#modern look and optimized performance

[annievimal]

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[brandgurus]

Convert Images Between WebP and PNG Formats for Free

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[littlelordfuckler0y]

Felix catton x reader Instagram au

yourusername if I can’t Oppenheimer my way out of this sem, I’ll Oppenheimer my way out

yourfriend NO LMFAO not the green apple 😭

yourusername was held hostage at the lab today

yourfriend you mean had to prepare a lab report right there?

yourusername had to perform the experiment three times.

yourfriend I support the green apple

fel1xcatt0n Pub tonight. See you?

yourusername I’ll try to make it but I think lab’s gonna run late…you guys carry on tho :)

-

Sun casted a bright yellow hue from the grass to the glass, making the general weather warmer than usual. Walking alongside her friend y/n was somewhat surprised to see the notification of felix’s comment pop up, voluntarily inviting her to the pub, again. Quite the modern day tragedy it felt like to have to decline it because their labs ran very late. But regardless it was surprising to say at the very least, “We just had drinks with his friends once and he’s inviting us again?” She said as she showed her friend the notification.

“Woah.” Her friend said as they looked at the notification and smiled “well, inviting you but this is-this is cool?”

���You and I are a package deal so inviting me is inviting you.” Y/n said as their friend stared at the comment and the reply, they were analysing the interaction.

“Oh okay yes” they nodded “Also when did he start following you?”

“Okay so we had drinks two days ago right? I think, that night, but it was after I returned to my dorm and I don’t remember exchanging socials.” Y/n said as she went through their interaction from drinks that night.

Her friend tilted their head raising brows, “oh so he looked you up. Plus your account’s open and he still commented? Wow.” They implied in a surprised yet elated tone.

“Wait-what? What do you mean by open account? Almost everyone has open accounts?” Y/n stated confused with a shrug.

“Yeah and anyone can see his comment on YOUR page. So he wasn’t embarrassed to comment now that’s the outlook.”

“Why would he be embarrassed to comment?” Y/n said as she looked at her friend in somewhat the offended tone.

“Are you serious? You have 79 followers.” Her friend said giving her a tight smile to comfort her through their brutal honestly.

“Exactly. Even the serving lady follows me. I get along with everybody.” She stood her ground with an obvious shrug.

“Do you hear yourself? Do you want to repeat that first sentence?” Her friend asked her with a sigh as y/n contemplated that. She needed the serving lady’s follow to reach upto 79 followers as social as it may seem. “Also, don’t forget how we got drinks with him and his friends in the first place.”

“Oh” she said nodding, “We were getting alcohol for lab work on a weekend, wow, yeah I see it now…”

“But. Come on. He commented.” Her friend said pointing her phone screen which still had her comment section open like a textbook.

“Him and his friends most definitely thinks we’re the coolest.” Y/n added regaining her optimism.

“Well…” her friend trailed off not wanting to dampen the enthusiasm “I like how you positive you are.”

“I wish we didn’t have lab today” She whined and rested her head on the lab table.

yourusername ideal study session

fel1xcatt0n can’t believe you never tried the Chinese place around the corner…

yourusername Sorry to break it to you but it is not crime

fel1xcatt0n literally is.

yourfriend ^^it is a crime

-

“So you ditched us to get Chinese last night?” Farleigh asked raising a sharp brow as he’d scroll through his phone and stumbled upon a certain post.

“How’d you know?” Felix asked as he turned in his chair to look at farleigh.

“Y/n has the dumbest social media presence” Farleigh stated as she scrolled through her previous posts “I mean all her posts are some ugly project model and if not that it’s some random cats?”

“Oh yeah it was a last minute plan-to get Chinese whatever…” felix trailed off with a sigh.

“What is this girl doing? She is too pretty to post stupid jokes and labs god” Farleigh complaint as he went through y/n’s posts. “2 likes on each post yeah, you’ve got to give it to her dedication to document everything.” He scoffed.

“Can you stop stalking her?” Felix urged rolling his eyes.

“Oh I’m stalking her?” Farleigh asked tilting her head. “I know you just out of curiosity asked around for the D wing lab timings and you just happened to be there by the end of her lecture yes sure” with not much reply felix just threw a pillow at farleigh which he happened to dodge.

-

Fel1xcatt0n local pen and paper girl in her natural habitat

yourusername LMFAO

yourusername didn’t see you click this one

Fel1xcatt0n ;)

farleigh_start you are not subtle.

Fel1xcatt0n thank you for your input

yourusername at that point in semester when breadboard starts looking like bread

farleigh_start why do stem majors follow diet culture the ugly way ew

yourusername I’m not dieting????

farleigh_start then why does your charcuterie board look so ugly

yourusername never mind…

yourfriend LITERALLY I was thinking the same thing

yourusername “what happened to your group project” well…professor…we got hungry

Fel1xcatt0n this is not funny

yourusername ouch.

Fel1xcatt0n be there in 5

Fel1xcatt0n healthiest thing she’s had in decades…

yourusername thanks MOM

Fel1xcatt0n laugh all you want but you can’t live on sugar donuts and ramen

yourusername try me

farleigh_start …

farleigh_start you have never passed me the table salt

—

I really like this and I’d like to do more parts but it feels pretty stupid idk if I’ll do more parts pls let me know what you think <3

DRINK WATER AND HIIII ILY

requests are open go nuts!!

[mebtlog]

WALLDEC - GOLD

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[actuallyrizgukgak]

My college major headcanons for the Bad Kids (if they went to a college similar to our world) since no one asked 😼

Fig Faeth- Would not go to college, obviously. But if she HAD to, Bachelor of Music in performance. I think the paladin and warlock stuff exists outside of a field that she would care to go to college for. Definitely in a non-major theatre club too but absolutely rarely shows up.

Gorgug Thistlespring- Mechanical engineering. I think it's simply too easy. I could also see him in engineering design technology, but his JY arc focusing on his on builds makes me lean toward the former.

Adaine Abernant- This is a hard one, but I could see her going into psychology. She looks up to Jawbone and starts caring about her own mental health, and it makes me think she would extend that to others. I could see her going into social work later to help kids get out of bad family situations.

Fabian Aramais Seacaster- Are we fr. BFA in modern/contemporary dance. He's telling every professor how he's the future of dance constantly and that he needs to make his own dances and show them to everyone else. Definitely that one peer who tries to out-teach the professor.

Kristen Chilis Applebees- Also kind of a hard one, because she probably wouldn't go to college either. But, I think religious studies. Not solely because she's a cleric, but it's been such a pillar of her character to be open to exploring other religions.

Riz Gukgak- Double major in sociology (rather than a crime specific degree) and journalism. Also an ethics minor. Super trying to optimize how to do as many classes as possible. Says this combo of majors and minor is "so obvious" but he's been planning on it since early high school.

[ruinandrue]

Introducing Inkwarren: A dark fantasy TTRPG of woodland adventures!

Hi all! I'm Matt, and I am an Atlanta-based indie ttrpg designer currently developing Inkwarren, a dark woodland fantasy TTRPG of swashbuckling tactics and storybook intrigue. Today, I'm going to talk to you about what Inkwarren is, what inspired it, and the design goals I have for the game. Inkwarren is already in preliminary playtests, and I hope to have public playtests sometime in the near future.

What is Inkwarren?

In Inkwarren, players take on the role of woodlanders- animal wanderers of the massive Woodland, who use magick, wits, and weapons to take down foes supernatural and mundane. Your woodlanders' wandering band may be a band of mercenary adventurers, a band of high-spirited rebels, or even a band of scoundrels and ne'er-do-wells just looking for their next score.

One player takes on the role of the Voice in the Dark, a guiding force behind the story that presents challenges, describes consequences, and narrates the actions of the woodlander's foes.

Inkwarren aims to merge modern-style deep narrative rules with exciting, flashy, swashbuckling battles that emphasizes teamwork, movement, and positioning. Character creation is a deep and choice-driven process, that fully contextualizes a woodlander within the world and sets them on a path to a truly memorable story.

Inspirations

Mechanically, Inkwarren borrows from and is inspired by games like Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition, Modiphius's Dishonored, ICON, Blades in the Dark, and City of Mist, mixing design trends of modern tactical fantasy games with deep narrative based trends found in other systems. Inkwarren's combat also shares inspiration with the Hades series of games, aiming to emulate the fast-paced action where movement and positioning are just as important as the attacks you use.

Narratively, Inkwarren is inspired by The Secret of NIMH, Dishonored, Redwall, Root, and Hollow Knight. When designing Inkwarren's eponymous setting, I want to evoke the gravitas and melancholy somberness of Hallownest from Hollow Knight, with magic as eldritch and strange as the Outsider's gifts in Dishonored. With this, Inkwarren is still a game about hope, and aims to capture the optimism-despite-adversity and little-heroes-against-great-foes vibes of stories like Redwall or The Secret of NIMH. I have to credit Root for originally giving me the idea to shift my game concept to one where the PCs are little woodland creatures.

