivers, Hamsun's writing has a biblical simplicity that narrates elegantly both life's small and meaningful events as well as its epic arc.

[elizabethrobertajones]

(part 1) this is random but something im curious about is do you think the next few years will see a radical shift in more lead lgbt couples in shows? i feel like when supernatural started it was all about subtext/queerbating between characters we would never see canon (maybe), the last few years have seen an update in more side lgbt characters/couples and while not a lot, more main lgbt characters then we had before. I don't know if tumblr/twitter fandom translates to general audience...

Yeah, I mean, the only way is up. I feel lucky that I managed to encounter a fair amount of queer content in my formative years, whether targeted programming on TV, or taking the route of not really differentiating the perceived cultural value of independent media like webcomics and webnovels etc from the mass media as I was young enough to naturally grow up on the internet as the internet itself was growing up and web 2.0 was pretty much taking off alongside my use of the internet. And that I had liberal parents who didn’t regulate our internet, and lived in a community where culturally I didn’t really fear being discovered casually accessing all this like in particularly this terrifying seeming evangelical christian community in America.

Which really makes me feel like A: everyone should feel that comfortable in themselves via the media as I did as a mass accessible thing or B: that the world at large should be soaked in as much representation and more that I encountered as a curious teen because at the very least it did me no harm and at best helped handhold me through an awful lot. 

And then brings us to the problem that the world isn’t actually like that and for a lot of people their media is restricted one way or another, from everything such as the era of social media weirdly making us much LESS broadly travelled on the internet as I was back in the day (SO many bookmarks - I had like 100 that I would check either daily or on their weekly update schedule, with enough habit that I had pretty much memorised it all without using an RSS feed or just following everyone’s twitter and waiting for update announcements, never mind the vast pit of things which I occasionally checked to see if their sporadic but very worth it updates had occurred somewhere in the last month/year) to the vastly overwhelming amount of media accessible to us. It seems almost to flood the market and creates this panic about watching the worthiest shows and campaigning for them and raising awareness and the FOMO and how things slip by and zomg you have to watch this that and the other, when even just making this list on Netflix now contains more hours of TV than a human lifetime and also one liable to disappear from the service at some point or another without warning. 

And then on top of that you have the absolute cultural monoliths that if you’re not going to have a cohesive culture - which now includes the entire population of the world because of our connectivity on the internet and mass-joining of services - based around smaller shows and stuff, then at the very least everyone is going to watch anything under the main Disney umbrella, other superhero flicks, animated things, and all the really big studio franchises and remakes, as well as a few TV monoliths which manage to get enough people talking to make it seem like “everyone” (again - these days it seems like that’s presumed to be the entire western world plus everywhere else these things air) are watching, like Game of Thrones or whatever… THESE properties are the inescapable ones and on that basis they’re the things we have to lean on the most for representation and then again barely get any, when it comes to gender and sexuality, due to them shooting for such worldwide markets that they can’t imply gay people exist to censors in places such as China. And it exposes the cultural awfulness inherent just in getting a white female character in the lead role of some things, or the absolute garbage fire lurking underneath that if you dare have a black stormtrooper or make one of your female ghostbusters black when you’re already ruining the childhoods of so many how dare… 

In those respects, having side characters who aren’t even major well-known superheroes or jedis or ghostbusters or whatever also be gay (because even well-known lesbian Kate McKinnon didn’t manage to get her ghostbuster to be canonically gay even if we All Knew) would be absolutely groundbreaking, even if it was, like, a role that could be snipped out for the Chinese market or something. And that’s probably exactly what would happen, and cue ensuing riot from whichever fandom, along with everyone rightly pointing out that even for us who got to watch it it was still a tiny side character… I mean Disney is still at the stage of what they did with Beauty and the Beast’s ~canonical gay character~ 

So yeah… that’s thrown back to TV and smaller movies to lead the way and because the generations showing most likely the real global percentages but actually just the young western world stats on queerness in any form (like… 25% instead of 1% or whatever and that’s STILL probably too low) are still teens to young adults. The previous gayest generation above them are still just arriving in power and settling in, and the excellent changes we already have from the generation before that is what we are seeing now... But given THEIR cultural context, even their best can still seem to younger eyes, moderate and not generally placing queer characters in lead roles except in niche or indie or otherwise “acceptable” places to take those risks. I think change is always coming and culturally each generation being more open and accepting that the last is really making changes and so on, hopefully things WILL change rapidly and what was the common state of affairs in the sort of indie media I consumed as a teen will be the mainstream soon because a lot of those creators 10 years later are kicking off… 

