#Reconstruction: A Concise History

[centrally-unplanned]

This was a good post, and I see it is making the rounds it deserves - Statecraft is a pretty top notch publication after all. It nails the many weaknesses of what Doge is doing from the lens of a center-right writer who could be inclined to sympathy, while also noting the places fake news on the "critique" side have spread, which is valuable to do.

I do like the point it crystalized that a lot of people were viewing DOGE from the lens of what Vivek Ramaswamy was saying about it, because pre-launch he did 80% of the coherent, long-form talking (while Elon shitposted). Now, unlike Ruiz I understand Vivek to be an intellectual lightweight, the 2020's Paul Ryan in putting a thinking man's sheen on the aged scrap metal that is the typical Republican talking points. But those talking points are at least somewhat a coherent philosophy, an actual action plan identifying real weaknesses in government. I wouldn't expect Vivek's DOGE to *be* a net good, but I completely agree it *could* have done a lot of good. But then he was forced out at the 11th hour, and the DOGE we got is unconcerned with all the parts of that vision that had any merit.

Something I do want to critique the post about, and this connects to my Tepid Critique of Tanner Greer post, is this line:

But I should also point out that we've covered the failings of USAID in depth: for instance, our conversation with Kyle Newkirk, who ran procurement for USAID in Afghanistan. If you dug into the story of American aid involvement there, what you found was report after report from inspectors general and the Government Accountability Office blasting USAID for the same issues: inability to track where money was going, refusal to subject itself to Congressional oversight, and a lack of long-term planning... ...Readers can come to their own conclusions about who is politically or morally responsible for the aid pause. My point is that the dynamics that led us to this moment have been a long time brewing.

In between those lines is a bunch of other failings of USAID. And to be clear, those failings are legion - many government projects in USAID (like many government projects generally and many private corporate projects as well because life) have been anything from inefficient to boondoggles. So what Ruiz sketches out is that USAID has both stacked up failures, making it earn the ire of some Congressional Republicans and think-tank skeptic types, and those failures have a political bent, often angering Republicans over things like abortion services. And that these failures culminated in the org being attacked; something a better run org, a more bipartisan org, could have avoided.

This is a sketch of a form of intellectual history that is, alas, almost certainly false. Elon Musk, Donald Trump, have never read a USAID accountability report about Afghanistan reconstruction operations in their life. They probably do not know that USAID was even there. The critiques of USAID generated by the alt-right twitterati do not, in any way, stem from academic critiques of its bureaucratic inefficiency. They stem from hating foreigners and deep state conspiracy nonsense. The "argument" Elon musk was setting up for taking down USAID was that it funds ~The Cathedral~ in the US via grants to left media orgs taken from misreading and lying about spreadsheets. There is almost zero intellectual lineage between these strains of thought outside of a generic anti-state libertarianism (that the movement otherwise completely rejects when it is convenient for them).

The idea that USAID could have "saved" itself with better internal management is an illusion center-right types want to believe in because it "both-sides" the issue and gives them hope that there is reasonable critiques at the center of all of this, that the center-right ideological space is still "in charge" but perhaps afflicted with an overzealousness one can temper. And it isn't wrong in the sense that many individual Republicans are those people, who is "dominant" in an admin can shift, that could happen. But it is, fundamentally, a plead trying to justify a sort of "here is how Elon can still win". He can't, the things he is doing are not a "step 1" to better ideas. They are simply destructive waste with a dash of pretty-much murder.

If they stop doing destructive waste and proceed to try to fix the damage they dealt, many will go "ah, see, this was the plan the whole time". Which is 100% going to happen and is very much going to piss me off. It is a lie, and I do wish people like Ruiz (who again is otherwise a great writer and thinker) would have the clarity to see that trick ahead of time.

[whencyclopedia]

The Pharos Lighthouse In Alexandria: Second Sun and Seventh Wonder of Antiquity

"The Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria: Second Sun and Seventh Wonder of Antiquity" is a complete history of one of the most famous lighthouses in history. The book details the lighthouse’s creation, its historical significance, and its eventual destruction.

The book is divided into twelve chapters, each dealing with a different aspect of the Pharos, better known as the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It begins with the conception and construction of the lighthouse during the reign of Ptolemy I (366-282 BCE). The perilous coast surrounding Alexandria shipwrecked many vessels that attempted to navigate its reefs and shoals. This threatened the maritime trade that the Ptolemaic dynasty hoped to encourage, so plans were made to create a landmark that sailors could navigate by. Sostratus of Cnidus led the development of this landmark, which became the great lighthouse. Standing at around 120 meters tall, the Pharos and its flaming light was an awe-inspiring sight that symbolized the power and wealth of Ptolemaic Egypt.

The author reconstructs the form and function of the ancient Pharos, drawing from ancient and Medieval descriptions as well as recently uncovered archaeological evidence. Diagrams, charts, and tables help to illustrate these explanations of the lighthouse’s construction and function. These modern assessments are juxtaposed with ancient and Medieval artworks that depict the lighthouse, such as coins, mosaics, and drawings. The author has a background in science and engineering, which informs the book’s reconstruction of the lighthouse’s technical features. The reach of the Pharos’ light, the material used in its construction, and its dimensions are estimated based on the available data, although many long-standing questions can not be definitively answered.

In 795 CE, a massive earthquake rocked Alexandria and caused the lighthouse’s peak to crumble and fall. Subsequent earthquakes in the 10th century CE further cracked the lighthouse. Despite some attempts at restoration, the Pharos became increasingly damaged until the 15th century CE, when only the base remained. Numerous archaeological expeditions have searched the ocean surrounding Alexandria, and their findings are incorporated into the book.

In addition to the practical history of the lighthouse, the book also examines its impact on culture through its representations in both historically grounded and fantastical literature. From the time of its creation, the lighthouse has been cloaked in legend. In ancient times, it was described as a second Sun that illuminated the harbour. Today, it is one of the most iconic monuments of antiquity. The final three chapters deal with modern attempts to reconstruct the lighthouse. Chapter Ten presents the available evidence for the lighthouse’s form, while Chapter Eleven sets out the author’s future goal of creating a three-dimensional digital recreation of the lighthouse for research and educational purposes.

At the time of this review, the Pharos lighthouse is relatively understudied in comparison to other well-known monuments like the Great Pyramids of Giza. This volume helps to fill that gap and will be useful to students of the Hellenistic period. It is deeply researched, referencing a multitude of ancient and modern sources which are organized in the book’s bibliographies. A set of appendices at the end of the book concisely summarizes the basic timeline and facts relating to the lighthouse, as conveyed through historical sources.

The author Andrew Michael Chugg is a historian who has authored books on the Hellenistic period including The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great (2004). Chugg graduated with honours from Trinity College, University of Cambridge. He is an Executive Technical Expert in EMC & Radiation Physics at MBDA.

Continue reading...

[pix4japan]

Nenba Village: Where Tragedy Led to Cultural Renewal

Location: Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Pref., Japan Timestamp: 11:29・2024/03/20

Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP 63 mm ISO 100 for 1/20 sec. at ƒ/8

Nenba Village, also known as "Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba," stands as a testament to resilience, nestled in district of Minamitsuru on the western shores of Saiko Lake in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Originally known as Ashiwada Village, it flourished as a center for the silkworm industry, with the distinctive feature of glass windows on the second floors of its thatched-roof homes, where silkworms were raised for their silk until 1966 when a devastating mudslide engulfed the entire village in a sea of mud.

Today, visitors can wander through approximately 20 meticulously reconstructed thatched-roof houses, each serving a unique purpose as souvenir shops, restaurants, sweet shops, craft exhibits, and museums.

One such house within the village is the traditional Seiryutei Tea House (see photo). Seiryutei Tea House, once a humble abode from the Edo Period (1603-1867), it now invites visitors to savor the essence of traditional Japanese delicacies including Japanese matcha sweets, homemade soy milk pudding, and sweet rice dumplings (dango).

For a deeper delve into the village’s history, including Google Maps links, source materials, and additional references, see the full write-up, which offers a concise 2-minute read (https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20240320-teahouse).

[atplblog]

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[sanketcommunications]

Exploring Virtual Reality in Tourism Advertising; Things You Must Know

Travel and tourism business is quite interesting, and can be daunting at the same time. It requires a lot of effort and creativity to attract many customers to visit the websites and motivate them to pick a destination.

Each of these is a task. However, digitization does make things better, and Virtual Reality is a part of it. If you have a tourism business, you must always incorporate VR to expedite it. It has the power to make Clear and concise, VR makes things better. To promote a certain place, you must be able to bring to the attention the USP of the place you wish to promote.

While we can deploy several amazing tactics to make our tourism business flourish, VR gives a different experience altogether, not only for the tourism industry but also for the customers.