Choice, Sacrifice, and Hope

Inkwarren's core mechanic emphasizes choice, intent, and narrative weight. The base 2d10 roll is modified by the woodlander's own Virtues (core strengths like Brawn, Nimbleness, or Insight), combined with a Style to define how they're using that Virtue (such as performing an action Cunningly, Quickly, or Sneakily). Difficulty is measured by Risk and Effect, that assign narrative weight to the severity of consequences a woodlander faces, and how effective they will be if they Prevail.

When woodlanders just don't roll high enough, they don't simply fail- they Falter. Faltering grants Hope, a resource that can be used to Persevere and succeed despite consequences on future challenges. With Hope, failure is never the end- it simply closes one door, and opens another.

Swashbuckling Battles

Inkwarren's Battle system emphasizes movement, positioning, and teamwork. Woodlanders interact with the battlefield through exploits, combat disciplines that have a variety of different effects to use on the field. Exploits have an at-will root effect that can be used as a woodlander's bread and butter, but more powerful effects are always within reach. By using root effects, meeting battle objectives (such as defeating enemies or reaching escape points), and continuing the fight (by ending rounds), woodlanders build Momentum, a shared resource pool by the entire band that can be used to power a woodlander's most powerful abilities. Woodlanders can spend Momentum to use an exploit's powerful bloom effect, or power a duo effect that they can use to combine their abilities with those of another ally. Momentum doesn't deplete until the Battle is over-- use it for quick bursts, or build up to unleash more powerful attacks against your foes!

Other rulesets like charging attacks, staggering mechanics for bosses, climbing on top of larger foes, environments, high ground, and ally turns (that don't clog up combat) also add gravitas, pace, and exciting tactical decisions to make Inkwarren's Battles so engaging.

Sweeping Narrative

Inkwarren's narrative mechanics work to ensure that solving problems outside of Battle carry just as much weight as Battle itself. Inkwarren's narrative ruleset includes:

The Doubt system allows woodlanders to call upon the Voice in the Dark for aid, but at a cost: as the woodlanders build Doubt, the Voice can spend it to increase the danger of the surroundings, unlock new abilities for foes, or act as a mastermind behind the antagonistic forces of the narrative.

Narrative abilities called flourishes that woodlanders can use to interact with the world.

A special character-based tour de force that a woodlander may use to do something truly legendary, although infrequently.

Rest Activities woodlanders may use to Cook Meals, Spar, Entertain, or Pray to give themselves bonuses and restorations for use later.

Wounds to carry over how trials in-combat affect a woodlander after the Battle ends.

Rules for Tongues that establish a woodlander's knowledge of a language with several levels of fluency.

Ties, which are narrative bonds with NPCs woodlanders may use to increase their effect against them, or burn them to ask for a favor.

And So Much More!

Deep character customization for woodlanders, including a Coat mechanic that allows you to play as any little animal your heart desires, unique and evocative traditions like the ghostly historian Folklorist or the passionate Warrior-Poet, rules for mysterious and magical artifacts called esoterica, an in-depth crafting system, and more!

If you've gotten this far, thanks for reading! I'm so excited about this game, and I hope to share more with everyone soon!

Tìoraidh!

[silkandstrarz]

James Gunn's Superman is EXACTLY What We Needed - Superman (2025) A Review.

Word count: 2730

James Gunn's Superman is EXACTLY What We Needed

OKAY BESTIES, we need to TALK because I am literally still shaking after seeing this movie and my brain has been completely rewired??? Like, I've been emotionally preparing for this movie since the moment James Gunn announced he was taking over the DCU, and by "emotionally preparing" I mean I've been alternating between pure excitement and existential dread because LITERALLY what if it was bad???

Because let's face it, as someone whose bedroom walls are covered in more posters than actual paint (my mom has Opinions about this but whatever), who owns a concerning amount of comics AND has them more organized than my actual life, and whose idea of light research is a deep dive into continuity changes post-Flashpoint (I HAVE THOUGHTS about the New 52 but that's another essay), Superman movies have been... a journey. A long, complicated journey that includes Christopher Reeve perfection (no notes, literally perfect, the standard by which all other Superman media is judged) AND whatever that was supposed to be when they decided Batman and Superman should brood together for three hours while completely missing the point of World's Finest dynamics.

But listen ladies, I cleared my weekend plans faster than Barry Allen escaping the Speed Force (and yes I know that reference is slightly incorrect shut up) because this wasn't just any superhero movie - this was James Gunn directing the most iconic character in comic book history!!! The man who made us cry over a talking raccoon was about to tackle the character who literally CREATED the superhero genre, invented the concept of secret identities, and has been the moral compass of the DC Universe for 85+ years, and honestly??? As someone who has spent an almost mind-boggling time watching DC movies, who can explain the difference between Earth-1, Earth-2, and New Earth Superman continuities WITHOUT looking it up, I needed to witness this cultural moment in the theater with my boyfriend (who is VERY patient with my DC obsessions and only looked semi-concerned when my grin got a little bigger whenever David Corenswet was on screen).

Spoiler alert: I'm still not emotionally recovered, and it's been three days. ALSO, I might have a dozen comic book websites open so I can order more stuff when your girl has more funds, 

David Corenswet Said "Watch Me Channel Every Great Superman Era" (And We Said "YES DADDY")

Can we just TALK about David Corenswet for a hot minute because I am DECEASED and also slightly FERAL??? This man walked onto screen and basically channeled the perfect blend of Christopher Reeve's earnestness (ICONIC), the Golden Age's optimism, the Silver Age's boy scout energy, the Bronze Age's social consciousness, AND the modern comic book Superman's philosophical complexity, and then actually made it all work as one cohesive character while looking like he was SCULPTED BY THE GODS and I literally cannot??? The TALENT! The JAWLINE!?!?!

Listen, I really did think I was prepared for how attractive this man is because I'd seen the photos, but seeing him in motion as Superman??? With the cape billowing and that smilethat could probably end wars??? I literally forgot how to breathe for several minutes and had to pause my mental analysis to just... process the fact that this gorgeous human being was bringing one of my favorite characters to life??? The way he looks in that suit should be illegal, and don't even get me started on how his voice gets all soft and gentle when he's talking to people who need help because I was melting in my theater seat. My boyfriend definitely noticed and gave me a look, but listen, we both have eyes and he absolutely agreed that David Corenswet is unfairly attractive???

As someone who has very, very strong opinions about the difference between pre-Crisis and post-Crisis Superman characterization, Corenswet's performance hits that sweet spot that honors ALL eras of the character WHILE being absolutely STUNNING to look at. This isn't just another buff guy in a cape situation - this is an actor who clearly read "All-Star Superman", studied the emotional depth of "Superman: For All Seasons" (Mark Waid I owe you my life), amd somehow made the Golden Age boy scout, the Silver Age science fiction hero, the Bronze Age social crusader, and the modern philosophical icon feel like different facets of the same incredibly complex person who also happens to be one of the most beautiful men I've ever seen. I’m not okay.

The way he switches between Clark Kent and Superman isn't just about posture and vocal changes (though he nails those classic Christopher Reeve transformations and I literally had to contain in the theater) - it's about understanding that these aren't two separate people, they're two equally authentic expressions of the same moral framework!!! When he's Clark, you can see the Superman underneath trying to connect with humanity on their level, and you can see why Lois Lane would absolutely fall for this adorable, bumbling, secretly-ripped journalist. When he's Superman, you can see the Clark underneath who genuinely loves people and wants to help them, and you can see why the entire world would trust this absolutely gorgeous alien god-man with their lives"

Also, can we discuss the chemistry between him and Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane because I am slightly jealous I fear. THIS is the dynamic I've been waiting to see properly adapted to screen!!! Brosnahan's Lois isn't just "competent love interest #47" - she's the Lois who won a Pulitzer prize for investigating corruption, who figured out Clark's identity through actual investigative journalism rather than plot convenience, and who challenges Superman intellectually and morally rather than just being someone he has to rescue!!! And the way Corenswet looks at her??? Like she's the most fascinating person in the universe??? Chef’s kiss to the casting director.

These two had me invested in their relationship faster than I get invested in DC's monthly solicitations. Their banter feels ripped straight from the best Lois and Clark comic interactions, with that perfect balance of professional respect, personal chemistry, and the underlying tension of secret identity maintenance that makes their relationship so compelling in the comics!!! I literally almost squealed in the theater. My boyfriend squeezed my hand and kept asking if I was okay, which was super sweet but also sir, are you gonna make me float in the air when we kiss, I thought not!!!

