#Vehicle Alignment tool

[anndywood]

Signs Your Vehicle Needs an Alignment

Your car should feel like an extension of yourself, responding smoothly and predictably to your inputs. But if you find yourself constantly battling a pull to the left or right, or your steering wheel isn't centered even when driving straight, your vehicle's wheel alignment might be out of whack.

Here are some telltale signs to watch out for:

The Tug-of-War: Does your vehicle consistently drift to one side while driving straight? This is a classic symptom of misaligned wheels, forcing you to constantly correct your steering.

The Uneven Tread: Take a closer look at your tires. Are they showing signs of uneven wear, like excessive wear on the inner or outer edges? Misalignment can cause your tires to wear down prematurely, costing you money in the long run.

The Shaky Sensation: Feel a vibration in your steering wheel at higher speeds? This could be caused by misaligned wheels putting uneven stress on your suspension and tires.

The Off-Center Wheel: Is your steering wheel slightly crooked even when driving straight? This doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem, but it can indicate misalignment.

Ignoring these signs can lead to reduced fuel efficiency, compromised handling, and even safety hazards. If you suspect your vehicle needs an alignment, don't wait. Luckily, there's a solution for DIY enthusiasts!

The QuickTrick QuickString 5th Gen 4-Wheel Alignment Kit empowers you to check your vehicle’s wheel alignment conveniently and accurately at home or garage. This user-friendly system allows you to measure caster, camber, and toe, the three key angles that determine alignment.

The best thing is the quality and reliability. All QuickTrick Alignment Kits are 3rd party tested for accuracy. No wonder they are used by individuals, automotive shops, professional and amateur racers, and even the military.

With the QuickString 5th Gen 4-Wheel Alignment Kit, you can take control of your car's maintenance and ensure a safe and smooth driving experience. Check out today!

[thepringlesofblood]

chungled

so. on dropout.tv there is one (1) episode of a show called "Dimension 20: Foundry", filmed over zoom during the pandemic, that never got past this pilot episode as far as I can tell. the idea is that brennan lee mulligan and [guest] will stat out a character together. the guest in this episode is lou wilson.

they create a full character sheet for Chungledown Bim*. as a 20th level warlock (Pact of the Chain).

now, it's possible that "Dimension 20: Foundry" just never took off, or got pushed to the side, but I personally believe that brennan lee mulligan made up this show specifically to trick lou wilson into creating his archnemesis.

the d20 wiki page for Chungledown Bim has the basic stats and some of the feats, but nowhere near the level of detail as a full character sheet (understandable). also completely understandably, the d20 transcription fan community has not come out with a transcript for this one extremely obscure video. I bring this up because I went through and did my best to accurately transcribe the character sheet, because it's fucking bonkers.

I also included some direct quotes from the episode in the often-ignored 2rd page of the character sheet where you list your backstory and what you look like and "allies and organizations" and general stuff that's significant but has no mechanical properties.

so. TLDR: i re-created Chungledown Bim's character sheet from the video where brennan and lou create one for him. god help us all.

*lou states in the video that 'Chungledown' has no hyphen.

bc the image IDs are going to be so so long, I'm putting em below the images instead of in alt text.

sorry the resolution's shit, I don't know why it did that.

note: I will not be noting areas I left blank in the image id. you can assume it's a basic dnd 5e charsheet template. i did the dark mode one bc i have sensitive eyes and wrote in comic sans for dyslexia reasons but otherwise that's how its organized, idk how to explain it in an image id other than just listing the information contained within.

[image id:

image 1:

Character Name: Chungledown Bim Class & Level: Warlock Lvl 20 Background: Pirate Race: Rock Gnome Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Strength: 14 (+2) Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: 20 (+5) Intelligence: 18 (+4) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 20 (+5)

Proficiency Bonus: +6

Armor Class: 14 Initiative: +3 Speed: 30 Hit Point Maximum: 206 Hit Dice: 20d8

Saving Throws Strength: +2 Dexterity: +3 Constitution: +5 Intelligence: +4 Wisdom: +9 (proficient) Charisma: +11 (proficient)

Skills

Acrobatics (Dex): +8 (proficient) Animal Handling (Wis): +3 Arcana (Int): +4 Athletics (Str): +14 (expertise) Deception (Cha): +11 (proficient) History (Int): +4 Insight (Wis): +3 Intimidation (Cha): +11 (proficient) Investigation (Int): +4 Medicine (Wis): +3 Nature (Int): +4 Perception (Wis): +9 (proficient) Performance (Cha): +5 Persuasion (Cha): +5 Religion (Int): +4 Sleight of Hand (Dex): +3 Stealth (Dex): +3 Survival (Wis): +3

Passive Wisdom (Perception): 19

Attacks & Spellcasting Name: Eldritch Blast ATK Bonus: +11 Damage: 4d10+5 force

Other Proficiencies & Languages

Languages:

Gnomish

Solisian

Proficiencies:

Navigator’s Tools

Vehicles (Water)

Light Armor

Simple Weapons

Equipment

10 GP

A belaying pin

50 ft of silk rope

Pirate Clothes

Seagull’s Beak

Leather Armor

2 Daggers

Blackjack

Flintlock (Arcane Focus)

Scholar’s pack

Brass Knuckles

Personality Traits: Crazy, Committed, Goal-Driven, Voracious Eater, Efficient, Frugal

Ideals: Vengeance, Revenge, Payback, Getting Even, Muttering, shitting in Fabian’s mouth - Mythologically Infinite Retribution

Bonds: Bill Seacaster, Upchungle, Fabian (Dark Reflection)

Flaws: IBS, Emotionally Closed-Off, Myopic, (Distant from Family, losing Cooking skills, combating ennui through obsession = non-sustainable)

Features & Traits: Darkvision Gnome Cunning

-ADV on INT, WIS, CHA saves vs. magic Artificer’s Lore Tinker Bad Reputation ——— Patron: Bill Seacaster (fiend) Dark One’s Blessing Pact of the Chain: Upchungle (a disgusting seagull) Dark One’s Own Luck Fiendish Resilience Hurl Through Hell Eldritch Master

Invocations

Cloak of Flies

Chains of Carceri

Investment of the Chainmaster -Mask of Many Faces

Otherworldly Leap

Repelling Blast

Eldritch Spear

Agonizing Blast

Feats

Grappler

Squat Nimbleness

image 2:

Character name: Chungledown Bim

Age: 65 Height: 3’8” Weight: 220lb Eyes: Yellow Skin: Sunburnt Hair: Matted

Character Appearance: Filthy Beard of mustaches unique teeth (different materials) Bloodshot eyes “he is elementally tied to the concept of filth” - Brennan Lee Mulligan huge overcoat with pockets full of pasta

Allies & Organizations: Upchungle (familiar) “as fucked up as he [chungledown] is” “always greasy” “Chungledown has a real intimate relationship with this fucked up bird” doesn’t need to breathe, can be summoned in a flock of up to 6 Upchungles

Cult of Bill Seacaster Bill Seacaster is a fiendish patron, who sponsors Chungledown because he wants his son to have the best nemesis possible (see quotes below)

Additional Features & Traits

“…especially with how he’s [Bill] gone full chaotic, the idea that like, ‘cause he loves me and wants the best for me and I think he knows I need a nemesis. you know, he had James, I have this crazed gnome who wants to shit in my mouth, and so I think there’s part of me that’s like, my dad is like, what’s up? Like you want to, I love you son but this is something you need to face and I’m going to help make it as powerful as it can be so that when you overcome it, you know true victory.” - Lou Wilson

“There’s honestly part of me that thinks that Chungledown Bin tried to switch out patrons and my dad just murdered ‘em. Like murdered whoever he was going to and was like nope, you’re sticking with me, because I want you to have the best. I want you to have the best when you come for my son” - Lou Wilson

Character Backstory:

“There was a man, Chungledown Bim, but like the character, the fullness of Chungedown Bim starts the day I turned my back on him, and that’s the day he begins the work to become the man we [he and Brennan] are creating today, and that man is 20 levels of warlock” - Lou Wilson

“like an arcane John Wick of taking a shit in your mouth” - Brennan Lee Mulligan

Treasure:

his trinket, the Seagull’s Beak is the literal, dirty, grungy beak of a dead seagull. he gets “surprisingly emotional” when he can’t find it, and sleeps clutching it.

image 3:

Spellcasting Class: Warlock (Pact of the Chain)

Spellcasting Ability: CHA Spell Save DC: 19 Spell Attack Bonus: +11

Cantrips:

Eldritch Blast Poison Spray Infestation Create Bonfire

Spell level: 1 Slots total: 0

Find Familiar

Command

Spell level: 2 Slots total: 0

Spider Climb

Flock of Familiars

Spell level: 3 Slots total: 0

Stinking Cloud

Tongues

Incite Greed

Counterspell

Spell level: 4 Slots total: 0

Blight

Wall of Fire

Sickening Radiance

Spell level: 5 Slots total: 4

Negative Energy Flood

Scrying

Far Step

Contact Other Plane

Dream

Mystic Arcanum (once per long rest) -Investiture of Stone

Mystic Arcanum (once per long rest) -Etherealness

Mystic Arcanum (once per long rest) -Power Word Stun

Mystic Arcanum (once per long rest) -Imprisonment

/end id]

[witchofthesouls]

About the Other/Cybertronian!TFP crew in Jack, Raf and Miko…

What would their alt modes be like, do you think? Would they be more Autobot, Decepticon, or Predacon in nature? Also, what kind of shenanigans would each of them get into?

Personally, I do enjoy the thought that cyberized!humans would have a slant towards 'military' upgrades and beastial traits. Like a tribute to humanity's ties to the animal kingdom and their capacity for arms (tool usage lol). Think of it how a lot of civilian equipment, vehicles, fashion, and architecture, as well as groundbreaking discoveries, had a lot of roots from warfare or military applications.

