#12. Performance Improvement

[dvbusinessconsulting]

the new paradigm of strategic management consulting for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It highlights the importance of integrated consulting services, including Sales and Marketing Consulting, Operational Excellence Consulting, and Strategic Management Consulting, in driving SME growth and success. D&V Business Consulting is mentioned as a pioneer in SME transformation, offering services like performance improvement consulting, sales and marketing optimization, and process reengineering.

[elizabethrobertajones]

jump scared by the 4th Doctor saying "well" with an uncanny intonation to how 10 says it, except I thought that was just a David Tennant-ism considering he does it in everything eventually, like, that CAN'T have started with him copying this cadence and absorbing it into his being? Right?

[astroeleanor]

💸₊˚Jupiter Sign = Money MAGNET Placement, How To Increase Your Wealth (ALL 12 Signs)˚₊💸

Jupiter is your MONEY making placement. It tells you how you can build wealth and what your path to prosperity looks like.

Jupiter sign = the energy you need to embody to attract wealth Jupiter house = where your wealth potential is playing out, the specific area of life

Your fortune can be seen through this placement. Jupiter is the greater benefic in astrology: it pinpoints the exact opportunities that are more financially beneficial for you.

Placements don’t work in isolation in your chart. Your 2H ruler is another one that gives you SO much insight on how you can cultivate abundance in your life.

I wrote a full article with interpretations for all 2H rulers in each house. It covers:

• how to find your 2H ruler

• how to make more money

• your wealth strategy

Join my Patreon as a Jupiter member to read! You'll also receive two free mini readings. TAP HERE to join.

💵JUPITER IN ARIES: Start FAST & finish just as fast. Speed = power. Think: limited window offers, flash sales, impulse buyers. Act before the crowd. See a new trend? Jump in early, then move on. Take action within 24 hours of a money idea. Take the first step & push through your fear of rejection.

💸JUPITER IN TAURUS: Make money through VALUE that lasts. Create or invest in slow burn assets: land, food, fragrance, vintage things, natural materials. Stick to a slow-money plan and ignore trends. Build wealth through repetition and stability. Make your own natural product and sell in small batches (luxury pricing, not volume.)

��JUPITER IN GEMINI: Connect ideas fast, Start a daily income loop from multiple streams: flipping info, newsletters, content bundles, short classes. Learn from multiple teachers, not just one. Never stick to one income source & update your offers frequently.

🪙JUPITER IN CANCER: Offer emotional support or private memberships. Trust your gut to guide decisions, work with people you care about (family too). Align income with moon cycles. Prosperity grows when you feel safe, so make your home a sanctuary! Decorate your workspace for comfort. Honor or heal your bloodline (family indirectly or directly affects your income).

💳JUPITER IN LEO: Build a personal brand. Sell your story, image, performance, etc. Attention brings income, take the stage, don’t hide. Confidence = cash. Show your face, invest in clothes or tools that elevate your status. Use gold, yellow, bright colors, and symbols of royalty. Create in bursts of inspiration. Celebrate small wins LOUDLY. Help others shine, you glow more when they do.

🏦JUPITER IN VIRGO: Get paid to fix, clean, or improve things. Offer highly specific services (editing, organizing, tracking). Sell checklists, templates, or systems. Detail is your wealth. Focus on usefulness. Focus on daily money rituals (track, sort, review). Keep your workspace CLEAN, mental order = financial order. Document what works and re-use it. Master one thing before scaling.

💼JUPITER IN LIBRA: Sell beauty: styling, branding, interior. Offer mediation, matchmaking, or conflict resolution. Monetize your eye for aesthetics or beautiful things (taste = wealth). Partner up, collaboration brings cash your way, let others HELP, you don’t have to do it solo. Give less energy to people-pleasing. Say no with grace, boundaries = income.

💎JUPITER IN SCORPIO: Offer confidential or high-stakes services. Keep the mystery, less exposure = more power. Offer 1:1 (intimacy). Sell privacy or exclusivity as a premium. Heal financial trauma first, you can’t skip it. Trust your gut because it knows more than your logic. Stay committed through discomfort, that’s where the wealth is! Avoid “all or nothing” thinking.

💴JUPITER IN SAGITTARIUS: Teach what you’ve lived. Make content about your travels, beliefs, or philosophies. Sell through storytelling. Say YES to big visions. Expansion creates income. Avoid dogma, your truth isn't THE truth. Teach from curiosity instead of superiority. Don’t trap yourself in small offers. Say YES to what scares you (within reason). Get paid to inspire or ignite others (coaching, content, public speaking).

🧾JUPITER IN CAPRICORN: Build systems that others use. Offer long-term packages, or structure-based services. Delay = growth, be consistent. Reaching mastery in something attracts wealth. Build for LEGACY. Keep your business moves private until they’re solid. Protect your reputation, but don’t become its prisoner. Refuse roles that drain purpose.

💷JUPITER IN AQUARIUS: Create new models: tech, tools, apps, platforms, etc. Monetize niche communities or future ideas. Sell the blueprint, not the tradition. Your originality is currency. Work with groups. Break the system to build wealth. Offer “anti-trend” solutions. Teach others HOW to question. Work remotely, independently, or in decentralized ways.

💲JUPITER IN PISCES: Sell healing, art, spiritual experiences. Offer rituals, visuals, sound, imagination. Let the right clients find you. Trust dreams and symbols. Offer sliding scale or donation with clear limits. Use visuals + sound for income (film, audio, aesthetic design). Make space for NOTHING, that’s when ideas arrive to you. Limit access to your presence, withdraw every once in a while.

[theambitiouswoman]

Rewire your brain with habits that improve your life, not destroy. Like:

1. Start your day intentionally

2. Move your body daily

3. Eat nutrient rich foods

4. Practice daily gratitude

5. Learn something new

6. Limit screen time

7. Surround yourself with positivity

8. Prioritize quality sleep

9. Replace negative self-talk

10. Focus on one task

11. Visualize your goals

12. Adopt a growth mindset

13. Practice deep breathing

14. Declutter your spaces

15. Celebrate micro wins

16. Set digital boundaries

17. Try cold exposure

18. Journal your emotions

19. Learn to say no

20. Approach life with curiosity

21. Perform acts of kindness

22. Connect with nature

23. Moderate caffeine and sugar

24. Track your progress regularly

[sirfrogsworth]

Smartphone cameras are NOT getting worse. (See below for phone photography tips)

I've now seen 3 pro photographers reviewing the iPhone 16 and complaining the cameras are "worse" and blaming Apple for not including revolutionary new camera technology.

And I suppose this is partly Apple's fault. Their marketing and hype machine always goes overboard. But also, that's just how marketing works. Samsung has a "200 megapixel" sensor and Sony has a "Zeiss" lens. And I think it is unrealistic to expect smartphone companies to say "This product has entered the iterative phase and each new model will only be marginally improved over the last one."

Smartphones (from any brand) have become an appliance. You don't buy a new model of microwave every year. And you don't expect every new model of microwave to have new revolutionary technology. And that is pretty much the expectation you should have with most computer hardware from here on out.

And in some ways, that is a good thing. That means the design of the phone has pretty much been perfected and it will last you a long time if you take care of it. You will not be left behind and your phone will be able to handle any new software for most of its lifespan.

So, is Apple getting lazy or is there a reason their hardware is stagnating?

It seems that neither money nor marketing can change the laws of physics.

They cannot make transistors much smaller. Phones and computers are about as fast as current hardware designs can make them (unless there is a shocking scientific breakthrough). From here on out, heavy compute tasks that are beyond your phone or computer will be done in the cloud on giant computer clusters. Thankfully computers and phones seem to be plenty fast for the majority of tasks we ask of them.

I remember Katrina telling me her new computer didn't seem any faster. And I explained the computing tasks she does regularly were not really affected by the increased power and speed of her new computer. If something took 0.1 seconds before and now it takes 0.05 seconds, that is twice as fast. An increase in speed that looks fantastic in advertisements. But it is hard for our brains to perceive. She just didn't do anything on her computer that took it long enough for her to notice. But having a faster and more powerful computer/phone will increase its lifespan and resale value, so it is still prudent to get the best things you can afford at time of purchase.

And I'm afraid smartphone cameras are hitting their own hardware limitations. They can't make the sensors much larger to get better depth of field and low light performance. And cramming in more megapixels doesn't actually add much more detail, if any.

It's physics.

Again.

You cannot get any more performance out of a small plastic lens. Why do you think pro photographers haul around 10 pound lenses still?

There is a formula for detail that never seems to be explained in any camera marketing.

Here is the simplified version...

Detail = Sensor x Lens

Let's say 1 is perfection. You have a sensor that performs at 0.5 and a lens that performs at 0.2.

The total detail will be 0.1.

But in the new model you increase the performance of the sensor to 0.8. WOW! That's so close to 1!

The total detail will be... 0.16.

Now let's imagine we've discovered a magic, physics-defying tiny plastic lens that performs at 0.8 as well.

The total detail jumps to 0.64!

