#what function does this characterisation serve????????

[needanaccount2readarcaneposts]

every time i read a post about how, "silco kept fighting relentlessly for a free zaun because it's what fELiCiA wOuLd hAvE wAnTed," i add another name to my kill list (in minecraft).

we'll never fucking undo the damage s2 has done to his characterisation.

let people believe in things bigger than themselves without needing some secret twist reason. let people fight for something because they observed an injustice in the world and decided to fucking do something about it, without needing a personal motivation tied to a tragic dead friend/family member/lover/whatever.

it is one thing for s1 to acknowledge that, while silco was always a true believer, his trauma at vander's hands is responsible for informing his view on the need for unflinching ruthlessness; for excising weakness. but s2 is now vander-ifying silco and fandom is eating it right up; making him 'more sympathetic' by suggesting that his determination to keep fighting in the first place was in some way tied to a lost loved one. because in a liberal media framework that serves the interest of capital, it is dangerous to suggest that someone can be motivated by purely ideological reasons and still be sympathetic. can still be right to want what they want, or do what they do.

i'm gonna make Outlaw Kings & Rebellion Chic required reading for everyone, and have included more extracts under the cut, but in summary:

Violence that does not proceed from personal injury requires no such breakdown. This kind of primarily ideological violence can be directed against a perfectly functional system - functional, at least, for the perpetrator - simply because it appears the ‘just’ thing to do. No wonder, then, that in our mass media, the characters practising ideological violence are cast as morally unsound. If normality is not self-evident but a site of contention, then it problematises easy narratives of rebels vs tyrants. And if dispute over the political system is enough to justify force, then that implies violence against the modern Western state, even its violent overthrow, could be justifiable. This is understandably concerning for many writers, who tend to come from backgrounds closer to the Lannisters than the ‘smallfolk’.

If a person can commit violence simply because they believe it’s right, without any hidden ambition, then nothing stops us from acting to change the world.

Separately, there is in screenwriting a kind of uncodified rule: villains act, heroes react. The hero, according to traditional Hollywood structure, can’t fulfil their destiny until an extraordinary event drags them out of the world they know. More often than not, that event begins with the villain. Harry Potter is only the Chosen One because Lord Voldemort killed his parents. Luke Skywalker would have stayed on Tatooine dreaming of adventure, until Darth Vader’s attack on a rebel ship sends a secret message to his farm. Frodo would be safe and happy in Hobbiton if not for Sauron. Heroes rarely set out to change the world. Villains want change, and heroes run to keep up. [...] Many of these characters live with occupation, oppression, and state brutality as part of their daily lives, but they don’t turn to violent resistance until their families are directly threatened or killed. When heroes commit political violence, it must be to avenge a personal injury. This is supposed to be substantively different from political violence committed for ideological reasons, which receives a much less sympathetic treatment. [...] When we see violent characters who kill for primarily political reasons, they are often anti-heroes at best, outright villains at worst. The idea of the full circle revolution - of the secret dictator hiding in the throat of every rebel leader, waiting to leap out and betray the non-ideological hero - is utterly pervasive. It appears in videogames, where good old-fashioned all-American heroes like Jim Raynor of Starcraft or Booker DeWitt of Bioshock Infinite are betrayed by villainous revolutionaries Arcturus Mengsk and Daisy Fitzroy (and after all they’ve done for them!). It is common in films, from supervillains like Magneto and Killmonger, liberationists written as would-be conquerors, to the rebels of The Hunger Games, who vote to continue the games as soon as they’re in power, except with the children of the dethroned elite rather than the children of the poor. The same reversal is mentioned in A Song of Ice and Fire, where rebel slaves, once liberated, enslave their former masters; in the TV version, an evil fundamentalist visits the kind of cruelty on the King’s Landing nobility that they visited on others. In all these examples we see an echo of the primal fear of every oppressive class, the nightmare at the heart of modern white supremacy: what if someone did to us what we’ve done to them? Liberation is re-imagined as the world turned not so much upside-down but mirrored. [...]

Rensin attributes the hatred of the High Sparrow to his hypocrisy, but I don’t think that’s quite right. What is terrible about the High Sparrow is that he has no personal grievance. He didn’t see his father killed by the ‘good guys’, like Killmonger. His family weren’t murdered by his oppressors, like Magneto. By his own account the High Sparrow was a cobbler who became disillusioned, found religion, and now, thanks to the vagaries of a civil war among the elite, finds himself in a position to overturn the social order. The feudal system of Westeros never injured him personally. He simply came to believe it should be torn down, and acted accordingly.

We seem to find this faintly repellent. We are so used to looking for an ulterior motive that, when we can’t find one, we grow uncomfortable. If a good person can commit violence simply because they believe it’s right, without any hidden ambition, then nothing stops us from acting to change the world. [...] Violence that does not proceed from personal injury requires no such breakdown. This kind of primarily ideological violence can be directed against a perfectly functional system - functional, at least, for the perpetrator - simply because it appears the ‘just’ thing to do. No wonder, then, that in our mass media, the characters practising ideological violence are cast as morally unsound. If normality is not self-evident but a site of contention, then it problematises easy narratives of rebels vs tyrants. And if dispute over the political system is enough to justify force, then that implies violence against the modern Western state, even its violent overthrow, could be justifiable. This is understandably concerning for many writers, who tend to come from backgrounds closer to the Lannisters than the ‘smallfolk’.

[mint-in-the-moonlight]

"Thus while historians may (and often do) lazily characterise Diana as a goddess of slaves or other underprivileged classes, or as a ‘women’s goddess’, those exclusive functions are certainly not borne out by the Republican inscriptional evidence. In fact, the one thing we can say about Diana’s worshippers is that there is no typical dedicant. And if the various groups of worshippers – slaves, freed persons, elite men, and women – had different conceptions of, and approaches to, Diana, there is unfortunately little evidence of this to be gleaned from their terse dedications. Where does this leave us? To dismiss Diana as little more than an Italic facsimile of Artemis, as influential nineteenth- and twentieth-century scholars have done, is to do her a disservice. Our understanding of her has also been badly served by the emphasis on Diana Nemorensis in Frazer’s Golden Bough, and in the mountain of literature, scholarly and otherwise, which Frazer’s work has generated over the years. The implacable Diana of Nemi (Virg., Aen. 7.764) is, in the end, merely one aspect of a very old Italic deity who existed in a constantly evolving environment, and whose identity was not static but dynamic and highly complex, responding to reinterpretation by devotees whose own needs, at times their own identities, were themselves in flux. It is no surprise that when we reach the point at which we can read Diana best, she is found to embody a wide and seemingly less than coherent range of functions and attributes, garnered over centuries. Worshippers themselves constructed and reconstructed a god like Diana, building a flexible and adaptive deity who answered to their immediate religious requirements. This explains why what we see in the literary, archaeological, and epigraphic record shows a deity with a broad and contrasting set of roles, stretching from federal deity to patroness of witches. Without doubt she operated in far more than (presumed narrow) ‘female’ areas of interest. Some of her roles and relationships can be described, broadly, as connected with marginal or transitional places, people, and events. But when we find her worshipped by high-status individuals and groups as part of strategies for political legitimation, this shows that her divinity was also able to be employed, in complete contrast, in support of legitimate sovereignty of the city and of civilisation."

Fay Glinister, "Getting to know Diana", Gods and Goddesses in Ancient Italy, 2019, p. 54-55

[crazylittlejester]

Okayokay, so at the time this au takes place, it's been about 5 years since the War of Eras and he has been promoted to the rank of General (like Impa I think) and is like a cool uncle figure to the knights in training.

