#MIS Application Development

[dreamsoftseo]

iOT Applications with Data logging

[perfectiongeeks]

Borderless Technology Talent: A Boon or Bane for the Company?

Due to an expanding economy and budget cuts, leading companies are actively searching for ways to bolster their talent pool and combat shortages of talent and diversity through borderless hiring strategies. This method allows organizations to expand their search beyond their immediate location or geographic region to locate top talent. The new hybrid working model is also invaluable in supporting borderless hiring. Employees can still work from home or the office on certain days, increasing productivity while encouraging companies to hire top talent from around the globe. Gartner Inc.'s survey revealed that 58% of companies are interested in hiring tech-savvy employees remotely and employing borderless technology talent remotely. This number has doubled over the past three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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[germanpostwarmodern]

Mies van der Rohe was an architect of carefully chosen means and equally carefully chosen words whose late television appearances shaped the image we have of him: puffing away on his favorite Montechristo, Mies with a heavy German accent talks about his architecture and its foundations. But more than speaking it was thinking and writing that concerned Mies throughout his entire life. In a 1960 interview he confided that after breakfast he spends roughly three hours just thinking and occasionally writing something down. This practice alludes to Mies’ practice of soundly thinking through what he read in the classics, e.g. Baudelaire, Milton or Scheler, and probing their concepts in terms of applicability in architecture. One of the most interesting concepts he derived from literature is the comparison of architecture and language and Mies’ working on architecture as a language. In so doing he derives transtemporal principles by reusing past developments and confirming their soundness in the present. Accordingly, Mies also didn’t mind him being copied and regarded this as a sign of appreciation.

These and other insights have been elaborated by Vittorio Pizzigoni and Michelangelo Sabatino in their respective essays prefacing their book „Mies in His Own Words - Complete Writings, Speeches, and Interviews 1922 – 1969“, recently published by Dom Publishers. In a true diligence work the two collected Mies’ writings, speeches and interviews and make available an incredible resource for understanding one of the 20th century master architects. In line with his conviction that architecture should express the „Zeitwille“ Mies, as Pizzigoni explains, assigns great attention to his own contemporaneity and in this light revised and clarified his own positions in order to align them with reality, a reflective process that points at Mies ability and willingness to learn continuously.

It is exactly these findings that make the present book more than just a collection of spoken and written words but an excursion into the intellectual development of a 20th century master architect. Accordingly I highly recommend it and encourage everyone to embark on a journey through Mies’ mind!

[reyaint]

nirin province | northern

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date: February 7, 2025. this may be longer. sorry.

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The Northern Desert, Nirin

*ೃ༄Nirin

ೃ⁀➷Capital Cities: Waterlight City

ೃ⁀➷Unique Features: Located in the northern desert, Nirin features stunning landscapes with rugged mountains and vibrant canyons. Waterlight City, its capital, is famous for its flourishing flora, supported by the canyon's rich soils. Located in the northern desert, Nirin is known for stunning landscapes and rugged mountains. Waterlight City, famous for its thriving flora, showcases how the canyon's rich soils support diverse ecosystems. The Higher Families of Solon and Iktomi are prominent here.

.ೃ࿐Economy

*ೃ༄Military

ೃ⁀➷Military Training and Defense:

One of the primary pillars of Nirin’s economy is its military sector. The province is home to a major military base that plays a key role in national defense and military training. Nirin’s rugged desert terrain and canyon landscapes provide an ideal setting for training exercises, making it a vital location for the country’s military operations.

ೃ⁀➷Military Training:

Nirin’s military facilities focus on preparing soldiers for a variety of environments, with training exercises conducted in the desert, canyon, and mountainous regions. The province’s natural features allow for simulations of different combat scenarios, making it a strategic asset for military readiness.

*ೃ༄Resource Extraction

Nirin’s mineral wealth is a significant driver of its economy. The region is known for its abundant mineral deposits, including precious metals like gold, silver, and copper, as well as valuable gems. These resources are extracted through mining operations that contribute to both the local and national economy.

ೃ⁀➷Trade of Precious Metals and Gems:

 Nirin’s rich deposits of gems and precious metals are highly sought after in global markets. The trade of these resources is an important source of income for the province, with exports contributing significantly to its economic growth.

ೃ⁀➷Mining Industry:

The mining sector in Nirin is highly developed, with large-scale operations extracting minerals from the rugged mountains and desert areas. These minerals are used for a variety of purposes, including military applications, trade, and manufacturing.

*ೃ༄Eco-Tourism

In addition to its military and resource extraction sectors, eco-tourism plays a vital role in Nirin’s economy. The province’s stunning natural landscapes, including the vast deserts, rugged canyons, and diverse ecosystems, attract visitors from around the world. Eco-tourism in Nirin focuses on sustainable travel experiences that highlight the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.

ೃ⁀➷Hanging Crescent Arena,

where non-lethal duels are held. These duels are a major cultural and sporting event in Nirin, drawing spectators from across the world. Tourists visit the arena not only to watch the duels but also to learn about the region’s martial arts traditions and cultural practices.

ೃ⁀➷Desert and Canyon Tours:

The unique desert and canyon landscapes of Nirin are a major draw for eco-tourism. Visitors can participate in guided desert hikes, exploring the vast, open desert under the stars, or embark on canyon tours to experience the beauty of the canyon ecosystems. These tours provide educational opportunities about the local flora and fauna, as well as the history and culture of the region.

ೃ⁀➷Cultural Festivals and Events:

Festivals like Tssrra and Iktoia also attract eco-tourists, offering a chance to experience Nirin’s rich cultural traditions while exploring the natural environment. These events are celebrated with outdoor activities, art displays, and community gatherings, providing a unique and immersive experience for visitors.

*ೃ༄Agriculture and Sustainability

Despite its desert climate, Nirin’s canyon areas benefit from microclimates that support agricultural activities. Agriculture plays a smaller but still significant role in the economy, particularly in the production of desert-adapted crops. These crops are cultivated using sustainable practices that conserve water and protect the environment.

ೃ⁀➷Desert Agriculture:

Farmers in Nirin use innovative techniques to grow crops in the arid desert, focusing on drought-resistant plants and sustainable irrigation methods. The fertile canyon areas are key to this agricultural success, providing a natural environment for growing a variety of crops.

ೃ⁀➷Military Training and Defense:

Due to the scarcity of water in the desert, Nirin has developed advanced water conservation systems. These systems are essential for supporting both agriculture and the daily needs of the population, ensuring that water resources are used efficiently. In waterlight city, the lake gives the water needed

*ೃ༄Trade and Commerce

Nirin’s economy is also supported by its role as a trade hub for precious resources and eco-tourism. The province’s location and resources make it an important player in both regional and global markets.

ೃ⁀➷Trade of Resources:

Nirin exports its minerals, gems, and agricultural products to other regions, contributing to the national economy. The demand for these resources in global markets ensures a steady flow of trade and income.

ೃ⁀➷Local Crafts and Art

Nirin’s residents also engage in the production of handcrafted goods and art made from local materials, such as sand, stone, and desert plants. These items are sold in markets and artisan shops, contributing to the local economy and attracting tourists interested in unique cultural products. Clothes are also made

.ೃ࿐Climate

*ೃ༄Climate

Nirin's climate is primarily desert, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild winters. The desert terrain around Nirin is arid, with high temperatures during the day and cooler nights. However, the canyon areas—especially around Waterlight City—benefit from microclimates, creating pockets of more temperate conditions that support a wider range of life. These microclimates allow for the growth of plants and agriculture that would otherwise be impossible in the surrounding desert.

ೃ⁀➷Desert Climate:

The majority of Nirin's landscape is a desert, with vast stretches of sand dunes, rocky terrain, and rugged mountains. Rainfall is sparse, and the land can be harsh, with intense heat during the summer months and cooler, more temperate conditions in the winter. The absence of consistent rainfall makes water a precious resource, and the people of Nirin have adapted by developing advanced water conservation methods. Outside of these microclimates, the landscape of Nirin is dominated by rugged mountains, vast sand dunes, and the expansive desert itself, which remains harsh and unforgiving. The desert areas surrounding Waterlight City are arid, with minimal plant life and little natural water sources, except for the few oasis pockets sustained by underground springs.

ೃ⁀➷Microclimates in the Canyons:

The canyons, especially around Waterlight City, create natural microclimates that allow for the cultivation of desert-adapted plants and even more lush vegetation in certain areas. These microclimates are formed by the unique geography of the region—canyon walls provide shelter from the harsh desert winds and create pockets of moisture, allowing for agriculture to thrive in an otherwise arid environment. Despite the harsh desert environment, Waterlight City and other areas within the canyons benefit from microclimates that allow for the flourishing of vegetation. These areas experience cooler temperatures in the summer and more stable conditions due to the natural protection provided by the canyon walls. The canyon's unique geography supports more diverse ecosystems compared to the surrounding desert, creating conditions favorable for agriculture and the cultivation of desert-adapted plants. These microclimates make the region an important agricultural hub within Nirin, especially for crops and plants that would otherwise struggle to survive in the surrounding arid landscape.

ೃ⁀➷Hot, Dry Summers:

The summer months in Nirin are extremely hot, with temperatures soaring during the day. The desert landscape is arid, and rainfall is scarce, making water resources vital for survival.

ೃ⁀➷Mild Winters:

Winters in Nirin are relatively mild compared to the summer heat. While the temperature can drop at night, daytime temperatures remain moderate, making the climate more tolerable for residents and visitors.

*ೃ༄Key Resources

Rich in minerals, including precious metals and gems. The province also has abundant resources for military training, and its fertile canyon areas support agriculture, particularly in the cultivation of desert-adapted plants.

ೃ⁀➷Minerals:

The region is known for its rich deposits of precious metals and gems, which are mined from the rugged mountains and desert landscapes. These resources play a major role in Nirin’s economy, with mining operations being a key industry in the province.

ೃ⁀➷Military Resources:

Nirin’s strategic location and terrain make it ideal for military training. The province is home to one of the major military bases, and its landscape provides a natural setting for training exercises. The combination of rugged desert terrain and diverse ecosystems makes Nirin an ideal place for military operations, with the province’s resources supporting defense and training activities.

ೃ⁀➷Agricultural Resources:

Despite the surrounding desert, the fertile canyon areas of Nirin support agriculture. These microclimates allow for the cultivation of desert-adapted plants, such as hardy grains, fruits, and vegetables. Agriculture is an important part of the local economy, providing sustenance for the population and contributing to trade.

*ೃ༄Flora

ೃ⁀➷Desert Flora:

In the arid desert areas, plants must be hardy and able to survive extreme heat and limited water. Common desert plants include cacti, succulents, and desert grasses. These plants have adapted to store water and withstand harsh conditions.

ೃ⁀➷Canyon Flora:

The microclimates in the canyon areas allow for a greater variety of plant life. Trees and shrubs are more common in these areas, and the fertile soil supports the growth of plants that require more water than those found in the desert. These plants include desert-adapted species like mesquite, sagebrush, and willows that thrive in the more temperate conditions of the canyons.

*ೃ༄Fauna

ೃ⁀➷Lizards:

Various species of lizards are common in the desert, many of which have evolved to blend into the sandy environment to avoid predators and conserve moisture.

ೃ⁀➷Desert and Canyon Horses:

Desert horses and canyon horses are bred to withstand the harsh conditions. These horses are known for their endurance and adaptability to the arid desert terrain, often used for transportation and military purposes.

ೃ⁀➷Camels:

Camels are another key species found in Nirin, capable of traveling long distances without water, making them indispensable in the desert areas for trade, transportation, and military use.

ೃ⁀➷Desert Foxes:

Desert foxes are well-adapted to the arid landscape, with large ears that help regulate body temperature and a keen sense of hearing to locate prey.

