#vacuuming insights

[howdoesone]

How does one reflect on the nature of dust while vacuuming the living room?

In the humdrum of household chores, there are moments of unexpected profundity waiting to be discovered. Vacuuming the living room, a task often relegated to the realm of mundane routine, presents one with a unique opportunity to reflect on the nature of dust and its metaphorical implications. This article explores how one can contemplate existential questions while engaged in the act of…

[nickyandmikey]

i've had such a productive day and it's not even over yet. it feels great but watch me not do anything for the next two weeks

[creativeera]

The Global Canister Vacuum Cleaner Market is Embracing Cordless Designs

Global canister vacuum cleaner market is estimated to be valued at USD 3.46 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 6.58 Bn by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6% from 2024 to 2031.

Canister vacuum cleaners are free-standing vacuum cleaners that consist of a canister that houses the motor, fan, and dirt collection bag or container and attached to a long rigid or flexible hose with wand and attachments. Canister vacuum cleaners are known for their powerful sucking capacity, lightweight handling, and suitability for cleaning all types of floors including carpets and hardwood floors. They provide deep cleaning and are capable of picking pet hair, dust, debris, and allergens effectively. The Global Canister Vacuum Cleaner Market is driven by growing consumer demand for multipurpose, easy to use, and high-performance cleaning appliances. Key Takeaways Key players operating in the Global Canister Vacuum Cleaner Market are Kärcher North America, Inalsa, Delfinvacuums, Miele, Shark, Samsung, Dyson, Electrolux , LG Electronics, Hoover, Kenmore, Eureka, BISSELL, Panasonic, Hitachi, Makita, AEG, and Nilfisk. The growing demand for versatile, easy to use, and highly effective cleaning appliances from households and commercial sectors is fueling the growth of the Global Canister Vacuum Cleaner Market. People are adopting canister vacuum cleaners for their powerful suction, light weight, and suitability for various floor types. Rapid urbanization and rising health awareness are further complementing the market growth. The key players in the Global Canister Vacuum Cleaner Market are focusing on expanding their product portfolio and global footprint through mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and distribution agreements. Manufacturers are strengthening their presence in developing regions of Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Latin America experiencing high urbanization and growth in disposable income. This is anticipated to create new revenue streams for players over the forecast period. Market Key Trends One of the key trends gaining traction in the Global Canister Vacuum Cleaner Market Size is the rising popularity of cordless designs. Manufacturers are focusing on developing lightweight, portable, and convenient to use cordless vacuum cleaners that provide comparable suction power to corded models. Cordless vacuum cleaners are gaining widespread acceptance owing to their easy maneuverability and freedom from cord tangling issues. The increasing advances in lithium-ion battery technology allowing longer runtimes per charge are propelling the demand for cordless vacuum cleaners globally. This trend is expected to continue and transform the canister vacuum cleaner market landscape over the coming years.

Porter’s Analysis Threat of new entrants: The threat of new entrants in the global canister vacuum cleaner market is low due to the presence of well-established brands and high initial costs involved in setting up production and marketing facilities. Bargaining power of buyers: The bargaining power of buyers in the global canister vacuum cleaner market is high due to the availability of multiple brands and product options at different price points. Bargaining power of suppliers: The bargaining power of suppliers in the global canister vacuum cleaner market is moderate due to the availability of raw material providers. Threat of new substitutes: The threat of new substitutes in the global canister vacuum cleaner market is low as canister vacuum cleaners have strong brand recognition and customer loyalty. Competitive rivalry: The competitive rivalry in the global canister vacuum cleaner market is high due to the large number of key players operating at regional and global levels. North America and Europe represent the largest geographical markets for global canister vacuum cleaner market in terms of value. Presence of developed economies, high disposable income, and increased awareness about smart and innovative home appliances are some of the factors driving the demand for canister vacuum cleaners in these regions. The fastest growing region for the global canister vacuum cleaner market is Asia Pacific. Factors such as rapid industrialization, growing middle class population, rising living standards, and increased spending on homecare products are expected to fuel the adoption of canister vacuum cleaners in Asia Pacific region over the forecast period.

Get more insights on Global Canister Vacuum Cleaner Market

About Author:

Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemical and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/money-singh-590844163)

[cmibloggers]

The global hyperloop technology market has garnered significant attention in recent years, promising a revolution in transportation. Read More: https://cmi-reports.blogspot.com/2023/06/exploring-global-hyperloop-technology.html

[electronalytics]

Vacuum Sensors Market Analysis, Trends and Dynamic Demand by Forecast 2017 to 2032

The vacuum sensors market refers to the industry that produces and sells sensors designed to measure vacuum levels in a variety of applications. These sensors are used in various industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace, among others. Vacuum sensors are essential in controlling vacuum levels, and they play a vital role in ensuring the quality, reliability, and safety of various manufacturing processes.

