#Feb 18th represent!!

[fountainpenguin]

Something incredibly funny about A New Wish's timeline is that Peri gets to celebrate his birthday before Dev...

POV, you're Dev and your fairy is living it up and you're like... "Peri, I'm still reeling over the fact that my dad loves his boots more than me, can you not right now?"

[syn0vial]

A timeline of the Trump Administration's hostile actions and threats of annexation towards Canada

Shared from the Facebook page of Mugsy Margarit, who is keeping an updated timeline on their page here.

-----------

One thing I've learned over the past few weeks, and it's been a bit of a sobering lesson, is that a lot of Americans I know don't actually know what's going on between the US and Canada right now, and just how seriously Canadians are taking this. So, against my better judgement, here's a timeline to explain why we're here, and why we're angry.

Nov 30th, 2018 - The United States, Canada and Mexico finalize a trade agreement. Trump personally negotiates the terms and signs the document, celebrating it as 'the greatest trade agreement in history". (This is important.)

Nov 29th, 2024 - In a face to face meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Trump threatens the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, that he will be imposing 25% tariffs and that if Canada wants to avoid that, it should join the US as a state.

Nov 30th, 2024 - Trump publicly calls our Prime Minister 'Governor Trudeau' and instructs his staff to only address him as Governor going forward. He again suggests Canada should join the USA.

Dec 3rd, 2024 - Trump remarks that he would split Canada into two states once annexed.

Dec 10th, 2024 - Trump posts that the majority of Canadians support annexation, despite public polling that only 13% of Canadians would consider the idea.

Dec 18th, 2024 - Trump again falsely states that the majority of Canadians support annexation and that one of his lapdogs, Wayne Gretzky, should have a leadership role in that new scenario.

Jan 7th, 2025 - At a press conference, Trump says that he would use economic force to destroy the Canadian economy to annex it.

Jan 14, 2025 - Trump again claims that most Canadians want to be American, despite new polls showing only 10% of us are open to the idea.

Jan 20th, 2025 - During his inaugural address, Trump says that the U.S. will 'expand its territory' during his second term.

Jan 23rd, 2025 - At the World Economic Forum, Trump says that Canada can avoid tariffs and economic collapse if it joins the US. He says this in front of representatives from most countries in the world.

Jan 24th, 2025 - During a press conference in North Carolina, President Trump reiterated his position, stating that Canada "will" become a U.S. state. He claims that under American governance, Canadians would benefit from "lower taxes" and "better health care."

Jan 31st, 2025 - Trump announces a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports to begin the next day.

Feb 2nd, 2025 - Trump refers to Canada as its 'Cherished 51st state' and that it should join the US to avoid tariffs.

Feb 3rd, 2025 - A one month delay is agreed upon. Trump, in a conversation with Trudeau states that he doesn't think existing border treaties with Canada are valid, and need to be revised.

Feb 7th, 2025 - In a closed door meeting with his cabinet, Prime Minister Trudeau is recorded, without his knowledge, telling everyone that he believes very strongly that Trump is serious and that he stated his reason for annexation as Canadian resources.

Feb 9th, 2025 - In a Super Bowl pre-game interview, Trump says that he's serious about his threats, calling it a 'viable consideration for expanding US territory'

Feb 10th, 2025 - Trump announces an additional 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada to come into effect March 12th.

Feb 24th, 2025 - Trump publicly remarks that whoever signed the USMCA agreement is an idiot. He was the one that signed it.

March 4th, 5th, and 6th 2025 - Tariffs come into effect. Canada retaliates with it's own tariffs. Tariffs are again postponed until April 1st after a huge market backlash.

March 4th, 2025 - In an address to a joint session of congress, Trump states that the US will own Greenland 'one way or the other'.

March 5th, 2025 - US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick told Canadian finance minister Dominic LeBlanc that Trump "had come to realize that the relationship between the United States and Canada was governed by a slew of agreements and treaties that were easy to abandon."

March 7th, 2025 - Unconfirmed Memorandum and maps leaked on twitter reveal Trump is allegedly planning to annex the entirety of the great lakes and Southern Ontario, home to 13,491,332 Canadians. This amounts to 35.25% of Canada's total population and includes its largest city, Toronto. This region accounts for 38% of the Canadian economy, and its loss would make Canada's independence functionally impossible. *THIS IS STILL NOT OFFICIALLY VERIFIED*

March 7th, 2025 PT II - Trump claims to reporters that he had Canada’s dairy-tariff situation “well taken care of��� at the time he left office the first time, “but under Biden, they just kept raising it.” In fact, Canada did not raise its dairy tariffs during the Biden administration.

March 7th, 2025 PT III - Peter Navarro, a senior trade adviser to Trump, says that Canada has been “taken over” by Mexican cartels.

March 8th, 2025 - Canada's foreign minister warns European allies that their government considers Canada to be under existential threat. She emphasized that Canada's current challenges could foreshadow similar threats to other nations, stating, "We are the canary in the coal mine. If the U.S. administration is doing that to Canada, you're next."

March 9th, 2025 - Mark Carney, the new Canadian Prime Minister, in his acceptance speech, states that Trump is seeking to destroy Canada, and its way of life.

March 11, 2025 - President Trump threatens to “permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada” if Canada does not drop a 250% to 390% tariff on U.S. dairy products, which he doesn’t state only kicks in after a certain quantity of tariff-free U.S. dairy enters Canada, a quantity that was originally negotiated and agreed to by Trump during the USMCA in 2018.

In Trump's own words, "The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear. Canadians’ taxes will be very substantially reduced, they will be more secure, militarily and otherwise, than ever before, there would no longer be a Northern Border problem, and the greatest and most powerful nation in the World will be bigger, better and stronger than ever — And Canada will be a big part of that. The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World — And your brilliant anthem, “O Canada,” will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!"

March 11th, 2025 PT. II - Peter Navarro, a Senior Advisor for Trump is interviewed by MSNBC. When asked about the tariffs he responds with "Just tamp it down, please, over there, ok? They're throwing down the hockey gloves. Stop that rhetoric...we're not going to tolerate anything but them stopping killing Americans", insinuating that this situation was caused by Canadians killing Americans. It's assumed he's referencing fentanyl, but he doesn't specify the reason.

March 11th, 2025 PT III - Trump again publicly muses that Canada, Greenland, and the US should be one country, and questions the validity of the Canadian and American border.

March 11th, 2025 PT IV - Canada sells $3.5 Billion dollars of its US Bonds

March 11th, 2025 PT V - Trump claims in a social media post that Canada is “One of the highest tariffing countries in the world.” He also claims the trade deficit between the two nations is '$200 Billion dollars". Official US statistics show the 2024 deficit with Canada in goods and services trade was $35.7 billion

Despite Trump's claims about Canadian tariffs, Canada is the 102nd-highest nation on a World Bank list of 137 countries’ trade-weighted average tariff rates in 2022 – and had a lower average (1.37%) than the United States (1.49%) that year, the most recent for which the data is available. This means the US tariffs more than Canada, with Canada being one of the most tariff free countries in the world.

March 12th, 2025 - Canadian Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc announces tariffs on $29.8B worth of U.S. goods. This includes tariffs on Steel, Aluminum, computers, tools, sporting equipment and cast iron products.

March 12th, 2025 Pt. II - Mark Carney, Canada's incoming prime minister, expresses willingness to meet with Trump to renew economic and security partnerships between the two countries despite the challenges posed by the recent tariffs.