Shoot, I'm thinking that Aligned verse cyber!humans could be considered throwbacks since the initial generations of early Cybertronians didn't have T-cogs!

I think it would be really fascinating to build on the Cybertronians' form of ableism (as seen with Bumblebee and Starscream with their stolen T-cogs) compared to a cyber!Agent Fowler -who was an Army Ranger-or a cyber!random human that lacks a weapon system and/or conventional armature. Plus, the massive culture clash between American views on social mobility versus Golden Age Functionist-held caste system.

(So much shenanigans there.)

Generally, my thoughts for their Cybertronian forms are consistent across the various Other aus with some tweaking on the plot and the world-building:

Jack has deep ties to blackbirds and corvids, so he's capable of flight. May have multi-forms as an ode to a fae heritage or something strange as a direct descendant to a Prime of Chaos upon a planet caging the Unmaker. Dark frame with a pale face. His (and his mother's) optics would be a grey-blue hue.

Miko is a War-Forged Seeker femme. A lot of is due my headcanons on Seekers (and their kin) and her yōkai roots. War-Forged is what I'm specifically calling Elita One's frame-kith. Cybertronians used to bleed pink, so the bright pink armor is callback their Primal Age and their ancient roots. War-Forged are mecha with extreme combat-related programs that modern science as yet to come close to surpassing them.

As for Raf, he's a dragon. Not quite a Predacon, but it's definitely aligned. Or, weirdly enough, a satellite. I think it would be funny if he's similar to Soundwave in some ways there. The Autobots would need to deal with his data-cables. A dragon shape as it's a call his family's roots to being adventurers to Elsewhere, his dad being a dragon himself, and the old warning: "Here be dragons."

[santoschristos]

Many of the structures built on this planet, particularly ancient sacred sites, have information stored within stone. In the same way, you have information stored within the bones of your skeletal form. When you allow sound to move through you, it unlocks a doorway and allows information to flood into your body. It also penetrates the ground, affecting the vibrations of Earth and allowing a rearrangement of a molecular alignment of information to take place… Sound is a tool for transformation. Keepers of Frequency, which is what we are encouraging you to become, learn how to modulate the frequency they hold through sound. Sound can penetrate any substance, move molecules, and rearrange realities.

In ancient Egypt, the ankh, or symbol that represented life, in actuality was a frequency modulator. It was utilized by individuals who were masters of keeping frequencies and able to do many things with those frequencies. The ankh is similar to a tuning fork and can direct sound. That is how it was used a long time ago.

Before you will be able to experience using sound in the manner of the ancient Egyptians, you will have to demonstrate your integrity. You will have to pass an initiation or a testing to see whether you can be trusted with this kind of power. This planet is not ripe for this kind of energy simply to be thrust into anyone’s hands. If you were capable of this kind of work at this time, your life would not be safe because there would be too many who would want to misuse your gift.

You will be given abilities as you can best mature into them.

You can begin to work with sound by allowing it to “play” your body. Get yourself centered, clear your mind, and allow tones to come through you. The ancient mystery schools worked with sound in this manner, and it is a very powerful technique when done in a group. Many years down the road, but within this decade, you will amaze yourselves with what you will perceive as the results of your cooperative sounds or symphonies of consciousness playing themselves. When you tone together, you will be shown what you can do without even knowing you can do it.

You will learn how to use and cultivate this kind of energy to make your own ankh.

The creative form of sound is shown to you first as a potential. You are led and orchestrated through the use of this sound. Eventually, you will discover on your own some of the things that sound can achieve. Then you will become more daring, and you will learn what sound can create. Energies are introduced this way to make certain there is not a misuse of them and that you don’t overextend yourself or overdo out of enthusiasm.

You will go very far with your use of sound after working with it for awhile. It is like a powerful tool being given to an infant. Without proper awareness, you could do things and not realize the ramifications of what you are doing. Think about what sound does in stadiums and auditoriums. The cheering or booing of a crowd creates an ambience. When groups of you make sound together, you create an ambience for yourselves.

You allow certain energies to play the instrument of your bodies. You let go of preconceived ideas and allow different melodies and energies to use your physical bodies as opportunities to represent themselves on the planet. In actuality, what you experience is the life force of energies that you allow to express through your own selves. You become channels.

Just as our vehicle allows us to come into your reality through her body, you allow a vibration to come onto the planet in its full glory through your bodies and your joint cooperation. You birth something. You create an opportunity, and an energy takes advantage of that opportunity..

The Pleiadians - Barbara Marciniak

[nerdcrawfish]

wheezing loudly

yesss i need more perfectionist controlling pharma being a little bitch abt the TINIEST of values. y'all get me y'all GET me.

LIKE him complaining about MILIMETERES of all things iS SO FUNNY BECAUSE HOW BIG THEY ARE.

Like that's us getting pissed about A Cell. Oh you're off by a cell in placement. How fucking shitty. You're a disgrace to yourself, medicine, your school, the patient and WORST OF ALL ME.

and like the worst part is that pharma CAN not only measure that fucking small...

But also can make such precise minute fucking adjustments that small. So he's THE. WORST. A BITCH AND ONE WHO CAN BACK IT UP.

BUT, what's stupid as hell is that HE KNOWS deep down that it's fucking negligible. Like oh so what if that weld is not perfectly aligned symmetrically and is the tiniest line between conjunction and neatness? It still works. What if it protrudes a bit? It's okay though because even IF it's large enough to mess with transformation--the patient IS NOT transforming in the next week or so. By the time THEY WILL be discharged, the weld will no longer be there. It's unimportant and not worth the effort, time and energy to always make clean neat weld lines.

But NO. THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Clean welds ALWAYS. NO margins of errors! NEVER. THEY CANNOT EXIST because PERFECTION FROM THE GET GO removes the NEED for them!!!

Pharma cannot stand mediocrity. It's a little ocpd and A LOT of needing to prove he's the best because he is.

And throw some functionalism in there that he got shit prewar and at the start for being a jet going to medical school?? (Because that shit blends and is slow to leave academia. And you know academia was a vehicle of functionalism--taken over, corrupted and used like a tool...) BUT, adding an outside driver pushing further on his own need to be the best in medical school?? Honestly... I think that’s peak. Because it's him. He's pushy and has shit self worth and has clearly ocpd. But that could be manageable given any other environment, but we're talking about medical school and the field here. So it would be worse via stress. Because it gets left untreated.

Because it was always there, his perfectionism, but it was helped along. Became an obsession, a constant state of need. Of processing. He views the world as an active fight against mediocrity. And he's the perfect warrior that will overcome it. It cloys his entire existence.

He needs to. Because otherwise they'd be right. They'd be right he doesn’t belong. They'd be right, all of them, the voices--inside and out--that he's... That he's mediocre. Not worthy. Not as good as he think he is.

And was he Ratchet's friend because he needed to surround himself with the best, to PROVE to others he's also the best? Did he attach himself to Ratchet because he wanted to emulate Ratchet so badly and wanted to be near him constantly to do so? And did they end up genuinely being friends from the get go or as the result of sticking around and learning about each other? (Or did Pharma manufacture it all? Their closeness? Maybe not all, but a little...) It is the messy combinations of all the above that life is often?

Did he become enamored with this cocky ass ambulance who winks his way knowingly when they're the top students yet again with matching 100s on the latest exam? The exam of SEVERAL that the professors stated NO ONE gets 100% on and stared straight at Pharma smugly in the class as that was announced? Because surely, this time Pharma WILL slip. He WILL prove he's as mediocre as the rest of the students--but it never happens. And Ratchet, irritatingly, is right there with him. Did it orginally piss Pharma off--he was supposed to SHINE to STAND OUT and here he is sharing the spotlight? Much less with the ambulance who shows up drunk to class and still manages to answer all the pointed questions correctly with a drunken slur and irritatingly precise, controlled wave of his servos? It had to have pissed him off. This drunk party ambulance is his equal. That can't fucking be right.

Did they both start out as being eachothers rivals in medical school where they constantly had to out do the other? Taking on more ridiculous cases with self put on restraints to show off so ridiculously? Doing spark bypasses with one servo. Three way fuel pump transplant (one which Pharma will FINALLY up thousands of years later at Delphi with his 4 way AND being a donor. TAKE THAT RATCHET.

(now i wonder is it a specific one that is 4 way or is it a weird swap meet thing going on... hm. too tired to care.)

How about them both going further into the material and bringing up experimentals and cases gone wrong to prove they're the best? To out do each other on being insufferable know-it-alls in class to the delight and horror of some professors (and all horror to the other students)... To prove in one swoop they're not only the best in class, but ready to go beyond the class. They're not only 100%, they're 110% the best. Everyone else is fucking up charts and here they are finding procedural errors in surgeries gone wrong--all on their own--and being right.

And how about the fact Pharma is the best with Ratchet? They've always been the best together. Even when Ratchet flitted off and did his side hobby that was the dead end clinic, they'd still be working together at their main hospital. Because they're... Something. They're something.

They always were something.

Until then they weren't.

While Ratchet was on earth playing doctor with the prime all by himself, Pharma was stuck on a backwater planet all alone with a sea of idiots and medical crisises every other day... But never anything like taking care of the Prime. No, just doing feats of medical genius for some miners and never getting recognized for it. It’s never a note on anyone's mind anymore. It's not a source of contention, not a show off pagent, he does the work and it's just everyday.

And it hurts, not that he'll admit it, all of it. The whole situation goes from hurt and confusion and being untethered to growing sourly into bitterness and that anger of being left like that. Like he meant nothing to him.