Like most characterisations of hw Link (I'll call him 'Captain' because he would hate being so directly associated with the War), my guy has a shit ton of trauma that he's working through. For now I'm going to talk about the physical injuries he's had. Basically, at the start yk how Volga beats up this kid? Yeah, that's left a lot worse scarring. Like, Zuko from atla level scarring on his face, and it extends down onto his chest and the entirety of his right arm. As a result, the areas are either numb or he can't stand the feeling of anything rubbing against it (basing it on my own burn scar but anyways). Oh, and he's also got a massive scar across his throat from a messy attempted assassination. He only survived because of a fairy. Impa gifted him the scarf because he didn't want anyone to see the hero as someone that could be killed or scratched (completely ignoring the burn scars but he's a Link, he doesn't hold the triforce of wisdom).

Another thing is that when people found out that the War started over Cia wanting the Linkussy (I'm sorry) many harassed him and blamed everything on him, like to the point where people only ever saw him on the battlefield or sprinting back to his tent. Eventually it devolved into people saying the war wasn't worth fighting because he wasn't even beautiful (they said this because of his scars). At one point some soldiers managed to drug him until he was basically comatose and they snuck out in the middle of the night to deliver him to Cia and hopefully end the war.

He refuses to talk about what happened there. When he was eventually rescued, both of his legs were broken and he had Cia's name engraved in his back. Since then, touch has been difficult for him to accept.

Even after all that, he refused to turn bitter and still helped his teammates, even if they hated him, because he figured that if he was the hero then he needed to act like it before he was left to rot for being useless, or in case they decided they didn't need a hero.

How does toon Link and young oot Link play into this? They fought alongside everyone else, and were unofficially adopted as younger brothers by Captain. They were the only ones other than Impa and Sheik/Zelda allowed in his tent. He only took off the Hero mask around them because he refuses to lose who he was to who people expect him to be.

When the War finally ended, Captain slept for a week and woke up in the royal infirmary. He's lived in the Castle under royal protection ever since, because during the war somehow his home was destroyed and his family killed by monsters. This was retaliation after he was rescued from Cia.

Needless to say, Zelda got his twink ass in therapy. It's helped a lot, and now he can actually appear in front of people and take care of himself. He's still got a way to go, but now he can actually see a future for himself. Now he still works in the Hyrulean Military, but I don't know much about military stuff and it doesn't seem that interesting so cannot provide many details. But he's good friends with both Impa and Zelda and hopes to be a good influence on new recruits.

When my au happens, he's still depressed but he's functioning, and he serves as a lighthouse of sorts for the other Links. A person to talk to, someone to inspire them to keep going. The person he wishes he had when he was at his worst. He still refuses touch, but he shows love in other ways. Only Mask and Sailor really knows how it is a sign of just how much better he's gotten since the War, and they will stab anyone who badmouths him.

Side note: he's the only one who can get Mask to actually speak in this au.

Also, he isn't perfect. On his worst days, he can't stand the idea of anyone perceiving him and will have a full blown panic attack if touched by anything or he sees any eyes on him. Sometimes he accidentally lashes out at the other Links when they do something that unintentionally triggers him, and he believes they may betray him.

Anyway, I can't think of much more, sorry for the ungodly amount of text !!

(sorry i didn’t answer sooner i wanted to make sure i had the time read the whole thing)

I don’t think any of us are capable of giving this man a good time we all give him the worst life ever. DAMN. THIS POOR GUY (i say as if i treat him any better)

OUGH. im glad he got therapy 🥺

[batsplat]

comparing the casey/valentino autobiography and the jorge biography (that has quite an autobiographical feel given how closely he collaborates with the author). the casey autobiography has the most obvious factually misleading moments, the valentino autobiography has the most obvious editorially misleading moments, and the jorge biography generally reads as the most honest. actually skews hard the other way where you read it and go 'hm do you really want to share this with the class, jorge'. valentino's writing around his story, casey's selling his story and jorge thinks he'll be best served by radical honesty and doesn't really do either of those things. as if the only problem he has is just... people not knowing him enough, like he'd stop being misunderstood if they just had all the facts. that doesn't mean jorge's biography accurately characterises all the events it covers, or that it's engage in less narrativisation - it's just that the narrative it provides of jorge the underdog sports movie protagonist does feel like one that is also playing in jorge's actual brain. and yes, the journalist's framing of jorge's story is at times also a little bit deranged, the book is structured in a way that feels actively hostile to reading it cover to cover... but it does feel like it's accurately capturing the vibe of that time for jorge. where his mind was actually at when the book was being written. which is actually quite refreshing in that it often just tells you what you're looking for... pleasingly straightforward

by contrast. with casey you're often being forced to read between the lines, in part because a lot of the raw emotion has been bled out of the narrative. you can tell how much he wants to give you his side of the story and that story is told clearly and coherently enough... maybe it's partly a function of how the book was published post-retirement, but it saps casey of a lot of the emotional volatility and urgency that were so central to him. the casey of the autobiography is obviously fundamentally the same guy as the casey who actually lived all those events, but it's all muted and distorted enough that it feels like he's talking to me through a radio that's sitting in a different room. and with valentino's meandering narrative, the challenge is less reading between the lines and more ignoring the lines altogether to figure out what he's not even talking about at all. it's a book that's as much defined by its negative space as what is actually on the page. it's a narrative that is more interested in making you laugh alongside its subject matter than letting you learn about him. so. y'know. thanks jorge for providing a book that can mostly just be taken at face value and also contains quite a lot of genuine vulnerability. you're the best

[ga-industrial-brief]

Mental health conditions and their portrayl in games

Given that our game will be symbolic of a person's jouney through their mind, eventually escaping the confines of their past and the toll it's taken on their mental health, it would be prudent to look into games that tackle similar themes.

1] Depression and What Remains Of Edith Finch

What Remains Of Edith Finch tackles death, loss, depression and mourning in a way that no other game does. Each 'episode' follows the journey of a Finch family member, using different artstyles and mechanics, often feeling surreal, to express the character's personality before they ultimately meet their end. Lewis, for instance, is a 21 year old cannery worker who imagined himself the ruler of a fantasy realm. Lewis was established to be in therapy at the time for problems stemming from substance abuse, explaining how he saw the world in the way he did. As the player goes through the world as Lewis sees it, they bow down their head to a guillotine in order to accept a crown from their companion. The last thing the player hears is the sound of a heavy blade, implying Lewis was decapitated by the cannery's blade - likely due to Lewis's inability to cope with the longing for his fantasy life whilst living a mundane existance. As seen here, What Remains expresses Lewis's way of seeing life and his death by placing the player directly in Lewis's perspective. This also serves to take away control as they know they can't change what will happen, likely similar to the feeling of helplesness Lewis felt. This culminates in a death that is both shocking but not believable as the player understands Lewis's past and the fact that he is not well.

The lessons I intend to take from What Remains is that even without dialogue, the player character can still be characterised and have the player see the world through their eyes to convey their mental struggles and way of seeing the world.

2] Delusions and Disco Elysium

Disco Elysium tackles a number of mental health conditions better than nearly any other game, but the delusions experienced by Harry Du Bois and how they affect the gameplay is unlike any other. In Disco Elysium, Harry can talk to his tie, the voices in his head representitive of factions of his mind or the very city he is in. Although a player may be quick to dismiss these, what they say are often critical to the story - Harry talking to a corpse reveals the cause of death. This teaches the player both not to disregard anything based on their preconceptions, and the relevance of Harry's frequent delusions and how meaningful they are.

These delusions and voices also allow Harry to internalise his experiences and what he has to consider, allowing him to discuss what's on his mind with parts of his mind. This affords Harry a form of independance most people lack - he can always get a second opinion without anyone else having to take a look. This also extends to allowing Harry to be more creative and, in a way, functional as a person whilst also innoculating him against loneliness and isolation.