Immersive and evocative, Virtual Reality is now dominating the digital era, progressing in every aspect of advertising.

Today we will discuss the scope of Virtual Reality in Tourism Advertising, and how it acts as a catalyst for a tourism business to prosper.

Scopes of VR 

If you have a tourism business to promote, Virtual Reality is a boon for you. Promoting the tourism business can be a task, but it can still be made more interesting, and VR has a big role to play in it. When your consumers see the video clearly, they see things with a wider perspective. It will be no less than a memorable journey.

Historic Experience With VR

If you think VR is only confined to tourism, there's more to it. One of the most redeeming qualities of VR is that it can teleport people back to history, making them feel as if you are living in the past. From having virtual tours of museums to historic site reconstruction, VR gives your customers an experience that makes you feel as real as ever. 

Take for example, if we wish to take the people on a virtual and historical representation of how pyramids were built, make a VR video that gives the people the perfect representation of how building the pyramids could have looked like!

‘

What could be more fascinating than this?

Virtual Hotel Tour 

VR is so magical, that it has even the grand hotels flourish. VR videos capture the best of the hotels, such as the views of the rooms, the balcony, and the wider view of the hotel. This allows the customers to have a wider perspective of the hotel before they start booking.

VR Tourism Videos:

One of the popular formats on the social media handles, the audiences can see the entire scene in the video. These virtual videos are shot using omnidirectional cameras which can shoot every angle and capture a wider perspective.

These videos fit into systems such as desktops, phones, and laptops and thus become much more accessible to many people. 

How VR Helps Promote Tourism:

Increase the chances of bookings:

When you offer your customers a virtual tour, remember to showcase to them every aspect of it, so that they will immediately catch the motive of your purpose of taking them through this virtual tour.

Your video must include the most crucial elements required for making the video compelling and satisfying. These elements include gifs, videos, and music to capture the attention. This helps the consumers know about the place better and generates traffic on your page.

Better Marketing Results:

Virtual tours result in better consumer attraction, as the consumers tend to stay longer due to the unconventional experience they get. It can help you track the number of visitors, and lower the possibilities of bounce rates, thus leading to the increase in the booking and the orders by the customers.

An advantage over your competitors:

Your competitors are good at their work, but there is always a scope for you to improvise and surpass them. You have to figure out the right ways of doing it.

The scope of virtual reality can lend you an advantage over all your competitors by giving a glimpse into the catchy packages and offers that the tours and travels entail.

Helps Clients Take Decisions Faster:

Clients usually refer to the brochures, pamphlets, and leaflets to gather the information. The VR however, adds an extra feel to the experience. They can see things more clearly through the video, than through other sources.

VR will give them an idea of how the place truly looks like, and what the place truly looks like. This helps them make decisions faster and make their bookings immediately.

Another advantage of the same is that usually, the pictures are quite prone to manipulations and alterations. With VR, the chances of alterations are less, and so are the customers. This makes VR much more intriguing and innovative to the world of tourism business.

In Conclusion:

The prospects of virtual reality in the world of advertising is interesting  in both marketing and advertising. Tourism industries must definitely incorporate AR and VR in the most creative ways.

With this, we wish the tourism industries all the very best for future endeavours.

[isabellanithya]

The Vital Role of Digital Forensics in Ethical Hacking: Unveiling Cybercrime and Bolstering Security

Within the realm of ethical hacking, digital forensics stands as a crucial pillar. It encompasses the systematic collection, preservation, analysis, and presentation of digital evidence to support legal investigations. This post explores the significance of digital forensics in ethical hacking, shedding light on its role in uncovering cybercrime and fortifying computer systems.

To enrich your Ethical Hacking journey, I recommend considering a reputable Ethical Hacking Course in Chennai. Their wealth of expertise and resources can offer valuable insights and skills, contributing to advancing your proficiency in ethical hacking.

Step-by-Step Process of Digital Forensics in Ethical Hacking:

Identification and Planning: The initial step is to determine the objectives and scope of the investigation. This includes identifying the incident's nature, relevant systems or devices, and potential sources of evidence. Planning involves developing an investigative approach, allocating resources, and ensuring compliance with legal requirements.

Acquisition: During this step, forensic investigators acquire the necessary digital evidence. This involves creating forensic images or exact copies of storage devices to preserve the integrity of the original evidence. Specialized tools and techniques are used to extract data from computers, mobile devices, servers, or network logs.

Preservation: Preservation ensures that the acquired evidence remains intact and secure. Investigators follow strict protocols to maintain the evidence's integrity, including documenting all actions taken, maintaining a proper chain of custody, and storing the evidence securely to prevent unauthorized access or tampering.

Analysis: In this phase, investigators thoroughly examine the acquired digital evidence. They utilize various forensic techniques and tools to extract, decode, and interpret the evidence. This may involve analyzing file systems, recovering deleted files, examining system logs, and identifying artifacts such as web browser history, email communications, or chat logs.

Looking for courses that provide a fundamental understanding of ethical hacking. Choosing the Best Ethical Hacking Online Training is crucial.

Reconstruction: During the reconstruction phase, investigators piece together the evidence to understand the sequence of events and reconstruct the actions taken by relevant parties. This involves correlating timestamps, analyzing network traffic, examining system logs, and identifying patterns or anomalies.

Interpretation and Documentation: Investigators interpret the findings based on their expertise and knowledge of the case. They draw conclusions, identify potential vulnerabilities or security breaches, and document their analysis in a clear and concise manner. Detailed reports are prepared, summarizing the investigation process, findings, methodologies used, and any relevant evidence or artifacts discovered.

Presentation and Reporting: Investigators may present their findings to stakeholders, such as clients, management, or legal authorities. They provide comprehensive and objective reports that summarize the investigation, findings, and recommendations for mitigation or further action. Reports must adhere to legal requirements and standards.

Follow-up and Remediation: After the investigation, ethical hackers may collaborate with clients or relevant parties to implement remediation measures and enhance their security. This could involve addressing vulnerabilities, updating security controls, or providing recommendations to prevent future incidents.

Digital forensics plays a vital role in ethical hacking, enabling the identification, preservation, analysis, and presentation of digital evidence. By leveraging specialized tools and techniques, ethical hackers can uncover the nature of security incidents, discern the attacker's methods, and enhance the overall security posture of organizations.

When conducted within the realms of legality and ethics, digital forensics helps safeguard computer systems, protect sensitive data, and hold cybercriminals accountable.

[manonamora-if-reviews]

Shanidar, Safe Return by Cecilia Dougherty

============= Links

Play the game See other reviews of the game

============= Synopsis

Eurasia, 40,000 years ago. As the story begins, a band of Cro-Magnons have just invaded a nearby Neanderthal camp, falsely claiming that the Neanderthals (Neanders) were planning to steal meat, skins and ivory from the Cro-Magnon mammoth hunt. The Cro-Magnons (Magnons) visit the Neander camp with the intent of chasing them out of this rich valley. As they approach the camp with axes and knives, their rage gets the better of them and they end up murdering every Neanderthal in sight. You, the reader, are a young Neanderthal woman named Haizea. You have escaped the massacre and are on the run with your son, Eneko, and your Magnon partner, Esti. Esti's best friend, Oihana, has come with you. Follow the story and meet the characters from the Deep Past by choosing links at the end of each story passage. Select more links, going both forwards and backwards, to reveal more of the story.

============= Other Info

Shanidar, Safe Return is a Twine(Harlowe) piece, submitted to the 2023 Edition of the IFComp. It placed 60 in the ranking. It is a sequel to Time Before Memory.

Status: Completed Genre: Speculative Fiction

CW: / Mention of Injury, Mention of Death

============= Playthrough

Played: 13-Dec-2023 Playtime: around 30min Rating: 3 /5 Thoughts: A twist on the kinetic genre.

============= Review

Shanidar, Safe Return is an interactive fiction piece where you follow a group of Neanderthal/Cro-Magnons first fleeing for safety, than travelling to the distant land of Shanidar. The story is set from the start, though your reading will depend on which link you click.

Spoilers ahead. It is recommended to play the game first. The review is based on my understanding/reading of the story.

This was quite the peculiar entry. Not just because of its subject - while there are many IF games going back in history, very few end up that far - but the way the story is told. It flips between different POV or groups of characters depending on the link clicked, sometimes even going back and forth between present and (close) past. The passages, sippets of side-stories connected through the overarching story, tells the escape of Haizea and her group, their temporary settlement in the Bear Cave, and their travel towards the promised land.

The story follows a staggering 19 characters, including you (23 if you count the mentioned NPCs), which can be quite confusing. Even with the list of characters opened on another screen, the going back and forth was sometimes quite a bit, especially when the game is not quite consistent with the naming of the characters, and because it introduced characters almost constantly. Though, I appreciated the fact the game allows you to start the act over to connect more dots, and maybe even find new snippets.