The vacuum sensors market is driven by the increasing demand for vacuum sensors in various applications. The semiconductor industry, in particular, is a major market for vacuum sensors, as these sensors are used to monitor vacuum levels during the production of microchips and other semiconductor devices. Additionally, the growth of the aerospace industry and the need for more precise vacuum monitoring in space applications is expected to drive the demand for vacuum sensors in the coming years.

According to a report published by Stringent datalytics, the global vacuum sensors market is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 6.4% during the forecast period of 2021-2027. The market was valued at approximately USD 1.3 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach a value of USD 1.9 billion by the end of the forecast period.

The report states that the vacuum sensors market is being driven by various factors, including the increasing demand for vacuum sensors in various applications, such as semiconductor manufacturing, chemical processing, and aerospace. The report highlights that vacuum sensors play a vital role in ensuring the quality, reliability, and safety of various manufacturing processes.

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Market Segmentations: Global Vacuum Sensors Market: By Company • Thyracont Vacuum • Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum • InstruTech • Vuototecnica • INFICON • Budenberg • Yonsha • NXP Semiconductors Global Vacuum Sensors Market: By Type • Temperature Sensor • Pressure Sensor • Flow Sensor • Others Global Vacuum Sensors Market: By Application • Transportation • Architecture • Petroleum • Chemical • Others Global Vacuum Sensors Market: Regional Analysis All the regional segmentation has been studied based on recent and future trends, and the market is forecasted throughout the prediction period. The countries covered in the regional analysis of the Global Vacuum Sensors market report are U.S., Canada, and Mexico in North America, Germany, France, U.K., Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Rest of Europe in Europe, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Argentina, Brazil, and Rest of South America as part of South America.

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[baphometsss]

I don't wanna sit here and act like I'm a professional or anything, because I'm not, but as someone who has had to do a lot of work to overcome trauma and reconfigure my brain more or less from the ground up, there's a lot I have to say about Solas's mental state

We know that Solas was essentially used and abused by Mythal for millennia. Even if he wasn't under a geas, he was twisted from his purpose by being made to fight, and then created the Wolf's Fang which was used to make the Titans tranquil and started the Blights. He made those choices himself, but it's important to understand that no choice is ever made in a vacuum. She took advantage of his vulnerability when he was given a body after however long as a spirit semi-existing peacefully in the Fade, and moulded him into a weapon.

He is broken, because Mythal broke him. I'm not incapable of seeing why she did what she did because like I said, no one makes choices in a vacuum and I could write about her for a long time too (in a similar way to how I have had to do myself in my own life in understanding why others abused me). He was so traumatised by everything that happened and he was trauma bonded to Mythal pretty much from the minute he gained a body. Trauma bonds are not about love. He definitely interpreted it that way, as most people do, but that's the weapon abusers use to keep the victim under their control. Abuse abuse abuse show a scrap of love and then abuse some more. If I just take it, I'll get the love/attention I need. I will earn it, because love is suffering, and I have to suffer to earn getting my basic needs met from my family/friends. Mythal, as his creator, was the one who he would've attached to in a similar way to spirit Cole/human Cole.

Trauma bonds are pathological. Mythal made him believe that if he did as she asked, and kept supporting her, then eventually he would gain her favour and they would be able to free all the elves, and he'd be able to live according to his true nature, which is one where he doesn't have to fight. (Remember his personal quest in DAI? He actually kills the rebel mages for corrupting his friend--another Wisdom spirit--into Pride.) In reality, she was just using him. She always kept the bone just out of reach for her lapdog. The line from Rook where they say (paraphrasing here) 'you know, I was actually excited about getting your approval... That's how you do it, isn't it? Keeping giving little scraps of approval to keep someone loyal, and then you turn around and betray them' is so telling too.

Where--or from whom--do you think he learned to do this?

It literally reeks of a pathological trauma bond and honestly, with how isolated, 'grim and fatalistic' Solas is, it is not a surprise that he's so broken.

Solas, essentially, is little more than a lap-dog to Mythal. He followed her like a lost puppy, because especially in his early days, that's kind of what he was. You have to remember that most of the insight we get about Mythal is from Solas's perspective, and he is not a reliable person when it comes to her after so long being repeatedly terrorised and twisted and manipulated. There are several instances where he describes being betrayed by her, and mentions some of the things she did, but he never quite holds her fully accountable and ends up directing his rage elsewhere. (The parallel between Mythal/Solas and the rebel mages/Wisdom is important here.)

This awesome post by @mythalism only reinforces this. He is so messed up in that scene, he is broken, he is holding the Wolf's Fang up, trying to give it to her because it symbolises the burden he has carried for thousands of years trying to avenge her death. He never wanted the Fang, like he never wanted a body. Mythal just stands over him, fully aware of what she did to him, and only getting him to stop because Rook petitioned her successfully, and the reunion with the more benevolent Mythal within Morrigan tempered her anger. She was a goddess, with the unequal power dynamic, right to the end.