The Real World Parallels That Made This Hit DIFFERENT (And Why Superman Still Matters)

But beyond my  thirst for David Corenswet (seriously, that man could read me the phone book in Kryptonian and I'd swoon), this movie hit on something deeper that I wasn't expecting and honestly wasn't prepared for??? Without spoiling anything specific, the central conflict of the film draws some very intentional parallels to what's happening in Gaza right now, and as someone who's been doom-scrolling Twitter, watching civilians caught between superpowers while the world debates who deserves to live in peace... It hit different

Gunn didn't just make a generic "alien invasion" movie - he made a film about power, displacement, civilian casualties, and the moral responsibility that comes with having the ability to intervene in conflicts where innocent people are suffering. The way Superman navigates the impossible choice between action and restraint, between helping and potentially making things worse, between his desire to save everyone and the political reality that his intervention might escalate violence... it felt like watching someone grapple with the exact moral questions we're all asking ourselves while watching the news.

And look, I’m aware Superman is fiction, but there's something about watching a character whose entire moral framework is built around "everyone deserves to live, everyone deserves protection, everyone matters" dealing with a situation where those principles are tested by a real geopolitical complexity... it made me understand why we need these stories right now. Superman can't just punch his way out of this conflict because the real enemies are systemic oppression, historical trauma, and the way powerful people use civilian populations as pawns in larger games.

There's this moment where Superman has to choose between stopping immediate violence and addressing the root causes that created the violence, and it felt like a direct commentary on how we talk about "both sides" when one side has F-16s and the other side has rocks. As someone who's been struggling with feeling helpless while watching actual genocide happen in real time, seeing Superman face the same feelings of "what if my intervention makes things worse" while still choosing to act, still choosing to center civilian lives over political convenience...  It really showed us that sometimes we need to see heroes grapple with impossible choices to remember that giving up isn't an option, even when every choice feels wrong.

Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor: Straight Out of "Superman: Birthright" With a Touch of "All-Star" (And I'm OBSESSED)

We need to discuss Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor because this casting choice initially had me frantically preparing for either celebration or complete devastation!!! This man showed up ready to serve bald hater.

He's not just generic villain #47 or "businessman who doesn't like aliens" - he's the Lex who genuinely believes he's saving humanity from what he sees as an alien threat, while being absolutely consumed by jealousy that this alien is everything he wants to be but could never achieve!!! This is the Lex who's so brilliant he could cure cancer but is too obsessed with proving Superman is a fraud to focus on actually helping humanity. This is the Lex from whose hatred stems from a fundamental inability to accept that someone could be genuinely good without ulterior motives!!!

The way Hoult delivers every line like he's so deeply offended by Superman's existence isn't just good acting - it's an understanding of comic book Lex's core psychology!!! He's not threatened by Superman's power; he's threatened by Superman's goodness, because it exposes everything petty and small about Lex's own motivations. When he talks about Superman, you can so very clearly see him trying to convince himself as much as everyone else that this alien is dangerous, because the alternative - that Superman really is just trying to help - would destroy Lex's entire worldview.

The best Lex Luthor stories always make you understand his point just enough to remember why he's terrifying- he's not wrong that Superman is incredibly powerful and could potentially be dangerous, he's wrong about Superman's character and motivations. Hoult nails that balance perfectly and I may be slightly in love with this portrayal???

The Supporting Cast That Actually Feels Like They Live in the DC Universe (And I'm Here for ALL of It)

Can we appreciate a superhero movie where the supporting characters actually feel like they belong in the DC Universe rather than just Generic Superhero Movie Land??? Nathan Fillion showing up and immediately making me wonder if we're getting hints of a full Justice League International lineup (PLEASE James Gunn I'm BEGGING)? Anthony Carrigan bringing that perfect blend of intensity and depth that had me thinking about every great DC character actor performance from the animated universe???

The Daily Planet scenes feel like they were ripped straight from the comics - not just the Superman comics, but the ENTIRE DC Universe approach to journalism and media that runs through everything from "The Question" to "Gotham Central"!!! These aren't just "newspaper movie" supporting characters; they understand that in the DC Universe, journalism matters as much as superheroics because truth and information are literally superpowers in their own right.

Even the smaller roles felt like they understood the assignment!!! This isn't just "generic superhero movie supporting cast #12" - these feel like characters who could anchor their own comic book runs, which is exactly how DC's best stories work. Every character feels like they have their own agenda, their own life, their own relationship with Superman that isn't just "person who needs rescuing" or "person who explains plot points"!!!

The Metropolis we see feels lived-in and real, like a city that exists independently of Superman rather than just being a backdrop for superhero action. This is the Metropolis from the comics - a place that's beautiful and optimistic but also dealing with real urban problems, a place where Superman fits naturally rather than being an alien presence disrupting normalcy, and I'm literally getting emotional just thinking about how perfect the world-building is???

The Moments That Made Me Ugly Cry

WITHOUT spoiling anything (because I'm not a monster, and also because spoiling DC content is punishable by banishment to the lego batman Phantom Zone), there are at least three moments in this movie that had me crying actual tears while simultaneously thinking "oh my god they actually adapted that essential comic book Superman feeling to screen" and I'm never gonna get over it.

One sequence involving Superman making a choice about heroism felt like watching "Superman vs. The Elite" come to life, reminding me why I've been defending this character's relevance against "but he's too powerful/too perfect/too boring" arguments on twitter. The way Corenswet delivers what amounts to the "World of Cardboard" speech from Justice League Unlimited but specifically for this story had me dead.

Another moment involves Superman's relationship with humanity that directly echoes the best "Superman saves everyone" comic moments - you know, the ones where he's not just stopping the obvious threat but actually solving the underlying problem that created the threat in the first place!!! It's the kind of scene that reminds you why Superman stories work best when they're about hope and inspiration rather than just "alien punches bad guy until bad guy stops being bad.”

The final act somehow managed to capture the epic scope of a Crisis event while maintaining the intimate character work of the best Elseworlds stories!!! I left the theater wanting to immediately re-read my ENTIRE Superman collection to catalog what Easter eggs and deep cut references I missed, because Gunn clearly packed this thing with comic book DNA

But the moment that really got me was a quiet scene  - just Superman being superman, not because he has to save the world, but because helping people is WHO HE IS!!! No big action sequence, no world-ending threat, just the most powerful (and gorgeous) being in the universe taking time to do something small and human because it matters to someone. That's when I knew this movie really understood what makes Superman special, and I'm literally tearing up just thinking about it again.

.

Final Thoughts: This Is Why I've Been Defending DC Comics for LITERAL DECADES (And Also Why I'm Now a David Corenswet Stan Account)

I can't help but feel completely vindicated as a lifelong DC Comics obsessive!!! This movie GETS IT. It understands what makes Superman work in comics and translates that perfectly to screen without losing any of the depth, complexity, or fundamental optimism that makes the character so special.

Gunn didn't just make a Superman movie - he made a love letter to 85+ years of comics history while proving that yes, actually, the character who inspired every superhero who came after him can still inspire us today!!! This felt like someone who owns longboxes full of Superman comics, who has strong opinions about different creative runs, and who actually understood what made all those comics special, then decided to share that feeling with the rest of us!!! And he cast the most beautiful man alive to play the role, so honestly, what more can you ask for?

Yes, Superman can be interesting. Yes, there are stakes when you're dealing with someone this powerful. Yes, you can tell compelling stories about someone who's fundamentally good without making them boring or naive. Yes, you can make Superman relevant to contemporary political struggles without losing his essential optimism.

James Gunn, you've somehow made a movie that honors both "Superman: The Movie" AND "All-Star Superman" while feeling completely fresh and contemporary and relevant to our current political momentI cannot thank you enough!!! You've created something that works for people who have never read a comic book and for those of us who have, which is basically the holy grail of comic book adaptation!!!

P.S. - If anyone has high-quality screenshots of David Corenswet as Superman for my totally academic research into comic book adaptations, please send them my way. It's for SCIENCE. And also because he's absolutely gorgeous and I have NEEDS.

[aruanimess]

any aruani fic recs that you are your favorite?

Hello, anon!

So I've made a couple of posts in the past about this, but perhaps it's time to make a more comprehensive list. Sadly, the list of my favorites hasn't been expanded that much in the past year bc life has been kicking my ass since I haven't had much time for reading while also working on my own writing. But here goes.

Starting with the one-shots because they often get ignored:

Silhouettes by Jelly

Reincarnation AU. Armin spirals into madness as he tries to remember his past life, with Annie at the center of it all. Beautiful and concise, it'll have you sobbing on the floor.

Graffiti Love by brandymallory

Reincarnation AU. Armin and Annie are graffiti artists communicating with each other via murals. The understated, shimmering longing paired with the coolness of the street art scene is something else.

A Fistful of Latent Images by @aquietjune

Post-Canon Fort Salta fic. Armin and Annie navigate their relationship amidst the chaos of a post-apocalyptic world. Extremely well-written with great pacing, it captures the dissonance of normality after absolute devastation perfectly.

Look! by @lucaaazd

Modern AU. Kid Annie, still reeling from the loss of her father and subsequent adoption into her best friend's family, rescues Armin from his bullies. Grief and trauma mixed with the innocence of youth, its haunting carefreeness will fill you with an odd sense of optimism.

a crash course in curve lifts by @corner-stories

Modern AU, ice-skating. Armin and Annie, athletes who usually compete individually, train to perform a Pair routine for a gala (hopefully I got the lingo right). The commitment these two show to each other and their craft is absolutely heartwarming.