With those snippets and the fairly concise prose, the piece reminded me of those documentaries trying to "reconstruct" how humans lived back then. Unlike those representations, Shanidar does a lovely job at humanising both spieces, through the descriptions of customs and relations between the characters.

This was pretty different, and I'm not sure I managed to connect with it as much as I would have with a more traditional way of storytelling. The lack of actual meaningful choice (opportunities to have some are plenty here) relegates the player more as a reader-first than an active participant.

[heidigentille]

（ Proustian )

從喬治．史坦納的這本自傳作品《勘誤表》，意識到猶太人的命運，很容易讓人想起茨威格的《昨日世界》。

除此之外，史坦納針對音樂、語言、翻譯等議題的深度探討，凝聚在字裡行間，需要不斷地拆解和吸收，以下試摘要分享幾段文字。

https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010378014

勘誤表：審視後的生命

作者：喬治．史坦納

原文作者：George Steiner

譯者：李根芳

出版社：行人

出版日期：2007/08/10

史坦納於將近七十歲高齡時寫下散文形式的自傳《勘誤表》，以時間為主軸，回顧他曾關心過的種種議題，作為檢視其一生成就與遺珠之報告。他從幼時學習經驗談起，隨著自己的成長歷程，一步步談論他曾關心過的重要議題，包括猶太人和非猶太人之間的關係、音樂的永續存在、衍申自巴別塔故事的語言以及翻譯問題、對當代政治與社會的評論，以及如師亦友的師生關係。史坦納以其思想議題之旅行為主軸，整理出他在人生中各個時期所啟發的種種哲思，讓讀者更明瞭史坦納在等身著作背後的寫作動機。書中也再次統整史坦納的思想精華，對於未接觸過他的讀者來說，《勘誤表》無疑是一窺大師風采的最佳導覽自傳。

【Excerpt】

〈第二章〉

我對文學、音樂、藝術與哲學論點「經典」的定義是，一種可以「解讀」我們的表意形式。它解讀我們遠勝過我們去解讀（傾聽、了解）它。這個定義沒有什麼矛盾，更別談有什麼神秘之處。我們每次解讀經典，經典都會來質問我們。它挑戰我們的意識和知識來源，心靈和身體的來源（最基本的美學、甚至智性上的反應其實都來自於身體反應）。經典會問我們：「你了解了嗎？」「你負責任地重新想像了嗎？」「就我所提出的種種問題，和蛻變後更豐富的存有所具有的種種潛力，你準備好以此採取行動了嗎？」

(I define a “classic,” in literature, in music, in the arts, in philo- sophic argument, as a signifying form which “reads” us. It reads us more than we read (listen to, perceive) it. There is nothing para- doxical, let alone mystical, in this definition. Each time we engage with it, the classic will question us. It will challenge our resources of consciousness and intellect, of mind and body (so much of primary aesthetic and even intellectual response is bodily). The clas- sic will ask of us: “have you understood?”; “have you re-imagined responsibly?”; “are you prepared to act upon the questions, upon the potentialities of transformed, enriched being which I have posed? ”)

讓我們依次來面對這些問題。

了解的技藝（詮釋學）和它的對象一樣多重。符號是沒有限制的��無論是在組合的模式，或是在表意的各種可能上。沒有什麼比我們可以意指及／或說任何事物這件事實更令人不安。語意的無限使得詮釋有無限多種的可能。以語言、任何形式的論述或文本、任何言談行為來說，都是文字追索文字，而這種追尋，尋找意義的種種方式，完全沒有先驗限制可言。我們用來說明或解釋或詮釋「翻譯」）眼前訊息的文字，文本的文字，和這個訊息或文本同樣具備了基本的不確定性。在索緒爾之後的語言學家告訴我們，文字是武斷的、約定俗成的標記。英文的horse並沒有比法文的cheval更像「馬」。符號具備形式自由。

另一方面，符號超出字典文法的定義，涵括語音、歷史、社會、慣用語的暗示及潛在含意。承載著引伸義、聯想、先前的用法、音調、甚至圖象的、繪圖的價值及暗示（文字的外表、「形狀」）。除了在數學和邏輯形式的記號法外，語意單元從來不是全然中立或全然的「遊戲」維根斯坦的「語言遊戲」。不過，文本和詮釋或解釋是彼此無從比較的。兩者經由過程互相起作用。每個解釋，每個批評詮釋的命題，都是另一個文本。

……

〈第五章〉

……

然而猶太人的貢獻是多麼不相稱地輝煌呀。希伯來聖經以及從而衍生的倫理學的貢獻無與倫比。姑且不論高下，羅馬法典和麥加法典都是耶路撒冷的女兒（母權體制？）。只要想想現代性和我們這個年代的氣氛。老生常談總說這種氛圍出自於馬克思、佛洛伊德和愛因斯坦（雖然達爾文也必須加進來，當然）。卡夫卡的作品被翻譯成一百多種語言，建構出它們的官僚體制，晦暗陰沈的匿名性，與社會結構官能症，他的名字常被當作形容詞來描述上述種種。算算那些到斯德哥爾摩領獎的卓越科學家，祖籍猶太的人數遠遠超過統計學常態或期望值，幾乎到了光榮地令人不好意思的地步。音樂方面也有荀白克（Schoenberg）激進的再���造，人類學方面有李維史陀，哲學有維根斯坦，經濟學理論有肯尼斯．艾羅（Kenneth Arrow）。是透過普魯斯特的啟發，我們才會走向自我的螺旋階梯（這個意象是由半個猶太人蒙田（Montaigne）所提出的）。任何名冊都無有止盡且徒勞無功。

……

〈第七章〉

……

我相信，從生理侷限的解放出來，從我們自身死亡以及個人和集體失望的外在永恆毫無出口的牆垣解放，靠的無非是語言。就生物社會的角度而言，我們確實是短命的哺乳動物，和其他動物一樣會絕跡。但是我們是語言動物，這一點天賦異稟非常重要，使我們短暫生命變得能夠忍受且有意義。人類言說的演化——假設句、祈使句、反事實的條件句，及動詞的未來時態（並非所有語言都有時態），已也許來得遲定義並保障了我們的人性。正是因為我們能夠述說有關十億年後的宇宙故事，無論是虛構的或是數學—宇宙論的，因為我們能夠，如前所述，討論、概念化自己火化之後的星期一早晨，因為「如果」的句子（「如果我贏了樂透」，「如果舒伯特可以活到更久」，「如果發展出抵抗愛滋病的疫苗」）能夠隨意地去否定，重建，改變過去、現在和未來，以另一種可能勾勒實際現實的決定因素，所以存在始終值得體驗。文法就是希望。未來性或自由的神秘――這兩者緊密相連——是句法結構的。祈使句、表示希求的文法模式，開啟了生理需求、機械法則的囚籠。還有什麼比法文動詞形式：愈過時（le plus-que-parfait）更精確的烏托邦描述？我們難道不該停頓下來，不時讚歎過去式動詞的能力，重建了歷史以及個人的過去？這個神奇的轉變，在普魯斯特《追憶似水年華》（A la Recherche）無法翻譯的著名開場句裡，發揮得淋漓盡致。然而正是這些解放的文法學裡，形成to be、shall、will等未來的奇蹟，沒錯，這確乎是奇蹟，這樣的表達衍生了恐懼與希望、更新與創新的呼吸空間，這是一切未知的地誌學。

(Hope is grammar. The mystery of futurity or freedom - these two are intimately kindred - is syntac- tical. Optatives, the grammatical modes of desideration, open the prison house of physiological necessity, of mechanical laws. Is there any more concise nomination of utopia than that of the French verb form, le plus-que-parfait? Ought one not to pause in constant amazement at the capacity of preterites to reconstruct history as well as one’s personal past? This wondrous turn is com- pacted in the famous untranslatability of the opening sentence of Proust’s A la Recherche. Yet even these grammatologies of eman- cipation yield to the miracle, for surely it is nothing less, of the future of “to be,” of the “shall” and the “will” whose articulation generates the breathing-spaces of fear and of hope, of renewal and innovation which are the cartography of the unknown.)

