#this cat was the mvp of this movie

[amatesura]

Bright Star (2009) | dir. Jane Campion

[skimblestrap]

really says something about the Power of skimbleshanks when his song in the 2019 movie is actually like. really stellar and great and amazing.

[redgoldsparks]

Once again, Shay Mirk created a template end-of-year-reflection zine, which you can download for free here. I can confirm that filling these out makes an excellent New Years Eve party activity :) All of the lines and writing in solid black are Shay's, and all of the words and images in various colors are mine. Transcript below the cut.

instagram / patreon / portfolio / etsy / my book / redbubble store

My Packed Year! To end 2024, I say: "We did it, holy shit" filled in by Maia Kobabe

An outfit I loved this year: It's giving casual wizard.

These foods were my MVPs: black tea, yellow curry, avocado bagel, Ricola lozenges

A quote or song lyric on my mind: "I know exactly what I want and who I want to be". -Oh No! by Marina

This year I said hello to: Japan! First international travel since 2017, I took my mom <3

And I said goodbye to: Illusions and false hope.

One way I changed this year: I took weekends while working on a book (but I would like to also take evenings...)

A book I read: The Chromatic Fantasy by HA, Electric Bones by Hazel and Bell, The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't A Guy At All by Sumiko Arai

A TV show or movie I love: Strong Island documentary by Yance Ford

An animal I saw: Solo! (my cat) also Crimini and Cloudy (my sibling's cats)

A plant I like: money plant from Ren

An event I remember: SFZF! San Francisco Zine fest with friends! First time ever going as an attendee and not tabling.

An activity I enjoy: Making zines with friends.

Lightning Round!

I love my friends

I went to LA, NYC, Maine, Colorado, Seattle, Japan...

I built new connections

I joined Authors Against Book Bans

I miss my grandparents <3

I want more time to make gifts and food for others.

[aceies-desiresxx]

one of my favorite things to imagine in disney twst is yuu (your character) deciding to create a school wide publication. a school digital newspaper for the students of NRC.

the dates of all the upcoming unbirthday parties + plus a nit-picky checklist and particular rules that might apply that week to help out the heartsabyul students who don’t wanna deal with “having their head off”

constant updates of the week’s spell drive tournaments and games , + scoreboard for the season, as well as additional info about scouts and recruiters coming to visit said games to encourage the student athletes to reach out and do their best in hopes of their sports career, even a leader board + and mvps so far

monstro lounge’s weekly specialties and deals as well as hiring info incase students want to earn some extra money on campus, and how to contact azul if you’re from another dorm

reminders of important dates on the lunar calendar for both werebeastmen and scarabia students + the newest imports from foreign lands in sam’s shop that might make their dorm feel more like home

news about the newest fashion trends and movies + plus a gossip column that has features on particular students. it’s worded in a riddle, and all names are anonymous so the student body spends awhile trying to figure out who it’s about

new game releases, paired with student options on difficulty and enjoyment. students handles will be tagged allowing for their streams to reach a larger audience + showcases of student art

history on NRC and spooky stories that will be fun to theorize about. legends of trapped souls on campus ground and interviews from alumni and what they think of it or if they were witness to the history

you can also find info about clubs and their recruitment and how to join, when the housewardens will have another meeting with eachother so you can voice your ideas to them in hopes it will be brought up, dates for large student study sessions and after school help, dates for “leaked” pop quizzes or even large tests that you might’ve forgotten were gonna be later that week. tickets and shows to student performances even dumb quizzes to pass the time. you can find all staff emails and how to even duel your house warden to take their spot. but for some reason that tab doesn’t have a lot of viewers.

this digital publication keeps the student body of NRC well informed and is popularly visited, only gaining more traction as the school year goes on. so ofc students have been trying to figure out who’s been behind it.

all the crisp photos of the spell drive players, the leaked dates of tests, the gossip, sam’s stock. how’s one person able to get the news before anyone else is? no way azul would sign a contract with them, plus even azul doesn’t have access to all this info. if only he had some sneaky eels who love to be as slippery as they are in the water, above ground. or a few ghost friends able to go through walls and overhear things they probably shouldn’t. maybe sam IS in on it, wanting to spread awareness about his goods so he makes profit. even a cat small enough to sneak around when bribed with enough tuna could help out. plus a killer camera from the headmaster. maybe crowley knows what’s going on but is letting things play out. so far it hasn’t gone too far. plus. who would suspect the prefect from another dimension? they have a hard enough time as is. no way they’d be able to keep up.

[argentinagp]

in light of #febyuri ... do you have any femslash fic recs?

YES of course!! first things first tho, check the @f1femslashfest collection! everyday 2 fics go up! now the rec list:

R63 RECOMMENDATIONS: with summaries

she's on the tip of my tongue, she's on the top of my thighs (alex/george) by ofmoonsandlight

“This is my roommate George,” Alex says sweetly, and then she introduces the guy. She’s only forgotten a name once, twice at the most, and George is good at knowing when to bat her eyelashes and saccharinely ask for an introduction and a handshake. Finally, when the first well-choreographed steps are completed, Alex stands back up on her own two feet and, with a smile, says, “You don’t mind if she stays for the movie, do you?”

in the centre of this room (charles/lewis) by wisteriagoesvroom (bobaheadshark)

“I don’t think they do 2000s music here. That’s for Thursdays,” Charlie says. Lewis pins her with a stare. “Did you just call me old?” Charlie puts one hand on her chest. “I would never, Ms. Hamilton.”

something in between (charles/sebastian) by @hungriestheidi

For the first time in its long history, Ferrari has a full line up of female drivers. It's momentous, groundbreaking. It’s bound to be a problem.

for the wicked (charles/lando) by @cherrari

Sebastian might be sweet and kind with Charles, but there’s no way he knows how to pull this out of her—the feral, flushed creature currently sprawled beneath Lando.

