#3D Chart Control

[nymphaura777]

ASSUME IT, PERIODT.

Let’s get one thing straight—if you’re still out here scrolling through LOA posts trying to find that *one* magic trick to make your manifestations fall from the sky, you’re playing yourself.

The Law of Assumption is NOT some trial-and-error game, “Let me try this method, oh wait, maybe this one works faster” NO, that’s exactly why you’re stuck.

You’re treating this like some complex puzzle when it’s literally the simplest thing ever: WHAT YOU ASSUME TO BE TRUE, IS TRUE. PERIOD.

No rituals, no astrology charts, no begging the universe like an abandoned child. You decide it’s yours, and it’s fucking yours. Now, let’s talk about why y’all keep making this harder than it needs to be. Your reality is just a mirror of what you assume to be true. That’s it. No extra steps. No loopholes.

If you assume you’re broke, you’ll stay broke. If you assume your SP isn’t obsessed, he won’t be. If you assume life is hard, it’s gonna stay hard.

Reality has NO choice but to reflect your dominant beliefs, whether you get it or not. It’s like gravity, babe—it’s working 24/7.

And don’t come at me with, “But I’ve been affirming for weeks and nothing’s happening, does that mean it’s not meant for me?” SHUT UP.

Nothing is "meant" or "not meant" for you, this is YOUR reality, YOU make the damn rules. The only reason you don’t have it yet is because deep down, you’re still acting like you don’t.

You affirm, then spiral the second the 3D doesn’t show it in five seconds. And speaking of the 3D—YES, it’s showing the opposite right now because that’s what you previously assumed. Duh.

The 3D is literally just playback of old beliefs. Stop reacting to it like it’s breaking news. You wouldn’t dig up a seed every five minutes to check if it’s growing, so WHY are you doing that with your manifestation? Let it fucking marinate. The second you assume something is yours, reality has no choice but to match it.

The only thing delaying it is YOU—your doubts, your second-guessing, your “but what if” thoughts. If you KNEW your dream life was guaranteed, would you still be stressing? No. You’d be chilling, knowing it’s already yours. That’s the energy you need to be in—main character, of-course-it’s-mine energy.

And stop looking for “signs” like a lost wanderer. The only sign you need is your own damn belief. Angel numbers, tarot, moon phases, none of that controls your reality. YOU do (not completely denying that you don't need to see tarot readings, but don't be dependent on it for manifesting). So what’s the lesson? STOP MAKING IT HARD. You don’t need to “try” to manifest. You need to LIVE as if it’s already yours. The sooner you get this, the sooner you’ll be living your dream life instead of stressing over it. So assume it’s done, act like it’s done, and let reality catch up. Now go be delulu in peace, and don’t let me catch you stressing over your manifestation again. I SAID WHAT I SAID.

[im-not-a-ghost]

Your next significant relationship - Who? When? Where?

Group 1 - Controler

Letters : N U Z E D M L K I O S Significant words/names/signs : SKZ, nudes, suki, soul, miso, sun, zen, Leo, kids, Nike, Mike, lion, Leon, noise, sound, Link, links, Dion, Zeus, Odin, Oden, onze (french for 11), douze (french for 12), uno, dos/due, dom, Muse, likes, silk, sold, DMs, solid, kudos, doki, slime, smile, Milo, miko

WHO ? - The Empress / STRENGTH / Herkimer diamond : power wash your energy This person is not what they seem. They may look harsh on the surface but deep down they are as fragile as Quartz. People may only judge them based on their looks and not who they are at there core. They are beautiful without a doubt. Extremely sensual and feminine. Their beauty feels ethereal. They are highly sensitive and spiritual. They could be a healer. The Herkimer diamond card mentions New York's Mohawk Valley where it can be found. So maybe this person is a New Yorker or they would like to travel to New York. With the strength card being related to fire, this person could have important fire placements in their chart (Leo, Sagittarius, Aries). They are powerful and determined. They know what they want and they won't back down no matter what you put them through. Though this person is affected by what people think of them, they would rather die than show it. They could have red hair. Their hair is rather long and straight. They like to wear bracelets. They are connected to the stars. They are grounded and protected by the universe. The Empress is also assiocated with Taurus. They present themselves as a woman. They feel close to their ancestors. It might be that there were warriors in their bloodline. Especially women. Their women ancestors were fierce in battle and they like to take after them and ask for their guidance. I'm feeling a strong connection to witches and shamans.

WHERE ? - 9 of swords / UNDERWORLD / Barite : get answers to your biggest questions. Places this person could be from or have been to at some point are : USA -> Nevada, Misouri, Georgia, Texas / China / India / Morocco / Mexico / Iran / Kazakhstan / Canada / Australia / Thailand / Nigeria / Peru / UK -> Scotland The 9 of swords card shows imagery of a woman lying down in the snow, with mountains in the background. So this person could live in a cold climate country/region. I'm thinking of the Alps, Himalaya, Caucasus, Alaska range. I'm thinking about Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Russia, Groenland, Iceland. Any city starting with a U or a B. Furthermore the character on the card has a dress with an important amount of stars on it, which reminded me of the European Union flag. In terms of the meeting, it could be through social media. The underworld card gives me a sense of mystery, of something being hidden. So it could be the dark web for some. Or on a website that keeps things hidden from people (i.e. content available only for subscribers or a private account). Also you could meet them in your dreams before you meet in 3D. Also, the underworld could be a metaphor for rave parties, clubs and so on. They could live or you could meet near an important building or monument.

WHEN ? - XXI The World / NATURE / Labradorite : protect your magic. The labradorite card mentions Aurora Borealis and the sign of Pisces. So Winter could be relevant, as well as the period from mid February to mid March. The number 21 could be relevent. So if we think in terms of dates it could be 02.21 or 03.21. The World speaks of cycles as well as the long term. So it could represent several years in terms of timing. When it comes to zodiac signs, The World is related to fixed signs. So Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius season could be relevant as well. Which means that you could meet them between mid April to mid May, mid July to mid August, mid October to mid November or mid January to mid February. The World could also represent a time of your life when you are traveling abroad. Again, the character depicted on the card has a lot of stars in their hair. So I'm thinking of the USA as well as the EU. As she is dressed in red, holds red roses and has horns on her head, I'm also being reminded of Spain. The nature card could talk about a time of your life when you are in the wild, connecting with nature, taking a break from the drama of big city life.

Group 2 - Phone

Letters : T E N N U L N O R I S Significant words/names/signs : tennis, Noris, Noe, Noel, runs, Euro, sun, tenor, soul, norns, nine, tunes, Sonne (Rammstein song), Uriel, notes, nuns, trio, route, routines, Riolu (pokémon name), Loire (region in France), Lorie, LOTR, rise, sonnet, soir (french word for evening), nuit (french for night), riots, Lise, lotus

WHO? - IV The Emporor / Sacred Sexuality / Sapphire : find your tranquil place. This person is very masculine and grounded. They could be a father and/or a leader, a mentor, an entrepreneur. The sign of Aries could be significant. They are incredibly determined and strong. Their sexual drive is high. They pay a lot of attention to their health and appearance. They have a lot of sex appeal. This person could be in the fashion industry or could even be that they get money from people watching their body (selling pictures of them, having access to private erotic content). They could have a bit of a bad temper. Piercings also seem significant. On the sacred sexuality card, there’s a full moon and roses. This tell me this person is a romantic and is more of a night owl. They have an important status. We’re talking about company owners, freelance artists, lawyers, head officers, doctors, headmasters of big schools, politicians and so on.