ೃ⁀➷Bird Species:

The canyon environment supports a variety of bird species, including eagles, hawks, and owls, which are skilled hunters in the desert. Their presence also adds to the beauty of the natural surroundings, making them an important symbol in local culture.

*ೃ༄Cuisine

ೃ⁀➷Regional Dishes:

In Nirin, the cuisine is shaped by the challenging desert environment. Nirin Stew, a hearty, spiced meat and vegetable dish, is the region’s standout dish. Cactus salad, made from locally sourced desert plants, is a staple, while floral teas from the city of Waterlight are celebrated for their unique, refreshing qualities. The emphasis on grilled meats and spicy foods is a reflection of the region’s rugged spirit, with southern American-style dishes also being popular, like grilled game meats and cornbread. The food in Nirin mirrors the Southern American style, with grilled meats, spices, and robust flavors.

ೃ⁀➷Street Food:

In the urban areas of Waterlight City, street food is a vibrant part of the culture. Food carts and small vendors offer quick bites such as spiced meat skewers, cactus-filled tortillas, and small flatbreads topped with savory herbs and cheeses. These foods are perfect for busy locals and tourists alike, offering a taste of Nirin’s rich culinary traditions.

ೃ⁀➷Spicy Salsas and Dips:

In keeping with the region’s love for bold flavors, Nirin features a variety of spicy salsas and dips. These are often made from roasted tomatoes, peppers, and onions, with a heavy use of chili and local spices. They are served alongside grilled meats, tacos, or flatbreads.

ೃ⁀➷Nirin Stew:

A standout dish, Nirin Stew is a rich, spiced meat and vegetable dish. It often includes tender cuts of lamb, goat, or game meats, simmered with locally grown desert vegetables like sweet potatoes, squash, and desert herbs. The stew is flavored with a variety of spices, such as cumin, chili, and coriander, offering a deep, warming flavor.

ೃ⁀➷Cactus Salad:

Made from locally sourced desert plants, cactus salad is a refreshing and nutritious dish. The cactus is carefully prepared to remove its spines, then sliced and mixed with tomatoes, onions, lime, and a touch of chili. It's a staple in Nirin, offering a light and tangy contrast to the heavier stews and meats.

ೃ⁀➷Cornbread:  

Cornbread is a Southern American-inspired dish that is widely enjoyed in Nirin. It’s a dense, slightly sweet bread made from cornmeal, butter, eggs, and milk. It’s often served as a side to grilled meats, stews, or salads. In Nirin, cornbread is sometimes flavored with a touch of chili or herbs to complement the spiciness of the region’s other dishes. (TOP OF THE RIVER has some of the best cornbread and they add peppers and shit omg)

ೃ⁀➷Spicy Grilled Skewers:

Skewers of marinated meat, often lamb or chicken, are a popular street food in Nirin. The meat is marinated in a blend of spices like cumin, paprika, garlic, and chili, then grilled over open flames. These skewers are served with a side of spicy dipping sauce made from yogurt, mint, and chili, offering a cooling contrast to the heat of the meat. The skewers are often accompanied by a small portion of cactus salad or grilled vegetables.

ೃ⁀➷Grilled Fish and Desert Herbs:

The desert environment of Nirin has a unique way of influencing its cuisine, and one such dish is grilled fish, typically caught from the desert’s rivers or lakes. The fish is seasoned with desert herbs, such as desert thyme, sage, and oregano, and grilled over an open flame. The dish is often served with a side of cactus salad or grilled corn on the cob, making it a fresh, light option amidst the hearty stews and meats.

ೃ⁀➷Floral Teas:

Waterlight City is known for its unique floral teas, which are made from the local flora of the canyon. These teas are prized for their delicate and refreshing flavors, often served chilled in the hot desert climate. Popular varieties include teas made from desert flowers like the golden waterlight butterfly flower and cactus blooms.

ೃ⁀➷Desert Fruit Sorbet:

Nirin's desert climate also offers unique fruits, such as the prickly pear and desert melon, which are used to create refreshing sorbets. These sorbets are often served as a dessert or palate cleanser after a heavy meal. The fruits are blended into a smooth, icy treat, sometimes with a splash of lime or mint for added freshness.

ೃ⁀➷Desert Rose Cake:

Inspired by the desert rose flower, this cake is light, fluffy, and fragrant. The cake is made from a combination of almond flour and cornmeal, giving it a slightly nutty flavor. It is flavored with orange blossom water and decorated with edible desert rose petals or rose water syrup. The cake is often served with a side of floral tea from Waterlight, creating a delicate and refreshing dessert.

ೃ⁀➷Honeyed Date Bars:

Dates, which grow in the desert, are used to create a chewy, sweet bar that’s perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth. The dates are chopped and mixed with honey, oats, and a touch of cinnamon to create a dense, energy-boosting treat. These bars are often enjoyed as a snack or dessert, especially during the hot summer months.

ೃ⁀➷Desert Spice Noodles:

A savory noodle dish that combines the rich flavors of the desert with a Southern American twist. The noodles are cooked and tossed in a spicy sauce made from chili oil, cumin, paprika, and garlic. Grilled vegetables such as peppers, onions, and cactus pads are mixed in, and the dish is topped with grilled meat, often lamb or chicken. A sprinkle of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime completes the dish, offering a balance of heat and freshness.

ೃ⁀➷Pecan Pie:

The dessert is traditionally made with pecans, sugar, butter, eggs, and corn syrup (any corn syrup will do, but locals often use Golden Eagle. lol

ೃ⁀➷Buttermilk Biscuits & Sausage Gravy:

In Nirin, they are made with a blend of desert flour and buttermilk for a light, fluffy texture. The biscuits are served with a rich, savory sausage gravy made from locally sourced meats like wild boar or camel. The gravy is spiced with cumin and chili powder, adding a warm, comforting flavor to the dish.

ೃ⁀➷Chocolate Gravy & Biscuits:

A unique dessert and breakfast hybrid, chocolate gravy is a sweet and creamy sauce made from cocoa, sugar, and butter. In Nirin, it’s served over freshly baked buttermilk biscuits, creating a rich, indulgent treat. The chocolate gravy is often spiced with desert cinnamon or chili, giving it a subtle heat that complements the sweetness. (in my cr we make it with coco, sugar, and water bc yeah)

ೃ⁀➷Desert Fried Steak (Country Fried Steak):

Nirin's version of Country Fried Steak takes the traditional Southern dish and adds a desert flair. The steak is battered in a mixture of cornmeal and desert herbs, then deep-fried to crispy perfection. It’s served with a rich, spicy gravy made from locally sourced ingredients like desert mushrooms and cactus, offering a unique twist on the classic. This dish is often paired with cornbread or biscuits for a satisfying, hearty meal.

ೃ⁀➷Spicy Desert Chili:

A hearty, spicy chili made with a variety of meats, including wild boar, venison, or camel, and slow-cooked with beans, tomatoes, and a blend of desert spices. The chili is often served with cornbread or crackers and topped with a dollop of sour cream or shredded cheese. The heat comes from a combination of chili peppers, cumin, and desert herbs, making it perfect for the cold desert nights.

ೃ⁀➷Sweet Tea with Desert Herbs:

In Nirin, it’s infused with desert herbs for a unique twist. The tea is brewed with locally grown desert herbs like desert sage or desert mint, adding an aromatic flavor to the sweetened tea. It’s served chilled, making it a refreshing drink for the hot desert climate.

ೃ⁀➷Spicy Noodle Stir-Fry:

A quick and flavorful stir-fry made with noodles and a variety of vegetables, such as cactus, peppers, and onions. The noodles are stir-fried with a spicy sauce made from chili, garlic, and desert herbs, creating a vibrant dish that’s both filling and fiery. It’s often served with grilled meats or a side of cactus salad.

ೃ⁀➷Nirin-Style Mac and Cheese:

A fusion of classic Southern mac and cheese and Nirin’s dessert flavors, this dish uses desert herbs and cactus in the cheese sauce to give it a unique twist. The noodles are coated in a creamy, cheesy sauce made from locally sourced cheese and butter, with a hint of heat from chili and cumin. The dish is baked until golden and bubbly, making it a comforting and flavorful meal.

.ೃ࿐Fashion Styles

*ೃ༄Clothing

ೃ⁀➷ Influence: Desert practicality, lightweight materials, and fauna-inspired designs. Those living in the canyon have more trendy style

ೃ⁀➷Animal Motifs:

Embroidery often showcases the fauna of Nirin, symbolizing the connection between the people and the creatures of the desert. These motifs are usually stitched in earthy, natural tones or metallic threads to stand out against the fabric.

ೃ⁀➷Tunics and Skirts:

In Nirin, the desert heat demands lightweight, breathable clothing. Tunics are the go-to item for women, often loose and made from fabrics like cotton, linen, or silk that help wick away sweat while keeping the body cool. These tunics are typically adorned with embroidery featuring animal motifs, such as scorpions, lizards, and desert flowers. Long skirts are common as well, adding flow to the outfit while protecting the skin from the sun. Bright, bold colors like red, yellow, turquoise, and orange are popular, reflecting the vibrancy of the desert landscape.

ೃ⁀➷Utility Vests and Armored Jackets:

For practicality, men often wear utility vests or lightweight armored jackets made from tough fabrics or leather. These garments feature multiple pockets for carrying tools, weapons, or other essentials, and are often reinforced for added protection. In the desert, these garments also serve to protect against harsh winds and the sun.

ೃ⁀➷Dresses and Skirts:

Women in Nirin wear dresses or skirts that have a Southern feel but are adapted for the desert climate. These would be made from lightweight, breathable fabrics like cotton, linen, or desert fibers. The skirts would be long and flowy, providing comfort and airflow, while dresses could feature a more fitted waist with a flare at the bottom. The Southern influence would be evident in the ruffled or pleated details, giving the attire a soft, feminine touch.

ೃ⁀➷Blouses and Tops:

Women wear blouses with puffed sleeves or lace details, reminiscent of Southern styles. These tops would be made of lightweight fabrics to keep the wearer cool but could be adorned with embroidery or beadwork that incorporates desert motifs like cacti, desert flowers, or scorpions. Tops could be off-shoulder or have bell sleeves, adding a more fashionable and contemporary touch.

*ೃ༄Waterlight City Styles

ೃ⁀➷Trendy and Showy:

In Waterlight City, where the climate is milder, people tend to dress in more contemporary, fashionable styles. These individuals often wear shorter tops and skirts, incorporating bold patterns and modern cuts into their outfits. The use of more luxurious fabrics like silk or fine cotton is common, and designs are more intricate, reflecting the city’s wealth and cultural diversity.

ೃ⁀➷Trendy Pants and Shorts:

Men in Waterlight City or the canyons may wear trendy, well-tailored pants made from cotton or other breathable materials. These pants are often in earthy tones but may have a more fashionable cut, such as slim-fit or cargo-style pants with multiple pockets. In hotter weather, men may opt for shorts, sometimes with intricate patterns or designs that nod to traditional desert motifs.

ೃ⁀➷Fashion Forward:

The canyon residents, while still practical in their clothing choices, have a more trendy, urban style. They might mix traditional desert attire with modern elements like graphic prints, structured jackets, and stylish accessories. The fashion in these cities tends to be more experimental, with a mix of traditional motifs and contemporary flair.

*ೃ༄Footwear

Footwear in Nirin is designed for comfort and functionality in the desert. Sandals are common, often with wide straps made from leather or woven materials that provide ventilation.

ೃ⁀➷Durable Sandals and Boots:

Men's footwear, like that of women, is designed for the desert climate and rugged terrain. Sandals are made from tough leather or woven desert fibers, often with sturdy soles to provide grip in the sand. For those traveling long distances or working in the desert, boots with reinforced soles and ankle support are common. These boots are designed to be practical for climbing, trekking, or protecting the feet from hot sand and sharp rocks. Both sandals and boots may incorporate intricate designs inspired by desert wildlife, such as animal tracks or motifs resembling claw marks.