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (alex/george) by Oceanallaround

The one where George and Alex are chalet girls for the ski season and experience the terrifying ordeal of growing up and falling in love. Featuring try-hard ski flop George, loser-core snowboarder Alex, too many beds, a shared throat infection, lesbian shenanigans, and Susie Wolff as the real mvp.

girl, so confusing (charles/max) by 140445

And there has always been something between her and Max. If not something—then the lack of it. They could be so much to each other—but they are not. Things bled dry from one cancelled dinner. Charles wonders if that thing between them is the fact that Max hates her. Or that Charles hates Max. Or that they both mutually hate each other. Or that Charles is seething with jealousy over the things Max got before she got them—or that there is just nothing between them. Nothing at all.

Black Lace Elderberry Bushes (charles/lewis) by MrStank

The lace veils that adorned Charles' body cast sweet floral shadows on her skin, twisting around her like vines, rising and dying in the areas covered by the embroidered fabric of her lingerie, tongues of fire on an alabaster canvas. Lewis elegantly raised her hand in the Monegasque’s direction as if to invite her to dance, and a few steps away, Charles accepted it, turning once on herself as if the other women had led her in a slow pirouette.

Eiskalt (charles/lewis) by aflowerofwords

Charles was panting so much, she was convinced she was having a heart attack. She could see the finish line, in the stadium, just a measly thirty meters in front of her. Her legs were on fire, every movement, no matter how small, felt like a fresh layer of burning coal was applied directly to her bones. Her arms were not in better shape. She glanced behind her as the cheers of the crowd grew in intensity. Lewis was only fifteen meters behind her. And looked hell-bent on reclaiming her throne.

should have each other with cream (charles/max) by cryystal_m00n

Here she is, crying in a vet clinic, at four in the morning, after having found out that her cat is pregnant and that she needs to focus her life on helping her raise the kids since the dad decided to leave without paying child support, while the vet who told her this is watching her with a concerned look. The tarot reading she watched was right, after all.

lacy black pair (charles/oscar) by @oscarpiastriwdc

“Would you like that, Oscar?” Charles leans in, extends a hand to grip Oscar’s exposed thigh. “For me to dress you?” Oscar nods, doesn’t trust herself not to say something embarrassing if she opens her mouth. “Good,” Charles purrs.

freed from desire (charles/max) by weiwuxian (BreathOfDream)

There are still—those moments. Where Charles is having fun, having a little distraction, a little new friend to play with, and then looks at Max and sees something hungry in her eyes that makes her shiver. They’re friends and they’re not. Something not quite there and might never be. It’s summer anyway, who cares?

grow the apple, keep all the seeds (charles/nico) by @princesscharlesofmonaco

Nico Rosberg, second ever female WDC, visits Charles the day before her first grand prix weekend. And Charles doesn’t talk about Nico in interviews, doesn’t list her as an inspiration the way she’s heard some of the girls in the lower formulae do it. Charles likes to talk about Michael, about Senna. If urged to name a woman she’ll say Niki Lauda. Charles doesn’t really want to be associated with girls who walk away, although she’s much too well-trained to say that out loud.

teach me, walk me, ride me (charles/nico) by @blorbocedes

Nico hadn't meant to take Charles under her wing. In fact, she was fully ready to watch the poor thing flounder and drown in the ruthless and cutting old money Monegasque high society. But Charles was the first female F1 driver since Lewis Hamilton, and that - for better or for worse - intrigued her.

like honey but sweeter (the grass here is greener) (alex/george) by @deafleppard

“Georgie,” she butts in, only half paying attention as she types out a dumb comment on Lando’s latest Instagram post. “Have you ever thought about just dating women?”

fall right into me (lewis/george) by @gaynfl

George's hands are shaking.

my mess, my ball of string (alex/george) by @gaynfl

It happens, for the first time, in the hallway of their apartment. or - alex keeps kissing george.

float away like vapour (alex/george/lando) by peachbellini

“You want to though, right?” Alex continues. “Get with Lando tonight? I’d be up for it.”

square shaped smile, heart shaped mouth (sebastian/nico) by finedae

nico assesses all the suitable prospects for her date to prom: jenson, lewis, mark. seb shows her sometimes the best man for the job is a girl.

i wish you a kinder sea by (charles/max) leafycats

It’s… shockingly tender, is what it is. It’s true that: they are not enemies (they are rivals, it’s a big difference, Charles knows), they have talked more the past six months than that they have in twelve years, and that Max is not a person Charles minds hanging out with. But: they are not friends, let alone close friends. And surely this is something you only do with the people closest to you? Ask her to put your hair into a ponytail? After waiting outside her favorite night club? Max is bold, she’ll give Max that. Maybe that’s why she agreed?