But we all get sucked into a wormhole because we violated the laws of the universe.

Even if you were to design a near perfect (perfect is impossible) sensor that scores 0.99.

Without that magic plastic lens... 0.198

This is why I put Samsung's "200 megapixel" sensors in quotes. Because when paired with the same tiny plastic lens, there isn't much improvement. And that's why a 12 megapixel DSLR from 10 years ago with a giant honking lens can still capture more detail.

Most of the quality from smartphone cameras comes from the computational software processing. Phones actually take many photos at once and combine them to get you a decent image.

While that is still improving a little bit each generation, those improvements are stagnating as well. Until image processing can do a better job of inventing more detail realistically, smartphones are going to have to obey the laws of physics.

So... why are photographers saying the iPhone cameras are worse?

First, the ultra wide angle lens looks softer in low light.

And if you zoom between 1x and 5x, the images look less detailed.

But neither of those things make the cameras *worse*. In fact, the cameras are better for the most part. It's just that Apple decided to compromise on one aspect to improve another. Probably due to market research telling them most people prioritize certain things over others when taking photos.

They increased the resolution of the ultra wide angle sensor to match the detail of the main sensor, but that seems to have lowered the low light performance of the ultra wide. So in good light, you will see an improvement in sharpness. But they could not increase the sensor size to compensate and smaller pixels can have trouble with dim conditions. They probably discovered that people mostly use that lens in good light and they would appreciate the bump in detail more.

But pro photographers often photograph in more challenging lighting conditions because you can capture a more artistic shot. I don't think I could have gotten this shot on a smartphone.

But photo normies are just taking pics of their kids doing weird kid shit.

They aren't really trying to push the limits of their ultra wide angle lenses.

And they increased the zoom of the telephoto lens to 5x from 3x because most people never used the 3x. So images at 5x look great now, but unfortunately if you use anything between 1x and 5x, your image will be *digitally* zoomed. Which is never as good as optical zoom. They basically crop the photo, zoom in, and add sharpening.

So they prioritized people having longer reach and more zoom at the expense of that middle zoom range. Every camera system makes tradeoffs and compromises.

And I hate that I always feel like I am defending Apple, because they do have misleading and dishonest marketing regarding a lot of aspects of their tech. But hating on Apple gets more clicks so content creators also make misleading and dishonest claims.

And so we are just surrounded in a circle of hyperbole from all sides.

Now, if you know these limitations, you can change your approach to photographing stuff to keep them from being an issue. You can reap the benefits without dealing with the new compromises.

Here are some tips to help owners of the new iPhone, but also everyone else too.

Smartphone Photography Tips

Whenever possible, try to use the main 1x camera at only 1x zoom. This has the largest sensor with the most detail and works best in the lowest light. Only use the ultra wide or telephoto if you cannot get the photo otherwise. If you aren't sure you have enough light for ultra wide, take the photo, and then as a safety, take two photos with the main camera side by side and stitch them later with a pano app.

"Zoom with your feet" and don't use "in-between" zooms. Let's say your lenses do 0.5x, 1x, and 5x zoom. Even though you have the option to use other zooms, like 2x or 3x, that is going to compromise your picture quality. It is essentially going to crop your photo and enlarge it, which causes a loss of detail. If fact, if you use 4.5x instead of 5x, your picture will probably look like trash. You are always going to get better results if you can move closer or step back so that you are using the native focal length of your chosen lens. For example, let's say you are taking a photo and you judge the best framing to be at 4x. But you still have 10 feet of space behind you. If you back up and then zoom in to 5x, the phone will switch to that lens and you will get a much clearer picture.

Rule of thumb...

1 to 3x... try to move closer.

4 to 5x... try to move back.

If you hit a wall and end up at 4.5x, you might see if you have a panorama mode and try that instead. Switch to your 5x and do the pano. Or you can take two photos and then stitch them together with software later on. (Stitching panos with an app later will give better quality than pano mode, especially in low light.)

Low light needs stability. Get some sort of stabilizing device for low light photos. Either a phone case that lets you stand up the phone on its own or a mini tripod.

This thing folds to the size of a credit card.

Your phone will detect when it is stable and not being handheld. It will then automatically extend its shutter speed allowing it to drink in more light and give you a better picture.

Tripods are photography magic and will improve your low light photos quite a bit. Motion blur of moving subjects can still be an issue, but photos of a cityscape or landscape will look great.

For selfies, shoot a little bit wide and then crop in. This goes a little contrary to my earlier advice saying cropping lowers detail, but this is specifically for shooting a face. The 0.5x and 1x lenses on smartphone cameras are fairly wide angle. This can cause unflattering proportions with human faces. Wide angle lenses exaggerate distance. Near things look very near and far things look very far. To a wide angle lens, the tip of your nose looks like it is super close but your ears seem like they are a mile away. And that's why you may look a bit "alien" in your selfies.

People's natural instinct is to "fill the frame" with a face. The outer edges of a wide angle lens are more distorted than the very center. So try to keep faces away from the edges of the frame.

And one other trick you can do for selfies and pictures of faces is step back a few feet. Sometimes this is hard, especially with selfies, as your arm is only so long... but if you can take your face photos from just a little bit farther back, you will almost entirely eliminate unflattering distortion. In some cases, just stretching out your arm as far as it will go is enough.

Then you just crop the image with the framing you originally wanted, and your facial proportions will look great.

An example...

Here the distortion is bad because I am not in the center and the lens is too close to my face. The lens thinks my nose is really close and my ears are in Canada.

But when the lens is farther back the edge distortion is less prevalent and my nose and ears (relative to the lens) seem roughly the same distance away. So my proportions look great, but I don't quite have the framing I want.

But with a little cropping...

For social media there is still plenty of resolution to crop in. Cropping isn't bad, it's just always better to use it as a last resort or in a special circumstance like this. I get roughly the same framing as in my wide angle shot, but I don't look like I'm behind a door's peephole trying to sell you the Good News.

I wish they made a "mini" selfie stick that only extended a foot or so. With the main camera that is usually all people need to undo any wide angle issues. I have one of those mini tripods and that works well, but there is no activation button so I have to do a timer. Mirrors work great to help you get some selfie distance.

In any case, all cameras have limitations and compromises. Clickbait titles saying something is WORSE THAN THE OLD ONE are frustrating and wrong.

And people upgrading phones every year are silly. All current name brand smartphones have promised at least 5 years of software updates. I think Google and Samsung are offering 7 years on some models. And Apple has always just let you use your phone until it literally will not work with new software. Which has worked out to 8 years in some cases (with a battery swap).

Phones are now appliances. For now, hardware will improve 10 to 15% from generation to generation until physics breaks. So if you want a 50% improvement, wait 5 years and you'll think your new phone is awesome. If you upgrade every year, it is going to be difficult to see the change.

I hope to be starting a little course on smartphone photography in the near future. All modern phones are capable of taking amazing pictures. And as long as you understand their limitations you can mitigate or avoid them. And that is what I plan to teach.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

By Sarah Schwartz

Test after test of U.S. students’ reading and math abilities have shown scores declining since the pandemic.

Now, new results show that it’s not just children whose skills have fallen over the past few years—American adults are getting worse at reading and math, too.

The connection, if any, between the two patterns isn’t clear—the tests aren’t set up to provide that kind of information. But it does point to a populace that is becoming more stratified by ability at a time when economic inequality continues to widen and debates over opportunity for social mobility are on the rise.

The findings from the 2023 administration of the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, or PIAAC, show that 16- to 65-year-olds’ literacy scores declined by 12 points from 2017 to 2023, while their numeracy scores fell by 7 points during the same period.

These trends aren’t unique in the global context: Of the 31 countries and economies in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that participated in PIAAC, some saw scores drop over the past six years, while others improved or held constant.

Still, as in previous years, the United States doesn’t compare favorably to other countries: The country ranks in the middle of the pack in literacy and below the international average in math. (Literacy and numeracy on the test are scored on a 500-point scale.)

But Americans do stand out in one way: The gap between the highest- and lowest-performing adults is growing wider, as the top scorers hold steady and other test takers see their scores fall.

“There’s a dwindling middle in the United States in terms of skills,” said Peggy Carr, the commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, which oversees PIAAC in the country. (The test was developed by the OECD and is administered every three years.)

It’s a phenomenon that distinguishes the United States, she said.

“Some of that is because we’re very diverse and it’s large, in comparison to some of the OECD countries,” Carr said in a call with reporters on Monday. “But that clearly is not the only reason.”

American children, too, are experiencing this widening chasm between high and low performers. National and international tests show the country’s top students holding steady, while students at the bottom of the distribution are falling further behind.

It’s hard to know why U.S. adults’ scores have taken this precipitous dive, Carr said.

About a third of Americans score at lowest levels PIAAC is different from large-scale assessments for students, which measure kids’ academic abilities.

Instead, this test for adults evaluates their abilities to use math and reading in real-world contexts—to navigate public services in their neighborhood, for example, or complete a task at work. The United States sample is nationally representative random sample, drawn from census data.