Now the multichapter fics:

A warrior in name, A traitor in game by @diam-etrical

Inspired by The Hunger Games. EMA in Marley. Set in a universe where the Warrior candidates have to fight to the death in an arena to get their titans. This will have you at the edge of your seat for sure. Also the character dynamics are expertly crafted.

Cigarette Duet by @darcycrow

Modern AU, set in Istanbul. Armin is a transfer student and new in town, he and Annie share a smoking spot in the schoolyard and bond over their existential dread, love of cats and weird relationship to intimacy. I'm here for the dry wit, the psychoanalysis and the sharp commentary about dating in the modern world.

Tater Tots & Heavy Thoughts by Anonymous

Modern AU. Armin is a social worker with a traumatic past, Annie asks him to help her brother who's a recovering drug addict (and then asks him out). This fic handles some extremely sensitive issues with care and compassion, it's a story about healing and not letting your past define you. Absolutely captivating and at times heartbreaking.

My Yellow Light in Your Soft Whispers by @annawayne

Post-Canon fic. Set roughly ten years after the Rumbling, Armin and Annie try to rebuild their trust in themselves and each other after a traumatic event. One of the most romantic entries on this list, steeped in rich symbolism and metaphor, the love Armin and Annie share is carved in every word, phrase and sentence.

See You Again by @dudewhy3

Modern AU. Estranged childhood friends, Armin and Annie, meet again after years apart, only Annie is sick and Armin is her doctor. It's a beautiful story about enduring love, compassion, second chances and vulnerability.

Love Letters from the Skies to the West Coast by @midnightraine131

Modern AU. Pastor's son Armin befriends Annie, a Californian girl who's new in town and also a bit of a wildcard. This is a sweet and funny story about the batshit shenanigans kids get up to, but also about the stifling confines of small religious communities.

Abandoned but worth a read regardless:

These City Lights by Katsy0c0

1920s AU. Armin is an up-and-coming Hollywood director and chooses Annie as his leading lady. An oldie but a goodie, the setting is exciting and glamorous and the relationship between the two is sweet and thrilling.

I Shall Slay by GoldenDoodleLover

Modern AU. Crack fic. Armin is recruited by his lit teacher Levi into a team of students who shall be participating in underground rap-battles. Absolutely hilarious and the verses are kinda fire.

[bengisuedotcom]

THE ELEGANCE IN ENTROPY

We are no longer dressing to impress. We are dressing to suggest something quieter, more abstract. A gesture rather than a declaration.

Fashion today no longer offers clarity or promise. It has turned cloudy, hesitant, almost elusive. The silhouette has loosened. The palette has dimmed. Garments appear less like adornment and more like artifacts, items unearthed, not unveiled.

This is not a return to minimalism, nor is it simply fatigue with excess. It is something else: a visual language shaped by ambivalence. Aesthetic choices marked not by rebellion, but by withdrawal. The body is still here but increasingly abstracted, concealed, deferred.

In this landscape, fashion becomes less about becoming and more about unbecoming: a soft refusal of visibility, a graceful dissociation.

We might call this haute nihilism: a way of dressing that does not strive for meaning, but rather accepts its absence with elegance. Not a crisis, but a mood. Not dystopia, but a design code.

MCQUEEN SS94: NIHILISM AS ORIGIN

Before the spectacle, before the myth, before the budget there was Nihilism.

Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 1994 collection, titled Nihilism, did not scream. It cut. With clinical precision, it offered fashion not fantasy but dissection. Garments were slashed, spliced, bound; seams became open wounds; silhouettes clung with a certain kind of grotesque intimacy to the body, as if the clothing was trying to learn its host from the inside out.

This wasn’t beauty. It wasn’t even rebellion. It was refusal. Nihilism stripped fashion of fantasy and optimism. Instead of design as expression, McQueen gave us design as inquiry: What remains when purpose is gone? When the body is no longer symbolic, only biological?

At the time many argued it was too sexual, too violent, too macabre. Many media outlets even outright refused to report on it.

There was no moodboard of luxury or aspiration. There was anatomy, violence, silence. Trousers sewn to expose the buttocks, jackets cut to reveal the spinal column’s architecture, garments that felt post-coital or post-mortem: it was unclear which.

It marked a radical departure from fashion’s central preoccupation with fantasy. Here, the clothes weren’t offering an escape. They were interrogating the wearer. Almost accusing them.

In naming his debut Nihilism, McQueen wasn’t declaring war on fashion. He was performing an autopsy. He was twenty-five. The fashion world was still dressing for seduction. McQueen was already dressing for disintegration.

It’s this early gesture, precise, unsentimental, and deeply intellectual, that serves as haute nihilism’s blueprint. Not the drama of collapse, but its structure. Not mourning, but mapping the absence.

RITUAL WITHOUT FAITH: THE HOLLOWED SPECTACLE THAT IS MODERN FASHION

Fashion has always followed a certain rhythm. The seasonal collections, the runway procession, the cycle of reveal and repeat: it all mirrors something ceremonial. But lately, the gestures feel emptied out. We still go through the motions, but the sense of belief, the conviction that fashion can mean something, has thinned out. The form remains; the faith is gone.

We still have runways, but they no longer promise transformation. We still have collections, but they no longer speak in future tense. Instead, there is an ambient sense of repetition. Fashion has not stopped, but it has lost its forward motion.

The most acclaimed designs of the moment do not offer visions. They offer traces. Like a dress that looks like it was worn in another century or another reality. These are not garments of emergence. They are garments of residue.

This is where haute nihilism operates: not through overt destruction, but through the preservation of empty forms. These clothes look like they should mean something, but they don’t. Like beautiful ruins, these clothes carry the silhouette of significance but their meaning has already evaporated.

In this space,  silence and ambiguity are the point. Opacity becomes a luxury. And beauty becomes something spectral, almost reluctant. We are no longer dressing to enter the world. We are dressing to remain untouched by it.

CASE STUDIES IN HAUTE NIHILISM

Rick Owens: Brutalist Spirituality

Rick Owens doesn’t design clothing to flatter the body. He designs structures that deny it. Architectural, elongated, abstracted: his garments obscure the familiar shape of the human form. They are almost devotional in their severity, like a robe for an unnamed religion.

In Owens’ world, beauty isn’t seductive: it’s cold, deliberate and post-human. His aesthetic doesn’t seek attention. It withstands it. What we see in his work is not destruction, but distance. Clothing as fortress, not invitation.

Maison Margiela Artisanal: Memory as Material

Margiela’s artisanal line doesn’t fabricate. It recomposes. Pieces are stitched together from existing objects: antique lace, broken jewelry, fragments of past garments. The result is clothing that feels unearthed rather than made. Archaeological even.

The body inside these garments becomes part of the artifact, less a subject than a carrier of memory. Margiela doesn’t offer newness. He offers residue, sewn into form. Haute nihilism here is sentimental, but not nostalgic. The past is not remembered; it is worn, ambiguously.

Demna (Balenciaga): Collapse as Concept

Under Demna, Balenciaga has become a meta-commentary on fashion itself. Couture sweatpants, torn gowns, dystopian tailoring: it’s all deliberately off. His clothes don’t aspire. They provoke. They dare the viewer to care at all.

Demna’s genius lies in his refusal to beautify. Everything is slightly wrong: silhouettes exaggerated, logos absurd, references cannibalized. It’s fashion in quotation marks. Haute nihilism here becomes sarcastic, almost cruel. The spectacle continues but belief is suspended.

Iris van Herpen: Sublime Dissolution

In Iris van Herpen’s work, nihilism doesn’t look like decay: it looks like transcendence. Her garments are engineered from materials that barely register as textile: silicone lace, 3D-printed polymers, magnetic filaments. The body, here, isn’t erased. It’s dematerialized.

Van Herpen’s designs evoke a strange kind of serenity, not the cold detachment of Owens or the irony of Demna, but something almost ecstatic. Her dresses move like vapor. They shimmer with non-human intelligence. Wearing them feels less like putting on clothing and more like submitting to a transformation.

This is haute nihilism as escape velocity: the dissolution of identity, of silhouette, of gravity itself. Not destruction. Not mockery. But elevation beyond meaning.

Together, these designers sketch the coordinates of a shared void. Each follows a different logic: distortion, memory, irony, dissolution but they all arrive at the same endpoint: a fashion no longer burdened with the task of meaning.

What we’re left with are garments that don’t explain. They persist. Like ruins. Like relics. Like artifacts from a world that has stopped asking “why.”

THE LANGUAGE OF ENTROPY

Haute nihilism doesn’t scream. It hums: low, persistent, difficult to place. Its power lies not in spectacle but in its codes: color drained of vitality, silhouettes detached from seduction, materials that whisper ruin. These garments do not declare themselves. They ravage.