All that said, TV in the mainstream is still controlled by Mark Pedowitz types exercising their power over the Bobos who have their Wayward Sisters pitches with the clearly labelled main character for the main teen demographic being queer. The culture is very much that we’re now pretty open and can happily have queer characters, but the main characters are still largely held separate. A good example is Riverdale, which is on the CW, a newer show with writers such as Britta Lundin, who is young, queer, and wrote a novel blatantly based on being a Destiel shipper and fan interacting with the cast and crew in fandom spaces, and whose first solo episode of Riverdale featured a looooot of the gay stuff (yay). 

But while she’s a story editor and writer for the show and can use it as a platform for writing stories for its audience using a whole range of canonically queer characters, the show still keeps all 4 of its mains at a strict remove from this. Cheryl can come out as a lesbian in the second season after a lil ho yay in the first but no clearly marked storyline about her identity, but even though Betty and Veronica kissed in the first episode it was blatant fan service (for Cheryl in-story, lol) and mostly just set the tone that they are the sort of seemingly straight girls kissing for attention while having strong romantic or physical attraction to guys. In the second season the kiss comes up again in joking that Jughead and Archie are the only ones of the main 4 who haven’t kissed, Archie gets one planted on him by a dude as a “judas kiss” moment of betrayal in season 3 and he and Jug are teased that they were expected to get together because they were close but in the same sort of homophobic undercurrent tones as early Destiel snarking from side characters, seemingly less about their relationship and more to unsettle them with implications… I mean it was a complicated moment but in the long run it didn’t seem entirely pleasant to me, especially given the overall emotional state they were in and later plot etc etc. (My mum is 1000% invested in Riverdale now as a former Archie Comics reader as a kid so this is now my life too as I was in the room when my brother callously exposed her to it, hi :P) 

Anyway that’s just one case study but aside from SPN it’s probably the most mainstream teen demographic thing I watch… Other examples would be things like B99 which had Rosa come out as bi and that’s awesome, and made us all cry a lot, but Jake, the clear main character even in a very strong and well-treated ensemble, has a great deal of bi subtext, there’s no way given Andy Samberg’s apparent habit of ad-libbing MORE progressive jokes that he’d ever be intentionally harming people if that’s how his brain works (you know, like other people quick-fire offensive stuff from their mouth working faster than brain sense of humour :P). But at the same time for all Jake’s quipping about crushes and such and the fact the show clearly knows how to be sensitive to bisexuality with Stephanie Beatriz being a strong advocate, just because Jake’s the main character and adorably married to Amy. In NO WAY can that be threatened because they’re SO GOOD, so there’s STILL uncertainty that this will pay off in the same special episode “I love my wife but I am bi” kinda way that seems obvious that could just be said. We all carry on without it affecting anything because obviously Jake’s found his soulmate so we don’t mess with that but they should know it’s important to clarify it… Even with B99′s track record, I’m nervous solely because Jake’s the main character and main characters tend not to get self-exploratory arcs about latent queerness and ESPECIALLY not if they’re happily married. If ANY show was going to do it right and trailblaze in this exact era it would be them, but… gyah :P 

Anyway I guess the conclusion right now is that the more mainstream you are the more uncertain it feels, but we are right at that cliff edge, especially with shows putting in SOME of the work. If B99 doesn’t get us there (or the Good Place where they’ll happily confirm Eleanor is bi in interviews but I believe she hasn’t said it outright on the show despite clearly showing attraction to female characters, again, the denials we know so well in SPN fandom reflect a wider audience view of dismissing this stuff as jokes and not reflective of character feeling and identification without a Special Episode dedicated to confirming it >.>) then we’re very clearly on the cusp of SOME mainstream or massively well-known show doing it at least once in a meaningful way that has an Ellen-style cultural impact on TV writing. 

Let’s make it a goal for 2019 or 2020, and hope that a NEW show with a canonically queer main from the start is pitched and becomes a mainstream hit in the next 5… Still got a ways to go before Disney level mainstream but again there IS work going pushing the envelope, especially if we get a movie of a franchise such as idk Further Legends of Korra, or Steven Universe or something else that’s massively pushed the envelope with sexuality or gender for their main character on the small screen in the experimental petri dish they’ve had there for children’s TV. Something that would force Disney to blink about a lesbian princess or Star Wars to let Finn and Poe kiss or Marvel to let Steve and Bucky hold hands or something in order to remain relevant.