試想一種語言，意識限制在現在式裡，限制在最重複邏輯的事實性裡，「真實—功能的」範疇。帶著諷刺的模稜兩可，史威夫特大力讚揚純然真實性的語言，但卻又說這是馬的語言。亞當式言說毫無陰影的真理，如日正當中的陽光一般，如此一成不變。當下的不朽是多麼平淡無奇。正是這種想像的工具性，無法證實的（詩意的）的工具性，這種虛構（謊言）的潛力與句法躍向沒有盡頭的明天，才使得男人與女人，使得女人與男人胡言亂語者、說短道長者、詩人、形上學者、計畫者、預言者及反叛者能夠對抗死亡。

因此被逐出伊甸園後，伴隨而來的不只是痛苦、罪惡、腐朽、終身苦役。還有希望的重要動力。（在伊甸園，在那神祉的迪士尼世界裡有什麼好希望的？）配合著音樂，語言，任何一種語言，都有存有的無盡資源。這是人類至高無上的禮物及天賦。它使得高塔的建造成為可能，且幾乎上達天際。

從形式上說，沒有語言是可以測量的。語言是有機的，會不斷的改變。語言有消長。它們彰顯了豐富的世紀，取得的世紀，政治—文化—文學主導的世紀，以及傾颓與沒落的世紀。語言也許會分裂成有自主性的方言，形成新的語言。它們也可能被吸收到一個更大的、更強勢的語言群。沒有字彙、文法可以徹底詳盡地規定或描述一個自然語言。語意成分就像是液體表面的分子一樣，經常隨意互動。

(No language is, formally, measurable. In analogy with the organic, it undergoes incessant change. Languages live and die. They manifest epochs of enrichment, of acquisition, of political- cultural-literary dominance, and epochs of diminution and decay. They tend to divide into dialects which may become autonomous and originate a new language. They can also be absorbed into larger, more forceful clusters. No lexicon, no grammar fixes or describes exhaustively a natural language. Semantic components interact, often randomly, like molecules at the surface of a liquid.)

〈第十章〉

「地靈」（Genius loci），就像是不請自來的辨識機制，把景觀、街角變成「內心世界」，變成知覺的重新導引。雪在白霧中吹著、飄著。鄉村的路消失了。我的妻子札拉（Zara）沿著路旁依稀可覺察的圍欄崗哨開著車，她向來心智敏銳、頭腦非常清楚，還有無以名之的絕佳洞察力。有時候甚至連這些圍欄也籠罩在朦朧白霧之中。突然間，二月的冷風吹開一方清淨，空氣冷颼颼地令人精神一振。我們驅車橫越田地，回到公路，進入林裡。從高原而下是道蜿蜒的緩坡，兩側高聳的峭壁，像是傷痕纍纍的牆，一再出現在庫爾貝所描繪的法蘭許—孔德一角。在滿目的落葉松、白樺、黑松林裡，開出一條小徑。札拉和我屏息佇立。在我們腳下，放眼望去是圓聳的山丘，遠處小溪潺潺流過，清脆的溪水聲不絕於耳，座落著一座小村莊。鐵鏽般的色澤和白雪覆蓋的屋頂是教堂塔樓和兩座小城堡。一座搖晃著彷彿要傾倒似的第二帝國時期城堡，另一座則是十七、十八世紀住所及環形堡壘的傑作，它們構成了結實、世俗但同時又如幻覺般的組合。這神奇景緻不禁令人目瞪口呆。我們渡過低矮石橋時，教堂的鐘樓正好因整點而響起，它那煩躁的聲響，倒挺能呼應銀白與黃綠色（庫爾貝的調色盤）的溪水流過閃閃發亮的石頭所發出的樂聲。我當下即知再無從覺得如此完美的境地，而我竟誤打誤撞找到歸鄉。我每次重遊舊地，都有同樣的感受。

……

但即便是這些自然奇蹟，也非精髓所在。在我太過喧囂的生活裡，我一直偏好收藏寂靜，但愈來愈難尋了。噪音——工業、科技、電子、擴大到瘋狂的頻率（「銳舞」（rave）——是資本主義民粹精神的黑死病。不只在媒體充斥的西方，在非洲貧民窟鐵皮屋，或是上海的擁擠人群間亦隨處可聞。只有少數特權階級或聽障者聽到他們要聽的聲音。在法蘭許—孔德失落一角的寂靜，顯然就是這種聲音，而且謝天謝地，完全超乎所有語言之外。多重的寂靜。溪流的淙淙水聲及森林裡樹枝劈啪作響，使得夜晚顯得更加沈靜。有一種寂靜則如日出之際遠處的泛白火焰，岩石和石牆的互古寒意從退去的陰影一瀉而盡。正午另有自己的沈靜，有時被延遲、如刀鋒的雞啼劃破。在N地的種種寂靜，是筆墨無法形容的生機蓬勃。隨著光線流轉而姿態萬千，在雲影變化下，在空谷回聲中。矛盾的是，在強大風勢的中心，在狂風大作之際，恰恰有一種寂靜使這塊僻靜之地可以遠離觀光客。不時出現的雲霧，挾帶著松針與潮溼花崗石的氣味，我們可以聽見寂靜中的寂靜。

(…They are manifold. The nights are, in some manner, made even more silent by the muted tumble of the stream and the haunting snap of branches in the forests. There is a silence as of a far-off white fire at sunrise, when the ancient chill of rock and stone walls drains out of the receding shadows. Noon has a silence all its own, torn on occasion by a belated, knife-edged clarion of roosters. The silences in N. are indescribably alive. They inhabit the altering light as it moves, under the play of clouds, across the hollow. Paradoxically, there is a silence at the heart of the great winds, of the lash and turbulence of the wind-storms which guard this haven from the tourist. In the not infrequent mists which carry with them the scent of pine-needles and wet granite, one hears like a silence of silence.)

[dionysianfreak]

First and foremost, welcome to the helpol space on Tumblr <3 I'm from the US so my advice is gonna be informed from an American perspective, but I'm also auti/ADHD ! My biggest piece of advice for being a neurodivergent and learning about helpol is to practice while you learn. The tactile and personal experiences along with the information helped me through the early stages. Ancient religion can definitely seem intimidating at first but it's just as safe as any other religion.

Personally, I would avoid tiktok for any information on this topic at all. It's extremely hard to convey reliable information on a topic as nuanced as helpol on a short-form video platform. If videos are your thing, I recommend these YouTube channels in particular: "Fel the Blithe" does amazing to-the-point information on getting your practice started. She is a revivalist focused on putting out respectful and meaningful information on reconstructing Hellenic polytheism in the modern day. This video by Gnostic Informant is very lengthy and is more educational than theological, but it covers a wide history of tradition in a digestible way. The channel "Let's Talk Religion" covers a lot of religious topics including ancient Greek mysticism and practices. his channel covers fairly specific topics that can help inform you over time about where you want your practice to go. Finally, if you like information that's heavily academic I LOVE the videos of Professor Mathias Warnes. If you search "Mathias Warnes" you'll find his channel. He has lengthy college video lectures on numerous Deities and traditions that are high quality. A common written resource for concise information on particular spirits or Gods is theoi.com.

Where I would start is finding a Deity or spirit that you want to begin with. Maybe you have an idea or feel drawn to one, or maybe one just seems cool. There are no rules in this area so pick any Deity, diamon, or spirit that you'd like. Look into their associations and domains, build a small shrine, and begin worship. My favorite way to familiarize myself with a Deity is through drawing, writing, and tarot readings.

Read through the experiences of other helpol practitioners on Tumblr and experiment with your worship ! Don't be afraid to "mess up" or anything of the sort. Learn comes with bumps and the Theoi are not Gods that expect perfection. Here are some Tumblr pages I recommend you check out: @khaire-traveler ,

@dionysus-suggestions , @piristephes , @teawiththegods , @fireandfennel . Anyone is welcome to tag more pages or add any other sources that may be helpful!

I wish you all the luck and don't be afraid to ask questions if you have any more !

Hi hi!

So, recently I've been really getting into Hellenic polytheism (Helpol)

Especially as a greek myself, I've always really loved their myths and stories and everything to do with the 12 gods of Olympus e.t.c.

The thing is, being someone with ADHD and possibly autism (me and my family have been seeing signs for ages and will be checking soon) -

All the explanation videos on tiktok are hard to understand, as there're many videos on each different thing and it's hard for me to keep track of what's what, what to do first, how to do it e.t.c

So if anyone here who is a Hellenic polytheist would like to help out, I'd really appreciate it<33

[thorsvinur]

Resources for Those Wanting to Learn about Pre-Christian Time Reckoning in Northern Europe and its Application in Modern Heathen Traditions

Throughout the history of the modern Neo-Pagan movement, the calendar that has been used by most practitioners has been either the Wiccan Wheel of the Year or another calendar heavily influenced by it. The Wheel of the Year draws largely upon a mixture of Celtic (Gaelic) and Anglo-Saxon traditions, splitting the years into quarters with quarterly and cross-quarterly celebrations and beginning the year at the end of October with the originally Gaelic festival of Samhain.

