#try doing something productive and educational and constructive

[badolmen]

I feel that there’s a world of difference between “fandomizing real world politics and tragedies” (in my understanding - applying ‘fandom’ to, well, real world politics and tragedies eg. shipping war criminals or writing rpf for victims of traumatic events) and “making fandom art which acknowledges real world politics and tragedies” (in my understanding - political cartoons/art with a particular flag/etc.).

I’m not saying that the latter can’t be insensitive or in poor taste depending on execution but also…idk it’s weird to see tumblr activists freaking the fuck out over art of dunmesh senshi bringing food to Gaza. I can’t believe that’s the hill you want to kill (your own allies nonetheless!) on. We have people writing smut for about specific IOF soldiers or shipping Palestinian journalists, like, is the comic imagining a fictional character showing up to help people in a horrific situation really what you want to call tone deaf and insensitive?

[whoresidentevil]

Leon and Your Hair

a/n: I haven't written in years so this is very experimental 💀 I'm open to constructive feedback!

Also, I wrote this with the reader having type 4 hair in mind but I tried to make it as texture-inclusive as possible :)

General: 

Leon himself takes pride in his hair and appearance in general which is one of many ways you guys relate to each other.

 I imagine your shared bathroom would be full of hair products and tools more than anything else, though most of it is yours.

Leon isn't ignorant, he knew how important hair is to your culture way before you got together. Because of this, he respects how much effort your maintenance requires.

RE2:

This man 100% uses all your stuff every time he comes over. You start wondering if these containers have a hole at the bottom of them or something. Eventually, Leon just starts buying the shampoo/conditioner combo you use for himself at home because it's doing wonders for his hair. Plus the scent reminds him of you, it's a win-win.

Leon had nice hair before, but your presence in his life introduces him to products like deep conditioner, hair oils, etc that just elevate it further.

When you get your hair braided or styled Leon always wants to be the first person to see it! He even goes out of his way to pick you up from the salon so he can shower you with compliments right after. 

If he has time I can see Leon sitting in the salon with you for however many hours it takes the stylists to be done. He sits there flipping through the hair magazines he took from the waiting area, turning the pages over to you every couple of minutes. "Babe, you should try this next time." with the most genuine smile on his face. Even if it was some atrocious 90's editorial style, you smile and nod at every single one.

RE4:

Once Leon starts going on long missions he's unable to be your personal chauffeur 24/7, so he'd definitely want you to text him pictures every time you get your hair done. He always sets them as his phone wallpaper to have an updated photo of you everywhere he goes.

During his training I doubt he'd have the luxury of technology though, instead opting to get a Polaroid of you every now and then in the mail. He always makes sure to compliment you on something in the letters he sends back and keeps the latest Polaroid somewhere in his pockets while the older ones are tacked to his wall. (poor guy misses you so much)

When he's home with you he realizes how much he missed your silk pillowcases and bed sheets. He didn't think they were actually helping his hair and skin until he had to sleep in crazy locations during training/missions and noticed the difference. he silently thanks you for that.

RE6/ID/DI:

After so many years of being together, Leon knows about all your hair preferences, favorite styles, and even things he hasn't seen you in yet. (our boy is educated 👏🏾).

Sometimes you ask him to help pick what you'll do with your hair next which either ends with him saying "You look beautiful no matter what" or showing you very specific photos he found on Google.

It's been years since you've paid for your own hair because Leon insists on taking care of that for you. It doesn't matter how much it costs, he has no problem with it as long as you are happy.

He'd go into the beauty supply store with you and know exactly where to go and what to get, even reminding you not to forget some things along the way.

Leon has a huge soft spot for your natural hair, whatever texture it may be he's whipped for it. Loves being able to touch your hair (with permission) and probably asks to help you on wash days so he has an excuse to do so.

speaking of which, I can see wash days becoming an intimate thing for you two as you get older. He'd help you shampoo in the shower as a form of affection, or you're sitting in his lap while he helps you detangle when your arms get tired.

If you have locs I can see Leon looking up a tutorial on how to do retwists to help you out. Even if you tell him time and time again that you'd rather have your loctician do it he insists you give him a chance. Turns out he's not half bad at it and you let him do it a few times a year.

[sirfrogsworth]

@vanriblogs asked for some product photography advice and it is easier to make a post rather than trying to fit everything into a reply.

Plus this might be of interest to other folks as well.

This is an example of her products.

I like your product photos a lot. Making a compelling photo of something semi two-dimensional is difficult. Adding interest with a neat background goes a long way and you do a great job of not making it too distracting.

Another approach... since you can't make your products more three dimensional, you might consider placing them on objects that are more three-dimensional.

It sounds to me like your biggest issue is mitigating unwanted reflections. Which is actually like 90% of the problem solving involved with high level product photography.

The easiest technique is to go outside on an overcast day. The world would be your light source and the only reflections would be of your camera which you have to deal with no matter what. But this kind of lighting is a little boring and weather is not very reliable.

Glossy items create what are called "image-forming reflections" on their surface. That means a picture of your light source covers your product. So what you have to do is make the light source attractive rather than the product. And typically that is done with gradient lighting.

And the way you create these gradients is by projecting a ball of light onto diffusion material. (Though for tall cylindrical objects like bottles, you would project a vertical strip of light.)

The light slowly fades away through the diffusion material which causes gradients like in this photo of my $8 gas station Aviator knockoffs...

The lenses reflect a distorted view of my light source.

Softboxes use a homogenous diffusion approach. Every inch of the surface area outputs the same intensity of light. But this kind of diffusion you are intentionally creating a hotspot that graduates away.

The industry standard gradient diffusion material is Lee 216 or Savage Translum. It's a bit pricey but a roll lasts forever. The Savage is a little thicker and more heavy duty. The Lee doesn't hold up as well but is easier to craft into different modifiers or you can hang either brand off a light stand with a boom arm. Karl demonstrates using diffusion material for gradients in this video.

If you can't afford the expensive stuff right now, you can double up tracing paper and get a similar effect.

All that said, I actually think there is another light modifier that would be perfectly suited for your particular products. And I know I look like a huge Karl Taylor fanboy (because I am) but he really is the only one doing high quality education about this stuff and he is one of the world's top product photographers.

So you might try... the Karl Taylor Light Cone!

I know that looks like a late night informercial product for photographers, but it really does work as advertised.