The lessons I intend on taking from Disco Elysium is that mental health conditions aren't nescessarily a detriment, and to find creative ways to express how the player character exists and percieves that existance.

3] Anxiety and Celeste

Celeste tackles concepts such as anxiety, depression and identity. Madeline's journey up the Celeste mountain encompasses her fight with identity against Badeline, dissuading her from continuing and her saviour complex and need to help with the ghost of Mr Oshiro who cannot leave his dilapidated resort hotel. Both can be traced back to Madeline's anxiety, shown through the feather-balancing minigame as she struggles through an an anxiety attack. This anxiety manifests in the reflection of her self-doubt, Madeline, and her desire to help Mr Oshiro regardless of the consequences to her or him, as reading between the lines suggests she believes it will make her be able to be proud of herself. All of Madeline's mental turmoil in Celeste is a direct cause of her anxiety.

However, as with Mr Oshiro, Madeline struggles to deal with her anxiety in a productive manner - when she attempts to force Badeline to leave, Badeline responds 'you think you can just leave me behind?' Instead of trying to work through her anxiety and accept herself, Celeste tries to fight it and, as a result, part of herself - a fight she could never win, sybolised how she is flung off the mountain, into the crystal caverns. In the true final confrontation, Madeline does't fight Badeline - she is a representation of how all Madeline's fears and anxieties became a defence mechanism, and she shows Badeline kindness and slowly proves to Badeline that she no longer needs the defence mechanism.

The lesson I plan on taking from Celeste is to teach the player fighting isn't their onluy option,

[niceandaccurategoodomensanalysis]

Pic from Legbird's blog

A guide to the creation of the universe: from Crowley Starmaker to space missions - part 3

A look at the history of our universe, following the opening scene of the second series of Good Omens.

This analysis was originally written for a very special event that took place last November, which marked a milestone in the history of astronomy! Part 1 here - Part 2 here.

III: The birth of the Universe

Let's take a look at the first 200 seconds of life in our Universe.

With this chapter, we complete our analysis of the first moment of the second season, when our angelic Crowley literally started the universe, creating nebulae, galaxies, stars, protoplanets and so on. What do we really know about the birth of the universe?

THE BIG BANG

Cosmologists and astrophysicists have come up with a number of theories to try and explain how our Universe came into being, but the most popular and widely accepted to date is undoubtedly the 'Big Bang' theory. According to this cosmological model, at the beginning of all our history, almost 14 billion years ago, there was a big explosion followed by an extremely accelerated expansion of all the matter and energy in our universe today - and this expansion is still going on! We talked about this only last week - but it begs the question: WHAT exploded? What was there in the beginning?

THE VERY FIRST MOMENTS OF LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE - AND THE VERY LAST!

Before the beginning, all the matter and energy in the entire universe was condensed into a single point, extremely dense, hot beyond imagination, and infinitely small.

This rightly raises another question: why? Why did all the matter and energy of the universe accumulate in a super-dense and inconceivably hot cluster?

One possible answer that scientists have come up with is the Big Crunch theory: there may come a time in the history of the universe when total gravity would hold the celestial bodies in place, preventing them from moving apart; then gravity would reverse the trend, so that the whole universe would begin to collapse in on itself, condensing into an infinitely small hot spot. Past a critical density threshold, this thickening of matter and energy would expand and then contract again, like a spring that stretches and shortens.

The combination of events similar to the Big Bang and the Big Crunch is the basis of theories such as the oscillating universe and the big bounce theories, which attempt to give a coherent continuity to hypotheses about the birth and fate of the universe. Practically speaking, it is possible that the Universe will continue to expand and contract for eternity. We are currently in an expansion phase, and everything began at that moment when all forms of matter and energy were concentrated in that one point, where the temperature and energy were so high that they tended towards infinity (does this remind you of anything? Functions, limits...? Yes, exactly: everything we tried to understand in high school actually serves a purpose!) for a very short moment that was almost impossible to study with the rules of physics developed so far. We call this moment a singularity, and we have not yet found the mathematical tools to define what happened during this time.

Scientists estimate that this moment lasted about a picosecond, or a thousandth of a nanosecond, which is a billionth of a second. One THOUSANDth of a BILLIONth of a second. Such a small amount of time holds such a great mystery.

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

Immediately after this moment, according to most cosmologists, comes a phase characterised by a strong and very rapid expansion, possibly promoted by the appearance of dark matter and dark energy (we talked about this in the previous post: these are forces that could actively promote density uniformity and the expansion of the universe, but we still know almost nothing about them). This phase is called 'inflation' (this term comes from Latin and means 'to inflate') and would not only solve many of the problems raised by the singularity mentioned a few paragraphs above, but would also provide a valid explanation for a big question that keeps many scientists awake at night: the homogeneity of the universe.

The Universe is constantly expanding, and the distances between the celestial bodies are such that they prevent one from influencing the other.

Put simply, the Universe is big and we expect it to be incredibly diverse, and as we continue to explore more distant galaxies, we will find different physical properties and conditions.

Instead, we always find constant conditions.

For example, the cosmic background radiation is the radiation that pervades the entire observable universe and is all that remains of the first moments of the universe's life. This radiation tells us that the temperature is almost the same throughout space: 2,725 °K, or -270.425 °C (very close to absolute zero, the lowest possible temperature).

Inflation theory tells us that shortly after the Big Bang, matter and energy underwent a very rapid expansion, faster than the speed of light, so that pieces of matter and energy, all still very similar in temperature and density, were pushed to the farthest corners of the Universe. As the Universe then expanded, these similar parts continued their lives and evolved separately, but in a similar way.

Think, for example, of making pizza dough: once we have mixed flour, lukewarm water, salt and yeast, we can divide it into portions to make several pans. By putting them all in different pans, but in the same room, with similar temperature and humidity, we expect the doughs, although of different volumes, to have the same consistency (and the pizzas to be good!).

More or less the same thing happens with the different parts of the visible universe: they are all homogeneous in density and temperature, with minimal differences.

To describe it, it seems that this period has lasted a long time. In actual fact, we have not even touched the first second of the universe's life.

THE FIRST TWO HUNDRED SECONDS

Inflation is estimated to have started when the universe was still much, much smaller than a millimetre and to have reached a diameter of about a billion kilometres soon afterwards. We are still one billionth of a second after the Big Bang.

In the first 10 seconds, subatomic particles are formed: quarks, bosons, hadrons, leptons. The temperature is about a trillion degrees and falling fast.

In the next 90 seconds, the first atomic nuclei form. The universe is about 1000 billion kilometres in diameter and has a temperature of one billion degrees.

200 seconds after the Big Bang, we find the first atoms of hydrogen and helium (the main constituents of stars) distributed in an opaque cloud about 10,000 light years in diameter. However, the temperature is still so high that matter as we know it does not exist. We will still have to wait almost 400,000 years before the atoms begin to bond together.

STARS ARE BORN

Fast forward to about 200,000,000 years after the Big Bang and we finally find the first stars. Fusion processes within them created oxygen, carbon, iron, nitrogen and other heavy elements. When Alan Sorrenti sang that ‘we are the children of the stars’ ["Noi siamo i figli delle stelle"] , well... he wasn't so wrong!

The oldest star known to us is 13.2 billion years old, is called HE 1523-0901 and is located in the constellation Libra.

Our galaxy on the other hand, the Milky Way, was formed 10 billion years ago.

Our Sun and with it our solar system were born 5 billion years ago. The Earth, about 4.5 billion years ago.

At least, that's what Science tells us. As Good Omens fans, however, we know how things really happened...