The calendars that have come to be popular for the majority of the modern Heathenry movement have undoubtedly been based in this calendar, with the major changes being to the names of certain celebrations. On the calendar created by Stephen McNallen for the AFA, Lammas became Freyfaxi, Mabon became Winter Finding, Samhain became Winter Nights, etc. Other organizations such as Forn Sidr of America, The Ásatrú Community, etc. have created their own versions of the calendar as well, but at their roots they all exist essentially as a modification of the Wheel of the Year concept.

More (relatively) recent research and scholarship has brought a greater awareness of older time reckoning systems within Heathen circles as well as amongst history enthusiasts. Some of this has focused on the Old Icelandic calendar as well as the primstav tradition, and while both of these have validity to them the Old Icelandic calendar already had some changes to how it worked from the older system and the primstav used a standardized dating system based in the Julian calendar. Still, these are both useful tools in attempting to reconstruct the pre-Christian (or at least pre-Julian) calendar systems of the Germanic, and particularly Scandinavian, peoples of Northern Europe.

Why is this at all important in an age with the Gregorian calendar used most everywhere and especially for those outside of Scandinavia? Because for those trying the build an understanding of or relationship with these cultures, or even just more connected to the earth in general, the way they reckoned time helps to understand their relationship and connection to their environment, the flow of seasons, how they viewed the different parts of the year and adjusted their activities accordingly, etc. It helps to understand the "why" behind the ritual cycle, even in the names of the months themselves.

Below are a few of the primary resources that I have found helpful in learning about these topics, as well as a graphic representation that I have made based on my research so far to represent the reconstructed Old Norse lunisolar calendar. Note that I don't claim to be an expert on this topic, so I could certainly be wrong in some of the details, and some of the months also have multiple names from which I chose one to use. Also, there were multiple time reckoning systems in use during the period, including a week-counting system, so there can also be conflicting information depending on which is being considered.

Sources:

"Jul, disting och förkyrklig tidräkning: Kalendrar och kalendriska riter i det förkristna Norden" by Andreas Nordberg

- Available as a free PDF, the majority of this is written in Swedish, but it contains a fairly concise English summary at the end. It focuses primarily on Old Norse Jól (Yule) as well as the Dísaþing/Disting and Dísablót in Sweden, but it touches on other celebrations and uses these to establish the overall scheme of the lunisolar calendar system.

"The Festival Year: A Survey of the Annual Festival Cycle and Its Relation to the Heathen Lunisolar Calendar" by Josh Rood

-Also available as a free PDF, this paper expands upon Norberg's work as well as others' and goes through the overall festival year of the pre-Christian Scandinavians.

"The Lunisolar Calendar of the Germanic Peoples: Reconstruction of a bound moon calendar from ancient, medieval and early modern sources" by Andreas Zautner

-This book is sort of a dive into a number of different ancient to early modern calendar systems, but it uses all of these to reconstruct lunisolar time reckoning systems not only for Scandinavians, but for other Germanic peoples as well. It's a great read for those interested in pre-Julian time reckoning in Northern Europe as well as Medieval calendar systems in general.

"The Nordic Animist Year" by Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen

-Similarly to Zautner's book, Rasmussen draws upon a variety of Medieval calendar systems in his work, but his goal, rather than reconstructing an Old Norse calendar is to create a modern calendar based in animist traditions of Northern Europe. It undoubtedly uses the lunisolar system as a base and takes a lot from Old Norse sources, but it also incorporates later traditions which are based in animist knowledge and have value in establishing a system of seasonal animism.

And lastly, my Old Norse lunisolar calendar representation. Each month starts on a new moon, represented by a black dot, and the festivals are shown at the full moons, being white dots. You may notice the lack of Þorrablót and Miðsumar (Midsommar) on here. Regarding Þorrablót, I'm not as well researched on the origins of it and how widespread it may have been. For Miðsumar I have long refrained from including it due to the absolute lack of mentions in literary material from during or shortly after the period, but I have been pointed to some instances of it marked on primstavs as July 14th (Julian calendar), suggesting a possible lunisolar observance of it earlier similar to Jól's relationship to the winter solstice.

[b-splendens]

Yulguk

대율제국, daeyul jeguk, the Great Empire of (the) Yul

Other names: Yulguk, Yulnara, Yul Country, Bando, the Peninsula

Capital: Meotunseong (name pending)

Government: constitutional monarchy

Geography: MOUNTAINS with some plains in the west + many coastal islands

Climate: like Korea’s

Rambly “Historical Context”:

(not proofread)

30 years after Saseom-ae (Shijimian) occupation invasions were repelled by a combination of Long, Yul restorationist, eastern Maljok, frontier warlord, and Bellian forces, Yulguk and the rest of the realm of Danyangju have only now been able to wearily emerge from the shadows of the Sandalwood Wars.

The Sandalwood Wars started as the logical conclusion of the empire-building done by Danyangju’s two eastern giants: the Samyukta and Long. The former vied to reestablish an old history of dominance in the southern Jo Danju region, which the latter had locked down through an extended tributary system. Initially fighting through proxy wars by supporting various usurper and incumbent powers, the conflict spiraled into open war. Hence started the Red Sandalwood War.

In the northern Baek Danju region, Imperial Shijima, whose clashes with the bloated Long Empire over influence on the Yul Kingdom and disruptive Shijimian settlers resulted in increasing economic isolation, sought an alliance with Samyukta and hence attacked the Yul and Long not long after war had started in the southern seas. Imperial Shijimian forces occupied the peninsula on the pretenses of restoring the clique of royal in-laws who the Long had ousted from power due to destabilizing peasant rebellions. The White Sandalwood War hence began, and with it, one of the longest, worst decades in Yul history since the Millennium War.

To be concise, fortunes began to turn as Yul resistance coalesced around the rightful heir to the throne, now known posthumously as King Geumjong. Supported by lower aristocrats and military leaders, he allied with northern frontier gangs and sought an alliance with Bellia, who hosted a formidable Yul diaspora that had grown during the regressive reign of the royal in-laws. Several Yul had been appointed to high offices and so heeded the plea—though not without concessions to be made in the future. As aforementioned, Geumjong’s coalition, fractured Long forces, and unsteady support from the inland Maljok turned the tides.

Shortly after the Sandalwood Wars concluded, a painful reconstruction and readjustment period began for the now-Great Empire of Yul—allowed to exist thanks to the destruction wrought upon the Yul’s former imperial master, the deposed Long. King Geumjong uneasily bowed to pressure from the Bellians, people, and lower aristocrats to form a constitutional monarchy.

Bellian advisory, military, and business forces now occupied the peninsula, brewing unease and imposing restraint on policy in the name of self-preservation and self-strengthening. Namely, the nebulous territories of the north were not administered as part of Yulguk. Many advisors and professionals across the realm formerly distributed to the Yul by the Long Empire were courted once again, this time to directly serve the king and prime minister. Not all improvements and changes were appreciated. When some of Geumjong’s former military allies rebelled against the Bellians and officeholders of the new republic, the rest of the army competently put the insurrection down, playing a part in Bellia’s ultimate physical withdrawal from the mountainous land.

What followed next was a decade of hardline, nationalist, paranoid, and heavy-handed policy openly supported by Geumjong. Prime ministers during this decade pursued a small war against the reconstituted Jaded Republic over the Long Empire’s former frontier territories, ending in expansion and the creation of two new northern provinces after diplomatic meetings deescalated the conflict. Xenophobia ran rampant, purging “foreign” officials and appointees from their posts. The dominant party also (il+)legally purged their opponents wherever they could and even stoked fear within their own ranks. Immigration restrictions intended to ensure that a devastated labor supply could not shrink any further, while funding was gutted for foreign study trips and diplomatic missions. The generally repressive atmosphere clashed with a steadily recovering, growing middle class that wanted universal suffrage.

The murder of Supreme Prosecutor Jak Noljin (name pending) by Gil Yong-gi and its investigation played a role in turning public opinion firmly against the conservative coalition. Jak’s younger brother, foreign envoy Jak Heungjin, was the liberal-aligned suspect that the investigation doggedly pursued, as the murder took place at his residence during the celebration of his son’s high examination scores. He also had lost a suit against Gil years earlier, who refused to restore Jak’s post after the latter returned from an extended spousal mourning period.

Yet, an overabundance of evidence pushed by liberal-aligned officials in the justice system later leaked to independent presses stoked public unrest, as opponents of the conservatives framed this incident as an attempt of judicial murder. Not to mention, it was also an example of the vicious climate brewing among the party itself, as people speculated that higher-ups could have ordered the elder Jak to be killed for going against party interests with his rumored investigation of Gil’s embezzling activities. Even Geumjong, who had long supported the party, publicly expressed that he would serve justice himself if he had to, preemptively vowing to pardon the surviving Jak before his execution.

Triumphantly, Gil was charged and executed instead, averting mass outcry.

