#FP C-curve

[homeappliance11]

Aspida MCB FP C-Curve - Reliable Circuit Breaker | Standard Electricals

Explore the Aspida MCB FP C-Curve circuit breaker at Standard Electricals. Designed for enhanced electrical safety, this compact and durable switchgear offers precise protection for residential and commercial spaces.

[arc-misadventures]

Gamer Bunny

Lulu: Alright chat, that's all for today! Keep hopping my, Jackalopes! This Coco Buns, Signing off!

Lulu Scarlatina, the second oldest daughter of, Iliara Scarlatina, and secretly, the VTuber known as Coco Buns. A VTuber who played anything from party games, to horror games, puzzle, fps, rpgs, or simply just sat there, and chatted with her chat, and fellow streamers.

She was one of the most popular, Faunas VTuber's out there, and she was living her best life. But, it could still get better...

Lulu: ...

Lulu: Haaa...

: Well done.

Lulu: EEEEK!?!

Lulu jumped in her chair as she shrieked in terror as she spun around, and saw her, husband/himbo/lover/soontobemore, Jaune Arc sitting on her bed. Smiling at her as he gave off a soft chuckle. She grabbed the blanket she had over herself as she watched him smile at her.

Jaune: Sorry...

Lulu : Wha.. ha?! W-when did you get here?!

Jaune: Oh... about an hour ago.

Lulu: A-An hour?! Why have you been in here for that long? And, why are you here?!

Jaune: Oh, your mom took, Rumi, and the rest of your sisters out to spend some family bounding time with, Juniper. I came in here to tell you about it, but you were so deep in that game with your friends that I didn't want to break it up.

Lulu: Ohhh... I wanted to spend time with, Juju too...

Jaune: Why not ask her if she wants to join you when your streaming, you can spend some time together that way. You could even get her one of those, 2D models for her while you're streaming

Lulu: Yeah, yeah that could work! There's plenty of games we could play, she likes playing video games with me! Plus the viewers will love it.

Jaune: See, you can have your own form of family bounding too! But, no horror games! Juniper's having enough trouble sleeping as is, I don't want you adding to her reasons.

Lulu: I won't play those kind of games with her! I would never do...? Wait... H-How did you know I was playing a horror game?

Jaune: I was watching your stream.

Jaune shook his scroll at, Lulu, who recoiled in her chair as her face was flushed red with embarrassment.

Lulu: Y-Y-You watched my stream?! While I was in the same room?!!

Jaune: Yep.

Lulu: WHY?!

Jaune: You looked like you were having so much fun, I was curious what was so funny, so I decided to watch along with your... Jackalopes?

Lulu: T-That's just the name my fans c-call themselves...

Jaune: I see...

Lulu: So... uhhh... Since the others are gone... doing some family bonding... d-do you want to do some family bonding...?

Jaune: Bounding? Well, I haven't played a lot of videogames since becoming a, Huntsmen. That sounds like fun!

Lulu: We can totally do that! But, uhh... I was thinking about doing something... more intimate...

Jaune: Intimate?

Lulu: I like to do some...

Lulu pulled off her blanket showing off the rather... exotic apparel she appeared to wear when she was, Vtubing.

Lulu: Some physical bonding~!

Jaune eyes were fixed on, Lulu's body; Jaune took in her soft curves, and voluptuous bosom, toned chest, and those plump, juicy thighs. Jaune swallowed as he opened his scroll, and typed out a message, and sent it.

Lulu: W-What did you do...?

Jaune: I sent, Iliara a message; telling her to take her time... That you, and I are going to busy with some... physical bonding~!

Lulu: I-It's not going to take that long... r-right...?

Jaune: Oh... you sweet summers child~!

[velvet-apricots]

The Gleaner

A girl hailing from long ruined farmlands surrounding the destroyed capital.

HP: C FP: A Stamina: C Strength: B Dex: B Intelligence: S Faith: D Arcane: D

Passive Skill - Celebrant’s Boon - Enemies drop extra runes (flat 500)

Character Skill - Celebrant’s Dance - A charming dance that briefly grants a damage buff to self and allies, but sadly draws the eye of foes

Ultimate Art - Falling Star - Summons a large hunk of meteoric ore from the sky, dealing magic and poise damage

Starting Gear

Gleaner’s Bone sword - quickstep

A blade of iron and bone that’s been polished and sharpened by a father’s loving hands. Gifted to his only child to mark a special occasion. Its handle is decorated with colorful ribbons and dried flowers. His daughter should have danced, adorned in blue with a crown of flowers. But the day never came, for the Nightlord’s arrival marked the end of Dominula. "May you protect our daughter, even long after you have passed."

Gleaner’s Makeshift Staff - Rock Sling, gravity well

A staff scraped together from a hunk of gravity stone and a broken glintstone staff. Casts gravity sorceries. She took to incantations like oil and water. But scorceries came to her as naturally as the bird’s flew.

Remembrance Relics

Dried Flowers

(Gleaner) Scorceries cost slightly less to cast

Bonus attack power using straight/curved swords

A small bundle of pink and purple flowers, picked from the fields of home and carefully dried and preserved.

Blue Ribbon 

(Gleaner) Regain hp on Bonus Rune Gain

Boosts duration of character skill

A pretty blue ribbon of silk, used to tie one's hair back. A luxury for a farmer's daughter. Blue was her favorite color, and her father could not tell her no when she begged him for it.

Carved Bone charm

(Gleaner) instead of gaining runes on enemy defeat, Celebrants Boon now grants a small amount of runes per melee hit

FP +1

Vigor +2

 A charm carved from a blessed human bone. All that remained of her father was a single bone from his calloused hands.

Alternate Skins

All-Knowing (armor adorned with Gideon’s sigil)

Celebration (Celebrant’s set, clean with altered hood so it's only a crown of flowers)

[fromdevcom]

React and AngularJS are Javascript (JS) technologies that are widely used for creating one-page, interactive applications. JS tools are growing at a faster pace to target advancements in the technology. In the middle of all this, AngularJS vs ReactJS has become a popular topic of discussion. When used for business applications or websites, selection of a right framework out of these two is a high priority work. Why? Because AngularJS or ReactJs framework affects factor associated with an application’s durability, scalability, code maintainability and others. To clarify the competition to some extent, below are some parameters that show how React is more popular in 2018 Flexible Approach Angular offers defaults for state management, language choice, network connectivity and more. Developers using Angular need to follow these default settings. React on the other side, is a UI library and does not prescribe these mentioned features. But, React is an open ecosystem where developers can adapt to it as per their need. And, in this way, React is a flexible technology than Angular. TypeScript Angular uses Typescript as the development language which is the blend of Java and C#. People aware of these languages prefer to work in Angular and consider it as technically superior. However, developers that belong to a different background find it hard to work in Angular and feels like learning something very new is useless in the emerging technology involved with Javascript ecosystem. Solving this problem, for static typing, React offers both Typescript and Flow, a Facebook library. This is why React seems easy for most of the developers and thus selected often to build applications. Here again, flexibility is an asset for creating React applications. Paradigms Involved Javascript involves popular paradigms like OOPs and functional programming (FP). Understanding a paradigm’s principals is vital to produce a high-quality application dealing with all the development challenges. While Angular framework implements OOP like Typescripts, React has some roots in FP. When coupled with Redux, FP can be much more interesting than Angular in terms of predictable and manageable working of functions. FP has become popular due to React and has bright future applications. Simplicity Factor A simplified structure and learning curve of a programming language makes it easy for learning it faster. When it comes to AngularJS, it is not at all a simple framework to set up a project in. Though, it can be learned fast but creates confusion for the developers due to its complex libraries and syntax. On the other side, React is comparatively simple and easy to learn and work with. In programming, coders use AngularJS to create the core structure of front-end Javascript apps and ReactJS offers improvements to its parts. In short, developers can embrace easy and effective React framework for application building. Considering the factors above, React seems to be a default and popular choice for the new developers in the market. Though Angular and React frameworks both have a significant scope in future, React is growing faster and working with it is simpler as it has advanced tools.

[govindhtech]

Vivo T4 5G Price in India With Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 CPU

The Vivo T4 5G, the company's latest smartphone, features a remarkable mix of extended battery life, a bright display, and decent performance. Tech and fashion combine to “create extraordinary for consumers.”

Battery

One of the most noticeable characteristics of Vivo T4 5G is its 7300 mAh high-density battery, called “India’s Biggest Battery Ever”. Vivo's lab investigations show that this huge battery, which employs third-generation silicon-carbon anode technology, can last 17 hours of Instagram Reels, 28 hours of WhatsApp, 35 hours of YouTube movies, or 15 hours of BGMI gaming. Energy density boosts the material's 838 Wh/L capacity. The T4 5G's 90W FlashCharge charges from 1% to 50% in 33 minutes. The charging mechanism uses bypass charging to reduce heat.