Cherry Wine (charles/max/daniel) by amarynas

“I didn’t order another drink.” The bartender nodded and wiped over the counter next to Charles. “It’s from the lady over there,” he answered, pointing over his shoulder. Charles glanced over his shoulder to the other side of the bar, and was faced with an all too familiar face, brown eyes, brown curls, bright grin. No one else but Daniel, Max’ new girlfriend. What the hell?

happy endings (lewis/nico) by @blorbocedes

“Lewis?” All her years of training flies out of the window in that second, when Lewis’ name – her real name, and not the fake passport name she's staying under - is called. Lewis’ head snaps to the voice, the nasally, high-pitched, almost familiar voice belonging to the blonde woman in front of her. Summer in Greece. Body over body. A docked boat, aimlessly bouncing. The taste of rum. Blue eyes staring into brown, making fantastical promises. The constellation for Hermes. A golden summer with a golden girl. “Nico.”

treat with care (charles/pierre) by arachnidisa

“You know, I’ve never actually-” Charles starts, then stops. Pierre can’t quite figure out what she’s trying to say. “What, had a brownie?” Pierre offers on half a laugh, but Charles shakes her head. If Pierre looks closer she can see the faintest bit of pink in her cheeks, the beginnings of a blush. Charles blushes easily, has always done, and Pierre loves to tease her for it, but she holds back this time. “Had an orgasm,” Charles says, and Pierre’s brain grinds to a halt.

give a kiss, get a cab (alex/charles) by @pipitwrites 

Alex nearly spits out her drink when she spots Charles in a corner by the windows. Charles has more than put in the effort tonight, wearing a glittery tight little mini skirt and strappy sandals that show off the long line of her legs and the pert curve of her ass where it meets her thighs.

Sun, Shoes and Crochet Crop Tops (nico/jenson) by Anonymous

Nico’s ankles are so small she could wrap her hand around them, her feet too really, nails painted a delicate blue, a light brown sandal with crossing straps and a small heel on each foot. Still, she doesn’t move, not yet. Nico is watching her like a hawk, her face frustratingly hard to read, but she’s not shoving Jenson away either. “These are pretty.”

Riding the Wave (nico/jenson) by n_ico_ando

Nico attempts to navigate her failing friendship with Lewis while sleeping with Mark and falling for Jenson.

no stopping it (charles/sebastian) by tetrapod

Charles had never completely gotten over being the weird, almost star-struck girl in the Ferrari paddock. And Seb had always been Seb.

drove me wild (charles/sebastian) by withfeathers

“You know, here’s a life lesson for you, since you seem to be so desperate for them: don’t apologise if you’re not actually sorry,” Seb tells her. She’s fidgeting with the collar of her t-shirt. Charles hates how even in this moment, she can’t help but be drawn to the movement, can’t help but notice how Seb looks, a tendril of want curling in her belly at the sight - her unruly curls, the heat flashing in her blue eyes, the place where her too-large t-shirt is starting to slip off her shoulder, revealing the thick strap of her sports bra.

i look too good to be alone (alex/liam) by dropdeaddeadass

Despite the gruelling embarrassment, Liam is secretly happy the message was sent to Alex.

your other one evaporate (sebastian/nico) by sionisjaune

Sebastian spots the princess on the balcony, a glass of champagne dangling over the railing in her limp grip.

[twixitativi]

MRS BRISBY KNOWS WTF IS UPPPP

need to rewatch hoodwinked and the secret of nimh

[reddit-007]

Why My Dog Is the Real MVP of Security (and Possibly the Local Squirrel Mafia)

So, the other day, I was lounging on the couch in my usual state of enlightenment (aka binge-watching questionable reality TV) when I heard a suspicious noise outside. You know, that sound that makes you question all your life choices leading to this moment?

Enter Sir Barkington, my 70-pound golden retriever, who thinks he’s a ferocious wolf. The moment the noise happens, he transforms from a cuddly fluffball into the canine equivalent of a Navy SEAL. He leaps off the couch like he’s just spotted a squirrel plotting a heist, and I swear, his butt barely touches the ground.

Meanwhile, I’m frozen like a deer in headlights, thinking of all the “what-ifs.” What if it’s a criminal? What if they steal my collection of “World's Best Cat Dad” mugs?

But Sir Barkington? He’s already on it. He runs to the window, barking like he’s auditioning for the dog version of “Cops.” I’m standing behind him, feeling like I’m in a poorly written buddy cop movie.

And let’s be honest: the only thing Sir Barkington is really protecting me from is a rogue pizza delivery guy and the mailman who just wants to drop off my overdue bills.

In the end, I take a deep breath, realizing that with my furry bodyguard on duty, my biggest worry is that he’ll steal my snacks instead. So here’s to dogs: they give us a false sense of security while ensuring that no squirrel goes unbarked at! 🐶🥳

P.S. If anyone sees a squirrel with a ski mask lurking around, just know that Sir Barkington is ready for action!

[the-126-family]

Annnnd I’m back! Would’ve sent this earlier but it’s been a day so far. My new question for you is what do you think the 126’s hobbies would be?

I love this question!! And I’m sorry you’ve had a bad day. I hope you can take some time to rest and relax tonight. I'm sending lots of good thoughts your way!!

Paul loves reading, as we know; he's in an LGBTQ+ book club that he really enjoys. He invites Carlos to it and Carlos finds it really meaningful; now they go together once a month! This isn’t a hobby, but in my mind Paul has two cats who he names Sherlock and Watson (because he is such a good detective). He loves playing with them and snuggling with them to read a book or watch a movie. He (and Carlos) tend to watch a lot of documentaries.