Once the Big Cultural Monoliths get in on it, I expect culture as a whole to first of all react quickly on the small screen, but honestly I’ve been waiting for them to snap pretty much my whole life since adolescence and they’re taking such wee tiny baby steps, and some factors are enormous geopolitical awfulness, that the story as a whole is unpredictable and we can only really hope that things don’t slow down. 

(Where this affects SPN is just impossible to say right now, given its almost unique position in this mess due to longevity vs fandom vs almost entirely new generation of writers’ room) 

[donaldsoncoleman42-blog]

Battlefield V Is An Wonderful Game With Great Worth

Battlefield V's initial post-launch addition, Overture, released today soon after an initial delay. If you've never played a Battlefield game just before, Battlefield V does not do a lot to clarify the certain quirks of the franchise. Even though the basics of shooting and capturing objectives are not considerably different from other FPS games, there Battlefield V download is a lot much more depth that there isn't an simple in-game way to discover. For example: dropping prone and crawling, rather than just crouching, is hugely critical to staying alive on foot. That is something that will be second nature to seasoned Battlefield veterans, but which new players will have to learn soon after a number of frustrating deaths. The opening moments of Battlefield V show off a game at odds with itself. It starts with a montage of skirmishes on land and air that wax eloquent on the atrocities of World War 2 and its impact on humanity to the point of repulsion, marrying it with slick gameplay and production values in an attempt to preserve you playing. Although the Battlefield series has had a serious tone since Battlefield V download its inception, with detours into cartoonish and dark humour with Battlefield Heroes and Battlefield Negative Organization respectively, Battlefield V doubles down with dollops of stoic story-telling. So a lot so that it loses its influence and comes across as hollow. And that's in just the 1st five minutes. Players have had their fun for the past handful of days in Battlefield V's open beta. So if you like chaotic battles that take spot on enormous maps, then Battlefield five absolutely does not disappoint. As gamefullversion.download/battlefield-v-download-free/ , I discovered myself fully engaged in the Grand Operations and enormous Conquests in a way I have not been with any current Battlefield. The game doesn't bog you down with guidelines and progressions systems and tutorials — you discover by diving in head first and experimenting with the different classes, weapons, and vehicles. But that is the true thrill of Battlefield those moments where the sandbox surprises you with unexpected moments of player agency. Is Battlefield at its greatest when it is a bit of a mess? I would not go that far, and it really is clear that DICE has a extended road ahead of it to get Battlefield 5 ship shape and exactly battlefield V download where it truly requirements to be. It's also slim, and also spotty, to suggest diving in this early. The foundations are in place, although, for some thing truly special. I'llThis game is nothing but a SJW propaganda. No immersion at all, even worse I haven't even had the feeling of playing a WW2 game. The shooting mechanics are even worse than BF1. Spotting is a mess and makes completely no sense in a WW2 game. Lack of content where i can download battlefield v contemplating you pay 70 euro for the deluxe edition, but nothing at all, not even all of the single player missions, are obtainable. This release schedule of free of charge future content encompasses each the game's multiplayer action and single-player War Stories. The latter has been sold by DICE as telling the lesser recognized tales of the Second Planet War, which appropriate now is a trio of narrative campaigns respectively following the unrecognized efforts of the Senegalese Tirailleurs, the trailblazing early days of the British Specific battlefield V download Boat Services, and the icy efforts of the Norwegian Resistance (The fourth War Story, the positive to be controversial The Last Tiger told from the point-of-view of a Nazi tank commander, is still to be released early next month). Alongside that, shorter game modes such as Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Frontlines make up the numbers to provide a multiplayer experience that will feel really familiar to returning players. Rather than overhaul any of its on the internet mechanics, Battlefield V refines and tends to make minor improvements to the chaotic and vast battlegrounds it is recognized for. You are going to nevertheless have these classic Battlefield moments as you hold out against axis forces although your ticket counter drops to an alarming quantity, blow up a roof to bring the rubble down onto your opponents, or you swoop in from the air and get rid of an objective from a plane's gunner seat. There's no large revelation to uncover, rather an even greater Battlefield encounter to find out. I was initially excited about a new BF game, specially when I saw that it was on sale. Nevertheless, I can not support this disgusting revision of history which writes the actual heroes out of their own stories. As opposed to Call of Duty and other 1st Battlefield V Download person shooters, Battlefield 5 comes with a single player campaign dubbed War Stories. Each War Story takes about an hour or so to complete, but they are truly quite exciting. Where Battlefield V shines is in the destructible objects and environments produced attainable by DICE's Frostbite engine. It does not always feel as rapidly as the combat in Call Battlefield V Download of Duty: Black Ops four, but the fighting in DICE's game is enhanced by the reality that you can hide behind objects that can be destroyed with bullets, grenades, anti-tank weapons, or tank fire. Nevertheless, NVIDIA says that DirectX raytracing overall performance has been enhanced by up to 50 % across the complete GeForce RTX variety, which is astounding. The Tides of War Chapter 1: Overture update coupled with the newest Game Prepared Drivers (417.22 WHQL) tends to make this all possible. The core of Battlefield V is nevertheless Battlefield V Download multiplayer, regardless. Generally I wouldn't spend considerably time talking about it, but Battlefield V is the first in a whilst to make sweeping alterations to the fundamentals, some great and some not so considerably.