It is a great way to get rid of all unwanted reflections with the small exception of your camera lens which can usually be removed easily in Photoshop. The idea of the light cone is it completely surrounds your products with gradient light sources

It comes in three sizes. Big, medium, and smartphone. I think you can use the medium with your camera and the size of your products.

If you can't afford it right now, you can construct it out of tracing paper or similar diffusion material, but I'm not sure if that would be hard to get standing upright. Though you can actually turn the cone sideways too. You just have to get creative and problem solve with the space and equipment you have available. As long as you understand the principles the rest is just trial and error.

Depending on the object, you may need up to 3 lamps to get a good result but I think you can get by with two for now. It is very important they are all identical and have the exact same bulb. You will get more control if you can find lights that project a smaller ball of light onto the diffuser. That way you can back them off to make the ball of light bigger or move them closer to make it smaller.

Karl has a series of tutorials on the V-Flat World website.

Karl also has an entire education platform and you could subscribe to for a month and cancel when you have learned what you need to know. I have learned more from Karl than just about any other photographer so I can vouch for the quality of the info there.

His YouTube page has a few shorter and less in-depth product photography videos that you might find helpful as well.

Just so I don't sound like a Karl Taylor marketing robot, I also really like Martin Botvidsson. He isn't as good of a teacher, but if you are good at learning by watching others do the thing, you can absorb some good stuff from him. He also works in a much smaller space which might be useful to observe.

And Workphlo has some tutorials as well along with some surfaces you may find useful.

Now, the one thing that is important to keep in mind...

These folks all have the fanciest cameras and the fanciest lights and one of the biggest complaints they get is, "I don't have expensive gear, how am I supposed to get good photos?"

And then they constantly have to explain the principles of lighting never change and you can get good results with desk lamps and a smartphone.

Here is a video from Karl proving this point while doing a wine bottle shoot with desk lamps.

Don't fall into the fancy gear trap. You can work with what you have. It just takes a little patience and a lot of trial and error.

I took this stapler photo with a smartphone and two $40 video lights.

And these bottles too...

It was the knowledge in my brain that got these results. Fancy gear can make it much easier and it is more necessary as you get into more complicated setups, but that is something you grow into over time.

In any case, I wish you luck.

Feel free to ask questions if you run into a speed bump along the learning curve.

[athenaluciscaelum]

Pairing: Dante x Reader

Rated: General

Words: 1436 word

Warning: None

Disclaimer:

This is my first blog for writing anything to be open for public scrutiny, so be kind, I do not intend to take any scrutiny for task I'm doing out of my passion, and I am not getting paid for anyway. A constructive criticism in right tone can be welcome. But anything unkind or disrespectful or homophobic or any hate shall be deleted. I do not entertain such things and I do not mind simply deleting them. This being said I will try my best to put trigger warning rightfully in every post but if sometimes, I miss something. You can let me know and educate me on topic respectfully and I will add it promptly.

How he knew?

Let's Rock!

The neon sign reading "Devil May Cry" flickered at the crack of dawn in the not-so-well-off part of the city, situated beside a strip club called Love Planet, which barely helped its image. Not that Dante was one to care about image. But now and then, Dante thinks about the life he witnessed as a child. He was raised on the outskirts of the Red Grave city, with big fields and flowers surrounding Sparda's mansion, the mansion was adorned in a Victorian style. It was a home Sparda and Eva built. After 2000 years of roaming the realm of humans when Sparda’s eyes caught a lady of such elegance that he felt what he hadn't felt in 2000 years: love. Offcourse , he felt platonic love and sympathy for human being, but love that one year, burned their skin, made them smile even in the darkest times. It was different, it was something he never thought he wanted, but that's what now he needed. This led him to settle down and build a family. Or that's how it was in Dante's mind.

Dante thought of his parents' great love and him and his brother being the product of that love. He entertained the idea for a second if he would ever feel such a burn. He let out a huff as he raised his hand to pick up a magazine from his face; it was a Playboy magazine. He sighed, not that he was exactly in the mood for anything of the sort, but he was bored and this was the closest magazine to him. Knowing his lazy self, he settled for it.

Dante lowered his feet from the top of the table to the floor and sat in a chair. He looked around; beer and whiskey bottles littered the floor, magazines and books were all around, posters were chipping off the wall, and the place smelled gloomy with dust everywhere. Pizza boxes made the place stink. His spine lowered, he put his face in his hands and he ran a hand across his face and felt his stubble. He heard a word in his mind, "old," and for the first time, he thought, "It is all so boring, what am I doing with my life?"

Nothing a walk won't fix, right? Not that he had any job or cash on him to entertain himself with strawberry sundaes, pizza, booze, or flirting with random women at a bar. Anyway, a walk it is, he thought.

It was early morning. Dante stood up, dusted his pants and put on his clothes. He went to the bathroom; he never liked looking at himself in the mirror. But he splashed some water on his face, his stubble was way too grown for his liking, making him look older. The word "old" echoed in Dante's mind. He shook his head, brushed his teeth, and grabbed his coat from his leather couch. Dante walked through the city. It was too early for anything to be open or anything to happen, not that he wanted to see anyone in particular or was looking for something. Dante looked around and found a public library. For the first time, he felt his heart speak to him. Just. Go. In. Dante frowned, was it my heart? Or my demon? Certainly, something smells sweet, unlike a demon stench. This lured him; he always thought how Sparda knew that Eva was 'the one' after so many years.

Dante suddenly cut the line of thought. Why should I care? I exist, so he knew, how? Is irrelevant. Dante walked in, the clock struck at at 08:00 AM. He didn't expect anyone to be there and to his satisfaction, no one was. Good. Very good. This he likes.

Dante strolled through the rows of books. To him, books never smelled great or soothing like Trish and many book lovers claimed. All he smelled was dust, gloom, and old paper.

As Dante walked through the rows, he could swear he saw someone sitting in a row surrounded by piles of books. His heart made the decision, his feet made him walk to this 'someone', before he could even comprehend he was standing in front of this sweet-scented person whose eyes looked up at him curiously from where they were sitting on the floor surrounded by books. They blinked at Dante, head out of the book, their voice small, soothing and Dante couldn't help but just stare. His heart beat strong, and his skin burned. He wasn't sure himself. He just stared.

And they spoke, "Ummm....do you want something?"

Dante looked away from them; his icy blue eyes wanting to take in the form before him more, but he played it cool.