As a side note, on the potential romance element between Mythal and Solas, I read an excellent breakdown of it on Reddit a while ago about how out of character it would've been for Solas to keep something like that from a romanced Lavellan, especially in Trespasser when he comes clean about his plan/past. I can't find it now because it was pre-Veilguard release, but it made a lot of sense to me. Solas and Lavellan never have a love scene in DAI because Solas didn't want to 'lay with them under false pretences'. Lying about who you are when sleeping with someone is nonconsensual. You can't consent to sleeping with someone if you don't know their true identity, and someone who knowingly lies about who they are to get into your pants is a sexual predator. For someone who led a slave rebellion (no doubt many of them being sex slaves), and a former spirit of Wisdom, Solas would've been well aware of this. In the unsent letter from Solas to Lavellan he says he came so close to breaking and desperately wanted to stay with them as Solas, with the implication being that that is where he planned to sleep with them once he'd come clean. But because he stops, because he's still unable to forgive himself or release himself from his trauma bond with Mythal, he breaks away, and they never have sex.

Bottom line: Solas would've been honest about it. Especially that. As the Inquisitor says, he can't lie about his heart.

And it's why the Solas/Lavellan romance is so powerful because quote, 'you change everything'. Solas thought he knew what love was, that love was loyalty, devotion, worship, etc. It's not just his plans or worldview that Lavellan changes. Lavellan sees him for who he is, without the mantle of Dread Wolf, and because of that he's able to express his true nature to her, even if he's not being totally honest in Inquisition. Lavellan got much closer to the real him than most, as he says, and changed his understanding of love completely. Unfortunately, he has unfinished business, an unresolved trauma bond, and his crushing sense of duty to the past is what keeps him from taking that final step towards letting go of it entirely. Trick also says Solas doesn't think he deserves love, which tbh is kind of a hallmark trait of people who have survived abuse.

And honestly? Call me a simp but I think he really was trying to get the Inquisitor to stop him. He saw himself being unable to let go because he was so broken and burdened by his guilt, and knew he couldn't save himself--was too proud to admit that he couldn't, because how pathetic does it make him look? And how could he stop now without rendering all the damage he'd wrought pointless? Yet here was someone who had changed him right down to his core, who understood him in a way few people ever had, whom he trusted, whom he loved in a way he hadn't loved anyone else before. It took him 'centuries' to build up rapport with the members of his rebellion. The man doesn't not know how to form attachments without trauma, and suddenly he forms a strong one with someone who loves him completely and without condition. It's a jarring change.

Lavellan says that maybe they're being prideful themselves, refusing to see their own folly. But I think in admitting that they might be wrong, that it might be wishful thinking borne from misguided love to a truly terrible person, they've rendered the point moot. It shows self-awareness, which isn't folly.

If anyone can make Solas understand true love, it's Lavellan. Lavellan loved him when he was being his true self. Lavellan loved him after his betrayal was revealed. Lavellan loved him when his guilty conscience and terrible actions almost destroyed the world. Lavellan loved him because they knew the real him, and knew that his heart and spirit were broken, and knew that their love would endure, that their love would heal him.

And that's exactly where they end up. Healing the past, soothing the Blight, and loving one another completely.

[theic-manic]

Your Polytheist reminder that if you have altars in your home, then ...

Your housework is tending your temple.

Vacuuming, cleaning up the clutter, dusting... all of it.

Housework suddenly becomes not only easier but spiritually fulfilling when I play music and envision that I am not cleaning my bedroom or apartment but in fact cleaning my modern day temple.

You can dedicate cleaning each room or each corner to a specific deity if you like in addition to your altars.

Cleaning itself is not only great active meditation (it's when I get my best deity insights, such as this very post) but is such an underrated act of worship and devotion.

Witchy tip: sweeping dust etc out the door is a super effective cleansing activity that doesn't require expensive herbs or other ingredients.

Go forth and clean thy temples, babes. 😘🕯🧹

[bonefall]

going to the star spoilers thread and seeing that icestar make owlnose of all cats deputy was certainly ..... something. who's the leading candidate for bb icestar's deputy?

This is actually going to depend a lot based on how I overhaul the politics of RiverClan. It is getting a MASSIVE shakeup, because BB!ASC is going to explore power vacuums.

Canon!RiverClan is full of "nobody" warriors who haven't been characterized, both because we've spent very little time with them historically AND because the writers made the choice to spend barely any time with them in this arc too. This is an issue.

Instead of how canon made it so that RiverClan couldn't find a leader so they all forgot how to do the chores they did their whole lives, THIS time, I'm going to show a bunch of highly qualified warriors breaking up into cliques and descending into in-fighting.

To do this, I have two objectives;

Revamp my RiverClan Family Tree a bit to base a finalized allegiance list on... plus pad it out some more so I can handle the mass exodus that will be happening at the end of the arc.