Display

The Vivo T4 5G's Flagship Level Quad Curved AMOLED Display delivers rich colours and fine details even in direct sunlight with 5000 nits. The display refreshes at 120 Hz for smooth images. The device offers AI eye protection and SGS Low Blue Light certification for pleasant viewing. Immersion comes via a 17.19 cm (6.77 inch) screen with a P3 wide colour gamut with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video HDR compatibility.

Processor, OS

The T4 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 Processor’s enhanced architecture (4 × A720 + 4 × A520 cores) and efficient 4 nm technology. With an AnTuTu score of 820,000, this CPU promises “lightning-fast processing, ultra-smooth multitasking and enhanced gaming.” For fast multitasking and lag-free performance, the device's 12 GB RAM may be upgraded by 12 GB. The phone offers a New Ultra Game Mode, AI game voice changing, and 4D game vibration for immersive gaming.

Camera

The 50 MP Sony IMX882 AI Camera with OIS provides professional-level quality, while the 2 MP Bokeh Camera handles photography. The camera supports 4K video recording at 30 fps on the rear and 32 MP front wide-angle shooters and Night Portrait for excellent low-light shots. Live Photo lets you record moving photos.

Storage Options

The gadget will come in 8GB RAM + 128GB Storage, 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage, and 12GB RAM + 256GB Storage to meet client demands.

With full cushioning, shield glass, and a drop-resistant protective film, the Vivo T4 5G exceeds military-grade durability requirements (MIL-STD-810H testing). Its wet-hand touch technology makes it reliable in many contexts. The device is IP65-rated for dust and water resistance and has been tested in severe temperatures from -20°C to 50°C.

Android 15-based Vivo T4 5G firmware offers a flawless 50-month experience with hardware and software optimisations. It also has AI-powered features like AI Note Assist for organising and summarising notes, AI Photo Enhance for sharpening images, Circle to Search for fast information lookup, AI Erase for photo cleanup, and Super Documents for improving scanned documents.

The Vivo T4 5G comes in Phantom Grey and Emerald Blaze and is sleek and light for a comfortable grip.

Indian Vivo T4 5G Price

The unveiling will disclose the actual pricing, although it is expected to be between ₹20,000 and ₹25,000 in India. It will be offered on Vivo India and Flipkart websites.

In summary

As a feature-rich smartphone, the Vivo T4 5G emphasises battery life, rapid charging, a high-end display, dependable performance, and a brilliant camera system. Durability features and AI-powered software updates boost its appeal. The marketing materials target customers who desire long battery life, smooth work and gaming performance, and a great visual experience. Promotion of “India’s Biggest Battery Ever” is a key differentiator.

[thebrandwriter]

LG UNVEILS WORLD'S FIRST BENDABLE 5K2K GAMING MONITOR, WINNER OF THREE AWARDS AT CES 2025

Company Redefines Premium Gaming Monitors with the UltraGear GX9 Series, Offering Unmatched Immersion, Flexibility and Smart Features

LG Electronics (LG) is reinforcing its leadership in premium OLED gaming monitors with the LG UltraGear™ GX9 series, set to be unveiled at CES 2025 this January. The new lineup includes the 45GX990A – winner of three CES 2025 Innovation Awards, including the prestigious ‘Best of Innovation’ – and an all-in-one smart gaming monitor powered by LG webOS. These accolades underscore LG’s commitment to delivering advanced, high-quality gaming solutions. With the GX9 series, LG continues to demonstrate its leadership in cutting-edge technology and gaming monitor innovation.

To ensure maximum gaming immersion, all UltraGear GX9 series models feature curved display panels employing LG’s advanced WOLED technology. These screens offer high brightness, true blacks, stunning colors and optimized curvature; a combination that brings games to life and draws users deeper into the exhilarating action of their favorite titles. Certified for low blue light emissions, the GX9 series provides a more comfortable experience, reducing eye strain during extended gaming sessions. In addition, LG’s Anti-Glare & Low Reflection (AGLR) coating minimizes screen reflections and glare, making it easier for gamers to see everything that’s happening on screen, even in brighter rooms.

The 45GX990A and 45GX950A are 45-inch, 21:9 gaming monitors featuring ultra-high 5K2K resolution (5,120 x 2,160) – a first for OLED monitors.1 Their 21:9 aspect ratio offers a more immersive gaming experience than standard 16:9 displays, while maintaining better content compatibility than 32:9 monitors. With generous screen real estate, these monitors are a great choice not only for gaming but for various different uses.

Both products feature LG’s second-generation Dual-Mode, offering customizable aspect ratios (21:9 or 16:9) and picture sizes (39-, 34-, or 27-inches) with one-touch switching between preset screen-resolution and refresh-rate combos. With eight configurations, users can personalize their gaming setups to suit their preferences or adapt to different game genres, including FPS, RPG, MOBA and racing simulators.

The World’s First Bendable 5K2K Gaming Monitor with Dual-Mode

The LG UltraGear OLED Bendable Gaming Monitor (model 45GX990A) is the world’s first 5K2K-resolution bendable OLED display. The 45-inch monitor can smoothly transition from completely flat to a 900R curvature within seconds, offering users incredible flexibility and more control over their gaming experience. Its upgraded Dual-Mode feature allows users to switch effortlessly between resolution and refresh rate presets, and customize the aspect ratio and picture size. With an ultra-fast 0.03ms (GtG) response time, the 45GX990A ensures smooth gameplay and heightened immersion.

The World’s First 45-Inch 5K2K OLED Gaming Monitor with 800R Curvature and DisplayPort 2.1

Another standout model from the new GX9 lineup is the LG UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor (model 45GX950A). With its curved (800R),21:9 format 5K2K-resolution self-lit 45-inch panel, this display delivers sharp, lifelike images with the stunning colors and exceptional contrast LG OLED products are known for. Its 4-side Virtually Borderless design and slim bezels help boost users’ sense of immersion while adding a sleek aesthetic to any setup. Boasting 125 pixels per-inch (PPI) and an RGWB subpixel layout, the monitor improves the readability of in-game text and makes productivity tasks, such as editing documents or website content, that much easier.

Like its bendable sibling, the 45GX950A features Dual-Mode functionality with eight customizable configurations and supports DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI 2.1 and USB-C with 90W power delivery. This ensures seamless compatibility with the latest graphics cards and features such as variable refresh rate (VRR) while enabling convenient device charging. Certified by NVIDIA G-SYNC® and AMD FreeSync™ Premium Pro, the monitor has reduced screen tearing for a smoother, more responsive gaming experience.

Versatile Smart Gaming Monitor for Seamless Streaming and Immersive Gaming

The brand-new LG UltraGear 39GX90SA is designed to deliver stellar gaming and content-streaming experiences. Powered by webOS, it functions as a home entertainment hub, enabling users to access all their go-to streaming services without a PC or set-top box. It’s 39-inch, 21:9 aspect ratio curved (800R) OLED display produces brilliant, nuanced colors and deep, dark blacks, making it perfect for AAA games and HDR movies and series. Equipped with USB Type-C ports, it offers convenient connectivity, and incorporates LG’s ergonomic and space-saving L-shaped stand for a clutter-free desk setup.

“The UltraGear GX9 series sets a new standard for OLED gaming monitors, combining groundbreaking display technology with smart features that expand and enhance the user experience,” said YS Lee, vice president and head of the IT Business Unit, LG Media Entertainment Solution Company. “From the world’s first 5K2K OLED gaming monitors with second-generation Dual-Mode to smart gaming monitors with built-in webOS, the GX9 lineup pushes the boundaries to deliver maximum value and enjoyment for our customers.”