March 12th, 2025 Pt III - Widespread boycotts of American products across Canada and international markets begin making serious impacts on US economy

March 13th, 2025 - Trump claims that “they (Canada) don’t take our agricultural product for the most part”; he mentioned dairy, then said, “A little bit they do, but not much.” This is false even with Trump’s qualifiers. Canada was the world’s second-largest buyer of US agricultural exports in 2024, according to the US Department of Agriculture, purchasing about $28.4 billion worth.

March 13th, 2025 PT II - New polling shows 46% of Canadians are in favor of joining the EU, something that would have been pure fantasy just a few months ago.

March 13th, 2025 PT III - The Group of Seven (G7) ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, along with the EU, meet in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada for two days of meetings.

March 13th, 2025 PT IV - Alaskan state-level politicians introduce resolutions to oppose Donald Trump’s “restrictive trade measures that would harm the unique Canada-U.S. relationship”

March 13th, 2025 PT V - The Vancouver Sun reports a Canadian woman was arrested by ICE and has been held at the San Luis Detention Center in Arizona since March 3rd with 30 other individuals. Her mother, in an interview: "They are housed together in a single concrete cell with no natural light, fluorescent lights that are never turned off, no mats, no blankets, and limited bathroom facilities."

March 13th, 2025 PT VI - Trump says that he would 'allow Canada to keep their national anthem' -- as a US state.

"As a state, it would be one of the great states. This would be the most incredible country visually. If you look at the map, they do an artificial line right through it between Canada and the US. A straight artificial line. Somebody did it a long time ago. And it makes no sense. It's so perfect as a great and cherished state".

March 13th, 2025 PT VII - Trump's choice for United States ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, says that "Canada is a sovereign state" when asked about Trump's repeated threats to annex Canada and make it a U.S. state.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

To my American friends, I know most of you are amazing and generous people. You didn't ask for this, and I understand that. I hold no ill will towards you, whatsoever. But I must stress, with as much seriousness as I can, the amount of damage this has done.

We have viewed you as our closest friend and ally for a century. We thought of you as brothers and sisters. We answered the call, again and again, for any support you needed from us. Most of Canadians visit the USA so much that we've seen more of the US than we have the rest of Canada.

American products have been taken off our shelves. Canadians are cancelling travel plans to the US. Photo after photo has been shared on social media of empty flights from Canada to the USA.

This isn't a joke to us. We're not overreacting. We don't think he's just saying this shit to cause chaos or negotiate a deal. We wholeheartedly believe that our closest ally and friend is about to bring violence across our border, economically destroy us, and eliminate our way of life.

The main driver for Canada's creation in 1867 was SPECIFICALLY to not be part of America, and to end America's very public threats and plans to annex our territory.

We're angry. We're really, really fucking angry. Open your eyes to what's happening because we're tired of trying to make you understand why and asking you why it seems like none of you care.

I still hope that there is time to repair this. I still believe that this is the result of one man's plan to burn it all down. But time is running out, and fast.

**Note**

The hundreds of positive comments and messages I've received from Americans today have restored my faith in you, and humanity. You do care, and I was wrong in assuming you didn't.

[shikoteiswife]

Hello there!!!

Sorry to ask, but so you have any headcanons 'bout Daiyu & Qin Shi Huang?

«"You have given me the perfect opportunity to talk about them. I love you, anon ♡♡"» - Asheer/Huī

✧ Qin Shi Huang/Ying Zheng's main love language is Words of affirmation and physical touch. He often praises Dàiyù and reassures her when things go wrong, knowing she has issues expressing her emotions.

✧ Yao Dàiyù's love language are gifts and physical touch. Her gifts come in form of her making soft and loving melodies on her guzheng only for him, also learning to bake just for him.

Her love language when expressing physical touch are normally small and soft caresses to his cheek or arm, clinging onto his arm or leaning her head on his shoulder.

✧ The tropes that would probably describe accurately their relationship are "Arranged marriage" and "Friends to lovers" plus slow-burn

✧ Ying Zheng and Yao Dàiyù have an age difference of two years, and a birthday difference of three months (Feb. 18th/May 8th).

✧ While in ancient China there weren't so representative symbols of marriage (such as nowadays rings), Zheng and Dàiyù re-established their marriage by their matching earring, each one having the earring the other's missing.

✧ Their favorite place to go is the private's garden of the Empress, same place where Dàiyù keeps her greenhouse. In that place there are multiples venomous/poisonous plants, but there are also beautiful flowers and trees. They often sit down under a tree with Zheng caressing Dàiyù's hair, waist, or cuddling with her while she plays an instrument, commonly the guzheng or maybe the xíqin.

✧ Dàiyù has a strict schedule of when to finish her duties, so when she does and Zheng hasn't, she normally stays in the Imperial bedroom reading while using his Imperial robe.

✧ Ying Zheng himself handcrafted the intricate gold and silver work that complements and conforms Dàiyù's jewelry as an anniversary gift.

✧ They're often side-by-side; either Dàiyù is trying to keep Ying Zheng from causing ruckus, or Zheng is clinging onto Dàiyù while she studies the properties of flowers and herbs.

✧ There are times were Ying Zheng remembers traumas of the past as nightmares and wakes up distressed, Yao Dàiyù always holds him against her chest and soothes him.

✧ Dàiyù looks sort of alike to Chun Yan, specially when she ties up her hair. Zheng sometimes teases her about it but also remarks that It brings him peace.

✧ They trust each other deeply. No lie or circumstance could make them distrust the other.

✧ Ying Zheng when taking off his blindfold, enjoys watching Dàiyù's Qi points. He's genuinely and whole-heartedly convinced she has the most beautiful and fluid Qi in all existence.

✧ When stressed, Ying Zheng likes feeling Dàiyù's fingers tracing circles on his back, It relaxes him.

✧ Their ship's emoji: 👑🌑 (Zheiyù)

Tagging [tagging a few mutuals, in case you don't want me to please say so.]: @sorastar0 @atreyushortcake @amphitriteswife @hellany @ctrldoll

«"Won't lie, got super excited when asked for headcanons and over-exaggerated (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠)"» - Asheer | Huī

[l2bbocsstuff]

The Trade War between the US and Canada

This is from another social. It was written by Mugsy Margarit.

One thing I've learned over the past few weeks, and it's been a bit of a sobering lesson, is that a lot of Americans I know don't actually know what's going on between the US and Canada right now, and just how seriously Canadians are taking this. So, against my better judgement, here's a timeline to explain why we're here, and why we're angry.

Nov 30th, 2018 - The United States, Canada and Mexico finalize a trade agreement. Trump personally negotiates the terms and signs the document, celebrating it as 'the greatest trade agreement in history". (This is important.)

Nov 29th, 2024 - In a face to face meeting, Trump threatens the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, that he will be imposing 25% tariffs and that if Canada wants to avoid that, it should join the US as a state.

Nov 30th, 2024 - Trump publicly calls our Prime Minister 'Governor Trudeau' and instructs his staff to only address him as Governor going forward. He again suggests Canada should join the USA.

Dec 3rd, 2024 - Trump remarks that he would split Canada into two states once annexed.

Dec 10th, 2024 - Trump posts that the majority of Canadians support annexation, despite public polling that only 13% of Canadians would consider the idea.

Dec 18th, 2024 - Trump again falsely states that the majority of Canadians support annexation and that one of his lapdogs, Wayne Gretzky, should have a leadership role in that new scenario.

Jan 7th, 2025 - At a press conference, Trump says that he would use economic force to destroy the Canadian economy to annex it.

Jan 14, 2025 - Trump again claims that most Canadians want to be American, despite new polls showing only 10% of us are open to the idea.