Characterize extra competitors for RiverClan's leadership, mostly from scratch, along with their key supporters.

Splashtail will be ending up on top through a mixture of imitating Curlfeather and utter luck. My plan is to portray him as someone others might think is manipulative and charismatic, when in reality, he's coasting off the waves of someone who had victory within reach and gave it all up to save her daughter.

(and tigerHeartstar's occupation will be the turning point, as Splashtail unites RiverClan against their common enemy to put himself in power. FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT)

I also want to make ASC's attempted theme of "connecting to the past" more meaningful by drawing parallels to this and the Collapse of the River Kingdom.

In fact (been waiting a while to share THIS little idea!) I'm heavily considering that BB!ASC is the end of RiverClan as we know it, and from here on, it's the RiverClan Republic. Give it a slightly different ruling system and allow its culture to change significantly, like how I approach BB!SkyClan.

So... the short answer is that I don't have the pieces for the proper list of "candidates" yet, because a LOT more cats are gonna become eligable.

The parallel short answer is that if I had to pick NOW, it would be Minnowtail, who is going to be receiving her boyfriend Mousewhisker early in this arc and has a very long history with Icewing as an ex-DF trainee. Curious, bold, and insightful, she's someone they can trust as an organized deputy.

(Mousewhisker running across the border rom-com style because he's decided that the time is now to finally be with his secret lover of many years, only to arrive just after a major battle like "oh... is this a bad time?")

[greengirllover]

some insight on school shootings for people who might not be familiar (not trying to be political just want to show that this doesn’t exist in a vacuum and that it’s very real and common) i went to public schools all my life and in these schools the school shooting training was always mandatory and intensive

lockdown is called over the intercom or via emails sent to teachers, hard lock down=intruder, this can mean someone who is not supposed to be there is inside the school or that there is an active shooter, they likely won’t specify it over the intercom and will expect us to treat each hard lockdown as an active shooter threat, we train for this at least yearly and so we follow our training, we shut and lock all doors, shut blinds, barricade doors, hide in a corner (corner will be specified with a sticker that is placed preemptively in all rooms in the corner that is farthest away from any windows or doors) in middle and elementary schools the kids might be given candy as it’s kept by the teachers in these classrooms as a way to keep the children quiet while they hide, nobody comes in or out of any room until it is verified by the police that the shooter has been apprehended and it is safe to come out, we can’t open doors for any students trying to get in or even the cops until it’s verified that it’s actually the police speaking, we are taught to be suspicious of anyone and everyone including police and intercom announcements as the shooter can manipulate this, if you aren’t in a classroom when a lockdown is called you need to hide yourself in a bathroom stall, they teach us how to make our breathing quiet and to stand on the toilet so our feet are hidden, some schools have buckets and toilet paper along with a first aid kit in that same designated corner in case we are in lockdown for long enough that someone needs to use the bathroom, we are taught that if we see a gun on the ground not to touch it or be near it as the cops will shoot us on site if they see anyone near a gun, we are taught to cover the gun with something ideally a trash can flipped over on top of the gun, once it’s verified that the police have cleared the building we need to keep our hands up at all times when exiting the building with the police and are expected to remain calm and in a straight line without talking, we are taught how to play dead, we are taught to lay dead bodies over ourselves so that the shooter will think we are already dead and move on to another person or room, we are taught to expect to be left on the ground without medical attention if we are shot until the police have apprehended the subject, we are taught not to expect to be allowed to use our phones to text family members because most teachers won’t allow it due to notifications or lights being a possible give away to your hidden location, we are also given locations near the school where we can hide out if we found a way out before the shooter was apprehended

[beforeastorm]

We used to be a proper fandom (not really)

I'm not going to link or reference directly, because the claims have not been verified to any reasonable degree, but I have watched 911blr descend into... something... over the last couple of days because of a situation(s) involving truly horrendous fics, homicide-this-character accounts, and some pretty intense accusations about who (both specifically and as a group) is culpable for those behaviors. And I have some thoughts.

(Under the cut, because I ramble).

Desensitization and Escalation: The fics/account/posts/tweets didn't happen in a vacuum. They're, unfortunately, a natural evolution of what's been happening for months (before anyone ats me, on both/either side). It starts small: I hate so and so, I hate so and so's fans; so and so is the worst, so and so's fans are the worst. People become desensitized to it and then you're primed to escalate. THIS IS CLASSIC SOCIAL CONDITIONING. From I hate them, to someone should enact violence on them, to they deserve that violence, to I hope they die, to they have to die, etc.

I literally saw a tweet that stated something along the lines of "RT if you think we shouldn't consider (ship stans) humans". I'm sorry why are we questioning folk's humanity? About a television ship? The tweet did very well. Tons of likes and RTs. Anytime someone called them out for it, they were told to lighten up and learn how to take a joke. That it wasn't that serious. Well, here we are, a couple months later, and shit has gotten pretty serious now, eh?