Color: The Ash Spectrum

Black remains the default, but not as a symbol of power: it’s exhausted. The new palette is post-color: greys, dust tones, washed-out browns, bruised purples and funeral whites. If there is red, it’s dried blood. If there is gold, it’s tarnished. The chromatic range is not expressive, it is residual. Leftovers from meaning, not its vehicle.

Texture: Distress as Detail

Fabrics are burnt, crinkled, shredded, unfinished. Lace appears rotted, leather is cracked, silk is bruised. There is a tactility to this aesthetic, but it resists pleasure. These aren’t surfaces you want to touch. They repel. Texture becomes a signal: this garment has survived something. Or failed to.

Silhouettes:

Three dominant silhouettes define haute nihilism:

Concealment - Oversized, enveloping, anti-reveal. Conceals the body like a ceremonial cover.

Armor - Sculptural, rigid, unyielding. Protects rather than expresses.

Dissolution - Fragile, sheer, whisper-thin. Clothes that barely hold form, like memory slipping.

None of these silhouettes aim to flatter. They exist apart from the body, either ignoring it or imprisoning it. This is fashion with no obligation to please.

Material: Ghost-Tech & Anti-Fabric

We see two extremes: either hyper-futuristic synthetics (3D-printed filaments, optical mesh) or withered organic matter (distressed cotton, untreated wool, raw edges). Both reject comfort. One suggests the post-human; the other, the pre-human. The goal is not wearability, it’s estrangement.

In total, the semiotics of haute nihilism articulate one thing: absence, dressed beautifully. Each choice, colorless, shapeless, abrasive, signals a refusal to participate in fashion’s historical grammar of desire.

This is not a rejection of aesthetics. It’s aesthetics pushed beyond function, beyond meaning: until all that remains is the gesture itself.

AGANST ASPIRATION: DRESSING WITHOUT WANTING

Fashion has long relied on aspiration. To wear a certain brand, silhouette or trend was to move closer to something: beauty, wealth, sex, relevance. Clothing became a ladder: each piece a step toward the ideal self.

But haute nihilism doesn’t climb. It stands still. Or steps sideways. The clothes say nothing about success, status or seduction. In fact, they suggest a quiet retreat from all of it.

We are seeing garments that reject the logic of improvement. They don’t enhance the body. They don’t flatter the face. They don’t promise belonging. Instead, they assert ambivalence. The wearer is not striving to be seen, they’re curating the terms on which they’re perceived. If at all.

This shift runs parallel to a larger fatigue with exposure. In an age of algorithmic self-performance, not showing up becomes a kind of power. Visibility is no longer desirable. It’s oppressive. To be seen fully is to be consumed. The new luxury is opacity.

Anti-aspiration is not laziness. It’s design. A refusal to play. To desire less, or to desire differently, not more money, attention or beauty, but silence, solitude, control over one’s image.

This is where fashion becomes exit strategy. Not a way to ascend, but a way to disengage. Not a look. A retreat.

WEARING THE END BEAUTIFULLY

There is no manifesto here. No call to action. Haute nihilism doesn’t want to change the world. It doesn’t even assume the world can be changed.

It is not an aesthetic of despair, but of acceptance. Of bearing witness to the slow drift of meaning and choosing to dress with intention anyway. In a time when fashion has little to say, these garments speak quietly, through absence, distortion, reluctance.

They are not nostalgic. They are not revolutionary. They do not dream of the future. They simply persist. Like ruins. Like weather. Like smoke.

To wear them is not to perform, but to observe. Not to decorate the self, but to soften it, to blur, to shroud, to withhold.

Haute nihilism dresses for the world as it is: uncertain, accelerated, post-seductive. It doesn’t ask to be understood. It asks to be left alone.

And that, perhaps, is the final gesture of elegance- to look like you’ve already seen the end, and have still chosen to get dressed.

[andmaybegayer]

Hi, I'm back again with more computer questions: just two. The first is, is it possible to code a program in such a way that it can never be ported to a particular system architecture, even if the code is open source (i.e. if you attempt a port it won't work by design without significant work-arounds and sacrifices; my brain says no but I don't know for sure)? The second is, how do you feel about Apple, and their whole system of stuff? These two questions are totally unrelated. 100%. Promise.

In general, not really, because the capabilities of modern computers very closely approximate Turing machines and any code you can run on a Turing machine can be run on any other Turing machine.

The Turing machine is an abstract model for computation, a hypothetical machine with a long "tape" of editable symbols for memory and the ability to read, write, and make decisions about what and where it reads and writes based on the contents of the tape. If you ever hear someone say that Magic the Gathering or coconut crabs or whatever is a general purpose computer, it's because they've found some way to implement the basic rules of a Turing machine in that system.

Turing machines are the highest tier of the hierarchy of computing (pushdown automata, finite state machines, and basic logic being the successive lower tiers), there's things they can't do (see: the Halting problem) but they are capable of running any arbitrary algorithm. Even in the worst case scenario you could always fall back to implementing any computation that a computer can do as a Turing style computation on the computer's memory. The ideal turing machine has infinite memory but that's really the only way in which real computers differ fundamentally.

Now that's not to say you can't make it hard. Architecture specific features can make porting code nontrivial if that code was designed around secret or obscure features that would first have to be reverse-engineered before you can write a port, or otherwise a pain in the ass, think the PlayStation 3's Cell processor, which had both some weird but otherwise straightforward PowerPC cores plus a bunch of "Synergistic Processing Elements" which were a unique lightweight core designed for high throughput of vector operations on floating point calculations at the expense of being able to do basically anything else.

As a simpler example, when I was running the SwiftSim smooth particle hydrodynamics package it was designed specifically around the particular cache architecture of Skylake-era Intel Scalable CPU's, and was written so that a particular vendor's compiler optimizations would automatically convert some very long loops into shockingly fast cache-optimal vector operations. If you ran that code on a contemporary AMD system you'd lose more than 50% performance core for core because of the differences in cache architecture, and you'd have to rewrite significant portions of the code to retune it for a different architecture to claw back those performance losses.

But yeah if all you care about is "can this computation be implemented eventually" the answer is you can implement any algorithm on Habbo Hotel.

As for Apple? I don't really know enough to say much as a user, my main point of contact was owning an iPad 3rd gen for 10 years and I liked it, really solid tablet, kept going until the certs expired and it couldn't connect to the web.

Their marketing as not spying on you is kind of true but kind of not, they don't do as much as they could to prevent spying, but they do push back in a few places. They don't make their money on ad-sales as much as other companies so their incentives look different and they lean in on some things.

There was a time I thought that Apple had the UI mandate of heaven but that has long since gone, they've become very form over function and they don't design UI's well anymore, leaning into low-contrast, obscure interfaces that are difficult to understand without a detailed tutorial and which require a lot more memorization from their users. There's a lot of examples of this but most obviously, I've never seen anyone truly internalize which side of the screen you have to pull down on for which drawer on an iPhone, and I still see frequent iOS users struggle with the gesture UI because Apple hates the idea of "going back".

Apple's biggest strength is that they usually won't sell you something actively bad, even if they sell you something overpriced. The closest they got with selling you something bad was the iPhone SE which was really suffering with the old screen and camera but they've updated the SE now. People bitch about the Intel macbooks and they're not wrong but even they had redeeming features that made them at least not completely trash. They have sometimes sold you something actively bad but they do it a lot less than other companies.

The hardware performance of the Apple ARM processors is really quite impressive. Everyone else has been playing catch-up for the past few years and it seems like AMD is almost there now. It really was a huge kick in the rear for the mobile PC industry, which had for a long time just kind of accepted that laptops only had long battery life if you didn't do anything with them.

The Apple Magic Mouse is such an interesting example of the design philosophy. Why is the charging port on the bottom? Well at some level Apple understands users, they know that given the choice anxious users will not trust in the battery life of their devices and they will leave a mouse plugged in all the time, which will look and feel bad, so they put the charging port in a location that literally renders it useless and make you understand that if you charge it for a few minutes you can work all day. At the same time the ergonomics are trash because they want it to be a small and slim thing that aligns with their design language and they know that the people who want other mice will just go get them and deal with the limitations.

Apple ecosystem integration seems really good. It's one of those things where I've put a lot of work into getting halfway there and the seamlessness and speed with which things like airdrop/airplay and the phone/mac link work are just so smooth. It's good! I am eternally jealous of whatever the unified mDNS/specification stuff Apple is doing under the hood to allow you to Just Blast Data at a huge array of devices and have them make sense of it. My cheap-ass TV has never once accepted a ScreenCast from my Google Pixel but every iPhone that has ever tried to cast to it has worked flawlessly.