American respondents averaged a level 2 of 5 in both subjects.

In practice, that means that they can, for example, use a website to find information about how to order a recycling cart, or read and understand a list of rules for sending their child to preschool. But they would have trouble using a library search engine to find the author of a book.

In math, they could compare a table and a graph of the same information to check for errors. But they wouldn’t be able to calculate average monthly expenses with several months of data.

While the U.S. average is a level 2, more adults now fall at a level 1 or below—28 percent scored at that level in literacy, up from 19 percent in 2017, and 34 percent in numeracy, up from 29 percent in 2017.

Respondents scoring below level 1 couldn’t compare calendar dates printed on grocery tags to determine which food item was packed first. They would also struggle to read several job descriptions and identify which company was looking to hire a night-shift worker.

The findings also show sharp divides by race and national origin, with respondents born in the United States outscoring those born outside of the country, and white respondents outscoring Black and Hispanic test takers. Those trends have persisted over the past decade.

[sleepyconfusedpotato]

⚔️ Task Force 141 - NFL AU 🏈

by me (sleepyconfusedpotato) and @alypink ! This AU will include some Original Characters made by us both!

---

New Hampshire 141s, a new rising american football team whose players dominantly came from the United Kingdom, is ready to face the NFL season!

As the previous Head Coach, Herschel von Shepherd got fired by the General Manager MacMillan, John Price (who has roots in rugby) got chosen by MacMillan to bring the team to victory. Let us see which players caught Coach Price's eyes!

John Price (HC)

John Price was born in Liverpool, England, but moved to America when he was still very young due to his father being deployed from the military to an American base. Although his father retired a couple of years later, they decided to stay in America. He grew up loving sports as a child but American football always piqued his interest more than any other sports. He played safety in middle and high school, but in his junior year, he had Meniscal tears that prevented him from ever playing again. John was heavily depressed after his injury, one day one of his close friends, Nikolai, who was also one of his fellow teammates on his high school team, told him to cheer him up to go watch the team play or to attend the training camps, John agreed and started assisting to the games and eventually started to think about becoming a head coach. He was recommended by his former high school head coach to take the job as a defensive coordinator for the New Hampshire Wildcats, a college football team. His performance and playbook were impressive, leading the Wildcats to reach a bowl and winning it twice. He proved to be fit and ready for a professional football team in the NFL and was hired as a defensive coordinator by the New Hampshire 141’s, by the HC at that time, Herschel von Shepherd. His first two seasons were disastrous as there was friction between the players and their head coach, most of the players disagreed with Shepherd's decisions and playmaking. To add to that, he seemed to never care about the player's input or needs. Although in those seasons they held a record of 4 wins and 12 losses, the General Manager of the team noticed his defense was the best in the league for both points and yards, and also noticed that a good portion of his defense players were selected on the all-pro team of those two seasons. After the owner and GM fired Shepherd as a Head Coach, John took his place.  In his first seasons with the 141s, he restructured the team and went to playoffs and one NFC championship. As he wanted to improve his team, he started attending college football games, he attended once a college game in which he met the offensive coordinator at the time, Aly, and after the game he met her to ask about some players he was interested in on her actual team, for QB and WR positions, they became acquaintance since that day and kept communication for some time, as she sent some prospects his way. She also requested his help every now and then, making him attend her games and inviting her over to watch the 141s too. After spending time together and sharing the same interests and love for football, they started to date but kept it low as two months later, John hired her as his new offensive coordinator.

#26 Kyle Garrick (WR)

the most responsible and reliable player of the team. Kyle’s dad was an ex-WR and a former head coach out of a college football team. His father is a very hardworking man and disciplines his son like a football player, and with that, comes a great expectation for Kyle since his high school years. Kyle is extremely reliable, responsible, and respected on and off the field. He is HC John Price's favorite due to his work ethic. Kyle believes in having discipline in everything he does to be one of the best. He keeps a picture of his girlfriend, Eleanor Graham (Ladybug) everywhere, especially in his locker room as he says she brings him good luck for catching the hail mary’s from Alex.  Kyle and Alex met in Baylor University, where they played together and won many games, including several bowl games. They became best friends in and out of the football field, supporting each other infinitely. “You've got friends nearby.” On Alex’s quote, “I can throw the ball like ‘fuck it, he’s over there somewhere’ and Kyle would magically appear and catch the ball. He’s always at the right place.”

One day during practice Alex was throwing the ball too far to the left, which headed straight towards her head. On instinct and in an attempt to catch the ball, Kyle collided with Eleanor, which bruised her arms. Instead of being upset like how Kyle would expect her to react, she laughed loudly at him, saying that she chose to sit there. She knew the hazard of studying near a football field. Even though Eleanor said she can take care of her bruises, Kyle insisted on nursing her. (Alex SMILED ear to ear). They both met from time to time. Every practice, Kyle always looks for Eleanor on the side of the field. Eleanor’s laid-back personality often bothers Kyle as she's a damn med school student, but through her, Kyle learns how to slow down and live in the moment. Love bloomed between them and they became a couple midway through freshman year. 

When Kyle was drafted to the NFL to be with Alex for New Hampshire 141s, Eleanor was there with him when he received the call from HC Price. Though Eleanor has to stay in Texas to continue her studies, Eleanor travels to New Hampshire often to visit Kyle.

#31 Alex Keller (QB)

Alex is the quarterback of the 141s, second draft pick and first QB of his university. He is very skilled and hard-working, he is in love with water girl Farah Karim and aspires to be like Tom Brady. He and Kyle Garrick (WR) met in their first year of freshman in University and they played since their first year as the duo of QB and WR (Burrow and Chase vibes) and were drafted together in the NFL draft by the same team. Young duo but very effective especially during the regular season. Alex Keller met Farah Karim in his rookie season during training camp in his first year and has been infatuated with her. Since then, he has tried to score ASAP or reach 4th down so he can sit on the bench and talk with her. Whenever he can, he visits and picks her up from University and helps her out whenever he can in anything she would need.

#70 Simon Riley (TE)

Simon Riley used to be a rugby player in England. He joined the rugby team during his college days and met Price as one of his coaches, who trained and guided him to become one of the most dominant flankers in college rugby. Unfortunately, though he’s always dependable whenever he’s on the field, Simon was often riddled with injuries. His quiet personality didn’t help his case either, bearing the pain in his left leg in silence, until one day, he tore his ACL during an important game which cost the team their winning chances. Simon rested for a whole year to heal his knee. Together with his familial struggle, he contemplated quitting being an athlete. That was until Coach Price offered him a fresh start in the USA. As a flanker is equivalent to the Tight End position in American football, Price told him that he would be perfect for the role. Simon was adamant at first as he was still injured and how he’d be able to completely heal from this devastating injury. But when he said that in America they could find him a good physiotherapist to help him heal his knee, he reluctantly accepted the offer.  Simon got into the draft and was a first-round pick due to how much of a good player he was in rugby. On his first day on the team, he met the other players who got drafted, but the most important and the most fateful meeting was when he got introduced to Charlotte Le Jardin (nickname Jade to simplify her last name), a physiotherapist that Laswell had promised help him to heal his ACL and help him regain his top form. It was a rough road, but with every step he took, Jade was there to help him.  Now, every injury he has he doesn’t stay on the sidelines but goes inside the tent or the stadium so he can be checked by her. Whenever Jade’s out watching the game, he scores more than usual or gets distracted. He often carries the team, especially during the conference championship games. 

#71 Johnny MacTavish (RB)

Johnny MacTavish was born and raised in Scotland. After high school, he was offered an academic and sports scholarship to a prominent university in the USA. He began his football career when he was a freshman at University as a very talented runner, which elevated him as the starter RB on his fifth game. In his senior year he was  awarded the Heisman Trophy winner at college, but due to a shoulder injury, he missed being the top pick at the draft. He was later selected by the New Hampshire 141s and got put in as a starter as soon as he got drafted. He has good chemistry with his team but gets injured by overdoing himself or trying to tackle defensive players on the other team. He is also constantly with Jade for treatment and often misses important playoff games. Johnny is a very talented running back and that is why HC Price can’t get rid of him no matter how he misses practices and meetings and how his personal life affects his performance on the field. He always tries to take his friend Simon Riley to social gatherings and social media, but he completely shuts him down every time. That's different on the field though, as whenever Johnny's going to play a run, Simon will always be there in front of him to push the tacklers away, making way for Johnny to score a first down or a touch down. They're an unstoppable duo together. Johnny is very popular among female fans, making his jersey the one with the most sales every year. His dating story is pretty large and his games are always attended by the women he dates (which constantly changes).

some memes I made 😭

Here's the Hereford 141S' Logo and jersey design! The logo is heavily inspired by the Task Force 141's logo, so it's pretty much just a sporty twist of the logo!

More characters underneath the cut!

#11 Alejandro Vargas (MLB) and #22 Rodolfo Parra (OLB)

(Drawing to be posted!)