[imjenives]

HAY BAE #10 - Beautiful Darling

02/07/20

Hay Bae, you good?

I watched a documentary today about Candy Darling (Beautiful Darling, 2009 - Dir. James Rasin) who was a "muse" for Andy Warhol in the Factory days. Candy was a trans woman & absolute fierce bitch who dazzled the scene so much Lou Reed wrote a couple of songs about her (heard of "Walk On The Wild Side"?) I mean, I can relate - Lou Reed wrote some tracks about me as well, it's just a shame they were on "LuLu" and no one heard them.

The doc is really good. It gives a lot of contradictory angles on Candy from the different people who knew her at the time. Some kind, and some not so much. I think a good documentary should have that though, right? Because that's what people are, they're contradictions. Some points of view are a joy to hear, like John Waters gushing over how Candy was more than a Warhol freakshow, and instead was a great actress in her own right. Other points of view aren't so sympathetic, like the bitter biological essentialism that comes from the writer Fran Lebowitz. I've read some of Lebowitz's work before (Metropolitan Life) and I really liked it at the time, but I guess even those who were immersed in the rule breaking, transgressive environment of Warhol's Factory can still end up with a fairly base outlook on life. Maybe she's been spending too much time hanging out with her pal Bill Maher? It just seems like a weird choice to spend your time as a talking head in a documentary about a young trans woman, who died of a cancerous tumour at 29, insisting that the audience understand that Candy wasn't a "real woman". To give Lebowitz a bit of credit though, she does at the very least refer to Candy as "She" throughout the entire documentary.

I sort of idolise Candy. I have for a while. I'm not much like her - for one thing I'm nowhere near as beautiful and elegant as she was. I could never be a muse, I don't think. Maybe I should put out an ad in the newspaper- "Looking for a transsexual Muse to place into cheap art house films for a period of time, before completely dropping and moving on to 'chicks without dicks'? - well, I'M YOUR GAL" But I indentify with a lot of her internal struggles. There's a short portion of the film, which deals with Candy's personal confusions. It takes extracts from her diary, and you can really hear the existential exhaustion that comes along as standard with the "trans experience". You're constantly pushing the boulder of Sisyphus up the hill - sometimes making what feels like progress, when ultimately you know that the true end goal is impossible. She comes across as a person who exudes confidence on the surface, starring in films & modelling. She's a social butterfly, with a self aware & dark sense of humour. But at the same time, her diaries come across as deeply sad & lonely. She refers to her situation as a "veritable prison" and laments that she can't do normal things like go swimming, or find a husband. I feel this exact same way sometimes. I can perform comedy on a stage to hundreds of people, but I can't wash my hands in a female public toilet without feeling fear or discomfort.

"I am not a genuine woman, but I am not interested in genuineness. I am interested in the product of being a woman, and how qualified i am to do it" - Candy Darling.