[elderscrollsconceptart]

i've said this before but: i, personally, am *not* looking forward to any TES remake made in Unreal. i think it handles certain physics and lighting aspects much, much worse than Havok, the engine that original Oblivion uses [and technically also Skyrim, though heavily modified by that point]. i think UE5 is likely to kill a lot of the charm and unique feel of Oblivion, and i'm a lot more hopeful about things like Skyblivion. i've never loved an RPG made in Unreal, and Oblivion is one of my favorite games of all time partially because of the versatility of Havok. obviously i could be wrong, and honestly i hope so! but given bethesda's track record [and microsoft in general, which is their parent company], i think it's likely to be a lot... flatter than the OG.

So Ive been thinking about this constantly for the past few months. It's definitely possible the remake won't match the "vibe" of OG Oblivion. That concerns but as well. Half of Oblivion's charm is how janky and lowkey..bad? It is 😭 Thats not a knock btw! Games and genres often become DEFINED by their flaws despite their positives! Skyrim is awesome but id bet one of the first things the average gamer remembers about Skyrim is the ridiculous "giants hit you so hard you fly into space" bug. For Oblivion it's the absurb (and endlessly memed) behavior of it's NPCs.

I wouldn't be shocked if the outsourcing studio drops the ball as Oblivion is a huge and clunky game to begin with. Even a remaster would be hard to do. That said, all negativity/optimism we can have at this point is wholly based on leaks and assumptions so it's fair to reserve final opinions until we actually get a real look at the remake if/when it releases.

I will be honest and say I'm personally cautiously optimistic about the remake since as charming as the OG is, it's a technical and unoptimzed mess beyond the memes and charm of silly physics glitches. I love OG Oblivion! I also want to be able to play it without having to do a bunch of mods to (try!) to make it work on my PC.

IMO literally all the remake/remaster would need to do is improve things like draw distance, get rid of the absurd CPU restrictions the OG has, and make Oblivion run stable on modern hardware.

I've talked about it before but id very happily accept a 1 to 1 port of Oblivion for modern hardware if all they did was ensure the game ran smoothly. I've genuinely only been able to have a single full playthrough of Oblivion, and that was on the xbox 360. He'll I'd take a Switch port of Oblivion if it was in HD at least. I just want a stable game experience that doesn't require me to have an old dual core CPU or try a bunch of janky 12 year old INI tweaks and memory patches.

I've tried probably half a dozen times to get the game working on PC with the necessary performance patches/stability fix mods and I *still* can't get the fixes to last thru an entire playthru before some stability issue major quest bug forces me to quit.

Morrowind has OpenMorrowind which makes the game fully stable and playable on modern hardware (like my phone!) Daggerfall has Daggerfall Unity which has innumerable improvements and also allows the game to be played on modern hardware with little issues. Skyrim has been ported to everything except apple smart watches and is playable basically everywhere with only moderate stability issues.

Oblivion is the *only* semi-modern mainline TES game that is super jank out the box and doesn't have some "fixed" version that allows it to be playable and stable on modern hardware. If something like OpenOblivion existed, an official remake/remaster wouldn't be necessary

I will reiterate the super frustrating CPU restrictions the PC version has unless you use mods to circumvent them. Game literally will start crashing on you if you have a multi core CPU. Old games tend to have technical problems like this, but given almost every other mainline TES game has a safe and stable version that exists for modern hardware, its not fair that Oblivion gets ignored in this matter. We deserve a permanent and officially fixed version of Oblivion, be it a remake or a remaster. We shouldn't just rely on mods and fan projects to fix old TES games.

Daggerfall is another good comparison since yes, by remaking Daggerfall in Unity you DO lose some of the original game's charm, but you also gain a shitload of stability and graphical improvements which make the game accessible to modern gamers.

In lieu of a fanmade Oblivion project in the vein of OpenMorrowind/DaggerfallUnity, Oblivion NEEDS a remaster or remake to make it accessible on modern hardware. Skyblivion is cool! But it still looks like Skyrim with different architecture. That's not a knock on that project, it's just true since it's literally the Skyrim engine. In the same way Morrowblivion looked like Oblivion despite being a "remake" of Morrowind into Oblivion's engine. Skyblivion is a FULL remake of Oblivion (with some changes from what I understand) but we still deserve an official Oblivion remake/remaster.

Skyblivion doesn't negate an Oblivion remake and an Oblivion remake doesn't negate Skyblivion. If anything they compliment each other since they each would be doing things the other isnt/cannot do.

An Oblivion remake/remaster might suck (or it might be great!), but regardless of our feelings on the matter, its simply true that the OG grows less and less accessible the further we get from it's release 19 years ago...We deserve to be able to play Oblivion on modern machines. I hope the remake allows us to do that (and that it comes out to begin with lol)

Peace out yall ✌️

[welp-back-on-my-bs]

Modern!Ikesen headcannons!

Nobunaga:

- he runs a non-profit in Japan that specifically does work to ensure peace

- he comes from a rich family so it doesn't hurt his pockets too much . He pays his employees well and treats them even better, even though he is also strict

- secret plushie collection

- you need to understand that there is a bakery in the biulding. Hideyoshi can't keep him from visiting atlaast once a day.

- bisexual king, he has a small bi flag in his office. None can shame him for who he is and his family would look worse for disowning him compared to the judgment for being bi

Hideyoshi:

- worked for Nobunaga ever since the non-profit opend

- right-hand man and CTO

- he makes sure that things get done and helps in person when more hands are needed

- isn't afraid to do the dirty work

- still somehow gets into fights with Mitsuhide all the time

- tried his hardest to not havw a bakery in the biulding (clearly lost)

- he has a kid at home that he cares of (aka hot single dad)

Mitsuhide:

- runs a security business on his own and works with Nobunaga often enough to protect him and protect those who need it

- his prices are reasonable and those who work for him get a reasonable pay

- he was given the business when the old CEO stepped down because he snaked up the ladder

- none of the top personnel really like him and try to undermine him (failed every time)

- loves unreasonably spicy food

- none knows much about his personal life outside of work

- takes part in different arts sometimes in his free time

Mitsunari:

- literally the best HR manager ever?

- idk why i chose that for him, but it's needed for him

- he does have a worker who comes in and checks on him to be sure he ate and slept

- history buff, specifically tactical history

- everyone in the office loves him for how well he treats people, those who dislike him don't often last long because they often were ones who cause issues and it's taken as a red flag by Hideyoshi

- basically Hideyoshi's son and there are jokes about that all the time

Masamune:

- boxer or some sort of fighting

- he lost his eye to cancer at a young age but manages to stay kicking

- one of the most popular boxers due to his story, personality, and looks

- boxer name is the 'one eyed dragon'

- often gives what he doesn't need to charities that support those with cancer and cancer reasearch

- he is the type of star that absolutely goes to every Make a Wish kid(or simmilar) he can

- sometimes helps at Nobunaga's company moveing big things

Ieyasu:

- Vet

- he cares for literally everyone's pets and they are all in optimal health

- Mitsunari sometimes gets shit for having Kitry be free roaming

- he absolutely takes amazing care of any animal he is given

- maybe a little more pricy than you would expect

- you do get discounts if you come often, though

- he isn't the most popular doctor because of that, but those who stick with him for long times like him

Ramaru:

- he is a nurse

- I just think he would want to help people as much as he can, so he went into nursing

- absolutely loved by the paitents he cares for

- at the end of his training and is super excited

- he helps his dad at the temple on his off days so he doesn't feel lonely often

- he has the biggest heart but can also tear down anyone who needs to be knocked down ten pegs

- fear the bean

- he also sometimes volunteers for Nobunaga's organization

Keji:

- obviously an actor?

- he is apart of a small group in Japan that is locally popular

- Mitsuhide sometimes joins in when he can, then things get a little hectic

- gets drinks with Kentesugu often

- he also volunteers for Nobunaga's organization sometimes too, hosting fundraisers with performances

- loud and proud Pansexual, he doesn't give two shits if anyone dislikes him because of that

- absolutely does drag

Kicho:

- Worked for Nobunaga for a while until he was poached for another company

- absolute sexual tension between him and Nobunaga, but neither did shit about this

- he ended up running the company he went into

- journey of self-discovery led him to learn that he was agender bisexual (male preference) but he is more quiet about this

- this man is in therapy and cut contact with his family after his self-discovery

- sometimes visits Nobunaga, now realizing his big ass crush on the man

- rip Kicho i love you

Kennyo:

- he is a Monk again

- most of his group was wiped out due to a deadly illness

- he barely got any help during or after the events

- absolutely resents organizations like Nobunaga's that reach outside of Japan and not help those within the country first

- he is working of rebuilding his local group and community

- he visits Shingen in hospital sometimes, glad that his son takes good care of him

Motanari:

- ._. Drug dealer-

- he is one that is also a little hooked on them so he is extra shady for that

- People often go to him if they want to be slowly weened off of drugs

- don't cross him tough, if you do- say hello to the gutters-

- he doesn't believe he can get clean, so he helps others instead

- if you piss him off, well, the world is going to burn

Shengen:

- sick in the hospital getting treatment

- flirts with the female nurses so he got assigned Ramaru so he could fucking s t o p

- he lost his family and home in a fire, so he doesn't know what is going to happen if he gets better

- Yukimura helps him since he saved him from that fire since it also took his own family

- he tries to get Yuki to stop working so hard for him, but that fails

- Kennyo sometimes visits and pays some of Shengen's bills. He also says he can stay with him if needed

- Shengen honestly couldn't feel more loved at these times

Kenshin:

- I absolutely love the idea that he is a street racer.