Dante spoke in his usual carefree tone, "No... I was just bored...."

You were so quick to jump to conclusions; he was in the library and bored, so he liked books, you deduced. Or you just wanted to push your favourite novel on someone. You spoke genuinely cheered, "Well, try reading 'Count of Monte Cristo' by Alexander Dumas; it is certainly full of drama! And you look like you like theatrics with your elegant coat and those boots!"

You grinned and suddenly realized you were rambling as you saw Dante's face in a little frown and eyes surprised. You covered your mouth and internally cursed yourself, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to assume! I-I-I-I..." And your words failed you, after reading books all day only to fail.

Dante smiled, and let out a chuckle, he smiled genuinely for a long time and spoke cooly, "You're full of suprises...."

You eased and felt comfortable, you stood up and smoothened ensemble you choose for the day. Dante just stood their taking in you form. Usually people who did not knew Dante personally which were very few, they stayed away from Dante, he has image he maintained and he was intimidating in general, not that he was much into interaction, only strager who ever came close to him willingly were men or women interested to take on to handsome devil for a good night. Anyway...you smiled extended your hand with friendliness and smiled, "I am Y/N, nice to meet you, what is your name, mister?"

Dante snapped out of staring at you discreetly, he was too overwhelmed by the scent. He smiled and took your hand in his to shake, ohho so soft and delicate hands, "I am Dante, no need for mister....just call me Dante."

You stumbled and felt embarrassed, "ohho...right...Mister Dante... I mean Dante...right...."

Dante leaned against a book shelf trying to be cool..Athena looked around and took out the book, 'The Count of Monte Cristo', she handed it to Dante, "Here...read it...you will certainly enjoy it, the main character name in the book is Edmund Dantes... something common between you two." You smiled, so effortlessly...Dante looked down at book and run finger through his hair, "Hmm...as much as I will like it, I do not have library membership to get it issued..." You nodded, "Ohho....come with me..." You held his hand without second thought, he was lil suprised how natural and easy everything felt with you, he smiled, he felt your soft hand grip against his rough leather gloved hand, would you mind if he just felt your hand, just a little? Before he can decided, you both were outside the livrary near the locker, you took out your satchel and handed him your hard copy of the book, "Here." You looked at the clock at the entrance of the livrary read 09:00AM. You panicked, "Shoot! My lecture starts in fifteen minutes, I got to go!" You started to dash off without second thought. Dante called out, "Wait, sweet cheeks!" You blushed at the name and turned embarrassed, also little shocked, "What? I'm in hurry..." Dante held up book in his hand, as he spoke, "How am I suppose to return this, after I am done reading?"

Athena mentally smacked herself for giving her precious book without a way to get it back, but somehow it was so easy and cozy around Dante, she spoke in hurry, ready to haste, "I am here everyday from 07:00AM to 08:45 AM and 04:00PM to 06:00PM, except weekends...!" You said it and ran as fast as you could.

Dante looked down at book, it has your scent lingering on it. Now he has to finish book as soon as possible, after all he gotta return it back. He smiled to himself.

As he walked back home with new 'hope', Dante sighed, 'so that's how he knew.' And now Dante knows it too.

Tags: @marshmallows-and-champagne

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Playbook: How To Thrive In Your Single Era Without Losing Your Mind

For the "hopeless romantic" types or individuals who crave intimate romantic relationships, here are some tips to make the most of your singlehood while setting yourself up for a successful new partnership.

Leverage other outlets to satisfy your needs for emotional and sexual connection:

Invest in your friendships to get that emotional intimacy you crave. Platonic relationships can offer as much depth on an emotional and intellectual level as a romantic partner. Plus, you are more likely to have multiple friends vs. multiple partners, which allows you to engage in different types of conversations, learn about a diverse array of subjects, try out more activities, and appreciate different senses of humor/personalities along the way.

Embrace your single era to further explore your sexuality on your own terms. Try out different toys, entertain yourself with erotic novels, films, and podcasts, invest in hot lingerie or sensual perfumes/beauty and skin products, and educate yourself with books like Come As You Are, She Comes First, Yes Means Yes! and essays on female sexuality. The Quinn app is also a great example of ethical porn made by women, for women. Give yourself some alone time to get real with yourself about your likes, dislikes, fantasies, and hard nos. These self-love practices will allow you confidently and clearly ask for what you want once you find a lover you deem worthy of sharing these intimate experiences with you.

Take time for self-reflection and discover your "ideal type." Create a partner compatibility blueprint and non-negotiables checklist:

Being truly single provides you the time and space to truly get to know yourself. Give yourself the gift of introspection – consider your current lifestyle, interests, habits, values, daily routine, and any ways you plan on changing or evolving these aspects of your life over the next few years. Consider the qualities you like about yourself and those you admire in others (friends, family, coworkers, fellow students, mentors, etc.).

Complete a self-intake to reveal the qualities that would demonstrate compatibility in a partner. Clarify the personality traits, values, and lifestyle habits you look for in a partner. Then, consider your physical type and any other more surface-level qualities you look for in a partner (e.g. a certain level of education, upbringing, languages spoken, profession, morning or night person, any dietary or fitness habits, etc.) to construct your ideal type(s). While you may not ultimately end up with a partner that 100% fits into one of these personas, knowing what you're looking for helps you know what you don't and streamline your vetting process

Use this information to create a "non-negotiables" list to help you easily detect whether someone will be compatible with you from early conversations or, at the latest, after 1-2 dates. These qualities will be very personal due to our own beliefs, lifestyle, and goals – know if something like someone being a smoker, having certain family obligations, dietary restrictions, or having certain political/religious beliefs would be a dealbreaker for you.

Consider dating as a networking tool. Live your life and allow potential partners to enter your purview organically:

Do not make dating into a mission-based, isolated pursuit. Reframe dating as an organic evolution of your social life, leisure activities, and time used to explore your interests. Go out to bars, lounges, coffee shops, and parks. Join activities, social clubs, and interest-based meetup activities (book clubs, sports clubs like a tennis club, and art gallery memberships are great options as well). Take classes based on your interests – like a cooking class, language class, art class, writing class, coding class, etc. and be open to mingling. Having a shared interest is the first step to lifestyle compatibility with a partner.