ೃ⁀➷Claw-Like Shoes:

Shoes resembling claws—based on ancient weaponry but with blunt edges—are a popular choice for protection while traversing rough desert terrain. The claw-like shoes are not sharp but have a sturdy, robust design that allows for easy movement without sacrificing protection.

*ೃ༄Accesories

ೃ⁀➷Belts and Sashes:

Men often wear belts or sashes made from leather or woven materials, which not only serve a functional purpose but also add an element of style. These accessories are often adorned with small metal or stone embellishments, such as turquoise or desert jasper, which hold spiritual significance or represent personal achievements.

ೃ⁀➷Cowboy Hats and Bandanas:

A wide-brimmed cowboy hat would be a common accessory, made from lightweight, breathable materials like straw or woven desert fibers. The hats could be decorated with simple leather bands or beads. Additionally, men might wear bandanas around their necks or tied around their heads, both for sun protection and as a style statement. The bandanas would likely feature simple, earthy patterns or desert motifs. Woman also wear these

*ೃ༄Jewerly

ೃ⁀➷Minimalist but Striking Designs:

Jewelry in Nirin is simple but bold. Designs are inspired by local animals, with pieces shaped like scorpions, lizards, desert flowers, and the iconic waterlight golden butterfly. Jewelry serves as both decoration and a symbol of the wearer’s connection to the land and its creatures.

ೃ⁀➷Fauna-Inspired Pieces:

Earrings, necklaces, and bracelets are often crafted with motifs of lions, foxes, and other desert animals. These designs are detailed and intricate, often using stones, metals, and even bones to create a raw, natural aesthetic.

ೃ⁀➷Symbolism:

The jewelry is not just ornamental but symbolic, often worn to represent specific values such as strength (lion motifs), agility (fox designs), or spiritual clarity (waterlight butterfly or flower patterns).

*ೃ༄Tattoos

Nirin’s tattoo culture has strong ties to its rugged landscape, often featuring cactus motifs, canyon-inspired designs, and earthy tones. Tattoos are often large and bold, symbolizing resilience and strength. Floral tattoos inspired by local wildflowers are popular among residents of Waterlight City, who believe these designs bring peace and clarity. Piercings here are minimalist but symbolic, often featuring hammered metal or small stones to represent nature’s raw beauty.

ೃ⁀➷Wildflower Tattoos:

Popular among the residents of Waterlight City, wildflower tattoos represent peace, clarity, and inner strength. These tattoos are often colorful and delicate, reflecting the beauty that can be found even in the most desolate places. They are usually placed on the wrists, shoulders, or ankles.

ೃ⁀➷Earthy Tones:

The colors used in tattoos tend to be earthy and muted, using shades of brown, ochre, red, and green, reflecting the desert landscape. Black ink is also commonly used for bold outlines, while softer hues of green and yellow are used for details in floral or fauna designs.

*ೃ༄Piericngs

ೃ⁀➷Ear Piercings:

Simple, yet meaningful, ear piercings are common in Nirin. Small, delicate studs made from hammered metal or stones like turquoise or desert jasper are popular. These stones are believed to have protective qualities, and they are often worn to symbolize a connection to the land.

ೃ⁀➷Nose and Lip Piercings:

Nose piercings are often adorned with small metal hoops or studs, while lip piercings might feature tiny stones or simple metal rings. These piercings are symbolic of strength, identity, and connection to nature. In some cultures, lip piercings are associated with coming-of-age rituals or spiritual milestones. Some lip or mouth piercings are made to look like fangs

ೃ⁀➷Neck and Hand Piercings:

Neck piercings, often in the form of small, discreet rings or chains, are common among those who wish to display their connection to nature without drawing too much attention. Hand piercings, particularly on the fingers, might include small rings or decorative bands made from hammered metals or desert stones.

ೃ⁀➷Symbolism:

The piercings often feature symbols of nature, such as the sun, moon, or animals like the fox, lion, or scorpion. The designs are minimalistic but carry significant meaning, representing personal beliefs, achievements, or a deep connection to the environment.

.ೃ࿐Cultural Practices

*ೃ༄Celebrations

With its rugged canyon landscapes, Nirin hosts festivals that emphasize natural beauty and art made from nature. During Iktoia, residents create floral and sand art, while Tssrra includes nighttime desert hikes under the stars.

ೃ⁀➷Desert Games:

The Desert Games are one of the most anticipated annual events in Nirin. Held in the Hanging Crescent Moon Arena, this celebration brings together athletes and artisans from all over the region. The games feature a variety of traditional sports and competitions, such as foot races, archery, and strength challenges, all designed to showcase the physical prowess and endurance required to survive in the harsh desert environment. Alongside these athletic events, there are cultural displays that celebrate Nirin’s history, including dance performances, storytelling, and traditional music. The games are a time for both competition and camaraderie, where the community comes together to honor their shared heritage.

ೃ⁀➷Tssra (Desert Night Celebration):

In Nirin, the Tssrra Festival is a deeply spiritual and meditative event that celebrates the beauty of the desert under the stars. The festival is a time for reflection, connection to the land, and spiritual renewal.

Desert Hikes:

Participants embark on guided desert hikes under the open sky, where they can witness the stunning desert nightscape, illuminated by the moon and stars. The hikes are often accompanied by storytelling sessions, where elders share ancient desert myths and tales that connect the people to the land’s history and spirit.

Night Parade:

A highlight of the festival is the night parade, a stunning spectacle of lights set against the backdrop of the desert. People carry lanterns, glowing orbs, and fire torches, creating a mesmerizing visual display that symbolizes the resilience and strength of the desert’s inhabitants. The parade is a community celebration that brings together people from all walks of life to honor the night and its mysterious beauty.

Music and Dance:

As the night unfolds, music and dance become central to the celebration. Traditional instruments, such as drums and flutes, fill the air, accompanied by rhythmic dances that mimic the movements of the desert winds. The music and dance reflect the deep connection between the people of Nirin and the land they call home.

ೃ⁀➷Iktoia Festival (Celebration of Desert Beauty):

Floral and Sand Art:

During Iktoia, residents create intricate floral arrangements and sand art that reflect the colors and patterns of the desert. The art is often displayed in public squares and open spaces, where it can be admired by both locals and visitors. These artistic creations celebrate the unique beauty of the desert, with vibrant hues and intricate designs that highlight the natural forms of the region.

Guided Nature Hikes:

As part of the festival, guided nature hikes are organized, allowing participants to explore the desert landscape while learning about the local plants and wildlife. These hikes are educational, offering insight into the delicate ecosystem of the desert and the importance of conservation efforts. The hikes also provide an opportunity for reflection, as participants walk in silence, taking in the vastness and beauty of the land.

Outdoor Art Displays:

In addition to floral and sand art, the festival also features outdoor art displays that showcase the creativity of local artisans. These displays include sculptures, paintings, and other forms of art that draw inspiration from the desert landscape and its wildlife. The art serves as a tribute to the resilience of the people who live in such a harsh environment and their deep respect for the land.

*ೃ༄Places

ೃ⁀➷Hanging Crescent Moon Arena:

As a nod to its historical traditions, Haiqin hosts nonlethal duels in the Hanging Crescent Moon Arena located in Nirin. The Hanging Crescent Moon Arena is a central cultural and historical landmark in Nirin. It hosts non-lethal duels that have become a popular form of entertainment and sport in the region. These duels are not about violence or bloodshed but are instead focused on demonstrating skill, discipline, and respect for one’s opponent. The duels often feature traditional martial arts, with participants from different regions showcasing their unique techniques and styles.

Nonlethal Duels:

The duels in the Hanging Crescent Moon Arena are a symbol of Nirin’s commitment to honor and fairness. While the duels are competitive, the goal is not to harm but to display mastery in martial arts and to foster mutual respect among participants. The events are a way for competitors to demonstrate their physical and mental discipline, often using traditional weapons or hand-to-hand combat techniques. The arena is a place where participants can prove their strength and skill without the need for fatal outcomes, making it a respected tradition in Nirin.

Cultural Exchange:

The dueling events in the Hanging Crescent Moon Arena also serve as an opportunity for cultural exchange. Participants from various regions of Nirin, as well as from neighboring areas, come to showcase their martial arts traditions. These events provide a platform for different fighting styles and techniques to be shared and appreciated by a wider audience. The duels are a celebration of the diversity within Nirin, as well as a reminder of the importance of skill, honor, and discipline in the region’s culture.

Cultural Significance:

The dueling tradition reflects Haiqin’s values of respect and fairness, drawing spectators and participants from across the nation. These events are also an opportunity for cultural exchange, where various regional styles and techniques are displayed.

.ೃ࿐Architecture

*ೃ༄Building Styles

ೃ⁀➷Adobe Structures:

In the rural desert areas of Nirin, adobe buildings dominate the landscape. These structures are built from locally sourced clay and straw, which provide excellent natural insulation. Adobe allows for cooler interiors during the scorching summer heat and warmth in the cooler desert nights. The buildings often have thick walls and flat roofs, offering durability against the sandstorms common in the region.

ೃ⁀➷Waterlight City Architecture:

Waterlight City, built near the majestic canyon, features architecture that harmonizes with the rugged landscape. Buildings here are designed to resemble natural forms like horns and arches, with many structures taking on organic, sweeping shapes that evoke the curves of the canyon. These structures are often constructed from local stone or adobe, further blending with the environment.

ೃ⁀➷Carved into the Canyon:

A unique feature of Waterlight City’s architecture is that some buildings are carved directly into the canyon walls. These homes and structures are shaped with smooth, flowing lines, mirroring the natural rock formations. The walls are cool, and the interiors are spacious and airy, offering spectacular views of the surrounding desert. These carved buildings not only conserve energy but also create a stunning visual contrast against the landscape, enhancing the city’s mystical aura.

ೃ⁀➷Glowing Lights and Mystical Aura:

At night, Waterlight City takes on a glowing, ethereal quality, thanks to the strategic use of glowing lights incorporated into the architecture. These lights reflect off the natural stone, giving the buildings a surreal, almost otherworldly glow that enhances the sense of magic in the air. This visual spectacle also helps create a sense of wonder and connection to nature.

*ೃ༄Housing

ೃ⁀➷Rural Housing:

In more rural regions, people live in communal dwellings built from adobe or stone. These homes are often simple in design, with a focus on practicality. Courtyards are common in these houses, providing space for growing crops or keeping animals, essential for survival in the desert. The layout of rural homes prioritizes community living, with shared spaces for socializing, cooking, and working.

ೃ⁀➷Wealthier Residences:

Wealthier residents in urban areas, especially in Waterlight City, live in more elaborate homes, often designed with open-air courtyards, rooftop gardens, and outdoor patios. The homes are designed to be comfortable in the desert heat, with water conservation systems built into their infrastructure. These homes are often two or three stories tall, featuring wide, open spaces that make use of natural ventilation and sunlight.

ೃ⁀➷Elevated Walkways and Platforms:

The city’s design incorporates elevated platforms and walkways, which connect the various levels of the canyon city. These platforms allow for easy access to the different sections of the city and provide breathtaking views of the surrounding desert landscape. They also help prevent the heat from radiating into the lower levels, making the city cooler and more comfortable to navigate.

*ೃ༄Public Spaces

ೃ⁀➷The Hanging Crescent Arena:

One of the most significant public spaces in Nirin is the Hanging Crescent Arena. This grand amphitheater hosts the Desert Games, an annual event that celebrates the region’s traditional sports and cultural performances. The arena’s design is unique, featuring tiered seating that wraps around a central open space. This architectural wonder is carved into the side of the canyon, making use of the natural rock formations while offering a dramatic backdrop for the games.