For now, our journey of discovery into the Universe ends here. Subscribe to the series "The Science behind Good Omens" for more analyses of scientific aspects within the Good Omens series! More infos at:

_ Big Bang - Wikipedia

_ Cyclic model - Wikipedia

_ Horizon problem - Wikipedia

_ Cosmic microwave background - Wikipedia

_ Cosmic inflation - Wikipedia

_ Chronology of the universe - Wikipedia

Read this post on AO3

Subscribe to my series: The Nice and Accurate Good Omens Analysis and The Science behind Good Omens

Find me on Facebook

[pinkeoni]

do you think max was characterised for a bait-and-switch final girl. preferring max than maxine, being boyish, seeming to reject the boys at first, being the one to defeat billy over steve holding his nail bat (check the castration fear threat when she slams it down to the floor between billy’s legs) while all the boys are prone bystanders. but this then falls away as her story prioritises her romance with lucas and female solidarity, and why she isn't able to escape her victim role coming to head in s4 saving herself

I don't think I mentioned this in my Will post but Max is absolutely a Final Girl, from what you said anon with her boyishness as well as her function in the story. S4 is the most slasher-y season (they even bring up Freddy Krueger by name, just in case we missed the reference) and Max is the final victim and does manage to survive, even narrowly.

There are some aspects like you said that do set her apart from common ideas of final girls although final girl-ism isn't necessarily a strict set of guidelines and there are plenty of other characters that bend the rules but are still considered to be Final Girls— Sally from Texas Chainsaw was rescued by an outside source and Sidney Prescott had a romance and even lost her virginity in the movie (albeit to the killer himself, and Scream is a film that acknowledged and tried to both embrace and subvert slasher tropes)

I see the part of your ask that asks if these parts of Max that set her apart from other Final Girls is what causes her to not be able to save herself and honestly anon... I'm not sure. I know that the Duffs originally planned to kill her which is... a decision I'm glad they went back on. And really I don't think that this eliminates her Final Girl status as I see the Final Girl as being able to endure and survive and even if she needed outside help and just barely escaped alive, she's still kicking!

Honestly I don't know if Max's rescue by El at the end of the season is meant to be a bait-and-switch and more of a half-hearted attempt to try and string two plots together. Sure it makes sense for El to want to save Max, but El's plot wasn't really about Max, Max's plot wasn't really about El, so it doesn't feel like a culmination of anything. Max was able to help herself out a little by figuring out how to "hide in the light" but after that she was just mulling around until El showed up. If anything it serves El's hero plot more than it serves Max's plot. There's some connective tissue there, but it's loose.

I know that part of Max's plot was about allowing herself to open up and let other people help her, this is a little flimsy because El wasn't the one she was keeping out and they were really only separated by distance. Would Max have shut El out if El were still in Hawkins? Probably. But the way more satisfying moment already came from Dear Billy when the people she was trying to shut out in the first place, Lucas and Dustin, not only get through to her with the music but she also makes the decision to run to them. So now with Max being able to let others in to help her, she needs to decide if she wants to allow herself to keep living.

[aboutanancientenquiry]

Herodotus' Proem and ancient Greek epinician poetry

"Thus the numerous points of contact between Sappho 16 and the prologue of the Histories suggest that, in addition to underscoring points of significant contrast with Homeric epic, Herodotus’ rhetorical strategy may also have evoked an especially well known poetic priamel, imitating its form while contesting its argument. Looking beyond Sappho, finally, I would like to propose that epinician poetry also contributes important elements to the intertextual background against which Herodotus’ original audience may have understood Histories 1.1-5. Here I refer to both the use of the priamel in epinician and to the portrayal of Croesus in that genre. Bundy has described the priamel as manifesting ‘perhaps the most important structural principle known to choral poetry, in particular to those forms devoted to praise’.81 Race has described Pindar, the most accomplished of the Greek epinician poets, as ‘the indisputed master of the priamel’.82 Now a common function of the priamel in epinician is to intensify praise of the laudandus and his achievements—as seen, for example, in the pair of priamels that frame Pindar’s Olympian 1. The first of these (lines 1-7) addresses what is ‘best’ (ἄριστον, 1) in various spheres, and culminates in acclaim of the Olympian games, where Hieron has won the single horse race; the second (lines 113-4) considers ‘greatness’ (µεγάλοι, 113) and finds its ultimate manifestation in kingship, the political pinnacle that Hieron has scaled in Syracuse.83 Viewed against this background of epinician priamels that enhance the praise of the laudandus, Herodotus’ use of the form in 1.1-5 takes on an ironic colouring, since the general context or category of this opening is blame rather than praise—seeking the αἰτίη of the Greco-Persian wars, Herodotus proclaims Croesus responsible for initiating, within historical memory, the sequence of injustices that characterise the contentious relationship between Europe and Asia, the Greeks and the Persians.

This assessment of blame not only inverts a common use of the priamel in epinician, but also anticipates a radical departure from the portrayal of Croesus himself in the genre, where despite his foreign origins he serves as a positive paradigm of prosperity (ὄλβος) and generosity for the Greek aristocrat.84 [Note 84: Croesus makes only two appearances in extant epinician poetry (Pi. Pyth. 1.94, Bacch. 3.23-62), and his Pindaric appearance is very brief indeed. Nonetheless, several scholars have characterised the king’s generosity as a traditional theme of epinician: cf. Nagy (1990) 276; Crane (1996) 58; Kurke (1999) 131] By dramatic contrast, in his programmatic confrontation with Solon (1.29-33), the Herodotean Croesus is portrayed as a non-Greek, Asiatic ‘other’85 with a perspective on material wealth that (for all his generosity to Delphic Apollo) proves disastrously shortsighted [Note 85: This is not to deny the point made by Pelling (1997) that in some important ways Herodotus presents Croesus and Lydia as ‘on the cusp’ between East and West, and by no means straightforwardly Asiatic. Nonetheless, I would argue that in the discussion of what constitutes olbos Croesus’ focus on money (after giving Solon a tour of his treasuries, 1.30.1) allies him with the ‘objectification or reification of value among the Persians’ that Konstan ((1987) 6a) has discerned in the Histories. At the same time, and as Pelling himself ((2006a) 143) observes, much of Solon’s moralising is recognisable as ‘conventional Greek wisdom’. Only over time does Croesus come to recognise the wisdom of this Greek sage and ‘the god of the Greeks’, Apollo (1.87.3, 90.2: for these scornful references to Apollo bya still unenlightened Croesus, cf. Harrison (2000) 215)]. For as long as Croesus possesses his Eastern riches and monarchy, he is unable to appreciate the Hellenic wisdom expounded by Solon, who defines ὄλβος from the perspective of a moderately wealthy citizen of a Greek polis, while warning of the threat to human prosperity posed by the resentful deity. Only after losing his riches and power with the fall of Sardis, as his funeral pyre burns, does Croesus recognise the truth of Solon’s words (1.86.3-5), anticipated in Herodotus’ own observation of the transience of human success at the end of the prologue (1.5.4). Gregory Crane has demonstrated the rarity of the term ὄλβος and its derivatives in Greek prose; concluding that ὄλβος is a marked poetic term with specifically epinician associations, he argues that in his presentation of Croesus Herodotus ‘is exploring and redefining in prose the assumptions which underlay epinician poetry’.86 In other words, one function of the Herodotean scenes involving Croesus and Solon is to explore the complex attitudes towards luxury and wealth in archaic and classical Greek culture. If I am right to suggest that the prefatory priamel of the Histories evokes the use of that structure and the characterisation of Croesus in epinician lyric, Herodotus anticipates from the outset of his work a dialogue with one branch of the poetic tradition that engages issues of profound social, political, and historical importance."

From the article of Charles C. Chiasson “Herodotus’ Prologue and the Greek Poetic Tradition”, Histos 6 (2012), 114-143.