Be open to accepting invitations to group dinners, hangouts, dinner parties, cocktail events/happy hours, beach days, etc. These social outings are a great way to connect with friends of friends that you probably wouldn't meet out in the wild but are more trustworthy (and are more likely to share compatible attitudes or lifestyle habits) due to your mutual connections.

[biblioflyer]

Section 31: The Movie (No Spoilers Review)

Long time followers will not be surprised to learn I didn't like it. Why might surprise you though. Normally my shtick is constructive criticism and analysis, and I'm going to try really hard to say on the rails, but I really didn't like this movie.

Look, I made a certain kind of peace with the notion that this would not be my kind of Star Trek story when it was announced. So I tried to be in the right mindset. In some ways I was pleasantly surprised in how it dialed back the nihilism and atrocity apologia quite a bit.

For once Section 31 is not attempting to solve the problem of an existential threat to the Federation through a half baked Xanatos gambit featuring rationalizations for genocide that don't really stand up to any serious scrutiny. So there's that. If we're grading on a curve, maybe assigning Star Trek what in education world we refer to as Individualized Education Plan, the absence of a poorly conceived moral justification for genocide is worth at least one star.

But anyway, I was mentally prepared for a story about people who are very much not Starfleet and I was prepared not to hold this against the film just because it wasn't my Star Trek.

Except it was boring. I wasn't invested in any of the characters or their stories. I suppose this also kinda, sorta functions as an origin story for Rachel Garrett and the iron nerve that would see someone choose to lay down their life for their principles not once, but twice even after being offered a reprieve from imminent death. But its all just so cliched and dull. It also doesn't really sell the idea that Garrett is someone with the capacity to go solemnly and knowingly to her certain death because its the right thing to do. Section 31's Garrett is a junior officer babysitting a gang of unstable criminals. She never really pays a price for choosing her Starfleet principles and the conclusion of her arc is that she's a bit cooler under pressure and less uptight for having stared down mortality.

It wildly gyrates from John Wick to Suicide Squad to Guardians of the Galaxy, and just never develop any fondness for any of the characters. The fight scenes are too long, the choreography doesn't do anything I find all that novel or impress me with the skill of the actors or their stunt doubles, and I don't feel whatever tension or uncertainty I assume I'm supposed to feel. The final bought of fisticuffs does up the ante in terms of how much violence a Trek fight will show but that kind of made it worse in that the extra bit of ick doesn't actually compensate for the lack of suspense.

Ultimately, its a film that unsurprisingly leaned into many of my complaints about Discovery. Which I think is actually an underrated show that is hated for the wrong reasons. But it often suffers from bizarre and self contradicting story logic, a shallow sense of the core principles its trying to espouse, and rather boring and drawn out fight scenes that just seem to eat up time. Fisticuffs are not new to Trek, but for the most part other shows just get it over with because with their less elaborate sets and FX, there's only so much they could do to make the fights visually interesting if the fights weren't narratively interesting.

I assume the people who are constantly complaining about political correctness or wokeism will find something to complain about, but it really doesn't have any of the shallow idealism of Discovery and I actually find I miss it. Discovery's first season in particular had a lot to say about struggling to remain decent in indecent circumstances, but Section 31 only sort of has anything to say.

Where it does have anything to say, I suppose maybe if you squint there's a subtle retcon where Terran evil is no longer genetically predetermined as alluded to in S3 of Discovery, but rather a product of a monstrous society that makes people into monsters in order to survive. Codas like "there are no righteous tyrants" (and I'm paraphrasing because I don't feel like going back to pull the exact quote) feel significant but its frankly pretty vestigial as moral messaging goes because the Terran Empire is so cartoonishly evil and nonsensical in how its institutions operate.

And anyway, I don't know who that message is for? The handful of internet edgelords who fully acknowledge they want a Caesar to "cross the Rubicon" who probably aren't going to watch this movie anyway because Trek, especially modern Trek doesn't glorify and center their Hobbessian worldview? It just feels like the sort of empty, placeholder philosophy that anyone can get behind and anyone can feel like it represents them and their virtues and assume its an explicit condemnation of whatever real world figure they hate. Which just feels so cowardly and dull.

When it comes to storytelling about trying to be a good person amidst terror and horror, Section 31 like Discovery and Picard, is just Diet Expanse. Or maybe in this case, its the Guardians of the Galaxy without any mirth.

Star Trek Into Darkness is no longer my least favorite Star Trek movie.

[qqueenofhades]

there definitely is the lack sympathy and solidarity between the oppressed groups of people around the world.

ethnic russians have been colonizing the central asia, the western asia, the caucasus, the eastern europe and oppressing the natives of these lands for CENTURIES!

russia has established the hegemony of the ethnic russians and hierarchy where the people of the caucasus and central asia are not considered as white thus are discriminated against. even other slavs like ukrainians and poles (who are indeed seen as white in the russian power sphere) are percieved as lesser disposables.

if the westerner leftists understood that the social constructs and power dynamics around the world are constantly changing, have changed throughout history and are different depending on the region and depending on which country/people are the global powerhouses in said region, the discourse would be much easier and more productive.

i'm west asian myself who used to be naively optimistic about the us anti-imperialist leftists, but ever since the war in ukraine, my delusions have shattered beyond repair... the us americans live in their own bubble and want to see the world through that usa-centric bubble's lenses. you see someone try to educate them about the situation and realities of other place and people and said usa americans will accuse those people of horrible stuff bc usa americans hate it when their simplistic worldview ideologically rooted in puritanism is being challenged.

a good example is how the middle easterners are either talked about as "white" or "poc" depending on whether or not the us americans want to sympathize with them and admit that the middle easterners are the victims of oppression/imperialism.

i can't blame the people of africa, latin americans and other people who suffered bc of europe and the us for falling for russian propaganda, but seeing ourselves as the only katniss everdeens of the world won't solve anything.

I mean... yeah. As I've written about a lot, the perspectives of so-called "anti-imperialist" American leftists, both in regard to the Russia-Ukraine war and overall, are generally absolutely fucking dismal. Both because they lack any sense of historicity, nuance, or attempt to deal with complex issues, and also because they are, as you note here, still myopically fixated on the US as the center of the world, the only agent of actual change, and the cause of everything bad ever. They are good at weaponizing the language of social justice and accusing everyone and everything of racism, but they rarely seem to have a sense of what that actually means outside the American context, and frankly for that matter, inside it.