Jan 20th, 2025 - During his inaugural address, Trump says that the U.S. will 'expand its territory' during his second term.

Jan 23rd, 2025 - At the World Economic Forum, Trump says that Canada can avoid tariffs and economic collapse if it joins the US. He says this in front of representatives from most countries in the world.

Jan 24th, 2025 - Trump states publicly that Canada 'will' become a state

Jan 31st, 2025 - Trump announces a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports to begin the next day.

Feb 2nd, 2025 - Trump refers to Canada as its 'Cherished 51st state' and that it should join the US to avoid tariffs.

Feb 3rd, 2025 - A one month delay is agreed upon. Trump, in a conversation with Trudeau states that he doesn't think existing border treaties with Canada are valid, and need to be revised.

Feb 7th, 2025 - In a closed door meeting with his cabinet, Prime Minister Trudeau is recorded, without his knowledge, telling everyone that he believes very strongly that Trump is serious and that he stated his reason for annexation as Canadian resources.

Feb 9th, 2025 - In a Super Bowl pre-game interview, Trump says that he's serious about his threats, calling it a 'viable consideration for expanding US territory'

Feb 10th, 2025 - Trump announces an additional 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada to come into effect March 12th.

Feb 24th, 2025 - Trump publicly remarks that whoever signed the USMCA agreement is an idiot. He was the one that signed it.

March 4th, 5th, and 6th 2025 - Tariffs come into effect. Canada retaliates with it's own tariffs. Tariffs are again postponed until April 1st after a huge market backlash.

March 4th, 2025 - In an address to a joint session of congress, Trump states that the US will own Greenland 'one way or the other'.

March 5th, 2025 - US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick told Canadian finance minister Dominic LeBlanc that Trump "had come to realize that the relationship between the United States and Canada was governed by a slew of agreements and treaties that were easy to abandon."

March 7th, 2025 - Unconfirmed Memorandum and maps leaked on twitter reveal Trump is allegedly planning to annex the entirety of the great lakes and Southern Ontario, home to 13,491,332 Canadians. This amounts to 35.25% of Canada's total population and includes its largest city, Toronto. This region accounts for 38% of the Canadian economy, and its loss would make Canada's independence functionally impossible.

March 8th, 2025 - Canada's foreign minister warns European allies that their government considers Canada to be under existential threat.

March 9th, 2025 - Mark Carney, the new Canadian Prime Minister, in his acceptance speech, states that Trump is seeking to destroy Canada, and its way of life.

March 11, 2025 - President Trump threatens to “permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada” if Canada does not drop a 250% to 390% tariff on U.S. dairy products, which he doesn’t state only kicks in after a certain quantity of tariff-free U.S. dairy enters Canada, a quantity that was originally negotiated and agreed to by Trump during the USMCA in 2018.

In Trump's own words, "The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear. Canadians’ taxes will be very substantially reduced, they will be more secure, militarily and otherwise, than ever before, there would no longer be a Northern Border problem, and the greatest and most powerful nation in the World will be bigger, better and stronger than ever — And Canada will be a big part of that. The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World — And your brilliant anthem, “O Canada,” will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!"

March 11th, 2025 PT. II - Peter Navarro, a Senior Advisor for Trump is interviewed by MSNBC. When asked about the tariffs he responds with "Just tamp it down, please, over there, ok? They're throwing down the hockey gloves. Stop that rhetoric...we're not going to tolerate anything but them stopping killing Americans", insinuating that this situation was caused by Canadians killing Americans.

March 11th, 2025 PT III - Trump again publicly muses that Canada, Greenland, and the US should be one country, and questions the validity of the Canadian and American border.

March 11th, 2025 PT IV - Canada sells $3.5 Billion dollars of its US Bonds

March 12th, 2025 - Canadian Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc announces tariffs on $29.8B worth of U.S. goods. This includes tariffs on Steel, Aluminum, computers, tools, sporting equipment and cast iron products.

March 12th, 2025 PT II - A French Barracuda nuclear attack submarine docks in Halifax, Nova Scotia - a major Canadian post on the east coast. This follows comments made by Macron last week that France will protect its allies under its nuclear umbrella

To my American friends, I know most of you are amazing and generous people. You didn't ask for this, and I understand that. I hold no ill will towards you, whatsoever. But I must stress, with as much seriousness as I can, the amount of damage this has done.

We have viewed you as our closest friend and ally for a century. We thought of you as brothers and sisters. We answered the call, again and again, for any support you needed from us. Most of Canadians visit the USA so much that we've seen more of the US than we have the rest of Canada.

American products have been taken off our shelves. Canadians are cancelling travel plans to the US. Photo after photo has been shared on social media of empty flights from Canada to the USA.

This isn't a joke to us. We're not overreacting. We don't think he's just saying this shit to cause chaos or negotiate a deal. We wholeheartedly believe that our closest ally and friend is about to bring violence across our border, economically destroy us, and eliminate our way of life.

The main driver for Canada's creation in 1867 was SPECIFICALLY to not be part of America, and to end America's very public threats and plans to annex our territory.

We're angry. We're really, really fucking angry. Open your eyes to what's happening because we're tired of trying to make you understand why and asking you why it seems like none of you care. **

I still hope that there is time to repair this. I still believe that this is the result of one man's plan to burn it all down. But time is running out, and fast.

[figandthewasp]

✨AQUARIUS SEASON✨ Jan 19th - Feb 18th, 2025

Tomorrow kicks off Aquarius Season! While Capricorn earth energy had us focused on getting our financial affairs in order and setting our long terms goals, Aquarius swoops in and provides us with a breath of fresh rejuvenating air. We loosen up a bit and shift toward the more stimulating, the more unusual and the more free-flow thinking.

We tend to be a bit more rebellious under this influence and will want to stick out from the crowd. If you want it, but it's not what everyone else is doing, Aquarius says don't deny yourself of that pleasure. Just do it!

At its core, Aquarius season is about freeing ourselves from the traditional. It's about removing the constraints and limitations we and society place on ourselves. This is a time to stand firm in unique truth, spread wings and fly.

Ruled by Uranus, the planet of change, being fixed quality and being an air sign, Aquarius allows us to be more independent, intellectual, and very persistent. It's an excellent time to get reacquainted with your beliefs and values and stand by them. It's also a wonderful time to go out of our way to help others.

Aquarius' symbol, the Water Bearer pours water -- this water represents the wisdom of the universe. Reminding us that ancient knowledge and truth is all around us and also within us.

[addictedtostorytelling]

might be a bit of a silly ask, but.... in a few csi meta posts youve mentioned the in-universe dates for a few episodes? (like, an episode taking place on feb 12th 2007, as a random example) I was wondering how you knew this?