Source:

My only comment to this excerpt from a very good text of Pr. Chiasson on Herodotus' Proem and its relation with the Greek poetic tradition is that, if it is totally true that the opposition between on the one hand the constitutional structures and the civic virtues of the ancient Greek poleis and on the other hand the overconcentration of power and wealth in the Eastern monarchies is a central theme in Herodotus' Histories and that the dialogue between Croesus and Solon is indeed emblematic for this opposition, things are as always more complicated in Herodotus: Croesus is described in the Histories not as just a wealthy foolish Asiatic "other", but as a complex personality, not without virtues, but doomed like a tragic hero by hereditary sin and his own mistakes and blindness, who eventually loses throne and wealth, but is saved in extremis by the favor of the god to become the wise councelor of his victor. Moreover, greed is presented in Herodotus' work as a vice to which Greeks are not at all immune and which may lead important Greek figures to their doom (with most conspicuous example that of Polycrates, tyrant of Samos).

[variousqueerthings]

AND LAST OF S5: THE BIG BANG

Soooooo I don't dislike it. All the kid!Amy stuff I really really like even!

but does it stick the landing?

sexism rank objectification (female character is ogled/harassed/turned into a sex joke by the doctor and/or a lead we’re supposed to root for and/or the camera): 7/10

sexism rank plot-point (lead female character is only there to serve plot, not to have her emotional interiority explored, or having her emotional agency ignored by the plot): 5/10

interesting complex or pointlessly complex (does the complexity serve the narrative or does it just serve to be confusing as a stand-in for smart, this includes visually): 6/10

furthers character and/or lore and/or plot development (broader question that ties into the previous ones, at least two of these, ideally three should be fulfilled): 7/10

companion matters (the companion doesn’t always have to be there, but if the companion is there, can they function without the doctor– and overall per season how often is the companion the focus or POV of the story): 3/10

the doctor is more than just “godlike” (examines the doctor’s flaws and limitations, doesn’t solve a plot by having it revolve entirely around the doctor’s existence): 5/10

doesn’t look down on previous doctor who (by erasing or mocking its importance, by redoing and “bettering” previous beloved plotpoints or characters, etc.): 6/10

isn’t trying to insert hamfisted sexiness (m*ffat famously talked a lot about how dw should be sexier multiple times, he sucks at writing it): 5/10

internal world has consistency (characters have backgrounds, feel rooted in a place with other people, generally feel like they have Lives): 6/10

Politics (how conservative is the story): 6/10

FULL RATING: 56/100 (if I can count….)

Better than Pandorica Opens!

OBJECTIFICATION: Not too bad, good start. Amy is wearing (most of the time) the same outfit as last episode, and River is also just vibing

PLOT-POINT: This episode is ostensibly all about Amelia Pond's first Moment with the Doctor as an eye of the storm, and I like that

but Amy never really talks about it or does anything related to it. she does have a bit where she says she doesn't regret their journeying, but for some reason she's the main person who never really seems to... feel anything about it, like actually this genuinely was sorted back in end episode 1 for her

and the whole purpose of her having had this encounter is to bring the Doctor back from non-existence. there's a version of this story, where Amy's conflicted feelings about being abandoned, and even tbh about marriage are at the centre of the conflict

River is just there to be mysterious, you'll see later what's going on with her... maybe...

COMPLEXITY: A lot of forwards and backwards in time and the Tardis is exploding and we still don't know why, in the end they're baaasically running through a museum and the Doctor hooks himself up to the Pandorica and yeets himself into the heart of the storm

It's not egregious/it's possible to follow... there are unanswered questions.....

I also think it's hilarious that after all that supposed set-up, Rory just... takes him out of the box again. Into the box and out of the box

CHARACTERS/LORE/PLOT: I need to ruminate on this a bit. getting married as plot is not a bad thing. I'm not a massive fan of the Amy/Rory romance and how it progressed (mainly because it mostly didn't and then suddenly shifted into a slightly different parallel universe where they're madly in love), so I'm not sold on Amy's adultness being centred in marriage

but this is not only a M*ffat thing. this show is very based in alloromance. it's just whether it makes sense that Amy... wants this... or if the plot just decided that now she does

do I think characters got closer? kinda yeah. Amy and Rory are married now, even though Rory is still characterised as permanently unsure of where he stands with Amy's "moods" (angry moods, sexual moods, sad moods, etc)

Rory: Are you okay? Amy: Are you? Rory: No Amy: Well shut up then!

I was kinda struck by how venomous she was at him, and then they hug and it's fine, but that's kind of what it feels like between them a lot of the time

Amy: are you just saying yes, because you’re scared of me? Rory:... yep

anyway, it changes things for the next season perhaps, now they are firmly married and not in the "will Amy or won't she" boat

and the Doctor came to the wedding! didn't disappear when he was called!

there is plot To Come that is set up... why did the Tardis explode? what is the Silence?

COMPANIONS MATTER: they're there for most of it, there's this whole backstory of Rory protecting the Pandorica for 2000 years, which is the basis of Rory and Amy now being this epic romance, and taken on its own it's pretty cool

Amy is there to experience things happening, so that she can remember it later on, and then she gets married, because in the end all of s5 is centred around the Marriage Of The Ponds and Amy learning that she can grow up (get married) and have adventures with the Doctor and those things don't cancel each other out

the Doctor does things and they all follow

“GODLIKE” DOCTOR: eh, the Doctor solves everything and everyone's just tagging along, but I like the "we're all just stories in the end" bit. the Doctor is also just a story

PREVIOUS DOCTOR WHO: not much of previous Doctor Who in this so... not terrible technically

“SEXINESS”: Why is Amy doing her whole "I'm gonna snog the Doctor" schtick? There's this bit also where she and Rory make out for ages and the camera lingers on it, because now they're passionate lovers, and fine, I guess, it's not the worst thing M*ffat has done

I am deciding to add River's whole... making the Dalek say Mercy. it's kind of a fantasy badass moment where she's being badass with a gun

and here I'm unsure whether to put Amy making Rory afraid or not, because it's definitely a M*ffat fantasy, but it also relates to Amy's whole... why this a good relationship? anyway. we'll put it here, because I'm sleepy, fuckit

Amy sauntering up to the Doctor and saying "We haven’t even had a snog in the shrubbery yet" is unfortunately just. it's in my brain

INTERNAL WORLD: we've met Amy's aunt! in that other world where the stars don't exist and the Universe is ending. and we've met Amy's parents! (wonder if we'll see them again)

it's kind of rebuilding things after episode 1 already gave us something of her life, but none of those character reappear. it's also hard not to know what comes next, which is.... nothing with any of this

especially considering Amy not remembering her parents is presented as a Big Deal in this episode, so her life is now straightened out (I was going to say normalised or returned to the ideal status quo, and realised all three of these are hiding the truth, which is that Amy's life is normative now -- she got married at last, and she has two parents like Normal)

POLITICS: Nothing much one way or another in this

FULL RATING: 56/100 (if I can count….)

I think this episode is defined by being not the worst of the season. It's strongest suit is not being super offensive, but it's also not extraordinary. Its weakness is in the companions again. Are they there to experience the Doctor doing cool stuff, or are they there to have narratives centred around them? How does Amy feel about her entire existence being bait? About being helpless to do anything in this whole thing that revolves in some way around her memories? she just kind of bounces into whatever the plot needs someone to do, never being particularly affected by what came before

[stvlti]

3, 4, 7, 14 for the ask game pls 🌼🌼🌼

thanks for coming through babe

3 ⧽. what's something you like about your writing?

This question's been answered <here>

4 ⧽. is there an au or trope that you haven't written before, but would want to try?