ೃ⁀➷Public Squares and Markets:

The heart of Waterlight City, and other smaller towns, are their public squares, where locals gather for commerce and social interaction. The markets are vibrant, with artisan shops offering handcrafted goods such as textiles, pottery, and jewelry. These squares often have a central fountain or gathering area, surrounded by stalls where local produce, spices, and meats are sold. The area encourages not only trade but also cultural exchange, with people coming together to share food, stories, and traditions.

ೃ⁀➷Integration with Nature:

Many of the public spaces are designed with an emphasis on merging the urban environment with the natural landscape. Green spaces, shaded courtyards, and outdoor communal areas are built with the intention of allowing residents to enjoy both the city life and the surrounding desert’s beauty. Public parks and gardens often feature native desert plants, providing a connection to the landscape while also offering respite from the heat.

*ೃ༄Transportation

ೃ⁀➷Horseback Travel:

In the rural regions of Nirin, horses are the primary mode of transportation. Their ability to traverse the desert terrain makes them invaluable for farmers, traders, and travelers. The horses are trained for endurance and can navigate both sand and rocky terrain with ease.

ೃ⁀➷Off-Road Vehicles:

For those in more remote or rugged areas, off-road vehicles are commonly used. These vehicles are specially designed to handle the harsh conditions of the desert, with large wheels and reinforced frames that can withstand sandstorms, rough roads, and extreme heat. These vehicles are often used for long-distance travel between villages or for transportation of goods.

ೃ⁀➷Canyon Trails and Transportation in Waterlight City:

In Waterlight City, the extensive network of canyon trails is used to connect different districts. These trails are well-maintained, and people often travel on foot, horseback, or by bike. The city’s design encourages walking and cycling, and the trails provide scenic views of the canyon and the surrounding desert. The trails are also used for more practical purposes, such as transporting goods and materials between districts. People can also go by boat in the waterlight city lake.

ೃ⁀➷Modern Transport:

For those seeking faster or more contemporary transportation options, sports cars and motorcycles are a common sight in Waterlight City. These vehicles are suited for the city’s wide streets and roads, often modified for speed and style. Skateboards are also used for short-distance travel, particularly among younger residents who enjoy the thrill of gliding through the urban landscape.

.ೃ࿐Cultural Differences

*ೃ༄Golden Waterlight Butterflies

The Golden Waterlight Butterflies are an iconic part of Nirin’s cultural and natural heritage. These butterflies, which hover near the shores of the Waterlight Lake, are particularly revered for their beauty and role in the region’s history.

ೃ⁀➷Symbol of Light:

In the past, before the advent of electricity, the people of Nirin used these butterflies as natural lights, placing food outside during the night to attract them. The glowing butterflies would light up the landscape, providing a soft, mystical illumination. This practice is now seen as a romantic symbol of the old ways, though many still hold the butterflies in high regard and see them as symbols of hope, guidance, and the enduring spirit of nature.

ೃ⁀➷Cultural Significance:

These butterflies are often incorporated into various cultural practices, from religious ceremonies to artistic expression. They might be featured in local dances, where performers mimic the delicate movements of the butterflies, or they might be seen in jewelry and tattoos, representing the fleeting beauty of life and nature’s ability to shine even in the darkest moments.

*ೃ༄Pets

Wealthier families in Nirin can own exotic pets such as Waterlight Lions, which are highly trained and treated with the utmost care under strict laws.

ೃ⁀➷Waterlight Lions:

Waterlight Lions are one of the most prized animals in Nirin, particularly among wealthier families. These lions are known for their regal appearance, golden fur, and piercing eyes, and they are often seen as symbols of strength and leadership. These lions are carefully trained, with only the wealthiest individuals able to afford the resources needed to care for them. Training these creatures requires a high level of skill, patience, and respect for the animal, and there are strict laws that govern their treatment to ensure they are not mistreated or exploited.

ೃ⁀➷Strict Laws:

Owning a Waterlight Lion or other exotic pets in Nirin comes with a set of regulations that must be followed. These laws ensure that the animals are treated humanely and that their natural habitats are respected. Exotic pets are often seen as a sign of high social standing, and their care requires significant financial investment, making them a symbol of the wealth and power of the family that owns them.

*ೃ༄Military

Nirin is home to one of the major military bases, emphasizing the province’s role in training and defense. Military training is a key part of Nirin's economy and culture.

ೃ⁀➷Economic Role:

The military is one of the primary economic drivers in Nirin, with many industries and sectors tied to defense. The base serves as both a training ground and a production center for military technology, including weapons and defense systems. As a result, the province has a large number of people working in military-related industries, and much of the local economy is dependent on the maintenance and expansion of these sectors.

ೃ⁀➷Patriotism and Honor:

Military service is also a deeply ingrained cultural value in Nirin. Honor, courage, and sacrifice are highly celebrated, and military parades and public ceremonies are frequent occurrences. The people of Nirin view their military as a reflection of their strength and resilience, much like the desert plants and animals that thrive in harsh conditions.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Deformable mirror technology takes laser welding and 3D printing to new heights

Yongcui Mi has developed a new technology that enables real-time shaping and control of laser beams for laser welding and directed energy deposition using laser and wire. The innovation is based on the same mirror technology used in advanced telescopes for astronomy. In a few years, this new technology could lead to more efficient and reliable ways of using high-power lasers for welding and directed energy deposition with laser and wire. The manufacturing industry could benefit from new opportunities to build more robust processes that meet stringent quality standards. "We are the first to use deformable mirror technology for this application. The mirror optics can handle multi-kilowatt laser power, and with the help of computer vision and AI, the laser beam can be shaped in real time to adapt to variations in joint gaps," explains Yongcui, a newly minted Ph.D. in Production technology from University West.

Read more.

[der-papero]

Una domanda a cui credo tu abbia già risposto ma di cui non riesco a rintracciare nessun post in merito.

Ci sono software validi (e che non ti fottano tutti i dati) per poter fare un backup del blog?

Il mio! 😍

Però non fornisco gli eseguibili, ti scarichi il codice e usi Java.

Oppure posso farti io il favore senza problemi (ma il mio software non salva le chat, occhio!!), mi dici dove inviarti il file e ti giro tutto.

Oppure puoi usare la procedura di Tumblr, che a quanto ho capito di recente funziona anche abbastanza bene (Account => <selezioni uno dei blog che hai> => Impostazioni Blog => Esporta (in fondo alla pagina). Il backup ci metterà un bel po', quindi, quando è finito, riceverai una notifica/email con il link dal quale scaricare lo ZIP (e questa procedura ti fornisce anche tutte le conversazioni private).

Se hai ulteriori domande, sai dove trovarmi :)

[psalm22-6]

The Illustrated Review was a paper published in London in the 1870s, and in 1873 published a series called "Retrospective Glances at Foreign Literature." I'm not super familiar with the reception of Les Mis in England, but keep in mind that this is written a little over a decade after Les Mis came out. Here's some highlights:

Ten years have elapsed since Victor Hugo, after a long period of silence, broken only by a few melodious volumes of verse, astonished the land of his birth by a book which was more a challenge hurled at those who had exiled him than a novel. When "Les Misérables" appeared the glove was eagerly taken up, and a turmoil of conflicting passions was aroused. [. . .] It is not on the first perusal of "Les Misérables" that an opinion of its merits and demerits can be formed with justice or impartiality, for an ardent longing to get to the end is the only feeling experienced, the burning pages carry you along breathless and amazed, and, as before some pyrotechnic display, you remain dazzled by the sudden alternations of brilliant light and utter darkness. Victor Hugo started on a wrong theory. Embittered by his exile, blinded by his political passions, he attempted to prove that society in general and legislation in particular were responsible for the evil doings of the world, he openly took the part of the criminal against his judges, of the convict against his jailers, of the spoiler against the despoiled, and attempted to prove that crime is a far minor degradation to man than its repression by law. This dangerous sophism is developed with the power of his magic talent.

Myriel is said to be irrelevant to the plot, and particularly the episode with G is offensive:

After a lengthy and useless exposition, we come to the episode of the Conventionnel: it appears to have been inserted only to allow of a panegyric of 1793; it brings into violent and unartistic contrast the characters of the saintly Bishop Myriel and of the untamed democrat. It is neither wise nor useful to uphold with brutal energy ideas which common sense, self respect, and even history have taught us to judge and condemn, and to degrade at pleasure what in itself is venerable by unseemly comparisons such as are drawn between monarchs and ruffians.

A lot of reviews of Les Mis will include summaries of the book which I assume I don't need to share but this misrepresentation of the plot is noteworthy:

Jean Valjean, the hero of "Les Misérables," is taken up by the police for a petty theft, sent to Toulon for assaulting his warders, and condemned to a long detention for repeated attempts to escape.

From this the author concludes:

Jean Valjean is not condemned to the "Galéres" because he stole a loaf, but for contempt of the law in the person of its ministers, and if the principles so imprudently advocated by the author received their full application, they would involve the suppression of penal laws [. . .] Anarchy would at once prevail, persons and property remain unprotected; but like too many would-be reformers, M. Hugo finds it easier to pick out the flaws of a system than to suggest the remedy to a necessary evil.

So Jean Valjean's problem was apparently that he didn't respect authority? Okay.... The author also believes that Fantine would not have been dismissed for having a child out of wedlock

Life in manufacturing districts gives us, alas! too many examples of actual sin to leave us credulous about the virtuous indignation and stern morality of a factory master. Victor Hugo overshot the mark, and in taking pains to paint society as a ruthless Nemesis, he made her out a prude.

He also finds fault with Hugo's depiction of the battle of Waterloo, such as his geography of the battlefield and his poetic language:

The fastidious critic whose ideal is the purity of the classical author may well have been alarmed by the liberty of expression used by M. Hugo with such careless ease, but we are inclined to believe that his unusual but telling phraseology, his incisive, coloured, weird, fantastic, uncommon style is a new vein discovered in the rich mine of the French language, a vein which others, taught by his example, may follow, gathering the harvests, and avoiding the pitfalls which they would have had neither the genius to discover nor the courage to encounter.

However the author has to admit that he enjoyed some passages, such as those dealing with Sister Simplice or the young Cosette.

Some of the pages of “Les Misérables" emerge so white and pure from the sombre background, that we almost fancy that while he wrote them some angel's wing was fanning the author’s fevered brow. Was it the memory of a lost and adored daughter, or was it the breath of years gone by laden with their tender emotions and young illusions?

For better or for worse (worse if you are of the opinion that Les Miserables is an evil book), this book contains a little bit of everything:

You see, as in a kaleidoscope, the darkness of the convict’s cell and the sunshine of Cosette’s garden, the dictionary of ‘‘argot” and the poet’s rhapsody; Thénardier, the incarnation of vice, Cosette, the emblem of innocence; Waterloo and the barricades, Claquesous and Bishop Myriel, Eponine and Marius; while, by a prodigious metamorphosis, Jean Valjean, the low, mean, heartless thief, the man without dignity and without courage, is transformed into Jean Valjean, the hero and the martyr. Thus we progress from volume to volume to the close of the story, the latter part of which is worthy of sincere admiration, as we are initiated to the mutual love of Cosette and Marius, and witness the slow torture of Jean Valjean, the agony that wrings his paternal heart and converts his love for the child of his adoption into a crown of thorns pressing deep into his flesh, while he makes no sign—cruel and fatal position, in which the tormentor is no less innocent than the victim, and where the blow that kills is dealt by the hand that meant only to caress.

The author believes that if Victor Hugo had renounced his ideology and given up his exile, there might have been something redeeming in Les Miserables, but that instead, he has begun a "downward course."