And the longer in-groups permit this behavior, at any level, the more the cycle continues. And yes, it does need to be in-groups holding their own to account. And that's not always calling them out - especially if they're not in your circle. And not that you shouldn't call out behavior from the other side, but also - let's sweep our own kitchens before we call someone else's house a mess.

And, to be frank: both houses are messy so don't even.

And let me clarify by what I mean when I say holding people accountable. Because Tim Minear, to my knowledge, has not made any of us 9-1-1 fandom police, nor appointed a fandom inquisitorial squad. So you don't have to proverbially yell at someone to hold them accountable, though if you think they're open to a dialogue - then go for it. You can also choose not to engage/reblog/like/repost bad content; you can unfollow them, even if they make really cool art or write otherwise awesome fics or have really insightful takes 95% of the time. You can make a counterclaim or disavow a bad take; if it's someone in your circle by all means have a developmental conversation. The (ship) fandom would never! Yes they would. So would (other ship) fandom, and even (third ship) fandom and I've actually never met a toxic Bathena fan so go off kings (/gn) but there's probably one out there somewhere. Liking a ship isn't a vaccine to toxicity. Toxic, damaged people exist everywhere. They've existed since the dawn of time. I don't want to accuse anyone of being naive, but really? All this line of thinking does is create blind spots where we allow bad actors room and space to fester. We can, and should state that there's no space for this in the (ship) fandom, and anyone behaving in such a manner will face appropriate social sanctioning, up to and including ostracization. But to just flatly deny the possibility that someone on 'our side' might be bad is irresponsible.

The remedy is suffocation, not to ignore it: I get that you don't want to, to use fire metaphors because it's 9-1-1 after all, feed the flames by engaging with bad actors and giving them attention. Unfortunately, when you ignore a fire, it can spread unchecked.

Suffocate that motherfucker (metaphorically) and grab the burn kits. Starve them out. Unfollow, block - warn your friends - offer care to any affected. If it breaks ToS - report it. YOU SHOULD RESPOND, but you can choose to respond in ways that don't give bad actors the attention they may be craving.

This act was perpetuated by (ship) stans! I feel like I'm in an episode of Scooby Doo. It's not bad (ship) fans, it's (anti-that-ship) fans PRETENDING to be (ship) fans to make them look bad and sow chaos? RIP OFF THE MASK! Was it Agatha all along?

I do believe that happens. I also believe that not every single take that makes your preferred ship/fandom look bad is from a double agent. All pure, immediate, unequivocal denial and accusation does is provide cover and perpetuate the rot in that ship space. Before we immediately accuse the other side, we should show up with some goddamn receipts. (I have yet to see receipts).

And listen, people don't need to like each other, or even agree, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO OPEN AO3 WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT STUMBLING ACROSS UNTAGGED CSA, ESPECIALLY FOR MY HOMIES WHO ARE SURVIVORS, BECAUSE SOME JABRONI WENT "SHIP WARS RAH RAH!" AND DECIDED THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

At the end of the day - fandom should be joyful. If your entire experience has been reduced to bashing another ship, bashing characters, starting rumors about other fans, complaining about other fans/ships/characters, impersonating fans of ships you're against, or infiltrating 'enemy territory' like you're some kind of spy and not some overworked, underpaid 21st century serf trying to exist under the crushing, existential weight of our capitalist hellscape whose main form of escaping said hellscape is our weewoo show blorbos? Be so for real right now. It's giving Regina George. Why are you so obsessed with them? Choose to engage with joy (or alternatively, choose to engage in really sad fics if you need a good cry because that is fair and also valid).

Stormy out ✌️

[whenmemorydies]

Violence and Love in Monkey Man

Dev Patel's Monkey Man has played at my mind for two weeks now. This is for reasons that I'm able to articulate and for many that I probably have not yet been able to find the words for. This post is, in part, my attempt at sorting through some of my thoughts. My tumblr is all spoilers all the time. If you don’t want that, then please don’t read on.

Violence

Like most places in the world, systemic violence is a scourge in India. Monkey Man does not shy away from this reality and depicts Hindu nationalist state violence and violence against women and gendered minorities in the country to chilling effect.

We come to see this in the brutal rape and murder of Kid's activist mother at the hands of the police, while she tries to shield her child and her land from police and state terror. We see it in the treatment of (largely femme-presenting) sex workers in the two brothels featured in the film, including one frequented by the police and political elite. We see it in the violence and ostracisation meted out against the hijra, or third gender community by individual actors and the state more broadly. We see it in the state-orchestrated razing of an entire community after the land on which it sits is declared a "holy site". We see it in the movement of people from the regions to the city after their land has been stolen and the grinding poverty they face as a result.