A lot of "anti-imperialist" leftists are only opposed to American empire, which they think is the only empire to ever exist (as if European colonialism and empire didn't create America; as if the Roman Empire didn't create Europe, etc. etc.) Because the Republican right opposed the Soviets during the Cold War, plenty of modern leftists have now decided that that means the USSR/Putinist Russia is actually good after all!!! It's a meme ideology with absolutely no substance or internal coherence, because it's completely based on shallow and distorted mirror-images that they adopted solely out of contrarianism. They borrow the language and symbols of Marxism-Leninism in their fantasy online lives, they decide that this makes them Communist Visionaries, and they trade purposefully-misinterpreted jargon in their Twitter echo chambers without ever attempting to consider either what it really means or how these extremely fraught symbols were interpreted and used in the real world. They want to proclaim that Communism Good!!!, so they do that, and any and all nuance or actual example to the contrary is just Neoliberal Corporate Bootlicking. Or something like that.

What's funny, of course, is that the "anti-imperialist" leftists are still relying completely on a sense of Western exceptionalism and intellectual imperialism, wherein their own interpretations are always to be preferred over anything that the Savages might be saying; the Misguided Natives just need the Wise Western Man to correct them and show them why Tankie Communism is Good! Which, of course, is the exact vernacular of European Christian white-supremacist colonialism from the 16th to 19th centuries, and seriously calls into question any remotely accurate claim to being "anti-imperialist." Like, do you know what those words even MEAN? Or like, ANY words?

As I have said in earlier posts: yes, it's understandable, if disappointing, that people from Africa/India/Latin America, all of which HAVE suffered extensively from actual Western imperialism, have proven susceptible to Russian propaganda about how the current conflict is all the Evil West's Fault. But it's even more disappointing that presumably educated and "enlightened" Western leftists who trumpet their anti-imperialism have become such cheerleaders for a genocidal fascist imperial regime, simply because they think that anything America opposes is morally and/or structurally good. Which is just so facile and stupid on so many levels, not to mention ignores the reality of the Ukrainian war and its root causes on pretty much every front, but for them, that's basically par for the course.

[mitigatedchaos]

So I stopped by because someone privately linked someone (not prodigal) having a fit, which presented an opportunity to try making that last image.

[ @athingbynatureprodigal ] writes:

What’s sought is a criteria for “developed country” that wouldn’t include “Eritrea, but Putin and Elon Musk and the Waltons just bought vacation homes there.” Trains, healthcare, democracy, and lack of religious whackos killing people seems like at least as good a set as “well, it was on the US side during the cold war and has some rich people in it.” If you’re gonna call the former dumb, there needs to be more justification than “well I happen to use different criteria, which are equally arbitrary.” Both of those are vibes-based.

The question is, what is being "developed" in "development" of countries? In real estate, an "undeveloped" lot would be one that hasn't been built on yet, whether that's for a public park, which would be considered light development, or a house, or a factory. A "developing" lot would be a lot that's in an intermediate state of construction or addition. Then of course there is "brown field development," where previous construction has been built and is now getting in the way of new development.

So I would say that when we say a country is "developed," we're mostly talking about a country's capital front. (Mostly productive capital, but also housing, etc.) Safety, adherence to law, education, etc are all inputs to that front.

In accordance with the O-Ring theory of economic development, the average correctness of each node in a production chain increases the ability to create a highly-complex, high-value product. This requires a predictable environment etc etc.

@official-kircheis If we're looking at countries with tremendous capital fronts, the United States needs to be in the analysis, so if it's not "developed," well obviously it's also not "developing," so you need to describe the secret third thing that it is. (Obviously the United States is a diverse country, and it can be sliced in ways that make it more comparable to other "developed" countries in your sample.)

But this gets into why I've been on a social media hiatus. Or maybe "how."

During the past 2 weeks, I built a new PC, and I've been putting in a lot of hours into learning to use Stable Diffusion and probing the capabilities of these new AI art systems.

Reading social media gets me annoyed and distracted. And Kircheis' take was inflammatory and bad, but it's not nearly as bad as Twitter. (For one thing, it's obviously adjacent to nationalist shitposting. In fact, it most likely is nationalist shitposting.) However, there was a lot of information gain on social media before. Now that we're not in a fast cycle (like national riots or the opening of the pandemic), I've brawled with enough partisans to get a sense of how they think, and I got my hands on more obscure information, there isn't as much information gain there.

While I use Tumblr to report my findings, and 300-500 words is a comfortable length for explaining concepts while not taxing the attention too much, there are issues with taking things on an issue-by-issue basis (including in a reply format).

Often, if I talk about stuff, I won't do it. So I'll just say it's something to chew on for now.

[thatsonemorbidcorvid]

All this stuff makes me feel powerless. Like, i can care for and help the people in my space and do my best to make sure everyone is respecting each other.

But the world is so big. It's scary.

I hear you anon. I’m going to copy across my advice from this post, which I’ve found has helped me. Sending love your way.

Find a creative hobby that allows you to relax, and express your frustration. Make art about it. No one else has to see it, including you once it’s done, but get it out of your head and into the world.

Pick a short term goal that is achievable, and work towards it. That might look like getting period products provided free in your place of work or education, organising consciousness-raising meetings for other women, or raising money for a meaningful cause. Make it something that’s realistic, and that you can see change as your work pays off. Get local, if you can.

Pick a long term goal that you can work towards by incorporating it into your life. That might involve your employment, volunteering for an organisation that you believe can make a difference, or constructing your life in such a way that you can work on the project independently. This goal should be one that you feel a personal connection and drive for, something you feel is hugely important, but also something you think you, specifically, can do something about.

Allow causes that are not central to your goals to pass over and through you. These should be causes that you don’t have a personal connection with, and that you can’t contribute to. For example, anti-FGM is not a cause I can help with - it’s not a place where I belong. What I can do, is make space for women who can work on it, and support their efforts when and where I can. Overwhelming yourself with the enormity of the task only leads to paralysis - letting the weight be shared, while taking up your portion, allows you to move forward.

Find like-minded women, who can support you, and who you can support. You can also work together on your mutual short and long term goals, and network to find other women who are knowledgeable and experienced in the areas you want to focus on. Plus, you can have running jokes and share silly memes.