[sanaavay]

Features: All-encompassing 1000R display with 32:9 aspect ratio 240Hz refresh rate with low input lag QLED technology for a more realistic gaming experience Specification: Display Screen Size (Class) 49 Active Display Size (HxV) (mm) 1191.936(H)*335.232(V) Brightness (Typical) 420cd/m2 Brightness (Min) 300cd/m2 Dynamic Contrast Ratio Mega DCR Resolution 5,120 x 1,440 Viewing Angle (H/V) 178°(H)/178°(V) Color Gamut (NTSC 1976) 88%(Typ.) sRGB Coverage 125%(Typ.) Refresh Rate Max 240Hz Flat / Curved Curved Screen Curvature 1000R Panel Type VA Peak Brightness (Typical) 1000cd/m2 cd/㎡ Contrast Ratio Static 2500:1(Typ) HDR(High Dynamic Range) Yes Response Time 1(GTG) Colour Support Max 1.07B Color Gamut (DCI Coverage) 0.95 Adobe RGB Coverage 92%(Typ.) General Feature Samsung MagicRotation Auto N/A Eco Motion Sensor N/A 0.00 W Off mode N/A Flicker Free Yes Picture-By-Picture Yes Game Mode N/A USB Super Charging No Windows Certification Windows 10 FreeSync Premium No G-Sync Yes Smartphone Wireless Charging N/A Black Equalizer Yes Refresh Rate Optimizor Yes Super Arena Gaming UX Yes Eco Saving Plus N/A Eco Light Sensor N/A Eye Saver Mode Yes Picture-In-Picture Yes Quantum Dot Color Yes Image Size Yes Daisy Chain N/A FreeSync No FreeSync Premium Pro Yes Off Timer Plus Yes Screen Size Optimizer Yes Low Input Lag Mode Yes Custom Key N/A HDMI-CEC N/A Interface Wireless Display No DVI No Display Port 2 EA Display Port Out No Mini-Display Port No HDMI Version 2.0 Headphone Yes USB Hub Version 3 USB-C Charging Power No Thunderbolt 3 Charging Power (Port 1) N/A Ethernet (LAN) N/A D-Sub No Dual Link DVI No Display Port Version 1.4 Display Port Out Version No HDMI 1 EA Audio In No Thunderbolt 3 N/A Thunderbolt 3 Charging Power (Port 2) N/A Audio Speaker No USB Sound Bar (Ready) No Operation Conditions Temperature 10~40 ℃ Humidity 10~80,non-condensing Calibration Factory Tunning Yes LUT(Look-up Table) Bit Depth N/A Uniformity Correction N/A CMS(Color Management Software) N/A Built in Calibration Engine N/A Gray Balance N/A Color Mode High-Brightness/Custom/FPS/RTS/RPG/sRGB/AOS/Cinema/Dynamic contrast Factory Calibration Report N/A Design Colour BLACK HAS(Height Adjustable Stand) 120.0 ± 5.0 mm Swivel -15.0° (±2.0°) ~ +15.0° (±2.0°) Wall Mount 100 x 100 Stand Type HAS Tilt -3.0° (±2.0°) ~ +13.0° (±2.0°) Pivot N/A Eco Energy Efficiency Class N/A Recycled Plastic N/A Power Power Supply AC 100~240V Power Consumption (Typ) N/A Power Consumption (Off Mode) Less than 0.3 W Type Internal Power Power Consumption (Max) N/A Power Consumption (DPMS) Less than 0.5 W Power Consumption (Yearly) N/A Dimension Set Dimension with Stand (WxHxD) 1147.6 x 537.2 x 416.4 mm Package Dimension (WxHxD) 1265.0 x 366.0 x 481.0 mm Set Dimension without Stand (WxHxD) 1147.6 x 363.5 x 291.0 mm Weight Set Weight with Stand 16.7 kg Package Weight 22.6 kg Set Weight without Stand 14.1 kg Disclaimer Disclaimer N/A Accessory Power Cable Length 1.5 m DVI Cable N/A HDMI to DVI Cable N/A USB Type-C Cable N/A Mini-Display Gender No Audio Cable N/A USB 3.0 Cable Yes D-Sub Cable N/A HDMI Cable No DP Cable Yes Thunderbolt 3 Cable N/A Install CD N/A USB 2.0 Cable N/A Remote Controller No Warranty 3 Years Note *** Features, Price, Specifications are subject to change without notice.

[technationgr]

DELL Monitor P3424WEB 34'' VIDEO CONFERENCING CURVED, QHD IPS, HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, Webcam, Height Adjustable, Speakers, 3YearsW

1 x4MP RGB + 2K camera at 30 fps (FHD at 60 fps), Tilt, Swivel, Pivot and Height Adjustable

[dweemeister]

Oklahoma! (1955)

Composer Richard Rodgers was in search of a new songwriting partner in the early 1940s. His previous partner, the lyricist Lorenz Hart, was devolving into an alcoholism that would soon claim his life. Wanting to transform Lynn Riggs’ rustic play Green Grow the Lilacs into a musical, Rodgers would find a new lyricist in Oscar Hammerstein II, who had not been involved in any Broadway successes for some time. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1943 adaptation of Rigg’s play was Oklahoma! and – despite widespread predictions that Broadway audiences would only flock to modern, urbane works – it became the longest-running Broadway musical for another dozen or so years. It began one of the most fruitful, important, and accomplished musical theater partnerships in the medium’s history.

Interest in a cinematic treatment from Hollywood’s major studios for the first Rodgers and Hammerstein musical came almost immediately after the initial reviews for Oklahoma!, but the rights went not to a movie studio, but a film equipment start-up known as the Magna Theatre Corporation. Magna’s owners intended Oklahoma! as a test for the Todd-AO widescreen process (a rival to Cinerama), but more on that and the film’s unique distribution history – which involves RKO and 20th Century Fox – later. Most importantly, the lack of studio executives to appease meant that Rodgers and Hammerstein could have full control over the film’s structure and musical/narrative changes for this adaptation. Directed by Fred Zinnemann (1952’s High Noon, 1953’s From Here to Eternity) – an unorthodox choice, given his expertise for morally complex dramas and no musical experience – 1955’s Oklahoma! is a harbinger for the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical films to come, and an inextricable part of the duo’s legacy.

Somewhere in the Oklahoman countryside, amid corn as high as an elephant’s eye, is the clean-cut cowboy Curly McLain (Gordon MacRae). Curly is en route to the farmstead of his crush, Laurey Williams (Shirley Jones in her cinematic debut), and Laurey’s aunt, Aunt Eller (Charlotte Greenwood). There, Curly invites Laurey to the box social scheduled for later that evening. Annoyed that it took him this long to ask her out, Laurey decides instead to go the box social with the Williams’ antisocial and intimidating farmhand, Jud Fry (Rod Steiger). Elsewhere at the train station, another cowboy, Will Parker (Gene Nelson) might be singing about how much he was entranced by Kansas City, but he is searching for his sweetheart, Ado Annie (Gloria Grahame) – herself entranced by traveling salesman Ali Hakim (Eddie Albert in brownface).

No members of the original Broadway cast reprised their roles for this film, which also stars Barbara Lawrence and character actors James Whitmore, Jay C. Flippen, and Roy Barcroft.

As Curly, MacRae is like a Broadway stage version of the characters Gene Autry or Roy Rogers might have played in another decade. MacRae, who started his career as a Broadway and radio singer, had just run down the end of his contract with Warner Bros. (signed in 1947) when he appeared in Oklahoma!. At Warners, he starred in a number of musicals including Look for the Silver Lining (1949) and opposite Doris Day in On Moonlight Bay (1951), but he had only starred in a film adaptation of stage musical once before. MacRae, despite a long hiatus from the Broadway stage, is a natural here: charming and exuding a natural chemistry with co-star Shirley Jones. This exterior, however, is not without malice – as seen in the scene where Curly tries to influence Jud to commit self-harm. Cut from the same baritone cloth like contemporary Howard Keel (Frank Butler in 1950’s Annie Get Your Gun, Adam Pontipee in 1954’s Seven Brides for Seven Brothers), MacRae never achieved the popularity that other stage-to-screen musical stars of the ‘30s and ‘40s did (and, of course, Julie Andrews much later on).

The film’s surprise package for audiences in 1955 was in Shirley Jones. Jones, rather than subjecting herself to a vetting process by a director, casting director, or studio executives, was hand-picked by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Stunned by her 1953 audition for the premiere of South Pacific but wanting more experience for the then-nineteen-year-old, the songwriting duo kept Jones in mind for future productions and signed her on a contract (Jones was the first and only singer to be contracted to Rodgers and Hammerstein). With a few years of Broadway productions under her belt, Jones still came to Oklahoma! lacking an understanding on how to tailor sharper emotions to a film camera. With Fred Zinnemann’s assistance, she navigates Laurey’s light romantic comedy scenes and tumultuous friendship (if one can call it that) with Jud maturely – one could scarcely believe this is her cinematic debut. For Laurey, she accentuates the character’s naïveté, especially in respect to how she acts around men and romantic idealizations, without feeling grating or overacting (a common problem when approaching characters without much life experience) the part. Jones’ excellence in Oklahoma! would land her the lead in Carousel (1956), with other Hollywood hits in Elmer Gantry (1960) and The Music Man (1962) to follow.