Alejandro and Rudy both moved to El Paso, Texas when they started high school at the age of 14 years old. They were avid football (soccer) players during their time in Mexico, but when they started High School they began to play football. Both Alejandro and Rodolfo played as Linebackers, Ale being MLB and Rodolfo being OLB. They did amazing in High School then they both received a scholarship to attend the university in Dallas, Texas. Both of them were later selected to do the NFL Pathway program, for both of them. Being together since their childhood years, high school and university they were a packaged deal and were both selected on the same team, same position on the NFL draft.  Alejandro is especially hyped when playing against Philip Graves, QB of the Dallas Shadows. They have had beef with each other on and off the field since they played against each other for the first time. Ale’s average sack during a game against Dallas is approximately 5 per game, he sometimes is way too harsh while tackling making him get a couple of flags whenever he blitzes and sacks. He’s often scolded by his friend Rudy, but he does not care as long as he can sack Graves.

Kate Laswell (Defensive Coordinator)

(Drawing to be posted!)

was raised in Virginia, USA. Both her parents and brothers loved football and so did she. Since elementary, she watched and never missed a game during weekends, she always had a fascination for the Chicago Bears and their ‘85 team. Her father told her about how that defense, without an extraordinary QB or offense made them win the superbowl and also made them the best defense of all time. After witnessing that season and that Superbowl, she fell in love with how the defense scheme in football works. Unfortunately professional football for women wasn’t an option, so she studied a lot to become a defensive coordinator. She studied day and night, memorizing the plays, analyzing games and creating new playbooks since she was young. She struggled a lot to have an opportunity since it was a male-dominated team. One of her childhood friends made it to the roster to become a defensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes College Football Team, he was a good coach but not “impressive”. She supported him by attending his games but couldn't help but try to talk to him whenever she thought he could do better, often interrupting his play callings during his games to make him change the play, and it always worked. She and his friend attended a College Bowl, and met John Price at that game, the three of them watched the game and she started to tell both of them what adjustment she would do for both teams, and that piqued John’s interests as she was awfully right, he was impressed by how well she read offense’s routes and how she was able to change from a 3-4 or 4-3 to a hybrid defense. He decided to give her a chance and hired her as his new defensive coordinator for the 141’s and established a very good partnership and friendship with her ever since.

Farah Karim (Intern Physical Therapy Student - Watergirl)

(Drawing to be posted!)

Farah Karim is a university medical student who got an internship in his junior year of college to be the water girl and help around the New Hampshire  141s team. She comes from an immigrant family and is the pride and joy of her parents. She struggled so much in her younger years to pursue an education and get into a good college in the USA, she managed to get a scholarship due to her great school performance and was given the chance to work with a professional football team. She met Alex Keller after his rookie season and developed a close friendship with them that later turned into a romantic interest. She is grateful for his help and also supports him during games. Her classmates usually bug her by asking Farah to let them meet Alex or to set them up with him, which she dislikes very much.

(OC) Alyssa Martinez (Offensive Coordinator)

Aly was born in Mexico and moved to the USA thanks to a scholarship she received when she graduated from High School and moved to Texas to attend college. As soon as she graduated from Texas A&M holding a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, she started working as an offensive coordinator at a local highschool. She then escalated to being an offensive coordinator for the College she attended. Aly managed to take the team to a College Bowl where she met 141s Head Coach John Price and became acquaintances after that game, they kept communication after that game, as Aly asked for suggestions for her playbook and she helped Price on suggesting him prospects for the upcoming draft selection and also players on free agency.  She was later hired by Price as his offensive coordinator and they began to have a low key romantic  relationship. She specializes in West Coast offense, having her team play the Air Coryell scheme. She suggested Price to draft Alex Keller as he was the perfect pocket passer that would fit their offense perfectly. She’s an avid Tom Brady fan.

(OC) Charlotte Le Jardin (Physical Therapist)

Originally from England, Jade was adopted by an American couple and moved with them to the United States at an early age. Her parents, Eli and Gracie, worked at Bravo Stadium, home of the 141s, and Jade became a constant presence on the sidelines. As time went by, the Bravo Stadium became her home. Jade started helping around the sidelines bringing water, towels, medical kits, and even helping out in the blue tent, all the while completing her college in biological science and doctor of physical therapy (DPT), and of course, licensing in Physical Therapy. When she got her license, her experience was already on par with the other physiotherapists since she had been jumping from senior to seniors, learning and practicing all she could. Kate Laswell who has been seeing Jade there since she was a teenager, hired Jade as one of the many physiotherapists for 141s, and with that came a fateful challenge: a newcomer Tight End with a torn ACL from his rugby days, who’s trying to get back to his top form in order to play in the NFL.

---

PHEW so there you have it! If you've read it this far, oh my LORD me and Aly love you so much! This is a pretty severe brainrot that we had, so hope you like it!

And let's enjoy the 2024 NFL Season 🏈🏈🏈

Hope you like it! 🥰🥰

[astrologydray]

Lot of spirit in the degrees

0° – The Initiation

Raw, potent energy. Something brand new is being born. Unformed potential, with an urgent need to define or direct it.

1° – The Spark

The desire to act, assert, or begin. Bold but not yet refined. High drive, often impulsive or driven by instinct.

2° – The Seeker

Curious, observant, sensitive to surroundings. You’re gathering input before committing to action.

3° – The Connector

Creative, expressive, and versatile. Often linked to communication or social intelligence.

4° – The Builder

Strong foundation energy. This degree wants to construct something solid—physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

5° – The Performer

Bold, expressive, and theatrical. A flair for drama, charm, and attention. Craves recognition.

6° – The Devoted

Deeply loyal and detail-oriented. Wants to serve or improve something. Emotional intelligence starts to deepen here.

7° – The Mystic

Highly intuitive, spiritual, or even psychic. Often linked to dreams, the subconscious, and inner guidance.

8° – The Fighter

A degree of power, intensity, and transformation. Can represent challenge, passion, or confrontation.

9° – The Teacher

Wisdom-sharing energy. Has learned lessons and is ready to guide or advise others.

10° – The Climber

Ambitious and goal-driven. Wants to achieve and is usually determined to rise in status or skill.

11° – The Rebel

Uranian in nature. Innovative, unpredictable, and always seeking freedom. Breaks rules or remakes systems.

12° – The Visionary

Dreamy but strategic. Combines imagination with long-term planning. Often associated with spiritual leadership or foresight.

13° – The Survivor

Resilient and self-made. Often comes with lessons around endurance, control, and personal power.

14° – The Analyst

Sharp mind, observant, strategic. Wants to know how everything works before making a move.

15° – The Core

This is the “heart” degree of each sign. Pure, concentrated energy. Intensifies the traits of the sign it’s in.

16° – The Bridge

Merges opposites. You’re a connector, healer, or negotiator. Good with dualities or in-between spaces.

17° – The Alchemist

Powerful transformer. Can take pain and turn it into purpose. Strong will and emotional intelligence.

18° – The Shadow Worker

Deals with hidden or taboo themes. Drawn to mystery, healing, psychology, or the occult.

19° – The Shifter

This degree is tied to karmic change. It often brings sudden growth, endings, or breakthroughs.

20° – The Architect

Master builder. You want to construct a life or purpose that lasts—legacy energy.

21° – The Lover

Passionate, charming, sensual. This degree is magnetic and often brings strong romantic or artistic energy.

22° – The Wounded Warrior

Known as the “kill or be killed” degree. Themes of survival, power struggles, or deep transformation. Karmic tests may appear here.

23° – The Oracle

Very intuitive and deeply connected to collective wisdom. Often drawn to mysticism, astrology, or ancient knowledge.

24° – The Magnet

Charismatic and influential. Can draw people or resources effortlessly. But must be careful with manipulation or control.

25° – The Elder

Wise beyond your years. Purpose feels mature, fated, or final. This is an old soul degree.

26° – The Strategist

Clever, long-game thinker. Purpose comes through careful moves, timing, and psychological understanding.

27° – The Fate-Twister

One of the most karmic degrees. Brings twists of fate, divine timing, or unfinished soul contracts. Often tied to destiny.

28° – The Intense Flame

Powerful, passionate, and urgent. There’s often a final test of ego, desire, or control before completion.

29° – The Anaretic Degree (The Final Boss)

Crisis + culmination. This degree is a pressure cooker — intense, fated, and meant to bring the soul full circle. You’re mastering the lessons of that sign in this lifetime.

[bloomzone]

Wonyoung : Inspired Full Workout Routine

If you’ve ever admired Jang Wonyoung’s long, toned figure and effortless stage presence, you’re not alone cuz same . As one of the most well-known K-pop idols, she maintains a lean yet strong physique while performing intense choreography and balancing a busy schedule. While Wonyoung hasn’t publicly shared her full workout routine, we can get a good idea of what she likely does by looking at the types of training that help idols stay fit in some shows

This workout is inspired by a mix of dance, strength training, and flexibility exercises focusing on toning the body while keeping things light and graceful. If you want to flexibility ... this routine will help you build endurance, improve posture, and tone your body without gaining excessive muscle !

first here are two workout video u can start with:

first | second

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧ Warm-up (10 minutes) – wake up ur body!