Unlike so many action films, none of the violence in Monkey Man occurs in a vacuum. Even Kid's original means of making money in an underground fighting ring is done against the backdrop of his forced displacement from regional India to the city - a migration pathway that many in the country have been forced to take and which is a direct result of land theft and resource extraction in the regions by local and multinational corporations as well as federal and state governments.

The truth is that so much in relation to state and societal control is enacted in painful and violent ways on the bodies of the marginalised and oppressed. And I often think about how the horror and action genres are some of the best suited to speak about systemic injustice because of their capacity to make that violence uncompromisingly visible (one recent example is Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass which depicted the bloody fallout of the Christian missionary/colonial project in vivid crimson, splashed all over a non-descript maritime town in present-day America). The violence in Monkey Man is no different.

While Kid's realisation of the interconnectedness and heavy hand of the state not just in the violence experienced by his mother, but also by the hijra, and by sex workers like Sita comes later in the movie, we as the audience are given this insight earlier. Recall Kid pointing out to Sita that her tattoo is of a koel, not a sparrow as originally misidentified by the Australian client sexually assaulting her minutes earlier in the film.

Kid goes on to say that he grew up in the forest and woke up to koels singing everyday. Its the longest conversation that the two have but in those brief words, we understand that Sita too has likely been displaced to the city from the regions, probably under very similar circumstances to Kid. The way this displacement maps itself onto her body is distinctive to how it does so for Kid, with gender playing a large role in this.

Other factors like caste, class and religion also impact on how the characters in this film experience or perpetrate violence. I would write more on these intersections but then this post is going to get more unwieldy than it already is.

I will say though, that in India, where fascist Hindu nationalism is being used by government to harm minority communities, steal land and secure populist votes, Patel makes a distinction between revelatory and weaponised faith. Kid is raised in peace by his mother with the former, but as an adult he lives in a world where the latter has taken hold and is being used by those in power to shore up more of that power for themselves.

For me - as the descendant of parents, grandparents and great grandparents who lived through anti-Tamil pogroms led by Sinhalese chauvinists weaponising Buddhism as part of their fascism in Sri Lanka, who like the rest of us, is living in an election year for Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India, and who is also frustratingly, helplessly bearing witness as the state of Israel and it’s allies conflate Zionism with Judaism in defence of the genocide being waged against Palestinians - watching this action film make the distinction between revelatory and weaponised faith was profound.

Love

Patel makes it a point in this film to show how Kid's most nourishing relationships, the ones that sustain him - indeed the ones that literally save his life - are those that he has with women and with people who don’t conform to the gender binary. In doing this, we see what Kid is fighting tooth (quite literally) and nail for throughout the film. We see what is at stake - what we stand to lose - if perpetrators get to rule without accountability.

Its also no mistake that these relationships are all tied visually to the natural world in the film: Kid's mother's deep ties to the earth, rivers, trees and roots that she leads him through as a child. Alpha and the hijra's sanctuary, the Ardhanareeshvara temple with its most sacred space being the roots of a holy tree. Sita and her koel tattoo: the memory of the forest carried on her skin while she traverses the brutal reality of the city. Patel is making a point here too. About nourishment of another kind, through our connection with the earth instead of extraction from it. The visuals in the film drive this point home, particularly when contrasted with the industrialisation and poverty of the city.

Two particular loving relationships that stood out for me were the love shared between Kid and the hijra community as well as between him and his mother.

Alpha, hijra Elder and the hijra community

Keeper of the Ardhanareeshvara Temple and hijra Elder, Alpha becomes a mother-figure to Kid after he is rescued with near-fatal injuries. It is Alpha who keeps watch over him as he recovers, helps Kid to confront the totality of his past memories which his trauma has kept fragmented, and who ultimately leads a veritable hijra army to join forces with him to assassinate some fascists.

Alpha's gentleness with Kid was so moving to see, in particular during the conversation they have about his attempt as a child to save his mother from the fire set by her rapist and murderer. That exchange moved me to tears.

Kid: I failed her.

Alpha: No. You tried to save her. You see scars. I see the courage of a child fighting to save his mother.

The wider hijra community at the temple also take Kid in and care for him during his recovery. Truly, the scenes at the temple were some of my favourite in Monkey Man. Outside of his memories of his mother, they are the only scenes where we see love, peace and joy on the faces of any of the characters in this film.

Also witness this moment of delight below as the hijra at the temple appreciate a fine ass man channelling his righteous anger and fucking up a punching bag full of rice. I note that the music during this training montage is simply stunning. Ustad Zakir Hussain's rapid fire tablas punctuated by each of Patel's landed punches and kicks and then followed by Jed Kurzel's achingly soaring instrumentals (listen to "The Kid" from the movie's score) were just *chef’s kiss*.