There is mention of an off-broadway show that Candy starred in. She was the centre of the entire production, and during its run audiences would come just to see her. And still, she was relegated to her own private dressing room so as not to disrupt the harmony of the other male & female dressing rooms. There's something ironically tragic about that, I think. Although, I dunno - I'd probably prefer my own dressing room too. When I was at Uni and I started transitioning, I was told I could use the disabled toilets.

It was also interesting to hear about the complaints against Candy's role in the film "Women In Revolt" from a division of feminists that sounds strangely reminiscent of the "gender critical" movement we have today. It just goes to show how deeply ingrained these things are.

Candy was a trailblazer, and like John Waters said - she was more than just a freakshow. She was smart, talented, funny, ironic, knowing, satirical, contradictory, beautiful, strong, soft, sad, joyous... I think "Beautiful Darling" is a great documentary to watch, because it shows a trans woman as a more rounded person. She was a self-realised Goddess, and she left a big impression in those short 29 years. She made herself known at a time when it was literally illegal to go out in a dress if you were a "man" (as Fran Lebowitz would like to remind you Candy actually was). She was rejected by her mother, forgotten by Warhol & had to go through a lot of shit. And on top of all that, she was 100% herself.

"You must always be yourself, no matter what the price. It is the highest form of morality." - Candy Darling

The entire documentary is available on Youtube for free.

[wsmith215]

TV pioneer Phyllis George, co-host of ‘The NFL Today,’ dies at 70

Phyllis George, the former Miss America who became a female sportscasting pioneer on CBS’ “The NFL Today” and served as the first lady of Kentucky, has died. She was 70.

A family spokeswoman said George died Thursday at a Lexington, Kentucky, hospital after a long fight with a blood disorder.

Her children, Lincoln Tyler George Brown and CNN White House correspondent Pamela Ashley Brown, remembered George as “the most incredible mother we could ever ask for.”

“For many, Mom was known by her incredible accomplishments as the pioneering female sportscaster, 50th Miss America and first lady,” they said in a joint statement. “But this was all before we were born and never how we viewed Mom. To us, she was the most incredible mother we could ever ask for, and it is all of the defining qualities the public never saw, especially against the winds of adversity, that symbolize how extraordinary she is more than anything else. The beauty so many recognized on the outside was a mere fraction of her internal beauty, only to be outdone by an unwavering spirit that allowed her to persevere against all the odds.”

Miss America in 1971, George joined Brent Musburger and Irv Cross in 1975 on “The NFL Today.” Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder later was added to the cast.

“Phyllis George was special. Her smile lit up millions of homes for the NFL Today,” Musburger tweeted. “Phyllis didn’t receive nearly enough credit for opening the sports broadcasting door for the dozens of talented women who took her lead and soared.”

Each Sunday afternoon, “The NFL Today” aired three live versions of the half-hour pregame show — one at 12:30 p.m. ET for the East, another at 1:30 ET for Midwest stations and again at 3:30 ET for the West Coast — in addition to brief halftime breaks during the long afternoon. Until then, pregame shows had little cachet; it was the postgame program with highlights from the Sunday games that held sway.

“The CBS Sports family is deeply saddened by the passing of Phyllis George, an icon in the sports broadcasting industry who contributed greatly to the rich history and tradition of CBS Sports,” Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports, said in a statement. “Phyllis was not only a key member of a show that remains the gold standard of NFL pregame shows, the NFL Today with Brent, Irv and ‘The Greek,’ but also a pioneer for all women in broadcasting.”

Phyllis George served as a co-host of CBS’ “The NFL Today” — alongside Brent Musburger, right, Irv Cross and, later, Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder — from 1975 until 1984. Richard Lee/NY Daily News via Getty Images

“In my gut, I thought Phyllis was pretty special,” the late Bob Wussler, who hired George at CBS, once told USA Today. “I thought there was a role for her, as somebody who could talk to guys who knew something about sports.”

But George said she was bombarded with hate mail.

“When you’re the first, you’re a pioneer,” George told USA Today in 1999. “I felt they didn’t know who Phyllis George was. They played me up as a former Miss America, a sex symbol. I can’t help how I look, but below the surface, I was a hard-working woman. If I hadn’t made that work, women eventually would have come into sportscasting, but it would have taken them longer.”

George spent three seasons on the live pregame show, returned in 1980 and left in 1983, winning plaudits for the warmth of her interviews with star athletes. She also covered horse racing, including the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, hosted the entertainment show “People” and co-anchored the “CBS Morning News.”