(Might be an obvious answer but oh well! Love your csi metas <3)

hi, anon!

not a silly ask at all!

dating csi episodes in-universe is, admittedly, an inexact science.

firstly, not all csi episodes include specific in-universe dates, particularly early on.

s1 is an absolute wasteland of chronology.

secondly, while sometimes the show's in-universe dates for its episodes are identical to its out-of-universe airdates (for example, episode 03x19 "a night at the movies" both takes place in-universe and aired out-of-universe on 04.10.03), such is not always necessarily the case, and often there are significant discrepancies between the show's internal and external timelines (such as is the case, for example, with episode 08x01 "dead doll," which in-universe takes place on 05.18.07 but aired out-of-universe on 09.27.07).

also, admittedly, there are some instances where the internal and external timelines of the show simply cannot be reconciled, as episodes aired out of order from their in-universe dates—such as is the case in s4, when episode 04x13 "suckers" chronologically takes place in-universe on 02.04.04, which is after the events episode 04x14 "paper or plastic?", which take place in-universe on 01.16.04.

so.

all of the above said:

my in-universe dates typically derive from dialogue mentions (like when a character says "the victim came back to town on the 18th"); documents (such as evidence photos, evidence tags, lab reports, newspapers, calendars, postmarks, etc.); timestamps on security footage, text messages, and emails; references to in-universe time markers (like grissom's birthday); and—more rarely—references to real-world events (like particular nfl games). i collected them slowly over successive rewatches of the show and kept track of them on a master timeline.

because csi is not always internally consistent about its timeline even within the course of a single episode—for example, episode 07x04 "fannysmackin'" shows different dates on both evidence tags and text messages that supposedly represent the same day—i sometimes used the timeline itself to sort through discrepancies.

in the aforementioned case, while the evidence tags point to an october date and the text messages point to a september one, the episode has to take place in october because the episodes immediately preceding and following it do; i.e., the evidence tag date fits whereas the text message date doesn't.

at this point, i would say i probably have concrete in-universe dates for about 70% of the episodes in s1-s9 and can ballpark another 20% or so based on timeline fit (i.e., tell you the month and give you a window of a few days or weeks when the episode's events are likely to have taken place).

thanks for the question! please feel welcome to send another any time.

[sidharthojhaepp]

Sidharth Ojha - 18th Feb 2025

Proposal for Research Project

[Working title] Does AI & Generative Art Create Oversaturation In The Game Industry?

Summary

I would like to conduct a detailed research project to better understand how generative art and AI can lead to a greater quantity of games produced over a shorter period of time, and the impact that can have on the industry as a whole.

Why is it relevant? 

I believe that in today’s day and age, we are experiencing an abundance of media in all of its forms, more than ever before. With the ease of art creation tools and platforms that are available to everyone, the markets for all media - not limited to video games but also film, music, etc - are in many ways saturated. 

What effect does this have on the market, industry, artist, and consumer? How do we, as artists, navigate and find recognition in a market that is flooded with algorithm-oriented content? 

As artists who hope to enter the video game industry and create high quality work, it is important for us to understand how the art creation landscape impacts the market as a whole, and how we can use these tools to the best benefit us. 

Background and Context

With the acceleration of AI alongside more accessible and easy to use game development software, we are approaching a future where games are very easy to make, for anyone interested in making them, irrespective of whether they are a game artist or not. This creates an issue where developers can struggle to stand out, as well as making it harder for consumers to find quality games. The use of pre-made assets also contributes to the fast-paced, quantity-over quality approach to production, enabling low quality content to be produced quickly. 

For example, a recent controversy with Activision using AI imagery in a Call of Duty event banner with an image of Santa with six fingers that was unrecognizable to fan audiences sparked outrage (Martin, 2024). 

Recently, Elon Musk has announced a possible AI game studio where he claims to want to create games purely with AI (Tassi, 2024). 

Who does this affect? 

I believe that this over-saturation raises a quality vs quantity issue for everyone involved, for both players who want to be exposed to high quality games, and for artists and developers who may not need to create something actually exceptional in order to succeed.

For artists: 

While the accessibility to generative AI can allow for more diversity within games and for more artist voices from around the world to be heard, it can also lead to a culture where games are quickly played and forgotten. 

Since algorithms play such a huge part in discoverability, the metric for a game’s success can be drastically different. This can prove especially difficult for indie developers to get noticed amidst the noise. 

Games that are not as challenging may succeed more, limiting the creativity and expression of artists

For consumers and players: 

It may become much more difficult for a consumer to find a game they like amidst a sea of content

The abundance of low quality games can impact the player’s attention span. "With low levels of attention, highly profitable sectors will be most prominently represented..." Anderson, S.P. and de Palma, A. (2012) This means that player expectations can change to want only games that provide instant gratification, detracting from the enjoyable experience of video game mechanics and storytelling

Practices such as using microtransactions to keep a player “hooked” on the game may become more prevalent, creating an unfair addictiveness for players. This also affects small game developers: “...​​market dynamic favors only these few large companies due to factors like economies of scale and high switching costs and in contrast, small-scale companies have no choice but to get involved in monetization models—such as pay-to-win, paywalls, and loot boxes— that could exploit players economically…” Lee, C. S., & Seo, H. (2024)

We have already seen this take place in visual media, with long-form content such as films or even Youtube videos being replaced by short-form content such as reels and TikToks in the mainstream. If games are all competing for the consumer’s attention in such a climate, how will this impact the design and mechanics of the game? Players may now expect a game to be engaging in a manner that is more instantly gratified, not allowing for more slow and rewarding forms of storytelling. Practices such as using microtransactions to keep a player “hooked” on the game may become more prevalent, with even smaller and indie developers having no choice but to resort to them.

How are platforms involved? 

Platforms such as Steam and Epic Games store play a vital role in adapting to this change, not by prioritizing algorithm-based discoverability, but by balancing quality control with accessibility. 

Methodology and Approach

I will first begin my research by compiling a reading list from relevant sources that dig further into my chosen topic. 

Possible sources and materials 

Lee, C.S. and Seo, H. (2024) 'Being social for whom? Issues of monetization, exploitation, and alienation in mobile social games', Journal of Consumer Culture, 24(1), pp. 82–99. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/14695405231195711.

This paper appears to explore how players are exploited by viral marketing tools within games that negatively impacts their gameplay and also social experience. 

Young, C.J. (2021) 'Unity Production: Capturing the Everyday Game Maker Market', in O. Sotamaa and J. Švelch (eds.) Game Production Studies. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, pp. 141–158. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048551736-009.

The paper explores the use of free and accessible production tools by the company Unity Technologies. 

Banks, J. and Keogh, B. (2021) 'More Than One Flop from Bankruptcy: Rethinking Sustainable Independent Game Development', in O. Sotamaa and J. Švelch (eds.) Game Production Studies. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, pp. 159–176. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048551736-010.

The paper discusses how indie developers can be successful in today’s world. 

van Roessel, L. and Švelch, J. (2021) 'Who Creates Microtransactions: The Production Context of Video Game Monetization', in O. Sotamaa and J. Švelch (eds.) Game Production Studies. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, pp. 197–216. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048551736-012.

This paper is an in depth exploration of microtransactions in gameplay. 

Brunt, C.S., King, A.S. and King, J.T. (2020) 'The influence of user-generated content on video game demand', Journal of Cultural Economics, 44(1), pp. 35–56. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-019-09349-0.

This paper discusses how indie games can better distribute themselves in the current digital network with user generated content, and the market success trends of indie games. 

Alongside this, I will conduct an interview with an industry professional and subject matter expert. I will begin working on identifying this individual and research what insight they can offer me for my research. 

I will compile a list of questions before I approach my interviewee so that I have clarity on what information I require from them, and ensure I don’t waste their time. 

Sample questions/points of discussion: 

Has this artist experienced the over-saturation of media in their industry? 

If so, in what ways have they perceived this to impact their personal work? What are their insights into how the market has shifted in recent years? 

How do they think AI impacts their work?

What are the creative possibilities and limitations of AI and procedural generation technology on game development? 

Has game development become democratized? What are the pros and cons of this? 

What do they believe we must be cognizant of in our work to navigate this? 

What are their insights on the marketing and distribution of their work in today’s day and age? 

How have recent revenue streams and models, such as microtransactions, crowdfunding and patronage, affected an artist’s prospects?  