Random thought, but Paul would love going to escape rooms so he can get to use his detective skills. The Catan Crew would have SO much fun going to escape rooms together, although Paul and Carlos would figure out most of the clues. Carlos's hobbies include going for runs/exercising and cooking — he loves to experiment with new recipes, and TK is always happy to be his taste tester! 

We know from season 5 that TK is on a softball team! I think it’s not super competitive, mostly recreational, and that Nancy is on the team too. TK invited her to join because he wanted his paramedic bestie to get involved! She gained confidence after being crowned MVP in that Red vs. Blue game, and now it’s something they enjoy doing together, especially to unwind after long or emotionally difficult shifts.

I can see Nancy enjoying those painting and wine classes; she takes Mateo to one on a date. His painting is horrendous, but Nancy absolutely loves it and hangs it up on her wall because it reminds her of how much fun they had that night.

Marjan attempted to learn how to knit during the pandemic, but that did not last long. She was far too impatient and became easily frustrated. She only got like halfway through a lumpy, wonky scarf for Paul before she gave up and burned it. Marjan is very athletic, so I can see her being on a soccer team (since we know she did soccer when she was a kid, and she was really good at it!). And of course she has her roller derby! 

Sometimes Nancy and Marjan get together to play chess. Their matches can last a super long time (their record is almost a week) and they get super competitive with it and take it very seriously. Mateo knows not to bother Nancy when she's in the middle of a game with Marjan and concentrating hard.

Mateo loves Pokemon Go; he’s also part of a D&D group that meets weekly. He loves it — he always excitedly tells the 126 about his group’s various adventures, and his friends don’t really understand it but are happy for him nonetheless. Mateo also loves to take Buttercup for walks and to the dog park; they always have a blast together. 

I had so much fun with this!! Sending lots of hugs to you!

[agentnico]

Argylle (2024) review

Mr Cavill, you sir are fine class gentleman. But that flat-top haircut is a disgrace and you know it.

Plot: Reclusive author Elly Conway writes best-selling espionage novels about a secret agent named Argylle who's on a mission to unravel a global spy syndicate. However, when the plots of her books start to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, the line between fiction and reality begin to blur.

I have noticed critics have really been harsh on this movie, with as of this writing Argylle holds a 35% review approval from Rotten Tomatoes. It’s not that bad. In fact it’s really enjoyable. Yes, it’s really dumb, but it’s also fun. Director Matthew Vaughn’s latest is gladly a crowd-pleasing action spy flick that is full of twists and bombastic set pieces, that takes inspiration from the 1973 French comedy The Man from Acapulco starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, where the novelist too was getting mixed into their fictional created spy world. Yes, there are an abundance of twists, so much so that if you really look into it there are so many logical gaps and absurd plot holes, however this movie embraces its silliness and simply tries to out-do each twist with another one, as if in a personal race of wit. Some turns are predictable, some less, but it’s all good fun and every time the story threw another narrative curveball I couldn’t help but have a smile on my face.

That’s really what this movie boils down to - it’s an irreverent over-the-top espionage blockbuster that’s a ton of fun, featuring an all-star cast of famous people, most of whom are only cameos (Dua Lipa fans please reserve your expectations), all of whom are having the best time ever and you’re enjoying the ride alongside them. Henry Cavill does his best Bond impression, however even though he’s the titular character he’s actually hardly in the movie. I’m serious, aside from the opening sequence he pops in maybe 5 minutes total in the whole film? Yep, guess that’s your first twist there. Argylle hardly has any Argylle. Nevertheless Cavill as always is a charmer, but maybe wait till Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare to get your proper 2024 fill of Henry Cavill. Dua Lipa does a dance; John Cena’s in there somewhere but I couldn’t see him (almost as if he’s, dare I say, invisible!); Catherine O’Hara excels; Bryan Cranston does the evil-dude-in-a-lair trope with the gusto of Walter White for he is indeed the one who knocks, and Samuel L. Jackson is heavily under-used, acting as only a MacGuffin to give the movie’s finale some extra stakes, though that does fall a bit flat. However the main characters of Argylle are Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell. This is their movie. With Howard playing writer Elly Conway with a delightful spark, but it’s Sam Rockwell who’s the MVP, which shouldn’t come as a surprise as he’s great in these type of sarcastic roles. He gets one of the best lines and moments, and honestly he’s on top form.

In terms of negatives, the CGI is bad. Like astonishingly bad. There are some truly cool action sequences, but they were consistently hindered by the overused obvious green screen which was so jarring, and at times it felt like even when characters were standing just talking that they were still enveloped in CGI. Heck, this movie includes a cat which by the way adds nothing to the plot, but it’s there and for the most part it’s a CGI cat, which just looked daft. Also at over 2 hours the movie could have easily cut off a little fat and shortened its runtime, as it did overstay its welcome a little. That being said this is the most fun I’ve had with a Matthew Vaughn flick since his first Kingsman movie, and it was nice to switch off my brain and simply enjoy a silly nonsensical piece of entertainment. Oh, and the soundtrack choices throughout were great. Can never go wrong with a lil’ Barry White.

Overall score: 5/10

[ourladyofomega]

1, 4, 7, 20, 29, 53, 57!

#4: What are you looking forward to?

Next year's NYC jaunts. I've had music-store travels on my mind for the past month now, so it's about time I set up an all-NYC record-store tour. I still owe myself to check out Sunshine Laundromat after how many years of saying so.

#7: What was your life like last year?