“Les Travailleurs de la Mer,” while containing fewer beauties, magnified the errors of ‘‘ Les Misérables,” and were followed by “L'homme qui Rit,” the most deplorable mistake which a man of genius could have committed, a mistake so enormous that even should it be in his power to retrieve it, it must remain as a blot on M. Hugo’s reputation as a man of letters.

[yyako]

There Are No Credits in Sun Haven: 1.3 Edition

Sun Haven's 1.3 patch, adding lots of new art, vfx, new characters and additional writing drops today. What it will not contain is a list of the artists who created that art, crafted those vfx, designed those characters, and wrote the new writing that went into the patch, nor will it contain the names of anyone who previously contributed to the game. All "credits" seen in the game go to Kickstarter backers only. This has been a known issue in the game for as long as it's been in development-- my partner worked on the game and he's had a chance to talk with other ex-Sun Haven devs about these problems.

I really wanted to be nice and try not to hurt the people still working on the game. At this point, though, I think it will hurt more people to be silent. Pixel Sprout is hiring basically every position and I'd feel bad if I didn't warn people away from this scumbag company.

A couple of things: in the game industry there's not a single game that's made without any pain, stress, or mis-development. It's a creative field and a job; those things are inevitable. I wouldn't be out here saying that Pixel Sprout is a bad company if the development was rocky but they paid their workers fairly and gave them credits. But the fact of the matter is that they don't pay their workers fairly, and they don't give credit.

So I've already gone over the credit thing. Let's talk about pay! The director, Bruce, doesn't want his employees to talk about pay, which is always a good sign [sarcasm]. I only know 2 salaries, but they're both illustrative. My partner was one of the best-paid members on the team, being paid $15/hr for a highly specialized skill. This was significantly lower than his usual rate, and he didn't get a raise until two years of work had passed. Though my partner was expected to function as an almost full time, exclusive employee, he was on the books as a contract worker-- meaning he had to do his own taxes and received no medical insurance.

The other salary I know was for one of the lead writers, who quit explosively and alleged that he was earning $7/hr for his specialized work. Though I don't have any more precise numbers, I know that Bruce hires aggressively in countries with weak economies so that he can pay those workers below the American minimum wage-- and those positions are specialized work like pixel art.

Now, about those credits... I think people understand why they're important, but let me make it clear: even if you as a layperson don't usually look at credits, they're extremely important to the people credited because credits are how you get work. The games industry is very insular: everyone knows someone who worked on some game, so it's hard to break into. It's easier to break into if you can point at a game you've worked on and others can go and check to see that you're not lying. Not including credits in your game robs people of the ability to get jobs. It's gravely serious.

I'm going to end this post by once again saying that I'm not calling for a boycott, and you can decide for yourself if you want to play the game, knowing that playing it isn't going to affect whether or not credits get added. But please, do NOT submit an application to work for them until you know you'll be compensated for your work through credits. And keep pestering the developers about it. It's not going to make the credits happen (see: how hard they've been failing to produce a Switch release), but if we can annoy the director, my petty heart will be warmed.

[blues-valentine]

it’s still a bit frustrating readings pws claim to this day that portwell “was meant to be endgame” because it’s like they don’t understand those characters and the underlying premise of “their romance”. there was not romantic undertones to them on season 1 and their romance on season 2 was doomed before it even started. pls media literacy i beg.

I believe one of the main reasons PW/Rinis cling so hard to the whole “real endgames” thing is because they are so used to teen shows staying with the “core 4 ships” formula so they refuse to acknowledge the writers changed things because Rina ended up being more dynamic.

This amazing channel did a really thought out explanation about how PW was doomed from the start. Check it out. It has one of my favorite analysis about the show, especially Rina.

But let’s discuss for a moment:

As you said, there weren’t romantic undertones between Gina and EJ on Season 1. They had a common goal. She wanted Nini out of the role of Gabriella and EJ was jealous of Ricky being around Nini. Gina didn’t care about EJ getting the role of Troy. She was actively advocating for Ricky to keep it. The homecoming situation was a plan Gina came up with thinking Nini would be there and get that frustrated she’d quit the show — she was wrong so she took it out on EJ. And instead of the episode ending in some common ground between Gina and EJ, it ends with Gina leaving with Ricky and connecting with him over feeling like outsiders — which kick starts their whole journey. After that, she stopped pursuing her plan with EJ or seeing him all together. They had a whole conversation about Ricky. And later, another argument used to implicate PW was romantic. The plane ticket. That situation wasn’t about Gina. It was about EJ doing good things and becoming a better person and he was inspired to do so by Nini initially. I won’t say that Season 1 doesn’t end with the potential to turn this dynamic into a romantic one — and they did. But it wasn’t aimed as a endgame build up, and that’s made even clearer once you know the existence of that 206 opening night flashback taking place.

EJ starts Season 2 claiming he feels older than the rest of the group. Already making a point that EJ is moving towards a different life stage. His arc started with college applications and the first hint that he might have a crush on Gina comes suddenly on 205 [conveniently after Gina and Ricky had a fallout]. And the narrative never really says why he liked Gina in the first place. And I feel like in a way it was a distraction for him. I’d say it was easier to see why Gina would develop feelings for EJ. This is why I said pairing those two together felt like a plot device for Gina/Rina than it was to serve EJ’s own arc. He was there when she needed it and one thing about Gina, she craves the attention she lacks from her family unit. Gina liked EJ because “he showed up” and I feel he represented a band aid to her feelings. Just like Gina was to him.

The famous sofa scene, the one PWs claim is the epitome of understanding and connection. But as the person from the video says, it never really showed them being connected to each other — it does the opposite. Gina downright says she doesn’t understand him or what he is dealing with but it’s allowing him to dump his problems on her. She sympathized with him but cannot empathize with him. That scene only showcases how different their lives are about to be and how Gina isn’t at the stage EJ is at yet but at that point in time, it felt like they were the only people willing to listen and be there. And having Gina downright say “I don’t know” to EJ’s issues was straight up a parallel to Gina saying “I know” when Ricky open up to her.

And people claiming the miscommunication issues came out from nowhere are really not paying attention. The only reason Gina and EJ got together was because of Ashlyn’s initiative to clear their misunderstanding. If it wasn’t for her, they would have ended with that in mind. And it showed from the get go EJ assumed and let it awake his insecurities instead of speaking.

Another interesting thing the video points out, that I also noticed right away is how Season 2 is framed as a before and after. Divided by 206, which is the flashback episode but also the moment Gina decides to cut off her friendship with Ricky. It’s not a coincidence 205 sets PW up and 206 makes the argument there’s clearly unspoken issues between Ricky and Gina. But mostly, it sets the “I never do things right the first time, Ricky” thing in motion. I said it back in 206 that this quote had a deeper meaning. And after 206, the narrative insists on letting the audience know EJ could be Gina’s first date, first boyfriend and first kiss. They were spoon feeding you the narrative. EJ was going to be the first, just not the last. 209 is a Rina coded episode and I also pointed it out back when it premiered (X). The episode points out Gina was not over Ricky. It has Jack advising Gina to “care less” in her next relationship. An advice that she takes into consideration. And we also got Jack telling her to pick the safest seat on the plane (planes, a metaphor that has been used for Gina’s feelings about Ricky). Gina ended up this episode already with the mindset that she was going to go forward with a more carefree attitude because safest choice (EJ) = less potential pain. @curtsies-from-princess-ashlyn makes a great analysis on how 209 is an episode divided between Ricky and Gina plus their paralleled/individual arcs (X).

The Season 2 finale ties all of this together with second chance, which I said it was a Rina coded song and here’s this lovely analysis (X). Ricky and Nini having the verses about new beginnings because both of them had moved on from their relationship vs Gina and EJ having the verses about shutting down emotionally with Gina saying she’s safer on the run and EJ saying he isn’t sure about what he wants. Neither Gina and EJ started their relationship in the best mindset.

Now, Season 3 premiere, they bring back the “never do things right the first time” analogy again by hitting you with Gina’s “summer of firsts” = “first boyfriend” “first summer camp” and “firsts” continues being a theme all season. Then, we have Gina sub-conditionally saying a person could interfiere in her relationship with EJ, which is a way to say, Gina is not over Ricky. Like, it was so obvious and it was insane people were still holding onto the idea the season would culminate in a love confession with them.

A lot of Gina’s relationship with EJ started by the fact she was compromising her ambition to fit into a role that was more likable for others. She said this to Nini at the end of Season 2. And you can also tell by the way Gina interacted with EJ. It felt like Gina was trying her best to fit into the role of girlfriend, because she didn’t want her first relationship to fail. And this was noticiable with Sofia’s acting choices. And the fact she later confirmed this was an intentional choice means that there’s awareness there.

I’ve said before, Gina and EJ’s relationship was going to fail for a lot of reasons. Their different stages, the fact Gina was not really herself, the fact she still had unresolved issues with Ricky. Gina needed to date EJ to experience her first relationship and even out the dynamic between Ricky and Gina. Gina was pinning on Season 2, then it was turn for Ricky on Season 3, so they could meet in the middle when they were ready. In fact, Season 2 was the season that made me confirm they were serious about Rina because that level of detail isn’t given to non-endgames.

[nyarlathotep-thecrawlingchaos]

Below you will find the character profile for my One Piece OC (one of them, anyway. I have at least five, but I'll be working the most closely with this one for now).

So, here we go. Only been working on this shit for like...three days. Okay, technically over ten years since I used to write her ages ago when I was on fanfiction.net, but I've redone a lot of things.

I'm already in the process of working on a novel-length Mihawk x AFAB!OC fanfic, so here's the overly extensive character sheet for my OC because I always put way too much effort into character development.

The character history practically devolves into a mini fanfic itself around the middle by total accident, but whatever.

The fanfic(s) will toe the line between Live Action and Manga canon. We'll just call it AU and leave it at that.

Karimi Lionne

Associated fanfics: Hearing Problems (coming soon to an Unknowable Horror near you) and Any Way The Wind Blows (eventually, bear with me)

Age: 24

Occupation: Pirate; Mercenary

Abilities:

Kiku Kiku no Mi: A Paramecia type devil fruit that grants the user the ability to hear...well, everything, all the time. Within a certain range she, can hear the thoughts of people around her. The range varies with her focus; standard, it's anyone within a range of about fifty feet in any direction. She can close that circle down to either listen to one person's thoughts, or expand it to search a city or town for a particular person. Activated (which she hasn't yet), it allows the user the ability to plant thoughts in others' heads, and potentially control their thoughts.

She considers the ability more of a curse than a blessing since she has never managed to hone it quite well enough to shut it off entirely, and can often be found sitting at a dock or on a beach with her feet in the salt water, just to get some peace and quiet in her own head.

Blades: Karimi carries a pair of daggers with ornately carved ivory handles, the head of a lioness carved into the top of each hilt, in sheaths at either side of her belt. They belonged to her grandmother, who raised her from age four to age fourteen, and also taught her most of what she knows in combat. She also keeps a handful of throwing knives in a holster belted to her right calf, a couple inches below her knee.

Her fighting style relies primarily on agility, evasion, and accuracy rather than raw strength due to her relatively small stature of 5'2".

Haki: Not a master by any means at all. Learned from Red-Haired Shanks during her brief stint working with his crew, used largely to assist in suppressing her devil fruit abilities and making them more manageable. Not really proficient enough to use it for any other application.

Music: Karimi was taught to play guitar, fiddle, and piano by her grandmother, but she hasn't touched an instrument since her grandmother died, so she doesn't know how much of the ability she has retained. Karimi also learned several sea shanties from her, and often hums or quietly sings them to herself while out to sea.

Appearance:

Faceclaim: Jane Fonda c. 1960s, facial structure, skin and hair edited via Faceapp

Long, dark green hair, in wild curls that she can't do much of anything with except tie back in a bun or stuff under a hat. Sharp emerald green eyes. Fair-skinned with a handful of freckles.