Conclusion

As artists and designers, and also as players who have love for the artform, I believe it is important for us to inquire into the role we play in this period of change. With my interview, I want to understand how successful artists in the industry today perceive and navigate the future, and how it is possible to achieve both creative and commercial success in this climate. I would also like to understand how the abundance of games in the market can affect pricing, and the revenue and sustainability of new artists and developers. 

Since my primary goal with this MA is to conceptualize and create a portfolio for a future game I would like to create, I would like to use the insights from this interview and my reading to inform the work I create during the rest of the course. I see this as a valuable opportunity to connect with an industry professional whose trajectory I can learn from. I hope to use this information in order to better plan for the type of work I create, as well as how I network and distribute my work, and create connections with other peers. 

Sources: 

Anderson, S.P. and de Palma, A. (2012) 'Competition for attention in the Information (overload) Age', RAND Journal of Economics, 43(1), pp. 1–25. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-2171.2011.00155.x.

Lee, C.S. and Seo, H. (2024) 'Being social for whom? Issues of monetization, exploitation, and alienation in mobile social games', Journal of Consumer Culture, 24(1), pp. 82–99. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/14695405231195711.

Windows Central (2025) ‘Activision faces backlash over AI-generated images in Black Ops 6’, Windows Central. Available at: https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/activision-faces-backlash-over-ai-generated-images-black-ops-6 Tassi, P. (2024) ‘Elon Musk says he’ll make an X.AI game studio to make games great again’, Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/11/29/elon-musk-says-hell-make-an-xai-game-studio-to-make-games-great-again/

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] GG News Bureau Imphal, 18th Feb. In a move to address the ongoing crisis in Manipur, an umbrella body of civil society organizations representing the Meitei community has urged Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to take immediate steps to restore an elected government within a month. This call comes after the imposition of President’s Rule in the violence-hit state on February 13 following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. On Monday, representatives of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) met Governor Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal, where they submitted a detailed 13-point memorandum outlining steps they believe could restore peace in the region. COCOMI expressed concern over the lack of a clear agenda from the Meetei group in addressing the crisis and noted that the violence appears to be fueled by groups pushing for a separate administration. One of the major recommendations from COCOMI involves dismantling and evicting illegal villages across the state, which they claim pose a threat to the demographic and environmental integrity of Manipur. The group also called for an immediate halt to all violent activities and the unauthorised movement of armed groups to restore peace and security. Furthermore, COCOMI emphasized the need for security measures to protect affected villages, especially those with civilian village defense forces, and requested amnesty to prevent further violence. They also pressed for the elimination of any efforts for a separate administration, emphasizing that the territorial and administrative integrity of Manipur must remain intact. The Raj Bhavan, in response, acknowledged the memorandum and stated that Governor Bhalla had heard the concerns of COCOMI representatives, including convenor Kh Athouba, and urged cooperation with the government to restore harmony. In their memorandum, COCOMI raised concerns about the involvement of “Chin-Kuki narco-terrorist separatist groups,” accusing them of seeking territorial gains in Manipur under the guise of loyalty to India. The group called for a review of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, which it believes has enabled militancy and exacerbated the violence. The SoO agreement, which allows militant groups to stay in designated camps while their weapons are stored securely, has been a point of contention, with accusations that the groups have used the ceasefire to regroup and strengthen their positions. The civil society group also highlighted the urgent need for a reestablishment of law and order across both the hills and plains of Manipur. They called for immediate relief for those affected by the violence, including financial assistance, reconstruction of villages, and the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Ensuring the safe return of IDPs, along with unhindered access to healthcare, education, and transport services, was also stressed in the memorandum. The violent clashes between the Meitei and Kuki tribes, which began in May 2023, have led to severe disruptions in Manipur. The underlying issues involve land rights, political representation, and the demand for separate territory, with both communities accusing each other of exploiting the situation for their own gains. As the situation continues to unfold, the Governor’s role will be critical in managing the state’s path toward stability and peace. The post Meitei Civil Society Urges Governor to Restore Elected Govt in Manipur Within a Month appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] GG News Bureau Imphal, 18th Feb. In a move to address the ongoing crisis in Manipur, an umbrella body of civil society organizations representing the Meitei community has urged Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to take immediate steps to restore an elected government within a month. This call comes after the imposition of President’s Rule in the violence-hit state on February 13 following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. On Monday, representatives of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) met Governor Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal, where they submitted a detailed 13-point memorandum outlining steps they believe could restore peace in the region. COCOMI expressed concern over the lack of a clear agenda from the Meetei group in addressing the crisis and noted that the violence appears to be fueled by groups pushing for a separate administration. One of the major recommendations from COCOMI involves dismantling and evicting illegal villages across the state, which they claim pose a threat to the demographic and environmental integrity of Manipur. The group also called for an immediate halt to all violent activities and the unauthorised movement of armed groups to restore peace and security. Furthermore, COCOMI emphasized the need for security measures to protect affected villages, especially those with civilian village defense forces, and requested amnesty to prevent further violence. They also pressed for the elimination of any efforts for a separate administration, emphasizing that the territorial and administrative integrity of Manipur must remain intact. The Raj Bhavan, in response, acknowledged the memorandum and stated that Governor Bhalla had heard the concerns of COCOMI representatives, including convenor Kh Athouba, and urged cooperation with the government to restore harmony. In their memorandum, COCOMI raised concerns about the involvement of “Chin-Kuki narco-terrorist separatist groups,” accusing them of seeking territorial gains in Manipur under the guise of loyalty to India. The group called for a review of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, which it believes has enabled militancy and exacerbated the violence. The SoO agreement, which allows militant groups to stay in designated camps while their weapons are stored securely, has been a point of contention, with accusations that the groups have used the ceasefire to regroup and strengthen their positions. The civil society group also highlighted the urgent need for a reestablishment of law and order across both the hills and plains of Manipur. They called for immediate relief for those affected by the violence, including financial assistance, reconstruction of villages, and the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Ensuring the safe return of IDPs, along with unhindered access to healthcare, education, and transport services, was also stressed in the memorandum. The violent clashes between the Meitei and Kuki tribes, which began in May 2023, have led to severe disruptions in Manipur. The underlying issues involve land rights, political representation, and the demand for separate territory, with both communities accusing each other of exploiting the situation for their own gains. As the situation continues to unfold, the Governor’s role will be critical in managing the state’s path toward stability and peace. The post Meitei Civil Society Urges Governor to Restore Elected Govt in Manipur Within a Month appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates. [ad_2] Source link

[internationalrealestatenews]