'22 was a vividly colorful year. The big standouts were having a brand-new retro- video arcade open near me, going to three NYC shows (Boy Harsher, Sacred Bones' 15th, and both nights of Cold Waves), and having spent $3,000.00 on vinyl, cassettes, and CDs last year across 12 different stores. I also met up with old friends I haven't seen in years. I also started contact with a mutual who I discovered had suffered through the same things and had the same thought process that I had. She opened my eyes, and taught me a lot of essential things about myself that I either used to avoid or previously didn't trust myself to try out until then. Getting it out of your system whom you have a lot in common with helps immensely, because it won't hurt as much or at all when it comes around again.

#20: What is your favorite song at the moment?

Sextile's "Crash"; currently on repeat. I feel something about it that sounds so melancholic, medicated, and slightly dystopian. When I try to imagine it, it's like a world that already exists and is still possible.

#29: Favorite film.

The Forbidden Zone. I have a long-running history with that one movie. I first discovered it when I seen Howard Stern interview Herve Villechaise and held on to it until a NYC goth girl I was looking to meet mentioned it to me, and I finally saw it. Years later, another MVP mutual of mine mentioned that she watched it with her ma', so I saw it again. Easily one of my all-time top five movies.

#53: Five things that make me happy.

Right now? Days out in New York City, all-day pinball, music-shopping, my music library, and hearing from my mutuals. You know who you are.

#57: Favorite animal.

Black cats. They've become a new favorite. Black is my color, and cats have a don't-give-a-shit attitude. Plus, it's an industrial / goth thing.

#1: A selfie.

I owe you one. That's a promise. ♦️

[malcolm-reeds-pineapple]

Thank you for tagging me @frostysfrenzy !! Sorry to rapid fire these but I just got the time to do them and the audience in my head loves these

Last Song: Me and Julio Down By The School Yard - Paul Simon

Currently reading: my own work and HST books

Last movie: Devil Wears Prada in 80 parts on TikTok because I have brain damage and need subway surfer gameplay under a movie for me to watch it

Craving: Gin and Tonic baby

Current clothes: plaid pjs, sweatshirt and orange bucket hat I got from Marshall's for the summer

Height: 5'11

Piercings: 5 currently but might fuck around and get my ears pierced

Tattoos: Enough that I forget I have them

Glasses or contacts: Yeah baby just got some aviators a few months ago to up my indie cred

Last drink: Orange Crush

Last show: Of course it's fucking jeopardy I'm prematurely 75

Last meal: Mary Brown's buffalo wrap

Favourite colour: Green

Current obsession: The book I'm trying to write ;-;

Unrelated obsession: Arizona Iced Tea

Any pets: Spoobert (she is my cat) and Nick (he is my dad's border collie and he is my baby boy and I drove 4 hours to see him last weekend)

Are you crushing: Ehhhh I guess so but I think he just makes 100k a year and I'm crushing on the idea of being a trophy wife

Favourite fictional character: Very mean to make me pick only one. I think it's Hawkeye Pierce. I've modelled too much of myself after him to have him not be the MVP

Last place travelled: Went to look for waterfalls today if that counts! (I found one, got close to a second but I didn't have the right shoes for the terrain)

Tagging: @girlscience @monkeymeghan and whoever feels like doing it! Very fun :,)

[ouriptv]

📺 CHEAP IPTV = MORE $$$ FOR SNACKS 🍿

Stream 10K+ channels without selling a kidney:

💎 Hidden Gem: Xtreme HD IPTV ($12/mo)

Free trial ✔️ | Sports, movies, and 24/7 cat TV channels (meow).

🏆 Budget MVP: Philo ($25/mo)

60+ channels (MTV, Comedy Central) + unlimited DVR. Basic cable who?

🚨 PSA:

VPNs are your BFF (buffering = bad vibes).

Avoid "free" IPTV – malware isn’t a channel package.

💬 Drop your fave streaming hack ⬇️

[sqinsights]

Navigating the Healthcare Smart Card Market: A Deeper Dive into the Numbers

Greetings, fellow wanderers, as we embark on a journey through the dense thicket of the Global Smart Card in Healthcare Market. No grand revelations or dramatic reveals here, just a straightforward look at the ins and outs of an industry that’s as serious as a Monday morning meeting.

The Smart Card Chronicles:

Imagine a plastic card, not a credit card, but one with a little brain — a smart card. No, it won’t solve riddles or predict your future; it’s more about storing, managing, and securing data in the world of healthcare. These aren’t caped crusaders, just contact smart cards, contactless smart cards, and dual-interface smart cards doing their thing — no flashy entrances required.

Market Musings:

Hold on to your hats; the smart card market means business. With a 2021 value of USD 1.01 billion, it’s gearing up for a growth spurt, projected to hit USD 3.26 billion by 2030. That’s a solid 12.4% CAGR — not bad for bits of plastic.

The COVID-19 Conundrum:

Enter the unexpected plot twist: the pandemic threw a curveball at our plastic protagonists. Players like Brady Corporation and Thales Group saw a dip in their smart card sales — blame it on lockdowns and supply chain hiccups. Even superheroes have their off days, right?

Government Initiatives: The Unsung Heroes:

Governments worldwide are playing the role of behind-the-scenes heroes, pushing for smart card integration in healthcare systems. Take India’s Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana; they’ve got 120 million people wielding smart cards for healthcare. That’s a lot of plastic power!

Market Ballet:

Europe took the spotlight in 2022, claiming a whopping 30% of the revenue share. They’ve got European Health Insurance Cards and national healthcare ID cards, making plastic rain in 32 countries. Meanwhile, the Asia Pacific is the rising star, set to steal the show with a 13.2% growth rate.