Before getting into the main workout, a proper warm-up is essential to prevent injuries and improve performance. This warm-up gets your blood flowing and preps your muscles for movement.

1. Jumping Jacks (2 minutes)

Start with classic jumping jacks to get your heart rate up.

Move your arms fully overhead for a full-body effect.

2. Dynamic Stretching (5 minutes)

Leg Swings – Hold onto a chair or wall and swing one leg forward and backward (10 reps each leg).

Arm Circles – Extend your arms to the sides and make small circles, gradually increasing their size.

Hip Rotations – Rotate your hips in circular motions (30 seconds in each direction).

3. High Knees (1 minute)

March or jog in place while bringing your knees as high as possible.

Engage your core for better balance and coordination.

4. Torso Twists (2 minutes)

Stand with feet slightly apart and twist your torso left and right.

This helps loosen up your spine and waist.

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧ Cardio & Dance (20 minutes)

Dance is one of the best full-body workouts, and since Wonyoung is constantly performing, we can assume dance training is a big part of her fitness routine. This section will help improve stamina, coordination, and agility.

1. Dance Routine (15 minutes)

Pick a K-pop choreography ( anti fragile by lesserafim or super shy by nwjns are great choices as a start 💀 ).

Focus on full-body engagement, precise movements, and fluidity.

Repeat the chorus multiple times to increase endurance.

2. Jump Rope (5 minutes)

Grab a jump rope and go for steady jumps to burn calories and improve footwork.

If you don’t have a rope, mimic the movement in place.

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧ Strength Training (25 minutes)

Wonyoung has a slim yet toned body, which suggests she does low-impact strength exercises that emphasize definition rather than muscle bulk.

1. Squats (4 sets of 15 reps)

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and squat down as if sitting in a chair.

Engage your core and push through your heels.

2. Lunges (3 sets of 12 reps per leg)

Step forward into a deep lunge, making sure your knee doesn’t go past your toes.

This helps tone your thighs and improve balance.

3. Push-ups (3 sets of 10-15 reps)

Keep your core tight and lower your body in a controlled motion.

Modify with knee push-ups if needed.

4. Plank (3 sets, hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute)

Keep your body straight and avoid letting your hips drop.

This strengthens your core and improves posture.

5. Leg Raises (3 sets of 15 reps)

Lie on your back and raise your legs without touching the ground.

Engage your abs to keep your movements controlled.

6. Bicep Curls (3 sets of 12 reps)

Use light dumbbells or water bottles.

Slowly lift and lower your arms for a controlled workout.

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧ Flexibility & Cool-down (10 minutes)

Idols like Wonyoung need flexibility for fluid dance movements. Stretching helps prevent stiffness and promotes long, lean muscles.

1. Standing Hamstring Stretch (1 minute per leg)

Extend one leg forward with your heel on the ground and lean in.

2. Quadriceps Stretch (1 minute per leg)

Grab your ankle and pull it toward your glutes for a deep stretch.

3. Hip Flexor Stretch (1 minute per leg)

Step forward into a lunge and push your hips forward.

4. Upper Back & Shoulder Stretch (1 minute per side)

Interlace your fingers and push your hands forward to round your back.

5. Cobra Stretch (1 minute)

Lie on your stomach and push your upper body up with your hands.

6. Child’s Pose (2 minutes)

Sit back on your heels with arms extended forward for full-body relaxation.

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧Final Tips for wonyoung fitness routine

Hydration is key! Drink water throughout your workout.

Don’t overtrain. Wonyoung’s routine likely includes proper rest days.

Consistency is everything. Do this workout 3-4 times a week.

Pair it with a balanced diet. Nourish your body with protein and healthy carbs.

@bloomzone !🍀

[addiglessthanthree]

LADS LI + Kids Headcanons

My favourite dynamics for LADS LIs with their own kids

(obv i think they would love any child so much it wouldnt be funny so this is just for fun)

Rafayel has a baby girl who he spoils and she turns into a rebellious sassy tortured artist despite trying to not be like her dad. As a baby she's his little dressup doll princess! Always so fashionable, he brings her literally everywhere, uses her as an excuse to leave early and forces people to listen to her babble when he wants them to shut up "Sorry, what was that princess? Tell the nice lady all about it" When she's a teen she tries sooooo hard to not be like him but cant help it. Shows up to his art shows to make a scene, unwittingly participates in performance art. He's sooooooo smug about it. Thomas' daughter babysits her growing up and ends up being an older sister figure to her.

Sylus has two little princesses that crawl all over him like a jungle gym. He's so nonchalant about it, one will be perched on his head, gnawing on his ear while he takes a call. The other is on top of a cupboard and he just catches her mid-air. They grow up and one (the younger one lets be real, even if they're twins one is younger) is the manipulator who always gets on the other's nerves. The other is just so genuine and gung-ho about everything she does. They cause so much chaos. He teaches them at shoot at age 12.

Xavier has an actual cherub baby boy who turns into a hyperactive monster at age 2. The most docile sweet big blue eyed baby is a total momma's boy that knows exactly what he's doing. Gets on Xaviers nerves allllll the time and mom is constantly stuck between the two pairs of biggest poutiest blue orbs shes ever seen. Xavier lets him watch him game as a kid and he gets really good at it. Tries to join team sports, doesnt love it but excels at track and field.

Zayne with fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. The boy is a firecracker like mom and the girl is his exhausted know it all. His dynamic with his son is bewilderment for the most part "Why would you lick that? You know we've discussed proper santitation procedures." With his daughter he's so soft and tender, making sure she's motivated to improve and be the best she can without imposing any standard to uphold. He might even actively steer her away from medicine so she doesnt feel any generational pressure. I think the son ends up being obsessed with firetrucks and becomes a firefighter, the drive to help people and save lives manifesting in his own way.

Caleb screams boy dad that only got girls and so he has 3 girls before they gave up. Not that he doesnt love them! Quite the contrary, he does everything that he wanted to do with his sons with them: builds them a treehouse, takes them to the creek to catch frogs, get them to hand him wrenches when he repairs the car and kitchen appliances. Puts them in scouts and takes them camping all the time. His favourite place to be is buried in cuddles with them. Lets them have their girly phases and paint his nails and put clips in his hair: shows up to a Fleet brief with two sparkly pink fingernails. Has a soft spot for the middle girl. The oldest girl is a mini-him and they butt heads a lot but becuase they're so similar they deeply understand each other.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Forcing Google to spin off Chrome (and Android?)

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/11/19/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do/#shiny-and-chrome

Last August, a federal judge convicted Google of being "a monopolist" and acting "as one to maintain its monopoly." The judge concluded that key to Google's monopoly was the vast troves of data it collects and analyzes and asked the parties to come up with remedies to address this.

Many trustbusters and Google competitors read this and concluded that Google should be forced to share its click and quer y data. The technical term for this is "apocalyptically stupid." Releasing Google's click and query data into the wild is a privacy Chernobyl in the waiting. The secrets that we whisper to search engines have the power to destroy us a thousand times over.

Largely theoretical answers like "differential privacy" are promising, but remain theoretical at scale. The first large-scale live-fire exercise for these should not be something as high-stakes as Google's click and query data. If anything, we should delete that data:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/07/revealed-preferences/#extinguish-v-improve

The last thing we want to do is use antitrust to democratize surveillance so that everyone can spy as efficiently as Google does. In theory, we could sanitize the click and query data by limiting sharing to queries that were made by multiple, independent users (say, only sharing queries that at least 30 users have made), but it's unlikely that this will do much to improve the performance of rival firms' search engines.

Google only retains 18 months' worth of click and query data, thus once we cut off its capacity to collect more data, whatever advantage it has from surveillance will begin to decay immediately and fall to zero in 18 months.

(However: the 18 months figure is deceptive, and deliberately so. Google may only retain your queries for 18 months, but it is silent on how long it retains the inferences from those queries. It may discard your "how do I get an abortion in my red state" query after a year and a half, but indefinitely retain the "sought an illegal abortion" label it added to your profile. The US desperately needs a federal consumer privacy law!)

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/06/privacy-first/#but-not-just-privacy

And just to be clear, there's other Google data that would be very useful to rival search engines, like Google's search index – the trove of pages from the internet. Google already licenses this out, and search engines like Kagi use it to produce substantially superior search results:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/04/teach-me-how-to-shruggie/#kagi

The DOJ has just filed its proposal for a remedy, and it's a doozy: forcing Google to sell off Chrome, on the basis that both of these are the source of much of Google's data, and no rival search engine is likely to also have a widely used browser:

https://9to5google.com/2024/11/18/us-doj-google-sell-chrome/

This represents something of a compromise position: the DOJ had initially signalled that it would also demand a selloff of Android, and that's been dropped. I think there's a good case for forcing the sale of Android as a source of data, too.