[ad_1] Miami-Dade County's rental gross sales greenback quantity dropped greater than $100 million final week, in comparison with the earlier week. Brokers closed 100 rental gross sales totaling $60.8 million from Feb. 18th to Feb. twenty fourth. The earlier week, brokers closed 141 rental gross sales totaling $167 million. Final week's models offered for a mean of $607,764, decrease than the $1,187,526 sale common from the earlier week. The typical value per sq. foot fell to $494 from $642, in response to information from rental.com. Condos closed after a mean of 77 days available on the market. For the highest 10 gross sales, costs ranged from $1.2 million to $4.15 million. Setai unit 2507, at 101 twentieth Road in Miami Seaside took the highest spot with a $4.15 million closing. Diana Garchitorena with Douglas Elliman had the itemizing. Jeffrey Miller with One Sotheby's Worldwide Realty represented the customer. The sale closed after 88 days available on the market at $3,245 per sq. foot. Residences by Armani/Casa, unit 2503 at 18975 Collins Avenue in Sunny Isles Seaside, closed for the second highest quantity, $3.7 million, or $1,629 per sq. foot, after 46 days available on the market. Maria Carrillo with The Keyes Firm had the itemizing. Mikhail Mudrik with The Company Florida represented the customer. Leaflet map created by Adam Farence | Knowledge by © OpenStreetMapunderneath ODbl. This is a breakdown of the highest 10 gross sales from Feb. 18th to Feb. twenty fourth: (Rental.com) Most Costly Setai, 101 twentieth Road, unit 2507, in Miami Seaside | Worth $4,150,000 | $3,245 psf | Itemizing agent: Diana Garchitorena with Douglas Elliman | Purchaser's agent: Jeffrey Miller with One Sotheby's Worldwide Realty | Days on market: 88 Least Costly Atlantis on Brickell, 2025 Brickell Avenue, unit 1401, in Miami | Worth $1,200,000 | $558 psf | Itemizing agent: Saverina Martinez with Galleria Worldwide Realty | Purchaser's agent: Maria Lopez Pulido with Compass Florida | Days on market: 225 Highest Worth Per Sq. Foot Setai, 101 twentieth Road, unit 2507, in Miami Seaside | Worth $4,150,000 | $3,245 psf | Itemizing agent: Diana Garchitorena with Douglas Elliman | Purchaser's agent: Jeffrey Miller with One Sotheby's Worldwide Realty | Days on market: 88 Lowest Worth Per Sq. Foot Williams Island, 7000 Island Boulevard, unit 2502, in Aventura | Worth $1,285,000 | $464 psf | Itemizing agent: David Salazar with Affinity Worldwide Realty | Purchaser's agent: Nicole Shein with Williams Island Realty | Days on market: 6 Most Days on Market Atlantis on Brickell, 2025 Brickell Avenue, unit 1401, in Miami | Worth $1,200,000 | $558 psf | Itemizing agent: Saverina Martinez with Galleria Worldwide Realty | Purchaser's agent: Maria Lopez Pulido with Compass Florida | Days on market: 225 Lowest Worth Per Sq. Foot Williams Island, 7000 Island Boulevard, unit 2502, in Aventura | Worth $1,285,000 | $464 psf | Itemizing agent: David Salazar with Affinity Worldwide Realty | Purchaser's agent: Nicole Shein with Williams Island Realty | Days on market: 6 [ad_2] Supply hyperlink

[tillzzy]

Translate and Transform

Hinduism - Art (LO1)

in Hinduism, there are four goals of life on earth - aim for dharma (righteous of living), artha (wealth aquired through the pursuit of profession), kama (human and sexual love) and moksha (spiritual salvation)

these holistic views are reflected in Hindu art

Hindu art encompasses a wide range of artistic traditions that spans for thousands of years

Hindu Temples

architecture and sculptures are linked to India

inside are beautiful, intricate decorations, sculptures and lighting

temples tend to be devoted to only one Hindu god or goddess

worshippers take off their shoes before entering and then ring a bell at the shrine to awaken the deity. They sing, chant and prayer and sometimes present offerings such as fruit, milk or money

symmetry driven structures with variations on square grids

the temples are built around the belief that everything is connected

typically in temples there are statues that display the four principles of life (artha, kama, dharma, moksha)

temples are designed to encourage reflection and facilitate the purification of ones mind

Ancient Period (up to the 6th Century)

earliest Hindu art can be found in the remains of the Indus Valley Civilisation in the Northern region of India - including seals depicting deities and symbols that are associated with early Hinduism

the Maurya and Gupta empires also had significant artistic development including sculpture and architecture

Medieval Period (7th - 18th century)

Hindu art flourished in various kingdoms and empires, each contributing to its unique style

the Chola dynasty in South India created bronze sculptures of Hindu deities

the Hoysala and Vijayanagara empires created temple complexes and sculptures with mythological beings and divine manifestations

The Hoysala empire (10-14th century) ruled India from 1006 - 1346 CE in South India (modern day Karnataka, India)

They were known for their temple architecture and intricate sculptures, with many inscriptions found in these temples providing valuable historical and cultural insights to the dyansties achievements

The Hoysala Empire declined due to internal conflict

Thee Vjayanagara Empire (14th-16th century) rose in the decline of the Hoysala kingdom

They were known for their political and military power

their architecture is characterised by temple complexes, royal enclosures and water management systems

they were the centre of art, culture and religion

the empire declined in the late 16th century

Both empires left behind a rich legacy of art, architecture and culture

Modern Period (19th Century onwards)

western influences and colonial rule led to significant changes in Hindu art

influenced the decline of traditional artistic practices and emerging of new European styles

The Bengal School of Art led the new movement, reviving traditional Indian art forms and techniques, inspired by classical Hindu texts and mythology

Key Characteristics

Polytheism

reflects the belief in a pantheon of gods and goddesses, each with their own attributes, roles and symbolism

the gods and goddesses are viewed as embodiments of the Divine Brahman

Iconography

deities often depicted with specific attributes (weapons, vehicles etc.) and symbols (lotus, conch shells etc.) that represent their attributes

Narratives

Hindu art often depicts narratives and stories from texts

serves as visual for religious teachings

Sacred Architecture

has very distinct architectural features

sacred space for worship and meditation with intricate sculptures, carvings and decoration

An Indian Modernist (Published 2008). (2024). The New York Times. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/08/20/arts/design/20080820_BOSE_SLIDESHOW_index.html [Accessed 6 Feb. 2024].

Artsy. (2016). Bengal School of Art | Artsy. [online] Available at: https://www.artsy.net/gene/bengal-school-of-art [Accessed 6 Feb. 2024].

Authors: Vidya Dehejia (2024). Hinduism and Hindu Art | Essay | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. [online] The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/hind/hd_hind.htm [Accessed 6 Feb. 2024].

Bbc.co.uk. (2024). Hindu worship in the temple - Practices - Eduqas - GCSE Religious Studies Revision - Eduqas - BBC Bitesize. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zjmqmsg/revision/3 [Accessed 6 Feb. 2024].

Chola dynasty | Rulers & Time Period | Britannica. (2024). In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chola-dynasty [Accessed 6 Feb. 2024].

Hoysala dynasty | Karnataka, South India, Temples | Britannica. (2024). In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hoysala-dynasty [Accessed 6 Feb. 2024].

‌

Khanacademy.org. (2023). Khan Academy. [online] Available at: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/whp-origins/era-3-cities-societies-and-empires-6000-bce-to-700-c-e/36-the-growth-of-empires-betaa/a/read-the-mauryan-and-gupta-empires-beta#:~:text=The%20Mauryan%20(322%2D185%20BCE,India's%20arts%20and%20sciences%20flourished. [Accessed 6 Feb. 2024].

Mark, J.J. (2020). Indus Valley Civilization. [online] World History Encyclopedia. Available at: https://www.worldhistory.org/Indus_Valley_Civilization/ [Accessed 6 Feb. 2024].

T Richard Blurton (1993). Hindu art. Cambridge Harvard University Press.

Vijayanagara.nic.in. (2020). History of Vijayanagara | Vijayanagara District Website | India. [online] Available at: https://vijayanagara.nic.in/history/ [Accessed 6 Feb. 2024].

‌

[susurra-el-arroyo-manso]

The scenes I do have pictures for are linked below with page #s and a quote from the scene. Obviously this is all spoilers.