Type Wars:

Contactless smart cards are the cool cats, dominating with a 28% share in 2022. It’s like the classic debate between iPhone and Android, but in plastic form. Hybrid smart cards, on the other hand, are the overachievers, predicted to clock a 14.6% CAGR. Versatility at its best!

Component Clash:

Microcontroller-based smart cards are the MVPs, claiming a 55% share in 2022. They’re like the memory wizards of the smart card world, juggling vast amounts of data with ease. Memory-card-based smart cards play second fiddle, designed for one-time use like a disposable camera in the digital era.

For More Information: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/smart-card-in-healthcare-market

Competitive Arena:

The smart card market is no playground; it’s a battleground for tech giants like Gemalto, Thales Group, and IDEMIA. They’re not just making plastic cards; they’re crafting innovations tailored for healthcare. It’s like a high-stakes poker game, but with smart cards.

Recent Chronicles:

Mayo Clinic is tracking patient vitals with smart cards, Pfizer partnered with Gemalto for a medication adherence system, and Kaiser Permanente is rolling out smart cards for patient convenience. It’s not a Marvel movie, but it sure feels like one!

Conclusion:

As we wrap up our stroll through the smart card landscape, it’s clear these plastic wonders are more than meets the eye. From battling a pandemic to revolutionizing healthcare systems, smart cards are here to stay. So, the next time you see a plastic card with a chip, remember, it might just be quietly working behind the scenes for a healthier and smarter tomorrow.

About Us-

SkyQuest Technology Group is a Global Market Intelligence, Innovation Management & Commercialization organization that connects innovation to new markets, networks & collaborators for achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

Contact Us-

SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

1 Apache Way,

Westford,

Massachusetts 01886

USA (+1) 617–230–0741

Email- info@skyquestt.com

Website: https://www.skyquestt.com

[shannananan]

Incomplete list of 2023 TV & Movies - I’ve been adding to this list all year without any revisions passed initial reactions. 2023 really served loads of anticipated adaptations, sequels and original content. It felt like we were truly in a sweet spot of beautiful things put to film. 

Starting in chronological order of when I saw each, and yes, i know there’s still ones I missed.

--

January - The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2: 9/10 Chroma Conclave, Kaylie, Matron of Ravens, surprising amount of Pikelan

February - The Last of Us: 9/10 Im new in town so going into this show at face value has been a delightful horror

March - Shadow & Bone Season 2: 7/10 Writing went out the window in episode 7 or would have been higher. Would have been lower if Crows weren’t cast in actual perfection

April - Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves: 10/10 Truly the most fun at the theatres in years. 

May - Queen Charlotte: 9/10 i was not prepared to sob uncontrollably for a solid 20 minutes

May - Guardians of the Galaxy 3: N/A  I can’t properly assess this movie. I was in an absolute horrible state the day I saw it and given the themes of the film, I sobbed for nearly two hours straight. Did I enjoy it? No. Is it an incredibly written and acted rage-filled magnum opus? Absolutely. 

June - The Little Mermaid: 7.5/10 Surprised how delightful it was. Eric & Ariel’s chemistry was excellent, the changes gave the characters more depth. Detracted points for the Scuttlebutt Rap.

June - Across the Spiderverse: 15/10 Perfection and then some. 

June - Nimona: 8/10 What an absolutely refreshing delight

July - Dragon Prince Season 5: 7/10 Lost me in the first half but damn that pirate arc came thru

July - Barbie: 10/10 Perfection, no notes. The first absolutely sold out movie theatre experience in years and the entire audience was in pink. S U B L I M E

August - Good Omens 2: 8/10 ... 9/10 so long as we get a season 3. (December update: Okay we did it kids)

August - Oppenheimer: 8/10 Wonderfully executed. RDJ snapping up that Supporting Actor award. Excellent twist and beautiful all around. could’ve shaved about 40 mins off. 

August - Heartstopper 2: 7/10  saccharinely sweet in the best way, i think i am just a bit too elder millennial for high school shows now

August - Red White & Royal Blue: 6/10 (upon rewatch with the girlies - 8/10) Are parts of it cringey? Yes. Are parts of it surprisingly lovely? Yes Perfect girls night rom-com. 

August - Strange New Worlds: “Those Old Scientists”  13/10    “Subspace Rhapsody” 15/10 Perfection. No Notes. 

September - One Piece Live Action: 8/10 I’m new in town with no previous interaction with the anime or manga (beyond osmosis from friends) and it was an utter delight

September - Blue Beetle: 7.5/10 Honestly a fantastic origin superhero movie. If it had come out before Superhero movie fatigue and hadn’t gotten lost in the strikes, this is a solid movie. They got the family dynamic RIGHT. 

October - Book Extra: Percy Jackson & The Chalice of the Gods: 10/10 can’t even be mad that it was short cause more books are coming

October - Podcast Extra: Strike Force Five: 9/10 Going into Episode 5 innocently before any lore had been built around has got to be the hardest I’ve laughed at any media for over an hour for a long time. i had a headache afterwards

October - Our Flag Means Death Season 2: 8/10 My perfect show isn’t perfect anymore and that’s okay. MVP of the season was blackbeard’s wig 15/10

November - The Marvels: 6/10 I really really wanted to like this movie. The weight of the MCU brought it down and muddied the screenplay into something mediocre rather than letting it lean into a genre film. I will give it props that the use of Memory healed something in my soul that fundamentally broke during Cats (2019). 