In competition theory, these selloffs are referred to as "structural separation" – when a company that provides infrastructure to other firms is prohibited from competing with those firms:

https://locusmag.com/2022/03/cory-doctorow-vertically-challenged/

For example, it used to be that banks were prohibited from competing with the companies they loaned money to. After all, if you borrow money from Chase to open a pizzeria, and then Chase opens a pizzeria of its own across the street, you can see how your business would be doomed. You have to make interest payments to Chase, and your rival doesn't, and if Chase wants to, it can subsidize that rival so it can sell pizzas below cost until you're out of business.

Likewise, rail companies were banned from owning freight companies, because otherwise they would destroy the businesses of every freight company that shipped on the railroad.

In theory, you could create fair play rules that required the bank or the railroad to play nice with the business customers that used their platforms, but in practice, there are so many ways of cheating that this would be unenforceable.

This principle is well established in all other areas of business, and we recoil in horror when it is violated. You wouldn't hire a lawyer who was also representing the person who's suing you. Judges (with the abominable exception of Supreme Court justices!) are required to recuse themselves when they have a personal connection with either of the parties in a case they preside over.

One of the weirdest sights of the new Gilded Age is when lawyers for monopoly companies argue that they can play fair with their customers despite their conflicts of interest. Think of Google or Meta, with their ad-tech duopoly. These are companies that purport to represent sellers of ads and buyers of ads in marketplaces they own and control, and where they compete with sellers and/or buyers. These companies suck up 51% of the revenue generated by advertising, while historically, the share taken by ad intermediaries was more like 15%!

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/25/structural-separation/#america-act

Imagine if you and your partner discovered that the same lawyer was representing both of you in the divorce, while also serving as the judge, and trying to match with both of you on Tinder. Now imagine that when the divorce terms were finalized, lawyer got your family home.

No Google lawyer would agree to argue on the company's behalf in a case where the judge was employed by the party that's suing them, but they will blithely argue that the reason they're getting 51% of the ad-rake is that they're providing 51% of the value.

Structural separation – like judicial recusal – comprehensively and unarguably resolves all the perceptions and realities of conflict between parties. The fact that platform owners compete with platform users is the source of bottomless corruption, from Google to Amazon:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/28/enshittification/#relentless-payola

In other words, I think the DOJ is onto something here. That said, the devil is – as always – in the details. If Google is forced to sell off Chrome, rather than standing it up as its own competing business, things could go very wrong indeed.

Any company that buys Chrome will know that it only has a certain number of years before Google will be permitted to spin up a new browser, and will be incentivized to extract as much value from Chrome over that short period. So a selloff could make Chrome exponentially worse than Google, which, whatever other failings it has, is oriented towards long-term dominance, not a quick buck.

But if Google is forced to spin Chrome out as a standalone business, the incentives change. Anyone who buys Chrome will have to run it as a functional business that is designed to survive a future Google competitor – they won't have another business they can fall back on if Google bounces back in five years.

There's a good history of this in antitrust breakups: both Standard Oil and AT&T were forced to spin out, rather than sell off, parts of their empire, and those businesses stood alone and provided competitive pressure. That is, until we stopped enforcing antitrust law and allowed them to start merging again – womp womp.

This raises another question: does any of this matter, given this month's election results? Will Trump's DoJ follow through on whatever priorities the current DoJ sets? That's an open question, but – unlike so many other questions about the coming Trump regime – the answer here isn't necessarily a nightmare.

After all, the Google antitrust case started under Trump, and Trump's pick for Attorney General, the credibly accused sexual predator Matt Gaetz, is a "Khanservative" who breaks with his fellow Trumpians in professing great admiration for Biden's FTC chief Lina Khan, and her project of breaking up corporate monopolies:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/trump-nominates-khanservative-matt

What's more, Trump is a landing strip for a stroke or coronary, which would make JD Vance president – and Vance has also expressed his approval of Khan's work.

Google bosses seem to be betting on Trump's "transactional" (that is, corrupt) style of governance, and his willingness to overrule his own appointees to protect the interests of anyone who flatters or bribes him sufficiently, or convinces the hosts of Fox and Friends to speak on their behalf:

https://www.mediamatters.org/donald-trump/comprehensive-review-revolving-door-between-fox-and-second-trump-administration

That would explain why Google capo Sundar Pichai ordered his employees not to speak out against Trump:

https://www.businessinsider.com/google-employees-memes-poke-fun-company-rules-political-discussion-2024-11

And why he followed up by publicly osculating Trump's sphincter:

https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1854207788290850888

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[jeffhirsch]

4th Worst Post Inaugural S&P 500 Performance since WWII

Click here to view table full size…

President Trump’s fast and furious pace of change to kick off his second term has created a great deal of uncertainty. Historically, the market has not performed well during periods of uncertainty. Monday, March 10, marked the seven weeks since Inauguration Day and as of the close S&P 500 was down 6.37%, its fourth worst post inaugural performance since 1945. Presidents Obama (2009), W. Bush (2001) and Ford (1974) suffered greater declines through the seventh week.

In the above table we have included the S&P 500’s performance every Inauguration Day since April 12, 1945, when Truman became President following the death of FDR. We also included November 1963, when Johnson took over after JFK was assassinated and Ford in August 1974, following Nixon’s resignation. We use the close on Inauguration Day or the day before when it landed on a holiday like this year. Republican Administrations are shaded in grey.

Seven weeks may be an odd data point to consider but it is consistent with the current time frame. Looking out to 12-Weeks After and 100-Days After, we see an improvement in S&P 500 performance with average, median and frequency of gains improving. Should the market find support, a rebound would be consistent with past post inaugural performance.

[mirai-e-jump]

TV Guide, 2/28/2025 Issue ft. No.1 Sentai Gozyuger Main Cast Member Interviews (translation below)

Publication: February 12, 2025 (before broadcast start)

Gozyugers -Who has the "number one" hero pose?-

Fuyuno Mio (Tono Hoeru/GozyuWolf)

I don't have much experience in acting, and I'm feeling all kinds of pressure, but I believe one of my strengths is my willingness to go after what I lack, so I'd like to maintain this attitude for the next year and improve my performance.

Q: Which heroes do you admire? A: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger. Writing kanji characters in the air, and then transforming through the power of kanji……it left an impression on me, so I remember it well.

Suzuki Hideharu (Byakuya Rikuo/GozyuLeon)

There's still alot of things I'm not good enough at, but I'll be required to act, do action, and do post recording on this set, and since I'm playing the role of a former idol, I'll likely have to sing and dance. Because there's alot to learn, I believe that I'll grow, and I hope that my growth will help to move this production in the right direction.

Q: Which heroes do you admire? A: GoGo Sentai Boukenger. I was excited when I learned that Action Director Fukuzawa-san was BoukenRed's Suit Actor.

Kanda Masakazu (Bakugami Ryugi/GozyuTyranno)

First, I hope that this production reaches many people, and I'll do my best with that single thought in mind. Then, I'd like to learn action and post recording through filming so that I can make the most out of it in my future career as an actor. I'd also like to learn from all the cast members so that I can grow twice as much.

Q: Which heroes do you admire? A: I watched Seiju Sentai Gingaman as it aired. I also watched Ninja Sentai Kakuranger together with my older brother.

Matsumoto Jin (Takehara Kinjiro/GozyuEagle)

I hope that each and every one of us, myself included, can create characters that people will be happy to see appearing on screen. And then, just like how I myself was as a child, I hope that we can all work together to create a production that'll make people want to sit in front of the TV at the exact time the program starts.

Q: Which heroes do you admire? A: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. I liked toys, so I would collect the Ranger Keys.

Imamori Maya (Ichikawa Sumino/GozyuUnicorn)

I want to make sure that everyone who watches the show is thrilled and excited each and every week. For my role as Ichikawa Sumino, I'll be consulting as well as discussing things with the cast and staff, and I hope that we can present you with a production where every single moment is wonderful.

Q: Which heroes do you admire? A: Shinkenger. My older sister was studying kanji at the time of its broadcast, and the Shinkengers would fight by writing kanji that could be found in her workbooks. I remember that well.

Q: Who among you is the most heroic?

Imamori: I think each one of us has aspects that make us heroic.

Matsumoto: In terms of reliability, it'd probably be Masa-kun.

Fuyuno Suzuki Imamori: We know what you mean.

Suzuki: He's very kind. I have no acting experience, and my nerves were already shot when filming began, but Masakazu-kun called out from behind me during filming and said, "Don't worry, go on, you got this." I thought he was a hero for doing that, and it made me happy knowing that I'd be involved in the same production with such a kind person.

Kanda: Keep talking (laughs).

Matsumoto: Then there's Mio-kun. He's positioned as Red, so his turn to perform comes up quite often, which must also put him under alot of pressure, and yet….

Suzuki: He never looks like he's having a hard time, and will always smile at you. He's both tough and reassuring, so in that sense, he's the most heroic.

Fuyuno: (said shyly) Really?

Kanada: It seems like there's a side of him that changes once he gets into his role.