WHERE? - 6 of swords / MOVEMENT / Garnet : get into your depth. -> places they could be from or have gone to : Czekoslovakia, Kenya, Madagascar, India. The 6 of swords depicts a beautiful woman rowing a boat on a lake. Behind her is a white mountain. In her boat are two herons. So Africa seems significant, particularly Tanzania where Kilimandjaro can be found. I’m also thinking of the Mt Fuji in Japan, in Yamanashi. This person lives near an important body of water. Or you might meet them there. Another thing that is significant is movement. So you could meet them where you’re going on a trip, as you travel or relocate. You could meet them on a boat. Anyplace you want to create something (art, music, writing and so on). When looking at « get into your depth » this gives me the feeling you could meet this person in the 5D before meeting them in person, like through dreams or meditation.

WHEN? Queen of wands and VI The Lovers - DARE TO DREAM - Citrine : manifest your masterpiece. First of all I have to say, when I was shuffling the cards for the WHEN? the bells of the nearby Church started ringing. So this tells me when you're going to Church either for communion or for a wedding. Summer is significant, especially from mid June to mid July. I would even say the month of June is the most significant of the two. When you go after your dreams, you will meet this person. On the DARE TO DREAM card, you can see a diamond trapped in an eagle's claw. For some reasons it reminded me of metal and rock bands, of concerts and big events like the Superbowl. So maybe one of your dreams is to go watch your favorite band/artist live or to go to Hellfest or any big convention that is happening in Summer. If there are any French people here, I'm thinking of the Olympics happening this Summer in Paris. And also the Japan Expo convention. In terms of timing, I’d say in a few months.

Group 3 - Mirror

First of all I want to say my coffee spilled as I did your reading. So either you or this person is super clumsy and/or coffee is significant in your relationship. Letters : E L I C O O E U J I A Y

Words/names/signs : Jay, Jey, Joy, Jolie, Julia, Julie, Jule, July, Lucy, cool, jail, Luc, Loïc, Alice, ciel (French for Sky), clue, juice, école (French for school), eco , CEO, Lucie, Lucia, Cloe

WHO? - XVII The Star / Ancestors / Obsidian : protect your soul. Aquarius comes in strongly for this reading. This person is an introvert. They are often seen as a daydreamer, someone that doesn’t care about earthly life. They look like their head is in the stars. Which, in some way is true. This person connects strongly with the Ethers. Social media seems to be important. They could be an influencer or have a certain amount of followers that they help. Think of tarot readings, raising awareness about certain subjects (mental health, disabilities, menstrual cycle, sexuality and so on). This person could be famous in some type of way or they are going to be at some point in their life. Overall they have a good reputation among their peers. They are valued for their work ethic and their deep insights. They are divinely protected. Family business comes to mind. They care about family a lot, especially the deceased ones. This person would be the type to seek out advice from their ancestors or try to honor them as much as they can. Scorpio is also a sign that seems relevant. I don’t know why but I thought of a surgeon. So maybe they have undergone an important surgery. Or they are very sharp. Because I definitely don’t feel this person is a surgeon. Well it could be, but honestly I feel more the energy of influencers and public speakers, like ambassadors of NGOs and stuff like that. Soft and caring, they feel and look rather feminine. Giving more than receiving. They love animals. They draw a lot of attention just from their presence. I think their aura is pretty strong and vibrant. Connected to nature, especially trees and plants.

WHERE? - 7 of pentacles / movement / Herkimer diamond You could meet at work, as you’re changing jobs or they are. During a break at work while you’re printing/scanning papers. In sacred spaces. New York. Somewhere in a lot of greenery like a park or a farm. As for places they could come from or have been to, we have : Norway, Ukraine, Arizona, China, Afghanistan, Herkimer county. If not these places, there could be farms where this person lives. Also they live in a place where there is a lot of activity, especially work wise. So this makes me think of hot spots like La Défense in Paris where a lot of businesses and political administrations can be found. Other places like that would be : Midtown New York, La City London, Marunouchi Tokyo, The Loop Chicago, Bankenviertel Frankfurt, Zuidas Amsterdam, Gangnam Seoul and so on.

WHEN? - 4 of swords / Death / Aquamarine : Keep your cool. You could meet on the fourth of a month, in April. At a time when you’ve lost your voice or when you are going Hermit mode, when you are sick or when you are mourning a loss. During a period of depression. During Scorpio season. In several weeks. Also it could be when someone or something pushes your buttons but you can’t express your frustration somehow. That could be anything really. Like queueing for registration in a building and someone is trying to take your spot. Or shopping at the mall and a customer is being super rude but since there are children around you can’t fully tell this person what you think of their attitude. Stuff like that.

[perpetualcosmos]

Astrology insights on Health & More! Pt. 2

*Please Note these are all my personal observations and research, not yet from a professional opinion!*

---> Body part ruled by Taurus is... Neck, shoulders, ears and throat! Now, What it means is that these natives usually have wide, elegant necks, shoulders and even jawlines depending on where they have their Taurus placements. Ex: Personally seen that natives which have Taurus in either 3rd house, in mercury or Venus conjunct mercury in, 2nd house placements, 3rd house placement and basically mercury placements indicating that these natives have a deep voice.

---> Taurus placements (Specially in conjunction, sextile or trine) always carry an energy of elegance. These natives always have a way with their voice, their body and their posture that draws people in. A pull, sensual and hypnotizing.

---> Prone to be interested in Art, Design, Photography, cinematography, music, dancing, etc., in it's most Venusian form, Taurus natives are hard working... when they want to be, otherwise you cannot pull them for anything to do. They have their priorities straight and keep clear of what doesn't suit them. But the tendency to overindulgence in things like food, sex, drugs, money, etc. Is highly prominent.

---> Really, Financial freedom isn't everything, and so isn't pleasure. A thing I have always noticed with Taurus natives is that they might be inclined to aroma and massages, a good way for these natives to decompress is maybe having a self care day with going to the spa, taking care of your hair, going for aromatherapy, going for shopping and indulging in things which make them feel safe.

---> Security & stability is extremely important to Taurus placements/2nd House placements/Taurus degrees holders (2°,14°,26°). But because of their nature, these natives tend to only focus on financial stability, often forgetting emotional investment is just as important. Signs in the body could be stiff shoulders, a blocked throat, always being told they don't "listen", not being able to take a proper break, mood swings, etc. Extremely prominent when these placements in a person's chart are underdeveloped.