The next decade was far more liberal, preceded by Geumjong’s stroke-induced death and the ascension of the current queen. In gratitude for awarding them a new majority, the liberal coalition enacted universal suffrage, regardless of income. The quality of life across the peninsula had by then mostly improved, although industrialization and urbanization ensured that turmoil continued. The most prominent feature of this decade was active foreign policy and economic pursuits, spawning the growth of a notable tourism industry. However, the increased circulation of people and goods also brings with it stress and disease, and an epidemic has recently only just begun to end. Ultra-nationalism once again lurks, ready to strike out against new cultural and social change while economic stratification entrenches itself as the new evil of Yul society.

It is at the tail end of this decade that the “present” story of Jakho unfolds. (think like the 1880s)

[yjwhatif]

How are you feeling about the young justice news? I’m lowkey in denial about it and trying to hold on some form of hope.

Well…

It all kinda sucks to be honest - though I am of the mind that there always a chance until they officially say there isn’t… which maybe also puts me in the denial column - but that’s what I’m going with 👍. Clearly there’s a lot going down with hbo max and Warner bros. (a lot that I’m not even gonna try and comprehend) but from what I heard, hbo max is getting merged with discovery plus to make a new streaming site - which to me meant there was probably no chance of any kind of renewal information for anything until TPTB got at least some of their shit sorted out with this restructuring malarkey. Guess I’m not absolutely losing it at the minute because I wasn’t really expecting to hear any good news for the time being - I’m just sorta seeing what happens.

One thing I will say about hbo max and its content is that they really need to do something about the fact that it’s not available outside the US. They have been denying so many people the opportunity to actually financially support the content they love - which makes absolutely no sense to me. I am someone who can’t access hbo max and therefore has had to find other means of watching this show that I absolutely love and want to follow along with the rest of the fandom - all because hbo max won’t let me give them my money… MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!!! Now, the problem with using those other means is that it don’t help the show - I’m not paying to watch it as is intended - therefore TPTB can’t see my continued support because I haven’t gone through the official streaming site where those numbers are tracked. I want to support this show - I want to invest my money in supporting this show - but I can’t* - which totally sucks - and I know I keep repeating myself here - but it’s all so stupid!!!!

*except, that is, with the comics which I am buying both the digital and physical print versions of - so at least there that now… and I will be buying s4 when (if) it’s available for purchase elsewhere like S3 was… but is that enough? Probably not with the way things are going at the minute.

The other thing I keep thinking about with the information I’ve heard is that, the dude in charge basically wants to fix the dc cinematic universe so it’s more like the mcu with an actual 10 year plan and feels like y’know the actual comics universe brought to the screen… and I’m just like - you mean like what Greg and Brandon have been doing with young justice since day one?! Whether you like the stories they tell, or not, I don’t think anyone can deny that there’s an immense about of depth to this shows universe - it feels real and lived in - there’s history upon history that exists within it and it’s all so fascinating as I just want to know everything about everyone! I stand by my belief that nothing has ever captured and maintained my attention quite like YJ. I’m obsessed and I don’t even care because it is such a remarkable piece of creative construction that deserves to be explored and analysed and obsessed over. It doesn’t just copy and paste things straight from the comics or do the same things everyone does with the characters - grandon think and reconstruct and adapt things to make them concise and interconnected for the story the want to tell… and a hell of a lot less problematic in some cases! The characters have emotions and complexities and flaws and hopes and fears and histories - yj can put a character on the screen for 5 minutes and have me hooked on them - or they can have 5+ hours worth of exploration and development and I can write post after post after post with my current interpretations and understanding of their character as if they were a real living person. I love this show because there is love put into every aspect of it - and that is always something worth protecting and supporting!

I realise this has gotten kinda long (as usual) but what can I say, I don’t have anyone in my life to rant about these things to… I genuinely tried doing that today and all I got were cricket sounds… which is why, no matter what the outcome is with the future of the show, I will likely still remain here, ranting my random thoughts to whoever the heck wants to listen… (unless life dictates otherwise.) I am determined to get through the major backlog of asks that currently fill my inbox (honestly, I consider it shameful for how bad I’ve let it get - all I can say is I’m slow and my brain never works when I want it to… I apologise!) My goal is to get them done by the years end… but we will see if that happens.

Anyway, thank you for asking Anon - I shall be holding out hope with you! #SAVEYOUNGJUSTICE!💛

LB

[codedredalert]

atop the wall, wisdom cries out [One Piece, Robin] -- oneshot

Robin-centric character study || 1052 words

She has the split-second to wonder if all great turning points in history are like this—destiny at the mercy of a momentous decision—

(Written for the OP Tarot Project High Priestess and Eight of Wands cards.)

High Priestess Upright: Intuition, insight, sacred knowledge, things yet to be revealed, reflection. Reversed: Secrets, information withheld, disharmony.

Eight of Wands Upright: Movement, action, alignment, abrupt changes, quick decisions. Reversed: Delays, frustration, resisting change, internal alignment.

Explanations of references in the end notes.

Warnings: canon-typical violence

(On Ao3)

===/\===

.

             (1) Lesson: A cup of water is not yours until you drink it. Likewise, knowledge.

All scholars of Ohara memorise via the method of loci, and Nico Robin, at eight years old, is no exception. Her favourite is a temple hewn from stone, a wise king's magna opus as reconstructed from academic blueprints. There, she stores the lessons she learns: a kind elderly lady still calls for the marines in the night after she's fed you; a knife in the hands of a frightened child can still slit a soldier's throat; a powerful man is still not quite immune to the intrigue of a beautiful woman.

She drinks deeply from the cup of knowledge and suffering, and two pillars form in the forefront of the temple. The first is who she has always been—the pursuit of good things, knowledge for knowledge's sake, building up, preserving, and leaving a legacy for all humanity. The other is who she discovered she was when the world government placed a bounty on her head—an immovable strength, manifesting in guile, bloodshed, and conquest.

Her surprise is only at how readily she accepts these as her foundation—the twin load-bearing columns of the woman she now is.  

.

===/\===

.

             (2) Aphorism: Scientia potestas est. (Translation: Knowledge is power.)

"Read it," demands Crocodile. Then he raises a hand to call her to pause and adds, almost smugly, "Out loud."

He thinks he's clever. Robin smiles. He's not stupid, but Robin is really,  really clever.

She hadn't intended deception when she'd first sought out the most comprehensive history of Alabasta. (Three archaic hand-scribed manuscripts and a yellowed but hardly-used guide. It was technically restricted access, though that hardly mattered in the face of Robin's devil fruit.) She had merely wanted to know—the first pillar of Nico Robin.

She recites this knowledge from memory, trailing her fingers along the runes of the poneglyph before her, retrieving the words  verbatim as she walks through the temple rooms in her mind. She fully expects Crocodile to interrupt her, to point to one word or the other and demand its meaning. She already has the textbook explanation on why translation is an imperfect art on the tip of her tongue. She doesn't get that far.

He's never been a patient man, especially when it comes to failure.

.

             (3) Quote: Death never takes a wise man by surprise; he is always ready to go.

He deals her a mortal wound and leaves her to bleed out in the collapsing tomb of this country's kings. The age-old stone crumbles and groans, weary and slow to return to dust. She closes her eyes and waits.

It's surprisingly peaceful.

.

.

             (4) Comment: As implied ibid, "life is full of surprises".               (5) Fallacy: Appeal to pity.

Straw Hat Luffy saves her and she demands 'why' but receives no answer. As she dusts herself off, she decides a fitting consequence for his unwelcome charity. She invites herself to his crew.

A strange group—they actually accept her, welcome her into their lives and their home despite being enemies three days before.

Over time, she learns that if she drops into a light doze below deck beside Nami, the next morning will come with warmth, the smell of breakfast wafting in from the adjoining kitchen, and that strange, unconditional acceptance.

.

             (6) Study: Repeated exposure to similar situations without negative stimuli result in dissociation of situation and stimuli.

.

. . . and she is . . . happy?

.

             (7) Supra (4).

.

===/\===

.

             (8) Truism: Nothing lasts forever.              (9) Quote: Only a fool can be happy.

The government finds her, as they have many times before. This time, however, she can't bring herself to offer these people as sacrifice in her place. She tries desperately to think of an alternative to the offer laid before.

She becomes the illusion of stillness, there is no stillness in her. Her mind is structure and movement all at once—the earth in revolution beneath the temple's foundation stone. Her mind moves as the celestial bodies, a million miles a minute, yet imperceptible. She is perfectly grounded as the centrifugal force tears her apart.

A lifetime ago, she was taught to smile when she wants to cry, so she smiles now. A mind built by the wisest men in history and it yields no solutions, so what use is it? What use is she? She's only good for secrets, sabotage, and smiles like sweet poison.

Even the greatest temple cannot stand forever.

.