As their artistic collaboration progressed, Rodgers and Hammerstein did not shy away from asking heavier questions in their musicals. Their first two projects, Oklahoma! and the musical film State Fair (1945) are relatively airy, flighty compared to their successors – the darkness of morality in Carousel, the racist beliefs of the lead character in South Pacific. Foreshadowing that later drama in successive musicals is the misanthropic (not just misogynistic) character of Jud Fry. Played by Rod Steiger, Jud is a villain without any redeeming qualities in the original musical. Steiger’s Jud remains a reprehensible character, but Steiger – as have most other actors who have played Jud in on stage in the decades since – positions Jud as more of a loner whose social ineptitude results in an unchecked covetousness over Laurey. To some reading that last sentence, that distinction between portrayals of Jud may not make any meaningful difference in one’s negative opinions about the character and his actions. Yet, Steiger’s portrayal of Jud – as sloppy, maladjusted, knowing little else about life other than farm work – is nevertheless a refinement on the character Rodgers and Hammerstein originally did not give much thought to.

Zinnemann’s dramatic tendencies needed moderation, as they sometimes threated to overshadow the musical features. Although, to Zinnemann’s credit, as a dramatist first, he imbues Oklahoma! with a dramatic fervor that came to define all Rodgers and Hammerstein musical film versions after it – something that one never received from the somewhat assembly line-like musical from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and Fox. Oklahoma! was Zinnemann’s first widescreen film, as well as the first time he shot in color.  The emotional intensity of his earlier movies would be antithetical to the sweeping rural cinematography that he and cinematographer Robert Surtees (1959’s Ben-Hur, 1971’s The Last Picture Show) and Floyd Crosby (1931’s Tabu: A Story of the South Seas, 1960’s House of Usher) needed to capture. Zinnemann, Surtees, and Crosby offer sumptuous images of the Arizona countryside (Oklahoma’s oil wells proved too plentiful and distracting for the production) and the inviting blue sky that overhangs the cornfields sweeping across the land. With widescreen cameras rather new around 1955, the cameras wisely stay further back in interior scenes (shot at MGM’s studios in Culver City, California) with numerous people, directing our gaze centrally with brilliant blocking from the actors. The staging nevertheless feels like a stagebound musical during some interior scenes, like a lower-budget MGM musical with a trivial plot.

The widescreen cinematography, of course, was purposefully a showcase – see the shots of Gene Nelson spinning his rope directly towards the camera in “Kansas City” and the shot of an overly-excited auctioneer hammering their gavel and having the gavel nearly break the camera in another. Magna Theatre Corporation intended Oklahoma! to be a demonstration of their new Todd-AO 70mm process, in hopes of competing against Cinerama (which used three synchronized projectors at once on a curved screen). Because some theaters could not support the widescreen prints, two different versions of Oklahoma! exist: one in Todd-AO and another in CinemaScope (the latter a 20th Century Fox invention). This review is based on the Todd-AO print – which I recommend over the CinemaScope print – that currently is streaming on Disney+. Another note about the Todd-AO print: the first two films shot on Todd-AO 70mm – Oklahoma! and Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) – were shot in 30 frames per second (FPS) rather than the standard twenty-four. Thus, the Todd-AO print will appear slightly smoother in motion than most all other films, including modern ones.

Why 30 FPS for film screenings in 1955? Higher frames per second result in less noticeable light flickering and more dynamic colors (these effects for movies shot at higher FPS rates only apply to films shot on film stock, not digital). However, film projectors with a Todd-AO print would run hotter, requiring simultaneous cooling of the film while it ran through the projector. All subsequent films shot on Todd-AO reverted to the standard twenty-four frames per second.

Diehard musical fans often consider Fred Zinnemann’s Oklahoma! the most faithful – narratively, musically – of all the Rodgers and Hammerstein film adaptations. Deleted from Oklahoma! are two songs: Ali Hakim’s chauvinistic “It’s a Scandal, It’s a Outrage! [sic]” and Jud’s brooding “Lonely Room”. The former has among the least musical interest in the entire musical, but “Lonely Room” might have been a helpful source of characterization of Steiger’s Jud (the limited vocal range required for the song would suit Steiger). Otherwise, some of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most iconic songs are present, starting with “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’”. Sung solo by MacRae on horseback (as opposed to being sung completely offstage in the original stage version), it serves the same purpose as the title song from The Sound of Music (1965) does. It establishes Curly’s character (mostly), and establishing the vast environs where the film takes place. The atmospheric opening shot of the camera moving through the corn and opening up into a grassy landscape might seem corny inane, but what a visual message it sends for one of the early widescreen American movies. Curly’s solo leads into “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top”, as he attempts to woo Laurey into accompanying him to the box social. A brief visual aside to allow viewers who do not know what a surrey looks like is a touch that a stage musical cannot provide, but this song – along with my choice of the best song in the musical, “People Will Say We’re in Love” (which gives MacRae and Jones a lovely duet with the production’s most romantic melodies) – exemplifies the rapport between MacRae and Jones and their two characters.

There remains charm aplenty across the musical score. Gene Nelson’s rendition of “Kansas City” is by no means essential to the plot of Oklahoma!, but it is a diverting number with some fancy footwork by not only Nelson (essentially the film’s comic relief and using a perfect, non-jarring voice for such a role), but Charlotte Greenwood and the scene’s extras as well. And then, arriving late, there is also the lively title song, delivered by MacRae with a similar energy as he employs for “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’”. “Oklahoma” became the official state song for Oklahoma in 1953, replacing a lesser-known song, “Oklahoma – A Toast”. Credit must also go to the extras and chorus for spearheading the song for its second half, as well as Robert Russell Bennett for his gorgeous (and definitive) vocal arrangement.

As its theatrical release drew near, details of the distribution of Oklahoma! would depend on which print a theater received. If a movie theater screened the Todd-AO 70mm print, Magna handled the distribution; if they showed the anamorphic CinemaScope 35mm print, the responsibility fell to RKO. RKO – the studio that gave audiences King Kong (1933), Citizen Kane (1942), and distributed all Disney movies until Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1954) – had fallen into turmoil by the mid-1950s and, by decade’s end, would be the first of the Big Five Hollywood studios to cease operations. The studio’s tyrannical owner, the eccentric Howard Hughes, disemboweled the studio from the inside out, and is a story for another day. Due to Hughes’ mismanagement, RKO withdrew from distribution and, in their place, came 20th Century Fox. Todd-AO and Fox shared theatrical and home media rights until Fox’s purchase by Disney in 2019; Todd-AO and Disney retain the split-ownership arrangement over Oklahoma!.

Though Oklahoma! is not usually part of most cinephiles’ and musical nerds’ pantheons of great Hollywood musicals, its contributions to the subsequent Rodgers and Hammerstein film adaptations are unmistakable. The duo’s closeness to numerous parts of the film’s production, the stunning widescreen cinematography, and the casting of actors with proven musical ability are hallmarks to be replicated, even in lesser adaptation such as South Pacific (1958) and Flower Drum Song (1961). For Rodgers and Hammerstein, they were so pleased from working with Fox that they continued to provide the rights to their musicals for all of their works’ adaptations with the exception of Flower Drum Song (which went to Universal). Like their work on Broadway, their best music and best movie adaptations of their musicals was yet to arrive. Oklahoma! marks a solid, healthy start to that run of adaptations, a hallmark of mid-century American moviemaking.

My rating: 7.5/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

[figure-skating-watch-party]

Russian Cup, stage 4

I’ll try to mention some of the lesser known skaters this time. Because they are all so good but often this is not enough because this is Russia: there are countless talented skaters and only a very limited number of international spots. (I came to the conclussion that - especially in juniors - the key is not to get attached too much to one skater, one team and just appreciate everything we get to see)

Pairs

Sometimes I really can’t wrap my mind around it. They are all sooo good. First warm-up group and they are so good, second group and they are great, third group world class. 

Let me scream VIKTORIA VASILIEVA / Nikita Volodin. She was a singles skater a year ago. I saw her two years ago at JGP with my own eyes. And now? She is a pair skater. That was such an awesome debut for this new pair. I am in awe. And especially their Mickmacks FP is great. 

I also liked Maria Alchova/Sergei Bezborodko and their Peal Harbour FP. (Poor them and the death spiral though)

Karina Akopova/Nikita Rakhmanin they are speeeed. (Limelight SP and based on my very limited knowledge of cyrilic alphabet a mix of P. I. Tchaikovsky’s music with A. Bocelli’s Fall on me???) Anyway they are so quick on the ice.

I love every Memoirs of a Geisha program and of course I loved Jasmina Kadyrova/Ivan Balchenko and their SP. 