Another favourite moment for me was when Kid decides to go back to the underground fight ring one last time and not throw his matches (as he had been doing prior). He bets on himself and when he inevitably wins his fights, he takes the money and gives it to the hijra, ensuring that they can continue to live at the temple without fear of being evicted. We love to see a man who literally pays his rent.

Neela, his mother

Kid’s first teacher and the center of his life as a child. In almost every memory we are shown of her, Kid remembers his mother walking through a forest, sharing her ecological and religious knowledge with him and in doing so, positioning him within the wider world.

GIF by dailyflicks

We watch as he takes this understanding with him forward through the remainder of the film. His conversation as an adult with Alphonso as they drive through the city in the latter's tuk tuk is emblematic of this. "They don't even see us", Kid says of the elite who frequent the club where he has just gained employment, "they're all up there living and we are stuck in this."

His mother showed him what it was to live: to be still and in concert with the world and the Divine around you, to be loved fiercely, and to thrive as a result. This is in stark contrast to what Kid has had to learn to do in the city: to survive, to merely exist. He is never depicted resting or at home as an adult. He's always working, hustling and planning for the next thing, his next step. When he loses his village, his land and his mother as a child, Kid also inevitably loses his sense of home. It’s no coincidence that the tracks “Home” and “Mother” on the movie’s score sound almost identical.

Later at the end of the film, we see Kid close his eyes, having done what he set out to do. The last thing he sees is his mother, smiling at him in the forest. Her face is the face of God he gazes at before he succumbs to his injuries. This devotion to his mother is not just that of a child to a parent. Its also deeply tied to his Hindu faith which calls on its followers to honour the Divine Mother, the supreme feminine energy, Aathi Parashakthi, in all her manifestations including in those who mother us.

The movie ends with Kid’s deep, revelatory faith - instilled in him by his mother - and with the death of the man who weaponised that faith for power and wealth. It left all of us in the cinema seated in stunned silence even as the credits began to roll.

To describe Monkey Man as simply a revenge film does it an absolute disservice. This is not revenge. It is defence borne out of deep love for community and righteous opposition to injustice. Seeing hijra warriors dressed as Kali, the goddess of destruction, dealing death blows against fascists while spinning in the most beautiful lenghas was exhilarating (I literally screamed “YESSSSSSS!” at the screen when they arrived). Seeing Sita take out pimp and sex trafficker Queenie got me cackling and yelling “whoooop!”. Seeing Kid, a masculine character act to defend women and people outside of the gender binary, from further systemic harm without any ulterior motive was absolutely unreal to witness on the big screen. Seeing a person of faith act in deep connection to that faith without judgment against anyone but those who perpetrate harm made me feel hopeful in a way that took me by surprise. Kid acted out of love and respect. I would argue that Sita, the hijra and Kid all acted out of recognition of a shared humanity.

And at a time when folks from marginalised communities are being subjected to horrendous violence worldwide, both interpersonal and systemic, watching the oppressed take their perpetrators out…and I mean out (see: a rapist and murderer getting bludgeoned to death with a glittery high heel and a fascist, self-proclaimed “holy man” being stabbed in his third eye by the blade he hid in his own “sacred” pathankal/paduka), well, it was cathartic to see.

Am I saying violence is the answer to systemic violence? I think the answer to that question is context-specific. Non-violent resistance has a place, but it’s by necessity a performance and requires an audience. What do you do when no one’s watching? What do you do when the people who are watching are doing nothing to stop your suffering? What then? These questions are what many liberals refuse to grapple with because the answers are too uncomfortable for their polite sensibilities. But if you keep your foot on someone's neck long enough, you should expect them to fight back, by any means necessary. In Monkey Man, we have an action film where we get to witness that resistance in all its visceral glory.

[hrhstarrydawnn]

Look for the signs…

Astro Insights

If you review your life over you have had people come and go. If each person is under a (zodiac) sign, then signs are all around us on an everyday basis. Want to find out what your life needs at a particular moment in time? Are you in need of a sign? Review who is the most dominant figure in your life at that moment. Take heed so you do not miss your sign. You are now on the receiving end-receiving mode.

An Aries comes into your life when you need to stand up for yourself. You could be lacking the courage to do so and an Aries will give you the motivation and inclination to begin to fight those battles. You need to have validation that you have permission to select this battle to fight. You will win if you take action!

A Taurus comes into your life when you must understand your worth. You do not know how valuable you are and that you deserve nice things too. You have validation that you have permission to receive gifts you are owed. It’s okay to be materialistic for once! After all, you earned it!

A Gemini enters your life when you need to communicate with someone. You may also need to get a lot off your chest. Gemini listens until you are done so you can just breathe afterward. You need some validation that you have permission to speak up. You deserve to be heard!

A Cancer enters your life when you are in need of some nurturing and caretaking. You have been selfless- doing it all for so many people. You have at times sacrificed your own needs. You need validation that you have permission to receive some affection. Come here baby…

A Leo enters your life when you are deserving of some much-needed affirmation. You will soon be rewarded for work you have done behind the scenes. Receive your well-earned recognition. You need validation to have permission to receive your public praise now! Congratulations!