November - Killers of the Flower Moon: 9/10 The horror is in the slow, quiet, mundanity that stretches through the entire film. with impeccable performances by Lily Gladstone and Robert de Niro. It is not a comfortable or easy watch and I absolutely understand the Indigenous critique of the film and that there is space for layered discussions. 

December - The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes: 9/10 Having not read the book and not revisiting THG series since it’s cultural zeitgeist, it was amazing how easy it was to fall back into the world. This film carries a different kind of dirtier grounded authenticity that hits closer to the world we live in right now than the later stories in the world. The interweaving of music is masterful and no one is doing it like Rachel Zegler right now. A villain doomed by his own hubris, paranoia, and drive for power, this was an incredible origin story 

December - The Boy & The Heron: 9/10 When the movie ended i just sat there thinking “that was one of the most beautiful things ive ever seen”. Did I understand all of it? No. And thats okay. Esoteric, whimsical, emotionally driven by grief and a child trying to understand mortality. It had all the Miyazaki hits: funky lil round friends, mouth-watering food, the most unhinged lil grandmas, a beautiful world doomed for destruction, a weird little man, a highly competent badass lady, and the most existential questions about existence. 

December - Percy Jackson & The Olympians (so far): 9/10 With only 3 episodes released before the end of the year - it’s incredible. PJO fans are winning. Jason Mantzoukas is perfect casting. The trio have so much chemistry. I would die for Grover, Aryan is killing it.

December - Honourable Mention: Silver Skates (2020): 12/10 Stumbled onto this Russian movie on Netflix and It. Has. Everything. You want Six of Crows and Peaky Blinders on skates? You want Russian-knock-off Tom Holland? It’s serving Anastasia/Titanic/Moulin Rouge. The cinematography is stunning. My heart would not stop racing. 

[sithwitch13]

AEW Full Gear 11/18/23

-I'm wearing my Hangman shirt, I put my neck brace back on, and I just took a quarter of an edible, I AM READY

-Stokely being weirded out by the knowledge that Renee and Mox kiss regularly is hilarious to me

-EDDIE

-I'm so happy when Eddie has friends

-both Claudio and Buddy have unreal torsos

-I'm guessing Devil shenanigans here and reveal after the main event

-ADAAAAAAM

-noooo not his legs, nooooo

-a fucking children's choir in turtlenecks holy shit

-this match is for twink lovers, dilf aficionados, and monsterfuckers

-can't get enough of Nigel dickriding Christian

-Christian is my MVP for punching Flair in the dick.

-this fanfic-ass story.

-Orange vs Mox is both cat vs dog and barbarian vs rogue

-Toni and Shida both look amazing

-I really wanted Shida to win 😔 can't blame them, though, with the crowd reaction to Toni

-LADDER TIME

-as long as it's not FTR 😆 Also I'm good with this.

-JULIA VS SKYE VS KRIS

-respect for Kris' wearing gear inspired by early 2000s Ben Stiller movies

-THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS

-i'm gonna have to write a follow up to that thing, aren't I

-oh ok

-HOT MEN HAVING A DEATHMATCH TIME

-Prince Nana backup dancers and then Swerve appearing behind a twirling Nana yessss

-my emotional support cowboy is stapling a man

-HOLY SHIT HANGMAN

-STAPLING AND DRINKING BLOOD AND BROKEN GLASS OMG

-NANA DANCING TO REVIVE SWERVE

-HOW WE DOING BLOOD PERVERTS

-nooo the Bucks are your real friends, Kenny

-okay now wtf are we doing in this main event

-HE STOLE THE AMBULANCE WELL DONE MAX

-god this match is stressful

-love wins

-no Devil reveal though?

-anyway overall a fun show with Hangman/Swerve as the absolute standout

[bluewings55]

Update after finishing the third movie

Again scroll to avoid spoilers

HOLY THAT ONE WAS GOOD. By far my favorite

The characters felt like real people, and the story was okay. It felt good to know these people and now I feel sad that one left. It's far more interesting to see different people's perspectives in this world.

Also Eric being the MVP, going out to get meds for a pizza obsessed, depressed and terminally ill woman he doesn't know that long, only to accidentally walk into an alien nest just to save her emotional support cat. A real legend.

Also now I'm pretty sure that the aliens are a type or parasite. I still don't know what they eat tho, I can only detect that it's some type of fluff and I have no idea what that is

And I also know that they can't breath underwater. That still doesn't explain why that one creature could stay under water in the first movie.

So I picked up a new slight obsession:

A Quiet place

I've watched ppl play the recently released game and I fell in love with the concept. I also watched the first two movies and I'm currently watching the third movie. I'm not that far in the game yet and I'm not gonna Spoiler anything about the game or the third movie, but I do wanna write down my own opinion about it :>

The only spoiler about this is that it's gonna take a while to read 😅

You have been warned

Also a little update side note:

My mental health is kinda shit so I'm not really in the mood to draw much sadly, which also explains why I'm not that active atm and why the sirenix and charming redesigns take so long.

I'm doing better now since I'm on meds and going to therapy, and I've picked up an old hobby of mine: Rainbow Looms. I've been making many dragons out of them so that I can stay creative and that does help me as well.

Now that that's out of the way:

First of all

I absolutely LOVE the concept

I'm normally not that big of a fan of horror movies, but personally, I don't think it fits the genre that much. It feels more like a thriller with jump scares that's heavily unsettling.