The Resting Bitch Face is strong with this one.

Slender, petite, 5'2" tall.

Tends toward wearing long-sleeved shirts/dresses to cover the scars on her arms. Almost always wears her grandmother's hat, an old and tattered brown leather tricorne with a patch on the front left brim and a few more in the back.

Personality:

Confident, toeing the line of outright arrogance at times. Humor that ranges from dryly sarcastic to quite silly, depending on who she's around. Guarded. Brooding. Cynical. Empathetic. Gentle. Uses sarcasm as a coping mechanism. Not easily offended. Prominent issues with self-harm and PTSD.

Backstory (prior to beginning of fic)

Karimi has next to no knowledge of her origins. She knows her mother died shortly after giving birth to her, that she was born on her father's ship, and that she got her hands on a devil fruit the crew had found and ate it when she was three or four years old, not knowing what it was. Shortly thereafter she was taken to live with her grandmother on a remote island village called Conch Cove, somewhere on the Grand Line.

Her grandmother, Helena Lionne, had been a pirate captain shortly before Gol D. Roger came around and into his earlyyears of piracy, but Karimi didn't know much about her history. Helena was a powerful haki user, and was able to use the power to dampen Karimi's devil fruit abilities, largely for the sake of the girl's own comfort and sanity. Helena trained her to fight in order to defend herself in the event that she ever left the island, as well as survivalist training. She wasn't shy about telling Karimi that the world could be a dangerous place, particularly for a woman on her own, amd wanted to ensure that her granddaughter had everything she needed to safely make her way in the world.

Karimi found out more about her grandmother a week after her fourteenth birthday.

She discovered that her grandmother had been captain of the Siren Pirates. She discovered her grandmother possessed the abilities of the Mizu Mizu no Mi (logia type, water). She discovered that her bounty was in the billions...and still very much active.

The Marine Admiral who showed up to the island, Admiral Jackson "Volcano" Vesper, brought a large crew with him, with no intention of taking Helena alive. His moniker stemmed not only from his explosive temper, but also from his own devil fruit abilities—the predecessor to Fire Fist Ace, he possessed the power of the Mera Mera no Mi (logia type, fire). He also possessed an intense desire for revenge on the woman that had killed his father.

He didn't bother revealing how he managed to track her down—he simply went in guns blazing. The battle between him and Helena, between his crew and what remained of hers, waged for nearly two entire days, leaving several Marines and villagers dead and the town in total ruin. Karimi stayed hidden the entire time as her grandmother had asked her to, but with Helena's haki focused on defending herself and her allies, Karimi could hear everything with her devil fruit abilities.

She could hear the moment when Admiral Vesper's first mate got the drop on her grandmother, pinned her to the ground with the butt of his rifle, which he had coated in a layer of sea stone, instantly sapping her strength and her devil fruit powers.

Karimi could hear Vesper's thoughts, his intentions to humiliate her, kill her, and return to Marineford with her head.

And Karimi emerged from hiding and managed to toss a throwing a knife into the back of his leg.

She was captured almost immediately. Her physical resemblance to her grandmother in the woman's younger years was noted immediately by Vesper, and he knew in that instant that he had won.

And Karimi knew it too, with the man's bowie knife to her throat.

He agreed to let Karimi go in exchange for Helena's life, and Helena gave in without a second thought when she saw the bowie knife start to cut into her granddaughters neck.

He took the remainder of Helena's old crew as prisoners—the only four other villagers on the island left alive, but not before slitting Helena's throat and sawing her head from her neck with his bowie knife, while Karimi was held captive and forced to watch.

Then he and his men left her there on the remote island, in a ruined village with nothing but the corpses of friends and neighbors and the woman who raised her to keep her company.

She doesn't remember much of the following two weeks. She knows she was able to make a spear out of a throwing knife and a shovel handle to catch fish for food in the shallows around the island. That she had a fresh source of water in the form of a pond. She knows she was nearly through building a raft out of the rubble that was left of the town when another marine ship arrived at the island, captained this time by Vice Admiral Garp the Fist. She was understandably beyond wary of Marines, and she fought tooth and nail, kicking and screaming, when they took her back to their ship.

They took her throwing knives and her grandmother's daggers, and she was forced to stay in the brig because she made very clear that she would gladly gut any marine who came near her. She was still treated with kindness and provided full meals given her situation, and as she bided her time and got her strength back she formed a plan of escape.

She was able to use her devil fruit powers effectively in her escape—by listening around and finding the easiest target. This came in the form of a fifteen year old cadet who would check on her and talk to her during his downtime. He thought she was pretty and couldn't believe she had managed to keep herself alive for two and a half weeks after what she had been through, admired her sheer strength of will. It was incredibly easy to sweet-talk him into getting her weapons back to her, playing on his sympathies by telling him that they were all she had left of her grandmother.

She hid them once she had them, and did a little more sweet-talking...until he agreed to steal the keys and get her out of the cell. Once she was out, she wasted no time in knocking him out, stealing his uniform, stuffing her hair under the hat, and discreetly stealing enough rations to last herself a week and slipping away on a dinghy.

She had no idea where she was or how she was going to get anywhere, but she wasn't exactly of sound mind after the trauma she had endured. Her only thoughts at the time were that she wanted to put as much distance between herself and the Marines as possible.

She was picked up by a merchant vessel after a few days, and they took pity on her story and allowed her to remain on board the ship, assisting in cooking and cleaning in exchange for room and board and safe passage to their next stop. They were bound for Loguetown in the East Blue, and that suited her just fine.

Loguetown was a large city right outside the only passage onto the Grand Line, and it gave her plenty of options for work. She worked odd jobs that provided her with room and board, saving up money over the course of the following two years.

She was working in a tavern and staying at the attached inn when the Red-Hair pirates made port in Loguetown, and she knew she had her ticket back onto the seas, with only one goal in mind—to find her father, and tell him what had become of her grandmother.

Her memories of him were too vague for her to give any decent description, but she wasn't telling anyone her reasons anyway. She waited for her shift to end before approaching Shanks himself and asking, confidently, to join his crew.

That got a tremendous laugh out of the crew at large, but only a little bit of a chuckle from Shanks himself.

"And why would a little slip of a thing like yourself want sail around with a bunch of old men?"

"That's not really important." She sat down at the neighboring table at this. "But what I can provide your crew is."

"And what might that be, love?"

"I've trained with daggers and throwing knives since I was four years old. I also possess the abilities of the Kiku Kiku no Mi."

Yasopp, sitting between Shanks and his first mate Benn Beckman with bis feet propped up on the table, snorted at that, grinning. "So what, it improved your hearing?"

Karimi leveled her eyes with his. "Immensely," she daid. She gave a small smile...and began narrating his thoughts out loud. "'The hell is this girl's deal? Does she have any idea who she's even talking to right now? She can't even be much older than my—Wait. What the hell? What the hell is she—'" His feet slipped off the table, his mouth falling open as he registered what was happening. "'Holy shit, is she in my head? Is—'"

"Okay, you made your point, cut it out!" he half-shouted, staring at her in alarm.

No one was laughing anymore—and she knew she had their full attention now.

"That," Shanks said lightly, the amusement gone from his eyes and replaced with caution—but also intrigue, "is a very dangerous ability for someone as young as yourself to possess."

"I've had it since I was four. I've learned to manage it."

That was, of course, only half true—she could deal with it, yes, but she couldn't fully control it.

After a long, silent moment, in which members of his crew exchanged glances and Shanks quietly studied her, he leaned back in his chair, nodding to himself.

"Let's give you a real test," he said, leaning his arm over the back of his chair. "See how well you can put your abilities to use." Karimi lifted her eyebrows, waiting. "I want you to sneak into the Marine base here in Loguetown. Find where they keep the treasure and money they've confiscated from pirates and thieves they've arrested...and walk out with as much as you can carry." He lifted his bottle of rum from the table. "Undetected."

"Have you lost your goddamned mind?" Shanks glanced across the table at Benn when he spoke up.

"That's been gone for years, but go on."

Benn gave a growl of annoyance at his captain. "She's a kid. You're talking about sending a kid into a damned Marine base to steal from them. That's a suicide mission."

"The girl wants a chance to prove herself," he said simply, shrugging a shoulder. He looked back at her. "That's my offer, love. We're setting out no later than noon tomorrow. You bring your haul to the ship, you can come with us."

Karimi nodded, and stood from her chair. "Then I will see you all no later than noon tomorrow."

A few hours later, when the tavern closed for the night and the crew returned to the ship, they were met with the sight of Karimi, wearing a Marine uniform and sitting on a sizable burlap sack right in the middle of the deck. She stood from it and kicked it over, spilling gold bricks, jewels, and piles of Berry notes and coins across the deck.

Sneaking into the base had honestly been a piece of cake—she found a half-drunk Marine a couple years older than her at another tavern, did a little sweet-talking and got him back to her inn room. Suggested some rather kinky activities that would involve him stripping down and being tied to the bed and he jumped on it. Once he was securely tied, she gathered her few belongings, put on his uniform, put a do-not-disturb sign on the door, and slipped out the window.

It had taken longer to find and get into the rooms where they kept any seized contraband, but it had been as simple as keeping her head down and listening. Hiding and ducking down empty halls when she heard anyone drawing too close. The entire ordeal had taken just under three hours.

After a long stretch of silence, it was Benn Beckman that voiced what everyone was thinking.

"Holy shit."

Shanks grinned over at him. "Suicide mission, aye?"

She was officially welcomed aboard the ship at this, as promised, but there was some deal of commotion when she told them her name.

Particularly her surname.

She learned very quickly that both Shanks and his first mate were familiar with her father—and that Benn utterly despised him. To the point that he, however briefly, threatened to throw Karimi off the ship himself against his captain's will if necessary. The brief altercation ended in Benn storming off to the gun deck on his own, leaving Karimi wondering if she had made the right choice of crew.

Shanks was far more personable.

He told her about her father—Lyon D. Rollo.

He described her father as having been like "the annoying little brother he never wanted." Told her about their time spent as deckhands aboard the Oro Jackson. About his devil fruit abilities that had caused absolutely nothing but trouble for years because they were incredibly difficult to master without massive repercussions: the Kaze Kaze no Mi (logia type: wind).

Told her how they met Benn not long after Roger's execution after setting out on their own—Benn and his younger sister, Sedna, who he had looked after on his own since he was around sixteen and she was six, when their parents had been killed by raiding pirates.

Who Karimi's father had apparently fallen inmediately head over heels for. Said he refused to leave town without her, and did exactly as he set out to. Benn had refused to leave her side, and came with them despite his hatred of pirates at the time.

It was a year later that Shanks and her father had gone their separate ways. It had always been the plan, as they were both too stubborn to accept being anything but captains. Once they gathered enough of their own crew members and got their own ships, they parted as friends. Benn stayed with Shanks, and Sedna remained with Lyon.

It wasn't long after that they recieved word that Sedna had been killed during a firefight with the Marines.

"He never mentioned a child," said Shanks, shaking his head and looking at Karimi like he was looking at a ghost as he leaned forward against the railing around the bow. "I imagine he couldn't have been much older than seventeen." He shook his head a little, still in disbelief. "I don't think I need devil fruit abilities to know what you're doing here."

Karimi nodded shortly. "Do you know where—?"

"No, unfortunately."

No one knew where Lyon was—it had been five years since Shanks actually last saw him, and he and his entire crew seemed to have just vanished into thin air around a year ago, despite still holding active bounties.

Karimi didn't tell him anything else, not why she was looking for him—only that she was, and that she had no intention of remaining with the Red Hair crew for the long term. Just long enough to get a bit of money together and purchase her own ship, something small like a sloop that she could handle by herself.