I love Boikova/Kozlovskii so so so much. And I love their SP, I’m so happy that we finally saw them. Their SP is so light, tender, classical. Their FP was good but not just that magically great as we maybe got too much used to it. It couldn’t be easy for them skating just hours after their coach’s husband passed away on top of everything else. (I absolutely didn’t know but they formed a pair in 2015 having skated only in singles prior to that.)

I have to admit I have a complicated relationship with Tarasova/Morozov. Though I liked their Adagio FP and after rewatching Bolero many times, yeah, there’s in fact nothing wrong with this program... They are just not my favourite skaters but I can still see why they are one of the best in the world. If I associate B/K with lightness, T/M are definitely power. 

Mishina/Galliamov are back. Well, they were not away, it was just one bad comp and it happened to be Russian nationals which was so unfortunate. They were oozing confidence this time. They were flawless, I loved the low death spiral and the whole Esmeralda SP and the dance lifts and creative choreo sequence in their Bohemian Rhapsody FP. 

Ice Dance, Sr. 

I really appreciate that the organizers give the opportunity to foreign skaters training in Russia to unofficially take part in the Russian Cup series. You won’t find them on the results pages, but I think for them the most important thing is that they can skate in whatever form it is... 

This time, it was Hungarians Anna Yanovskaya/Adam Lukacs skating to Grease RD and Hymne l’amour FD. (I love these combinations of programs: one more upbeat one more classical). 

If I’m counting right it’s at least fifth Grease I’ve seen this (or last) season: Guignard/Fabbri, Shpilevaya/Smirnov, Pavlenina/Aleksanian and the queen and the king of Grease Smart/Diaz - I enjoy watching and comparing these programs, so there’s never too much Singing in the rain, Too darn hot... etc. ;) ) 

If you want to see passion and also synchronized hydroblades watch Vlada Pavlenina/Aleksandr Aleksanian La sal de la terra FD. 

I like L’Opera Rock FD of Svetlana Lizunova/Alexander Vakhnov. 

And then Julia Tulseva/Anatolii Belovodchenko. Cabaret / Umbrella. I simply love these programs, Cabaret, Burlesque... And their FD was even better, their speed, the interpretation, the curve lifts, the jazzy feel...

And I’m really happy that Anastasia Skoptsova/Kirill Aleshin won this stage and that they kept their Bonnie & Clyde RD.

Ice Dance, Jr. 

Let’s take a look at some junior ice dancers! Of course Arina Ushakova/Maxim Nekrasov (I like their Chicago RD) and Vasilisa Kaganovskaya/Valerii Angelopol (here I like their FD) were the best but there were so many great performances:

Polina Kocherigina/Evgenii Artyushchenko - Mala Luna FD.  

Polina Usova/Egor Goncharov - Anything goes RD / Sigur Ros FD. Especially the FD was such a mature performance. 

Ksenia Davidova/Michail Antonov - Singing in the rain RD I liked the choreography, the whole performance aaand the speed. 

Daria Bukovschikova/Alexander Vdovin - New York, New York RD A relaxing “feel-good” program (a style I really like)

Taisia Linchevskaya/Timur Baklanov-Smirnov - Cabaret RD The stylization, the poses, the carriage on the ice...

Alexandra Shabalina/Maxim Kiryukhin - Romeo and Juliet FD

And now let me present three teams I absolutely fell in love with:

Alina Abdulina/Maxim Nuralyev - Fifty checks / Mindfields I love the variations of the famous P/C lift in the RD. And the more pop/rock feel of the FD and synchronized cartwheels?!!  (I called it “P/C lift” but let’s not be like twitter moral police saying that anyone else doing this lift is a copycat; this lift was there long before P/C, eg. Belbin/Agosto did it...)

Sofia Kachushkina/Oleg Muratov - A chorus line / Walking castle?? I nicknamed them Team Red according to their RD costumes. The RD is such a fun and energetic performance, they even use the lyrics - saying steps, walk, ministeps and they do on the ice. And their FD is totally different, very balletic, like a fairy tale. 

Alisa Ovsyankina/Matvei Samokhin - Aladdin / Dance of the Sugar plum fairy

They are babies and these programs are so fitting for them. The FD is from Nutcracker and I squealed. Yes, yes, yes, yes, that’s a perfromace, that’s so cute and just lovely to watch. 

[honeykistune-blog]

Postprocessing and converting GoPro video

You can organize the directory using your own tags, or you can search your hard drive for specific media types, albums, dates of origin, locations, people or events. With the RatingTool you determine the best clips for your video project. With video templates, you can create your first video in minutes. This program is a powerful tool in post production. This will add effects and graphics to your videos. Packaging of the Gopro Hero 7 Black In addition to the camera, the scope of delivery also includes a frame holder and a USB-C cable for charging the battery and for transferring data with the computer. There are also a number of accessories for attaching to straight and curved surfaces. Then you can click on + Video or simply drag and drop files. Batch import and conversion are supported. The last days had time to film something with the GoPro Hero 3 and now wanted to cut the individual clips together and play with the effects of the program.

Adobe Premiere Pro can only be used as a subscription, which means regular expenses. This investment is primarily worthwhile for professionals and semi-professional users. Because the Creative Cloud package allows them to use various other programs for image, sound and video editing, depending on the scope booked. The cloud server, which can also be used in the package, ensures better team workflows. Team members use this to exchange data quickly and easily.

I prefer recording at 1080p and 60 fps or at 2.7K and 30 fps.

If you want to work without delay, select the option "Load all timelines when starting a project" in the "Save projects" window.

Wondershare Filmora is a good entry-level video editing program.

Just place the cursor at the point where one episode should end and another should begin.

And with a click on the codec option, H.264 Change profile from standard main to high profile if you care a lot about quality.

Use slow motion and fast motion

Thanks to the clear and easy-to-use user interface, you do not need any previous knowledge to implement your video project. At the heart of the software are the over 800 included effects such as filters, transitions, overlays, elements, sound effects and music, which you can add to your videos in one click. Filmora9 is available as a trial version free of charge to download, or inexpensive to buy compared to other programs. With the free version you can try out all functions of the video editor, just add a watermark to the finished videos. The camera records videos in different resolutions, aspect ratios and refresh rates. The maximum in the regional PAL process is 4K UHD at 50 frames per second. Alternatively, the Hero 7 Black can also be converted to the American NTSC standard, then it reaches 4K UHD at 60 fps.

Quik - GoPro Video Editor for photos with music

Information about products not manufactured by Apple or independent websites that are not controlled or audited by Apple is not a recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility for the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites and products. Apple makes no representations about the accuracy or reliability of third party websites. Contact the provider for additional information. The tool distinguishes between shadows, highlights and midtones. You can edit shading and color temperature using the slider. You can correct individual color values ​​using color curves.

[spnfanficpond]

July 2019 Pond LiveChat Recap

We had a great time chatting with @crispychrissy today! Thank you so much, Chrissy, for joining us!

This month, to make up for not having a chat in June, we chatted for two hours about some issues related to posting your works on Tumblr. Chrissy talked to us about making our own gifs, we discussed giving credit to gifmakers, how to make a Keep Reading cut, and much more!! A rundown of the chat, as well as general Pond news, is below the cut!

[Editor’s Note: For ease of understanding, the tags you put at the bottom of a post with a # will be called #hash-tags, while the tags you use to notify another Tumblr user that you’ve posted something will be called @mention-tags.]

Q: What programs do you use to make gifs? Are they free, or do you have to buy them?

Chrissy: Well, there is a free one I used back when I started called GifCam. It's easy to set up (it's just an exe) and there's a little learning curve, but it's easier than what I do now. I currently use a screen capture program that came with my $1500 graphics card along with Sony Vegas. If anyone wants GifCam, I can send it to them.

Q: And are you watching via Netflix or some other way?

C: Yes, I use Netflix. I have the first 6 seasons on DVD along with 12 and 13, so for bloopers and deleted scenes I have to use the DVD's. For current episodes, I have YouTube TV, and use the screen capture option with that. Tumblr has a 3MB limit on file size, so it’s really hard. The amount of frames you can fit in a sub-3MB gif depend on so many factors. Colors in the scene, movement, FPS (frames per second), and length. A low FPS gif looks pretty choppy, while a high FPS gif is smooth as butter.

Q: So that's why some gifs seem to go on forever, and others are quick things.

C: Yes. I can make a really long gif of something that's really really tiny, but if you want it to fit into the pixels of a Tumblr post, it limits how long they can be.

Q: And I guess that's also why some gifs I find from Google and try to put into a post won't animate right. If they're too big, I guess Tumblr stops them?