Hm......I mean, I've had a cake & fork au for FeydPaul in my WIP folders going on 9 months now. I've kinda sorta written cannibalism/vore before for a crack fic but never done it seriously, so yeah, it would be cool if I ever get around to writing that. but i've got 1 foot in the Sinners fandom and 1 foot in the Bandersnatch fandom now, so where does that leave me with the Dune fandom? 😂🤡

7 ⧽. is there a fic you wish you received feedback on, but didn't get any/much? this ask game is asking someone else to then give feedback on said fic, pretty pretty please!!!

YEAHHHH you're a real one for sending this question in. It's gotta be my JayRoy & Rose & Joey paranormal investigators au still. That's the only non-rarepair fic of mine that hasn't crossed 1k hits / 100 kudos / 10 comment threads yet so I just don't get it.

14 ⧽. is there anything outside of your normal content that you want to write?

uhh, not really? I think fanfic serves a pretty clear function for me -

a playground where I can just mess around with canon and put my blorbos into Situations(tm) without having to worry about polishing my writing too much, because it's just for fun;

where I do more serious character studies and write fix-it fics whenever i have a bone to pick with the poor representation/unfinished storylines/poor character development/etc in canon -

so i'm not sure what more I could do outside of my 'normal content'. I know fandom doesn't have to be political, but that's kinda where I'm already at, because most of the ships and characterisations I write are queer (and not just yaoi/yuri, but actually queer), so I don't think there's anything else worth pursuing short of going full experimental with it 😅 and experimental prose is something I already do with my original writing anyway, so yeah. I'm happy approaching and writing the content I do in fanfic as is 🤷

Fic writer asks ✍️ Send me a number!

[acabinet647]

What Are the Key Considerations for Kitchen Cabinet Design in Liverpool?

Kitchen cabinet design in Liverpool plays a vital role in shaping the functionality and aesthetic of a kitchen. Cabinets serve as the primary storage solution, influencing how efficiently a kitchen operates and how it looks. Given Liverpool’s diverse architectural styles and climate, cabinet designs must balance durability, style, and practicality.

Exploring the essential factors in cabinet design helps homeowners make informed choices suited to their kitchen size, layout, and lifestyle.

What Materials Are Commonly Used in Kitchen Cabinet Design in Liverpool?

Solid WoodKnown for its durability and timeless appeal, solid wood cabinets offer a range of finishes and can be customised to suit various styles.

MDF (Medium-Density Fibreboard)MDF provides a smooth surface ideal for painting and is a cost-effective alternative to solid wood.

PlywoodPlywood cabinets combine strength and resistance to moisture, making them a practical choice for Liverpool’s often damp climate.

LaminateLaminate finishes come in numerous colours and patterns, providing versatility and easy maintenance.

How Does Style Influence Kitchen Cabinet Design?

Traditional StyleFeaturing ornate details, raised panels, and classic colours, traditional cabinets complement period properties common in Liverpool.

Modern StyleClean lines, flat panels, and minimalist hardware create sleek kitchens that suit contemporary homes.

Shaker StyleA popular blend of traditional and modern, Shaker cabinets are characterised by simple frames and recessed panels.

Industrial StyleRaw finishes, metal accents, and utilitarian designs offer a bold, urban look that works well in renovated city spaces.

What Storage Solutions Enhance Cabinet Functionality?

Pull-Out Drawers and ShelvesThese allow easy access to items at the back, maximising storage efficiency.

Corner CarouselsRotating shelves in corner cabinets reduce wasted space and improve reachability.

Integrated OrganisersCutlery trays, spice racks, and utensil dividers keep essentials organised and accessible.

Tall Pantry CabinetsThese provide generous storage for bulk items and appliances, keeping the kitchen clutter-free.

How Important Is Cabinet Hardware in Design?

Handles and KnobsChoosing styles that complement the cabinet design enhances overall aesthetic appeal.

Soft-Close Hinges and DrawersThese features improve user experience by reducing noise and wear.

Pull Handles vs. KnobsPull handles offer a modern look and easier grip, while knobs suit classic or traditional designs.

How Does Lighting Impact Kitchen Cabinet Design?

Under-Cabinet LightingProvides task lighting for countertops, improving visibility during food preparation.

Interior Cabinet LightingIlluminates cabinet interiors, helping to locate items quickly and showcasing display cabinets.

Ambient Lighting IntegrationIncorporating LED strips or spotlights enhances the kitchen’s atmosphere and highlights design details.

What Maintenance Considerations Are There for Kitchen Cabinets in Liverpool?

Moisture ResistanceSelecting materials and finishes that withstand humidity helps prevent warping and damage.

CleaningCabinets should be easy to clean with common household products to maintain appearance.

DurabilityChoosing sturdy construction ensures cabinets endure daily use in busy households.

conclusion

kitchen cabinet design in Liverpool requires thoughtful consideration of materials, style, storage, and hardware to create a kitchen that is both beautiful and practical. Addressing the local climate and architectural context ensures cabinets remain functional and attractive for years to come. Well-designed cabinets are a cornerstone of an efficient kitchen and contribute significantly to the home’s overall character.

[officespaces12]

Design, Location, Vibe: What Makes the Perfect Office Space in Botany?

Botany is rapidly emerging as one of Sydney's most popular business hotspots, as its mix of industrial heritage, CBD proximity, and innovative office design makes it a popular choice. So, what exactly creates the ultimate office space in Botany? It's not merely four walls and a desk, it's intelligent design, a great location, and a work environment that encourages productivity and wellness. Here's what you should know if you're considering making the move or upgrading your existing workspace.

What Design Elements Characterise Modern Office Spaces in Botany?

Modern office spaces in Botany are going a long way from the grey-walled, old-school cubicles of the past. 

The emphasis is on creating spaces that are functional but also inspiring. One of the largest trends is incorporating biophilic design and greenery, including living walls, indoor gardens, and natural materials. 

It's not just aesthetics: plants purify the air, cut toxins, and increase staff mood and productivity.

Open floor plans are prevalent, with movable furnishings that can be rearranged to accommodate collaboration or privacy as required. Natural light is optimised by expansive windows, while soothing colours and textures such as timber, stone, and soft furnishings convey a sense of comfort and warmth. 

Even in converted warehouses, designers are combining man-made materials with natural materials to create spaces that feel fresh and inviting.

Why Is Location So Crucial for Office Space in Botany?

Botany's location is a big drawcard. Being near Sydney Airport, Port Botany, and major arterial roads, it's perfect for companies that require rapid access to transport, logistics, and the CBD. 

The area is also serviced well by public transport, making it convenient for staff and clients to travel to.

But convenience is only part of the story. Botany's combination of industrial and commercial areas makes it easy to find larger, cheaper space compared to the city centre, plus the advantage of parking and less traffic. 

And the area is quickly improving, with new cafes, parks, and amenities appearing to serve the expanding business base.

How Does Officevibe Affect Productivity and Wellbeing?

The atmosphere of an office is paramount; it makes or breaks employee morale and productivity. 

In Botany, the optimal offices are created to dissolve boundaries between work and downtime. 

Breakout areas, game rooms, and casual meeting spots foster creativity and provide employees with time to recharge.

Biophilic design stands out here. Adding plants and elements of nature isn't only cool; it's been shown to decrease stress and fatigue, improve concentration, and even mental health. 

Spaces that are more like home or a creative studio, less like a cold box aid in recruiting and retaining the best talent.

What Is the Role of Flexibility in Contemporary Office Spaces?

Flexibility lies at the center of Botany's office culture. Companies these days desire environments that can modify as they develop or shift paths. 

Modular chairs, mobile partitions, and task rooms are standard fare these days. 

This kind of strategy makes it possible for teams to cluster together when the need arises, then disperse into quiet spaces for concentrated effort.

Smaller conference rooms, phone booths, and shared kitchens are favourite amenities, accommodating both independent and collaborative work. 