---> Taurus placement carry similarities with their sister sign, Scropio, such as:

• Control - a major theme for both signs in opposite sectors, for Taurus natives, it's mostly money and finance. On the other hand, emotional and sensual control is for Scorpio natives.

• Obsession - as mentioned above, in the sectors.

• Pleasure - Both appreciate Pleasure, for Scorpio placements it's intimate, powerful, a connection and always transformative -- it's in the emotional. For Taurus placements, it's imagination, realistic and 3D focused -- it's in the material.

Ex: Adele with a Taurus Sun in 11th house at 15° (cancer degree)! Should I be even shocked that she is a singer, known for her voice and beauty everywhere? Absolutely not lol. Supporting this, is her Mercury in Gemini in the 12th house at 0° (I can't make this up). She is someone who is known for her music all over the world, carrying so much of her emotions and her ability to reach high notes. She definitely has a beautiful neck and shoulders, with her being very expressive about what she wants through art (which in her case, is music!). Another example is of Keira Knightley with a Taurus moon. Definitely something who carries a strong Jaw and bone structure, along with again wide shoulders and great posture. Her energy also draws in people on the stage, you can't help falling in love with how dedicatedly she carries her with her Moon conjunct Mars in Taurus. No wonder she is so dedicated to her Art (here it's acting). A beautiful thing about Taurus moons is when they find something that they are extremely passionate about, no one can stop them from achieving their goals and giving their best. Especially when they love their work, it shows Everywhere.

Other examples are Zendaya, Nick Jonas, Lindsay Lohan, Donald Grover, Channing Tatum, Miley Cyrus, Gigi Hadid, Robert Pattinson and more.

Source: Pinterest

____________________________

A/N: Thank you for checking this post out and omg thank you for the likes and follows 🥹🫶

*I am so grateful for all of you, thank you for your support. I wasn't sure if I should do this but because of you... I am here. Thank you. And I just want to say if no one has told you lately... I am proud of you, you are trying so hard, even if it's just you being alive. Thank you, I am grateful you are here to read this.*

With love & grace 🥹✨

[pkmndaisuki]

Here's some new guesses/hopes for Legends ZA following those new trailers in no particular order:

Inverse Battles return

Inverse Battles were battles where the entire type chart was reversed. Normal was Super-Effective against Ghost, Steel was weak to almost everything, it was so cool. But it was only available in one random house... right next to Terminus Cave. Where Zygarde was. (ORAS had them as well, but only in a specific place in Mauville.) They were such a unique gimmick, I would love to see at least one place where you can do them.

PokéDex can be completed single-player

Legends Arceus let the player finish the entire Dex without being forced to trade, so I get the feeling that's just gonna be a thing with Legends games going forward. Makes sense since there's only one version.

No multiplayer battles, but trading is allowed

Like the last point, Legends Arceus had no way to battle other players. Likely because of its battle system with the Strong and Agile Style moves. And now that we'll have full free movement in battle, I can see that being a logistical disaster between two human-controlled players. So the only major multiplayer thing will probably be trading.

Trainer Customization expands as the story progresses

Again, Legends Arceus did this with Anthe's store selection upgrading at certain milestones. So I could definitely see Boutique selections rotate as they did in X&Y, or just continually add more options. X&Y invented Boutiques and outfits and haircuts and all that, it would be criminal not to have extensive customization.

Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie will be Wild Encounters from the start; Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile will be Gifted and/or Wild Encounters post-credits

This was the case with the Sinnoh starters and the Hisui starters, so it wouldn't surprise me if they did the same with both sets of Kalos starters. Bonus guess: each of the original Kalos starters will be in a different Plaza. Bleu for Froakie, Vert for Chespin, and Rouge for Fennekin.

More areas underground

Paris has famous catacombs beneath the city. Zygarde is a Ground-type typically found underground. One of its signature moves is Land's Wrath. Something's gotta happen down there. (Plus, we went under the city in X&Y already: Lysandre Labs just beneath Lysandre Café between Rouge and Magenta Plazas.)

Prism Tower is more of a Battle Tower than Gym

That little teaser at the end of the trailer had a logo of Prism Tower. Since we're confined to Lumiose, we're not taking on the Gym Challenge, so it being a Gym wouldn't make as much narrative sense. Instead, I can see it being a different kind of battle facility, and I hope it's still run by Clemont.

Roller Skates return

Roller Skating was so fun in X&Y and used to illustrate the full 3D movement on the 3DS, and you learned most of the techniques in Lumiose. There was even a café just for skating enthusiasts! I really hope it comes back, skating around Lumiose was so fun.

Emma will return

We saw a brief glimpse of the Looker Bureau. By the end of Looker's postgame story, he leaves the Bureau to Emma. I really really hope we get to see her she's such a fascinating character please let it happen

A special Legendary will be available postgame

Enamorous was introduced in Legends Arceus' postgame, so it could be that's just gonna be a feature of Legends games. Not saying something brand new like her is gonna show up for sure, but maybe something else that hadn't be easily available. Like Volcanion maybe? It seems, design-wise, associated with part of the Kalos Power Plant, which is just Northwest of Lumiose. It was distribution-only back then, it would be neat to have it available to battle and capture.

Who knows if any of this will be right, but I'm looking forward to PLZA!

[kitkat-the-muffin]

After running an entire experiment for over a year and a half

I have finally perfected the best order to play the Kingdom Hearts series in

The aforementioned best order has been completely play-tested by an outsider new to KH in order to verify its effectiveness, and it goes as follows:

Kingdom Hearts 1

Kingdom Hearts X [chi] and Kingdom Hearts Union X [cross]

Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep • (start with Ventus, then Terra, and end with Aqua. Include Final Ending. Exclude Secret Ending)

Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain Of Memories

Kingdom Hearts 2 • (followed by Kingdom Hearts BBS’s Secret Ending)

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days • (read Roxas’s diary alongside the cutscene movie if not playing the original release. Then read the secret reports after finishing the game)

Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded • (you may also play Coded if so desired)

Kingdom Hearts Dark Road

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep 0.2 A Fragmentary Passage

Kingdom Hearts 3

Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind

Kingdom Hearts Missing Link

Kingdom Hearts Melody Of Memory

Kingdom Hearts 4

Extra notes:

DON’T FORGET THE SECRET BOSSES! All the cutscenes that precede and follow every secret boss fight is important, so I recommend looking them up on YouTube if you can’t beat them

ALWAYS READ THE SECRET REPORTS!!!! All of them. For every game

Look up BBS’s Secret Ending on YouTube, unless you feel like beating all three routes on Proud Mode (including the Mysterious Figure boss… I think. Idk, look it up)

As of writing this post, Missing Link and 4 have not been released yet, so they may be skipped for now. However, based on their trailer vibes alone, I’d still recommend this order whenever they do release

The mobile app for KHUX and KHDR has been discontinued, so the only source we currently have for them are cutscene movies on YouTube and Damo’s fandubs

The Dark Road fandub is not out yet as of posting this chart, but hopefully I can update this post whenever it does release (same with Missing Link cutscenes)

If you have any questions please reply to this post because I have answers!