Suzuki: Lately, Mio's facial expressions have been different compared to when we first started filming. I could feel it just by watching you through the monitor.

Kanada Matsumoto Imamori: (they nod in agreement).

Fuyuno: Thank you so much (laughs). _

No One World Buraidan -Who has the "number one" villain pose?-

Sambongi Daisuke (Fire Candle)

Personally, I'd like to see spinoffs made for each character, but first, it's important for the children who watch the show to admire us and have dreams. So, I hope that tons of children will buy the toys. If they like the show, they'll want to buy them, so please buy them (laughs).

Q: Which heroes do you admire? A: The first one I watched was Kakuranger. The most memorable one is Gingaman. I love its opening song. I'll often imitate Gingaman's poses and running style.

Marupi (Bouquet)

It's my greatest pleasure to say that Bouquet's visuals are "number one" in leaving an impact, but I want to be an actor who can leave an even greater impact than that. I want to create a production that'll make lots of people think, "Watching Gozyuger made me happy," and I have confidence that this team can do it.

Q: Which heroes do you admire? A: Mahou Sentai Magiranger, as it's a story about a family who stand together. I remember it well because I love my own family.

Karuma (Kuon)

With it being a 50th anniversary production, there'll be a festive atmosphere, and I feel that it's to be expected that irregular things will frequently occur, but I think we can exceed expectations, and I want to be apart of that. I'm looking forward to learning what kind of person Kuon is, and having others get to know him as well.

Q: Which heroes do you admire? A: I watched Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger, Ninpu Sentai Hurricanger, and Bakuryu Sentai Abaranger. I'm currently listening to Hurricanger's opening song.

Q: Who among you is the most villainous?

Sambongi: You mean someone who looks like they're plotting something? We would've liked to have named someone who's heroic too… (laughs). Still, each of them is carefully thinking about the role they play. I can often sense that on set.

Marupi: The impression I have of Fire Candle-san is that he's someone who's just a passionate idiot, but I can tell from his performance that he's not a character that can be described in a few words, and I think the viewers will understand that. I'm also playing the role of Bouquet with the hope of delivering a surprise that you wouldn't imagine from her appearance, with the same going for Kuon too…

Karuma: He's a mysterious character, so I can't just say things like, "He looks like this, but is actually…" (laughs).

Marupi: We're all thinking about how to present our roles (laughs). _

Special Talk

"Please tell us how you felt when you were chosen to perform."

Fuyuno: I've admired heroes since I was a child, so I was happy, but at the same time, I felt pressure.

Suzuki: I grew up watching the Super Sentai series and saw them as my role models, so I was beyond surprised to find out that I would be apart of it. It wasn't until filming began, and I got on set to strike my transformation pose that I actually felt it.

Kanada: I was suddenly called into the office, told that I had been chosen to appear in the show, and was congratulated, but I was simultaneously happy, under pressure, and confused as to why they had decided to surprise me with it.

Matsumoto: I loved hero shows and would wake up on Sunday mornings just in time for them to start. It was exciting to think that I'd be seen as a hero by children who, like me at the time, wait excitedly in front of the TV.

Imamori: When the decision was made, I was so happy that I cried, as I couldn't believe it. I still feel like I'm dreaming, but I'd like to create a good show while discussing it with everyone.

Sambongi: When I was selected to appear, I thought the times had caught up with me (laughs). After that I thought, "I guess it was fate." Rather than being nervous or happy, I thought, "This is where it all starts."

Marupi: First, I couldn't believe it, but at the same time, I was determined to live up to the honor of being chosen to be apart of the 50th anniversary production. When I was chosen, I felt that 2025 would be the best year ever, so I want to return the favor.

Karuma: When I got the offer, I thought it was a mistake (laughs). I can't say anything right now about Kuon's character or how he'll influence the story (bitter smile), but I was happy to have been given such a role.

"In reference to the title, please tell us the number one person among the eight of you. Who's the number one morning person?"

Sambongi: If you've ever been late, be honest and come forward!

Marupi: Not me (laughs).

Imamori: Mio-kun comes to the studio very early, doesn't he? In addition, while everyone else sleeps on the bus on the way to the filming location, he continues to talk (laughs).

Matsumoto: It's like an unwritten rule, if you have to sit next to him on the bus, you better be ready to talk (laughs).

Fuyuno: I'm just trying to live each day to the fullest.

Suzuki: How cool (laughs).

"Who's the number one eater?"

Everyone: That would be…(they all look at Matsumoto).

Suzuki: I'm always eating the food prepared by catering.

Imamori: If I have alittle free time during filming, I'll sneak over to the catering area.

Kanada: You were holding some potato chips yesterday (laughs).

"And now, who's the number one person with leadership skills?"

Matsumoto: The five Gozyuger members are usually together, but when the time for filming approaches, Masa-kun often calls out to those around him by saying, "Shall we go now?"

Kanada: It's just that I'm abit of a cautious person, and tend to think that I shouldn't be late and need to start moving ahead of time. Well, I may be the leader in terms of pulling things along as a timekeeper, but Mio's the leader in terms of pulling things along on set and creating the mood, wouldn't you say?

Matsumoto: Mio naturally takes the initiative, and everyone will gather around him.

Fuyuno: I'm not trying to take on a leadership role though. Since one of our themes is being "outcasts," I think it's fine for each of us to be independent.

Karuma: You guys may never come together and remain separated.

Marupi: Wouldn't you lose members? (laughs).

Sambongi: It'd end up being a two person Sentai (laughs).

Kanada: If that continues, instead of number one, it'll become "only one Sentai" (laughs).

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - June 8-14

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $Kaybarr1735! And if you tip me and give me a way to contact you, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week!

1. Rare foal born on estate for first time in 100 years

“The Food Museum at Abbot's Hall in Stowmarket, Suffolk, is home to a small number of Suffolk Punch horses - a breed considered critically endangered by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. A female foal was born on Saturday and has been named Abbots Juno to honour the last horse born at the museum in 1924. [...] Juno is just one of 12 fillies born so far this year in the country and she could potentially help produce more of the breed in the future.”

2. The cement that could turn your house into a giant battery

“[Scientists] at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a way of creating an energy storage device known as a supercapacitor from three basic, cheap materials – water, cement and a soot-like substance called carbon black. [... Supercapacitators] can charge much more quickly than a lithium ion battery and don't suffer from the same levels of degradation in performance. [... Future applications of this concrete might include] roads that store solar energy and then release it to recharge electric cars wirelessly as they drive along a road [... and] energy-storing foundations of houses.”

3. New road lights, fewer dead insects—insect-friendly lighting successfully tested

“Tailored and shielded road lights make the light source almost invisible outside the illuminated area and significantly reduces the lethal attraction for flying insects in different environments. [...] The new LED luminaires deliver more focused light, reduce spill light, and are shielded above and to the side to minimize light pollution. [... In contrast,] dimming the conventional lights by a factor of 5 had no significant effect on insect attraction.”

4. When LGBTQ health is at stake, patient navigators are ready to help

“[S]ome health care systems have begun to offer guides, or navigators, to get people the help they need. [... W]hether they're just looking for a new doctor or taking the first step toward getting gender-affirming care, "a lot of our patients really benefit from having someone like me who is there to make sure that they are getting connected with a person who is immediately going to provide a safe environment for them." [... A navigator] also connects people with LGBTQ community organizations, social groups and peer support groups.”

5. Tech company to help tackle invasive plant species

“Himalayan balsam has very sugary nectar which tempts bees and other pollinators away from native plants, thereby preventing them from producing seed. It outcompetes native plant species for resources such as sunlight, space and nutrients. [...] The volunteer scheme is open to all GWT WilderGlos users who have a smartphone and can download the Crowdorsa app, where they can then earn up to 25p per square meter of Balsam removed.”

6. [Fish & Wildlife] Service Provides Over $14 Million to Benefit Local Communities, Clean Waterways and Recreational Boaters

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is distributing more than $14 million in Clean Vessel Act grants to improve water quality and increase opportunities for fishing, shellfish harvests and safe swimming in the nation’s waterways. By helping recreational boaters properly dispose of sewage, this year’s grants will improve conditions for local communities, wildlife and recreational boaters in 18 states and Guam.”

7. Bornean clouded leopard family filmed in wild for first time ever

“Camera traps in Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesian Borneo have captured a Bornean clouded leopard mother and her two cubs wandering through a forest. It's the first time a family of these endangered leopards has been caught on camera in the wild, according [to] staff from the Orangutan Foundation who placed camera traps throughout the forest to learn more about the elusive species.”

8. Toy library helps parents save money 'and the planet'

“Started in 2015 by Annie Berry, South Bristol's toy library aims to reduce waste and allow more children access to more - and sometimes expensive - toys. [...] Ms Berry partnered with the St Philips recycling centre on a pilot project to rescue items back from landfill, bringing more toys into the library. [...] [P]eople use it to support the environment, take out toys that they might not have the space for at home or be able to afford, and allow children to pick non-gender specific toys.”