Integration of technology such as video conferencing, high-speed Wi-Fi, and intelligent booking tools allows teams to collaborate efficiently, whether based in or working remotely.

How Can Design Reflect Company Culture and Brand?

Office layout in Botany is increasingly being utilised as a means to convey company values and culture. Here, branding is not only a logo on the wall, but it is embedded in the selection of colour, material, and even floor plan. An advertising agency may use bright colours and open areas, and an investment company may use a sophisticated soothing palette.

Office Space in Botany Is Setting a New Standard!

Thoughtful design, a strategic location, and an energising vibe define the perfect office space in Botany. With a focus on greenery, natural light, and flexible layouts, these offices are built for modern businesses that value productivity, wellbeing, and culture. If you’re searching for a workspace that ticks all the boxes, office space in Botany is leading the way, offering a fresh, inspiring environment for your team to thrive.

[allthesethingsaresacred]

Recently I've been struggling a lot. What was low mood has now turned into full-fledged depression, a depression I haven't felt since half my life ago at the age of fourteen. So I've been trying to use Schema Therapy to help me over the last week. I did an inventory that helped me to identify which modes were strongest and most problematic for me, and today I gave them names and characterised them so that I can identify these parts of me when they come up.

If you aren't familiar with Schema Therapy, a gross simplification would be that we can approach understanding our mind by personifying aspects of ourselves. The vulnerable child mode is the aspect of us that feels wounded and scared, and other modes swoop in to try to save us from that pain. The biggest one for me is the detached self-soother. I don't have healthy methods of self-soothing, so I tend to escape through things like overeating and porn. These are my two major vices.

So today, I was job hunting. Something I have always passionately hated. I hate how it makes me feel. It feels soul-crushing and demoralising, like I'm not even good enough for a job at McDonald's. McDonald's actually isn't bad in terms of its reliability as an employer. They're such a huge business they're not going to pay you wrong or treat your poorly.

So anyway, I recognised today that the modes being triggered after my failed job hunt were the punitive parent and the vulnerable child. I named both of the parent modes (punitive and demanding) Fletcher, after the horrifically abusive teacher from Whiplash played by JK Simmons. My vulnerable child mode is called August. I wanted a name similar to Agnes to name the mode after the character from Paranorman. My angry and enraged child modes come under August's character too, although they're not very strong in me.

Agnes is such a powerful character for me. She is accused of witchcraft, put on trial and executed at like ten years old. The anger of this betrayal turns her into a wrathful spirit that returns every year to unleash hell on the town that wronged her all those years ago. Although she is angry and can't let go of the brutality of what happened to her, she's just a scared little girl deep down who doesn't want to acknowledge or feel the pain she's held onto for so long, even though it does nothing but continue to harm her.

So today I began my practice of trying to protect August from Fletcher, who punishes and belittles him. I did this using my healthy adult mode, John. His name is inspired by Jesus; the name of Jonathan Roumie who plays him in The Chosen, and John the Baptist. I tried to say all of the things a healthy adult would say to a wounded child...

"It's okay for you to be in this position right now. Not everyone has such a clear path to the present moment, and everything you did in the past was what you felt was right at the time. And you're only 28. You have so much time to change and grow, find stability, and make a good life for yourself. You are absolutely worthy of a good job and stable income just like everyone else. Would you deny anyone else that privilege by suggesting they aren't good enough?"

I think untangling the mind by characterising these aspects of self will be so helpful to me on my journey of healing. Before, I felt like my mind was just this unfathomable web of messiness. I couldn't differentiate a truly harmless bit of fun from something that could be damaging to me, further embedding my vices deeper and deeper. But now I can see that there are different aspects to these things.

If I'm overeating, sometimes it's Logan and Jake who are in control (named after the infamously irritating Paul brothers), who represent the impulsive and undisciplined aspects of my mind. These are more playful aspects that aren't always trying to protect August, although in moments of struggle they could absolutely serve this function. But at a wider level, they represent my struggles with impulsivity and discipline. These two things are at the root of why I feel like I'm never moving forward.

Ultimately, characterising these aspects helps with the realisation that ultimately none of these characters are truly who I am, except perhaps John. John is the peace that dwells in the Silence. He represents the Son of God who never sinned. The aspect of myself that needs to be strengthened so I can move toward salvation and walk with Christ. So I pray that this process helps me to move past my crippling self-esteem issues, anxiety and depression towards a better and brighter future.

[excellence-12]

SEBI Chairperson Selection: The Case for Institutional Reform

The Context and Current Discourse

Diwali and the impending new year are harbingers of hope, and offer the opportunity to address the possibility of change, hopefully for the better. It is in this background that this newsletter looks at a major issue that has been occupying significant mind space.

For some weeks now, the media has been speculating on whether the present Chairperson of SEBI will stay till February, 2025 or leave before her term expires, or for that matter, be reappointed to serve another term.  The answer to these questions is firmly rooted, in most cases, in the personal beliefs, biases or even ideological leanings of those that have chosen to express their views. The objective in addressing this here is not to dwell on the individual concerned, and the period for which she will continue to hold her present office. The procedural and substantive issues which should underlie the selection and appointment of the Chairperson of SEBI is what should merit our attention.

Before getting to the larger issues, it is best to address those that have no basis whatsoever in fact or in law. The first of these is whether a person from the private sector should be appointed as Chairperson or Member of a regulatory organisation. There is nothing in law or regulations to prevent such an appointment. What is more, there have been instances in the past where persons from the private sector were identified as the right candidates and appointed to occupy regulatory positions.

An equally, if not more, irrelevant question, is whether such appointments ought to be a male preserve. In addition to recognising that such a provision, if enacted in law, would run counter to Constitutional provisions, it is appropriate to recall that many women of substance have held regulatory positions, and have distinguished themselves in the discharge of such responsibilities. Tangential issues, such as gender preferences, in regulatory appointments, should not detract from the real issues involved.

Addressing the specific requirements of SEBI, it is useful to recognise that SEBI is neither an attached office nor a subordinate office of the Government of India. It is a creature of statute, and should not be equated to, or treated in similar fashion as, an organisation set up by an administrative instrument. For it to discharge its duties impartially and independently, it is necessary that it has the functional autonomy to do so, and equally importantly, is perceived as having the functional autonomy that should characterise its working.

SEBI's Institutional Framework and Autonomy

For functional autonomy to become a fact it is necessary that the Government of India does not become the single authority to decide on the incumbent of this office. There was a practice in the past where the Selection Committee was headed by a distinguished individual with a very high standing in the financial sector. To strike a personal note, when the author of this piece was selected, the Selection Committee was headed by Dr. C. Rangarajan, a person whose standing and accomplishments do not require elaboration. In subsequent instances, the Selection Committee came to be headed by the Cabinet Secretary. There are two issues involved in having the Cabinet Secretary head the Selection Committee. The first problem is that the organisation could be perceived to be a subordinate office of the Government of India. Secondly, even though the position of Cabinet Secretary is the highest in the civil service, it is not reasonable to expect that the holder of that office would necessarily have a good understanding of the securities market, and therefore, of the kind of person required to be selected for that position. The present incumbent, with formal professional qualifications, and a lifetime of experience in the financial sector, is a glorious exception.

Essential Requirements and Selection Process Reform

What should a Selection Committee be looking for when identifying a suitable candidate? The SEBI Act, which provides for the appointment of the Chairperson, is not helpful in this regard. Dr. Rangarajan, with whom I broached this subject, a few months after I had been appointed, mentioned that ideally the candidate selected should have at least the following 3 qualifications. Firstly, he/she should have been a part of the financial sector, even if that is not his/her main area of expertise. Secondly, the person concerned should have a qualification in law because understanding, writing and enforcing regulations will gain considerably if the head of the organisation has a clear understanding of the prescriptive arrangements that are being put in place, and how they are to be enforced. The third requirement, identified by him, is that the person selected should have headed at least one organisation in his/her career, prior to being appointed as Chairperson SEBI. It is entirely possible that another Selection Committee will come up with other necessary attributes required to be had by the selected candidate.