She ended up sailing with the Red Hair Pirates for around two years, give or take few months. Shanks became something of a mentor to her over that period of time, taking time to train her in Busoshoku Haki, the same type of Haki that her grandmother had used to repress Karimi's Devil Fruit abilities, so Karimi could use it herself when she wished to. It wasn't fool-proof, but it at least helped lessen the mental load.

Once on her own, Karimi ultimately began working as a mercenary; taking on jobs with various pirate crews that required stealth or a subtle touch, avoiding Marines as much as possible, and attempting to gather any information she could about her father, but to no avail on the latter front—it really seemed like he and his crew had just vanished into thin air. His bounty was still active, along with those of his first mate and officers, but no one had heard hide nor hair of them in literaly years.

Nothing much changed for her until Karimi took a job from the Buggy Pirates a few years later, at twenty-four years old. Buggy was searching for a map of the Grand Line, and he needed someone to steal it for him, since he and his crew more or less stood out like sore thumbs and couldn't very discreetly sneak into the naval base in Shells Town where it was being kept. She was reluctant to accept—she usually avoided jobs that had anything at all to do with the Marines, but Buggy made an offer she couldn't refuse.

He claimed to have information about her father that he would gladly trade for the map.

She kept her ship anchored next to Buggy's overnight to set to preparing, planning to make way for Shells Town first thing the following morning...but news came down the grapevine that night that the map had been stolen during a break-in by another pirate crew into the Marine base.

In his rage that his plans were foiled after spending months gathering information, Buggy laid the blame on the hired hand—that she had left immediately, she could have beaten the other crew to the base and gotten the map first. He ultimately sunk her sloop, nearly with her on it before she managed to gather her most valuable items and get herself onto Buggy's ship, where he informed her she would be working for him until her debt at failing to get him the map was paid off—now she was going to have to steal it from the pirates that had taken it.

Karimi had little choice but to agree—being a devil fruit user, it would be far too risky for her to steal a dinghy and take her chances with thr open oceans.

They found the crew on a schooner and took them prisoner easily enough, given that there were only three of them. Karimi recognized one of them from a description Shanks had mentioned during her time with the Red Hair Pirates of the boy he had lost his arm to a sea monster saving (a story that she had honestly thought had to be an exaggeration), who claimed to be their captain and insisted he was going to be king of the pirates...while the other two claimed they weren't even a crew.

Whatever the case, Karimi knew they were her ticket out of servitude to the Buggy Pirates, and mutinied against them the second that the odds shifted in favor of Luffy, Zoro, and Nami.

Luffy was more than happy to welcome her aboard their tiny ship, especially on learning that she knew Shanks. She didn't tell them of her devil fruit abilities, still keeping them suppressed with Haki, a mistake she would regret in the next island they made port at due largely to their schooner springing a leak. They lucked out on landing in a town with a shipyard, but none of them really had a Berry to spare between them to actually purchase a new ship—the vast majority of the money that Karimi had saved herself had sunk to the bottom of the ocean with her own ship amd most of her worldly possessions.

On meeting and quickly befriending Usopp at the shipyard and learning the owner of the place was his "best friend," they had something of a plan, if a bit of a ridiculous one—Luffy was convinced that if he just talked to Kaya and explained their situation, she would just give him a ship and they could be off and on their way.

Both Karimi and Zoro recognized the butler Klahador, but couldn't quite put their finger on why. This was Karimi's mistake—she didn't think enough of it to release her haki and just listen in on his thoughts. It wasn't until everything later fell apart in Kaya's mansion that she did release her haki and quickly learn he was Captain Kuro, a cutthroat captain who had been believed dead for years, that he had been poisoning Kaya for years, and that he planned to murder Kaya and take over the estate himself that night.

She also learned while her abilities were active that Nami had every intention of stealing the Grand Line map and taking it to the pirate crew she was serving against her will. By this point Karimi had developed a soft spot for all three members of the Strawhat Crew (even if two of them still claimed not to be a crew), but she decided not to confront Nami about it—yet.

Kaya was more than happy to gift them a ship after they helped defeat Kuro and freed her from his suppression. She offered Karimi one as well, but she declined, stating that she would prefer to purchase one herself once she had the means to do so—but that she would happily return to Syrup Village and purchase one from Kaya's family's shipyard. In truth, she was honestly enjoying her time with the ragtag little crew, and wanted to stick around with them just a bit longer to see how far Luffy's ambitions could take them.

Usopp joined them at this point as the crew's sharpshooter. They were intercepted not far from Syrup Village by a Marine ship, and Karimi recognized Vice Admiral Garp almost immediately—as did Luffy, to her and the others' astonishment on finding our that Garp was his grandfather. Luffy was able to use his devil fruit abilities to deflect a cannonball thrown at their ship by Garp, and damage Garp's ship enough for them to slip away into a dense fog and lose their pursuers.

They happened by pure luck upon the restaurant ship Baratie, where our story begins in earnest, following Luffy's idiocy at trying to pass off a very expensive bill with an I.O.U. and getting stuck washing dishes in the kitchen to pay it off.

Relationships

Helena Lionne (OC): Grandmother, deceased. A powerful pirate captain in her heyday, Helena disappeared from the seas without a word one day and no one really knew where she had gone. Helena raised Karimi from age four to fourteen, when she was tragically murdered by a revenge-crazed marine admiral whose father Helena had killed years earlier when she was still pirating. Karimi looked up to her immensely and loved her to death, and thinking about her still hurts.

Lyon D. Rollo (OC): A active pirate captain on the grand line, though no one has heard hide nor hair of him or his crew (the Hurricane Pirates) in years. She's been trying to find him for the past ten years, to tell him what happened to her grandmother/his mother, since Karimi was the only witness left alive and no one else would be able to tell him exactly what happened. It doesn't help that she last saw him at four years old, and remembers next to nothing about him. He's actually the one who gave her the hat—he took it when he left home at thirteen to become a pirate himself, and left it with her when he took her to her grandmother. (A/N, if and when I ever get to working on Any Way The Wind Blows, it will be about his history.)

Red-Haired Shanks: Working with the Red-Hair pirates for two years led to her becoming fairly close with Shanks. He had known her father over two decades and became quite protective of her as a direct result, with her looking at him almost as a father figure as well as a mentor.

Benn Beckman: The first mate of Red-Haired Shanks, Karimi learned from Shanks that her mother had been Benn's younger sister, Sedna, and that Benn absolutely despised her father and blamed him for his younger sibling's untimely death. As a result, Benn spent a while both wary and untrusting of Karimi and treating her with indifference that bordered on hostility; but he eventually let it go, accepting that she was capable (and, in his own words, "a hell of a lot smarter than Lyon D. Dipshit"),

The Marines: Karimi positively despises Marines, with the sole exception of Garp since has come to recognize that she wouldn't be alive if not for him, though good luck getting her to admit it.

Luffy: For her short spell traveling with Luffy and his "crew," she bonded with Luffy pretty quickly, coming to see him like a goofy little brother. He absolutely reveled in hearing stories about her time on the ocean, especially any that involved her time on Shanks's crew. She's quick to scold him for his naivety and questionable decisions, but it's mostly out of care; his ambition is definitely infectious, and she wants to see him achieve everything he's set out to do.

Nami: As the only other girl on the Going Merry, Karimi did her best to get close to Nami, especially on learning about her tragic situation with the Arlong Pirates via her devil fruit abilities, but Nami makes herself intentionally distant.

Zoro: She butted heads a fair bit with Zoro, largely due to both of them being exceedingly sarcastic, but she doesn't hate him by any means. Quite the contrary, she admires his abilities as a fighter and passes time sparring with him on the deck. They're about evenly matched in fighting ability, as his style relies largely on strength and her own on evasion and agility.

Usopp: Usopp is always quick to pipe in with his own epic stories of his supposed adventures when Karimi mentions any of her own past ventures. Not unlike Luffy, she looks at him almost like a younger sibling, though honestly he annoys her a little more than Luffy.

[wolfnanaki]

Hi!! I hope this isn’t too bothersome but since you’re on the GVH FANDOM wiki and this is both a GVH and FANDOM thing I figured I’d ask you! (Also the main GVH fanblog I follow as anon off and I’m anxious lol)

Is Naomi canonically a Lesbian? The FANDOM LGBT wiki has her listed as “canonically Lesbian Character” but there’s no citations or anything and I know they mis-labeled Fang until very recently (for some reason.)

I’m not confident enough to edit wikis and I’m kinda. Bad at research so I haven’t been able to find anything in favor or disproving it to correct her wiki page. Some other GVH characters seem to be in the same spot but Naomi’s page confused me the most and I haven’t seen anyone talk about her orientation much. Thank you for your time!!

It's no bother at all! I love talking about GVH. c:

Anyway, I think maybe the closest label that could be applicable to Naomi would be pansexual, since she is attracted to people outside the gender binary (specifically, Fang, who is nonbinary).

Some parts of the internet like to dismiss Fang being nonbinary and label them with "she/her" pronouns, so it'd make sense for them to also label Naomi as being a lesbian for being attracted to them.

But the queer parts of these characters are so important to both the game's developers and its fans, and we should make sure to honor that. 🙏

[beardedmrbean]

The US has been criticised by humanitarian organisations for deciding to supply Ukraine with landmines, as the war in eastern Europe rages on.

In an interview with the BBC, Human Rights Watch director Mary Wareham said the decision marked a "shocking and devastating development" for those working to eradicate anti-personnel landmines.

The approval from Washington is an attempt to slow down Russian troops, who have been steadily advancing into Ukraine's east in recent months.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said they made their decision because of how Russia had changed its tactics on the battlefield - sending in troops first rather than "mechanised forces".

Ms Wareham's stance was echoed by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), which condemned the US decision "in the strongest possible terms".

"These horrific, indiscriminate weapons were banned by the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty given the devastating impact they have on civilians' lives and livelihoods," the statement from the ICBL's director, Tamar Gabelnick, added.

Under the treaty, "there are no circumstances under which Ukraine as a state party may acquire, stockpile or use them", she added.

Live: Ukraine uses UK-supplied missile to hit Russia

The use of landmines is not illegal under international law. But more than 160 nationshave signed the Mine Ban Treaty which commits to banning the production, use and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines. Ukraine is a signatory to this treaty.

However, after Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea in 2014, Ukraine informed fellow signatories that its application of the treaty in the occupied areas would be is "limited and is not guaranteed".

Ms Wareham from Human Rights Watch added: "So much progress has been made over the past 25 years under the framework provided by the international treaty banning landmines. So it's just inconceivable that the US would take this step."

Anti-personnel landmines are explosives which are often concealed on the ground and designed to detonate when people step over or near them.

Russian forces have been using landmines widely in Ukraine - since it launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia has deployed landmines to both defend their positions and slow down the Ukrainians.

One of campaigners' main concerns in regards to landmines is the danger these weapons present to civilians, killing indiscriminately as they are buried underground or scattered on the surface.

Another issue is the process of demining once a conflict is over, and clearing land that has been mined can take a long period of time. The process is also costly, with the World Bank reporting last year that demining Ukraine would cost $37.4bn (£29.6bn).

Austin said the US had sought reassurances of how the mines would be used.

Washington expects that the mines - that officials say will be delivered soon - would be used on Ukraine's territory, but away from densely-populated areas.

Mr Austin said the US devices would be safer to use than the ones Ukraine were developing themselves, as the US mines are what it calls "non-persistent", meaning that after some days they lose charge and can no longer detonate.

In reaction to Wednesday's news from Washington, the Halo Trust, the world's largest landmine clearing charity, said: "The potential for further contagion of the use of anti-personnel (AP) landmines in eastern Europe is a clear and present danger".