And he's stuck on a far away planet that means nothing too. He means nothing to the Autobots too huh? Is he just an accessory for Ratchet then? Something so easy to pick up and leave? Was Pharma just a fucking idiot this entire time-not realizing what their relationship really was? That Pharma needed Ratchet. It was never the other way around. He just let his stupid feelings and need for friendship, his stupid need for those optics he admired so much beyond their calculations and wit--how he started to admire they way they wrinkle in amusement and knowing when they look his way, but it wasn't like that for Ratchet. Never was. Remember? He was supposed to be a vehicle of Pharma's excellence--of proving he was the best.

And maybe--no clearly, Pharma miscalculated. Didn't realize how it ended up that they weren't together the best. No, Pharma was just a hanger-on this entire time. Only recognized when with Ratchet. And when he left? He became the nothing (of value, worth, person, existence) that he always was before. The things that everyone so desperately wanted him to be in medical school and under functionalism.

A footnote.

He just wasn't supposed to be Ratchet's footnote.

But here they are.

anyways... pharma's a hot mess and i wuv him and his hot mess aft,,, god jets and their hang ups amiright, (<--- trying to ignore the psychic damage they did to themselves)

also throw in stress from tarn and being alone to deal with it. and then ALSO the fact that fucking ratchet brings DEADLOCK along as his plus 1 (plus pipes) and they're so...

They remind him of how Ratchet was when they were younger, but also? Not. Somehow not at all.

Ratchet looks at Deadlock in a way that Pharma--for all the years they were together--can tell was what Pharma was always waiting for. That look right there.

And he's got it. He finally gets to see it. But it's at another mech. And a fucking decepticon of all things.

:^] 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

[stormyrainyday]

How to Read MFB Like a Professor: Chapter 1

Supplementary Content: Quests

This is an addendum to this analysis mostly containing other thoughts and things I've learned. There is less focus on analysis itself and more on the technical approach to analyzing. It's mostly things to think about when trying this for yourself-- aka, the intended lessons learned.

This chapter teaches you to take pause when you see a character go on a trip to fulfill an objective and think about what the 'true' goal of their trip is. Provided in the chapter were the key components of any given quest, listed here for convenience.

The person on the quest

The 'Holy Grail' (a.k.a. the thing they want)

The stated reason for going on the quest

The obstacles on their journey

The real reason behind the quest

As stated in the analysis itself, items 1-4 are in service of understanding item 5, the true reason or outcome of the quest. Of course, this checklist is a guide, not a mandate. It serves to provide a framework by which to organize your thinking when attempting to understand a character's personal development. Not all components are necessary to analyze a trip as a quest. In fact, there are other components of a classic quest that I left out for the sake of clarity and also not writing 5000 words.

If you're curious these include things like a nemesis/rival (perhaps on the quest with the quester as well), a princess (someone whom to attract the attention of while on said quest), a dragon or steed (a vehicle by which protagonist or rival get from place to place), etc. Of these and for my episode analysis specifically, only Ryuga can count as a potential nemesis (and maybe Ryo can play the role of the princess-- Gingka does everything in his name after all), but I mention it only as an aside to demonstrate just how optional some quest components can be. They are a good exercise to think about, but I feel they should only be included if they actually serve the analysis, which, in my specific case, I don't feel they did.

This is a very wordy way of saying that the quest formula itself is a tool to help you get to key questions about a character's actions. At the end of the day, the important things to consider are these: What is the character learning about themselves? How do they grow? You can jump straight to these questions of course, but the journey helps contextualize it.

There are then additional questions you can ask to further your understanding.

Does the character realize their real reason for the quest by the end? Or does it happen subconsciously? Do they even realize it at all?

Does the character's stated goal align with the real reason behind the quest? Why or why not? (Most of the time, according to Foster in his book, the answer is no. The failure is often what gives the journey meaning by forcing the character to look deeper)

How does the character feel at the end of the quest, and how does that affect their actions going forward?

Does the character go on this journey alone, or with friends? Why? Did this affect the outcome? What would have been different if they took their solo journey with other characters (or vise versa)?

By virtue of Beyblade being a children's show where the narrative needs to make some things more overt, a lot of the lessons are told explicitly to the viewer, and The Silver Pegasus is no different. I say as much in my analysis, but to rapid fire through the questions posed:

Gingka does learn of the 'true' reason for his quest.

This realization and resultant self growth indirectly ends up serving his stated goal, as healing his spirit allows him to grow stronger with Pegasus later on.

He feels hopeful, uplifted, and sentimental by the end, and this quest gives him resilience to keep going when things get difficult. The 'never give up' and 'rely on your friends' messaging is a major theme in the show.

Finally, Gingka believes himself to be going on the journey alone; he's lost faith in his blader's spirit and has run away from his friends, unaware that they followed him to Koma Village. His newfound understanding of how Pegasus is right there beside him is critical to him regaining his strength later on. He even realizes that his deceased father is with him in spirit, and this prevents the grief from weighing at him as heavily as it does in the opening episodes of the show. It's not even possible for him to have gone on this quest with others; the entire reason he left was because he believed himself to be so thoroughly weak and alone.

The beauty of this symbolic framework is that it provides any number of questions that can be used to pick apart the character's actions and motivations, and thus provide more depth of understanding of them and their role in the story. It can even be broadened beyond this to wonder: if the character acted differently on the quest, what would change about the story itself? If Gingka allowed himself to be buried in the snow, if he came back down the mountain empty-handed, if the letter from his father made him angry and desperate instead of hopeful-- what would change in the story? It's a lot to think about, and a fun exercise.

Now go forth with this knowledge and make a big deal out of nothing.

[eyeballplanets]

To rephrase it in my typical posting style, my description of Anissa (in the show) as a vector for racial and gender allegory rendered as equal to Mark in suffering coercion and dispensing subjugation transmitted from their respective and parallel superiors isn't based on any personal squeamishness around sexuality in fiction nor a presumption that the show lacks a thematic language around such violence. To the second point, the show, in contrast to the comic, understands that these violations and disruptions are generated by hegemonies and the subordinating interactions therein, and cannot be extricated from other forms of violence: the husband's control of the wife, the father's control of the child, the general's control of the soldier, the soldier's control of the colonized victim, are all placed in this same suggestive language for violation. Cecil barging into Mark's bedroom and making him keep this intrusion a secret is commensurate for gradually transforming Donald in a living artifact of the GDA's will. The comic, by contrast posits these violations as existing outside of these structures, and presumes that these structures can in turn prevent this violence—the show takes on a more mature tone about bodily and ideological violations that the fandom should adopt even outside of discussing Invincible: rape is not dispensed by aberrant individuals lurking in the margins, but is a necessary tool for all coercive systems to function, be it the house, the government, or the invading army.

The show establishes a language around erotic boundary violations, whether explicitly describing sex or by placing the breach in the context of sexuality. Nolan braggadociously cooks up a kaiju tentacle for its aphrodisiac qualities, Debbie giddily tells Mark that she know’s he's having sex, &c.—one of Mark’s first lines is ‘bathroomdoors are closed for a reason, and parents should never ever talk about sex in front of their kids!’ He makes clear what his wants and expectations are, rather than letting the audience conclude independently that these permeate boundaries that should be otherwise kept more rigid. This same casual intrusion primes Mark to accept that Cecil’s entry into his bedroom is typical for the life of his superheroes: Cecil himself tells Mark that he needs to accept this level of surveillance if he wants to be a hero like his father, playing up Nolan’s position as these joint paragons of strength, of masculinity, of fatherhood. Conquest, too, succeeds as a depiction of eroticized violence where the comic’s salient reception fails, precisely because Conquest is neither positioned alongside marginalized identities—he is not a short-haired muscular woman who does not desire children—nor is his violation underpinned by reproductive teologies. Rather than desiring the conception of a super-powered child of imperial blood, Conquest’s domination is entirely enclosed within this assumption of Mark’s body, this reification of his beholdenness to this older conquering soldier, who breathlessly tells him how badly he wants him to resist, supplementing the expected violence of superhumans with imagery drenched in sexual violation, pulling Mark’s hair, licking his blood, cupping his cheek, pinning his wrist, whispering in his ear, begging him to fight, &c. That he apportions this violence equally unto Oliver, a child and the descendant of a colonized people, and Eve, a young woman whose strength defies the Viltrumite schema of power, demonstrate that this violation is part and parcel for invasions and martial violence.

By contrast, the comic’s most prominent vehicles for sexually coercive imagery, Telia and Anissa, were each positioned outside of hegemonic structures, and aligned with marginalized identities. The comic’s Telia was a civilian woman removed from Allen’s responsibilities to the coalition, with tentacle braids and familiar revealing clothes; Anissa was the short-haired soldier vocally disinterested in having children. Despite the audience appending this discursive eminence to the assault, none have uncovered the simple fact that Mark is her superior by virtue of being the son of the current emperor made heir apparent by his blood: there is no axes by which Mark is marginalized outside of physical strength. The show has revised each of these characters, making evident their marginalization and exploring these identities as conduits for its fantastical subtext: Telia is now a general, a soldier in the fight against the deathless colonial agents assailing the many planets; Anissa is now younger, smaller, and brown, and is coerced by a man whose violence takes the same form as Nolan and Cecil, controlling white man who claim ownership of Mark’s very body. That is, their revision is not merely a consequence of the show distancing itself from the sexual gratuity of the comic, but integral to its emphasis on coercion as being generated by those near the apex of these hegemonic structures. The comic’s depiction of Telia and Anissa as sexually coercive—and the audience's insistence that one of these characters be so framed in the show—reinforced chauvinistic conceptions that serve to obfuscate instances of sexual abuse, where the show instead has built up a language that accords all bodily violations under these unambiguous oppressors.