C: Yes. Tumblr just freezes the image instead of animating it. When you save it, check the file size.

C: So this is an example of the brightness and colors of a gif affecting the size. Since there's so much brightness and color, the more the gif has to render, meaning the bigger the size. This worked out to be only 35 frames, which is like... really small, but the gif itself came out to be 2.83 MB.

Q: Are websites that come up when I Google "gif maker" worth my time and effort?

C: Only if you don't mind a stupid watermark from the company.

Q: About giving credit to gifmakers....any thoughts?

C: Well, all my gifs have "cc" in the bottom right corner, that's how I give myself credit if they're used. Not everyone knows the "cc" gifs are mine, but I do. I offer my gif making services to anyone if they need a specific gif made for a story or otherwise, not limited to SPN. I've made porn gifs, ones from YouTube, and from other shows. If it exists, I can gif it. Tumblr's search feature is... well, it's not perfect, but it'll help give you a quick gif and give credit to the author. When someone uses a gif I've posted, it gives me a notification, which is awesome, but annoying if it gets reposted a crap ton. It also links the person back to the original post and who posted it.

Q: Some folks seem to think that if they grab a gif from Google, just saying they found it on Google is giving credit. I know this isn't the case. (I mistakenly thought that pasting the link to the image would allow folks to click through to where I found it, but discovered last night that's not the case.) If I found a gif on Google that was yours and used it, and provided a link to the page where Google found it, would that be enough, do you think?

C: Sometimes a reverse image search can be helpful, but it mostly doesn't work with gifs. That would be fine for me. Like I said, I have "cc" in the corner so that's me marking the gif as one of mine. I can't control where someone reposts them or uses them. There's a difference between reposting it to a site like Pinterest or using my gif on a LiveJournal post and saving it and reuploading it like it's yours and without giving me credit. One is malicious, the other isn't. I have a problem with the latter.

Q: I started looking at where Google finds gifs last night, and noticed that sites like gfycat have whole pages of gifs, and just citing that page might not be enough. (And trying to find where Google found them many times leads to a Tumblr blog that’s now gone.)

C: Google finds gifs all over the place. Someone can take my gif from Tumblr and reupload it to a bunch of different websites, all which would show up in a Google search. It's hard to find the original poster when it happens. Yeah, people delete their pages, but the gif stays. If you get to that point, just say, “Gif found on Google, unable to find original post"

Q: Speaking of finding gifs, how does the search function work on Tumblr? Is it just whatever the post was tagged with or the first 5 tags like regular searches or something else entirely?

After some discussion, we all decided that the gif search uses whatever #hash-tags are on a post where a gif is used, and then makes that gif searchable by that #hash-tag. So, if you make a post about chronic pain and use a gif of the Winchesters hugging, that gif will then show up in the gif search under #chronic pain. Also, popularity of the gif ensures it shows up at the top of the search. As people stop using a gif, it eventually falls out of the search results.

Q: Going back to file sizes...Do the dimensions of the source video (like watching Netflix/YouTube in full screen vs in a smaller window) impact the size of the gif, specifically with GifCam?

C: Now, that's a HUGE reason why I switched the way I make gifs. Netflix has a set streaming rate, which is only optimized at full screen. So the smaller you make the window to get it to fit into the size of the gif, the more degraded the image is. (Some confusion was expressed, so she continued to explain it further.) Netflix likes to run as big as possible. It wants as many pixels it can get to show you an image. If you minimize the window, it kind of freaks out and has to quickly scramble to make everything smaller so the video keeps playing. It does that by squishing everything down, making the image look weird. It might not be too noticeable when you look at it, but when you make gifs, they're gonna come out lookin all wonky.

Q: So, you have to make the Netflix window smaller in order to capture the images with the gif-making software? The gif-making software can't capture full screen?

C: GifCam will record the gif based on the window size. You gotta squish the window down to make it a reasonable size to fit on Tumblr. Other programs, which you might have to pay for, might be able to capture full screen and do the squishing for you. (Side note: during this discussion, Chrissy gave us some examples, and in showing them to us, revealed that a good gif size for Tumblr is around 410-430 wide, 230-250 high.)

After that, we moved on to other topics that had been brought up in the Pond survey a while back. 

How to make a Keep Reading cut and when you should use it.

Note: Although this worked for one person on the app, it doesn’t seem to work for all, and we’re not sure why. There are too many variables to determine the root cause for why it doesn’t always work. 

Q: "When should I give someone credit for being a beta (for example: I bounced ideas with someone for a minute or two but they didn’t technically beta read it; I can’t decide between X and Y (with no context), pick one)"

A: Always mention anyone who helped you. You don’t have to say they beta-read your story, but at least mention that they helped, even if they didn’t know it! Gratitude is always a good thing!! Writing takes a village, and being thankful for help is courteous, kind, caring, and helps you to make friends that will be the same right back to you.

How do I add my masterlist for my blog description?

Note: Chrissy pointed out that if you change your bio by hitting “edit appearance” instead of “edit theme” the link will break, so be careful where you add this! These things and more can be found in the Pond FAQ list!!

Q: The facts on search issues (re: links, tags, and anything else that keeps a fic from being “searchable”)

A: A lot of testing and research went into trying to figure this out, and we still probably don’t have it all figured out, but we learned some interesting things!

Most importantly, since we have a lot of smut writers, if you use the #hash-tag #NSFW on your post, your post will NOT show up in any searches!!

Adding an external link should not cause your post to be unsearchable, but that’s not guaranteed. According to Tumblr’s own help pages, “some links may cause posts to be hidden from recent search results.” Since spambots use external links in their posts, this will always be something that could possibly interfere with your post being searchable.

According to Tumblr: “Blogs that have been either self-flagged or flagged by us as “explicit” per our old policy (before December 17, 2018), will not show up in search. Users under 18 are still not allowed to click through to see the content of these blogs. If you think your blog has been erroneously marked as explicit, you can file an appeal by following these instructions.”

When you are searching for your post, make sure you are looking at Most Recent posts, not Most Popular! 

Some things to know about searching:

There are two ways to search a blog. If you use the search box at the top, then your results will have a URL like this:  https://spnfanficpond.tumblr.com/search/big-fish-chat

However, that is not the only way you can search your blog. If you look at a post, and click on one of the tags on that post, your results will have a URL like this: https://spnfanficpond.tumblr.com/tagged/big-fish-chat

The first search will look through all of the text in a post to find the words you’re searching for. The second search will only look for posts with that specific tag. If a blog doesn’t have a search box in its theme, you can type these searches in manually, and they will still work.

You can also do these searches manually through all of Tumblr. Keep this in mind when you’re doing your general Tumblr search and check the URL of your results, because... “search” & “tagged” look at #hash-tags differently!

(This is so confusing, we know.)

“Search” will look through 20 #hash-tags. “Tagged” will only look through 5 #hash-tags. So, put your most important #hash-tags in your first 5!!

Q: Can you talk about xkit?

A: xkit is awesome and we should all bow down to the xkit guy because he fixes things when Tumblr poops on the carpet. Seriously. It’s only for use on desktop, but it makes Tumblr so much easier to manage.

xkit is an extension for your browser. Look for New xkit, and download that. Once you have xkit loaded, click on the xkit icon near the top right of your screen. When the xkit window pops up, click on Get Extensions. We could suggest a list of the best extensions, but they’re all seriously awesome. Blacklist seems to be the most common, as it filters out posts you don’t want to see based on tags and text. Auto Tagger, Activity+, Outbox, One-Click Postage, and Quick Tags are all ridiculously useful for everyday blogging. The whole thing is super easy to learn and use, and you can’t break anything while you’re learning. Some extensions, like Blacklist, may slow your computer down when you’re surfing your dash because they essentially surf it ahead of you and manipulate it. If you start seeing problems, you can disable any extensions you decide you don’t want to use, anymore.

Seriously, it’s freaking awesome.

Great talk, guys! If you have ideas for topics, please let us know!!

General Pond Updates and Reminders

What we’ve got cooking up next: 

We’re working on setting up the discord server. We’re still learning the ins and outs and all the options available. More options means more discussion among the admins and decisions to be made, so please be patient! We’re getting there!

Reminders:

Angel Fish Award nominations are accepted all month long! No need to wait to tell us how much you liked a fellow Fish’s work!  IF YOU HAVE SENT IN A NOMINATION, BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A PRIVATE MESSAGE CONFIRMING WE RECEIVED IT, WE DIDN’T GET IT. Be sure to use Submit instead of Ask!

Don’t forget to submit your stories to be posted to the blog! When your stories are on the blog, then they are easier to nominate for Angel Fish Awards!