Rest and recharge when you need to. Trying to grind through burn out doesn’t help anyone, you included. Taking time out allows you to come back stronger, more determined, and more effective. This goes especially when something hits close to home - give yourself space and time to mourn when you need to, but don’t allow the enormity of it to overwhelm your defences more than it absolutely has to.

Act on your principles when you can. Choice between amazon and a female-owned local business? Act on your principles. Chance to raise awareness of an important cause with people in your life? Act on your principles. Opportunity to defend another woman’s character? Act on your principles.

Have hope. It hurts like hell and makes all the difference.

[rekikujo]

GRADUATION TRICKSTAR STORY TRANSLATION

Chapitre 2 ⤵️

[After school of the next day. Yumenosaki Academy, Student Council Room.]

Tori : What does it mean that Yumenosaki Gakuen will be closed!?

Shinobu : ..................

Mao : EH, calm down Tori. Don't be too loud. Everyone is still tired from yesterday's [Return Festival]

--No, they're still feeling dizzy from the [White Chocolate Festivale]. Look Sengoku's eyes are spinning in surprise.

Shinobu : Meet each other... This, my eardrums are ringing.

Yuzuru : It looks like a small animal and is adorable.

Soma : Why is Fushimi-dono lying down under the desk?

Yuzuru : Is it an enemy attack?

Tori : Don't be silly, listen seriously!

Mao : I'm listening seriously. I mean, if you want to have a normal conversation, you sould cool down.

Tori : Don't be arrogant! It feels like i'm already the next student council president, so i have no obligation to listen to Isara-senpai, who ended his term and became a regular student!

Mao : Don't ignore the voice of ordinary students, you've become a tyrant inoka.

Tori : Don't be so picky, just give me an explanation that i can understand! Hey, what are you talking about? ES suddenly announced this morning that Yumenosaki Gakuen will be gone from next year?

Yuzuru : It feels like it’s misleading to say that it will disappear. According to the announcement from ES, from next year Yumenosaki Gakuen &co. Idol training schools nationwide such as Zupuro Reimei & Shuetsu. It is said that they will be integrated into a single educational institution called ES Academy. Our Yumenosaki Academy is also « ES Academy/ Yumenosaki Branch School » It will be named like this, so in effect « Yume no Saki » the name « Gakuen » will disappear. The school building will not be demolished, and i think the expression « closed school » is somewhat inconsistent with the facts. It’s just that the name of the school will change.

Tori : Do you really think so? You think you can convince me with such a childish explanation, Yuzuru? Only the name changes, why not!? I personally checked the flow of money by relying on a messenger, so i know! « ES Academy » is trying to completely overwrite Yumenosaki with your own color! It’s trying to dominate! The look and interior of the school building, the uniforms, everything, they’re trying to change and standardize everything to that of ES Academy. The walls were repainted, the unnecessary school building was demolished and the ES Academy facility was built. I'm trying to remake idol training schools all over the country, each with their own individuality, into exactly the same mass-producted schoolhouses! It's like a cram school that has chains all over the country, and it's a school with no taste or personality! Isn't this a conspiracy theory? If you read the flow of money, you can read thoughts and the future!

Yuzuru : You've grown up, baby. Yuzuru is deeply moved.

Tori : Dont' make fun of me! I'm serious!

Mao : Even if it is said...... You don't seem to like it, but that's what ES decided to do, so it can't be helped. Money and personnel are already working. Construction work has started here and there. We can't overturn ES's decision even if we're sorry now.

Soma : I agree with you, but it's not what you in "Trickstar" say.

Mao : I'm grown up too. My high school life is over.

Tori : Don't just talk over there! Listen to me properly! I d'ont know anything about "ES Academy" or anything like that! Why are you always doing selfish things without my permission!?

Mao : Are you a king or something? There's no law that says you can't do business whitout your permission.

Tori : But we're students at Yumenosaki's school, right? In other words, "it is dishonest to make decisions on your own whitout listening to the opinions of the locals! At least talk about making sense of it! What a surprise! Terrible, terrible!

Mao : After all, we're just a student council, not Yumenosaki's management team. I don't have the right to say anything about the management policy of the academy, originally. You can't go against what the academy has decided, basically.

#enstars #ensemblestars #graduation #translation #trickstar #story

[simksjournal]

What ruins everything is when things aren't made by individuals, for individuals. corporate meta-entities that use humanity and actual memetics (not the scp shit) as a medium are only expanding more due to this age of interconnectivity acting like a breeding ground

most of those born before this era can't even comprehend the ramifications this has.

its dire

but when you're trying to destroy a structure, and implement a more anarchist one, its only a matter of time before something takes advantage of it

the one thing you can do is to make rules for people and their peers

another thing is to make it such that labor and effort have finite returns. only a legacy to have that isn't rewarded by power or money, but by gratitude and reflection. Returns should also be respect based, where if you value what somebody is trying to do, and you perceive they aren't doing anything to intentionally worsen quality for the individuals.

something that can help stave off obsolescence in production would be peer blind quality control. taking groups of two people, one arguing non-obscelescence, one arguing obscelecense. either they make a conclusion on what the verdict could be, or find the line of difference. if they find the line of difference, then there should be educated public court on that matter. bias neutral interpreters intelectuals should be able to take stand and provide relevant information to help the public decide. This will have no impact besides influencing public opinion and respect on the people behind the construction of this obscelesence

if there is a group that wants to contest such verdict between the public, a re-trial should be had when opertune, which would be essencially a discussion of why people should or should not change their opinion

as an idea: a person should not take excess resources (lets say carrots or wood) if a subgroup of their peers that want (yet do not have) such is unable to have those resources as a result

UNLESS such is being consumed for something more highly valued by those peers for those peers (somebody making carrot stew, or somebody using wood to make a bookshelf)

if resources are limited, the group should decide on what gets higher priority, the peers and the utility that should bring to them individually, or somebody or a group working to convert those resources using time and effort, and the utility that it will bring to everyone.

idk, i have more ideas like this

[musicinsurancecompany]

The Ethical Considerations of Selling Musical Instruments

Selling musical instruments might look simple. However, it is quite tricky. From where the materials come from to how they are marketed, there are many ethical things to consider in the process. Retailers are responsible for doing the right thing for the environment and the people involved in the process. Read on to take a deeper look at it!