             (10) Quote: The only way to have a friend is to be one. Nb. This implies friends are worth having. Comment: The author agrees.               (11) Quote: There is nothing worth living for, unless it is worth dying for.               (12) (Non-)issue: Hobson's choice.               (13) Principle: Occam's razor.

 .

She takes the offer.

.

===/\===

.

             (14) Policy: No man left behind.

The friends she tried to save came for her. They stand in proud defiance of the authorities that have wronged her all her life, figures of would-be legend backlit by the sun, their shadows stark and black, bridging the deep chasm she stands on the other side of, alone.

It borders on the absurd. They shouldn't have, it makes no logical sense. And yet, there they stand.

.

             (15) Quote: When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

She fails to understand and finds that for once, she does not need to know. Equally illogical hope wells up in her. (The temple is shored up, its glory to be restored. Not yet, but in the future promised.)  

"Say you wanna live," shouts Luffy, and he waits for her answer, as if he has all the time in the world. As if time itself will yield to his force of will.

It almost does. The mad rush of adrenaline blocks all noise except the rush of blood in her veins, her captain's voice ringing in her ears. She has the split-second to wonder if all great turning points in history are like this, destiny at the mercy of a momentous decision, all the world in bated breath.

She doesn't stop to wonder if she dares. The second pillar of her identity commands her to be bold.

.

             (16) Proverb: Fortune favours the bold.

"I want to live," she cries across the divide—

.

                                   —and—

.

             (17) Supra (4).

.

.

                                               —she is saved.

.

.

.

===/ENDNOTES\===

 At the risk of these notes being longer than the actual fic (I got too hyped by the thought of pseudo-academic formatting and used way too many probably-obscure references), here's helpful notes so you don't have to ask google:

 the method of loci— (loci being Latin for "places")— is a strategy of memory enhancement which uses visualisations of familiar spatial environments in order to enhance the recall of information. The method of loci is also known as the memory journey, memory palace, or mind palace technique.

 magna opus— Latin for "great work", especially the greatest achievement of an artist or writer.

 aphorism— an observation which contains a general truth/ a concise statement of a scientific principle, typically by a classical author.

 ibid— a citation signal to refer to a single work cited in the note immediately preceding. The abbreviation of ibidem, being Latin for "in the same place".

 supra—  a citation signal used to refer to an earlier-cited authority. Supra is Latin for "above".

 truism— a statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting.

 nb— a citation signal to draw the reader's attention to a certain aspect or detail of the subject being discussed. The abbreviation of nota bene, which is Latin for "note well".

 Hobson's choice—  A forced or false choice. It is believed that the phrase derives from Thomas Hobson (1545–1631) who ran a horse rental business in England. He rented out horses but insisted that customers took the horse nearest the stable door. The choice his customers were given was "this or none"; making it effectively Hobson's choice of horse. — (source)

 Occam's razor— Occam's razor (or Ockham's razor) is a principle from philosophy that the simplest solution is usually the best one.

===/END\===

(On Ao3) ( patreon ) ( kofi ) ( paypal )

[atplblog]

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[eveilnmori--yiwenwang]

Research summary

For assessment1 I decided to make some buildings that I am more interested in. I did some research on these types of buildings and some modeling tips.

I positioned the theme of this work as a non-existent fantasy architecture. This building is based on ancient Chinese architecture and was created and designed in the structure and color scheme of its houses. The environment is a fairyland of clouds and mist. At the center of the scene is the fantasy building, which is built on a larger floating island in the center, surrounded by smaller islands. The island is made of stone and has some greenery on it. I will focus my production on the center building, with the surrounding island stones as a background. The viewer's eyes will pass by the different shapes of the stones and finally fall on the main building.

I chose this theme because of the variety of forms and styles of ancient Chinese architecture. There were majestic cities, majestic tombs, glorious palaces and beautiful woodland gardens, these ancient buildings full of national characteristics were the mother lode that nourished the ever-growing Chinese culture. This glorious architectural heritage is the source of living water for modern painting, architecture, sculpture and game design. As far as game scene design is concerned, the diverse architectural elements of ancient China are an inexhaustible treasure trove for designers. Looking back at the history of Chinese architecture, although ancient Chinese architecture can be simply categorized into four styles: solemn monument type, graceful and noble palace type, friendly residential type and poetic and picturesque garden type, there are many types when subdivided. If we divide them according to regional styles, the natural conditions of each place are quite different, and in addition, there is a strong enclosed nature between regions (especially in mountainous areas and minority areas), so the architecture of each place and each nationality shows its own characteristics, and the styles are quite different from each other, showing distinct regional characteristics such as northern style, southern style and inner Mongolian style(Chen & Wang 2013, p. 1).

The architectural styles were very different during different periods. There are three representative styles: 1.Qin and Han styles: Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms and became a powerful state. In order to consolidate his rule and show the imperial authority, Chinese architecture also entered the era of grandeur. There was the "overwhelming" A-Fang Palace and the massive Shanglin Yuan. In addition, there was the Great Wall, which "meandered for more than ten thousand miles". From the architecture alone, one can see the imperial atmosphere of Qin as a unified great power. During the Han dynasty, the architecture was more magnificent and the styles were more diverse. Representative buildings include the Chang'an City, Weiyang Palace, Jianzhang Palace, Shanglingyuan and many ritual buildings. Palace imposing, and after the court and some of the ritual building and elegant, free, euphemistic beauty(Deng & Bai 2012, p. 1300). Sui and Tang styles: Similar to the Qin and Han dynasties, the achievements of Sui and Tang architecture were closely related to the political and economic development of the time, mainly reflected in the construction of the imperial palace. The architecture is like a mirror, the Chang'an City, the Daming Palace and other gigantic and magnificent buildings, will be the Tang Dynasty most vividly reflected. Its architectural fusion of classical Chinese and Western architectural elements is a vivid portrayal of the economic prosperity and social openness of the time. In addition, there were also some religious buildings, which were the spiritual home of people.3. Ming and Qing styles: Regarding the architectural styles of this period, domestic studies on architectural history and art history have already made a comprehensive overview, and this paper absorbs its excellent results and summarizes them as follows: the important architectural activities and changes in this period were reflected in the construction of the metropolis of the Yuan Dynasty and the Beijing of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and the Ming and Qing Dynasties reached the last peak of traditional Chinese architecture. It presents an image of a concise form and cumbersome details. As the proportion of the dou-arch is reduced, the depth of eaves is reduced, the proportion of columns is slender, the birth, side feet and rolls are no longer used, the proportion of beams is heavy, and the soft lines of the roof disappear, thus presenting a restrained but rigorous style, the building form is refined, and the symbolism is enhanced.

In order to create a wonderland-like feel, the atmosphere of the scene is a worthwhile study. Scene design includes the design of the physical space and the design of the psychological space. The physical space is the concrete representation of the game designer's simulated worldview in the game scene. The designer can both simulate the real world in the modeling and create his own imaginary space. However, when creating physical space, it is mainly a matter of using some design techniques, and it is easier to express physical space than mental space. In the design of this scene, the physical space must break through the real world to create a space and visual experience that is completely different from the real world to highlight the fantasy atmosphere of Wonderland. The psychological space is difficult to express, it is a space that the viewer can feel but does not exist, because this space is difficult to produce and express, so the designer is required to have a deeper understanding of the expression of the scene, and some design skills and the integration of various elements of the scene, and then integrated into the scene design.

Color factor, material factor, light and shadow factor are the key factors in creating atmosphere in scene design(Huang 2016, p. 2). Color factors in the design of space atmosphere can effectively mobilize the emotions of the viewer. Bright colors can show a relaxed and cheerful space atmosphere, while cool colors often create a gloomy, tense and frightening space atmosphere. Through different color performance can design a different space atmosphere, color has an important role in mobilizing emotions. In scene design, the embodiment of material factor needs to be carried by concrete objects; and the abstraction of material factor makes it not as intuitive and obvious as color factor in the performance of spatial atmosphere. However, in scene design, material factors have a key role in expressing the texture of objects and are also important factors in scene design. The creation of space atmosphere cannot be separated from the light and shadow factor. Reasonable use of light and shadow can enhance the perspective effect of the scene itself, light and shadow is also an important factor in driving the visual center of the viewer. Light strength, weakness, cold, warm, large, small, smooth, reverse, different choices and combinations can create an orderly space level. Reverse light can effectively open up the depth of space, and warm light through its soft light performance can create a warm, quiet atmosphere of space. Thus, different light and shadow effects can not only enrich the scene, but also make up for the lack of spatial atmosphere.