Here are some obvious ones tho:

Days is AFTER 2 to preserve the Riku plot twist

Dark Road is BEFORE DDD to increase player attachment to Xehanort before he takes full control over the narrative

Ventus is played FIRST in BBS because it helps the narrative make more sense (sorry Nomura, Xehanort being evil is not a plot twist)

Any spoilers for future games revealed in the prequels are intentional (like Maleficent thinking about Master Xehanort in Union X, or Terra seeing a vision of KH2 Riku in BBS) and are meant to serve as foreshadowing

If anyone feels like streaming the games in this order please let me know. I skewed the results of my experiment a little by being present for the Test Subject’s playthrough, so it’d genuinely benefit from another account played entirely in a vacuum

But also we kind of sped through the games rather than relishing them. There’s so much to do in all the games but to get to the rest of the story we didn’t really play them to their fullest. I hope future players can enjoy all there is and take their time with it :3

Anyway, please reblog this post if you found it interesting! I want to share this order with the world because I genuinely think it’s the best way to play the games! And again, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Thank you to @goldensunset @8golden-harvest8 @share-the-skye for acknowledging my experiment’s existence a couple times, y’all are real ones 💕💕💕

[makingspiritualityreal]

Hello! I just wanted to see if you could help me understand this question that I have been pondering on for a while. It’s regarding the nakshatra of Rohini and its natives ability to just manifest in the 3D. Just based on what I noticed they seem to have this ability to call in what they want even if they’re not aware of it themselves. It’s very interesting…

This is not that simple. You can’t just say one Nakshatra has more manifesting powers and gets what it wants, and others don’t. You can have any planet aspected either which way, and get a million different results. So any Nakshatra has a uniquely different creative opportunity. Chart details can make it so, that a Rohini native has a very limited life opportunity, while someone with something technically more difficult like Mula, has a very expanded life.

Rohini in general has Arohana Shakti, the power of excitement, growth, creative arousal. But no one in this life has everything they want. Rohini is actually associated with themes of anger over not getting what they want and not dealing with the consequences well, as Brahma, the ultimate creative deity, doesn’t deal well with what is outside of his control. So these people can stay very narrow within their small worlds, because that’s where they feel they have the power to create. But the moment you learn and you explore the world outside of you, you find out you have to adjust yourself and have some perspective, and that’s a lesson every Lunar Nakshatra has to go through, even if they’re somehow spoilt from birth and it can feel like they have it easy.

[krystella-shifts]

Chatters. Advice. Why I get my astrology chart read and they said I would have a bad first marriage and won’t be able to become famous as a Musician and the best I could get is a music teacher. 😭😭😭😭

Oh 😃... OKAY HEAR ME OUT. i believe astrology and tarot etc is just showing you your current state of mind. So that's probably your dominant thoughts being reflected on your astrology chart. But DW cuz as I said, it's JUST showing you your current state. And you can change it ANYTIME. In a second. But you have to make a decision and stick to it like glue, like fact. "No way that chart is not gonna be true anymore cuz I said so. I'm in control of my Reality. Any of my marriage will be FULL OF LOVE. I definitely will be a successful musician- I am ALREADY a successful musician. Period. No one can tell me otherwise. Not the chart, not the 3d"

I KNOW this will help ya out girl 💅🏻✨ stay in your power and keep me updated

[sorenblr]

on the off chance you like Dragon Quest, can you explain its appeal? Japanese people really like it from what I've read, but it seems to play second fiddle to FF in the West

I love Dragon Quest. I have a general JRPG brain illness that isn't confined to SMT. There's even a DQIII reference in Marsyas and the Vampyr...

Anyway, I think the appeal is self-evident: the Toriyama designs, the meat-and-potatoes simplicity, the emphasis on individual vignettes that lends the series an easy, almost serialized narrative tone, the relentless charm of it all- even Sugiyama's classical inspirations stand apart from the prog-infused soundscape of the genre. The English releases also benefit from localization, injecting color and accent that conform so well to the original tone that it hardly scans as adaptation. There is a character and magnetism at play here that no other franchise dares emulate. The series is somehow totally archetypal but completely inimitable. It's a very tidy balancing act.

The individual design elements are unremarkable - the ascetic turn-based combat centered on simple buffs and damage control, rudimentary dungeon crawling, barely extant character building except where the vocation system is present- but tend to cohere under this satisfying sense of polish and planning. And while there's more mechanical experimentation across the series than is evident at a glance, DQ still has a fundamentally conservative design ethos that sets it apart from "modern" JRPGs while ensuring a consistent reception from the more settled-in demographics: liking one entry in the series is no guarantee that you'll love the rest, but you're unlikely to be disillusioned going from one game to another.

It's also difficult to overstate the domestic legacy status. In the Western imaginary, the generic JRPG probably resembles a sort of desacralized FFVII. In Japan that image has always belonged to DQ (and more specifically DQIII), where its status as the progenitor of the genre is less clouded by the decontextualization that Japanese games experience during export- less so in the globalized present, but especially pronounced during the crucial formative years for both series. The emphasis on rudiments is something that's more permissible as a result.

But that comparison relates back to FF's dominance in the West, which is mostly attributable to the series' output during the fifth console generation. More expansive allowances for 3D representation created a demand for games designed around the cutting edge. This is the moment that FF cemented its modern reputation, across three separate entries*, as a series of constantly re-inventive, systems innovative, graphical-showcase melodramas. Meanwhile, the mainline of DQ greeted the moment with a single entry: DQVII, an infamously long and plodding game that married simple polygonal backgrounds with 2D sprites in a fashion that too much resembled the rustic SNES titles of the previous generation to suit the tastes of the average PlayStation Magazine subscriber. Debuting several months after the launch of the PS2 inflamed the issue. Considering the technocratic lust for graphical bombast that informed consumer demand at the time, it's no surprise that Western markets imprinted on FF. There's more at play there- from a marketing perspective, the diminutive peasant-protagonist of DQVII was at a disadvantage against Nomura's millennial aesthetic- but that's the thrust of it.

By the time DQVIII released, FF was already dominant, enjoying a consistent stream of profit from their MMO sector even as the wait between FFX and FFXII spanned the entire lifespan of the new system. With DQIX crafted for the DS and DQX being passed over for localization, the mainline series essentially sat out the critical transition to HD, so FF maintained its edge in the West despite increasingly troubled development and exploding production costs. Things have dovetailed neatly, with DQXI charting a series-best performance in the West, filling a niche for console JRPG experiences of this scale that has been largely unoccupied since the PS2 era. FF is meanwhile occupied with recreating, in a fit of Byzantine decadence, the very title that established its grip on the Western imagination.

*It hasn't enjoyed the same critical longevity as FFVII, but it really can't be overstated how acclaimed FVIII was at release, and the move to less abstracted, more 'realistic' models was crucial to that reception.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA’s SPHEREx Space Telescope Begins Capturing Entire Sky

After weeks of preparation, the space observatory has begun its science mission, taking about 3,600 unique images per day to create a map of the cosmos like no other.