It’s not that the show is incapable of depicting sexual violation, it’s that the show has demonstrated that it understands the optics of associating violation with non-normative perpetrators and has instead reinforced the marginalized imagery that surrounds these female characters; it’s that the in contrast to the gleeful domination that defines the older Viltrumite men, Anissa is the most cold, sterile, and distant, even opting to choke Mark where her foot where others lower their body onto his and choke him with their hands; it’s that all of the series’ storytelling channels—visual, verbal, subtextual, and even musical—posit Anissa and Mark as comparably coerced, under these dominating authoritarian men.

[grey-sorcery]

Title: Sigilcraft Mechanics: Metasigils, Hypersigils, & Knot Magic

Suggested Reading

Sigilcraft: How-to Conceptualization Vs. VisualizationAnchorsEnergetic ConstructsIntermediate Energy WorkIntro to GnosisVisualization: Effective PracticeCorrespondencesThreshold Theory Basics of Spellcasting Spell Design

CW: This article discusses | || || |_. iykyk

Sigilcraft, Metasigils, & Hypersigils

When first getting into sigilwork, you may stumble into the practices of meta/hyper sigils. Metasigils are things like sigil-chains and spell circles, or multiple sigils that are connected or combined in order to create a more specific purpose. Hypersigils are nebulous connections made between concepts and intent that are embedded into the media. Hypersigils operate off the exact same mechanics as regular sigils but they are carried through a different, more expansive, vehicle. Rather than using lines and symbols to carry their purpose, their purpose is programmed through imagery, theme, composition, color theory, mathematics/numerology, and/or energy work. Sigilcraft, Metasigils, and Hypersigils represent intriguing aspects of contemporary occult practices, drawing upon psychological frameworks and symbol manipulation. Sigilcraft involves the creation and activation of sigils, which are abstract symbols charged with personal meaning and intention. These sigils serve as condensed representations of desired outcomes or transformative states. Rather than relying on explicit intentions, practitioners engage in a process of symbolic encoding to tap into the subconscious and evoke change.

Metasigils take sigilcraft a step further by incorporating multiple sigils into a larger, interconnected system. This system aims to capture a complex web of desires, beliefs, and archetypal influences. Metasigils serve as composite symbols that harmonize various facets of the practitioner's psyche, creating a unified expression of personal goals and aspirations. Through the interplay of multiple sigils within a Metasigil construct, practitioners seek to engage with deeper layers of their consciousness and facilitate transformative shifts.

Hypersigils push the boundaries of sigilcraft by expanding beyond static symbols into dynamic narrative frameworks. Hypersigils encompass a multidimensional approach, incorporating elements of storytelling, art, and personal mythology. They function as immersive vehicles that transport practitioners into a narrative world where their desires and intentions unfold. Hypersigils intertwine the symbolic power of sigils with immersive narratives, fostering a heightened level of engagement and identification. Through the ongoing interaction with the narrative construct, practitioners immerse themselves in a self-created reality that facilitates profound personal transformations.

The underlying psychological mechanisms behind sigilcraft, Metasigils, and Hypersigils are rooted in the power of symbolism and the subconscious mind. By engaging in symbol manipulation and focusing attention on the sigils or narrative constructs, practitioners tap into the reservoir of the subconscious, which is receptive to symbolic language and imagery. This process operates on the principle that the subconscious mind is more receptive to indirect communication, bypassing conscious filters and allowing for greater potential for change and manifestation.

Within this psychological framework, sigilcraft, Metasigils, and Hypersigils can be seen as tools that interface with cognitive processes, including attention, belief formation, and intentionality. The process of creating, activating, and interacting with these symbolic constructs involves a deliberate manipulation of cognitive processes to influence perceptions, motivations, and behaviors. By engaging with sigils, Metasigils, and Hypersigils, practitioners harness the power of suggestion, amplifying the psychological impact and aligning their subconscious processes towards desired outcomes.

Historical Contributions

The contributions of Paracelsus (1493-1541), Austin Osman Spare (1886-1956), Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499), Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi (787-886), and Zhang Guo Lao (c. 8th century) to the practice and use of sigils, talismans, and amulets were instrumental in shaping the understanding and application of these symbolic tools.

Paracelsus, a pioneering 16th century physician and alchemist, explored sigils, talismans, and amulets within his holistic approach to medicine and metaphysical philosophy. His seminal works, such as "The Book of Seven Seals" and "Philosophia Occulta," elucidated the intricate connections between the natural and spiritual realms. Paracelsus emphasized the utilization of symbols and objects to harness and channel the innate healing powers of nature, promoting the idea that the physical and spiritual aspects of existence were intimately entwined.

Austin Osman Spare, an artist and occultist, brought a unique perspective to sigils, talismans, and amulets in the early 20th century. In his influential work, "The Book of Pleasure," Spare developed a method known as "The Alphabet of Desire." This system involved the creation of personalized sigils as a means of manifesting one's desires. Spare's approach emphasized the integration of sigils into individualistic practices, wherein practitioners could tap into their subconscious and project their intentions into the symbol, without relying on external correspondences or established magical systems.

Marsilio Ficino, a 15th century Italian philosopher and astrologer, made significant contributions to the understanding and application of talismans. In his notable work, "De Vita Coelitus Comparanda," Ficino explored the concept of celestial correspondences and the use of talismans to align oneself with the cosmic forces. He believed that talismans, charged with celestial energies, could serve as conduits to bring about specific effects or virtues. Ficino's emphasis on the inherent connections between the celestial and human realms paved the way for further developments in talismanic practices.

Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi, an 8th century Persian astrologer and astronomer, explored talismans and their relationship with celestial influences. In his extensive writings, including "The Book of the Thousands" and "The Great Introduction," al-Balkhi explored the creation and application of talismans based on astrological principles. He believed that the proper alignment of planetary influences and the selection of auspicious times were crucial factors in the efficacy of talismans. His works provided a structured approach to the utilization of talismans in magical and astrological practices.

The fangshi (Occultist or Alchemist) Zhang Guo Lao, a legendary figure in Chinese Taoism during the Tang Dynasty (7th century), is associated with the creation and use of talismans. Though historical details of his life are uncertain, his role in Chinese folklore and Taoist practices is noteworthy. Zhang Guo Lao was believed to possess the ability to create and utilize magical charms and talismans. He was associated with the tradition of Taoist magical arts and was considered a master of talismanic practices.

These individuals, each with their unique perspectives and contributions, shaped the understanding and practice of sigils, talismans, and amulets. Paracelsus's holistic approach, Spare's individualistic methods, Ficino's celestial correspondences, al-Balkhi's astrological insights, and Zhang Guo Lao's mythical influence all played a significant role in the development and evolution of these symbolic tools. By exploring the interplay between natural and spiritual elements, these historical figures expanded our understanding of how sigils, talismans, and amulets can be utilized as practical and symbolic aids in various metaphysical, mystical, and magical practices.

The concept of hypersigils emerged in the field of chaos magic, and it was popularized by the occultist and writer Grant Morrison. Grant Morrison is often credited with introducing and developing the idea of hypersigils in his comic book series "The Invisibles," which was published from 1994 to 2000. Morrison expanded on this idea and proposed the concept of hypersigils, which extended the creation and activation of sigils to more complex and immersive forms of media. In "The Invisibles," Morrison incorporated his personal beliefs, desires, and intentions into the storyline, characters, and themes of the comic series. By doing so, he believed that he was effectively creating a hypersigil that would have a profound impact on his own life and the world around him. Morrison is quoted: “"The 'hypersigil' or 'supersigil' develops the sigil concept beyond the static image and incorporates elements such as characterization, drama, and plot. The hypersigil is a sigil extended through the fourth dimension. My own comic book series The Invisibles was a six-year long sigil in the form of an occult adventure story which consumed and recreated my life during the period of its composition and execution. The hypersigil is an immensely powerful and sometimes dangerous method for actually altering reality in accordance with intent. Results can be remarkable and shocking"

Uses and Applications in Witchcraft

The applications of Sigilcraft, Metasigils, and Hypersigils within the models of psychological, spiritual, energetic, and informational witchcraft encompass a diverse range of practices and techniques, each with its distinct focus and approach. Sigilcraft, the creation and utilization of sigils as symbolic tools, finds relevance and applicability in these different models.

In the psychological model of witchcraft, sigils serve as potent vehicles for self-exploration, introspection, and personal transformation. Through the process of crafting and activating sigils, practitioners engage in a form of self-directed psychological programming. Sigils become encoded representations of desires, goals, or affirmations, and their activation acts as a catalyst for subconscious shifts, empowering individuals to manifest desired psychological states or changes within their own psyche.

In the spiritual model of witchcraft, sigils hold significance as sacred symbols that establish connections between the individual and the divine or spiritual realms. Through the process of crafting and consecrating sigils, practitioners forge a connection with spiritual forces or deities, invoking their guidance, protection, or blessings. Sigils become conduits for spiritual energy and serve as focal points for devotion, meditation, or ritual practices, facilitating communion with the sacred and the cultivation of spiritual growth. May also incorporate astrology to aid in constructing this connection.

Within the energetic model of witchcraft, sigils function as energetic constructs that interact with subtle forces and channels of energy. By infusing sigils with a specific energetic signature, practitioners direct and manipulate energetic currents to influence specific outcomes or to affect the energetic balance within themselves or their environment. Sigils become energetic engrams, harnessing, transmuting, and directing the flow of subtle energies to bring about desired energetic fluctuations. Due to the pervasiveness of energy within all practices, any media or symbol can be created as, or made into, a sigil.

The informational model of witchcraft recognizes sigils as symbolic codes that communicate and transmit information beyond the conscious realm. In this model, sigils serve as gateways to accessing or altering information within the collective unconscious or the larger informational field. Practitioners employ sigils to tap into the reservoir of universal knowledge, to enhance intuition, or to encode information for purposes of communication, divination, or influencing informational flows.