9. Chicago Receives $3M Grant to Inventory Its Trees and Create Plan to Manage City’s Urban Forest

“The Chicago Park District received a $1.48 million grant [“made available through the federal Inflation Reduction Act”] to complete a 100% inventory of its estimated 250,000 trees, develop an urban forestry management plan and plant 200 trees in disadvantaged areas with the highest need. As with the city, development of the management plan is expected to involve significant community input.”

10. Strong Public Support for Indigenous Co-Stewardship Plan for Bears Ears National Monument

“[The NFW has a] plan to collaboratively steward Bears Ears National Monument to safeguard wildlife, protect cultural resources, and better manage outdoor recreation. The plan was the result of a two-year collaboration among the five Tribes of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and upholds Tribal sovereignty, incorporates Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and responsibly manages the monument for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation while ensuring the continued health of the ecosystem.”

June 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[tessenpai]

Kono Oto Tomare! Chapter 144 Scans and Rough TL

Disclaimer: Please DO NOT use this translation to make your own TL of the chapter!! The KOT TL group works very hard to give you the most accurate translation, that does as much justice to the original script as possible. This is a ROUGH translation. That means is faulty and there must be mistakes in certain places. This is just for impatient people like myself to get a grasp on what is going on in the chapter! You can REFERENCE my TL if you want to discuss the chapter but never USE it as it was your own.

Scans (Use Adblocker): Kono Oto Tomare - 144 RAWs

Page 1

Side text: The announcement is reaching its climax.....

Judge Akagi: In 4th place

Judge Akagi: Osaka Prefecture, Chibana Girls' High School

Page 2

Judge Kurokawa: Chibana's song was also really wonderful.

Judge Kurokawa: For High School students to be able to convey such depth and nuance...

Judge Kurokawa: Has to be the result of endless research of trial and error.

Page 3

Judge Nanba: It was truly charming, and the sound of the koto was beautiful as well

Judge Nanba: I was deeply moved by the scenes that came to mind as I listened...

Judge Nanba: It was a performance truly deserving to be in the top 4.

Tomoe [thoughts]: 4th place....

Tomoe [thoughts]: Deep down, I probably knew

Tomoe [thoughts]: After hearing the other school's performances, that we would not be first.

Page 4

Tomoe: Even so----

Tomoe's friend: Don't look down!

Tomoe's friend: There's nothing shameful about this position! We were chosen among the four best in the Nation!

Tomoe's friend: Stand tall and proud!

Page 5

Tomoe: ----I know...!

Tomoe [thoughts]: We did everything we could, and gave that performance our all...

Tomoe [thoughts]: And still....

Page 6

Tomoe [thoughts]: It was unreachable to us.

Judge Tatsumi: ---Well then.

Judge Tatsumi: Shall we now determine the ranking among the three schools tied at the top?

Page 7

Judge Tatsumi: First off, Meiryou

Judge Tatsumi: You certainly cannot call it anything but "Perfect". A performance calculated to the last detail... It was simply brilliant.

Judge Iwagaki: Even the way they played with pace was perfect

Judge Iwagaki: Even while playing flawlessly in sync, they kept showing new variations one after another. It was truly exciting!

Judge Nanba: That's not something just anyone can achieve.

Page 8

Judge Nanba: The ability to calmly judge one's own strengths, and amplify them to appeal to an audience

Judge Nanba: I could clearly see the extraordinary effort put behind their performance.

Judge Nanba: ....Then we have

Judge Nanba: Ichiei.

Page 9

Judge Kurokawa: The moment they finished, I thought that the winner of this competition was already decided

Judge Iwagaki: Me too.

Judge Nanba: Probably everyone in the venue was thinking the same thing.

Judge Tatsumi: They were truly worthy of being called champions

Judge Tatsumi: The amount of information contained within the sound, and their technical expressiveness was overwhelming... Not to mention the high level of individual skill, their teamwork was also outstanding.

Page 10

Judge Agata: At the root of their success, is the student's high level of awareness and tireless self-improvement efforts.

Judge Agata: When I think these young will become professionals and elevate the world of Japanese traditional music, I can't help to be excited.

Judge Agata: And finally, the last school---...

Page 11

Judge Tatsumi: ...To tell you the truth, I

Judge Tatsumi: was having really awful thoughts before their performance.

Judge Tatsumi: Things like "Considering the public's perception is a pain, so it would be it would be easier if their performance was mediocre"

Judge Iwagaki: !

Judge Tatsumi: I'm sorry, that was truly terrible of me, wasn't it?

Judge Tatsumi: But when I actually heard their performance, it made me ashamed I even had those thoughts.

Page 12

Judge Agata: In 3rd place

Page 13

Ousuke: ---Please

Ousuke: Please, I'm begging you

Ousuke: I'm begging you, don't call our name yet.

Ousuke: Please.

Page 14

Judge Agata: Tokyo Prefecture

Judge Agata: Meiryou High School

Page 15

Asano [flashback]: Thank you, Ousuke

Asano [flashback]: Truthfully, ever since I became the president

Asano: I've been wracking my brain about how we can win against Ichiei.

Asano: "How can we be number one this time?" has constantly been on my mind

Asano [flashback]: Which is why, when you paved the way for us, I was relieved!

Asano [thoughts]: It's all thanks to you!

Page 16

*No text*

Page 17

Judge Agata: In second place

Page 18 & 19

*No text*

Page 20

Judge Agata: Nagano Prefecture

Page 21

Judge Agata: Ichiei High School

Page 22

Isaki: ---Eh...? Eh?

Page 23

Paper: Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award 1st Place

Page 24

Judge Tatsumi: Can't be... All in favor?

Judge Tatsumi: Honestly, I was prepared for us to content on today's results.

Judge Kurokawa: With a performance like that, there is no need for it.

Judge Kurokawa: This very morning I thought that they would be out of the discussion, but they completely overturned my expectations.

Page 25

Judge Kurokawa: How sincerely they faced their music, how deeply they cared for each other, and how much they built together...

Judge Kurokawa: It came through so vividly.... As if we had been living those moments alongside them... I was left speechless.

Judge Iwagaki: When all their sounds came together, I started shaking. Before I knew it, tears were pouring out.

Judge Nanba: Me too. I forgot I was a judge, I just kept thinking, "I want to keep listening", "I don’t want it to end"

Page 26

Judge Agata: Their music was their language, a direct expression of their hearts.

Judge Agata: The piece was of the highest difficulty, and yet they completely made it their own and performed it with exceptional skill.

Judge Agata: A supreme harmony

Judge Agata: And above all, the power to transform us judges

Judge Agata: Into mere listeners.

Page 27

Judge Agata: Without a shadow of a doubt ---

Judge Agata: Winner of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, and 1st Place

Page 28

Judge Agata: Kanagawa Prefecture

Page 29

Judge Agata: Kanagawa Prefectural Tokise High School!!!

Page 30 & 31

*No text, just me screaming*

Page 32

Isaki: Aaaaah, Brother! Brother!!! They did it!! They did ti!!!

Akira: Se- Sensei...

Suzuka:... Are you serious?

Page 33

Takezou [thoughts]: ...First place

Takezou [Thoughts]: We

Takezou [Thoughts]: Trully are---

Page 34

*No text, just me sobbing*

Page 35

Side text: A moment when words won't come out.

[ducktoo]

Syncing Dream [Aespa x M!Reader]

Completed ☑️

-

Sypnosis: This follows the untold story of an ex-trainee who unexpectedly finds himself managing one of K-pop's biggest groups, aespa. Navigating the chaos of schedules, performances, and personalities, they must balance professionalism with deep-rooted friendships-especially with Winter, their childhood friend.

What will happened? Who knows, but it will always be fun

UPDATE: requests are welcome if u have a scenario in mind!

-

Chapters:

Arc 1 - Career change

1. New life…as what now?

2. Begin anew…also a-screwed

3. Wrong room?

4. Day off…not?

5. Ramen Breakdown

6. Year-end Spectacular

7. Company Dinner

Arc 2 - Improvement

8. New year, new man(ager)

9. Reveluv

10. Day off becomes show off

11. Gym-selle life

12. Jelly does come in both ways

13. Active in the…sun?

14. Man(ager) down

15. Maknae down

16. Revelus Dos

Arc 3 - Conflict

17. Big Bang

18. Dying Star

19. Supernova

20. Kabe-down

21. Su-su-su-su

22. Imma get it done

Arc 4 - Synk Dive

23. Who do you like?

24. Level Up

25. First Stop

26. Tokyo Trip

27. Terror in Tokyo

28. Burgundy

29. History

30. End of the tour

Arc 5 - Realisation

31. Fashion Statement

32. Whipupulashu

33. Renov-log

34. Sun and Moon

35. Awkward asf

36. Ai-ai-aespa!

Epilogue. Je T’aime

Side stories

Side 1. Goal to fame with Giselle

Side 2. Rina, Rocket Puncher

Side 3. Rewind with Winter

Side 4. Ning Ning Noodle

Afterwords