The nature of the Committee needs to be revisited. The present practice seems to be to invite applications from persons desirous of being considered for selection. While such an approach is not to be decried, it should not be the only manner in which possible candidates are sourced. It is necessary for the Committee to be a Search-cum-Selection Committee, so that in addition to considering the appropriateness of the applicants, the Committee could look for persons who fit the bill, but have not chosen to throw their hat in the ring. The credibility of the organisation will gain significantly, if a suitable person is persuaded to accept the position, rather than to compete for the position. The related procedural step of having a short interview with the candidates, with the interview being conducted by a Committee, all of whose members do not have domain familiarity, should be suitably modified to provide for in-depth conversation, including, but not limited to, ascertaining the vision the candidate has, with regard to the responsibility of heading the organisation.

Towards a More Robust Appointment System

There is also the question of accountability of the Chairperson, subsequent to appointment. Presently, the accountability would seem to lie to the Ministry of Finance, and in a sense, the Government of India. Considering that there are public sector entities that are also regulated by SEBI, the possibility of pressure being exerted by Government functionaries on SEBI cannot be ruled out. The ideal situation would be for the organisational head to report twice a year to the appropriate Committee of Parliament. Such an approach would strengthen the concept of functional autonomy, while ensuring that the organisation remains accountable.

In countries like the USA, every person identified for appointment to an important office has to appear before a Committee of the House or the Senate, which would then assess the credentials of the person, as also look at the past track record or any other matter that might negatively impact the functioning of that person in the office to which he/she is proposed to be appointed. Such an approach might reduce, if not eliminate, the possibility of complaints of lack of credentials and suitability, subsequent to the person being appointed. Post appointment mud slinging is never the best way for the head of a regulatory organisation to get started on the assignment.

In the Indian context, the best procedure would be to have a Search-cum-Selection Committee, headed by a very distinguished person, preferably from the area of finance, with Committee members selected for their ability to contribute to the process, rather than being ex-officio members of the Committee. Having shortlisted the candidates, the Committee should invest adequate time in studying the past track record of each candidate, and in ascertaining whether the candidates have, in their minds, a roadmap for the organisation for the next few years. A candid conversation, rather than a question and answer session, would be the appropriate method to yield the right results. Once the Committee identifies a suitable candidate, he/she should be requested to appear before the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Finance, so that members of that Committee can have a constructive pre-selection conversation with the concerned candidate. All reservations and doubts should be addressed during that conversation. It is only when the Consultative Committee clears the candidate, that the candidature should be put up to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for approval, and for issue of orders. Such a procedure would be a confidence building measure that will positively impact the credibility of the organisation.

News reports are abuzz with speculation on who is likely to be next Chair of SEBI. Names are being trotted out, based on track records in their present or previous positions. Considering that there is not too much time to complete the process of selection and appointment, presuming that there is no reappointment, it is imperative that a good robust process should be firmed up, and the selection in accordance with that process should be fast tracked. Absent that, we might witness the unfortunate spectacle of the present Chairperson’s term coming to an end, and no one being appointed, in time, as a successor. Such a possibility will lead to jockeying which an organisation of such importance can ill afford.

Tailpiece Long years ago, an incumbent Chairperson was asked why he was not appearing for an interview for being considered for another term. His response was that “he was not a supplicant, not an applicant, a candidate or a job seeker”. Soucre: https://excellenceenablers.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/103rd-edition-newsletter.pdf

[regentplast]

The Evolution of HDPE Liquid Detergent Bottles: From Functionality to Customization

Introduction

The HDPE bottles have also experienced changes in their design after they were first adopted into the market. What was once a product with only the objective of functionality, these bottles are today both functional improvements and uniquely designed products. In this blog post, we will discuss how HDPE Liquid Detergent Bottles have transformed from mere containers to individualistic packaging materials.

The Basics of HDPE Bottles: Organization from Scratch

What is HDPE?

High-density polyethene (HDPE) is one of the most preferred plastic materials due to its high mechanical strength, high impact, and chemical-resistant properties. Such characteristics make the use of HDPE suitable for packaging products such as liquid detergents. Originally, the use of HDPE bottles was more functionary, with little or no thought given to their beauty.

Early Designs: Plain and Useful

When HDPE bottles first appeared, they were straightforward and functional. Here’s what characterised their early designs:

Standard Shapes:

The majority of bottles had a cylindrical or rectangular shape, which was appropriate for piling up and shifting.

Basic Colours:

Early bottles were normally clear or white; changes in colour were rare and only slightly different.

Simple Closures:

Lids were mostly simple screws or snap-ons that were intended at minimizing spills and leakages.

The first objective was to develop a package that would keep the detergent and dispense it in a manner that does not worry about the aesthetics or the design of the package.

Advancements in Design

This aspect comprises the ergonomics and aesthetics of the products designed and manufactured.

Improving User Experience

In the subsequent phase, as the market expanded, all manufacturers turned their attention towards making the bottles more convenient to use. Several ergonomic features were introduced: Several ergonomic features were introduced:

Contoured Shapes:

Grips and curves are notably introduced on the bottles so that they can be handled perfectly and poured with ease.

Handles:

Some of the designs had handles to enable easy carriage and handling of the containers, particularly the big ones.

Spouts and Triggers:

New functions such as pouring spouts and trigger sprays were incorporated in order to create a more controlled and less messy way of dispensing the product.

These changes further enhanced the user interface, making the bottles functional and, at the same time, easier to use.

Aesthetic Enhancements

When competition was introduced into the market, things such as aesthetics turned out to be crucial. HDPE bottles started to evolve in design

HDPE bottles started to evolve in design:

Color Variations:

This led to manufacturers adopting the use of different colors in order to make their products easily identifiable on the shelf.

Unique Shapes:

That meant that bottles were shaped in every way to grab the viewers’ attention and make brands distinct from each other.

The reason for these enhancements was to ensure that brands capture the consumers’ attention and create a recognizable position in the market.

The Era of Customization: Innovative and Personalized

Advanced Manufacturing Techniques:

Technological advancements have revolutionized the production of HDPE bottles. Technological advancements have revolutionized the production of HDPE bottles.

Blow molding and injection molding:

Such techniques enable the creation of more complex shapes and designs, such as custom patterns and even embossed logos.

Custom Labels:

As any label can be created with the goal of best fitting certain brands’ parameters, they can be equipped with customised graphics and text.

These innovations help brands to develop packaging that not only serves the purpose but also can have aesthetic and communication value.

Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Practices Environmental concerns have driven significant changes in HDPE bottle design.

Recycled Materials:

Most bottles use recycled HDPE, meaning that there is not much call for manufacturing new plastic.

Lightweighting:

The pressure brought by major consumers to cut down on the usage of plastics has meant the development of a lighter type of bottle that is equally strong.

Recyclability:

New designs also focus on recycling, giving a way to reduce the impacts on the environment.

Environmental concerns are alarming, and so consumers’ preference for sustainable packaging strategies has led to many organizations’ incorporation of such practices.

Smart Packaging Innovations

The latest trend in HDPE bottles includes integrating technology into packaging: The latest trend in HDPE bottles includes integrating technology into packaging:

QR Codes:

These codes give the consumers further information about the product when the barcode is read.

NFC Tags:

Interactivity includes product finding and promotion, such as near-field communication (NFC) technology.

These features are integrated to add to the value of packaging since they perform much more than just containing products.

READ MORE- https://regentplast.com/the-evolution-of-hdpe-liquid-detergent-bottles-from-functionality-to-customization/