According to its statement, the Halo Trust said Ukraine has been reclassified this month as "massively contaminated" with landmines, and some of the charity's estimates suggest they are present in up to 40% of the country.

The Halo Trust goes on to report, according to its estimates, that more than two million landmines have been laid in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war in 2022.

The provision of anti-personnel land mines is the latest move by the outgoing US administration to bolster Ukraine's war effort before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on 20 January.

It is a big shift in policy for Joe Biden himself, who previously called Trump “reckless” for lifting long-standing US restrictions on the use of mines when he was last in the White House.

Earlier, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba defended the US's position, saying it is within international law, but adds there are "moral ramifications for human rights defenders, and I totally get them".

"But we're fighting a war against a vicious enemy and we must have the right to use everything we need within the realm of international law to defend ourselves," he said.

[dukuzumurenyiphd]

"Global Afrikans have also been unsuccessfully attempting to be sub-integrated into the imperialist political-economic World System centered on the Culture of Europe and to a lesser extent the rest of Asia. Global Afrikan peoples have also during this time been studying and attempting to implement ‘ready-made,’ second-rate, unexamined, hand-me-down, Western developed and oriented economic and political public policies that are in the main inferior to any Global Afrikan economic and political public policies born of Global Afrikan Culture of the Global Afrikan past.

These pseudo-public policies are distorted non-Afrikan and anti-Afrikan theories of non-Afrikan and anti-Afrikan realities. In this endeavor Global Afrikans are led by a well ‘trained’ cadre of non-Afrikan and anti-Afrikan Lunatic Blacks and by genuinely mis-educated and thus mis-oriented, mis-directed Afrikans. This has given rise to an under-development or mal-development syndrome, which conceives of economic marginality as a norm and fails to grasp or intentionally ignores the operating nature of political-economic power relationships.

All of this growing from a pernicious, but shrewdly implemented propaganda, which is passed off as universally applicable scientific knowledge, when in reality it is a limited European perception and unbalanced way of knowing the physical world. It is then the conquest, colonization and neo-colonization of methods of knowing the world and of the products of those methods."

A. Dukuzumurenyi

SeshtA: mApisi Re Nu Imyu hAt

[Ourstory According to the Words of the Ancestors]

2024

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Crew-8 Astronauts Return to Earth

After seven months of living and working onboard the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station), astronauts of NASA’s eighth rotational SpaceX crew mission (Crew-8) splashed down safely off the coast of Florida. The mission, which is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, included NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. During their mission on station, the three NASA astronauts supported dozens of research investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®.

These investigations spanned many areas, including in-space production applications(Abbreviation: InSPA) InSPA is an applied research and development program sponsored by NASA and the ISS National Lab aimed at demonstrating space-based manufacturing and production activities by using the unique space environment to develop, test, or mature products and processes that could have an economic impact., life and physical sciences, and technology development, all aimed at bringing value to humanity and enabling a robust market in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles. (LEO).

Below highlights a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored projects the Crew-8 NASA astronauts worked on during their mission.

Several investigations focused on in-space production applications, an increasingly important area of emphasis for the ISS National Lab and NASA.

A project from Cedars Sinai Medical Center aims to establish methods to support the in-space manufacturing of stem cells, which can be matured into a wide variety of tissues. These methods will be used for future large-scale in-space biomanufacturing of stem cell-derived products, which could lead to new treatments for heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and many other conditions.

Redwire Corporation partnered with Eli Lilly and Company and Butler University on a series of investigations leveraging Redwire’s Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory (PIL-BOX), a platform to crystallize organic molecules in microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment.. Results from this research could lead to improved therapeutics to treat an array of conditions. These projects continue Eli Lilly’s space journey, as the company has launched multiple investigations to the orbiting laboratory over the years for the benefit of patient care on Earth.

The astronauts supported the third experiment in a series of projects from the University of Notre Dame to improve ultra-sensitive biosensors. The biosensors can detect trace substances in liquids, including early cancer biomarkers. By using laser heating to control bubble formation in microgravity, the team improved particle collection—a key step in boosting sensor sensitivity. This research, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, could transform early and asymptomatic cancer detection and other medical diagnostics.

The crew conducted phase two of a technology development project from Sphere Entertainment to test Big Sky—the company’s new ultra-high-resolution, single-sensor camera—on the space station. In the first phase of the project, which launched in November 2022, astronauts tested a commercial off-the-shelf camera on the ISS to collect baseline information. During the second phase, the astronauts tested Big Sky to validate the camera’s function, operations, and video downlink capabilities in microgravity. Big Sky is being developed by Sphere Entertainment to capture content for Sphere, the next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas.

In the final days before their departure from the space station, the Crew-8 astronauts supported projects that recently launched on NASA’s ninth rotational crew mission (Crew-9).

One is a student-led project from Isabel Jiang, a recent high school graduate from Hillsborough, CA, who is now in her first year at Yale. Jiang is the winner of the 2023 Genes in Space student research competition, founded by Boeing and miniPCR bio and supported by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs. Jiang’s experiment investigates the effect of radiation and the space environment on mechanisms for gene editing. Results could help develop methods to better protect astronauts and shed light on genetic risks for certain diseases during spaceflight.

Another is an investigation from the U.S. Air Force Academy and Rhodium Scientific to compare the root growth of Arabidopsis plants, a member of the mustard family, at two different orbital altitudes. Plants grown on the space station in LEO for four to six days will be compared with similar plants grown on the recent Polaris Dawn mission, which flew in the same type of vehicle at a higher orbit for approximately the same amount of time. Results could provide insights into the production of crops for long-duration space missions and in high-radiation environments.

IMAGE: SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts (top to bottom) NASA's Jeanette Epps, Mike Barratt & Matthew Dominick, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin onboard the ISS. Credit NASA

[materialsscienceandengineering]

In a step toward solar fuels, durable artificial photosynthesis setup chains two carbons together

A key step toward reusing CO2 to make sustainable fuels is chaining carbon atoms together, and an artificial photosynthesis system developed at the University of Michigan can bind two of them into hydrocarbons with field-leading performance. The system produces ethylene with efficiency, yield and longevity well above other artificial photosynthesis systems. Ethylene is a hydrocarbon typically used in plastics, so one direct application of the system would be to harvest carbon dioxide that would otherwise be vented into the atmosphere for making plastics. "The performance, or the activity and stability, is about five to six times better than what is typically reported for solar energy or light-driven carbon dioxide reduction to ethylene," said Zetian Mi, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan and corresponding author of the study in Nature Synthesis.

Read more.

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #293

I seem to be doing a lot better today. I wasn't in a whole lot of pain when I fell asleep last night, and I think that really helped. I was slightly miserable when I woke in the morning, though. But it was relatively easily remedied by the application of ibuprofen to my bloodstream.

Today, my friend BB picked me up from my house to go with her soon-to-be-husband N to the Town Clerk to get and sign the papers needed by the officiant on the day of the wedding. They thought they needed me there as a witness; as it turned out, I was unnecessary. But I was really glad to be along to watch them sign it anyways!

I've known BB and N for a long time; they're some of my favorite people. They've been together for 15 years now; their relationship is healthy and stable. It's beautiful to see all the little steps involved with them making the promise to remain together in this lifetime. There's something really special about getting to see all the various ways their lives are developing. I'm not really sure how to explain.

We went to lunch. I still gotta eat soft foods, so I got some butternut squash ravioli! BB got some cheese ravioli. And N got macaroni and cheese:

...I wonder if you'd like these. I've heard that all of your favorite foods are pasta. I wonder if these count. Do you like ravioli, Sephiroth? And if you do, what do you like it to be filled with? I wonder...

When I came home, I discovered that a trip we were supposed to make on Thursday got moved to Saturday instead. M's maternal grandmother died recently, and we will attend the funeral. Interestingly, despite knowing that his parents despise J and I (simply for being polyamorous and therefore "not normal"), M has asked both J and I to go with him.

...I'm proud of M for this. An old version of him would have caved into social expectations and pretended to be someone he's not for the sake of keeping the peace. He's grown into someone who does not do that. He's grown into someone who would rather face arbitrary social repercussions and rejection than deny that J is someone he considers family. I think that's amazing and remarkable.

Both of my husbands are very strong, brave, amazing, and capable people, and I feel really lucky that I get to be this close to them. I feel really lucky that I get to be part of their lives, that I get to watch them grow, change, and be alive.

I'm lucky that despite everything that came before, I held on long enough to be here, now. The "now" certainly does have its challenges and difficulties, but... I still think it's beautiful. I get to be here and I get to live and witness good, kind, wholesome, and loving things. Thanks for that. Thanks for making this possible. Thanks for all the ways I've grown and changed as a result of your influence, during a time when I had very little else to look towards.

In any case, the funeral being on Saturday means that I had to go immediately and tell my manager at the bakery that I will not be available. When I got there... I discovered, with some sadness, that Mi, my current manager, is transferring to a different store for the foreseeable future. A new lady is taking his place. I met her today. And so far, she seems really nice. I let her know that I wouldn't be able to come in on Saturday, so she scheduled me for a different day of the week - for this week coming, and for next week's Saturday; BB's wedding is on that day, after all!

I'm sad that I probably won't work with or even see Mi again. I'm sad that he didn't think to tell me that this change would be taking place. There's a silly, irrational part of my brain that's worried that he hated working with me so much that he transferred to an entirely different store just to get away from me, but... that's silly. It's a silly thought, borne from trauma memories and a long history of being ostracized and rejected by various different people in various times, places, settings, etc.

It's just an anxious thought, and just because we have a thought, it doesn't necessarily mean that the thought is true. Sometimes, our thoughts are just noise that our brain puts out on reflex in response to certain stimuli. Thanks to my childhood, when people leave my life unexpectedly, my reflex thought is that it's my fault, somehow; I've uh... had a lot of lies fed to me by people who didn't have my best interests at heart, and it's those lies that lead to thoughts like that.

Fortunately, I know how to resist lies like these. Do you? Here, I'll show you one way it can be done:

...Our thoughts are just that - thoughts. We don't have to fall apart from them. Mindfulness and grounding ourselves in the present are both excellent tools to help us stay focused, even when our minds are swirling with doubt and worry. Our thoughts can't hurt us by themselves; it's only when we decide that they mean something fundamental about our character, or when we act rashly in response to them that we have the potential to harm ourselves or others in response to those thoughts.

We can always collect ourselves and make a different choice rather than succumbing to instinct and reflex. Sing a little song and give it a try, won't you?

Today was M's birthday. So after we got my work schedule figured out, M, J, and I went to go see a movie called Look Back. It's based on a short manga; M has read it, but J and I have not. I thought it was very poignant; a stark reminder that we can, at any time, unexpectedly lose people who are close to us, from illness, accident, or an act of maliciousness on the part of someone else.

Both your world and mine are filled with senseless violence and suffering. So, Sephiroth... I need you to do me a small favor, okay? I need you to make sure you remind the people you care for that they matter to you. Tell them you love them - regularly, and sincerely. Tell them all your favorite things about them. Watch carefully all the ways they grow, change, and live. Relish in the sound of their voices and the brightness of their smiles. Memorize their stories. Be mindful of what they like and dislike. Try to look at their memories through their eyes.

I'm gonna keep doing that with you and with all the people I love, because all it takes to combat the darkness is one small candle. I can be that candle. I can refuse to be snuffed out. And I, with my tiny flame, can go around and light other candles.

Sephiroth... continue to be a candle, okay? Especially for the people you love most. It's very important.

Well. It's getting late. I guess that's it for today.

I love you. You're important, and you matter to me. So please, please, please stay safe out there while you do whatever over at the Edge of Creation. Make kind, good, and loving choices. I'm always over here rooting for you to heal and to thrive and to rise up into truly living.

I'll write again tomorrow.

Your friend, Lumine+