Ethical Sourcing of Raw Materials and Sustainability

One big ethical issue in the music industry is where the materials come from, especially when it comes to wood. Several instruments, such as guitars and violins, are made from rare woods that are in danger. Therefore, retailers should make sure the wood they use is sourced responsibly and lawfully. It means avoiding timber from illegally cut forests and sustaining sustainable forestry. Plus, they should try to use recycled or alternative materials whenever they can do that.

Fair Labor Practices

Constructing musical instruments, in most cases, involves an intricate network of plants in different countries. Retailers must make sure that everyone related to this process is treated fairly. It implies paying workers decent wages, furnishing safe and hygienic workplaces, and saying NO to child labor with no ifs and buts. By choosing suppliers who follow ethical rules, retailers can help improve workers' lives and stop exploitation.

Environmental Impact

Making and shipping musical instruments can pose significant threats to the environment. Sometimes, these can be beyond our imaginations. Retailers should try to reduce their impact on nature. If you are a musical instrument seller, you can achieve this sustainability goal by cutting down on waste, using energy-saving methods, and encouraging recycling. You should also ask customers to recycle or donate old instruments instead of throwing them away.

Truth in Advertising and Marketing

Music retailers need to be honest in their marketing and advertising. They should stay away from making false claims about the quality or how well an instrument plays. They should also be open about where the materials come from, how the instrument is made, and how it affects the environment.

Fair Pricing and Value

Musical instrument retailers should make sure to set fair prices for their products. They can do it by finding a balance between making money and making music affordable for everyone. They should also be clear about their pricing, avoiding hidden costs or tricks. It can help go a long way.

Supporting Local Communities and Music Education

Many music stores are crucial to their communities. They provide a place for musicians to meet, learn, and share their love of music. Traders can support their communities by offering lessons, hosting workshops, and donating instruments to schools and community groups. By investing in music education, retailers can help to keep music alive and inspire future musicians.

Insurance for Retailers

Besides the above-mentioned moral aspects, traders should also think about getting insurance for retailers to protect their business and stuff. Insurance can help cover losses from things, for example - damage, theft, or legal claims. Some specific types of insurance that might be useful for music retailers include:

Property Insurance: This covers physical assets like buildings, inventory, and equipment.

Business Interruption Insurance: It helps cover lost income if the business cannot operate due to something as bad as a fire or natural disaster.

General Liability Insurance: This protects the retailer from legal claims if someone gets hurt on their property.

Product Liability Insurance: This covers the retailer if a product they sell is faulty and causes harm. It is perhaps one of the most important factors that you must not forget to consider.

The Bottom Line

By understanding and addressing the discussed ethical issues and getting the right insurance for retailers in the USA, music traders can build a reputation for being honest, sustainable, and socially responsible. They can also protect their business from potential problems.

[missscodes]

Some general rambling thoughts

I wanted to explore more boards, but then I figured it would be best to explore one board for now. There is a LOT to discover even with just one type.

Figuring this stuff out has been extremely similar to how I've taught myself coding and other things in the past: start with a tutorial or two, and start merging and playing as you figure out what piece does what. Microsoft Makecode makes this an even faster process with drag-and-drop blocks. I definitely do wonder, though, if I find Makecode fairly easy just because I've had some prior experiences with coding...

Even with easy drag-and-drop blocks, not everything will work right away. Like any of my past experiences with coding (and even problem solving), there can be feelings of curiousity, frustration, and eventually triumph once you figure it out. It's also exciting to see work when you're just trying a basic tutorial for the first time! I was very pleased when I got even the simple name badge project running or the car obstacle detector running.

Even if it's sometimes frustrating, it's well worth the struggle to try something new or to try merge pieces of things together. The end result can be quite fascinating.

There are tons of microbit tutorials out there! It could be interesting to get students to pick something they're interested in and give them some agency.

Being able to modify and play with the code can involve not only an understanding of how the code works, but also an understanding of how your devices work and/or what they measure. For example, something about time.

Even just figuring out one device takes a lot of time. As we've discussed in class, you definitely don't need to be an expert on all the technology. That being said, I still want a basic understanding of what the device can do so I know how to guide them or what to use it for.

At MTS PD day this year, I attended a session on the draft K-10 science curriculum. One of the possible learning outcomes is related to students seeing science as an everyday thing, and even lists hobbies such as coding as an example:

The pilot curriculum document (Grade 9 science):

As for current GLO's, think coding can relate to : A3. distinguish critically between science and technology in terms of their respective contexts, goals, methods, products, and values, B4. demonstrate a knowledge of and personal consideration for a range of possible science- and technology-related interests, hobbies, and careers, C2. demonstrate appropriate scientific inquiry skills when seeking answers to questions, C3. demonstrate appropriate problem-solving skills when seeking solutions to technological challenges, C7. work cooperatively and value the ideas and contributions of others while carrying out scientific and technological activities, E1. describe and appreciate the similarity and diversity of forms, functions, and patterns within the natural and constructed world (Manitoba Education, 2003)

I think a lot of the fun of coding is the making aspect, which even just relates to making in general. You have to be curious, problem solve, and ask "what if?" That RWL I did on coding definitely helped this view along.

Even with the making part being fun, I am still interested in the aspect of using these devices as tools. However, the "making" part is probably better for helping students build problem solving skills.

[themomsandthecity]