Launched on March 11, NASA’s SPHEREx space observatory has spent the last six weeks undergoing checkouts, calibrations, and other activities to ensure it is working as it should. Now it’s mapping the entire sky — not just a large part of it — to chart the positions of hundreds of millions of galaxies in 3D to answer some big questions about the universe. On May 1, the spacecraft began regular science operations, which consist of taking about 3,600 images per day for the next two years to provide new insights about the origins of the universe, galaxies, and the ingredients for life in the Milky Way.

“Thanks to the hard work of teams across NASA, industry, and academia that built this mission, SPHEREx is operating just as we’d expected and will produce maps of the full sky unlike any we’ve had before,” said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This new observatory is adding to the suite of space-based astrophysics survey missions leading up to the launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Together with these other missions, SPHEREx will play a key role in answering the big questions about the universe we tackle at NASA every day.”

From its perch in Earth orbit, SPHEREx peers into the darkness, pointing away from the planet and the Sun. The observatory will complete more than 11,000 orbits over its 25 months of planned survey operations, circling Earth about 14½ times a day. It orbits Earth from north to south, passing over the poles, and each day it takes images along one circular strip of the sky. As the days pass and the planet moves around the Sun, SPHEREx’s field of view shifts as well so that after six months, the observatory will have looked out into space in every direction.

When SPHEREx takes a picture of the sky, the light is sent to six detectors that each produces a unique image capturing different wavelengths of light. These groups of six images are called an exposure, and SPHEREx takes about 600 exposures per day. When it’s done with one exposure, the whole observatory shifts position — the mirrors and detectors don’t move as they do on some other telescopes. Rather than using thrusters, SPHEREx relies on a system of reaction wheels, which spin inside the spacecraft to control its orientation.

Hundreds of thousands of SPHEREx’s images will be digitally woven together to create four all-sky maps in two years. By mapping the entire sky, the mission will provide new insights about what happened in the first fraction of a second after the big bang. In that brief instant, an event called cosmic inflation caused the universe to expand a trillion-trillionfold.

“We’re going to study what happened on the smallest size scales in the universe’s earliest moments by looking at the modern universe on the largest scales,” said Jim Fanson, the mission’s project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “I think there’s a poetic arc to that.”

Cosmic inflation subtly influenced the distribution of matter in the universe, and clues about how such an event could happen are written into the positions of galaxies across the universe. When cosmic inflation began, the universe was smaller than the size of an atom, but the properties of that early universe were stretched out and influence what we see today. No other known event or process involves the amount of energy that would have been required to drive cosmic inflation, so studying it presents a unique opportunity to understand more deeply how our universe works.

“Some of us have been working toward this goal for 12 years,” said Jamie Bock, the mission’s principal investigator at Caltech and JPL. “The performance of the instrument is as good as we hoped. That means we’re going to be able to do all the amazing science we planned on and perhaps even get some unexpected discoveries.”

Color Field

The SPHEREx observatory won’t be the first to map the entire sky, but it will be the first to do so in so many colors. It observes 102 wavelengths, or colors, of infrared light, which are undetectable to the human eye. Through a technique called spectroscopy, the telescope separates the light into wavelengths — much like a prism creates a rainbow from sunlight — revealing all kinds of information about cosmic sources.

For example, spectroscopy can be harnessed to determine the distance to a faraway galaxy, information that can be used to turn a 2D map of those galaxies into a 3D one. The technique will also enable the mission to measure the collective glow from all the galaxies that ever existed and see how that glow has changed over cosmic time.

And spectroscopy can reveal the composition of objects. Using this capability, the mission is searching for water and other key ingredients for life in these systems in our galaxy. It’s thought that the water in Earth’s oceans originated as frozen water molecules attached to dust in the interstellar cloud where the Sun formed.

The SPHEREx mission will make over 9 million observations of interstellar clouds in the Milky Way, mapping these materials across the galaxy and helping scientists understand how different conditions can affect the chemistry that produced many of the compounds found on Earth today.

TOP IMAGE: NASA’s SPHEREx mission is observing the entire sky in 102 infrared colors, or wavelengths of light not visible to the human eye. This image shows a section of sky in one wavelength (3.29 microns), revealing a cloud of dust made of a molecule similar t… Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

LOWER IMAGE: This image from NASA’s SPHEREx shows the same region of space in a different infrared wavelength (0.98 microns), but the dust cloud is no longer visible. The molecules that compose the dust — polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons — do not radiate light in … Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

[hotcocoabombb]

So, I just finished Astro Bot.

I'm gonna get this out of the way immediately: this game is a fucking masterpiece in my eyes. A genuinely flawless game. If you don't wanna read this whole long ass yapfest I wanna just say this upfront. If you own a PS5 and don't own this game, you are doing yourself a disservice. With that out of the way, allow me to glaze the fuck out of this game.

Before I start with the game itself I wanna talk about Production Value because holy shit it is off the fucking charts here. Every inch of this game is fucking gorgeous. Water is so good Mario WiiU would be brought to tears. Particles and physics objects are everywhere, to the point where it feels like Team Asobi was just showing off with what the PS5 was capable of. I have no issues calling it the best looking PS5 game. Sure, God of War or The Last of Us Part 1 may look better technically but Astro Bot's artstyle combined with a locked 60fps that I didn't notice dip once despite the amount of stuff on screen at once pushes it over the edge for me. On top of that, the music is incredible. Every level has a new tune that you'll sometimes just sit down and listen to for a moment before starting a level. Slo-Mo Casino, Crash Site, and Sky Garden are highlights for me but the whole soundtrack is incredibly good.

But that doesn't really mean much if the game kinda sucks, so I am glad to report that Astro Bot might be the best controlling 3D platformer I have ever played. Everything just feels like it has the just right amount of fine tuning. Astro's jump is just right between floaty and weighty, and his hover helps mitigate platforming mistakes without being essentially a get out of jail free card. His attack is basic but you can also damage enemies by hovering, and the game switches it up often enough for it to not feel repetitive. The levels compliment the control perfectly. While Astro Bot is generally a pretty easy game, I don't think that's a bad thing because of how comfortable it feels to play. Everything just feels good. Every time you mess up a jump, it feels like your fault instead of the game's. This rings true even in the face button challenges (which is what im calling them for lack of a better term lol). These little challenges, themed around the Sony face buttons, can be a lot more challenging than the regular game, but they remain fair. Even the final challenge of the game to get the last bot is a fair challenge. The game never resorts to cheap deaths which makes it way more fun than some other "difficult" games. The boss fights are also really good. The wait times between attacks always remained interesting to me because the pace of everything just felt snappy. They never last more than a few minutes and by the time you're done with them they don't overstay their welcome. They're always a nice change of pace from the main game. Also, going for completion never felt like a slog. I got all 301 bots (missing 4 because my playroom file got deleted on accident :/), all puzzle pieces, and all achievements and I was never bored. Just goes to show how incredible the gameplay is.