Metasigils, an extension of sigilcraft, further expand the possibilities within these models of witchcraft. Metasigils operate on a meta-level, encompassing multiple sigils within a unified framework. They represent complex intentions, archetypal patterns, or overarching principles, serving as beacons for desired outcomes or as catalysts for profound shifts on various levels of existence.

Hypersigils transcend the individual sigil and encompass an entire narrative or artistic creation. Hypersigils are multifaceted expressions of intention and passion, woven into a larger creative endeavor such as a novel, artwork, or performance. Through immersion in the hypersigil's narrative or experience, practitioners engage with the intention on a deeper level, blurring the boundaries between the symbolic and the lived reality, thus manifesting desired outcomes or transformations.

Sigilwork As A Concept

The conceptual foundation of sigil magic is functionally the same as non-sigil spellwork. Both  are forms of esoteric manipulation, exhibit striking similarities when examined through a purely theoretical lens. Both rely heavily on the deliberate and purposeful application of intent, passion, and gnosis, hinged on the belief that human will, when focused, can incite change in the experienced reality.

Sigil magic operates on the premise that a practitioner, through concentrated trinity of spellwork, invests a symbol, or sigil, with a specific directive or objective. This directive, often personally significant and meticulously crafted, is embedded into the sigil during its creation. This procedure leverages the potent forces of subconscious cognition, energy work, and potentially spirit work to effectuate desired outcomes. The sigil, in this case, serves as an anchor for the working of the practitioner.

On the other hand, non-sigil spell work also hinges on the utilization of the trinity, albeit  sometimes without the symbolic component. Such spells, which can incorporate verbal utterances, physical actions, or the use of specific artifacts, aim to manifest a certain outcome by directly channeling the practitioner's will. In non-sigil spell work, it is the act or process of spell-casting that provides the energy which is typically anchored in a physical object or organism rather than a symbolic representation.

This dichotomy between the symbolic (sigil) and the action-oriented (non-sigil) methodologies offers an intriguing insight into the functional versatility of focused willpower in esoteric practices. While sigil magic employs symbols as the praxis for the working, non-sigil spell work instead often utilizes action or ritual which may not utilize this method of symbology. Despite these differences in methodology, both practices exhibit a common underlying principle: the harnessing of will (intention, passion, & gnosis) to effect desired changes. Energizing a sigil, akin to the preparatory stages of a non-sigil spell, involves focusing one's psychological, spiritual, and emotional energy on the emblematic object. This concentration of energy can be analogized to potential energy in the physical sciences - energy that is stored and ready to be transformed or released.

In the final stage of the sigil operation, commonly referred to as activation, the practitioner catalyzes the stored energy, analogous to the casting stage of non-sigil magic. Like a potential energy converted into kinetic energy when a physical object is set into motion, the activation process of an active sigil (see Sigil guide) transmutes the potential 'energy' concentrated in the sigil into a force aimed at manifesting the initial objective. The release of energy in this manner parallels the manner in which a spell is cast in non-sigil magic - a directional release of prepared energy to achieve a desired outcome. They also invariably utilize energy work, subconsciously or otherwise, to program the work towards a specific direction; move the work towards its target; and cause manifestation to a certain degree.

Furthermore, through the Spare method a meme, like the well-known "Loss", starts as an explicitly narrative unit. The original comic strip, that gave birth to the "Loss" meme, encapsulates a specific narrative—a poignant moment in a larger story. When this meme gets abstracted into a series of connected lines (| || || |_), it undergoes a transformative process akin to the creation of a Spare sigil, where an idea or goal is reduced to an abstract symbol.

The process of abstraction is central to this model, severing the explicit link between the signifier (the meme or sigil) and the signified (the original narrative or goal), thereby enabling the meme or sigil to be loaded with new meanings. Through the principle of intertextuality, each subsequent iteration of the meme or sigil can carry additional layers of meaning based on its relationship with other texts or cultural artifacts, further augmenting its power or ability.

When a meme is shared, engaged with, and re-contextualized by numerous individuals across the digital landscape, it can accumulate a form of energy. This propagation, engagement, and subsequent energy accumulation parallel the charging phase in sigil work.

The final aspect of this model concerns the activation of the sigil or the triggering of the meme's energy. When the meme is encountered in a context that aligns with its charged energy—whether that's humor, shock, or another emotional reaction—it discharges this energy, catalyzing a change in the perceiver's consciousness. This change is the operative goal in both meme propagation and sigil magic, making memes an intriguing tool for modern magical practitioners.

This concept is relatively mirrored by spellwork and spiritual practices found in pop-culture magic. Where a spell or being is used in real life. Pop-culture spellwork operates on similar principles to traditional spellwork, with pop culture entities taking the place of classical magical symbols or archetypes. For instance, a practitioner might call upon a character from a popular film or book, seeing in that character a symbolic representation of the qualities they wish to evoke or the changes they aspire to make. This is akin to how a sigil operates: an abstracted symbol carrying potentially accumulated meanings, invoked to initiate a desired change. Spirits conceptualized this way can become what is referred to as an egregore, or a thoughtform, which is forged in the idea of “the collective consciousness”. These entities, much like memes, are imbued with a certain collective energy derived from the shared cultural understanding and emotional investment of their audience. Intertextuality and abstraction play significant roles in both practices. In pop-culture spellwork, the entities used are intertextual, their meanings and energies derived from their relationships with other cultural artifacts. In pop-culture spiritwork, the practitioner often abstracts the entity from its original context, enabling it to carry new or additional meanings.

Applications of Sigil Conceptualization via Gnosis

The application of sigil conceptualization via gnosis demonstrates its efficacy and adaptability in various magical practices, such as knot magic, candle magic, rune magic, and kitchen magic. Gnosis, referring to a state of deep intuitive insight or focus (typically propagated through the cultivation of a conducive headspace), serves as a powerful catalyst for sigil work. The process involves the practitioner entering a heightened state, transcending ordinary awareness to connect with their intention and passion.

Knot magic, a practice found in diverse cultural traditions, involves the tying of knots to manifest desired outcomes. Through the use of knots, imbued with symbolic significance, practitioners harness the power of intention and gnosis to weave their desires into the fibers. By tying and untying knots with purposeful focus, the practitioner establishes a tangible representation of their intention through abstraction, activating the energetic potential of the work. This is nearly a 1:1 correlation to sigilwork.

Candle magic, another commonly employed practice, utilizes the element of fire as a transformative agent. The practitioner chooses a specific colored candle that corresponds with their intention, and through passion and gnosis, infuses the candle with their energy. As the flame flickers and dances, it serves as a medium for the manifestation of the spell’s purpose, releasing the intent into the universe.

Rune magic, outside of divination, is derived from ancient Germanic and Norse traditions, involves the use of runic symbols as conduits for magical workings. The practitioner, with deep gnosis, selects specific runes that resonate with their intention. By inscribing or projecting the chosen runes, they infuse them with their energy and connect with the inherent energies represented by the symbols. The runic sigils act as channels through which the practitioner channels their will and taps into the primal forces of creation. 

Kitchen magic, rooted in the practical aspects of everyday life, utilizes the preparation and consumption of food as a magical act. With a focused mind and gnosis, practitioners infuse ingredients and dishes with their will. By combining culinary techniques, herbs, spices, and energetic and maybe even ritualistic preparation, they create edible hypersigils that carry their encoded purpose. As the food is consumed, it serves as a vehicle for the manifestation of the magical intent, bringing transformative energies into the practitioner's life through their physical body.

The applications of sigil conceptualization via gnosis in knot magic, candle magic, rune magic, and kitchen magic highlight the versatility and potency of this approach. By bypassing the psychological model and eschewing specific religious or ceremonial frameworks, these practices provide a pragmatic and accessible avenue for magical workings. Through the fusion of focused intention, symbolism, and intuitive insight, practitioners unlock the transformative potential of sigils and harness the universal forces at play in the world.

Ideas to Consider When Using Sigils in Spellwork

Since sigil magic can be considered a spell within itself and its core concepts permeate such a large area of magical practice, it would be wise to consider just how it is used as a component in spell work. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to see if your sigil would interact with your working in a hindering way:

Does my sigil’s meaning align exactly with the purpose of my spell? 

Yes: Beyond using it as a correspondence, or a physical representation of the threshold you’re creating, it will not help or harm the spell itself. If you want or need such representation or reminder it may be helpful for casting.

No: Next question 

Does my sigil avoid all concepts that are in my spell?

Yes: Will the sigil still work towards the purpose of the spell?

Yes: This sigil will aid the spell, as a spell itself rather than as a correspondence, but it won't necessarily help the caster.

No: Why are you using it? Perhaps omit it or find another to use.

No: Next question

Does my sigil represent my target?

Yes: This will work effectively so long as the sigil is energetically activated and/or can evoke solid memories, imagery, voices, and characteristics of the target.

No: Next question

Is my sigil used purely for correspondence?

Yes: Next question

No: Does the sigil imply some verbage or means of manifestation?

Yes: Next question

No: This sigil may potentially interact, though without more specific information it is difficult to tell.

Did I activate my sigil, or plan to?

Yes: Correspondence or manifestation?

Correspondence: If you plan to activate it, it would be wise to reconsider. If it is already activated, it would be wise to recreate an inactive version.

Manifestation: This sigil will work well for your purposes, so long as the means of manifestation are the same as the means defined by the spell.

No: This sigil will work for your purposes.

Patron Shoutouts!

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Thank you for your continued support! My patrons help me maintain the drive to create content and help me keep food in my pantry. 

Support me! Here's a Masterpost of all my planned and published content! This post was reviewed and edited by ChatGPT.

[angeldeviloshi]

Was porting some of my posts here to bsky and ended up making more analysis in the process.

So, building off these posts I made.