- like he is the biggest adrenaline junkie ever and will do random deadly things

- he couldn't be with his first love because family rejected their relationship and lost her to suicide

- ever since then he has felt hollow and probably a little hooked on drugs with Motanari as his dealer

- he has also offered to house Shingen when he leaves the hospital

- his family has passed by now, so he lives with Yuki and Sauske to not be alone

Sauske:

- same job, same nerd, failed to time travel though

- he was dejected by that. Yuki comforted him while Kenshin scholded him for not taking him with

- he triple checks Kenshin's drugs, so they at least won't kill him

- he also helps Yuki with doctors' payments, so he doesn't have to work all the time

- sometimes street races with/against Kenshin

- he also looks into the concept of reincarnation scientifically

Yukimura:

- has 5 part-time jobs literally anywhere.

- overworked and done with coustmour service

- five cups of expresso and murder

- thank God for Sauske being there and helping pay the bills

- when he manages to get time off, he sees Shengen

- other times he plays games with Sauske to blow off steam. Sauske always wins

Yoshimoto:

- literally anything creative? Idk any creative field I can see him in

- family wanted him to be a doctor, but he didn't and ended up disowned

- is in the house with Kenshin, Sauske, and Yuki the most and does most of the cleaning and buys the groceries

- he doesn't buy the sake. That can be left to Kenshin since he drinks it by the bottle and immune

- he is very approciated in his new chaos family and absolutely loves them and will die for them

Kentesugu:

- Kenshin saved him from getting into shit with some gangs and he absolutely approciates that

- so now he lives next to the chaos house on his own (it would get too crowded and they can stay over whenever he doesn't care)

- he would work as a manager somewhere, maybe? It may change when I do his route

- wherever he is, he is listened to and respected because he respects everyone's time and makes sure to follow the contracts to a T

- do know, he has many malicious compliance stories

[lexiepaprika]

Why I'm Tired of Performing Online (And What That Has to Do with Gyaru)

images: screenshots of Galsnap as viewed on the Wayback machine / read original blog post here

I was a middle-schooler at a time when phones weren't yet that smart. Social media was the wild west. Each platform felt new and exciting, a cool and fresh way to express yourself and connect with others. These days, when I compare my memory of social media as an 11 year-old VS social media now, the one thing that stands out is how everything has become about buying and being sold. 

My Instagram is almost entirely co-opted by ads. I'll sooner see an ad for some new, drop-shipped kawaii brand on my timeline than I'll see a post from one of my actual friends. And when I do see a post from my friends, they are usually stylized to the point of looking like an editorial in a magazine. I don't think this is a coincidence. 

Long gone are the days of blurry breakfast photos or a funny-faced, too-close snapshot with friends. Everything is so filtered (and I don't mean in sepia or Mayfair) and well-composed. Their outfits looked planned in advance, same with the location. It all has the air of a professional photo shoot, even when it's a post by your buddy who works in, like, finance. 

I remember when this switch was occurring: when we were going from random home photos to meticulously coordinating the aesthetics of our grid. I thought it was pretty cool. I wanted to take part. But the longer it's gone on, the more I've come to loathe it. It didn't take long for me to identify why it sits so poorly with me. 

I've boiled it down to two specific reasons: 

1. The everyday person has to transform themselves into a brand. 

2. (and this is a consequence of 1) We are all constantly selling ourselves. 

And for what? To whom?? It makes sense for a brand's Instagram to be selling something, but for the average user, what's the objective? Why are we expected to perform the same way? I think this coincides with hustle culture and the idea that we must optimize every single second of our lives and that not a nano-second of it should be wasted on something that doesn't potentially make us money. That last point is particularly funny to me because I think that in spite of this push for "hustling" and "optimization" we do have a tendency to waste a lot of our time scrolling. 

Now everyone’s an influencer. We’re all trying to prove that we’re interesting, worthy, creative. That our output has value.

I'm not a hustler. I am a woman of leisure. I think life is about enjoying it, taking care of each other, and making meaning wherever we can. I'm also under no delusion that I'm some special person whose ideas or art needs to be heard/experienced on a wide scale. That's not to suggest that I think I (or others) should stop vocalizing my ideas or making art simply because it's not "the best" or super popular. Far from it. I think the exact opposite. I think it's worth making art even if nobody cares. Even if nobody ever cares. 

If you've made it this far, I'm sure you're wondering how I'm going to connect this to gyaru. If you're one of my friends or have been here a while, then you'll know I can connect everything and anything to gyaru. 

These days, most of the modern gyaru congregate on Twitter (X) and Instagram. I would love to be a bigger part of the community, and have longed for it since I first got into gyaru, but the way the most popular gyaru figures use social media these days is so... off-putting to me. 

This isn’t a critique of any individual gyaru creator, but rather an observation of what it takes to gain visibility on today’s social media platforms. The most popular gyaru (both Japanese and gaijin) tend to converge on a highly specific aesthetic. It’s a polished, consistent version of gyaru that clearly resonates with Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. Their success often hinges not just on style, but on strategic posting, branding, and engagement. Many Japanese gyaru today double as bikini models or hostesses, roles long associated with the subculture, but their self-promotion (whether for girls’ bars, club events, or personal brands) feels distinctly shaped by the algorithm-driven internet age. Likewise, prominent gaijin gyaru typically monetize their personas through content creation, music, fashion, or sponsored posts. What results is a kind of homogenization: a gyaru image tailored for maximum reach, visibility, and marketability.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting that any of this is inherently unethical. Sex work and its adjacent industries are legitimate forms of labor and should be safe, respected, and de-stigmatized. Likewise, getting paid for your work—creative, aesthetic, or otherwise—doesn’t diminish its value or authenticity.

What I’m pointing to is the broader shift: gyaru, like so many alternative subcultures, has become a business. When something becomes popular, it becomes sellable. This isn’t so much a critique of the individuals participating in that system as it is of the platforms that incentivize this behavior. Algorithms reward what generates profit, especially for the platforms themselves.

So...where do we go from here? I almost ended this as just a reflection on a modern trend, but I’m honestly exhausted by doomer takes that stop at “Well, what can we even do?” Sure, we may not have the power to overhaul these platforms on our own, but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless.

If you're like me and feel alienated by the way social media functions today, there are really only two choices: opt out completely, or reclaim it on your own terms.

If you’re gyaru (and even if you’re not), post whatever the hell you want. Maybe you already are. Amazing! Keep going. Spam a bunch of pics in a single day, then vanish for a month. Post when you want, what you want. That’s the point.

It starts with us. It starts with you.

The motivation shouldn’t be external validation. It should be joy. 

[almondenterprise]

Cost vs. Quality: What to Consider When Investing in Switchgear

In today’s energy-intensive world, switchgear plays a critical role in managing power distribution safely and efficiently. Whether you’re upgrading your industrial facility, building a commercial plant, or powering a large infrastructure project, choosing the right switchgear is not just a technical decision — it’s a strategic investment. One of the most common dilemmas buyers face is balancing cost vs. quality. So, how do you decide?

Understanding Switchgear: The Heart of Electrical Safety

Switchgear is a combination of electrical disconnect switches, fuses, or circuit breakers used to control, protect, and isolate electrical equipment. Its primary role is to ensure the reliability and safety of your power system.

Types of switchgear include:

· Low-voltage switchgear (for commercial and residential use)

· Medium-voltage switchgear (typically for industrial applications)

· High-voltage switchgear (used in power transmission)

Investing in the right switchgear directly impacts operational continuity, personnel safety, and overall infrastructure reliability.

The True Cost of Cheap Switchgear:

While it’s tempting to opt for budget-friendly solutions, low-cost switchgear often comes with hidden risks and long-term expenses.

Inferior Material Quality

Cheaper models often use substandard materials that degrade faster, leading to frequent maintenance or early replacement.

Safety Hazards

Low-quality switchgear can result in arc faults, insulation failure, or overheating — putting workers and equipment at risk.

Increased Lifecycle Costs

Although the initial price may be low, the total cost of ownership (including downtime, repair, and energy inefficiency) is usually higher.

Limited Scalability and Customization

Budget systems are often rigid and harder to scale as your facility grows or needs change.

Why Quality Switchgear Pays Off

When you invest in premium switchgear, you’re not just buying a product — you’re buying peace of mind.

Enhanced Reliability

High-quality switchgear is engineered to perform in extreme conditions and handle high fault levels without compromising performance.