The story is nothing super complex but I like it for what it is. Basically an Alien just decided to be a jerk and stole the pieces from the PS5 and scattered all the bots and it's up to Astro to fix everything up. Not the most inspired story ever but that's not really an issue imo. The main alien is constantly bullying the CPU of the PS5 and it's honestly really funny to watch the scenes. For a game without any dialogue they really put their all into the story and I personally think they did an amazing job with the story.

Overall, like I said at the beginning of this, Astro Bot is a masterpiece. Everything this game sets out to do, it not only succeeds, but excel's at. This game doesn't have a single bad level or dull moment. I am not kidding when I say I don't even have any dumb nitpicks to muster up. Astro Bot is a perfect game in my eyes and Team Asobi should be goddamn proud of themselves for releasing a game this fucking good.

Astro Bot gets a 10/10 from me. Please go buy and play this game. It's wonderful.

[miloscat]

[Review] Extreme Tux Racer (PC)

Sublime open source sliding.

With my Steam Deck I now technically own a Linux machine, so I thought I should educate myself on one of the many games starring the Linux mascot Tux the penguin. This also gave me the chance to experiment with installing and running non-Steam games from the desktop mode. After some control tinkering this was a success!

Tux Racer started as a three-day student project by Jasmin Patry, who then assembled a team to expand it into a fuller experience. The full open source release in 2000 was followed by an enhanced commercial release in 2002 (kind of an odd choice considering Tux’s status as a mascot for free and open software, but whatever). The latter even got an arcade version! However, the open source version received further updates from the community under the fork Extreme Tux Racer, which is still available in many fine distros and that’s what I played.

Tux Racer is a kind of downhill toboggan game where you slide down various courses as Tux or, in the updated versions, one of his friends. I usually used Trixi the palette swap penguin; she’s pink and wears a bow, which is how you can tell she’s a girl. You can build up a good amount of speed depending on the surface you’re sliding on, there’s a brake for better turning control, and a jump for clearing small gaps or getting more air (there’s also a trick button but I couldn’t get it to work). It feels impressively smooth! There’s flags around to mark the course but they’re merely a suggestion, you have the freedom to chart your own path (within the horizontal confines of the map). The real goal is to make it to the end with a good time while picking up a certain number of herring scattered around.

In the event mode, you only have a few lives to do this over several courses. The initial cup is quite gentle to pass, although getting gold ranks is a good challenge. The next unlocked cup ramps up the difficulty severely, to the point that I was unable to clear it. Yes, I got stuck on the fifth track, when there are 22 overall! Obviously the balancing leaves something to be desired.

Luckily you can play any of the 22 default courses and 22 “extra” courses in Practice mode, without limitation. Here the individual track designers are credited and you can start to see why tracks can be so different, when they were each created by different people. The extras are mostly silly bonuses that stretch the engine and the ideas of track design, and for the most part they’re fun to try out. I just wish the campaign was a little more fair.

From a Windows 95 demo of Winter Race 3D to Ubisoft’s Steep, I have good memories of downhill winter sports games and Tux Racer felt nostalgic when playing it for the first time. I can see why it was popular, it feels and looks impressive for a project from a tiny team in 2000. Not to mention the landscape for freeware games at that point was pretty sparse. Although the upstart startup that created it is long since gone, thanks to the magic of open source Extreme Tux Racer belongs to the people now and I’m glad it’s still around as a little slice of millennial goodness.

[twocrabcake]

alright here’s the deal

i’m gonna make a percentage of how many trap victims/related persons survive

wish me luck this is gonna be tedious 🫡

it’s been an hour or two since i wrote that lol i got busy

idk i’m starting when its like 12am????

survived: iiiiiiiiii

not: iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

special (survived): iiiiiii

special (not): iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

special is either 1 the game was rigged or 2 they beat the game but died some other related way (ex: adam) 3 or if it was up to somebody else to save you as part of their game (ex: eric matthews, like a lot of them actually)

special good is when it was rigged/something was against them or different but they still beat it. hold on hold up i’m looking for an example rn. ok the secretary lady deborah or something she was in a trap out of her control but she survived.

(timing these for some reason) 1:12 am

dude idk where to put matthews bc his first game was a fluke and he survived but he was also like saved? idk man i’ll think about it (i put him in special died OH GOD NO LOOK AT NOTES)

i can’t put my headcanons/theory’s in here okay cowabummer dude (i have to put adam in dead i’m sorry ok)

1:20 (^im realizing now a shit ton of these fall into the special category whoopsies maybe i got too specific)

1:28 aw dude the fatal 5 are gonna suckkkk bc they’re all working together and linked and connected and shit fhhhghh

1:33 okay dude the steam lady is difficult bc the first half was a special but the last wasn’t. fuck it im just gonna say she could have survived the burns herself

1:40 can’t decide if the first and rebooted games from jigsaw should be put in together or if they should be separate. i just finished i smoked an entire bowl and i am trying my best here ok

1:50 the train guys is rigged they don’t explicitly say it but there’s no way

1:58 alright. fucking finally. that experience was just a downward spiral haha get it bc i hate that movie. also hate jigsaw the movie jigsaw. this was very unpleasant once i’m done with this shit i’m gonna fall asleep to saw 5 or smthn.

2:02 i have to use a counter online bc i’m too tired to count all those little i bitches

2:06 the fruits of my labor. my creation. behold

Pie chart

there we fucking go. a ratio. OH MY GOD THEY FUCKING SEPARATED THE 2 DEADS IM GONNA KILL. YOU. YOU WILL BE BOILED.

oh thank god

ok so there it is. the ratio of victims that survived and victims who’ve perished in jigsaws traps. you don’t know how much footage i’ve skimmed through. 1 like=1 ass kicking for to me because what was i thinking

me laying down in bed after this ↓

WAIT NO I FORGOT TO INCLUDE FUCKING ERIC MATTHEWS. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN.

2:18 ok here it is. the real true official one.

sorry for all that. thank you for accompanying me on this task. i did not have fun. except when i was watching 1-3d but then after that it sucked. 1-3d even took up almost all of the view time but the last bits were so unpleasant it threw that all out the window. gonna go watch one of the original saw movies. you can tell saw x will be good bc it has saw in the name. the title. oh my god oh god i’m realizing i forgot people. i think i forgot bobby. what the hell man screw this i’m going to sleep. i’ll deal with it when i wake up and wonder what the fuck i was on last night. thank you for joining me on this journey of a mental breakdown everybody. a mental spiral, even, if you will. i’m imagining cheesy ending scene music like the character/actor is thanking the audience. signing, logging off at 2:34 am. goodnight everyone.

[para-medic-16]

Sometimes you have to wonder how dispatch codes things and if maybe they should stray off the flow chart from time to time. Here's two that shows what I mean.

How's a 17B and 3D sound?

CW: Mentions of blood, alcohol and allusion to intimacy.