Random thought again following my recent post about Denji and his humanity, but thinking about Barem saying that the thing humans and hybrids have in common is that they're born to kill. Of note here is the specification of hybridhood as being both weapon and devil (mainly because the term "hybrid" is actually a fanon term from the EN fandom rather than an official terminology used by the characters but I digress) Miri's dissent in the group here is that he's human and that he wishes to think for himself but Barem simply tells him that there's no difference at all.

So, the interesting thing here is that in JP, the hybrids are referred to mainly by how the manga addresses them, "Weapon Humans" . Barem isn't denying that Miri is human. They simply perceive the context of 'what it means' to be human differently.

And in Barem's case he presents Miri's perception of his agency as a 'human' to be an exercise in futility because it does not inherently separate him from his identity as a weapon as Barem demonstrates by what happens outside Denji's house after the Chainsaw devil outbreak.

Ok was revisiting some old chapters to maybe grab a few pages or panels for a thought but this page.

Especially the last panel made me laugh in the context of the recent posts I made about my fragmented thoughts about the death devil, humanity + hybridhood and denji's suffering through his humanity and hybridhood in the confines of csm's world. Funnily enough the post I was gonna make was somewhat related to those posts too lol. But anyways "And that's why God will forgive us..." Barem channeling Makima's necessary evil here. Again killing contextualised here as a human construct, weapons and devils as tools of destruction that came from humanity, its self-destructive cycle informed by the authorial structures of CSM's world which Makima embodies as a product of the state alongside her machinations in part 1's narrative as Control, spiritually deified by Barem as a church leader, conflation of church and state, the church militant tones here. Btw the explicit exclusion of God in CSM has been a thing observed by fans for a while now despite the presence of places of worship, the idea of heaven and monuments like the Statue of Liberty. There's also fjmt's interview in the 2021 release of Kono Manga ga Sugoi! where he states there are some things omitted from the work such as the term "God" ("kami-sama" 神様 to be specific) which he does so deliberately for specific things and concepts. And I know we can be like "Pochita ate the God devil, end of story!" about it but it's worth thinking about what purpose this omission serves especially when devils play a huge part in the world of CSM, "God" brought up specifically in this moment by Barem. (Here's the JP panel for comparison. Note how 神様 kami-sama is explicitly stated here. Interestingly in the Japanese phrasing, Barem states that God will forgive them because of what they are in terms of their hybridhood.

「そんな俺達なら明日何人殺しても、神様は許してくれるさ」 sonna oretachi nara asu nannin koroshitemo, kami-sama wa yurushite kureru sa. "Given that's what we are, no matter how many people we kill tomorrow...God will forgive us.")

The omission of God as an identifiable tangible concept grants it flexibility and subjectivity when it comes to the themes and world of CSM, removing God and devils from a singular entity (like a specific religion) allows them to function more like vehicles for CSM's storytelling. "Worship" and "Evils" in CSM are not aligned with a camp of good or bad but what is perceived and ingrained by the people in CSM. Barem namedropping God here while echoing Makima's necessary evil in his mission to summon Pochita out of Denji to combat the Death devil whilst claiming he could still be under Makima's control, acting in her interests as he burned down Denji's house, destroying his and Nayuta's family, both parts an attempt to re-enact Makima's machination in part 1 through the narrative she operates and a tearing down of the co-existence and "normal" of Denji and Nayuta's happiness together, as a hybrid and a devil trying to live as humans do, like a family. Reducing them to a tool and a threat as devils before the mob of angry humans, placing them in the status quo.

But also, the propagation of weaponhood and destruction in the narrative extends the story of Chainsaw Man. Because what is Denji if not Chainsaw Man?

The people hunger for Chainsaw Man. And it's hunger that pushes Chainsaw Man into fighting the finality of Death so the food of humanity can continue to exist and be enjoyed.

And it's interesting how...there's a lack of acknowledgement both in and out of universe about the flimsiness the idea of an "age of devils" is as stated by the prophecy.

When the story continuously presents us with the fact that devils are born from humans. At least when taken at face-value.

Devils in CSM are a vehicle for concepts born from humanity which humanity in turn derive power and use from in their manifested tangibility as devils. Expanding what's possible for humanity in the way they alter reality even outside of Pochita's abilities through contracts.

It's how Denji and Asa are able to cheat death at the "beginning" of their stories. The existence of devils itself is inventive as humanity's creation.

(Also excerpt from my brief death devil thoughts lol)

For me, it seems to be more an exploration of trying to grapple with what the finality of death entails which is something we can't actually truly be prepared for and how that contextualises and reflects on our own lives + the part we play in it alongside other people/forces shaping it. And in contrast how much would continuity fare against finality, how do you make it worth something to you either way? And the way it all plays into the microcosm of agency within limitations through creation/preservation. Especially since while the Death devil embodies the horror and power of death, it's fundamentally a devil, a fear and concept born from humans. The apocalypse manifesting as humanity giving death power over us. The text frames the Death devil as something to be defeated but isn't the desire to combat Death itself with more death empowering the fear of Death? And if humanity desensitise themselves to Death to offset that fear, what is left or becomes of "humanity"? Conquered by devils of our own making.

You can see how this fits into there being an "age of devils" especially with the Chainsaw Devil outbreak and the "Justice Devil" contracts.

Humanity's desire to transcend their limitations with the power of concepts. The fear of Death and the finality it represents as catalyst for creation.

And you can see this in Falling's presentation of food as well, built on concepts, made with love to be served, consumed and appreciated.

This extending into Kiga's gluttony for human food as she runs the Chainsaw Man Church giving out Fire Devil contracts in the prospect of an approaching finale.

The sustenance known as Chainsaw Man against Death. The hunger that pushes Chainsaw Man to fight the finality of Death, the fandom fuelled by Denji's hunger by becoming Chainsaw Man to avoid accepting the finality of Pochita's, Aki's and Power's deaths by propagating purpose from their deaths...

As the boy who dreams, as the hero, as the elder sibling. Denji's "both choices". When he revs the Chainsaw engine again and sends the chains going around like a perpetual motion machine.

[lavatichellborn]

Two of my original characters I have art for are Snitch and Stitch. Only face claims for now, but I do have a basic idea of their bodies. They’re Dinobots, well kinda

They’re twins born from the planet Devisun. They weren’t Dinobots at the start, their original is that of what went down in the aligned continuity for the Dinobots, where they got transformed to them. These two were part of the original squad (who are much larger now in terms of members).

They were born during the Golden Age, their original mode was a car. They were brilliant, by proxy, they acted as assistants and archivists organizing data all around, mostly weaponry, engineering, and equipment based sciences. They were never allowed to work on anything on their own, just allowed to organize and assist bigger name scientists. But they managed to learn quickly and secretly build things on their own in private. The two brothers had the outlier ability of magnetism, though it was rather short range.

They got found out and they tried fighting their way out, but they got caught and thrown into the arena where they met Grimlock pre change (also aligned Grimlock, and RID15 Grimlock are separate entities in my universe). Not only were they captured they were forced to undergo a what might be considered a light empurata, aka they now each had one eye. They were like annoying younger brothers with too much energy but a lot of smarts to make a bunch of weapons and tools that no one asked for but they were gonna make regardless.

But everything changed when the fire nation attacked, I mean when the war broke out. They acted as scientists for their main team, and as the snipers able to hit from far away and blitzkrieg opponents by being rascals. Now everything went fine, that is until around the midpoint of the war and the Thunder Coalition getting captured by the cons. Shockwave had some fun with them given they were the only devisiuns there. So he experimented and resulted in them getting a Pachycephalosaurus alt mode.

So now whenever they transform they become that instead of their shared vehicle mode. Like the others they were made dumber, but due to their more unique origin, they actually were able to keep a high level of their intelligence, though much more wild and animalistic. But compared to their fellow Dinobots they are considered the calmest and easiest to talk to since they don’t fully become violent or aggressive easily.

They’re much much more curious and interested in science still. They get into constant brawls and headbutt over and over again, but their heads are the toughest parts of their bodies now so anyone else getting headbutted unless they have tough armor is getting a concussion. They ramble a lot and technobabble, they usually speak in turns and sometimes in unison if being more serious. They like walking on all fours in robot mode cause to them it’s faster and their arms are longer than their legs so it helps with balance.

There are moments where their full intelligence comes back and they are able to speak normally. They do what they can in this state to get the most work done or communicate with others without the fog in their mind. Also their magnetism ability had grown stronger from the experiment so now they can send a full magnetic burst of energy and magnetize the battlefield for a bit, …but they end up stuck together too.

Their designs are based on another person’s Dinobot design that I enjoyed their heads and specifically their eyes so I went off in my own direction. They also take inspo from the comedy tragedy masks so that’s why they have smile and frown and opposite color schemes. They both act more or less the same as one being, but when alone you can tell Snitch is the more cheerful one, while Stitch is more pessimistic.

They were fighting else where with the rest of the Dinobots, but now that the war’s over they’re chilling and building things. They sometimes come visit Griffin Rock cause they like working with Doc Greene and all his crazy stuff.

Also their voice is One-One from Infinity Train but a bit more wild

[sngl-led-auto-lights]

How do you change a headlight?

Changing a headlight bulb varies slightly depending on your vehicle’s make and model, but the general process is straightforward. Below is a step-by-step guide for most modern cars (halogen bulbs). If you have LED or HID headlights, consult your owner’s manual, as they may require professional service.

Tools Needed

Replacement bulb (check your owner’s manual or auto parts store for the correct type).

Gloves (to avoid touching the bulb glass with bare hands).

Screwdriver or socket set (if required).

Clean microfiber cloth (optional).

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Park Safely and Prep

Turn off the engine and headlights.

Let the bulbs cool for 10 minutes if they were recently on.