SPNFanFicPond Season 14 Weekly Episode Challenge - Now that the season is over, we will be reposting each prompt list through the summer months! Remember, there’s no deadline for submissions!

Say hi to June’s New Members!

Check the Pond CALENDAR to see when Big Fish will be in the chat room and other Pond and SPN events are happening! Know of something that’s not on the calendar, send us an ask or submission with the deets info details!  The calendar offers a lot of features, such as showing you when things are in your own timezone! Since we’re an international group, that’s a definite plus!!

We don’t have a topic or speaker set up for August’s event, yet, so if there’s something you want to talk about, or someone you want to talk to, LET US KNOW!

[9116]

Can you share how you make you gifs so smooth? A tutorial really.

hi!!! yeah, no problem

this is going to be long bc i’m a clown

kmplayer and photoshop cs5

❗️❗️❗️ use high quality videos like 720p or 1080p in resolution (or higher! e.g. for movies i only use blu-ray files to gif). we know this is not realistic in hockey but… yeah… keep with the highest quality possible.

1. getting your frames ready

open your video with kmplayer and go to the part you want to gif > right click (or ctrl+g) > capture > frame: extract. these are my settings.

❗️❗️❗️ this is very, very important: make sure to capture every frame otherwise your gifs will look choppy and we def don’t want that.

2. photoshop

go to file > scripts > load files into stack and load the files from the capture folder.

click on this drop down menu in the animation (frames) window > make frames to layers > reverse the frames.

crop (C or image > canvas size) and resize (image > image size) your gif.

❗️❗️❗️ also very important: set the gif speed by selecting all the frames > click on the down arrow below any frame > other:

60 fps (hockey games): 0.03/0.04

in the animation (frames) window select all the frames (click on the first layer then press the shift key and select the last layer) and convert to timeline animation

then go to the layers window and select all the frames > right click > convert to smart object

this is your gif:

🔓 gif (linked bc tumblr’s showing the previews in 500px… absolute shit as always)

now you can sharpen and color it!

this is after sharpening with smart sharpen. my settings are here.

🔓 gif

if it’s too sharp you can tone it down by editing the filter blending options. i’ll go with 60% opacity here: 

🔓 gif

after coloring:

🔓 gif

and that’s it! these are my saving settings.

🌸 final notes

if you set your gif to 0.05 it will change to 0.07 after converting it to smart object. just open your gif and change the speed back to 0.05 then save it again.

if you go overboard with the coloring your gif will look grainy and pixeled and not smooth at all. my base coloring consists of levels, curves (just a bit), exposure (i love this one) and selective color or color balance to adjust the weird colors (i’m talking about the leafs’ blue here lmao).

a great post about gif sizes

[serpentqueenz]

I Swear She’s an Angel | Ch. 2

Sweet Pea x OFC Mika

Summary: After a fight with the Ghoulies, a bruised and bloody Sweet Pea just wants to lick his wounds alone, but Mika interrupts with her trademark attitude and powerful presence. He can’t stop thinking, FP was right, maybe Sweet Pea has really met his match this time...

Warnings: none, typical ansgty SP.

Author’s note: thanks for all the likes and loves on our first part! Feedback is always appreciated.

Chapter 1 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4

—

It’s a cold, dark place where Sweet Pea feels he stands. Not physically, but where the Serpents have taken him.  A static zone closer to hell. He finds himself questioning every single fibre of his being when he can’t tell the difference between his own blood on his fists and that of the Ghoulie he just handled. Jughead had told him time and time again that it was some kind of soul-split he experiences that tears Jughead between the Northside and their pit on the Southside. That was the worst thing about it all. That Jughead was usually always right.

Sometimes, Sweet Pea feels bad.

Most of the time, he just feels tired.

He leans against the sink in the back room of the Whyte Wyrm with one hand steading himself and the other running under cold water. For a moment, he’ll let his eyes stay shut, praying for some sort of moment of peace. But rarely there is ever a moment of peace and he’ll wait in here until Fangs decides that it’s too quiet out in the bar and he needs some sort of entertainment.

Sweet Pea will do anything to break apart from the fight the Serpents just won against the Ghoulies and the guilt that follows it, even if it means standing out here alone. He decides Fangs will just have to find his own distraction.

He hears the door click open and soft footsteps building behind him. “Hey,” starts a voice, “Jughead sent me out here to see how you were doing. I kind of gave him shit for caring so much because Jughead Jones doesn’t seem like the kind of kid to care about anything and then there’s the fact that everyone says you’re this huge badass but, I thought I better listen to the son of FP Jones. And besides,” Mika says with a laugh, “Toni might be tiny but she cares about you and she’d probably kick my ass if I didn’t at least check.”

She’s hurried and nervous, he can tell, but Sweet Pea exhales loudly, keeping his concentration on the running tap. He wants to be alone but he knows by now that the Serpents don’t do anything alone. Even to get the back room for a moment alone was something that he had to convince Fangs about and now, that was short lived. “You can tell Jughead to shove his concern up his ass,” Sweet Pea says, still refusing to look at her. “But you’re right about T,” he hides a smile for his best friend. “Tell her I’ll be out in a moment.”

“So you have a weakness, huh?” Mika says, still standing in the doorway. “Toni Topaz, your very own Serpent Queen.”

“Seems like you walked in and already joined the ranks -”

Mika cuts him off. “Seems like someone’s a little pissed off because I stole his title of ‘Second Serpent Queen’, were you hoping for it? Or did I steal your little crown?”

Sweet Pea’s breath hitches in his throat and he’s torn between turning around to fight back or letting it go. But his heart beats a little faster as he stumbles for something to say. “Nah,” he replies instead. “I think Jughead already won that title.”

Mika laughs softly and it rings around him with a sense of relief, “Was that a joke?”

Sweet Pea just shrugs as he continues staring at the water.

The words; “Are you okay?” hang in the air above him and his eyes shoot open before he stretches up, putting his guard up as well when he turns around. Mika brushes her hair back behind her ears as she looks to Sweet Pea with worry in her eyes. He notices that she takes two steps forward before taking one back and instead, she puts her hands in her jacket pockets and shrugs.

“Am I okay?” he repeats.

She sighs loudly and rolls her eyes. “You know, Jughead really talked you up when he was giving me the deal on you, I don’t know, but a big guy like yourself really oughta learn how to communicate… spell it out with me, C-O-M -”

Sweet Pea cuts her off; “I know how to spell!”

“Do you know how to talk?” she challenges.

Sweet Pea shakes his head and groans at the sink. “Just not used to having newbies around…” he mumbles.

He can feel her standing behind him before she makes her way to the sink, leaning against it with her arms folded. “You might need to ah,” she says waving her hand in his direction, “Put something on those splits and tape them up. Just a suggestion of course,” she adds nonchalantly, “I’m sure you know exactly what you’re doing.”

Sweet Pea exhales loudly before turning to look her in the eye. Most of the time, people tend to step back when he’s so close but he could tell that she took the challenge, straightening her own back and raising both of her eyebrows. “By the sounds of things, Mimi, you know exactly what you’re doing.”

“I’m just trying to be nice, Sweet Pea,” she almost hisses, looking at him. “But I can see that’s not something that you’re accustomed to. Here’s a tip; brass knuckles are not only for the aesthetic. They might just help out your little problems with injury. Spread the word.” Mika shoves past Sweet Pea, letting her nails dig into his shoulder, leather snapping along the way. “And don’t call me Mimi!”

His voice catches and he feels his hand tense, he takes a deep breath. “Mika!” he calls.

She stops with her hand on the door handle but turns her head to look at Sweet Pea. “Hmmm?”

He swallows whatever pride he had left, closing his eyes as he speaks. “Look,” he says with a breath. “I know I’ve been kind of a hardass. I’m just going through some shit, you know?” he says honestly, regretting it in an instant.

Sweet Pea wishes he could take the words back, swallow them down. Not look so fucking weak in front of Mika but he feels the tension in his spine give up just a little more when she lets go of the door handle and walks back towards him.

She takes a few steadying breaths with him and he notices it. It’s in the way she moves her hands at the same time as he does and she meets his eyes. “Going through some shit?” she asks gently. “We all are.”

He laughs a little bit as he rubs his neck. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Everyone goes through shit, you’re nothing special.”

Sweet Pea manages a laugh. “Way to make a guy feel special, ya know?”

She lifts her shoulders and gives Sweet Pea a wink. “One in a million and all of that shit, yeah?”

“Something like that. That shit is reserved for the romantics. Like Jughead. Not my thing.”