She was briefly married to Hollywood producer Robert Evans in the mid-1970s and to John Y. Brown Jr. from 1979 to 1998. Brown owned Kentucky Fried Chicken and the NBA’s Boston Celtics and served as the governor of Kentucky.

“Phyllis was a great asset to Kentucky,” Brown told the Louisville Courier-Journal. “We had a great partnership. I think we enjoyed every single day.”

From Denton, Texas, George attended the University of North Texas for three years then went to TCU after earning a scholarship as Miss Texas in 1970.

In her 2002 memoir, George wrote that a male friend told her sportscasting wouldn’t work because it was a man’s job. George even acknowledged knowing nothing about the industry and having no experience or another female mentor to follow.

None of it stopped her.

George was a friend of Minister Norman Vincent Peale and a devout believer in his best-selling philosophy of positive thinking. George credited that approach for launching a defining career she didn’t expect — one that saw her range into an astonishing variety of ventures and roles, in media, the film industry, food and beauty products and as the glamorous first lady of the Bluegrass State.

“Saying yes to yourself opens up opportunities that can take you anywhere,” George wrote. “Having a mentor in your life who says yes to you is also key. Appreciate your mentors when you’re starting out. And later, always give credit to the people who were there with you at the beginning.”

ESPN sportscaster Hannah Storm remembered George as “the ultimate trailblazer” who inspired other women by showing that careers in sportscasting could be within their grasp.

“A lot of times when you’re dreaming of something as a career option, you have to see it in order to believe it,” she said. “And someone has to be first, and that was Phyllis.”

Rest In Peace Phyllis George 🙏🏻. A true pioneer who approached her job with enthusiasm, empathy and humour. She was herself-charming and funny ..helped her audiences connect with some of the great sports figures of the day. Condolences to her family & all who loved her. ❤️

— Hannah Storm (@HannahStormESPN) May 16, 2020

Neal Pilson, a former president of CBS Sports, called George’s hiring as part of “The NFL Today” team a “groundbreaking decision” that “changed the face of sports television.”

“She had an openness and enthusiasm that made her a valuable contributor,” Pilson said. “She didn’t claim to know a tremendous amount about sports, but she knew about people, which is why her interviews resonated. She could do the best interviews with athletes and family members. She was a warm person, and that came through on the set and in the interviews.”

George conducted one-on-one interviews with star athletes such as NFL greats Joe Namath and Roger Staubach.

“People were uncomfortable with the idea of seeing a woman on TV talking about sports in a prominent role,” Storm said. “But someone has to go first. I give her so much respect for truly her courage. She had to put herself out there. Phyllis George did something out of the norm. And I’m forever grateful for her leading the way.”

George wasn’t the first, but she made her entrance around the time that other women were getting their starts reporting on sports too.

Jane Chastain was hired at CBS in 1974 and became the first female announcer on an NFL telecast that fall.

Lesley Visser became the first female NFL beat writer during a 14-year career at The Boston Globe that started in 1974. She later worked on “The NFL Today,” as well as with ABC and ESPN, becoming the first woman assigned to Monday Night Football in 1998.

Visser said George “always made you feel important and warm. I never heard her talk about anyone in a negative way. She made everything look so easy. She had a magnetic personality.”

The industry discovered George after she co-hosted “Candid Camera” and the Miss America pageant. She received a 13-week option from CBS in 1974 without a defined role. A popular interview with reluctant Celtics star Dave Cowens soon earned her a three-year deal and paved the way to her breakthrough role the next year on “The NFL Today.”

George moved on to co-host the “CBS Morning News” in 1985 but quit after less than eight months. Among the people she interviewed was former first lady Nancy Reagan. She later interviewed President Bill Clinton, in 1994, as part of her own prime-time talk show.

She was regularly taken to task by critics who charged that she didn’t know sports and didn’t know news.

“[Being Miss America] has been a help and a hindrance,” George once told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s been a help in that it’s opened doors. It’s been a hindrance in that people immediately said ‘BQ’ — you know, beauty queen. And you had to prove yourself more than the next person.”

George cited Emmys garnered by “The NFL Today” as evidence that she mastered the sports interview.

“I kept showing up, and they kept saying, ‘Hey, maybe she’s here to stay,'” George said. “Then we won a couple of Emmys for ‘The NFL Today’ show.”