A Virgo enters your life when you need a deep cleaning. They come to put everything all back together again, but after you purge the old and unnecessary. They will come clean up your life just with their energy alone. More than likely all the crumbs need to be vacuumed from your life. You need validation that you have permission to throw it all away. Basura!

A Libra comes into your life when you have been disempowered in a certain area of your life. Balance needs to be restored. If you allow Libra to assist you, you will tip the scales in your favor, somehow. You need validation that you can take the sword from Lady Justice. Now is the time...

A Scorpio comes into your life when a secret needs to be revealed. They will either tell you the secret or will be in your life when you receive the secret. Nothing will be hidden when they are around. You need validation that you deserve to know the truth. Don't shoot the messenger.

A Sagittarius comes into your life when you are uncertain where you are heading. What will the next step be? No need to worry about making the wrong decision. A Sag will tell you the next step and the final step- the origin, and the destination. You need validation that you can take some time to plan your next move. Vision Board party?

A Capricorn comes into your life when you need structure and discipline. Your foundation was built on sand. We need something sturdier and durable, something that could weather many storms. You have the validation that you can go in sequential order, brick by brick. Remember slow and steady wins the race!

An Aquarius comes into your life when your morality will be the focus. You will be able to define or redefine your belief system. When do you draw the line? Only you can answer that. You have the validation that you can set boundaries and create new boundaries if you want. You can say NO!

A Pisces comes into your life when you are in desperate need of a vacation, but cannot physically travel. You may have a lot on your plate at the current moment and have obligations that prevent you from traveling. You need validation that it's okay to take a mental health break. Mental Health Matters!

Next time you say you need a sign look at the dominant figures around you. This could come in the form of a friend, foe, stranger, acquaintance, co-worker, family, etc. Review their sun, moon, rising sign, degrees, and house. Then accept the gifts they organically offer to you without effort. The answer is right in front of you staring at you. What are you being told to continue your journey? What do you need to continue your journey? Do you see your sign?

Linguist Insights

If there are signs all around us? Who is currently around you? And what is their name? And what does it mean? For example: If someone you encounter is named Treasure and this name means "A collection of valuable things; accumulated wealth; a stock of money wealth...", (according to names.org) look to see if your finances have stabilized or increased since entering your life. A name carries a meaning and with that, it carries an energy. This is our inherent gift to the world.

[pedropascalito]

The Last of Us Joel Miller Character Study S1E1: Kitchen Decor Scheme

Joel’s kitchen is homey and functional without being twee and I appreciate this insight into his personality via his home:

This kitchen decor and brown color scheme is so aggressively 90’s and looks like every kitchen I spent time in during that era. (We had two kitchens in my home and the second one we had for convenience never got updated and could have been their filming location.)

The contrasting white pantry doors and white appliances really add the final 90s touch, very believable to still be in place into 2003.

The microwave over the stove was a little fancy for this time, as I recall. Now it's standard practice.

Wrap that watermelon in some Saran Wrap please!

Sarah I know you have bigger problems coming up but the metal spatula on a nonstick pan is stressing me the fuck out. I love that Joel has never corrected her about this.

Tabasco on the table like a good Hill Country/Valley household always has. Love that detail. Cholula would also be appreciated.

And a bay window in the kitchen? Ooh he got money.

Vacuum behind the table is very functional.

You just know it’s only due to Sarah’s efforts that those plants are thriving.

I see medication on the shelf and I’m guessing it’s Joel’s and now I’m stressed he didn’t even have his meds when the world fell apart.

I love there are none of the following in his kitchen:

A big wooden spoon and fork

Baskets of various sizes nailed to the wall

Fake flower sprays

Thick curtains

Wooden word signs

[obstinatecondolement]

There is an aphorism in science that all models are wrong, but some are useful. The general idea is that a simplified representation of something much more complex may not perfectly replicate every element of the real thing, or account for every single factor that would affect it under real world conditions, but a good simplification potentially can approximate something more complex enough to get broadly accurate* insights that are useful.

In my opinion, specific sexualities and genders (all of them, fwiw), and the even the concept of being cis or trans, are best thought of as useful models for certain amorphous clusters of experiences and feelings, rather than as things that have concrete, inflexible definitions that map perfectly onto every single person who uses that model of identity as a shorthand. Dictionary definitions of what gay means/what a woman is/etc., are all assuming spherical cows in a vacuum to make the maths easier, and you look like an idiot if you think that cows really are spherical and are not affected by atmospheric pressure in any way (or indeed that they could survive vacuum conditions) and then go around harassing cows on this basis.

A person's internal sense of self is more important than your belief in a model. Fuck off and let me get back to chewing cud.