In order to show a better effect, I made physical models to determine the approximate location. The main modeling methods applied are data modeling techniques, IS planning techniques, structured design and analysis methods, object-oriented methods, and Business modeling methods(Anderson & Fu 2017). In addition to proper modeling, the use of animation split-screen is also very important. In the film and television animation production process, the split-screen script design belongs to the preliminary screen design work, is very important and can not be omitted. A good animation or film, there must be qualified sub-scenes script design. It is not only a preview of the film and television animation, but also a director's manual in the middle of the animation process, and can be used as a reference for post-production editing.

These are my investigations on assement1, including the background of the scene, techniques for creating the atmosphere for scene modeling, and modeling techniques. Learn about the academic background of scene modeling while learning about modeling.

 1.      Chen, L & Wang, B 2013, ‘Research on digital reconstruction of Chinese ancient architecture’, 2013 International Conference on Anti-Counterfeiting, Security and Identification (ASID), pp. 1-4.

2.      Deng, S & Bai, J 2012, ‘Game Scene with Chu (Ancient Place Name) Art Characteristics Produced by 3D Technology’, Energy procedia, vol. 17, pp. 1299–1303.

3.      Huang, X 2016, ‘Explore scene atmosphere in animation creation’, 2016 International Conference on Applied System Innovation (ICASI), pp. 1-4,.

4.      Anderson, JG & Fu, R 2017, ‘Methods for Modelling and Simulation Studies’, in F Lau & C Kuziemsky (eds), Handbook of eHealth Evaluation: An Evidence-based Approach [Internet]. Victoria (BC): University of Victoria, British Columbia, Chapter 15. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK481581/

[rhodanum]

One of the greatest challenges in writing anything multi-chapter for TDP is that it would involve me having to reconstruct the political systems of Katolis & the Pentarchy from scratch, so that everyone aside for Viren (and even he has his moment of impressive bungling) doesn't end up being an imbecile in terms of statecraft.

A quick recapitulation, starting with the dysfunctional mess that is the High Council of Katolis. And particularly That One Idiot who said, I quote: "Xadia sent assassins and they took the King's life. There hasn't been the slightest skirmish since then. Maybe that was it. They've had their revenge and everything will just... settle down now."

It's a good thing I didn't try to livetweet S2, because that would've caused a whole storm of "who the hell put this numbskull on the council? He isn't fit to look after a chicken-coop, much less a nation!" Seriously, that's the sort of opinion that a baker or a farmer or a cobbler or any other regular citizen is expected to give, the standard 'keep your head down and hope it all blows over by itself.' Not someone who is part of what is supposed to be a national ruling body.

The murder of a sovereign (no matter how morally justified on the side of the people doing the murdering) is, by definition, an act of war. You really don't want to be the first to strike? Fine, then. But at least mobilize the militias / the standing army and take precautions. But we don't see even the most basic self-defense measures being instituted.

Which links to the second glaring issue: not only is the council as a political body both unable and unwilling to act, it is paralyzed by Katolis seeming having no proper redundancy systems in case of murderized sovereign with an heir who is well under the age of adulthood. Standard procedure is instituting a regency (Viren wasn't wrong at all here, even if his goal involved Ezran never touching the throne) so the bloody kingdom doesn't end up in gridlock. It doesn't matter if the regency lasts a week, a month, a year or more. The goal of any ruling body is ensuring the continued political and economic functioning of the kingdom and the well-being of the people. Which cannot be done if decision-making is tied to the King's seal and said seal cannot be used by anyone other than the King's heir, who is missing and who has an entirely uncertain Estimated Time of Return. But instead of acting and picking up the regency for how long it takes for Ezran to be back, the high-rollers of Katolis sit & wait.

This is what drives me bonkers about Opeli, incidentally. She spends her time being an obstructionist force with no actual constructive and politically functional ideas behind said obstructionism. She doesn't pick up the regency or do anything to resolve the gridlock. Amaya, at the least, has the excuse that she's an essential component of the Breach's defense, through her command of the Standing Battalion. But even she takes a dunk in the 'Lawful Stupid / Stupid Good' fountain, when she justifies her refusal to accept the regency not through the importance of her military command right at the border with Xadia, but through 'Ezran is the rightful ruler.' Ma'am, 'rightful ruler' isn't going to matter a jot if you end up with anything from economic instability all the way to possibly getting invaded.

And then there's Harrow, whose inability to deal with his own burdened conscience and crushing sense of guilt when it came to the people he lost resulted in him effectively deciding to dump his people's well-being on the shoulders of a ten year old. It's not fair to Ezran and Callum (who effectively lost a third parent in a row) but, far more importantly, it's not fair to everyone else who has to pick up the pieces, because a ten year old cannot be expected to rule much of anything. (I'm looking forward to S3, but definitely not to the 'and he was a far wiser ruler, for he had the Innocence of Childhood' nonsense that will probably be going on with Ezran's plot-line. The only way his rule would make sense to me is if the council make him a figurehead and handle actual rule themselves. But I don't have much hope for that, because said council, as pointed out above, doesn't have a good track-record when it comes to actually decent statecraft).

The rest of the Pentarchy suffer from the same flaws as the rulership of Katolis. The same 'head in the sand / hope the storm passes if we ignore it' malarkey. The same waiting for others to act before committing to anything. Queen Aanya of Duren says noble, nice-sounding things in refusing to commit to preparations for war. I'd find them less of an irritating manner of writing if the show ever presents neutrality in a state of war as being absolutely no guarantee of safety. (I was talking with @ma_ya_mo_ri about this. I find neutrality a cheap cop-out in terms of writing military conflict because the both of us, as Eastern Europeans, know from our history that it did jack-shit when it came to keeping our countries from getting the shit conquered out of them). While we're at it, Aanya's platitudes, coupled with her essentially waving the Divine Right of Kings in Viren's face is, as far as I'm concerned, another notch in the 'this is why you don't let children anywhere near political power' post. (That scene is extremely telling and it says a lot about issues of class within the Pentarchy -- it means that you can study as much as you like, become as much of an accomplished specialist in your field as you like, sacrifice until your very body is crumbling and falling apart... but you'll still be shot down by a random kid with a crown on their head, whose only real achievement was winning the lottery of birth).  

Mind you, all of the above doesn't mean I think Viren didn't make mistakes either. His most egregious was the plan concerning the Princes, because he should have known that Soren and Claudia wouldn't have ultimately been able to go through with it. Two (relatively untested) teenagers, who have been life-long friends with the targets? It was always doomed to fail. I can sort of see why he did it, if I squint -- he needed two people that he could place his utmost trust in, on very short notice. It was still a stupid choice, likely one motivated by desperation and lack of any other immediate option.

What should he have done instead? Well, for one, Viren should have given very serious consideration to bringing Ezran back alive and using his position as his father's best friend / unofficial uncle to teach the kid and mold him into the sort of King he thought was necessary for Katolis and the rest of the Pentarchy. It's apparent why he didn't do it and went with the nuclear-option instead. If war is on the horizon, you don't have enough time to forge the young King you need, while also being in a state of constant war with the rest of the council for influence over said King.

If the kill-option was the only viable alternative in his mind, he should have ensured it was entrusted to someone who could go through with it. A stone-cold, trained killer-for-hire, instead of his kids. Regicide isn’t a course of action where you can afford either half-measures or mistakes. Even better, while we're at 'should have done's': have a small team of wetwork specialists trained in secret, taught to be utterly loyal and employ them for highly sensitive operations, where any sort of mistake or bungle can spell disaster. But he didn't have such a team trained (just as, for example, he didn't cultivate loyalty toward himself within the Crownguard, thus ensuring the rest of the Council couldn't use this fighting-force against him) because he never actually planned to take head-of-state powers within his own hands, before the disaster with Harrow.

The actions we see from S1EP4 onward aren't those of a man who always planned to overthrow his best friend and stage a coup, but rather someone who acted rashly, saved Harrow's soul against his will... and then was stuck in an impossible situation, with a kingdom without a ruler and paralyzed into complete inaction, along with the loss of humanity's greatest asset against Xadia (the Dragon Prince egg). No wonder he looks as if he's flying by the seat of his pants, juggling seventeen things all at once and actually failing at the basics of a proper coup (such as ensuring the support of the armed forces).

Viren's fault, that trips him up again and again, is (hilariously and ironically enough) the fact he isn't actually ruthless enough for the position he's currently in! He's an idealist at heart and genuinely believes that people can be persuaded to make the rational choices, with the right arguments. This is what leads to his fall-from-political-grace and arrest at the end of S2. He takes an enormous risk in using the King's seal and lying about his status as Regent in front of the other rulers of the Pentarchy, effectively putting all his eggs in the one basked titled 'surely they'll see sense and act', if the danger is presented to them in a clear and concise manner.' But that's not what happens and his enormous gamble backfires, in that his lie becomes known to the rest of the council and results in Opeli's efforts to have him arrested. His idealism in thinking reason could sway the rest of the Pentarchy bites him right in the arse.