ESPN’s Beth Mowins, who in 2017 became the first woman to call a regular-season NFL game since Gayle Sierens called one in 1987, said seeing George on “The NFL Today” provided Mowins’ “aha” moment.

“There was a woman talking about football,” Mowins told TheFootballGirl.com. “That’s what I was drawn to. I like sports and like to talk, so the two blended together perfectly.”

As a businesswoman, George founded Chicken By George, an eight-item line of fresh, marinated, chicken-breast entrees, and sold it two years later to Geo. A. Hormel & Co. She created Phyllis George Beauty in 2003. The cosmetic and skincare product line was sold through a TV home-shopping network.

She wrote several books and had roles in a pair of Hollywood comedy films.

“Phyllis is a pioneer. Her range is what impresses me the most,” former Kentucky and Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino, now at Iona, wrote in the foreword to George’s memoir, “Never Say Never: Ten lessons to turn you can’t into YES I CAN.”

“She entered a highly competitive pageant and emerged as Miss America,” Pitino wrote. “She became the first national female sports broadcaster. She flourished in the limelight as First Lady in the state of Kentucky. She’s been successful in business. And she is a respected humanitarian. Each step along the way, she embraced the mission at hand.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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[techprolonged]

A new range of Nokia phones is set to be announced on March 19th, in London. There will be the first 5G phone from HMD Global that will be featured in upcoming “No Time To Die” movie.

The partnership forms part of wider global marketing campaign starring Lashana Lynch as Agent Nomi in ‘The Only Gadget You’ll Ever Need’. With respect to the nature of the secret things, the new advert unveils secret unnamed Nokia smartphone.

HMD Global today announced its partnership with the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die. The film will feature the soon to be announced first-ever 5G Nokia smartphone, alongside other Nokia phones.

In the lead up to the movie release, today HMD Global unveils a first look at their new commercial. It features Lashana Lynch as Agent Nomi and will form part of the company’s largest-ever global marketing campaign showcasing Nokia smartphones as ‘The Only Gadget You’ll Ever Need’. The advert is directed by BAFTA Award-winning director Amma Asante and inspired by No Time To Die.

The 90-second video to be released on Sunday, March 8th reveals a glimpse of the soon to be announced Nokia smartphones. It is filmed against the backdrop of the distinctive London skyline featuring St Paul’s and The Shard. Agent Nomi utilises the range of capabilities on her new, soon to be revealed Nokia smartphone, to complete her mission.

TechRadar was given an early preview of the 90-sec trailer. You can see the screen grabs from the trailer below.

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The lead Daniel Craig as James Bond also has appeared in a screengrab shared on Reddit recently. It’s reported to be Nokia 8.2 5G, but HMD Global yet wants it to be a secret until March 19th. However the film will sure feature the two upcoming devices – the Nokia 7.2, with a 48MP triple camera and ZEISS Optics and the iconic Nokia 3310.

As disclosed officially, No Time To Die will feature a range of Nokia phones, forming part of an integrated campaign running across cinema, digital, social, OOH and retail which goes live on 8 March, International Women’s Day.

In the film, Agent Nomi utilises the range of capabilities of the new Nokia phones portfolio, including the first-ever 5G Nokia smartphone which will be fully unveiled on 19 March, in plenty of time for No Time To Die, which is coming to UK cinemas on 12 November 2020 and demonstrates portfolio-wide commitment to delivering premium yet affordable experiences to all.

The film partnership allows HMD Global to demonstrate its status as a global provider of Android smartphones, showcasing its commitment to security, speed and innovation, meeting the demands of the world’s toughest customers – MI6 agents.

Press Statements

Speaking about her experience with HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, Lynch explained:

“My first phone was actually a Nokia 3210 when I was about ten years old. In retrospect, it was my smartphone of the 90’s. Being able to change the buttons and faces, whilst playing Snake blew my mind! So, after seeing how much Nokia smartphones have evolved over the years from my childhood to now, it’s exciting to play Nomi who helps unveil a new smartphone for this iconic brand.”

Amma Asante explains,

“I am always drawn to projects that portray women as strong and intellectual – the campaign script was beautifully crafted to present Nomi as a kick ass agent not afraid of going up against the bad guys and doing it with irreverent humour at the same time.”