Open the hood and locate the headlight assembly.

2. Access the Bulb

Behind the headlight: Most cars allow access via the engine bay. Remove any dust covers or clips securing the bulb.

From the wheel well: Some vehicles (e.g., certain Hondas) require removing the wheel liner or fender clips.

From under the hood: Look for a wiring harness connected to the rear of the headlight assembly.

3. Disconnect the Wiring Harness

Unplug the electrical connector by pressing the release tab and pulling it straight out.

4. Remove the Old Bulb

Twist the bulb holder counterclockwise (usually ¼ turn) to unlock it.

Gently pull the bulb straight out. Avoid shaking or twisting the bulb itself.

5. Install the New Bulb

Do not touch the glass with bare hands (oils from skin can shorten bulb life). Use gloves or a cloth.

Align the tabs on the new bulb with the slots in the headlight assembly.

Insert the bulb, then twist clockwise to lock it into place.

6. Reconnect and Test

Plug the wiring harness back in.

Turn on the headlights to test the new bulb.

If it doesn’t work, recheck connections or test the fuse.

7. Reassemble

Replace any dust covers, clips, or screws you removed.

Close the hood.

Key Tips

Buy the correct bulb: Use your car’s VIN or owner’s manual to confirm bulb type (e.g., H7, 9005).

Replace in pairs: If one bulb burns out, the other is likely close behind.

Adjust alignment: If the beam pattern seems off, use a wall at night to check alignment (vertical cutoff should be level).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Touching the bulb: Oils from skin cause hotspots and premature failure.

Forcing components: If something won’t budge, double-check for hidden screws/clips.

Ignoring condensation: If moisture is inside the headlight, dry it and reseal the housing.

When to Call a Pro

If your car has LED or HID bulbs (often require specialized tools).

If the headlight assembly is sealed (common in older cars), requiring full replacement.

Cost:

Bulb: $10–$50 (halogen) / $50–$200+ (LED/HID).

Labor at a shop: $20–$100.

With patience, most drivers can handle this in 10–20 minutes! 🔧💡

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Planescape Factions by Magic Color

I hope to get some responses on this, because I’m not super familiar with Magic lore. But here’s some of the Planescape organizations - the philosopher gangs and guilds who run Sigil and clash across the multiverse.

The Athar say that the gods aren’t truly divine and should be subject to the same rules as anyone, despite their power. They represent Blue/White with their focus on logic over faith and their organized printing presses and alchemists.

The Believers of the Source say all things are being tested and eventually, with enough determination, we mortals can achieve reincarnation into a higher state. In their foundries, they build tools and vehicles and fine trade goods. They represent Black/Green with the focus on growth and personal development, and the drive to become something new.

The Bleak Cabal says there’s no meaning or purpose to existence, and even accepting this lesson is just a temporary distraction from the endless, hopeless mess. In the Gatehouse, they care for the many poor and unhealthy citizens of Sigil. They represent a very odd flavor of Black/White as they turn their empty lives to a social mission.

The Doomguard say everything is going to end eventually, so why not enjoy the view of all the destruction? They push the entropic process forward by forging all kinds of weapons in the Armory. They exemplify Red/Black in their reckless disregard for the fabric of reality.

If this sparks some interest I will keep it going - there’s fifteen factions, so there might be color overlap between them. And keep in mind, there’s all kinds of alignments and ideals within these groups to inspire NPCs and adventure hooks!

[ptitolier]

When the Market Sanctions Ideology: Tesla's Collapse and the Political Drift of Billionaires

Source: El Manifesto, February 6, 2025 edition, article by Annaflavia Merluzzi.

According to an investigation published in El Manifesto, Tesla sales are plummeting across Europe, with dramatic declines in Germany (-59%), France (-63%), and Norway (-38%). While these figures reflect a broader slowdown in the electric vehicle market, they also reveal a political dynamic: the growing rejection of Elon Musk and his ideological alignment with the far right.

This collapse is not merely an economic sanction—it raises a larger question: can capitalism exist independently of democracy, or will democracy ultimately reassert control?

Reactionary Capital: When the Market Sanctions Ideology

Tesla’s downfall in Germany and across Europe is more than just an economic issue. It highlights a broader phenomenon: the rejection of a capitalism that no longer limits itself to production but seeks to impose a political vision on the world.

Traditionally, the far right has been hostile to both environmentalism and technological progress. At first glance, this makes it a paradoxical ally for a billionaire leading an electric vehicle company. However, Elon Musk’s financial backing of Alice Weidel and the German far-right party AfD reveals another dimension of this alliance: a rejection of ecological transition when framed within a democratic and social context.

A Capitalism That No Longer Hides

Musk embodies a shift in contemporary capitalism: wealth is no longer just about accumulation—it is now a tool for financing reactionary political movements that oppose environmental regulations, social rights, and inclusive policies.

This trend reflects a broader phenomenon in which certain billionaires, rather than remaining neutral market players, become direct political actors. Their strategy aligns with an old fantasy of elite secession: controlling a captive market, securing an electorate aligned with their vision, and developing technologies that ensure their total autonomy from the rest of society.

The Market as a Battleground

But this project faces a fundamental paradox: if billionaires attempt to shape politics, consumers, in turn, can politicize their consumption. The European boycott of Tesla illustrates how the market itself can become an ideological battlefield. Consumers, far from being passive economic participants, are expressing a rejection of a corporate model where ideology takes precedence over innovation.

The philosopher Karl Polanyi identified this tension in the 20th century: the free market only functions as long as society accepts it. When a company oversteps its role and becomes a tool of ideological domination, it risks being rejected by society. The market, far from being an autonomous entity, is always embedded within a moral and political framework.

A New Form of Resistance?

The Tesla case reminds us that in a world where billionaires seek to shape public policy while bypassing democratic processes, citizens can respond economically. When voting appears ineffective against the influence of wealth in politics, boycotting becomes a powerful tool of resistance.

We may be witnessing the emergence of an inverted ethical capitalism: one not dictated by corporate promises of sustainability, but by consumers sanctioning ideological deviations among the ultra-wealthy. If this trend continues, it could redefine the relationship between capitalism and democracy—reminding us that economics cannot be detached from the values it claims to serve.

Also worth reading: Check out my series "Democracy VS Capitalism" on Medium, where I explore the tensions between economic power and democratic institutions:

Coming in mid-February: A three-part series on climate denial fake news, scientific manipulation, collective paralysis, and the secession of the wealthy. Why are some billionaires sabotaging climate action while preparing their escape? Stay tuned.

P'tit Tôlier

Essayist & Popularizer. I analyze the world through accessible philosophical essays. Complex ideas, explained simply—to help us think about our times.

[talonabraxas]

'Sirian' Merkabah 🌀 Talon Abraxas Merkabah and your Spiritual Ascension The journey of spiritual ascension is a deeply personal process, one that involves evolving consciousness, opening higher faculties, and aligning with your divine potential. Merkabah, with its profound symbolism and ancient wisdom, plays a crucial role in this transformative journey.

The Merkabah, viewed as a light body vehicle, can assist us in navigating through higher dimensions and deeper states of consciousness. By activating our Merkabah through daily practices and intention setting, we can potentially elevate our vibrational frequency and enhance our spiritual capacities.

The activation process is often seen as a multi-dimensional awakening. It involves a shift from a state of ego-centric consciousness to one of unity and interconnectedness with all of creation. This ascension journey, mirrored in the geometric harmony of the Merkabah, reflects the process of moving beyond perceived dualities and into a more holistic understanding of existence.

Working with Merkabah energy also aligns with the concept of “as above, so below,” a key axiom in Hermetic and spiritual teachings. This principle suggests that the macrocosm of the universe is reflected in the microcosm of our individual experiences. By aligning with the energy of our personal Merkabah, we’re syncing with the universal patterns and rhythms, facilitating a deeper connection with our higher selves and the collective consciousness.

…and we can’t forget that the Merkabah also symbolizes balance and integration of polarities — masculine and feminine, physical and spiritual, Earthly and divine. This harmonizing energy aids us in achieving a more balanced state of being, which is crucial for our spiritual ascension. The fusion of opposites within the Merkabah can be seen as a guide, encouraging us to integrate all aspects of our being in our quest for wholeness.

In essence, the Merkabah serves as a cosmic tool, aiding us navigate the intricacies of spiritual growth. By understanding and working with its energies, we can foster a clearer path towards ascension for a greater alignment with our highest self and deepest purpose.

[anthonygrove]

Green Trading Revolution: Turn Your Portfolio Into a Climate Champion!

The financial world is undergoing a transformation. No longer is trading only about chasing profits—today, it's also about protecting the planet. This shift is at the core of the Green Trading revolution, a movement that empowers investors to make impactful financial decisions that contribute to a more sustainable future.

By investing responsibly, traders can now turn their portfolios into climate champions. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned investor, aligning your strategy with environmental goals is not only ethically sound—it’s financially smart.

What Is Green Trading?

Green Trading refers to an investment strategy focused on environmental sustainability. It involves trading assets and selecting brokers that prioritize eco-conscious practices, ethical governance, and clean industries. This can mean:

Trading companies focused on renewable energy, electric vehicles, or sustainable agriculture

Choosing brokers that reduce carbon emissions and support green initiatives

Avoiding environmentally harmful sectors such as oil, coal, or deforestation-based commodities

Green Trading helps you grow your wealth while supporting businesses that are actively working to fight climate change.

Expert Insight: Sangram Mohanta on Why Green Trading Matters

Sangram Mohanta, a seasoned forex trading expert with over 15 years in the industry, is a strong advocate for sustainability in trading. Having guided thousands of traders through volatile markets, Mohanta believes that Green Trading is more than a passing trend—it’s the future.