17B01 - Falls, Non-Emergency Response, POSSIBLY dangerous body area

Get a call out to a 17Bravo while I was progressing to senior. Notes didn't make much sense, but we were dispatched with FD so we went routine traffic (this was when the county still went emergency to Bravos). Notes say something about a 40yo male fell onto his chest. He was drunk, too, but that doesn't explain why someone would call. No further details or nothing. We roll up on scene to find the man being wrapped up with OLEAS bandages and blood all around him and on him. Turns out that he had too much to drink when he tripped and fell onto his chest... onto a piece of scrap metal that damn near bisected him, I don't know how he was still kicking and talking when we got to him. Loaded him into the ambulance and I was tasked with driving like a bat out of hell to the hospital because I was still a baby medic at the time. Come to find later that the guy was relatively stable and talking all the way there. He politely waited till we got to the hospital and transferred care before he started crashing.

I don't remember his outcome.

How was THIS a bravo?

3D03 - Animal bite, Emergency Response, Dangerous area

Got called out for a 30yo female stating that her "bitch bit me on the neck." She hung up and didn't answer on call back so of course we get started with PD (police) and FD (fire) and AC (animal control). There was a lot of things I was imagining on the way to this call, but I forgot that sometimes the word "bitch" refers to a person, not a female dog. The "female dog" in question was a 20-something goth chick with blood all in her mouth shying away from her girl friend that looked old enough to be her mother. This delta level animal call turned into a domestic dispute. Fire couldn't've cleared faster, thankfully PD stayed. I bandaged the older one's neck - barely pin pricks, she's fine - while the goth was giving the run down to the cops. Turns out they were having an intimate moment and the goth got too into it and started, and I quote, "feeding from her neck, but I didn't mean to, I just hadn't eaten in a couple days." The older woman - who was unfortunately my patient - decided to start an argument with the goth. Right in front of the police, no less.

I got a refusal from her before things escalated and took off.

Hope the goth found someone else to "feed on" by now.

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals: Running Up That Hill

I've never seen any episodes of Stranger Things, but I've learned bits and pieces about it from Tumblr/the internet, and of course I heard about its usage of Running Up That Hill (which I did know a little bit already) in season 4, which had the song shooting up to the tops of music charts, breaking a record for the longest time for a track to reach Number 1 spot on the UK's official Singles Chart (as well as the oldest female artist to get there).

Voiceplay's video for their cover of Running Up That Hill was released on the 2nd of July, 2022, and like the other "trendy"/popular song featured in a piece of recent media that they covered that year, it features Ashley Diane! So let's go! 😁

Apparently (if I'm correctly remembering the comments I read about it), Voiceplay used mops to cover the floor with a thin layer of water (which had to be done multiple times during filming), to get a cool reflective effect that would give the vibes of "The Upside-Down" from the series.

(And as always, shoutout to Eli for the lighting design!)

Ayyyy

Eli is going double-denim (very 80s) with his jeans and denim jacket combo, and his "Hellfire Club" shirt is merch from Stranger Things! Ashley is wearing a cute crop top, and I love her hair and makeup here. Cesar's got a button-up shirt and a maroon jacket (which I kinda want for myself tbh), Layne's wearing ripped jeans (like Eli) and a kinda-patchwork-pattern button-up (which I also want), and Geoff... is doing The Least again. 😆 His "80s-style" outfit is a plain black/grey shirt, jeans, and a barely-noticeable jacket/jumper tied around the waist. I do love him but I can't help but (lightheartedly) call him out sometimes. 😂

Love the eyeshadow! 💜

Cesar is absolutely vibing at the start of this and I love him

Lighting change!

And again!

When your multiple superhuman abilities include lighting control /j😝

(Also notice the water droplets around/near Layne and Cesar's feet?)

Cool 3D-glasses-like visual effect!

Man she's so pretty (Voiceplay videos spoil me sometimes, they really do)

"Let me steal this moment from you nowwww"

(Trust Geoff to get a low-key dark line of a song and make it even darker/spookier! 😄)

Lighting change again!

As if I was going to talk about the visuals for this video without talking about this moment! So extremely cool, even if you're not into Stranger Things. No clue how they managed to pull it off, but very well done!

The guys' reactions are all absolute gold, of course 😂 ("what should we do?" "I don't know, just keep singing!")

Based on the very-fixed and very-specific shots we get of Ashley while she's "levitating", I'm guessing this was more done via clever editing and post-production work rather than anything like harnesses to actually lift her in the air (not sure if Voiceplay/Pattycake Productions would have the money or resources for that anyway), but still, absolutely brilliant job, and what a way to elevate the video! 😉 (couldn't help myself 😁)

3D-glasses effect again!

I honestly wonder whether or not it was difficult to hold those expressions and not break character, while still singing/vocalising

The last frame of the video, right?

Wrong!

This is the actual last frame (before the Patreon credits), thanks to a very quick bonus scene that Voiceplay decided to include. They sure do have a flair for the dramatic, don't they? 😄

Shoutout to Layne for both the arrangement and video for this one! Voiceplay continue to knock it out of the park, every time, without fail. They know how to do songs justice, while still putting their own spin on it, and it always works so well!

[celebrity-worship-is-toxic]

From Scandal to Success: How Kim Kardashian Transformed Controversy into a Corporate Empire

Written by Ana Maria Hernandez

Kim Kardashian's journey into fame began with her familial connections and early associations with high-profile figures like O.J. Simpson, due to her father's involvement in his infamous murder trial, and her early friendship with socialite Paris Hilton. Despite being initially on the outskirts of fame, Kim strategically capitalized on media attention through calculated party appearances and paparazzi photos.

In 2007, amidst the growing reality television era and just before the release of the iPhone, Kim Kardashian's notoriety skyrocketed with the release of her sex tape. "Kim Kardashian, Superstar," filmed with her then-boyfriend Ray J, sparked intense controversy and fascination. Coinciding with the launch of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" that same year, the tape pushed Kim into the public eye like never before. Despite initial attempts to stop its release through legal action, the Kardashian family eventually negotiated a deal with entertainment company Vivid, allegedly receiving $5 million for the rights. The tape, viewed online over 150 million times, became a lucrative enterprise, earning upwards of $50 million. Eventually a 3D virtual reality experience, "Kim Kardashian Superstar VR" was sold.

 It's hard to deny the calculated timing of the tape's release just months before the premiere of 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians.' Kris Jenner, the mother of the Kardashian family, has been hailed as a mastermind of publicity stunts, and the timing of the tape's emergence conveniently served as a means for attention toward the family's new media empire. By strategically leveraging the controversy surrounding the tape, they turned what could have been a career-ending scandal into a path for unprecedented fame and fortune. Since then she has started multiple multi-million dollar companies and as of 2024 reportedly has a net worth of 1.7 billion dollars. 