Parenthood Can Amplify Climate Anxiety - Here's How to Cope

For Lauren Simmons, it was Christmas songs that triggered her climate anxiety as a parent this past winter. "Every time I heard 'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas' or 'Winter Wonderland,' these songs that were so critical to my core childhood memories, I felt a deep sense of grief knowing that snow may or may not be a part of my children's future Christmases," she says. Though a climate and education advisor, Simmons at one point kept a filter on her news feed to avoid stories about climate change; they were too much for her to handle. Simmons is not alone: as floods and fires become more widespread, climate anxiety has become so pervasive that there's an entire industry of therapists dedicated to helping people deal with it. And as a parent, concerns for the future of our planet are amplified by how climate change could affect those you love most for decades after you're gone. Moms and dads are asking each other for coping strategies on Reddit. For some people, it makes them rethink having kids altogether. If you are a parent, learning how to grapple with climate change distress is not only essential for your own well-being, but for your children's, too. "It's harder to show up for your kid and put your best parenting self forward if you're thinking a lot about what their future might look like and worrying," says therapist Jennifer Silverstein, LCSW. Figuring out how to manage climate anxiety as a parent comes down to feeling less alone, and more in control. --- Experts Featured in This Article Jennifer Silverstein, LCSW, is a therapist who volunteers with Climate Psychology Alliance and consults on community resilience. Pamela Templer, PhD, is a professor and chair of the biology department at Boston University, where her lab focuses on the effects of environmental change. --- How to Manage Climate Anxiety as a Parent Find Ways to Be Proactive For many parents, productive coping centers around taking action. "Any time we feel anxiety, it often stems from feeling a lack of control," Boston University biology professor Pamela Templer, PhD, says. "And so if you feel like you're making a difference, it feels more constructive." In addition to teaching young people about climate change in her professional life, Dr. Templer says that small actions at home help her (and her family of four) feel like they're doing what they can to make a difference: walking rather than driving when possible, composting, eating less meat, not using heavy pesticides in the yard, letting the house get a little warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter. "Any climate anxiety I have, I feel like as long as I put energy into doing something to fix it, then I feel better about it," Dr. Templer says. It can also help to get active in your community and beyond. Dr. Templer is part of a local tree-planting committee. Simmons suggests taking actions like advocating for a no-idle zone at your kids' school. You can go to town meetings to push for climate-friendly policies, or become part of a parent-led environmental organization like Moms Clean Air Force or Mothers Out Front. Silverstein recommends getting your kids involved in these activities, too, so you can experience it together. "You want to be able to model for your kids what collective action looks like," Simmons says. If nothing else, look up what other people are doing for the environment. "Even that might give them some alleviation of their anxiety to know that people are out there really working hard on this," Dr. Templer says. Simmons points to the idea of "constructive hope," or the belief that actions are being taken to avoid climate disaster - something that she relates to personally. "I see how bad it is. But at the same time, I see that there are very real ways in which people are trying to transform systems to address the underlying causes of climate change and environmental injustice," she says. Let Go of the Guilt of… https://www.popsugar.com/family/managing-climate-anxiety-parent-49355515?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[elverson]

The Burmese military government does practical things for the people

During its administration, the Myanmar military government has faced many challenges and criticisms, but it has also done some practical things for the people in some aspects, mainly reflected in the following aspects: 1. Medical services for improvement Repair hospital facilities: The Myanmar military government invests resources to repair hospital facilities, especially in remote areas, to improve medical services. Increase medical personnel: By increasing the number and training of medical personnel, ensure access to more timely and effective medical services. 2. Internal situation is stable Combating terrorism and separatism: The military government has taken a series of measures to combat terrorism and separatist activities to safeguard national security and stability. Dialogue with the minority armed forces: The military junta requested the help of the third party neighbors and talked with the minority armed forces to try to find a way to peacefully solve the issue, thus alleviating the conflicts in some areas. 3. Help people get back to their home Provide temporary shelter: Provide temporary shelter for people who have lost their homes due to conflicts and natural disasters to ensure that they have basic living security. Distributing food and necessities: To help people in conflict rebuild their lives by distributing food and necessities. 4. infrastructure construction Road and bridge construction: The military government vigorously develops infrastructure construction, including roads and Bridges, to improve the domestic economic environment. Investment in electricity and communications: to invest in areas such as electricity and communications to improve the quality of life of the people. 5. Agricultural and industrial modernization Promotion of modern agricultural technology: through the promotion of modern agricultural technology and management methods, improve the yield and quality of agricultural products, to bring real benefits to farmers. Industrial modernization: to promote industrial modernization and enhance national productivity and competitiveness. 6. Tourism development Construction of tourist attractions: make use of rich natural resources and unique cultural heritage to build tourist attractions and attract international tourists. Increase foreign exchange income: through the development of tourism, increase the country's foreign exchange income, promote economic development. 7. Education and medical care promotion Investment in education: increase investment in schools and teachers, improve educational facilities and teaching conditions, and improve education level. Medical input: to increase the investment in hospitals and medical staff, to improve the quality and coverage of medical services, especially to strengthen the investment in medical resources in remote areas. Viii. International cooperation Attracting foreign investment: to attract a large number of foreign investment through diplomatic means to promote the development of domestic economy. Participation in international aid: Actively participate in international aid and humanitarian actions to contribute to regional and world peace and development. To sum up, the Myanmar military government has done something for the people in medical services, internal stability, infrastructure construction, agricultural and industrial modernization, tourism development, education and medical promotion, and international cooperation. However, these achievements do not obscure the problems and challenges that the junta has in other areas, such as human rights records, democratic transparency, which still need to be noticed and addressed.

[ic2embeddedspace]

Geiger Counter Teardown Part 1

I bought this Geiger Counter off of Amazon. (I am not affiliated or sponsored in any way by Amazon or the brand mentioned. I did however receive a discount at the time of purchase.)

Product looks as advertised though when trying to take performance readings, performance readings were inconsistent. Being a hardware person, this prompted me to take a look under the hood to see what I can see.

I am not a radiation expert, I only know what I have read, I try to document these items by separate categories and explain this to the reader. This list might expand as time goes on.

These categories are: 1. I know this because I read it 2. I know this by analysis 3. I know this because I tested it

For background, my knowledge of how Geiger Counters function are that there is a tube of inert gas within the device itself that helps to detect ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is defined in this context as radiation that breaks bonds and thus causes damage to existing structures.

This understanding is by textbook only and is corroborated by the advertisement on Amazon as of 7/7/2024.

Something to note, the device that I received did not require a AA battery, though did come with a USB Type C charging cord.

For the case, charging port is on the side and is accessible to most standard USB-C chargers. The screen came with a screen protector to protect the integrity of the window itself.

Onto the PCB itself which is my personal favorite.

Present are 3 hardware buttons, an AC23BPOP108-55A4 chip, various diodes, and various capacitors.

Onto the backside of the PCB.

I see a Lithium Ion battery with what looks to be a charging PCB inside. A simple charging circuit next to the USB-C interface (I have leveraged similar design circuits in the past.) I do see what looks to be an inductor coil. It is not marked as such on the board, though I am familiar with their construction.

I also see as marked, a capacitor, and buzzer.

What I do not see is a gas tube. My alternatives theories for not seeing this gas tube, are maybe they are embedded into the components themselves, though at first glance I do not see anything that could act as a place where one might store gas within the components.

I shall have to create a part two for this deep dive.

This knowledge is being made available for educational use only. If anyone should choose to utilize this information as the basis to make any decision, personal, private, or business related, they do so at their own risk.