Slowly, Mika spreads her fingers out, flexing them in front of her before lowering her hands to where his were at his sides, reaching out for his bloodied hands. Sweet Pea almost retracts from the touch, wanting to recoil. Wanting to strike back. Not understanding the touch at all. But when her fingers lace with his, he finally feels steady. He finally feels like he’s back grounded on the Southside. “Now, Sweet Pea,” she says, stern look in her eye. “Are you okay?”

Sweet Pea feels a pulse in his jaw when he’s asked again but her eyes keep him in their zone. “Now I am,” he tells her honestly.

Mika smiles at him before tilting her head to look Sweet Pea with a smirk, “As for being a hardass, it’s all good,” she shrugs.

They pause in the moment as Sweet Pea feels his guard let loose. “And why is that?”

Mika bites her lip before looking at him sideways. “Because you might be the hardass of the Serpents, but I’m harder. And the Southside can’t show you all the things I can.”

“Is that a promise?” he asks.

Mika tightens her grip a little more when he watches her body curve to move away with him. “Promises are for the romantics too, keep that in mind.”

Sweet Pea follows Mika out with his hand still in hers and wonders just exactly how those lips might feel. And if she believes that promises are for the romantics, how many has she broken?

[sanaavay]

Samsung Odyssey G7 Series 32 Inch Premium Gaming Monitor With 240 Hz Refresh Rate, HDR 600 Certified QLED – VA Panel That Has A Max Brightness Upto 600 Nits, Supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and is G-Sync Compatible. Features All-encompassing 1000R display with 16:9 aspect ratio 240Hz refresh rate with low input lag and QHD resolution QLED technology for a more realistic gaming experience Specifications Display Screen Size (Inch) 31.5 Screen Size (cm) 80.0 Screen Size (Class) 32 Flat / Curved Curved Active Display Size (HxV) (mm) 697.344 x 392.256mm Screen Curvature 1000R Aspect Ratio 16:9 Panel Type VA Brightness (Typical) 350 cd/㎡ Peak Brightness (Typical) 600 cd/㎡ Brightness (Min) 300 cd/㎡ Contrast Ratio Static 2,500:1(Typ.) Dynamic Contrast Ratio Mega ∞ DCR HDR(High Dynamic Range) VESA DisplayHDR 600 Resolution 2,560 x 1,440 Response Time 1ms(GtG) Viewing Angle (H/V) 178°(H)/178°(V) Colour Support Max 1.07B Color Gamut (NTSC 1976) N/A Color Gamut (DCI Coverage) typ 95%, Min 88% sRGB Coverage Typ 125 Adobe RGB Coverage N/A Refresh Rate Max 240Hz General Features Samsung MagicRotation Auto N/A Eco Saving Plus N/A Eco Motion Sensor N/A Eco Light Sensor N/A 0.00 W Off mode N/A Eye Saver Mode Yes Flicker Free Yes Picture-In-Picture Yes Picture-By-Picture Yes Quantum Dot Color Yes Game Mode N/A Image Size N/A USB Super Charging Yes Daisy Chain N/A Windows Certification Windows 10 FreeSync N/A FreeSync Premium N/A FreeSync Premium Pro Yes G-Sync Yes Off Timer Plus Yes Smartphone Wireless Charging N/A Screen Size Optimizer Yes Black Equalizer Yes Low Input Lag Mode Yes Refresh Rate Optimizor Yes Custom Key N/A Super Arena Gaming UX Yes HDMI-CEC N/A Interface Wireless Display No D-Sub No DVI No Dual Link DVI No Display Port 2 EA Display Port Version 1.4 Display Port Out No Display Port Out Version N/A Mini-Display Port No HDMI 1 EA HDMI Version 2 Audio In No Headphone Yes USB Ports 2 USB Hub Version 3 USB-C No USB-C Charging Power No Thunderbolt 3 N/A Thunderbolt 3 Charging Power (Port 1) N/A Thunderbolt 3 Charging Power (Port 2) N/A Ethernet (LAN) N/A Audio Speaker No USB Sound Bar (Ready) No Operation Conditions Temperature 10~40 ℃ Humidity 10~80,non-condensing Calibration Factory Tunning Yes Built in Calibration Engine N/A LUT(Look-up Table) Bit Depth N/A Gray Balance N/A Uniformity Correction N/A Color Mode High-Brightness/Custom/FPS/RTS/RPG /sRGB/AOS/Cinema/Dynamic Contrast CMS(Color Management Software) N/A Factory Calibration Report Yes Design Colour Black Stand Type HAS PIVOT (MORE THAN 100MM) HAS(Height Adjustable Stand) 120 Tilt -9 ~ +13 Swivel -15 ~ +15 Pivot -2 ~ +92 Wall Mount 100 x 100 Eco ENERGY STAR N/A Energy Efficiency Class N/A Recycled Plastic N/A Power Power Supply AC 100~240V Power Consumption (Max) 140 W Power Consumption (Typ) N/A Power Consumption (DPMS) ≤0.5 W Power Consumption (Off Mode) ≤0.3 W Power Consumption (Yearly) N/A Type External Adaptor Dimension Set Dimension with Stand (WxHxD) 710.1 x 594.5 x 305.9 mm Set Dimension without Stand (WxHxD) 710.1 x 439.1 x 187.1 mm Package Dimension (WxHxD) 806.0 x 272.0 x 520.0 mm Weight Set Weight with Stand 8.2 kg Set Weight without Stand 6.5 kg Package Weight 12.3 kg Accessory Power Cable Length 1.5 m D-Sub Cable No DVI Cable No HDMI Cable No HDMI to DVI Cable No DP Cable Yes USB Type-C Cable No Thunderbolt 3 Cable No Mini-Display Gender No Install CD No Audio Cable No USB 2.0 Cable No USB 3.0 Cable Yes Warranty 3 Years Note *** Features, Price, Specifications are subject to change without notice.

[contentforyou12]

 LG 34GL750

The LG 34GL750-B is a gaming monitor that hits a lot of the right notes and looks great when played. Its 34-inch diagonal is big, and it surpasses its gaming credentials with gentle curves. That’s not the only attractive attribute that makes it a good buy. It supports AMD FreeSync and it Runs on an IPS panel. You’ll also love the 1ms response time and 144GHz frequency, all of which make for a great gaming monitor.

Thanks to the beautiful ergonomic stand, the 34GL750-B looks great even from behind. For the price, it’s a significant investment and will benefit greatly from built-in speakers and a USB-C port.

Design

A big screen like this always looks relaxing at first. Our review unit, the LG 34GL750-B, has a massive 34-inch diagonal that stretches across the tabletop, with curves that catch the eye easily. However, once you sit closer, the wide curved screen becomes very practical. Its 3800mm radius spreads to a The soft arc means you won’t suffer from image distortion, but instead tilt the screen on the sides towards the user, the same experience you get with the LG 34UC80-B. Great and not distracting.

The 21:9 aspect ratio is more useful than what’s seen on taller 4K screens; the extra width is great for movies, and it provides extra screen real estate for work. As mentioned, it’s great for gaming: racing games tend to be more immersive as the scenery flashes by FPS games have more wiggle room, and RTS and MOBA games really get a boost.

The panel is held inside a nice plastic enclosure, with red accents on the back of the screen and part of the stand. Build quality is also good, and despite its wide screen, the screen feels sturdy on a desk. You won’t run into a lot of shortcomings with LG’s design although. The bezels around the panel are thick, which is a minor aesthetic issue.

Features

At LG’s prices, that certainly means a 2560 x 1080 resolution for this 21:9 panel. That’s considerably less than competing screens — the AOC CU34G2X and BenQ PD3220U both use 3440 x 1440 — but they cost hundreds more than the LG 34GL750-B.

Lower resolutions have their drawbacks and advantages. LG’s 82ppi (pixels per inch), for example, isn’t particularly high in pixel density — you can see pixels as you get closer, and 3440 x 1440 screens tend to have a sharper 110ppi density measurement. Most games look smoother on these screens than on the LG 34GL750-B.

The upside, however, is that it’s easier to play most games on this screen – the lower pixel count means you don’t need a blazing GPU to keep games running smoothly, and it also gives you plenty of room to take advantage of LG’s 144Hz refresh rate .

With AMD’s FreeSync technology, this monitor can easily run a low frequency of 50Hz and a high frequency of 144Hz. This means you’ll benefit when the game runs between 50fps and 144fps. It’s better than its high-end rivals: The AOC CU34G2X’s FreeSync also peaks at 144Hz.

You can connect your PC to the monitor via the upstream DisplayPort or either of the two HDMI ports, and the audio comes from the headphone jack, excluding the built-in speakers.