23 Theriverbeyond Dec 24 2023 https://theriverbeyond.tumblr.com/post/737636729130024960 Gideon's Mother

40 Catsarma Oct 6 2022 https://catsarma.tumblr.com/post/697415042253062144/this-was-gonna-just-be-a-funny-doodle-from-gideon """Whole Hog"""

46 Anaeolist Feb 3 2023 https://www.tumblr.com/anaeolist/708263300501307392/anyway-i-love-this-scene?source=share """I have work for you"""

49 Sbeana Aug 4 2023 https://www.tumblr.com/sbeana/724754318914453504/i-like-when-gideon-was-sassy-in-an-environment?source=share """Like hell I would nonagesimus"""

105 Synnyi Nov 8 2022 https://synnyi.tumblr.com/post/700385385458565120/id-like-to-see-your-eyes """I'd like to see your eyes"" -Dulcinea"

167 Chkntenders Aug 10 2023 https://chkntenders.tumblr.com/post/725278002217402368/like-for-the-amount-of-dinner-parties-harrow-is """I want to eat a dessert"""

202 Lovelycloudsart Mar 2 2023 https://lovelycloudsart.tumblr.com/post/710730625153417216/underrated-gtn-moment-in-my-opinion """Look"" ""at the key"""

263 Corvophobia Jan 13 2021 https://corvophobia.tumblr.com/post/640212048034283520/miss-camilla-the-sixth-are-you-free-on-saturday """Go loud"""

263 Sermna Mar 7 2024 https://sermna.tumblr.com/post/744319203652304897/this-probably-isnt-very-canon-compliant-but """Go Loud"""

266 The chehkov sept 13 2023 https://thechekhov.tumblr.com/post/728385394699321344/harrows-necromantic-power-includes-the-ability-to """The ninth house will represent the sixth"""

300 Kangaruthi Mar 4 2024 https://kangaruthi.tumblr.com/post/744036370352390144/gideon-the-ninth-page-300 Weary and soft

355 Softseaside August 8 2023 https://www.tumblr.com/softseaside/725104100236247040/one-flesh-one-end-gideon-the-ninth-fan-comic """I could not do the slightest thing my house expected of me"""

374 Andry-di Dec 23 2023 https://www.tumblr.com/andry-di/737708821884141568/hohoho-merry-chrismax?source=share """I won’t leave her"" -Judith"

380 Naomistares Feb 19 2025 https://www.tumblr.com/naomistares/742774168023678976/ianthes-little-cannibalism-moment-except-its-not?source=share """You lied to us"""

394 Destructivemaiden Nov 27 2021 https://www.tumblr.com/destructivemaiden/669031861807448064/show-some-love-for-unhinged-coronabeth?source=share “Who even cares about Babs?”

405 Sermna June 18th 2024 https://www.tumblr.com/sermna/753556940099026944/my-name-is-cytherea-the-first-she-said-lyctor Cytherea

412 Broresteia Oct 1 2021 https://www.tumblr.com/broresteia/663883547035254784/heres-a-lil-comic-i-drew-up-of-pgs-412-414-of?source=share """I need to be inside you"""

441 Andry-Di https://www.tumblr.com/andry-di/737960510030544896?source=share """Lord please undo what I have done"""

No page # yet:

Conqueredrainbow, nov 19 2020, “I’ll still do it” https://www.tumblr.com/conqueredrainbow/635099068999368704?source=share

Pierogish, mar 30 2024, https://www.tumblr.com/pierogish/746385066022862848/exploring?source=share ""exploring"""

Aaardvarks, apr 1 2024 https://aaardvarks.tumblr.com/post/746603233749893120/love-that-this-is-what-gideon-thinks-about-while

Pygmypouter Jul 21, 2023 https://www.tumblr.com/pygmypouter/723427666962874368/this-place-is-a-message-and-part-of-a-system-of

Toughinkart, dec 20 2023 https://www.tumblr.com/toughtinkart/738106987352604672/you-ever-think-about-how-canaan-house-is-probably

Malefertile, oct 31 2020 “Quinn and Pent"" https://www.tumblr.com/malefertile/633503962128056320/this-is-just-a-test-page-to-see-how-a-gtn-comic?source=share"

I love all of these so much! If people know of other illustrations/comics of specific scenes, I'd love to include any of those too (esp. if you have a page number lol). I think something for the ambiance of drearburh would also be a good addition. Basically I'm very open to suggestions!

I don't know if this is genius or madness but I'm printing out every illustration/comic I can find of scenes from Gideon the Ninth & turning it into an illustrated book. With attributions to the artists of course. I have 40 so far.

[mariacallous]

On Sept. 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” to replenish the country’s faltering ranks in Ukraine. The order has brought the exploitation of Russia’s ethnic minorities into harrowing focus. Despite the lack of reliable statistical evidence, numerous reports on Twitter and Telegram from the country’s ethnic republics—so-called because they nominally represent Indigenous ethnic groups—such as Buryatia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Bashkortostan, paint a disturbing, if fragmented, picture of the impact the mobilization order has on Russia’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

Putin’s regime can send Buryats, Chechens, and Dagestanis to die in Ukraine because of centuries of violent colonial expansion. The first official Russian incursion into Siberia occurred in 1581, but the subjugation of the immense eastern region took centuries of military occupation, economic exploitation, and settler colonialism beforehand to accomplish. No less violent was Russia’s conquest of the North Caucasus, launched by then-Tsar Nicholas I in 1817, which led to decades of bloody conflict and genocide against the Circassian people.

The modern Russian state’s blatant disregard for non-ethnic Russian lives is the logical continuation of the imperial ideology developed in the 18th and 19th centuries. The most recent manifestations of Russian violence against the region are the First and Second Chechen Wars, in the 1990s and 2000s. “People remember what Russia did to Chechnya,” wrote Circassian-American Voice of America journalist Fatima Tlis over email. “It was a message to all other nationalities under Russian occupation.”

Experts do not know exactly how many men Russia has drafted in its “partial mobilization,” but evidence from local activists and social media suggests it is well above the 300,000 soldiers announced by Putin and that the hardest hit are not ethnic Russians—in whose defense the Kremlin claims to have launched its brutal invasion—but ethnic minorities. Even before Feb. 24, these community members, whom—due to structural and historical inequalities—are generally poorer and less connected than ethnic Russians, are more likely to be swept up in a conscription system than those with pull or money to do everything possible to avoid it.

Data collected by the independent Russian media outlet iStories shows that Buryats are among those most severely impacted by the mobilization order, stirring fear and desperation in the eastern Siberian republic. “Everyone is trying to leave but from today it is nearly impossible,” one ethnically Buryat woman outside of Russia told FP over Twitter, who asked not to be named for the safety of her family still in the country. “Men … are afraid to leave their villages; many have gone to the forests. There are rumors that [the authorities] will search the forests as well. There are also rumors that voenkomat [military enlistment office] staff are deleting the names of their relatives and adding those of random people.”

Despite Kremlin promises that the decree would only affect reservists with combat experience and that students would be exempt, the next day, reports emerged of students being pulled out of Buryat State University by Russia’s National Guard, of men in their 50s receiving draft notices, and of recruitment officers “combing through the villages” to draft any man they could find. These disturbing reports recall historical colonial trauma, wrote Alexandra Garmazhapova , founder of the Free Buryatia Foundation, over Telegram. “Buryats have faced monstrous repression. … During the Stalinist repressions in 1937, all the top leaders of the Buryat [Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics] were shot or exiled to concentration camps. Thousands of people were arrested. There is not a single Buryat family that has not lost relatives because of these repressions.”

Dagestanis—whose mass anti-mobilization protests have made international headlines—are another ethnic minority bearing the brunt of the conscription drive. As of May, soldiers from Dagestan accounted for the largest number of confirmed fatalities on the Russian side. Images of Dagestanis, primarily women, bravely confronting police and recruitment officers have dented the traditional image of the republic as politically quiescent and pro-Putin.