I think the main reason is that they don't have soundtracks that can make your blood run cold. Music and soundtracks play a very important role in movies. Not sure how to explain it well, but they help set the mood. If you pay attention, certain soundtracks actually make your heart beat faster or slower, depending on the setting of the movie.

But the lack of music fits perfectly. It makes jump scares more unpredictable imo. Also it wouldn't make much sense to make a movie where you have to be quiet and then plaster it full of action music.

The creatures

Holy shit I love them so much. They look amazing. The anatomy, the claws, THE HEAD?? It does look similar to the Demogorgons from Stranger Things, but I don't mind, they still look and act differently. They were meant to orient themselves with echolocation and I love how they make the clicking sounds and the head armor plate thingies separate.

But I do have one big con about the movie, and that's how the concept was made into a movie, bc to be real, it's not that good.

You're telling me we are going to follow this random ass family trying to survive in a world filled with hunter aliens that react to sounds, with no context or backstory?

I get they can't rrl introduce the characters bc yk, talking = sounds, but they don't mean anything to me. I don't know their names, personality or anything. There's a deaf girl, a dumb 4 year old, a scaredy cat boy, the badass mom and kinda-sexist-but-means-we dad with questionable intentions to bring a baby into a world where randomly aliens crashed and started killing everything that made sounds.

That's it. That's all I know. The characters don't mean anything to me bc I don't know them well.

So yeah, it's not that good of a movie.

But it would have made a great series.

In movies, you only have a limited amount of time to introduce the characters, but due to the limitation of speaking, you can't do that here. If they made a series, like the Walking Dead, they could have done that.

They could have introduced the characters more, shown how their lives were before the aliens arrived, how they changed after the apocalypse, how they adapted, how they survived, everything!

But maybe that's already happening rn. The third movie shows that so maybe it was intentional to drop a very questionable cliffhanger and let the viewers wait for the next movies to find out more. But even after the second movie, I still don't know much about the characters tbh. And now with the third movie, there are completely different characters to follow? The only character I know is Frodo the emotional support cat, who's the sweetest, I love him.

The game however does it SO MUCH better. It shows how the lives were before the apocalypse and makes it more interesting to see how they live now. I care about the characters cus I get to see how they were before the creatures arrived. AND I ACTUALLY KNOW THEIR NAMES FOR A CHANGE. I don't have to look at a character and be like 'oh, hello deaf stubborn teenager'. I look at a character and see a person. Someone with a story and how they changed in this now broken world. I can actually feel sad if a character dies bc they were more than just a face.

In the end, I don't hate it. In fact, I love it! Yes its questionable with plot holes but it's an amazing concept and I want to see and find out more about this.

But now comes a few questions that I noticed during the movies and game:

(skip if you don't want any spoilers)

1. How did they all have electricity? Like, how does that work? Generators, nuclear power plants and windmills make a lot of noise/ need people to function. I didn't see any solar panels so where does the electricity come from?

2. Bringing a baby in this world? Really? You can't tell me that she got pregnant before the arrival since they lived for over a year in that shed and a pregnancy needs 9 months. Same situation in the game. Like, either use protection or don't have sex. Giving birth in this world is gonna be the start of a suicide mission.

3. One thing I noticed in the game were.... Crickets. Yk, the tiny NOISY insects? How are they still alive??? Also does this mean the aliens don't kill mosquitos? If u don't kill mosquitos, then why are they here?

4. Watching the second movie when the boy steps into a bear trap gave me an idea. If I was in the world, I would keep chloroform with me. Just 'pst pst' and presto, no more screaming person! Seems very effective to me. Nap time could really profit from that!

5. In the beginning of the third movie, the scene where the main character saved her cat and the guy was face to face with the alien, a helicopter then appeared and the creatures ran back outside and a stampede followed.

But the creatures only left after WE, the audience heard the helicopter. This creature has hypersensitive hearing, why does it run after we heard it? That doesn't make sense

6. After the first movie, the daughter and mom found out how to kill the creatures. Then a hoard runs towards their house. Ur gonna tell me that millions of people never thought about the idea that these creatures are stunned by high frequency's? That only one deaf girl with a hearing aid existed in that world to find that out? Aren't there multiple devices that actually release high frequency's? Just surround your house with those mole deterrent devices and ur done

7. These creatures can't swim. Makes sense. Their body isn't properly built for that. But in the first movie after the mother gave birth, the safety room was about to be flooded. She quietly went to her baby but in the meantime, the creature dived down and then came up again after a while. How does that work???? Does that mean that they don't need to breath? But then why don't they just walk over the seafloor to islands where noise is coming from? Speaking about not having an essential necessatie:

8. How do the aliens even survive? Like what's their purpose? They don't eat the people, they just kill and destroy anything that makes sounds, so what do they eat? They don't have a hierarchy so taking over planets to reduce noise is unlikely. The only thing I can think of why they came to earth is for population control, to stop patriarchy and climate change. Now that I think about that... they are actually pretty good for our society.... 🤔

9. And my biggest problem:

If you have to survive in a world with creatures

That react to sound

And have such though skin that can't be penetrated

Can someone please explain to me why SO MANY PEOPLE CARRY GUNS AROUND???

Before the first movie, they knew that these creatures can't be shot. So what's up with the guns then??? It's like they are asking to be killed. If u want to die that badly, then just:

I think that would be all for today. I still have to finish the third movie so imma do that rn.

Have a great day!