While Kim Kardashian undoubtedly reaped the benefits of the sex tape's notoriety, it's worth examining the contrasting experiences of her co-star, Ray J. His former girlfriend, Karrine Steffans, shed light on Ray J's motivations, stating in an interview: 

He thought it was going to bring him wealth, and more fame … Ray J was Brandy’s brother and everyone always called him Brandy’s brother and no matter what he did, he couldn’t come out from under that shadow … And he really, really, really, really believed — really in his heart of hearts believed — that this sex tape was going to finally make him white-girl famous.

What's notable is how Kim Kardashian navigated the initial public backlash and scrutiny that followed the tape's release. In a society where women are often judged harshly for their sexuality, Kim's response to the incident allowed her to regain some control over her public image. During a conversation with Oprah Winfrey, she said, "I’m not naïve to that fact. That’s pretty much how I was introduced to the world. It was a negative way, so I felt like I really had to work ten times harder to get people to see the real me." Kim’s ability to redefine who we consider celebrities in the digital age cannot be denied, as she continues to capture the attention of audiences worldwide through generations. 

Kim in 2007

Rob Shuter, Paris Hilton's publicist, commented on the impact of Kim Kardashian's sex tape saying:

If something happens to Madonna, her greatest hits shoot up the charts. This is Kim’s greatest hit. This is her ‘Like A Virgin.’ When she dies, this is what’s going to chart. It’s not a tune, it’s not a movie; it’s the sex tape. That’s the body of work. I’m sure when she got divorced it spiked, I’m sure when she had a baby it spiked.

While it's important to remember that people can’t be defined by a single moment, it's also important for women to be perceived as complex beings capable of expressing their sexuality while still commanding respect. Kim, while problematic in a lot of ways, has managed to do this.

By capitalizing on their sex appeal and crafting an image with their bodies, Kim Kardashian and the Kardashian-Jenner family have not only remained relevant in popular culture for years but have also played a significant role in shaping societal beauty standards. What sets them apart is their ability to leverage their bodies to create personal brands based on their identities, capitalizing on every opportunity, no matter how controversial. Whether social media posts and brand deals, carefully constructed publicity stunts, or calculated business ventures, they have mastered the art of staying relevant. They have shown us that fame and celebrity influence can be built from capitalizing on sex and maintaining an image along with sexual appeal. They’ve stayed relevant for so many years because they plan and demand to be.

Kim, at 40, 2024

As people become more aware of how influencers can exploit their fans and prioritize profit over social issues, the Kardashian empire's days may be numbered. History teaches us that even the mightiest can fall, and in today's world, accountability matters more than ever. We may be witnessing a turning point where fame and influence are redefined by integrity and responsibility.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Maybe you've already said what you think but I haven't scrolled back a lot on your blog so forgive me if it's something you already talked about. You think the company submitted LC, or that no submission was needed, for VMA and EMA rigth? Then how come a song with its achievements in Europe wasn't considered but songs and artists with virtually no achievements in Europe did? It is not explainable, I'm sorry. And of course Hybe was going to submit everyone for Grammy, because the submission are public knowledge and it would have actually caused an uproar if they submitted only some. It's not about siding with solos or their "agenda" but once again it is weird and suspicious, just like the unreported sales, the sudden splitting of LC versions when even 3D with and without Jack are combined, so two different songs.

So yeah, I find it weird, and I don't want to think this way but the reasons armys give to this mishaps are always putting blame on jm himself, like he doesn't want his work to be recognised or something.. I hope you can make me look at this in another light, if you want..

***

I published this on my blog 2 days ago. I suggest you read it. This one too, and this one, and this one too while you're at it. Or idk, try to talking to an ARMY that's been here for a while. Anyway I highly doubt you'll read all linked posts so I'll paste a section I've written earlier for you here too in response to parts of your ask.

"Then how come a song with its achievements in Europe wasn't considered but songs and artists with virtually no achievements in Europe did? It is not explainable, I'm sorry."

"BigHit submitted BTS’s work for 2017 MTV EMAs and they were snubbed for nominations. Groups like Mamamoo and Gfriend were nominated instead, and no group had a bigger performance in 2017 than BTS. The same can be said for when BigHit submitted BTS’s work in 2018 and 2019 and both times were snubbed for the Grammys and some academy voters flat out said they didn’t think BTS got those accolades and chart performances legitimately."

The bolded part is done for emphasis. It might not be explainable Anon, but it's not without precedent. The point is the lack of nominations does not mean a lack of submissions, and BTS have been snubbed before by that particular award-giver (EMAs). There's a whole host of possible explanations for why these things happen because newsflash, as much as akgaes like to think the company (in this case HYBE) is the boogeyman responsible for everything bad that happens to their fave, there's a pretty big world outside that is filled with players other than HYBE. These award shows are third-party industry players that still operate independently of HYBE. Or do you think if HYBE had that kind of power they wouldn't fill the nomination rosters with only their artists, or do you think HYBE would've allowed BTS and their other artists to suffer snubs repeatedly for years?

I understand people are looking for someone or something to blame when their expectations aren't met and corporations are easy scapegoats because we all know they're bad, but it really shouldn't be so difficult to actually think about what it is one is saying.

I get it's easier to blame HYBE for Spotify splitting streams, but just as it didn't work in 2020 when ARMYs wanted combined streams for ON and ON ft Sia, were told the codes were different but later learned the codes are actually generated by Spotify after the label provides the songs, and ARMYs saw other songs combined instead with no explanation from Spotify... ARMYs learned back then that raging at HYBE likely isn't going to fix an issue controlled by an opaque third-party. Just as it didn't work all the times Billboard changed the rules for BTS.

I don't default to putting all the blame on the company whenever I see things I don't like because the members are adult men who should be held responsible for their choices. I don't idolize, infantilize, or baby them. If their choice involves delegating certain decisions to their team and their team drops the ball, I blame their team and also the members. It's what I said when I mentioned how I hated the Weverse album version for JITB and assumed Hobi was at least aware of and okay with that decision, and so I held him responsible as well. And Hobi is my bias. K-pop stans and akgaes in particular, have a habit of crediting the idol when they see good outcomes, but blaming the company when they see bad outcomes, when the reality is that both idol and company share responsibility. Especially in the case of BTS where we know all members are very involved in their solo careers.

The problem for solo stans is they don't know how to hold parties responsible without being abusive, hateful, devolving into conspiracies and raging all over the internet looking for a way to harm and handicap other members in retaliation, regardless of these people not actually knowing if other members are responsible for the outcome. It's just very juvenile and frankly insane behaviour.

I cannot want more for the boys than they want for themselves. Of course Jimin wants success. Same with the other members. I think it's fair to assume of course he wants awards and recognition and accolades, but I'm not privy to the conversations he's having with his team at HYBE, and I don't actually know what awards he cares about or what submissions they've discussed and made.

But people here, akgaes and their sympathizers, would rather incite hatred over Jungkook because they have no way of managing their emotions when their chosen member isn't getting his due. They have no way of expressing their disappointment without being hateful and disgusting.

Jungkook deserves everything good he gets. Jimin does too and then some. And I want that for all seven of them, but I won't begin hating one member with only a fraction of the information available to me because not actually knowing the full facts is oh so uncomfortable.