Incorporating sustainability into your trading approach not only reflects global values but also adds resilience to your portfolio,” Mohanta says. Green Trading is about responsibility, but it’s also a smart risk management tool. Environmentally sound businesses are proving to be more adaptive and future-proof.

Sangram also stresses the importance of using secure and regulated brokers when implementing a green strategy. That’s where platforms like Top Forex Brokers Review come into play.

Why Green Trading Is Profitable

Contrary to the belief that sustainability might reduce returns, Green Trading often enhances long-term profitability. Companies that adopt green practices are typically more efficient, forward-thinking, and adaptable to regulatory changes. This makes them less vulnerable to risks and better positioned for growth.

Major funds, institutions, and individual traders are increasingly shifting their capital into green sectors. This surge in demand has pushed the value of eco-friendly assets upward, making sustainability one of the most lucrative long-term trading strategies.

Benefits of Green Trading:

Long-term portfolio growth

Lower exposure to regulatory and environmental risks

Enhanced reputation among socially conscious investors

Support for ethical and future-focused businesses

Trusted Green Brokers – As Reviewed on Top Forex Brokers Review

Not every broker is committed to sustainability. Fortunately, Top Forex Brokers Review evaluates and ranks platforms based not only on performance and user experience but also on their environmental responsibility.

Some of the top-rated brokers with a green trading edge include:

FP Markets – Offers paperless transactions and supports green investment portfolios

IC Markets – Utilizes eco-friendly servers and promotes low-carbon trading

XM – Participates in environmental causes and supports sustainable economic projects

BlackBull Markets – Known for ethical business practices and digital-first trading solutions

FxPro – Provides access to green-focused ETFs and clean energy stocks

These brokers offer platforms that align with the goals of Green Trading, providing traders with tools to support both their financial and environmental objectives.

Real-Life Success Story: How One Trader Found Purpose and Profit

Ava Henderson, a 41-year-old trader from New Zealand, found herself reevaluating her investment goals in 2022 after witnessing the effects of climate change firsthand. Looking to align her trading with her environmental values, Ava turned to Top Forex Brokers Review, where she discovered IC Markets.

After attending a virtual workshop hosted by Sangram Mohanta, Ava learned how to construct a green trading portfolio that included clean energy stocks, green ETFs, and sustainable forex pairs. Over the next 14 months, her portfolio gained 47%, while her carbon footprint significantly dropped thanks to her broker’s green infrastructure.

Green Trading gave my investments a deeper meaning,”Ava says. I’ve never felt more confident in my strategy—both as a trader and as a global citizen.

Why Security Still Comes First

While the green revolution is essential, security must remain a top priority. As Green Trading grows in popularity, traders must ensure their funds and personal information are safeguarded through reliable brokers.

Top Forex Brokers Review places a strong emphasis on website and broker security in its evaluations. Here are some of the vital security features provided by top-rated brokers:

SSL Encryption – Ensures all data transmissions are secure

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – Adds a layer of protection against unauthorized access

Regulatory Compliance – Brokers are regulated by authorities like ASIC, CySEC, and FCA

Segregated Accounts – Protects trader funds in case of broker insolvency

Platform Audits – Regular security checks maintain trust and transparency

Combining these security protocols with green initiatives allows traders to build a portfolio that is both safe and sustainable.

Why Green Trading Is the Future of Finance

Global awareness is rising. Governments are enforcing strict climate policies, corporations are pledging net-zero commitments, and individual investors are demanding more ethical choices. This paradigm shift is reshaping the financial industry—and Green Trading is at its heart.

Investors who adapt early to this sustainable model are positioning themselves ahead of the curve. As more capital flows into environmentally sound markets, demand will continue to push prices and profits higher for those who invest with intention.

Final Thoughts from Sangram Mohanta

According to Sangram Mohanta, “The financial industry is no longer separate from the environmental crisis. Traders now have a responsibility—and an opportunity—to be part of the solution. Green Trading isn’t just about feeling good; it’s about making smart, resilient, and forward-looking decisions.”

He encourages traders to explore Top Forex Brokers Review to find green brokers, stay updated on the latest sustainable strategies, and ensure their platforms are secure and regulated.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What makes a broker ‘green’? A green broker uses eco-friendly infrastructure, promotes ESG investments, minimizes paper use, and contributes to sustainability.

Q: Can beginners start with Green Trading? Yes. Many brokers offer educational content and demo accounts tailored to green trading.

Q: Is Green Trading profitable? Yes. Companies with sustainable practices often outperform long-term due to regulatory resilience and growing investor demand.

Q: How do I ensure my trading platform is secure? Check for features like SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and regulatory compliance. Use trusted reviews like those on Top Forex Brokers Review.

Q: Where can I learn more about brokers that support Green Trading? Visit Top Forex Brokers Review, where platforms are ranked based on security, sustainability, and performance.

Conclusion: Invest With Purpose, Trade for Change

Green Trading is not just a financial strategy—it’s a global movement. By aligning your investments with environmental responsibility, you turn your portfolio into a force for positive change. With expert guidance from professionals like Sangram Mohanta and access to secure, sustainable brokers through Top Forex Brokers Review, you can build wealth while shaping a better world.

The Green Trading revolution is here. Be part of it. Trade smart, trade safe—and trade green.

[kevin33james-blog]

Maintaining Tire Traction for Safely Shipping

Evaluating tread depth is a crucial step in assessing the overall condition and safety of your tires, especially when preparing your car for shipping with Florida car transport companies. Proper tread depth is essential for maintaining traction, particularly in wet conditions, and for overall vehicle handling and performance.

The most common and straightforward method to measure tread depth is the penny test. Here’s how to perform it:

Take a penny and insert it into the tread groove with Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you.

If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, your tread depth is less than 2/32 inches, and it’s time to replace the tire.

Repeat this test at several points around the tire, as wear may not be uniform.

While the penny test is a quick and easy method, for more precise measurements, you can use a tread depth gauge. These tools are inexpensive and provide an exact measurement of your tread depth. Here’s how to use one:

Place the base plate of the gauge across the tread.

Push the probe down into the tread groove until the base plate is flush with the tread.

Read the measurement on the gauge.

In the United States, tires are considered legally worn out when they reach 2/32 inches of remaining tread depth. However, tire performance, especially in wet conditions, begins to decline well before this point. Many experts recommend considering replacement when the tread depth reaches 4/32 inches.

When evaluating tread depth, be sure to check multiple points across the tire’s width and around its circumference. Uneven wear can indicate other issues such as misalignment or improper inflation.

Pay special attention to any tread wear indicators. These are raised sections of rubber at the bottom of the tread grooves. When the tread has worn down to the level of these indicators, it’s time to replace the tire.

For winter tires, the recommended minimum tread depth is typically higher – around 6/32 inch – to maintain effective performance in snow and slush.

Remember that tread wear can vary between tires on the same vehicle. The front tires on a front-wheel-drive vehicle, for example, often wear faster than the rear tires. If you find significant differences in tread depth between tires, consider having your tires rotated or replaced as needed before transport.

Lastly, don’t forget to check the spare tire if your vehicle has one. Even if it hasn’t been used, spare tires can degrade over time and may need replacement.

Proper evaluation of tread depth is not just about meeting legal requirements – it’s about maintaining the safety and performance of your vehicle during transport and beyond.

Signs of Uneven Wear and Tear on Tires

Uneven wear and tear on tires can indicate various issues with your vehicle or tire maintenance practices. Identifying these signs early can help prevent more serious problems and extend the life of your tires. Here are some common patterns of uneven wear to look out for:

Center Wear: If the center of your tire tread is more worn than the outer edges, your tires are likely overinflated. Over-inflation causes the center of the tire to bear more of the vehicle’s weight, leading to faster wear in this area. Regularly check and adjust your tire pressure to the manufacturer’s recommended levels.

Edge Wear: Conversely, if the outer edges of your tire are more worn than the center, your tires are probably under-inflated. Under-inflation causes the tire’s edges to bear more weight, leading to increased wear on the sides. This condition can also generate excess heat, potentially leading to tire failure.

One-Sided Wear: If one side of your tire tread is wearing faster than the other, it could indicate an alignment problem. Misaligned wheels cause tires to drag instead of rolling freely, leading to uneven wear. This issue requires professional alignment service to correct.

Cupping or Scalloping: This appears as dips or scalloped patterns around the tire’s circumference. It can be caused by worn suspension components, improper balance, or misalignment. If you notice this pattern, have your suspension and wheel balance checked by a professional.

Feathering: This occurs when the tread ribs are smooth on one side and sharp on the other. It’s often the result of improper toe alignment, where the wheels are not pointing straight ahead. This requires a professional alignment to correct.

Flat Spots: These appear as unusually smooth or flat areas on the tire and are often caused by sudden, hard braking that locks the wheels. They can also develop if a vehicle is parked for an extended period without movement. Minor flat spots may work themselves out with driving, but severe cases may require tire replacement.

Heel/Toe Wear: This pattern appears as saw-tooth wear across the tread blocks and is often more easily felt than seen. It’s a normal result of the tire design but can be exacerbated by lack of rotation. Regular tire rotations can help prevent this type of wear from becoming severe.

Sidewall Wear: Any signs of wear on the sidewall of the tire are cause for immediate concern. This can indicate that the wheels are out of alignment to a severe degree, or that the vehicle has been driven with extremely underinflated tires. Sidewall damage can compromise the structural integrity of the tire and may require immediate replacement.

Remember, uneven wear not only shortens the life of your tires but can also affect your vehicle’s handling, fuel efficiency, and safety. If you notice any of these wear patterns, especially before transporting your vehicle, it’s advisable to have your tires inspected by a professional. They can determine the cause of the uneven wear and recommend appropriate corrective actions, whether that’s a simple tire rotation, a wheel alignment, or replacement of worn components.