Russia’s forced mobilization of its ethnic minorities has also already impacted relations with its neighbors. As the former Soviet Union’s so-called successor state, Russia has enjoyed continued cultural and political dominance in the region. Citizens from its “near abroad” continue to speak its language and flock to its cities for work and education. The invasion of Ukraine, however, has caused many of these countries to reevaluate their ties with the former imperial metropole. The mobilization order has catalyzed this process.

Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, has been distancing itself from Russia since Feb. 24. It was the first Collective Security Treaty Organization member state to rule out sending troops to join the “special operation” and, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reiterated in Putin’s presence that Kazakhstan would not recognize the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics as independent states. According to political sociologist Diana Kudaibergen, “Tokayev was clear in his June speech in St. Petersburg that his country supports Ukrainian territorial integrity. … He’d face great backlash if he agreed to any involvement [in the war] from his own people.” Kazakhstan’s interior ministry reports that as many as 200,000 Russians have entered Kazakhstan since its mobilization announcement, some moving on to neighboring Kyrgyzstan. Despite regularly experiencing racism and discrimination in Russia, Kazakhs themselves have shown remarkable compassion, with reports of free food and accommodations being offered to Russians fleeing the draft. Moscow can no longer count on the obedience of its former colony. “This support is given without an ethnic lens,” Kudaibergen told FP over Twitter. “Grassroots organizations in Kazakhstan are literally helping anyone from Russia, they don’t care about ethnicity.”

Mongolia—once a Soviet satellite state—has garnered widespread praise for its support of Russians fleeing the draft, particularly of Indigenous people from the Far East, with many private citizens self-organizing to provide food and shelter to those crossing the border. “We feel very akin to the Buryat people,” said Mongolian journalist Anand Tumurtogoo, highlighting the cultural similarities and cross-border family ties between Mongolia and the Siberian republic.

Sandwiched between two superpowers, the country has long sought to remain geopolitically neutral. “We have always wanted to say that we are the ‘Switzerland of Asia,’” Tumurtogoo said. “But when the war started, the intelligentsia and many people on social media demanded that the government to choose a side.” He added that, while Mongolian popular culture has traditionally portrayed them in a positive light, people are beginning to understand the negative stereotypes that ethnic Russians have of them. “I hope that this message comes across more,” he added. “Ethnic Russians don’t care about Mongolians—they see us as dirt.”

Telegram channels run by ethnic minority groups see the forced mobilization as deliberate imperial policy. On one channel, the Free Nations of Russia Forum—a platform calling for the decolonization of Russia—referred to the mobilization order as “part of the imperial policy of genocide that has been conducted against these [minority] peoples for centuries. Putin’s regime has declared war not only on Ukraine but on all peoples, regions, and citizens of the Russian Federation.” Similarly, Idel-Ural—a civic movement aiming for the independence of the peoples of the Volga region—posted: “The Nazi Empire decided to tell the whole world about its terrorist leanings. … Genocide of everyone and everything. This is the ‘Russian World.’”

The disproportionate mobilization of ethnic minorities is part of the same imperial ideology that dehumanizes and justifies the violence against Ukrainians. In Garmazhapova ’s words, “Putin is pursuing a consistent imperial policy. … [H]e wants to turn Ukraine into a colony of the Russian Empire, and the empire always throws national minorities into the meat grinder first.” The more widespread the belief among Russian ethnic minorities that they and Ukrainians are victims of Russian colonial violence, the more opportunities there will be for cross-border anti-colonial solidarity. Circassians outside of Russia, Tlis said, have already made the connection. “Circassians are especially enraged that Russia is forcing the descendants of the same people it drove to the verge of extinction to fight on its behalf in a genocidal war it has been waging to exterminate another innocent nation,” she wrote.

The forced mobilization of these communities is galvanizing anti-colonial sentiment and solidarity both within Russia and beyond its borders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to this sentiment among Russia’s minorities, acknowledging in particular the protests in Dagestan. “Dagestanis do not have to die in Ukraine in a vile and disgraceful war of Russia—nor do Chechens, Ingush, Ossetians, Circassians, and any other peoples who came under the Russian flag.” Ukraine’s parliament is also spurring on this sentiment, just last week considering a draft law on the recognition of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria—a short-lived de facto state born of the First Chechen War—with parliamentarian Oleksiy Goncharenko calling for “the right to self-determination of people enslaved and colonized by this prison of peoples: the Russian Empire in the form of the Russian Federation.” As rumors about border closures and a national crackdown swirl, one thing is certain: The cruel, colonial logic underpinning Russian society is deadly both at home and abroad. Dismantling it will be the work of generations.

[majadejewelrydesign]

February Birthstone: Amethyst | MAJADE Blog 2023

Amethyst: The birthstone of February

One of the most well-known gemstones in the world, amethyst has a long traditional representing February. Find out more below about amethyst and why this February birthstone is very special.

Theories on why amethyst is selected to represent February

The true origin of how amethyst became the February birthstone is hard to trace, like many subjects in history. A common theory explains that in astrology, Aquarius (Jan 20th -Feb 18th) and Pisces (Fen 19th -Mar 20th) are zodiacs of February, both signs can be represented by purple and thus the association with amethyst.

Some propose the following theory and I like the poetic notion: February is a month of duality, already into the new year, yet still not completely waken from stupor of the previous. Still a cold winter month, yet there’s a hint of spring vibe in the air. Amethyst too is a symbol of duality, with purple being the perfect balance of red (hot) and blue (cold). Moreover, those who are February born trends to be dreamers and romanticist by heart. Needless to say, February 14th marks the famous St. Valentine’s Day. Purple itself is a romantic color full of imagination. In a metaphysical sense amethyst and February both embodies a mystical quality of duality, perhaps this is why they are forever tied together.

A beloved gemstone for many reasons.

Whatever the real origin is, we can all be certain that amethyst is recognized as a powerful stone in the chakra field. Most believe amethyst is a great (if not the best) stone for protection against negative energy, also wonderful for cleansing. While crystal healing is another subject that deserves its own article, everyone can enjoy amethyst for the lovely shade of purple. Subtle and low-key, yet majestically vibrant.

Being a member of the quartz family amethyst is highly versatile and have a wide application in jewelry. Tough enough to be cut into many shapes plus good semi-transparency, this gemstone can be cut as beads, faceted stones, or simply in raw state. The cut has tremendous effect on the appearance: rich deep color as bead, bright and vibrant in faceted cut, and full of character in raw stone. All cuts of amethyst are uniquely beautiful in their own ways, which to choose is really a matter of personal preference.

UNA, the minimalist design perfectly showcases beauty of amethyst

One of my favorite design is UNA set with amethyst. Personally I prefer amethyst in bead form. The rich deep purple offers a mystical and yet majestic feeling. My philosophy in jewelry design is always enhancing the natural beauty of gemstone as a goal. An abundance of design elements often overpowers the stone. However, if the design is too plain results can be bland and boring; lacking sophistication to ignite the passion of viewers. Simply put, a nice design does not need too much but need to be just enough. With the UNA set (comes in necklace and dangling earrings) a wave inspired form “wraps” around the amethyst bead, the bead is set with a post though the drilled hole, viewer can appreciate the stone at all angles: front, side, and the back. This “perfect balance” approach is best to showcase the beauty of amethyst.   

Purple would be considering somewhat a niche color, at lease in the fashion world. Definitely not as popular as black, white or blue; but those who love purple absolutely falls for it. Purple is a color for dreamers. Amethyst perfectly suits you if your birthday is within this month; or if you consider yourself a true romanticist and dreamer!

Morris, Feb 2023