Juho Sarvikas, HMD Global Chief Product Officer comments:

“Following the announcement to postpone the movie launch to 12 November, we now have a really exciting year ahead of us in the build up to this much anticipated release. Few cultural properties place technology at the heart of their appeal quite like No Time To Die. The film’s commitment to innovation, paired with the amazing technology built into each Nokia smartphone, making our devices the only gadget that anyone – even a 00 agent – will ever need, makes this partnership a real force to be reckoned with.

Trust, security and iconic quality design are the foundations every Nokia phone is built upon and our values reflect those of No Time to Die and the trailblazing new 00 agent, Nomi. We take great pride in making the latest technology accessible to everyone and look forward to doing this via our latest partnership.

Nokia’s first 5G Phone to launch this month – Featuring in “No Time To Die” A new range of Nokia phones is set to be announced on March 19th, in London. There will be the first 5G phone from HMD Global that will be featured in upcoming "No Time To Die" movie.

[ukresinboundsurfacing]

Remembering Ben Hamilton-Baillie

Xavier Brice, chief executive of Sustrans, pays tribute to Ben Hamilton-Baillie, who died earlier this month.

“It was with great shock and sadness that I read the news that Ben Hamilton-Baillie had passed away.

I first met Ben around 10 years ago at City Hall in London. He came with a mammoth set of slides to present to the Mayor, but more importantly with passion and expertise that swept all there along with him as he explained how we could, and why we should civilise the city’s streets.

What I didn’t know at the time is that Ben played an instrumental role in shaping Sustrans. He joined the charity shortly after we were awarded a £42.5million grant from the National Lottery to deliver the National Cycle Network. 

At first, he was one of just a small number of staff working with John Grimshaw on the Network, and in his early days, Ben’s role covered the whole of the South of England and Wales.  He was a true pioneer and trailblazer, fondly remembered by colleagues for his infectious passion, humour and expertise. But Ben’s interest went beyond cycle paths. He led study tours to the Netherlands to see woonerfs or home zones, and these led to Sustrans’ DIY Streets, which in turn led to the community street design work that sits at the heart of so much of what we do today.

Ben’s work at Sustrans in the late 1990s led him to expand his own horizons: in 2000 he was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship and was a Harvard University Loeb Fellow in 2001.  This study further ignited his passion for what he described as ‘civilising streets’ and reclaiming urban spaces for people.

In his later years, through his own transport, design and urban planning practice, Ben continued to re-shape streets; and as an author, lecturer and advocate he worked tirelessly to educate and inspire others.

Whilst his life was too short, his memory lives on for all of us at Sustrans, and in civilised streets across the UK and beyond.”

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8239590 https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/remembering-ben-hamilton-baillie via IFTTT

[runningtrackcontractors]

Remembering Ben Hamilton-Baillie

Xavier Brice, chief executive of Sustrans, pays tribute to Ben Hamilton-Baillie, who died earlier this month.

“It was with great shock and sadness that I read the news that Ben Hamilton-Baillie had passed away.

I first met Ben around 10 years ago at City Hall in London. He came with a mammoth set of slides to present to the Mayor, but more importantly with passion and expertise that swept all there along with him as he explained how we could, and why we should civilise the city’s streets.

What I didn’t know at the time is that Ben played an instrumental role in shaping Sustrans. He joined the charity shortly after we were awarded a £42.5million grant from the National Lottery to deliver the National Cycle Network. 

At first, he was one of just a small number of staff working with John Grimshaw on the Network, and in his early days, Ben’s role covered the whole of the South of England and Wales.  He was a true pioneer and trailblazer, fondly remembered by colleagues for his infectious passion, humour and expertise. But Ben’s interest went beyond cycle paths. He led study tours to the Netherlands to see woonerfs or home zones, and these led to Sustrans’ DIY Streets, which in turn led to the community street design work that sits at the heart of so much of what we do today.

Ben’s work at Sustrans in the late 1990s led him to expand his own horizons: in 2000 he was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship and was a Harvard University Loeb Fellow in 2001.  This study further ignited his passion for what he described as ‘civilising streets’ and reclaiming urban spaces for people.

In his later years, through his own transport, design and urban planning practice, Ben continued to re-shape streets; and as an author, lecturer and advocate he worked tirelessly to educate and inspire others.

Whilst his life was too short, his memory lives on for all of us at Sustrans, and in civilised streets across the UK and beyond.”

from Blog https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/remembering-ben-hamilton-baillie via IFTTT