Superior Safety Standards

Reputable brands comply with international standards such as IEC, ANSI, or UL, reducing liability and improving workplace safety.

Ease of Maintenance

Well-built switchgear is modular and user-friendly, simplifying diagnostics and minimizing downtime during maintenance.

Energy Efficiency & Smart Capabilities

Modern switchgear includes IoT sensors, real-time monitoring, and predictive maintenance features, ensuring optimal energy use and proactive problem resolution.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Switchgear

When evaluating switchgear options, balance cost and quality by focusing on the following:

1. Application Requirements

Understand your voltage class, load types, and fault current ratings. Quality should match your operational demands.

2. Brand Reputation & Certification

Look for trusted brands with certifications like ISO 9001, CE, or IEC 62271. Positive reviews and case studies add credibility.

3. Lifecycle Costs

Don’t just compare sticker prices — consider maintenance, service availability, spare part costs, and expected lifespan.

4. Customization & Flexibility

Choose systems that can evolve with your operation. Modular designs support upgrades and expansions more efficiently.

5. Support and Service

Ensure the manufacturer provides robust after-sales support, technical training, and warranty services.

Cost vs. Quality: The Bottom Line

When it comes to switchgear, cheap is rarely cheerful. Cutting corners today can lead to outages, hazards, and hefty repair bills tomorrow. On the other hand, investing in high-quality switchgear ensures operational resilience, safety, and long-term savings.

The smartest strategy? Aim for value, not just price. Evaluate switchgear as a long-term asset, not just a one-time purchase.

Trending Tip: Think Smart and Sustainable

With rising energy demands and climate-conscious regulations, smart and sustainable switchgear is trending. Look for:

· Eco-friendly insulation (like SF₆-free switchgear)

· Energy management features

· Digital monitoring systems

Investing in such features not only future-proofs your infrastructure but can also help you qualify for green certifications and incentives.

Final Thoughts

Balancing cost and quality in switchgear selection is about understanding your long-term operational goals. By focusing on durability, safety, and lifecycle value, you can make a decision that protects both your budget and your business.

[blitzbahrain]

Switchgear Solutions for Solar and Wind Energy Systems

Why Switchgear Matters in Solar and Wind Systems

Switchgear plays a central role in controlling, isolating, and protecting electrical equipment. In renewable energy applications, it helps:

· Manage power flow from variable energy sources.

· Protect systems from faults or overloads.

· Ensure seamless grid integration and disconnection when needed.

Unlike traditional power plants, solar and wind systems generate intermittent power, requiring switchgear that can handle dynamic loads and frequent switching.

Challenges in Renewable Energy Applications

Here are some of the unique challenges renewable energy systems face — and how they impact switchgear selection:

1. Variable Output

Solar and wind energy production fluctuates based on weather and time of day. This demands switchgear that can:

· Handle frequent load changes.

· Operate reliably under fluctuating voltages and currents.

2. Decentralized Generation

Unlike centralized grids, solar and wind systems are often spread out across multiple locations.

· Modular, compact switchgear is preferred for such installations.

· Smart monitoring becomes critical to manage performance remotely.

3. Harsh Environments

Wind turbines operate at high altitudes, and solar farms are often exposed to heat, dust, or salt.

· Switchgear needs to be rugged, weather-resistant, and have high IP ratings.

· Outdoor switchgear enclosures and temperature management are essential.

Key Features of Switchgear for Solar & Wind

When designing or upgrading renewable energy systems, look for switchgear that offers:

1. Remote Monitoring and Control

Smart switchgear integrated with IoT technology allows operators to track real-time data, detect faults early, and optimize system performance.

2. High Interruption Capacity

Wind and solar systems may experience voltage spikes. Modern switchgear provides high breaking capacities to safely interrupt fault currents.

3. Modular Design

Allows for easy upgrades and maintenance — crucial for scaling renewable installations.

4. Eco-Friendly Design

Look for SF₆-free switchgear that uses clean air or other sustainable alternatives to reduce environmental impact.

5. Hybrid Capabilities

Switchgear that can connect both AC and DC sources is increasingly valuable in mixed-source grids.

LV, MV, and HV Switchgear for Renewables

· Low Voltage (LV) Switchgear: Used in residential or small-scale solar systems. Compact, safe, and cost-effective.

· Medium Voltage (MV) Switchgear: Ideal for commercial and industrial solar/wind applications.

· High Voltage (HV) Switchgear: Essential for utility-scale wind farms or solar plants feeding into the national grid.

Each type requires specific protection, metering, and automation components tailored to its load and system requirements.

Final Thoughts

Switchgear is the backbone of any successful solar or wind energy system. As these technologies become more mainstream, the demand for resilient, intelligent, and environmentally friendly switchgear solutions will continue to rise.

Whether you’re an energy consultant, project developer, or facility manager, choosing the right switchgear today will set the stage for long-term efficiency, safety, and scalability.

[enzaelectric]

How to Choose the Best Low Voltage Switchgear for Your Project

Low voltage switch gears are significant to an industry, commercial or residential installation in ensuring the safe and effective power distribution. Selecting the right switchgear is key in making sure the system will be reliable, preventing electrical faults, and optimizing energy efficiency. Buying switchgear may appear challenging, given the number of options available in the market. The guide below will assist in grasping the vital aspects to consider in choosing low-voltage switchgear in 2025.

What is Low Voltage Switchgear?

Low voltage (LV) switchgear is an assembly of circuit breakers, disconnects, fuses, relays, and other protective equipment for controlling and protecting electric systems in voltages of up to 1,000V AC. It is commonly used in:

Industrial power distribution systems;

Commercial buildings;

Data centers;

Hospitals;

Renewable energy systems.

Choosing Low Voltage Switchgear: Important Considerations

1. Understand Your Project Requirements

Understanding your project requirements for assessing power distribution should include:

Voltage and current rating. This is for ensuring compatibility of load.

Type of application: For example, both industrial and commercial as well as residential and renewable sources.

The fault current rating: Ensure that it can withstand the maximum possible fault current.

Number of feeders and expansion requirements: Be sure to plan for possible future growth.

2. Safety and Compliance with Standards

As far as safety is concerned, the other critical consideration when selecting switchgear is to ensure that it has met the following:

IEC 61439 or ANSI/NEMA standards-Properly complying with international safety and performance standards.

Arc flash protection-Reduces the risk of being exposed to electrical hazards.

Short-circuit withstand capability-Makes sure switchgear withstands those high fault conditions.

3. Type of Switchgear Configuration

The correct configuration should be selected based on the size and complexity of the project:

Fixed Type Switchgear — Cost-wise, the cheapest and most suitable for small installations.

Withdrawable Type Switchgear — Provides ease of maintenance expected for an industrial facility.

Compartmentalized Switchgear — Offers improved safety and isolation of components.

4. Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

Modern switchgear are also designed to optimize energy usage and reduce losses. Look for: Low power loss components — More efficient. Eco-friendly insulation materials — Leverage the environment. Smart grid compatibility — Include renewables.

5. Smart Features and Digitalization-

Soon after Industry 4.0 and IoT, digital switchgear became a standard. Consider: Remote monitoring and diagnostics-The predictive maintenance help. Automated fault detection-Reduced downtime, and increased safety. Data logging and analytics-Optimizes power usage.

6. Brand Reputation and After-Sales Support

Choosing a reliable brand ensures long-term performance and support. Some of the top low voltage switchgear Suppliers are:

Al Mayar Electric Switchgear Ind LLC is the new milestone in the mastering of Mayar Holding in electrical technology. The company is committed to cater quality electrical and switchgear products in Middle East, Asia, Europe & Africa ensuring high standards and reliability

Enza Electric stands out as the best manufacturer of electrical switchgear in the GCC countries, providing top-notch products that lead the market and offer reliable electrical solutions.

Al Daleel Electrical Switch Gear Trading LLC is one of the leading Supplier and Distributor of Electrical Switchgear Products in GCC.

Civaux Electric proudly stands at the forefront of electrical manufacturing, delivering a diverse range of premium products, including Panel Fans & Filters, Panel Heaters, Cabinet LED Lamps, Regulators, and Indication Lamps & Switches.

Stefan Electric based in Germany, specializes in manufacturing and distributing a wide range of switchgear products such as Current Transformers, Analog and Digital Meters, Relay and Timer Meters, and Door Limit Switches across the UAE, including Dubai, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Sharjah, and Saudi Arabia.

Additionally, check for:

Spare parts availability, thereby facilitating easy maintenance and repair.

Local service centers for a quick troubleshooting and support.

Warranty and possible extended service offerings would enhance long-term value.

7. Budget and Cost Considerations

The performance-to-cost trade-off is thus an important consideration. One could consider comparing:

- Initial costs versus future savings: Although more energy-efficient switchgear might entail higher initial costs, the operational expenses are going to be much lesser.

- Customization options: Some brands are more conducive to modular designs to accommodate specific budgets.

- Installation and maintenance costs: Include considerations for servicing and availability of spare parts.